smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

Glass engraving and the shaping of stones
by means of a jet of sand has been tried
with success at Paris. Any pattern Of the
glass may be produced with pleasure, or,
if required, the whole surface may be ground
or deadened. The cutting power of sand is
such, under the influence of the blast, that It
will pierce the hardest substance. even q steel
file. A diamond loses weight if exposed
TO the jet minute, and in the same time
topaz entirely disappears But to engrave
glass, the pressure need not be great; and 1t
is found in practice that glass may be en-
graved If the sand be driven by no greater
power than the wind from an ordinary blow
pipe. On the other hand, it is remarkable
that little or no effect is produced by the full
blast on soft substances, such as caOutchouc,
paper and the gelatine used in photography.
Year: 1872

A characteristic incident is related of Ben.
Wade, of Ohio, when he was sent out by
President Grant as one of the commissioners
in 1869, to inspect the Pacific road. He was
disguised at the sight of the alkaline forma-
tions. and despaired of Its redemption, and
when . resident bystander reminded HIM that
1t would be nice place to live in if it only
had plenty of water and good society. al
don't doubt il" was the bluff retort, s'and
hell would be good place to live in, too, if
it had the same advantages"
Year: 1872

When the astronomers assure us that
the diameter of the circles which the
planets describe in their perpetual revo-
lutions round the sun is millions upon
millions Of miles--how is it possible for
the mind to take in an idea of the space
or room in which such globes as those
of eighty and ninety thousands of miles
in diameter are running thirty times
more rapidly than q cannon ball, with
out the slightest interference with
others?


Space without limit! There is no
boundary, no barrier, no prccipitous
termination, but space forever and ever,
and there the intellect leaves the pur
suit-the brain of man cannot grasp it.


But there is something more perplex
ing in the belief that interminable space
is filled with billions, aye, with count
less organized worlds, beyond all human
computation, far excelling our own in
grandeur of proportions, physical re-
sources and beauty, so immensely dis
tant no telescope can ever survey those
on the nearest of that celestial space
which they occupy; and yet still be-
yond and beyond, so far that the light
they send abroad, at the speed of one
hundred and ninety-two millions OF
miles in one second, may not reach this
earth for hundred of years to come
and then again, there are globes intin
itely multiplied beyond. Space, then,
is field in which the Almighty displays
the majesty of his supreme power.
Year: 1872

We are fond of laughing at the anti
quarian motions and slow progress Of
"the old country" but somehow in
these latter days she seems to go pretty
well ahead, and, as one of our eminent
countrymen observed, London has, du-
ring the past half century, gone on in
creasng with the rapidi,y Of a Western
township. Whilst we talk about rapid
transit" .he old metropolis Of England
has rail Ways running over and under
her in g cry direction, and there is no
large cit in the world where ingress
and eyre IS are so easy. Then the postal
arrangements are almost perfect. Be
fore we get the great convenience, post
cards, they will be quite an old institu-
ton in London, which, after only a few
months, followed the lead in Vienna,
the original patentee in this national
convenience. The rapid delivery OF
letters is greatly accelerated i'll London
by the fact that nearly every house in
all the respectable streets throughout
the town is supplied with a box, into
which the postman drops letter, and
forthwith hurries on. This plan, only
very slightly adopted here, is an i'm
mense economy of time, men and money
to the department. Almost every
month the authorities of the postottice
and telegraph devise some new plan for
the public convenience. A recent in
novaton is an arrangement by which
the sender of u telegraphic dispatch,
about whose Transmission there is no
violent hurry, can put the requisite
stamps upon it and drop it in the near
est postottice box, when it will be trans
mitted as soon as the box is opened, a
proceeding which takes place nearly
every hour.


The last novel improvement, of
another kind reported, is a plan to sup
ply fresh salt water to the metropolis
from Brighton, a distance Of SO miles,
so that, when in the heart of London,
you can jump out of the bed into one of
the waves which was few days before
rolling in from America. The water
is to he conveyed by series of lifts to
the top of the Southdown hills, whe nee
it will gravitate II rough enameled
| pipes to the west end of London. The
supply is estimated at million gallons
a day.-Lippincon's Magazine.
Year: 1872

Lost wedding rings have sometime,


been strangely recovered. A matron Of


East Lulworth lost her ring one day


two years afterward she was peeline
some potatoes brought from field hal


4 mile distant from her cottage, and
upon dividing a double one came upon
the lost matrimonial circlet. A Mrs.
| Montioy, of Brechn, when feeding a
calf let it suck her fingers, ami on with
drawing her hand discovered to her
dismay. that her wedding ring and
keeper had both disappeared. Believing
the calf was the innocent thief, she re-
fused to part with it, and after keeping
the animal for three years had it
slaughtered, and sure enough the long
absent rings were found in its intestines,
as clean and bright us when their owner
last saw them on her finger.


A wealthy German farmer, living near
Nordanhamm, employed himself one
day in 1871 in making -four balls for his
cattle; when he had finished his work,
he found his hand minus his wedding
ring. bearing his wife's name. it being
the German custom for bride and bride
groom to exchange rings. Soon after
ward the farmer sold seven bullocks,
which the purchaser shipped toEngland
on board the Adler cattle steamer on
the Goth of October. Two days after
ward an English smack, the Mary Ann,
of Colchester, picked up at sea the still
warm carcass of a bullock which was
poened by the crew to obtain some fat
wherewitb to grease the rigging. Inside
the animal they found gold ring, in
scribed with a woman's name, and the
date 1869. Capt. Tye reported the
circumstances as soon as he arrived in
port, and handed the ring over to an
authorities set to work to trace it's own
ership, and found that the only ship
reporting the loss of beast, that could
have passed the Mary Ann, was the
Adler, from which bullock, supposed
to be dead, had been thrown overheard
on the 2Sth of October.


Meanwhile, the &hipping Gazette re-
cording the finding of the ring, had
reached Nordanhamm, and one of its
readers there recognized the name in
scribed upon it; communications were
opened with the farmer; and in due
time he and his wife rejoiced over the
recovery OF the pledge they thought
lost forever. That they should have re-
covered it under the circumstances was
certainly surprising, but there was
nothing SO very wonderful in ring
being found in the inside of y bullock,
that "comic" writers should treat the
story as the pure invention of some
penny-a-Ener. Any slaughterer of cattle
would have told them that such finds
are by no means uncommon, and we
know for /, fact that the wit OF Lon
don slaughterman displayse upon her
hand two rings thus found by her hus-
band.-Chambers' Journal.
Year: 1872

Wednesday afternoon, AZ Mrs. w. q.


Woodruff was in her yard, near the


race track. she saw a mad dog maxi, z


toward her, evidently dcsrous OF max


ing on attack. Being some distance


from the house, too far, in tact, TO


reach the door before the mad dog


could seize her, the atirighted lady


thought of her own faithful dog. which


she called to her assistance. Hearing


the creams and call of his mistress, the


house dog, with an alacritv which
seemed to spring from a cons sciousness
of impending danger, bounde' 'orward
in time to attack the mad dog Just as
the infuriated beast was about to seize
Mrs. Woodruff Now ensued a con-
tlict between the two dogs which lasted
two or three minutes, enabling Mrs.
Woodruff to get into her house and
shut the door. 1t was doubtful which
would prove the mastery, when col
ored man came to the scene of conflict.
No sooner had he neared the dogs than
the rabid dog attacked the colored
man, who, having picked up fence
rail, defended himself as best he could


1t was with difficulty he kept clear of
the dog, which endeavored to spring
upon him, but was finally felled to the
ground and then killed by the colored
man. Mrs. Woodrutt's faithful animal
was badly bitten and considerably
worsted, though it had saved the life
of its mistress. Yesterday this dog
gave evidence Of hydrophobia, when it
was found necessary TO kill the animal
which had saved human being from
a horrible fate-Noshville Union, Julyl3.
Year: 1872

For city that is half in ashes, Chi
cago displays an energy that is truly
wonderful. Even now, while the work
of rebuilding the city is but just begun,
the process of suburban expansion
seems to go on about as usual. Among
the many schemes that the enterpris-
ing citizens have in hand is the estab-
lishment of n permanent exposition,
similar in character to the annual in
dustrial exhibitions which are held in
Cincinnati and st. Louis. Forty-eight
acres of land have been purchased for
the grounds in the town of Hyde Park,


and it is promised that the project will
be pushed forward to success at an ear
ly date.
Year: 1872




From the German of Woltgang Muller.
There once was n Count. so I've heard it said
who felt that his end drew near:
And he called his sons before his bed
TO part them his goods and gear.
lie called for his plow. be called for his sword.
That gallant. good and brave;
They brought him both at their fathers word
And thus he his blessings gave:
- My first-born son. my pride and might.
Do thou my sword retain:
My castle on the lordly height,
And all my broad domain.
On thee. my well loved younger boy
My plow here besow
A peaceful life shalt thou enjoy.
In the quiet vale below"
Contented sank the sire to rest,
Now all was given away:
The sons held true his last behcst,
Fen on their dying day.
Now tell us what came of the steel of flame,
Of the castle and its knight
And tell us what came of the vale so tame,
And the humble peasant wight ?"
ask not of me what the end may be!
Ask of the country round
The castle is dust. the sword is rust
The height is but desert ground.
But the vale spreads wide in the golden prid Q
Of the autumn sunlight now;
1t teens and it ripens far and wide
And the honor ahides with the plow.
Year: 1872

The Imperial Prince goes every morn
ing to Kings College school in the
Strand. The college is in the hands of
the Church party, but is affiliated with
the London University. The boys at
the school are quite of the middle class.
The prince has a tutor, and one of his
schoolfellows was anxious to convince
ME the other day that this was the rea-
son the young Frenchman was fire.
quently better prepared than the rest.
In these large day schools the boys see
little Of each other out of school hours.
When the studies for the day are over
the lads are off to their homes-north,
south, east and west; so the young
prince has not any special acquaint-
ance. Probably they will get him into
their cricket club and initiate him into
athletics. In that case some of us who
have young friends at school will soon
hear how he acquits himself. No hu-
man beings judge more exclusively by
merits than school boys.-Lo',don Letter.
Year: 1872

A name to be really name ought
- belong to one possessor. There
is no sense in his sharing it with
dozens of other people. But pa
rents seldom look at things in this
light. They do not consider the
value to their offspring of a definite
title which shall nominally distin-
guish them from the rest Of man.
kind, but give them names which
please their parental fancies or in
clination, without regard to the flu
ture needs of the poor little beings.
Thus is continually increased the
dreadful crop Of Johns, Williams,
Marys, which threatens to over
throw and render useless the nom-
enclature of civilization. We speak
adviscdly. We do not nowadays
materially increase our stock of sur
names. They must remain at about
their present level while their pos
SCISSORS increase with the increase
of the census. What, then, can we
do but vary our christian names?
These are left entirely to our choice
and Judgment, and there is no rea-
son why they should not be made OF
value to those who must wear them
all their lives. And = good name
without any reference to reputa-
tion-is so very valuable indeed
that every man and woman is cnti


tied to one. The law takes care
that ships and streets and towns
shall have distinctive titles, and
there arc even rules in force to pre-
vent q confusion Of names among
race-horses and fancy cattle. But
the po1 babies are left to the fan
cies and whims OF their parents,
who, from vanity or hope Of g:-in,
from the desire to please some rcla-
tive or friend, or from admiration
Of semc noted person, give their
children names already owned
christian names, surname, and all
by numbers of other people in
their own family and elsewhere.
The practice of using family name
as the given name is an excellent
one, if said family name is applied
judiciously; but this way of naming
children ''for' or "after" others in
the family ought to be stopped by
law. 1t is often compliment to
the elder owner Of the name, but it
l., an imposition on the child, who
has right to name all its own.
Handsome or not, let it be distinct
i've. We would rather be called
Brompton Stolumite Higgs than G.
w. Montmorenci. If there are any
other male Montmorencis, it is ten
to one some of them would be G. w.
too. We know q leading journalist
in a neighboring city who was sus-
pcctcd of being concerned in cheat
ing wool-merchants, and was at the
same time avoided by large por-
ton of his relatives because of an
improper aud secret marriage, when
all the time it was another man Of
his name who cheated in wool, and
still another who had sought the
secret altar. One of the most ac-
complished writer's of the day is Of
ten credited with the most mourn
full trash because several other per-
sons who write for the paper have
exactly the same name. We know


a large family, all living in the
same house; where there are three
ladies Of preciselythe same name,
Year: 1872

report Whlcn ne quoted the Com
mission said:


"It is pleasant to express our con-
viction not only that there are many
men Of the highest character and
ability in the service of the Govern
ment, but that the large majority of
the persons so employed cannot JUS
tly be suspected of improper con-
duct"


And in their letter to Senator Lo-
gan the Commission dispose of the
calumny that the civil service under
Grant was peculiarly corrupt.


Indeed, the practical effort at re-
form is due to President Grant.
Except for his earnest representa-
tions to Congress that body would
have done nothing, and the moment
that it showed assent to the Prcsi-
dents wishes, he proceeded. But
he proposed to have no policy
against the wishes of the people,
In his message transmitting the re-
port and rules to Congress, on the
10th of December, 1871, he says:
eff left to me, without further Con.
gressional action. the rules pre-
scribed by the Commission, under
the reservation already mentioned,
will be faithfully executed" The
reservation is the full power to
abridge, alter or amend the rules at
his option, when changes may be
deemed advisable. This was deem
ed indispensable in the beginning
Of such g reform. Congress gave
the full power to the President, and
he very properly refused to delegate
it. 70 say that it was an evasion
of the whole matter is to impeach
his good faith. And if that is
questioned, the entire scheme
which, by the constitution and by
the assent of Congress, depends
wholly on him, necessarily fails.


The friends of this reform must
not forget that every member Of
the new Congress has been elected
under distinct pledge in the plat
form upon which he stood that the
present system Of the civil service
should be changed. Congress will
move when it must, and not before.
Let us not suffer it to forget the
faith in which it has been born; and
we remind those who arc in the civ
il service that very much depends
on their own action. All honest
and efficient officers are certainly
interested that the pledges of the
platform shall be redeemed. Such
officers know how mnch their char
acters are involved in the character
of the service. The gods help
those who help themselves, A lit
tie organization among the officers
would be Of the utmost service.
Honesty, fidelity and efficiency are
the watchwords for the public SER
vice which both parties have pro-
nounced Somebody means reform
or the words would not have been
spoken. Let Congress hear from
those who mean it.
Year: 1872

We have charity for the fast girl.
We have often found her generous
and warm-hearted, and are ready to
believe that her disregard of con-
ventionalities is often the boldest of
innocence. For example, in some
families the chamber of the sister
is the resort of the brother, in the
first place; then Of the cousin, who
is almost brother, and then Of the
brothers most intimate friend, who
is treated as one Of the family.
When this free style Of living is
transferred from the shadow Of the
family to the apartment of crowd
ed hotel or boarding house, il gives
occasion for much fire speaking and
free thinking-for a style of iudg-
ment that often does the young girl
great injustice.


We have said that our Americans
had their faults. The want of con-
ventlonal limits of propricty be-
tween the sexes is one of them. The
young French girl is kept secluded
and never allowed to see a gentle
man unmatched. In America, from
their early childhood, little boys
and girls grow up togethcr-and on
the whole it is best they should.
But in order that this liberty should
produce good effect, parents and
guardians should necessarily teach
certain limits of propriety. There
are certain places, times and modes
OF intercourse that are proper; and
there are certain other places, times
and modes that are improper. 1t
ought to be part of the early train
ing OF every girl to teach her this.
Every approach on the part of a
young girl to any personal familiar
lty with any young man, such as
she might most innocently take with
another girl, exposes her to miscon-
struction, which it was the duty of
her mother to prevent by timely
warning.


A favorite author has said that
such personal advances Oh the part
OF women were ''immoralities of
m Aanner" even where the intention
was innocent. SO, girls, take care
respect yourselves-respect your
sex, and do not give the enemy
cause to speak reproachfully. Lis
ten all OF you to what man says.
1t is out OF some old-fashioned ''Fa.
theirs Legacy" or some such anti
Quated book. He says: "a fine wo-
man has a power over us which sh.
very little dreams, but little toe
near acquaintance often dissolveS
the illnsion and converts the ange
into very ordinary girl" Let &
mother tell YOU, girls, that mothers
when they send their boys into the
great world and its temptations
hope much for them from the inhu
ence of good women. Did YOU cv
er think of this when you tell young
men that you dote on smoking
when you urge wine upon them Al
parties? Some mother, or some sis
ter, may wish that you would leaG
heEson or brother to nobler, purel
conceptions Of life. Ought not ;
higher motive to govern your inter
course with young men of your ac
qualntance than merely the desire
to tasten their admiration or Your
self-to please them at any and ev
cry hazard? BE sure that young
man who is pleased through tn.
lower nature because you encourage
his indolent and self-indnlgent hab
its, and part with his last elevated
impulses, will think of you by ant
by only as a part Of something un
worthy, which his better self vii
seek to outgrow.-Ms. II. B. Store
Year: 1872

An advertisement in the Boston
newspapers announcing the sale at
auction of the Dexter property in
New buryport brings to mind num-
erous stories current in that city
respecting the eccentric individual
who flourished there in the latter
part of the last century under the
seltasSumed title of Lord Timothy
Dexter. This was the fortunate
merchant who, with brains either so
scant or dlsordered that he was
continually making himself all OBJ
.ject Of derisiol, still blundered in
to what i'll those days was consider
ed q stupendous fortune. 1t was
Lord Dexter who, on consulting a


waggish acquaintance as to a prof.
table way OF investing certain mon
eys, was advised to ship a cargo Of
warming-pans to the West Indies,
and availed himself of the advice to
the great mirth Of all who heard of
the transaction. The cream of the
joke, however, was, the warming
pans found sale to the sugar manu-
taotlrers for ladies', and Dexter
realized great profit on The ven
ture. A shipment of red woollcn


night-caps to the coast of Guinea,
suggested as q joke, turned out as
a most fortunate speculation. Some
body wishing to humbug the old
fellow, told him one day that news
had come that all the whales were
dying off. Dexter went to work
and bought up all the whalebone he
could get hold of, fairly cornerlng
the market, after which he unloaded
at an immense profit. Having at
last blundered into great wealth
he assumed the title of Lord Dexter
and spent great deal of money in
laying out attractive grounds about
his house, but ruined the effects
produced by skillful gardeners by
setting up in every direction carved
wooden figures of the most hideous
description. Twenty-Five years ago
some of these figures were still to
be seen on the grounds. Lord Dex-
ter, becoming ambitious of literary
distinction, published a book with
the title Of ga Pickle for the Know
ing Ones;" but being conscious of
weakness in the matter of punctua.
ton, put all the periods, commas,
semicolons and the like at the end
Of the book, telling his readers that
they might pepper and salt his pro-
duction to suit themselves. A few
years before his death he had a
mock funeral, and afterward beat
his wife because she did not exhibit


sufficient grief over his fictitious
demise, Some time ago the house
Year: 1872

AS the sign denotes, it is tru-
ly a Hat Store, both for Ladies
and Gents. Every person who
visits Independence is familiar
with Turner's Millinery and Fur
nishing Goods Store. Last spring
they added to their stock in the
shape of Gents Hats and Fur.
nishing Goods, making it truly
a Hat Store. We say it land
without boasting), that we have
as large and as fine an assort-
ment as can be found in any
store of our class of goods west
Of Chicago.


To the Ladies (as usuaD, we
solicit share your patronage.


TO the Gents-remember it is
truly, surely, and the only Hat
Store in the city. Our Facility
and Experience for purchasing
stock is second to none; expen-
ses small; consequently oul
prices we guarantee.


Remember the place, The
Sign of the Big Hat.
Year: 1872

TEE Liver is more frequently the
seat Of disease than is generally sup
posed, for upon its regular action
depends, i'll great measure, the
powers OF the Stomach, Bowels,
Brain and the whole nervous system.
Regulate that important organ by
taking Simmons Liver Regulator,
and YOU prevent most of the dis
eases that flesh is heir to.-Sold by
TABOR & Son.
Year: 1872

and grounds once occupied by this
strange character came into the
possession of a wealthy citizen OF
Newburyport, who has made the
place one Of the most beautiful
residences in New England.