smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

There is scarcely family throughout


the length and breadth Of our land, who
is not making great preparations for the
celebration of this most joyous of al
the days in the year 1t is the occasion
that brings the fathers aud mothers, the
children aud grand children. around the
old family hearthstone and the festive
board, to minglc in he whir of merri.
ment. The old grow youthful through the
inhue CO of the happy hearted young bv
which they are surrounded. They live
over the sunny days of their joyous
childhood Adown the dim and misty
avenues of the past come tripping the
golden memories that twine themselves
forever round their breasts, and, like a
FURNISHED mirror, reflect back to their
enraptured visions, the Christmas days
that came to cheer their childhood hearts
With what rapturous delirium of de.


light We used TO hang up our stocking
on the old chimney. and lay down on
our little trundle, bed to sleep with " vis-
ions of sugar plums dancing in our
heads" Then it was a blessed day to
us, and now when matured manhood
has sprinkled our hair with frost, and fur
rowed our brow with Times pencilings,
it comes to our heart, with all its lovely
"reminiscences, and pure and holy teach
ings, to make us better man.


Why do we Keep Christmas why
do we constitute it the great rejoicing
day OF the whole year, aud lay all our
plans for such consummation Have
we no reason for it? At least three
fifths of the entire Christian world unite
with each other in its commemoraton as
the birthday of the Saviour. The Epis.
copal, Greek and Catholic churches make
it day to be kept in the same manner
as Sunday, while among some Methodist,
Christian, Lutheran and Universalist
churches it is sometimes observed The
Episcopalians and Universalsts dress
their churches with evergreens. and the
services of the former are peculiarly i'm
pressiyc. The Catholic church is more
grand, and her service is more beautiful
than on any other festival in the year
She decorates her altar, and the music is
appropriately joyful. For this reason, a
largo portion of the Christian world.
regardless of denonomination, keep
Christmas as day of general rejoicing.


Have your merry feasts, aud be hap,
py. Gather your friends and relations
around the fresde, and as you call to
mind the many birthdays that have pass
ell over your own heads, remember the
eighteen hundred and seventy fifth ami
versary of the Nativity of the Saviour.
We wish all our readers "Merry Christ.
mas
Year: 1875

Es- The Pittsburg Commercial, an III,
ira Republican paper, says:


" The truth is that third nomination
of President Grant is simple impossible
ty. If it were possible, his defeat would be
crushingly overwhelming The parties
who are pressing this thing might as well
know the truth now, as at any time
These architects of rum must step aside,
and keep their mouths shut That is the
least the country will demand of them.


And yet, notwithstanding all this
Grant riH be nominated, and most oil
the radical papers will shout themselves
hoarse trying to elect him
Year: 1875

Es- We endorse the following from
the Helena World, every word. Ifthere
is any man in Arkansas that deserves
well of her people it is ex Governor
Baxter:


" Ex Governor Baxter is at his home
near Batesyilr, Arkansas, enjoying the
sweets and quiet of home life The ex-
governor is happy in the thought that
he is loved by the people of the State
that he labored so hard to save. He is
conscious of having done his duty faith.
fully and well, and asks no other boon
than to be appreciated by his people"
Year: 1875

ET The London Times compliments
very truly Gov. Tilden By saying that in
him the Democrats possess champion
incomuarahly superior to any whom they
have produced since the disruption oil
their Organization, fifteen years ago, and
that be is the only man in his party who
has shown himself more capable or more
clear sighted than his rivals.
Year: 1875




The season for gathering beautiful varie.
gated leaves and pretty ferns is At hand
Many handsome parlor and drawing roor
ornaments can be fashioned frsm leave.
and ferns by those having few leisure
hours to spare. All that is required is or.
dinary taste, little ingenuity. and a cor.
responding stock of patience. First gath.
er the leaves from the tire just as they
are to fall, or as soon as possible after they
have fallen, press them Immediately for a
week or more until they are perfectly dry.
Procure half pound Of beeswax, put it IN
a tin vessel and place the vessel in a spider
containing little water, which must be
kept constantly boiling on the top of the
stove over steady fire. Take each leaf by
the stem and dip into the hot wax. On.
dipping is usually sufficient. If the wax
gathers on the edges, touch the places
lightly With the hot tin. TIL, leaves dry
instantly and all the bright natural colers
are preserved and will remain for a year.
BY piercing the leaf near the stem with a
double thread wire you can weave them on
coar'er wire or on large cord into any de-
scription Of gariands.
Year: 1875

large a percentage of incendiary fires in
didicates an equal proportion of dishonesty
among insurers. Perhaps not one in a
hundred of those who insure ever has any
experience of fire; but if he does, his
appreciation of insurance suddenly rises.
A recent instance may serve to illustrate
this. A workingman in Brooklyn had by
close saving brought together enough to
build little shop "of his own" 1t cost
him more than he had calculated to build
and stock it; and when neighbor sent to
him the agent of an insurance company and
advised him to take a policy, he became
indignant. Itseemed he said as if everybody
body wanted him to pay out more money.
The neighbor took a kindly interest, how
ever, and pressed the insurance. The policy
was issued, the money to pay for it being
borrowed of the friend who urged it. A
week afterward the adjoining premises took
fire one morning, and the new shop was
burned to the ground before the first
stream of water could be turned on. When
shortly after the fire, the amount of hi!
policy for the total loss was handed to the
penniless workman, his neighborly frienC
and the insurance agent were standing by


He turned to them with tears in his eye


and said, not irreverently, at seems to mC
as if the good God sent you to me anC
made you force me to take that policy o


insurance" N Y. Tribune.
Year: 1875

There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold;
But one was out on the hills away,


Far off from the gates of gold,
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherds care.
Lord, thou hast here thy ninety and nine;
Are they not enough for thee%
But the Shepherd made answer, This Of mine
Has wandered away from me;
And, although the roed be rough and steep
I go TO the desert to find my sheep"
But none of the ransomed ever knew


How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark the night that the Lord paSse


through


Ere he found his sheep that was lost,
Out in the night he heard its cry
Sick and helpless and ready to die.
Lord whence are those blOod-drops all the way
That mark out the mountains track?'
They were shed for one who had gone astray


Ere the Shepherd could bring him back"
Lord whence are thy hands so rent and tOrn?"
They are pierced tonight by many thorn"
And all through the mountains thunderriven,


And up from the rocky steep,
There rose a cry to the gate of heaven:


Rejoice. have found my sheep"
And the angels echoed around the throne:
Rejoice For the Lord brings back his Ownr'
Year: 1875

His head was the shape and size of
Bellitt county watermelon, and he was so
black that charcoal would make light
mark on him. The goat was asleep,
leaning against the side Of the house. The
darkey was smoking decayed cigar. He
espied the goat, looked at the lit end of the
cigar, grinned, then at the tail end of the
goat, "grinncd louder" looked all around
tosee that nobody was looking, and touched
the lit end of that cigar to the tail end OF
the goat. The goat turned handspring
and the negro opened his big mouth to
laugh, but the goat butted him so quickly
between the chin and his breeches pockets
that his jaws came together, making a noise
louder than report of gun. The negroes
hat, boots, and cigar lay in pile, ten fee
pf, while his body was curled up like
horseshoe in the mouth Of sewer opening
When he " "came to " he looked round a
each one in the crowd, and dispersed til,
crowd by saying: "Will some 'ob yor
gemmen' shoot me wild pistol? A nigg


dats as big fool as is don't deserve t,
be libin. ''-LouigrWc Courier Journal.
Year: 1875

Some find work where some find rest,
And so the weary world goes on;
l sometimes wonder which is best;


The answer comes, when life is gone.
Some eyes sleep when some eyes wake,
And so the dreary neighbours go;
Some hearts beat when some hearts break
often wonder why It's so.
Some wills faint where some wills fight;
Some love the tent and some the field
1 often wonder who are right


The ones who strive or those who yield.
Some hands fold, where other hands


Are lifted bravely in the strife
And so through ages and through lands
Move on the two extremes of life.
Some feet halt when some feet tread,


In tireless march a thorny way;
Some struggle on where some have fled;
Some seek, where others shun the fray.
Some swords rust where others clash,


Some fall back where others move on,
Some flags furl, where other flash


Until the battle has'been won.
Some sleep on, while others keep


The vigils of the true and brave;
They will not rest till roses creep


Around their name, above the grave.
Year: 1875

A writer in the Sprinfeld Republican has
had pleasant interview with the real Mary
who had the little lamb, and who related to
him the incidents on which the immortal
poem was based. The lamb was a twin,
thrust out of the pen by its unnatural
until well, and it naturally grew into q
great pet. One morning when it was to go
as usual to the pasture it could not be found


and when Mary went singing on her way
house door she picked it up and managed
to carry it secretly to her desk, where she
covered it up with her shawl. But when
called out to her spelling-class the lamb got
up too, and came pattering after her, which
made the children, laugh, to see lamb at
school. 1t happened on that morning that
young man named John Rowlston, the
son of riding-master in Boston, who was
fitting himself for Harvard, was at the
school, and few days after produced three
verses of the poem. How it ever came tc
be published Mary did not know, for the
young man died soon after, ignorant of the
Immortality of his verses. But the lamt
lived and had five lambkins before it met
its death by an angry COW. Aside from its
memory there yet remains of it the residue
of a child's stocking, which is gradually
unraveling to furnish mementoes for the
many friends of Mary and her little lamb
Year: 1875

Judge Louis Dent, brotherin-law of Gen.
Grant, is figuring in the Clews Bankruptcy
Case, in connection with the transfer of
the Government agency from the Barings
to the Clews-whereupon the whole oppo-
sition press fall to abusing the President,
but forget to state that Judge Dent was q
Democrat, and as such ran as Democratic
candidate for Governor of Mississippi, and
was defeated, and that for years before his
death his relations with the Executive were
not at all pleasant or intimate.
Year: 1875

A white minister at colored wedding
said: Son such occasions as this it is Gus
tomary to kiss the bride, but in this case
we will omit it," To this unclerical remark
the indignant bridegroom very pertinently
replied: "On such occasions it is custo-
mary to give the minister ten dollars, but
in this case we will omit it,
Year: 1875

An officer of the regular army in England
laughed at a timid woman because she was
alarmed at the noise of cannon when a
salute was fired. He subsequently married
that timid woman, and six months after
wards he took off his boots in the hall when
he came home late at night
Year: 1875

The little daughter of a clergyman in
New Haven, after having had charge of
the baby all day while the folks were
renovating the house, asked at night if she
might pray for what she wished. The
request being granted, she said her usual
prayer, supplementing it with "and please
Lord, don't let us have any more house
cleaning"
Year: 1875

She stepped into the car, radiant with
youth, and looking cool and bright in her
fower-trimmed hat and speckless suit of
linen. Four young men Immediately
offered her their seat. She accepted one
with an embracing smile, and instantly gave
it to poor, wan, little, old woman who
had been standing for ten blocks, where
upon the young men did not know whether
to get up again or not, and tried their best
not to look foolish.
Year: 1875

1t would have been all right if Johnny
had squealed when he had enough of it.
There had been lynching in the neighbor-
hood, and the boys got together in the
woods to play at hanging. Johnny Webb
was to be the criminal, and to prevent any
accident it was distinctly understood that
he was to squeal when he wanted to be let
down. The clothes line was noosed around
his neck and over a limb, and he was
hoisted into the air. lie kicked good
deal, and clutched at the rope above his
head, but didn't squeal So the boys
thought he was only acting out, and kept
him suspended. Just then man came
along, and Johnny was revived with great
difficulty. This was near Knoxville, Tenn.
Year: 1875

One of the most common preiudices
of housewives and mothers is that hard
eggs are difficult to digest, especially the
white, and that the less they are boiled
the better they are for weak and dyspep-
tic stomachs. The reverse is the case,
as there is more danger of raw and soft
white of an egg passing through the di-
gestive apparatus without being really
digested than when thoroughly boiled
and hard in fact then it constitutes a
most excellent food for dyspeptics, as ex
perience is proving. A writer i'll the
Medical Journal says /: eve have seen
dyspeptics who have suffered untold tor
ments with almost every kind of food.
No liquid could be taken without suffer
ing bread became burning acid meat
and milk were solid and liquid fires. We
have seen these same sufferers trying to
avoid food and drink and even going to
the enema syringe for sustenance. And
we have seen their torments pass away
and their hunger relieved by living upon
the white of eggs which had been boiled
in bubbling water for thirty minutes. AT
the end of the week we have given the
hard yolk of the egg with the white, and
upon this diet alone, without fluid of
any kind, we have seen them begin to
gain flesh and strength and refreshing
sleep. After weeks of this treatment
they have been able, with care, to begin
upon other food" And all this, the
writer adds, without taking medicine.
He says, what we also have always main
tanned, that hard-boiled eggs are not half
so bad "a half-boiled ones and ten times
as easy to digest as raw eggs and we
have no doubt that an animal may be
starved to death by eating only the raw
white of an egg, for the same reason that
dogs have been starved by eating gelatin
alone. Only toothless babies can digest
soft food, such rs milk.-ManUJacture,'
and Buiider.
Year: 1875

The provisions which. at the very end
of the recent session of Congress, Sena-
tor Hamlin, of Maine, succeeded i'll foist-
ing upon an appropriation bill to double
the rates of postage upon all matter of
third class, usually called =" transient, ="
has awakened intense Indignation in
every part of the country, and among all
classes of people. And this indignation
is Just, whether viewed in its relation
to the provision itself or to the way in
which its passage is understood to have
been secured.


The new law, while it will increase the
profits of the express companies, imposes
an onerous burden upon tie people, who
will demand its repeal at the earliest
possible day. 1t is law which every cit
izen will hate, and which must grow
more odious with every days experience.
Even if it had been so worded as to
double the rates of postage only upon
merchandise, it would still have been
odious for the express companies could
urge no argument in its favor that would
not be equally potent If offered to show
that the Postoflices should all be
abolished and the business of carrying
letters and newspapers confided to them
selves. The law as it stood before this
change was great accommodation TO
the people, and well calculated to make
the Postoffice Department popular. The
Year: 1875

A writer III the home JOl17ldt says
of gentlemen's spring fashions "The
principal novelties for spring wear are in
fancy checked suitings of which the
Knickerbocker is the leading one. They
are made up in the new style of a single
breasted thred- -buttoned sack-coat, or
two-button morning-coat. In point of
novelty the three-button sack-coat has the
preference. 1t is cut of medium length,
and shaped SO as to define the figure
smartly the top button is rather high,
and the fore part is sufficiently cut away
from the third button TO display the
waistcoat There are four outside patch
pockets, and the coat is always worn
with the three buttons buttoned. The
sleeve is finished with q single hole and
button, and stitched round the bottom
to correspond with the edges. The
waistcoat is made single-breasted, with
out collar, cut long, and with four out
side patch pockets, to match the coat.
The two-button morning coat, from fancy
suitings, is cut of good length, and made
with flaps on the hips and pockets under,
and one outside breast-pocket, patch and
button, or with n welt. The waistcoat
sinQle-breasted, with n step collar.
Trousers are cut straight and full to the
leg, with side-pockets and welt Oh the
side-seams, without any spring at the
bottoms, and fall naturally on the boot.
For better wear the frock coat is still
the leading garment, the principal change
being that it is now sometimes made to
wear four buttons buttoned. This style,
however, is likely to be more popular in
England, where the climate will better
admit of its being worn, than here.
They are worn somewhat shorter in the
skirt than during the winter, but still of
good length. The lapels are cut rather
bold and inclined to droop little Mt the
top, with silk breast facings to the but
ton-holes and edges flat braided, or plain
facings and bound narrow. A white
double-breasted waistcoat is worn with
this coat TO show above the turnover of
the lapel, and the trousers of medium
colored stripe in neat pattern. In En-
gland it is very general to wear rough
cheviot checked trousers with frock
coat, especially for morning wear.


THE Mayor of Philadelphia has pro-
hibited fortune telling.
Year: 1875

express companies had no Legitimate


ground of complaint, and Congress
should have turned deaf ear TO their
insidious pleadings. That any member
of Congress sold his vote we do not af-
firm, but we do say when great mon
opoly sends its agents to Washington
well supplied with money and succeeds
by a trick in getting the Legislation it
asks for, there is ground for the suspi-
cion that some of our Legislators think
less of the public welfare than of their
own private interest Christian Union.
Year: 1875

A raid was made on the illicit distil-
lers i'll Southwest Virginia, several weeks
ago, and n number of them captured
One offender, with q romantic turn of
mind, had discovered commodious
cave, through which meandered n crys-
tai stream of water. Above it was
large hollow tree, with number of
large limbs reaching out from the parent
stem. The enterprising manufacturer of
the ardent spirits had managed to con
vert this hollow tree into n chimney,
through which the smoke from the dis
tillery passed in indistinct clouds, being
diffused in unnoticed quantities to the
limbs and out into the air. He had all
the paraphernalia of first-class distil-
lery, and was quietly squeezing the Juice
from the cereals secluded and apart from
the vulgar, prying, meddlesome outside
world, when oflicious myrmidons of the
law interfered with his pastime.
Year: 1875

1t will be reeollected that when the
Virginius affair had excited to madness
the portion of our people who love strife,
Mr.. Sumner wrote a letter to a New
York war meeting. which was suppress
ed for the reason that it decidedly op-
posed any tanning of the war spirit
against the Spanish republic. On the
opening of the succeeding Congress. Mr..
Sumner found on his desk a telegram
from tie deputies of the Republican ma
jority of the Spanish Congress conveying
their heartfelt salutations and felicita-
tion on the sympathy expressed in be-
half of their country, and saying that
similar sentiments animated them with
regard to their brothers in America. and
prompted them to hope that recent diff
ferenees would result in peace. How
much more dignifed and noble are such
sentiments on both sides than those
which melted so many of our citizens to
demand redress by the brutal arbitra-
ment of the sword.
Year: 1875

Worcester, Mass, has an intelligent
dog. and his penchant is for baby tend
ing; he is a Newfoundland. and his
charge and playmate six-months-old
youngster. Baby was up stairs the
other day, when its mother going away,
the little fellow set up a pitiful cry, to
the great distress Of the dog. who bark
ed and whined No relief appearing,
doggy took the matter into his own
charge, and picking up the baby carried
it down two flights of stairs into the
kitchen. where he deposited it safely at
the feet of its terrified mother.
Year: 1875

OF Dramatic scene at the reading of a
will: a rich dame who recently died
at an advanced age at Fontaincbleau,
left will containing, among others, a
bequest to her physician of all the OBJ
jccis contained in an old oaken chest of
her cabinet de toilette, for "his snlight-
ened care and the sage instructions"
which had enabled her to live to such
An advanced aye. There was great COM
motion among the heirs when this
clause in the will was read and greater
curiosity to know what treasures had
escaped them. The notary handed the
key TO the doctor, who on opening the
chest found all the drugs and potions
that he had ordered for his patient du-
ring the past twenty years.
Year: 1875

Thomas Davey, of Dodgeville, had
been for some time addicted to hard
drinking, and it seems that for a
few days before his tragic d a'a h
had been indulging more than usual.
The members of his family realizing
this, on Wednesday morning warned
saloon keepers against selling him
whisky, and shut off all other
sources. A short time after this,
Mr.. Davey was found in room of
his house dead. He had stood on
the floor and driven spike in the
wall, scarcely higher than his head.
After tying rope around his neck
he made it fast to the spike. When
found he was hanging in crouched
position, with his feet drawn up
and his knees almost touching the
floor. His hands We're still clinging
to the rope at the spike, showing
that he had held the rope to its
place while hanging. 1t is sup
posed that excessive drinking had
thrown him into a mental derange-
ment.