smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

THE first objects of interest to a stran-
ger on entering the streets of Chinese
city are the shops. Most of them consist
of one dingy, dirty room, with the entire
front open to the street, and the small
stock of articles exposed for sale in show
cases upon the counter, or upon narrow
shelves arranged along one side. The
back part of the room is generally used
for the manufacture of the particular ar
ticles on sale, and for cooking and other
domestic operations.


These shops are provided with plenty
of expert statesmen who know how TO ask
a foreigner three or four times as much as
an article is really worth, but are ready
to sell to a native at reasonable rates. If
| wish to buy, | offer the man half or
two thirds his asking price. At first he
declines, but soon offers the article in
question for a sum little less than the
first which is a sure indication that he
intends finally to come to my terms.
refuse and politely bid him good. by, when
he seizes his abacus "a light frame of
balls, strung on wires, used for reckoning)
and with many professional flourishes
goes into profound calculation as TO the
original cost of the article, and the legiti-
mate profit upon the same; at the close
of which, if remain Indifferent, he ac-
cepts my offer with the sorrowful declars-
tion that l have bought it too cheap-in
fact to do business IN that way would
soon ruin him and all his relations. go
away elated with my sharp bargain. But
my wicked pride is doomed to a speedy
downfall, when the first foreign resident
| meet laughingly informs me l have
paid double its real value. The only
safety is to make my purchases through
a native servant, who himself must have
a small percentage on the transaction by
way of "squeeze;" for a shop-keeper
would prefer to keep his goods rather
than sell them to forei Sner for the price
native would pay.


The coin used in all trade among the
common people is the "cash," round
brass piece with square hole in the cen
ter for convenience in stringiDg them
together by hundreds, which is the com
mon method. The value of the silver
dollar, in cash. varies somewhat in diff
ferent markets. At Shanghai we found
the dollar equivalent to 1880 "cash," in
Foo Chow TO 1140 "cash," and in Canton
to 100, thus averaging about IL cash"
to our common cent. Brokers' stalls,
for the exchange of silver into this cum
bersome coin, are seen every few yards
upon any business street, and almost
every passer.by has "rope" of it slung
overhis shoulder, or perchance a coolie
following after with several thousand
suspended upon the ends of his bamboo
pole.


The signs of the various places of bust
ness are a great curiosity In their way
They are covered with large gilt charac
ters representing the name Of the concern
and the commodities sold These char
acters are upon both sides of the board
so that they can be read at some distanct
by those passing in the street. They
never bear the name Of the proprietor ol
firm, but, instead, some felicitous expires
sion, such as Perpetual Success" ''Ce
"One True Price," by which the estab
lishment is known, and which is used il
Year: 1874

reply 10 the speech OF Mr., Carpenter In which
he said the new election was not demanded by
the Republican party Qf the State, nor by the
business men Of New Orleans. The men who were
tion OF honest labor opposed a new election
for the reason that they were opposed to anarchy,
and knew full well that the overturning of this
order and the shedding OF blood. lie commended
that the Kellogg Government was in sympathy
with and sustained by, a large majority OF the
Mr.. Morton's speech the Senate adjourned to
the I'd,
Year: 1874

WASHINGTON, Dec. %, 1874.


The Rev. J. N Coombs for the past twelve years
pastor OF the Western Presbyterian church in this
city, and formerly member OF the Baltimore
Methodist Episcopal Conference, committed sui
eide this morning by cutting his throat with a
razor. The cause assigned for the act is domestic
troubles, hts wife having been insane for some
years. The deceased was much respected by both
the Presbyt terian and Methodist denomin ations.


The news was gently broken to the congrega-
tion, who we're patiently awaiting his arrival at
che church. by Chief Justice Drake OF the Court OF
Claims, and the expressions OF sorrow were out
spoken and universal An Inquest was held by
Coroner Patterson, and the jury, Of which Chief
Justice Drake was foreman, rendered verdict Of
s'Sutclde under temporary alteration OF mind"


The tragedy caused much excitement In the
west emo OF the city during the afternoon, when it
was stated that just previous TO Mr.. CoOmbs'
ing's sunday HERALD wherein an unnamed
minister OF the Gospel was described as
having been caught yesterday in stealing
book from an avenue book store, and
identified as having distracted other books
previously under what was characterized as o
kleptomanacal propensity. The fact, too, that
his sermon for the day was open on table IN his
room. with also copy OF the paper in question
induced some to think that the article might have
struck home to him, while those who knew him
well are confident that his rash act Is ascribable
to series or troubles, domestic and other, which
he was pOwerless to prevent or bear up under.
Year: 1874

give the preference 70 pgsties over crystal brooks
All we ask OF them is 10 give up the preposterous
attempt TO compel US by law TO wallow with them
In the same Inre


Wnat Is pleasure and luxury to them is TO us
the very quintessence OF stIUking ab0mlnatiOn
ana social and personal degradation. Let the ad-
vocates OF 'social equaty' show their sincerity
by practising the unsavory doctrine, but. in the
name OF common sense as well as OF common
decency, let them confne their missionary iabors
within appropriate limits and not soil the columns
OF reputable newspapers with their miscegena-
ting rubbish
Year: 1874

VICTORIA Woodruff has uttered a
prophecy. She predicts that Califor-
MIA will become the banner State in
the great free love movement. While
we have not unbounded faith in VIC
ToRIA's prophetic powers, we should
not be In the least astonished to see
this one Of her predictions fully veri-
fled. California is fine field for this
or any other vague, theoretical, in-
practical, absurd ism or doctrine. AS
whole, California men and women are
honorable and virtuous. AS COM
munity, our moral character is as
high and pure as that of any given
number of men and women honoring
the American eagle as their favorite
bird and looking upon the star-span-
gled banner as their national emblem.
But in proportion to our population we
have as many theorists, Utopian
dreamers and dissatisfied seekers after
earthly impossibilities as may be found
anywhere in the world. Many men
who think more of somebody else's
wife than they do Of their own; women
who think other women's husbands
better than their own; men and wom-
en- both who have no very high opin-
ion of mans faith nor woman's con-
stancy; husbands and wives who are
dissatisfied with their present compan-
ions and would be dissatisfied with any
that they were compelled to remain
with longer than q month. All these
will become converts to VIcToRIA's
doctrine. That we have enough of
this class to make ours the banner
State in the free love crusade, is more
than we care to hazard our reputation
as reliable, truth-telling journalist
by saying. Yet VICTORIA has said it,
and we repeat that we should not be
surprised if the result proved her
prophecies.
Year: 1874

THE Supreme Court of Massachu-
setts has rendered q decision which
appears to be both unjust and ludi-
crous. On the question of the legal
right of the Board of School Trustees
to exclude ladies from seats in such
bodies, the Court held that the School
Committee is the sole judge of its own
membership. Ladies had been elected
School Trustees, but the Board of Ed
ucation refused to issue their certifi-
Gates of election. The point is little
too fine for practical, everyday life. If
o Board of School Trustees have this
power, has not Board of Supervisors
the right to arrogate to themselves the
same power, and if SO, why may not a
ring in such a Board keep all whom
they do not wish to sit among them
out Of their seats altogether? In the
case of these Boston ladies, the deci-
sion of the Court is direct setting
aside of the will of the people. Their
election was legal and constitutional,
and they are entitled to their certifi-
Gates.
Year: 1874

How easy it is for people to be mis-
taken is illustrated in the case of the
half-idiotic old man, KosH, who was
arrested some time ago at Salt Lake
on suspicion of being the old fiend
BENDER. The latter is said to be in
telligent in appearance, of good adj
dress and affable in manners; yet
when KosH was first taken those who
knew BENDER were so confident that
he was the man, that strong guard
was necessary to keep them from
hanging the old man, who was as
much unlike the Kansas fiend as chalk
is unlike cheese. The BENDERs are
still at large.
Year: 1874

The voters of San Ramon School
District, Contra Costa county, at the
recent Trustee election, exercised their
discretion and privilege under the
new school law in electing Mrs. j. O..
Boone to the office of School Trustee,
to fill the place made vacant by the
expiration of the term for which it
had been filled by her husband.
Year: 1874

AT IL o'clock on the night of June
2Sth barn in the rear of the residence
of A. j. Winslow, at Petaluma, was
discovered to be on fire. The flames
were eXtinguished before much dam
age was done. 1t was the work of an
incendiary, and is the fourth time that
the premises have been set on fire
within year.
Year: 1874

THE editor of the New York Sun
will feel like q whipped school boy
when he sees late number of the
the Placer Argus, and reads the casti-
CATION that paper gives him. 1t was
very foolish on the part of DANA to
rouse the ire of the Argus man.
Year: 1874

A writer in Lippincott's says: sin
these DAYS of revenue discussion perhaps
some of our Congressional financiers may
borrow hint from a deputy in the
French Assembly, who, being husband,
and Herewith also father OF seven chill
dren. thinks of demanding that capita
tion-tax be placed on bachelors. Starting
with the mournful assertion that there are
in his country at least two million men
who are not married, and are yet arrived
at mems estate, ne proposes that these dill
atory or reluctant members Of society
shall annually pay SO head for their priv
ilege of single blessedness. This tax
would produce revenue of about Sl6,-
000,000 Now, the question that will arise
in the readers mind is as to when this Gull
pate state of celibacy begins. You obVlc
ously can hardly tax young man OF
twenty-odd on the grounds that he does
not marry, q hen the poor fellow might be
only too glad to do so. On the other
hand, it is equally clear that the line must
be drawn somewhere. With commend
able moderation, and even with degree
of mercy, the French deputy fixes the age
of thirty-iYe as the one beyond which
disposition to celibacy may be suspected
as already confirmed. There would be


many arguments pro and con regarding
the Justice of drawing the line at ffve-and-
thirty-and in fact the question may be
confidently commended to the notaee OF
debating societies of mixed academies
but meanwhile it would at least gives an
! official date for taxable bachelerhood,
Year: 1874

For us to be able to see objects clearly
and distinctly, it is necessary that the eye
should be kept clean. For this purpose it
is furnished with a little gland, from which
flows watery fluid (tears) which is spread
over the eye by the lid, and it is afterward
swept off by it, and run through hole in
the bone to the under surface of the nose,
where the warm air, passing over it while
breathing, evaporates it. 1t is remarkable
that no such gland can be found in the
eyes of fish, as the element in which they
live answers the same purpose.


If the eye had not been furnished with
liquid to wash it, and lid to sweep it off,
things would appear as they do when you
look through dusty glass. Along the
edges of the eyelids there are a great num-
ber of little tubes or glands, from which
flows an oily substance which spreads over
the surface of the skin, and thus prevents
the edges from being sore or irritated, and
it also helps to keep tears within the lid.
There are also six little muscles attached
to the eye, which enable us to move it in
every direction; and when we consider the
different motions they are capable of CIV
ing to the eye, we cannot but admire the
goodness of Him who formed them, and
thus saved us the trouble Of turning our
heads every time we wished toyiew an OBJ
Loot
Year: 1874

BY ELLEN r ALLEhTOH.
Is it better never to hope, than to hope in vain2
Is it well to cling to the shore and leave untred
Life's wide, deep sea, for dread OF its storm and


tide?
Who ventures naugtt, he surely shall never win;
He naught shall finish, who never doth aught


begin.
The sun may shine, and the heaven may shed its
But only the sower may harvest his golden grain.
Tomorrow we know is dark with its misty veil;
The light ON the path to-day is but dim and pale.
Blindfy we grope our way-but It's better so--
What God hath hidden, tits better we should not


know.
Nobler and braver is he who stakes his all,
And takes his loss or gain as the chances fail,
Than he who folds his hands and idly waits
Till the night its shadows gathers about his


gates.
Shall we turn our ears away from a sweet re-


frain
Lest the pleasant song may change to dirge of


pain
Shall we close our eyes to the ray in the midnight
Lest iE prove lure that leads to the door Of a


tomb
Is it better never to love, lest love mistake?
The passionate heart may quiver. and ache, and


break;
Yet give us the warm, rich wine, though well we


know
That dregs as bitter as death may lie below.
We sigh for the joys that were coming, and never
We sit in the dark and weep, with eur hearts


aflame;
We feel the crush and the grind of the silent


mill
Feel the crush and the grind while our lips are


still.
What then? Shall we spurn our life as broken


thing?
Shall we fling curse in the face of Heavens s


King?
Happy is be who keepeth his trust through alll
He may shrink and shiver ana falter, but shall


not fall.


-AGEtcdukee Journal of Commerce.
Year: 1874

Is it better never to hope, than to hope in vain?
Is it better not TO strive, lest we never attain
Is it well to cling to the shore and leave untrted
Life's wide, deep sea, for dread OF its storm and


tide .
Year: 1874

the weight Of the paper within Ger.


tain limits. Under this law the pa-


pers are to be weighed in the postof.
flee upon receipt from the Office OF.
publication, and as such papers arc
always more or less damp they will
weigh in excess of their ordinary con-
dition to the prejudice Of the sIbscsi-
Der. On single papers the rate is e+as
cent a copy instead Of FIVE cents quar-
terly, as at present. This imposes
an additional tax Of 80 cents a year
upon weekly paper taken in SIN
gle wrapper, and prepayment in these
cases is also required.


The press OF the country, both dai-
ly and weekly, is able and strong
enough to pay its full share toward
meeting the deficit in the Postotfice
Department, and will not grumblc AZ
any reasonable burdens that may be
put upon it. But it is evident thai
there has been an unnecessary IL
crease OF postage upon newspapers,
and that the prepayment clause will
work Inconvenience without any cor
responding advantage to the depart
ment. The law has been mostincos.-
siderately framed and passed, and
the probability is that Whenever prac-
tlcable the newspaper will resort to
the express companies instead of the
mails, and that the department will
lose more than it will gain.
Year: 1874

lNaSHilgtoH Sof SnicdgO llnles


The Henry Wattersons, Whitelaw
Reids, and Murat Halsteads stalk i'm
pressively into the Capitol, and strike
statuesquc attitudes in the lobby.
They affect Il Scotch unconcern in all
novelty; an Indian Indifference to
the remarkable. Congressman, they
imagine to be mere creatures of their
own handiwork; the President fel-
low of their own manufacture. They
listen, with supercilious glances at
one another, to few brief debates.
They are little astonishcd that the
Government machine runs right
along just as though they were not
in the city. They do not quite un-
derstand how it is that both houses
do not adjourn for week in honor
of their arrival, but they depart Sc
rene in the knowledge Of their indi-
vidual immensity. Like Octavius
Caesar the world belongs to them
and they know it.


The country editors bring their
wives, are delighted with all they
see, and, being honest Americans,
say so. They hold receptions and
enjoy themselves. They go every
where; see everybody; have happy
time, and are not ashamed to admit
the fact. Then they go home,
healthier, brighter, better.


Bless you forever, good country
editor. You may be enthusiastic,
but you are not a prig. There is
much of the salt of the earth about
you, and goodness knows You do
your full share toward sowing infor-
nation, and shaping an honest, pro-
gressive public sentiment. Worldly
success does not always tread close
at the heels Of merit, even in jour-
nalism. An editor may be a man of
brains and capacity, like many Of
you, toiling country scribes, and
yet not come into the ownership of
half u dozen busy eight-cylinder
presses. But he will make himself
felt and appreciated in some fashion,
you may be sure.


You are usually sure Of what you
have, saucy driver of the provincial
quill. You have not come into the
accidental possession of a controlling
share or two of stock, by which you
hold an uneasy rule ut the mercy of
u business manager. You are not
etcrnally quaking lest combinations
are being arranged by which you
will be dcposcd at the next annual
meeting of the stockholders. You
may not be stalled OK, but you can
eat your dinner of herbs in content
and independence. The obscurity
in which You labor is not half so
black as that in which many lucky
city editor lives in righteous fear of
being some day banished.
Year: 1874

possible, if desired, but the rule
should be observed. Flat crowns
are becoming to either tall or short,
thin persons. Stout women should


never wear the flat, but always the


low crown. The mistake women
make is filing hat under the eye Of
the milliner. 1t should be tried on
at home, and if it is not becoming it
ought not to be worn. There is no
woman SO homely that becoming
clothing will not improve her appear
ance, and there is such joy in be-
holding harmony and beauty that we
should all try hard to compass it.
Gradually, but all too gradually, are
women learning to see the dress ques-
ton in all it's varied aspects. Surely
if slowly they are recognizing the
fact that when once they outgrow it,
it will forever be their slave. The
class of people who have ruled the
world through this weakness of the
sex are terrified at the insubordina-
ton of the few Of the sex who have
already shown signs Of unmistakablc
rebellion. And concessions enough
have been made to them to convince
Them that enlightened womanhood
will one day overthrow the tyrant
fashion, and substitute in its stead
whatever is available, suitable, and
proper. The time will have arrived
when mistress and maid will 10 Ion
ger vie with each other in overload
ing their heads with excess of MILL
merry; when dresses cease to be the
mops for mclean sidewalks; when
lightmess and looseness shall be the
rule for every garment worn, and
when health and hygiene shall go
hand and hand with style and fash
ion, and be the arbiters, and not the
slaves of its caprice and whims.
Year: 1874

Some time ago a canal boat laden
with steel rails was sunk off Tivoli,
Hudson River, and the services Of u
submarine diver was required. Dur
ing his operations he was watched
with the deepest interest by the yil'
layers and few days since the tcle
graph operator exprcsseda a desire to
don the submarine armor and go be-
Year: 1874

SAVING Is WEALTH.-One great cause
of the poverty of the present day is the
failure of our common people to ap
precate small things. They do not
realize how daily addition, be it ever
so small, will soon make large pile.
If the young men and young women OF
oday will only begin, aud begin now,
to save little from their earnings and
plant it in the soil of some good savings
bank, and weekly or monthly add their
mite, they will wear 4 happy smile Of
competence when they reach middle
life. Not only the desire but the ability
to increase it will also grow.


Let clerk and tradesman, laborer, and
artisan, make now and at once be
ginning. Store up some of your youth
tul force and vigor for future contin-
gency Let parents teach their child
rem to begin early to save. Begin at
the fountain head to control the stream
of extravagance-to choose between
poverty and riches. Let our youth 60
on in habits of extravaganza for Fifty
years to come AS they have for fifty
years past, and we shall have nation
of beggars, with a moneyed aristocracy.
Let a generation Of such rs save in small
sums be reared, and We shall be free
from all want. Do not be ambitious
for extravagant fortune, but to seek
that which is the duty of every one to
obtain, independence and comfortable
home. Wealth, and enough of it, is
within the reach of all. 1t is obtained
by one process, and by only onc-sav
inc.
Year: 1874

Oh, Autumn Leaves


My spirit grieves
That YOU so soon should fade
The beauty bright
That charms our sight


On the earth's cold breast be laid.
Oh, leaves so fair


Your colors rare
A sweeter memory bring


Than all the flowers
Of summer hours,


Or all the buds Of spring.
Your naughty pride


Could not abide
The summers changeless green,
But YOU must wear
Those garments rare


Like mantles of a queen.
You rob the skies


OF sunsets dyes
And mornings crimson flush
And then by day
Your trophies gay


Bedeck each tree and bush.
But by and by


The wrathful sky
Will lay your beauty low,
And Ger your forms
December storms


Sweep wide the drifting snow.
Then praise be still


TO artist skill,
That spite of wind or storms,
Gives to our sight
In colors bright


The beauty of your forms.
Year: 1874

CmCKEN CHoLERA-CUr THIS OUr.-
An Indiana man writes TO his home
paper the tolling remedy for ceicken
cholera: The malady broke out among
my poultry about year ago with such
violence that it threatened TO destroy
the whole stock. | then went and dug
up some pokeberry roots, cut them in
sciccs, pounded the pieces to pulp.
which | placed in iron pans with wa
ter for the fowls TO drink. This at once
arrested the disease, and it did not
again make its appearance on my prem
ises until some two weeks ago, when |
found one of my largest turkey gobblers
missing. On the bird being found in
one of the fields, | discovered that it
was sufferin. under an attack of the
cholera, so far gone that it could not
be saved. At the same time | noticed
that my chickens were showing sym
toms Of an attack, and so | at once
went and again made use of the poke
berry root, and with such good effect
that all of them recovered in short
time. Let your farmers avail themselves
of this remedy. and have no bonbt
they will be able TO master the disease
with it.
Year: 1874

Mrs Sallie Blanchard, of Indianapo-
lis, is, we take it, woman Of some
spirit She does not seem to be getting
on in a domestic way as smoothly as 4
woman of her great docility, intelligence
and keen perception should. She has
had little misunderstanding we infer
with her husband w. G., in whom, it
would probably be unfair to say, the
four Gospels ale contained. Mrs. Sallle
publishes the following card in the Her
aid of her city, from which our impres-
sons as set forth above are mainly de
rived. Men Of experience will recognize
in this literary effusion ''Scorcher