smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

A WALL STREET SENSATION
to the New York San there is a Wall street
sensation over the purchase of the First
National Bank of that city by Jay Cooke
IL Co. The principal operator in the
purchase is said to be II. G. Fahnestock,
formerly of Washington city, and who is
said to have made great deal of money,
Notwithstanding the trouble of the firm Of
Jay Cooke d Co., with which he was con.
nected. He is described now as avery bold
operator and as a shrewder man than JAY
Gould. The cause of the sensation in Wall
street over the capture of the First National
Bank by Jay Cooke & Co. is said to be
because it practically makes that firm
members Of the syndicate.
Year: 1877

NJ. Thiers, the distinguished Frenchman
who recently died, was very far from being
materialist. q often," he was in the
habit of saying in his last days, "invoke
that God in whom l am happy to believe,
who is denied by fools and ignorant people,
but in whom the enlightened man finds his
consolation and hope. l have with con.
viction defended the Christian religion as
insuring in the highest degeee the grandeur
of France and liberty in its best sense. and
believing that society without Catholicism
would fall into a frightful chaos Foolish
prejudices do not alarm me, and | shall
never fear to encounter them when great
andnoble interests are at stake. Materialism
is at once stupidity and a danger. For
myself, am passionate believer in re.
ligion, and if | were possessed of more time
and strength | would like to confound
Materialism in the name of science and
good sense
Year: 1877

He was a singularly grave man, even for
a sexton. For nearly half century he
had been public functionary-ha per-
formed the conspicuous duties of a sexton !;
yet no one had ever seen him smile. Occa-
sionally he joked, but he did it in such
funereal manner that no one could accuse
him of levity. One day he was standing
on tho church steps wiping his melancholy
features with red bandanna. A hearse
stood near and three or four carriages were
drawn up behind it. The notes of the
organ floated out of the windows with
solemn effect. 4 stranger came along and
said Funeral?' And the old sexton
gravely bowed his head-it was "Whos
dead2' The old man again wiped his brow
and gave the name of the deceased. "What
complaintY asked the inquisitive stranger.
Solemnly placing his bandanna in his hat
and covering his bald head, the old sexton
made answer; "There is no complaint;
everybody is entirely satisfied. - Worcester
Press
Year: 1877

We take the following from De Co.'S
sans "Cradle of the Blue Nile -: Won
derful stories are told of how the Gala
hunters capture the black panther, for
they dare not meet it face to face with
their spears, and therefore resort to
strategy. It is said that when the Gala
hunter has discovered the haunt of
black panther he digs o round hole in
the ground some six feet deep, and just
large enough for him to stand upright
in. He then gets into this hole, and
placing his round buffalo hide shield on
the top of it, so as to cover him entirely,
calls to the panther in mocking voice,
daring it to come out of the Jungle
where it is concealed. The panther,
who is naturally very passionate beast,
on hearing this defiance, Immediately
rushes out and tries to get at the hunter
by clawing at his shield, which covers
the top of the hole where he is ensconced;
but the Gala holds tight, and then en-
sues O dialogue, or rather monologue,
for though the panther is supposed to
understand Gala, he only answers by
growls. The hunter first abuses the
panther and then ridicules it, calling it
all sorts of names, until the unfortunate
panther gradually works itself up into
such frenzy that it at last fairly dies of
rage, and the hunter, emerging from his
hole, secures his skin. In confirmation
of this story, the Abyssinians declare
that when the black panther skins are
brought to market they never have any
marks of lance thrusts or sword cuts
upon them, as have the skins of other
animals which are killed in the chase.
[ fancy the truth is that the panthers
are shared by device which they often
use in Abyssinia for catching the spotted
leopard. A running moose is firmly tied
to the branch Of o tree, and the branch
is then bent down and attached to q
stake in the ground in such way that
anything moving the moose will set il
free kid or piece of meat is then
placed behind the moose, which is care.
fully concealed among the leaves and
placed in such a way that the leopard in
springing at his prey will pass through
the moose. OF course, he becomes en-
tangled in it, the movement sets free the
branch, which flies up, and the leopard


instead of eating the poor little kic
(whose feelings must be anything but
pleasantly, suddenly finds himself sus


pended in the air, where his struggles
soon cause the running moose to tighter
round him, and he is easily illea by tht
! hunters, a. .tttm
Year: 1877

There are said to be four thousand
characters used in the Chinese Bible,
but of these not more than one-third of
the number are in constant use. About
one-ffth of the latter number, from their
frequent occurrence, constitute the great
body of the Bible. Five-sixths of the
entire work is made up of one-eighth of
the whole number of characters. OF the
vast population of that densely crowded
empire, women and children constitute
large proportion, and these cannot
read. In the country districts, not more
than one-third of the males can read,
and perhaps not mole than one-fifth. In
the cities it is estimated that seven
tenths of the males are readers 80 that,
on the whole, the male population may
be regarded as a reading people. Ac-
cording to late statistics, there is one
missionary in China to every two mil
lions of its four hundred millions of in
habitants. The number Of Christians
in China is now increasing six-fold every
ten wears
Year: 1877

Soon after my arrival at Bagdad, says
writer in Scribner, on the evening of
the first day in May, as we were dining
on the terrace, we were startled by a
most terrific din. We then noticed that
there was a nearly total eclipse of the
moon, and upon consulting an English
almanac we found that it would be in
visible OF Greenwich, but total eclipse
in Australia and some parts of Asia.
The tumult increased, and soon the
whole population seemed to have as
sembled on the house tops, armed with
pots, pans and kitchen utensils, which
they beat with tremendous clatter, at
the same time screaming and bowling at
the top of their voices. Frequent re-
ports of guns and pistols added to the
turmoil, which was kept up for nearly
an hour, until they had succeeded in
frightening away the Z" jim" or evil
spirit, who had caught hold Of the moon.
1t was most amusing scene, although
it interfered seriously with the success
of our dinner. Our own servants caught
the excitement, and deserted the table
without ceremony. Our host told us
the next day that they well nighknocked
the bottoms out from all his kitchen
utensils. It was, however, q complete
success, and when our servants returned
to their duty, the moon was shining
brightly as ever, and upon their faces
was an air of complacent satisfaction.
Year: 1877

May Linton sweet May Linton p he
murmured, as he went home from his
business. @"


q Homel Itwas only dingy boarding
house, ruled over by dwarfed and
wizened landlady, in a purple worsted
shawl. But May dwelt there-sweet
May, with her girlish grace and ready
laugh, and her braids twisted round
high comb on the top of her little head.


She met him in the hall.


Sim so glad to get home |" he said.


Her face flushed a little, and her eyes
grew more full of light 1t was SO easy
to see why he was glad.


81 only came in myself a moment
since" she returned, and stopped, en-
barrassed at having answered his mean
ing rather than his words.


But young men are less observing of
these little inner shades than young girls,
for they are not required to guard the
expression of their feelings, and Harry
Bender was too happy to notice, or, if he
did, it sounded quite right.


They were drifting toward that hour
when some word or look would prove the
open sesame, to their untried hearts,
and then there would be silence full of
speech, into which kiss would come
of its own accord, to be remembered
ever after as the awakening from vague,
sweet dream, into the sweetest reality on
earth.


1t all happened just SO; and then there
were a few happy weeks of extra work,
and much planning Of days in store.
One morning, with light hearts, and the
unspoken conviction that not even a
. moral earthquake could unsettle their
weIl-secured happiness, Hsrry Bender
and sweet May Linton, accompanied by
Mays Aunt Dodo, went to church, and
were married with the same ceremony
which the strange minister used for the
uniting of couples whom God or Nam;
mon had joined together.


There was precious little Mammon in
this case. Nobody took any bridal tour.
They never thought of the little expe,
dent practiced by the steady young
business man, who, seeing that his bride
had set her heart on conforming to the
custom, sent her off alone for two OF
three days, while he worked in the office
as usual.


The wizened landlady had hurt theil
feelings by raising the rent of the room
prospectively.


"a family is a great disadvantage,
she had said. a4ea
But Harry and May thought famil,
was just the incest thing. in the world
Year: 1877

HER VIEws.-A spiteful woman, who
was suspected of not making her hus-
band supremely happy, asked an elderly
spinster to express her views of single
and married blessedness )" whereupon
the latter wrote


"Letno repugnance to single state


Lead to a union with aworthless mate, fa
Although It's true you Il find many fool


Would make old maids the butt of ridicule.
A single lady, though advanced in life


Is more happy than an Unmatched wife, Is
Year: 1877

and after their wrath had, died down,
tried to pity the landlady for not seeing
the matter from their standpoint.


At last the family was born. 1t was a
very small one, and Harry addressed it
as cOuLeaw de rose.


Three or four months later they moved,
for May declared she would not live
"where darling baby is considered a
nuisance" .i-G ao


Harry wrote to Aunt Dodo about this
time, and May put in a postscript.
Year: 1877

A letter from Shawano, Wis, says d
little boy, son of Mr.. G. H. Churchhill
OF that town, was found dead in the
woods. The circumstances attending
the sad event are these: The child was
at school. In going to and from school
he had been in the habit of taking a
"short cut /" through the woods instead
of going round by well travelled road.
The distance by this cut is about three
quarters of mile. 1t was only path
made by the tracks of the child's feet
signs easily covered by slight snow.
Evening came, but the boy did not make
his appearance at home. Search was in
stituted and continued through the night,
but no trace could be found. The next
morning the entire neighborhood turned
out and joined in the search.


The body was found nearly three miles
from the childs home. 1t seems that
shortly after losing the path, the child
struck logging road and followed it di-
rectly away from his home, and losing
that in the storm he wandered around
blindly, until too benumbed with cold
to move. The body was found at the
roots of large tree turned up by the
wind. When discovered, the body was
in sitting posture, the head bowed for
ward to the knee, one little hand pressed
hard against the frozen cheek, and the
other clasping the throat-all frozen to
a solid block of ice.
Year: 1877

The late ex-senator Nye many years
ago had been appointed at the head OF
the new metropolitan police system Of
New York. The old police had de-
termined to hold over till the legal ques-
tion should be settled. They refused to
disband, but had not ventured to exer-
else authority. In order to make an oc-
casion for this, and to throw the respon-
sibility on the new authorities, riot
was set on foot in the lower part of the
city, the conspirators feeling confident
that the policemen just appointed, being
mostly inexperienced, would fail to sup
press it, and that the commissioners
would be compelled to call the old
policemen to preserve the peace of the
city, and thus demonstrate the necessity
Of continuing them in power. Mr.. Nye
discovered the plot, and, when Ii dis
turbance was well under way e sent q
strong force of his most trustworthy
men, with instructions to close the out
let's to the block where it was going on,
to make no interference with the fight
ing, but to arrest every man who should
attempt to escape. The rioters, who
were prepared to turn their united forces
on the police at the first Inference, and
who waited impatiently for it to COM
mence, were infinitely disgusted when
they found that Mr.. Nye's orders were
only to arrest the survivors and fugitives,
and that, i'll his opinion, the fewer of
them the more convenient it would be
for the administration of justice, and the
better for the peace of the city.
Year: 1877

The falls Of Niagara, in summer or
winter, are too stupendous to be de-
scribed by mortal man. Those who wish
to view the falls and the surroundings in
winter must come and see for themselves
the vagaries Of the frozen spray. Even
Daniel Webster gave up his attempt to
describe the scene with the exclamation:
"Before lis is hurly-burly of waters
too deep to be fathomed, too irregular
to be described, shrouded in too much
mist to be clearly seen; water, vapor,
foam and atmosphere are all mixed up
together in sublime confusion. BY our
side down comes this world of green and
white waters and pours into the invisible
abyss. A steady, imaginary, low-toned
moan thunders necessarily in our ears.
As we look up we think some sudden
disaster has opened the seas, and that all
their floods are coming down upon us ut
once, but we soon recollect that what we
see is not a sudden or violent exhibition,
but the permanent and uniform character
of the object which we contemplate.
There the grand spectacle has stood for
centuries-from the creation, rs far as
we know, without change. From the
beginning it has shaken, as it now does,
the earth and the air; and its unvarying
thunder existed before there were ears
to hear it. Reflections like these on the
duration and permanency of this grand
object naturally arise and contribute
much to the deep feeling which the
whole scene produces. We cannot help
being struck with sense of the insight
ficance of man and all his works COM
pared with what is before us."
Year: 1877

A correspondent writing to ST. Nicho-
las says: The rescue of mule in Bien-
vile parish, La., from a we'll sixty feet
deep, caused SO much surprise and in
terest here lately that send an account
to you. 1t is vonched for by some of
the best citizens of the place, who wit
messed it, and I assure you it is every
word true.


/ This mule fell hind-feet backward into
IN old dry well sixty feet deep; it is sup
posed that the edge of the well caved in
with him. All efforts to rescue him
were fruitless, as he was completely
wedged in. Finally, the owner of the
mule, supposing that the poor creature
was severely injured by the fall, decided
that it would be more merciful to have
him killed than to allow him to starve
to death. Not knowing any other way
Of dispatching him, he had a cartload of
dirt thrown in upon him. But, instead
of allowing himself to be buried alive,
his muleship quietly shook off the dirt
and pressed it down with his feet; thus
raising himself several inches above his
original position. Another load was
thrown in, with the same result; and
then some one said that if the mule
would continue tramplng down the
dirt, it was possible that he might be ex-
tricated; it would be no harm to try, any
way. Acting on this suggestion, all the
farm hands went to work filling the well,
carefully pouring the dirt in on the sides
SO as not to hurt the mule. It was slow
work filling that deep well, but hearty
interest was awakened by the persever-
ance with which the poor animal tramp
ed down the dirt, and all worked with
willing hands.


Slowly but surely, inch by inch, did
he ascend, until the great well was filled
within few feet of the top; then, as
complacently as if nothing strange had
happened, his muleship stepped out safe
and sound 1 think, if he could have
then been blessed with the gift of speech,
he would have said: "All's well that
ends we'll p Wasn't he plucky old .
fellow?
Year: 1877

men, anu IN no instance was there
mistake.


The day Of trial approached. Jones
continued his reticence and was deaf Ia
all appeals to turn States evidence and
aid in the capture of his companions.
He was offered thousand dollars and
his liberty; they promised him free
passage to New York or any other place
he might select, and it was limited that
he might be appointed assessor of inter-
nal revenue, or postmaster in rural
town. To each and all proposals he made
but the single answer: "You have made
Il mistake; am not the man"


The day before the one set for trial q
gentleman arrived in lie town on busi.
ness that would detain him for week.
He was resident of Nevada, but his
affairs frequently took him into Califor-
mia. On one Of his journeys he had
been one of the parties of the second
part in highway robbery, and, as every
body in town was talking of the forth
coming trial, he visited the Jail, thinking
he might possibly identify Jones as one
of the road agents who had taken away
his money and watch. And he did, but not
as he and others had expected. He said
nothing, but hurried from the Jail to the
telegraph Office, where he dispatched u
message to the governor Of Nevada. In
less than an hour came telegram


"Hold Richard Conkling for burglary
and attempted homicide. Five feet
nine, square built, large scar on left
cheek, brown beard and hair recently
cut close, lost one Joint of left foretin-
ger Officers with requisition and iden-
tifcation start tonight"


The sheriff went to the jail and to the
cell OF the prisoner. He talked awhile
with the latter about the trial set for the
next day, and the dead sure thing" on
his conviction. Jones said in response :


eff 1 must be tried 1 must, but I am
not the man,"


The sheriff started as if to go out.
Suddenly he turned and said


eff you don't want to be tried to-
morrow, Conkling, We'll send you back
to Nevada"


The prisoner shivered and turned
pale for an instant He recovered him
self speedily; but the sheriff had
watched him closely, and observed the
shivcr and pallor.


"You are right" said he, "there was
mistake in connecting you with the
stage robbery; but didn't make mis-
take i'll taking you in."


The trial was postponed and another
case took it's place. The Nevada officers
arrived and then the whole mystery was
revealed.


Conkling had been guilty of burglary
with attempted homicide. The evidence
against him was direct and overwhelm-
ing; he had escaped to California, and
up to the time of his arrest for the stage
robbery he had been comparatively safe.
His refusal to give an account of himself,
explain his movements, or reveal his
name, was now apparent. Nevada
claimed him as her own, to do the State
some service for the rest of his natural
life.


Some months later the real robber
was taken, and found to be almost the
exact counterpart of Conkling. He was
the same man even to the scar on his
cheek and the loss of finger joint; and
thus it was shown why the witnesses had
identified Conkling as their plunderer
Year: 1877

No matter how dark the night,
No matter how black the clouds may be,


Up in the shrouded sky,


Hidden from watching oye,
Glitters q star for me.
Silvery bright and clear,
Out in the fields Of fadclcss blue,


Needless OF cloud and rain,


Fearless of death and pain.
Golden stars in their silent sphere
Twinkle and burn for you.
summer and winter the same
No matter il storm clouds surge and roll


Like waves on the frenzied sea


In heavens bright gallery
Twinkle and glow with quenchloss flame,
These types Of the soul
No matter how dark thy life;
Nomatter how gloomy thy watch may be


Mid sorrow, and pain, and care,


Still watching thee everywhere
Back of the curtain Of earthly strife
Wrinkles star for thee
Year: 1877

Scarlet fever is SO prevalent in Boston
that the board of health has issued a
circular to citizens. The recommentla-
ton are that the patient be isolated,
that all articles that cannot be afterward
cleansed be removed from the room,
that after recovery the ceiling and walls
be rubbed clean, and that clothing be
boiled thoroughly or burned.
Year: 1877

In some countries common tree frogs
are used as barometers. The frog is
placed in a tall bottle with light lad
der. In fine weather the animal always
climbs up the ladder, and always comes
down when storm is approaching.
Year: 1877

The world over it is an admitted fact that
the Singer Sewing Machine is the most popular of the
many candidates whose claims have been presented
the public in the last twenty years. This an
opinion it a fact well established any fact
be- hand the figures which prove that in
given lumber Of years the Singer Company has sold
more machines than sold by three four of the
leading opposition companies combined. Enormous,
however, as have heretofore been the sales of the
Singer Company IL has always been source of regret
that the pces charged for their machines though
greater than those Others above the of
many poor people to whom they would have proved an
inestimab!e blessing. Now, however, even this occa.
eon regret is oved, the Singer Company have
recently made tremendous reductions in the prices of
all MACHINES which may be estimated by the fact,
which we give merely in Illustration that the $40
chiues have been reduced TO So


We recommend a visit to the Company's elegant
rooms 81 Canal street. OF Charres to all who
desire information concerning the Singer Machines.
There they will the less courteous than liberal
agent Mr. s. E. Rundle, who Sill offer such terms as
will enable all to SECURE Singer who desire to do
Year: 1877

cut of the shadows Of sadness.
Into the sur shine OF gla 1ness,


Into the light of the bles..
Out of land very dreary,
Out of the world OF the weary,


Into the Rapture Of Rect.
Out of to-day's sin and sorrow
Into a blissful tomorrow,


Into a dsy without gloom
Out Of a land filed with sis hing
Land of the dead and the dying


Into q land ithout tomb.
Out of life OF, commotion,
Tenpest-swept oft rs tho ocean,


Dark with the wrerk drifting o'erI
Into land Cal IN and quiet,
Never a storm oometh nigh it,


Never a wreck on its shore.
Cut of tho land in whose bowers
Perish and fade all the flowers


Out of the land al decay
Into the Eden where fatrest
Of fow'rets-and sweetest and Iarest-
Never shall Hither away.
Out Of the world of the wailing,
Tbronged with the anguished and siling,
Out of the world of the ssd;
Into the world that Iejoioes-
World of bright visions and voices,
Into the world of the Glad.
Out Of life ever lornful,
Out of land very mournfui.


Where in bleak exile We roam;
Into joy Land above us.
Where there's Father 10 love US
Into "our Home-sweet Home
Year: 1877

On Thursday morning the medical corps of
the Board OF Health, forty.two physcIars
started out on an exploration of the tenemente
Each was given special district, bundle of
blank prescriptions on which were the ad
dresses Of druggists willing to sell at cost
prices, and free excursion tickets for the float
ing hospital of st. Johns Guild. The special
medical corps was formed on the suggestion
of the Board of Health. The mortality among
the children for the last month has been on
the increase, ss the folio wing VIII show: