smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

Two young men, telegraph operators,
board at one of our leading third class
hotels, and being of somewhat hilarious
disposition, 6Ld great amusement in carry
ing on conversation with each other at the
table by ticking on their plates with knife,
fork or spoon. For the information of
those not acquainted with telegraphy, it
may be we'll to state that combination Of
sounds or ticks constitute the telegraphic
alphabet, and persons familiar with these
sounds can converse thereby as intelligibly
as with spoken words


The young lightning strikers, as already
stated. were in the habit of indulging in
table talk by this means, whenever they
desired to say anything private to each
other.


For instance.-No. l would take up his
knife and tick off some such remark as this
to No 2:


"Why is this butter like the offense Of
IIamlet's uncle ?"


No. 2.-"I give it up"
No. 1.-"Because it's rank aud smells
to Heaven"


Of course the joke is not arpreciat ed by
the landlord, who sits close by, because he
doesn't understand telegraphic ticks, and
probably he wouldn't appreciate it much
if he did but the jokers enjoy it immense
y and laugh immoderately, while the other
guests wonder what can be the occasion
for their merriment, and naturally con-
clude the operators must be idiots.
A few days ago, while these fun loving
youths were seated at reabfast, stout.
built young man entered the dining room
with handsome girl on hi, arm, whose
blushing countenance showed her to be a
bride. The couple had. in fact, been mar
rie but day or two previous, and had
come to an Francisco, from their home in
Mud Springs, or some other rural village,
for the purpose of spending their honey.
moon. The tele; ,raphic tickers comm D.
ced as the husband and wife had seated
thmselves.


No. | opened the discourse as follows


"What lovely little pigeon this is along.
side of ne-ain't she ?"


No. 2.-Perfectly charming-Iooks as If
butter wouldn't melt in her mouth Just
married, [guess; don't you think SOP"


No. 1.-.::Yes, should judge she was.
What luscious lips SHE'S got If that
country pumpkin beside her was out of the
road, Id give her hug and, kiss now just
for luck"


No. 2-"Suppose you try it now, any
how. Give her little nudge under the
table with your knee"


There is no telling to what extent the
impudent rascals might have gone but for
an amazing and entirely unforeseen event.
The bridegroom's face had flushed and q
dark scowl was on his brew during the pro.
gress Of this conversation but the opera.
tors were to much occupied with each
other to pay any attention to him. The
reader may form some idea of the young
mems CONSERVATION when the partner of
the lady picked up his knife and ticked
off the following terse but vigorous
message:


"This lady is my wife, and as soon as
she gets through with her breakfast, I
propose to wiring 10th your necks-you
insolent whelps."
Year: 1872

Judge Stanley Mathews of Cincinnati,
who was temporary Chairman of the Liberal
Republican Convention, has backslided,
and has written the following letter to
personal friend


tINcINNATI, MAY 6, 1872.


My DEAR SIR: Nothing connected
with the recent disgraccful Convention at
this place has given me so much pain as
your note calling my attention to state
ment taken from speech of mine pointed
with the Interpretation you evidently put
upon it. Allow me, in the first place, to
say that was put forward as temporary
Chairman of that Convention without an
hours notice, and that, consequently, what
| said was totally unprecedented; and in
the next place, that the extract you make
and which if, lad intended to be taken
in its literal sense, wonld be justly mat
ter of regret that it had been uttered, does
not represent the truth Of my sentiments.
On the contrary, l have no reason to be-
| leve and never have believed that person.
ally the present Administration were guilty
of corrupt conduct or motives, and l ought
TO have expressed myself so as to have
avoided any such charge.


What was striving to say had reference
to the general corruption of our public
political lle, pervading it 10 every depart
ment, whereby personal and party ends
seemed to be substituted for the public
good and the latest and best illustration of
which, am free to say, is now to be found
in the action Of the very Convention in the
presence of which this declaration was
made l am greatly chagrined at the
whole matter, my own participation in it
inc uded. and have concluded. perhaps not
sufficiently soon, that as politician and
President maker / am not q success.
greatly reere. that have given causes Of
ofenses to you and many other personal
friends, whose integrity may have seemed
to have questioned, but which. can
assure you, was the farthest from my
thoughts. hope you will be able TO
regard it as though it bad never been said.
Very respectfully. your friend.


Stanley MATHEWS.
Year: 1872

EXAMINER OPINIoN.-1he San Fran
cisco Examiner says: 1--WE are utterly
opposed to the Endorsement of the Cincin.
natl nominees BY the Baltimore Convention,
and equally opposed to the adoption of the
passive policy Our opinion is that 10
the event OF Greeley and Grant being the
only candidates. the latter will receive
more Democratic votes, or they will not be
cast at all, than the former will Radical
Year: 1872

A girl, young and pretty, and above
all gifted with an air of admirable can
dor, lately presented herself before a
Partisan lawyer. -ng


Monsieur, have come to consult
you on grave affair. I want you to
obligea a man I love to marry me in
spite of himself. How shall / pro-
ceed?'


The gentleman of the bar had, of
course, a sufficiently elastic conscience.
He reflected moment, and then being
sure that no one overheard him, replied
hesitatingly:


"Mademoiselle, according to Onr law,
you always possess the means of forcing
d man to marry you. You must re-
him; you can then go before a judge
and swear that he is your lover ~


Sand will that suffice, Monsieur?"


eyes, Mademoiselle, with one further
condition"


"WelI ?"


''Then you will produce witnesses
who will make oath to having seen
you remain good quarter of an hour
with the individual said to have trified
with your affections"


"Very well, Monsieur, 1 will retain
you as counsel in the management of
this affair. Good day"


A few days afterwards the young lady
returned. She was mysteriously re-
ceived by the lawyer, who scarcely
gave her time to seat herself, question
ed her with the most lively curiosity.


Capital capital! Preserve in your
design, Mademoiselle, but the next
time you come to consult me, give me
the name of the young man you are
going to make so happy in spite OF
himself"


a fortnight afterwards the young
lady knocked at the door of the eoun-
sells room. No sooner was she in than
she flung herself into chair, saying
that the walk had made her breathless.
Her counsel tried to reassure her, made
her inhale salts, and even proposed to
loosen her garments. o


sit is useless, Monster, she said, 81
am much better" ~


swell, now tell me the name of the
fortunate mortal" 1.l'


swell, then, the fortunate mortal, be
it known to you, is yourself!" said the
young beauty bursting into laugh, 81
love you, have been here three times
tete-d-tete with you, and my four wit
nesses are below, ready and willing 10
accompany me to magistrate" grave
ly continued the narrator. . M


The lawyer, thus caught, had the
good sense not to get angry. The most
singular fact of all is, that he adores his
young wife, who makes an excellent
housekeeper.
Year: 1872

The consumption of malt liquors in
Great Britain in 1869 was about 3Ol gal.
Ions per head to the population. This
was mostly consumed by two-thirds OF
the population, and mostly by the men
in that two-thirds, so that the average
of healthy beer drinker might be SET
down at so gallons a year, or pint and
third per day, The consumption oi
beer in the United States is 81 gallons
to the population, about one-sixth OF
the British consumption. The con-
sumption of wine and spirits in the
United Kingdom is about one gallon
and half per head, and in this coun-
try it Is trife more.
Year: 1872

A very interesting case of the sue
cessful TRANSMISSION of blood from one
person to another recently took place
in Berlin. The patient was a man
twcnty-eight years of age, who had
been poisoned by phosphorus, having
taken solution of the ignition mass OF
eight bundles of matches. A transfu-
sion of five hundred cubic centimetres
of blood, which had just been taken
from three persons in good health, was
elected into a vein of the arm, five
hundred centimeters of the patients
own blood being at the same time
taken from an artery. An improve
ment in his condition at once set in,
and hewas able to leave his bed soon
afterwards. ..-.9 r. d
Year: 1872

A good many of the quarrels in liter
ature as we'll as out of 1t are upon pre-
texts quite as fancifnl as that of the SEN
ators of Bologna, who fought deadly
duel touching the pre-eminence of
Tasso and Ariosto. As the champion
of the latter lay dying, he exclaimed to
Benedict, the priest, "What an ass
am to get run through the body in the
flower of my age for the sake Of Aristo,
of whom never read a line. And II
| had read 1 should not have under
stood him, for am a fool at the best
times"
Year: 1872

A Paris correspondent relates the
story of sad wedding party in that
city. The whole party come out of the
church weeping. The bride wept, the
mother wept, the company wept, and
the groom wept more copiously than
all combined. The only persons who
did not weep were four men and a
child. The child was born out of we'd
lock, and to give 1t name the parties
had married before they parted forev-
er. The groom was a young clerk,
sentenced to transportation for forgery,
and he was to leave the following
morning. The four men who accom-
panied him were police agents, order
ed to go with him to church and to the
mayors Office, and to bring him safe
back to prison, after the marriage was
celebrated.
Year: 1872

provement. I have thought for some time
that the dairymen we're improving faster
than the grain-growing farmers. The cheese
factory system, contrary to my expectations,
proves great stimulus TO liberal feeding.
l thought that rich food would give rich
milk, and that if the factory paid uniform
price per quart there would be far less en-
couragement to produce rich milk by liberal
feeding than il the milk was made into cheese
and butter at home. l am glad to learn that
such is not the case. The milk is weighed
every day, and farmer soon finds out wheth-
er his COWS are giving less or more milk
than those Of his neighbors. IL l we're q
dairyman, should not only feed all the
grain and bran | could afford to buy, but l
should keep sharp lookout TO see il few
tons Of artificial manure could not sometimes
be obtained at reasonable rates. Kainit
tsulphats Of pOtash) and nitrate Of soda
ought to be sold here for about the same
price as in England, and do not sec why
mineral superphosphate from the Charleston
phosphates) can not be manufactured at such
a price that we can afford to use it.--Jos.
HARRIS, in Agriculturist.
Year: 1872

A correspondent of the Country Gentle
man remarks on the Sborthorns shown at the
Cardiff Exhibition of the Royal Agricultu-
raj Society Of England:-As class, the Short
Horns were not specimens Of the best stock
in the three kingdoms. Visits to several of
the best herds in Britain, where the finest
animals were shown us, induce the above
opinion, and the priced catalogues of Short
horn sales will verify the truth Of this state
ment. The high priced strains of blood are
so valued by the breeders that they do not
care to run the risks incidental to fitting
their animals for exhibition. The evil Of fat
tening for shows is appreciated BY those who
own valuable rtock, and therefore the cattle
shown at Cardiff could not be considered as
the best representatives Of tho bsst herds,
There was very few animals which had in
their veins, to any great extent, the present
fashionable strains of blood that command
the high prices, nor did their appearance as
individuals impress us very fayOrably. TAX
en- as a whole, it was very even and noble
exhibition Of Shorthorns, and as many Sec
tions of the kingdom widely apart were repre-
sented in force, the show spoke well for the
universal estimation in which this truly royal
breed of cattle is now held by the country.
Year: 1872

No man, in the review of the past season,
can truthfully say that the apple trees have
done bearing. The yield has been bountiiul,
Notwithstanding the great drouth, and apples
have been drug in many communities, yet
good winter apples are now bringing remuu-
erative prices-three dollars a barrel and
upward. Thousands of barrels have been
sent into New England aud are now selling
in sight of farms once blessed with produc-
tive orchards. The excuse for not planting
has been the failure of the old trees to bear
given over, as they have been, to utter neg
leCt for whole generation. A tree can no
more bear fruit without nourishment than a
COW can give milk without fodder There
are orchards in the older parts of the country
we'll fed and as productive as ever. There
was never more encouragement to plant most
varieties of tie apple than now. There is
no danger OF over-stocking the market with
good sound winter apples. Even in this
year of plenty, the long keeping varieties
will bring, good prices. Every farm should
have its orchard.-Hearh and Home.
Year: 1872




More attention ought to be given to Orna-
menting village and farm door-yards with
trees. The following suggestions on this SUBJ
ject from the Ohio Farmer are in the main
very sensible -


Do not plant trees directly in front of the
house. The ground here, especially the GEN.
trail part, should be in grass alone, kept neat
and smooth by frequent moving. A few
flower beds may be cut in the sod near the
dwelling, or by the side of the pathway,
and few trees and shrubs SGT irregularly
near the fence, to give shade and shelter, and
still more at the side of the house, especially
where they will screen from view the back
yard, stable, ETC., and form background to
the view of the premises from the street.


Do not plant so many trees about the
house as to exclude the sunshine. Too much
shade is a common fauls with the older class
OF residences, and careful observation will
show that families in such houses are much
more liable to sickness than those living in
houses where sunshine and air have free
scope. Modern science has done good SER
vice in teaching the value of sunshine and dry
earth as disinfectsnts or preventives Of dis
ease. The greatest Improvement could be
made in the looks as we'll as healthfulness of
many good residences of the older class by
the free use of the woodman's axe.


do not plant large. growing trees in small
yards, nor tall-growiug trees near low DWELL
ings. Most of our village dOor-yards arc
quite small, and when filed up, as is often
the case, with few large trees, they appear
far more diminutive than they would plant
cd with shrubs or dwarf trees and the low
stature Of our older style of houses is douoIy
conspicuous where tall trees are seen tower
ing higher than the cornice. For small
yards and for cemetery lots the dwarfsh and
slow-growing evergreen trees are most appro-
pirate.


Do not plant or tolerate apple or peach
trees in the front yard. Pear and cherry
trees are more symmetrical, and few of
these may be allowed on the side of large
front grounds, but the apple and peach usu-
ally look shabby, and should occupy back
premises with the cabbage and currant bush.
Good residences are often rendered unattrac-
tive to an eye Of taste by old gnarled apple
trees, standing as grim sontinels, where should
be cheerful evergreens and smiling roses.
Year: 1872

Regularly, in Great Britain, as most of
our readers know, the custom Of letting rams
is quite prevalent Noted breeders obtain
handsome profit, and the lessees are equally
benefited by the practice. Very many shep-
herds keep no rams OF their own, but rely
for their supply, during the coupling season,
entirely upon other Aocks. In that country
the advantages Of the system are unquestion'
ed. It facilitates the incest attention to
breeding, and thus iavors improvement of
breeds and races, on the part Of those who
breed the rams and let them, as well as those
who employ their services. The former are
stimulated by the competition Of rival shep-
herds to keep the quality Of their rams up to
the highest possible popular standard. and the
latter are permitted year by year to make
the most discriminating selections Of male
stock, untrammelIed by the consideration Of
ownership.


On farms in this country, where small
focks are kept, if there is anything more like
an elephant" for large part Of every year
than the ram, we have not seen it. Except
during the time his services are required with
the flock he is not exactly the skeleton be-
hind the door," but he is often very like
skeleton in some close lot behind the barn, or
in some out of the way corner of the farm
where the doer of chores carries him food
and water-when he thinks Of it. Even
with large Aocks, and where wool-growing or
mutton-raising is the leading speciality, the
rams are felt TO be almost q nuisance for o
good part of the year, requiring separate
provision ofpasturage, herding and stabling
and constant watching and many shepherds
who have been compelled to submit to the
annoyance would gladly avoid it ifthey could
be sure Of supplying their wants at the prop
er time from the Aocks of those who would,
if the demand justified it, make speciality Of
rearing and letting rams.


We can think ofno consideration in favor
of the practice in England which does not
commend it for adoption in many localities
here, and are inclined to believe that no great
effort would be required to popularize it.
The annual fairs occur just at the right time
and will afford the best possible oppOrtuui'
ties for making the necessary arrangements
for letting either by public auction or BY
private contract. The subject is at leas
worthy of discussion, and we shall be glat
to hear from gentlemen who are more famil
lar with its points of advantage and disad


vantage than we ourselves are.
Year: 1872

We have given several old hcrses their
quietus with gun, and 50 suddenly and
completely were all the powers paralyzed
that there was not the slightest evidence that
any pain was experienced. They fell slowly
forward without noise or struggle. So it was
with the hog. Will not the reader, theH,
see to it that no animal Of his shall be hunt
ed down, caught and bound, and then die
under the torture Of the knife this year. A
pistol will be found most convenient, but if a
gun is used, it should be with small charge
Of powder, and plug of hard wood three.
fourths Of an inch long aud half as thick
through will answer as well as ball. In
taking this course the head is not dis6gured
so as to be noticeable, and in every respect
it is preferable to the old lnbuman mode
Er.
Year: 1872

We think it is pretty certain that through.
out the United Kingdom fluid annatto has
displaced nearly every other article for CIV
ing tint to cheese and butter. 1t is cho-
sen for its perfect solubility and convenience,
and for its wholesomeness. But we are IN
formed that in America, where cheese is dali
ly growing in Importance as national pro-
duct this valuable preparation is but little
known. In some parts they use carrots ex-
tensively, but generally they color cheese by
melting down roll annatto in water. Both
of these processes have drawbacks the first
is inefficient, and if enough is used to Obtain
the right color, an undesirable favor is also
communicated; by the second process good
colorinO is obtained suspended in water, but
along with it a certain organic matter which
generates gas when mixed with the cheese.
We are informed that it is very necessary
that a certain tint should be maintained for
each market; the cheese sent to London, for
instance, being different in this respect from
that consigned for Liverpool. We cannot but
think. therefore, that American druggists
would find it profitable to introduce some OF
our British preparations Of fluid annatto,
which have been so thoroughly tested. There
are many makers of acknowledged repute, the
announcements of several appearing in our
advertising pages We fud in the Journal
of the Chamber of Agriculture a description
of the best method of coloring butter; and
we should state that the preparation referred
to is the excellent fluid extract prepared by
Messrs. McMaster, Hodgson 4 Co., Of Dub
lin. We quote the process, as the hint may
be serviceable :-"The quantity required is
exceedingly small, a single tablespoonful be-
ing sufficient for about cwt. Of butter. The
best method of applying it is by adding to
the water in which the new butter is to be
washed few drops of the extract until the
required tint is obtained; and during the
process of washing out the milk, the yellow
particles, which have an affinity for oleagin-
Gus matter, pass from the water completely
over to the butter, thoroughly permeate 1t
with rich, even, and beautiful tint without
in the slightest degree altering the favor. 1t
Is sometimes added to the milk before being
ehurned, but this is a negligent and inaccu-
rate method of proeedure.'-The Chemist
and Druggist.
Year: 1872

A miller who resides in one of the dairy
districts tells me that the farmers are buying
more and more corn meal and bran every
year to feed their COWS. They feed it not
only in winter and spring but during the sum-
mer and autumn while the COWS are at grass


was exceedingly glad to hear it. 1t isa
very encouraging sign Of agricultural im'
Year: 1872

The second day of the fair opened with
cloudy and threatening weather, in spite of
which the people were out in considerable
numbers, and the grounds in the vicinity of
the buildings presented quito an animated
appearance.


The space in Mechanics and Floral Hall is
pretty well filled, and contains many articles
Of much interest and merit.
Year: 1872




WHERE THE COMPOUNDED MOTH-
Err" wAs.-A gentleman who came up
the Hudson, tells this story: 81 no
ticed,n he said, "a serious looking man,
who looked rs if he might have been a
clerk or book-keeper. The man seemed
to be caring for crying baby, and was
doing everything he could TO still its
sobs. AS the child became restless in
the berth, the gentleman took it in his
arms and carried it to and fro in the
cabin. The sObs of the child irritated n
rich man, who was trying to read, until
he blurted out loud enough for the
father to hear


i'What does he want to disturb the
whole cabin with that id baby for ?''


The man only nestled the baby more
quietly in his arms, without saying u
word. Then the baby sObbed again:


'fWhere is the confounded mother,
that she don't stop its noise@" continued
the prOfane grumbler.


At this the father came up to the man,
and said:


81 am sorry we disturb you, sir, but
my dear baby's mother is in her coffin
down in the baggage room. Pm taking
her back to Albany, where we used to
live"


The hard-hearted man buried his face
in shame, but in a moment, wilted by
the terrible rebuke, he was by the side
of the grief-stricken father. They were
both tending the baby.