smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

Julia c. R. Dorr in Good Company, Number On
My birthday How many years agol
Twenty or thirtyf' Don't ask mel
Forty or fiftyY' How can tellY


1 do not remember my birth, you see!
1t is hearsay evidence-nothing morel
Once on a time, the legends say,
A girl was born and that girl was I.


How can I vouch for the truth, Iprayi
know I am here; but when I came,


Let some one wiser than 1 am tell
Do you think this flower you pluoked for me
Knew when its bud began to swellY
How old am II You ought to know


Without any telling of mine, my dear
For when came to this happy earth


Were you not waiting for me hereq
A dark-eyed boy on the northern hills,


Chasing the hours with flying feet,
Did you not know your wife was born,


By subtle nrescience, faint yet sweet
Did never breath from the southland come
With sunshine laden, and rare perfume,
To lift your hair with soft caress,


And waken your heart to richer blOom9
Not ones mystery strange as lifel-


To think that we who are now so dear
Were once in our dreams so far apart,


Nor cared if the other were far or near
But-how old am II You must tell


Just as old as seem to you!
Nor shall 1 day older be


While life remaineth, and love is true.
Year: 1879

Rather formidable obstacle seems
to have been discovered by Mr.. Edison,
which will tend at least to postpone the
realization of his high expectations in
regard to the electric light. This is the
high price of platinum. The part of the
electric lamp which is rendered incan-
descent by resistance to the electric
current is made of a spiral ribbon OF
platinum, and no other metal has been
found which can be substituted for it.
1t has been found possible to alloy the
platinum with iridium which is also
hard and infusable at high tempera-
tuIe, but the cost is still so great (some
$40 or $l2 for each burner) as to place
it far above common use. Platinum is
the heaviest and most nearly infusable
of metals. Cast. iron melts at 2OO0o


gold melts at 2282 Q, and the best
wrought iron passes into a liquid state
at something like 300 Q but platinum
with its expensive alloys, is the only
Year: 1879

Cape MAY, N, j., June 12-At 10
O'Clock this evening fire was discovered
in the new Columbia House, in course
of erection, on Jackson street. The fire
broke out in a closet on the third floor, :,
and among some laths on the first floor,
showing plainly that it was the work
of some incendiary. The mansard
roof, was covered with feltipg, was
entirely destroyed, and much damage
was done to the third floor. 1t is
impossible to learn the full extent of
the damage. The contractor states that
there is an insurance of 5000 on the
building, which will cover all loss.
The fire department, by its prompt
action, undoubtedly saved number of
cottages opposite the hotel, the wind at
first blowing directly toward them. A
terrific thunderstorm prevailed during
the fire, and greatly aided the fremen
in saving the surrounding properly.
Year: 1879

Last evening as the steamer "Repuh-
lie" was about leaving French street
wharf, a man who was on board went
to jump off on to the "Felton," and in
doing so he made misstep and landed
in the water. He was quickly taken
out of the water and all the harm done
was his receiving a good ducking. 1t
was soon rumored around the city that
the man was drowned, and as conse-
quence d large crowd assembled at the
wharf, and it was long time before
many could be made believe that the
man was not drowned, but instead had
received slight ducking.
Year: 1879

One Of the most revolving and myste-
rious murders which has been commit
ted in New York City for a long time
was discovered at No. 140 West Forty
second street, on Wednesday morning.
Mrs. Jane l.. de F. Hull retired soon
after II o'clock Tuesday night, and
about 7 o'clock Wednesday morning
she was found dead in her Led in back
room on the first floor, her arms pin
ioued at the elbows and tied together
at the wrists, her feet bound tightly
to the sides of the bed stead, bandages
tied tightly over her mouth and eyes,
and her neck and head swathed in por.
tions of an old dress and q shawl.


Valuable rings that she wore had
been torn from. her fingers, and her
trunk had been rihed OF her watch,
chain and other jewellery. No clew up
to Thursday, morning had beeu discov-
cred to the murderer or murderers.
Since that time the New York police
have made up their minds that the
murder of Mrs. Hull vas perpetrated
by one or more persons in the house,
and that the abstraction of the jewels
was not robbery in fact, but was sim
ply intended to mar . it appear that the
crime was the work Of professional
thieves.


The police yesterday issued circu-
lar to pawnbrokers, giving list Of all
property stolen from Mrs. Hull's resi-.
dence. Regarding the whereabouts Of
DR.. Hull on the night of the murder,
the police state that DR.. Hull spent the
evening before the murder at home;
that he retired at the usual time, and
was first informed of the tragedy be-
tween and 8 o'clock the next morn
ing. DR.. Hull remains in the house.
Detectives have not been absent from ii
since the discovery of the murder, and
it is admitted by the police that DR..
Hull is under surveillance.


He was allowed perfect freedom in
the house, but the detective kept near
him constantly and seemed to watch
every movement he made. Their con-
duct was commented OH unfavorably by
other occupants of the house, as the
police had admitted that there was no
ground for suspecting him. The expla-
nation was said to be that Captain Will
liams was not entirely satisfied with the
theory that the murder has been com
mitted by bungling robbers.


He was inclined to think, it was re-
ported, that there were some indications
that the murder might have been COM
mitted by some one belonging to the
house. His theory was that Mrs. Hull
had been murdered before her limbs
had been tied to the bed. The flesh Of
her wrist and ankles were not discOlored
as it would have been ifshe had been tied
while she was alive, and none of the
knots in the fastening were drawn very
tightly. A singular circumstances was
the singing of the dead woman's eye
brows. An ignorant person, it was said
would not have held a lighted candle tt
the eyes to see iflife was extinct.
Year: 1879

We invite particular attention to the
public sale Of building lots tomorrow
afternoon in various sections of our city.
Omnibuses will leave the Clayton House
at 3.40 p. M, for the premises. Those
who wish to invest in real estate should
take this opportunity to do so as the
time is rapidly approaching when city
lots will pay better than bonds and
mortgages.
Year: 1879

United States Court met this morning
but owing to the illness of Judge Brad
ford, did not 60 in session. Evan Rice
the defaulting cashier of the Brandy
wine National Bank was present, and
the District Attorney instructed the
Marshal to dismiss him until Tuesday
next when in all probability his trial
will begin.
Year: 1879

The vacant chair of Councilman
Rowe, deceased, is still draped in morn
ing, and will be until the thirty days
are up. Last evening Councilman Nor
ton placed handsome bouquet upon
the deceased members desk.
Year: 1879

VIXEN . dog snaps at q fly that has
been fooling around him four or five
hours and misses il, he feels like the girl
Who pours the full tide Of her affection
over young man and discovers that it
won't soak in.
Year: 1879

For many years the eccentric Thomas
CARLYLE has been afflicted with dyspepsia.
How he acquired it be thus described in
q conversation with an American clergy
man:


a am sure can hardly tell. sir; only
know that for one, or two, or three and
twenty years of my mortal existence | was
not conscious of the ow nership Of that
diabolical arrangements called a stomach.
had grown up the healthy and hardy
son of hardy and healthy Scotch dales-
man and he WAS the descendant of a long
line of such; men who had filled their
threescore wears and ten-or even mayhsp
by reason of their strength, their fourscore
years-and had gone down into their graves
never a man of them the wiser for the
possession of this internal apparatus.
And the voice came to me, saying: Arise
and settle the problem OF thy life
And 40 entered into my chamber and
closed the door and around me there came
trooping a cloud of phsntasms dire from
the abysmal depths of the nethermost
perdition. Doubt, Fear, Unbelief, Mockery
and Scorn were there and i arose and
wrestled with them in travail and agony OF
spirit. Whether | ate know not. Wheth-
er slept know not. i only know that
when came forth again it was with the
direful persuasion that l was the miserable
owner Of a diabolical arrangement called a
stomach, and have never been free from
that knowledge from that hour to this and
/ suppose that / never shall be until an
laid away in my grave"
Year: 1879

the passengers standing up in the ordinary
car. His neglect to make such request
may be accounted for on the ground that
he might have supposed it would be una
vailing. The plaintiff was not a trespas-
ser in the drawing room car, and he avow-
ed his willingness to leave on being pro-
vided with seat in one of the ordinary cars
Year: 1879

becomes materially lessened, SO that in
reality the Kansas farmer needn't have
anything to bother him unless the trouble
is Of his own conception and Matching.
When one thinks Of what has already been
done in Kansas in the way OF crops, it very
naturally leads to the belief that what has
heretofore been done can be duplicated
and IL can
Year: 1879

Russell, the seat of government for the
county, is handsomely built little city Of
nine hundred or thousand inhabitants, on
the Kanssn Pacific road, a short distance
west Of the center line of the county, and il
one Of the most successful and promising
towns in Western Kansas. The town is
building up very rapidly, several fine busi-
ness blocks being now in process of erection,
as we'll as many neat and comfortable resi-.
dences. Russell has some business blocks
and residences which would do credit to
any town in the State and this, too, in a
town situated in the heart Of the Great
American d sert, and which is not yet out
OF its babyhocd. There are several eleva.
tors and gransries here, which handle and
ship many hundred thousand bushels
OF grain Of all kinds during the year,
while a mammoth steam Touring mill
near the depot is kept busy all the time
the effort to supply all the demands made
upon it. TIE depot at Russell il a sub


stantial stone structure and was evidently
built to remain, although If business keeps
on increasing an enlargement will be a ne
cessity. The business men of the town are
energetic and enterprisipg, which two fea-
tures they have shown most prominently
by the work they have done in building up
such little city in so short space Of time.
The location Of the place is a healthful
one, and together with its natural advan-
tages, and what man is doing for it, Rus
sell is going ahead, improving every day,
adding to the population constantly and
steadily advancing. She is we'll equipped
regarding hotels and has a fine school.
house and neat church buildings, and il
talking of an opera house and some day
will have water works. JOHN.
Year: 1879

and include elm, cottonwood, ash and will
low, while, more particularly on Paradise
creek, are to be found black walnut, cedar,
and some oak, although the latter is not
found in any very large quantities. The
principal streams OF the county are the
Saline and the Smoky Hill rivers, the
former flowing little north of the centre
lire of the county, its most important trib-
utary being Paradise creek, which comes in
from the northwest. Salt and Cedar creeks
come in from the south, both OF which
Year: 1879

and has been, perhaps, more than merely
fortunate in securing the very best class of
the present influx. A mere statement, in
cold figures, of the increase in population,
conveys to the reader but faint idea of
the development of a county or region, and
the fact that Russell has doubled in point
of the number of her population the past
year, does not allow anything more to
Year: 1879

is found in considerable quantities all over
the countv, but more especially in the west
ern part, from where it is shipped via the
Kansas Pacific road both east and west.
The magnetism limestole, which is easily
quarried and very easily manipulated,
making as 6ne building material az could
be wished for, is found in layers from ak
to ten inches in thickness. The majority Of
the business houses in Russell are built OF
this limestone, and all who have seen it
unite in the verdict that it is as fine and
handsome q building material as can be
found in the western country. There are
many building alcong the line of the Kan.
sas Pacific road which have been construct.
ed from it, and in every case the praise ha,
been upon its side, and the demand for il


therefore, ID somewhat lively. The quar-


ries are not likely to be soon exhausted
however, notwithstanding the present Of
Year: 1879

An article in the February issue of the
Popular Science Monthly on typhoid fever
poison shows In minute detail the spread of
the disease through q neighborhood of Syra-
be due to the specific poison of the disease
conveyed in water. This has been demons
trated before in England in a case where the
water supply had been contaminated. 1t
was also shown soma years ago in one of the
suburbs OF New York; but in no case that
ton come as close to certain proof. In none
has doubt been 80 completely removed.
The facts in brief are these: Otto Schmidt
reached his home in Syracuse after visit to
the Centennial, where he had taken
in the seeds of typhoid fever. He
neat and cleanly cottages newly
built There were four wells in the neigh


borhood and some of the cottages used one
well, some another. The refuse matters
from the sick room of Otto Schmidt were
thrown into sink at the back of his yard,
On the 12sh day of his sickness great
storm passed over the country, flooding that
part of the city and overlooking the sink of
Otto Schmidts house. The we'll was not far
away. Whether by seepage or by surface
washing the fever poison got in to the we'll
water is not known. 1t is known, however,
that in all the cottages where this water was
used there were from one to five cases OF the
fever and not one cass in any OF the adjoin-
ing houses, although their inmates nursed
their sick neighbors and were in daily con-
tact with them. There was one striking adj
ditional fact. One of the neighborhood
wells went dry. snd one OF the houses sup
piled by it resorted to Schmidrs we'll. I'm
mediatsly new cases appeared in this house,
while another house that sought well
across the street escaped. The deductions
seem to be that typhoid fever is . specific
pc..cn cocyeyed exclusively By water.
Year: 1879

A Physician writes to young
men as follows "My profession
has thrown me with women Of all
classes, and my experience teaches
me that heaven never gave a
greater proof of his love than to
place women here with him. My
advice is 90 and propose to the
most sensible girl you know. If
she accepts you tell her you will
divide the last dollar with her and
that you will love with all your
heart into the bargain and then
keep your promise. My word for
it she will live within your in
come, and to your last hour you
will regret that you did not mar
ry sooner. Stop worrying about
feminine extravaganza and fem
inine untruth. Just you be true
to her-love her sincerely, and a
more fond, faithful, foolish slave
you will never meet any where.
You will no. deserve her, l know,
but she will never know it,"
Year: 1879

It would do you immense good
to have a quiet talk, once in a
while, with the man who does not
like you. He would probably
open your eyes to side Of your
character which, excusing friend
ship, does not allow you to look
upon, and which your own self
conceit has kept covered up.
Year: 1879

with the iron. Why, it seems to
me, that about twenty minutes at,
ter the ore is brought to the top
Of the ground, the full grown nail
is helping to smash some mans
thumb out in Iowa.


IRON CLAD WAGES.


It takes money TO run a nail
mill. Why, some Of the workmen
they tell me, earn from ten dollars
to twenty dollars day.


And they do earn it. They
work cheap at that.


THE POETRY OF IRON.


There is a wonderful fascination
about iron work and iron workers.
Novelists have made them the
scenes and heroes their stories !;
poets have made them the themes
Of deathless song. We sing Of
the forge Of Tubal Cain, and Hec
tor swore "by the forge that
stithed Mars helm," but the other
trades are passed over.


Whom did poets. in lofty num-
bers sing the carpenter lathing q
back room on the second floor?


Who chants the brawny arms
and the thrilling deeds of a man
elm birg four story ladder with
a hod Of mortar?


Does anybody stand with rapt
emotion watching a painter putty
up a nail hole?


| would not exchange my one
hour at midnight in the iron
works at Ashland, for a whole
week Of watching a man mix
mortar with q hoe.


THE DREAM OF THE NAIL.


Why, these iron works surround
the Ashlanders with enough ro-
nance to last a western commun-
ity at least six weeks. And yet I
suppose there are people about
here's who never saw a nail made
in their lives. | have known times,
in my own eminently useful and
highly ornamental career, times
when I was trying to nail a-front
gate to q leather hinge, when I
wished there bad never been q
nail made anywhere by anybody.
And I watched them as they fell
from the ponderous machines, fast
as rain drops, and it seemed to
me, as I watched them fall, that
I could hear the dull, treacherous
thud Of the hammer, on the hu-
man thumb, the low wall OF a wo-
mans anguish, "the big, big D" Of
a strong man in his agony. These
strange, weird feelings and fan
cies rushed into my mind like a
torrent. 1 stopped and picked up
a brand new nail, as a memento Of
my visit.


Then I laid it down again. Sad
~, but not slowly.


WHY?


I have an impression, know
not where l got it, that new laid
nail, like a new laid egg, is warm.
And that it is far more percept-
ible in the case of the nail. 1t
may not be SO in every instance.
l presume there may be some
nails laid cold. But the one l
picked up was not so everlasting)y
gee whizzling cold, and did not
;nroc+;roto anv Harthar
Year: 1879

Suppose now, every man IN con-
gress was nail machine, and
could cut about 5000 kegs Of nails
per week, as we'll and perfectly as
these machines at Ashland. Who
would care for the revolutionary
plans of the friends Of the sixth
section ? The government could
sell nails enough in a month to
keep the army going for ayear.


The more I look at the nail ma
chire the more thoroughly | am
convinced that it would do better
in congressman did my friend tie
shoemaker.
Year: 1879

Now, [ once knew a man who
made shoes. He could cobble a
pair Of old shoes, too. He could
sew on an invisible patch with
yellow thread, 30 that it would
look like sunrise on tho Ohio.
How he could make shoes. Well,
sir, one day that man dropped his
wax in a painful of pegs, laid
down his hammer and got to tell
ing what the government ought
to do, and what congress ought to
do, and what he would do if be
were there, ard the first thing he
knew they sent him to congress.
He used to charge only ten cents
for sewing on patch as big as
fifty cent piece, and only
twenty cents for a new heel, and
fifty cents for half soles. And he
pounded leather all day for about
one dollar and eigbty-fve cents.


And the very first day he was
in congress, he introduced bill
for the free coinage of s9,OOO,OOO,-
900, 100000, 100000, 100000 in one
dollar greenbacks. with a pro7i-
sion that the amount should be
doubled, if it should appear that
the amount originally specified in
the bill was insufficient to meet
the demands of the trade.


And yet that man could make
good shoes.


That's what | liked about the
nail machine. 1t did what it could
do best.
Year: 1879

FASHIoN.-Thc devotecs Of dress are the
hardest worked people at Saratoga. They
have been laboring industrously for months
to get up their wardrobes They are squeezed
into dresses which fit as though they had
been melted and poured around their forms.
AT 101! o'clock these models appear at break
fast clad in white with white kid slippers,
which are as tight as the dress, and long
white gloves that squeeze the hands and
arms. The wearers are SO uncomfortable
that they don't remain down stairs long,
but retire in one or two hours to their rooms,
to undress and breathe. They get in an
other kind of harness for dinner, then re-
tire again in order to draw a full breath,
and reappear in the evening with more
stunning toilet than the one worn at break
fast or dinner
Year: 1879

Now, suprosing we charge two-thirds of
the cost of these few items to the use of in
toxicating liquors (and this estimate, we
believe, is below the true amount rs shown
by the statistics we have heretofore given),
we have about tho sum of 5000, 100000 to be
provided for by taxation on this account.


This sum is more than one-fourth of all
the taxes collected during the year eighteen
hundred and seventy-eight, the total amount
af which, collected and uncollected, was
50, SS7, ,774.47.


Having shown, as we'll as the nature of the
subject will admit that II licensed liquor
traffic does contribute to very large degree
to the increase of crime and pauperism, and
as a consequence to the increase of taxation,
we now submit the following evidences,
some of which are happily furnished by por.
tions of our own State, to the converse of
the proposition, to-wit: That the suppress
sion of the liquor traffic by the State, in
places where it has formerly been licensed,
greatly reduces crime and pauperism, and
tends manifestly and in great degree to the
consummation of the grand object which
has called you together, that of reducing
taxation to the lowest rate compatible with
good government
Year: 1879

In the death of Gen. James Shields, which
occurred Sunday night, Minnesota loses one
of her first Senators. When Minnesota was
admitted as State Gen. Shields was chosen
as Senator for the short term. AS his resi-
dencs here was of brief duration he was
never thoroughly identified with the State,
though he is held in kindly remembrance by
the older residents of Minnesota. He rep
resented Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri in
the United States Senate at different
times, and was the only man who
was ever Senator from three States. The
ingratitude of republics was, in his case,
forcibly illustrated. After distinguished SER
vices in two wars, and a prominent political
career, he was LEFT in poverty and sought q
maintenance in the lecture field, but without
any great success. The effort on the part OF
the Republicans in Congress to insult him
and prevent his obtaining the pension which
was his due, brought him prominently before
the public and made his necessities known
since which he has been improved in circum-
stances, but the recognition only came as be
was about to die. Now that he is absolutely
zone. he will, as usual, be followed to tht
grave by regrets that this and that had no


been done, though if he had lived for fifty
wears the result would have been the same.
Year: 1879

A SCANDINAVIAN navigator has accom-
plished the feat of passing in ship from
the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean by way of
the Arctic regions, and great benefits to
commerce arc expected from the feat. What
benefits, we would like to ask? Are cargoes
Of wheat or merchandise likely to await an
open season of the Arctic sea for transporta-
ton from one ocean to the other2 AS an
experiment. the voyage has been success,
and may throw little light on the structure
of the earth and its meteorological condi-
tions, but it can confer no benefits whatever
on commerce, and all the talk about Arctic
explorations being benefit to commerce is
mere bosh. The railroad has long since
dissipated any such delusion.