smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

one OF the main objects in view.
BY keeping the road free from
snoW-a not impossible. task con
sidering It's Iength-it could be
made available from one end Of the
year to the other. Any number Of
boats could ply between Bismarck
and Benton for at least six months
Of the year, or as long as the river
remained unobstructed by iee,. and
during this time, if the business
demanded it, enough freight could
be landed at Bent. n to keep the
road employed during the entire
winter. It IS hardly necessary to
say that this route could convey
/ freight to and from the Territory
much cheaper than a route all rail
could do; facts and figures have al
ready been furnished which leaves
no room for doubtupon this point.
Oter-population is causing dis
tress in the little island Of Barba
dos. At present there is an inhabi-
tant for every half acre Of land,
and as the only. source Of wealth Of
the island IS its agricultural pro
ducts, land is much too thickly set
tied for prosperity.


There. are a set Of political doc
trinaires who draw their ideas of
the proper constitution Of our civil
service from that Of England or Of
Germany, They donot seem to IN
derstand that the conditions here
are different, and that a privileged
class is something opposed to the
genius of our institutions and con
trary to the Constitution. These
people demand and mean to have a
reform in their civil service, but to
achieve it they will not establish
life tenure of Office.


John Bright is said to have re-.
fused to drink to the health Of THE
Empress of Indie" at a recent ban
quet, upon which the Prince Of
Wales is also said to have asked an
explanation. We hope this will
not set the old reformer back any
lin his own esteem or in that of the
people. We think it will not. The
dying Golden said that John Bright
had another reform bill left inside
of him, and if this Indian empress
question be brought up Extensively
IN ali attack Oh such a popular god
Of the people as John Bright, it
may result il a decided snubbing
for the Guelphs, which was only
avoided before by the country's
personal respect for the queen.
There is no such feeling for the
prince Of Wales, and the worst man
he can possibly exercise his friction
upon is John Bright.


There is a gigantic enterprise on
foot in the oil regions Of Pennsyl-
vania: A company proposes to
construct a pipe line from the oil
wells to the Atlantic seaboard. The
pipe will be laid above ground
and the oil pumped through BY
powerful engines.


A romantic young lady in New
York City recently drowned her
self in the mud gutter.


An exchange says the letter car
riers' salaries have been reduced
twenty five dollars per month. At.
that rate the carriers will have to
pay the Government for the priYi-
lege Of carrying letters.


Then new tax bill, which has been
agreed to il committees, does not
change any tax, either with regard
to spirits, tobacco, cigars or stamps.
nor change any Or abolish any
bat in four pages makes
contingent upon the
abolition Of the supervisors and
other changes contemplated in the
pending appropriation bills.


SUMMONS,


n d THE PROBATE COURT or CHOTEAUCOUN-


TY Montana Territory
Year: 1876

There is gigantic enterprise on
foot in the oil regions Of Pennsyl-
vania A company proposes to
construct a pipe line from the oil
wells to the Atlantic seaboard The
pipe will be laid above ground
and the oil pumped through by
powerful engines.
Year: 1876

Of father, mother and sister, were violent |
sympathizers with the South. His father |
entered the Confederate army as an offic- |
er early in the war The son could not
go with him and fight against his prin-
ciples, nor could he stay at home and
brook the taunts and pleadings Of his
mother and sister; nor could he join the
Federal army and fight against his faith
er, 80 he left his home and wandered
to the mines on the Pacific slope. His
home was at the center of hostilities,
and all communication cut off. At the
close ofthe war he went back to Tennes-
see, and what was once his home was
now desolation. The neighbors told
him his father had been killed in one of
the early battles, his mother had died
a3d his sister had married rebel officer
whose name was not remembered, and
all trace of her had been lost. The old
plantation had been cenfscated and there
was not a single tie left TO bind him to
the past. He spent some months in
search of his sister without result, and
finally, homeless, and with disposition
that shrank from fellowship with men,
he went back to his old home in the
noun tains to spend the rest of weary
life. From 1865 to 1872 he was in the
mines Of Colorado and Montana, and
hunting and trapping along the streams
of the great Northwest, being employs ed
occasionally by the Government to do
some work for which ordinary men were
too cowardly or too incompetent.


He was short, stocky man, with a
little stopping of the shoulders, and a
way OF carrying his head bent forward
with his eyes upon the ground. He had
a shrinking blue eye, very handsome
mouth, and forehead on which you
could trace the blue veins, as you can
trace them on the forehead of woman


He was full-bearded, but neither the


growth of hair nor the marks of expos


ure had effacted the lines of beauty


from his face. His manner was unob


trusive and gentle, and his voice was a.


soft and tender as a woman's tones. Hs


was a man that horses and dogs loved
instinctively on first acquaintance; whom
men respected, although he was neve


fathomed by his wisest friends. He hat
fought whole tribe of Indians singh


handed, people said, although no one ev
err learned of an exploit from his owl
, lips. He never learned the necessity o


swearing, never told story, never smok
> ed pipe or cigar before a camp fred


and never drank any liquor.
Year: 1876

The average age of sheep does not
much exceed ten years; to that period
they will usually live, breed, and thrive
tolerably well. But there are instances
of much more protracted age. Parti-
cular sheep are stated to live nearly
twenty years-those which the mountain
shepherds call "guide-sheep," old wheth-
ers which are kept on purpose to direct
the bleating focks in the unfrequented
wilds.


Cows have an average age of about
fifteen years. Rings on the horns tell
the number of their days. At four years
old a ring is formed at their roots and
every succeeding year another is added


Thus, by allowing three years before
their appearance, and counting the num-
ber Of rings, the age of the animal is
known. 1t is well for certain members
Of the human race losing their bloom,
who are somewhat sensitive upon the
question Of age, that there are no defn-
ite appearances added with annual pre-
cision to their cheeks, revealing to the
eye what they keep from the ear. Pigs
have been known to live through thirty
years, but the average term is much less
-[Good Health.
Year: 1876

The Rural Sun has the following
at has been decided that when horse
or carriage is let out for hire for the pur-
pose of performing a particular journey,
the party letting warrants the carriage
fit and competent for such journey. If
the hirer treats the horse or carriage as
any prudent man would do, he is not
answerable for any damage that either
may receive, but he must use the horse
for the purpose for which he hired him.
For instance, horse hired for saddle
must not be used in harness. If the
hirer violates this express condition of
the contract he is liable for any damage
that may occur. If the horse is stolen
through the hirer's negligence, such as
leaving the stable door open all night,
he must answer for it; but if he is rob-
bed of it by highwaymen, when travel
ing the usual road at usual hours, he
cannot be held for damages. As these
questions are frequently in dispute these
decisions may be interesting"
Year: 1876

The Hartford Courant of Monday tells
the following: "a few days ago a gen.
tleman in the west part of the city dis
covered mouse in the corner of his eel
lar, aud noticed that it was struggling to
escape from some restraint. Examina-
tion showed that one of the hind legs
of the little animal was held quite firm
ly by several fibres of spiders web at
tached to piece of hose suspended
above. This leg was drawn up from the
bottom OF the cellar, and with the other
three legs the animal was scratching to
free himself The spider-not a very
large one-was busy in multiplying the
fastenings and in making everything
more secure. The gentleman took pre-
cautions to leave the animal and insect
undisturbed, and watched the progress of
this curious exhibition of engineering.
The next day the spider had extended
its web to the other legs of the mouse,
which was alive, but much weakened,





possibly from the bite of the insect. Fin
ally the mouse died. The engineering
progressed until the spider had actually
raised the mouse nearly an inch from
the cellar bottom, and was resting from
its labors and commencing a feast upon
the captured rodent. On Saturday, dur
ing the absence of the gentleman from
home some accident befel the works of
the little engineer, and the sustaining
webs were broken During the opera
tions of the spider several of the neigh
bors called in to watch the performances
of the industrious insects. Several re-
membered reading an account of SINH
lar capture by a spider in newspaper,
but they did not then believe the story
This illustration and experience were
undoubtedly given them to show how
unjust they had been, and to teach them
TO rely with more confidence upon wha
the truly good newspaper tells them.
Year: 1876

The man is in his grave now, and it
can do no harm to tell the story of his
very remarkable infatua alton for the wild
ow of Jim Fisk-Mrs. Lucy Fisk. He
wanted to marry her, and, had his situa-
ton been other than what it was, prob
ably Mrs. Fisk would have been Mrs.
B. instead. During the early attentions
he paid her, somebody informed the
widow that her admirer had a wife al
ready living, and when she confronted
him with the story he admitted it freely.
From that moment they met only as ac-
quaintances but the change in her de-
meanor rendered the man frantic. He
had been separated from his lawful wife
for several years by mutual agreement.
He was rich, and his wife received a
separate but liberal support. From this
moment he was crazy for divorce A
lawyers services were secured and the
necessary papers prepared. Through a
third party he proposed TO his wife to
pay her very handsome sum of money
If she would offer no opposition to his
suit. The wife declined to make the ar
rangement, and the divorce suit was
prosecuted with renewed vigor. She
had heard of his infatuation of Jim
Fisk's widow, and was maddened by the
thought of his desiring another wife. Sc
she prepared to defend the case quite as
vigorously, and was ready to call the
widow of Fisk as one of her witnesses
when the infatuated husband was pros.
trated by sickness, which ended in his
death. He had lived for months at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel, and died and was
buried from there. The offended wife
took charge of his effects, but refused tt
attend the funeral. She is now enjoy


ing his property in fashionable home
close by Grammercy Park, and thi


summer has been visitor to the ancien


shades of Nantucket.-[N. Y. CORES


pondent Chicago Tribune.
Year: 1876

From the San Francisco Chronicle.


Is Donaldson, the balloonist, really
dead? Such is the question under de-
bate among those cognizant of the Pro-
fessor's true character and selfish incli-
nations and it is but just to affirm that
a large majority of persons knowing the
man, give it to be their deliberate opin-
ion that although the body of the un-
fortunate reporter, his companion on his
presumptively fatal voyage, was found
and identified, and his note book, ab-
ruptly closed, discovered on the corpse.
Donaldson himself is still alive, and
dwelling in obscurity beneath an assum-
Barnum invented, as an attraction to his
show, marriage in mid-air with the
balloon. carrying the bridal party, be-
meath Donaldson's management. On
that occasion the number of @rial voy-
ayers seriously incommoded the aro-
naut, who, in anticipation of disaster,
seriously informed them that in the
event of danger to his own life would
be compelled to toss them one by one
out of the basket rather than have them
all perish. Now, neither has the corpse
of Donaldson nor the faintest vestige OF
his balloon been discovered, and it is i'm.
possible that all traces should have per
ished, when the body of the Journalist
was found in good preservation so short
ly after the disaster. AS clear demon
stration of the Professor being in tht
land of living, it can be proven that 1
lady to whom he is believed to hav,
been betrothed, incautiously admitted
receipt of letters from Donaldson lon,
after the alleged occurrence of the bal
loon catastrophe. Consequently it i
fair to presume that to insure his owl
safety during a moment of danger h
flung the reporter overheard, reache
terra frma in safety, and, after destroy
ing his balloon, is hiding himself I
avoid the penalty of his caime.
Year: 1876

In the days when the city of Rich
mond was small town and had but one
church, lived there Parson Buchanan,
the Episcopalian, and Parson Blair, the
Presbyterian. They occupied the pull
pit an alternate Sundays, and were
sworn friends. They were both witty
and far from ascetic, for they went to
balls, and Parson Buchanan was said to
be in the minuet most stately and ex-
hiliarating vision. Parson Blair was
wont to aver that there was not such an
other dancer in the world. Parson
Buchanan's best friend was Jacquelin
Amber, Treasurer of Virginia, and
with one of the Amber daughters the
good man is reported to have been very
much in love-so quantity and unselfsh-
ly in love that he twice performed the
wedding ceremony for her, she having
married again on the death of her first
husband. The parson left his hand.
some estate to Mr.. Ambler's daughter
and their grand children have Just pres.
ented portrait Of him TO the State Ii.
brary.
Year: 1876

From the Charleston Journal of Commercs.l |


Prof. Nixon had advertised that he |
would allow himself to be placed in a
coffin, screwed down, and buried in a |
grave six feet deep. He was to remain
for one hour and half, and then rise
from the grave through the soil. The
grave was dug in Belvldere, and be said
that if he failed he hoped the crowd
would be large enough to insure re-
spectacle legacy to his wife and chill
dren. Upon approaching the grave


Nixon was seen on platform perform


ing juggling tricks. He was dressed in


bright yellow coat, pink trowers


Short, and about II brogans. Mr..
Nixon claims to be an Egyptian. Ifthe
Egyptians ordinarily dress in that cost


ume, Moses was justified in getting out


of the country at all hazards. An Egyp-
tian task master with a brogan like Nix


on's must have been able to administer


a fearful kick. Nixon soon approached


the grave, aid made earnest appeals to


the crowd to get away from it. The


coffin was brought forward, and COM


mittee was selected to see that there was


no deception. Nixon now pulled off


his shoes and stood on the coffin, hold
ing in each hand a vial His voice as


sumed unnatural solemnity. He said


that he wanted silence for while; that


this was life and death matter; his


voice became husky, and perspiration


began to start upon his brow. He paus-


ed moment. A look of grave deter


mination settled upon his face, and with


tremulous sigh he hastily swallowed


the contents of the vial. In few min


utes his face assumed dea.hly pallor


and dark rims appeared beneath his eyes
The spectators thought he was going tc
die He lay in the coffin and the lid


was screwed down. The coffin was rap
idly lowered into the grave, and the
, earth shoveled in. The excitement in
, creased as the time for which the
Professor was to remain under ground
(thirty minutes) passed. At twenty
eight minutes the excitement communi
Gated itselfto the judges, and they issued
orders for the horn to be blown, which
= was to summon the buried man forth


AS the first note of the instrument runs


out the assembly became frantic. Sool
; a scream rose as the earth began t,
f crack, and Nixon came up into sigh
!. with load of DIRT on his head. Then
, howl was caused by the discovery tha
I the Professors appearance had beel
t made through a neatly covered chamber
which was diyided by only a thin parti
U tion from the head of the grave. IT
n had burst the head out of the coffir
q crept into the shaft, and emerged from
o at the sound of the horn. He bowe
o his thanks and withdrew.
Year: 1876

Edward S. Stokes still seems very
much detected because he has to herd
with the Common trash" of criminals.
The authorities have allowed him to
start his moustache and imperial, in
view of the near approach of the expi-
ration eff his sentence. During the pro-
gress of a meal the prisoner, who sits on
the fifth row of seats from the door of
the dining-room, bends low over his
plate, his effort apparently being to hide
himself from the curiosity of the pub
lie. He trains with the regular prison.
ers, and is one of the six hundred for
whom the State in these hard times can
find no employment.
Year: 1876

Rev. DR.. Shermer, pastor of the
Methodist Protestant Church, Broad
way and Monument street, was in the
midst of his sermon last Sunday night,
when rather strange interruption oc-
CURED. A little girl about ten years
old .arose from her seat in pew beside
her mother and walked up the aisle and
into the pulpit, passing behind the
preacher. From the pulpit platform
she stepped on chair, the back of
which was placedl against the pulpit
platform, and from the chair on to the
top of the communion table, marble
oblong slab several feet long, in front of
the pulpit. She walked the length of
the table, and seemed just about to step
or fall to the floor when she was caught
by member of the church who came
forward. He lifted her down, when she
sank on the floor She was Immediately
surrounded by the pastor, her mother
and other friends, who found that she
was sound asleep. She did not awake
until after her mother had removed her
to the pew from which she had started
on her peregrinations. She said she
dreamed she was in the pulpit. Or
Shermer says he thought she was some
child unused to the place who wanted a
drink of water from the pitcher usually
placed at hand for the preacher. He
noticed that her steps were light and
noiseless, and her eyes fixed, but he die
not suspect she was walking in her sleeE
until she passed in front of him on tn,
communion table. 1t is stated that tn,
child is not used to sleep walking, thi


being her first performance Baltimor,


Snp
Year: 1876

John Brown died death to which the
law signed him, and the risk of which
he took in his hand when he struck his
mad blow for human freedom. Among
the guards who kept the people from
seeing how a man could die for princi-
pie, and in the same company of
Richmond regiment, were the son of
Governor Wise and young actor who
hastily left theater where he had been
playing, to witness Browns death, whose
name was John Wilkes Booth. John
Brown died on December 2, 1859, and a
little more than two years later Governor
Wise was flying from Roanoke Island
before the victorious Burnside, while his
son lay dead upon the field; and still
three years later, Booth, who had guard
ed John Brown to his death, had again


fed from the theater which he had
made the crowning scene of Slavery's
death struggle, to die the death of a
wild beast at bay. This coincidence in


Booths history we do not remember to
have seen noted, and it may be appro-
priately referred to in connection with
the death of Virginia's Ex-Governor.
Year: 1876

MUsT SAFELY KEEP. The IN
stances are numerous in which public
treasures are robbed by tie cus.odl'
ans Of their finances, who have sought
to transfer the blame to other parties.
The trick has often succeeded for the
want of proof 20 convict the parties
concerned, although the suspicion of
their guilt may have been strong.
When doubt has been raised. this Is
sufficient to create a public sympathy
for the accused, through the influence
of which he is often enabled TO battle
Justice and escape the penalty OF hls
crimes. Our lawmakers have not
been ignoran: of the frequency with
which this kind of strategy is practic
ed, and so framed the statue as to
make the boudsmen of a def4ultIng
public officer responsible for hls hnan-
cial shortcomings, whether they occur
red from actual robbery or dishonest
appropriation; and su.t which was
tried in Amad0r county few days
ago, before the Eleventh District
Court, is Of some Importance. The
action was against the bondsmen OF
the Treasurer of AmadOr county,
whose accounts were short over S2D,-
coo. This gentleman set up the pea
t. at the money was stolen without
any fault OF negligence on bis part,
from the vault where he had been Ill
rected to put it by the board Of super
visors. The point was oyerraled, on
the ground that the statute explicitly
provides hat tie treasurer shall safe
IL keep" the public money and pay
il out according 10 law. In The
opinion of the court, the order Of the
Board Of Supervisors was not binding
upon the treasurer as against his own
better knowledge OF the proper place
to deposit the pubIic funds 50 they
should be absolutely safe. On this
point the Judge quoted from a decis-
ion Of the supreme court OF Indiana,
which says:


The board could not, by an order which
they had ho authority 10 make, requiring
treasurer TO keep the funds IN a particular
place, bind the comfy and release the Treas
urer from liability.
Year: 1876

PRESIDENT BUCHANAN carried on the
y vrrnment and the Utah war at the same
far eighty millions of dollars year, but now
n takes four hundred millions Of dollars
wear to run the government under Grant in
liz time Of profound peacel And yet the
--publicans say that the democrats can't be
trusted with the government.
Year: 1876

The Chicago Tunes advises the republican
p,rty either pull down its vest or change Its
shirt. We DO not think it necessary for il TO
DO the latter, as the people intend TO consign
!; in November to a place where neither it
nor IL dirty shirt viii ever be seen again.
Year: 1876

OUR ARMY ~ The SOUTHERN STATES
The part the army will be forced to play in
.he South is Of importance in the approach
ing canvass. The soldiers have DO wish 20
20. made the tools of ii her party, and would
ouch rather 30 70 the West than TO the
Ssuih
Year: 1876

General Garfield thinks Governor
TlIden is making the most formidable
assault ever made upon the Presiden-
tial office since the United States was
a Government, and says the radicals
will sadly miss il if they overlook the
real strength of their antagonist and
the c0nsummate skill of their leader.
Year: 1876

Active CANvAss.-It is stated that
1sn. Butler never exhibited more
aetivity as q politician than at the
nrcsont time. He wants to 90 to
Congress from Massachusetts, and with
he hope to effect his object moved
rom the fifth district where his popu-
larity had waned, into the seventh.
His desire to beat Tarbox is said to
ge strong, and also to enter the Con
gressionaI arena again, where he can
haye an occasional forensic tilt will
he hot-headed portion Of the South
I'm delegation. Many of his constilu-
enls would ike TO see him there for
lhe same reason. lie has a way of
making things lively in the discharge
Of official as well as of military duty,
which always makes bin an object of
interest to the public
Year: 1876

people Of this county to draw their
own conclusions. This it is our duty
TO do as n journalist, and we have no
apology to offer for doing our duty.


One ether fact in this connection
should not pass unnoticed. No such
calamity as this has happened to the
Treasury of Marion county while a
Republican Treasurer held the office.
Those men were always found to be
faithful, and vigilant in the discharge
Of their duties and worthy of the
fullest confidence. Niersen, Sperry
and Baker ten years in all and
every dollar belonging to the county
was faithfully accounted for when
their terms Of office expired. Noone
ever heard of a burg!er masked or
unmas6ed, stealing march upon
them or triiiing with their creduility.