smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879




since been compelled to surrender their nsularity.
but It IL hardly possible that in this generation Fire
Island will become annexed to the mainland. IL IL
nine miles away from the steamboat pier at Babylon.
and at that distance its outlines scarcely be dis
inguished with the naked eye. 80 like mere pencil
mark the horizon does II seem. 1t is sand
bank, the same Concy Island. with the difference
that II is much more extended and exposed to the
stirgee OF the restless Atlantic. II also presents
even line OF beach. aud it's tumbling and LAUNDERING
breakers offer wilder excitement to bathers than
those of Concy Island. IL is occupied by but
hotel originally built over twenty -four years ago by
Mr.. ID. \. s. Samms and since greatly extended,
while cottages scattered here and there havo been
added fro IN time to timo The steamboat Surf
meets at Babylon with two arriving and two depart
ing trains daily Passengers arriving at Babylon by
the eight o'clock morning train from New York take
either the street the stages for the boat and
get to the island about noon by the afternoon four
a. aaws acocI The saii across The level oYnapso
of waters. especially in the morning, In delightful
The broad blue surface OF the bay is usually at this
of the year dotted with boats far as the
can reach. making very picturesque sight ~ they
come swiftly gliding into the foreground with white
sails glowing In the sunlight or are seen reccdng
like shadows the aim edge of the horizon. The
lighthouse, so familiar tn tho ocean steamships.
stands near the western extremity OF the sand bank
and makes u conspicuous object above the dead
level of the island. When u few miles from
Babylon the long low building known as
cottages scattered apart break the line OF the hori
Son jesse Conklns hotel to the right and the Wawa-
yanda Club House in the Same direction ON Cap Tree
Island relieve tho monotony OF tho view. When the
steamboat it's evening trip touches the pierat Fire
Island the inmates OF tile hotel come swarming down
to greet tho faces of old friends. study curiously
those OF new arrivals. An irrepressbe feeling of
being cut of from the world and its distractng yet
strangely fascinating racket takes possession the
people thus voluntarily exied to this insulated sand
bank, and they rejoice once a day to
plies of their fellow beings from the big and tecm
ing city,


IN sreHr OF TnE OCEAN nnEAxEns.


After landing from the little steamer the visitor
proceeds to tho hotel under long covered passage
way open at the sides, and from there under much
longer covered plank walk to the beach Here he
secs the broad Atlantic spreading out before him
and rolling its eternal tides In upon Q sloping and
apparently illimitable beach OF purest sand. II Is
sieht of endless tnterestc watch the great frown-
Year: 1879

A singular case Of endurance by a
horse sreported from Montgomery, Ala.
A man from the country came to the
city and bought horse and buggy, but
on going home the horse threw him out
and ran and could not be found again.
After a search, which was vigorously
prosecuted for ten days, the horse and
buggy were found in swamp, so wedg-
ed in among the trees that the animal
could not stir. Here the unfortunate
beast had stood during all that period,
without food or water, but, though en-
aciated and feeble, he was driven horne
without being taken from the buggy
Year: 1879

BOSTON, Feb. 27.-Brig Eta Whitmore sailed lfor
Jamaica this morning. Wheu just below Bug
light the crew got into difficulty with the mate and
refused to proceed any further. The captain
signalled police boat and five of the crew were
taken in custody and brought back to the city and
locked up The men gave as reason for refusing to
stay on board any longer that the mat began club
bing then just after starting for reason hateyer
Year: 1879

1t should be the aim OF the student
70 be punctual in attendance st school.
TO be thorough in study. and good in
the recitation. The boy or gnl who
would be successful in after life must
lay the foundation of success in youth.
Taey shoul fully understand the i'm
portance Of improving their schoolday.
for this purpose.


The student that seeks every oppor-
tuni.y 10 idle away histme in making
sport for himself and his fellows,u =
dents. will live to regret that he thus
wasted his time. The happy. spor,ive.
joyous, laughing boy and girl. shed
happiness wherever they 60. il .hey
are careful TO control their gsieiy. and
allow its flow only in the proper place {;
but they should never permit the love
Of the mirthful to infringe on the rules
Of the schoolroom or the lave II eti-
quet.e. On the contrary. true courtesy
should teach them 10 use every en-
deavor to aid the teacher in his work.
a. in 80 doing they are themselves
reaping the benefit.


The boy and the gill at school fore
tell tine future man or woman. Those
vino are prompt, punctual and orderly.
will be so In after life. Those who are
truthful, reliable aud honest in child.
hood, will be trusted in position and
place in after years; and those who
store the mind in youth with valuable
knowledge, will possess that which can
never ba lost. but on the contrary will
always he = means by which they may
procure a livelihood; and. If united
with energy and perseverance,. will be
sure to give them reputation. emineucs
Of position. and wealth.


The boy should never take pride in
disobedience to the rules OF school To
be a trusnt, To be indOlent. to be work
ing mischief, evinces no talent; any
rowdy can do this; most worthless men
did this when they attended school. II
requires effort to be good scholar
1t evinces brain power to he good
student.


The youth should earnestly resolve
to achieve an honorable aud noble po.
si,ion in life. With the wide oppor'u.
mites which open to the ambitions and
the enterprising in ,hi, age of progres.
sion, there is no limit to the greatn, ss
which the thoroughly earnest student
may attain. The lille AMI the Lisso
lutte will naturally Of their own weight.
drop out by the way side and sink
from sight The plodder who is con
tent to go the dull. daily round in the
same narrow rut will get the reward OF
his labor. though lie never betters his
condition. But the earnest. original
aspiring. energetic. intelligent worker
can always be sure Of new fields TO
enter. nobler victories To gain. and
grander work to be accomplished -
From MWs Manuai Of SociH and B"si
ness Forms.
Year: 1879

The average man or womar who has
never had the care Of children wonders
how people can have their houses so
cluttered up and budgets in every
chair. aud they imagine that per
sons bump OF order must be small
indeed who cannot successfully manage
by moral suasion any five ordinary
boys aud girls.


Those who love and have the care of
children know that they are not like
grown people. but must have both
playtbing- and pets. and physical AS
well As entail exercise. even though
ther. may be q budget in every chsir.
and muddy footprints on the floor. So
i, comes to pass that on an average
each is happy in his own eonceit, and
would not change himself. his views,
and his LOT in life with any man.
Year: 1879

The woeful vail of . woman
Tell me ye winged winds


Around my pathway roaring,
Is there no place on earth


Where men cease from snoring
If such there be.


Pray let me know.
Aud to that place


III quickly go;
I'll pack my trunk


This very night,
I'll go alone.


Without light;
Ill crawl clear there


Upon all fours
Before I'll marry


A man who snores
The girl with the empty pocket -bool
is the one that looks into iewelry win
dows most.
Year: 1879

seeks in vain, though she herself was H.
nocent of any wrong in all the matrlmonlh'
alliances.


The legitimacy of offspring and the titles
to property in this country-tWo essen1'al
conditions to the safety and Wel-belne OF
society-will be seriously threatened it this
increased facility and promiscuousness Of
divorce shall be tolerated much longer. IL
will not be safe for anybody to trace BACK
genealogical record in the next century,
There are now thirty-eight States and seven
Territories in which the laws all differ more
or less, ranging from the strictest construc-
ton of the marriage relations to the broadest
avenues Of escape. Uniformity would
certainly be desirable, so that one might
know whether one is divorced or not.
Just how it is to be obtained short
of q convention Of States, We don't
know. It is possible that Congress
might set an example by passing general
law for the regulation Of divorce in the Ter
ritories and the District Of Columbia, which,
if it should nit upon happy mean, might
gradually be adopted by all the State Coy
ernments. As the religious and social re-
formers are certainly making no headWay IN
repressing the desire for enforcement, 1t Is
very evident that something ought to be done
in common statutory way to place some
uniform restrictions, or give some uniform
facilities, for this peculiar institution
Year: 1879

The House of Representatives of the
State of Illinois has ordered that Mr. NEv1Ss
be imprisoned in the County Jail of Sanga-
mon County until he shall answer the ques-
ton who told him that it was r11mored that
member Of the House had taken $500
Improperly. If Mr. NEvHs answered the
question he would have betrayed the conf
dence which pertains to the profession, and
which is never violated The question de-
manded was not who the member was that
was accused, but it Was, Who told the co1re-
spondent that member was accused? If
the object of the House was to find the per-
son charged, that it might give him IN op-
portunity of denying the imputaion, all it
had to do, perhaps, was to call the roll, and
each member would be able to tell as much
as the correspondent could tell, and that
would be, s' + heard that the person accused
was Mr. -" The House, if not disposed
to subject its own members to such an un-
pleasant duty, might have summoned prob
ably every man and woman in Springfield,
from the Governor down to the smallest
bootblack, and each would have repeated the
same story, t'I heard that Mr. chad
taken 81, 800" The only man in Illinois
who has heard the story and is under an OBJ
legation not to give the name of his inform
ant has been selected and sent to jail for not
doing what any citizen of Springfield or mem
ber Of the Legislature could do just as well,
Year: 1879

The Bourbons Of tie House, in passing
the Army bill, have accomplished the first
stage Of their journey, the object of which
is the capture Of the White House, and the
victorious chiefs are considerably elGted-
There are, however, many impediments yet
to be overcome before that coveted .end is
reached. The Senate will now take hold
Of the measure, and it is not
ut all certain, Notwithstanding that body has
Democratic majority. that the bill will get
through without important notifications
which will obyiate the necessity Of q veto.
The Greenback- National party voted with
the Democrats, and were repaid by the latter
adjourning over till TnesdnJ to prevent the
introduction of financial panaceas by the
former.
Year: 1879

The investigation Of the extraordinary
manner in which the financial affairs Of the
Chicago Post Office were conducted while
that institution was under the control of
MACARTHUR is revealing some rather
gloonaily humorous facts in relation
to the shameful ones heretofore made
public, Ed MILLER, the e1-Cashier
of the money-order office, was on the stand
yesterday, and related the circumstances at
tending his forced and hurried flight to Can
ada, and subsequent return, to become, as he
tries to have it appear, vicarious sufferer.
His midnight sprees in company with Go1sES
were vividly described by the witness, and
the whole presentation was an appalling
picture of crime and debauchery.
Year: 1879

been decided. At the time OF this writing
two dispatches have been received from the
reporter, one stating that be has been held,
and the other that he is in favor Of an early
adjournment of the Legislature, which latter
sentiment has been the prayer of taxpayers
for several weeks.
Year: 1879

Gen. Jo HAwLEY's vigorous speech in the
Lower House FRIDAY will cause his constituents
to rejoice more than ever that he was not elect
ed to the United States Senate. He would be
Of much less service in that branch of Congress,
where the Democratic majority is SO large, than
in his present position OF one Of the minority
leaders in the House.
Year: 1879

II We only had the Springfield Republican, and
the Philadelphia Times, aud two or three other
papers Of the same able and independent kind,
out this way, Of course it would be possible to
carry the local elections as those newspaper
oracles might desire; but, not having them, ne
shall have to put up with Democratic Admin
istration. We have no doubt at all that If Mr.


BowLEs' young men had been able to get in
Year: 1879

The sorrows and joys Of the venerable ST.
MON CAAERoSand the sprjghty but frail Widow
OLIVER will be no more the subject OF public
wonder and gossip, since Judge CARTIER, of
the District Supreme Court, yesterday re-
fused the Plaintiffs motion for now trial.
This is supposed to be a final ending Of the
case, and everybody will hope that the sup
position may prove true.
Year: 1879

TIE Honest Truth thinks ''Mr. Joseph L.
Smith should go further north in Summer.
Cold weather has healthy influence on his
body polite. so to speak. We judge so from
the fact that, while in the heated term, when
campaigns prevail, he is cery soft money
man, in the bracing air of Winter he hardens
up into an honest money Republican. Arc
tic exploring would be Mr.. Smiths best hold
in summer, and next year he will have lei
sure for that interesting and healthy occupa-
ton"
Year: 1879

We do not read anonymous letters and commune
cations The name and address of the writer are in
all cases indispensable, not necessarily for pubhca-
tion but as guaranty of good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or preserve COM
mulncatlons that are not used.
Year: 1879

THE Bath Commercial seems to think
that as long as it has damaged the ninth
commandment it may as well smash the
thing, so it repeats the lie il estate Prison
Affairs that has already been fully refuted.
1t will make a right good Greenback daily.
Year: 1879

EVERY regular attache of the PRESS is furnished
with Card certificate signed by Stanley L. fnileh
Editor. All railway, steamboat and hotel managers
will confer favor upon us by demanding credentials
of every person claiming to represent our journal
Year: 1879

THE Greenback-C -ChroRicle says ''if there
were virtue enough IN greenbacks to save
the country when gold and silver failed, and
they did do SO, it would be the height of fol-
Iy 10 90 back again to what deserted us in
time of need That is to say, if there were
virtue enough in promissory notes to get
man out of financial strait, he should keep
on issuing promissory notes even when his
income exceeds his expenditures and never
pay cash thereafter
Year: 1879

There is q man now serving a two
years term of imprisonment in the Lam
caster county prison, for forgery, who
can't write his own or any other persons
name. His name Is Al. Chamberlain,
from the upper part of the county. Our
informant says he Is feeble-minded, and
previous to his trial his cell.mates told
him il he would plead guilty he would
get a shorter sentence, which he
did. He has served fourteen months of
his sentence, and will doubtless live the
remaining nine months, and come out a
free man, having done, what We think
no other man in the world ever did be-
fore, viz, served term of imprisonment
for forgery whsn he can't write his own
name.
Year: 1879

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-The cabinet to-day
again gave attention to the Indian question.
Secretary Schurz presented reports that were
received at the interior department yesterday,
confirming the crossing into this country of
Sitting Bull and number of his people. The
subject engages the attention of the state de-
partment as well as that of the interior and
war departments. The information is meagre,
but it is expected the government will have
fuller and more definite advices very soon. The
opinion is not withheld in official circles here
that this Indian advance suggests trouble in
the spring, and means are already being taken
to prevent it. plan has been agreed upon for
settling the relations Of the government with
these Indians, but its details are not yet made
known. The secretaries of the war and interior
departments will make definite ARRANGEMENTS
concerning it. McCrary was absent from the
session, ON account of sickness in his family


PENSION ARREARAGEs.


There was an extended legal discussion at the
meeting, with reference to tue construction to
be placed upon certain portions of the pension
arrearages bill. 1t is matter Of great import
ance az to where the payment OF arrearages
begins, whether on the date of the discharge Of
the pensions from the governments service, or
at the period at which the disability COM
menced. After considerable debate on this
topic the matter was left for the opinion of the
attorney general.
Year: 1879

The right of talking and voting for Bum
combe belongs to Southern Representatives
just as sacredly as to Northern Representa-
tives, and it is to be remembered to the credit
OF the South that where it has been exercised
once in the last decade by Southern member
it has been exercised hundred times by q
Northern member.
Year: 1879

1t Bragg's speechl was vigorous statement
of the annoyance and distress to which honest
ly loyal members of the Democratic party have
been subjected by Southern assaults on the
Treasury. He declared that these assaults had
been fatal obstacles to the progress of the
Democratic party, which could never win the
confidence Of the people while they continued.
The speech was surprise to the House, and
especially to the Democrats, and called out a
passionate but not very successful, reply from
Ellis, of Louisiana. But it has done more for
Democratic success in 1880 than anything that
has happened or is likely to happen this ses-
sion. It is in the power Of Northern Demo-
Gratis, and Of them only, to set at rest the pres
ent strong suspicion which attaches to their
party of plotting an organized raid on the
Treasury
Year: 1879

The OSPREY Almost every morning,
the osprey, or fish-hrwk, comes in front of
the window and fishes in the shallow water
near the house. He does not seem to be
rs expert us the kin2fsher. l have seen
him dive dozen times or more into the
water before bringing up his prey. He
sails around and around in the air; and at
last fixing his eyes upon II fish, he swoops
down making the water splash around
him. His feet are large and powerful, and
he arranges his toes in the form of a scoop
as he plunges into the river; this scoop is
his fishing tackle with which he brings up
his finny food.


| think should not like to be an osprey,
for he seems to have such hard time to
get a living, and yet he is an honest, we'll
disposed l;lborer. After he has succeeded
in catching fish, II bald eagle often
swoops down from some tall tree, where
he hats been watching him, and by main
force compels this honest fisher to give up
his hard.won prey. The eagle is consider
ably larger than his victim, being about
three feet in length, while the osprey is
only about two feet


1t is quite grand sight to see these two
large birds wheeling through the air-the
osprey trying to elude the eagle, diving
first one way and then another, until At
last, when he sees the unencumbered eagle
must overpower him, in a tit of desper-
aton he lets the fish drop, and the eagle
catches it before it reaches the water, and
carries it to some retired spot where he
devours it.


And now the poor deiraudcd osprey
must 90 10 work and catch another fish
for his inncr.-.NrS -Nary IreGt, 50.
Nicholas for FebrW ,ry.
Year: 1879

A CUTE SpARROw.-The English spar
row has many enemies who think him a
depravcd AS well as a useless bird. Such
will read with pleasure the following
story, vouched for by the Hartford Times,
which illustrates the intelligence and ras-
cality of the noisy bird:


The gentleman, who resides in New
York, had erected last Spring in his back
ward Il large box for sparrows nests. 1t
was divided into three rows. each contain
inr four compartments. These We're all
speedily taken possession of by Il dozen
pairs of sparrowS, and the business of
making nests proceeded amidst the Gus
tomary chippering din of these fusSy and
pugnacious feathered colonists.


Sitting idly at the window one Sunday
Watching the birds, the gentleman saw one
cock sparrow come flying to his place with
Il fine. soft white feather in his bill. The
box was so fixed that he could see into the
apartments, and he SAW this bird fix the
feather into IN incomplete nest and then
fly away.
No sooner was he out of sight than a
female sparrow from the adjoining COM
partment, who had evidently seen that
proceeding, hoped into her neishbor 5
house and pulled out and carried Oil the
coveted feather.
Becoming interested the observer watch
ed the performance. expecting to see the
little thief carry her stolen prize to her
own nest but no, She knew trick worth
two of that, and here is where she display
ed an undenable reasoning process, and
acted on n clear perception of cause and
effect, making prudent use of her knowl-
edge of the character and disposition OF
her plundered neighbor.


/ She flew off with the feather in neigh
boring tree, where she securely fastened
it in an inconspicuous place upon and be-
tween two twigs and there left it.


Pretty soon the bird she had delrauded
came back with straw 10 add TO his nest.
Discovering his loss, he came with AN
angry chirruping that BODIED no good to
the drspoiler of his hearth and home if he
could only find the rogue.


His first demonstration was to visit his
next door neighbor without any search
warrant In that abode of peace and in
nocence he found no trace of the stolen
feather; and as for the actually guilty
party she was hopping innocently about,
and loudly demanding-as far us bird
tones could be understood by the man at
the window-what was meant by this I'M
gentlcmanly and very impolite intrusion
into II lady's bed chamber, and insisting
that she was no such kind of II woman.


The cock sparrow was evidently puz-
zlcd. Unable, after Il minute search, ia
find the lost feather. he at length appar-
emily gave it up, charged it to profit and
loss, and flew away in search of another.
The thief demurely waited until he had
cot well off and then flew to the tree, Sc
cured the stolen feather and took it in
triumph to her own nest. This story we
are a>su, ed is II true one.
Year: 1879

The Presbyterian says: 1t is all against
our natural inclinationS 10 find fault with
Mr.. Beccher. His genius would dispose
one, were it not for conscience, TO worship
him with all his faults. But no man who
has any conscience can keep from enter


ing protest, in the interest of truth and
common honesty, against his amazing
wrong -headedness in denouncing what he
calls orthodoxy, under monstrous carica-
lures. 1t is unworthy of decent sinner.
Last Sabbath, if he is reported correctly in
the N. Y. Times, he must have been half
crazed, or have given himself up to mere
dramatic effect. This is the best construc-
ton of the scene which the largest charity
can make. He erected in Plymouth Church
an orthodox scare crow, and commenced
swearing ut it, throwing mud at it, max
ing faces at it, butting ut it like an infuri-
ated goat. We think that we are not
uncharitabIe in saying that it is untruthful
as description of any orthodox faith
that it is an exaggeration AS offensive to
Justice as to that humble reverence that
dares to speak of God only in the con-
seriousness that we are dust and ashes.