smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

Is IT INSTINCT OR REAsoN.--Reading in an ex-
change ola horse at Lancaster, Pa, which takes
his owners children to school in the morning
and returns for them in the evening, making
his presence at the school house known by rub
bing his nose against the windows, brings to
mind little circumstance which occurred in
this city that is worthy of record. ]. B. Arnold
owns horse which he keeps in his stable on
Jefferson street and in the same stable is kept
mare owned by DR.. Sturgis. Between the
stalls is passage-way and the feed-boxes ofthe
animals are at the sides of the stalls fartherest
away from this passage. Mr.. Arnold frequent
lv noticed piles of shelled corn on the floor in
the passage-way for which he could not account
One day when the horses had been fed as usual,
he watched them and soon could account for
the corn on the floor. The mare finished eat
ing first, and as soon as the horse saw that she
was through, he took an ear of corn by the end
between his teeth, and reached his head over
as far towards the mare as the length of his
halter would permit. She would then eat the
corn from the cob, except what fell ON the floor
while in the act of eating it of.-Souh Bend
(Iudiaaa) Tribune
Year: 1873

An inquiry among the druggists reveals the
fact that there are in New York City about five
thousand confirmed users of opiumin its various


forms of sulphate of morphia, laudanum, and
crude crude gun Ine [anrs o. s9ese & ansRFases sl s n
Fifth Avenue to John Chinaman of Baxter
street.


The drug is sold by many respectable drug
gists over counter without physicians pre-
scriptiOn, but as general thing only to known
and regular customers, who have become thor
oughly used to it, Sometimes a stranger can
get it, but it is only because his appearance
unmistakabIy indicates that he is an old opium
eater.


"You caa always tell them,' said worthy
uptown druggist. There is something about
their expression, about their omplexiOn and
eyes and about their nervous manner that tells
on 'em at once. They are all sure beats"


"They will pay at first, probably, and then
they will let little stand over, or they'll ret
full credit, and then they wont come any more
They'll go TO some other druggist and work IL
on him."


Sometimes the unfortunate, brought TO a low
ebb by the cravings of the horrible appetite, will
steal all the laudanum he can find in the store.
respectfully dressed lady was recently detect
ed by clerk in drug store on Third avenue
hiding bottle of laudanum in her dress. The
appetite destroys all moral sense as surely as il
ruins all the physical faculties.


1t is estimated that each drug store in this
city has an average Of three daily customers
who buy morphia or opium, and probably as
many more who buy laudanum, for the purpose
of ntoxication.


The opium, in its crude state is sometimes
bought and greedily eaten on the spot. "They
chew it" says one druggist, ,"as you would wax"
The crude opium, however, is not the favorite
form OF the drug among the confirmed eaters.
1t is used generally, both for eating and
smoking by the Chinese pagans in the dark
cellars of the Sixth Ward, than by any other
class of customers.


1t takes longer than morphine to affect the
system, and then the principal desire of the in
ebriate is to betake himselfto the gorgeous land
of fancies, that delicious garden OF perfect rest
to which morphine at once transports him.
Sulphate of morphia is the favorite form Of the
drug, and it is in this state that our New York
devOtees mainly use it. Some 9fthe doses tax
en- by the "sots" are enough to kill half doz-
en- of men innocent of the habitual use of it.
One lady some time ago, bought ten grains Of
it and drank it off at once, without leaving the
store. An old gentleman, well known for his
old age. is said to be in the habit of taking
twenty five grains Of it daily.


A quarter of an ounce OF it was drank at a
sitting in a drug store up town, recently, by a
man who had an incurable disease, and who ad-
mitted that he did not care whether it killed
him or not if it eased him OF his pain. Num-
bers of wealthy people doubtless buy the arti-
Gle at Wholesale, and thus avoid the necessity
of physicians prescription, and also avoid
the exposure consequent on frequent applca-
tions for 1t at the druggists.
Year: 1873

TRYING AN ExpERrMENT-He came in
with an interrogation point in one eye
and stick in one hand. One eye was
covered with handkerchief and one arm
in sling. His bearing was that of a
man with settled purpose in view.
: | want to see, says he, the man that puts
things into this paper.


We :ntimated that several of us earned
frugal livelihood in that way.


Well, want to see the man that cribs
things out Of the other papers. The fell
low who writes mostly with shears, you
understand.


We explained to him that there were
seasons when the most gifted among US,
driven to freDzy by the scarcity of ideas
and events, and by the clamorous de.
mand of an Unsuitable people, in mo.
ments of emotional insanity plunged the
glttering shears into our exchanges. He
went off calmly, but in voice tremulous
with suppressed feelings and indstinc'
through the recent loss of half dozen Of
so of his front teeth


Just SO. I persume so. [ don't know
much about this business, but | want Il
see him, the man that printed that little
piece about pouring cold water down a
drunken mans spine Of his back, and
making him instantly sober. If you
please, want to see that man. I would
like to talk with him.


Then he leaned his stick against oul
desk and moistened his serviceable hand
Year: 1873

Why are we so impatient Of delay,
Longing forever for the time to be?
For thus we live tomorrow in to-day,
Yea, sad o-morrow we may never see.
We are too hasty; are not reconciled
To let kind nature do her work alone;
We plant our seed, and like a foolish child
We dig it up to see if it has grown.
The good that is to be we covet now,
We cannot wait for the appointed hour;
Before the fruit is ripe, we shake the bough,
And seize the bud that folds away the flower.
When midnight darkness reigns we do not see
That the sad night is mother of the morn;
We cannot think our;own sharp.ag
May be the birth pang of joy unborn.
Into the dust we see our idols cast,
And cry that death has triumphed, life is void
We do not trust the promise, tha the last
OF all our enemies shall be destroyed
With rest almost in sight the spirit faints.
And heart and flesh grow weary at the last
Our feet would walk the city of the saints,
Even before the silent gate is pass ed.
Teach us to wait until thou shalt appear
To know that all ways and times are just
Thou seest that we do believe aud fear,I
Lord make US to believe and trust


-Phebe Cary.
Year: 1873

A VEsUvIUs IN CoLoRADo.-A start
ling piece Of news has just come to hand !;
no less than minute descriptio on, by more
than one credible witness, of volcano
bursting forth few miles north of US.
We were inclined at first to doubt the
statement, but it comes so straight, and the
story is so we'll told, that it seems there
must be something to it. The facts are,
that last Thursday Mr.. Burke, a trust
worthy man of this place, was out pros
pectlng near the head of the North Bowl
der. (Your correspondent having been
over. that country, is prepared to testify
that in ages past volcanic eruptions must
have been common there.) Our prospector
saw smoke at distance, which he at first
attributed to FIRE in the woods. But
second thought convinced him that was
not possible, as its locality was far above
timber line. So, with the usual zeal of
prospector for something new, he clam
bered up and down and over several
ridges of the main range, until arriving at
the place he found himself on the edge of
veritable crater. The place had evil
NSAeiy ShSS bOSh GuC SCcuc VI great dQO
long continued volcanic acton, for there
was plainly to be traced the rim of
prehistoric crater about one mile in diam
eter. Within the ancient bowl and near
the edge the young volcano had commenced
operations. 1t did not emit violently while
he was there, but contented itself with an
occasional spasm, the rest of the time
smoking as pleasantly as an old tobaccon-
ist. But the best proofs Of his story are
hits of lava, evidently of recent origin,
and several Jumps of scoria. These are
now being handed about among the boys,
and are regarded with as much curiosity
and interest as is ever manifested in the
last rich STRIKE" A large party will
start from here in few days, determined
to authenticate or disprove the matter.
Several men have already been there. and
all return with lava trophies.-[ Central
City (Col.) Register
Year: 1873

RAILROAD PREcAUrIoNs.-M. Fulton Of
the Baltimore American, referring to the
numerous reports of attempts to throw
trains of cars off the track in this country,
says in his last letter from Germany:


"ln Europe this species of villainy is
guarded against by system that renders
it next to an impossibllity. On every
mile of road there is watchman, who is
provided with cottage and small tract
of land. part of whose duty is to walk
over and examine the track between his
post and that of the next watchman, and
to be constantly on the lookout for any
distractions. The cottage Of each Of these
watchmen is clearly in sight of the SIM
liar cottages to the right and to the left OF
him. He is bound to present himself to
every passing train, in front of his cottage,
with his red flag rolled up in his hand,
and make military salute to the engineer,
as much as to say: Go ahead, all is
right or if all is not right to unrolI and
raise his flag for the train to stop. But
this is not all. At every one of these sta
tions tall pole is erected, having two arms
at the top of it, one pointing toward the
road and the other from it. The moment
a train passes to his right the inner arm is
lowered, and if to his left, the outer arm
is similarly lowered. which says to the
next watchuan on either side of him, the
train has passed my station all right
These watchmen also have control of all
the gates of roads crossing the track, and
are enabled to lock and unlock gate even
half-mile distant, and ring bell, the
moment he ascertains that train is ap-
preaching. This is done by means of a
strong wire carried along the ground on
short posts attached to lever 1t bis sta
tion. The telegraph is also used from the
main station. but this system of watchmen
and signal telegraphing is for the interme-
diate stations. At night, instead of the
arms on the post, red and green lights are
hoisted and lowered as signals. With such
arrangements, obstructing the track or ac-
cidents by land slides or loose rails are next
to impossible. It is costly, but the saving
in damages is believed to be greater than
the cost, whilst the security to life and pro-
perty adds greatly to the business OF the
companies. The xatchmen are generally
old soldiers, who know the necessity Of
watchfulness. and are disciplined to the
faithful performance Of their duties"
Year: 1873

"Only a penny boX,' he said:
But the gentleman turned away his head
As if he shrank from the squalid sight
OF the boy that stood in the falling light
90 sir" he stammered, you cannot i1iow,
And he brushed from his matches the hakes of snow
That the sudden tear might have chance to falD
COR think-I think you would take them all.
Hungry and cold at garret pane
Ruby will watch till come again.
Bringing the loaf. The sun has set,
And he hasn't a crumb of breakfast yet
zone penny, and then can buy the bread"
The gentleman stopped: And you Z" he said
81! | put up with hunger and cold;
But Ruby is only five years old


81 promised our mother before she went
she knew would do it, and died content
promised her, sir, through best, through worst,
l would always think of Ruby first"
The gentleman paused at the open door;
Such tales he had often heard before;
But he fumbled his purse in the twilight drear
81 have nothing less than shilling here"
so, sir. if you'll only take the pack
vi bring you the change in moment back;
Indeed YOU may trust me /" Trust YOU! no!
But here is the shilnG take it and GO"
The gentleman Iolled in his easy chair
And watched his cgar. wreath melt in air
And smiled on his children and rose to see
The baby asleep on its mothers knee. -
and now it is nine by the clock" he said; a.
"Iime that my darlings were all abed;
Kiss me good duigllt and each he sure,
When you're saying your prayers remember the poor
Just then came a message, "a boy at the door,"
But ere it was uttered lie stood i'll the floor
Half breathless bewiliered and ragged and strange
81 am Ruby, Mikes brother: Eve brought you the


changel





"Mike's hurt, sir; twas dark; the snow made hin
blind,
And lie didn't take notice the train was behind
Till he slipped the track; and then it whizzed by
And he's home in the garret; think he will die.
| ''Yet nothing would do him, sir nothing would do
| But out through the snow must hurry to you
| OF his hurt he certain you wouldn't have heard,
! And you might think he had broken his word"


When the garret they hastily entered, they saw
Two arms ngled shapeess, Outstretched from th'
straw;


''You did it. dear Ruby God bless you !" he said;


And the boy gladly smiling, sank back and was dead
Year: 1873

HINTS FOR HUSBANDS who
wish to make home particularly happy
should insist on having pretty servant
girl, and should make her nice presents
often. They should invite their friends
to dinner on wash day, and then remark
that lazy wife is blessing to any man
that hasn't got her. If you get drunk,
insist on letting the whole neighborhood
know the.fact by singing and screaming.
Compel your wife to pull off your boots
when wet. for the gentle hands of a low
ing wife make better boot jack than a
piece Of unfeeling wood or a lump of
cold, unsympathetic cast-iron. Always
speak kindly of your wife's relatives
Never mention her father without call
ing him '.that blasted old fool" and her
mother, without emphasizing your ad-
miration by the statement that she is
'an old catamaran and insuferable
shrew.' When you 60 out with your
wife, don't speak to her unless you can't
help it, and then speak as if she was a
deaf dog. Come home every little while
with few long hairs on your coat collar
and vest. And don't forget to be par
ticularly ardent in your admiration of
every good-looking woman you meet
be doubly ardent if your wife is present.


FOUND ONE.-A tall, rather green
looking fellow walked into a New York
saloon where they were talking politics
upon high key, and stretching himself
up to his full height exclaimed in loud
voice


"Where are the Democrats now p
Show me Democrat, and [ will show
you liar"


In an instant a man stood before the
inquirer in warlike attitude, and ex
claimed:


Il am Democrat, sill"


"You are 2"


Yes, sir, | am p


'Well, just you step around the cor
ner with me, and I'll show you a fellow
who said | couldn't find democrat il
the ward Ain'the liar, | should like
to know 2"
Year: 1873

A ME2DLING WoMAN.-The tongue Of
meddling woman makes mischief Wher-
ever she goes, and the path behind her
is strewn not, only with the withered
hopes of others, with the noxious weeds
that spring from the seeds of calumny
but with the wrecks Of her own self-re-
spect and the good opinions of her ac-
quaintances. ''ihe trail of the serpent
is in her wake, and she walks in an at
mosphere of contagion Avoid such one
as you would serpent. for you cannot
associate with her without suffering more
or less
Year: 1873

An old farm house with meadows wide,
And sweet with clover on each side;
A bright-eyed boy who looks from out
The door with woodbine wreathed about
And wishes, his one thought all day:
"Oh if only could fly away
From this dull spot the world to see,


How happy, happy, happy, g.
How happy | should be p
Amid the city's distant din,


A man who round the world had been,
Who, mid the tumult and the throng.
Is thinking, thinking all day long:
"Oh could l only tread once more
The field path to the farm house door,
The old, green meadows could l see,


How happy, happy, happy,


How happy should be.
Year: 1873




Boston, after her great fire, finding
that the loss effected her business Capt.
tai and resources, only, and did not dis
tress the laboring class of her citizens,
met all offers of outside assistance with
the grateful assurance that she would
RELY upon her own resources to meet the
emergency, and the heroic City has only
asked for remission of Government
duties or such important goods as were
destroyed by the fire. She now nobly
declines to take any aid, and assures her
friends that ''the Winter is wearing
away without a shadow of distress"


Washington, Feb. A man named
Hardgrove fatally cut his own throat
after cutting those of his wife and one
of his children early this morning. He
will die but the others will survive In
sanity consequent upon misfortune was
the cause,
Year: 1873

1t gives us sincere pleasure to publish


the following, which we copy from a
correspondence of the ,SIatinti dated,


Long Branch, n. J., June 9th, 1873.
What your correspondent has heard


on this point he gets but one remove
from the President himself, and through
a source which he is rot at liberty to
mention, but which may be accepted as
perfectly reliable.


1t has been generally understood that
this appointment would not be made
until after the assembling of Congress in
December next. This understanding is
correct. the President stating to the per-
son referred to, that the appointment
would not be made until that time. He
had. however, thought considerably Of
the matter. and had in his mind several
men in connection with it, prominent
among them being Judge Howe, of Wis
consiu. He expressed the highest opin
qualifications of the Judge, and while he
had not made up his mind and would
not before the time mentioned. and that
his present opinions or intentions might
change, yet among all those mentioned,
none occupied better place than Judge
Howe; in fact, that the appointment lay
between some three or four of whom the
Judge stood With the best. This is the
substance of long conversation, with
the addition that IN the course of the
conversation the President announced
it his intention to be careful in his ap-
pointment, that the appointee shall be
right on questions or issues involving the
results of the war, which may come up
for judicial decision
Year: 1873




The unfair legislation of the last Con-
gress, discriminating in favor of news
paper monopolies and against the coun-
try press, is eliminating in movements
which may soon become very formidable
The large New York literary weeklies
were strong enough to impose this trick
upon the nation at moment when few
Congressional leaders We're angered at
the abolition of some of their special
privileges, but in aiming their blow at
the country press they have awakend a
power mnch greater than their own, and
one which needs only fair field to sweep
everything before it. The New York
Ledger has no political significance, tho
oppressed to all parts of the continent,
while almost every country paper has a
direct influence upon Congressional
vote. With this immense lever. and de-
claration of intentions made by the Edi-
torial Convention of Ohio, it is not hard
to predict the future. Here are the reso-
lutions, not only spunky but reasonable
and fair in their several propositions


Resozced. That this meeting of editors
in convention assembled, request our Rep
resentatiyes and Senators in Congress TO
favor and support an amendment to the
present postal law, graduating the rates
of newspaper postage, as IN their judg-
ment may be equitable in its operation
on the newspaper press, namely: Arate
within the county where the newspaper
is published !; rate within the Congress
sional district, and outside of the coun-
ty where the paper is published a rate
within the State, and outside the county
where the paper is published !; and rate
out of the State were published. And
also to amend the postal laws so as to
prevent the evasion of postage on news
papers by means of express carriage. -


Resolred, That the members of this
Convention request the concurrence of
the editors and publishers of the several
States in securing the adoption of such
a measure as we have proposed In the
above resolution.


Resolred. That the editors and pub
fishers of Ohio regard rs passed the abo-
Etion of the Frankfng Privilege, and ASK
no special favors or privileges at the
hands of the General Government.


ResoEued. That the Secretary of this
Convention be directed to forwarda copy
of the above resolutions to each of the
Senators and Representatives from Ohio,
end to the Postmaster General.
Year: 1873

WHEN evils appear in our polit;cals the
cry is for constitutional convention to
mend the machinery. The prospect of
ame,ioration would be better if instead
of tinkering the government we set
about reforming public opinion, and
elevating the standards of official integ-
rity. This continual talk about merits
and defects in constitution, as if thence
and not from the heart of the people
where the issues of national life, is
positively harmful, for it diyerts attention
from the true remedy, which consists In
a simple, earnest effort to be better
people than before. Get the best ma
chienery by all means but remember that
r5 machienery of government can turn
out better work than is in the heart and
mind of the people themselves Spring
field L9,ioa.
Year: 1873

A man from the country applied
for work in the Boston burnt district,
and was set to carting gravel. Filling
the cart was Il simple matter, but how
to dump it puzzled him. At last the
idea struck him, and striking the horse
iorcibly under the belly, he shouted,
Rare up, We divil.'
Year: 1873

The news from Havana last night was Of
war with the Spaniards in Cuba is inevita
bic. The newly appointed Captain General
has chosen to resign rather than surrender
the Virginius TO our government, ard in
this course he is sustained by the
dominant party in Havana. Thus Cuba is
in open rebellion against the Spanish gov
ernment. The duty Of our Congress, now
fortunately in session, is unmistakable, and
forty eight hours will probably show that
it will not shirk its responsibilities. Let
those, therefore, who wish to spend their
winter with the army in Cuba get them
selves ready for the final word, which will
doubtless come ere many hours.
Year: 1873

situation has, however, greatly relieved the
gloom, and Mr.. Ogden, the only member OF
the Peoples Committee now in Washington,
expresses himself satisfied that nothing
that has occurred will prevent thorough
investigation of the whole matter, and feel,
confident of the ability Of his committee to
compel an investigation and overthrow the
Kellogg government. 'n


He adds that he is working upon the
Senate, and expects to make so clear case
before the new Committee on Elections and
Privileges that its report will control the
action OF the government 1t is now evi-
dent the great contest will take place
before this committee which was appointed
to-day, and to which the credentials of Me
Millen and Pinchback have already been
referred. 1t will be new fight, as the
work Of the last committee elapsed with the
expiration of the old Senate. The commit
tee is we'll composed and the trial of this
important case will, no doubt, be thorough.
The fate of the Louisiana case seems now
to be regarded as in its hands.
Year: 1873

He whom men once called Tweed is dead,
And the name ia known no more.
The soul of the sachen is fled,


But the body lives In "thir.y-fou-.e
Bereft of hair and diamond pin,


And the festive clothes he wores
Boss is waiter on men of sin,


And they call him thirty four
Year: 1873

For variety of reasons, chief anon z
which, perhaps, might be named the non
arrival of certain stables and the threaten
irg indications Of the weather. the Louis
lana Jockey Club has postponed the open
ing of the fall meeting just one week from
date announced. This will bring the open
ing day to the thirteenth OF December.


We regard this move as quite judicious.
1t is true that some few may be disap-
pointed. but the additional eclat that will
will more than compensate.