smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

If the impression made upon the retina
is upside down, why don't we perceive
the object upside down The proba-
biity is that the mind is philosopher
enough to correct tbc vagaries of the
rctina and to Judge Of things as they
really are. II we stoop down and
look between our legs at any object
back of us, the impression Of it Ger.
tainly enters the eye in an inverted
manner, and yet the object appears in
the correct position Probably the
impression is regulated by the mind


"lfyou hold up your finger close 10
the eye and regard it intently for a
while, and then regard some object at
a distance, you will find that object
blurred. In the same manner, if you
regard tho object at a distance for a
period and then turn the eye suddenly
To the finger again, the finger will ap-
pear blurred. This illustrates another
power Of the eye, that Of focusing or
adapting itself to objects at different
distances. 1t is affected by certain
muscular tissure on the posterior posi-.
tion of the lens, which is powerful to
flatten it or to release it into greater
convexity at will.


Not all the anterior surface of the
inner portion of the eye is capable OF
receiving an impression. The part
which is sensible Of impression extends
only one eighth OF an inch in one direc-
ton and one-thrty-sixth Of an inch
the other. 1t is a curious fact that
this centre of impression is some dis
tance from the point where the optic
nerve enters. Immediately about the
termination of the. optic nerve the
retina may receive no impression what
ever


But now in regard TO binocular
vision-why is it that we have two
eyes 2 1t is so that we may have the
stereo-effect, the sense Of prominence.
Try one eye only and see how this
sense is impaired. Look at distant
mountains they appear fiat. But as
we approach an object one eye takes
more cognlzance Of one Of its sides, and
the other eye takes more cognizance of
the other, and thus the object is brought
out-we get the idea Of prominence.


Light we will consider to consist
of a series OF waves or undulations. All
objects are seen through the agency of
light, thrown off from the surface. The
waves are set up and proceed with
great rapidity, pcrpcndicularly to the
line of general direction. The ampli-
tudc or height of wave Of rcd light
is the l33, ,00Oth part Of an inch. Con-
cernlng rapidity, 100000, 100000 wave
lengths of light strike upon the retlna
in single second. The impression Of
light isreceived almost instantaneously,
but it requires about the thirtieth part
of a second for the impression to fade
away again. THIS depends, however
on the color Of the hight. Red light
requires longer time tor its reception
than light Of another color


The lecture was richly illustrated by
aid Of stcreopticons an other apparatus
and as bis last picture DR.. Arnold
threw upon the screen an Appeal &c
the Benevolent" the same being plea
for aid in behalf Of the hospital fol
whose benefit his lecture was given.
Year: 1877

A writer in the Forest and Stream OF
May 3d, gives the following caution
with reference TO catching and eating
the Potomac bass, before the LIST OF
July. He says


But the great trouble with which
we have to contend on the Potomac is
this, that the fish are taken in immense
numbers early in the spring, when ont
of season and altogether unfit for sport
or for the table. The dwellers on the
Potomac are generally civilized, and
pretend to have laws TOR the prcserva-
ton of fish, but they have so much to
do with Washington city that they are
careless about keeping the laws, All
through April and May, of each year,
foolish boys and more foolish men go
forth to slaughter the black bass when
passing through their spring sickness,
and thereby commit an objectionable
outrage against the laws Of nature. In
my limited sphere haveiought against
this custom tor several years, and |
now recall only two men who have
been converted to my way OF thinking.
One of them took me to iavorte
locality in the month of May, and
while ! allowed him to do all the fish
ing, | amused myself with the pencil.
After be had secured a basket full Of
bass and we were about toreturn home,
| took onc of the fish in my hand and
directed his attention TO the worms
that were hidden away at the roots of
the fins. lie was disgusted, and then
and there sworc that he would never
eat one Of those fish again. That was
not sensible on his part, but his feel.
ings could not be controlled, for from
July to November there is no better
fish for the table than the black bass,
The other conversion alluded to was
that of farmer on the Potomac who
had very dear friend, with whom he
had been fishing in the month of May,
and who lost his life from eating black
bass ont of season, and when eating il
was n poison"
Year: 1877

1t was delightful evening in Au-
gust. The broad piazza Of the Lake
House was thronged with guests the
full moon rising over the mountain
top, threw its mellow light over the
scene, forming beautiful picture
a:.1 the music discoursed by the or
chestra, mingled with the merry
voices which now and then broke
forth in hearty peal Of laughter
from some one Of the merry groups,
were we'll calculated to drive dull
care away.


Glancing over the scene,we noticea
at the farther end of the piazza, Frank
Thorn and his cousin Edwin, comfort
ably seated by themselves. Fine
looking young men, both were Of
wealthy parentage, though in charac-
ter much different. The former was
one of those whole-souled fellows We
love to meet and ASS ciate with ever
ready with smile or kind word for
all, form the greatest to the least of
mankind never losing an opportuni
ty to make friend, no matter what
the social standing of that person
might be.


Edwin, tborgh generally good-na-
tured, was pronounced by many as
too digni6ed, and particular in pick,
ing out associates whom he considered
on his own level, and never consider
ing it worth while to notice the com.
mon folks, as he called those who
earned their livelihood by industry.


I was just thinking said Frank ,as
the orchestra ceased playing collec-
tion Of familiar airs, closing with
Aud Lang thinking how
easy it is for some one to forget old
acquaintances. Now, there is Mr..
Howard, the old gent you see yopdsr
sitting near the parlor entrance. with
two ladies'


Yes, said Edwin, 7 know who
Won mean. bellaya he is considsrad
one the most wealthy If the guess
here this season. But go on with
your remarks--beg your pardon for
interrupting.'


We'll, continued Frank, I remem-
ber only six or eight years ago, that
man did not have money enough to
buy him suit of clothes. He was
porter for the hotel in the village
where we lived. He and the man
that keeps the fruit stand down there
next to the boat house were intimate
friends. Mr.. Howard one day be-
came sole heir to large estate in
England, which he sold and took up
his residence in New York, hardly
aord descending to bid his old associates
good BY. The man at the fruit stand
told me this morning that Mr.. How
ard Had been here two weeks, and
thc4sh there had been plenty Of op-
Year: 1877

Oh, say not life is dark


There's brightness for lis all;
For you and me and every one
The warming sun rays fall;
The moon and stars al night thy path


Hume as well as mine,
For you and me and every one


The beams of pleasure shine.
Oh, say not life is dark,
Though fortune be not fair!
The cottage of the toiling man
May have a jewel there!
Though wealth has never round its heart
Its golden circle bent,
Perhaps the gem OF love is there


The hearth to ornament.
Oh, say not life is dark,


Though poverty be there!
Thou hast heart within thy breast,


A soul with virtues rare,
Strive on. plod on thy humble way,
And peace thy lot shall bless,
The fountain head whence issues all
Of human Dlcssedncss.
Oh, say not life is dark!


There's brightness all around;
How oft beneath homely garb


A noble heart is found;
The labOrer in his lowiy cot,


The bcggar on the road,
The miser and the millionaire,


All have one common God.
Year: 1877

Economy is the order of the hour, and every cz-
penditure, however SMALL is expected to give re-
turn in full vaIue. Every family requires one good
reliable, family newspaper. If such an article can
be procured for less than one cent each working
day Of the year, we are not aware Off. A family
newspaper should contain carefully prepared
summary Of all Of the news Of the day, both re-
Iief0us and secular snd If arranged SO tlat The
two departments m9y he separated and read by
two individuals at the same time, so much The bet
ter The family newspaper should have attract
i've reading and information for the various mem
bers Of q household. Some portion of the paper
should be devoted, every week, to religious and
moral Improvement, to current secular news, 90
agriculture, commerce, markets, finance, to gen
eraI literature, &C., with special department for
the young. Above all, the family newspaper
should be perfectly pure, and free from any con-
raminating influences in its reading matter OF in
its advertisements. Too much attention cannot
be raid 20 this feature. when the press is flooding
the country with so much that is vile and perni-
cious. To crown aI the family newspaper should
be uutrammeled by any sfdliati0u with sect or
party, and should be free to give an the good news
from and about an the world. If such family
newspaper can be had for one cent day, it should
be taken by every family in the land


Such family newspaper, in every respect, we
find the New York Observer, now commencing its
dfty-sixth volume. Progressive, comprehensive,
sound, reliable pure it is inst what is needed in
your household. send ss.I5 for q year TO the New
York Observer, 81 Park Row, New York. Sample
copies sent free.
Year: 1877

By request we publish the follow
/ ing extracts from a letter written to
a friend in this place, by Mr.. Alex
ander Mccoy, formerly of this town
ship, but who removed to Kansas
last year:


DOUGLAS, Kan, Nov. 25, 1877


"Corn is very plenty here. I new
er can better corn anywhere, but the
price is Iow-only Is centsper busbel.


This is a good country for stock
of all kinds. There are 1000 head Of
cattle near us, fattening for the mar
ket this winter, and about 10000
head of sheep.


There is a great prospect fer q
wheat crop next year. The old set
tiers says that when wheat gets a
good start here in the fall, the crop
never fails. I never saw wheat look
as well at this season as it does here.
The ground is so thickly covered
that a rabbit can easily hide in the
wheat. Many of the farmers have
been pasturing their wheat a month
or six weeks, and cattle and horses
will Craze on some of the earliest
sown fields all winter, without iDjur-
ing the crop.


Emigration is pouring in here all
the time. We can see the covered
wagons almost every day, and my
opinion is that Kansas will make one
of the best States in the Union.


every thing seems to grow here
spontaneously, and to such a size as I
never saw before. I saw q sweet po-
tato that weighed over s lbs. and
one of my neighbo ors saw one that
weighed 10 lbs.


Il wish you would come out here
and see this beautiful country along
Walnut river. Timber is scarce
here, none except along the water
courses, but still wood is very cheap
and can be BOUGHT for 50 TO 50 so a
cord


"They are now building q narrow
gauge railroad along Walnut river,
which will come within two miles Of
us. Now is the time to buy land
here cheap, before the railroad is
finished. The price is bound to go
up soon.


Il think I have so acres Of as good
land as there is in Highland county,
and it produces more with less labor
than any land I ever worked.


81 would advise all men who have
no homes to come to Kansas with
out delay, as it is filing up very fast.
There are still thousands of acres Of
government land, but 1t is being rap
idly taken up.


"Any man can do well here, that
is able and willing to work, as there
is plenty Of work to do.


4 want you to send me the High
land News, and get Mr.. Boardman to
publish such parts Of this letter as
he thinks will be Of interest to his
readers. Yours &c.


'ALEX. Mccoy"
Year: 1877

The Thanksgiving Proclamation
of Governor Van Zandt, of Rhode
Island, is perhaps the shortest on
record: Il appoint Thursday, the
2Oth inst, as Thanksgiving Day, and
request the people of this State to
assemble in their houses for public
worship and return thanks to God
for His tender mercies and loving
kindness and may those who are
blessed with abundance give iber-
ally to the poor.
Year: 1877

Colorado Miner: Senator Sharon
proposes to resign, if it be insisted
upon that be attend to his public
duties. If his private business com
peIs him to stay at home, he should
have resigned ere this and allowed
his place to be filed by some one
who could attend to a Senator's S
dutv.
Year: 1877

Has made the above diseases the special study Of
his fe and to the treatment Of these be brings all


his talent, skand long experience. L VIII there
fore not surprise those who are intelligent enough
to discern. that physician who treats the diseases
of one organ to the exclusion Of al others, must
be superior 10 those who pretend 10 be equally
skilled in the treatment of all diseases.
Year: 1877

subscriber wants TO know if we will give our
premium book TO He1U subscribers as well as old
ones. Certainly: any nc11 subscriber who gets us
another new one, will be entitled to the premium
hut not otherwise. The object of the premium is
to reward all our subscribers who Obtain ael5 ones


ANY old subscriber who cannot get a new one,
can have g copy of our premium book for half
price, % cents, by renewing his own subscription.
Year: 1877

The Weekly Tribune is utterly unlike any other
weekly newspaper issued tIOm the office of a daily
eut and better fOrm in better type, and niled with
matter prepared expressly for its readers not
with the stale news dumped in from the Daily 10
can be compared with the three and four dollar
weeklies, like Harpers and the great religions and
literary journals while its pages larger than ID
any Of these. Its price, however, remains fixed at
such rates as TO deity competition. and the extra
ordinary premiums surpa=s anything even IN Its
FnrH.rH hist.
Year: 1877

A railroad incident occurred recently
on one of the East India lines, which was
as startling as it was singular, and may
be said TO be one of the most miraculous
escapes on record. A train was ap-
preaching bridge on a curve. When
the bridge came within sight, at dis
tance of three hundred or four hundred
yards, the engine-driver was horror
struck to discover that it was completely
in flames. Finding his break power
totally useless in the emergency, he
jumped of, as did also the fireman, Just
as the train entered upon the burning
bridge, over which it rushed, fortunately
with unabated speed, through continu-
GUS flame that rose furiously above the
height of the railroad cars. The wooden
sleepers were on fire, and parts of the
rails themselves were red-hot. The whole
train, composed of number of cars,
passed safely over, and not q passenger
was injured or scorched.
Year: 1877

How many people are there who really
know how to make q mustard plaster ?
Not one in hundred at the most, per-
haps, and yet mustard plasters are used
in every family. and physicians prescribe
the application. The ordinary way is to
mix the mustard with water, tempering
it with a little -four; such a plaster
as this makes is simply abominable.
Before it has half done its work it begins
to blister the patient, and leaves him
finally with a painful, flayed spot, after
producing far less effect in beneficial
way than was intended. Now, mus
tard plaster should never blister at all.
If blister is wanted, there are other
plasters far better than mustard plasters;
then, use no water, but mix the mustard
with the white of an egg, and the result
will be plaster which will draw" per
fectly, but will not produce blister on
the skin of an infant, no matter how
long it is allowed to remain on the part.
Year: 1877

State Assayer Hayes, of Massachusetts,,
publishes warning against the use of
Paris green for the destruction of potato
bugs. He says that there is danger, in
the common mode of digging potatoes,
that the poisoned earth may adhere to
the tubers, and through lack of careful
washing before using, prove fatal. He
also speaks of the danger attending the
presence of poison in household.


In regard to these cautions Professor
Chandler, President of the Board of
Health, says: "There is Just as much
danger in having Paris green in a house
as there is in having loaded revolver,
or any other deadly weapon. 1t does
not poison the potatoes, but it would i'm
pregnate with poison lettuce or salad
that is to be eaten raw, and therefore too
much care can not be taken in its use.
and every precaution should be taken to
prevent it being deposited by the wind
on other plants. The subject has been
discussed by the Board of Health, and
it has been decided that of the twolevils,
Paris green and potato bugs, the former
is the less, and therefore we have sent
out no warning against its use. We
have, however, strictly prohibited its
sale at retail in the city. I do not con-
slider its use SO dangerous but that the
unchecked ravages of the bug would be
infinitely more So"


The ordinary Paris or imperial green
which is used in the war against the
bugs, is scientifically an aceto arsenite of
copper. 1t is the same green commonly
supposed to be so dangerous when used
in coloring wallpaper. In Watts's Chem
ical Dictionary this popular superstition
is treated as follows:


This compound is much used as a pig
ment, on account Of its splendid green
color. A great deal of needless alarm
has lately been excited about the sup
posed deleterious effects of this pigment
1t is extensively used for staining wall
papers, and persons inhabiting rooms
thus prepared are said to have had their
health seriously deranged by the arsen-
ical fumes evolved from it. Now, it is
utterly impossible that arsenic should
volatilize from such q compound at ordi-
nary temperatures. It does not decom-
pose at any temperature below redness.
The only way in which danger could
arise from the use of paper stained with
an arsenical color. is that particles of the
compound might be brushed off in dust
ing the paper, and thus become mixed
with the air of the apartment; but it is
not in this way tb 1t the supposed acci-
dents are said t6 have occurred. The
panic has arisen from mistaken notion
as to the volatility of the arsenic. That
the use of the pigment is not really
dangerous, may be safely inferred from
the fact that no bad effects are expert
enced by ahe-workmen engaged in its
manufacture.
Year: 1877

The insanity of DR.. J. G. Aver of Low
ell affords terrible warning to adver-
tisers. He was man engaged in the
manufacture of a pill, not differing from
hundred other pills which may be
obtained at any drug store. In an un-
guarded moment he made up his mind
that he would advertise, not in the
picayune style of the common dealer,
but in comprehensive sort of way, by
which he could reach every possible pur-
chaser of pills. He started with the idea
of devoting half of his profits each year
to advertising. The result might have
been foreseen. He accumulated money
SO rapidly that he did not know what to
do with it. When he had rolled together


fifteen millions dollars and had vainly
striven to find some outlet to his ever
increasing profits, his mind gave way
under the absorbing cares of his vast
business, and he is now patient at an
asylum for the insane. How easily this
calamity might have been averted; If
he had stuck to the conservative methods
of many of our merchants and refrained
from advertising, he might have been
passing quietly through bankruptcy now
instead of being loaded down with his
uncounted millions. 1t is dangerous
experiment for man who does not want
to become rich to advertise. Or if he
advertises at all he must grudgingly
and at long intervals, lest his profits
should grow out of proportion to his re-
quirements, and he should find himself
burdened with wealth. Advertising,
conducted on the principle of devoting
half the profits of business to it, is, we
repeat, dangerous experiment. 1t pre-
cipitates fortune upon the advertiser so
suddenly that the chances are even that
he will not know what to do with his
money. The multitudinous pleasures of
bankruptcy, insolvency and shining
around" for the wherewithal to meet a
note are permanently denied to the man
who advertises. There never was in
Europe or America a great advertiser
who did not accumulate great fortune.
Let those who desire to live unburdened
by the cares of wealth take warning.
Year: 1877

with blush on cheek, she comes and goes;
watch her when she little knows:


wonder if she dreams of it.
Sitting and working at my rhymes.
weave into my verse at times


Her sunny hair, or CLEANS Of it.
Upon her window-ledge is set
A box of Towering lnignonette;


Morning and eve she tends to them
The ssnseless flowers, that do not care
About that loosened strand of hair,


As prettily she bends to them.
If could once contrive to get
Into that box of mignonette


Some morning when she tends to them
She comes Isee the rich blood rise
:. From throat to cheek Down go the eyes
Demurely, as she bends to them.
Year: 1877

Officer Bach Of the One-hundredth-st Police,
when patroIng seyenty-lfthst., between Eighth and
Nn,h-aves., early yesterday morning. discovered the
body OF man lying upon the sidewalk. Blood was
oozng from hole the right temple, and had collected
in pool around the mans head the man was feeby
breathing His eyes closed, and while the officer
leaned him searching his clothing for clew as
to his identity the gave few spasmodic struggles
and died revolver was found at some distance from
body, but all efforts to obtain Information as
had been shot by another failed. Tue body was con
veyed 10 the Thlrty-1r Precinct Police station A
snufbOx aud 50 cents found in the pockets The
man n apparently German. somewhat below the me
dium hight, OF dark complexion with black hair and
WhiskeTs. He dark coat and vest, nsnt gray
trousers plush wooen stockings and without
any shoes The general impression of the police is that
he committed suicide. The fact OF his being shoeIess
thought indicate that he lived not far the place
where his body found Inquiry made the vicinity
however failed throw any light the mystery and
the police investigating the matter. TIE body W IA
removed the MOrgue connected with the Ninetynnth
- nil al
Year: 1877

The coroners jury in the case OF John Gun
SER who was murdered at his residence IN East VII
Iiamsburgh during the night of May 13, met yesterday
afternoon District Attorney Downing was present and
examined the witnesses Nothing new was elected, and


after the examination OF several witnesses, at the sug
geson of the District t-Atorney the given to
the Jury and as will be by their verdict remains
shrouded in as much mystery when first discovered
People however are not found wanting in the neghbor
hood who believe that Mrs. Gunser and Adam Martin
have not vet told All that they In relation TO the
murder Mrs. Gunsers testimony given in
straightforward manner and with apparent truhuness
and cooness witness testified that MARTIN said TO
him. when asked II he knew who killed Gunser. that he
was too good friend OF the family TO tell that Martin


fierward said he believed Mrs Guaser committed the
crime Martin denied this. The jury after celebrating
n short tme brought IN verdict that John Gunscr
came death the night of the 18TH OF May 1877
the hour of II the morning Of the litb OF
May, 1877. before l O'Clock m., by confusion OF the
brain by blunt instrument In the hands OF
some person persons 10 the jury unknown The Jury
recommended that reward should be offered Tor the
urreSt OF the mnriierer
Year: 1877

Mrs. Tillotson, wife of the theatrical treas
urer and manager sent skirt to the laundry connected
with the st. omer Hotel where she and her husband
side She had forgotten that In one OF the pockets she
had left Kid glove which contained 1000 bill. When
the skirt was returned she remembered this little cir