smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

A Cleveland paper relates q number of
anecdotes illustrative of the strength and
Size of Abner McIlrath, whom it dubs a
giant. 1t appears that McIlrath is sixty
one years of age, and is six feet seven and
half inches, standing in his boots, fairly
proportioned in form, without pound of
waste flesh. He was and is a giant in mus
cular strength as we'll as physically. He
has lifted 1,700 pounds of iron, and blow
with his massive fist and long arm was so
powerful that on one occasion, when some
twelve or fifteen sailors went out to his
place 'sto raise a muss, - he thraslled the
whole lot and threw them one by one out of
the door just as one could throw so many
babies, and during that operation he dared
not double his fist for fear his blows might
prove fatal to somc of the rowdies. 'sAbe',
formerly carried on the business of cooper,
and used to come to town with his load of.
barrels. On one occasion, while stopping
at the Red Tavern, lately known as the
jackson House, and which is now torn
down, a snob from town, who was out there
with his turnout in the shape of livery
horse and buggy, got into a difficulty with
Abe, and, having insulted him in some way
or another. Abe resented it by lifting the
buggy right up and straddling it across the
fence, and then got on the wagon and drove
off to town, whistling as though nothing
was the matter, and leaving the luckless
dandy to get his buggy off the fence as best
he was able.
Year: 1874

l hear thee speak of Western land,
Thou callest its children wide awake band;
Father o, where is that favored spot?
Shall we not seek it and build cots
Is it where the Alleghanies stand,
Whence the honey comes already cal ned?


Not there, not there, my child.
Is it where the little pigs grow great
In the fertile fields of the Buckeye State.
And get SO fat on acorns and meal
That they sell every bit of them, all bnt the squea?
Where the butchers have such plenty of hogs
That they don't make sausages out of the dogs:
. -&E Not there. not there, my child.
Or is it where they fortunes make
Where they've got tunnel under the lake;
Where the stores are full of wheat and corn,
And divorces are plenty as sure as you're born;
Where Long John Wentworth is right on hand
Is it there, dear father that Western land?


Not there. not there, my child.
Is it in the domain of Brigham Young,
The most married man that is left unhung,
Where every one that likes can go
And get forty wives or more you know;
Where saints are plenty and cheek sublime
Can that be the gay and festive cline?


Not there, not there, my child.
is it where Colorado's mountains rise
From the boundless plains where the buffalo lies
Where the air is pure and the waters cool. .
Where fortune favors oftimes the fool:
Where the rocks are full of precious ore
Is it there we'll find that Western shore?


Not there, not there, my child.
Eye hath not seen it, thou verdant youth:
Tongue cannot name it and speak the truth;
For though you go to the farthest State
And stand on the rock by the Golden Gate,
They'll point out across the Western sea
To the land whence comes the Heathen Chinee,


Saying. '''Tis there. my child!'
Year: 1874

: IMITATION OF LEATHER.-A process has
recently been introduced by which paper
and cloth, or either Of these materials sepa-
,rateIy, are prepared so as to answer in many
cases as valuable substitute for leather,
not only possessing the color and appear
ance of the latter, but being proof, for all
practical purposes, against injury from
water, Precipitation or moisture, the same
as leather. sf3 5faeE95lta aSfI .aSaE g 96 81 3s


In this, process the cloth,or paper is first
covered upon one or both Of its surfaces
with photographic ink, corresponding in
colar to that OF the leather iatehded to be
initiated The lithographic ink u applied
to the surface Of a. stone, and the material
to be prepared is placed upon this stone and
subjected to the ordinary transfer operation
of lithographic press. The material being
now removed from the stone, and the inky
surface allowed to dry, u coating of shellae
varnish, or other effective waterproof srb-
stance is applied to both sides. A superior
article is made by applying series of coats
of photographic ink, one after another, wait
ing for each successive coat to dry. In this
way, morocco, or slleepskin, either green,
blue, black or red, is almost perfectly inli-
tated in external appearance.
Year: 1874

A contributor of the Morning
Star advocates second State Peni-
tentiary, to be located on Deep
River in the midst of the coal and
iron region. His object is to utilize
convict labor in the development of
the great resources of that portion
of the State. The Star suggests
that perhaps a better, because more
economical, plan would be to estab-
lish temporary quarters there for
laborers drawn from. the Penitenti~
ary at Raleigh. This is feasible.
Year: 1874

The following editorial III the
Washington CAroniels reads strangely
in the columns of that journal.


The Vicksburg election passed off
quietly and in the best of order.
After all the threats of danger and
demand for United States troops it
appears there was neither imminent
danger nor cause for alarm: The
result was the success by nearly four
hundred majority of what was called
the white mans ticket. Some colored
men voted with the majority, but
only four white men, it is said, voted
the negro ticket.


It is peculiarly unfortunate that
contests of this character are precipi-
tated at these municipal Or State elec-
tons. If the colored men in the
Southern States are to become useful
and worthy citizens it can never be
done by making the question Of
color an issue in The political canvass.
This of necessity arouses the worst
passions of both races, and in every
instance thus far the result has been


the defeat of the colored men.


The difficulty in these cases is


Scarcely ever attributable to the


colored men themselves, or to leaders


of their own race. It it generally


occasioned by the selfish course Of


some debased white demagogues, who


incite this feeling in hopes to gain


political office for themselves; and sc
long as this class of men are allowed
any influence or control in public
affairs in a city or State, so long viii
will these unfortunate contests arise
Peace, harmony and an united desirt
for the public good, without refer


ence to race or color, is the onl,
security for the prosperity Of tbs
. community; and the sooner th'
! Southern countrysis rid Of these pes


tilent instigators Of public discor
> the better for all citizens whethe
: : white or black; and if they were t
suffer from the summary punishmen
~ they seek to excite against thei
neighbors, the loss to the communit
E would be small, and thepublic benef
4 incidentally great.


What can be the cause Of this sue
g den change of front in the leadin
e Radical organ on the negro question
u But no matter what the cause {
# motive, we congratulate the countr
n upon the conversion Of the Chronicl
,r and gladly welcome it in:o the rank
l. of the Conservative party.
Year: 1874




One of the greatest evils obtain
ing in political parties in these latter
DAYS is that the contest seems to be
too much for place and plumber
and not enough for abstract prlncIN
ple. 1t is true that this state OF
affairs has been an inevitable result
of the excited animus produced by
the war, making the first chiet dis
tinction between the national parties
the simple matter of policy towards
the Southern states, the one party |
taking the position they were peers
with the other states of the Union
and should govern themselves ac-
cording to constitutional require
ments, the other that they were
conquered territories and should be
treated with severity and humiliated
that treason might be made odl-
Gus. The natural effect OF this
state of things in national politics
was to cause in the Southern states
parties likewise involving but little
of the principle of government and
making the basis of difference
5ycophantic subserviency and an
indignant opposition. Eight years.
however, have past since the war,
and it is time that our people were
taking deeper views of their politi-
cal situation.


North Carolina has just achieved
most overwhelming victory. The
people after years Of endurance,
have risen up against the party
that has been stigma to the State
and declared that North Carolinians
should rule North Carolina. What
is to be the result of this great vic
tory? Shall it be simply to place
or shall it 60 deeper and change
the organic law of the State so that
she will be forever guarded against
the evils that have afflicted her
The first is noble purpose, but our
victory would be almost void Of
good results if We do not call a con-
yention and change our constitution.
However able our Legislature may
be, it is powerless for good as long
as it remains hampered by the
present constitution Of the State.
I We do not advocate just now
radical alterations in the constitu-
ton, except the expunging of a
large mass of matter which props
erly belongs to the Legislature and
is no part of the organic law. The
Constitution should contain moths
ing but few fundamental laws in
regard to the preservation Of life,
liberty and property, the detail
being left to the Legislature. We
only now mention two suggestions
affecting the question of suffrage ::
No man should be allowed to vote
who does not show his tax receipt,
if demanded by any elector so to
DO, nor should any persons be en-
titled to vote who has been convic-
ted Of an infamous crime. These
laws would not only be right in
themselves, but would do much to-
wards collecting the public dues
and for the prevention Of crime.
Take, for instance, county like
Edgecombe, and what could do so
much for the suppression of crime
IS the knowledge that if caught
and convicted the guilty person
would for ever be deprived of his
suffrage: Not the whipping post
itself would be such preventive.


We hope the matter of conven-
ton may be the first considered
by our Legislature, and as there
can be no doubt about the requisite
two-thirds vote this time, it will call
the convention as soon as practica>
BILE.
Year: 1874

Against all chambermaids of whatsoev-
er age or nationally launch the curse of
Bachelordom!


Because


They always put the pillows upon the
opposite end of the bed from the gas
burner, so that while you read and smoke
before sleeping Gas is the ancient and hon.
ored custom of bachelors), you have to
hold your book aloft, in an uncomfortable
position. to keep the light from dazzling
your eyes. 90


If they cannot get the light in an un.
comfortable position any other way they
move the bed.


If you pull your trunk out six inches
from the wall. so that the lid will stay up
when you open it, they always shove that
trunk back again. They do it on pur-
pose. @.s.--s.. ..,ss..a.s.sa


They also put your boots into inaeces.
sible places. They chiefly enjoy deposit
ing them as far under the bed as the wall
will permit. 1t is because this compsls
you to get down in an undigniRed manner
and make wild sweeps for them In the
dark with the booGack, and swear. @


They always put the match boz IN some
other place. They hunt up new plsce
Tor 1t every day, and put bottle or some
other perishable glass thing where the box
stood before. This is to cause you TO
break that glass thing, cropping about in
the dark, and get yourself into trouble.


They are forever moving the furniture.
When you come in. in the night, you can
calculate on finding the bureau where the
wardrobe was in the morning. And when
you come in at midnight, or therabouts,
you will fall over the rocking chair. and
you will proceed toward the window and
set down in the slop tub. This will dis
gust you. They like that.


No matter where you put any thing they
won't let it stay there. They will take it
and move it the first chance they get. "a


They always save up the old scraps OF
printed rubbish you throw on the hoor,
and stack them up carefully on the table,
and then start the fire with your valuable
manuscripts. 44


And they use more hair oil than any six
men.


They keep always coming to make
your bed before You get up. thus destroy
ing your rest and inf1icting agony upon
you, but after you get up they don't come
any more till the next day.
Year: 1874

witnessed for the first time, at the late
Crystal Palace bird show, the results of pep
per feeding, and was greatly pleased, as well
as surprised, at the wonderful improvement
in color of the numerous specimens so treat
ed. look upon the treatment as fair and le-
gitimate, and in no way deserving the term
''trck," which, am sorry to say, has been
applied to it; such a term Of reproach shou Il
be reserved for all dishonest interference with
the outside of competing birds, such as draw
ing, trimming or staining feathers. What
ever can be effected through the medium of
the secretng organs of any bird cannot fairly
be termed artificial or unnatural, unless ev-
erything be so named which differs from the
mode of life and food of the bird in its original
state.


The object aimed at in the treatment OF all
domestic animals is an improvement upon
their natural or wild state; and, in the case
of the canary bred in confinement, cayenne
pepper, voluntarily eaten, is no more unnat-
ural to it than the egg and cake with which
show birds have been regularly fed for years.
The system of moulting birds in close. warm
cages, feeding them at the same time on more
stimulating food than simple seed, has long
been recognized as necessity where depth
and richness of color are desired.


The new mode of feeding on cayenne rep
per is simply an extension of this rule, and,
whether discovered accidentally or as the re-
suit of an experiment, is, in my humble opins
ion, the greatest improvement in the treat
ment of our tavorites that have witnessed.
If it could be shown that the health OF the
birds was injured by such food, there would
be some ground for objection ON the score of
cruelty; but, as, from all can learn, such is
not the case, but rather the contrary, /, for
one, hail the discovery with great satisfac-
ton. Depth of color has been the point
chiefly aimed at in many varieties of the ca
nary, and here it is beyond the expectation of
the Oldest fanciers, and permanent or not,
according to the continued treatment of the
bird. 1 would, in conclusion, lay down one
simple rule for all; viz: Put whatever you
like inside the bird, that it willingly takes
without injury, but forbid, under the strict-'
est penalties, any interference with the out
side.-Cor. Poultry Rerie,U (EagIand).
Year: 1874

A correspondent of the Country Gentleman
gives nice receipt for making padding:
Crate closely twelve ears of green corn (; put
the gratings with quart of milk into COW
cred tin pail, and set it in Kettle ot boiling
water: when hot, strain through a wire sieve,
crushing with a spoon any particles of pulp,
that will not pass through; add teacuptul of
sugar. and the beaten yolks of four eggs; pour
back into the pail, aud stir till hot, but do not
let 10 boil. Then stir in a coffee cnpful of
rolled crackers and piece OF butter the size
Of an egg. Pour all into buttered pudding
nan. aud bake till good brown; then spread
the top with the whites OF four eggs beaten
stiff and, and mixed with cup of sugar; let
stand in the oven till the icing is cooked but
not Drowned.
Year: 1874

THE PENALTY OF FINDING TWENTY
CENTs.-A gentleman who has a large circle
OF friends in this city, while walking along
Main street one day last week. discovered two
crisp, new ten cent t,,shinplasters reposing con-
spcuously on the sidewalk. He at once
picked them up and exulting in his good for
tune showed them to some gentlemen OF his
acquaintance. They immediately suggested
that such good luck should be celebrated by
his treating the crowd. They demonstrated
to him that the twenty cents would buy four
glasses of beer, and he agreed to the arrange
ment. The party at once adjourned to a
.neighboring saloon. The gentleman was as
tonshed, to find at least fifty of his aequan-
tances comfortably reposingiin the saloon, ap-
parently awaiting his appearance. The
friends who came In with him took occasion
to tell of his good fortune in finding the
twenty cents, and that he had come in to
treat on the strength thereof. The acquain-
tances all moved up to the bar with strange
unanimity. The gentleman was taken some
what aback by the turn things had taken, but
putting on a cheerful face, he invited theIL TO
nominate their poison. Not man of them
took beer. The demand for cocktails,
smashes, and straights was certainly marvel
lous. The bill for the entire treat was only
S6.4O. The gentleman (who is city official)
has spent many days studying over the affair.
and has finally come to the conclusion that it
was ''put up job" In other words some OF
his friends had hid the twenty cents where he
would find it, knowing that they could ON the
strength thereof inveigle him to saloon to
treat, in the meantime taking care to have a
large plumber of friends present TO enjoy the
treat. He now says that if he were to see a
ten dollar bill lying on the sidewalk he would
not pick it up. Sensible.-Pdtersoa Guar
dim,
Year: 1874

MONKEY In TRoUBLE.-Sam Wilcoxen
OF the Eagle brewery has small 'menaeerie,
badgers, foxes, coyotes and the like. He also
has large Newfoundland dog, on whose
back he sometimes places one OF his pet mon-
keys when he is going for walk about the
town, the monkey fastened to the collar of
the dog by string. As a general thing the
monkey enjoys his ride, but we saw him a
day or two since when he would willingly
have traded himself off for some less priv
eleged specimen of his species. His canine
steed, being allowed 10 roam the streets at
will, saw another dog that he thought he
could whip, and forthwith went for him like
like hairy hurricane. In moment both
eogs were on their hind legs and going for
each other like two sausage machines. This
made times very lively for the monkey, as
the stranger dog evidently considered him as
part and parcel of his antagonist. Such
walls OF despair as that monkey uttered, and
such hideous faces as he made we never
heard or saw. He would climb down the
side of the dog he bestrode opposite to where
the war was going on, aad thence peep over
occasionally, his jaws quivering, visage dis
torted, and his eyes starting from their sock
cts with terror. AS the dogs were constant
ly changing sides, it made times awfully
lively with the monkey When he jumped
to the ground the string held him, and he
found himself trampled under the feet OF
both friend and foe, and he was glad to get
again upon the back of his steed and face the
battle. The poor monkey was in a worse
fix than the boy who stood on the burning
deck, and had not the dogs been separated
he must soon have ceen rendered a fit sub
ject for the Stockton insane asylum. As it
was he did not get over examining the end
of his tail for wounds for four hours after the
battle; perhaps he had fears of hydropho-
ba.-Virgipid City EnterDrise
Year: 1874

A young Leander swan across the Ohio
from lower Kentucky town the other night,
to interview his lovely Hero ON the Indiana
side; T; but the old man stood ON the bank with
a revolver in his hand, and Leander swan
back again.-LouisuiLle Journal.
Year: 1874

That execrable and widespread "Tom
Collins" joke reached the Pacific slope, and
ended in tragedy. A mining boss in a
town in California, while on search for the
myth who had accused him of robbery, acci-
dentally shot himself fatally while about to
pull trigger on "Tom'. What tomfoolery
will the great American people next indulge
in? @
Year: 1874

CALIFoRNIA WoOD-CHoPPERs.-I


is in the logging-camps that a stran,


ger will he most interested on this


coast, for there he will see and feel the


bigness of the red.woods. A man in


Humboldt county got out Of one tree


lumber sufficient to build his house


and barn, and to fence in two acres


of ground. \ schooner was filled


with shingles made from a single tree.


One tree in Mendocino, whose re-


mains were shown to me, made a


mile of railroad ties. Trees fourteen
feet in diameter have been frequent
ly found and cut down; the saw-logs
are often split apart with wedges, be-
cause the entire mass is too large to
float in the small and narrow streams,
and | have often seen them blow Il
log apart with gunpowder. A tree
four feet in diameter is called under
sized in these woods, and so skilltul
are the wood-choppers that they can
make the largest giant of the forest
fall just where they want it, or, as
they say, drive a stake with a tree"


The choppers do not stand on the
ground, but on stages raised to such
a height as to enable the axe to
strike in where the tree attains its
fair and regular thickness; for the
red wood, like the sequoia, swells at
the base near the ground. The trees
prefer steep hillsides, and grow in an
rough and broken country,
and their great height makes it
necessary to fell them carefully, lest
they should, falling with such enor-
nous weight, break to pieces. This
happens, in spite Of every
precaution, and there is little doubt !
hat in these forests, and at the mills,
TWO feet of wood are wasted for every |
.oot of lumber sent to market. To !
mark the direction line in which the |
rec is to fall, the chopper usually |
lriyes stake into the ground 100 or
80 feet from the base Of the tree,
inl it is actually common TO make
he tree fall on this stake, so straight |
'ccurate is the skill ofthe cutters. 70 |
ell tree eight feet in diameter, is
days work Tor a man.
Magazine.
Year: 1874

4 NAUGHTY BoY.-A Lincoln


county boy of the most mischievous


stamp borrowed a stuffed wildcat the
other day, and deposited it on his


grand-mofher's bed just before the
old lady retired for the night. The


heartiess young scapegrace sought


his couch then, 10 await the Denoue-
mert which he knew would follow !;


but he had barely slid in between the


sheets before the whole household
was aroused by succession of shreks
and screams proceeding from his un-
fortunate relatives room. While the


real author OF all this commotion was
chuckling in his shirt sleeves, the
other members of the family rushed
into tn. old lady's sleeping apart
ment just in time to see venerable
female in white spinning around the
top of the bed post like Il Weather
vane in high wind; while a savage
looking animal, stiff, grim and war
like, was glaring at her from behind
the bolster. All hands retreated from
the room. slamming the door behind
them. bat not forgetting to admonish
the old lady through the key-hole
that she had better remain where
she was. At this juncture the sha-
king of the bed caused the stuffed |
"varmint" to topple over, and the
abominable trick was exposed An
investigation Immediately ensued,
which disclosed the malicious culprit,
and that precocious urchin was sum
marily snatched from his bed by the
indignant father, who thrashod him
with the handle of a corn-popper un-
Ill the first faint flush of the morn ap-
Dearcd on the eastern horizon.
Year: 1874

The foreign ambassadors in China
are Just now objects Of great regard.
They are daily expected to become
devotees of the godlike Emperor, and
it is reported throughout the Empire
that they were paralyzcd at lis
augustncss during their audience
with him, so that most of them had
TO be carried out of his preseLce.