smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875




There are few people who do
the country paper full justice.
Most everybody is inclined to
look away over the sholders Of
the country editor, to some pa
per printing more reading mat
ter, and then make compari-
sons. There are people who
actually believe it impossible
to find a person with common
sense, with industry or with
brains in the Office of a country
newspaper; a newspaper can
have no charms for them un-
less can be mystified under
a strange personality, and in
buying a copy they proceed
upon the same grounds as in
the purchase of a bar of soap
they would rather have one
that comes from the city, be-
couse it must necessarily be so
much better in every sense
than a home production. The
same man would laugh at You
if you should refuse to patron
ize the cross roads mill, be-
cause you believed You had
rather get your flour from the
city. The country newspaper
is one Of the most important
attributes of every town in the
United States. When a colo


ny settles anywhere with the
intention of building a village
the first thought is a newspa.
per; the press is thus in the
very vanguard of civilization


It is the useful agent in every
place of progress and growth
There is not another single
power. that can do 80 mucl
good, patient work in the way
|of building up as the loca
newspaper. tits not altogeth
er important how it's edited


whether with ability or not,st
that it be conducted with al
industry and enterprise a
least side by side with th,
Itown-if it can afford to kee1


a few years in advanceit is al
the better. A country pape


that had little else than adve1
tisements would be an i'm
Il


mense help to any place, 70
advertisements constitute
most reliable index to th
/, character, size, business an,
} general condition of the town
i To the stranger who may hav
looked in a prospective wa.
upon q place, the advel


tisements are the invalua
ble part Of the paper
that have been sent him.
Il Without q newspaper, with it
Year: 1875

Siamese conservatives are
deeply indignant over an inno-
waiting proposition to repeal
the law which permits a man
to pawn his wife or to stake her
at a game Of chance. Hitherto
the husband has been the bet
ter, his spouse the betted, half.
Year: 1875

Agreeable to advertisement TO that ef-
feet, the bondholders met the commits
sioners of the city OF Memphis in con-
vention, at twelve o'clock, at the City
hall. Mayor League was called to the
chair, and after considerable discussion
the following resolutions were adopted
as the expression of the meeting, which
adjourned TO Thursday next, at three
o'clock in the evening, when definite
conclusion will be reached:


Resolved, That the mayor be and is
hereby requested by the convention of
bondholders and the commission of the
city of Memphis, to prepare detailed
statement Ofthe city debt, 80 that before
determining the character OF legislation
necessary we may be fully informed as
to the amounts to be provided for by a
new funding scheme.


Resolved, That the joint committee Of
the general council on the city charter
be and are requested to meet the joint
committee of the Protective union and
chamber Of commerce, on Wednesday,
at four o'clock in the evening, and con-
suit and determine upon necessary
amendments to the city charter, and re-
port to the convention on Thursday, at
three o'clock in the evening, to which
We adjourn,
Year: 1875

WE DO not believe the Legislature Of
Tennessee could be induced to tamIer
with or impair the school charter Of
Memphis. Just as it is we accepted it,
and under it, in good faith, we have built
up a school system which is the refuge Of
the children OF the people. Let it re-
main in all its integrity, not one pre-
Yision aliered
Year: 1875

THE legislature will please see to it
that any amendments TO, or modifica-
tions Of the charter OF the city Of Mem
phis are ratified and accepted by the
legal voters within her borders before
they can be declared legal. Letthe peo-
pie nave q voice in the laws TO govern
them. They are al taxpaYers.
Year: 1875

Fashionable circles in this city, are
agltated just at present over the un,
timely interruption of a wedding which
was to have taken place yesterday, but
which, owing to an unfortunate denose-
me'.t, will probably never transpire.
The disappointed suitor is the son Of a
well, known resident. Of Georgetown,
and the object Of his affections was a
Young lady residing at Leesburg, Mary
land The parents Of both are veal hy.
and have a host of friends, who assisted
at the celebration of the betrothal of
the couple some months since, which
took the form of complimentary par


ty to the prospective bride at the re.
sidence of her lovers father, given with
a view of introducing the young lady
to the family of her future father in law,
The course of true love seemed to lbe
al. roses until a few days since, when
the expose that brought affairs to a
climax was made. 1t appears that the
young man had been living rather fast,
and to supply himself with means to
crafty his extravagant tastes, he had
resorted to obtaining money by mort.
saeing property which did not belong
to him, Just how the irregularities
were worked has not transpired fully,
but it is intimated that the signatures
of the young mans father. and bic
expected father.inlaw were forged To
effect in purpose. The discovery was
made on Monday last, and the wedding
was to have taken place yesterday, A
large numberof presents had already
been made which we're returned to the
donors, and the contract with the rail,
road company to furnish special cars
for the transportation Of the wedding
guests to and from Leesburg, has been
annulled. 1t was rumored yesterday
that the young man was arrested, but
there was no foundation for the report
as it is more than probable that his
father will compromise the whole affair
by meeting the obligations Of his reck'
less Washington Cirosicle.
Year: 1875

F. The steady progress made BY the
Order Of Patrons of Husbandry in
the Eastern counties Of the State,
is most gratifying, and the evident
improvement in the condition of the
farmers, is equally SO. The almost
universal expression from our cor
respondents in that region is: "OuI
Grange is prospecting in a wonder
full degree.
Year: 1875

The exceeding ungratefulness of
cities and d.republicsis is forcibly illus
trated by the Thunderbolt, of Gal
weston, IN its issue of the 18th. The
rise, progress and fall of a news
paper enterprise is shown with all
the pathos imaginable, by a few
skillful touches of the artists pen
ell. The picture is decidedly rich,
notwithstanding it records a death.
Year: 1875

VALUE OF MILK DIET III any one
wishes to grow heshy, a pint Of milk be.
fore retiring at night will soon cover the
scrawniest bones. Although nova days
we see great many heshy females there
are many lean and lank ones, who sigh
for the fashionable measure Of plump
ness, and weuld be vastly improved in
health and in appearance could their fig


urcs be rounded with good solid flesh


Nothing is more coveted by thin women
than full figure, and nothing will so
rousc the ire, and provoke the scandal Of
one of those "cipper builds, as the
consciousness of plumpness in rival


In cases Of fever and summer complaint,
milk is given with excellent result. The
idea that milk is fevcrish has exploded,
and it is the physicians great reliance in
bringing through typhoid patients, or
those in too low state to be nourished
by food 1t is mistake TO scrimp the
milk pitcher. Take more milk and less
meat. Look to your milk man, have
large sized, well filled milk pitchers on
the table each meal, and you will also
have sound flesh and light doctors bills.
Year: 1875

A newspaper should tell the unvarnished
truth and not suffer its readers to be misled
by the binding influence of partisan preju-
dices. 1t begins to appear that the good
people of New Hampshire, however pOr-
tion of the Democratic press may seek to
disguise the fact, have significantly
Spanked the party" as the Philadelphia
Times tells it, and sent it to the foot of the
class, just as they do Repubhcanism when
things go badly in local or national affairs.
The victory is not sweeping, as administra-
ton organs have heralded it, but whether
it is as deep as well or broad as barn
door, it matters not. 1t is enough to change
the political ascendancy in the government.
1t was desperately contested battle, and
exhausted the energies and resources of
both parties, as they fought hand to hand
among the bleak hills and snowdrifts of the
little. commonwealth. Both parties are
hardshell as their granite mountains Re
pubIicans so radical that they believe the
war never. will be over, and Democrats so
Bourbon that they don't believe there ever
was war, and they both declared their ad.
versaries banditti in genuine Phil Sheridan
style, and would have drawn the sword of
destruction had not the lingering lessons of
early Puritanism interposed. The recon
structed Confederate generals, Gordon and
Lamar, piped peace and good will to the
frosted huzzas of the Democracy, but the
patriots of the custom house and revenue
districts thundered loyalty at the rebels,
and won. There is no choice for Governor
by the people, bat the Legislature being
Republican, viii elect the Republican can
didate, and the Congressional delegation
gives one Democratic gain. The Republi-
cans cleared the decks for the fight by a
square declaration in their platform against
the third term, and they have the substance
of victory IN changing the Legislature and
Governor from Democratic to their own
faith. The first skirmish of 1875, there
fore, scores one against Grants renomina-
ton, while, Grant and Pinchback score one
in favor of bayonet rule down South. Be
tween the Republican belligerents the hon
ors are easy, while between Republicans
and Democrats the latter have notice that a
State may be against debanched Republican
rule and yet not be Democratic. It is a
very pointed admouition that the party that
is most wise in 1875 will start with the in
side track in 1876.
Year: 1875




None of the New York dailies are max
ing money, except, perhaps, the World and
Herald. The Tribune and Times exhaust
their income in paying for news and for
contributions to their brilliant pages, not
more attractive, however, than those of the
two papers above named. It costs vast
sums to collect news, and the theory of the
New York press is, that anything is worth
telegraphing which is worth printing Their
correspondents are everywhere, and if the
world were not SO large, and towns and
States so numerous, the New York dailies
would drive all others out of existence.
These newspapers can't hold all that they
would print. The Springfield Repu6Iican
fourishes, because of the sheer force Of
genius of its editor, under the very shadow
of the great dailies of the great city, and
tells US, very truthfully, that the business
is overdone, and that competition is every
where ruinous. The daily metropolitan
newspaper utilizes the telegraph to the
amount of thousands of dollars per week.
1t has its general and special correspondents
wherever there is news to be found. 1t en-
ploys specialists for special occasions. 1t
gathers the daily news not only from its
city and State, but from the United
States, and from every part of the
world reached by telegraph and mail
1t has already run the monthly magazines
down to very small circulation, and killed
many of them, and it has more or less in
iuenced the sale of general literature by in
vading its domain. The scientist, the lee
turer, the clergyman, find it to be their
mouthpiece, even without their knowledge.
There is little use for scientific journals or
for religious newspapers now. Every pro-
vince of thought, knowledge and news is
ransacked by this omnlvorous collector,
and subsidized by it. The results of this
gigantic work are furnished to the public
for the pittance of few cents, and, as
there is no other business which develops
such exciting rivalry and eager, constant
competition, in like manner there is no
other business which furnishes the results
of competition at so small prlce. The
result of all this is that only few of the
larger papers, which have an extensive cir
culation and advertising patronage, can
make any money. Their income is ex-
hausted in the outgo, and they are in state
of chronic poverty all their days, living in
some mYsterieus manner like individnoia
similarly afflicted. In the case of the great
daily newspapers, undoubtedly this fact is
attributable partly to waste of labor grow
ing out of the want of skilled and trained
men, and partly to the expenditure of
money for unimportant matter, growing out
of the necessities of competition. Just at
present hard times and dull business affect
the business of all papers, but the general
fact remains that the competition for news
between the daily newspapers is exhausting
the receipts of most Of them. How this
problem will be solved remains to be seen.
It may solve itself by the collapse of some
of the superhuous sheets.
Year: 1875

WHETHER the people viii prefer to main
tain juries in civil cases because they were
once incidents Of personal and civil freedom
remains to be seen. They were certainly
Indispensable when the press was shackled
or had no existence, and public opinion no
power. People. in . perfectly free coun-
try, begin to ind the jury system burden
some and devoid Of intelligence, and
therefore we read that a murderer has just
been tried and sentenced under the new
Law of Connecticut, which allows man to
elect whether he win be tried By jury or
two jrdges. The accused, who Wascharged
with the murder Of a young girl to whom
he VS. engaged to be married, elected to
be tried BY judges, and By them was found
to be guilty Of murder in the second degree,
and sentenced to imprisonment for life.
The new law seems to be Just, and appears
to work well.
Year: 1875

q A NEW YORK statute, just enacted, de-
clares that after January, 1879, nothing but
gold and silver coin of the United States
shall be legal tender in that State. One
of two consequences must ensue. the Fed
eral government must resume specie pay
ment, and all States enact the same law, OF
all the. gold and silver of the country will
go to New York, and Texas, and the rest
of paper-uslng States, will be cursed with
lrredeemable paper Since we are not to
have money made more abundant than to-
-dAv.-A.Aa Ala sArl4nsz-of- -EAza-ai----.-----4-
traction rather than expansion, and the
East rather than the West is consulted, it
becomes the policy of Texas to follow in
the footsteps of New York, and provide by
law for the retention within our own
borders of the silver and gold for which
cotton and sugar and cattle are sold. In
no other State than this is silver and gold
the popular and common currency, and it
can only be retained in Texas by excluding
paper, and, to effect this end, the New
York statute would serve an admirable
purpose. If we cannot have fresh vigor
and life and activity infused into ali de-
partments of business and Of railway pro-
gress, by making money abundant, we
should at least retain our share Of that cur
rency which is best, and has actual, sub
stantial, worldwide value. l ss
Year: 1875




We would again orge the necessity for
brevlty. Correspondents need not begin
letters with any fiattering JUNCTION laid to
sur souls about "your excellent and popu-
lar daily" We know more about thar than
most of our readers, and do not forget that
this is the age of telegraphy and of ste
biography, of postal cards and kilograms.


Newspaper articles and letters have no pre-
faces, and to write all around a subject be-
fore reaching it, is fatally Objectionable.


State facts, and don't stop to philosOphize.


We are enlinently piOus, and can do that
part of the Job in our own peculiarly felici-
tous manner. Remember the injunction of
Horace and plunge at once in Heaias res.


Strip yourself Of all superfuities and plunge
in, as if the subject were a cold bath. Go
to the bottom at once and come out quickly.


Strike out all particularly fine, flowing SEN
tences and consolidate the rest. Ideas and
facts, and not words and rounded periods,


are in demand. And then, when your pleas
ing task is done, review the manuscript car
fully and demolish two-thirds of your gush-
ing adjectives. Let Us add modestly that
a newspaper is not school for tyros in the
art of writing. We do not undertake to
educate writer's for the press They must
learn to write on one side Of each sheet
and employ reasonably good English before
their poetry or prose can adorn these pages.
Year: 1875

THE mayor of New Orleans has adver-
tised for proposals for planting around that
city a great number of the eucalyptus
globulus, or Australian fever tree. There
seems to be diversity of opinion as to the
value Of these trees, but none as to the fact
that they are needless on the plains Of
Texas
Year: 1875

TIE New York Herald has q special dis
patch from Paris, which says that it is ru-
mored there that the young King Alfonso is
most anxious to abdicate in favor Of the
Duke de Montpensier.
Year: 1875

The embarrassment Of the Northern Pa
cific Railway Company eliminated recent
ly in the sale of the franchises, property
and appurteDanccs on foreclosure of the
mortgage, and the purchase of the same
by committee of bondbolders. BY this
sale the stockholders and common credit.
ers are divested. and The reorganization of
the company, on sound basis is likely TO
follow. Like all great revulsions. the re,


verses which befcll the Northern Pacific
sunk 1t greatly below it's inherent value in
public estimation, and what was general
ly regarded "a valuable enterprise sew
eral years age. has been blindly. condemn
ed under misfortune as utterly visionary
and senseless. This tide of public opinion
must have its sweep. and 10 resist it just
now would be useless; hut when its force
shall have been expended, the nation will
gradually reach q just appreciation of the
incalculahle value of this now condemn
ed project. Before another decade of
progress shall have marked the annals of
OR history, the three great trans -continen-
tai lines will lie completed, or in course of
certain completion, and they will COM
mand the confidence of capital through
out the world, because of their wonder
full resources if Wisely and honestly
directed. Philadelphia Times.
Year: 1875

A former Highlander, now resid-
ing in Iowa, writes an account of a
recent visit to his old friends in this
county. The letter is too long for
publication, but we make one or two
extracts. The writer says:


"This will be critical year for
many persons financially. Farmers,
keep steady. Balance well. Exer-
else your best judgment in regard to
your business. Don't let anything
waste that you can save. Look well
to your stock Prepare good, warm
winter quarters for them, and you
will winter with much less feed.
Cooking the feed, especially for hogs,
is worth the time and trouble, as it
saves a great amount of feed.


"Do not expect to live as you do
when you raise an abundant crop of
everything. Live according to your
ability. Contract few debts. Be
lively and cheerful, no matter what
may happen.


I'VE found al the schools closed;
therefore were deprived of the op-
portunity of visiting any of them,
but see from the statistics of Teach
ers examinations, that your Board of
Examiners are bringing them to time.
My experience as teacher induces
me to believe that great care should
be exercised on the part of Examin-
ers, in order to keep the best talent
in tho field of labor; for to the
teachers throughout the land are in
trusted the tender minds of the ris-
ing generation, and our future pros
perity as nation depends upon the
training of the young. We want
the love of liberty, self-respect. hon
Psty and integrity taught to them by
precept and example.


u. A. NJ"
Year: 1875

The Constitutional Convention of
the State of Alabama, at a recent
sitting adopted bill Of rights, in
which the following section was in
serted by a unanimous vote:


''The people of this State accept
as a finally established fact, that
from the Federal Union there can
be no secession of States
Year: 1875

During the past winter attention was
directed in Norway to the falling OF
dust from the atmosphere, which at first
was supposed to be of meteoric origin !;
but Professor Kjerulf decided that it
ives more likely to have been dissent
mated from some active volcano. The
precise source was unknownl;, but from
the direction of the wind, and the known
conditions, it was suspected that some
volcano in Iceland was concerned. This
surmise has been confirmed BY the
more recent advices from that country,
which report very remarkable series
Of volcanic phenomena, first commenced
by earthquakes. then followed by an
eruption accompaied by dust and ashes.
On March 80 the fall Of ashes was SO
excessive that it covered the eastern
country-sides, Jokuldal especially. with
q coat six inches in thickness, and all
day. although it wasibright and sunny,
the people were in absolute "pitch"
darkness. Fountains and rivulets were
damned by the ashes, and every noun
tain stream ran dark and muddy be-
tween banks covered with drifts of
ashes. The farmers fed out of the ash
covered country-sides with their cattle,
in search of pastures not yet destroyed
by the scori@, but with what chance of
saving their live stock does not appear.
There is no calculating the extent Of
this, calamity, nor its effect upon the
habitable portions Of Iceland, although
from present appearances it threatens
to be extremely widespread.
Year: 1875

A youth. who desired to know how
to become rich, sent shilling imam
sweri to an advertisement, and received
the following valuable recipe: I'm
crease your receipts, and decrease your
expenditures. Work eighteen hours q
day, and live on hash and oatmeal
Cruel