smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877




From the Missouri Republican.


Some of the opponents of the silver
dollar think that it is a good point against
the demand for its recoinage that only a
very small number were coined during the
whole period in which that coin was made
at the mints. A statement is gong the
rounds of the anti-silver papers purporting
to give the number of silver dollars coined
each year since 1894, from which it ap-
pears that the aggregate is only $S,045, ,83S
This statement is an unfair presentation
of the number of silver dollars which were
in circulation previous to the war, however,
| for the simple reason that our dollar was
made to correspond with the Spanish
milled and the Mexican dollars, and those
dollars were made legal tender,so that it Is
estimated that there were at times at least
one hundred millions in circulation in the
| United States. But the number of silver
dollars in circulation has really very little
to do with the real question, SO long as tht
number is sufficient to fix the value o
other money. The paper notes of the in
Vulnerable private banks which existed
previous to 1860 were measured by thu
silver dollar, and if half dozen silve
dollars had been sufficient tor measuring
purposes no more would have been need
That is all they are wanted for now, an,
just as soon as enough silver dollars ar
circulated among the people, or are OBJ
tainable from the government, to enabl
the payment Of debts 10 them if tn
debtor chooses to use them, there will b
just as many as the advocates of the 81
yer dollar demand. 1t doesn't matte
what the number may be, for when it i
known that they can be had if wanted, th
silver dollar will become the none
standard by which debts will be measure
without the use of the dollar itself. NJ
body wants the silver dollar for actu;


practleal use other tnan 10 the sma
Year: 1877

Inc members of the Louisiana Return
ing Board are to be brought to the bar of
the House, and compelled to answer for
contempt. The Republican brethren are
shocked to think of such a violation of
state rights. They have no hesitation
ABOUT violating State rights to do wrong
put the consider the forms Of low sacred
when they protect fraud.
Year: 1877

For second time the strip of silver sea
that parts England from France has
been passed by a swimmer, with no
other aid than his own strength and
buoyancy This is great achievement
in an athletic sense, and beyond its
mere athletic aspects it implies a won
derful vital power, fol we have no doubt
that the greatest obstacle to its success
ful performance is not the fatigue, but
the refrgerating influence of the sea
operating for so many hours The
men who can endureIthat and have also
the requisite SIX II as swimmers for such
a performance are not numerous. Cap
rain webb's success in swimming the
channel brought him rich reward
from the admiration cfhi countrymen
and that fact can scarcely remain out
of sight in considering the motives of
the present swimmer. In fact, unless
a man ,an 81 upward of $4,000, as
Webb did, for swimming over, he had
better 90 by steamboat. But if people
get in the habit of swimming the chan
nel-which is about twenty eight miles
wide-we shall perhaps get rid OF
that great bore, the referance to Lean
der and Lord Byron and the Hellespont
when swimmers are dicussed, though
we shall have those horrid South Sea
Islanders who swim around outgoing
ships for the first or second day of the
voyage, like so many sharks -Nceo
York Heold, Angust %.
Year: 1877

On the Norfolk Circuit, Lee was once
retained for the plaintiff in an action for
breach of promise OF marriage: when
The brief was brought him, he inquired
whether the lady Tor redress, whose in
Jury he was TO seek, was good-looking.
Very handsome, indeed, sir - was the
assurance of Helen's attorney. Then,
sir" replied Lee. 81 beg you,will request
her 10 be in court, and in place
where she can be seen" The attorney
promised compliance; and the lady, IN
accordance with Lees wishes, took her
seat in a conspicuous place. Lee, in ad
dressing the jury, did not fail to insist
with great warmth on the "abominable
cruelty" which had been exercised
towards"Ihe lovely and confding female"
before them, and did not sit down until ho
had succeeded in working up their feel
ings to the desired point. The counsel
on the other side. however, speedily
broke the spell with which Lee had en-
chanted the jury. by observing that his
learned friend in describing the graces
and beauty of the plaintiff had not men.
toned one fact, namely, that the lady had
a ,cooden leg The court was convulsed
with laughter. while Lee. who was igno-
rant of this circumstance, looked aghast;
and the jury, ashamed OF the influence
that mere eloquence had had upon them.
returned a verdict for the defendant.
Year: 1877

II was 'court week" in country tav-
ern, and 8 dozen cots hal been put up
temporarily in the parlor. There was
grand chorus OF snores from nearly all of
the beds. After an hour or mole OF this
uproar ole of the most resonant snorcs
brought up with snort and was suddenly
silent. A Frenchman who occupied u
cot in the extreme corner OF the room
Year: 1877

There is an all-pervading and diffusive
charm about q summer evening any
where. In the country, where the air is
fragrant with the breath of honeysuckle
and rose, and perfumed, besides, with a
thousand subtle scents too transient and
delicate to be separately defined, the eve
ming is the climacteric of the day. Not
morning, with its wondrous sparkle and
shine, its glistening pearls suspended
from myriad branches, it's evanescent
clouds, and it's chorus of song; not noon,
with its hush of spell-bound splendor
and its lovely languor of stately repose;
not even late afternoon, when the long
shadows creep down the velvet slopes,
and the haze hangs tremulous on the dis
tant hills-is so fair as twilight. Through
the faint ethereal glimmer Of brightness
which fingers in the west, through the
glory OF the golden moonrise, there come
vague questionings and thoughts to our
minds, not clothed upon with speech,
though they wear the color of heaven.
From unseen haunts in the orchard, or
from the dark belt of frs which girdlee
the ravine, there falls ROW and then a
silvery note, the vesper song of the robin,
or the last warble of the thrush, ere he
tucks his head beneath his wing. Tran
quilly and tenderly the night approaches,
like gentle mother whose protecting Q
arms gather the tired children close and
fold them to slumber on her breast.
Year: 1877

Six months ago a gentleman and his
wife registered their names in the best
hotel in Sonora, California. They made
few acquaintances; they seemed TO court
seclusion; they wandered up and down
the grassy hills; occasionally they were
seen sitting under tall pine, anon the
man carried a pick-ax ON his shoulder
and had the air of miner who was hunt
ing for a pocket vein; they were eccen-
trio and mysterious. On June 30they
disappeared, and after their fellow-board-
ers had gossiped about them for day or
two search was made for them, The
queer couple were found on the top of
Bald mountain not far from the town.
They had been out doors about ninety
hours; they had not lost their way; they
had gone out into the woods with the
deliberate purpose of starving to death;
they had eaten nothing; they had afour-
ounce bottle filled with water, with
which they had moistened their parched
lips; they were dying by inches. The
neighbors carried them to cabin, and
induced them to eat something. The
husband is a graduate of Pennsylvania
medical college, and owns a homestead
in New Jersey. Once he was very
wealthy, but he lost everything in stock
speculations in San F. ancisco He had
been waiting for remittances from that
city; his last penny had gone; he was in
debt to the hotel proprietor; he resolved
to go up the mountain and starve, and
his wife went with him.
Year: 1877

Judge Pitman has habit of slipping
his watch under his pillow when he goes
to bed. The other night somehow it
slipped down, and, as the Judge was rest
less, it gradually worked its way down.
ward toward the foot of the bed. After
a bit, while he was lying awake, his foot
touched it, and it felt very cold; he was
surprised and scared, and, jumping from
bed he said


"By gracious, Maria there's toad
or snake or something under the covers.
[ touched it with my foot"


Mrs. Pitman gave loud scream and
was out on the floor in an instant.


"Now don't go to hollering and wax
ing up the neighbors," said the Judge.
"You go and get me broom or some
thing, and we'll fix the thing mighty
quick"


Mrs. Pitman got the broom and gave
it to the judge, with the remark that she
felt as if snakes were creeping all up and
down her legs and back.


"Oh, nonsense, Maria Now you turn
down the covers slowly. while I hold the
broom and bang it. Put bucket of
water alongside the bed, too, SOS we can
shove it in and drown it.


Mrs. Pitman fixed the bucket and
gently removed the covers. The Judge
held the broom uplifted, and as soon as
the black ribbon of the watch was re-
vealed, he cracked away three OF four
times with his broom. Then he pushed
the thing off into the bucket Then they
took the bucket to the light to investi-
gate the matter. When the Judge saw
what it was, he said


81 might've known that. Just like
you women, to go screeching and fussing
about nothing. Who's going to pay me
for that watch? It's utterly ruined"


:" 1t was you that made the fuss, not
me, F" said Mrs. p. You needn't try to
put the blame off on me-"


"Oh, hush up, and go to bed. I'm
tired Of hearing you blather. Blame me
if amt going to get divorce and emil
CRATE"


And the Judge turned in and growled
at Maria until he fell asleep. MAJ Id
| 4Igr
Year: 1877

Indians may be treacherOus. but they
can be just and they can be honest ;
and who shall say how far the disbon-
esty of others bas led to their treachery
They know when they are cheated, as
the government has found to its cost.
An old trader, who established himself
at what happened to be a favorable
locality among the Northern Indians,
tells a good story Of his first trials with
his red customers. Other traders had
settled in that same place before, but
had not remained long. The Indians,
who evidently wanted goods, and bad
money and furs, focked about the store
Of the new trader and carefully exam
ined bis goods, but offered to buy moth
ing. Finally their chief. with large
number Of his tribe, visited him


"How do, John p said the chief
"Show me goods. Aha l take that
blanket for me and that calico for squaw
three otter skins for blanket and one
for calico. Ughl pay you by'm to-
morrow"


He received his goods and left. On
the next day he returned with large
part of his band, his blanket well stuffed
with skins Of various kinds Nov,
John, pay"


And with this he drew an Stter skin
from his blanket and laid it on the
counter Then be drew a second,
third, and fourth A moments hes
itatiou, as though calculating, and then
he drew forth a fifth skin-a very rich
and rare one. and passed it over.


"That's right, John"


The trader instantly pushed back the
last skin, with


"You owe me but four. want only
my just dues"


The chief refused to take it. and they
passed it several times back and forth,
each one asserting that it belonged to
the other


At length the dusky chieftain ap-
pearsd to be satisfied. He gave the
trader a scrutiniziug look, and then put
the skin back into the blanket. Then
he stepped to the door and gave yell,
and cried out to bis followers


-'Come-cOme and trade with the
pale-face John. he no cheat Indian.
His heart big !"


Then turning to the trader be said


Suppose you take last skin, tell
my people no trade with.yOu. We drive
of others; but now you be Indians
friend and we be yours.


Before dark the trader was waist
deep in furs. and loaded down with
cash. He found that honesty had a
value with these Indians
Recorder.
Year: 1877

sentativss, however blinded by party


passion, and couspiratOrs against fair


ness and honesty. however high in au-


thority, will heed. It is the voice Of


the people. Let that voice be heard at


Washington through resolutions Of pub


lie meetings and monster petitions to


Congress demanding Of that body to


adopt some means which viii prevent


the Inauguration of any man as Presi-


dent through force. fraud or corruption


and that will give effect to the voice Of
the American people as cOnstitutiOnally
expressed. II, unfortunately, the two


Houses should finally fail to agree as to
the count Of the vote from a particular
State, the result would necessarily be
that the vote would not be counted
and the President Of the Senate in such
q case would have no more power to
count it than he would to pass q bill
about which the two Houses disagreed.


Mr.. Dawes, 10 the debate on Mr.
Morton's bill last session, has shown
this very clearly. he said : IF a
question arises about the opening of a
vote. whether you shall count it or not,
and those on whom the Constitution
has devolvsd the duty Of deciding it
fail to agree, the legal consequences is
precisely what this bill says that it
shall be. 1t cannot be counted, be-
cause those upon whom the constitution
has devolved the power Of determining
it have failed to agree that it shall be
counted, or how it shall be counted
And because they fail to agree. and be-
cause the Constitution has not gone
further to dispose of the question, We
propose to do SO BY statute. The in-
gsnuity of members Of the Senate and
House may be exhausted upon selecting
the best and safest tribunal, but still it
will lack constitutional authority and
lacking constitutional authority. it is
naugbt, and being naOght, to set up
man as President of the United States
without authority is another definition
Of usurpatiOu."
Year: 1877

DON'T LOSE A MINUTE Keep busy
The man who has nothing to do is the
most miserable of beings If you have
no regular work, do chores, as farmers
do when it rains too hard to work in
the field. In occupation we forget our
troubles. and get respite from sorrow.
The man whose mind and hands are
busy finds no time to weep and vail
If work is slack, spend the time in read
ing. No man ever knew too much
The hardest students 10 the world are
the old men who know the most. II
you lack books, there are free or very
cheap libraries, at least in the cities, at
your command The man who does
not acquire some item of useful infor-
nation between daybreak and bedtime
must mOurnfully say, with the Roman
Emperor, II have lost day"
Year: 1877

A countryman bargained with Cal
ifOrnia photographer for half-leugth
picture Of himself at half price. and
when the artist delivered full view of
the subject from the waistband down,
the VictimiEed sitter INDUCED in re-
marks more fOrcible than polite.
Year: 1877

be the signal for the general plunder of the
town and the probable massacre of the in
habitants. A government steamer was st
that port only a few weeks ago, but the
Indians regarded it with the utmost con-
tempt, saying they could very easily capture
it If they desired. Gehera1ly, a feeling of
insecurity has completely paralyzed business
IN the te -ritory, and unless the government
speedily offers protection to the settlers, it
wilt be totally abandoned
Year: 1877

THERE is no end to injustice. Allie
gheny county, Pa, it is said, will have
TO pay for what the rufhans of Pittsburgh
did on the night of the great riot. 1t
nust be comforting to the Pittsburgher,
who stood and looked calmly on at the
big fiIe, TO knew that the man who lives
out in the county must help him pay
for the show
Year: 1877

81 don't believe in fashionable
churches" said u lady recently; but,
after all, considering that we are all TO
90 to the same heaven, perhaps it's better
to keep up the social distinctions as long
as we can
Year: 1877

The Arizona SENTINEL is 8 live paper; and last week walked into the Riverside News without gloves on, remarking in its char acteristic way that the editor of the latter paper don't know any more about Yuma or ArizOna than a bran pOultice does. The .Semi- Iropic would respectfully ask what has bran poultice ever done to the Arizona SENTINEL, that its name should be bandied about in this manner? The pub- lie will please understand that in this fight we are on the side of the bran poultice. Cotton Senai- IFOpic.
Year: 1877

Nr. Editor Will you allow me
space in your columns to make a few
remarks relative to this subject in the
interests of the laborer in our State,
and, as understand it, in vindica-
tion Of the laws thereof. AS you,
in common with this community, are
aware, practice has grown up here,
recently sanctioned by decision of
one of the judges of this circuit,
which, whilst it has produced spirit
of discomfort amongst the large class
of our people whom it so seriously
affects, has also evoked the censure of
every law-abiding and public spirited
citizen amongst us. A practice, sell
fish, inhuman and cruel, in the in
terest of few and to the detriment of
the many, contrary, not only to con-
stitutional provisions and legislative
ehactments, put contrary to the ordi-
nary impulses of the human heart
that characterize and ennoble human
ity everywhere. A practice that takes
under a foreign jurisdiction and by a
sham process of law the last and only
dollar from the laborer that has earn
ed it, and leaves him and his family
to beggary or starvation. And all
this in open violation of the letter and
spirit of the plainest laws of the land,
both federal and State, and with
nothing to resi- upon but the baseless
fabric of the judicial decision refer
red to.
Year: 1877

Mr.. Editor Il recollect the DAYS
when everything was "shooAy.' My
numerous neighbors' children ever
were called "Shoofy' because they
wore no shoes at all. That was the
time when the country, was prosper.
Gus. Now, there is so much said about
extravaganza, high living, hard times
and the causes, that I can hardly ven.
ture to enter into the conflict. Still
when see that leading journals o.
the country (like the Baltimore
Anaeracan) cannot accede the fact that
there is in reality poverty in the city
and in the country-that what is
spoken and written is exaggerated
there must be one quarter in Balti.
more where there is comfort enough
to boast of, and from where infor-
nation does not strike out. l tell you
sir, there IS poverty; there is no work
no business-no renumerative busi-
ness, and what you see to-day, viz
that the people are we'll clothed
dressed clean and nice, is just the
evidence that the middle classes were
not extravagant in their living, that
they laid something aside for future
days to fall back on and now these
days have come, to the sorrow of SC
many. Don't think that this clean
looking calico dress or gingham apron
was made of the present earnings; no
it is the money borrowed of friend
Of building association, of a pawn.
broker or is present from an uncle
The merino or alpaca dress you see
was bought in those "Shoofy" times;
it was good and lasted, and you can
not call it extravaganza. Had it
been of the present grade of goods,
produced for the poor people, you
could not see button hole of it. Or,
do you call it high living when the
man gets pair of boots made by his
friend, shoemaker, of calfskin, in
stead of Yankee boot, made of three
ply cowhide? An extravaganza when
your daughter bought pair of last
ing CATERS for $3.50 which lasted all
summer, instead of a pair of sticking
plaster thin ones, sold for $l.25,
which last just as long as it takes you
toread the Baltimore american The
shawls made at the woolen factories Of
our country as we'll as of foreign
countries, were good; we paid fair
price for them, but we still wear them,
and they still come good in cold winter.
We bought them in the "Shoofy'
times. Don't be deceived and think
they were bought lately. What you
see now, if new, is made to suit the
times. The middle and working
classes, on an average, were not ex-
travagant, as l stated above. They
worked hard and they had to eat sub
stantial food, they did not go to Sara
toga springs or Honolulu for recrea-
alton; they staid home with their
families and accepted the climatical
conditions.


So there is no use to say we have
been living too extravagantly. Those
who have been doing so still do so,
and if better times should come from
that source we will go naked before
long, or wear gasoline in the winter.


SHooFLY.
Year: 1877

Every Description Of Real Estate
In section Of country unsurpassed
for health, scenery and fertility. 1t
is remarkably free from all malarious
and pulmonary diseases. ITS pure
bracing air. fine springs of fresh cool
water, short mild winters and long
seasonable summers, its gentle noun
tain slopes and rich valleys, its forests
and fields, its flowers Of spring and
varied hues If autumn,-all combine
to place this region of country in the
front rank of superiority and beauty
to the colonist and home seeker.


We continue this week our list of
the very attractive properties for sale
by this agency, in both the far-famed
Piedmont and Valley regions of Vir-
ginia.
Year: 1877

New ORLEANS, March 7.-The Republican
state Central Committee today unanimously pas
resolution calling upon Mr. Pinchback to resign his
position rs president Of the committee and from the
membership Of the National Republican Committee
before March i. 10 which day Il was adjourned.


Major J. A. BurzC returned today from Washington.
From received ne satisfied that the Nichols
Government will not be disturbed
Year: 1877

The license Of speech allowed to attorneys


conducting an examination is SO often


abused as to have long been recognized as
an evil of the first magnitude. Protected by


the mgis Of the Court. IN impertinent lawyer
may annoy and cruelty wound the feelings
of a witness without giving the latter oppor-
tunity for escape or retaliation. But some
times the worm, if he be good stout and
healthy one, will turn upon his tormentor,
as was illustEated in this city yesterday. A
we1l-known real estate agent had occasion to
testify in condemnation suit, aud his testi-
mony was not satisfactory to the opposing
counsel, who, in addressing the jury, cast
severe reflections upon the character Of the
witness. These aspersions coming to the
ear Of the latter, he became exceedingly en-
ragged, and, laying in wait for the unsuspect-
ing attorney, proceeded to administer,
or to endeavor to administer, a castiga-
ton. The affair is of little importance,
except for the two morals that may be de-
duced; one is that lawyers are, under the
present ruling of Courts, allowed far too
much liberty in personal illusions during the
examination Of witnesses; the other, that
m attorney should measure the physical ca
pacity Of his victim before applying the legal
Year: 1877

The war opinions OF two Of the leading
weekly papers of London are given in our
dispatches this morning. The Spectator
takes the ground that the real meaning Of
the summons for the early assembling of
Parliament is that the Premier desires
to encourage the Turks to continue their
struggle as long Us possible in hope of mid
from England; but TINT the expected aid
will be withheld, or kept, like q
will-o'-wisp, dancing before them yet for
ever out Of reach, until the Sultan and
his harem will finally be obliged to flee
ecross tho Bosphorus, while Turkey in Eu-
rope will cease to exist. This is strong Ian
guage, even from the Liberal Spectator, but
probably it represents the sentiments of 8
large class Of Englishmen whose views do,
not find expression in the daily press Of
aan3nn