smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879




The passion Of love often reacts
strangely on undiseiplined minds, and
frequently produces on them most Un-
looked-for results. at Keithley, at the
beginning of the present century, lived
young nan named William Sharp.
He fell desperately in love with a girl,
the daughter of neighboring farmer.
Everything went smoothly till the we'd
ding morning, when the fathers could
not agree how much to give the young
couple to start them in life; and literal
" at the last moment in church the
match was broken of. This was too
much for the weak mind Of William
Sharp; he went home, went to his bed
and never rose from it again. He was
Just thirty when he thus isolated HIM
self from active life, and he died in his
bed at the age Of seYenty-fVe. His
room was about nine feet square.
The floor was stone, and generally
damn. .uThe window was permanently
fastened; : some Of the panes5 were filed
in with wood; and, at the time of his
death, it had not been opened for
thirty-eighf years. In this dreary cell
did this strange being immure him
self. He obstinately refused to speak,
and gradually every trace of intelli-
gence faded away. His father left an
ample provision for his eccentric son,
and be was well looked after. he ate
as much rs an ordinary day laborer,
and at his death weighed sixteen stone.
In Harrowgate, several years ago, lived
3 woman who for the same cause be-
haved in exactly the same manner. Her
parents having prevented her marriage
with a worthless character, she took to
her bed and had kept it for fifteen
years, and, if not dead, is probably
keeping it still Chambers JoltrnGl.
Year: 1879

My friend was paymaster OF large
railroad company, and one day he went
out with $50, 900 to pay the men. The
money was wrapped up in an old news
paper, and he carried it under his arm.
He stopped at wayside hOstelry for
dinner, and left the money on chair
when he went out. he had not gone
many miles from the place when he
missed it. He few back and asked the
woman If she had seen q parcel.
IS There's q bit Of newspaper on the
chair beYonts'' said she; perhaps
that's it - which it proved to be, and
my friend returned happier and q
wiser man. Another circumstance A
man ] know of lost q roll of bills
amounting to $4,000. They, also,
were tied up in a newspaper. He told
q friend, and the two talked over the
loss and the probability of finding the
money. The friend made him tell all
the ground he had been over since he
had the money. The last place he was
at was the Postofice. Phe night was
wet overhead and slushy under foot.
They stopped at the Postofice, and,
going to the place where the man had
been, found two or three torn bits of
newspaper, Il was the same. They
looked further, and found the lost
treasure. It had been kicked in turn
by every one who came into the Office,
and when found was all united and
completely soaked in slush. They
seized it eagerly and returned to their
hotel, where they spent several hours
in cleaning it. It was all there, and
at last they got it dried. The grateful
man took his friend out and bought him
the handsomest gold Watch-ehain he
could find.-Cor. Boston Gazette.
Year: 1879

Some frivolous people at Allentown,
Pa. the other day, undertook to make
the noble sport Of fOx-chasing odious.
Profting by the unfortunate experience
of some of the New York spOrtsmen
who turned their foxes loose and were
never able to find them again, the
Allentown spOrtsmen led the animal
over trail and then secured him for
future use. The hounds were turned
out and for some time followed the
trail beautifully, but at the very mo-
ment when the chase seemed to prom
ise a most successful conclusion the
pack became confused and went on in
the most unaccOuntable directions as
II twenty foxes had divided st that point
and zone twenty different ways. When
this remarkable thing had been investi-
0ated it was found that somebody, not
understanding the sublime character Of
the fox-chase, had dragged an odorous
and deteStable maekerel over the trail
and at the critical point had broken
into a whole lot of trails, so that each
hound could have one all to himself.
The maekerel trail is not 3 new idea,
but its successful introduction on this
occasion suggests q new and eeonoml-
cal thing for spOrtsmen. The mack
erel is considerably cheaper than the
fox, and not by any meaps as likely 70
get away when turned loose. Let our
gallant sportsmen try maekerei cn''se'
Philadelphia Tines.
Year: 1879

PoTAroEs are best cooked in their
slins- for the waste is then only per
cent, or half an ounce in pounds
whereas, if they are peeled hrst, It Is
not less than IA per cent, or from TWO
to three ounces in the pound
Year: 1879

then, was the unhesitsting reply OF the au-
tOerat.


So It was settled decisiVely, and Mildred's
last charge upon the important morning was
an Injunction to Miss Tabitha 10 be careful
her bonnet cid not favor her right ear or her
left, to bring discredit upon the wedding par
ty. The marriage was duly consummated,
and Miss Tabitha3s bonnet inclined neither to
the right nor to the left, for it Is stated on
credible authority that in her agitation she
pushed it completely of her head, and
throughout the ceremony 1t graeed her back.
The Argosy. r---.-
How Careless Men Can Be With


Money.
Year: 1879

Dubuque, Iowa, Oct. 27.-The state
supreme court here to-day rendered
decision in the case of Sarah w. STAN
ley versus the city of Davenport, which
created considerable excitement, as it
will affect every city In the state, upon
whose streets railways are allowed.
The appellant was injured by her horse
being frightened by the engine Of tue
street railway company, and running
away, and she sued the company. The
court below rendered judgment against
her, but the supreme court reversed
this decision, holding the city liable for
damages to persons or property by run
ming of the said steam motor. Since
the city has no authority to convey
title to the streets, or authorize their
use for private or public purposes, lex
cept by Legislative authority which
renders it dangerous to public travel.
Year: 1879




Detroit, Oct. 28.-A dispatch just
received from Grand Haven, Mich,
states the steamer Amazon, Of the
Northwestern company's line, for that
port from Milwaukee with about fifty
passengers and heavy load of wheat
and other freight, struck a sand bar
while entering the harbor at a. m.
She succeeded in backing of, returned
a few miles into the lake, and again at
tempted to enter, but again struck the
bar and was driven around the end of
the south pier and ashore by the heavy
sea and strong northwest wind. She
now lies within 100 feet of the pier,
broadside to, the sea with spray dash
ing over her. The passengers are be-
ing taken off by life-saving car, and
the crew are throwing the cargo over
board. The steamer is evidently 60
ing to pieces.
Year: 1879

The Montgomery MtsSeyger says,
Messrs. Phlegar, Shelburn, Tyler and
Walker addressed the people ar last
court in behalf Of the McCulloch
bill, and that at its close the meeting
without dissenting voice endorsed
the action Of their Senator and Dele
gate relative to that measure.


We desire to direct the attention of
the Messenger to two points


First That unanimous action Of
that meeting did then endorse the
vote Of Senator Phlegar against the
adoption of the Allen amendment.


.Steond, We scarcely ever see the
Messenger at all. Don't get it once
a month. We get this through our
Lynchburg exchanges. Does the
MESSENGER wish to exchange with the
-NeWS ? We should be glad to con-
tinue, but only if agreeable to that
Year: 1879

may be extended to me and others !" but
when he came to speak of the business
of the chastisement his words began to
choke in his throat, and he was greatly
agitated, and it was only by extraordi-
nary effort that he was able to proceed.
As it was, few words were stihed in
utterance. Hats and hands were placed
before many faces as the prisoner closed
and stood with head bowed awaiting the
dread sentence
Year: 1879

The danger Of such arnlcr as HAYES
was thus described by JvNrus, over
century ago: "A faultless, insipid
equality In his character, is neither ca
pablo OF virtue or vice In the extreme
but II secures his submission to those
persons whom he has been accustomed
to respect, and makes him dangerous
Instrument of their ambition. Secluded
from the world, attached from his In
fancy TO one set Of persons and ono SET
Of ideas, he can neither open his heart
10 new connexions, nor his mind to bet
ter information. A character of this
sort Is the soil iittcst to produce that OBJ
stinate blgotry In politics and religion,
which begins with meritorious sacrl-
fee of the understanding, and finally
conducts the monarch and the martyr to
the block"
Year: 1879

IMPRESSIVE WARNING TO MOTHERS
Mothers, have a care that a passion for
dress and personal display be not gener.
ated in the hearts of your daughters.
How many lives have been blighted, how
many souls dragged into the depths of sin
by craving for dress! Teach your daugh-
tiers modesty and contentment. Begin
when they are little. Don't make your
children, who should be all innocence,
women of the world in a sense before
they have got into their teens. What
should children know of the fripperies OF
fashion? Yet how many little miss OF
s or is, owing to the foolish indulgence
of parents, as vain of an elaborately
trimmed dress and as alive to the charms
of "style'' as one twice her years. Teach
your little girls the beauty Of modesty
and the virtue of contentment from their
earlier years, and when they grow up
they will be nobler women for it and
abler to withstand the temptations Of the
world. 1t was only the other day that a
young girl in the West committed suicide
because of the dishonor which she had
brought upon herself and her family by
a petty crime into which she had fallen
through the love for Catholic
AdUd2lce.
Year: 1879

News from Liberia, the negro colony
on the west coast of Africa, to which many
of the colored people of The United States
have been induced to emigrate, shows
that the latter have suffered terribly since
their arrival there The climatic fever
carried off large number of them, and
in their poverty they had no shelter, lit
tie food and no medicine, and only rem
nant of the emigrants survive. Eighteen
of them arrived in New York last week,
who tell doleful tale, and Others they
say, would gladly return if they had the
means. They are evidently the victims
Of swindlers, who were instrumental in
getting them to 60 to Liberia, promising
them food for six months after reaching
there, and not keeping their contracts.
Year: 1879

VIRGINIAs BLUNDER-A gentleman
from the North who has been largely en-
gagged in the iron business in this State
for some years past, and who is also pro-
miDently connected with railroad now
being constructed in the valley, told us
yesterday that the prospects of Virginia
have been set back twenty years by the
recent election. This is what we predict
ed. time and again, would be the effect
of large vote in favor of population in
any shape or form. The people of Vir-
ginia have lost much and gained nothing
by the recent strong vote for reputation
since the contract made with the bond
holders is irrepealable as to all who
choose to avail themselves Of it. Even a
measure for repeal cannot be passed while
the present Governor is in office. What,
then, has been gained by this senseless
war on the public creditors, except de
feat for those who made it, and disgrace
to all the people of the State? That is
about all.-Lynchbwg Nrginian.
Year: 1879

THE HoT OCTOBER of our
readers who find it necessary to begin
conversation by talking of the weather
will find in our local columns enough
facts about October weather Of this and
preceding years to make the subject a
principal instead of merely preliminary
topic. Some very cold weather in the
latter part Of the month may bring down
the averages, but October, 1879, has al
ready scored enough hot days to make the
month phenomenal in the sense to
which one of our correspondents objects.
In the ffty-four years for 1925 to 1878,
there were ,674 October days. During
only eleven out of those 1,674 days the
thermometer marked SO degrees or up
ward. But utDduring October, 1879, the
thermometer at the same place has mark
ed 20 degrees or over on eleven out of
seventeen days. This high temperature
for October was reached on less than l
per cent of the October days prior to
1879, but on 65 per cent. of the days in
the record for this mouth There are
many other facts of interest in the record
for this month There are many other
facts of interest in the article, all going to
show that this has been very remarka-
BILE month, and furnishing an eleven
days wonder to those who study the ther
mometer.-Philadelphia Ledger.
Year: 1879

Madrid dispatches bring intelligence
that the Cuban Senators and Deputies
have at last agreed to support the bill for
the emancipation of slavery in the island


the form proposed by the Ministry: This
probably insures the passage of the bill
by the Cortes at an early date. 1t is a
measure which is really designed to per-
petuate slavery for at least another genera
ton under the guise of enforced labor
contracts after the maintenance of slav-
cry, as at present, has become so difficult
as to amount to practical impossibility.
Year: 1879

The kat is n domestic animal
but [ never have been able 20 tell
wherefore.


You kant trust one eny more
than you can q case of gout. There
is only one thing you can trust n
kat with, and come out even, and
that is cake of hard soap.


They are as meek as Moses, but
as full Of deviltry as Judas Iscariot.


They will harvest dozen young
chickens for you, and then steal
into the sitting room as softly as
an undertaken, ana lay themselves
down on the rug at your feet full
Of injured innocence and chickens,
and dream of their childhood days.


All there IL about a kat that IL
domestic, that 1 know ov, IL that
you cannot loose one.


You kant looze n kat-they are
as bad to looze as a bad reputation
is.


You may send one out OF tho
State, done up in a meal bag and
marked G. o. d., and the next
morning you will find him or her
(according to sex) in the same spot
alongside OF the kitchen stove,
ready to be stepped on.


Kats have got two good ears for
melody, and often make the night
atmosphere melodious with their
opera music.


But the most wonderful thing
about the kat is their fear Of death.


You can't induce one by ordina-
ry means to accept death--they ac-
tually scorn TO die.


You may kill one as often az you
have a mind to, and they will begin
life again ia a few minus after
with a more hattering prospectus.


Dogs 1 love; they carry their
in their faces and can't
hide them, but the bulk Of u kat's
lays buried IN their
stumach, as unknown To themselves
as anyone else.
Year: 1879

Can any man tell US when the be
ginning was? Years ago, we thought
the beginning of this world was
when Adam came upon it; but we
have discovered that thousands of
years before that God was forming
chaotic matter to make it fit abode
for man and putting races of Great
ures upon it, that they might
die and leave traces of His handi-
work and marvellous skill, before
trying His hand on man. But this
was not the beginning, for revela
tion points US to a period long ere
this world was fashioned, to the
days when the morning stars were
begotten-when, like drops of dew
from the fingers of morning, stars
and consultations fell thickly from
the hand of God; when, by His own
lips, He launched forth poDderous
orbs; when, with His own hand, He
sent comets, like thunderbolts, wan
dering through the sky, to find one
day their sphere. We go back to
those days when worlds were made
and systems fashioned, and we have
not even approached the beginning
yet.


Until we 60 back to the time
when all the universe slept in the
mind of God, as yet unborn; until
we enter the eternity where God,
the Creator, dwells alone, every
thing sleeping within Him, all crea
tion sleeping in His mighty, gigan-
tic thought, we have not guessed
the beginning. We may go back,
back, back, ages upon ages. We
may go back, if we may use such
words, whole eternities, and never
yet arrive at the beginning. One
wing might be tired, our imagina-
ton die away. Could it outstrlp
the lightning's flashes, in majesty,
power and rapidity, it would soon
weary itself ere it could get to the
beginning.


But God, from the beginning, chose
His people, when the unnavigated
ether was yet Unframed by the wing
of single angel, when space was
shoreless, or else unborn, when uni
versal silence reigned, and not a
voice or whisper shocked the So
lemnity of silence, when there was
no being, no motion, naught but
God himself alone in His eternity !;
when, without the song of an an
gel, without the attendance of even
cherubim, long ere the living
creatures were born, or the wheels
of the chariot of Jehovah were fash
ioned; even then, sin the beginning
was the word," and in the begin
ming Gods people were one in the
word, and In the beginning He chose
them all unto eternal life.
Year: 1879

awful sleepy. Don't you think you
could wake HIM up?"


"Tll try" replied the man, as he
went in, and when the girl lighted
the lamp he followed her into bed
room in which there was neither
carpet nor furniture. Pushed back
against the wall was a poor old
straw tick and a single quilt. He
bent over to look at the child, and
the first glance showed him that
little Sandy was dead. On the
window sill were some pieces of
bread and milk, with which the
children intended to feed him.
The dead child's hand clasped a
rag doll made of an old calico
apron, and its thin little feet,
its thin body, and pale face
were evidences that it had known
sickness and hunger throughout it's
brief life. While the children wait
ed for him to open his eyes and
romp with them, and drive the
gloom out of the house, the angels
had whispered to him, and his eyes
had Enclosed to behold the splen-
dors of Heaven.


"Won't he wake up?" asked one
of the children, standing back in
the shad W.


"Children, you must not come in
here until your mother comesr' he
said, as he left the room.


won't he be afraid to wake up
in the dark?" they asked.


"He will sleep long time yetp
he whispered, not daring to tell
them the truth, and as he went out
they put the light in on the bed
room floor, that little Sandy might
not find the darkness around him
when his sleep had ended. Poor
things! They knew not and they
could not see the crown of glory on
the dead child's brow-a crown
whose light all the shadows of the
earth can never darkea in the least.
Year: 1879

A miserly farmer returning home
one day from delivering a load of
-hay, was overtaken by a severe
rain. The only shelter near was a
shed-llke house where poor widow
had lately died. Stopping his team
he ran to the front door, which was
partially protected from the roof.
Standing close to it he heard ten
der voices within, and listened to
what was being said, when he was
surprised by the following little
prayer: Heavenly Father, ma told
us before she died that you would
take care of us and give US some
bread" This hit the old man in a
tender place. Still he might have
endured it had the matter ended
there, but it did not. When the
boy seemed exhausted, and knew
not what more to say, little girl
prayed in still more pathetic strains:
90, Lord, please send brother and
me some bread; ma said you would,
and we are very hungry" This
was too much for the miser's heart,
hard and selfish as it was. He could
stand it no longer, and hurried
home. Without saying word to
his wife he took his big basket and
went down into the cellar and filed
it with the best eatables he could
find, embracing pies, cakes, apples,
DC, heaping it up as he did not
w hon ba cold cOrp boStaro1 hoolv
to The door in the rain, and finding
the sufferers still at prayer, he
pushed right in and set his basket
before them and invited them to
eat, which they were more than
willing to do. 1t was good time
for them, but better for him. They
SAID to each other: "We thought
what mother told us was true, but
we did not expect the Lord would
answer our prayers in this way"


When they were fully satisfied
the old man emptied his basket and
told the dear orphans how to take
care of their food, and gave them
many kind words, for all of which
they thanked him from their inmost
hearts. He then went home and
informed his wife what he had
done, and confessed that though it
had been a pretty hard day, it was
the happiest one of his life. He
had struck q mine he had never
dreamed of before, and had proved
that there was something better
than money. "He that watereth
shall be watered also himself
Year: 1879

A man may count the odd people
of his acquaintance on his fingers
The young gentlemen are mostly
clever and knowing; the young la
dies are of one pattern, like mint
ed neutrality-suspicious. gold, no
doubt, but each bearing the same
superscription. 1t is time that a
moral game-law. were passed for the
preservation of the vagrant feelings
of human nature.


The vagabond whom we love has
a mind as full of queer hooks and
tortuous passages as any mansion
house in olden times. Let US have
light and space, some little freak of
fancy about the doors, some device
above the windows, something to
break the cold, gray uniformity; or,
to leave metaphor, let harmless &c
centricity be respected.


We are our own despots-we
tremble at a neIghbor's whisper.
Adjutant Fashion comes down mer-
cilessly on the unfortunate wight
who cannot square his toes to the
approved pattern.


Suppose we try standing at
ease" for little!
Year: 1879

An exchange has the following al
legory, which we commend to care
full consideration:


A certain man hit his toe against
pebble and fell headlong to the
ground. He was vexed, and under
the influence of anger and self suf
ficiency he kicked mother earth
right saucily. With imperturbable
gravity he looked to see the earth
self-dissolved and come to naught.
But the earth remained, and only
his poor foot was injured by the en-
counter. This is the way of man.
An article in a newspaper touches
him in a weak spot, and forthwith he
sends to stop his paper. With
great complacency he looks to see
the crash, when he finds that he
only hit his toe against a world
that does not perpetually feel the
shock and Injuries no one but him
self.
Year: 1879

l have noticed that all men are
honest when we'll watched.


1 have noticed that purses hold
pennies as well as pounds.


have noticed that in order to be
a reasonable creature it is sometimes
necessary to be downright mad.


have noticed that silks, broad
cloths and jewels are often bought
with other peoples money.


have noticed that whatever is,
is right with few exceptions-the
left eye and the left leg, and the left
side of a plum pudding.


have noticed that the prayer of
the selfish man is, Forgive us our
debts" while he makes everybody
that owes him pay to the utmost
farthing.


L have noticed that he who thinks
every man a rogue is certain to see
one when he shaves himself, and he
ought in mercy to his neighbor to
surrender the rascal to justice.


l have noticed that money is the
FOOLS wisdom, the knave's reputa
ton, the poor mans desire, the
covetous mans ambition and the
idol of them all.
Year: 1879

We would despise ourselves and
deserve the contempt of our friends
if we were capable of using our col
umns to vent private spleen. We
could not do so if we would, be-
cause we do not entertain malice
toward a single creature on earth.
There are some persons for whom
we indulge and enjoy a feeling of
contempt, but we would not lower
the standard and tone of the CITI
ZEN to their level for the sake of a
little spite. Reader, yOn need never
fear being mentioned with private
malicious Intent in these columns.
They can never be prostituted to a
purpose so ignoble and contempt
BILE while we control them. If in
the discharge of a public duty as a
journalist we should find it neces-
sary to reprove, correct or applaud
it will be done conscientiously and
fearlessly, but kindly and with q
due regard to personal and private
feeling and responsibility.