smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

when the train is moving at the rate of
sixty miles an hour.


In view of these marvellous develop
ments, we may well irqu1re whether
steam, coal and fire will not lose their
value as motors in travel, transportation,


manufactures, and all other industries.
A gallon of water in globe no larger
than mans hat, will dU the plowing OF
ten mules, and consume 10 more in
value than one mule +; giving bread and
meat to the million at prices never
dreamed of in all the past ages.


Another curious fact. The metal tube
which connects the two globes IN Hoo
tors vapor machine is soon covered with
hard ice, because heat is absorbed so
rapidly by the within expanding vapor,
How wonderful are the operations of
nature In steam engine heat is the
great generator of force, and aqueous
vapor it's product. Here is anotner va
por which, unlike inclndescent steam,
cools iron down perhaps to the point of
freezing carbonic acid. Cold things
have their Significance in all industrial
economy as well as things that are hot.
The hot water that bursts steam boiler,
cooled down in a common plantation
pot will burst that with expanding ice.


II travelling IN the air in the face of
whirlwinds is devisable, it may now
soon be very common. Rut man and his
aerial ship must displace air enough to
be lighter than the atmosphere whose
place they occupy, else they cannot rise
from the ground. Once up, to contract
the balloon is to bring the frail ship
down perhaps into stormy lake or sea;
not to contract it, is to let the tempest
or common wind drive ship and passen-
gers to destruction. Better keep on
terra frma, and be content to travel
600 miles in ten hours, for a cent
mile, drawn by the Hoctor motor.
Year: 1875

Writing of Andrew Johnson, the most
observant of chroniclers, Charles Dick


ems, said in 1868: 81 was very much sur
prised by the presidents face and man
ner. 1t is, in its way, one of the most
remarkable faces [ have ever seen. Not
imaginative, but very powerful in its
tirmness (or, perhaps, Obstinacy),
strength of will and steadiness of pur-
pose. There is a reticence in it, too, Gu
riously at variance with that first unfor-
tunate speech of his. A man not to be
turned or trifed with. A man, I should
say, who must be killed to be got out of
the way. His manners perfectly COM
posed. There was an air of chronic
anxiety upon him but not a crease or
ruffie in his dress, and his papers were
as composed as himself" When John
son went out of congress in 1858 he was
pale-face black-haired man, brusqe
in his speech, abrupt in his mien, and
of nervous movement. As he grew older
he gained in self esteem, and his ad-
dress improved. During the last ten
years of his life he carried himself like
one used to command, and, though often
decisive, was not wanting IN a very fine
and rare possession. Originally it
was easier to stir him to anger than to
move him to laughter. He made many
efforts to overcome this tendency, and,
toward the end, his outbursts of passion
were neither frequent nor conspicuous.
His mirth, however, was never violent,
expressed for the most part in a grim
humor about the lips and in the eyes.
Dickens does not exaggerate his person
mel. It was altogether marked, and but
for a certain sullen shadow, which at
times darkened his countenance, it
would have been unexceptional. No one
could meet him without receiving a
distinct impression. He was the last of
men to be slapped on the back or treated
with levity. Even when a poor, up
country politician he was scrupulously
neat in his attire, punctillious i1tekact-
ing courtesy for himself and meeting
no one half way.


The death of the ex president may be
said to have come to pass at an oppor-
tune moment for his fame. It was
hardly possible for him to realize the
expectations of the country in the re-
newal of his senatorial career. He would
certainly have disappointed the hopes
of those who regarded his temperance
in the national capital as a partisan ad-
vantage. His triumph last March was
measure of poetic justice but with it
there hovered menace which he was
little like to heed. The grave cuts eff
the danger. He sinks into his last re-
pose battles SCARED and care-worn, the
flag of his country folding his wasted
form and waving above his resting
place. It may be written on his tomb,
" He was the poor mans friend"
Every pulse of his heart kept time to
homely music. He had nothing in COM
mon with the rich and great, and will
be lamented chiefly by the humble,
over whom he exerted an influence I'M
equaled in our annals.
GO2ITieY. TOllT7lnL
Year: 1875

What He Remembers About Steamboat Racing


on the Mississippi.


Racing was royal fun. The public al
ways had an idea that racing was dan
oerous whereas the very opposite was
the case-that is, after the laws were
passed which restricted each boat to
Just so many pounds of steam to the
square irch. No engineer was ever
sleepy or careless when his heart was IN
a race. He was constantly on the alert,
trying gague cocks and watching things.
The dangerous place was. on slow pop
ular boats, where the engineer drowsed
around and allowed chips to get into
the "docter and shut off the water
supply from the boilers.


In the "flush times" of steamboat
ing, a race bstween two notoriously
feet steamers was an event OF vast i'm
portance. The date was set for it several
weeks in advance, and from the time
forward, the whole Mississippi valley
was in a state of consuming excitement.
Politics and the weather were dropped
and people talked only of the coming
race. AS the time approached, the two
steamers "stripped" and got ready
Every incumbrance that added weight,
or exposed resisting surface to vino
or water, was removed, if the boat could
possibly do without it. The "spars
and sometimes even their supporting
derricks, were sent ashore, and no means
left to set the boat afoat in case she
got aground. When the Eclipse and A
l.. Shotwell ran their race twenty-five
years ago, it was said that pains wers
taken to scrape the gliding off the fan
ciful device which hung between the
Eclipse's chimneys, and that for that
one trip the captain left off his kiC
gloves and had his head shaved. But
always doubted these things,


If the boat was known to make hel
best speed when drawing five and hal
feet forward and five feet aft, she wal
| carefully loaded to that exact figure
she wouldn't enter a dose of homeo
pathic pills on her manifest after that
Hardly any passengers were taken, bu
because they not only add weight bat
they never will "trim boat" They al
ways run to the side when there is any
thing to see, whereas a conscientious
and experienced steamboat man would
stick to the center of the boat and par
his hair in the middle with a spirit level
atlanta Monthly.
Year: 1875

The baigneur of the gala dress, hold
ing lad on the end of a cord, is wordy
and severe in his instructions, consist
ing of a running something after the
following fashion


Listen well, young man. Cut the
water with your closed hands straight
before you, then separate them swiftly
draw up your legs, heel to heel sepa-
rate and strike out are you ready 1t is
well, let us begin, Now, then one, two;
one, two one, two"


The baigneur, counting for each
movement as he walks along the plat
form, and occasionally holding a pole
before the swimmer to give him conr-
age, resumes:


"Ah, Monsieur, that is not the way
to do it; let us begin again. Now for
it, courage. Strike out; one, two" and
so on, the lad making strenuous efforts
to grasp the receding pole, for the pos
SCISSOR only let's him catch it when he
shows disposition 10 sink, which he is
never allowed to d. completely, as be-
ing too demoralizing. An occasional
gulp of water and the continual ha-
rangue from overhead, are discour-
aging, and the boy is dazed half the
time and does not know what he is about;
then the master asks him where his
courage is, and ventures the opinion that
he is a wet hen, this being the equiva-
lent of our muff. The father of the lad
often stands by and watches this opera
tion with tender solicitude, and when
thu offspring comes out of the water
chances are that the father and son en-
brace each other with effusion. TO an
American who has been learned on the
end of board, or been thrown into
deep water, yet untaught, and allowed
to get out as best he can, this system of
ropes, belts and professorship is
singular. Hilbert Rhodes IN Scribner.
Year: 1875

AFFAIR FROM HOME.
see q shadow in q chair,
see a shadowy cradle go;
hear ditty, soft and low:
The mother and child are therei
At length the balm of sleep is shed;
One bed contains my bud and flower;
They sleep and dream, and hour by hour
Goes by, while angels watch the bed.
Sleep On and dream, We blessed pair
My prayer shall guard ye night and day;
Ye guard me so, We make me pray
Ye make my happy life prayerl


r. III. SrOdddr2,
Year: 1875

This city will always be great center
for gambling, because the blacklegs of
all nations center here. Every game
known among civilized nations here has
it devotees, and even the "heatten
Chinee" has gambling resort. Gam
bling is here ingeniously adapted to all
ages and tastes, as well as to all nations.
There is the ten cent keno hole for clerks
and apprentices, and there is the splen-
did he'll for men of better tastes and
more money. The fascination with which
the practice holds it followers is beyond
description. A few years ago a man
named Green, who styled himself :" the
reformed gambler" delivered lectures
on the frauds which marked every form
of gaming. This did not impair the busi-
ness in the least, and l am under the i'm
preston that Green went back to gam
bling after the lecture season was over
in order to prepare himself for the plat
form. just now our best gamblers are
the watering places. 1t is surprising
how neatly they manage to divide off,
so that no resort shall be 0vercrowded.
One would think the scheme was gotten
up in q committee of the whole. Here
are Newport, Long Branch, Saratoga
and Cape May to divide the attention of
the gambling fraternity, and each place
will have its due proportion. Dancer re-
mains In town all the year round, with
brief vacation. His place is in such a
center that it need never fail of business.
Besides the Astor House, which is i'm
mediately opposite, there is French's
hotel, which is only separated by the
park. These provide an abundant out
Of town patronage, and then there is the
rush of city youth, who like to play
down town because it is farthest away
from their residences and less liable to
discovery. If Dancer would give us
book of his experiences and reminis-
cences it would contain some curious
revelations. He is the veteran of the
faro table, and can remember such men
as Pat Hearne and Jack Harrison, who,
in their day, were the princes of luck
and the favorites of the blind goddess.
Dancer could tell some strange secretg
concerning the failures of eminent mer-
chants and brokers, and the defalcation
of distinguished officials which was sim
ply due to nights spent in his company.
-.NeaO York Letter.


EFFECIIvE.-Yesterd morning a
long haired, thickly- bearded stranger
entered Griswold street barber shop,
and in response to the inquiry If he
would like to be shaved he replied &:


eyes, sir, you miserable, contempti.
BILE, skulking highway pirate, ! would. ="


He removed his hat, drew a big navy
revolver, cooked it, and sitting down in
a chair with the revolver In his hand he
continued


"Now, 60 ahead If you ask me to
have nv hair cut, or say that have
dandruff, or cut my chin, or ask me to
buy your hair restorer, I'll shoot you
dead in your tracks !"


That barber didn't say one word while
shaving that man.-Detrot Free Press.
Year: 1875

Olive Logan writes from Long Branch:


cit seems strange that the irrepressible
coquetry of the American woman should
not have niched itself Ito use Nine. de
Sevigne's expression) in her bathing
costume. Women of the most marked
elegance in drawing-rooms obey the law
of our land and make the vilest scare
crows of themselves to go into the surf.
More bathing dresses are let out IL Long
Branch in q single week than are so dis
posed in a whole season at all the French
resorts combined. Every French lady
frequenting les bGins de mar pays spe-
cial attention to providing herself with
as carefully selected in regard to its be-
cOmingness in colCr and cut; its fit
must be as perfect, its freshness as un-
doubted as any dress that madam wears.
Some of these costumes are really
charming, and when donned enhance the
beauty or elegance of their wearers
quite as much SIS any other. A delicate
rose flannel, with knife plotting of white,
hat trimmed in accordance, pink hose,
and straw shoes, navy blue serge with
stripes of yellow, green and brown me-
rinOs-these are some of the combina-
tiOns which dwell in my memory from
last season. Many ladies have several
such costumes extravaganza scarcely
worth mentioning, as the materials from
which such dresses are made are very
cheap. But whatever a French lady's
sea- bathing costume may be-her own
and three or four of them in the season,
or hired from day to day from Ia bGig
ne1tT-One accessory is absolutely indis-
pensable. Imean the long flannel cloak,
which it would be to offend the plainest
propriety not TO wear from the moment
the bather leaves her cabin until she is
ready to plunge into the sea then the
cloak is thrown off, ta--be Immediately
donned again on leaving the water.
Sometimes the beach is literally strewn
with these clOaks. Each claims her
OVID, and never heard of a misapprO-
priation. To dispense with these cloaks
warm and dry after leaving the sea-
and to run along the sands exposed to
the wind in dripping bath-dress would
be considered piece of imprudence in
a hygienic sense, and to dress and go
away without having first equalized the
circulation by the use of the hot foot
bath would be looked upon as sheer
madness only worthy the barbarity of
American customs. male ana Iemalo
attendants keep all buttons, strings,
ETC., in perfect order upon the bathers'
costumes, and it is considered necessary
to thoroughly wash away in fresh water
every trace of the sea for the proper
preservation of bathing costumes. It is
true that many A merican ladies here at
the Branch have their own bathing cos
tunes, but these are almost invariably
made of dark flannel, and no effort at
coquetry is attempted"
Year: 1875

A Juror in Erie, Penn, who was unable
to follow the evidence sufficiently closely
to satisfy his own mind, last week sought
out the defendant in the case, and got
all the facts he deemed necessary. The
result is thus set forth by The Erie Dis
patch:


When the Lehman vs.. nlig jury re-
tired, upon the first vote cast, eleven
were in favor of a verdict for the plain
tiff, and one for the defendant. This
one is.a farmer, passing the prime of life,
conscientious, dignified parsonage, a
pattern of probity and simplicity, who
wouldn't ON any consideration have his
verdict influenced by improper motives.
After some persuation he yielded to the
very strong majority against him, not
because he thought them exactly right,
but becarse the majority was overwhelm-
ing. After the verdict had been rend-
cred he explained his position in this
manner: During the trial he had suffered
considerably from rheumatism and neu-
ralgia, and the pain had attracted sc
much more of. his attention than had the
evidence that he was not very clear what
the testimony had been, and SO, to en-
tighten himself upon it--having passing
acquaintance with the defendant in that
suit-he sought him out on the evening
preceding the morning when the jury re
tired for consultation, got from the sait
defendant a full explanation of his theor,
in the case, conceded heartily in hi
views, and, after an hour or SO in con
versation with him in relation to it, wen
to bed fully convinced that the sui
should never have been brought, ant
that the defendant was entitled to a ver
dict, which impression he carried unim
paired to the jury-room.
Year: 1875

There are several kinds of India rubber
cement. The best known is "marine
glue" A cheaper cement and one that
is highly recommended, is made by cut
ting quantity of pure India rubber, in
in its natural state, into small pieces,
putting them into wide-mouthed bottle
and filing it about half full of the
purest benzine; the rubber will swell up
almost Immediately, and if well shaken
will in few days assume the consistency
of honey. If the rubber does not dis,
solve add more benzine. If, when dis.
solved, the cement is too thin, add more
gum. A piece of rubber one inch il
diameter will make pint of cement


This dries in few minutes, and is very
useful in uniting pieces of leather, as i
is both elastic and durable. In mend
ing rubber goods put patch of rubber
over the place to be mended and cemen


it on with the solution, which fasten
| the patch firmly,
Year: 1875

ton, and aye ignorant besides. Some OF
the English Judges =haye- decided that
the mark against a maj. must be a cross
in every case, when the law only in
tended to provide that some mark should
be affixed. The ballot moreover does
not secure general secrecy, and English
tradesmen willlsarn that the independ-
ent voter cannot be manufactHed by
any such device. He must be trained
ND by popular education, and by the re-
lief Of the mass of the people from their
servile dependence on those superior to
them in wealth.
Year: 1875

BEECHER on hash: "This trial has
been like hash to me. You know hash is
very good occasionally, but when you
have had it fifty or sixty days right along
If becomes a little tiresome."
Year: 1875

have sworn to love and protect men
with one foot in the grave snd
the other lifted to follow. Preten,ious men
have married dashlng widows, who, beguiled
into the belief that they were rich, satiated
their anger when learning the truth by
breaking tea pots over their heads or draw
ing them around the room by their FORE
locks. It has purchased many bushels Of
green fruit that has succeeded in filing our
nurseries with cries from collie pains. and
thus helped to depopulate the Garth of many
diminutive items of mortality. We ven-
ture to predict that more than one
quarter of dollar In this vast pile
could, If 1t were possible for it to arise and
explain, tell tal:s to Mrs. Anybody who
is interested that would make Mr.. Any
body who is interested bald-headed in less
than three minutes. 1t might take few
moments longer, but of course that de-
pends greatly on what the quarter should
be pleased TO say. And yet with all this
knowledge.and wide experience with the
world this great bulk of living. brislling
history-a sort of mystery animated-must
pass mutely away to furnish material upon
which to print the current deeds of an
other are
Year: 1875

Major Allen belongs to the army of the


United States and is stationed at jackson,


Miss. Why he is C major in the army We
are not prepared at present to explain.


Why he is stationed at jackson is so clearly
evident as 10 require no explanation at all.
To be at Jackson in the capacity Of major
two months ago, or even a shorter period
than that, meantnot little. Mississippi was
on the eve of a revolution; we may with
candor say that she had already merged
into the very twilight Of revolution. Two
elements were bitterly pitted against each
other. One was black; the other white.
One demanded the constitutional right of
exercising the franchise privilege; the other
openly and threateningly denied that right


Men who called themselves the sons of
chivalry, whose interests were closely
bound up in the selfish phrase of 1--WE want
a white mans government, fashioned
their ends to secure the prize. Blood was
now and then spattering the streets of
many towns in Yazoo and other counties.
1t always proved to be the blood of black
men; blood let by the knife of the White
Liner, TO accomplish White Line end.
Murder, rapine and plunder inaugurated
by this element of white snobs
soon became general in many
paris of the State, and threw society into
condition of continual unrest and confusion
Amidst these scenes of hwlessness when
every influence bearing the potent force of
peace in lis essence should have been
welded in the interests of good govern
ment and social order, we find number of
the constabulary power of the country con-
niving with riotous mob in a system of
massacre and pillage. Major Allen, at the
request ofthe Opposition. yielded up to them
the use of United States field piece,
which weapon they manipulated as an in
timidating instrument with wonderful sue
cess. Althou Oh the nature of our laws do
not facilitate the punishment of these mob
instigator themselves. yet there is satis-
faction in the knowledge that when a
United States officer aids and abels them in
their nefarious schemes to fetter the fran
chise and destroy the force of constitutional
laws, his case can be readily reached and
summarily punished. As soon as the De-
partment of Justice discovered this crimi-
nal act on the part Of Major Allen 1t took
the proper measures to secure his punish
ment, and already court-martisl is inves-
tigating the facts in the case, which. for
the sake of the future peace of Mississippi,
ought to be thorough and complete.
Year: 1875

A prominent politician, particularly one
while candidate for somc great Office, can
scarcely turn around without some one picking
flaw in bis action. The fact is, Samuel Cox
says, that ''if it wefc possible for him to lay
an EGG, he verify believes there would be some
one on hand to suck it,"
Year: 1875

The Republican ward and city committee of
Boston have nominated for mayor Halsey J.
Boardman, present chairman of the common
council. The nomination receives Importance
from the fact that the Republicans and Demo-
Gratis have united on Cobb for the last two
years.
Year: 1875

The recent election in Minnesota gives lit
tie cheer to the advocates of woman suffrage.
The people adopted the constitutional amend
ment which provides that any woman of
twenty one years Of age and upward may vote
at any election for choosing officers of schools,
or any measure relating to schools, or may be
eligible to any Office pertaining TO the manage
ment of schools
Year: 1875

Fernandy Wood retires from the Speaker
ship eortest in very bad humor, and in bis in
irascibility sticks a very sharp thorn into
Samuel Cox by calling him "busy little
bee, slipping Of this and slipping of that, but
drinking of nothing long" In nreturn, Samuel
takes the sting out of the remark by calling
Fernandy ''an irrasciblc old gentleman, whose
morals will scarcely allow him to lecture
any one who pretends to common dccency"
Year: 1875




This superstition that the census of the
city of New Orleans will not equal the
population accredited by that taken by the
United States in 1870 is likely to prove er
roneous. The second, third and seventh
wards have not yet been compiled. but in
two of them the falling off will probably be
very slight. Tho compilation of the re.
naming wards indicates q population OF
l4I,lS6. in 1870 that Of the three wards
now incomplete was given as 6l,676. If
there is no falling off in this amount. the
population of the whole city will be given
as 2O2 S62, which. it the census Of 1870 was
correct, gives as accurate an enumeration
of the number Of people in New Orleans
this year.


Some complaints Of varying character
and importance have been made in the
daily papers. The majority OF them seem
to come from persons with chronic desires
to expose their private grievances to public
view. This disease leads one sometimes to
expose his credit at the grocery, in denounc.
ing extortionate charges. and to detailother
family ills of trivial character. A news.
paper is hardly the place to seek remedies
Of this kind. nor does it do any good to
abuse the census canvassers in its columns
if ones house has been skipped for any un-
explained reason. It would be as sensible
to advertise Mr.. Soards in the came way if
one thought his name had not been taken
for the directory instead of going to his
office and correcting the error. 1t is the
desire of Colonel Wright to have the census
as accurate as possible, and every opportu.
nifty will be given for correction before