smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

A Providence Or. I.) tobacconist has
put up a sign in his shop window, Civ
ing notice that he sells "Snuff for dip
ping" and the Journal of that city wakes
irate over the introduction of this filthy
habit. Strange as it may appear, "dip-
ping" is confined almost entirely to
women, and is practiced to a much
greater extent than would be imagined.
Of course it would be almost useless to
indicate to woman capable of "dip-
ping" that she is fool, but perhaps
some who are acquiring the habit "just
for fun," or because their companions
urge them, or for some equally frivolous
reason, might be saved from the debase-
ment if convinced of what is a widely
known fact, that persistence will make
their voices harsh, give them pinched
faces and hollow eyes, and shortly trans
form the most attractive girl into re-
pulsive, prematrlrely aged creature. 1t
does really seem as though there are
enough healthful and decent pleasures
and stimulants at the command of both
sexes and all classes to satisfy even the
most exacting, and prevent their emulat-
ing savages.
Year: 1875

An extraordinary story of suffering
and death comes from Montreal 1t IS
related that news was received there o
the death of Mr.. James Morrison, aged
fifty five years, very respectable farmer
of Gore township, Argenteuil county,
province of Quebec. It is stated that
a few days ago his wife and son left the
house for visit of two or three days,
leaving him alone. A storm coming, he
hitched up his horse and began "break-
ing" the roads. While SO doing he fell
between the sleigh shafts and was kicked
by the horse, which ran away, leaving
him lying in the snow with hisleg broken.
He lay in this condition from ten
A. NJ. to four P. NJ, when he managed to
get home by lying on his backand push


ing himself along with his uniniured leg.
On getting into the house he lay on the
floor for three nights and two days,
when his horse, which was starving,
forced itself into the house, and in search
for food trampled on him. Ho at last
managed to tie its leg to large cooler,
and crawled behind partition, where he
remained till the following day, when
his family returned. He had been the
whole time without food, and when
found was in the last stage of starvation
and exhaustion, and died almost inn
mediately after narrating his suferings.
Year: 1875

It is recognized doctrine of the
Changers that they shall not go to law
among themselves, and that when mis-
understandings arise they shall be ar
ranged by arbitration. This method
will secure as just and proper a settle
ment as by the courts, and generally it
will be directed by the same class of
men, for jurymen will be Grangers and
justices of the peace are likely enough
Changers. A resort to law has become
notoriously uncertain, and lawyersthem-
selves admit that there is no more telling
how jury will decide than there is as to
where lightning will strike. Nothing
need be said against lawyers; their SER
vices are certainly needed in the adjust
ment of estates, in drawing contracts,
and in making wise provisions for bust
ness men, but they should never be en-
ployed to help on neighborhood quar-,
rels. England and the United States
did wise and noble act when they arbi-
trated at Geneva.
Year: 1875

Mrs. Margaret E. Bingham, widow,
was found dead in the cellar of her house
in East Boston Mrs. Bingham lived
with her mother, Mrs. Mary A. Love
joy, as did also a younger sister. AT two
O'Clock in the afternoon Mrs. Bingham
was not seen about the house, and her
mother supposed her to be at one of the
neighbors not far away on some errand.
At four o'clock Miss Lovsioy, sister of
the deceased, descended to the first floor
of the house-as, it seems, the sitting
room was on the second floor and found
the outside door and the doors leading
to the cellar open. Nothing was thought
of this occurrence, and the doors were
closed, and Miss Lovejoyreturned to the
sitting room. AT about eight o'clock in
the evening Mrs. Loveioy went to the
cellar and there found her daughter
lying lifeless upon the cellar bottom.


The police were at once notified, and
an investigation began. The body of
the victim was lying on the back with
the feet toward the stairs. The mouth
was found to be filed to the utmost ca
pacity with gravel and earth. Some of
the stones were as large as English wal
nuts, and one had been forced down the
throat as far as the epiglottis, which
alone was sufficient to cause death.
Several slight bruises or contusions were
discovered on different parts of the
body. On the throat were the marks Of
fingers, tightly compressed, showing
also the imprints of the nails, indicating
that great force had been employed.
Portions of Mrs. Bingham's artificial
hair lay near the body, and the comb
which she wore in her hair at the time
was found broken into numerous pieces.
Blood covered the face and besprinkled
the floor of the cellar, which being in
many places decayed was torn up, show
ing that struggle ensued between the
victim and her murderer. In one place,
where the floor had been broken and torn
away, the earth had evidently been
scooped up by the hands and used as
above stated.


When the body was discovered, and
before an examination began, the friends
of the deceased believed that Mrs. Bing-
hams death was caused by sudden fit
of some kind, or by fall, but the marks
of violence on the person, and the fore
ing the stones into the throat, preclude
the possibility of such an Interpretation
of the affair. The finding of the doors
of the house open at about four o'clock,
at or near which time the tragedy must
have occurred-for the body Of the de-
ceased was cold when found and hence
must have lain nearly three hours-is a
suspicious circumstance and points to a
possible solution of the mystery. Mrs.
Bingham's object in going to the cellar
at that time cannot be accounted for ex-
cept by supposing that she was attracted
there by something unusual. One of
the many tramps or thieves may have
entered the house, and, alarmed by the
approach of Mrs. Bingham, opened the
first door at hand and found himself in
the cellar, whittier, attracted by the
noise, she may have gone and met her
fate.
Year: 1875

DIED IN HER BALL DRESS A woman
rode home from ball in Boston on q
recent cold night, and the driver, upon
hearing the door open and shut, sup
posed she had alighted. Hadrove away,
without having got down from his seat,
and left his carriage standing as usual
outside of his stable after caring for his
horses. The woman, who had been
drinking freely, had not got out of the
carriage, and was found in it the next
morning frozen to death,
Year: 1875

Oh, you are charming, Hester Browne,
SO do not, every time you pass


The little Psyche looking-glass,
Find some disorder in your gown
In every ringlet of your hair,


In every dimple of your cheek,


Whene'er you smile or smiling speak,
There turks cruel, charming snare.
There's not motion of the hand


That shows grace to lure and win,
There's not coy coquettish sin
That Hester does not understand.
And let her break hundred hearts,


And mend them with glance again;
BE sure the pleasure heals the pain
OF little Hesters cruel arts.
Year: 1875

|. The following is an ackrow-
ledgment Of a wedding notice and
generous allowance of wedding


cake, by a classical rural professor
Of Typography:


"We make our most respectful
bow to the happy twain and the
opportunity to return thanks for
this almost unNed act Of liberality.
May the matrimonial chase which
locks the form Of our brother typo,


justify all his preconeeived smpres-
sions. In whatever S Of the coun-
try be may roam, whether called


upon to face the ing waves Of


adverse fortune, or stand before


the II and It Of enemies, may
his life be>such that when the "a


Of death shall be laid on him, and
the of his existence draws to q


close, he may produce a cleea proof,
and claim q clear title to an hon


orable T in the page Of history, as


we'll as to an eternal inheritance


beyond the ~" .... ~.
Year: 1875

How THEY LEARN.-The rapid.
ity with which females adapt
themselves to the circumstances
and fashions with which they are
surrounded, and especially the
fashions, is simply marvellous
One Monday a lady in Western
city, who employs several domes.
tics, got a new table-girl, just ar.
rived in the city from rural dis
tricts-a bright-eyed, ,rosy-cheeked
damsel who blushed whenever any
of the male members Of the house.
hold looked at her; a girl whose
hair was combed smoothly back
from off her tanned forehead
whose dress had sleeves to it, came
up to her throat and down TO her
feet. <On Tuesday her hair went
up on to the top of her head, and
was coiled up over a-something;
on Wednesday she cut the sleeves
off her dress, turned it in at the
throat, pinned it back and bumped
it out behind, and could look all
the men in the house square in
the face for half an hour without
the hue of modesty sho wing
through her chalk complexion.
Thursday she completed herdegra'
dation by cutting off all but an
inch or TWO of her iont hair.
Year: 1875

To BoYs.-See here, little boys,
we want to say a word to you
While we are with you for enjoy
ment thickly sprinkled into the
web of life, we must not forget
our duties as we go along, nor
must we gel things too badly mix
ed. We admire the old saying,
that there is a slime for every
thing" we like the saying equally
well, that "everything should be
done at the proper. time." The
idea that we wish to convey is,
that you should be regular and
systematic in your habits, and not
do in one hour what is claimed
for another. Always discharge
your d u ty fully and earnestly.
whether it be work or play, each
in it's proper time. You will find
that this rule will make you be-
loved and respected and useful
members of society.
Year: 1875

We find the following in an ex-
change, and trustevery young man
in this community will profit by a
careful perusal. Read it and then
cut it out to hand down to your
posterity:


II know a man who is very rich
now, though he was very poor
when a boy. He said his father
taught him never to play till all
his work for the day was finished,
and never to spend money till be
had earned it. Ifhe had but a halt
an hours work to do in a day, he
was taught to do that the first
thing, and to do it in half an hour.
After this was done he could play,
and my young friends all know
he could play with a great deal
more pleasure than if ne had
the thought of his unfinished work
on his mind. He says he early
formed the habit Of doing every
thing in it's season, keeping every
thing in its place, and it soon be-
came perfectly easy for him to
do so. 1t is to such habits that
be owes his present prosperity.
am very happy to add that he
delights to do good with bis
riches and has many warm
friends.
Year: 1875

pie Of young men found her ana
were about to expostulate with
her for causing such delay, but
without q word she pointed with
trembling finger to the hapless
boat.


"Heayen!" exclaimed one, "he
will be certainly lost. No one
could manage a boat ID the fierce
wind and storm that will soon fu-
riously burst apon u.s."


"Who is it p asked another.


'It's Roger Lincoln" answered
the first speaker. II saw him
this morning, and he told mo he
was going across to-day to super
intend the cutting down Of some
| trees. Heaven help him for no.
thing else;can succor him now"
The wind was steadily increas-
ing, and the rain began to descend
in quick large drops, and they
strove to persuade Kitty to 60
home with one Of their mum.
Der. All the girls had gone but
her; but she shook her head
and gazed with a white despair
ing face on the approaching boat.
Roger as making every effort to
reach the shore. Nearer and near.
er be came until they could almost
distinguish his face, and Kitty's
heart began to beat with renewed
hope and joy. O.! the thought to
SEQ him swept away from me so
suddenly and in anger! and her
heart arose in agonized prayers
for his safety. Nearer and nearer
he came. A few moments more and
the shore would have been reach'
ed,and then-then all in q moment,
came a wild, fearful glare of light
ming, and q burst of thunder, &C.
companied by raging whirlwind'
When the little party on shore re-
covered from the shock and fearful
ly gazed upon the now raging riv-
er, the boat had disappeared.
Death had relentlessly swept him
sway and set his seal of silence on
their unhappy quarrel. Kitty was
borne insensible to the cottage
of her urclc, but never awakened
from her stupor. And when,
three days later, they picked up
the mangled form Of Roger Lin
coin on the beach, whittier it had
been driven by the tide, her heart
had ceased to beat. They buried
them side by side in the little
chnrch;yard, where the mournful
cypress cast its sombre shade.
Year: 1875

With lungs OF iron and wings OF lame, ,
With nerves and sinews OF quiverihg steer,
With ribs OF brass and giant lia'nI,
lie spurns the earth with an aI'sry sI:cR Heei


Through the midnight pi"ck


His eyeballs glare


With CHASTITY stare


ON the startled track,
And be rcnds the sky with scream OF pain
oh a monster grim is the lightning train!
The legend tells OF a mik-white steed
That carried Mohammed from earth TO heaven
As swift as a flash of light her speed
And jeweled feet to her were given;


Each leap was as far


AS the eye hath sight,


And each hoOf as bright


As blazing star,
And a CLEAN like the stTeam that the cou:et yields
Al Borak left in the rosy fields.
wonderful arrow was that of old
That bore Saint Abaris through the land;
1t was feathered with light and barbed with gold,
And sped by the touch OF Apollo's hand.


With n sibilant song


1t cleft the cloud


That shouted aloud


As il flashed along,
And the sea never saw from its throbbing tide
a vision so rare rs the prophets ride.
The Sultan's cap and magical wand
Bore FOTtunatus TO isles remote;
The taliSman took him TO every land
And to every sky in its airy boat;


But the cleaning shaft


From the archer'S arm,


Aaddin's charm,


And the phantom craft,
And the stced that SKINNED the azure plane,
Are all combined in the flying train.
II devours the forest and drinks the lake,
Then plungcs down the wild ravineS
With the wealth OF the world on its burdened back
A sOoty man from the saddle leans,


And 4 murky wreath


Its jaws emit


As he tightens the bit


In The dragons teeth,
And his cheek is swept by the fiery mane-
oh, a monster grim is the lightning train


w. a. G.
Year: 1875

The common notion that ali children
should be taught alike is eminently un-
reasonable, on account of the difference
in their prospects and capacities.
Now large school tends to make chill
dren alike, because it molds them all to
one rigid form; but it is the interest
of the community that each child's
special gift or grace should be sedulously
cultivated, not obliterated. We Ameri-
cans are so used to weighing multitudes
and being ruled by majorities that we
are apt TO undertake the potential in
fuence of individuals. Yet we know
that Agassiz's word about fossil fish
Justly outweighed the opinion of the
whole human race besides; that Won
Moltke is worth great armies to Ger
many; that a few pages of poetry about
slavery and freedom by Longfellow,
Lowell, and Whittier have had the pro-
foundest effect upon the public fortunes
of this country during the past thirty
wears; that the religions of the world
have not been the combined work of
multitudes, but have been accepted from
individuals. We must not be led by
our averages and our majorities to for
get that our life may be more precious
than other millions that one heroic
character, one splendid genius may well
he worth more to humanity than multi
tudes of common men.
Year: 1875

THE custom of eating fish on Fridays
and Lent is derived from the old Pagan
notion that fish were sacred to Aphrodite,
the foamborn goddess, and to the Roman
Venus. Hence the custom grew of eat
ing fish on Friday. the day of Frega, and
in spring, the season sacred to the goddess
of love.
Year: 1875

PoLrTEsEss.-Polished manners have
often made sccundrels successful, while
the best Of men, by their hardness and
GOODNESS, have done themselves incalcu-
liable injary--the shell being 30 rough
that the world could not believe there
was a precious kernel within it. Had
Raleigh never flung down his cloak in


the mud for proud Elizabeth to walk on,
his career in life would have scarcely
been worth recording Scores Of mer
have been successful in life by pleasing
manners alone. SO
Year: 1875

Although the philosopher was popular
with the French people generally, as the
representative of the democracy he was
disliked by the leading aristOcrats, like
Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Nine.
DeCrequy. The latter thought him any
thing but gallant. At a repast where
she sat alongside of him, and where he
was habited in the memorable brown
coat, brown waistcoat, breeches of same,
and cravat striped with red, she thus
records the impression. That which j
saw most remarkable in him was his
mode Of eating eggs. He emptied five or
six into a goblet, mingling salt, pepper
and butter, and thus made joG ragou
Philadelphique. He cut with his knife
the piece of melon he wished to eat and
he bit the asparagus, in place of cutting
of the point with his knife on the plate,
and eating it properly with a fork.
You perceive that it was the mode oi
savage."-ABert RhodeS French al
Home.
Year: 1875

sent for. The doct. knew 1'tN


the man well, and told the minister that
he must Just begin and take his tOddy
again. This the minister said he could
not do as he had taken the pledge in
presence of the presbytery. The doctor
replied that he might get bottle or two
quietly, and that nobody but himself
(the minister) and the housekeeper
would know anything about it.


Man." says the minister, " my house
keeper is worse than all the presbytery
put together, so that would not do"
However, it was arranged that the doctor
was to bring the whisky and sugar, and
that the minister was TO make up the
toddy in the bedroom with the hot water
that he always got for shaving purposes
in the morning. The result was, the
minister got speedily well, and one day,
on going out, the doctor said to the
minister's housekeeper, Well, Margaret,
your Minister is quite himself again.
There's the doot about that, sir" she
replied; hes quite we'll in body; but
there's something game far wrong WI his
upper story" What's wrong there,
Margaret?' asked the doctor. Weel,
sir, dinna ken, but he asks for Shawn
water six and seven times / the day.
Year: 1875

AN attempt is now making on the
Swedish coast to recover the cargo of an
East Indaman which foundered near the
Fortress of Eifsborg in 1912. Thus far
the diving operations are reported to
have been signally successful, large
quantity of old Chinese porcelain having
already been recovered in so perfect Il
condition that individual pieces have
been eagerly sought for by collectors,
and have brought high prices.
Year: 1875

Two painters were employed to fresco
the walls of magnificent cathedral /;
both stood on a rude scaffolding con-
structed for the purpose, some eighty
feet from the floor. One of them was
so intent upon his work that he be
came absorbed, and in admiration stood
off from the picture, gazing at 1t with
delight. Forgetting where he, was he
moved backward slowly, surveying
critically the work of his pencil, until
he had neared the end of the plank
upon which he stood. At this critical
moment his scompanion turned suddenly
and, almost frozen with horror, beheld
his imminent peril /; another instant
and the enthusiast would be precipita-
ted upon the pavement beneath If he
spoke to him IT was certain death-lf
he held his peace death was equally sure.
Suddenly he regained his presence of
mind, and seizing a wet brush. flung it
against the wall, splattering the beautl-
full picture with unsightly blotches of
color. The painter flew forward, and
turned upon his friend with fierce I'M
precautions but, startled at his CHASTITY


face, he listened to the recital of the
danger, looked suddenly over the dread
space below, and with tears OF graft
tude blessed the hand that saved him.


So we sometimes get absorbed in look
ing upon the pictures of his world,
and, in contemplating them, step back
ward, unconscious of our peril when
the Almighty dashes out the beautiful
images, and we spring forward to Ia
ment their destruction-into the out
stretched arms of mercy, and are saved.
Year: 1875

A writer in the Chicago Tribune
says: Lady Blessington, like Nine.
Recamier, was an acknowledged queen
of society. But now, after the dazzle
and glitter of her fame has faded to a
memory, it is plainly seen that not even
in remote degree was her position
like Margaret Fuller's or Nine. De
Stael's-a purely intellectual one.
There can be little doubt that she might
have exerted every influence of her ap-
parent wealth, and every power of her
intellect. and yet, had she been less
favored by nature than she was with
charms that catch the fancies of men,
might have striven in vain for the
honors she bore so well. She had q
keenly perceptive intelligence, which,
when it went cleaning in the fields of
art and literature, never failed to espy
the richest grain that would garner
well, to feed after conversations. Her
mind was entirely objective in its
character. Not in the least subjective.
1t laid hold upon the outer world with
faculties that gathered and brought
home their gain to make her intelligence
brilliant but superficial, to make her
conversation more descriptive, quota
tive and emotionally critical rather than
dispassionately analytical and trans
pareQtly profound. She had no vision
of the mysteries of mind and soul that
battle and perple1 the thinkers con-
sciousness. The sight was seldom or
not at all introverted. She lived to
grow as a morning glory grows, to beau
tiful blossoms and lu1uriant foliage,
but with little root into the deep soil
of thought. She was wonderfully gifted
in expression, both of speech and per-
son, so that the idea which a less at
tractive woman, uttering In no more
barren phrase, would seem but a scanty
addition to the conversation, came from
her with all the pomp and glory of an
assured triumph. She of course was
never original; her ideas were the
thoughts that are the worlds universal
own, rehaoilitated in the SNOWY Bless
ington livery, and sent forth to enhance
the Blessington reputation. In reading
her life and letters. one always has the
impression that she poses always for
dramatic effect, even in her private cor
respondence that she always wrote
huu idlhou, uOt l1oln Vic oNciuoW oi
her own nature, but pertinaciously up
to the standard of social and worldly
appreciation. Her literary reputation
was made at a time when there were
fewer feminine competitors for fame
than now, and was nourished upon
diet of snowy Annuals, such as the
reading public of to day would reject
as the most insipid of literary cruel.
Her tales and novels probably are never
read by the present army of hght-litera-
ture readers, and would not find pub
Usher were they hawked from one
Office to another all over the country.
Her beauty, her mental brilliancy, her
rare expressional grace, and her supreme
ambition to be the bright focus point
of the intellectual rays of society made
her house fashionable"
Year: 1875

The famous Curran had sensitive
ness in public speaking which often
hindered his success. He was painfully
affected by any mark of inattention in
his audience. If any one were sleeping,
or gazing vacantly about the court, his
elOQuence began to flag. and much of
his power was lost. This fact became
80 well known at last that some of the
eminent advocates opposed to him re-
sorted to unworthy tricks to help their
clients. If they saw that Currau was
particularly eloquent, and was carrying
the jury with him, they would hire
some man to go into the court, and,
sitting near Curran, to show signs Of
WEAKNESS by visible and loud yawninR.
The stratagem rarely failed of success.
1t is said, "The eloquent spirit would
drOop its wing and forsake him; he
would falter, forget the thread of his
and bring his peroratiOn to an
abrupt and unsatisfactory conclusion"