smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873




WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-That part of
the Republican caucus bill to repeal
the increase of salaries law that pro-
yides that the pay received this year
shall be deducted from this years sal
ary at the reduced rate, was, 1t is
charged, purposely inserted to secure
the defeat of the bill. That the bill
will not pass with that provision In tits
quite certain. Many Congressman
have drawn their salaries monthly at
the advanced rate, and have little else
to live on besides their pay. If the bill
passes in its present shape Congress
men will get no pay whatever till next
Nav. when they will receive only two
hundred dollars. Opposition to the bill
israpidly developing, and tits lntlmated
that a large number Will decline to be
governed by the action of the caucus,
notwithstanding they participated IN
its deliberations, and will hold them
selves at liberty to vote as they please
ON the measure. The Southern Repre-
sentatives, regardless of party, have
held an informal caucus and agreed
that they will, as body, resist the re-
peal.
a bill making the salary SIX thousand
dollars a year, which he will propose as
a substitute for the caucus bill. 1t Is
also proposed as a compromise that the
reduction to five thousand dollars shall
date from the 4th OF March next.
Year: 1873

From the Louisville Courler-Journal


WASHINGTON, Dec 4.-The public
proceedings in the Senate are very Ian
guild, but underneath the surface the
Republican majority is in state of no
ordinary trouble and agitation. The
trouble grows out of the nomination of
Judge Williams to be Chief Justice.
1t is true that grave charges have been
filed by one John w. Wright, affecting
Mr.. Williams personal integrity; but
it is not believed that these charges
have made any serious impression. The
opposition grows out of the conviction
among the lawyers of the Senate and
| the Supreme Court bar that the Office
of Chief Justice demands much higher
qualifications than Williams possesses.
Denomination was received very cOldly
in the Senate. That the Democrats will
vote against confirmation is pretty GER
tain; but they viii probably leave to
| the Republicans the more active steps
in the way of opposition. The nomi-
nation was to-day referred to the Com
mittee on the Judiciary, of whom five
out of the seven members are under
stood to be opposed to confirming VII
liams, although this may yet possibly
be changed by the personal influence OF
the President. There was story
current to-day that the Supreme Court
judges were going to file a protest
against the appointment, but this was
not authenticated. A later and more
probable report is that the Republican
Senators are making an effort to have
the nomination withdrawn by the Pres
ident.
Year: 1873

When resolute spinster, possessing
taxable property, arises and demands
that she shall have something to say in
local administration, it is rather embar-
RAISING to the persons of whom she re-
quests that privilege. In little Con-
necticut town, the other day, not one
but two spinsters-sisters-went to the
annual town-meeting at which the
farmers of the neighborhood were as
sembled, and there requested to be
heard concerning their farm, which
they conduct themselves. Per
mission was of course given,
when one of them administered to the
gentlemen present an exceedingly Bit
ter and indignant lecture. She charged,
probably with truth, that their proper
ty was taxed out of all proportion to
adjoining property. and that the road
in front of theft farm was left in
shameful condition. There is not much
reason to doubt this angry woman's
story, since even New Englanders ere
possibly not free from an odd tendency
among mankind to treat uujustly those
who have apparently no means Of re-
dress.
Year: 1873

The EoeRing Post says the steamship
Brennan which retured to-day with six feet
water in the hold, sprung leak in the
coal bunker at noon yesterday when 100
miles out and was obliged to put back.
She has been taken out to get at the leak
and get ready to sail tomorrow. Her pas
sengers will be transferred to the steam
ship Deutchland.
Year: 1873

When the first locomotive was pat
ented, driving only one car, If lightly
loaded, it did very well but when the
lond il drew was heavier than its own
weight, its wheels would not bite, that
is. thev would turn rou ID and round
without advancing Hence cow-catcher
was needed behind to guard against cat
tie running into it in therear. 1t seemed
at first impossible to make less weight
move greater on an up grade; and Tor
some years no one invented an engine
able to draw three times its own weight.
At the present day, however, locomo-
tiyes sweep along with trains more pom
derous by fifteen or twenty times than
they are themselves. One means OF
gaining this vast increase of power for
the locomotive, was by dividing the load.
1t was found, that an engine powerless
to stir five times its weight OF freight
when concentrated in one car, could
readily draw it when distributed In
dozen cars loosely shackled together. 1t
was heavier than each single car; and
it had overcome the inertia OF each
one a monument before it encoun-
tered the inertia of another. 1t was
thus more than match for each car
taken singly; and, pulling them sue
cessively, it drew after it train as long
as a comet, and the farther it ran the
more strength it had to run further.
Here was the story of little David over
again. Ordinarily, the stripling's weight,
as he told Goliah, was one hundred and
twenty, but whenever he got mad he
weighed a ton. Moreover, the engine
forced the momentum acquired by ev-
cry car it had started, to swell its own
potency in overcoming the resistance OF
all that remained still motionless.


To think what we do not feel, Is 10
! lie TO ourselves.
Year: 1873

Few people realize the full evil of an
interruption, few people know all that
is implied by it. Florence Nightingale
saw " If we consider as with sick as
with well, every tn ught decomposes
some nervous matter, that to obtrude
another thought upon the brain whilst
it is in the act .Of destroying nervous
matter by thinking, is calling upon it to
make new cxertion, we shall remem-
Der that we are doing positive injury by
iuterrupting. If the invalid is forced
by his avocations to continue Occupa-
tons reqiring much thinking, the injury
is doubly great. If you offer the brain
thought, especially one requiring n
decision, abruptly, you do it a real, not
fanciful injury. This rule applies to
the well quite as much as to the sick. |
have never known persons who exposed
themselves for years to constant inter
rupti0n who did not muddlc away their
intellects by it at last The process,
with them, may be accomplished with
ont pain. With the sick, pain gives
warning of the injury Interruption
is III evil to the reader which must be esti-
mated very differently from ordinary
business Interruptions. The great qucs-
tion about interruption is not whether
it compels you to divert your attention
to other facts, but whether it compels
You to tune your whole mind to another
dapason. Su pose a reader perfectly
absorbed i'll his author, an author be-
longing very likely to another age and
another civilization entirely different
from ours If you are reading in the
daytime in Il house where there women
and children, or where people can fas-
ten upon you for pottering details of
business, you may be sure that you will
not he able to get to the end Of the pas
sage without in some way or other being
rudcly awakened from your dream, and
suddenly brought back into the com
mon world The loss intellectually is
greater than any one who had not suf-
tered from it could imagine. People
think that IN interruption is merely the
unlocking of an electric chain, and
that the current will flow, when the
chain is hooked on again, just as it did
before. TIE the intellectual and imagi-
native student an interruption is not
that it is the destruction of picture.
Phiiip GiiJert Hamerton.
Year: 1873

EXAMPLE is the best textbook. Look
at the power of example when courage
is demanded. 1t is slavery when SOL
diers are driven against the enemy by
the despotic commands of leader who
does not share the danger but let the
general ride to the front, along the line,
and show brave heart and calm and
resolute face, and the whole army will
catch his spirit, and march on tovictory
or death. Napoleon, at the head of his
army, was said to count for ten thou
sand men. Murat, leading his cavalry,
was invincible.
Year: 1873

nearer the mark. They both turn and
twist with equal facility, and 1t would re-
quire q long time for any one to become
thoroughly familiar with them. The ca
nails all interseCt each other, and khus 1t
becomes necessary TO lay out the streets
so as to meet the turnings Of the canals.


shall endesvor in my next to give
some further details as 10 how and what
Venice is, in the hope that your readers
may have a correct understanding OF this
city in the sea. Yours, &c, q. Q. F.
Year: 1873

When will men, particularly those ig-
norant of the ways of gamblers, let those
sharpers and their tricks alone? We
wish we could answer, but cannot. Here
is case from a western city which
shows how easily the green ones bite at
the bate thrown them. A young man
visiting the city had heard great deal
about the gamblers and ropers, and fan
cied he would like to tackle some of
them. He had always said he knew a
thing or two, and now was the time to
make it pay.


OF course a gentleman of this kind
didn't run very long without meeting
the men he was looking for. Besides it
so happened that he was the very man
they wanted, which made it very cheer
full and satisfactory on all sides, and
enabled them to glide pleasantly into a
little game of twenty-one, without any
foolish formalities. Our country boy
was accompanied by a couple offriends,
who possessed more modeGty and good
deal more experience than he, and who
tried TO convince him that he was run
ming a great risk. But no; twerty-one
was his particular game. He knew all
about it, and besides there were some
wrinkles in that thing-and here he
winked in such meaning way that his
friends were instantly restored to cheer
fulness.


The game progressed, and at last our
cunning gentleman thought he saw
where his wrinkle" would come in
The dealer being a well-mapuered man
turned his head an instant TO expector-
ate. Quick as lightning our rural friend
tipped up the top card on the deck. 1t
was a five.


When the dealer resumed his posi-
tion, the other was ipnoceutly contem-
plating his hand. He had a ten and
six thatwas sixteen and the five would
make him twenty-oDe. Calling up a
dark and fearful frown of rage, aud af-
fectiug to be overcome with savage dis
appointment he remarked:


"Tve been losing some, and dashed
if / don't wish I'd bet $500"


"Perhaps you've got natural p
said the dealer, inquiringly.


emo; [ want to draw But I wish ]
had bet $500, all the same"


"Well, if you mean to draw, I don't
mind letting you change your bet. Any
amount you please, sir. y


1t was hard for our artful gentleman
to keep down the grin of fendish glee
which struggled to show itself, but he
succeeded. He turned to his compan-
ions with meaning look, and then took
out his $500 and called for card.


Any one watching the dealers face as
he dealt that card, would have been
startled but the same person, noticing
the others expression as he picked il
up, would have been much more than
startled. That card was nine.
Year: 1873

The natives of Kamtschatka, when
first discovered by Russian sailors, were
probably the only nation on earth who
drank nothing but water yet, as if to
compensate for this, they enjoyed their
one beverage in manner not dreamed
of in civilized countries, carrying their
drinking capacity to an extent which
makes one shudder to think of. They
commenced to drink water even before
eating, taking nearly two quarts before
their first meal; so they continued dur
ing the day, and when night came, their
last labor was to place huge vessel of
water by their bedside, and to fill it
brimful with snow and ice. Next
morning the bucket was empty. The
Lapp and the Greenlanders, on the
other hand, prefer it warm. Both ma
tions keep large copper kettle, or
where such luxuries are still unknown,
ponderous vessel of wood, adorned
with bone knobs and hoops, constantly
boiling. A large, well-carved spoon is
ever ready, and from morn till night
the thirsty natives are drinking the
nauseous liquid.
Year: 1873




As a modern illustration of what may
have produced some of the earlier
changes in the distribution of organic
FORMS. animal and vegetable, Prof
Shaier makes a communication to The
american Naturalist upon the effects
of extraordinary seasons in the distri-
button of animals and plants. Speaking
of the winter of 1S71-72, he remarks
that it was one of the driest on record
in New England, the rainfall not only
being much less than usual, but also
coming in such fashion as to leave the
ground very dry during the winter.
The snowfall was slight, and did not
lie well upon the ground, so that great
portions of the surface were quite unpro-
tected. Under these circumstances the
long-continued and steady cold froze
the earth to a great depth, the freezing
extending as much as five feet below
the surface in some places, and being
sufficient throughout the whole of New
England to involve the roots of the veg
citation and the forests. The effects OBJ
served were in all probability due not
only to the intensity of the cold, but to
presumed deficiency of sap in the
plants in connection with the low tenn
perature; the roots remaining for some
time in contact with relatively dry earth,
as the frosts left them, causing a shock
too great for their vitality to withstand.


The tree which suffered most was the
arbor-vite, more than half of these hav-
ing died, and the rest being in a critical
condition. The red cedar was likewise
great sufferer, as also the yellow and
white pines; indeed, all the conifer@ in
New England have been injured to q
greater or less degree. The greatest
damage was experienced in sandy soils.


The only change in animal life no.
ticed by Prof. Shaler is the comparative
scarcity of snakes, which he considers tc
be very decided feature. An interest
ing point in this connection is the ques-
ton as to what would have been the effect
of carrying the action of the climate q
little farther; since, small as the de.
struction of forest trees is, it will doubt.
less add seven per cent. to the deciduous
trees of New England, and remove al
equal number of conifers. The latter
appear to be the relics of an old time,
and not suited to a successful warfare
with the younger and nsore elastic trees,
such as the oaks, beeches, etc. If the
shock of the last season had been suffi
cient to kill off the whole of our pines, 6
complete change would have taker
place in our forests, the vacant place;
being occupied by deciduous species
This would affect the character of the
underground very materially, as well as
that of the insect life, and, consequently
that of the birds, and mammals. Fur
thermore, the climate might have beer
influenced in some measure, for a pine
forest retains the snow better than one
which loses its leaves in winter, and thus
tends to secure a more equable temper
ature in its neighborhood.


Thus, according to the author, an ac
cidental drouth might bring about {
change in the vital conditions on the
surface of the land as great as those
which, when recorded in strata, we ac
cept as indicating distinct geological
formations.
Year: 1873

The New York Times makes these
suggestions on the above subject AL
ways stick to your horses so long as
they are fast to the carriage. If line
breaks or the bits give way, step out of
the fore end of the carriage, even when
the team may be running, take hold of
the harness and spring on the back of
one of the animals. Once astride of a
horse, one can reach forward, grasp his
nose, and soon check his speed. When
horse is running toward you, as he
comes up, stand so that he will be with
in reach as he dashes past then make
calculations to seize the reins near the
bits with one hand and to grasp them
or the top of the names with the other
hand. A man may expect to be carried
twenty rods but if he will hang to the
reins horse will soon stop.


We saw fine horse running away a
few days since, with wagon and load
of barrels. After passing hundreds of
persons who tried in vain to stop him,
lad sprang to the rear of the wagon as
it passed, climbed up among the bar
rels, went to the forward end, and the
lines being on the ground he stepped
along on the thills, got on his back and
stopped him before he had run one
eighth of a mile. The numerous acci-
dents in consequence of horses running
away suggest the eminent importance of
teaching them the monosyllable, whoa |!
A horse is never half trained or half ed
ucated until he has learned that whoa
signifies to halt But, in the first place,
teamsters must be educated to employ
that word at no other time than when it
is desirable to have team stop. When
the word is used let it be spoken with a
full, open and sound voice.
Year: 1873

Twenty-six years ago, James Sander
son, a respectable person residing in
the Scottish Hebrides, then verging on
40 years, made court to a girl some 16
years of age and was accepted but a
rival much younger interfered, and
bore off the prize. This made Sander
son feel revengeful and the girls new
lOverhaving been engaged in smuggling,
Sanderson informed upon him, and he
had to leave the islands, to which he
never came back. The people were so
violent against Sanderson that he, too,
was forced to leave, but had married
before doing so, his wife being taken
to spite his old mistress, who had not
got married.


Arriving on the American Pacific
coast in safety, he bought large tract
of land few miles north of Fort Lang
ley, and devoted himself to its agricul-
tural development with so much energy
and skill that a few years made him
comparatively wealthy. Better than
this, however, the new life brought with
it such endearment of the woman whom
he had welded without other love than
he had been able to simulate for her
deception, that the increase of their
children was his conversion into the
fondest of husbands +; and when, in 1861
he became widower, he remained so
ten years, when he sent home to sis
ter in the Hebrides to engage a wife for
him. His old flame was selected, and
said she was willing to go to him whom
she had Tilted twenty-five years before.
From the time of her second lover S
hasty fight under the denunciation OF
his enemy, the smuggler's sweetheart
had never heard of that individual
again ; and the lapse of time and the in
creasing burdens of her lowly estate
made her much less imperious at forty
than she was at sixteen. The wealthy
farmer of British Columbia sent hel
ample means for her outfit and voyage,
and the long voyage was accomplished
without incident as far as San Francisco.
From the latter city she was to proceed
up the coast to her destination on a
steamer in which passage was specially
secured for her, and while waiting this
vessel she was seen and recognized at q
hotel by the accepted lover of her youth,
who had been in California ever since
his untimely departure from Hebrides.
There was dramatic meeting, long
story on either side, and-alas, for the
waiting widower-a full revival of the
old love.


Both lovers, however, were much
sobered by the discipline of maturel
years and the lady, having explained
by whose wish and means she was il
America, declared that she must go on.
ward as she had promised, and fulfill
her engagement if it was still exacted
She would faithfully tell all to him who
awaited her at the end of her journey
confess that she could never love hin
now as she had lately thought possible
and abide by his own decision. If he
yet claimed her he must be obeyed il
not she would return to San Francisco
AS the story ends with her reappear
ance in the California city few days
ago, and quiet marriage there to the
former smuggler, it may be inferred
that the Columbian widower was al
once sensible and magnanimous under
his last disappointment, and finally
proved himself the friend of the woman
with whom fate had twice denied hin,
a nearer, dearer relationship.
Year: 1873

A GALLANT CLERK.-A clerk in the
Indianapolis Post-office is now in the
last stages of drouth, occasioned by his
own gallantry in volunteering to lick
and adjust postage stamps for the young
ladies who came to his window. He is
very charming, and Indianapolis is full
of good-looking girls, who love dearly
to see him run out his tongue and
moisten stamp. The doctor says that
unless he can start the sap in his sys-
tenn he is goner.
Year: 1873

SPECTACLEs.-Spectacles are worn by
so many people nowadays, that we are
often inclined to wonder how former gem
eratons managed to get on without them
before they were invented. The old
Greeks and Romans do not seem to have
known the luxury; but then, perhaps,
their eyes were better than those of the
present short-sighted race of mortas.
One thing, they had not so many news
papers to trouble them As we have.


But spectacles, after all, are not such n
recent invention as might, perhaps, be
thought. They did not come into use in
Europe until about the year 1900, but
they are of unfathomablc antiquity in
China-not indeed, Of glass, but of rock
crystal. We affect to despise the humble
efforts of the untutored Esquimaux, but
even they have had sort OF spectacles of
their own, long before they ever had an
opportunity OF seeing any from other
lands. They are ignorant of the manu-
tacture Of glass, or even of pottery, and
they therefore cannot construct lens
but they have constructed an instrument
Of wood and bone-an eye shadc-which
is not only Il protection to the visual or
gans, but assists the visua power of the
eyes. The EsquimauX term it utee ydya


far sight-the very synonym OF our
word teescope.-Once q - cek.
Year: 1873

A DREAN.-A gentleman in Wiscon-
sin dreamed one night recently that his
brother, who was postmaster in the in
terror Of the State, had his head sawed
off with saw in the hands of the saw
yer. Two days after he heard that his
relatives official head had been taken off
by President Grant. Here we have an
other beautiful evidence of the reliability
of dreams.
Year: 1873

How eloquently does Chateaubrian re.
ply to this inquiry:


There isa God The herb Of the val
ley, the cedar Of tho mountains bless
him the insects sports in his beams /;
the elephant salutes him with the rising
orb Of day; the bird sings him in the
foliage; the thunder proclaims him in
tho heavens; the ocean declares his i'm
mensity; man alone has said, f" There is
no Godr' Unite in thought at the same


instant the most beautiful objects in ma
ture; suppose you see at once all the
hours Of the day and oil the seasons Of
the year; morning OF spring and a
morning Of autumn; night bsspangled
with stars and night covered with
clouds; meadows ladencd with flowers,
and forests heavy with snow fields gild.
cd by tints 81 autumn; then alone you
will have just conception Of the uni
verse. While you are gazing on the sun
which is plungng under vault Of the
west, another observer adnires him
emerging from the gilded gates Of the
cast BY what inconceivable magic does
that aged star, which is sinking fatigued
and burning in the shade Of evening, re-
appear at the same instant, fresh and hu-
mid with the rosy dcws Of morning. At
every instant Of the day the glorious orb
is at once rising, rcsplendent atnoon day
and setting in the west or rather cur
senses deceive US, and there 10, properly
speaking, no east, west. north. or south
in the world Everything reduces itself
to a single point, from whence tho king
Of day sends forth at once triple light
in one substance. The bright splsndor
is perhaps that which nature can present
is most bsautiful for while it gives us
an idea Of the perpetual magnifcsnce and
rcsistless power Of God, it exhibits at
the same timo shining image OF the
glorious trinity