smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Probably oneof the greatest prob.
lens of this age is the mule. Al
though volumes have been written
on the mule, yet tile accident stats.
tics show that he is as little under


stood as ever. How to mix kind
ness and firmness in the proper pro,
portions and then apply the concoc-.
ton successfully to an energetic mule
is one of "those things no fellow can
find out" The mule is deceitful and
desperately wicked. 1t knows no
north, no south, no west, no east, in
the rigid impartiality with which it
bestows its favops. In trying to
solve the mule problem many very
wise men have been buffled, and
likewise knocked into demoralized
heap in the opposite corner OF the
stable from which the mule stood.-
And yet how strange it is that after
all these years of Intellectual research
the true solution of tLis vexed ques--
ton should be discovered by small
boy. This little fellow lives in Rich.
mond, Virginia, and while playing
near a mule was, by means of that
animals method of rapid transit,
suddenly landed in neighboring
field. When he recovered from the
emotion caused by SO unexpected an


event, he managed 10 insnuate him-
self into tie mules affections, taking
care, however, always to keep at tho
correct end of the mule. Finally the
innocent and unsuspicious quadruped
was firmly tied 20 tree, under whose
shades were several hives of bees
The mule brought disaster upon him
self by kicking over a hive just by
way Of recreation. The combat that
ensued was dreadful to behold. The
boy is not quite certain whether tho
bees or the mule won the victory
He thinks it was the mule, because
when ,heo wner came after the body,
there was not vestigc of the hives
to be seen, and the bees had all dis
appeared, while the remains of tho
mule still occupied the battle field.
Year: 1877

matron, standing In the doorway OF
, a cabin just as the sun was dropping
behind the tree trops to the west, in
one of the frontier settlen. ents of
Minnesota.


AJoung man, hardy and strong,
was coming up from the clearing
down by the river, with the AK he
had been welding all through the
day thrown over his shoulders. These
words from his wife salutcd his ears
as he camo near, and caused him to
turn his head and glance away to the
southwark, where q great bank of
sable clouds was piled high against
the evening sky.


Yes, Ruth, it does look like it, he
answered. Il thought l heard i;
thunder just before l left work.


1T looks as though it would be a
heavy one,' she said, q little ap-
prehensively, for to tell the truth,
she was q little cowardly in this re-
spect.


To this her husband made no re-
ply, but playfully pushing her aside
irom the doorway, he entered the
cabin, and at once took down his
rifle from the hooks where it was
hanging.


'What have you seen to shoot,
Reuben2' she said. 'Don't go out
again to night, for supper is waiting
nuw.'


Il am not going,' he answered
quietly. Il am only making sure
that my rifle is in good order-bn,
still may have occasion to use il be
fore morning.


The young wife turned pale.


You don't mean to say that the
savaSes are here again?' she asked.


You may as well know the truth
at once, Ruth said her husband,
looking her full in the face There
are redskins hangi' & about here,
and I'm afraid they mean us mis-
chief I've seen no less than three
ut one time within OH hour, skulking
along in the edge of the wood. Their
motions tell me that we had better
be on our guard to night-were they
friendly they would have come open
y to me or to the cabin


'Oh, Reuben! what shall we do2'
and her eyes sought the bed, where
d rosy checked boy Of some two sum.
mers was lying fast asleep.


we must do the best wo can.-
The cabin is stout and strong, and l
doubt about their being able to break
in should they try it. But you must
have lot OF courage, Ruth. May be
it won't be needed, and I hope i;
WON'T. Now let us make sure that
the cabin is all tight, and then we
will have that supper which you say
is waiting


lie spoke cheerfully, but could
not dispel the fears that filed her
heart, and made her face as pale as
death. s.


The heavy oaken shntters Of the
two email windows were put in place
and made secure there, and then the
dovr was closed and barred, and
large stick Of timber that was kept
tor that purpose was placed against
it. W"en the PREF arations had been
completed Reuben announced that
he Was ready for his supper. This
WAS soon placed upon the table, aud
it must be confessed that the danger
which hovered over them did not in
the least diminish his appetite. But
Ruth could hardly swallow a mouth
tul, and she wondered how il was
that her husband could. She was
thinking only Of the danger that me-
naced them, and, listening tor the
slightest sound that came from with.
out.


The dar kness increased, and the
sound of distant thunder broke
Year: 1877




under cover of the forest to night


'Harkp said Reuben; 'what was
thatg'


Both were silent, and holding
their breath to listen. In O moment
the sound was repeated. It was
foostep without. Ruth trembled with
apprehension. 81. .. -"


Then another and another was
beard.


The reskins were about the cabin.


'Tbey have come,' cried Ruth, in
q low tone.


Yes, said Reuben. 'Hark9 let us
see what they mean to do.'


A minute later, and the door was
shaken violently Then a savage
without exclaimed, in broken Eng
lish:


white man open door. Injins
want to come in.'


To this appeal Reuben made no
answer. He had no idea of granting
the request, and words he knew
would do no good. Again the de-
mand was made. But, as before, no
answer Was returned. Then there
came q few moments Of silence ON
their part. The mutteriugs of the
thunder were nearer aud deeper
The tempest was fast coming. Sud-
denly there came go fearful q blow
upon the door that it made tho ell
tire cabin tremble, while Ruth gave
utterance to shrill cry of alarm.


Courage said her husband; they
are trying to batter the door down,
but l hardly think they can do it.
They can not SO long as the prop
holds as well as it does now


1T is not for myself l tear.' she
said. 1T is for my dear child, Reu-
benz


we will do our best to save him,
and our own lives,' lie answered.
Even though the door give way,
with my rife can do much to save
u.s.


Once more terrible blow was
dealt upon tho door, at the same mos
ment vivid flash Of lightning, fol-
lowed by peal of thunder that
seemed to shake the solid earth. So
tremendous was the blow the saw
ages dealt that the prop against the
door gave way, and fell from it's
place, and the door itself renbled
as though it was coming down. The
heart of Reuben sank within his
breast. Another such blow must
place them at the mercy of the saw
ages. Only his rifle would stand
between them and death. But at
this moment Providence interposed
it's hand. AS though the peal of
thunder had been a signal for the
tempest to commence, the rain came
down in torronts. Not knowing the
execution their last blow had done,
the savages hesi'ated as the storm
broke upon them.


A little way from the cabin stood
q large oak that the settlers had
spared for it's beauty and graceful
shade. To the shelter of this the
Savages fed, 10 wait until the tenn
pest wac over. Thus our friends had
a respite tor time. Hastily Ren-
ben replaced the prop, and did
his best to make the door secure
again.


Ten minutes passed, and the rain
came down as though there was a
second deluge upon the earth. He
heard nothing Of the savages, but
he though he knew where they were,
and that the attack would be re-
newed as soon as the rain had clear
ed up.


Suddenly there came vive1 fash
of lightning, followed by a report
that seemed to shake the earth as
though it was leaf suspended in
Year: 1877

The other day when a Detroit boy of
fourteen bought a stuffed cat at auction
the crowd derided him and had a great
deal of fun at his expense. They didn't
know that the boy had great deal of
genius and a mountain of bright ideas,
and he didn't tell them. Yesterday
morning the lad opened out in a vacant
lot on Cass avenue, having the help of
several other geniuses. A elothes-line
was stretched from a peg driven at the
side walk to a fence fifty or sixty feet
away, and not over a foot from the
ground. BY means of straps around the
body and two iron rings, with a stout
tish-line to pull on, the cat could be
drawn along the rope like flash and
hauled through a hole in the fence
When things were in working order the
stuffed feline was placed at the stake,
the boys got behind the fence, and the
number of dogs which tried to give that
cat cold shaking up was almost beyond
count. They strained every nerve to
catch her as she was drawn along the
rope, and as they followed her through
the fence, believing they had dead
sure thing, two boys on either side of
the hole let fall four stout clubs with
military precision. Each dog seemed
to realize the whole joke in minute,
and the way he started for home nearly
killed the jOkers.
Year: 1877

Let me assure my countrymen of the


Southern States, that it is my earnest
desire to regard and promote their tru-
est interest-the interest of the white
and of the colored people, both and
equally and to put forth my best efforts
in behalf Of a civil policy which will
forever wipe out our political affairs the
color line and the distinction between
North aad South, to the end that we
Year: 1877

nents, when the sceptre shall have pass
ed away from England, when perhaps
travellers from distant regions shall in
vain labor to decipher, on some mould
ering pedestal the name OF our prondest
chief; shall hear savage hymns chanted
to some misshapen idol over the ruined
dome of our proudest temple and shall
see single naked fisherman wash his
nets in the river Of the ten thousand
mas,s, her influence and her glory will
still suruive, fresh in eternal youth, ex=
empt from mutabili;y and decay, inn
mortal as the intellectual principle from
which they derive their origin aud over
which they exercise their control"


Such is the panegyric of a scholar,
and such the verdict Of mankind.


/ have thus, ladies and gentlemen,
hastily and impeifectly endeavored TO
depict some of the advantages and y
few of the triumphs which are the re
wards Of scholarship and attend the At
tainments of the scholar.


Yet do not forget that while the in
centiyes and the triumphs OF the scholar
are great, his scholarly attainments may
be his doom rs well rs bis destiny.


Many are the instances in which men,
tal effort has been misdirected, and in
which men of acknowledged ability
have passed from life, unwept aud un-
honored, because they forgot that the
object of oil study was the ascertain
ment of truth, or because carried away
by passion and self their efforts were
put forth without an honorable aim or
a worthy object.


Remember that in this season OF
youth the foundations are to be laid
upon which the super-structure OF schol
arly attainmentsis to be reared-that this
season with its-opportunities and privi
leges for getting wisdom, establishing
character and forming habits is tleeting,
its moments fly swiftly by, that each
moment, rs it flies unheeded aud unim-
proved, is lost forever and vain the wish
that would call it back.


Go forth then with an earnest deter
mination 10 win some OF tho triumphs,
and some of the intellectual wealth
which await to reward the efforts OF the
scholar; when one bright dream is real
lied, let some new bow Of promise span
your path, and seek 10 gather new tri-
umphs TO lay upon that altar TO which
your time and talents have been conse-
| Grated.


And young ladies may il be your for
tune to shed lustre around your path,
aud brighton your sphere in life by cul-
tiyated minds and literary attainments |;
thus adding to that fame which the fair
daughters Of our valley have already
wen by their intelligence and beauty,
patriotism aud love.


And young gentlemen may il DO
yours to carve for yourselves path in
life which will reflect honor and credit
upon you, as well as upon those who
have aud will direct your studies and
endeavor TO prepare you for an eleva-
ted and honorable course in life Re.
member the incentives 10 scholarship,
and it may be yours


"The applause of listening Senates 20


command


The threat Of pain and ruin TO despise,
To scatter plenty Ger smiling land,


And read your history In nation s
eyes"
Year: 1877

There has been so much said about
southern Texas in regard to the climate,
fertility of the soil, etc, that | wish to
say a few words through youl valuable
paper about this over.rated and falsely
represented country. 1t is the most
changeable climate in the United States.
1t is tolerably healthy, we admit, but
not near as much so as represented. We
have chills and ievers here as well as
anywhere else, and also Il few cases Of
pneumonia in the last few weeks. The
soil is very rich, where it is rich, but it
is like all other countrics-it has poor
land and lots of it. 1t has been repre-
sented as a level, unbrokcn country, and
as rich as the Mississippi bottom, with
scarcely poor spot in it. This is false
it is a hilIy country, or the greater por-
ton of it ; and as much poor land as ever
saw in any state, with scarcely enough
timber for iirc-woOd for for year if
it was all settled up. They are hauling
rails from six to twenty miles; their
water they haul in the summer from
three to forty miles, and glad 10 get it at
that. Still, they tell the people it is the
best country in the world, and the
climate as mild as that of Italy. Now,
my dear friends, you who are preparing
to move to Texas, come and look for
yourselves before you sell your little
homes in the states. Don't believe what
you read on paper. These glowing tales
are gotten up by railroad companies and
land speculators. You ask one of these
men where he lives, and he will tell you
in st. Louis, or somewhere in the old
states. Now, if this is such a good coun-
try, why don't they move to it! There
have been more families broken up and
more young men ruined by these rail
road and land specializing companies
than any other class of men in the world
Cor. Memphis Appeal.
Year: 1877

IT is nct perhaps much thought of,
but it is certainly very important les
son. to learn how to enjoy ordinary life,
TO be able to relish your being without
the transport Of some passion or graft
fcot;on Of some appetite.
Year: 1877

WHEN supreme danger threatened
the peace of the country, and bad men,
like Morton, were becoming omnipo-
tent in parties and more and more re-
sistless as the danger of violence grew
great-in such crisis the Congress is
surely the department of the govern
ment to which the country should look
for peace and security. To this body
is delegated by the Constitution the
duty of so legislating, to use the phrase
of the Constitution, ''as to form moro
perfect union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general
welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity."
II Congress, in the present terrible ex-
lgencv, had failed to provide perfect
remedy, it would have failed in exc
cutting the purposes OF its existence. II
could have escaped the grave response
bility in no other manner than in this
provided by the electoral adjustment
bill. and they who dissent Uuly love
party and power and spoIls more than
they love their country, aud prefer
confusion and robbery and violence
and war to public prosperity and
Deace
Year: 1877




A TREASURY warrant has been issued
to Capt. Eads for the first installment
of the five hundred Thousand dollars
for the work done on the jetties. This
sum, says the New Orleans Democrat,


Twill enable Capt. Eads to make rapid
progress hereafter in completing the
work at South Pass. In few weeks,
with the flood now coming down the
river, the channel, as now prepared,
will be rapidly secured out, and soon
twenty-five and twenty-four feet will
be attained as the permanent depth on
the bar. The first payment is an
advertisement and assurance to the
world that vessels of twenty feet draft
may now confidently enter the port Of
New Orleans. This assurance is worth
millions to our commerce" The i'm
mediate result of this accessibility of
New Orleans from the sea will be the
renewal of the trade and commerce of
that city. Cities along the shores of
the Mississippi have been mere deposi-
tories for cotton and grain going TO
New York, and therefore the trade of
those citIea, following the grain and
cotton bales, was appropriated by
New York. and railways only served
to take trade from cities and towns
along the river. The opening of the
rivers mouth Ieverses these processes,
and railways will bring cotton and
grain to the river to be transferred by
this new route of commerce to Brazil,
the Indies and to Europe and Mexico.
Year: 1877

EVERY good citizen, it occurs to US,
would prefer the loosening of the pres
idential deadlock by a commission
constituted of fifteen statesmen and ju-
rists sworn to do right and acting un-
der responsibility that history will
always recognize. Such a question
should not be determined by the office
holding, oficeseeking bligades, who
are ready to fight for the spolls in
fighting for preferred candidate. If
Hayes were the choice of the people,
this august tribunal will so declare; if
TildeR, this fact will be as certainly
asserted, and the people will be con-
tent. The conservatism ard modera-
ton of either man as president must
be assured by the manner of his acces-
sion to office, and since Morton and
his sooty crew have opposed the
scheme OF adjustment, like their coun
terparts among Democrats, we cannot
doubt the coming of a conservative and
wise and just administration.
Year: 1877

line from the main trunk to Galveston,
that 1t received no vote outside of
Texas Give away TO non-resident /
! spectators the twenty millions Of [
acres lying in that Pacific reservation,
| If you will, but do it with your ewes
! open to the fact that you are placing it
beyond your power to carry out the
provisions of your State Constitution


affecting more sacred interests, and


with no prospect that it will ever de-
velop a commercial city on our coast.


In no aspect Of this question am


able to see why Eastern Texas should


desire the passage of this bill. With
Marshall practically ignored as an
eastern terminus in Texas, that section


will derive no more advantage from
the construction of this Texas Pacific,


as now to be built, than will we in the


west. If Mr.. Scott still deslres to


straighten his road to St. Louis by


building the short line from Fort


Worth to Sherman, hoO OesnSl.pf tho


commerce of the Pacific W. -
10y way of Marshall through ttiez
Swamps of North Louisiana, and trav-


el by that route hundred miles out of
its way TO its eastern destination II


we must aid road to the Pacific, let


help be given to some route that will


benefit all Texas. 4 road to the Pa
cjtic through the centre of this great


State, and chartered by Texas alone,


would find Marshall on direct line,
and when constructed would be felt in
its developing influences like an cleo
trio shock to our remotest borders-w<
not road like the Texas Pa


chartered by Congress througl


State, which will scorn your efforts toS
control it when constructed, but a road
chartered by Texas alone through her
own territory, which may hereafter be
so controlled by State legislation as
not to destroy our hope of seaport
city or paralyze our grand trunk roads
already constructed to the coast. Am
l answered that legislation can never
control the interests of capital, or
force commerce out of the way it
chooses to travel 2 That may be so, il
we do nothing but lis.tn to the de.
mands of capital, and do Its bidding
without inquiry but it will not be true
when we rise to a conception of our
duty, and grant the State aid only on
terms that will benefit the State.


The most favored citizen in this
State. can purchase only 100 acres at
your Land Office, and that on condi-
tion of actual settlement; and yet we
are gravely considering whether for
feited gift of twenty millions of acres
shall be again bestowed without money
and without price on nonresident spec
ulators who own road which, if ever
finished, Is destined to tantalize you by
wheeling the commerce of the conti-
nent across your extreme borders, to
be emptied into the lap of rival States.
Year: 1877

THE election of Ben Hill to tho
United States Senate by the foremost
Democratic State of the Union is sig
nificant. He is free thinker, and OF
those who say what they think. Heis
a man rather of genius than of talent,
but defective in neither. He never
stands still or looks backward; but is
progressive and aggressive. If he had
been born and reared under the shadow
of Massachusetts morals and modes
of thinking he would have been more
terrible than Thad Stevens and violent
than Mr.. Butler, with the marked diff
ference that Hill is thoroughly honest.
He does not close his lips even when
silence would serve him better than
logic or eloquence. lie Is of those
great men who shape, control and
direct, rather than watch and pander
to, popular opinion and prejudice. A
month has not elapsed since Tray,
Blanche aHd Sweetheart, and all the
bowling pack of blind partisans, were
bowling upon his track. He had dared
to think and say what ne thought and
the party were left in the lurch or dis
covered that some one of its supposed
tenets of faith had been violated by
the brilliant Georgian. Hill is another
stone mountain towering above the
horizon of Georgia. Its summit is
always crowned with sunlight and the
mighty mass is as firm and fixed and
immutAble as the heavens above or
the earth on which it rests. Nothing
shakes it and no power can remove or,
overleap it. But while the rugged
Year: 1877

THE steady and persistent Northern
winds have driven the sea away from
the shore of Texas, and the reef in
front Of Corpus Christi is far above the
waves. So the water has left the ship
channel below Houston, the seashore
is rising and the gulf stream, it is al
legged, has been diverted from the coast
of England. The climate of London
has been SO thoroughly changed, and
such have been the sutferings of the
people from cold and ice and snow
that London papers absolutely discuss
the probable abandonment of the coun-
try and the transfer Of forty millions of
Euglishmen to this continent. Ali
this comes of the alleged diversion of
the gulf stream from the Western Brit
ish coast.
Year: 1877

IF any one branch of the Texas and
Pacific road be Topped of it should be
that which is designed to be the
main line from the one hundred and
fourth parallel In the Panhandle to
NinIta and st. Louis. Then away with
all the branches, and If any be built,
the country and the railway corpora
ton owe it to Texas and not to st.
Louis. 1t was Texas that has made a
concession to a Pacific road the most
munifcent ever given by State, and
st. Louis, that gave nothing, demands
everything,
Year: 1877

The Grand Duke will spend the
winter in the United States. His nur-
pose may be to see how Grant can con-
vert republic into the empire. The
process must be very interesting to an
emperor's son. But how can this stall
wart descendant of the woman who
made freedom shrlek," remain here
when the Mahommedan and Greek
churches are about to collide and
Christian or Turk must control the
route to India.
Year: 1877

THE United States Circuit Court
holds that 1t was never the intention
of Congress that the million and half
loaned to the Philadelphia Exposition
should be refunded and the court
authorizes the stockholders 10 pocket
the money for their trouble and zeal
and the like. Blessed stockholders I
A year ago we said that money had
OOne m
Year: 1877

TIE Headlight says that Round Rock
will ship 5000, 900 worth of cotton.
This is one of the Goals of fire that the
want of narrow gauge towards the
northwest heaps upon the backs Of
Austjn terraDinS