smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

The County Court was in session last
week, and among its orders was one for
the purchase and retirement of sixteen
county railroad bonds, or $4,000 worth
By the purchase of these bonds, the inter,
est that would accrue between now and
their maturity, being about four hundred
dollars on each bond, is saved to the
county. Twelve thousand dollars worth
Of these bonds have already been pur-
chased and retired. We think this q
very wise financial move, for besides buy.
ing the bonds at discount of ten per
cent, the interest of eight, or as many
years as tho bonds may have to run, is a
clear saving to the county. Of the
amount already purchased and that or,
dersd to be purchased-twenty thousand
dollars-the amount saved to the county
in the way Of interest is Sl3, 400, and the
discount at which they were bought is u
saving to the county OF so, 900 making q
total gain of SIG, 900.
Year: 1872

The Columbia Herald, one of our
highly priced exchanges, comes to us
this week enlarged to nine column
paper. The Herald ranks among the
best papers that grace our table, and is
always a welcome visitor. Our best
wishes are extended it.
Year: 1872




Two miles out on our road back W,
found Straddlebug sitting like statue
gazing at something in the road jus
ahead of him. Come here, Genera
Bradley" he called, at want to intro
duce you to one of the inhabitants O
this delightful country, atthe same time
pointing to a monster rattlesnake coiled
in the center of the trail. II have been
plaguing him." continued old Straddle
land he is a game fellow. See" he
added, holding out his saber toward the
reptile. Quickly the snake raised his
crest, and sprang his full length falling
within two feet of the legs of old Strad,
dies horse. Look out, there, or
he'll bite you" cried General Bradley.
Not bit of il" replied Straddle;
"the fact is, General. i have been
studying, this specimen of the ma
tural productions of the country for
more than an hour, and / have found
out, first, that he will not bite unless
coiled; second, that he can only jump
the length of himself when coiled. :"
He then made the snake coil up again
and strike two or three times. He
amt much of traveller, either" said
old Straddle, whipping the reptile when
stretched out and making it run as fast
as it could. :" He coils tail first" con-
tinued the experimenter, making him
coil, and, like an honest fellow, gives
fair warning before he strikes, which is
more than some of our own kind do,
general besides, I don't believe he'd
strike in the dark at all. You will
readily observe" continued old Straddle,
growing facetious, the difference be-
tween the natures of the snake and the
dog; dog shakes his tail to show
you he is pleased; the snake shakes
his tail to show you he is mad. Look at
that eye, sir; have looked mutineer
in the eye and disarmed him; but would
not like to look that fellow steadily in
the face for the space of five seconds"
The snake was coiled, his body resting
on his tail, and his head raised to the
hight of foot, and his neck proudly
curved. His eyes shone like two little
diamonds, and his yellow skin glistened
in the sun. The spots on his back
seemed ever changing from dark brown
to bright red copper color. Come,


said old Straddle, " I'll bet there's not a
man in the crowd can shoot him in the
head" 1t is said to be almost impossi-
BILE to shoot the head off a rattlesnake.
The hunters declare that their sensitive
ness is so great that they can feel the
wind of coming bullet, and dodgeit Be
this as it may, / have seen men who
could hit a bulls eye or drive nail at
one hundred yards that could not shoot
a snake in the head Several revolvers
were leveled and discharged at him, but
the snake remained unharmed. A sol
dier then dismounted, and, taking car
bine, at the fourth shot nearly severed
the body of the reptile. Foull' cried
crt Straddle; you hit him in the body;
but take off the rattles, the game is
yours" The man did as he was bid,
and there were eleven rattles and but
ton.-Letter from the Plains to the
PhilQdelphid Press.
Year: 1872

The process Of lion-taming is elab-
orotelv des scribed by O writer in the Lon
don Daily News, part of whose story we
copy: uc.,.


are more intelligent and teachable than
those bred in confinement. The lion
tanner begins by taking the feeding OF
them into his own hands, and so gets
them to know him. He commences
feeding them from the outside OF the
den, then ventures inside of one at a
time, always carefully keeping his face
to the animal and avoiding any violence,
which is mistake whenever 1t can be
avoided, as it rouses the dormant devil
in the beasts. Getting to handle the
lion, the tanner begins by stroking him
down the back, gradually working up to
the head, which he begins to scratch,
and the lion, which, like the cat, likes
friction, begins to rub his head against
the hand. When this familiarity is well
established, board is handed in to the
trainer, which he places across the den
and teaches the lion to jump over 1t,
using whip with a thong, but not for
the purpose Of punishment.


Gradually this board is heightened,
the lion jumping over it at every stage,
and then come the hoops, etc., held on
the top of the board to quicken the
beast understanding, To teach the ami
NAL to jump over the trainer, the latter
stoops alongside the board, so that when
the lion clears one he clears the other,
and halfa dozen lessons are ordinarily
about sufficient to teach this. To get o
lion to lie down and allow the tanner to
stand on him is more difficult 1t is
done by hicking the beast over the back
with a tickling" whip, and at the same
time pressing him down with one hand,
By raising his head and taking hold OF
the nostrii with the right hand. and the
under lip and lower jaw with the
left, the lion, by this great pressure on
the nostril and lip, loses greatly the
power of his jaws, so that a man can
pull them open and put his head inside
the beasts mouth, the feat with which
Van Amburgs name was so much asso-
ciated. The only danger is lest the ami
NAL should raise one of his fore paws
and stick his talons in, and If he does,
the tanner must stand fast for his life
till he has shifted his paw. avn. fr
Year: 1872

But" you say, Americans sre
celebrated the world over. for their
respect FOR women No, they are
not Americans are famous for their
respect for ladies. but not for women
If there comes into the cabin q very
sweet and comely young lady, well
dressed, there are q dozen persons
who are more than willing to offer
her q seat. If the car Is crowded.
and a stately maiden comes IN snd
walks through, a great many men
feel called TO offer her seat, because
she is lady. But whena poor Irish
woman. poorly clad and weary walks
through the car or cabin, nobody
care. for her, because she is only a
woman If il were lady, . seat
would be offered her at once. Now,
/ say that you ought to respect wo-
manhood No matter how a woman
looks she is Of the same sex as your
mother, as your sister. as your wife,
if you are married. and as your
daughter, if you have children /
feel to the very depths Of nv being,
that womanhood itself, without re-
gard to the friTolity Of some and
without regard to age. is essentially
to be respected, and that a man is
less than a man who does not feel
the instinct and the sentiment and
does not act according to i'll w.
Reecher.
Year: 1872

Prof Seeley, author Of "Ecce Ho-
me" is q smoOth-faeed, faxen-haired
boyish man, of small figure, bat with
scholarly manner and charming
power of expression At a meeting
Of Mrs. Howe's Peace Congress be
made IN admirable speech, but was
repeatedly interrupted by a huneh-
back in the audience who cried
Time merely because he wanted
to hear the women Prof Seeley
was finally so much embarrassed
that he sat down He spoke about
half an hour without moving his
left arm once, or raising his knuckles
from the table on which he had
planted them to support his leaning
body. He emphasized occasionally
by slight forward jerk of the head.
In fact, he spoke very much ike q
talking pillar, without movement OF
any kind from head to foot
Year: 1872

Beware Of man or woman with .
fixed smile. Trust the most hideous
scowler before the being who goes
about with an angelic grin carefully
exhibited to all eyes under any and
every circumstance. Its not natural
to smile perpetually, and no one ever
assumes mask without being con-
scious Of necessity for conceaiment
Don't misunderstood me, there are
young women, and . few old men,
who break out into 8 smile whenever
they speak These sre not the peo-
pie / mean The one Of which
warned you is q motionless, hypo-
critical, fxed expression which /
have seen worn during silent three
hours journey by rail, without the
slightest slteration-that sort ofsmile
which most misguided lady artists
present upou their canvass when they
delineate martyrs saints, and angels.
The portrait Of lady has different
smilc-the fashron-plate shipper
which though semi-idotic, is not dan
gerous. Persons Of no penetration
allude to the chronic smile 90 so
sweet" and any one capable Of hold
ing the muscles of the face under con-
troll, is generally able 20 squall sweet
ly, to move quietly and to use choice
language, measured tones, in mo-
ments of the greatest excitement and
so can always place better man or
woman at a great disadvantage. and
appear injured and innocent when
actually most guilty.
Year: 1872

soIemnly retreat TO his buffers pan
try before allowing himself the lux
~ of smile or cough, made one
quite ashamed TO indulge in such
demonstrations He scarcely ever
spoke bus when he did 80. il was TO
express some decided conviction as
to the inevitable destiny Of bis race
in this world and the next


ats no use to tell me- he would
jerk out in short sentences, that
white folks and niggas are going to
the same place in heaven Sure as
as your born, thcre1l be quarter
built of for Us to live in. And they'll
have something for US to do; why,
they'll set US TO pushing along the
clouds, if they can't find anything
else"


Before the war, there lived on
plantation near Lynchburg an old
colored preacher, whose sermons
where truly remarkable. One day
bis master, who happened to be pass
ing, paused to listen as he discoursed
to his fellow-servants. His subject
was hell and its horrors /; which he
described in terrible terms, declaring
that there was whipping and whal-
ing and snatehing out Of teeth" He
then proceeded, with touch Of Dan
tesque vigor, to tell his hearers that
hell was region of fearful cold,
where ice and snow covered all
things, and where freezing was the
favorite punishment


why, Cesar said his master the
next time they met, curious to learn
why the preacher differed so strongly
from the usually accepted theory Of
the Internal regions, what makes
you tell my servants that hell is 3
cold place'r


Law, Massa, / don't dare to tell
them people nothing elsel Why, if |
was to say that hell was warm, some
Of them rheumatic niggas would be
wanting to start down thar the very
first frost y Mrs Seen1uler, in Old
and Ner for September.
Year: 1872

SOMEBODY having applied to an
editor for 8 method by which he could
cure his daughter Of her partiality for
young men. is kindly informed that
there are several methods Of reform.
One way is to skin the young person
another is to put her into well and
drop few loads of gravel on her
head; another is to bind her ankles
to an anvil and upset her out of a
boat
Year: 1872

An Arkansas local solilOquizes
thusly: Some Of our exchanges are
publishing as q curious item a state
ment to the effect that a horse in
Iowa pulled the plug out of the bung-
hole of a barrel We do not see
anything extraordinary in the occur
renee. Now, If the horse had pulled
the barrel out Of . bunghole and
slaked his thirst with the plug. or If
the barrel had pulled the bunghole of
the plug and slaked its thirst with the
horse, or if the plug had pulled the
horse out of the barrel and slsked its
thirst with the bunghole. or if the
bunghole had pulled the thirst out Of
the horse and slsked the plug with the
barrel, or if the barrel had pulled the
horse out of the bunghole and plug
ged its thirst with .lake, IT might be
worth while to make some fuss over
=.
Year: 1872

A Young man asked a yoang lady
her age, and she replied: six
times seven and seven times three
added to my age will exceed six
times nine and four, as double my age
excseds twenty" The young man


said he thought she looked much


older
Year: 1872

AN Indiana man recently had a
monstrous saw log drawn clear across
bis body by yoke of oxen. IL
didn't hurt him any. bat he objects on
the whole to going into the corduroy
business with his good clothes on.
Year: 1872

The sad story of the freezing to
death of Mrs. Palmer, at Graham Lake,
is familiar to our renders. Her hus-
band went away from home ON some
business, and when he returned he
found his children a-bed, hungry and
cold. On searching tor his wife. he
found her dead about forty rods from
the house. The sensational story was
thereupon started that she died in con-
sequence Of the criminal neglect Of her
husband, he having failed to supply
his house with fuel. Investigation OF
the case, however, clears him of intcn
tional fault. The story that the woman
was taken with labor palus is proven to
be without foundation,
Year: 1872

A series of interesting experiments
with a phosphoric light has been made
in the Firth of Forth. This light, If
brought into use, would supersede the
ordinary blue light now universally
used AZ danger and other signals in the
naval and mercantile services. The
phosphorated substance il contained in
q tin lamp, holding about half = pint,
and before being used Z hollow tube at
the top and bottom 10 opened. The
lamp is then suspended by an ordinary
piece of wood, which is thrown into the
sea. A bright light imme-
diately flashes up, and continues
to burn very brilliantly for upwards OF
three-quarters of an hour. The light
was also exhibited from the masthead
of a vessel by placing the lamp in .
small can containing water, constructed
for the purpose. It is expected that
the light will be very serviceable for
indicating the position of . life-buoy
at night While the experiments were
being made, the steamer was going at
full speed. From the time the lamp
and ife.buey were thrown overheard,
the engines stopped and reversed, and
q boat lowered, to the time when the
buoy and light were picked up, only
three minutes elapsed
Year: 1872

At the inquest this morning Bakers
story corresponded exactly with that
told by him on Tuesday evening. and
McCarroll corroborated it. When ask.
ed why he did not at once inform the
authorities, he replied that he was
afraid he would be DISCHARGED If he
didn't go home and "do the chores
first. It appeared from other witnesses
that on Monday evening three men ar
rived in Windsor Locks on the evening
train from this city, and applied Mt the
livery stable to be taken to the Bull
Run House. A team was provided and
they were taken over and left at the
place designated. Two of these men had
on light overcoats and high rubber
boots, corresponding to the description
first given by Baker of the men whom
he had seen run from the house. One
of these three men went back to the
Locks on Tuesday and took tho three
o'clock r. M. train south. The other
two are without doubt tho murderers.
They were tracked this morning
through the woods west of the house
for half mile or more.


Timothy Billings, the keeper of the
house, was about As years old, and
formerly kept IL similar place on Kill
bo'lrn street in this city. Della Bill,
lings, his wife, was Il woman of about
forty.


GREEN is the favorite color for house
Year: 1872

was awakened early one morning by a
Chinese seaport, and as the air was a coun-
try of South America, wrapped myself in
my cloak made of part Of the Chinese En-.
pire, and lined with cape in the southern
part of the United States, and busted myself
IN town on the Schuylkil, until an island
east of Labrador called me to breakfast.


A group of islands in the Gulf Of Mexico
burned brightly on the hearth, and another
group lying west Of Africa greeted me with
a cheerful song.


Soon lake of North America brought in
the breakfast, which consisted Of an AsiatiC
country, and a river of British America, well
seasoned with lake in the western part Of
North America, and South American city.
To these were added group of islands in the
Pacific, and plentiful portion Of an island
10 the Atlantic


As am naturally fond Of another group oi
islands in the Pacific, chatted with a city il
Ohio, and after had satisfied my appetite
which was at first a town in the southern
part Of New Hampshire ate large grouT
Of islands lying east Of India with her. As she
was suffering with headache, | bathed hei
head with city on the Rhine but stopped
suddenly, on discovering that the North Ameri
can lake was a Chinese city


assured him that he never would obtain !
city in the western part of Missouri unless he
mended his ways, although my disposition to
ward him was group Of islands in the Paci
Gc but should his conduct prove satisfactory
he might look forward with an African cap
to obtaining a town in Kentucky in du'
time.


then went out aud enjoyed Newfsund
land cape after lake of British America, and
after returned, finding that the chidreI
were making New York lake, l sent then
all to bed, after wishing good deal Of a Scot
tish cape upon them,
Year: 1872




A poor Turkish slater, Of Constantnople,
being at work upon the roof Of house, lost
his footing and fell into the narrow street
upon man who chanced to be passing at the
time. The pedestrian was killed by the con-
cussion, while the slater escaped without ma
terial injury.


son Of the deceased caused the slater to
be arrested and taken before the Cadi, where
he made the most grave charge, and claimed
ample redress.


The Cadi listened attentiyely, and in the
end asked the slater what he had to say in
his defense.


dispenser Of Justice" answered the ac'
cused, in humble mood, A" it is even as this
man says but God forbid that there should
be evil in my heart. | am poor man. and
know not how | can make amends"


The son of the man who had been killed,
thereupon demanded that condign punishment
should be inflicted upon the accused.


The Cadi meditated few moments, and
finally said


" II shall be So


Then to the slater he continued,


Thou shalt stand in the street where .he
father Of this young man stood when thou did's'
fall upon him"
! And to the aecuser he added,
Year: 1872

There arc many good Christians who are
looking forward to the time when they can,
without labor, live upon the incomes Of their
accumulated fortunes. There are some, hearty
and hale, who are now doing it, we are sorry
to say. What Interpretation they put upon
Six days shalt thou labor we know not ;
how they regard Pauls injunction to work
that one may have to give to him that need
eth, we are unable to say.


Our purpose is to call attention to more
excellent way ITO a way actually trod by a
dear old saint now on earth Not far from
ten years ago, this brother had accumulated
what he deemed sufficient. some fifteen or
twenty thousand dollars Instead Of decid-
I ing to live uron his income, and to retire from
| hard work, he said, " | will toll as much as
ever If God gives me health, and all the
surplus funds above my family expenses shall
be given to charitable purposes The result
has been a continual offering Of rich gifts tc
God and bis people. One hundred Other
brethren and sisters in the church to which
he belongs, do not give away as much as he
And so happy is he in it, that though he il
getting aged, and friends beg him not to toi
50 hard, he cannot give it up. d" Every dol
lar that can be earned is needed, and may Dc
good, is his reply


Are there not many in our churches wht
might initiate this example in whole or il
part, and make work-gihs to the needy or
CARNATIONS Of the day. Are there no boys
who can, part Of the time, work instea,
Of play, and thus have to give to the needy
Are there no young ladies who can do like
wise Arc there no men 20 continue in busi
ness and labor for this end, who do not nee,
the proceeds for themselves Are there NJ
women who can initiate them2 We know 0
one, belonging to family Of considerabl
wealth, who said, not long since, to her ire
ligous husband ." l will 90 without CIR
this winter and do the washing even, myself
and give away the money that would be use,
for these purposes" And she is doing il
Her work-gifts are undoubtedly very preciou
to the Lord they cost something; and ye
the reward in her spiritual life and cbaracte
is Of more value than the cost Who vii
work one day in week, or one week in


month, or the whole year, that the Lord
kingdom may more rapidly spread among tn
ignorant and perishing Of the earth
Year: 1872

Common sense is the best sort Of sense, and
it is especially good thing for live Christian
or Christian worker to have. We speak oc
he sacred professions. The term came froh
the priesthood of the Romish Church men
set apart to the sacred profession could hardly
touch the earth on which they lived, while
the common people devoted themselves to
secular pursuits Every pursuit ofman ought
to be a sacred pursuit. John Newton said If
two angels were sent TO the earth one as
Prime Minister and the other as street.
sweeper, it would be a matter Of no diff
ference whether they received the one or
the other commission it would be honor
enough that the Lord had sent them. 1t is
possible and practical to carry this right
through and do everything for the Lord Jesus
Christ. If you want to do anything for the
Lord, try to keep the thought before your
mind constantly that, whether you go out or
come in, eat or drink, you are to do every
thing to gorify God. The reason the world
paralyzes mans piety, is because he does
not have singleness Of aim. God pu. men
into the world and asked them to be pous,
and they ought to make the world minister to
their piety.


DR. Kane seeing himself in danger of be-
ing crushed by an iceberg, said: an use
the iceberg he thrust out the harpoon, an-
chorcd his ship to the iceberg, and it bore
him to Polar waters. So you must make the
world and business bear you heavenward.


Dr. Chalmers, riding on stagecoach by
the side of the driver, said " John, why do
you hit that off leader such a crack with your
lash ?" away yonder there's white stone
that of leader is afraid of that stone so by
the crack Of my whip and the pain in his legs
| want to get his idea off from It," Dr.
Chalmers went home, elaborated the idea, and
wrote The Expusive Power of New AT.
iection." You must drive off the devil and
kill the world by putting new idea in the
mind.
Year: 1872

No man dies suddenly. Death surprises
no man, but gives all men sufficient warning
and notice. Do ye complain of sudden death,
that have carried death about ye ever since
ye were born} that have been entertained with
daily spectacles Of carcasses and funeralsl
that have heard so many sermons upon the
subject, and read so many good books on the
lraiiy of life and certainty of death? Do yc
not know that every moment that ye live
brings ye nearer to your end2 Your clothes
wear out your woods and your houses decay
and yet yo look that your bodies should be i'm
mortal What are the common accidents aud
diseases of life but warnings to provide your
self for a remover
Year: 1872

Sidney Smith cut the following from a
newspaper, and preserved it for himself
" When you rise in the morning, form a resolu.
tion to make the day happy one to fellow
creature. 1t is easily done; leit-off garment
to the man who needs it, kind word to the
sorrowlul, an encouraging expression to the
striving in themselves light as air.
will do it at least for twenty-four hours. And
if you are young, depend upon it it will tell
when you are old and if you are old, rest
assured it will send you gently and happily
down the stream of time TO eternity. BY the
most simple arithmetcal sum, look at the result.
lf you send one person, only one, happily
through each day, that is three hundred and
sixty-fiye in the course of the year. Ar
supposing you live forty years only after you
commence that course Of medicine, you hav,
made l4,60O beings happy at all events, fcI
time"