smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

Nobody likes to be ridiculous. We
doubt if even one of them literary fel-
lers like to appear ridiculous, even in
the eyes of a regular politician. The
literary feller is not great deal COM
forted by the fact that the regular poll
tician is intrinsically a much more RI
diculous person than himself. The
trouble is, that the regular politician is
not conscious of his righteousness,
while the other man is. The literary
feller in politics feels that he is an anus
ing object to his temporary associates
but these associates have little idea that
they themselves ever afford amusement
to the man of letters. The irony of
"The Nation" does not touch the amour
propre of the strongest man in the 4Olst
ward.


The fact is, that while the literary
feller is in actual contact with the poll
tician, he does not feel the politician to
be so extremely ridiculous. He sees
him dealing vulgarly but effectively
with people of his own stamp; he sees
that he is shrewd, prompt, practical.
The gentleman politician feels himself
at disadvantage in a primary, or eau
Gus. He may be quick to criticise, but
he may not be quick to suggest. He
comes home from the primary and
writes an ironical "article" for some
magazine; but the bitterness ofthe irony
is intensified by grain of chagrin.


1t is when the literary feller goes of
on his mid holiday, that he gets
quite straight with the politician-in
his own mind. 1t is then that the poll
tician is seen to be, with all his shrewd-
ness, an exceedingly short-sighted. not
to say woolly-brained person. 1t Is then
that he sees the politician proclaiming
upon the house-tops the thing that the
literary feller had spoken in the ear in
closets,-and had been pityingly smiled
upon for speaking. In the midsummer
holiday of 1876, for instance, he sees the
two great political parties pledged and
repledged before the country to perform
the literary, sentimental, ideal, and un
practical deed Of tying each its own
hands so tightly, that it can never again
carry out its projects by the old time
honored and familiar methods. He sees,
moreover, that the shrewdest politician
on each side knows that there is no hope
for his own party, unless the country,
by hook or by crook, can be made to be-
lieve that his party is the one most will
ling, and most able to perform what, in
moments of contemplation, must appear
to him in the ghastly light of hari-kari.
-Srribuor
Year: 1876

The history of Chinese cities is told
by the Rev. Julius DOOlittle, a mis-
sionary in China. as follows:


The first Emperor of the present dy-
nasty, who began to reign in 1874, hav-
ing usurped the throne, determined to
make the tOnsure of Manchuria, mis-
native country, the token of the sub
mission of the Chinese 10 his authority.
He ordered them to shave all the head
except the crown, and allowing the
hair on that part TO grow long and
dress it according to the custom of
Manchuria. The Chinese had been ac-
custOmed, under native Emperors, to
wear long hair over the whole head,
and to arrange it in tuft or coil. The
change was gradual, but finally pre-
vailed through the Empire. At first
those who shaved their heads and con-
formed to the laws, received, 1t is said,
a present of a tael of silver, after a
while only half tael, and then only a
tenth of a tael, and afterward only an
egg-ahd finally even an egg was not
allowed. The law requiring the peO-
pie to shave the head and braid the cue
was not often rigIdly enforced by the
penalty of immediate death, but it be-
came very manifest that those who did
not conform with the wishes of the do
minant dynasty would never become
successful In a lawsuit against those
who did conform, nor would they sue
ceed at the literary examinations.
Year: 1876

At the opening of the century the
public facilities for anatomy were less
than now; so then robbing the church,
yard was quite trade, and an egotist
or two did worse-they killed people for
the small sum dead body fetched.


Well, male body was brought to
certain surgeon by a man he had often
employed, ,and the pair dumped it down
on dissecting table, and then the ven
der received his money and went.


The anatomist set to work to open the
body; but, in handling it, he fancied
the limbs were not so rigid as usual, and
he took another look. Yes, the man
was dead; no pulsation either. And
vet somehow he was not cold about the
region of the heart.


The surgeon doubted; he was hu-
name man; and so, instead Of making
fine tranverse cut like that at which the
unfortunate author of"Manon Lescaut"
started out of the trance with shrek TO
die in right earnest, he gave the poor
body chance; applied hartshOrn, vine
gar and friction, all without success.
Still he had his doubts; though, to be
frank, 1 am not clear why he still
doubted.


Be that as it may, he called in his as
sistant, and they took the body into the
yard, turned high tap on, and dis
charged small but hard hitting column
of water on to the patient.


Noeffect was produced but this. which
an unscientific eye might have passed
over: the skin turned slightly pink In
one or two places under the fall of wa
ter.


The surgeon thought this strong
proof life was not extinct; but, not to
overdo it, wrapped the man in blankets
for time, and then drenched him again,
letting the water strike him hard on the
head and the heart in particular.


He followed this treatment up, till
at last the mans eyes winked, and then
he gasped, and presently he gulped, and
bye-and-bye he groaned, and eventually
uttered loud and fearful cries as one
battling with death.


In a word, he came to, and the sur
geon put him into a warm bed, and as
medicine has its fashions, and bleeding
was the panacea of that day, he actually
took blood from the poor body. Thi;
ought to have sent him back to the place
from whence he came-the grave to wit
but somehow 1t did not; and next day
the reviyer showed him with pride tC
several visitors, and prepared an article


Resurrectus was well fed, and, being
Year: 1876

A writer to Tmsley's Magazine dis
courses on the "Gift of Cab"


To make a good after-dinner speech
requires special talent. A man may
be eloquent on paper and ready and
witty among his friends, but the mo-
ment he rises to propose a toast or to
return thanks he generally manages to
make mess of ii. Thackeray could
not do this nervousness quite over
came him. Theodore Hook, with all
his rattle in private, was failure. Even
Jeffrey felt at sea; and Froude is in
sipid. Dickens was an exception. He
was always ready, always bright, and
at his ease: and, when he could be
secured, was the best chairman any
cause or committee could find. Dining
has become one of our recognized
modern institutions; and, as no public
dinner is complete without its accom-
paniment of speech-making, it follows
that there is not even provincial COM
munity which cannot boast of its local
orators. Any country newspaper will
give us an idea of the nature of the
utterances of many who believe their
forte TO be an ability to talk, and who
are always ready to discharge their
wind-bags at ''Mr. Chairman" and the
reporters. No municipality is more
profuse and ostentatious in its hospital
ity, or more honOred with the presence
of guests of distinction, than that of the
metropolis. Yet even of this greatest
of dining bodies 1t has, alas, been said
that the "gOOd things of the corpora
tion as a rule, are those that go in at
the mouth, and not those which come
out of it." When so many are given to
talking, how rare it is to find good
listener It is an art as much as talk
ing is; but it is little understood and
much less practiced. A good listener
evinces intelligence and manifests an
air OF respectful attention. Even if he
has previously heard the narrative, or
is familiar with the knowledge that is
being impaired, he exhibits certain
amount of interest. Let him tell us the
difficulty of this requirement who has
tried TO practice it on all occasions,
however uninteresting the cOmmunica-
tion and however tiresOme the speaker.
Uneducated people experience con-
siderable difficulty in expressing their
ideas fluently and correctly. They are
guarded in their choice of words, some
times from u rear Vi GuucIc>s. uut
generally from natural reticence or
diffidence. They express their feelings
in an artless way, and often convey
their impressions more suggestively by
their simplicity then if they aspired to
grammatical precision. Have you ever
observed the eOurtship of a couple in
the humber walks of life? You in
similar circumstances would discourse
without an effort, to an interested
listener, on literature, or sentiment, or
the topics of the day. For lack of the
resources which training and education
supply, they exhibit their attachment
by playfulness and innocent diversion
by pushing, or pulling, or chasing or
teasing, with the accompaniment OF
laughter and screaming; and all this is
to them as natural and rs mutually en-
joyable as intellectual conversation is TO
more fortunate individuals who possess
the gift of CAB.
Year: 1876

that the Watertons bore the thre'
bloody crescents for five hundred year
before the usurper Richard incorpOr-
ated his college, and that the Water
tons will continue to bear them a thou
sand years after some righteous king
has suppressed it." Whether this be q
fable or, as we think more likely, a
slightly decorated version of real
message, il is is certain that many of
the nObler of the untitled houses did
not acknowledge the authority of the
heralds. With the lesser gentry it was
much the same. Their arms might not
have got into rolls or printed volumes,
but they possessed plate carvings and
embroidery which showed that they
had borne them in days gone by and,
as their position was well known and
acknowledged among their own neigh
bors and kinsmen. they were little con-
cerned to avail themselves of the SER
vices of the London Office. Then, as
now, the chief occupation of the her
aids was with the new men, who
wanted, as far as armorial bearings
could do it. to be put on the same plat
form with the older families.-The
Athen6uBt.
Year: 1876

Of omens there are still enough and
to spare even in this sceptical genera
ton of ours. when the laws of evidence
are somewhat better understood than of
old, and there is rather wider demand
than the old for causes to precede re-
suits. Grave, thoughtful. educated peo-
pie still refuse to sit thirteen at table and
resort to all manner of old devices and
puerile tricks to avoid the fatal number,
and so to cheat the future. Crossed
knives are sign of fast approaching
sorrow, which even increasing them
with the left hand will not wholly ar
rest; and the salt split between two
friends is a sure presage Of disturbance
in the amicable relations. 1t may be
little mollified by throwing pinch
over the left shoulder, but the sign is
more sure than the act of modification.


So, too, the fire burning persistently
on one side of the CRATE for many days
together fortells, without fail, the de-
parture of one of the house inmates; /;
and boots or shoes placed inadvertently
on a table as surely fortell serious
quarrel-as surely as does the loaf of
bread turned on its face bring misfor-
tune i'm France. The origin of this su-
perstition was told to the writer as dat
ing from the "executioner's loaf" 1t
was part of the;priveleges of Monsieur
de Paris, Monsieur de Lyons, Monsieur
de Bordeaux, and all the other terrible
messieurs in the business, to receive ra-
tions of bread from the local bakers.
These, to mark the loaf assigned, turned
the face downwards, and not the boldest
spirit among their customers would
have touched or taken that loaf. 1t was
loaf accursed, full Of misfortune and
distress; and had any one but the mon
sieur in question eaten it, there is no
saying what might have happened.
Hence, to turn the bread face downward
is a porte malheur to the French, and
the English offend their feelings by
their ignorance of the superstition.


The one unlucky magpie flying across
the path can make the gay heart heavy
if some business is on the point of being
begun; perhaps the omen may be aver
ted if, after rapid, triple nod, and
crossing the ground with the left foot.
the fowl, as Poe would have called 1t,
flies to the right; butt after this exor-
cism it flies to the left, all hope is at an
end, and the misfortune is as certain as
the funeral met when you have set out
on any expedition is the certain herald
of disaster. The bridal procession which
meets a funeral train had better turn
back and break the bond before it is
ratified. Nothing but sorrow can come
of a marriage which has such woeful
forecasting, just as the christening par
ty which also meets with funeral
might as well order the coffin instead of
the cradle, for the child will not live,
however robust it may be now, and
however wise the cares bestowed on it.
I-LOnfOn Times.
Year: 1876

Away from the roar and the rattle,


The dust and the din of the town.
Where to live is to brawl and TO battle,


Till the strong treads the wexkling down
Away to the bonny green hills


Where the sunshine sleeps on the bras.
And the heart Of the greenwood thrills


To the hymn Of the bird on the spray.
Away from the smoke and the smother.


The vail OF the dun and the brown.
The push and the plssh and the pother.
The wear and the waste Of the town!
Away where the sky shines clear.


And the Wild breeze wanders st will
And the dark pine-wood mods near


To the hght-plumed birch on the hill
Away from the whirling and wheeling


And steaming above and below,
Where the heart has no leisure for feeling,
And the thought has no quiet to grow.
Away where the clear brook puris,


And the hyacinth droops in the shade.
And the wing Of the fern uncoils


Its grace in the depth Of the glade
Year: 1876

The London Globe says: "The Pre-
feet of the Seine has just hit upon q
scheme which, as the French papers
say, interests in the highest degree the
fathers of families. The idea is ex-
planned in a letter addressed to the Mu-
nicipal Councillors, who are, it appears,
expected to find the necessary funds. 1t
is proposed to reward the good boys of
the higher class municipal schools in
Paris by giving them, not books nor the
ordinary school prizes, but ten days
trip to the seaside. The place selected
for this year is Dieppe, and arrange
ments have already been made for Sc
curing the school-house there for the
use of the excursionists. Here they will
take up their abode, accompanied by
the Director of the school, the Professor
of Natural History and other masters.
and everything will thus be done to
make the sojourn at the seaside instruc-
tive as well as agreeable. OF course, the
fifty who are selected out of each school
W mdhc up tuc patty VIII AhuSiieSAy


prefer the natural history lectures, the
company of the director, and the accom-
mediation of the empty school house, to
the miseries of home during vacation.
If this should by any mischance turn
out to be not the case, it might be advis-
able on a future occasion to try the
effect of similar system on the fifty
worst instead of the fifty best boys. This
system would have one decided advan-
tage over that which the Prefect Of the
Seine has now devised. 1t would be far
more welcome to the parents. For
whereas the good schoolboys are gener-
ally given to reading or study, or real
work of some kind, and do not make
much trouble in the house, the conduct
of the fifty worst boys of a school in
their respective homes is thing too
dreadful to contemplate. If the Prefect
could devise some means for cribbing,
cabining, or confining in an effectual
way these disturbers of domestic tran
guilty, he would earn the gratitude of
society in general, and more particular
ly of the parents and next-door neigh
bors of the juvenile marauders."
Year: 1876

a pauper, was agreeable to lie in that
bed forever, and eat the bread of science.
But as years rolled on, his preserver
got tired Of that. However, he had to
give him a suit Of his own clothes to get
rid of him. Did say years? must
have meant days.


He never did get rid Of him; the fell
low used to call atintervals and demand
charity, urging that the surgeon had
taken him out of condition in which
he felt neither hunger, thirst nor mise
~, and SO was now bound to supply his
natural needs.
Year: 1876

A merchant once had a dispute with
a Quaker respecting the settlement of
an account. Me merchant was deter
mined to bring the meter into court, a
proceeding which the Quaker very ear
nestly deprecated, using every argu-
ment in his power to convince him Of
his error; but he was inflexible. De-
sirous to make last effort, the Quaker
called at his house one morning, and in
quired of the servant if his master was
at home. The merchant hearing the
inquiry and knowing the voice, called
out from the top of the stairs, ''Tell that
rascal am not at home" The Quaker,
quietly looking up at him, calmly said.
swell, friend, the Lord put thee in a
better mind"


The merchant, afterwards struck with
the meekness Of the reply, and having
more deliberately investigated the mat
ter, became convinced that the Quaker
was right and himself wrong. He re-
aucsted to see him, and after acknowl-
eding his error, he said, 81 have one
question to ask of yOu-how were you
able, with such patience, on various oc-
casions, to bear my abuse?" "Friend, J"
replied the Quaker, 81 will tell thee. l
was naturally as hot and violent as thou
art. 1 knew that to indulge this tenn
per was sinful, and also found it was
improbable. | observed that men in a
passion always speak loud; and L
thought that if could control my voice,
| should repress my passion. l have
therefore made it rule never to let my
voice rise above certain key, and by
careful observance of this rule. have.
by the blessing of God, entirely mas
tered my natural tongue"


Such good, frank philosophy was not
lost upon the merchant in after years.
Year: 1876

The ordinance for the paving of Walnut
street, introduced and read twice at the
last meeting of Council will probably be
called up for final passage, this evening.
The majority report of the Street Commit
tee recommending the work having been
adopted by strict party vote, we have lit
tie ground to hope for the defeat of the or
dlnance. The property owners along the
street are, however, still trying to stave off
the work, and another numerously signed
remonstfance is to be submitted, we under
stand, this evening. Whether this will
have effect to cause any of tho Democrats
to change their votes remains to be seen.
1t is probable that it will not, for having
determined on the performance of the
work in the face Of remonstrance signed
by 102 property owners on the street, re-.
presenting a frontage of 5, 761 feot inches,
when the work was asked for by but t,centy
persons. they are not likely to be moved by
any additional names which may be added
to the remonstrance. The whole subject
is fraught with too much political advantage
to permit Democrats TO ret1ace their steps.


We submit in all candor il it wisdom to
pave Walnut street in view OF the present
condition of the city finances? Is it honest =?
What member OF Ccuncil is there who, in
his own private bnsiaess, would increase
his obligations beyond bis ability to meet
them. and with that inability staring him
in the face? ? What would be the public es-
timato of such man Wonld he not be
universally regarded as dishonest? And
wherein is the difference between such an
act and the course pursued by Council in this
Walnut street iniquity ? There are mem
bers of Council who are voting with the
majority in this matter who have reputa-
tions at stake. They have character to lose.
They can adopt no better course to sacrifice
that character than by recording their vote
in favor of the ordinance for the paving of
Walnut street
Year: 1876

As the season of the year is now at hand when our people will all have money on hands, we must re- mind them that there is a small in- vestment which we advise every man in the county to make at once and that is to subscribe for the Rus sellvil!e DEMOCRAT. We give this advice and urge our citizens to ac- cept it and act upon it, not simply because we are interested in the success of this paper, but because we believe it is the very best invest ment that can be made with that small sum of money. The benefits you will derive will be both direct and indirect. You will be almost certain to lose more than the paper costs if you do not read it, for there are notices and warnings and orders in almost every number of the paper which involve many dollars and cents to somebody. If you have family of boys and girls the paper will be of great benefit to them, for they will read it when they will not read books and they will ob- tain knowledge and information from it which they can obtain from no book.

 The indirect good that the paper is doirg you is far greater than you can estimate. There is no other power or influence in your county which is doing so much for the country. Our paper is attracting more attention to Pope county than all things else combined. There is not mail arrives at our office, scarcely, but what brings letters and postal cards enquiring for spec linen copies of the DEMOCRAT. These>inquiries come from farmers, mechanics, laboring men and capit- alists in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska, who wish to come to a milCler cli- mate. They have their eye on Ar kansas, and in order to judge of the country, the people. and the pros poets, they send for the newspaper whi ,h they always regard as a good index. We always mail papers to these parties, and we believe thro' this means many industrious, ener- getic citizens will be induced to seek homes in Pope county. Now if you want your county to grow in intelligence, in population and in wealth you can do nothing to secure this end so effectually and rapidly as to sustain and send out from your county creditable paper. We try to make the DEMOCRAT such, and from the replies which we Ie- ceive from parties to whom we send the paper, many expressing not only qualification, but even agreea- ble surprise, that such creditable paper should come from the rural districts of Arkansas, we are flatter- ed to believe that some degree of success is crowning our efforts, and that good will follow. We there fore submit it to you if you should not give our paper your generous support. Every man should take at least one copy for his own family, and there are many who are able to do so, who should subscribe for number of copies to send abroad. If you will pay the subscription we will send them where they will do good. Send in your subscriptions, gentlemen. Come up squarely to your duty.

 r.x.
Year: 1876

We feel just pride in our town when we pick up our paper and glance over the advertising col. umns. There is no surer index or indication of live, generous and honorable business men than is afforded by q town paper well
Year: 1876

We wish to call the attention of the
citizens Of Hersey and vicinity to the
fact that it has been decided to hold a
County Fair this fall. Whether or not
it shall be 4 success will depend very
mnch upon whether the farmers do all
they can to make it so. There is enough,
live stock in the county, and it is good
enough to do us credit if only the own
ers will bring it out. AS will he seen
by the report of the meeting of the Ex-
ecutive Committee in another column,
there is to be another meeting on Sat-
urday, August 5tll, to complete the ar
rangements. At that meeting the
report of the committee to prepare I,
Premium list will he received and
acted OIL. This list will be published
as soon thereafter us possible.
Year: 1876

&C. Goodnow suggests to us that
the Rock County Herald is wrong in
intimating that he ''watched outside"
of the recent Congressional Conven-
ton while the editor Of the ADVANCE
went in as delegate and sat down ut
the feast. In justice to Goodnow it
ought to I've stated that he was not Il
delegate and did not attend tue conyen-
ton,
Year: 1876

The Sioux City Journal says: In the
old country, where the appearance of
the grasshopper is looked for annually
the farmers us 4 rule cut their grain
while yet quite green, and the yield is
equal to or better than that of grain
harvested after it is thoroughly ripe.