smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

How They LIvE-THEIR CLOTHING,


FooD AND HABITs.-A correspondent Of
the Santa Rosa, Cal Times, says Their
wigwams are built throughout of redwood
bark, and are round in shape, which can bet
ter be explained by saying that they are in
the shape of bowl upside down, with
smaller one placed, also upside down, on top.
There are no windows, and aside from the
aperture entrance, which is about two feet
square, and small opening at the top to
allow the smoke to escape, there Is no
opening to this conical shaped enclosure.
To enter one Of these huts il becomes ne
cessary to get down and crawl in. Once
inside strange sight greets the eye. The
majority Of both sexes go perfectly naked,
and being scrupulously particular, each
one does his or her own cooking. They
sleep in circle in hollow places in the
ground, with feet to the centre. The
cooking apparatus, which consists of good
sized rocks followed out, is in convenient
reach, and the Digger need not rise to
prepare his breakfast The food consists
of bread made from acorns, which are
first buried, then roasted, then pulverized,
and lastly mixed up with water and baked.



The bread is said to be very nourishing.
Their mode Of preparing squirrel, hare,
etc, is to take them just as when killed,
pound them to jelley and then roast
them. Another article of food very COM
mon with them is known as the 'sfish worm
The Digger is IN inveterate gambler, and
the principle game is very simple, consisting
in holding both hands behind him, in one
Of which Is stick, while another bets he
can tell in which hand he holds il. II is
stated that they scorn cheating, and, after
the bets are made never change the stick
from one hand to the other. The money
consists Of little round shells with hole
in the centre, which one of their number
is selected to manufacture. No counter.
feiting is ever attempted. Each shell rep
resents about half a cent of American
money, and is taken by their tribe as
as gold. A string of this money
can be seen at this Office, and it is wonder
fal how uniform these buttons can be made
by simply rubbing them on stone with the
hand.
Year: 1875

The Richmond Wing says AN elder
ly man named Beckwith, residing in one
of the Peninsula counties, came to this
city last Thursday on business. He brought
with him an old-fashioned Hint-lock rife
to have u stock and lock put on. On the
cars he fell in conversation with party Of
three gentlemen from this city, when one
Of them to test the reality Of some Of the
extraordinary feats Of craftsmanship he
boasted Of, offered him ten dollars to re-
peat some Of them, to which the other two
added FIVE dollars between them. The
trial came of in an old field half mile
below Rockets, and was witnessed by about
dozen persons.


The old fint-lock was fired seven times,
and only once missed its aim. The old
gentleman, alter making two shots at small
objects to one side, TO get his hand steady,
as he said, handed his son a potato, and
stationed him at fifty yards distance, hold
ing the patato between his thumb aud
forefnger. The rife cracked, and the po-
tato fell cloven in three or four pieces.
One Of the larger pieces was then thrown
in the air, the marksman keeping at the
same distance, and again the shot told
An inch and half auger was then pro-
duced, and hole bored in the fence, be-
hind which was fastened piece Of white
paper At the distance of sixty yards the
marksman sent ball clear through the
aperture, piercing the paper. At the
fourth shot, from go yards distance, the
bowl of pipe which the son was smoking
was crushed. At the fifth shot copper
cent was thrown in the air and hit The
sixth and seventh shots we're delivered at
q blackened fye-cent nickel piece thrown
up by the son, standing about thirty yards
of. At the first attempt the shot missed.
The old gentleman showed considerable
modification, and laid the blame upon a
bystander, who at this critical moment
sneezed loudly. The next attempt, how
ever, was an entire success. The old man
declined any further trials Of his skill, and
when offered sum of money to repeat his
first feat of shooting potato from his
sons hand, he refused, saying he didn't
care to try such experiments unless his
weapon was freshly cleaned. The exhibit
tiop was the more remarkable from the
fact that the marksman was IN old man,
at least fifty. His eye, however is clear,
bright gray. His appearance is that Of a
poor farmer. The young man showed not
the least tremor nor anxiety during the
dangerous experiment upon himself. The
old man, referring to his son, said, "Bob
can shoot Just as well as l can
Year: 1875

A novel and interesting surgical opera
tion was performed few weeks ago, in
Baltimore, upon the eyes Of a patient who
had been seriously injured three years pre-
viously from the effects of caustic lime,
which had eaten away the thin covering
of the eyeballs and syelids. When the
inflammation subsidized, the eyeballs and
eyelids were found firmly grown together,
thereby rendering him totally blind
Heretofore the operation ofcutting through
the adhesions ayailed nothing, as the raw
parts could not be prevented from again
growing together. To overcome this ten
dency, the physician who performed tke
operation adopted the novel method Of
facing the raw under surface Of the lid By
taking the smooth, delicate lining Of a
white rabbits eye, which resembles very
closely that Of the human subject This
delicate skin was transferred Immediately
from the rabbits eye to the raw surface Of
the lid of the patient, and was very
carefully sewed into its new position.
The rabbits membrane will attach itself
by growth to the inner surface Of the eye
lid, and prevent any further sticking Of
the eye and lids together.
Year: 1875

A man in Dakota, few days ago, was
presented with ball about three inches
in diameter, covered with dust, and having
the appearance of being partly fused on a
portion Of the surface. He threw it into
box Of relics, and thought no more of
the matter until a week or two ago, when
he was overhauling the pile, and discover
ed the ball. Taking it to machine shop,
ho thought he would smooth up the ragged
edges little; but, upon putting it upon a
grindstone, he discovered that the ball
was not iron, but material harder than
hardened steel, aud that the stone had but
little effect upon it, and that it would
scratch glass readily. He has come to
the conclusion that il is an aerolite or
meteoric stone, nearly round, and resem-
bling cannon ball, with the exception
that it is heavier than iron.
Year: 1875

The house in which the writer was born,
was covered with shaved pine shingles in


the year 1905, at which time the roof re-
eeived generous coat of oil paint made


Of linseed oil and Venetian red. After
twenty years had elapsed another coat Of
paint, nearly black, was applied. Since
that period no paint has been applied, and
it is now good roof for an old one. It
does not leak, and the only repairs on it
have consisted Of shingle added here and
there where portion Of poor shinglc
was worn out. If the roof had not been
painted, the butts Of most Of the courses
would have been worn entirely away; and
if such long periods had not been allowed
to intervene between the times Of paint
ing, the roof would have bsen a good one,
even after the lapse of 100 years. The
true way to paint roof is to apply paint
Of some kind to both sides of the shingles.
1t is quite as important that the under
side of every shiDgle be covered with paint
as the surface, to prevent the water from
being drawn up between the courses by
capillary attraction. If good shingles are
painted on both sides, and good paint be
applied to the roof once in 10 years, it
will continue eak-tight for more than a
hundred years. When it is not desirable
to save the water for drinking, coal-tar is
an excellent and cheap paint for preserv-
ing shingles, and it will pay well to smear
a roof with this material once in four OF
FIVE years. When roofs are not painted,
moss is liable to collect at the butts Of
every course Of shingles, which promotes
their decay more rapidly than alternate
rain and sunshine, When oil paint is
used for painting shingles, it is always
better to employ some light color rather
than black, as the apartments Of the attic
story, beneath a black roof, are liable to
be uncomfortably hot in the summer; and
more than this, as black paint absorbs
more heat than any other color, neither
the paint nor the shingles will endure as
long as if the roof had been covered with
light-colored paint. A metallic roof COW
cred with light cOlored paint viii last much
longer than if it had been painted with a
black paint. The most economical paint
for roof is generous coat of coal-tar
once in few years; but cOal.tar will color
the water for five years after coat is ap-
piled to the roof.-Iadustrial Monthly.
Year: 1875

The Chicago Tribune says I'VE notice
that some Of our exchanges are becoming
seriously alarmed at the transportation Of
grasshopper in the mails, and one of them
mentions an instance in which box CON
tanning grasshoppers had its glass cover
broken IN post-ofice, and that several
of the active occupants escaped, notwith-
standing the efforts Of the clerks to cap
ture them. Hence, argue the exchanges,
the mails are being used for the diffusion
Of the grasshopper pest, and every mail
bag is box Of Pandora, filed with evils
innumerable, which are being scattered all
over the country. There arc two ways in
which this possible calamity may be averted.
Either Congress should raise the price of
postage on grasshoppers to rate which
would exclude them from the mails, or the
grnsshopper sendes should kill their birds
before mailing them. We have received
some in this condition, carefully pressed,
and they are quite as interesting as if they
were alive and perfectly harmless.
Year: 1875

The particulars Of rather mean trans
action are reported from Minnesota. A
very pretty young lady who had awakened
the tender sentiment in the breast of two
young men, was Indifferent as to which
should win her, being favorably disposed
toward both. Hard words and blows
failed to settle the point of possession, so
one Of the men offered the other his chance
for 500. The offer was not taken, 50 the


first party offered to buy for like sum.
This offer was declined, but was advanced
upon until the first young man got clean
field for sl6O, giving his note for the sum,
endorsed by his intended father-in-laS.
A wedding was next in order, and then
that shrewed Benedict resisted paymer Yof
his note on the ground Of there having
been mo value received"
Year: 1875

The camel's hair is used for artists PEN
ellis, for coarse clothing, and for tent COW
ers, but Is altogether too harsh for ladies'
wear. The best India shawls are made in
the Valley of Cashmere from the soft fine
wool of the large goat which is native
Of the Himalaya Mountains and the high
lands Of Thibet The same animal, when
fed in the valley or transferred to the
mountains Of other climes, rapidly deterio-
rates, the wool starting later in the season,
aud losing in quality and 6neness. The
goats Of Thibet and Cashmere have the
fine curled wool close to the skin, just as
our common goats have a softer wool
below the coarse upper hair. They are
shorn in the spring, all the hard and long
hairs are carefully picked out, the wool is
washed in a solution of potash, and after
ward in cold pure water, care being taken
not to felt the fbres together. The thread
is then spun by hand, all hard and wiry
twistings Of the fibres being avoided. To
this end the spinner uses for spindle
ball Of clay with an iron wire attached,
and keeps the finger and thumb smooth
with steatite (soapstone) powder. The
wool is twice dyed-once before carding
and after spinning-and often again
touched in the shawl itself There are
two very different methods of working the
pattern in an India shawl-one by en-
broidering it in kind of needlework upon
the material, and the other by working it
into the web during the process Of weaving.
The latter is much more elegant and expen-
siye. To accomplish it number of skew
ers are used, sometimes of wood, but for
the best work always Of ivory, about the
size of a common packing needle. They
are sharpened at both ends, and each
skewer is covered with a different colored
thread; these are then worked according
to set pattern, stitch by stitch, into the
web rs the weaving proceeds. As the
process Is very slow, no one person ever
produces an entire shawl, the pattern being
given out to the natives in patches or
blocks, whish are then by similar meth
cd united in the common fabric. OF
course but one surface Of the product is
presentable, the uuderside being tumble
Of ends Of threads without order or beauty.
The cost of a really fine shawl on the spot
where it is made, ranges from two hun.
dred and fifty to five hundred dollars, and
some which arc wrought for native princes
are altogether too costly for export, being
worth several thousand dollars. The best
square shawls imported in this country
will outwear an ordinary lifetime, and,
like diamonds, they are not easily injured
by common use, They are readily resold,
after years Of wear, at moderate discount
from their original cost The best long
shawls are still move expensive, but are
not as much used, being almost too heavy
and warm for ordinary wear.
Year: 1875

A certain young gentleman of Evans.
ton, Indiana, recently accompanied a
young lady to a train to sec her safely
started on her journey. He carried her
railroad ticket in his pocket for safety, and
found it there, when he reached home,
some hours after the train left.
Year: 1875

THE WORLD is WHAT WE MAKE IT.
I've seen some people in this life


Who always are repining,
Who never, never yet could see


The storm-coud's silver lining.
There always something is amiss,


From sunrise to its setting;
That Gods hand made their way of life,
They seem the while forgetting.
And have seen a blessed sight


To sim beclouded vision,
Some people who, where'er they be,
Make earth seem an Elysian.
They always see the brightest side
The direful shadows never
And keep the flower of hope in bloom
Within their hearts forever.
The one can make the sunniest day
Seem wondrous sad and dreary;
The other smiles the clouds away,
And makes dark day CHEEKY.
This life of ours is, after all,


About as we shall make it;
If we can Danish grief fand care,


Let's haste to undertake it.
Year: 1875

MR.. LAsELLE.


Five days had passed since the schooner
had sailed, and Zanita was beginning to weary
exceedingly, of herlife on board. She bright
ened up, however, as they neared the end o.
their voyage. Leon, on the contrary, ap
peared to grow uneasy and restless, as though
he began to anticipate some difficulty in car
rying out his plans Nita had been unable tc
feign compliance with his will, as Mrs. An
thony had counselled her to do; but the latter
did all in her power to persuade him that
Notwithstanding her seeming reluctance, she
was gradually coming round, and would prove
submissive when put to the test.


The weather, which had hitherto been calm
and pleasant, began, on the evening of the
fifth day, to show symptoms of an unfavora'
BILE change, and before the next morning, a
violent gale sprung up, which Threatened an
adverse termination to their trip.


The schooner was an old one, and not in
particularly good condition to weather storm
Still the captain thought that, with good man
agement, he could bring her safely into port


The gale increased rapidly, and in few
hours it became evident that, unless some other
vessel should come to their aid, the crew,
cargo and passengers of the "Mary Jane
stood bad chance of getting to shore.


Zanits was greatly terrified to see the waves
roll and foam angrily around them, while the


s1vo,
cradle, on the dark water, threatening, with
every new lurch, to 60 to pieces. The grain,
with which it was loaded, had to be cast out
in order to Tighten it. But so furious was the
wind, that it was impossible to steer with any
degree ofaccuracy; and, at about four o'clock
Year: 1875

ALBANY, Jan. H.-The Committee of Ways
and Means will report unanimously tomorrow in favor
Of the bill relieving the NewYOrk and oswego Midland
Railroad taxation, and will endeavor to secure it's
immediate passage.


The Committee Cities will grant hearing next
Tuesday afternoon TO all persons interested in the bill
providing for the removal OF Controller Green.
Year: 1875

In new hotel block, can furnish what
ever you want in the millinery line.
If you desire to give your wife, sister,
mother, or daughter a ''love'' of bon
net, with "duck'' of bird on it, Mrs.
Charles can furnish both hat and bird.
Or if you wish to bestow ribbon, neck
tie, scarf, or fancy article of feminine
apparel or ornament On your cousin or
sweetheart, you will find it at Mrs.
Charles. In short, Mrs. Charles is a
first class millinery establishment, fully
stocked with large assortment of ev-
erything in that line, and whether
you are extravagant or economical in
your notions, you will be apt to find in
her store what you want and at prices
to suit.
Year: 1875

NJ ~; =, cz6ers splendid assort-
4 g44ffsSdre frames and will mount
" xatctures in the very: best style of
the, art. He, also, offers new and ex-
ceedingly ornamental article called a
photoscope, (why or wherefore we know
not, } in which to display Photographic
card pictures. 1t is a perpendicular
revolving glass cylinder mounted on a
rosewood or walnut frame, which is in
tended to hang against the parlor wall.
Inside the cylinder are places for twelve
canl-photographs, which appear to
much better advantage in such situa
tion than in any fat frame or album.
1t is sort of family picture gallery,
and is both beautiful and useful. But
the best thing you can get at Kellogg's
is a picture of yourself, for he is one of
the best of Photographic artists, and is
careful that none but good pictures shall
leave his establishment. If YOU are
handsome, you may rely on getting a
handsome picture, and if you are homely,
or even ugly, you can have the consola-
ton of realizing the oft told truth that
the ugliest people make the best SUBJ
jects for beautiful pictures. If you
have never been suited with a photo
graph heretofore, go to Kellogg and be
assured that he will suit you, unless you
want a picture Of somebody that is not
yourself.
Year: 1875

on Third street in the rear of Opera
Hall, can furnish you a good driving
team and handsome turnout, on wheels
or runners, if you want to take the
folks out for drive, or to visit friends
and eat Christmas dinner away from
home.
Year: 1875

on Main st., above Bush, can fit you
out in the gun or pistol line, if you as
pire to make a rifle team of yourself, or
if you require sportsman's outfit, he
has the thing YOU want.
Year: 1875

Main st., between Bush and Plum, has
very generous supply Of ready-made
clothing and gents furnishing goods,
and although it is not usual to present
a friend with a suit of clothes, or an
overcoat, for Christmas gift, it would
frequently be much wiser to do so than
to give him gold-headed cane or


aashy watch-chaln. There is an incon-
gruity in a shabbily dressed man hav-
ing splendidly mounted walking stick
or dazzling ornaments. If you want to
do your friends real service, then, 20
to Lewis for your presents and get
something both useful and agreeable.
Year: 1875

No. 50 Main street, is another good
place at which to purchase Christmas
gifts, that is if you want to buy your
wife a new dress, or your sister a new
shawl, or some other Of your lady rela-
tives or friends anything in the line of
plain or fancy dry goods; or your gentle
man friends with the stuff for a new
suit, any articles of furnishing goods.
The truth is, these gentlemen have
large and excellent assortment of every-
thing in the dry goods line, and fair
stock of groceries as well, from which
many acceptable presents may be Sc
lected.
Year: 1875

opposite Pierce, Simmons & Co.'s bank
on Main st., has just received hand
some lot Of new goods and notions in
the millinery line, expressly for the
holidays, and if it is an article of this
sort you are after you caunot do better
than give her call. She can ft you
out in latest style at small cost.
Year: 1875

Third ST., whose meat market is already
one Of the most popular in the city,
and who contrive to keep the best of
everything in their line that the -coun-
try affords, will make such preparations
for Christmas as ought to be expected
of them. They will provide bounti-
full supply of poultry in addition to their
customary excellent assortment of meats,
and, as they sell at low prices, deliver
goods promptly, and do the fair thing
by their customers, it is presumable
that they will be literally patronized, as
they deserve to be.
Year: 1875

Here my landlady stopped, and here
ends tale that wants nothing but in
cident, plot, character, ooloring, be-
ginning, a middle and an end, to be
rather more than of the common run.
The reader may write the history of the
young man in volumes, may complicate
the incidents to his hearts content, and
marry them all if so desired, but he
cannot now find my landlady in the
lodgings that wouldn't suit"
Year: 1875

man, was steady, grave, sedate, quiet


individual, who might have been all


ages from twenty-five to fifty. He wore


black clothes and a white cravat; his
hat was always smooth and glossy his
boots looked as if they had been French
polished his hair was brown and
combed smooth, and he walked as if he
was measuring the pavement with his
steps. Heleft the house at one hour and
returned at another, neither o minute
earlier or a minute later; and he in
dulged his poor heart with the young
lady for the same space of time every
Year: 1875

1t matters not what your troubles may bo.
come and let the Doctor examine your case.
1t will cost you nothing for consultation, so
please call and satisfy yourselves whether the
Doctor understands your case. If he can cure
you he will tell You so If not, he will tell you
that, for he will not undertake a case unless
Year: 1875

a question which is just now ensaging the
most serious attention of Temperance reformera
On both sides OF the Atlantic relates to the kind
OF treatment that is proper aad ealu.ary for
excessive drinkers. This is the common state
ment OF the subject. but we imagine that the
real difficulty arises in connection with the deter


mination Of insanity caused by intemperance.
II once it can bo shown that person is
OF unsound Mid, there can be no heaita-
ton in deciding what to do with him. Tue
trouble is rather to determine exactly when in
sanity begins, and how it manifests ITSELF. At
the recent meeting OF the British Medical Asso-
citation some Of the speakers strongly urged that
Line should be clearly drawn between the vice
and disease OF intemperance; and q resolution
whs fnalv adopted, declaring excessive intom-
perance to be special form of insanity in many
cases. and requiring special treatment, both for
the advantage Of the patient and for the protec~
ton OF society Now, it only remains for the
friends and cbysicians Of drunkards to ascertain
whether they require restraint in = luuatic
aaylum or u voluntary residence in Washing
touian Homo. In other words the theory ia
beautiful, but the practice is exceedingly doubt
ful and dangerous.
Year: 1875

Truthful reports OF tho condition Of real estate
in this neighborhood show that it is rather dull,
but that has not prevented the Committee Of
tho State Board Of (In)Equalizaton from add
ing 65 to 10 per cent to the valuation OF land in
Chicago and Cook County. They did it yester-
day. Why don't the Board try to collect all the
State taxes from Us at once, instead Of doing 30
By deRreea?
Year: 1875

They have q new wrinkle in
Boston for making chickens out
Of old hens-that is, by breaking
the breast bone about one and
one half inches from the point
where apersonfeels forit. It look
ed as if it had been done with long
priers by bending the bone up. It
is very nicely done, and cannot be
discovered until the chicken is dis
sected. This is no fish story, for I
bought them myself; but I should
call it foul play.