smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

JOURNALISM. The conductor of
public journal who faithfully performs
his duty generally leads toilsome and
thankless life. With firm purpose to
do equal and exact justice he arouses
strong antagonisms and makes lifetime
enemies of many who, if he were en-
gagged in almost any other persuit would
be among his best friends. If he COM
ments with just severity upon the acts
of those who have been chosen 10 ad-
minister public affairs. he makes more
enemies than friends by SO doing If
he ignores or paliates the real or appar-
ent derelictions of duty on the part Of
the servants of the people. his motives
are impeached and his friends alienated.
If he tells the whole truth and nothing
but the truth regarding subjects in
which the public was interested, there
are oftentime those who think that this
or that detail ought to have been omitted,
and the list of his downright enemies or
lukewarm friends is again increased.
If he utters an honest opinion on a sub
ject of public concern and afterwards
changes his views and give expression to
the Thoughts and conclusions which fur
ther light aud more mature refexion
have convinced him are correct. he is
accused Of inconsistency and an intention
to accomplish purpose detrimental to
somebody's interests. We have limited
at only a few of the obstacles and diff
cultics with which the editor Of the
period comes in contact. But there is a
law of compensation that sets all things
even, and the faithful journalist receives
his share Of It's benefits in the end.
Year: 1875

There can be no doubt tha: the trnest
happiness is ever to be found at home
No man without home can be long
and truly happy. But the domestic
group can be productive of happiness
only when it is assimulated by affsc-
tion, and kept 10 union BY distreet
friendship. Then it tends to produce
as much happiness as this world is cap
able Of; and its sweet repose is sought
for by all sensible men. as even by the
wisest and the greatest. What can be
compared in our intercourse Of life with
the attentions on our family. with their
exhilerating smiles and undissembled
love? All this raises the gentlest and
most pleasing emotions, and calls forth
all the sentiments of uncontrolled ma
ture. What are the raptures Of ambi-
ton, the pleasures Of fame, the delights
Of honor, in comparison with this :?
Utterly worthless and insipid Hence
it is that we see senators aud heroes
shutting out the acclamation Of an ap-
plauding world to partake Of the endear


ments Of family conversation, and to
enjoy the prattling Of their children iD
their harmless pleasures. This is one
Of the pursst sources Of mirth. 1t has
influence, too, in amending the heart !;
for innocence is communicated by com
ing in contact with it; and the sweet
simplicity Of children tends to purify
the heart from the pollution that it has
acquired from moving in the world and
mixing with men. Into what an abyss
Of moral degradation should we not be
sunken we're it not for women and chill
dren. Well might the Great Author
Of evangelical philosophy have been de-
lighted with the presence of children and
found in them-what be 10 vain sought
among those who judged themselves
their superior-gosdDess and virtue.
Cicero, with all bis liberality Of mind,
felt the tenderness Of home attachment.
At one time be acknowledged that be
received no satisfaction in amy company
but in that Of bis wife, his little daugh-
ter, and--to use bis own language
..his honied young Cicero" Sir Thos
Moore. with biz great powers Of mind.
devoted a great share Of his time-be-
cause be knew it to be his duty and
felt it to be bis delight-to the amuse-
ment Of his children. Homer, in bis
Iliad. in the parting interview between
Hector and Andremache, has interested
the heart Of the reader in his terrible
hero by showing the amiability Of bis
Trojan chief, BY depicting him, while
standing completely armed for the bat.
tie field. taking of bis helmet that be
might not frighten his little boy with
its nodding plumes. How refreshed
are We by this scene Of domestic love


And how pleased to see the arm which
is shortly to deal death and destruction
among host Of foes employed in caress.
ing an infant son with the embraces D
paternsl love.
Year: 1875

By the disobediencs of lad in 1909,
a garden gate in Rhode Island was left
open and pig got in and destroyed a
few plants a quarrel between the own
ers Of the pig and the garden, grew out
Of it. which spread among their friends.
defeated the federal candidate for the
Legislature. and gave the State De-
mocratic Senator. by whose vote the
war Of 1912 with Great Britain was
declared.
Year: 1875

The American Geographical Society
has been furnished with important in-
formation about several national pro-
jects which are likely to change the
features of geography to some extent,
and which are worthy Of notice One,
which has been successfully carried
out-the Suez Canal-has separated
enti ely the continents of Asia and At
RIGA The proposed Isthmus Canal, to
open communication between the Pa
cifc Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, will
in the same manner divide the North
and South American continents But
there are projects to effect changes in
the territory Of this Republic scarcely
less interesting, though local, and not
attracting as much attention. Two Of
these may be specially mentioned, be-
cause they are near New York and con-
nected with the great csnters of COM
meree, and because there is reason to
believe they will soon be accomplished.


One is the Maryland and Delaware
Ship Canal to connect the waters of the
Chesapeake and Delaware Bays by the
way Of the Sassafras river. The cut
will be about seventeen miles long, and
besides this there will be required but
few miles Of dredging to make water
way, without locks, for the largest vss-
sells. It will be made through level
country, and there is no rock to be re-
moved The course is pointed out BY
nature, as has been shown by able en-
gineers, for the water flowing to the
Chesapeake Bay on one side and to the
Delaware Bay on the other rise at
nearly the same point. A gentle and
slight elevation forms the divide The
large peninsula-15O miles long from
north to south and over sixty five miles
wide at the widest part, comprising
more than three-fourths Of the State Of
Delaware. nearly all that portion Of
MARYLAND on the Eastern Shore and
the counties Of Northampton and Acco-
mac, Virginia, an area Of little less
than 5000 square niles-will thus be
made an island.


The distance to be saved in naviga-
ton from Baltimore to New York, the
Eastern States, and Europe is 225
miles, and to Philadelphia much more


No ship-canal project seems to be more
feasible or practicable, and if the vast
commercial wants and advantages be
considered. none would be more valu-
able to the commerce Of the Atlantic
seaboard. The other ship-canal refer
red to is that If Cape Cod, which will
cut off the peninsula Of Barnstable
from the mainland of Massachusetts,
| By this distance Of over 100 miles Of
dangerous navigation by the outside
route, Of more than sixty miles by the
inside route, will be saved for vessels
passing between the eastern ports and
those Of the North and South Public
attention is being directed more and
more to such works for the benefit Of
commerce. President Grant in bis
Message to Congress in 1873. referred
especially to this subject Of connecting
the waters of the interior and along the
seaboard. But whether Government
aid be afforded or not, the demand for
commercial facilities. private enterprise
and engineering skill will open valua-
Bile water ways to save time and popey
wherever necessary and practicable.
Exhaustive reports Of the projects will
soon be placed at the disposition Of the
! Geographical Society Cecil Whig
Year: 1875

Sheffield No. 2.

 The dreaded town.meeting day is over, and the anxiety about the High School proved to be without cause, as there was nothing said sbout discontinuing it, but as usual, a sum of money was appropriated for its support another year. The town also voted that the Centre district have . new school house built on the High School grounds. The Rev. Norman Kellogg has offered to buy the land where the old build ing now stands, and Mr. J. M. Benjamin will buy the building itself, and Judge Bradford will pay something toward hay ing it moved, as it joins his land. There is talk of select school being started for the children in the village who are just com mencing to learn. A school of that kind is what has long been needed and we hope it will succeed if started. The water has been up some, but not as high as it ire quently IS at the going off of tue snow, al- though there was much dsngcr of losing bridges from the great quantity of ice which almost rested against them, and which on breaking up suddenly, would take everything before it. In one place, by the large covered bridge. while some men were working trying to mako a pas sage for the ice, one young man was sepa- rated suddenly from the rest and found himself sailing off on . cake of Ice. and although knowing his great danger. they could net help laughing at his fright, but he was finally rescued without any serious damages......As the warm weather comes on the inhabitants of the upper part of the village begin to dread the raid of the owls who have g nest in large tree in the yard of Ar. Wm. Ssxton, and who claim all the chickens they can get their great eyes upon. There ought to be a turnout of the inhabi- tants to try and capture the nuisances be- fore they do much damage.

 SUBSTITUTE.
Year: 1875

Sheffield.

 The singing of birds and the murmering brooks proclaim that the spring time is here once more, and every heart rejoicss to think old winter is gone......Owing to the bad state of the roads and the high wa ter, very few people were at church on Sunday last. At the NJ. E. church, about thirty listened to Rev. Hoyt's missionary sermon and consequently the collection was quite small...... The times here do not seem to improve financially, and every one seems wanting in filthy lucre," but bet ter time will come some day, only wait . little longer.....The town held its special meeting the 9th, inst. It was voted to. erect district school house for the centre dis trict on the grounds of the high school building. A building committee was ap- pointed consisting of Albert Curtis, John Burtch, Charles Spur and Miss Mary Dew ey. This lady has great honor bestowed upon her if she is really elected to Q town office, for it was great condescension doubtless to many of our male citizens to vote for woman, and we presume they went to their homes feeling that they had made noble sacrifice of rights. We had hoped this lady might have been School Committee this year, for tho town holds no ohcr person so well qualified for this office as herself. Miss Dewey has freely given her services every Friday afternoon this winter to teach Elocu:ion at the High School, for which she has the thanks of all interested there......ReY. J. c. Hoyt leaves thls week for conference, SO there will be no service at the M. E. church next Sab bath......One night last week the people in the south part of the village were disturbed by hearing great wailing in the streets. Placing ourselves in a position to hear and see, we heard a sobbing vsice exclaim: My God My God! Why don't she coms'" while man was seen hurIyinG southward. The mystery was not solved until some days after when we learned that . young bridegroom of tender heart had been fer two nights successively to the evening train to meet his fair bride who did not come. She had been off on a vislt.. The second time of disappointment was too much for his feelings, so he made night hideOus with luis lamentations as he returned to his lonely cot. Remarkable Man !.....An amusing incident occurred here not long ago and has come to our knowledge. The wife of citizen while decking herself for church missed one of her extra curls, and after vain search was obliged to attend ser vice with but one. On her return: the master of the house was heard to wonder

 what was in his boot that felt so queer, and removing the same. the missing curl wal

 brought to light. Truly novel hair re-

 ceiYsr. JOHN.
Year: 1875

can be found, even among those who inhabit the lowest dsns of vice, who were more swift to pronounce Henry Ward Bsecher guilty, by doubts. insinuations, acts and jestures, which spoke as plainly as their tongues could have done, than the ministers of the Congregational church. and the deacons of the same, who simply reflected the light thrown upon them by their superiors. Mir. Bsecher has been g member of the Congregational church in good standing for fifty years; full half century of unexceptlonal standing and communion, and now, when in his old age, and with his grey hairs reaching even to his shoulders, he is dragged into cour: under filthy charge of crlme, of which the world even now is satisfied he is innocent, is it possible there is even Q shad- oW of truth in the above statement This is terrible accusation, and with some of the clergy and deacons, these words to our certain knowledge will not apply, even in the slightest degree but if in any case they speak but what is too true, it is indeed deplorsble. and betokens woeful deficiency in the chiefess of christian graces; viz, charity.

 If the assertion above be true in Gny instance, what motive can be assigned for such unchristianlike demeanor? Clerical jealousy has been suggested, and indeed we can conceive of no other possible cen dition of mind from which such state of feeling, as would prompt such con- duct could eminate. That Henry Ward Bcecher as pulpit orator towers away above any other preacher in this country, if not in the world, was years ago acknowl edged but must hls superior talents prove a curse to him, by exciting the jealousy of his brothers in the profession, and who, because he is far above them, seek the op- portunity, when every effort is being made by trio of conspirators to drag him down to destruction, to rise up against him and add their influence to that of the conspira. tors, by pronouncing him guilty before a ] word or syllable has been gwen in his de. fense We hope these instances are few but if any exist, those guilty know it, and in after life this knowledge of it will be ( sufficient punishment. The great Dr. TAl madge, with his eloquent Will somebody burn rag" will be compelled by his love of popularity before many weeks to ac- cept the fact that the whole world will thrust upon him, that the Rev. Henry Ward Boschsr is ss innocent of the crime of adultery, or the commission of GnJ sin aoAGtsuer, as his own pure and unde- | filed self.-ED. NEWS.
Year: 1875

The Beeeher Trial.-The defendant, the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, appeared on the witness stand Thursday of last week, to testify in his own defence agalnst the accusations of Theodore Hilton. If any person with ordinary intelligence will read MT. B's., evidence as far as it is given, and read it studiouslY; getting every point in it that can bear in the case either for or against him, and can honestly say Henry Ward Beecher, who has spent his whole life as Q successful preacher of the Gospel, can now in his old age swear Solemnly before his God, denying with great emphasls, each and every important charge and imputation made against him by Theodore Hilton, as he did in his testimony last Friday; and not be, in his opinion an innocent man, we shall indeed be surprised TAe respectable part of the press of the country have. since this eYi- dence has been given by Mir. Beecher unhssitatingly pronounced themselves perfectly satisfied of his innocence, and it is not too much to add that the world is already convinced of the fact, and should the case be closed without additional evidence of his innocence, it is thought the jury would pronounce him net guilty with out leaving their seats. We cannot illustrate the attitude of large part of the press on this question better than to quote the comments of the New York Star, which we clip from large number of press opinions republished in the Tribune, and which we select on account of it's brevity. The Star alludes te MT. Beecher's testimo- ny as follows.

 We do not need to say much about Mir. Beecher on the stand. We are not so much interested in bis manner as his matter. His manner was solemn, dignified, precisely what all honest men have expect cd from an honest man.

 1. He gives the lie direct to Moulton.

 ?. He gives the lie direct to Hilton.

 5. He denies emphatically, and with great feeling, that he ever committed adultery with Mrs. Hilton; that he ever solicited improper favors from her; or that she ever extended them to him. All the rest of his evidence, and all that is yet to come we regard as necessary, only in that it may settle the minds of many who are unable to understand that the wisest men at times are fools. Mir. Beecher'a verdict is one of the certainties of the future. It can be felt in the air, seen in the eye of every person in the court plaintiff included-and detected in the con yersation of every man who talks abou, the case. The week closed superbly Nothing better could be asked.
Year: 1875

New Milford.

 "Neighbor lockwood" has been repeat ed at McMahon's Hall, during the past week. The different parts in the play were spoken admirably, even better than the first time. Our New Milford band played several sweet pieces between the scenes, which made tue time seem shorter and pass away much more pleasantly than it otherwise would have done, had that part of the entertainment been omitted. .. A fine span of horses ran away last Friday morning, which occasioned considerable excitement among our towns people for a short time The horses were frightened by strap breaking to the harness, and for a few moments they travelled faster than any fine race trotters in the country. The gentleman driving was thrown without much ceremony from the conveyance, but fortunately was not much injured. The horses were at last captured, and everyone was thankful (particularly Mir. Warner the owner of the team, that no serious accident resulted from the runaway. c. H. Booth & Blirn's store has been going through thorough repair, but is now nearly completed. A partition in the back of the store has been removed, which makes the dry-goods room much larger, also new and handsome window lights improve the front of the building, and the store looks very inviting and attrac- tive to all....".The huge masses of ice which have been blocked together in the bed of the river for the past few weeks, have wearisd with their stayin New Milford and passed down the stream. Outing theIr sojourn here the water has necessarily flown along the bank, many people were fearful lest it should net return to it's original place. We are now happy to state that since the ice has taken it's departure the river has returned, and the waters are fiow- ing along as peacefully and tranquilly as before they were disturbed.

 c A. T.
Year: 1875

Original greenbacks-frogs.

 Men who never do wrong seldom do anything.

 Correctly don't seem like a very hard word yet they all go down because they can't spell correctly.

 Rhode Island bristles with spelling matches. Some of the dictionary words reach clear across the State.

 Zion's Herald has an article on " Hindrances to Faith" though the reader will peruse in vain for any mention of tight boots.

 It is said that nothing will cure poets affection for his idol sooner than to catch her at the dinner table excavating the kernel of hickory nut with hair-pin.

 A widow was weeping bitterly at the loss of her husband, and the parson tried to console her. No, mo-" said she; "lct me have my cry out, and then I sban't care anything more about it."

 An economical farmers daughter in Massachusetts put off her wedding day because eggs were up to forty cents a dozen, and it would take two dozen for the wedding cakes and pudding.

 A prominent Detroit Universalist, some months ago, married red-headed widow with four children, and last week remarked to friend: II was blind when believed there is no hell. see now"

 A countryman who came to the city recently visited the No. 3 engine house, and set his watch by the steam gauge of the engine, which measured twenty pounds of steam. Cincinnati Saturday Night.

 Nevada brides won't stand much foolish. ness at their wedding. Recently one of them while going up the aisle of the church stopped short and kicked all the skin eff the shins of groomsman who trod on her trail

 A paper in Southern Illinois regrets that it went to press "one day too early to record the death of John Bates" This is quite as cool as the paper which said "Just as we are going to press, John Smith Is being run over by the cars."

 A man who was sentenced to be hung was visited by his wife, who said: My dear, would you like the children to see you executed ?" " No. replied he. "Thats just like you," said she, "you never wanted the children to have any enjoy ment."

 This is the season of the year when tho farmer tells his son John, that if he will sort over ten bushels of potatoes, feed the stock, repair that fence and reshingle the corn-crib he may have the rest of the day to go rabbit-hunting.
Year: 1875

Sometimes up and sometimes down,


GLORY, hslielujah %


One week there is abundance of goidi
the next week it is bowling wilder
ness whose dirt viii not pay. Just
now the " no gold " rumor Is at Inc
top; it may be the other way again
before this reaches our subscribers
Year: 1875

the commanding officers; the former stand
ing on an eminence and giving the signal
agreed upon for the slaughter after the emf
grants had been decoyed out Of their strong
hold by flag of truce. The wounded had
first been hauled ont end were dispatched
There were thirty white men and large
number of Indians The details OF the kill
ing of the mer, wo men and children, sur
pass in horror all that has ever been written
concerning the massacre, and are more terri
bic, atrOeious. and bloody than the most viv-
ID Imagination cen conjure; St Bsrtholo-
news Day and the utmost barbarity of hu-
manity absolutely pale before the siekeninz
tale
Year: 1875




The annual auction of pews IA Ply
mouth Church took place in that build
ing last evening. Shortly after SIX
0 clock the house was lighted ard
thrown open, and in half an hour the
whole edifice was crammed. The vast
audience was composed of the regular
members of the Church, ladies and
gentlemen. and pretty extensive
sprinkling Of strangers. These latter
we're, Of course. curiosity-seekers, and
their presence was readily detected. SO
different were they in appearance from
the regular hdbituss Of the church.
For more than half an hour before tie
time appointed for the sale of seats q
commotion was made in the halls and
passage WAYS of the building
by men who passed to and fro
up and down hurriedly, talking
together, making entries in little books
and whispering aud meeting and cscap
ing from each other. Some few ladie:
joined in this mysterious business. but
many Of them seemed to be advising
land urging the men, and whispers ant
entries in the little books seemed t.
follow from their advice. It Afterwards
turned out that all the running and 60
ling and talking vas speculations on th'
result of the coming auction and the Ell
ltries in the books were bets on boil
sides Of the subject. Some were Q
|opinion that the proceeds would ex
Iceed the returns of last year. an
lothers were doubtful that their expee


tations on the point would be realized
| A few minutes before seven o'clock Nj


Beecaer made his appearance on tn
platform in front Of the organ An
said -