smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1867

There Is spot to me more dear


Than native vale or mountain
A spot for which affections tear


Springs grateful from its fountain.
'Tis not where kindred souls abound,
Though that is almost heaven
But where first my Savior found


And felt my sins forgiven.
Hard was my toll to reach the shore,
Long tossed upon the ocean,
Above me was the thunders roar,


Beneath the waves commotion,
Darkly the pail of night was thrown
Around me, faint with terror;
In that dark hour how did my groan
Ascend for years of error.
Singing and painting as for breath,


knew not help was near me
cried, Oh! save me Lord, from death +!
immortal Jesus, hear me.
Then quick as thought felt him mine
My Savior stood before me!
L saw his brightness round me shine,
And shouted Glory! Glory
o! sacred hour! O.! hallowed spot!
Where love divine first found me,
Wherever falls my distant lot,


My heart shall linger round thee!
And when from earth l rise to soar


Up to my home in Heaven,
Down will cast my eyes once more
Where 1 was first forgiven.
Year: 1867

that change of scene would bring
peace to my wife.


1t was not so Go where we would
the ghost of Andre de Brissac follow
ed US. To my eyes that fatal shad-
ow never revealed itself. That would
hove been too poor vengeance. 1t
was my wife's innocent heart which
Andre made the instrument ofihis re.
venge. The unholy presence des-
troyed her life. My constant COM
panionship could not shield her from
the horrible intruder. In vain did |
watch her in vain did l strive to
comfort her.


"He will not let me be at peace" I"
she said 4: che comes between us,
Hector He is standing between US
now. | can see his face with the
red mark upon it palmer than | see
yours"


One fair, moonlight nigh, when we
were together in mountain village
in the Tyrol, my wife cast herself at
at my feet, and told me she was the
worst and vilest of woman.


al have confessed all to my direct
Or" she said "from the first l have
not hidden my sin from Heaven. But
l feel that death is near me F.; and be-
fore | die / would fain reveal my sin
to you"


What sin, my sweet one 7"


When first the stranger came to
me in the forest his presence bewil-
dered and distressed me, and | shrank
from him as from something STANCE
and terrible. He came again and
again; by-and-by found myself
thinking of him and watching for
his coming. His image haunted me
perpetuaily strove in vain to shut
his face out of my mind. Then fol-
lowed an interval in which | did not
see him I; and, to my shame and an
guish, found that life seemed dreary
and desolate without him. After
that came the time in which he haunt
ed the pleasaunce and-oh, Hector,
kill me if you will, for l deserve no
mercy at your hands II grew in
those days to count the hours that
must elapse before his coming, to
take no pleasure save in the sight of
that pale face with the red brand
upon it. He plucked all old, familiar
joys out of my heart, and left in it
but one weird, unholy pleasure-the
delight of his presence For a year
| have lived but to see him. And
now curse me, Hector, for this is my
sin. Whether it comes of the base
ness of my own heart, or is the work
of witchcraft. l know not but l
know that l have striven against
this wickedness in vain"


| took my wife to my breast and
forgave her In sooth, what had l
to forgive? Was the fatality that
overshadowed us any work of hers ?
On the next night she died, with her
hand in mine and at the very last
she told me, sobbing and affrighted,
that he was by her side
Year: 1867

QUARRELING.-If anything in the
world will make man feel badly,ex-
cept irching his fingers in the crack
of a door,it is unquestionably quar-
rel. No man ever fails to think less
of himself after it than before. 1t de-
grades him in the eyes Of others, and,
what is worse, blunts his sensibilities
on the one hand, and increases the
power of passionate irritability on
the other. The truth is, the more
peaceably and quietly we get on, the
better for our neighbors. In nine Ca
ses out of ten, the better course is, if
"a man cheats you, cease to deal with
him if he is abusive, quit his COM
pany f.; and if he ISLANDERS you, take
care to live so that nobody will be-
lieve him. No matter who he is, or
how he misuses you, the wisest way
is to let him alone for there is moth
ing better than this cool, calm, and
quiet way of dealing with the wrongs
we meet with.


SoRRow.--Sorrow sobers us, and
makes the mind genial And in sor.
row we love and trust our friends
more tenderly, and the dead become
dearer to us. And just as the stars
shine out in the night, so there are
blessed faces that look at us in our
grief, though before their features
were fading from our recollection
Suffering Let no man dread it toe
much, because it is good for him, and
it will help to make him sure of his
being immortal. 1t is not in the
bright, happy day, but only in the
solemn night, that other worlds are
to be seen shining in their long, long
distances. And it is in sorrow-tha
night of the soul--that we see farth
est, and know ourselves natives o
finity and SONS and daughters of tn
Most High.
Year: 1867

JOHN MINOR BORIS has written letter
under date of March 7th, to a prominent
Congressman, in which he states that the
rebel Legislature of Virginia will fix the
FIRST Tuesday in May for Convention that
the rebel forces are thoroughly organized
and will certainly control the Convention
unless registration law and provisions for
voting by ballot, are provided at the pres
ent session of Congress. He says not one
fifth of the colored people are aware OF thcir
right to vote at the ensuing election. He
and the Union people implore Congress not
to adjourn before providing the legislation
suggested.
Year: 1867

PRAcTIcAL JoKrNe.--We had no idea
they had such wags away up in Wiscon-
sin. The following anecdote we pick
up as an estray:


"Joe and Commodore Rogers, brother
blacksmiths, Whitewater, Wisconsin,
have a great reputation for being prac-
tical jokers. Last summer Joe bought
an old fashioned churn, for manufactur-
ing their own butter, and and as the
Commodore was widower and lived
with Joe all such work as churn ing
naturally fell to him. One day after
supper, the first chnrning was got ready,
and the Commodore was first invited
to churn.


Hold on says he. till I go down
town and get some tobacco


He went, and while gone, Joe done
the churning, took out the butter and
left the buttermilk in the churn. The
Commodore returned, looking at the
churn he took off his coat and says


Wal, Old churn, it's you and |, and
hers for yer and he commenced bis
labor.


After churning couple Of hours he
remarked that he guessed it would be
cheaper to buy butter than to make it.


Il think 80 too, said Joe, If you are
going TO churn it out Of buttermilki .


A few days after that churning pro
cess, Joe put one end Of small bar Of
iron into his forge-6re, gave the bellows
three or four pounds, and stepped into
the back shop. While gone the Com
mod0re heated the iron to black heat
/ then changed ends with 1t and then
stepped out the back door to watch the
progress. In came Joe, took up the
iron, but dropped instantly. holding uE
his burnnd hand, and roaring with
pain.


Put on some buttermilk, Joe--iti
good for q burn Z said the Commodore
Is be made 8 mastery retreat amid I
shower Of boquets composed Of ham
mers, coal coal and horss shoes
Year: 1867

The OLD Arm CHAIR The American
rocking chair is philosophically an a.
domination, but certainly comforta-
bic thing ''to have in the house" Here
is what Rev. H. w. Beeeher says about
it in Norwood:


"But if once you sat down in it the
illusory notion OF luxury vanished. 1t
was wooden throughout Only il some
one was sick in the house there was O
cushion in it Its joints by long use
had formed complaining habit, and
you might in any part Of the house
know whether the rocking chair was in
active use. We are obliged to say that
it was a treacherous chair. The rock
ers had been curved to such lines, that
il you ventured beyond very gentle
motion the chair would give backward
lurch, as If going over, and there are
few things more unsatisfactory to q So
ber minded person, careful of appear
ances, than to be carried over backward
in the midst OF quiet conversation
II is true that the chair never did &c
over. The shape of the rocker is such,
that when the victim had spread his
arms and Hirted bis legs into the air, in
an involuntary effort TO equilib-
rum, the chair stopped and set itsell
I firmly, Is If it bad been blocked, return.
ing again to its normal state only upon
violent effort Of iis occupant The
neighbors wsre well aware Of this pro-
pensity and avoided the chair. Stran.
gers usually had az experience with it
The good doctor or his wife, for ths
hundrcdth time. .reassuFing them. Don
be alarmed. t. wont so owe. / neyel
IDew anybody TO fall"
Year: 1867

FoLLow rHE RIaHT.-No matter who
you are, what your Iot, or where You
live You cannot afford to do that
which is wrong The only way to obtain
happiness for Yourself, is to do the right
thing. You NAV not always bit The
mark; but yon should nevertheless. aim
for it, and with every trial your skill
will increase Whether you are 10 be
praised or blamed for it by others;
whether il Will seemingly make you
richer or poorer. on whether no other
person than yourself knows Of your ae-
ton; still. always In all cases. do ust
rylhs ihiay Your FIRST lessons in thin
rule will sometimes seem hard ones, bui
they will grow easier and easier, until
finally, doing the right thing viii be-
come habit. and 10 do the wrong viii
seem an impossibilty.
Year: 1867

WITHouT An LSnY Heaven help the
man who thinks he can dodge enemies
by trying to please everybody. II such
ever succeed we should be glad Of it.
not that we believe in man going
through the world trying to find beams
to knock his head against, disputing ev-
cry mans opinions, lighting and crowd
ing and elbowing all who differ with
him. TLat, again, is another extreme
Other people have right to their opin-
ions, 80 have you. Don't fall into the
error of supposing that they viii respect
you less for maintaining it, or respect
you more for turning your coat every
day to match theirs. Wear your own
colors, in spite Of the wind and weather
storms and sunshine. 1t costs the vac
illating and irresolute ten times the
trouble to wind and scufile and twist
that it does minly Independence to
stand its ground.
Year: 1867

Some Of our contemporaries are airing


their voeabularies' with denunciations of


the practice of spit, spit, splitting. which


is so rife in this country among smokers,


chewers and snuffers. especially in the


West. The subject is not a very digni


fed one. but we recollect that Henry


Ward Beecher did not disdain some


years ago to take up the cudgels against


the practice. and even to denounce it


from the pulpit Willis Gaylord Clark,


too, wrote one of his best essays on


American Ptyalism' We Americans,


have often provoked the sarcasms of for
eigners by this habit, and spit as we


may at the exagerations Of travelling


cockneys and cosmopolitan old women,


it must be owned that we are notoriously
the most salivating nation on the globe
Whether the corporeal juices are more
abundant in the Yankee than in other
persons we know not, but at any rate the


practice is most filthy one, and we
wonder that gentleman who are scrupu-
lously neat and cleanly in other respects
should addict themselves to it. 1t is
perhaps hopeless to look for a reforma-
tion so long as the Virginia weed retains
its despotism over the nation 1t is
enough, however, to make aNestor him
self show his teeth i the way of smile.'
to hear the many eloquent declamations


on woman's influence, especially On the
profound homage shown to her in this


country, considering that with all her
charms, she cannot rescue man from the
witchery of tobacco. Think of man 8
pretending to love his wife, who com
pels her whenever she would kiss him,


to bring her chaste, porting lips, like
two young rose leaves torn, in contact


with what by courtesy is called the mouth


of man, but which. in reality, is moth
ing better thsn a damp tobacco box p
| EChicago Tribune.
Year: 1867

It is a somewhat remarkable coinci-
dence that Just at the time when the right
Of suffrage has been conferred upon the
freedmen of the South, the negroes of
the most important of the British West
India possessions should have been sum-
marily deprived of that right. We allude
to the island Of Jamaica, where the rep
resentatiyc system of government has
been recently abolished, and a Council,
composed of officials and a few nominees
of the Crown, substituted for the former
Legislature. The circumstances under
which the Legislature was abolished form
. curious page in the history of the is
land, and one as instructive as it is GU
rious. From the period of its settle
ment as an English colony, two hundred
years ago, till within the last twelve
months, Jamaica enjoyed representative
institutions, and and many were the bat
ties fought in the earlier days of the
colony by the House of Assembly with
the Crown for the preservation and de-
fence of popular rights against the at
tempted encroachments of prerogative.
In those conflicts the House always came
off victorious the consequence of which
was that the Jamaica Assembly enjoyed
remarkable degree of freedom and in





when the doctrine of local self govern
ment, as applied to the colonies, had not
even been dreamed of by the statesmen
Of the mother country, That body like
this should deliberately commit political
suicide-for such was in fact the nature
of the act by which its existence was
ended-might appear unaccountable; but
brief explanation will show that there


ill ~,
event.


the British West Indies; simultaneously
blacks, the question OF investing them
with political rights was mooted Unlike
the way, however, in which the matter
has been dealt with here, the settlement
Of the question there was unfortunately
left to the planters, who at the time flied
almost every seat in the Assembly, the
Imperial Government contenting itself
with 40. expression of its desire that the
freedmen should be enfranchised with
the least possible delay. Accordingly,
shortly after the emancipation, a new
electoral law was passed by the Jamaica
Legislature giving the suffrage to the
blacks, but the terms were such as rem
defed the concession all but valueless to
those whom the measure was ostensibly
| intended to benefit. The exercise of the
franchise was made conditional on the
possession in fee simple Of real property
| and the payment of q certain amount OF
direct taxes How this would operate in
the case of a people just liberated IRON
slavery, and who. as slaves, had been for


hidden by law to hold property, may


easily be imagined The thing was in
fact = mockery and q delusion But,


seot.ary to what had been expected, time
and industry gradually improved the
worldly circumstances OF the late slaves.
A years passed on they acquired lands


they bailt houses and purchased stock
Year: 1867

A '.PEPrkRr' YARS.I went to the
Legislature last year, said Georgian.
Well, went to Augusta and took din
ner at tavern Right beside me sat q
member from one OF the back towns that
had never taken dinner before at q tav-
ern in his life Before his plate was q
dish of peppers, aaa he kept looking at
them. Finally As the waters were very
slow bringing On things, he up with his
fork and soused one into his mouth. As
he brought his grinders down on it the
tears came into his eyes At last spit
ting the pepper into his hand, he laid il
down by the side of his plate, and with
voice that set the whole table in roar
exclaimed, s.Just lie there and COOL
Year: 1867

"Perley" the Washington correspondent
Of the Boston Journal, in his letter Of the
5th inst, speaks right out in meeting
against the caucus system" All parties
have adopted this method of getting men
and measures before the people, and SC
completely welded is party and party
leaders to this mode Of carrying forward
party purposes and efiecting party ends
that the caucus has become a despotism
most grievious to be borne, and II is high
time it were repudiated by the people.


"Perley" says:


"The exciting debate Of this afternoon
in the Senate, while It has revealed some
Of the family secrets Of the Republican
party, cannot but be productive OF great
good, by calling attention TO that gigantic
political evil, the caucus system. have
been o close observer Of our national leg
islation during over quarter Of century,
and when asked what is the cause of its
unmistakable decadencc, my reply is,
King Caucus 1t is through his power.
ful sway that so many ignorant and mean,
and bad and worst of alD available
negative men get into the Capitol, and
once here they use the caucus power to
restrain and fetter those who would other
wise be leaders fully equal to Webster, or
Calhoun, or Clay. Political independence
and freedom Of discussion are msnacled,
and those vital principles Of American
freedom arc held captives by the wire
working managers OF political opinion
thus converted into farce"
Year: 1867

ACCOMPLISHED THE FEAT.-The arrival
of the little raft Nonpareil at Southamp-
ton, Eng, on Friday last, after a passage
of ffty-two days from this port, will be
hailed with astonishment as well as graft
fcation by thousands Of persons. Who
could look at that frail composition, for it
was not vessel in any sense, and conceive
of its passage in security across the wide
Atlantic? What becomes of the heroism
of a yacht voyage to Europe after this p
What becomes Of the marvellous trip of
the miniature ship 'Red, White and Blue?'
Their feats sink out of sight in view Of
such cruise on board of such craft-a
few boards nailed together, as it were, to
some logs-a craft without even a cabin to
retreat to for sleep at night or tempestu-
Gus weather! The Nonpareil, thoug gh she
has made tardy progress, experienced no
mishap, and her captain, as well as her
crew of two men, landed on q European
shore in safety, health and good spirits
Truly, as Sam Patch once said "some
things can be done as well as Others"
Year: 1867

ANoTHER LEcTURE.-We are shortly to
have Lecture, we understand, by the Rev.
G. d. Shaw of the Central Church, to be
given under the auspices Of the Young Mems
Christian Association. We are glad of this.
We have home talent and should foster and
sustain it. We trust that such will be the
case in this instance. Mr.. Shaw's flueucy
as Il speaker, his frank and generous nature,
lns freedom from all mere UNCONVENTIONAL
prejudice and his unselfsh conservation Of
his best energies TO the cause OF religion and
sound morality at all times and upon all oc
casiOns, demand inr him cordial reception
and full audience upon the occasion of his
debut IN this community in the capacity of
Lecturer, His lecture will not be given
for the purpose of putting money in his own
purse. 1t is a voluntary aud free offering
OF his services to a cause that must com
mend itself to every good man and woman
in the land-the propagation of religion and
religious influences through the medium
of Sabbath Schools and Mission houses, il
our community. Every denomination il
interested in the success OF so laudable al
enterprise, and we feel sure, therefore, tina
our church-going friends of all persuasion


will so decide by greeting Mr.. Shaw with


full house upon the occasion alluded to


We expect to be able 10 announce defnitel
the time and subject of the Lecture in


future number.
Year: 1867

We are happy in being able to report that the
project to erect Skating Park in thiscity, which
merits the support of all the lovers of good
amusement and Of physical exercise. is progress.
ing favorably. 1t is proposed to occupy the Shah.
bona base ball ground, east Of Fox river, by en-.
closing it with tight board fence eight feet
high, and building house for convenience and
comfort in taking off and putting on skates, &c.


The park i. to be supplied with water by lay.
ing pipe from the outlet of the side cut near
Woods mill across the river TO the ground and
keeping it running all the time, which will in-
sure an unfaling supply of water


1t proposed to raise the amount required, by
taking subscription for season tickets, admit
ting lady and gentleman, at five dollars each-
The sum necessary TO perfect the arrangement
and get it in complete working ordes is 200
dollars, four hundred of which has already been
subscribed. If there is sufficient number of
persons interested to take tickets TO make up the
remaining three hundred dollars, it will be built
Immediately. A careful estimate has been made
by practical and the plan considered feasible
Year: 1867

MEssRs. EDITORS Our city fathers are at a
loss and "floundering' about, it seems. to adopt
the best method of furnishing water for fire en-
.ine purpose. If they will but work upon the
principle that " city governments, IN tier pa6lic
improvements. should estaJlish system uih pieao
IN pormGnency, durability aad future Demands
they will have no trouble in the matter, save
them. 1t appears from the published proceed
ings of the council, that they have been dibbling
along with project of 800 or 400 barrel cisterns
to be connected with the canal, with stone pipe
Of 6 inch diameter. Our city is onward in its
growth, though slow it may be, and the city
fathers should take this fact into consideration
when delberating upon the case, and they will
see, not many years hence, steam fire engine
power will have to be depended upon for the
protection of property from fire. If this be the
case, which probably none will deny, then the
present proposed cistern arrangement, like the
'swing bridge" over the side cut, will be useless
1t may and probably will cost something more
to establish it, but upon the hypothesis we have
mentioned, the demand for facilities arising from
the growth of the city, it will be the cheapest in
the end to construct these works, while it is be-
ing DONE with eye to that growth. Suppose
few years hence, the city should attain growth
as some have predicted, the present fire depart
luent will have to be remodeled, and the use OF
steamer resorted to two at least, perhaps
rnore will be necessary for efficient work if this
be So then the question arises, will this six inch
feeding pipe be sufficient? If not, and the pres
ent system before the council should be estab-
lisied. what will be the result? The old work
with it. COST will be laid aside and an enlarged
capacity established. If then, these premises be
correct, why not adopt the plan that will save
money in the end and provide for supply Of
water that will be ample for future purpose?


PHENIX, Vi
Year: 1867

The artesian we'll in the court house yard has
attained the depth of about 3G2 feet. The lime
stone rock was passed at depth Of about $50,
the drill then passing into sandstone, and soon
afterwards the water began rapidly to rise, and
at 2s2 feet commenced flowing over the top of
the well. The stream is now rapidly increasing,
as the sandstone formation is penetrated and last
evening was quite brook, filling all the low
places ON the north side of the square, and find
ing an outlet down the gutter to Fox River
The water is very pure and soft, and cool as a
mountain spring. The enemies of the cold
water army can no longer make the excuse in
Ottawa that the water here is not pure and needs
a little mixing TO make it innoxious
Year: 1867

ARMY CLOTHING, at about half the ordinary
tailors price Of making up such clothing, has
been going off SO rapidly at Ed. Armstrong s
during the week as to keep about one active
clerk on the jump. He has still large stock,
but at the present rate he is selling it, it were
better to hurry up if you want to get any Of it.
Year: 1867

We call special attention to the advertisement
of Messrs. Edmondson Il Clark, Opticians, which
we publish in another column and ask for it
careful perusal. Messrs, Edmondson & Clark
have had much experience as Opticians and have
had wonderful success. We speak from expert
ence of their qualification in the business, and
confidently recommend them to all who wish to
get spectacles that will not cause pain in the
eyes-Ralamaz00 Gazette.