smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

At the conclusion of his essays on "Spell-
ing Reform" in the September and October
Scri6nerS, Professor Lounsbury of Yale makes
this vigorous summing up of the subject


These are the objections to any alteration
of English orthography that are most com
monty urged. There are others, but they are
directed not against reform in itself, but rath-
er against proposed methods of reform. The
object of these articles has been to show the
existence and nature of disease not to dis
cuss methods Of cure. For the difficulty in
this matter is that having become acclimated
in childhood we have forgotten in what an
unhealthy photographed climate we are liv-
ing, or have become indifferent to it, Yet il
is not so much that the public is opposed to
remedying what it deems evil it simply does
not see that there is an evil. To remove the
hold that the present spelling has upon the
feelings of most persons is one of the first
steps that must be taken before reform of any
kind can hope to receive serious considera-
ton and because its hold is upon the feel
ings and not the intellect it is necessarily
work that cannot be accomplished in a day.
The ignorant and almost puerile prejudices
that are displayed in reference to this subject
are likely to end for nearly all who are now
swayed by them only with their lives; but it
is possible to prevent their perpetuation and
spread. We cannot expect any reform to be
fairly examined so long as in the eyes of edu-
Gated men the spelling of particular word in
a particular way is n particular evidence of
total depravity. There is no objection under
our present system to any person writing
''metre" with re and its compound 'diam-
eter," with er. 1t is only when he insists
that where everything is irrational, his par
tcular irratonalty shall be looked upon as a
contribution to the purity of the English
tongue, that his ignorance makes of him a
nuisance. 1t is full time for us to abandon
groveng superstition, which in the minds of
many has confounded the worship of the let
ter with the worship of the letters.
If we cannot free ourselves from the
trammels of our present orthography, we can
certainly free ourselves from the absurd no.
ton that there is anything about it either re-
spectacle or reasonable; and those who come
after us may be at liberty to consider and
remedy some, if not all, of the evils under
which we are now suffering. If in the future,
to schemes of reform can be given that care
full and candid examination which hitherto
every single one of them has been prevented
from receiving by stupid prejudices and stu
pid fancies which their owners have dignifed
with the name of ideas if this can be given,
we may hope that after numberless failures,
success will at length be attained that the
language we speak will not be forever dis
graced by an orthography, to the vicious va
rations of which, when We set out to learn it,
We can see no end, and in which, after having
learned it, we can find no sense.
Year: 1879

The first step toward virtue is to abstain
from vice.


knowledge without justice becomes craft;
courage without reason becomes rashness.


Good temper is like sunny day; it sheds
it brightness on everything


He only is independent who can maintain
himself by his own eNertions.


Recommend to your children virtue; that
alone can make them happy-not gold


If every person would be half as good as he
expects his neighbor to be, what heaven this
world would be. ".-ru


A man has no right to occupy such high
moral grounds that he is constantly so far
above his fellows that lie can be OF no earthly
assistance to them.


In Ednburg all shops and stores are closed
on SUNDAYS. No street cars are allowed to
run, and state of much greater quiet prevails
than is usual in our American cities. As a
ed than with us, and the people who attend
are more punctual. Most of the worshippers
join heartily in the singing.


'Tis hope that makes the heart throb and
causes the strong arm to stretch forth in man
ly exertions for the future--grasping with iron
will all impediments till success is assured
therefore let not despair intervene to para
I'VE your energy ere the goal is reacllcd.-
Muilcn,


When man is prosperous it is easy for him
to stop the mouth of conscience, to bribe or
abuse il. to fill it with business, to blunt il
with temporal gayeties, or 10 he tlattered into
weak opinions and sentences, and to tell OF
the great struggles he had in his young days
to get along, and to upbraid the dry goods
clerks who are getting 81 perweek for not put
TING 81 III the bank,
Year: 1879

1t is a mistake to try to keep children very
quiet. II they are strong and healthy it will
be ali impossibility to keep them still very
long, and by trying to do so you l:eep them
fretful and peevish. / sometimes think that
we say don't " and "musn't" altogether too
much. We are SO watchful and feaftui lest
they do wrong or get hurt, or acquire disa-
greeable habits that we keep them constantly
harrassed.


Children like to be useful, and the can be
taught when quite young to do little helpful
things, especially if mamma works with them
, and they have a cheerful talk meanN lille. 1t
pays in a great many ways TO give }snr chill
dren Just as much of your lime as is possible
to make yourself a companion 10 them.
This sometimes requires self-denial. Maybe
calls on fashionable acquaintances will be
neglected, but it is only our dearest friends
that care whether we visit them often or not;
while if we take time to play with, amuse and
interest our children, to make their home life
so happy they will never seek pleasure else
where, they will grow up into bright happy
men and women who will all their lives carry
in their hearts blessed memories of home and
mother.
Year: 1879

That IS decidedly bright stroke of policy
adopted by an Indiana church. The best look
ing young 10 les are selected to pass the con-
tribntion boxes, and there isn't young man
in the congregation that dare drop in but
.On.
Year: 1879

Know ledge is not wisdom; 1t is only the
raw material from which the beautiful fabric
OF wisdom is produced. Each one, therefore,
should not speed his days in gathering mate
rails, and so to live and die without stel-
Ter.
Year: 1879

Every good word, and act, and gentle touch
has its fruit, and serves our kind; every smile
that we shed upon child is an act of devo-
ton to our human providence and adeed of
charity.
Year: 1879

TIE WEATHER.-The centre of disturbance
that was over the central valleys, as stated in
yesterdays HERALD, developed energy as il up
preached the lower lake regions. The gradi
ents for northcrly and northwesterly winds
became very steep throughout the Northwest,
owing to the rapid advance of the area of high
barometer from that region. The zone of low
pressure now lies along the Atlantic coast dis
tricts from the Gulf Of Mexico to Nova Scotia
except over Florida, where the northern margin
of the high zone moved northward during
the early portion Of the day. Rain fell
throughout the Middle and South Atlantic
States and the central valleys, while snow Is
reported from the upper lake regions Clear
weather prevails in the Northwest The tenn
pcrature has fallen in all the districts except
along the Atlantic coast and In the lower
lake regions. The winds have been from brisk
to high over the lakes, brisk to fresh on
the New England coasts and light elsewhere
The weather in New York and its vicinity to-
day will be cold and partly cloudy, possibly
with snow in the early portion, followed by
clearing and colder weather. Tomorrow 1t will
be very cold aud clear.
Year: 1879

the Puritans But were the old New Eng
landers now alive. they would have no
excuse for self-seclusion; they would be
unable to have their own way about every
thing, and therefore would escape the arro-
gance that the sense of power seems to
breed in every man; their quick wits would
be frightened by that attrition OF other
and different wits which was impossible in
their day. but is compulsory in ours. Like
all of their descendants, and every other
Americans. they would want to know
about everything that is going on, so
they would have no time for oficious in
termeddling with their neighbor's affairs.
Were any of the original Puritans alive
they would probably hurry to New York.
as so many of their desoendants have done,
with an eye on the main chance. They
would make great deal of money, throw
some Of it away in Wall street, dress ac-
cording to the latest fashions, go to the
opera in winter and to Coney Island in
summer, listen respectfully to good SER
mons and swear inwardly at poor ones,
regard Quakers and Baptists and their
other one-time denominations as first rate
fellows, and never think of witchcraft ex-
cept when they fell in love. In short, they
would be exactly what we are, and for pre-
cisely the same reasons.
Year: 1879

The third brother of the notorious Scan
nell family shot his man yesterday in
Third avenue barroom. We do not know
how many more brothers remain to dis
tinguish themselves, but shooting or being
shot with pistols in disreputabie haunts on
Third avenue appears to be family
propensity. with all the Scannells. Our
report is not clear whether the
place where this last tragedy occurred
was o "hotel" within the construction
of the Excise Commissioners. There
are few street crossings along Third avenue
free from just. such nuisances on one or
more of the corners, where dangerous
characters resort who would quite as soon
think Of venturing abroad without shoes
and stockings as without a slungshot or o
pistol. The police say that these places
cause them much "solioitude." We beg to
assure the police that their own negligence
to suppress them causes still more solicit
tude in the neighborhoods where they ter
rify orderly inhabitants and depreciate the
value of property for blocks around.
Year: 1879

Professor Proctor Descends to Earth.


Studying the stars is very frigid occu-
patton. Jupiter and all the rest Of the
heathen deities used to descend to earth to
warm themselves. Professor Proctor also
gets into heat now and then about ter
restrial concerns. This morning he takes
turn at the New York back system in
letter which We print in another column.
He thinks he understands the planetary
system and the cometary system. but the
New York hack system passes his compre-
hension. SO it docs ours. He asks
for information on the subject md
we cannot give it. We hope he will con-
tinue his researches into this interesting
topic and if he ascertains any principle
which governs the New York hack system
let us know what it is. There is q great
mass of city ordinances to which this sys-
tenn theoretically should conform, but
somehow it does not On paper it is per-
feet, but in practice it Is as irregular as
shower of shooting stars. Phaeton in the
suns chariot was quite as safe as passen-
ger in an ordinary New York hack, and the
vehicle probably was cleaner. We con-
gratulate Professor Proctor that he got off
with sound limbs and an unimpaired
pocketbook from the clutches Of the touts
and hack drivers to whom he incautiously
intrusted himself last Saturday evening He
inquiries how.they manage to escape kicking
by passengers aggrieved like himself We
can answer that question. In the Arst
place it would be unlawful, and another
reason is because. with few respectable
exceptions, they constitute one of the most
robust and rufianly bodies Of men in this
community, and kicking them would be
dangerous practice for anybody except
professional pugilist. For further informa-
tion we respectfully refer Professor Proctor
to His Honor. Mayor Cooper, the chief execu-
tive officer Of the city otNew York, who is
sworn to the duty of enforcing oil the muni-
cipal ordinances, those regulating hacks in
cluded, to the best of his ability, though
we should regret to measure the ability of
any of our Mayors for thirty years past by
their SUCCESS in this branch of business,
Year: 1879

enormity of such practices. Any amount
of infammatory agitation in Maine which
stops short of actual violence will have q
good effect in fixing public attention upon
a grave evil. Honest and fair elections lie
at the foundation of our institutions.
When the voice Of the people. as expressed
through the ballot box, ceases to control
the choice OF public officers the American
Republic will have been subverted. Let
us hope that the evils now SO loudly CON-
planned of will work their own cure by in
spring the country with sense of the
perils which attend the pollution of politi-
cal power in its sources.
Year: 1879

Mr.. Curtis was quite right when he said
at the New England Society's dinner that
were tho carly colonists now alive they
would be just such men as their descend
ants are. He might have truthfully re-
versed the terms of his statement and said
that had we lived two and q half centuries
ago we would have been exactly such men
as our ancestors, whether these were New
England Puritans, Southern cavaliers or
New Amsterdam burghers. Were my Of
us, even at this late day, prosecuted for
our religions sake, we would prob
ably become as marrow and bigoted %
Year: 1879

IL THE SOUTH really feels pleasantly disposed
toward the North, let South Carolina tell New
York how she managed to get off with thirty
days session of her Legislature. 1t is true that
we are told that much unwise legislation took
place, but the same thing invariably happens at
Albany, no matter how long the session may be-
Year: 1879

ANOTHER COLLISION between steamboat and
sailing craft, and each side says the other is to
blame. The next statue of Innocence" should
be modelled after skipper from New York,
although ferryboat pilots might be eligible as
hints concerning the proper thing
Year: 1879

As THE COUNSEL of an owner of James
street den declares that robbery, such AS a
soldier was the victim of on Wednesday night
might occur in any saloon, II Is time for the a,i-
thorities to suppress such places. There is no
need or excuse for the existence of saloons
where vile women and bullics menace life and
property.
Year: 1879

of Paris alone one hundred and fifty thou
sand persons are fed by charity every day.
In the city of London the average number
tremely bad year. it is likely that the num-
ber there will be doubled before the winter
runs out. Ii we take the several capitals
of Europe together, excluding Constantine
pie, they contain at least million people
who could not at this season live
on from day to day but for the
pittance of food that is doled out
to them from public institutions or from
the open hand of private benevoIence.
There is charity enough. But who is re-
sponsible for the state of all these wretched
people who live upon itP Through what vice
or fault or ill-oontrivance in the machinery
of society is it that all these widows and
orphans and decrepit ones are made de-
pendent for life upon the sympathy OF
others? 1t is welfthat there is such charity,
and in its existence the Christian spirit
shines. But more practical Christianity
would go behind the returns, would apply
it's remedies at the source of the evil and
correct that gross spirit of greed-that hard
battle of life in which these feebler ones
are trampled down /; stay those tremendous
currents of national extravaganza in armies
which make the struggle for mere exist
ence so severe and the starvation of hun
dreds of thousands of poor inevitable.


Can Christianity do that? Can tho Chris
tian churches change the mood or spirit of
nations or affect the ideas of those upon
whom it falls to direct the destinies of
nationsf Has not that Church, on the con-
trary, lost what influence it ever had of
that large kind that could change the tenn
per of nations and sway the policy of gov
ernments, and is it not rather the ally of
those who prey upon the people than the
advocate and comforter of. the peoplep
Christ tried to set the religious spirit above
the religious machinery; love and good
will above the tithes and the temple and
the grand paraphernalia of worship; but in
the struggle between these two the re-
ligious machinery is dominant as the world
stands to-day, and is gorgeous but empty
she'll
Year: 1879

The word of an honest man is surer
than the gold of villain.


We can never die too early for others
when we live only for ourselves.


Tt is the best proof of the virtues of a
family circle to sec happy fireside


flow few faults arc there seen by Us
which we have not ourselves committed.


II every year we rooted ont one vice
we should soon become perfect men.


Ingratitude calls forth reproaches, as
gratitude brings fresh kindness.


Let man overcome anger by love,
evil by good. the greedy by Iberality,
the fair by truth.


He who would amass virtues, leaving
out the guardian virtue humanity. is
like man who leaves precious dust
exposed to the wind.


Might and right do differ rightly
from hour to hour; but give them Gems
turies to try it in and they are bound to
be identical.


Men of great and stirring powers, who
are destined to mold the age in which
they are born, must first mold thom~
selves upon it.


Energy will do everything that can be
done in this world; anl no talents, no
circumstances, no opportunities will
make two-legged animal a man with-
ont it.


There are soma benefits which may be
so conferred as to become the very re-
finement of revenge, and there are some
evils which we had rather bear in sulIen
silence than be relieved from at the ex.
pense OF our pri de.
Year: 1879

PRODUCING the system of having money
carted around as anybody. We want
paper money that shall have
A REPRESENTATIVE DOLLAR IN THE VAULTS
of the Treasury. Applause. When
man gets his certificate, for SILVER. if it
is for quarter. half, or five or ten
dollars-(the Warner bill vas only for
ten dollars, but l want it down to a
quarter, for a change, and let those
have it who wish iD-when these GER
tificates are issued and the coin is in
the Treasury, it is no bill, three ont for
one in, but it is the representative of
the coin itself. These certificates
would circulate not only in the United
States and everywhere but be good
wherever the flag floats and we have
any commerce. Should this bill pass
and our mines be put into operation
and the silver comes from other coun.
tries as is represented it would come,
and as I hope it may, we will soon
reach that condition. Some people
used to be afraid of a silver food, but 1
would invite it from all the mines of oil
the earth until got thousand mile
lions here and paper currency based
on it [applausel; currency equal to
any that ever was, and 1 believe tho
best.
Year: 1879

Children hunger perpetually for new
ideas. They will learn with pleasure
from the lips of parents what they deem
drudgery to study in books; and even if
they have the misfortune to be deprived
of many educational advantages, they
will grow up intelligent people. We
sometimes see parents who are the life
of every company which they enter,
dali, silent and uninterasting at homs
among their children. II they have
not mental activity and mental stores
sufficient for both, let them first use
what they have for their own houses
holds. A silent home is a dali place
for young people--a place from which
they will escape if they can. How
much useful information, and what un-
conscious, but excellent mental training
in lively, social argument. Cultivate
to the utmost the art of conversation at
home.
Year: 1879

Soma said he was naturally suspicious
This may be partly true. But others
say that in early life some unfortunate
affairs had an unhappy effect on his
moods aud tempers. II felony was
committed in his neighborhood, and
there hung n mystery over the question
of the perpetrator, onr hero looked wise,
and seemed to hint that he know the
man. In this way he once came to be
seriously suspected of being an acces.
ory after the fact; but he was wholly
innocent.


One fine day he was walking down
the street and saw some men talking
and laughing. Occasionally they look
ed up the street. BY the time ho reach
ed the group his face was very red. He
looked vexed. He supposed their
laughter was in some way at his ex
pense. Fortunately, he paused long
enough to find that they were making
merry over the sayings and doings of a
political meeting of their own party.


One lent him book. which had been
read with care, and several passages
were marked with a pencil. He sup
posed the owner of the book intended
to hurt his feelings by calling special
attention to certain clauses. and yet it
was fact that the owner did not know
that there was pencil mark on any
page.


In fact, or friend often suspected
some evil intention in the kindest acts
of his best friends. A strange minister
once delineated in the pulpit the char
acter of Iitigious man. Oar friend
went home silent. if not surly, and com
planned of personalities in the pulpit


His life was fIll Of uneasiness with>
ont cause, except rs found in his undue
sensibility and suspiciousness. Things
said in q general way, he with a strange
perversity applied to himself. He trust
ed sfew. if any. He had an astonish-
ing facility for giving a bad turn to all
that was said.


His influence WAS not good. His chil~
dren caught his spirit. At school they
often considered themselves slighted.
Thus family feuds were engendered.
1t would be slander to say that one
could not speak to him. Bnt his sus>
picions threw him INTO fits of jealousy.
At times his couutenance indicated mai
ignlty. HIS unhappy turn of thought
had made him shy Of his pastor, stiff
towards his family physician, and awk-
ward towards all. Even his wife WAS
the worse of his evil surmsings.


OF course, he was unhappy-indeed,
miserable. The signs of his concious
wretchedness were infallIble. All this
was quite necessary. He was his own
tormentor. If be should read this pa
per he would say, "rhe anthor of that
piece understood mo. Why will not
people mind their own business and let
Others alone?' He has no enemy who
does him as much disservice, or iufiicts
on him as much pain as he brings on
If his nervous system were
shattered one wouid make maly excus>
es for him. But he seems to have fine
health, aud certainly he eats as much as
is good for him.
Year: 1879

DRAWING To THE END.-One more
issue and the New Constitution discussion
will be ended. We shall be glad, and
douhtn I that the JOURNALS readers will
also rejoice. The matter is Of such great
Importance that "ur space has heen almost
wholly monnpoized with the question !:
hut such elections do not occur often, and
beirg matterof general interest to every
CITIZEN we have given it precedence over
all others for the time being.
Year: 1879

SHOULD BE BUILT.-The Dixon Bar
Company and others Interested IN that
part of the county feel greatly the neces-
siIy OF better means o. communication
with the outer world. a good trail can
be constructed on the mouth side ot the
river for an estimated cost ot $3.50, OF which
the people there are willing to contribute
a liberal portion il assistance is rendered
by the Supervisors or others. With "A fair
trail, the freight Tor that section would be
shipped by way of Wraverville instead
Of by Arcata aud people here would be
benefited thereby. As Lower Trinity is
looking up and improving rapidly its in
ierests should receive encouragement and
assistance.
Year: 1879

LOWER TRlNITY. Fran this section
we learn that mining prospects were
never more cheering. Ramor says that
near tho mouth Of Hawkins creek. where
parties have been Engaged running tun
nsls for several years, the Blue Lead has
ut last been struck and promises large
production. A Company now working
there have bank of gravel go feet IN
depth. the lower IL feet being regular
blue gravel, aud the belief is that the old
bad OF Trinity river has teen found
The deposit is known to extend for hall u
mile and probably much farther. The
gold found in the blue gravel is princ-
pally mixed with quartz. There are said
20 be many similar openings in that sec
tion but capital is needed To bring water
in erder that they may he worked.