smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

There is true hero living at North
Boscawen, N. H., and his name is
Jonathan Plummer. 1t will be remem-
bered that in the summer Of 1871 an
old building at that place suddenly
settled, and one corner of it swayed
over on the railroad track. The pas
senger train was due in few minutes,
and this Mr.. Plummer, q young and ac-
tive trackman, discovering the danger,
promptly seized an axe and cut of q
post OF the building in order to swing
the structure from the track. He ac-
complished his purpose, and endeavored
to leap from his dangerous position,
but was crushed and mangled in the
ruins. In a moment the train, behind
time, swept by with its passengers in
safety. The brave section man was
found to have been terribly injured In
his spinal column and lower limbs, and
to this day has never been able to leave
his bed. The railroad company has
furnished cottage at North Boscawen
for himself and wife, and continue him
at half pay upon the section-roll. MIR.
Plummer is free from pain only q
small part Of the time, but in his mis-
fortune he exhibits o patience and
cheerfulness that stamp him with the
highest nobility Boston Journal
Year: 1874

An English technical periodicalpoints
out an easy way of testing whether wa
ter is good and fit for general use.. 1t
says:


"Good water should be free from
color, unpleasant odor and taste: ana
should quickly afford lather with
small portion Of soap. II half pint OF
the water beplaced in perfectly clean,
colorless, glass-stoppered bottle, a few
Grains Of the best white lump sugar
added, and the bottle freely exposed to
the daylight in the window OF q warm
room, the liquid should not become tur-
bid, even after exposure for week OF
ten days. If the water becomes turbid
IL is open to the grave suspicion OF
sewage contamination, but il It remain
clear il is almost certainly safe. We
owe to Heisch this simple, valuable, but
hitherto strangely neglected test" =
Year: 1874

The New York Sta,, noting the fact
that the highest average wages paid to
women in the better class of employ
ments into which they are crowded is
S7a week, admits that upon this sum a
woman with no one depending upon
her, and with health and strength, can
find home, wholesome food, and have
enough left for modest clothing.


But she must be attractively clothed,
and economies, therefore, where it
will least show.


She goes without clothing sufficient
for decency or warmth, the editor says;
she wears altered underclothes or none,
ragged stockings or worn-out shoes.
She does not do this without shame and
concealment, at least at first but in
every struggle which enables her to do
it she loses that which she never can
regain.


A widow with children, on the same
sum, abapdons at the outset everything
beyond mere existence, and home in
dark, greasy tenement house, sur
rounded by low and vicious inmates.


The extra penny on pail of coal,
a frozen potato in the measure, brings
tears to her eyes. She is not clothed ;
she is only covered. If she has hus,
band and he at home idle, her fate is
only so much the worse there is an
other mouth to feed-that of q strong
though helpless man. To keep ones
faith in God, to hold ones self-respect,
to be true to the better instincts of true
womaHhood is all that the strongest
can do. He who helps the widow and
the fatherless in times like these, says
the Star, takes the place of the Divine
Master; he who lays straw in the
path of any serves well and faithfully
the devil himself.
Year: 1874

The Cincinnati Commercial, speak
ing of the closing scenes in the ad-
ministration of Governor Noyes, of
Ohio, and of the Inauguration Of Gov
ernor Allen, says:


Hundreds of guests had called, and
scores were calling, to say their good.
bys to Governor Noyes. Among those
who entered the chamber, however, was
an old man, thin, wrinkled, pale, and
gray-haired, and much bent by age and
manifest suffering. He timidly asked
to see the Governor, who stepped aside
to a window with him. The old man
said he would have called before, but
had been sick. He came at that late
hour to make an appeal for the pardon
of an erring son who had been confined
in the Penitentiary for seven years, and
who had three more to serve.


"What is the name Of your son?
asked the Governor. The old man gave
it. Governor Noyes then, without
making him any definite reply, re-
quested him to step into his private
room and wait till he was at leisure.
The fact was, the pardon had been
granted early that morning, and the old
mans daughter had already gone to
carry the pardon to her brother and ac-
company him from the Penitentiary to
the Governors Office. In few min
utes the liberated man arrived with his
sister, neither expecting to find the
other there, and the father not dream
ing that the pardon had already been
granted. One can readily imagine the
scene as the Governor conducted the
two to his private room. The son flew
to his father and embraced him, and
then, finging his arms around the Gov
ernor's neck, covered his face with
kisses. The old man, overcome by the
great happiness of the moment, sank
into his char, sobbing like child.


There were no dry eyes in that room,
and those who, few minutes later,
were talking and chatting with the re-
firing Governor in the reception room,
little imagined in what touchiNgly
pathetic scene he had been partici-
pant. The liberated man has a wife,
and child eight years old. sister, and
aged parents. 1t will be pleasant re.
Election during his lifetime to General
Noyes that it was one of the last acts
of his executive power to fill one house.
hold with the sunshine of happiness,
and restore the beloved one long sepa.
rated from them, who had fearfully
condoled for his crime.
Year: 1874

A very singular present has been
made to the aquarium of the Jardin
d'Acclimitization at Paris. 1t is me-
dusa polyp, which, on the day after its
entry into the pool assigned it, had
created void around it, and skillfully
got rid of all its neighbors. How
This was mystery until the water Of
the pool was analysed. The water was
found to be converted into solution Of
vinegar, and it was apparent that it was
one of those very rare mollusks, the
vinegar polyp, whose body, upon its
being immersed in pure water, pres
emily gives forth a strongly character
lied acetic solution. The working OF
this animal is very curious. 1t pro-
duces alcohol, which it transforms into
vinegar. The poisonous mollusk was.
of course, quickly withdrawn, and
placed in clarified vinegar in a closed
jar, where it will pursue undisturbed
the economical manufacture of vinegar.
Year: 1874

Ny husband claims the second item
to be the result of an accident, and the
third item he considers as one of the
mysterious dispensations Of Providence
which mortals may not investigate.


For my part, and confdentially, Mr..
Editor, I do wish you would publish
some plan of life which would give US q
little more variety for our bill of fare |;
and also, if you can consistently do 80,
advise the fathers of families not to ad-
here too strictly to preconceived sys-
tenn of living, and thus save for many
fond mother the presence of little ones,
who are darling treasuses, even if they
know naught about the harmonies Of
perfect code of domestic economy
Boston Journal.
Year: 1874




Note By wife.-Our fuel is burned in
two stoves, our coal hods are filed
every morning and must last through
each day. To regulate the consump-
ton, we have two sticks of unequal
lengths these are used to measure the
emptiness of the coal hods. When
noon comes tho first stick must just
reach the level of the coal in each hod.
The second stick is to adjust the
amount to be burned from noon until
four o'clock in the afternoon. The
quantity remaining in each hod after
that must last until We retire.


On Thursday by inadvertence the
drafts in the stoves were kept open too
long, and evening found US without
coal in the hods, and as our family is
regulated by perfect system, it was
not allowable to take more coal from
the bin (all defalcations result from
Thursday taking a part OF Fridays
coal), consequently the baby caught
cold. By Friday bad case OF Group
was developed, and on Saturday morn
ing our little darling passed on. As
the head of the family was returning
homeward on Friday evening he not
ticed piece of paper suitable for
kindling in the gutter, and STOPPING to
pick it up he slipped and irremediably
tore his panlaloons. So that our


/. Expenses for the week as shown be-


fore are. ;......... 30 80
2. Expenses for new pantaloons. 90
8. Funeral expenses and expenses Of


last sickness of infant. ............ 80 90
Year: 1874

That there is great and pressing need
for radical reformation in our State Con-
stitution, all parties agree, bnt tho only
difference is in the means to be used to
effect this end. II is claimed that com,


mission, appointed by the Governor, with


the concurrence of the Legislature, will
effect tho end desired, with less waste Of
time, and money, than the old and long


established, and well approved rule, Of
calling Constitutional Convention,
Of men fresh from the bosom Of the peo-
pie, intent only upon the greatest good to
the greatest number. In these latter
days the encroachmonts upon tho rights,


liberties and privileges of the citizens
have been many and bold; they have been
so often repeated and so patiently born
that these workers In the ranks of Cen
tralism suppose that all they have to do
in any given ease is to tack On taking
name, to cover the most shameful attack
upon the liberties of the people, and they
swallow it, with carelessness, and often
with avidity. This alasl has been too
true. We doubt if ever more danger


GUS or wanton conspiracy against the


prerogatives Of the people was


formed than this one of q commission to
do an act, in which the whole people are


interested, and which can only be done
by themselves in solemn convocation le-


gally, or in accordance with long and
we'll tried rule. The time is at hand
when it were well for the people to scru>


tinize closely every move In the direction


Of this dangerous and exceedingly repu6-


lican idea Of centering the power to rule
and govern, in the hands Of q few men.
The alleged expense attending the
callingof,a convention is all tmoonshine"
and Texas deserves no better Constitu-


tion than she now has, if this consdera,
ton alone shall restrain her from having
one that her people will ratify and hears
tlly endorse. Thi, is the song the advo>
Gates of Commission would sing to lure
the people into despotism, as cruel and
as hateful as was ever fastened upon
people by any power on earth; outsdoing
by far, any act of the previous bad gov,
ernment of the State, becsuse in this in.
stance the blow would come from eur
own household Of ofpolitical faith.


We venerate the man who Is an advo-
cate of the strictest and most rigid econ,
omy in all sorts Of expenditures, but
Texas has not money enough to buy a
''Cheap John" Constitution; and this is
just the botehed, halfway sort of thing
our friends who advocate commission
would furnish us.
Year: 1874

Two newspaper men in Memphis
have been shooting at each other,
without injury. Perhaps they fired
psper wads. The Statesman thinks
he Is . novice who makes himself per-
sonally responsible for the use of his
pen. Men are supposed to be respon.
sible Tor the words they speak. What
is the difference between those
formed by the tongue, and those
formed by the pen
Year: 1874

The Statesman reads som e:of his
exchanges a lesson upon what he
terms iact.ous opposition" which
we think well put. The committees
in the House are formed without ref
erence to the politics of the men, but
with sole reference to their ability
to do the work rqquired--or should
Year: 1874

1t issaid that Colossal Jack is still
hanging on at the White House, in
the hope of getting something ont of
the General Government to heal the
wounds of his recent defeat for the
State Senate. l''
Year: 1874

The Colorado Citizen has an able
review OF Gov. Coke's message, which
it heartily endorses. We recognize
the Citizen as one of the ablest Ind
best conducted Democratic papers in
this State, and are glad that our
Governor has the strong support OF
its able pen.
Year: 1874

SUDDEN BLINDNESS AND RECOVERY.
The Milwaukee Sentinel reports that
Mr.. Walter Greenwood, of Durand,
Wis, became totally blind quite sudden
ly, and remaining in darkness just one
week his sight returned to him as good
as usual. Mr. Greenwood was blind
from amourosis five months while in ma
val service during the war, which was
suspected to have been occasioned by the
heat aud over-exercise while on ship
board in the line OF duty, but the cause
of the recent attack was unknown, as h'
had been in his usual health for a long
time. The recovery was as sudden al
the attack. He applied no treatment
except hot water.
Year: 1874

A United States Judge in Maine has
decided that fugitive from Canada
cannot be returned TO that country for
embezzlement, the extradition treety not
covering the offence. The result is the
release Of dishonest insurance agent,
who had run away with 81, 200.
Year: 1874

This subject is attracting much attention
just now, especially as the facilities are so
good for obtaining eggs or young fish of sew.
eral kinds with which to stock artificial ponds.
in answer to an inquiry as to the profits of
fish culture for their flesh only, Mr.. Fred.
Mather, noted pisciculturist, writes to the
Forest and Stream as follows:


Fish culture is broad field, and after
all the successes which are on record there
are still skeptlcs. OF course there are fail
ures. So in all business One party had
not water enough another could not get
food, &c. But there are others who have
succeeded by having everything favorable
in connection with the requisite amount of
brains. One great drawback on private fish
cultursts has been, in my opinion, the desire
to confne themselves to what are called
game fishes They seem like boys who min
gle work and play. The game fishes are
more or less cannibals, aHd it is this that
raises the grayling in my estimation far
above the brook trout, for the trout are pis-
civorous as well as insectiyorous, while the
graylng cannot eat fish, but thrives on the
refuse Of the slaughter house as well as the
trout does, There are but few places suit.
able for raising trout on large scale, and
it is only on a large scale that it will pay.
An ordinary spring will suffice to furnish n
few, but to turn out ton or more year
requires not only large flow OF water, but
also great quantity Of food. There are
those who have made it pay. But l do not
feel at liberty to publish what little l know
of their business. Fish culture for profit
and fish culture for sport are distinct things
and the following gives my ideas on "game
fish,"


l. have kept fish at temperature of
609 in fact as high as 75S where there
was good flow and consequently rapid
change. 2. Don't dam ravine for pond ;
the wind will blow leaves in, which, with
the leaves and drift brought down by rains,
will clog the screens aud the floods will car
ry everything away. 3. If you dam the ra-
vine, do it high up, and lead the water in a
ditch along the hillside into ponds, aud lot
all flood and surface water 20 over the dam
and down the old channel, 4. l 6nd that
trout kept at tho head Of my spring, where
the temperature is 400 do not grow much
while those kept below, where it is 607
and 650 grow rapidly, and trout fry, i
lett free, will work down where the water is
even warmer. 3. Black bass, pickerel and
perch are recommended where the water is
too warm for trout, but these fish are all
cannibals the first named is good for the
table and the sportsman the second is a
gormandzing beast, unit TO associate with
decent dshea, and only eatable when nothing
better can be had the third is good little
pan fish, but terribly destructive to other
fish. O. If | were asked for list OF fishes
to be kept in water not suitable for trout or
grayling, it would comprise white fish, els.
Goes, smelts, the large carp of Europe, and
the square-tailed variety Of catfish that is
known in the Eastern States as a bull'bead,
Year: 1874

A farmers boy writes Hs from East
Rindge saying that he has pair Of ducks,
and asking how he shall take care of them,
so as to make the most of them.


About year ago we published what we
knew about ducks, but as this seems to have
escaped the attention of our young friend,
we don't mind repeating some Of it. In the
first place then, you want to remember all
the time that the duck is great feeder. He
is not very particular as to what he eats, but
he wants great deal, and when he has it,
grows very rapidly and keeps fat all the
time This winter your ducks will eat al.
most anything which you can give them
from the table, crusts of bread, potato peel.
ings, old turnips, bits of meat and "swill"
generally, besides grain. Next summer they
will catch and eat an innumerable number Of
bugs, worms, snails and insects of all kinds,
and this is one great reason why we like
ducks they also relish fish, frogs and tad
poles, but are not grass eaters like geese
This winter you want to keep them where
they can have a warm place to sit nights aud
a chance to waddle around in the sun days
A tub of water to which they can have nc.
cess will furnish them all the water they
need, and some kinds will get along we'll
without even that. We would not shut
them in small pen as it would soon become
nasty and foul.


They probably will not lay next winter,
but by April they should commence and
lay an egg every day until fall. They are
apt to drop their eggs anywhere they happen
to be, but if encouraged to go to the barn
for feed, and if furnished good place, can
generally be made to lay there.


They are poor hatchers, careless Of their
business when sitting, and neglectful of their
young when first hatched. We would
therefore take their eggs and set them under
hens. The eggs hatch in 81 days and they
require no attention but what the hen will
give them. When once the hen is sitting
leave her alone. When once the duckling,
hatch, feed them with boiled eggs and -four
and crumbs Of bread soaked in sour milk
for few days, aud after that give then
boiled meal, boiled potatoes, cooked bran
and any bugs or angleworms you can find
For the first week or ten days, or longer i
the weather is not fine, keep them confined
in pens where they can only get at water
enough to drink. Ii they are let loose they
take TO the water and get cold and die
More ducklings are killed by going too eary
into the water than any other way. Fol
this reason do not let them out when tn,
grass is wet. After they are three weeks oil
month old, they may be let loose to forag,
in the garden or field, but they should b.
brought home every night. Do not give
them raw food except bugs and worms
Ducks need water in the summer, but viii
do nicely without great deal As We hav
said, when well fed they grow rapidly, an'
are ready for market early.-MirrOr am
| Farmer.
Year: 1874

Boiling, when done in the usual way
namely, that Of making up large fire. set
ting the pot on it, and giving it stir Just
as the meat is put into the boiling water
is method that insures its hardening. just
the reverse is the proper plan. A moderate
fire should be made, and the saucepan or
pot containing the meat should be placed
either at the back Of the range or on triv-
ct, so as to heat slowly as the FIRE burns.
Then, when it has come to boil, it should
be removed to such distance from the
blazing Goals as to keep the water simmer
ing at the boiling point, until the process of
cooking is completed. This is tie simplest
and cheapest of all methods of cooking meats,
There should be just enough water to keep
the joint covered. As soon as the scum Of
grease, blood and impurities rises to the sur
face, it should be removed with skinner
Then add u little cold water which will
cause the rest Of the scum to rise. When
this is removed, nothing more need be done
except to allow the whole to simmer at the
boiling point until ready for serving, Ii
you intend the water in which the meat ia
cooked for soups or gravies, put in the joint
before the water boils. If, on the contrary,
YOU wish to confne all the juices Of the meat,
do not put the joint into the water until it
is at the boiling pOiut, The length of time
required to boil a joint depends on the size.
Twenty minutes to the pound, counting the
time from the moment the water begins To
boil, is good allowance but il the meat is
very fresh killed, or tough and old, il will
require longer time. In cold weather
twenty minutes more should be allowed. A
small quantity of salt should be put into the
water first.
Year: 1874

A great many farmers who do not believe


in soiling "because it is too much trouble"
will be astonshed when they recall the rec
ord of the year and see what they have been
doing. Nearly every farmer has praeticed
soiling to greater or less extent. Many,
without Intending it or being prepared for it,
have had to feed their cattle one, two, three
or more months during the growing season.
Hundreds Of farmers allotted the usual
amount Of ground for pasture, generally one
or two acres per head of horned stock but
scarcity Of feed compelled them to begin
pasturing early the dry, cold weather of
May put the grass back the cattle kept
everything eaten close, and lucky were they
who had a piece of early clover intended for
meadow, from which they could cut an arm
Year: 1874

have COW that in all other respects
seems well. but keeps drooling 50 that her
feed is wet in the CRIB. lwould like to
know what nils her and what 10 do for her.


SUBSCRIBER.
Will some one who is posted please give
"Subscriber" the desired information through
the FARMER
Year: 1874

A sensible Kentucky editor
makes some pointed and most
truthful remarks concerning the
cause Of the failure Of SO many
country newspapers. Credit for
subscriptions and work performed
in the printing Office, is just as
certain to ruin a journal as it
would any other business firm.
But few delinquent subscribers
ever voluntarily come forward and
settle their arreara 9eS and cOnse-
quently the publisher of the paper
suffers loss, becomes involved in
debt and eventually suspendS pub
lication. All'the material used in
the printing Office is procured for
cash. and necessarily cash must be
the only basis for issuing jour
nal. We are glad to learn that
! the newspaper fraternity are adod-
ting this plan. 1t is better to have
100 paying patrons than 800 credit
subscribers. One thing is positive
in this office, aud that is the paper
must be paid for before it is sent
forth, and every subscribers name


will be dropped from our list who
does not pay, whether he likes


such q summary procedure or not
-[Opelousas Journal.
Year: 1874

Notwithstanding the almost
universal cry which came up
last Fall from the people for
retrenchment and economy, we
hazard nothing in saying that
the Legislature which has just
adjourned was one of the most
extravagant that ever sat in this
State.-[St. Paul Pioneer(De
Year: 1874

Turkey and Russia are said


to be quietly preparing for war
against each other. Turkey is
purchasing cannon and push
ing the construction of rail
ways, and Russia is rebuilding
Sebastapol, making all the
men Of the empire liable to
military duty, and adding iron
monsters to her Black Sea fleet
Year: 1874

We keep the largest assortment Of all kinds Of Dry
Goods, and our prices will be found as low as the
lowest We trust the ladies will give us call before
purchasing as they will find goods upon our counters
that they will not see elsewhere.
Year: 1874

A MR. SHARr. residing In Middle-
field, Iowa. hearing his dog barking a
few nights ago, got up to see what the
matter was, and opening the door he
was pounced upon by a large wildcat
which tore and bit his head irightiully.
The animal then took shelter behind
some barrels where it was afterward
killed.
Year: 1874

A VERY PLEASANT REPORT comes from
Nicksburg Of the formation OF an order of sol-
diers from the Union and Confedrate armies
Hearty good fellowship appears to have been
organization Of the Order Of the Blues ana
GrAys seems to have M ade rapid proorass