smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

Nothing is absolutely perfectgia this
world, not even the newspapers; and,
with the most complete organization, and
the most vigilant and incessant care, the
best of them, like the best indiyidusl
man, is liable to make mistakes A news
paper, like an individual man, may also
be the victim OF imposture; and, with
the most earnest desire in its conductors
to say and report nothing but what is
true, it may be made to say things which
are the reverse of true. ,


Caution, accuracy, diligence in ascer-
tanning the truth, and scrupulous, con-
scientious fidelity to fact, are as indis-
pensable in q newspaper as they are in
the relations Of private life, indeed in
certain sense they are even more go
since tho newspapers reach aud affect
thousands of minds Such caution and
vigilance arc not only demanded by the
IlaW OF honesty and truth. but by the in
tefest of every newspaper; for no jour
nal can prosper without the, confidenct
of the public. and that confidence car
only be obtained and preserved by truth
Ifulness.-N Y SUM-
Year: 1876

A little boy said to his mother the
other morning: Mother, I had the
beautifulest dream last night you ever
aaw. dreamt that / wouldn't 60 to
school and that you went out into the
yard and cut great long switch, bu,
just as you was going to give me an aw
ful dressin' the world came to an end
Didn't I get out Of it easy, though ~
franklin Patriot.
Year: 1876

Professor Smith, the scientist, oi
Louisville, in an analysis of specimens
of flesh that fell from the heavens in
Bath County, Kentucky, says this mat
ter gives every indication of being the
dried spawn Of Batracnian reptiles
doubtless that of the frog, They have
been transported from the ponds and
swampy grounds by currents Of wind
and have ultimately fallen on the spo
where they were found
Year: 1876

DR.. Lambert, of New York, gave an
interesting lecture on woman and her
nature, duties, needs and entitlements.
He, in a good-natured manner, spoke of
his peculiar treatment of the subject and
said it was new lecture and gave a little
sketch Of his own history. Coming directly
to the lecture itself, he discussed the ques-
ton Of the comparative length of the life of
American men and women, and between
people of this country and those of Europe.
He showed statistics to prove that, contrary
to the popular opinion the people Of New
York were longer lived than those of the
old world The English girls, so often
spoken of for blooming cheeks and robust
forms, owed these qualities to their native
island and their fondness for the national
beverage, beer. The fact was, the women
of this country were longer lived than the
English women. There probably was no
place in Europe where so many old people
could be found in proportion to the popula-
ton as in New Hampshire, and three out
of every four of the people who had
reached the age Of ninety years in New
Hampshire were women. The constitution
of women was substantially the same as
the constitution Of men, and the duration of
their earthly existence, as a general rule,
on the American continent, was the same.
Gliding into the peculiar marks and forma-
tiOns of the body as indications of long or
Sbort 1ifa fba 1acr,t~ar enid tIut &c lo5v
wore heavy caring, and the ear was
pulled down in consequence, this indicated
a short life to the owner of the weak men,
ber. On the contrary, should the ear re-
tain its natural position over heavy ring,
the strength of the gristle pointed to q
long life to the owner. And so with fingers.
If hand had very short fingers, that had
an indication of longevity, whereas long
fingers were indicative of a short span of
life. 1t was not found that the proper
tionate number Of men and women dying
at the different ages varied materially.
After reaching the age Of twenty girl was
liable to live to good ripe old age as a
man at the same period. AS a rule, female
beauty anu lOhSCNlty NtIc nOl COLI
those azure eyes and very fair faces that
carry off short-lived young men are not
long-lived. Another wonderful fact was
the constant change going on in the body.
The air of the hall was at that moment full
of particles of the brains and organizations
of those present. Every day, every hour,
aye, every moment, worked a change in
every living form. The speaker said that
he would like to see women withdraw from
the pOst-ofiices, countingrooms and other
positions of labor where they were half
paid, and young men put in and paid
double the amount paid women. Then
the men could support the women. Every
man had a woman beside him, and should
work for her instead Of having her earn heI
living outside of the household. The
young men, he thought, ought not to be
crowded out of the places and sent West
Men of long life usually had some great
and strong principle in their characters
some stamina which symbolized vigorous
and enduring vitality.
Year: 1876

MARK TwAIN's REpoRT OF AN ACCIDENT.
Mark Twain recently tried his hand at
writing up a distressing accident for
Boston local paper, and this is how he did
it, Last evening about o'clock as Wm.
Schuyler, an old and respected citizen of
Hyde Park, was leaving his residence to
60 down town, as has been his custom for
many years, with the exception of only one
short interval in the Spring of 1850, during
which he was confined to his bed by
injuries received in attempting to stop a
runaway horse by thoughtlessly throwing
up his hands and shouting, which, even,
If he had done SO a single moment sooner,
would inevitably have frightened the
animal still more instead of checking its
speed, although disastrous enough to him
self as it was, rendered more melancholilv
distressing by reason Of the presence of his
wlie's mother, who was there and saw the
occurrence, Notwithstanding it is at least
likely, though not necessarily 50, that she
should be accommodating in another direc
tion when incidents occur, not being viva.





clous and on the lookout, as general
thing, but even iii the reverse, as her
mother is said to have stated, who is no
more, but who died in the full hope of
blessed resurrection upward of three years
ago. aged sc, being a Christian woman
without guile, as it were, in property, in
consequence Of a fire in lS49, which
destroyed every solitary thing she had in
the world But such is life. Let us all
take warning by this solemn occurrence,
and let us endcavor SO to live that when
we come to die we can do it. Let Us place
our hands upon our hearts and say with
eGrnestness and sincerity that, from this
day forth, we will beware Of the intoxica.
ting bowl"
Year: 1876

SAYING DISAGREEABLE THINGS-No class
of people can inflct such martyrdom on
their associates as those who are given to
the habit Of reminding others of their
tallings or peculiarities. You are never
safe with such person. When you have
done your very best to please, and are
feeling kindly and pleasantly, out will pop
some bitter speech, some underhand stab
which you alone comprehend--a sneer
which is masked, but too well aimed TO be
misunderstood. Only half a dozen words,
spoken merely because he is afraid YOU
are too happy or too conccited, and ought
to be 3" taken down a peg" Yet they arc
worse than so many blows How many
slecpless nights have such mean attempts
caused tender-hearted idiots? How, after
them, one awakes with aching eyes and
head, to remember that speech before any
thing else-that bright, sharp, well aimed
needle of q speech, that probed the very
centre of your soul. There is only one
comfort to be taken. The repetition of
such attacks soon wean your heart from
the attacker; and this once done, nothing
he can say will ever pain you any more


While, as for him, one friendship after
another, mortally stung by his sarcasm,
dies, and he finds himself at last alone and
friendless-as he deserves to be. Setting
aside the unkindness of the habit, and
looking at it in an entirely worldly point of
view, it does not pay to say disagreeable
things to those who love us, as our ill-nature
will in the end recoil upon ourselves.
Year: 1876

TROUBLED BRIDEGRoOM.--A couple
IN Kingston, says the National Bopta.
who undertook to get married some
time since, went, accompanied by the
bridesmaid and groomsman, to a church.
and were ushered into the sacred edificc
and escorted to the altar by the sexton.
who, however, got the parties rather mixed
up, stationing the bridesmaid next to the
bridegroom, and the bride and groomsman
in ncorresponding wrong places. The clergy,
man, not noticing the mistake, went on
with the ceremony, and began marrying
the bridesmaid to the bridegroom, when
the bride served an Injunction on him BY
eXclaiming that she was the marrying
party. The mistake being remedied, the
clergyman made another attempt, and the
performance went smoothly along until it
came for the bridegroom to produce the
ring, which was essential to the completion
of the ceremony. But when that gentle
man felt in his vest pocket, it wasn't there :;
in the other, not there; in the trowsers
pocket, not there; and then he felt to the
bottom of the remaining pocket, and finally
exclaimed: well, sure, there is a hole in
my pocket, and the ring slipped down into
my boot" And the only way to finish the
ceremony was for the bridegroom to sit
down, pull off his boot, take out tho ring,
pull on his boot, and put the ring where it
ought to have gone and walk out with
his bride, which he did
Year: 1876




The Prairie Farmer publishes the follow.
ing article on the subject of driving horses
to excess The most vicious and enexcu.
sable style of driving is the manner which
so many drivers adopt, to wit: Wrapping
the lines around their hands and pulling
the horse backward with all their might
and main, so that the horse, in point of
fact, feels the weight back of him, with his
mouth, and not with his breast and shoul-
ders. This they do under the impression
that such dead pull is needed in order
to steady the horse. The fact is, with
rare exceptions, there should never be any
pull upon the horse at all. A steady pres
sure is allowable, probably advisable; but
anything beyond this has no justification
in nature or reason. For nature suggests
the utmost freedom of the action of the
head, body and limbs, in order that the
animal may attain the highest rate of
speed. In speeding horse the lines need
seldom be grasped in both hands when the
road is straight and free from distractions.
The true way to drive is to let the horse
drive himself, the driver doing little but
directing him and giving him that conf.
dence which horse gets in himself only
when he feels that a guide and friend is
back of him.
Year: 1876

Social WHIMsICALITIEs.-W is a
lady dress like an unfortunate bull-fghter?
When it is gored. And when is it like
partisan When it is baised. And when is
it like a topper? When it is full. And
when is it like the sails of ship? When it
is trimmed. When is it like a season of
the year2 When it is lent. When is it no
longer fit for use? After she has once worn
it out.


We lately met an old negro trudging
along, with heavy side of bacon that he
had bought swinging over his shoulder.
We noticed that he was miserably clad,
and we felt sorry for him, for a cold wind
was blowing. We demonstrated with him.
" Why do you spend your money for meat {?
You'd better buy a coat" The old man
stopped, looked us full in the face for a
few moments and said in the most solemn
tones: Massa, when | ak my back for
credit it gibs it; when / speak to dis
(laying his hand upon his stomach it calls
for de cash.
Year: 1876

Pen, INK AND PAPER.-IIow sadly these
three invaluable articles are sometimes
abused. What arrant fools men and
women occasionally make of themselves by
rashly committing to black and white the
promptings of their passions and prejudices.
If there is anything in the world that should
not be done hastily-that imperatively de-
mands sober second thought-it is letter
writing. Indiscreet opistles, like curses,
are very apt to come homo to roost, and the
Autterings they create in domestic dove
cots are in some cases terrific. One would
suppose that the exposures of impulsive
correspondence which from time to time
take place in our courts of law, would teach
both sexes to be cautious in their written
communications. Not a bit of it. The
wisest heads have their soft places, and
philosophers, discoverers, statesmen, and
what not, often seem remarkably small in
the otf;hand scribblings not intended for
the public eye. Your intellectual lion,
under the influence of the tender passion,
not unfrequently becomes as "spoony" as
sucking-dovc, and the love-letters of
great mon differ but little, as a general
rule, from those of common simpletons.
Such revelations of the thinner life " of
those whom the world has delighted to
honor are painful. They almost tempt one
to believe that the lights of philosophy and
literature are by rature as weak and foolish
as the rest of us, and that their public role
is only borrowed part" Let all impul-
| sive people beware of pen-and-ink garrulity.





The following truthful criticism is uttered
edtorially by the National Teachers MoathIy:
"FOr people who have been apparently so
well drilled i'll writing compositions during
their school life it is strange what a small
PERCENTAGE of Americans can write sim
pie letter with ease or correctness. The
cause, in our opinion, is to be found in the
way i'll which composition is taught in the
great majority of schools In the first
| place, it is commenced too soon. Before
the child has either ideas or vocabulary he
is called on to write composition In
the absence Of any ideas of his own, he
borrows them from the most accessible
source. The result is that in nine cases out
of ten the composition is number of un-
meaning phrases, blended in such way as
to betoken industry if not honesty on the
part of the pupil, and culpable negligence
or downright ignorance on the part of the
teacher who does not detoct the plagiarism
and prevent its recurrence. Another cause
and this is peculiar to high schools and
colleges, 50 called-is the use of false elo.
quence and highly wrought rhetorical
hourishes. Schoolmasters must give com
nonsense topics on which to write, and
where the subject is left to the choice of the
pupil he should be directed to choose such
No such topics as the Higher Esthetics,
Talks with Angels Nights with the
Gods Travels in JUPITER or Visits in
the Moon,' should be permitted, and least
of all should they be subjects of essays fol
Commencement day"
Year: 1876

Essay on THE ONIoN.-In onion is
strength, and a garden without it lacks
flavor. The onion in its satin wrappings
is among the most beautiful Of vegetables ::
it can almost be said to have a soul. You
take off coat after coat, and the onion is
removed, who dare say that the onion
itself is destroyed, though you can weep
over its departed spirit? doubt not that
all men and women love the onion: but
few confess their love. Good New Eng
landers are as shy of owning it as they are
Of talking about religion. Some people
have days on which they eat onions-the
act is in the nature of reli gous ceremony.
an Eleuslnian mystery; not a breath Of it
must get abroad. On that day they see no
company, they deny the kiss of greeting to
the dearest friend. Happy is said to be
the family who can eat onions together.
Look at Italy; all eat the common vegeta-
ble The social atmosphere of. that deli
cious land is laden with it, In the churches
all are alike; there is one faith, one
smell. The entrance Of Victor Emmanuel
into Rome is only the pompous proclama-
ton of a unity which garlic has already
accomplished and yet we, who boast Of
our democracy, eat onions in secret.
Year: 1876

LOVING AND BEING LOvED.-Perhaps there
is no more painful time in woman's life
than the time of transition, when the
aslduOus lover is passing into the matter
ot-frct husband, and the wooer is gradually
changing into the master. Women, who
are so much more sensitive than men.
more sentimental, too, and less content to
trust III silence to an undemonstrative
affection, are for the most part happy only
when they are being made love to. 1t is
not enough to be loved; they want TO be
told twenty times a day, and to have the
harmonies of life enriched by crowd of
occasional notes, embroidering the solid
substance by which they live. Men, on
the contrary, get tired of making love.
When they have wooed and won. they are
contented to be quiet, and to take all tn g
rest for granted. They are not cold, how.
ever, because they are secure; and to most
and those the bcst--practical kindness
IS better than hattery, security ranks before
excitement and hysteria, and life passes in
| serene friendship, fearing no evil. knowing
no break, and needing no praising, is
better than life passed in perpetual
turmoil of passion, where there are scenes
and tears and doubts and broken hearts, If
there are not endless courtships and
fatiguing demonstrations.
Year: 1876

Gas Company President" All. We must
accomodate ourselves to tie times. An
nounce a reduction of ten cents a thousand
feet in the price Of gas-and add couple
of thousand feet on each gas bill
Year: 1876

An agricultural journal adycrtiscs a new
washing machine under the heading
" Every man his own waSherwoman, and
IN its culinary department says that "pota-
toes should always be boiled IN cold water"
Year: 1876

/ WE publish to-day, recent letter
| in full, from Oliver johnson, a very
| able man, now on the Christian
| Union. Mr.. johnson is man who


has been permanently and most IA


vorably before the literary world OF
this country for over quarter Of a
century, and who has always been


considered a truthful and worthy


man, bearing at all times an excellent
reputation. His letter is another
strong confirmation Of the view OF
this whole scandal which has forced
itself upon our mind, viz: that the
exalted ability of Beecher had Given
rise TO envy, and, that on the part Of


Bowen the establishment Of rival
paper to the Independent, and on the
part Of Tilton and his friend Monitor.
who associated freely with Victoria
Woodruff, and so co,intenanced her
her most vicious and infamous doc
trines, there was determination to
drag Bcechcr down from his high cs-
tate. This finally eliminated, accord
ing to Mrs. Monlton, in Deecher pour
ing into the cars Of that lady in deep
contrition. his confession of guilt, she
all the while caressing, plying and
consoling him. What husband on
Gods footstool could hear his wife
relate such an interview between her.
self and her pastor, had In private and
alone, without feeling that the honor
Of his wife had been there compro-
misedl Such q talc stands not 10
reason and common sense among de-
cent people.
Year: 1876

We would recommend To those
who are going to try sheep, to COM
mence with small flock and learn
The business. Purchase no old sheep,
let the price be ever So low: be sure
there Is no disease among them
bnild dog-proof yard with an open
shed on the north side. with ROOF
that will shed rain; yard them every
night. See that Your pasture fences
will prevent them from respassing
on your ncighbors provide a variety
Of food for winter feed literally and
without waste, and see that they have
water whenever they want il. Tame
grass makes the best pasture ry,
makes good fall and winter pasture
After shearing. dip your lambs and
sheep in tobacco liquid to rid them
of all verlnin, aud, as a preventive
against such.
Year: 1876

welfare were intrusted to party
which gave no aid or comfort to the
enemies of our common country, and
which now gives the only security OF
means for present or future safety,
prosperity, and honor as power fol
good among the nations.


With renewal Of our pledges to
the platform Of principles adopted by
the Republican State Convention in
July last, we enter upon the cam
paign Of 1876 with assurances from
all directions that the party of law.
order progress, and freedom will
achicyc another glorious victory.
Year: 1876

We are informed by the Davenport
Gazette that the committees Of both
Houses of our Legislature have
agreed to report fayorably upon es-
tablishing chairs Of Homeopathy In
In the Medical department of the
State University in connection with
the Allopathic school. The Gazette
further states that it does not doubt
but that this recommendation of the
committees will be approved by the
Legislature. We have no light, our
selves, as to whether the Gasctte's
views are probable or not, but II they
are, we suggest, in order to avoid an
other bitter contest, that at the same
time chairs be Instituted also for tho
medical school Of Eclcctics so that We
may end for a few years, at least. any
further turmoil in regard to the Med
ical department Of onr State Tnivcrs-
/ itv
Year: 1876

| Republicans Of Ottumwa we urge


you to stand by your city ticket. The


ticket is good one. They arc all


gentlemen Of respectability aud capa-


bility. Due notice was given Of the
meetings to be held to nominate it.
The meetings were regularly held,


and Republicans met and nominated


1t fairly and in the utmost good feel


ing. The result appeared to be high


ly satisfactory. We can sec no rca-


son for dcscrting that ticket. On the


contrary we feel strongly bound to


maintain it, to stand by ii, with all


our might and strength. 1t is not in
accordance with the nature Of man
kind to be showed aside. We recog-
nize in the gentlemen we have put
forward, good character, public spir-
il and enterprise, and in whom we
have the highest confidence. We cx-
pect from their election everything TO
be accomplished in the way Of re-
form which would or could be by
1t is certain that their de-
feat will only secure the election Of
the Democratic ticket. Had ii been
thought best to have had non-pnrii-
san ticket previous to the nomination
Of the party tickets. or had it been
suggested, II might have been per-
fected, and the present antas onism
not have existed. 1t is very difficult
for people to be driven from the sup
port of good men whom they have
put forward in good faith, and by no
means leads to harmonious action be-
tween those who might otherwise,
with reasonable compromises, act to-
gether. 1t ia too late, however. to
mend or discuss the matter. After
the contest Is ended and the smoke
has cleared away, we shall all be tho
better able to see who has acted the
more wisely.
Year: 1876

The State Register, speaking Of
Congressional matters in the capital
district, says It will have no candidate
preceding the nomination but that 1t
hopes to have one this year after the
shall be named.
Year: 1876

HOW FOREIGN BOUND CIRCUS TROUPE


STRUCK TERROR INTO THE cAsTILrAN HEART.


The steamer North Point. Of the LorIllard line is
being renttcd in elegant style at the loot OF Fifth
street, East River, preparatory 10 accommodating
Howes and Cushings circus, which troupe is to In
augurate tour OF the West Indies and South Amer.
the 18th Of the present month a gang OF Gfty
men has been assiduousy at work the vessel for
week past, under the supcrintendencc OF Captain
Smith, who at one tmo commanded the virginius.
about which such = was raised between the
respective governments of Washington and Madrid.
Albeit the work has gone quietly number OF
suspicious looking and suspciousiy acting strangers
have been observed for somo days lotcrng about the
pier, with apparently an underlined object The
mens oil the crew were closely scrutinized by these
strangers and every little preparation about the ship
noted with remarkable attention. The OF all
this heretofore unaccountabc espionage has como 10
light at last


Tho spanish Consul in this city, having learned
avowcd purpose Of Transporting circus
troupe, somehow became impressed with the
notion that tho real Design OF tho movement
was 70 furnish aid to the Cuban patriots and
dies lie persuaded the circus story ogch
"a guy and accordingly took precautionary meas
urcs The result has been the presence the picr,
day and night Of score OF vglaut detectives In tho
to their homes keep strict surveillance the
whilom privntoersman, Captain smith, and In divers
other ways seek discover the secret OF tho
real destination object the expedition about TO
start Hereafter they will be Afforded every opportu-
nifty 10 inspect tho dongs Of tho and gam the
sign. Hcrc IL opportunity for good laugh the
expense OF the Spanish Consul