smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

In Harper's Monthly the incumbent
of the Easy Chair discourses with his
customary good humOr and good sense
upon what he tersely characterizes as
Newspaper Lies. He considers them
under two heads the lie direct, which
is told with circumstantial detail and
precision and the lie Indirect, which
appears under IL slight veil of insinua-
tion, reading perhaps somewhat like
the following: "If the rumor be true
that Bishop Simpson picked the pocket
of Vice President Wheeler on Saturday,
the 10th instant, then it is evident
where the money came from with which
he bought the huge piece of tatfy that
he is said to have been sucking as he
went to church on Sunday, the llth."
In his impatience with both these forms
of slander, which unquestiOnably do a
vast amount of irretrievable damage,
the Easy Chair philosopher expresses a
feeling which must be shared by all in
telligent readers of the press. But in
his explanation of the cause of the evil
and of the possible cure for it, he comes
nearer the truth than do most of those
who criticise or condemn newspapers
for untrust wOrthiness. He observes
suggestively, There is no supply
where there is no demand" and adds
''The character of the press does not
depend upon the editor and the report
er only, but quite as much upon the
gentle reader, who makes every kind
of public life more difficult by believing
whatever an irresponsible and anony-
nous writer may choose to say"


| 1t was DR.. johnson, we believe, who,
when reproved by lady for including
Improper words in his Dictionary,
replied with characteristic bluntness,
MADAM, yOu haze been looking for them ,


The case is much the same with many
of those who criticise the papers. They
have an eager appetite for the very
scandals and ISLANDERS they condemn
and they endeavOr to quiet their con-
sciences while enjoying this sort of lit
erature by abusing the papers which
cater to their taste. The truth of this
statement may be tested with mathe-
matical precision by comparing with it
the fact that the newspapers which are
most tiagrantly sensational, and most
reckless III their treatment of reputa-
tions, enjoy, in most cases, profitable
circulation, and are read, cOvertly OF
OpcHIy, uI Sitdt IhdIy lcSpcCIdpie
people. The reason that some newspa-
pers make business of lying is because
experience has taught them that lying
is profitable. When people in one
breath condemn paper because you
never can believe a word it says" aud
in the next breath admit that .'they
like to read it, because it is so spicy
they expose the whole secret of the
matter. The remedy for the trouble is
quite simple, and it rests altogether
with that many-headed parsonage, the
public. When any considerable portion
of the community will stop buying and
reading the papers which thrive upon
slander, those papers will find some
thing better to publish. However much
we may claim for the press as leader
of public opinion, it is none the less
true that, in certain ways and to GER
tain extent, it is itself shaped by pub
lie OpiniOn.-JOurnaL.
Year: 1879

IBy Edwin Arnold Author of He Who died at


Azan."l
'She is dead 7" they said to him: Come away.
Kiss her and leave her-thy love is clayp
They smoothed her tresses of dark brown hair;
On her forehead of stone they laid it fair;
Over her eyes that gazed too much,
They drew the lids with gentle touch
With tender touch they closed up well
The sweet thin lips that had secrets to tell;
About her brOws and beautiful face
They tied her veil and her marriage lace,
And drew on her white feet her white silk shoes;
Which were the whitest, no eye could choose
And over her bosom they crossed her hands
Come away !" they said-"God understands"
And there was silence, and nothing there
But silence, and scents of eglantere
And Jasmine, and roses, and rosemary;
And they said "As lady should lie, lies she"
And they held their breath as they left the room,
With shudder to glance at its stiffness and gloom
But he who loved her too well to dread
The sweet, the stately, the beautiful dead,
He lit his lamp and took the key
And turned it-alone again-he and she.
He and she; but she would not speak,
Tho he kissed, in the old place, the quiet cheek
| He and she; yet she would not smile
Tho he called her the name she loved erewhile-
| He and she still she did not move


To any one passionate whisper of love.
Then he said Gold lips and breasts withou


breath,


| Is there no voice. no language of death.
Dumb to the ear and still to the sense,
But to heart and to soul distinct, intense2
''See now; will listen with soul, not ear;
What was the secret of dying, deari
| WAS it the infinite wonder of all


That you ever could let life's flower fall
| ''Or was it greater marvel to feel


The perfect calm DER the agony steal9


Was the miracle greater to find how deep
Beyond all dreams sank downward that sleep3
| ''Did life roll back its records, dear,


And show as they say it does, past things cleari
| And was it the innermost heart of the bliss
To find out so, what a wisdom love is2
30 perfect dead o dead most dear
hold the breath of my soul to hear
| II listen deep as to horrible hell,
AS high as to heaven and you do not tell.
There must be pleasure in dying sweet,
To make you so placid from head to feet


''I would tell you, darling, if were dead,
And 'twere your hot tears upon my brow shed
Il would say, though the Angel of Death had laid
His sword on my lips to keep it unsaid.


You should not ask vainly, with streaming eyes,
Which of all deaths was the chiefest surprise,
1.-THE very strangest and suddenest thing


OF all the surprises that dying must bring"
All, foolish world; oh, most kind dead


Though he told me, who will believe it was said
Who will believe that he heard her say,
| With the sweet, soft voice, in the dear old way
| The utmost wonder is this-I hear
And see you, and love you, and kiss you, dear;
"And am your angel, who was your bride.
| And know that though dead have never died"
Year: 1879

70 That honesty is the best policy
was rather singularly illustrated the
other day at Waterbury, Conn. A
young Irish lad had bought himself a
pair of shoes the new pair was placed
on his feet, and what was left of the
old ones was done up in a nice bundle,
with the card of the shoe dealer printed
on the wrapper. On going into the
street when no one was looking, he
laid them in the gutter. A cOuntryman
going by, seeing the boy picking them
up, as he thought, said, "Here, boy,
that is my bundle" The lad gave them
up, and the countryman gave the boy
fifteen cents.
Year: 1879

Senator Bayard, of Delaware, was in
New York las. Wednesday and fell in
to the hands of Herald interviewer.
Mr.. Bayard is represented as express
ing the opinion that the extra session
of Congress will be short, and that
consequently nothing but essential
measures will be considered-the two
appropriation bills, the repeal of the
test oath of 1862, the enactment of a
law providing for impartial juries, an
amendment to the present law which
permits the presence of armed forces at
elections to keep the peace, and the re-
peal of those sections of the Revised
Statues which provide for the appoint
ment Of federal officials as supervisors
of election in the several States, and
Of COUNTLESS deputy marsha's with un
limited power of arrest, with or with
out process. even while the election is
proceeding, and their own immunity
from arrest by State authority, no mat
ter how arbitrary or outrageous their
misconduct. Mr.. Bayard expressed
confidence that President Hayes would
no refuse his approval of these reforms.
Mr.. Bayard further expressed the opin-
ioH that the democratic Senators and
Representatives are to man firmly
united in respect to the righteousness
and necessity of the measures above
indicated.
Year: 1879

Last night, in going from Walnut
and Spring streets to Poplar and Rob
inson streets, the centre portion of a
flute, about six inches in length. The
finder will please leave the same at
Banners cigar store, Third and Poplar
streets, and receive the thanks OF the
owner.
Year: 1879

When, sometimes, our feet grow N'aIl'
On the rugged hills OF life
The path stretching long and dreary


With trial and labor rife
We pause on the tollSome journey


CHANGING backward in vale, tsa glen,
And sigh with an infinite longing


To return and begin again.
For behind is the dew OF the morning,
In all its freshness as a gift,
And before are doubts aud shadows,
And the chill and gloom Of night
We remember the sunny places


We passed so carelesSly then,
And ask, with passionate longing


To return and begin again.
All, vain, indeed, is the asking


Lies duties press all of us on.
And who dare shrink from the labor,


Or sigh for the sunshine that 5 gone
And il may be. not far on before us,


Wait fairer places than then,
Life's paths may yet lead by still waters
Though we may not begin again.
For evermore upward and onward


Be our paths on the hills OF lie,
And soon with a radiant dawning


Transfgure the toll and the strife,
And our fathers hand will lead us


Tenderly upward then;s lr
In the Joy and peace Of fairer world
He'll let us begin again. s..
Year: 1879

For courage and other warlike quail
titles, the Zulus may fairly be called the
Afghans of Africa, and many Of their
recorded exploits would do credit to any
trained soldier. Some few years ago a
Zulu hunter, hearing young British
officer speak somewhat lightly of native
prowess, offered to give him q specimen
Of it by killing single.handed huge
lion which infested the neighborhood.
The challenge was accepted. and the
brave fellow at once set forth upon his
dangerous errand, the officer and
several of his comrades following at q
distance. Having drawn the beast from
his lair, the hunter wounded him with
a well flung spear, and instantly fell
fiat to the ground beneath his huge
shield of rlfinoceros hide, which covered
his whole body like the lid of q dish.
The lion, having yainly expanded his
fury upon it, at length drew back q few
PAGES. Instantly the shield rose again,
second lance struck him, and his fu-
rious rush encountered only the impene-
trable buckler. Foiled again, the lion
crouched close beside his ambushed
enemy, as if meditating siege; but the
willy savage raised the further end of the
shield Just enough to let him creep
noiselessly away into the darkness, leay-
ing his buckler unmoved. Arrived at q
safe distance, he leveled his third spear
at the broad yellow flank of the royal
beast with such unerring aim as to lay
him dead on the spot, and then return
ed composedly to receive the apologies
and congratulations of the wondering
spectators,
Year: 1879

Mrs. Smith, of this city, found fish
hook among her husbands papers, and
determined to destroy it. So she re-
solved to burn the fshhook up, and for
this purpose cast it into the stove. The
next morning Mr.. Smith, in digging out
the @clinkers," found the fishhook in the
ball of his thumb. After the surgeon
had removed it, he put it into his vest
pocket, with an idea of showing it to his
acquaintance. He sauntered down
street, when an expeditions colored
woman swept by him and was suddenly
brought to with "a round turn The
hook had worked its way partly out OF
the pocket, and its point caught in the
bodice of her dress. The situation
grew momentarily interesting to the bad
bows who infest the thoroughfare, and
they hailed Smiths efforts to iber-
ate himself from Liberian custody with
boots of delight. Finally the dusky
female swung clear, and went dashine
down the street. A policeman attempt
ed her arrest, but was arrested himself
by a fishhook in the hollow of his hand


The hook is now in the station-house
waiting to have something done with it
ANY person desiring permanent situa-
ton to take care of fishhook should
make immediate application to the
proper authorities. = Neao London
(Ct) Telegram.
Year: 1879

We may not be called upon to hunt
white foxes in the snow; or to save our
life and our child's by splitting with an
arrow an apple on its head or to identi-
fy a stolen sheep by looking in its
face and swearing to its portrait
but we must do many things essential
to our welfare, which we would


do great deal better if we had an eve
as trained as we readily might have.
For example, it is not every man that
can hit nail square on the head or
drive it straight in with a hammer. Few
persons can draw straight line, or
cut piece Of cloth or paper even; still


fewer can use pencil as draughtsmen


and fewer still can paint with colors
Yet there is not calling in which an


educated eye, nice in distinguishing
form, color, size, distance, and the like,
will not be of great service. For,
though it is not to be denied that some
eyes can be educated to a greater extent
than others, there can be nc excuse for
any neglecting to educate the eye. The
worse it is, the more it needs education
the better it is, the more it will repay it.
Year: 1879

A Vallejo butcher was over in the
mountain wilds of Contra Costa the
other day, buying meat on the hoof.
He found an old Missourian with a
thousand cattle ON the hill, living in all
the simplicity of primitive life as it is
generally discovered a thousand miles
from the outposts of civilization. In
appearance he looked something like the
picture one sees Of Robinson Crusoe in
in the books, after the latter had worn
out all his good clothes. But the cattle
were fat, and the Vallejoan bought what
he wanted. When it came to settling
for them, lie handed the Contra Costa
Crusoe some greenbacks as part of the
payment. The man did not seem to
know what to make of such kind Of
circulating medium, and it was found
necessary to explain to him that they
were government notes for the sums in
dicated. "Waall," said he, after much
hesitation, "ef yer'n agree to indorse
them ar, I'll take 'em." But the Val
lejo man, not being in the business Of
-indorsing Uncle Sans paper, refused,
and he had to pay him gold.
Year: 1879

Across the "sunny paths" of Ceylon,
where the forest meets the open coun-
try, and which constitute the bridle-
roads of the island, an enormous spider
stretches his web at the height of from
four to eight feet from the ground. The
cordage of these webs is fastened on
either side to protecting shoots of trees
or shrubs, and is 80 strong as to hurt
the travellers face, and even lift off his
hat, if he is so unlucky as not to see the
line. The nest in the center is some
times as large as mans head, and is
continually growing larger, as it is
formed of successive layers of old webs
rolled over each other, sheet after sheet,
into ball. These successive envelopes
contain the wings and limbs of insects
of all descriptions, which have been the
prey of the spider and his family who
occupy the den formed in their midst.
There seems to be no doubt that the
spider casts the web loose and rolls it
round the nucleus in the center, when
it becomes overcharged with carcasses,
and proceeds to construct fresh one,
which in its turn is destined to be fold
ed up with the rest.
Year: 1879

It is q sad thing for man to lose Q
character for sobriety and steadiness,
after spending half century in acquir-
ing it, But an amiable citizen of Dem
vera gentle, peaceable man, who reads
the Netcs every day and goes to church
on Sunday unfortunately finds him.
self in that predicament. About week
ago pimple commenced developing on
the tip of his nose, and to that soul
narrowing affliction he owes all the
troubles Of his life. It has bereft him
of the public confidence, converted his
happy home into a bowling wilderness,
and made him the miserable object for
scorn to point her slow, unmoving FIN
ger at. The origin of pimples is curl
GUS phenomenon; they develop slowly.
The first indication of their presence
especially on the nose--is faint cardi-
nal color delicately diffused over the
glutinous muscle on the tip Of the Oh
factory apparatus. Unless closely ex-
amined, it might be mistaken for q
whisky blossom, and it is from this very
natural mistake that the gentleman in
question is suffering SO severely. It
was first noticed by his wife, who called
his attention to it with the remark that
a man who had helpless family and an
amiable wife could not afford to spend
his time and money In hanging around
saloons and in beastly dissipations.


"But, my dear, what are you talking
about?"


sThat's right, sir; get mad-fre up
and beat mel"


"But, my dear"


"Oh, knew it would come to this
I was warned against you thirty years
ago; and, if / had needed it then, I
should not now be drunkard's wife" !"


What is it you say? Confound it,
madam, I don't understand you at all! |"


That's IT, Mr.. S.-go on complete
your cruelty at once strike me down
at your feet-smash the furniture
abuse the children. Oh, I knew it
would come to this after while" and
the poor woman gave herself over to an
agony of weeping.
Stunned, bewildered and half insane,
Mr.. s. seized his hat and rushed out of
the house. At the door he met the
minister. The good man was startled
by the apparition of the angry man
dashing past, and heard q muttered
curse, the puIport Of which he failed to
distinguish. It might have been a
groan of despair, or it might have been
an oath. But he saw the infamed coun-
tenance and the angry nose and his sus-
picions took definite shape. Proceeding
with his call, he found the weeping
wife, who confirmed his worst forebod-
ings. Mr.. S. had been drinking to ex-
cess of late, and had commenced to
abuse his family.


The minister at once convoked an as
sembly of deacons and laid the matter
before them. 1t was all done in the
strictest confidence, but in an hour the
news had spread through the town
Mr.. s. was a marked man, and that aw-
full nose, growing angrier in its crimson
hue, confirmed the rumor and sealed
his fate.


That was week ago, and ever since
he has been busily engaged in picking
up the stray threads OF his character
and making public spectacle of hi
nose, in proof that it was only PIN
pie after al.-Denuer COLI Ne,cs.
Year: 1879

While Woodward avenue merchant
was yesterday standing in his door to
boss the job Of cleaning of the icy walk,
he was approached by a stranger who
was badly warped in looks and dress.
The merchant had already made up his
mind not to give the fellow a nickel,
when he said:


@If you were me would you take the
Berlin missionf"


"You take the Berlin mission~ gasp
ed the merchant.


"Just so. / can take it like a book,
but ] don't want to if it will hurt any
ones feelings. / thought I'd inquire
and see how the public felt"


You'd better take wash and then
waikiki exclaimed the astounded mer-
chant, as he got his breath.


Every WELL" was the quick reply.
If you think I'd better take wash I'll
drop the Berlin mission. l am in the
hands of my friends-Good dayp


He walked away as stiff as bean pole,
and the German vacancy isn't likely to
be filled from Detroit.-Detroit Free
Prt~.
Year: 1879

Hugh Cough, of Boroughbridge, was
rough soldier on a furlough but man of
doughty deeds in war; though he fought
for his country he was thorough dough.
faced ploughman. His horse having
been houghed in an engagement with the
enemy, Hugh was taken prisoner, and I
ought to add was Kept on short enough
clough of food, and suffered from
drought as we'll as from hunger. Having
on his return home drunk too large a
draught of usquebaugh, he bec-me in
toxicated and was laughing, coughing
and hiccoughing by a trough, against
which he, sought to steady himself.
There he was aceosted by another rough,
who showed him cough which he had
caught on clough near, also the slough
of snake which he held at the end of a
tough bough of evgh tree, and which
his shaggy slough had found and brought
to him from the entrance to a slough
which ran through and drained a slough
that was close to slough in the neighbor-
hood.-Albany argus.


THE professor said he would illustrate
his lecture with a spectroscope, and
show his class the sublimity of the
wheeling planets, and the silent march
of the stars. Then he had the blinds
closed, and laid an embargo on the sky
light, 80 that the blackness of dark
ness enveloped everything. Suddenly
through the gloom came q whisper,
which, though faint, voiced the universal
thought: ooh, what a co-education
racket this would bef" The gas was
turned up.-Asta Columbiaaa.
Year: 1879

utmost enthusiasm. In responding to
toast, "steam mail lines" he made
comparison of progress of the principal
nations of Europe for twenty years,
compared with what the United States
has now to show for the same period.
This mighty increase of commerce from
over four millions of tonnage, to eleven
millions of tonnage, has been at the ex-
pense of the United States for foreign
commerce of this country. What has
the government of the United States
done? Left it to the alien and the
stranger. One hundred and ten mill
ion Of dollars in gold coin has gone out
of this country in year. If the carry
ing on of trade of this country were
regulated, this immense sum
would be turned towards benefitting
the paupers of this country.
Year: 1879

political party needs machine in the
sense that it needs working organization.


The machine in this sense exists for the
good of the party.


The machine in this sense is an instrument
of the party-an essential instrument per-
hRps, but still an instrument


There is no vitality in a political machine.


The strength of a political machine is the
strength Of the party behind it.


The object of political machine is to do
the work required Of it by the party


When political machine tries to control a
party the order of nature is rcyerscd-the
tail tries to wag the dog. This makes the
dog laugh


When the engineer Of political machine
whether the engineer is a United States Sen
ator or a Presidential candidate-runs this
instrument of party counter to the judg
ment of n party he lies awake nights think
ing what the party will do about it.


1t is supposable that in certain circum-
stances n political machine may be more in-
telligent than public opinion, but in the
United States public opinion is the court of
last resort, and possesses the power to en-
force its DEGREES.


party which is worse than its machine is
an untrustworthy party.


party which is better than its machine
cannot be controlled by its machine.


When political machine ceases to be re-
sponsible to public opinion it is time to
change the engineers, for If it is better than
public opinion it will be inefficient while if
is worse public opinion will not tolerate it.
Year: 1879

The general testimony is all in one direc-
ton the annual Legislative session is con-
sidered desirable only by those who make
politics trade, and who thrive upon politi-
cal activity bargain and sale. For instance,
Gov. Andrews, of Connecticut, sAid that one
of his constituents, Mr. Leeds, of New Haven,
hit the nail on the head when he remarked
that that crop of politicians who live ON the
annual election spoils would mostly be win
ter-killed if they got chance at the public
crib only once in two years" 1t would be a
good thing for other States than Conneeti-
cut if these soldiers of fortune should be
starved out by biennial sessions of the Legis-
lature The fact that most of the States of
the Republic have adopted the biennial plan,
and are fully satisfied with it, is an encourag-
ing one. The bane of our communities is
over-legislation, The intrieacy and confu-
sion of State statutes may be lessened by less
ening the volume of legislation. And the
people very greatly need rest from the eX-
elements and cost of constantly recurring
elections.