smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

The following Is copy OF letter written by Senator
Cameron, OF Pennsylvania, in reply to an invitation
from his colleagues in the Lower House to accept
banquet in honor of his sOventy-eighth birthday


UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMRKR,l


WASHINGTON, March D. 1876 I


GESTLEMEN-I acknowledge tho invitation you send
me TO meet you at a banquet on such day may bo
indicated By myself and the terms in which that inv
taton is conveyed with profound pleasure. You
pleased TO refer TO my past life in words OF approval
and compliment, and TO express the hope that my
health and vgor may continue. ! thank you very
Sincerely. My aim through life has been TO do
my duty, and to do 1t as unostentatlously
possible trusting TO time TO settle the controversies
arise concerning the methods and motives OF
any man who feels strongly and acts vigorously In
fortunate After passing seventyseven years IN the
State that gave brh and sixty years OF that long
lifetime IN active private pursuits and public duties, IT
beyond expression pleasant hear the of tho
Representatives Of Pennsylvania express their satsao
tion and approval And this is enough No entertain
ment that could be given, sentiment that might be
added would be capable OF increasing the JOY your in
vtation has conferred. While acting my part in the
national councils l have always remembered with
affection the great Commonwealth that has so often
honored me, and am now unconscious OF any wful
neglect OF her mighty interests OF any lukewarm-
ness when her welfare has been question. More
than partisanship the good OF Pennsylvania
has had place in my heart. As a democrat
was forced TO oppose my party in the interests of
protection. As republican l have sought to
combine tue brains and OF that great organi-
zation in sold force that wise policy. And
now look back with approving conscience on my
course In both the great political parties OF that period
covered by my active political lie. Therefore II Is
that your approval of my Pennsyvanian Is
gratifying to me- But gentlemen, regard for the
pleasaner way doing what is before without
parade induces to hesitate in accepting your invi-
tation. On full reflection feel forced to decline 1t,
and trust the which control me in this decis
ion will not only be appreciated by you and the gentle
men you represent but that they will not be denied
of that approval which you have generously
aud partially accorded TO my past fe II, on the
completion of my present Senatorial term, the de-
sire TO approve finished course shall exist will then
you with pleasure and free from any restraints,
for my work will have been done and uster estimate
can then be made OF how it done.


ain, gentlemen, with sentiments of gratitude and
esteem, your friend, SIMON CAMERON.
Hon. John W. Wallace Hon. Sobieski Ross, Hon. Chap
man Freeman, Hon. Alan Wood, Committee.
Year: 1876

The following Is copy OF letter written by Senator
Cameron, OF Pennsylvania, in reply to an invitation
from his colleagues in the Lower House TO accept
banquet in honor OF his seventy eighth birthday
Year: 1876

A terrible comment on the process of
brain -cramming which obtains in our
public schools, is the melancholy death
of New York school.boy. The boy, it
would appear, was of an ardent, am


bilious temperament, highly sensitive,


and up to certain critical point in his
school-boy life, studious to the extent of
distancing all class competitors of his
own age. Unfortunately, as the result
showed, these qualities attracted the at
tention of his teacher and his parents,


who, desirous of creating prodigy, had


the lad promoted to higher class, with


the members of which it was morally i'm
possible for him to cope. The natural
result followed. The studious boy lost
his ambition with the full knowledge
that he could not crafty it, and
gradually found his way to the end OF
his class. He became so negligent that
his teacher, in the belief that he had de-
generated through simple carelessness,
wrote up his name in great letters on a
blackboard, so that all comers should
read it. The rest is shortly told. The
boy told his schoolmates that he would
commit suicide, and he kept his word,
though they thought it was school-boy
bravado. He deliberately hung himself
with book-strap, and the verdict of the
coroner's jury was simply "suicide by
hanging" There is no doubt that the
boys mind was unhinged by over.study,
and he became sacrifice to" the am
bition that kills." Studiousness is an
excellent thing, in the scholar, but, like
all good qualities, may be carried too far.
Year: 1876

A sanguinary duel took place in France


the other day. In heated political


discussion blow was given by Count


de X to the Duke off,. The Duke


didn't return the blow but few minutes
later finding himself alone with the
gentlemen who were to act as hisseconds,
he took an oath never to see his wife or
little girl again until he had washed away
the insult in the blood of the Count.
The next day the duel took place. The
Duke was wounded twice-in the forearm
and in the right side-before the Count
had received a scratch; but the Duke,
Notwithstanding the suffering and loss OF
blood from his wounds, insisted on con-
tinuing the fight. The duel went on
the Duke, making a superhuman effort,
drove his sword through his adversary,
who fell lifeless. Then, pallid as death,
bathed in his own blood, and with diff.
Guilty sustaining himself, the Duke drew
white handkerchief from his pocket.
and bending over the Counts body,
dipped the handkerchief in the blood
gushing from his adversary's death
wound, and turning to the four seconds,
who looked on aghast, the Duke raised
the blood-stained cloth to his face and
said: "You will tell them, gentlemen,
how the Duke ofZ-avenged'the blood Of
the one who insulted me-" He then said
to his own second: "Take this handker-
chief, which / confide to you, to the
Duchess, my wife; enjoin upon her as
duty to place il among the wedding
presents of my daughter when she shall
be married; IL is her fathers gift to her
the purity of his name." The words
were hardly spoken when the Duke fell
back dead; and in death his features
looked calm and proud, and almost wore
smile. His honor had been satisfied.
Year: 1876

peihS uIdgSeu away ny VIC shaihs'


l have seen eagle-hawks battling and
screaming over carcass; seen have a
weakly calf, yet alive, torn to pieces by
dingoes-n neither, dear reader, by any
means pleasing sight-but never any
thing SO utterly horrible or revolving as a
feast of ground-sharks on the body OF a
dead dugong, which once witnessed on
the north coast of Australia.


The fish had been harpooned, and GER
tain parts having been taken for the oil,
the remainder was left on the beach, a
little below high-water mark. Whether
attracted by sight or smell, cannot say,
but as the tide rose there came with it a
host of these demcns, in their intense
greed thrusting themselves high up on
the beach. / had the curiosity to climb
into tree, one of whose limbs overhung
the water, and there l saw such sight
as trust l may never see again.


1t would be disgusting were to par
ticularize. / emptied my revolver at
them, and, though one or more OF them
must have been struck, they needed 1t
no more than l should fly. In most
cases fish's eye is not very expressive,
Dut ahythihg uloIe iear!ui 'nai " sh",h .,
in its demoniacal ferocity, it would be
difficult to imagine.


This scene, / suppose, must have been
present in my mind when / saw myself
| treated in like manner.


With regard to the phase of thought,
am not psychologist enough to determine
why they should have been SO totally
different from what l imagine they would
be, were l told should die in few min
utes. Then, my first thought would be
for my wife and children; as it was, they
came last. My next would be as to my
state of preparation, and prayer; these
never entered my head. And through
out the whole there was strange lack o.
the feeling of dread and awe which would
seem inseparable from such position.
Year: 1876

BOYS of ten or twelve, seen on the
street, appear heartless and without
sympathy, anu yet you wrong them.
Among the houses on Clinton street is
one which has missed many pane OF
glass in its windows. Rags and papers
are used to keep the cold air out, or
it may blow in and whistle through the
desolate rooms without let or hindrance.
A girl of ten, whose life had been one
long period of hunger, pain and un-
happiness, was taken sick one day in
March, and people passing by could see
her living on a miserable bed near one OF
the windows. 1t was curious that any
of the boys coming or going should have
stopped to think or care about 1t, but
they did. One of them, feeling sad al
sight of the sufferers pale face, handed
an orange through broken pane, saw II
clasped by slender white fingers, and
then ran away. He told other boys
and by and by there wasn't day that
some lad didn't halt at the window tc
pass in fruit or flowers. None of them
knew the family or ever spoke to the
girl, and so they gave her the name O
Gertie and called her their orphan
Bows went without marbles and the
other things which belong to boyhooc
sports that their pennies might buy an
orange, lemon or some simple flower FOL
Gertie, and their anxity for her to gel
we'll was fully as great as the doctors OF
the mothers. Whatever present they
had they handed it through the broker
pane, waited for her to reach up, ano
never fingered longer than to hear a sol,
"thank YOU" from her lips. Days wen'
by, but the boys did not grow weary
nor did they miss day. IT, was romance
and charity 80 we'll combined tnat i
pladdened their hearts and made then
fond of each other. Yesterday morning
lads hand, holding sweet flower anc
a big orange went up to the window
No White fingers touched his as the!
grasped the offering. He waited
moment, and then with beating hear
looked through into the room. The bet
had been taken away. On a table rested
pine coffin, and on the coffin was buncl
of faded flowers which had been hande'
through the window the day before
Death had been there and the boys n
longer had mission. -.


You might not have seen the boy hit
ing in doorway and wiping tears fror
his eyes. He was seen, however, an
when asked the cause of his sorrow b
sobbed out the whole sad romance |
four words:


"Our Gertie is dead."-Detrot FIR
| Press.
Year: 1876

Isaac Randolph, the negro who MUIR
dered his wife at New Haven in the
spring of 1856, gives notice that he will
apply to the next Legislature for a
release from the State prison, to which
he was sentenced for life. The murder
created great sensation, and the story
of it is very interesting. He killed the
woman with wash-board during quar-.
rel, and probably did not intend to strike
the fatal blow. After the murder, Ran
dolph cut the body up and buried it in
his garden, planting corn and beans over
the spot. Several days after, Robert
Coe, the father of the missing woman,
related with great impressiveness the
particulars of dream which he had on
three successive nights. He said that
Mary Ann came to him crawling on her
hands, and when he asked her why she
did not walk, she replied that she could
not, for her legs had been cut of. Each
night she appeared to him on the borders
of small brook which then ran at the
foot of the garden. At last the garden
was examined, and the body was found,
-iSprinqfeld (Mdss.) Republican.
Year: 1876

Mrs. Beecher was passenger on the
Acklawaha boat to-day. Having occasion
to go on board / noticed pale, elderly
woman, with very white hair, who kept
herself aloof from the excursionists, and
by accident / learned it was the wife of
Henry Ward Beecher. She was going
up the river twenty six miles to settle
ment on the st. Johns river, called
Beecher, in honor of her famous husband.
She came up to Palatka on Saturday
possibly from the residence of Mrs.
Stowe at Mandarin, thought wouldn't
like to vouch for this-for the Beechers
are peculiar" This member of the
family is said to have her own peculiari-
ties. She is an old woman nOw-prob-
ably not less than seventy (for she is con-
siderably older than her husband land
her aspect is that Of woman who suffers
from an inward pain that reaches deeper
than the physical body. Some observers,
seeing her sitting there alone on the
steamer, might say she was borne down
by grief and trouble--and surely she has
had her share but there was something
in that pale, determined face, which
spoke of more than grief. A bystander
said: "She looks like three whole
tragedies boiled down into one act" and
this did better express that unhappy
face. A strange secret inner history is
hidden in its cold marble. 1t is not a
winning face-not the counteDance one
would expect to see in the wife of Henry
Ward Beeeher. What it does express |
will leave to others to make out, Enough
for me to know that she carries, poor
woman, sight of trouble beyond the
miseries of most of tfose who deserve
punishment. She hid her fa ce, at times,
with her hand-not from staring curl
osity, for she knew not that she was at
that moment the object of scrutiny on
the part of strangers-but seemingly by
a sort of involuntary and helpless move.
ment born of some internal struggle. II
was stern, unhappy, uncomfortable
face, and one was almost sorry to have
seen.-Conespondem Hartford Conn.,
Times
Year: 1876

THERE is no doubt but the stirring of
soil in the orchard is good thing to pro-
mote growth of wood and tone up trees
that are in i'll health, but the heexperiment
quoted in the Country Gentleman of
Richard +. Carpenter, which indicates a
great benefit in yield of fruit to be OBJ
tanned by cultivation, is hardly decisive !;
for some of our best orchardists, from
long experience, believe in mulchiDg
and top dressing rather than very much
cultivation. The question turns some
what upon varieties, good deal upon
soil, and ever SO much upon how much
manure is employed.
Year: 1876

o life that hideth In the sod,


How sweet and bountiful thou art
Like Aaron's mystic almond rod,
BY miracle the grasses start.
They creep about the naked land,
In silence shod they nimbly run,
They clothe the rock and deck the sand,
And spread their velvets In the sun.
Upon mighty loom they ply


With shuttle flying far and wide,
And woven In this tapestry


See buttercups and daisies pied.
o, sweet this green and humble home
Fer all earth's young that skip and play,
This dewy footstool meath the dome
Where low at eve the cattle pray.
o. sweet this fond maternal care,
For nameless weeds that flower and fade
And teeming millions flourish there,
The weakest race that God has made.
o, sweet to think when day Is done,
And tired We seek the crimson breast,
Like all that gaze upon the sun


Our frames beneath this cloak shall rest.


-Neto York Evening Post.
Year: 1876

ANEW YORK interviewer called on
Daniel Drew the other day and found
him engrossed in the pages of Josephus.
He said: "Pve retired permanently
from business this time, which I ou ght
to have done years ago under different
and happier circumstances. 1 never
dreamed that the time would come when
/ should have to 60 into bankruptcy.
There never was just such case as mine
ever heard Of before. No man was ever
80 rich as was, worth at one time eight
or ten millions of money, and then made
to lose every dollar of it in a short time"
Referring to the late A. T. Stewart, he
said that even that prompt business man
had delayed his charitable schemes too
long, and now they would have to be
carried out by some one else, fiat all. In
allusion to Stewards wealth, he said he
never estimated him at over forty
millions; but Vanderbilt was surely
worth hundred millions of money if he
owned dollar.
Year: 1876

RAILROAD MEETING.-There is
q meeting of the stockholders
of the S. u w. W. Railroad to-
night at the Company's office.
1t is to be hoped that as many
as possible will be in attendance,
as the business on hand will be
of the most pressing Importance
and a general action on their
part is deemed advisable. If the
tock-holders are favorable to
the scheme, ofwhich there seems
to be no doubt, work on the first
section will lie commenced i'm
mediately.
Year: 1876

bacher Bros. Il Co., in consider
alton of the increasing opposi-
ton, have determined to make
another large reduction in the
prices of dry goods and clothing.
They are out to-day with post
ers, announcing that during the
next fifteen days they will sell
off their entire stock at cost. in
order to make room for their
new goods, which are constant
ly arriving.
Year: 1876

nA- The steamer Zephyr left
for Tacoma at 1870 this morning,
having in tow scow on which
to bring down the lumber for
the new river steamer of Messrs.
Robbins, Wright and Stretch.
The lumber has been cut at the
Tacoma mill. The keel of the
new steamer will be laid on
Hammond's ways as soon as the
Zephyr return.
Year: 1876

tinware and farm machinery, half
buried in mud. Mr.. Dowling's
brother Ike was providentially not in
the house at the time, but was in the
corn crib which stands a few feet
from the house. He was thrown over
the bank and into the road as soon
as he could get upon his feet he start
ed to the rescue of Mrs. d. and the
little girl, whom he could see strug.
Cling in the water on the opposite
side of tae creek. He rushed across
the bridge which was already becom-
ing insecure, and carrying them Is he
supposed out of danger from the wa
ter, placed them upon feather bed,
and returned to the opposite side Of
the creek, found his brother lying
senseless in the water, and pulled him
to the high ground and tied him to q
tree with a rope, thinking that when
he became conscious, he would in his
confusion rush into water and drown;
returned again to Mrs. ID. and the
child in time to catch them as they
were floating down stream on their
bed. Turning around he saw the
bridge which he had just quilted
carried away by the foaming torrent,
which had now reached the proper.
tions of a mighty river. He at once
returned and had the woman and
child carried TO the residence Of Mrs.
Finn, about one mile from the scene
Of destruction, where Mr.. Dowling
has since been removed.


The damage to property at the
above mentioned places will foot up
something as follows: At Thomas
O'Toole's, 5000; at Paul Engler's,
5000; at Thos. Watts, $1,000; Finton
Dowling's, $1,000.


You will probably have news of
this storm from others; so will not
trespass further upon your space.


Respectfully,


An EYEWITNESS.
Year: 1876

To thee be glory in the coming years,
Land we love, Land We love
BY fathers blood and by our mothers tears
Wen stand by thee, Oh! land We love.
When we shattered the sword of England's


might,


Freedom called this dear land her own;
And the darkness gave place to golden light
For through the clouds, OH land we love,


the stars of glory shone!
Low unto thee shall all the nations bow,
Land We love, land we love!
Columhia's sons shall truly keep their vow
All lands shall praise thee, Land we love,
Now the heavens kindly bend to thy en-.


brace,


While the starr'd skies thy banners are;
May the God Of our nation show His grace,
And spread His all protecting arm above


each State and star.
Year: 1876

General Sherman gave the follow
ing advice to the Cadets at West
Point:


II give you hearty welcome to
the army. Don't be afraid-you are
all, every one of you, as good as Grant
when he stood here few years ago.
You have it in your power to follow
in his footsteps and perhaps earn as
high distinction as he has won. This
is not to be done, however, by gam
bling and drinking or sleeping in the
back room of . suffers store. When
you fight, fight well. Win and for
get your fight As soon as you can.
And now 60 home and soc your
friends, and mingle with the ladies
they are more attractive than bar
rooms and billiard rooms.
Year: 1876

Apropos of the amelioration of dis
cipline in the Connecticut state prison
during the past 80 years, the story OF
Pool, of New Haven, sentenced for
life for burning his store, is told once
more. Another man on his death bed
confessed the crime, but Pool did not
i've to reap the fruits of the confes-
sion. Naturally of fine sensibilties
and noble manhood, he became at
last frenzied by cruel treatment, and
forfeited his life. Pool was placed
in the shoe shop and compelled to
finish six pairs day. Unused to
work, it was with great pain that he
accomplished this task. But the
greedy contractors, not content, soon
increased the burden to eight pairs.
An expostulation or murmur only
brought blow. An eye turned to
Heaven for help was answered with
the lash. No eye could look up.
With this task, Pool found his health
failing, his mind going. His nerves
were unbalanced by the least irrita-
tion. The sweat poured from his
brow, and for wiping it off he was
reprimanded and punished. Every
keeper seemed watching with an evil
eye and taunting him with threats
and ieers. To add to his distress his
task was increased to 10 pairs. He
demurred, protested, flew into rage.
That night, he was flogged, thrust
into the dungeon, without food, with
out bed, and, next day, with his
back all raw and not moment Of
sleep, with but crust for his food,
he was ordered to finish IL pair.
Pool felt that the hour of his dissolu-
tion had come. Innocent Of the
crime alleged, yet having no hope of
liberty on earth, he concealed knife,
and resolved to sell his life as dearly
as he could. He did what he was
able to do of the task, that day, and
even more, but the bell struck and
the eleven pairs were not finished.
With fiendish malignity the keepers
ordered him to the dungeon to await
the warden. The warden came, and,
without listening to entreaty or hear
ing word of explanation, ordered
him to strip himself to the raw flesh
again, place his hands against the
wall, and receive the lashes on his
already lacerated back. "No, never"
said Pool. "Take that!" and Warden
Webster fell dead. From that hour
cats and shower baths and brutalities
in general were a. a discount in the
institution. Brute force was found
Improbable. Contractors demanded
coffee and wholesome food and better
treatment for the men, on the plea
that they would do more work.
Year: 1876

The N. Y. Herald, which cannot
be accused Of unfairness towards the
Democrats, thus expresses itself con-
cerning the unfortunate dead look
now existing between the two houses
of Congress;


There is a great deal of buncomb
in this deadlock between the Senate
and the House on the appropriation
bills. The pretext of the House to
govern the country by means Of the
appropriation bills is unable. Once
concede that, and there will be no
use of Senate or President. The
argument that the Senate is resolved
upon no course that will not admit
of corruption is unfair and untrue.
The Senate is quite as honest body
as the House and the Republicans
who control i. know as well as the
Democrats who control the House
the advantage of economy as cry in
the canvass.


Moreover, it is idle for the majori-
ty of the House to talk about econo-
my when we see it passing measure
SO iniquitous as bill for the equali-
zation Of bounties. This bill proposes
to pay about a hundred millions Of
dollars over to claim agents and brok.
ers who have bought up claims for
song. Those claims never rested up.
on a solid foundation. They were a
fraud at the outset. The House, in
passing them, has approved Of the
fraud. Now, if Mr.. Randall and
some of the reformers will induce
the Senate to defeat this most iniquit.
Gus measure they will save the Treas
ury much more money than can pos
sibly be squeezed out Of the appro-
preation bills.
Year: 1876

George Ticknor thus describes the
way in which the news Of Washington .
death was received. There never was
more striking or spontaneous tribute
paid TO man before in Boston than
when the news came OF Washington 3
death (1799). Ii was q little before
noon, and often heard persons say at
the time that one could know how far
the news had spread by the closing Of
the shops. Each man when he heard
that Washington was dead shut his
store, as a matter of course, without
consultation, and in two hours oil bus
mess was stopped. My father came
home and could not speak, he was so
overcome; my mother was alarmed 10
see him in such state, till he ree0V-
cred enough to tell the sad news. For
sometime every one, even children 4,
wore Grape on the arm nobody could
90 into the street without it. wOTe
it, though only eight years old.