smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1866

OF those who use Intoxicating drinks, one
third-the absolute correctness of the ratio
is not essential-are totally destroyed by
them another third are obviously and Sc
riously injured by them; while the remain
der escape apparently safe. The middle
third even would find incalculable personal
advantage from abstinence, while the first
third are totally and terribly lost without it.
The three ranks are closely and inevitably
connected No one sinks to the lowest till
he has first stood in the highest. The pas
sage from one to the other is by insensible
danger 1t is road travelled by persons
from all ranks and classes; not till the habit
has become hopeless, is the drunkard finally
cast out as the unclean leper of society
Not only are the commencement and early
progress in this road respectable, they are
attended with pleasure, hilarity, and fash


ionable favor. The one-third Of cool drink
ers stand at the entrance of these paths Of
enjoyment for the perpetual temptation and
justification Of the two-thirds who mingle
with them and press by them to ruin
We're it not for these, the end might be seen
from the beginning, and this appearance Of
safety vanish. But there they stand, good,
temperate, respectable men, and you forget
that they who drank and laughed with them
in youth have now finished drunkard's s
career; that many who have been their
guests are already in the depths of hell;
that they have parted company with broth
er and friend, as they have fastened on in
the dreary ways of damnable debauch.


Mark the relation. The most virtuous
man of necessity, through his very temper
ance, becomes a lure to his eig6bor, puts
the bottle to his mouth; and that neighbor,
frenzied with the draught and gifted with
less government, quickly sinks to the second,
Year: 1866

HAVING ADDED GREATLY TO OUR
IL former extensive facilities, turning OFT
number of Improved Portable Steam Engines and
Portable Circular Saw Mills Those already received and in
operation giving the entire satisfaction There is
hardly State Territory in the Union but Improved
Portable Engines and Saw Mills in All Engines
have spark stack them which the sparks


We would respectfully refer You the following gentlemen
and certificates for the portability utility and practical opera
tions Of our Portable Steam Engines and Saw Mills:
Year: 1866

a young woman in England, aged
twenty-five, born "stone blind" was
recently restored to perfect vision in
four days, by a surgical operation. The
effect of her new sense was most curl
Gus. She had at first no idea whatever
of perspective. She put her hand to
the window to try to catch the tree on
the other side. of the street; she was
utterly ignorant also of common things,
| e. g., what such things as bunch Of
keys were, or silver watch, or a COM
mon cup and saucer; but when she
shut her eyes, and was allowed to touch
them (the educated sense) she told
them at once.
Year: 1866

The friends of a celebrated wit ex-
pressed some surprise that, with his age
and fondness for the bottle, he should
have thought it necessary to marry
4" A wife was necessary" he said; "my
acquaintances began to say that l drank
too much fora single man. i.
Year: 1866

Many departed little ones today are
linking earthto heaven, and who would
make the number less? without q
tHar, they are waiting for us just beyond
the azure; ever young-ever the chill.
dren we laid them down.
Year: 1866

There is slight prospect of such a
revision of our revenue law as Will re-
lease the income tax, and place the bur-
den upon very few articles of heavy
consumption, in the place of general
and multitudinous assessment. The
English system is held to be the least
Objectionable and the most remunera-
tive.
Year: 1866

Another case Of coDiugal and insane
asylum oppression and outrage has lust
come to light in New York. A man OF
some standing in the community, an in
veterate politician, some twelve years
ago married an estimable young lady, the
daughter of a worthy old gentleman
worth some $4,000 or 100000. Her
father died leaving her his property, her
mother being dead. In order to get
hold of this, her husband procured a doc
tor and two policemen to make afida-
davits that she was demented and unfit
to take care of herself. The husband was
indeed, by his shameless proAigacies and
brutal oppression, fast driving her to
distraction. He tore her from her only
child and confined her in the Blooming
dale Asylum for two years. She escaped
six months ago, and with her son started
for her only relatives, in Toronto. She
was tracked thither, and fed to Buffalo,


thence to Cleveland, where she took SER
vice in: the family.of a physician. She
had been there four months, giving not
the slightest suspicion of insanity, when


in the absence of the physician she was
seized and carried back to Bloomingdale.
1t is expected that her friends will move
the matter to trial. She is a devout
Catholic, and by this means was in some
way discovered. 1t is said that there are
between thirty and forty women in the
Bloomingdale Asylum, who have been
placed there by relatives who want their
property. "All that is necessary to con-
fine a woman" says one of the New York
papers, sis the opinion in writing of a
physician, and we have men of that title
here, who for a small fee would give any
opinion, or practice any fraud or crime" J"
Year: 1866

Some years since an eccentric old gen.
ius, called Barnes, was employed BY a
farmer living in town some six or seven
miles westerly from the Penobscot river,
Maine, to dig a well. The soil and sub
stratum being mostly of sand, old Barnes,
after having progressed downward about
forty feet, found one morning upon going
to work that the well had essentially
caved in, and was full nearly to the top.
So, having the desire which men have, of
knowing what will be said of them after
they are dead, and no one being yet astir,
he concealed himself in rank growth of
burdocks by the side of board fence near
the mouth of the well, having first left
his frock and hat upon the windlass over
the well. At length breakfast being
ready, boy was dispatched to call him
to his meal, when 10 and behold it
was seen that Barnes was buried in the
grave unconsciously dug by his own
hands. The alarm being given, and the
family assembled it was decided to first
eat breakfast, and then send for the coro-
ner, the minister, and his wife and chill
dren. Such apathy did not flatter Barnes
selfesteem bit, but he waited patiently,
determined to hear what would be said
and see what was to be seen.


Presently all parties arrived and began
prospecting" the scene of the catastro-
phe, as people usually do in such cases.
AT length they drew together to ex-
change opinions as to what should be
done. The minister at once gave it as
his opinion that they had better level up
the well and let Barnes remain 'for,"
!. = 4
of sin, and in the day of judgement it
will make no difference whether he is
buried FIVE feet under ground or fifty, for
he is bound to come forth in either cases.
The coroner likewise agreed that it would
be a needless expense to his family or the
town to disinter him when he was effect
ually buried, and, therefore. conceded
with the minister.


His wife thought that as che had left
his hat and frOck it would hardly be
worth while to dig him out for the rest of
his clothes" and so it was decided to let
him remain. But poor old Barnes, who
had no breakfast, and was not at all pleas
ed with the result of the inquest, lay quiz
ct until the shades of evening stole over
the landscape, when he departed to parts
unknown. After remaining incognito for
about three years, one morning he sud
denly appeared (hatless and frockless as
he VENT at the door of the old farmer
for whom he had agreed to dig the un-
fortunate well. To say that an avalanche
of questions were rained upon him as to
his mysterious Temperance, etc., would
convey but feeble idea of the excite
ment which his bodily presence created.
But the old man bOre If all 0uietlv and
at length informed them that, on finding
himself buried, he waited to be dug out
again, until his patience was exhausted,
when he set to work to dig himself out,
and only the day before succeeded, for
his ideas being very much confused he
had dug very much at random and in
stead of coming directly to the surface,
he came out in the town of Holden, six
miles east of the Penobscot river.


No further explanations were asked for
by those who were so distressed and sor-
rowful over his supposed final resting
place.
Year: 1866

l never drink cup of water without
thinking of an old Scotchman who when
l was boy in the city of New York, ac-
ted as porter in the Establishment in
which l was engaged. He must have
been very poor. For, then sIxty-6Ve or
seventy years of age, he was employed
day after day in dragging a little hand
cart, often laden with heavy burdens.


In our store was a stone jar, replenish-
ed daily with pure water and ice, and
many a time during the day the old man
would come to drink When he had
filed the cup, he would take of his worn
cap, and while his thin grey locks fell
over his forehead. lift up his face, with
closed eyes for a moment, with reVeren-
tial aspect and in silent prayer and, then
drink. Nomatter what the haste, or who
observed, he always did the same.


Since then it is twenty-five or thirty
years, have drank of the icy pools that
gather on the surface of the glaziers of
Switzerland, and amidst the burning
splendors of Vesuvius; in his own Scot
land, and on the stormy sea; but very
rarely or never without thinking of that
old Scotchman, or admonished by him.
without lifting my heart in gratitude to
God. One thing is remarkable; l cannot
drink with my hat on. The white locks
of the old man seem to shake themselves
before me, as if to admonish me.of irrev-
erence, and his meek eye to be lifting it.
self up to God to plead that l may not
forget the Giver.


Without doubt the old man has been
many years in heaven. But how that
little habit of bis wrought itself into my
life, and how to me he has been, for
more than a quarter of a century, day BY
day, by that ittla act, a preacher of
How could he have cared
to live in my memory? Has he perpet-
uated his name, and form, and piety in
my heart? Never forget, Christian, to
God.
Year: 1866

The Nashville Press and Times, speak
ing of cotemporary in that city says:
the DfSpdteh pops a cork of small beer in
dignation at the head of Secretary Nc
Cullough for inscribing on our coins the


brief but pregnant legend, "In God We
Trust" Holding its left hand under the
swallow tail of its constitutional dignity,
and extending the white nosed wiper of
interogative pathos in its right, it ex-
claims:


"Who gave Secretary Mccullough the
right to intrude his theological creed up
on mis- fellow citizens? Who gave him
the right thus to claim for his faith the
sanction of the entire nation? The Con
stitution of the United States, our sacred
magma cLGrta, gives no such authority
whatever. Its assumption by men in
high Office is but another instance of the
lawlessness which has been the fountain
and origin of all our troubles"


The Dispatch evidently eutertains the
same opinion of the Divine Being that
Mrs. Quckily did, at the death bed of
Sir john Falstaf. Said she:


AFTER l saw him tumble with the
sheets, and play with flowers, and smile
upon his fingers ends, 1 knew there was
but one way; for his nose was sharp as a
pen, and "a bebled of green fields. How
now, Sir John ?quoth L: "God, God, God"
three or four times. Now l, to comfort
him, bid him "a should not think of God.
| hoped there was no need to trouble
himself with any such thoughts yet"


The Dispatch subseribes to the creed of
Dame Quickly, and thinks the less we
have to do with God the better. True it
adds by way of lame apology: "WeI
believe in God" just like Mrs. Parting
ton, when asked by an elder at a camp
meeting, what she thought of the Savior,
meekly replied, that "she did not have
any thing agin him."


The motto we think is an excellent
one for our national coin. 1t would have
been sadly out of place on Confederate
money, because that was beyond the
reach of redemption. We opine that the
very atheist will regard the new coin as
a legal tender, in spite of the superscrip-
ton. All nations, from time immemori-
al, have inscribed their coin with the ef-
figies of their benefactors, and what dec
laration more betting can this war de-
liVered land make in the day of her sal
vation, than is contained in the legend,
SIN God We Trust" 1t is said that the
smaller coins do not afford room for the
motto. Perhaps this is intended to sig
nifty that while we will mount upon the
wings of eagles" our religion is not of a
Oieayllns stamp.
Year: 1866

were instrumental in inaugurating and
most conspicuous in conducting the late
hostilities. l should regard it as direful
calamity if many whom the sword has
spared, the law should spare also; but 1
would deem it a more direful calamity
still, if the Executive, in performing his
constitutional duty of bringing those per-
sons before the bar of justice to answer
for their crimes, should violate the plain
meaning of the Constitution, or infringe
in the least particular the living spirit of
that instrument.


have the honor to be, most respect
fully, JAS. SPEED, Atty Gen.
Year: 1866

A lady who had read of the extensive
manufacture of odometers, to tell how far
a carriage had run, said she wished some
Connecticut genius would invent an in
strument to tell how far husbands had
been in the evening when they just step
down to the Post Office.
Year: 1866

NEW ORLEANS. January l, 1866.


Editor Western ReserUe ChrOnicle:-I wish
you and your readers a Happy New
Year.


Your type settlers will persist in making
me appear TO use words which | did not
intend to use, and omit others | did in
tend to use but perhaps the fault lies
between US, so | will not complain. At
the close of the first letter, the word re-
sumo is used for the reserve. If the word
substituted is better one, there can be
no objection to the change; but in the
case above the change is not regarded as
a happy one.


spent two weeks in the Parish of st Lam
DIRE, one of the largest, and in soil, one of
the richest parishes N the State. The
county seat is 0pelousas, and one. of its
principal business towns is Washington,
at the head of navigation on Bayou Cor
tableau. The water route from New Or
leans TO Washington is up the Mississippi
River to the mouth of Red River, and
from near the mouth of Red River down
the Atchafalaya pronounced Chat a ly/ a,
with the accent on the third syllable 10
Bayou Cortabieau, trip of about forty
eight hours from New Orleans. Sugar
and cotton can be proftably raised in
this parish, and in most of Western Lou
isiana, west and north of this Parish
The soil is alluvial, lighter, and much
easier worked than on the Mississippi
River. The lands on the Atchafalaya are
subject to occasional overflow, about
twice in the last sixteen years, but the
lands on Bayou Cortableau and Bayou
Beuf are not subject to overflow.


The prospect of cotton culture for the
future is much more encouraging than
the cultivation of sugar, for reasons stat
ed in my last letter. In the opinion of
good judges, cotton can be proftably cul
tivated on at least two-thirds of the land
capable of cultivation, in the State. The
cultivated land in Louisiana in
1860, was as follows:
Year: 1866

NEw YoRK. Nov. /.
The dinner to Cyrus Field BY the CHAINS
Der of Commerce. took place Thursday at
the Metropolitan Hotel.


The Supreme Court has decided against
the power Of the Common Council TO make q
contract for gas at the present high prices for
twenty years.
Year: 1866

the circumstances Of each case as It arises
II the JUDGE be not just, no laws, however
minute 10 their rppl5cati0n, Wiil be effective
IN preventing wrong and oppression.


One ct the most fruitful sources Of evil IN
the roman Empire, prior to Justinian, was
the multiplicity of her laws. each succeed
ing Emperor recording his DEGREES as 81 mart
Of the statutes Of the land until there was no
action, public or private, that was not for
bIdden by law, and tyranny found It's sane
ton Tor ell wrongs IN the legal ignorance Of
the subject. In much counsel there Is safety,
but IN many laws we have ssspotism in tfs
concrete. Law has reference to the relative
ana not the absolute rights Of individuals.
It's object Is 10 secure to each individual as
much freedom Ia his intercourse with his
fel!Ow-man IS IS consistent with the enigy-
ment of the same amount by all others
only taking away from the member so much
;ss IS necessary to the geod of the whole


Whenever legislation goes beyond this point
1t becomes tYra0nical, and the subject Is
under no obligation to submit any longer
than MS weakness compels him We lay
down this broad principle because, as the
night Of despO5lsm appears to be setting in,
We may lose our land marks, and it is, there
fore, welt TO keep compass on board, al
5hough we are confident 40 landing can be
made until the day dawns upon us 1t is an
attribute Of ignorance, as well as Of evil, to
abandon principle for expedieney and to
enact every crude opinion into q law So
thought the wise men who gave us con
stltutioQal government and they therefore,
laid down for our guidance bat few and
simple rules, which were bassed on princi-
pies eternal as truth and immuable as the
hills. But It remained for the superior IN
telligenco and advanced civilization of the
party now in power to discover the folly of
such a course and the faisity Of such views
econstitntiop, which it was fondlY thought
would bea safe chart in ell political seas, has
proved SO utterly worthless that the ssvise
mariners have thrown It over board and pro
nose to navigate the ship without any
For It Is idle TO say that they are guided by
any law but their viii, or are restrained by
any principle save selEinteresk


To enumerate the instances in which thea,
have violated that instrument, would be to
reproduce it from alpha to omega To set
forth their acts Of injustice, tyranny, and
cruelty, would be 10 count the sands Of the
sea shore, or to measure ininity. Que
single days study of the proceedings of the
present congress would, of itself, convince
any one that these truths are not exaggerated
In view of this, what shall be done Simply
let the revolutionary tribunal run It's race,
and it will ere long foment and work itself
clear in blood Memphis Appeal
Year: 1866

Fancy the thrilling effect of the Scrip
lures. 1T read as Kean reads Shakespeare or
recites Macauiey! and why should we not
have It s02 is It right and proper that every
book for public reading should have Justice
done It except the Bible And that while
every other subject IS allowed the advantage
of a natural and impressive delivery, religion,
which is the most important of all, should
be denied by all The monstrOus fallacy
with which well meaning bat Obtuse people
have been beguIed, or have beguiled them
selves, is, that such reading and reeited
would be theatrical and that theatrical ex-
hibitiOns are not becoming In the house of
God To this ridiculous falacy may be
traced most of the eXecrable pulpit reading
and delivery that rob the scriptures Of half
their power, and have often made the dull
ness Of Q sermon proverbial.


Set Kean to read the song Of Merriam, or the
fight between David and Goliath, or the story
of the Prodigal Son, or Of Chrsts denun-
Citations Of the Scfibes and Pharisees, or to
recite one Of Chalmers sermons and yoa
viii see the people VINO had begun to adjust
themselves Ia the corners of their seats for
their accustomed snooze, sit up and listened
to him very close, with eagcr eyes and bated
breath And al this simply because Kean
would do the piece justice, that is, read it
naturally, and as i6 ought to be read On
what possible ground, either Of common
sense or good taste, can objections be taken
to the natural delivery Of at least the ser
mon


If Garriek could set even the grim soldier
who was on duty at the corner OF the street
blubbering ike child and if Mrs Siddons
could so eyerpower the eminent tragedian,
Young that he could not refrain from sob
bing aloud, though he was himself on the
stage acting the william Of the piece Mt the
time-aud all this while merely uttering the
werds Of a fictitious character-what over
whelming effects in the way of awakening
sinners and pressing home the message of
the gospel, might not be introduced by mon
who are given utterance, IN their own char
acter to the most sublime and soul stirring
truths.
Year: 1866

The recent attempts which have been made in this
city to prove that the navigation of the air is as


the efforts Of Dr.. Andrews with his Aereon On Tues
day last, the Doctor. together with Mr. Plumb the
secretary made second ascension. They started on
thelr atmospheric travels at quarter to SIX deter
mining to take advantage of the soft breezes of the
evening: Upon starting, the rudder caught and the
above the tops of the houses the Doctor got control


and then took entire command He is corroborated
wind in the same manner that bird will do-just by
raising or lowering of the tail. The theory seems to
be pretty well founded and there large numbers
OF our citizens who have sincere faith in its ultimate
success After travelling some forty miles in the air
they landed at Jamaica, Long Island with stronger
conviction than ever that the Aereon is soon to be-
come flying fact There are few who would not re-


oee at It's success. From what was seen by those on
terrd JTrnd the ship worked admirably going in va
nous directions at the will of the Uopageurs After
receiving hearty welcome from the villagers the
snip was brought safely back to its starting point at
NJ Y. Herald, ''
Year: 1866

The CATTLE PLAGUE IN FRAScR.-M. Fould pro-
poses to grant to cattle owners in France compensa
ton for the cattle killed in consequence of the rind
erpest to the extent of two-thirds of the value in
the case of deceased animal and three-fourths in
the case of an animal which is proved to have been
healthy at the pee! iaortsH e4a~instiqa.
Year: 1866

-, Love LETTERs.-The Indianapolis Herald reports
that number of young men of that city have given
the principal of the Baptist Seminary deal of
trouble by perslstentiy making love- orally and by
other day the principal learned that some of his
pupils had packages of letters from young gentlemen
In the city-tender epistes. Exasperated beyond
endurance he caused the young ladies to stand up
before the entire school, and read the letters in full
with the names of the writers. There was futter-
ing in the school.
Year: 1866

The idle man is an snnoyance-s nuis-
aHce. He is Of no benefit to anybody. He
is an intruder in the busy thorOughfare of
every day life. He stands in our path, and
we push him contemptuously aside. He is
Of no advantage to anybody. He annoys
busy men. He makes them unhappy. He
is cipher in society. He may have an in-
come to support him in idleness, or he may
sponge on his good natured friends
But in either case he is despised. YOung
man, do something in this busy, bustlings
wide-awake world. Move about for the
benefit of mankind, if not for yourself. Do
not be idle. Gods law is that by the sweat
of our brow we shall earn our bread. That
law is good one, and the bread we earn is
sweet. Do not be idle Minutes are too
precious to be squandered thoughtlessly,
Every man and every woman, however ex-
alted or however humble, can do good in
this short life, if so inclined; therefore do
not be idle.