smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1870

Nobody need feel called upon to blush
over the paragraph printed below, fol
1t Is taken from Mrs. Anna Cora Mo.
watt Ritchie's last London letter to the
San Francisco Chronicle:


"We trust our fair American sisters
will not be shocked by our unhesitating
use of the word "leg," which they are
accustomed to designate as climb" or
slower limb" In England and all
over Europe that little would
be pronounced indelicate and affected !;
and 1t certainly is the latter, if not the
former. But to our story. While sym.
metrical feminine legs are said to be
disappearing from American soil, they
are so much in the ascendant in Eng
land that ladies of rank have invented
a new method of making known their
fair proportions. We read in the March
number of the Galdry that in work
just published, two American medical
men put forth the gross slander that "a
handsome leg Is q rarity-we had al
most said an impossibility-among
American women ~ We do not be.
lieve the uDgallant libel, though Amer
lean ladies certainly are not in the habit
of publishing their charms by having
casts taken of their shapely legs, as an
ornament for drawing room tables, or
to be sold for the benefit of the vender
of casts, or to be circulated among
friends as delicate token of friendship
and valuable work of art. What we
are about to relate appears, at the first
blush, so incredible that we hold our
self responsible for its exact truth. Up.
on the drawing.room table of a lady of
rank in London-a lady of high posi-
tion and irreproachable character-may
be seen, beneath a glass case, lovely
dim pied little foot, delicate ankle, and
rounded calf, up to the knee joint it Is
the cast of the leg of Lady -, the
hostess. In Soho square there is small
rather humble-looking shop, in which
you can purchase, for five shillings, a
cast of one of the most exquisite of
legs the original lin the fiesh) belongs
to Lady de G. and B., who went
to this little shop incog., and had her
perfect leg moulded, and afterwards
genero usly gave the shopman the priv
ilege of selling copies of the cast, which
he does daily, for it was quickly discov-
ere to whom the beauteousleg belong
ed. One lady, the wife Of mayor of
town in the provinces, came to Lon
don and had two casts taken of her leg
one nude, and one with the neat little
shoe, stocking, and garter. Strange to
say Though no artist will call it strange)
the leg with the stocking and garter
produced an effect much further remov-
ed from modesty than the leg quite un-
clad. Brucciani, the cast-vender in


Covent Garden, drives brisk trade in
casting ladies' legs, and has any guam
tity of models of all descriptions taken
from life, and chiefly from noble life,
for sale. How this leg mania originated
we have not heard; but there is certainly
some explanation for this sudden pas,
sion among the aristocratic fair to have
their legs recognized; perhaps it is only
because "a thing of beauty is a joy for
ever"
Year: 1870

A WIDowER in Indiana who marri-
ed again last week, while on his way
with his new bride to the depot to start
on their bridal tour, was rudely stop
ped by an undertaken who demanded
instant payment of his little bill for
burying his first wife. The father of
the new bride stepped forward and
liquidated the bill.
Year: 1870

A MORAL elephant in Cinncinati has
200 rife balls inside his skin, put there
at odd times TO curb his hot temper,
yet he is able to shamble of at gait
that forces the moral band wagon horse
into trot, and distresses the moral
camel.
Year: 1870

Bitten by n Blood HOund-A Mothers Male.


misunderstanding Death from Hydro.


phObia.


A melancholy and IN many respects singular
0eath from hydroph0bia occurred yesterday
morning at Yonkers Westchester county where the
horrifying circumstance Is at present engrOsslng
an unusual share of attention. 10 medical men It Is
another terrible illustration OF the fact that although
the poison conveyed In the bite Of rabid animal
may remain dormant in the system for an indefinite
period its power to torture and destroy life does not
deteriOrate.


The victim, Thomas Lamb, who was in his twenty.
fourth year, was by trade an engineer and employed
at foundry in the village named, thoughout which
he was well known as q trustworthy, Industrious
man. During last winter, while employed in a
brewery In neghboring village, deceased
was bitten by fer0cious bloodh ound, owned by
mis- employer, and although the wound inflicted
by the iangs Of the brute not very severe the
animal was ct once despatched and the affected
part having rapidly healed the occurrence was
soon forgotten by the deceased. On Tuesday Of
last week, deceased was united in marriage
with young woman whose mother had bitterly
opposed his attentions to her daughter. Having
BY the exercise OF a little strategy realized
their matrimonial Wishes the married pair had
&c arcely reached the dom!cile OF the bridegroom
when the mother OF the bride made her ap-
Ing curses and vengeance on the luckiess te;kIs
couple, ferventy prayed that her daughter
might be "a widow In less tlau three molthsn


It appears that the diabolcal imprecatIons OF the
mother had most depressing effect on the minds Of
the young people, and on the following day deceased
evinced symptoms Of the awful malay the seeds OF
which mad been sown In his system some months pre-
viously. Medical skill was resort ID to without avail,
and on Friday the wretched man. In one OF his terrible
paroxysms, escaped from his attendants and after
reaching some open lots, disp.ayed catlike agility
In bounding over fences and 9th rwise dis
porting like an anima. He was subsequently
secured by two Of the YonKers police, who
fund 1t necessary to handcuff the mailman
on arriving at his home In Brook street.. Either
the sight or sound OF water would throw the patient
into the most agonizing convulsOns and as the
malady developed itself lie would bark like dog,
snarllng and swapping at those who were near him.
He continued to grow more violent and dangerous,
so that for many hours before his dissolution was
deemed necessary to bind him with strong coyds,
and while In this condition his struggles shrieka and
howls were truly shocking until death ensue1 as
above stated.
Year: 1870

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HRRALD:-


More than one year ago two friends quarrelled
most seriously because one, who was an engineer
insisted thar the Elevated Railway would be failure
and that the parties who had planned At either did
ferred political intrgues to them. People have been
seriously injured by falling up stairs as well as down.
and the failure to recognize tnts fact is the cause OF
the trouble on the Elevated Railway.


the extra pressure upon the outer side OF the
curve In the tracks pressed upon the arch Of the
counterbaance the road easily tilted as was pre-.
dicted by every engineer In the acquaintance of your
correspondent And 1t will cntnue to tilt unless
counterbraced between the brackets or In the fork
OF the column. Nun ced.n OLD RUST
Year: 1870

General Jordan's appeal for the suffering women
Of Cuba has already responded to. Several dis.
tinguished ladies Of New YORK are at work. and their
plan OF action Will be made known In few days.
Year: 1870

now complete in every department of the
trade. Our Goods will be found most
elegant and superb, unexcelled and un-
rivalled in excellence, embracing Foreign
and Domestic Fabrics of the choicest and
test designs, being mostly handmade
and warranted in every instance 10 give
entire satisfaction. We earnestly invite
the attention of all who desire good goods,
which are manufactured with q specia-
view to first-class retail trade.
Year: 1870

The new foreign enlistment bill, which
was read the second time IN the House of
Commons on Monday, forbids the enlist
ment of British subjects anywhere, or of
aliens in the kingdom, The building of
ships is a crime equally with fitting out
and equipping them, and the Secretary of
State may issue a warrant to seize them,
and the Court of Admiralty condemn. II
they escape, their prizes brought here
shall be restored to their owners.
Year: 1870

WOULD you know whether the ten
dency of book is good or evil, examine
in what state of mind you lay it down.
Has it induced you to suspect that what
you have been accustomed to think un-
lawful may, after all, be innocent, and that
that may be harmless which you have
hitherto been taught to think dangerous
Has it tended to make you dissatisfied
and impatient under the control of others
and disposed you to relax in that selt-gov-
ernment, without which both the laws OF
God and man tell us there can be no vir-
tue, and consequently no happinessg Has
it attempted to abate your admiration and
reverence for what is great and good, and
to diminish in you the love Of your coun-
try and your fellow creatures? Has it
addressed itself to your vanity, your sell
fishness, or any other of your evil propen-
sities? Has it defiled the imagination
with what is lOathsome, or shocked the
heart with what is monstrOuS? Has it
disturbed the sense of right and wrong
which the Creator has implanted in the
human soul? If so-if you are conscious
of all or any of these effects-or if, having
escaped from all, you have felt that such
were the effects it was intended to pro-
duce, throw the book into the fire, what
ever name it may bear in the title page
Throw it into the fire, young man, though
it be the gift of a friend; young lady, away
with the whole set, though it should be
the prominent furniture of rosewood
bookcase. .-S0uthey.
Year: 1870

The Albany Post thus scnsibly replies
to statement made in the New York
Herald that during the last twenty years
William b. Astor has so managed for
tune of twenty millions as to roll it into
sixty millions:


"Suppose he has, what them What
has he made by the operation, except in
creased worriment to keep the run OF his
increased wealth Astor, with sixty mil
lions, eats no more oysters, quail, wood
cock and boned turkey, than he did when
he was worth ten millions. He dresses no
better and has thousand times less fun.


of mems happiness increased with
their money, everybody should be justi-
fled in worshiping the Golden Calf The
happiness increases with their earnings
up to certain point-the point necessary
to secure them lthe comforts OF life, say
$4,000 year. All beyond this is super
fluous. Being superfuous, it is productive
of no good whatever The richer the man,
the greater is the probability that his sons
will live on billiards and die in the inebri-
ate asylum. With contentment and 81
600 year a man may be as happy as
prince. Without contentment you Will be
miserable, even if your wealth equal the
rent rolls of Crpsus."
Year: 1870

ASTRONOMERS estimate that some of the
most distant stars seen by Lord ROsSe's
telescope, give to the earth the rays OF
light which left them 10000 years ago
having taken all that time, at the rate OF
100000 miles, or eight times round our
earth, in one second. to reach us; that the
rays emitted now will not reach our solar
system until another $4,000 years has
passed away. Take our earth for central
point, and one of these distant stars being
due east and another due west, their dis
tance from each other would be double
this distance from the earth, or, 100000
years would be consumed in the passage
OF rays of light from one TO the other
more time than is allotted to three thou
sand generations of the human race. If
the time so occupied is incOnceivably vast,
how can we form any conception OF the
distance? Multiply the 100000 years, re
duced to seconds, by 100000, and you get
the distance, between two such stars, in
miles; but the number is absolutely over
whelming.


But we have only begun to look a COM
paratively small distance out, into infinite
space, or perhaps, into, to us, the illimited
creation. We may imagine a million of
stars placed in straight line, each as far
distant from its next as the two we have
above supposed, and yet the distance be-
tween the two last extremes would be too
short, for a measure TO measure across the
vast creation, though extended over new
space once in each minute, for a million
years.


How vast-infinite-that Eternal Mind
which filled these vast spaces with the
creations we are able to see and cOntem-
plate, and whose presence intelligently
fills the entire bounds of infinite space !!
whose knowledge and power are not ex-
hausted on the grand, the sublime system
of the universe, but also employed in Civ
ing and sustaining life to the myriads of
the microscopic insects in all the vast uni
verse, without diverting his attention at
any time from either the greatest or small
est object within the range Of our con-
ceptiOns!


How appropriate, to turn our eyes from
all this vastness, and look at ourselves, in
habitants of this little dirty speck, men
call earth" How diminutive the size of
mans body compared with these vast dis
tanccs! How short his earthly duration,
when measured by the vast ages and
periods involved in the creation of the
universe How contracted the capacities
of his mind, compared with the alien
bracing intelligence of that powerful mind
who originated, preserves and regulates
the boundless creation How proper to
repress the swellings of pride, to thus
discover our own nOthingness, and how
appropriate to humble ourselves before
that Being, who gave and preserves our
existence l-Nati0ndl.
Year: 1870

AFTER great snow storm, little fcl-
low began to shovel a path through n
large snow-bank before his grand mother s
door. He had nothingsbut small shovel
to work with.


" How DO you expect to get through
that drift" asked II man passing along.


"By keeping at It" sad the boy cheer
fully; "that's how. :"


That's the secret Of mastering almost
every difficulty under the sun. Ii a hard
task is before YOU, stick TO it. Do not keep
thinking how hard it is; but 90 at it, and
little by little it viii grow smaller, until il
is done.


If a hard lesson is to be learned, do not
spend moment in fretting, do not lose a
breath in saying, Il can't" or Il do not
see how" but 60 at il, and keep at it. If
a fault is to be cured, or "A bad habit broken
up, it can not be done by merely being
sorry, or only trying little. You must
keep fighting II; and not give up fighting
until it is got rid of
Year: 1870

CoI-RTEsY.-A correspondent of the
CoRgregati0ha'ia calls the attention oi
boys-farmors' boys and all others,-to a
word of counsel in behalf of courtesy ;
"Some seem to think that courtesy can
be easily gained after one has passed his
school days, and while at school, strive
for the attainment Of every other element
of a successful life more than this. Such
greatly mistake. for in most cases courtesy
is the result Of long and patient endesvor,
and is valuable in proportion as il Is habit
nal. How often is the remark made oi
men of sound sense and respectable ac-
uuirements. that they show lack of early
culture, which Is often equivalent to say
ing that they made the mistake OF
neglecting courtesy in their boyhood.
Now is the time for YOU to become cour-
teous. Begin, in your intercourse with
your school-mates, tn treat Others In the
same kind and considerate manner in
which you would yourself be treated.
Obedience to the command, be courte-
ous' is but compliance i'm the minutlie oi
our social action with the golden rule.
Year: 1870

A MAN in Sacramento city has sued a
savings bank for one thousand dollars de-
posted by his wife, who died recently.
The wife deposited the money In her own
name, with an order that in the event of
her death the amount should be paid to
certain reverend father of the Catholic
Church, in trust for the benefit Of her
children. The bank refused To pay the
money to the husband without an order
of the court.
Year: 1870

THEY say that fifty young Radicals in
Paris have sworn to avenge the death of
Victor Noir, in case merely nominal pun
ishment should be inflicted on Prince
Pierre Napoleon. They propose 10 chat
lengc the Prince successiyciy, until one
of them succeeds in killing him. In case
the Prince should refuse to met them " in
the field of honor" they will, by turn,
watch for him on the streets, and insult
him in public.
Year: 1870

8 TIE counsels of the good cannot
benefit us, nor tho seduction Of the
wicked injnre us without our free
consent. Our wisdom and folly
are our own, and we must reap
their fruits here and hereafter.
Year: 1870

A GREEDY SnoP KEEPER Sold
A sailor from one of the lake fleet
vessels recently went into shop
in Milwaukee, and purchased goods
to the amount Of fifty cents
Throwing down a bill, he said
There is two dollar bill-give
me the change" A glance show
ed the store keeper that the bill
was a "V," and hastily sweeping
it into the drawer, he gavc back
the change. After Jack was gone,
the man went to the drawer, and
found that the bill was a "V," to
be sure, but was a little the worst
counterfeit ever seen, Indignant
at the treatment, Jack was found
by the store-keeper and threaten
ed, but Jack was ready, and show.
cd by comrade that he received
but a dollar and half in change,
so he could not have given the
man the bill. Aftcr little talk,
the matter was allowed to drop by
the store-kecper, who has probably
learned something he did known
before"
Year: 1870

We don't like stinginess.----
We don't like economy, when it
comes down to rags and starva-
tion. We have no sympathy
with the notion that a poor
man should hitch himself to a
post and stand still, while the
rest Of the world moves for
ward. 1t is no mans duty to
deng himself every amusement,
every luxury, every recreation,
every comfort, that he may get
rich. It is no mans duty to
make an iceberg of himself, to
shut his eyes and ears to the,
sufferings of his fellows, and
deny himself the enjoy ment
that results from generous ac-
tions, merely that he may hoard
wealth for his heirs to quarrel
about. But there is an econo-
my which is every mans duty,
and which is especially COM
mendable in the man who
struggles with poverty-an
economy which is consistent
with happiness, and which
must be practiced if the poor
man would secure independ-
ence. 1t is almost every mans
privilege, and it becomes his
duty to live within his means;
not up to, but within them
Wealth does not make the man,
we admit, and should never be
taken into the account in our
judgment of men, but compe-
tence should always be secured,


when it can be, by the practice
OF economy and self-denial to


only a tolerable extent. It


should be secured, not so much


for others to look upon, or to


raise us in the estimation of


others, as to secure the con-


sciousness of independence and


the constant satisfaction which


is derived from its requirement


and possession.
Year: 1870

The sweetest word in our
language is love. The greatest
word in our language is God.
The word expressing the short
est time is now. The three
make the sweetest duty man
can perform.
Year: 1870

higher in currency, but arc very likely to
be lower in gold thau they harc been fog
six months past,


The first requisite to any clear. or even
coherent. thinking on our present financial
situation is that the whole problem shall
lie thought through on the gold basis.
Nothing is more common than to hear busi.
ness men speak Of l'uying bonds with cur
rencs in oracr to protit by tho rise, wholly
unconscious that The currency md the
bonds rise at the samo rate. As well might
they buy greenbncks with bank notes, or
shillings with dollars, The unchangeable
value Of gold, the sympathy of oar cur
1ency with our bonds, and the dependence
of our bouds for their price Ola the
laws Of supply and demand which go@ern
all commodities, are the elements which
,1nderhe the effects which European war
will have on our aftairs On tho whole,
there is much that is deceptive and illusory
in the kind Of prosperity such WAL will
cause, as there was in the case of our own
war. The Almighty has not ordained thnt
any one country shall be permanently Dcne-
flied by the destruction uf life and prop
erty in other countries.
Year: 1870

The United States Pension Agents
under sanction of the Department at
Washington are now sending Govern
ment vouchers carefully prepared, to
each pensioner, enabling him to collect
his own pension with the least possible
trouble and expense. On the receipt of
she voucher the pensioner has only to
sign it according to directions, and re-
turn it by mail to the agent, when a
check on the United States Treasury is
Immediately returned. A pcnsioner can
thus, tor few cents, remain at home
and collect his own pension without pay
ing anattorney orclaim agent from two to
fifteendollars to collect has pension or
prepare his papers" Every pensioner,
to draw his pension, is required, by or
ders from Washington, to have his pen
sion certificate in has oWn possession.
Any person Withholding his certificate
should be reported to the Government
agent. Under this arrangement, if a
pcnsioner is feeced, it would seem to be
from choice.


The plan now pursued by the Pension
Department, and with so successful re-
suits, was first adopted by Pension
Agent FITCH. when in charge of the
Office in this city. When presented to
the department it was at once adopted.
and is now generally practiced through
out the country much to the benefit OF
the poor pensioners.
Year: 1870

To render man happy and contented
his home Influences must be of an agree
able and enticing character. This must
be the spot to which he can retire for
peace and quiet enjoyment; the green
isle in the ocean of life, ever warmed by
the genial sun and fragrant with flowers.
Contention should never enter here but
the good wife, yielding, yet influencing
bv kindness. should aim to render her
husbands home an earthly paradise.
few men who will prefer the bar-room to
their own Gre5ides, or the company Of
the depraved and vicious to that OF
kind and tender helpmate. We remem-
Der story told Of an eminent divine,
whose name we cannot recall, that is
strongly Illustrative Of the moral we wish
to inculcate. 4 very respectable young
woman called upon the pastor one day,
and told him. with undisguised feelings
of regret, and with an earnest injunction
as to his secresy, that her husband was
unkind to her; that he passed nearly all
his leisure hours away from home and
that, in short, his conduct was rendering
her quite miserable.


q thought, sir said she, "as you
are good wise man, perhaps you would
advise me what to do, that | might re-
claim my husband.


"Y our complaint is not an uncommon
one, my good woman, said the pastor,
"and | think it is within the reach OF a
simple remedy"


''Oh, tell it to me, and | viii bless
you y said the poor woman sobbing like
a child.


The pastor took her hand kindly, and
looking into her face, said, impress
siyely,-


always meet your husband with a
smile. -


Light broke in upon her mind Instantly
She expressed her thanks, courtesied,
and went away She had the secret and
she resolved to try the potency of the
charm.


1t was about three months Subsequent
~ that the pastor heard gentle knock
at his library door one day, and bade the
| person enter. 1t was the wife who had
come to him not long before, but how
changed True, tear was IN her eye,
but it was tear Of JOY She brought
him as present. q couple of fine fowls,
which she begged him to accept as a
| token of acknowledgment for an indebt-
/ edness she could never repay. She had
followed his advice, and it was completely
! succeSssui-her husband was cured. Love


and kindness only existed in their cottage


and he no longer sought the company of
| boon companions, but was contented and
! happy in his home