smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1867

CURE FOR CORNs.-Put your feet
for half an hour, two or three sue
cessive nights, in strong solution of
soda. The alkali dissolves the In
durated cuticle, and the corn falls ont
spontaneously, leaving a small cavity,
which soon fills. An exchange says
of this receipt: We know the above
remedy for corns to be effectual. We
have tried it, and found its acts like
magic. But we do not think strong
solution is desirable. We have a
friend who tried the remedy In our
recommendation, but he made the So
luton so strong that, with the corns,
it took off a portion of the skin on the
foot. From one to two tablespoons
of soda in a small foot-tub of hot wa
ter is sufficient to remove the corns,
by letting the afflicted member remain
in it ten or fifteen minutes"
Year: 1867

James Richards lived on a cape.
His house, a neat one story building,
was situated on the farthermost part
of the cape, toward the sea. He was
an old sailor, and had followed the
sea until he was three-score years of
age, when he bought this spot and
built him house. 1t was a danger
Gus part of the coast, and this was
one great reason. he said, why he set
tied therefor he meant to keep a
bright light burning in the dark night
to light the weary tars on their way p


Richards family consisted of him.
self, wife and two sons, the oldest
thirty and the youngest twenty-five
years of age. "And smart, active
boys they were too," the old man
would say, "as any about these
parts"


The afternoon of the day on which
our story opens had been lowery, and
the appearances had bespoken tenn
pest, The two young men had been
absent about week on a fishing
cruise. They were therefore anxious
ly looked for all the afternoon by their
parents, more especially as they had
out-stayed their usual time of absence.
AS the day wore away and the ap.
pearances of a storm increased, the
mothers fears arose proportionally
though the father was too much of
ia sailor to be frightened, as he
expressed himself, at black cloud
However, as the day drew neal
its cl ose, and the wind began
to increase, the old man became
uneasy, and his eye was directed oft
ener than usual seaward The sur
went down luridly in the west, and
the large waves began to heave theil
feathery tops. The old man left the
house and proceeded to the shore
There was a smooth and sandy cove
which made a snug, little harbor; bu
save this, the cape was lined will
high, rugged and shelving rocks. Mr.
Richards seated himself on the highes
eminence, "Broad Stone,' it is called


directly on the pitch of the cape, from


whence he could overlook the sea a


all points.


Here, as he sat gazing off, he woul'
lmutter to himself, II don't like tina


white streak in the east; it is


weather litter, and BODIES no gooC


and the scud there in the south look


badly, skimming over the water a


such a rate. 1t will be an ugly nigh


this. The plague is in the boys tina


they don't come home; they ought t


know better than to stay abroad sue


a night as this p


Time and again as the dusk crep
on, he would visit Broad Stone, an
throw anxious glances about in hope


of detecting the appearance of a sal
! and then he would give vent to b
, spleen at the boys for absenting then
selves, in which, however, fear, 9


could be easily seen, rather than a
Q ger was predominant. Darkness Sc
: tied down on earth and ocean, stl


nothing met the eye of the anxiol
watchers but the dark green wave
rolling turbidly to the shore with


sullen fearful murmur. The win
Year: 1867

TRUTH.-Truth is like Gods bap-
tism upon the hills. First it is like a
little dew-drop, silently descending
through cloud of mist and vapor to
kiss the petals of some dropping flow
er. Then it is a rill, that goes cut
ting its channel way through the
green moss and down the sloping hill
side, Fastening to the meeting of
waters below. Then it is a stream,
hurrying over precipices and down
cascade rosks, turning the great wheel
of manufacture, grinding the grain
and working the spindles and shuttles
of man. Thea it is the river, slowly
rolling onward through its mighty
channel, upon which great lazy barges
rock, and the paddles of the steam
boat beat. And then-then it is the
broad sweep of the Atlantic upon
which borne, from land, the products
of the industry of an entire world
And that's the way truth comes. And
that's the way truth acts.
Year: 1867

Three times our Savior was spoken
to while on earth by voices from
Heaven, and they all three found him
praying.


Let us only think of achieving the
present day well; and when to-mor-
row shall arrive, it too will be call
ed to-day, and then we shall think
of it.


The Spirit of God is the spirit of
benevolence. 1t will make a man
patient towards the failings of others.
He will be full of delicacy and gen.
tlemanliness.


The sun is always shining, the flow
ers are always blooming, the birds
are always singing, the golden grain
is always waving somewhere in this
wicked world.


Be always frank and true; spurn
every sort of affectation and disguise.
Have the courage to confess your
ignorance and awkwardness. Con-
fide your faults and follies to but
few.


How often we look upon those
who have fallen into grevious sin, with
degree of self-complacency that we
have not erred after the simultude of
their transgression, when perhaps the
only reason is, we have not been simi-
larly tempted. aasr
No prayer is at all likely to bring
down an immediate answer if it be
not feryent prayer. q The effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much" but if it be not fervent
we cannot expect to find it effectual
Or prevalent. s
Our religion is to be estimated,
not by few intensities, but by vital
and generous glo W and activity
throughout our whole life. 81 We are
mot to mourn because we DO not iee!;
but il, having feeling, we find no ex-
preston for that feeling In lille, we
may well mourn.
Year: 1867

The longer ! live the more highly
do | estimate the Importance OF a
proper observance of the Christian
Sabbath, and the more grateful do |
feel toward those who take pains to
impress a sense of this Importance on
the community. The Lords day is
the day on which the Gospel is preach
ed; it is the day of public worship
throughout the Christian world
And, although we live in a reading
age and in a reading community, yet
the preaching of the Gospel is the
form in which human agency has been
and still is most efficaciOusly employ
ed for the spiritual Improvement of
men. That the poor had the Gospel
preached to them was an evidence OF
his mission which the author of Chris
tianity himself proclaimed. And to the
public worship of the Deity, and the
preaching of the Gospel, the observ-
ance of the Sabbath is obviously es-
sential.-Daniel Webster.


Keep good principles and they will
L
Year: 1867

every way more strange and remarkable is sub
stituted for them. The husband tells his own
story, and it far transcends the widest dreams
of Defoe or Sue. In 1854 Mr.. Wight returned
to this country from Europe in order to marry
lady to whom he was engaged. lie came
sooner than he intended, because the lady S
parents and all her family had died, and left
her unprotected She was twenty y-three years
old, and afflicted with a nervous disease which
her mother described as hysteria. The pair
went to England and while at KesWick one
night, month after their marriage, the hus-
band was Mortified to see his wife fall at his
feet in fit of epilepsy She had seventeen
fits before the morning. Shocked at the dis
covery that his wife was afflicted with this aw-
full disease, knowing that it was incurable, and
despairing of escape from his terrible position,
he that night, as he states, adopted her as
his child.


From that time to this he has nursed her
and taken care of her, but has never resumed
the relationship of their marriage tie. He
calls her in his narrative, I" his patient" and
"his ward" Once, when she thought he
proposed to treat her as a wife, she was rem
dered " extremely unhappy" Her disease
grew worse-the very servants and nurses fled
from the house in horror. Six years ago Miss
Chamberlain came as nurse, and as Mr.. Wight
says his patient herself proposed that he
should marry this lady. She" (the first
wife) chad come to regard it as reGgiousy
wrong to think of fulfilling the relations of wife
in her condition" She pressed him to marry
Miss Chamberlain. Let us imagine what she
must have suffered ere she could bring herself
to this. They tried to get divorce in Indiana,
but failed, for reasons which Mr.. Wight, lit
tie inconsistently, declines to mention. At
last they succeeded-for the wife helped-and
Miss Chamberlain was the solitary witness on
whose evidence the compact was dissolved
Ofwhat nature that evidence was, we are not
informed. The divorced wife was present at
the marriage cerem ony, and she is to live with
the couple for the future


Was there ever such a story? One scarcely
knows which to pity the most, the man chain
ed to a scarcely living woman for thirteen
years, appalled, night and day by the terrible
visitatiOns to which she was subject, or the
woman doomed to witness the misery which
she had caused, loss of his affections and his
marriage with another, and to bear in addition
the remorse which her own deception and sin
must necessarily occasion her. Verify, the
tragedies of real life are more ghastly than
those which the imagination conjures up.
Year: 1867

We find the following in the editorial COL
umns of the New York Times Of the lst inst :


One of the most extraordinary stories of
married life we have ever heard of has Just
been made public The incidents are more i'm
probable than novelist or dramatist, with a
strict regard for his reputation, would dare to
use The story, as it originally appeared, was
that Mr.. Wight had married Miss Cham
berlain, having just obtained divorce from
his wife on the sole evidence of his second -
The first wife then acted as bridesmaid at Miss
Chamberlain's marriage, standing there, as
we are told, "like a living corpse The
course and blight Of the Almighty" were in
voked by the agonized reporter upon the new
ly married couple


These are not pleasant things to hear, and
Mr. Wight has come forward with a long
statement, in which the assertions Of the re-
porter are contradicted, but narrative in
Year: 1867

suppose:


The Sioux, the Pawnee, the Cheyenne squaw,
though she may have certain power in the
wigwam, and an uncertain liberty of speech in
the council, when her character as a woman
happens to be great, is, in many respects, and
as general rule no better than slave such
rights as she may exercise belonging to her
rather as member of the tribe than as moth
er and wife. Her husband has probably
bought her for blanket, for an old carbine, for
keg of whiskey, and it depends wholly on the
mans humOr, or his fondness whether he
shall treat her as woman or as q dog. He
can sell her, he can give her away. The squaw's
lnteriOrity to the hunter is like that of the
horse to his master. She is one of the mans
chattles-one of many like herself; for the In
dian is polygamist, and keeps harem in the
prairie. She has to perform all indoor, all
outdoor labor; to fix the wigwam in the ground,
to fetch water from the stream, to gather bill
lets from the bush, to dig roots and pick up
acorns, to dress and cook the food, to make
the clothes, to dry the scalp, to mend the wig
wan, to carry her children on the march. And
while she has thousand tolls to endure, she
has scarcely any rights as either woman or
wife. The man may put her away for the
most tritling fault. Her infant may be taken
from her lap. Her modesty is not always
spared. While the sins into which her own
fancies may have led her are visited with re-
yolting punishment, she may be forced by her
husbands into acts of immortality which degrade
her as woman, not only in her own eyes, but
in those of the companions of her shame. The
theory of the wigwam is, that the female mem
Der OF it is chatte, and that her beauty, her
modesty, her service belong to her lord only,
and may be given as he lists. For her there is
nothing save to hear and obey.


And the Indian squaw is what such rules of
life must make her. If her mate is cruel in
disposition, she is savage; if he is dirty in per-
son, she is filthy; if he is lax in conduct, she
is shameless. When anything base and mon
strous has to be done, it is left to the squaws.
If any enemy is to be tortured, the women are
set upon him. A brave might club prisoner
to death by blow, but the sharper and slow
er egonies caused by peeling off his skin, by
tearing out his nails, by breaking his finger
joints, by putting fire under his feet, by goug-
ing out his eyes, are only to be inflicted by the
demons who have taken up their dwellings in
female form.
Year: 1867

much, but i'll. An impatient man is sure to be
more or less slovenly, and the greater his act
ivity the worse and more far-spread is his SLOW
enliness 1t is here that genius is so habitual-
ly found to want its complement. 1t is OF the
essence of genius to be active. If not active it
is nothing. But true genius is both active and
patient, while imperfect halfgenius is active
without patience The impatience of half-ee
MUS shows itself, not only in the too slovenly
accomplishment of the appointed tasks, but al
so, and still more ruinously, in appointing
these tasks themselves.
Year: 1867

If men dealt less in stocks and lands,
And more in bonds and deeds fraternal;
If Loves work had more willing hands,
To link this world to the superna
If men stored up loves oil and wine,
And on bruised human hearts would pour it,
If"yOurs" and "mine" would once combine,
The world would be the better for it.
If more would act the play of life
And fewer spoil it in rehearsal;
If bigotry would sheathe its knife
Till good becomes more universal;
Ifclstom gray with ages grown
Had fewer blind men to adore it;
If talent shown for truth alone,
The world would be the better for it.
If men weTe wise in little things
Affecting less in all their dealings;
If hearts had fewer rusted strings
To isolate their kindly feelings.
If men, when wrong beats down the right
Would strike together and restore ii;
Ifrigh made might in every fight.
The world would be the better for it.
Year: 1867

PUBLIC EXECUTIoNS.-W should like to
have it understood on what grounds it is that
the public is expected to take morbid inter-
est in the last moments of condemned maletac-
tors. In England, it is believed, much against
common sense and experience, that a public
execution teaches a wholesome moral lesson
whereas, all the thieves and ruffianS Of the To-
cality flock like carrion birds to the gallows
exult in the spectacle of their comrade shaking
hands with Jack Ketch, chatting the chaplain
and dying "game." In this country we do
not believe in the gallOws, as moral teacher
for the young; but it would be an improve
ment upon our system if murderers were al
lowed to go to their graves without reporters
standing by to send sp their dying blasphe-
mics. Take the case of a man hanged in Hi
nOis few days ago as an instance of the mis-
chief. We are told that on the morning of his
execution he sent for some wine and cigars,
and made himself merry over them. He was
very cool to the clergyman present" He ut
tered some shocking blasphemies, and when
the turnkeys came for him he asked them to
put in the papers that he was very sor-
ry." That is the ambition of these wretches--
to be ''put in the papers," 1t is to be regret
ed that their desires are so often gratifed-
But nothing that can take place here is SO bad
as scene reported in the last European
| papers 10 nave occurred at jail IN LONDON
The condemned man, when placed under the
rope, struggled with the turkeys, fought with
the hangman, amid the wild excitement of the
crowd, and was at last forcibly held down while
the moose was put around his neck. Against
exhibitions of this disgraceful kind many wri-
ters have protested, but custom is as powerful
as law on the banks of the Thames, and mur-
derers will still have their necks broken in pub
lie for the edifcatiOn of the small boys who
prowl about the street cutters. The graph
ic' stories of these circumstances are scarcely
more improving to the mind than those equal
ly startling anecdotes Of the feats which women
occasionally perform. There is one such story
now going the rounds, ending thus: "Mrs.
recently gave birth to four boys, making
six in less than one year" This extremely un,
pleasant female is doubtless proud of her
achievements, we hope her husband likes them
as well; but every right minded person must
needs regard her as a scOurge to her species
and terror to persons about to marry. She
ought to be dispatched without loss of time to
the barren parts of our new Territory. Better
is the dry crust than the stalled OK with such
a woman.
Year: 1867

A pretty woman, like great truth or great
happiness, has no more right to bundle herself
under green veil, or any other abomination
Of like character, than the sun has to put on
green spectacles.
Year: 1867

A lady made herself conspicuous on Broad
way, day, before yesterday, by wearing instead
of even the usual apology for a bonnet, bril- ght
colored ribbon tastefully environed about her
head
Year: 1867

"Admiral Semmes has been lecturing in
the South on the exploits of the Alabama
while under his command. Without any refer
ence to the character of the cause in which he
was engaged, we cannot see how any man of
ordinary courage and manliness can find matter
for boasting in such exploits as those of the
Alabama. She was heavily armed, had a large
crew, and was a swift and powerful vessel
Yet all she ever did was to attack unarmed and
wholly defenceless merchantmen. She always
ran away from every armed vessel that came in
sight, and confined her warfare wholly to those
who had no means or power of resistance. A
band of men, armed to the teeth, who should
travel the high roads killing and robbing un-
armed and helpless women and children, and
running into the woods whenever man ap-
peared, would scarcely be deemed worthy of
special praise as heroes Yet Semmes was en-
gagged in precisely such work as this, and he is
making his performances the subject of lee
lures Chivalry is really at a discount.
Year: 1867

ABOUT GENERAL GRANT.-A correspondent
of the New York Gazette, writing from
Selma Ala, says; Talking, yesterday,


with an ex-Confederate General John L.


Morgan, cousin of the famous Kentucky
raider) on the subject Of West Point and the
number of its officers who "went with the
South" during the late war, / learned some.
thing about General Grant that is worth re.
failing. Soon after the outbreak of the war.
a number of rebel officers, of whom nv in.
tormant was one. were discussing the reia.
tive merits of Northern and Southern officers.
and were congratulating themselves that the
best of the old West Pointers had ioined the
Southern cause. After the names of several
OF those likely to prove the best Generals in
the North had been mentioned, General
Ewell, who was one of the party, spoke up.
and said there was one man living in Illinois
or Missouri, about whom the northern peo-
pie knew very little. This was some time
before the battle of Fort Donelson He
hoped they wouldn't find him out. He
(Ewell had served with him in California
and on the frontier, and he feared him 10 the
present war more than any other officer, if
he got started. His name was Grant. He
had seen enough of him to know that if he
got fair chance, he would strike some heavy
blows. lie did not believe there was much
genius IN the fellow, but give him men
enough, and he'd keep pounding at place
until he took it. lie believed the South had
more to fear from the stubbornuess and dog
sed obstnacy of this fellow, if he ever got
chance to show himself, than from the
genius or ability of any officer in the army.
This was Ewell's opinion of Grant while the
latter was commanding regiment under
Fremont in Missouri, and | don't think
Ewell knew that he had got even that high
in the military scale when he expressed him
self as have just related.
Year: 1867

GoRHAM ON A. JoHNsoN.-The following
is an extract from an article written two
years ago by George G. Gorham, and pub.
lished in his paper, the Free American


Shall this man, who was made President
by the hand Of j. Wilkes Booth. be allowed
to confess Judgment in favor of the South,
after verdict for the North has been re-
corded by the Genius of War? A thousand
times no. Three hundred thousand slain
heroes of the war. from their graves, answer
no! Half million Of living men, mutilat
ed and torn by shot and she'll, answer no
Thousands Of The nations youths, broken
down prenaturelY by starvation in rebel
slaughter pens, feebly cry no. as patiently
they wait for death to take them to the com
paninnship of their old comrades who per-
ished before the hour OF ,heir deliveraace
came. And these las;-sixty thousand
who in their graves were undisturbed by the
worms. which could find no flesh upon their
skeletons-their spirits hover throughout the
North. and bid US cry No Who dare dis
obey their commands? A million of women
in weeds. mourning over lost husbands, sons
and brothers, forbid the consummation of the
wicked scheme. Justice and Honor and
Liberty, Passion and Heart, Brain. Religion
and Humanity, all cry No and demand not
indemnify for the fearful past, but ample
security for the now uncertain future


When the people see the President more
humble in his great Office, and learn from
him that he regrets having made the baseess
accusation. echoed from traitorous mouths.
that the lovers of liberty were as much to
blame for the war as were the devotees of
African slavery when be is repentant and
withdraws his rehellious threats TO hinder
legislation unless Congress decides that they
are wrong and he is right, and that the rep
resentatives of rebeldom shall have a vote
upon the guarantees they are to give as
security for their own good conduct; when
in short. the President recognizes the United
States Government again as it is. and is ready
to allow the work of reconstruction to 90 on
in its legitimate way then there will be
harmony. But if he demands an uncondi-
tional surrender of Congress and the people
to his peculiar ideas. there will he an end TO
his dictatorship. and he will, under the pro.
visions of the Constitution. be compelled to
surrender the Office to which only the heavy
stroke of violence elevated him.
Year: 1867

HE HHtE DKVTHEKS.- Ht NIaTy5VIIIU
Appeal relates the following:


Three brothers bearing a remarkable re-
semblance to one anott er, are in the habit of
shaving at the same barber shop. Not long
ago one of the brothers entered the shop
early in the morning, and was duly shaved
by German who had been at work in the
shop only for day or two. About noon
another brother came in and underwent n
similar operation at the hands of the same
barber. In the evening the third brother
made his appearance, when the German
dropped his razor in astonishment. and ex
claimed, Well, mine Gott dat man hash
de fastest beard | never saw shares him
dis morning, shaves him at dinner times.
and he comes pack now. NIT his peard SO
long as it never wash !"
Year: 1867

LOVE SroRY.-An Ohio paper tells a novel
love story. A young couple planned an
elopement, the girl descending from her room
upon the traditional ladder; but at the gate
they were met by the father of the girl and
a minister, by whom the young couple were
escorted to the parlor. where, to their sur
prise. they found all their relatives collected
for the marriage ceremony, which took place
at oacs. Il was neat paterpal freak.