smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

Tom Johnson, of the poorhouse, has a faculty of getting considerable work out of the inmates under his charge. There was one who made up his mind not to work at all, although he was capable of doing considerable. To avoid it he kept in bed and made out to be i'll, de- manding the attention of the physician. That gentleman stated that there was nothing the matter with him. Tom thought he could cure him, and the other night placed a coffin in his room. When the old man awoke the first thing that met his gaze was the wooden overcoat,n which stood at the foot of the bed. This seemed to animate him. He arose early, dressed himself and informed Tom that he thought he was better, and asked the steward if there wasn't some. thing he could do around the house He has been busy ever since.-Dubatqat, | Herdld
Year: 1879

 struction of a deep tunnel from uLlo - IT. son valley to the Comstock lode, and almost ten years ago the first pick was struck in beginning work which has been continued since, by day and night, without any Interruption, with an ex- penditure of S6 6.OOO, GOO. To-day, for the first time, the water from the Comstock mines flowed through the Sutro tunnel, and it gladdened all your hearts to see the stream of limpid water, that had caused many of the mines on the Com stock Lode to lie idle for years in inn potent efforts to tree them from it, make its appearance at the tunnel entrance. Some people who had foresight sufficient knew more than ten years ago that the day would come when these mines could be worked no longer; but the great minimizing mass, who only live from day to day, looked upon the undertaking of piercing these mountains as one so gigantic and protracted that they ridi- culed the idea, and gave it but little en- couragement. The day will come when there will be avenues under these noun .tains in every direction, with trains of cars coming and going throughout the day and night; and when we shall reach under the top of Mount Davidson at a depth of $500 feet beneath its summit, treasures may be unfolded.o which none of us have any conception.
Year: 1879

should be fastened directly against the building. But the most important pre- caution IS to make sure that the bottom end of the rod has a large conducting surface Tn contact with the earth. Better nave no rod than simply to bury the end a few feet down into dry earth; the proner way Is to solder the bottom end of the rod to metal water pipe or gas pipe in the ground. If there are no pipes. then make long trench and put in some good conducting material, such as fine char coal, or, hard coal dust, iron ore, or old iron, making a good connection between the bottom end of the rod and this con- ducting material"
Year: 1879

Granville Mowrer, boy aged eleven, son of Isaac Mowrer of West Vincent township, Chester county. Pa., was sent to a neighbor's on an errand. In getting over fence on the way the lad was bit ten in the leg by snake, supposed to be 8 copperhead. The venom from the bite took immediate effect, and the boy be- came almost blind, suffered intensely and was unable to get home. He was found in field shortly afterward, his limbs and body swollen, both hands being black from the fingers above the wrists. A woman, who had some idea of what was best to be done, drenched the boy with liquor, and this probably saved his life He was delirious for several hours, and is still in critical condition. The boy says that black-looking snake bit him as he was getting over the fence, striking on the bare leg below his trousers, which was short, and slipped up some distance above the shoe.

 Kizzie Allison, living on the railroad two miles west of Waynesburg, Pa., went in the morning halt mile from the house to gather some berries. While engaged in picking the fruit she felt something move under her feet, and looking down beheld huge snake. She dropped her bucket and sprang away. She got stake and went back to look for the serpent, but could not find it for some time. Upon raising large grape vine that lay on the ground she saw it coiled underneath. It sprang at her and came near biting her, but she warded it off with the stake. At last she got the stake across the serpent's body in such a way that by putting her weight on the end of the stake she could keep it from getting away.

 She then set up cry for help. Her mother. an old woman, heard her, and thinking that she must be hurk shouted to the neighbors. Kizzie's brother Jim mounted mule and galloped to her re- lief. All this while she had stuck to the end of the stake, unable to do more tha stand there and watch the snake strike and bite everything it could reach. MT. Allison soon dispatched the snake, and found it to be just three feet long and very thick in proportion. Miss Allison was scared badly, but declared she would have stayed there till some one came to kill the reptile if it took al day-ReGLli72O { (Pn ] HcTnId
Year: 1879

In a letter to the Hartford Coaran Templeton, the Boston corresponden relates the following in relation to thu late Senator Sumner:

 We were talking about the profanity of very distinguished American states man not now living. MT. Sumner (who never swore himselG said: Well, l have heard him swear severely; but as rule nobody swears in my presence. The greatest modification l ever received in my life in this way was when 1 was at 3 breakfast abroad with Lord Brougham. We sat down at the breakfast table, when somebody brought a newspaper to Lord Brougham. It contained personal attacks upon him. Tie article was marked and he read it through. When he had completed it he began a volley of the most scathing oaths that l ever heard fall from the lips of man. There was no limit to the curses that he rained upon the head of the author of this piece. I was shocked and stricken dumb, said Mr. Sumner. The only other oc- cupant ofthe table, except Lord Broug- ham and myself. was Brougham' $ mother. She sat at the head, opposite her son, a venerable and courtly lady, with an eleeance and grace of manner that never saw excelled- dared not 1 look at her for some moments. but when I ventured to turn my eyes in that direc- tion I found not muscle of her face was moved She was as calmly unconscious l of what her son was saying as if he was talking in Arabic The breeze soon blew over, and we had Very enjoyable l breakfast.
Year: 1879

At Virginia City, Nevada, as the shift was being changed at the Y Yellow Jacket mine shaft, ten men had narrow escape from death. These men, says a local paper, got on board of the small skip at the 2,300 station to go to the bottom of the shaft. They had gone but short distance before the eccentrics of the don- key engine broke, and the skip, with it's living freight, started for the bottom at gineer, knew that the descending skip must be stopped or all on board would be dashed to pieces at the bottom of the shaft. He instantly seized a heavy plank, the end of which he thrust between the pinion shaft and the reel or drum from which the cable was paying off. By hauling down on the end of the plank it acted as a brake, and finally brought the skip to stand when it was within twenty feet of the bottom of the shaft The drum was revolving at lightning speed when the plank was first intro duced, and the friction produced streams of fire and smoke, but the pressure gradu- ally told, slowed down the speed of the skip, and finally stopped it. To thrust the plank into the ragidly-revolving ma, might have cost MT. Mccarthy his life, but he got the right hold in the start. and held on with bulldog tenacity. To do the right thing, just as he did, at the right moment, required great quickness of thought. The plank, the place where it was to be inserted, and how it was to be used must all have been thought out in single instant. During the descent of the skip one man leaped from it and caught the bell-rope, holding to which he managed to swing himself to a wall plate. Another jumped and caught a l II I,-1f ic ho1 nd fa1l lNIlt in falling caught rod passing horizon tally between the sinking guides, some ten feet over the skip, where he held on till it stopped. Thus it will be seen that this man did some lively travelling. He got off the skip. and not finding good landing-plaee on the wall plate, he went down until he overlook the skip, whe'

 he got aboard of it at the point whit

 seemed most convenient. Aside from

 severe shaking up and a bad scare, t

 men all came out of the scrape about

 sound as when they got into it.
Year: 1879

That an Indian mother loves her babe is clearly shown by the care which she bestows upon its cradle, adorned with the richest beadwork and embroidery. The foundation of this cradle is an un- yielding board upon which the baby can be firmly lashed at full length on its back. This board is usually covered with softly dressed buckskin, with flaps and pouches in which to envelop the baby; other tribes not rich or fortunate enough to procure this material, have recourse to neat combination of shrubwood poles, reed splints, grass mating and the soft and fragrant ribbons of the bass or lin- den tree bark. Sweet grass is used here as a bed for the youngsters tender back, or else clean dry moss plucked from the pended limbs of the swamp-firs; then,

 with buckskin thongs or cords of plaited

 grass, the baby is bound down tight and

 secure. for any and all disposition that

 its mother may see fit to make of it for

 the next day or two. Perhaps for two or three hours out of the twenty-four the

 babies are allowed to roll about on the grass; but the minute it begins to whim- per the mother claps it back into its cradle, where it rests with emphasis, for | it can there move nothing save it's head :; so far from disliking theserigid couches.

 the babies actually sleep better in them | than when free, and positively cry to be | returned to them when neglected and left | longer than usual at liberty. This fact is

 certainly an amusing instance of tue fcres | of habit.
Year: 1879

The number of lady gamblers in Lon- don is increasiHs steadily. A cores pondent of the SG1eddrd states that there is more gambling among women at the present time than has been the ease since public gaming tables were put down by act of Parliament. The harmless bet of few pairs of gloves at the race meetings is now considered far beneath the notice of a dashing ma. tron or fast maiden. There are not a few female "plungers on the turf who "put the pot on." as the idiotic .iargon of the race course has it, with as much eagerness as most dissipated subaltern at the Raleigh, who stands to win a heap of money at Ascot or at Goodwood, with the alternative of running his old father, the country rector, if he loses, and allowing his sisters portions to be swallowed up in paying his debts of honor" If the female plunger be un- married she has recourse probably to some accommodating dressmaker, or worse still, accepts pecuniary help from some male friends, and perhaps puts her self for life in the power of man who will one day make her pay dearly for her ndiscretion.
Year: 1879

The prince was out scouting with an Of
fcer and six men, and after seaching
"mealie" garden for the enem5, the
prince gave orders to mount. Tie en-
emy, who had remained concealed,
then fired upon the party and killd two
troopers and wounded the primes who
fell from his horse. The others were
compelled to abandon the prince, On
receipt Of the news at headougte,s S,
Lord Chelmsford sent a regiment Of
lancers to recover the body, which was
found covered with assagai wounds.
There is general mourning at the Cape
and great regret is expressed owe the
untimely death Of the young prime.


A DISPATCH of the 21st gives the fol.
lowing additional particulars of the
death of the Prince Imperial: The
body of the Prince, when found, lay on
its back. There were eighteen assegai
stabs in it, two of them piercing the
body from the chest to the back; two
in the side, and one destroying he right
eye. A locket with hair medaliions
and reliquary were found around his
neck. The face wore a PLACID express
sion. He had evidently Intellectually
tried to mount his horse, and tie leath-
er of the flap tearing, he ran along the
path to where he was founl. Two
troopers lay near the body, both asse-
gated. The Prince was very adven-
turOus.
Year: 1879

THE Arctic exploring ship Resolute,
which is now heing broken up in Eng.
land, was sent from this country TO Eng
land after her discovery by American
sailors in northern seas in charge OF
Commander Henry /. Hartstein, who
received the queen and Prince Albert
on board, and was IN turn entertained
at the palace, dining with the royal
family Before her abandonment in the
ice the Resolute received on board Capt
Mcclure and his company from the
investigator. The Iast-named vessel
had entered the arctic regions from
Behring's straits, but had become beset
in the ice, and her company had de,
serted her and were travelling over the
ice in the hope Of escape to the east
ward when they met a portion of Capt
Austin's crew. Hence Mcclure and
his companions may be said to be the
only persons who ever went through
the northwest passage.
Year: 1879

AN enterprising London photographer
tried to relieve the depression of the
times by Offering to furnish anxious in
quirers with an accurate likeness of
their future wives or husbands. One of
the female recipients of his prophetic
pictures expressed a willingness to
marry the original, but as he was not
forthcoming she had the photographer
arrested for fraud.
Year: 1879

An ample bedding of fresh straw will
do mucn to induce tired horse to lie
down and rest. Clean grooming and an
occasional washing will also encourage
re8tfulness andimprove the appetite and
health. Overlooking is not iudicious,
and will not restore flesh lost by hard
work and want of comfortable rest. To
prevent gals, the harness should be
washed and kept soft with castor oil.
Year: 1879

The two sections of the elm tree re-
Gently cut down in the rear of Battell
Chapel have been contributed by Suprin-
tendent AndrUs to the Scientific School.
Prof. Brewer has made careful exam
nation of then, and decides the age OF
the tree to be 151 years. According to
the ringsshowing the theyears of growth,
it had diameter of about fifteen inches
at the time of the revolution. One
section will be sent to Harvard College.
Year: 1879

Most of the wine used in England for
the holy communion IN Roman Catho-
lie churches comes from the VINEYARDS
of the English colleges of Lisbon and
is white; but elsewhere red wine is used.
The Roman Catholic and Episcopal
churches have no rule as to the color,
but demand pure juice of the grape.
Year: 1879

From the Railroader.


When you get to the station hunt up
the agent and ask. him what time the
next train goes. Never mind about tell
ing which way, for he can ask you that.
1t will show whether he has been pay
ing any attention to your question.
Then ask him what time all the other
trains come, just to see if he knows. If
you think of it, ask him if they stop, if
they are freight or passenger and any
other little things you can think of, for
you know he gets paid for answering
questions. 1t don't matter whether you
intend riding on the train or not. If
you are tired go and sit down, but do
not rest longer than necessary, for you
have not inquired if the road is going to
change time soon, and what time the
train will likely get through on the new
card. Ask him what time the trains
run by on this road and how much faster
that is than Chicago time, for he knows,
and if he does not tell, it is because he
is uncivil. Just as the train is coming,
and the agent is closing his ticket win
dow to go out to the train, rush up and
tell him you want a ticket. Don't say
anything about where you want to GO.
See how near he can guess it. Give him
$40 bill, and after he has hurried up
to get out his change box, if there is any
silver among it, say to him: "Here l
guess have got the change" for this is
the way to find out his disposition. Then
it is good time to tell him you have a
trunk to check. The world was not
made in day and what's the use of be-
ing in hurry, you know? Put your
ticket in your pocket-bOOk, and button
two or three coats over your pocket.
Don't make move to get it ready for
the conductor until he asks you for it,
for he may miss you, and you would be
that much ahead. Then he has lots of
time to wait but if he hasn't it's not
your fault. During your trip, ask the
conductor all the questions you asked the
agent, for perhaps the agent has lied to
you about some of them. If the con-
ductor answers you short, in reply to
any Of your questions, it is because he is
mad at your buying ticket. He wanted
you to pay him so he could knock down
the money-for they all steal, you know.
Year: 1879

MARSHAL FREDERICK DOUGLASS in a
lecture at Staunton, Va, advised his col
ored hearers not to trust altogether to
prayer, but to go to work honestly, sys-
tematically and conscientiously. He,
himself. he said, had prayed for three
long years that freedom might come to
him, but it never came until prayer got
down into his legs and carried him
away. He did not approve the exodus,
and added: "Stay where you are, and SO
conduct yourselves that men will be
bound to respect yOu-work with head
and hands-seek to acquire knowledge
as well as property, and in time you may
have the honor of going to Congress, for
if the negro can stand Congress, Con-
gress ought to be able to stand the ne
gro"
Year: 1879

No cord or cable can draw so forcibly
or bind so fast as love can do with but a
single thread.


Children are travellers newly arrived
in strange country. we should, there
fore, make conscience not to mislead
them.


The reason why so few marriages are
happy is because young ladies spend
their time in making nets, not in making
cages.


Contentment is pearl of great price.
and whoever procures it at the expense
of 10000 desires makes wise and
happy purchase.


Nothing is so fierce but love will
soften, nothing so sharp-sighted in other
matters but it throws mist befor the
eyes ont.


Virtue and vice are not arbitrary
things; but there is natural and eternal
reason for goodness and virtue, and
against vice and wickedness.
Year: 1879

THE Denver and South Park. Narrow
Gauge Railway has completed the
grading of their line across the KenOsha
range of California, the highest point be-
ing at an altitude of 1O,1S9 feet. AT one
point the line runs along one side of
Halls Valley for mile, crosses to the
opposite side by bridge, and thence
parallel with its former course, de-
scribing U, the two ends of which are
only SIS feet apart, though there is 500
feet gained in elevation. The view af-
fOrded from the curve is described as
magnificent, the meandering South
Platte glistening in its course, the wood
ed mountain sides as far as tile eye can
reach sloping gradually to the SUBMITS
covered with snow, or tinged with the
brilliant glow of the sunshine. The line
is to be extended at once to Jefferson
creek, where there are extensive coal
fields, though that will not be the per-
manent end of the track.
Year: 1879

THE capacity of the Democratic lead
ers for blundering was never more con-
spicuously displayed than during the
past few weeks. They blundered in
forcing an extra session of Congress.
They blundered in raising issues with
the Executive which have resulted not
only in their own discontinue, but in
the consolidation of the Republican
ranks. They are preparing to blunder
again, and the chances are that they will
succeed. For eighteen years they have
not been permitted to sit upon the box
and drive. Now that they are there,
their inexperienced hands are constant
ly pulling the wrong reins, and lOosening
those they should have taut. The team
is dashing along at rattling pace, and
they don't seem to have Judgment
enough left to lock the vehicle Gin.
Com.
Year: 1879

London News.


The King of Burmah is a little over
twenty, and he has been barely four
months on the throne. He is tall, we'll
built persOnable young man. He is very
fair in complexion, has good forehead,
clear, steady eyes, and a firm but pleas
ant mouth. His chin is full, and some
what sensual-lOoking, but withal he is
manly, frank-faced young fellow, and is
said to have gained self-pOssessiOn, and
lost the early nervous awkwardness of
his new position with great rapidity. OF
his character little has yet developed,
but circumstances have occurred to
prove that he is very far from destitute
of will of his own, and that he has no
fondness for any diminutiOn of the royal
prerOgative. As we passed out of the
palace after the interview house in
the palace grounds was pointed out to
me, within which had been imprisoned
in squalid misery ever since the illness
of the late king twenty male members
of the royal blood, who were regarded as
likely, if left at large, to use efforts for
the hinderanee of the accession of the
lad who now sits on the throne, and who,
among the youngest of the sons of his
father, was selected to succeed, partly by
female influence. partly by reason of the
belief of the Ministers that he would in
terpose little obstacle toward the accom-
plishment of the programme of conStitu-
tiOnal reform, with which they desire
to begin new reign. And in a stable
near by, incarcerated there month ago.
are confined three of these ministers,
living proofs that constitutional reform
is ticklish and risky undertaking, when
all the traditions about the throne are
those of absolutism, and the youngsters
who are soft seeming and pliable when
powerless nOnenities, learn swiftly to
take their own part when placed in p0-
sition Of power. King-makers, it is true,
can be king-breakers, but it is also true
that many a king-maker has been
broken by the king he has made. And
/ dare say the ministers in the stable
there are rather sorry now that they did
not make another choice.
Year: 1879

A ANEw-ZEALANDER, reading the cur
rent Democratic literature of the day,
would naturally suppose that the Presi-
dent was in the habit of marching to the
polls on election day at the head of a
squad of regulars, and seizing the ballot
box and carrying it into fence-cOrner,
and sitting down with it between his
outstretched legs and counting the bal
lots to suit himself, and declaring who
was elected. and that soldier-strappeds sa-
traps of his did likewise at every pre-
cinct between the British Provinces and
the Gulf of Mexico; and that the De-
mocracy were the white-winged angels
of peace, who were struggling to put a
stop to the dreadful business Gin.
Com.
Year: 1879

THE Commissioner of the General Land
Office seems to entertain the impression
that the State of Florida is trying to
gobble up a good deal of Government
land without lawful authority. He has
detailed three experienced clerks to Wis
it the State and make a careful inspee-
tiOn of all the land claimed as swamp
and overfiowed lands under the act of
2S, 1850. The State has Sc
lected nearly 100000 acres, and it is
believed that much of this is dry land,
not included in the meaning of swamp
lands, and that the entries made there
upon are fraudulent
Year: 1879

Only a drop


In the bucket,
But every drop


Will tell;
The bucket would
Soon be empty
Without the drops
In the well.
Only a poor


Little penny,
1t was all that l


Had to give;
But as pennies


Make the guineas,
1t may help some
Cause to live.
A few little


Bits of ribbon,
And some tOys-they
Were not new;
But they made the
Sick child happy,
Which has made me
Happy, too.
Only some out


Grown garments
They were all l


Had to spare;
But they'll help to
Clothe the needy,
And the poor are
Everywhere.
A word now and
Then of comfort,
That cost me


Nothing to say;
But the poor old


Man died happy,
And it helped him
On the way.
God loveth the


Cheerful giver,
Though the gift be
Poor and small;
What doth he think
OF his children
When they never
Give at all?