smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

graphical Society


Planets are constantly integrating


different materials which they en-


counter in their progress through


space, and it has been estimated


that the earth adds to itself nearly


one hundred and fifty billions


of such metecric particles every


year. Secondly, it has been proved


that every planet must be slowly


losing a part of its mOlar motion of


rotation. The effect of tidal waves,


which are caused by the gravitation


of liquid toward other planetary


bodies, is to retard diurnal rotation;


and, in fact, the terrestrial day is


heightened by reason of tho friction


of the tides, and it is destined in the


remote future to give about 48O


hours between sunrise and sun set.


The earth is also losing molecular


motion by radiation. That some


terrestrial heat is lost without COM


pensation-and very slowly, of


course can hardly be doubted, and


for the state of things thus ultimate


ly to be produced we may find par


allel in the present condition of the


moon. That appears to afford an


example of the universal death
which, in an inconceivably distant
future, awaits the entire solar sys-
TEN. If, along with the dissipation
of the molar and molecular motions,
the planets are also losing angular
velocity, this loss of motion will ul-
timately result in their integratioh


With the sun. OF two facts which
bear upon the subject, one (familiar
to all students of science) is the OBJ
served retardation of Enck's comet
by the resistance of the medium
through which it moves. The 9TH
er, which, so far as [ know, has not
hitherto been mentioned, is that all
the planets are nearer the sun than
they ought to be, according to
Bodies law, the variations being
most conspicuous, as might be eX-
pected in the case of Neptune, It
is at least worthy of notice that the
is such as might have
been caused by a slow diminution of
the angular volocities of the planets.
Another fact, that the interplanetary
spaces are filed with matter, and
that, consequently, all planetary
bodies rushing through them must
meet with resistance and lose mo-
proves that immense mo-
mcntum will be eaten up by the re-
sistant force. This loss of tangen-
tial momentum must bring all the
planets into the sun. AS the plan
ct slowly draws near the sun, its
lost tangential momentum is re-
placed, and somewhat more than re-
placed, by the added velocity due to
the increased gravitativo force cxer-
ted by the sun at the shorter dis
tance. At the last the planet must
strike the sun with tremendous
force. The heat generated by the
earth and the sun alone in such a
collision would suffice to produce
of nearly 100000 de-
grees centigrade. OF course disin-
would Immediately follow,
and the next stage is the dissipation
Of the whole into a nebUla.
Year: 1872

The death of Tom Corwin, which
gave us all sorrow, served to revive
many good stories concerning him.
When quite young man he was
elected member OF the General As-
sembly of the Safe Of Ohio, and ear
ly in the session he brought in a bill
for the destruction of the whipping
post. He made an earnest speech
in favor of the measure, to which an
elderly member replied as follows:
"Mr. Speaker, The gentleman is not
as old as am, and has not seen as
much of the practical operation of
the system of punishment which he
desires to abolish. When I lived in
Connecticut, if fellow stole horse
or cut up other antics, we used to
tie him up and give him a real good
thrashing and he always cleared
right out, and we never saw any
thing more of him. It's the best
way of getting rid of the rogues that
ever was tried, and without expense
to the State" Mr.. Corwin, who nev-
er failed to carry his point by joke,
If the argument was against him,
only made the brief reply: ''Mr.
Speaker, I have often been puzzled
to account for the vast emigration
from Connecticut to the West, but
the gentleman last up has explained
it to my satisfaction. Corwin's bill
passed by an overwhelming majority.
Year: 1872

The eccentric II. II. Breckinridge.


one of the Judges of the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania, when a young
man, was challenged to a fight du-
el by an English officer, whom he
answered as follows:


"I have two objections to this du-
el matter-the one lest I should hurt
one. and the other lest you should
me. l do not see what good it would
be to put ball through your body.
I can make 10 use of you when you
are dead for any ordinary purpose,
as 1 would a rabbit or turkey. I am
no cannibal, to eat the flesh of men.
Why, then, shoot down a human
creature, of whom I could make no
use? A buffalo would make better
meat; for, though your flesh might
be young and tender, yet it wants
the frmness which will take and re-
tain salt. At any rate it would not
do for long sea voyage.


''You might make a good barbe-
cue, it is true, being OF the nature
of a raccoon or opossum; but peo-
pie are not Ia the habit of barbecu-
ing anything that is human now
As to your hide, it is not worth ta-
king off, bsing little better than a
two-year old calf


$50 much for you. AS for myself,
I do not ike to stand in the way of
hurtfUl. I am under the
that you might hurt me.
This being the case, I think it the
most advisable to stay at a distance.
If you meant to try your pistols.
take tree or a barn about my di-
If you hit that. send me
word, and I will acknowledge that
ii I had been in the same place, you
might have hit me-"
Year: 1872

The topic before the Boston Con
gregational Ministry at Park street,
recently, was the proposed religious
amendment to the Constitution of
the United States. The brethren, of
whom nearly a hundred were pres
ent, regarded the movement as one
which can result IN no good, but
from which much harm is to be
feared.
Year: 1872

A married lady in Rock Island,
Illinois, had been in the habit of pla-
cling needles in her mouth. Now
and then she swallowed one, and it
was sure to appear in some strange
locality a few months after passing
do%n her throat. During the last
five years seven needles have been
extracted from her body, IN different
places-two from the region of the
stomach and short ribs, one from
the leg, near the knee, aud recently
one was taken from the left temple
The lady has always enjoyed good
health, and has never suffered any
inconvenience from her metallic
diet.
Year: 1872

The writer had a quantity carefully meas
ured and put mp in sacks. It remained in a
cool barn In this way for three months


When the sacks We're first filed, the mouths
could be scarcely tied, they We're 50 full


At the end Of three months there WAS ap-
parentiy plenty of room for more. For
curiosity some OF il was measured, and it
was found two quarts per bu-hel had fallen
away, which is loss of about seven per
cent. The place where the seed was kept
was very unfavOrable to waste. There was
no heat or wind to dry it up, and it may be
taken as the very lowest percentage of loss.
l nder other circumstances, the loss by saw
ing six months may often reach as high as
twenty per cent. These things should be
considered by those who are inclined to
hold on for chance OF a rise Another
cons liberation strikes one here. People
often complain that they get short weight
or measure. No doubt that this is too often
the case but it is likely that in some in
stances the difference is as much in shrink
age rs Intention. Any and every farmer,
who bv the use of his reasoning powers is
enabled to raise one bushel OF corn per
acre more than he has hitherto done, by
improved methods, is a scientific farmer,
however much he may diSOwn the name ;
and not only has he done good thing for
himself but the world at large Is, to some
extent, better for his efforts and success {;
his mission as a man has been to that ex-
tent fulfilled, -~ld he will leave the world
better than he round it. Hearth and Home.
Year: 1872

An Ohio farmer contributes the following
to one Of our exchanges; To remove the
wool, take equal parts of ashes and new
lime, make them into thin paste, and if
you wish TO preserve the wool, apply to the
flesh side, letting it remain until the wool
will come off easily. Then clean the pelt
with dull knife, remove all fat and flesh
from it and put it in a strong solution of
alum water; let it remain from "a to 4S
hours, according to size, when remove and
wash in soft water. Hang it in the smoke
house and smoke for day, then remove
and work until dry. To tan with wool on,
take equal parts of alum and common salt,
sprinkle the flesh side (if dry, soak with
soft water) thoroughly; fold up, and lay
away for few days, then smoke and work
until dry
Year: 1872

Eating too fast generally involves eating
too much-Inore than is needed for the sup
port and nutrition Of the body-and the
reason for that is the organs of state, which
are our guide in this matter are not allow
ed sufficient time to take cognizance Of the
presence of food enDit is pushed past them
into the recesses of the stomach. They do
not, therefore have opportunity to represent
the real need of the system, and hence al
low the crowding of the stomach. Thirty
minutes should be spent at each meal, and
spent too, in chewing the food a good por-
tion of the time and not in continued put
ting It in and swallowing, but in pleasant
chat and laugh, instead of the intense nerv-
Gus pressure of the office or library. If
you lay out to spend thirty minutes in this
way at your meals, you may rest assured
you will not eat too much, and that what
you do eat will be in the best condition for
appropriation to the needs of the system.
Year: 1872

The Boston Globe tells a story at the
expense of well-known doctor in a GER
tain village of New Hampshire. 1t seems
That few days before the recent election
In that State, the DR.. sent letter enclos-
ing money to a shoemaker in Lynn. vot-
er in Lake Village, requesting him to
come home and vote. The poor fellow,
instead OF purchasing railway ticket,
got intoxicated with the Doctors money,
and wandering off became frozen unto
death. The Coroner, in his examination
of the body, found the letter and then
sent the body to the Doctors address with
the remark, Here's your voter"
Year: 1872

ending always at three OF four O'Clock
But The men have serious look. that
makes one think every moment of the
danger aud to get away


Though curiosity may take man once
to visit a powdermill he has no desire to
60 the second time and he feels all the
rest Of his life that for once he has been
very near death. American Sportsmen.
Year: 1872

rose up in perfect fury, and with all her
strength gave long pull and strong
pull, entirely divcstng tho Irshman Of his
Shirt tail.


This brought matters to a climax. and
with a thought Of victory she waved the
red rag around her head but she had
scarcelydone so when the other passengers
burst into shout Of boisterous laughter.
and the old lady looking steadily at the
standard she had rescued from her enemy.
tainted away, while the lrishman retired
70 An obscure corner Of the boat where he
was observed trying to repair damages
with the assistance of few pins.
Year: 1872

Investigations near the Sandwich Islands
have proved that choral aggregates at the rate
of seventeen feet in century, instead of
few inches in that time, according to accepted
scientific estimates
Year: 1872

A fond father in Rochester, says the Courier,
had suspected his daughter OF having stolen
moonlight walks with lover whom he had
refused her SEEING and in coming home the
other night at late hour, thought he saw his
daughters arm linked in with the hated low
ers's. The indignant papa took the young
man by the collar, and was giving him good
shaking, when he found he had got hold of
the wrong man, and soon learned that the
parties were highly respectable married cou-
pie, who were coming home from prayer
meeting. sd
Year: 1872

A SINGULAR CAsE.-The Talbot co. Grand
Jury last week indicted John r. Platter, lv-
ny near Easton, for the murder of his wife,
who was found dead near his residence in DE
December last, and an effort made to oproduce
til. impression that she died from poison adj
ministtrpd by her own hand A coroner 5
Jury in her case found a verdict to that effect
but that not satisfying the public second
inquest WAS held, and upon further II verdict
rendered that she ''died from cause or causes,
o.her than poison, to the jury unknown" -
What evidence was adduced before the Grand
Jury is not stated but 1t was sufficient to war
rant the Jury in finding a true b il against
Platter as the author of the deed, AMI he was
on Friday arrested by Shertf Sparks and com
mItted to Easton Jail His trial viii come of


II July, Platter is well to do. During the wal
he toined the rebel army, and whilst IN Lee
army married Virginia lady and deserted
mr.. lie came hor- and it was not know
that he WAS married until his wife came t,
Eeston In search Of him She found him a


his farm and on making her appearance III
left the premises and went to his mother :
taking all the furniture from his own house


In two weeks from that time she was touDt
dead along the road side.
Year: 1872

Persons who have not been in the habit
of drinking buttermilk consider it dis
agreeable, because it is slightly acid
There is not much nourishment in but
ter.milk, buf the presence of the lactic
acid assists the digestion of any food TAX
en- with it. Buttermilk is an excellant
substitute for fruit in the winter, and is
also very good in the spring toward keep
ing off that unpleasant complaint known
as spring sickness. The Welsh peasants
almost live upon cat cake and buttermilk.
Invalids suffering from indigestion will
do well to drink buttermilk at their meal
time
Year: 1872

There are many young men who are In
the habit of excusing their idleness and
inefficiency with the plea that they can
do nothing without capital. The lack of
means is the ready reply they make to
every appeal to action. They imagine
that they possess in themselves all the
prerequisites to success except capital
Ii they only had capital, in addition to
their other imagined virtues, they would
do great things in the world they would
astonish the natives with the boldness
and brilliancy of their enterprise, They
would become immensely rich, and lay
the world under perpetual Obligations to
them by the magnifcence of their bene-
factions. This is the way they think and
talk, and they roll the vain glorious idea
over in their minds until they come to
imagine that the world is an immense
loser by their poverty.


These persons forget one important
fact-that all capital is the product of Ia
bor That nearly all rich men in this
country were once poor. That nearly
every personal fortune they can enumer-
ate is either the product of its owners
toll and skill, or the representative of his
fathers toll and skill.


How did the makers of these fortunes
get along without capital ?'' Had they
spent the vigor of their youth in idle and
foolish lamentations over their poverty,
would have lived and died poor, and left
nothing but an inheritance of honesty be-
hind them. Capital allied to labor and
skill can work wonders in the war of ma
terial enterprises. But money is not the
only indispensable thing to young men.
There are other kinds of capital besides
accumulated money; brains, muscle, in
dustry, honesty, diligence, truth, fidelity,
skill, tact, education-aU these are cap
tal, and all of them have commercial
value, which the owner will be able, soon
er or later, to command in the market.
Provided with these, any young man IN
the country may make more than he needs
to spend every year, and thus have some
thing at the end of each year to invest as
money capital. If he needs money let
him 60 to work and make it, and thus
give proof of his ability to use it proftably
and judiciously. If we go into any great
city, or into any prosperous agriculture
district, we find the capitalists are those
who have made their fortunes without
any outside aid. They did not waste their
time in repining at their poverty, and in
silly dreams of what they could do if they
had the money to do it with. They went
boldly and resolutely to work they toll
ed and thought and planned, and KEEP
toiliug and thinking and planning
patiently, until at last they grasped the
fortunate moment, and succeed.-Er
change.
Year: 1872

They live longest as class, who lead
calm and even lives, mentally and physi-
cally, who are most exempt from the
turmoils and shocks and strains that are
incident to human existence. and who are
assured of tomorrow bread. There is
no one thing which has such direct in
fuence in promoting longevity as an as
surauce, felt to be well grounded, of a
comfortable provision for life, for all the
ordinary wants of our station. Not long
ago a man died in a poorhouse in Eng
land, where he had been taken care of
for ninety years he had no anxiety for
to-morrow's bread he had no quarter
day to provide against, in default of which
wife and children would be turned into
the street from the doors of the elegant
brown mansion. He had no notes to
meet in the bank, which if not paid by a
day or hour would involve protest and
financial ruin. All, this load of debt
how it grinds ones manhood to powder,
how it agonizes the sensitive heart, how
it shames a mans honor, how it has driv-
en- to desperation, to drunkenness, to sui
eide, to murder! How the anguish of it
takes the energy aud health out of man,
and makes him pine and languish for
weary days and weeks on beds of thorns,
that pierce through the body into the
soul


So one good way to avoid sickaess and
premature death is to avoid debt as you
would the evil one
Year: 1872

The following anecdote, which first
appeared in the newspapers many years
ago, is said to have been founded on an
actual occurrence. Although it may
not illustrate the democratic simplicity
of the people of Vermont to-day, it is
nevertheless good story, and good also
for many years longer life in the news
papers;


"Hallo, you man with pail and frock,
can you inform me whether His Honor
the Governor of Vermont resides here u
said British officer, as he brought his
fiery horse to stand in front of Cover
nor Chittenden's dwelling.


"He does," was the response of the
man, still vending his was to pig sty.


''Is His Houor at home p continued
the man of spurs.


"Most certainly" replied frock.


Take my horse by the bit, then," said
the officer. ri have business to transact
with your master"


Without a second bidding, the man
did as requested, and the officer alighted
and made his way to the door, and gave
the panel several hearty raps with the
butt of his whip-for be it known that IL
those days of republican simplicity
knockers and bells, like servants, were il
but little USE The good dame answered
the summons in person and having seat
ed the officer and ascertained his desire
to see the Governor, departed to inform
her husband of the guests arrival bu
on ascertaining that the officer had made
hitching post of her husband, she i'm
mediately returned and informed hin
that the Governor was engaged in th'
yard, and could not very well wait upol
him and his horse at the same time Tht
predicament of the officer can bette
| imagined than described.
Year: 1872

Most of the throat and lung diseases,
which indirectly lead to consumption, are
occasoned by sheer carelessness. A de-
licate woman often sits for two or three
honrs in a crowded theatre or church,
breathing an atmosphere tainted by the
exhalations from the lungs of hundreds
of other people, her system is exhausted,
her skin is excited by unwonted action,
and when she leaves the building and
goes out into the cold air her blood is
suddenly driven to the interior of the
body, and then ensues more or less per-
manent congestion or Inflammation of
some of the internal organs-usually the
air tubes in or leading to the lungs
This process being repeated many times,
a chronic bronchitis is finally established
in persons otherwise healthy, and life is
ever after rendered miserable by this
periodical overheating and sudden chill
ling of the body, even if the more danger
Gus malady, consumption, does not inter
fere, and put the abused body inio the
grave.-Bostoa journal of Chemistry.
Year: 1872

Cut up some pieces of good, tender
raw beef or mutton, season with pepper,
salt, and if liked, one finely minced on
ion boil half dozen good sized
mealy potatoes, mash smooth, and wet
with enough milk to form dough or
make the crust, salt to please the taste,
roll full half an inch thick, and line a
buttered dish large enough to hold the
meat, add teacup of water, or less, if
the pie is to be for small family, then
roll out thick crust out of the potato,
covering the top of the pie at least an
inch thick, and bake about an hour and
a half.
Year: 1872

1t was the sensible remark of hale,
hearty man of threescore and ten that
while money is very proper and neces-
sary provision for old age, there is some
thing else needed in order to render the
man of sixty or seventy what he should
be. ''An old man." says this writer,
'needs just that particular kind of
strength which young men are apt to
throw to waste" He then proceeds to
point out the everlasting of the physical
energies, the everlasting of the eyes, and
the reckless expenditure of nervous
energy, which young men are so apt to
indulge in. Save up for old age is q
sound axiom, as applicable to physical and
mental strength, as to money
Year: 1872

Look most to your spending. No mat
ter what comes in, if more goes out, you
will always be poor. The art is not in
making money, but in keeping it; little
expenses, like mice in barn, when they
are many, make great waste. Hair by
hair, heads gets bald straw by straw, the
thatch goes off the cottage; and drop by
drop. the rain comes in the chamber. A
barrel is soon empty, if the tap leaks but
a drop a minute. When you begin to
save, begin with your mouth Many
thieves pass down the red lane. The ale
;ue is a great waste. In all other things
keep in compass. Never stretch your
legs farther than the blankets will reach,
or YOU will soon be cold. In clothes,
choose suitable and lasting stuff, and not
tawdray fneries. To be warm is the main
tbing-neyer mind the looks. A fool
NAV make money but it needs wise man
to spend it. Reminder it Is easier to
build TWO chimneys than to keep one 60
ing. If you give all to back and board
there is nothing left for the savings bank
Fare hard and work hard while you are
young, and you will have chance to rest
when you are Old
Year: 1872

A West Virginia man thinking to have
some nice fun in frightening boy by
playing panther, clothed himself in a
panther's skin and suddenly appeared be-
fore him in the woods near his house
But the boy failed to see the joke, good
as it was. He just went back to the
house, got his fathers rife, rested it on
fence, and shot that panther, and there
was a funeral from that mans late re-
sidence two days after.
Year: 1872

The other day Montreal tailor sent his
bill to magazine editor. He was startled
few hours afterward by its being returned
with the following note appended: Your
manuscript is respectfully declined