smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

AT what price per head must farmer purchase
flock of 100 sheep, so that after expending $50 in
feeding them and losing sheep, he may be able to
sell the remainder at $40 each, and gain SlOO?


An answer is requested.
Year: 1874




The degree of success which has of
late attended the efforts of the Demo-
cratic party in number of the East
ern States has infused new life into
that organization in this State, and
they are not few in numbers who
really believe that the election next
Fall will place California once more
under Democratic domination. With
:" the grand old party =" the number of
candidates for office is always in pro-
portionate ratio with the chances for
election; and as the chances are favor
able, or appear to be so, for a Demo-
cratic victory, the number of old pat
riots willing to serve the dear people
in the capacity of State officers al
ready offering themselves is really
frightful to behold. They are like un-
to the locusts of Egypt in numbers.
The leaders of the "purest and the
best" are not dismayed. A few re-
verses over yonder cannot discourage
the faithful who have rode into office
for the Unions sake since 1861. 1t
does not seem possible to them that
the nation can exist without their val
liable services. They expect to win
the fight once more. There is no lack
of Republican candidates for any of
flee within the gift of the people.
From town-beadle to the Chief Exec
utive, they are all engaged. The In
dependents are not demonstrative and
as yet candidates are not numerous;
but those whose names we hear men
toned are men of weight and inhu-
ence-men in whom the people may
trust without fear of betrayal. The
leaders will soon begin to marshal
their hosts, and we shall then know
the strength of the contending armies.
Year: 1874




THERE is sort of crazy chap writ
ing the editorials for the San Francisco
Post, who declares that we shall reach
the highest degree Of prosperity only
when we have placed the burden of
taxation solely on land. This loony
individual never owned foot of land
in his life. An editorial writer on the
Chicago Tribune asserts that we can
only attain the highest degree of pros
perity when the present system of tax
ing land is abolished. We presume
this last editor owns land. One of
these gentlemen does not know what
he is talking about, and the other
talks about what he does not under
stand
Year: 1874

The annual mortality of Vienna
amounts to about 10000. The public
authorities have decided that the Gre
nation of the dead should be carried
into operation. They reckon on MAX
ing great saving Us well as consider
able benefit to the public health by
burning the dead. People are begin
ming to read such paragraphs as the
above in the daily papers without a
shudder This only shows how rap
idly public opinion can change. Twen-
ty years ago the refined class of civil
lied society would have swooned away
at the thought of being burned to
ashes after death. In those days the
bodies of the dead were treated more
tenderly than an infant. Any rough
ness in handling the corpse was shock
ing to the friends and bystanders. We
shall never forget an incident which
occurred in Arkansas some twenty
five years ago. A tall old man had
settled in the swamps of that State at
an early date, and had supported
his family on the products of his rifle
until his children were grown, fought
his last battle with the bear and gave
up the ghost. OF course all the neigh
bors came to the funeral the day fol-
lowing. The hour had arrived for the
funeral, but the coffin had not vet ar
rived from town. The company, how
ever, waited patiently with the af.
flicted family, and about two hours
after the appointed time (which was
about o'clock p. NJ the coffin ar
rived. 1t was placed by the side of
the corpse and the body laid in it. The
coffin proved to be too short--the old
mans heels stuck out about five
inches. This disconnected the
whole crowd. 1t was now too
late to send for another coffin
besides, the parties who brought
it declared "that it was the largest
box that could be found in town"
The old lady and girls began to cry at
en- awful rate, while the neighbors
gathered in groups around the yard to
hold consultations. A son of the de-
ceased, tall, angular young man,
with his pants i'll his boots and his
hands in his pockets, stood around
looking at the condition of affairs for
some time, finally Strengthening him
self and said, 'I can fix that" and
walked out of doors, and picked up
an old chop-axe that lay in the yard,
and walked back with it in his hand;
before anyone had time to speak he
struck the old gentleman q couple of
blows across the shins, and broke
them short off-with his left hand
turned his feet over into the coffin and
said ''now he's all in, we can screw
him up" The scene that followed
was indescribable. The women all
screamed, the men were shocked and
enraged. They were seriously talking
of mObbing the young man. After
consultation, however, they concluded
not to molest the poor boy as che
had no better sense" This young
man was only little in advance of
his age. Our refinement will soon
overtake him. Vienna is quite up TO
him now.
Year: 1874

THOSE gentlemen who do not want
Uncle BILLY SHARON in the United
States Senate should remember that
the Government is sadly in want of
financial brains. Senator JONES made
the only sensible financial speech of
the last session and perhaps in SHA-
RON Nevada will furnish another able
financial Senator.
Year: 1874

New York Sun, November II.


In the green room of the Grand Opera
House at ten o'clock yesterday morning,
seated on the chairs and sofas and lean
ing against the walls were over four hun
dred beautiful girls. An advertisement
in yesterdays Sun for "two hundred
more comely maidens for the new
Black Crook" had called this as
semblage together bright and early,
each would-be fairy hoping for u
lucrative station in the line of beauty.
As they filed past the manager
one by one, each had some special
qualification. One had been on the stage
at Niblo's theater, and would like to 60
on again, il she could get place in the
front line, "but you know l couldn't af-
ford TO take q back seat-not me-" An
other would "take hand" she said, "if
she could get enough pay to keep her
little sister" A faded little old woman,
in a suit of faded black, hobbled up to the
window and begged for place in one of
the back rows. A saucy little mink with
a fashy red scarf twas all theresl there
was of her-if they wanted her they
could have her" And they did want
her, for shewas beautiful. Next letter
of recommendation from San FraR-
cisco troupe was raised up to the window
bya mite Of body with jaunty parasOl
on her arm and satchel in her hand


A pretty miss of thirteen, neatly dress
ed, with pink on each cheek, was ten
derly taken into the office where she
would not be jostled by the crowd. Then
followed a dozen or so of the 'faIr to
middling,' one or two extra supertine,'
and long file Of the common places
the sstute manager meanwhile taking his
choice and making his selections with the
skill OF an old stager.


At last the green room was empty
the sylphs had disappeared-and the
manager sat in his furnished Office to en-
joy a good cigar.


How did you manage to collect so
many girls who wished to go on the
stage?" asked the reporter.


"Oh, that was easily DONE replied the
manager, 'four lines in this morning ;
Sun did it. have answered four hum
dred and twenty applicants-a little over
one hundred applicants for each line OF
advertising. l would have been glad to
give them all work, but too many would
crowd the dressing rooms"


"These girls, of course, are only for
show. Where do you find your artists
who do the singing and dancing|


1--WE make special contracts with them.
Some of the best operate talent in Amer
lea will be presented in the new Black
Crook; To good dancer we pay $50 Il
week. The singers get more. u these
girls, who have not been on the stage,
we pay $40 week"
Year: 1874

The Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of Indiana on Wednesday last rem
terei decision that colored children are
not entitled BY the law of that State to
admission to the schools with whites.
He hold, that the educational section of
the Constitution Of the State applied
only TO citizens, and when the Constitu-
tion was framed and adopted, negroes
were not any more recognized as
citizens than were Indians. That
the l4th amendment had not DEL
egatad to the Federal Government
power and control of the domestic insti-
,u,ions Of the State, and that this view,
in all constitutional respects, has been
sustained by highest judicial tribunal of
the country. In conclusion the court
saws: "Colored children are not entitled
10 admission into the common schools
which are provided for the education Of
white children


It is stated that an appeal will be
taken from this decision to the Supreme
Court of the United States.
Year: 1874

Harry NEw YEAR. Yes. a happy New
Year to all and may it bring prosperity aud
blessings In its hands. which are yet closed SO
tightly that We cannot sce-fcw can even
conjecture-what they hold. Thcr will open
slowly. dropping from their fingers. one 10y
one the joys or sorrows. tie cares or trial.
best suited 10 each one Of us. Though the
pressure OF hard times Is upon us. and the
skies Of the future look dark to many In our
little community; though the SORROWS Of tho
past year have clouded the pathway Of some,
yet We have many blessings to be grateful
for. at the opening Of new one; many caus-
cs for observation-disclosures We have been
scoueged by no pestilence. no hMinc has
wasted no lire devastated the region a ound
us; and though many have not all they want
or wish for. yet few are really suffering for
the nccessaries OF life a very few there are
amongst us. who are really needy. and IL
should be the eheerful work of these " who
have been blessed with enough and 10 spare
to reach out a helpin5 nd to bring them
through this time Of mi.hrtunc. Fortunate
we are, TO have So little OF such distress in
our midst. and it should be looked upon no u
moral and u Christian duty to relieve it.


The New Year Is upon us. IL is ours to
a. l.
measure-if we will; and this may be done,
by striving to make the whole year happy
one others. To do all the goodto render all
the service--,o speak all the Kind words we
can, to those around us. From this will flow
back into our hearts, Il true happiness which
nothing can alloy; making our year one o
two. fold blessing.


CoxrRirrroR
Year: 1874

A London paper contains long let
ter on the subject of the Brunswick
onyx vase. From the information con-
tanned IN the letter we make the follow
ing interesting extracts referring to its
later history Like many other fuoi-
tives of note, the Mantuan ONYX re-
malned ia London till 1914, when IL lx-
tHred to Brunswick with the long ex-
lied princes of the duchy. For a time
1t seemed as If nothing more could now
threaten the peaceful rest of the wan
derer but in 1880, when the reigning
Duke Charles heard his people clamor-
ing for his downfall, and saw his palace
in flames, he bethought him of his
Mantuan treasure before he sought
safety in flight; and having sent a con
hdential friend to remove IL from the
ducaI museum, he carried it away with
him. Thenceforth nothing was known
OF 1t. No one ever saw it during the
lifetime of the eccentric Diamond
Duke; and, when the city of Geneva,
IN conformity with his testamentarY
wishes, claimed as his universal residu-
ary legatee all his works of art. a fruit
less search was made for the long
vanished onyx vase. At length, after
oft-repeated examination of the ducal
treasures, it was noticed that shred of
manner prOUruded from the base of q
metallic vase which appeared to be of
very little value. On a closer inspec-
ton this vase was found to be split
lengthways, and to be excessively heavy
when compared with another vase of
identical form and external appearance
with which it seemed to form a pair.
On separating the split surfaces the
onyx came to view perfectly intact and
uninjured, and thus the mystery of its
supposed disappearance was at once
explained. Geneva art-Iovers were
overjoyed at the discovery, but their
hopes of calling peerless beauty their
own were shattered by the claim set up
by the reigning Duke of Brunswick for
the Mantuan onyx as an inalienabIe
heirloom of his family and now, after
a second separation of thirty-four years,
the gem is restored to the ducal muse
UNI of Brunswick. Since its unexpected
resuscitation, various drawings and
have appeared of it in
Germany, and, among these, the best is
water-color sketch by Professor A.
Gnauth, which gives a very correct rep
resentation of the figures with which it
is decorated" "
Year: 1874

To withdraw a child from a city sea-
son, and TO let her loose in Saratoga for
recupeTation and refreshments of body
and sOul, is like transplanting flowers
from ayscorching greenhouse to a sun
burnt desert. These Is nothing in Sar-
atoga fit for young spirit to dwell mp
on. Do You yourself recall the man
ners of the young woman that you have
seen there in the walks, and inthe gar
dens, the drives, and parlOrs? Did
they not bear themselves either with
shyness (which was clear assumption
or an effrontery which chilled you to the
bones? Did they not stare at you with
appraised chins IN a manner shrewdly
patterned upon childhood simplicity
and frankness until you lost ySur self
possession? ? Did they not gaze into
your eyes and laugh so immoderately,
and open their mouths so wide, that
you were forced to say 4" Hoyden" be
hind your lips When they success
sively took your arm and walked away
for the floor, or for an ice after an
hours acquaintance, did you not ex-
claim to yourself II consequence of
their manners, a. Can It be possible that
she thinks me rich q? Does she love
me ?" Did you not mark the anachron-
ism of the elaborate cOiffure, the queen
ike dress, and the downcast lids, 50
timid, so reluctant, so apprehensive,
lest a gaze should penetrate to the
eyes they hide? Also that that lay
between a Quaker-like modesty of at


and a lock so full Of worldliness
Year: 1874

Fay" writing from Saratoga to the
Louisville Courier Journal, says {:
q Yonder is a maiden lady whose hair
is almost snow-white. She looks very
gentle, refined, and delicate. A light
shawl covers her shoulders, and even on
this bright morning she has to avoid
the draught. The gentleman, who
seems to regard her with the tenderest
care, moves her chair and otherwise
seems solicitous about her health and
comfort. Some are puzzled to under


stand the relationship that exists be


tween the two, for they do not bear the
same name, and, besides, there is q
nameless something which tells that he
is neither husband, lover, or brother.
These relationships are common and
easily defined, but in these days of de-
generated honor it is rare to find a man
devoting himself to a woman past her
youth, and who is nothing more to him
than friend, but is the sister of the
girl Who years ago was to have been his
wife, and would have been but that death
interposed and the bridal robe became her
winding-sheet. No other love has since
entered his heart, but he preserves his
loyalty to her memory by a brothers
love and protection to her only sister,
and she, in spite of ili-health, has per-
formed her mission in life by support
ing and educating orphan nephews, so
that as she declines in years she has
those about her who think an old
maid the dearest and best of women.
Year: 1874

He constantly found the observation
made by English political writers, that
the French were persons necessarily in
competent to govern themselves, be-
cause ever since the year 1889, they had
been in a state of chronic revolution.
But those Englishmen who could recol-
lect that the Long parliament began in
1910, and that the last Smart rebellion
was in 1745-that was los years-might
be inclined to doubt whether even a
much longer period of political vicissi-
tude and political struggle than that
which had been passed through by
France, was the slightest indication that
people were not able TO govern them
selves efficiently. In the early part Of
the last century they had, IN fact, but
Just got rid of their Bourbons and ali
they represented. Society was in a
state of corruption which could only be
compared to that of the second empire
in France. Bribery was the means of
government and peculation was its re-
ward. Four-ffths of the seats in the
house of commons we're notoriously for
sale in one shape or another. The min
lister required to know the state of the
vote market more than any other, and
even the king, at q later day, occupied
himself in the subsidizing the kings
friends, and alloting to them subsidies
proportionate to their merits and ser
vices, with a retail rather than a royal
sagacity. Laughter. The condition
of the church was either torpidity or
scandal. Hear, hear. The position of
dissenters was a scandal to a civilized
country. Priestly and the men who be-
lieved with him had, if the law were
put in force, no civil rights, or mt least
none that were worth having by any
man who valued civil rights. His
preaching was crime, and every Sun
day, during which he abstained from
going to a service which he abhorred,
he could have been visited by fine and
imprisonment. As to the material condi-
ton Of thecountry, he need not tell them
it was time when no man dare make n
journey without being armed when it
took several days to get from here TO
London; when canals were an inven-
tiOn whose utility was greatly doubted,
and whose revolutionary tendencies
were strongly suspected. Laughter.
And when they thought that, all that
was only hundred years ago.-Ad-
Oly-egg 1f Eig On iUghHyyl
Year: 1874

The American correspondent of an
English review recently pointed out,
in letter treating of literary matters
here, a tendency that 1t is worth our
while to notice and examine with some
care. We are by no means indebted to
this writer for first calling our attention
to a state of affairs that has long been
perfectly obvious to every one who has
studied, however specifically, the con-
dition of the American literary field :;
but paragraph of his letter presents
the case with commendable clearness
and truth, and will serve us as text
better than any longer dissertation.
American journalism" he says, sis the
magnet that attracts all young pens,
and there is hardly a rising man or
woman who does not contribute to the
daily press. Formerly this was not so.
The passing generation of writer's had
little sympathy with newspapers. Let
not your life be taken by newspapers,
was one of Thoreau's maxims. It is i'm
possible to think OF Emerson or Long
fellow, or Whittier, or even heversatile
Lowell, dashing off a leader, or writ
ing editorial paragraphs. To days bat
ties are fought with newspapers, not
books and so young writer's enlist
where they are sure of seeing most SER
vice. Journalism is becoming a pro-
fessIon, and as, in this country, it prom
ises the finest results in political and
social influence, the next decade will
see a great change for the better in our
press. In enterprise it to-day leads the
world. In culture and dignity English
journalism can give us lessons.


That there are strong forces at work,
besides mere inclination, to draw the
best writers to journalism, is fact
which doubtless accounts for a consid-
erable part of this state of affairs. In
the immediate compensation, and in the
security that attends constant employ
ment and regularity of payment for it,
journalism undoubtedly outbids liter
airy work of the other class. There are
many men who can with perfect justice
argue that they cannot afford to write
even a successful book u fd1it UiUre,
and they canDot wait for slow returns of
sales and the hard earned fame that
comes at last.


The last few years have seen in Amer
lea very few great books in any depart
ment of literature, scholarship or fc-
tiOn. Yet there are men whom we could
point out-whom people constantly do
point out-at work in the absorbing and
intense labor of the daily press, who
could make no triiing part of the liter
ature of a generation. The press cannot
afford, it would seem, to lose their ser
vice but can general literature afford
to lose it, either?


Is there no way to solve the problem?
Cannot press and literature advance
with equal step? Or must we give up
the pursuit of one noble end in striving
for the other? The question Is worth
the thought of both writers and read
ers.-A DDZetOH's Journal
Year: 1874

The wealth of the Lapps consists in
their reindeer, which arc their only
standard of riches. A herd of n thou
sand makes a man Opulent with six
hundred he is passing rich 7; three hun
dred give him a modest competence, and
fifty mean absolute poverty. A Lapp
who owns only fifty reindeer must hire
himself and his little flock TO his
wealthier neighbor in order TO support
his family. The draft on these animals,
in truth, is immense. They are re-
quired to supply their masters with
food and drink, shelter and raiment, and
to serve as horse, OK, COW, sheep, goat,
and all the domestic animals into the
bargain. They draw the sledges, and
plow and harrow the soil they give
the milk from which are made the curds,
whey, cheese, and sometimes butter,
that form 80 large a staple of the Lap
land diet their flesh is good eating,
and supplies the meat of the bousehold;
and OF their skins are made not only the
wearing apparel for both sexes, but the
mating and covering of the tents and
kayaks of the Lapps, while their sinews
and tendODs supply the place OF pack
thread, and their fat feeds the lamp that
feeds the darkness of the arctic nights.
Moreover, they are of little expense, as
they browse all day on the ichens and
reindeer moss that grow plentifully
among the rocks, and are driven back at
night by the herdsmen TO the inclosure
where we see them, and where they arc
r,enned and MIXED. They are only
MIXED in the summertime, and yield
then but very small quantity, though
their milk is so rich that it must be di-
luted before it can be drunk.
Year: 1874

Richard Grant White, writing in the
Galaxy. says " As to shall and will
something may doubtless be done by
study and by taking thought to check
bad habits and correct the result of I'M
fortunate associations. The mistake
most commonly made In the use of these
words, and the one therefore most care
fully to be avoided, is the use of will
for shall and of the corresponding would
for should. Shall is much less often
used for will. And yet in the word
shilly-shally, which is upon everybody's
lip, is petrified the rule and the exam
pie in regard to shall and will. Shilly-
sbally J merely colloquial corruption
of Shall I? Shall I?' and thus ex-
presses the condition of a man who is
vascillating between two courses of con-
duct. 1t has been made into a parti-
ciple, perhaps even into a verb. A man
who stands shilly- y-shallying about a
woman as the ladies say, is a man
who, as they also sometimes say, doesn't
know his own mind about her-mental
condition for which the sex has not the
highest respect. Now no one would
say that a man stood asking himself,
viii I? Will I?' and yet such is es-
sentially the mistake most frequently
made in regard to the Hse of these
words in conversation. We hear peo-
pie say, What will I do?' and even
Will I do thus or so? the offenders in
these cases being generally of what
some people humorOusly call the Hiber-
nian persuasiOn-an' expression, by the
way, for which there is no authority
of very respectable standing and an
tiquity. Among people of Anglo-Saxon
race and of average education the mis-
take, when made, most commonly takes
the indicative form, thus { I will go to
bed elegantly, retire] at ten o'clock to-
night we will breakfast at eight
tomorrow > instead of I shall go to
bed, &c, I'VE shall breakfast, &C."