smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

COMING though the dyke yester-
dav, the powerful tue Bob Ander-
son with large scOw-load of stone,
had to steer two or three hundred
yards west of the gap to avoid u
bar washed up by the current; then
by a sidewise, crab-like movement,
the convoy wriggled down to the
hole and bumped heavily on one
side against the wall. With a di-
agonal bound it then struck the face
of the opposite crib, and after
awhile, using all the steam and ire
mendous terebrations of the screw,
the tug and scow got deIverance.


That such a work as the dyke
was ever tolerated is a standing re-
buke to the place, which has never
had the pluck and spirit to pull it
down, but endures ii unto the present
day. Time and the elements are
busy, and in brief period the prin-
cipal "reminiscences of that folly viii
be the annual taxation of the town
of Duluth for interest on the $40
0OO-which it cost.
Year: 1873

A mali representing himself as United
States detective came to grief in Sumter
day or two ago. He pretended to have dis
covered violation of the revenue on the
part of colored man keeping store there,
and after show of arrest, compromised
with the clerk upon the payment of five dol
lars. When the owner of the store was in
formed of it he sought the party and de-
manded the return of his money. This be-
ing refused. he had the pretended detective
arrested and lodged in jail.
Year: 1873

Nilsson has been telling New York
reporter about her reception in Moscow
ana st. Petersburg. In the latter city, she
says, her benefit night was something to
be borne in sensitive remembrance by her
to the latest day Of her life. The poor
students came pouring out in scores they
surrounded the doors of her hotel, and
when she was about to enter her carriage
several Of them seized her, and, inspired
10y an enthusiasm which, in spite of its
violence, never even lost q respect that
seemed to border on reverence, took her
IN their arms and bore her in triumph to
the thea'cr, and others, each with light
ca fambeau in his hand, forming q pro-
cession. The whole city was alive with
these frantic worshipers, and finally the
police turned out in full force, holding
themselves in readiness in the event Of
fire. During the performance at this
theater she was recalled forty five times,
and the stage was absolutely embedded
with flowers, upon which it was neces-
sary for her to walk several yards before
reaching the foot-lights. Finally. in an
swer to the general acclamations, the
artist was compelled to seat herself at
piano, which was conveniently near, and
sing one or two of the Russian national
songs, the audience meanwhile standing
and the royal family uniting, up to the


last moment, in the popular enthusiasm.
AS the opera had been ''Miguon.'' and as
the heroine had her hair streaming over
her shoulders, the effect was extremely
unique and picturesque. But the honors
which Nine Nilsson reaped in St. Peters


burg assumed sometimes a grotesque and
eccentric shape. 1t was all very well to


receive especial gifts of value from vari-
Gus members of the royal family, and to
be invited to court concerts, but the to-
kens ofregard present :, by the students
must have sometimes sorely tried the
equability of the artists nerves. On more
than one occasion, incredible as it may
seem to colder-blooded Americans, some
OF the students, in company with not
few officers of dignified rank, prostrated
themselves on the ground and welded
themselves into floor upon which Nine
Nilsson was obliged to walk in order to
reach her carriage. This was too much,n
said the speaker, her eyes glistening at
the remembrance. ut was really too
trying to an artists feelings to expect her
to accept it. But there they were, and
what was to do? At my concerts the
people behaved so sometimes that was
frightened" Being requested to mention
the particulars, Nine Nilsson said that the
people rushed to the edge of the stage,
snalched at the hem of her dress and tore
it into fragments, caught her and held her
so that she could not move, and left her
in condition that must have resembled
that of the ''priest all tattered and torn"
They stole her gloves, her fan, her hand
kerchief, her boquet, and almost took the
slippers from her feet. The prima donna
who would go unmoved through such
scenes must needs have steady nerves
and strong constitution. So far as en-
thusiasm goes, a St. Petersburg audience
is the beau ideal. Nothing to compare
with it is seen elsewhere.
Year: 1873

j. Youth. A cow is in her prime at
from four TO six years. and the best paying
time TO buy is just after after the birth OF
her second or third calf.


=. Prominence and fullness Of milk
veins, and velvet softness of skin. The
milk veins run down on either side of the
animal toward the udder, and are easily
perceptible to the eye, or can be readily
found by pressure of the hand if the ami
nal is not over fat. The skin should be
soft and mellow, not hard, rough, and
staring"


3. Symmetry, fullness and softness of
the udder. 1t should be broad, well
spread out, projecting behind the legs, and
also reaching forward under the belly.
There should be a sOftness and thinness to
the touch, and an absence ofileshiness and
thickness.


4. Perfect number and condition of
teats. Ii one teat is wanting, about a
fourth less milk will be the result. A
cows udder is not, as some suppose, a
barrel with four taps, but is divided into
four different compartments, called ''milll
glands" each of which has its own tap or
teat. 1t is not only important that the
full number of teats be present and i'm
working order. but it is desirable that they
be well placed, not crowded together, but
pretty far and uniformly apart; rather
long and tapering; all pointing out and
downward, equal in sizes and even in ap-
pearance.


.. Docility and quietness of DISPOSE
ton. These are indicated by large, mild
and clear eyes, and an air of contentment
generally. A COW that is quiet aud con-
tented feeds at ease, chews her cud with
entire satisfaction, and will secrete and
yield more milk than any restless and
turbulent animal having similar milking
characteristics in other respects.
Year: 1873

constructed so as to answer all purposes
equally well.


Careful observation has convinced Us
that apples keep better in shallow bins
than in barrels, and that the time saved in
asserting, and the ease with which decay
ing specimens can at any time be picked
out, speak much in favor of bins. When,
however, apples must be kept in barrels,
it is very important that the barrels are
headed up on dry and cool day, and not
when the atmosphere is damp. Apples
keep better in somewhat loose than in very
tight barrels. better when the barrels are
laid on the side than when standing up
right. and better in cool dry cellar than
outdoors. s.-Erchdnge.
Year: 1873

LITTLE Jenny T is five years Old
Her uncle gave her doll. Jenny cher
ished the doll with all mothers care
The other day she was nursing it on her
knees she started suddenly, the doll fell,
and the head was broken off. Jenny was
overcome with grief at this misfortune,
and looked aghast at the poor headless
doll; then raising her eyes, said, with a
sigh of resignation, ''AnOther little angel
in heaven"
Year: 1873

A green hand With horse, hired out
and was sott to cart gravel. Filling tho
cart was a simple matter, but how to dump
it puzzled him. AT last the idea strOok
him and striking the horse forcibly under
the belly, he shouted Rare up. &c acv'
~ aar
Year: 1873

The Supreme Court the United Staioa
recently rcndcrcda a decision involving a
principle of general public interest = to tho
effect that where a lifo insurance policy
has been assigned to cover debt, the par
ty to whom it is assigned h,s'no right, IN
case of death Of the insured, to the money
derived from tho policy, in excess Of the
amount necessary to make goa the debt il
was intended to cover,
Year: 1873

A Georgia paper extols the Southern live oak
for ship-bulding. Vessels built of this timber
are almost indestructable. II has all the qualities
of the iron wool of Bomeo, which turns axes,
and is almost impossible to fell.


These live oak trees are so hard as almost to
turn the edge OF the keenest axe To drive q
nail into one Of them Is well nigh impossible
and even when prostrated by the hurricane and
deeply embedded in the yielding soil Of tho
coast, they seem imperviOus 10 time and the at
triton of the elements. They remain bleaching
upon the earth just as they fell generations ago.
For ship building no material eau compare with
this description of timber.
Year: 1873

Counterfeit ten cent notes have been put in
circulation in New York. The bogus note is said
to be 20 like the genuine article that It requires
the closest examination and inspection to tell
one from the other.
Year: 1873

AN AWKWARD BLUNDER-In correcting the
proof Of the article, on the Park in yesterday IS
GAzETTE, the names Of Messrs. spruancs and
Harrington, the counsel in the proceeding for an
injunction, were put to the conclusion Of a para
graph referring TO the trial Of West, instead of
that referring to the park. This was an awkward
blunder. But such things will occur occasionally,
and often, as in this case when least expected
Year: 1873

.


There are two ways Of accounting for the
superabundance of snakes in India. One
is by the superstitious veneration Of the
Hindoos for the most deadly serpents,
which leaves them unmolested, and leaves
them to multiply without limit. Some such
result as this must also have been realized
in ancient Egypt, where all sorts of reptiles
were worshiped. Josephus tells us that
Moses was in the military service Of Pha-
raoh before he quarreled with the poten-
tate. In one Of his expeditions against
the Nubians his army was so harrassed by
the serpents, which swarmed the line of
his march up the Nile, that he lost more
men by snake bites than from the darts of
the Nubians. Indeed, his army, according
to this authority, on one or two occasions
was nearly put to route by venomous
snakes.


The other and more convincing reason
for the vast number of snakes in India is
the scarcity of hogs in country where the
use of swine's flesh is prohibited as an
article of food. Neither the Hindoo nor
the Mohomedan religion permits the eating
of pork in any form. The country is thus
deprived of most efficient auxiliary in the
destruction Of these pests. The hog is the
mortal enemy of snakes. He kills them be-
cause he hates them, and devours them
when dead. When the increase Of this
useful animal is encouraged, he compen-
safes society for its protection by thus
abating harmful nuisance. But the Hin
doc despises the hog while he patronizes
the snake, and gets rewarded for his pre-
ference by his race being stung to death at
the rate of twenty thousand annually.
Year: 1873

account of me, and proved so clearly that
Twas quietly at home on the night of the
robbery, that was discharged on the
spot.


1 got the five thousand dollars, quit
courting the Muses-who but Mormon
soouId think of paying attention to nine
sisters at onceP-married Nancy Walker,
gave up poetry for the pork business, and
have found, fnot fame, at least something
like fortune in it.
Year: 1873

Let not our readers lrget that much
of the weakening of our fruit-trees is
owing to absolute starvation caused bv
the workings of stem-borers The sup
ply sap upwards is cut off by every
hole which they make, and is Just so
much put In the way of the tree getting
ali the food it needs. 1t is of no use to
manure trees, and keep our eve on other
cultural details, if these rascatls are
permitted to continue their depreda-
tions. This is one of the best seasons
of the year to look after and DESTROY
them. The egg laid during the sun
mer has now developed to a consider
able "worm," and it is working its way
down between the bark and the wood,
so as to get comfortable quarters for
the winter. Their presence can be
readily ascertaine1 by noting little
fresh-looking matter like sawdust near
the tree ut the surface Of the ground
which the Larvae eject in their boring
course. To destroy them get trowel
and dug away little from the stem, so
rs to hnd exactly the opening of the
channel made by the insect, and then
thrust down piece of stiff wire upon
II, which will generally end its DAYS.


To many this looks like a considerable
lob; but smart hand can get through
with several hundre trees a day in this
search, as the fresh dust affords an un-
erring clue to the direct whereabouts of
the marauder. This is not only a good
seasen to look after this pest on this ac-
cDunt, but as it is the cider time, the
owner is generally about the orchard
now, and can oversee the work, and aid
it by his advice or personal assistance.
Year: 1873

Ancient Psychologists supposed that
life has the power of product g heat
thev conceived of a kind of calorific
force in organized beings. Galen i'm
agined that heat is innate in the heart
the chemic-physicians attributed it to
fermentations, the Neutrality-suspicious.
to frietions. Time has dispelled these
errors of supposition, and it is proved
now that the heat of animals proceeds
from chemical reactions taking place in
the interior of the system. Lavoisier
must be credited with the demonstra-
ton of this truth by experiment. As
early as 1777 he discovered that air,
passing through the lungs, undergoes
decomposition identical with that which
takes place in the combustion of coal.
Now, in the latter phenomenon, heat is
thrown off; therefore, says Lavoisier,
"there must be like release of heat
in the interior of the lungs, during the
interval between inspiration and expira-
ton, and it is doubtless this caloric,
diffusing itself with the blood through
out the animal economy, which keeps
I'D a constant heat in it. There is.
then, a constant relation between the
heat of the living being and the guam
IlIN O1 dlI A11eO uAAO "
be there converted into carbonic acid.
Such is the first capital fact brought to
light by the creator of modern chemis-
try; but he did not rest there. He
undertook to examine whether the heat
theoretically produced in given time
by the formation of a certain amount OF
carbonic acid, that is to say, by the
combustion of a certain quantity OF
carbon in the organism, is exactly equal
to the amount of heat developed by the
animal in a corresponding time. This
quantity was estimated by the weight
of ice melted by the animal placed in a
calorimeter. Lavoisier ascertained in
this way that such equality does not
exist, nor was he long surprised at this,
for he soon discovered that, of 100
parts of atmospheric oxygen absorbed,
only 81 are thrown off by the breath in
the form of carbonic acid. He con-
cluded then, from this observation, that
the phenomenon is not simple one,
that a part of the oxygen (nine per
cent? is consumed in burning hydro
gen, to form the vapor of water con-
tanned in the expired air. Animal heat,
then, must be accounted for by double
combustion: of carbon first, then OF
hydrogen; and respiration regarded as
throwing off out of the animal carboniC
acid and vapor of water.
Year: 1873

The following facts regarding the rel
ative size and weight of the brain are


condensed from an able lecture on this
| general subject, lately delivered, before
| the American Institute, by Professor
Burt G.. Wilder "The average weight
of the human brain is between forty


and fifty ounces and it is therefore
| larger and heavier than that of any ami
| NAL, with two exceptions-that of large
| whale, which has been found to weigh
FIVE pounds; and that of the elephant,
ranging from eight to ten pounds. The


brain of a full-grown gorilla weighs
about fifteen ounces. AS a general


rule, the more intelligent animals have


larger brains in proportion to their


weight of body; and in this the dog


shows his superiority to the COW, and


man to the elephant and whale. This


rule has its exceptions, however, since
in many birds the brain is larger, in


proportion to the body, than in man


and the body of the little "ouistiti. "


or marmoset-monkey of South Ameri-


ca, is only twenty times as heavy as its


brain. In comparison of the male


with the female brain it was found that


average weight of two hundred and


seventy-eight male European brains was


forty-nine and one-half ounces, while


that of one hundred and nineteen fe-


male brains was forty-four. This order


is, however, reversed, if the ratio of


brain to body be the standard for in


eighty one male brains the ratio was
found to be as to 36 20, while in eigh-


ty-one female brains it was as to 1926
Carefully prepared tables indicate that
in both sexes the brain increases rapidly
up to the age of about seven years,
then less rapidly to fourteen years, and
afterward more slowly to the twentieth
year, near which date it attains its
greatest weight. After the age of fifty,
the brain seems to loose about an ounce
for each decade. The average weight
of the brain, with one thousand intelli-
gent persons exceeds that of an equal
number of ignorant ones but obser-
vation prove that large brain may Of
fen coexist with slight degree of intel
Igence, while on the other hand,
very high degree of intellectual power
and general culture may characterize
individuals whose brains are below the
average. Hence it appears that neither
absolute or relative size of the whole
brain is sufficient test of mental pow
er either in animals or human beings
Year: 1873

never shows his strength to such adj
vantage as when he is coming down on
you like a frantic pile driver. / in
stantly lodged and the cold sweat fair
lv boiled out of me.


1t suddenly came over me that 1 had
once figured in a similar position years
ago. My grandfather owned a little
white horse that would get up from a
meal at Delmonico's to kick the Presi-
dent of the United States. He sent me
to the lot after him one day, and un-
happily suggested that l should ride
him down. L often went after that
horse, and suffered all kinds of defeat
IN getting him out Of the pasture, but /
had never attempted to ride him.
Heaven knows l never; thought of it. /
had my usual trouble with him that
day. He tried to jump over me, and
push me down in a mud hole, and final
ly got up on his hind legs and came
waltZing after me with facilities enough
about him to convert me into hash; but
turned and Just laid for that fence
with all the agony prospect for in
stant death could crowd into me. If
our late candidate for the Presidency
had run one-half as we'll there would be
seventy-five postmasters in Danbury to-
dav, instead of one.


! got him out finally and then he was
quiet enough, and took him up along
side of the fence and got ON him. He
stopped an instant, and then tore off
down the road at a frightful speed. l
laid down ON him and elapsed my hands
tightly around his neck, and thought of
home. When we got to the stable /
was confident he would stop, but he
didn't. He drove straight at the door,
Just high enough to let him go in at
lightning speed, but there was no room
for me. saw if 1 struck that stable
the struggle would be very brief one.
/ thought this all over in an instant,
and then, spreading out my arms and
legs, emitted a scream and the next
moment / was bounding about in the
filth of the stable yard. And all this
passed through my mind at Stiver's
horse went up in the air. 1t frightened
Mrs. Perkins dreadfully.


"Why, you old fool, said she, "why
don't you get rid of him q


"How can II" said I in desperation.


"Why, there's a thousand ways"
said she


This is Just like a woman how diff
ferent a statesman would have an
swered.


But could think of only two ways
to dispose of the beast. I could either
swallow him where he stood and then
sit down on him, or could crawl inside
of him and kick him to death.


But was saved either of these ex-
pedients by his coming toward me so
abruptly that 1 dropped the rope in
terror, and then he turned about, and
kicking me full of mud, shot for the
gates, ripping the clothes line in two,
and went off down the street at hor-
rible gallop, with two of Mrs Perkins
garments, which he hastily snatched
from the line, floating over his neck in
a picturesque manner.


So was afterwards told, as was too
full of mud myself to see my way into
the house.


Silver got his horse all right, and
stays at home to take care of him. Mrs.
Perkins has gone to her mothers to re-
cuperate, and 1 am healing as fast as
DOSSibla
Year: 1873

/ see various opinions given by
writer's in the agricultural papers as to
which is the best improved breed of
cattle for the South. Some recommend
the Devon, some the Alderney, some
the Durham, and some the Ayrshire.
The last named is my favorite, decided
ly. It combines more good qualities
than any of the other named. Did we
want work oxen principally, should
say the Devons are the best. They are
the most docile, most easily broken,
and by far the f1eetest for work. Did
we want beef, and our object to raise
stock for the butcher, l should recon-
mend the Durhams They grow to an
immense weight, mature early, are east
Iv fed. and their meat is the finest.
But we of the South want a combina-
ton for work, meat dairy purposes, and
the Ayrshires furnish it. The Alder
neys, of which see a good deal is said,
are small, ugly, and are good for moth
ing but milk, and, as they are essential
ly fancy stock, cost the most fancy prices.


The Ayrshires are hardy and thrifty,
make excellent work oxen, are easily
fattened aud made good beef, and for
milking in our county they are infinitely
better than any breed have ever seen.
A good Ayrshire COW, well fed and well
kept, will yield between three and four
gallons of milk per day, rich enough to
make from three-quarteIs of pound to
a pound of butter. This yield has been
far surpassed by cows of this breed in
their native country, (Scotland.) [
have been told there by men entirely
worthy Of confidence, of Ayrshire COWS
giving upwards of twelve quarts at
milking, and producing over two pounds
of butter per day. They will fatten
where Durham would keep as poor as
a rail, and 1 have known them yield
from 500 to 600 pounds of dressed beef.
There are no better feeders, and the
meat is as fine as anybody wants.


If then we are to improve cur stock
by a cross on our common stock, /
would select the Ayrshire all the time
and thus get into stock in few years
little, if at all, inferior to the thorough
bred AYRSHIRE, whether for the milk
pail or the shambles; and while I admit
that no breed is comparable to the De-
Won for the plough or the yoke, the
AYRSHIRE is very good for this purpose
also. In considering the Ayrshire as at
tractive an any, not much inferior to
the Short horn, and vastly superior to
the fancy Alderneys.-Fdr'. and Home.