smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

The city man who goes into the
country to spend the summer must make
up his mind to learn something of the
routine of rural life. A New York man
who is spending the hot weather season
with family in Pine street, was asked
by the lady if he would take hen off
the nest, as it wanted to set, and she
didn't want it to. Certainly" said he,
and Immediately started out to the barn
where the hens were kept, to crush out
the maternal prospects of this particu-
lar one. He went straight to the nest
to lift her off, and reached out his hand
for that purpose, but Immediately drew
it back again, and tucked it up under
the other arm, and squeezed it little,
while he drew up his lips as if about
to whistle something. Then he stood
there and stared at the hen, and she
lifted up her head, and stared back at
him, winking her eyes with singular ve-
locity. "Get off, won't yous" said he,
after pause. She made no response.
He drew out his hand and looked at a
red spot on his knuckles, and then put
the knuckle in his mouth to cool it.,
looking all the while at the hen, and
wondering how on earth she moved so
quickly. The longer he eyed her, the
less inclined he felt to touch her, and
finally he climbed up post to beam
which ran over the nest, and working
his way out on it till he got just above
the hen, took off his hat and shook it
at her, and advised her to get. But
she only looked up at him, one eye at a
time, and clucked ominously. He told
her if she didn't leave he would come
down there and kick her through the
barn, but Immediately gave up the
blood-thirsty design when he reflected
that it was dumb animal, and couldn't
reason like a human being. Then he
happened to think of his pants, which
were white linen, and rubbed his fin
gers on the beam to find them full of
black dust, which led him to work his
body around to look at the pants, and
while making this very natural move,
he suddenly slipped, made plunge to
renew his hold, shrieked for help,
slipped again, and then came down on
top of the hen and the nest, smashing
them both to the floor, upsetting bar
rel, and filling the air with dust, feath-
ers, hen noises, and shrieks. When
the family reached the barn, the unfor-
tunate man, looking something like a
circus poster on legs, had got on his
feet, and was turning around, and rub
bing his head in an distracted manner,
and every time he turned, an omelette
on white linen base came to view, while
the hen stood up in the furthest cor
ner on one leg, with look of mingled
astonishment and reproach on her coun-
tenance. After five minutes of indus
trious application with chip, the gen.
tleman was escorted into the house,
where his head was bathed with spirits,
and his comfort generally attended to.
-Danbwy Ne,cs.
Year: 1873

Now, to return to the trial. The back
ground of the tableau was occupied by
the desk of the magistrate, and from 1t
two lines of men, mostly mandarlns OF
lower rank and constables, extended say
twenty feet, forming three sides OF
square. Placing myself boldly before
the open wing, the whole interesting
scene was clearly before me. The
plaintiff was a constable, who talked
loudly to the judge, demonstrating and
pointing often to the accused. The
constable acted as district attorney. De-
fendant was on his knees before the
judges desk, and another constable
kneeled by his side, holding in his hand
one end of a heavy iron chain about
five feet long, while the other end was
with weighty lock tightly fastened
around the prisoners bare neck. Hand
cuffed besides, and also chained below
the knees, he could move about only
with short PAGES. Two common Chi
namen were also kneeling there, wit





is only asked if guilty or not; he is never
permitted to speak word for himself.
No other person is allowed to plead for
him. The judge hears the testimony
brought before him and decides at once.
His decision is the law.


Fifteen minutes after our entering
the court room, the witness and the
constable got upon their feet. The
prisoner remained upon his knees. Sen
tence was Observation-Disclosures
for an indefinite time In England, the
expression would run in such cases,
During her majesty's pleasure" In
America, we don't know of such a
pleasure or indefinite time.


The judge, during the proceedings,
never opened his mouth except to NUT
ter the three or four words of Judgment;
and hardly were his lips closed when
the constable, by sudden, hard jerk
of the chain, pulled his silent victim up
from the floor, with no more feeling for
the unfortunate mans neck than if he
was handling a piece of cord-wood.


1t was a disgusting sight, and my
hand truly clinched the Malacca cane
in such a way as to come very near in
terfering. The prisoner was an old
man, with hair more white than gray.
Torture and want of sufficient nourish-
ment had done its work effectually, and
had stricken him with so much awe,
terror, and fear, that nothing but the
heavy painting of his breast and the
sweat running down his forehead, gave
signs of what he endured Grasping
with both hands for the chain that
nearly tore the head from his shoulders,
he tripped and stumbled as well as he
could after the brute that pulled him
back to prison. But it happened that
small pillar stood in the way, when in
the confusion the bewildered prisoner
went on one side of it, while the con-
stable walked on the other Before
the old man noticed it and could retrace
his steps, his tormentor corrected the
slight mistake. Pulling with all his
might on the chain, he smashed the head
of his victim in such manner against
the pillar, that the greater part of the
skin of one cheek was torn away in an
instant, and the blood ran in profusion,
reddening the ground from the pillar to
the prison.-Overland Monthly.
Year: 1873

RAILROAD PRECAUTIoNS.-Mr. Fulton,
of the Baltimore american, referring to
the numerous reports of attempts to
throw trains of cars off the track in this
country, says in his last letter from Ger
many:


In Europe this species of villainy is
guarded against by system that rem
ders it next to an impossibility. On
every mile of road there is watchman,
who is provided with a cottage and
small tract of land, part of whose duty
is to walk over and examine the track be-
tween his post and that of the next
watchman, and to be constantly on the
lookout for any distractions. The cot
tage of each of these watchmen is clear
" in sight of similar cottages to the
right and to the left of him. He is
bound to present himself to every pass
ing train, in front of his cottage, with
his red flag rolled up in his hand, and
make military salute to the engineer,
rs much as to say, Go ahead-all is
right :" or, if all is not right, to unroll
and raise his flag for the train to stop.
But this is not all. At every one of
these stations tall pole is erected, hav-
ing two arms at the top of it. one point
ing toward the road and the other from
it. The moment train passes to his
right the inner arm is lowered, and if to
his left the outer arm is similarly low
cred, which says to the next watchman
on either side of him, 1.-The train has
passed my station all right" These
watchmen also have control of all the
gates of roads crossing the track, and
are enabled to lock and unlock gate
even half-mile distant, and ring bell,
the moment he ascertains that a train is
approaching. This is done by means of
strong wire, carried along the ground
on short posts, and attached to lever
at his station. The telegraph is also used
from the main station, but this system
of watchmen and signal telegraphing is
for the intermediate stations. At night,
instead of the arms on the post, red and
green lights are hoisted and lowered as
signals. With such arrangements, OBJ
structing the track or accidents by land
slides or loose rails are next to impossi-
bic. 1t is costly, but the saving in dam
ages is believed to be greater than the
cost, whilst the security to life and prop
erty adds greatly to the business of the
companies. The watchmen are gener-
ally old soldiers, who know the necessity
of watchfulness, and are disciplined to
the faithful performance of their duties.
Year: 1873

One could take down book from the
shelf ten times more wise and witty than
almost any mans conversation. Bacon
is wiser, Swift more humorous, than any
person one is likely to meet with but
they cannot chime in with the exact
frame of thought in which we happen to
take them down from our shelves, and
therein lies the luxury of conversation ;
and when living speaker does not yield
us that luxury, he becomes only book
on two legs.
Year: 1873

GREAT PoPULARETY.-DR PRICE :
CREAM BAKING POWDER and SPECIAL.
FLAyOGINGs, NECTARINE, ROsE, LEMON,
etc, have been before the public many
years and have gained for themselves, on
their own merits, an extensive sale, both
in this country and the British Provinces
Their great popularity is mainly due to
the scrupulous manner in which they are
prepared the using Of the purest and best
materials, with special reference TO their
healthfulness. We never tire of using
them for they are always the same. Ar
ticles in which they are used have no
disagreeable odor or sickly taste, but are
always enjoyable
Year: 1873

His life ended most TRANQUILITY, among
such honors as have fallen to few men,
He lived so long that his fame went to
the ends of the earth, and brought him
universal worship. From all the differ
ent points of the compass idolaters
came TO bow before his shrine and
these not common idolatcrs in intellec-
tual Germany he ruledsupreme, though
he was not II political or patriotic Ger
man, and took but little interest in the
national cause His way to the grave
was as pleasant as gradual, as softly
carpeted with mosscs and flowers, MS
ever beguiled human footsteps onward.
Wemar became famous through the
world by his means. 1t was no longer
known as Il little ducal residence, or the
capital of IL tiny province, but us the
temple in which was adored the greatest
poet of his age. There, surrounded by
his friends and children, he died. His
companions were mostly gene before
him. Duke and duchess and brother
poet had been swept away into the I'M
seen and another generation had taken
their place; but it was a generation
which, from its earliest breath, had been
trained to adore Goethe. He was 81
when the end came. He died an ideal
DEATH with as small an amount of sui
fering as was inevitable, and with no
consciousness of the approaching con-
clusion. The last words he uttered IN
this world were More light words
most touchingly symbolical, though he
meant it not. His life had been excep-
tionally prosperous, calm and without
anxiety. All he had wished for had
fallen into his hands, and long and
mellow evening of repose had followed
upon the bright and busy lingering day


Thus lived and labored and died man
who has, perhaps, been classed at more
widely different estimations than any
other man of his time Ii we cannot
allow. with Carlyle, that he and the
first Napoleon were the two greatest
men of their day, it must at least be
conceded by the least willing that his
influence spread more widely, and we
may say, has lasted longer, than that OF
any other modern member of the great
brotherhood of poets. He did much,
and he suggested much. He set minds
as great as his own going with a touch
of his finger. And he was infinitely
fortunate in catching exactly the right
moment and the right subject to move
the world withal. His fame and his ma
ture were both profoundly national;
and though his patriotism was dull, he
had perhaps more to do than any OF his
contemporaries with the creation OF that
national sentiment without which no
country can ever be great. In every


way, therefore, the effects which he


meant to produce were increased ana


magnifed by effects which he did not


mean to produce-reaections ana in'-


pulses which he threw off almost WIFI


ont knowing. There can be no better
| applause given to human greatness'-
BiacktcoOd's Magazine,
Year: 1873

piled the prince" And if | cannot win
you may at least have the pleasure of
seeing you"


"On the other hand, I have no SINH
lar qualification" said she.


SO the prince remained at the palace,
and he pleased her more and more, but
when the humor seized her, she tried in
every manner to persuade him to take
his hands from his girdle, and receive
something from her. She also enter
tanned him charmingly, and frequently
offered him flowers, bonbons and trink-
cts, and finally her bracelet, but not
once did he forget and stretch out his
hand to take them, for the pressure of
the girdle reminded him in time. So
he would nod to his marshal, and'he re-
ceiving them, saying: we remember.


Then the princess would become inn
patient and would exclaim: My hand
kerchief has fallen Can your lordship
pick it up for me?" Whereupon the
prince would fasten his spur into it and
wave it carlessly, while the princess
would have to bend and remove it from
his foot, angrily saying: Il remember


Thus year passed away, and the
princess said to herself:


"This cannot remain so. 1t must be
settled in one way or the other"


She said to the prince


81 have one of the finest gardens in
the world. will show your lordship
over it to-day.


The prince smelt his apple, and as
they entered the garden, said;


cit is very needful here, and in or
der that we may walk near each other
in peace, and not to be disturbed by the
desire to try our game, | beg you my
lady, that for this one hour you will
take upon you the custom of my court,
and let your hands also be fastened.
Then we will be safe from each others
art, and there will be nothing to annoy
u.s."


The princess did not feel very safe
about this arrangement, but he begged
so strongly that she could not refuse
him this small favor. So they went on
alone together, with their hands fasten-
ed in their girdles. The birds sang,
the sun shone warmly, and from the
trees the red cherries hung so low that
they brushed their cheeks as they pass
ed. The princess saw them and ex-
claimed


"What qpity that your lordship is
not able to pick few for me


Necessity knows no law, said the
prince, and he broke one of the cherries
with his teeth from branch, and Of
fercd it to the princess from his mouth.


The princess could not do otherwise
than receive it from his mouth, and so
her face was brought close to his. SO
when she had the cherry between her
lips, and kiss from him besides, she
was not able to say that instant, 81 re-
member


Then he cried joyfully, "Good morn
ing, much loved one" and drew his
hands from his girdle and!embraced her.
And they spent the remainder of their
lives together in perfect peace and
ouietness. From the German.
Year: 1873

1t is stated that the physician of Senator
Sumner is of the opinion that if he can be in
duced to keep from excitement, and remain
away from Congress for the remainder of the
SESSION, he will be able to enter upon his sena-
toral duties at next session with much of his
old vigor


John w., one of the favorite and most
business like of brigham Youngs sons now
East on railroad business, has divorced two of
his three wives and will hereafter reside in
Philadelphia A we'll founded rumor prevails
that Mormon agents are negotiating for large
tracts of land in Mexico.


The Children's Aid Society passed roso-
luton that if the Greeley estate is in the same
condition now as it was in 1871. they insist
upon their legacy of ten thousand dollars
They will not, however, demand the legacy if
the estate is embarrassed, as is reported.


The Children's Aid Society has received
5000 from OH old friend of the society," to
make up for the probable loss in case the
Greeley estate will be materially impaired.


A Mormon expedition has started to ex-
plore the country beyond the Colorado river.
Year: 1873

Ought the fast horse to be encouraged?
was the question that came up at late
meeting of the Union Farmers Club in
jamestown, N. Y. Mr.. Loucks was in
favor of speed, but he would have it in
the walk of horses, he would breed and
educate them in this direction. In his
view it is not absolutely necessary that
a man go through the world at 2:40 gait
gain 15 minutes and then lose an hour
in extra care of the horse. At the So
called agricultural fairs fast driving
draws gamblers, whisky and rows"
and he advised the breaking away from
it altogether. Mr.. Jenner said it is not
the speed in horse that makes him
practically valuable to mankind, but
the endurance, the ease with which he
is kept, the docility and the health.
Mr.. Clifford was of the opinion that it is
wrong absolutely, and vicious in its ef-
fects to offer large premiums for race
horses and such small ones for more
meritorious stock. He would abolish
the practice and thus, metaphorically
speaking, throw cold water on the pool
sellers and other disreputable prOfes-
sionals.
Year: 1873

In response to the House Resolution call


ing for statement of the amount paid the
Union Pacific Railroad Company for army
transportation, and an estimate of what said
transportation would cost if the railroad had
has transmitted report of the Quartermas-
ter-General, showing that the Government had
paid the Union Pacific Company for such
Year: 1873

The very strictest search proved that
nothing had been taken besides the
box which was returned intact. When
this point was fully settled, it was
agreed by the Directors that the mys-
terious visitor to their strong room
should be rewarded for his honesty,
and it was currently reported that they
settled upon him liberal annuity,
sufficient to support him in comfort for
the rest of his days.
Year: 1873

Some one has written beautifully To
boys i'll the following manner. Here is
a whole sermon in Il few sentences:


''Of all the love affairs in the whole
world none can surpass the true love of
big boy for his mother. 1t is pure
and noble, honorable in the highest de
gree to both. | do not mean merely
dutitul affection. | mean love which
makes boy gallant and courteous to
his mother, saying to everybody plain
ly that he is fairly in love with her.
Next to the love of her husband, moth
ing so crowns II wOman's life with hon
or as this second love. this devotion of
il son to her. And never yet knew ii
boy turn out bad who began by fall
ing i'll love with his mother ANY man
may fall i'll love with il trcsh-facrd
girl. and the man who is gallant with
the girl may cruelty neglect the worn
and weary wife. But the boy who is II
lover to his mother in her middle age is
IL tue knight, who will love his wife rs
much in the scre leavcd autumn as he
did in the daisicd spring time"
Year: 1873

A rumor was in circulation a few days
ago, that an effort would soon be made to
build Town Hall. This is good move
msnt, and should be carried out Besides
supplying the Mayor with an Office and
court and council room, would be a source
Of soma revenue to the Corporation, occa-
Sionally, by letting it to exhibitions Of vari-
ous kinds that sometimes travel through
the country.
Year: 1873

Blanket Factory.


Genearal McNair has written letter to
a gentleman in New Orleans, inviting his
attention to this place as a suitable locality
to erect Factory for the manufacture of
Blankets. We are inclined to the opinion,
that factory of this kind would prove
remuneratiyo establishment to the proprie-
tors, and great benefit to the purchasing
community. There is very great demand
for common blankets, and they can be
manufactured as cheap here as they can else
where. The raw material can be obtained
in abundance; and if we had factory
here, it would not have to be shipped and
returned with o double freight, but could
be retained and manufactured at home,
and could be sold for less price than
blank cts are selling for now. We hope the
gentleman who has been addressed on this
subject, will consider favorably the many
advantages the locality affords, and that he
will lend his assistance to the enterprise.
And at the same time it behooves the citi-
zens of this place to extend every encourage
ment they possibly can, to secure factory
Of this kind.
Year: 1873

and then seized it, The next moment
plug it went clear up to the very handle.
He gave one choking growl, and lay dead.


Having thus accounted for the popu-
lation, began to debate whether was jus
titled in making prize Of their belongings,
in virtue of their recent nefarious attempt
and ruy own forlorn condition In this
difficulty, my studies in light literature
came to my aid once more. recollect how
CATER Hexam shut up Rogue Riderhood
by telling him that you can't rob dead
man; fortified by which great authority,
went down stairs, and proceeded to help
myself to my late hosts effects took
what little money 1 could find, gun, and
some ammunition, filled my haversack
with pork and "hard tack" and then lay
down before the fire and fell asleep"


Well, next morning at sunrise, under
these improved conditions, started again.
After bit, fell in with digger going
West, and we kept together as far as Sac
ramento. l didn't say anything about
my adventure, however, and a few days
later, was rather tickled at hearing a
man astonishing one Of the drinking-bars
with story of how he had found white
man and a nigger rubbed out in one of the
shanties on the Digger Trail, and he guess
ed the Injuns as done it he'd bin stampe-
ed in the middle O. their work, for they
hadn't scalped nary one on 'em, though
the nigger had as fine crop o. wool as ever
growed"


So know, my boy, that's how paid
my hotel bill-as light one as ever came
across. Two strokes receipted it-only of
a knife instead Of pen.
Year: 1873

FACTS IN NATURAL H1sToRY.-The rattle
snake finds superior foe in the deer and
black snake. Whenever buck discovers q
rattle snake in situation which invites at
tack, he loses no time in preparing for battle.
He makes up within ten or twelve feet of the
snake, then leaps forward and aims to sever
the body of the snake with his sharp bifurcat-
ed hoofs. The first onset is most commonly
successful. But if otherwise, the buck re-
peats the trial until he cuts the snake in twain.
The black snake is also more than an equal
competitor against the rattle snake. Such is
the celebrity, both in running and entwining
itself around its victim, that the rattle snake
has no way of escaping from its fatal EN-.
brace. When the black and rattle snakes are
about to meet for battle, the former darts for
ward at the height of his speed, and strikes at
the back of the neck of the latter with uner.
ring certainty, leaving foot or two Of the
upper part of the body at liberty. In an in
slant he encircles him within five or six folds,
he then stops and looks the strangled foe in
the face, to ascertain the effect produced upon
his corseted body. If he shows signs of life,
the coils are multiplied and the screws tight
ened, the operator all the while watching the
countenance of the victim. Thus the two re-
main thirty or forty minutes the executioner
then slackens one coil, noticing at the same
time whether any signs Of life appear; if so,
the coil is resumed and retained until the in
carcerated wretch is completely dead. The
moccasin snake is killed the same way.