smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

Some of the strongest chess-players
have been unable to play .blindfold, pre-


cisely as some of the greatest mathema-
ticians have been unable to deal mental
ly with any but the very simplest prob
lens. Philidor and La Bourdonnais
could both play without seeing the
board, but Mcdonnell, st. Amant and
Staunton never accomplished the feat (at
least in any recorded partie). Harrwitz
could play blindfold; his rival, Horwitz,


could not. At the present day Black
burne and Zukertort can play ten or
twelve games blindfold, but several of
the strongest chess-players living do not,


we believe, possess the power. We
must, therefore, find an explanation
which shall not require the blindfold
player to be superior in chess-strength
to the player who is unable to carry on q
contest without seeing the board. The
explanation is simple. The blindfold
player is able to picture to himself the
board and men, at any stage of the game,
and thus plays mentally with as much
ease and confidence as if he had the
board before him. If he is conducting
dozen blindfold games simultan oously,
his method is the same. We are unable
to say, however, whether he pictures all
the games at once, as though the boards
were ranged before him or calls up o
mental picture of each board, with the
men properly placed for that game as its
turn comes round. Probably, in most
cases, the latter is the method adopted.
Year: 1875

The London Times has the following
account from Galatz, Roumania, of
swarm of locusts We have had rather
more respectable weather lately, and
have been able to sleep properly, since
it has not been so hot. I do not know
whether you read in the paper sent a
short notice of the locusts which have
been doing so much damage here. Well,
we have had them lately, and now am
going to tell you something which you
will think awfully exaggerated, and
which, indeed, must be seen to be be-
heved. A few days back they passed
over Galatz, and settled on the Turkish
side of the river. Looking at them from
beneath, as they passed over the town,
was like looking up during heavy snow
storm, the air was so thick; the cloud
extended the whole width of the town,
say three to four miles, and was about
five hours in passing ACROSS, say fifteen
miles long, aud who knows how thick.
They shifted their position on the Turk
ish side, and, seen from the gunboat
where 1 was, the cloud of locusts had
the appearance of the thick black
smoke from a steamer, long black
streak, which extended up and down
stream as far as could be seen with a
powerful telescope, or at least twenty
miles in length. The vertical thickness
of the fight, as far as We could Judge,
must have been at least one hundred
feet; the width we could not see, but it
would probably be two Or three miles.
Reckon how many millions it would take
to make such cloud, when each indi-
vidual locust is flying at distance of
not more than three or four inches from
its neighbors. No wonder they devour
whole districts Of corn, etc. ALI over
this part of the country lately all the
horses in the village have been kept
saddled, and the instant the locusts are
reported in the neighborhood all the
people turn out and gallop after them
and raise an awful din with pots and
pans, and SO on, to prevent them from
alighting. If once the flock alight it is
all up; but by this means they manage
to frighten them from alighting and
cause them to move on elsewhere. Lots
of them fell in the town. They are just
like big brown grasshoppers, from two
and half to three inches long.
Year: 1875

The natives of Mesopotamia possess a
kind of boat, used solely for fresh water
navigation, which, for originality of de-
sign and manner of construction, is GER
tainly very peculiar. Ell Gooffah, " as
the Arabic speaking population of that
region commonly callsthis peculiar craft,
is nothing more nor less than huge,
perfectly round basket, Of extremely
strong and coarse wooden wicker-work.
1t is constructed of various sizes, vary
ing between four and eight feet in diane
ter, and between three and four feet in
depth which size, combined with its
spherical shape and slightly rounded
bottom, renders it capable of carrying
from two to ten tons of dead weight-a
carrying capacity exceeding that of any
other kind of boat of equal dimensions
hitherto known.


The huge basket, which constitutes
the framework of the craft, is rendered
perfectly water-tight by coat of as
phaltum, carefully applied about an inch
thick all over the inside and outside Of
the basket, after having been mixed with
some other substance, which latter causes
the asphaltum, almost as soon as applied
to become and remain as hard as stone,
in spite of the intense heat of the sun.
The sides and bottom of the gooffah are
from three to five inches thick, accord
ing to the size. of the craft, and the rim
is nicely rounded off. ..
Year: 1875

Don't whisper in the sick-room.


When the doctor comes to see you,
remember how many pairs of stairs he
has to climb every day, and go down to
him if you are well enough. r a.g


When you are sitting up at night with
patient, be sure to have something to
eat, if you wish to save yourself unnec-
essary exhaustion. --7


Remember that sick people are not
necessarily idiotic or imbecile, and that
it is not always wise to try to persuade
them that their sufferings are imaginary.
They may even at times know best what
they need. '- '''-'.'."


If you have sick friend to whom you
wish to be of use, do not content your
self with sending her flowers and jelly,
but lend her one of your pictures to
hang in place of hers, or bronze to re-
place the one at which she is so tired of
staring.


Never deceive dying person unless
by the doctors express orders. 1t is
not only wrong to allow any soul to go
into eternity without preparation, but
how can you tell but that he has some
thing he ought to tell or do before he
goes away ~ ....... r.... .-...


Don't have needless conversations
with the doctor outside of the sick-room.
Nothing will excite and irritate ner-
vous patient sooner. If you do have
such conversations, don't tell the patient
that the doctor said nothing" He
won't believe you, and he will imagine
the worst possible. a-1 u .aI. .aa...


In lifting the sick, do not take them
by the shoulders and drag them up on
to the pillows, but get some one to help
you. Let one stand on one side of the
patient, the other opposite, then join
hands under the shoulders and hips, and
lift steadily and promptly together,
This method is easy for those who lift
and does not disturb the one who is
lifted. ra -.r.-..s.r a...F. ......


Do not imagine that your duty is oyel
when you have nursed your patient
through his illness, and he is about the
house, or perhaps going out again
Strength does not come back in a mo
ment, and the days when little things
worry and little efforts exhaust, wher
the cares of business begin to press
but the feeble brain and hand refuse t.
think and execute, are the most trying
to the sick one, and then comes the
need for your tenderest care, your mos
unobtrusive watchfulness.
Year: 1875

Ohc oI hOuse


Keeping.


We don't keep a boarding house
nothing of the sort. Ours is a private
family, but for the sake of company,
mind, money doesn't enter into the ques-
tion at all, but for the sake of company,
as said before, and in order that few
of our friends can be blessed with home
comforts and surrounded with home in
fuences, that they may derive the ines
Unable benefits of moral and intel
lectual atmosphere, not to say anything
about public example and religious
teaching, we do let few rooms " with
board at a paltry consideration per
week. We are extremely careful who
we permit to enter within the sacred pre-
cinets of our "charming circle" To
enter there one must be distinguished
for something, either for fame, money or
presence. Being eminently high-toned
ourselves we always put great deal of
store by the latter. If the dinner should
happen to be late, or the steak tough, or
the vegetables underdone, dignity would
rise superior to such trihes. "My dear
madam, it's not of the slightest conse-
quence," is balm that has soothed
many sting. And that's just what
makes us feel so bad about it. She was
such prepossessing lady-but this is
the way it all occurred: She called at
the house and was perfectly delighted
with the second story front; she couldn't t
have been better suited had she searched
for a month. Her name was Mrs.
Sumotherland. She was in deep dis
tress. Not pecuniarily, far from it. She
was wealthy, and money was no object,
but her darling husband had died only
three weeks before, and she was in sore
afiiction. She was not in mourning,
because she was resident of Rochester,
and had only. just arrived, and several
suits were being made for her (Which
were ordered by telegraph) by Madame
Hangemup. Her baggage would arrive
in the evening by express. For forms
sake only, because references were not
needed, she gave the name of the Rev.
DR.. Sting. Well, after a day or two,
after arrangements had been partially
made to have her horses and carriage
and her colored cook to come down, she
concluded to- take the back parlor for hel
apartment. She was so liberal. But all
this time her trunks failed to come, and,
poor thing, she was really very much
embarrassed. We did everything We
could to console her, took her out sailing
and driving, and she frightened up won
derfully. After week she found that
she really must visit he1 brother-in-law,
Senator Myth, and we took great deal
of pleasure in dressing her up in an ele-
giant black suit, with tortoise shell neck
lace and earrings. She would return in
the afternoon, but, strange. to say, she
hasn't come back yet. She must have
been taken sick somewhere, and we feel
real anxious. That horrid Mr.. A. says
that she's "just Lit out, " whatever that
means, and that we had +" better make
the best of bad job," but the only
thing we feel sorry for is that she should
be having bill of forty dollars week
running on and not get any good of it.
| We do so wish she would come back.
Year: 1875

Headache is a complaint of very com
mon occurrence. Some persons are hard
ly ever entirely free from it, while
others are afflicted with it periodically.
There are few diseases with which
headache does not occur systematically,
and it is prominent symptom in all
fevers and inflammation and in many
nervous complaints. 1t occurs idiopha-
tically, either from weakness or ex-
haustion of the nerve power of the
brain, or from disordered state of the
digestive apparatus. Sometimes the
pain extends over the whole head, with
sense of 'heaviness, and the sight is
often dim, and the hearing dull and the
memory defective. This is produced by
irregular circulation of blood in the
head, by mental exertion or by violent
mental passion. Headaches arise from
so many different causes, that it is in
many cases very difficult to cure, and
sometimes it battles the skill of the very
best physicians. To cure headache you
must remove the cause.


Not unfrequently it is difficult mat
ter to ascertain the cause, and after you
have learned it you may not be able to
cure the patient. The pains are nearly
as various as the causes. Bilious head
ache, or such as arise from disordered
condition of the stomach, usually affects
one side of the head only, most COM
monty over one eye, and increases to
an acute and often throbbing pain. 1t
is often accompanied with feeling of
sickness and vomiting, producing Ian
guor and depression of spirits. Rheu-
matte headache is commonly caused by
exposure to cold, and the pain is of a
shifting nature, shooting from point to
| point, and is felt most at night. All
Kinds of remedies have been used for
headache. For headache arising from a
weak stomach, a bitter tonic is usually
prescribed, among the favorite medi-
cines, and one that very frequently
proves effective if persevered in month



or two or three is "quassia," the
wood and bark of plant that grows in
some parts Of South America, and was
prescribed by a negro as specific. The
chips are soaked in water, and few sips
of the bitter water are taken three OF
four times day. Where the headache
proceeds from nervous irritability
soothing and strengthening measures
and outdoor exercise are to be adopted
In some cases of headache cold applica
tions to the head, leeches to the temple,
or cupping of the back of the neck, witt
spare diet and active aperients are eff
fective. A very fruitful cause of head
ache is bad habits-being out late a
night and overlooking the stomach will
! food and liquids of various kinds. Some
persons are afflicted with pains in the
head whenever they drink malt or spiri
tuous liquors to excess. To keep il
good health and mental vigor person
should be industrious and regular in hi
habits. ma4ae GT. at. /. g-a.s ##
Year: 1875

By the death of the Marquise de Bel
10y family living in Chicago has been
suddenly raised from poverty to afflu-
ence and rank The husband and father
of this family committed suicide about a
year ago, and since that time the eldest
child has been obliged to sell newspa-
pers and black boots to help support the
family. All that is necessary to consti.
tute this boy heir of large property and
a genuine marquis is to forward to
France the proof of his parents legal
marriage, which can be easily done,
Year: 1875




Very few, probably, of the thousands who
throw old shoes after bridal parties as they
are leaving home know anything of the
origin of the custom. Like almost all Of
our common customs its origin is ancient,
and can be traced to Bible times. 1t WAS
then the custom for the brother of II childlcsS
man to marry his widow, or at least he had
the refusal of her If he chose TO reject her
the ceremony was public, and consisted in
her losing his shoe from his foot aud splitting
in his face His giving up the shoe was Il
symbol of his abandoning all dominion over
her, and her splitting in his face was an as
scrtion of independence. There was an af-
fair of this kind between Ruth and Boaz.
In some parts of the East it was IL custom to
carry slipper before newly-married couple
as Il token OF the brides subjcction. The
custom II, it exists with us is very old in
England and Scotland. The usual saying
is that it is thrown for luck, and that is the
idea in this country, but originally it meant
n remuneration of authority over the bride
ny lllt ifltltN' ~ was lpii''iil ~ N''''''''
among the Germans for the bride when she
was conducted to her bed chamber to take
off her shoe and throw it among the guests.
Whoever got it, in struggle to obtain it,
received it rs an omen that he or she would
soon be happily married. Train, in his his
tory of the "l3le of Man" says: son the
bridegroom leaving his house, il was custo-
mary to throw an old shoe after him, and
| in like manner an old shoe after the bride
on leaving her home TO proceed to church
| in order to insure good luck to each respect
| lively, and if by stratagem either Of tho
| brides shoes could be taken off by any IN
| spector on her way from church, it had tC
be ransomcd by the bridegroom" In Kent
| England, after the couple have started ol
their tour the single ladies are drawn up il
one row and the bachelors in another Al
old shoe is then thrown as far as possible
and the ladies run for it, the successful one
being supposed to be the first female whC
will get married. She then throws the Sho,
at the gentlemen, and the one who is hit b!
it is deemed to be the first male who vii
enter into wcdlock. Generally it is consid
cred the older the shoe the better.
Year: 1875

ut is better to love a man you can never
marry than to marry man you never love.
This is a short text for a long serlnon," says
some wise man or woman. A loveless mar
riage is much worse for woman in every way
than for n man. In the first place woman
has her credit, whether she deserves it or not,
of being much more refined, Of possessing
much more dclcacy and sensibility than
the Stronger SEX Being thus higher, her
degradation, when it comes, is much more
thorough and terrible. Few things can con-
duce to this result in greater degree than
the constant and intimate relation of mar
ried life with man she docs not love. We
have heard refined young women speak with
disgust of the cuarsencss of the conversation
OF n class Of their married lady acquaintan-
ces, and in many cases have traced this dis
agreeable trait back to its cause-a we'll
known loycless welded life. Then again,
perhaps the woman who marries forsupport,
for home, an establishment" or because
she has never loved any one and fears that
the present will be her last chance dreadful
thought, afterwards meets some one who she
cnn and does love- The result is easily fore
seen, either life spent in the terrible effort
to subdue an unhappy passion or the divorce
court. After all, the good old Quaker Gus
tom is best, due deliberation and reflection
before entering into the married state"
Marrying in haste to repent at leisure is
very fashionable nowadays, but it is a
fashion which can be profitable or pleasant
have any pity for the unhappy victims of
anti nuptial fooIishness and post-nuptial
miserY.
Year: 1875

At last she completely cured him. For
months she had patiently endured the pangs
so many thousands of young wives are COM
PEELED to suffer. Almost every morning at
breakfast the hcartless husband expressed
the hope that he might live to see til day
when he should get such coffee as he used to
have at home. Or such corn-bread rs his
mother was wont to make and bake. At
dinner the meat was ovCrbaked in the range
To be sure his mother used to roast the meat
in an old-iashioned Dutch tin oven, and the
piece was always done to turn-the last
turn Of the revolving spit. Those days were
forever gone. But he might and ought to
get such Il green apple pie with new cheese
as his mother used to give him. At length
the long-suffcring wife arose in her wrath,
upset the table, sending the dishes and their
contents crashing to the carpet, strided over
to her astoundod husband, gave him a box
on the ear which knocked him off his chair
and remarked "Hhere's clip over the head
for you, such as your mother used to give
you when you was boy, goldurn yer
Thereafter there was domestic peace and
quiet in that house. with never an allusior
to the maternal cookery and comforts Of th(
| bygone days.
Year: 1875

GLASS Probably the Romans were the
first to employ glass for windows Some
remnant IS Of glass pains are TO he found to-
day in their frames, in the buried houses Of
llerculcneum and Pompeii They substi
tutcd glass as Il material for bottles, in place
Of the leather which is still in vogue among
the poorer classes in the Orient. Epicure-
ans in wine then, as now, determined the
age of their article by the seal upon the cork
and the label impressed upon the glass.
Glass goblets were less popular, Gold and
silver reluctantly yielded the palm of their
newlangled rival reluctantly which sought
popularity by appealing, not to the poverty
of the poor, but to the desire of novelty
among the rich, Even artificial stones and
pearls of glass were notunknown. Whether
mirrors of glass were known to the Romans,
or whether they depended exclusively, as
they certainly did, chiefly upon the resources
of the Jews-poished metals-is Il question
of grave dispute among the learned in such
matters. A dispute into which we shall moi
venture to enter. 1t is safe, however, to say
the only use of glass which modern art car
claim with assurance rs exclusively its own


is the employment of it in optical instru


mcnts,
Year: 1875




There is nothing more likely to result in
the successful career Of young man than
confident self-reliancc. 1t is astonishing how
much more youth will accomplish who re-
lies upon himself, than one who depends on
Others for assistance. Having first ascer-
tanned the direction in, and the means by,
which his object is to be reached, let him
put his whole energies to work, and, with
unhagging industry, press forward The
young man who instead Of rising at five,
sleeps till seven or eight, and who spends
his evenings on the corners or in the com
panonship of those who are wanting in lau-
dablc ambition, rarely ever wins a position
Of honor, or achieves a reputation above that
enjoyed by the common masses.


IN country like ours where the avenues
to honor and wealth are open alike to all,
there is no reasonable excuse that can be Of
! icrcd for a mans failure to achieve one or
the other, or both. IIl-hcalth, or cXtraordi-
nayy misfortune may keep him down, but
these are the exceptions that establish tho
rule, Few men know Of how much they are
capable until they have first thorough!
tested their abilities. The amount of labor
literary or mechanical, which person il
vigorous health can perform, is almost with
out limit, if Il systematic method is adopted
and the proper spirit melted to the effort


An hour Of each evening spent with SOM
good author, or in the study of some brancl
of useful science, will, in the course of fey
years, give to a Young man who thus devote
the small portion of his time an amount q
information llitcrary or scientitic) whic
cannot fail to fit him for positions to whic
he could never properly aspire without thi
attention to study,
Year: 1875

1t is said that Kentucky woman was
recently struck aud killed by lightning
"while in the act Of shortening three pic
crust with pound of lard.' The lady
was certainly little extrayagant, but we
shouldn't have thought it was any Of the
lightning's business-Louisville Courier
Journal
Year: 1875

Henry Preston in running to fire in
Owatonna, fell, and the wheel ofthe steam
er passed over his head, producing death
in twenty minutes 1t was the first time
the steamer had been used Preston, it is
Said had been drinking and no blame is
attached to any one.