smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

There are lutricaiO among men,
who keep the machinery of society
oiled, so az to prevent its joints from
wearing and lis journals from heating.
He is a luOricator who introduces great
improvements in the processes of soci-
ETY.; but there are men who prevent
the friction which would otherwise be
produced by its working. Such man


consider one who is thoroughly good
natured. A'man who carries DISPOSE
ton that's characterized by thorough
good nature tends to make others good
natured. Other people take from us
what we carry to them; and if you go
in an irritable mood to your breakfast,
you will probably find another person
who is irritable over against you; and
the irritability viii be there because
you carried it. If you are cold, those
around you will shiver. If you are
good natured, men will be apt to know
it, and to respond to your good nature.
Men are as much perceived that carry
good nature in society, as spice wood
is that carries sweet odors. God bless
good natured men, and multiply the
number of them! There is no danger
of there being too many men who are
not easily irritated, who look on the
bright side of things, ard who tend to
solace-men that you can cushion on,
and not touch the hard angles of an
exacting, conscientious spirit-men
who, ip ship, or house, or store, or
shop, are so sweet that they suggest
the more genial, the kindlier aspects of
human life. I would not have good
nature to be the only and supreme
grace; and there is no danger of its be-
ing so-not the least. But where
there are so many other sterling quail
ties, we need fabrication. And bless
ed are they that move around about
in society so as to lubricate it. There
are many such who are not conscious
of it. FL. w. Beecher.
Year: 1873

A gentleman, well-known for his
large benefactions, was asked what part
of his income he was in the habit of
contributing to the Lords treasury.
81 do not know" said he; 81 do very
much as the woman did who was fa-
nous for the excellence of her rhubarb
pies. She put in as much sugar as her
conscience would allow, and then shut
her eyes and put in handful more. 1
give all my conscience approves, and
then add a handful without counting
it.D
Year: 1873

A New York reStauranteur, having
got two small fishes of rare appearance
from the market, sent them to Prof.
Agassiz the other day and received the
great scholars hearty thanks with the
assurance that the fish were of very
rare species and a valuable acquisition
for his museum. 1t had been seen by
only one American scientist before.
Year: 1873

There is one bhmeless person whom
l cannot love and have no excuse for
hating. tits the innocent fellow-crea-
ture, otherwise inofensive TO me,
whom l find 1 have involuntarily join
ed on turning corner. I suppose the
the Mississippi, which was flowing
quietly along, minding its own busi-
ness, hates the Missouri for coming
into it all at once with its muddy
stream. 1 suppose The Missouri in
like manner hates the Mississippi for
diiuting with its limpid, but insipid
current, the rich "reminiscences of the
varied soils through which its own
stream has wandered. will not COM
pare myself to the clear or the turbid
current, but will own that my heart
sinks when I find all of g sudden 1 am
in for q corner confluence, and cease
loving my neighbor as myself until l
can get away from him. These antip-
athies are at least weaknesses, they
may be sins in the eye of the recording
angel. often reproach myself with
my wrong-doings. l should like some
times to thank Heaven for saving me
from some kinds of transgressiOn, and
even for granting me some qualities
| that if I dared [ should be disposed to
call virtues. I should do so, suppose,
| if / did not remember the story Of the
Pharisee. That ought not to hinder
me. The parable was told to Illustrate
e single virtue, humility, and the
most unwaranted inferences have been
drawn from 1t as to the whole charac-
ter OF the two parties. Itseems not at
all unlikely, but rather probable, that
the Pharisee was a fairer dealer, bet
| ter husband, and more charitable
person than the Publican, whose name
has come down to us "linked with one
virtue" but who may have been gull
ty, for aught that appears to the con-
trary, of ''a thousand crimes" Re-
member how we limit the application
Of other parallels. The lord, it will be
recollected, commended the unjust
steward because he had done wisely.
His shrewdness was held up as an ex-
ample; but after all he was miserable
swindler, and deserved the State pri-
son as much as many OF our financial
operators. The parable of the Phafi
see and the Publican is a perpetual
warning against spiritual pride. But it
must not frighten any one of us out of
being thankful that he is not, like this
or that .neighbor, under bondage to
strong drink or opium, that he is not
an Erie railroad manager, and that his
head rests in virtuous calm on his own
pillow. If he prays in the morning to
be kept cut of temptation as well as for
his daily bread, shall he not return
thanks at night that he has not fallen
into sin as well as that his stomach has
been filled? I do not think the poor
Pharisee has ever had fair play, and /
am afraid good many people sin with
the comforting, haif-latent intention OF
shifting their breasts afterward and re-
peating the prayer of the Publican
Poet Of the B1eGhJdst Table.
Year: 1873

An exchange furnishes the following
simple remedy for crop. "Take a knife
ar crater and shave or CRATE off in small
prrticles about a toaspoonful of alum;
mix it with about twice its quantity of
sugar, to made in palatable, and adj
minister as quickly as possible. Its ef-
feet will be truly magical, as almost
instantaneous relief will be Afforded"
Year: 1873


THEIR SIGNIFICANCE AND HOW THEY ARE RE


GARDED.


Superstitions prevail all over the land, but
nowhere perhaps, do they obtain more implicit
belief than by some people in some sections Of
this Peninsula. A correspondent furnishes to
the COMMERCIAL some of the more note
worthy .-


II You burn corn cobs. you will have poor
crop of corn the next year.


This is an old superstition of a southern coun-
ty, on the Peninsula and it is supposed that it
is the reason Of 80 many poor crops Of corn,
Some are too lazy to cut wood, and will burn the
cObs, and 30 the curse comes on all farmers who
will take all from the land they can get and re-
turn nothing to keep it in heart, Cob ashes are
excellent for corn a half handful Will make
two good ears.


II you drop your dish towel, or cloth, stran-
ger is coming.


This sign is true even if the stranger does not
come in tive years.


So, if a rooster crows near the door, stranger
will surely come. But il you drop a fork, and
the tines stick in the floor the stranger will como
before night.


II the person who drops the fork be maiden,
or unmarried woman and the stranger who comos
be q bachelor, or widower, marriage will take
place in q twelvemonth.


This sign was never known to fail when care
fully observed.


III your nose itches some one is coming,
=
persons shoulder into looking glass.


It you break a looking glass; you will never get
married.


II your right ear burns some one is talking OF
you, but IL your left ear burns they are talking
evil


II your cheek burns some one wishes to talk
with you.


II the palm of your right hand itches you will
shake hands with a stranger, II the left hand
itches, you will receive some money.


IL the bottom of your right foot itches. You
are going to a funeral. il Of your left foot, you
will go on strange land


II your elbow itches, some one will hug you
before long.
II your lips itch, some one will kiss you.
III you knee itches, you will sleep with strange
bedfellow.


II you see the new moon for the first time in
the year, through window, you will die before
the year is out. Some per sons it is said have
been 80 affected by the sight that they new, r
saw we'll day afterward.


Make three wishes the first time you see the
new moon without telling them, and you will get
what you wish for. IL just married the husband
has two Of the wishes, and the wife one.S
John and Elsie had been married only two
weeks, when John beheld the new moon with
delight, and made the fact known to his devoted
wife. swish, John wish, then will wish and
you can wish again, and We shall get our wishes"
made as yet for tho evening meal so to give
Elsie gentle reminder Of her duty, he wished
he had yard of black plum pudding. Elsie,
out Of patience that John should 80 foollghly
waste his wish, wished that it was fastened to
his nose. And there it was So John could on
ly wish it off again. This proves the truth Of
the above sign
Year: 1873

THE sEQuELsoF THE soMERsEr TRAdEDY-A RE-


MAHKABLE CHAPTER OF SUICIDES.


Some two weeks ago. near the village Of
Trappe, in Talbot county, Md, q youth named
Tarbutton, in a state Of mentald depression, cool
ly and deliberately hanged himself to the limb
Of email tree in the orchard, tho effort even
requiring him to bend his knees that he might
dangle at the end of the rope. The affair was
the sub ject of the village gossip for a few days,
and was then dismissed as an occurrence which
had grown old in frequent repetitionB


There grew out Of It, however, another case
Of suicide which no one would have suspected,
and which we all would have believed could
hardly have an existRnce even in the mind Of
the most visionary. There chAnced TO be visit
ing IN the ueighborhood at tue time an intelli-
gent business man Of Baltimore-Mr. Richard
sherwood-with whom the affair fingered and
upon whose mind all the incidents in connec-
ton with the sad event possessed q peculiar in
terest He was visiting for his health, and
seemed much depressed when the painful news
was broken to hun. He insisted upon return
10 the city as soon a. the funeral OF
the boy was over, but before the day
came for his departure he was found
dead In his room, hanging to the bedpost under
circumstances as nearly alike to those which
young rarbutton met his death as it was possi-
bic to make them.


Here, indeed, is a remarkable chapter on sui
cldes, all relating the to the other, and each
growing out OF the other. First came the SOM
erset tragedy in which school-boy shot his
sweetheart and then threw himself under tly-
ing train of cars because OF unrequitod love.
Then the young man. TarbuttOn who de-
lighted to dwell upon the affair in thought, al.
though separated from the scene OF the tragedy
by many miles Of territory, next hangs hitnseli
IN fit OF melancholy, while third, overcome
with the emotions which grew out Of the circum'
stances connected with the death Of the second
put an end to his life, and thus completed .
tragedy which is unparalleled and narrowing In
the extreme. The moralst may pause and con
alder, for there is food for reflection here.
Year: 1873

Once upon a time a local editor
dreamed that he was dead, and in an
other world. He approached the gate
of the city before him, and knocked
for admittance, but no one answered
his summons. The gate remained
closed against him. Then he cried T.
loud for an entrance, but the only re-
sponse were scores Of heads appear
ing above the wall on each side of the
gate. At sight of him the owners Of
the heads set up dismal howl, and
one of them cried: "Why didn't you
notice the big egg gave your" At
this horrid and most unexpected in
terrogation the poor local turned in
the direction of the voice, when an
other shrieked, Where's the pieee'you
were going to write about my soda
fountain1" Nnd close upon that was
the awful demand: "Why did you
write piece about old Peddle's fence,
and never say word about my new
gate?" Whatever answer he was 60
ing to frame to this appeal was cut
abruptly off by the astonishing quer-
ry: "What did you spell my name
wrong in the programme fori" The
miserable man turned to flee, when he
was rooted to the spot by this terrible
demand: "Why did you pF my mar.
riage among the deaths?,' He was on
the point Of saying the foreman did it,
when shrill voice madly cried:-
"What made you put in my runaway,
and spoil the sale Of my horse" And
this was followed by the voice Of a fe-'
male Historically proclaimina This
is the brute that botched my poetry,
and made me ridiculousw Whereup-
on hundreds OF voices screamed
"Where's my article? Give me back
my article" And in the midst OF the
horrid din the poor wretch awoke, per-
spring at every pore, and screaming
for help. The next day he resigned,
and we had to hunt up another local
editor.-[Danbury News.
Year: 1873

o what are you going to do, brother?


Say, what are you going to dor
You have thought Of some useful labor
But what rs the end in view?
You are fresh from the home OF your boy ghoor
And just in the bloom of youth;
Have you tasted the sparkling water


That flows from the fount oi truth?
Is your heart in the Saviour's Keeping?
Remember, he died for you!
Then what are You going to do, bIofhers
Say, what are you going to do!
o what are you going to do, brothers


The morning of youth is past;
The vigor and strength of manhood,


My brother, are yours at last.
You are rising in worldly prospects,


And pospered in worldly things
A duty to those less favored
The smile OF your fortune brings;
Go, prove that your heart IS grateful
The Lord has work for you!
Then what are you going to do, brother?
Say, what are you going to do!
o what are you going to do, brother?
Your sun at its noon is high;
1t shines in meridian splendor,
And rides through the cloudless sky
You are holding high position
or honor, Of trust and fame
Arc you willing to give the gloIy
Andpraise to your Saviour's names
The regions that sit in darkness


Are stretching their hands to you;
Then what are you going to do, brother!


Say, what are you going to do?
o what are you going to do, hrotherf


The twilight approaches now
Already your locks are silvered,


And winter is on your brow.
Your talent, your time, your riches,


To Jesus, your Master, give;
Then ask if the world around you


Is better because you live;
You arc nearing the brink Of Jordan,


But still there is work for you;
Then what are you going to do, brother?


Say, what are you going to do.
SELECTED.
Year: 1873

from the Danbury News.


You know her. She lives on your
street. Her features are either pinchedS
or full and frowsy. Her dress is wet,
III fitting and of no particular pattern !;
her slippers are broken down her hair
is uncombed; her voice IS either shrill
or coarse. You have seen her stand out
in the back yard, and put bare arm up
to her eyes, and under it peep out to the
fence or barn, where a man in an i'll
fitting coat is searching for something,
and have heard her shout John,
can't George bring me some water?"
And you have heard him cry back: g If
he don't get that water I will take every
inch of flesh from his bones p And
when you have looked at her again does
it seem possible that those angry eyes
have dropped in maidenly reserve, or
raised in coquetish light to the face of
the man in the Ill fitting coat? Can
you, by any possible wrench of the
imagination, conceive of his tenderly
passing peppermints to her, of his tax
ing that hand in his and bashfulIy
squeezing it? But it was so. Many a
"God bless you" has been uttered above
that bare head many a kiss pressed on
that unoombed hair The tightly com
pressed lips have lovingly framed ten
der invitations to him to take another
bite of cake and pickle. The hands
that are now par-boiled aud blistered
and marked with scars from the bread
knife, and scratches from the last setting
hen, were once twined lovingly about
his neck, and the nose which is now
peaked and ed, and looks as if it would
stand on its hind legs and scream with
rage, once followed the figures of his
vest pattern, or bore heavily against his
jugular vein. AS little probable as this
seems to you, it seems less to her. She
has forgotten it. She won't hear it
talked of by others. She cannot bear
to see it acted by others. Two lovers
are to her ga parcel of fools" And
George is rubbing his head, and we turn
aside while our heroine Teadiusts her
slipper.
Year: 1873

Most people would like to be hand
some. Nobody denies the great power
which any person may have who has a
good face and attracts you by good
looks, even before a word has been
spoken. And we see all sorts of devices
in men and women to improve their
good looks, paints and washes, and ali
kinds of cosmetics, including a plenti-
full amounting with dirty hair oil.


Now all cannot have good features.
They are as God made them but al
most any one can look we'll, especially
with good health. 1t is hard to give
rules in very short space, but in brief
these will do:


Keep clean, wash freely and univer-
sally with warm water. All the skin
wants is leave to act free, and it will
take care of itself. Its thousands of air
holes must not be closed.


Eat regularly and sleep enough. The
stomach can no more work all the time,
night and day than a horse it must
have regular york and regular sleep.


Good teeth are a great help to good
looks. Brush them with a soft brush,
especially at night Go to bed with
teeth clean. OF course, to have white
teeth, it is needfuI to let tobacco alone.
Every woman knows that. And any
powder or wash for the teeth should be
very simple. Acids may whiten the
teeth, but they take off the enamel and
iniure them.


Sleep in a cool room, in pure air. No
one can have a clear skin who breathes
bad air.


When the mind is awake, the dull,
sleepy look passes away from the eyes.
do not know that the brain expands,
but it seems to. Think, read, not
trashy novels, but books that have some
thing in them. Talk with people who
know something hear lectures ard
learn by them.
Year: 1873

Thomas Briggs, asserts the Detroit
Free Press, has n boy-baby abOut ten
months old, who is admitted at the be-
ginning Of this article TO look Just like
his father and TO be the smartest boy
baby of his age in Detroit. The other
morning the child was sitting on the
floor. playing with five or six big coat
buttons on "A string, and taking an occa
sional nibble at an apple to bring ont
his first crop Of teeth. Mrs. Briggs and
a neighbor were talking away as only
women can gossip, when the baby hid
the buttons under a mat and started 90
finish the apple. A bit OF the skin got
in his throat and he gave cough and q
whoop and paved the air and rolled
over on his head o them buttons
he has swallowed them buttons = erie1
the mother, as she yanked him up and
shook him. Pound him on the back y
yelled the other woman, trying to hold
the baby's legs still. Bun for the
neighbors - cried Mrs Briggs. 20
he'll diel he'll die y screamed the
other. as she ran out. And the neigh
bors came in and made him. lie on his
stomach and cough. and then turned
him on his back and rubbedlhis st0m-
ach, and joggled him about all sorts of
ways, uutil he got mad and be went 10
howling. Then n boy ran for Briggs,
and Briggs ran for a dector. and the
doctor came and choked the baby, and
ordered sweet oil and mustard plaster.
snd told them 10 hold him on his back.
Everybody knew that those six big but
tons were lodged in the baby's throat,
because he was red IN the face, and be-
cause he strangledi as he howled aud
wept. They poured down sweet on,
and put mustard across him and wept
over hin, and the mother said she never
could forgive herself. Boys drove by,
calling ont Slab wood for sale g
and the scissors man went by shouting,
Sharp sharp - but that distressed q
crowd held the baby down and shed
their tears over his whole length. The
doctor was looking serious ana Briggs
was thinking that he hadn't done any-
thing to deserve such blow, when one
Of the women pushed the mat and dis
covered the buttons. Then everybody
laugifEI and danced, and they kicked
the sweet oil bottle under the bed
threw the mustard plaster at the doctor.
and Mrs. Briggs hHgged the bowling
angel to her bosom and called him her
q Wopsy topsy boPsy dropgy Popsy little
cherub.
Year: 1873




Few people realize the full evil of an
interruption, few people know all that
is implied by it. Florence Nightingale
says " If we consider as with sick as
with we'll, every thought decomposes
some nervous matter, that to obtrude
another thought upon the brain whilst
it is in the act of destroying nervous
matter by thinking, is calling upon it to
make u new exertion, we shall remem-
ber that we are doing positive injury by
interrupting. If the invalid is forced
10y his avocations to continue occupa-
tions reqiring much thinking, theinjury
is doubly great If you offer the brain
a thought, especially one requiring n
decision, abruptly, you do it a real, not
fanciful injury This rule applies to
the well quite as much as to the sick. I
have never known persons who exposed
themselves for years to constant inter-
ruption who did not muddle away their
intellects by it at last. The process,
with them, may be accomplished with
out pain. With the sick, pain gives
warning of the injury" Interruption
is an evil to the reader which must be esti-
mated very differently from ordinary
business Interruptions. The great ques-
ton about interruption is not whether
it compels you to divert your attention
to other facts, but whether it compels
You to tune your whole mind to another
diapason. Suppose a reader perfectly
absorbed in his author, an author be
longing very likely to another age and
another civilization entirely different
from ours. If you are reading in the
daytime in house where there women
and children, or where people can fas-
ten upon you for pottering details of
business, You may be sure that YOU will
not be able to get to the end of the pas
I sage without in some way or other being
! rudely awakened from your dream, and
suddenly brought back into the COM
mon world. The loss intellectually is
greater than any one who had not suf-
fered from il could imagine. People
think that an interruption is merely the
unlocking of an electric chain, and
that the current will flow, when the
chain is hooked on again, just as 1t did
before. TIE the intellectual and imagi-
native student an interruption is not
that il is the destruction of picture.
Philip Gjlbert HdnlortoR
Year: 1873

CoURAGEs-Heh has snotlearned the lesson
of life who does not every day surmount
fear. do not wish to put myself or any
man into q theatrical position, or urge
him to ape the courage of his comrades.
Have the courage not to adopt another's
courage. There Is scope and eause of
resistance enough for US IN our proper
work and circumstances. And there IS
no need Of an honest man, be he Chris
tian, Turk or gentoo, which does not
equally preach Il, If you have no faith
in the beneficent power above you, but
see only an adamantine fate coiling its
folds about nature and man. then reflect
that the best use of fate is to teach Us
courage, if only because baseness can
not change the appointed event. If you
accept your thoughts IS inspirations
from the supreme intelligence, obey
them when they prescribe difficult du-
ties, because they come only so long as
they are used or, if your skepticism
reaches to the last verge, and you have
no confidence in any foreign mind, then
be brave, because there is one good
opinion which must always be Of advan-
tage to you namely, your own.-Esn-
erson.