smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1867

From the accounts we have been receiving occa-
sionally from Texas, we have been led to believe
that of all the States now governed as military
districts" that State was one of the most thriving
and prosperous under the common misfortune
We fear that this fourishing condition of affairs
has been somewhat exaggerated, judging from the
report of gentleman who has just made an exten.
sive tour through the State, and has given the
Louisville Courier some information about affairs
there, which, it is presumed, is pretty. correct.


He says that the tide Of immigration rolling IN
upon the State is immense and unprecedented
causing an extraordinary demand for all kinds Of
provisions, and prices consequently rule high
The spring has been unusually backward, owing to
the long-continued rains and very cold weather,
and crops are but little if any, further advanced
than in Kentucky, when they should be six OF
eight weeks ahead. The lateness of the season
has kept back the grass, and thousands Of cattle
are diving for want of food. The whole country
has been under water, which has compelled an al
most entire suspension Of transportation, and the
mails have been stopped and delayed in all direc-
tons.


From the statement of this gentleman, we learn
that the political condition is regarded with re-
markable degree Of indifference. They say they
will be satisfied if the Government will leave them
their lands and the means to make asupport-.thelr
principal anxiety being In regard to the poSsiDlllty
of confscation. What surprises us is, that he re-
ports the negroes much more demoralized than in
kentucky. From previous accounts, we thought
they were working well in that State; but he says
they have very exalted opinion of the change in
their condition. imagining that they are good
deal better than the rest of Gods creation, and
they prefer congregating in towns and cities to
working on the plantations Very good feeling,
however, exists between them and their old mas
ters, who are willing to hire them at fair wages.


Altogether the informant says the condition Of
the State is not as good as generally represented,
though probably much better than any, other Of
the Southern States. Such is, probably o fail
statement of the situation of affairs in the Clone
STAR State, to which, we are aware, many Of our
people are looking with hankering eyes, for set,
tlement and home, and it is for their information
we have made this synopsis of, no doubt, correct
statement on the subject Columbia Phonir.
Year: 1867

ORIGIN OF THE EprruET 'TURNcoAT. The
opprobrious term of turncoat," took its rise from
one of the first dukes of Savoy, whose dominlons


lying open to the incursions of the contending hou
ses Of Spain and France, he was obliged to tempo,
rize and fall in with that power that was most
likely to distress him, according to the success OF
their armies against one another. So being fire,
uuenty obliged to change sides, he had coat
made that was blue on one side and white on the
other, and might be indiferently worn either side.
and the white side was the badge for the French
From whence he was called Emanuel, surnamed the
''turncoat," by way of distinguishing him from
other princes of the same name Of that house.
Year: 1867

A Mx1N' OF THE BABIES. Some time ago
there was dancing party given up North most of
the ladies present had little babies, whose noisy
perversity required too much attention to permit
the mothers to enjoy the dance A number of gal
lant young men volunteered to watch the young
ones while the parentsindulgedin a s'break down"
No sooner had the women left the babies IN charge
of the mischievous devils than they stripped the


infants, changed their clothes, giving the apparel
of one to another The dance over, it was time to
60 home, and the mothers hurriedly took each
baby, in the dress of her own, and started some to
their homes ten or fifteen miles of, and were far on
their way before daylight But the day following
there was tremendous row in the settlement;
mothers discovered that single night had chang;
ed the sex of their babies observation disclosed
the physical phenomena, and then commenced
some Of the tallest females pedestrianism living
miles apart it required two days to unmix the ba-
bies, and as many months to restore tn women to
their natural sweet dispositions. To this day it is
unsafe for the baby mixers to venture into the ter
ritory.
Year: 1867

AN INGENIOUS REBUKE general officer, who
in early life was much addicted to profane oaths
dated his reformation from memorable check he
received from Scotch clergyman. When he was q
lieutenant and settled at Newcastle, he got involy-
ed in brawl with some of the low classes in the
public streets; the alteration was carried on by
both parties with abundance of impious language.
The Clergyman, passing by, shocked at their pro
family, and stepping into the crowd with his cane
uplifed, thus addressed one of the leaders Of the
rabble: 49,


o, John what is this hear? you, only poor
collier boy swearing ike any lord in the land o,
John, have you no fearof what will become Of you?
1t may do very well for this gallant gentleman
(pointing to the lieutenant) to bang and swear as
be pleases but you-John, it is not for you or the
likes of you to take in vain the name of him In
whom you live and have your being"


Then turning to the lieutenant he said, "You' II
excuse the poor man. sir, for he is ignorant body
and kens nae betteA"


The officer shrunk away in confusion, unable to
make any reply. Next day he waited on the min:
lister, and thanked him sincerely for bis wen-timed
reproof, and was ever after an example Of correct
ness of language. II .'a,
Year: 1867

THE PORE AND TIE KTNG.--It is said that the
Pope is satisfied with The speech made by the
King at the opening of the Italian Parliament
The National Committee of Rome have issued a
proclamation advising the people to await calm
ly the hour of certain triumph The fils confer;
encc for the arrangement of relations between the
Holy See and the Kingdom of lily has been held
Year: 1867

We notice the Democratic press
throughout the country is very gener-
ally advocating the payment of the
public debt in greenbacks, thus Mt one
blow wiping out the usurious interest
bearing bonds and the present banking
system. The West is more alive to the
Importance of this mode of relief TO the
overbnrdened taxpayers Of the country
than the East. The Washington (Ohio)
Ga:eH, says:


We are in favor of paying oil the
public dchl in grcenbacks. Ifthcy are
good enough ful the mechanics and busi-
ness men of the nation, why are they
not good enough for the rich men of
the countryf If the public debt was
paid off in greenbacks, the entire
wealth of the country would be brought
upOn the tax duplicate, and every man
would he required to pay taxes accord
ing to his wealth. There would be no
rich men exempt from taxation, while
drawing interest in gold on govern
ment bends, while the masses Of
the people were doing business with
a rag currency! The nation would
save millions every year in interest,
and millions more in premiums upon
gold wherewith 10 pay interest to bond
holders. The taxes of the people would
be lessened, and all the greenbacks or
other cause, would inure TO the benefit
of the government. Pay tie public
debt immediately-pay it i'll greenbacks
and let all citizens have the same
kind of money and all pay taxes alike!
Is not that fair proposition! If it is,
vote for the men who will pay the pub
lie debt, lessen your taxes, and abolish
the bondholders' aristocracy.
Year: 1867

( MACK, Of the Cincinnati Commercial,


has been speculating quite extensively


on the Presidential question. We give be-


low his last presentation Of the sub
ject:


| GENERAL GRANT AND THE RADICALS.
The speech which General Rawlins


went to Galena to deliver has not had


the desired effect of convincing the


leaders of the Radical party in Washing


ton that Grant is their best man for


next President, and the probabilities of
Grants nomination by the Republican
Convention are growing less and less
every day. The Illinois Radicals are his


worst enemies, not that they dislike him
particularly, but as they express it, IF
Grant is nominated, Washbune will
run the whole machine" and this they


are determined shall not come to pass.
Washburne shall not run the machine,
therefore Grant shall not be nominated.
Governor Yates is member in high
standing of the Grand Army of the Re
public, and he says that patriotic organ
izatiOn is opp. srd to Grant. The Radi-
Gals are determined to have proponnc-
ed and positive man of their own stripe.
They fear that Grant, il elected by
them, would turn round and tell them
that his election was matter of neces-
sity, and not of choice with them. and
would, therefore. feel at liberty to act
Independently of them in the admins.
tratiOn of affairs. Meantime, the Demo
Gratis are bidding high for Ulysses,
promising to make him the 'poOplc's
candidate" and to ignore al old issues
and platforms for the sake of the CuIon
and his election. Grant 10 longer at
tempts to conceal his Presidential aspira-
tions. He has them as badly as Clay
ever had them, or as Chase has them ut
the present time. He believes, too, that
no can he elected, no matter what party
may nominate him. There was move
inent on foot the other day to test his
strength in the house of Representa-
tives, but it fell through for want of
backbone on the part of the member to
whom it was iDtrusted. The idea was
to offer resolution instructing the judi
iciary committee to inquire into the
expediency of providing by law that i'll
case any officer of the army shall be
elected President of ihc United States,
his position in the army shall be filled
temporarily, and he shall resumeit at
the expiration of his term of office. A
resolution to this effect was drawn upI
by an outsider and handed to a member
who agreed to offer it, but after consul
tation with some of his friends, declin-
ed to do so on the ground that it might
make a fuss"-which was the precise
object OF the framer of the document
But out of all the fuss consequent upon
its presentation, General Grants
strength as q Presidential candidate
might easily have been determined.
Year: 1867

A curious affair has been brought to
light in Bay city within few days
pas. the history of which is as follows:
Some time last fall man and his wife
came there from Columbus, st. Clair
county; the man is laborer, and the
lady who shared his fortunes here, is a
second wife. The man found ready
work and the family fourished. A
month or two since nice looking boy
apparently about nineteen years of age
came into the family circle
claiming to he the son of the lord
of the house by his former wife
and as such the lady of the
house, who knew nothing of her prede
cessor. showered her kind attention:
aud care upon the visiting son. Al
went we'll for month or more, When
to the horror of the lady i'll question
she discovered that her husband hat
sold everything he could, and had lef
the country with his "sOu," which per
SON the wife found not only TO be no
her step-son, but indeed not boy, bu
a yoang lpdy, fond of her husbond, and
romantic and INSCRIPTIONS enough t.
live more than q month with him, rep
resenting herself to he his son, ant
finally to depart with him for part
as vet unknown. The wife of this maj
is left in destitute circumstances, an'
is now seeking means with which to re
turn 10 her former home.
Year: 1867

1t will be remembered by the readers
Of the Times, that we gave, early in Jan
uary last, an account of q miscegenation
case, so far as the facts were then
known. To-day we chronicle the death
of the child. 1t appears that about u
year since, a respectable young white
girl residing in Boone county, Missouri,
became strongly enamored of a negro in
her town, and being the daughter Ofan
intense Radical, who had publicly and
privately sanctioned the doctrine OF
miscegenation, she thought it no harm
to be frequently seen i'll company with
Nigger Bill, ~ he was more familiar
ly called. Bill turned out to be gay
deceiver," and the young lady found,
when it was too late to remedy the evil,
that she had loved too well, and that
unless she left the town, her condition
would be made public, and entail last
ing disgrace upon herself and family.


When it would no longer possible to
hide her crime, she made it known to
her father, who resolved to convey her
to st. Louis, and when she should fully
recover from her illness, destroy Or re-
move the Innocent cause" of domestic
trouble, and remove her home again.
This shrewd plan he carried out, regis
tering under the name of Or. Brown and
daughter, and dputting upat the De Soto
House, on Chesnut and Seventh streets.


1t was noticed that the girl carried in
her arms mysterious bundle, which
attracted considerable attention, and
the attention of Capt. Lee being called
to the case he set about in unravelling
the mystery. Investigation revealed
the fact that nicely ensconsed within
the warm folds of q woOlen shawl was u
plump picaninny, black as the ten of
spades but full of life and hope. No
sooner was this unfortunate denoue-
ment developed, than doctor Brown"
and the nice young lady mysteriously
disappeared from the hotel and no baby
could be found. What had become OF
the brat was the subject of much COM
ment, and many supposed that it had
been made way with, leaving the Coro-
ner minus fee. and the world deprived
of one more of IT'S chosen people. There
the matter rested, and not until yester-
day was the fate of the black cherub
positively known. when a negress nam
ed Cisley Bennett, dropped in at the
Third District Station ard told the fol.
lowing story:


About the first of January, she says,
she was called upon by gentleman styl,
ing himself Doctor Brown, who desired
her to take charge of negro baby at
the De Soto House, and raise it. He
gave her Sl90 and promised to send heI
more funds from time to time. She
took the child in her arms with matern'
nj tenderness and put the money care
fully in her dark bosom. She watched
over the little thing until Saturday last
when it died from an attack Of cholera
morbus. She says she never heard any
thing further of the doctor or the young
lady, and the promised remittances new
er came to hand.


| The Doctor and his fair but frail patti
ent returned to Boone county, where
she was engaged to be married to n well
to-do farmer, but whether she has since
married or died or what has become o
her nothing is now known. Her father il


not SO noisy an advocate of practiea
miscegenation as he was, though still .


bitter Radical in politics.
Year: 1867

To LIGHT A DARK Room - The Los don
Builder recommends plan for lighting a
dark room in which the darkness is caused nv
lts being situated on narrow street or lane
Inc Builder says n the glass OF a window an
such room Is placed several inches within
the outer face OF the wall, as is the general
custom in building houses, 10 will admit very
little light, that which IL gets being only the
renection from the walls OF the opposite
houses. If, however, for the window De sab
STUFFED another in which all the panes OF
glass are roughly ground on the outside, ana
hush with the outer wall, the light from the
whole OF the visible sky and from the re-
motest parts OF the opposite wall will be in
the innumsrsble faces or facets which the
rough grinding Of the glass has produced The
whole window will appear n the sky were
beyond IL, and from every point OF this lumIn-
Gus surface light will radate In 70 All parts of
the room.
Year: 1867

WARMTH AND kEsTILATIoN.-There is no
advantage, as 10 health, in sleeping In a very
cold room, cold enough 10 have ice fornea in
IL during the night. Thousands of persons
who have gone TO bed in perfect health at
night have walked up in the morning with
"pneumonls that Is IN nfiamation OF the lungs,
and have died in a few days, because the room
was too cold for them 10 say nothing of the
deoilttating effect OF breathing an atmosphere
more or less loaded with carbonic acid gas


which depriyes the system Of It's ability 70
resist the approach OF disease. Had the room
been well ventilated the attack would be lees
severe, or there might have been none a. all /:
because the breathing Of q pure air would
have given power TO ward OF any ordinary
attack OF sickness.-HalrE Journal Of Health
Year: 1867

CRkDULITY.-The Nashville Banner learns
son good authority" that q gentleman who
was recently identified very prominently with
the oil interests of Tennessee, and who held
high command in the federal army during the
war, lost over fifty thousand dollars by loca.
ting wells under the direction of "water'' or
coil witches" So implicit was his belief IN
this ridiculous superstition of the nineteenth
century that he was compelled 70 return home
an utter bankrupt"
Year: 1867

THE MARYLAND LEGisLATCRR-Ieste
nothing was done in the Legislature beyond
the announcement OF the standing committees
and the introduction Of bills and resolutions
Senator Earle introduced q resolution to pay
all expenses which may be incurred in conse-
quence of proceedings against judges under
the civil rights bills. This is supposed to refer
proposed the appointment Of q committee of
ten, I've from each house. to report q bill for
the enfranchisement and restoration OF certain
citizens A message was received from the
House proposing the appointment OF a COM
mittee OF five from each house to prepare a call
for the Constitutional convention In the
House, and also in the Senate, measures ware
introduced looking TO the repeal of the law
providing for the sale of negroes as a punish
ment for crime.
Year: 1867

How TO INDUCE EMIGRATIoN-Itis stated
that a farmer of TyrrelI county, in this State
being possessed of a large estate, and not being
able TO obtain labor, adopted the following
plan TO induce laborers 10 cultivate it. He
measured off ten lots of fifteen or twenty acres
each, and built plain but comfortable cottages
upon them. He then went 10 New York ana
easily obtained ten good men with families
having offered 10 settle them upon his estate
upon the following conditions They were to
work for him AT fixed valuation for their
services for four days in each week until their
wages amounted TO the value of their lots of
land with the houses thereon. The other two
days they worked on their own account and
this time was ample 10 cultivate whatever thew
could raise, the employer furnishing the teams
they needed on those days. These were the
chief points IN the engagement. The result of
this contract was that the farmers lands were
better worked, and with less trouble to him
than they had ever been, and ne never made
such crops before. WILMINGTON (N. c. Des-
match
Year: 1867

On the morning OF the Sd instant at seven O'Clock,
terrible explosion occurred at the coal pit Of the Rush
Run Coal and Iron Company at Rush Rum the Ceve.
land and Ptsburg Railroad eleven miles below Seuben-
vlc The Seubenve Herald says the curbng sixty feet
from the mouth Of the pit out Of order. Thomas
Payne Luke Harris and Thomas Patton descended with
tools TO repair the curbing and in five minutes after
they had announced their safe landing the platform


most terrible explosion occurred, blowing the beams
OF curbing stones and dirt Of tho pit with such
force 70 lift the roof OF the building. Patton
was blown out Of the pit against tho roof, and
fell with Of timber directly across the bunton
the mouth Of the pitt entirely dead and very much
Burned and disngured Several OF the wcrkmen stand
ing the pit slightly injured and stunned by
the falling .imbers The smoke and gas for time made
II impossible 70 approach the pit stream OF water
however, quickly turned in, which purified the air
In hour sufficient to allow workmen 70 descend. On
examination It was found tho platform and curb,ng bad
wrecked the shaft to prevent passage to the bot
tom two hundred feet below the platform, where
the other men had fallen. Up to noon Wednesday
the bodies OF Payne and Harris had not been
II supposed the explosion the result Of careless.
ness on tho part Of the workmen In removing part Of
making a vent In the platform, through which the
gas became igned by tho lamps
Year: 1867

i 4 entire success: Simple--Pr0mpt-Ehi and
Reliable. They the only Medicines perfectly
adapt ed popular use-so simple that mistakes can
not be made in Esing them, harmless 10 be free
from danger and efficient to be always reliable
They have raised the highest eommendation from all
and will always render satisfaction.
Year: 1867

She alone, with her husband constantly
by her side, could with propriety offer
an asylum TO Lord Byron when every
other door was closed against him. Dur
ing the years of l8l4-l5 he found hos
pitable shelter at Middleton Park, where
he passed the greater part of that dark
period in seclusion, brooding over his
wrongs, whether real or imaginary.
When the evil spirit domineered, he
hated the sight Of a human being
Avoiding all communication with the
family, he at those times remained shut
up in his room during the day, living on
hard biscuits and water. In the dead of
night, when every soul was asleep, he
would leave the house, and rush through
the adjoining wood until daylight and
the early lsborers appeared, when he
would creep back into his room, hag-
gard and wornout


Neither Lord nor Lady Jersey inter
fered with the unhappy man, whose state
of mind was at that time bordering on
insanity. They pitied him, and received
him with great kindness whenever he
chose to Join them at dinner This he
would do now and then, when less ex-
cited, especially when a certain neigh
boring lord, a reputed hari drinker, was
expected. Lord Byron, who had been
living like an anehorite for perhaps a
month past, or even longer, would then
lay a wager to drink Lord c. under
the table, a feat which he invariably
accomplished. CoOlly walking off to bed,
he then left to the servants the task Of
conveying the drunken man to bis room
no easy task, his ,Lordship getting, as
n rule, so hopelessly drunk as TO reel
about next morning when following the
hounds-BelgrGUid.