smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

There are only three lines but they are
worth reading:


Letters of administration were gram
ted to James l. Blair on the estate of
Francis z. Blair, Jr., deceased, valued at
$500"


To live ffty-four years and die worth
five hundred dollars, is not making the
most of ones pportunities-as times go
Francis z. Blair was evidently not the
man for the times, as times 20; that is, II
a man is to be measured by the money
which he makes out OF the times. He
ought to have been rich man very
wealthy man; and would have been If he
had followed suit with many other pub
lie men He had the opportunities, thou
sands of them, but he seems to have mis-.
sed them all or passed them by-for he
lived to be fifty four years old and died
worth five hundred dollars.


He was the brains. blood, bone, mus.
Gle, lite of the great political party in this
state for years. and when it was the su.
preme power in this city and county 1t
does not appear, however, that he ever
made any money by it, He was three
times a member of congress. and at the
beginning of the war was in such posi-.
ton AS chairman Of the military eomruit
tee of the house as to have commanded
the pick of contracts and us own selec.
ton of war slush u was singularly re
miss in making hay while the sun shone.
Then he w's made general, but there
wAs not racn money in being general
such as he was, for he was always pound
ing away at the fornt, getting .more
kicks than halfpenee He did not make
any money by being general. Some
generals did, but somehow he had not
the knack of it Then he went to the
United States senate. Here was another
golden opportunity, Some men have
been known to make handsome fortunes
by going to the senate; to go in poor,
in fact, and come out wealthy. 1t was
not Blair's way. While other public men
were building fortunes in their way. and
according to the way of the times, he nev
er appeared to care for money And so
he died After living fifty four years and
toiling, toling, toiling AS few men have
ever done, he died leaving five hundred
dollars.
Year: 1876

EE The Boston Herald puts it in this
way: p" Take ten dollar greenback, and
see what promise is carried on its face
Then see if you can get it fulfilled, The
doubt deprecates it. Ifyou want to buy
ten real dollars you will find that you must
put with your ten-dollar grcenback an
other dollar, and part of another to make
up to the value. The ten dollar green
back should be worth ten dollars, but it
is not. Even if you take it to the gov
ernment that issued it, and endeavor to
pass it for its face at the custom, horse,
the clerks will turn up their noses at you,
They will refuse to take it at its market
value, and tell you they don't know any
such money 1t is Of no more conse.
quence or value than it would be irwin
slow made it himself.
Year: 1876

rs true:


One of the most prominent colored
men in Arkansas, and a man high in Of
fee, remarked to us several days age
that he looked upon Arkansas as the best
state for the negro in The nnioD, for, said
he what is there in the world that we
ask for fairly, that we don't get We
stand in the same attitude before the law
as any other men and all that we have to
do to prosper is to deport ourselves law
fully This is all true, and no one can
say that the whites are not becoming their
closer f.iends as consequence. We
have agreed all along that it was neces
sary to prove to the colored man our
friendship for him before we could ex
pcct his aid and sympathy in full Now we
have control of affairs and the laws are
administered in the interests Of all the
people, the black observes this and grad
ually comes tn change-becomcs man
of his own way of thinking
Year: 1876

Broe IN seed curn should be planted in
corn, on ground that has been thorough.
~ paiyeiized with the harrow. Corn
s.nt'b.e or clover sol is one Of the best
places tor crop of broom corn. Let
the rows be marked out three and half
feet apart, after which sprinkle the seed
in the marks AS evenly as may be pract-
cable by the hand. A better way is to
use common garden drill. Cover the
seed by passing a light one horse harrow
over the ground, going vice to the row
il the land is cloddy Do not cover the
seed too deep. After the spears are up
about two inches high, 60 over the rows
with large harrow. Do not be afraid
OF tearing up the young plants, as the
greatest mistake with most people con-
ssts in planting too thick, the stalks
should be three and four inches apart in
the row. Two and IL halt quarts of good
seed will be sufficient for one acre, II the
ground is in good order. By narrowing
the small weeds will be killed, and the
working ofthe soil will give the corr IL
start, after which the growing crop will
require the same cultivation as other
corn. When the stalks begin to shoot
out IN head, go over tue ticld, pendn
down all that are out, before the tops
get crooked. This operation will nave
t" he done several times After the seed
IS nearly ripe, commence cutting the
brush First cut the brush on two rows
ha,iy nh "a
the stalks. laying them crosswise on the
rows, SO AS to make a bed to keep the
brush from resting ON fha ground, Is,
the brush on the bed and let it remain
two or three days in the sun, after which
tie the brush up in bundles and secure in
round shocks, about twelve bundles to
gether One bed will hold the brush for
eignt or ten rows. Cover the shocks
with stalks tent fashion, making tight at
the top, but SO that the air can pass
through the bottom In this manner the
broom corn ought to stand three or four
weeks until thoroughly dry, then cart to
the barn and take off the seed, which may
be performed 10y using a common thresh-
ing machine; take off the top. and, if an
undershot, cross the band; have a boy
to hand you the brush, as much as you
can hold tightly in your hands at once,
holding the seed ends on the cylinder as
it revolves In this way ono man and
boy can clean several hundred pounds
per day. Much depends upon the kind
of soil in raising broom corn. Flat,
loamy lands or river bottoms will yield
the best crops. But paying crops Of
broom cor can be raised OH any good
corn land that will yield from 700 to l,
600 pounds and 40 bushels of seed to the
acre.


There are several varieties of broom
corn. The improved evergreen is much
more profitable, as the brush is worth al
most twice as much in the market, and
the yield of seed wilt be larger and bet.
ter than the crop Of the old red variety
Of broom corn - Practicut Farmer.
Year: 1876




j. S. DuNHAM;


DEAR SIR: IL write to inform you of an aw-
ful circumstance that occurred lin our neigh
borhood Thursday evening. John Maxey one
Of our near neighbors was out on his farm at
work burning logs. lie had several youngs-
ters cutting stalks, in the field and also had
little daughter six years old that went out
In the field with them. Mr.. Maxey had set
some log he ps on fire and had gone over to
an ajoining field to work, some hundred or
two yards off and left his little aughter over
In the field with the other children. She was
amusing herself by building play houses, near
one of the log heaps that was on fire, and by
some means her clothes caught fire and they
being principally cotton goods she was soon
enyeloped in hames. She started to run to
where her father was, screaming for help.
He heard her cries and started to relieve her.
but before he could get to her the heat had
got so severe the little sufferer fell to the
ground and commenced rolling over and over.
When her father reached her, her clothes were
nearly all burned oifof her, and what was not,
he manag d to get off as soon as possible. He
picked up the child in his arms and ran to the
house; when he reached it he was SO overcome
with grief and excitement that he tainted and
fell to the floor, AS soon as he recovere he
one mile, but the little sufferer was SO badly
buraed that medical aid could not do any
good. About one o'clock that nis sht the child
was relieved from its suferings by death.
Oh (! how painful it is to lose our friends; but
more especially under such trying and pain
full circumstances as this. The parents and
friends OF the deceased have the sympathies
of all their neghbors and friends in their sad
bereavement.


" {
Year: 1876

Bet half dollar | shall fall down
Bet half dollar shall fall y murmur
ed an old chap last evening, as loaded to
the muzzle with forty rod whiskcy, he
was feeling his way down Smith street.
"Bet half a doll" just here the old
boys heels few so high into the air that
his head and shoulders beat them back
to the ground. Rising to sitting pos
ture, be took up his hat, rubbed the back
of his head, and then said: "Won the
money, by thunder And its the first bet
I've won this winter
Year: 1876

4" | had more money th.n he had to
carry on the suit" said very mean in
dividual, who had just won lawsuit ov-
er a poor neighbor: and that's where |
had the advantage of him, And then l
had better counsel than he; and there |
bad the advantage OF him And hfs fam
lily were sick while the suit was pending.
so he wouldn't attend to it; and there
had the advantage of him again, But
then Brown is very decent sort ofa man
after all" Yes" said his listener
land there's where he had the adyan.
.age Of YOU
Year: 1876

to the flames. Water is almost equally


venerated, and SO, too, is mother earth.


Hencs this strange system has been in
vented, by which it is supposed none of
the impurities Of the corpse can effect
the elements, at all events directly.
And everything that can be thought of is
done to dispel the gloomy thoughts
which some parts Of the process natural
ly engendef. The chapels are situated
in a beautiful garden, where those who
attend the funeral may sit and enjoy the
beauty of flowers and towering shrubs
Those who deposit the corpses in the
towers go through publication, and the
garments they wear when in the Tower
of Silence are put away in another tower
erected for the sole purpose of receiving
them, and there they shoulder away.
Year: 1876

According to the Louisville CONNER
cial, the goose-bone predictions are more
closely watched in Kentucky than any
where else, and it may be called the
Kentucky weather prophet. In many
parts of the state the farmers consult it.,
and prepare for handling their crops in
accordance with its predictions. The
Commercial says there is family in
Woodford county that have fifty of these
little prophets carefully laid away, and
declare that not one Of them made a
mistake in their predictions.


Let us turn to this years prophecy.
We must take the breast-bone of last
springs goose other will do, for
the prophecy does not extend beyond the
year in which the goose is hatched. It
must be divided into three different parts,
which represents the three divisions Of
winter. FThe breast-bone of goose is
translucent, but at places has cloud-like
blots upon it. These blots denote cold
weather. Looking at the bone before us,
we find little cold weather about the
LIST Of December, which we have realized,
and there is another blot beyond the
center of the middle of January; this
cloud we are passing now, and SO far ur
little prognosticator has guided right.
We are to have warmer weather after q
few days. but the worst is to come. The
darkest blots are near the end Of the
bone, and if the prophecy fails not, win
ter will verify the saying of coming in
like lamb and going out like roaring
lion. Our coolest weather will come
after the middle of February, and oul
warmest fires will be required for the
parting days of winter and the first dayl
of spring.
Year: 1876

The United States home fleet, iron
clads and all, is centering at Port Royal.
This movement, Washington letter
says, is in pursuance of a general plan of
the secretary Of the navy to make that
place the headquarters of the North At
lanticstation, as it presents many advan-
tages over any other port on the Atlantic
coast. The writer adds:


The climate is very healthful, and the
harbor offers every facility for the exer-
else Of naval tactics, 50 that the service
can be kept in thorough discipline. On
one occasion only during the late war
was the yellow fever there, and then for
only very brief period, while at Key
West, the former headquarters of the
station, it was often epidemic and caused
the vessels at that place nearly every
summer to be ordered to Portsmouth,
N. H., or some other northern port where
supplies, repairs, ETC., could be furnished
without delay. The geographical posi-
tion of Port Royal makes it the central
point for the North Atlantic station. and
vessels rendezvoused there can reach
Cuban waters and the gulf, where our in
terests most need to be looked after,
within forty-eight hours. 1t is the poll
cy of the secretary Of the navy to make
our home squadron larger than any of
those abroad, because he believes in be-
ing prepared for any emergency which
may arise out Of the present difficulties
on the island of Cuba. While there is
no official announcement in regard to the
condition of affairs between this country
and Spain, it is believed in well informed
circles that the uncertain tenure which
Spain has upon that island may cause
that government to become involved in
difficulty with the United States when
it sees that it can no longer hold the
island and then parts with it as a matter
of necessity. Another reason why yes
sells will be ordered to Port Royal from
northern rivers and harbos where they
have been laid up is to free them from
the ice during the approaching winter.
In case Of any difficulties arising it
would not do to have these vessels frozen
up at League island or some other north
ern port, where they could be Of no ser
vice; hence the secretary deems il ad-
visable to have them at Port Royal,
where there is no danger of an ice block
ade, and in case Of emergency they could
be used with effect.
Year: 1876

A man in small town down in
Maine recently wrote to the Handel and
Haydn Society in Boston asking how
much they would charge to come down
there and give concert. The reply was
that it would be cheaper to bring the
town to Boston.
Year: 1876

Since we reduced the price of our weekly
edition, the DELAWARE TRIBUNE, to $1.10
per annum, (the ten cents being for post
aged we have received a large number of
new subscriptions, and they continue to
come in from all parts of the Peninsula.
A letter now at hand, from former sub
scriber in Maryland, encloses the money
for fresh start, and says: " miss your
valuable paper" Many others write in the
same vein, and we feel assured that so
good paper at so extremely low a price
must be appreciated and liberally supported
throughout the Peninsula. The issue for
this week contains nearly twenty two
columns of reading matter, including two
stories, correspondence from Philadelphia
and Washington, local letters from numer-
ous points, editorials on leading topics, and
a great variety of local and general news.
We can send the COMMERCIAL daily for So
a year, and by railway train or mail reach
promptly all the Northern half Of Delaware,
but wherever weekly paper is preferred
nothing will be found equal to the TRIBUNE
either in quality or price. Subscribe now,
or begin at new year. Terms Cash IN dd


Uarlce, and no deviation from this rule.
Year: 1876

| Jas the virtues of medicines only be ascer
tanned by careful observation it is to be regretted
that many Of the drugs still prescribed BY some
Physicians should retain place in materia
medca. AS an instance of this, that vile drug Bal
sam Oopaiba furnishes an example About the year
l5gO the Spanards in the Island of San domingo
having become afflicted with certain complaints,
thought, according to the prevailing notion at that
time, that the remedy might be found where the
disease originated Under tins impression Balsam
Copaiba came into use, but never has nauseatng
drug done more jury, for it not only changes the
nature OF the d aease to dreadful state than
the original, but it ruins the tone of the stomach
and brings on Dyspepsia in its worst forms. To


void this drug and Its effects the SAMARITAN S
GIFT, pure vegetable remedy is within the reach
Of ALL Only pills to be taken, and will cure every
time n from two to four days Male packages $2I
female SO.


SOLD BY ALL DRUGGISTS.
Year: 1876

An inquest was held yesterday or the body OF Fred
erick Viola, the young man who on Wednesday night
shot himself inrough the heart olcer John Mu!doon,
OF the Eighteenth precinct, testified TO his having
heard the pistol shot while patrollng his bca, on
Twentythird street and TO finding the body upon
sidewalk with the weapon, which had fallen IRON the
suicides hand. lying underneath him. Frank Dorn
OF No 22s West Twcniy-eighth street. told ptlfu
story OF violas fruitlcss efforts TO procure employ
ment. his surerngs from want and his hnal despair.
lie stated that on the day oil the suicide Viola
told him that he was utterly hopeless that he had
no chance OF earning his bread and that lite was only
a burden ne would be glad to rid OF. That night
al the suggestion OF porn's mother, Dora went in
search OF him and found ham In a saloon slightly under
the influence OF liquor After conversation, in
which Viola repeated his intention OF killing himself
they parted IN front OF the saloon and few MON
later The report oi the pistol brought Dor back 10
nnc that the suicidal designs had been carried into
execution. Tho jury brought IN verdict In accord
sncs with these facts
Year: 1876

She sat in high backed pew, in the
old church where her parents had been
christened, and where she too had been
brought as a child of the Covenant.
She takes up a small well-worn psalm
book, and opens it at the fiy.leaf, on
which is written, in school boys hand,
To Agnes, from Robert" just the
faintest breath of sigh escapes her as
she softly closes the book. Then she
moves to the most remote corner Of the
dark old pew, and sits motionless in
rapt thought. She had passed the flush
OF girlhOod, and so quiet and sedate In
all her ways that she appears yet older.
Her scrupulously neat attire is of sober
gray, with close fitting bonnet of the
same neutral tint, relieved by cluster
of bright scarlet berries and dark ivy
leaves. Her glossy blue black hair lies
smoothly above low womanly fore
head; the dark gray eyes are cast down,
and the long heavy lashes sweep cheeks
sallow in their paleness. Surely Agnes
Mckee is not beauty I; but as she sits
there in the grave house of worship, in
the hush of the Sabbath morn, there is
a sweet, quiet repose around the we'll
formed mouth,a settled look of resigna'
tion In the attitude, which speaks of a
peace which passeth all understanding"
Cropping out from the family pew is a
numerous tribe of children and grand
children, for Elder Mckee has obeyed
the Sciiptural injunction, increase and
multiply, and replenish the earth )"
and his sons and daughters have done
likewise-all except Agnes, who is the
remaining staff of their old-age.
Younger sisters have left the paternal
roof to become wives and mothers, and
Aunt Agnes" is household word
among her nleces and nephews, but she
has given up all thought of ever being
called by tenderer name.
Year: 1876

From the Austin Reveille.


Matters have been very quiet in
the Sazerac Lying Club Of late, but
a member confdentially informs us
that when the boys get paid off
they will make "Rome howl" To-
day is pay day, and, consequently,
an exciting session of the club may
be expected this evening. They
expect to initiate a new member
this evening, who is prepared to
take his solemn oath that he saw
man fall three thousand feet down
an incline without touching its
sides, top or bottom; and that when
his fellow-workmen reached him he
was lighting his pipe with his can
die, which he had held in his hand
and which was not extinguished
during the descent. The investi-
eating committee reported fayora-
bly, on the mans application for
admission, because they thought
that was something like a reasona-
BILE lie. By rule Of the club no
member is allowed to tell a lie
which might not have been true
had such an occurrence taken
place.
Year: 1876

fact, however, it was only right for
them to recollect also that there was
no fanatical belief in the abstract
principles of monarchy in this coun-
try. Hear, hear. The doctrine
of divine right was killed on the
scaffold with King Charles,and went
out with the commonwealth. The
people of the country supported the
monarchy because they knew from
experience that they enjoyed under
its rule as large an amount of well
ordered liberty as any other people
in the world. The country, under
its guidance, had been prosperous
and the people comparatively con-
tented and happy. But if there
was any attempt to establish a
species Of scholastic empire, to
drag into our constitution the
forms and principles of imperial
ism, honorable gentlemen opposite
would soon find that the supersti-
ton of royalty had no real hold on
the people of this land"


In alluding to the above remarks
Mr.. Lowe, NJ. P, said in the course
of his trenchant speech f: "The
honorable gentleman spoke like an
honest Englishman, not only with
frankness and fairness, and carried
the house with him, and l hope we
shall often hear his voice raised
with similar manliness and similar
effect"
Year: 1876

1t was amusing when the Prince
of Wales stepped out of the train,
says a London letter, to observe the
rush Of personal friends, by whom
he was instantly surrounded. 1t
had been arranged that there should
be an address read to him by the
municipal authorities, and the
Duke Of Buccleugh was there with
speech in hand. But it was with
some difficulty that the Duke of
Cambridge rescued the Prince from
the distinguished society which
clustered round him, and brought
him up to undergo the ceremony.
The Prince was in plain morning
dress-black frock coat, gray over
coat and silk hat; the Princess was
richly but quietly dressed in walk
ing dress, and the two little boys,
in high glee, with laughing faces,
and dressed in plain sailor suits,
with straw hats, sat on the back
seat of the carriage, enjoying the
scene immensely. The three little
girls, also in a sort of nautical cos
tune, with open eyes and some
what grave expression, as if o.
amusement struggling with wonder
and a scene Of novel excitement
followed.
Year: 1876

the action of the river itself, work
ing with a force and persistence al
together superhuman.


The success of Captain Eads'
works will change the whole future
Of the Mississippi valley, aud there
is no longer any reason to doubt his
complete success, because what has
already been accomplished has
demonstrated beyond cavil the
soundness of the principles which
have directed the construction of
the ietties.


His Majesty was deeply inter
ested, and expressed surprise that
private citizens should carry out
such important public works at
their own risk. His Majesty was
delighted with Captain Eads, and
expressed a hope that he would pay
visit to Brazil, where His Majesty
promised him warm and hearty
reception.


His Majesty said that "Captain
Eads was a wonderful man; that he
had been delighted and instructed
by the clear explanations given by
the Captain, and that before being
an engineer Captain Eads was a
savant." He said he already knew
Mr.. Bayley, the assistant engineer,
by reputation, in Rio, and was sur
prised that he had never heard Cap
tain Eads' name.


At a quarter to seven o'clock the
imperial party left New Orleans by
the Mobile railway, with their des-
tination for Washington.