smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

The old puzzle-how to get enough
manure-is as far from being answered
as ever; partly perhaps because the more
manure a farmer uses, the more highly
it is priced and the more he wants. In
fact, the good farmer is as avaricious
for manure as the miser is for money,
and neither can ever get "enough." On
high-priced land the difficulty is doubled
for here the necessity of keeping up and
increasing the fertility is greater, while,
If the land is very dear, it can not be so
well afforded for clover as a green ma
nure. Neither can such land be profit
ably kept for pasture. and what then is
the poor farmer, with his too valuable
land, to do, except to sell out and go west,
where land is cheap enough to be profit
ably afforded for any purpose?


The chief difficulty in keeping stock
on such land is summering it. There is
on all grain farms an abundance of
coarse feed, straw and cornstalks, and
this, with roots, if they can be had, and
a little grain, will easily winter stock.
1t is the pasture range in summer that
costs most. To avoid this and still keep
up their manure pile, some of our farm
ers make practice OF buying sheep and
cattle in the fall and fattening through
the winter. There is generally profit
in this, not alone from increase in weight,
but also in an advance in price of fat
sheep or cattle over poor, and this al
ways pays the cost of feed and attendance
and sometimes something besides, leav-
ing the manure as clear gain. This, un-
der the circumstances, is much more
profitable than keeping a large lot of
cattle and sheep the year round and feed
ing only to keep in store condition. The
manure from fattening animals Is richer
than from those that are barely thriving,
and western corn in ordinary years costs
less than grass does on pastures valued
at $3.50 per acre. / expect to see this
movement continue, and after a few
years no cattle of consequence will be
kept the year round within ten miles of
Rochester, excepting COWS, and these, in
summer, will be yarded and soiled very
much the same as in winter.-[Corres
pondeBt Country Gentleman.
Year: 1875

The Court of the Palace Hotel at
San Francisco, IA feet long by s4 feet
wide, is covered with glass roof.


The glass roof is supported by i'm
mense iron rafters As feet in length,
meeting ia the center and making one
grand curve of 80 feet from side to side.
The rafters are "a feet apart. Heavy
corrugated glass is used for glazing.
which will admit a softened and sub-
dued light into the court beneath. Each
pane overlaps the one below it like q
shingle. Along the inner side of each
sash or mullion is a groove to drain of
the moisture condensed from the as
cending air, SO that it will not drop into
the court. How to keep this immense
glass surface clean was for long time a
problem. Finally one of the superin-
tending carpenters of the building in
vented "kedge," sort of slender frame
% feet in length and about three feet
high and wide. A light shaft runs
through it, with cog-wheel in the mid
die and beam at each end on which il
wound a 4-inch steel cable. Another
steel cable, half an inch in diameter, is
run up along the side of each rafter.
When not in use the kedge remains in
the inside corridor of the seventh story.
When it is to be used two men get into
it, draw themselves up to the edge Of
the roof, and thence along the wire ca
bles to the peak. One section having
been washed, they lower themselves to
the corridor, roll the kedge on castors to
the next section, raise themselves again,
and repeat the operation. One side be-
ing finished, the kedge is turned to the
other side and worked along that, IN
til the entire roof is cleaned. The ma
chine is ingenious, and will no doubt
uork ua1I
Year: 1875




A fast walk in a horse is the most
valuable gait that training can acquire.
1t is valuable in q plsw horse, in a
team horse, and particularly SO in a
driving horse. Some horses will trot
along very well until you come to as.
cending ground when you wish to re-
licve him by letting him walk up
grade he then falls into q Slow. lazy
walk that is very trying to the drivers
patience, but a well trained walker
will step off briskly at a rate of fonr
miles an hour, and the driver feels
that he has been detained but very lit
tie by letting his horse walk up the
bill, as he starts of at his usual trot-
ting speed, being relieved by the
change of walking up the hill. '.'
Colts should be trained to walk fast
before there is an attempt make to inn
prove them in any other gait. This
may be accomplished by commencing
very young, and leading at walk by
your side. urging additional speed lit
tie by little without letting it break in
to q trot; but this must not be contin-
ued long at time SO as 10 worry or
tire. One or two short lessons a day
will soon show wonderful improve
ment but after lessons will be requir.
ed to prevent relapse.-E2.
Year: 1875

THE PHENOMENA OF THE BRAIN.


One of the most uncomfortable things
in the nature of the brain is that, al.
though the organ Of sensation, it should
itself be inssnsible. To cut the brain
gives no pain, yet in the brain resides
the power Of feeling pain in any part
of the body. If the nervo W which leads
to it from the injured part be DIVIDED
we become instantly unconscious OF
suffering. 1t is only by communities
ton with the brain that any kind OF
sensation is produced yet the organ is
itself insensible. But there isJa cir.
cumstance more wonderful still. A
certain portion of the brain itself may
be removed without destroying life.
The animal lives and performs all
those functions which are necessary to
simple vitality, but it has no longer
u mind. 1t cannot think or feel. 1t
requires that the food should be push
ed into its stomach; once there it is
digested, and the animal will even
thrive and grow fat. We infer there.
fore, that part of the brain is simply
intended for the exercise Of the intel
lsctual faculties, whether of the lower
degree, called instinct, or Of that ex-
alted kind bestowed on man, called
reason.--Er.
Year: 1875

TAKE Your FRIENDS TO THE CIRCUS.
A we'll known drummer for Boston dry
goods house, who CHANGED to be in q
Maine town where the circus was to show
that night, made bet that he could pass
every one of a party of thirty who had
come over from neighboring town,
into the "show" without paying cent.
The wager being accepted, the party was
marshalled and proceeded to the tent,
where the door keeper was busily engaged
in taking tickets from all those who went
through the aperture in the Canvas
Coming up with his crowd, the drummer
rushed up to the tieket-taker, with his
hands full Of cards, and said


Just count these men as they pass in,
ending with the man in the straw hat"


Certainly, SIR" and the Cerberus
went to work. "Five, ten, fourteen,
eighteen, ETC., as they passed BY him and
mingled with the crowd, till the straw
hat was reached when he shouted thirty
one," and turned round for the tickets
But the polite individual who babe him
enumerate had vanished, while the party
who was crowned with the straw hat, the
only one who had stopped before he had
mingled with and melted into the indis-
mass of the crowd inside,
proved to be an innocent countryman
who had legitimately procured his admis
sion pasteboard. The ticket-taker could
not leave, because the ingress of reg
uar spectators was pressing, so he made
the best of il and said nothing. lie had
learned lesson, however, that made him
take tickets first and count afterward, for
the future.
Year: 1875

CAUsALITY AT FAULT.-The Portland
Bulletin relates an extremely interesting
incident. A wary old huntor esped a
loon within gunshot aaoat on the lake,
He knew by experiment that if he fired at
it, the bird seeing the smoke, would dive
under with sufficient celebrity to dodge the
shot, The loon knew how it was himself
and sat contemplating the hunter with
calm serenity until the exasperated old
gentleman resolved to put up job on the
bird. He accordingly lit his pipe and be-
gar to smoke vigorously, and as often as
1t saw puff Of smoke, the loon wonld
dive. This proceeding went on a good
while, until at length the bird hearing no
report, and pereeiving no disturbance
near at hand, decided that it was no use
to be diving in that manner and desisted.
In that conclusion the loon committed
the great error of his life, for the next
puff of smoke was followed by a bullet
that laid him out.


This brings to mind another instance
in which bird cunning was circumvented.
A Pennsylvania farmer being greatly
worried by crows, built barricade in his
cornfeld and lay in wait for the maraud-
ers with shot gun. While he remained
there not crow appeared, but no sooner
had he gone than the thieves went down
on the corn. AT last the farmer took an
other man with him and the two secreted
themselves. Still no crows appeared
within range, but kept up derisive haw-
having in the woods all the while. AT
ter a time the farmer directed his com
panion to leave, and as soon as the man
was out of sight down came the crows and
began pulling up the corn, when the old
farmer turned loose his gun and slew
half-dozen of the marauders.


"Ah, blast your thievin' picters " said
the farmer as he picked up the squaling
crpples and wrung their heads off, "ye're
mighty cunnin' critters but ye cant
count !"
Year: 1875

A MILwAUKEE man is bent on going
to sea. He has been reading the Enoch
Arden class of stories till his soul is fired
with an ambition to be wrecked and come
home and find his wife married to some
other fellow.
Year: 1875

A CERTAIN deacon being accustomed
to snore while asleep in church, received
the following polite note: Deacon
is requested not to commence snoring to-
morrow until the sermon is begun us nu-
merous persons in the neighborhood of
his pew would like to hear the text"
Year: 1875

A telegram from Washington credits a naval
officer with the remark that the United States
navy, " though small, is in good condition"
and this is especially the case with the
iron-c -cads, twelve or fourteen of which are sea-
worthy. Two years ago not more than two IRON
clads were fit for service.
Year: 1875

How TO MAKE HIscnIEf.-Kcep an
eye on your neighbors. Take care OF
thcm. DO not let them stir without
watching. They may do something
wrong If you do. To be sure you ncv-
cr knew them TO do anything bad, but
II may be on your account they have
not. Perhaps il il had not been for
your kind care, they might have dis
graccd themselves long time ago.
Therefore do not relax any effort TO
keep them where they ought to be.
Never mind your own business-that
will take care of itself There is a
man passing along-hc is looking over
your icncc-bc suspicious Of him per.
haps he contcmplatcs stealing, some Of
these dark nights; there is no knowing
what queer iancics may have got into
his head II you find any symptoms
of any one passing out of the path Of
duty, tell every one else what you soc,
and be particular TO SEQ a great many
1t is a good way TO circulate such
things, though IL may not benefit your
self particularly. Do keep something
going--siIencc is a dreadful thing
though il is said there was silence in
heaven for the space Of half an hour,
II would bo too much for this mundane
sphere. i.I..a
Year: 1875

A bill has been posted around town with
the above heading, warning all those per-
sons not having occupation that they will be
arrested for vagrancy, and sent to Jail. The
order is from our Town Commissioners, and
has become necessary, because Of the majority
of the tramps refusing to work. A gentleman
hired o lot of them this week to pick peaches,
and in the morning two Of them left, saying
as long as they could get anything to eat in
Middletown, they would not work. Know
ledge of this was sent to the Town Commits
sioners, who concluded upon the above action.
Year: 1875

named in their favor.


The crop of Hales and Troths have not
paid anything, owing to abundance and sink
ing quality of fruit in the New York and
other markets on occasional days. The fruit
shipped from here is generally fine and Of
good size, and while it sells cheap, it is
usually given the preference. Buffalo markets
are reported crowded, and an attempti is being
made to cripple the Chicago market by New
York commission men, who are sending all
their inferior fruit to that city. L.
Peach Growers Once More.


Through growers interested, verbal notice
was given that meeting would be held in
Middletown on Thursday afternoon to con-
slider the propriety of shipping peaches at the
present prices they are bringing. A very
large number was present. The meeting was
held in the Office of ]. Thos. Budd, and was
organized by appointing D. J. Nowland
chairman; Samuel Pennington, secretary.


The chairman stated the object of the meet
ing, it being evident that growers could not
ship to advantage under present rates Of
freight. He thought the time had arrived
when growers ought to fight these railroad
corporations and make them put down the
freight.


Samuel Townsend said it was useless TO do
that, for as soon as it was commenced the
railroad companies would withdraw their
cars and they would lose what portion Of the
crop that at present is Of value to them. He
was opposed to this course of action. He was
in favor of appointing committee to wait on
the officers Of the road to see If reduction
could not be effected, and after discussion .
committee from each immediate station was
appointed and left for Philadelphia on Mon
day. The committee was . large one. and if
it does reach the object Of its appointment it
will net be for want Of influence, for it repre-
sents nearly . million and half baskets.
Year: 1875

Mr., Kalaes, who was known among his
acquaintances by the name of the king of
smokers, has just died neir Rotterdam.
He had erected a mansion, one portion of
which was devoted TO the arrangement of
a collection of pipes, according to their ma
tiOnality and chronological order. a few
days before his death he summoned bis
lawyer and made his will, in which he di-
rected that all the smokers of the country
should be invited to the funeral, and that
each should be presented with ten pounds
Of tobacco, and two Dutch pipes of newest
fashion, on which should be engraved the
name, arms, and date of the decease of the
testator. He requested all his relatives,
friends and funeral guests to be careful TO
keep their pipes alight during the funeral
ceremonies, after which they should empty
the ashes from their pipes on the coffin.
The poor of the neighborhOed who attend
ed to his last wishes, were to receive annu-
ally, on the anniversary of his death, ten
pounds of tobacco and small cask OF good
beer. He desired that his oak coffin should
be lined with the cedar of his old Havana
cigar boxes, and that box of French
capsoral and packet of old Dutch tobacco
, should be placed at the foot of his coffin.
His favorite pipe was to be placed at his
side, along with box of matches, flint
and steel and some finder, as he said there
was no knowing what might happen. A
correct calculator has made out that Mr..
Kalaes had, during his eighty years Of life,
smoked more than four tons Of tobacco,
and had drank about 100000 quarts OF
Year: 1875

conversations recently held in Edin-
burgh, Professor Archer drew attention
to a a new and very important invention,
the Chandor light, which really threatens
the Iucifer trade with extinction. The
apparatus is, in outward appearance, a
little tube. three or four inches long, hav-
ing at one end a revolving button which
turns screw, and at the other minute
angular point of metal, which also
revolves, passing over little Orifice in the
closed head of the tube. A continuous
fuse, formed of delicate strip of solidified
col!odion, with ridge of hardened phOs-
phorus on one of its sides, is slipped into
the tube, and once in position, can be
moved upwards by the screw. By the
same action which presses the upper end
of the fuse against the opening at the top
the metal is turned against the phospho-
rus, and a small portion of the cOllOdiOn is
thereupon ignited. When the apparatus
is fixed to gas burner, only very trans
lent flash is needed for the purpose of ig-
milton, and not more than seventieth
mart of the collodion fuse is in that opera
lion consumed. Where, however, the
wick of lamp has to be lit by the same
means, larger proportion of the fuse, the
thirty-second part, in fact, is burned. The
apparatus is either portable or adapted to
the uses indicated. If lamp goes out, it
can be instantly re-lighted by the turn of
a screw, instead of by opening the case,
removing the chimney, and striking lu-
cifer match where, perhaps large quanti-
ties of straw are lying about. The COLO
dion fuse is so little liable to be affected by
damp that it will ignite after having been
immersed in water; and its action has
never been known to fail. Being encased
in close fitting chamber within the tube,
iI cannot burn beyond the requisite point
where IT'S duty is discharged, and the cot
ton wick or invisible spirit of gas "starts
into light, and makes the lighter start. p
London Daily Telegraph.
Year: 1875

1t was young woman with as many
flounces round her as the planet Saturn
has rings, that did it. She gave the music
stool a whirl or two, and fluffed down on
it like twirl of soap suds in hand basin.
Then she pushed up her cuffs as if she
.~as going to fight for the champions
befh> Then she worked her wrists and
hands to timber 'em, | suppose, and spread
out her fingers till they looked as they
would pretty much cover the keyboard
from the growing end down to the little
saueaky one. Then these two hands Ol
hers made jump at the keys as If they
were couple of tigers coming down upon
flock of white and black sheep, and the
piano gave a howl as if its tail had beer
trod on. Then another howl, as if the
piano had two tails and you had trod or
both of 'em at once, and then grand clat
ter and scramble and string of jumps, W
and down, backward and forward, ont
hand over the other, like stampede 0
rats and mice more than any thing cal
music.-OEiUer WindeLL Holmes.
Year: 1875

Since extravaganza in stockings has
come back to us again, and silk hosiery IS
almost criterion of the woman Of fashion,
of course something must be worn to pre-
serve these silken luxuries from wear and
soil, when walking in dusty and dingy
city. Wool that is knitted may be warm,
but it is not hindranee to the entrance OF
dust. II rather holds than rejects the soil
ing, while fine broadcloth or velvet, that
is both linen and rubber lined, Is certain
protection against water and mud.


Leggings of these materials are made 10
reach up and curve upon the knee, and are
fitted about the foot like genueman's s
gaiter, with strip under the foot. They
button ND on the outside of the leg, and
are carefully fitted to the wearer by front
and back seams. They are sometimes
bound on the lower edge with dark fur,
which gives the foot chubby and youth
full appearance. For spring wear they are
quite as requisite as for the winter. With
short quilted silk or satin petticoat and
an Ulster coat of rough cloth, they look
very coquettish on cold or stormy day.
ANY lady can make them for herself.
They should be fitted like any garment,
and after being bound with braid, the jet
| buttons and button-h0les may be added.


They should be adjusted so perfectly tnat


a button-hook would be required to tasten


them over the boot and about the ankle
MstroDoJtt11.
Year: 1875

In the average household few things
suffer more from ill-usage than porcelain
and glass, especially the finer kinds of
such ware. We copy from the Boston
Journal of Chemistry few practical sug-
gestions on the best method of cleaning
and preserving these fragile materials:


One of the most important things Is to
season glass and china to sudden change
of temperature, so that they will remain
sound after exposure to the sudden heat
and cold. This is best done by placing
the articles in cold water, which must
gradually be brought to boiling. point,
and then allowed to cool very slowly, TAX
ing several hours to do it. The commOner
the materials the more care in this respect
is required. The very best glass and china
is always well seasoned or annealed, as the
manufacturers say, before it is cold. If
the wares are properly seasoned in this
way they may be washed in boiling water
without fear of fracture, except in frosty
weather, when, even with the best an
nealed wares, care must be taken not TO
place them suddenly in too hot water. All
china that has any gliding upon it may
on no account be rubbed with a cloth of
any kind, but merely rinsed first in hot


and afterward in cold water. and then left


to drain till dry. If the gliding is very


dull and requires polishing, 1t may now


and then be rubbed with soft wash leath-


er and little dry whiting; but this OPP
Grafton must not be repeated more than
once a year, otherwise the gold will be
most certainly rubbed of and the china
spoilt. When the plates, ETC., arc put
away in the china closet, pieces OF paper
should be placed between them to prevent


scratches on the glaze or painting, as the


bottom of all ware has little particles Of


sand adhering to it, picked up from the


oven wherein it was glazed. The china


closet should be in dry situation, as a


damp closet will soon tarnish the gliding


of the best croekery.


In a common dinner service IL Is great
evil to make the plate too hot, as it inva-


riably or cks the glaze on the surface, if
not the plate itself. We all know the re-
sult-it comes apart; mo body broke iu :"
ltwas cracked BEFORE" or - cracked
long time ago" The fact is, when the
glaze is injured, every time the things"
are washed the water gets to the interior,
swels the porous clay. and makes the


whole fabric rotten, In this condition,
they will also absorb grease; and when
exposed TO further heat the grease makes
! the dishes brown and discOlOred. If an
old, ill-used dish be made very hot indeed,


a teaspoonful of fat will be seen to exude
| from the minute assures upon its surface.


The latter remarks apply more particular
| lV to common wares.
Year: 1875

THERE are only two classes of persons
TO whom the cold weather of the present
winter is a source of comfort. These are
the coal dealers and they who have enter
tanned fears that the earth is nearing the
sun at rapid rate. If the cold spell does
not dissipate the unastronomical delusion,
there is no hepe for it.
Year: 1875

THE Boston Sunday Courier says: ''The
tenor and soprano in a South-end choir
are to be married soon. They met by
chants the usual way" Perhaps if they
were to in-choir of some married man
they might not duet.
Year: 1875

been an inmate of the asylum, where he


occupies a cell on the east end.


In the dav time he has the liberty of


the hall, with the other male patients,


and when there is work for him at


grubbing or digging he is quiet, but al


ways looking for chance to escape.


When his raving fits come on he will
kick his window sash and cell fixtures to
pieces with celebrity that is usual to
first-class lunatics, and make things fly in
Il manner to astonish all not familiar
with that class of animals. AS soon as
Whistling Cases is locked in his cell he
inserts his bent forefinger in his Capa-
cious mouth, and with the aid of power
full pair of lungs produces the shrill and
resonant blasts that pierce the surround
ing mile of space. His open window per
permeate the air and pierce the tired
ears of all who are within lis sound. On
the approach of the street-cars on Wall
street the lunatic stops whistling and
launches out into an address for the
benefit of the passengers, but his in
coherent language is untranslatable.
Then he resumes his note, and keeps up
his usual succession of whistles, as many
as thirty or more per minute. 1t is eX-
planned that the burglar, on the eve of
his last robbery, gave similar whistle
as signal to his confederate, who failed
to respond, and he fancies in his crazy
mood that he is again signaling mis- pal
of SO many years ago. 1t is a singular
case, and no measures have been found
to stop that diabolical whistle.
Auburn IN. y Bulletin