smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

An article in the Herald Of Health says
that one of the earliest efforts made to
obtain anything like fixed relation be.
tween height and weight, was that Of
DR.. Boyd, who weighed a number OF
inmates OF the st. Marylebone Work
house, England. He took the height
and weight of one hundred and eight
persons laboring under consumption, and
found that they averaged five feet and
seven inches in height and sixty pounds
in weight.


He then measured and weighed one
hundred and forty-one paupers who were
not consumptive. and found that their
average height was five feet three inches,
and that they weighed one hundred and
thirty-four pounds. This subject at
tracted the attention Of the late DR..
John Hutchinson, and he determined to
take the height and weight OF all classes
of persons in this community.


In this way he collected the height
and weight Of upward OF five thousand
persons. The following table, according
to his calculation, shows the relation
which should exist between height and
weight in healthy person, speaking
generally, OF course
Year: 1871

one more skillful than herself. The
stories of other fingers lost in twine
factories would differ but slightly from
this. A moments forgetfulneSs of the
danger, but one moment of yielding
to the universal childish impulse to play,
and the mischief is done.-From Children


Who Work, in .Scribner's Monthly.
Year: 1871

The curious fact that needle or other
steel wire inserted in a living body will
Immediately become oxidized, while, II
the BODY be dead, no oxidation will take
place, was recently brought to light by
Dr. Iaborde. OF Paris. This is simple
test as to whether death has taken place.
and will be available in cases OF trance or
catalepsy.
Year: 1871

But coming from the West to Vermont, this
is not the best way, if the question of econ


omy is 20 be taken into the account; for a
through ticket cOnn0t be obtained in the
West, by this route, to any point in this
State. 1t can only be had to Boston; leav-
ing the sojourner to pay again from there to
his home. And by the more northern routes,
ticket to Boston can be procured for less
money than to Burlington or Montpelier !;
but it will take the holder through these pla-
ces, where of course, he can get off, and sell
the balance of his ticket if lie don't want TO
use it himself So that if were to mark out
a way to the West and back again, l should
say, 60 out by way of Philadel phia and the
Allegheny mountains. Come back by one OF
the more northern routes, of which l should
prefer the Michigan Central, one Of the great
roads through Canada. across Northern New
York, and by the Vermont Central road home


No man can be thoroughly enlightened in
regard to the great West until be has seen
it. And while it will fail TO charm all who
do see it, 4 journey thither may be made
both pleasant and profitable. Then let every
man be persuaded in his own mind, and go
where it hketh him best-and peace be with
him wherever it may be. N.w.G-
Year: 1871

Among the prominent characteristics OF
the human mind-after the love of money,
and perhaps the fondness for display, of one
sort or another-the desire for travel may
safely be assumed to be one OF the most com
mon and powerful, at least until it has, by
experience, been measurably satisfied. Even
the little child, long before he knows anything
Of the value Of money, OF is able to distin-
puish between a brown stone front and log
cabin, is always readily tickled by the prom
iee of visit to grandpa's around the corner,
or to Aunt Betsey's, at the next farmhouse
the other side of the hill.


And while the love of money, except for
It's legitimate uses, is dangerous, and some
times destructive, and while the fondness for
display which il everywhere exhibited, tends
to weaken rather than strengthen the Chris
tian virtues the desire for travel-or rather
its gratification-adds to the capacity for
usefulness, and largely increases the sum of
human knowledge and enjoyment. And as
the means for its qualification increase, it be-
comes more general, until the people of all
countries, and especially Of America, are as
Year: 1871

DYING RICH.-The ship Britannia was
" ecked off the coast of Brazil, and had
on board a large consignment of Spanish
dollars. In the hope Of saving some of
them, a number of barrels were brought on
deck, but the vessel went to pieces 50 fast
that the only hope of life was by taking at
once to the boats.


The last boat was about to push off when
young midshipman went back TO see if
any one was still on board To his sur
prise, there sat man on deck with a
hatchet in his hand, with which be had
broken open several of the cask. the con-
tents OF which he was now heaping up
about him.


What are you doing here p shouted the
youth. Don't you know the ship is fast
going to pieces ?


The ship may 60, said the man; [
have lived poor wretch all my life, but
am determined to die rich


The officers remonstrances were an
swered by another flourish of the hatchet,
and the man was left to his fate.


We should count such person a mad
man, but he has too many imitators. Men
seem determined to be rich at all hazards.
Least of all risks do they count the chance
of losing the soul in the struggle, at any
moment.
Year: 1871

4 lady in Green Bay, Wisconsin, re-
Gently gave party at her house, at which
there were present eighteen babies, most
Of them with their mothers, and no less
than sixteen baby carriages were standing
in the yard at one time. A California
correspondent writing from Sacramento,
notes this event and makes it the text for
the following


How Southern California sighs regret
fully over such a paragraph? =? Instead of
sixteen baby carriages in one yard, what
do you think Of fourteen horses tied to the
horse rack before the door of one mar
riageable maiden?


Appropos Of these matters, little story
which occurred in my own experience.
When l was journeying across the conti-
nent atoot one day, as | was approach
ing Los Angeles, l came to house made
of rough boards, standing absolutely alone
in the vast clover plains. There was the
aforementioned number of horses hitched
before the door, and l thought from the
remarkably lugubrious countenances of the
people standing about, that there must be a
funeral. But when | went in to procure a
drink of water, | asked the boy, and he told
me with much giggling and ducking of his
head into his shoulders, that they were all
come courting his sister. This piqued my
curiosity at once; and l determined, if
possible, to get glimpse of maiden who
could exercise such potent attraction.


There were only two rooms in the house,
with an entry way between, so that only
one visitor at time could visit this Pene-
lope. The rest formed themselves into a
melancholy row or queue, waiting for their
turns to take peep through the crack of
the door. At the end of this queue sta
toned myself and soon found that, as soon
as they looked, most of them came back
again to their turn. There was one poor
fellow whose distress was pitiable. He
could only apply one eye to the crack, and
he kept dodging backward and forward,
right and left, as if 10 plead:
Year: 1871

EXTRAvAGANCE AMONG Business Men
Extravaganza in living is rapidly becom-
ing the besetting sin of all our large cities.
In fact, 1t Is getting to be one of our na-
tiOnal characteristics, and even foreigners
who visit US, and who are familiar with the
luxurious habits of the upper classes of
European society, are astonished at the
recklessness with which Americans now-a-
days spend their money.


In this respect, things are different with
us from what they were in former times.
The days of republican simplicity and fru-
gallty, when our fathers were content with
the gains Of legitimate business. and hon.
esty among the commercial classes was the
rule rather than the exception, having
given place to an era of fast living, as well
as acquiring wealth But the great
trouble with US is, that the personal and
family expenses of a large portion of our
business men, during the last few years.
have increased much faster in proportion
than their means of indulgence.


Formerly, the partners of every well-to-
do mercantile firm were in the habit of al
lowing large portion of their annual
profits to be re-invested as additional can.
ltai IN their business, and of living plainly
and economically upon the balance until
able to retire upon a competency. Now.
every young man, as soon as be becomes
established In business, in order to secure
his entree into society, must affect a prince
y style Of living, which compels him to
spend all his income, and sometimes to en-.
croach upon his capital.


1t is notorious fact, since the close OF
the war, with the great falling off in busi-
Year: 1871

Men seldom think of the great event of
death until the shadow falls across their
own paths, hiding from them the traces of
loved ones, whose living smile was the sun
light of their existence Death is the
great antagonist of life, and the cold
thought of the tomb is the skeleton of all
feasts. We do not want to 90 through the
dark valley, although its passage may lead
to Paradise and with Charles Lamb, we
do not want to lie down in the grave, even
with princes for hed-fellows.


In the beautiful drama of Ion, the in
stinct of immortality, so eloquently uttered
by the death. de- oted Greeks, finds deep
response in every thoughtful soul. When
about TO yield his young existence as a
sacrifice to fate, his beloved Cemantha asks
if they shall not meet again. to which he
replies | asked that same question Of
the bills that seem eternal-of the clear
streams that flow forever-of the stars
among whose fields of azure my raised
spirit has walked As / look upon thy
living face, feel that there is something in
thy love that cannot wholly perish. We
shall meet ag' in, Clematha."
Year: 1871

SHALL We MEET AGAIN The follow
ing is said to be one of the most brilliant
articles ever written by the lamented Geo.
d. Prentice


But that fat Of nature is inexorable
There is no appeal for relieffr from the great
law which dO0ms US to dust. We flourish
and fade as the leaves of the forest, and
the flowers that wither and bloom for
day have no frazier hold upon life than the
mightiest monarch that ever shook the
earth with his footsteps. Generations of
men will appear and disappear as the grass,
and countless multitudes that throng the
world to-day, will disappear as the foot
steps on the shore
Year: 1871

TIE AUTHOR OF THE Moon HOAX
Richard Adams Locke, whose death at the
age Of seventy -one years, Is recorded ID
another column Of this paper will have his
place in literary biography as the author
OF the most successful scientific imposture
of m dern times. THIS was the celebrated


Moon Hoax in which he narrated the


great astronomical discoveries that had


been made at the Cape of Good Hope by
SIR John Herschel IN 1885. The con-
struction OF the great telescope Of Lord


Rose had just then prepared the public
for astounding revelations concerning our
satellite, and the account of Mr. Locke
was readily accepted for truth everywhere


1t purported to come from the EdinJArQh
Scientific Journal, and appeared in the col
umns Of the san, of this city, which fact af-
fords the opportunity for the astrono mical
joke of the sun throwing light upon the moon,
An amusing controversy was excited in
the press between the credulous and the
skeptical concerning the pretended discov-
cries, but the general verdict was favora-
bic to them. The public was delighted
with the winged people that the tele> cope,
according to Mr.. Locke, had discovered in
the moon, and even some learned profess
sors in our colleges wrote TO the Edinburgh
Scientific Journal for fuller information
on the whole subject. Itrequires no little
learning and ability to tell this marvellous
tale with such verisimilitude even as to i'm
pose on the ordinary reader, and Mr.
Locks success in staggering the students
of science was remarkable indeed. This
success was due, in great part, to a minute
ness of detail resembling De Foe, aud a
dextrous use of technical phrases and ex-
pressions. For many years the Moon
Hoax was cut of print, and conld be found
only in the scrapbooks of curiosity-mon-
gers,b but in 1859 it was issued in I. pamph-
let by William Gowans, and had a wide
Y. Ercuing Post.
Year: 1871

What a multitude of frogs are Just


showing their heads out of water how


earnestly they give out that croak, croak


croak and their bright eyes show sin


gular excitement for such cold creatures.


See what gluey like substance, speckled


with numerous black spots, floats on the


water All that explains the agitation
Of the frog kingdom this morning. The
race Of these creatures Is not TO perish !;


provision is now being made for the next
generation Of these un,oveIy but interest
ing reptiles. The black specks in that
Jelly like substance are the eggs which
have Just been deposited, and the parents
are singing a merry ditty on the occasion


BY each one Of these female frogs above
one thousand two hundred eggs Will be
placed in the water. where the sun VIII
gradually develop the hidden life in each
dark speck. Has the reader ever traced
the growth of freq from the egg? Tie
process is worthy of observation. Let u
collect some Of that substance in which
the eggs are imbedded, and place it in
vessel, with some of the water and weeds
from the pool. We may now be able to
watch all the changes.


What is the first transformation The
eggs become marked with little burrows,
some vital power being clearly AT work
within. Next We see, in place of the egg,
a tiny lump of ielly-hke life, which clings
10 one Of the water weeds. How does II
hold on Bya small sucker which It clear
ly knows how 10 use Is this then the first
form Of the frog baby? The reader may
call it SO if he likes, but it IS not frog a.
all yet Mark the change; our bit Of Je ly
has acquired glls and tail, and see how
swiftly it moves in the water 1t Is now
really a fish, though called a tadpole. But
what Is going TO happen2 This Is the fourth
state. Whot next , \ pair of front limbs
are developed and 1t Is evident that the
creature does not intend TO remain a fish
it has reached the fifth transformation
But what has become of the long tail
Has part dropped Off Certainly not; it
has been absorbed into the animals system.
and will soon entirely disappear. We have
here reached the sixth stage of the frogs
life. The mouth now gradually widens, t
assuming the form which belongs TO the
fully developed reptile. Are the transfer
nations complete now No the most re-
markable change is the last. Hitherto the
creature has breathed by gills-a beautiful
living machine for obtaining oxygen from
water but now means must be provided
for breathing air. Lungs, therefore, are
gradually formed, and the whole series of
wonderful tranSmutatious Is complete
Thus our frog has passed through eight
changes, each bringing him one step near
er to that final shape and condition.-Cas
se}i's Popular Educator.
Year: 1871

The expedition viii probably remain at
the summit until May (sIx months) and one,
at least, Of it's members may possibly stay
still longer to make Investigations among
the early plants of the mountain region.
The report Of the expedition will be pub
lished IN the early part OF the summer, and
it's appearance Will be looked for with great
interest, as it will contain many important
scientific facts. The L. ) Signal Service
Department is cons dering quite strongly the
project of making Mount W ashington per-
manent point of observation in connection
with its system of storm reports.
Year: 1871

In order to avoid the coming storm we
make early preparations to descend the noun
tam, since our stay at the summit cannot be
much prolonged. TIE downward journey
is in some respects II ore difficult than the
ascent. but it Is accomplished without any
trouble worth mentioning, and IN very good
time-about two hours. We tried sliding
down the railway by fitting boards to the
middle RAIL- but the thing failed to work sat
isiactorily, and We descended nearly the
whole distance by the safer means Of pedes-
trian lccomOtOn.
Year: 1871

Enck's comet is now on its way toward
the perehelion, which it viii reach in jan
uary next. The comet will be telescopic-
ally visible some months previously, but
is not an object Of special interest to those
whose vision is unaided by instruments.
Astronomers will soou begin to point their
telescopes to the neighborhood where the
comet will be first seen. 1t has very
short peried-ozly three years and quar-
ter. The least distance from the sun is
thirty-two millions of miles, or about the
average distance of Mercury. The great
est distance is three hundred and eighty
seven millions of miles, or more than four
times that of the earth. This comet is
principally of interest because its period
of revolution has diminished to the extent
of about three days in the past eighty
years, fact which is generally accepted
as furnishing tina best proof of the theory
that the regions of space are filed with O
material ''ether" capable of retarding the
motion of the bodies composing the solar
system. Of course this resisting medium
would produce annual effects upon the
comet of few tous IN weight, that would
not be experienced in ages. But the re-
suit, though long deferred, is none the
less inevitaqle-earth, planets, and com
cts will all be eventually precipitated into
the sunr
Year: 1871

"If we nominate Grant, we shall GER
talnly be defeated. The public will stand
no more hOrse-iOckey and present taking
Presidents; we have had enough of them.
1 tell you, gentlemen. we must take a
new departure, and can tell you that we
of the East are determined that it shall
be done I have been rather quiet about
it so far, but want everybody now to
understand what think. When we take
hold of Grant, it will not be with silk
gloves on our hands. 1t has got TO be
done. We must throw Grant overheard
or we shall be defeated. ~ y Sten.
Year: 1871

Was compounded for those not inclined to ak
treme bitters, and is intended for use in cases
when some alcoholic stimulant is required in
connection with the Tonic properties of the Bit
ters, Each bottle of the Tonic contains one bot
tie of the Bitters, combined with pure SANTA CRUZ
RUM, and favored in such manner that the ex-
trems bitterness OF the Bitters is overcome,
forming preparation highly agreeable and
pleasant to the pala, e, and containing the medici
nal virtues of the Bitters The price of the Tonic
sl5O per bottle, which many persons think too
high. They must take into consideration that the
stimulant used is guaranteed to be of pure
quality. pure article could be furnished at
cheaper price, bnt is it not better to pay little
more and have good article? medicinal prep
aration should contain none but the best ingredi-
ents, and they who expect to obtain a cheap COM
pound will most certainly be cheated.
Year: 1871

The Russell rake for gathering lodged grain we
think the best, but for throwing sheaf, We think
the Buckeye the best. 4-t


The committe here would say to the public,
that they found the competition of machinery on
the ground very great, especially of Reapers and
Moving machines, and also of Plows, that they
think it a very hard matter to decide between
them, without seeing them to an actual test. We
think the durability and finish of the machinery
on exhibition would compete with the world.
There being no premium for self rake, they
would recommend for premium the Russell and
the Buckeye. --
Year: 1871

A MAN by the name of John Hess
committed suicide after breaking Jail in
Oshkosh, and numbering his wife In
Neenah on the night Of Feb. 25th. The
appleton Post in an extra says:


According to the verdict, he put the
revolver to his own head, and with his
own hand sent his guilty spirit into the
presence Of the Judge of all the earth.


SO died one of the wickedest men in
Neenah-a man who was not without
ability to do well in the world-a man
who six years ago, under the preaching
of Evangelist Potter, cried out openly
in church under the NEST powerful con-
victions Of sin and even went SO far as to
unite with the church of Christ and work
tor season in turning others from evil
ways-passed into eternity.


Yet this man, ensnared by the cup
maddened by liquor, turned from the
church, from the paths of virtue and the
society of good men, and became ten
times more the child of hell than ever.
Liquor ruined him, murdered his wife,
and drove him to this last terrible act
which terminated his miserable and gull
ty career.
Year: 1871

Mr.. EDITOR A week ago | took


occasion to notify young men that an


excellent opportunity is presented for
securing a situation OF great value, and
explained the necessary conditions to be
observed in seeking the place. [ now
have few words to add on the impor-
tance of making early application. The
opportunity for you, young friends, will


not long remain open. This is not one
of those positions which person may


regard with present indifference, saying
to himself, Il intend to look after this


situation by and by when [ have moth
ing more interesting on hand. " The


chance invariably eludes such young


men, They soon lose all thought Of ap-


plying for the place at all.


They see others coming into possession
Of the great advantages Of the situation,


and sharing its honors, profits, and hap
piness; they feel twiEge Of envy, and


turn away with an inward curse upon
that supernatural fatality which they sup



pose has with so much partiality bestow-
ed good luck upon others and denied
it to them.


Nonsense! There was no fatality about
it. They deprived themselves of the
good luck when they failed to make


prompt application for the situation of
which | am speaking. No1o, instead of


''by and BY" should have been their
emphatic word, and the arithmetic of
ages would not be able to calculate the


blessings which would have resulted from
one prompt, steadfast determination. For
many young man who will read this
notice, it is not yet too late to make the
important decision. TRUTH.
Year: 1871

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.-We had
tie frSU uhuuder otUru last Tuesday
morning, and as severe as any we have
witnessed within year. The rain came
down in torrents followed by hail cover
ing the ground deep enough to hide il
entirely.


Yesterday we were In thick fog all
day and this morning The roads arc
getting bad on account Of the frost leav
ing the ground, and we should not won
der, If our business men were to have
much easier times for while than they
really wish for.
Year: 1871

OUR efficient Justice G. A. Forrest
has taken unto himself a partner, not a
better half, as he ought to have done.
and still ought to do, bat a partner in
law, without mother Of that desirable
denomination, and is now prepared to-
gether with his partner (whether bette,
than heretofore we seriously doubt to
attend to al legal matters that may be
entrusted to their care and proficiency.


Referring our readers to the adyer-
tisement of the new firm of Forrest &
O'Rourk, we cheerfully and heartily re.
commend them to the patronage ot
our citizens, believing that they will
lever prove an honor to their profession
and welcome accession to their honored
fraternity.
Year: 1871

We notice the tug Kitty Smoke
gone from her winter quarters up the
river, and now alongside one of our
docks, where she is receiving some re-
pairs to her engine. and is otherwise
being thoroughly overhauled- She win
come out in the spring with Geo. Bart
lett at the wheel. and Joe. Harrington at
the throttle valve, bearing every appear
ance of a new tug.
Year: 1871

HAY BURNED Tuesday night
Feb. 2Sth, in the western part of Bril-
lion, in the large marsh, some two hun
dred tons Of Hay were burned, the Hay
was owned by the several farmers in ths
neighborhood, anG the loss is severely
felt by all. The fire must have beer
started by some one, either through
malice or accident. and the total loss is
not less than two thousand dollars. The
whole country was Illuminated through
the night, so that the light could be
seen even In this City.