smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

Postmaster General Creswel has
grown ferocious, not to say dangerous.
Tie American mails henceforth have
some rights that even railroad officials
must respect or disregard at their
peril. The American Female is no
longer solely unapproachable, but
must nenceforth share with the Post
master Generals bags a sanctity that
is inviolable except on pain of death.


The following extract from the
Washington City correspondence Of a
leading Administration newspaper will
explain what we mean:


WAsHENGToN, September 15.-Post-
master General Creswell was at his
desk to-day. He intends to take
prompt action i'll compelling the rail
road companies to get the mails here
from the North more regularly than
they have done for weeks past He
says that if the managers of the air
line between here and New York insist
upon placing the postal cars in the
middle of the trains he will instruct
the postal clerks to carry revolvers,
and shoot down any man, whether in
the employ of the railroad company or
not, who attempts to pass through the
Year: 1873

The Fredericksburg Herald states
that a farm on the Mattaponi river was
recently knocked down at Sc so per
acre which was sold before the war at
$50. Is this real estate ? Or have the
reconstruction measures of the Repub-
Iican party destroyed the nature of
land and made it unreal-as feeting
and fanciful in value as any of the bub-
bles that have been invented


We take the above from one of our
exchanges but it accords 50 much with
our own experience that we find no
difficulty in believing the statement of
of our Fredericksburg cotemporary.
The rice lands of the Cape Fear
would readily sell, before the war,
for one hundred dollars per
acre, now they will not command a
tenth part of that sum. Then there
were no sellers at any price, now there
are no buyers at any price. And yet
these lands are as capable of produc-
ton to-day as they were before the
war. Butwe forget, The difference


one of the blessings of Reconstruc
tion.
Year: 1873

The Executive Committee of the dis
satisfied taxpayers of the eight COM
planning townships in this county, have
held protracted sessions in this city
during the present week. The result
is not merely deliberate determina-
ton to wage n war of justice and of
law, but to carry it into Africa in the
full meaning of that expression. Com
petent and able counsel have been
employed to prosecute vigorously
and promptly the cause of the
oppressed taxpayers against the
decisions of the Board of
County Commissioners. Proper meas
ures will be used the coming
week to stay proceedings in the way of
excess in assessments, and to prevent
the collection by the Sheriff of exor-
bitant taxes tliereupon. So that, in
addition to the public meetings of
protest and indignation already held,
the more practical ends of stay of
legal collection of taxes at present
are now sought, under the advice OF
distinguished attorneys in this city.


Mr.. w. n. Larkins, of Ellington,
in this county, will receive all moneys
ready to be paid over for carrying on
this war of the people against the
Board of County Commissioners.
Let a sufficient fund be raised at once
to meet the necessary expense fol
counsel fees.
Year: 1873

The New York Ece,eieg Post COM
tor Morton that the official corruptions
OF the present day have no existence save
Sin the telegraph and newspapers,
takes occasion to administer q severe
rebulzc to its honorcd party leader
Senator Morton, it Is well known, is
the chosen political contidant friend
and adviser OF President Grant.


The Post attempts to defend its party
friends from the charge of being more
corrupt than other men, by alleging that
corruption is confined to no party or
sect, but that it is universal, and is one
of the common results of a fierce and
protracted civil war. It contends, too,
that the country is approaching the
end of what may be aptly termed "the
corrupt age," and believes that every
where the skies look little brighter,
with one single exception" The only
discouragirg sign that the Post can
now see threatening the coming of the
grand millennium that now delights its
imagination els that men of Senator
Morton's position have yet boldness
enough or duplicity enough to cast a
mantle of mingled denial and excuse
over the shames which make every
other patriotic cheek to blush"


1t would be pleasant to unite with
the Post in its bright anticipation OF
better, and honester, and purer time
coming, but what just cause there is to
hope for it so long as such men as
Morton, Carpenter, Bingham and But
Ter occupy the places of highest official
honor and trust it is difficult to see.
Year: 1873

which would give an average of over
twenty bushels of grain to each
head of stock per annum. When
We consider that of this stock,
horses and mules only receive
much grain, and that they constitute
one-fourth part only of the number, it
will be seen that the feed is not very
scant one. This leaves 40 pro-
vision for the 463, 49, sheep, and
1,O75,215 hogs in the State, other
than that they make for themselves,
which we regret to believe is the
greater part of what they get. We
think these figures show that North
Carolina does raise a considerable por-
ton of its bread at least.


It is to be regretted that like APP
Proclamation cannot be arrived at from
the census returns, as to the
number and weight of the vari-
Gus animals killed for food during the
year. One item of Dairy products
alone to-wiD butter, is put down at
4, ,297, S34 pounds, equal, we take it III
value as food, to the same number of
pounds of meat We think, however,
it may be safely assumed that the pro
portion of meat necessary for our sup
port, produced in the State is equal to
that of bread.


This being SO. there seems to be not
much foundation for the assumption
that North Carolina does not raise a
considerable portion Of her provis-
ions.


1t would seem then to be unwise to
increase the production of provisions,
to any very great extent in North Car
olina, at least beyond the amount
required for home consumption, unless
it can be shown that the production
of provisions is more profitable than
that of cotton or other produce.


This, however, is a question that
we do not propose to discuss this
morning, our purpose just now being
simply to suggest that conclusions,
based upon the assumption that North
Carolina does not raise ut least the
! greater portion of her own bread and
| meat, are not safe conclusions.
Year: 1873

The snow storm of last Thursday night and Friday was the most severe of the season. the wind blowing a continuous gale all the time, and blocking up many of the roads with huge drifts The Litch- field stage failed to put in an appearance, both Friday and Saturday, and the Gosh en stage did not get through on Friday, but Saturday morning Uncle Sock was on time.

 - The epizootic disease has taken an entirely new form here. As Mir. Finland CT Vai1 and wife were driving to church with horse affected with the disease, and as Mr. Vaill thought, quite sick, it play fully kicked over the shaft and becoming frightened continued kicking till it got clear from the sleigh. Fortunately no one was hurt

 The Rev. MT. Brush, of North Corn wall, preached in the South church, last Sabbath.

 - The snow in the woods has been so deep as to seriously interfere with wood- chopping and the charcoal makers are getting anxious for the snow to go of.
Year: 1873

The Next Thing to Linen.


The nearest approach to linen collar is furnished
in the Warwick and Elmwood Collars. They have
created revolution in the papercoar trade IS con-
eurners have found It much better to buy good collar
that always looks WELL than tho poor articles hereto
fore sold them.
Year: 1873

Cors are not q disease, but result from
injuries to the sole of the foot. When
the sole is pared thin, Il blow from Il
stone which strikes it Injuries the sell
sitive portion of the foot which should
be projected by the sole, and I'm eifu-
sion of blood or serum occurs, which
presses upon the bruised part, and
causes lameness. n red or discolored
spot is seen. This is supposed to be Il
corn, and is pared away until it bleeds,
and instead of good being done there
Es much evil. If the shoe is also I'M
properly put on, SO that the bearing is
unequal, parts of the soul become
bruised with tie same result. y rem
e1ly is to foment the sole with hot wa
ter, or to stuff the foot with tow, which
should be soaked in hot water repeat
edly. If badly fitting shoe is the
cause, it should be removed before the
lamentations are applied, and retitted
with an even bearing all round, but
especially at the heel, when the lame
ness will soon disappear. If the shoes
were always well fitted, and made long
at the heel, and the sole and frog not
! pared down until no protection to the
| foot is left, there would be many fewer
lame hOrses.-E.cchange.
Year: 1873

There is regular fishing season for


sponge in the Mediterranean, and at


one time it used nearly all to go to


Smyrna, and be sold as Turkey sponge /:


but now, when the rocks of Syria and


the Grecian isles have been well


dredged, and the collected sponge is


dried, it is shipped off at once for Euro


pean markets. We know, principally


by sight, two kinds of sponge: the fine.


close, elastic; and the dark, open


sponge, familiar to us as honey-comb. "


To the uninitiated it would seem that


these were the produce of different


countries i; but it is not so, for the two


qualities are found growing together,


side by side, upon the same rock, and


are dredged with the same net The


fishing season lastk for about four


months, and is carried on in q rough.


primitive fashion, but with tolerably
satisfactory results, though the thick,
coarse, honey-comb sponge is far infe-
rior in commercial value to its close
grained, firm brother, the Turkey ysponge
par excellence.


Probably for want of research, the
supply of sponge is almost confined to
the Mediterranean and the WesC Indies.
Florida and the neighborhood of the
Bahamas form the spOpge-hunter'
ground, and it is probably the case that
the turtle may make his resting-place
among the jelly-like groves of the
sponge. To see the late contents of a
case of sponge after being moistened,
one is tempted into comparisons with
the genius of the Arabian Nights who
escaped from the vessel that bore Solo |
mons seal-inasmuch as the dry sponge |
is close, compact, and tightly packed |
IN, while the application of water swells |
it out to large bulk several times the |
We have pretty good samples |
of this in the well-putfed-Out pieces Of |
fered for sale by street vendors and, |
by-the-way, strange stories of these |
pieces of sponge are told, as to their be-
ing refuse cleaned up for sale-tales |
that have very little foundation in fact,
for the pieces are for the most part new.


The collection of sponge in the Le-
want is dignifed by the title of fishing,
and partakes very much of the nature
Of the process practiced to obtain
pearls lnasmuch as divers go down in
some eight or ten fathoms of water,
'aking with them a triangUlar-shaped
piece of stone to conquer the buoyancy
4 rope is attached to this stone and held
Oy companions In the boat. Once down,
he divers object is to wade rapidly to
he pieces of rock bearing the growing
sponge this he rapidly tears off, till he
las as much as he can conveniently car
Y, or till his power of remaining below
8 exhausted, when he pulls his rope,
md is rapidly hauled up into the boat.
IN some parts of the east, though. the
living is not practiced, but the sponges
ire collected from shallower water by
means of fork at the end of long
,ole. In this way the pieces are forced
n dragged from the rock, but very of
en- at the expense of the sponge, which
S thus made ragged and unstable A
imilar process is followed out in the
Vest Indies, long fork being used in
,lace of the diving.
Year: 1873

These unappeasably exact folk who
must have their pound of social flesh,


and will not be put off with less than
their precise due, are, for the most part,
difflcnlt people to keep in good humor.
They know nothing of that easy-going,
slip-shod, good-nature which gives and
takes, and never keeps any debtor and
creditor account at all, which sends out
two invitations to their neighbor's one,
or forgets to retul his call within the
prescribed limits and then meets him
with beaming smile and iocund man
ner, as if he were not a sinner and
breaker of the law. That kind of thing
is abhorrent to them, as bad as cob
webs on the ceiling or material slippers
down at heel. What the sticklers for
etiquette like is everything to be done
with the incest precision, invitation for
invitation, and the complimentary card
left on the exact date on which il
should be left call returned for call
within the term prescribed according
to the degree of intimacy; and the
whole of the social life mapped out as
you would map out the plan Of an es-
perches assigned to A., and so many rods





Sometimes, however, these sticklers
for etiquette are kind people in their
way, people who will lend but not bor-
erous in bestowing, but not generous
neighbors with benefits, but they will
not carry away SO much as a flower in
free gift. Their house is open to you,
and you might, if you would, use it
in their absence, and make yourself at
home with a cup of afternoon tea and
lounge on the comfortable sofa but |
they would die of fatigue and inanition |
rather than do the same by you; and |
you may talk for ever, but you cannot |
beat it into their heads that there is no |
difference between you, and what they |
allow from you they may also commit |
for their own parts. Not a bit of it.
To the end they remain generous, hos
pitable, free-handed in what they grant |
and to the end, also, precise, stiff stick
lers for etiquette, and tiresomely pune
bilious in what they accept.


Sometimes they are just the contrary
10 this, and, while they will accept un-
kindness frankly enough,
will not allow the smallest infraction of
,he rhadamanthine rule of strictest eti-
luette to themselves. They would
lold it as an objectionable liberty if
heir dearest friend should enter their
house in their absence, though he or she
lad come twenty miles and more to see
hem. A servant who should offer a
,up of tea on her own accord, even to
heir sister, would receive her dimissal
before the night had come and a life
ong intimacy has been broken for all
ime for no greater offense than that of
,icking unbidden a bit of mignonette
'ut of bed which was choked with its
wn luxuriance. And some again are
t least just and logical, and neither
i've nor take, but demand the pound
( flesh with the most scrupulous ex-
ctness, and pay it Just as methodi-
ally
Year: 1873

THE PREVAILING DISEASE IN GREEN
LAND.-The climate of Greenland is
considered by the Danes as very heal
thy, and the natives seldom die in any
other disease than consumption, which
is very prevalent among the Esquimaux,
and is no doubt contracted through
their careless habits. The hut is SIM
pie building of stone (boarded upon
the inside), with layer of turf on the
outside, and long, low tunnel entrance,
about 10 or Is feet in length, opening
to the south. This hut is about IL feet
square and feet high, with two win
dows in the side, which are blocked up
with turf, during the winter, so as to
keep the cold out This room is gen.
orally supplied with a stove, in which
peat is burned, for they have no other
kind of fuel. There is always in these
huts 8 close, depressing atmosphere,
while outside, especially on foggy
day, the atmosphere is cold. These
people sit in the house, sewing, etc.,
with their heavy seal-skin clothing on,
and will run in and out of doors, make
visits and attend their dances, without
making any addition to their clothing
or reducing it when they return to their
homes. Then family of six or eight
sleep in this same room, on q platform
which serves as bed, lying very close
together and breathing the same air
over and over.
Year: 1873

The King tOf the sandwich ISLANDS.


Two weeks ago we had ball at the
palace of our king, Lunalilo l. He
is my friend. When he was still mere
ly crown prince loaned him once 50
only for day, as he said. When /
met him year afterward / reminded
him of the loan, but he told me to wait
till he should have become king, of
which the prospects were then very
slight. But now he is king, and I
have silently made him a present of
the S2-cheap friendship, considering
he is king. It was fine ball, which
he gave in honor of the English admi-
raj. and the king was the first who got
gloriously drunk next came the musi-
clans, then the guests, and finally my
self began to feel a little unsteady.
I saw q young English naval officer oc-
cupy the kingly throne, with Homo
lulu girl by his side, while the king and
and Queen Emma sat at his feet. Then
the king took drum and walked around
the floor beating the tattoo. Finally
the musicians began quarrelling and
fighting in regular John Bull style, so
that the admiral could not part them
and all this in the midst of the court
ball. But our king is said to have
amused himself exceedingly, particular
" as lots of drinkables remained for
him to consume himself, though an aw-
full quantity was drank. Whether he
did consume it all, don't know; but
it is said that he was not sober for two
weeks afterward, though he can stand
a vast amount! Otherwise the king
is a good fellow, and likes us Germans
particularly, probably because we
s' s'treated" 4" him SO often when he was
merely crown prince. He has even
learned some German songs, which he
sings passably; for instance, "When
the swallows homeward fly" and out of
the tavern I've just stepped tonight. -
-HOn0latLI letter.


n Rrozr-,, Con1an.a rnrrc thoA he
Year: 1873

-"Speaking Of extravaganza in
dress" writes Capt Crosstree, "the
most extensively dressed man ever
saw was an African chief on the gold
coast. His wives had snnointed him
thoroughly with palm oil, and then
powdered him from head to foot with
gold-dust. You never saw in your life
a man got up so utterly regardless of
expense"
Year: 1873

The irrepressible curiosity-hunter
has already made his appearance in the
Yellowstone park. The department of
the interior is informed that some of
the most handsome and symmetrical
craters in the entire region have been
made almost unsightly by the large
masses of pearly incrustations of silver
which have been knocked eff by memen-
to-hungry visitors.
Year: 1873

IRON IN PLANTs.-So far as investiga-
tions have shown, iron forms no essen
tial part of the plant or animal, yet
without it all growth and assimilation
cease. If seeds are placed on little
cotton wool in a solution containing all
that is essential to plant growth, with
the exception of iron, they will sprout
and grow until the iron contained in the
seed itself is exhausted the plant
then quickly bleaches and ceases to
grow. If little phosphate of iron,
which is almost totally insoluble, is
added to the solution, and occasionally
stirred up so that it may be kept in sus-
pension and thus come in contact with
the root, the plant quickly revives and
continues it's growth. Iron is an essen
tial constituent of chlorophyl, the green
coIoring matter of leaves. Although
found in all plants, and constituting an
essential part of their food, it has never
been thought necessary to supply it to
them artifcially, all soils being sup
posed to contain sufficient for their
wants. But no one can have failed to
observe the greater luxuriance of vege-
tation on the strong iron soils derived
from the old red sand stone than on
those granite soils which are compare
lively free from it.-JouT1aGL of Chem
istTU.
Year: 1873

The probability of the existence of a


mental atmosphere is a question which


is attracting considerable attention, and


which will in time probably throw much


light on the nature and action of men


tai phenomena. We all know that any


mental action results directly in molecu-


lar change; it is perfoI med at the ex-


pense of certain constituents of the


nervous system, notably phosphorous


# transmits definite wave of motion,


at rate which has been accurately


measured, to the distal extremity of the
appropriate nerves; how much further,


we do not know. Many instances also
illustrate the high quality of mental
force. It can produce the most impor-
tant changes, even liberation or gan
CREME, in the remOtest parts of the
body, and aid with equal power in pro-
cesses of restoration and growth. That
the superficies of the body does not
bound its activity numerous facts de-
monstrate. To pass by the less remarka-
BILE and more familiar ones, there is the
most positive evidence that those gifted
with "second sight," as it was once
called, do possess an underlined power of
knowledge which transcends the senses.
The presence of danger is often felt be-
fore any warning reaches us through
the senses. Men who live lives of peril
know this perfectly well, and are the
last TO underrate such feeling. Another
form of this external mental power is
that by which a strong emotion or a
fixed attention on an object will excite
a similar emotion or the picture of
similar object in another person without
any communication. A certain natural
analogy and a special training is re-
luired to bring this about. The French !
. magician Houdin has established |
,uch mental relation with his son, 30 |
hat the latter, though blindfold, would |
It once name an object shown to his
ather, though the width of a large
DOM intervened. Undoubtedly, as emo
iopal influences are clearly epidemic
md contagious, there is nothing incredi-
)le in the belief that ideas should also
'ossess equal powers beyond the super
icies of the body or the limits of ex-
,ression. Medical Reporter.
Year: 1873

The LOAD A WOMAN CARRIES. "A man


In the strength of his years would fall


out of the ranks if he were obliged to
carry the enormous weight of clothing a


woman carries who walks by his side
keeping perfect step. That she finally
breaks down is a fact, but that she
keeps her place long is another fact,
marvellous and significant. How
many thicknesses of cloth do you think
your girls wear about their waists o.
asked teacher of me-" "Half dozen,
perhaps" I answered "they and you
and do not show grain of common
sense about this matter of dress" "Six-
teen," said she with emphasis" six
teen, at the least calculation, bands
fastened more or less tightly according
to the inclination of the wearer" Does
any one believe these girls breathe easi-
ly under so many Hgatures? Add to
this the difficulty of walking with yards
of cloth folding about the ankles, if
they do not trail, and the constant
anxiety lest the hat should tumble from
its perch of hair, and you have an ag-
gregate of something which is a weari
ness to the flesh, if much study is not.
And yet, with all these odds against
them, we learn. by reports and actual
that our young ladies in
these mixed schools stand as high in
their grades as the gentlemen. But
day of reckoning will surely come.
Year: 1873

DIGNITY OF WoRK.-All work has a
humanitarian and honorable aspect
runs PARALLEL with the aims and uses of
providence shares the dignity of ma
lures processes and every true worker
is fellow to all the ranks, including the
deity himself If any man reclaims an
acre of land by irrigation, or of bog by
draining, and makes it green and bloom
ing, let him carry his head erect on his
shoulders, and see that his work is not
unworthy of him who, in meadow and
prairie, has wrought TO the same end.
This man with his hoe and spade is a
joint-creator of beauty and provender
for coming generations. Sumner Ellis.