smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

The poets are primarily responsible
for the delusion that flowers are pre-
eminently modest. They perpetually
tell us of the modest lily and the timid,
bashful violet, and have firmly con-
vinced the public that with the possible
exception of the peony, which in New
England is considered TO wear an in
delicately healthy look, such thing as
an immodest flower does not exist. a
very little unpreludiced observation will
show that this is a gross delusion.
Flowers, as a rule, have no sense of
modesty whatever. The lily arrays it.
self in simple white and stands on top
Of a tall stalk to solicit public attention
Would we consider lady particularly
modest who should dress herself in the
simplest possible white garment and
stand on the top of barrel in the front
yard to challenge the admiration OF
passers-by ? The violet is compelled, by
circumstances over which it has no
control, to reside very near the surface
of the ground, where il is frequently hid
behind bold and forward blades of gre 81.
That the violet is not of bashful and
retiring disposition is, however proved
by the fact that it is always ready to
display itself !, the buttOn-holes OF
brokers and men about town, in whose
society a really modest flower would
blush to be fou9&. As for the morning
glory, the sRgay in which it
climbs to = of seoOnd-story
were disreFz sSated railroad, is
utterly incompatible, not merely with
modestv, but with common decency. In
short, the average flower does not know
the meaning of sdesty, and although ii
may be ill-scented, crippled, and con
taminated by intimate association with
depraved worms, it will rear its head
and mutely asked to be plucked and laid
ON the bosom of beauty.
Year: 1878

The man who is scrupuleusly polite
and respectful to all women in public.
but habitually saves vulgar manners
and coarse language for his wife and
daughters is no gentleman. He is only
an impostor. The young man who oils
his hair, puts sweet odors upon his
pocket handkerchief, and bows with
charming elegance to Miss Arabella
Spriggins and her lady friends, and goes
home to sneer at his mother, disobey her
wishes, and treat her with familiar dis,
courtesy, is a pinchbeck imitation only
of gentleman. Genuine good manners
and gentle breeding should begin at
home. AS rule, the men in the com
munity who are the most trusted are the
best men at home. When a man opens
his front gate, only to meet his wife's
face st the door radiant with pleasure,
and hears the shout from the eager chill.
dren, Papa Is coming" it is safe, as a
rule, to lend that man money. He is
honest, and will repay it if he can.-
Cleveland Herald.
Year: 1878

q" The Private Soldier in the War Of the Re-


belhon"


The private soldier in the war OF the
rebellion" He is dead. Or lost. Stray
ed or stolen, possibly. We do not know
where he is, but he is not here. He has
gone away to some place. Perhaps he
has ceased to be necessary Perhaps if
he were here he would be in the way.
At any rate he is not around. He does
not go to the legislature. We do not
find him in congress. He is not eagerly
sought as a candidate for anything. No
body seems to know anything about him.
Occasionally he appears on the pension
list with one leg, wi and seven chill
dren, and eight dollars a month. If
-four takes much Of a rise, he will not
last much longer at that rate, and we
shall soon be deprived even of the occa-
sional glimpse we now have of him.


IL ;aeasss.s-.,stre77Sssg - yesaIlE-s-@@s
lieveCt, Srr,,ssel - Time he was quite nu-
merous. and was even considered rather
convenient, if not, indeed, quite indis-
pensable. 1t was found that upwards of
100 of him were necessary in order to se-
cure mere lines of commissions for three
eminent and deserving men. When field
commissions were wanted for three even
more eminent and great men upwards OF
1000 private soldiers were necessary.
One thousand 1t seems an enormous
number now, when by consulting the
congressional directory we find there
are none in all this proud republic. But
y or Is years ago even that, incredible
as it may appear to us to-day, was con-
sidered small number. There We're
private soldiers and private soldi,.s
There were even hundreds Of thousands
of them.


And they were useful. They dug
trenches; they constructed long lines of
breastworks, and then, when an enemy
came within sight, they climbed over
them and went outside of them to fight.
They worked snd watched and fought.
Cooperating with great and eminent
men who have since passed to their
rewards in one office and another, these
private soldiers sometimes rendered
very useful service in winning great
battles. Oh, they were useful Some
historians have even gone so far as to
maintain that without them the war
could hardly have been carried to a
successful termination. They were really
quite useful.


And now they are all gone. 1t seems
sad, looking back at the war, that none
but the generals and colonels and ma
iors and line officers should have sur
vived its dreadful ravsges. Provi-
dences, even mindful of the wants of a
great and growing nation, undoubtedly
took special care of these great men,
and in great anxiety that the country
should not suffer from q lack Of eminent
men, kind of forgot the private soldiers
and let them wander away And so
they are sll gone. Some of them got
shot Some of them got married and
moved out of the world, to settle upon
tracts of government land, where the
Indians could get at them more easily.
Some of them went into business. Some
of them are teaching school. Some OF
them are driving dray. Some OF them
went away and didn't leave their present
address. But all the same, they are all
gone and it seems dreadfully lonesome
without them. There used to he so
many of tbem.-r Hawkeye.
Year: 1878

My friend, if thou wouldst have
knowledge of men, take all thine earthly
possessions, even unto the uttermost
shekel, and enjoy thyself in the enter
tainn1ent of each and every one who
viii gratuitously partake OF thy boun-
teous goodness. This,so long as thy purse
shall last. Then, when thou hast spent
thine all. shalt thou have great wisdom,
for thou shall have learnt that for what
thou gavest thou shalt find none to
offer unto thee dinner in return; nay.
not SO much as sardine.-T Graphic.
Year: 1878

Guy had supposed that Nellie and
Fred were long since married; but hardly
had he set foot in London when he was
recognized and accosted by one of hisold
friends, who, among the gossip he had to
relate concerning Guys old circle of
acquaintance, mentioned the fact of
Fred Acton's death, and also said that
Miss Pomeroy was as beautiful as ever,
but unmarried. At this Guys heart
throbbed wildly, and his brain almost
reeled with the idea that perhaps his
own rashness had dashed the cup of
happiness from his lips. Could there
have been treachery in Fred Acton's
conduct, and had he wronged Nellie all
these weary years?


Wildly he asked himself these quCs-
tions while on the way to his hotel; and
by the time he had arrived there he had
resolved that he would at least see Nel-
lie and have an explanation with her.
Once more he turned his steps toward
the we'll known house WI ere he had spent
the happiest hours of his life; once more
he was ushered into the familiar room
where even the pictures on the walls
seemed to smile on him infriendly recog-
milton. Bronzed by travel, the old
Year: 1878

At the regular meeting of City Council
two weeks ago, June 18th, a communica-
tion was presented from W. R. Long and
others, calling their attention to the fact
that large majority Of the dogs in the city
were unregistered, and hence kept in open
violation OF the city ordinance. and petition
ing them to pass law for the protection of
the people from the dogs similar to those of
New York and Philadelphia. This was re-
ferred to special committee OF five, con-
sisting of Messrs. Baker, Chandler, Price,
Norton and Guthrie. We hope the Com.
mittee will not delay their report any longer
than they can help; and, indeed we can see
no reasonable excuse for delay at all, as
their duty is plain, and the time has come
when danger from dogs is great and on the
increase. Let the Committee report at
once, and favorabiy upon the petition, and
free US from the dog nuisance. Let the
unregistered dogs be killed.
Year: 1878

WITHIN the last few months crime has
increased greatly in the United States, and
q day hardly passes that we cannot take up
newspaper and read of some horrible,
cold -blooded murder, case of suicide or
some other terrible crime. Philadelphia, Of
late, has been the scene of many dreadful
murders, and is fast becoming known for
the many crimes there committed, surpass-
ing any other city in the United States in
proportion to its population. The people
generally censure tramps and charge them
with many crimes, but those referred to
cannot be blamed on them, although they
are guilty Of doing much wrong.
Year: 1878

On 9Th day Of May we opened our Cloth
Ing House In the Ledger Building. occupy
ing only first floor, with sixteen salesm. ST.
During the Spring and Summer our bur-
ness SO increased that In the Fall we weT.
compelled to buy Off the lease Of A. q
Stewart 4 Co. for the upper floors, and d
force Of forty statesmen to meet the demand
Of our customers. And now, after tw-
years Of unprecedented success, never be
lore known in this city, our business has
more than doubled from year to year to
such an extent that we now use the entire
five floors, with q stock Of over Half Mil
lion Of Dollars of Fashionable Clothing
with sixty. seven gentlemen salesman, who
will show you through our building and
consider 1t no trouble to show you goods If
you don't buy. Our sales have been so
large during the months Of March snd
April that we have been comp


make mp an entire second.
Year: 1878

They had entered one of the arbors that
had been improvised of cedars to adorn
the garden fete. They had been walking
arm in arm through the grounds for a
long time; for one of the earliest guests
had been Willie Locke, and he had rushed
Immediately to Redolette's side, and had
kept her to himself all the evening They
chose to walk in the garden rather than
join in the dance, for they had so much
to say. And they had talked over their
five years Of separation and its leading
events before they went into the arbor to
rest.


The last thing Redolette had said in
the walk was, $50 now, Willie, thanks 10
the inspiring leader of my choice, I am
ready to take some part in the movement
of my time. My schooling here is ended.
My little inheritance is made secure. [
am my own mistress now. I should like
it possible,to do little good in the world !;
and the only question with me now is,
How shall l do it best?' y


And here it was that Willie with a
sudden movement drew her into the ar
Dor, and said, with such an electric vi.
OAooAoA Ill A1Ao NoINO do ACSAC llCl 41Cdl u
for an instant to stop to beat, "Redolette!'


Something so far beyond the simple
name was implied by his vital utterance
OF it that she made no response.


"Since I was happy" he said, "to
guide you arightonce, let me be your guide
again. Let me tell you, Redolctte, my
queen, how you can do the most good in
the world--how 1 am sure you can do the
most good


He paused, and Redolette, whose eyes
had been tremulously cast down, lifted
her glance to his.


And before she had time to really look,
to see all he meant-before she had time
to let the question, s.How?' pass her
beautiful rsd lips, he had seized her in
his strong arms, he had answered her
once and forever: "As nay acite."- ."-Haap-
e2s WeeAzy.
Year: 1878

For two years had sailor Ben been on
on the sea. Now his ship touched the
shore, and bis heart was full OF Joy.


When he said good. bye 70 his mother.
be was wild, careless boy; but in she
rough days and stormy nights on the
water, he had learned. not only to love
bis mother better. but 10 love and servo
the God she loved. So he longed TO 60
10 her and tell her Of the Joy.


Once on shoie be hurried to buy
gift for her; . silver pnrse with long
silver fringe, and into 1T be counted
twenty gold dollars. ''I1l make your
heart glad in more ways than one.
mother" he said, - he snapped the
clasp and bounded over the rocks TO the
ship, for this was TO be his last night
on board for many mouths. ~
In his haste his foot slipped and ho
fell heavily, bruising his head. sprain-
ing his wrist. and the precious purse
was Aung out Of his hand.
down ont OF sight to the
rocks below. Poor Benl Never think.
ling Of his bruisea he climbed down


searching for his treasure till the night
lclosed about hlr, then slowly WITH An
I aching heart he went back 70 his ship.
But there was 10. whose name vas
Heck, and 4who early ever morning
swung himself down among the rocks,


10 hnnt for the eggs the sea birds leave
in their nests. The next morning he
caught sight Of something he never
saw before in any nest, and eagerly
grasped it. It is Ben's silver prrsel
No more eggs for Aleck to-day; but
with his treasure safe IN his pocket. he
climbs up the rosp to show his riches
to his mother Up on the rock he meets
sailor Ben. with limping gait and su-
xious face. searching for his purse.


"My boy, I'll give you the brightest
gold dollar you ever laid your eyes on.
IL You'll 6nd the purse I lost here last
night. II was for my old mother. II
will break my heart to go home without
it!


For q minute there was battle fierce
and terrible in Alexis heart. Was not
the purse his1 He had found IL. His
mother needed the gold ss much ~
Ben's mother; bnt would she ever touch
il, il she knew he had kept il from its
rightful owner? No, he knew what she
would bid him do. and laying the purse
in Ben's hands he gained the victory.
the battle Was over. '...-.-.


And 30 while Ben was rattling along
in the coach, happy to pour into his
mother'e lap the gold he had saved for
her. in the little cottage among the
trees. Aleok was telling his mother the
story Of his temptation. ''Better an
honest heart, my boy, than all the gold
and silver in the land"
Year: 1878

We have received a letter from
Mr.. VIM. Hanchett, in relation
to the reported existence of yellow
ever on his plantation. He denies
the rumor ami says there has not
been a case Of fever of any species
on his place for one year. Mr.
Hanchtt is in error we think
when he supposes the rumor to be
a malicious intent to inJure him.
Year: 1878

:, % Our street brigade have
cieaned q the ditch out on the w est
sue OF the Square but for some
unknown reason they have not
!! @ached the bitches on the remain


ng three sides which certainly
sand in need Of it. Let US have
we good work completed.
Year: 1878

We, in the United States use the Rus
sian vapOr baths as medical agent
only. But in the life of Russian peas
ant it plays a most important part. No
orthodox peasant will enter church
until he has cleansed himself physically
by means of the bath. After laboring
among pollution for five and half DAYS
in a week, he devotes Saturday after
noon to the vapor baths, and carefully
avoids thereafter all pollution until he
has performed his devotions at the SER
vice on the Sabbath. Some of the peas
ants take their vapor bath In the house.
hold oven, in which the bread is baked.
Others resort to the public bath owned
by the village. Strange to say, not.
withstanding their scrupulous care in
this particular, some of their habits are
absolutely filthy. While bathing, the
degree of heat which they endure
would Kill person not accustomed to
1t from childhood. And in winter they
often rush out OF the bath and roll
themselves in the snow. Such RAPID
transitions from extreme heat to ex-
treme cold illustrates common Rus
sian proverb, which says that what is
health to the Russian is death to the
German. AS the old proverb hath it,
zone mans meat is another mau's poi
son."
Year: 1878

The two mail carriers between Little
Current and Sault Ste. Marie broke
through the ice when about ten miles
east of Spanish River recently, and men
and dogs had sharp struggle for life.
The men, after getting out of the
water, directed their attention towards
rescuing the dogs, which were fastened
by their harness to the toboggan on
which the mail bags were tied, and
which was rapidly drowning them.
Their efforts to save either dogs or mail
would have been useless but for the
sagacity of one dog, which, appearing
to realize the difficulty, instead Of vast.
ing strength In trying to get upon the
broken ice, seized the thongs by which
they were bound to the toboggan in his
teeth and deliberately gnawed them
asunder. Both dogs, thus released,
swan toward the men, who helped
them out, and after considerable trouble
they raised the toboggan and mail.
They pushed on to Spanish River,
where they spent nearly whole day In
drying the saturated mall bags.
Year: 1878

Seven years ago there were two Irish
men in the city of San Francisco keep
ing a drinking-bar of very modest pre-
tensions, close to one of the principal
business thOroughfares. Their CUSTOM
ers were of all kinds, but chiefly COM
mercial men and clerks. Among them


was an unusually large proportion of
stock and share dealers, mining-brokers
and the like, who, in the intervals of
speculation, rushed out of the neigh
boring Exchange five or six times day
for drinks. Whisky being almost the
religion of California, and the two little
bar-keepers being careful to sell none
but the best article, their bar soon be-
came place of popular resort. And
as no true Californian could ever swal-
low drink of whiskey under any cir
cumstances without talking about silver
mines or gold mines or shares in mines,
it soon fell out that, next 10 the Stock


Exchange itself, there was no place in


San Francisco where so much mining
talk went on as in the saloon of Messrs.
Flood & O'Brien, which were the
names of the two. Keeping their ears
wide open, and sitting the mass of gos-
sip that they listened to evey day, these
two gentlemen picked up good many
crumbs of useful information, besides
now and then getting direct cOnfiden-
tial tip; and they turned some of them
to such good account in few quiet
little speculatiOns, that they shortly
had comfortable sum of money lying
at their bankers. Instead of throwing
it away in headlong, wild and extrava-
CANT ventures, which was the joyous
custom of the average Californian in
those days, they let it lie where it was,
waiting, with comendable prudence,
till they knew of something good to put
it into. They soon heard Of something
good enough. On Fairs advice they
bought shares in mine called the
Ildlt anu ANpl \. OoSJ dllNl htlO Spttu-
lily taking out Of it fifteen thousand
pounds a month in dividends. This
mine was the property OF a company
and though it had at one time paid large
and continuous dividends, it was now
supposed to be worked out and worth
less. Mr.. Fair, however, held a diff
ferent opinion; and when he came to
examine it carefully, he found what he
expected to find-a large deposit of sill
yer ore. Thereupon he, and Flood &
O'Brien together, bought up all the
shares they could lay their hands upon,
and obtained complete control of the
mine. Besides being clever and ex-
perienced miner, Mr.. Fair entertained
the belief that by patient examination
into holes and corners of the mine he
would discover gigantic vein ofsilver-
bearing ore. lie discovered the vein,
the estimated value of which was a
hundred aud twenty millions sterling


In the excitement caused by this as
founding discovery it Is scarcely more


than the truth to say that San Francis.
co went ravingm mad. The vein in which
the bonanza was found, was known tC
run straight through the Consolidated
Year: 1878

was the hunters name-succeeded for
two or three miles I'm maintaining his
lead, and would probably have shaken
them of entirely but for an untoward
accident.


In attempting to leap across a small
stream, the banks Of which were steep
and high, he missed his footing, and
only by powerful effort prevented
himself from being hurled to the bot
tom.


As it. was, he found that he had strain
ed his knee to such an extent as to rem
der 1t almost a matter impossible to
further continue his flight.


But life is a great stake to struggle for,
and although suffering the greatest
agony, yet Humphries continued to
keep slightly ahead of his pursuers.


AT length, after descending quite a
hill, he entered upon level bottom, at
the other side of which ran a stream,
the banks of which were thickly lined
by heavy cane brake.


Towards this he ran with what little
strength there was left in him, and
reached the edge of the brake only to
find that it was so dense that he could
not, at any point near by, find a place
of entrance.


Turning off to his right, he found a
large poplar tree had been blown down.
falling directly into the cane, and reach
ing entirely across the bed of the creek.


Upon this he leaped, ran along the
body Of the trunk, and then seeing
chance for moments hiding, he leaped
down into the water beneath and drew
up under the bank where the bushes
were heaviest.


Hardly had he succeeded in this,
when he heard the Indian spring upon
the log. run rapidly forward few
PAGES, and then utter a shrill whoop of
surprise and exultation.


The keen-eyed redskin had seen him
as he cTouched amid the flags and young
cane.


Another instant anG Lis enemy would
have been upon him, tomahawk in
hand, when suddenly a new actor ap-
peared on the scene.


A deep, angry roar, rather than growl,
broke upon the silence, and with open
mouth, and eyes flashing with rage, an
old she bear, closely followed by her
two cubs, dashed across the log and
fastened herself upon the now frighten-
ed Indian.


The fight upon the log was of short
duration, and after few fierce struggles
the two combatants pitched over and
fell, locked in a deadly embrace, into
the water below.


What had become of the other Indian,
Humphries knew not. but finding that
he did not appear, he crawled out upon
the opposite bank, and leaving the red
skin and his shaggy opponent engaged
In a struggle for life or death, he made
all possible haste to reach the bloca
house, some three miles distant.


This he succeeded in doing, and the
next morning returned to the scene of
action at the creek.


Neither bear nor Indian was to be
seen, though the torn and bloody con-
ditiOn of the bushes on the banks told
how fearful the combat must have been.


Humphries was on the whole, we'll
satisfied, and for many years boasted
that he was probably the only man in
the wilderness whose life had been
saved by bear.
Year: 1878

Tho commission recently appointed by Judge Pratt,
OF the Supreme Court, Kings county, Long Isand TO
examine and report as TO tho mental condition OF An
jury, have held two sessions II will be remembered
that tho Court declined to confirm the verdict OF the
latter named jury against Hall and sent the question
before Drs Corly and Keeie and Counsellor F. Smith.
rho wife Of Mr Hall applied II will be remembered,
in January last to have her husband atjudged luna
the OF his estate and TO make provision for the
support or herself and two children. Hall, who Is
about thirty OF age, is clerk In real estate
ing yesterday before tho referees WIS very rational
He testified connectedly and rapidly. He said that
his wife left him on January 49, that her manner to-
ward him and their children was harsh; she treated
the children SO harshly tnat no corrected her for
dong so when she told him that she would serve him
In the manner II she wished; when she lett him
she took some Of the chidren's clothing; she was
very extravagant in her dress, and at time he
her throw bundle OF clothes over the fence; while
he was working with Thomas McnermotL when
quenty visited the store, and one day he
her whispering with McDcrmott and he told
her that she must not speak TO that man;
one occasion McDermott, who had nursed tho
witness when the latter had typhoid fever spat In
his face aud thrust him violently into room while
and child entered the car, and the little one came up
HIM and kissed him. but his wife never noticed
him witness said he mad been reading law. The
referees asked the witness to- give his idea OF a
mortgage and he replied that 1t WAS cheap way TO
buy land He was questioned at length on various
topics and with two exceptions he answered
correctly The referees Will report the result OF their
examination to tho Court.