smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

A FLORIDA DEVIL Fish THAT AL
MOST BAFFLED FIFTEEN MEN.-A
monster devil fish was caught under
the New York Steamship Wharf on
Monday afternoon. He had in some
way got under, but was unable to
find his way out from among the
piling. Some men at work upon the
wharf heard the splashing which he
made, and fired several shots at him,
but as they seemed to have no effect,
harpoon was obtained, and his cap
ture effected, fifteen men being re-
quired to tow him to the shore.
The blood which escaped from him
colored the water for about ten feet
on either side. He was sixteen feet
in width and fifteen in length. His
fins are about four feet long, and his
tail about the same length, and not
much larger than a persons finger.
His mouth opened to the width of
two feet, and was eighteen inches in
length, and projecting from each side
of it was feeler about one foot wide
and two feet long, which he rolled
up and unrolled at will. So far as
ascertained, there has been only one
of these singular fish caught in this
region before this one. Previous to
the war, one larger than this was cap
tured near Centrc-street wharf.-Fer-
nandina (Fla.) Observer.
Year: 1875

At Kauai, one of the Sandwich ISL


ands, there is 4 huge drift of what


appears to he ordinary beach sand,


extending one and a half miles near


ly due south, which possesses 4 won


derful quality of sonorousness. A


specimen in a bottle was lately exhib-


tied at a scientific meeting in San


Francisco, with the following descrip-
ton of its strange property in a let
ter from the donor at Honolulu: "At
the extreme south end of the drift in
question:" writes this gentleman, ''if
you slap two, handfuls together, there
is sound produced like the low hoot-
ing of an owl, more or less sharp, ac-
cOrding rs the motion is quick or
slow. Sit down upon the sand and
give one hand quick circular mo-
tion, and the sound is like the heavy
bass OF a melodeon. Kneel upon the
steep incline, extend the two hands
and clasp as much sand as possible,
slide rapidly down, carrying all the
sand you can, and the sound accQmu-
lates as You descend until it is like
distant thunder. In this experiment
the sound was sufficient to frighten
our horses fastened a short distance
from the base of the drift. But the
greatest sound we produced was by
having one native lie upon his belly
apd another taking him by the feet
and dragging him rapidly down the
incline, carrying rs much sand as
possible with them. With this ex-
pertinent the sound was terrific, and
could have been heardmapy, hundred
yards distant" In tact, the vOlnme
of sound is in proportion to the guam
tity of sand put in motion. No ex-
PLANTATION of the sonorousness is Civ
en-, but the sand is found to lose its
sounding power upon being wet.
Year: 1875

1t is astonishing what queer pets
people will attach themselves to. A
friend visiting n lady, and noticing
n lobster crawling al H6ifum about
the parlor, WAS informed that it was
a great pet of hers, a basin of fresh
water being kept for it, into which it
crawls in and out at its pleasure. The
reason given by the lady for it's being
such great pet was, that some
months since she had bought a live
lobster, intending to have it cooked
for dinner, but having changed her
mind, it was put into a pail OF water
in tho kitchen until it could be cooked
the next day. Atnight, being dressed
and waiting for friend who was to
accompany her to ball, she fell
asleep, from which she was awakened
by sharp bite on the toe, which she
found the lobster biting. Affrighted
she ran to the kitchen, found no one
there, but discovered a cloth which
had been left hanging in front Of the
range on fire. The fire was extin-
guished in a very short time, and the
lobster was installed as pet, ont of
a feeling of gratitude. 1t is said it
knows its mistress and follows her
about, and is so fond of music that it
stations itself at the piano whenever
she plays.
Year: 1875

As test of nerve the recent ex-
perience ofa wayfarer, travelling along
a wood road near Olympia, Washing
ton territory, was as remarkable as
any on record. The man was a spec
ulator, looking over wild land, and he
trudged through the forest, following
the almost unused path formed by an
old road made by pioneers in the will
derness. His mind was devoted to
one subject-the critical examination
of the kind of trees upon the land
about him and 0f the character of the
soil, and he failed to notice for some
time ''pit-a-pat" upon the dead
leaves near him. He at first scarcely
looked down, when he felt something
rubbing against his legs and heard
slight purring sound, but when he
did look his heart came up in his
mouth and the cold sweat started as
suddenly as though he were sus-
pended by a weak rope over Niagara.
Pressing itself softly against his legs,
twining about him as he walked,
moving its flexible body swiftly, but
with never a sound, turning up fierce
ewes with something almost like ter


rible laugh in them, was huge con-


carl No chicken was this man in the
woods, but his account of the man.


ner in which his hat was raised by
his hair is not to be considered as
apocryphal at all. Sleek, supple and
muscular, the beast glided about, and
at intervals it would come closer
again and press its body against the
legs of the man, the light touch max


ing goose-1esh of every inch in his
form. 1t was terrible experience,
that interview with the cougar in the
forest primeval, and it was well for
the man that his nerves were of the
kind to do honor to frontier adyen-
turer. Steadily pursuing his course
with steps that would falter little
occasionally, he kept ON, and with,
him the beast continued its treach-
erous gambols. At times it would
glide q few PAGES to the front and
Year: 1875

roll over and over in the road aud
wait for the man To come up, and
then it would circle about him again,


until the impulse, almost too Strong
to be resisted, would come upon him
to spring upon the brute, opposing
fists to fangs. and ending the intol
cradle suspense at any risk. The
movements of the terrible animal
were but as the playing Of cat with
a mouse, and the man knew it. The


moment came, at length when the


strain conld be horne no longer, and
the man kicked desperately at tine


beast rs it passed by him. In an in
stant it bounded in front and crouched
for spring, growing hoarsely and
showing its teeth. The man stopped
and shouted hopelessly for aid, while
the cougar did not spring at once, but
appeared waiting to crafty its humor


little longer. The shout fortunate


" was not in vain. There were hunt
ers and dogs in the immediate vicin-
ity, as rare fortune would have it,
and the hounds dashed suddenly
from the covet as the cougar, seeing
them, leaped for q tree. A few mo-
ments later the beast fell victim TO
bullets, and the man with whom it
had taken stroll was telling his
story and trying to restore the normal
condition of his nerves by internal
applications from a small flask. 1t
was one of the episodes which turn
mems hair gray-One which would,
doubtless, have brought death to a
man with less nerve than the hero of
the affair.
Year: 1875

acter. They redoubled their appli-
ances: they got their forces to-
gether and in hand voted down an
amendment, to submit the change
proposed by the bill to the people OF
Toledo, and few days before the
time fixed for sine die adjournment,
they passed it.


Then it was found that in the
blind and besotted haste of the
Democratic Legislature to trample
under foot the people of Toledo,
they had actually abolished the
Board of Aldermen of Cincinnati! 4!
Forthwith terror seized upon the
Democratic members from Hamilton
county who had assisted in perfect
ing the swindle. Mayor Johnston
sent up q telegram that the bill must
at once be reconsidered. OF course,
the word of a Democratic Mayor of
Cincinnati was more potent with that
craven Assembly than the voice of
Toledo's representatives, or the pro-
tests and prayers of her people.
The bill was reconsidered in the
Senate, the terms of it so doctored
that it would only apply to Toledo,
and then it was sent back to the
House. Bat it was too late; the
hour for sine die adjournment was
rapidly approaching; the ring used
every appliance and died hard; but
at last the Speakers gavel fell, and
even while a tool of the ring was
making frantic efforts to get the in
iquity again before the House, the
General Assembly expired.


CONCLUSION.


Thus have briefly sketched a
part of the record and works of the
Democratic General Assembly. No
wonder the Cincinnati Enquirer the
morning after adjournment, said:
1--WE trust all the members of the
Ohio Legislature will reach their
homes in safety. and that few of
them will ever find their way back to
Columbus" Y. S.
Year: 1875

AN Iowa correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Enquirer is of opinion that
Democratic prospects are brighten
ing in that State,and the reason he
assigns for this belief is that
"whisky and beer are gradually as
serting their rights in politics."
Could anything be more naive2
Year: 1875

The most perfect home ever saw
was in the house, into the sweet in
fcense of whose fires went no costly
things. Six hundred dollars served
for years living Of father, moth
cr and three children. But the moth
er was q creator of home, and her re-
lations with her children were the
most beautiful | have ever seen
Even dull and commonplace man
was lifted up and enabled to do work
for souls by the atmosphere which
this woman created. Every inmate
of her house involuntarily looked into
her face for the keynote of the day,
and it always rang clear From the
rose bud or the clover leaf which in
spite of her house she always
found time to put by our plates at
breakfast down to the essay or story
she had on hand to he read or discus
sed in the evening there was no inter-


mission of her influence. She always
has been and always will he my ideal
Of 4 mother, wife. If 10 her quick
brain, loving heart and exquisite tact
had been added the appliance of
wealth and the enlargement of wider
culture, hers would have been abso-
lutely the ideal home. As it was, it
is the best | have ever seen. 1t has
been more than twenty years since |
crossed its threshold. | do not know
whether she is living or not. But as
| see house after house in which faith
ers, mothers and children are drag
ging out their lives in n baphazard
alienation of listless routine and I'M
pleasant collision, | always think with
a sigh of that little cottage by the Sc;
shore and the woman who was the
light thereof, "iand | find in the face of
many women and children, as plainly
written and as sad to see as in the
newspaper columns of "Person-al"-
=" Wanted y" A Home"
Year: 1875

William Crysell, the man who took
such unceremoniouS leave of our
Sheriff a short time since, met with
quite serious and unfortunate acc;-
dent on Saturday evening, The q b
ult. Whilst resting himself with both
hands crossed over the muzz,e Of his
gun, his foot slipping from off barre |
where he had it, struck the hammur
and thus caused the weapon to be dis
charged. 1t was q double barreled
shot gun, and loaded with fifteen
buckshot, so the terrible consequence
may be easily imagined. The whole
load passed through both hands, and
two of the shot glancing, one struck
him in the neck and the other in the
shoulder. The hand on top or farthest
from the gun sustained the greatest
damage, yet it is probable tha, he
may lose the entire use of them both,
and even if amputation should not be-
come necessary, either calamity would
be quite serious, and especially to a
poor man who depends entirely on the
the use of his hands for support.


This sad affair occurred on Big
Greek at or near the residence of Mr..
Tatun.'s, and the victim suffered a
great deal from the loss of blood alone,
for it was late the next day before the
services of a physician could be pre-
cured. The condition of this un-
fortunate and unhappy man claims
the sympathy of all, and the aid of
such as can contribute to his relief,
Notwithstanding the reputation he
bore. True it is that Jail bird has
clipped his own wings. wherein laid
his great prowess, without which he
might have been a better and happier
man -Franklin Sun.
Year: 1875

Are we far from right then, when
we suggest that the best hope of I'M
provemcnt in our schools, and pro-
gresS in the cause of popular educa-
ton, lies not in what we as educators
do directly for those objects, but rath-
er in what may be done to make the
people generally take deeper person.
al interest in what concerns them-in
the choice of efficient officers; in the
selection Of qualified teachers in the
providing of good school accommoda-
tions; in the payment ofjust salaries,
and in the visiting Of schools and
keeping sharp oversight Of their
management? The people may dele
gate authority, bnt in doing this, they
do not discharge themselves from all
responsibility and duty. They must
be made to feel this, if popular educa-
ton is to be successful Bicknell.
Year: 1875

A REAL CRACKER. correspondent who
signs himself Georgia Cracker" writes to
a newspaper as follows: In a recent number
of your paper saw something like an inqui.
ry as to the meaning of the word "cracker,"
as applied to certain class of the Southern
people. Being an hum BILE descendant OF that
honorable class, beg leave to state tor the
benefit of your readers, that the term is very
significant, and is the legitimate result OF one
of the rural customs Of the first settlers of the
United States. Years ago, before mills were
established in the country, when the back
woodsmen, or those who lived in the interior,
remote from the ports of entry, were unable
to procure transportation, they adopted a way
by which they cracked corn with huge rocks.
The interior people we're labeled with the dis
tinction, corn cracker-hence the term.
Year: 1875




Why does smoke ascend the chimney! BE-
cause the air of the room, when it passes over
the fire, becomes lighter for being heated;
and, being thus made lighter, ascends the
chimney, carrying the smoke with it.


What is smoke? Small particles ofcarbon,
separated by combustion from the fuel, but
not consumed.


Why do smoke and steam curl, as they
ascendi Because they are pushed around
and around by the ascending and descending
currents of air.


Why do some chimneys smoke? Because
fresh air is not admitted into room so fast
as it is consumed by the fire !; in consequence
of which current of air rushes down the
chimney to supply the deficiency, driving the
smoke along with it. 49,


Why are some parts of the ceiling blacker
and more filthy than others? Because the
air, being unable to penetrate the thick joints
of the ceiling, passes by those parts, and de-
posts its SCOT and dust on others more pene-
trable.


Why is water purified by being filtered
through charcoal? Because charcoal absorbs
the impurities of the water, and removes all
disagreeable tastes and smells, whether they
arise from animal or vegetable matter.


Why does charcoal remove the taint of
meat? Because it absorbs all putrescent et-
Auvia, whether arising from animal or vegeta-
BILE matter.


What is charcoal? Wood which has been
exposed to red heat till it has been deprived
of all its gases and volatile parts.


Why are water and wine casks charred in
side? Because charring the inside Of cask
reduces it to kind of charcoal; and char
coal, by absorbing animal and vegetable ina
purites, keeps the liquor sweet and good.


Why does piece of burnt bread make i'm
pure water fit to drink? Because the surface
of the bread, which has been reduced to char
coal by being burnt, absorbs the impurities of
the water, and makes it palatable.


Why should toast and water, placed by the
side of the sick, be made of burnt bread
Because the charcoal surface of the burnt
bread prevents the water from being affected
by the impurities of the sick room.


Why should sick persons eat dry toast
rather than bread and butter? Because the
charcoal surface of the dry toast helps to ab-
sorb the acids and impurities of sick stomach:


Why are timbers which are to be exposed
to damp charred? Because charcoal under
goes no change by exposure to air and water;
! in consequence of which timber will resist
weather much longer after it has been charred:


Why does water simmer before it boils!
Because the particles Of water near the bottom
of the KETTLE being formed into steam sooner
than the rest, shoot upward, but are condensed
again as they rise by the cold water, and pro-
| duce what is called "simmering."


Why will pot filled with water never boil
when immersed in another vessel full Of water
also2 Because water can never be heated
above the boiling point all the heat absorbed
by water after it bols is employed in gene
rating steam.


Why does kettle sing when the water SIM
mers? Because the air entangled in the water
escapes by fits and starts through the spout of
the kettle; which makes a noise like wind
instrument.
Year: 1875

BIRD GHosTs.-Birds have great fear of
death. In illustration of this, Madame Buist
in her new book on birds, relates the following:
A hen canary belonging to the author ut died


whilst nesting, and was buried. The survl-
wing mate was removed to another cage: the
breeding cage itself was thoroughly purified,
cleansed, and put aside till the following
spring. Never afterward, however, could any
bird endure to be in that cage. The little
creatures fought and struggled to get out, and
if obliged to remain, they huddled close to-
gether and moped and were thoroughly un-
happy, refusing to be comforted BY any
amount of sunshine or dainty food. The ex-
pertinent was tried of introducing foreign
BIRDS which were not even in the house when
the canary died, nor could, by any possibility,
have heard of her through other canaries.
The result was the same; no bird would live
in that cage. The cage was haunted, and the
owner was obliged to desist from all further
attempts to coax or force bird to stay in it,
Year: 1875

The house in which the writer was born,
was covered with shaved pine shingles in the
year 1906, at which time the roof received q
generous coat Of oil paint made of linseed oil
and Venetian red. After twenty years had
elapsed another coat of paint, nearly black,
was applied. Since that period no paint has
been applied, and it is now good roof for an
old one. 1t does not leak, and the only re-
pairs on it have consisted of shingle added
here and there where a portion of poor
shingle was worn out. If the roof had not
been painted, the butts Of most of the courses
would have been worn entirely away; and if
such long periods had not been allowed to in
tervene between the times Of painting, the
roof would have been good one, even after
the lapse of 100 years. The true way to
paint roof is to apply paint Of some kind
to both sides of the shingles. It is quite as
important that the under side of every
shingle be covered with paint as the surface,
to prevent the water from being drawn up
between the courses by cal Hilary attraction.
If good shingles are painted on both sides,
and good paint be applied to the roof once in
10 years, it will continue leak-tight for more
than hundred years. When it is desirable
to save the water for drinking, coal.tar is an
excellent and cheap paint for preserving
shingles, and it will pay we'll to smear roof
with this material once in four or five years.
When roofs are not painted, moss is liable to
collect at the butts ofevery course of shingles,
which promotes their decay more rapidly,
than alternate rain and sunshine When oil
paint is used for painting shingles, it is al
ways better to employ some light color rather
than black, as the apartments Of the attic
story, beneath black roof, are liable to be
uncomfortably hot in the summer; and besides
this, as black paint absorbs more heat than
any other color, neither the paint nor the
shingles will endure as long, as if the roof
had been covered with lght-colored paint. A
metallic roof covered with light.colored
paint will last much longer than if it had
been painted with black paint The most
economical paint for a roof is a generous coat
of coal.tar once in few years; but coal-tar
will color the water for five years after coat
is applied to the roof-Industrial Monthly.
Year: 1875

The practical diaryman in the
West will not only provide in sea-
son a supply of forage for carrying
his cows through the drouths Of
July and August, but also will pro-
vide early food for pasture before
the meadows of Spring are flush.
For the latter, there is nothing
better than rye, sown in the latter
part of August and fed close dur
ing the Autumn months. This will
come forward early in the Spring
and furnish feed until the pastures
become flush.


Hungarian may be sown about
the first Of May. If other feed
fails, this will furnish excellent feed
to be cut and carried TO the feeding
yard to be fed literally at night
until the early sown corn is ready
to be cut. For generally feeding
we think there is nothing so easily,
nor cheaply raised in the West, as
corn. 1t should be sown the first
of June, on clean ground not less
than three bushels per acre three
and one half is better, covering
about two inches deep,and harrow
ing It just as it is coming up, to
kill the young weeds as they start
Other pieces should be sown fol
succession once in ten days unit
the middle of July, the last sowing
to be cut and bound before frost an,
cured in shocks. 1t will maxi
admirable feed for the early Win
ter-indeed it is the best fodde
we know for cows and calves durinI
the whole Winter, If enough b
provided, and If sown thick enoug
it is easily cut and raked with


strong reaper.


In sowing rye for Fall and earl


Spring feed, not less than tw


bushels per acre should be sow
and so with any crop sown for fol
age the thicker the seeding IL
finer and more succulent the fee
If this be supplemented in Il
Winter with a daily supply
Year: 1875

The method of picking is Two
boys take bushel basket and pick
two rows at once, picking only the
large or merchantable ones, leaving
the small ones on the ground, which
are picked up by one boy with a
half bushel basket. BY this meth
Cd the potatoes are assorted in the
field, the merchantable ones going
either to the cars for market, or
into the cellar. The small ones
are drawn to the pig pens, for the
pigs, or to the COW stables for the
milch cows.


Last season had four acres OF
potatoes harvested in the manner
here described. A laborer who
assisted at the digging requested
the privilege of following the plow
and picking what he could find ;
this was granted him, and the re-
suit to him was one and half
bushels when the land was plowed
for the next seasons crop (all kinds
small and large) from the four
acres.


Iconsider | each horse, and the
plow, as good as a man each, at
digging. My trouble is to get q
sufficient number of boys to pick
up. l would as soon have boys
as men they will pick as many
bushels as man, and their labor
does not cost over one-third as
much.-Country Gentleman.
Year: 1875

carrots and mangold wurtzel or
OF other sugar beets, the dairyman
will find himself amply repaid in


the prime condition of his cows
and ample return of milk, especial
ly if his Winters milk be sold for
city use. At all events, every
dairyman in the West who would
make his business profitable, must
provide adequate forage to tide his
cows over the drouths Of Summer
Year: 1875

boiled in two successive waters till
they are soft and digestible.


To prevent hard soap, prepared
with soda, from crumbliDg, the bars
may be dipped in a mixture of re-
sin soap, beef tallow and wax.


A little camphene dropped be-
tween the neck and stopper Of q
glass bottle will render the latter
easily removed if jammed fast.


To make silk that has been
wrinkled appear like new, sponge
on the surface with a weak solution
of gum arabic or white glue, and
iron it on the wrong side.


If you get fish bone in your
throat, and sticking fast there,
swallow an egg raw /; it will almost
be sure to carry down bone easily
and certainly. When, as sometimes
by accident, corrosive sublimate
is swallowed, the white of one or
two eggs will neutralize the poison,
and change the effect to that Of =
dose Of calomel.


Spots can be taken out of mar
ble with finely powered pumice-
stone mixed with verjuice. Cover
the spots and allow the stuff to re-
main for twelve hours, then rub
clean. dry and rinse. Gug 1Ta