smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

One bitterly cold morning in December,
], John Carlton. stood leaning upon the
gate of my little garden, gloomily think
Ing over the badness Of trade. l was
what they call in our parts "jouster,"
that Is, kept a horse and cart, and went
about the country jousting or selling fish.


For several weeks there had been moth
ing doing; indeed. so bad season had
not been known for years, and my wife
Mary, the old horse and myself were get
ting unpleasautly near starvation. /
could have borne this If had to bear it
alone but Mary had been valued SER
want in tho parsons family and not used
to roughing it, and it cut me to the heart
to see how thin and pale she was getting
for want Of the necessaries of life, which
l did not know how to get. Poor grill
weak as she was, she was the bravest OF
the two. Many time when | was al
most in despair. her loving arms would
be thrown round my neck, and she would
bid me cheer uo and bear my troubles like
a man; and have answered that II
could bear tn II as patiently as woman,
1t would do better still.


While standing at the gate, puzzling
myself what to try that | hadn't tried
already, saw Tom Davies, o cousin Of
mine, coming along the lane, looking as
sleek and comfortable as well-groomed
horse 1t had always heen mystery to
mo how Tom lived, for let trade be ever
30 bad, he never seemed to suffer, but was
we'll clothed and looked jolly and happy.


He was always civil, but as he stopped
now to give me time of day, he noticed
how queer look ed ; and though I'm not
given to talking of my troubles. his SYM
pathv loosened my tongue. and told him
how there wasn't morsel of bread in the
cupl oard, and l didn't know how to put
any there.


He took a few whiffs of the short pipe
he was smoking. eyeing ME hard the
while, and then told me that il l could
keep secret, he thought he could put
me in the way of earning a trife. was
ready to promise anything when heard
this; and when Iassured him that would
be as secret as the grave, be bade me bring
my old horse to Riders Cave on the fol-
lowing night, punctually at twelve. He
would be there to meet me. but l was to
ask no questions. There might be triflc
of risk in what / should have to do brt
nothing wrong at least, Tom saw no harm
in it, though others might.


"It's smuggling" said to myself; and
Year: 1872

The Calcutta merchants have adopted
novel plan for Willing away idle hours
According to the Pioneer, betting on drops
of rain is just now the fashion in Calcutta,
where even respectable native merchants
bet very large sums about the rainfall.
When the weather becomes cloudy wagers
are laid as to the time within which the
downpour may be expected. The wager
being laid, the crowd wait patiently to see
the water run out of the spouts, for driz-
zle is not recognized. and unless the water
drips from the spouts, the party who bets
that it will not rain has not lost. Some.
times the utmost confusion prevails; it
rains for few minutes and the crowd
look anxiously at the spouts; If the water
does not drip the yell is terrific, losers
attribute it to foul play, and boys are i'm.
mediately sent up to the top of the house
to see whether the spout has been tslnper.
ed with.
Year: 1872

An amateur sailor who is making
canoe tour of the Zuyder Zee, writes en-
interesting account of his experiences.
He tried TO sail his canoe, the Rob Roy,
over the shadows called the Pampas, 10
reach curious island in the Zuyder Zee,
but failing in that effort, went to sleep in
his limited stateroom, while scores of boys
sto"3 .. tering in the dark and wet, long
into the night, amazed at the lone traveller.
Next morping the Burgomaster of Monni-
kcndam visited the scene, and worthy
gentleman with spectacles read aloud from
the newspaper full account of the boat,
stopping at each paragraph to certify the
description by the reality. Before favor
ING breeze the ca, )e sailed over the sea to
the famed isle of Marken, which is unique
in several ways.


The writer says:


A thousand people live on small area
under the sea level. Their houses are in
seven groups, all built of wood except
three. Two pear trees are the only forest
and a dozen geraniums the only flowers.
Standing on the little cemetery you see
ships sailing all around you and all above
your head. Let one breach be made in
that sea wall and all the land will melt
into the muddy ooze of the Zuyder Zee
The Preester" here Is the sole element
Year: 1872

that clutch and held OH. Then death
ly fairtness crept over me as thought OF
the depths below. and. imag ned myself
falling, falling helplessly into them. The
strain upon my arms became intolerable,
and to ease it, I tried to insert my toes
between the crevices of the boards. crying
frantically but family for help the while,
though the sound of my own voice startled.
me, it was SO strangely hollow. As
raised myself little, piece Of the rotten
wood broke of, and for q dreadful mo-
ment was hanging by one hand but ere
my quailing heart could give another fut:
tering throb had regained my grip. and
found foothold too. More than this l
dared not venture in that profound dark
ness, but I told myself that I was compar-
ativsly safe as long as my aching limbs
would sustain me. When they failed /
knew that should 60 down--down-down
until lay mangled corpse by the side
of the poor horse whose dying cry still
rings in my ears. q


Those were minutes of horror, and be,
lieve must have gone of my head bit,
for fancied that fearful sounds came wall
ing up from the pit. and that some invist:
bic power was trying to drag me down
into it. Then temptation assailed me to
let 90, to end at once the anxieties Of my
life and the pain and terror was endur-
ing. But the poor, pale face of Mary
Mary who was watching for me at home
rose before my eyes. and with renewed
strength held on, and prayed to Heaven
TO save me.


As if in answer to the prayer. q gleam
of the moons light broke through the
murky clouds, vanished, and then shone.
out again so clearly that was able to per.
ceive the ladder not many feet away. As
cautiously as my cramped limbs would
permit, 1 worked nay way toward it, and
before the clouds gathered again, I was
kneeling on the bank above the pit, saved +


Cold, weary and sad, made my way
home without interruption, and told Mary
what had happened. AS she hung about
my neck, shivering and sobbing, she made
me promise that l would never again be
drawn into anything that my conscience
told me wasn't just right; and thank God
l am Hbie to say that, como futr weather
or foul, have been faithful to my word.
Year: 1872

A correspondent in the Germantown
Telegraph thus sets forth the blessings of
well cultivated garden: Half an acre Of
land in well cultivated garden, will pro.
duce as much towards subsisting a far.
mer's family as any three acres on tho
farm, beside the advantage in the cultiva-
tion Of which would crafty diversity of
tastes, and contribute much to secure the
blessings of health, the labor of which
can be shared by the too young or too old
to toll in the heavier operations Of the
field, and occasionally by the female In.
mates of the house, or the plowman from
the field, by way of relaxation from leg.
toll, without any material impediment to
other labors. Every farmer will promote
his interest by bestowing on the garden
due share of attention.
Year: 1872

tain range, our hunters assured US it wac
more than vertical mile in depth, and
the river, broken into rapids and cascades,
appeared no wider than ribbon. The
brain reels as We gaze into this profound
and solemn solitude. We shrink from the
dizzy verge appalled,, glad to feel the solid
earth under our feet, and venture no more,
except with forms extended, and faces
barely protruding over the edge Of the
precipice. The stiffness is horrible Down,
down, down, we see the river attenuated to
a'thread, tossing its miniature waves. and
dashing, with puny strength. the massive
walls which imprison it. All access to its
margin is denied, and the dark gray rocks
hold it in dismal shadow Even the voice
of its waters in their convulsive agony
cannot be heard. Uncheered by plant or
shrub, obstructed BY massive boulders and
by jutting points, it rushes madly on its
solitary course deeper and deeper into the
bowels of the rocky armament. The sol
emn grandeur Of the scene srrpasses des-
cription. 1t must be seen to be felt. The
sense Of danger with which it impresses
you is narrowing in the extreme. You
feel the absence of sound, the oppression
of absolute silence. If you could only
hear that gurgling river, If you could see
living tree in the depth beneath you, If
q bird would fly past, if the wind would
move any object in the awful chasm, to
break for moment the solemn silence that
reigns there, it would relieve that tension
of the nerves which the scene has excited,
and you would rise from your PROSTATE con-
dition and thank God that he has permit.
ted you to gaze, unframed, upon this ma
jestic display of natural architecture, AS
it is, sypathizing in spirit with the deep
gloom 81 the scene, you crawl from the
dreadful verge, scared lest the firm rock
give way beneath, and precipitate ycu into
the horrid gulf.-M P. Lanaford.
Year: 1872

The Great Falls are at the head of one
of the most remarkable le canons in the world
a gorge through volcanic rocks fifty
miles long, and varying from 1000 to near
ly 5000 feet in depth. In its oescent
through this wonderful chasm the river
falls almost 5000 feet At one point where
the passage Las been worn through noun
Year: 1872

The Congregdtionalist gives timely


warning to women, and especially to
girls, about the acquaintances whom
they make in the cars. / Speaking .oi
the scoundrels, who seem to
grow even more numerous and more
subtle as our civilization grows older,
it says: On the watch for women as
bad rs themselves, or for the young
and unsophisticated, of whom n villain
might make victim, it is next to i'm
possible for young woman to enter
the car unattended without their know
ledge. She is fortunate if they make
no more or less cautious approaches to
find ont who she is, where she is going
and whether she will tolerate the IA
miliarity of a stranger. So numerous
are these men that it is with some peril
that young woman undertakes long
journey alone. The peril of those who
may be unfortified by principle, or un-
acquainted with the ways of the world,
or susceptible to batteries from smooth
tongue, is great. We know of no help
for this evil but i'm the watchfulness of
parents, in the uprising of the yirtuous
against the vile, and the discretion of
those who are subject these annoyances
and insults. 1t is safe for young wo-
man to repel the familiar advances of
smiling and officious strangers at any
time. If on the road any help is re-
quired, there are public officials to whom
it is always both proper and safe to
make application.
Year: 1872

A man in Delaware having heard that
the earth revolves at the rate of one
thousand miles an hour, has arranged
a plan for going up in balloon and re-
manning stationary while the earth is
permitted to slide away beneath. He
thinks that by this means he can reach
California in couple of hours merely
by shooting up from Wilmington in his
balloon, and then dropping down again
as soon as the Rocky Mountains are OBJ
served to go past. He has the whole
thing arranged now in perfect order
the balloon, the place to start from, and
his map, and so forth-so that the
scheme cannot possibly fail; and all he
wants to make the thing complete is to
find something to tie the balloon to in
order to hold it still while it is in the
air.
Year: 1872

ant to high duties, he will pass away as
some other men have passed away. He
will be condemned by the popular
breath as other men are condemned.


He went a stranger to West Point.
He bore the ensign of his country as Il
subaltern officer in the Mexican war.
He retired from the army and the ranks
to private life, and like all American
citizens ought to do; more than that,
every one of us may yet be beyond it.
When the hour came for him to support
that wife and children he went to work
like an honest man.


How came the American people to
select him for their General-can you
tell?
Year: 1872

THE Philadelphia North American, cd.
tied by Hon. MORTON McMIcHAEr., comes
out in Mondays issue with sharp and
decided demand for the nomination OF
some Pennsylvania at Philadelphia as
Vice President, to enable the Republican
ticket to carry that State. The second
name on a presidential ticket has very
little to do with giving it strength. 1t is
the first name that does the business. If
the threatened denomination Of GRANT
imperils Republican success in Pennsylva.
MIA, then no vice presidential nomination
will saveit. The true remedy is to put a
different man at the head Of the ticket
Year: 1872

The concentration of power
in a stroke of lightning acting
through an inconceivable small
interval of time, may perhaps
be realized after examining its
work of destruction, yet Its in
ductive-action on the earth's S
surface is no less wonderful.


Prof. A. M. Mayer made an
experiment some time since,
which demonstrated the extent
of this action. He connected
the wire Of a galvanometer with
the water pipes Of Baltimore,
Nd, and joined the other end
Of the coil to a gas-pipe of a
house in the southwestern
part Of the city. Thus a vast
metallic system Of electr i c
nerves stretched three miles
toward the northwest, to the
reservoir, and about as many
miles to the east and south
east over the city. A thunder
storm was raging at the time
in the north, at so great a dis
tance that only the illumina-
tions Of the clouds told when a
flash occurred. Yet whenever
that flash took place, the nee,
die of the galvanolneter was
instantly reflected through ten
or twenty degrees. So nearly
simultaneous were the two oc,
currences that no difference in
the instant of, their manifesto
tion could be detected. Shut
ting himself up in a dark room
containing the galvanometer,
he sigualed when the needle
moved, to an observer Of the
storm, who also gave signal
when a flash occurred; and the
exchange of signals was always
found to be simultaneous. 1t
was ascel tanned on the follow
ing day that the storm was
more than twelve miles distant,
thus showing that over five
hundred square miles of earth's
surface was affected at each
flash Of lightning.
Year: 1872

AS the time is approaching
for the primary meetings of
the Democracy in the several
counties in this State, for coun.
ty offices, and as the approach,
ing campaign will be one of
unusual interest and import
ance, it behooves the Demo
Gratis in every county in the
State to lay aside all minor
considerations and select only
men Of the highest integrity
and ability to fill all their
county offices. Now is the
propitious time, and every ef.
fort should be made to rescue
Ohio from Radical rule; there
fore, let us place on our tickets
the names of men of known
and tried ability, men Of po>
litical experience and influence,
because not only Democrats,
but many honest Republicans,
will rally to their support
Personal and local preferences
should all be laid aside, and
honesty, and ability to dis
charge the duties OF the office
acceptably to the public,
should be the only considera.
tons in determining the choice
of our candidates. Let the
Democratic press throughout
the State earnestly recommend
the Importance to this subject
to their readers. Let each in.
di1idual Democrat endeavor to
secure the consummatlon of
this plan, and after such nomi>
nations are made let him de-
vote his energies to secure the
largest possible vote for each
candidate, and success will
perch upon our banner, and
Ohio rejoice in the restoration
Of honesty and good govern
ment,


A JEFTERsoNIAN.
Year: 1872

A New York paper of one
day last week announces the
sailing from that city for En-.
rope of twenty-five Mormon
Apostles.


One of the purposes of this
hegira is said to be that Of indu-
cling moneyed Europeans to
take stock in Utah Mines
Another object, as given by q
veracious reporter, is far more
important. 1t is said that the
growing desire for dress among
the women of Salt Lake, since
the residence there of mum.
Der of wives and daughters of
moderately wealthy Gentiles,
has been the cause of inumer-
Gus outbreaks among the wo-
men who are, in the larger
numbers, joined to one man,
and the growing tendency to
extravagance in dress has de-
termined the chiefs of the saints
to introduce to their harems
the poorer and more ignorant
of the women of Europe, who
are to be made to believe that
to dress that to dress as plainly
and cheaply as the Shakers is
the only very sure road to the
Mormon heaven. The deter
mination to dress extravagantly
which had within the past few
years taken an unyielding hold
upon the women of Utah, was
sufficient in itself to do away
with polygamy in a few years.
The movements of this last
mission of Mormon apostles for
the exaltation of plainness and
cheapness in dress, and the
placing of Utah mining stocks
abroad, will be watched with
painful anxiety by the saints
who remain, for on its entire
success they depend for the
upholding of polygamy perma-
nently in the realm Of the Lat
ter Day Saints.
Year: 1872

How TO USE A GRINDsToNE.
i. Don't waste the stone by
running it in the water, but if
you do, don't allow it to stand
in water when not in use, as
this will cause a soft place.


2. Wet the stone by drop
ping water on it from a pot
suspended above the stone, and
stop off the water when not in
use.


3. Don't allow the stone to
get out of order, but keep it
perfectly round by use of gas
pipe, or hacker.


4. Clean off all greasy tools
before sharpening, as grease ol
oil destroys the grit.


5. Observe. When you ge'
a stone that suits your purpose
send a sample of the grit to th'
dealer to select by; a hal
ounce sample is enough, ant
can be sent iu a letter by mail
Year: 1872

HERE is u California earth
quake incident: An unruly
colt had broken loose from his
tether, and the owner was cha
sing him about the lot when
the shock came. The colt dis.
appeared, but the farmer has a
first class drain across his forty
acre farm.
Year: 1872

This is a special to the Cincinnati Gazette:


WASHINGTON, July I6.-The Philadelphia
Board of Trade and number Of merchants
from the principal Western cities have been
for some time engaged in an attempt to Sc
cure the repeal in the treasury regul atiOns
of the requirement fora consular certified
invoice at the port of first arrival of goods
destined to interior ports Of entry, under
the act Of July, 1872 allowing their imme-
of a general bond by the fOrwarder, so as
to prevent delays in the bonding of each
package. A short time ago, a New York
firm took the matter in hand, with the view
of beginning the general forward business
from abroad to the interior points, If these
restrictionsscould be removed.


The Secretary of the Treasury has just
declined to change the regulations, IN let
ter as follows .. -


81 have duly and carefully considered
your application and the argument con
tanned in your letters OF the eleventh and
twenty-eighth ultimO, respectively, for dis
spensings with certified invoices at the port
of arrival on entries of merchandise destined
for interior ports, under the act OF July IA,
1870. and also allowing a general bond to
run saw a vear,5tO take the place of the
bonds now required on each separate entry
under said law, and have arrived at the
conclusion that. neither the law nor safety





f of the revenue would warrant the adoption
ofeither of such practices. 1t viii be read
iiy seen by. reference to section twenty nine
Of the act, that the entryOf goods made at
ports of arrival must becOmpared with the
invoice, and duly sworn to- and that the
duties shah be estimated on the value and
Quantity of invoice; and also by reference
to section thirty; that tl1ecbonds required
shall be in a penal sum of at least double
the invoice value of the merchandise. with
the duties added, thus clearly indicating
that the certified invoice prescribed by the
act of March 3, 1853, must be presented in
the entries in question the same as in ordF
mary entries Of merchandise, and that 9
special aud separate bond must be executed
and fled on each entry, for due and safe de-
livery to the proper officer of customs at
the,port of destination ofmerehandise west
ward, and described in the entry. decline,
therefore, to change the existing reg gQlatIona
IN the premises,
Year: 1872

Thit n new house. newly furnished and
is now open TO the travelling public. II is
located near the depot. No effort will he
spared by the proprietor to make the stay
of his guests pleasant and agreeable.
Year: 1872

AN ENTERPRISE AMONG THE WORxINGMEN-An
association IN Wilmington known as the "Work-
ingmen's Building and Land association" have
inauguraled speculation of some Importance They
have resolved to start cooperative colony near that
city, where they can live cheaply, and yet con.
venent enough, by railroad. TO work in the city, as
now Al "a meeting last Wednesday evening to
select site and name for the colony two sites were
selected one on the line of tho Wilmington &
western Railroad, about a miles from the city,
the other being property near the line of the vii
mlngton X Reading Railroad. The former site was
selected by vote Of 3 aganst3 and it was resolved
to name II Summervie. The number of shares ro.
quired is yet to be decided upsn und the election for
superintendent will take place as soon as some
additional regulations in the bylaws can be ar.
ranged.
Year: 1872




GUILTY.-Archibald Given, tax collector of
Wilmington, has been proved guilty, before
the u. ). Circuit Court, in that city, of MAKING
false returns Of assessment in order to defraud
colored men of their votes 1t was proven
that he had refused or neglected to receive
taxes from five colored men residing in that
city, and returned them on the error list of the
Levy Court as having left the State. 1t was
also shown, in evidence before the Court. that
where number of Republicans went before
the Levy Court of New Castle to examine this
error list that Given refused to let them see il.
lest they should correct the list and have the
names placed upon the duplicate in time to
enfranchise them. 1t was further shown that
Given was personally acquainted with most of
these cclored men, some of whom lived in the
same street with him, and yet he returned
them to the Levy Court as having left the
State"


Another Collector, named Cain, and even
the Levy Court itself, stand charged with
similar offences, but the Court adjourned after
trying Given, and their cases are to be carried
over to the next term. 1t is estimated that bv
processes similar to this upwards of ] 900 votes
of New Castle county, mostly colored. have
been wlllfuily disfranchse1 The number
throughout the State is estimated at 800 In
this county the number is supposed to reach
from 600 to 500. Several instances, when the
names OF colOred men we're brought before our
Levy Court to have their names placed upon
the assessment list, an adjournment was
effected before tie object was accomplished.
80 the parties who presented the lists are
willing to testify. All the tax thus lost to the
State from these 800 non assessed individuals
will have to be made up from the purses of
those duly taxed.


These trials are made upon indictments
under the Enforcement act passed by Congress
to carry out the provisions of the Fifteenth
Amendment. 1t can now be seen WHY said
act, wise measure brought before Congress
by such men as Nessrs. Greeley, Sumner, and
others to protect colored men in the rights
conferred upon them by the Amendments, is so
Objectionable to certain Democrats.


We refer the reader to our local columns for
the details Of the trial
Year: 1872

ticket will certainly be put in the field. He
states that the out look is Frightening every day
and they feel greatly encouraged in their forts
to save the Democratic party from annhilation


1t IS represented that in some sections of
Sussex county nearly halt the Democrats are
In favor of the movement, and will stay from
the polls unless straight ticket is put in nom
nation. In view of this fact some of the
Sussex crOw-eaters are encouraging the scheme
to save the county ticket, and relieve it as much
as possible from the Greeley dead weight.