smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

Mr.. Brasser, who lives on Ninth
avenue, has a son about twelve years
old named Claudius, and the other
evening this boy received permission
to allow a neighbor's boy to stay all
night with him. The old people sleep
down stairs in the sitting room, and
the boys were put in room directly
above. When they went mp to bed
Claudius had the clothes line under
his coat, and the neighbor's boy had a
mask in his pocket, They didn't
kneel down and say their prayers like
good boys and then jump in bed and
tell bear stories, but as soon as the
door was locked the Brasser boy re.
marked


you'll see more fun around here
tonight than would lie OF q ten acre
lot


From closet they brought out 9
cast off suit of Brasser's clothes, stuffed
them with whatever came handy, tiec
the mask and an ole, straw hat on fol
a head, and while one boy was care,
fully raising the window the Other
was tying the clothes line around the
man. The image was lowered dowr
in front of the sitting room window
lifted up and down once or twice, anC
old Brasser was heard to leap out O
bed with a great jar. He was JUS
beginning to doze when he heard
sounds under his window, and hi
wife suggested that It was the COW in
the yard. He got up, pulled the cur
tain away, and as he beheld a mar
standing there he shouted out:


"Greatl Bottles it's robber ??
and he jumped into bed.


"Theodorius Brasser, are you 9
fool ?" screamed the wife as he mo-
nopolized all the bed clothes to cover
up his head.


"Be quiet, you old jade you 7
he whispered perhaps he'll &C
away


Don't call me jade p she replied
reaching over and trying to fud bis
hair.
Year: 1875

Do not dictate to an editor how to run
his paper; should you do so, however,
the probability is that you will be told
to attend to your own business.


Read tho advertisements IN your
paper, and the probability is you will
find the place you want in order to
purchase something that you long
have been in need of.


If you have friend in printing
Office never call to see him during the
hours Of composition, for he is then
earning his bread and butter. If you
do SO, the probability is that he will
wish you in--wcll, no matter where.


If you enter printing Office, under
no circumstances whatever medlle
with the types, for you may make pi
should you eyade the warning, how
ever, the probability is you will get
more inward curses than prayers.


Never borrow newspapers from
your neighbors. If you are in the
habit of doing so break right off, for
if you continue to do so, the proba-
bility is that the last hours of your
life will be full of remorse and fear
of death.


Never allow yourself to become
delinquent subscriber should you do
50 and die, the probability is that the
proprietor will inform your friends Of
your shortcomings. And again, your
chances Of becoming a citizen of
heaven would be slim, as it is the un-
pardonable sin.


If an agent for newspaper calls on
you and asks, " How do you feel ?'
about subscribing for the paper, tell
him you feel "so-so," and will do so,
accompanying the remark with the
cash. The probability is he will leave
you his thanks and retire in cheerful
frame Of mind.
Year: 1875

A FUNNY joke, aud all the more pal
atable as its truth can be vouched for,
says a New Jersey paper, occurred at
prominent church in that State. 1t
seems that worthy deacon had been
very industrious in selling q new
church book, costing IS cents. At
the service IN question the minister,
just before dismissing the congrega-
ton, rose and said "AIl yo who have
children to baptiae will please present
them next Sabbath" The deacon,
who by the way was little deaf, hay
ing an eye on selling the books, and
supposing the pastor was referring to
them, Immediately jumped up and
shouted "All who have none can get
as many as you want by calling on mo
at Is cents each.
Year: 1875

IF I had leisure, T would repair
that weak place in my fense," said q
farmer. He had none, however, and
while drinking cider with q neighbor,
the COWS broke in and injured a prime
piece Of corn. He had leisure then to
repair his fence, but it did not bring
back his corn.


"If l had leisure" said a wheel
wright last winter, II would alter
my stove-pipe, for I know it is not
SAFE" But he did not find time, and
when his shop caught fire and burned
down, he found leisure to build an
other.


"If had leisure, said y mechanic,
II should have my work done in
season." The man thinks his time was
all occupied, but he was not at work
till after sunrise; he quit work at five
o'clock, smoked cigar after dinner,
and spent two hours on the street
talking nonsense with an ;dler,


"If had leisure said a merchant,
II would pay moro attention to ac-
counts" The chance is, my friend, if
you had leisure, you would probably
pay less attention to the matter than
YOU do now. The thing lacking with
hundreds oe farmers who till the soil
is, no more leisure, but more resolu-
tion--tho spirit to do--to do now.
If the farmer who sees the fence in a
poor condition, would only acta once,
how much might be saved, 1t would
prevent breachy cattlo creating quar-
rels among neighbors, that in many
cases terminate in law suits, which
take nearly all they are both worth
to pay the lawyers.-Annuolo Of Ihre-
nolcgy and Physiognomy for 1875.
Year: 1875

An INNOCENT PRANK. A bad boy
thus describes his misdeeds and their
punishment "My sister Fm has got
a feller who has been coming to see
her most every night for some time.
Night before last, Just TO have little
fun, I went in the parlor, crawled
under the sofa on the sly, and waited
there until he and En- had got settled;
and just as he was asking her if she
was willing to become his dear part
ner for life, and trust to his strong
right arm for protection and support,
l gave three red-hot Indian war-hoops
and bumped myself up against the
bottom OF the sofa, and fired off an
old horse-pistol that | had borrowed
Of Sam johnson, and, my gracious
how that feller jumped up and scooted
for the door He never stopped to get
his hat, but went tllmbling head over
heels down the door steps, As for
En-, she was just that scared that she
squatted right down on the floor, and
screeched like all creation, till dad
and mother came running in, with
nothing on but their night-clothes;
and wanted to know what was the
matter. But I'm only yelled the
louder, and kept pointing under the
sofa, till dad got down on mis- knees,
and saw me there, and pulled me out
by the h;nd,leg. When he had got
me out in the wood shed, he warped
me over his knee, and then went at
me with an old trunk strap, and |
haven't got over it real nicely vet.
Year: 1875

"What are you after, my dear p
said a grand mother to a little boy
who was sliding along a room and
casting furtive glances at gentleman
who was paying visit. II am try
ing, gran'ma, to steal papas hat out
of the room without letting the gen
tleman see it; he wants him to think
Ae's out,
Year: 1875

A NEAR-sIGuTED Boston man was
lately riding in street car, when a
lady opposite bowed to him. He. re-
turned the bow, raised his hat, smiled
sweetly, and was just wondering who
she was, when she came over and
whispered in his ear, "On I'll fix
you for this, old man! Then he
knew it was his wife.
Year: 1875

Our principal streets, says the Vir-
ginia City Nev.) Enterprise, is being
macadamized with refuse ore taken
from the minesin early days, and be-
ing coated with rich ore that has been
year after year sifted down upon them
from the ore wagons, are now ev-
erywhere more or less argentiferous.
Indeed, there is not the slightest
stretch Of imagination in saying that
we never take step in Tie town but
we are walking on silver-that our
streets are literally covered with sill


YER. While speaking Of this fact a
few days ago, a man bet his friend


the price of the assaying and the ci-
gars that he would take lump OF
mud off the wheel of bus then stand
ing in front OF them and would get
out Of it precious metals to over s.
per tor. An ounce or two Of mud
was taken from the wheel Of the We
hicle ard placed in the hands Of an
asssyer, who was not told where the
sample was obtained, and who no duobt
supposed that he was dealing with de-
composed ore or vein matter from ore
of our mines. The assay was made,
and the assayer's certificate showed


that the sample contained: Silver,
1854; gold, $2.32; total, $9.S6.-
After this we may put on airs, even


though our streets are villalnously
muddy occasionally, for the very mud
on our boots contain gold and silver.
Year: 1875

A SMALL hoodlurl sat on the post.
Office steps yesterday, looking as il
he had just returned from a funeral


and a bigger hoodlum came up and
shouted out: Ski there what
makes you look so mouruful?" The
small hoodlum gave his nose wipe
on the palm of his hand and replied :
"If your girl was down with the bill
lous fever, and they expected she d
die every mint. Iguess you wouldn't t
feel much like whooping and singing''
Year: 1875

1t may be that this much abused, despised,


aud dreaded weed is to be turned to some


useful account in our farm economy. 1t has
been written of, talked about, and belabored


by thousands and thousands of tongues.
We believe it is yet to do good service as a
crop to plow under for green manuring.
There are many other equally bad, or. worse
weeds than this same Canada Thistle. We
believe that it will be found profitable to
SOW the seed on land desired to be renovated,
applying soma cheap fertilizer at the time of
sowing the seed. When the young thistles
have attained growth Of from one to two
feet roll them down thoroughly and plow
them under, narrowing the ground level.
Any that escape should be cut as soon as
they show signs of life. A crop of
buckwhOat can be sown on this same land
and this with the new crop of thstles that
will sprout up from the buried roots will fur
nish in four to six weeks, new and fresh
crop to plow under a second time the same
season. We are aware many farmers will
scout the idea at ii rst, but we believe that
upon careful and second thought they
will see Mat it has its merits. This
ties will grow more or less on all farms, and
why not turn them to some useful account by
Year: 1875

When or where it first became epidemic, |
am not well read enough to know but the
years are not very many since the dairy re-
gon within limit of thirty or forty miles
Of Philadelphia has been scourged with it,


Previously, though, it was uncommon for a
COW to drop premature calf, it was gene
rally caused by i'll treatment by man or by
other cattle, and never affected other mem
bers of tho herd. Now, that it has assumed


the form Of disease and become epidemic,
| its prevalence is greatest among the best-se-
lected and most nicely cared for daires.
And though in time it will probably run its
course like all other diseases, and become
well enough understood to yield to a fixed
| treatment, Just now it is the most serious
drawback farmers have to contend with.
All scientific investigation so far has failed
to point out preventive. About the only
good effected has been to explode some blind
theories-and almost every one has his
theory, your humble correspondent among
the number. ii ow blind mine may prove,
some investigator can probably say; but as
tarted out to give it, | will do so briefly.


Five years ago then receHtly purchased
York State COW introduced the disease
among my flock so thoroughly that but one
COW escaped, and she was so proof against it
that she carried her calf full time each year
since all the others aborted within from
two weeks To three months, one very fine COW
dying For the next three years it visited
the flock with more or less severity, regular.
ly coming about the first of November. Re-
placing afflicted COWS by others only aggra .
vated the disease, they suffering worse than
those that had passed year or more on the
property. In casting about for the origin oi
the trouble, noticed that cows physced
from any cause were more likely to abor


and also remembered that the introduct ion
Of the disease among my COWS followed very
closely after they had access to stack OF
wheat-straw, against which fish brinO had
been thrown. This coupled with the fact
that frosted grass is liable to scour stock,
confirms me in the belief that laxative state
of the bowels is very liable to bring on abor.
ton in herd predispOsed to it, Acting on
the hint, am very careful about giving
much salt at this season of the year, or Of
anything else that will cause looseuess of the
bowels. 1t my theory is correct, RENE dies
will doubtless be devised to counteract the
purgative tendencies OF food on stock.


From some cause or other | have had less
trouble from the disease for the last two
J years-lOst year having but few, and thi
Year: 1875

The quality of butter depends greatly upon
the purity Of the salt used. If the salt is
not clean, and contains specks OF dirt, these,
of course, are mingled with the butter, aud
become very conspicuous in it. If tho salt
is mingled with lime, as is the case with some
Of the impure kinds, an insoluble lime soap
is formed around every minute particle Of the
lime, and this appears as white specks in the
butter, which greatly reduces the quality.
When salts Of magnesia are contained in the
salt, their disagreeable bitter flavor is ac-
quired by the butter, and its value proper
tionately deprecated. There are but two
qualities of salt on the market that can be
used in the dairy with perfect safety. These
are the improved English "Ashton" salt aud
the native OnOndaga factory filled salt.
These salts are as nearly pure as possible,
containing only very small percentage Of
impurity. According to an analysis by Prof


GoessInann, Amherst, Mass, the former con-
tains 81 .65 per cent Of pure salt, Chloride of
sodium,) with LAB per cent of sulphatc of
lime and the latter 9S.28 per cent Of pure
salt, with only 81 per cent Of sulphate Of
lime. 1t is a matter of dispute among dai-
IJulSu MnlCu VI tnOoo tNO alS euS pobsSiS Oub
either is so nearly pure that it becomes
question OF price which should be chosen.
As but one ounce of salt should be used to
pound Of butter, and only half that quantity
when il is to be sold for immediate use, the
cost of the salt is a mere triae, which should
not weigh in the least against its quality.
The cheaper salts sold by the bushel are not
always made with perfect cleanliness, even
were they pure. The difference in the cost
saved cannot but cause a loss of several
cents pound in the butter when the cheap,
inferior qualities are used. 1t is a matter
Of considerable moment, therefore, that the
best salt obtainable should be used. 1t is
equally needful that it should be pur-
chased in sacks and kept in clean places,
free from dust aud all contact with impuri.
ties. For, if purchased by the bushol, or at
retail from the stores, it is rarely to be pro.
Year: 1875

When the day of final reckoning shall
come, and all the deeds of men be brought
to light aud balanced in the scales of unerr-
ing justice, some dealers will find heavy


load against them in the transactions in
which so.called Chester.White pigs were
sold to their credulous fellow men. BY good
rights their punishment should come in this
world. They ought, man being the Judge, to
suffer in the present life, the penalty of their
misdeeds. They should have the contempt
and reprobaton Of buyers, and all honest
dealers IN this kind of stock. Who is at the
bottom of this mischief the writer knoweth
not. But Of one thing he is assured, and
that is, that in New England, at least, there
has been great amount of swinding under
the pretence ofintroduclng the Chester-Whte
breed of pigs. GO into the interior towns
and look at the pigs which are offered for
sale. Perhaps you will find man with
nice lot Of Suifolks. Tell him they are too
small, that they are not as good as the larg-
er breeds, like the Chester w hites, and very
likely he will say in reply, that he likes
them much better. The Suffolks are fine
aud fancy, but the Chester Whites are coarse
and ungainly animals. Tell him that he is
mistaken, that the Chester.White is nice,
smooth breed, and he will be sure to tell you
that his neighbors keep the Chesters, and
advise you to go and see them, aud then
judge for yourself which is the better breed.
If you follow his advice, you will probably
find that what his neighbors call Chester
White pigs, are coarse aud uugainly animals


Ask the owners if they call those specimens
pure Chester-Whites, and they will emphati-
cally answer in the affirmative. There may
be one-eighth or one.sixteenth part Chester
White blood in these pigs, and there may be
no more than there is iu the man who owns
them. In many places, almost all the coarse,
overgrown, clumsy pigs are labeled @ hester
White. 1t is a disgrace to the men who
have fastened an honorable name upon
multitude Of miserable animals, and great
injury, both to buyers and careful breeders.
A man does not want to buy, even at reduc-
ed prices, low grade animal for thorough
bred, aud honest breeders cannot well fur
nish their pure stock at prices which will en-
able them to successfully compete with those
unscrupulOus breeders, who sell anything and
everything which has any resemblance there
to for pure Chester-Whtes. This Is really
a valuable breed, and it is fortunate that
great many breeders are keeping it perfectly
pure but there ought to be some punishment
meted out to those dealers who are constant
ly allowing their stock to deteriorate and
mix with other breeds, yet who continue to
sell it for high prices, aud under the name of
thoroughbred. They should not be allowed
to destroy the popularity of really fine
breed of pigs, for the sake of putting little
money into their own pockets. Let those who
buy, be careful in future to patronize only
reliable men, and thus dscountenance those
who are trying to reap the reward of care
and skill without exercising it in the slight
est degree,-Cor. Lire Stock Journal.
Year: 1875

Bundle bees, or humble bees, as they arc
sometimes called, are we'll known by all in
their peculiar loud hum when they fly about
the field, or by the large noise they make,
when they are caught in room; but all do
not equally we'll know their habits Of life
and their peculiar history.


AS the sunbeams Of spring gain warmth
the Methuselahs of their short lived race
may be seen flying slowly about over the
ground settling here and there, apparently
without motive, but in reality looking care
fully over the soil to find cavity, or per-
haps deserted mouse nest in which to make
their home. Some species dig deeply into
the ground and construct nests themselves
while others construct nests on the surface
not caring TO avail themselves like the more
common variety with deserted mouse nest
lock of wool, or moss, which may seem right
for their future abode. They are at this
time very jealous Of observation, and if they
think they are watched will take instant Of
fense and fly off with quick, eager sound
very different from the steady, monOtonOui
hum with which they accompany their re
searches. 1t is entirely useless to try tC
watch one Of these insects in hopes Of seeing
her commence labor, for she will never work
or commence operations in any way, except
to crawl under a thick tuft Of herbage
where she will remain until she thinks al
danger passed, which will be much too long
for your patience.
Year: 1875

making them help reuovate exhausted soils.
They can be handled and controlled by the
above process as easily as any other teua-
cious lived plant. They furnish by decay
of their abundant growth of both stem, leaf
and roots a valuable lot of fabulum to the
soil. They can be, what is left Of them,
easily eradicated from the soil by seeding
down the renovated land to grass aud now
ing or pasturiug few years. Let the Canada
thistle, now firmly domesticated in our midst
be turned to some more useful account than
at present by being made renovating crop


Brooks, Me. j. W. l..
Year: 1875

When, however, this mother Of future pro.
geny has suited herself with locality, in
the small cavity Of the same she constructs
her nest by rounding and fixing this cavity
and in it building few cells in which she
lays eggs which produce only workers. who
arc intended to assist in constructing and en-
larging the nest


The Larvae are large, fat, white, round
bodied grubs with little horny heads and
curved bodies. When they have completed
their feeding each-spins for itself cocoon
very soft and tough. Herein they remain
until they attain their perfect state, when
they bite piece from the end Of the cocoon
and emerge as a chicken from m egg. They
do not venture from the nest at once but re-.
main sometimes several days. They are at
FIRST soft, greyish, moist, and very suscepti'
BILE to cold. In few hours they become
stronger, and their yellow and black bands
are visible, and at length they try fight,
and then become at once useful, and dill
gent.


Until autumn those bees are incessantly
enlarging their nests and multiplying their
little pots of honey. They never however
accumulate a great stock of provisions as
they only need enough to carry them through
rain storm in which they cannot collect
their daily bread. Among those bees are
found several varieties, yet they are seldom
distinguished by the common observer. Yet
some construct much neater and more regu.
lar comb for honey than others. During
the day they attend to collecting honey and
feed for the brood at home, generally return
ing at night, but in warm nights many take
the liberty of sleeping out in the open air,
reclining upon sweet scented flowers. About
the first of July the queen bee lays female
eggs only, and liitlc later the male eggs,
laying alternately male and female until
near the first of September; later coupling
takes place which costs the males their lives
as it does with the honey bee. The impreg.
mated females do not lay until the following
spring, as above described, becoming moth
ers to II new generation.


The males have no stings and the workers
and females sting only under great provoca-
ton.


As soon as cold weather sets in the work.
crs also die, aud the females seek sheltered
places where they crawl into crevices and
pass the winter in a state of Information.
Many however die, and think it safe to say
that of one colony no more than two females
survive the winter. They never winter in
the nest, though that might seem the most
convenient place. This bee like all others
has its enemy, the Psithyrus which is so
like the humble bee that it passes readily in-
to its nest, laying its eggs in the same,
which are reared by the bee as its own
young though destructive to them. Though
there are several varieties Of this bee, it is
frequent to find more than one variety in
the same nest. and it is doubtless fact that
they are not particular about what COLONY
they labor for, as when the nests Of two va
rieti0s happen to be near each other, there
will be as many workers Of one variety a s
the other, in either nest. They are peacea-
BILE among themselves, never using their
stiDgs on each other.