smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

A curious work on "the humorous element in German law," by O. Gieske, has just been published at Berlin. The author describes the punishments which were inflicted in various parts of Ger many. in some cases up to a very recent period, with the object of humiliating the culprit, and exposing him to public ridicule. A common punishment was that of going in procession through the streets of a town or village in 6 dress covered with images of swords, whips, rods, and other implements of corporal chastisement. In Hesse women who had beaten their husbands were made to ride backwards on a donkey holding his tail, on which occasion the animal was led though the streets by the husband. This custom existed in Darmstadt up to the middle of the seventeenth century, and was so common that donkey was kept always ready for tue purpose in the capital and the neighboring villages a manner that he could not ward off the blow, the donkey was led by the man who had charge of him if not, then by the husband himself.

 At St. Goar miller was allowed certain quantity of wood from the forest belonging to the town, in return for which he was bound to supply donkey to the municipality whenever required for the chastisement of scolding wife Another very old custom was that of punishing hen-pecked husband by re- moving the roof of his house, on the ground that Ca man who allows his wife to rule at home does not deserve any protection against wind and wealth er." If two women fought in public they were each put in sort of closed sentry-box, which only left their head exposed, and then posted opposite to each other in the market-place, where they remain for an hour face to face, but unable to use their hands or feet.

 A common punishment for scolding women was the shameful stone," which was hung round their necks. This stone was usually in the shape of bottle. At Hamburg libellers-and slanderers were compelled to stand on block and strike themselves three times on the mouth as a sign of repentance. This custom still existed thirty or forty years ago. In some towns the "shameful stone" was in the shape of loaf, whence the Ger man saying, "a heavy bit of bread" (ein schwerer bissen brod). At Lubeck it was in the shape of an oval dish, and in other places in that of a woman put ting out her tongue. Such stones were usually very heavy; according to the law of Dortmund and Halberstadt (134S) they were to weigh a hundred weigh. Those who were wealthy could purchase exemption from this punishment with bag full of hops tied with red ribbon.
Year: 1872

MIXED. are two merchants in Greenfield, Mass, whose stores are in close proximity; each owns the building in which the other has his store, and when one is disposed, as landlord, to crowd his tenant little, retaliation comes quick and sure. They have warned each other out of their respective premises about once quarter for the last year or two, but still they stick, and most likely twill fight it out on that line" through life,
Year: 1872

TIE Ou7Loox-The prospects Of the
opening campaign in New Hauasphire
are certainly Frightening for the Dem
ocracy, and they may well enter upon
it with encouragement Of assured sue.
cess if they but do their duty. From,
every part If the State the indications
are that the Democrats are awake and
determined to lose no ground in New
Hampshire this year. Here is to be
won the initial battle in the great con-
test for reform throughout the whole
Union in the coming year, and let every
patriotic Democrat take hold. no. only
with confidence and courage. but with
determined and vigilant effort to do bis
share in the great work which all the
best interests Of the country so urgently
demand.-Chcshire Republican.
Year: 1872

A new and careful bridegroom in
Cleveland kept the wedding ring in his
mouth during the fore.part of the cere-
mony, so that he could find it when the
proper moment arrived. He mumolcd
along all right until the minister winkcd
at him, as hint TO produce the ring,
when in his nervousness he swallowed
it, and there being no s,omach.pu pump on
hand, he was stood on his head by three
groomsmen to recover the golden
pledge"
Year: 1872

A LITTLE TRuru. The New York
Tribune, in some comments upon sundry
sharp criticism upon Rev. Mr.. Hep
rorth's late renunciation of Unitarian
ism, which have been published by some
Of his old denomipational associates,
says: 1--WE begin almost to despair Of
finding anything worthy to be called
Christian charity in all the land. We
are all blandy liberal until somebody
treads upon our own theological eorns,
and then We at once discover that the
offender isn't much of q man and o
brother after all" 1t wont require any
great amount OF self examination for any
man to satisfy himself OF the truth Of
that last sentence.
Year: 1872

Yesterday the weather was colder than 1t has
been before during this season. The wind blus-
tered aercey from morning until night. The warm
glow OF the red hearth at home shed through one
cOntented feeling OF happiness heightened by the
contrast of its generous warmth with the bitter
suffering out OF doors. The streets were covered
with CLASSY ice and were dangerously slippery. IL
was very sad, as well as curious, on the previous
night, at about twelve O'Clock, when the intense
coldness began, to watch the inebriated creatures
who were wandering about through certain quarters
OF the town. as is their custom, through the thick
gray clouds of snow that were falling tumbling
upon the sidewalk at every other step, and
the utter indifference and stolidity with which
they would there remain until picked up by
some kindhearted passer-by and sent upon
their way. Yesterday morning the wind had
swept the nagstones rather cleany, and seemed
freighted with keen arrows that pierced every
nerve of the body through the heaviest outer
clothing and made one shiver distractedly even
when walking at II jolly pace. Still, however, the
churches were not by any means empty, and people
seemed to brave the congelating mood of the ce-
ments merely for the sake of wildly daring them to
the very utmost. Red cheeks and smarting ears,
and stin, numb fingers were the consequences.
The eyes sparkled with the glow of freshly
inspired health and the solemn services in the
Bhad0wy sanctuares were followed with keener
Eest OF piety than is perhaps ordinarily displayed
by calm worshippers who have nothing to disturb
''the even tenor OF their way" There was some
driving In the Park and skating on the frozen
lakes, where the ice is now thick and smooth but
the cold was too bitter for much outdoor diver
tisement, and people who never go to church but
to amuse themselves went yesterday for that pur-
pose.


The sermons that will be found reported below
viii be read, undoubtedly, with considerable inter
est, from the mere fact that many Of them refer
directly to the coming Christmas festival, near
Mt hand. One great incident OF interest yesterday
In religious circles the presence OF the chill
aren in larger numbers than usual In the Sunday
schools, eagerly studying the lessons appropriate
to an approach OF the anniversary of the mys-
terious birth OF the Messiah. In all these little as
Bemblages also preparations have been going for
ward for q week past for the annual ceremony OF
the Christmas tree, which must never be omitted.
In order net to interfere with family rites OF far
more tender order many OF these celebrations will
take place tonight instead OF on Christmas Eve
Itself. One OF them occurs in the Quaker meeting
house in Schermerhorn street, Brooklyn, and will
De singular and curious because 1t is only recently
that the societies OF this denomination have con-
descended to so far debase their dignity as to copy
any Of the traditional customs of the world.


The Christmas season at present promises to be
one OF unusual JOY, satisfaction and good feeling
Year: 1872

Sermon by the Rev. II. w. Bellows


The Coming OF the Messiah.


Rev. Dr.. Bellows preached sermon last evening
In All Souls church, taking for his text the passage
from Haggai, "And the desire OF all nations shall
come" He began by showing with what earnest
ness the Messiah was onged for by the world for the
centuries Immediately preceding his advent. Among
the Jews, OF course, this feeling was exceptionally
strong and fervent, and the inspired prophets
spoke out the desire of the chosen people with o
fire and eoquence that were singularly significant.
But between the last of the prophets and the


COMING OF CHRIST


there was an interval of several hundred years,
during which, not only among the Jews but among
all nations, the longing for the Messiah grew even
de eper and more earnest. True, 1t was expressed
IN W ords by


THE HIGHEST AND BEST MINDS


among the ancients-such men as Plato and Soc
rates among the Greeks, and Virgil and Cicero
amo ng the Romans-but the masses OF mankind
were necessarily always behind the noblest deyel-
op ments OF their age. DR.. Bellows then proceeded
to show that the Messiah only came when His want
had thus been clearly made manifest to men. ana
that He would have come before ifmen had really de-
sired Him. This waiting and anticipation had been
the moral education OF the word for His coming.
Even when He did come the world was barely
ready for him. and 1t was only glorious minority
OF the race for whom they had yearned so eagerly.
Had He then appeared sooner His message
would not have been heard at all. And
had 1t been heard even now by the majority OF
mankind2 Had Christ been born indeed, for the
sadly larger portion Of the human race; His name


FAMILIARITY


with them had seemed to produce its usual cOnse-
quence OF Indifference and apathy Christ would,
however really be BORN for us, In the beauty and
sweetness OF His love, In the power and plenitude
OF His truth, IL strOve to copy His life ana make
ourselves the living temples oil His holiness Thus
for us the morrow or Wednesday might be made
not alone the celebration OF Christs BIRTH but His
birthday indeed with all Its blessed associations
OF peace and good Will, OF pardon and redemption
Year: 1872

tion Of fraternal feeling between the diff.
ferent portions Of the American people,
so needful to our national existence and
welfare; nor our abhorrence of that sys.
TEN of wholesale robbery an0 scandalous
mlsrule prevailing in the South nor the
ssnctlty Of the Constitution and laws of
the country; nor the interests of the peo-
pie as they are bound up in an honest
and economical administration of pub.
lie affairs; nor even the pride and honor
of the administration must stand in the
way OF the effort to elect candidate and
to retain partisan power. 1t means that
Republican must not presume to serve
his country by speaking the truth, if he
wants to remain in good party standing.


1t means that selfish party despotism
las developed itself which, by all the re-
sources Of reward and punishment, ap


peals to the low and sordid instincts Of
human nature, dragons the ambitious
into obedience by the terrors of faIsi-
fed and subjugated public opinion, and
attempts to drag into its net the we'll.


meaning by artful and systematic con-
cealment OF the truth and fraud and de-
ception; a party despotism which ren-
ders true reform impossible, by making
1t partisan duty to whitewash abuses
instead of correcting them, by obscurng
our moral appreciation of right and
wrong, and teaching US to see in selfish
advantage the supreme rule of action


DO you want to discover the full
power of decentralization Of that despot-
ism, and the whole degradation of its
victims Look at them as they are living
at the feet of President Grant I should
prefer not to speak of him, did he not
stand there as the embodiment and per.
seniiication Of the pernicous system
which derives from his individuality it's
peculiar character. Gratitude for his
military services and respect for his Of


fee have long restrained many from ex-
pressing their real opinions concerning
him. l shall be the last man to forget
or to carp at the great services he has
rendered in the field of war. The hon
ors he has won, the laurels he has gath
cred, shall not be touched But now he
is civil officer, and he asks US TO con-
tinue him at the lead of the civil gov
ernment of this Republic With this
question his laurels have nothing to-
There are no battles tosbe fought and
no strong places to he taken. And now
it becomes our duty to tell the truth
concerning him as we understand It,. 1
shall do so with frankness, but not With,
out moderation. $40 a. 5t.3r
Year: 1872

Few more infamous .'.jobs'' have char.
acterized the present Administration
than the speculation of the sale of arms
to France during the Franco Prussian
war. The New York Tribune publishes
the following suggestive extract from a
private letter written by a German of
ficer to friend in the United States:
Year: 1872

The Times says that the matter of supply
of coal for Chattanooga is already becoming q
serious question. That we should be suffering
from coal famine, right in the heart of one o1
the finest coal regions in the world, is strange,
but nevertheless true. We fear that our coal
dealers did not sufficiently consider the fact that
coal is now, practically, the only fuel used here.
Wood is too scarce and costs too much
The consumption of coal for domestic purposes
far has failed to keep pace with the demand,
1t seems to US that this state of facts and the GER
tainty that it will exist again next winter, un-
less precautions are taken, ought to draw enough
capital into the coal business to bring the sup
ply up-to the local demand at least, and when
that is done, ifthere is surplus, the South will
take it all and more too
Year: 1872

(


-r---.. .t. "a December 5th, 1872. J


EDITORS CHRONICLE: The good people
of this county are in the field with petit
ton to our Legislature, asking for law
allowing the legal voters of any county in
the State to determine by ballot whether
saloons or groceries for the sale of liquors
shall be thereafter licensed in their county;
and since former legislatures have enacted
that each county of our State may or may
not levy a tax on dogs, also may or may
not levy tax on the property of the
county for school purposes, may We not
reasonably expect they will consider favor
ably q petition from the people, asking
that every county of the State have the
privilege of determining for themselves
whether they will or will not have groce-
ries


L enclose copy of the petition, which,
if you publish, may meet the approval of
friends of temperance and good order in
other counties of our State, and induce
them to join in similar request:


"The undersigned, citizens of Cumber-
land county, and State of Tennessee, be-
lieving the use of alcoholic liquors as q
beverage fruitful source of Thriftlessness,
Poverty, Pauperism, Crime and Taxation,
do respectfully petition our Legisla-
ture soon to assemble to enact a
law providing that when at least
fifty legal voters of any county in this
State, shall at least thirty days previous to
the holding of any election, general
throughout Said county, in writing 50 petit
tion their County Court, it shall be the
duty of said Court to cause due notice to be
given in every ward, precinct or civil Dis
trict of said county that at the ensuing
election the legal voters of said county will
decide by ballot whether thereafter the
sale of Intoxicating liquors Except for
medical or mechanical purposes) shall be
licensed in said county"


1t will be perceived such vote would be
attended by no extra expense or waste of
time as it could not be taken on any other
than an election day where most voters at
tend the polls on other business, and as to
the notice of said vote to be taken, it would
be incorporated in the regular election
notice with other business or questions to
be voted on and so cause little, If any eX-
~ A. A. HUBBARD.
Year: 1872

Over the Exchange Restaurant are extensively
patronized now, and any gentleman wishing to
treat his lady to some nice Oysters or anything
that can be found at a frst-class Restaurant


should give Eiher call. n22-d3mo.
Year: 1872

Inc New OrA Press on the Supplemem-


tai Treaty Article.


The Times says that the vote in the
Senate in favor of the negotiation of the
supplemental treaty article brings a feel
ing of intense relief, and it cannot be
objected to by England, and the final
settlement may be considered certain
The Senate has earned the gratitude of
the mercantile community, and a ma
jOrity of the Senators have acted in SYM
pathy with the great class of people who
wished the treaty to succeed.


The Herald pronounces the Senate's
action a national humiliation, and ques-
tiOns whether the people will accept the
amended treaty as final settlement of
the account with England. A treaty Sc
cured by the humiliation Of one of the
parties can never be productive of good,
and this one has been maintained by
wringing from Americans a disgraceful
concession, a result brought about by a
corrupt lobby pressure. The settlement
is between two administrations, not be-
tween two nations. England, however,
may yet reject the amended article, for
the surrender must be unconditional,
and the matter is not altogether disposed
Of
Year: 1872

How beautiful is the relation Of ,cous:
ms when one is one of those relations
himself! But how impertinent does it
seem when one sees it in others! That
bewitching familiarity-that open look
of eonfding pleasure with which the
creature for whose single smile m one
would give his little finger, presses a
hand or leans on the shoulder of man
who is neither brother, husband, or low,
er! Of all the weapons woman has to.
use, to Check or to lead on sui.ors too
backward or too hasty, cousin is the
surest and the best If she would pique
US, she may f1irt with him for . whole
season, and no one need make any re,
mark; nor are her pretensions to the
perfect heroine in an after 'sfirst love.
compromised. If she would fiatter us;shs
may sympathize with us as We laughat
his awkwardness, or lead US on to carl
cature any of his failings; and the use1
full being still remains her friend; and
we may not complain that he 10 called
on in preference to us in any, emergency,
because he is cousin. asrl
Year: 1872

UNTIL THE DAY BREAK,
Will it pain me, then forever,
Will it leave me happy never,
This weary, weary gnswing of the old dull


pain!
Will the sweet yet bitter yearning
That at my heart is burning,
Throb on and on forever. and forever be in


vain?


From the conflict ceasing never,
From the toll increasing ever,
From the hard and bitter battle with the cold
and callous world
Will the sky grow never clearer?
Will the hills draw never nearer,
Where the golden city glitters in its rainbow


mists impearlsdl


Alb me! that golden city!
Can God, then have no pity!
have sought it with such yearning for so


many bitteryears!


And yet the hills blue glimmer,
And the portals golden simmer
Fade ever with the evening, and the distance
never nears!


o weary, weary living!
o foeman unforgiving!
O enemies that meet me on the earth and in


the airl


o flesh that clogs my yearning!
weakness aye returning!
Will ye never cease to trouble? Will ye new


er. never spare?


Alas! the clouds grow darker,
And the hills loom ever starker,
Across the leaden mist screen of the heaven .


dark and gray!


Thou must learn to BEAR thy burden,
Thou must WATT to win thy guerdon,
Until the day break cometh and the shadows


fee away.
ST. PAUL's.
Year: 1872

A person who wrote TO Treasurer
Spinner asking for bis autograph and
sentiment received the following re-
ply: you ask for my autograph with
sentiment My sentiment is this:
When a gentleman writes another on his
own business he should enclose post.
age stamp"


There is d man Down East, rather a
facetisus chap, whose name 10 New. He
chris:ened his FIRST child Something As it
was something new. His next child was
chlistenad Nothing, it being nothing
new,
Year: 1872

A policeman gave five dollars to the
Chicago fund, and in less than an hour
he found ten dollars in the pocket Of g
drunken man he had arrested. Another
man was asked to contribute, but he de
clined. and within two hours dog bill
him in the Leg and he heard that bis
mother, in-law had come to stay six
months with him. Is it not true that
virtue is its own reward
Year: 1872

BY s. ]. DEVAUL.
This world is cold, AMI dark, and dreary,
Our hearts are sad, and often weary;
The clouds of sorrow Ger Is hover,
As robed in night, the earth they cover,


And all is dark and draary.
In Heaven there's love, and joy and peace,
The weary soul may there find ease;
No more of sorrow there we'll see,
From pain and death we shall be free,


For all is joy and peace.
This world is false, and vile, and mean,
For murder here can oft be seen:
The wolves among us oft appear,
And in sleeps clothing they draw near,


And all is vile and mean
In Heaven there is nothing vile or mean,
And MURDER there can neer be seen;
No tears shall dim that Heavenly day,
For former things have. passed away,


There's nothing vile or mean.
This world is naughty, proud and vain,
For Sin has here its woful reign;
And at the good twill sneer and mock,
And make of them a laughing stock,


For all is proud and vain.
In Heaven, where all is bright and fair,
The vain and proud can ne'er come there
Those mocks and sneers cannot molest,
The weary will forever rest,


Where all is bright and fair.
When Earth and Heaven we thus compare
How strange that men do not prepare;
That when they leave the shores of Time,
To live forever in that cline,


Where all is bright and fair.
'Tis worth our while to strive for Heaven,
For endless life will there be given;
No sorrow there, and not tear,
No sickness there, and not fear,


o! let US strive for Heaven.