smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

THE Chinese watch the pearl -mussel
closely, and when it opens its shell insert
pieces of wood, hard earth, or little images
of their gods. These irritate the fish and
cause it to cover the substance with a
pearly deposit, which hardens and forms
an artificial pearl. This sort of pearl
making is carried on to great extent in
Ning-po, and the articles thus obtained
are considered very little inferior in value
10 the real
Year: 1876

On account Of the pressure of both news and sdver
tisements upon columns, at the present time and
20 enable TIE STAR to be circulated at the earliest
hour possible each day, advertisers requested TO
send in their favors early in the day practicable
They be in hand before IL clock to insure in
sertiOn the day, and they ought be in as much
earlier than that is possible in each case
Year: 1876

Not only are the two houses of Congress
divided upon the presidential complication,
but there are divisions in the party ranks in
each house. Each party has its radical and
conservative wings. Curiously enough the
southern democrats are the most cOnserva-
tive members OF the party in the democratic
House, while in the republican Senate the
most conservative members are the northern
republicans
Year: 1876

One OF the silliest rumors which has recent
ly found circulation is the report that the
order for General Hancock's transfer to the
Pacific coast was actually made out at the
War Office, but that when the fact became
know, the order was torn from the official
records OF the department and burned up.
This presupposes that the department hoped
10 be able TO make the transfer of General
Hancock's command from the Atlantic to
the Pacific coast without the curious public
finding IL out. The story scarcely requires
contradiction.
Year: 1876

The next proposition in regard to counting
the electoral vote to come up for discussion
in the Senate is Mr.. Morton's Senate bill, No.
I. of last session. 1t provides that the Senate
and House shall meet in the hall OF the
House, at p. m, on the last Wednesday in
January; that the President of the Senate
shall preside; that two tellers shall be ap-
pointed on the part of the Senate and two on
the part of the House, to whom the President
shall hand the certificates after he has opened
them; that the tellers shall read the votes and
make a list of them; that the President of the
Senate shall announce the result of the vote
that in case of an objection to counting the
vote of any state, the Senate shall withdraw,
and that on reassembling, If the House and
Senate a gree (and only in that case) to throw
out the vote, il shall be thrown out, but that
no vote shall be rejected except upon the af-
hrmative vote of both houses. In case of two
sets of returns. that return shall be counted
which the two houses, acting separately
shall decide to be the true and valid return.
This plan is vast improvement over the
present mode of counting the vote, hut it will
doubtless share the fate of Mr.. Edmunds'
proposed constitutional amendment.


1t is said that Mr.. Morton, himself does
not now favor his proposition of last session.
Year: 1876

school for $50 month and "board
round,' because farm hands are Sc
cured for that sum and board, is ridic-
ulous. Occasionly competent teach
or, who has been unfortunate in some
respect, is secured at a low rate a;
but the generality of cheap teachers
arc either incompetent from want of
education, age or experience, or IN
competent because stupid, lazy, and
sometimes intcmpcratc. Directors
Shonld exercise great caution in this
matter. "A young lady or youth
of the ncighborhood with whom the
people in the community are ac-
qualntcd may sometimes be allowed
to teach their first school in the dis
trlct, Tor every teacher must make a
beginning sometime; but the Dircc-
tors and patrons of the school should
impress upon the mind Of the young
teacher the importance of their work
and the necessity that Il teacher should
possess high grade of scholarship.
Parents should visit the school often.
and the whole community should
take IN active interest in the work
OF the young teacher. Youth is cas-
lily stimulated to energetic and noble
cndcavors by the attention and Judi
cious criticism of older people.


But let us increase the public
school funds. Let the taxes bc equal
upon all, and the money expended
iudiciously. No good citizen, wheth-
cr he has children to educate or not
will hesitate when the time come,
for him to put his hand in his pocket
to help the school.
Year: 1876

sentiment throughout the country in
favor of free schools. Everywhere
in our travels we meet with people,
who in talking of the needs of the
country, place the school at the head
of the list of institutions which need
a more careful fostering and which
demand the earnest attention of par
ents. 1t is gratifying to note that
the people are beginning to feel that
the schools of Clarke county are not
as good as they can afford. \ bet
ter appreciation of the importance of
common school education will pro-
ducc this feeling. "A sturdy farmer
remarked the other day: 81 have
no children of my own, but | have
an adopted son whom | desire to
have a good education, better than !
had. He is large enough to do con-
siderable farm work, but had rath-
CT hire a hand the year round and
scn1 the boy to school. We need
more money to sustain our schools"
\ man with such views on the
school question may be counted as a
solid man. That he is so counted is
proved by the fact that the people in
the late election have chosen him to
fill an important Office in the county.


When we say that the schools of
the county are not as good as can be
afforded, we do not mean to throw
cold water upon the efforts that have
been made in this direction. All cf-


forts for the promotion of education
arc lauda bic. All demands upon
purses of people arc TO be considered
in the order of their Importance


The mental discipline, or in other
words, the education of the yonng,
stands second in Importance to moth
ing but the provision of actual ncccs-
sarics of life, in the household ccon-
cmy. 1t follows therefore that many
things should be dispensed with at
home, rather than that the school
should be lamcly supported. There
are many luxurics, both innocent and
hurtftl, that our people indulge in,
which had better be discarded and
the money put into the family school
fund. Some men spend from five
to twenty-five dollars annually for
tobacco with which to poison their
blood and set bad example to their
children; others spend money for
liquors with like damaging result
to themselves and their families. No
man who is thus guilty has right
to say he could not afford to pay
higher school tax, that the schools





of the country arc as good as we can
afford. Ills actions demonstrate that
he does not duly appreciate the i'm
portancc of education, or if apprc-
cating it, he has not the courage to
champion the cause in a substantial
manner; in either case, his opinions,
on that subject at least, are not Of
much account. We are aware that
the mass of the people Of Clarke
county arc subject to many stern
conditions. The country is timbcrcd
and rough, roads arc bad and mar
kcting is often difficult, in view of
all which it takes time and hard work
for the man who starts in poor to
accumulate even sufficient to make
his home comfortable during the
year. But in two or three years, by
industry and economy, he IS able to
see his way clear, to assist in build
ing a school house and hiring teach
CT, and just here is the point where
the temptation to be parsimonious is
peculiarly strong. \ cheap teacher
is little better than no teacher at all.
The idea that a man should teach
Year: 1876

On Monday night Albert f. Head, son
of B. j. Head who resides near Gra-
ham, in fit of mental arrangement,
came to the conclusion that there were
parties in the upper chamber ready to
take his life. He sprung through the
window carrying the sash with him and
landed in snow bank some twelve feet
below. He was dressed in his night
clothes and bare feet, his father and
brother who had been watching his
movement from below, ran out and
saw him rctreating. They followed his
track to town and woke some parties
who pursued him and captured him at
the barn of Henry McRoberts. lie was
very much chilled and feet slightly fro
zen, having made acircuit of three miles
in the most terrific snow storm we ever
witnessed. He has been in an insane
condition for several months, and on
this occasion imagined that the entire
community had combined together to
put an end to his existence. At the
present writing his fears have abated
but otherwise his mind is in about the
same condition ithas been for months.-
Graham Headlight.
Year: 1876

Court, IL cannot be conceived how Judge
Lynch can order any interference with
the city's right and duty to comply with
the decree which orders that no wharf
duties shall be levied upon vessels land
ing at this port in excess OF the amount
necessary TO keep the wharves iE repair
against the city may have awakened a
tartar, and IL Is not at all improbable
that it may lead to question OF the
validity OF the lien which the wharf
bonds purport to have on the revenues
derived from the wherves.
Year: 1876




This is variation of the story about
the soldier whose life was saved by a
Bible in his pocket A fellow in Omaha
was shot at by desperado, and the hul
let lodged harmlessl, in a bundle of let.
ters from his girl


Ts'Josh Billings remarks The only
way to get thrue this world and escape
eeusure and abuse is to take some back
road You kaut travel the main turn
pike and do it This is the plain unvar
uishel, and unadulterated truth, ..


Ee- My native city has treated me bad
", said drunken yagahond, but | love
her still. Probably, replied gentleman
her still is all you do love


What is the difference between hill
and a pill One is hard to get up, anc
the other is hard to get down.


A marble firm agent, soliciting orders
for tombstones in Alameda County, Cal
ifornia. was recently badly sold by mar
who directed him to Il woman who hat
just lost her husband, but when he 90
here and found she had lost him by his
running off with another woman ht
thought himself lucky that he got of witl
as much of his hair as he did.
Year: 1876

A citizen of Macon, Ga, who kept up his
New Years calls until after dark, says that
dog on the front stoop is a very poor sub
stitute for a door mat. He doesn't remem-
Der whether he sat down on the substitute
or not, but his pantaloons seem to be some
what worn behind.
Year: 1876

Why should the beehive be taken as
symbol Of Industry. Not bee is to be
seen all the Winter long, while the cock
roach is up at five o'clock in the morning,
and never goes to bed till midnight. Let's
change this thing.
Year: 1876

When boy has been off all day, con-
trary to the expressed wish of his mother,
and on approaching the homestead at
night, with an anxious and cautious tread,
finds company at tea, the expression of
confidence and rectitude which suddenly
lights up his face cannot be reproduced on
canvas
Year: 1876

POVERTY AND LARGE CRoPs.-Probably in
no year since the establishment of this re-
public has there been more pinching want,
suffering, starvation, business embarrass-
ment, and financial depression than in the
year just closed. And yet the crops have
been more abundant than before, and ma
ture more prolific in providing for the
physical wants of man. Man and govern
ment and not nature are to blame that
there is so much want and trouble abroad
in the land. The agricultural reports for
November and December say that the No
vember returns indicate that the corn crop
of 1875 was one of the largest ever grown
in this country, probably equaling the very
large crops of 1870 and 1872. 1t is at least
fourth greater than the crop of 1874, and
about third larger than the crop of 1869
reported in the last census. Every section
in the Union reports an increase.-Er.
Year: 1876

Take q sheet of stiff writing paper
and fold it into tube an inch in diam
eter Apply it to the right eye and look
steadfastly through it, focusing the
eye on any convenient object; keep the
left eye open. Now place the left hand,
held palm upward, edgeways against
the side of the paper tube, and about
an inch or two above its lower end.
The astonishing effect will be produced
of hole, apparently of the size of the
cross section of the tube, made through
the left hand. This is the hole in which
we propose to materialize another small
er hole. As we need a genuine aper-
ture, and it would be incOnvenient to
make one in the left hand, let a sheet
of white paper be substituted therefor
and similarly held. Just at the part Of
the paper where the hole equaling in
diameter the oriice of the tube ap-
pears, make an opening inch in di-
ameter. Now stare intently into the
tube; and the second hole, defined by
its difference of illumination, will be
seen floating in the first hole, and yet
both will be transparent. The illusion,
for of course it is one OF those odd
pranks our binocular vision plays upon
us, is certainly one of the most curious
ever devised. Besides, here Is the ac-
tual hole clearly visible, and yet there
is no solid body to be seen to define its
edges. 1t is not mere spot of light,
because, if a page of print be regard
ed, the lines within the boundaries of
the little hole will not coincide at all
with those surrounding it and extend
ing to the edges of the large apparent
aperture. Each eye obviously trans
mits an entirely different impression to
the brain, and that organ, unable to
disentangle them, lands US in the pal
pable absurdity of a materialized hole.
Scientific american.
Year: 1876

A lad, narrating a fight in which he
had been engaged, said: "I'l tell you
how it was. You see, Bill and me went
down to the wharf to fish; and felt in
my pocket and found my knife, and it
was gone; and | said, BILL, you stole
my knife;' and he said l was another;
and | said, go there YOURSELF and he
said it was no such thing; and | said he
was liar, and could whip him if was
bigger'n him; and he said he'd rock me
to sleep, mother; and l said he was a
bigger one; and he said L never had the
measles and said for him to fork over
that knife, or I'd fix him for a tomb
stone at Cypress Hills; and he said my
grandmother was no gentleman; and |
said he dersn't take it up, but he did,
you bet; you never-well, you never
lid then | got up again; and he tried
to, but he didn't; and l grabbed him
and throwed him down on the top of
me like several bricks; and l tell you it
beat all-and so did he; and my little dog
got behind Bill and bit him ;andBill kick
ed at the dog, and the dog ran, and l
ran after the dog to fetch him back, and
| didn't catch him till l got clear home !;
and I'll whip him more yet. Is my eye
black?'
Year: 1876

All men who avoid female society
have dull perceptions, and are stupid,
and have gross tastes, and revolt against
what is pure. Your club swaggerers,
who are sucking the butts of billiard
cues all night, call female society in
sipid. Poetry is as uninspiring to a
yokel; beauty has no charms for a
blind man; music does not please a
poor beast, who does not know one
tune from another; but, as true epi-
cure is hardly ever tired of water,
sauce, and brown bread and butter, l
protest can sit for a whole night talk
ing to a well-regulated, kindly woman
about her daughter Fanny or her boy
Frank, and like the evenings entertain
ment. One of the greatest benefits a
man can derive from woman's society
is that he is bound to be respectful to
her. The habit is of great good to
your morals, men, depend upon it. Our
education makes us the most eminently
selfish men in the world, and the great
est benefit that we have is to think of
somebody to whom we are bound to be
constantly attentive and respectful
ThdckerdY.
Year: 1876

the following day Mr.. Forster himself
rode over to my fathers house to en-
treat Mr.. Travers, from whom he had
of late been estranged, to accept his
renewed friendship, and to ask for my
hand on behalf of his son. Oswald lost
his passage on board the homeward-
bound steamer that was to touch at
Point de Gale; and when he did visit
Europe, he took with him Ellen Travers
as his wife.


We have long been happily settled
far from tropic jungles and their dan
gerous habitants-but never has my
husband or myself forgotten those few
instants of bitter anguish and alarm
beside the Tank of MinarY. .
Year: 1876

and was soon in the saddle, pacing leis-
urely before us on his way to the mosque.
He had on brown mantle, between the
folds of which shUne the rich gold of
his uniform, sparkling with diamonds.


On his head he wore the plainest fez,
without aigrette or any other ornament.
He was barely at two yards distance
from me, and | could note every feature
of his face-a long, narrow head, a
stern, resolute expression, indicative of
energy, intelligence, an earnesa and not
very placaple disposition. seemed 10
me the countenance of a ruler capable
OF much good or much evil, but know
ing his own mind, and determined to


have his own will. Then there was an
Year: 1876

Age, whitening for the tomb is q
worthy object Of reverence. The pas
sions have ceased-hopes Of self have
ceased. The old linger with the young
and oh, how careful should the young
be to reward them with tender affec-
ton and with the warmest love. to
diminish the chill of ebbing life. The
Spartans looked on reverential respect
for old age as beautiful trait Of char
acter. Be kind to those who are in the
autumn of life, for you know not what
suffering they may have endured. nor
how much of it may still be their por-
ton Do they seem unreasonably to
find fault or murmur? Allow not your
anger to kindle against them; rebuke
them not, for doubtless many have
been the crosses and trials Of earlier
years, and perhaps their dispositions.
while in the springtime Of life, were
less flexible than your own. Do they
require aid?


Then render it cheerfully. Forget not
that the time may come when you may
desire the same assistance from others
that you render to them. Do all that
is needful for the old, and do it with
alacrity, and think not hard if much is
required at your hands, lest when age
sets seal its upon your brow, and fills
your limbs with trembling. others may
wait unwilling, and feel relieved when
the coffin has covered you forever.
Year: 1876

PART1NG.-Men seldom appear so
humane, or in position so advanta-
geous to their humanity, as when they
part. How few friends are there who
endure protracted separation without
some abatement Of warmth, or meet. by
appointment. without some precaution-
ary anxieties, or continue together long
without some accidental discontents !;
but none, in any degree entitled to that
character. ever part without much re-
gret! Even the cheerful and social are
not always exempt from those momen-
tary perturbations with which selfish
ness chills the pulse or controversy
overheats it. The needle will oscillate
a little from the just point of its affec
tions. and though its polarity is never
lost, it is seldom steady. Yet even
the petulant, the irritable. and the more
generous of the resentful, lose all un-
friendliness as they pass away from
each other-sighing at conversation
which, perhaps, they may have mutually
desired. The last shake of the hand is
sufiient to dissipate hundred griev-
auces. There are then no reproaches
which we can recall beside those against
ourselves.
Year: 1876

Spurgeon tells the following story !:
"a poor man, who had large family,
gave them a very comfortable support
while he was in health. He broke his
leg, and was laid up for some weeks.
AS he would be for some time destitute
of the means of grace. it was proposed
to hold prayer-meeting at his house.
The meeting was led by Deacon Brown.
A loud knock at the door interrupted
the service. A tall. lank, blue-frocked
youngster stood at the door, with an OK
goad in his hand and asked to see Deacon
Brown. Father could not attend this
meeting, he said. but he sent his pray
ers, and they are out in the cart They
were brought in. in the shape of ppta-
toes, beef, pork and corn. The meeting
broke up without benediction."
Year: 1876

Some days after this adventure.
Madame Mozart was shedding tears,
while she prepared for the departure Of
her husband and son.


"We are going to the court of the
Empress Maria Theresa that queen so
great, so wise, and so virtuous; we are
going there at the invitation of her
august husband himself, Francis the
First


"At six years old, to begin life of
labor, said the poor mother, sitting her
sighs


"But l shall work for you. dear
mamma, and that will be a life of plea
sure, replied Wolfgang, throwing him.
self on his mothers neck.


An hour afterwards, the msaitre de
chapelle and his son were on their way
to Vienna. On their arrival they were
Year: 1876

to-day, and sometimes we 90 about on
this railroad to Other parts of the ocean,
''But how did ever hear of this ask
ell Charlie, ''if you will let no one tell
of what he sees when he gets home
again "One man broke his promise.
aud did tell so his report was printed
and in that way many head of our rail
way. But as no one knew exactly
where it was, it was not much looked
for. and WAS forgotten by almost every
one. IOu are among the few who have
remembered it."


On they went, seeing wonderful things
on all sides, until Charlie heard his
name called several times quite loudly
in u voice strangely like his mothers
He answered, and looking about him
found he was still sitting upon the stone
10y the water. while the old man and
the railroad were nowhere to he seen
.Why mother" he said, .have | been
asleep? | had splendid dream any
way but | wish it could he true some
time"


Yet. although he sat in the same place
many times after this, he never saw the
old man again, or heard anything
further of the railroad under the sea.
Year: 1876

cannot see with my small human sight,
Why God should lead this way or that for me
only know He saith Child follow me"


But l can trust
! know not why my path should be at times
So siraitly hedged strangely barred before;
l only know God could keep wide the door


But can trust.
l ind no answer often, when beset
With questions fierce and subtle on my way
And often have but strength to family pray;


But can trust
often wonder. as with trembling hand
cast the seed along the furrowed ground
If ripened fruit for God will there be found;


But | can trust
cannot know why suddenly the storm
Should rage tiercely round me in its wrath:
But this know, God watches all my path


And i can trust.
may not draw aside the mystic veil
That hides the unknown future from nv sight
Nor know if for me waits the dark or light;


But can trust.
have no power to look the tide
To know, while here, the land beyond the river,
But this know, shall be Gods forever;


So I can trust.
Year: 1876

They had IA quarrel Sunday evening.
He got mad and swore he'd leave her.
Then she got vexed and told him hc
could do as he pleased. He left. The
next night he came around again. He
asked to see her alone. She readily
complied. She was all of tremor.
Her heart went out to him in gush OF
sympathetic love. She stood ready to
throw both arms about his neck and
cry out her joy. There was not much
color in his face aud his voice was husky.
He said: