smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

hi,,o be kesumed that every voter
buerc this made hischoiCe between the
points that are to be voted for aS Capital


location. to-day, and We do not therefore


deem i. worth while to attempt to add


ANYTHING to what has been SO fully said
on the ,utiect. We simply express the
hope that no friend OF Clarksburg will
omi! doing his full duty to-day. By this
We mean that he will not only see that
bis own vote Ia casL as soon as possible
in the day, but Also put him
self to some trouble to see thai
such Of his friends and neighbors al
favor CIarksburg do not lose their votes
through neglect during the day. Ohio
county ought to poll 5000 votes fol
ClarkSburg, and II there could be fall
turn out there is scarcely 4 doubt that
the vote for Clarksburg would exceed this
figure. II Charleston succeeds to-day it
will not be because she is really the choice
Of the people Of West Virginia for the
Capital, but because 50 many voters in
the First aud Second Districts will rc.
main at home.


We say to every friend Of ClArksburs
that to-day ia your opportunity. II you
feel that it Is for the interest OF this
region that the Capital should no. again
be located at an inaccessible point in the
State, but that it should 10 somewhere
near the centre Of the population and
ta1.payiug interests OF our territory,
then do not fail to say so by your vote
and your influence to-day.


Go to tho polls promptly after break.
fast, and then see that several others &c
during the day.


LoteVcry friend Of Clarksburg resolve
to send at least half a dozen Clarksbury
voters to the polls to-day. Ia this way
wscln roll up vote that may decide the
Capital question.
Year: 1877

The Democrats are not inclined to stick to
the board. A Commission that decides
against them is not at all the article they bar
gained for. Justice-unless it be Justice
Davis-is not what they want. They feel
that they have been over-reacbed-and by
themselves: and they are as mad as a man
with the toothache. Their present intention
seems to be to stave of decision until after
the Fourth of March and then take their
chance in new election. After such an ex-
hibition of bad faith the chance would be a
slim one and the majority rolled up against
them greater than at any Presidential election
in our history.
Year: 1877

PROCTOR KNOTT can not say with truth
that he has in the course of his public life
neglected an opportunity to make an ass OF
of himself He has a genius for that sort OF
thing, genius that is never suffered to grow
dim for want of use. His performance in the
House yesterday was as ridiculous as his Du-
luth speech, and had the advantage over that
of being all his own.
Year: 1877

THE Florida decision strengthens instead
OF weakening the Republican case in Oregon.
1t is to the effect that Governors certificate
is not valid unless it is made in accordance
with the legally constituted authority of a
State for the canvassing OF its returns. Thus
the certificate is not competent to overtime "
the action of the legally constituted returning
board. In Oregon the vote is canvassed by
the Secretary ofState, and as Growers certif-
cate is not in accordance with that canvass it
will be held of no validity.
Year: 1877

We do not read anonymous letters and communi-
cations. The name and address of the writer are in
s cases Indispensable, not necessaryfor publication
but as a guaranty of good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or reserve commu-
nications that are not used.
Year: 1877

HEMBoLD, the Buchu man, is accused Of
insanity because he has mania for wearing
good clothes. That disease is the madness OF


the race, and if its presence justifes imprison-


ment the whole world must be made an
asplnnn
Year: 1877

The Democrats should brace up and put
on more style over that Florida decision. 1t
is State rights victory, and so should be a
matter for rejoicing with the men who claim
10 hold the political principles of Jefferson.
Year: 1877

EVERY regular attache Of the PRESS is furnished
with Card certificate countersigned by Stanley I
Pullen, Editor. All railway, steamboat and hotel
managers will confer favor upon us by demanding
credentials of every person claiming to represent our
journal,
Year: 1877

The Judge in his charge to the Grand
Jury on last Tuesday, directed their atten.
ton to the proprie,y Of the erection of n
Jail In this county, aud suggested that q
suitable one could probably be erected at
an expense Of Iot exceeding $1,000. The
Grand J:ry also in their report st the
close Of their sitting recommended that
the County Commissioners take such steps
as ale necessary towards accomplishing
that object. The Statute requires that be-
fore An extraordinary expenditure can be
made for the construction of Jail, pro.
vided the expenditure would he greater
than could be paid out of the annual rev.
enue Of the county for the current year,
the question Of such expenditure must
first be submitted to vote Of the county
It also makes it the duty of the Board Of
Commissioners to provide for Jail by
renting suitable building at the county
seat, unit! one is built


1t is too late to submit this question at
the election on Nov. 9th, but it seems to
I've made duty of the Commissioners to
rent some suitable building for Jail pur-
poses. This fact having been called to the
attention Of the Commissioners bv the
Court, the Board will in all probability
perfect some arrangements at its next ses.
sion on the Goth inst. There are several
matters to be considered in connection
with this subject, but chiefly the one OF
necessity. II any person is arrested here
now, charged with the commission of an
offence, no matter Of how aggravated a
character, while under arrest, the Sheriff
has to Le constantly with him and if any
interim occurs d"ring the proceedings,
there is no alternative hut to take the prls-
oner into his own family or at some hotel
and procure u guard. Another feature:
We are ~ liable to have the terrible crime
of murder committed here rs was Mime
naha last year and should such occur. we
would I've in Just the unfortunate condition
that county was in; no Jail and the pris.
oner had to be sent to Yankton at a great
expense to the. county. II we had Jail
or sui,sble room or rooms fitted for that
purpose, u good deal Of the disgracefu!
conduct that is frequently exhibited upon
our streets could be checked. One sad
illustration was given in view Of the Hon.
Judge, last Sabbath, of a noisy drunken
man racing up and down the streets.


If men will 80 de5ase themselves as tn
have no regard for public decency, law, "r
the feelings Of others, then they should
be punished for it. Should there be Il
place provided where such persons could
BE- properly confined, it would need but a
few endorsements Of the law to entirely
check such lawless and dissraceful pro-
ceediugs. A better, more honest aud in
dustrlous class Of people are not generally
found in new country than we have, but
the erring ones should be taught whole
some lesson that would not only prove
beneficial to them, but Of great relief to
Others. In word it would be Il matter OF
economy to make suitable provisions for
III. retention Of such as by law are to be
committed.
Year: 1877

The use of rock crystal in the manu-
facture of optical instruments has led to
the development of the curious and in
teresting profession of crystal finding.
1t is, however, an old occupation in the
Swiss Alps, where not only the knowl-
edge of the crystal finder, but his nerve
and endurance, are often put to severe
test. The rock crystal, or crystallized
quartz, is found in pieces Of different
size, color, and fineness, sometimes sep
arately, sometimes in groups.


The strahler-as the crystal finder is
called-is equipped with bar of iron
four feet long, bent up at one end, a
shovel, hammer, hack, strong cord
and leather sack, and starts for his
work early in the morning. He is nearly
always alone, as the Swiss are not fond
of "going shares" in any piece of good
fortune. He crawls along the fanks of
the hills hours together, along the most
perilous paths, looking out anxiously
for any indication of vein. This may
be a long way above him, and he tries
to reach it as best he can, being not in
frequently compelled to cut out his steps
in the rock. His first act, on reaching
his find, is to strike it with his hammer,
his ear telling him whether crystals are
attached to the walls, separate or mixed
with sand.


The most celebrated find of large
crystal is the recent one made at st.
Gothard. A hundred feet above the
snow limit, an apothecary, a resident of
Berne, saw, one evening, vein of quartz
sixty feet long and four to twelve feet
thick. A guide was with him, and the
two resolved to ascend for an investig,-
ton. This, however, had to be deferred
till the morning. The would-be finders
passed the night in hut, and rose early
to make the ascent. Unfortunately, the
morning was misty, and threatened to
cut off their retreat. They descended
in haste, and were unable to renew their
attempt until the following year, when
the spring melted the winter SHOWS.
The day at length arrived when they
were able to begin work, and by mining
the vein they pierced into its inner
chambers, and collected three hundred
cwt. of crystals, the largest of which
were bought up by scientific institutions,
and the fragments by opticians and in
ar truueut IN akars
Year: 1877

An annual, or at least q semi-annual sea
serpent story, is one of the periodical
duties of newspaper literature. 1t must
come at least as frequently as the resur-


rection of the biography of Fanny


Ellsler, or the story of the man who got


wrong-shipped in a ahigh.tOned pew. Cap
tain Drewar, of the British bark Pauline,
just home after long voyage, is the
person held responsible for the last hair
lifting story in the line of marine mon
sters. He exhibits wide margin over
all previous yarns, and is made by the
newspapers to tell = story which would
make the Centennial liar ashamed of
himself. He aggravates the matter by
offering to swear to his story, and pro-
duce the affidavits of half his crew
thereto. On the 9Th of July, 1875, Oft
Cape San Rogue, northeast coast of
Brazil-where the temperature of the air
and water is seldom below eighty-one
degrees, and where the shore for thous-
and miles is bordered by coral wall or
reef-this veracious son of the salt seas
had his attention attracted by whitish
pillar thirty feet high. The water was
thrown into state of violent agitation
by vicious prize fight between an
enormous sperm whale and ferociOus SER
pent the like of which had never before
met the eyes of the oldest seaman. Two
other whales were excited spectators of
the..sanguinary encounter, unable to aid
their fellow, and seemingly shivering
with fear and astonishmentat the rapid
execution of their mortal enemy. The
serpent was wrapped twice around the
body of the whale, and from the
quantity of head and tail which was
still free for action, the captain estimated
his length at one hundred and seventy
feet; his girth was about eight feet. 1t
is scarcely necessary to say that the ser
pent got away" with the whale. The
whale was disabled and carried to the
bottom of the reefs, when the serpent
probably converted him into pot-pie.
Captain Drewar had the pleasure of
meeting the same sinuous monster, or a
similar one, about five days later than
the date of the fight above described.
This time he was cavorting around in the
sea with about forty feet of his ugly
head and body out of the water, looking
around for another whale. 1t is sug-
gested that Barnum, or some other enter
prising individual in the show business,
should charter whaling vessel, sup
piled with suitable hooks and wire lines,
and proceed to the region where sea
serpents are as plenty as blackberries. If
Barnum can't capture one of the snakes,
the next best thing would be Captain
Drewar.
Year: 1877

The Falls of Niagara, in summer or
winter, are too stupendOus to be de-
scribed by mortal man. Those who wish
to view the Falls and the surroundings
in winter must come and see for them
selves the vagaries Of the frozen spray.
Even Daniel Webster gave up his at
tempt to describe the scene with the ex-
clamation: Before us is hurly-burly
of waters LOO deep to be fathomed, too
irregular TO be described. shrouded in
too much mist to be clearly seen; water,
vapor, foam, and atmosphere are all
mixed up together in sublime confusion.
BY our side down comes this world of
green and white waters and pours into
the invisible abyss. A steady, imaginary,
low-toned moan thunders incessantly in
our ears AS we look up we think some
sudden disaster has opened the seas, and
that all their floods are coming down
upon us at once, but we soon recollect
that what we see is not q sudden or vi0-
lent exhibition, but the permanent and
uniform character of the object which
we contemplate. There the grand spec
tacle has stood for centuries-from the
creation, as far as we know, without
change. From the beginning 1t has
shaken, as it now does, the earth and the
air; and its unvarying thunder existed
before there were ears to hear 1T. Refiec-
tions like these on the duration and per-
manency of this grand object naturally
arise and contribute much to the deep
feeling which the whole scene produces.
We cannot help being struck with asense
of the insignificance of man and all his
works compared with what is before u.s."
Year: 1877

When they are carried away in little
coffins and laid forever in the silent
grave, they become transformed 30
rapidly that we lose them in another
way. The athletic young soldier or
collegian, the graceful heroine of the
ballroom, may make proud the parental
heart, but can they quite console it for
the eternal loss of the little beings who
plagued and enlivened the early years of
marriage? A father may sometimes
feel a legitimate and reasonable melan-
choly as he contemplates the most prom
ising of little daughters, full of vivacity
and health. How long will the dear
child remain to him She will be altered
in six months; in six years she will be
succeeded by a totally different creature
"a creature new in flesh and blood and


bone, thinking other thoughts and speak
ing other language. There is sadness
even in that change, which is increase
and progression, for the glory of MONDAY
has destroyed the sweet delicacy of the


dewy Aurora, and the wealth of summer
has obliterated the freshness of spring
Year: 1877

Detroit Free Press.I


The man who invented hinges for doors
was overpowered by the idea that doors
were to be made to open and shut. They
have of late years been used for that
purpose. The object of door in winter
is to ke ep out the cold, in summer to let
in draft, aside from the convenience it
may have of furnishing short cut from
room to room. 1t is only in the big
buildings occupied by lawyers, doctors,
agents, etc, that one discovers the impor-
tance that is attached to closed door.
Every door has sign on the outside ask
ing the public to shut it, but the man
behind the door realizes that not one in
ten will comply with the request. There
fore, he tacks sign on the inside of the
door rea1ing: Swing me back" Some
folks will slowly respond, as if it were a
great effort to shut door, while others
will not even see the placard. For the
benefit of these last there is big sign
on the wall aski"g: Have you shut the
dOorW Some have and some haven't
Those who haven't are not looking at
the wall for signs, and in order that
they may receive hint another sign is
hung over the coal stove. 1t delicately
inq aires "Why didn't you shut the
door p Some men, you know, can't
even see sign on coal stove, and rs
last resort the owner of the office hands
out card reading:


DEAR sIR-The door leading TO the hall
is on hinges. Will you please shut it before
going further? And il not, why not?


Some men return and shut the door,
and some heave a sigh as they read the
sign and then go on about their business
For such men there is no hope. The
owner of the Office treats them cour
teously, answering all questions, and a.
they 20 out and reach the head of the
stairs a trapdoor is sprung open ant
they fall through to the cellar and intc
an old well. They are missed, search il
instituted, but none Of them ever return
to leave any more doors open.


BEFORE the Joint Committee of tn,
Legislature investigating the Ashtabuls
disaster, Mr.. Williams the Assistant
Roadmaster, gave it as his opinion tha
the disaster was caused by the terrific
gale prevailing at the time. In supper,
of his theory he produced reports from
the Signal Service, showing that at the
time of the accident a gale was blowing
at a velocity of thirty miles an hour.
When the train went on the bridge the
wind struck the whole surface of the cars
at force estimated at five pounds to the
square foot, which broke some OF the
bolts, and the terrible crash followed. IL
is said that several members of the Com
mittee are inclined 10 accept this new
theory as the true one.
Year: 1877

(Sole Agent for Alexsndria.)


CORK IN LIEU OF BONE-Elegant, easy,
durable and delightful TO the wesrer. No more
bones breaking. No cutting Of fabric. The
public may rely upon Cooloy's Cork Corset as
being the very best and most comfortable Cor
Sc! mado. 1t gives plumpness TO tho figure
which no other Corset can approach. The pres
sure and burden of dresses, as now worn render
it absolutely necessary for ladies who pay any
regard to health to wear some kind Of Corset
to relieve this pressure. Ladies will find to their
satisfaction and comfort that Cooley's Cork Cor
sot is the best adapted for this purpose. iy y
Year: 1877

A few weeks ago the children at
tending school kept by priest at
Capua, Italy, were left to themselves q
few minutes, and one of them allowed
a favorite canary of the masters to
escape from the cage. When the lat
ter returned he demanded the name
of the culprit, and on dismissing the
other children to their dinner, desired
him to stay behind, and go down on
his knees rs further punishment.
The other children, as they passed the
butcher shop of their school fellows
father, explained why he wouldn't be
home to dinner, and presently his
mother went to intercede for him.
When she made her way into the room
she found the poor little fellow lying
dead, crucified On table, his feet be-
ing cut off because the table was not
long enough. When her husband
came, he discovered The priest in an
adjoining room, and plunged a poign-
ard into his heart, killing him at
once,
Year: 1877

Let capital shake hands with labor.
Let the poor have the bread that they earn.
For surely they need everv penny.
Is lessen quite easy to learn,
Remember the poor love their children.
So give them a smile, not frown,
Live, and let live, be your motto,
Oh! don't put the poor working man


down.
Year: 1877

BY JULIA C. r. DORR
Oh b! wild and dark was the winter night
When the emigrant ship went down,
But just outside of the harbor bar,
In the sight of the startled town.
The winds hOwled, and the sea roared.
And never a soul could sleep,
save the little ones on their mothers breast
Too young to watch and weep.
No boat could live in the angry surf
No rope could reach the land;
There were bold, brave hearts upon the shore,
There was many ready hand:
Women who prayed, and men who strove
When prayers and work were vain,-
For the sun rose over the awful void
And the silence of the main!
All day the watchers paced the sands
All day they scanned the deep;
All night the booming minute-gns
Echoed from steep to steep.
Give up thy dead o cruel sea ~
They cried athwart the space;
But only babys fragile form
Escaped from its stern embraced
Only one little child of all


Who with the ship went down,
That night when the happy babies slept
So warm in the sheltered town!
Wrapped in the glow of the morning light,
1t lay on the shifting sand,
As fair as a sculptOr's marble dream,
With a shell in its dimpled hand
There were none to tell of its race or kin,
God knoweth, the Pastor said
When the sObbng children crowded to ask
The name of the baby dead.
And so when they laid it away at last
In the church yards hushed repose.
They raised stone at the baby's head
With the carven words,-"God knowsr'


st. Nicholas for April.
Year: 1877

materials from the system, and every
thing beyond this is foreign to the at
tainment of health. A tepid bath, or
slightly warm water, which never shocks
or causes disagreeable feelings, answers
the purpose in all respects, without the
violation of any principle.


Children thus cared for as to clothing
and bathing, as to treatment under
slight ailment before it becomes chronic,
may attain to hardy constitution, to
live long and healthfully, a blessing to
the race, and the name they bear
Christian WeekLU
Year: 1877

- Never harbor animosity toward
friend for mere hasty expression ; for
giveness is a godlike quality, and a true
friend is so scarce that he should not be
repudiated on slight grounds but those
who iniure you from ''malice prepense"
should be stunned as you would avoid
a tiger.
Year: 1877

The above character is mysterious
individual. He is always busy at some-
thing. He never allows anything to go
to waste on his premises. Ii he has
nothing else to do he pulls stack OF
hay from the indigenous grasses that
grow about his farm. He is always
careful to cut down and save all the
corustalks that fail to bear fruit. When
he finishes laying by his crop he care
fully puts away his farming implements
under shelter, where the weather can
not iniure them. He makes diurnal
trip around his plantation, to see that
his fence is in good condition, that no
stock has broken into his field to de
stroy the fruits of his labor. He makes
it practice to look after his COWS, hogs,
sheep, etc., to see that they are all in q
flourishing condition and properly cared
for.


The truth OF the matter is, the thrifty
farmer will make money out of what
the indolent and negligent man will suf-
fer to be destroyed or wasted.