smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

Henry Ward Beecher insists that men
shall not accumulate monstrous fortunes.
The idea is most excellent one, but it is by
no means new. We adopted it a great many
years since, and from that time to this we
haven't had a monstrous.. fortune or anything
like it.
Year: 1873

Robert Toombs, an exchange informs ms,
sis learning something as he gets older" If
this is true it must be perpetual pain to Mr.
Toombs that he wasn't born with the age of
Methuselah upon his shoulders, so that he
might have been sufficiently like other people
to at least begin even with them.
Year: 1873

The reverence in which the men,
ory of George Washington is held
even by those who are of tender
years is truly encouraging. A lad,
last week, in Boston, being directed
by his teacher to compose an essay
on Washington, went SO far as to
speak of that great man as the pro-
genitor of the human race--the first
man. Being asked by the school
master if Adam was not supposed to
stand in that dignifed relation, the
lad admitted that "perhaps he did, if
you were going to take foreigners
into account"
Year: 1873

A Scranton man who went home
the other evening, and found his
house locked up, after infinite troub-
lie managed to gain entrance through
back window, and then discovered
on the parlor table note from his
wife reading II have gone out; you
will find the door key on one side of
the door STEP"
Year: 1873

defended, of giving town OF 1V voters Two
votes in the Legislature, and town OF 1000
voters only one-but to the whole system OF
town representaton as being undemo-
cratic and unjust. This is not 80
clear as at first blush it would
seem. Under the existing Constitu-
ton, it is well enough to bear In mind
that the popular branch of the Legislature ~
the Senate. The representation IN thaC pouy
is based upon population, while in ING ho"'o
the representation is of municipal corpora
tons. Just as the United States Senate is
composed of representatives of the States the
Connecticut lower House represents the to"nS'
and just as the lower House of Congress rep
resents the people, so the Connecticut senate
is based upon population. The.same oDJecuon'
however, is made, and very properly 10 tne
present constitution of the Senate, that IN INC
growth of the State and changes in p0pula-
ton it has ceased to be equal or just IN itS
proportionate representation, some of the dis
tricts having now population OF from nl'y
to sixty thousand, while others range from
eight TO ten thousand.


The Constitutional Convention, If one is
called, will have to consider the whole ques-
ton of popular representation, and to declue
upon the continuance of the plan by which
one body represents municipal corporations
and the other the people in their individual
capacity, or to base both upon population.
With a new allotment of Senators by re-dls-
tricting of the whole State, and perhaps an
increase of the number of districts, ana
provision giving to each town the
same number of representatives, one ser1-
GUS objection to the present legislative ap-
portionment would be removed The Senate
now consists of twenty-one members, and the
House of two hundred and fOrty-one. There
may be a disadvantage in having so large
House, but experience has demonstrated that
there is safety in numbers and that the Dene-
fits arising from having one branch OF the
Legislature so large as to seem almost un-
wieldy more than compensate for its In
conyeniences. 1t is q conservative force IN
legislation not easily led by demagogues or
bought up by corrupt men, and the people OF
Connecticut will be wise not to act hastily IN
the matter Of changing that feature or their
Constitution. The whole subject of pOpularrepre-
sentation in legislative assemblies is receiving
unusual attention at the present time, and
number of experiments with reference to 1t
are under discussion or in process OF trial IN
some of the States. Evils more serious and
threatening than unequal representation have
grown up under our State Constitutions dur
ing the past thirty years, and these should de-
mand and receive the earliest attention and
most thoughtful consideration of voters.
Year: 1873

In the discussion Of the question Of Con-
stitutional Convention, which will be one of
the most important topics before the Con-
necticut Legislature. whose session began last
week, it seems likely that the present plan of
representation will be main object of attack,
and the injustice and abuses which have grown
up around it one of the chief arguments for
Constitutional reform. That there are ap-
parent gross inequalities and manifest injus-
tice under the present plan is hardly to be
denied, if it is considered simply as question
of arithmetic and of representation pro-
portioned to population. The figures in
the apportiOnment OF both Senate and
House have become distorted by the
accidents of material development and popular
growth, so that they are out of all relations
to each other. By the present Constitution,
adopted in 1918, every town in the State
which had a corporate existence at the time
of the adoption of the Constitution is entitled
to two representatives in the House; but it
was provided that no new towns set off or
incorporated after that date should have more
than one. The consequence of this provision
is that some of the largest towns in the State,
as, for instance, Bridgeport, the third in
population in the State, casting nearly 1000
votes-and Meriden, a large and growing city,
with vote of nearly 2,OOO-have but one
representative, while the old towns which
have stood still or retrograded, like Union,
and have now less than two hundred
voters, have two representatives. The
inequality and injustice Of this are manifest
enough Doubtless it was this feature that
specially provoked the movement for Consti-
tutional reform which originated IN Bridge
port, the most notable sufferer from the un-
equal system.


There is good deal said by the advocates
of reform about rotten borough representa-
ton, and the opposition to the present system
is not simply u the injustice, which cannot bo
Year: 1873

The citizens of Bamberg, i'll Barnwel
County, South Carolina, have their mail mat
ter distributed to them by colored person
who cannot read writing TO casual oD-
server this would seem to be drawback upon
his efficiency as postmaster. The average
postmaster is generally believed to be possessed
of that accomplishment In some places it
has been deemed essential that the man who
has charge of the distribution OF letters should
be able to read the addresses upon them. IL
may be, however, that this is one OF the aD-
surd notions for which the Civil Service ke-
formers are responsible, and that really
il does Mt matter much whether post
master can read writing or not. a
Bamberg correspondent of The Charleston
Netcs seems to have that notion In mia way
though he does not get excited about It, lie
says the people of Bamberg do not object 10
the color of the postmaster, but they raise
questions about his qualifications. The cor
RESPONDENT indeed intimates that there is
suspicion in the neighborhoOd that he is IN
competent. And all because he hasn't the
gift that, according to DOgberry, comes by
mature" The Bamberg citizen asking Tor
letters is referred to the pile and privileged
TO overhaul them for himself and make his
own selections. There are instances on record
during the administration of this official In
which important letters have been mlsdellv-
cred, others been delayed, and still others mis-
sent and the correspondent mentions some OF
these cases. He says it is "an annoyance" TO
have such postmaster.


Well, on the whole, we should think 1t
would be. To be sure, the sender of letters
by mail is safe against any prying curiosity
on the part of the postmaster; there's no
danger of that official breaking open his let
ters-unless there 3 money in them-just to
find out about his business or family affairs.
There Is some consolation in that. But to be
Obliged to overhaul the mail to pick out
your own letters. and then stand the
chance of having your mail missent or
not sent at all, is-well, it IS mild de-
scription of it to call it incOnvenlent.
How many there are of these cOlored
postmasters who cannot read writing we do not
know-but probably Bamberg is not the only
Office that rejoices in one. 1t was Senator
Morton, if we rightly remember, who said not
long ago in Washington that ours was " the
"best civil service on the planet" And it has
been improved even since then for now they
reouire a man to understand decimal fractions
and be able to name the principal lake ports
before he can be appointed to any Office.
Doubtless the Bamberg postmaster knows all
about decimals and has the principal lake ports
at his tongues end. But it seems pity that
he cannot read writing.


We wonder if it ever occurred to any of the
gentlemen who have the making of these ap-
pointments that though they strut before the
world with boasts of magnanimity in never hav-
ing tried Rebel OF hung traitor, they have
done and are doing what is harsher and inf
nitely meaner than any y punishment ever in
ficted by civilized government. To put
such man as this Bamberg negro in such
place is not merely political blunder; it is
an outrage upon common decency.
Year: 1873

Another supplementary Charter bill! This
last is to give the Board of Health the powers
needed to make it operative. 1t is alleged
that it has "a name to live" and but little
else, under the new Charter. The bill for the
creation of life in the Board is claimed to be
absolutely necessary; and we wait now to see
what other branch of the City Government
has been left without any backbone.
Year: 1873

If any visible proof of the fitness of the
cOlored people for the endowment of the rights
of citizenship were needed. it was afforded in
the orderly, imposing, and respect-compelling
demonstration which they made in this city,
yesterday. The celebration of the final pas
sage of the Civil Rights law was character
lied throughout by manly earnestness which
will commend the cOlOIed people to the hearty
goodwill of those who have always enjoyed
the privileges of an American citizen.
Year: 1873

The election of Mr.. j. q A. Ward to the Presidency
of tho Academy is one of those transactions whose
eminent fitness commend them TO tho appreciation
not only of the body concerned but also Of the pub
lie Ile il an artist whose talents nOt greater
than his conscience and HIS devotion 10 the best
interests of art In America lie is man ~ excellent
as his work, and the Academic Republic Will receive
no dotrimeut in his hands,
Year: 1873

pointed by the Governors refusal to call an
extra session of the Legislature, the Assem-
bymen refuse to touch them in regular Scs-
sion. and will probably adjourn speediiy ~
was possible for the Legislature to nave
passed upon the proposed amendments wi,nou'
serious inconvenience to anybody; put IL HAS
chosen not to DO it, though the Senate uah-
gully goes about its work without paying
much attention to the sulks OF the otner
branch. The result will be, probably, that
the final popular vote on the amendments VIII
be postponed several years; but even this Is
preferable to the unknown ills OF an extra
session of the Legislature
Year: 1873

There can no longer be any question as to what
people generally think about the salary theft. The
popular verdict is unanimous that the money be-
longs nowhere but in the Treasury Of the United
States The Board of Education of this city have
just pronounced this opinion The Hon. r. b.
Roosevelt has o profound aversion to keeping
anything which is not clearly his.,' He offered
his share of the Congressional back payP to the
Board Of Education but that body, while appre-
cisting the sense of honor which prompted the dona
tion, wash their hands of any apparent completely
i'm the business. Dir. Roosevelt has his unwillngly
received cash declined with thanks The Board
of Education have done good thing; aud our Con-
gresham will now doubtless see his way clear TO
final deposit In the United States Treasury.
Year: 1873

large unknown schooner foundered during
the gale of Monday night, ten miles south OF
Cane Henry, She lies about one mile from shore.
TIE body OF a colored man, supposed to have
been one Of the crew, was washed ashore a few
miles below the wreck The sails and rigging
have be en- taken of and are in charge OF Captain
Balarge. of Danna Neck. On the jib sheet ls the
philadelphia,
Year: 1873

ES- The Little Rock Republican Of
the 10th says;


A correspondent writes for informa
ton concerning the patrons of Hus-
bandry," an order which is increasing
very rapidly in the south and west 1t
is composed principally OF farmers, and
is an association intended for the mutual
improvement Of its members, and for the
advancement and protection OF the inter
ests Of agriculture, in the same way that
union and organization protects the bus
mess and interests Of other trades and
professions. In Iowa, and some other
states, the order is s secret one, but in
Illinois, we observe, that it is an open
society 1t is not unlikely that the
order Of Patrons of Husbandry will
spread all over the United States, and
become, in the near future, formidable
power in politics-in fact this is already
foreshadowed in the west, Probably if
the farmers of our country take matters


in hand, and make use Of the strength
they possess as the most numerous and
independent industrial class, they will be
able to cleanse in some measure the Au
gean stables of politics, and elevate to
Office better and purer men. A conven-
ton of the order is called to assemble in
New FORK, during the coming summer,
in which the subject of railroads upon
the interests of the farmers in the west
will be one of the principal topics dis
cussed.
Year: 1873

The FAMILY HAMMER.-The Danbury
News funny maa tells rs some true
things about the family hammer--that
tool We can none OF US keep house with.
out;


"Thsre is enc thing no family pre-
tends to be without. That is hammer
And yet there is nothing that goes to
make up the equipment Of domestic ss.
tablishment that causes one half as much
agony and profanity as hammer, II is
always an old hammer, with handle that
10 inclined to silver, ald always bound
to slip. The face 10 as round a. a full
moon and as smooth as glass. When 1t
strikes nail full and square, which it
has been known to do, the act will be
found to result from q combination OF
pure accidents. The family hammer is
one Of those rare articles we never profit
by, When it glides off nal-head and
mashes couple Of fingers. we unhesita
tingy deposit it in the yard, and observe
that we will never use it again. But Il .
blood has hardly dried on the rag before
we are out doors in search OF thai ham
mer, and ready to make another trial.
The result rarely varies, but We never
profit by it The awful weapon goes on
knocking off our nails, and msshing
whole joints, and slipping off the handle
to the confusion Of mantal ornaments,
and breaking the commandments, and
cutting up an assortment Of astounding
and unfortunate antics without let or
hindrance. And yet we put up with it,
and put the handle on again and lay it
away where it won't get lost, and do up
our mutilated and smarting fingers, and
yet il the outrageous thing should hap
pen to get lost, we kick up regular hull
labooloo until it is found again. Talk
about the tyrannizing influence Of a bad
habit 1t is not to be compared with
the family hammer.
Year: 1873

SWEET PorAroEs potatoes
should now bs set out by drawing the
slips from the plant bed in hot weather,
and setting in hills or ridges, under
which strong manure frsn the stable
should be placed. Too little attention Is
given to this popular and delisious vege-
table. 1t is easily grown and yields more
to the acre, bringing also better price
than the Irish potato. As rule it is q
very profitable crop.
Year: 1873

ET A beautiful young girl was mar
ried in San Francisco last week, and at
the conclusion Of the marriage ceremony
she turned to her husband and said,
+" George, kiss me. / am dying" The
husband complied with the request. and
at that moment the young bride fell dead
to the foer
Year: 1873

II indebted to us for subscriptions and
Ter work, will oblige us greatly and please
Ise we owe more, by calling and settling
lir accounts. We know that money is
rec and hard to get but we trust our


ends will make an effort in our behalf.
Year: 1873

A rumor is prevalent on the streets to
night that an attempt will be made at
midnight or shortly after by the adhe.
rents Of Lieutenant. Governor V. v.
Smith to seize upon the records Of the
office Of Governor Baxter, taking advan-
tage Of the the absence Of General Nc
Cavany, private secretary of Governor
Baxter There is little discernible ex-
element Some fifty citizens are now in
the statehouse, and say they will pass the
night there.
Year: 1873

EH A physician in a small town in
Maine had long been psstsrsd by little
street Arabs who came to peddle candy.
At last. when patience had ceased to be
q virtue, he told tho boy to 60 into the
next room where there was . follow who
had II sweet tooth in his head. The
young peddlsr went in and his eyes fe !
oa = grinning skeleton swsying and nod
ding in tho breeze. The boys hair
stood on end, his tongue palsied, and be
dropped his stock in trade instanter, and
scampered of as fast as his legs could
carry him. The physician, n kind
hearted man withal, aud very tall aad
lank, by the way. fearing he had carried
the joke too far. picked up the candy and
ran to the sidewalk, crying out Come
back. boy, there's nothing here TO hart
you "Oh. no, said the boy, gestic-
ulating with his thumb and fingers from
the end Of his nose You don't come
that on me; know ye fyou have got
your clothes on!'
Year: 1873

At all times in history period Of war
has been at the same time one of romance,
both in actual life and in fiction. An in
cident which took place during the war
in Hungary, is stranger than much of the
fiction which owes its origin to scenes of
revolution and bloodshed.


Among those who obcyed the call to
arms, was the young Count Djungady,
not long married to young lady of great
beauty. As may be supposed, their part
ing was a sad one, relieved however, by
the expectation of happy meeting when
the campaign should be over. Spending
her days in solitude, the young bride was
suddenly attacked by a severe illness.
Upon recovering she observed that all the
looking glasses had been removed from
her apartments. Her woman's curiosity
led her to ask herself what could be the
cause of this measure. Pondering upon
it she came to the conclusion that her
disease must have been no other than
small pox, and that she was probably
very much disfgured. Making inquiries
Of her attendants, she by degrees drew
from them the information that her sur
mises were very correct. 1t had boon a
very bad case Of small pox, and her once
lovely face was now total wreck.


Overcome with grief and horror at the
loss of her youthful charms, in which her
h,,- bon1 ha1 toI.oD ,,onnh YNriIo md
pleasure, she determined never again to
allow him to look upon her. While oc-
cupied with various plans for avoiding
him, or rather for leaving him altogether,
she learned that owing to some unforeseen
cause, his return was hourly expected.
Hearing a slight commotion in the court
yard, she went to the window, and to her
great distress recognized his uniform.
She ran eagerly to bolt the door, but just
then his well known knock made itself
heard,


1" You cannot see me ~ she exclaimed,
"you can never, never see me again"


- know that" answered his deep
voice, "but lot me in, do, for you can see
me-"


A cannon ball struck him in such
way as to destroy the sight of both eyes /;
the news had been concealed from her,
and he upon recovery was sent with an
honorable dismissal home.


Their meeting was one Of mingled Joy
and grief. His sightless condition enabled
him to preserve unfaded the memory of
the beauty Of his faithful wife, and she
could be TO him eyes in his darkness
OHT M0Whiy.
Year: 1873

Az old farmer at Harrisburg, Pa, has
n wagon piled with lumber standing in
his shed which has stood in the same po-
sition for 81 years. lie was engaged to
be married and was building home for
his bride. but on his return from an ex-
pedition TO buy lumber, found a rival
had married his lady love. He thereon
made vow that his wagon, laden MS it
was with lumber, should stand just as it
was for all time.
Year: 1873

SoUTHEY tells of a Spanish nun who
escaped from long confinement in n
convent, and the first thing she inquired
for was looking glass. She was put in
a convent when she was five years old,
and did not look in mirror from the
time of her entrance until the time of her
escape. Her desire to know how she
looked, by consulting glass was natural
and certainly very pardonable.
Year: 1873

IT is the qucerest thing in the world
what Charlotte Smith can want of her
runaway husband, w4lOm she described
in an advertisement as "a little man,
badly crippled in one leg, one leg shorter
than the other, false teeth, and bald
head -
Year: 1873

IT is thought that ten millions of acres
OF woodland are swept off every year in
this country. Before long this must be
stopped. The american AgricuLturist
says that the country for its highest pro-
duetiveness needs one-ffth Of its whole
surface covered with forest.
Year: 1873

PROTECTION AGAINST CUTwoRMs.--
The Mobile n Register say says; a thousand md
published in the agricultural papers
from time to time, few of which are at
all worthy of consideration. We know
of two that we could recommend. A
thin layer of pine saw-dust spread
around the base of the plant will gen
orally protect it, and in setting out
plants, as cabbage and the like, nothing
equals leaf wrapped around the stalk.
That will never fail. Roll any kind of
leaf convenient around the stalk and
set it into the ground with the plant.
1t will dry and become hard in a day,
and then no cutworm will trouble it;
and when the plant has grown suffi-
GENTLY large to burst Off the leaf it will
be out of danger.
Year: 1873

tanned by credit to adorn the person
of the daughter whose chief end and
aim in life is to "get married" The
piano is but auxiliary to this general
purpose.


Nor is it alone in the house that there
is change to note. The plough and
the hoe have become unpopular. In
deed, manual labor of any kind is looked
upon as ignOb1e and almost disgraceful,
and we see young men "toting" O gun
all day, before-or behind their pointers
or settlers, intent upon the same high
purpose as the unreasOning animal
bagging the unoffending bird or sqlir-
rel. Nor is this the only popular pas
time. The CORNER grocery" has become
an institution of the land. The hunt
to-day is an excuse for rest tomorrow,
and a little stimulant is required to
drive away dull care. We need not
continue in this direction. The reader
can supply our omissions.


Now, what is the remedy? Far be if
from us to counsel a return to the hab-
it's and circumstances of the "g0Od old
us move in accord with the present con-
ditions of society, and with the spirit of
our age, and advance promptly up to
and alongside those upon whom mother
Necessity first enforced her discipline.
Let the hand card, the spinning wheel
and hand loom be supplanted by the
improved power machinery of to-day,
and let it be located at home where our
girls and boys, our women and our men
can have part in its operation and where
we can derive the benefits, which, with
a prodigal hand we are heaping upon
those whose homes are far less fa-
vOred by nature than ours.


The South presents to-day. unparal
leled inducements for the investment
of capital in those industries which
shall restore the legitimate and depend
ent relations between agricultural. me-
chanical, manufacturing and CONNER
cial industries. Those who are first to
comprehend and improve the advantages
presented on every hand, will harvest
an abundant reward.