smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

In one respect, at least, Americans
might mend their manners-in the pub
lie exhibition of reverence for the dead.
The passage of funeral train through
our streets, whether of greater or AN
unknown man, elicits from the stolid
spectators no further recognition than
a stare. In Paris or anywhere in France
the presence of the mortal remains of
any fellow being is acknowledged even
by the humblest artisan with head
barred and bowed, while in New York
the dead body of Vice President is
carried through miles of streets lined
with people all with their crowns COW
cred. They take OFF their hats to the
living, but never to the dead. There Is
no more touching and graceful custom
than this bit of French reverence, and
none which our people seem so slow to
adopt. 1t is just these little knacks Of
politeness that the American gentleman
who fondly imagines himself the finest
gentleman in the world, is in need of.
No doubt in this and many other things
he represses his instincts for fear of
seeming sentimental. In the case of so
distinguished public officer as Henry
Wilson the rudeness of the omission
was almost brutal, and the very dark
ness that threw an atmosphere of gloom
about his funeral procession through


the city seemed to be friendly shade.
There was something appropriate be-
sides in the darkness. For a lonely old
man. diving almost without kith or kiu,


forsakcn before his death by the men
who sbonld have respected his counsels
after his death. .by bis own colleagues in
Year: 1876

The man who grunts and gasps rs he
gobbles up the soup, and at every other
mouthfIl seems threatened with chOk-
ing fit.


The man who, having by an accident
been once thrown into your company,
makes bold TO bawl your name out, and
TO shake your hand profusely when You
pass him in the street.


The man who artfully provokes you
to play a game of billiards with him,
and, though he feigns to be novice,
produces his own chalk.


The man who can't sit at your table
on any set occasion without getting on
his legs TO propose some stupid toast.


The man who, thinking you are mu-
steal, bores you with his notions on the
music of the future, of which you know
as little as the music of the spheres.


The man who wears white hat in
winter and smokes pipe when walk
ing. and accosts you as cold fellow
just as you are hoping to make good
impression on some well dressed lady
friends. dean U


The man who, knowing that your
doctor faces him at table, turns the talk
so as to set him talking Doctors shop.
The man who, with look of urgent
business, when you are i'm hurry,
takes you by the button-hole TO tell you
bad joke.


The man who, sitting just behind you
at the opera, destroys half your enjoy
ment by humming the air.


The man who makes remarks on your
personal adornment, asks you where
YOU buy your waistcoats, and what you
paid for your dress boots.


The man who lards his talk with little
scraps of French and German after his
return from a Continental tour.


The man who spoils your pleasure in
seeing a new play by applauding in
wrong places, and muttering in stage
whispers his comments on the plot.


And, to finish with the man who,
when you draw back slightly to appre-
ciate picture, coolly comes and stands
in front of you, and then receding, also
treads upon your toes.-PaRch.
Year: 1876

WOman's influence differs greatly
from that of man. Her power lies in
her gentleness. In her hand she holds
a more potent sceptre than that welded
by the most potent monarch. In the
great social and moral reforms that have
been carried on from time to time, we
find that women have taken an active
part. We cannot fail to perceive in the
political history of France, how impor-
tant was the influence eXerted by
Madame de Stael, in the troublesome
commissions of the age. Her star shone
brightly, and was not extinguished,
when the great conqueror-jealous OF
her power-banished her from her ma
i've nj.


AS woman's influence is so great her
responsibility is great in proport .o,..
Upon her devOlves the duty of training
up the future men of the nation. 1t Is
the mother who moulds the character +;
under her gentle influence the youthful
mind receives its first impressions. In
society she is queen, and too often lures
her subjects to destruction. Too often
the glass of sparkling wine prOffered by
the fair hand of woman has proved the
utter ruin and degradation of a man
strong in intellect; but who could re-
sist the tempting when accompanied by
a winning smile? 1t is true man
should have stamina enough to refuse
the temptation, but if he has hot, woman
should not be the tempter. Many a
wife bitterly deplores the effects of that
first glass and many child is cut to
the heart by the knowledge that his
father is a Irunkard


A woman must be careful i'm her de-
pertinent By a word or even look
she can encourage or effectually check
all attempts at familiarity. If women,
and especially girls, would do this-if
they would show their displeasure at
what they know is wrong, it would not
be repeated in their presence. Though
the aggressor might feign anger, in his
heart he would feel more true respect
for one who thus reproved him than il
she passed his fault unrebuked.
Year: 1876

Long before gloves were considered
as elegant necessities, they had their
part in matters of ceremony and inves-
titure, of which but one relic has re-
mained 10 modern times. In old days,
when writing was little used, formali-
tics were more common; thus, one of
the most usual ways of conveying land
was by means of what was called feof-
feunt with liberty of seisin, and was
performed "by delivery of the ring or
haspe of the doore, or by a twigge of a
tree, or a turfe of land" At the same
time when these formalities were need
full to the effective conveyance of land
then the only real property-giving pos
session by the delivery of gloves pre-
vailed as custom in other countries.
Thus i'm the eleventh century, some
bishops gained the actual tenure of their
sees ny accepting a pair of gloves
Gloves at that time were essentially an
Episcopal emblem, as the mitre con-
tinues to be. When the old French
kings were crowned, one part of the
ceremony of the coronation consisted in
the blessing of the gloves; for long
time investiture by glove remained a
practice in Eastern countries. There Is
a memorable scrap of Oriental history
to support the evidence of the existence
of this custom. When King Conradin
lost his crown through the successful
usurpation of MainfrOy, and the unfor-
tunate king had to mount the scaffold,
he addressed the crowd round about
him, asserted his right to the crown,
giving as proof of his investitute glove
which he held i'm his hand and then
flung down among the crowd, charging
whoever should pick it up that he would
convey it to some of his surviving rela-
tions, who would reward the service
and avenge the usurpation. The glove
was picked up by some knight, who took
it to Peter of Arragon, and that king
was crowned at Palermo in virtue of the
investiture of this glove.
Year: 1876




A Nice little Home Amusement
Many very pretty little chemical ex-
perlments may be made by the young
people. which will amuse and astonlsh
those around them. As for instance,
with so simple an article as red cab
bage, a very beautiful effect can be
rendered in the following manner: Cut
three leaves of cabbage into small
pieces, and after placing them in ba-
sin, pour a pint of boiling water over
them, letting them stand an hour; then
pour off the liquid into deeanter.
Then take four wine glasses; into one
put six drops of strong vinegar into
another, six drops of solution of soda f;
into the third, the same quantity of a
strong solution of alum; and let the
fourth glass remain empty.


Fill up the glasses from the decanter,
and the liquid poured into the glass
containing the acid will quickly be-
come beautiful red that in the glass
containing the soda will be a tne
green; that poured into the empty one
will remain unchanged.


By adding little vinegar to the
green, it will Immediately change to
red and on adding little of solution
of soda to the red it will assume a fine
green, thus showing the action of acids
and alkalis on vegetable blues.
Year: 1876

Content 10 Shine by A Reflected Ldght.
what a lazy fellow you are, Tom
said the rat-trap to the old cat, who lay
doing before the fire. "Here am at
work, day after day, and night after
night, and I've caught rats without
end. The cook says now I've cleared
the granary, she must have me in the
larder, for the mice take no more notice
of you than if you were stuffed, like
Toby, and they know it. Really,
should be ashamed of such charae-
ter"


Tom got on his legs. arched his back
very high, stuck out his tail, and gave a
tremendous yawn.


"What are you talking about 7" he
asked at last. -


The rat-trap began his Grafton over
again.


"Shut up said Tom; ''it's quite Of
fensive to hear the fuss people make
about their own dOings. You talk of
character, indeed Why for one rat you
catch. my poor mother would have
caught score, Poor mother, she Wds
something to be proud of; the very
smell of her cleared house of mice;
only wish were like her but then it
comfort to think of the honor OF be-
longing to her."


So saying, he went under the dresser.
out of the way of the trap, and curled
himself up for another dOze.
Year: 1876

The great excitement which pulsaied outside scarcely
penetrated the serene precincts Of the City Hail. Like
Cowpers domestic rccuse II heard the stir OF
babel, but hardly telt the crowd The loupgers who
usually ornament portico and occupy its passages
drawn into the whir without search OF rumor
Of a pungcnt quality than that which is accus.
toned TO circulate IN the home Of the municipal ad-
ministration. For the conscript fathers themselves
there little Aldermanic issues at stake just now
which touch Of them nearly than even the
great Presidential election, and these were the chief
subject matters OF their gossip They had meeting at
two O'Clock solely for tho discharge of duties
OF high municipal concern. but preliminary
to that they able devote .
halt hour SO to general matters oil lighter import
The election OF the President the nation al
together bnnshed from their consderations but


local questions seemed to carry grca er weight IN their
esteem. AS IN the case OF every other section OF the
community, element OF doubt pcrvaded all reference
to the Presidential election. Opinions wavercd this
way and that, but wide not expressed AZ


10 tho result could be gathered that the adher-
en,s OF 1Rmmapy felt keenly the possibility ;, Gov
ernor Tiidcn's defeat. Shrcwd people thought that
they might not ind much favor IN his sight, ~ his


memory might still cling 10 opposition at 81 Louis.
In the evening the Guy Hall was entirely deserted,
and whatever noTes and fears belong 10 II mingled 10
the great tide Of doubt and anxiety elsewhere
Year: 1876

Yesterday afternoon two telsgraphio wires wers
stretched from New York to Brooklyn by way of thu
East River Bridge They carried across tht
''travelsr" rope with bus little hindrance delay
The nrst started at ten minutes after two and
brought over 10 the New York anchorage and made
fast inside OF hour delay being occasonod by
the twisting OF the wire. The second was brought
over and made fast moro speedily, the fastening on
tho New York anchorage being made At twenty
minutes 10 iouE These wires supplied
by the Law Telegraph Company, one OF them
for the Of the brldge company and the other for
the telegraph company which supplied the wire COM
muncaon to the bridge TOR the privilege OF gctting
their Tho Law Telegraph Company's wire
Is intended with the Brooklyn Court House.
The bridge wire will be worked by the Chester dial in
and will be OF great 10 those employed
the bridge in stretching the different ropes yet to
be carried across ME c. W. Young, the foreman At
the New York anchorage, hupernonded the astcninga
at that place yesterday and pronounced everything
satisfactory. Mr. harrington stated that one OF
the 'cradle' cables will be ready In the latter
part OF week and VIII DO brought over on Wednes
day or Thursday. In the meantime the mechanics
both the Brooklyn and New York side will be making
preparations for the reception Of this rope, which II
az inches IN diameter.


Colonel ". H. Payne, who takes In charge tho test.
ing OF the wire OF which the cables made. has had
y machine put up on the pier At the New York tower,
where those wishing to send in bids for the proposals
OF the company can have their different wires tested
Year: 1876

Much labor is done on farms that is
not farming in its true sense. By such
labor no money is ever made A man
may support himself and family, keep
out of debt, and have few dollars in
his pocket by practicing the most string
ent economy. If he is otherwise than
industrious and sober, he is on the down
grade with loose brakes, and the end is
soon reached. But farming in its true
sense is a profession equal in dignity to
that of the law or medicine, and needs
equal study, mental capacity, and intel
ligeLtly directed labor to command sue
cess in it.


The principles which underlie the
practice of the true farmer must be well
understood, and a steady, consistent
course of operations must be followed
Having thoroughly learned the nature
and capacity of the soil he possesses, and
chosen the rotation most suitable, and
the stock to be most probably kept on
| it, he does not swerve from his chosen
course, but, in good markets and bad
raises his regular crops and keeps his
land in regularly increasing fertility
No special cry tempts or affrights him
He does not talk dairy this season OF
crops the next, but, doubtless, if any

particular product be in demand ant
bring good price, he has some of it t,
sell and reaps a share of the advantage
He saves as much money as some mel
make by care and economy in purchas
ing and preserving tools, seeds, manures
and machines, and his business habit
constant readiness for all occasions Civ
him reasonable security against the ef
fects of adverse seasons and bad wealth
| er.


Always prepared, he is never too late
and always calm, he is never too soor
and thus, "taking time by the forelock
he has the stern old tyrant at his com
mand, and turns him at his will. He ha
no losses, and his gains are steady
Canada Granger.
Year: 1876

Professor John Wise, having witness
ed the effect of lightning on some build
ings in Philadelphia, writes to the Times
of that city that the metallic roofs of
buildings, at any rate if they are made
of material as tough as corrugated
iron, will scatter electricity, and thus de-
prive a charge of its strength. Chin
neys and other lofty parts of the house
may be shattered. but on reaching the
level of the roof the electric fluid will
lose its power of doing injury.


On the contrary. the Professor asserts,
"The lightning rod as protection in it.
self is Of no more value than a bodkin
would be to ward off ball fired from a
columGiad." Accepting the statements
in regard to the roof, it by means fol-
lows that the criticisms on the lightning
rod are just, the reverse is more likely
If metal is the best conductor and dis
penser of electricity, fiat sheet has nc
advantage over rod, except in exces:
of surface. If then the rods are suffi
ciently large and numerous, they will
have the same virtues as the roof, ant
moreover if they are properly connected
with damp ground, will carry charg
of electricity into the earth and ava,
from the house. If badly constructed
as is too often the case, two, three, o
more poidts being fastened to chimneys
with only a single ground rod, and tha
not extending to moist strata. they ar
worse than no protection at all. A
iron roof is certainly help, and SO ar
copper or tin cutters. All of these shoul


have good ground connections, however
to insure their perfect working.
Year: 1876

In forty five out of fifty focks of
poultry you will find the feeding boxes
supplied with Indian corn.


This grain is the lazy mans blessing
No work is required in feeding it ont; it
keeps clean; the fowls like it, and moth
ing is wasted.


Now for laying hens it is worse than
valueless; there is so much fattening
material in its composition and so little
of the albuminous that eggs cannot be
manufactured from it.


Your hens will eat it when they will
eat anything, but the only result will be
an increase of fat on their bodies and a
decreas, of vitality and productiveness


The grains which abound in albumi-
noids only should be fed to poultry.


Our experience has been that for
their breakfast dry dough of shorts is
sufficient, if you have some skim milk
to mix it with, all the better. A good
supply of oats and barley should be
kept in the feeding boxes through the
day, and at night feed Of whole whea
should be given them.


Wheat screenings are not economical
and the weed seeds they contain are
enough to "disqualify" them even il
they were otherwise desirable. Many
poultry keepers have discovered the
pernicious effects of corn on their poul
try and haye tried to change the food
but as the birds steadily refuse to change
their diet the owners have finally yield
ed and acknowledged the corn"


In such cases the only plan is to starv,
the fowls into eating some other kind o
food; they will come to terms when the,
get sufficiently hungry, and after they
have become accustomed to less attrac
tive diet they will improve in eyer,
way.


Corn should be fed only in the colo
weather, and then sparingly, and for th'
last meal in the day [Massachusett
PlOupbman
Year: 1876

When Mark Twain, in 1867, resigned
his clerkship to the United States Sem
ate Committee on Conehology, it was
partly caused by his tender of the fol-
lowing advice concerning the treatment
of the Indians in the West: Il next
went 10 the Secretary of War, who was
not inclined to see me at all until he
learned that I was connected with the
government If | had not been on i'm
portant business, | suppose l would not
have got in. l asked for light (he
was smoking at the time), and then told
him had no fault to find with his de-
Tending the parole stipulations of Gen
eral Lee and his comrades in arms, but
I'could not approve of his method of
fighting with the Indians on the plains.
l said he fought too scattering. He
ought to get them more together-get
them together in some convenient place,
where he should have provisions enough
for both parties, and then have gener-
al massacre. ] said there was nothing
SO convincing to an Indian as a general
massacre. l said the next surest thing
| for an Indian was soap and education
Soap and education are not as sudden as
massacre, but they are more deadly ii
the long run; because a half massacred
Indian may recover; but if YOU educate
him and wash him it is bound to finish
him some time or other. 1t undermine
his constitution; it strikes at the foun
dation of his being. Sir l said, 'th'
time has come when bloodcurdling cru
city has become unnecessary. Infic
soap and spelling book on every Indian
that ravages the plains, and let then


die.'"
Year: 1876

II would startle many people who
happen to-see locomotive blowing off
steam in railway station, if they were
told that there is electricity enough gen
Grated in the discharge of steam to blow
the whole train of carriages to atoms, if,
instead of being dissipated, it were col
lected. The fact was first accidentally
noticed by an engineer at Newcastle
who perceived sparks which proved to
be electrical among the escaping steam
The discovery was confirmed by the con.
struction of hydro-e electric machine
in the shape Of boiler set on glass legs
The steam, as it rushes out of the es
cape valve, is received on series O
metallic points by which il is gathered
and accumulated in the conductor, as il
an ordinary electric machine, in which
the electricity is generated by the fric
tion of glass plate or cylinder. vii
engineers ever come to appreciate tn


fact that every locomotive carries tn


means of lighting itself far better an,
more cheaply than any lamp?
Year: 1876

A Scotch paper gives the following
instance of practical sympathy: A poor
man who had large family broke his
leg, and as he would be for some time
destitute of the means of grace, it was
proposed to hold prayer meeting at
his house. The meeting was led by
Deacon Brown. A loud knock at the
door interrupted the service 4 tall,
lank, blue-frocked youngster stood at
the door with an OK goad in his hand
and asked to see Deacon Brown. Gath.
er could not attend this meeting," he
said, "but he sent his prayers, and they
are out in the cart" They were brought
in, in the shape of potatoes, beef, pork
and corn. The meeting broke up with
out the benediction.
Year: 1876

BLACKBERRY WINE.-The following
is said to be an excellent recipe for the
manufacture of superior wine from
blackberries: Measure your berries and
bruise them, to every gallon adding one
quart of boiling water; let the mixture
stand twenty four hours, stirring occas-
ionally, then strain off the liquor into a
cask, to every gallon adding two pounds
of sugar; cork tight, and let stand until
the following October, and you will have
wine ready for use without any further
straining or boiling, that will make lips
smack as they never smacked under
similar influence before.
Year: 1876

ga writer in the ST. Nicholas says:
What do you say to flower bigger than
dining plate, and weighing three or
four pounds? What a button hole
bouquet that would make-especially if
you added one of its leaves, over eight
feet across! This is the giant flower OF
the world-I'm sure--and it is water
lily which grows in South America,
near the giant river of the world.
Year: 1876

Among the richest gold ores known
are the combinations Of tellurium, gold,
silver, and lead with sulphur or antimo.
ny. Pennsylvania and Virginia were
the most noted localities until they were
discovered in Colorado, where they have
been found in greater abundance and
forming more perfect veins than in any
other region. Recently ores Of this kind
assaying two hundred and seventy three
dollars per ton were found there
Year: 1876

The General Assembly of Ohio last
winter passed a law making it unlawful
for any surgeon, physician or dentist. or
any other person, to administer chloro.
form, Gather, nitrous oxide, or any anes-
thetic, without the immediate presence
of some third person Of sound mind
and above the age of fifteen years, dur
ing such administration, and all opera
tions connected Herewith while the pa
tient is in whole or in part in condition
Of anesthesia.
Year: 1876

Dom Pedro's departure deprlves
America of the only royal guest it ever
had who managed, throughout an ex-
tended visit, to escape ridicule. The
quiet persistence with which he has
minded his own business and insisted
upon other people minding theirs is the
kew to the situation
Year: 1876

The habit of exaggeration, like dram
drinking, becomes a slavish necessity
and they who practice it pass their lives
in a kind of mental telescope, through
whose magnifying medium they look
upon themselves and everything around
them.
Year: 1876

A New Haven carriage ge-maker has
just finished a cabinet for missionary
in India, with an extension top so that
it can be converted into a covered couch
at night. 1t will be drawn by sacred
white oxen; box for the driver is pro-
vided where the whiffietree usually is,
and he guides the oxen by dexterous
twisting of their tails.