smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

ACCORDING to one of the latest cable dis
patches the Empress of Russia Is expect
ed to visit Naples ut an early day, accom-
panied by q Iieet Of Russian vessels OF
war. 1t is understood that Her Majesty
will proceed directly to Rome, and that
there she will pay her respects to the
King of Italy and also to the Holy Father.
Coming so soon after the visit to Rome Of
the Grand Duke Nicholas, 1t Is not unnat-
ural that this expected visit Of the Em-
press should be considered to have some
thing of a political character. 1t Is well
known that the relations Of Russia and
the Holy See have for many years been OF
the most unsatisfactory kind. The Cath
olics of Poland have always been much
more willing to submit to the authority
of the Pope than to recognize the author
ity of the Gar. The consequence has
been that the Russian government, hating
as it does the semblage of an imperiu'n "
inpcrio, has steadily pursued harsh pol
| icy towards the Catholic Church IN 20
land. For some time past there has been
manifested a desire on the part OF the
Russian government to conciliate the
Holy Father. Certain bishops have beer
exiled; their sees are now vacant; and II
is said that If the Holy Father. will com
ernment and appoint new bishops to thu
vacant sees, the government Of the Czal
will allow the exiled bishops to return
and will make for them adequate provis
ion. 1t is understood that the mission o
the Grand Duke Nicholas was undertaken
with view to bring about some such ar
rangement. A similar purpose is at
tached to the approaching visit Of tn
Empress TO Rome and the Holy Father
1t is reasonable to suppose that the EN-
press may be more successful than tn
Grand Duke, and that some understand
ing may be come to between Russia an
Rome whereby the condition of the Cath
olics in Russian Poland will be improved
1t is time that persecution should ceas
for religions 8 sake.-N. Y Herald.
Year: 1873

The new California code makes wild
work of home and the family. The great
modern idea Of everybody being every
body else's equal In all things Is car
ried out remorselessly, and magnificent
uniformity of confusion Is the natural re-
suit. Ali that Is necessary to constitute
marriage is for man and woman-or for
that matter boy and a girl, the law doing
away with the effete and monarchical dis
tinction between children and grown folks
to consider themselves married and be-
Eaye accordingly. Being thus yoked,
husband and wife are as fully at liberty to
sue and contract with each other as before
entering irto the matrimonial estate. The
woman may sue her husband for the use
of her crockery at breakfast, and the man
NAV sue his wife for her nights lodging In
his house. Equality In all things Is the
rule; there are to be no invidious distinc-
tons of sex. Should controversies over
rent and tableware grow insuherable,
the two may draw up treaty Of de.
marcation and pay into . common fund
certain contributions nom their respec-
children, which children are to be In the
custody of neither parent, the law say
ing: "When husband and wife are living
separate and apart, the father. as such


has no superior right to that of the moth
er to the care, custody, or control OF the
Children The child thus impartially
neglected must apparently 60 to thu
dogs but the law Kindly steps in to say
that minor who marries becomes sI
adult forthwith. AL the deserted httl
Tom has to do Is to consider and. treA


some equally forlorn little Bessie as hi


wife. and both youngsters are at once N


longer children but grown folks. Say


section % of the code: 1.-THE marriag


of minors changes their status from mi


nors to adults.-N. y. World.
Year: 1873

AS yet the origin of the fire by which
Barnum's great show was destroyed is
shrouded in mystery. There is whisper
in sawdust circles, however, that it was
caused by the carelessness of one of the
keepers, who neglected to extinguish the
tapir before he turned in.
Year: 1873

ii. NJ. Myers writes the Scientific Amer
tcdn as follows There is, perhaps, no
production of the tropics which is so gen
orally and deservedly esteemed by the peo-
pie of the North as the pineapple, yet of
none have they such vague ideas as to its
manner of growth, Not unfrequently
have we heard it expressed as being the
fruit of tree; associating it with the
cone-bearing trees of our own country.
The pineapple plant Anaaassa satira) is
native of tropical America growing wild
in the forests, but is also largely cultivated
in those regions, as well as to some consid-
cradle extent in the West Indies, and on
the Eastern Continent.


1t has fifteen or more long, serrated,
ridged, sharp-pointed leaves, springing
from the root, resembling in its general
aspect the century plant, but much smaller
in size. In the centre of this cluster of
thick, succulent leaves, springs up short
stalk bearing spike of beautiful flowers,
which in time produces single pine-ap-
pie. On the summit of the fruit is a tuft
of small leaves, capable of becoming a
new plant, which together with suckers,
arc the means by which it is propagated,
as pineapple which has been properly
grown, or Of the wild fruit of the forest,
which we always found equal, if not su-
perior to the cultivated ones.


A word as to the manner of preparing
a pineapple for eating may not be out Of
place here. Let the rough exterior first
be removed to sufficient depth, and then
slice the fruit longitudinally with the core,
and not across the hard centre, as is gen
orally done with u.s. As soon should an
ear of green corn be divided in sections
when the kernels must be pulled from the
cob, as pineapple across the core, in
stead of nicely slicing the fruit from its
adherents. The deliciousness of a pine
apple when freshly picked from the plant
and prepared in the above manner cannot
be surpassed.
Year: 1873

There Isl general impression pervading
the public that the London Times is the
leading paper of England, in circulation as
well as in influence. This is most erro-
neous, the "Thundererr ranking only as
fourth in the list of great dailies. The
aggregate list of circulation of all the
morning and evening newspapers publish
ed in London is set down at 569, 900, of
which 10000 belongs to the Daily Tele-
graph 100000 to the Standard, 10000
to the London Daily Ne,rs, $4,000 to the
Echo, and 10000 to the Times. The
first three Of these papers are published at
one penny 1.-TWO cents each, the Echo at
halfpenny, and the Times at three pence.
OF course the power and influence of a
journal is in part dependent upon the
number Of its circulation but they are
also influenced in great measure by the
class of readers to which it goes. The
Telegraph is plainly the peoples paper !;
but the readers Of the Times are by all
odds the best people of the British EN-
pire; and its great power and influence
are due to the fact that it reaches the
thinkers, the lawmakers and the money
arbiters of the metropolis of the world.
And its great success is due to its sagaci-
ty in seizing each popular tide precisely
at the turning point, rather than to any
peculiar foresight in governmental philos-
ply. The Times is shrewd follower of
public opinion, not its arbiter.
Year: 1873

The following method Of trapping and
destroying moles is practiced in Glouces-
ter: A well-used run is discovered in a
bank; cutting is made about a foot in
width, and the run is bridged over by a
narrow box, consisting of three pieces of
wood, forming the bottom and two sides
only; the ends are fixed in the run on
either side. In the bottom of the bridge
is nicely balanced, self-acting trap-fall.
The moles run along, slip through, and
fall into an earthenware pot. The bridge
is carefully turfed over, grass downward to
keep out the earth; every ray flight must
be carefully excluded The trap being
always set the moles fall in and perish
The pots are left unheeded, and as new
comers drop in they are eaten by those in
the pot, which is gradually filed with
skins and bones. Water should be put in
to drown them, but this is cruelty neglec-
ted. If looked at every day the moles can
be caught alive and well. A bank is
chosen because the pot can be looked at
and replaced without disturbing the bridge;
but run on the fiat ground would do by
digging proper trench for the bridge and
pot A very simple plan is to sink in the
mole's run pitcher which will hold three
or four pints. Do it very neatly, and not
otherwise disturb the existing state of
things, and within eight hours the stable
gentlemen will be safely jugged, 1t will
be pure waste Of time to try to catch the
same animal second time by the same
means. Moles usually ''run,n as it is
termed, at stated times of the day, about
eight, twelve and four o'clock, when their
workings must be watched; and by quietly
and stealthily approaching them they may
be dashed out of the heap or little run they
are working by one stroke of a spade, and
then picked up and bagged before they
can again enter the ground; or, when they
are working small run, they are easily
taken out of it by jumping on to the run
with the heels apart, so that each heel shall
enter and stop the run on each side of the
mole, which must be Immediately drawn
out by the hand | write from expert
ence, and repeat that the greatest care is
always necessary to prevent the moles
(Which are very sensitiye) from hearing or
feeling your approach.
Year: 1873

An Elgin, Illinois, correspondent of
the Western Rural says ANY good, cool
spring water which does not get warmer
than sixty-five degrees in summer is suit
able, and it makes no difference if it be
hard or soft. The water used by Seth
Green, the celebrated pisciculturist i
hard, and | have visited many fisher
les in the East and find the trout doing as
well in hard as in soft water. 1t should
not, however, be too strongly impregnated
with iron or sulphur. | have trout in
many places in Illinois and they are all
doing well, and comparing these with
trout of equal age in the East, | find them
fully as large as any l examined, the wa
ter we use being hard lime water.


In building ponds, care should be taken
not to build them too large for the amount
of water. For example, with a one inch
pipe of water, pond ten feet wide, thirty
feet long, from three to four feet deep, Is
large enough If made out of earth and
the ground is so porous that it has to be
curbed, then five feet wide thirty long,
and three to four feet deep will be ample.
If there be sufficient fall, say one or two
feet, another pond of equal size could be
built, and the water would be purified and
@rated by the fall, so that the last pond
would be equally as good as the first. A
pond of this size would support from three
to five hundred trout, until they reach the
age of two years, when they would weigh
from one-half to one pound each, and
would require but little feeding the seco nd
year.


Trout grow to weigh from three to four
pounds at four years old, and commence
laying eggs the second year after being
Matched. The spawning season is from
the first of November to the first of March.
The best time for moving trout is when
the weather is cool, or say up to the last
of May. 1t requires seventy days for
trout eggs to hatch. Take the young trout
from the Matching house and turn them
out into the pond before the first of June.


The natural food Of trout is insects and
other living animal matter. No vegeta-
Bile food is taken, but in artificial ponds,
they are usually fed on, hashed liver and
lights, and other cheap'animal food.
Year: 1873

Verdigris is termed by chemists a
"tribasic acetate of copper" and is formed
by the action of acetic acid upon metallic
copper in the presence of oxygen. There
are several methods of conducting the
manufacture; in one the refuse of grapes
after the expression of the juice in wine
making is used as the source of the acid
which rises in vapor from the decomposing
residuum. In another vinegar is used, the
copper being dipped in at intervals; in a
third fannels are wrung in vinegar and
wrapped around the copper which is then
laid where it will be acted upon by currents
of air.


The grape refuse is used at Montpelier,
in France, in the following manner. The
copper in very thin sheets is rubbed in
warm boxes where the requisite corrosion
is merely initiated. In the meantime the
grape refuse is packed in barrels and allowed
to remain until it begins to undergo acetic
fermetation. This accomplished, portion
of the material is spread in the bottom of
a ditch lined with brich On this is placed
a layer of the prepared copper then more
grape refuse, then more copper and so on,
until the pit is full When the grape
residuum becomes white its effect is spent.
The sheets are then removed and exposed
to the air. As soon as they become dry
they are wet with water and again exposed,
and SO on six or seven times in succession.
until the layer of verdigris having become
sufficiently thick is scraped of. This
done, the plate is again rubbed with
vinegar, and in the grape refuse, etc.,
undergoes again the same treatment until
completely exhausted,
Year: 1873

THE NEGRO AND THE MuLE.-The
following anecdote, finely illustrative Of the
characteristics Of two denizens Of the
South, we find in the Editors Drawer of
HorPer's Magazine:


"The negro and mule writes friend in
Clinton, Louisiana, } are inseperable COM
panions in the southern cotton fields, and
like the Hawaiian string and bow, use
less each without the other. The lazy in
difference and careless cruelty Of one, and
wonderful powers Of endurance of severe
labor, bad treatment and neglect of the
other, complete the compatibility Of the
two races necessary for the production Of
four millions of bales. A characteristic
anecdote may be relished by those who
have had experience Of the two. The
spectator had taken refuge from the sun 5
perpendicular rays under the shade Of a
spreading beech, sub tegmine fagi and lay
recumbent, enjoying the fitful breezes and
the sombre frothiness of the country news
paper. Along the dusty road which pass.
ed by this retreat came jogging a negro.
mounted on a mule, both apparently fast
asleep. As thesomnolent pair approached
the spot, some wicked sprite of the place
gave the paper flirt, which no sooner
seen and heard than the mule, as mules
only know how, instantly snapped ends,
and leaving the negro sprawling in the
dirt, took his departure under full sail.
The negro, half raising himself, and wip-
ing the dust from his eyes and mouth,
watched the retreating mule for some time
in silence, but at length, unconscious Of
an auditor, gave expression to this philo-
sophical sOliloquy: OATS what makes me
spise mule =
Year: 1873

To BAKE HAMA young and fresh
ham eats much better baked than boiled.
and keeps longer good. Place it into
plenty of cold water TO soak over night.
The next morning place it in warm water
Tor an hour or two, wash it very clean,
trim smoothly off all rusty parts, and lay it
with the rind downward into coarse paste
rolled to oabout an inch in thickness; moisten
the edges, draw, pinch them together, and
fold them over on the upper side Of the
ham, taking care to close them 50 that no
gravy can escape Send it to a well heated
but not too hot oven. Bake from three to
five hours, according to the size Of the
ham. Remove the crust and skin while
hot. When part only of ham is cooked,
baking is far preferable, as it retains the
juices better.
Year: 1873

TANNING AND DYEING SHEEP SKINS.
In answer to aquestial, a correspondent
OF the Seieatifc Anae,icam says Wash
the pelts in warm water, and remove all
fieshy matter from the inner surface, then
clean the wool with soft soap, and rinse
the soap thoroughly out. Second, apply
to the flesh side the following mixture for
each pelt; common salt and ground alum,
one quarter pound Of each, and half an
ounce Of borax Dissolve the whole IN
one quart Of hot water. When cool enough
to bear the hand, add rye meal to sake a
thick paste, and spread the mixture on the
flesh side of the pelt Fold the pelt length
wise, and let it remain two weeks in an
airy, shady place, then remove the paste
from the surface, wash and dry. When
nearly dry, scrape the flesh side with a
knife, working the pelt until it becomes
thoroughly soft A beautiful blue NAV
be impaired to the wool by using the fol-
lowing recipe: Add a wine-plassful Of
sulphuric acid to gallon Of water. Put
into the solution tablespoonful or more
Of imperial blue, regulating the quantity
of the dyestuf to the shade Of blue re-
quired. Put in the pelts and boil for ten
minutes. After boiling, the pelt win need
working again to make it soft.
Year: 1873

BLACKBERRY WINE.--The following
Is the plan used by Swiss settlers in the
United States, and is said to make the
most excellent wine To one bushel Of
berries put two gallons Of water, and ex-
press the juice to each gallon of the
liquid add one pound Of refined white sn-
gar. Put into a cask, about peck Of
frcshly-burned charcoal, broken into small
pieces; then pour the liquid upon it, Let
it ferment. As soon as the fermentation
subsidies close the cask tight, and let Il
remain until January, or later then rack
of and bottle it, and set it in cool cellar.
Year: 1873

Says that walking cyclopedia Of health
knowledge, Dr. Hall When persons are
feyerish apd thirsty beyond what is natn-
raj, indicated in the mouth especially after
drinking water, er BY a whitish appearance
Of the greatest part of the surface Of the
tongue, one Of the best ''cooIcrs, internal
or external, is to take lemon, cut OF the
top, sprinkle over il some loaf sugar, work
ing it downward into the lemon with
spoon, and then suck il slowly. squeezing
the lemon and adding more sugar as the
acidity increases from being brought M
from lower point Inyalids with fever
ishness may take two or three lemons a
day in this manner with the most marked
benefit manifested by sense Of coolness,
comfort, and inyigoration. A lemon or
two thus taken at ''tea time, as an entire
substitute for the ordinary supper Of
summer, would give many comfortable
nights sleep, and awakening after rest and
inyigoration, with an appetite for break
fast, to which they are strangers who win
have their cup of tea or supper or relish
and "cake" and their berries or peaches
and cream.
Year: 1873

A Coon RECIPE FOR YEAsT.-For a
small family, take ounce Of dried hops
and 2 quarts of water. Boil them fifteen
minutes; add quart of cold water, and
let it boil for few minutes; strain and
add } a pound Of -four putting the latter
into a basin, and pouring on the water
slowly to prevent its getting lumpy, t Of a
pound of brown sugar and handful Of
fine salt. Let it stand three days, stir
ring 1t occasionally. Little bubbles will
soon rise in it. When it ferments well,
add 6 potatoes which have been boiled,
mashed, and run through colander, max
ing them as smooth as possible. This
yeast will keep long while, and has the
advantage Of not taking any yeast to start
it with. 1t rises so quickly that less
quantity of it must be put in than of or
dinary yeast.
Year: 1873

SECT out of my way-what are you
good for p said cross old man to little
bright eyed urchin, who happened to stand
in the way. The little fellow, as he step
to one side, replied very gently: They
make men out of such things as We are
Year: 1873

AT recent agricultural show "out
West, one of the judges "let out a
judges secret. He said that in one of the
classes of beasts there were four animals
shown, and three judges to decide the
winner. Singularly enough, each Judge
selected different beast for the prize 4;
and in this perplexity they were obliged
to call in the assistance of a brother Judge
in another class of animals, and his decis-
ion was to be final. We do not know the
ultimate result; but we should hope that
the umpire put aside the three chosen
beasts Of the triumvirate judges, and
awarded the prize to the fourth, which had
been despised. This would have boen
certainly the most satisfactory to the dis
putting judges, and agreeable to the owner
of the fourth beast. The incident reminds
us of an anecdote of the perplexity of a
young lady on board steamer and bound
for voyage. Three gentlemen fell in
love with her, and proposed. She consult
ed the captain in her confusion. The cap
tain advised her to fall into the sea by ac-
cidcnt, and test which was the most ardent
Of the three. She did so and two of the
lovers jumped after her, and came back
on board dripping wet. "What can | do
nOw?' asked the lady. "Take the dry
one, who didn't jump over" said the cap
tain.
Year: 1873

There is something which all Of us should
have found out long ago, and which some of
lis are fated never to find out-the wisdom OF
a wise and well ordered life. Whether the
sin we serve be squalid or splendid, the wages
thereof are all the same, and are death either
of soul, which is the worst, or of body, which
may be Of little consequence. The demi monde
Of Paris recently had preached to it q
sharp sort of sermon, by which it prOiited
after the old left-handed fashion. a Spanish
woman who for twelve years or so has led a
life which brought her a fine domicile and
diamonds and equipage, was weak enough at
last to fall in love with a nobleman for whom
his family had arranged a marriage, which the
painted demoiselle in vain tried to break off.
H99T II99T passion pay have been no better and no
purer than that Of a tpess for her mate; but
such as it was, it took possession of her body
and of so much soul as she happened to pos
sess. After dining with the gentleman at q
restaurant, she drove home with bim in cab,
storming, pleading threatening all the way.
From him she rushed into her splendid apart
ments filled with q thousand objects of ex-
quisite elegance-books, pictures, statues, jew
elry plate, china tapestry, furs and, dearer than
all to the female heart not less than one hundred
and seven dresses. Around her were the rich
results of her brilliant bargains with folly, and
below upon the pavement still stood her no.
bleman paying for the cab. In moment,
frenzied and despairing, she has rushed to the
window and flung herself from the balcony.
In another moment she is bleeding and palpi-
tating and dead upon the sidewalk. 1t was
swift descent, yet who can tell how long it
seemed to hcri Who knows what years of
agony were crowded into that rapid fall
Who knows that she would not have given,
not the perishable wealth which she left be-
hind, but her own soul, for one moro year of
life in the shabbiest and most shameful of Paris
ian quartersi Was it n consolation even then
instinctiyey to feel that she would be gos-
siped about and gabbled of as "Cette pauvre
"Pepita Sanchez 7" Yet it was only Il nine
days wonder All the world came to the
auction Of poor Pepta's goods and chattels-
four or five hundred women, the wives of
ministers and deputies, and everybody's wife,
SO that there was a treble line of barouchcs
and broughams for two days blocking up all
the avenues to the Rue pHgsot, TGese. to
Year: 1873

OF course there will always be crimes and
breaches of trust as long rs men remain as
they are But it ought to be made impossible
for one man to strip any financial institution
so bare as Mills left the Brooklyn Trust Com
pany and Taintor the Atlantic Bank. we
need not wait for the millennium for that.
Year: 1873

that city for an illegal detention of several
boys, has been held for appearance at the
October term of court. In default of bail, he
has been sent to Jail. 1t comes out in the
course of the trial that the young bond-boyS
wero taken from den in this city, well known
to the police; and other details of the nelaIi-
GUS kidnapping business which were Drousn'
to light will materially and in any effort 10
suppress the trade.