smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

There are few accidents more terri
BILE than the setting Are to the loose
vestments worn by women. Instantly
the lower part of the dress is ignited,
the flames rush upward with great We
locity, and the whole of the garments
are involved in the confagration.--
Even if almost Immediately extin-
guished, SO large portion of the skin
is scorched that death often ensues
from the shock to the system, though
perhaps the actual injury does not. ap-
pear to be severe.


The first impulse of the victim il to
rush about shrieking for help the Sec
ond to open the door, II possible, and
run along the passages out into the
open air, thus tanning the flame to the
utmost. No line of action could be
more fatal in its consequences. It can
not be too constantly borne in mind
that the only safety is to fall down
quickly on the floor; IL Q small por.
ton of the dress only is ignited, it NAV
be put out by thrusting it under the
body and by rolling upon it. BY roll
ing over and over the person is COM
parativcly safe,s as the flames ascend
away from the body, and thus do COM
paratively little damage.


Tho course of action for rby-standers
is evident it is to seize any woolen
covering near at hand, as q blanket,
shawl, hearth-rug, coat, or curtain,
throw it instantly around the sufferer,
and roll her on the floor in its folds
Scores Of lives have been saved by
by-standers taking off their coats, and
instantly extinguishing the flames in
this manner. As soon as the victim is
on the ground the greatest danger is
over; the flames no longer rise to the
face, and the breathing of the over
heated air, which is always fatal is pre-
vented S %SGa 9


1t may be asked, what Is the best
treatment to be adopted for the suffer-
cr before the arrival Of medical aid
II the burn is severe the patient
should be laid in q bed and the clothes
removed with as little disturbance as
possible; they should, ii requisite, be
cut of, SO as to avoid the slightest ad-
ditional injury to the burned surface.
Then, to exclude the air, some applica-
tion is requisite; cotton wool does
very well, but the simplest, the nearest
to the hand, the most easily applied,
and certainly one OF the most cflica-
cious, is flour, profusely dredsed on
out OF a common fonr-dredger.


Ii cannot be too strongly borne in
mind that cold water or other cold APP
plications to AN extensive burn are fd-
tai. Persons suffering from burns rare
ly die from the immediate injury the
causc or death is either the shock to
the system or congestion of the lungs,
both which would be greatly intensi-
fed by cold applied to the outer surface
of the body. The danger of burn or
scald is not in proportion to its intens-
ity or severity SO much as to the cx-
tent of surface injured thus severe
burn confined to small portion of the
body is seldom fatal. A comparative
ly slight scald extending over a large
surface is rarely recovered from. Thus
lamentable accidents often occur from,
children pulling a cup Of hot tea from
the edge of table the liquid runs
down inside the clothes, spreads over
the chest, and from the extent rather
than the severity Of the injury, il I:
often fatal.
Year: 1873

The United States Supreme Court
consists Of eight Justices and Chief
Justice, making nine members in all.
The retirement of Judge Nelson and
the appointment of Judge Hunt
makes the court now stand rs follows
Year: 1873

On motion Of Wilson. of Indiana
the select committee. No. TWO, on the
Credit MObilier matter be permitted
to set during the sessions OF the House
and employ clerk.


House went into committee ef the
whole on the Legislative, executive and
Judicial appropriation bills.
Year: 1873

Every one will agree that money il


close, but everybody does not agree


how II comes to be so close nor how to


remedy 1t. We cannot satisfy our


selves just how It comes nor what


shall be the remedy, but we think we


are certain that we can give at least


three good causes to account for the
stringency partially, and that those


things if remedied as they can be, will


give at least partial relief. In the first


place our imports have exceeded heav-


ilysor the'y year past our exports, and
the balance of trade has thus been
against us, amounting to say sixty
millions; our recollection is that II Ia
over this. This is drain upon our A.
nanccs that I remedy should be pro-
vided for, and can be.


In the next place, we have paid the
public debt too rapidly. This debt is
held largely abroad, and paying ono
hundred millions annually upon this,
is no longer required and SO drain
the country OF many millions annually.
It has been the policy of the govern
ment to pay this debt rapidly to de-
n,onstrate 10 the world the fact that,
notwithstanding the immense amount
Of our debt, yet the resources Of this,
the greatest nation on the globe, are
such that we can pay this debt with
ease; in other words, the fears of the
people were 80 great at the close Of
the war, that we were incumbered with
debt we could never pay, that it was
necessary to show that such fears were
groundless; therefore we do not now
complain Of the action Of the govern
ment thus far. The national credit at
home and abroad has been placed on
a basis Of which we are all proud, and
now there is no further need of paying
the debt so rapidly. Provision for a
sinking fund Of the national debt
should be made, but if the yearly pay
ment on II is not one fourth what it has
been for the past year, it will be sufl-
cient, and in this way seventy-flve
million Of taxes may be cut of and the
country greatly relieved.


Finally last, but not least, the peo-
pie Of this country live too fast. They
haveacquired during the war extraya-
giant habits in consequence of the
Hood Of money at that time, and
they find it difficult to get down
off their stills. This difficulty must be
remedied, the people must learn to
economize, pay their debts and quit
going into debt so literally.


We believe the above suggestions
are good and would afford much relief
iffollowed.
Year: 1873

Brown, young insurance friend of ours,
says the Boston Traveller, had the fifth
anniversary of his wedding occur about
week ago, and his friends determined to
celebrate his wooden wedding by sur
prise party. Brown came in yesterday
and told us how they succeeded. They
commenced by sending servant round
with team to take Brown and his wife
out to ride at about seven. Then they be-
gan to come with presents and materials
for supper. There was little party of
five came first, all laden-hands full. They
all got nicely inside the garden gate, which
shuts with spring, when Browns big
mastiif. who Is always left unclaimed in his
masters absence, came round the corner
and surprised them One woman stepped
on her dress, and in her fall so demoral-
lied fragl black walnut bookcase she
carried that it was afterward done up in a
bundle and presented as kindling-wood.
Another fellow got safely out of the yard,
all but part of his pants, while old Smith
ers, who weighs 220 pounds, plunged
wildly, with the eight-gallon pail of ice
| cream he carried, through Browns glass
hot-house in the corner Of the yard, and
surprised some $50 worth Of exotics.
Finally they fixed things up and got into
the house, and, as it was about time for
Brown S return, they commenced laying
the supper table. They got down tea
set of rare china that friend of Browns
in the trade had loaned him week be-
fore, and broke two pieces, so that Brown
has since been obliged to mortgage his
house and buy the set; and the COM
ments of Mrs. Brown, when she saw the
condition of the carpet, were sarcastic in
the extreme. Finally, as a crowning
touch, they tried to hang out Chinese liant
erns with the word "Welcome" on them,
on the porch over the front door. They
succeeded in hanging two lanterns, and
when they had saved the house from the
fiery iiend there wasn't porch enough
left to pay for the trouble of trying to
hang out any more. Then they sat down
and waited for Brown and his wife to re-
turn home. We draw the veil over the
scene that followed their return. Some
scenes are too joyous to be described in
cold cold words.
Year: 1873

The Indian agent who was appointed
on the Christian principle to make peace
with the Shos homes, is not as pilanthrop
ic as he used to be. As soon as the
treaty had been signed, the principle
chief conducted hin to q wIgwam and
made him change shirts on the spot
He pleaded that the chief had the most
valuable garment, but it was of no use
The chief had worn it for two years
without ever taking it off; and now the
agent must be his brother and make the
exchange or be killed by him. The
agent finally consented.
Year: 1873

The railroad tunnel at Baltimore
which is to unite the roads on the
north and south sides of the city, is
to be completed before the end of June
and, until the completion of the
Broadway Underground Railway in
New York, will form the largest un>
derground railroad possessed by any
ci'y in america.
Year: 1873

THE CLosINas OF THE PAc1FIc & Ar
LANTIc TELEGRAPH 0PFrcE.-The office
ofthe ;Pacihcl& Atlantic Telegraph Com
peny In this city has been formally closed
and, d,its effects transferred to the Western
Union Office under charge Of JOHN NOR.
GAN, Jr. It can hardly be said that this
event Is matter of any special moment
to our community, as the Pacific &
Atlantic was not q popular institu-
tinn while ii, lived and only re-.
crived about enough patronage TO keep
Il alive In g very sickly manner ct this
point The Western Union office Is an
illustration Of that peculiar passage In
Scripture which says that ITO those who
have more shsll be given, but from those
who have not shall be taken away even
that which they have" This text Illus
trAtes tho condition Of the two rival lines
quite iorcibly. People who have business
and attend to It In business manner gen
orally enlarge their circumference and
importance in this world, while those
who are neglectful, and inefficient
and Indifferent generally shrink to
small proportions and finally die
out. One Of the troubles with the
P. & A. was that II could mot
get INTO the habit Of sending messages
either promptly or correctly; another was,
60 far as this city was concerned, that It
buried itselfin an obscure place and was
comparatively unknown to the public. 1t
is a matter. for regret that there can not be
two great and well appointed telegnphic
lines 70 all principal points throughout the
country, but inasmuch as this Is not the
case II is at least comfort to have one
concern that possesses as many facilities
as the Western Union.
Year: 1873

About one half Of the population Of New Cas-
te county reside within the limits Of the city Ci
Wilmington. The county Is now represented in
the State Legislature by three Senators and seven
Representatives, ten In all, and Kent and Sussex
counties have each q like number, s'


1t is the desire OF tho people OF New Castle
county to secarc q larger proportion Of members
in the Legislature, or in other words, representa-
tiOn according 70 population.


When this question shall come before the legis-
lAture proportion of the representation due 10
New Castle county will have TO bo assigned to
Wilmington. Here will arise question inside
of our own county. This city having half of the
population Of the entire county, some of our
contemporaries hold, win demand half OF the re-
presentation of the county. If therefore, our
number Of members should be increased from 10
to2O Wilmington, they say, sho uld have ten. This
is really the position assumed by our contempO-
raries will the people Of this county agree to
this' We think not and those who urge such
change are doing injury to the course they pre-
tend to advocate. They propose to divide the
people of this county against themselves and add
to the strength of the opponents of a change to
more equal system, in all other parts of the
State. t.s.s.. Tf4 #f... .. A


1t cannot be possible that the people of this city
desire to send ten gentlemen to Dover to do what
has heretofore been done by one. The most that
we have ever yet heard spoken of by gentlemen
when discussing this question was two members
in the Senate and three in the House, while 9TH
ers have maintained that one Senator and two
Representatives were sufficient. We have no idea
that the people Of this city favor any such extrav
agance as sending ten representatives 10 Dover,
and those who propose ii are only doing so fiDr
buncomb, without regard to the real interests of
the people, or their desire to secure a larger rep
resentation for this county in the General Assem-
bly,. s.f .s.. r. D..
Year: 1873

There have always been some points abou,
Victor Emmanuel which revived our memories
of sancho Panza, but we were unprepared for
the startling parallel afforded by the fact that
the King Of United Italy, like the ilustlious
Governor of Barataria, is forbidden by his court
physician to eat good dinners as other people
90, and ls obliged to content himself with one
spare meal day. At the royal banquets, pre-
pared in his honor during his recent visit to
Berlin, the poor king sat throughout the whole
series OF courees without ever unfolding his
napkin Who would be king and be com
PEELED to suffer the despotic Iule of such
stomach and such physician
Year: 1873

When we said, the other day, that the inds.
psndent press should point out office-seekers
who want places simply in order to grab, we had
meaning which the Gazette is probably unable
to comprehend, but which certainly was not to
urge that wheneyera person was accused of
crime, he should forthwith be condemned and
spat upon. 1t is true that some people think
this manly course, They always kick a man
when he is down, although they may have been,
while he was on his feet, seeking his favor
There is belief among them-possibly shared
by the Gazets-that kicking mau who is down
does great deal to maintain high average OF
public morality, and that the contrast between
them and the object of their attack adds pro-
digious polish to their virtue. Having never
been conspicuous for uplightness, in compare
son with upright men, their obliquity assumes a
gratifying angle when Joined to one who is, for
the moment at least PROSTATE.
Year: 1873

Many of us pray to be delivered from
sudden death, and do we worry ourselves
into it? If we do, can we help it? To
most of us it is not given to choose our
lives, to avoid the rough places, to
gently shoulder to one side disagreeable
facts. We must climb over the rocks
though they hurt us sore, and the diff
culties, however they may annoy us,
must be met with brain fret and wear
until they are conquered, or we have
passed them. They are as real, living,
annoying, as any tangible ache or pain
could be; as brushing and irritating as
the peas in the shoes of the pilgrim of
old. Nervous health is one thing, and
moral health and purely physical health
is quite another and different thing.
Calm and steady mental work is condu-
Give to long life but nervous emotion,
mental work that is constant urging,
and, at the same time, is an unhinging
of the even tenor of the mind eats
away the brain faster than any mental
labor, no matter how hard, that is sys-
tematic. AS men do not really die of
heart disease as often as supposed, but
of apoplexy, or congestion of the lungs,
so they do not die of brain work, but OF
brain worry. Scott died of it; South
ey, Swift, Horace Greeley, and proba-
bly, Thackeray. Times.
Year: 1873

Here is a curious story of the slavery
times which we pick up from Western
Carolina newspaper: In the gold mining
regions of Burke county lived an INDUS
trious, well-to-do free colored woman,
named Nancy Boyce. She was engaged
to marry Jack, slave, and, in order to
have everything pleasant, she put her
hand in her pocket and bought him Off
his master. But she was shrewd enough
to take bill of sale of him, fortunately,
as it happened, for Jack turned out to
be utterly worthless, and perfect sot
But little need was there for Nancy TO
go to the courts for relief by divorce.
She owned her man, and she SIMPLY
sold him to slave-dealer, who carried
him off to S thy Was Was never bothered ere 'I~S h~
t.iS .9 again. Husbands have been badly
sold before, though not in this particn
lar way.
Year: 1873




Grumbling about newspapers, says
the Boston TrarcUer, is as ancient as
newspapers themselves. And notwith-
standing the multiplicatioDs of these
modern convcnienccs, and the slceplcss
efforts of publishers to adapt their pa
pcrs to every variety of taste and every
grade of sentiment, atfordng, one
might think, ample opportunity to
readers to suit themselves perfectly
yet there is still, perhaps, as much
grumbling about newspapers rs there
ever was.


We suppose it does not often occur to
the grumblers that possibly they them
selves may be at fault, may be unrcason-
able, may expect impossibilities, may be
out of humor, may have fit of indigna-
ton or spleen, or may be stupid or unap-
preciativc. 1t may never occur to them
that the men who toll night and day to
furnish them with the latest news, and
the greatest variety of information and
entertainment, are mortal, and some
times tire themselves, and get sleepy
and cross and stupid and forgctful and
careless, and need, and deserve, too,
some consideration and even sympathy
from those for whom they increasingly
work.


Fault-fnding readers do not consider
that everything that is made by human
hands and brains must of necessity be
imperfect, however strong the desire
and earnest the effort may be to have it
faultless. And above all, they forget
that newspaper cannot be made for
general circulation, and yet in every
thing exactly suit any one person. A
thoroughly good, cnterprising ncwspa-
per is really like a well spread dinner
table; it contains variety as well as
quality-something for every taste, and
enough of each kind to satisfy any
reasonable appetite.


1t is not expected that any guest of
table should eat of every dish provided.
1t is not supposed for Il moment that
every dish will be palatablc to every
guest, or agree with every ones diges-
ton; but it is thought, and reasonably,
too, that from the abundant bill of
fare every guest can select enough
that will bc digcstiblc and agreeable
to make substantial and satisfactory
meal.


Just so it is with every well edited
paper. No man is expected to read
everything in the paper, or to like
everything il he reads it; but every man
is expected to find enough that is good
and useful and acceptable and agreeable
in the ample columns spread out before
him to be a full equivalent for what the
paper cost him, and if he happens to
find on the carte an article which Of
fcnds his TASTE, OF is i'll opposition to his
views, he has just to let that alone and
leave it for another, whom it will Just
suit, and for whose taste it WAS gotten
up. In choosing his restaurant, he
should select one whose general style
suits him, and when his taste changes,
or the character of the paper deterior-
ates, he should change and try another;
but never fret himself or vex his neigh
bors by grumhling and scolding about
his newspaper, which, after all, is about
as necessary to his comfort as his din
ner.
Year: 1873

THERE is now ON foot the gigantic
project of tunncling the Rocky Noun
tains. The investigation has been
thorough, and the conclusion is that the
project is feasible in every particular
The idea is to tunnel the mountains
from boint about one mile below
Black Hawk to the Middle Park, run
ming in northwesterly direction. The
tunnel to be run will, it is presumed,
cut many rich veins of gold and silver,
and thus a great mining interest be de-
veloped. Some idea, of the magnitude
of the task may be gathered from the
fact that the tunnel, if completed, will
be twelve miles in length. 1t is in
tended to make it large enough to be
used for railway purposes, and so, if a
road is ever to be constructed to
the Middle Park, it will find it's most
convenient route through this tunnel.
The company will be called the Sierra
Madre Tunnel Company, and the incor-
poration papers for its organization have
already been filed.


A BROTHER of~Gharles Dickens is n
Year: 1873

What is to be done to prevent
this acrid look of misery from be-
coming an organic Characteristic of
our people: "Make them play
more" says one philosopher. No
doubt they need to "play more;''
bnt when one looks at the average
expression of a 4th of July crowd,
one doubts if ever so much multi
plication Of that kind Of holiday
would mend the matter No doubt
we work too many days in the year,
and'play far too few: but after all,
it is the heart, and the spirit, and
the expression that we bring to our
work, and not those that we bring
to our play, by which our real Vi
tality must be tested, and by which
our faces will be stamped. If we
do not work healthfully, reasoning
ly, moderately, thankfully, joyously
we shall have neither moderation
nor gratitute, nor JOY in our play.
And here is the hopelessncss, here
is the root of the trouble, of the Joy
less American face. The worst of
all demons, the demon of unrest and
ovcrwork. broods in the very SKY of
this land. Blue and clear and crisp
and sparkling as our atmosphere is,
it can not or does not exercise the
spell. Any old man can count on
the fingers Of one hand the persons
he has known who led lives of Sc
rene, unhurriel content, made for
themselves occupations and not
tasks, and died at last what might
be called natural deaths. 50 long
as the American is resolved to do
in one day the work Of two, to make
in one year the fortune of his whole
life and his children's, to earn be-
fore he is forty the reputation which
belongs to seventy, so long he will
90 about the streets wearing his
present abiect, pitiable, ,overwrought
ijoyless look. But, even without a
change of heart or Il reform of hab.
its, he might better his countenauce
little, if he would. Even if he
does not feel like smiling he might
smile if he tried, and that would be
something. The muscles are all
there; they count the same in the
American as in the French or the
Irish face; they relax easily in
youth; the trick can be learned.
And even trick of it is better than
none of it. Laughing-masters
might bt as well paid as dancing
masters to help on society.-Bits Of
IulX, bY IL III.
Year: 1873

In Mcrced there dwclls q married
man, whose wife is stylish and
thoughtful woman, ever on the aler,
to fix up her darling chubby" sc
that he will outshine everybody
clse's darling chubby" Some time
since she conceived the idea of con
structing for her liege lord an out.
fit of opened back shirts. How she
discovered that there were such ar
ticlcs-opcncd revcrsely-and how
she got a pattern are matters OF
speculation. Certain it is that she
constructed them upon the appov-
ed model, "didthem up" nicely, and
land them in Johns special bureau
drawer, and reveled in the thought
of dear Johns pleasant surprise
His surprise was complete, and
reached its maximum when he at
tempted to put the thing on. He
had aim notion that he must
stand on his head or stick his feet
through first, but his wife knew bet
ter. Her womaD's tact taught her
that this wasn't the way, so she
helped him put it on over his head.
Then he couldn't get his arms in
the sleeve. Next he pulled it off
and put his arms through first, then
he couldn't get it on over his head.
Finally brilliant idea seized them
both, after a half hours work on
the wrong tack. He bent himself
over in the form of an inverted let
ter U with his arms outstrctched,
and after short struggle, assisted
by Julia, the thing was done, all
but the buttoning, and of course he