smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

Death from lightning is thought to be
quite painless. Owing to the velocity
with which the electric current moves, it
is believed that person struck by light
ming has no premonition of the blow
which he receives. The nervous system
requires certain interval of time to be-
come conscious of pain. The time of an
electric discharge is but a small fraction
of this interval hence, as sentiment
apparatus. the nervous system is des-
troyed before consciousness can set it.
Year: 1873

The most accommodating man we ever
saw was he who was captain of steam
ship which piled between New York and
Port Royal, during the war. One day
soldier lost his cap overheard, and went
to the captain about it. The old gentle
man said it was impossible to stop the
vessel to recover it. but he kindly offer
ed to make mark on the rail where it
went overheard, and get it when he came
back.
Year: 1873

Too Hor TO HOLD HIM.-Our Jack
is what the late Ar:emus Ward would
call a humorous case" He was stop
ping at little village in the interior
of the State, one Sunday last summer,
and having nothing to occupy his time,
he came 70 the sensible conclusion that
he had better go to church in the even
ing. 1t was a very warm evening, and
lack thought as he was stranger, he
20 up into the gallery. There were
only few people up there, so he seat
ed himself in front seat, and prepared
10 listen. The minister WAS preaching
one OF those "red hot" sermons coun.
try ministers delight in, and was hap
pv. lack was not. The gallery was
getting warmer everY minute The
people down in the body OF the house
locked comfortable and our hero con-
cluded it was cooler, and decided to try
it. lust as he started the minister was
in the midst Of terrible warming to
young men, and the noise he made a.
tracted the Dominic 3 attention. Think
ing Jack was about to lsave church.
the clergyman stopped in his sermon
and said: Young man You may not
be aware OF it, Jut you are going
straight to hell" Jack stepped, looked
back. and seeing he was the person ad-
dressed, replied: AS that so? Well,
lin glad you mentioned It. was 60
ing down where YOU are, but ii that's
the case will stay where | am, for its
warm enough up here" Jack then sat
down ard The minister gave out the
next hymn Immediately.
Year: 1873

He was then straight, tall boy of


nineteen, with wide blue eyes, light


haxen hair, and a demeanor somewhat


solemn and thoughtful. Little given to


dissipation, he preferred riding and the


manly sports of his boyhood to the


gambling, hard drinking, and frivolous


gallantries in which most of his brother


officers indulged but, on the other


hand, he was n noted and skillful duel
ist. This was one of the necessities of


his position. An officer who went much
to court, and had personal reasons for


being attached to the king, could not,


in those days, stand by Indifferent while


the royal family were assailed by liberal
journalists, and by Bonapartist officers
of Napoleon's old army. MacMahon


made point of attending the Cafe Va
lois, in the street of that name, which


was then the head quarters of royalist
officers, and there duels were arranged
almost every night as coolly as pigeon
matches would be in these our times.


II was the custom for the liberal papers
to be placed in q heap on the central
table. At o'clock officers dropped in,
and at 6, when the room was full, the
papers would be read aloud, and if one
of them contained anything offensive to
the king, the officers drew lots among
them as to who should go and challenge
the editor. Important journals were
then generally provided with a respon-
sible fighting editor, whose sole mission
it was to accept challenges. He was
generally an old half-pay officer or SER
geant, and now and then it happened
that he could not even read. MacMahon
fought seven of these gentlemen in the
course of five years, and it is on record
that he was never once wounded, nor
did he ever kill his man. He was singu-
larly expert in the art of pinking his
in the feshy part of the right
arm, just above the elbow, inficting a
wound that was not dangerous, but
which obliged his adversary to drop his
foil like hot coal, and to keep his arm
in sling for six weeks. This thrust
got to be known as "la bottle McMa-
hon." and it earned the young officer
many encomiums, for which he little
cared, being in his heart averse to duel
ing.
Year: 1873

A curious story comes to us across
the ocean of shapeless bundle OF rags
found recently in tree top in the south
African colony of Natal. 1t proved to
be one of the missing balloons which
fIoated out of Paris during the siege
with a freight of letters and dispatches
orders from the government OF ma
tional defence to its guards in the field,
and messages of love and cheer, OF sor-
row and complaint from the suffering
citizens to their friends outside. III the
government had no better way than this
of reaching its commanders, it is per-
haps not surprising that the military
operations of France occasionally lacked
consistency. 1t has been suggested
that the contents of this erial mail may
have an important bearing upon the
trial of Bazaine but a question which
will interest the public far more than
the purport of the letters is how the
balloon should have found its way from
France to the southern extremity OF
Africa. Natal is over five Thousand
miles from Paris, in a direction almost
due south. We should like to know
what Prof. Wise's easterly current was
doing while the air-ship made this ex-
traordinary voyage.
Year: 1873

There are things which man can do
with some show of dignity and even eie-
gance, but the putting on of clean shirt
is not one of them. Even those fastid-
ious chaps who put one on every week
never become so expert and familiar
with the process that they can go
through with it with any degree of COM
fort or dexterity, and the less extrava-
CANT individuals who change only once
a month, are really to be envied. The
feat is accomplished in this way: You
Law the garment down on the bed, or
across a table or washstand, bosom down.
wards, each rustic of the stiffly y-starched
garment striking terror to your soul.
Pulling it open, you make strange
draft on your courage and resolution,
and plunge into it, thrusting your arms
here and there in O frantic and desper-
ate search for the sleeves, finding which
YOU struggle manfully in an endeavor
to draw the garment down so that you
can catch a glimpse of the outer world
once more. By the exercise of proper
amount of Judgment you are finally sue.
cessful in this, and you find yourseit
gazing out upon surrounding objects,
encircled by stiff, rustling linen, when
props your chin up in the air and gives
rise to a feeling as though you were
braced around about by crowbars, with
no prospect of ever being able to sit
down again. Putting on a collar and
tie. yon don your outer garments and
sally forth, feeling as uncomfortable
and uneasy as though you had Just sat
down on a coat-tail pocket tull OF eggs


The Tribune calls Massachusetts,
''the state where thanksgiving was dis
covered" /"
Year: 1873

There was one who stood by the waters one eve
With the stars on her hair, and the bars of the


moon


Broken up at her feet by the bountiful boon
OF extending old trees-who did questioning grieve
=" The birds they go us two and by two;


The mono is mated; his bride in the boughs
Sits nursing his babe, and his passionate VOWS
OF love you may hear them the whole day through.
There is nothing that is that can yield one bliss
Like an innocent love the leaves have tongue,
And the tides talk low in the reeds and the young
And the quick buds open their lips but for this.
In the steep and the starry sences,


On the stormy levels of the lmitless seas
Or here in the deeps of the dark browd trees,
There is nothing so much as brave mans kiss.
There is nothing strong, in the stream, on the


land,


In the valley of palms, on the pinnacIed snow,
In the clouds of the gods, on the grasses below,
AS the sllk-soft touch of baby's brown hand.
" 1t were better to sit and to spin on a stone
Inc whole year through with babe at the knee,
With its brown hands reaching caressingly
Than to sit in a girdle of gold and alone.
" barren dull days, where never the brown
Sweet hand of babe hides back in the hair
When mother comes home with her burden of


care,
And over the life of her life bends down.
" 1t were better perhaps to be mothers of men,
And to murmur not much ; there are clouds in


the Sun,


Can woman undo what the gods have done?
Nay, the things must be as the things have BEEN"
Year: 1873

The LOch Earn Abandoned at Sea-The


Collision.


The crew of the Loeh Earn, which
ran into and sunk the Vile de Havre
have arrived at Plymouth. They were
brought into port by the British Queen,
which took then off the Loch E IN on
the 9th ult., at which time she was in
q sinking condition.


The account of the Vile de Havre
disaster, given by the rescued crew, rep
resents that the captain and the second
mate of the steamer came on board of
the Loch Earn shortly after the collision,
and did not assist in saving any of the
passengers, and that the majority of the
French crew exhibited lamentable cow
ardice.


The captain of the Loch Earn makes
the following statement of the circum-
stances attending the collision with the
steamer: After first sighting, and see
ing that she was coming dangerously
near, the captain of the Loch Earn rang
the ships bell and put his helm to port.
The helm of the steamer was put to
starboard, but she came right across the
Loch Earns bows. The people in the
first boat from the French steamer did
not say that she was sinking, but the
captain of the Loch Earn, observing
that the steamer was settling down.
sent out his boats. Neither the first
French boat, nor the second one, which
arrived shortly afterward, bringing the
first and second captains of the Vile de
Havre, attempted to return, but, in spite
of the expostulations of all the crew
who were left on board the Loch Earn,
and the threats of her mates to fire upon
them, they remained alongside the
Loch Earn. The clothing of the French
officers who reached the deck of the
Loch Earn was very dry, showing no
signs of their having been in the water.
Finally some Englishmen seized and
manned one of the French boats, and
went to the rescue of those struggling
IN the sea. Only one of the French
boats crew assisted in the rescue. The
captain of the IIoch Earn considers
that the great loss of life resulted from
the fact that his vessel drifted such
long distance from the steamer after the
collision, before it was possible to short
en- sail, from the tardiness of the steam
er IN showing signals of distress, and
from the misconduct of her crew.
Year: 1873

The statement that General Escobedo
is marching on our Texan border, bears
every impress of truth, and is to be
accepted as semi-oflicial. The rumor of an
engagement undoubtedly had its origin in
the fact ofthis movement of Mexican forces.
The object is plainly to retaliate for the
Mackenzie raid and to square accounts for
the invasion of Mexican territory by our
forces. When it is remembered that the


Mexican Government has preserved a
suspicious silence on the subject of
Colonel MacKenzie's movement, the
suggestion naturally arises that a
similar raid may have been inaugu.
rated in the spirit of revenge. 1t is more
than probable, however, that Escobedo has
organized a band of ruffians and maraud-
ers, all of them actuated, like himself,
with intense hatred against the United
States, for the purpose of plumber. 1t is
well known by those acquainted with the
character of the vagabond Mexicans who
live along the shores of the Rio Grande
that such an organization is quite possible,
and that Escobedo is just the man to lead
Year: 1873

The Politician and the statesman.


The difference between the statesman
and the politician is radical. The politi-
clan seeks to shape events with view to
personal success. He sees everything in
the light of his own aggrandizement. He
IS averse to new ideas and experiments,
lest combinations may be made too strong
or too subtle for him to control. His hori-
zon is bounded by his clique, and he re.
CARDS with favor only what is likely to
strengthen it, and thus serve himself.


The statesman chooses as his objective
the welfare of the whole people. Wide
and various interests ere to be considered,
harmonized, and made prosperous. He
may be as selfish as the politician, but
he has learned that the good of the indi-
vidual can only be certainly secured in
harmony with the welfare of the many.
And SO looking over vast areas of space
and through centuries of time he seeks to
organize the social forces in the sacred
interest of order, intelligence and liberty.


We have plenty of politicians, but
alas !! how few statesmen. Virginia, in
her palmy days, was prolific of genuine
statemen. She has her fair share now.
But they are not those who control her des-
times. Our hope of her future is that her
young men will study as models her WASH
ington, her Mason, and her Jefferson
model statesmen of Virginia-rather than
the clap-trap politicians who now infest
her borders and disgrace great ancestry by
their narrow-minded bigotry and lttleness
of soul. There are cheering signs Of
progress in the impatience Of the people
with their condition and their contemptu-
Gus rejection Of the small politicians who
assume to be their leaders.
Year: 1873

THE EFFECT OF WHIsKY.-Robert
Scott, an old colored man, who had just
gotten out of Jail yesterday, was brought
before Justice White this morning, charged
with being drunk and resisting the police.
He was sent to Jail for six months in de-
fault of surety. This old man, we learn,
is very well behaved when sober; indeed,
the last time he was in Jail his conduct
was SO exemplary that the warden of
that institution says he did not have oc-
casion to rebuke him once. Yesterday, it
seems, after getting out he got gloriously
tight, and it is said that every time he gets
in that condition he goes for policeman.
Such was the case ON this occasion.
Away from whisky this old man behaves
himself as well as anybody.
Year: 1873

DEAD BODY OF AN INFANT FOUND
INQUEST. dead body of white
female infant was found in the canal near
the Seventh-street bridge early Sunday
morning. Coroner w. III. Taylor was
notified and took possession of it and made
a post-mortem examination, from which he
ascertained that the child had been born
alive. A jury of inquest was summoned,
and after examining several witnesses.
rendered verdict that death was caused
by criminal negligence or i'll treatment
from some person or persons unknown.
Year: 1873

The Alexandria Gazette hopes that the
Conservative party will unitedly deter
mine to honorably prevent the triumph of
the Republican party at the fall election.
If they will use no other means we have
no fear but that the victory will be ours.
Year: 1873

e A GOOD HAY CRoP.-The Capitol
grounds have furnished fine crop of about
fifteen tons of hay this season.. There are
thousands of acres of land in Virginia that
would yield as good an one if the owners
would only think so and act accordingly.
Year: 1873

and the reason therefor, as detailed in the
statement Of Mr.. Pennypacker, together
with testimony tending TO show the iden-
tity of W. S. Goss with the body found in
Chester county. The results so far form
startling chapter in the history OF this
notable case
Year: 1873

FIf.NNAf t0I''
There was a Wild panic on the BOurse to-
day It was caused by the failure OF a leading firm,
which threw arze amount OF stock the market So
great was the excitement that business became i'm
possible Spectators have petitioned the Government
70 order a suspension OF transactions for several daYs
and d0pt me sures 20 mitigate crisis During the
hight OF the panic RotlschId and Schey were publicly
iusulted on the bOurse.
Year: 1873

4 portion of the people OF this State
have been engaged of late years. either as
actors o, aiders and abettors, in sowing
the wind. They may therefore. reason
ably expect within a short time 20 reap
the whirlwind. The Outrages Of two
years ago. when number Of armed riot


ers attacked and burned the residence Of
W. b. Philips and murdered Delos ".
White, and burned the dead body in the
ruins Of the house. seems 20 have pro-
voked spiri. Of retaliation which has al


ready caused some Of the perpetrators Of
the first named outrage. or those who
sympathized with them, 10 quake with
fear. NitLou: any other reasons for
flight than such as can be found in a
guilty conscience. "many families are
aeeing from Grant parish" Why are they
leaving III fright? Nobody has been
killed by the colored people. nor even
hurt. And so far as We can learn there
are 10 threats against any one who neg


lects to flee to lis ''snows and dens." or
his morasses and jungles, as the case may
be- The wicked fee when no man pur-
sueth. and the offenders Of Grant parish
having gone unwhipt of justice for two
years, begin to feel the alarms suggested
by guilty conscience The late horrible
murder Of Mcdonald in Jackson parish,
and the outrages reported from Franklin
this morning, are but examples which the
white people are setting up for the imita-
ton by the colored people. For the latter
will surely appeal to force at last for that
protection which the laws fail to afford
them.


When the time for retaliation arrives,
when the long downtrodden negro finally
decides 60 make use of those means of
defense furnished by nature to defend his
property and his life from pillage and
murder. there will go upa loud complaint
from those who are now provoking the
coming conflict. At present. these out
RACES are gingerly spoken of as popular
demonstrations. ''The citizens are assert
ing their liberties" and radical imperti-
nence is being properly chastised. But
when another class. more numerous than
the present disturbers Of the peace. and
composed of those who have at least equal
rights as citizens. man for man, resort to
violence in self-defense, the cry is raised
of NEGRO outrages," ''mob violence"
etc. The time is coming when there
will be no one to listen to these
alarming cries from those whose
injustice provokeS the wrath of their more
peaceably inclined neighbors. nor none to
redress even their actual wrongs. For
the negro is rapidly learning that if he
would have his rights recognized he must
fight for them. and he is determined to
have this recognition. We are utterly
opposed to all violence, but if the colored
people of this State can not be permitted
to live in peace without fighting for the
privilege, we shall not be the first to blame
them or pity such Of their victims as may
bring misfortune upon themselves. Those
who SOW the wind rarely ever like to
reap the whirlwind. though It is a law of
nature that they shall do 50.
Year: 1873

and directing them to assemble in the Me-
movement being 70 defeat the decisions
of the federal court and the ends Of JUS
tice sought 60 be obtained unde: the
operation OF law Intended % NEE: and
equitably determine che ease at issue.
The law in question authorizes the United
States marshal to employ military force,
if necessary, 20 enforce the DEGREES of the
court in suits brough. under il, and when
Judge Durell learned that Governor War
moth was disposed 90 disobey the laws Of
the federal government and treat with
contempt the DEGREES Of federal court,
he very properly asserted che au-
thority granted him for the suppression
Of such conduct by issuing the
order complained Of by the Virginia Leg
islature. The order was judicious one,
clearly just. and was issued to secure the
best interests Of society. The disorders
spoken Of by the Virginia Legislature as
existing in Louisiana moral social and
political--do not result from the enforce
ment Of law. They are the result Of dis


respect for both government and laws that
has taken possession Of certain individuals
in Southern society who seem determined
ito rule or ruin" It is high time this self


ish feeling was corrected. The selfish few
should be taught that the propagation of
error can not serve 20 enhance their
schemes Of selfaggrandizement. When
they are convinced of this they will cease
their useless agitation. and the country
Year: 1873

The party Of distinguished visitors now
in the city has been invited by the Cham
ber of Commerce to visit the forts and the
outlets Of the river to-day. and will leave
for below at an early hour this morning.
They will be accompanied by gentleman
who fully understand the wants of this
port. and who. We trust. will be able to
satisfy them Of the national importance
OF providing New Orleans with q good
harbor, or. 10 be more exact. with a suffi-
cient entrance 20 the one we now have.
Neither of the natural outlets OF the river
can be depended upon at all times for
varying occasionally through the agencies
of high and favorable winds to seventeen
or eighteen feet. We require from twenty
to twenty-five feet. The system of irri-
tating the bar and trusting to the current
to carry off the mud raised by the screw
Of the dredge boat has succeeded in main
tanning a depth Of about eighteen feet at
either pass: but when the active work is
suspended. there is a relapse of shoal
water. and all has 70 be done over again.


We are informed by gentlemen who
have made the mouth Of the river a sub
ject Of careful study for many years. that
the alluvium carried to sea by the current
sets TO the westward when it comes in con-
tact with the sea; hence the greatest
depth is found 60 the eastward, where it
is proposed to connect the river with deep
sea soundings by canal. This canal is
the grea: work which we wish to urge
upon the attention Of Senators Cameron
and Howe, for We hope to have the qres-
ton brought before Congress at the next
session.
Year: 1873

the north seas and the attractions of our
ocean and river route would induce them
to import their immigrants by way of New
Orleans. The recent loss of life on the
Atlantic steamer will cause passengers on
both sides of the ocean 20 LOOK Gos the
safest route.
Year: 1873

The attention of those who desire TO OBJ"
tain a pleasant summer residence in the
city is called to the advertisement of a
raised cottage to rent on st. Andrew street.
The terms are low, and much below the
usual rent, as the present occupants pro-
pose to leave the city.
Year: 1873

The friends of Madame LIE Vert in New
y'ork having invited her to give parlor
Seadings under the direction of a committee
OF fashionable ladies, " no desire thus to show
lheir regard for this talented and estimable
lady, she gave her first reading Friday night
Year: 1873

The Tribune says that some of the Con
gressmen have sold their copies of the Med
ical and Surgical History Of the Rebellion
for 500 apiece. As each member was enti-
tied to eight copies of the work, the ven
dors have made good thing Of it. 1t cost
the government $l25 copy to print the
book; but why find fault when it has prob
ably been placed where it will do the most
uOO1
Year: 1873

A Virginian writes to q Richmond
paper that he is opposed to the election
of an unmarried man for Governor; that
I've would not vote for his own brother
we've he bachelor. That il the way to
serve them. II a man is not willing to
take charge Of and support ono woman.
he docs not deserve to be a Governor or
any kind of official. lie ought not TO
be even allowed TO vote. what does q
bachelor know about anything7 The poor
cuss ought to have guardian appoint.
ed to look after and regulate him, till he
finds wife TO take care of him.