smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

There is comical story told of
two Americans who settled their
quarrel in fashion which would
have made the hair on a Partisan
fenclng-master bristle with horror,
but which, nevertheless, had an IN
spiration Of common sense IN it.
They were both in love with the
same lady, and it became necessa-
ry to their feelings that they should
fight for the possession of her.
One of the two must clearly be


put out Of the way. Yet why


should they kill each other? They


bore each other no malice /;
each would be glad that the other
should speed with some other fair
one they only insisted upon be-
ing left in solo possession Of the


lady in dispute. The question re-


solved itself TO simple issue
which was the better shot. And
they determined to settle this
question by shooting, not at each
other but at tree. The tree was
shot at; the inferior marksman
perforce admitted that lie would
have been annihilated by his rival
and agreed to vanish, not by giving
up the ghost, but by leaving the
country. Here were all the results
OF duel obtained without its mock
heroes, and without more tragedy
than belongs to all renunciation--
London World. aro55..5 al i I.'. y. ,oi
Year: 1875

There is altogether too much
marrying, by form Of law, those
who at the most are only third or
half married in other ways. And
there is altogether too much urg-
ing and coaxing, and allurihg
young people into the most impor-
tant and sacred of all human rela-
tions before they are prepared or
moved to assume its burdens, and
by those who ought to know bet
ter and act with more cons;dera-
ton. We make too much marry
ing and being married, until it Is
thought by many people, some
what Of q Disgrace for q woman to
pass through life alone; when in
lact, the lie of many single wo-
man is poetry romance rapture
even, in comparison with that of
many a wife. 50 there IS a vast
deal of marrying with very little
of real inarrymgj vnst deal Of
discomfort, iheartaebe, misery, hy-
pocritcy and unmarrying at the
last, What we want is not a mere
stringent, divorce law, which for.
bids the marrying OF those not al.
ready one notiess marrying, but
less marrying where there is no
real marrying. And, above all,
let there be no melting or bfibiHg
those to marry who are not drswn
10, each other, and held iDscpars-
bly, together by qualities Of inipd
sOul.IyAl I1uh1 III uLL..
Year: 1875

The indianapolis News has
found ont how the sex Of that man
in Europe who went about IN wo-
mans clothes was discovered
q He inadvertently said Thank
you when II gentleman gave up
his seat in street car" So ml
Year: 1875

The Potato Bug we are told by the
Chicago newspapers, is being follow
ed in its journey eastward by another
potato scourge, more voraclous and
destructive, if possible. This new bug
has been announced in Northern
Illinois, and is described as long and
thin in form, of dove color, and as
suddenly making its appearance in the
potato fields, in swarms. The new
destroyer is said TO be making havoc
of the potato fields, and is only to be
reached by the same treatment and in
much the same way as the Colorado
bug.
Year: 1875

hOW a MAN II UNIS FUN CLEAN


CLOTHES. Did You ever see man


try to find a shirt, or u handker.


chief. or something in the bureau


drawer where his wife keeps her
clean linen ? 1t mostly happens


when he's in Il hurry, when he has
got his fireworks temper on, and his


wife has got the baby on her lap, or
she is up to the elbows in dough.


He finds the white clothes arrang-
ed in such symmetrical layers as Oh


ly woman after long practice can


accomplish, and he dives in a good
deal as he would fish for nubs of
kihdling in u barrel Of shavings,
pitching everything right or left on
the floor meanwhile, as he fails to
get the desired article, stewing and
swearing and sweating and offering
up selected expressions of relief to
his feeling in suppressed tone of
voice, and vowing, in a way especi-
ally designed to reach the ears of his
wife, "that it beats the old
what's's name "a thing can't be
put where it can be found"


About this time his wife yells out
from below that the article sOughtis
right at tho top, when he sarcastic
ally wants to know if she supposes
he has "gOt no eyes," then tears
around into that linen at q more fu
rious rate than ever, swearing that
the shirt amt there, for he has got
clear to the bottom.


And then he gathers everything
up in a bunch and rams them back
anyhow, just as he can grab them in
savage handfuls, tearing around and
jerking things all over with a ner
vous looseness. Then he sings out
=
III sort of distracted way, as fad-
dressing no one in particular, that
he can always tell where to find
anything he needs at his place of
business in a moment; that he
keeps a place for everything, and
everything in its place. 4 1a-I


just about the time he has work
ed himself into great worry of
boiling over impatience, and got
the whole room in litter, his wife
glides in aud lays her hand on the
article, right in the
drawer, where he had jerked it out
and rammed it back again, in that
quiet waya wolnan has of madden
ing choleric husband into a lit
state for the lunatic asylum. !
Year: 1875

l was spending some days, not


many years ago, in beautiful little


country village, and in family that


had more than common attractions


to one who loves domestic life as


we'll as myself. The little circle had


in it more Of real interest than


have often seen developed in the


same number of persons.


The father Of the family-almOst
too yonng to feel that he was enti-
tied to that honorable appellation-


was a fine frank.hharted young me-
chanic, with a wide world of life
bounding in his veins; an energy
that when fully aroused, drove ev-
erything violently before him and
warmth of disposition that won
him more friendship than it had
then given him of the goods of this
world. .


His wife, to whom lie had been
married for four years, was singu-
larly beautiful. They had two chill
dren-the one a laughing, brown
eyed and brown haired little fairy
of three years her romantic name
was Blossom. The second was
growing, laughing, blue eyed, plump
little beauty of less than Il year,
promising to have all the charms Of
the elder at her age.


l was sitting one afternoon in
quiet little room, with my feet on
two chairs, reading pleasant little
book, in state between sleep and
awake-my host away at his shop,
hundred yards off, and my pretty
little hostess engaged in her house
hold labors-when l was thrown
out of my Incidence by a scream
that brought me to my feet like an
electric shock. 1t was a wOman's
voice, and had in it an excess of ag.
ony that can not be indicated by
words so loud that it rang over
that quiet little village, and
brought every one forth to ascer-
tain the cause.


l sprang to the door that sepa-
rated the sitting room from the din
ing apartments, and saw the whole
at a glance. The young mother
stood at the door, with her first
born-our darling Blossom, in her
arms, dying A brief and hurried
word from the servant told the sad
story. The little girl had accom-
panied a child.uncle upstairs, and
while the attention of the older
child was for moment turned
away, she seized bottle of corro.
sive sublimate in alcohol, and had
frank enough to have taken away
,wenty such lives. The little thing
had tottered down stairs, and the
mother had met her at the landing
With the empty bottle in her hand,
md the poison oozing from her
child all unconscious of ,
he fearful thing she had done.
Vas it any wonder that a terrible.
hriek rang out over the quiet vii
age, and that already the occu.
'ants of every house near were
51Bs1o UuE 4-Do -LW 35En.ar a
Year: 1875

We wish especially, says Scribner's
to urge upon mothers the propriety OF
giving up to the boys, as soon as they
reach the age of twelve or fourteen,
one room( not a bedchamber), for whose
(reasonably) good order they shall be
responsible, and which they shall con
slider wholly their own. The fool
should be uncarpeted, of oiled wood
the furniture Of the same material
Let it be papered, curtained, decorated
according to the boys own fancy; il
the taste is bad, they will be interested
after awhile in correcting it, There
should be plain bookcases, a big solid
table in the center, by all means an
open fire, and room after that for Joe,
printing press, or Charley's box o
tools, or Sans cabinet of minerals; fol
chess and checker boards, or any othel
game which is deemed proper. TC
this room the boys should be allowed
to invite their friends, and learn how
to be hospitable hosts even to the eX
tent Of an innocent little feast now
and then. Father, mother and sister,
should refrain from entering it except
as guests; and our word for it, they will
be doubly honored and welcomed when
they do come.


Somebody will ask, no doubt, what
is the use of pampering boys in this
way, or of catering to them with
games and company Simply because
they will have the amusement, the
games and company somehow and
somewhere; and if not under their
fathers roof, with such quiet surround
ing as befit those who are to be bred
as gentlemen, the games may be gam
bling, and the company and supper
those which'the nearest tavern affords.
As for the cost, no money is i'll spent
which develops in a right direction a
boys healthy character of idiosyncra-
sizes at the most perilous period of his
life, or which helps to soften and
humanize him, and to make more dear
and attractive his home and family.
If it can be i'll spared, let it be with
drawn for this purpose from dress,
household luxury, the sum laid by for a
rainy day-even from other charities
and duties. We do not wish to help
the lad SOW his wild oats, but take care
that the oats are not wild, and are
thoroughly well sown.
Year: 1875

Boys, if man comes along with a
buggy and asks you to take ride, do
You peg it for home. He wants to
steal you, and prove to the world that
the average detectivei is no sharper than
theaverage man who is not a detective.
Year: 1875

Judge Nelson told the Court officers
that they must exact promise of quiet
from the persons in the gallery, or the
gallery would be cleared. He said that
he scarcely knew what to say to the per-
sons upon the floor who had offended
against order. If he bad not wit
messed their conduct be could not have
believed that citizens could have come
into Court and disgraced themselves by
disturbing the counsel and jury with an
abusive expression oftheir opinion.


\ recess was then taken.


Tho pr,ul
Year: 1875

The extraordinary escape OF William NJ.
Tweed from the Sheriff has reopened the
whole question of the administration of
justice in New York The New York Times
calls attention to the subject in an able ar
ticle, in which it says that John Kelly the
head of Tammany Hall, contrived to induce
a coroner to release political partisan who
was accused of shooting another man dead
in the street. "Still later" says the Times,
1--WE find this same John Kelly, according to
the evidence given before the Legislative
Committee on Crime going privately to the
foreman of grand jury and urging him to
bring in an Indictment against certain per-
sons who had made themselves. obnoxious to
him as politicians" We dwelf upon these
circumstances, which require attention,
coming as they do from journal as respect
able as the Times because they show that the
maladministration of justice in New York
is to be attributed to the undue influence of
politicians.


Not one of the manifold villanies of the old
Tammany Ring are as painful as the blight
which fell upon justice. If the wrongs COM
mitted in the city of New York by Judges"
could only be known, it would be seen, we
think, that, compared to these crimes, all
that Tweed and his colleagues stole would
be small indeed. When we look back upon
'.justice" for the last ten years there are
many painful revelations. The escape of
Genet and Tweed, the practical acquittal
of Scannell and Stokes, the dilatoriness
shown in the trial of Croker, all show that
'justice" is always subordinate to political
expedient. And how can we expect any
thing better when we see judges holding
their places at the mercy of politicians; when
we find politicians as was sworn to before
the recent committee, debating appoint
ments and clerkships and attendants in courts;
when courts become nests for the protection
and comfort of political adventurers, and
when we have judges taking prominent
part in political meetings. In the degrada-
ton which has fallen upon our government
in New York this was inevitable AS the
stream never rises higher than its source. SO
we cannot expect the Tweeds, the Sweenys
and the Connollys to place men upon the
Bench who would be intractable or would
fail to do their bidding. The time has never
been, for the last ten or fifteen years at least
when the leader of Tammany Hall could not
control the decisions of any court and,
therefore, when we find Mr.. Kelly, accord
ing to the Times, using his influence with
grand juries and coroners, he is carrying
out policy which he inherited, and is ad-
ministering Tammany Hall upon the same
basis as Tweed and Sweeny. This whole
business must be reformed. We look with
anxiety upon the report of the Senate Com
mittee of Investigation, now in session in
New York, for such suggestions as will ena-
bic us to enter upon the work with intelli-
gence and promptitude.
Year: 1875

The poor we have always with us, and
winter comes upon them year after year with
the same iron tread and hard-lined face. As
we sit behind the plate glass pane and scan
the thermometer that hangs outside exposed
to the nipping air, with the mercury shrink
ing down to hide itself in the bulb we do
not think, perhaps, that its decreasing scale
marks rising one in the miseries of the
poor AS we note that the cutters are frozen
over we may think of skates and ringing
laughter but we do not recall that the
fetters upon the waters are also chains upon
the limbs of outdoor labor. In fact, as man
is happily constituted, tho brighter side of
things presents itself with much more per-
sistency than the gloomy side, and the rich,
the warm and the comfortable, will therefore
be glad that the journalist, under whose eyes
the sorrows of the poor pass continually,
writes his line to evoke sympathy for those
who need it. How often do we see among q
crowd of well-clad pleasure seekers q swift
response to some pressing case Of need !!
The dry chuckle of Croesus, the laugh
of lusty Mercutio, the courtier's simper Of
Osrick, are arrested in q moment purses
are brought forth and want is handsomely
relieved. Suitor- -beset Belinda has opened
her morocco portemonnaie and Juliet has
ceased her signing to give quarter to
the cause of charity. The impulse to be
charitable is not lacking, but to the thought
less, the gay and the busy, the opportunity
to help suffering fellow creature does not
always present itself when the heart is sym
pathetically awake. Still in the depth Of
winter it is never hard to find proper objects
for charity The cold blasts will find them
out; the pangs of hunger discover and seize
them. Let, then, those who have season
of balls, theatre-going, freside chats and
cosey little dinners before them, allow q
glimpse of the misery of their less favored
fellow beings to fit occasionally across the
brilliant perspective. 1t will supply little
shadow which the picture needs. BY giving
generously to the poor within reach these
shadows will take on new glory to them
selves, and the season of pleasure will be all
the brighter Give generously, give judi
ciously, and give promptly.
Year: 1875

THE ROBBERS OF THE PooR-We trust that
there will be no delay in the efforts which
are making to investigate into the condition
of the broken savings banks. The more we
think Of this business the more we feel that
the mon who have controlled these banks to
their downfall deserve the severest punish
ment. The directors of these banks are
nothing more nor less than robbers OF the
poor. There is no excuse for any savings
bank failing if properly managed. Let this
investigation be pressed home and all who
have taken part in the infamy be punished,
either by the courts or by public opinion.
Year: 1875

THE BoNAPART1sTs The information in
our special despatch from Paris, that the
Bonapartists are anxious to combine with
the republicans against the government,
shows that the conservatives believe they
have strength enough to carry their point.
The republicans must, however, remember
that the alliance has always been fatal to
them. The followers of Rouher combined
with the monarchists to overthrow Theirs.
They are ever seeking the side, victory for
which tends more or less to disorganization,
for in the hurly-burly only can they hope
for chance to grab at power, according to the
Napoleonic method. The Republic, despite
all odds, is roofing itself in France, and the
party Of progress should look carefully at a
proffered alliance from the Republics
enemies.
Year: 1875




In an action before our courts to recover
from Jay Gould the value Of contract made
by him as a spec ulator in Wall street. his
counsel, Mr. Shearman, has entered an ex-
traordinary plea which is worthy of consider
alton from several points Of view. Mr.. Shear
man takes the ground that Mr.. Gould in deal
ing in puts" and scalls" is simply gam
bling, and that therefore when he loses he is
not to be compelled to pay his contracts In
other words, Mr. Gould appears in the court
through his lawyers and practically swears
that his business is nothing more nor less
than betting, and that he is entitled to the
same release from any obligation it involves
that he would receive if he were the keeper of
faro bank or lottery, or if he had made a
wager on the result of an election.


We have always contended that, morally,
this business of puts and "calls" on Wall
street was gambling. We believe that if the
courts were to decide the question from
strictly equitable point of view they would
so rule If Mr.. Gould's defence is sound,
then what is Wall street bat vast gambling
concernp Our business prosperity" our
increase in stock values, are no more than
the passing of gamblers chips over the
faro board For the last year Wall street
has been as much of gambling den as Mr..
Morrisseys saloon at Saratoga. The princi-
pal stocks bought and sold have been gam
bling stocks. Jay Gould, the principal
operator, swears to that fact. He swears that
while he was doing business in the eyes of
the world he was gambling in his own
eyes; that while he was making contracts"
for stocks and gold he did not mean
to keep them unless it was to his own bene-
fit. The shamelessness and frankness with
which Mr.. Gould makes this defence would
be looked upon as an astounding revelation
in any age but the.one in which we live and
from any man but Mr. Gould himself There
really seems to be no end to the infamy of
which this man is capable in prosecuting his
designs upon the credit of the community.


If the Court should accept his plea and
decide that this kind of Wall street opera
tions falls within the legal definition of
gambling quite a new phase will be put upon
that species of business. 1t would then be
the duty of the District Attorney to get the
whole street indicted for gambling and pro-
ceed to enforce the penalties. There would
be no more excuse for not breaking it up
than for not interfering with the other
gambling dens of the city,
Year: 1875

AMONG THE ORGANIZATIONS which receive our
sincere sympathy, on account of the sudden
departure of Tweed, is the Tammany Society,
of which the notorious exile is an influential
member. 1t might be we'll for Tammany to
pass series Of resolutions expressive OF its
grief, and send a committee composed Of
men like Thomas Dunlap, +. J. Shandley
and I. j. Campbell to find Tweed and to
urge him to return to the bosom of his favor
ite and once obedient society. One thing is
certain-this committee would know Tweed
if they we're to see him,
Year: 1875

We give to-day Colonel Grants paper on
Stanley's discoveries in Africa as it was read
1t the meeting Of the Royal Geographical
Society in London, November 30 Colonel
Grants name is honorably assoeiated with
the history Of African discovery. He was
with Speke on the famous journey in which
the Victoria Niyanza was first seen by white
men, at least in modern times and the names
of the two were formerly always associated:
but the ''Speke and Grant of the title page
has now given place to Speke alone Colonel
Grants view of the difficulties of the labor in
which Stanley is engaged may be regarded
as the testimony of an expert and from such
a source every word of appreciation and
praise has peculiar weight How generous
and handsome is this wagm tribute to STAN
ley: ''Who among US would have had his
energy? Who would undertake a cruise In
an open boat and absent himself from his
camp for ffty-eight days9 Who would risk
such danger to life and exposure to an Afri-
can sun in the month of April2 Who of ua
are able to guide, provide for, lead and at
tend to little army successfully and in the
midst of all this take their observations for
latitude and longitude? / think him
worthy representative of the energy that sent
out such an expedition" In this honest
tribute we see that geographical adventure
has its spirit of generous chivalry.
Year: 1875

THE ARMY AND NAvY.-Elsewhere we pub
lish abstracts of the annual reports of Secre-
taries Belknap and Robson. twill be seen
that our little army is in a highly efficient
condition, and that by the end of the present
fiscal year we shall have enough rifles to arm
one army corps in case of war. Heavy can
non for coast defence is among the Secretary's
most pressing needs. The jovial Secretary
of the Navy recounts the formidable nature Of
our n-clad fleet.
Year: 1875

THE GENERAL TERM OF THE COURT oH
COMMON PLEAS has given a series Of decisions
making the excusing of forfeiture of bail Less
easy. The whole question of the liability OF
bondsmen, in civil as well as criminal cases,
deserves the serious attention of our law
makers Of the abuses under this head that
of 'straw BALI is perhaps the worst; but
there are others which, through the leniency
Ito use a moderate term) of officials. ara
equally subversive of justice.
Year: 1875

FREIGHT RATEs.-The merchants of New
York are troubled because the freight lines
hence to the West charge extraordinarily
high rates, while those from Boston are much
lower. This is good thing for the mer-
chants to exercise their strategy on. 1t can
only be temporary, as Boston would soon
monopolize the carrying trade, and the
New York railroads would lose it. In such
case they might say with the vacuoua
butcher who, having. sold his mutton at
shilling pound to a sailor, came for his
money in time to see the ship in the ofing:-
"My God, might have charged him twenty
five centsr
Year: 1875

The GREAT ScANDAI--.Miss Catherine E
Beecher has discovered "a sure and imme-
date remedy" for the Brooklyn scandal,
which is simply this That the public and
press shall agree that Mr. Beecher is an limo.
cent man and that all his accusers are SLAM
derers Nothing can be more certain than
that this would end the scandal at once, and
we earnestly trust that the Church Council
will apply the remedy, beginning with thu
press and public of Brooklyn.
Year: 1875

HAVE EASTERN DEMOCRATS ANY RIGHTS
WHICH WESTERN DEMOCRATS ARE BOUND TO
RESPECT PIT will not escape attention that
the democratic caucus which assembled on
Saturday elected to the principal offices of
the House none but Western and Southern
democrats The Speakership was given to
Indiana, the Clerk to Kentucky, the Post
master to Virginia, the Sergeant-at-Arms to
Ohio and the Doorkeeper to Texas. OF the
democratic majority at least sixty come from
the Eastern States. Although this is little
more than one-third of the number still we
think, considering the Importance of the
States this majority represents, that one of
these Offices might have been given to an
Eastern democrat This alliance between
the South and the West for the control Of the
patronage of the House does not look well
for comprehensive scheme Of the finances,
especially when we consider what the South
and West would have done in tho last Con-
gress but for the frmness Of President Grant
in vetoing the Initiation BILL