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FAMILY VISITOR.
PUBLISHED BY
BENJAMIN G. LIDDON.
arAmsGsr, «eok.gia.
SATURDAY, FEB. 9, 1856.
AGENTS FOR. THE VISITOR:
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Military, and for the Fort Gaines Academy Lot
tery, for Greensboro, Eatonton and Madison, i«
authorized to collect and receipt for this payer.
TnovAg Flkmixo, Atlanta, Ga., is an autorized
ajfeut for this paper.
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Jackson County, Fla.
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•er, Morgan County, Ga.
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Tllle. Ga.
ALARM OF FIRF.!
Dnring tlie past week wo linve had two
alarms of Are, though hut little damage to
property was occasioned by cither. The
house ot Mt. Wilson, near the Factory,
we learn, would certainly have burned
but for the activity nnd daring of Mr.
RicnAED Walker. Much praise is duo
him for his efforts at this as well as the
two last fires.
DEATH OF THE HON. A. J. MILLER.
By the Augusta papers of the 6th, we
are informed of the death of the above
wcll-belowcd and celebrated gentleman—
the pride of Augusta and one of Georgia’s
purest, most honest statesmen. We give
place to the following remarks of the
Chronicle & Sentinel regarding the life
and decease of the honorable gentleman,
to the exclusion of other matter, less in
teresting :
“The drapery in which our paper goes
out this morning, is faintly typical of the
feeling which pervades our population.
Augusta mourns. One of her ablest, best,
best-beloved citizens has fallen—fallen in
her service—a victim to that service.—
Andrew J. Milled is no more 1 Although
sorrow for the honored dead will be most
intense in the city of his late residence, wo
are well aware it will not lie confined to
her limits. This announcement will go
laden with heavy grief to every portion of
our State—oven to her farthest borders.
It will spread the pall of gloom over our
Capitol, and sadden the hearts of Senators
and Representatives, now there sitting in
General Assembly, now sadly will they
realise that one of their wisest, purest,
most trusted associates will mingle no
more forever in their counsels. How
mournfully will they gaze upon that va
cant chair, so long graced by the occu
pancy of tire Senator from Richmond 1 In
attempting a brief sketch of a life surpass
ingly useful and honorable, wo aspire not
to present a merited eulogy; we but seok
relief from overwhelming sorrow, through
the channel in which our feelings are wont
to flow out.
“ The deceased was born and reared in
the county of Camden, in this State, where
Ids worthy parents lived long, and have
recently died lamented. His academic
education was completed at West Point,
where, whilst his mind was stored with
useful knowledge, and his character set in
the mould of firm consistency, that ever
distinguished it, he acquired a taste for and
familiarity with military tactics which
won him distinction among our citizen
soldiery, nnd afforded pleasant recreation
throughout a life of sovere nnd well-direct
ed toil.
“ Ilig professional studies preparatory
to admission to the Bar, were commenced
In St. Mary’s, and completed in this city,
■where, in the year 1820, liefore attaining
the age of manhood, under a special act of
the Legislature, he was licensed to prac
tice law. Uis professional career opened
with no flourish of trumpets, no oxtrava
gaut predictions of future renown, (often
put ont to aid in accomplishing the end
foretold,) nor was it signalized by the effi
cient support of active, influential friends.
His prospects were such as intrinsic merit
o)>cned to him—his destiny, just what ho
could make for himself. Tins he woll
knew, and with noiseless step, bnt with
firm purpose, untiring industry, and per
fect integrity, he entered the lists with
competitors already known to fame.
*■ How he succeeded, let the records of
our Courts—let his numerous, faithfully
served and grateful clieuts—let his pro
fessional brethren, who honored and loved
whilst they wrestled with him—let the
Judges whose administrations have been
illumined by his forensic talent—let these
testify.
“ Gradually his professional advance
ment developed traits of character and of
mind to be limited to no mere routine
course of life, to be confined to no siugle
pursuit.
“ Attracting the attention, and winning
the confidence of all who held intercouse
with him, the counsellor at law became
the adviser-general of the community. In
the administration of estates, in municipal
affairs, in financial operations, in enter
prisea to advance commerce and extend
internal improvements, in legislation and
in politics, his personal co-operation, and
often his leading action, were largely de
manded by an appreciating public, and
freely and efficiently yielded, by this self-
Bicrificing man. In the year 1836 lie was
literally pressed into the service of Rich
mond county as a Representative in the
popular branch of the State Legislature.—
The year following, without solicitation
or effort on his part, he was promoted to
the Senate, in which body he has, from
til HAilStl lIMUI
that time to the present, continuously rep
resented the same devoted and grateful
constituency. What Andrew J. Miller
was in the community of Augusta, he soon
became in the Legislature of Georgia—a
man of all work—efficient in all things—
trusted and deferred to by all men, of all
parties.
“Twice elected President of the Senate,
lie discharged the delicate and difficnlt du
ties of that prominent position with signal
dignity and ability. We hazard nothing
in saying that, in the history of onr State,
no man has, for a period of twenty years,
wielded an influence so large and bcnificent
over the Legislature of Georgia; and of
this, we take his own generation to wit
ness. Posterity will find his footprints in
legislation for educational, financial, judi
cial and internal improvement pnrposcs—
nay, wheresoever they trace progress in
reform, or advance in true civilization.—
Higher stations were within his reach,
and, had he lived, would probably have
been forced upon his acceptance; hut
these could have conferred no higher honor
than he enjoyed.
“ The mental and moral constitutions of
Mr. Miller were admirably balanced—per
fectly unique. Asa public speaker, be
was fluent, ]<erspicuous, logical and con
cise. Careless of ornament, studiously
avoiding all attempt at mere oratorical
display, be never offended against good
taste, and seldom disappointed expecta-
tion. He never used the art of oratory
for exhibition of himself; but, to refute
error—to vindicate truth—to accomplish
a good purpose, he employed it skilfully
and successfully. lie treated subjects he
was called to discuss as matters for grave
thought and logical argument, and with
the bestowal of these ho dismisses them.
He exhibited great versatility of tulent,
hut in all its phases devoted to the useful
—the practical. Those who know him
best were often amazed at the facility with
which Ids mind would turn from law to
politics, tiience to finance, thence to legis
lation—and the clearness and energy it
displayed in aB.
“As in his mental constitution, so in
Ids moral character, there was perfect con
sistency, beautiful harmony. Truthful
ness was its broad basis, and frankness, in
all relations, its daily emanation. Amid
his varied and laborious occupations, ho
found ample time for attention to social
duties, moral obligations, public and pri
vate charities, and offices of friendship.—
The kindness of his nature shone conspicu
ously in all he said and all he did. In his
demise the poor and tho lowly havo lost,
a friend, whoso purse relieved their wants,
whose counsel solved their perplexities,
and whoso sympathy soothed their griefs.
To crown a churactcr combining so many
excellencies, came, in early manhood, tho
redeeming influences of Christianity. Mr.
Miller had beou, for many years, a com
municant of tho Presbyterian Church, and
although too fooble when apprised that
his dissolution was at hand, to givo ex
pression to his thoughts nnd feelings, the
calninoss with which he received an un
expected annunciation of « fact so appal
ling, gave oarnest of foregone preparation
for tho change. Wo cannot omit to add,
that the exorcise for so long a period, of
so groat activity and influence, and the
correlative enjoyment of so largo a share
of respect and deference, occasioned neith
er pretension, ostentation, nor self-conceit.
There was a ruling quietness in his do
moanor which indicated uuoonsciousness
of the spaco he occupied in tho public eye.
Ten days since, tho deceased was In his
place in the Senate, slightly indisposed, it
is true, but not incapacitated for business.
Exposure to the unusually inclement
weather that lias recently prevailed, sub
jected him to an attack of pneumonia,
which resulted iu the calamity so inex
pressibly deplorable. Recalled temporari
ly to his home, on the 27th ult., by pro
fessional engagements, he lay down be
neath liis own roof to languish ; and, sur
rounded by wife, children and friends—
to die. After all, that, which awakens
onr most poignant regret, and which we
touch with a trembling hand, is the crush
ing sorrow of the inmates of that home
stead. Well do we know that their griefs
press heavily upon ten thousand sympa
thizing hearts. But we forbear;—the
ground whereon we tread is sacred.
“ To-day, we consign all that remains of
Andrew J. Miller to his last earthly rest
ing place. Peace to his manes! All
honor to his memory!”
Found Dead!
James Merit, of Clark county, was
found dead at the brick kiln on Mr.
Dougherty’s plantation, about one mile
from Athens, last Saturday afternoon.—
Ho left this place last Saturday a week
ago, in company with his brother in-law,
with the intention of going home. The
grouud was covered with snow at the
time, and both of them were completely
demented with liquor. They separated
just at the edge of town, and Mr. Merit
went in an opposite direction from his
brother in-law. He was seen about dark
staggering along in Cobham, and it is
sup|K»ed that he wandered about in the
dark until he reached the brick kiln,
when it is supposed he laid down and
was frozen to death! Another sad
warning against the use of intoxicating
liquors. The Coroner’s jury returned a
verdict in accordance with the above
facts. —Athens Banner, Ith.
—The Legislature of Georgia, by joint
resolution, have determined to adjourn
on the 20th inst.
Good Advice.
In the Journal of Health, Dr. Hall
advises every person who goes into the
open air from a warm apartment to keep
the mouth shut while walking or riding,
lie says:
“ Before yon leave the room bundle
np well—gloves, cloak, comforter—shut
yonr mout before you open the street
door, and keep it resolutely closed until
you have walked briskly for some ten
minutes; then, if you keep on walkingi
or have reached your aome, you may
talk as much as you please. Not so
doing, many a heart once happy and
young now lies in the church yard that
might have been young and happy still.
If you keep your mouth closed and walk
rapidly, the air possibly bannot reach
the lungs, strictly speaking, but by a cir
cuit of the nose and head, and becomes
warm before reaching the lungs, thus
causing no derangement; but if you
converse, large drafts of cold air dash di
rectly in upon the lungs, chilling the
whole frame almost instantly. The brisk
walking throws the blood to the surface
of the body, thus keeping up a vigorous
circulation, making a cold impossible if
you get home. Neglect of these brings
sickness and permataro death to multi
tudes every year.”
[From the Missouri Democrat.]
The Perils of Teaching Gram
mar to Young Damsels,
Mr. Editor: — l have been sendin’
my dater Nancy to school to a school
master in this naborbood. Last Friday
I went over to the school just to see how
Nancy was giftin' along, and I see’s
things I didn’t like by no incans. The
schoolmaster was lamin’ her things en
tirely out of the line of eddycation, and
as 1 think, improper. I set awhile in
tho school house and liecred one class
say their lesson. They was a spellen,
and I thot spelled quite exceedingly.
Then cum Nancy’s turn to say her les
son. She said it very spry, I was shock
ed ! and determined she should leave
that school. I have heered that gramer
was an oncomnion tine study, hut I don’t
want any more gramer about my house.
The lesson that Nancy sed was nothin
hut the foolishost kind uv talk, the ridioles
luv talk you ever seed. She got.up, and
tho first word she sed was, ‘‘l love!”
I looked rite at her hard for doing so
improper hut she went rite on and sod :
“ Thou lovest, ho loves,” and I reckon
you never heered such a riggorrnyrolo
in your life—love, love, love, and nothing
hut love. She said one time, “ I did
ovc.
Sez I, “Who did you love f” Then
the scholars laffed, but I wasn’t to be
put off, and I sed, “ Who did you love,
Nancy 1 I want to know, who did you
love?" The schoolmaster, Mr. McQuiL
lister, put in, and he said ho would ex
plane when Nancy finished the lesson.
This sorter pacyfied me, and Nancy wont
on with awful love talk. 1 got wus and
wus every word. She sed, “ I might,
could, or would love.”
I stopped her again, and sed I reckon
I would see about that, and told her to
walk out of that house. The school,
master tried to interfere, but I wouldn’t
let him say a word. He sed I was a
fool, and commenced to talk some darn
stuff, when I knocked him down, and
made him holler, in short order. That’s
the stile, Mr. editur, don’t you think, to
sarve such scamps as him, who would
impulcate such docthrines in a young
woman. I then got the nebers together,
and compelled the scoundrel to scoot
right off. If you’ve got ere a sober
sided old man up tliar, that don’t taich
grammer, just send him along, as we’ve
come to idea of employing no more
young men in these diggins.
Yours till deth,
Thomas Jefferson Sole.
That was a good sentiment given by
George W. Bentley, at the editors’ and
printers’ supper in Worcester, last 17th
of January:
“ Franklin—To-day making lights for
Boston’s lampless lanterns—to-morrow
enlightening the world ; one day stirring
the cauldron of a tallow chandler, and
the next rocking the iron cradle of the
mightiest democracy on the globe ; the
apprentice boy to day, the revered of
kings to-morrow ; the “ poor Ben ” of
his mother to-day, the immortal Franklin
forever!”
Bombardment of Cronstadt. —A
present for Cronstadt is being construct
ed at the Lowmoor Iron Works, Eng
land. It is a shell nine feet five inches
in circumference, and thirty-six inoließ in
diameter. Its weight is over a ton. It
costs £25, unfilled, and the mortar which
is to discharge such a shell weighs thirty
five tons. This shell is intended to bom
bard Cronstadt. and it is expected that a
bombardment well sustained with such a
weight of metal will crumble the walls of
that defence like powder.
Whon Dutch meets Dutch then
comes—the lager beer.
NEWS ITEMS.
—Elijah Bird, who escaped the gal
lows through the misplaced sympathy of
our last Legislature, committed a murder
on hoard the steamer Republic at New
Orleans, some two weeks ago. He suc
ceeded in making his escape.
—lt is stated that there are several
cases of the small-pox in Lincoln county,
and the citizens of adjoining counties are
requested to co operate in measures to
prevent its spread.
—Eight negroes were frozen to death
a short time since while crossing a prairie
in Texas.
—The Charlestonians are putting up
their own ice from the ponds surround
ing Charleston. Other southern cities
this year have their ice supplied at their
own doors, which will affect the trade in
that article next season.
—The hill to purchase for the State
five hundred acres of ground, including
the tomb of Jackson and the buildings
of the Hermitage, ha 9 passed one branch
of tho Tennessee Legislature.
—ln Russia, Anabaptists, Roman
Catholics, Lutherans and Calvinists may
hold the highest offices in the State.
Nesselrode is a member of tho Church
of England.
—Commodore Morris who was at the
head of the Navy List, died in Washing
ton on Sunday, the 27th ult. He enter
ed the Navy in 1799, and his name is
nobly associated with the most glorious
and brave annals of American History.
—At a meeting in Brooklyn, N. Y.,
on Wednesday last, between thirty and
forty thousand dollars of tho stock of the
Kansas Emigration Aid Society was sub
scribed for.
—A lady of Northampton count j, N.
C., (Mrs. John Hawkins,) is stated to
have died a few days ago from the ef
fects of eating snow.
—ln his last Christmas story, Dickens
manifests good signs of repentance: he
acknowledges that the Americans are a
kind, generous, large hearted and great
people. Wo did not expect so much of
him.
—The executive committee of the
State Agricultural Association met at
Milledgevillo on the 28lh tilt., and deei
ded to hold the next Fair as expected, at
Atlanta.
—The Southern Cultivator states the
attempt to manufacture wine from a na
tive grape has been successfully tried by
Mr. A. Leary, of Monroe county', Geor
gia. The grape is known as the “ War
ronton," and the produce is at the rate
of eight hundred gallons per acre.
Gov. Johnson has appointed Col.
G. J. Green to fill thn vacancy in the
Judgeship of the Flint Circuit, caused by
the resignation of Judge Stark.
—lu tho Lower House of the Penn
sylvania Legislature tho bill repealing
the prohibitory liquor law has passed to
a second reading by a vote of 70 to 32.
—Lieut. Maury has demonstrated that
by wind and wave it is down stream
from our country to all the world, and
that all nations must ascend to reach it.
\A itli an ocean on either hand, its power
descends with celerity to every country
on tho sphere, and that, too, from even
tho deepest interior of tho country.
Jail Broken Open.
We learn from the Atlanta Intelligen
cer of tho 6th inst., that the criminals
confined in the DeKalb Jail succeeded
in making their escape therefrom on
Monday night. This is the third or
fourth time that the same jail has been
broken open in as many years. The
manner in which this was effected is as
follows: Two men by the name of Sweat
confined for hog-stealing, managed to
procure an auger with which they bored
their way out, and liberated at the same
time, two men, Crosly and Martin, the
former already convicted of murder, and
the latter awaiting his trial for the same
offence.
Nothing since has been heard from
the Sweats. Martin and Crosly were
both arrested in this city by night watch
Lester on the same night in which they
escaped. They having both blindly
gone to their own homes and to sleep,
from which they were aroused by the
unwelcome grasp of the officer.
The following new Post Offices have
been established in Georgia :
Facerville, Decatur county ; Ira Sun
born, Post master.
Blacksmith, Lee county; Elijah F.
Lewis, Post master.
A postoffice has l>een established at
Mountain House, Polk county, Ga., and
Moses Iv. Holland appointed Postmaster;
also, at Sweet Water Factory, in Camp
bell county, and W. E. Gould appointed
Post master.
The office at Boltonville, Cobb coun
ty has been discontinued.
Theory of Disease.
AND ITS SIMPLE METHOD OF CUBE.
It is notour object, at this time to go
into a detailed explanation of Professor
Holloway’s theory of disease, but simply
to inform the American people that one
of the most remarkable men of this or
any former age is among them, and that
his medicines have a celebrity unprece
dented in the annals of the world. There
is no charlatanry in his pretensions.—
Unless all the civilized world are de
ceived, the Holloway’s Pills and Oint
ment will drive disease from the human
system, under the most unfavorable cir
cumstances, and in all climes. Other
men have sprang into an ephemeral no
toriety by advertising their remedies.—
Like butterflies of the day they have
buzzed for a while and then expired;
both their names and their medicines
have sunk into an obscurity from which
they never emerged. Others have met
with a limited success, perhaps as much
as they deserved. No man, though he
may have the wealth of Croesus, can long
deceive an intelligent people with a
worthless remedy for disease. If health
follows the administration of a remedy
for disease, almost without an exception,
though it is prescribed iu a million of
instances, and in all forms of disease, all
the doctors on the globe could not make
the people believe that it was not a good
remedy, or that the inventor was not a
public benefactor, and no empiric or
charlatan. Professor Holloway’s retni.-
dies occupy this position beforo the citi
zens of the world. The inventor is a
man of enlarged powers of minJ, who
has seen disease in all its forms, and in
all the climates of the world. His medi
cal office in London was daily thronged
patients to such an extent that a
police force was necessary to be stationed
at his door. But an office ptactice af
forded too narrow a field for the exercise
ot his expansive intellect, and he determ
ined to be the worlds’ physician. All
countries have had their celebrated phy
sicians: England has had an Abernethy,
France a Magendie, and America a
itndi; but these men’s ambition only ex
tended to a practice confined to a narrow
circle of friends and admirers, or the stt
porintendency of a medical hospital
Professor Holloway lias chosen the globe
as a theatre for his practice, and though
now a resident of Republican America,
lie is prescribing daily for hundreds of
thousands on the four quarters of the
globe.
llis medicines aro expressly designed
to act on the organs whose functions are
so essential to health. They operate on
the stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, and
skin, restore their deranged functions or
uses, and thus purify and cleanse the
blood, the very fountains of life. —yew
York Sunday Times.
The President’s Pardoning Power.
—\\ in. Wells, who was several years
since sentenced to death in the District
of Columbia for mttrdef, had his sen
tence commuted by President Fillmore
to imprisonment for life. The case was
brought before tho U. S. Supreme Court
last week on the ground that the Presi
dent had no right to commute, and could
only grant anuucondiliona! pardon. The
Court on Friday decided for the prisoner
and lie was set at liberty.
The Great Invention of the
Age.
So the Austin (Texas) correspondent
of tho Galveston News terms a “ma
chine ’’ which has lately been exhibited
to the members of the Texas Legislature.
He says:
The great invention of the age is Gen.
Chambres’ terra-aqueous machine. It
has been privately submitted to commit
tees of both branches of the Legislature,
and I am credibly informed that it has
been demonstrated to the entire satisfac
tion of all members of both committees
that the invention is a valuable one, and
likely to create an entire revolution in
the means of transportation. It is repre
sented not to havo any wheels and not
to slide, and yet, by some particular ar
rangement, will, on a graded road, make
forty miles an hour.
The road will be much wider than a
railroad track, but will require no iron,
and possibly cost less than a double track.
It will cross rivers or bays at the rate
of ten miles per Lour. This is a short
description of a machine applicable to
both land and water. The inventor
claims that the same principle may be
applied to machines intended solely for
water transportation, and that a speed of
some twenty miles per hour may be ob
tained.
The invention may seem too extrava
gant for credence, but as some men who
have acknowledged mechanical skill, pro
nounce it a valuable invention, I deem
it worthy of notice.
A game of checkers was played by tel
egraph, between Boston and Province
town, the other evening, Cape Cod win
ning.
The History of Drunkenness.
Dr. Turner, in an address which he
delivered at the Broadway Tabernacle
on the 7th of November, in behalf of
the United States Inebriate Asylum, in
speaking of the influence which inebriety
has upon nations, uses the following
language.
Inebriety is the first disease of which
we have any record. It dates its exist
ence from the birth of the grape, the
formation of wine from which was one
of the first discoveries of man. We
find nothing in the medical records of
the Egyptians to prove that it was recog
nized as a disease. Hippo
crates and Galen are likewise silent on
the subject. Yet we have for the record
er of the pathology of inebriety, the
most renowned man of ancient or mo
dern times. Solomon describes the mal
ady in the most significant language.—
“At the last it biteth like a serpent and
stingeth like an adder.” Tlius we have
sacred history to establish the fact that
inebriety was the most frightful and
destructive disease then known; com
paring it to the venomous bite of the
serpent and the deadly sting of the ad
der, which have no specific—no cure.
We are compelled to trace the influ
ence of this disease in nations rather
than individuals, and form our opinions
from the facts of history which record
the rise and fall of races and nations*
When the seeds of this deadly malady
were sown by the great men of Babylon
Egypt, Greece and Rome, in their Bac
chanal feasts, then the greatness of these
mighty nations began to decline, and
their chosen people perished and parsed
away. Babylon, with all her glory and
magnificence, fell into the bands of the
Persians when her rulers were drunk
with wine, and her jtcople maddened by
the intoxicating bowl.
By inebriety Egypt lost her ruler, the
world her conqueror, in the death of
Alexander the Great, in the thirty-third
year of his age. The historian pens
the fact that he perished through self
indulgence—by a disease “ that biteth
like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. ’
Polished Greece, the graud dej>ository
of the arts and sciences of the civilized
world, the residence of the historian,
philosopher, statesman and physician,
was the first which erected a temple to
the god Bacchus. Little did her great
men consider that they were dedicating
a temple to a god on whose altar would
be sacrificed the glory of their beloved
counlrv.
The Bacchanalian feasts in the Roman
Empire were the cause of her degener
ated councils and her weak government.
Inebriety was the malady that destroyed
the Roman statesman, general and Sol
dier. Thus Rome fell by this physical
and moral contagion, and the dark ages
followed in her downfall.
Arabic history proves conclusively
that tho Arabians were a temperate
people. Their philosophers considered
wine as the blood of the devil, and that
whoever partook of it Was devilish. The
Ishmaelite, with his temperate and prim
itive mode of life, combined with his
indomitable courage, lias proved to the
physiologist that where the disease o
inelriety has not been found in a race,
there will l>e discovered a full develop
ment of physical power, cß[ able of en
during the greatest amount of labor and
fatigue, a mind with energies that know
no defeat, a will that can never be sub
dued.
To Cure Baclkv Horses. —The prac
tice of an English horse dealer who has
cured a number of them, is to hitch a
steady horse or team behind them, and
pull them backwards. It should be done
on smooth, fair ground. The refractory
beast will not relish such treatment, and
will be glad to go forward at the word
of command. The most stubborn will
yield and be perfectly true and tractable
nftor two or three such torturings.
Tragedy in a Court Room. —ln
Washington, Mo., on Saturday week, a
gunsmith named Harrison was on tria;
for several burglaries wbich it was charg
ed he had committed. During the trial
it was disclosed that he had violated the
person of his step daughter, a girl of 17,
and by threats against her life, had in
duced her to keep the secret. The girl’s
brother, who was present, left the court
room, procured a pistol, loaded it, re
turned to the court room, placed the
pistol to Harrison’s head, discharged the
pistol, and left him a lifeless corpse, in
the presence of the magistrates. The
young man was tried immediately, and
discharged from custody.
Pentice has a pleasant way of dun
ning his subscribers Hear him:
“Old King Lear, in the play, when he
was out in the storm said, in his apos
trophe to the rain, wind, thunder and
fire, ‘ you owe me no subscription.’ We
wish we could say as much to all our
readers.”
[From the Spirit sf the Times.]
Duck Hunt Extraordinary.
BY GUILLERMO, G. T. C.
Mr. Editor : —ln a country filling up
as Texas is, and has been for some years
past, it is but natural that we find a large
number of persons who wellj merit the
title of “ green ’uns.” Os this class was
John McL e, a native of old Vir
ginia, who became a citizen of Texas soon
after it was admitted into the Union.
Now, friend John was passionately fond
of hunting, and scarcely did his soo t
press Texan soiU before lie was running
in all directions in search of game, but
unfortunately he wound up his first ex
ploit by slaying three tame turkies, the
property of an old ladv liviug in A .
This threw such a damper on his feelings
that it caused him to forego this amuse
ment for some time, until one day, when
I wished to go hunting, and having no
company I called by for John, and after
some persuasion prevailed upon kirn to
accompany me. Now be it known that
north of the city of An about a
mile, there lives a wealthy butcher, who,
at the time I speak of, possessed a large
flock of sheep and goats, and among the
latter a tremendous “ William-goat,”
who was famous for his implacable hos
tility to “ seats of honor ” in general, and
those the genus “Boy” in particular.
Many a lad he had given a “ lift in the
world,” and had caused as many more to
discover that their legs were not made
merely to stretch cloth over, blit to pro-
tect their Ladies when prudence advised
a retreat.
Well, on the evening in question, as
John and I were moving noiselessly along
the banks of a small creek, that wanders
through the butcher's pas nre grounds, l
noticed that friend “ Billy ” of the horns
was eyeing us rather too closely to be
speak much comfort iu the prospective,
and being myself a very prudent person
age, and possessing a great relish for a
joke, 1 soon decided ujsin what course
to pursue.
“John,” said I, “you see that tree at
the bend of the creek, about forty yards
from here ? Well, von sneak along | K . rr
by this tiitdcrbiish on the bank until you
are about twenty yards from the tree;
then you must get on yonr hands and
knees and crawl to the loot of it. When
y"U get there don’t put more than vour
head through the uuderbusli, and see if
any ducksare in the pond.”
“ Very well,” he answered ; “I'll doit,
exactly right; but what are yon going
to do in the meantime ? Take my flask,
1 may lose it.”
“ I am going down In re and crossover
the creek so as to get a shot as tl.ov ri- -
Now do Is careful, John, and don’t sl.mv
more than yonr In ad, and don't tire ’rill
I am realty—l’ll gi 0 the signal.”
So saving I bounded i If toward a lit-
tie lilOUlid just behind where we Were,,
and out of (lie reach of his goatjdiip,.
who had now left the floek, and was ap
proaching John with his head, ears, and
tail erect. In the meantime, eager for a.
shot at the ducks, my friend followed
my instructions to the letter, and having
arrived at the point designated, he dr< p
ped down on “all fours,” mid crawled
carefully and quietly along,” while
friend “Bily” followed with the most
inquisitive motions, being entirely at a
loss to Recount for the sudden melaino:-
pliosis.it' his intended victim.
John finally reached the tr< e, and put
ting his head slow ly through the bushes,
to his great delight perceived five or six
plump peddlers on the water, all uncon
scious of the cruel death impending
over them.
“Billy,” during this survey on the
pirt of John, had approached within
two or three feet, and was scanning t>oil
very carefully, as if to pick the most
vulnerable part of his body. Having at
length apparently decided, lie took two
or three steps backward, and rearing
upon bis hinder legs, he sprang forward,
and planted his horns and forehead in
that part of friend John where honor is.
generally supposed to be located, with
such good will and effect that he vanish
ed with most unbecoming haste, and a
second afterwards the ominous sound of
a heavy body falling into the water told
but plainly the fate of the ditek hunter
I ran down and crossed the creek oppo
site to where John was, and found hiiu
.ust gettiug out of the water, and heap
ing curses upon me for pushing him in
while “Billy” was standing upon the
other bank very complacently viewing
the scene, as though he was innocent of
all participation in it.
John not having perceived his goat
ship, made tho very comforting assertion
that he intended “to give me a good
licking for it,” and was coolly-preparing
to put his words into effect, when I point
ed to the real perpetrator of the mis
chief, and burst into a laugh. He gazed
at “Billy ” for a moment, then taking
up his gun and starting off, lie quietly
remarked—
“ Well, W., you may use my head
for a foot-ball if I ever again come duck'
ing and go home duefred."