smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

How IT FEELS TO De HANGED.-A Paris
newspaper gives this extract from the notes
of young fellow who tried to commit sui
eide and was cut down before sufocation
was complete. He was delighted to return
to life, and it is noted that would-be suicides
who are rescued from their self-sought fate
rarely renew their attempts to shuttle off this
mortal coil. when | stood on the chair
the mirror on the mantlepiece inyoluntarily
attracted me, and looked at myself as |
fastened the slip-knot around my neck.
Blood flowed to my head. for my face was
very red something took place at the same
time in nv optic nerves, for it seemed to me
that my face suddenly began TO make grim
aces My eyes and nose changed places in
cessantly, like the pieces of kaleidoscope.
| kicked the chair from under me and fell
with the sensation that had been struck on
the top of the head with hammer | did
not at first feel the rope around my neck.
The only very clear impression which fo,
lowed the blow with the hammer on my
skull was that OF great heaviness in the head.
1t seemed to me that my head was larger
and heavier on my shoulders than the great
bell of Notre Dame At the same time
felt an immense night falling in and around
me. Then felt extremely cold at my low
er extremities, and at the same time an acute,
terrible pain in my neck. which was pro-
duced by the rope, which cut my skin and
sawed my veins Then | felt nothing
Evidently this was the moment when ny
good aunt Cecil entered my roum aud cut
me down"
Year: 1875

fuETIc EccBNTRICIrF.-One OF our Young
er poets, having accepted an invitation 10
dinner at certain house. arrived IN due
course. 1t was observed that he was rather
excited and strange IN manner, but, a. he Is
known 10 have singularly high strung,
nervous temperament, no particular atten-
tl0n was paid to this circumstance. Dinner
went Of in the usual way. The guest was
particularly brilliant his rapid discursiye
conversation never ceased. After dinner
IN the drawing room, he consented 10 read
some sOnnets from his most recently pub
llshe1 volume, and he was good enough TO
expound IN most eloquent and Luminous
language the subtler meanings OF these
poems and their Connection with esch other.
His audience was delighted. Here and
there, OF course, there WAS a toach Of cx
travagance in his speech, bot TO a poet some
poetic licenses must be granted. Before GO
ing he requested the lady OF the house to
accept the volume, and inscribed her name
IN 1t. All this was very well, but some two
or three days afterwards he called upon his
host and Immediately began to pour forth
a whole striu z of apologies. He had MIS-
laid the card-he had mistaken the nj light
he had had to 60 down into the country


Ihi, astonished person now discovered that
his guest of the evening was absolutely in
ignorance OF his ever having been near the
house, that he had come to apologize for hay-
ing neglected the invitation, and that he was
anxious that the lady OF the house should
accept copy, to be sent from the publish
ers, Of the very book which he himself had
given her.-Elgish Paper.
Year: 1875

That birds, however, apparently safely
hung in cages, are unsafe from the skill
and cunning of the cat, may be gathered
from many instances of the extraordinary
leaps they are capable of making to OBJ
tain their prey. We are told by re-
liable authority that when his cat was a
year old, he was seen several days in
succession to take his position on a show
case four feet high, licking his chops,
while watching canary in cage, sus-
pended from the ceiling eight feet from
the case. The ceiling was eleven feet
high from the floor, and the cage an or
binary cylindrical one. While thus OBJ
serving the cat, and thinking how remote
was his chance of plunder, the animal
suddenly sprang at the cage and caught
his claws in it. His weight sprung the
cage up against the ceiling, spilling seed
and water, and terrifying the canary.
After swinging to and fro several times,
the cat dropped to the floor uninjured.
Our informant measured the distance
from the top of the cage, and found it to
be ten feet; so the cat made an ascent OF
six feet in height, or upon an incline OF
nearly thirty-three degrees. The sur
prise here is that the bird escaped; for il
is during its terror, and while beating
itself from side to side of the cage, that
the hooked claws of the cat are prepared
to receive it, and if any portion of the
bird is caught, it is rapidly pulled
through the wire, and the cat and bird
disappear before the spectator can recover
his astonishment.
Year: 1875

/
The many freaks of physical infirmity
show nothing stranger than instanta.
neous blindness or deafness, or their i'm
mediate cure. But cases of the kind are
well authenticated. The following is
told in Nashville paper: We recently
heard a remarkable and touching story
of little boy, the son of a gentleman in
an adjoining county. His age is twelve
or thirteen. He is an interesting and
promising lad. One day during the past
winter he failed to rise in the morning
as early as usual. At length his father
went into the room where he lay, and
asked him why he did not get up. He
said it seemed dark yet, and he was wait
ing for daylight. His father retired, but
the boy not making his appea. ance for
some time, he returned, and said Sec
Ond time


"My son, why don't you get upT'


"Father, is it daylightT' he asked.


I" Yes, long ago."


"Then, father" the little fellow said,
l am blind"


And 80 it was. His sight was gone.


In short time his father took him to
Nashville, to get the benefit of the med
ical profession there, but none of the
physicians could do anything for him,
and happily made no experiments on his
eyes. Some ladies in family of his
fathers acquaintance sought to cheer
him in his affliction, and one night pro-
posed to take him to the opera, that he
might hear the music and singing. He
went and was delighted.


In the course of the performance, all
at once he leaped up, threw his arms
around his fathers neck, and screamed
with ecstacy:


go father! I can seew


His sight had instantly returned.
And since then he has retained it in full
vigor, except that under excitement
there is sometimes dimness of vision.
The case is one of remarkable and sim
gular character.
Year: 1875

The French papers speak of method
of rendering paper extremely hard and
tenacious, by subjecting the pulp to the
action of chloride of zinc. After it has
been treated with the chloride it is sub
mitted to strong pressure, thereafter
becoming as hard as wood and as tough
as leather. The hardness varies accord
ing to the strength of the metallic solu-
ton. The material thus produced can
be easily colored. 1t may be employed
in covering floors with advantage, and
may be made to replace leather in the
manufacture of coarse shoes, and is a
good material for whip handles, the
mounting of saws, for buttons, combs,
and other articles of various description.
An excellent use of it is in large sheets
for roofing. Paper already manufac-
tured acquires the same consistency
when plunged, unsized, into solution Of
the chloride.
Year: 1875

Mark Twain, in a late issue of the At
lantic Monthly, speaking of steamboat
racing on the Mississippi in former times,
says:


Racing was royal fun. The public al
ways had an idea that racing was dan
gerous, whereas the very opposite was
passed which restricted each boat to just
so many pounds of steam. to the square
inch. No engineer was ever sleepy or
careless when his heart was i'm race.
He was constantly on the alert, trying
gauge-cocks and watching things. The
dangerous place was on slow, popular
boats, where the engineers drOwsed
around and allowed chips to get into the
"doctor" and shut off the water suddly
from the boilers.


In the "flush times" of steamboating,
race between two notoriously fleet
steamers was an event of vast import
ance. The date was set for it several
weeks in advance, and from that time
forward the whole Mississippi valley was
in a state of consuming excitement.
Politics and the weather were dropped,
and the people talked only of the COM
ing race. As the time approached, the
two steamers stripped" and got ready.
Every incumbrance that added weight,
or exposed resisting surface to wind or
water, was removed, if the boat could
possibly do without it. The spars, and
sometimes even supporting derricks,
were sent ashore, and no means left to
set the boat afoat, in case she got
aground. When the Eclipse and the A.
l.. Shotwell ran their great race, twenty
two years ago, it was said that pains
were taken to scrape the gliding off the
fanciful device which hung between the
Eclipse's chimncvs, and that for that one
trip the captain left off his kid gloves and
had his head shaved. But l always
doubted these things. If the boat was
known to make her best speed when
drawing five and half feet forward and
five feet aft, she was carefully loaded to
the exact figure-she wouldn't enter a
dose cf homeopathic pills on her mani
fest after that. Hardly any passengers
were taken, because they not only added
weight, but they never will trim
boat" They always run to the side
when there is anything to see, whereas a
conscientious and experienced steam
boasman would stick to the center of the
boat and part his hair in the middle with
a spirit level.
Year: 1875

THEY have been figuring in the de-
partment of agriculture at Washington
on the crop prospects, and find that in
Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri and
the Eastern States there is every prospect
of a TAR better yield of wheat than here.
tofore, and the production will be
far in excess of the consumption.
The product in these States is
represented as being much superior in
quality than that of former years. Oats
will be magnificent crop, and rye and
barley promise well. This is cheering il
true, and we are very hopeful that it Is
not greatly exaggerated,
Year: 1875

A HOTTENTOT FABLE.
The moon, In pity to the race
OF man In his despair,
Sent to them from her shining place
Her messenger, the hare.
"Go, nimble one, and say to men
That as fade and die,
Then rise and brighter shine again
Above them n the sky;
So they must fail and fade away,
But only die to rise
Where resurrection paves the way
To fairer, friendlier skies"
But out OF dullness, trick, or feud,
The message which was sent
The reckless little hare construed
With most malign intent.
10 race of men, the moon hath said
That as she lives and dies,
So unto death shall you be led,
And nevermore shall rise."
Now when the moon had heard the case,
Her ak, with force and grip,
She struck into the meek hares face,
Which caused the split hare lip.
The hare, incensed, with claws upborne,
Scratched back with right good grace,
And since that day the neon has worn
A rough and ragged face.


The Galovy
Year: 1875

1t has been reported that the measles
have broken out in the Fiji Islands, anC
have ragged with such awful severity tha1
no less than fifty thousand of the ma
tives have died of the disease. There
has never been trustworthy census o.
Fiji, but the number of deaths from this
disease are said to have been much more
than one in ten of the whole population;
probably more than one in six. Such q
mortality in the United States would
take away seven million people.


1t will doubtless seem strange to many
persons that disease SO common, and
so little dreaded among us, should have
proved so fatal among the Fiji Islanders.
To be sure, there are many deaths from
measles in America, but they are mostly
among class of people who either will
not or can not take care of themselves.
There is q reason, however, for its
severity among savages


Every boy who has had the measles
knows that he is not likely to have the
disease q second time. But it. may not
be SO we'll known that all maladies of
this kind become milder in their effects
in passing through successive generations.
Thus a whole race will in time become
so accustomed to a disease that it be-
comes almost harmless. In well-to- do
families the treatment for measles Isl Ow
quite simple, and where proper care is
taken there is little danger of fatal
result.


The Fijians have not this gradually
acquired power of resistance. The Eu-
ropeans have carried the mild type of
the measles to the islands, and it has
taken its most violent and fatal form at
once. The people do not know how to
treat it, and their habits almost render
ordinary treatment Intellectual. So the
epidemic has had clean sweep, and its
effect has been terrible. This, however,
is only sort of repetition of history.
Savage men are swept away by the dis
eases of civilization when civilized men
appear among them. The Indians of our
own country were destroyed by the
thousand by that product of civilization,
smallpox. Consumption was unknown
to the Sandwich Islands when Captain
Cook visited them. 1t is now the scOurge
of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and scarcely
one-tenth the population the first Euro
peans found there remains.


1t is unfortunate for Great Britain,
which has but just annexed Fiji, that
this terrible epidemic has occurred.
Some of the chiefs, upon whom the Eng
lish relied to reconcile the Fijians to the
change of rulers, have fallen victims to
it. The common people will see in the
plague a result of the political move
ment, and it will be more difficult to
persuade them that it was wise change.
Year: 1875

And then we rose up and made sortie
for that young man, en- mosse. We
twined our brawny hands in his golden
locks and dragged him down to the press
room, and had the boys run him through
the double-cylinder press till they had
worked off an edition of 5000 of him,
and then we dashed his CORY carcass, a
fattened, chaotic aggregation of rags
and ruin, out on the sidewalk, where the
needless feet of busy men would trample
it into the dust of the earth. Send us
another original vocalist and composer.
Year: 1875

The North German Gazette, comment
ing on the recent submission of Catholic
clergymen to the law for the admins
tration of church property, says the
Episcopate has thereby abandoned the
principle hitherto maintained that the
politics of ecclesiastical matters can only
be regulated by means of Independent
arrangements between the State and
church. The Gazette infers that the
Roman Curia had given permission to
the clergy to decide for themselves, at
the same time assuring them that de-
cision in favor Of submission to the law
will not be regarded as an act of disobe-
dience to the Papal authority. "This,"
continues the Gazette, "may be consid-
cred as hanging struggle between the
political and ecclesiastical powers, and
the Catholic Episcopate will probably
urge upon Rome the necessity of extend
ing still further freedom of action in these
matters" 4srYYr1
Year: 1875

and now am calling his attention to sPechc suolec As
him what was said OF them, II anything.


Judge Neilson-You should not do that uhui 'o' I'M"
exhausted his general recollection; then Ark him.
Mr. Tracy-Your Honor have, and finished MS eeher
recollection last night went through and closed this suF ct


Judge Neson do not understand him TO say no" that he
recoects nothing more Vixen he does then yen can AK
whether anything said on this subject or tha'>


Mr. Tracy-I win exhaust his recollection ITO the witness


will AK Won there s anything further Of this narrative that
Won can relate that you have rela.edi A. There s
Year: 1875

TIE DEMOCRAT is thoroughly in- dependent in it's course, under no pledge or covenant to support the schemes or fortunes of any man or set of men, always having at heart first, the good of the people of Pope county, and of the state of Arkan 5 sas. It claims no right to lead or direct in politics, or any other sphere; but it does claim the right and win fearlessly and at all times assert it, to speak its own opinions, 7, or all matters coming within the scope of it's duty as an independent journal. Whatever prominence il maintains in the affairs of this county or State, will be voluntarily accorded by the people who support it. In short the DEMOCRAT wishes to be judged solely upon it's own merits as local and state newspa- per, having for its chief object the dissemination of the news of the day with such comments upon current topics as seem appropriate and arc conscientiously entertained by it management. It will heartily sup port all movements, political ol otherwise, which promise to fur thur, and unhesitatingly oppose those which would jeopardize, tn, interests of the people. In every department it will be as enterpris ing as its patronage will justify Sensible men will approve the busi ness management that limits expen allure to the bounds of income; on ly fools or enemies expect a degre, of excellence in all points that car alone be attained by the possession of resources and income.
Year: 1875

Especially assorted for Scrap Book illustrations and Drawing; Class Copies.

 A large collection of pictures of different sizes and on almost every conceivable subject have been put up in an attractive envelope and are now offered at q price intended to make them popular in ever sense.

 Envelope No. l, containing 90 beautiful engravings, is now ready, and will be sent postage paid, to any address for ONE DOLLAR. A lib- eral discount to agents and teachers.
Year: 1875

eBs Patent have been adopted and used cusiycly in the New York Conservatory of Music acknowledged Piano undergo The New York Music constantly upwards Thirty Arion Pianos and durability excellent

  Smnas and Colleges throughout the United tate and the principal Opera TrOupes.
Year: 1875

FIRST. There FOUR Valuable PATENTED improvements in tbe ARl0N which the unkied MUST IMPROVE the TONE and DURABILITY the Instrument.

 SECOND. The Aon perfect in workmanship and quality of AS CAN BE MADE, Piano we manufacture is fully warranted for five years.

 THIRD VOLUME of TONE combined with a and length and purity of vibration, in other Piano.

 FOURTH Aon longer than other Piano in the world introduction Musical Public; proof testimonials from purchases

 FIFTH 7l3 and they the largest QUALITY materials and workmanship plain Pianos do for the higl-priced
Year: 1875

TIE POWER OF THR ELECTRIC LIGur.-The most
powerful artificial light at present in existence is
that employed for the great lighthouse on Souter
Point, on the coast of England, near the mouth OF
the Tyne.


On both banks of this river there is an immense
number of manufactures of all kinds, the smoke
f>~,n which under the influence of the west wind,
- anisly obstructs the approaches from the sea-
Fogs at this part of the coast are also reqnent and
the problem OF lighthouse illumination required that
such hght should be secured as would penetrate
through any slight fog haze, i: having been gene
rally acknowledged that not even the sunlight itself
can penetrate an ordinary dense fog. The electric
nemsI in power 10 500 600 standard candles being
eight times as powerful as the best American
fixed lights. The electric spark passes between
ernsnmed st the rate Of about one inch pcr
Year: 1875




A San Francisco paper in review
of the local fisheries relates the fol-
lowing as one of the occurrences of
last year:


Last season one of the boats was
out on the ocean near Point de Rey,
when in the afternoon sudden squa!i
came on and the waves ran so high
that one came aboard and nearly flied
the boat with water. So much was
she loaded and so near sinking did
she come. that the three men who
were in her had all they could do to
avoid being swept overheard. The
wind blew hard and chilly and the
poor fellows were nearly frozen, but
they held on to the boat hoping that
succor would come from some source.
When it was nearly dark one of the
men bade his comrades good bye, and
with proan of despair sank out OF
sight beneath the waves. The other
two held on through that dreary
night, but early in the morning an
other one said to the survivor, Il can.
not hold on: [ too, must &c" In tel
ling it the survivor said, Il was laying
on my breast across the bow and saw
him as he sunk away far down in the
clear. deep waters. He said also that
soon after his last comrade disap-
peared the sun came up, and as the
sea had gone down the warm rays
beating on his back infused warmth
and life in him so that he was enabled
to cling fast. About l o'clock the
schooner Haskell came along, picked
him up and brought himself and the
boat into the harbor A rather sipgu-
lar part of the story is that after being
at the dock for about one month, the
same boat, with the same man and
two others, went again outside to the
same fishing ground, and about the
same place where she was picked up
when water-logged. The fishermen
saw a schooner bottom side up, with
five or six men clinging to the keel.
They Immediately went to the rescue
and found that it was the Haskell, the
identical schooner that had saved this
boat and one of the men. She had
been herself capsized in a squall. Her
crew were saved by the very boat that
had been saved by her.
Year: 1875

1t is the growth of the side branch
es which promotes expansion in the
diameter of the main stem, and the
lower ones must only be removed by
degrees; when those higher up ppear
sufficiently numerous for the young
tree to bear the loss of the lower ones
with impunity. If ayoung bow shows
a propensity to grow out of place, or
to an undue length. so as to require
repression, this may be effected while
in a young stage of growth, by simply
pinching off its extremity, thus arrest
ing its further extension. The proper
time to prune trees is between the
cessation of their growth In autumn
and the movement Of their sap in
spring. The amputation during sum-
mer of the woody parts of trees is in
furious to them in many ways, and in
many species produces copious dis
charge of sap (termed 'bleeding''),
which considerably weakens them.
But the process of trimming hedges.
or (where there Is fancy for such
things) clipping evergreens into fan
tastic shapes. is performed in summer.
as this promotes second growth from
the parts that are lett untouched.
which makes the foliage and spray
denser-A. Mongredien, in English
Garden.
Year: 1875

In speaking of a person S faults,


Pray don't forget your own;
Remember those with homes of glass
Should seldom throw stone.
If we have nothing else to do


Than talk of those who sin.
'Tis better we commence at home,


And from that point begin.
Wehave no right to judge a man


Until he's fairly tried;
Should we not like his company,


We know the world is wide.
Some may have faults; and who has not?
The old as well as young;
Perhaps we may, for aught we know,


Have fifty to their one.
I'll tell you of a better plan,


And find it works full we'll
To try my own defects to cure


Ere others faults tell.
And though sometimes hope to be-


No worse than some / know,
My own shortcomings bid me let


The faults of others go.
Then let us all, when we begin


To slander friend or foe,
Think of the harm one word may do


To those we little know.
Remember, curses, sometimes, like


Our chickens, "roost al home;"
Don't speak of others faults until


We have none of our own.
Year: 1875

What more natural than that an
ardent and unTepentant rebel like Mr..
John Young Brown should regard
the proclamation oi Davis as still in
force against General Butler, and
take occasion to remind the country
of this fact ?-Inter-O Ocean.
Year: 1875

Potato PUFP-Take cold roast meat
beef or mutten, or veal and ham together
clear from grstls, cut small, and season with
pepper. and salt, and cut pickles, if liked
Boil and mash some potatoes, make them into
paste With an egg, and roll out dredging
with -four. Cut round with saGcer; put
some Of the seasonsd meat on one half and
fold the other over like puff pinch neatly
round, and fry light brown. This is good
method of warming up meat which has been
cook ed