smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

Every years experience is in favor of
drilling wheat 1t shows more and
more that, as against sowing the seed
bioadcast it is economical in labor ard
in seed, and gives a better crop The
difference in labor is at least 81 90 an
acre, or the cost of two harrowings
after sowing, or one cultivating The
difference in seed is at least half a
bushel, or so cts, to $l.00 an acre, and
the difference in the crop is fully one
fourth, or upon fairly good soil six
bushels or nine dollars per acre. Eleven
dollars per acre upon ten acres, will more
than pay for the best drill made, which
will sow ten acres day. But if the
means of purchasing drill are not
available, and there are less than ten
acres Of wheat to be sown, it will yet
pay to hire drill, which may be done
from some neighbor, fortunate enough
to possess one, for SO cents per acre
We have not yet seen part of the
country, where a drill could not be pur-
chased or hired, and very few fields
upon which Il drill could not be used,
if the ground was properly prepared.
1t is one Of the greatest advantages
resulting from the use of machinery
upon farms, that it to a great extent
necessitates good farming At least
that it compeIs Improvements, and the
farmer who once enters upon the march
of improvement, rarely stops and never
turns back Thus when drill is used
for the first time, the farmer finds his
crooked fence in the way; his narrow
gates, or his awkward bars are incon-
venient, the brush and weeds around
his fence interfere, his poor plowing is
troublesome, the baulks and hard spots
that have been left, nuisance to him.
and the weeds, trash, rough clods, and
stones upon the surface, are severe tax
upon his patience. The next season
all these faults will be remedied, be-
cause discovering the proft'of the ma
chine, he is obliged to prepare for it's
use. This is like the entrance of light
into dark places, and number of things
that were never noticed or suspected
before, are now so conspicuouslv ap-
parent, that they cannot be any longer
left undone. The same is true as to the
use of the mower or the reaper, and
thus the money spent for any of these
needful machines, is repaid in more ways
than one.
Year: 1875

Sow Your Own SEEDs.-Set out the
very best specimens of beets, turnips,
cabbage, carrots, and other Vegetables
early in the Spring, to perfect their seeds
for the next seasons planting. Many
dimes may be thus saved by little
care on the part of our readers. AS a
rule it is best to select the seed-plants
in the Autumn, and preserve them in a
separate place until the time arrives to
set them. The most perfect specimens
should always be selected for this pur-
pose and by so doing the variety, under
good culture, will tend to improve
Occasionally it may be well to import
seed from distant localities, but with
the proper care most seeds may be home
raised to better advantage, and of
quality equal to any in the market
Seedmen's seeds are frequently better
than home-raised, because this care in
selecting and propagating is more fire.
quently given.


Peninsuldr Nelrs
Year: 1875

SHEEP BETTER THAN NEAT CATTLE.
One great advantage sheep have over
other stock is they never die of the con-
tagious diseases which they contract
They get the scab or foot-rot or some
thing else, and if unchecked it gets
them in bad condition, and would
ultimately, perhaps kill them. But the
very worst contagious diseases to which
sheep are subject give the owner ample
time to treat the affected animals, and
the diseases are generally of a charac-
ter which yield rapidly to treatment
But man may have lot of hogs and
feed them hundreds of bushels of corn
daily, and about the time the bottoms
Of his cribs are neared and he is thinking
of selling, some disease breaks out
among them-no one knows what it is
or what to do for it-one animal after
another, following in rapid succession,
is affected, and the greater portion die
| have known farmers to be we'll nigh
ruined by the appearance of 8 conta-
gious disease of this character Sheep
are happily exempt from such rapid
and fearful mortality. Besides, when a
sheep dies-and they do die sometimes
its pelt is sufficient to pay for its
keeping from the last shearing to it's
death. 1t makes no difference when it
dies or what kills it, the sheep never
dies in debt.
Year: 1875

The Hot Springs Democrat, of
Wednesday, learns by rumor generally y
accredited, that horrible murder was
committed last Wednesday night in the
vicinity of Center Point, which in point
of atrocity has no parallel in the annals
of crime in Arkansas, unless, perhaps,
the murder Of the Richardson family t
Rock Creek, in PULASKI county, may
furnish its peer. A man living in
Howard county sold his farm and stock
last fall with view to TemoY-
ing to Texas, and receiving the
money a few days since, was all
prepared for his contemplated
journey. On Wednesday last he was at
a neighbours house, some few miles away
from home, when, night OvertakIpg him,
his neighbor induced him TO stop over
until morning; but during the nigbt the
man who was away from his family
could not rest, feeling presentiment
that something was going wrong at
home, so he got up and started, man
from Texas, who was heavily armed and
stopping al the same house, accompany
ing him. Upon approaching his house
a light was discovered, when the gentle
man remarked to his Texas friend
that there certainly was some
thing wrong, as his wife was not ac-
custemed to being up so late at
night. They alighted, and creeping
steaithily to the house, discovered four
men sitting by bright fire counting
money. The horrible suspicion of muir
der and robbery flashed upon the minds
Of the parties watching the money
counters, so ststioning themselves, one
at each door, they commenced al at
tack upon the strange inmates, which
resulted in slaughtering the entire party
the Texan killing three and the other
man one. Entering they discovered the
dead bodies Of the mans wife and two
little children, while scattered about the
room torches were placed, ready to ig-
mite, for the purpose of firing the build
ing to conceal the crime.
Year: 1875

He is renOvator, and he does not
ask for money, and this is the way he
gets at it. First. He has discov-
cred certain process for cOlored, and
black goods, by which after cleaning
them, no matter how faded or rusty
they may be, he restores them to their
original newness of appearance. and
then he only asks for cast off clothes
as payment for his work, so don't let
us hear any more about hard times
but muster up all your old traps, and
take them to his shop. His name is
Horatio Marteen and he keeps at No.
"a, Arcadia street, one door below
Main and adjoining Mr.. Signorets sa-
loon. decl I'm
Year: 1875

He looked like Prince, or a retired
Major General, as he stepped out of
the Bazaar, corner of Main and Re-
quena streets, opposite the U. S. Ho-
tel, with a new black beaver suit,
which he had just paid SlS for, and as
he walked down Main street the eye
of envy was on him, and numerous
were the inquiries of where he had
that splendid fitting suit made; and
astonishment was depicted on every
countenance as he answered that it
came from the Bazaar, and he had
only paid SIS for it. There are a few
more left, so hurry up and get one be-
fore they are all gone. decll-lm
Year: 1875

Yesterday morning we published
the attempted suicide of Mrs. Wilson,
to-day we chronicle her death and
burial. At the time we wrote the no.
tice of her rash attemptto shuttle off
this mortal coil, there was every pros
pect of her recovery, but afterwards
nature failed rapidly and she died at
a late hour on Monday night. An in.
quest WAS held yesterday and a YER
dict was rendered in accordance with
the facts published in the HERALD.
The funeral took place late yesterday
and the remains were followed to the
grave 10y IL large cOncourse of mourn
ing friends. The deceased was q wO-
man of mobid sensibility and the loss
of her children so preyed OH her mind
that her reason was unsettled. Her
husband is u hard working man, and
has the sympathy Of a host of friends
in his misfOrtunes.
Year: 1875

The dignity Of the law was seriously
compromised at Cabot the other day in
the person of John Damon, who went to
the house Of Joseph Ainsworth TO attach
some potatoes in the cellar. The cellar
was reached by a ladder through trap
door, and while the constable was looking
over the potatoes Mrs. Ainsworth deposi.
ted herself on the trap door, and would not
let him come up until he promised not to
attach the potatoes, after which he was
souDdly drubbed with fire shovel, and
fed in hot haste.
Year: 1875

II is related that the Postmaster Of
Monticello, Ga. recently performed the
feat of reading letter without hearing its
contents An old woman who had never
been to school got letter one day and
asked the Postmaster to read it for her.
She did not want him to hear il, SO she
took wad Of cotton outof her pocket and
stuffed his ears with IT, She then had
him read the letter IN low voice, and was
perfectly satisfied that the reader could not
hear word Of It.
Year: 1875

The society for the prevention of
cruelty to animals has put forth the fol
lowing rules for the treatment of ball1y
horses


l. Pat the horse upon the neck ex
anime the harness carefully, first on one
side, then on the other, speaking en-
couragingly while doing SO; then jump
into the wagon and give the word go !;
generally he will obey.


2. A teamster in Maine says he can
start the worst balky horse by taking him
out of the shafts and making him go
round in a circle till he is giddy. II. the
first dance of this sort does not cure
him, a second will.


3. To cure balky horse, simply place
your hand over the horses nose, and shut
off his wind until he wants to go.


4. The brain of horse seems to en-
tertain but one idea at time; therefore
whipping only confirms his stubborn re-
solve. If you can, by any means, give
him a new subject to think of, you will
generally have no trouble in starting
him. A simple remedy is to take a
couple Of turns of stout twine around the
foreleg, just below the knee, tight
enough for the horse to feel, and tie in q
bow knot. At the first check he will
probably go dancing off, and, after going
a short distance, you can get out and re.
move t|'e string to prevent injury to the
tendon in your further drive.


5. Take the tail of the horse between
the hind legs, and tie it by cord to the
saddle girth.


6. Tie string around the horses ear
close to his head.
Year: 1875

just then; so I had nothing else to do
but to take Lizzie's advice; and in just
half an hour I had the old instrument
nearly dissected, much to Mr.. Baby's
edification, as he sat grayely on the floor
in the midst of the interior develop
ments of the ancient piano.


AMI now comes the most marvellous
part of my story.


All piano tuners know that when you
take away the front piece above the key
board there is hollow place of consid-
erable extent, in any instrument of ordi-
nary size. And as stopped to blow
the dust away from this place I saw a
bundle or roll of bank notes fastened
round with a yellow slip of paper,
on which was written: "For my niece
Lizzie"


Lizzie /" 1 cried, breathlessly,
"Lizzie !" and she was at my side in an
instant.


And, if you will believe me, there
were $4,000, the accumulated savings OF
Aunt Georges frugal life; and this was
what she had meant by giving her piano
to us. ...


That $1,000 was the starting point Of
the snug little fortune we have since
scraped together; and if Aunt George
could know how much her bequest has
done for u.s. think it would do hel
kindly heart good.
Year: 1875

A writer in the Phrenological Journal
says, i'll referring to conversation held
with student, he spoke of the astonish-
ing effect the study of the Chinese Ian
guage had had on the shape of his fore
head. Over the eyes and all along the
region of the perceptive faculties there
seemed to be built on layer of bone a
quarter of an inch in thickness, and
about half or three-quarters of an inch
in width. "You see," said he, {" the
study of the Chinese language calls into
exercise only the perception and mem
ory. Instead of one or two nasal sounds,
as we have in our language, they have
thirteen, and it is the most difficult mat
ter at first for an American to distinguish
between them" Then he gave examples
of these different nasal sounds, but to
my uneducated ear they seemed quite
alike. "For eighteen months, he said,
"we did little but study the language,
and during that time my forehead
changed wonderfully in shape. 1t used
to be smooth like yours, and uniformly
developed, but this great ridge here
spoils the shape of it and the hats
used to wear will only rest ON the top OF
my head now."
Year: 1875

The moment man achieves brilliant
success there's always somebody at hand
to tell how poor, how obscure, how no
"aecount" he used to be, and to express
wonder and astonishment that he should
ever have amounted to anything"
The fact that he has amounted to some
thing, that he has proved himself a sue
cess, seems to make some of his ac-
quaintances feel that they have been
robbed in a manner, and that by so
much as he has risen above them in po-
sition or influence, by so much they are
dwarfed. Men who have groped blfndly
to find fitting place for the exercise of
their talents find it, and with it come
naturally appreciation, money, infiu-
ence, prosperity. Can their good for
tune cause anything but rejoicing in
magnanimous and noble mind? There
are very few men of note before the
American public who have not fought
their way up through poverty, obscurity,
disaster and countless opposition of adj
verse circumstance. Vanderbilt began
as boatman in New York harbor;
Stewart was once a small retail merchant
in Broadway basement; Thomas Scott
was at first fireman and coal HEAVIER;
Ezra Cornell would have gone without
his supper at one time but for shilling
he picked up in the street; Cyrus Field
houndered in debt and poverty to the
lips during one portion Of his life; Elias
Howe tried semi starvation many long
year while perfecting the sewing ma
chine; Anna Dickinson scrubbed door
steps to pay to get her start in life. In
fact almost everybody, " that is any
body" has had to fight for his crown,
and when he gets it shouldn't everybody
rejoice with him Doubtless there's
many and many diamond that is never
polished and set, but lies buried in
mountain gulches covered with mud;
many "mute inglorious Milton" !"
sleeps in quiet country churchyards,
but the world is flashing with light from
diamonds that are set, ringing with
melody from Millions that are not mute.
One thing is certain; the man or the
women who is occupied in picking to
pieces the crown lawfully won by a sue
cessful neighbor is not likely ever to
wear one, for the time thus spent is
worse than wasted, and the disposition
that can find pleasure in employment SO
ignominious and degrading can never
find those aspirations, labors and tolls
congenial which bring deserved reputa-
ton and honor and success. #-.
Year: 1875

A correspondent of the New York
World, writing from the CatskiIl noun
tains, says: On the verge of one of
these rocky terraces looking down on
plush-like forest thousand feet below,
stood hale old gentleman, with a straw
hat in his hand and his white locks
streaming ON the breeze.


CA long leap, that" he said, with a
smile, as 1 bent over.


"Aye, indeed, sir tempting leap
for a suicide. Only that bed of green
looks too soft to bruise limb or break
bone"


came up this mountain few win
ter's ago." said the old gentleman,
"when the snow was very deep and a
hard crust was frozen on the surface.
That's the time to climb the Catskills.
My companion was an old resident here
abouts-born here, in fact. We walked
up that peak yonder with less fatigue
than I now feel after getting up this far
He told me that suicide actually did
take place here when he was lad, and
he related the circumstances.


Seeing my interest, the old gentleman
went on:


Z" 1t was a young woman-a young
English woman-who had arrived in
this country year or two before in
company, it is said, with her brother,
and who, after serving some months in
the household of merchant in New
York, came up here and settled as kind
of governess or companion to the chill.
dren of the merchants brother, a we'll.
to-do farmer in this neighborhood. She
was as good as adopted into the family
and treated in all respects as an equal.
Once in about every fortnight she re-
ceived letter, addressed always in the
same handwriting, but post-marked al
different places in the West and South.
These letters were understood by the
farmer and the family to be written by
the girls brother, who had accepted the
place of travelling agent for New York
firm. About the beginning of one
spring the letters ceased to arrive. The
young woman moped and pined. In the
following September letter came and
was handed to her in the evening. She
took it to her room. Next morning she
had disappeared, leaving her trunk
locked, and her clothing, except what
she wore, hanging from the pegs against
the wall. 1t was not until ten days after
that some boys out chestnuting came
across her body below there under the
trees. In her dress pocket was found
the last letter she had received, letter
which disclosed that the writer was moi
her brother, but her husband, to whom
she had been married just before theil
departure from England, and from whom
she had consented to separate unit
they should by their united efforts have
enough money to start them in life to
gether. Absence, in his case, had rusteG
love. This letter announced that he haG
married another person. All, me-" con
cluded the old gentleman, sadly, putting
on his hat and preparing to move away
$50 wags the world"
Year: 1875

Anne Brewster writes from Rome to


the Philadelphia Bulletin: recently
heard strange and interesting story of
lady who had had some fatal grief
which had swept away from her all
human hope and help. She was
woman of fortune, high culture, learn
ed, indeed; she was singularly alone in
life; all her near relatives we're dead.
She was about thirty-fve years of age.
She lived in an elegantly furnished
apartment; one of the rooms was fine
library; all on one flat, en- suite, as is
common in European houses. She dis
missed her servants; for thirty years re-
fused to hold any intercourse with so.
ciety, and led an entirely solitary life.
Every morning a confidential servant
came and entered door that was left
unlocked at certain hour. She went
into the bedroom and put it in order,
also the dining-room, removed the


dishes of the preceding day, and placed
ON the table the food for a succeeding
twentyfour hours, but she never saw
her mistress. Written orders, made in
the concisest, clearest form, were left
from time to time on the dining or
dressing table. Through these orders
all business was directed and everything
provided that was needed by the recluse.
The whole suite of rooms, excepting the
dining, sleeping, and dressing rooms,
remained strictly closed for thirty years.
People talked great deal at first, much
curiosity and wonder was expressed, but
in time other wonders appeared, and
the lady and her solitary life were for
gotten, The original confidential SER
want in course of time died, and another
reliable person succeeded to the post,
but nothing changed the habits of the
lady-she was never seen by any one.
Some thirty years went by, when one
morning the servant found the bed un-
disturbed, the food untouched She
forced the doors and searched for her
mistress. She passed through long
succession of rooms which presented a
most strange appearance. A thick bed
of dust lay over every article of furni-
ture, silent covering over carpets and
floors. But straight through the rooms
was narrow, direct path that led to the
end room or library, path swept clean
by the long trailing garments of that
solitary woman in her daily walk OF
thirty years. It swerved neither to the
right nor to the left. The servant fol
lowed the strange path to the library.
There she found her mistress seated at q
reading table in a high-backed chair
her hands were folded peacefully in hei
lap, her head was leaning back, the sad,
worn old face was calm and still. She
had, at last, gone to that other solitude,
death. On the table were Homer and
Virgil; they seemed to be the only books
she had read, as the others on the shelves
were bound with the dust of years.
There was not one written line or word
left. The solitary thirty years had end
ed, as they had been lived, in solemn
silence. The sorrowing woman at last
knew the great secret, which told hel
why she had been called to suffer sucl
keen mortal anguish that had snapped
all bonds between her and her kind,
Year: 1875




They climbed the rock built breasts Of earth,
The Titan-fronted, blowy sleeps
That Graded timo. Where freedom keeps
Her flag Of white-blown stars unfurled,
They turned about, they saw the birth
or sudden dawn upon the world.
Again they gazed they saw the face
or God and named it bouudless space.
And they descended and did roam
Through leveled distances set round
BY room. They saw the silences
Move by and beckon saw their forms,
Their very boards, ofttime in storms
And heard them talk like silent seas.
On unnamed heights black-blown and brown,
And torn like battlements of Mars,
They saw the darkness come down,
Like curtains loosened from the dome
or Gods cathedral, built OF stars


They saw the snowy mountains rolled,
And heaved along the nameless lands Ola
Like mighty pillows, saw the gold
or awful sunsets, saw the blush
or sudden dawn, and felt the hush
or heaven when the day sat down,
And hid his face in dusky hands
Then pitched the tent, where rivers run
AS If to drown the fallen sun.


The long and lonesome nights the tent
That nestled soft in sweep of grass;
The hills against the armament
Where SCARCE the moving moon could pass (;
The cautious camp, the smothered light
The silent sentinel at night


The wild beasts bowling from the hill
The troubled cattle believing;
The savage prowling by the spring,
Then sudden passing swift and still,
And Bonded as a bow is bent.
The arrow sent the arrow spent
And buried in its bloody place,
The dead man lying on his face


The clouds of dust, their cloud by day,
Their pillar of unfailing fire,
The far north star. And high, and higher
They climbed so high it seemed eftsoon
That they must face the falling moon,
That like some iame-Ii ruin lay
Thrown down before their weary way.


They learned to cad the sign of storms,
The moons wide circles sunset bars,
And storm provoking blood and fame
And like the Chaldean shepherds came
At night to name the moving stars
And in the heavens pictured forms
OF beasts and fishes of the sea
And marked the great bear wearily
Rise up and drag his clinking chain
OF stars around tho starry main.


joaquin Miller.
Year: 1875

EDIToRs MIDLAND FARMER: :: Seeing no communication in your valuable paper from Southern Ar kansas, 1 write a few lines. The people are beginning to plant in earnest, although the weather is not favorable. There will be a larger crop, both of corn and cot ton, planted this season than ever planted in this part of the coun- try in one year. There is more wheat, oats and barley sown throughout the country than is usual all of which promises an abundant harvest. The prospect for fruit crop is Aery good. If we can only have favorable sea, sons this year, we can invite i'm migrants by the thousands, but provisions and money are too scarce at present, on account of the severe drouth last summer Our granges are stirring things right lively in old Clark. - Mid land Farmer. r. W.