smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

The lower house of Congress has passed the
Cheap Postage bill reported not long ago from
letter postage to two cents for each half
ounce or fraction thereof, declares magazine
and newspaper manuscripts to belong to the
third class of mailable matter, fixes the post
age on daily newspapers at fifteen cents per
quarter, and requires prepayment of postage
on all printed matter, or mailable matter, OF
the second class, except on weekly newspapers
within the counties where they are printed or
published, which will pass through the mails
free, as heretofore. AS it originally came
from the committee, the bill restricted the
newspaper franking privilege to "weekly
newspapers with the respective counties
printed and published" The words &c actually
and wholly which would seem to have been
inserted for the purpose of discriminating
partly in the cities by " auxiliary" establish
ments, and partly at the place of publication,
were very properly stricken out. Country
publishers who print their newspapers ac-
tually and wholly" in their own Offices have q
right to their own opinion of country
insides," or "country outsides," of course,
but Congress has no right to force their opin-
choose to subscribe and pay for papers printed
on the auxiliary plan, they have perfect
right to do SO, and publishers have a
perfect right to supply the demand for papers
of this description. 1t is not for Congress to
inquire of publishers where they have their
printing done. They may have it done in
their garrets or in their cellars, or they may
pay. others for doing it a thousand miles away,
hpthey please. Congress has nothing to do
with the business. Chicago Times.


Our Chicago contemporary takes a
correct and sensible view of this matter.
He might have gone a step further, how
ever, and added that it was bit of i'm
pertinence, to say the least, on the part
of certain members of Congress to at
tempt to defile our national statute books
with such a manifestly unjust piece OF
class legislation-a piece of Legislation
more in keeping with the barbarism OF
the dark ages than with the liberal and
enlightened sentiment of the present
century. It is matter with which Con-
gress nor any other Legislative body has
no sort of concern, and in meddling with
which they are stepping wholly beyond
the pale of their legal prerogative. II
Congress possesses the legal right to
dictate to the publisher the mode, man
ner and place for the execution of the
mechanical work of his paper, it pos


sesses an equal right to enact that ht
shall use straw paper instead of rag
paper that he shall use large type in


stead of small type that he shall use {
bad quality of ink instead of gooC
quality; that he shall use hand press
instead of steam press and altogether


that he shall furnish his patrons with al
inferior paper, instead of a good, reada


BILE sheet. For, in reality, the out


rageous discrimination attempted woulC
! have amounted to this, and nothing less
Year: 1873

The 1fiJeOaatkee Wisconsin of the 11th
has the following The propeller City
of Fremont left for Grand Haven for the
third time last night, but was compelled
to return after having penetrated the ice
belt distance of only fourteen miles.
During the high westerly winds of last
week the ice was never at any time out
of sight of land. AT this point since
then it has constantly been added to, so
that now it once more fills the bay. In
view of all the facts that can be ascer-
tanned we have no hesitation in saying
that Lake Michigan, at this point, where
its width is 85 miles, is now entirely
bridged over with ice, varying in thick
ness from one to twelve feet. Never
before within the memory of the oldest
living inhabitant has it been known to
occur. It will require high southerly
wind of at least weeks duration to
break up and drive the formidable belt
toward the lower end of the lake, and
enable the steamers of the Engleman
line to cross. In the meantime the
Manistee and Messenger remain in the
condition reported last week, off White
hal, and receiving occasional supplies of
food from shore.
Year: 1873

going to the Bible for arguments, I
shall shut up. Finish your glass, my
man, and let us say good night"


He finished his glass, he said good
night, and walked away with the air of a
man who thought he had had the best of
the argument.
Year: 1873

LIQUOR LAw.-As this subject is now
occupying large share Of the public
consideration, the decision of the Su-
preme Court of Pennsylvania, upon that
subject, synopsis of which we publish,
will be of general interest. The main
points determined are, 1st. that the Le-
gislature may delegate to the people of
each municipality the power to accept
or reject the provisions of specific
prohibitory liquor law; and I'd, that an
act of the Legislature is not invalid in
consequence of not being general in its
application. Chief Justice Read and
Justice Sharswood entered dissenting
opinions to the decision of a majority
of the Court.
Year: 1873

SMALL PICKINGs. We saw at the Te-
niro railroad station, the other day. a
specimen of small pickings from pas
seneers which we could but regard as
disgraceful to the management Of the
road. Fifty cents was demanded and
paid as extra freight on toy shotgun
not so heavy as Colts revolver, car
ried by boy passenger. We Lave no
idea that the Superintendent of that
great national enterprise would tolerate
small levies of that kind upol- passen-
gers, or that such contributions are add
ed to the finances of the company. Few
gentlemen object to voluntary contribu-
tions to servants as a reward for extra
service or civility, but all feel vexed
and annoyed when tie smallest demand
of that kind is enforced upon guests
or passengers in the name of the con-
trolling authorities. An umbrella or IL
walking stick is quite as much an OBJ
ject of extra charge as the article above
mentioned.
Year: 1873

Nenr11 PACIFIC LAND RING.--A letter
from a gentleman prominently connect
cd with the Northern Pacific Railroad,
assures us that the organized land ring,
under the name of the 8. Lake Superior
and Puget Sound Land Company, has
lost all control over the direction and
management of the railroad; that the
election of Gen. Cass to the Presidency.
and the exclusion of Thomas 81. Can
field from the Board, was expressly on
that account; and that the location of
the line and the settlement of the ter
nlinal point will be determined BY the
President in the interest of the public
and the Company exclusively, and not
Influenced by any ring, and these
were the only conditions upon
which Gen. Cass would take the Presi-
dency of the road, or that Jay Cooke
would continue his relations to the
Company as financial agent. With this
INCUBUS ItiuONtit, tAClC 10 ehNuhN.she
reason for hope in the rapid progress
and successful career OF the project,
which had been nearly brought to
stand-still by the destructive policy Of
the ring of private Spectators hereto
fore in control. The probabilities are
that the policy recommended by Mr..
johnson, the first Chief Engineer of the
road, to give to every prominent port on
the Sound, railroad connection, will
be carried out, and that Seattle, from its
commanding position, will reap the first,
and lasting fruits of this policy.


In-this connection, we feel bound to
say that the report published IN Port
land paper that Marshal Biinn had
telesraphed to us that 65 miles of the
road would be contracted for to be con-
structed this year, was unauthorized.
We received no such telegraph.
Year: 1873

From the Philadelphia Press we copy
below all that il gives of the decision OF
the Supreme Court of that State on the
constitntionalitv of what is called the
"Local Option Law, +" to restrain the
retail traffic in intoxicating liquors.
The Judges divided on the question but
the majority sustained the law. Here
is the report as it appeared in the Press


Yesterday morning Judge Agnew de-
livered the obinion cf the majority Of
the Court in the Local Option cases.
The opinion was very long, but the fol.
lowing is the substantial statement Of
the points in the decision:


The Judge said it was an admitted
cardinal principle of government that
the Legislature, which is the agent of
the people, cannot delegate its legisla-
tive power to any other person. But
what did the Legislature in this instanc-
do? 1t passed law prohibiting The
sale of intoxicating liquors in the Twen-
ty-second ward, and provides penalties
for the breach of itsrequirements. Thus
it was perfect law when it left the
Governors hanls; the vote of the people
did not max he law. did not give force
to any prohibition, did not create a pen
atty, but simply an opinion upon the
law. their sentiments and wishes in re-
gard to it.


Such vote might be useful in ascer-
tanning the utility or adv stability of a
particular law and when the Legislature
simply calls to its aid the vote OF the
people to ascertain their views, it acts
strictly within its proper sphere. The case
of the Con monweat.h VS.. Parker did
not decide this question, for there the
law was imperfect, in that it was not
mandatory until after the popular deci-
sion, hut the present law was perfect
when it left the Legislatures hands.
The law did not spring from the vote,
but the vote sprans from the law. To
say tina. a law resting upon afuture con-
tincency is invalid would be to rob the
Legislature of the power to act wisely
and well for the hest intrests of the peo-
pie. Though the Legislature cannot
delegate the power to make law, ye1
it can make law and delegate the pow
er to ascertain some particular pom
upon which the action of the law itsei
is to depend. The mayor and Councils
have delegated to them the power tt
make laws and ordidances; but this was
simply the power TO determine what Is
best for the the city. and the character
of the city was the law which breathet
life and force into the result of their de
liberations. The decisions in this State
since the Parker VS.. the Commonwealth
ruled this case. After citing numerous
authorities the case closed by affirming
the iudg. ment of the Court below.
Year: 1873

A gentleman of Williamsport, Pa,


travelling in Jamaica, W. l., a few


years ago, was attracted by a vigor


Gus looking plant growing on the


roadside in the dry and arid soil, ap-


parently the only vegetation that
could withstand the extreme heat
and drouth. Upon inquiry, he was
told it was the life plant, and that, if
a leaf should be suspended by thread
from the ceiling, it would put forth
roOtlets from each of the dentate
notches. He broke off a twig and a
leaf, and packed them among some
dried grass and brought them home
with him. The moisture in the air in
the tropics was so penetrating that
they grew in his trunk, and the twig
continued to grow after it was planted
in the ground. up TO the present time.
Last winter it bloomed, the flowers
were in a large panicle, purple bells,
about an inch and half long, and
they soon began to fade. At the sug-
gestion of a gardener, the top was cut
of, but, the plant looking a little un-
interesting, the top was stuck into
The ground, when new buds appeared,
md it continues 20 bloom as though
it was on th parent stock.
Year: 1873

w. r. Tegetmeier writes TO the
London Field


"The fatal disease caused by the
presence of the fatal cape worm, ap-
pears unusually prevalent. 1 have
had it in my own runs, where it has
attacked some Sebright bantams but
L have found no difficulty in curing it
by the means of carbOlic acid, which
1 first recommended for this purpose
in the Field Of last year. So potent
are the fumes of this powerful reme'
DIV, and so Obstructive are they to
parasitic hfe,. that their inhalation
for even a few moments seems perfec-
ly effecual in destroying the life of the
worm. 1t is not even necessary to
employ any special apparatus a few
drops of carbolic acid may be placed
In spoon and held over the flame of
a candle until thevapor is seen to rise,
when the head OF young chicken or
pheasant (held in the other hand)may
be placed in the vapor, which the ami
NAL is forced to inhale Care must be
taken not to carry on the process un
til the fowl as well as the worms are
killed. 1 find after exposure to the
fumes for few seconds tie bird may
be regarded as cured, and may be
seen running about quite well on the
following day; if not, the treatment
should be repeated. The medicinal
carbolic acid is preferable to the tarry
liquid used for disinIecting sewers and
drainS.''
Year: 1873

A correspondent of the Ohio Farmer
writes: a few pounds OF bones are worth
as a wagon load of barn-yard


manure. The farmer may ask, Show
shall l get the richness out of these
bones?" In the first place, when you
prepare your leach to get lye for max
ing soap, put the bones in the bottom
OF the leach; after you get all the lye
out of the ashes, take the bones out !;
all of the softer bones will now mash
up very easily, but those that remain
hard must be boiled in lye until they
become soft; after which they may be
ground in a corn and cob mill, if you
have one-if not, you can mash them
with a hammer; the finer they are
ground the better they are. You now
take this bone-dust and sprinkle a
very little of it about anything you
want to have grow fast; be sure and
put but little to a plant, as this is a
very powerful fertilizer.
Year: 1873

The N. Y. World says: Narrowing
winter wheat in spring was practiced
successfully in Western New York in
the palmy days of wheat growing
there. But it has not been q general
practice among wheat growers. Lat
terly, the discussion OF its advantages
and disadvantages has occupied space
in our agricultural papers. So far,
we have seen no testimony against
and much in favor of the practice
from those who have tried it; and
Just now we came across, in a letter
from an American in France, the
statement that "F-ench farmers are
pretty generally adopting the plaa Of
giving a few strokes of the harrow d.
this season, to their winter wheat "
The writer adds that it is strange this
practice relative to wheat is new,
while it has been adopted on artificial
meadows and lucerne from time imme


mortal, not only to eradicate moss, but
to freshen up the spring crop.
Year: 1873

The thing has been done over and


over sgain, observed DIR. Carpenter
in y recent lecture--that q man has
gone and held his naked hand in such
stream OF molten iron, and has
done it without the least injury all
that is required being TO have his
hand moist and if his hand is dry,
he has merely to dip it in water, and
he may hold his hand for certain
time in that stream OF molten iron
without receiving any injury what
ever. This was exhibited publicly at
a meeting OF the British Association
at Ipswich, many years ago. 1t is one
OF the miracles of science, so to
speak; they are perfectly credible to
scientific men, because they know the
principle upon which 1t happens, and
that principle is familiar to you all
that if you throw q drop OF water
upon hot iron, the water retains its
spherical form, and does not spread
upon it and wet it. Vapor is brought
to that condition by intense heat, that
it forms q sort of film, or atmosphere,
between the hand and the hot iron,
and for lime that atmosphere is not
too hot to be perfectly bearable. There
are a number of these miracles Of
science, which we believe, however
incredible at first sight they may ap-
pear, because they can be brought TO
the test OF experience and can be at
any time reproduced under the nee
essary conditions.-Houdin, the con-
jurer, in his very interesting autobI-
ography-a little book l would re-
commend to any of you who are
interested in the study of the work
ings of the mind. Houdin, tells you
that be himself tried this experiment,
after q good deal of persuasion and
he says that the sensation of INNER
sing his hand IN this molten metal
was like handling liquid velvet.
Year: 1873

The result of an experiment is thus
reported by horticulturist: "Last
Spring, 1 put a small shovelfnl of the
refuse material from the salt works,
which is composed, 1 believe, of salt,
lime and ashes, around four year old
pear tree. 1t has made very thrifty
growth, and the leaves are all free from
blight or spot, and have a very healthy
glossy look while others of the same
lot, manured with barnyard manure,
have grown but little, and the foliage
is spotted and dull. Now, if no ILL.,
effect may be attributed to the barn.
yard manure, it would seem that the
difference in these trees was owing to
the salt.
Year: 1873

The proceedings of the AnDual
Convention of the South Carolina
Agricultural and Mechanical Society
contain these pertinent remarks, which
are as applicable to the farmer of the
West as to Southern planters, so far
as producing as much for consumption
OIL the farm as possible is concerned &.


In the first place, all the leaks on
the plantation, however small, must
be stopped, for often penny saved is
two pence made. A pound of bacon
bought at ten cents seems cheap
enough; but when the teams with
hired drivers are 20 be taken from the
farm to haul-it from the place OF pur.
chase, or from the railroad and then,
too, the money which is to pay for i;
being in all probability an .fufssTO and
drawing one and halt per cent. per
month, considerable trouble and labor
had better be incurred to grow that
meat at home, rather than buy be-
cause so cheap. No farmer in South
Carolina need buy a single pound of
meat. One single well bred hog,
twelve months old, butchered annu-
ally for each member of his family,
will supply him with an abundance
of meat And this can be done by
simply economizing the waste about
cur farm lots. The fallen fruits, the
stubhle fields, the kitchen sIops, and
the gleanings about his stables, will
suffice to produce a sufficient quantity
of meat for the farmers family.


In the second place, bread srould
never be bought with the cotton crop.
If wheat cannot be grown it should
be bought with corn; or if corn be
an Improbable crop, which it is on
nine-tentLs of the plantations of South
Carolina, some other grain less expen-
sive, but equally valuable in market,
should be grown to be SOLD or given
in exchange for wheat or -four. If
our farmers could be induced to de-
termine to produce their own meat
and bread, Two great points would be
gained towards adopting that system
of plantation economy which would
restore our State to her wonted pros
perity. But so long as our smoke
houses are in Baltimore, and our grain
crops in the Northwest, SO long we
will continue to be "hewers of wood
and drawers of water for other less
favored, but more prudent people.
Year: 1873

People who have nothing else TO do,


find amusement in s:roliing about the
streets and looking in the shop win


dows, and this pleasure is greatly en-


hanced if there is little money to


spend. Sometimes ladies complain of


the fatigue Of shopping. 1t may be


fatiguing, but they like 1t; and it GER


tainly is FAR preferable TO making calls.


What is sport for the purchaser is


sheer work for the salesman. 1t is no


recreation for him to be showing
goods, and very likely il is often a
trial of temper to pay attention to a
customers Ehims. Some ladies are
very difficult to please, and viii be
an hour selecting two or three yards
of ribbon. Well, colors must har-
monize, and all we can venture TO say
to fair shoppers is, "Do not be need
lessly fastidious." But to ladies who
go into shops to look and not to buy,
we venture on a stronger remoG.
STRANGE. We do not mean that there
is any moral obligation 10 buy il you
enter a shop On the contrary, the
shop is open to you to inspect the
goods, and to buy if you like; and it
may, and will happen, now and then,
that the goods you inspect do not suit
you We refer to those who enter a
shop for pastime, and with no inten-
ton of purchasing. Perhaps those
who go into shop without purchas-
ing are not aware that they iniure the
person who attends upon them. The
is censured, and sometimes
fined, for allowing 4 customer to go
without buying, and hence the nat
ural anxiety to sell you something.
Mind, we do not say that those who
enter a shop are morally bound to
purchase; but We say that no one
should enter a shop without the in


tention of buying if the goods suit
and a bona tide customer, who is not
suited, gives very little trouble.
Year: 1873

There j. al Old superstition Thai


praise is toO good thing u be : Ven


to children; that it is too rich for their


moral and mental digestion. Some


parents are 30 afraid that child will


grow proud, that they never praise


him, and this course is often di,as.


trous. 1t is apt to produce too much


self assertion-for self assertion is a


legitimate outgrowth of the with


holding OF commendatiOn to which


one il entitled-or to engender q sell


distrust or melancholy hopelessness OF


disposition. Praise is sunshine to a


child, and there is no child that does
not need it. 1t is the high reward
Of ones struggle to do right. Thomas


Hughes says that you can never get


mans best out of him without


prsise. You certsialy can never get


a child's best out OF him without


praise. Many sensitive child, We
believe, is starving to death f,r kind
commentator. Many child, starry
ing for the praise that a parent should
give, runs of eagerly after the de |
signing fsttery of others. To with


hold praise, where it is due, is dishon>


est, and, in the case Of child, such a
course often leaves singing sense of
injustice. Motives Of common jus
tice, as well as regard for the future
of the child, should influence the
parent to give generous praise for all
that it deserves. OF course there is a
difference in the constitution of chill
dren. Some cannot bear SO much
praise as others, and some need a great
deal. 1t should never be indiscrim-
mate. We remember a wonderful
woman who taught school in village
until she had educated part of three
generations. She was one Of the most
successful of teachers. But her sue
cess lay in her gift of praising with
discrimination. A bad boy, wLo was
q good scholar got praises for his
brilliancy, ssndwiched between her
aSomination for his bad behavior, and
50 was won to a better life; and we
recall good girl who had no gift of
earning rapidly, but was saved from :,
liter despair by the praise she got for
ler untiring industry. Into the dis J
,ouraged hearts OF the children the
praise OF the teacher came like sun
light. And The virtues, like other .
ruits. can only ripen in the sunshine. +
-Reo. Earo1rd EggLsstOn. !
Year: 1873

After sheep has lost its fleece, the
skin of the animal becomes very sen
sitive TO the heat of a scorching sun,
or the chill of cold storm. To be
convinced of this, and the importance
of making some extra exertion for the
comfort of the animals, it is only ne.
cessary to visit the fed where the
flock is kept, when the day is hot or
immoderately cold, and witness the
discomfort manifested. In either case
the sheep will be found seeking shell
ter, painting or shivering, ard of
course suffering severely.


Probably the most economical mode
of protecting the flock is to turn them
into the woods, or into field part
of which is covered by forest trees.
Here, in hot day,they are shielded
IRON the sun, and in cold storm get
some protection. It is better, how
ever' when cold storm approaches,
to drive the flock up, and keep them
in the barn until the weather is sui,-
able for them to go out again.


1t will be remembered that. but q
few years ago, thousands of sheen
were killed in Northern Ohio. by a
cold storm some time in June. Farm.
ers at that time, who were thoughtful
enough to care for their fiocks, saved
them, and the lesson learned then
should be remembered. 1t is not
frequent that we have summer storms
severe enough to kill sheep outright
unless: perhaps, it be few old ''pelt-
ers,'' yet that is no argument agains,
giving them protection, for when ar
animal suffers from any cause, it de
clines in flesh, health and strength.


At this season it is particularly i'm
portant that ewes with lambs be giyer
all the advantage possible, for the,
have two lives to support, and tht
draft upon their system is heay,
enough without being subjected t.
endurances which night, with care
be sverted.- Ohio farmer.