smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

| Fifty or sixty years ago it was the
custom for gentlemen wishing ser
wants to visit emigrant ships as
soon as they arrived in port. Sc
Iecting the man or woman who
pleased them, they would pay his or
her passage money, or about seven
ty or eighty dollars. to the captain
agreeing to give the servant cloth
ing and board, and at the end Of
three years service, twenty or thir-
ty dollars.


One day gentleman, man of
fortune. residing in Philadelphia,
went on board the emigrant ship to
hire girl or purchase her time,"
as it was then called. He selected
one, and was shown her father. The
old man was anxious to go with his
daughter, and after some persua.
sions the gentleman purchased his
time. "WelI. now," said the old
man. ''there my old wife. take her
Also" There was something so at
tractive in the old woman that the
gentleman bought her time,


Going together to the registers's
Office to complete the bargain, the
gentleman was surprised to find that


a
the name which the emigrants gave
was spelled and pronounced like his
own. Inquiries ended in discover
ing that he had bought the time of
his father and mother.


When six years old, q son of the
old folks had been taken to America
by gentleman, and they had lost
all knowledge of him; indeed they
had almost forgotten they had son
in America. They recollected how
ever, that their boy had figure of
a cucumber on one of his shoulders.
The newly found son was stripped in
the Office and to the delight of the
aged couple, there was the birth
mark.
Year: 1877




Let me give you bit of advice.
Let me say to you that you have a
common country. in which the school
house is often seen-in which there
are more men who can read and
write than in any part of America.
Cherish your public schools. Let
education among you be free-free
as the dew which falls from heaven.
Let no religious differences prevent
you from supporting the public
schools. The State knows no reli-
gion, and should not teach any. But
it should compel every man to have
his child educated. Any man who
cheats his children out of education
cheats the state, As one who ap-
preciates the difficulties attending
upon the free government of the
United States-and you have free
government here, tool believe
that the great trouble of the future
viii be want of education. With
good education there will be good
crcvarnmanf
Year: 1877

In all diseases affecting these organs, whether
they secrete too much too little water: or wheth-
er they be afflicted with stone gravel or with
aches and pains setteled the loins over the reg


ions Of the Kidneys these Pills should be taken ae


SOrding to the printed directions, and the Oint-
ment should be well rubbed into the small of the
back at bed time. THIS treatment will give almost
immediate relief when all other means have failed.
Year: 1877

Lucy Ho0pers Paris Letter to the New York World]
The bright sunshine and balmy air tempted
me to lay aside my writing and go forth to
enjoy them. Leaning on my husbands arm,
was walking on the Rue de la PaiX, about
one block from the Eendome column, and
was looking up At the column itself, admiring
the effect produced 10y the dark bronze of the
shaft against the gold-fushed hue of the sun
| set sky, the hour being about 5 in the after
noon. Suddenly down the face of the column
fell ii human form with white and black
draperies tuttering in the air; it struck the
wreath OF immortelles that surrounds the
column ut its juncture with the pedestal, and
rebounded with such force that it was thrown
clear over the railing that surrounds the base
and fell into the centre OF the outside pave
ment.


l could net realize for a moment that had
really beheld that awful spcctacle-a human
being self-hurled into eternity, but such was
indeed the meaning OF what had seen. In {.
moment the PROSTATE figure was surrounded
by dense crowd. The emotion of the spec
tators was extreme and one old lady who had
chanced to be walking along the Rue de la
Paix near me burst out crying in her agita-
tioa. At my solicitation my companion went
forward, very reluctantly, 1t must be con-
fessed, to learn the particulars Of the horrible
event. The victim was young and neatly
dressed woman. She lay prone on the pave
ment as she had fallen, but no trace of blood
or mutilation was visible, as one of the by
standers had drawn her waterproof cloak
around her shattered head, that having been
the point that first struck the pavement. Her
shoes, q neat pair of black lasting boots, had
been forced from her feet by the fall, show
ing clean white stockings OF quality never
worn in France by the working classes. One
of her gar,ers, also jerked off by the fall, lay
near her-a dainty blue silk affair, with a
gilded clasp. She had, as afterwards learned,
gone most deliberately to work to execute her
purpose. She had concealed camp-stool
under her water-proof before making the
ascent Arrived at the top. she had profted
by moment when the guide was busted in
pointing out certain objects of interest in the
view to another party, had placed camp
stool there, mounted upon it, and so contrived
to Chamber over the high railing l passed
by the spot an hour later. The body had
long sine been removed, and the crowd was
gone; but a few bystanders still fingered un-
der the darkening sky, looking alternately up
at the summit of the gignatc shaft that
lowered above them and down at two GRIM
son strains upon the pavement, upon which
gravel had been hastily strewn, but which
still revealed a dusky and ominous red
through the pebbles and sand that tried to
hide them.
Year: 1877

Moncure d. Conway tells the following
story of an irate British Judge: t'The court
room of Mr.. Justice B. was the scene of
rather an alarming outburst Of feeling on the
part of the Judge. A case came before him
presenting combination of every kind of
villainy inthe defendant, and as the clear evil
dence came out the Judge grew red and white,
and was fairly boiling when the time came
to charge the jury. Gentlemen of the jury
said the Judge, it is perfectly clear case,
and most nefarious one. The defendant
has unquestionably robbed the plaintiff, and
basely betrayed his daughter and abandoned
her in foreign land. II only wish it had
been my daughter. The lawyers gasped as
this thunder rolled, and behold the irate
Judge shaking his fist across the room at the
covering caitiff."
Year: 1877

The man who entertained the crowd at the
Theatre Comique last week was unfortunate
enough to get himself in debt to some one,
who sent q constable to levy on his trained
bear. The constable repaired to the play
house, and showing the instrument of the
law with which he was armed, gained admit
lance behind the scene. With due solemnity
the levy was made. when it was discovered
that the officer had only bears skin with a
man in it. AS the levy was neither upon a
bears skin nor upon man, the officer of the
law retired, and the owner of the pet bear
Julia proceeded with his performance.
Year: 1877

Operations preliminary to the projected
tunnel between England and France render
it probable that the feasibility of the great
project will be admitted by the highest engi-
neering authorities in Europe The scope of
these operations has been, mainly, to obtain
the requisite knowledge and material for
framing accurate geological charts, both of
the various strata through which the inclined
planes must pass which are to lead from the
surface OF the soil to the level of the tunnel
itself, and also of those at the bottom of the
sea, through which the tunnel is to be pierced
if the complete result of the investigations
shall favor the undertaking.


The attainment Of the first Of the objects
named is said to have presented no particular
difficulties, and consisted simply in working
an artesian shaft near Calais, to the depth OF
about three hundred feet, and then proceed
cOncave basin Of the channel from shore to
shore, whether the strata, as ascertained by
the land shaft, came out and responded to
the same under the sea-so as to prove as far
as could be that they lay in regular succession
and layers, and that no difficulties were to be
apprehended in boring the tunnel from the
upheavings or lowering of strata by internal
cOnvulsiOns. The labori0us and difficult part
of these investigations consisted in the num-
erous soundings to be taken, the observations
for fixing the precise spot on the chart, and
above oil, to obtain specimens of the bed of
the sea all the way across


The channel is nowhere deeper than about
two hundred feet, but still, where the bottom
is thickly covered with shells or sand, it was
sometimes not easy to learn the precise geo.
logical formation underneath. The grand
object has been to ascertain whether stra-
tum of gray chalk, which is at once easily
pierced impermeable to water, stretches right
across from one coast to the other, and of
sufficient firmness and depth for such tun-
mel. For this purpose there wero GAS
soundings, made with heavily weighted in
strument worked by steam engine, and
armed with point of fine steel, were ef-
fa've, sometimes at The rate Of two hundred
per day.
Year: 1877

BY HENRY w. LONGFELLow.
IN that desoate land and lone,
Where the Big Horn and Yellowstone
Roar down their mountain path,
BY their fires the Sioux Chiefs
Muttered their woes and griefs


And the menace of their wrath.
"Revenge?" cried Rain-in-tbe-Face,
Revenge upon all the race


Of the White Chief with yellow hair!'
And the mountains dark and high
From their crags re-echOed the cry
Ot his anger and despair.
In the meadow, spreading wide
BY woodland and river side


The Indian village stood.
All was silent as dream
Save the rushing of the stream


And the blue Jay in the wood.
In his war-pant and his beads.
Like bison among the reeds,


In ambush the Sitting Bull
Lay with three thousand braves
CrOuched in the clefts and caves,


Savage, unmerciful!
Into the fatal snare
The White Chief with yellow hair


And hi, three hundred men
Dashed headlOng, sword in hand;
But of that gallant band


Not one returned again.
The sudden darkness of death
Overwhelmed them like the breath
And smoke of furnace fire;
BY the rivers bank, and between
The rocks of the ravine.


They lay in their bloody attire.
But the foeman fled in the night,
And Rain-in-the-Face, in his flight,
Uplifted high in air
As q ghastly trophy, bore
The brave heart that beat no more,
OF the White Chief with yellow hair.
Whose was the right and the wrong?
Sing it, . funeral song,


With voice that is full of tears,
And say that our broken faith
Wrought all this ruin and seattle,
In the Year of Hundred Years!
Year: 1877

The most eloquent speaker, the most ingen-
ious writer, and the most accomplished states
man cannot effect so much as the mere pres
ence of the man who tempers his wisdom
and his vigor with umanity.-Lavater.--
Year: 1877

Last summer pair of robin redbreasts
built their nest in the vicinity of fash
ionable country bOarding-hOuse. In
due time the heads of four young robins
were observed by some of the boarders
peering above the sides of the nest.
when some thoughtless boys passing
that way shot both the parent birds and
left the young ones to perish. The ladies
and gentlemen, moved to pity by the
hapless condition of the poor birds.
were devising plans for their relief,
when little brown wren flew to the
nest, surveyed the unfortunate state of
things for moment, then disappeared.
In few minutes it returned, bearing
food of some kind to the starving robins.
Much surprised at this, the human
sympathizers resolved TO await further
developments before proceeding TO put
their plan of relief into operation, and
were delighted to find the wren had i'm
real good earnest assumed the care of
that orphan family. With untiring
energy it hunted worms and food of
such kind as was suited to the wants
and tastes of its proteges, and continued
its kindly offices until the birds were
full fiedged and able to take care of
themselves.
Year: 1877

Another of those curious devices
striking sun dials-has been invented
by VI. Allegret, the apparatus being a
modification of what is known as the
solar counter for registering the times
at which the sun shines or is Obscured.
To effect this there are two balls, one
black and the other yellow. fixed at the
opposite ends of a lever, sustained by a
central pivot. When the sun shines the
black ball absorbs more heat than the
yellow one, and the vapor of liquid
contained in the former is elevated to a
higher temperature than in the latter


As the result, the vapOr leaves the one
ball, and. being condensed in the other.
this becomes the heavier, disturbs the
equilibrium of the system, and in so
doing liberates a weight, giving motion
TO clOckwork attachment. In NJ


Allegret's dial, a pair of these balls is
fixed at every hour mark. When the
shadow of the gnOmOn reaches any
particular hour mark, one of the balls
is shaded, a preponderance of liquid
enters the ball, the lever tilts, the
mechanism is set going, and a gong
sounded as often as the number of the
hour to be indicated. Ii is, of course.
necessary that the sun shine when the
hour mark is being passed by the
shadow, or the time will not be struck.
Year: 1877

crown Of her head; she may stand in
her balcony and pelt the passers-by
with egg shells filled with sweet things,
or she may find her house Invaded and
herself placed gently in her bath. To
pass through the streets of Lima is to
insure drenching, either from those
very convenient balconies or from the
brawny negress who cody awaits your
coming with pail of water, which she
empties right over you. In the country
the object is the same, but the means
sometimes differ. AT Matucana, poor
little Choia, coming along with few
potatoes, is seized and laid lengthwise
in the stream which runs by the side Of
the railway. Another, who has
"played" oftener, stands knee deep in
the same stream. with a calabash, and
to her descends a man with a wooden
bucket, and for half an hour they dash
water at each other, resting at intervals
to recover breath. Here a gentleman
has handful of bitter herbs, which he
rubs in the teeth and mouth of his lady
love, while that lady's friends dexter
ously insert between his shirt and skin
a handful of nettles. But she does not
escape harmless, for, just as she has
planted the nettles well home, her
mouth is filled with blue mixed into
paste. They seem to enjoy it.
Year: 1877

Everybody makes mistakes. Things
will not always come out just a. We Try
TO make them, because some little wrong
thing is done, or something that needs
to be done is overlooked.


Well, what then? Shall We get dis
cOuraged, and let things 90 A. they will :
some people do: but such people have
Il hard life of it. They think themselves
very unlucky, and complain of their
hard fate.


The little fellow who is at work on
his example in multiplication finds he
has made a mistake. What.dOeS he do.
Drop his slate, and go Oft fretting, and
wishing there were no such things as
old bOthersOme figures: No; he is puz-
zled; but he knows there is mistake
somewhere, and ne means to find il.


TRY again" is his motto. He will
begin again and go slowly and carefully
through all the work. If he does not
find the mistake then. he will do the
same again, running through the lines
of the multiplication-table in his mind,
or making them by additions on his slate
He will hit upon the wrong and get the
right, you may be sure.-EWrig DIR.
Year: 1877

in its wonderful home, the depths of
the beautiful ocean.


The poetic Greeks called il ''the
daughter of the sea-" It is now known
that the coral is formed by household,
of little creatures living together in u
wonderful way, so very strange that it
is difficult for unscientifc people 10
comprehend it.-COral fishing is usually
performed by Italian sailors, who work
under padrone or master. But it is
at the cost OF fatiguing labor and I'M
minent peril, that this precious article
is obtained. The apparatus with which
II is taken from its marine home, is
called an engine. 1t consists of two
long pieces of wood, strongly fastened
in the center, to which is attached an


immense stone, bearing lines arranged
in the form of a bag. There are thirty
of these, and spread out in all directions
with the motion of the boat.


When, after long, tedious, aud almost
fruitless toll, IL at length fastens on the
coral, the engine opposes for long
time the most laborious efforts of the
suffering men, who, half-naked, ana
exposed TO the terrible fieTceness of the
southern sun, work on, regardless OF
their pitiable condition, and while they
labor, the crew chant solemn, weird
melody, the words of which form all
appeal to their favorite saints. When
at length they succeed in detaehing tire
precious coral from its native bed, the
men set to work with will in sorting
and cleansing that which cost them So
much labor TO obtain. Ii is then
shipped to Mediterranean ports and sold
TO those whose work il is to fashion IL
into the pretty jewelry and beads " hich
We all so much admire.
Year: 1877

From early times the coral has been
highly valued for ornamentation, and
great curiosity has ever existed to dis
cover its real origin, some of the
aneients prOclaiming it to be a plant,
others the product of plant. One
naturalist averred that il belonged to the
vegetable world, from the fact of his
having discovered its flower, but an
other put this fancy to fight by the
disclosure that what had been taken for
a flower was, in reality, a tiny insect.
That statement was at first received
with much opposition, but in course of
time it became understood and believed,
and no one at the present time thinks
of doubling the animal nature of the
eoralline-


1t Is said that we do not see the coral
at its best, for when We get it much OF
its brilliant coioring has departed, and
that to admire ii fully, We must see 1t
Year: 1877

1t would require man of wide and
varied experience to describe how they
"play at carnival in Peru" The aim
all have in view is to get as much wild
enjoyment out Of the three days as pos
sible. A lady may receive little
scented water from delicate spring. or
she may receive the contents of bottle
of pickles and the yolk ofsl egg on the
Year: 1877

In Ready-Made Clothing I am
proud to say, fear no Competor, 1
care not who he isl Let any man
who wants a Suit of Good Clothing
come to me, and shall convince him
that he can select from a Good,
Prime, New Stock, better than from
a stock which has been culled.
Year: 1877

THE SUGAR CRoP.-A continuance
of the warm, unfavorable.. weather
during the past two weeks capped
the climax of disaster to the sugar in
terests, and majority of planters
have been compelled to stop their
mills with unground cane in various
quantities still on hand, or content
themselves with the manufacture of
an Indifferent quality of syrup for
which there is q glutted and unprof-
liable market. The losses have been
considerable upon every hand-only
the smaller places, where grinding
was nearly finished when the freezes
occurred, realizing yields eommensu-
rate with expectations entertained
early in tho season. Experienced
planters with whom we have con-
versed estimate the average loss in
this parish at one half the usual crop.
On some plantations there is falling
off of two thirds, and instances may
be cited where three fourths is not
too high figure at which to estimate
the diminution on account of the un-
productivencss of the cane. Hun
dreds of acres of the staple have been
abandoned in windrow or standing
in the field, being soured to such
degree as to render it worthless.


A number of the larger sugar mills
are still in operation, but most If
these will suspend during the coming
week.
Year: 1877

The new levee at Port Barrow, ex-
tending from short distance above
the old fort to the lower line of the
Dicharry property, is completed. A
number of small houses which stood
between the old levee and the site of
the new one, had to be moved back,
and the last one of these buildings
was rolled through a gap in the new
embankment Wednesday afternoon of
last week. The levee was built un-
der the direction of Mr.. G. Nolan, the
contractor, and seems to be very
substantial piece of work.
Year: 1877

There is promise of bad weather
for holiday week, and this, in conjun-
tion with the hard times, will greatly
detract from the general enjoyment of
the usually merry season. The COM
parative failure of the sugar crop, af-
fecting as it does every class of the
population, has dampened the spirits
and prospects of our people. How
ever, there is sensible disposition to
make the best of4a gloomy situation
and rest hopes upon the future, which
undoubtedly has great things in store
for this noble State.
Year: 1877

The Grand jury for the present
term of District Court is composed of
twelve white and four colored men,
and the petit jury is in about the
same proportion. Quite change, in
the matter of color, from the juries
empaneled under the laws in force
during the era of Republican rule in
Louisiana; and still greater and
more refreshing Improvement in re-
spect to intelligence is conspicuous.
Year: 1877

A MAN in Philadelphia has been
helping science out of difficulty.
Science has given the world to under
stand that wood is non-conductor,
but most persons have become aware
that when applied to back yard
fences and cats this assertion of
science needed lift. Accordingly
he set to work and provided that
fence with surmounting set of
wooden rollers, which would revolve
on the slightest provocation. Now
when cat goes over that fence she
doesn't go over; when she strikes the
top a sudden back action electric
shock is received, and the manner in
which she comes back is jlst aston
ishing. Wood is non-conductor,
and the Philadelphia cat will no
longer be known as migratory ami
mai. 1t having such depressing
effect on their spirits and keeping
them within range OF boot-jacks, an
epidemic is expected.
Year: 1877

With the increasing strength of the
South in Congress comes in the old prac-
tices employed 10 stfle free speech in that
body. The pistol of the duelist threatens
our northern senators if they do not cringe
and bow and pick their words carefully
iu the presence OF the Ku Klux leaders Of
the South in the Senate. Is this the ere
of peace, or are We ON the eve of another
bloody contest with the remnant of the
Slave Power.
Year: 1877

The appointment Of G. w. Kimball Jr.,
of Rockland as Postmaster in that city,
provides an excellent officer for that
position, but it viii also remove from
the next Legislature one who was an
efficient member Of the last legislature,
and one who had good backing of friends
as candidate tor the Speakership of the
next House
Year: 1877

The grand blunder which almost all
parents and nurse maids commit is that
when the child takes whim against doing
what he is wanted to do-will not eat his
bread and butter, will not come to his les
sons, etc.-they, so to speak, lay hold of
his hind leg, and drag him to his duties !;
whereas person of tact will almost al
ways distract the child's attention from its
own obstinacv, and in moment lead it
gently around to submission.


l know that many persons would think
it wrong not to break down the child's self
will by main force, to come to battle with
him and show him that he is the weaker
vessel but my conviction is that such
struggles only tend to make his self will
more robust. If you can skillfully con.
trive to delay the dispute for a few minutes
and hitch his thoughts off the excitement
of the contest, ten to one he will give iu
quite cheerfully; and this is far better for
him than tears and punishment.
Year: 1877

We were shown the other day, by Engi.
neer Matt Franklin, wooden watch made
by Victor Dorot, Of Bristol. The case is
made of briar root, and the inside works,
all except three of the wheels and the
springs (Which are Of metal are of box
wood, while the face is made from a piece
of the shoulder blade Of a COW, which was
run over and killed by a train some-
time ago. 1t is an open-taced watch
with glass crystal, and is an elegant piece
Of workmanship, displaying wonderful
talent in the maker. 1t does not weigh
more than an ounce. Matt says he has
carried the watch day or two and it keeps
as good time as any watch he every car.
ried.-Knoxville "Chronicle."