smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

The following mode of tying


hyenas in their dens as practiced


in Afghanistan, is given by Arthur
Connolly, in his "Overland Jour-
nal" in the words of an Afghan
chief. the Shirkaree Syud Daoud:


"When you have tracked the
beast TO his den, you take a rope
with two slip-knots upon it in your
right hand, and with your left
hand holding felt cloak before
you, you go boldly but quietly
in. The animal does not know the
nature of the danger, and there
fore retires to the back of his den.
but you may always tell where bis
head is by the glare of his eyes.
You keep moving on gradually to-
ward him on your knees, and when
you are within distance, throw the
cloak over his head, close with him
and take care he does not free HIM
self. The beast is so frightened
that he covers back, and though
he may bite the felt, he cannot turn
his neck round to hurt you, so you
quietly feel for his fore legs, slip
the knots over them, and then, with
one strong pull, draw them tight
up to the back of his neck, and tie
them there. The beast is now
your own, and you can do what
you like with him. We generally
take those We catch home TO the
krail, and hunt them on the plain
with brides in their mouths, SO
that our dogs may be taught not
to fear the brutes when they meet
them Wild"


Hyenas are also taken alive by
the Arabs by a very similar method,
except that a wooden gag is used
instead of felt cloak. The simi-
larity in the mode of capture in
two such distinct countries as AL
geria and Afghanistan, and two
races so different, is remarkable.
From the fact that the Afghans
consider that the feat requires
great presence Of mind, and an in
stance being given of man having
died of bite received in clumsy
attempt, we may infer that the AZ
CHAN hyena is more powerful or
moro ferocious than his African
congener.
Year: 1876

My boy" said a father to his dying son,
" do you know you are dying, may die to-
day z" The boy looked up in his fathers
loving face; Dying am 2 Is this dying
Shall die tonight 2" The father was weep
ing for his son, the great tears rolling down
his cheeks. "Oh, father, don't weep for me
don't cry, father. When die am going
to heaven, and when | get there will go
right up to Jesus and tell Him that it was
through you came there" All, my friends,
I'd rather have my son bear testimony
like that TO the throne Of God than have all
the riches, all the wealth. all the gold, or all
the jewels this world ever saw--yes, ten
thousand times rather I'd rather have my
son an heir Of the kingdom of heaven, and
joint heir with Christ, than have him heir
Of the grandest and proudest monarch the
world ever knew " Heir OF God, and joint
heir with Christ" All that's an inherit
tance worth having, and its what God Of
fers to MS.


Oh, fathers oh, mothers see that your
childrens names are written in heaven.
Never mind whether they are written in this
worlds book or not get them written up
there in heaven, and then you'll have them
bearing up to Jesus testimony like what
that son did. Is not that worth striving
for p Words of liz.
Year: 1876

cess. We pushed them back 10 the line Of
battle, attacked that, and then we were
tossed back, torn and bleeding, almost blotted
out of existence as a company.


Ot the eight old veterans, six were lying
dead under the trees; Of the new men
twenty-five answered roll-call after the VIII
derness Was that war, or slaughter? A
captain aud second lieutenant only vere
left TO represent the one hundred and three


The end was not yet, but the end was
coming. There were no new recruits for
my company, but we were marching toward
Richmond numbering twenty-seven. Has
the country forgotten the fierce conflict at
Petersburg? As we fell into line to make
twentyseven more In the brigade, saw the
lieutenant looking at me. Poor fellow
there was no need for him TO speak. Would
this fight wipe ont the old company entirely,
or would one be spared And which one 2
lie had a wife-I had none. hoped he
might live 10 call the roll after the battle was
over, aud that death would have taken me.


The line quiyered as it felt the order
coming, and then II dashed at an earthwork,
went forward with the same old cheer which
had been its own ever since its bronzed vet
eraus heard the whistle Of bullets. But it
was too much for us. They had forgotten
INV Mtdh We Wtlfs anu some one lldd DUN
dercd. The lines withered before the storm
OF shot We fell back were charged in turn,
and | went down among the heaps Of dead
and wounded. The roar of battle died away
in moment daylight changed to darkness.
and when | opened my eyes again the sur
geons stood by me, and my left arm was gone.


There was no one TO call the roll. The
stark, stiff form of the lieutenant had been
given TO earth, and the seven men who rep
resented Company G looked to themselves.
Fate had a choice who should be taken and
who left, and death passed me by. ! alone
of the one hundred and three veterans re-
turned to the country village to tell them
how this one and that one died to hear the
sobs OF widow and orphan until my heart
ached. Sometimes in my day reyeries or
night dreams | call the roll again, and shad-
owy forms stand in line, and ghostly voices
answer "aye and "aye," until | start up
with a sob in my throat at the remembrance
Of those who sleep in the trenches beside the
Potomac, meath the shadow of Round Top,
along the Rappahannock, and down among
the dark thiokets Of the Wilderness, sleeping
there never to know war Gdldrg.
Year: 1876




1t is pity for young matron to attempt
any great display. 1t is also mistake to
invite a great number of guests. for the
number increases the responsibility A
great secret Of success is to ask people who
are likely to amalgamate and coalesce-peo-
pie Of diversity of character, grave and gay,
but yet diversity which will unite aud
form a harmonious chord. A wise choice in
this latter respect will much tighten the la
bors of both host and hostess. The hostess
should be very punctual in her own drawing
room, and quite ready to receive her com
pany at the appointed hour. In order that
she may be at once approached, she should
take up her position not far from the door,
and facing it and as the guests arrive in
quick succession, it Is more convenient 10
remain standing until most of them have
entered the room. Meanwhile, it is the duty
Of the host q am supposing the occasion to
be that of " dinner y to communicate to
the several gentlemen whom they are TO take
in TO dinner and, ii they happen to be
strangers, TO introduce them to the ladies.
When dinner is announced, the host offers
his arm to the lady who it has been previ-
ously decided has the greatest claim TO pre-
cedence. and escorts her TO the dinner-table,
placing her on his right hand. The guests
follow in assorted couples, the hostess being
the last to arrive, accompanied by the prin-
cipal gentleman guest. During the dinner
hour, the attention of the young matron
should be concentrated on her visitors, and
not allowed TO wander TO the movements of
the servants. 1t requires an effort and a
certain amount of courage TO start subjects
OF conversation, especially after pause, or
during a dead silence. Sometimes people
are not in talking vein, and conversation
seems to be continually falling to pieces, but
it is the duty of both host and hostess to
prevent this-to set the ball rolling, and TO
make strenuous efforts to keep it in motion.
There ought not to be any whispered direc-
tions to servants-no reproving glances. If
anything goes wrong in the household de
partment, it is far better taste to let il pass
unnoticed than TO make everybody present
uncomfortable, either by trying to remedy
the error, or by apologizing for it. Some
times accidents will happen-laugh ones,
too-but it is a mark of good manners to APP
pear unconscious of their occurrence. The
hostess should never leave her guests at any
period Of the evening if she can possibly
avoid it, and certainly not under any pretext
if the host is not present. ! was at party


not long ago, when both host and hostess
absented Themselves great breach of eti-
quette. True, it was only for a few mo


ments, but a feeling of awkwardness fell
upon all the guests. As it happened, we
were mostly strangers to one another, and
we all fell to pieces then aud there and |
don't think it was possible for any one, how
ever much he possessed those valuable quail
tiles of attraction and cohesion, to bind us
together again.-Hdrper's Bdsar.
Year: 1876

devil did not get into. What would you
have thought Of Paul going to Corinth to
open fair ? To put young lady behind
a table to draw young men to look at her
beauty, for that is what it means. | know
how disastrous the results Of church fairs
are. was never so much ashamed in my
life as when, in a Western town in which !
lived, ! saw il advertised that any man could
kiss the handsomest young lady at a fair for
twenty-five cents. Aud this was for The
repenishing Of church funds If we can't
get money to build churches in any other
way than by holding fairs, in Gods name
let us go and preach in the streets Ap-
plause. Let every Christian man set his
face like flint against these denominations ~
Year: 1876

A AlIopEFUL TnE,-Perhap many mother
who prays and longs and weeps for the con
version Of her sou whom she sees rising into
manhood with no hope in Christ, had she
but understood the feelings and the expert
ences Of that boy when he was accustomed
to come and lean upon her shoulder or lay
his head in her lap with a look of sadness
on his little face, she might have carried him
into Christ's arms and made all the years
from then till now full to him of Jesus love.
But perhaps she herself was not then as
spiritually awake as now; perhaps she her
self was so far out of sympathy with the
movements of the Holy Spirit that she could
not see the meaning of the troubled brow,
or know anything about the feelings Of this
little one over whom the Saviour was so low
ingly bending. But she did not see, and SO
she lost a golden moment which, had she
improved, would have saved her heart many
an ache, and her boy many sin and sorrow
We have every reason to believe that the
Spirit Of God is peculiarly near to childhood
and draws the little ones to Him. The sad
ness is, that, in their earthliness, parents mn
derstand this so seldom.
Year: 1876

LIVE WITHIN YouR MEANs.-This is a
good rule for ofice-hoders and business men
generally. When the man of moderate in
come endeavors to live as expensively as
man of wealth, his future can be easily writ
ten little enjoyment, periods of anxiety,
burdensome debts, a desperate struggle to
keep up appearances, ultimate bankruptcy,
aud red flag to notify the neighbors that
the sheriff is master OF the situation. One
half the dishonesty of the present age springs
from this foolish practice of initiating the
style of others. The man of thousand a
year wants to live equal TO the one who re-
ceiyes five he in turn aspires TO make as
big show as the one who receives ten, and
the receiver of ten lahors to keep pace with
with the one who counts his income among
the fifty thousands Is it any wonder that
so many fail in business, or forfeit by their
misconduct the confidence of friends We
must come back to the old-fashioned way Of
living, and this can be done only by obeying
that injunction--live within your means.
Life is altogether too short TO destroy its en-
joyments by taxing soul and body to keep
up false appearances. Contentment comes
with moderation mental suffering and keen
anguish with extravaganza. To the young
man just starting in life, we say, live within
your means. To the ofiice-holder, who hopes
through honorable conduct to merit promo
tion and distinction, we say, live within
your means. To all who labor for honor or
profit we commend this motto as safe and
sensible one, and one that will pay com
pound interest in the end. A faithful ad-
herenee TO it by old aud young, rich and
poor, will restore confidence in business and
official circles, and fill the land with happy
homes, from which viii emanate spirit of
purity essential to the maintenance Of pub
lie virtue.
Year: 1876

Dull PRAYER-MEETINGs.- fact, the
whole secret of making the prayer-meeting
a delight, instead of the WEAKNESS to flesh
and spirit il so often proves, is for each one.
before going, TO make special preparation OF
heart aud mind to engage in its various ex-
ercises. Every one may not be able to speak
or pray in public, but the humblest and the
most timid can, before going to the place Of
prayer, ask the divine blessing upon the
meeting. Suppose that such were the uni
versal practice can it be doubted that the
tone OF the meetings would be far higher
and sweeter than they generally are Would
they not begin with greater warmth and
spirit? 1t not unfrequently takes full
third, or, under a formal aud unnspiring
lead, half of the time, to get the meeting
started in earnest. How much better is the
meeting that moves smoothly and briskly
from the start We have heard Of a good
old minister who used to say that when
preaching it took him about an hour to get
warmed up to his subject 1t is often just
so with the prayer er-meeting, and seldom fails
to be so under an msuggestive and dull
opening that the wearisome waiting comes,
and the stale platitudes with which prayer
meeting exercises abound-the pinchbeck
substitutes for genuine thought and feeling
-Erdminer and Chroaicle.
Year: 1876

IL we stand right with heaven, every cross
is blessing, and every blessing pledge Of
future happiness; if we be in Gods disfayor
every one Of His benefits is a judgment, and
every judgment makes way for perdition.
Year: 1876

Says a writer on canaries: In this
way answer the question "How had
such luck with the birds ?" Simply by
allowing the birds to attend to their
affairs, and by letting them understand
that their mistress would never harm
them. Also by accustoming them to
plenty of light, air and company, rather
than is advertised in books, keeping the
cage in dark room for fear of frighten-
ing the birds. Make just half the fuss
directed in bird books over the matter,
and you will have, doubtless, better sue.
cess in raising birds. Never give them
sugar, but all the red pepper they will
eat; it is the by far best thing for
them. And if your bird feels hoarse at
any time put piece of fat salt pork in
the cage and see how the little fellow
will enjoy it. Give him faxseed once in
while, and if he appears dumpy oc-
casionally give diet of bread and
water, with red pepper sprinkled in.
Open the cage door and give your pets
the freedom of the room; soon they will
come at your call and fly to meet you
whenever your voice is heard. / had
one who came regularly to my desk as l
sat writing each day, and disputed with
futtering wing and open beak my hum
BILE right to the inkstand. lie would
take his bath as | held the cup In my
hand, and coolly dry himself on my
head. Another would fly down or up
stair to me whenever / called him, and
many time when l have been out he
has welcomed my return by flying down
tse stairs and singing at the top Of his
voice all the while, until at last pcrched
on my shoulders, he would accompany
me to my room.
Year: 1876

earnest. He cast timid glance toward
the door. The Duke hastened to it and
locked it.


Will you write the letter. ask
your Majesty for the last time |" roared
the Duke.


The Emperor humbled himself by com.
plying with the Dukes demand. The
letter was written, and Leopold pocketed
it with profound bow. Then he un.
locked the door and hurriedly left the
Imperial Palace. The Emperor was over
come with shame and rage.


But what was he to do? The best
policy for him to adopt was that of
silence. So Leopold of Anhalt was per-
mitted to leave Vienna without let or
hindrance.


Upon his return to Dessau, Anna Liza
was solemnly proclaimed Princess of
the German Empire. She lived happily
with her eccentric husband, to whom
she bore large family of children.


The peculiar manner in which he had
obtained the Emperor's consent to her
elevation to the ducal dignity, did not
become known until after Leopold's
death. The Emperor had died already in
1905, and there is some reason TO believe
that the shock he had received at that
memorable interview, was the first nail
to his coffin.
Year: 1876

Puncture the Chinese empire by any
foreign power and it would be found to
be a gigantic sham. The population of
the cities, as enumerated by Marco Polo,
has given an exaggerated opinion of the
population. Peking, stated at eleven
millions, does not contain more than
seven or eight hundred thousand, and
Marking, stated at the same fabulous
population, does not contain at presents
population of more than two hundred
thousand while as to the population of
the entire empire, no actual census has
been taken for more than eleven centu-
ries, and no reliable basis exists for
making an estimate of the population.
The opinion of the wealth Of China is
equally exaggerated, for in what does
this wealth consist? In the agricultural
regions the improvements are OF ali
economical character; there are no
fences, and the faim-hOuses, are a mere
trumpery collection of mud and straw.
There are no great. manufactures requir-
ing the investment of capital; the mines
are not worked TO any considerable ex-
tent; there are no railways, but few
shipping companies, and no foreign ship
ping interest. The houses in the cities
are very fragile constructions; the boats
upon the rivers and canals are of mex
pensive material and rude finish; the
carts and wagons for transportation are
of the rudest workmanship, and there is
not road in China ten miles long over
which a spring vehicle can pass in safety.
In what, then, does this imagined wealth
really consist? The masses of the peo-
pie are miserably poor, and the struggle
to maintain life is so great that it ceases
to be a boon. AS the Chinese prepare
their defenses with painted curtain
screening dummy soldiers and wooden
guns, which become ludicrous when ex-
posed, so, we imagine, if the curtain
were raised from the interior of China,
and the poverty of its resources ex-
hibited, the fabulous Cathay would be
found to be sham.
Year: 1876

WoRKMEN.-Mr. Ruskin says in the
London Garden Suppose the captain of
a frigate were by any chance obliged to
place his own son in the position of a
common sailor; as he would then treat
his son, he is bound always to treat those
men under him. Sc, also, supposing the
master of mandatory saw it right to
place his own son in tho position of an
ordinary workmen-as he would then
treat his son he is bound always TO treat
every one of his men. This is the only
effective, true, or practicable rule which
can be given on this point of political
economy,
Year: 1876

Says the Ash6eld, N. c., Pioneer: On
Monday night of last week number of
men met at a house on North Tow river,
Mitchell county, for the purpose of a
general spree. AS usual in such cases a
quarrel ensued, and in fight between a
young man named Davis and drunken
companion named Tooley, the former
was stabbed in the abdomen, and por-
tions of the entrails protruded from the
wound. In this condition he was placed
in basket, a pole run through loop in
the same, and the ends shouldered by
two men, who attempted to carry him
where he could get surgical aid. Their
path led along the side of rugged
mountain, and they had borne him some
distance when the knot through which
the pole ran loosened, and the wounded
man was thrown down the mountain, his
intestines catching on bushes and wind
ing around him as he rolled down its
precipitous side. He was alive when
picked up, and his friends carried him to
house in the neighborhOod.


We are informed that an old midwife
was called In to attend him. She pushed
back the entrails and sewed up the
orifice with pack-thread. Late in the
day DR.. Dagger arrived, who gave as his
opinion that the operation had not been
properly done-that Davis "paunch"
was not in the right position, and that
some of the minor cntrails were missing
This he ascertained by giving the patient
several hasty shakes he said the sound
was too hollow" At this order the man
was again ripped open, while parties
were sent in search of the missing en-
trails. They found several of these Indis.
pensable to the progress of digestion, and
and hurrying back to the house handed
them to the doctor. As they were very
dirty, he rinsed them in cold water,
sprinkled little salt over them as a
preservative, and then put them in the
patient. The wound was reserved, and
when our informant left 1t was thought
that Davis would recover. If he does, a
life insurance policy would be the great
est extravaganza he could indulge in.
Year: 1876

He was told that it was impossible to
break an egg, by pressing it (no matter
how hardy endwise between the hands,
He said he could do IL anyhow-and he
did. Only some one had given him a
very bad egg.
Year: 1876

A DEPUTATIoN of the West India
committee had an interview with Lord
Carnarvon, Colonial Secretary, in Lon
don, recently, with reference to the re-
port that the Governor of Barbados was
melting the negroes to rebellion because
of the presumed intention of the home
government to form confederation of
the Windward Islands. Lord Carnarvon
declared he knew nothing of it, and that
the government had no desire to press
confederation scheme.
Year: 1876

CoRNwALLIs, Nova Scotia, has lady
teacher who kisses the first boy who gets
to school in the morning, and the small
boys are crowded out of school by chill
dren of larger growth, who roost on the
fences all night so as to be up early.
Year: 1876

loss at the same time that it would, in an
entirely peaceable and proper way, discour-
age the shareholders, Spanish and American,
who now use the power of Spain to prolong
a contest in which they are the only gamers
and she the constant sufferer


1t is worse than nonsense to talk of our
''sufferings" in Cuba We have suffered
there by the losses of American shareholders;
that is all. Are we to pretend pity for them
Are we to threaten Spain with war to make
them more secure of their slave estates or to
compel her to give them back? Is it not
little shameful that our power and influence
should be used on their account or that their
losses should receive mention in q Presi-
dents Message? The House of Representa-
tves has now the Spanish question before
it. If the majority of that House are
wise they will pass bill refusing pro-
lection to any American who owns or
uses slaves in foreign territory and dis
owning him as a citizen, and then adopt
frank declaration that, while we propose no
unlawful interference against Spain or in
favor of the insurgents, the American people
believe she can never recover her colony,
and do not desire that she should, holding
universally that the whole of America ought
to be free from European domination. Such
policy would get general approval, we be-
lieve, throughout the country And if to
this the House should add in the revised
tariff heavy differential duty against slave
grown sugar-no matter where it comes
from the sentiment of the country would
applaud the act.