smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

A PERmoUs PosITIoN.-A Man N THE
JAWS OF A LION.-Lengel, the lion tanner,
has achieved notoriety by the number of
times he has suffered laceration by the
claws and teeth of Gagged animals lie was
at Portage City, Minn., few days ago,
exhibitingi his " lion tanning" abilities in
a circus. One Of his cages contained three
partially tanned brutes, two lionesses and
lion. He had found, contrary to usual
experience, that the male lion was the
most crafty Of the three, and on two occa-
sions before the one at Portage City, he
had detected this huge fellow in the act of
sneaking up to seize his leg. During the
afternoon exhibition at Portage City the
tanner was going through his usual perform
ance IN this cage, with two men stationed
outside with iron rods between the bars of
the cage to assist, if necessary, IN warding
offattack. The lion had somewhat puzzled
him, as manifesting different nature from
that of any with which he had dealt, and
for that reason he kept his eye upon him !;
but al one point be was obliged to turn
and face the two lionesses as they passed
him, leaving the lion to be watched by the
attendants But the attendants failed to
see the monster sneak along the floor


The audience were watching more closely.
the danger was seen, and a cry of alarm
was raised, but it was too late, the monster 5
laws had closed on the calf of Lengel's
right leg the teeth met, and Lengel fell to
the floor Of the cage. His club few from
his hand as he fell, and was beyond his
reach; The moment was one Of terrible
suspense ; the spectators were terrified, and
the two attendants paralyzed at the result
of their carelessness. But Lengel's pres
ence Of mind did not desert him. The
lion, even in his rage, could not forget the
power of his fallen antagonist and loosen
ed his hold for moment, and before the
lioness could gather for an attack, the
tanner was on his feet, seized bis whip and
attacked his foe. lashing him into the cor
ner. Leaving the cage Lengel walked to
his dressing box, across the ring, where
he sank faint from the loss of blood 1t
was found that no bones were broken, but
the wounds were 50 large ard deep that
the surgeon who dressed them prObed them
with his finger and failed TO touch the end.


Lengel has been FIVE times before bit
ten by his pets, and shows a SCARED body,
but in every case before his wounds have
been from lionesses. This, he thinks, is
the second case in which he has been in
tentionally bitten, the other four being
accidents when in their snarls among them
selves, they have seized him by mistake.
Year: 1872

From the account given by Nice-Consul


Green of the Tunisian sponge fishery IN
his report to the Foreign Office, which has
lately been issued, it would seem that to
fish for sponges requires as much if not
more skill than to fish for salmon. The
sponge fishery is most actively carried on
during the three months Of December,
January and February, for at other sea
sons the places where the sponges exist
are overgrowD with seaweeds. The storms
during November and December destroy
and sweep away the thick marine vegeta-
tion and leave the sponges exposed to view.
The fishery is divided into two seasons,
namely, summer and winter the former
commencing in March and ending in No
vember, and the latter as noted above.
But the collection Of sponges is not very
productive in summer, and it is confined
to the operations carried on with diving
apparatus, which can only be used on
rocky and iirm-bottomed places, or to the
success of native fishermen, who wade
along the shores and feel for sponges with
their feet among the masses Of seaweed


The sponges thus collected by the Arabs
are also of an inferior quality, owing tc
the small depth of water in which they
have grown As, nevertheess, calm wealth


er and a smooth sea ere essential for the
success Of the fishermen, the winter season


although lasting three months, does not


generally afford more than torty-fve work
ing days. The Arab inhabitants OF the
Year: 1872

The SUN.-Less than twenty Years ago
there was an error Of more than three per
cent in the universally received computa-
tion Of the suns distance. The number
was then stated to be about ninety-fve
millions Of of miles, but it is actually less
than ninety-two. This is the average dis
tance, although the sun is three millions
OF miles nearer on the first of January
than on the first of June Still there is a
large margin of possible error, perhaps
half n million OF miles one way or the
other. Hence astronomers are looking
forward with great interest to the transit
of Venus in 1874 and 1882 a. the means
of adding to the precision of our knoWl-
edge on the subject.


The mass of the sun, in weight, Is about
325,O00 times as much as the earth. But
as it is I, $50 600 times as bulky, it
follows that bulk for bulk, it is as much
lighter taan the earth; that Is to say,
say, its density Is only about one quarter
that Of the earth, and about one aud half
times that of water. Hence the solar
gravity, or the force which attracts bodies
to the surface Of the sun Is nearly twenty
eight times rs great terrestrial gravity.
A weight let fall on the earth drops about
sixteen feet in the first second, on the sun
it would fall four hundred aud fifty feet.
The ponderous swing of the pendulum of
an astronomical clock would at the sun
become quiver more rapid than the vi
bration of the most delicate watch balance.
A lady whose 1.-the form would here weigh


hardly one hundred pounds, if carried to
Year: 1872

TROUBLESOME HENs.-A venerable min
lister adopted shrewd aud successful plan
to abate the nuisance of neighbors' hens.
One neighbor and himself kept their hens
shut up 50 as not to annoy Others. The
other neighbor though often expostulated
with, would let his run at large. and they
made sad work in garden Of the minister
and his other neighbor.


One day the man who kept his hens
shut up came to the minister in great
trouble, saying, Mr. H., | really do not
know what to do had Just put my gar
den all in fine order, aud nejghbor --'s
hens have scratched the beds all up aud
undone all my work | don't want to
make trouble in the neighborhood, but
what can l do 2"


The venerable minister Immediately said:


" Look here | have two hens | wish to
Kill, [ will let them out, and they will go
right into your garden. You shoot them.
You may throw them over if you are
mind to but you shoot the a.


He went home The hens were soon il
his garden and he shot them


Tne news few through the neighborhood
that the man had shot the minister's hens
The other neighbor heard of it and said to
himself, {" If he will shoot the ministers
hens he will NINE and at once shut
them up, and the annoyance ceased.
Year: 1872

A NOVEL METHOD TO MAKE HUSBAND
A BIRTH-DAY PBEsENr.-Some three years
since a lady in town obtained promise
from her husband that he would give her


each day the fve,cent pieces he might
have in his pocket He often inquired
what she did with them, but never got
any satisfactory answer, but was daily re-
minded Of his promise, and gave her the
nickles. Wednesday morning was his
forty-eighth birthday, and upon turning
over his plate at the breakfast table judge
of his surprise in finding a massive gold
watch of fine workmanship. There was
a note accompanying il which ex-
planned to him that his better half
had bought this present with the fve-eent
pieces she had saved, aud With words Of
on his birthday she asked
him to wear the watch in remembrance Of
her. The watch cost upward of a hundred
dollars, and the manner in which the sum
was obtained, proves how fast little saw
ings will accumulate also, that where
there's a will there's way,"-CaPe An7a
Adrertiser.
Year: 1872

A New DANGER SIGNAL.-Probably
half the accidents that happen on rail-
roads are occasioned by the lack of proper
signals to show the distance between trains.
That difficulty now seems to be overcome,
Judging from the description Of late in
vention just put in operation on the Yer


mont and Massachusetts Railroad at
FItchburg This signal, which is the joint
invention of +. :. and w. A. Foster of
Ftchburg Is a circle made Of colored
glass, red, green and white, upon which
are figures plainly marked from one to tif-
teen, each figure denoting minute. These
figures are shown through opening Of
SIX OF eignt inches in the outside covering
of the glass. so that they can be readily
seen by the engineer IN the daytime. and
at night the glass is illuminated by Ian
tern placed inside The signal Is operated
by the train passing over the rail As the
engine passes the signal turns back to the
starting point from the figure showing the
lapse Of time between the two trains, and
remains stationary until the last car
passes. when it commences to reyolve
keeping time in precisely the same manner
as a clock, the figures passing the opening
in regular order up to fifteen, provided
that time elapses before the arrival of the
next train, when the same process is re
peated The invention certainly seems to
be what is desired, and if it really fulfIs
all that it Is claimed for it, it will lessen
the number of casualties on the roads
adopting it, and render a recurrence Of ac-
cidents like the terrible one Of a year ago
simply mpossible-Boston Globe.
Year: 1872

SURPRISE PARIIEs.-A lady correspond
ent who lives in manufacturing town in
Rhode Island was recently the victim Of
a surprise party. and relates her experience
as follows | have never imposed upon
any Of my friends or neighbors by attend


iug a surprise party, and as long as ! re-
main sane I never will. But have been
the unwilling recipient Of one of those social
uuisances dubbed q silver wedding. Isaac
and l knew as well as anybody that we had
been married twenty-five years, but we
didn't wish to celebrate the event for nu-
merOus reasons. We didn't wish to beg for
presents. Our house is not large enough to
accommodate all we would wish % invite
on such an occasion, and we could not bring
ourselves to slight any: and not being partial
to large parties, Judge Of our CONSERVATION
when we were overwhelmed by a mob con-
sistng Of some Of our friends and many who


were not our friends or even acquaintance


Tom, Dick, and the dragon, any one who
could be induced TO sign their names to a
paper and pay their money to help buy a
tea set, under the promise of coming TO our
house and having gay time, Just as they
would have paid for going to any place Of
public amusement. The presents were very
nice indeed, but | shall never use them, and
for them we are put under obligations to a
class Of people whose acquaintance we did
not desire. They rummaged and ransacked
the house from gaTret to cellar, looked into
my closets and bureau drawers, and even
counted the blankets on my own and my
servants beds, smashed my pet cast, wore
holes in my sitting room carpet by dancing
on it, and have made capital for gossip out
of my household arrangements generally.
There were even people present to whom
| was not introduced. We have always
been independent; retained our old friends
and made few new ones. Now L am ex-
pected to call on Mrs. this, that and the
other, and to speak to their husbands and
brothers when | meet them on the street,
for their names are on that paper which
accompanied our silver among the list of
donors 1 put down my veil hoping one
of these new friends, who is somewhat in
toxicated, will not recognize me. and as
get past hear him say: Proud old vlx-
en-wish | had the dollar | ttT0Iced away
on her silver tea-set " | have lost my
independence and self-respect, and am quite
miserable uuder all this obligation, which
can never hope to repay. And l look
upon the whole affair as an unwarrantabl le
piece of interference for which | shall new
er pardon the idle busybodies who, tor the
want of something better for excitement
set it on oot.-Sprinqtfeld Republican.
Year: 1872

THE SEA As PLACE OF CoNCEALMENT
FOR DEAD BopIEs-The Paris Temps, in
alluding to the murder of one NJ. GREGG at
Marseilles and the discovery Of his body in
the sea, points out that the waters rarely
lend themselves to the oonoealment of
crime. After mentioning many cases in
which the attempt to make away with
victim has been unsuccessful, the writer
recites the story of Admiral Caraccioli, the
navel commander of the Neapolitan Re-
public, vino resisted the Anglo Sicilian
feet under the command of Nelson. The
Temps relates how Caraccioli, after hav-
ing been made a prisoner, in violation Of
the agreement by which life and liberty
were promised him, was hung from the
yard-arm of frigate and cast into the
sea and how the corpse, instead of sink
ing followed the galley in which Lady
Hamilton had assisted at the spectacle,
causing her so much terror that the sailors
chopped the body into pieces to spare her
the horrible idea of being pursued by the
corpse of the victim.
Year: 1872

The Council of the City of Louis
willie was to have taken final action on
Yesterday evening, upon the question
of submitting to the people. the prop
osition to loan to the Louisville and
Nashville Co., two millions to aid
them in meeting Gen. Malone at
Cumberland Gap.


From the subjoined paragraph
from a Louisville paper. it will be seen
that the Company is so anxious for
the success of the Gap branch of its
road, that 1t has modified very mate
rally its proposition. The Council
has delayed its action for a week in
order to have decided the question of
its liability for the subscription Of
Louisville, of one million TO the stock
Of the road. AS it has already paid
500, 600 of that subscription we
presume there can be no doubt of
its obligation to pay the remainder,
unless absolved 10y the Company -
This the Co. proposes to do, provided
the City will endorse for it loan of
S2.OOO.O0O, and pay the interest for
five years. This five years interest
will amount to S54O 900, but little over
one fourth Of the SS00.0OO. subscription
yet due, and as this interest will enti-
tie the city to an equivalent amount
Of stock, we do not see how a ration
al people can for a moment hesitate
TO accept the new proposition. We as
sumo tnat Louisville will accede to the
terms, and now just as soon as we fix
up the right of way for Gen. Malone
we can have our Cumberland Gap
road, and this will make the City Of
Bristol,


"The Louisville Commercial, Of the
18Th. saws the Nashville railroad will
tomorrow night review the request
for aid from Louisville TO assist in
huilding the Cumberland Gap Road.
The request will be pat in different
shape from any heretofore made, and
in a shape to be least burdtnsome to
the city. The road will ask the city
10 endorse two million dollars of rail-
road bonds, and to pay the interest on
them for five years, the tax receipts of
the citizens to he converted into
stock.


We may remark that this request
for aid is made with every prospect for
success.
Year: 1872

stood upon the shore and said;
81 loathe my life: would were dead;
My heart within me lies like lead:
My hopes are crushed, my joys are Ted
Troubles like rain fall on my head;
Thick darkness O.er my life is spread.
For years this dreary lite I've led,
And through the bitter tears l shed
/ prayed that soon might be dead"
Then from the ocean and the sky


Solemn and deep came this reply;
God bids thee live, then ask not why;
He looks from heaven with plying eye:
He sees thy grief He hears thy cry;
In His good time the woes that lie
On thee shall be dispersed. and Gy


As leaves when wlntry winds pass by.
Let cravens shrink and towards sigh
'Tis thine to do, and not to die
Year: 1872

Dim was the woodland and air was the weather,
And blue the skies of the beautiful May.
When, laughing and singing. wandered together
With hearts attuned to the happy day.
We sought the shade where the birds were singing,
And busily building their summer nest,
Where the branches ever swaying and swinging,
Should rock the twittering brood to rest.
The leaves of the forest were green and tender,
The grass was velvet under our feet;
And tropical ferns In graceful splendor


Druopei over viOlets tender and sweet.
And the brook, released from its wintrY prison,
Sang o'er the pebbles, and laughed along;
And the meadow lilies, newly risen,


Drank in the JOY of the happy song.
The earth was psalm Of love and beauty,


Because of the buds and budding dOwers
And it seemed to us but happy duty


To linger there in the golden hours.
And never till life and its dreams over,


And the sun has set on my latest day.
Shall fade from my heart the face OF my lover,


Or the words that he said that day in May.
Year: 1872

A wife wanted her husband to sympathise
with her in a feminine quarrel, but he refused,
saying: I've lived long enough to know that
one woman is as good as another, if not
better" And [, retorted the exasperated
wife, "have lived long enough to learn that
one man is just as bad as another, if not
worse"
Year: 1872

FUNNY COMBINATIoN- "A correspondent at
the Sea Cliff camp meeting says it makes a
queer impression of ones mind to look first at
the inscription on the flag which floats from
the staff on the Tabernacle, and then at the
conspicuous notices in large type of the new
price of lots "The earth is the Lords
Lots 40 by GO feet. $3.50.
Year: 1872

Some one wickedly Gays that the reason why
very young girls usually take the prizes at
fairs for making good bread is because their
IN >thers make it for them, while the older
girls think they can manage alone, and fail
miserablV
Year: 1872

CoURTEsIEs TO THE TYPos.-The pro-
prietors of the Dolly Warden Excursion
Line tender to the delegates of the Interna-
tional Typographical Union the courtesy of
free travel in their boats during their stay
in this city. The boats leave the wharf,
near the Packet office, between Seventh and
Eighth streets, every afternoon, at A at 5,
at 6 and z o'clock, and run up the canal to
APPOINT mile beyond Hollywood. We are
glad to hear that this enterprise has proved
eminently successful, and that the proprie-
tors are determined to fit up more elegant
boats for the accommodation of their fast
increasing patronage.
Year: 1872




AFEw SUGGESTIONS S. Capitol Square.
This beautiful spot of ground has be-
come favorte resort of many of our
citizens since the warm weather began.
Especially do the ladies' and children delight
the trees afford, and the cooling breezes
resort of the kind within convenient reach
of the residents of the more densely popu-
lated portion of the city, and is as invalu-
able to them, as is the oasis of the sandy
desert to the weary traveller.


The Square is susceptible of being made
even more enticmg than at present, and at
comparatively little expense. More seats
are needed, to begin with, and should be
speedily provided. And can we not have
music in the Square Afternoon concerts
would be a delightful feature to our wives,
and children, and sweethearts, as well as to
many of the sterner sex. Three evenings
in the week might well be thus enlivened-
say Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
from five to eight o'clock. No taxpayer,
probably, would object, if the expense Of
this music should come out of the city
treasury, and some Of our bands would, no
doubt, blow for US on such occasions at a
reduced price. Or, the necessary funds
would, we doubt not, be gladly furnished
by our citizens. Let us have music in the
Square. Who will undertake to make the
arrangements?


We regret that it was thought necessary
to expend Sl2, 600 upon the State House,
much as it certainly does need rejuvenating.
We should have saved up this money to
help pay off our debts, and in few years
we could be able to erect such structure
as would be a credit to the magnificent site
occupied by the old house and to the State.
But as the money has been appropriated
and the repairs are in progress, we want to
see the most made of it. No good reason
occurs to US just now why the large south
ern portico of the State House should not be
made to contribute to the enjoyment of our
people by being made accessible from a
stairway similar to those leading to the
eastern and western entrances. This sug-
gestion, we are sure, will be indorsed by
our citizens generally, and if carried out,
would give convenient access to one of the
most delightful ''views' within our city.
Year: 1872

4 curious question in life insurance is liable
to arise in Delaware, growing out Of the recent
murder Of q negro by Prof. West, the horrible
details Of which have already been related in
these columns. His professed object in killing
and mutilating the negro WAS that the body
might be mistaken for his own, and that thereby
he might defraud the insurance companies out
Of 925,O00, the amount for which his life WAS
insured. Some days after his disappearance,
however, he returned and confessed both
the deed and the purpose. The question which
now arises is, if West is hanged for the mur-
der, will the companies be compelled to pay the
insurance to his family? This question is now
exciting almost as much interest in Delaware as
the murder did, especially as, Il the companies
are compelled to pay it, it will be for their in
terest to get his punishment comm uted to ir1-
prisouuent for life.
Year: 1872

have assumed such responsibility without con-
sulting the other stockholders, and that they
acknowledged the propriety Of the course which
his Judgment had suggested. Had Mr. Greeley
lived, that course would have been followed with
out murmur Of dissent. Is it any the
less proper or necessary now that
1Ir. Greeley is dead? If that course commanded
the approval Of the press and public, and the
stockholders Of the Tribune q month or more
ago, what has occurred since the death Of Mr..
Greeley that will justify q change, or warrant
the Bupposition that it will pay?
Year: 1872

While England seems to ba in trouble over the
question whether or no the clergymen Of the Eng
ish Church are obliged to prophesy the usual
figure and certain hoper over the corpse Of per-
son Of immoral life, there appears to be conaidera-
BILE difficulty in securing any burial servives What
ever over the bodies Of those who die in sin in
America. The most notable instance OF the DIS
position among American clergymen to avoid
the duty Of conaigning the dead to their Last
Year: 1872

Mr. Colfax's hesitation about accepting the
editozzhip Of the Tribune is due, it is stated by
his friend, the editor Of the Brooklyn Union,
10 the fact that be has not yet been assured OF
i]l control Of the editorial course OF the paper.
IIe will not accept the offer If it requires him to
compromise or ignore his 'tpositiye political
Year: 1872

There is one advantage in having no money to
carry on g political campaign with, and that is,
that you don't have to account for it afterward.
The Cincinnati Courier (German) is out with 3
cearch- warrant to find $1,000 said to have
been contributed by the National COMMITTEES to
it's comfort and maintenance during the cam
paign, but which the local Committee did not
Year: 1872

The Senate, yesterday, with but three dissent
ing votes, passed resolution for the appoint
meat Of 8 Committee Of Seven to report on the
question how cheaper transportation between the
East and the West may be obtained It has also
INSTRUCTED the Judiciary Committee to report
Year: 1872

The Italian Society Of New York style the
immigration Of destitute Italians, which IN q
few weeks has brought 1000 lazzaroni into
Castle Garden, an "infamous white slave
traffic." and want Congress to forbid it. They
censure the italian Government; but whether
for mere negligence in the matter, or for some
share in the fraud On the poor creatures, is not
Eteta1
Year: 1872

The political article in the December number
OF the Atlantio Monthly, which has excited SO
much discomfort in party circles (assuming that
the verdict Of the people in the recent election
was not go much an Endorsement OF General
Grant as choice Of erils), is attributed by the
Cincinnati Commercial to the pen Of the leading
editorial writer Of the Cincinnati Gazette. we
suppose Mr. Samuel Reed is the person re-
farra6 fn
Year: 1872

The result Of the Hepworth Dixon libel suit
against the Pail Mall Gazette is received with
very general satisfaction by the English press.
The proyocation Of the suit vas remark made