smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1870

In a recent case before the Supreme Judi-
cial Court at Portland Judge Walton laid
down the law on the liability of towns for


accident arising from defective highways, a.
follows


The law says towns are to make their
highways safe and convenient, but it does


not mean that they shall be absolutely safe
so that no accident can possibly happen upon
them. 1t does not require them to go to an


unreasonable expense in constructing and
building them-the term safe, in law, means
| no more than reasonably safe.


Whether the road is or is not reasonably
safe is question for the jury. 1t depends
on so many circumstances that it is as impos-
sible to lay down rs a rule of law what shall
constitute sufficient state to make a road


safe. The jury should take into account the


character of the road, the purposes for which
| it is used, the kind of travel, the face of the
earth over which it is made, whether it is


great thoroughfare in city. over which peo-
pie are passing in carriages and on foot, so


as to occupy almost the entire street. or


whether it is in remote neighborhood in


some interior town. Everything that enters


into the judgment and estimation OF prudent


men, or citizens of a town should be taken
into account by the jury in determining
| whether a road is or is not reasonably safe.


1t is not the design Of the law to convert


towns into insurance companies, and to


make these responsible for any accident that


may happen upon highway
Year: 1870

THE INTEREST BILL.-The bill before
the Maryland Legislature, to increase the
rate of legal interest, wos defeated in the
House last week by vote 27 to SO. The
bill, while it continued the usual rate of
interest at six per cent. authorized as high
as ten per cent. to be charged, provided
an agreement to that effect be made in
writing The Baltimore Sun thinks that
the bill would have stood better chance
of success had it contained a provision
that for money lent on mortgage or other
real estate security not more than six per
cent shall be received. The opposition
was mainly from the country memberA
and such provision as the above would
have tended to molify them.
Year: 1870

GOLD AND Business The trade is re-
covering from the paralysis brought on by
the decline in gold, and most of the large
houses are now quite busy. Plenty of
Southern buyers are on hand, and the
Western men begin to flock in pretty fast
There is not much likelihood of really
active spring trade, but it will probably
be better than was expected when the gold
crash came. Stewart and Claflin are turn
ing out an immense quantity of goods dai-
ly, but | doubt if they are muking money
There has been a great decline in prices
and most of the sales now made afford no
profit, while in many ses, as | am in,
formed by wholesale men, goods are sold
much below the prices at which they can
be replaced. This means, of course, that
when the new stock comes in prices will
be higher. Wall street is again compar-
atively quiet, the late whirlwind having
blown over, and the bulls and bears being
engaged in taking breath for another
scrimmage. The excitement during the
latter part of last week was quite as Bed
lamish and bewilderng as that witnessed
when gold was kiting above 200, but it
has subsidcd, temporarily at least, and a
stranger might go into Gold Room now
without imagining himself in lunatic
asylum. The specie payment spurt, star
ted some ten days ago by few enterpris-
ing saloon-keepers, is fast exhausting it
self and may not hold out much longer.
Fisk still keeps it going at his Opera
House-on rather a small scale though
and at some other places small silver is
still given out in change, but unless gold
falls to par, or near it this specie payment
movement won't last.-N. Y. Cor. Of the
Boston Post.
Year: 1870

JTOW OFTEN IS THE HOUSEHOLD
i 4 loaf buried with the household head, and
Fl miles that might have been comfortably
N orided for, lett destitute by the want Of
proper foresight in its deceased protector?
Year: 1870

"A somnambulist walked off an Erie
express train while it was going at the
rate Of forty miles an hcur. The train
backed down to where his mangled corpse
was supposed to be lying, where he was
found, still asleep, and uuinjured.
Year: 1870

PoLIrrcAL AsPERIrIEs.-Somc of the
republican speakers who participated in
the political discussions of the late canvass
have complained that several of our DEM
ocratic speakers allowed themselves 70 in
dulge in aspcrities of expression and per-
sonality of illusion that were unusual in and
unsuitcd to decent controversy. Ofcourse.
if the facts are as stated and the law of
fair retaliation did not apply, We have moth
ing to say in defence ofthe parties charged
with thus offending against good TASTE
But the complaint does not stop here
The people of the county have been ar
raigned for inviting Northern men to buy
their lands and then turning upon and
abusing them for their northern birth and
opinions. Now, We have many Northern
men settled in cur community, and we
have yet to hear of the first case of dis
courteous treatment in our county of any
one Of them because Of his birth or opin-
ions. 1t is neither the birth nor the opin-
ions of this class that have excited the i'll
will of our people, but the aggressive in
ter-meddling of comparative strangers
with our politics, SIN brief. if any body
has been rudcly treated, it is neither. the
Northern Radical mechanic nor the North
crn Radical farmer, but the Northern Rad
ical politician who has made war upon our
social habits, our educational and other
systems. and our political conduct
Northern men who have settled here and
who have been content to mind their own
business. who have not sought to excite
hurtful and dangerous divisions among
our people. to tax and rule us through the
instrumcntality of an unlcttered and land
less class, have been treated with as much
kindness, as much neighborly regard, as
we treat one another 1t is only the
Northern Radical politician who has been
differently treated. ani differently treated
he will continue to be.
Year: 1870

FICE.


For more than quarter century
the East has held a monopoly of the
insurance business of this country,
especially the life branch of the busi-
ness. The official reports Of the va
ri0us State Insurance Departments
show that there is annually drawn
fro-n the country and c9ncentrated In
New Ycrk and a few New England


cities, an immense sum of money.
Last year it amounted to about
seventy million dollars Only about


ten per cent. of this comes back ia


payment Of current losses. hence the
working capital of tho West is de-
pieted to the tune of sixty millions.
There is probably withdrawn from
our State every year not less than two
and half or three million dollars !;
and even our own city contributes an
nually sum equal to the capital of her
/ largest bank. In view of these facts,
which can be proven By official re-
cords. ID il any wonder that capital


should be scarce and the rate of inter-
est on money highsin the West. while
IN the East it is usually a drug2 It is
difficult to conceive of more suicidal
4 policy than that which has been pur-


sued By the West for many years In


this matter Of life Insurance. There
/ seems to prevail a crude notion that
the East alone can supply the


brains ard the capital necessary


to conduct the business successfully,


and this idea attaches itselfin great.


er or lesser degree to other branches


of business as we'll as insurance. We


Of the West are content TO grow corn
and wheat, and raise the pork. and
4 leave all the more cultivated and gen


.lemanly employments to the people


of the East. And why should this


be the case2 Have we not all the ia.


clllties tor managing our own affairs
! that they possess in New England
( In this matter of Insurance, for ex
: ample. does not the West present 4
: condition of affairs infinitely more
: favorable Tor it's practice than tht


East2 a Life Insurance Company ii


practically a savings bank. No
more than twenty per cent. of the pre-


miums paid IN 60 to cover ths
current death losses The balance i


simply a deposit with the Company
} | to be improved &C interest and pait
: back to the depositor &C some futur
t time-on the happening of a contin
/; gent event, or after the expiration Q
( a stipulated period. When we pa.
t . premium to an Eastern CompaD,
we should recollect that, on an aver
/, age, less then twenty per cent. OF !
r IS for insurance.. e., 10 cover th
r current death -risk-and the othe
I eighty per cent. is simply a deposit
& Who of US would think Of depositinl
S our money IN Hartford Bank, wher
I money is worth less than six per cent
E when we can loan it at home on rea
] estate security at ten per cent. Ye
Z the people Of Indiana do this annual
a " to the amount of two million dol
g lars or more. And why2 Simply be
i, cause they are blinded to the rea


facts of the case by the veil of insu
]. rance which hangs over it. We thin
4 it IS the duty Of our business men t
Z examine into this matter. and if the


find the condition Of things IS "
e have described them and they assul
Il edly will-to adopt such steps as the
n may deem proper to check this res


and rapidly advancing evil.
Year: 1870

THE Lafayette Journal says ut is
a curious fact that the Democracy
never think of inaugurating.a reform
movement when they are in the as
cendant." Of course not Wherev-
er the Democracy are in the ascend
ant economy and integrity character
ize the administration of the Govern
ment-honesty is the rule and extrav-
agance or fraud the exception.-iStote
Sentinel.


Of which New York City is q
bright and shining example.
Year: 1870

CINcIENATI, May 23.-The general
Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian
Church Of North America. did not
accomplish much to- day. A recess of
an hour was taken In the forenoon. to
enable the Board Of Home and For
eign Missions to meet and finish
their reports


An effort was made to get a recon
sideration Of the vote on the report
of the Committee on the Signs of the
Times, in order to secure mOdifica-
ton Of the clause touching the action
of a sister Church on the marriage
question.


It was argued by some that this
would be construed into a reflection
upon the action of the United Pres
byterian Church. A motion to re-
consider was lost.


DR.. McMaster called up the report
Of the Committee on Union with the
United Presbyterian Church.


The remainder of the afternoon
was consumed in the discussion of
preliminary questions, so that the
main question was not reached.


The committee will open the de-
bate to- morrow morning. No limit
is placed on speakers. so that much
time will probably be consumed.
Nothing has yet tranapired to indi-
cate the result, though the opponents
of union are very sanguinc, and say
the friends of the measure cannot
marshal more than twelve votes. Phil
adelphia was selected as the place of
the next meeting, to occur IN the
Fourth Presbyterian Church, on the
third Wednesday in May, 1871.
Year: 1870

You ask me, Love, what is the charm that


makes my eye grow bright,
The rose to mantle Oh my check. my feet


move quick and light,
My joyous voice come ringing forth in


merry song and jest
Nay, Love! the charm you ought to know,


it came at your behest-
There's nothing like a happy heart to


smooth from off The brow,
The lines of Care, the touch Of Time, and


mine is happy now,
For Love, the potent one, has laid his mag


ic wand OH me,
And at the touch joy filled my heart, tho


left no longer free.
True love for Thee, that's the charm that


fill, my soul with light,
That thrills my very being through with


rapture, deep and bright,
Till like the fabled king, my sears back on


their course have turned,
And brought me youth, come listen dear


tfisle have learned
In love alone the tount of youth is ever to


be found,
Then let us quafi the joyous draught-


what tho we may be bound?
The chains are losy, fragrant, light, their


weight we ne'ershall feel,
AS we OH brow, on cheek, on lips, our love


with kisses seal.
| love thee! oh! love thee! yet why the
tale repeat?
Save that the echo from thy lips falls OH


my ear so sweet,
That / would never tire of it--but ever


seek to hear
The words do not need to know, am to


thee most dear.
Year: 1870

At K;ngston, Canada, Il dry goods
clerk was recently accommodated with
the loan of revolver to blow out bis
brains with, in order 20 spite a l.dS
who had rejected him and married
another. On sober second thought,
lie sold The revolver ani got drunk.
Year: 1870

great deal OF indignation has been manifested BY
the citizens of Trenton against the proposed anend


ent to the city charter, lately introduced into the
Legislature, providing for the establishment Of q
select council, to be composed Of nine members,
VINO shall be elected at the general election and
have power to revise the action OF the Common
Council. The bill possesses many objectionable
features and ID opposed by . majority OF the Com
mon Council and citizens generally. meeting
Will be held this evening to take measures against
IT, and petitions are being circulated calling for an
indignation meeting.
Year: 1870

One little black duck, one little gray,
Six little white ducks running out to play,
One white lady duck, motherly and trim.
Eight little baby ducks bound for swim!
One little white duck holding up its wings.
One little bobbing duck making water rings.
One little black duck turning round its head,
One big black duck--guess he's gone to bed.
One little white duck running from the water,
One very fat duck-pretty little daughter.
One very grave duck swimming off alone,
One little white duck standing on a stone.
One little white duck walking with its mother,
Look among the water reeds, maybe there's an


other,


Not another anywhere? Surely you are blind,
Push away the grass, dear; ducks are hard to


find.


Bright little brown eyes DER the picture lnger!
Point me all the ducks out, chubby little finger!
Make the picture musical, merry little shout!
Now where's that other duck What is he about
l think the other ducks the incest duck of all;
He hasn't any feathers. and his mouth is sweet


and small,


He runs with light step, and jumps upon my


knee,


And though he cannot swim, he is very dear to


me.


One little lady duck, mOtherly and triH;
Eight little baby ducks bound for swim;
One lazy black duck taking quite nap;
One little precious duck, here on mammals lap .
Year: 1870

A Dose FOR MosoUIToEs.-As the
season for these pests is approaching
we will give a recent South Carolina
prescription which we have seen. We
cannot vouch for it-but it will cost
little to try it. Take off gum camphor
a piece about one-third the size Of an
egg, and evaporate it by placing it in
a tin vessel, and holding it over a
lamp or candle, taking care that 1t
does not ignite. The smoke will soon
fill the room, and expel the mosqui-
toes. One night was terribly an
noyed by them, when thought Of and
tried the above, after which | never
saw nor heard them that night, and
the next morning there was not one
to be found in the room, though the
window had been left open all night.
Year: 1870

There sailed out noble ship one day.


From port by a bourdless sea;
And she carried the hopes of many a soul,
As with music and banner she gave the whole
Of her parting from port of glee!
Ne'er sailed ship with more pride and state,
Meier sailed ship. with more precious freight
There were souls of worth-there were parting


hands,
There were brows of beauty and sundered bands !
There were sturdy men, who no danger fear;
There were lisping tones, that we love to hear;
There were lovers and husbands, and careless


mirth.
As the ship sailed gaily away from the earth!
There were pride and power, and strength untold,
The pride of wealth and the power of gold;
There signals afar, and the cannon's boom,
As she went down the narrows to meet her doom


Far out on the trackless sea!


Far out on the boundless sea!
And at sunset hour, on that happy day,
The landline of home far behind her lay


So sailed that noble ship away
There sailed from that port, t,co ships that day,


Far out on the treacherous sea:
1ncy DOtu Wclou duCuOT Wucu tne uOOnlluc lay
All calmly north'ard across the bay
Only one was seen as they sailed away,


And one was under the lee.
And the ship unseen carried never a soul,
And its helm was held at Deaths control;
And it had no banner or cleaning sail,
As it onward sped with no signal hail
Within it no lovers, or husbands, or wives.
Within it no hOpes-and no precious lives
But within it, alone. is a shadowy form
Who maketh a jest of the gathering storm


Deaths pilot bark under the lee!
For the grand old ship, in its pride and state.
Rushes on unchecked to its terrible fate.


Far out on the limitless sea,


With pilot boat under the lee
This shadowy pilot assumed the sway,
When the ship left port on that happy day
Unseen-yet seeing-to guide the way,


Never more,


To the shore


That has passed away,


Or haven on Englands lee.
Through the heaving bilow and passing zone,
He is guiding that ship to the great unknown!
Friends look in vain-months pass away;
No tidings-no word-srnce that fatal day;


No message from the sea
And never again shall the noonline lay
For that noble ship on the quiet bay
AS when from that port she sailed away.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Chicago Journal.
Year: 1870

The TOMATO.-Dr. Dio Lewis con-
demns the free use of tomatoes, as
causing bleeding of the gums, loosen
ing Of the teeth, and irritation of the
membrane lining the intestinal canal.
The Newburyport Herald thinks the
Doctor is right, and the editor says
his observation tends to confirm that
opinion. He says:


1t is certain that we'll person does
not need medicine, for the very fact
that it is adapted to a diseased state
of the system proves that it cannot be
also adapted to the opposite, or
healthy conditions, as in the latter
case it very frequently creates the
very symptoms that it cures in the for
mcr Homeopathy, fact which all
schools of medicine now recognize to
a greater or less extent. The tomato
is eminently medicinal, it having, as
is well understood. specific action
on the liver, as direct and almost as
potent as mercury, the analogous &C.
ton of the two articles being indica-
ted also by the secondary effects On
the gums and teeth. But as the TEN.
permanent and dietetic habits of Amer.
leans predispose them to billiousness
in the warm season, moderate use
Of tomatoes-Dr. Lewis says spoon.
full at a meal-may not only prove
inocuous but extremely beneficial
while making principal dish of them
as is often the custom, from theil
healthfulnesS having been so much in
sisted on, should be discouraged.


A PERSIAN TALE; OR, LITTLE
THINGS NAY BE UsEFUL.-There was
once a prince who, being much dis
pleased with one of his mobiles deter
mined to punish him. The prince
commanded that he should be shut ur
in a high tower. Into this towel
there was only one entrance, which
was walled up Immediately after the
nobleman had been placed there
Thus all hope of escape seemed to bt
cut off, and the unhappy man was lef
to perish. Inside the tower there va.
a long winding staircase, by which th'
prisoner reached the top. While
looking down from there, he observed
his wife, who had come, indulging ;
faint hope that she might be able, b.
some means or other, to aid her hus
band in escaping from his place o
confinement. On inquiring if sh
could be of any service to him, he re
piled: "Oh! yes; 60 and procure
black beetle, little grease, a skeil
of silk, a skein of twine, and lons
rope" The poor wife fastened tt
obtain what her husband asked for
wondering, no doubt, at the strange
ness of his request. She soon re
turned, furnished with the things
Her husband then directed her to pu
the grease on the beetles head, t.
fasten the silk to its hind leg, tn
twine to the silk, and the rope to th
twinc, and then to place the beetle O.
the wall of the tower. On being Sc
at liberty on the wall, the beetle
smelling the grease on its head, an
not being able to discover where
was, crept up to the tower in scare


OF it till it arrived at the top. Th
nobleman caught it, and taking tn
silk from its hind leg, carefully dre'
it up. When he came to the end
the silk he found the twine, and mex
he came to the rope. Fastening thi
to crook, he let himself down, AM
thus made his escape.
Year: 1870

Now can it be possible that in a
handful of centuries the Christian
character has fallen away from an
imposing heroism that scorned ever
the stake, the cross and the axe, to q
poor effeminacy that withers and willis
under an unsavory smell? We are
not prepared to believe so, the Revcr
end Doctor and his friend to the con
trary Notwithstanding.
Year: 1870

Of all the reports which we have had from
Rome regarding infallibility the most impor-
tant by far are the latest, which state that the
Archbishop Of Algiers has left Rome for Paris
for the purpose Of ascertaining the views of the
Emperor on the dogma of the personal infalli-
bility of the Pope, and that ''the Pope has
yielded to France and withdrawn the project
of infallibility" 1t is impossible to exag-
gerate the importance of these announcements.
The Pope is trembling. He has no royal or
imperial pillar on which to'lean. He is pain
fully alone If the eldest son of the Church
would help him he would help the eldest son,
The Church is in trouble. Napoleon could do
much to relieve it Of all its difficulties. Will
he sanction infallibility2 If he does the Holy
Father may yet be in Paris, and Napoleon the
Third may before he dies become the Lords
anointed. The Council began by despising
the temporal princes. 1t began in the spirit
that of old brought emperers, barefoot and on
naked knees, for forgiveness and q blessing.
This mission of the Archbishop of Algiers
shows to oil the world that the times have
sadly, perhaps badly, changed. The tables
are completely turned. The Emperor is now
greater than the Pope. Is Napoleon up to the
high r6se of Charlemagne? Now is his
chance. Will he again surprise the world
We wait to see.
Year: 1870

The War In Cuba-Rough Work for tho


The armies sent out from Spain seem to melt
away in the island Of Cuba, as the rivers from
the mountains disappear in the sands OF the
Arabian desert A month ago, from all that
could be gathered oa the island in the way Of
information by Mr.. Plumb, the insurrection
was at an end, or so near the last ditch as to
be reduced to few struggling bands Of que
rillas in tho mountains; but from the news
which we publish this morning itwould appear
that the revolutionists are still able to grapple
with and defeat a Spanish force of two or
three thousand men.


On Christmas day General Pueblo left
Nuevitas with force of three thousand men,
promising to make short work Of the ''insnr-
gent rabble" in their mountain retreats. On
New Years day he was met, "tackled" and
defeated by General Jordan, the Spaniards
suffering loss Of thirty-six officers and four
hundred men killed and wounded-a very con-
siderable battle and a very important
victory for the Cubans. It breaks up
Puello's campaign and gives Jordan (pro-
moted to the supreme command of the
liberals) pretty fair opening for cutting up
the Spanish detachments in detail. The pros
pect now is that there will still be much fight
ing and bloodshed in the island before the
Cubans are subdued; and still the question
recurs, is it really impossible for the govern
ment Of the United States to do anything to
bring this bloody business to an endp Is
General Grant so tied up In red tape that he
can move neither hand nor foot to extricate
himself or Spain or the Cubans from this
diplomatic entanglement9 Has he given up
Cuba as Gordian knot which cannot be
united, with the indefinite postponement Of the
Alabama claims? We think that some reso-
luton of inquiry in Congress tomorrow would
probably result in throwing little light on
both these subjects.