smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

THE letter of c. ". G.. concerning the
Dexter case, contains the very useful
suggestion that the originators of the foul
aspersion on Barron's memory he prose-
cuted at law for the offense. There can be
no doubt that many persons would gladly
contribute TO fund which should be used o
indicates desire to institute proceedings
against the detectives and such OF the bank
officials as have been parties to this bad
business. The reference of G. W. G. to the
capital punishment question is entirely un-
necessary to the purpose of his letter; but
then it would be just as impossible for him to
leave it out as it was for Mr.. Dick to omit
mention of King Cha"les's head.
Year: 1879

THE detectives are now investigating the
most famous case in the annals of crime.
Their theory is that Abel committed suicide.
The doctors noticed symptoms of morphine
poisoning at the time, but didn't like to
speak OF it for fear of making a row in
the family.
Year: 1879

We do not read anonymous letters and communl.
cations The name and address OF the writer are in
all cases Indispensable, not necessarily for publication
but as q guaranty OF good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or preserve COM
municati0ns chat are not used
Year: 1879

THE House is willing to give 100000 to
the promotion of the Mississippi levee
scheme, but not another cent until after the
election of Democratic President. 1t Is
hoped $3.OOO,0O0 will stay Southern hunger
for year, but the estimate is based on thsuffi
cient knowledge Of the Southern nav.
Year: 1879

THE Christian Mirror intimates that it
may be able next week, to lay before its
readers some facts not heretofore made public
in discussions of the Barron case, concerning
the ingenious detective Dearborn.
Year: 1879

The following from the the Toledo
Commercial is of rather more than ordi-
nary interest: During the boom in
wheat to Buffalo short time ago the in
quiry was frequently made at the local
custom house as to whether a Canadian
vessel could take wheat to- Buffalo on
payment of tonnage tax as penalty.
The opinion of Collector Fuller was that
If done, while the vessel would be obliged
to pay the tax, the cargo would be cons
fiscated, and the law was cited to main
tain this point. The anxious masters,
however, imbued with the idea that they
could do as they thought, and claimed
that the Canadian schooner China was
continually engaged in that kind of
trade. The schooner in question has
been in port once this season at which
time she appeared in the honest tele-
graph pole trade. But as warming, word
was sent to Buffalo to intercept all in
territorial scheming in the way of Cana
dian vessels entering the commerce of
the United States. 1t now appears that
the rumOrs against the China were true.
On last Monday she arrived at Buffalo
with cargo stated in the manifest as
2SO,OOO feet of pine lumber, shipped at
Sault Ste. Marie and consigned to Buff
falO parties, Upon arrival of the vessel
her master promptly reported at the Gus
tom house, and the case was referred to
the customs collector of the port. The
result was that he seized the cargo for
the government, and as the prescribed
penalty for carrying it subjected the
vessel to fine of so cents per ton, the
offense being that the China, a Cana
dian vessel as before stated. had illegal
ly engaged in the carrying trade between
American ports. The cargo was unload
ed under the authority and supervision
OF the collector, and the case reported to
the proper authorities. The owners of
the lumber will no doubt appeal to the
government for relief, and it is not i'm
probable that it will be granted on the
ground that the violation of the law was
not INTENTIONAL; but even if the case ter
inmates in this way it involves no con-
siderable expense to them. The seizure
can hardly fail of doing good service in
bringing the owners of vessels to full
understanding of what trade they may
and may not engage in"
Year: 1879

That is the name we heard ap-
piled to the Conventions at Columbus,
and there was too much truth in it.
One gentleman, and only one, who
spoke at the Convention, claimed to
be an ungraded school teacher, and
the prevailing idea seemed to be,
that the County Superintendents
would give to the country children
the advantages of the town and city
schools. Can Superintendent give
each family a school at its own
doors? Can he even give good roads
in the winter season? Can he do
the Homework of the larger pupils,
so that they can attend school more
than three or four months during the
year?


You will remember that we noticed
this fallacy in our report of the Con-
vention, and we will say here, that
we could hardly refrain from getting
up in our place to-like the young
lawyer-"deny the assertion and in
sist on the proof Taking all
things into consideration, we think
the schools of the rural districts are
doing about as good work as any;
still, we acknowledge that they
ought to do more, and so we now
favor the movement for a county su-
pervision, though we do not expect
to see the world turned upside
down by it.
Year: 1879

Perhaps there is no branch on
which teachers have more need Of
information than on Theory and
Practice, and we would like to hear
from the teachers of the county on
this branch.


Information is most sought on
teaching orthography to beginners.
We think the best way to teach be-
ginners to spell, is by the use of a
chart, which may be suspended
from a nail driven in the wall. Charts
are. often torn up by the children,
while they are more useful than any
Of the books in the school room.


The way to get up an interest in
spelling amongst the beginners, is to
get them to run races for the head,
(when a head and foot Of the class is
had) or it may be well to have re-
wards of merit of different value, for
if they are all of the same value, the
best spoilers will get ahead of the
ones, and the latter will get
out of heart. A 'head and foot" is
the best idea, as all the little fellows
would like to be head, and it will
create an interest. The best way to
the "head and foot" plan is
for the pupils to number, and as the
class is called out, the first should
take the foot and No. 2 the head,
and the others in order between the
first two; in this way all will have a
chance to get head, and need not get
out of heart, if they will try at all.


Bell, o. FARMS.


Note by Editor. - Hereafter no
communication will be noticed un-
less the true name of the writer is
sent.
Year: 1879

The tiOrds, which bursting through the


rocky barrier that guards the coast, run


far up into the interior, constitute a mos,


characteristic feature of Icelandic
scenery. They have all great similar


ity of form, so that the description of


the general features of one may serve


equally for that of all the others. Having,


probably, been at first rents or chasms
produced by the general upheaving of


the island, their length is often very dis


prOpOrtiOned to their breadth; some of


them being scarcely two miles wide, yet


extending twenty-five or even thirty,
into the country, and continue still


farther by narrow wales, down which the


mountain rivers find their way to the
sea. Lofty ridges, running out into the


ocean, and ending in precipitOUs head


lands, separate them from each other


In the neIghbOrhoOd of the Rode and


Beru FiOrds these assume their most
magnificent appearance, attaining an


elevation of nearly 1000, feet; though
their average height on other parts of
the coast is only about the half of that
now specified. So sudden is the rise of


these mountains, that it is no uncommon
thing to find preCipices 1000 feet high,
from the top of which q stone may be
cast into the sea. The -fOrdg- are thus
shut in on both sides by perpendicular


walls Of rock towering up to a tremend-
GUS height, whose SUBMITS are clothed


with eternal SHOWS, or yelled in dark
clouds. All around seems dead no trace
Of life is visible. Man and all that he


produces vanish amidst the mightier
works of nature. WoOdsandthe higher
classes of the vegetable creation are
entirely wanting, and the naked rocks
are too steep for even the hardy birch or
stunted willow to fix their roots. No
sound is heard save the pillows dashing
on the CTaggy shore, no motion seen but
the cataract rushing down the rugged
cliffs. Such is the general appearance
of these fiords, and the repulsive aspect
they present; vet there does the Ice
lander choose his dwelling, unappalled
by the rocks which threaten every mo-
inert to crush him by their fall. The
island is nowhere thickly peopled, but
these frths and all their connected
valleys are more so than any other pOr-
ton. Here grassy meadows are found
in the immediate vicinity of the sea f;
and here, therefore, the natives can en- !
plOy III conjunction both those sources
Of gain which alone the severe climate |
leaves open to them. On their shores !
are the finest pastures for the cattle, !
whilst their waters are a favOrite retreat |
of the cod, the most esteemed of the !
fish caught on the coast.
Year: 1879

An amusing mistake occurred the
other night at a Mount Pleasant, Iowa,
temperance meeting. An old soldier
had signed the pledge, and was telling
his experience. He said at one time
during the late war he got possession of
two kegs of whisky, took them to camp,
put a faucet in one of the kegs, and
passed the whisky around among the
Logs until they got pretty full. About
the time the first keg was empty, he
syid, his conscience told him he was
doing wrong, but it was only a moment.


He picked up an ak and knocked the
head of the other keg in and-here he
was interrupted by the deacons starting
the cry Of amen" "Glory be to God"
"Thank God" After the house became
quiet he continued: Il knocked in the
head of that keg, gave the boys a tin
cup and told them to help themselves"
The conclusion of the story was so much
different from what was expected, that
itbrought down the house with laughter.
Year: 1879

It is not generally known, even in Cul-
tivated circles, that the amount of arabic
soil in America is greater than in Europe,
Asia and Africa put together, and can
therefore sustain more lives. This is no
rash conclusion. I speak from q scien-
tific basis; and I will show you what
that basis is: Our continent is narrow,
and therefore the winds of the ocean
water it well The mountain chains on
the east side of the American continent
are low; on the east side of the old
world, are high. From this it results
that the trade winds, laden with the
wetness Of the sea, are attracted to our
land. The breadth Of the old world and
its high eastern ranges cause the rainless
interiors of Asia and Africa. Again
America is the land of fertile plains; the
OA world of scOTched plains. Our plains
run north and south, and so attract and
receive the rains. America is high under
the equator, the old world is wide !;
hence, with us a small surface is exposed
to the scOrching sun. The result is that
the productive soil in the old world is
100000 square miles, and in the new,
100000. Thus bursts upon us all in
the hight of scientific truth, the fact that
America can sustain a greater population
than the old world; and if she can, it is
unquestiOnable that some day she will
Year: 1879

There are three great divisions of the
Indian family residing in the parts of
South America which lie south of the
Equator; but though differing in Ian
guage, customs, and manners, they all
belong to the Aryan branch, and most
probably came across in numerous mi
grations from Central Asia by the Straits
of Behring. With regard to religion,
they believe in two gods. The first is
called by some Pillau; by others, Cuch-
auciatru, or "the great god" He is sup
posed to bear tie human form, but can
make himself invisible. He is the crea-
tor of the world, and author of all that
is good. The Indians never assemble
to worship him; he is supposed to be
content with the respect given to him
in the heart of each individual. The
other god is "the spirit of evil" known
as GualichU; to him every sacrifice and
offering is made to propitiate his wicked
designs. Not only do the Pampa Indians
believe in the Immortality of the soul,
but also in the doctrine of metempsv-
Ghosts ;; hence when burying their dead,
they always sacrifice over the grave the
favOrite horse Of the dead man, and
place beneath the tumulus the warriors
arms
Year: 1879

The Mormon church looks with dis
favor on the familiarities of certain
styles of dancing, and the bishops have
sought to regulate this matter among the
young and giddier saints. At n dance
IN the Seventh ward, the other night,
says the Salt Lake Tribune, the bishop
expressed himself highly displeaSed
with round dances. He said that it was
condemned by the priesthood, and if the
saints could not get along without round
dances, they had better go home. The
young folks demonstrated with him, but
all to no purpose. IF you must waltz,
let me show YOU how to do it" said he,
and he got on the floor with a lS3 pound
blonde; the band struck up the Blue
Danube" and away they slid. Down
the hall glide the bishop and the blonde;
the tips other fingers touch his and Il cruel
cold space between them. This was the
church method-the priestly-improved
arms-length waltz. Soon there was a
slight contraction Of the arms, and the
space between them gradually decreased.
Presently one arm enCirCled the fair
form. The blonde was the first TO give
way, and her cheek looked like a sun
flower in a turnip field as it rested on
the shoulder of the man of God Round
and round went they, and the fascina-
ting, weird-like strains fOated like
heavenly music to his soul. Forgotten
was the round dance dogma of the
church, and by the calm smile that stole
across his face we knew that theology
was defeated, and one man, at least,
utterly Indifferent to a future punish
ment.
Year: 1879

On Monday some hawks took from
a barnyard 1-5 of all the chickens
and Is of a chicken more; the next
day they took I of the remainder and
I of a chicken more; the next 4 of
the number then remaining and ]
Of a chicken more; and last J Of the
remainder and ] Of a chicken more,
when there were but 20 chickens
left. How many were taken?


Bell, O. FARMS.
Year: 1879

We know nothing about the "Old
Work" or the 'New Work" Of the Odd
Fellows, but can certify to their being
good fellows, whatever their "work" may
be, as they term their ceremOnials. The
following comes to us, unvOuched for,
and it may be true or it may be not /;
we leave that for. the Odds to say, as it
makes no odds to US. Itpurports to be
the personal experience of an initiate
under the cold Work" whatever that
may be, and there really seems to be
something in it:
Year: 1879

Your inconsiderate person is always
doing some deed or making some re
mark which should not be done. If in
a crowded hall or lecture-room, where
all are anticipating an intellectual feast,
he suggested that the pillars may not be
stout enough for such a mass Of people; /;
if with a pleasure party, sailing on the
water, he hopes there will not come up
a sudden squaH; if in a steamboat he
guesses the boiler is "all right" snd if
riding through a dark woods or over
lonesome stretch of open country, with
a timid woman, he hopes there are no
highwaymen or desperadOes in that
part Of the land
Year: 1879

When a rattlesnake IS disturbed, It
sounds an alarm, and then, if compelled,
it will fight. When the victim is within
reach, the jaws of the snake are separat-
ed, and the head thrown back so as to


bring the fangs into a favorable position
to penetrate the object. The head is then
darted rapidly forward, the unsheathed
tooth penetrates the body of the victim,
and the poison is injected into the flesh.
The same muscular acts which open the
wound, inject the venom through the
duct, and into the part penetrated by the
tooth. The divergence Of the fang-pOints
when the snake bites often causes a con-
siderable distance between the two
wounds. The power with which the
venom is elected from the tooth depends
somewhat upon the amount contained
in the gland and its ducts. If the snake
fails to strike the object aimed at, the
poison is sometimes projected several
feet; and a case is on record where it
was thrown into the eyes of a man who
was six feet from the snake, when it
struck upwards at a stick held above its
cDi1
Year: 1879

''Now wait the coming of your con-
ductor," he said as he and his retinue
passed within the door.


By-and-by a huge fellow, fully five
feet three inches tall, dressed in a sheep
skin coat which hung to his heels, with
a tall cap Of the same, came up through
a trap-dOoriust in front Of me. He bore
an immense spear in his hand, the butt
of which he brought down violently on
my toe, and shouted:
Year: 1879

Now, the intelligent observer can see
at a glance, by looking at the above ia
Bile, that the sweeping charges of repeat
ing aud illegal voting made by the Re
publicaus are of the most ridiculous char
acter. The Democratic vote yesterday
was not ''large." It fell nearly 400 short
of last years vote, and nearly 100 short
of the vote cast at the city election in
1875-four years ago-although it has
no doubt naturally increased by the ac-
cession of new voters since that time.
In fact, single glance at this table will
convince any fair minded man that the
vote at Tuesdays election was only an
ordinary vote, and could not possibly
have been swelled by any such over
whelming frauds as the Republicans, in
their desperate extremity so recklessly
charge. Any fair man, in reading the
discordant howls OF the defeated Radi-


calls on yesterdays Republican,, would
suppose that the Democrats were charged
with polling at least thousand illegal
votes, while a single glance at the above
table will convince him that the vote
polled was only of ordinary extent


Just look at it for an instant. The
Republican vote fell, only 1865 short
of last years vote, which was augment
ed by the excitement of Mayoralty
canvass, while the Democratic vote was
372 short. With such figures staring
him in the face, no sane man would
think of charging the victorious party


with such Wholesale frauds. Nothing
but disordered imagination, suffering
from long-standing attack of negro
| phobia and intolerant Radicalism could
imagine such things. The people, how
ever, can judge for themselves. Let
them look at the figures above and re-
| fleet .t.t.t
Year: 1879

better class of substantial, frugal lrish
ci'izens, who owned small place in a
manufacturing village, where he resided
with his family of grown up sons and
daughters, all permanently employed
and in comfortable circumstances. The
Old man had fine garden on which he
bestowed his leisure hours, in a part of
which was fine lot of cabbages. Il
seems that the boys in the neigh 5orhood
had habit of trespassing on the old
mans garden, until he had determined
on getting rid of them by firing his gun
to frighten them away. One night hear
ing some one in his garden. he took out
his gun and getting behind the hedge,
fired into the garden, as he claims, with
out aim or seeing anyone to aim at hut
the report Of the gun alarmed the neigh
bofs, who on rushing into the garden
found the lifeless body of young clrl
shot through the heart The old m an
when told what he had done was struck
dumb. lie was arrested and sentenced
TO Imprisonment for life. He has now
been here for ten years, and his face has
become as marble; there is no hope;
nothing but the remembrance of that
dreadful night. In Ireland they have q
superstition among the young girls that
whoever in Hollowe'en shall place a
cabbage over the door viii marry the
first youngman that enters the door af.
terwards. And this n was proved was
the errand of the young girl in the old
mans garden. But instead of we'd
ding she found a grave"
Year: 1879

~ !, Zines.


.;aithough the aspect Of affairs i'm cad


allIe Is becoming gradually less harsh


us hulnors are rather rough. and con


aihue 70 SAVIOR strongly Of prnpowder


me Episcopal clergyman who was non


Piusseu, as readers may remember h,


ms BIBLE class, and who fled from m,


imaginary revolver of one of his flock


"a young gentleman well known in


society" in New York., has WELDED


Piace 10 pastor somewhat better adapt.


ed 10 the character of the particular


kihd OF sheep to be found in Ieadyille


Pastures, as the following incident will


SHOW A young woman there was dis.
I covered by her family TO be living in
I iliesltlmate relations with one of the
advanturers of the metallic town. Her
Two brothers waited upon him with re-
'olvers and Informed him that unless
nc married her Immediately they would
Immediately Y empty those utensils into
ms body. Thus allured, he yielded a
coy consent. They applied to the Epis-
copal clergyman to perform the care-
IRONY, to which he consented. The
happy pair were marched into the church
the Two armed brothers attending as a
guard OF honor. During the ceremony.
the happy bridegroom, becoming dis
satisfied with some performance of the
clergyman, fired his revolver at the di-
vine, but as he missed his shot the bull
let only whizzing past the reverend gem
ueman's ear, the latter continued the
discharge of his sacred function until
the twain were one flesh. Thereupon,
IN order that all things might be done in
the best style and according to the old
fashioned rule, he stepped forward and
kissed the bride. AT this the Jealous
bridegroom was wroth and smote him.
Whereupon the Rev. Church militant,
he being a brawny priest of some six
feet in height, sprang over the chancel
railing, and seizing the newly made hus-
band by the back of the neck gave him,
under cover Of the pistols Of the newly
made brothcrs-in-law, such Il dreadful
drubbing that he will remember it as
long as he lives This closed the mar
riage solemnities sympathy with the
natural feelings Of the brothers can not
bind us TO the doubtfulness Of their pro-
cecdings as a guarantee Of the happiness
of their sister. An enforced marriage is
n desperate and perilous remedy for
wrong-perilous chiefly TO the women.
A bad man forced to take a wife at the
mouth of the pistol will surely lead her
a life OF misery. Nor is her respect, nor
even her love for her husband. OF her
chance of quiet family life, likely TO be
much increased by seeing him beaten
before her eyes at the close of the nup-
tial ceremony. Moreover, the gentleman
would seem not to be very much mar
ried after all. Free consent is the sine
gia non of legal marriage, and a mar
riage under duress is as void as a mar
riage procured by fraud. If the recent
decision of the case Of Aspinwall against
Frame is of any authority, this Leadyille
lady aEd gentleman may each walk of
and marry other PARTIES at their pleas
lrp