smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

Ferrets are the great resort Of affiict-
ell farmers in England. Some men
make regular business going round
with them and giving rat infested
houses "run" In consideration Of the
payment Of ten dollar bill. The fer
rets are rather expensive creatures,
costing about thirty dollars u pair.
They are 80 long and slim and supple
that they can almost tic their own bod
les In knot and be crawling out of it
again at one end before the knot at the
othor end Is completed. A medium
sized augcr holo can be utilized by
them with ease, tho only trouble being
that the augcr hole Is apt to be strulgt
and the terrets used to doubling up and
arching their backs and going through
all sorts of strange commissions with
their bodies-as though to show Off
their graceful curves-woulu feel quite
lost In having to keep their straight
natural position, even though for the
space of ono second. They are never
still minute, except, perhaps, when
| they sleep, and then, like their nearest
cousin the weasel, they are apt to sleep
with their eyes open. Their life Is ono
Of continuous and constant activity.
When they arc not crawling into rat
holes ut the bidding of al inexorable
master, they arc at home in cages,
where they run to and fro like pcnned
up lions. Often the ferret is seen with
scratches OH his nose or decorations on
the neck. These arc the little remom-
branccs of his encounters with his
natural enemy, the rat. The rat will
not fghG ferret when he can get
away. The largest rat will run from
them. They can smell them long be-
fore they can see them, ana that is tho
signal for them to fly or remain and
die IL subterrancan and ignoblo death.
Young rats in nests arc at the terrots
mercy, and the ferrets are not slow to
show them such mercy us their craving
stomachs afford. They do not eat the
ucsh. They insert their teeth and,
weazlc-likes suck all the blood out of
their bodies, then leave them. This is
the great point ferret men make over
tho modern style Of getting rid of rats
by poison. They cry down the poison
system and declare that by killing rats
III that manner, life In n house about
which the rats perish Is rendered al.
most intolerable by the stencil their de-
caying carcasscs create. By killing
them with ferrets this is avoided, they
claisl, for the latter take all tho blood
from them and the carcasscs, insteado OF
dccaying, dry up. After all, tho ferrets
arc doing more than is generally
expected of them when they kill grown
rats. Their principal use Is to drive
the vermin from their holes up to the
light Of day, where Scotch terriers and
nets and clubs in the hands Of the ier-
rets' masters do the rest,
Year: 1879

Tho effect which the sudden seeing
of themselves us others see them had
upon several Siamese women is mar
rated by lady: a few weeks ago,
couple of Siamcsc women came to see
and to look at my house. They con-
slider 1t great treat to look at my
house. They consider it a greater treat
If invite them them through my
rooms, and let them look at my bed,
my table, my chairs, my pictures and
my nick-nacks, and especially if they
can get look at themselves in the
mirror on my bureau. One or two of
those who came had been there before,
and they were telling of how they
looked in the glass till the others were
all anxious to sec too, so they gathered
in a crowd and stood before the mirror.
One quick look, and then Il surprised, :,
startled cry, and some OF them hid
their faces, others jumped away, and
some looked about to see who was
really there. They had never seen
themselves before, and did not know
how miscTably they looked with their
black teeth and naked bodies. They
drew their scarfs over their breasts and
tried to hide from the sight of them
solves. One turned and said to mo:
'We are very hateful looking, don't
you think SOP" did not tell them
had always thought so, but l said ::
"Now, since you know how you look,
Is 1t any wonder that we tell you to
wear more clothes and to quit chewing
betcl9 ?" Some OF them would not be
induced to look the second time, while
others stood and looked.
Year: 1879

AS the Charlotte train steamed into
the depot, n lady ran out IN tn, crowd
In an excited manner inquiring for an
officer. From her anxiety It would
seem rs If the whole police forco was
indispensable just Mt that tine and at
that precise part of the world. Detcc-
tive Kavanagh was by tho lady's side
ina moment, but it was Il long time be-
fore ho could CLEAN from her wild cx.
prcssions just what was the matter.
At last he learned that she had come
up on tho Charlotte train, and had
taken her satchcl and g0no into tic
Falls train. She left it on tho seat and
stepped from tho cars to get some
lunch. When she returned to the cars
III own satchel was missing and an
"old nausty" valise left instead. Kay
anagh Immediately went to work to set
matters Alright, and entering tho car
the lady pointed out to him tho place
whore she had left her satchcl and the
one that had been substituted for It.
Then Kavanagh looked In the next
scat and there saw another satchel.


MADAM" said he to tho lady, "pcr-
haps this Is the ark that contains the
worldly necessities of your railroad
journey through life," and he held 1t
up between the thumb and foreflnger
of his tiny right hand. (Kavanagh
can wear Perinot's number 80


Then the lady's faco became perfect
rainbow Of cOlors; she blushed like a
summer rose, and Immediately grew
white as snow; hor eyes opcned
wido In establishments; she tried to
speak but couldn't; at last she said:


"I---I-I-bc-te-lieve, do dc-do
CLAW that weally is mine"


Then Kavanagh politely took off his
centennial straw hat and bowed HIM
self out.


The truth was as obtained by one Of
our reporters in subsequent interview
that tho lady went to the wrong seat
on re-cntering the car, and wishing to
procure handkerchief from tho satch-
cl-she thoughG was hcrs-opencd 1t
and thcre sight met her bcwildered
gaze that would scare phalanx Of the
weaker scx. The frat thing that mot
her eye was the general confusion Of
the contents, which was proof positive
that tho owner was not Of tho feminine
gender. Then there appeared to view
a shaving cup, a piece of soap, m old
clay pipe and pair Of bifurcatcd gar
ments wrapped around a paper box.
No further investigation was necessary
to convince tho feminine mind that tho
"hawred contents did not belong to
her." No wonder sho sought the pro-
lection Of tho police, No wonder Kav-
anagh blushed for the first tlmo in his
life, and would have been run over by
tho second Atlantic express If the Yes
uvlous had not lifted him ten feet in
the air with an octagonal basso pro-
fundo Of of"I.o-o-k-c-c- out thar"
Year: 1879

If a taIlow candle be placed in q
gun and shot at a door, it will go
through without sustaining injury;
but if a musket ball be fired into
the water, it will not only rebound
but be fattened; if fired through a
pane OF glass, it will make hole
the size of the ball without cracking
the glass; if suspended by a thread
it will make no difference, and the
thread will not even vibrate. Cork,
If sunk two hundred feet in the
ocean, will not rise on account OF
the pressure of the water. In the
Arctic regions, when the thermom.
eter is below zero, persons can con-
verse more than a mile distant. Dr..
Jamison asserts that he heard
every word of a sermon at a dis
tance of two miles. We have writ
ten upon paper manufactured from
iron, and have seen a book with
leaves and binding of the same ma
terial.-T Exchange.
Year: 1879

agency they can bring to bear will
be used to defeat this settlement in
order that they may make US pay
more in the future. Pretended
friends of the people will go about
insinuating doubts, trying to keep
men from voting, or urging them to
vote against it. All this is the
moving of the wax figures by the
skillful hands of Peter Geddes' ring
of milliohaires. The people are de-
termined to make this settlement,
and the demagogues who are bank
rupt in everything but impudence
will be scorned by the people when
they seek to mislead.- Jackson
Tribune.
Year: 1879

The following proposition from
Tennessee appears in the Phlladel-
phia Record;


see in your paper statement
that Prof. King, the aeronaut, is
preparing for an ocean trip in the
air with balloons. 1 have once
proposed to propel and guide Prof.
Kings balloon at Nashville, Tenn i,
but from some cause he treated the
proposition with silent contempt.
You may state in the Record that l
am unable to get means to put my
flying machine ia operation, and
means alone prevent me from navi-
eating the air successfully. 1 have
my invention patented in the Uni
ted States and Canada. l fully be
lieve that | can cross the briny
deep and explore the North pole,
carry the mail and money matters
from point to point. 1 will say this
to the man or men that will furnish
me the means-say two or three
thousand dollars-to start it. He
or they shall have my patent as col
lateral surety till they are paid 50
for each one they furnish me.
am ready to give any further infor
nation / can on this subject.


l can take Prof. Kings balloon
and cross the ocean, or any balloon
that is sufficient to bear me up
long enough but 1 want my balloon
made more in the shape of cigar,
so 1 can place my machine and sit
ting car under it, and my propell
ing and guiding power on top of it.
This is a principle that is as true
as any other principle; but science
has failed to reach il, and therefore
it is condemned. Once understood,
it is quite simple. 1 can navigate
the air on the bird principle, with
out q balloon; but l cannot carry so
much freight. As soon as | start
the balloon, and get the means, l
viii start the pleasure cars. VIII
you be so kind as to publish this
truth, for good? 7 dare you to test
me. j. j. PENNINGTON.


Heuryville, Tenn, June 3. 1879
Year: 1879

Many who condescend to illuml-
nate this dark world with the fire
of their genius through the col
umns of newspaper little think OF
the lot of the printer,who sits up at
midnight to correct their false
grammar and orthographY and
worse punctuation. We have seen
the arguments of lawyers, in high
repute as scholars, sent I'd the prin
ter in their own handwriting. many
words. especially technical and for
eipn abbreviated, word s
misspelled and few or no points,
and these few, if any, certainly in
the wrong places. We have seen
the sermons of eminent 'divines'
sent to the press without points or
capitals to designate the division
of the sentences; also the letters OF
the political and scientific cores
pondents. Suppose all these had
been so printed-the printer would
have been treated with scorn and
contempt. No one would have be-
lIeved that such gross and palpable
faults were owing TO the ignorance
or carelessness of the author; and
no one but the practical printer
knows how many hours the com
positor, and after him the proof
reader, is compelled to spend in re-
dacing to readable condition manu-
script that often writer's themselves
would be puzzled TO read.
Year: 1879

EDITOR CITIZEN For six weeks
or more past arrangements have
been in progress of completion for
a grand celebration of the 103rd an


niversary of our national indepen


dendence, in this city. The pro-
gram of exercises to celebrate the
day had been extensively published
and all the railroads leading into our
city had agreed to reduce their rates
so as to induce visitors to come and
see what Chattanooga could do when
she "spread herself" The effect of
advertising was fully exemplified,
when on the evening of the 3rd Of
July, strangers from the surround


ing country, from Georgia, Ala
bama, Mississippi, and various por-
tions of our own State, commenced
pouring in upon every train. By
midnight every hotel in town was
crowded to everhowing and the
streets were blockaded with living
stream of human beings, wandering
around, determined, as they could
not obtain lodgings to make "a
night of itP' There was a continu


Gus roar and hum of human voices
heard on all hands which effectually
drove sleep from the eyelids of those
who attempted to seek repose, and
which did not cease the whole of
the night. At about O'Clock on
the morning of the 4th all the bells
In town were rung, all the steam
whistles were set to whisJling, and
to add to the din, salute of artil-
lery was fired by a section of the
Burns Artillery, which came down
from Nashville for the occasion.
Soon the sound of drum and horn
was heard announcing the coming
of the "Horribles'' body of mask


ers on horseback, in wagons and on
foot. gotten up in every conceivable
manner to appear luaicrous or fright
Year: 1879

An Iowa husband furnished his
wife fifty dollars to buy a silk
dress, but instead of doing so she
put the money in the bank, let 1t
remain there eighteen. years, added
to it whenever she could, and the
other day paid off mortgage on
the farm. Is comment necessary.
Year: 1879

There occurred in the 18th dis
trict last week quite novel legal,
or rather illegal, case of replevy.
AS we have heard some of the his
tory coming from friends of both
parties, we will endeaYor to give a
bit of it. a woman put in to board
with her aunt for a short time, sell
ing to her or putting in pawn to Sc
cure payment a COW. After a brief
portion of the time expired, she
concluded to leave and asked her
bill, and desired to take 'Brindle"
with her. Objections were made
and the COW imprisoned. The for
mer owner went away and secured
some help from some of her male
friends, and with fence rails and the
force of circumstane they under
took to break down the door and
''replevy' the cow. 1t is said the
boys who waited in the bushes to
assist in driving the animal are in
jail; the party who worked at the
door escaped. The niece, under
stand, justifies her act by PLEADING
that she was on slim rations-could
not stay longer and that her board
for the brief stay wasn't worth
more than a moiety of the real value
of the property bargained. The
aunt claimed the cash or its equiv
alent for the time, real time, she
boarded the niece. The judge, ju
rors and attorneys may expect the
case sooner or later. The names
are withheld because the case is
known about as far as are the par.
ties concerned.
Year: 1879

A newspaper and a newspaper
editor that people don't talk about
and sometimes abuse, are rather
poor concerns. The man and bust
ness that an editor sometimes feels
it a duty to defend at the risk OF
making enemies, are often the very
first to show ingratitude. The edi
tor who expects to receive much
charity or gratitude, will soon find
out his mistake, but he should go
on and say and do what he consci
entiously thinks right without re
gard to frowns and smiles.- Talla-
poosa Gazette.
Year: 1879

The pencil marks you see around this
paragraph (thus) mean that your SUBJ
scription is out or unpaid, and that you
arc requested TO pay up at once. Wo
would take great pleasure in extending
credit to our friends and patrons, but
cash alone will yay our expenses, and
we are forced to adhere to a strict cash
rule. We hope you viii comprehend
and appreciate the necessity OF such
course, and renew your su scription
without delay. We solicit your favor.


CE- We enter no new names on our
books without the money in advance
Year: 1879

An odd genius says nearly all the
stoop-shouldered people one sees
got the habit from going through
life with their eyes in the dust look
ing for dimes. And he might just
as well have added that most of those
who carry high-heads learned to do
so by looking up into the trees of
nights where their neighbours chick
ems rOost.
Year: 1879

After enjoying the Spontaneous
hospitality of all the "strong gov
ernments'' in the Old World, Gen.
Grant will find little to admire in a
simple republic that will not even
permit platoon of infantry to sur
round the ballot box, nor a cavalry
detail to guard the approaches to
the pOlis.
Year: 1879

The Nashville Banner, in the
course of a long article reciting the
progress of the city, says: Any one
who takes walk through the city
can not fail to note the numerous
new buildings gong up, and at the
same time, to note the substantial
character of the same. Vacant lots
are rapidly disappearing from sight
and improvements may be seen on
all hands. This certainly indicates
a revival of interest in real estate,
and marks the beginning of bet
ter era in the real estate market.
Year: 1879

Nashville Banner: The poten-
tates of England have never one
single time for two hundred years
used the veto power. When the
ministry is defeated, instead of We
tong the Objectionable law, the
ministers resign and the question


goes to the people, when, if they
are in favor of it, men are sent to
the Parliament to sustain it, and
the queen acquiesces. The use OF
the veto power by Queen Victoria,
however legitimate it may be-she


Las the right to use it-would pre-
clpitate the whole country into a
revolution. Yet Mr.. Hayes will
not hesitate to use it as freely as a
maiden would say no to an impor-
tunate lover, solely for partizan
purposes. And still he is assumed
to be the President of the people.
Year: 1879

Why have wells a tendency to promote
sunburn and freckles? Because they in
crease the power of the SUMS light. Why
does flannel covering keep man warm
in winter, and ice from melting in sum-
mer? Because it both prevents the passage
of heat from the man and to the ice. Why
does a person with cold in the head,
catarrh from the eyes and nose, experi
ence more relief on applying to the face a
linen and cambric handkerchief than ore
made of cottonp Because the linen by
conducting power really absorbs the heat
and diminiShes the inflammation, while
the latter, by refusing to give passage to
the heat, in creases the temperature and
the pain Because the quantity of imper
iectly conducted air thus confined around
the body resists the escape of the animal
heat
Year: 1879

There is touch of pathos about do- ing even the simplest thing "for the last t1me." It is not alone kissing the dead that gives us this strange pain. You feel 1t when you have looked your last time upon some scene you have loved when you stand upon some quiet city street where you know that you will never stand again. The actor, playing his part for the last time; the singer, whose voice is cracked hopelessly, and who after this once will never stand be- fore the sea of upturned faces, disputing the plaudits with the fresher voices and

 fairer forms the minister, who has

 the hidden bitterness of the two words,

 "never again" How they come to us on our birthdays as we grow older.

 Never again young, always nearer and nearer to the very last-the end which is universal, "the last thing which shall follow all last things, and turn them, let us hope, from pains to joys" We put away our boyish toys with an odd heart ache. We are too old to walk any longer on our stilts-too tall to play marbles on the sidewalks. Yet there was 8 pang when we thought we had played with our merry thoughts for the last time and life's serious grown-up work was wait ing for us. Now, we do not want the lost toys back. Life has other and larger playthings for US. May it not be these, too, shall seem in the light of some far-of games as the boyish games seem 10 our manhood, and we shall learn that death is but the opening of the gate into the new land of promise
Year: 1879

and they were engaged to be married. Her parents broke of the match by se- cretly sending her away to boarding school. This so preyed upon Austin's mind that he gave up business and started out to find her. He travelled from State to State, but in vain, and finally, when his money was nearly spent, he resolved to settle down in Penn- sylvania. He fell into the hands of land speculators, who soon got what cash he had, and deeded him the barren tract of land upon which he now lives. His astonishment when he saw the "farm" thst had been deeded him may be imag- ined. He found nothing but 8 forest, and as storm came up he was obliged to take refuge in cave in a ledge of rocks. This cave he has ever since in habited. For nearly twenty years he subsisted upon wild fruit and nuts, and in the winter he trapped game and fish. For three years the hermit never saw a human being. Previous to beginning life as hermit he was proud of his per- sonal appearance, but he grew negli- gent, and thick, shaggy beard covered his face, and his hair grew long, far down below his shoulders. From the time he began his hermit life he has never drawn a razor across his face. But he has grown tired of that kind of life, and lately told 8 correspondent of a Philadelphia paper that he intended to return to civilization to die.

 Another clergyman bolted out of his church, and because of the choir. There IS not, it is safe to say, says N. Y. Herald Chats by the Way, one clergy man in thousand who is so richly gifted by nature that he can handle a tirst-class quartet and keep them in &C., cord, and he who attempts to do it will find to his sorrow that the pulpit end of the church is easier to take care of than the organ end. Four delicately consti- tuted musicians, brought together by means of large salaries, and expected to sing to the praise of the Lord by soaring to high O and dropping to low D, are apt to suppose that the minister and the sermon are merely the accessories of their music, and they must be treated as tenderly and humored as constantly as the inmates of lunatic asylum, each of whom has pet theory of his own. Still, if minister undertakes the task of smoothing down their troubled souls and fails, he ought not to wait to have the doors bolted before he leaves. The virtue of resignation ought to be culti- vated, the resignation to take place i'm mediately. It is Christian grace not to stay anywhere when your welcome is worn out.
Year: 1879

Anewspaper correspondent who visited the late Daniel Drew soon after his bank ruptcy proceedings were announced, found him exceedingly communicative. "I had been wonderfully blessed in money-making," he remarked. ssI got to be millionaire before I know'd it, hardly. I was always pretty lucky till lately, and I didn't think I could ever lose very extensively. I was ambitious to make great fortune like Vanderbilt and l tried every way I knew, but got caught at last. Besides that I liked the excitement of making money and giving it away. I have given a good deal of money away and I am glad of it. So much has been saved, anyhow. Wall street WAS a great place for making money, and I couldn't give up the busi- ness when I ought to have done so. Now I see very clearly what ought to have done. I ought to have left the Street eight or ten years ago and paid up what owed. When I gave $1OO,- 900 to this institution and that, I ought to have paid the money. And I ought to have provided for my children by giving them enough to make lem rich for life. Instead of that I gave my notes and only paid the interest on 'em, thinking I could do better with the principal myself. One of the hardest things I've had to bear has been the fact that I couldn't continue to pay the interest on the notes I gave to the schools and churches.

 s'I gave my son the old homestead and some other property up in Putnam county, where we came from, which I hope will make him independent at least. My daughter had married rich man, and when he died, leaving con- siderable property to five children, I was made executor of the will. For so sacred trust as that I was obliged to give security, which I did by making over to them this house where we now are rsand the North River steamboats, the Drew, Dean Richmond, St. John, and Chauncey Vibbard. This security makes them whole, and I thank God that breach of trust to them is not on my conscience. The mother, my daugh. ter, is of course we'll provided for through her children and deceased husband. My sons principal business now is in con- nection with the management of the boats, by which he is getting on very we'll"