smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

The harvest has ended Now will follow
q time of comparative leisure. For the ear
nest farmer there is very little or any real
leisure. When he has made his crops, and
and carefully secured them when the feels
relief from the pressure of work which must
be performed, he is just then entering upon
a time as important to him and to his sue
cess as any time in the circling year. 1t is
the time of cleansing.


Too many farmers neglect this important
part Of their mission, and the consequences
are decidedly bad Their farms, which
should be as clean as skillful management
can make them, are allowed to sprout and
grow all kinds of weeds and obnoxious
growths, to mature seed, and to exhaust the
soil. Nor do they heed these destructive
aggessions until they are compelled to get
ready field for cultivation. The fence cor
ners become tangled 'thickets, and the fence
rows hidden in the deep shadow of these
ugly infaT wildwoods, are wastefully left to
premature decay-the whole expression of
such farms being bad aud repulsive in the
extreme.


A few farmers seem to think these wild
productions are an inevitable evil one that
must be endured because it cannot be sue
cessfully remedied. They have made some
effort to destroy the pest but have seen their
toll rewarded with a much more luxuriant
growth only. This disheartening fact can
easily be accounted tor. The work was done
at the wrong time or in the wrong way.


1t is almost useless TO kill weeds and bush
es by single cutting in the spring or early
summer The more work done at this season
the worse for the farmer, unless it be prepa-
ratOry only to work to be done in the
right time.


As the leaf.growth of most shrubs is near.
ly perfect by the end of August, we have
found, by experience that to be the mosl
auspicious month for the destruction OF
whatever we wished to Danish from our soil
Hence, it became rule for us to clean ouI
farm'in the month of August when the sigI
was in the heart, and the value of that rule
with us, is demonstration


As for the weeds which afflict us, W,
should never suffer them to ripen their seeds
To the diigent is the mastery.


Burdscks may be destroyed most any
time, by cutting them little below the sur
face of the ground.


Our method of destroying Black Locust
is to stri p the bark down to the ground, and
then apply salt in liberal quantity-it will
not sprout again.


Willows are easily killed by skinning in
the month of May.


A good flock of sheep will aid materially
in destroying weed growths and, properly
managed, will keep field as clean as q
lawn Chautauque Fdrmer.
Year: 1878

No farmer in the older States can afford
to sell wood ashes for any price that the
soap boiler would pay. Where oats lodge,
as they are apt to do upon heavily manured
land, an application of ashes would save the
crop.
Year: 1878

There is fashionable woman in the
city who aspires to be leader, and en-
tertains frequently and handsomely.
During the lifetime of her husband she
issued invitations for grand blowout.
Her spouse was absent at the time, but
there was nothing unusual in this. He
was mere cipher in his home, and, like
many husbands a la mode, enjoyed him
self in separate and different manner
from the way in which his wife filed up
the days and nights. Such husbands
have most provoking way, living or
dead, of being marplots, always doing
things which interfere with the plans Of
his wife. What could be more inop-
perfume than to be frustrated in giving
a ball when the preparations had pro-
gressed so far as floral decorations, ca
terers and cooks hard at work, and at
the last and most critical moment to re-
ceive telegram announcing the death
of ones husbandp For moment the
giver of the ball seemed to be dashed by
the news, but instantly recovered her
self-possession. She felt that her duty
to society was paramount to any selfish
indulgence of regret that his death should
occur so inopportunely.


She said that her guests would be
grieved if they learned Of the calamity
before they had danced and eaten the
supper prepared. At once she tele-
graphed for the remains not to be for
warded for few days, but the telegram
was not received in time, and while the
revelry was at its height the lady was
notified that the corpse had arrived.
Promptly she ordered the box to be car
ried out in the back yard, where it re-
mained until morning, when the affec-
tionate wife, having slept offthe fatigues
of her entertainment, ordered the box to
be opened and the dead husband to be
laid out in state, and Grape to be tied
on the door. The withered flowers OF
the feast remained to decorate the cof-
fin. All of the proprieties were observ-
ed, and the fashionable woman's friends
found it difficult to decide which was
the most elegant, the soiree dansante OF
the funeral which so quickly followed
This story was told me as fact, and
the lady still shines as the giver OF ele


giant receptions.-Neeo York Letter 4


Louisville COatrier-Journ0l.
Year: 1878

Blessed is he whose youth was passed
upon the farm, and if it was dairy
farm his memories will be all the more
fragrant. The driving of the COWS to
and from the pasture, every day and
every season for years-how much of
summer and of nature he got into him
on these journeys! What rambles and
excursions did this errand furnish the
excuse for! The birds and birds nests,
the berries, the squirrels, the wood
chucks, the beech woods with their
treasures into which the COWS loved so
to wander and to browse, the fragrant
winter-gree and hundred nameless
adventures all strung upon that brief
journey of half mile to and from the
remote pastures. Sometimes one COW
or two will be missing when the herd is
brought home at night; then to hunt
them up is another adventure. My
grandfather went out one night to look
up an absentee from the yard, when lie
heard something in the brush and out
stepped a bear into the path before
him.


Every Sunday morning the cows must
be salted. The farm-boy takes pail
with three or four quarts of coarse salt
and, followed by the eager herd, goes to
the field and deposits the salt in hand
fuls upon smooth stones and rocks and
upon clean places On the turf. If you
want to know how good salt is, see a
COW eat it. She gives the true saline
smack. How she dwells upon it and
gnaws the sward and licks the stones
wkere it has been deposited The COW
is the most delig htful feeder among an
imals. 1t makes ones mouth water to
see her eat pumpkins. and to see her at
pile of apples is distrscting How she
sweeps off the delectable grass! The
sound of her grazing is appetizing; the
grass betrays all its sweetness and sue
culency in parting under her sickle


John Burroughs, IN Scribner for No
cenlber,
Year: 1878

NEW YoRK, May 29.-The Eseaias
PSG says: Secretary Sherman, up to this
time has not found way to issue the two
millions Of standard dollars coined each
month, but Is confident he will succeed in
doing 60. In conversation with Posl
correspondent he said: ave will not
issue them at centres Of trade where they
are returned for custom duties, but will
distribute them through the country.
cannot say exactly how this will be done
but the amount authorized BY law will be
put out" Treasurer Gilfllan says be
cannot see how silver dollars are To be
put into circulation until Congress
amends the existing law which authorize
the Treasury Department to pay out ol
the silver profit fund the cost Of trans
portation Of silver dollars TO any point
in the country. r.-
Year: 1878

Such was . ':ttle boys reply to his
comrades who where trying to tempt him
to do wrong.


"But you need not tell her, no one
will know anything about it."


u would know all about it myself,
and I'd feel mighty mean if couldn't
tell mother"


Its pity you wasn't girl, The idea
Of a boy running and telling his mother
every little thingP


"You may laugh if you want to," said
the noble boy, "but I've made up my
mind, never, as long as live, to do any
thing would be ashamed to tell my
mother"


Noble resolve, and which will make
almost any life true and useful. Let it
be the rule of every boy and girl to do
uothing Of which they would beashamed
to tell theif mother.
Year: 1878

Cousin Kate was a sweet, Wide-awake
beauty of about seventeen, and she took
it into her head to 90 down on Long
Island to see some relations of hers who
had the misfortune to live there. Among
those relations there chanced to be q
young swain who had seen Kate on a
previous occasion, and seeing, fell deeply
in love with her. He called at the
house on the evening of his arrival, and
she met him on the piazza where she
was enjoying the evening air in company
with two or three of her friends.


The poor fellow was 50 bashful that
he could not find his tongue for some
time. At length he stammered out:


"HoW's your motherP


"Quite well, thank you.'


Another silence on the part Of Josh,
during which Kate and her friends did
the best they could TO relieve the mo-
notony. After waiting about ffteen
minutes for him to commence TO make
himself agreeable, he again broke the
spell by


"How's your fatherT' which was an
swered much in the same manner as the
first one, and then followed another
silence like the other.


"How's your father and mOtherP
again put in the bashful lover.


"Quite well, both Of them" This was
followed by an exchange Of glances and
q suppressed smile. -


This lasted some ten minutes more,
during which, Josh was fidgeting in his
seat stroking his Sunday hat. But at
length another question came


'sHoW's your parents 2"


This produced en- explosion that made
the woods ring
Year: 1878

Sell not virtue to purchase wealth.


Strive to avoid hard words and per
sOnalties. f...-..
Under our great troubles often lie our
greatest treasures.


If thou faint in the day of adversely
thy strength is small.


Poverty treads upon the heels Of great
and unexpected riches.


True happiness costs little fit be dear
it IS not Of good quality. .-'..


He who knows not when to be silent
knows not when to speak. -s... g.


We lie to God in prayer if we do not
rely upon him after prayer.


lmpatienee of study is the mental
disease Of the present generation.


Mean souls, like mean pictures, are
often found in good looking frames"


There is, always room for man Of
force, and he makes room for many.


'Those who trample on the helpless
are disposed to cringe to the powerful"


Not to be susceptible Of kindness
shows either a hard heart or bad usage"


The sharpest torments are said to be
those caused by trouble which never
comes.


Mankind worship success, but think
too little of the means by which it is
attained.


The fool clamors that he is as wise as
the sage, and the sage shrinks from say
ing that it is not so.
the courage to speak your mind
when it is necessary to do so, and hold
your tongue when it is prudent that you
should do So"


I'VE cannot walk side by side with
people Of true nobility of character
without becoming ourselves elevated
and ennobled."


"One should meet death as resolutely
as a general would an inevitable con-
queror. This is the best way to obtain
easy conditions"


There are two kinds of things stwhich
q man should never get angTy-what he
cannot help and what he can. What Is
the use of patience if we cannot find it
when we want it?


Happy in their own eyes are the peo-
pie who can talk when they have moth
ing to talk about, smile when there is
nothing to smile at, and grow enthusi-
astic over nothing.
Year: 1878

A correspondent writes as follows
about the flower of a well known plant
81 have discovered a remedy for con-
sumption. It has cured a number Of
cases after they had commenced bleed
ing at the lungs and the hectic flush was
already on the cheek. After trying this
remedy to my own satisfaction, I have
thought philanthropy required that I
should let it be known to the world. It
is common mullen, STEPPED strongly and
sWeetened with coffee sugar, and drink
freely. Young or old plants are good,
dried in the shade and kept in clean
bags. The medicine must be continued
from three to six months, according to
nature of disease. 1t is very good for
the blood vessels also. It strengthens
and builds up the system instead of
taking away the strength. It makes
good blood and takes inflammation away
from the lungs. It is the wish Of the
writer that eve-y periodical inthe United
States, Canada and Europe should pub
lish this recipe for the benefit of the
human family. Lay this up and keep it
in the house ready for use.
Year: 1878

The time was when a physician carried
in a small trunk all the remedies he deemed
necessary for the curing Of his patients Of
their ills and pains, but the study Of the
human system by our learned men has
called for new medicines, and in a more
concentrated form. One Of the results Of
this research after some more potent re-
medy for Rheumatism, Neuralgia, and
nervous diseases generally, has been the
discovery Of LawsOn's Curative, and We
believe that when its virtues are known in
every community, no family will consider
themselves without blame il they do not
keep it among their household goods.
Year: 1878

Like other attempted reforms at Wash
ington, that for the suppression of the
sale Of spirituous liquors in the restau-
rants of the Capital appears to have re-
suited in greater abuse than when the
traffic was open and unrestrained. Com
mi tee rooms of the Senate and House
of Representatives are now notoriously
supplied with the forbidden stimulants,
and have become the habitual resorts of
a class of thirsty Legislators, who can
thus crafty their taste without expo
sure at the public bars which adorn the
approaches to Congress.


Much comment has been made on the
intoxication witnessed in the Senate
during the all-night session, when the
silver bill was driven through under
the pressure of steam generated by
whisky. The Sergeant-at-arms is the
officer of that body charged with the
preservation of order and the enforce
ment of the rules of the Senate. On
that night his Office was little else than
a bar-room, to which not only Senators
but their families, without distinction
of party, had Tree access.


To forbid the keeper of the restaurant
to sell wine, ale, or any stimulant, how
ever moderately, and send the rule
abroad by the Associated Press as a
proof of the moral tone of the Senate,
and then permit the very officer whose
duty it is to see this rule strictly obeyed,
to supply the strongest potations under
cover of refreshments" is not very
strong testimony that Murphy has lee
tured on temperance W tn much profit
among the So ons of Congress. Repeal
the rule, and stop the hypocrisy.
Year: 1878

The new reform in Turkish polygamy


must begin where its evils are most ap-


parent, and where it will produce the


greatest effect on the subjects of the


Sultan. That spot is no less than the


Seraglie of the Sultan himself, of which


Osman Bey treats in the third part of
his book. In the harem, or woman's
part of the Seraglio, he has never set
foot, but he knows every corner of the
mabein or male quarter of that immense
palace, and he does not hesitate to say
that the social and domestic reform of
Turkey must begin within its walls.
What with the harem, with its seven
classes of Sultanas, from the Sultana
Valide to the Imperial Princesses with
their separate establishments of ladies
and eunuchs, there are not far from
two thousand souls in the harem of the
| Sultan. Then on the male side, between
buffoons, musicians, eunuchs, cooks and
dwarfs, the Commander of the Faithful
has more than one thousand attendants
to wait on him. Fancy three thousand
souls and bodies, all extravagant and
grasping, and reckon how many purses
it must cost to maintain the establish.
ment in the Seraglio. One little fact


if it be fact, may show how wastefui
the Sultan's ways are. According tc
Osman Bey, it would be considered high
treason against the dynasty of Othmar
If the Sultan even wore any article oi
dress twice. From the fez on his head
to the slippers on his feet he must have
J new clothes every day of his life. Hi.
Year: 1878




When we begin to use a telephone for
the first time there is sense Of oddity,
almost of foolishness, in the experiment.
The dignity of talking consists in hav-
ing a listener, and there seems kind of
absurdity in addressing piece of iron,
but we must raise our respect for the
metal, for it is anything but deaf. The
diaphragm of the telephone, the thin
iron plate, is as sensitive as the living
tympanum to all the delicate refnements
of sound. Nor does it depend upon the
thinness of the metallic sheet, for q
piece Of thick boiler-plate will take up
and transmit the motions of the air
particles in all the grades of their sub
tilty. And not only will it do the same
thing as the tympanum, but it will do
vastly more: the gross, dead metal
proves, in fact, to be a hundred times
more alive than the living mechanism
of speech and addition. This is no ex-
aggeration. In quickness, in accuracy,
and even in grasp, there is perfection
of sensitive capacity in the meta, with
which the organic instrument can not
compare. We speak of the proverbial
"quickness of thought" but the tele-
phone thinks quicker than the nervous
mechanism. Let word be pronounced
for person to repeat, and the telephone
will hear and speak it a hundred miles
away in tenth part of the time that
the listener would need to utter it. Give
man series of half dozen notes to
repeat, and he can not do it accurately
to save his life; but the iron plate takes
them up, transmits, them to another
plate hundreds of miles of, which sings
them forth instantaneously with abso-
lutte precision. The human machine
can hear, and reproduce, in its poor
way, only single series of notes, while
the iron ear of the telephone will take
up whole chords and trains of music,
and, sending them by lightning through
the wire, its iron tongue will transmit
them in perfect relations of harmony.
Year: 1878




The united Hebrew charities of New
York expend 81 1000 annually for the
support of the poor. Mayor Ely recently
made the statement that while the Jews
form ten per cent. of the population of
that city, they contribute less than one
per cent. to the criminal classes. Out
of 5000 persons in the various public
institutions, only thirty-three are Jews.
There is common opinion that the Jew
possesses the magic art of securing
wealth, but it will be found that the
only secret of his prosperity consists in
his "genius for patience, courage, dill
gence, economy and conservation of
earnings to the comfort and elevation of
his family" 1t is secret with which
it would be well for the rest of us to be-
come more familiar.
Year: 1878

A wELL-KNowN Oxford man, who
was at the same time fellow of his col
lege and head master of a prosperous
grammar school was once detected by
an old pupil skating on Sunday after
noon. az think, DOCTOR" was the not
unnatural observation, "you once
fogged me for boating on Sunday"
" Yes, my dear boy" was the reply, 81
did quite rig ht. If man really likes
boating, one day to him is the same as
another. Skating is entirely different
1t may freeze hard on Saturday night
and then thaw again before daybreak
on Monday morning"
Year: 1878

The Philadelphia Mint begins to stamp
silver dollars about the 18th of March,
and the Western Mints on the first of
April. The Treasurer will probably, as
soon as several millions are coined, trans
port them to the different Government
repositories and give public notice that
on certain day they will be paid in ex-
change for greenbacks. This will be
with the view of letting the lovers of the
Dollar of the Daddies all over the coun-
try have a fair chance at it.


The coin certificates authorized in the
act will, when issued to depositors of
silver dollars, be dated and made pay
able only at the Office where the dollars
have been deposited. If this were not
done the Government would be put to
the great cost of transporting silver dol
lars from one end of the land to the
other for the convenience of spectators
who would deposit dollars, say in
San Francisco, and mail their certif.
Gates to New York, there to demand the
dollars. The certificates will be, in fact
like bank notes, redeemable only at the
place where they were issued.
Year: 1878

The season of the year has come when
the small boy goes around with his
hands in his pockets and complains of
"spring fever" while the chronic dead
beat listlessly lounges up to the bar
where two friends are enjoying a
Smile" and family murmurs, MAKE
it three-handed.
Year: 1878

PROFESSOR NEwooMB says: $50
small is the earth, compared with the
erle-tial spaces, that if any one should
shut one eye and fire at random in the
air, the chance of bringing down bird
would be better than that of comet of
any kind striking the earth"
Year: 1878

HEApQR's ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES.


WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1873.
To the Hon. j. @ Smith.


My DEAR SIR: l have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your letter of the
23d, and take great pleasure in assuring
you that your administration of the affairs
of the Indian bureau was most satisfactory
to me, General Sheridan, and to army
officers generally. The moment You were
installed in Office you put yourself In friend
ly official relations to myself, and through
me to army officers serving on the frontier
near many Indian agencies, whereby
you secured their hearty CO.
operation in the execution OF your
most difficult Office. | believe your ad-
ministration of the Indian bureau was the
most successful of any in the past ten years,
and | know, from personal observation, that
you were always most active, Jealous, and
supposed successful in the discharge of its
duties. | am certain that your administra-
ton was efficient, and | thought economical,
though unable to form any opinion on this
head. AS l have often expressed to you, the
great difficulty of administration in the In
dian bureau arose from the fact that each
tribe needed special treatment, according to
its past history and existing prejudlces, and
the absolute impossibility of controlling
them from Washington. The commissioner,
also restricted by specific appropriations,
could not make any issue of provisions OF
the store to meet the clamors of the day, and
the consequence was that disorders resulted
from starvation and distress which the com
missioner could not relieve. am sure your
feelings always prompted you to be just and
liberal, but you could not exceed a change
existing appropriations without violating
the law but as to your wasting the public
money or property do not believe such q
thing possible. l assure you Of my great
personal and official respect, and feel sure
that the more your acts are examined the
more reason you and your friends have tc
be satisfied


With respect, your friend and servant,


w. T. SHERMAN, General.
Year: 1878

New York, Jan. ga dispatch from the
United States vice consul at Shanghai, ask
ing for funds, says that an appalling famine
is raging throughout the four provinces OF
north China Nine millions of people are
reported destitute Children are daily sold
in the markets for food. *
Year: 1878

Washington, Sept. 20.-Eugene
Hale, chairman Of the republican con-
gressional campaign committee, in an
interview in answer to the question
whether any change was contemplated
in the conduct of the campaign based
on the election in Maine, says:


81 know there has been, q good deal
Of talk about change of base by the
republican party on the financial issue,
but there ID nothing In 1t. We viii
keep to our old programme"


He denies that the republicans would
would go out of their way to make any
overtures whatever to the greenback
party. He declared that the committee
,vould not counsel the support of the
: greenback candidate in districts where
they could beat the democratic nomi-
nee by SO doing, and said, ian honest
financial policy is one upon which we
must make the fight The standard
which we upheld in Maine must not be
lowered an inch. .1a ssfs 3r sfa 1a1
Year: 1878

ANOTHER big fool turned up yester-
day, in LOWELL Mass, but he isn't
alive to be informed of the fact. Be-
cause a young lady would not allow
him to call upon her he murdered her
and then shot himself. 1t Is well that


he disposed Of himself. but it is sad to
the family Of the poor girl. a