smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

"Hurrah, boysl see she risesl" was
the general shout. Up came the whale,
more suddenly than we expected. A
general dash was made at her by all the
boats. I" Stern for your lives stern of
all p cried some of the more experienced
harpooners. "See, she's in furry
First the monster tapped the water vio-
lently with its fins; then its tail was
elevated aloft, lashing the ocean around
into mass of foam. This was not its
death furry, for gaining strength before,
any more harpoons or lances could be
struck into it, away it went again, head
ing towards the ice. Its course was now
clearly diseefned by small whirling
eddy, which showed that it was at no
great distance under the surface, while
in its wake was seen a thin line of oil
and blood which had exuded from its
wound. Wearied, however, by its ex-l
ertions and its former deep dive, it was
again obliged to come to the surface to
breathe. Again the; eager, boats dashed
in, almost running on its back, and from
everyiside it was piled with lances, while
another harpoon. was driven deep into it,
making it doubly secured.
/ Our boat was the most incautious, for
we were right over the tail of the whale.
The chief harpooper warned U.S.. Back,
my lads; back Of all" he shouted out,
his own boat pulling away. g" Now she's
in her death furry These words were
not out of his mouth when I saw our
harpooner leap from the boat and swim
as fast as he could toward one of the
others. was thinking of following his
example, knowing he had good reasons
for it, for / had seen the fins of the ami
NAL flap furiously y, and which had warned
him, when violent blow, which i
fancied must have NOT only dashed the
boat to pieces, but have broken every
bone in our bodies, was struck on the keel
of the boat. Up flew the boat in the air,
some six or eight feet at least, with the
remaining crew in her. Then down we
came, one flying on one side, one on the
other, but none of us hurt even, all splut-
tering and striking, out together, while
the boat came down keel uppermost, not
much the worse either. Fortunately we
all got clear of the furious blows the
monster continued dealing with its tail.
"Never saw whale in such hurryp'
said old David, into whose boat / was
taksn. For upwards of two minutes the
furry continued, we all the while look
ing on, and no one daring to approach
it; at the same time aspoutof blood and
mucus and oil assembled into the air from
its blow-holes and sprinkled us all over.
| ''Hurrah, my lads, she spouts blood p


we shouted out to each other, though


we all saw and felt it plain enough.
| There was last lash Of that tail. not


faint and scarcely rising aboveth water,


but which, a few minutes ago, would
have sent every boat round it flying into


sphnters. o3 Then all was quiet. The
] mighty mass, inanimate, turned slowly


round upon its side, and then it foated


belly up and dead.
Year: 1878

We have always been opposed to mil
itary parades, and now the news comes
that the National Bank of Toledo was
robbed of one thousand five hundred
dollars on the occasion of a recent mil
itary demonstration in that city, There
must be some legislation upon this SUBJ
ject. In the name of a long suffering
public, we demand it. ~ = gee :
Year: 1878

From one Of the most beautiful towns
in Massachusetts, comes the following
touching instance of department: Yes
terday Parson - oficiated at the
Unitarian Church, and at the close of
service, when the congregation stood
with bowed heads, waiting for the ben
ediction, the minister took occasion to
thank six pews of children for coming
to church on such hot Sunday, keeping
SO quiet, and paying such good attention
to the sermon. Imagine the feelings of
the congregation, knowing as they did
that all of the children were deaf-mutes
from the f---- Institute, and; of course,
could not have heard word of what he
had been sayingl
Year: 1878

B9- The sermon of the best preacher in the
world will not make as much impression up.
on congregation as the sudden pattering of
rain on the window panes ofa church contain
ing two hundred new spring bonnets.
Year: 1878

HISTORY OF A DEAD LETTER.-Some time
in 1877 soldier stationed with the cavalry
in Texas died very suddenly, and was buried
with military honors by bis comrades and the
spot carefully marked. On his person was
discharge, which he had received the day be-
fore for physical disability, and letter from
his mother in England, and one evidently from
his sweetheart, but signed only by her first
name. These were carefully preserved by the
lieutenant of the company and forwarded,
with letter Of sympathy, to the bereaved
mother in England. In due course of time
the letter was returned to the United States
dead letter Office as unbelievable, the mother
not being at her former address. 1t was then
opened, and, after an examination, returned
in its open condition, with the suggestion that
the contents would enable the English post
officials to discover the person it was intended
to reach; but in due course of time it came
back the second time as unbelievable. The
letter was then turned over to one of the lady
clerks in the dead letter Office, who, on reading
the contents, with womans instinct, OWNED
that the "Ollie' who wrote the one letter and
the Miss L. spoken of in the mothers letter
we're Identical What is technically termed
"letter of discovery was addressed to the
suppositious lady at the address in Scotland,
post marked on her letter. This letter, on
reaching that Office, was forwarded to London,
whittier the young lady had gone, and the
dead letter Office here received reply from
her, with thanks for the diligence displayed
in endeavoring to secure the delivery Of the
letter, stating that it was the first they had
heard of the soldiers death, and giving the
present address of the mother of the soldier,
to whom the original package had been for
warded, making its fifth trip across the Allan
tic ocean.
Year: 1878

Most important and valuable to the
public safety is that branch of the active
division of the police known as La Su-
rete, whose business it is to detect and
arrest all malefactOrs. Though all the
personality of that division have more
or less to do with the criminal classes
of the city, it is to this picked brigade
alone that the work specially belongs.
This branch is of comparatively recent
creation, having been founded by the
celebrated Vidocq in 1917. At first its
members were chosen from among the
liberated criminals and former convicts
of the Capital, under the mistaken no
ton that the best way of catching a
knave was to set knave to catch him.
But in later days all this has been
changed. The members of La Surete
are now selected from men of the high
est moral standing belonging to the
force. OF unimpeachable respectability,
almost invariably married men and
heads of families, their private life con-
trasts strangely with their public func-
tions, which lead them through all the
most hideous sinks of crime in the me-
trepolis. This chosen band, the army
which holds in check all the male-fac-
tors of Paris, consists of one hundred
and fifty persons only-a singularly
small number when one recalls the fact
that the arrests executed by them
amount on an average to over forty
thousand annually. These men are
the trained bloodhounds of the law.
The quick and keen sagacity wherewith
they will seize on the slightest trace, the
smallest indication, is only to be equal
ed by their courage, patience and perse-
verance in following up q scent. In
glancing over the annals of this division
of the Partisan police, one comes upon
facts that makes the incidents of Gabo-
rilau's rovels and the exploits of his
hero, NJ. Lecoq. pale their Intellectual
fires. 1t is on record, for instance, how
the discovery Of a scrap of paper on
which were written the words, "Two
pounds of butter, !" led to the arrest of a
dangerous burglar. Their quickness Of
Year: 1878

In the year 7s9, Elijah Barnes, of
Bucks county, assisted by his people
working in haI vest, killed a rattlesnake.
and soon after, having occasion to go
home, took by mistake his sons jacket
and put it on. The son was a stripping
and both their jackets were made out of
the same cloth the old man being warm,
did not button the jacket until he got
to the house. when he found it much
too little for him. He instantly con-
ceived the idea that he had been bitten
by the rattlesnake and swelled from
the effect of the poison. He grew very
suddenly ill, and was put to bed. The
people about him were very much
alarmed, and sent for two or three ply
sicians; one of them poured down his
throat a pint of melted lard; another
gave him dose of wild plantain; the
third made him drink hoarhOund tea,
made very strong. Notwithstanding
all, he grew worse, and to all appear
ances was on the verge of dissolution,
when his son came home with the old
gentleman's jacket hanging like a bag
about him. The whole mystery was al
once unraveled and poor Elijah Barnes,
Notwithstanding his drenches of hogs
fat, plantain and hoarhOund, was well
in an instant
Year: 1878

frequently cuts its way through the
scales, leaving a mark plainly visible
when the jack is offered for sale. The
suddenness and violence of the
compression seem to disperse the mus
cular forces, and the fish appears dead
for the moment. Very often, indeed,
it really is killed by the jerk. This
happens when the loop either has not
passed far enough along the body, or
has slipped and seized the creature just
at the gills. 1t then garottes the fish.
If, on the other hand, the wire has been
passed too far towards the tail, it slips
off that way, the jack falling back in
TO the water with broad white band
where the wire has scraped the scales.
Fish thus marked may not tunfrequently
be seen in the stream. The pOachers
observe that after fish has once
escaped from an attempt of the kind, it
is ever after far more difficult of cap
ture. The first time the jack was still
and took no notice of the insidious
approach of the wire gliding along
towards it; but the next-unless long
interval elapses before second trial
the moment it comes near he is away.
At each succeeding attempt, whether
hurt or not, he grows more and more
suspicious, till at last to merely stand
still or stop while walking on the bank
is sufficient for him; he is off with
swish of the tall to the deeper water,
leaving behind him cloud, so to say.
of mud swept up from the bottom TO
conceal the direction of his flight. For
it would almost seem as if the jack
throws up this mud on purpose; if
much disturbed, he will quite discolor
the brook.
Year: 1878

Fish poaching is simple and yet
clever in its way. In the spawning
time Jack fish, which at other periods
are apparently OF a solitary disposition,
90 in pairs, and sometimes in trios, and
are more tame than usual. a long
slender ash stick is selected, slender
enough to lie light in the hand and
strong enough to bear sudden weight.
A loop and running moose are formed
of piece of thin copper wire, the
other end of which is twisted round and
firmly attached TO the smaller end of the
stick. The loop il adjusted to the size
of the fish-it should not be very much
larger, else it will not draw up quick
enough, nor too small, else it may
touch and disturb the jack. 1t does
not take much practice to hit the happy
medium. Approaching the bank
quietly, so as not tc shake the ground,
peculiarly sensitive, the poacher tries
if possible to avoid letting his shadow
fall across the water. Some persons
eyes seem to have an extraordinary
power of seeing through water, and OF
distinguishing at a glance a fish from a
long swaying strip of dead brown flag,
or the rotting pieces of wood which lie
at the bottom. The ripple of the breeze
the eddy at the curve, or the sparkle
of the sunshine cannot deceive them;
while others, and by far the greater
number, are dazzled and see nothing.
The poacher, having marked his prey,
in the shallow yonder, gently extends
his rod slowly across the water three
or four yards higher up the stream, and
lets the wire moose sink without noise
till it almost or quite touches the bottom.
1t is easier to guide the moose to its
destination when it occasionally touches
the mud, for refraction distorts the true


position of objects in water, and


accuracy is important. Gradually the
wire swims down with the current,
just as if it were any ordinary twig or
root carried along, such as the jack is
accustomed 10 see, anu Hc lHtIcioic
feels no alarm. BY degrees the loop
comes closer to the fish, till with steady
hand the poacher slips it over the head,
past the long, vicious jaws and gills,
past the first fins, and pauses when it
has reached a place corresponding to
about one-third of the length of the fish,
reckoning from the head. That end of
the jack is heavier than the other, and
the ''lines'' of the body are there nearly
straight. Thus the poacher gets firm
hold-for fish, of course, is slippery
and good balance. If the operation
is performed gently the jack will remain
quite still, though the wire rubs against
his Subsistence and stiffness have such
a power over all living creatures. The
poacher now clears his arm, and with a
sudden jerk, lifts the fish right out of
the stream and lands him on the sward.
So sharp is the grasp of the wire that it
Year: 1878

Be silent when fool talks.


Caution is the father of security.
Great bargains have ruined many.
The sleeping fox catches no poultry.
Never take back discharged servant.
Never speak boastingly of your busI-
ness.


Do not waste time in useless regrets
over losses.


No man can be successful who neg
lects his business.


Word by word Webster's big dietiOn-
ary was made.


Speak well of your friends-of your
enemies say nothing.


Give foolish talker rope enough and
he will hang himself.


An hour of triumph comes at last to
those who watch and wait.


1t is harder for the hungry man to
wait when he smells the roast meat.


If you post your servants upon your
affairs they will one day rend you.


Do your business promptly, and bore
not a business man with long visits.
systematic your business and keep
an eye on little expenses. Small leaks
sink great ships.
Year: 1878

The writer has recently lost horse
of old age ga years., that had some re-
markable traits. He was a white pony
that came into my service in December,
1855, at twelve years old. He was quite
fast, having about a three-minute gait
at his best. l used him principally as
a run-about horse, and driving him to
the station when l went to the city. i
taught him to go back TO the farm alone,
and very soon on arriving at the station
it was only necessary to throw the lines
over the dash board, and let him find
his own way across the track and among
the trains. He never attempted to
cross i'm front of train in motion, but
he would walk up near the track and
stand till The train the train got nearly
passed, when he moved up nearer and
was ready to cross the moment the hind
car passed him. Sometimes boys see
ing him going along the street leisurly,
would try to get ride, but no sooner
did he see their movements to that end
than he started off, on smart trot, and
eluded them.


A new and shorter road having been
opened to the station, and, before it
was worked, passing through narrow
bar-way, thought, judging from his
habit of taking the of side of the road
that he might hit the buggy against the
post in going through; so l watched
him on his return TO see how he would
get over the difficulty. He hit the off
fore hub, stopped, backed up few feet,
hawed off, cleared the hub and went on.
He did precisely as a good driver would
have guided him. He delighted in tax
ing short cuts, and often went across
lots when the way was open. He crea-
ted much merriment one day, when a
neighbor passed him while on walk,
just at point where he might go some
sixty rods across lot and cut off bend
in the road. After the man passed
him on a smart trot, he turned into the
shorter cut and trotted brisklv across
the field to the road ahead of him,
where he stopped till the man came
up, and showed unmistakably by his
manner, the pleasure he felt in the tri-
umph. He was perfectly true and al
ways ready to do reasonable service.
appreciated good treatment, but he
highly resented any loud and bolster
Gus yelling at him. One day when a
new hand was using him to haul man
ure on a cart, and talked loudly to him,
he would not draw the load, and went
to him, spoke kindly, and he drew it
over difficult piece of ground to where
il was to be left. When the man had
unloaded, he attempted to drive the
pony back to the barn, but he would
not draw the empty cart foi him.
When, i'm summer, he had been put at
work that he did not relish after COM
ing home from the station, the next
day he would stop under the shade of a
tree till the farm bell rang for dinner,
when he would come promptly for his
rations. Although he was sent home
in this way, probably more than thou
sand times, he never broke anything !;
often threaded his way between logs
piled on both sides of the track; and he
manifested a discretion i'm regard to
passing trains, little short of human.
Who can say, after observing the con-
duct of the horse under various condi-
tons, that he does not reason?
Year: 1878

eye is surprising. They are thoroughly
well acquainted with the style, SO to
speak, of every professional criminal in
Paris. Thus, after the celebrated theft
of medals from the Biliotheque Imper-
iale, the police had only to investigate
the saw, the cord and the lantern left
behind by the robbers to pronounce
with certainty respecting their identity
And when, after the murder of the
Duchesse de Praslin, the then existing
chief of La Surete, NJ. Allard, was ad-
mitted to view the frightfully mutilated
corpse, but his first remark was, "This
is not the work of a professional, but OF
an amateur"


The Unborn dramatic talent of the
French nation makes it comparatively
easy for the members of the detective
force to disguise themselves, which they
are often called upon to do. But re
specting the motives and the style OF
these disguises they are remarkably ret
icent, being unwilling to confess that
such ruse is ever practiscd. Yet an
experienced observer may sometimes
detect amid the elegant promenaders at
the Actresses ball or the Bal de fOpera
the individual whom he saw in the
morning selling oranges form barrow
or distributing advertisements, clad in
a soiled blouse and a workman's cap.
Not long ago it was necessary to exer-
else strict surveillance over the move
ments of certain persOnages who were
stopping at one of the most fashionable
hotels of Paris. Two police inspectors,
one in the guise of an elderly and dis
inguished-lOOking gentleman, who
gave himself out as former ambassa-
dor, and the other acting as his servant,
took rooms at that hotel, and played
their parts to admiration for fortnight,
departing at the conclusion of that time
with their mission fully accomplished
and without having created the slight
est suspicion in the minds of those with
whom they associated. The cOmical
part of the business was, that the in
spector who played the part of the re-
tired diplomat had become so identified
with the character that on being after
ward familiarly accosted by his friend
and comrade who had acted as his ser
want, the became highly indignant and
requested him to remember TO whom
he was talking"
Year: 1878

AMONG the Seminole Indians there is a
singular tradition regarding the white
mans origin and superiority. They SAY
that when the Great Spirit made the earth.
he also made three men. all of whom were
fair-compleNi6hed, ana lat after making
them he led them to the margin of a small
lake and bade them leap in and wash. Une
obeyed and came out purer and fairer; than
before; the second hesitated a moment.
during which time the water. agitated by
the first, had become muddled, and when
he bathed he came up copper-colored; the
third did not leap in until the water be-
came black with mud, and liz came out
dark in color. Then the Great Spirit laid
before them three packages, aid out of pity
for his misfortune in color, gave the black
man first choice. He took hold OF each of
the packages, and, having felt the weight.
chose the heaviest; the copper-colored
man chose the next heaviest. leaving the
white man the lightest. When the pack
ages were opened. the first was found to
contain spades, h1es. and all the implements
OF labor; the second enwapped hunting.
fishing, and warlike apparatus; the third
gave the white man pens. ink and paper.
the engine of the mind. the means of NUT
ual mental Improvement, the social link of
humanity, the foundation of the white
mans superiority.
Year: 1878

Whenever either employer Or Employed
forgets that there is commuhity of inter-
ests between the two. both are sufferers.
| This is true OF all kinds of business in
which the two classes come in contact.
! The employer who has no other interest t
in his help than to get out Of them all that
their strength will permit them to Go. will
soon find that his employees will become
equally selfish. and that not only the least
possible amount of labor that will prevent
their discharge will be done, but that what
is done will be inipertectly performed and
the employe who has no other interest
than to get his money, is a detriment to
any man who employs him. In some es-
adjustments, and on some farms, a str;ln-
ger would be unable to tell from the lam
guage and actions Of the help that they
were employees. Whenever they speak of
the affairs Of their employer, they don't
speak of them as if he were wholly re-
sponsible, and that they had no respo 81
bility whatever, but their language conveys
the idea that they teel their own RESPONSE
bility, and that the success or failure of the
business is Il matter OF anxiety to- them :
and their actions accord with their words
Nine out of ten employers greatly appre-
ciate such manifestation of interest, and it
really seems tc Tighten the burden which
always necessarily rests upon a business
man. If an e'nploye has such an interest
in the affairs of his employer, there is no
niistaking it, II will show itself on every
cfnceitable occasion; and if he has been
so unfortunate as to find man who does
not appreciate his merits. he will not long
go unrewarded, for others will see them
and will be glad TO avail themselves Of
them.


1t is, no doubt, the case with human ma
ture, that it is selfish in all of its relations
of life, and perhaps the great majority of
men are too apt to slight their duties, in
stead Of doing everything upon honor,
and performing services for others as they
would perform the same service for them
selves, but there are men. and great
niahy Of them, who are strictly conscien-
tious in the performance of their duties as
employees, and it is such men who will al
ways win.- Western Rural.
Year: 1878

An Ithaca (N. w. clergyman is accused
Of swearing by the Journal of that city
which states that on a recent night hith.
ertO respected minister of that place at.
tempted to make his way In the dark thro
the sitting room to the pantry, to deposit d
bunch of rhubarb Presented him by par
ishioner, forgetting that hcnse-cleanine
had connected. The hired girl had
left a pail Of soft soap near the door over
which he accidentally stumbled. Making
a herculean effort to save himself he grab
bed for something with both hands. and as
he alighted firmly on his stomach he pull
ed deyn on top of him table full OF
crockert. Rising promptly to his feet he
made push for the match-safe. but hap
pening to plant his foot in puddle of the
soft soap, he promptly sat down in tub
OF preserved fruits. His poor. tired wife,
who had retired early, was reused from
slumbers, and thinking that burglars were
abroad shrieked for help, to which the
hired girl responded, rushing into the
room and tumbling headlong over the man
in the washtub. Under the circumstances
he might be excused for considering all
bets off.