smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

A SUICIDE.-Last Sunday afternoon, about
o'clock, Henry Becker, German, committed
suicide at Hay Fork, in this county. Becker
was well known throughout northern California,
he being travelling jeweler, usually making the
rounds of every mining camp ia this part of the
State about once n year, for many years past.
His principal fault seemed to be an Unsuitable
love for strong drink, and that constant use of
ardent spirits at last did its deadly work. under
the following circumstances lie had been To-
Gated at the Carter House, Hay Fork, for several
days, engaged at his business, and it was re-
marked he appeared to be " out of his head u at
times. Only the day before the rash act was
committed, he insisted upon setting clock,
which he had just repaired, at 5 O'clock al
though it was only noon and the sun at merid-
ian. Such harmless eccentricity did not particu-
larly alarm any one and it was not thought that
any harm would result from his strange con-
duct. However, at the time stated above, he
left the hotel, went across the street, only a few
steps, to the blacksmith shop, deliberately sat
down on an ox-frame-used for shoeing oxen
and blew his brains out with an old-fashoned
horse-pistol Two bullets were found in the
frame above where he sat and it is supposed that
the pistol contained more at the time it was
fired, judging from the manner in which his
head was mangled. His upper teeth, nose and
entire top of his head were entirely blown off,
of course causing instant death, and although no
one saw him do it, it is generally thought that
he put the pistol in his mouth pointing upwards
and pulled the trigger. Becker was about 40
Years of age.
Year: 1871

DEMOCRATIC papers in the lower part of the
State complain that while the Republicans are
enthusiastic and doing good work for their tick
ct, the Democracy appear to have fallen asleep.
Sensible Democrats-they know there is no use
to work for a ticket that is certain to be de-
feated.
Year: 1871

hons OF dollars to say that if it were piyen
to man on condition of counting it. he
would be employed six years and four
months on the sum if he counted at the rate
of a thousand dollar bill in second. niobt
and day, and took no time to eat or sleep.
Give 1t on the same condition in bills Of
enc hundred dollars each, to child of 6
years of age, and counting in the same
way, he would if life were possible without
food or sleep, find himself a white haired
man of 20 when the work was done. Give
the immense sum in ten dollar bills on the
same conditions as before, and a man COM
mencing two hundred years before Colum-
bus discovered this continent would be
counting yetas busily as ever, and if boy
Of II years relieved him to-day, the boy
would be 20 when the task was done But
if the sum were counted in one dollar bills
at the rate of one a second, beginning OF
the first day Of the creation of the world
not only would the experienced accountant
be yet at work, but be just as busy four
hundred years from to-day, and then live
to see the infants Of that day 80 years of
age, before he could pause and say, "There,
have counted 20 billions of dollars"
Year: 1871

Here are some facts about ammonia, or
spirits Of hartshorn, that are worth more
than the price Of this paper to every family.
To wash paint, put teaspoonful IN quart
of hot water, and use flannel. To wash
lace, put II drops in pint of warm suds.
To wash silver, put two teaspoonfuls in a
quart of hot sads, and use an old tooth
brush. To wash hairbrushes, put one tea
spoonful in a pint of hot water; wash brisk
~, rinse off and dry. To wash finger
marks from glass, use q few drops on a
moist rag; work quickly. To wash the
body refreshingly, put a teaspoonful in "a
basin of cold water. To wash the hair and
the beard, use the same, rinsing off the am
monia with clear water. To take out grease
spots, use ammonia nearly pure, then iron
lightly over white blotting paper. Or use
equal parts ammonia and alcohol. To take
red stains from blue or black cloth use am
monia Nothing better
Year: 1871




Every day is rendering it more apparent
that this community never made wiser
or more timely decision than when on the
9th OF Nov, it voted unanimously that the
Superior and Northwestern r r, be built
without further delay. This short, but
extremely valuable commercial route, align
ing Us rs it does with the direct track and
trade of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and
furnishing the shortest and most practic-
able outlet to Lake Superior for that giant
thoronghfare, has been assured to us just in
time to give the coming city of Superior
its proper place, which will be very high
one, in the estimation and plans of the rail
road enterprises seeking this quarter of the
world. It has impressed the minds Of all
thinking men for year past that the CON
struction Of the Northern Pacific to the Red
River would be fact of sufficient import
ancc and significance to arouse the railroad
and commercial interests of the central
west to an immediate effort at securing the
lions share Of the magnificent trade thus
seen in prospective.


The case had been well argued in the
hearing of these interests for years before,
but sluggish and impassive, save at the
lthuriel touch Of fact, they laid no lines
and built no roads in this direction, EXCEPT
as local links dragged along the slow length
OF railway extension to the wide northwest
Working in that way, it might have been a
quarter Of century yet, ere the selfish
short sighted policy of countryrairoads had
seen fit to crawl reluctantly through the
wilderness OF North Wisconsin, and emerge
on the ST. Croix, or at the head of Lake
Superior.


3ut one summer campaign Of the North
crn Pacific has changed ali that The rapid
building Of that controlling route through
the most fertile belt of the continent, has
neccssitated the NEST active policy on the
part Of all roads that have the remotest
intention of forming any advantageous CON
nection Herewith, and consequently We be
hold sudden crowding of railways in this
direction from all quarters. Forced march
IS make up for past lethargy. The racing
routes keepItime to the lively music Of the
Northern Pacific tracklayers and are each
straining every nerve to reach the respective
tcrmini of the n p Il. r., on the Missis-
sippi, and Oh Lake Superior in advance Of
all others. Il


We have seen all the season the rapid
shortening oftheroutc between Chicago and
St Paul ThePrairie du Chen road, so great
2 convenience compared with the stsging
ola few years ago, gives way to the Wlnona
Cutoff, and that to the " est Wisconsin
Il. Il. that reached the St. CroiX valley at.
Hudson on Tuesday last, and will term
mate at St. Paul by January. The Central
Wisconsin pushes along with great celebrity
directly toward Lake Superior. Oshkosh
seeks a twelve mile connection with that
important road, and Milwaukee desires soon
to tap it via Oshkosh or Menasha. Our \.
L. outlet prepares us to receive the Central
and all it brings and controls.
Year: 1871

les and Provisions, of which we keep Good Stock
consisting of CHOICE and FANCY GROCERIES,
well as STAPLES. In this line we would call
special attention to TEAS which we think are
not excelled by anything in the market.


eB-When visiting our store, if you do not see what
you want, ASK FOR IT.
Year: 1871

OFFICIOUS PEOPLE-Ofcious peopie can
never leave things alone. No one can pos
seSs his soul in peace, or go his own way un-
hindered of them. They stand at the cross
roads OF all mems lives, pointing out to them
the path they ought to take, and, whether in
religious tnith or in house furnishing, the
choice of a wife or the pattern of boot, have
their word to say, their advice to give, and
their fingers to dip. whatever may be the pie
that Is making. Illness is one of their strong
points, aud if they hear that you are indispOs
ed, whether slightly or gravely, they rush off
to prOffer advice, which you do not want and
will not accept, and which probably would
turn out mi take if you did accept
Your nurse does not know her business let
them send for one Of their own choosing to-
night. Your medical man says you are >uff-
erng from certain form of illnesSS Well, of
course he ought to know but to the ofhciouS
it seems very much like something else or, if
they do not 20 quite so far, they inquire, with
the air of knowing all about it, whether he
had not ordered such and such things to be
done and If you say no, they urge yOu TO have
their own medical man without delay, as they
are SO sure yours is making mistake. And
so on, till they have worried you into fever;
when they take their leave, and bewail your
Obstinacy to the next conner. Any calamity is
godsend to them, Tor they have their innings
when their neighbors are so pIostrated by dis
treSs that they can buzz about them at their
will. They are self lfnaturalized Samaritans,
physicians without diplomas, ministers inde-
Iendent of orders or the Apostolic succession
and the unlucky ones whom it is their pleas
ure to assist must keep them off with a strong
arm, which may lead to q quarrel, or yield
themselves helplessy into their active and Of
fcIous hands.
Year: 1871

HoRsEs' BITs IN CoLD WEATHER. The
Rural H0rtd says: One of the cruelest
things done to dumb beasts is putting hard
frozen iron bits into a horse mouth. 1t is
not only painful. but a dangerous act. For
every time living flesh touches a metal much
below the freezing point the latter extracts
the heat from the former and freezes it. Thus
horse mouth becomes frozen by the cold
iron several times day put into it, each time
causing these trcczlngs to go deeper, to end at
last in extensive liberation. With such sore
mouth the poor horse refuses to eat and pines
away, which calls the horse doctor in. They
call it bOts glanders, horse all, &c, and 90 to
craming down poisonous drugs, in doses and
the next you know of the poor abused creature,
he is trOtted off to be food for fish or crows
Many valuable horse has been mysteriously
lost in Just that way. Thinking and humane
people avoid this by warming the bits; but
this is much trouble and sometimes impossible
as in night work like staging and physicians
work. Now all this trouble is entirely avoid
cd, as we have found on large trial, by getting
the harness makers to get leather bits for win
ter use, so made that no metal substance can
touch the flesh"


SAD Casa very singular and touching
case has just occurred in the fishing village of
lnver, near Tain, in the family of James Fra
ger. alias Stow, fisherman. Frazer recently
buried his second wife, making the eighteenth
death in his family since his first marriage. By
his first wife he had fourteen children, ten OF
whom he has buried. BY the second wife he
had eleven children, of whom six are dead ; so
that he has, in a comparatively short period,
followed to the grave his two wives and six
teen of his twenty five children, making in all
eighteen deaths since his first marriage The
poor man, who is now unable to support him.
self has still a.ive four of his first and FIVE OF
his second wife ) children.
Year: 1871

The Negro population in the South appears
to have thrived and increased since and during
the war. They now count one hundred and
six thousand more in the old slave holding
States than they did in 1860, and this, too, in
the face of the general understanding that free
dom was to be the death of them.-N T.
Herald
Year: 1871

Young men who GO see young ladies' have
adopted novel method of obtaining kisses.
They assert on authority of scientific writer's,
that the conclusion produced by kiss will
cause the fame Of gas-jet to flicker, and casi-
ly induce the damsel to experiment in the in
tre>t Of science. The first kiss or two the
parties watch the fame to see it flicker, but
soon become so interested in the experime ents
as to let it flicker if it wants to.
Year: 1871

The latest thing in the boot and shoe line at
Boston is a crimped calf boot, the calf skin
tanned with the hair on, and made up with
the hair outside, tipped with alligator leather.
Ladies boots of the same style have also been
made
Year: 1871

A clergyman was once endeavoring to get a
subscription in aid of some charitable institu-
ton out Of a close fist -parshioner, who at
tempted to excuse himself on the ground that
he already, owed a great deal of money.
But, said the minister, you owe God q
larger debt than YOU do any one else - THAT
is SO parson; but he amt pushing me. ike the
balance Of my MANY creditors "
Year: 1871

CLEANING KNIVES. small clean potato.
with the end cut off, is a very convenient me.
dunn of applying brick dust to knives, keeping
il about the right moisture, while the juice of
the potato assists in removing stains from the
surface. better polish can be ATTAINED by
this method than any other we have tried, and
with less labor.
Year: 1871

A colored poet of Memphis has reduced the
AFth Amendment and the enforcement bill
to rhyme, as follows:


1t is sin to steal pin.


a crime to cut throat
But darned sight bigger to stop niger


From putting in his vote"
Year: 1871

AN AMUSING INcIDENT-Quite little
excitement was produced on Main street
yesterday by a hatless merchant, who DASH
ed out Of his store in hot haste, with loud
calls and angry gestures, after carriage
which was being driven down the street.
The sole occupant, lady, attracted by the
noise OF the pursuit, directed her driver to
stop. The merchant strobe up to the We
hicle, his face flushed with running and
passion, aud 10 no gentle voice demanded,
" What the deuce (that wasn't exactly the
word) she meant by driving away in that
fashion ?" But at once perceiving his
mistake, he became overwhelmed with
confusion. He had mistaken the carriage
for his own and the lady for his wife.
While he was in mad pursuit down the
street, his wife sat in her carriage, near
the store, quietly enjoying the sport. dsld'
Year: 1871

r. One way of making amends for
murder is that Of a chap in Kentucky who
killed man while drunk, and on reward
being offered for his arrest by the Cover.
nor, gave himself up and gave the reward
to the widow of his victim.
Year: 1871

AN INGENIOUS SEAL.-The photogra-
pher Of the Treasury Departfnen at Wash
ington is now engaged 10 preparing the
seals for the new locks to be used by that
department in the transportation Of mer-
cl,andize in bond, and in the other cases
where the protection they will afford is ne
cessary. These seals are very Ingenious;
The lock itself is nothing more than an or
binary paddock, but it is provided with an
arrangement by which small piece Of
glass about an inch square is passed over
the key.hole. and held in its proper place
by little spring that cannot be reached
without breaking the glass itself. There
is no possibility Of the lock being picked
or opened without breaking this piece of
glass. Now comes in the value of photog-
raphy. A large sheet of glass, red on one
side, is prepared in New York by marking
it off into squares of the proper size. And
on each square is marked number of 6g-
ures, and irregular spots in red, the rest Of
the red surface being cut away by hydro.
Aouric acid. One Of these sheets cannot
be duplicated. The photographer receives
them here and makes three photographs
which give perfect fac similes Of the fig
ures and spots on the glass, and then both
glass and photographs are put into squares
and packed in boxes, each square of glass
having with it the three copies on paper,
and sent to the officer in New York, for
instance, whose duty it is when a car is
loaded with bonded goods for Cincinnati,
locks the door with one of these locks, and
forwards to the officer who is to open it o
photograph of the piece Of glass which he
has put over the key-holc, aud if on the
arrival of the car the lock should have been
disturbed, the inspector knows it in an in
stant The work Of preparing the seals
will give constant employment to two or
three persons.
Year: 1871

The New York San relates, its dash
ing way, the misfortunes of Mr.. John s.
Paddock, of Buffalo, who was caught in
the meshes of an enchantress in the me-
tropolis. He was thriving maker of
buttons, and. up to the period of this
mishap, was not marrying man. In an
evil hour he saw and read the following
mysterious advertisement in New York
daily:


"CoMPANIoN-A lady of retiring
manners and moderate fortune would
like to form the acquaintance of gen
tleman, with view of travelling through
Europe, and if agreeable, permanently
residing abroad. A party of unques-
tionably good character. and one who
would be willing to defray portion oi
the trayeling expenses, may address 4
NJ, General Post Office, New York"


kHe answered the advertisement, accep
ting the Pfoposal, and reseived letter
from the lady. who was afraid she was
committing an act of impropriety in
writing The loss of an only brother
had left her without friend she longed
for travel and a change of scene to dispel
her grief. Hence the advertisement, etc.
Two or three letters now passed between
the parties, a meeting at New York ar
ranged, and Paddock saw for the time
his correspondent, lady of medium
hight, dressed in black, with a pretty
face and agreeable manners. He was
happy. The lady's name was Emma
Messenger, and she told her artless story
in few but touching words. She yearn
ed for one to love and who would return
her passion. They drove up town, in
dulged in several glasses OF wine, and
the proposed trip was arranged.


As the day was now waning, and Pad
dock had not selected hotel to stop at,
the lady took him to the house of a
friend on Prince street. They went to
the tbeater, took supper aud more wine,
aud returned The Buffalo 6y was now
feeling particularly geod, and being
piled again with champagne, became
completely drunk. He did not remem
ber what happened to him afterwards,
but in the morning found himself in his
room, minus his watch and bis money
He had 1880, some valuable checks
aud drafts, aud the checks for his bag
gage. He Immediately went to the depot
for his trunks, but they had already been
taken away. All be could do was to
stop the payment Of his drafts and re
turn home.
Year: 1871

There will be two general elections N
Kentucky during this year, the first one
on the first Saturday in May for two
Justices and one Constable in each Civil
District. And the second on the first
Monday in August for all the principal
State Offices, including a Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General,
Auditor, Treasurer and Superintendent
of Public Instruction, also at the same
time a Representative to the Lower
House of the Legislature and one half of
the Senate viii be elected. In this Dis
trict Qthe 1sD Senator is to be elected
this year.
Year: 1871

a farmer cut down tree which stood
so near the boundary line of his farm, that
Il was doubtful whether it belonged to
him or his neighbor. The neighbor,
however, claimed the tree and prosecu-
ted the man who cut it. for damages. The
case was continued from court to court.
Time was wasted, temper soured, and
temper lost; but the case was finally
gained by the prosecutor. The last my
friend knew of the transaction was the
man who gained the cause" came to the
lawyers Office to execute deed of his
whole farm, which he had been compelI-
ed to sell to pay his cost When, house
less and homeless, he could thrust his
hand in to his pocket, and triumphantIy
exclaim, "I've beat him.
Year: 1871

SEVERAL business men in Knoxville.
believing the present rates exacted for
the FIRE insurance risks higher than is
either necessary or profitable to the as
cured are agitating the policy of organi


King a mutual insurance company, to be
composed of the property holders of the
city alone, and to confine their risks en-
tireIy to the corporation of Knoxville.
Year: 1871

WtUNtoIIAI JHIIV % II M


The late dullness of affairs at the Stock Ex-
change shows change for the better to-day the tone
of the market being generally heavy and the business or


no special moment II clearly reflects the probable con
dtion of the stock market least for the present. or u


til after national holiday The bears seem 10 be gath
ering in great for movement shortly, but whether
this viii he a rush against wcequipped force OF bulls
or demoraizod army OF operators for rise Is question
for future determination Reading seemed to be a point
of attack this afternoon perhaps because OF its selling ex
dividend of per cent At all events, the price
down to 1885, this the principal dealings were in
the usually active shares in Of which was there
anything nOticeably new The coal stocks were quite
freely pressed and lower quotations made in the
same. Express dull but strong The general
market was rle stronger at the close. The following
table shows the highest and lowest prices OF active stocks
Year: 1871

FISH CuLTURE-Thc tourist in Northern
Bavaria often wonders where all the fine fish
come from that arc universally served up at
every farm and hcrbcrg where he stops for
dinner, rs the salt sea is far distant, and there
are no great rivers i'll the country. This is
owing to the widel yeXtended pisciculturc.
which affords to the country i rich supply of
most delicious fish of all kinds and at all sea
sons throughout the year. The whole country
is dotted over with small fsh-ponds; wherever
there is marshy place. or the lands need to
be drained, the water is gathered into Il little
lake; ut the foot of the hills or mountains
ponds are also constructed as reservoirs for the
water that comes down from the side, and the
larger streams are frequently damned up so as
to overflow and form succession Of small
ponds, all of which are profilsely stocked with
fish carefully selected for that purpose. This
will account for the plentitudc Of the tinny
tribe and the frequency with which they are
found upon the tables throughout the country
hundreds of miles distant from the sea, and
also from the fact that many Of the Bavaraln
peasants realize as much and sometimes more,
from their fsh-crop as they do from their rich
golden fields and pastures.
Year: 1871

Some idea of the rapid formation at and
near the mouth.of the Mississippi may be
formed from the fact that, at point near
what is known as Cubitt's Gap. where
some four years since were four feet of
water, there is now an island nearly, if not
quite mile long, by several hundred yards
wide.