smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

reverence-we dare not mar what seems
so perfect. He who possesses the sense
of beauty, is always interested on the
side of order. He who lacks il is as de-
structive as Goth. The beautiful,
ideal, piece of architecture, bears no
mark of pen knife. The handsome
school.rOom makes the children neat.
The instinct of order, decorum rever-
ence, conciliation, and hamony fow in
to the soul with beauty.


This sense too, has something like
coascjence in it. We feel bound to do
and be ourselves, something worthy of
the beauty we are permitted to admire


The man whose eyes and sOul arc
open to the beauty there is around him,
sees everywhere encouragement; to him
the touch of natures hand is always
warm and genial. What a pity there arc
so many who can see no good IN any
thing, but gain to whose utilitariau Wis
ion most that is natural hath few charms.
What is it makes virtue SO much Shunned
by such vast numbers of men? Partly the
depravity of our nature if you please,
but partly, also, her numerous unerac-
full specimens. For it is the instructive
expectation of all minds, that what is
excellent shall also be beautiful, lovely,
natural and free. A certain percentage
of the piety we see around us, is more
or less the product of restraint and fear.
1t stands there in spectral contrast with
nature, we may approve it, but we can
not love it. Methinks if it had more of
the ''image and superscription of Jesus,
it would not so chill us, there would be
an ease, grace, and elevation OF charac-
ter, that would look free, lovely and
inviting. as did the character Of The Re
deemer.


Finally-Beauty always suggests the
idea of perfection. Everything boauti
full is emblematical of something spirit.
ual, yet its meanings and suggC stions
are infinite. What is it, after all but
God revealed through the senses? We
may regard them, everything beautiful
as divine hint thrown out to us, and
the soul begins to dream of her bound
less capacities when she listens atten-
lively to the teachings OF the beautiful


No wonder then, that the suit dedt
secs should be able TO carve beauty out
Of the rock, or gather instruction from
the leaves Of the great unbound volume
Of nature--leaves damp from ;he press
of creation, and feast on paintings new
er and fresher than the lily that opened
its spotiess heart yesterday to tho sun.
Every thing pertaining to the. divine
handiwork is complete from frs. 10 last;
from the plan Of Salvation, finished
upon Calvary, amidst the darkening
heavens aud rendinc rocks.-to the hum
bic violet, fnished-that opens i;s sweet
blue eye to the dew , z.


Paw Paw, Feb, 1919.
Year: 1873

Is the World q Huge spII.Box


It's q curious thing to consider how
many people there are In the world whose
daily habits are very little superior to
those Of the beasts Of the field. They do
not understand the use OF the bath. They
are guilty Of all sorts Of daily practices,
and It iP one of their peculiarities that
they care nothing whatever fol. the an.
noyance or discomfort they infict upon
Others They are hall unconscious that
their own names are very Objectionable,
and consequently they do not always re-
heot that they give great offence To 9th.
er. They live like pigs themselves, and
naturally tancy that the manners and Gus.
toms Of the sty are universally popular
and agreeable. Consequently they 70
about the world q nuisance to everybody,
and ere utterly incapable Of learning any.
thing from the example Of better people
around them.


The spiGters are among the most ofen-
siVe oil this numerous clAsa They have
no respect for man, woman or child. You
see their tracks In every thoroughiare and
every public building. They would as
soon make their mark on your best car
pet as on the roadway. half the people
TO be met with In the streets are danger.
Gus 10 pass-lor Just as you get up 10
them, they discharge volley Of which
you arc likely to receive full on your
dress or coat, without hope Of "dodgtng"
II. Ladies, Of course, suffer the most.
They cannot get out Of the way. And
the cheWers care little for their feelings In
the matter. They regard the world as q
huge spitbox, land would resent any sug-
gestion as to the filthlness Of their actions
as an infringement Of personal liberty.


In cara the nuisance Is almost worse
than In the streets. The driver very
likely cheWs, and his contributions 10 the
universal spittoon are carried through
the car, TO the great delight Of the pas.
sengers. Or man will seat himself by
the window ct the upper end Of the car
and began scattering his fsvors on all
sides Of him-on the mat, out Of the win.
dow, 10 the right, lett or any side he may
momentAriIy fancy. The wind may be
ahead, and thus diftuse the shower In q
spray through the air. RemonstrHnce is
useless, IA man has q right TO spit,
hasn't he% And II you don't like II, You
can get out Of the ear and walk.


These persons are what Q famous lee
turer calls "beaSts way down." The Ian.
guage sounds strong, Notwithstanding It's
obscurity, but the Amherst young men
probably understand It. At any rate,
there can be but one opinion among de-
cent people with regard TO this foul habit
ol splitting, Its q thing TO be checked, u
possible, But Il anybody asks how II Is
possible TO do II, We shall be obliged 70
say that do not know. This Is one Of
those evils which we can only describe
without protesting to be able 10 supply a
remedy.-M y TEmHS.
Year: 1873

nPop0lar Ideas Upon the Subject.


IFrom the Cornhill Magasine.i


II il to be noted that the coin
cidences on which superstitions are
commonly based are, in many in
stances, not even remarkable. Mis-
fortunes are not so uncommon, for
instance, that the occurrence of q
disaster of some sort after the spill
ling Of salt at table can be regarded
as surprising. IF three or four
persons who are discussing the PEE
cuiar superstition relating to salt
cellars can cite instances of the ap-
parent connection between q mis-
fortune and the contact of salt with
tho table-cloth, the circumstance is
in no sanse to be wondered at; it
would be much more remarkable if
the contrary were the case. There
II scarcely . superstition of the
common sort which is not in like
manner based; not on some remark
able coincidence but on the occar
sional occurrence of quite common
coincidence. It may be said, in
deed, Of the facts on which nearly
all the regular superstitions have
been based, that it would have
amounted to little less than q mira
els If such facts were not common
IN the experience Of every person.
Any other superstitions could just
az really be started, and be very
quickly supported by as convincing
evidence. # the present writer
were to announce tomorrow in all
the papers and ON every wall that
misfortune is sure to follow when
any person is i'll advised enough to
pare . finger nail between 10 and
IL o'clock on any Friday morning,
that announcement would have
been supported within week by
evidence Of the most striking kind.
In less than q month it would be an
established superstition. If this ap-
pears absurd and incredible let the
reader consider merely the absurd
ity of ordinary superstitions. Take
for instance, fortune telling by
means of cards. If our police re-
ports did not assure us that such
vaticination is believed in by many
would it be credible that reasoning
beings could hope to learn anything
of the future from the order IN
which few pieces of paper happen
ed to fall when shuffled? Yet it is
easy to see why this or any way of
telling fortunes is believed in Per
sons believe in the predictions Of
fortune tellers for the seemingly
excellent reason that such predic-
tions are repeatedly fulfilled They
do not notice that (setting apart the
happy guesses based on known
facts there would be as many full


fllments if every prediction had
been precisely reversed. It is the
same with other common supersti
tions. Reverse them, and they art
as trustworthy as before. Let ths
superstitions be that to every one
spilling salt at dinner, some gres,
piece Of good luck will occur befor,
the day is over, let seven years oi
good fortune be promised to tn
person who breaks o mirror, and 9.
on. These new superstitions woult
be before long supported by q
good evidence as those now in ex
istence, and they would be worth q
much, since both orders of super
stition are worth nothing.
Year: 1873




DIXON, May 4-Midnight-Up to this
hour no other bodies Of victims Of the
bridge disaster have been recovered at
this port, but several are reported to have
been picked up at Sterling, six miles be
low. and doubtless the swift current has
borne others even farther down the river.
The general estimate oI tho number lost
Is from ninety to one hundred. As stated
In previous dispatches, thirty.two bodies
were recovered from the wreck before
dark, 1--WE other bodies floating down
past those engaged at the wreck
and have not yet been recovered.
There are therefore suppose to be
at least fifty bodies unfound. Most OF
them it Is thought are under the wreck Of
the bridge. Tho bridge was of iron, OF
the Truesdell pattern, and had five Spahs
elevated about twenty feet above the wat
or, which at this point Is from fifteen to
twenty feet deep. Only two spans-the
end spans-fsll, the three middle spans
still standing, but in such condition It Ia
thought they will fall when the wreck Of
the end spans is cleared away. Work.
men are buSily engage 0-night putting in
place derricks with which 70 raise the
fallen spans, and arc making arrange
menls TO secure the bodies beneath. 1t %
now stated that there were nearly 500
people on tho bridge at the time Of the
accident, and more succeeded In escaping
than was at frat feared. At the time ol
the accident the most Of the people were
gathered at either end Of the structure,
though large number were near the cen.
ire. Some Of the latter remained where
they were when the crash came, and were
afterwards taken of by boats. Several
men jumped from their precariouI rest
ing place into the river and swan 10 tho
shore. Two horSsS and buggies were
standing on the middle spans and are
still there, there being no way TO take
them of. There were number Of re-
markable escapes OF children, Of whom,
there were probably not leSs than ftIy on
tho bridge when 1t went down. One
fellow about 10 years old was. caught by
both feet in the iron rigging. Of o fallen
span, and had one OF his legs broken. BE
managed by sheer strength to pull one
oil his boots of, tearing the sole Of in the
process. Then coolly taking out his
knife, lie ripped tho other boot from the
foot Of the wounded leg, and then, Grip
Year: 1873

built there; they bad only been robbed and de-


graded In Louisiana the Federal bayonet had


been called in 10 protect this harmony. The


harmony Mr.. Hughes talked of was the slough
of corruption, and God help US from SUCH
They claim unless we harmonize, the canal
can never be built Il am favorable to build
ing the canal and anxious to see it built, as ev-
cry man in the State, directly or indirectly, will
be benefited by its completion; but as highly
as appreciate that work, if its completion de-
pends on the sacrifice of the honor and integrl-
ty of Virginia, never let it be built" Ap-
plause. They ask Virginians to sell out for
mess of pottage; they say give US your votes
and we will build your canal. He would pre-
fer that the waters on the western base OF the
Alleghanies would continue to flow into the Gulf
of Mexico, and that those on the eastern base
should continue to flow into the James forever
and never be united rather than that they
should be united by the degradation OF Virgin
ia. The time is coming when this work will
be completed by the demands of trade; then,
and not till then, will the government build this
great work. 1t will be the work of the people,
and not of party or faction. When the ad-
ministration becomes to be administered in the
interest Of party or faction, farewell to Amer
ican freedom. He had almost thought the gov
ernment had descended to this; but the An
glo-Saxon who once tastes freedom may appear
for time apathetic, but would arise and throw
off the yoke after season and be expected
the people to unite on the basis of the great
Conservative party of Virginia and keep con-
troll of the government. The Radicals are
promising what they can't fulfill, and it would
be proven. la a few short years the people Of
this country will be looking to old Virginia as
of yore, and adopting those principles of SO
with which she had succeeded; aud the peo-
pie would grasp the monster by the neck and
rid the couDtry from corruption and rottenness.
He approved of the existence of two parties,
and said they acted as checks upon each other
in administering the government. The Gov
ernor here closed, with some amusing remarks,
amidst the plaudits of the crowd. Three
cheers were proposed for Walker and given
with hearty good will. The ladies sent him
flowers and all was an immense encore of en-
thusiasm, the band playing the while.
Year: 1873

The Radicals are denying on the stump that
the negroes want social equality, yet we have
notable instances of the claim looming up all
over Virginia despite the effort to keep down
the cry and claim. We learn that at Ora ange
G. H., when Mr.. Geo. d. Wise was speaking,
several burly blacks could restrain themselves
no longer, and in bold and plain language an
nouuced they would have it yet. And we find
a case reported in the West Point Star, at the
Radical Convention held in New Kent where
went bow shot beyond this and openly ad-
uocated miscegenation! There is no use to hide
and cover up facts. Social equality is the next
plank to be epgrafted in the Radical platform.
And it will go there if Hughes is elected Gov
ernor, despite all the turning up to-day of the
nose, on the part of the white radicals. ls.-Fred.
Herald
Year: 1873

tho chief defender Of the Grab its unanimous
support!


Well as we have said. this Senate is thor
oughly consistent. Its acts are pretty much
all in keeping. They know Mr.. Carpenter
and they know each other They have main
tained their dignity and shown their indie
pendence of outside clamor. Aud perhaps they
think they have redeemed the reputation Of
an injured and gifted public man. 1t is a
very superior body OF statesmen.
Year: 1873

We print elsewhere the principal points Of
the address of the Cheap Transportation Com
pany. 1t is strong document, and sums up
the whole case as succinctly as possible. The
defects in the present railroad system, as
specified in the report, have been already can
vassed all over the country. The remedies
proposed are Legislation and Competition.
Under the first of these heads eight schemes
of law are specified; most of these will meet
with popular approval. Competition is sought
to be secured by the construction of Ma
tional railway and the enlargement of the
canals. We shall have full discussion on all
these points, as a National Convention has
been called to meet in Washington Jan. IA.
Evidently it ia much easier to find and de-
scribe the ills which the country suffers from
the present system of transportation than to
agree on an effectual means of cure.


According TO our Washington dispatches,
the House Committee on Banking and Cur
rency is not likely to prove q harmonious
body. Strictly classified, there are as many
opinions on the currency question as there
are members; loOser calculation divides
them into Positive InfatiOnists, Incidental
InflatiOnists, and Conservatives. The Speak
er's plan of making mp the Committee has
conciiated all shades of opinion, probably ;
but it does not promise much in the way of
united action. 1t affords us some satisfaction,
however, to note that the opponents of infia-
ton had at least thp appearance of victory
with them yesterday. A sanguine Western
member-Mr. Hunter of Indana-thOught the
country was suffering for more greenbacks,
and that the Committee ought to meet daily
until it had perfected bill to grind them
ont. The Committee decided that once a
week was often enough to meet.
Year: 1873

Most drivers overdrivc, says Mr.
Murray, in his book called "The per.
feet Horse" They attempt too much,
and, in so doing, distract or hamper
the horse. Now and then you find q
horse with such vicious gait that his
speed is got from him by the most ar
tiicial process; but such horses are
fortunately rare, and hence tho style
Of management required cannot bc-
come general. The true way is to LET
the horse drive himself, the driver
but directing him, and giving him
that confidence which a horse alone
gets in himself when he feels that q
guide and friend is back of him.


Tho most vicious and incxcusable
style Of driving is that which 90 many
drivers adopt, viz, wrapping the lines
around either hand, and pulling the
horse backwards with all their might
and main, so that the horse, in point
of fact, pulls the weight back of him
with his mouth, and not with his
breast and shoulders. This they do
under the impression that such dead
pull is needed in order 10 steady the
horse. This method of driving | ro.
gard as radically and superlatively
wrong. 1t would tax the ingenuity
of hundred fools to invent a worse
ono. The fact is, with rare excep-
lions, there should never bo any pull
upon the horse NJ all. A steady pres.
sure is allowable, probably advisable ;
but anything beyond this has no JUS
tiication in nature or reason for ma
ture suggests the utmost possible free.
dom of action and head, body and
limbs, in order that the body may at
tain the highest rate of speed and
reason certainly forbds the supposi-
ticn that by bits, and not by the breast
collar, the horse is TO draw the weight
attached to it.


In speeding my horses, | very sci
dom grasp the lines with both hands
when the road Is straight and free
from Instructions. The lines are
rarely steadily taut, but held in easy
pliancy, and used chiefly to shift the
bit in tho animals mouth, and by this
motion communicate courage and con-
iidence to him. ! find that, by this
method, my horses break less, and 90
much faster, than when driven BY
men who put the old fashioned steady
pull upon them.
Year: 1873

A housekeeper writes the following
plant TO the Cleveland Leader:


When the average husband Of the
period wants TO find bootjack he
steps to the buttery door, and leaning
against the doorway with his hands
in his pockets, whistles meditatively
as his eyes wander along the upper
shelves. When break in the tune
occurs, you may know he has found
the cake, which he devours absently
still looking for the bootjack. Being
now deprived of that aid to reflection
-whistliDg, he executes a waltz ia
slow movement, sustained by a large
piece of cake in one hand, and a siza.
bic pickle in the other. After while
as the bootjack does not make its ap,
pearance the husband does, at the
door Of the room, where you are get.
ting the baby to sleep, and shouts
".ane," at the top of his voice, under
the impression that you are up stairs
an impression speedily removed. To
cover the confusion of his retreat, he
steps on the dogs tail and bumps the
bird-cage with his head, then wants
to know what you have done with
that bootack, and why il is that you
never keep things in their place. II
you are wise, and simply and calmly
point, like Columbia, to the object in
question hanging on its accustomed
nail, he seizes upon IL wrathfully, with
the solemn vow that it was not thoro
when he went through the eroom before


The offending boots are finally left
in the doorway where il is convenient
to trip over them, and serenity trans
pires, unless you have occasion TO 20
around them, when you will at once
See their value as a natural means OF
obstructing a passageway. 1t is esti-
mated that one pair of boots judicious-
ly disposed about an apartment Of
medium size, will prevent either a
well.disposed person or professional
burglar from quietly making his way
about il.


At tea time the average husband
docs not care about any cake; it isn't
much like that bis mother used TO
make.
Year: 1873

Joaquin Miller, in his Life Among
the Modocs," gives the following idea
of tho creation of the world as that
entertained by the Modocs "The
Great Spirit made Mount Shasta first
Of all. He pushed down snow and ice


from the sky through hole which he
made in the blue heavens by turning
stone round and round, till he made
this great mountain; then he stepped
out Of tho clouds on TO the mountain
top, and descended and planted the
trees all around by putting his finger
on the ground. The sun melted the
snow, and the water ran down and
nurtured the trees and made the rivers.
After that he madc the fish for the
rivers out of the small end Of his staff.
lie made the birds by blowing some
leaves which be took up from the
ground among the trees. After that
he made the beasts out OF the remain
der of his stick, but he made the griz-
zly bear out of the big end, and made
him master over all others. Having
done that, the Great Spirit converted
Mount Shasta into wigwam, and its
volanic cruptions are the outcome of
the fire that he lights in the centre Of
the mountain. The development Of
man was later occurrence. The
daughter Of the Great Spirit v,nturcj
too far, got aslray, and fell into the
power of the grizzly bears, and she
was forced to marry one of them, and
the red men were the fruit of the mar


riage. These red men were taken
under the protection of the Great
Spirit; butt grizzlies were punished
by being compelled to walk on four
feet, whereas before they had walked
on two. To this day the grizzly bear
is never slain by the red men, who
recognize him as a sort of knsman."
Year: 1873




TAKE HEED.-No matter how inti-
mate you may 10 with the friend with
whom you have business transactions
put yonr agreements in writing
How many Misunderstanding arise
from the loose ways in which business
matters are talked over, and whom each
party puts his own construction, the
matter is dismissed by each party with
the words, GAN right; all right
Frequently 1t turns out all wrong, and
becomes question for tho lawyer and
the courts More than co-fourtbs
of the litigation Of the country would
bo saved If people would put down
their agreements 10 writing and sign
their names to IL. Each word in our
language has its peculiar meaning,
and memory may by the change in a
sentence, convey On entirely different
idea from that Intended. When once
reduced to writing idess are fixed, and
expensive lawsuits are avoided,
. D ~ 4 AZ L.. NAAlllhfs
Year: 1873

By T. EVANS
y FARMER had field of corn Of rather large ex-
In tending which. with anxious care, much time


and toll lie spent
Bat after working long and hard he saw with grief


and pain,
His corn began 10 drOOp and fade because it wanted


rain.
So sad and restless was his mind at home he could
But to his fields repaired each day to view his


whitening crop.
One day when he stood looking up, despairing, at
Two little ran-drops in the clouds his sad face


Glanced TO spy.
Il feel so grieyed and vexed." said one. eto see


him look so sad
l wish could do him some good indeed should
just see the trouble he has had, and if ii should


not rain,
Why all his toll, and time and care he will have


spent IN vain"
what use are you," cried number two '.to water


much ground?
You are nothing but rain-drop, and could not wet


one mound -
''What You have said" his friend replied Il know


is very true,
But I'm resolved to do my best, and more cannot


do.
'Iu try to cheer his heart a bit, SO noy I'm off !;
And down The little rain-drop fell upon the


farmers nose.
''Whatever's that:n the farmer cried, was it a


drop of rainE
| do believe its come at last; have not watched


in vain
Now when the second rain-drop saw his willing


friend depart
said he, IN go well and try 10 cheer the


farmers heart"
But many raindrops by this time had been attract


ed out,
To see and hear what their two friends were talking


50 about.
Wen 60 as well" numbertsied ''as our two


friends gone
we shall not only cheer his heart, but water TOO


his corn.
We're off, We're off," they shout with glee. and
- down they fell so fast
On, thank the Lord!" the farmer cried, 'the rain


has come at last.
The corn it grew and ripened well and into food


was dressed.
Because one little rain-drop said III try and do


my best
This useful lesson working men, you'll not forget


I'm sure:
Try, do your best, do what you can-angels can do


no more.


" Y. Dajiy Graphic