smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

wheat crop clear gain. Another man
bought eighty acres of railroad land and
broke it. This years crop paid for the
land and all the expenses of seeding and
harvesting. A neighbor raised a thousand
bushels'from thirty acres. These instances
might be multiplied. I don't know of
single Instance of failure. Those whose
crop this year was less than twenty bush
els to the acre are an exception. Immense
train loads of wheat go to Minneapolis
every day, and every day they bring back
immense loads of lumber. So we NAV
build to protect from the cold, and defy
the Minnesota storms.


The railroad brings advantages, but evils
follow close behind. Hartland already
boasts Of two saloons in spite of the vote of
the town against license. New Richland,
the next town north has already upwards of
sixty buildings, most of them of substan-
tail character, but was told by one who
could smell whiskey us far as any one, that
liquor was freely sold in six of them. All
the border ruflianism incident to a new
country abounds there. Drinking, swear
ing, lighting, bruised heads and bloody
noses are too common to attract especial
notice. Sixty buildings, six Saloons but
no church nor school house. | suppose
these things will come along by and by
Pity they should have to wait till the last.
Before the railroad was built the GOOD
people here enjoyed their quiet isolation
They had ways and manners of their own
and were undisturbed by the customs of
New York or Paris. Now Boston fashions
come in on every train and there is IL wild
almost frantic straining TO keep up with
the times. Our rustic simplicity has be-
come vulgar and unbecomng and the in
nocent self forgetfulness of former times,
must be regarded hereafter as Il betrayal
of ignorance and II lack Of acquaintance
with the on-rushing world


But | have discoursed too long about
the weather and the railroad. ! meant to
have given you some account of our for
eign population, of whom we have a large
proportion, especially Norwegian, but shall
have to defer it till some other time.
Year: 1878


Now close the book and lay 1t away
The Old Years Book-we have read ii through,
Leaf after leaf and day after day,
We have turned the pages, both and you
What it has told us full well we know,
Each for himself the story has read
A bitter tragedy, full OF woe,-
Alas they found it who mourn their dead.
And some have read of trial and pain,
OF weary burdens so hard to bear,
OF bright hopes crushed, again and again,
Turning its pages in blank despair.
O. A pleasant storv," others may say,
Telling us more Of joy than of pain;
Almost sadly we lay it away
Would we might open and read it again"
Ana some have read it with loves own eyes,
BY the light that love alone can give,
While the pages glowed with loves surprise,
And life were joy and 'twcre joy to live.
But close the book,-The story is old;
Lay itaway with a smile or Il tear,
Written in black, or written in gold,
We open the book of another year


New Years Day, -TdIncript
Year: 1878

A MERRY IIEART-I'd rather be poor
and merry than inherit the wealth of the
Indies with IL discontented spirit. A mer-
ry heart, cheerful spirit from which


laughter wells up us naturally as bubble
the springs of Saratoga, are worth all the
money bags, stocks and mortgages of the
city. The man who laughs is doctor,
with II diploma endorsed by the school OF
nature; his face does more good in II sick
room than pound Of powders or II gallon
of bitter draughts. If things 90 right he
laughs, because he is pleased, if they go
wrong, he laughs because it is cheaper
and better than crying. People are al
ways glad to see him, their hands instinct
lively 90 half way to meet his grasp, while
they turn involuntary from the clammy
touch of the dyspeptic, who speaks on the
groaning key. He laughs you out of your
faults, while you never dream of being
offended with him; it seems as if sunshine
came into the room with him, and you
never know what II pleasant world you are
living in until he points out the sunny
streaks on its pathway. Who can help
loving the whole souled, genial laughter?
Not the buffoon, nor the man who classes
noise with mirlh-but the CHEEKY, content
ed man of sense and mind. A good
humored laugh is the key to all breasts


The truth is that people like TO be laughed
at in u genial sort of way. If you are
making yourself ridiculous, you want to
be told of it in pleasant manner, not
sneered at. And it is astonishing how
frankly the laughing population can talk
without treadlng on the sensitive toes of
their neghbors. Why will the people put
on long faces, when it is so much easier
and more comfortable to laugh? Tears
come to us unsought and unbidden. The
wsest art in life is to cultivate smiles, and
to find the flowers where others shrink
away for fear Of thorns.
Year: 1878

The Yale jokers who included piece of
stained brick among the geological
specimens which they placed upon the
desk of their professor as objects worthy
of his explanatory remarks, received the
following reward, Taking up one of the
specimens, he said: This is a piece of
baryta from the Cheshire mines. This"
holding up another, " is piece of field
spar from the Portland quarries. And
this" coming to the brick, I" is piece of
impudence from some member of the
olass.n
Year: 1878

Ihe good Old Year the brave Old Ycarl
lie loved you long and he loved you well;
Scatterye snow-nakes on his bier,
And plant his grave with the asphodell
Inc good Old Year that brought you cheer
In the days now gOne-the brave Old Year,
Dead in The midnight-wOrds of lear


II,
Winds of the midnight wildly swell,
And pour your dirge DER the dead Old Year
For the good Old Year so wan and pale,
The dead Old Year on his icy bier,
tor the brave Old Year let the wild winds wall
For the dead Oh Year. toll, toll the bell,
And let the winds of the midnight tell
10 the sobbing streams that moan and plain,
10 the streams that moan like souls in pain,
That the good Old Yolr comes not again
Dead in the midnight words of fcarl
Dead IN the midnight brave Old Year!
Dead in the midnight ON his bieri
Winds of the midnight! toll the bell


Old Year, farewell


Farewelll-


FAREWELL
And the solemn midnight hears his kncll


~.
The rivers sob like souls in pain,
For the Year that never comes again,
And the wailing winds to the woods complain
That the good O,d Year meier comes again
That the soul of the brave Old Year has ncd ;
And the woods respond to the wild winds wal


With many moan,


With many groan,
For the brave Old Year so stark and Pale
All, wol-for the good Old Years dcad
Year: 1878

And stentorian was the roar Of the chorus
men and women together, with Il heart
mess and an emphasis which no words
can possibly eXaggerate. 1t was enough
to make Il man wish his grandfather had
been u Weshman just to hear it. apple
TOMS JOurnHi.
Year: 1878

Culture, culture-it is little god


with thousand OF young people, who


fail to see its essential selfshness.


There is q word dilettante, which has
come to us from the Italian, which


expresses just little Of the weakness
OF culture when pursued as an end. 1t
suggests that purposelessness Of cul-
ture which distinguishes it from the
intensity Of a manly character
that works for an end. A manly
man cannot help feeling healthy
contempt for lite which ends only in
its own amusement and pleasure, no
matter how refined that amusement
may he. Cultivation for the sake
OF culture, sunlight for the sake of
sunshine, polishing for the sake Of
polish-there is something empty
and contemplate in every thought
of such life. Culture is good, is
beautiful but culture for cultures
sake, we say, is contemptible-con-
temptlble because it is utterly selfish,
and, therefore, unworthy. The grand
men in the world have been the
men who have taken hold of other
men and lifted them, insted of lifting
at their own boot-straps. No mans
name goes down to the ages as
name of enthusiasm and power who
has not in him a tremendous will to
accomplish something great and good
outside of himself. This is the very
essence OF Christianity, which is god
illness. "My father worketh hitherto,
and l work" There is the example
of God and Christ, and the grand
bidding to the disciples is: "Work
while the day lasts" He went about
doing good,' is che record of the
Master, and $50 work to day in my
vineyard" is his command. The very
beauty and gloss of culture isits danger
and weakness. The intellectual dandy
who stands everlastingly before the
mirror of his own mind. to admire
his own beauty, is apt to get tired of
polishing and standing, and too often
into lazy, lackadaisical,
good. form nothing shirk. How many
such we see.
Year: 1878

An exchange says: We suppose
many people think that the news
payer men are persistent duns let a
tarmer place himself in similar
business position and see if he would
not do the same. Suppose he raised
one thousand bushels of wheat, and
his neighbor should come and buy q
bushel, and the price was only small
matter of two dollars or less, and the
neighbor says, 81 will hand you the
amount in few days" AS the farm.
er did not want to be small about the
matter, he says all right, and the man
leaves with the wheat. Another comes
in the same way until the whole one
thousand bushels of wheat are trusted
out to one thousand differ ent persons,
and not one of the purchasers con-
Germs himself about it, for it is a small
amount that he owes the farmer, and
OF course that would not help him
any. He does not realize that the
farmer has fritted away all his large
crop Of wheat, and that its value is
dde him in a thousand little driblets,
and that he is seriously embarrassed
in his business because his debtors
treat it as small matter. But if all
would pay him promptly, which they
could do as well as not, it wonld be
very large amount TO the farmer, and
enable him 10 carry oil his business
without difficulty The above COM
parison is too true of the difficulties
that the newspaper man has to con.
tend with.
Year: 1878

1t was wish of Bryant, they say,
that he might die in June. We never
thought seriously enough on the sub
ject to insist on a time; but so far as
we have any preference, to be definite
about it, We have always thought we
would like to die on the 3Oth of Feb
ruary.-[ Hawkeye.
Year: 1878

During the present year let's have .
centennial over every old barn and
hencoop and bridge and cider mill and
schoolhouse, and then let's quit on the
whole thing and give ourselves a
rest Boston Traveller.
Year: 1878

The n. Y. Sun very justly remarks
that if the people would only bear in
mind that all governmental expenses
come out Of their own pockets, and that
when these expenses are heavy they be-
come proportionately burdensome and
oppressive, there would soon be less tole-
ration OF governmental extravagance.-
Indeed, we should have less government,
and that seems to be the only practical
way of getting rid Of governmental ex-
travagance. For whatever the Govern
ment does is done at an enormous disad-
vantage. 1t appears to be impossible for
the Government to get work done with
out its costing very much more than the
same work could be done for by an indi-
vidual. Sometimes the cost is twice as
much sometimes it is more than that.
Year: 1878

IT SEEMS NOW that the war was moi
so much for the negro's freedom as to Sc
cure his vote for the Republican party fol
all time. As that party has lost the ne
gro vote for the last year or two with lit
tie prospect of securing it again in the
South without war, the party leaders
propose to wage another war. We hope
they will not be accommodated in this
matter, as the effects of one war for the
negro has proved about as disastrous as
the laboring people are able to stand.
Year: 1878

So that the saving on this important
item Of city expenditures may be made
to reach about $4,000. There is no
wonder that gas stocks are so valuable
in all parts of the country when com
mittee of City Council can make such
snug contracts whereby the gas compa-
MES may get such fat jobs, especia ly so
if the wife or daughter of committee
man happens to hold large lot Of gas
stock. We make no allu.ions to our
own city. But such things has been as
serted in other places.
Year: 1878

The CONTRACT SYSTEM has again


proved that it may be used as a saving
process to our citizens. About two years
ago, without advertising for proposals for
lighting the city, the committee made ar
rangements with the Wilmington Coal
Gas Company to furnish gas the year
round at $3.50 lamp for a four foot
burner. This year the Democrats in
Council resolved to give the lighting OF
the ci y out by contract and in this to in
clude also the Lighting of the lamps and
the cleaning, renewal and repair of the
same. Among the bids opened last night
was a bid from our own gas company to
do all the work for $3.50 lamp for a
three foot burner. 1t being the lowest bid.
der, will no doubt get the contract. Here.
tofore it has cost the city several thousand
dollars to light, clean and repair the
lamps per year. Now there will be a
saving of $14 lamp on the gas bill be.
side the saving of the cost of lighting
and repair. There are five hundred
lamps. The city now pays $137.36 q
month for lighting; the repairs amount
on an average TO about $3.50 a month
Year: 1878

II WOULD be a very strange circuD-
stance if, after allowing Harley g..
Brown to escape the gallows after putting
The lives of whole train of passengers in
jeopardy and killing four of them, our
court should convict couple of young
men and a woman for whipping and
shooting pistol in the dark at single
man, because of slandcrous tales they say
he told upon the wife and young women.
Judge Comegys gave Brown all the law
allowed, and thus gave warning to evil
doers who come to Delaware to commit
crime. II is litt'e curious that the
Dodsons should come 10 our State and
put our county 10 cost and our cours to
lroubie. 1t is not a good place to COM
init crime and all these parties have no
doubt found this out already. Jones
seems to have been elevated 20 the posi-
tion of a hero, and perhaps if the truth
could be got at, has suffered less than
either one Of the parties implicated in
the scandalous affair. Thus the evil.
doer has hard road to travel.
Year: 1878

WE REGRET that the seeming differ
ence between the City Treasurer and the
City Council should have been allowed
TO occur. We are told that the tone of
the letter of the Treasurer TO the Coun-
ell had much to do with this matter. and
we feel quite sure that he did not mean
To be offensive or dictatorial. Yet this
was the obvious conclusion that would
he drawn by nearly every reader of the
letter who did not intimately know the
City Treasurer. 1t does seem to It's that
his bondsmen would have some Just right
to complain if the City Treasurer's clerk
is changed, unless the gem leman that
succeeds him gives bonds in an ample
amount. 1t seems to us that the worst
feature is that the responsibility of botl
the present incumbents may be affected
by the change. We hope there may be
some way found by which an amicablt
arrangement may be reached that will
not compromise either the Council o
the city's interest. The public interes
should be cared for, and no doub
will be.
Year: 1878

REPRESENTATIVE RAINEY, of South Coro-
lima, proposes to prohibit the use of tissue
tickets in the election of Congressman in
the future by making it a felony to use bal
lots which are written or printed upon
tissue paper, or to use any ballots which
are written or printed upon a piece of paper
less than five inches in length and three
inches in width. OF course they may be as
much larger than this prescribed size as the
necessities of the case may require. There
are other provisions of Mr.. RAISEy's bill
to prevent frauds in such elections which
are equally commendable with this one. 1t
is now in the hands of the Judiciary Com
mittee of the House, where, in the ordinary
course of events, it will rest until the sine
die adjournment, for the Democratic ma
jority is not dcmonstratively anxious to
legislatc on such questions just now. In
fact, under the leadership of FERNANDO
WooD, they have already indorsed the
tissue-tickct frauds.
Year: 1878

IT was among the proprieties of things
that Mr.. ATKINS, chairman of the Appropri-
alton Committee, should have originated the
inquiry into the alleged theft of the Hot
Springs appropriation bill. His Democratic
associates Of the Committee on Enrolled
Bills were too drunk to do it, and Mr..
RAINEY was too busy attending to business
they had neglected. But the matter should
not be allowed to rest with the investigation
row being carried on by the Senate, unless,
indeed, the Democratic House is satisfied to
permit such theft to pass by as among the
ordinary casualties of Democratic control in
that body.
Year: 1878

THE indianapolis journal says the Dem
ocrNtic party made the late political cam
vass in that State on platform demanding
" the immediate repeal of the resumption
"act.' In the present state OF public opin-
ion and condition of finances we should
like to see some Democratic member with
hardihood enough to introduce bill for
the immediate repeal of that act.
Year: 1878

SENATOR CoSOvER's vindication from
the trumped-up charges against him regard
ing the Hot Springs appropriation is now
assured. There was never anything in the
charges; they were so flimsy, in fact, that
no one would have paid any attention to
them If they had not been paraded and
sensationalized in the Opposition press.
For this reason THE NATIONAL REPUBLI-
CAN has taken very little notice of them.
Year: 1878

REPRESENTATIVE PAGES bill to reduce
the representation in Congress of WADE
HAMPToN's Rifle Club camp, sometimes
known as the State OF South Carolina, is q
just and equitable measure. OF course the
Democrats in the House will opposeit; they
are in duty bound to sustain the Southern
Chivalry
Year: 1878

THE Chicago Times, good Democratic au-
thority, finds grain of commendation for
the Solid South in the fact that sit isn't for
"TILDEN." Very true; but it is not be-
cause TILDEN is n dishonest man, a cipher
coparcener or anything of that kind, so
much as because in n demagogical appeal
for Northern votes he once pronounced him
self against the payment of Southern rebel
war claims.
Year: 1878

THE Gold Bugs of Wall street threaten q
raid upon the Sub-Treasury after the lst
proximo by presenting all the geenbacks
they can command and demanding gold
therefor. But Secretary SHERMAN is ready
for them. He has an almost incxhaustible
silver reserve to fall back upon, and silver
will then be the equivalent of gold.
Year: 1878

TO half a bushel of good Ii ae add
enough water to slake and be about the
censistence of thick syrup, and while hot
add half gallon of linseed oil and stir
well. To this mixture add half pound
of common glue dissolved in a gallon of
boiling water. After letting it stand
a few hours, thin with water to the
proper consistency for applying and it is
ready for use, Some parties recommend
the addition of salt and other sulphate
Of zinc, but / cannot see any plausible
theory to satisfy me that there is any
advantage in their use. With the lin
seed oil an insoluble sap is formed-oleate
of lime-and the glue forms an inscluble
cement which protects the lime from the
dissolving influence of the water. It is
possible that tallow will answer the same
purpose, at the resulting Compound
would be the same-cleate of lime--the
glyeerine of the fat being set free.
Year: 1878

far liquify it as will permitssa steam force
pump to dive the manure through
earthen pipes or those made of wood or
iron, to be distributed afeld through
movable hose connected with'the pipes
and steam-engine. How manure may be
proftably used On an acre is an unsolved
problem, depending Tartly on the cost of
fuel, partly on the value of farm produce,
and partly on the scarcity or abundance
of fertiliziug materials. Steam working
on iron or steel rails handles freight by
the million tons every year at a very
small cost per ton. Manure should be
handled with equal economy on every
farm.
Year: 1878

A rider was threading his way over
road which lay along the hills at the base of
the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the region
known as the Piedmont of Virginia, about
the sources of the Rappahannock river.





The man himself might be described in
the same language. as far as it would apply.
Beyond this, his age was about twenty-three,
his hair brown and full In lock, his eye of q
grayish blue.


His way quickly brought the traveller to
stream now running over its banks. Slipping
easily from his saddle, he frightened the
girth, slackened the crupper. and, gently
pattlng his animal, addressed few affection
ate words to him. Remounting. he fixed
himself firmly in the saddle, gathered his
bride in manner to impart to his compan-
ion his own energy and determination, and
| moved into the creek.


Turning up the stream, he proceeded for
about a hundred yards along the bank, and
then struck boldly across in direct line
| with the horses head slanted up current.
The depth of the water did not senslbiy IN
crease in the course Of eighty yards, and the
stranger was congratulating himself upon
the probability Of getting over without 8
| wetting, when the animal in two steps in
creased the depth until he could no Longer
hold his footing, and sprung boldly into tht
| middle of deep, rushing channel. In an
instant the rider had seized the name of the
| horse in his left hand, and slipped smoothly
out Of the saddle TO the lower side, where he
foated along.


! Man and beast battled brayely with ths
food for moment, when the former wa.
/ startled to feel the horse finch and turn will
/ a terrified snort down the current. A quicl
/ Jerk upon the left rein served to procure ba
Year: 1878

The reason why woman requires
a large wallet for the trans 9ortation
of a twenty-five cent shinplaster, is
as deeply wrapped in mystery, as the rea-
son why a dog always turns around three
times when he gets up after nap.
Year: 1878

Only very short time will elapse before
the democratic ticket in this county Will
have been selected and placed before the
people. The essential thing in regard to
such ticket is tEat it shall be composed or
reliable men, fully in accord with the or
ganization of the party, and such as not
only will have the confidence of democrats
but will at least command the respect OF
voters generally. 1t is not merely sutfl-
cient that a candidates record, as the phrase
is, should be unimpeachable but his per
sonal fitness and abilities should also be
admitted as requisite for the office. A
full and uurestrained expression OF choice
should characterize the selection of nom
inees There is probably but little danger
at this time of any coercion being attempt
ed 10 behalf Of any particular individual
but there should be none at any
time. The free and open choice OI
uuinstructed delegations coming dlrec
from their several constituencies anC
knowing full we'll the feelings and sentl
meuts which they have been selected Il
represent, if left to proper dehberatior
and uutrammelled action, will almost in
variaby result in a ticket which is &C
ceptable to all, and likely to receive cor
dial and earnest support. That is wha
THE ARGUS honestly desires. The actio
of the people themselves. their full pal
ticipation in the choice of candidates, an
then their hearty support OF their ow
work. 4 ticket emanating from the pee
pie themselves, as distinctive act of the
own, and not gotten up at the dictation
politicians or through their manipulation
is such ticket as ought to command r
spect and deserve success-it becomes
this way the act and the choice Of tt
voters whose suffrages are depended uDo
to insure its election-it is the true dem


cratic way of doing things.
Year: 1878

Now that election is coming on, a
number Of our political papers are
preparing to relieve themselves OF
an inordinate quantity of bile ere its
scenes close. One unkind or semi,
facetious fling will provoke an ILL.,
tempered retort, and each perhaps
will temporarily forget all sense 'o
decorum, uttering many things which
after sorrow can never obliterate
Strange that such matters as the
choosing of officers should engendeI
SO much inharmonious feeling.