smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

A touching story comes from the far
off East concerning the Princess Marce-
line Czartoryska, who recently died in
Gallicia. Her little grandson fell i'll
and seemed lying at the very door of
Deaths chambers. The fond princess
prayed to Heaven for the life Of the
child. and besought that hers should be
taken instead. By a sort of miracle the
child was spared and recovered. Almost
Immediately languor attacked the pi-
Gus princess, TO which she at once sue
eumbed sit is debt | owe to heaven"
she family said, and then a few days
later she had herself borne into the open
air and the gates of the castle walls
thrown open, so that all who wished
might enter. When the villagers heard
of it, they at once left their tasks to
crowd around the form of their princess
whom they loved SO well. and who look
ed upon them as the children or family
of the ruling house. Old men and wo-
men, young men and maidens. and
bright-eyed children pressed near her,
and then began a most touching cere-
mony.


Drawing one of the children to her,
she embraced it, saying: "Let this kiss
fall again uponyou all, my dear friends.
Then she gave TO each child medallion
bearing the words, '1ove one another"
Then came the young girls and the ma
irons. To each of them she gave lit
tie case Of needles and implements, and
also an image of the Blessed Mother.
When at the close Of these ceremonies
she refused to return TO the palace. but
begged the whole people to recite the
Dominical orison. Then, at sign from
her, they all knelt. and in solemn grand
eur, the sublime words of the Lords
Prayer went upward to the Throne from
the mouth Of the great multitude. As
the amen still echoed in the air she felt
death invading her heart, and whisper
ing Marcel, the name Of her grandchild
for whom she was giving her life. He
was brought to her, and as he was being
carried to her lips her head drooped up
on her breast, and without a sigh she
paid the debt which she had promised
for her grandchild's life. So much for
a scene that seems taken from poem
an ideal state Of society that one can
hardly reconcile with the present
Year: 1875

gestion is appalling, for the idea Of trusting
our mother tongue to the tender mercies OF
the veteran journalist, the intelligent COM
positor, and the vigilant proof reader is one
calculated to make each particular hair stand
on end. The language after passing through
the hands of this estimable trio would be in
much the condition OF the gate of Acre after
the terrific pounding 1t received from the pom
derous battle-axe of Richard. The Journal
wisely suggests that in the .psrusal of news
papers by the young the department of JUS
tice" be omitted.
Year: 1875

PROVIDENCE is amusing itself with


spelling schools, an old-fashioned pastime
which is deserving of more general indul-
gence. The young people did some very good
spelling, and most of the failures were upon
words in common use, and not upon those
'jaw-crackers" which disfigure the spelling
book. This leads the Providence journal to
suggest that a careful perusal of the news OF
the daily papers would give scholars better
idea of the language in daily use and OF the
practical side of education, than the most
of the text books of the schools. The sug
Year: 1875

A PENNSYLVANIA jewelry firm has on
exhibition silver medal presented by Presi-
dent Madison to the chief of an Indian tribe.
On one side is a likeness Of Mr.. Maids on,
and on the other of an army officer clasping
the hand of an Indian. Above the two fig
ures Is the motto "Peace and Friendship"
1t wa. probably sold by the noble red man
for rum. The medal should be at once sent
to the Wild West. Imagine the dazed
astonishment with which the figures and the
motto would be regarded by the officers Of
the army and the Indians of the plains.
Year: 1875

THE emotional effect Of Garibaldps ap-
peal to the Americans to invest in his marsh
bonds is decidedly marred by the intelligence
which comes from over the water that his
appeal to the Scotch is couched in exactly
the same words. Very likely the affecting
document has been sent to every country in
Europe and to all South America. The peo-
pie OF all lands are probably pluming them
selves on Italy's grateful recognition Of their
friendship for her.
Year: 1875

WHY there should be an exodus Of colored
men from Tennessee is difficult to understand.
Men OF all parties and journals Of all shades
of opinion concur in representing that there
is a kindly feeling between blacks and whites
in that state. There is certainly no such con-
dition of affairs as in Louisiana. But the ne
groes are really leaving in large numbers, five
hundred at time, it is said, and the Nash
vile papers are unable to account for it.
Year: 1875

We do not read anonymous letters and csmmuni-
cations. The name and address OF the writer in
all cases Indispensable not necessarily for publication
but as a guaranty of good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or reserve commu-
neations that are not used.
Year: 1875

It must after all have been sad scene for
Southern eyes at Little Rock Wednesday
when enthusiastic conservatives arrayed
themselves in blue coats and brass buttons in
honor of Judge Poland. To the retrospec-
tive eye they were strangely like spirits OF
dead and gone Democratic chiefs, "clad in
the clothes they used to wear" revisiting the
scenes OF their former triumphs and forming,
by the old instinct stronger than death,
procession which took up its march for the
nearest bar-room. But the spectral band did
not play dirge. The old-time Democrat
moves to his accustomed refreshment to the
music of the liveliest Of quicksteps.


Who can picture the astonishment of these
shades of the mighty dead at seeing themselves
surrounded by sable patromen, who stern
ly repressed all unseemly demonstrations OF
joy or the too pronounced convivial tenden-
cies of ths departed? What shock 1t must
have been to the Arkansas ante bellum spook
to be restrained, on flying visit TO the dear
old state, from giving wild whoop, and
drawing bowie-knife from the shadowy back
of his spectral neck and carving an offending
negro as West Point graduate carves tur-
key. Poor ghostsl -- ....-- .---->--


Let us turn from the shadowy grefs OF the
visitors to the substantial grievances Of the
visited. What bitter regrets must have found
place in Southern hearts when Southern men
were forced 10 turn their thoughts from the
tagging present to the dead past, to dream OF
s'the days that are no more,' those blithe
days in the childhood Of the nation when ev-
cry man could "walop his own nigger," and
when the crack of the overseer's whip and
the rapid iteration Of the slave dealers bid
made music in the land All! those were
merry times. We of the North too had our
little sports, such as dragging anti-slavery ag-
itators through the streets by halter fas-
tened round their necks, but our prosaic peo-
ple did not enter into such games with the
exuberant enthusiasm Of the Sunny South.
The picture of the glad old days is, in view of
the present besotted condition of the country,
too painful to recall. Let US drop the veil, as
the reporters say when they have told all
they know. But why, oh why does Judge
Poland wear blue coat and brass buttons?
Isn't that ancient and honored garment, the
garb of heroes, calculated to awaken bitter
memories, and to rekindle the fires Of Sec
tional hatred? Alas we fear it is.
Year: 1875

A few weeks ago they were calling him Gil
"Haven" in Methodist circles, and in other
circles they never talked of him at all. Now
his fame has spread over two hemispheres ;
bis opinions are weighed and discussed by all
the newspapers; and preachers meetings and
other church assemblies hold solemn sessions
to consider him in his political and denomi-
national aspects. The man WHO persuaded a
convention of ministers to pray for the Third
Term becomes all at once large figure in the
public eye, and premises if they keep on discuss
ing him, to develop into a historical character.
Certainly Bishop Haven is not disposed to let
the subject drop. He comes forward again as
the champion of President Grant, and this
time he is heard through the columns of The
Independent in the assumed character of a
mourner over the grave of Henry Wilson.


If he spoke in Boston only in the accents of
PRAYER, he thunders at us to-day the menaccs
and awful warnings of the prophet. Henry
Wilson, he tells us, died because he withstood
President Grant. "Chasc and Greeley
"and Sumner and Wilson are tower
"ing warnings to the American people
chow they consider the work of renewing the
Gland accomplished, and set themselves against
&" him whom God hath selected for this re-
"newal." This gives us reason to infer that
Bishop Haven has received special advices as
to the effect of his prayer in Boston If his
information is correct the political situation of
course is greatly simpliiied. We have no need
to vex ourselves any further over matter
which Providence has taken out of our hands,
and it would be rank inlpiety to object
TO the reelection of Gen. Grant in
1876, and indeed in 1880. and so
Oh, till the country is entirely renewed d,-plans
Year: 1875

A curious bit of news comes to us from
Washington. About a week ago, so the report
goes, a number of leading Republican mem
bers of Congress held a private caucus on the
Cuban question. Some information which had
reached these gentlemen from the White
House led them to think the Spanish situation
much more critical than the Presidents mes
sage and the surface indications at the State
Department made it appear. The suggestion
of Intervention conveyed to their minds
a plain threat Of war. Among the
members present was gentleman OF
great influence in the party and OF marked
political sagacity, who said year ago that a
Spanish war was held in reserve as the last
trump card to play in the third-term game.
The caucus might be called an anti-Cuban
Junta The participants were, we are told, not
only opposed to any action threatening a
breach of peaceful relations with Spain-they
were determined to resist to the uttermost all
movements looking to annexation, or even to
a protectOrate over the island, as the
outcome of friendly negotiations. We do
not want Cuba at any price or at
no price, was the view expressed at the
meeting. One of the members, it is said, de-
clared that if the island were offered as free
gift to the United States, accompanied by gold
enough to pay our entire National debt, he
should oppose its acceptance. The purpose of
the Congressman who were at the gathering
seems to have been to serve a notice upon the
Administration that if it still cherished de-
signs upon Cuba it would have to prosecute
them without the aid of the leading Repub-
lcans in Congress. Such a notice, we are
told, was duly seryed-with what effect we
shall see hereafter.


We are in the dark os to the nature of the
information which was deemed of such an
alarming character as to call for the gather
ing referred to, but we are certain that few
plain words of advice to the President from
prominent Republicans can do 10 harm at this
time. Gen. Grant ought not to need to be
told that the Republican party has no desire
to see him play the part of q meddler in the
West Indies. If he keeps track Of the pro-
ceedngs of Congress he will remember that
resolutions for the recognition of Cuban bel
Igerence and for intervention have invariably
proceeded from the Democratic side, and have
uniformly been put to rest by the Republican
majority in the pigeon-holes of the Foreign
Affairs Committee. The Democratic party
may 1alrly DE accuSeu OI u uesHc loI CcTIi-
torial extension southwark, and of special
penchant for Cuba but such charge cannot
be laid at the doors of the party to which the
President belongs. Evidently he must drop
the Cuban business or seek aid among his
political adversaries. The South appears to
favor annexation warmly, and in the North
there are many Democrats of influence who,
like Mr.. Cox, have been trying for years to
get the Government in some way to put its
fingers into the Cuban mess. Is Gen. Grant
contemplating an alliance with the Opposition,
or will he heed the protests OF his party
friends
Year: 1875

IHOM1S C1hL1LE


1t chances sometimes in this little world that
the prophet wins due honor in his country and
his generatiOn-that men bow down before the
kingly crown of character and genius before
it grows bright with the exceeding brightness
of larger and wiser life. Happy is he who
finds and deserves such reverence, but not so
happy as they who have clear eyes to recog-
nize hero and the generous will to applaud
while applause can still be precious The
night when no man can work draws near Tor
Thomas Carlyle, and the cleverest men and
women in England have tried to acknowledge
before its shadow falls the heavy debt they
owe him. The letter of eloquent appreciation
in which they have done this is a notable one
to come from the calm and menthusiastic
English but half a lifetime of work like Car
lyle's is not to be regarded lightly. AS rugged
as his own Scotch hills, as keen and i'm
petuous as the winds that blow about
them, as clean and wholesome as the heather
on their slopes, that work has been one of the
lights OF the Englsh-speaking world. Not
always, perhaps, as right as he was strong, the
Scotchman's passionate and impatient desire
for what was absolutely honest and true IN
life and literature yet filed all he wrote. Man.
kind has been the better for him that he has
never been content to pass careessly and un-
touching their hollow, craven images. His
blows have fallen not in bitterness, but with
manly heartiness, and if they have sometimes
been aimed unwisely it has not been in willful
blindness. Writers especially owe him a genial
gratitude. Long ago he taught how weighty
was their work, what dignity hedged them
round, what grave and noble possibilities lay
with them Himself a priest in intention, and
almost poet in expression, he has succeeded
as much as any writer OF his time in winning
honor for the guild which he has so esteemed


The days of Carlyle's extreme popularity in
this country are passed, but it is something to
say that one of the absolute conditions OF
culture is knowledge Of his work. The
American sophomore does not indeed rave III
"Carlylese as of old he was wont TO do, but
probably few men or women, boys OF girls,
who have got beyond the a, b, { OF novel
and cookery-bOOk, have left unread those
fascinating pages. 1t may be that once read
the books, whether history, essay, or biography,
gather dust on the library shelf, but what they
have taught of manliness, sincerity, and
genuine earnestness, remains a vital power in
the world. Thomas Carlyle has spent the
greater part of his eighty years In teaching
his fellows to hate shams and to fulfill the
highest spiritual laws that have been given
them and long after the quaint and unique
fashion of his words have been forgotten that
large and intense mind will work its will.
Year: 1875

of course Of reformed Civil Service,
ia the removal Of Mr.. John James Piatt
from the Office of Librarian OF the
House, and the appointment in his place OF
person named Rice, of whom it is said by
way of description that he is an ex-member
of Congress, and by way of recommendation
that he Is from Kentucky. This was u pretty
long stride in the direction of reform. Piatt
was q very dangerous man IN the Library he
is poet; has written books; it is barely pos
sible that he may at some time in his life nave
voted. and if he did the chances are that he
voted the Republican ticket. bad mana
very bad man to have in Library. And then
here was Rice-Rice of Kentucky, ex-COngress-
man Rice-and Rice was leaning against post
without anything to do and getting no pay for
it, when lie might just as well be supporting the
Constitution in some place not so much exposed
TO the weather, where the labor was hight and
the pay certain. SO ont goes Plata dangerous
man among books, because he has made
them; and in comes Rice-Rlce of Kentucky,
q conservative man who knows that the essen
tial quality of library consists in having big
books at the bottom and little books at the top.


The people look on at all these grand move
ments with unallOyed satisfaction. Ihey
listened to and read all that was said and
printed on the subject in the campaign
of 1874, and were convinced OF the
necessity of reforming the Civil Service by
requiring capacity, faitlfulness, and integrity
of public officers, and making these and not
party services the test so they brought in
this Congress. And this Congress brought in
Mr.. Adams of Kentucky as Clerk. And MIR.
Adams is bringing in the rest of Kentucky so
far as he can. 1t is a very exhilarating spec
tace. this asserting out and establishing in
comfortable places the large and snuOus pro-
cessiOn that comes out of Kentucky and
moves with set purpose on Washington. And
this removal of John James Patt and
appointment Of Rice-how it thrills the hearts
of grateful peope-how the Democratic
party must rejoice at it-how proud Mr.. Clerk
Adams must be of it! And Rice-well never
mind Rice. And yet we do sort of wonder
whether Rice had to be sent for away out
in Kentucky, or whether he happened provi-
dcrtially to be right there in Washington
when the appointment was made
Year: 1875

The Republicans are more pleased with
Speaker kerr's committees than the Democrats are


The New-Hampshire Legislature, TO be elected
next March is TO choose United States Senator to sue
ceed Mr. Cragn Candidates sprnging up by dozens
In every corner OF the state Senator Cran hopes
sent back again In case the Legislature Is Republican.


The election of Moses and Whipper to the
Bench was too strong dose for the chief Repub-
lican organ OF South Carolina to swallow in silence.
The Columbia Union Herald the only Republican news
paper in the State OF any account thus protests From
end OF the country TO the other South Carolina Re
pubioanlsn will once become stencil in the nos
trs OF OF all parties. This viii be deemed OF little
present by the poor fools who have signed the
Year: 1875

for the whole work to be furnished by Mullett,
measurements by Babcock, and the plumbing
by Boss Shepherd. In fact the Bishop gives
us timely notice that if we oppose the Presi-
dent any more we shall all perish, as MIR. VIII
son did, "because of our blindness" HAD
"Wilson thrown his mighty influence on the
"side of the President; had he cordially sup
"ported the reconstruction measures still
"needed to insure liberty and safety to our
Gland and to the late and not yet freed
"slavc; had he helped pass the Force bill }
"and the Education bill and the Marriage
"bill and other bills necessary to secure equal
"rights to all, he would have been alive to-
"day. But he put himself against these de-
"mands of God and the hour; and was not,
"for God took him."


This is q free country, and if Bishop Haven
or any other bishop believes that he is COM
missioned to denOunce death and damnation to o
stiff-necked generation which prefers a new
President, there is no law that we know oil to
prevent his indulging the hallucination. But
people are always ilelinsd Qlook upon bishops
as REPRESENTATIVES Of the thought and policy
of their respective denominations; and there
fore if the Methodist Church does not wish to be
understood as teaching that Chase and Greeley
and Sumner and Wilson died under curse
for their wickedness in withstanding the elect
of God, and does not wish to be identified
with the dark-lantern campaign for Third
Term, it will do we'll to disclaim all respon-
sibility for this minatory prophet with all pos
sible speed and emphasis.
Year: 1875

The annual ball in aid Of the Infant Asylum Of
this city will take place on Jan. 13 next at the
Academy Of Music. The charity is one of the nobest
and most deserving, and the entertainments of its
managers have always proved among the most de-
lightful of the ball season. 1t usually leads all the
other charity balls, and hence most of the newest
and richest toilets and freshest styles of dress are to
be seen there for the first time In past years it has
frequently netted over $4,000 for the support of
the Asylum, and so popular has it become of late
years that hard times do not seem to diminish its
receipts in the slightest degree.
Year: 1875

TIE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SERTICE REFORM


We do remember now, in a dim and indis-
tinct and far off way, that when the able
bodied orators and statesmen and newspapers
and conventions and so forth were urging that
the gentlemen who compose the majority Of
the present Congress should be elected in
order to save the imperiled country, there
was much said about reforming the Civil
Service. The Civil Service was i'll everybody's
mouth. Everybody said-and they said 1t as
eloquently and frequently and iluently in Ken
lucky as in any other State, perhaps more So
that the way things were going the Civil
Service would shortly become dreadful,
and that the Democratic party must
be returned to power as soon as possible in
order to purge and purify it. There was much
weeping on the stump and great lugubriOus
ness IN the columns of earnest and sincere
newspapers over the tendency of things in the
Civil Service Men of full age and fixed hab
its were not ashamed to be found in tears and
wrnging their hands over the sad fate of q
republic in which the offices were held as re-
wards for partisan services. There was never
anything more touching. In Kentucky the
feeling was profound. A large number of per-
sons, who had held Office long and faithfully
and always been ready to answer the call of
their country when their turns came round,
said openly and boldly that, unless things Were
changed and some other test than party service
was required in candidates for Office, the coun-
try would last the brefest possible time. The
talk upon this subject was earnest and per-
vading. Nowhere more so than in Kentucky,
where the unemployed rallied to the corner
grocery frequently and at great length, and
said there must be a change.


There has been. The Clerk of the House of
Representatives is Kentucky man. There is
abundant promise that majority if not all of
his subordinates will likewise hail from that
fertile and beautiful State The Clerk of the
House has not forgotten that one of the argu-
ments upon which his party carried the cOun-
try in 1874 was the great need of reforming
the Civil Service. So far as he can, he is re-
forming it. Chiefly by putting in Kentucky
men. 1t having been urged against Grant in
Kentucky that he was given to nepotism, and
a Democratic Congress having been elected
with view of rebuking nepotism, the
new Clerk appoints to the places under
him only now and then relation !;
but he does as well as possible for
his State and his family, and delighted
party and complaccnt people look on his pro-
cesses of reform and are glad. Among the
changes made by the Clerk. in the interests
Year: 1875

Where there is leakage from a pipe under
ground and in the soil, it can only rarely hap
pen that sufficient air may mingle with the
gas to make it explosive. This disaster Will
recall the fears of London families that hur-
ried out of that city when the Gas pipes were
tirst laid in its streets.
Year: 1875

1t is a pity that the honest efforts OF the
Controller to limit the expenditures OF
public money should involve him in perpetual
quarrels with nearly every department OF the
City Government. The wrangle, yesterday,
between Controller Green and President Wales
of the Dock Commission, is not pleasant sort of
thing for Taxpayers to read. There is no doubt
on the one hand, that the expenses of the
Dock Commission have been very heavy, that
the plans which have been prepared there In
volve for their completion an outlay almost
alarming and that, in these times, the Con-
troller is quite right in endeavoring to reduce
expenses to the lowest possible limit. On the
other hand, there is no doubt that the Dock
Commission has already very largely reduced
its expenses. 1t is a pity that while it is en-
gagged in this work, which is also the work OF
the Controller, the two authorities cannot labor
harmoniously, instead of expending their ener-
gies in fighting each other.