smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

The river hemmed with leaning trees
Wound through its meadows green,
A low, blue line of mountains


Showed the open pines between.
One sharp, tall peak above them all,


Clear into sunlight sprang;
I saw the river of my dreams,


The mountains that sang
No clew of memory led me on.


But well the ways knew -, ..
A feeling of familiar things


With every footstep grew.
Not otherwise above its crag


Could lean the blasted pine;
Not otherwise the maple hold
Aloft its red ensign.
So up the long and shorn foothills


The mountain road should creep;
So, green and low, the meadow fold


It's red-haired kline asleep.
The river wound as it should wind;


Their place the mountains took,
The white, torn fringes of their clouds
Wore no unWOnted look.
Yet ne'e er before that rivers rim


Was pressed by feet of mine,
Never before mine eyes had crossed


That broken mountain line.
A presence, strange at once and known,
Walked with me as my guide;
The skirts of some forgotten life


Trailed noiseless at my side.
Was it dim remembered dream?


Or glimpse through aons old?
The secret which the mountains kept,


The river never told.
But from the vision ere it passed
A tender hope drew, "
And pleasant as a dawn of spring,


The thought within me grew.
That love would temper every change,
And soften all surprise,
And, misty with the dreams of earth,
The hills of Heaven arise.
Year: 1873

A gOOd-natured man is a blessing in
a household that cannot be too highly
praised. So many women live in con-
stant fear of the outbreak which oc-
ours when the flour barrel is empty,
the coal is out, one of the children
need pair of shoes, or the girls wages
must be paid.


"Nothing but waste in the house" "
growls the unwilling provider for the
family which nobody forced him to
bring into the world. GA barrel of
flour every two weeks" "That boy
stubs his boots out running his legs off
for nothing. If [ catch him out again
in month I'll fog him." "Girl's
wages due again! I could do all the
work in this house, and then have half
my time for other things. You might
do your own work, only for laziness.
If things go on in this way, I'll break
up and end this extravaganza"


These and like grumblings, inter
lined with variety of oaths, greet the
ear of many patient, prudent, hard
working woman, whose care, morning,
noon and night, is to be watchful that
things 60 just as far as possible to avoid
Expense.


In view Of such a wretched existence,
where home is converted into a drain
age wherein an ugly tempered man
may pour all his ill-feeling; where the
children had as soon see the evil one
approach, with all his fiery darts ready
to fly at them, as their father, whose
step over the Threshold is the signal
for a row of some kind, are not those
women blessed beyond measure who
have good-natured husbands?


A good dog appreciates the kindness
Of thoughtful housewife better than
does her own husband if he is natural
ly a cross, cold, selfish man, who thinks
only of his own comfort. ......-..


Read the hearts of a mans wife and
children to learn if he be worthy the
respect and confidence of the commu-
nifty. He may be all honey and pleas
antness outside, to those whose happi-
ness is not affected one way or the 9TH
er by his humors, and at home, when
company is not there to observe, very
devil incarnate could not be more ex-
acting, oyer-bearing, tyrannical and
brutal. A blow or @ kick for the chill
dren, aud a curse for the poor wife, are
the Accomplishments of the evening
meal. He has exhausted his kind
words on strangers through the day,
and his best possible mood and beha-
vior at his own table, to the helpless
creatures, who depend upon his words
and actions for their peace and COM
fort, is grum silence and forbidding
looks, which suggest a storm at any
moment.


There are many, many such men,
who are wearing out the lives of their
wives! A pleasant, goodnatured man
is a jewel, whose value cannot be esti-
mated. He gilds the morning with a
halo of peace, and strengthens his wife
to perform the duties of the day with
a hearty zest. The noon-time is bright
er for his coming, and the evenings are
the time of rejoicing, for the business
cares of the day are over and father is
at home.


'Why, Bridget" said her mistress,
who wished to rally the girl, for the
company, upon the fantastic ornament
ing of a large pie, "did you do this ?
you're quite artist how did you do it ?"
''Indade, mum, it was myself that did
it, replied Bridget '1sn't it pritty,
mum? | did it with your false teeth,
mum."
Year: 1873

When you have lost money in the
streets, every one is ready to help you
to look for it; but when you have lost
your character, every one leaves you to
recover it as you can.


Bg@A wag, in what he knows about
farming, gives a plan to remove wild
owls weeds; he says a good looking
man has only to say, "Wilt thou" "
and they wilt.
Year: 1873

Some of the hill tribes in Northern India have peculiar way of sending their babes to sleep, which is thus de- scribed by Q correspondent: "Near hollow bamboo which served as 8 spout, through which the cool water of the mountain stream poured forth in 8 jet, was disposed the head of an infant, who was lying covered warmly and fast asleep. Tho bamboo spout was so placed that the water played upon the crown of the baby's head, over part which seemed bald of hair, a conse- quence, perhaps, of the habitual action of the water. The children (there were two of them) were lying on their right sides and perfectly still, one would fan cy in a state of stupefaction. They had been lying for an hour and half, we were told, and would be there till nine at night, in all between four and five hours. felt the face of one of them and found it cold, and them held the wrist, but could detect no pulse. Yet these hill people are convinced that the strange practice, which is quite general, helps to strengthen the brain, and make the children not only healthy, but hardy and fearless"
Year: 1873

The nursery of the harvest mouse is @ curious affair. It is made of narrow grasses woven together into 8 snug ball, which is hung to the ;stem of two or three stout grasses. This ball is filled with young mice, and though the mother mouse does not go in herself, she manages to take good care of her young. How she does it is one of those things "no fellow can find out, for she is very shy, and will not be watched. These curious creatures are not common brown mice. Their coat is reddish brown on the back, and white on the under side. When full grown they are not half so large as a common mouse i; so you can imagine how very small the mice in the ball must be. In reaching their nest, they run easily up the grass stem, for besides the long, finger-like toes which they have on all their four feet, they have very useful tail, which is as good as hand to hold on with. When they want to go down, they curl this little tail round straw, and slide quickly to the ground again.
Year: 1873

for this purpose ought at oncs to be made, and If war should by any possibility come, we must be lberaly provided to utIlize the means we have aud to provide others to meet the emergency.
Year: 1873

It is said that solution of two-thirds of a pound of Castile soap to gallon of water laid on damp wall as a wash, and next day followed by another wash of alum water-two ounces dissolved in @ gallon-will cure the inconvenience and prevent any further recurrence of it. It is so simple thing that house. keepers troubled with damp places Tn their dwellings will be glad to try 1t for themselves,
Year: 1873

A philosopher remarks that there is something peculiarly instructive in standing upon 8 street corner in large city, and watch the men all rushing around trying to make money and the women all floating around trying to spend it.
Year: 1873

they are doing as well now as for years
past, this being their busy season, and
Of course their expenses must IN crease
az this time, but such expepa pays them


well, and makes no reasonable excuse
Year: 1873

How To FUT CHILDREN TO Bed
Not with reproof for any of that days
omission or commission. Take any
other time but bedtime for that. If you
ever heard little creature sighing or
sObbing in its sleep, you could never do
this. Seal their closing eye-lids with a
kiss and a blessing. The time will
come, all too soon, when they will lay
their heads upon their pillows lacking
both. Let them, then, at least have
this memory of happy childhood, of
which no future sorrow or trouble can
rob them. Give them their rosy youth.


Nor need this involve wild license.
The judicious parent will not mistake
my meaning. If you have ever met
the man or woman whose eyes have
suddenly filled when little child has
crept trustingly to its mothers breast,
you may have seen one in whose child
hood home "Dignityn and Severity"
stood where Love and Pity should have
been. Too much indulgence has ruined
thousands Of children; too much love,
not one.
Year: 1873

OUR MOTHER.-ROund the idea of
ones mother, the mind of a man clings
with fond affection. 1t is the first deep
thought stamped upon our infant hearts
when yet soft and capable of receiving
the most profound impression, and the
after feelings of the world are more or
less light in comparison. Even in our
old age we look back to that feeling as
the sweetest through life. Our passions
and our wilfulness may lead us far from
the object of our filial love; we learn
even to pain her heart, to oppose her
wishes, to violate her commands; we
may become wild, headstrong and an
CRY at her cOunsels or OppOsitiOns; but
when death has stilled her monitory
voice, and nothing but still memory re-
mains to recapitulate her virtues and
good deeds, affection, like a flower
beaten to the ground by past storm,
arises up her head and smiles among
our tears. Round the idea, as we have
said, the mind clings with fond affec-
ton; and even when the early period of
our loss forces memory to be silent,
fancy takes the place of remembrance,
and twines the image of the dead parent
with garland of graces and beauties,
and virtues, which we doubt not she
possessed.
Year: 1873

INIUsTICE.-There is a widow lady
living in Lawrence, Kansas, who is one
of the heaviest taxpayers in the city,
and who is well known and universally
admitted to be one of the best and ablest
business citizens of the city, and even of
the State, and well acquainted with the
law, with legislation, with banking, and
the transaction of all business necessary
to the care of large estate-and yet she
cannot vote because she is a woman, al
though no one denies that she is a citi-
zen; while there are scores of persons,
both white and black, with no taxable
property and little business capacity,
who can vote, and by voting dispose OF
her rights and property. 1t seems to us
that such glaring injustice cannot fail
to be seen and admitted by the people,
even if they will not remedy it by Civ
ing the ballot to females-at least tc
tax-paying women. Almost every town
has some examples like the above. -
Banner Of Light.
Year: 1873

How TO MAKE TOMATO FIGs.-Pour
boiling water over the tomatoes in order
to remove the skins; then weigh them
and place them in stone jar, with as
much sugar as you have tomatoes, and
let them stand two days; then pour off
the syrup and boil and skim it until no
scum rises. Then pour it over the toma-
toes, and let them stand two days, as be-
fore, and boil and skim again. After
third time they are fit to dry, if the
weather is good; if not, let them stand
in the syrup until drying weather. Then
place on large earthen plates or dishes,
and put them in the sun to dry, which
will take about week, after which pack
them down in small wooden boxes, with
fine white sugar between each layer.
Tomatoes prepared in this manner will
keep for years.
Year: 1873

EVIL OF GOSSIP.-I have known a
country society which withered away
all to nothing under the dry rot of gos-
sip only. Friendship once as firm as
granite, Dissolved to jelly and then away
to water, only because of this; love that
promised a future as enduring as
heaven, and as stable as truth, evaporat-
ing into morning mist that turned to
a days long tears, only because of this.
a father and son were set foot to foot
with the fiery breath of anger, that
would never cool again, between them,
only because of this; and 3 husband
and his young wife, each straining at
the hated lash, which in the beginning
had been the golden bondage of a
GOd-blessed love, sat mOurnfully by the
side of the grave where all their love and
joy lay buried, and only because of this.
l have seen faith transformed to mean
doubt, hope give place to grim dispair,
and charity take on itself the features of
black maleyQlenGe, all because of the
fell words of scandal, and the magic
mutterings of gossip. Great crimes
work great wrongs, and the deeper trag-
edies OF life spring from its larger pas
sions; but wOeful and more melancholy
are the uncatalogued tragedies that is
sue from gossip and detractiOn, most
mournful, the shipwreck often made of
noble natures and lovely lives by the
bitter winds and dead salt waters of
slander. So easy to say, yet so hard to
blame on the innO-
cent, and furnishing them as guilty, if
unable to pluck out the stings they
never see, and to silence words they
never heard. Gossip and slander are
the deadliest and cruelest weapons man
has for his brothers hurt.
Year: 1873

SLANG AND WIT.-The Philadelphia
Ledger is moved to the following ex-
preston of opinion: Slang is not wit.
Neither is the misspelling of words
humOr. And we may go even farther
and say that the prevalent disposition
to present everything, serious as well as
trifiing, in a ridiculous light, is not only
bad as a matter of taste, but mischiev-
GUS as a matter of morals. Yet there
are many people whose sole effort in
writing and in conversation appear to
be in the direction Of what they con-
slider "smartness." This constant
trifing with the serious work of human
kind, with the events of the day and
with the facts of history, with the char
acter of the living and with the MEM
ory of the dead, is lowering the tone,
not only of literature, but of morals.
The world itself is not huge joke, how
ever some people may so affect to con-
slider it,
Year: 1873

Unmarried women in China can al
wavs be distinguished from matrons, as
the hair is allowed to fall over the back
in long tresses or in the form of queue,
or caught up at the back in a simple
bow, fastened with silk cord. In Can
ton il takes the form of plated tail at
the back, and fringe Of hair over the
forehead. After marriage 1t is taken
up and dressed into the form Oh Tea
pot, having its handle above the head.
In SwatOw il is made to resemble a
bird resting on the crown Of the head,
or a horn bent backward, and rising
from the back of the head. The Man
chu or Tartar matron parts her hair in
front, as our ladies do, while the back
hair is done up in huge bow adorned
with flowers. Hair-dyes are unknown,
as hair is uniformly black, becoming
gray only in extreme old age.
Year: 1873

ICING THAT WILL NOT BREAK.-Take
one pound of pulverized sugar, and the
whites of three fresh eggs, well beaten.
Mix them well together, and flavor
with the juice of one lemon or add
teaspoonful of strong cider vinegar.
Pulverize one teaspOonful of wheat or
corn starch, and add to it. Flour the
top of the cake as soon as it is taken out
of the oven, and put on the icing with
large spoon, spreading it in place by
dipping a broad-bladed steel knife into
water, and then smoothing the frosting
with il.
Year: 1873

A Journal for the People


Devoted TO the Interests OF Humanity.
Independent in Politics and Religion.


Alive to all Live Issues, and Thoroughly
Radical in Opposing and Exposing the Wrongs
Of the Masses.
Year: 1873

10 live simply, Ito master and control
our expenditure, is sore need in all
classes. The influences which surround
us, the ideas in which we have been
brought up, the habits which we fall
INTO as second nature, all sway us in
the same direction. Every family and
every class seems to have caught hold
OF the skirts of the one above it, and to
be desperately holding on. Well, as
Mr.. Goodwin Smith says, the best thing
they can do is to let g0-the only thing
needed which will give themselves any
comfort or make their lives of real use
in their generation. The moment they
will do so, and begin resOlutely to live
without regard to what their neighbOr
on the right spends on carriages, or
those on the left in upholstery, they will
lind themselves rich for all good pur-
poses. From that moment it can no
longer be said of us with truth that we
dare not trust our wits to mako our
homes pleasant to our friends, and so
we buy ice creams. And this most
needed OF oil reforms is just the one
which every soul of us can carry through
for himself Or herself. We can not
sweep our whole street. No doubt.
But every one of us can sweep our own
doorstep, and if he will do it quietly
and regularly anon his right and left
hand neighbors follow, and before long
the whole street is swept. And in this
way, and by this means, can almost all
those social tangles which we have been
glancing at casually this evening, be
set right: Simple living! To it even
the great household question, at once
the most ridiculous and most harras-
sing of social troubles, will in the end
yield, will begin at once to look not
wholly lnsoluble and hopeless. Speak
ing OF this sore question in the nation,
the other day, one OF the wittiest of
American essaylsts took up the cudg-
els for Bridget against her hume
rous accusers. "My good friends,n he
argued, what else have you any right
to look for7 The things which Ameri-
can life and manners preach to her not
notpatience, sober mindedness, faithful
ness, diligence and honesty, but self
assertion, discomfort, hatred of superb
ority, of all kinds, and eagerness for
physical enjoyment;" and the words
come home, l fear, with singular force
to us Islanders also in these days. Let
us hope that the picture of the good
coming time which he goes on to draw
may prove true for us also. "Whenev-
er the sound of the new gospel which is
to win nations back to the ancient and
noble ways is heard in the land, it is
fair to expect that it will not find her
ears holly closed; and that when the
altar of duty is again set up by her en-
plOyers, she will lay on it attractive
beefsteaks, potatoes done to turn,
make libations of delicious soup, dis
play remarkable fertility in sweets, and
extreme fondness for washing, and
learned to grow old in one family"


[ThOmas Hughes.
Year: 1873

Money is hard, and that constitutes
the real business troubles at present
1he crops are abundant, manufactured
goods, were going off we'll q few weeks
ago, the balance OF trade was getting
into more favorable condition than
for years back. But the shadow of the
panic shrunk up the amount of money
IN circulation. It is of no use to urge
capitalists to let out their money again
as freely as ever, because confidence
which the panic showed to have been
justly impaired to a considerable de-
gree-has not yet been restored. Great
and risky undertakings, therefore, even
important enterprises which do not hap
pen TO be prosperous now, must suffer
for want of funds and add to the gene
raj suffering. But the great lines OF or
binary business must still be carried on,
II not so vigorously and prosperOusly az
heretofore, yet in the best way possible.
Anything is better than total stagna-
ton. Even machinery deteriorates
worse standing still than when driven
oEskly; and most business men find
IL prontaDle IN dull times to keep NOV
ing as we'll as they can.


This is particularly true of the great
body OF retail dealers with whom the
community comes into contact, Money
comes hard with the people they can do
without a great deal they have been
accustomed to purchase; on the other
hand, they know that the panic has re-
suited in a shrinkage of values, and
they naturally expect to sec it manifes-
ted to some degree in the articles of
their daily consumption. The wise
dealer will meet this expectation, and
Ehus retain his customers and possibly
draw In new ones, while working off
MS old stOc ks and preparing to replenish
at lower prices. A leading New York
firm who promptly reduced their prices
ten per cent, and made the fact known,
report that "the system works we'll"


customers purchase as freely as ever"
they say, "and there is no perceptible
difference in the trade of any depart
ment except in the sale Of the costlier
luyuries."


The beauty of this method is, that it
tends to keep in lively circulation the
available money of the community.


II this is much less than usual, it
ought to do much more work. The
nlm6ie slxpence is infinitely more use
tul than the boarded dollar. It runs a
round of activities and blesses every
one 1t touches. It becomes all to act
upon this truth. If we owe a small
debt. it is best to pay it up as soon as
possible, and so let the creditor pass
on the money to his creditor, and so on.
II we must have winter clothes for the
children, let us buy at once, if we can
get them at a reasonable price. And
so of all necessary articles and of the
usual run OF business. Trade imparts
activity through all circles, and with
it cheerfulness and confidence. 1t null
tiplies our resources and brings again
PROSPERITY Massachusetts IonrnaI.
Year: 1873

A gentleman was once riding in Scot.
land by bleaching ground where pool
woman was at work watering her webs
Of linen cloth. He asked her where she
went to church, what she had heard on
the preceding day, and how much she
remembered. She could not even tell
the text of the last sermon. And what
good can the preaching do yOu," said he,


" "Ah, sir" replied the poor woman, " if
you will look at this web on the grass.
you will see as fast as ever l put the
water on it the sun dries it all up, and
yet sir, I zee it gets whittier and wbiter,
Year: 1873

A LONG TINE TO WA1T.-If it is the
intention of our banks to hold on to the
peoples money until every shakey firm
IN New Orleans can pay its debts, we
may cease to hope for any change
for. the better during this gene
ration. What has the question of one
mans honesty to do with anOther's abil-
lty to take up his note9 1t is something
more than suspicious when the banks
are to invent a new excuse EVERYDAY
for their shortcomings.


At first suspension was justified on
the ground that the East and West
wanted to cast off all our greenbaCks,
Then it was found that three or four
banks could not toe the scratch. Now
certain weak "big" houses want paDer
renewed. And all the time the banks
are violating their own rules by indi-
rect means. Money goes Oh the street
at two and ope-half per cent a
month. Checks are daily bought in at
three. Money is plenty enough for
both these purposes. Instead of de-
manding gold for cotton, as some over
ambitious writer's demanded, we see
the planters compelled to accept a cur
rency three per cent below greenbacks.
National currency was not good enough
a few months ago. Now our banks
have demonstrated that We cannot even
get that.


No city in the world can prosper un-
der such burdens as now af1ict New
Orleans. Money can not be had for
less than two per cent month. Three
per cent is often demanded and paid.
When the contract is made checks are
rendered in lieu of cash, which are three
pei, cent below par. This makes ac-
tually fve or six per cent month
for the hire Of money for thirty days.
So long as such enormous profits can
be realized, the banks, especially the
weak ones, will be in no hurry to evado
the terms Of their notarial contract.
But about the time they get very strong
under such system, the business COM
lmlnInity will be too weak to run down
hill. -


We think it would not be out of place
to call mass meeting to protest against
such shameful treatment.-[NeW Or
leans Republican,
Year: 1873

FATAL ACeIDENT.-The Brashear
News of last week, tells of the blowing
accident, which occurred week before
last, on board the trade boat Minnie IN
Bayou Teche. 1t seems that Gus
toner was handling an old pistol
which was supposed to be empty, and
It was discharged, lodging the contents
in the lower jaw of the clerk tearing
away the whole jaw, producing his
death in a short time.