smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

A PUNCTUATION PUzzLE-The fol-
lowing article forcibly illustrates the
necessity of pnnctuation. It can be
read in two ways, making very bad
man, or very good man, the result
depending On the manner in which it
is punctuated:


He is an old experienced man in
vice and wickedness he is never found
opposing the walks Of iniqulty he
takes delight in the downfall of his
neighbors he never rejoices in the
prosperity of any Of his fellow crea-
:ures he is always ready to assist in
destroying the peace of society he
takes no pleasure in serving the Lord
he is uncommonly deligent in sowing
disorder among his friends and az
quaintanees he takes no pride in Ia
boring to promote the cause of Chris
tianity he has.not been negligent in
eudeavoring to stigmatize all public
teachers he makes no exertiens to
subdue his evil passions he strives
hard to build up Satan's kingdom he
lends no aid to the support of the
Gospel among the heather he con-
tributes largely to the evil. adversary
he pays no attention to good advice
he gives great heed to the devil he
will never 60 to heaven he must 60
where he will receive the just recon-
pence of reward.
Year: 1871

A couple came to town last week
to get spliced. The groom leaving
his BRIDE at the West Union House.


went to the clerks ofico and applied
to Esq. Msrse, who was also deputy
clerk. for a license and also to do the
job of tying the knot. The Squire
being a prompt business man. after
having made out the license. repair.
cd TO the parlor of the West Union
House to do the job. The groom
Year: 1871

eyes, and she's fully agreeable as
she is pretty. I never met a bright
er, or more intelligent girl. Sorry
that I do not fell we'll enough ac-
quaintsd to introduce friend. Good
by, Sam; thore is something really
magnetic about the young girl. :!
feel drawn toward her in a way that
is quite incomprchensible 80 I will
bid you goodbye, and 60 back to
enjoy her society once more," and
with provoking smile, Harry left
his companion who could only enjoy
the privilege of looking at tho at
tractive little lady.


He watched the two in a quite .
disconsolate manner, for, to tell the
truth. he had fallen desperately in
love with May, and envied Harry
every beaming glance and smile that
she bad bestowed upon him. She
was going to visit in the very town
where tho young men lived. SO that
our hero had the pleasure Of her So
ciety for several hours. during which
time their acquaintance ripsned very



rapidly, and when they parted. May
gave him cordial invitation to visit
her, which he accepted With evident
Year: 1871

At the funeral of a lady in N. Y. on Priesy
afternoon last, there were present two cousiCs
of the deceased, one a lady from NewY ork elte
and the other a lady from BROOKLYN. esc9
alter their arrival in Newburg the lady frc-S
brooklyn received dispatch aunouncirS
that her little son had been run over al
seriously injured and in about an hour the
other lady received a dispatch informing hi
Of the sudden death Of her husband.
Year: 1871

Persons who talk most do not always
think most. 1 question whether per-
sons who think most-that is, have most
conscious thought pass through their
minds do most mental
work. Be aye sticking in a tree,
Jack; it will be growing when you are
sleeping" So with every new idea
that is planted in a thinkers mind. 1t
will be growing when he is sleeping.
An idea in the brain is not legend
carved on a marble slab; it is an i'm
preston made on a living tissue which
is the seat of active nutritive processes.
Shall the initials l carved in bark grow
from year to year with the tree? And
shall not my recorded thought grow
into new forms and relations with my
growing brain? Daniel Webster told
one of the greatest scholars that he had
to change the size of his hat every four
years. His head grew larger as his in
tellect expanded. Illustrations of this
same fact were shown me by a famous
phrenologist in London. But organic
mental changes may take place in
shorter spaces of time. A single night
of sleep has often brought sober sec
ond thought which was surprise to q
hasty conclusion the day before.-O. w
Holmes.
Year: 1871

THE frenzy of nations is the states
manship of fate.-Anon.


No HEROES at all for us if their hero
ism is to consist in being not men,
Kingsty.


The animosities are mortal, but the
humanities live Christopher
North.


THERE is no definite life except unto
death, no death except unto higher
life.-BumSon.


THE supreme selfindulgence is to
submit the will to a spiritual director
Holmes.


WE know God easily provided, we do
not constrain ourselves to define him.
Joubert.


If man makes himself a worm he
must not complain when he is trodden
on InamaaueL Kant.


LEARNING hath gained most of those
books by which the printers have lost.
Thomas Fuller.
WORD unspoken is a sword in the
scabbard word uttered Is sword in
another's hand.-QuGrLes.
HAVE learned what a sin is against
an infinite imperishable being such as is
the soul of man.-CoLeridge.
THIS is the method of genius, to ripen
fruit for the crowd by those rays of
whose heat they complain.-Margarct
| Fuller.
HE that does base thing in zeal for
his friend, burns the golden thread that
ties their hearts together. Jeremy
Taylor.
Year: 1871

1 tell you God is good, as well as just,


And some few flowers in every heart are sowD,
Their black and crumpled leaves show but as


dust,


Sometimes in the hard soil-sometimes o'er-


grown .
With wild unfriendIy weeds they hidden lie
From the warm sunshine, but they do not die.
Pressed from natural quickening by the might


Of sin, or circumstance through the evil days,
They find their way at last into the light,
Weakly and pale, giving their little praise
Of modest beauty, and with grace most sweet
Making the garden of the Lord complete.
Alice Gury.
Year: 1871

A dealer in pork has precocious son
who was expert in cards, and in playing
with his young companions was seldom
on the losing side. He began at first to
bet on the game, and ere long would
play regular for money with any of his
age disposed to accept the risk. He
came home one day, bringing several
dollars which he had acquired in his
small way of gaming, and exhibited his
gains to his father with quite an air of
triumph. The thoughtful parent shook
his head, and told his son that the
money was not honestly acquired. "But
l did not cheat" said the boy. 81 hope
not" said the father; "but did you
give the loser any equivalent whatever
for it ?'' The boy hung his head, and
the parent added Money is honestly
acquired where there is an exchange of
products or services, and the receiver
gives an equivalent for it; but to take
another mans property and give him
no equivalent for it, is to rob or cheat
him.


A few months after, the father came
home from the Produce Exchange with
an elated aspect, and announced that
he had settled his speculative contracts
in pork by the receipt of nearly $780,
OO0 His son eyed him steadily a mo-
ment, and then said: What did you
give the other man, father, as an equiv.
alent for the money pm. Y. Jou77ao
of Commerce..
Year: 1871

The Corydon Monitor relates the fol-
lowing affecting incident: 1.-TWO days
since, a pair of turtle doves lit on a
dooryard fence in Corydon. One was
seen to take wing toward the house, and
was probably blown against it by the
strong wind, for in a moment it lay
dead on the ground at the corner of the
house, with the bruised breast, but
warm. The other one flew to the spot,
walked around its mate, whose sudden
stiffness it did not understand, called 1t,
and tried with many manifestations OF
affection to gain its attention; For an
hour it persevered, and moved to tears
the household that witnessed the cir
cumstance. Another dove came and
lit not far away, and the two flew away
J together"
Year: 1871

ObtniB winter.


The N. Y. Post of last evening says;-


tThe Board of Police Commissioners and the
Mayor of Jersey City last evening met the
agents of the several fire insurance companies
TO determine on the precautions to be used
against fire. It was decided TO place one
hundred special officers on duty tonight in the
several precincts In the city, TO borrow from this
city ten thousand feet of hose, and TO import a
quantity of portable ire.extinguishers. At
and new ones will be dug. The water lying upon
the property of the Hoboken Land and Improve
ment Company is also to be utilized for the eiti-
zens. Several thousands OF gallons taken from
this city were distributed this morning among
the upper wards of the city. In Jersey City
this morning ten men we're fined each fifty
collars for having turned on the water a. the
Alo - 1IaLts.
Year: 1871

NIIUFNE


Mr.. Sellers demurred to the return, saying that
the return admitted that the sgners OF this petition
were qualified electors, but simply said that Mr..
DOnegan was not custodian OF the fist.


After hearing counsel, Judge Ludlow said:-"lf
order our ProthonOtary 10 certify TO record OF
this court it will not do for him TO refuse obedience
on the ground that be does not know the record to
be true and thus answer the first proposition OF the
answer As TO the second, say II would be revolu-
tionary In at this time TO decide that this act OF
Assembly is unconstitutional / award a peremp-
tory mandamus commanding the Prothon0tary to
certify that upon the afldavits before him he be-
lleves the petitioners TO Oe Qualned electors"
Year: 1871

the new Morning Star missionary ship is
ready for service to take the place of the old
to be used By the missionaries of the Sand
wich Islands, and was built by contributions
from the Congregational Sunday Schools, at
q cost of S27 900.
Year: 1871

There is said TO be Justice of the Peace
in Perry county, Indiana, who keeps the
business confined to the family. When he
tries case, the jury is mostly composed of
his brothers and sons. The constable is a
son-ln- law and fines are divided
Year: 1871

neck and Immediately behind the head the body ex
pauds into tho large belly which becomes thin again
toward the tail, termir ting in lash whip. There
are l33 vertebrg In the spinal column of which 100 are
in the taO, On each side two fms directed down
ward The abdominal fins have been displaced owing TO
the sofneSs Of the rock, and the immense pressure
To which the specimen has been subjected. Each
Of the awbOnes is armed with sharp cOnical teeth In
tho abdominal cavity Is the skeleton OF young animal
about two feet and five inches long, which il placed
that the eud OF its mouth reaches the pelvs OF the old
animal while its tail is bent around toward It's jaws
From the position OF the second skeleton above the ribs
OF the first, CUicd between stomach and pcYis Dr.
Draper infers that the animal not swallowed,
but was In the womb and that, consequently, these
reptiles bore living young.


This specimen exhibited nj Freberg Germany, for
the benefit OF wounded soldiers and purchased for
$3.50 by Gen Webb President of the College Of the City VI
Year: 1871

and sbouldered away by the well dress.
ed and elbowiug throng, little woman
in faded dress and well.worn hat, with
a face almost painful in expression, CLAN
cling rapidly from window TO window as
the coaches glided in. She had not yet
seen the stranger; but a moment after
she caught his eye, and in another in
slant he had jumped to the platform
with his two portmanteaus, and making
a hole in the crowd, pushing one here
and there, and running one Of his bun
dies plump into the well developed stom.
ach OF venerable looking old gentleman
in spectacles, be rushed toward the place
where she was standing. ] think new
er saw face assume so many different
expressions in so short a time as did that
of the little woman while her husband
was on his way to her. She didn't look
pretty. On the contrary, she looked
very plain, but someway | felt big
lump rise in my throat as watched her.
She was trying to laugh; but, God bless
her, how completely she failed in the at
tempt! Her mouth got into the positi IN,
out it never moved after that, save to
draw down at the corners and quiver,
while she blinked her eyes SO fast that, |
suspect she only caught occasional
glimpses of the broad shouldered fellow
who elbowel his waw so rapidly toward
her. And then, as he drew close and
dropped those everlasting portmanteaus,
she just turned completely around, with
her back toward him, and covered her
face with her hands. And thus she was
when the strong man gathered her up in
his arms as if she had been baby, and
held her sobbng to his breast. There
were enough gaping at them, heaven
knows, and i turned my eyes away for
moment, and tLen | saw two BOYS in
threadbare roundabouts standing near,
wiping their red eyes and noses on their
little coat sleeves aud bursting out anew
at every fresh demonstration on the part
of their mother. When looked at the
stranger again, he had his hat drawn
down over his eyes; but his wife was
looking up at him, and it seemed as if
the pent up tears of all those weary
months of waiting, were streaming
through her eyeli1s.
Year: 1871

Many farmer and housekeeper won
ders why it is they must needs take a
nap every Sunday in serman-time.-
When the parson gets comfortably into
the second or third head of his discourse
and his congregations have settled into
the easiest positions to listen, gentle
sleep begins to steal over their faculties,
and the good man is surprised at finding
his argument less cogent than it seemed
when prepared in the solitude of his
study. At home, the busy matron nev-
err thinks Of mapping at eleven o'clock in
the morning, and the man Of business
would consider his sanity or common
sense sadly called in question should
friend propose a half hours nap at that
hour of the day. Nevertheless, they
both sleep like kittens in their pews, and
logic, rhetoric and eloquence are alike
wasted in the vain attempt to rJuse
their sluggish souls. The question Of
poet, so often sung IN our assemblies,


My drowsy powers why sleep ye -"


is exactly in point, aud we propose an
answer: because we are all breathing
carbouic acid gas-deadly poison be-
cause the sexton didn't let the foul air
of last Sundays congregation out of the
doors and windows, and the fresh, pure
air of Heaven in.


Look aronnd at the audience; that fe-
verish flush isn't heat; it's poison. The
lady nodding over there, her nose and
cheeks like scarlet rose, is not too
warm, tor the thermometer doesn't stand
over seventy degrees; she is partially
snffocated; what she wants is fresh air.
That Woodworking mechanic and farmer
doesn't sleep because he watched with a
sick child last night, but simply for want
of oxygen to keep the flame of intellect
ual and physical activity bright and
bnrning.


Nobody can rise on wings of faith in
poisonous atmosphere. Oxygen and
religion cannot be separated in this un-
righteous manner. We cannot live in
conformity to spiritual laws, while in
open violation to the physical.


Is your sexton man of intelligence
sufficient to understand the necessity
and reason of ample ventilation ? Does
he know every human being vitiates, at
the least estimate, four cubic feet of gas
every minnie? Linger when the con-
gregation leaves, and see if he shuts ev-
cry door and window tight to keep in
the heat till evening service. Then see
how thin the lamps burn in the vi;iated
air; how hard the minister tries to raise
himself and his listeners to the height
Cf some great argument, and how stupid
they are-nothing but bad air.


Now for the remedy, which costs la
Dor and money both, for ventilation is a
question of dollars and cents. Saturday,
the sexton should be instructed to open
all the doors and windows, to let out all
the dead and foul air, and let in such as
is fresh 1t takes no more coal on Sun
day morning to heat the church to sew
eniy degrees because of this publication.
Again Sunday noon let the openings
the church be thrown wide-watmh
and bad air will alike disappear, and,
though extra coal may be required to
raise the temperature the minister will
preach so much belt in consequence,
and the hearers will listen with such in.
creased relish to the sacred word, that
the loss of the pocket will be infinitely
compensated by the gain of the soul.


Educational Monthty.
Year: 1871

GAMBErTA AS A BoY.-Therc is n story
told of how NJ Gambetta got his "aeil crere, 81
writes correspondent of the Daily Nc,cs:


He has lost an eye. They say so. at least
and certainly there is something queer about
one of his eyes; but, however, this is the story
When boy, Gambetta was sent by his father
to Jesuit college. where he was to be edu-
Gated. 1t would seem, little Gambetta had
even there strong dislike for .Jesuits, so he
requested his father to withdraw him from that
school His father. however not hearkening
to his request, the boy declared that if he were
not taken away by a certain day he would put
out one of his eyes. The father did not for an
instant believe the lad capable of performing
the threat, and did not give the matter second
thought However, few days afterward, he
received letter from the principal at the
school, informing him that the boy had put out
one of his eyes. The father went to see his
son, but still refused to take him home, upon
which the young Gambetta declared that unless
he did take him home, he would put out the
other eye.


Upon this, the father thought it advisable to
give in. Gambettas admirers cite this rs an
instance Of the mans precocious determination
and firmness of character; others, however,
cannot see IN it anything but an evidence of an
undiscplined and unruly spirit, which has not
improved since. Which opinion is right every
one can best settle for himself
Year: 1871

A LITTLE boy who went to church was eau.
toned to remember the text, which was:
"Why stand ye all the day idleq Go into my
vineyard and work, and whatsoever Is right I
asked to repeat the text He thought over il
q while, and then cried out: "What dye stand
round here doin' nufn for; 20 into my barn
yard and work. I'll make it ali right with you
Year: 1871

One evening in November We were wakcncl


by noise that proceeded from the street.


near which was our sleeping-room window.


A ruihanly voice was pouring out on the night


air an avalanche. of curses. Going to the win
dow, we looked out and saw, on the opposite
side Of the street, man in beastly state Of


ntoxicaton, rcoing from side to side Of the
walk, and little girl, about six or seven
years, holding him by one hand, and ondeavor-
ing with all her power to guide his erratic
steps. Don't, father, she said as the BIAS
phemous wretch pours out the vileness inspir-
ed by the vile compounds he had drank Her
remonstrance meets with quick return after
an effort or two he succeeds in hitting her
with his disengaged hand and she falls prone
upon the sidewalk. After a moment, she
gets up-meantime the father embraces an
awningpost, and is watching his child, while
he see-saws back and forward la his maudlin
effort to maintain his equilibrium The little
girl Immediately comes to his side there is
no fear in her approach, and the tone in
which she said, 8" Do father come home"
had power, it seemed to Us, to melt heart
Of stone. The agonizing cadence brought up
from bleeding heart had no effect on the
miserable rum-soaked wretch, and as they
moved in a zg-zag course down the street,
he made Intellectual efforts to strike his child
again, at the same time making night hideous
with his camorous profanity he falls on the
sidewalk to be assisted to his feet by the lit
tie one and as he sends out new voloy off
oaths, and slowly gets down the street out Of
hearing, the last words we hear are in
that heart-breaking, pleading strain " Don't
father"


What future that little girl has before
her Once her father was kind to her, else
she would not have loved him so well else
she would not have borne his brutality But
when the demon, rum, fastens his hold on
man, all his better nature is gone.
Year: 1871

In that hour which Of all the twenty.four
is most emblematic of heaven, and suggestive
of repose, the eyentide, in which instinctively
Jacob went into the fields to meditate,-when
the work of the day is done, when the mind
has ceased its tension, when the passions are
lulled to rest, in spite Of themselves, by the
spell of the quiet, star-lit sky,-it is then,
amidst the silence of the lull Of all the lower
parts Of our nature, that the soul comes forth
to do its work. Then the peculiar, strange
work Of the soul, which the intellect cannot
Cancellation, begins. Awe, and worship,
and wonder, are in full exercise and love
begins then in its purest form of mystic ado
ration, and persuasive and underlined tender.
ness-separate from all that is coarse and
earthly-swelling as if it would embrace all
in its desire to bless, and lose itself in the sea
of the love Of God. This is the rest Of the
soul--the exercise and play of all the nobler
powers.-F. W. Robertson.
Year: 1871

Life is monstrous disappointment and
death the only portal to peace. There is not
day passes in which virtue does not sell
itself for bread, in which the good are not
prosecuted and the weak tramplcd upon.
Tragedies as red as any history or fiction ever
painted are being played, and faces you admire
mark with smiles an inward torture worse
than the agony Of the rack Who has real
lied the ful6llment of his early hopes L?
Whose life has not its notifications, its bitter
concealmcnts, its studied evasions, poignant
humiliations, its wild uneasiness, its wrestlinrs
and defeat. But we do not represent life.
We represent the fairest portions and the
highest level Of it. Beneath us is the great
mass of humanity, and they writhe and moan
and weep they toll and starye and curse and
fight and die. The world goes rolling on as
needless Of those who fall as the gale in
autumn is needless Of the leaves it strips
from the trees or the branches it wrenehes
away.-Rey. W. H. MayraH
Year: 1871

When the great bridge across the Nj
agara was made, the difficulty was to pass the
first rope across the broad stream. | have
read that it was accomplished by flying a
kite, and allowing it to fall on the opposite
bank. The kite carried across a piece of
string, then to the string was tied line, and
to the line rope, and to the rope stronger
rope, aud by-and-by Niagara was spanned,
aud the bridge was finished. Even thus by
degrees God works. 1t is fair sight to see
in human hearts little interest concerning
things divine, little desire after Christ, a
feeble wish to know who he is and what he is,
and whether he is available to the sinners
case. This hunger will lead to craving
after more, and that craving will be followed
by another, till at last the soul shall find her
Lord and be satisfied in im.-ISpurgeon.
Year: 1871

What minister of the Gospel does not
lose heart as he looks through his congrega-
ton seeking for helpers. He wants workers
for the Sunday school, workers for the mission
field in his parish, workers among the poor
and needy. Many, through the blessing of
the Lord upon his ministry, have been brought
into the fold; but where are they2 what are
they doing for Christ Since the hour of
their conservation they have not done the first
thing. They are of no use to the Master
They are a positive hindrance. They are
sleeping on their watch. Admirable plans
arc formed for a grand onslaught upon the
enemy, and when and where they are most
needed they are not to to be found.