smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

There is petty business done in large
cities, says an exchange, by the agents
for certain sewing machines which is
pure brigandage. An agent haunts the
homes of the poor working women un-
til he induces one to buy machine, to
be paid for by installments. The rates
at which the machines are sold to the
poor creatures is generally fifty per cent
above cash price, and at a profit Of two
hundred per cent, Let a poor seam
stress have paid within five dollars Of
the full amount and fail Of one months
payment, Shylock goes to his lawyer,
the machine is taken away under a clause
in the contract" and the poor girl or
woman left to starvation or worse. The
means of earning her living are taken
from her, and because she is poor and
ignorant of legal forms, she cannot even
get the money she paid or part of it.
A case with somo striking features in it
was brought into police court in New
York. The woman had paid within ten
dollars Of the full price for her machine.


1t was taken from her. Maddened by
refusal to return either money or ma
chine, she sought the "wild justice of re-
venge" with paving stone, which she
crashed through five hundred dollars
worth of plate glass. This is an excep-
tional case. The dispirited things that
see their machines and their money dis
appear together generally sit down and
"have a good cry" and go on starving
as before. This woman's paving stone,
however, has brought their SORROWS into
the light of day. 1t does not very much
displease us to know that the court
allowed the poor woman to go scot free.
Year: 1876

When the Nicolai railway was con-
structed, in 1918, from ST. Petersburg
to Moscow, the work was done under
contracts with American engineers, and
the cars and engines were supplied from
Baltimore by the famous establishment
Of the Winans Brothers. The Russian
priests oppose every modern innovation,
and of course they were "down on the
railway. Whom the road was opened
they determined to stop it, and SO they
went in force to point on the road and
set up holy picture to stop the new
work of the devil. The train came
slowly along and the engineer seeing the
picture standing on the track thought
there must be man behind it, and SO
came to halt. The assembled multi
tude raised a shout and the priests
called out that the saint was all-powerful
and would prevail against wickednoss.
The officer in charge Of the train came
out and took a survey of the situation.
Then ne told the engineer to run back
a quarter of a mile and bring the train
to halt. The shouting was redoubled
and the priests were in the most rap
tlrous delight. But their exultation
was soon changed to grief, as the mas
ter of ceremonies told the engineer:
" Put on all steam and go ahead without
regard to consequences. The engine
went ahead and down fell the picture,
torn and crushed by the wheels of the
locomotive. Modern civilization was
triumphant, and the priests and their
followers no longer shouted in triumph.
Year: 1876

The Reading penn Times says: A
new enemy to the growing crop of corn
has been discovered this spring, which
is committing considerable destruction
in some sections of the country. 1t is
peculiar black worm which can scarcely
be crushed on the loose earth, as it is
encased in suit of armor difficult to
break. They operate in the corn hills
by eating off the young plants. As
many as ten or twelve worms are some
times found in one hill. The cutworm
has hitherto been great annoyance,
but this new pest is said to be even more
destructive. In some townships farm
ers are busy replanting cornfelds that
have been thus devastated. Paris green
has been found to be as eflicacious in
DISCRIMINATING these worms as it is in de-
stroying the potato bug. Powdered
white hellebore is also said to be very
eflicacious.
Year: 1876

We have remarked of late, the Scje1l-
Hfc american says, the introduction
into the market, under high sounding
names, of various strong potash combl-
nations intended for laundry and cleans
ing purposes. One Of the preparations,
which appears to contain more caustic
potash than other ingredient, lately
caused the death of child who acci-
dentally ate little of it; and We have
found the same stuff strong enough to
remove old, hard paint from wood work
when merely wetted by the same and
allowed to rest thereon for perhaps an
hour OF two. We advise our readers to
let such preparations severely alone:
they are ruinous to clothes, and, except
to cleanse kitchen floors or other grease
soaked places, should not be used.
Even the ordinary low grade soaps are
heavily charged with soda and impuri-
ties, which, the manufacturers say, they
are obligedto use, in order to hold their
own with fraudulent dealers who adul
terate still more heavily; and these soaps
are also highly destructive to fabrics.
1t is much better economy to purchase
good quality, even a superior quality of
white soap for household purposes; for
the extra cost of the soap will, in the
end, be more than saved in the lessened
wear of clothes, of oilcloths, and of
paint. 1t is hardly necessary to add
that strong alkali soaps should never be
used on the skin, as their effe t is corro-
sive and harmful. The object of using
soap for the toilet is simply to overcome
the natural oil which exudes from the
body, and render it possible for the
water to combine Herewith; and very
little of The mildest soap is ample for
this purpose.
Year: 1876

A rustic individual came to London
by train to witness the reception of the
Prince of Wales. A man who had come
in the same third class carriage with him
admonished this rustic when they were
parting just outside the London sta ion
that he should be very careful of his
money, as many thieves would be in the
crowd. "Oh," said the rustic, "no-
body'll get my money; have only one
pound, and | mean to keep that in my
mouth. This remark was overheard
by one of the small hut clever street
boys, who watched his opportunity, and
when the honest countryman had got a
few hundred yards on his way suddenly
scattered a few pennies on the ground
before him and begun to pick them up
again, crying to the rustic as he did so {:
" You gimme that sovrin I" The rustic
looked bewildered. "You gimme that
sovrin," shouted the small boy. "I
seen you pick it up and put it in your
mouth. A crowd begun to collect and
asked the boy what was the matter.
why" cried tho little rogue, "I was
agoin long with one pun sixpence in my
hand, carryin' it to mother, II somebody
run agin me an knocked it all on the
ground, n this man he took up the
soVrin, an [ seen i'm put itin is mouth.
The astonished rustic attempted to ex-
plain, but his voice was thick; some
thing plainly was in his mouth, and an
honest British public forced him to dis
gorge. The poor rustic was glad to get
of without his pound and with whole
bones; the boy went off with the gold in
his pocket, and the honest British pub
lie distributed itself, each member
thereof satisfied that a scoundrel had
been defeated in his attempt to rob
small boy engaged in tilially supporting
his aged mother.
Year: 1876

We hardly think It a fair thing for our
lady friend to stop at the age Of thirty
nine, as there are very few ladies who
have arrived at that age of single bless
edness from whose hearts have been ex-
tinguished hopes of ever seeing the
chosen one. No, indeed so long as
there is still an old bachelor left, we say
give the old maids chance, and don't
blame them for still clinging to hope.
Year: 1876

A man recently died in Zurich who
for thirty years made remarkably big
fool of himself. When young he fell in
love, and then became jealous. While
in this condition he offended his sweet
heart, who to punish him made him
swear that he wouldnot speak for twelve
months. He swore. But she died be-
fore the twelve months elapsed, and the
lover concluded to remain dumb until
he rrjoined her in the next world. He
kept his word, and for thirty years was
never heard to speak.
Year: 1876

Among the applications for patents, many
are ridiculous in the extreme. One man
applied for patent for method of render
ing spirits visible. He said that the only


reason why spirits do not make themselves
visible to those they love is that the currents
and disturbances Of the air annoy and
bother them. In order to overcome this
objection, he proposed to apply suction
pump to room, suck all the air out, and
thus form perfect vacuum. The spirits
then being troubled no longer, would be-
come visible. As those who are to see the
spirits, after they do become visible, cannot
live in a room in which there is no air, and
as the pressure of the atmosphere would
crush in any substance which is transparent
enough to admit light and car be seen
through, even supposng that the theory is
true, how is it possible to get sight of the
spirits!


Another asked for patent for the genera
ton OF steam by boring hole down 20 the
centre of the earth where everything is in
red hot or molten condition. Among the
advantages claimed for this unique method


Is that there is no danger of an explosion,
and no expense for fuel or engineers. A
professor once gave the following question
to his class, each one of the scholars to
think it over and give him an answer on the
following day: "suppose hole was bored
through the centre Of the earth down to
China and a cannon ball was dropped into
the hole, where would the ball finally
come to rest % Next day he asked the
first boy If he had thought about the ques-
ton, and the boy replied: 81 cannot say
that have given much thought to the
main question, but have given good deal
to subsidiary one. How are you going to
get that hole to China" so in regard to
this invention. 1t is not the expense or
trouble after you have the steam, but how
is the hole to be dug so deepa
Year: 1876

to farm In Rockland county, and yLrked
as a common day laborer. As sucil he had
eked out scanty livelihood ever since.
Once, when he had been taken seriously
sick, he had written to his father. He had
received an answer, but when he had OPEN
ed the envelope there was a loud explosion,
the letter having contained some explosive
substance. The explosion had burnt his
hands and Scorched the face of Mrs.
schwartz the wife of farmer near Easlon;
for whom he had been working. He show
ed letter from Schwartz corroboratino
this extraordinary statement The letter
closed with the words, ut is truly wonder
full that both Schultz aud my wife were not
Instantly killed by the explosion. thought
OF taking legal steps against the writer aud
sender of this infamous letter, but as the
letter had been destroyed by the explosion
l was told by my counsel that could do
nothing"


Schulz, or as his true name is, Prince
Fredrick Plessen, appeared at the station
house in a piteous plight. He was in very
coarse attire, his face was Drowned by the
sun and furrowed by care and toll but his
aristocratic cast Of features and his tall.
commanding form bore witness to the truth
of his statement.


After breakfasting on roll and glass
of water, the poor fellow set out on foot for
Pennsylvania, again to resume his laborious
occupation as a farm hand.


"They did not sing this to me at my era
de" he said, greatly depressed, as he start
cd on his long tramp.
Year: 1876

dawn in our ovor-taxod, dospoiied
and disheartened people, then drive
us from power, with scoGn and in
dignntion. Our object is reform,
retrcnchmcnt and relief, that by
honesty and economy we may re-
duce the taxes and Tighten the
burthens of the people giving at
tue same time absolute security and
protection to the rights and proper
ty of all Upon this paramount
lssuo we cordially invite the co
operation Of every DeLlocrat and
Republican who is earnest and will
ing in this crisis Of our State, to
unite with us in this great work.
Year: 1876

NAILS IN FKuIr TREES.
driven into fruit trees, as near tho
ground as possible, are said to have
the effect Of making such trees more
healthy, vigorous AMI excellent than
those into which no nails have been
driven. The reason why nails arc
so beneficial is thus explained: Tic
reason why the worm will not at
tack the tree is because the oxidation
or rnsting of the iron by the sap
evolves ammonia, which, as the sal
rises will Of course, impregnatt
every part of the foliagc, and prove
too drastic dose for the dclicatC
palatcs of intrudins insects. The
salt Of iron afforded by nails is cx>
tremcly offensive to tho worms
while it is not only harmless but
beneficial to the foliage and fruit oil
the tree.
Year: 1876

The existence of a continuous, though
sluggish, current in the eye, flowing
from behind forwards, has been demon
strated by DIR. Max Knies. The follow
ing was the method of investigation pur


sued: A minute quantity of a solution
of potassic ferrocyanide was introduced
into the posterior part of the vitreous
humor After the lapse of from one to
four hours the animal was decapitated,
and the eyeball soaked in a solution of
ferric chloride it was then hardened in
alcohol, and subjected to microscopic ex-
animation. The distribution of the pre-
cipitate of Prussian blue furnished evil
dence of the displacement of the par
ticles of ferrocyanide during life, and
betrayed the paths along which it had
travelled. The current mentioned above
was found to exist in the interior of the
lens as well as in the vitreous, the fluid
required to nourish the former percolat-
ing through the latter, and thus follow
ing the same course as the blood in the
hyaloid artery of the fetus. The aque-
Gus humor consists partly of transuda-
tion from the ciliary body, partly of
liquid which has made its way through
the lens and vitreous. 1t serves to nour-
ish the cornea. The nutrient fluid,
whether in the vitreous, in the lens, OF
in the cornea, is conveyed along the in
tercellular substance and the author is
inclined to extend this proposition to
all the tissues of the body, regarding the
interstital substance everywhere as the
channel along which the nutrient Juices
are conveyed TO the corpuscular-elements
of parenchyma or connective tissue.
Year: 1876

A thinking mother finds the manage.
ment Of the family a difficult problem.
One son may inherit the disposition OF
the grandfather, another may have traits
resembling those of a remote uncle OF
aunt, another may be the hapless victim
of unfortunate prenatal influences, while
still another may be so harmoniously
composed as to require no management
at all. Children of the same family
often differ as widely as those that are
not akin to each other, and the problem
of bringing out of these diversities the
greatest sum total of virtue and hap
piness is not easy of solution. To judi
ciOusly manage these conflicting ele-
ments requires the utmost seJf-cOntrol
on the part of the parent. The first
thing to be done in order to manage a
child is to understand him thoroughly.
The next, to adopt such means as will
bring him into subsection to his parents
will, and thus enable him to acquire by
degrees the direction and control of his
own rowers for he must learn to obey
before he can yet command even himself.
1t is comparatively very little thing to
surround a boy or a girl with mere
phvsical comforts. Food and clothing
and habitation are essential to bodily
welfare, especially in this climate, but a
child having these may still be very
wretched, unless there come with them
sympathy, affection, recognition of his
essential character and capabilities.
Manya Juvenile soul hungers and thirsts
for the appreciation and satisfaction of
its intellectual and spiritual needs. O.
never had father" said lady net long
ago, though he she called such sat be-
side her every day "he knows nothing
of me, neither does my mother. l have
lived in profound solitude all my life. 7"
And vet that father doubtless thought
he was doing his duty to his child when
he taught her the commandments, cor
rected her when she did wrong, and saw
that she had comfortable food, raimeBt
and lodging. So far rs is possible, every
father should put himself, and every
mother herself. in the child's place, look
at things through the child's eyes, and
gently lead him in the right path. For
there is only one way of bringing all the
members Of one family into unity, and
that is by the law of love. When each
one in honor prefers the other, though
diversities will still exist, there will be
unity; though discOrds may arise, they
will resolve themselves into concords,
and the concords will be all the sweeter
for the occasional dissonance mingling
with the harmony.


THE kangaroo has been introduced on
several large estates in France, and is
now hunted in that country as game. 1t
readily adapts itself TO the climate.
Year: 1876




We give below an extract from the
charge of his honor, Judge Guild, to the
grand jury of the present term of the
circuit court:


come now to charge you upon high
misdemeanor which is 50 common in the
land, and which it is now your high duty
to notice, and bring the offenders to JUS
tice, whosoever they may be. l allude
to the vicious habit of carrying about
the person concealed weapons. More
than half the homicides which occur
grow out of this debased practice. When
I was boy, the " bullies" of one creek
would meet those of another creek upon
the muster ground, ring would be
formed, and fair fight was had no con-
cealed weapon was drawn and citizen
slain; all their muscles we're brought into
play, which ended in a knock down and
an occasional bite-no one slain. But,
now, the desperate, with his pistols
buCkled around him, seeks his victim, in
suits an unarmed man sensitive of his
honor, and if he make an effort to repel
the insult, the pistol is drawn, a new
grave is made anda a helpless widow and
orphans are left to mourn the loss of hus-
band and father. This evil practice is
one of the Off-shOOts of 1aZiness, and in
disposition to pursue some virtuous and
laudable employment which will always
secure Il reasonable living and bring
home to young man an honest reputa-
tion. Whenever young men depart from
this laudable course, put on and wear
broad-cloth, silks, kid-gloves and "pru-
nellas," attend upon gambling houses and
saloons and idle away their precious time,
they are sure to fall into vicious habits ::
such characters as those who loiter about
whisky shops and attend regularly upon
gambling heils, think themselves dis
graced if they have never killed their
man." so they arm themselves with the
deadly pistol and seek an occasion in
which to use it, that they may be lion
lied by the gentler sex, thinking it will
give them position or caste with them,
who in every age have appreciated
bravery-but the bravery displayed by
men should be courage exhibited in de-
tense of their country and not the bully
ism of the murderer. We are fallen upon
evil times-carrying pistols-dress and
parade-giving entertainments attended
with the extraordinary expenditures,
such as no honest calling can afford. Too
much extravaganza and too little work
are the fruitful causes of most of the
evils of our time. Genuine miTth and
virtue are undergoing a decay; in the
cities especially, they are stifed and be-
coming extinct. In this train of vicious
habits is this disreputable practice of
carrying concealed weapons. The juries
of the country and a virtuous public
sentiment should Danish this habit from
the land as they have driven dueling
and the bowie knife beyond the borders
of civilization
Year: 1876

Exhiimeu iron. dust, layer for each day.
find thy letters of year ago


Before me now.
They, as turn them idly Ger, display
A ribbon here, and there flower, and-lol


broken vow.
II is said that, in the early years OF Earth,
Ere man had weigh'd the worth of man, a state


OF wondrotfs light
Among its gentler kind had sudden BIRTH
And threw so fierca glare that other far


Were lost from sight.
Put after man had drunk the draft OF PAIN
And felr the passion of a newborn woe,


The star went out.
Zach ray that had been hid tole forth again.
And beauty more than one can ever know


Shone round about.
Within the sky star like this has died,
Whose gIeam had pierced the very soul OF Inc


And it was thou:
But il this peace unto tiny less replied
III thou enhanced the love that was TO be-


thank thee now,
Year: 1876

Yesterday / struck man who had
lust come in from the Hills. He had
been out there two months, and he says
there is no gold or water around Custer
CITY, and instead of there being several
hundred houses there, there are only a
few completed, and about seventy-five
altogether; and most of them pOle-pens,
eight by ten, without any roof, just TO
hold their lots. He also says there is no
demand for labor of any kind. Men arc
willing to work for their board, and do
their own cooking. Every train that
comes in is loaded with victims, and
they are met on the platform by runners
that tell them the latest news from the
Hills, and show them samples of gold
that they have got from Denver or Cal
lifornia, and the victim gets crazy with
excitement. The runners then take
them to some Outfitting house, and the
next morning they are off. That is the
way they do the "tender-footers," as the
new arrivals are called. They are leav-
ing here at the rate of one hundred and
fifty day, and 1 find that if a man lies
over here a lew days and looks the mat
ter up he never goes. The lies circu
lated from Omaha and by the railroad
company got the people started, and no
letters with bad news will stop the rush.
Nothing short of a stampede from the
Hills will stop it, and that will not take
place for month or two, for every man
that went has taken supplies for that
length of time, and when that plays out
then look out. 1t is about three hun
dred miles from here 10 the Hills-they
call it two hundred and sixty-the fare
is Sand they carry one hundred and fif-
ty poundsof baggage; freight, seven cents
per hundred. Prices of provisions and
board have gone up here twenty per
cent. in the last few days. You can let
all those that have the Black Hills fever
read this letter, for they will find it as
as near the truth as 1 can get it.
Year: 1876

WHAT is editorial courtesy WHY. ii
is when an editor is caught stealing
chickens at midnight and his brother
editors kindly allude to the matter as Il
strange freak of son lnambulist
Year: 1876

FOREIGN NEWSPAPERS IN THE UNITED
STATEs.-There are three hundred and ten
German newspapers issued in this coun-
try, ifty-eight of which are Published in
Pennsylvania and fifty in New York.
The French tongue is maintained in
twenty-eight papers, of which five arc in
New York city and more than twice as
MANY in Louisiana. Scandinavian is a
big word, and the language it signifies is
a very strange one to us natives, but it
mas its place in journalism to the extent
of nineteen papers, two of which are in
New York, while eight are in Illinois.
There are seventeen Spanish newspapers
in this country, seven of which are in
New York. The Importance of the
Dutch population of Michigan is shown
by the fact that five newspapers are
there published in that tongue, while
New York has only one. Our Ian
guages arc represented in the journalism
Year: 1876

lawn, shrieked for the police. Final
ly, Mr.. Murzleroot, somewhat bewil-
dered by the confusion and excitement
on the usually quiet street, went to
the front gate to see what was the
matter. AS he reached it, a woman
with white scared face, went scream
ing by. while baby in her arms was
writhing in horrible commissions. Mr..
Murzleroot turned and looked in the
direction of the woman's Mortified
gaze, and his eyes fell upon the sum-
mer house, planned and built under
the instruction of his wiser neighbors.
The color went out of his face and the
light went out of his eyes. He did not
cry out, he did not fall to the earth, he
did not move muscle after the eX-
preston of unspeakable supernatural
horror crept over his colorless face.
When it grew dark, so that people
could venture near, some men blind
folded themselves and set fire to the
summer house. Mr.. Murzleroot still
stood by the gate, unchanged in post
IRE or expression. They went up and
spoke to him and touched him. He had
turned to stone.


p. Sat the request of his widow
he will be broken up and used in the
U1,,E E,,