smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

The city of Philadelphia made liberal


grant of money to provide for the horti-


cultural department of the exhibition an


extremely ornate and commodious


building, which is designed to remain in
permanence as an ornament of FairmOunt
Park. This structure is located on a
terrace bordering on the Schuylkill
river, short distance north of memorial
hall, and has a commanding view of the
Schuylkill river valley and The north
western portions of Philadelphia. Ro-
mantle ravines running down to the
river are on either side, separating it on
the south from memorial hall and on the
north from agricultural building. These
ravines are spanned by ornamental
bridges five hundred feet long and sixty
feet wide, for convenience of access. Car
riage roads, a railway, and foot walks,
pass over them. The horticultural build
ing is designed in the Moresque style of
architecture of the twelfth century, the
chief materials externally being iron and
glass, supported by fine marble and brick
work. The building is three hundred
and eighty-three feet long, one hundred
and ninety-three feet wide, and seventy
two feet high to the top of the lantern.
The main floor is occupied by the CEN
tral conservatory, two hundred and thir
ty feet by eighty feet, and ffty-five feet
high, surmOunted by a lantern one hum
dred and seventy feet long, twenty feet
Year: 1876

Mack Twain recently tried his hand
writing up distressing accident for a
Boston local paper, and this is how he
did it:


Last evening about six o'clock, as
William Schuyler, an old and respectable
citizen of South Park, was leaving his
residence to 20 downtown, as has been
his usual custom for many years, with
the exception of only a short interval in
the spring of 1850, during which he was
confined to his bed by injuries received
in attempting to stop runaway horse
by thoughtlessly throwing up his hands
and shouting, which, if he had done 50
even a moment sooner, must inevitably
have frightened the animal still more in
stead of checking its speed, although dis
astrous enough to himself as it was, and
rendered more melancholy and distress
ing by reason of the presence of his wife 5
mother, who was there and saw the oc-
currence, Notwithstanding it is at least
likely though not necessarily so, that she
should be accommodating in another di-
Year: 1876

A Boston woman writing to friend
SAYS, "there is large class of highly
educated persons in New England and
New York who would most thoroughly
enjoy and appreciate the centennial ex-
hibition if some arrangement like that
which she suggests could be made. The
plan is, without doubt, perfectly prac-
ticabIe, and might be taken up
and crystalized by parties of ladies
(or gentlemen) in other sections OF the
country to their advantage. While the
charges for board and lodging in Phila-
delphia and vicinity during the progress
of the centennial exhibition will not be
80 exorbitant as some papers insist, there
is still an opportunity for persons of
moderate means who may desire to visit
the centennial, see everything worth the
seeing and enjoy themselves accordingly,
and that without the outlay of an ex-
travagant amount of money. Not only
in New England and New York, but
throughout the entire country, there are
thousands of highly educated and intel
ligent persons who will desire TO give
themselves the pleasure of visit to the
exhibition. This pleasure they can give
themselves if they are inclined to bestow
a little care and thought upon the prop
er arrangements for visit. We subjoin
extracts from private letter written by
the wife of one of the Harvard college
professors, in order that friends further
away may take from it such hints as will
be of service to them in arranging a visit
during the summer.


The letter begins by speaking of the
< money outlay" contingent upon Wis
it to Philadelphia, and then goes on to
say: eff they could go somewhat in the
way people go in summer to the seashore,
on a sort of camping-out principle, they
could form parties and share expense,
and so be able to ge, when a regular
boarding house or lndgings would seem
too expensive to be thought of. The plan
proposed was to take house in some
town or country village on some railroad
near enough for the fares to be cheap. A
small, plain house, say parlOr, dining
room, and kitchen ON the ground floor,
and perhaps one more room as bed-cham-
ber-four bedrooms above. Furnished
very simply with table, chairs, and cook
ing stove, and a few cooking utensils:
teakettle, spider, kettle, dishPan, etc. a
Year: 1876

While these three planets hold their
court in the western heavens, Jupiter
will be a conspicuous object in the
eastern, rising now about nine O'Clock and
shining in the constellation Scrplo with
wondrOus beauty and briliancy. lie IL
still very near the star Beta Scorpii. over
which he nearly passed not long since,
for European observer reports that the
stars seemed TO touch each other and
barely escaped an Occultation. On the
18th Jupiter comes into opposition with
the sun. He will then shine with hiS
greatest brilIancy, for he is at his nearest
point to us; the sun, the earth and the
planet being in line, with the earth in
the center. He is at opposition one
hundred and eighty three million miles
nearer to us than when in the opposite
mart of his orbit he comes into conjunc-
ton with the sun tie three bodies being
then in a straight line with the sun in
the center. The difference in distance is
the cause of the corresponding increase
in size and brilliancy which will make
the planet a sparkling gem in the frmn-
ment of stars during the whole month Of
May.


Saturn is the only one Of the visible
planets that holds the position of morn
ing star, and he is too near the sun to be
in favorable condition for observation.
Year: 1876

1t is the cause. and not the death
that makes the martyr.


The best way to cure the body is to
quiet the mind.


When firmness is sufficient, rashness Is
unnecessary.


Death may expiate faults, but it does
not repair them.


In politics there is a wide gulf be-
tween promises and performances.


The throne is but bit of gilded wood
covered with velvet.-NopoLeon.
Year: 1876

rection when accidents occur, not being
vivacious and on the lookout, as a gene
raj thing, but even in the reverse, rs her
mother is said to have stated, who is no
more, but died in the full hope Of a
blessed resurrection upward of three
years ago aged eighty-six, being chris
tian woman without guile, as it were in
property, in consequence of the fire of
1849, which destroyed every solitary
thing she had in the world.


" But such is life. Let us take warn
ing by this solemn occurrence. and let
us endeavor to so conduct ourselves that
when we come to die we can do 1t. Let
us place our hands upon our hearts and
say with earnestness and sincerity that
from this day forth we will beware of
the Intoxicating bowl.
Year: 1876

wardrobes of the men to keep in order,
what wonder the women had no time to
cultivate their Squirrels brains ?" to
quote one of the gallant croakers of the
time.


After all, we fancy the most ardent
lovers of the past would hardly be in
favor of the early days of the republic
With the mahogOny sideboard rescued
from oblivion, the spinning wheel set up
in the parlOr, and the quaint china tea
set upon the closet shelves, we can all cry:
ooh! those pleasant times of old, with their


chivalry and state,
love to read their chronicles which such


brave deeds relate.
love to sing their ancient rhymes, to hear


their legends told
But Heaven be thanked live not in those


blessed times of oil l."
Year: 1876

THE coaching absurdity which some of
the New Workers have borrowed from
the English seems likely to live longer
than the celebrated New Jersey fox
hunts, which ended so well for the fox.
The Murray Hill women have taken a
fancy to it, and are eager to display
themselves from the tops of the coaches.
Year: 1876

As the facts are reported, a well-dressed
woman spoke to police officer in one OF the
streets of London, and told him that snt
had committed a murder. She was taken
at once to police station, and there she de-
scribed herself as nurse In workhouse,
and declared that she had for long time
been filed with feelings of hatred and re-
venge against one OF the matrons; that she
had watched for and found an opportunity,
knocked the matron down, stunned her, and
then killed her by cutting her throat with a
razor. After this she wrapped the body in
her bedclothes and hid it under her bed.
This done she intended to make her escape,
but she thought there would be no safety,
and she became stricken with remorse, and
determined upon giving herself up. The
police accordingly made inquiries, and they
found one important point to be incorrect.
The woman said to be murdered was alive
and well. In the room of the alleged muir
deress there was found indeed long bundle
of roll under the bed; but the bundle on
being opened was found to contain no hu-
man body, but bolster. The woman who
accused herself was examined by medical
man, but he appears to have been unable to
give any decided opinion at once ss to
whether she was sane or insane.
Year: 1876

4 sat alone with my conscience,


In place where time had ceased.
And We talked OF my former living


In the land where the years increased,
And 7 felt sheuld have to answer


The questions IL put 10 me
And to tace the answer and question


Throughout an eternity.
The ghosts of forgotten actions
Came floating before my sight,
And things that thought were dead thingi
Were alive with q terrible night,
And the vision of all my past life
Was an awful sight to face,-
Alone with my conscience sitting
In that solemnly silent place.
Aud thought OF far away warning,
OF a sorrow that was to be mine.
In q land that then WIS the future,
But now is the present time.
And I thought Of my former thinking
of the judgement day to be,
But sitting along with my conscience
Seemed Judgment enough for me.
md I wondered If there was q future


To this land beyond the grave;
but no one gave me an answer,


And no one came to save.
Then telt that the future was present,


And the present would never go by.
For it was but the thought Of my past life
Grown into eternity.
rhen woke from my timely dreaming,
And the vision pa .sed away,
And knew the far away warning
Was warning Of yesterday.
And pl aged that might not forget It,,


In this land beyond the grave,
That may not cry in the future,


And no one to come to save.
And so have learnt Il lesson,


Which ought to have Known before,
And which, though learnt in dreaming


hope to forget no more.
10 sit alone with my conscience
In the place where toe years increase,
And try to RENE m ber the future


In the land where time will cease.
And know of the futnre judgment,


How dreadful soccer 1t be,
That to sit alone with my conscience
viii be judgment enough for me.
Spectator.
Year: 1876

ARTIFICIAL MARBLE.-A composition
known az artificial marble, and possess
ing great solidty and impermeability,
has come iuto use in France as substl-
tute Tor the natural article, it being also
lighter than, and taking an equal polish
to, the latter, besides resisting the action
of frost better. When it is desired to
have the article remain white, the plan
is to take about fourteen ounces sulphate
Of potash, four gallons river water, two
pounds gum arabic, twenty pounds puri-
fled cement, and twenty pounds marble
or alabaSter powder Of this a mixture
is first made by dissolving over slow
fire, stirring all the time, fourteen ounces
sulphate of potOssa in four gallons Of
water, and after fusion dissulying two
pounds gum arabic; second mixture is
then made by stirring together twenty
pounds purified cement, twenty pounds
of the dust, and five pounds Stacked
sufficiently to cause is TO crumblc into
powder. A part Of both of these mix
lures is then poured into a mortar and
stirred until the ingredient assumes the
state of thick paste, and beaten with n
pestle until the mass becomes elastic.

In making holdings or castings the mold
is creased and a first layer Of the com
position applied about one.third Of an
inch in thickness, and this first layer is
backed by another. formed by boiling,
for about three or four hours over a
brisk fire, hemp, tow, or other tiIamCn-
tous substances, cut small in the first
mixture of gum and suphatc of potasss.
The product is mixed with the second
mixture until the filamentous parts arc
divided through the mass and the whole
reduced to paste
Year: 1876

Men often have their hands full, are
ovcrcrowded with business, and drive
hurrIedly along at it, but they may not
he 0vcrwOrked. We cannot always tell
when we are overwOrked. A man does
not always know himself, no more than
he knows the strain on the handspring of
his watch that will break it. But there
comes a time when it brcaks--a click, n
snap, aud the watch stops. Men break
down in this way, They go on day after
day, the pressure being harder on eacl
successive day, until the vital fU' &C gives
out, and the machine stops. 1t is a great
pity that the indications of this state Of
things cannot be seen beforehand, and if
seen, regarded. 1t is one of the last
that men will admit to themselves, much
less to Others. They hatter themselves
that it is only little weuriness OF the
flesh, which will pass off with few
hours rest when in fact, every nerve,
power and resource is exhausted, and
the system is driven to work by sheer
force OF the will. When the oil in the
shaft or IN the oil-box is exhausted
every revolution OF the wheel wears on
the revolving part, and soon will ruin it.
The same is true of the human body
american Adnqtdcturer.
Year: 1876

One of the hottest regions of the earth
is along the Persian Gulf, where little or
no rain falls. At Bahrein the arid shore
has no fresh water; yet comparatively
numerous population contrives to exist
there, thanks to copious springs which
burst forth from the bottom of the sea.
The fresh water is go. by diving. The
diver, sitting in his boat, winds great
goatskin bag around his left arm, the hand
grasping its mouth; then he takes in his
right hand heavy stone, to which is at
tached strong line, and thus equipped he
plungcs in and quickly reaches the bottom.
Instantly opening the bag over the strong
jet of fresh water, he springs up in the
ascending current, ut the same time closing
the bag, and is helped aboard The stone
is then hauled up, and the diver, after
taking breath, plunges again. The source
of these copious submarine springs is
thought to be in the green hills of Oman,
some five or six hundred miles distant.
Year: 1876




A durable black and shining varnish
for iron is made by adding to oil of tur-
pentine strong sulphuric acid, drop by
drop, stirring until sirupy precipitate is
formed, and no more of it is produced on
further addition of drop of acid. The
liquid is now repeatedly washed with
water, until the water exhibits no more
acid reaction. Tho prccipitate is next
brought upon cloth filter, and after all
the water has run off, the sirupy mass is
fit for use. This is painted over the iron
with a brush, being previously diluted with
oil Of turpentine, in case it does not flow
WE'LL. Immediately afterward, the paint
is burnt in by gentle heat, and, after
cooling, the black surface is rubbed with
piece Of woollen stuff dipped in linseed
oil This vurnish is said to combine chem
ically with the metal, and does not veal
or peel off,
Year: 1876

WAsHISGroS, March 2l.--The examination
of Bradley Barlow was concluded by the Post
Office Committee to-day. His testimony Is
perhaps the most remarkable, all things con.
sidered, ever given before a Congressional
Committee. He has cndeavored in every
possible way 10 shield the persons he has
bought, but at the same time he has been
forced to admit that he paid to three or four
men during less than two years something
like Sl50,000 to secure their influence with
Congressman and with the Post Office De.
partment. He was absolutely controlling
the mail carrying on all the important routes
in the Northwestern Territories, and this he
did by the conniyaece Of the Post Office De.
partment. OF this there can be no doubt
whatever.


The testimony taken by the Post Office
Committee in 1872, when added to Bartow's
admissions, fastens guilt clearly upon Cres-
well, and shows that he was the tool Of the
straw bid ring. In the interest Of this organ.
ization he departed from the long established
custom of the department, and disregarded
the laws Of the land in order TO give few
men monopoly Of all the important mail
routes in the Southwest and in the North.
west. Barlow admitted to-day that in ell le.
gitimate business transactions he invariably
gave checks, but that in questionable trans.
actions he paid cash. This he did, he said,
for the purpose ofpreventing Congressional
committee from tracking him down and find.
ing out all he had done. Another cnstom Of
his was to try to forget all transactions Of this
kind, and IL must be admitted that his mem.
ory from long practice had become very com.
plant. Mr.. Cannon, the Ring member Of
the Post Office Committee, tried to make q
very bad case look better by cross-examining
Barlow but he was not skiIlful at al, and
his inquiries brought out answers that he did
not expect. For instance, Barlow said that
he regarded the Investigations Of 1872 and
1874 simply as matchmaking operations. He
knew what was coming every time long before
they began. There was always some intima.
ton conveyed to him that they could be stop-
ped If he came down Handsomely. Cannon
then asked him IL he had had the same inti-
nation this time, and Barlow replied prompt
ly that he had not, and that he believed he
present Investigation was an honest one and
for honest purposes.
Year: 1876

The following lines were written by David Bari
nr the New York Post about twenty years ago, a
re as admirable for their quaintness as Tor the i
lrtant lesson they convey;


THE ZION AND THE SKUNK DREAM.
met lion in my path,


(rwas on a dreary autumn nisht)
Who gave me the alternative,
To either run or night.
dare not turn upon the track,
dare not think to run away,
For fear the lion at my back,


Would seize me as his prey.
So summoning a fearless air,
Though all my soul was full of fright
/ said unto the forest king,


" 1 will not run but fight"
We fought, and as the fates decreed,
conquered in the bloody fIaY;
For soon the lion at my feet
A lifeless carcass lay.
A little skunk was standing by
And noted what the lion spoke;
And when he saw the hon die,
The lions track he took
He USED the lions very speech,
And stretching to his utmost height
He gave me the alternative
To either run or fight.
saw he was prepared to fling
Vile odOrs from his bushy tail,
And knew those OdOrs very soon
My uostrils would assail.
co summonfng a nutnbIo s.-
Though all my soul was f. lioiaa trlSlls.
/ said unto the dirty brute,
"Ill run, but will not night"


MORAL.
As years begin to cool my blood,
I'd rather all would doubt my spunk
Than for a moment undertake
To battle with a skunk
Year: 1876

The quiet, amiableand blind gentle
man who is now stopping at Claridge's
hotel. and who would have been king OF
England had not his cousin Victoria
been born, has certainly had his misfor-
tunes in life; but his lot is not a very
unhappy one. He has lost his sight and
his kingdom but he has saved Lis per-
sonal property, and he has been blessed
with large and affactionate family OF
children. The king of Hanover is just
as old as his cousin queen Victoria and
although he is not so rich, he is rich
enough. To say nothing of other re.
sources he has at this moment twelve
and half tons OF silver and gold plate
stored away in Coutts bank. He is,
moreover, an English prince, and he is
duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale
earl of Armagh and knight of the Gar
ter. He and his family have arrived ii
England, apparently with the intention
of making it their permanent home
They probably have given up all hope o
ever repossessing Hanover.
Year: 1876

That was a conceit both poetic and
natural which lately found expression in
the question of very young gentleman
while viewing the beds of beautiful va
riegated violets around the old arsensl in
Central Park: Papa, is that where the
Butterflies grow?'
Year: 1876

In Georgia a sick negro believed
that he had been bewitched by woman
neighbor, and the fortune teller said that
the only way to be cured was to cause a
dog to drink tablespoonful of the neigh
boris blood. A son of the invalid, aided
by two companions, undertook to get the
blood. They entered the woman's house
at night, bound her in chair, cut a cash
in one of her arms, caught the blood in a
vial, and gave it to the dog. The report
does not describe the effect on the sick
man
Year: 1876

THE latest-and in some respects the
fishiest-fish story is from the St. Lotus
Republican. The pith of it is that
fisherman in that neighborhood, seeing
what looked like a fish "with a tail at
both ends" pulled it in with gaff and
discovered that he had catfish with a
buffalo fish in its mouth. which it was
trying to swallow. The Republican says:
The catfish was found to weigh seventy
five pounds and the buffalo ten pounds.
Both were in good order and made pal
atable meal, as was tested by family in
this city" The story, on the whole, is a
good one; but it is little Disappointing
u! not giving the numerical strength of
the family that made palatable meal
in eightyfive pounds of fish.
Year: 1876

BLOOD has been shed in old times for
a smaller insult than the New York Her
aid puts upon Boston in calling it "a
town which is known in history mainly
because it puts molasses into its baked
BEANS" Moreover the statement Is
untrue as well as insulting. The mo-
lasses is put in before the beans are baked.
Year: 1876

MYPA CLARK GAINES, who claims to
own much of the land on which the city
of New Orleans stands, has received
much encouragement by the late ruling
of the United States supreme court, and
has gone back to New Orleans, where she
will reopen her suits for the estate which
she has been fighting for for the past half
oon4urxv
Year: 1876

THE bill recently introduced into the
British house of lords for the regulation
OF the practice of vivisection provides
that when no anesthetics are used the
experimenter must first furnish a certifi-
cate that vivisection is indispensable to
the experiment, and the experiment
must be performed in a registered place,
and by person specially licensed by the
government.
Year: 1876

CONCERNING the tobacco tax, the well
posted Washington correspondent of the
New York Bulletin, telegraphs: "It
may be stated positively, on the author
ity of nearly every member of the ways
and means committee, that there will be
no bill presented to change the tax on
tobacco at this session. l state this so
authoritatively in order to allay the ru-
mored demoralization in the tobacco
trade brought about by some manufac-
turers who are working for a change in
the tax"
Year: 1876

The effort to solve the Chinese prob
lem by sending the surplus Celestials to
the Sandwich Islands has proved fail
ure. A vessel was chartered nearly a
fortnight since to take five hundred OF
the heather from San Francisco to
Hawaii, and four hundred and fifty sig
nifed .heir willingness to go. When the
time came to sail, however, only seventy
FIVE presented themselves, and the trip
has been postponed until the quota can
ba filIad
Year: 1876

The CENTENNIAL COMMISSION are to have
another struggle with the Sunday question
to-day. They have perhaps, by this time
seen reason to alter their determina-
ton to keep the doors closed on the
Sabbath, and so deprive the poor
artisans and their families of the only
chance of seeing the great fair without the
loss of their pay ns we'll as their expenses.
If there was anything immoral or debasing in
a few thousand people wandering among the
massed products of civilization we might see
some reason in the course of the commits
sion As it is the artisans are thrown
back on the liquor stores and beer saloons
for their amusement, and that is certainly
not more ennobling than walk through the
Grand Hall. If the Commissioners saw that
their grounds were hotbeds of immortality on
week days they might well close them on
Sundays, but those who have witnessed the
orderly throngs at the Exhibition will not
see what harm these people would do there
on the Sabbath.