smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

THE World says that ex- Governor Dingley
of Maine, who temporarily assumed the chair
at the advisory council the other day, made
an excellent Moderator, particularly in the
regard of personal appearance. He did not
by any means show so formidably as his pred
ecessor, DR.. Bacon, but he made up in grace
and--so to speak-poetry of appearance
what he lacked of the others grandeur.
There was but little for him TO do during the
day, except to sit in front of background
of beautiful flowers, such as usually adorn
the Plymouth pulpit, and behind foreground
during the greater part of the day of Broth
er Shearman, whose coat-tails he somewhat
absently contemplated as the other ran over
resume of the Plymouth Church complica-
tions, dropping document after document
upon the floor beside him as he progressed.
Mr.. Dingey's graceful military cloak, large,
dreamy eyes and darkly curling hair and
whiskers contrasted strongly, both with the
somewhat mathematical contour of Brother
Shearman and the grizzled zigzag outline OF
DIR. Bacon, who sat like some huge inimita-
BILE bild upon his right.
Year: 1876

The testimony against the management of
the Post-Ofice department, taken thus far
in the hearing now in progress before the
house committee on post-ofices and post
roads, is that of the class of men called by
Governor Jewell "bummers," who were dis
charged by him as soon as their bad charac.
ter was ascertarned. The chief instigator of
the investigation is Holbrook, discharged
special agent, now clerk of the committee on
expenditures in the Post-Ofice department.
The men are now doing what they can to
"get even" with the Postmaster General, and
by examining their testimony in the light of
this fact its real value will be determined.
The Postmaster General has yet had no Of
fetal notice that his department is ON trial
but it is said that the committee intend TO
summon him.
Year: 1876

In its business review the Nation says:
There have been several failures of import
ance in the anthracite coal trade, and these
have certainly done nothing to strengthen
the combination which controls the mining
and transportation as well as the market
price OF coal. The principal members of this
combination deny that there is a prospect Of
its disruption, and say that the trouble, which
is confined to middlemen, and is only of in
direct and slight importance to the combina-
tion, does not and will not weaken the latter.
There have also been an unusual number Of
mercantile failures in Boston, traeeable re-
motely to the losses by the great fire and to
the panic. These failures, accompanied by
Year: 1876

We do not read anonymous letters and communI-
cations. The namG and address of the writer are In
M cases indispensable, not necessarily for publication
but as guaranty oi good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or reserve commu-
nications that are not used.
Year: 1876

THE constitution of the House Democrati c
committee on the finances is given as folio VS. !:
Said to be for hard money, seven; known to
be for soft money six. Of the seven, GER
tainly not wise men, the majority are in
favor of the Payne bill, bill which provides
for the repeal of the resumption act, and
makes no provision for hard money. The
committee seem to have been appointed with
the view of securing favorable report ON
the Paine bill, and it was feared that no New
York representative could be induced to in
dorse that as hard money measure. As
even those members of the committee who
are reckoned on the side of specie payments
are in favor of the repeal of the resumption
act, it may safely be inferred that the caucus
bill will be such a measure of compromise
as the infationist will be very glad to accept.
Once repeal the solemn pledge to resume in
1879, and the country is all at sea again on
the question of its finances, with an even
chance of the attempt being made, as far as
legislation can effect such purpose, to flood
it with another hundred millions or so of in
convertible notes.
Year: 1876

CARL SCHURZ writes from New York to
his paper in st. Louis, the Westliche Post,
that he is disgusted with the imbecility of
the Democratic majority in Congress. He
says, ga spectacle of helplessness more mel
ancholy than the Democratic majority In the
House of Representatives now offers can
scarcely be found in the history of parties.
What great things were prophesied when
this party should get into its hands even a
part of the power of Government! And now
the possession OF this power in the House Of
Representatives has only afforded new op-
portunity fer one moral overthrow after an
other, until the best heads of the party curse
their victory in the year 1874, because it has
only brought their impotence to light and in
spired their antagonists with new vitality.
And yet we see the machine managers busy
at work, not to carry through the nomina.
ton of one of their best men for President,
but that of some one who entirely represents
the want of substance and principle in the
party, in order that in this way they may
keep the old concern somehow together"
Year: 1876

THE New York Tribune suggests a word
of caution in regard to the matter of house
decorations, in good time. The subject of
chairs, rugs, bric-a-brac, pottery &C., has
been entirely overdone in the magazines, and
books even that have been written. Things
that our fathers cast aside now command fabu.
lous prices. The household art department in
the magazines is more eagerly turned to than
the fashion col1mn. The American has not
been in the habit of regarding his house as
place for the display of art. The revival of
medieval ideas and pre-Raphaelite reform,
tints and effects are all Greek to him. The
horse-hair parlor suit which has been mat
ter of pride with him is now derided as bar
barous, while the old settle is brought down
from the garnet and praised as specimen of
high art. Although this clamor may lead to
some little progress in taste among few peo-
pie, yet it is matter Of fashion which the
majority ignorantly follow as they do other
fashions. The number of dry-goods-box
houses and sham villas that cover the conti-
nent testify to the perception of form and
SOioA Va ohO dfCloSC auCfICdus 10 carly
these ideas of Eastlake designs, Morris wall
paper and Persian rugs into these houses
without knowledge Of the simplest rules of
art, material to work with or money to pay
for it, is ridiculous. Cheap imitation they
learn can be made at home without money
or skill. But this is not art Is it not better
to wait until the eye is trained, until we have
the money to pay for the ''real articles"
and not the imitation? Do not rush into
this fashion more readily than into other
ridiculous fashions. Do not destroy the SOL
i'd comforts of home by substituting 'syellow
muslin bound with red cal ico'' in place of
doors. or ''turn your snug closets into open
cabinets with the edge Of the shelves trimmed
with gilt lace and forest leaves" The pri-
vacy of home should not be invaded. The
sham and tinsel will not deceive yourself, and
you are the ones for whom the changes are
made. Advance in the right direction can
only be made by patient study of art and
not by following the fashion.
Year: 1876




j. X. Osgood s. Co. have now published
Longfellow's Courtship of Miles Standish,
and Mr.. Fields essay on Nathaniel Hawthorne.
in their Vest-Pocket Series. By reason of
their moderate length both are admirably
adapted TO this form of publication. This
House is doing the public positive favor in
publishing the sayings of our favorite authors
in such shape that we can have them always
with US. Next to friend at ones side to talk
to, is book in ones pocket to read. We can
become intimate with our authors only as wa
frequent their pages. and the vest-Pocket
Series is making this possible for the busiest Of
us. The delicate tint of the paper and clear
ness of the type are pleasure to the eye, while
the strong but flexible binding gives confidence
to the feel" The subject matter of these two
volumes needs no comment here.


1t is proposed to publish life of the late DR..
). G. Howe in raised letters for the use Of the
blind-certainly a most fitting monument.
The same biography will bs printed in the
usual manner in memorial volume, together
Year: 1876

partakers of the cup of sorrow in which all
are communicants with Cbris.. He who should
| do this would indeed achieve the perilous seat,
for he must combine poesy with doctrine in
| such cunning wise that the one loses not its
| beauty nor the other its severity-aud Dante
| has done it."


The paper on Spenser shows thoroughly
| hearty liking for the Elizabethan poet and a
warm admiration for his splendid diction, and
Lowel's opinion of one of the longest and finest
poems in the language finds this expression:
"WhOever can endure unmixed delight, who
ever can tolerate music and painting and
poetry all in one, whoever wishes to be rid of
| thought and to let the busy anvils of the brain
| be silent for a time, let him read in the Faery
Queen. There is the land of pure hearts ease,
where no ache or sorrow of spirit can enter"
The essay is noticeable for the definition of
classic therein. He says: "a classic is prop.
erly book which maintains itself by virtue
of hat happy coalescence of matter and style,
that innate and exquisite sympathy between
the thought that gives life and the form that
consents to every mood of grace and dignity,
which can be simple without being vulgar,
elevated without being distant, and which is
something neither ancient nor modern, al ways


new and incapable of growing old. 1t is not
his Latin which makes Horace cosmopolitan,
nor can Beranger's French prevent his becom-


ing so Nohedge of language however thorny,
no dragon coil of centuries, will keep men
away from these true apples of the Hesperides
il once they have caught sight or scent of


them. If poems die, it is because there was


never true life in them. that is, that true poetic


vitality which no depth of thought, no airiness


OF fancy, no sincerity of feeling, can singly
communicate, but which leaps throbbing at


touch of that shaping faculty, the imagina-
tion."


The essay on Wordsworth is just and dis
eliminating estimate of the genius and charac
ter of the Lake poet. To man of LowelPs
keen perception of the ludicrous the occasional
Year: 1876

The honest independent voter who has been
driven by "a strong disgust at the Grant Ad-
n,injstrotion to look with favor upon the Dem
ocratic candidate for the Presidency, viii do
well TO consider carefully before he contrib
utes TO Democratic success precisely what u
meant by il. If it were simply the election of
Mr.. Tildcn to the chair of the Executive for
four wears, it would not be matter of very
serious moment But Dir. Tildcn's election
means vastly more. II Is the success OF
party aud the adoption OF policy. WITH his
accession to power there must come almost OF
necessity a Democratic Congress; certainly
Democratic House, and very probably Senate
of the same political complexion. That is the
combination Of which Mr.. Tildcn will he the
central figure. How much more than a figure
head he can be under such circumstances Is
a question worth considering. A Congress
Democratic in both branches, with full power
over legislation, subject to no check or con
troll except such as might be exercised by the
Executive in his use OF the pIcrOgatiyc OF the
yctO is not "a pleasant possibility Tor the
friends OF honest currency and civil service
reform to contemplate. For we have some
thing more tangible than platform professions,
or even than the record OF the candidate, from
which to Judge what would happen under such
circumstances. We have had already n taste
of Democracy in the present Congress. We
know what they do when they have the power.
What they promise in platforms and talk about
in newspapers and on the stump is one thing;
what they actually do when the opportunity
is gwen them is quite another Tho election
OF Mr. Tiden must give us in all the depart


ments of Government the same thing we have
been bcholdng in one branch of Congress for
the past seven months. II would be :" the
"samc, only more so and more OF it, Is it
worth while TO try that experiment.


Gov. Tilden is unquestioDably honest and
sincere in his expressed desire for adninistra-
Year: 1876

failed rs a wood peddler, and was barely aDle
to support his family by paternal help. "heh
the war closed he had risen through every
grade to higher rank than Washington ever
held. He was General of the Army, and wore
mcdestlv the laurels of hundred victories,
resolutely gained by an appalling expenditure
of precious lives. Within little more thah
seven years from the breaking out OF the war
the unsuccessful wood peddler was elected
President, ana four years later was reelected
by the largest popular majority ever rccei'eu
By President.


With these unequaled honors the loftlcst
ambition might have been satisfied. certainly
the people could give no more. 1t Is because
they have given so much, it is because they
have thought him WORTHY of so much, that they
vonld wish to sec the closing months OF MS
civil administration unmarried by any eAhipi-
ton of personal bitterness or petty splteS'
After the fourth of March next President
Grant will become plain L. 5. Grant again.
probably never again to serve the United
States in a public capacity. The last days
of an Administration, like the last days OF
q life, ought not to be free from the soften
ing influence of approaching departure
I'm n few months, after life OF DrllIaht
service dimmed somewhat by the mistakes,
both willful and ignorant, of the man wbo
sought to apply to civil government the coarse
methods of the soldier and miotook n trust Tor
n prize, President Grant rctres to private liie
forever. 1t Is the sincere wish OF all true
Americans that his last record should be among
he best. Locking over his whole career. they
re how great their debt is, and they would
gladly cease to remember the blots upon 1t.
II is not in this temper, not i'll this way, that
the people wish to see him set his house IN
order for his successor.
Year: 1876

tive reform and his advocacy OF resumption
and honest currency. But it is the party be-
hind Gov Tildcn that in the event OF his cleo
ton will direct legislation and control the
Government. The party which III Congress
to-day is almost unanimously in favor of the
rcDeal Of the Resumption act Is nevertheless
supporting Mr.. rilden's candidacy. 1t Will un-
dOubtedly come into full control OF the UoE-
rrnnant if il succeeds in elccting the Presl-
dent. Aud then the President will not lcgisate-
the party will do that. And if II favors the re-
peal of the Resumption act now, whcn 1t has only
a majority in one branch how 1t Will hasten
to carry through the repeal when it comes into
full possession of the National Legislature
and has the opportunity 10 pat Ill force It's
opinions And as to the civil service 1t must
be remembered in connection with that sub
icct as well, that the election of Mr.. Iildrn
turns over the whole system Of Federal pa
tronage to the party which during the past
seven months has made such dismal work ol
distributing the small amount of official patron
age il had at its disposal. Mr.. Tlden himself
may not be Objectionable, but his election as a


Democratic President implies so much more
than his personal elevation that it will be only
the part of ordinary prudence to consider the
whole train of consequences to come from u
before contributing in any manner to that re-
Year: 1876

The workingncn in Newark. y. j., being
ont of employment, and even, they say, III
danger of starvation. have sent q committee
10 confer with the Mayor of the city. The
spokesman of this committee told his Honor
n pitiful story. He said the men were pennl-
less and that their families were living upon
scanty supply of bread, with plenty of
nothing but water. They asked the Mayor
not TO give ont the city work by contract
but instead to employ these suffering laborcr'
The Mayor told them that he could himself
do nothing but he promised To call the atten-
ton of the Common Council to the matter
II is stated that this response was by no
means satisfactory to the laborers and 1t Is
reported that it produced some threats OF vo-
lencc. We trust that the leaders oi the move
mrnt will he sensible and strong enough to
crush out at once the mOb-Splrit, should there
be the least sign of it. No good can possibly
come of "a violation of the laws-nO work, no
bread. no money, no relief of any kind-ony
greater suffering and the loss of public SYM
pathy. Force is the most sensecSs resort pos
sible. 1t has been tried over and over again.
and it has never resulted in anything but i'll
creased trouble. Those who have undertaken
To lc1u tIcSc WOThinRIntu OuEhI W hho" thiS'
and perhaps they do.


We see it limited also that these idle men
are to be kept ont OF work in order that they
may be given employment just before the Fall
election, when their votes will bo needed.
We should want pretty good evidence before
believing such hcartess trick rs this possible.
Ii the present holders of the municipal Offices
in Newark cannot retain them without such
mancnvering, we trust that they may he turned
ont, as they certainly will be sooner or later.
We are sorry indeed for the poor of Newark,
if their hunger and thirst are thus to be utilized
by politicians; and we are unwilling to credit
the story.
Year: 1876

Attacks on Gen. Ha2cn for alleged Inconsistencies
in his coursc about the roit-tradershp frauds
to us TO come with poor grace from those who pro-
frss TO wish that these frauds should b. stopped and
their guilty authors punished. Nobody doubts that
Gen. iInaen started the exposure that he was there
upon directly or indirectly prosecuted by the War
Department for it, or that it is the earnest desire
now Of Gen. Beiknap and his astute counsel in fall
Jug themselves TO drag down Gen. liazen also if
possible II does not seem the part of good citizens
10 give them tho slightest help II is quito possible
that after standing exile for two or three years
with domestic aHction cntailed in consequence
and torture from old wounds Gen. liazen may have
grown a little weary of fight which seemed hope
less, and have done his best to get on good terms
again with tho Secretary under whom he had to
serve. Let those who wouldn't have been tempted
To do Likewise throw the frst stones.
Year: 1876

Dental obligations of Cabinet officer, and calls upon
him. and upon all Cabinet officers, to tell any commit
tee of Congress anything they want to know concern
ing his relation to the whisky frauds. Under the
circumstances the President could hardly have done
less, But because We dislike other things he does,
don't let us shut eyes to the fact that he has done
this thing man-fashiOn.
Year: 1876

President Grant is getting moro kicks than COM
plimcnts nowadays. Even the most devoted OF his
former apologists seem to have given him up. But
his latest act is certainly manly and straightforward
lie relieves Secretary Hristow from any of the conf
Year: 1876

Nothing was accomplished yesterday by the
Book Trade Convention. The question OF
making general reduction of prices OF books
ia as much a question rs ever. Nothing could
be SIMPLER than the record of the days pro-
ceedings: the thermometer rose and cut OIL
debate and thercupon the Convention very
properly adjourned.
Year: 1876

The Silver bill as adopted by the House on
the report of the Conference Committee, VIII
furnish plentiful supply Of small change,
which is all that was really needed OF
this sort of legislation. Perhaps now Congress
will give us a rest on the silver question, and
not threaten TO make our small change new
obstacle TO resumption.
Year: 1876

a civilized community. The three men who
did the shooting and were themselves stoned
and drowned seem to have been dcsperadocS
of the knife and revolver school. 1t IS
evident that the event has no conncc-
ton with the labor troubles i'll Newark.
The worlmcn at whose hands the Tmclholn
brothers were drowned will have no difficulty
in pleading the necessities of self-defensc'
The lesson of the affair is against permitting
reyolvcrs to be carried by rowdlcs who are
always ready to use them
Year: 1876

Our correspondence to-day and the diagram
which accompanic, it, show the field on winch
Gen. Custer and his companions met Their late.
1t appears evident that by the time he had
marched his command around to the rear OF
the Indian camp and was making his attack
the savages had closed i'll behind him and cut
off his retreat by the ravnc through which he
had come He then cndeavorcd to retreat To
tbe northward, and for this purpose divided
his small force in two, the portions taking
separate rayincs Fragments OF each OF these
divisions reached the hill where the final stand
was made, and whore Gen. Custer ana all that
remained were Killed. From the time that his
retreat to the south was cut OF his case was
hopeless.
Year: 1876

nine trains pass this crossing, and tnd


them the most troublesome to look after,


because it is at this hour that people most.
" oongr.gate iu and around the depot, and


they defy the devil in trying to cross the


tracks to get in the cars early to get gooo


seats. Pedestrians are fearfully stubborn


at times, and exercise my patience; Oid


men and yeung ladies are the worst have
to deal with, but business men and young
sters will take desperate chances to catch
trains. Then, again, some Of the farmers
are very reckless, and will drive on the
track in front ofa moving locomotive with
as much noncllalance a. if they were on the
common road. 1t was only the other day
that old Mr.. Robeson came along as jolly
as lord, seated in his wagon. yelled
for him to stop before he reached the track
and waived the flag, but be paid no atten-
tioh to me. ran forward to seize his
horse, but was too far away, and the next
minute the oorse was killed by locemo-
tive, the wagon was wrecked, and poor
Robson got fearful shaking up, but for
tunately escaped with his life. Once a
lady-Mrs. Holmes, of Elizabeth-attempt-
ed to walk across the tracks in front of an
approaching train. ran to her and seiz-
ed her by the waist she scrtamed "Let
me Co." but held on to her and succeed
ed in swinging motive. On another
occasion I saved farmers life by pushing
him headlong into snowbank with my
flagstaff when a train was almost on to
both ofus I could tell you many such
stories, but the people interested would not
like to see their names in the papers.
This work is no FOOLS play. l keep my
mind on it constantly, as have to, for
should I fail in any way or lose confidence
n myself must quit the job at once.


Lynch has not lost twelve days during
his eleven years. He is about fifty, and
although somewhat corpulent, is quick as
a yonng man.
Year: 1876

o love come back again to me!
The days are long and filled with fearful


gloom


Since last looked upon thy tender face,
In hours that glowed with warmth and "a.


diaut bloom.
sent you from me-Ah! forgive me love!
When does a woman ever know her heart?
sent you from me in my idle wrath,
And said our lives were better lived apart.
But now know that life is naught but


pain
Immortal sorrow, II have not thee;
That Heaven itself would be dreary


void
And thou not there. o love, come back to
Year: 1876

WE would advise the Republican politi-
clans who had the band on Friday night
serenading the leaders Of their party in
this city, in honor Of the election Of Hayes
and Wheeler, to engage the same for their
excursion up "Salt river"