smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

A wintry eve and dapled sky,
With dim clouds rolling swiftly by,
Far in the East a beacon light,
The crescent moon foretells the night


With silver horn hung low.
A bright and sudden flash, and lo
To crimson turns the cleaning snow
The skies with varied tints are lit
And clouds, like golden chariots, fit


Athwart the western glow.
Far to the zenith streams the light
In heecy folds and radiance bright,
While to the northward, fold on fold,
Like banners strung with moulten gold


The clouds are floating fast.
Through broken CLEANS of rifted light
The glowing sun bursts on the sight,
And all the heavens with mistic might
Crown every mountain purple hight


With splendors rolling past.
A thousand cubits up, and more
They rise, like battlements of yore,
And rosy radiance ripples o er
Each snowy path, as low and lower


The crimson lights descend.
They glow and glcam from brow to base,
And glisten, for one moment space,
Like far Olympus line Of grace,
When gods uprose, with threatening face,


Their temples TO defend.
A transient gleam, and brief as fair
The shifting shadows, here and there,
Creep softly on, and twilight lends
A gorgeous gloom as night desceads


On purple pinions low.
The clouds have lost their rosy CLEANS,
And float away like shattered dreams
To gloom and silence up the sky
The young Moon climbeth silently,


And bends her silver bow.
Through drifting clouds a single star
Emits trembling radiance far,
And like some fair translucent gem,
CLOVIS softly on night diadem,


In splendor all alone.
The last swift arrows tipped with light
The day set forth, in realms of night
Are lost forever; earth and sky
In sable garments sadly lie,


And Night ascends her throne.
Year: 1871

Miss NELLIE THURsToN, who made
balloon ascension from the Watertown,
N. Y, fair grounds, few days ago,
when descending, landed in the top of
tree. She remained in the basket of the
balloon, suspended in this dangerous and
uncomfortable position, all night, and
finally took courage to climb out and de-
scend the tree the following morning. She
then made her way to hotel IN the
vicinity, where she arrived in rather a
unused up" condition, but without hay
ing suffered any serious injury.
Year: 1871

If such a thing as ruling Spain for any
length Of time be possible, King Amadeus
will accomplish it. BE is making bid
for the confidence and favor Of his peo-
pie by attending the bull fights and visit
ing the prisons, pardoning political crimi-
mails by scores. Both of these acts are
calculated to endear him to the Spanish
oorl
Year: 1871

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 16.-The Potts
vile Union journal says trouble has
arisen among the operators by the action
of one of them in trying to fix upon an
agreement of bis own with bis men, thus
breaking q mutual agreement between the
men and the operators to submit to arbi-
fratiOn
Year: 1871

Government to advertise the rate of premium on the
1st of every month.


The people Of our country should never FORGET
that one Of the great causes that led to the American
Revolution was the determination on the part of
Great Britain to force is manufactures on the colo
nies, to be paid for by sending raw materials to En-
gland thus keeping them dependent by preventive q
them from manufacturing for themselves. This pol
icy OF England has drawn to it's little island the
wealth OF every country that has allowed itself to
become tho subject Of its policy and power It IL
still trying to persuade the people Of this country to
run their plows in competition with the mighty ma
chimes IN England, where Q single engine 10 doing
the work Of . hundred horses. To see the folly Of
yielding to Britsh policy, we have only to look at
the effects produced on orr country during the war
with England. At that time, when our foreign
trade Wa cut OF, labor was in demand and money
abundant, furnaces and mills were buiIt and an ac
lively employed, wages were high, and our
national debt small. -Four years later our country
was persuaded to yield to British policy of
Free Trade. At once all wss changed mills and fur
nsces were stopped, labor went begging our Door
houses were filed the prices of land declined money
became scarce, and interest high the rich who held
mortgages became richer, and tho poor and those
who were IN debt, were ruined At that time, the
American farmer had no foreign or home market for
the surplus product Of the country. Complaints
grew and increased until things grow % bad that


In LBS our Government found 1t necessary to adopt
what call . true American system-a system Of
Free Tradea trade that extended to all parts of our
own country in all articles that are tho product of
our own cod or Of American labor. by this systcm,
duties were laid ON imports that soon gave now Life
ano enorgy 70 tho trade and business Of the country
Year: 1871

There is very good story in the papers
of the trick which was played by old DIR.
Caldwell, formerly of the University Of
North Carolina.


The old doctor was q small man and lean,
but as hard and angular as the most irregu-
lar of pine knots.


He looked as though he might be tough,
but he did not seem strong. Nevertheless
he was, among the knowing ones, reputed
to be as agile as cat, and in addition was
by no means deficient in knowledge Of the
''noble science. of Sc f:defence." Well, in
the Freshman class of certain year was a
burly beef mountaineer of eighteen or nine
teen. This genius conceived great con-
tempt for old Bolus' physical dimensions,
and his soul was Mortified that one so defci-
ent in muscle should be so potential in bis
rule.


Poor Jones-that is what we'll call him
had no idea of moral fore. At any rate he
was not inclined to knock under and be con-
trolled despotically by man he imagined
he could tie and whip. At length he de-
termined to give the gentleman genteel,
private threshing some night in the College
Campus, pretending to mistake him tor some
fellow student.


Shortly after on a dark and rainy night,
Jones met the doctor crossing the Campus.
Walking up to him abruptly:


"Hello, Smith, you rascal, is that you "


And with that he struck the old gentle
man blow on the side Of his face that
nearly felled him.


Old Bolus said nothing, but squared him
self, and at it they went. Jones youth,
weight and muscle made him an ugly GUS
toner; but after a round or two the doctor $
science began to tell, and in short time had
knocked his antagonist down, and was
a-stradle of his chest, with one hand on his
throat, and the other dealing vigorous cuffs
on the side of his head


"Ah stop II beg pardon, doctor =
Doctor CALDWELL mistake-for heaven
sake, doctor " groaned Jones, who thought
he was about to be eaten up-"l-l really
thought it was Smith ]" =,


The doctor replied with word and a blow
alternately


"It makes no difference; for all present
purposes consider me Smith"


And it is said that old Bolus gave Jones
such pounding then and there as probIa'
bly, prevented him from ever making anoth'
er mistake as to personal identity, at least
on the College Campus.
Year: 1871

ting out the fire, and then the worst had
passed. The earth around was on fire in
spots, house and mill were gone, leaves,
brush and logs we're swept clean away as if
shaved off and swept with broom, and no.
thing but eoot and ashes was to be seen.


After the fire had somewhat cooled OFT,
Weaver made an investigation of his caches,
and found that considerable of the property
buried had been saved, although he lost all
his provisions, except piece Of dried beef,
which the fire had cooked as in an oven
without spelling it. He had no other re-
source than to remain around the place that
day, during the night, and the greater part
of the next day, when the ground had cool
ed enough SO that he could pick his way to
the site Of the burned zillage; He was s!!; near T.
trees were falling, logs were burning, and
the fallen timber had in some places heaped
up breasswork, over which no one could
climb.-Detrott Post.
Year: 1871

Fred Bowman, the boy who has gwen the
iSusquehanna Valley Homo so much unplcas-
amt notoriety recently, was returned to the
Home at Binghampton, N. Y, by Sheriff
Marsin. The boy has boarded with the
sheriff about three weeks, ard his capacity
for devouring has been fully tested as mat
ter of curiosity. His appetite is wonderful,
as we'll as the powers of his stomach. He
would eat at first the amount Of food doalt
Out in the regular rations, and beg from the
prisoners all that was loft ON their plates.
The sheriff did not exactly want the name
of starving the boy, and gradually increased
his rations until they were nearly doubled,
but never did scrap of victuals come back
on his plate. Sometimes he would be given
three rations at one time, and would eat it to
the last crunb, but it was liable to make him
dyspeptic if continued any great length of
time. But the sheriff can't 20 quite clear Of
censurc for starving the boy, for when they
took him out of Jail to carry him to the
Home his mouth was full of old tobacco
quids that prisoner had thrown up into
one corner of the debtors cell, and the poor
lad was actually devouring them to sustain
his physical organization. The double ra,
tions of substantial food that he was allowed
during the day, and painful of cookies ex-
ira at night pleased the youth better than
the fare at tho Home, and for that reason
he shed tears on being transferred to his
former quarters. He did not get any old
bones to gnaw at the Jail between meals, but
he could make lunch Of old tobacco quids
and was happy. What will become OF him
now is matter of considerable interest.
Year: 1871

REPo9TED COMBINATION AUTHoRITA-
lively DENIED.-Tbe Vallejo Recorder
of Thursday denies the alleged combina-
tion of Sargent with Gorham on senatorial
matters, and it does so on the authority Of
both 1t then adds:


We have said that Sargent is making
his fight purely and alone on his own mer-
its. lie has made no promises to Gorham
or to the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany-in fact, he has made no promises to
anybody. He has long had just and
laudible ambition to occupy seat in the
United States Senate, but he prefers to
return to private life rather than to occupy
a position in the great council of the ma
ton, if he has to 90 there trammeled and
tied up with pledges and promises of all
descriptions. He does not assume to die
tate to the Legislators of California who
they shall select to express the sentiment
of the people against railway subsidies.
We hope that the idle rumprs that have
been circulated against him by persons
who have no arguments to furnish in favor
of their own preferences will be promptly
denied by the entire press Of the State.
We have been active in the anti-rairoad
war ever since it commenced and have
continually opposed all of the favorites of
the central Pacific who were seeking i'm
portant Offices; and we have no fear of
Sareent's doing anything, either in the
United States Senate or in the House OF
representatives, but what is fair, useful
aud honorable
Year: 1871

Dared but say prophecy,
As sang the holy men Of old;
Of rock-built cities yet to be
Along these shining shores of gold,
Crowding athirst into the sea,
What wond'rous marvels might be told |
Enough, to know that empire here
Shall burn her loftiest, brightest star
Here art and eloquence shall reign,
As Ger the.welf-rear' realm of old;
Here learned and famous from afar,
To pay their noble court shall come,
Ard shall not seek or see in vain,
But look on all with wonder dumb.


Afar the bright Sierras lie
swaying line Of snowy white,
A fringe of heaven hung in sight
Against the blue base of the sky.
look along each gaping gorge,


/ hear thousand sounding strokes


Like giants rending giant oaks,
Or brawny Vulcan at his forge
/ see pick axes fash and shine
And great wheels whirling in mine |
Here winds thick and yellow thread,
A mossd silver stream instead
And trout that lear'd its rippled tide
Have turned upon their sides and died.
Lo when the last pick in the mine


Is rusting red with idleness,
And rot yon cabins in the mould,


And wheels no more croak in distress,
And tall pines re-assert command,
Sweet bards along this sunset shore
Their mellow melodies will pour;
Will charm as charmers very wise,
viii strike the harp with master hand,
Will sound into these vaulted skies
The valor of these men of old
The mighty men of Forty nine:
Will sweetly sing and proudly say,
Long, long agone there was day
When there were giants in the land.
Year: 1871

There are great many persons Sho cam
not tell why it is they have so much diff
Guilty in getting and keeping positions in
business. If they are in business, they
easily drop out if they are out, they fiDd it
bard to get il. If they have a position
to-day they may lose it tomorrow; if they
lose their place, they have to wait weeks
and months before they secure another
They do not comprehend that while others
are busy they should be unwillingly idle
that while others have as much as they can
do, they have nothing to do


There is little secret that will 60 far
to explain the difficulty-there is con-
slant unsuppied demand, in all departments
of labor, for skill, and it is those who
possess this property that easily secure and
retain situations, while those who possess
it not, are forced to be idle. There is all
the difference in the world between an ex-
pert clerk and clumsy ene-between q
skillful salesman and an unskillful one
between dexterous mechanic or laborsr
and an awkward one-between even
cheerful and tidy house servant and care
less, slovenly one. The value of skill ap-
plies to all vocations and all departments
of service Whether piece of work Is
well done or i'll done may be question of
vast Importance to the employer; it may
be worth twice as much to have it we'll
done as to have it badly done


A good workman may be worth twice as
much as poor one; an expert, reliable
clerk, who attends to his employers busin-
ess as we'll as the employer himself would,
may be cheap at two hundred dollars
month, while careless clerk, who is not
concerned how he does his work, so he gets
through with it ard draws his pay, may be
dear at half the sum. A young man with
good education, twenty-five years old,
and of some experience, may imagine that
his services are worth as much as those Of
another man with the same education and
experience; but he may be seriously mis-
! taken in his estimate His value is to be
submitted to an employer for an estimate,
and the qualities, skill, tact, diligence,
fidelity and trustness, are all to be consid-
cred in determining it.


If one man possesses the attributes in
high degree aud another lacks them, the
former is sure of constant employment at
liberal compensation, while the latter may
be large ortion of his time out of en-
ployment, or able to command only an in
ferior salary. Labor is sometimes a glut
in the market, but skill and efficiency are
always in demand if, therefore, man
who always has services TO sell, would get a
good price and constant employment for
them let him, by d1ligent study and careful
application, make himself master of his
calling, whatever it be.
Year: 1871

The Indians of North America observe
an admirable rule in their social intercourse;
and that is, of speaking only one at time.
We earnestly recommend the unqualified
adoption Of this simple rule in all families,
or the better preservation Of domestic
quietusse.
Year: 1871

A young man in Maine, who had made
all his arrangements to marry the daugh-
ter ola hotel-keeper in that State recently
was astounded by a demand from her
father for her boarl during the time In
which they had been engaged about
four years The youth suddenly dissp-
peared from town.
Year: 1871

FROM Inc COunCll Bulls IlnlCS.


Last evening we got an invitation
to q cheap ride on Spoon Lake, on
the confines of the city limits, and
went. Spoon Lake is appropriately
named from its resemblance to a
spoon. The bowl is nearly circular
and about sevcnty-tivc yards in diam
eter. The handle is nearly half a
mile long, and crossed by the Chicago
and Rock Island railroad bridge near
the neck. The water along the ham
die is very deep, and below the sur
tace-water rs cold rs ice. The bowl
seems to be unfathomable, for u five
thousand foot line with II plummct
failed to touch bottom.


A remarkable fact in regard to The
lake now is that it is literally packed
with fish, while heretofore there was
not more than enough to crafty the
sporting practice Of our anglers. The
fish come toward the shore in shoals,
gasping for air, and dying in myriads,
are cast on the banks to decay. The
water of the lake, heretofore so limpid,
has assumed Il dark brown walnut
color.


An eddy in the middle Of the bowl,
ebbing and flowing with tidal rcgu-
larity, indicates that Spoon Lake is in
direct subterranean communication
with some vast body of water, and is
subject the its influence. The water
sometimes bulges up in The middle OF
the bowl to twelve or eighteen inches
above the height of the rim or margin;
and again is seen to form II miniature
cup or whirlpool, as if the water was
all leaking out through a hole in tn,
center. The circumstance leaves lit.
tie or no doubt of q subterrancal
channel.


Another strange fact is that, like
the Caspian Sea, it is fed by scvcra
small streams; and, rs there is III
visi bic outlet, and the water retains
its freshness, there must be an under.
ground communication.


1t was ebbing when we visited the
lake; and we were filled with cul liOsi.y
to see the little maelstrom at work;
so procuring bottle, we lnclosed :
scrap of paper inscribed with the date
location and circumstance, corked,
tied and sealed the bottle, and cast ii
into the eddy, when it instantaneous
ly disappeared-waS swallowed up by
the whirlpool.


There is no getting over the fact that
in the flow of the lake large quantities
Of fish have been introduced to its
waters by this underground passage
until the lake has become overstocked.
The native fish, no doubt jealous OF
their piscatorial visitors, made war
on them with the evident intention of
repelling the invasion. But the in
vading armies seem to have been
more powerful, to judge from the
dead and dying strewn along the
margin, for the great bulk of those
fonnd are buffalo fish, catfish, perch
and pike, knt with difference ofcolor
showing, at least, different species.
We picked up some Of the dying fish
and examined them. Some were bit i.
ten OH the lower part of the body be-
low the gills, and others battered
along the sides as if frcceiving chastise-
ment from an opponents tail.
Year: 1871

AS the moons axis is nearly per.
pcndicular TO the plane ofthc ccIiptic,
she can scarcely have any change OF
seasons. But, what is still more re-
markabic, one half of the moon has
no darkness at all, while the other
half has two weeks of light and two
of darkness, altcrnativcly: the in
habitants, if any, of the first half,
bask constantly in carlhshinc, with
out seeing the sun, whilst those of
the second never sec the earth at all.
For the earth reflects the light of the
sun to the moon in the same manner
as the moon docs to the earth; ; there
fore at the time of conjunction, or
new moon, her further side must be
enlightened by the sun and the near
CT half by the earth and at the oppo-
sltion or full moon, one half Of her
will be enlightened by the sun, but
the other half will be in total dark
ness. TO the lunarians the earth
seems the largest orb in the universe !;
for it appears TO them more than
thrCc times the size of the sun, and
thirteen times greater than the moon
does to us-cxlibling similar phases
to herself, but in reverse order for
when the moon is full, the earth is
invisible to them, and when the moon
is new, they will see the earth full.
The face OF the moon appears TO Us
permanent, but to them the earth
presents very different appearances,
the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, in
the course of every twcnty-iour
hours, succcssivcly rivct their attcn-
ton. The moon being the iilicth
part of the bulk of our globe, and
within 23S,0O0 miles Of lis, may bc
brought with II proper telescope
which magniics 1909 times. to ap-
pear rs she would to the naked eye
were she only 80 miles of.
Year: 1871

The feeble and delicate dread the winter,
and with good reason. The weather at this
season has a depressing effect upon the vital
organs and the animal spirits, and they have
no vitality or mental animation to spare
The aged and inIirm, in whom the lamp of
life is waxing dim, are always unpleasantly
affected by the mperature of winter, and
should fortify their systems against it. The
extra vigor and resistant power which the
enfeebled system requires to enable it to
meet with safety the assaults of cold and
damp, may soon be acquired by the regular
use of Hostetter's Stomach Bitters- The
tonic effect of this wonderful medicine is
soon apparent, in an increased appetite, a
more active digestion, and brighter, hap
pier frame of mind. Food is the fuel of the
body, and if 1t is not properly digested the
fires of life burn low. When this is the case,
The disability can always be remedied with
in a short space of time, by taking full
dose of the Bitters twice day. The stom-
ach will soon begin to perform its allotted
task regularly and steadily; the food, being
thoroughly assimilated, will yield the
amount of vital heat and nourishment
which the body requires under the external
pressure of cold, and the winter ailments
which are apt TO assail the weak and un-
toned physique will be avoided.
Year: 1871

A writer in the Cincinnati Gazette


tells of recent visit behind the scenes
In one of the theaters in that city, and
relates the following incident:


- An affecting incident occurred at
the National a few days ago. One OF
the public favorites, just as the curtain
rose, received a telegram that his mother
lay dying in Philadelphia. The poor fell
low broke down, sobbed like child, and
around him hung his associates in silent.
fearful sympathy. But the public had
paid there admission-the performance
must go on and with heroism not often
paralleled, he rose, wiped the tears from
his face, and appeared before the
footlights- Little did the audience
think, as they shook with laughter at his
broad caricature, and thundered out a
vehement encore, of the agony he was
enduring. Could they have stood at the
wings and seen the ghastly look OF
suffering that swept over his face as he
left the stage, they would have realized
what their amusement cost that night.
But again and again was he recalled, and
as he left the scene for the last time,
another telegram announced TO him that
all was over. Still the inexorable public
must receive their qltid pro quo, and so
through the pantomine's weary length
he had to drag himself, apparently the
gayest of the gay, while the Reenest and
bitterest of earthly sorrows was piercing
his heart, and many mute pressure of
the hand bore evidence of the kindly
sympathy of those about him. 4"


The writer labors to correct the popu-
lar impression that the majority of actors
and actresses are immoral, and in con-
clusion says:


81 have only a word for the reader.
Frown as unsparingly as you will on vice
and immortality whenever or wherever
found; but, pray you, by our common
humanity, let your mantle of charity be
large enough to cover the stage as a
whole, and believe that there, as every
where else in life, are found ernest, de
voted, ambitious men and woman, among
whom the average morality is certainly
as high as elsewhere in the world, and
who will appreciate your action all the
more because of the unjust cloud of cen
sure under which they have heretofore