smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

But really, do you appreciate the
American love of novelty? For may
part, I am beginning to admire the
English trait of tenacity to tradition.


70 be somebody or somethinr new is to
be an offence to the understanding only
conquer the English, and they are your
friends for life. Once favorite, always
favorite. Though your golden hair
turn gray, your alabaster complexion
become luminous with beef and beer,
YOUR graceful figure approximate to
Dutch cheese, your glorious voice attain
The quaver of uncertain age, you remain
the goddess you were when Love whis-
pered to you of youth and beauty.


There is divinity in such loyalty. 1t


inspires an artist to remain an artist,
for it means that art is long. And sup
pose you are occasionally bored by an
exhibition of fsuperannuation Is it not


infinitely better than our way of ignor-


ing what has grown up among us, Or
what has been put before us season afte
season? Good art is good art, and
among cultivated audiences it is no more
necessary to change the artist than it is
necessary for the vilinist to change his
instrument. Year after year, Titiens
and Trebelli-Bettini are the mainstays
of Drury Lane. No one tires of them,
although neither is what she once was.
Here they would be buried alive. We
had rather rush to an inferior novelty
than walk composedly to well-known
excellence. | do not appreciate this
national characteristic. no more COM
prehend it than 1 comprehend another
amiable weakness, tobacco chewing, the
depths of which l have vainly strived to
sound. My nature is incomplete; but
while there is life there is tobacco Chew
ing as well as hope. 1 fail to under
stand why great artist like ADELAIDE
Phillips does not appear upon the New
York operatic stage. For months our
ears have been tortured by third-rate
contralto while one of the best in the
world-I should say the best, is Miss
Phillips were not wicked enough to be
an American-has been giving concerts
the entire season. Will the public
never tire of high notes? Will they
never learn to estimate rightly the rich
ness and glorious depth of genuine
contral to voice? By what demoraliza-
tion has it come to pass that prima
donna means soprano? Does it require
less art and genius to be great contralto
than great soprano? Were Malibran
alive, she would find her occupation
gone. She would see soprano usurping
Rosina in "The Barber of Seville" and
Zorlina in don Giovanni" Operas
written for contraltos are ignored, and
why? Because of fashionable freak


In the language Of the Hampton colored
"Now sin't dat hard ?"


1t is, it is very hard, and / ask whether
something cannot be done about it
You reply that there cannot. Very well,
them in the name OF respectable min
ority, 1 protect against the incompre-
hensible favoritism shown to sopranos
at the expense of contralos, and express
a sincere regret that so gifted singer
and actress as ADELAIDE Phillips is given
no opportunity to appear in roles in
which she has no superior. We, the
minority, will never rest content until
native ability receives as enthusiastic
recognition as that which crosses the
Atlantic for the purpose of making more
money than can be obtained elsewhere.
Year: 1873

THE Empress Eugenie, since the
death of her husband, has only once
taken walk and twice gone out in a
carriage. Except in these, and frequent
visits to the little chapel where the i'm
perial remains repose, she does not
leave the house.
Year: 1873

A queer story is told of two prosperous mer
chants in West broadway. One OF them was
married, rather late in life some two years ago
and, after he and his wife had gone to house
keeping, he invited his fellow-merchant TO nav
them visit. The latter went, and was much
pleased with the new wife, who appeared to be
very young. They grew to be firm friends. He
told her he could not resist the conviction that
he had seen her before, at which she laughed.
and said that was the impression obtained from
all sympathetic natures. Their cordial relations
continued for good while. and one day, the
mercantile admirer received letter from an in
Innate IN Boston, Informing him that his friend
mad, rome time before, married an eccentric wo-
man, Mrs--, who had the reputation OF being
several times divorced This set the admirer to
thinking and tracing ont circumstances within
his knowledge. The result was, he discovered
that Mrs., the wife of his friend had seven
years before, been his own wife, from whom he
had obtained legal divorce, for good and sufi-
cient reasons, six months after their union
Anxious to corroborate this he went to Mrs..
and asked her If it was not so. She replied in
the affirmative, and without hesitation added
that she reeonized him from the first, but did
not care to impart any information he did not
himself possess.


She had been literally in the divorce business.
having no less than seven lieges in twelve years,
She understood the art of making herself look
young, and at thirty-fiye she did nor appear
more than twenty-five. 1t was the art that had
deceived the friend and caused him to regard
her as somebody else than herself.-Coyres-
pondeRce Chicago Times.
Year: 1873

The intimation Of Eoery Erning that this
paper has been defending some action of the
Legislature against the interests of Whining
ton and New Castle County" is not only untrue,
but also contemplate.
Year: 1873

- A postmaster, if he knows that a
certain letter received at his office is for
person who receives his mail matter
from another Office, is bound to forward
such letter (if properly prepaid), to the
proper Office without waiting for re-
quest to that effect. No additional post.
age in such case. This is in accordance
with recent decision of the Depart
ment.
Year: 1873

Throw them in the fire, and let them
unso1der. They will spring open about
one inch. Punch holes through each of
the four corners, large enough. Take
piece of twine, put through the holes
and tie the can together. Bet it on
piece of board or shingle cut just large
enough for it to rest upon. Fill up the
can with prepared soil, and you have a
superb pot, or can, to start flowers or
other plants in. When your plant is
large enough to put out, dig hole
large enough to set the can in take
away the bottom, set the can in it, cut the
strings, aid the can springs open slip
it up over your plant, fill up with dirt,
and your plant won't know it has been
disturbed The old way, we sometimes
ruin the plants by jarring the spots to
loosen the dirt, so that it will come out.
With the cans I have never lost any,
nor even checked their growth in the
least. ] even start poppy, larkspur, etc.,
in thetfi,
Year: 1873

Some five years ago was a subaltern
IN a marching regiment, and quartered
in large garrison town in England.
My duties consisted of the usual round
of morning and afternoon parades, visit
ing the mems dinners and teas, and other
regular work. In addition to this we
had, occasionally, to mount guard, and
to pass twenty-four hours in sort of
half imprisonment.


It is one of the regulations of the SER
vice that when officers or men are on
of readiness to "fall in on parade in a
moments s notice. If you feel very sleepy
and desire rest, you must take it while
you are buttoned up to the throat and
strapped down at the heels lounge in
an arm chair, or probably a little hori-
Zontal refreshment upon a sofa, is the
extent of rest which an officer on guard
Is supposed to indulge in.


Among my brother subalterns in gar
rison it was our usual practice to infringe
upon this strict letter of the law; and
when the principal part of our duty had
been accomplished we used to indulge
ourselves by divesting our limbs of their
armOr, and seeking refreshment between
the sheets of little camp bed that was
placed in the inner guard-room.


It was part of the duties of an officer
on guard to visit all the sentries during
the night, the time for visiting them
being usually an hour or SO after the
field officer had visited the guard /;
the field officer being Colonel or Major
who was on duty for tine day, and who
came once by day and once by night to
zee the guards and to see that all was as
it should be. There was no exact limit
TO the number of times that the field
officer might visit the guards, but it was
4he usual thing, and had become almost
a custom, for him to come once a day
and once by night, so that after the last
visit the subaltern usually waited an
hour or SO, walked round the limits of
his post, visited all his sentries, and
then turned into bed.


1t was bitter cold morning in Janu-
uary that my turn for guard came
Year: 1873

THE season approaches when the boy
of the period turns his mind to medita-
ton. As the hour of p. m. strikes, he
softly withdraws from the table where
he has been engaged in digging the
putty from nail-head, and unostenta-
tiously deposits himself back of the
stove to think. We are particular to
emphasize this word, because there is
an impression on the part of his parents,
and his eldest sister, who has the honor
of escorting him to bed nights, that he
is going to sleep. They go so far as to
Openly express this belief, but he stcutly
denies it, and Immediately proceeds to
demonstrate the gross injustice of the
insinuation by humming some familiar
piece. Pretty soon the humming
ceases there is a significant movement
at the table, and then it is resumed
again, and continues for five minutes,
when it gradually dies out, and all is ST.
lent back of the stove. When the boy
comes to again, he is being lifted to
his feet by his waistband, and cutfed on
the head to indicate that it is after 10
o'clock. He makes desperate attempt
to find where he left off on the tune, but
ignominiously fails, and five minutes
later is stumbling up stairs, with an IN
terested and active sister in his rear,
and firmly but family maintaining that
he was not asleep, but only th1nklng.-
DanbuTy Ne1US.
Year: 1873

The two cigar steamers of Mr.. Ross
Winans, of Baltimore, make frequent
trips in the British Channel, although
their officers take pains to prevent any
knowledge of their capacity for speed
from becoming public. One of these
steamers was built at Cherbourg and
the other on the Clyde. The latter is
about 400 feet long, and is built on a
different plan from the original cigar
steamer, which now lies at her wharf IN
Baltimore. Instead of wheel in the
center the vessel has two propellers at
the extreme points of the cigar. The
cigar portion of the hull is submerged,
and an eyewitness describes the whole
appearance of the vessel as he saw 1T re-
Gently in the harbor of Southampton as
that of an ordinary ocean steamer
perched on the back of whale" Mr..
Winans hopes to obtain speed OF
twenty miles an hour by propulsion
alone with his strange craft.
Year: 1873




The Kappa Alphas do not deny that
they took Leggett to Six-Mile Gorge
because of it's adaptability for their
mummeries. They had used it before,
and the facilities which it offer for scar
ing candidates have never gone unap-
preciated. They claim, however, that
the ceremonies were to have been con-
cluded at a point a little further up.
The theory generally accepted here, and
which is indorsed by most of the stu
dents who are not members of the K.
A. Society, is that Leggett was taken to
the gorge to frighten him. He was
blindfolded with an elaborate arrange
ment of straps and buckles, so that he
could not possibly get glimpse of his
surroundings until the moment came
for the terrorizing. Some of the stu
dents went down under the overhanging
cliff and fixed the colored lights. The
paraphernalia for the masquerade had
probably been arranged by those who
had previously arrived. rible masks
and costumes of devils were dohned.
Then the fires were lighted, and the vic
tim was led to the very verge of the
cliff. At a signal, like the firing of a
gun close to his ear, orsotfie equally un-
suspected or bewildering noise, the
blindfold was snatched off. With the
noise still ringing in his ears, and held
by two fellows in the garb of demons,
the scene before him was calculated to
inspire the acme of terror in body
already bewildered. The glare of light
flashed up from yawning gulf at his
feet, dazzling his eyes that had been so
suddenly uncovered. Demons danced
and howled, with firebrands waved above
their heads, around an empty coffin.
Every device that could heighten terror
was displayed. The horrible scene was
so suddenly flashed upon him, and was
so far beyond anything that he had ex-
pected, that for an instant in his beWil-
derment he forgot that it was all farce.
Recoiling from the counterfeit hell that
yawned at his feet, he toppled Lee and
Watson, who were holding him, and the
three fell over the pfeeipice.


President White and Pfofs. Morris,
Schaffer, Heart and Crane, of Cornell
University, are members of the Kappa
Alpha Society, 1t is not supposed,
however, that any of them participated
in the fatal initiation, although Prof.
Crane was near enough at hand to be
brought to the spot Immediately after
the fall. This connection of the society
with the professorship, and the fact
that it's members are among the Wealth.
est and most socially pretentious among
the students, is believed to explain the
attempt to suppress a thorough investi-
CATION The slipshod method of the ifi-
quest, the absence of searching inquiry,
and the impotent conclusion, show how
nearly this attempt was successful. The
students were allowed to answer or re-
fuse to answer as they chose, and, con-
sequently, the evidence was so garbled
and distorted as to be nearly worthless.
The admission that whisky was taken
along to revive the victim, should be
faint under their treatment, was about
the only important fact that slipped out.
Year: 1873

answered, "but I should not like to
leave my guard


Nonsense, nonsense, man-the guard
will be all right; you must come in"


This must he said in quite deter
mined tone.


I felt desperate, and again declared
that I thought I should be wrong to
leave my guard.


"I'n take the responsibility, said the
he grasped my arm, and almost dragged
me into the porch of his quarters.


When we entered the house and were
exposed to the light of the hall lamps, I
fancied I saw a slight twinkle in the eye
of the officer, and L began to wonder
whether he really knew of my predica-
ment, and wished to have his joke. He
gave no other intimation, however, that
saw, but quickly took off his cloak,
and said that had better do the same.
Seeing me hesitate, he said, "Come,
look alive off with it"


Further remonstrance I found would
be useless, SO that there was no help for
me but full confession. Summoning
my courage, and fearing to hesitate, I
blurted out, "Colonel, I've no trows-
ers on"


"The deuce you haven't l'' he said.
Well, you'd better go and put them
on, and then come here as soon as pos
sible, and have a glass of something
warm"


Irushed out of the quarters, half de-
termined not to return. L was fully awake
now, and shivered like half-drowned
dog but no sooner had 1 dressed my
self than the Colonel came over o sny
that a quadrille-was waiting for me.


I determined to put bold face ON the
matter, ard entered the drawihg-room,
where a party of about fifty had as
sembled. It was evident by the titters of
the young ladies, the grins of the men,
and the subdued smiles of the dowagers
that my story was known.


The Colonel had told it as good joke
to the Major, who had whispered it to
his wife, she had breathed it into the
ear of two of her friends, and III about
knew young subaltern had unwillingly
gone his rounds in his night-shirt.


As long as stayed in that garrison L
was standing joke. When the girls
saw me they always looked away and
smiled, and it seemed as impossible for
me to obtain a serious answer from any
of them as for clown to preach SER
mon. They even seemed to be afraid to
dance with me, fearing, as L afterwards
heard, to look at my legs, lest I might
be deficient in some article of raiment.


I soon exchanged and went into an
other regiment; and years afterwards
heard my own adventure related in a
crowded drawing groom, all the details of
the story being true except the name of
the prisoner-my misfortune having
been attributad to an unfortunate fall.


I never went to bed on guard after
that night. -Charieg Cross.
Year: 1873

GLASS bonnets have appeared. They
are formed of a tissue woven by fine
glass threads, and may be said to be the
glass of fashion fitted to the mold of
form. Ladies who wear them must
deny themselves the pleasure of CRITICS.
ing their neighbors, on the principle
that it is dangerous for those who live
in glass houses to throw stones.


In Paris smooth hair is the fashion,
although some ladies destroy the beauty
of the new arrangement by FASTING
"cats' paws on either side of the face
Year: 1873

SenatOF FInch01cK HC IausH"aPVts'


The many friends of Senator PinchbaeA
will read with pleasure the account IN an
other column of his reception and address
at Indianapolis. The reception he received
was an ovation in which all Republicans In
Louisiana will take pride, feeling that it Is
an evidence that the ability, eloquence and
virtues Of their favorite leader are appre
cisted elsewhere than st houe.
Year: 1873

With every change of season we have change in the hygienic character of the air. In the spring is impregnated, especially in low lylng, wet dis tricts, with mcphitic vapors, which generate chils and fever, rheumatism, indigo tion bilious ness and diseases of the organs of respiration It

 is therefore particularly necessary at this time of the year to invigorate and regulate the system so as to enable it to repel the morbid influences to which it is more or less subjected. The stomach should be toned, the bowels freed from obstruc- tions, the blood purified, and the nerves braced and strengthened. This can be easily done. Hos tetters Stomach Bttters are everywhere procur- able and in the whole range of remedies and pre- ventives prescribed by the faculty or recommend ed through the press, there is not one that com pines in such an eminent degree great efficiency and perfect harmlessness It is positive antidote to malaria. Whoever takes it habitually may breathe the atmosphere of the worst fever and ague locality without danger Damp and chilling winds make little or no impression on the organization reinforced with this powerful vegetable invigo- rant, and consequently 1t is 8 good safeguard against asthma, coughs, colds, and other pulmo- nary complaints. It is not recommended 8 remedy for this latter class of maladies but simply as means of strengthening the system against the erial conditions and changes which often pro- duce them. As a spring invigorant and alterative 1t will be found extremely beneficial to per who are peculiarly sensitive to unhealthy atmospheric influences.
Year: 1873

The convict Smith, who recently es- capped from his cell in Sing Sing Prison, made use of 8 most ingenious device for unlocking his cell-door. It con- sisted of bar of wood, about eighteen inches long, from the end of which an other bar reached down at right angles, about four inches in length. In the lower end of this shorter bar recepta- cle was hollowed out for the purpose of holding cunningly-contrived false key, and on the lower bar was arranged twisted leather bslt, passing over up right pins, and worked by crank so nicely adjusted that by turning the crank the key would also be turned at the other extremity of the bar. Having made these arrangements, he quietly awaited an occasion when the regular keeper was absent and relief keeper locked up the cells on his gallery. This keeper having convinced himself that Smith was in his cell, passed on to the other end of the corridor, and the most plausible theory is that while he was thus engaged Smith thrust the machine through the bars of the square grating above the lock, dropping it till the false key fitted in the keyhole, and then turning the crank, unlocked his door (throwing the bar and crank on his bed, where it was afterwards found) and quietly walked out past the keepers at the north end of the corridor. The oldest Keepers at the prison are con- pletely baf1ed by the brilliancy of this exploit, and assert that no such elabo- rate method of escape has ever been devised by any other prisoner. As mo- body actually saw him pass beyond the confines of the prison, there is still & "stowed away" within the walls or en- toying his coveted freedom in the world at large.-New York Paper.
Year: 1873

A correspondent of the Portland Transcript says: Some, and they are not few, can remember old Churchill, and his peculiar ways. One day he was riding on horseback, when he was met by an old woman, who had not so many of this worlds good things as he had. Taking out his- wallet he handed her quarter of 8 dollar, and rode on.

 He had ridden only short distance, when he began to soliloquize thus:

 Now wouldn't have done better to have kept that money, and bought my self something?"

 Wheeling his horse round, he rode back to where the old lady was stand ing, and said:

 "Give me that money!"

 She handedit to him, wondering what he meant. Placing it in his wallet, and at the same time handingher fve-dol- lar bill, he exclaimed:

 "There, Self, now guess you'll wish you had kept still P
Year: 1873

The propeller City of Fremont left for Grand Haven for the third time, but was compelled to return, after having penetrated the ice belt 8 distance of only fourteen miles. During the high easterly winds the ice was never at any time out of sight of land. At this point since then it has constantly been added to, so that it now once more fills the bay. In view of all the facts that can be ascertained, we have no hesitation in saying that Lake Michigan at this point, where it's width is eighty-fve miles, is now entirely bridged over with ice vary ing in thickness from one to twelve feet. Never before in the memory of the oldest inhabitant has this been known to occur. It will require high southerly wind of at least one weeks duration to break up and drive this formidable belt towards the lower end of the lake and enable the steamers of the Engelman line to cross. In the meantime the Manistee and Messenger remain in the condition reported last week, off Whitehall, and receiving oc- casional supplies of food from the shore.
Year: 1873

LANGUAGE AMONG AN1MALs.-M. Hou- zeau maintains that not only does each group of animals possess language which is understood by other members of the same group, but that they can learn to understand the language of other groups. His dog, for instance, perfectly understood his poultry. Cocks and hens have one danger signal for the approach of bird of prey, another for that of terrestrial animal, or for a man. When the latter was sounded, the dogs would rush out and bark, while to the former they paid no atten- tion whatever. He therefore concludes that fowls have the power of expressing slightly different but closely allied ideas, and dogs can learn to understand these differences.