smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

A BosToN BRIDE IN CHICAGO. Among
the unfortunate strangers who happened
to be in Chicago at the time Of the fire
was q newly welded couple from Boston
on their way to their new home in the far
West. They were at one of the hotels
and personally carried the brides trunk
down stairs, and then continued to carry
it till their strength gave out, when they
opened it and taking some of the more
costly of the bridal presents which it con-
tanned in shawl they reached stable.
The owner said he had horse and vehi-
Gle which they might have if they would
drive it out of town. Before the horse
was harnessed the flames were in such
close proximity that they were obliged to
lead the horse for some distance when
they reached a safe neighborhood. All
that Sunday night and for Il good portion
of the following day they remained in the
vehicle.
Year: 1871

The sun who smiles wherever he goes
TIL the flowers all smile again,
Fell in love one day with 4 bashiul rose
That had been a bud till then
So he pushed back the folds of the soft green


hood


That covered her modest grace,
And kissed her as only lover could,
Till the crimson burned in her face.
But woe for the day When his golden hair
Tangled her heart in net,
And woe tor the night of dark despair,
When her cheek with tears was wet.
For she loved him as only maiden could,
And he left her crushed and weak
Striving in vain with her faded hood
To cover her guilty cheek.
Year: 1871

time, and the sun had baked everything
dry, the fire ran along as though they
had been train Of gunpowder


Mrs. Hunter said We stood in the
water up to our necks, our little girl Min
ME being held up between us. When we
first went in the feeling was that of CRATE
ful refreshment The top Of the water
was warm, but the bottom part was cold.
After we had been there half an hour, the
wind carried great strips, even pieces Of
board, some of them flaming These
would be whirled in the air, high up over
our heads, and hover like huge hawk,
and then swoop down upon us We
would duck our heads under the water,
but would get so exhausted that we could
not, and then we had to be burned Poor
little Minnie, SO weak that she could hard


y cry, would say: Dear papa, | am
burned again; dear mamma my feet are
so cold, and | am so tired'' Three hours
and more thus passed. Every moment
we expected to die. Finally the air be-
came so that we could not see. Our
eyes seemed parboiled. The agony was
awful. Our feet like ice. and our faces
and heads in an atmosphere of flame AT
last there was a rush of waters. the
dam had given way ard the food
came down upon US, sweeping us off
our feet into q mass of timber and
broken plank, some on fire horses, cat
tie, dogs and human beings, all strue-
Cling and shrieking. In the rush and
whirl the almost helpless Mr.. and Mrs.
Hunter We're separated. Mrs. Hunter
went down and came near being drowned.
Minnie was lost and drowned. BY 2
swerying of the current they were washed
on shore, and at daylight found each other
There We're many mourning and crying
over the scene Of desolation. On all sides,
as tar as the eye could reach there were
smouldering fires. The vii age was
long waste of ashes; not 4 vestlge re-
maincd.
Year: 1871

Half the perplexity, annoyance
and trouble that men see in this
world is in consequence Of getting in
debt. 1t seems to be natural for
some people to buy and incur obli-
cations without measure, so long as
they can avoid paying ready cash.
Give one of this sort a chance to
buy on credit, and the question Of
price and conditions of payment are
matters that he cares but little about.
But what a crop of trouble springs
up from the seed of debt How
many sleepless nights result from it,
how many gray hairs it brings, and
how often it shOrtens life !-some-
times leading men to commit sui
eide or murder. And yet how easy
thing it is to keep clear of this ter
rible monster. Every young man
should form a fixed and unalterable
determination, before commencing
his active business career, not to in
cur one dollar of Indebtedness under
any circumstances. Never borrow.
Never buy anything unless you have
the money to pay for it at once.
Pay no attention to "splendid Op-
portunities," "bargains," 'rare
chances" and the like. Such affairs
are the traps which Debt sets to
catch victims. If you should see
anything that you would like to buy,
or if an offer is made that you would
like to accept, look first at your
money pile, and make the answer
depend on that. Always pay as you
go. If you are short of money, you
gauge your plans accordingly. FOs-
ter habits of economy, live within
your means, buy nothing that you
cannot properly afford, and you vii


go on through life free from the mis-


cries and troubles that ever beset tht


paths of the debtor.
Year: 1871

Young folks should be mannerly.
How to be so is the question. Many
a good girl and boy feel that they
cannot behave to suit themselves in
the presence of company. They
feel timid, bashful, aud self-distrust-
full the moment they are addressed
by a stranger, or appear in cOmpa-
nv. There is but one way to get
over this feeling and acquire grace
ful and easy manners, that is, to do
the best they can all the time. at
home, as well as abroad. Good
manners are not learned from ar
bitrary teaching 50 much as aequir-
ed from habit. They grow upon US
by use. We must be courteous,
agreeable, civil, kind, gentlemanly
and WomanIy at home, and then it
will soon become a kind Of second
nature to be so everywhere. A
coarse, rough manner at home be-
gets a habit of rOughness, which we
cannot lay of if we try, when we
90 among strangers. The most agree
able people we have ever known in
company are those that are perfect
/ Iy agreeable at home. Home is the
school for all the best things, esPe'


pecially for good manners.
Year: 1871

It is two years since I left off the
use of tobacco. 1 certainly did en-
Joy my cigar. I prided myself on
my fine Havanas, and might have
been seen almost any morning with
one in my mouth, walking down to
business and putting away in most
comfortable manner.


Why I left off was this: I had a
little son about six years of age. He
almost always hurried to be ready
to walk down with me as far as his
school. His bright face and extended
hand were always welcome, as he
bounded along beside me, chatting
as only such dear little fellows can.
The city has in it many uncared for
boys, whose chief delight seems to
be to pick up pieces of discarded
cigars and broken pipes, and with
their hands in their pockets, to puff
away in q very inelegant manner.
One morning it seemed as if little
Edgar and met a great many OF
those juvenile smokers. 1 became
very much, disgusted, and pointing
them out to little Edgar as sad warn
ings of youthful delinquency, talked
quite largely, and said the authori-
ties ought to interfere and put q
stop to such q public nuisance.
A little voice, soft and musical
came up to me as I gave an extra
puff from my superb Havana. A
bright little face was upturned and
the words "Isn't it worse for a man
father ?" came to my ears. looked
down at the little fellow at my side
when his timid eye fell, and the
color mounted on bis boyish check
as if he feared he had said some
thing bold and uniting. "DO You
think it worse for a man, Edgar p
Iasked.


"Please, father, 1 think boys
would not want to smoke if men die
not do it."


Here was the answer. I threw
away my cigar and have never
touched tobacco since in any form
land, having found that 1 am SC
much better withoutit, 1 never shall
Year: 1871




A correspondent Of the San Francisco
Chronicle, who signed herself "ToE-
mented Woman" defines her position
thus: am pestered with offers. Now
I never offered to marry a man. IneVer
had the presumption to say to gentle
man, 'If you viii be my exclusive COM
.paniOn for life I will support you; I will
be a mother to your children. As to
congeniality, why I've only seen you in
company dress, but you please me in
that, and III take it for granted that in
all their intrieacies and complications
our natures will come into perfect SYM
pathy and cOnsanguinity with each 9TH
er." But men will make such PROPOSE
tions after a six weeks acquaintance,
when in reality they know no more Of
the woman whom they ask to marry
them than the man in the moon. There
are men who will proposemarriage to US,
whose business would keep them two
thirds of the time in the Wilds Of the
continent. They seem to imagine that
the honor Of their name and alliance
would be a sufficient compensation for a
life spent two-thirds one entirely sub
ject to the provisions of the baokwOods.
There are others, confirmed invalids,
who, because we are pleasing to them,
elect us to the station Of their nurses for
life. Others are as poor as poverty, yet
not for a moment do they hesitate to
offer us shares in their like poverty
Your men are deluged on this subject
Of matrimony. You meet a woman at
tractive to you, and forthwith You con-
clude that the be-all and end-all Of her
existence here is a place in your own
private cage, where she is to sing for
your own exclusive benefit. We pro-
pose soon to take hand in this worlds
little game; we are trying TO learn from
you how you have managed olong and
successfully to stock the cards; we pro-
pose to trump our share Of the tricks
and see that the honors are more equal
ly divided; we may not all vote, or
shrink, or ofieiate as platform statuary
for a Stanton or an Anthony, but things
are working; new deal all around is


being quietly shuHed out, and in q year


or two more some of you gentlemen


who deem all a woman's fitness to be


for making your beds, cooking your


food, serubbing your floors, and rocking


your cradles, will be astOnished by the


positions held by US.
Year: 1871

In some few sad lives there comes a
moment when the shadow Of death
passes over the soul, and does not touch
the body. After that we walk along our
appointed path through the world, and
laugh and talk, and buy and sell, and
marry and are given in marriage, may
be; and none of our friends, who hold
our hands, and wish Us GOd-speed on
our way, imagine, when they look into
our eyes, that we are dead that there il
no more light in the evening sky, nor
freshness in the morning dew that in
our hearts is neither hope nor fear, re-
gret, remembraRce, nor delight; only
so much of the red heart-throb as keeps
Up the show of life for other needs than
our own--onIy cold, dull patience, in
place Of a living soul.
Year: 1871

When is candle like tombstone? When it's
put up for a late husband.


Why is a carpenters wife an unhappy woman
Because her husband Is always a-jawin' 'er.


Why are there no hens in the night Because
they are then all ROSTERS.


Why do school boys like to dig and explore oayssi
Because Of the rscesses there.


What is the difference between homicidist and
a pork-packer. One assaults with intent to kill
and the other kills with intent to salt.
Year: 1871

"A certain man who is very rich
now, was very poor when a boy.
When asked how he got his riches,
he said: "My father taught me never
to play till my work was finished,
and never to spend my money till ]
had earned it, IifI had but an hours
work in the day, 1 must do that the
first thing and in an hour. And
after that was allowed to play; and
then 1 could play with much more
| pleasure than if 1 had the thought O.
an unfinished task before my mind
l early formed the habit of doing
every thing in time and soon became
easy to do so. 1t is to this 1 owe my
prosperity.
Year: 1871

You have only day to spend upon
earth act in such a way that you may
spend it in peace. Peace is the fruit of
love; for to live in peace, it is necessary
to put up with many things.


Some men are like cats. You may
stroke the fur the right way for years,
and hear nothing but purring; but
accidentally tread on the tail, and all
memory of former kindness is oblit-
Grated.


Look not mournfully into the past
it comes not back again. Wisely i'm
prove the present; it is thine; Go forth
to meet the shadowy future without
fear, and with manly heart.


Each drop in the bitter cup is meas,
ured out by the unerring hand Of the
heavenly Physician, who never makes
mistakes, nor ceases to watch his pa
tient for one moment.


God has not left himself without 6
witness in any human heart. Even the
prOfessed atheist, while pretending tC
deny His existence, really fears Hi
power to punish.


Consult duty, not events. We havt
nothing to do but to mind our duty. o
how quiet, as we'll as holy, would oul
lives have been had we learned tha
single lesson To be careful for moth
ing, but to do our duty, and leave al
consequences to God.


Happiness and joy are inevitable con
sequences of virtuous actions, and thest
are the only substantial benefits of life
nl-gotten pleasures are void of that vi
tality which is necessary to make then
lasting.


God renders earth desolate to induc'
you to seek a better country. He strike
away every human prop, and puts fail
ure and vexatiOn into every world!
scheme, that you may turn from idol
unto him.
Year: 1871

Doesn't this lovely scene animate
you?' asked Anna Of here lover. mo
said he, nothing but you can Ami
mate me. o say yes, my darling
She did say yes, and his cup Ofani
nation was full.
Year: 1871

A few years since there was exhibited
in New York a most marvellous speci-
men of handwriting, it being no less
than complete copy of the Holy Bible
on surface about the size Of an ordin-
ary mantel or pier glass, the words of
the same being SO ingeniously arranged
and grouped as to form the representa-
ton Of beautiful temple, while at the
same time not one word is omitted, no
sentence transposed, and the several
chapters follow each other in proper or
der. At first view a spectator perceives
only well arranged architectural draw
ing, delicate and exact; but on close
examination (some parts requiring the
use Of magnifying glass) every part Of
the elevation, each window and doorway,
each apparent line and curve of column,
cornice and entabliture-eVerything, in
short, about the picture, except, perhaps,
a slight shading, is resolved into distinct
and regular handwriting. This wonder
ful production was executed by Polish
gentleman by the name Of David David
son, who finished his task after two years
and seven months of constant applica-
tion ..a... r. HH.U
Year: 1871

If you want to make the ruin of a child
sure, give him liberty after dark. You
cannot do anything nearer to insure his
damnation than to let him have liberty
to 20 where he win without restraint.
After dark he will be sure to get into
communication with people that will un-
dermine all his good qualities. / do not
like to talk to parents about their chill
dren. Their child cannot, will not lie,
when his tongue is like a .bended bow;
he will not drink when there is not "a
saloon within a mile Of his father s
house, where he is as well known as
one of its own decanters; he never docs
an iniquitous thing when he is reeking
inflth. Nineteen out Of every twenty
allowed perfect freedom by night will be
wounded by it. There is nothing more
important than for a child to be at home
at night, or, if he is abroad, you should
be with him. If he is to see any sights, or
take any pleasure, there is nothing that he
should see that you should not see with
him. 1t is not merely that the child
should be broken down, but there are
thoughts that never ought to find pas.
sage into a mans brain. As an eel, il
he wriggle across your carpet, will leave
his slime which no brushing can ever eff
feet, so there are thoughts that never
can be got rid Of, if once permitted to
enter; and there are individuals going
round with obscure books and pictures
under the lapel of their coats, that will
put ideas in the mind of your child that
will never be effaeed. There are men who
have heard a salacious song, and they
never will forget it. They will regret
having heard it to the end of their lives,
| don't believe in child's seeing life, as
it is called, with its damnable lust and
wickedness, to have all his imagination
set on fire with the flames of hell. No
body goes through this fire but they are
burned; and they can't get rid of the
scars.
Year: 1871

Sheriff Morris, of Portsmouth, last fall
took possession of ten barrels Of liquor
in that city on an attachment, stored
and locked them up. 1t is said few
days since he went TO get the liquor, and
found gimlet hole in each barrel, and
as dry as when they came from the
cooper. An opening had been made
into the cellar from a narrow passage
way. and now the State is one thousand
dollars out by the operation.
Year: 1871

The pretty gipsies Of English and
Italian straw are almost universally
worn, and almost as universally becom-
ing The only fault is that they are too
mach trimmed Lace, ribbon, flowers,
feathers, are all piled on one small foun-
dation, and the result is that the shape
is lost in a confused mass of decoration
and drapery. Bonnets worn by elegant
matrons are made Of chip, ornamented
with black lace and tea roses, OF with
frou from gros grain ribbon, white lace,
and soft white ostrich plume, in the
heart Of which nestles n satin passion
Year: 1871

Among the topics discussed at the
late meeting of the Northern Illinois
Horticular Society was that of the value
of quails as a destroyer of noxious in
sects, and the importance of protecting
them against the hunters and farmers
and their boys. Among the entire feath-
cred tribe there is not more harmless
bird. Their notes have been my delight
from my boyhood; because, first, no
criminal charge has ever been preferred
against them second, they are the
most valuable bird friend we have here.
Nearly all other birds leave us in winter,
but the quail stays with US, and when
ever and wherever the ground is bare,
they are constantly engaged in the des-
truction of our insect enemies. 1t is
ascertained by actual examination of
the crop of the quail, at different sea-
sons, that they are mighty insect de-
stroyers, and it will not be surprising if
thcy are found to destroy the potato bug.


During that part of the winter when
the ground is covered with snow, this
little friend of the farmer, as if con-
scious of its claims on their protection,
seek shelter and food about farm-yards
and stacks of grain and hay, and some
times, if not destroyed by the heartless
hunter, starve and perish. One or two
facts, demonstrating the value of the
quail to the farmer, may shield many of
the little creatures from destruction.


A few years since the o. S. Agricul-
tural Report contained the following
fact relating to quails. A boy in Ohio
who watched a flock of quails running
along the rows of corn, presuming they
were pulling up the corn, shot one and
foundin its crop one cut worm, twenty
one striped cucumber bugs and one hum
| dred chinch bugs. A friend of mine rela-
ted to me few days since that farmer,
neighbor of his, adopted measures OF
quail protection on his premises SO eff
| fectual that they had become very
numerous, and often when the ground
was covered with snow, hundred of them
were often seen in his yard. His wheat
crops were usually abundant, while il
was generally destroyed by insects
elsewhere. '@
Year: 1871

and purple, and my left wrist sprained
from my Jump, but it was not until cramps
set in that gave up taking my turn at
the pumps, for there was many a poor
fellow worse than /. t,.,....,T,


T. The moment, we. arrived the news
spread like. FIRE, and soon a crowd of,
many hundreds were about US asking
questions and pressing upon our accept
ance of food and money, and in fact, like
many others of our species, we needed
both, for more sorry looking crowd it
would be hard to find. Our wardrobe
was made up of the odds and ends be-
longing to the Captains of the. two yes
5sels,' and was anything but comfortable,
but we little thought of that, for life
had been spared to US, while so many
had met a watery grave OF my jour
ney to Rome and the reception I re-
ceived there Will not speak-suffice it
to say that more kind-hearted people
than the Italians, or ones more ready to
help those in actual distress, do not
live. / made a statement of the affair
before the American Consul atLeghorn,
and have since learned that the Captain
of the Abbertocci is serving out a term
of eighteen years in the Government
Prison for not having his lights out and
cowardice in leaving his vessel.


Nearly. two years have; now passed
since that night, but / can yet see those
pale faces and hear the shrieks as they
sank. It will cling to me while l exist,
for am sure can never forget while
memory lasts-my leap for life.
Year: 1871

KEEP out of hasty mans way for a
while, out of sullen mans way all the
days of your life.


= THE ruin of most men dates from some
vacant hour. Occupation is the armor
of the soul.


HE who has not learned the lesson of
resolute self-help has made little pro-
gress toward real manhood.


LITTLE deeds, not miracles, nor bat
ties, nor one great, heroic act of mighty
martyrdom, make up the true Christian
life sr.. -..r.....


TRUST him little who smilingly praises
all alike him less who sneeringly CEN
sures all alike, him least who is coldly
Indifferent to all alike. .. ,.....
He only is advancing in life whose
heart is getting softer, whose blood
warmer, whose brain quicker, whose
spirit is entering inta living peace. .,


WHEN fame is regarded as the. end,
and merit as only the means, men are
apt to dispense with the latter, if the
former can be had without it. .....


MANY are on their death-beds before
they think rightly of life. They are
going into the world, while they begin
to know wherefore they came in it.


WE gain nothing by being with such
as ourselves. We encourage one an
other in mediocrity. am always long
ing to be with men more excellent than
myself Land.
No process is SO fatal as that which
would cast all men into one mould.
Every human being is intended to have
character of his own, to be what no
other is, to do what no other can do.
Our common nature is to be unfolded
in unbounded diversities.


1 NEVER love those salamanders that
are never we'll but when they are in the
fire of contentious. 1 will rather suffer
thousand wrongs than offer one. ]
have always found that to strive with q
superior is injurious with an equal
doubtful; with an inferior, sordid and
base; with any, full of unquietness.-
Bishop Hall.
Year: 1871

The London Chemist and Druggist says
The latest lead poisoning sensation, for
which certain Liverpool chemists are
responsible, reveals the horrible fact
that we are now training our babies TO
the use of this addition to their nutri-
ment, by feeding them through tubes
composed of India-rubber dissolved
in 10 per cent. of bisulphide of carbon
and thickened with white lead, resin,
and sometimes oxysulphuret of anti
mony, from which, when it comes into
contact with the milk, sulphuretted hy-
drogen is evolved, and lactate of lead
formed in the stomach. The fact that
several millions of infants have not only
survived this treatment, but have to all
appearances thrived on it, somewhat
diminishes the horror which we ought
to experience on learning this report.
But we remember, and now for the first
time intelligently comprehend, the
touching American epitaph in a grave
yard very long way out West:


" Grim death has taken darling little Jerry,


The son of Joseph and Syrena Howels, .


Seven days he wrestled with the dysentery.


And then he perished with his little bowels.


Most likely it was weaning injured little Jerry.


His bottle seemed to hurt his stomach's tone


But with the angels he'll get plump and merry,


For there's no nursing bottles where hes


gone"


The fact that some millions offnfants
have thrived on one form or another OF
feeding bottles, is indeed capable OF
forming consolation, but the comfort we
derived from that reflection will be ma
teria1ly diminished by calling to mind
the many millions who have perished.