smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1870

About fifteen miles from Leaven-
worth, near the Benham Salt-works,
stands a house that seems to have fal-
len under the displeasure of some
spirit or spirits, apparently not Of this
world. 1t is occupied by q Mr.. Ben
ham, and is new one. About six
weeks ago commenced these mysteT-
iOus dOings. Stones weighing from
two to four pounds are being constant
ly hurled at the house, and myster-
iOus knockings and rappings are heard
at all times of the day and night.


When the throwing of stones first
commenced, the occupants of the
house supposed il to have been the
work of some malicious person, and
accordingly n watch was sent TO dis
cover the mischief-maker. But in
vain. Not n stone would be thrown
while any one was on the watch, but
Just as soon as the guard was with
drawn, then the rocks would COM
menee striking the house. What is
more mysterious still, the rocks are
invisible until they strike the house,
though frequently thrown at midday.
About forty persons determined, if
possible, to solve the mystery. Ac-
eOFdingly, the entire party went on


guard around the house. Hour after
hour passed, and not stone was
thrown. Half the guards were with
drawn and placed inside the house.
Still nothing unusual occurred. All
the guards, except one, were called in.
Everything remained quiet; not a
stone was cast. The remaining guard
was called in, and scarcely had the
door closed behind him, when whack!
bangI crash! went halfa dozen stones
against the house. The door was
thrown open and all rushed out. Not
a thing was to be seen. The door was
again closed with all the watchers
inside, and rocks struck the house
as before. Then came a knocking
at the door. It was Immediately
opened, but nothing could he seen.


Two men stood holding to the door
knob, and as soon as the first tap


was given they threw the door viO-
lently open and sprang out but no
cause for the knocking could be dis
covered. The owner OF the house has
frequently concealed himself under
the porch, and would crawl out when
the noises commenced, but Just as
soon rs lie would get into q position
to see, all noises would cease. The
larger the crowd seeking to discover
the mystery, the more frequent and
more violent are the demonstrations
For six weeks has this state Of affairs
existed, and the mystery is no nearer
a solution than at the beginning.
The yard around the house is literally
covered with stones thrown by this
invisible hand. The house is covered


with dents made by the flying mis-
sles. The windows have been Slated
up, it being found impossible to keep
glass in them. As yet no one has


been struck by the stones, though


there have been some narrow escapes.
Every inch Of ground within 200 yards
Of the house, on every side, has been
carefully searched, and no hiding
place Of any kind has been discovered.
The family continue to reside in the
house, and express their determina-
ton to remain as long as there Is a
plank TO protect them from the stones.
Various theories as to the cause Of
these mysterious dOings have been
suggested, and abandoned for want Of
grounds to support them.
Year: 1870

a political organization of such res
pectable antecedents as the federal
party was utterly destroyed by the
suspicion that in the hour of war its
sympathies were not actively on the
side of the country. How much more
deserving of reprOach and cOndemna-
tiOn is the Democratic party, which
thrO' its Southern wing, actually made
war upon the Government, while the
Northern wing was divided between
active sympathy with the rebels and
tardy support of the National luthOr-
tiles. It is not wise, L know, t. keep
alive animOsities or infame resent
ments, and do not recall these pain
ful facts with any such desire, or any
such purpose. But am persuaded
that great evils would result to this
country by restoring to power the
men who attempted to destroy il, and
/ believe it is an imperative and pa
triotie duty to keep the people arOus-
ed to the necessity of aveTting even
the possibility of such a disaster


Very truly yours,


J. q. BLAINE.
Year: 1870

The following gives a good hint to
parents about very important mat
ter:


"a child beginning to read becomes
delighted with newspapers because he
reads names which are very familiar,
and he will progress accordingly. A
newspaper one yOAF is worth a quar-
ters schooling 70 child, and every
father must consider that substantial
information is connected with this
advancement. The mother of the
family being one of the heads, and
having q more immediate charge of
the children, should herself be in
stTucted. A mind occupied becomes
fortified against the ills of life, and is
braeed for any emergency. Children
mused by reading or study are of
course more considerate and more
easily governed How many thought
less young men have spent their earn
ings in q tavern or grOg shop, who
ought TO have been reading! How
many parents who never spent twen-
ty dollars for books for their families
would gladly have given thousands to
reclaim a son or daughter who had ig-
nOrantly and thoughtlessly fallen in
to temptation.
Year: 1870

The temperance people Of Indiana
are urging the passage Of law pro-
hibiting the sale Of intoxicating IL
quors within three miles Of any insti-
tuition Of learning. This is styled an
effort to promote pedestrian exercise
among the students of the State.
Year: 1870

Setting out with the principle that
every person must have a certain So
cial horizon in which he properly
finds his 'tset" of intimates, T. K.
Beecher makes this application 10 the
case of ministers


In Inis CITY IS cnuren With, IoG ,Iz
saw, four hundred and fifty enrolled
members, representing in church and
congregation one hundred and fifty
dwelling places or households, and
there are say three hundred working
days in a year. And there are in that
church man and a woman who are
well known, and much sought after.
From each one of the one hundred
and fifty dwelling-places comes the
frequent and urgent and most well
come call, "DO come and see us.
Come in any time. Come often. Drop
in TO dinner. We are always glad to
see you" Now this man and woman
are human. They have a social hOri-
ZOn, They can work no miracle. OF
necessity they belong to ga SET" Ev-
cry set in the church would make
them welcome. But who is sufficient
for these things? Who can stretch
himself beyond his horizon and live
We know an earnest, self-sacrificing
man, pastor of a very large and
wealthy church, in another city, who
goes his rounds wearily and punctu-
ally. The sick once a week, the dy-
ing daily, and every one at least once
a year, he and she visit. And they
are sad hearted, smothered. They tell
us 1--WE have no fFields-iHtimates,
in our ehurch-we treat all alike to
avoid murmurings ~ Now this is mon
strousIy inhuman. We all must needs
have and enjoy a SET" Every heart
necessarily defines it's own horizon.
Let us have q care lest we exact i'm
possibilities of our pastor or of any
other popular person.
Year: 1870

While maintaining the integrity OF
the national debt against all forms OF
repudiatiOn and all classes of repudia-
ton, the Republican party do not be-
lieve in keeping up a high rate OF
taxation for the purpose of paying II
off with undue rapidity. The rate at
which the debt has been paid since the
Inauguration of PRESIDENT Grant, would
leave none of the burden upon the
next generation. Aside from the in
Justice of laying the whole pecuniary
cost of maintaining the Union upon
the generation that was called upon
to make the exclusive sacrifice Of blood
and life, it would be a misfortune if
the succeeding generations should not
be reminded in some palpable form of
the price of liberty and of Union. Had
the Internal Revenue laws, as they
existed at the close of the war, re-
mained in force until the present time,
there can be little doubt that the ag-
gregate annual product would have
exceeded five hundred millions, and
this in addition to the two hundred
millions in gold derived from the duty
on imports. At this rate the entire
debt would have been extinguished
during the Presidency of Gen. Grant.
/ But in the judgment of the Republi-
can party this would have been liz
tolerably oppressive to the present
generation, and hence at every ses-
sion of Congress since the suppression
of the rebellion, taxation has been re-
duced by the tens Of millions. At the
session Just closed eighty millions Of
taxes were remOved-twenty millions
from the tariff on imports, and sixty
millions of internal taxes. The duties
on tea, coffee and sugar have been
largely reduced, the free list greatly
extended, and the internal taxes
bswept away so clean that of thesenor-
nous list imposed by the necessities
of the war only the following remain


Tax on spiritous, yinous and malt
| liquors.


Tax on tobacco and cigars.
Tax on incomes.


Tax ON National Banks.


Tax on Gas.


Stamp tax.


1t win puzzle the most imaginative
Year: 1870

You can breed chickens to just what
color and shape you please. From their
particular mode of reproduction, effects in
color, size and form can be produced with
great rapidity As an instance, the writer
had some white Cor rather what is called
white) Brahma PoOtras; of course they
had the yellow legs, skins and fat of that
class of fowls. friend wished to get
run and change, for prize Dorking hen,
and we took her to Oblige him. From
her size she had evidently some of the
Cochin blood in her. although strikingly
of Dorking form with full Dorking points.
By accident some of her eggs, whilst she
was running with the Brahma Pootra cock
were hatched, and the produce showed
thorough mixture of blood, but one of the
chickens turned exactly after the Brahmas,
with the exception of clean white legs; all
else was Brahma. The chick was hen,
and was so handsome that she was kept,
and putiwith the true Brahma strain. Her
chickens were apparently true Brahmas.


but some had white legs. They were SO


handsome that they were selected, bred


from, and finally the whole flock was bred


with true Brahmas in every other respect


but with white smooth legs, white skin,


and white fat. They, however, produced
the dark eggs OF the Brahma. In three
years, by selection, the entire flock was
bred all to one color and feather, (except
the legs and skin,) and hadsomer lot of
fowls were never seen. Their beauty of
form and feather seemed to intensity, and
they became a breed of themselves. They
were good layers, throve well, produced
eggs at from five to six months old, were
full of feathers, and stood the frost well.
were large. and fattened well, so that the
chicks at six months were so nearly full
grown as to lay on fat all over, end were
delicious eating During the last year


they were kept, fifty chickens were pro-


,luced from different hens, all so like each
other that they could not be distinguished
apart by strangers. A change of residence
to where fowls could not be kept broke up
the strain. but the facts proved by the ex-
perience in raising them are invaluable.
Year: 1870




The following petition is circulating in
Boston for signatures:


To His Honor The Mayor ot the City Of Bos-
tons;


SR:-We, the undersigned, working
women of the city of Boston, respectfully
call your Honor's attention to the fact that
We know not what is to become of US this
winter. Buliness is duh work has fallen
off. the cold weather is upon US, and we
are at a loss for means to purchase the
food necessary to keep us alive until busi-
ness revives in the spring. This state
ment is not at all exaggerated, as your
Honor will find on due in nluiry, and we
think an immediate investigation ought
to be made. We stand ready to put
your Honor's egents on the right track


In our present condition of actual and
impending distress, we humbly petition the
city government TO turn deaf ear to all
projects for new city park, and to spend
the money the park would cost in the pur-
chase of such food and fuel as may be nee
essary to keep our souls and bodies toceth-
for the time we are short cf work. The
money In the city treasury comes from the
producing Glasses; We are producers, and
without Us. Boston could not pay its taxes
In fact, Boston could not live. We, more
over. respectfully submit that our interests
should have precedence in your estimation
over those of persons whose claims for con-
sideration consist mainly in the fact that
they drive fast horses, and need a trotting
course, or in the tact that they own real
estate whose value may be enhanced by a
disbursement of the city's money. We re.
spectfully request your Honor to cause this
petition to be presented in the best and
most promising way before the city govern
ment, and We humbly pray you to watch
over it, giving it your good word whenever
necessary. and to act toward us, in this
time of our distress, according to the sug.
gestions Of our own kindly nature. ~
Signed Elizabeth L. Daniels. Mrs. Fanny
Bailey, Mrs. Emmie i. Lane. and 100 others
Year: 1870

of the people to distant States, will be that
liberalism that always follows extensive inter


course with the world. This will produce
charity for the views and feelings of others,
while 1t will preserve all that is good in the
Puritanism of New England and am one Of
those who admire the character. These
changes will stop when this part of the coun-
try is on level with all other parts in the ease
with which comfortable living can be made,
and not before. In many places the extreme
limit has been reached ei,d we conpt the ef-
fects; in ctherS the first steps only have been
taken; but the good work goes steadily on,
like all other great changes, without the aid of
politicians, and utterly beyond their control.
Events come and go; and man with all his wis
dom must stand by, like child, and count
them after they are past .. ... SQUAD.
Year: 1870

REMoNsTAScEs against the continuation Of
the income tax are pouring into Congress, and
IL IN now exceedingly doubtful that the Com
missioner of the Revenue will be able to carry
ON his inquisitorial business any longer in
connection with income. Ii is universally
condemned, yet the public have made no
united effort, AS the citizens of other places
have, TO evince their opposition TO tho extern
sion of the law. The work of contesting its
prolongation has been left to the press, but it
was equally the business of every taxpayer to
unite against it. Congress seldom acts con-
trary 10 the national will, and it would there
fore become the great constituency of that
body to lot II clearly understand what the will
oftlie people is. A knowledge Of the strong
feeling that exists throughout the Union
against renewed legislation on this subject
would. If impaired to Congress, soon convince
that body that IL would be unwisc and exceed
ingly unpopular TO revive tho most obnoxious
and inqusitorial statute over recorded in this
country Goh I'm Nctos.
Year: 1870

Nothing is more wonderful than the
ingenuity which has. been exercised 10y
scientific men, and the extent and vari-
e,y of the resources which they have
called into action, for tie purpose or
eliciting from Natures secrets winch
She would seem to have most eiltctnal!y
concealed. The method devised by
French philosopher for measuring pre-
cisely the time required for the passage
of ray Of light across a limited space
upon the earth's surface furnishes
striking example of this. Some time
since an observation was made in Cali
fornia on The velocity with which the
electric force Is transmitted along con
uucting medium, by causing AN electric
impulse to pass over the wires from san
Francisco to Cambridge, in Massachu-
sets, and back. without interruption,
and noting precisely, at the place OF OBJ
servation, by means OF chron"@copc,
the length Of the period which interTen-
ed between the instant of its departure





.hat the time required for this xix thou
sand miles ran was eight tenths OF
second. Now the velocity Of light Is
such that if a luminous impulse had left
the place OF observation ut the same
track It would have gone round the
circuit fre times while its competitor
was making one journey. When we
contem plate this almost inconceivablc
rate of motion. the idea Of devisihg any
mode oi actually measuring with precis-
ion the time required for the passage OF
ljylt across any such narrow space as
can l.e made to intervene between any
two stationed observers on tie earth 5
surface-as, for example, the length OF
any line across a plain, or the distance
from one eminence to anothcr-would
seem to be utterly hopeless. SUI the
means have been contrived for reaiiz-
ing it.


Tn, pr.ncipol which the apparatus
was constructed Is this:


five suppose that an elastic ballot
ivory, for example, or steel-could he
proiecte! perpendicularly against sol
id wall through a small opening at
known distance from it, and that ths
action Of gravitation npon the ball cou!t
be suspended so that it might return Il
the same orifice through which it ha,
been projected ; and five could, more
over, find any way to close the opennI
at the instant that the / all reaches 1t OF
It's return, SO as just to intercept it in It


passage and then Immediately open tn


way again for the passage OF secon'


ball-it is evident that the arrangement


Of the apparatus for opening and ciosin
the orifice WAS such as to measure pre-
Year: 1870

A New York politician. in writing q
letter of coincidence to the widow Of q
country member who had been his
friend, says: Il am panied to hear that


-has gone to heaven. We were
bosom friends, but now we shall never
meet again.
Year: 1870

The pool selling at Riley's, Twenty eighth street
and Broadway, last evening, for tho Long Branch
races to-day, tconhned almost entirely to tho
one mile heats and the mile and half dash. There
was fair attendance Of sporting men. Betting was
pretty lively. The following gives average Of how
Year: 1870

Too Poon TO TAKE THE PAPER.-One Of our
exchanges says Of such pitiable people: " The
poorest man to be met with, especially in these
stirring times, is the man who is too poor to
take newspaper. We pity such man, es-
pccially if he is man Of property. Who ever
heard of man too poor to smoke or chew TO-
bacco. if addicted TO ether And yot many
who spend ten or fifteen cents a day FOR the
weed are too poor to take newspaper, IN the
intellectual enjoyment Of which their families
might participate Really such men are poor.
Year: 1870

Important Orders to the Police.


Acting superintendent OF Police Bosworth yester-
day issued the following general order which was
adopted by the board Of Police at q meeting held on
the 18th inst -


Whenever in any precinct an obstruction or OBJ
structlOns In the street shall exist, which be re-
moved, appropriately and readily to the corporation
YARD, and which, IN the opinion of the officer In
command. should b< removed In order to prevent
accidents TO persons, animals vehicles lawfully in
the street. he shall cluse such obstruction or OBJ
structions to be removed without delay to the Cor
poration Yard near Eleventh street and North
river, and present his bill OF reasonable charges
therefor at the office OF he Mayor (wnere they Will
be paid.


Your attention is also tailed to rule No. of the
Night SCavengers' licenss, issued by the Board of
Health, which reads as fObws:-


Drivers shall take the nearest direct route east or
west, to the river, and proceed up or down. as the
case may be, on the street adjoining the dumping
docks, and return in the same manner.


This rule is frequently volated by the drivers Sc
lectlng Tor their route TO and from the dumping
docks the best paved streets without any regard to the
most direct route thereto also In this that instead
OF going up or down the river stieet or street ad-
joining the dumping docks, as required by the rule
the Eight and Ninth avenues on the west side and
Third, Lexington and Second avenues on the east
side, are used for that purpose.


BY q resolution OF the Police Board passed on the
18th instant you are required In every case or vio
1atlOn OF this rule to report the same In writing 10
this Office giving the name of the driver and the
number OF bis cart.
Year: 1870

The Board Of Education Alleged Bribery


Case-Application Behalf Of John X.


Hennessey for n Cerfiornri.


Before Judge Ingraham.


Mr. Levcrson. counsel for Mr.. John r Hennessey
one OF the trustees OF the Board OF Education who
was removed from his official position some time
since, on the charge Of having received 500 from
MISS Mary E. Cannon, as a consideration for prOcur-
ing her the position OF teacher Of the evening
schools, made an application this morning for q
ceedngS for review to the General Term
oil this court on the following gr0unds:-That the
committee OF the Board of Education, to whom the
case OF Mr.. Hennessey referred TO take evidence,
ting they had power, there was not quorum OF the
committee present on some occasions one being
absent while the testimony was being taken; that
the Board OF Education as body, only had power
TO carry the proceedings. except they appointed
= special committee tribunal to investigate the
charge; that they should not have referred to a
standing committee matter that should be acted


Mr.. Vanderpoel, on behalf OF the Board Of Edu-
cation, contended that his opponent had no
ground to stand upon, because MIR. Hennessey
had had ample opportunity It, to defend defend
and introduced witnesses In his own BEHALF and
that last July his counsel made q motion in this
court for q lnandamus TO compel the Board to rein
present application was merely brought forward as
. perpleXing litigation.


Judge Ingraham-If Mr.. Hennessey took the
ground that the committee had no power why did
he introduce witnesses In his own behalf2


Mr.. Leverson-We could not take advantage OF 1t
any sooner than we have, because we did not know
until the absence OF q member Of this committee
that such charge was actually 10 be brought for
ward


After some further argument the Court took the
papers and reserved Its decision.
Year: 1870

Not satisfied with slaughteriLg one or more human
beings almost every day and eidangering the lives
of hundreds by reckless management and careless
employees, the Norris and Essex and New Jersey
railroads. have discovered new mode OF jeopardiz-
,ne the lives of passengers, a. weh as their own
rolling stock. Scarcely a day passes that several
races are not run across the Newark meadows be-
tween trains OF the two roads, whose tim. of start
ing from New York is alike Or nearly 50. Last
evening an exciting contest OF this sort was In
TIE New Jersey road ct twenty minutes past five
O'Clock In the afternoon and train on the rival
road when about half way across the meadows
the Morris and Essex train developed extraOrdi.
nary desire TO outrun It's rival At length the engine
nr0fe away from the tram and soon dashed forward
anead OF the Jersey train. The engineer ran ahead
for at least half mile before he appeared to dis
cover his situation 30 thoroughly engrossed was he
with the desire to go ahe2Q. surely fnls matter OF
racing should be stopped.