smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

Colonel Of the regiment-both men
noted for their short, attenuated
forms. Neither was scarcely more
than FIVE feet high, and their combin-
cd weight was less than two hun
dred and twenty pounds.


Itmaybe readily guessed that these
soldiers bad little respect for Virginia
aristoeracy, and the tent poles had
hardly got settled in the ground be-
fore a noted rider named " well,
Smith-shouldered his deer-killer and
started out on a little expedition. He
was sergeant. Of immense size,
named The Big Sergeant" He
made a straight march for the old
Virginian's manor Now, the old
gentleman had many pets about the
grounds, and among them tanned
crow which he valued very highly
He also had tame rabbits, doves, etc
The Sergeant climcd the stone wall.
and dropped himself and gun inside
Of the grounds The FIRST thing his
eye struck was the tame crow, who
uneoneernedly few near him, and al
lighted on limb and began 10 cav at
him. The Sergeant put his rifle 10
his shoulder and banged away. Mr..
Crow came futtering To- the ground.
The soldier reloaded his gun, leaned
it against the wall, and went to get
his game


Instantly there came running from
the house, in a high state OF excite
ment, the old Virginian, and when be
saw that his pet crow had been killed
his rage knew no bounds. He rushed
for the sergeant'5 gun, and swearing
that he wouldn't have given the crow
for the whole Yankee army, vowed
that he would blow the soldiers brains
out With this he brought the piece
to cock and glanced along the bar
rel The Sergeant begged for his
life, and the Virginian swore be would
take it.


The Virginian finally thought Of q
compromise, and with a look half be-
tween amusement and rage told the
sergeant that be must eat the
crow raw. In vain the other pro-
tested; the Nirginian insisted on the
the price Of his adversary's life. So
the sergeant pulled off feathers and
began TO gag and eat


How do you Ike crow" hissed
the Virsinian through his teeth.


The only answer the other gave
was TO beg to be let of. He was sor-
~ be- had shot the crow; didn't know
that it was a tame one, and be
wouldn't do such a thing again. Fl
nallv the old man took the gun from
its aim, and told the Sergeant he
needn't cat any more His heart full
of joy, the crow upon the ground,
he said:


Well, | kin eat crow, but / don't
like It.


The story might stop here if it was
only to show the origin Of the phrase,
bat the rest Of it Is the best
Year: 1872

The next day the old Yirginian,
smarting under the indignities he had
suffered, in not only having his pet
crow killed, but being compelled to
eat portion Of il, went TO the head
quarters Of the Buektails and made
complaint to the colonel about the big
sergeant. The colonel at once sent an
orderly for Sergeant Smith, rightly
supposing he must be the person re-
ferred TO- He obeyed the summons
at once He pushed the door Of the
tent aside and entered the presence.
swapping his heels together and stand
ing erect in the position of attention.
he brought his right hand quickly to
the visor of his military cap and gave
the customary salute to his colonel.


Sergeant" said his commander
verv gravelv, do you know that gen
tleman e. pointing to the old Virgin
ian.


Yes, sir, promptly answered the
other.


How did YOU become acquainted
with him, sergeant p


I'VE dined together Yesterday, sir,
promptly answered the eulprit


The roar of laughter which follow
ed this reply need not be described.
nor the manner in which even the old
Virginian joined The sergeant was
sent back to his quarters, and the in
terview between the old aristocrat
and the colonel was ended BY an in
to the latter TO dine the next
day at the old mansion.


Whether this story has anv bear
ing upon the present practice Of eating
crow or, not, | cannot pretend TO say,
but have little doubt that the pet
crow of the old Virginian was quite
as palatable TO him as Greeley is to
some of those who are compelled TO
swallow him.
Year: 1872

The old Nirgilian, after surveying
his dead pet for an instant in a sOr-
rowful manner. returned the gun and
started for his mansion The other
quickly brought his piece to his shout
der and called out:


Hold On there, mister"


What do you want:1 asked the
other. as be turned and beheld a
bead drawn on him.


I'D ike TO have YOU eat the res
Of this crow"


The old man fumed and swOre, and
tore about in a frantic manner saving
he'd De id if be would. and that he
didn't want any Of the Young mans
jokes. The cooking of the gun, and
the assurance on the part Of the sol
der that he would certainly put a ball
through the old mans shoulder un-
less he complied with the demand. in
dHced the Yirginian TO retraee his
steps.


Now" said the Sergeant, Il want
Won to eat the rest Of that crow, and
no nonsense


4 punch Of the rife on the shoulder
Of old man reused him TO a quick
sense of his position, and picking up
the crow he endeavored 70 bite il. He
grew pale, the perspiration stood upon
his face, he trembled Ike terrier.
his mouth wateTed. his ewes filed. be
gagged. and it seemed physical i'm
possibility for him to touch the crow.
The sergeant compelled him to take a
bite, and it was was the only one be
did take. for his breakfast came up so
rapidly to protest against the crow
that the soldier relented and told him
to git" and never trouble a Bucktail
again.


Here would seem another proper
to end this story. but there i still an
other chapter.
Year: 1872

oOhSHN>3 ONAJ ~0'


The chief event of the last week here ha:
been the argument of the Blue Ridge bono
scrip before Judge Willard, all the important
features ofwhich the Menus has had by telegraph


The result is, that the scrip is now consid
cred utterly worthless, and probably but little
of the bogus currency will ever see light.


The State is thus relieved Of fraudulent
debt of upward of two millions of dollars
which sure y is encouraging for the first effort
which has been made to test the benefits Of
judicial investigation in checking the rascali
ties of the ring.


The destruction of the scrip, however, is
not looked upon as an unmitigated good, for
if il had been left unmolested the terrific
taxes, between four and five millions of dol.
lars, which are to be collected in the fall
could have been paid in scrip probably at the
rate of fifty cents or less on the dollar.


It was the fear of this, doubtless, and nc
honest purpose to benefit the people or expose
fraud, which actuated the proceedings against
the scrip.


Still it is not to be gainsaid that the relief
from two million dollars of Indebtedness is q
thing to be desired, and had better be secured
now when the opportunity offers than post,
poned to some doubtful period for the sake Of
temporary and perhaps questionable advan'
tage


The people will have to pay their taxes in
greenbacks, but they will have between five
and six hundred thousand dollars less to be
collected for, now that the scrip is declared
unconstitutional, of course the tax of three
mills on the dollar levied for its redemption
must fall to the ground.


The case which is now pending against
Parker, that of T. J. & H. M. Gibson and
Year: 1872

get no money from the treasury. The peni-
Tertiary and lunatic asylum have to resort to
all sorts of shifts to feed their inmates. The
public schools are shut up and the teachers
discharged unpaid. 1t is threatened that the
quarantine along our coast will have to be
abandoned for want of funds. I have not re-
ceived a cent ofpay for nine months, and most
of the State officers whose pay is due quarter
" arein the same condition Meanwhile the
State debt has been increased at least twelve
million of dollars, and between four and five
million dollars have been collected in taxes
during the past four years. That is to say,
the Columbia thieves have had an income
during four years of at least sixteen million
dollars, and now they say they haven't got a
dollar in the treasury. And what have they
to show for it2 Not single public improve
ment. Not one mile of railroad or canal,
not one dollars worth of legitimate expendi-
ture on the misunderstanding at all except
few acres of swamp lands and sand hills
bought by the land commissioner at from two
to ten times its value, and which are now Co.
ing begging for purchase at eight years time
and six per cent. interest. Bah! 1t makes
me sick to think of it.


So it did me, and left. PICKET.
Year: 1872

A New PLAN FOR THE GROCERY TRADE.
A new plan of dealing is being introduced
into the retail grocery trade in England to
induce cash payments for groceries and also
to make new customers, and is said to be
decided success. 1t is styled the "bonus sys-
tenn, for cash payments for groceries," and
consists in allowing bonus of % per cent,
payable at the end of each six months, on all
purchases made during that time. At the
time of each cash purchase metal check is
given showing the amount of the purchase
These are preserved by the buyer, and when
the time of redemption arrives twice year,
the checks show the amount on which the
holder is entitled to % per cent, and is paid
in goods. The firm originating this innova-
tion made their first semi-annual redemption
on the 18th of last month, and state that it
has proved q great success. Many Of their
customers who hitherto had been taking cred
it for periods of one to three months now will
lingly pay cash, and their trade has been
greatly increased at the same time The
success of this firm has induced many others
to ADOPT the same plan,
Year: 1872

A lead pencil is in itself a small affair, but
considered as a manufactured product, it rises
into much Importance. To start a frst-class
factory, with improved machinery and stock
of well-seasoned wood, requires a capital of
about 100000; ground covered is about half
an acre, chiefly occupied by drying houses for
the storage Of red cedar. The Florida red
cedar is mostly used in this country and in
Europe-some "iben" wood, as the Germans
call it, or English yew, is used in Germany
white pine is occasionally used for a common
grade of carpenters pencil.


The "lead" of the pencils is the well-known
graphite or plumbago; the best Of this is the
natural, found in pure state in masses large
enough to cut into strips. Of this, there is
but one mine up to the standard, which is in
Asiatic Siberia, and pencils made from this
graphite are all one grade, and pay here fifty
cents per gross special, and thirty per cent.
ad valorem duty. The Cumberland mines in
England, were the first discovered, but are
now almost exhausted. What was formerly
refuse in cutting the graphite is now ground,
cleaned and refined, and then mixed with q
fine clay.


In mixing the clay and graphite, great care
must be taken in selecting and cleaning the
clay and getting the proper proportions; the
mixture, with water, after being well kneaded,
is placed in large receiver and strongly
com oppressed and forced out through small
groove at the bottom, in the shape of thread
of the thickness and style required either
square, octagon or round. This thread or
lead wire is cut in bars of proper length,
(done by little girls,) and then Strengthened,
dried at a moderate heat, and packed in air.
tight crucbles and placed in the furnaces.
The grade of the pencil depends upon the
amount of heat it is exposed to, the amount of
clay used in mixing, and the quality Of the
plumbago. The coloring of the lead is by
various pigments.


The wood, after being thoroughly seasoned,
is cut in thin strips and dried again, then cut
into strips pencil length. These strips are
grooved by machinery, then carried on belt
to the glueing room, where the lead is glued
in the groove, and then the other half Of the
pencil glued on. After being dried under
pressure, they are sent to the turning room
and rounded, squared, or made octagon, by a
very ingenious little machine, which passes
them ready for polishing or coloring. The
former is done on lathes by boys, and the
latter by a machine which holds the brush
and turns the pencils fed to it through hop
per. After the pencil is polished, it is cut
the exact length by circular saw, and the
end is cut smooth by drop-knfe, the pencil
resting on an iron bed:


The stamping is done by a hollow die,
which is heated; the gold or silver foil is then
laid on the pencil, which rests in an iron bed
and the die is then pressed on it by screw
lever. The pencils are then ready to 60 to
the packing room, whence they find their way
to all parts of the civilized world at prices
ranging from two to twenty dollars per gross.
american Exchange and Review.
Year: 1872

SUPPLEMENTARY men are said to be
selftaught. No man was ever taught in any
other way. Do you suppose man to be
bucket to be hung on the wall of knowledge
and pumped full? Man is creature that
learns by the exertion of his own faculties.
There are aids to learning of various kinds;
but no matter how many of these man may
be'surrounded by, after all, the learning is
that which he acquires himself and whether
he is in college or out of college, in school or
out of school, every man must educate him
SELF And in our times and in our communi-
ty, every man has the means of doing it,
Year: 1872

Severe pain will not get out of fashion
yet for long time, and so long people will
need good remedy-Rsnne's Pain Killing
Magic Oil is just what the people need to
cure headache, rheumatic, neuralgis, and
other painful complaints.
Year: 1872

From the Louisville Courier journal.


To the museum department of the Public Ii
brary Of Kentucky there came yesterday Drank
or scolds bride, Of the kind used years ago in
England and Scotland for the punishment OF fe-
males who were adjudged to have made too free
use Of the tongue. It was dug from the ground
the walls Of IN uninhabited building, it had lain
time out Of mind. It bears the rust Of years,
and no doubt came to this country with the ear1-
est settlers. Possibly some lord OF creation, who
had sco1ding wife in the old world, brought
with him to the new hls Vlxatrl1 and 1nstfoment
OF controlling her.


Il consists in an iron band to pass under the
chin, and over the top part Of the head, with
sharp, chise1-shaped projection, extending two
inches inwardly, to be inserted into the mouth
It vas held in It's place by another iron band e1-
| tending round the back part OF the head, and
| fastened with paddock. When the instrument
| Was first put on the scold her tongue had to re-
cede to the back part OF her mouth and there re-
main quiet or be cut to pieces by the Hharp edge
of. the iron put there for that purpose. 10
scold, or even talk, in this fix, wns impossible,
and the woman thus bridled had to keep silence.
| When Blackstone wrote his 'Commentaries" it
was the law Of England that soolding woman


was nuisance, and she could be indicted and
| punished by what known as the ducking-
stool This was . kind Of chair to which the
scold waB fastened, and in which she was then
plunged into the water as often as it Was thought
her offences deserved.


DR.. P1att, who wrote history Of ffordshire,
grew eloquent in his description Of the Drank,
and in giving it preference over the duckng-
stool. He said the ducking-stoo1 might give the
woman cold and thus injure her health, and
in addition thereto she could use her tongue du-
ring the intervals between one ducfing and


another. The Drank WAS open to none OF these


objections, in the learned Doctors opinion, but


was just the thing for the work to be done.


In shape the Drank ia not unlike the bride OF


halter used for mules in this country. The


striking difference is in the brank being entirely


Of iron, while the bride Of the mule is Of leather


except the bit. The English or Scotch scold


must have been a terrible animal to have re-


quired bride entirely Of iron, when it is known


here that we can handle mules with leather hal.
Year: 1872

There is A ten lcncv in all potatoes to fall
back to their original natural condition,
and it is only by selecting for seed those
specimens that are in all respects trne, that
any variety can be kept pare. large part
OF almost all the varieties in cultivation are
more or less impure-that is. they are not
just ike the first specimens of the variety.
They vary IN shape, in color, in quality and


in prodactiveness. BY most growers these
varieties are not at first particularly noticed,
Year: 1872

To produce the earliest ripeujng toma-
toes Just before frost take cuttings from
the old plants, and keep them in sand, or in
sharp sandy soil, during the winter. in a
cool dry cellar The cuttings should be
made from the base Of the Old plants, lust
above the main roots, taking a. the base
end of each cutting about four inches of
the stem, from which new fbers or rootlets
have started. and then making the cutting
50 that il will have two or more leaf buds
above the rooted end. Usually the cutting
will be about ten to twelve inches long 1t
should as soon as taken off from the main.
or OLD plant, have is lower or hbrOuS END
al once planted in a pot or box Of sand or
sharp, sandy loom. given a gooi watering
and then set away in a cool place. say in
dry cellar. or under the stage of green
house. These cuttings started into growth
In the latter end of February. Nv placing
them III the south windows of 4 warmly
kept living room, or placed Oh the shelves
of the greenhouse. or in q hot-bed frame
viii give fruit two or three weeks earlier
than the best plants that car possibly be
grown from seed. Cleveland Herald
Year: 1872

correspondent of the Germantown
Telegraph writes as follows: .'Oue of the
pests of the farmer is rats. To keep them
within endurable bounds is somewhat a
difficult matter, for rat is as cunning as a
fox, and as hard to catch; but there is such
a thing as working strategy on it. rat
never digs hole without it has some pro-
lection to begin with, say stone, a stick
OF wood, or anything else that makes an
angle with the grOund cellar wall it likes
best. If rat is chased in a cellar, or other
room, 1t will run round by the wall, and is
decidedly averse to leaving it. From this
habit we have to hint how to out-general it.
The common steel-trap is the best article
for the purpose. Stand a barrel or box, or
other aticle, within four inches Of the wall,
and in that open SAGE set the trap, without
anything to hide it. The rat, in following
the wall, will 60 into the trap rather than
90 round the barrel. When it is caught
smoke the trap with a piece of burning pa
per, shift your barrel to another place and
set the trap as before.
Year: 1872

They would not move, and could not be
driven away by engine whistle, or human
Voice, hnt crowded their shaggy sides close
up TO the cars, ana there stood with bowed
heads, for the storm to pass Many We're
seen to tall down dead from cold, and
when al last the train was dug out, and
moved, the track was lined with ,heso
huge, shaggy, frozen carcasscs.


Now a few words of the drinking and
gambling saloons. They are not among
the things that are few and far between.
but decidedly the contrary. Temp rance
is by no means the fashion here in Den
yer, and is the exception rather than the
rule. Many of these saloons are said TO
be fitted up in magnificent style they are
more than well patronizad, and open sun
days, as well as during the other six days
of the week 1t looks little strange to
eastern Eyes, that are accustomed to see
such places closed on the Sabbath, to pass
along the street after dark and See them
All brilliant with light, as well a the
restaurants, lager beer stands, CIGAR
stands, &C. Efforts have been made this
winter to suppress the gambling places,
that have been permitted to carry on 50
long, and sy unblushngiy their i'll gal,
and demoraIizing .trade. One evening
quite q successful movement was made
upon the "works Of the enemy" but un-
less persistent effort is made in fhjs di-
rection. it will not be of much effect, and
will DO very little toward the suppression
Of vice which is poIIuting the best life
OF community
Year: 1872

The periodical lining of fruit trees is
generally considered as serviceabe, especi-
ally in keeping down the ravages of the in
sects which find their home in the fissures
OF the bark. 1t is also important that the
operation should be likewise extended to
the main branches. For the purpose in
question, whitewash has generally been
USED, causing decided whiteness of the
tree, which is objected by many persons on
me score OF the unsightly appearance and
the readiness with which the lime becomes
detached. IT, has been shown, however, by
experience, that the same beneficial effect
results from the use of colorless lime-water
which every one knows how to prepare with
uDslacked lime, and which, when settled
and become clear, can be poured off and
used as above indicated. In this way re-
peated applications can be made without
affecting the appearance Of the tree.
Year: 1872

The following sensible talk is from the
journal OF Commerce:


'People who sit nervously in counting
houses, or behind their goods, waiting for
customers to take them by storm, and
making no effort to let the world know
the bargains they have to offer, will find
the season very unpropitious. Many of
those who have spent large sums in hiring
drummers and paying for other we'll
known appliances Of trade have effected
large sales, but swallowed up too large
u share Of the receipts in such enormous
attendant expenses. The best remunera-
ton has been found by those who have re-
turned to more legitimate old-fashioned
methods OF pushing business. We say it,
not simply because we are interested in
this line Of expenditure but as our best
advice to all who wish to be enterprising
and to secure a large custom. There is
nothiug now SO effective to this end as
iudicious advertising. A little adyerts-
ing may be like gentle touch of the whip
to poor Dobhin's horse d mercy thrown
away; but a liberal outlay is almost GER
tain to bring in large returns, and will last
even beyond the current season. We do
not believe that any one who has valuable
service or desirable property to offer can
fail of a rich harvest by continuous adver-
tising on a large scale"
Year: 1872

The WEsT TRAGEDY, with all lis horrors,
has its humorous side. II is stated as veritable
fact that Oh the night OF The fearful tragedy,
when il WAS thought that West had been blown
TO pieces whilst laboronsly struggling TO deydIop
science. two young doctors Of Dover made a
professional examination at that mil night hour
and gave decision that the dismembered
remains before them were those Of their lam en-.
ted friend, DIR. West, aid whilst looking around
for the fragments cf the body that had been
"6lown up" bony substance was handed them.
They carefully examined it and informed the
excited crowd that it was portion Of the
professors" c.anium. They also told the ami


onical name of the bone in Latin and were
showing the part Of the skull frcm which il had
been blown, when they were informed that they
were holding "postmorlem' examination over
a piece Of pumice ce-stone--Smyrna Times.
Year: 1872

From McAlpmes Life and Times of James Fisk, Jr


One of his copy-books, used when he was
about twelve years of age, is still preserved
by his step-mother at her home in Brattleboro,
and to say that it is a literary curiosity is to
do meager justice to one of the most original
of all the written results of schoolboy labor
ever examined by the critic. Hardly page
but shows the antipathy of the boy to every
thing like set forms, and hardly line but
bears evidence of his natural contempt for
uniformity. The little book contains three or
four compositions, one of which, entitled,
"a Piece about the Dog" is as unique as
anything ever penned by Artemus Ward The
young writer says in his " Piece " (Which had
originally been written "Peace'D:


"a Dog is an animal with fore legs be-
cause he is a quadrooped. like large dogs
because they can run further and fight better
than little dogs and they can also cetch rabits
A big dog amt worth much without he's got
good breed into him. Then had drather
hev little one. They can also drag sleds
some has been learned to carry sticks and
baskets and seterer. The bulldog is the best
fighting dog because most likely lie was made
for that purpus. A terrier goes mostly for
rats, but they can also fight. l think the new
foundland is the noblest dog he saves children
from drowning, and they are sagasious. This
is all for the present" r p