smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

BT HENRY W. LoNGFKLLow.
Is it so far from thee
Thou.canst no longer see
In the chamber over the gate
That old man desolate,
Weeping and wailing sore
For his son, who is no more?


Oh Absalom, my son
Is it SO long ago
That cry Of human woe
From the walled city came,
Calling on his dear name,
That it has died away
In the distance Of to-day?


oh Absalom, my son
There is no far nor near,
There is neither there nor here,
There is Meth er soon nor late
In that chamber over the gate;
Nor any long ago
To that human cry Of woe


Oh Absalom, my sonl
From the ages that are past
The voice comes like blast,
Over seas that wreck and drown,
Over tumult of traffic and town,
And from ages yet to be
Come the echoes back to me-


Oh Absalom, my son
Somewhere at every hour
The watohman on the tower
Looks forth, and sees the feet
Approach Of the hurrying feet
OF messengers, that bear
The tidings of despair.


Oh Absalom, my son
He goes forth from the door,
Who shall return no more.
With him our Joy departs;
The light goes out in our hearts;
In the chamber over the gate
We sit disconsolate.


Oh Absalom, my son
That It's common grief
Bringeth but slight relief;
Ours is the bitterest loss,
Ours is the heavier cross;
And forever the cry will be
"Would Col had died for thee,
Oh Absalom, my son"


Atlantic Monthly.
Year: 1879

THE defeat of the William and Mary re-
lief bill was step in the right direction.
However much force there may be in the
argument that the Government should en-
courage and cherish in every possible way
the legitimate educational interests and in
stitutions of the country there is every rea-
son why it should not foster college
wherein the right of secession is taught as
a cardinal principle of governmental organ
ism. When these Southern universities
begin TO teach that treason is odious and
that the Government and the flag are
worthy Of patriotic respect 1t will be time
enough for them TO ask for aid. In this in
stance the demand was especially cheeky,
if such phrase is permissible, for William
and Mary, having taught secession for gem
erations, furnished to the Contederacy many
of its ablest leaders, and, having suffered
partial demolition as an incident of this re-
bellious teaching, now comes forward to
impudently demand public aid in renewing
the inculcation of those reasonable ialla-
ces
Year: 1879

THE Opposition press is fairly gloating
over manufactured charge that President
HAYES and Attorney-General DEvENs were
guilty in the pardon of EZRA II. HAYWARD
convicted under the obscene publication act,
of condoning vicious otlcnse and abusing
the pardoning power for the benefit of dis
reputable criminal. A paragraph in our
news columns this morning exposes the
groundless character Of this charge, and
shows at the same time that in this instance
the mercy of the Executive was simply ex-
ercised to avert worse calamity than the
law or justice would impose upon prisoner
really guilty of the olrense of which HAY
WARD stood convicted
Year: 1879

THERE are in prospect two vacancies on
the bench of the United States courts-that
occasioned by the retirement of Supreme
Court Justice WARD HUNT and that by the
resignation of Judge OLIN, of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia. The
eonundrum that now most perplexes the
people is whether or not both of these
places will be filed from the State of Ohio.
IL is rumored that Senator STANLEY MAT
THEws is strongly pointing for Justice
HUNTS place, and that another Cincinnati
applicant is within the possibilities for that
made vacant by the resignation of Judge
OLIN. 1t would not be unpleasant to the
people of the Union at large if the Presi-
dent could lift his vision from the State of
Ohio when there is an Office to he filled and
q candidate to be found. We admire his
love for his STATE but it should not be SO
strong as to becloud every other prospect
and interest in the country.
Year: 1879

IT is one of the significant indications Of
the period that SAMMY TuDEN's absence
from the Democratic Eighth of January
dinner did not overwhelm the Democratic
press with grief And TGLDEN, in financial
matters, though not in any other respect,
and especially in the matter of personal in
tcgrity is more OF Jacksonian Democrat
than THURMAN.
Year: 1879

IT has ever been known that General Ben
BuTLER's impudence is only equalled by
his rampant ambition; but he is eclipsing
himself now That is to say, he is out-But-
lering BUTLER. II is announced that he is
arranging an organization of the Demo-
cratic party which shall be devoted to the
highest principle in favor of human rights.
When he succeeds in this effort the millen-
mum will have arrived, and BEN BUTLER
may become President for all we will care
Year: 1879

In this holy city the religion Of Christ ough
to reign sovereign and the univeral teacher o
faith ought to have free power to close all &c
cess against impiety and to maintain th
purity of Catholic teachings.
Year: 1879

An English girl, near Manchester,
tied a string to her toe and let it--the
string, not the toe hang out OF the window
for gentleman friend to pull in order
that she might not miss her music lesson
The rector OF the church, ii is further
stated, hearing of the arrangement, re.
fused the couple the sacrament. And
this reminds us OF little story. Once
upon time a young lady who desired to
get up with the lark in order to 20 on an
eloping tour, adopted the English girls
plan, and the lover was to be on hand at
daybreak to give the signal. The string
used Tor the pedal communication was
stout cord, and one end was dropped out
of the third story window into the back
yard ami the other end of course was at
tached to the damseps great toe. And
the legend runs that a healthy goat OF
the William persuasion arose early next
morning to look tor the early worm, as
it were, and wandered into the yard
after eating up all the old tomato cans,
barrel'staves, sndsbroken crockery ware,
he found the string and took that in as
dessert. As soon as the cord was drawn
taut the goat stood up on its hind legs
and gave the string an impulsive jerk
The girl swoke. The goat gave smother
sudden pull, and the maiden Jumped
ont OF b d with smothered cry OF pain.
Then she stopped down to detach tine
cord just as the ridiculous beast gave
another violent jerk, and she lost her
equilibrium-and her toe, too, almost,
the cord cutting into the tender flesh.
She sprang to the window and called in
hoaree whisper Stop pulling, Charles
I'll be down In a minute" Then she
made another effort to unite the cord,
but that diabolicsl goat gave his head
several angry bobs, and each time the
girl gave cry OF pain Again she softly
called out in the darkness: "Charles,
If you don't stop jerking that way ri
not come down at all p She was an
swered by another savage pull, and the
cry Of anguish that escaped from her lips
brought her mother into the room with
a look Of alright and lighted lamp
The young lady tainted, the elopement
was nipped in the bud, and the disap.
pointed msiden's big toe was sore for two
weeks. The goat escaped.
Year: 1879

.iT-and many thanks. My wife will make good
use Of this money"


The great surgeon left the morgue; his carriage
waited for him outside the hoe pital gate, and
driven rapidly toward hom-.
Year: 1879

Memphis again forced to the necessity of ap-
pealing the brotherhood at large material aid


All of the available funds of hve lodges
and two encampinents have been expended
in sending many of their brethren and
families places of safety, in nursing and provid


ing for the sick and in burying the dead. Business
is suspended their wages are stopped and death is
making sad havoc in their midst This appeal is
made with the greatest reluctance. in view of
which met similar appeals in 1873 and 1878.
But with sickness and distress upon every hand.
with walls of sorrow and cries Tor help coming up
continually, with their treasury exhausted and the
sad prospect OF continuance OF the dreaded scourge
of yellow fever for period OF at least two
months to come, their only resource il appeal
for help from our more fortunate brethren who are
spared such o dire calamity scourges their
stricken city All contributions should be sent to
Marcus Jones. Grand Patriarch of the State and
President of the Special Relief Committee l. o. o. F.


Memphis, Tenn. l.. q. BUDD Grand Master
Year: 1879

We are indebted to Captain Chas


Fl. Towndsend, says the New Haven
Conn Palladium, for the following
copy of an interesting manuscript. In
theiyear 1917 General King was writ
ten to by a friend who desired to
know tho exact facts in relation to
Major Andres capture, etc. The fol.
lowing letter was written by General
King in reply, and, although pre-
viously solicited for publication is
now, for the first time, given TO to the
public:


"RIDGELY, June II, 1Sl7.-Dear
Sir: Yours Of the 9th is before me. |
have noted the contents, and am sorry
to express the indignation | feel at
the idea of being obliged to translate
a foreign language to obtain true
history OF any part Of our revolution.
The facts, so far as | am acquainted
with them, | will state to the best of
my ability or recollection. Paulding,
Williams and Van Vert | never saw
before or since that event. | know
nothing about them. The time and
place where they stopped Major Andre
seems to justify the character you
have drawn of them. The truth ia to
the imprudenoe Of the man, and not
to the patriotism of any one, is to be
ascribed the capture of Major Andre.
| was the first and only officer who
had charge of him while at the head
quarters Of the Second Regiment Of
Light Dragons, which was then at
Esquire Gilbert's, in South Salem.
He was brought up by an adjutant
and four men belonging to the Con-
neeticut militia, under the command
of Lieutenant Colonel Jamison, from
the lines near Tarrytown; character
under the disguised name of John
Anderson He looked somewhat like
a reduced gentleman His small
clothes were nankoen, with long white
top boots--in part his undress mill
tary suit. His coat, purple with gold
lace, worn somewhat threadbare, with
Year: 1879

MEMPHIS, September 20, 1879.
ENREQUENT applications being made TO
l. the Board Of Health and Superintendent
of Quarantine by absentees from here to re-
turn, we deem it best to make this public an
nouncement, that, though the number of new
cases Of yellow fever and deaths are small
and peroeptibly on the decline, II would not
be safe for those. who have not had the dis
ease to return yet.


The comparatively small number of new
cases and deaths is due to the fact that there
are so few unacclimated people here.


Those who have had the fever and wish to
return will be permitted to do so, and will
be furnished a certificate to that effect on an
plication to the Superintendent of Qaaran-
tine. None others will be permitted to enter
Memphis before it is officially announced by
the Board of Health that it is thought there
is no longer danger from the infection, which
will be done at the earliest possible day.


@, B. THORNTON, MD,


President Board Of Health.


JOHN JOHNSON,


superintendent Of Quarantine.
Year: 1879

The National board of health is to
hold its semi-annusl meeting at
Washington City the middle of next
month. From little things that have
leaked out it is believed by many that
the most important measure to be
considered will be that Of how to
continue in Office and draw pay. The
old flag and an appropriation will be
powerfully indorsed.
Year: 1879

other resource shall fail before this
action is rcsorted to. He also relates
how his mission to Washington City
failed to induce the National board Of
health and the secretary of war to
lend further aid than has heretofore
been announced through fear Of over
stepping the law. The appeal Of
Treasurer Polk appears in the Nash
vile American Of Tuesday last. ~
Year: 1879

The celebrated George Whitefeld began
his courtship in singular fashion. His
biographer pronounces him one of the oldest
of wooers that ever wooed When Whitefeld
was in America, and had under his charge
the Orphan House in Savannah, "it was
much impressed on his heart that he ought
to marry in order to have helpmeet in his
arduous work." He had also fixed his mind
on the young lady whom he intended to ask
to become his wife. So he addressed let
ter to her parents, and enclosed another to
herself. In his letter to the parents he stated
that he wanted wife to help him in the
management of his increasing family, and
then said: "This letter comes like Abra
hams servant to Rebekah's relations, to
know whether your daughter, Miss E.,
is proper person to engage in such an un-
dertaking; and if so, whether you will be
pleased to give me leave to propose marriage
to her. You need not be afraid of sending
me refusal, for bless God, if l know any
thing of my own heart, / am free from that
foolish passion which the world calls love" +"


BE wrote in a similar strain to the young
lady, asking her, among many other ques.
tions, if she could leave her home and trust
in Him for support who feeds the young
ravens, and bear the inclemencies of air,
both as to heat and cold in foreign climate;
whether having husband she could be as
if she had none. He also told her that he
thought the passionate expressions which or
dinary cOurtiers use ought to be avoided by
those who would marry in the Lord; and
that if she thought marriage would in any
way be prejudicial to her better part, she
was to be 30 kind as to send him denial /;
that she need not be afraid to speak her
mind, as he loved her only for God.


The letters were not so successful as Abra-
hams servant. The parents were not very
anxious to send their daughter on such an
adventure, and Whitefeld continued for a
long space in his bachelor condition. Cham.
bers' Journal.
Year: 1879

The following specimen of 'plain preach
ing" is extracted from GA Century Sermon
Delivered in Hopkinton, Mass on Lords
day, December "a, 1915, by Nathaniel
Howe, pastor of the church. Second edi-
ton. Revised and corrected"


"There is one question which I wish to
ask Shall do it? The expression of
your faces seems to give consent. 1t is this:
Do you know by what means l have become
so rich as to have great house finished and
furnished, farm, herd of cattle, flock of
sheep, horses, and money at interest?


"The principal reason is this: because l
have been doing your business and neglect
ing my own. What is your business Your
business is to support your minister, and that
is what 1 have been doing for more than
twenty years. And what is my business
My business is to study and preach; and in
that have never abounded. 1t is true
have been absent from public worship not
more than four or five Sabbaths in twenty
five years; but 1 have frequently been pre-
sent and attempted to preach when it has
been mortifying to me and could not have
been edifying to you. Ihave sometimes ad.
ministered reproof both to the church and
society in manner that has been thought
to discover some degree of severity; but in
these cases you have always had good sense
enough to know that you richly deserved it.
Christian Intsllgencer.
Year: 1879

Rev. Joseph Cook, in noble passage in
his prelude, the other day, referred to the
facts of Providence and of prophecy: "What
has Providence meant in carrying forward
all the years of human history according to
a given plan When sat under Abrahsm's
oak at Hebron, l opened the Scriptures, and
read that from chosen man should spring
chosen family; and that from chosen
family should spring chosen race and that
from chosen race should spring founder
of new religious empire; and that out of
a chosen race should thus come chosen re-
ligion and that this religion should embrace
the earth. As sat three hours alone under
Abraham's oak and read these statements
concerning chosen man, family, nation and
religion, ! could not but be impressed, l will
not say with the feelings Of superstition, but
certainly with those of awe, and terror, and
faith and hope. l set no dates. Prophecy
is, perhaps, never adequately explained ex-
cent by it's fulfllmsnt. 1 will not attack the
devout scholars who have lately in prophetic
conference discussed these topics with great
learning and earnestness. Much mischief,
no doubt may come from mysticism on the
topic of prophecy; but more mischief may
come from our coldness, from our Indifference
on this theme, and from our unwillingness to
Year: 1879

Civil society protects, and both directly
and indirectly fosters and encourages, every
thing that adds to the material and physical
welfare and comfort of the people. 1t pro-
vides directly for the intellectual culture and
elevation of the people. Our great and be-
ne6cent system of education, sustained by
the State, is one of the methods by which
this is done. But man is chiefly distinguish
ed by his spiritual nature-mOral and reli-
eious. There is no land, except those in
habited by the lowest savage tribes, which is
not thickly dotted with shrines and fanes,
temples and affairs and churches. And the
religious nature of man has been and is now
employed to mislead him to his own hurt, to
Cypress him and to employ him as an instru-
ment for the oppression of his fellow-men.
Can any one give reason why the State
should foster and protect the cultivation of
the physical and intellectual natures of man
and refuse the same protection to the culti-
vation of his spiritual nature! Let the
State withdraw its protection from property,
and we should have anarchy. Let protec-
ton and support be withdrawn from our ed
ucstional institutions and We shall have a
return of ignorance and barbarism. Let the
Sabbath be overthrown and superstition will
supplant religion. We do not ask that the
State shall teach religious dogmas. We ask
only that one day in seven shall be given to
religious study and spiritual culture; and to
this end that encroachments upon the brief
time allotted to spiritual, religious and moral
culture, by the labor of trade, commerce OF
manufacturing, or by public exhibitions OF
smusements inimical to religious culture
shall be prohibited.-InteriOr.
Year: 1879

A man who prided himself on his moral
ity, and expected to be saved by it, was COZ
stantly saying: 81 am doing pretty we'll, on
the whole 1 sometimes get mad and swear,
but 1 am strictly honest. work on Sab
bath when | sG particularly busy; but |
give a good deal to the poor, and | never
Was drunk in my life. This mau hired a
canny Scotchmsn tc. build sfence around his
pasture lot. He gave him very particular
directions. In the evening when the Scotch
man came in from work, the man said :
"Well, Jack, is the fence built and is it tight
and strong?" II Gamma say that it is sill tight
and strong," Jack replied, 'bus it is good
average fence, anyhow. IF some parts of
it are little weak, the other parts are extra
strong. I don't know but l may have left 8
gap here and there yard wide or SO but
then made up for it by doubling the num-
Der of rails on each side of the gap. | dare
say the cattle will find it q good fence on
the whole, and will like it, though | Gamma
say that it is perfect in every part"


"What" cried the man not seeing the
point, "do you tell me that you have built
fence around my lot with weak places in it I
Why you might just as we'll have built no
fence at all. If there is one opening or place
where an opening can be made, the cattle
will be sure to find it, and will all 90 through.
Don't you know that fence must be perfect
or it is worthless ?"


81 used to think 80, said the dry Scotch
man "but heard you talk so much about
average matters with the Lord, it seemed to
me we might try it with the cattle. If an
average fence won't do for them, au afraid
that an average character won't do in the
day of Judgment. When was on shipboard
and storm was driving US on the rocks, the
captain cried, Let 60 anchor! But the
mate shouted back, 'There's broken link
in the cable. Did the captain say, when he
heard that, mo matter, i,'s only one link.
The rest of the chain is good. Ninety-nine
of the hundred links are strong. Its average
is high. 1t only lacks one per cent. of be-
ing perfect. Surely the anchor ought to re.
spect so good chain and not break away
from it? No indeed he shouted Get an.
other chain!' He knew that chain with
one broken link was no chain at all that he
might as we'll throw an anchor overheard


without any cable, as with defective one


So with the anchor Of our souls. If there is


the least flaw in the cable, it is not safe to


trust it. We hsdpetter throw it away, and
try to get rev one that we know is per
| fect."-C Christian CgnOSure
Year: 1879

The following was found among some old
family papers, written, it is believed, by DIR.
Salter, master of the CharterhOuse, 1761-
1777:


"a receipt how to compose q sermon {:
Take some scraps out of the best books you
have; weigh them and sift them thoroughly;
then divide them into three parts, for divid
ing them into more is generally thought to
crumble too much; work these well and han
die them neatly, but neither mince nor chop
them. Season the whole we'll with a due
proportion of salt; put in nothing that is too
hard or difficult to digest, but let all be clear
and candid; it should have some fire, for
that will raise it and prevent its being heavy;
you may garnish it with few fjwers, but
not so thick as to hide the substance; take
care that it's not overdone, for, as it is the
last thing served up, if it's not inviting, some
of the company may not taste of it; in a
hard frost or extreme cold weather, it should
be done in twenty minutes; in more temper,
ate, it may take half an hour; if it's done
in quarter of an hour, it's fit for king.
Year: 1879

Many clergymen have pulpit voice.


When they are out of church they speak as
other people do. They do not employ a
deep chest.note when they inquire of the
butcher respecting the price of roast beef,
aud they do not use dismal monotone when
they discuss domestic matters with their
wives and children. But as soon as they get
into church they unconsciously assume an
artificial tone; and they are apt to do this
when they have any devotional functions to
perform. 1t has often been observed that if
a minister who is chatting easily and natu.
rally at table should be asked to say grace,
he will suddenly assume his pulpit voice,
articulate with it during the ceremony, and
then resume the conversation in his proper
voice with the dexserisy Of ventriloquist.
The pulpit voice is probably attributable in
large degree to deeire to give solemnity
and iupressiveness to the performance. 1t
results from an effort to convey to the hear
ers the deep sense of awe which may fairly
be supposed to sufuse the clerical mind
But the result to the listener is far more
likely to be an almost irresistible tendency
to 20 to sleep The effective voice always
is the natural voice. The skilful actor
touches every chord in the entire gAmut of
passion, and he gives force and effect to
every phase of sentiment, without putting
any undue strain upon his vocal machinery.
A great truth must be far more impressive
when it is urged in the speakers ordinary
tones, modified only by whatever Influence
of sincere feeling may govern the speakers
mind, than when it is offered in an artificial
voice, about which there can be no Sugges-
ton Of genuine passion.-Philadelphia Bul-
letin.