smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

The night train left st. Louis fOi
this city Thursday night about seven
o'clock, with a good load of passen-
gers who were comfortable and warm
in the sleeping-coaches, although the
air without was rather cool and chilly.
Before the train started, o lad between
sixteen and seventeen years OF age
stole softly under one of the sleeping
coaches, straddled himself across q
truck about five inches wide, and
lying on his stomach, his hands
clutching cold iron bar above for
support, and his feet entangled i'm a
chain below, he prepared himself for
an all night free ride over more than
800 miles of road. Did he think that
any moment he could be jostled off
his insecure hiding place and per-
haps left in some uninhabited portion
of the country through which the
train passed, alone to die? Did he
consider that sleep might overcome
him while on his perilOus trip and
death ensue, or that numbness might
creep over him, and his hands thus
fail him as a support? Doubtless not /;
he was only thinking, probably, of
reaching his destination, which was
his home, and which he had but
lately left.


The train moved on, the bOyclutch-
ed the iron bar tighter, and Rugged
his support more closely. Off shot
the train, the iron horse screeched its
lOudest; faster, until its speed ut
times reached a mile a minute, but
still the boy, only about four feet
from the ground, kept fast hold,
never closing his eyes for minute.
What thoughts must have flashed
through his mind, young as he was! !
Minutes must have seemed hours,
and hours weeks. But the night at
last was done; the first streaks of
dawn illuminated the horizon, and
when the train reached OtiscO, Ind,
about twenty miles from Jefferson,
vile, the boy was still safe and
sound.


The glorious god of day had thrown
its gladdening light upon his eyes,
Some of the chains of the brakes had
become broken, and i'm repairing
them the men found, to their aston
ishment, the boy still lying there,
uncOncerned and even laughing. He
was taken off by the conductor, stiff
and cold, and covered with dust from
head to foot. The conductor ques-
toned him as to why he attempted
such ride. He replied that he lived
in Jeffersonville, and that a short
time ago he went to st. Louis with an
elder brother, who ran away to Cali
fOrnia, leaving him in large city
alone, and with no money. That
wishing to get home he took this
novel method; and said he: 81
didn't mind it much except for the
dust"


The conductor said that as he had
ridden thus far free he might take
the best seat inside the cars and ride
the rest of the way at the same cost.


On the back of his coat were little
rents which had been made during
the night by the slight pressure of
the car on his back. Expressions Of
sympathy were rendered by the pas
sengers as soon as they heard of his
perilOus journey, many of them say
ing they would have been willing to
have paid his passage had they known
of his reckless determination. 1t was,
indeed, wonderful ride, and be-
tokened an extraordinary courage on
the part of the bOy.-LouisriUe Cou-
riey-JOU7ldi.
Year: 1874

The streets of this city are wider
than those of most other Chinese
cities, and are lined with the most
costly goods, such as silks, precious
stones, rich cloths, of every discrip-
tion, abundantly testifying both to
the enterprise of the merchants and
the wealth of a city that can support
so great a number of such establish
ments. These streets and shops arc
comparatively clean and elegant,
The streets are shaded from the sun
by continuous awning extending
from roof to roof above, and are
lighted at night by huge lanterns,
With embroidered silken sides and
chandeliers OF glittering glass, so that
day or night, they resemble the long.
halls Of an arcade, or the corridors OF
some vast exhibition rather than
public streets, Besides its other Orn-
aments, each shop is adorned with a
gilded shrine in the most conspicuous
place, where incense Is constantly


kept burning to the god of wealth.
Year: 1874

Give me the money that has been
spent in war, and / will purchase
every foot OF land upon the globe. !
will clothe every man, woman and
child in an attire of which kings and
queens might be proud. will build
a schoOlhouse on every hillside and in
every valley upon the earth / will
build aRecademy in'every town and
will endow It.; college in every
State and fill IL with able professors !;
/ will crown every hill with a place
of worship, consecrated to thepromul-
CATION of the gospel of peace; ] will
support In every pulpit an able teach
er OF righteousness, sot that ON. every
Sabbath morning the chime on one
hill should answer TO the chime on
another around the earth's wide cdr
conference; and the voice of prayer
and the song of praise should ascend
like universal holocaust to heaven.
R,Vtts Sterfps. .. =, -e.y sFs
Year: 1874

TIE uncomfortable fix some boiler
makers at Dubuque, Iowa, got boy
into recently Is an amusing illustra-
tion of the necessity that exists for a
general preliminary survey of ope-
rations to be accomplished. The boy
i'm question assisted the workmen, by
remaining inside the boiler to hold a
hammer against the rivets while they
were being headed on the outside
When the boiler was done, the boy
was needed inside no longer; but
when he attempted to make an exit,
the hole left for the purpose was
found too small, and it took six men
three hours to make a hole large
enough to release him.
Year: 1874

AN ECCENTRIC STAR.-.the most
singular fact connected witha the proper
motion Of stars is that one or two stars
are flying through space with such en-
ormous rapiditv that the combined at


traction of all the stars visable with the
telescope could never stop them. This
seems to be especially the case with a
nall star, invisible to the naked eye
designated IN astronomical literature as
.sGroombridge, $780," from the name Of
the astronomer who first recorded It's
position. The rate of motion Of this star
is about seven seconds per year - the
the greatest known. It was since conclu-
ded that it must be very near us, and a
number Of astronomers have sought to
determine it's parallax, but have found
it to be only about a tenth of the Sec
ond. It's apparant motion in a year be-
ing twenty times It's parallax, it moves
at least seventy times the distance
from the earth to the sun in a year, or
18,000,000 of miles every day, and
more than 200 miles every second. From
What we know of the distribution, mas
ses and number Of star,, it seems prob
able that the attraction of all the bodies
in the universe can never stop this head
long speed, nor bring this star into
an orbit, and that consequently it will


pass through the universe and leave it
entirely in its pas sage through infinite
space. If we had ccurate observations
Of the stars position 5000 or 1000
years ago, We could speak with more
certainty of its destiny. We may ex pect
our posterity Of few thousand years
hence will, by the aid of the obs erva5ion
and table we shall transmit to them, be
able to come to definite conclusion re-
specting the age and the structure of
the universe. --Harpers Magazine.
Year: 1874

at is wonderful how neat Mrs.-
keeps everything about her house,
Her tinware is always as bright as a
new dollar, and l do believe she not
only washes, but irons her dish-rags !"
And the neighgor men were heard to
say: "What steady fellow NJ -
has cot to be of late; he don't spend
a dime where he used to spend dollars,
and can never be kept from home half
an hour when he is not at work. He
seems to worship that wife of his.
Year: 1874

The legislative committees which recently
visited the State Penitentiary found im.
INJURED therein convict sentenced to i'm
prisonment for life for murder upon the
finding of West Feliciana jury. This
convict is nine year old child, and very
small and weak for even this age, and his
name is Ananias Spooner.


When questioned as to what he is doing
in the prison, he replies stupidly; Il
dunno " and he really does not seem to un-
derstand his circumstances at all. A little
girl had stolen his dinner of sweet potatoes,
and in his anger this child struck her with
billet of wood and fractured her skull. 1t
strikes us that the Felicians jury might
have done better in this matter; but an At
tempt 10 now being made to obtain relief
for the child BY means Of an executive par
don. Tho Legislative committee have the
sass in hand, and win doahtlsss succeed.
Year: 1874

A poa In Chelsea. Mass, has dis
tingulshed himself In the larcenous
department. OF canine energy. He not
only carried of large piece Of boiled
meat, Intended for the mlncc pies OF
the season. but he stole the big tin pan
In which the meat had been placed to
cool. How the dog carried that pan
with the meat Ia Il Into distant yard,
l. at present the leading topic OF dis.
cusslon In Chelsea. Common sense
would seem TO point to the assistance
Of u confederate. but when did one
dog ever take another into his con-
fidence upon so delicate m occasion ?
Year: 1874

"A Certain political speaker closed an
address in behalf of his party with the follow
ing peroration Build worm fence around
q winters supply of summer weather; skim
the clouds from the sky with teaspoon !;
catch a thunderbolt in a bladder; break
hurricane to harness ground sIuice an earth
Year: 1874

H. The county court Of The county nav
authorize the surveyor Of any road precinct
therein to hire 80 many laborers as. with those
liable to work on the roads in such precinct,
and the money applicable thereto will suffice
to put and keep the county roads and bridges
therein in good order, and open and make such
new county roads and alterations as may be
ordered by proper authority. The court may
also authorize him to purchase powder for the
removal of distinctions in the roads and
tools and implements to be preserved and
transferred from one surveyor to another, as
thu court may direct. The surveyor shall re.
turn particular account, on oath, of all ez-
penses so incurred. as also of the expensss of
Olacin0 and l.. L.. ,
Year: 1874

THE REV. W. II. II. MURRAY TENDERS HIS REsIGNA-


TON AS PASTOR OF PARK-sT. CHURCH, BOSTON,


HIS REASONS FOR 80 DOING-ADvERsE COMMENTS


on HIS ACTION


Boston, Oct 1.-THE Rev. w. H. II. Muir
ray gave 10 the Parks Church congregation genuine
surprise this morning After the morning sermon he
read letter addressed to the members OF the Church
and parish in which Ire that, six months ago be
asked for associate pastor account Of his inability
to perform. unasssted, the duties of the pasorate
owing first TO the large number OF the congregation
and secondly to the extended boundaries OF the parish
What he had hoped for was, that they might by and
BY move to central location and construct an
edce Of size that all in the city who desired to at
tend upon the mnstraiions OF its pulpit could do so
under such and conditions regards pew rental
make the privileges Of the sanctuary accessible to
the poor well to the rich to those just starting In
life well to those we'll established In lucrative
business Mr.. Murray continues:


Tn order that obstacles which seemed to some to
confront might be removed rendered to the treasury
of the parish the surrender OF annual salary utl
such time the income OF the parish might be sueient
to forbid anxiety as to our EXPENSE m feepg G o1t ,D1
Of the general plan Blk months have now passed anu
labor and responsibility Of the position have taken
every IN power TO ascertanin the mean time,
the feeling Of the membership touching the proPoslo
laid before you PROBABLY understand the position OF
things pretty accurately On the one hand There see @
parish favor OF the plan the other there are Ger
tain of our membership who doubt its wisdom ana seem
strongly indsposed to assist In ITS accomplishment


Such being the Mr. Murray said he felt the
necessity OF resignDg his pastorate, which he now ad
feeling satisfied that he was right In his decision lie
wished It effect Nov IT, at the close OF his sixth
year as pastor The church will accept the resgnaon'
and council will be called at once. TIE DdHy Adrer


ser says that has not been usual to grant assistance
to pastor order that he might engage In the more


lucrative occupations Of ecturng and stock raising ana
that this action OF Mr.. Murray's will he relief both 10
the church and himself 1t is little noticeable tha'
this is the second Sabbath since Mr. Murray finished
months vacation. during which lie drew 5000 as
| "a
Year: 1874

The world generally takes men at their
own apparent estimate of themselves.
Hence. modest men never attain the same
consideration which bustlng. forward
men do. IL has not time or patience to in
quire rigidly. and IL is partly imposed upon
and carried away by the man who vigor-
never has two leading ideas about any
man. There is always a remarkable unity
in its conceptions of the characters of in
dividuals. II an historical person has been
cruel in single degree. he is set down as
cruel and nothing else. although he NAV
have had many good qualities. all not
equally conspicuous. II literary man is
industrious In remarkable degree, the
world speaks of him as only industrious.
though he may be- also very ingenious.
Year: 1874

A young man recently wrote to the
Mayor Of Pittsburg: II desire to get some
information In regard to rizor-grindfng.
viii your honor please visit the place
where they grind them. and write 20 me
whether they grind them on one sile CT
both sides at the same time. what size
stones or wheels they use, and if dry, and
oblige?''
Year: 1874

We hardly think that the introduction OF Butler
into the case will aid Mr.. TlltOn or tend to give
him the public sympathy and confidence. Butler
s q superior criminal lawyer. but In q case OF this
sad character and in this state Of its un.
folding 1t Is the truth that is wanted and
not trick of cOncealment or subteriuge OF
technical victory for either OF the parties.
Either Mr.. Tnton Is jealous and revengeful liar
or Mr.. Beecher Is corrupt and has not scrupled 70


lie to cover it. If Mr.. I1ltOn has lied from jealousy
or revenge no punishment meted out to him wiii
exceed the demands Of justice. If he mas told the
truth Mr.. Beecher Is fallen angel. Neither TIL
ton Beecher, Mrs. I1tOn nor Ben Butler can solve
the doubt. There are others VINO can. Let us wait
for the evidence
Year: 1874

IFTOH JHt CUICdBU IHItT'UCtaH.J


And there need be no fear that the punishment
VIII be inadequate. There is no man so poor to-
day as to do Mr.. Beecher reverence. The finger is
pointed at him from every quarter, and by none so
mercllessly as those whose own nves are crimson
with SIN. Unbearable as this may seem, 1t Is
hardly worse than the punishment when he has
undergone for years. the severity of which his own
despalrlng words revea. We would not add to
this punishment If we could; we could not II we
would The lesson, the mOral-if there be any -
Is complete without our condOiement or condem-
nation. We leave the sinner and the sin to an
other and higher Judgment
Year: 1874

From the Springfield tIlL) JOurnal.l


We DO not say, In the light OF such evidence as
this, that Mr. Beecher is innocent; but we do say,
as we have maintained since this revolving case
was opened up anew, that the crime charged Is
not proved. Beecher Is now, LOT the first time
put distinctly on the defensive before the public
whatever may have been his attitude toward
1ilton privately. silence would be confession, and
he must now dlsprOve or deny.
Year: 1874

But his denial, though emphatic, is hardly satis-
factory. IL cannot be denied that IT Is the state
ment of criminal on the witness stand in his own
defence nor will it dispe, tho conviction in the
minds OF all candid persons that any one placed
I'm similar circumstances would pay more regard
to their reputation than to the truth. II does not
explain away the confessions OF guilt made both
by himself and his paramOur; his ongings for
death to remove him from danger OF exposure: !:
hls constant dread frequently expressed, that
TIton would not keep tho terrible secret that In
volved so much.
Year: 1874

Can this strange story be true 1t bears the i'm
press Of candor. 1t is, indeed only the plain, un-
fortified statement OF the w0manly SOUL but It mas
the air OF sincerity it be false, IL 1t be the
ming and artful device OF a bad woman or bad
partner seeking to escape from the network OF
proof which their own wrongs have woven about
them, then 1t IS the most remarkable OF all inven-
tiOnH.
Year: 1874

From the Davenport Qowa.) Gazette.1


What must be the character Of pastor who
could deliberately persuade pure wife that adul-
tery could spring from high religious love The
recital reads like page Of French memoirs. But
there is still q sadder side. How the wicked Will
mock, the unDeliever sneer, the atheist rejoice.
the faii OF Beecher Is a greater blow to orthodoxy
than any IL has received since the reign OF Julian
the ApOstate, and the very hends must howl in
harsh delight to see the Plymouth divine fallen
from his nigh estate and welterng In the obscene
depths OF his own creation.
Year: 1874

{Fr0m the Cincinnati Times.1


Guilty or innocent the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
is paying the role OF Folly without his bells. Gen.
eral denias by himself or by Mrs. Tilton, or the
more precise statement which he promises the
investigating committee of his own selection are
worse than useless; they are insults to the CON-
mon sense OF the community and doubly injurious
u the cause OIL the writer. There Is one point
upon which even man of the most inferior INTEL
lect, and Mr. Beecher is not sucn, must know that
the whole case turns Are or are not those let
tcrs which Mr. Tlton publishes in his sworn state
ment correct copies OF letters written by those
whose signatures are appendedS If tney are then
Mr.. Beecher may as well attempt TO whistle
down the fury of a northeastern gale as hope to
stem the tide OF popular Indignation by fearful eX
plantations and 'solemn deniaIS.u
Year: 1874

The whole affair IS too ugly to be touched, except
for the sake OF pointing such moral as is easily
enough seen without comment. Tue majority OF
mankind now hold Mr.. Beecher as one ''con-
demned areauy," let his statement ana that OF his
aieged htdMOrdtd be what they may. We at least
indulge the hope that when their statements come
to us to-day or Tomorrow they Will not send the
blush to the cheek OF decency.
Year: 1874

LITTLE When the thief can
not break in at the door himself, he
finds a little child and puts him
through the little window, and then
the big door is speedily opened
Thus do little sins open the door for q
great sin.--SpIrgeon.
Year: 1874




Probably the oldest timber in the
world " hich has been subjected to the
use of man is that which is found in
the ancient temples OF Egypt. It is
found in connection with stone work
which is known to be at least 1000
years old. This wood, and the only
wood used in the construction of tho
temple, is in the form of ties, holding
the end of one stone to another in its
upper surface. When two blocks
were laid in place, then it appears that
an excavation about an inch deep was
made into each block, into which an
hour-glass shaped tie was driven. 1t
was therefore very difficult to force
any stone from its position. The ties
appear to have been the tamarisk or
shittim wood, of which the ark was
constructed, sacred tree ia ancient
Egypt, and now very rarely found in
the valley OF the Nile. These dove
tailed ties are just as round now as
on the day of their Insertion. AL
though fuel is extremely scarce in
that country, these bits OF wood are
not large enough TO make ID All object
for the Arabs 70 heave OF layer after
layer of stone for so small = prize
Had they been of bronze, halt the old
temple would have been destroyed
ages ago, so precious would they have
been tor various purposes.
Year: 1874

A correspondent Of the Spring field
Republican alleges that when Gen.
Garfield was demonstrated with by
another member of Congress on ap-
propriating money TO be stolen by
subordinate officials and applied to
providing carriages and horses for
themselves on che Williams plan, Gar
field said that he knew il was wicked,
shut like the rest of us ne hated to
snake hinsself 0dsoas among o1fcehold-
ers by taking bold stand for honesty
and economy"
Year: 1874

Pitman's wOOdpile has suffered


lately from the ravages of thieves, so


the old gentleman loaded his gun


with coarse salt and expressed his de-


termination TO lombard the first man


who should be observed to haunt the


timber On Wednesday morning he


had to attend court, and as he did


not expect to reach home until late


in the evening Mrs. Pitman felt it her


duty to keep an eye upon the wood


pile. But Pitman returned about


dusk, and as he walked up the yard


he thought he might as well carry in


enough wood to last all night. He


bad just placed the fourth stick upon


bis arm when an explosion occurred,


and the same instant he felt as if a


million red-hot darning needles were


dancing up and down his legs. He


had heard from Mrs. Pitman. He


yelled with pain, and dropping the


wood, most of it fell upon his toes, he


fell to the ground Just as he did he
saw Mrs. Pitman standing in the


kitchen doorway with his frearm at
parade rest" and contemplating her
victory and her victim with serenity.
Pitman's first thought was that she
had suddenly been animated by an
insane but judicious desire to realize
upon his life insurance policy. But
when he screamed to her she dropped
her artillery and few to the scene
with expressions of alarm and grief
at the discovery tha: she had pefora-
ted Pitman. She called the servant
girl, and as they carried him into the
house she explained that she mistook
him for thief, and then she apollo
gized. Pitman said it was all very
well to apologize, but what good was
it to q man with two quarts of salt
and half pound of gunwads in his
legs. Mrs. Putnam insisted that he
aughtn't to mind little salt, it would
do him good. She urged that love
was better than anything else for
preserving meat, and that his legs
would probably be alive and well
aRd prancing around the universe
when the rest of him was dead and |
spoiled. That made him mad, and |
after splitting up his gun with the AK
be went to bed, and he hasn't spoken
to Mrs. Pitman since; but he has
hinted gloomily to the doctor that il
q divorce can be had he will obtain |
one.-INdJ Adp{er.
Year: 1874

The grieyous error we fall into is,
looking for direct instead of indirect
compensation When we declare
that politeness costs nothing, we real
ly understate. Not only does it cost
nothing-it is materially profitable in
the long, sometimes in the short run.
Every one Of US goes where be is
well treated, and stays away from
where he is i'll treated. In o great
city competition in each branch OF
trade is necessarily active, and the
tradesman or merchant who ia eour-
teous on principle must soon discover
that his principle and interest are
identical. What man ever forgets
the place or person where or by
whom he was affably received, when
there was no visible motive for such
reception? The poorest memory,
the least impressible nature, will re-
tain so much as that.


Smith, who lives uptown, actual
ly goes downtown to buy his small
est garment, because, years ago, q
bit of information was pleasantly
given to him at the shop he now reg
ularly patronizes.


Jones does not object to walking
half dozen blocks out of his way in
order to purchase cigars, for the rea-
son the cigar-yender comprehends
the art Of amiability.


Robinson will never have another
halter (though his friends criticise
his..hats), from the fact that the halter
once exchanged defective head-cov-
ering without grumbling, or even
without trying to make Robinson
believe that he did not know what
he wanted. .-Junius Henri BrowRe,
IN AppletOn's Journal