smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

Writing of the attempt to assas-
sinate the emperor of Russia in St.
Petersburg, a correspondent states
that as soon as the Gar had enter
ed the Winter Palace after the at
tempt had been made to shoot him,
he gave orders for all his friends
an, I'D, .ne dIgh State officials Is 5e
admitted to his presence, aud re-
peated to them the event which had
just occurred in the following
terms.


81 was taking my usual walk
this morning at nine o'clock and,
feeling rather tired, [ was about to
return to the palace, when l saw
coming toward me along the de-
serted flags good looking young
man of about thirty years of age.
| looked at him mechanically as he
approached, thinking the while if
that man wished to kill me it would
be very easy for him to do so. This
strange presentiment was all the
more ineXplicable as there was
nothing about him to suggest
his being a conspirator. He wore
the dress of clerk in the Finance
Department and his demeanOr was
perfectly correct. AS this thought
was passing through my mind l
saw him put his hand into the pock-
ct of his cloak, take from it q pistol
and aim at me. Instinctively l
darted aside. The shot went off
and missed me. just as l was on
the point of calling for help sec
Ond shot went off, and, thanks to
the movement l made to right my
self, it likewise missed its aim. l
then called for help. Policemen
appeared Immediately. l walked
straight toward the would -be-assas.
sin, who stood still few PAGES off.
His arm seemed suddenly paIa.
lyzed. The men rushed at him.
He seemed to recover himself, and
fred two more shots, one of which
unfortunately wounded one of my
preservers, while the otEer hit the
wall near me. At last the wretch
was secured and disarmed. There
upon, to tell you the truth, l felt
rather faint, and was brought
back to the palace. Let us praise
God, my friends. 1t is He who has
spared my life"
Year: 1879

The most important question OF
the near future is whether yellow
fever will return this summer. No
greater misfortune could befall the
country, North as well as South,
than the reappearance with the hot
weather Of the dreaded pestilence.
[tjs said to be an axiom of South
ern hygiene, established by prece-
dent, that the yellow fever il never
epidemic for two successive seasons.
But the epidemic Of last year de-
molisbed many theories that had
come to be rega Ided as axioms by
the pedical profersi9p. II invaded
localities and attacked cidssese Of
people that, by theory and prece-
dent, should have been exempt from
its ravages. 1t manifested itself in
new symptoms and under modified
forms, battling experience and re.
quiring new systems of treatment,
and this to such degree that there
has been considerable doubt as to
the identity of the fever of 1878
with the yellow fever of the past.
If the cities of the South rely upon
precedent to protect them from the
plague this summer, and neglect to
take all sanitary precautions possi-
BILE, they will make deplOrable
mistake. One thing is certain The
yellow fever cannot be barred out
from our territory by any amount
of Congressional legislation.
Year: 1879

EXECUTIVE MANSION,
RAsHIN0T0N, d. o., January 20, 1868.
Mcj0r- General Hooker :-General
Il have placed you at the head of
the army OF the Potomac. Ofcourse
l have done this upon what ap.
pears to me to be sufficient reasons,
and yet / think it best for you to
know that there are some things in
regard to which l ON not quite salts.
fed with you. [ believe you to be
brave and skillful soldier, which,
of course like. l also believe you
do not mix politics with your pro-
fession, in which you are right. You
have confidence in yourself, which
|.s s a:aable; ~ NOT an sindispcnsa.
be, duality. You are ambitious,
which, within reasonable bounds i,
does good rather than harm; but l
think that during General Burn
sides command of the army you
have taken counsel of your ambi
ton and thwarted him as much as
you could, in which you did a great
wrong to the country and to most
meritOriOus and honorable brother
officer. l have heard, in such u way
as to believe it, of your recently say
ing that both the army and the
government needed q dictator. OF
course it was not for this, but in
spite OF it, that have given you
the command. Only those gener-
ais who gain successes can set up
dictatOrs. What I now ask of you
is military success and l will risk
the dictatorship. The government
will support you to the utmost Of
its ability, which is neither more
nor less than it has done and will
do for all commanders. much
fear that the spirit which you have
aided TO infuse into the army, of
criticis;ng their commander and
Withholding confidence from him,
will now turn upon you. shall
assist you as tar as l can to put it
down. Neither you nor Napoleon,
if he were alive again, could get any
good out of an army while such a
spirit prevails in it. And now be-
ware of freshness. Beware of rash
ness, but with energy and sleepless
vigilance go forward and give us
victories.


Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN.
Year: 1879

il. D., III Chicago Times.


I will give you IL sketch of my eXperi-
ence with the use Of salt in the ochard
and garden. Young fruit trees can be
made to grow and do we'll in places
where Old trees have died, by sowing Il
pint OF salt on the earth where they are
to stand. After trees are set / continue
to SOW a pint OF salt around each every
year. | set twenty-five trees in sandy
soil for each one OF seven years and only
succeeded i'll getting one to live, and
that only produced tWigs u few inches
long in nine years.


Last spring sowcd a pint of salt round
it, and limbs grew from three to three
and half feet long. In the spring Of
1877 | set out twenty-five trees, putting
a pint Of salt in the dirt used for filling,
and then soWei Il pint more on the sur
face, after each tree was set. All grew
as il they had never been taken from the
nursery. Last spring | set thirty more,
treating them in the same way, and they
have grown very finely. The salt keeps
away insects that injure the roots, and
renders the soil more capable Of sustain
ing plant growth.


In 1877 my wife had a garden forty
feet square. 1t was necessary to water
it nearly every day, and still the plants
and flowers were very inferior in all re-
spects. In 1878 put half q barrel of
brine and q half bushel Of salt on the
ground and turned them under. The
consequence was that the plants were of
extraordinary size and the flowers Of
great beauty. 1t WAS not necessary to
water the garden, which was greatly
admired by all who saw it. The flowers
were SO large that they appeared to be OF
different varieties from those grown on
the land that was not salted


had some potatoes growing from seed
that Wilted down as soon as the weather
became very hot. I applied salt to the
surface of the soil till il was white. The
vines soon took Il vigorous start, grew to
the length Of three feet, blossomed and
produced tubers from the size of hens
eggs to that Of goose eggs. My soil is
chiefly sand, but l believe that salt is
highly beneficial to clay as to common
ilrairie land.
Year: 1879

SAMUEL TOWNSEND Is an old time rep
ressntative democrat, aud cannot keep
pace with the new order Of things,
though the Democracy Is very slow In
moving forward. A couple Of weeks
ago he wrote q letter to the Gazette"
favoring the building Of the new Court
House in Wilmington II one had to bs
built, and yesterday he wrote another
to the same paper. this time opposing
having the new Court House in Will
mington. A summary Of the many
letters he has bsen writing shows that
he is opposed to education in general
and in favor of free whisky and plenty
of il: opposed to assisting the only
College in Delaware, opposed to educa-
ting the colored people, and hopes a
"nigger" will rever vote the Democrat
10 ticket, indeed thinks they shouldn't
vote all. He has one redeeming trait
left, and that is he Is in favor now Of
increased representation for Now Cas-
tie County We say now, for it is hard to
tell where he will stand to morrow upon
that question.
Year: 1879

The advocates of the lash as an ar
gument in their favor point to the fact
that Virginia has adopted the whipping
post as a punishment for some crimes.
Well, how does it work A few days
age they fogged a negro woman in
Richmond, Virginia. She was ordered
to strip herself, and she proceeded
slowly to unbutton her dress in front,
and in a moment she was stripped to
the waist, her upper clothing falling
down over her hips and exposing to the
gaze Of the hundreds of bystanders 4
glossy black skin from the shoulders to
the waist, and it was noticed that her
back was strongly marked with pre-
vious stripes. Then the officer of the
law struck her twenty-five times with
q cow-hide as penalty for stealing a
few pounds Of iron from a railroad COM
pany. Without commenting upon the
infamy Of such proceedings il is enough
for our purpose to state that the law
eempelled woman to stand naked be-
fore a crowd Of spectators while she was
beat with brutal hand, to show that
the scene was shocking enough to i'm
Dress any human being with the COM
mon instincts Of humanity within his
bosom, with sense of the infamy Of
the outrage. But we may point to the
fact that this woman had been beaten
several times before as another proof of
the utter folly Of the claim so often
made by the advocates OF this mode Of
punishment, that it deters those who
suffer it from further perpetration of
crime. This ID Virginia argument,
and it is about the only argument that
the friends of the lash and post system
OF punishment have in Delaware, but
it has proved to be worthless over and
over again, as it was proven in Vir-
ginia. The truth Of the whole matter
is, that although it may be beneficial
in few exceptional cases, its tendency
is to make hardened criminals of its
victims.
Year: 1879

THE Twenty fifth anniversary of the
signing of the agreement to form an
ocean telegraph company, was cele-
brated at the house Of Cyrus W. Field,
in the city of New York, on Monday
evening, four of the five original sign
ers being present, and the successor Of
the fifth, in the same room in which
the company was organized a quarter
OF century age.
Year: 1879

The Court HOUSE removal bill has
been read a second time in the House
and referred to a committee, consisting
of Representatives, Ware, Doran and
Lambso of New Castle, Collins of Kent
and Cannon of Sussex. The committee
may report on the bill to-day or to NOR
row. or they may not report until next
week. 1t is hoped however that as we
have come so near to the prize, that
Wilmington will not yet lose it, and
we would still urge that our leading
citizens bring their influence to bear in
every legitimate and honest way upon
the Legislature to secure the passage
Of the bill.
Year: 1879

On TUESDAY we referred tartly in al
editorial to the alleged cruelty to
children by some of the teachers
Of the public schools, as repres.
ented by q member of the Board OF
Education at a meeting held on Mon
day evening last. From representa-,
tions made to us since we are now led
to believe that the member was misin.
formed in reference to the coughing
boy-who it is alleged only ooughed
to annoy the teachers, and hence the
punishment which followed. We hap
pen to know the lady teachers of the
school where the affair is said to have
taken place, and we know they would
not be guilty Of such conduct as is i'm
puted to them, through misrepresenta-
tions made to the member Of the Board
who referred to it on Monday evening.
We hope this will be accepted as our
apology to the lady teachers, who, We
have no hesitancy in saying, did no
more than their duty after great provo
cation.
Year: 1879

SENATOR lack Chandler is looming
up into national popularity. His speech
on jeff. Davis touched the popular heart.
A day or two ago the Republicans of
Michigan held their State Convention
and closed their business with three
rousing cheers for "Old Zack !" The feel
ing towards Senator Chandler shows
the Union sentiment is as strong as
ever throug hout the North.
Year: 1879

ADVERTISERS who want their notices
to reach the country people shonld not
forget that besides the Daily REpuBI-
CAN with its average circulation of
5000, weekly edition is published
which ciroulates not only all over the
State but in Chester, Delaware and
other adjoining counties. The Weekly
REPUBLICAN, is the Oldest paper in the
State except one, and has q larger cir
culation than any other. In the great
desire to advertise in the daily paper,
the weekly is sometimes overlooked
though it reaches just the class of peo-
pie that tradesmen and merchants want
for customers. Do not forget that the
Weekly REPUBLICAN still lives, is the
leading weekly in the State, is just as
crispy and spicy as ever, is still as
good an advertising medium now as it
ever has been in the past, and its
prices are just as reasonable.
Year: 1879

L. is SAID that the Democrats at
Washington express the opinion that
they are not likely to gain anything
by the extra session Of Congress. Re-
publicans say that if the President is
firm no revolutionary legislation can
he had.
Year: 1879

ENGLISH MANNERS .-English people
impress you first Of all by a sense of the
genuineness Of their actions and of their
speech. Warm or cold they may be, gra-
cious or ungracious, arrogant or consider
ate, but you feel that they are real. English
men adulterate their goods, but not their
conduct. If an Englishman makes you
welcome, you feel at home; and you know
that, within reason, and often out of reason,
be will look after your comfort,-t for
your we'll being while you are under his
roof he considers himself responsible. And
vet he does not thrust himself upon you,
and you may do almost what you choose,
and 90 almost whittier you will. If he
wants you to come 10 him, he will take
more trouble 10 bring you than you will
to 90, and yet make no fuss about it any
more than he does about the suns rising,
without which he would be in darkness.
Ifhe meets you and gives you two fingers.
it means only two fingers; if his whole
hand grasps yours, you have his hand and
you have it most warmly at your parting.
His speech is like his action. His social
word is his social bond; you may trust
him for all that it promises, and commonly
for more. If you do not understand him
well you may suppose at first that he is
Indifferent and careless, until something is
done for you or suggested to you, that
shows you that bis friend and his friends
welfare has been upon his mind.-Richard
Grant White in December atlantic.
Year: 1879

A PROPHECY BY BEECHER-In his
Thanksgiving sermon before his congrega-
ton ut Brooklyn, Mr.. Beecher said:


A great period Of various national trials
We have safely passed through, and have
entered upon 4 period OF nascent prosperi-
ty which, according to the laws Of business
will run from fifteen TO twenty years.
Young men. the years before you are
glowing and glorious. Lay out your plans
for fifteen undistur5ed years, or disturbed
only as the wind diSturbs the trees to give
strength TO the stem. Fifteen years
shall we stand here then? And if we
shall, what will be the population Of this
nation? What will be the power of our
example in European nations? What
will be the condition of our own coun-
try?


Look forward; the territories between
the Mississippi and the Pacific now sparse
ly settled will be filled up with the sound
of various husbandry. The tinkling of
the COW bells will be heard from farm to
farm across the prairie land and across the
continent. Farm will touch farm all
along the hill and all along the plain. In
fifteen years the great Northern Pacific
railroad Will he completed, and towns and
villages will,like pearls, be strung upon it.
A glorious necklace. And while we re-
joice in the southern cline and praise the
golden soil of Colorado, we little know
the wonderful greatness of the great north
west, the great Red River country, the
region Of the Saskatchewan region which
is to be greater than the whole of the
south. Aud this region will necessarially
be the home of hardy men, for it is the
northern climes that breed the best people;
northern Europe and not southern Europe,
gives the ideas, and we are to receive our
future strong men not from the south, but
from the Saskatchewan and the Red River
and the whole northern region,
Year: 1879

BRING OUT THE RoPE.-The Swiss
guides are heroic men. Tremendous en-
ploits OF strength and courage are the
scenes which in old age they review.
Mountain climbers are dependent upon
their skill and experience, but no matter
what their knowledge Of Alpine safeguards
or perils may be, they cannot secure even
the hope of safety to those who ask their
help, except on one condition. and that is,
their willingness 10 be bound together in
difficult passes.


The party sets out in union, with kindly
intentions to be helpful to each other
They have a book knowledge Of the way,
but every step is new to their feet, and
they must trust TO their guide. For a
while common bond of personal welfare
is in enough. But the guide has halted
and waits for the company to listen. They
his voice in that clear Alpine air,
ringing in stirring tones,-"courage, gen
tlemen. there is danger here; we must tie
the ropes around each man. and protect
each othern' 1t is deceitful snow bridge
over an abysmal cleft in the blue ice. If
one man ventures to cross alone, he may
drop between those frozen walls. Bring
out the rope ,and bind these adventurers
so firmly that if man falls, the strength
and steadiness Of his fellows may hold
him securely! Woe betide the man who
goes over the horrible glacier regions of
Switzerland alone.


The experienced guides, who know the
dangers of this life journey, tell US that
union is strength, that ties of mutual faith
and common interest are not all we need,
and they bid us bring out the rope of true
hearted association, 10 double the force Of
each mans weight. We have done it in
faith, trusting in our I4ord-becauSe we
know there are dangerous passes in the
narrow way to the heavenly lights.


A Christian association needs the
strength of all the men and women ii cln
link together. Give us additional security
of your influence, dear reader, and accept
for yourself the safety Of the bond which
holds US Wdtchman.
Year: 1879

AN CNDERCRowDED BUSINESS. - The
extraordinary progress made in the graph
ic arts of late years, the multiplication of
popular illustrated works and periodicals,
the tendency OF large firms and corpora
tionS to use pictures instead of letterpress
in advertising their commodities, ARE trust
worthy indications that the business of an
engraver is now more than ever before a
promising field for 4 beginner with an ap-
titude in that direction. But if we accep,
the statement Of the engravers themselves.
without an allowance for that sense Of
personal disappointment and weariness
which we have previously spoken Of no
occupation is so barren of inducements as
this. They are more empathic than the
telegrapher, the architect, or the soldier in
saying, Don't put your boy to our trade
turn his footsteps in another direction AS
a matter of fact,the standard of successful
engraver is higher now, and the necessary
qualifications greater, than hitherto. For
merly, the office drudge, without educa.
ton of any kind and without any definite
intelligence or aptitude, was allowed to
practice at blocks in his spare hours; and
by degrees, he acquired certain mechani-
cal facility that qualified him for Il position
in which he hacked out whatever beauty
and softness the drawings entrusted to
him had. He was the blne Of artists. not
having the capacity either to understand
or to interpret them. But the art revival
has compelled change; and, besides
perspicacity and manual f,clitv, the en-.
graver who would succeed must have a
knowledge of drawing and color and a
sympathetic understanding Of the work
submitted to him, For this reason, Young
man, ambitious Of becoming an engraver,
should have some preliminary training in
art, and, we might almost say, should be =
finished draught>man before he attempts
the sister profession. But even supposing
that he has an education, that he can draw
and has art sympathies, he must in most
cases enter the Office rs II subordinate and
carry the burden Of many protitless details
before he is afforded an opportunity tc
develop in the direct line. He is received
in the Office rs Il boy, with salary of three
or four dollars Il week. Eventually, sup
erior equipment and intelligence will be
recognized, and with ordinary talent one
may obtain a lucrative and honorable posi-
tion. The salary Of an engraYer is from
twenty to fifty dollars week, but mas
ter hand of positive ability and experience
commands four or five thousand dollars Il
year. This profession is also adapted tc
women, and two or three have already
acquired high rank in this country
Sc'ibner for December.
Year: 1879

A gentleman not extremely given TO
piety was dismayed by being asked TO say
grace at strange table. To refuse and
explain would be embarra,sing;to comply
would be equally so; but he chose the


latter, and started off briskly enough with.
"Oh. Lord, bless this table -" Just
here. being unused to the business he
nearly broke down. but by gigantic
effort pulled through with, World with
out end. Yours, respectfully, amen"
Year: 1879

John, did you 20 around and ask how
old Mrs. Jones is this morning, as told
you TO do last night? Yes, sir. Well,
what's The result She said that seeing
as how you'd had the impudence to send
and ask how old she was she had no
objection to telling you that she is seventy
four.
Year: 1879

FORMATION OF CHARACTER.-The Rev.
Phillips BROOKS, in recent sermon, used
the following practical language: If
somebody should give me diamond to
carry to Europe, l can know exactly how
much would be lost to the world were
to drop it into the sea; but il seed
should be given 10 me, can only regard
it with awe as containing concealed with
in it the food of untold generations. That
is the difference between looking at
truth rs a diamond or as seed-as final
or germinal. In All training Of character,
continuity and economy must be supreme.
The notion that character is spontaneous
is held by most people in the earlier por-
tion of their lives, and is wrong too.
Hosts of young men think that their char
acter will form Of itself, and that they will
necessarily become better rs they grow
older. Hosts Of old men believe that their
character is fixed and that it is impossible
for them to become better Such beliefs
are foolish. People are also wrong in
thinking that they can put off their bad
traits and put on good traits. The old
failures can not be Thus transformed, but
out of the old habits new can be formed.
That is what many poor creature wants
to know. We must make what we are to
be ont of what we are already"