smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

MAX ADELER: We have just perfected
an invention which will probably relieve
us in the future from the persecution of
life insurance agents and book canvassers.
1t is in the nature of patent combina-
ton refex-action door scraper. We
fasten it down by the side of the lowest
step in front of our house, and wait un-
til book canvasser comes along, which
one is tolerably certain to do within
fifteen or twenty minutes. The canvasser
stops to scrape his boots, while he thinks
up some new and vigorous exaggeration
with which to impose on us. AS his foot
touches the iron, two clamps fly over his
instep and hold him fast, steel claw
suddenly shoots up his leg and grabs his
trousers; a trap flies open in the pave
ment, and the victim is hauled into a
cellar, where we have an infuriated
Irishman engaged to mellow him and
fatten him out with scoopshovel. We
allow the Irishman a royalty on the re-
mains, and he seems to be animated by
an earnest desire which promises rich re-
suits. If the machine works well we
shall either buy graveyard or found a
medical college. In the mean time per-
sons in want of bodies for dissection or
other purposes will please apply.
Year: 1877

passengers evinced but little alarm, and
none were demonstrative, it was very
different with many of the men. Some
were running to and fro in frantic ex-
element, others began to pray with We
hemence, and not few sought to monop-
olize the life preservers. One coward
provided himself with not less than three
one under his arms, one at his waist,
and the last one on his legs. Had he
got into the water he would and ought
to have been drowned.
Year: 1877

A YOUNG lady sitting at front win
dow, tossing in her hand what might
have been ball of white yarn, attracted
the attention of middle-aged chap on
the street, whose gallantry prompted
him to hold up his hand for catch.
The interest she displayed in hurting it
down to him was no deeper than what he
showed in catching it, although, as
several who saw the performance charit-
ably remarked, no one could have known
the egg was bad one.
Year: 1877

AS an instance of the scarcity of
money in the Turkish Treasury it may
be noted that for some time it has been
the method of the government to pay its
custom-house officials with portions of
the goods seized. Thus some luckless
officer would find himself the owner of
bunch of cigars, a sewing machine,
some Manchester prints, several gallons
of American lamp oil, which, having no
use for himself, he would be compelled
to dispose of for what he could get.
Year: 1877

The position of Austria in the present
struggle is one of extreme delicacy.


With war in progress along large ex-
tent Of her frontier, and a disaffected
population within her own boundaries,
there is abundantreason for moving with
caution. The Lower House of the Hun
garian Diet has been informed that the
government would not occupy Servia or
mobilize the troops, but that no conquest
of neighboring territory would be al
lowed. This announcement ought to
calm the warlike spirit of Prince Milan.
Year: 1877

A NEW terror has been added to bal
looming. While an aeronaut was careen-
ing the other day in mid-air, on jour
ney from Cheltenham toStanton Priory,
Somcrsetshire, he distinctly heard the
whiz Of bullet through the air, and
the ring Of the explosion below. Had
the shot touched the aeronaut's head or
his canvas it would have been equally
fatal
Year: 1877

The first submarine cable was that
laid across the Strait of Dover twenty
seven years ago. 1t parted next day,
and the first working cable was la d in
1851 on the same route. The net work
Of cables has now extended so far that
when Asia is united to America by cab
ling the Pacific the electric girdle around
the world will be complete from east to
west, as it now is between north and
aOuth
Year: 1877

THE surmise that many of the persons
run over by railroad trains have been
previously murdered is usually not sus-
ccptible Of proof. An engineer on the
Louisville and Chicago Railroad, how
ever, applied the brakes so promptly that
the body he saw ahead on the track was
not struck. 1t was found that the man
had been robbed, almost killed, and
then placed where a train would be
likely to obliterate all evidence of the
crime.
Year: 1877

IT isgreatly to the credit of the French
people that their rage for equality has
never caused them to run into personal
extravaganza. A French peasant does
not try to dress like lady but is con-
tent with apparel suitable for her purse
and plight. In this country the maid
must have silk dresses because her mis-
trcss has, and thus the money which
would in France go to the savings bank
goes to enrich the thrifty French.
Year: 1877

Mr.. Long, the well known florist oil
Buffalo, in his home Florist says:
''There j. notion prevalent that the
presence Of growing plants in the sleep
ing or living room Is detrimental 10 a
healthy atmosphere by their giving out
poisonous carbonic acid gas in the night
time. The investigations of chemists
demonstrate that growing plants do ex-
hale an almost imperceptible quantity
of carbonic acid gas, which, in very
small rOportions, is necessary in the
air We breathe. They also show that
the quantity exhaled al night i but the
one-sixieenth part OF what the same
plants absorb from the atmosphere dur
ing the dav and convert into nearly its
own weight Of oxygen, thus changing a
poisonous gas that derives its origin
from various sources into one of the
principal elements OF pure air. Ii car
bonic acid gas Is emitted from plants in
dangerous quantities. it certainly would
AAot A@A 1As al AA4t ia AZ IAIIAt VI
a close greenhouse heated TO a tropical
temperature and crowded from floor to
raiter with rank vegetation. Yet, in my
experience, have never known The
slightest Ill effects TO be realized from
night work IN greenhouses, neither in
cases that have frequently occurred OF
workmen making the warm greenhouses
their sleeping quarters OF night and
even for an entire winter, which, to my
satisfaction, affords practical proof that
the notion is fallacv; and the fact that
perhaps no healthier class OF men can be
found than greenhouse operators, who
work constantly in an atmosphere where
plants are growing, would prove instead
that living plants exert beneficial in-
fluence upon the air we breathe"


Those who have heretofore dreaded
to keep plants in their houses on account
of their supposed i'll effects may rest at
ease, and even furnish their sleeping
room with flowers.
Year: 1877

MILK RooMs.-The quantity OF cream
produced by milk depends greatly on
the situation of the milk room. y cool,
airy room in the cellar, if it be high and
well ventilated, and on the north side,
answers the purpose very well. But
the foo: should be cemented, and no
odors of decayed vegetables should be
allowed to enter it. Milk rooms are Of
ten constructed above ground, and
sometimes separate; but they should al
ways be shaded by trees or otherwise.
When the large modern pans are used,
an outdoor room is preferable TO q eel.
lar, especially if the water from a cool
spring can be brought un derground and
made 10 circulate under and around the
pans.
Year: 1877

temporary possession OF the admins
tratien rather than entail upon the peo-
Pile civil war with all Its horrors. There
are some who will condemn this
submission that we have given to
the results of n law which was
not administered In tho spirit OF Its
creation, nor, as we believe, according
to the letter of It's provisions. We have
done oil this In preference to the dan
ger Of anarchy and bloodshed. Time
will surely remedy these wrongs.
for there Is In tho American peo-
ple q desire to do justice. We
must await that remedy, impatient as
we shall be for Ito arrival. Until then we
demand. as we have right to demand,
the reign OF equal justice, that tho
sword shall cease to strike prostrate
the governments OF States that the
civil shall be superior to the military
rule. and that the people shall be freed
now and forever from the shaekels OF
recent misgovernment." BUELL..
Year: 1877

The sugar house on the plantation known as
Linwood Place, belonging to Capt. L. W. Sawyer,
and situated about twenty miles below the city,
on the left bank, was burned to the ground on
Thursday night. The extent OF the loss is forty
thousand dollars, but it is not known in what
company, or for what amouns the property was
insured The cause of the fire is mystery, as
the sugar house had been closed up for about
six months
Year: 1877

His last words to her in the morning were Wrap up warmly, darling If you go shopping today, the weather is very cold" She said she would, and before she went out she had all her bustles weighed and put on the heaviest one. What will not woman do for the man she loves

 Adonls Miss Jones. do you think Brown SO awfully ugly Mss J, Ugly, no in- deed. We all think hIm extremely good looking. Adouis We'll was talking to him on the stair just now, and lady pass- ed and heard her say That's the ugliest man ever saw And there was no one there but hun and me!
Year: 1877

Why do the tear drops fall upon that sable bier. Do not you know that all, must soon beslying theref But it was our dear friend Julia. whom

 we did dearly prize; That's left us here to mourn, while she sought Paradise. Ahl yes. I see that form arrayed in death-cOld robes; l see that sparkling eye, now still in death reposa, l see the deep cold grave down by Lime

 Rock valley side; And listen to the story told, of how

 she calmly died. - - Never again can we see the form of this

 dear friend so ia thful and true, Now closed Tn the casket, and bid from

 view;

 Never agalu can we hear her say If cannot get we'll to be well. Oh God

 take me todayP w,
Year: 1877

The new Vienna bakery in New York is gaining large share of the popularity which was obtained by the present estah- lishment on the centennial exhibition grounds. Although opened but recently 1t is doing an extensive business, especially in filling orders for bread etc., to be deliv- cred at private houses.

 Adjoining the neat eating room is @ read ing room, where American newspapers and the principal French and German journals are kept on file. In the basement are the bakery, kitchen, coffee room, ice-cream loom, store rooms, etc. The ovens ID the bakery are like the old fashioned brick ovens which were used before the introduc- ton ot stoves and ranges, but on a much larger scale. There are six of these, each twelve feet long and at the broadest part nine feet wide, the shape being oval. A roaring fire of wood is made in one of these ovens. and kept up till three feet of solid masonry are heated through. The ashes are then carefully swept out, and the bread IS baked on the hot tiles which form the oven floor. Steam pipes pass through these ovens. but these are heated only when the baking is in progress, m order to maintain an even temperature.

 It is necessary to make new fire in an oven once or twice in three days according to the amount of baking required. Eff teen bakers are employed night and day, who relieve each other in gangs of five. Sleeping rooms for ther use have beer l fitted up under the sidewalk.

 The delicious coffee crowned With whin ped cream, which was familiar to centen Dial visitors, is made in the following man. ner: The coffee, mixture of Java anc Mocha. is ground very fine and placed upor piston perforated like 8 calendar, whict IS covered with felt, and fits tightly into | metal cylinder, large enough to hold gal lon. Boiling water is then poured upon it and after this has remained long enough t. extract all the strength from the coffee, tn, piston is worked upward from the bottom of the cylinder by means of a powerful screw attachment. This creates vacuum under the piston, and the coffee liquid i stantly sucked through the perforation into the space beneath, while all tn, grounds ramain upon the felt covering When the bakery at the Centennial Exhibi tion was in operation, six thousand cups O coffee were sometimes made by this pro cess in a single daY.-Neao Fork Post.
Year: 1877

There is singular contest going on in a Hartford family, where a 60-years old father and his 2O-years old son are both courting the adopted daughter and sister. The girl is in a strait betwixt two; the young man is of the right age and suits her, but he can't support a money and she also owes him debt of rrati- tude for taking her from life of poverty. Meanwhile both parties urge their suits openly and vigorously,
Year: 1877

The summer vacation is nearly ended
and there are no preparations for school
accommodations for the colored children
Of Marshall ward. Will the City School
Board continue to disregard alike the
rights Of the colored citizens of this
ward and the claims Of justice, and re-
fuse to grant them the rights which are
so,freely and lavishly accorded the white
citizens Of the same ward AS we have
stated before in these columns, the white
and colored school population of this
ward is nearly equal; that the whites
have four schools Of about 1000 capacity
in and adjacent to the ward, while the
colored have absolutely NONE We ask
our white fellow-citizens who say SO
much Of their justice to the Negro of
the South, Is this justice? or even is it
manly - to say nothing Of God-like to
thus withhold from innocent babes their
Just rights because of an unjust prejudice
against the fathers Of said children?
The cOl0red citizens Of this ward have
met in mass meeting, and through their
committee respectfully requested the
School Board to grant them school ac-
commodations for their children. The
Board found some frivolous excuse for
refusing their just request And from
that time two years ago. have continued
to maintain their position Of utter con
tempt for the rights Of the people. We
advise the people Of this ward to again
assemble in mass meeting land that be-
fore the vacation is oyer) and again and
again petition this Board for school
accommodations for their children. I'M
perfume them for your children's sake.
1t may be that, like the unjust judge
spoken Of by our Lord. though the City
Board Of Education fear not God nor
regard man." they may at length grant
your request, lest by your continual
coming YOU weary them. The colored
citizens Of Marshall ward owe il to their
children that they give this Board no
rest till they grant their petition.
Year: 1877

Quite large excursion Of Washing
tonians, under the auspices Of Fountain
Lodge Good Samaritans, reached the
city Thursday evening by the Richmond
and Fredericksburg Railroad. They
held 4 levee at Odd Fellows Hall, at
which place j9wel was presented to
one Of the Chiefs Of the Order, and they
had quite an enjoyable time. Friday
morning being very rainy, the excur-
slonists did not get an opportunity of
visiting the many points Of interest in
our historic city. With pride we note
the excellent behavior Of the visitors
during their brief sojourn, and many
left with the regret that they could stay
no longer.
Year: 1877

This school building, which has been
and will be used for colored children, is
being repaired. 1t consists of two old
barn-like buildings. The building was
formerly used by General Winder, of
Confederate fame, as Provost Marshall S
Headquarters. 1t was built in 1862 or
1868, on or near the site now occupied
by the new city hall. During the war
no man, white or black, could leave this
city without great risk of bodily safety
unless he first applied at this famous
building for a pass, and succeeded in OBJ
tanning it: unless perchance he had a
pass from the "higher powers that
used to be" at the NOW Central School
Building. After the close Of the war
it was used for some time as the Freed
mems Bureau and the United States
Sanitary and Christian Commission. 1t
was then one long building, running
from Broad to Capitol street, opening
also on Tenth street. Later it was cut in
half and moved away ON rollers to its
present location on Navy Hill. There
one-half was used as a school-house, and
the other as a dwelling by Chaplain r.
NJ. Manly, late member of the Board of
Education from Jackson ward. Much
has been spent on this old hull in try
ing to render it fit for the habitation of
human beings. The present repairs will
probably cost less than six hundred
dollars. The plan is to make one large
assembly room of the first floor of the
old school building, three school-rooms
on the second floor - as now arranged -
and to make eight sChOOl-rOOms in the
Manly dwelling. This will be decided
Improvement, but nothing to what it
ought to be. We saw no preparations or
plans for necessary accommodations for
teachers or scholars. 1t is notorious that
this has been one of the great defects of
this school. And we know of our own
knowledge that both teachers and
scholars have been made dangerously
sick for lack of them. Probably many
have actually died from the same cause.
This is great evil, and should be abated.
In the white schools, and even in col
ored schools where white teachers are
employed, the accommodations are am
pie No one need leave the school
building. Now that the premises be
long to the city, why should not the
same be true of Navy Hill?
Year: 1877

Shanghai Cor. San Francisco Ohronic'e.l


The greatest attribute Of a Chi
nese general is considered to be his
strategy. He is worth nothing if
he fails to lead his enemy into
making a false step. The hero of
the hour on this account is a gen.
eral who led a body Of troops against
a walled city held by the insurgents.
He besieged them, andin due course
of time they pleaded for terms.
llaudable promises were made by
the dozens, the sine qua non being
they should lay down their arms.
This was done, when, the generals
dispatches inform us, they were
Immediately massaered as fast as
it was possible to do so, but the
leader was "put to death by the
extreme torture" This consisted
in winding a wire very tightly
about tho entire head and body to
the feet, intervals of an inch being
left between each turn. This
brought the flesh into wales, which
were quickly and nicely sliced off
by keen knives. The scene ended
by decapitating the still living
skeleton. A very great deal Of
evidence in criminal cases is elicit
ed by torture, unless that given CO.
cides with the idea of the magistrate.
II, under torture, witnesses assert
things detrimental to the side he
proposes to favor, they remain in
agony till they take it all back
again, When he has got it arranged
to spit himself, ten TO one he will
administer another dose to them for
not telling the truth (?) at once,
Year: 1877




A Dit Of Scandal that Has Set All


London TattIinK.


Lucy Hooper, in the Paris letter
to the Philadelphia Telegraph, gives
the following bit of scandal, which,
she says, has set all London tat
tling:


"The details thereof have only
reached Paris within the last few
days. Possibly, they may not yet
have crossed the Atlantic. OF
course | could not think of giving
them, but will tell You, instead, a
pretty little fairy story,


"Once upon a time a lovely
princess came out of the North to
marry gallant young prince who
was heir to the throne of a great
nation, Now, the gallant young
prince aforesaid was not quite so
steady as his doting mamma and
his future subjects might have
wished, but everybody said, Oh,
the princess is SO beautiful and
gentle that he will be sure to 90 on
right But instead of devoting
himself to his charming wife, who
was so good and gracious that there
never was anything in the world
seen like her, the prince went a
what-you-may-calling after strange
goddesses, and was not a bit better
after his marriage than before. At
last he fell very sick, and everybody
was sorry for him, and the princess
nursed him tenderly, and everybody
said: Nov he will be a better man
forevermore.'


"But, like another poteRtate of a
very hot country, who, when he fell
i'll, resolved to enter "a monastery,
and when he got well renounced all
thoughts of monastic seclusion, the
prince soon went to frOlicking a
little worse than before. And so it
chanced that one day the princess,
his wife, happening to drop in to
pay him visit, found one of the
strange goddesses aforesaid installed
in that innermost shrine, which she
had considered consecrated to her
own image. Whereupon she thought
it would be a good idea to take a
little trip to her brother, who was
king Of the Isles of Poesy, (the
same whore burning Sappho loved
and sungl with intent to journey
onward to her own northern home,
and never, never to come back any
more. So she went away in a very
great hurry, and everybody said |:
why is the princess in such haste
to 60 and see her brother?' How
ever, the trouble was soon found
out. But the poor pretty princess
was not suffered to return to her
own home and take refuge with her
father and mother as wife Of
meaner degree who had been so in
suited might have. For the royal
mamma Of her husband and the
ministers of the court and all 9TH
ers in authority so begged and
prayed and commanded her return
that she came back at last. And
the prince met her at Babylon the
Great, and they were seen at the
theater together and went home
together to the capital where the
princes mamma reigns, and of
course the prince will recommence
the same game at the first oppor-
tunity."
Year: 1877

There is something frightful TO the
civilized mind in such abortion of
justice, but even when the verdict
is correct and the felon is to suffer
for crime committed, the punish
ments are so truly barbarOus you
sink your detestation of the offense
in your pity for the suffering often
der. The sight of q human being
receiving 200 or 800 blows from a
heavy bamboo, leaving gashes and
flesh beaten to jelly, and finally a
helpless cripple for life, does not
tend to excite your love for your
fellow-man. Kneeling on chains
for many hours, the lash descend
ing at the slightest change of pos
ture; pinching the fingers in vlses
made of split bamboo; entwining
metal tubes about the body and
extremities, in which boiling fluid
is poured, soaring the flesh wher-
ever it touches; wearing a three
feet square, twenty-pound wooden
collar day and night for weeks,
being unable to reach the mouth
with the hand, and exposed to the
gaze of passers-by in the locality Of
the offense; placing in a cage with
the head secured in a collar which
forms the roof, the toes Just touch
ing the ground, and left to die by
starvation and strangulation; be-
heading and cutting into "ten
thousand pieces" are among the
usual punishments Of this enlight-
ann1 rano
Year: 1877

The large congregation that attends the


- Congregational Church, were much
amused the other Sunday, by the eloquent
and learned Pastor, who was preaching on
s'Saint Thomas" He had devoted some
half an hour to that disciple, whe some-
thing led him off on Joseph Cook, and also
some ofthe subjects which that gentleman
had recently been lecturing on here. For
getting his manuscript and the watch that
lay on the desk before him, he went on for
another half hour in flight of eloquence
that was very interesting to everybody but
the residents OF --- avenue, who were
keeping one ear open for the semi-occasion-
alSunday horse car that takes them home.
Suddenly its approaching bell was heard
by all but the clergyman. As the sound
grew nearer and nearer, some of the would
be passengers arose, hoping to quietly slip
out unnoticed. Just then one of them-a
gentleman--dropped the watch that he
had been holding half open in his han d.
1t struck the floor. and rolled short dis
tance witha noise that covered the depart
ing persons with confusion. especially as
the parson, suddenly coming to himself,
gazed at them blankly an instant, and then
looking at his watch, stared at the lateness
of the hour, shut the leaves of the neglect:
ed manuscript with a bang, and exclaimed
That's all I have to say about Thomas, I"
and gave out the closing hymn. Spring
field Republican.