smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

A CAPTIVE Owl FED BY ITS MATE
From Mr.. Abraham Orator, of Fatland
Farm, Lower Providence Township, Mont
gomery County, Ala, we learn the following
interesting facts: About a year ago his
sons caught large gray owl in the woods,
and taking it home, confined 1t in cage
and placed it upon the porch. At night
this bird commenced to warble the notes
peculiar to its species. One morning short


y after its capture, Mr.. Orator was surpris-
ed to see his porch covered with feathers,
and rabbits head lying on it. This
occurred morning after morning, when MIR.
Orator came to the conclusion that some
thing was feeding the owl, which be set
about finding out. Consequently he put
the owl in recess under the bake oven,
and fixing door upon the track, went to
sleep. In the morning the trap had been
sprung, the door was down and an addition
al owl was found imprisoned. 1t was very
evident that this was the mate to owl No.
l, as no more rabbit heads or feathers were
found after the second owl was captured.-
Exchange.
Year: 1873

You've LADIEs.-It is not your dress.
your shawl, or your pretty fingers, that at.
tract men of sense. 1t is the true loneliness
of your nature that wins and continues to
retain the affection of the heart. Young la
dies sadly miss it who labor to improve the
outward looks, while they bestow not a
thought on the mind. Fools may be won
by gewgaws and snowy dresses. but the
wise and substantial are never caught thus.
Let modesty be your dress.
Year: 1873

At a private party recently held in De-
troit, boy thoughtlessly drew chair away
from a corpuent gentleman who was about
to seat himself, thereby letting him down
on the floor in a very unpleasant manner.
A merry laugh greeted the unfortunate vic
tim when the Joke was discovered, which,
however, was soon changed into murmnr
Of regret, for it was soon found that the
gentleman was unable to rise. He was as
sisted into an adjoining room, where'a ply
sician, who was one OF the guests, ascertain
ed that the force Of the fall had created
rupture, the effect of which will be felt
through life.


There ought to be such an atmosphere in
every Christian church that q man going
there and sitting there two hours should
take the contagion Of heaven, and carry
home fire to kindle the altar whence he
came Beecher.
Year: 1873

FREE MARRIAGE. AS for our own day,
and its progressive doctrines on this subject,
they hideously combine the spirit of feudal
license and classic sophistry with some in
sufferable new mixture of pharissism proper
to the spoilt Puritan. This last trait, by
the way, crops out in some remarkable
methods of attack by the reformers, which
we pause 10 notice. Taking their stand as
high moral accusers, they not only hurl un-
limited charge of hypocrisy on the marriage
institution because some who are under its
VOWS break them by leading lives of covert
immortality, but they sweep into the same
catalogue of perjured sinners all those who,
entirely faithful in life and conduct, yet wan-
der in any inmost thought from perfect al.
legiance to their married mates.


Their favorite proof-text for this dogma
is saying of our Lord, rebuking gross i'm
aginations, whose monstrous perversiOn to
such an application is a sufficiently fatal be-
trayal of what is their conception of love.
And on this dogma they raise an unspeaka-
bic creed whose whole practical outcome,
so far as it can be spoken, is that inasmuch
as by the wandering thought above describ-
ed marriage is instantly broken, and mas
much as to remain in broken marriage is
deadly sin, therefore the aforesaid wandering
thought of another is not merely permis-
sion, but of the nature of divine injunction
to flee out of the false bonds into the new
ones, as from the wrath to come. And such
programme of virtue is wound up by one
of the reformers with the sober assertion
We are austere moralists on marriagel"
So was Henry the Eighth. He austerely
cut off the heads of his series of wives as
fast as they dropped out OF his fancy; if
there was anything that pure spirit was
scrupulous about, it was to have the old
love well murdered as soon as he fell in with
the new.-iSG'ibner's.
Year: 1873




ABSENT MINDED.-Here is another case
of being absent minded. A citizen on New
Street has been several times dunned for an
amount due his grocer, but has always ne
elected to SETTLE Yesterday he received
the bill again, with note sharply remind
ing him of his backwardness. He at once
counted out the money, and, having done
so, deliberately enclosed in the bill sheet
of tiy-paper, and put the money in his pock-
ct again. Then feeling triHe irritated at
the tone of the grocer's note, he relieved
himself by scribbling on the back of the
bill" This is all the money you will get
out of me-" and sent it. When the mer-
chant read these words and looked at the
hy-paper, he took it all in at a glance, and
explosively shouting" Stuck, am 2" put
his cap on wrong and dashed out to the
nearest law-office. The proper papers were
promptly drawn up, and Immediately served
upon the astonshed citizen. When notified
of the trick on the grocer, he Indignantly
repelled the insinuation but upon feeling
in his pocket and discovering the money,
he was forced to admit that his treacherous
mind had got the best Of him. Explanations
followed, good nature was restored, the legal
people refused any compensation, and the
whole party buried all memory of the un-
pleasantness in exhilarating soda water at
the expense of the grocer. After that they
had cigars all round at the expense of the
pleased customer, who in his delight at the
happy result of the threatened trouble, lost
sight entirely OF the fact that he never
smoked. Fifteen minutes later, when rest
ing over barrel in the back yard of the
store, and trying his utmost to keep down
his stockings, he bitterly regretted that he
hadn't went to law and " busted that gro
cer-Danburu NeUs.
Year: 1873

this distressing condition Of things in a letter
to Tn, TRIBUNE which we print this morn
ing. Thu planters have unfortunately trusted
too much 10 cotton. Embarrassed by various
financial difficulties, they mortgaged their
crops in advance to buy food for their ne
grOes. II has been bad year. The caterpil-
lar has stripped the fields. The yield Of
cotton in some sections is not half
the average; it is not enough to pay
the advances on the crop. and leaves nothing
for the Winter All the corn, and -four, and
bacon, all the clothing and other manufac-
tured goods for these exclusively cotton
growing districts, must be brought from
abroad. There ia no money to pay for them,
so the planter and his laborcrs go cold and
hungry. Till industry. in the South is organ
lied upon a more providcnt system, a crisis
like this will be frequent occurrence and a
constant menace.


There are two remedies. One ia in the
hands of the Southern people themselves, and
consists in raising with their cotton at least a
moderate supply of food for home cOnsump-
ton. 1t is madness to live year after year at
tho mercy of money lenders and caterpillars
The other is in our hands, and we should
lose no time in applying it. If the South
could manufacture its own cotton 1t would
have work and wages for the idle. To do
this it needs capital. Mills have been oStab-
lished in some places and are doing well ;
there are thirteen cotton mills in Alabama,
and nothing but the want Of cap
ital prevents their erection at all the
centers of cotton production which are
now suffering most severely for the lack
of food. In manufacturing enterprise how
ever the South is unable to make single
step without help from us. Destitute and bur
dened with debt, it looks to the North for aid.
Any man who will build cotton mill in these
destitute districts will do q more benehcent
deed than the founding of hospital OF the
opening of a soup kitchen And it is char
ity which will pay-nOt the priceless rewards
which are reserved for the next life, but the
sordid dividends which follow good business
speculation in this.
Year: 1873

We have heard a good deal lately about
hard times in the manufacturing districts and
distress among the unemployed workmen of
New York and other large cities; but how
many of us know anything of the terrible
destitution that now prevails in Southern ag


ricultural districts, where bank failures and
panics in the stock market are unknown, and
the planter who retains the ownership of an
estate is supposed at any rate to be
in no danger of starvingi Yet in
these fertile regions there is perhaps
more terrible suffering than in any other
part of the United States. "Give me the
"scraps from your table" writes an educated
citizen of Montgomery; 81 am starving IL
ia no exaggeration. The people of certain
portions of Alabama are actually in want of
food. They are in danger of losing the
homes in which they can no longer support
life and already they are moving out of the
State to seek their fortunes elsewhere. We do
moi read that the political situation is any
more yexatious there than it has been for
some wears past. The people are willing To
work; they do work; but the end of long
season of labor in the cotton fields finds them
without a mOuthful of food and without
penny. '.y


Mr.. Edward King, who has been travelling
through the South writing series of pagers
for 6eritnm's Aaathlv. gives AZ explanation Of
Year: 1873

| r. u


stockholders do not sharef Can the banks
whose officers speculate with funds not their
own' Can journalists whose opinions are
dead -headeds Can mechanics who carry hoino
at night odds and ends for fuel that belong
to their employer or conductors who KNOCK
Z" down fares, or hotel walters who are paid
by guests AZ well as landlords, or IN fact any
of the trades or professions which directly Oh
indirectly are looking out for chances and
counting on some form of picking and steal
lngs 1t is not the politician or the oilce-
holder alone who il beset by this temptation,
and carried away by the strong desire OF get
ting the dollar he does not earn The disease
is universal. We can hardly hope to eradicate
it at once or entirely But we can at least
refuse it official sanction. Congress can IL IL
has the disposition mitigate it very considerably.
II can cut off a great multitude of dishonest
and unlawful perquisites in all the Depart
mcnts and in Congress itself. 1t can establish
higher standard Of official integrity by
scrutinizing carefully its own expenditures
and those of the Departments, and abolishinS
everywhere .he system which in so many
petty and contemplate ways burdens the tax
payer and destroys the manly self-respect and
honorable uprightness of the men who profit
by il. When Congress says, AT least. we
will not be mean and sharp ourselves we
shall see the beginning of a reform IN the
matter of pickings and stealings.
Year: 1873

ingly embarrassing. But society has pcrfs ~
and indsputable right Of self projection. \
cannot help locking up those who cannot helv
stealing. A general knowledge OF this simple
truth would. We think, be of great assistance
to those who experience an irresistible i'm
pulse to steal; but should II prove otherwise,
our decision must be the same. The kleptO-
maniacs, for their own sake, should be kept
under lock and key
Year: 1873

Telegraphic announcements show that the
climate of Cape Coast Castle has proved fatal
to many of the British forces sent to fight
against the Ashantees. The letter which we
publisb to-day on our third page from n
correspondent at that place, shows in a
strong light the savage and warlike character
of the enemy which has allied itself with the
malaria of the country for the work of de-
structlOn.
Year: 1873

We print this morning another letter from
Mr.. r. A. Witthaus, jr., who furnishes the
sharpest and most ineligible observations we
have vet seen in regard to the disaster OF the
Vile du Havre He condemns in an unqual-
fled manner the lack of discipline on board
the French vessel, and has no hesitation IN
fixing the direct responsibility for her loss
upon the officer on duty at the moment OF
the collision. Mr.. Witthaus mentions one
incident of the wreck which is certainly not
creditable. The only persons who left the
Vile du Havre before she sank were of the
officers and crew. Not single passenger was
saved except those picked up in the water
Year: 1873

The New Jersey Constitutional Commission
concluded it's labOrs at Trenton yesterday, and
complete summary of its work Is given on
the second page of THE TRIBUNE. The Com
mission had no power in itself, and was only
called together TO suggest amendments Tor
the consideration of the Legislature. It's work
seems to have been admirably done and should
command the thoughtful attention of the
Legislature. Not the least important OF the
changes recommended are several providing
for the abolition of special legislation by the
substitution of general laws. The passage of
the General Railroad law last year removed
the most prolific source of that species of
legislation and the changes proposed are
simply further application of the same prin-
cIples. The amendments, to become funda-
mental law, must be passed by a majority
vote of two successive Legislatures and be
ratified by a majority vote of the people.
Year: 1873

There is an alarming increase in bold bur
glarics throughout the country. In this
vicinity there have been several which are
more like the lawlcss crimes of Mexico than
! ANYTHING else The latest is the fOrcible
entry of house near New Rochelle by a
party of masked men who overpOwered the
inmates and stripped them of their vauabes
during tarry of several hours. 1t is
not long since similar robbery. though
on smaller scale, was committed in
one OF the most crowded and busy sections of
this city. And, shortly before that, family
on the banks of the Hudson. near New-York,
were pounced upon and pinioned, while at
their tea table, by gang of bandits who
robbed the house. These and other such
deeds of violence are highly discreditable to
the civilization of which we boast so much


If they had been reported "a occurring in
Greece. for example, We should he very likely
to think Of them as peculiar to II lax admin
istration of law and an impOtent Govern
ment.
Year: 1873

The panic in the National Treasury is having
pretty much the same effect that 1t had in the
country. This is searching time. Several
Congressman who certainly cannot be accused
of partisan hostility to the powers that be.
have been scanning the national expense list
which they find full of surprises. The Presl-
Dental office, for instance, has doubled its in
cdenta expenses within a year or two. Over
100000 can be saved in the consular and dip
lomatic service, and like sum may be fru-
gally picked up in War Department iretrench-
ment. 1t must not be supposed that this sud-
den vigilance is altogether nsefsh. Con-
gressmen who do not like to see labor stopped
on public works in their districts are sure to
find out that money may be saved somewhere
else
Year: 1873

A letter which we publish in another column
from Mr.. Proctor, is called out by the pleasant
disclaimer of Miss Maria Mitchell that her
discovery of comet had received harsh
treatment at the hands of Sir G. Airy, the
Astronomer Royal. Perhaps some memory of
his former successful conflicts with Prof.
Airy stirs Mr.. Proctor to prod bis old an
tagOnist with fresh lance, and he is not o
little sarcastic. He takes the opportunity,
however, to point out a failing on the part of
American scientists, that deserves attention.
He tells them what has frequently been sug-
gested in these columns, that the prompt
publication of their discoveries is a
duty that they owe not less to themselves
than to the world at large. To bury dis
covery in the proceedings of some learned
society, to be published only after a long in
teryai, reaching at best but few hundred
readers, is traditional method of the olden
time strangely untitled for the present An
announcement of discovery sent to THE
TRIBuNE would be brought before the eyes of
hundreds of thousands of readers the next
morning, and while adding to knowledge
would stimulate in innumerable ways the
pursuit of scientific inquiry.
Year: 1873

The London Times has received
from correspondent the following ac-
count of a japanese execution 81 went
to see an execution at Yeddo out of a
vile curiosity. | repented of it, but
still it was a most extraordinary specta-
Gle, and impressed me very much. The
culprits were eight in number, one be-
ing woman. They were all beheaded
with sword. The operation was per-
formed with wonderful dexterity and
coolness, and not one of them, even the
woman, showed the slightest symptom
of fear. There was space of ground
roped off; inside were three holes dug
in the ground, with little mound be-
hind each, on which was spread a mat
for the criminal to kneel on. On one
side of the enclosure were two Japenese
officials, in chairs, to see the thing prop
erly conducted had place directly
In front Of the mounds, at about six
feet distance. The criminals were plac-
ed in a row on one side of the inclosure,
blindfolded with pieces of paper (they
use pieces of paper for everything here


What struck me most was the horrid
coolness of the executioner's assistant,
good looking boy of about eighteen.
He went up to each poor wretch in his
turn, gave him tap ON the shoulder, led
him to the mound, and made him kneel
on the mat !; he then stripped his shoul-
ders, made him stretch out his neck,
said, "That will do, and in flash the
mans head was in the hole in front of
him, and his bleeding neck was, as it
were. staring me in the face. The as
sistant, with the same pleasant smile,
picked the head up, threw some water
over the face to wash off the blood and
mud, and presented it to the japanese
official. who nodded and signed to go on
with the next; the assistant then gave
the corpse blow between the shoulders
to expel the blood, and finally threw
the carcass aside like log of wood.
He then repeated the same pleasant
programme with the next. | never
thought a mans head could come off so
easily; it was like chopping cabbage,
only accompanied with peculiar and
most horrid sound-that of cutting
meat, in fact. There was dense crowd
of Japanese present, including many
women and even children; these people
Year: 1873

To appeal to the women of the coun-
try to come to the relief in the present
financial troubles may at first seem ab-
surd but there is reason for it that
more specious calls have not 1t is not
asked of them to be more economical
to save money, and contribute it to the
poor or to change their expenditure a
whit; but to turn their monetary brook
lets into different channel-in short,
to buy domestic instead of imported
goods. No great perspicuity is needed
to comprehend that, while the Republic
is paying, yearly, millions and millions
more Of gold for imports than it gets for
exports, it can hardly return to specie
payment and just so long as that is
deferred, we must have panics and all
sorts of monetary arrangements.


So, if the buying of imported goods
be the source of so much trouble, would
it not be we'll to refrain from buying
them, and keep the gold we need, instead
of sending it abroad There is no need
of leagues and clubs and much palaver
to make this practical movement. All
that the wisest and most earnest woman
can do is simply to ask for domestic
brand when she is making purchase.
1t is to women that the appeal is made,
because it is for their benefit that the
majority of costly imports are brought.
1t is they who demand and use them !;
and therefore it is for them to act against
the tyranny of mode.


The sacrifice will not be so great or
so difficult as might seem. We manufac-
ture elegant silks, only less beautiful
than their French and Belgian compeers.
We make as fine ribbons and flowers as
are made anywhere. Our alpacas and
other stuff goods are not excelled while
our cotton fabrics are world-renowned.
We manufacture beautiful cloakings, of.
ten sold under the head of imported
-a.word having mysterious but very
powerful attraction for most women. The
fannels and lettings of certain American
houses are proverbial for their fneness
We make fringes fancy trimmings, and
certain kinds of lace. Shawls, shoes
woven underclothing, stockings-al
kinds and qualities of goods are in thu
catalogue of our products.


We do not suppose the Treasury De
partment will immediatelyresume speci,
payment because of our little suggestion
but we do believe that if it were widely
acted upon it would greatly lessen tn
momentary troubles of the nation
.Scrt6ner.
Year: 1873

The lines in the Hoosac tunnel were
measured on Sunday, and the variations
in the lines of working were ascertained.
In both cases the error was greater than
In the meeting east of the shaft last
year, but the differences were neverthe-
less SO slight as to be absolutely insig-
nifcant. The error in alignment was
but -nine-sixteenths of an inch in level
it was one inch and half. Last year
the error of alignment was seven-six-
teenths of an inch, and of grade one inch
and quarter. We believe that in the
history of engineering there has been no
feat of which the authors can be more
justly proud. Lines that might be run
with absolute accuracy in the open air
are only rnn with difficulty in moist,
rough, smoky tunnel and when at one
end the starting point had to be carried
up the side of mountain, and then
vertically for more than thousand feet,
we may well wonder at the singular
skill and patience with which the State
engineer corps has performed its duty.
Year: 1873

The Danbury News says: Once upon
a time local editor, dreamed that he
was dead and in another world. He ap-
preached the gate of city before him
and knocked for admittance but no one
answered his summons. The gate re-
mained closed against him. Then he
cried aloud for an entrance, but the on
ly response were scores Of heads appear
ing above the wall on each side of the
gate. At sight of him the owners of the
heads set up a dismal howl, and one of
them cried s'Why didn't you notice
the big egg | gave you % At this hor-
rid and most unexpected interrogation,
the poor local turned in the direction of
the voice to learn its owner, when anoth-
er voice shrieked, "Where's the piece
you were going to write about my soda
fountain % and close upon this was the
awful demand, "Why did you write a
piece about old Peddle's fence and nev-
er say word about my new gate p
Whatever answer he was going to frame
to this appeal was cut abruptly off by
the astonishing query, "What did you
spell my name wrong in the programme
for ?" The miserable man turned to flee,
when he was rooted to the spot by this
terrible demand "Why did you put my
marriage among the deaths q He was
on the point of saying the foreman did
it, when a shrill voice madly cried,
"What made you put in my runaway
and spoil the sale of my horse ?'' And
this was followed by the voice of fe-
male Historically proclaiming. This is
the brute that botched my poetry and
made me ridiculous p Whereupon hund-
reds of voices screamed "Where is my
article ? Give me back my article p
And in the midst of the horrid din the
poor wretch awoke, perspiring at every
pore and screaming for help. The next
day he resigned, and we had to hunt up
another local editor.
Year: 1873

A MEXICAN TRAGEDY.-A young Off
Ger in the Mexican army fell in love
with lady in Puebla. She promised
him her hand in case he would resign
his commission He did so, bought
hacienda, and then returned to claim the
pledge. She, in the meantime had been
wooed and won by another. Upon the
first visit of her first lover, she informed
him that her heart had undergone
change. The passionate lover became
frantic, and upon leaving told her that
he would call the next day, and if she
persisted, he would kill himself in her
presence. He called the next day, was
persistently refused in the presence of
her mother, whereupon he drew reyol-
yer, and exclaimed that the love which
was not for him should not be enjoyed
by another, and fired at her heart, but
she rose and received the ball in her alb
domen. He then shot himself. The in
sane assassin died the same afternoon.
and his victim closed her existence on
the third day.