smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

Do not be alarmed, dear reader; we do
not apprehend we shall be called upon to
publish your funeral notice this year, nor,
is well to remember that such record
will at some time in the future be made,
and that there is wisdom in being prepar-
ed for the event. We do not speak of
your spiritual preparation. but of the ar
rangement of your worldly affairs. You
sit this evening in your comfortable home,
with wife and children that you love. You
may not have accumulated great fortune,
yet what you have is the result of long and
patient labor, and you have an earnest de-
sire that it may not only be a home of
happiness while you live, but remain
blessing to those you leave behind you.
Why, then, not, like sensible man, make
an arrangement of this kind while you
have health and sound mind? Why
will you neglect this solemn and necessary
duty toward those you love. and allow the
law to come in and attempt at making
amends for your carelessness and neglect?
In less than month after the record is
made of your funeral, appraisers for your
property Will nave Occu dppOiutcu Iuc
very bed upon which you died will be
examined and valued; the cradle in which
your children have been rocked, the old
arm chair and the household comforts will
pass under inspection as worth SO much,
and "set off" by tie majesty of the law;
and the red flag of the auctioneer will fly
at your door, and curious people crowd
your now pleasant abode to drive cheap
bargains. Is there any necessity for this?
Why must you fee courts and lawyers, and
appraisers and auctioneers, to sacrifice the
little property you have gathered by years
of toll? Why should the wife, the moth
er of ,ur children, who all these years
has boen your untiring friend and helper.
be put off with ''life interest of one
third p A man can best administer ua
on his own estate. He can save money
for those he loves; he can save them great
anxiety; he can save them great annoyance
and discomfort BY performing this plain
duty he may often save his family unbrok-
en- peace and comfort for years. In behalf
of your wife and children. and as you val
ue their happiness whep you can no longer
minister to their wants, we ask you not to
neglect duty so plain and easily cxecut-
ed.
Year: 1871

Let any man who ever struck faith
full horse in anger read this true story and
be ashamed of himself:


Some years since, party Of surveyors
had Just finished their days work in the
northwestern part Of Illinois, when vio-
lent snow storm came on. They started
for their Icamp, which was in grove Of
about eight acres in a large prairie, nearly
twenty miles from any other timber. "


The wind was blowing very hard, and
the snow drifting so as to nearly blind
them. When they thought they had nearly
reached their camp. they all at once came
upon tracks in the snow. These they
looked at with care. and found, to their
dismay, that they were their own tracks. !.


1t was now plain that they were lost on
the great prairie, and that if they had 20
pass the night there, in the cold and snow.
the chance was that not one Of them would
be alive in the morning.


While they were all shivering with fear
and the cold, the chief man of the party
caught sight of one of their horses gray
pony known as "Old Jack" y


Then the chief said, IF any one can
show us our way to camp, out of this blind
ing snow. Old Jake can do it.. will
take off his bride end let him loose. and
we can follow him. 1 think he will Show
as the camp"


The horse as soon as he found HIMSELF
free, threw his head and tail into the air.
as if proud of the trust that had bosp put
in him. Then he snuffcd the breeze, and
gave loud snort, which seemed to Ay---
"Come on boys! Follow me, III lead you
out of this scrape." He thenlturned in
new direction and trotted aldng. but not
so fast that the men could not follow bin.
They had not gone more than 3 mile Wien 4
they saw the cheerful blaze sof tsfci1 N nR,
fires, and gave a loud huzza at tho sigyex. n
Year: 1871

Ninety thousand bushels of wheat have
been offered on Change in this city since
the first day of July in excess of the
amount offered during the same period last
year. and 322, 900 in excess of the amount
offered in '6S for the same period. The
wheat market last week was more active
than we have ever known it at this season,
and the attendance ON Change was large
and the competition among buyers spirit
Richmond Whig.
Year: 1871

California is IA land of wonders, marvels
and beauties. Everything there Is so diff
ferent from what it is in all the rest of the
world, that a description of the ordinary in
cidents of California life possesses the
charm of romance. One Of the latest en-
terprises we hear of in that region is pro
ject to bring the water Of Lake Tahoe to
This scheme is as sublime and simple as it is
beautiful. Lake Tahoe is among the chief
natural wonders of this country, in nowise
inferior to the far famed Yo Semitic region,
of which, indeed, it is part If that splen-
did cataract and its surrounding "domes" is
entirely unique when compared with any
other part of the world, so is Lake Tahoe.
Rev. DR.. II. NJ. Scudder pronounced Lake
Tahoe peerless among lakes, not excepting
either those of Europe or the Himmalehs,
and no one is Il more competent Judge. The
crystal waters of this lake are gathered
among snow clad peaks, the silvery patches
visible on the encircling crests even beneath
the blazing sun of August, and careful
measurements have disclosed a depth Of at
least six hundred feet. The purity OF the
water is something remarkable. Floating
on it's surface in light skff, so distinct are
objects far down in the bottom, you seem to
be suspended in mid air, as from balloon.
The limpidity of these elevated waters is ac-
counted for by the fact that they contain no
soil, and no vegetable material in them.
They c3me down from naked rocks which
rise their Snowy shoulder against the arch
of blue, and are, therefore, pure, clear and
beautiful. Nor is this their only merit.
They are the flowing from melted snow, and
nearly ice.cold. The lake is forty miles
long and fifteen wide; so that the supply of
water from this lofty basin is ample for all
purposes. 1t is one hundred miles from
San Francisco, and the water would need
to be conducted for five miles of this distance
through tunnel five miles in length through
the Sierra Nevada.
Year: 1871

There is one touching incident In the life
of William Writ. In his younger days he
was the victim to the passion for intoxcat-
ing drinks, which seems particularly the
bane of the profession AGianced to a beau
tiful and accomplished young woman, he
had made and broken repeated pledges of
amendment, and she, after patiently and
kindly enduring his disgraeeful habit, had
at length dismissed him, deeming him in
corrigIb5e. Their next meeting, after his
dismissal, was in public street in the city
of Richmond. William Writ lay drunk and
asleep, on the sidewalk, on a hot summer
day, the rays of the sun pouring down on
his uncovered head, and the flies crawling
over his swollen features.


AS the young lady approached in her
walk, her attention was attracted by the
spectacle, strange to her eyes, but alas 50
common to others who knew the victim, as
to attract little remark Size did not at first
recognize the sleeper, and was about to
hasten on, when she was led by one of those
impu lses which forms the turning points in
human Iife to scrutinize his features. What
was her emotion when she recognized in him
her discarded lover She drew forth her
handkerchief and carefully spread 1t over
his face, and hurried away. When Wirth
came to himself he found the handkerchief
and in one corner the initials Of the beloved
name With i heart almost breaking with
grief and remorse, he made new VOW of
reformation. He kept that VOW, and married
the owner of that handkerchief
Year: 1871

This popular vegetable can be made to
bear much longer and yield much better
fruit by having them properly supported, SO
that the sunlight and air may pass freely
between and amongst the vines. Tomato
plants should be set out in rows at least six
feet apart and the plants four feet apart in
the row. The rows should run north and
south, so as to admit the air; and after the
tomatoes have grown q foot in length let four
scanting or poles six feet in length be set
up around the plant, and hoops from an old
barrel be nailed to them one foot apart


This not only forms good treIlis, but makes
u handsome frame, and the tomatoes will
grow and bear we'll until frost. We have
known the frames made ten feet high, and
the vines run to the top. When stuck with
brush the brush is apt to give way in wet
weather, and let the vines fall to the ground.
Year: 1871




Says the Nashville Union 2nd American
of the 18th:


of certain facts of a romantic character, In
which a former member of the Radical city
government of Nashville is prominently con-
cerned; but for reasons not necessary here
to state, we omit the names of the parties.
If some novelist like Mr. james or Sylvanus
cobb, had the facts, he would doubtless
weave them into a thrilling narrative, but
that is not our purpose, and we are there
fore content to state our story in plain and
simple language, simply telling the tale as
it was told to us:


few days since, as prominent mem
Der of the Nashville city police was stand
iEg on the corner of street, a young man
about twenty two years of age came up to
him, holding photograph in his hand He
first asked the officer if be was we'll acuuain-
ted in Nashville lie was told that he was,
when tn young man presented the photo
graph and asked i. the policeman knew who
it represented. He was told that the face
looked famiIiar,an finally, after some study,
the policeman said that it looked like man
who was formerly a member of our City
Council when under Radical rule The
boy then said That is my father, and 1
am in search of him. lie left wife and
family in Massachusetts,, about twenty years
since, and during the war l heard that he
was IivipU In NasbviIIa "


The policeman placed the young man on
the right track He found his long lost
father who had deserted him, and who had
been living in Nashville for nineteen years
under an assumed name. We are informed
that the son told his father that his fathers
former wife had obtained a divorce and mar
ried again, and we think, thong, we do not
positively know, that the father also married
again. Thus, under such peculiar circum-
stances, father and son were brought to-
gether; and if the young man had not hap
penod to meet policeman long resident
of Nashville, perhaps he would have had
greater difficulty in finding the parent who
had deserted him. This is all we know but
we have the names in our possession"
Year: 1871

LOCK IA "A correspondent of the Scien-
tifc American recommends turpentine as a
certain cure for lock jaw. He says: "Let
any one who has an attack Of lock jaw take
a small quantity of turpentine, warm it and
pour it on the wound, no matter where the
wound is, or what its nature is-and relief
will follow in less than one minute. Moth
ing can be applied to a severe cut or bruise


that is better than cold turpentine; it will
give certain relief almost instantly. 1t is
also said to be sovereign remedy for Group.
Saturate piece of flannel on the throat and
chest-aDd in very severe cases three or five
drops on a lump of sugar may be taken in
wardly. Every family should have bottle


on hand. 1t Is a simple remedy, and can be
easily tested. In all serious cases, appliea-
ton should be made under medical advice"
Year: 1871




ming interest.


Much will also depend, as usual, upon the
proportion of low Middling and above Ocrsus
the lower grades and high-colored cottons,
which cannot yet be fully judged of till we
shall have approached Christmas. The i'm
preston is that the higher grades will again
be decidedly scarce, while the crop is less
afflicted with high colored.


Holders have been good deal discon-
certed by the heavy receipts lately, but we
do not deem them as yet indicative of more
than three and half million crop, mas
much as We all know that the fine weather at
first induced great activity in picking, to the
neglect of ginning and forwarding to market,
aud that at this moment more attention is
bestowed in marketing after the danger Of
a killing frost has nearly passed. After a
week or so the increase in the receipts may
be underrated instead of being pre-
as many think.


The cardinal point Of putting the touch
stone to values will again fall into the month
of January. Should anything then arise to
render three and half or four million crop
ground, which, of course, we do
not expect for moment that it will or can,
or financial or political crisis supervene on
IN the other side, there would be all the ell
,ments for another haul of cheap cotton by
,ur capitalists.
Year: 1871

RoUGu on A DEAD HEAD.-An editor
in Harrisburg lost his pass on the railroad,
and requested the officers Of the road to
secure the arrest of any man who should
present it. The next day he found the pass
in the pocket of his Sunday trowsers, and
proceeded to take a trip upon it. As soon
as lie offered it to the conductor that faithful
official Knocked him on the head with his
lantern, called in three brakemen and the
baggage e-nlaster; dragged him, despite his
frantic struggles along the floor into the
baggage car, where brakeman sat on him
while the conductor battered him up lot,
so that he would keep quiet, and then they
seanhed him, to ascertain what other thetts
he had been perpctrating. With the excep-
tio,s of ticket to the circus, that man had
upon his person absolutely nothing but rail
road passes He had free tickets over all
therailroads in the Eastern, Southern, Mid
dlo and Western States, and in four Of the
Territories He had pass over railroad
from Yeddo to Yokohama, and another from
Calcutta to Bengal. He had a letter promis-
ing him one on the new road which is pro-
posed in Terra Del Fuego, and manuscript
puff which he had written for man who
had assured him he should have pass over
the road, which the man said he was about
to run under the Mediterranean from Africa
to Italy, as soon as it was built. The con-
ductor concluded that he had caught the
greatest pass-kleptomaniac that the world
ever saw. But when he got back to Harris
burg the affair was explained-And now, if
there is any one editor in the country who
is completely sick of "gentlemanly conduct
ors, that editor resides in Harrisburg
PhHa- Sunday Dispatch.
Year: 1871

"A nice young girl at green Bay, Wiscon-
sin, was being courted by nice young man.
He was generously inclined, and made her
presents of hair oil, which he purchased
from the store of the father of his adored
After giving her some tw enty bottles of the
oleaginous fluid he discovered he was work
ing in d circle-as fast as he presented them
she returned them to the store, thus
dutifully making trade for her father. No
cards.
Year: 1871

We have among us man named-let US:
say SMITH who is another Fictim Of the ao.
cursed railroad monopolies which are rapid
II running the country that our $500 substis
:tutes sq pobly fought TO save. A few nights
fH q pe4eefd1, l6f


About midnight he thought he would se4-
out upon the platform for few moments to
breathe the fresh air and to enjoy the deli
cious moonlight He.did so, and slammed
the door after him. In minute or twohe
had breathed enough fresh air and had gaz-
ed sufficiently long upon the moonlight. It
was cold, so he turned to go into the car.
The door had spring-lock and would not
open, and although he thumped and pound
ed with vigor the car-keeper did not hear
him. So that deluded Smith, dressed in
nightshirt of ridiculous thinness, sat down
on the steps while the train went dashing
over the Alleghanies. Probably in the whole
realm of Nature a more disconsolate and
melancholy Smith than that shuddering be-
ing upon the steps could not be found and
he was mad besides. When the train reach
ed Downington he was discovered. He re-
tanned his sitting posture when he was car
ried into the car, and even when he got
home. And now he sits in chair with
bandages on his head, tallow upon his nose,
mustard plasters upon his back, his feet in
hot water, and with enough rheumatism in
his bones to 60 around among the entire
Smith family, and make each member utter
" miserable. When interviewed upon the
subject of sleeping-cars and moonlight Mr..
Smith now uses language which no respecta-
bic paper can print without endangcring the
public morals.
Year: 1871

Patasb, bruciae, and strychhihe Tefc %
tile articles used for adulteration. Let no
man think that his liquor is pure because
he got it directly from the custom-house.
The merchants Of Oporto ship nearly FIVE
times as much wine as is produced in the
Duoro Valley. One drug house in London
last year sold to one liquor firm in that city
more strychnine than the whole medical
profession of the city would require in the
same time, St. Louis and Chicago alone
sell more California wine than the whole
Pacific coast produces. Of these liquors
distilled, brewed and vinous-we are con-
suming in the United States five hundred
aud forty million gallons per year; or nearly
twenty gallons to every man, woman, and
child. We have drinking saloon to every
three hundred inhabitants. And We employ
in the making and sale Of these drugs three
hundred and thirty-fve thousand men. This
lin brief, is the liquor traffic in the United
States. Its effects on disease, crime, taxa
ton, and mental and moral disorder cannot
be summed up in statistics or given in
hafa- column epitome.
Year: 1871

The Union and Americaa says that ga
number of the Democrats papers are
beginning to urge the elaims of their
respective fayorites for the Presidential
nomination by the Democracy in 1872
This is, perhaps, all very well, provided
our respected co-laborers in the cause
of constitutional government do not be-
come.so deeply enlisted in ehe cause of
some political aspirant as to forget the
all importance of principle, or to ignore
that other aspirants have merits which
deserve consideration. Shsuld the con-
servative Republicans, from whose ranks
We expect to make converts, find that
the Democracy are asregar Jess of prin-
ciple as the Grant politicians md, that
our struggle is simply for the loaves and
fishes, they will conclude that there is
but little inducement for change in
their party affiliations. We must have
men, and proper men, to carry out the
needed measures OF government but let
us remember that the motto of the De
mocracy is, measures before mon. 1t is
our duty to convince all men that such
is our motto, and that we intend to live
up to it,"
Year: 1871

Unstable as water, thou shalt not ex~
eel" is the language OF the Bible.
Whoever expects to succeed in any un-
dertaking must enter into it with
hearty and earnest will to do his best,
When a trade or profession is chosen.
obstacles, be they large or small, must
not be allowed to stand in the way of
mastering that trade or profession.
However much we muy deprecate, the
old time custom Of indenturing appren-
tices, the system, in its practical results,
operated almost always for the lasting
good of the apprentice. Generally it
insured to him good trade and
wholesome discipline, fitting him for
success in business. At the present
time very many young men undertake
to acquire trade, and after brief trial
abandon it. because there areunpleasant
duties to be performed and obstacles to
be overcome. They consider themselves
accountable to no one, and go and come
at the bidding of caprice, or an unset
tied, uneasy mind. The result of this
Is to send out into the world young men
who have not half learned their trades
of unstable character who drift from
post to pillar, and who succeed in moth
ing but strewing along the highways Of
life melancholy wrecks CT men.


We earnestly entreat every young man,
after he has chosen his vocation, to stick
to it; don't leave it because hard blows
are to be struck Or disagreeable work to
be performed. The men who have
worked their way up to wealth and use.
fulncss do not belong to the shiftless
and unstable class, but may be reckoned
among those who took off their coats,
rolled up their sleeves, conquered their
prejudiees against labor, and manfullv
bore the heat and burden of the dov
Whether upon the old worn out fprm
where our fathers toiled, diligently stri-
wing to bring back the soil to produc-
tlveness, in the machine shop or factory,
or the thousand other business places
that invite honest toll and skill, let our
motto ever be; Perseverance and indus
try. The training of the nursery was
good in its place, but it won't answer
all the demands in active life. This is
not baby world. We must expect to
be jostled and knocked about in the stern
conflict, get run over if we arc not on
the lookout and prepared to meet tho
duties OF life with the purpose not to
shirk them, but to fulfill them.


A young man with good trade or
honorable profession, is not obliged to
ask many favors. He will hew his way
to success, while the unstable and shift
less will grow tired, despair and fail.
Year: 1871

It is noteworthy that in the resolu-
ton: and speeches of the German peace
celebration in New York ON Easter Mon
day, the name Of tic Emperor Wilhelm
was mentioned only oncc-and that by
Gov. Hoffman III his brief response to
the Address Of the Executive Committee.
mo one knows how much this war has
cost Germany" remarked prominent
son Of Fatherlard Us the procession
moved by. Such another sacrifice would
undo her. And for what has the sacri-
fee been made? To increase the glory
and power of a potentate who bases his
right to rule, not on the popular will,
nor any constitution, but on the most
ultra assertion of the divine right Of
kings. We admire the taste and good
sense Of our German brethren in care
fully excluding all fealty toward him
from their rejoicings over tho return of
peace to the Fatherland.
Year: 1871

The writer of an article entitled as
above, in recent number of Pomeroy's
Democrat, sensibly remarks:


"NIeanwhile, let the country editors do
all they can to make their papers inter-
esting, and then let those Immediately
surrounding those papers do all they
can to support the same, taking care to
subscribe for their home papers; and
then if they have money left to wish pa
pers from abroad to read let them sub
scribe for such us suit their fancy. But
let no man who has the interest of his
immediate section at heart, subscribe
for our paper, or any other published
out of the town or county where he re-
sides, till he has first subscribed for his
home paper, unless it be edited by man
who has not life, ambition or intellect
sufficient to make the paper interesting.


The Congressional Library at Washing
ton contains l87,G8S volumes.
Year: 1871

1t is strange Low some men canyin
their face and figure a striking rcsemb-
lance to certain animals. After q study
of Lavater, one can look over the House
of Congress and be greatly entertained
with illustrations. Butler, for example,
is a cross between a seal and a cat, and
when fairly aroused he looks like an aged
tiger that, through some strange process,
had grown bald. Farnsworth always puts
one in mind of billy.goat. Much Of this
is due to his long straight beard, and
much to the manner in which he stands up
and wags his head, as if he was going to
butt somebody.
Year: 1871

Take some Of the turnip shaped. Cut
off the root and all the leaves but the
center one or stalk. This should always
be left on and eaten, as it contains an
element which assists in the digestion
of the radish. Then take small sharp
pointed knife, and cutting from left to
right, so as to keep out of the way oi
the knife, cut down the root like rose.
First around the outside, cut down in
slips, and then the inside, divide in sec
tions. Throw each one, as fast as pre-
pared, in dish of cold water. They will
open like rose or water-lily.
Year: 1871

How to select canned fruits: First,
look at the top and bottom of the can,
Both must be concave. If triAe con-
yex, it is lost. Reject al such If the
sides be dentcd, do not mind that If
the can be good you can make dents in
it all around. Keep such goods in n
cool place. Jarring isnpt to create leaks,
so often the trouble in transportation.
But so long as the ends of the can aro
concave, it will keep for ages.