smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

The Bolivians give this plant the
name of Jipagapa, town in the rcpub-
lie of Ecuador, which is the principal
seat of the hat man lfacture-"Panama, "


like "Mocha in the case of coffee, and
"Brussels in that Of carpets, being a
misnomer. Before the leaf has begun
to open-when, in fact, it resembles q
closed fan-it is cut off close to the
petiole, the base of which forms the
center of the crown of the hat. It is
then divided longitudinally into strips
with the thumb nail, the thick part form.
ing the mid.rib being rejected. The
number of shreds into which it is di-
vided of course depends on the fineness
of the hat into which they are to be
manufactured. This split leaf, which is
of greenish white color, is next dipped
into boiling water, then into tepid water
acidulated with lemon juice, and lastly
it is allowed to soak in cold water for
some time, and afterward dried in the
sun. Each hat is. or ought to be, made
of a single leaf. They vary in price, &C.
cording to fneness, from thirteen pence
to as many pounds. The damping and
drying operations cause the shreds to
assume curled or cylindrical form,
which much increases the strength with
out injuring their pliancy. Before plait-
ing, the coarser qualities are damped
with water, but the finer sorts are left
out in the morning dew, and worked on
before sunrise. A hat of the finest
quality, made out of single leaf, will
take several months to make it complete,
and the plating will be so fine as hardly
to be perceptible at a short distance.
The plant is ly no means difficult to
cultivate, and is one of the most hardy
species of the genus. 1t grows well in
the damp heat of an orchid house where
the temperature does not fall below
sixty degrees.
Year: 1876

for he had never known us to come of
from days liberty sober. But when
We had all come over the side and re-
ported ourselves to him his countenanoe
changed. He could hardly give credit
TO the evidence of his own senses.


"' Look here, boys, he said, after he
had examined us thoroughly, what
does this mean2'


"'Show him the paper, whispered ].


"Jack had our pledge. and without
speaking he handed it to the captain.
He took it and read it, and his face
changed its expression several times.
At length l saw tear start to his eye.


Boys, he said, as he folded up the
paper, 'let me keep this and il You
stick to your noble resolution you shall
never want friend while live.


." We let the captain keep the paper,
and when he had put it in his pocket he
came and took us each in turn by the
hand. He was much affected, and I
knew that the circumstances made him
happy. From that day our prospects
frightened. Jack Small no more had
our envy, for he took hold and taught
us in navigation. and We were proud OF
him. On the next voyage we all six
were rated as able seamen, and received
full wages, and we left not that noble
hearted captain until We left to become
officers on board other ships.


"Jack Small is now one Of the best
masters in the world, and I believe that
the rest of our party are still living,
honored and respected men. Three
years ago we all met-the whole six of
us-at the Astor House in New York,
and not one of us had broken that
pledge which we made in the hotel at
Rio. -Four of us were then commanders
of good ships, one was merchant in
New York, and the other was just going
out as American consul to one of the
italian cities on the Mediterranean.
Year: 1876

A dreamy philosopher has discovered
that mosquitoes are animated by the
souls of wicked men who have gone to
their last account. For punitary pur-
poses they are doomed to spare Ger
tain time every year in their cold. earth
ly hauuts, and they take advantage of
their new form to torment the good
people, who were their especial aver
sion during their sinful lives in human
shape: After three years in the mos
quito life, they turn into grasshoppera
and "go West"
Year: 1876

THE REAsoN.-A wealthy Bostonian
died recently and left all his property to
his wife on condition that she married
again within eighteen months. A friend
OF his who knew of his purpose pre-
yious to his death said to him: "
should think you would dislike the idea
Of another man enjoying your money" |"
I" He would not be likely to enjoy IL
much under the circumstances, was
the reply.
Year: 1876

The San Antonio Herald OF the sixteenth
says:


In reply to an attack made on the press
by the Governor, charging exaggeration
and unreliability in regard to the publica-
ton Of murders and other outrages, we
stated that in this part of the State not
more than one-half Of the outrages ever
reached the public through the newspapers.
Our inference was based TO some extent on
our repOrtorial experience. and partly on
the statements of parties who had every op-
portunity of knowing Of the extent of the
lawlessness that prevails on our frontier.


A correspondent of the Freie Presse has
the following confirmation of our assertion
that not half the Outrages are reported:
"Highway robbery has become quite q
common occurrence. Not one-tenth part of
the capital offenses are published In the
newspapers. l can fill You up wi ole
column with murders and robberies that
have taken place west of San Antonio, of
which no newspaper has had word to say.
The reason for this is to be found in the
fact that such affairs have become of too
frequent occurrence to merit attention, and
the honest people are ashamed to publish it
to the world, that the locality where their
homes are is = perfect paradise for thieves
and sc0undrels."
Year: 1876

Acting Governor Antoine has directed
Assistant Attorney General Dibble to take
possession of the Office and perform the du.
ties of Attorney General till successor to
Colonel Field is appointed and qualified.
Year: 1876

ny LUNA $. PECK.
hawk once couried a little white dove.
With the softest Of wings and a voice FUN Of love
And the hawk-O yes. as other hawks e.-
Was well-euough hawk. for aught that l know


But she was a dove


And her bright young life


Had been nuriured in love,


Away from all strife
Well she married the hawk the groom was delighted
feast was prepared, and the friends all invited
Does any one think that my story's not truce
He Is certainly wrong the facts are not new


Then he few TO his nest


With the dove at his side


And soon all the rest


Took squint at the bride
hawk for his father. hawk for his mother.
hawk for his sister and one for hrs brother
And uncles and aunts werc there by the dozens
And o. such number OF hawks for his cousinsi


They were greedy and rough,


A turbulent crew.


Always ready enough


To be quarelsome. too.
To the dove all was strange. but never a word
In resentment she gave to the wrangng she heard:
II thought Of the peaceful, faraway nest
Ever haunted her dreams, throbbed in her breast


No bird ever knew;


Each hour Of her lie


Kind. gentle and true.


Was the hawks dove-wife
But the delicate nature too sorely was tried:
With no visible sicAless the dove dropped and died
Then loud their grief and the wish all expressed
To call the learned birds and hold an inquest


So all the birds came


And each shook his head:


No disease could he name


Why the dove should lie dead
Til wise old owl, with knowing look
Stated this ''rhe case Is clear as a book;
No disease do find. or accidents shock
The cause Of her death was--Too MUCH HAWK!
Hawk for her father. hawk for her mother
Hawk for her sister and hawk for her brother,
Was more than the delicate bird could bear:
She hath winged her way to a realm more fair!


She was nurtured dove;


Too hard the hawks life
Void Of kindness and love-


Full Of hardness and strife"
And when he had told them the other birds knew
That this was the cause. and the verdict was true.
Year: 1876

Harry and Emily had become settled
in their new home Months of undImln-
ished happiness sped on Harry was re-
cciving large interest for his property,
and Emily was saving by her economy.
AT last Harry began to feel restless he
must be doing something. 1t was too
great luxury for business man to be
Willing away his time at home. But,
whether these vague notions afOat in his
brain were ever put into execution re-
mains to be divulged


why. Harry, where have you been
What have you been doing | have
been looking for you this long time


''Ha ha ha well. here i am. Emil
ly, safe as your Gagged canary" said
Harry. as he pressed loving kiss upon
his wife's cherry lips.


Now it is too bad, you are too cruel.
Harry, to be luxuriating about the city,
while / sit moping at home alone. And
this Is not the first time either; for this
whole week you have not been at home
once till dark, and 90 away so early.
Why, don't have any time to see you. .


..No matter" said Harry. drawing his
young wife close to his bosom, I'VE must

comprise our love in a little sPace-it
will be all the sweeter."


Il don't care, said Emily. Il wOn't
put up with it I shall call you to al
account"


..Now dOn'ti' said Harry, coaxingly
looking askance at his half-pOuting. half
serious wife.


Il am in earnest, Harry if yOu wer
IN business would be the last to cal
you from your duties. but as You ar
Year: 1876

See on those ruby lips the trembling breath.
These cheeks now fading at the blast OF death
Cold is that breast that warmed the world before,
And those love-daTting eyes must tell no more"
Year: 1876

It was only broken chord of song


That sang itself, the ivelong day,
Over and over in my heart,


And always in the same sweet way
Always beginning low and soft,


Live tenderly spoken " Love, goodnight 20
And ending in glad and joyous strains,


Like morning psalm when the world is bright.
And the hours of the day were woven in


By the mystic thread OF the haunting song,
That somewhere out of the vanished past,


Sent forth its witchery clear and strong;
Something akin to the song of birds


When the sky is flushed with the coming dawn,
Yet sad as the thoughtful hour which comes


When the last red light of the day is gone
Beautiful echo that drifted back


From the far-Of shore of the long ago,
Over the wide and rugged waste,


Where never the winds of gladness blow,
Bringing tho odOr of wildwood flowers;


The laughing song of the mountain rill;
The green, glad fields where the cowslips grow
And the gleam of waters calm and still.
Sitting alone in the twilight still,


Whose mantle covers the earth with gray,
NV heart is touched and my eyes grow dim,
AS the glow of the sunset fades away,
And feel the presence of unseen guests,
That out of the shadOwy regions throns
And I know they have crossed from the farther


shore


On the slender thread of The sweet old song.
Year: 1876

to give shelter to criminal, but, of course,
our laws must be obeyed by our own execu-
tive, and strong grounds have to be shown
before we should alter our law on a point
where it has been solemnly recognized by
many treaties. The truth is, our extradition
treaty with the United States is very INSULT
cient. Negotiations have long been going
on for its improvement, and it is to be hoped
the present complication will hasten them.
Meanwhile, it will be remembered, all we
ask is reciprocity, for already by our own
act, we could not try an English forger
surrendered by the United States, except for
the commission of a crime which might be
proved by facts established in America 1t
is a matter of wonder that this question has
not arisen before, but now that it has been
raised, our government would appear to have
no discretion in the matter"
Year: 1876

THE only way for an editor to get a
dead-head ticket to the Centennial ex-
'hibition is for him to have his photo
graph taken, to be gummed on his ticket.
This is in order to enable the door-keeper
to see that the editor who presents the
ticket is the one to whom it vas given,
not some friend to whom he has lent
his privilege.
Year: 1876

YES, this is leap year, but yon won't
see young ladies who have any respect
for themselves standing ON the street
corners, watching the boys hold up their
pants as they wade over the crossing"
Year: 1876

THE reports from the Black Hills are
encouraging. The entire population has
left off digging for gold and gone to spec
ulating in town sites. Gold mining is an
uncertain and demoralizing pursuit, but
specializing in real estate is one of the
solid industries of the country.
Year: 1876

NIAGARA, Ont, responds to the Ken
tucky meat shower, by reporting a rain
Ofgoose-eggs, with the explanation that
they probably fell from a flock of wild
geese which had become bewildered in a
storm and were unable to reach their
usual laying place.
Year: 1876

The immense shower of flies which fell
on the snow of Ontario last month is sup.
posed to have originated in the same way
as the Kentucky fall of meat. These
flies are said to be about three times as
large as the ordinary mosquitoes, and are
thought to have been waited from the
West Indies. 1t is probably the first
time that Kolus ever undertook to
whistle Shoe Fly.
Year: 1876

THE people of Georgia do not believe


in newspaper quar-els. The grand jury
bf Polk county, at its recent session,
made the following report to the court
after returning several indictments:
g We also feel it our duty to censure the
course and conduct of our two newspa-
pers toward each other, and urgently re-
quest the two editors to cease wrangling
about themselves and branch off into
agricultural articles, or others that will
tend to develop the interests and welfare
III onr cOmntrYn
Year: 1876

A REMARKABLE case was decided in
the New York supreme court recently
Josephine Ash brought suit, through her
guardian, against Henry Astor, one of
the well known Astor family, for S2O, 900
damages for assault, alleging that, in
1869, Astor violently pushed plaintiff,
then only four years old, from chair,
causing such internal injuries as to Grip
pie her for life. Her father testified that
the girls backbone was around her hips,
and that she was compelled to go around
the house on all fours; and that she is
now unable to walk or care for herself in
any way; and that Mr.. Astor made him
promise not to tell any body, saying he
would put $1,000 in the bank for the
child, which he never did. The jury
found verdict for plaintiff for the full
amount claimed, and the court added
81 900 for costs.
Year: 1876

A Fort Madison (Iowa) correspondent


of the Burlington Hawkeye relates the


following ngextraordinary occurrence: "We


notice an account in tO-day's Hawkeye
of a sad accident which occurred in this


city on the 18th instant, in which Ger


man named Stephen Pollmeyer lost his
! life by the caving in of well thirty feet
deep. The article was correct as far as
the writer knew, as no one at the time, IL
was written had any idea that the acci-
dent would result in anything but instant
death. Such, however, was not the case,
the circumstances of the affair being as
follows: Two men were engaged in clean
ing the well, when the man below (said
Stephen Pollmeyer) called to his COM
rade to draw him out as the well was
about to cave, but before he could be
drawn out the sides caved, covering him
up. A force of men were at once put to
work to extricate the mangled (as they
supposedly body of the unfortunate man.
They worked steadily in wind and rain
until midnight, when one of the work
men, merely out of curiosity, called Poll
meyer by name, when what was his sur
prise TO hear, as he supposed, voice from
the grave answer him. At two o'clock
in the morning the buried man made the
alive, NTOu :
sake help me OUT Shortly afterward,
upon lifting large stone they discovered
the head of the dead-alive man. But he
was so completely wedged in that they
did not get him out until five O'Clock,
after having been buried for eighteen
hours. He was perfectly conscious, and
related the following story: Seeing the
wall about to cave in, l supposed my
time had come, and shortly after l found
myself in total darkness, with a large
stone resting against one cheek, and one
over my head, forming a complete arch.
l could breathe without any trouble, but
could not move. 1 think fresh air must
have reached me along the rope, which
| had hold of at the time of the accident.
| could distinctly hear the men at work
above me endeavoring to extricate me.
came very nearly sIIffocating the last
halfhOur, as the men working above me
packed the earth so tightly that it was
almost impossible for me TO breathe.
feel very sore and stiff, but l think l will
be around again in few days. will
not attempt to describe my feelings while
| was buried alive thirty feet Deep


Upon finding that the man was alive.
a physician was called, who prescribed
for him, and at last accounts he was doing
well. Truly this seems like a miracle"
Year: 1876

1t must be distinctly understood that no
lobby influence shall be allowed to defeat
Mr. Killian's bill for the protection of pas
sengers on the street railways. This meas
ure is to be introduced into the Assembly on
Tuesday next, and its motto is mo seat no
fare" But for the lobby such law would
have been passed long ago. and the disgrace
and discomfort of overcrowded cars, which
have been common to all the roads in this
city ever since street railways were built,
would have been prohibited. Even as late
as last year lobby influence destroyed q
measure of this kind, and simultaneously
with knowledge Of the present bill comes
the warning notes of activity in the lobby.
This time, however, the corruptionists must
not be allowed to triumph. Every member
will be held to the strictest accountability in
this matter, and the committee to which the
bill is referred must be made TO feel that it
would be perilous to smother it. In q word,
the railroads must not be allowed to buy the
Legislature, nor the Legislature to sell
measure so necessary to the protection
of the people. Every member who
directly or indirectly opposes it will incur a
responsibility involving his political future,
and punishment will be made to follow dere-
liction. Already the agitation of this ques-
ton has resulted in great increase of ac-
commodation, as was noted yesterday, after
the severe storm Of the previous night, espe-
cially on the Third avenue line. Now that
the reform has begun it must not stop until
there is seat provided for every passenger
and sufficient accommodation for all. This
can only be secured by some such measure
as that proposed by Mr.. Killian, and the
passage Of his bill is a necessity.
Year: 1876

few days ago the innocent crocuses we're
blooming in the neighborhood of New York
and the imprudent young shrubs had
budded into delicate green. The air was
soft and bland and the spring seemed to
have come up from the islands of the Carib-
bean Sea- 1t is no wonder that the crocuses
and the buds, poor victims of misplaced
confidence in Spring, should have trusted
this gentle wooing. But Spring is the Iago
of the year-superfcially mild. balmy and
ethereal, but at heart treacherous, vindic-
tive, dabolical. No sooner had this malig-
nant season succeeded in its base deception
of Nature than it disappeared. Winslow
did not take his departure for Europe more
abruptly than spring did for parts unknown
The world woke up to find it gone, and in
stead of it the dynamite fend, Winter, ex-
ploding his wrath. The wind which had
been zephyr became gale, sweep
ing the city with a velocity of sixty
six miles an hour, and playing havoc
with roofs chimneys, steeples and
the shipping. The thermometer, after
acting all winter like an insane acrobat,
now sank into a hopeless decline. The
climate realized the Swedenborgian idea of
hell, which is that the wicked are alternately
plunged into the extremes of heat and cold,
and the whole community was obliged to
take kind of internal Turkish bath. The
next day it grew warmer; but Winter had not
exhausted his resources. On single night
snow fell in this region to the depth of
seven inches-a wet snow, which soon be-
comes mud, and then water and then ice,
and then slush, but through all its evolutions
never changes the fundamental basis of a
nuisance. Tomorrow it will probably thaw
or freeze, or we might have thunder storm
In the afternoon, and then fog and few
cases of sunstroke to wind up with.


Yet they call all these things Probabilities
In the old time, when the four seasons were
steady, they would have been called impos-
sibilities. Then Spring was Spring and Sum-
mer was summer, and people knew what to
expect of them. Painters and poets were
safe in their descriptions. They could
truthfully portray Spring garlanded with
blossoms, Summer crowned with flowers,
Autumn burdeped with fruit and Winter
clad in furs. But now the artist who would
depict Nature as she is, not as she ought to
be, must paint Spring in an overcoat, with a
cold in her nose Winter in straw hat and
white breeches, Autumn with an umbrella
and Summer ON skates. In truth, there are
no longer only four seasons-there are FIVE;
the fifth includes all the vices and mono of
the virtues of the others, and it lasts all the
year round. Next to Spring we believe this
new season to be the worst of the whole
lot; but for devilish malignity, Mephis-
tophelian ingenuity and general cussedness
Spring cannot be beaten, as this year she
will prove.
Year: 1876




What has become of the brains of the
democratic party2 They have handsome
majority in the House of Representatives in
this year of Presidential election. They
ought to be conscious that the country is
watching them carefully to see by what
spirit they are animated. In one matter
they had really great opportunity to gain
the confidence and good will of the people
of all sections, but they have miserably
thrown it away.


There are a considerable number of petty
offices about the House, such as doorkeepers,
post Office attendants, document folders, &c.
These places involve slight labor, and are
well fitted for the support of soldiers dis
abled in the late war, where on moderate
pay. they could feed and clothe their little
families. The republicans of the House
never in spite of their pretences of love for
the Union soldiers, gave all these places to
such poor fellows. They always reserved
considerable number for favorites who had
not served in the Union armies, and for this
they were often justly reproached.


But what have the democrats done? They
no sooner get into power than they kick out
these poor Union soldiers and fill their places
with men many of whom are mere politicians.
We published last Friday list showing
that in the House post Office alone ten Union
soldiers. nine of them crippled by their
wounds, had been thus flung out. We have
since then received from the same corre-
spondent who sent US the previous list
another, which shows that in the Clerks
Office eight more Union soldiers have been
turned out, and in the Doorkeeper's Office
twenty-three others have been dismissed.


One wonders at the folly or stupidity of
the democratic leaders who permit such
things to be DONE especially when they had
before them o course in this matter which
had they pursued it, would have enabled
them to enact really fine stroke Of
policy. Many of these petty places were
filled by the republicans with mere politi-
cal hangers-on who had no claims as
soldiers. Suppose Speaker Kerr and Mr.
Morrison, the leaders of their party, had
given orders that no Union soldier appointed
by the republicans must be disturbed, but
that the places held by men who had not
served in the Union armies should be va
Gated and filled with disabled soldiers of the
Confederate armies. That would have been
truly centennial policy. 1t would have
shown sound sense and patriotism. 1t
would have appealed to the good feeling of
the whole country, and the men who fought,
on both sides, would have been pleased. In
stead of that the democrats kick out the
Union soldiers and put in their places, in
many cases, parcel of mere political favor
ties, who have no claim whatever, except
that they are some Congressman's friends.
tits not easy to have patience with party
whose leaders have so little tact and so little
decency.