smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

1t is said of the late Kit Burns Of
New York that, as professional rat
catcher, he was the first in America.
1t is farther alleged by those who pro-
fess unequivocal knowledge of the mat
ter, that the deceased Kit had amassed
much money in pursuit of his unique
vocation. lie once made $500 out of
one single job in the rat-catching line.
One of the first restaurants on Broad
way had been so badly infested by rats
that the quantity of provisions con-
sumed or destroyed night and day was
incredibly large. The finest mousers
were procured, but they made no inroad
upon the army of rodents. In fact,
cat after cat became uemOralized, while
the rats grew bolder. and frequently
put them To flight. Alone in the res
taurant one night, Kit surveyed the
situation, and declared it to be des-
perate one. The following night he set
his huge cage close to an advantageous
aperture. "A small, dim lamp on the
shelf above him was the only light in
the place. He lay above the great cage
with the string Of the main trap in his
hand. His object was to catch the
"king" rat, and then the work was
easy. They all follow the king. Rat
after rat came to the cage, nibbled the
bait, and ran back to the hole. There
seemed to have been perfect under
standing about the matter before his
majesty ventured forth. When he did,
Kit knew him, for the king rat Is an
enormous, shaggy specimen, with great
bristles growing out OF his body-and
down snapped the trap. Now the rest
were guideless, and wholly at the mercy
of the rat catcher. Kit then fastened
the king so as to secure his presence in
the cage, and when the trap was again
raised scores upon scores of rats filed
the cage. 1t could hold no more; but
when the subjects found themselves
captured they fell upon the king and
nearly tore him to pices. After that
Kit easily secured the rest of the var
mints. and was paid $500.
Year: 1877

The modern process of making mOsa-
les now commonly followed ut Rome Is
this: A plate, generally of metal, of the
required size is first surrounded by a
margin rising about three quarters of
an inch from the surface. A mastic ce-
r>est, composed of powdered stone,
lime, and linseed oil, is then spread
over as a coating, perhaps quarter of
an inch in thickness. When set, this
Is again covered with plsste- of Paris
rising to level with the margin; upon
which Is traced a very careful outline
OF the picture to be copied, and Just so
much as will admit Of the insertion of
the small pieces Of smalto or glass is re-
moved from time to time with fine
chisel. The workman then selects from
the trays, In which are kept thousands
Of varieties OF color, piece of the tint
which he wants and carefully brings it
to the necessary shape. The piece Is
then moistened with little cement and
bedded in its proper situation; the pro-
cess being repeated until the picture is
finished; when the whole, being ground
down to an even face and polished. be-
comes an imperishable work of art
The process is the same for making the
small mosaics so much employed at the
present day for boxes, covers, or articles
of jewelry; and this work is sometimes
upon almost microscopic scale.


The Florentine mosaic, which is
chiefly used for the decoration of affairs
and tombs, or for cabinets, tops of
tables, Golfers and the like, is composed
of precious materials in small slices or
yeneers; and by taking advantage of the
natural tints and shades which charac-
terize the marble, the agate or the jas
per, very admirable effects may be pro-
duced In imitation of fruit, flowers, or
ornaments. The use of this kind Of
mosaic Is extremely restricted, on ac-
count OF the great value and expense
not only OF the materials, but of the
labor which Is spent upon them. None
but the hardest stones are used; every
separate piece must be backed by thick
er slices of slate or marble to obtain adj
ditional strength; and every minute
portion must be ground until 1t exactly
corresponds with the pattern previously
cut.
Year: 1877




1t should never be forgotten that the
happier child is the cleverer he will
be. This is not only because, in q state
OF happiness, the mind is free, and at
liberty for the exercise of its faculties,
instead Of spending its thoughts and
energies in brooding over troubles; but
also because the sction OF the brain is
stronger when the frame is in state Of
hilarity; the ideas are more clear; inn
pressions Of outward objects are more
vivid; and the memory will not let them
slip. This is reason enough for the
mother to take some care that she is the
cheerful guide and comforter of her
child. If she is anxious or fatigusd,
she win exercise some control over her
self, and speak cheerfully, and try to
enter freely into the subject Of the mo-
ment; tomeet the childs mind, In short,
instead of making him sink for want Of
companionsb IN. a1 er W -
Year: 1877

school teacher, Faith was wont to say
that the keeping up of appearances so
that others might not know what had
occurred was the hardest lesson she
had ever learned. 1t was impossible to
become the docile pupil which she now
longed to be without exciting suspic-
ion, and for eight weeks she acted her
part in n manner worthy of the most
finished actress, and to this day 1t is an
unsettled question between them as
10 which conqiered.-dn. Cultirdtor.
Year: 1877

The HISTORIAN Christians have some
radical notions Of the duties Of q wife,
II we may judge from the following:


After the marriage ceremony has
been performed. the wedding party IL
taken In wagons from the church to the
house OF the tridegroom's parents.
When the second wagon In which the
bride Is seated alone, reaches the gate
opening into the yard in which the
house is situated, Il Is halted, and the
bridegroom's mother comes to meet 1t
with q baby and three suits OF baby
clothes on her arms. She throws the
child and the clothes into the arms Of
the bride. who Is required to undress
and dress the baby three times In the
presence OF her mother-in-law, who
watches every movement as only .
motAer-in-lawesn watch q daughter-in-
law. II the nswly-made bride does not
perform the operation 10 ths satisfac-
tion of her severe jndge. she is con-
sidered as unfit for her new position.
the wagon II turned around and she 10
taken back for further instruction, and
the poor bridegroom is compelled to
live in single blessedness until his wife
Is educated up to the proper standard =
Year: 1877

A girl who makes herself too
cheap is to be avoided. No young
man, not even the worst, excepting
for base purpose, wants anything
to do with a cheap young lady.
For q wife, none but fool or ras-
cal will approach such a woman.
Cheap jewelry nobody will touch
if he can get any better. Cheap
girls are nothing but the refuse !:
and the young men know it, and
they will look in every other direc-
ton for lifelong friend and COM
panion before they will give
glance at the pinchback stuff that
tinkles at every turn for fascinating
the eye of any that will look. You
think it quite the correct thing
to talk loudly and coarsely, be bois-
ferrous and hoydenish in all public
places; to make yourself so bold
and forward and commonplace
everywhere, that people wonder if
you ever had mother, or home.
or anything to do. SO be it. You
will probably be taken for what
You are worth, and one of these
years, if you do not make worse
than a shipwreck of yourself, you
will begin to wonder where the
charms are that once you thought
yourself possessed of, and what
evil spirit could have so befooled
you. Go on, but remember, cheap
girls attract nobody but fools and
rascals.
Year: 1877




The Philadelphia Bulletin adds
this item in the interest of science:
Student" writes to us to know
the best way to color a meerschaum
pipe. We think an easy way to
color a meerschaum pipe would be
to take q brush and some paint and
then color it to suit his fancy
Black striped with red would color
the pipe in one style, but, then
again, dipping in a bottle of ink
would give 1t another hue in less
than no time, and would prove q
very cheap process.
Year: 1877

INDIANAPOLIS. Dec. Two little boys named
Ludwig, living with VIM. H. Waters, on his
farm five miles from this city, on the Lafayette
pike. chased rabbit into wood pile yesterday
afternoon. and while hunting for the fugitive
animal. stumbled upon the body Of a man, par
TALLY concealed under two or three sticks Of
wood. The body was In cratnpsd position.
with the legs drawn up towards the stomach.
and the hands pressed across the breast In on
unnatural way The pockets wers turned
wrong side out as though they had been 1ifed.


Various papers we're found on the person of
the deceased. indicating that his name was
probably Heenun. His age. Us judged from his
face. was about fifty years. His hair was thin
and tingsd with gray, end WINS roughly brushed
back from high aud w.da forehead The eyes
were closed and their color could not be told
The face was broad and heavy and covered BY
n full growth Of whiskers very gray about the
chin.


Several farmers identified the body as that of
Heenan. q ditcher who has worked and lived in
the vicinity the past season. There ii no clue
to the murderers, and the only circumstance
pointing to the occurrence is that two or three
pistol shots which were heard on the canal
near Vermont street late lust Monday night,
have been recalled to the memory Of the police,
under the i'm prsssion that this may lead TO the
solving Of the mystery,


The hole In the diteher's head was made by II
bullet of large size, and would have killed O.
buffalo. A close inspection Of the ground where
the body was found has led to the discovery of q
trail from tho place to the road. showing that
the body must have been brought there, and
dragged Herosa tho Il tahE9r md np the AIops to
tho place of ebneeaimeflt.
Year: 1877

Editor DemoGat-Puble interest having been
deeply excited by the recent loss of the United
states steamship Huron off Naggs Head and
the probable cause Of this terrible disaster hay
ing been extensively discussed In all circles In
this city. by my personal knowledge of the
abilities Of the late commander. Geo. r. Ryan,
not only as n seaman, but as thoroughly sci
entifle and practical navigator, / wish to re-
move. as far as / possibly can. any fears that
may be entertained us to his responsibility for
this terrible loss Of life.


Commander Ryan entered the United States
Naval Academy in the full of 1857, MS n cadet
midshipman from Massachusetts. Your cor
respondent WIS 4 member OF that class from
this State until tbs secession OF Louisiana in


1861, when he resigned md joined the Southern


navy


During these four years we were on intimate
terms. and George Ryan WIS considered by all
his classmates as as one of the most thorough
and reliable ssamen of that class. As q mathe.


matieian and navigator he had no superior in a


class Of fhirty two members. and it Is i'm.
possible to believe, that this disaster occurred
through any neglect on bis part.


The records Of the Navy Department show
that Commander Ryan WIS one Of its most
trusted fffieers. as was also shown by his ssiee


tfon ~ chief OF the party detailed to observe the
transit Of Venus at the KergueIlan Islands, y


duty which he performed TO the full satisfaction
Of the department. and certainly on q scientific


expedition of that importance and magnitude.
| no one but n thorougly practical and scientific
person would have been sent.


This much wish to say in behalf Of noble


and generous sailor. whose convictions OF duty
compelled him during the recent war to array
himself against former friends and com panions.
Year: 1877

Our labor market Is already stocked to over
flowing, and every fresh arriving train bnt adds
to the miserable multitude In our midst that
East again. Before the door Of nearly every
house in this city there daily begs swarm
that would sadden the heart Of a satyr.
Year: 1877

At the hour Of $40 y. IN. Mr.. Bowles is still
living and his physicians say he may survive
n day or two. though death may occur ut any
moment: but they have no hope of his ultimate
recovery. He has become unconscious within
tho last Twelve hours.
Year: 1877

Miss Maria Roop was married in BOSTON
on Saturday last under the following dir.
cumstances: Captain Roop, a distant rel
alive, who sails an English ship, visited
MIR. John Roop's a few weeks ago, on his
way to Parisboro', N b., and met his fate
IN the person of the young lady who is
now his wife. He returned TO New York
and began to load tor Java. He wrote to
her and proposed that she meet him in
boston the next week. marry him and sail
for Java. His boat was on the shore and
his bark was on the sea or loading at the
wharf, and she must decide at once. The
letter was received in the morning. and
had not been read more than half dozen
hmes, (such letters require a great deal of
reading, 1t seems,) when dispatch was
received, to the following effect :-"Please
answer my letter by telegraph-yes or
no. ANY glrl can promptly say yes or
no to the offer of hand and heart, but
when such offer is coupled with three
days notice OF marriage and sea voy-
age to the East Indies, the case requires
ilttle more consideration. She took time
to consider, and added strength to the
saying that the women who considers is
lost, Tor, when the afternoon of the same
day brought her another dispatch, which
was simply "Yes or no?" she went to the
telegraph office and wrote "Yes" on
blank. The operator, knowing nothing of
the vast Importance of that monesyllabe
message. placed it on file for transmission,
and the most anxious man in New York,
was soon made happy by the reception.
The lady left here on Friday morning last
and met and married the captain at the
residence OF relative in Boston. Their
wedding tour will be long one-around
the world, but not in eighty days.-St.
John (N. b. NeWs.
Year: 1877

A Pittsburg telegram states that a
meeting of delegates from different
prominent base ball clubs outside of
the league was held there. They met
with view to the formation Of an as
sociation similar in its purposes and
views to that which the league mines
have constituted. There was quite a
lArge at e4dAnce both from Plttsburg
and other cities, and it was decided
that the name of the new organization
should be The international Associ-
alton.
Year: 1877

A California schoolmaster who was
out of employment AID fast loosing
his sight, walked into shooting gal
lery in San Francisco on February
10, and taking up large revolver,
fired two shots at the target, missing
each time. Apparently annoyed at
his poor shooting, he strobe halfway
down the gallery and tried again
with the same result, and then to the
amazement of all pres mt, placed the
the pistol to his car and pulled the
trigger. Before the bystanders could
prevent him, he put the muzzle Of
the revolver in his mouth and fired
again. Upon his person was found
the following note, written in pencil
on scrap of letter paper: Thomas
Bigss, L. L. d., disappointed and
weary Of life, eyesight utterly failing
will soon be blind"
Year: 1877

How THE OLD WOMAN SETTLED IT.


A bashful young man of EIko, Neva-
ia, was calling on his adored one the
other night, and all was going as love
ly IS his heart could desire, when INTO
the parlor s,alksd the father Of the
Young lady, AID thus pronounced the
young mans doom: Young man. look
here get out Of my house. My dsugh-
ter is engaged to an estimable young
man, aud l dout " It you or any 9TH
er young man 20 come bulldozing around
her any more. You see that door !.
Git - The bashful fellow stopped not
to interview the angry father, but went
at once He reached the gate and
turned to cast one longing, lingering
look behind, when his eyes beheld the
mother IF the young lady coming to-
wards the gate. and thus she spoke
hope to tbs young mans soul: Now,
look here. Charley, you are nice
young man, ard yen ere welcome to
call at our house IS often as you like.
Don't pay any attention to what that
old fool says I'll teach him q lesson
in bulldozing that he wont forget, tell
you" Aud back to the house she went,
and soon there arose the sound Of tu-
multi and bulldozing. The young man.
thinking discretion the better part Of
valor. will let the old folks settle it
among themselves.
Year: 1877

Possibilities of an acre: No
man knows what these are. We
know that two hundred bushels of
corn were once grown on an acre,
and that five bales of cotton have
been made on the same acre of soil,
but we do not know that the limit
of production were reached in Ell
ther case. We should try to find
out, not merely how much Of any
given crop can be produced on one
acre of land but how cheaply it can
be grown. A big crop may not in
all cases be a profitable one. 1t
may cost too much to make it. The
greatest yield with the smallest out
lay of capital and labor is what we
aim at. Our farmers are often too
poor, not so much because their
crops are small-and small they are
compared with what they might be
as because it costs too much to
make them. We must learn to
make large crops with less labor.
To do this we must go over less
ground, and make science and prac-
tical skill properly supplement mus
Gle and machinery.
Year: 1877

There are various reasons why
COWS should be MIXED clean. One
is, that if the milking is always
well done, much larger quantity
of milk will be obtained than if
this work is sighted. Another is,
that clean milking tends to prevent
some of the diseases of cows which
are not properly milked. Still an
other and very important one too,
is found in the fact that the
milk which is drawn last is
much more valuable than that
which is taken first. One man who
has made experiments in this line
reports that from the milk obtained
at the commencement of milking he
obtained 81 per Ger cent, of cream,
while that which was drawn last
gave 80 per cent. Now, if the milk
which was drawn last is worth three
times as much as that drawn first,
it is quite an object to milk as clean
as possible.


When there is gain in quality
as wellssas quantity, it would seem
that all owners of COWS would take
pains to milk the last spoonful. 1t
will make quite difference in the
income from dozen cows whether
they are MIXED clean or not. And
at present prices there is no danger
that the dairymen will become rich
too fast.
Year: 1877

A was by the Israelites destroyed with fire


and sword;
B wa, o man whose sight was lost, but which


the Lord restored;
was q faithful Israelite who took giants


city;
D was "full Of ofalmsaeeds," and for the poor


took pity;
E was taken up to heaven in garments white


snow;
thought that Paul was innocent, and


would have let him go;
G was by stiipling slain, while boasting of


his power;
H was captured by the Jews, though strong


with fort and tower;
/ became an orphan as soon as he was born;
j was by affiiction compelled to grieve and


mourn;
K was q man who had a son than whom there


were few higher;
L with his family escaped from dreadful


death by fire;
N was by king advanced to honor, power


and might:
n of his vineyard was despoild, though pre-


cious in his sight;
took heathen city, and thereby won a


wife;
was king whose heart was hard, who


thereby lost his life;
Q was what the Israelites did in the desert


eat;
r compelled her son some food before his


sire to set;
S met with speedy death for having falsely


spoken;
would not his friends believe, until he saw


toAen;
o for having touched the ark Immediately


was slain;
V queen OF whose fair face her royal spouse


was vain;
W being very scarce the people mournd


again;
z was where King DAVID stsy'd and his six


hundred men.
Year: 1877

Happiness is unborn. 1t is not
an outward trait. II is generated
in the soul. 1t is never bought or
sold as an article of commerce.
You may fill your house with all
manner of beautiful and curious
things but you cannot lay in a stock
of happiness in the same way. If
you are happy your happiness is
that which you are able to make by
the use of mind itself. A funda-
mental condition of happiness in
this world is activity, and that kind
of activity which carries with it all
the faculties.
Year: 1877

Moonlight mornings are very
fruitful OF deception. When a man
gets up under the impression that it
is daybreak, and finds it is only half
past three, he may remember the
sad words of the astronomer that
"the moon is a dead world" but he
is too mad to wonder what it died
of, and in too much of a hurry to
get back to bed again, to weep over
its death.
Year: 1877

1t won t be long before some long
haired poet will break into impas
stoned song about Gentle Spring.
The public is hereby cautioned
against any act Of violence; treat
him gently, but firmly.
Year: 1877

From the New York Herald


Elsewhere there is told the story of
crime in rural Massachusetts " hich reads
like an episode of border life in the
Southwest. The armed desperate, the
family feud, the love entanglements,
the open assault before whOie cOngTT-
CATION, the murder, the dramatic flight
to the woods, the fury of the people
all these things are elements in a tragedy
such as we do not expect New England
to furnish us: But we may say sadly
that the whole country is land of sur
prises. In every strange crime there is
salient feature that gives it individ-
uality, and in this murder at North
Savoy the marvellous element is the
proclivity of Clara Starks to fall in love
with the most desperate villain that
came within her knowledge, and admire
him for his manifold iniquities. 1t is
one of the ISLANDERS of the old satirists
that this is propensity of the sex, and
certainly the success of the scoundrel
Blanchard among the girls in western
Massachusetts would go far to justify
the sneer. He was, as is plain from his
scutfie at the village church, a ruffian in
his manners he was a fellow without
money; he could have had little per-
sonal elegance about him, for he was a
farm labOrer; he was essentially mean
scOundrei, because he had been con-
victed of petty larceny, and he was so
disloyal in his love affairs that he
boasted of having two wives, and made
no secret of his less permanent con-
quests. What was there to make him
a favorite if not the glory of carrying a
revolver, and having kept faro bank
in Mexico? And Clara Starbs, girl
scarcely old enough to have an innocent
country beau accompany her home from
meeting, set her fathers commands at
defiance and stole away from home for
clandestine rambles with this rascal.
Her perversity cost her the loss of her
reputation and brought about the muir
der of her father, entailing, as such
perversity generally does, fearful pun
ishment. Can it be that the life of a
New England community is so monoton-
Gus, that there is such a surfeit OF
psalm-singing and Sunday school, that
the young men are so tame and solemn
in their behavior, that the girls long fol
a change, even if the devil brings it ?
Year: 1877

UPHoLsTERING OLD CANE CHAIRS
When the cane seat of a chair is broken
it may be made as good as new, or bet
ter, by uphOlstering it at home. After
removing the superfuOus bits of cane,
cover the space with mating formed of
three-inch wide canvass betting woven
together. Tack it temporarily in places.
After placing over this some coarse
muslin, draw both smooth, and secure
at the edge with twine, making use of
the perforations. Remove the tacks,
turn the raw edge over toward the cen
tire and baste it down. Arrange the
curled hair and wool, or whatever you
propose to use for stuffing, and keep it
in position by basting over it piece of
muslin. Then carefully fit the rep, pin
it in different places until you are Ger
tain it is in perfect shape, and tack it
permanently-fOllOwing, of course, the
tracing made for the cane. Cover the