smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

One of our English contemporaries, in
lengthy article concerning the whistler,
winds up as follows:


"Considering the vast annoyance caus-
ed to men and women by the prevalent
vice of whistling, we may well ponder on
the question: Why do men whistle? :?
Women do not, although we could well
tolerate anything from their lips but de-
termined refusals What impulse leads
a man to inclose a circular space with his
lips, and then by sheer pneumatic force
to make the noise called whistling2 If
the lips looked more elegant in this form,
there would be plea for whistling. But
this is very rarely the case. Granted a
moderate-sized mouth, with upper lip
rather small, the personal appearance o:
the whistler may be tolerated. But take
a big mouth and a pent roof under lip,
and the whistler presents to you a fac
sinaile of the extremity of an elephants
trunk. Strange to say the latter class of
whistlers are by far the more prevalent;
and if whistling be fine art, and not
one of the ills that flesh is heir to- the
big -mouthed are the most efficient though
the most persevering performers. We
could read with great comfort and inter
est between two large saws that were be-
ing charpened than near an inveterate
whistler"


Just after reading the above, we were
looking over a pile of American ex-
changes, when we came across the fol
lowing in one of our agricultural news
papers:


"An old farmer once said that he would
not have hired man on his farm who
did not habitually whistle He always
hired whistlers said he never knew a
whistling laborer to find fault with his
food, his bed, or complain of any little
extra work he was asked to perform.
Such a man was generally kind to chill
dren and animals in his care. He would
whistle chilled lamb into warmth and
life, and would bring his hat full of eggs
from the barn without breaking one of
them. He found such a man more care
full about closing gates, putting up bars.
and seeing that the nuts on his plow
were all properly tightened before he
took it into the field He never knew
whistling hired man to kick or beat
COW, nor drive her on run into stable.
He had noticed that the sheep he fed in
the yard and shed gathered around him
as he whistled, without fear He never
had employed whistler who was not
thoughtful and economical"


This leads US to ponder and wonder if
the foreign whistler is less an artist than
the American, or if the difference in
opinion between the English and the
home writer is owing to their individual
tastes. There seems to be principle in.
volved. Which shall be accepted, the
opinion of the foreign or the American
editorH 1t seems to be of national con-
sequence to have the matter decided.
Year: 1875

Those parents who believe that they
have done all for their sons by giving
them liberal school education, make
one Of the most distressing mistakes that
aff1icts modern society and business cir
cles. No class of young men in city or
country is SO deserving of pity as those
who have good education, good morals,
but no practical knowledge of the solid
business affairs of life They are deserv-
ing of pity because they are really worthy
of a better position in life than their ca
pabilities will warrant, and because they
are not to blame for being untitled for
responsible positions. Thousands of
well-educated young men walk the
streets of the cities, even in the flush of
prosperous times, who do not know how
to earn their livelihood, and go seeking,
day after day, such positions as they be-
lieve their tllents demand, and meet
with disappointment at every turn. 1t
is noteworthy fact that nearly, if not
quite all, of the great, good, and substan-
tial business men of our country, have
come up from boyhood familiar with the
use of the ak, plow, forge, or plane; and
they are not now, nor have they ever
been, ashamed to own that their hands
have been hardened with toll. Labor is
a great gift; it is promoter of health,
and hence, of happiness and prosperity.
No young man is without the means of
success who is willing to work Let him
secure an education adapted to the prac-
tical affairs of life; and, with his habits
of industry and perseverance, success
will be certain, no matter how many OBJ
stacles may have beset his early career.
Year: 1875

CHAPTER lin q dingy room sat an old
man writing with Roman nose and tall
hat. Not far from him broken-backed
chair supported his daughter with rick
ETY. legs and cracked rungs. In the same
IDENTICAL room was an old woman blow
ing the fire with a lean cat under an old
stove being the wife of the old man writ
ing with Roman nose. In the corner
might be seen hungry boy eating onions
with bow legs and red hair from table
which he swallow ed without chewing.
The whole scene was overlooked by an
old clock ornamented with Pocahontas
saving John Smith with three legs COW
cred with cobwebs and wound up every
eighth day by the old man with brass
key. Ever and anon the door was rat
tied by cold dog without any hinges or
knob. Through the broken window
might be seen woman cutting cabbages
with baby on her arm through the shat
tered panes of which daylight feebly
shone Another window looked out
upon the street where stood little man
wiping the sweat from his face with a
hand-organ carrying monkey on top by
grinding, which he had thought in vain
to get few cents from the old man
writing with tall hat Such were the
lodgings of the miser being the old man
writing with the Roman nose not so
squalid and miserable that it seemed as
if no thrifty broom had ever entered
there.
Year: 1875

Mrs. Armstrong; brother, whose name
was Reuben, at his work. and represent
ed themselves as two lawyers who had
undertaken his sisters case without
mentioning what her trouble was


81 expected it would get her into
trouble, was Reuben's remark, which
showed that he knew about the crime.
This information he might have got
from the newspapers, but still it struck
the detective of a knowledge acquired
from another source. AS they were con-
versing with Reuben, they observed a
man watching them from the adjoining
smithy.


You had better come with US and see
your sister" one of the officers said: Go
and ask the foreman's leave, and refer
him to US, if necessary, for an explana-
ton


Reuben said he would do so and turn
ed toward the officer at the gate.


Now let us see what is in that smithy. !
one of the detectives said, and grasping
their revolvers in the pockets of their
overcoats, they moved in the direction
indicated. As they reached the door
they heard crash, and saw the figure of
a man passing through the roof near the
chimney.


Round there and watch the outside"
said one of the officers as he sprang into
the smithy. But the man had disap-
peared, and rushing forth the officer was
just in time to see the fugitive spring
from the roof As he reached the ground
he fell, and before he could rise the grip
of both detectives was upon him.


He was secured in a moment, and
proved to be the man they wanted.


He was tried at the Carlisle Assizes in
April last, and convicted by overwhelm-
ing evidence. Before the time for his
execution arrived, he wrenched apart
one of the bars of his cell door, and with
jagged edge inflicted terrible wound on
his throat, from the effect of which he
died in few hours.


By what means he induced Kate Coul-
ter to quit the house with him on the fa-
tai night and accompany him to the
Black Tarn remains a mystery. 1t is
probable, however, that the girl had
some lingering regard for her former
lover, and was led out of pure goodness
of heart to grant him an interview Why
he removed her clothing can. only be
guessed. The Tarn was frozen over and
here and there holes had been made for
the fish. Through one of these holes the
murderer must have forced the body,
and finding that the clothes, which were
woolen, stuck to the ice and prevented
the body from going under, the supposi-
ton is that he stripped the corpse and
concealed the apparel where it was sub
sequently found.
Year: 1875

She was watching at the window,


As hurried down the street,
In the simple brown merino


That fancy looks so neat,
And her smile thought pretentious,
1t was so exceeding sweet.
Then she met me at the threshold


With very lovely kiss,
That recalled the early stages


OF our matrimonial bliss,
And / felt at once tremor-


Was there an nything amiss?
No! The children were all quiet,


And the hearth was very bright,
And my pet-our roguish Charlie
Was quite festal in his white;
Yet braced myself for something
Be that something what il might
My chair was near the fire


And my slippers by its side,
MY pipe was very handy


And my pap rs open wide,
And she wore the pretty breaStpin
That L gave her when bride
The dinner was perfection


II was lavish, without waste;
The soup was Vermicelli


And exactly to my taste;
While the dessert was a triumph
OF artistic skill in paste.
And when the meal was over,


And-the inner man at rest,
She drew her chair beside me,


With the baby on her breast,
l felt, and SO told her,


was one among the bleSt.
Oh. the smile of tender radiance
That iIlumIned all her face,
As l claSped her TO my bosom


In lovers fond embrace
1t was then she softly whispered,
won't You let me have that lace?
Year: 1875

A boy of sixteen who had never been
to dance and had no idea of what it
was, hearing that there was to be one
few miles from his fathers house, felt
great desire to go. AS his parents had
no particular objection, he went. But it
was not much oyer an hour after he left
home, when he came back running as
fast as his legs could carry him. and
nearly out of strengh and breath. AS
soon as he had recovered a little, he re-
lated what he saw, as follows:


"When / came to town, l went into the
room of the tavern where the dance was
to be. 1t was almost filled with people.
In one corner sat man that had some
kind of long-necked animal, which he
took in his hands, and pinched its ears,
and then stroked its back with stick;
and then it began to scream, and the
people got frightened and began to run
around the room. hunting for the door,
and could not find it. Nobody. l be-
lieve, found it but me, and I alone es-
capped and got back again"
Year: 1875

FINE LANGUAGE.-A Vicksburger who
prides himself on his choice language
was over in Louisiana the other day on
business, and stopping at a farmhouse to
get drink of water, the woman remark
ed that the crops stood in great need of
rain "Yes, rain is the great desidera.
tum, he replied, as he handed the tin
dipper back MARY Mary yelled the
old woman, in loud tones. A white
headed girl of sixteen came out of the
back room in response to the call, and
the mother continued: Take squar
view of him Maryi He don't look as il
he knew enough to plow cotton, and yet
has just got Off word as long as from
here to the mule pen and back, and he
may be holdin on to morer
Year: 1875

/ do not mourn, sweet wife of mine,
Because those ruby lips OF thine


That marble brow
Were X kisSed by one who might have been
Had not chanced to step between,


Thy husband now.
do not grieve because thy heart,
Ere Cupid touched il with my dart,


For him would beat
Nor that the hand which owns my ring
Once wore his gift, a ''Mizpah" thing.


1t was but meet.
/ sigh not that his arms were placed
Some score OF times around your waist,


So sweet and slim.
All, no, my love! the woe you see
Is mine, because You welded me


Instead OF him.
Year: 1875

At territorial hanging the victim
who had been literally supplied with
whisky prior to fulfilling his engagement
with the sheriff, was asked at the last
moment if he would have anything.
Just drop he replied. He gotit. 1t
was about six feet, and broke his neck.
He took drop too much,
Year: 1875

One day, at farmhouse, wag saw an
old gobbler trying to eat the strings of
some night.caps that lay on the grass to
bleach. THAT" said he, "is what call
an attempt to introduce cotton into Tur-
key"
Year: 1875

Vegetine is acknowledged and recOmmen-
ded by physicians and apothecaries to be
the best purifier and cleanser of the blood
vet discovered, and thousands speak in its
praise who have been restored to health.
Year: 1875

We suppose that ludicrous things will
continue to occur during church-time.
Every has seen them and smiled at
them The last instance that has come
to our knowledge is that of clergyman
who, while preaching, perceived a man
and woman under the gallery in the act
of kissing each other behind hymn
book Instead of becoming excited at
the spectacle or losing his temper, he
beamed mildly at them over his specta-
cles, and when the young man had kissed
her for the fifteenth time. he merely
stopped short in the middle of of"thirdly,"
and offered fervent prayer in behalf of
the young man in the pink neck-tie,
and the maiden IN the blne bonnet and
gray shawl, who were profaning the
sanctuary by kissing one another in pew
seventy-eight." The young woman pull
ed her veil down, but the young man got
angered. Everybody else smiled.
Year: 1875

How the Bounty Bill was Lost.


Knoxville Chronicle March 7th,


The soldiers bounty bill failed to
become a law through slight misun-
derstanding on the part oft gem
tlemen who hal charge Of the bill. 1t
is another illustration of what serious
change trifles sometimes affect. The
bill passed the House by a very de-
cided vote, nearly four to one. 1t
then went to the Senate, where two
important amendments were added,
one of which was to borrow money to
meet the new claims provided by the
bill. In this shape it passed the Sen
ate, by aid Of the casting vote of
Vice President Wilson. 1t was then
sent to the House, that the Senate
amendment might be concurred in.
The House, believing one of the
amendments unjust to the soldiers of
many of the States, and called for a
Committee of Conference. The
committee met, and very promptly
agreed that the Senate amendments
should prevail, as that was the only
shape in which the bill could pass
that body. The report Of the com.
mittee was presented to the House
and adopted.


Senator Logan, who had charge of
the bill in the Senate, when the Con-
ference Committee report was pre-
sented, has been misinformed as to
the action of the House, and stated
that it had receded from its refusal
to concur in the Senate amendments.
Upon this information he considered
any action of the Senate upon the
Conference Committee report unim-
portant, or he might have succeeded
in securing its being adopted. As it
was, the Senate tabled the report by
a vote Of so to "a. Had the House.
which was almost unanimous for the
bill, instead Of adopting the Confer
ehee Committees report, simply re-
ceded from its former action, as Gen.
Logan understood it had done, the
bill would have passed. Everybody
supposed it was a law. 1t had in eff
feet been passed by Congress. The
bin was engrossed and signed by
Speaker Blaine and Vice President
Wilson, and was before the President
for approval when the situation was
discovered. The Attorney-G General
advised the President that the bill
had not passed Congress, and was
not legally before him for his approx.
al. This is the way the soldiers
lost their bounty bill. 1t is one of
those mistakes that often happen in
the last hours of Congress in the
haste of closing the work of a ses-
sion.
Year: 1875

A strange clock is said to have
once belonged to Hindoo prince.
In front of the clocks disk was 81
gong swung upon poles, and near
it was a pile of artificial human
limbs. The pile was made up of
the full number of parts necessary
to constitute twelve perfect bodies
but all lay heaped together in ap-
parent confusion. When the hands
of the clock indicated the hour of
one, out from the pile crawled just
the number of parts needed to form
the frame of one man. part coming to
part with quick click, and when
completed, the figure sprang up,
seized 1nallet, and walking mp to
the gong, struck one blow. This
done, he returned % che pile and
fell to pieces again. When two
o'clock came. two men arose and did
likewise and at the hour of noon
and midnight The entire heap sprang
up, aid struck Eone after another
bis blow, making twelve men in all.
and returning. fell TO pieces "a
before.
Year: 1875

| To the Editor of the Morristown Gazette:


That much dreaded time of gath
ering taxes has again rolled around
in old Blount, and we have weeping
and wailing, and cussin' generally.
The payers cuss the Legislators
who made the tax-law; they cuss the
County Court who levy the tax
they cuss the Assessor who assesses
the tax. and, last of all, though not
least, they cuss the Collector who
collects the taxes. There are many
strange things connected with the
taxes of this county. 1t is strange,
in the first place, that men do not
guard against these things, and at
once SC. fortify themselves that they
will forever hereafter be impregna-
BILE to Tax Collectors. This is an
easy thing done, if man will only
be careful, and not suffer property to
accumulate on his hands, in any great
quantities. am never bothered by
tax-gatherers. / am careful man
and any man who viii take my adj
vice and do as l have done. will nev-
er have to answer for the great sin
Of cussin' Tax collectors. It is in
deed terrible thing to think of.
Now, if man will just undertake it
in time, and rid himself of all small
change that may chance to find its
way into his pocket, he will also rid
himself of Tax Collectors, and of that
sinful habit of eussin'.


A very sad way to accomplish this
thing is, to live near a saloon, and
have business with the keeper there
of often. By this means man may
in a short time so strengthen his for
tifications as to render them proof
against all the artillery that can be
brought to bear upon them by an
army of Tax Collectors, and at the
same time save much cussin'.


In the second place, it is strange
that so many of our citizens will lie
around and through their carlessness
suffer vast quantities Of property,
and money to accumulate on their
hands, upon which they very we'll
know they will be taxed, and all this
for no other purpose than the privi-
lege of cussin' the Tax Collector ana
other officers, when, with proper
care, all these things could be avoided.


1 sometimes feel kind of sympa-
thy for taxpayers, but when l view
the thing in it's proper shape, and
take into consideration the fact that
they have voluntarily placed them.
selves in this position, | glory in the
misery they seem to enjoy.


THos. BAsCUM.


NARvvTTTE March g '76
Year: 1875

"THEY'vE got us on down grade, by said
Old Ben Washington Letter.


At twelve O'Clock Thursday the Speak
er's gaveI knocked the life out of the
Forty-third Congress and drove the first
nail into the coffin of the Republican
party The party itself is dead. We
may in future refer to it as 'the late Re
publican party" But many days may
elapse before it is buried, and we shall
doubtless be required to join in certain
ceremonies over its remains. Indeed, it
is not uniting that we give it decent in
terment, for, though it has done a deal
of mischief, it has played great part
upon the stage of public affairs. To it
we are indebted for the blessing of our
public debt But for it we should never
have had an era of Christian statesmen.
1t gave us Grant and Butler and Viii
liams and Shepherd and Clayton, and
other names that were not born to die.
DilWorthy was a member of the Repub-
lican party Credit Mobilier and Pacific
Nail are among its trophies; and but for
an accident we might thank it for the
passage of an inestimablc measure of re-
lief known as the force bill, Bill King
the identical missing links Re
publican. In order, however, that we
may appreciate its moral influence, we
must look South. Young man, go South
and gaze upon the victories Of the Re
publican party South Carolina to tn
right of you, Louisiana to the left
you, to say nothing of the tokens Of its
presence in Georgia, Alabama and Ten
nessee- a grateful people can never
forget the patriotism of Bullock and
Blodgctt, the wisdom of Spencer, the
virtues of a Clayton and Mcclure.
The rich, red blood of a Pinchback has
been injected into our body polite by
this, the party of viviseetion. 1t gave
the Senate it's Revels. Without it the
House would never have listened to the
eloquence of its Elliott or stood trans
fixed beneath the logical utterances of
its Rainey. The icivil-rights bill is its
off spring The Washington Republican
is its organ, 1t has played very strong
game. For long time it never made a
losing But luck took turn. A series
of misfortunes brought on an attack of
melancholy, this was succeeded by hys-
terra, and finally-under the hallucina-
tiOn of a third term-it committed sui
eide, taking an overdose Of Ethiopia and
afterward cutting its throat from ear to
ear with the writ Of ba5eas corpus It's
last words were: ''I'm not afraid" The
noble corse is laid out in the Senate
chamber, which is hung in black. Like
wise the White House. The sexton
stands ready with his spade The grave
is dug. Pause we awhile in the presence
of the mighty fallen.
Year: 1875

Since our last issue the Republican


Valley has been visited by the indom-


Unable migratory locust and we deem


it our duty to give true and accurate
account of the damage done by them
In Harlan and Furnas counties, we
are told by what is considered as relia-
BILE authority, that they have eaten
nearly one half Of the corn, but we
opine the estimate Is high. At the
mouth of Turkey Creek In this conn
.y. they nearly destroyed a number
of cord fields, but only In u small area.
In the eastern part we know OF but
two fields that are eaten much and
those are only claimed to have been
half destroyed. The average amount
of damage to the corn crop fthis cOun-
ty Is put at 10 to Is per cent, while
potatoes, turnip and all kinds of gar
den vegetables never were better. Our
wheat will considerably more than
bread the population Of the county
and furnish seed for the next season.
Frequent showers and cloudy weather
prevail which are considered very ia
vorable and our opinion Is this the
game Is up with these pests this sea-
son. n.-BloOD1ington Guard.
Year: 1875

The editor of the Omaha Herald ex-
hibits his chronic sore head and mean
ness on the matter of Nebraska and
the centennial. He growls because he
thinks there are inot enough Demo
Gratis I'm the State Board and Commit
tees These positions are filled with
men known for efficiency. If the
Democratic party are destitute of these
essentials it must not be charged to the
Republican party.


The fact Is there is no politics In the
centennial operations-should be none.
Doctor Miller IL seems attended the
meeting the other day at Omaha. and
for reasons above mentioned, the Oma-
ha Bee says: ''The Doctor then turned
on bis indignant heel and left the
ROOM"
Year: 1875

The Rev. E. s. Kinney, an old
Methodist minister of Pennsylvania,
stationed this year at Sloan church.
near Media, has recently become in
sane. The first manifestations Of his
Insanity was at acamp-meeting where
he undertook to ravish two daughters
Of good sister who kept boarding
tent. In his wild endeavors to accom-
plish his purpose with the younger
girl he Injured her so badly as to re-
quire the aid of a physician. Since
then he at times seems 10 be worse
and "acts like a ravlng maniac" His
wife says that just before he commit
ted the outrage on the young ladies
he had been unwell and had been U.s.
ing stiDauldnts. Probably his insanity
was only emotional, or probably he
was drunk. People do act that way
sometimes, we. have heard, when
so attacked, and If some application
could be made to fix up his conscience
he might get over 1t. But he is aotu-
ally reported tc be crazy.
Year: 1875

York County. Neb., Is going to have
a fair. and speaking of the matter, the


York Sentinel says: "As our prospect
for a bountiful supply of everything
that grows In Nebraska soil is well
nigh an assured fact, and as there is
certainly not state In the Union that
can get up a better display Of agricul-
tural products than Nebraska, and as
the county of York dresses up with
the best counties in the State, II be-
hooves everybody interested in the
welfare of our county to see
to it, that the annual meeting Of the
county fair be made to excel anything
ever held In the western counties"


That Is the right kind Of ambition
to manifest.