smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Have you ever caught the secret
Which the leaves forever sing,
Through each balmy day of Summer,
When the birds are on the wing?
Have you listened to their language.
And their laughter soft and sweet?
Have you watched their shining glances
Through the noontide's glowing heat?
Oh. they make such merry music,
Gayly dancing in the breeze,
Every tiny leaf a-tremble,


On the solemn old oak trees,
That you know some happy secret


Must have stirred each winsome elf
10 those bursts of fairy laughter,


And you fairly laugh yourselfl
UP and down they dance and quiver.
Back and forth they sing I'm glee,
While the whistling winds still louder
Pipe their merry minstreisy
All along the woodland borders,


Past the reapers and their sheavea
Still the rippling music greets you.


OF the laughter of the leaves
All! IT'S sure some lovers secret


which they whisper day by day;
Never ccasing, never firing


OF the old and happy lay.
Merry song and merry singers.
Merry hearts where love is king,
Every Summer brings new lovers,


Every year fresh leaves TO sing.
Year: 1877

The growth Of this country is well
shown by the fact that the man is still
alive who after middle age built the first
railway made on this continent. That
man is the esteemed and philanthropic
Peter Cooper. He built the engine
after his own designs in Baltimore little
more than thirty years ago, and it was
successfully operated on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railway.
Year: 1877

We have been taking a retrospect

 i've glance leading us back some nine

 years in the history and doings of Pope county. Nine years ago we cast our lot in this county, and after carefully comparing notes and con trasting the condition of the county

 as we then found it with the condi- tion Tn which we find it to-day, we are afforded the qualification of as- serting that the comparison indicates degree of progress in the material welfare of our county which is cheer ing in high degree. Notwithstand- ing the disturbing and disadyanta- geous circumstances under which we have lapored during perhaps third of this time, and which kept our county at dead stand-still for sever al years, we find the county today so far advanced from what she was then, that the aggregate progress made denotes a fair average for every year of the whole time. It is impos- sible for us to turn our eyes in any
Year: 1877

The Little Rock Star never per mits an opportunity to abuse and islander the people of Arkansas to to pass by without improving it. Its governing policy and fixed rule seems to be to say all the mean things possible, regardless of facts, about Arkansas, and to give no cred It for anything good. If consistency and persistence in this course is a virtue in the eyes of that paper, we do not blame the Editor for think ing that he is a greater man than George Washington.

 In an article in last Thurday's is- sue, wherin the Editor is speaking of the comments of the Gazette upon an article which appeared in the New York Times, the subject of dis cussion being the recent decision of the Supreme Court declaring the Railroad Bonds illegal and void, that paper goes out of its way to add this islander to the long string of abuse which it has already heaped upon Arkansas; ;-"there is no tech nical plea or advantage which the people of this State will not take to rid themselves of a debt honestly contracted"

 Now the facts in the matter ought to show anybody that the above as sertion is a misrepresentation of the people of Arkansas. Why is it if the people of this State are such great repudiationists, that they have not long since plotted out the Hol ford and Levee bonds? Why is it that notwithstanding the advice and urgent appeals of many of the news papers, and of many well known cit izens of the State, the repudiation oi these fraudulent claims, if repudia tion you choose to call it, has not been efiected2 Why is it that the Gazette, which has opposed repudia tion so strongly, is so popular witl the people? Why is It that the Lit tie Rock Herald which was the or gan of the repudiationists went m der for want of support?

 The people of Arkansas are not TO pudiationists in the odious sense il winch the Star uses that term, They
Year: 1877

which the public only has an inter est. The vote is no more private right than the payment of a just tax, or the act of submitting to enroll ment as soldier and marching to confront an assailing foe. These are public duties, not private rights. Every generous and patriotic heart will, indeed, enjoy their performance and exult in enduring all the hard ships imposed by it; but the notion of q resulting personal and individ- ual benefit no more applies to the employment of time and labor in the political duty of casting vote than to the act Of pouring our life's cur rent on the field in defense of our country. It follows that requiring specified qualifications in the voter is merely the enactment of exemp- tions from the performance Of pub lie service. Rightly understood, these exemptions would be regarded as relief acts ill favor of those who, in the judgment of the State, were unable to sustain the burden, and, therefore could not be justly charged with 1t. It is from our failure to realize this manifest truth that we tolerate the pernicious trade of poli- tics in it's lowest forms, and do not hold in deep dislike the profession of the party organizer or the pur- suits of the habitual oflice-seeker. *

 The secret ballot is an evil practice; it should have been long since abolished. All voting should be viva voce, and besides announc- ing his choice the voter should be required to write and subscribe his ticket with his own hand ir the presence of the election judges, and to deposit it with them as authentic evidence of his act. Under such regulations public officers might he selected by the intelligent and with intelligence; the falsehood and fraud which now so often characterize the reported results of popular elections would be rendered difficult, if not absolutely impossible"
Year: 1877

arc not even enough so to demand of our Finance Board the total ignoring of those claims against the State which are reeking all over with corruption and steeped in fraud. They arc noteven enough of repudi- tors to stand boldly up and tell the world that they will never pay a claim which has neither moral nor legal binding force against them. If it were not notorious all over the whole land that the large majority of the claims against the State are fraudulent and illegal, there would never nave been heard even so much as whisper of repudiation in Ar kansas. We call it no repudiatiop for man or q State to refuse to pay fraudulent claim agalnst him or it, and we trust the people of the State will soon learn to have moral cour- age enough, and little enough fear of the men who would tauntingly call them repudiationists, to say plainly that they do not intend to pay a cent of these fraudulent bonds.

 Justice to honest creditors demands this, and the people of Arkansas can afford to do right in this matter and trust to time to vindicate them in their action. Let the enemles of the people of Arkansas, like the Star, and the friends of the bond holders, howl as much as they please, but let these fraudulent claims meet the disaDproyal of the people.
Year: 1877

The interest in this road is daily increasing. Our citizens are more than ever impressed with the abso- lute necessity of a southern outlet We have not conversed with farmer or merchant anywhere in the county that is not in favor of speedily con structing the road. Boone county will go full scholar in the enter prise. Will Little Rock and Rus sellville do anything? We have so far heard nothing from either point

 The above is from the Boone County Record. We are glad to know that the feeling in Boone is so lively on thls subject, and we do sincerely trust that this long talked of project will soon assume some tangible shape and that something more than mere talk will be done. We have favored the road from here to Harrison all the time and have written and said a good deal about it, but if anything is ever to be ac- complished there must be some thing Ill the way of active, energetic work done. The people of Boone are the ones who are most directly interested and it behooves them to lead off in the matter. We believe that Russellville and Little Rock will both do something to secure the road, but it is bad plan to wait for others to do anything which we want done. If Boone county will put some of her active, responsible men to work on this matter we have no fear of it failing, but If they stand back for others to take the lead we fear there will be nothing done.

 The L. R. & F. s, Ky. will give liberal special rates to the people who may turn thelr shipping thls way; and if our Boone county friends really want the road as bad as they pretends we see nothing to defeat them in accomplishing the construc- tion of a good road to the railroad at this point.
Year: 1877

The Arkansaw Traveller makes the assertion that some of our state officials at Little Rock are members of railroad ring and are using their high positions to favor the interests of railroads. If there is any such thing as this we hope it will be exposed and the guilty par ties held up to the view of the pub lie. If the Traveller has any infor- mation on this subject it is due the people that it should speak right out and tell what 1t knows. Nothing of this sort should be tolerated in any of our officials and the quicker men who engage in these rings are known and repudiated by the masses the better for the party and the State.
Year: 1877

Now that the Railroad Aid Bonds are eliminated, by the recent decis- ion of the Supreme Court, from the knotty problem of our States indebt- edness, the other claims against the State, arising from the Holford and Levee Bonds will be the subject of general debate. The general verdict will be that the Railroad Bonds met the fate they merited, and the al ready strong sentiment against the validity of the Holford and Levee Bonds will be strengthend.

 Speaking on this subject the Fay ettevilIe Democra. says:

 "This bond question is vital, and the press throughout the State should speak out. Do we owe any thing on the Holford Bonds or the Leyee bonds? If we do not should we pay anything by compromise or otherwise? We say no not dollar. If there be any of the brethren of the press who believe our people ought to be taxed to pay any part of the bonds referred to, in order to preserve the HONOR of the State, let them speak out. What you may say will be interesting reading to the people of the State. If the people are to belong to the fraudulent bondholders, let them know it.

 The Democrat is entirely right when it pronounces this vital issue. It is an issue of direct importance to every taxpayer and property owner in the State, and there is no more imperative duty resting upon. the press than to enlighten the masses of the people in regard thereto.-

 We believe the press of the State have generally taken thelr positions on this question. It was an issue in 'the last campaign and many mem bers of the legislature owed theil election to their avowed oposition to the payment of thes. fraudulent claims. After the election, however, some of these same members got SC honorable that they were unwilling to hold fast to their defense of the people against these bond holders, and the matter was stayed off indefi nitcly.

 This paper then took a decided stand against the payment of these claims and set its face firmly against all scaling of invalid claims.

 We hold to the same views yet, nothing having transpired to cause us to change our opinion. We sec nothing dishonorable-nothing det rimental to our credit-in refusing to acknowledge and meet an obliga tion which is based upon fraud These claims are in fact not obliga tions, they are merely sham claims against the State, and nothing but { want of moral courage will induce any one to acknowledge them as binding against the taxpayers of tho State
Year: 1877

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN;-

 My subject tonight, is, "The I'm mortality of the Soul"

 This subject has been the study of the wlsest men, who have ever lived upon the Earth. Some have taken the position, that Man was like all other animals, and held that, ''It was all of Life to llve," and that when the body mouldered back to dust, that it was one long and eternal sleep, that would know no widening, and that like his fellow animals, would have no existence beyond the vale of death.

 It would not be modest in me, at my age, to call in question the hon. esty and sincerity, of the great and learned men, of this and other ages, who have taken the position that Man IS only mortal, and that the Soul will not live in higher and no- bier sphere than this. For it must be admitted that some of the advo- cates of this doctrine, have been among the most learned and highly moral of life, and have taught by precept and example, that a virtu- ous life. tended to the happiness of the human family; but while l would not set up my opinions, crude as they are, ln contradlstinctlon to the learned philosophers, still, will you permit me to give you some of the reasons why l have an humble faith and hope, that the Soul of Man Is Immortal, and that on the banks be yond the river of Death, Man will have blessed immortality, and will be permitted to work out that noble destiny, for which he was originally created, and which has been becloud ed by the fall and transgression ol his federal head.

 The first reason that 1 would give in proof that the Soul is Immortal is, that this life is too short for tho development of the mind of man which, in this connection II use as synonymous with the soul. It cannot be denied that mans fall clouded his intellect; for no human has the ca pacity of mind that was given tc Adam, the first man. We are told that he gave names to every beast and animal that had been created and we can safely infer that he alsC gave names to every tree and flower that sprang from the bosom of tho earth, and that tho name so given was applicable to each and in the most positive manner in
Year: 1877

To the Editor of the DEMOCRAT:

 SIR'--I read with pleasure your article in last weeks issue upon "To prosper or not to prosper" and am proud to say that your theory upon the subject of manufacturing our home necessities coincides exactly with the plans l have for some time advocated. Such a joint stock com pany can be gotten up, if only a few
Year: 1877

energetic men will set themselves to work in earnest. I came from 2 country where most of the industrial enterprises were conducted upon the joint stock basis, therefore l am fully prepared to say that know that a joint stock manufacturing company can be started, and success. fully operated in Pope county, II only the proper efforts are maae. But as you very appropriately saia, talk will not accomplish the work, and as there has been considerable talk with nothing else, let's stop this useless caviling about the matter, and not only talk Ill earnest, but set ourselves to work in earnest, let our actions adopt the language of Presi- dent Jackson concerning the seizure of South Carolina--by the Eternal God it shall be done.

 To this end l will presume to sug- gest the propriety of calling meet ing of the citizens of Pope county, to convene at Dover or Russcllyille some time during July or August, for the purpose of drliberating upon the subject of organizing joint stock manufacturing company, for the purpose of manufacturing blows, double -shovels, cultivators, wagons, and in fact any and every kind oi implements that we can use in our county or dispose to advantage.

 If such an enterprise can only be started it will soon gain a sufficient momentum to carry itself on with such an accelcrating velocity that will bid defiance to all impediments that may arise to impede it's prog ress; then let us go to work in earn est, let us show to our sister coun- ties there IS some enterprise among our people; let us go to work upon the principle of the good old maxim which says "where there is a will there is way" MT. Editor, will you give us statistical table show ing the probable amount of imple- ments, with cost and freight that is annually shipped to RusseilVllle, that might be made at home. More anon. NOVICE.

 We are unable to give any such statistical table as our correspond ent asks for, but we place the value of imported agricultural implements shipped to Pope county annually at twenty thousand dollars; twenty thousand dollars annually sent out of our county for tools which might just as we'll be made here at home out of the native timber and mate rial which is piled up around us in superabundance.-lying idle, un- profitable and of no benefit to us, so long as we refuse to utilize it. If we can get enough of our people to look at the matter as "Novice" does we will yet do something for our selyes.- ED.
Year: 1877

direction, or to fix our attention ng on single point in our history with out seeing plaia and unmistakable evidences of the progress and inn provement we have made. If we go to the country we find very marked improvement has taken place. New farms and farm houses dot our coun- ty all over. The old farms and farm houses and fences have been repair ed and rehabilitated. Thousands of acres of waving corn and yellow, gol- den grain now greet the eye where then there was naught but the un- broken forest The places which were then but the haunts of wild vermin, and the forests whose soli tude was only broken by the hooting of the owl or the bowling of the wolf, are now the pleasing habitation of man, where the joyous shout of child hood greets our ear, and the lowing of the herd adds rich cadence to the melody of the scene. The new wag ors, the improved cultivators and the modern labor-saying farm ma chinery that we see, tell us that our agricultural interests have progressed to a pleasing extent. Whatever meets our eye in the rural districts tells us that the sons of the soil have prospered and vastly bettered their condition.

 If we go to the towns the eviden. ces of progress there are equally plain and convincing. We find life, briskness and business activity and rivalry heretofore unknown. We find our stores stocked with altogeth- CT different and better class of goods than was kept or demanded nine years ago. We find better goods and more of them. We find neat, new store houses, some of them as substantial and connections as there is in the whole State. We find fewer dram shops, and more houses in the useful and beneficial lines of trade. A comparison of ev- cry thing about our towns shows a pleasing thrift, and growth which plainly indicates progress in our commercial interests. Our schools, school houses and churches have i'm proved to perhaps greater degree than anything else. We have more of them and better ones, and they are better patronized. The moral and social tone of society has kept pace with the progress that has been made in our farming and commer- cial interests, and to-day we stand on a moral plane far above where we found the social and moral status when we came here nine years ago. The decorum and order that charac- terizes all our meetings and gather ings, the improvement in the dress and outward garb, and the very bear ing and department has improved.

 Wherever we look, as we said be fore, we see that progress has been made, and we doubt very much in deed, if there is a county in the State that has improved as much as Pope. We congratulate the people of OUT county, therefore, upon the signs of the times, and we say, be of good cheer, for you have done well; and with the continued smiles of Provi- dence and the same faithful dis charge of duty on your parts, you have no reason to doubt that prosper ity and happiness will atttend you and lead you further on with lapid strides in the march of progress and
Year: 1877

Of all the preparations brought to public notice, none deserves greater Commendation than HOME STOMACH BrrTERs. Being extracted from the best vegetable material, and containing no mineral poisons, they should be used by all who desire to retain or re- gain good health.
Year: 1877

Ing or lrlenuS, put ne VIII i've dn eternal life and all that life will be a life of love. With this view of the subject, the Christian mother can consign her beautiful and dead babe to the grave with a full assurance that she will one day meet the pre- cious babe on the banks beyond the river, remembering the sweet words of Jesus Christ when he said: q am the resurrection and the life, and that when he who is our life shall appear, we shall also appear with him." would not, if l could

 disbelieve in the immortality of the soul. If I disbelieve this doctrine the whole religion of Jesus Christ would be a mockery, and there would be an impenetrable gloom hanging over the grave that would be intolerable to contemplate. The certainty of the immortality of the soul inspires me to love, to toll, and labor to prepare for that immorta

 existence to which I am fast hasten

 ing. Without this hope my aspira

 tions would not rise higher than tho dumb brute creation. The soul is immortal and must either live witt God its maker, in peace, or be ban

 ished into a world of endless night.
Year: 1877

Don't forget to 90 to the Beethoven Clubs
concert at the Grand Opera House on Thurs,
evening next. This club consists of young
men Of musical talents of this city who have
already gained some note for the excellence
in the art. They should draw . crowded
house.
Year: 1877

In concluding an address to the stu dents of University College London Prof Tyndall, who is unquestionably one of the most Indefatigable brain workers of our century, said, 'stake care of your health. Imagine Hercules as oarsman in a rotten boat; what can he do there but by the very force of his stroke expedite the ruin of his craft. Take care of the timbess of your boat" The distinguish. ed scientists advice is equally valuable to all aOorEers. We are apt to devote all our energies to welding the oars, our strokes fall firm and fast, but few of us examine or even think of the condition of our boats until the broken or rotten timbers suddenly give way and we fiud ourselves the victims of calamity which could have been easily avoided by little fore thought. What began with slight frac- ture. or perhaps even a careless exposure to disorganizing influences, ends in the complete wreck of the ife-b0at.. The dis ease which began with slight headache or an undue exposure to cold terminates in death, unless it's progress be checked, and the disease remedied. The. first symptoms, the heralds of disease, give no indication of the strength of the on-com. ing foe, and the victim trusts that h1s old ally, Nature, will exterminate the inva- der. But Disease is an old general and accomplishes his most important move ments in the nighttime, and some bright morning finds him in possession of one of the strongest Notifications; and when he has once gained stronghold m the sys- tenn, Nature ignominiously turns traitor and secretly delivers up the whole physi- cal armory to the invader. Like the willy politician. Nature is always on the strong gest side, and the only way to insure her support is to keep your vital powers in the ascendant. Keep your strongest forts-the stomach and hyer--well guard ed. Do not let the foe enter the arterisl highways, for he will steal or destroy your richest merchandise and impoverish