smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

A farmer writing in a recent number
Of the Northeastern Christian Adcocatc
makes the following good hits on books
for farmers:


We shall not presume to act the men
tor now, but I hold most devoutly that
the farmer is as liable to have good
taste as anybody else. And, further
more, if there be necessity for any
class to be correctly informed, or WORTH
lily entertained, the farmers of the land
is the one, since we believe that the pu-
rity and perpetuity Of our institutions
depend upon them We should CON-
mence early in the life Of our children
to give them that reading matter that
shall efectual|y prevent them from
hankering after trash of the Dick Tur-
pin stripe. Ia other worus, we should
be especially solicitous in the formation
OF correct taste
Year: 1874

beneath US was the surgying crowd.
above us a calm blue sky, and to
the east the CLASSY waters Of the lake,
and we suppose above or around us
were the invisible spirits of the Fathers
through whom we're wrought out the
problem Of American liberty, and to
them and their memory we dedicated
these few moments Of thought. trusting
that we alone of all that vast assemblage
were not the only ones that had thanks
to return for the boon Of citizenship con-
terred upon us under the contract and
seal Of the Declaration. l think as the
generations succeed each other the i'm
portance Of that event becomes lessened
in lustre, until the future will find it
perished from the memory Of the peo-
pie and living only as record of histo-
rv !; in fact, we think the enthusiasm is
on the wane; there is not the spirit
manifested that used to be within the
recollection Of our memory which car
ries us back but few years. How few
there are that realize the importance to
the world, the birth OF American Inde-
pendcncc. **
Year: 1874

wv


Will you please ascertain how many
Sabbath Schools are kept in your town
this year, with the name and Post Of
fee address Of each Superin tendent; also
if you think any new Sabbath School
can be organized and sustained in your
town, and inform me Of the same soon.
Yours, truly, in the S. S. cause.


LEWIS JOHNSON, Sec'y.
Year: 1874

Our Oranges need the soul ealiven-
ing influence Of music, and each Grange
should have good instrument and ao
efficient performer. Every order should
have music as part Of It's ceremonial,
and our Oranges need music to make
them more especially objects Of interest.
We say to the farmer, "Come and join
our Grange His reply is, Tel! me
what the Grange business amounts to,
and what are its principle attractions ?"
We tell him, and we also inform him
how very interesting our Grange meet
lngs are, and perhaps we mention some
Of the most interesting features Of these
occasions; but why is it that We never
mention music In our opinioa music
is essential in every Grange, and vocal
music is always attainable, while with
little effort instrumental music may
also be procured Patrons, do not neg
lect to secure its ennob!ing and enliven-
ing Observation-Disclosures Granger.
Year: 1874

A recent number of the Indiana
Granger has the following brief items
stirring up the Patrons of that State,
which are equally applicable to the Pat
rous Of Minnesota, and therefore we
clip them bodily.


Always exert your influence for the
good of the Order, and the whole race
is benefited.


Pay cash aud stick to the Grarge
and you will be happy


Work for the interests of the Or
der, and never let 4 meeting pass unat-
tended.


Refuse to take credit, even if offer.
ed: and s>aud by your Order, aud heaven
is near by.


Never desert your Grange. 1t is
the best thing ever gotten up in the
farmers interests.


The Grange is elevating, refining
and strengthening the farming class.
Never throw 1t toverboard.


Speak to your neighbor about the
Granger, (THE GRANGE ADVANCED.
and assist in extending its circula.
ton.


During the long hot summer now
on US, do not forget your Grange meet
lngs and your harvest feasts.


Root out corruption and live for
the ennobling Of your Order. and the
farmers paradise is just ahead.


keep the members ever at work
doing good, and never forget that the
very life of the producer depends upon
the perpetuation Of the Grange.


Nothing that was ever invented is
50 comprehensively useful to the pro-
ducing class as the Grange. Stick by
it and get everybody to join it that you
eau.
Year: 1874

CHRISTMAS PREsENTs.-Very soon all good
Christians-and some Pagans-will be casting
about to see what they may select for sChrIst-.
mas presents. just what may 15 tigs
for the price to suit the case is what "every-
body" wants to know. One will buy box of
cigars, of expensive brand, to present to the
man who smokes. Another will buy a costly
snuff box, filled with powdered tobacco. An
other will put So, $5, or even $40 into richly
carved tobacco pipe; and each of the givers
will congratulate himself that he is doing a
handsome thing. But how much better would
be basket of fruit or barrel of apples, in
which all could participate Another will buy
basket of champagne or a case OF other costly
wine, and send it to his friend as a Christly-
Christmas-present! Another will content him
self with demijohn of old Bourbon; another
with keg of lager beer. Liquor dealers count
large orders for the holidays. But are these
substances the best for holiday presents? Will
God bless them to giver or to receiver? If not,
then they are inappropriate If they do harm
rather than good, then curses rather than bless
ings will come with them.


Others, who mean well, put are not YET oe-
veloped above the animal appetite, will go
largely into confectionery. They will buy
great quantities of highly-colored and richly
scented candies, with more or less white clay,
plaster of Paris and real deadly poisons in
them to be given to good little Sunday school
children! 1t will cause sickness in many fami
lies and death in some. But the matter of life
and death is in the hands of Providence "you
know" and we must not be held responsible
Besides "children will have candies, and we
cannot help it," And this is the way you pro
pose to treat the subject? Will you contribute
toward fund to buy poisons to feed little chill
dren, and then put the responsibility on Prov
idence or on the wicked one? That is "too
thin" What is reason given to man for except
to be used
Year: 1874

Winter is here, know it is,
This fierce cold blast is surely his;
The summer solstice, it is past,
And lovely autumn faded fast;
The leafess trees both bleak and drear'
And shorten'd days proclaim what's here;
But then with frost and cold comes snow,
When merrily our sleighs will go;
With ice on ev'ry pond and lake,
Where on our skates VIC pleasure take
Then as at eve the fire around
We gather close, there will abound
(E'en though the wind rage lond and long)
The story and the merry song
But we must ever bear in mind
This is the season to be kind,
See that poor man how poorly clad
Or widow in her weeds so sad,
With hungry children, half score
While we have all we want and more.
0 let our poorer neighbors share
What e'er from heaven we have to spare,
For blessings great will God bestow,
On those who help the poor below,
Year: 1874

gsa-A perplexed schneider, who had made
"a garment for youth and found himself una
5le to dispose of the surplus fullness which ap-
peared when trying it on the young candidate,
declared vociferously, ode coat is goot. Is no
fault Of de coat. De poy is too tin"
Year: 1874

The following beautiful lines are said to have
been written by Mr.. Walter r. Abell, a son of
the proprietor of the Baltimore Sun:
Away with melancholy thought
Away with longings evil fraugh-
Show that your souls early taught


With whisperings of love,
To be as happy as they may
Upon the bright the holy day


Reserved for Him above.


Be throb of loving hearts the chime


That halls the gladsome Christmas time.
Your firesides should brighter be-
Your actions manler, holier, free
Tell by the simple Christmas tree


The happiness you share
With all mankind, the rich, the poor;
Turn none on that day from your door;
And let each toy, each gift in store


Be offered prayer;


And throb of loving hearts the chime


That halls the gladstone Christmas time.
To all your MERRY Christmas" tell,
And cause each little heart to swell
With joy that will forever dwell


With inspiration mild;
For youthful hearts filter far
To catch the ray of Eastern star
That guides but to the manger bar


Where rests the Saviour-child aF4


Be throb of loving hearts the ching
the Gladstone Chris Lime. -
Year: 1874

When speaking of science in agricul-
ture we are often apt to think that it is .
very learned or very mysterious thing; !;
and when agricultural science IL referred
to in any way, visions of chemistry, geols'
ogy. physiology. as propounded by the
learned professors, generally arise. Yet
there is science separate and distinct from
all this, which is quite as worthy of the
name, and this is more knowledge Of the
nuture Of things. We know of one who is
considered eminently scientific, and whose
fame is world. wide. When his deep
studies are referred to in terms Of COM
mendation, he disclaims anything Of the
kind, and asserts that his only method is
in ''going through the world with his eyes
OPEN" 1t is simply the old story. Some
have ears to hear but hear not, and eyes,
but do not see. Science is simply learn


ing all about thing-knowledge art is
the putting of the knowledge into use. IY


Let US illustrate this by the nearest
wheatfelds. One man finds he has mag.
nificent crop, say twenty-five bushels to
the acre another has but fifteen. But to
all appearances both starts were the same.
The stalks grew pretty thick together, and
probably the weight of straw would be
near alike from both. and the ears in both
be OF about the same length. Even on
weighing, the grain will be found Of about
the same number of pounds to the bushel.
Sometimes this is so, the difference being
often in weight; but we are speaking Of
what sometimes occurs. Most frequently
no one knows why this is so. 1t will be
remarked that somehow" the heads were
heavier in one case than the other, and
that is all. But your curious fellow ID
not satisfied with somehow" He pulls
the head to pieces. He finds the head
composed OF zigzag main stalk. and
from the crown of every little bend
small bunch of scaly chaff proceeds. The
wheat ear is made up of these small clus-
ters or lunches. Examining these little
lunches, he finds that in an ear yielding o
fair crop there is about two grains in
cluster. In good crop there are three.
and in an extra one four. Then in the
lower cluster in bad season there are no
grains, while when the season is good the
ear is filled quite to the bottom.
Now all this is simple knowledge. 1t is
science. One may ask Of it, as OF all other
science, what good is ii after it is known?
The man who has a full crop, full cluster,
full ears-twenty-five bushels to the acre
-thrashes it out and gets the money; and
he gets the money whether he knows how
the ears were filed out or not. This is
true, and yet somehow" it is a general
rule that the man who knows the most
makes the most Germantown Telegraph.
Year: 1874

A wife wanted her husband to
sympathize with her in feminine
quarrel. but he refused, saying,
1--we lived long enough to learn that
one woman is just as good as
another, if not better" "And L."
retorted the exasperated wife.
."have lived long enough to learn
that one man is just as bad as
another, if not worse ~
Year: 1874

If you invest money in tools, and
then leave them exposed to the
weather, it is the same as loaning
money to a spend-thriit without Sc
curity-a dead loss in both cases.


If you invest money in books, and
never read them, 1t is the same as
putting your money into bank and
never drawing either principal or
interest.


If you invest your money in fine
stock, and do not feed and protect
them and properly care for them, it
is the same as dressing your wife in
silk to do kitchen work.


If you invest your money in choice
fruits, and do not guard and give
them a chance to grow and prove
their value. it is the same as putting
a good hand into the field with poor
tools to work with.


If you invest your money in a
good farm. and do not cultivate il
we'll, it is the same IS marrying a
good wife and SO abusing and en-
shaving her as to crush her energies
and break her heart.


Iflyou invest your money in fine
house, and do not cultivate your
mind and taste SO as to adorn il with
intelligence and refinement. it is as
il you were TO wear broadcloth and
silk hat to mill.


III you invest your money i'm hna
clothes, and do not wear them with
dignity and ease, it is as il plow-
man were to sit at . jewelers. table
to make and adjust .hair-springs


II You invest your money in streng
drink, it is the same as turning
hnngry hogs into grown ccrn-feld
ruin will follow in both cases.
Year: 1874

The late Prof. Agassiz was never
injured hy the bite of o snake or the
poison of any venemous reptile.
herb or fower-a fact attributed to
the courage and impunity with which
the naturalist mo red among them in
their wild and heterogeneous state.
Year: 1874

Prof. Winchell said that he did not
see any gold in the Black Hills, nor did
any one bring any to him for examina-
ton. Some brought what they thought
was gold bearing quartz, but on cxami-
nation he found it to be mica scales
stained with iron rust. Iron often gets
into mica and colors it, causing frequent
mistakes in that way. He would not
say but what there was gold there, and
some parties may have discovered gold,
but he saw none, and therefore he was
of the opinion that there was none
there. lie was led to believe that the
reports Of gold were groundless from
another reason, viz: that the character
Of the men who talked up the cxpcdi-
tion urging the government to explore
the Black Hills, would lead any one to
distrust their statements. These men
were miners and advcnturcrs who pro-
fess to be practical miners, but who have
always lived on and profitcd by excite
ment. They were stock jobbers who
probably own extinct claims now in
different parts of the country and who
wish to profit out Of this expedition.
He did not say that Gen. Custer or the
military authorities have been intlu-
enced by these men. They may have
been practical miners but they were
also practical schomers.


The reporters accompanying the OK.
pedition derived all their information
concerning the reported gold discover
les from those men, and so did General
Custer. No one but these men pre-
tended to have taken out any gold, or
to have seen any anywhere. 1t would
have been very easy for them, with the
view Of raising this excitement, to have
taken with them quantity Of gold
dust and then washed it in their pans.
lie would not say that they did so, but
that they might have done SO, and i'll
deed the possibilities for so doing were
so great that he thought it a good rca-
son for distrusting their statement.
Year: 1874

During the past few years efforts have
been made to improve the tomato in size,
selidity, favor and earliness Of maturity
There has been progress in all these di-
rections, not perhaps so much actual inn
provement as some Of us believe, but
still good tomatoes have in the new kinds
sustained their reputation. Old varieties
seem to gradually give way or else people
tire Of them, and they thus disappear
We have no tomato the same as we had
thirty years ago, at least under the same
name, and yet we had them pretty large
and good kinds even at that day.


Without entering closely into the his
torical part Of this inquiry, we yet think
our tomatoes have really improved in
smootbness and quality as general thing,
when any one has taken any interest in
having good article: and in tomato cul-
ture there certainly has been marked i'm
provement. Recently there have been
brought before the community several
ideas worthy of note in those who strive
for the very best article. In regard to
training, it is asserted that much better
fruit-especially for eating raw-can be
had from plants fastened to slant stakes,
than when the plants are allowed to run
at will over the ground, or even when
they are fastened to slanting trelliscs.-
Heavy stakes are required Of course, as
the great weight of plant in fruit cannot
be borne by light stakes.


In regard to training the plants, much
attention has been given to thinning the
branches, especially when grown on
stakes, and in shortening back some Of
the branches to within few buds Of
where the fruit is to set Those who
have followed this practice judiciously re-
port good results.


But the latest novelty iu tomato culture
is in the matter of root-pruning in order
to produce earliness. In this matter some
surprising results have been achieved, ac-
cording to those who have given in their
experience. While the plants are young
they are transplanted several times, which,
of course, destroys some of the roots, and
after they are put out into their inal rest
ing places, a spade is once in while
thrust down into the grouni foot or so
from the main stalk In this, of course.
size and perhaps quality is sacrificed to
few weeks earliness but many are will
ing to pay this penalty for the sake Of the
early dish The principle here is much
the same as is often done to get early
grapes when ring of bark is taken of.
The supply of food being checked the re-
suit is early fruit, but with slightly i'm
paired flavor.


These are the leading suggestions that
have been made in improved tomato cul-
ture, during the past few years--not
great improvements, it is true, but still
not without value. e.---Germantomn 1ele-
1raph
Year: 1874

UNFoRTuNArE.-That Danbury dyspep-
sia eurer says in his bunch of items -
Another match broken up. This between
clerk in a well known dry goods store
and lady on Essex street. 1t was SO
warm ON Friday evening, that she had the
window up, and he stood on the lawn, and
they were cooling to each other, and he
was just reaching up for another kiss
when the sash came down like a flash, and
knocked off the peak of his nose and
scalped his chin, and he hoped around
so madly, and howled so dreadfully, tha,
the old gentleman thought be was drunk
and had him kicked out of the yard with a
great deal of ostentation. Monday morn
ing he went West.
Year: 1874

A PYRoTEcHNIo SRoRY.-A Wilkinson
county, Ga, man carried home some fire
works for his son and heir, and his wife
undertook to superintend the display
The husband protested that he would fix
the partner of his joys, to the effect that
some men thought they knew everything
silenced him. The woman then proceed
ed to show her son how it was done. She
fjrst seized a Roman candle and grimly
proceeded to ignite it, The fuse was damp,
and to facilitate matters the woman famed
the spark into life by blowing gu it. The
response of the candle was too sudden
to contemplate.


The front hair and eyebrows of the ad-
yenturous female disappeared as if by mag
ic and the candle fell into the collection Of
fra works, and proceeded to fire itself off
with great eXaotness, igniting the other
projectiles. A casual sky-roeket skinned
along the grass, causing the family cat to
make an ascent of the nearest tree with
great violence, while a fiery serpent tool,
refuge in the husbands bosom. The
auther of all the trouble, discovered that
her clothes were on fire, sailed around the
house with as much earnestness as the
liveliest pyrotechnic, and it was some time
before the frightened husband could arrest
her wild career. Later, the son and heir
was found under the house with the back
of his jacket burned out. The woman is
now an invalid, and the man writes to a
friend that he never had more enjoyable
New Year.
Year: 1874

AN ABSURD ACCIDENT Sixteen or
eighteen years ago two embryo statesmen
were candidates for the office of county
surveyor at ST. Louis-a position scarcely
worthy the aspiration of true greatness
To-day the successful candidate is St.
Louis alderman. while the other, through
the most remarkable chapter of absurd
accidents the world ever sw, is President
of the United States -Comier-Journal.
Year: 1874

CARE OF GRINpsroNEs "A grindstone
should not be exposed to the weather, as
it not only injuries the wood work. but the
suns rays harden the stone and render it
useless. Neither should it stand in the
water in which it runs, as the part re-
naming in water softens SO much that it
wears unequally.
Year: 1874

An excellent index to ChOrley's "Art and
Society been issued 10y the publishers. H. Holt
Co. which will furnish valuable aid To the reading OF
that agreeable book. Tue publishers announce that
they will furnish copy OF the index Oh the application
of any purchaser Of the original work.
Year: 1874

WAsHINGTON, June l6.-The COM
mittee for the investigation OF the Dis
trict of Columbia affairs have made their
report. They are OF the opinion that
the board of public works adopted errO-
neous and, in their results, vicious
method I'm letting contracts They con-
denim the loose manner in which busi-
ness generally was conducted. The to-
tai debt of the district is fixed at nearly
sorty-seven million dollars and q recon-
dation is made that for the protection
of the government some unvaTying
rule be established for the ascertAinment
OF what tine government should con-
tribute toward the expenses of the dis
trict. The committee are convinced
that the accounts of the board Of public
works were unreliable and inaccurate,
and the provisions OF law requiring their
verifiestiOn were not complied with ac-
cording to the letter and spirit. The
committee recommend the appTopria-
tion Of one million dollars, to place the
government Of the district on cash
basis as to correct expenditures the
abolition of the executive, the secretary
of the district, the legislative assembly,
the board Of public works, and the office
of delegate in congress.