smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

One time there was good old man
living in Detroit. His back was bent,
his step was slow, and men who gazed
upon his snowy locks and wrinkled
face whispered to each other =


HE is a good old man who has not
long to live"


The old man had been well off in his
day. but when he found himself on the
shady side of life, wife dead and home
broken up, he said to his only son:-


'Here, William, take all have, and
let your home be my home until L die"
The son took the papers-yOu bet he
did ! and the father WIS given cozy
corner, big-chair, and a corn-cOb pipe.
All went well for year or so, and then
the son and the sons wife began to
make it uncomfortable for the nice old
man in the corner. They threw out
hints, deprived him of his comforts,
and, one cold day in winter, he was
told that he had better go to Halifax
Nova Scotia.


The old mans heart was sore as he
went out into the world to battle
against hunger and cold, and when
night came he covered in door way
and wept like a child.


"Who is making that chin-music up
there !" called reporter, whose steps
had been arrested by sobs, and he
went up the steps, patted the old man
on the head, and by and by the story
was told.


"Come down to the station with me,
said the reporter, taking the old mani,
arm. "Your son is first cousin to the
man who preferred buzzard to lamb
and I'll help You fix him !"


Next morning, one of the daily pa
pers contained an item to the effect
that an old gentleman named Good
heart had been found wandering in the
streets at night, and that when talleI
to the station $4,000 worth of Unite,
States bonds were found on him. Th'
old man read it over three times
slapped his leg as he saw the point, an,
beautiful smile covered his face ant
climbed up through his hair. In abou
an hour his son William rushed int,
the station aud cried ont =
J ''Father, dear father, come home
All of us were crying all night long
Year: 1877

A KENNEBEC JoKER.-The Gardiner
Journal says there is an inveterate
practical Joker, who sometimes comes
down the river on business, and inva-
riably when he comes, some of the boys
are to be sold. Not long since he came
to Bath with an india-rubber rat in his
pocket. Going into one of the hotels
there, he soon found n chance to depOs-
it his rat in the office:


you're troubled with rats, here,
jerry" he innocently said to the land
lord.


"No," said Jerry, and then in great
surprise his eye caught sight of the an
imal apparently just ready to slip
away.


"Keep quiet" said Jerry, ''and II fix
him )" and he stepped off down stairs.


While he was gone, the rat was car
ried across the room and placed on a
box under the table. Soon Jerry re-
turned with four foot stick, and down
crept slyly up to the unsuspecting vic
tim. He fetched him a whack across
his back which bounced the rubber rat
into the air, and as he came down Jer-
ry gave him another whack which sent
it across the floor.


With an air of triumph he said as he
rose: "There's your rat ~


just then boy came in and picked
it up.


'Ts he dead ?" asked Jerry.


''Dead !" said the boy with a grin,
''yOu've knocked Il hole right through
the rubber" and then and there was
laughing that took good deal of liquid
to wash it out.


Another of his victims in Bath was a
clothing dealer who fired revolver at
the rat, and put bullet right through
silk hat.
Year: 1877

and my wife is now lying in comatose
state on your account ~


The old man went home with him,
winking at the lamp-pOsts and smiling
as he turned the corners. He had all
his comforts back, and the son bought
him a costly pipe and pair of box-tOed
boots that very day.


Well, as time went on, the son VEN
tured to suggest that the bonds had
better be turned over to him, and every
time he said ''bOnds" the old man
would smile and turn the subject to
patent milk-cans or the necessity of
counterfeters taking more pains with
their lead nickels. The other day, the
father went to bed to die, and he smiled
oftener than before as he lay waiting
for the summons. The son said his
heart was breaking, and then went
through the old mans clothes to find
the bonds. He didn't find any. He
searched the barn, and the garret, and
the cellar, and finally, when he saw
that death was very near, he leaned
over the bed and whispered =


"Father, do you know me-"


''Oh, Yes-I know you like book" J"
replied the dying man.


"And, father, don't you see that this
thing is almost killing me ?"'


"Yes, William, see it."


"And, father-those-t -those-bonds,
you know suppose you want them
used to purchase you a monument ?"


Correct, William" whispered the
father, winking CHASTITY wink, and as
that same old smile covered his face
death came to take him to a better
home.


When evening fell and the son and
the sons wife were wildly searching
the straw bed to get their hands Oh the
bonds, reporter stood under the gas
lamp across the street, and with his
thumb on his nose he sweetly called
out =


"Sold ag'in and got the tin-next
filial son step forward p
Year: 1877

and being unable to obtain bondsmen was
placed in the calaboose.


No one seems to be surprised at this.
1t is but natural consequence of the
stheistic training of his father A boy,
reared under the influence of man who
holds nothing sacred and SCOTS at the
idea of morality, virtue and honesty. if he
be not invuiuerable, will have very little
honor. and nothing too bad can be imag-
ined for him to do.


1t should have been stated above that the
post office box was broken by Charles
Deere, accidentally, and not by the boy.
Year: 1877

A National bank in New York of large
circulation has three times within a few
weeks gone through the following opera


tions with the Treasury: 1t has delivered
its circulation one day and received its
bond, and the next it has presented its
bond and asked to increase its circulation
The Secretary has been obliged each time
to cancel SO per cent. of the amonnt in
greenbacks. The operations were on a
very considerable scale, $1,00o,0OO in
bonds each time. An attempt is being
made to induce other banks to join in
such efforts to make legal-tenders scarce
Year: 1877

IT is claimed that the thirty millions
ofthe sinking hind can annually be look
ed up in legal tenders and retired with
out power to reissue. In the items of the
sinking fund and ffactIcpal c1rrency
laws forty-eight millions of legal tender
can be retired annually without the pow
er to reissue except by special legislation
There is no authority for saying tha Sec
retary Sherman contemplates acting on
such construction Of the law, but IL is
certain that some Of the most jealous
friends of the present policy ofthe Treas.
ury are pressing it upon him.
Year: 1877

aThe foregoing are facts well authentica
ted in washington, but Notwithstanding
this, that "intelligent" evening coJempor
ary, the GAZETTE, will, in all probability
be rushing forward with an apology Tor its
friends. Republican. sTg-.i. .rf"' e.


Well, our neighbor seems to display Its
ignorance more fully than ever. 1t
should know that the government Off
GERS in the South received their appoint
ments from Grant; that they are Radi-
calls, many Of them ignorant negroes, and
therefore not likely to be friends Of the
GAZETTE. Why then does that paper
copy articles into its editorial columns,
stating what it calls facts in regard to the
quarrels of the several factions of the
Republicans about the distribution of the
offices, and say we will excuse. their bad
conduct? In fact we see that what the
Republican says are facts are not suffi-
ciently convincing to the authorities in
Washington aud that a messenger has
been sent South to ascertain the truth.
If the Republicans who hold the post
offices at Clinton and st. Francisville
will not surrender them to their "negro
brethren who have just been commits
stoned by Mr.. Hayes, it only proves that
the Radical party is being disintegrated
by the very means by which its leaders
hoped to cement it, and that the talk of
equality of the negro and whites is all
sham in the Republican party. That
whenever the negro refuses to be step
ping stone from whose back the Radicals
fail to leap into power, he is discarded as
so much old rubbish for which there is
no further use. The same thing is show
ing itself here in our owp midst. Why
does the Republican take up the cause of
the negro away down South while it
turns deaf ear to his humble efforts
here to get equal to his white allies? 1t
is a little curious that so little is done for
the negro here by the Republicans while
so much is exacted for him in warmer
climate a few miles south.
Year: 1877

SILVER FOR LEGAL TENDER.-We
are gratified to learn that Secretary Sher-
man is in favor of making silver legal
tender. Another discovery seems to have
been made that must be gratifying to all
but few bondholders; that is that the
new and a per cent. bonds are re-
deemable in silver as we'll as gold. The
act authorizing their issue provides for
their payment in the gold or silver coin
of the United States, and these word.
are printed on the face of the bonds.
Year: 1877

RUBBING IT IN.-The Philadelphia
Times gives vent to the following display
of want Of courtesy. Perhaps it is the
only way some OF the pets of Grant and
Conkling can find to ayenge themselves
for not being allowed to continue to plum
der the treasury for official services not
performed. Of course such paragraphs
are not permitted to get before the eye of
the President. His companions are eau
tious enough not to allow any but such
journals as are favorable to his admins
tration to go to the White House. How
ever, that paper says ''Some of the
clerks in the New York custom house
are getting just too impudent for any
thing. A letter is reported to have been
received at Washington from one OF
them, in which he states that he had paid
fifty dollars for the Republican campaign
fund, and when the dispute arose as to
who was elected he was assessed ten per
cent. of his salary for the whole year. He
says: 4 think the first $50 went legiti-
mately for campaign purposes, but the
last $l40 was used undoubtedly to help
to steal an office for Presidential candi-
date who never was elected" There
will have to be an investigation to ascer
tain whether this is nation or league
Well, If the Democrats get majority in
both Houses of Congress there should be
an investigation that might result in tn,
President-elect being installed.
Year: 1877

THE South Carolina Legislature has
gone, but not without leaving a rod il
pickle for Patterson. 1t is proposed to
find out whether he bought his seat in the
Senate. Patterson will mourn afresh
over the perfidy that abandoned the pool
negro to his fate,
Year: 1877

Senator jones of Nevada wants a pare
money amendment to the constitution
His delusion is a terrible warning to
the well meaning people who are losing
their wits on the silver question. Mr.
Jones has q silver mine of hls own, and
yet he is not happy without a paper
mill too.
Year: 1877

The following statement shows the mum,
Der of marriage licenses that were issued
from the clerks Office OF the Hustlnss
Court and from the clerks office OF the Hen
rico County Court during the past year.
The curious may see in which: month the
most marrying was done:
Year: 1877

Grand total, 279-being SO more than at tie same
date last year.


During the year nine white and tive
colored children have been adopted-six
white by ladies to be raised as their own chill
dren; three white by the Female Humane
ASYLUM; one colored adopted by aunt TO
be raised as her own child four colored by
the Colored Orphan Asylum.
Year: 1877

Ba~Don't fail to hear Prof. Richards
lecture tonight. Help the schools and
benefit yourself.


Ea Bourne's restaurant has undergone
some Improvement and presents an invlt-
ing appearance.


Ba~SOme changes are on the tapis for
next Monday that will surprise certain
parties Immensely.


BsyATo day is the last of the winter
will begin Monday April End,


@The Mendelssohn concert, last
night was not patronized as it deserved
to be, but the performance was all that
lovers Of music could wish.


B9Two tramps, who had been up for
the third time for vagrancy, were this
morning set to work for the street sup,
eriDtendent. Shoveling snow, however,
did not exactly suit them, SO as soon as
the officer was out of sight they skipped.


Bg~John Griffin, a coal hauler from
Coal ALLEY, came into town yesterday
afternoon, took on board few drinks, and
about nine o'clock brought up at the
Phoenix house, where he concluded TO put
up lUT Tue Uipul ne IOUk Uu HIS coat d0C
hung it en- hook beside several other
coats and walked up to the clerk and asked
if he could get lodging for the night. Ht
was answered in the negative aud directed
to another house, whereupon he put on
coat and went out. A few moments afte
this occurrence Godfrey Tubah, one of tht
boarders, wanted to use his coat but coult
not find it, but an old ragged one wa
found Which no one in the house claimed
consequently suspicion was at once directed
to Griffin, he being the only stranger seel
in the cfhce, and search was at one
instituted for him, He was found q
Bournes restaurant, where he had engage
lodging, and was already in bed. The Goa
was found with him, and he was taken I
the calaboose by Officer Corney. Th
morning he was brought before Magstrat
Swander and al examination had. II
dld not attempt to deny taking the Goa


but said that he was little drunk an
thought it was his own The fact that h
did not take flight, or try to secrete tt


garment was the only thing in his favor az


gave some color Of truth to his story A


though IN strict justice. he deserved to
: bound over, the court felt shadow


doubt as to his intentions and allowed hi
to 60, warning him not to be up on such


charge again.
Year: 1877

ROME. March pa circular to the
bishops has been issued from the Vatican.
counselling patience and abstination from
provocation during the expected period of
increased persecution. During the last
few days the Pope has been somewhat
indisposed but there is no immediate
cause for alarm. he was carried from his
room to hold the consistary of Tuesday
and received one ambassador the day
before. With this exception all audiences
have been suspended 1t is stated that
the Pope still entertains the idea Of reas-
sembling the Vatican Council He has
caused a new set of queries tO
be submitted TO all the cardinals SC
that they may decide ii delay in solving
some of the questions which the previous
council left undetermined be not calculated
to injure the church. 1t is said if the
cardinals reply is in the affirmative the
council will reopen in November,
Year: 1877

port by the people next Wednesday. In
this we are actuated by no partisan feel
ing but simply for the reason that we
believe the administration of county af-
fairs will be conducted more to the public
satisfaction than will be the case if the
Democratic nominees are successful. We
have nothing to say derogatory to the per-
sonal character of the various gentlemen
who were placed in nomination by the
Democratic Convention. They are all old
citizens and cstimable gentlemen. But
we submit to the candid judgment Of the
people that the interests Of the county
would be better served by the election of
their Republican opponents. And if the
people believe this to be the case they
should throw personal and political feel
ing aside and secure their election.
Year: 1877

The CoHYESTIoN.-TLe Bee gives as
reason for holding a Constitutional
Convention the fact that Governor lr-
win makes no mention Of the proposed
amendments in his proclamation, and ar
CUES therefore that the amendments are
lost. Oar usually correct contemporary
is mistaken in this instance. A similar
case arose in 1877, when no law was pass
cd for submitting the amendments to the
popular vote, but the necessary law was
passed in 1869 and that portion of the
constitution prohibiting the State from
making payment Of money for any pc
riod longer than two years adopted.
Year: 1877

AND now the report is that Brigham
Young is dying. We are sorry to hear
it, for we hoped the old scoundrel would
live until hung for his participation in the
Mountain Meadows massacre. Bu! If it
is true won't there be cater waulng
among those "fve and forty wives ?"
Year: 1877

Elsewhere in to.day's DEMOCRAT will be found call of Vice Presi- dent Perry, made in pursuance of Sec. l, of Art. 5, of the Constitu- tion of the State Society, for a meeting at this place, on the 24th inst, for the purpose of effecting a county organization. This is a matter which appeals at once to the public spirit of every citizen of our county and we hope to see the people take hold of 1t in earn est and in good faith. The bless ings which will come to us from healthy immigration are too plain and apparent to need ex- plaining. The excitement and turmoil of the election and inaug- uration is now over, and it be. hooves us to now turn our atten

 tioh to the more pleasant and fal more profitable employment oi looking after our own best inter ests. For the past year every

 thing has been unsettled and un' certain, and it has been useless for us to try to do anything iol the development and upbnildina
Year: 1877

Are the days of tribulation and

 suffering over for these two unfor-

 tunate, shamefully oppressed

 States? May they now rise up after a scourge of long years of the most infamous abuse that has ever been heaped upon a people, and assume q position in the gal axy of States composing this American Union, even and co

 equal with their sister States? Is the patient forbearance and the good behavior of the citizens of those two States now be rewarded by a free recognition of their loy- alty, their patriotism and their rights as American citizens? Are the shackles which were fastened upon these people by a horde of booty-hunters and conscienceless political adventurers, who were placed in power by the uncertain chances of war, now about to be stricken from their weary limbs and the sweets of liberty again to be restored to them? Is South Carolina and Louisiana to be once more elevated to the position of States in a great Republic, or are they to be still kept in the attitude of subjugated provinces prey to thieves and a curse to the country? Have not the most remorseless and bitter enemies ci those suffering States seen enough of their agony to satiate theil vengeful ire? Has not justice been deferred yet long enough God grant that their day of deliv- erance is at last here; and forbid that they should again be remand

 ed to condition of servility and degradation. We hope and trust that even as oui own State has been forever freed from the clutch

 es of her despoilers. so may Seutf Carolina and Louisiana now rise from their degradation and entcl upon an era of peace and prosper

 ity. We trust that Mir. Hayes will not be so dead to justice an, right as to displace Hampton ane Nichols. We trust that the new administration will lose no tims in placing it's seal of condemra

 ton upon the attempts of sh' would be usurpers, Chamberlain
Year: 1877

dent, the Democratic party is en- titled to the further gratitude and thanks of the whole country for it's magnanimous course. For the sake of peace and for the sake of the great business interests of the country, the party has made concessions which have been talk en advantage of by opposite party for the practice of that sharp fraud and false judgment which has awarded the Presidency to a defeated party. But there is nobler worK ahead for us than re-

 pining and giving up to despair. There is a bright future before us. There is the great material inter ests of our State to develop and build up, and it is to this task that we must now turn our efforts. Let the fraudulent President en- joy his little four years of fraudu

 lently attained power, but let us go ahead with the grand work of rehabilitating our states and de velopfng our latent greatness Let us conduct ourselves so as tC command the admiration oi even our enemies. Four years is not long, and just so sure as the Democracy of the South shall properly conduct themselves dur ing that time, just so sure will they be crowned with full win

 dication of tue justice of theil cause at the next election.
Year: 1877

of our county. But now we may go to work, and go to work, too, with the moral certainty that for honest work we will receive 2 full return. Immigration will now begin to move. We have one of the most inviting fields to display, that IS to be found in the Union, and if we will do well our work, we will soon see broad acres of golden, waving grain, and herds of grazing stock where there is now only almost a wilderness. We will soon see school houses and churches dotted thick all over our land, and instead of q few of us here tugging and pull ing to get the car of progress started, we will have 2 population so dense ana thlck that IL VIII De no trouble to make the whole thing move along smoothly and easily. Let everybody feel an in

 terest in this matter. It is some thing in which we can ali join republicans, democrats, indeperd- ents, grangers, and all. Let ev- erybody consider himself special ly invited to attend the meeting on the 24th inst, and let us see if we cannot make the Pope couu- ty seciety about the liveliest, most wide awake one in the State.
Year: 1877

cuniary loss to the newspapers of Arkanss that we regret the de- feat Tn the House of the bill amendatory to the existing laws regulating tae publication of lc- gal notices. The newspapers of the State have heretofore lived without the fees which that bill would have given, and they can still live. To be sure the passage of the bill would have been con- siderable aid to the press of the State, but it is more on account of the reflection which the rejection of the bill casts upon our people, than on account of the loss of the aid, that we regret the killing of the bill. The very argument which those gentlemen who op- posed the bill used, is reflection upon the people of the State, and will lead intelligent people of other States to believe that we must either have a miserably pow erty stricken people, or a people who are too far behind the times to appreciate the value of the newspaper press.

 The astuteness of the gentle men who opposed the bill is cer- ly very profound, and we now move that they vote brass med al to each one of themselves for this grand stroke against the op- pressson of the people!

 Mir. Stubbs, of Independence, a rEAcHAR ) by prefes ion, spoke in opposition to the bill. Just hear him:

 "Posting up notices on trees and fences was sufficient. He agreed that newspapers were good agents of education and civ ilization. The people were per fectly satisfied to read notices on trees and court house doors. This bill was good bill to op- press the people"

 Now if that is not profound as tuteness, just tell us what it is!

 MT. Stubbs' speech is an insult to tue press and to the people. The speeches of the other gen. tlemen were of like character. Instead of giving the people a law which would force adminia- trators, guardians, executors, trustees, commissioners, &c., tc put their legal notices in tne newspapers, where the people could have them in readable shape, and so that the people could read them at home sitting by their fire Tn the winter or or their shady porches during the summer, these astute gentlemen would force their constituency tC repair to the blacksmith shop o' to some tree at a cross road, ant there stand and try to deciphel illegible scrawls amid the winters snow and the scorching rays O the summers suI.

 Let the people understand thi' matter fairly once, and we think these gentlemen will find tha they have not made much capital
Year: 1877

truce with the guilty conspirators. No rest for them and nc mercy until their political punishment and destruction are complete" The flag on the Sun building was displayed at half mast, with the Union down. A sad, sad commen- tary upon the degencrAcy of the timcs.