smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

On the eastern declvities of the pass,
the side turned toward the desert, the
granite and associate rocks which form
the sharp peak San Gorgonio extend
down the valley of the pass in a success
sion of sharp ridges, which, being devoid
of soil and of vegetation, stand out in
bold and rugged outlines against the
clear, unclouded sky of that desert re-
gion. 1t was on these projecting spurs
of San Gorgonio that the phenomena of
growing were seen. The whole surface
of the granite over broad spaces was cut
into long and perfectly parallel grooves
and little burrows, and every portion of
1t was beautifully smOothed, and, though
very uneven, had fine polish While
contemplating these curious effects, the
solution of the problem was presented
The wind was blowing very hard, and
carried with it numerous little grains of
sand. A closer examination disclosed the
fact that the whole of the polished sur
face was envelOped in an atmosphere of
moving sand, and it was through the
grinding and rubbing of these minute but
numberless quartz atoms that the rough
surfaces of these rocks had been made
smooth, and the natural grooves deep
ened and polished. "Even quartz" he
observed, twas cut away and polished
garnets and tourmaline were also cut and
left with polished surfaces. q
Whenever a garnet or lump of quartz
was imbedded in compact feldspar and
favorably presented to the action of the
sand, the feldspar was cut away around
the hard mineral, which was thus left
standing in relief above the general sur
face. From Popular Science Monthly
for January
Year: 1876

A SHORT PRoMoTIoN.-A few days ago
freight conductor on one of the rail-
roads went to the superintendent and said
he ought to be advanced, having served
on the freight for several years. The su-
perintendent agreed with him and told
him the change should be made the very
next week. And it was made. The su-
perintendent day or two after took a
seat in the rear end of one of the coaches
TO see how the new conductor would take
to business, and pretty soon the official
danced into the door, cap on his ear,
sleeves pushed up and half-acre smile
on his face.


"Get out your pasteboards " he shout
ed, I'm thehigh muncky muck that runs
this train" and then, turning right and
left, he continued


Fright bowers this way. Play lively,
pass or order up. How's trumps with you I
Slide you right into Chicago. Hurry up
there, trump this ace. What kind of a
hand do you hold, old mani
There was something novel and exhil-
arating in his style; but yet the superin-
ltendent called the conductor up stairs the
next day and told him that he was the
best man in America to run a freight
tram, and that he should have to promote
him backwards. He was too talented fol
a passenger conductor.
Year: 1876

SUNSET AND SUNRIsE.-The sun sets
on some retired meadow, where no house
is visible,with all the glory and splendor
that it lavishes on the cities, and, per-
chance, as it has never set before, where
there is but a solitary marsh hawk to
have his wings gilded by it, or only a
musquash looks out from his cabin, and
there is only some little black-veined
brook in the middle of the marsh, Just
beginning to meander, winding slowly
round decaying stump. We walked in
so pure and bright light, gliding the
withered grass and leaves, so softly and
serenely bright, 1 thought had never
bathed in such golden flood, without a
ripple or amurmur in it. The west side
of every wood and rising ground CLEANED
like the boundary of Elysium, and the
sun on our backs CLEANED like d
gentle herdsman driving us home al
evening.


So we saunter toward the Holy Land,
till one day, the sun shall shine more
brightly than ever he has done; shall
perchance shine into our minds and
hearts, and light up our whole lives with
a great awakening light as warm and Sc
rene and golden as on a bank-side in
summer.
Year: 1876

ARAB HORSE Observation-Disclosures
Murray, in his Golden Rule, " mentions
these as Arab horse maxims Whose
raiseth and tr raineth a horse for the Lord
is counted in the number of those who
give aims, day and night, in private as
we'll as public. He will find his reward.
All his sins will be forgiven him, and
never will any fear come over him and
dishonor his heart. Observe your horse
when he is drinking at the brook. If in
bringing down his head he remains square,
without bending his limbs, he possesses
sterling qualities, and all parts of his
body are built symmetrically. Let your
colt be dOmesticated and live with YOU
from his tenderest age, and when horse
he will be simple, docile, faithful and
Injured to hardship and fatigue. If you
would have your horse to serve you on
the day of trial, if you desire him to be a
horse of truth, make him sober, accus-
toned to hard labor, inaccessible to fear.
Year: 1876

expressed his surprise that the General should have
made such statement, and said that there was not
word OF truth II, brushed IT out of his way in
this Notwithstanding by Contemptuous gcsture)-and
went


O. Was anything said touching the Sylph de-
spaich as explained by General Portery A. Nothing,
except that assured the President that myself did
not believe one word Of the statement


q Al this time what pubic position, II any did Gen.
eral Porter hold A. None He the ex-prvate
secretary OF the President and warm personal friend
of General BabcocS and taking lively interest IN
Babcockis


q Were he and the President on good terms? A.
They were, to my best knowledge upon intimate


z. Did the President become angry when you told
him OF this explanations A He Indignantly denied
that there was any truth IN the statement


q. Do you know whether General Porters relations
with the President subsequent to this time as
friendly as before, or have you him thereS A.
Down TO the second day before the close OF the Bab
cock trial believe that General Porters relations with
the President continued precisely the same.


Q. What reason have you to believe that friendly
relations continued between the President and General
Porter A. saw General Porter visiting Washington,
and learned from him of his visits to the White House
SUNDAYS when he came down.


q You had that from General Porter? A. Yes sir.


4. Where does he livey A. He lives in New York
city.


q. BY Mt Paisted-Do you believe that this cxpla
nation OF General Porter of the 'Syph despatch was
intended TO deter you from doing your duty the
prosecution OF General BabcockY A. Most undoubtedly
l did and 90
Year: 1876

OTHER suns THAN OuRs MIR Proctor.


in Que Of his lectures on the subject Of
g Other Suns than Ours declared It q
fixed fact that all stars were suns. Ey-
cry star visible to the naked eye on the
clearest night was the center OF worlds
like our own, and although the most
powerful telescopes are still unable to re-
veal the circling planets. tue imagination
could certainly discern the millions of
worlds clustering around each Of these
hundreds Of thousands Of bright suns


The nearest star TO our system was Aide
baran, In the constellation Centaur, n
star only visible in Southern lautudes.
This star was 200, 900 times as far from
the earth MS the sun is and, its size was
much greater that of our sun, being about
l,l25,U00 miles IN diameter. The next
nearest star, Sirius, was much larger than
Aldcbaran. Astronomers knew that this
star was at least certain number Of bii-
lion OF miles from our system, but Inv
much more distant they could no. tell.
The lecturer supposed that the progress
OF life in this myrads OF world waA about
the same rs it is In our system, ard for
every inhabited world there were tl,cG.
sands ofwoflds upon which life was eth
or extinct or had not yet begun. The
thought Of death and desolation were so
predominant in the univers was not mel
ancholy to the lecturer as it might be "
many Q hers. The same change was 20.
ing on in the life and death Of oil these
worlds as It is seen on every hand nnd
among all thing that are at any time en.
dowcd with life and ocing.
Year: 1876

What 1t Means and Where to Get 1t.


The introduction Of IN article into any mar
ket that has tendency to lessen the cost OF a
necessity to the consumer should always be
hailed as public benefit. Competition in the
salc Of almost anything will enable the pur~
chaser to drive better bargain with the pro-
Queer. The recent sale in large quantities Of
anthracite coal at very low figures in New York
has started the speculator on fresh scent He
talks Of i corner on coal, and how 1t will
double in price between now and-some time.
He realizes more than the consumer does that
coal will never touch those prices again. 1t
cannot be mined and put through the breaker
alone for those figures.


The efforts Of the Watson Coal aud Mining
Company to introduce their celebrated Cart
sherrie coal into this market will, we hope,
meet with the SUCCESS itdescrves. Its re1narka-
BILE freedom from impurities, great heating pow
or and cheapness, commend it specially Tor
household use. It is similar to Briar Hill and
Eric coal, and costs much less. The Union Roll
ing Mills at Bridgeport G,nsumc annually over
$4,000 tons Of this coal. This TACT alone is suit
tcient guarantee OF the character Of the coal. It
can be had at Nus. 10l Washington street, 192
East Twelfth street. and at the orth Pier
Year: 1876

In the town OF IIopkInton, Mass, lived
certain Deacon Small In bis advanced
age he had the misfortune TO lose the rib
of his youth. After doing penace by
wearing weed on his bat full year, be
was recommended TO certain widow
Hooper, living in an adjoining town
The deacon was soou astride OF his old
brown mare, and arriving at the Widows
door be discovered her in the act Of turn
Ing the suds from her wash tubs. Said
the deacon: Ii this widow Hooper,
Yes, sir, was the reply. Well, continued
the deacon, am that little bit Of an old
dried up Deacon Small, and have only
one question 10 propose TO you. Please
propose, sir. Well, madam, said the
deacon, have you any objection TO going
TO heaven by the way Of Hopkintonr Z
None At all, deacon, was the reply. Come
In, deacon. Suffice II 70 say they were
married the next day.
Year: 1876

rock neAr the edge Of The pond, Asd


seating himself upon Il, watched iol


some bours, but the goblin frog wa


neither to be seen OF beard.


lie has run away, said Pete; bat III
KIN hlm, II be Is anywhere ON the face O


This green earth


lie then moved along down the oanyor
and presently saw wha, be thought wa,
bis ,ormentor. lie blAEed away and
stretched the creature dead on the mar,
gin OF the hill. He was just beginning
to rejoice ever the victory be had gained
when az from the spot sprung another
frog, the very picture OF that be bad
killed. Pete looked At this new sppsr.
ition, and then turned aud gazed upon
the slaughtered animal TO be sure il was
dead, Finding Il was stretched liieless
on the ground, he went after the second
frog. This was finally slaughtered, and
be continued bis hunt down the canyon
All that day he hunted frogs, blazing
away at everything that moved In the
water, or that looked at sll like frog.


The next day be bought more ammu-
milton, aud again went on the war-path
along the canyon, firing SO frequently
that some Of the miners above thought
that the Piutes had attacked the settlers
at the north of the canyon. The next
day and the next, and right along for a
week, Pete hunted the canyon, always
beginning with the pond on his claim,
and keeping up murderous fire as often
as he saw frog or suspicion OF one.-
Not satisfied with this, be hunted the
banks of the Carson River for mile or
two up and down about the mouth Of
the canyon. He talked Of nothing but
frogs for fortnight, bought and fired
away whole sacks OF shot aud pound az
ter pound of powder, and seemed to be
almost insane on frogs. But he at last
concluded that he had cleaned them
all out, and the goblin frog among the
rest.


One morning, to the surprise Of bis
neighbors in the camp, who had been
watching him curiously for some days,
instead of starting out with his gun he
took his pan aud crevieing spoon and
departed down the canyon in the direc-
tion of his claim.


An hour later Pete came tearing back
to camp. III niver strike pick into the
canyon agIn cried he. That imp is still
on me claim! ! was but liftin' me dirt
for me second pan whn be raised bis
head from the water and says: Pete,
have ye struck itH Sez he. I'll niver
strike pick into il again. No more ]
will. That frog is no human frog2


Pete kept his word; he never mined
in the canyon again. lie left for Six.
mile canyon to hunt place not haunted
by demon frog, and he had not mined
many weeks before he and his partner,
Pat Mclaughlin, struck it! struck It'll
struck the great Comstock silver lode,
the hidden treasure house Of the gnomes,
and the wonder Of the whole mining
world. He was, as he always believed,
driven into this great good fortune by a
goblin frog.
Year: 1876

ANOTHER CURIosITY.-C. B. Woodley
of this city. while excavating for cis-
tern ON his residence lot on Eight street,
came upon relic of ancient times, i'm
bedded in the earth at depth of about
fourteen feet from the surface. It is a
copper plate, about one and half by
two inches in size, on which is well pre-
served the stamped head of Roman
emperor. In shape the plate resembles
somewhat that worn By Our soldiers on
army belts. This relic was either worn
in times past on belt or worn as hea-
w brooch. In the immediate vicinity
of this trophy We're found quantity of
small bones, well decomposed, while
round about them the earth was discoI-
ored, showing that the place was eviden-
tly the last resting place of either a
child or woman. 1t is most reasonable
to believe that the copper plate found
was either a present to some Indian
from white man, at some previous date
In history, or was taken from some per-
son who met his death at the hands of
the savages that IL was preserved as
a trinket and buried wit the person.
Indian child or woman--where found
by Mr.. Wooley. The design upon the
plate is excellent and certainly worth
preserving.
Year: 1876

From the New York Star.


Is there anything more delightful
than home where the poker rules, and
the husbands will is law2


"There's such peacefulness, such
quietness, such gentleness, such stuff
ing for the turkey, such sauce for the
goose, such fun for the gander.


Why, it's dreadful to thing how some
neglect their privileges in that regard.


I know of one man who hasn't seen
his kitchen in three years, knows no gas
man butcher or grocer, who simply forks
out the spondulix, and never knows what
he is to have for dinner till he sees it on
the table.


And that man is the humble man who
talks this talk.


But there are men who know all about
the -four, the coal, the beans, the wood,
the potatoes, the grass in the yard, the
swill man, the soap-fat barrel, the green
tea, the butter, the cheese, the bread,
the saltfsh, the horse-radish, the currant
jelly, the curtains in the back -palor, the
fringe on the chair, the beds in the
attic, and the very bedclothes in the
locker.


Such men must be happy.


And happiness is the chief end of man
Catechism to the contrary, notwith-
standing.


Everybody longs for it. Everybody
seeks it.


From the baby at the breast to the old
man taking rest, the whole world is after
happiness, and nothing else.


We don't all want the same kind, any
more than we all want the same wife.


And that's lucky.


But we all want all we can get, wheth-
er we be poet OF beggar, rascal or priest.


Cash seems to satisfy most people, in
spite of all that's written against it.


Wealth may not de able to bring hap
piness, and yet everybody seeks it.


I don't, becase I couldn't keep it if I
had it,


But I'm not like the rest of you.


Still, I like to be comfortable, and if
anybody thinks of dying and leaving me
100000, I hope he won't be deferred by
anything L may have written.
Year: 1876

the stove, though it was of the open
style now called franklin Yet I drew
chair toward it from habit, and sat up
on the hearth I do not know how long
l sat there. Suddenly became aware
that was not myself. I was losing my
senses. If unseen hands had been clasp
ed about my neck, and an unseen knee
had been pressed against my chest, my
sensations could not have been different


A thought of the spirit which my
friend had suggested family struggled
into nay mind As I struggled to my
feet. noise like the roaring of the sea
was in my ear. The flame of my candle
turned to great yellow-blue. barely
retained strength enough to stagger to
the window and fling it open. The
fresh, cold winter-air rushed in. It gave
me intense pain, but it relieved me. In
a moment more was able to Chamber
out of it upon the shed below.


There I remained until day-dawn.
With my returning senses the truth
came to me: That which murdered the
three men was nothing more or less than
the-coal-stove.


1t was provided with a damper, and
this, being caught in manner which
closed it, sent the poisonous gas into
the room. Had thrown myself on the
bed, should have been found dead at
daylight, in all human probability.


AS for the fact that neither doctor nor
Coroner discovered the truth, [ have but
to say that they were not deeply scienti-
fc men that coal-stoves were scarcely
used in the place and that it had not
been mentioned that the blue chamber
was thus heated


OF course I rejoiced the household by
my discovery, next morning, and
equally of course Madame Matteau, who
was not only freed from suspicion, but
became the object of universal sympa-
thy. She was always SO grateful to me,
and she proved her gratitude by giving,
what soon asked for, the hand of her
daughter Gabrielle in marriage.
Year: 1876

Courage is vital element of Chris
tian chivalry. Without it, indeed,
neither truth nor fidelity to promise
can be hoped for. The coward is sure
to lie when truth means punishment,
and sure to retreat from his engage
ments when they involve peril. We
need valiant souls that have learned to
endure and scorG pain, and to face
danger fearlessly and promptly when
duty requires. Some parents evade
this vital part of training by CLOSES
and deception. A mother who has
taken her boy to the dentists to get q
tooth out viii often say, ifhe is shrink
ing, sit still, my boy it will not hurt
you" Now, she knows it will hurt
him, but thinks if she can only get
him, by this device, to sit still and let
the dentist get hold of the tooth, then
his discovery of the pain will not him
der its extraction. Tkis is a double
mistake. 1t destroys her boys conf
dence in her, for he detects her in
lie aad. though it gets the boy this
time to sit still, it is under the delu-
sion that there is no pain, whereas he
should be taught to face the pain and
scorn it. This makes the difference
between towards and heroes. A regi-
ment of poltroons could march up to
battery as cheerfully as a regiment
of heroes, if they thought there was no
enemy at the guns. The difference is
that heroes know the danger, and yet
face it va,iantly.
Year: 1876




Considerable interest and anxiety
are shown in the Treasury Department
on the tendency of the Democrats in
Congress to repeal the act for resum-
ing specie payments in 1879. Four
bills have already been presented in
the House to repeal that act, one by
Mr.. Southland. of Ohio, one by Mr..
Holman, of Indiana, one By Mr.. Bright,
of Tennessee, and one by Mr.. Land
ers, of Indiana. Mr. Cox has been
reported as intending also to introduce
a similar bill on the reassembling of
Congress. No such step, however, is
contemplated. The subject will be
considered in his Committee of Bank
ing and Currency, but he will present
no such bill unless instructed to do so
by the committee, which is hardly
within reason.


The principal officers in the Treasury
are opposed to the repeal, and believe
in the practicability Of the law. Of
course the Secretary has already given
his views on the subject, but does not
hazard an opinion as to what Congress
will do. DR.. Linderman, Director
of the Mint, upon whom will rest iH a
greater or less degree the responsibility
of handling the production of bullion,
and being ready with sufficient guam
tity of coin, has devoted much time tc
the subject, and has a very good idea
of the temper of the House on the
money question. He says he fears
that repeal bill will pass the House,
and that it is by no means certain that
it will not pass the Senate. He says it
is an important matter to be consider
ed, and that the hard d-money men ought
to begin to know where the Senate
stands. Mr.. Knox, Comptroller of
the Currency, has talked with members
quite freely, but he is not satisfied in
his own mind whether the repeal bill
will so through either House or not.
He thinks there is no immediate dang
er of it, and there is no doubt it will
occasion long debate.


Mr.. New, the Treasurer of the
United States, says he is confident the
House is quite largely opposed to the
Resumption act, and he has great fear
that there are enough weak kneed"
Republicans in the Senate to make a
majority in favor of its repeal. He
says if gold falls to 112 or below that
figure silver change will be as plentiful
as required. Senator Morton, who is
about half way between hard d-money
and soft-money man, says that the
financial question has no interest now.
that Senators do not talk about it, and
that there is no way of forecasting the
course on the subject. He has no
opinion to express.
Year: 1876

A New York paper answers the
question as follows:


Five years ago he was among the
very few most powerful men in the city
or State of New York, with a bright
prospect of soon becoming one of the
leaders in national affairs. His wealth
seemed almost boundless and homage
was paid to him on every hand. His
time was divided between attention to
public affairs and the enjoyment of the
pleasure and splendors of luxury. He
had grown great rapidly, and he be-
lieved he was to grow greater with in
creasing rapiditY.


Those five years, how they have told
upon him. His fortune reduced; his
friends deserted; his name and reputa-
tion blightcd. so as to be curse to
himself, and burden to those to whom
he bequeathes it.


Even honorable exile, as mission
to foreign court is sometimes called,
is hardly tolerable for any considera-
BILE length of time TO man of strong
home attachments. Then what must
involuntary banishment, in dishonor
and ignominy, be? A man upward of
fifty years of age is separated, perma-
nently, from all the associations of his
previous life, driven forth like Cain,
a wanderer on the earth.


Talk of his money! What differ
ence does it make whether he carried
little or much of it with him? Physi-
cal comforts and luxuries money may
buy for him; but they are few and avail
little. Will any sum of money pur-
chase for him esteem, companionship,
self-respect. peace of mind, happiness
These he shall find again nowhere and
nevermorel


No, mol Do not teach the young
men of the country that William NJ
Tweed has escaped punishment. That
is grave mistake. Imprisonment he
has escaped; punishment he has moi
escaped, and can never escape.
Year: 1876

It requires much intelligence and
sound judgment for farmers to tell
when to hold and when to sell their
crops. Some years it is best to sell as
soon as gathered; while it pays better
other years to hold for the last mark
ct. After keeping themselves thor
oughly posted in all such markets, then
the farmers have to be governed by
circumstances, growing out of each
ones own peculiar condition. If he is
poor and in debt, lie will do best to sell
at once, and not wait for rise in the
prices, for debts are poor things to
hang around poor mans neck, and
the sooner they are paid the better.
We have heretofore advised farmers to
sell whenever prices are remuperative;
and never sell at prices that don't pay
the cost of production. This presup-
poses that farmers study and under
stand their business so as to be posted
on the cost, and profit or loss of each
product. Keep an accurate account
with each field, and then you will be
able to know exactly whether you make
or lose upon each product; to know
which to drop as Improbable, and
what to continue as paying crops.