smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

ing even step with the improvement in
farming, the selling of cattle, the greater
care OF stock, the increased value of ami
mails, Will be the advancement in the ap-
peaTance of the farm house by the tearing @
away OF obsolete fences and the general
clearing up, and planting in flowers and
shIubbery IN the immediate vicinity of the
house. Even in the VILLAGES we have
noticed lately more reforms of this kind,
which have added twenty five per cent. to
the looks of the places so reformed. As
land proves more valuable, it will be found
profitable to carry out the idea on a larger
scale In France, Germany and Holland,
the farms are divided by path or ditch
In those countries where The land is so
minutely slbdivided, and, as a rule, the
prOprietorships are so small they cannot
afford tfie amount Of land here taken up
by fences and walls. IL is obvious that in
the case of fences the annual expense, after
a short time, for replacement and repairs
is something, taking the country through,
of large consideration. The tax thus paid
Is simply enormous. Slowly, indeed, yet
surely, we are coming to understand how
wasteiul and how inartistic we have been
in this respect. There is still ample room
for Improvements. When, in our villages,
adjoining owners shall become more
aesthetic, ana more neighborly, we shall
see fewer high board fences, and a greater
number OF well kept lawns and Towering
shrubs p JuldenCe J0urnal
Year: 1871

\ WEALTHY epicrtre applied to an Ara
hian doctor for q prescription that would
restore his body to health and give happi-
ness to his mind. The physician advised
him to exchange shirts with a man who
was perfectly contented with his lot,
whereupon tae patient set out on jour
ney in pursuit of such q person. After
many months spent without accomplish
ing his object, he was told of a certain cob
bier OF whom every one had spoken as a
model of contentment ana happiness.
Pursuing the direction given, the traveller
was at length rewarded with the sight OF
the cobbler enjoying a comfortable nap on
a board. Without ceremony he was
aroused from his slumbers, ard the inn
portant interrogatory, whether he was
contented with his lot, was answered II
the affirmative.


Then" said the seeker after happiness,
have one small boon to ask at your
hands. 1t is that you exchange shirts
with me, that by this means, | also may
become contented and happy"


Most gladly would | accede to your
request" replied the cobbler, but"


Nay, refuse me not" interrupted the
man of wealth; "any sum that thou
mayst name shall be thine"


Il seek not thy wealth." said the cob
bier, but-but-"


But what?"


THE truth isl hare no shirt
Year: 1871

OCCASIONALLY We meet a paragraph in
some agricultural paper upon the Cost of
fences. Few people, even those who have
been at great expense therefor, fully real


ize the amount of land occupied by fences
and walls, and how large a proportion
of their expenditure is caused by them,
and In great measure unnecessarily. In
South Carolina the improved land Is esti-
mated To De worth twenty millions OF dol
lars, aud the fences have cost sixteen mil


lions. Nicholas Biddle, thirty years ago,
said the fences of Pennsylvania had cost
one hundred millions of dollars. In Ohio
their cost is placed at one hundred and fif-
teen millions. and in New York at one
hundred snd fortv- four millions Who
ever has travelled in England will have no
ticed how small the fields are, aud how
much of the land is taken up by hedge
lows. In many parts of New England the
stone walls are equally numerous anu use
less. The first Improvement is made
when the rsii fence around the dwelling
and gadfl is supplanted by the light
picket # nee, which, when painted, is even
vet considered in itself an ornament. The
front door yard of many a rich farmer ii
New Engisnd is to-day simply strip the
width of the front of the house, running
to the road, and half the beauty of the
place is taken away by the fences, which
make insignificant what might be
ample and attractive The original ides
was TO keep the cows and pigs out of the
yard. Very well SO far; but the better
way is to confine them to their proper
quarters, and open up the gras plat, Civ
.ng space, freedom, and sense Of lsrgeness
ths surroundings Of the house, Keep
Year: 1871

II order to preven. the introduction into
the United States of the cattle disease
known as the hoof and mouth disease,
now prevailing in Chill and the Argentine
Republic, orders have been issued that no
cattle or hides be allowed to enter the
United States ports from those countries
unless accompanied By an invoice, having
the Consuls certificate that he is satisfied
the importation is free from disease
Year: 1871

Bismarck and the Crown Prince OF
Prussia. are notoriously at variance on
matters of policy, and from this fact
many German Republicans augur bet
ter future for liberal institutions in Ger
many than the present condition of at
fairs would seem to promise. Upon one
great measure, however, says the Lon-
don News, did they agree. After the
fall of Sedan, they both urged upon
King William to make peace, which
would not have involved Q loss Of terri.
tory by France. But to this proposition
King William emphatically demurred.
The military party with the King at
their head, carried the day, and the was
went on.
Year: 1871

a FRIEND OF ours trod on rusty nail
which penetrated his foot about one inch
He used Renne's Psin-Killing Magic Oil
thoroughly and cured it without trouble.
This Magic Oil is what every family needs
in the house.
Year: 1871

PROVIDENCE, X. l., March ga number OF
oopvcts in the state Prison mad attempt TO escape
last night Morphine put Tito the tea which was
brought to the but the quantity was go
great that the sooner taken than II was


elected Suspicion aroused and one OF the prisoners
,ade say ing that the vatchulan was To be
snped and killed necessary; then a engaged IN the
conspiracy lie let out OF their cells into the yar
phine was obtained by prisoner who Is occasionally
employed la the dispensary.
Year: 1871

A little boy who had been making
the air melodious with his uproarious
crying was asked what was the mat
ter, to which he replied aFve got
the stomach ache, and I'll have it again
if I've mind to-"
Year: 1871

A rural New York youth lately
went to claim his bride and conduct
her to the altar. to only find that she
had eloped with another fellow the
previous night. He did not tear his
hal, any. but just remarked. "By Jove
I'm glad she married last night in
stead of tonight, if she is of that
disposition"
Year: 1871

A favorite amusement of the bellies
OF New Bedford in the winter is slid
ing down hill on o goldfish. On a
moonlight night hundreds OF young
ladies belonging to the oldest and
most respected families of that an
cient town may be seen participating
in this healthy and innocent recrea-
ton.
Year: 1871

The New York Tribune is in bad
humor about the professional success OF
the sweet sixteen with glossy curls and
dancing eye, who carved Lincoln out
of marble and the Treasury out of ten
thousand dollars. 1t says:


1.-THE voting of $4,000 to Miss Ream
for statue of Lincoln was gross and
inexcusable outrage. She had never
made a statue in her life. The order
should have been given to the best talent
the country could present, or, if that
point could not be decided, it should
have been LEFT to competition. There
was never reason assigned for voting
the order to Miss Ream, except that she
was woman, and wanted it. Persist
ent aud shameless lobbying carried the
vote in both Chambers. Most of those
who voted for it we're good fathers of
family, who thought it made no differ
ence any way, and who gave the little
thing, their vote as they would have
given their own baby sugar plum. Art
was insulted and taste was slapped in
the face by this ignorant and needless
order, and all this in the Congress Of a
nation that numbers among its citizens
at least six of the greatest sculptors OF
the age. HIrI
Year: 1871

According to a Belgian paper a pas
senger who left Paris in balloon was
frightened by the rapid ascension Of the
balloon in such a manner that he lost
the power Of speech, became delirious,
aud died two days after his safe arrival
in Belgium.
Year: 1871

A correspondent Of New York paper
takes the trouble to write letter to show
that there cannot be, and has not been,
any female Free Masons in existence,
because the nature Of the institution
makes such thing impossible.
Year: 1871

Ir would conducc to the peace Of our
city and the pleasure Of all order loving
citizens, if the parties who have been
making day and night hideous with their
abuse and slang of each other during the
pnst week would find some secluded
place and fight it out
Year: 1871

FROM the activity of the officers. and the
extensive preparations being made it is
safe to predict that the fair of the South
western Industrial Association in Septcm-
Der will far surpass any fair ever held in
the Southwestern part of Wisconsin. In
all resoects except perhaps magnitude it
will rival the State Fair.
Year: 1871

To DAY the people Of Darlington are
to vote upon the proposition of aiding to
the extent Of 100000, the proposed rail-
road from Monroe to Dubuque Both
papers strongly favor giving the aid, and
the prospect is that the proposition will
be carried by IL heavy majority. Sound.
Year: 1871

IT is thought by some people to be evil
dence of prosperity and enterprise in a
town when quarrels and fights are frequent.
If this be true Mineral Point must be in
very hourishing condition just now.
Year: 1871

The Kirby selt>raker was declared
the victor in the great trial near Warren
June Both. This trial was one of tho
greatest ever had in the West and the
committee unanimously decided ia favor
of the Kirby.


PETER NopIE Il Co Arcnts
Year: 1871

AGGRIEvED.-The people of Platteyille
feel aggrieved by the comments Of the
Democrat, of this city, on the Base Ball
game played at the former place last
week, in which Mineral Point was de-
feated, Knowing the morbid prejudice
of all 'cops" against American citize ms
of African descent we suspect the att
tack on Pool was tempered to some ex~
tent by that prejudice. If Pools skin
was few shades whittier the Democrat
would scarcely be SO ready to attack him,
even though his conduct was no better
than reported The first essential quail
ity in good Democrat is hatred of the
Negro a respectable citizen of Platte-
vile requests the publication of the fol-
lowing letter;
Year: 1871

EDIToR TRIBUNE Allow me through
your colunns to correct an impression,
which might he formed from a statement
made in the Democrat of the 18th inst
in regard to the 10Th AmeadmenL who
played in the game of ball against the
Mineral Point boys last Tuesday week.
We can assure all honest people, that
there Is not more upright and gentle-
manly boy in our club, (Which we think
on the average ranks with neighboring
clubs in these respects.) The only fault
the scorer could have found with him
was his rather active participation in the
score of % to %, and he took this natural
outlet to vent his spleen. The worthy
editors eyes must have been Il little
dimmed, and his brain rather beloggcd
by prejudice or forty rod


Yours truly.


MoUSD CRY.
Year: 1871

Muskrats have curious methods OF travelling long
distances under the Ice. In their winter excursions
to their feeding GROUNDS, which are frequently great
distances from their abOdes they take In breath at
starting, and remain under water az leng as they
can. Then they rise up to the Ice and breathe out
the air in their lungs, which remains In q bubble
against the lower part OF the ice They wait TIL this
air recovers oxygen from iuxtaposition with the
water and Ice, and then take 1t In again. and 60 on
till this operation has to he repeated In this way
they can travel almost any distance and
live almost any length OF time under thu ice.
The hunter sometimes takes advantage Of
this habit OF the muskrat In the following
manuer:-When the marshes and ponds where the
muskrat abOunds are first frozen over aud the ce ID
tnn and clear on striking into their houses With his
hatchet for the purpose OF setting his trap he fire.
quently sees whole family plunge Into the water
and swim away under the Ice. Following 0ne for
some distance he sees him come lp to recover his
breath In the manner above described. After the
animal has breahed against the xee, and before he
has time to take his bubble In again, the hunter
strikes with his h8tchet over him. and drives
him away from his breath. ID this case he browns
IN swimming few rods, and the shunter, cutting O
hole In the ice, takes him Jut Nlnk otter and bea-


yer travel under tho Ice in the samc way and hun
ters have frequently rd or taking otter In tue man


ner described.
Year: 1871

The independence, Iowa, Bulletin
records the heroic conduct of lady
teacher of that place, Miss Maggie
Cooper The school building in which
she was teaching is provided with ven
tilating fues, connected with the rooms
by registers. The registers are of cast
iron, weighing about forty pounds
each, and are let into the wall about
thirteen feet from the floor. On Mon
day afternoon of last week, as two little
boys were working at the blackboard,
directly under the register, in Miss
Cooper's room, the lady happened to
cast her eyes in the direction of the
ceiling, and saw to her CONSERVATION
the heavy iron register was ON the very
point of falling on the heads of the
unconscious children. Taking in the
situation at a glance, she saw that the
little ones could not be removed in time
to avoid the impending danger, but,
determined to save their lives at any
sacrifice, she rushed to the spot, and,
extending her arms above the heads of
the little boys, received the whole
weight of the falling iron, and, by the
utmost exercise of her strength, divert
ed it from the line of its descent to the
floor, where it fell close by the side of
the imperlled children. There is not
the least doubt that, but for the heroic
action of Miss Cooper, the lives of one
or both of the boys would have been
sacrificed Miss Cooper received Sc
we're cut in the hand, and for day OF
two her arm was SO benumbed by the
conclusion as to be entirely useless.
Year: 1871




Adams d Co. s Express carry large
number of the bogus watch and coun-
terfeit money packages which are sent
to those who are fools enough to reply
to the advertisements of concerns offer
ing large inducements for small invest
ments. The watches always come IN
neat packages, tied with red tape, and
securely sealed. They are marked col
lect on delivery, $3.50. In every case
the Express Company warns the recip-
tents that the watch in the package is
valueless, and advises the party not to
take the package. In some cases they
are successful in stopping the fraud, but
In the majority of cases the party is i'm
pressed with the belief that the watch
Is genuine, as advertised.


The other day a party of father,
mother, and daughter appeared at the
office and inquired for such package.
1t was handed to the daughter, who
had sent for it, the clerk at the same
time advising her to send it back. The
father was of the same opinion, but the
mother "voted" with the daughter.
and advised her to take the package.
She paid her 50. 50and opened the bun
die. Inside lay little brass toy watch,
with three or four inches of brass chain
and fancy key attached. The tears
rushed into the eyes of the daughter,
and that mothers Indignation knew no
bounds. Silently gathering up the
watch and box, the girl turned away.
1t is not likely she will invest in an
other. Such cases occur almost every
day.


In regard to the counterfeit money
packages nothing is done, except to de
liver them to the party addressed. As
they never contain anything except
sawdust, nothing can be done with the
party sending or receiving them. Both
are swindlers, but the man who has
sent his money to be exchanged for
counterfeit cannot complain of the man
who sends him sawdust instead without
eliminating himself, and so the hounds
escape the penalty of the law
Year: 1871

Those who have travelled in Western
Kansas late in summer cannot have
failed to observe the hundreds and
hundreds of acres of sunfowers, wav-
ing "fields of cloth of gold," as far as
the eye can reach. As one went west
ward, they grew more and more scarce,
till at length they disappeared alto
gether. Now it is a singular fact, which
might bother Professor Huxley, that,
with the rapid advance of the rail
way during the last summer, the
sunhower went with it, pori pas
su As the soil was turned up to
light and moisture the width of the
track, the sunfower, whose seed is too
heavy to be carried by the winds, and
which man does not convey, as he may
grain or grass seed for use, sprung up
inevitably for hundreds of miles beyond
the point where heretofore it ceased to
grow. The same fact if true of grass
and of grain. The soil that, for count
less ages, had produced nothing but
the distinctive grass and limited flora
of the plains, greedily devoured the
seed of other vegetation which chance
had brought it, and the fresh-turned
earth along the railroad track suddenly
clothed itself, for the first time
since the Rocky Mountains burst up
from the bowels of the earth, with a
new verdure. Such facts, of course
could not pass unnoticed, and they led
to fresh theories and observations.
There are old settlers-and we believe
that Mr.. Elliott is among them-who
hold that the progress Of settlement
westward in western Kansas has
been marked by cognate phe-
nomena, which had hitherto at
tracted little attent on. Not only have
the cultivated grasses and other vege-
tation encroached upon the Desert ~
and changed its character, but with
this change also, it is asserted, has
come one of climate. The rainy re-
gion has kept pace with the altered
condition of the soil We doubt wheth-
er time enough and observation enough
haveyet been given to establish this
fact absolutely, but there is nothing a
Driori Incredible or unreasonable about
it. The influence of forests upon eli
mate is as well established as sny other
scientific fact
Year: 1871

SENsELEss SUPERsTITIoN.-In Eng
land recently, the corpse Of drowned
man having been brought to land, a
woman brought to the spot her son,
afflicted with wens upon the neck. She
obtained of the Coroner permission
that the boy should draw his hand
seven times across the neck of the de-
ceased. This, if foolish, was at least
harmless. Another recent instance of
folly with disastrous results is record
ed. A man having died of typhoid
fever, a boy afflicted with wens was
brought to the side of the body, and
the dead hand was placed upon his
neck He took the disease in
consequence, and the malady was
communicated to the family and spread
through the whole neighborhood. The
disease was of violent type, and many
deaths followed. Such things, in the
nineteenth century, seem incredible,
but this occurrence is vouched for and
no doubt took place. Perhaps, after
all, it is not much more senseless than
many customs which still obtain, even
in our own midst. Not being attended
with disastrous consequences, we do
not hear of, or note them. But the
folly is no less absurd. The supersti-
tion which perpetuates the idolatry Of
the pagan ages defes education and
Christianity.
Year: 1871

AT THE NORTH HOLE.-Sapt. HILL,
the Arctic explorer, in his recent lee
ture in New York, was reported thus:
When he shall stand on the North
Pole there is one thing which will
trouble him, and that, how shall he
keep his chronometers regulated; how
shall he tell whether they are gaining
or losing. Every direction then will
be south. There will be no north, no
east, no west. The North Star will be
directly over head, or nearly SO, and on
the first day of March the sun will just
appear above the horizon and go
round and round, day by day, never
rising or setting, but gradually attain
ing greater altitude, until finally il
viii get to height of 23l degrees, and
then gradually get lower and lower, un-
til on the 23d of September it will dis
appear, to be seen no more for six
months. What object can he site to
regulate his chronometersl He has
asked the question of the best talent in
the country, and no man can answer
him. In the winter of 1872 he will be
where no sun can shine, but In a fine
place tor people fond of eating, for it
viii always be dinner-time-alway IL
o'clock.
Year: 1871

capable of friendships. He had but one
alternative in his relations with them /;
they were instruments to elevate hipi, or
they were rivals in his way. When the
infamous notoriety which he got by his
treacherous course in the war had made
him draw crowds like wild beast on ex-
hibition, he assumed that all this was are
cognltion of his superior services and
popularity, and he expected his equals and
supeii ,rs in the party to pay him the same
homage. He was gluttonous of flattery,
md expected that his equals would con-
tinually swing censer under his nose.
And his notoriety gave him Il power with
the more ignorant masses that made his
associates fearful of encountcring his
hate; for his selfih vindictiveness knew
no Limitation. We are simply stating
facts known to every one who knew Val
landigham, and we are stating them be-
cause persons who are in reality glad that
this troublesome person is out Of the way,
but who would think eulogy of him a
cheap investment, are continually thrust
ing him forward as If he Was 4 model for
mankind
Year: 1871

During the past three months the
American people have been inflicted with
a surfeit Of horrors, each succeeding one
seeming TO be greater and more sickening
i'll It's details than the last. Gas accumu-
latcs in coal mine, lgnites and eXplodes,
hurrying hundred human beings to All
awful death, leaving the stricken widows
and orphans dependent upon the charities
of the world Through the criminal neg
ligence of an engineer, boiler eXplodcs
on ferry boat, and strews the waters
with the mangled bodies of two hundred
dead and dying persons. Trains of cars
rush into each other, crushing and burn
ing the passengers. And on the Goth of
August comes the terrible accident on the
eastern raiisoad. in Massachusetts, as tit
ting crown to this list of horrors The
verdict of the sworn iuries in all these
cases has been to the one point, that they
are due 10 the grasping avarice of the gi-
ant monopoIics who controlled these rail
roads and ferry boats. The president and
superintendent of the company, and the
engineer of the WeStfeld have been indict-
cd for manslaughtcr III the third degree
Thi., is a step in the right direction; but
will anything come oft?


The people OF New York City at the
present time seem to be paralyzed at the
power of the monopolies, and it is almost
impossible to receive justice when mon
eyed individual or company is interested.
Money has a potential power, and is used
freely in buying up all who stand in the
way Of anything the company may have
in view.


The time has arrived for an earnest
protest from the people against this cor
ruption which is fostering in the high
places. Let it be understood that unless
all possible precautions are taken. when a
butchery occurs, those who hold The high
offices III the corporations-thosew whose
duty il is to see to these things-will be
indicted for murder, and let them have the
same trial as any other criminal who will
fully deprives a human being of his life.
The mangled forms Of the many victims
OF The recent murders call loudly for
reformation in this nlatter--Religi0-P PAiJo-
S0phicdL Journal


Standard weight and measures Of the