smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

Sitting UP WITH HER She was
expecting him Saturday night; the
parl n curtains were down; the old
folks were notified that it was healthy
to 20 to bed at nine o'clock, and John
nv, bribed with a cent, permitted
himself to be tucked away at sun
down. He sneaked up the path, one
eve on the dog, and the other watching
for the old man, who didn't like him
any too well, gave a faint knock at
the door, and it was opened and he
was escorted into the parlor. He said
he couldn't stay but a moment: though
he didn't mean to 20 for hours. She
wanted 10 know how his mother was /;
if his father had returned from York
State; and if his brother Bills rheu-
matisln was any better; and he went
over and sat down By the sofa, so as
not to strain his voice. Then the
conversation tagged he played with
his hat, and she nibbled at the sofa
tidy. He finally said that it was
beautiful evening. aud she said that
her grandfather predicted a storm -
He said he guessed it wouldn't snow,
as the moon wasn't crooked enough
to hang a powder horn on the end /;
she said she didn't believe it would
either. This mutual understanding
seemed to give each other courage,
and he wanted TO know If she had seen
Bill Jones lately. She hadn't, she
said, and didn't want to. Then they
went to talking about the donation
visit that was to be given Elder Berry,
and he carelessly dropped his hand
on hers-his right hand, while his
left arm sneaked along the sofa and
got behind her shoulders.


She pretended not to notice him,
and be looked down at his boots and
wanted to know if she thought nut


ton tallow rotted out boots faster than
lard and lampblack. She couldn't
say, but she had an idea that it did
He had just commenced 10 lock fin
Year: 1874

gers with her when she discovered


that something allied the lamp. She
rose up and turned the lamp down
half, making the room look dim. IL
took him five minutes to get hold of
her fingers again, and she pretended
to want to draw her hands away all
the time. After a long pause he low
cred his voice to whisper, and he
did not see what made folks love each
other. She bit her handkerchief and
admitted her ignorance. He said that
he could name dozen young men
who were going 10 get married right
away, and his left arm fell down and
gave her a hug. Then he went over
and looked out of the window to make
sure that it was not going to snow,
and coming back turned the lamp
down a little more, and then sat
down and wanted to know if she
didn't want to rest herself by leaning
her head on his shoulder.


All, me! we have all been there,
and who of us cared a cent when the
clock struck twelve, and we five or
six miles from home? The old man
was fast asleep. the watch dog gone
visiting, and the handsomest girl in
the country didn't see why we need
be in u hurry.
Year: 1874

To CLEANSE TAINTED BARRELS -
Use the barrels for scaIding tubs,
putting in two quarts of wood ashe,,
or more for each hog that is scalded,
is the recipe Of a Western butcher.
We would suggest that, as a dirty
hog may have less to do with the
cleansing process than the ashes, that
it might be well to try the ashes and
hot water, fret using a scrubbing
broom very freely, and repeating the
scrubblng several times. The I've Of
the ashes will eat out the tainted
grease from the pores of the wood, If
the lye is strong and time enough Is
given. Always be sure to prepare
them every Fall before using by
washing and scrubbing them very
thoroughly with wood ashes and hot
water. and they will be sweet as they
were the first year used.


If ashes are used, the pigs may be
scalded in some other tub just as we'll
as in the pork barrel, and, for our
use, we should never think of making
scalded tub and pork barrel synony-
J nous.
Year: 1874

A Corning, Iowa, youth paid hi:
attentions to two young ladies, and
proposed marriage to both. They
found out about it, invited him to
the house of one of them, and asked
him TO take seat between them,
which he did, sitting down in a tub
of water over which a covering had
been nicely spread. lie did not stay
a great while after that.
Year: 1874

A fashionable christening in New
York had to he postponed, recently,
on account of the nOn-arrival OF a
steamer which was to have brought a
bottle of water from the Jordan,
which was to have been used in the
ceremony.
Year: 1874

the wealth and consequent power of their
State.


And in this connection, Mr.. Editor, it oc-
ours to the writer that Senator Window and
his high joint commission might well have
called greater attention, and themselves have
given greater labor to the showing of the
ability of this route to relieve and cheaper
and solve the great question so largely now
occupying the public mind of cheap transport
alton from West to East, rather than have
advanced those divers water routes at an ex-
pense of hundreds of millions to the nation.
And further, how much longer are the people
of Minnesota willing to pay tribute to and
have but one line of railroad TO (practicallyl
outlet and carry the products of their sreat
State, the better that few PENNSYLVANIA
men may fatten by the monopoly A mo-
5sopoly that will and does (as the writer's re
ceipt in his safe will show charge SI4O per
hundred pounds freight on slot from 81 Paul
TO Dul'ah!t! the lowest grade of freight
where is the Railroad Commission of Mime
sofa? Their attention is most respectfully
called to the exorbitant freight rales of this
road, the which it occurs to the writer their
Office is to correct. B.
Year: 1874

The Christiansburg, Va, WeSSe,t-
ger says: " We once rode up to a
farmhouse in this county to spend
the day. We found the farmers
wife alone in the kitchen preparing
dinner The farmer was ut his tan
yard at work. The two sons were
in the field gathering corn and run
ming the farm. One daughter was
in the weavlng-room making mate
rials for family wear. Another
daughter cleaning up the house and
one sewing. There was no hireliug
upon the farm, no man-servaut, no
maid-servaut, 70 boy or girl. The
work of the whole farm aud family
was done without paying anything
TO others. This is the way to get
out Of debt and get along, This is
the way to have thrifty farms aud
yeomanry. This IS the way to live
and be happy"
Year: 1874

The soundings with reference to
the bed for the ocean cable to Japan
reveal rather a different condition
of affairs between Honolulu and
Yokphama from that which has hith-
erto been found characteristic of the
bottom of the Pacific ocean. A let
ter from the sounding expedition
describes at least SIX mountain
peaks or ridges that intervene be-
tween these points, five being sub
marine and one reaching the sur
face. These mountains are from
) 1000 to $4,000 feet in height over
the rest of the bed, which is very
level plain. The SUBMITS Of these
accIivities are covered with coral
lava, which are SO hard as to indent
the sounding cylinder.
Year: 1874

ENGLAND CoUNTENANCING SLAv-
ERY.-l have already informed you of
the arrangement which they have made
for making slavery systematic fea-
ture of the new government to be es-
tablished on the west coast Of Africa
Let it not be thought that there is any
thing half way in the matter. The
government was cross examined on the
subject last night, and uttered some
fine sentiments, butt gave no promise
of any intention to alter its plans. The
ugly fact remains that the slave trade
really goes on in the West of Africa
under the same flag which is engaged
in suppressing it on the east side.
The Fantees nd Ashantees have re.
opened their trade ,9and the slave mar
ket is under the shadow of Cape Coast
Castle. The British Judge at the
Castle is Assessor for the native pop
ulation, and one of his occupations is
to return fugitive slaves. If new
ly purchased slave runs away, the
English Judge issues to the Master
warrant for his apprehension.-M
d. Conway's Letter IN the Cincinnati
Commercial
Year: 1874

One Of the settlers who have been
driven away from Southwestern Min
nesota by the ravages of the grass
hoppers has given the Minneapolis


7rl6unesome account Of their troubles.


He says:


'There are just four of us, three
boys and our mother. Our names are
Lars, Andrew and Genner Larsen.


We have lived in Watonwau county
for eight years, and have been fight
ing against fate for nearly all that time.
Two years ago tie violent hail-storm
destroyed our crops, while the merciless
grasshopptrs devoured our subsistence
last year. We planted our fields again
this year, but the fearful pests have
again attacked us, and we have been
obliged to fee for our lives. Our crop
has been destroyed, and our whole farm
laid waste. We were obliged to leave
or starve to death. The grasshoppers
are about an inch and quarter in
length when full grown, Of a dusky
graylsh color, the heads being of red
dish color, and the under wings when
spread exhibiting a yellowish or cop
per color. The eggs of the insect are
ovato In form, of grayish color, and
about the size of wheat-corn. They
are deposited in the ground and under
the grass and stubble in clusters.
They are generally laid about the last
of July or lst Of Augusta ..and hatched
out in June, according to the weather.
When first hatched they resemble
little flying insects, but they soon
develop into full fedged grasshoppers.
AS soon as they are hatched they COM
mence to feed until they begin to
swarm or form into focks, when they
rise and visit other feeding-grouuds
They fly in the air in vast clouds, al
most entirely obliterating the sun.
While in the air at a distance they
strongly resemble an immense snow
cloud. In their flight the lower ones
are about forty feet above ground,
while they extend upward beyond
human sight. They settle upon
field of waving grain glittering in the
sun, with the heads Of wheat nodding
in the breeze, and alighting cover the
stalk of each spear of grain from the
root to the head. In an incredibly
short time the entire field is destroyed,
and the ravenous destroyers leave only
barren waste behind them. While
at work upon the grain a field looks
fairly brown with them. They do not
eat the grain, but bite into the tender
stock and juicy kernal, and suck the
vital sap from the young plant. When
they rise the entire field is dead, and
in few days dried up When the
young grain is attacked before it is
headed out the entire spear is eaten
off. leaving only a field Of stubble. In
some cases trees and every green thing
ale attacked, but their voracious ap.
petites are principally appeased with
grain and garden stuff There seems
to be no remedy. If, however. the
grass was burned over in the spring,
| think many of the eggs would be
destroyed. The fall fires do not seem
to do any good Water and frost seem
wholly inadequate to destroy them.
them. The only enemy they have is
little red parasite that gets under
their wings. These little worms eat
their way into the vitals Of the insect
and destroy its life. The dead grass
hoppers seem covered with these little
worms"
Year: 1874

4 youth in Worcester, Mass the
other night was noticed in neiE hbor' s
cherry three stealing the fruit. The
owner of the cherries, without being
seen by the boy, placed o stuffed dog
at the foot Of the tree; so, when the
boy got his fill and concluded to 60
home the dog was right in his path.
He whistled and coaxed and scolded (;
but, you the see, the dog didn't scare
or coax worth cent And so the
thing went on for some hours, when
the owner came along and asking the
boy question or two was told that he
took to the tree to get away from the
dog after terrible chase. We rather
mistrust that W Worcester youth.
Year: 1874




time at Sing Sing. He wears the
prison garb, is locked up in his cell al
night, and, OF course, does not 90 out
side Of the prison walls. Besides this
he is scarcely more confined than an
ordinary clerk in New York mercan-
tile house. His hair, cut short when
he entered the prison. is drifting away
from the Penitentiary style, and his
beard is allowed TO grow. He was
for while, in the hospital, where he
had his quarters night and day. He
is now in the buckle department
where he is clerk, and proves himself
a good bookkeeper. He says he ha;
not been in as good health for year;
as now.
Year: 1874

An old man sits in a worn armchair,
White as snow is his thin, soft hair,
Furrowed his cheek by time and care,


And back and forth it sways.
There's a far-away from his dim, dim eye
Which tells of thoughts of the long gone by,
For he sits once more meath cloudless sky,


And in childhood merrly plays.
he rests his cheek on the head of his cane,
And, happily smiling, dreams over again
OF that home, the brook, the meadow, the lane


Dreams all with a vision clear.
Then childhood yields unto manhood's place,
And he looks once more in his bright, bright


face,


And down in the starry eyes he can trace


love remembered and dear.
Then he wakes and sighs " 1t seems but a


dream


That comes to me now like golden CLEAN
Or the shimmering glow of the SUMS last


beam,


But 'tis pleasant to think 1t o'er;
That youth was so sweet, but now its past,
Those days of love were too precious to last,
But over yonder their pleasures are cast,


And am nearing that Shore"
He is gliding on in his little boat
O'er the calm, still water they peacefully float,
But echo full soft brings well known note


From the land he has left behind.
But time viii row back for him no more,
And he gazes away to that other shore,
And knows when the voyage oflife shall be o'er


That his dream beyond he will find.
The seeds of youth which in youth we SOW,
Adown through the asles of the future will glow
And shed on age beautiful glow,


AS they come in memory's CLEAN.
Loved faces will come to dimming sight;
Sweet words will echo in day dreams bright,
And circle old age with their halos Of light,


As they mingle in beautiful dreams.
Year: 1874

RoBBED.-Some years ago titled En-
glish gentleman was with his wife spend
ing few weeks in Rome. One evening
he went out alone for little stroll to see
the city in the moonlight. AS he stood
moment by an ancient column meditatng
upon the events that had transpired in
Che Eternal" City, a man dressed in
the garb of an ecclesiastic passed so close
as to touch his garments. Before he had
gone out of sight It occurred to the gen.
tleman that thieves were pretty plenty in
Rome; he felt for his watch and it was
gone. He gave chase to the robber, pre-
sented pocket pistol and demanded the
watch, which was restored without hesi-
tation, and the delinquent being duly ad-
monished in English. which he did not
understand, was let go on his way. Re-
turning to his hotel the gentleman related
his adventure to his wife, but was sur
prised with the exclamation, "Why, my
dear, you left your watch on the table
when you went out, and l wonder ed at
your doing it; here it is" A new and
uncomfortable light broke in upon the
husband. He set out for the office of the
Chief of Police without delay, made his
statement, handed over the watch, and
was told that one of the distinguished
Cardinals of the Church had just lodged
information of desperate robbery com
mtted on him by an Englishman.
Year: 1874

WATER AS AN ExPLosIvE.-A question
brought before the Literary and PHO
sophie Society of Manchester by Professor
Osborne Reynolds, will perhaps rescue an
important fact from the region of forget
fulness. II is the explosiveness of water.
If water could only be got to explode 1t
would be more powerful than gunpowder;
but that is the difficulty, for the water in
stead Of exploding, flies away in steam.
Professor Piazza Smyth, writing on the
subject, states that he has tried to explode
water by pushing drop into melted lead /;
but the drop could by no means be per-
suaded TO 60 below tho surface. But
"when he took small iron ladle, put a
drop of water on the bottom of ii, and
gave Herewith little pat to the surface
OF the melted lead. instantly the whole
contents of the great ladlo were scattered
to the winds, and only few grains were
recovered. Explosion of water had ap-
parently taken place with excellent Of
feet" Here Is problem for some enter
prising mechanic. A machine to explode
water, drop by drop, would economise all
the heat of the coal, and have great power
1t is on record that certain large copper
works were blown up by one of tho work.
men splitting into a ladlc of copper. In
that case the fluid exploded instead OF
passing off in steam.
Year: 1874

A SECRET.-William Wirt's letter to
his daughter on the "small, sweet courte-
sizes of life" contains passage from which
Il great deal Of happiness might be learned:
" l want to tell you a secret. The way to
make yourself pleasant to others is to
show them attention. The whole world
is like the miller at Mansfield, who cared
for nobody, no, not he-because nobody
cared for him." And the whole world
would serve you so # you gave them the
cause. Let people see that you do care
for them by showing them what Sterne so
happily called the small courtesies, in
which there is no parade whose voice is
still to tease, and which manifest them.
selves by tender and affectionate looks
and little acts Of attention giving Others
the preference in every little employ
ment, at the table, in the field, walking,
sitting and standing"
Year: 1874

How He WHIPPED HIM.-A lad mar
rating an account of fuss" in which
he had been engaged, gives the particu-


lars as follows: "I'll tell you how it
was. You see Bill and went down to
the wharf to fish, and l felt in my pocket
for my knife, and it was gone, and said, =,
Bill, you stole my knife and he said
was another; and | said, Go there your
self = and he said twas no such thing.
And | said | could whip him if L was
bigger'n him, and he said he'd rock me
to sleep mother, and | said he was big
ger one. He said | never had the mea-
sles; and | said it was the time for him to
fork over that knife, or I'd fix him. Then
he said my grandmother was no gentle
man; and | said he dursn't take it up.
But he did, you bet. Then got up and
said he was too much afraid to do it again,
and he tried to, but he didn't, and grab
bed him and throwed him down on top
of me like several bricks, and tell you
it beat all, and so did he, and my little
dog got behind Bill and bit him, and Bill
kicked at the dog, and the dog he ran and
ran after the dog to bring him back,
and | didn't catch him until he got clear
home-and I'll whip HIM more yet ! Is
my eye very black ?'
Year: 1874

CARE FOR THE EYEs.-Iti is well known
to those who make il business 10 sell
glasses that the sight begins to fail abont
the fortieth year. The first sign is dis
position TO hold things at distance TO see
them well, as in reading. The circum-
stance may alarm one, thinking disease Is
surely upon him. Eyes are put out by
false notions upon this thing. Resort is
often had to artificial helps, as globes,
manipuations, washes, and perhaps
salves. In the first place, the roader
should ascertain whether his age is not
the natural cause. He should then pro-
cure glass adapted to his sight, in such
a way that he can SEQ easily and readily
what he could not before. Such glasses
preserve the sight by preventing the ne
cessity Of straining; and glasses are al
ways better than no aid ut all.
Year: 1874

The WRONG FLEA.-A performance
of educated fleas is at the present time
attracting much attention in Berlin. At
a recent exhibition one of the most ae-
compIished of the insects, obeying sud-
den impulse of its nature, sprang from
tho table and took refuge on the person
of an illustrious lady The exhibitor was
in despair, as the truant was his best per-
former, and said he would be ruined un-
less it could DO recovered. The lady
good-naturedly retired to an adjoining
room, and after few minutes absence,
returned with the flea between her thumb
and forefnger. The exhibitor took il
eagerly, gavo one look at it, and then,
with visible embarrassment, said, "Your
Highness will pardon me, but this is not
the same fiea."
Year: 1874

IT is the easiest thing in the world to
get rich if you only start right. Any man


may become millionaire in less than
thirty days if he saves one cent the first
day, doubles IL the second day, doubles
the second days amount the third day,
and SO on. Ifyou stick to this faithfully,
the sum you will save on the twenty
eighth day will amount to just S1,34i,-
III %. The trouble however, is that it
is little too much like keeping a diary,
and it grows tedious after the tenth day.
Year: 1874

PIETY KNOCKED INTO PI.-Grec,ey
used to affirm that newspaper mea
were the most patient people, as a class,
on earth, and he was not far from right,
though there are times when patience
ceases to be virtue with the most endur-
ing. Nearly everybody in tho Western
part Of the State knows Burr, who used
TO start newspaper about once u month,
the year round, generally bringing them
out in Grand Rapids, but sometimes max
ing flying trip TO other points. Burr
could stand it to be told he lied about his
circulation, was on the fence as politi-
clan, and that he didn't know anything
about publishing q newspaper, and when
men threatened to sue or thrash him hc
only smiled sad smile, and wished that
mankind wouldn't get excited. During
religious revival at Grand Rapids, Burr
was converted, and it frequently happen
ed that religious people called at his Office
to talk with him. One day q minister
came in, and after talking for while, he
proposed prayer. lie was in tho act of
kneeling down when his foot struck one
of the outside forms, which was leaning
against leg Of the stone, ready to DO
lifted up, and over it went, making q
bushel of "pi." Burr looked at the ruin
wrought, thought of tho two weeks of
overwork, and commenced taking off his
coat, saying: "Pm trying to be Chris
tian and set good example, but rat my
buttons If | can't lick you in just two
minutes" The clergyman backed down
stairs in no time, dodsing the lye-brush
on the way, and Burr backslid at once,
and sent down for pint of stimulant.-
Detroit Free Press.
Year: 1874

A SMALL boy got another boy, some-
what smaller than himself, down on the
ground the other day, and got hold of
both his ears, placing his knees in the
small Of the boys back, and asking him
in very persuasive manner, If he would
give him that white alley of his'n. The
boy replied in the affirmative. How easy
it is to settle thing when one goes about
il in the right way.-N. Y. SW.
Year: 1874

A SYSTEMATIC gentleman of Holyoke,
Massachusetts, was recently united in
wcdlock to young lady whom he had
been training for the position of his wife
ever since she was two years old.
Year: 1874

A CLERGYMAN recently addressed his
female auditory as follows: Be not
proud that the blessed Lord paid your
sex the distinguished compliment of APP
pearing first to female after the resur-
rcction, for it was only done that the glad
tidings might be spread all the sooner
Year: 1874

IA SENsATIoN.--1wo gentlemen
residing in Sacramento, Cal, were
startled few nights ago by loud
screams proceeding from a room Oc-
eupled by lady member of the
family.o Inquiry elected the infor-
nation that "there was a centipede
on her bed" The gas was at the


time turned down quite low, but the
men could see the insect on the bed,
and, doubling a towel several times,
one Of them cast it over the cent?
pede, and clutched it tightly to pre-
vent its escape. One of the gentle
men was a sort of amatuer scientist,
and desired ardently to preserve the
'centipede as a specimen, Accord
ingly the captured insect was carried
in the towel to drugstore. The
druggist poured chloroform on the
towel to Supply the creature and to
prevent the possibility ofrits escape,
and one of the clerks stood by with
an upnfted club, to strike it should
it attempt to get off. The towel
was opened, and the expeetant hook
ers-on, were astonished to find that
all the fuss had been. made over a
little strip of calico.
Year: 1874

Give her five minutes more by the
clock, and then add:


That you will be-that is YOU
W!ll~l mean that you will-be
She will heave sigh, look up at
the clock and over the stove and
then as she slides her head over on
your vest pocket, she will whisper:
"You are Just right ! will"