smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

THE RESULT of the coming conference between
the Mayor and the merchants upon municipal
affairs will be awaited with unusual interest.
There is something radically wrong about the
affairs Of o city where one ont of every
fifteen voters is in the citys employ, where
the aggregated salaries are out of all
proportion to the services rendered, and
where the annual expenses exceed those Of
many q great State. The only hope of the suf.
fcring taxpayers is in the intcrpostion of bust
ness men who will test the city administration
by business rules and principles and will expose
it's failngs as merciessly as they would those of
q mismanagcd firm.
Year: 1877

throughout the year. and can, if necessary, be
fully controlled by locks and dams or other
engineering devices. The lake itself, with its
broad expanse of navigable waters, would
form part of the proposed line of inter-
oceanic navigation. and the total cost of the
enterprise would be, therefore. reduced by
that of length of canal equal to more than
the breadth of the lake. The objections to
the other routes proposed are mainly on ac-
count Of the great elevation of their sum-
mits and deficient or uncertain and un-
controllable water supply.
Year: 1877

TIE STATE OF TRADE.-Although the business
failures of 1876 exceeded those of the previous
year by twenty per cent our report on the cond-
ton Of trade is an encouraging document. The
failures were for less amount of money than
those of the preceding year; they were neither
SO numerous nor so disastrous as those in Eng
land during the same time, and they greatly de-
crease the quantity of fictitious values which
have done much to create distrust in business
circ1ea
Year: 1877

IT Now APPEARs that it was the president of
o street railway who suggested the reference of
the car-heating question to the Board of Health.
How strange that people should suspect the ref
crence as ID move toward further delay
Year: 1877

JUDGE PRATT's DECISION ordering the appoint
ment of referee to review the action of the
receiver of the Continental Life Insurance Com
pany is full of good points, but most Of the pol
icy holders made them long ago
Year: 1877




through it from the sea ascertained by in
strumental surveys, SO that as far as thor
ough knowledge Of the ground can be ac-
quired the different routes suggested MS
feasible have been examined by United
States engineers.


In view Of this fact, and after careful
comparison has been made of the results of
the several surveys, it has not been found
difficult to determine which is the most
practicable route for an interoceanic canal.
The fear that the merits of any other lines
have been overlooked in the complete and
patient exploration of the Central American
region is entirely groundless. The officers
charged with the duty of surveying the
Isthmus do not hesitate to give that line
known as the Nicaragua route o decided
preference over all others. 1t presents the
nearest approach to the horizontal Of any
examined, and besides possesses tho grand
and singular advantage Of having m mex
haustible supply Of water for canal purposes
in the great reservoir of Lake Nicaragua,
which is located on the most elevated
ground through which the canal would
pass a route deficient in water supply,
although otherwise extremely favorable,
would be practically valueless, because,
without water resources to fill the canal
levels and maintain the supply uniformly
throughout the year, navigation would be
impossible. The extraordinary rainfall of
the region at certain seasons creates diff
cultes that would be nsurmountable un-
less there Is some natural or costly artificial
regulator OF the quantity of water flowing
into the canal. The steep slopes of the
watershed discharge their floods into the
valleys with extraordinary rapidty and vio-
lenco and, as these natural lines of drainage
form necessarily the only available routes
for canal, the latter would become the re-
ceptacle of ali storm waters and their sus-
pended detrtus. Like Nicaragua is the great
reservoir of vast watershed. Its outflow
through the San Juan River is regular
Year: 1877

From the Alexandra Gazette, April 231
Among all those who have become promi.


nent by reason of association with the late


Southern troubles, the one preeminently


entitled to the honor and respect, not only of


his own section, Of which he is q true repre>


sentative, but Of oil his countrymen whose


praise is worth having, is Gov. Nichols, of


Louisiana. From the day he received the


nomination Of his party until now he has


pursued the even tenor of his conservative


way which had for its objective pint the dis.


enthI alment, not only Of his own State, but Of


his country, from the Radical sway that was
crushing out its life. During the canvass hs


was as earnest in his efforts to secure the


election of Tilden as bis own, and though the


inducements that proved effective in South


Carolina were just az strong in louisiana,
they were not accepted. and neither he nor


bis friends approved Of the policy to deliver
his own State at the expense of his whole
country, by advising his people to vote for
him certairly, and for either Tilden or Hayes
as they might choose When the election had


been held and the true result Of it known, he
announced that the State had gone for Tilden
and Nichols, and from that time until the
present has unwaverinsly maintained the
truth Of his assertion, and has positively
refused to listen to any proposition for a
compromise that might endanger conservative
success either in the State or the nativn.
Aware that he had right on bis side, and
scorning to ask for more, he determined TO
exact it, not a. favor granted, but as an act
Of simple justice, failing to receive which he
would put the odium where il belonged and
rev ser bis State to military rule No tele
grams from him to COL Mosby asking his
services to procure Grants recognition; no
letters to Gov. Hayes, pending the decision Of
the residential question, and when everybody
knew that Mr. Tilden had been elected, asking
recognition Of him also in case the Commission
should declare him elected. No, be knew
that his people had chosen him to be their
Gyvernor, and, like . true man, he determined
to Be their Governor, or let the world know
that this is q republis only in name. Even in
his late letter to the President be refrains
from any pledges not 10 resort 10 physical
force in case Of the withdrawal of the troops,
leaving il optional with himself to use such
force if it he necessary in the execution Of
his orders as Governor Of the Snte. Gov.
Nichols 10 q true exponent Of Southern
character Of the olden time, winch, o. course,
entities him to the administration Of all
Southern men, but the course he has pursued
will win him the respect of all night thinking
men, no matter from whence tley hail
Year: 1877

Always remember that no one can debase
you but yourselE SANDER, satire, faIsehood,
injusdce-they can never rob you Of your
manhood. Men may lie about yoo, they may
dsnounce you, thsy may cherish suspicious
manifold, they may make your falling the
saxet Of their Wit and cruelty; never be
alarmed never swerve m inch from the line
your judgment and conscience have marked
ont for you. They cannot, BY al their efforts,
take away your knowledge Of yourself, the
purity of your motives. the integrity Of your
character, and the generosity of your nature.
While these are left, you are. in point of fact
unharmed.
Year: 1877

The New York Sun of the 26th May gives


the following sequel to sad story, ,ha, began


in happy marriage perhaps, then drif,ed


into drunkenness and ended in the death OF
the wife and the imprisonment of the husband


for seven years. The man is printer:


Thomas Cusick gave an account in thu


General Sessions, yesterday, Of killing hi.


wife. He has a good degree Of intelligence


and enforced temperance during imprlsoh.


ment had freed him from the visible effects Of
drunkenness. His manner indicated rmI


Penitence, and he spoke seemingly with frank.


ness, and evidently did not wish to assaiI hi,
dead wifes reputation. The trouble thu.
ended in her death, according to his testimony.
bad its beginning on a Saturday evening in
their miserable home at 30 Rose street. He
returned home from his worx, and found his
wife drunk. Supper was not ready, and ,be
said that she had no money He told her
that there would be plenty il she did no,


waste it. They went to market together. and
made purchases for Sunday. Then be went
out and got several drinks. On returning N
the house, Bridget got some beer, and thew
drank II together, getting drunk Thomas
went to bed and fell asleep In the nigh, be
awoke and Bridget was gone. She had taken
bl1 from his pocket. Later, on her return.
she was accompanied by man whom he did
not know. He asked her what she had done
with the money, and she said that she had
spent it He drove her out, and the stranger
went out with her; but she returned in the
morning. He told her that she must 70 sw.v.
and stay away. She packed her clothing. bu,
did not start Immediately. He pushed hrr
out inio the passage, and there she fell. Then
he went to barroom and drank until he was
intoxicated. When he returned he found her
still lying where he Lad thrown her, and. on
the suggestion Of neighbor, he carried her
into their loom and put her on the bed. He
may have kicked her and pounded her head
on the floor, bu, he did no, intend to kill her,
because he loved her in spite of her faults.
She lay abed all day, groaning, and once he
gave her beer to drink, but she said nothing.
He cooked food for himselG and went out
several times to get whiskey to drink. On
Monday morning Bridget was still insensible.
He went out, got drunk again, and then told
q friend that he feared that his wife wa,
hurt. His arrest and her death



The verdict was, "Guiity of manslaugh,er
in the second degree" and the sentence was
seven years in the Sing Sing prison.
Year: 1877

The Cuba Patriot relates the fol-
lowing amusing incident concern
ing a hard old customer in the town
of Hinsdale, who was never known
to attend church, much less to
countenance any kind of family
worship in his own home: The
old fellow had q "mulley COW"
which was always "nosing" around
the house, picking up whatever
edibles came in her way. The
other night barrel containing
slops had been left out near the
woodshed, and the old COW in her
peregrinations soon struck the rich


bonanza. Thrusting her head into


the barrel, "mulley" began voraci-


ously to make way with the con-
tents. AS the slops diminished in


the barrel, in the same proportion


the old COW thrust her head in
deeper. But when she attempted
to withdraw her head from the


barrel, the animal found il had be-
come firmly wedged over her head
and neck. The old bovine turned
round for a while, then blindly
started off upon q run. AS luck
would have it, she struck bee
line for the house, and directly for
the front door. The old man was
sitting inside telling his family
about the great Hendrix murder
trial, when the COW gave frightful
below which was prolonged by the
empty barrel into an unearthly
roar. At the same instant the front
door crashed from Its hinges, and
the COW, with her uncommon head
gear, bolted into the room. "Old
Wickedness' gave one agonizing
look ut the frightful demon which
Year: 1877

There appears to be, here and
there, return to common sense
ideas about pruning fruit trees.
We have had all sorts of theories,
and much time has been spent In
arguing the question of summer,
or spring, or winter pruning. Now,
broadly speaking, tree should not
be pruhed at all. That Is to say,
it should be allowed to grow nat
urally. The careful pomologist will
see when tree is sending out
young branches which, in progress
of time, are likely to interfere with
each other; these are to be taken
out so early that the term pruning,
in its ordinary sense, does not ap-
ply to the operation. Some folks
tear out the middle limbs to let the
sun in, some cut the roots to pro-
mote bearing and the early ripen-
ing of the fruit. Nor is it to be
denied that the object is gained in
both cases. But that is not the
whole question. The purpose is,
or ought to be, to grow a tree in
its greatest perfection, and to last
for its natural life. OF course there
is such thing as aiding nature it
is, in fact, about all there is in hor-
ticulture or medicine but giving
good conditions does not by any
means imply amputatiop either for
tree or man. IL will probably be
found, In the long run, that extra
forcing and heroic cutting are alike
Objectionable. Had we time and
taste, the rubbing off OF the bud
Of the likely TO be uncouth limb
would suffice for all trimming. Old
trees, like old folks, do not readily
form new graces, and are sure 10 be
hurt, when even bad but accns-
toned habits are rudely hewn
away.
Year: 1877

but presently returned and said in
calmer voice:


81 fit, of course. It was which
for who, but they were fifty to one.
l drove 'em from the corpses. ]
dubbed 'em off with my rifle, but
they were too many. They shot
and stabbed me; they run me to
the hills; they have hunted me all
the afternoon"


The giant trembled like a leaf,
and the fresh blood ran from his
wounds and trickled down in red
paths over his neck and cheeks and
clothing. The leader of the party
tried to sooth him, promising aid as
soon as daylight came, but the
stranger waved his arms and cried
out:


"What can you dol The wolves
are feeding on my wife and children
tonight; their scalps are back in
the hills with the Indian, devils
Can you bring life back to them
Give me a gun and an AK"


No one moved for two or three
seconds, being spell-bound by his
wild look and words, and the strang-
er picked up cavalry carbine and
it's box of cartridges, seized the
light ak used about the campfire,
and in another minute was lost
sight of in the darkness, calling
back, as his step was lost to hear
ing:


"It is which for who"


Next day, about mid-afterneon,
the party came upon two dead In
dian ponies, lying between the trail
and the foot-hill to the right. A
few yards further on was great
stain of blood on the two inches OF
snow covering the grass. A war
rior had fallen here and been car
ried off by his comrades. There
was a trail of a white man on foot,
heading for the foothills, but NOV
ing slowly, and there were plain
traces that the man halted every
few rods to use his weapons. All
along the trail were the hoof tracks
of ponies, and an old hunter shook
his head and said:


at is the man who left our camp
last night. Back thar is wbar the
reds just sighted him, and he stood
in his tracks and killed two ponies
and one Injun. There was q
gang of forty or fifty reds, and the
white man moved to git among the
hills and have fair play. Just look
thar !"


Fifteen or twenty rods ahead
were three dead ponies, lying close
together. The band of redskin:
had made a charge upon the lone
man at this point. and he had met
them bravely. The snow told ev'
erything. Standing in his tracks
and not lifting q foot except te
wheel around, he had whipped tht
whole gang! There were thre,
dead ponies, within q hundred fee
of the white mans position, ant
again the snow was crimsonet
with great patches of blood wher'
the warriors had fallen.


"Great God but how he fit =
whispered the old hunter, as HI
saw how the snow had been tramp
led down "but they wounded hin
here"


So they had. lie bad retreatet
slowly, seeming to have no fear
and along his trail was a track o
blood. The FIRST hills were a mil,
aSay. and straight for the hills RAJ
! the bloody path through the snow
, There we're no sounds Of oonnict--
Year: 1877

no red demons in sight. (Which
for who" had met them early in the
morning, and the tragedy had been
played before the sun was two
hours old. Again, between the
three dead ponies and the first hill,
the white man had been charged
by the full band. They had cir
cled around him and then charged
at common center. One lone
man, armed with carbine and an
AK, was the center. Thirty, forty,
perhaps fifty to one, and yet he
had not weakened in the least. On
the right was dead pony, on the
left two crimson spots in the snow.
Ahead toward the hill horse had
fallen and struggled up, and half
dozen trails of blood could be
counted. The Indians had given
way, and at a slow pace the white
man had resumed his journey.


"You will see a sight to make
your flesh crawl, over in the hills !"
whispered the hunter, and the par
ty slowly advanced.


The lone man had not hurried
his pace. The yelling, bowling,
whooping redskins, galloping
around him, firing upon him and
sure of his scalp, had not shaken
his nerve. Over the hill, across
little valley, up q ravine, and there
was the end. The white man
could go no further, and there he
stood at bay.


"May the Lord have mercy on
him !" gasped miner, as the little
band looked over the field Of bat
tie. There were dead and wounded
ponies; there were blood patches
on the snow, and four Indians,
stark and stiff, were lying to one
side, the survivors not having
horses enough to carry off their
dead.


At the head of the ravine the
snow had scarcely q color except
red. The redskins had charged in
body, and dropping his carbine
when the last cartridge was gone,
the lone man had used his AK with
awful effect. They had shot him
and struck him with their toma-
hawks, and when life went out he
had more wounds than could be
counted. There he lay, the ak still
clutched with giants grip, his eyes
wide open, his body covered with
wounds, and before him was o rec
ord to prove a more terrible fight
than Custer's. He had fought fif-
ty men single-handed. He had
driven them back again and again,
and dozen lives had been taken
for his one. (which for who" he
had said, and "who" had won, but
it was not a victory for the red
men to boast over. When they
rode out of the valley every horse
had double burden of living and
dead, and yet some had to be left
behind.


The party could not dig up the
frozen ground to give the brave
man burial. Fifty rods away the
gaunt wolves were tearing at the
dead bodies of wife and children.
AS the party turned away from the
horrible sight, gaunt wolves crept
down to strip these bones also.
They rushed from corpse to corpse,
gnashing their yellow fangs, and
before the sun went down another
record of the plains and hills was
hidden from sight Of the travellers.
Year: 1877

Upon the orchard rain must fall,
And soak from every branch or root;
Ard blossoms bloom and fall withal
Before the fruit is fruit.
Tho farmer needs must SOW and till,
And wait the wheaton bread,
Then cradle, thrssh, and go TO mill,
Before the bread is bread.
Swift heal may get the early shout,
But, spite of al the din,
II rs the patient holding out


That makes the winner win.
Year: 1877

HO for our little town called Oferle.
Several of our welcome friends came
down from that busy Crescent City OF
Dodge. to re-survey our tOwnplot. making
such changes as to give our increasing
friends chance to locate and help build
up the town. all we want Is friends who
nave plenty Of finance. L.
Year: 1877

The late legislature amended the
probate law SO that hereafter there will
bo regular monthly sessions of that
court instead of quarterly as hereto
fore. Court day will be the fourth
Monday OF he month, unless the Dis
trict Court is in session on that day, in
which event the Probate Court shall
stand adjourned until the first Monday
after the close of sucl term of the Dis
tlict Coult.
Year: 1877

The Scientific American contains the


first announcement OF what may be the


most wonderful invention of the day.


Nothing could be more incredible than


the likelihood Of once..more hearing the


voice of the dead, yet the invention OF


the new instrument is said TO render this


possible hereafter. II is true that the


voices il stilled, but whoever has spoken
or whoever may speak into the mouth


piece of the phonograph, and whose words
are recorded by it, has the assurance that
his speech may be reproduced audibly in
his own tones long after he himself has
turned to dgst. A strip of indented
paper travels through a little machine,
the sounds OF the latter are magnifed,
aud posterity centuries hence hear us as
plainly as II we were present. Speech,
has become, as it were, immortal. The
Scientific American says:


The possibilities Of the future are not
much more wonderful than those of the
present. The orator in Boston speaks,
the indented strip of paper is the tangible
result but this travels under a second
machine which may connect with the
telephone. Not only is the speaker heard
now in San Francisco for example, but
by passing the strip again under the repro
ducer he may be heard tomorrow, or
next year, or next century. His speech
in the first instance is recorded and trans.
mitted simultaneously, and indefinite
repetition Is possible. The new invention
is pruely mechanical---no electricity is
Involved. 1t is a simple affair of vibrat-
ing plates, thrown into vibration by the
human voice. 1t is crude yet, but the
principle has been found, and modiica-
tions and improvements are only matter
of time. So also are its possibilities other
than those already noted. Will letter
writing be a proceeding of the past
Why not, If by simply talking into
our speech is recorded on
paper, and our correspondent can by the
same paper hear us speak2 Are We to
have new kind of books? There Is no
reason why the orations of our modern
Ciceros should not be recorded and de.
tachably bound 40 that we can run the
indented slips through the machine, and
in the quiet Of our own apartments listen
again, and as often as we will, 10 the
eloquent words. Nor are we restricted
to spoken words. Music may be crystal.
lzed as well. Imagine an opera or an
oratoric, ,'ung by the greatest living vocal
lists, thus recorded, and capable Of being
repeated az we desire.
Year: 1877

We are requested to announce that
the Christmas tree at the Baptist
church on the night'of the 24th 5yill
be "open to all" Any one desiring
to put presents on it will please hand
them in to the committee before noon
of that day. No presents received
after - o'clock. Great preparations
are being made, and no douht. the oc-
casion viii be a joyous one. The ex>
ercises will open and close with music
by the Sunday-school. Six pews on
each side of the middle row will be
reserved for little children, and no one
else will be allowed to occupy them.
The committee proposes to buy pres
ents only for those who are not able
to buy for themselves, and not for the
whole school. The presents will be
distributed by the Superintendent, as
sisted 10y a committee. Under the
supervision of the able committee in
charge of the affair, We have no doubt
of a complete success in every partic-
ular
Year: 1877

Contrary to the usual custom of
the country press, We will issue the
EXCHANGE next week, as usual, thus
giving our subscribers one extra pa,
per an the volume. Advertisers will
do well to make ncte of this, and
hand in their favors early.
Year: 1877

We want to sell all the goods we
can to the good people of Milan and
vicinity; but we are perhaps old fo>
gies about our method of business.
We never pull our customers around
on the street. We can't say to them,
we can sell them goods cheaper than
any one else. Weare trying to make
money in a legitimate way, and can
sell goods as cheap as any frst-class
house. A big lot of goods for inspec-
ton and on sale every day and night,
except Sunday, at The Emporium.
Year: 1877

We have on sale a complete line.
They will neither suit for food, or
furnish warmth for the body; but
they will certainly please the children.
You who want to invest in such arti-
cles may do well to inspect a nice lot
now on exhibition at


The Emporium.
Year: 1877

Our stock is, we think, complete in
all kinds of useful and ornamental
goods, for which We will be pleased to
show you. Prices will be made as
reasonable as any first class house in
the interior. Come and see us at


The Emporium.
Year: 1877

Gents, Ladies and Misses Arctics
and Sandals and Croquet Slippers in
rubber for ladies and misses. Every
body ought to wear them. They save
shoes, health, and often hard falls.
We carry full line of all the latest
styles, and they are so cheap this sea
son that everybody can afford them
Come and get a pair at


The Emporium.