smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

There is the soundest common sense
in the following paragraph from the
Manufacturer and Builder:


Why is it that there is such repug.
nance on the part of parents to put
ting their sons to a trader A skilltul
mechanic is an Independent man. Go
where he will his craft will bring him
support. He need ask favors of none.
He has literally his fortune in his own
hands. Yet foolish parents-ambitious
that their SONS should "rise in the
world as they say-are more willing
that they should study for a profess
sion, with the chances of even moder-
ate success heavily against them, or
run the risk of spending their man
hood in the ignoble task of retailing
dry-goods, or Of toiling at the account
ants desk, than learn a trade which
brings them manly strength, health and
independence. In point of fact, the
method they choose is the one least
likely to achieve the advancement aim
ed at, for the supply Of candidates for
'errand boys" dry goods clerks, and
kindred occupations, is VIGOROUSLY
overstocked while, on the other hand,
the demand for really skilled mechan-
les of every description is as notorious
ly beyond the supply. The crying
need of this country to-day is for skill
ed labor; and that father who neglects
to provide his son with useful trade,
and to see that he thoroughly masters
it, does him grievous worng and
runs the risk of helping by so muth
to increase the stock of dependent,
if not vicious members of society
1t is stated in the report of the Priscn
Association, lately issued, out of foui-
teen thousand five hundred and ninety"
six prisoner confined i'll the thirty
States, in 1867, seventy-seven per cent,
or over ten thousand of the number
! had never learded trade. The fact
conveys lessen of profound interest
to those who have in charge the train
ing of boys, and girls too, for the az
tive duties of life.
Year: 1871

It is not generally known, says
the Lancaster (Pcnn.) Intelligence,
how easy a matter it is to explore
the bottom Of a we'll, cistern, or
pond of water by the use of COM
mon mirror. When the sun is
shining bri ghtly, hold a mirror so
that the reflected rays of light will
fall into the water. A bright spot
will be seen at the bottom. SO light
as to show the smallest object plain
ly, By this means we have exam
incd the bottoms Of wells fifty feet
deep, when half.full or more of wa
ter. The smallest straw or other
objects can be perfectly seen from
the surface. In the same way one
can examine the bottom Of The
ponds and rivers. if the waters be
somewhat agitated by winds or
rapid motion. If a well or cistern
be under cover. or shaded by a
building so that the sunlight will
not fall near the opening. it is only
necessary to employ two mirrors,
using one to reflect the light to the
opening, and a.other to reflect it
down to reflect it down into the
water. Light may be thrown fifty
or a hundred yards to the precise
spot desirable, and then downward.
We have used the mirror with sue
cess, to reflect the light around the
house, to a shaded vel, and also to
carry it from south window
through two rooms and then into
a cistern under the north side of
the honse. Half dozen rehec-
tions of light may be made, though
each mirror dimilIishes the brillian-
cy of the light. Let any one not
familiar with the method. try the
experiment. 1t will perhaps re-
veal a mass of sediment at the bot
tom of the we'll that has been little
thought of. but which may have
been a frightful source of disease
by its decay in the water.
Year: 1871

How TO BANIsH FLEAs. - The
oil of pennyroyal will certainly
drive those pests off; but cheaper
method, where the herb hourishes,
is to throw your dogs and cats into
a decoction of it once week.
Now the herb and scatter it in the
bed%of the pigs once a month.
Where the herb cannot be got, the
oil may be procured. In this case,
saturate strings with it and tie
them around the necks Of dogs and
cats, pour little on the back and
about the ears of hogs, which you
can do while they are feeding with
out touching them. By repeating
these application every twelve or
fifteen days, the Acas will flee from
your quadruped to their relief ard
Improvement, and your relief and
comfort in the house.


Strings saturated with the oil OF
penny royal and tied around the
neck and tail of horses will drive
off lice; the strings should be sat-
ura ed once day.
Year: 1871

The New York papers announce
that nineteen wholesale boot and
shoe stores several large dry goods
houses in that city closed on Satur.
day until Wednesday. The gold
and stock exchange will also be
closed till Wednesday.
Year: 1871

NhA OOhObe


From the Peoria (Iil.) Reyiew.l ...


The boys of the Second Ward school
had raised subscription and bought a
football. 1t was made Of India-rubbor,
and was inflated with air. A small
brass tube was used to initiate it, through
an aperture in the side, which closes me-
chanically when the tube is withdrawn.
A day or two ago the boys were resting
from their play, and examining their
ball, when one Of them, a pale, delicate
looking, philosophical little fellow, of
fered to bet that he could put the ball
in his moLth They all laughed at the
idea, as the ball was as big as his head,
but he persisted, and they took up his
bet. He very quickly inserted the tube,
exhausted the air, and rolling the ball
tightly up in a small compass, easily
placed it in his mouth, to the great as
tonishment Of his companions. While
they gazed one of them, filed with mis-
chief, inserted the tube in the aperture
in the ball, which was just visible, and
inflated the football to its fullest extent
The boys screamed with laughter at the
odd appearance OF their puny play-fel-
low, and in their appreciation of the joke
they lost the key! And now for that
piece of thoughtless merriment that poor
little boy must drag on through his
weary life, with his face the size of peck
measure, and no place to put his bread
and butter in. Boys. you cannot be too
careful about playing even what may
seem to be the most innocent joke on
your play fellows
Year: 1871

The Thiet's Expedient.


There is fable among the Hindoos
that thief, having been detected and
condemned to die, happily hit upon an
expedient which gave him hope OF life.
He sent for his jailor, and told him that
he had secret of great Importance
which he desired to impOrt to the King,
and when that had been done he would
be prepared to die. Upon receiving
this piece of intelligence, the King at
once ordered the culprit to be conduct
ed to his presence, and demanded OF
him to know his secret. The thief re-
/ piled that he knew the secret of causing
trees to grow which would bear fruit OF
pure gold. The experiment might be
elsiiy tried, and his majesty would not
lose the opportunity; so, accompanied
by his prime minister, his courtiers and
his chief priest, he went with the thief
to q spot selected near the city wall,
where the latter performed series of
solemn incantations. This done the
condemned man produced piece Of
gold and declared that if it should be
planted it would produce tree every
branch of which would bear gold.


"But," he added, "this must be put
into the ground by hand that has
never been stained with dishonest act.
My hand is not clean, therefore l pass
it to your Majesty"


The King took the piece of gold; but
hesitated. Finally he said:


81 remember that in my younger days
often flched money from my fathers
treasury which was not mine. l have
repented of the sin, but yet hardly
dare say my hand is clean, 1 pass It,
therefore, to my prime minister. The
latter, after brief consideration, an-
swered: - ..-


at were a pity to break the charm
through a possible blunder. l receive
taxes from the people, and as I am ex-
posed to many temptations, how can
be sure that 1 am perfectly honest?
must give it to the Governor of our cit
adel"


"No, no." cried the Governor drawing
back. Remember that have the serv'
ing out of pay and provisions to the
soldiers. Let the high priest plant it.


And the prist said:


"You forget, I have the collecting O
tithes, and the disbursement for sacri
fee"


At length the thief exclaimed:


"Your Majesty, 1 think it were better
for society that all five of us should bt
hanged, since it appears that not al
honest man can be found among u.s."


Iii spite of the lamenhble exposure
the king laughed; and so pleased was HI
with the thiefs cunning expedient, tha
he granted him pardon.
Year: 1871

BE MAN.-Foolish spending is the
father of poverty. Do not be ashamed
Of hard work. Work for the best sala-
ries or wages you can get, but work for
half price rather than be idle. Be your
own master, and do not let society or
fashion swallow up your individuality
hat, coat and boots Do not eat up OF
wear out all that you earn. Compel
your selfish body to spare something for
profits saved. Be stingy to your own
appetite, but merciful to necessities.
Help others, and ask no help for your
self. See that you are proud. Let yonr
pride be of the right kind. Be too proud
to be lazy; too proud to give up with
out conquering every difficulty; too
proud to wear coat you cannot afford
to buy; too proud to be in company that
You cannot keep up with in expenses;
too proud to lie, or steal, or cheat; too
proud to be stingy.
Year: 1871

The natural instincts OF womanhood
Ore beginning to tell on the Mormon
system, as the young women utterly re-
fuse to marry the Saints. They have
witnessed the degradation of their mo-
theirs, and decline similar experience
AS consequence, gentle husbands are
in active demand, and the supply is like
ly to be liberal, as some of the most pro-
ductive mines in the West have been
found in Utah, followed by the usual
rush of miners Both political parties
have united in an agreement to elect no
one to the Legislature who is a polyga-
mist, or OF that faith, and it will not
take many Years to root out Brigham
and his followers. With old age, gold
in the mountains, and inrolling tide OF
unbehevers, parties arrayed in open op-
position, and schism in the Church, the
latter days of the Latter Day Saints are
near at hand. It is u barbarism that
cannot survive civilization. The world
will soon hear Young's last sigh.
Year: 1871

A correspondent to the Jackson Wing
and Tribune, says:


put half grown wiggletail into a
quinine bottle half full of water, and
covered the bottle with perforated paper.
In three or four days the prisoner threw
off what seemed to be his tail. For two
or three days lie coiled himself like q
worm and foated ON the surface Of the
water in q torpid state, till on the night
of the 4th of July he burst his sheath
and appeared q flying mosquito above
the water.
Year: 1871

Miss Bremen beautifully expresses a
good wife's duty: "If you will learn the
seriousness of life, and its beauty also,
live for your husband; be like the night
ingale to his domestic life; be to him
like the sunbeams between the trees;
unite yourself inwardly with him; be
guided by him; make him happy; and
then you will understand what is the
best happiness of life, and will acquire,
in your own eyes, "a worth with God
and with man."
Year: 1871

The following recipe for the cure of
infamed eyes is given:


"Take potato, and after quartering
it, CRATE the heart as fine as possible,
and place the grating between piece Of
cambria muslin Place the poultice
over the eyes infamed, and keep it there
fifteen minutes Continue the operation
three successive nights, and perfect
cure ensues."


1t is worth trying by those afflicted
with sore eyes.
Year: 1871

If man gets into any kind Of an er-
terprise and is successful, he will say
he was smart, but his neighbors will say
he was lucky; but if he does not sue
ceed well, he will say he was unfortu-
nate, but his neighbors will soy he was
fool
Year: 1871

The Good Book tells to judge


not that we may not be judged.


but we can't help pointing out It
''mote" that is in the eye of some
christians, and that mote is this:
You don't help us as much as you
ought; you don't try to save the
mothers, sisters and friends OF the
drunkard from a life long pain,
sand last but not least" you set
back in your pulpits, ye preachers.
and call the sinners to repentance
Il mean you call those that at.
tend church--and don't try to save
the outside world, as you ought.
You mustremember that some men
have to be prepared eren before
they 60 to church and listen as
they ought.


Now, we don t like to be your
advisors, but we would inform,
you that you could effect mucll-
good by coming forward and help
ing us to save the poor drunkard.
from ruin on earth and everlasting
damnation in eternity. Come on
and hel p us-don't be so selfish
get them to join US and very prob
ably after while they may join
you.


Don't get mad, but come right
along and do your duty-your face
may bring dozens, where an out
slider would bring none. "If u
servant be a servant"
Year: 1871

1t is often remarked on the


streets that the Sons of Temper.


ance effect no good in Fayetteville.
The man that says that can't


see the monday sun; be is blind
in fact, he don't want to see and
won't see. | could point OFT sew
eral men in the Order that have
kept themselves from drink since
the Order was started in this
place.


We would say to those who
speak in that manner, that if we
even keep one man from drinking
Intoxicating liqnors, we are doing
good. Yes, if we make one mans
family happy, we surely effect q
good. And another thing, ever
if young man don't drink II
drop OF anything, be learns some
thing by being with us--he learns
to debate, he learns business, he
learns manners, be learns every
thing that is virtuous and right.
for we allow nought else, if we
can help it, to come in the Order.


Then don't say we effect no
good, for we do; we effect good in
every way-our motto is 'fOve,.
purity and fidelity"


If you can't join us, please
don't fight against as; we have
enough to fight when we fight
'red eye." l>r au
Year: 1871

Greenfield (Ohio) Correspondence.


A beautiful and wealthy young
lady at social patty took offence
at what she supposed to be the i'm
pertinent gaze of a gentleman
present, who was a stranger to
her but friend 10 the lady of the


house. The young lady demand
ed his expulsion as condition Of
her remaining. Explanations en-
sued. The gentleman was not
looking at her, "though beautiful
enough to attract and fasten the
attention of any one" He was
looking at a fine and costly chain
that encircled the fair ones neck
Just such a one as he had
purchased for his sister-in one
OF the links of which (having a
secret opening) he had put his
photograph. But some months
since, and before he had an oppor-
tunity to present it to his sister, it
was stolen from him. Upon ex-
arhining the lady's chain he
touched the spring Ito the little
beauty unknown,) and behold !!
there was his photograph. aH


leave you to judge of the con-
fusion of the fair one. She i'm
mediately offered to return the
piece of jewelry, which was po-
litely declined for the time, aud it
is said by knowing ones that she
has concluded to accept of the
young mans hand and heart, in
order that being the possessor of
the one she may be permitted to
retain the other. 1t is but justice
to remark that the young lady
bought the chain of a travelling
peddler, who had stopped at her
fathers house, for about one-half
of its original cost.
Year: 1871

The Scranton Pennsylvania


Republican tells the following


sad story Of the late PittstoI


disaster:


"William Jones expired about


three o'clock on the afternoon


of Tuesday following the cas-


tastrophe, and was the last ad.
ded to to the list of those upon
/ whom the death angel laid his


hand in that awful havoc. He


was a Welshman, and had been
lin this country about seven
months. On the morning the oi
dreadful day in question he had
taken his breakfast and his wife
had made ready his dinner and
iset the pail aside. For some
time he sat wrapped in thought,
his arms folded, his eyes fixed
yacantly upon the stove and a
deep melancholy apparently


brooding over him. He was IL
reused from his reverie by his
wife telling him that his dinner
was ready, and that he would be
late, as the bell had rung. He
started to his feet, and gazing
upon her for a moment with a
look of tenderness and signifi-
canoe said to her, IF | should
not come home alive would you
be in such a hurry getting me
out?' The wife answered No, ,
but remarked that 'if you are
going at all it was time you was
gone He lifted his pail, with
out saying a word, and after
kissing his wife, kissed his four
little children, who were sitting
playing on the door STEP
When he had got about fifty
yards from the house he turned
again, and kissed his wife and
children once more with
great feryency. His wife no
ticed that he was the VIC
tim of gloomy forebodings,
and as he turned away she
was about to entreat him not to
go to work if he apprehended
any danger, But hope and
courage and the overpressing
necessity of their family over
came her intention and she let
him go. She stood in the door
and watched him on the way to
the fatal pit. When at point
where he turned out Of her
sight, he turned and cast a wist-
ful look toward his home and
little ones, and seeing his wife
waved with his hand a last adieu.
He parted with his loved ones
forever.
Year: 1871

The way a young lover war
bled I'm lonely, tonight, love,
without thee" under his Dulci-
meas window, in Boston, the
other evening, was very affec-
ting, until the old gentleman let
loose the two dogs in the back
yard. The sentimental youth
had no cause to complain of lone
illness after that. His new
pants cost $14, and he wears a
square foot of sticking plaster
somewhere. For the next
week or two. he thinks he will
imbibe his hash perpendicular
ly at a lunch counter. It's
healthier that way, and he
doesn't really care about "sit-
ting on the stile, Mary" or any
thing else at present.
Year: 1871

"Come on, George, and take one
drink, it won't Lurt you. Why,
I've been for the last three years
drinking my dram, and you know
as well as do that it don't hurt
me, and if lean drink without be-
ing hurt can't you do the same?
There is no use in a man making
a dog of himself by drinking
quart. Come on and take some
thing; l know you are man e.
nough to govern yourself that lit
tie, surely; if you amt you had
better go home and get your ma
to nurse you,"


No, stop, young man, before you
take that "oae drink You are
planting a seed that never dies
until the body sinks in the grave,
and then, my dear sir, the sin that
comes from drinking follows your
soul to eternity.


"One drink was the starting
point of every drunkard; "One
drink" caused him to want taro
dria1ks, and thus he kept on rising
in number until it took twenty to
do him.


| can't understand how a man
will walk deliberately up to a bar
AID take whiskey or wine, when
there are so many examples set
before him every day. Ii is often
the case that a young man, " hose
father is a confirmed drunkard
and has abused his mother, sisters
and brothers In the very worst
manner possible say, it is often
the case that he will, seemingly.
without any forethought at all.
walk up TO the bar coolly and make
himself like his father before him.
In fact, sometimes think that the
love of whiskey is inherited from
some mems parents, or else they
surely would not touch so deadly ii
poison. But we have said enough
on that subject for the present
Touch not, handle not even the
small amount of some drink.
Year: 1871

Hartford is puzzling itself over
the merits of this legal case, just
come to light there: A man who
died lately, leaving a handsome
property and childless widow,
but then enciente, left also a will,
duly executed, in which it was
provided that if the expected child
should be a boy, two thirds of the
property should go to him, and
one-third to the widowed mother.
If, however, the child proved to
be a girl, only one-third of the
estate was to 60 to her, and the
two-thirds to the mother. But
the widow has become the mother
of twins! and what greatly
heightens the perplexity of the
case, the twins are a boy and u
girl, and the lawyers are in a
quaDdary to know what they shall
do about it.
Year: 1871

A fair subscriber in a letter
recently received, expresses
the opinion that "whiskey
and laziness are doing more
harm to our country than scala
wags, taxes, carpet-baggers,
and Congress, all combined;'
and adds, that ''many and many
a poor woman, raised in easy
luxury, is now brought down to
pinching poverty and hard labor
by the 1aziness and hard drink
ing of those who ought to sup
port them" F" True every word
of it,
Year: 1871

you restore selfgovernment to the people
Of the States. If they cannot secure their
own peace and happiness, let us look
around next year. not for the next Presi-
dent but for the first dictator.


Now if you or any other man doubt the
soundness of my judgment in this matter
all I ask is true Democratic Administra-
tiou and you shall see for youself.


Yours, very respectfully,


JoHN Q. ADAMS.
Year: 1871

~A correspondent Of the Eng,'sh
Mechanic gives the following: Put piece
of quicklime as big as walnut in pint
of water in a bottle. Clean the teeth with
it every morning. rinsing the mouth with
clean water afterward. IF the teeth are
good it will preserve them and keep away
tooth-ache; if the teeth are gone it Will
harden the gums so that they will mastl-
cate crusts and all.
Year: 1871

~ An excellent plan to set pencil
drawings is the following:


Boil two tablespoousful of rice in pint
Of water, strain, aud pass the drawing
quickly through the liquid, which can be
easily done by pouring it into a large fiat
dish