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THE ATHENS GEORGIAN: JULY 24, 1877.
Story of the R. R. Engineer.
[Detroit Free Press.]
“ Let mo put my name down first
—I ean’t stay long 1”
It was a red ribbon meeting, and
the man wits a locomotive engineer,
bronzed and strong, and having eyes
full of deep determination. He signed
his name in a bold, plain hand, tied
a red ribbon in his button hole, and
as he left the hall he said :
«As the Lord looks down upon
me, I’ll never touch liquor again !”
“ Have you been a hard drinker ?”
querried the man who walked beside
the engineer.
“ No. Fact is, I was never druuk
in my life. I’ve swallowed consider
able whisky, but I never went for
enough to get drunk. I shouldn’t
nms it or be the worse of it for an
hour it' nil the intoxicating diink in
the world was drained into the
ocean.”
“ But you seemed eager to s gn the
pledge.”
“ So l was, and I’ll keep it through
thick and thin, and talk temperance
to every man on the road.”
“You must have strong reasons?”
“ Well, if you’ll walk down to the
depot. I’ll tell you a story on the
way. It hasn’t been in the papers,
and only a few of us know the fact-.
You know I run the night express
on the B Road. We always
have at least two sleepers and a
eoacli, and sometimes we have as
many as two hundred passengers.
It’s a good tv-nd, level as a floor and
pretty straight, though there is a bad
spot or two. The night express has
the right o’ way, and we make fast
time. It’s no rare thing for us to
skim along at the rate of fifty miles
an hour lor thirty or forty miles, and
we rarely go below thirty. O .e
night I pulled out of Detroit with
two sleepers, two coaches, and the
baggage and mail ears. Nearly all
the berths in both sleepers were full,
and most of the seals in the ooaches
were occupied. It was a dark night,
threatening all the time to rain, and j steam turned
a lonesome wind whistled aroun ? the
tab as we left the city behind. \Y<-
were seventeen minutccdate*and th.it
meant fast time all the way through.”
“ Well,’’ he continued after a nm.
ineut, “ everything ran along all right
up to midgnight. The main track
was kept clear for 11s; the engine
was in good spirits, and wc ran into
D as smoo.h as you please. The
express coming east should meet 11s
fifteen miles west ofD , but the
operator at the station had failed to
receive his usual report from below.
That was strange, and yet it was not,
and after a little consultation, the
conductor sent me ahead. We were
to keep the main track, while the
other train would run in on the side
track. Night after night, our time
had been so close that we did not
keep them waiting over two minutes,
and were generally in sight when
they switched in.”
“ When we left D——, wc went
ahead at a rattling speed, fully be*>
lieving that the other train would
be on time. Nine miles from 1)
is the little village of Parto. There
is a telegraph station there, but the
operator has no night work. He
closed his office and went home about
9 o’clock, and any messages on the
wires for him were held above or be
low until next morning. When I
sighted this station, I saw a red lan
tern swinging between the rails
Greatly astonished, I pulled up the
heavy train and got a bit of news
that almost lifted me out of my boots.
It was God’s mercy, as plain as this
big depot. It was the operator who
was swinging the lantern. He had
been roused from sleep by the whis
tles of a locomotive, when there w as
not one within ten miles of him. He
heard the toot! toot! toot! while he
was dressing, and all the way as he
rau to the station, thinking that he
had ; been signaled. Lo! there was
do train .there. Everything was as
quiet as the grave. The man heard
his instrument clicking away, ,and
leaning his ear against the window,
he caught these words as
through to :
* *J /. r ’Jfl
“For God’s sake, switch the East
ern express off. quick I Engineer on'
4im‘d -tot
the Western express crazy drunk,
and running a mile a minute!’’
“ The operator signaled us at once.
We had left D nine miles away,
and the message couldn’t have caught
us anywhere except at Parto. Six
miles further down was the long
switch. It was titue we were there,
lacking one miuute. We lost two or
three minutes iu understanding the
situation and in consulting, and had
just got ready, to switch.in where we
were when the head-light of the other
train came into view. Great Heaven!
but how that train was flying. The
bell was ringing, sparks flying and
the whistle screaming, and not a man
of us could raise a hand. We stood
ther-i on the main track spell-bound
jas it were. There wouldn’t have
been time, anyhow, either to have
switched in or got. the passengers
out. It wasn’t over sixty seconds
before that train was upon us. I
prayed to God for a breath or two
and then shut my eyes and waited
for death, for I hadn’t the strength
to get out of the cab.”
“ NY ell, sir, God’s mercy was re
vealed again. Forty rods abore us,
that locomotive jumped the track
and was piled into the ditch an awful
mass. Some of the coaches were
considerably smashed, and some of
the people badly bruised, but ho one
was killed, and of course, our train
escaped entirely. Satan must have
cared for Big Tom, the other engiueer.
He didn’t get a bruise, but was up
and across the fields like a deer,
screaming and shrieking like a mad
tiger. It took five men to bind him
after he was rnn down, and to day
lie is the worst lunatic in the State.”
“ Tom was a good fellow,” contin
ued the engineer, after a pause, “ and
lie used to take his glass pretty reg
ularly. I never saw him drunk, but
liquor kept working away on his
nerves till at las’ the tremens caught
him when he had an hundred and
"fifty lives behind his engine. lie
broke out all o‘ a sudden. The fire
man was thrown off the engine, all
on,. and then Tom
•lanced and screamed and carried on
hke« fiend. He’d have made awful
\v0rl4 sir, 'but for God’s mercy. I
am trembling yet over the way he
came down for us, and I’ll never
think of it wilhout my heart jumping
for my throat. Nobody asked me to
sign the pledge, but I wanted my
name there. One such night on the
road has turned me against intoxi
cating drinks, and now that I’ve got
this red ribbon on, I can talk to the
boys with a better face. Tom is
raving, as I told you, and the doctors
say he’ll never get his reason again.
Good-night, sir—my train goes in ten
minutes.”
went
1 I
The want of employment in New
York is shown by the fact that a large
number of men aro engaged catching
dogs at thirty cents a head. They ap
pear to be quite; willing to run the
risk of being badly bitten and of con-
trading the hydrophobia for the com
pensation received. At last accounts
forty-six dog catchers had been bitten
no less than 240 times, or an average
of five bites to a man. It will not be
surprsing if quite a number of cases of
hydrophobia arising from these bites
are soon reported.
The oldest living ex-Congressman
is said to be Artemas Hale, of Bridge-
water, Mass., aged ninety-four, who
was Representative from the State
from 1845 to 1849. In 1864 he wasa
Presidential Elector.
That was a scrupulous young lady
in Boston, who refused lo meet her
lover—Justus his name was—at home
becuase she had heard her minister
say that Justus should always be meet-
ed out.
It takes longer to write “ sage” than
any other word in tao English lan
guage. Because, after you make the
first “s,” there is an “age’’ before
yon can add the final letter.
Martin Institute Commence
ment.
The annual sermon of- this institu
tion was preached by Rev. W. F.
Glenn, of Marietta, Ga., on Sunday,
July 8th, from the text: “ I pay
unto you, though he will uot rise and
give him, because he is his friend, yet
because of his importunity he will
arise and give him as many as he
needeth”—Luke xi: 8. The sermon
was appropriate, recommended by
research of thought and that best of
all scholarly and clerical attainments,
clearness and directness.
lie following, programme of exer
cises was observed: .
JUVENILE EXHIBITION—MONDAY EVE
NING.
Headers—Miss Alice Fanning, Miss
Eugenie Harrison, Miss Ella McDon
ald, Miss Leila Faust, Miss Gertie
Pike, Miss Cora Pike, Miss Blanche
Thompson, Miss Lulu Oak^s, Miss
Fannie Turner, Miss Lucy White-
head. ' v
Speakers—Willie Bailey, Eddie
Bailey, Gussie McCarty, George Sil-
man, Henry Shackelford, Toinmie
Shackelford, Frankie Shackelford,
Charley Thompson, Johnnie Turner.
PRIZE DECLAMATION—TUESDAY.
D. W. Bailey, Jefferson—Speech
of Patrick Henry.
W. T. Bennett, Jefferson—The
South. •
J. N. Boggs, Jefferson—South Car
olina during the Revolution.
J. B. Brooks, Jefferson—The Hu
man Mind.
L. F. Daniel, McNutt, Ga.—Call
to Americans.
G. W. Glenn, Jefferson—Eulogy-
on Lafayette.
C. F. Holliday, Jefferson—Flog
ging in the Navy.
J. M. Hunt, Jefferson—Napoleon
Bonaparte.
M. T. Nunnally, Monroe, Ga —
Future of America.
Marcus Pittman, Jefferson—Spur-
lacus to the Gladiators.
J. Y. Williams, Danielsville, Ga.—
On Slander.
ORIGINAL OCATIONS—WEDNESDAY.
J. L. Davenport, Point P^r. Ga.
—Room at the Top. "
J. P. Faust, Lexington, Ga.—Lost
labor.
F. A. Glenn, Jefferson—I love thee
next to Heaven above, Home of my
Fathers, thee I love.
W. T. Harrison, Jefferson—Faith.
W. V. Lindsey, Jefferson—Our
Native Land.
J. N. Ross, Jefferson—Man the
Architect of his own Fortune.
N. T. Sharp, Jefferson—Power of
Habit.
J. C. Shirley, Hartwell, Ga.—The
Power ot the Human Mind.
G. P. Shelton, Bold Spring, Ga.—
Aspiration.
A. C. Stevens, Jefferson—Intem
perance.
J. J. Strickland, Ditfhielsvillc, Ga.
—War a Demoralizer.
Afternoon, 34 o’clock, Anniver
sary of Martin Literary Society,
Address, by F. A. Glenn.
SOPHOMORE EXHIBITION —WEDNESDAY
Miss Ellen Shirley, Hart Co.—The
Golden Moment is now.
Miss Alice Wills, Jackson county—.
Where Self leads, our Steps will ever
Stray.
Miss Idaliah Weir, Jackson county
—To Forgive is Divine.
Miss Docia Harrison, Jackson co.—
Man Conceals, but Time Reveals.
Miss Lena Wills, Jackson co.—
Kind Words are More than Coro
nets.
Miss Mary Lou Bush, Jefferson—
’Tis Home Where the Heart is.
Miss Georgia Faust, Lexington, Ga.
—’Tis Sweet to remember.
Miss Dicie Sherley, Hart co.—
Where there’s a Will, There’s a Way.
Miss Rebecca Poole. Hart co.—
Never too Old to Learn.
Concert by Music Class.
SENIOR AND SUB-SENIOR EXHIBITION—
THURSDAY.
Miss Ella Smith, (Ex.) Jefferson,
GRADUATES.
Miss Mary Caritliers, Jefferson—
Oft let me wonder hand in hand with
thought.
Miss R<>sa Poole, Hart county—
Diving, and finding no pearls in sea,
Blamo not the ocean, the faults is in thee!
Monday and Tuesday were set
apart for the examination of the stu
dents, divided into three classes,
Primary, Intermediate and Ad
vanced.
MjssMarge Oyr, a lady to whose
womanly graces is superadded higli
Thbash’s Consumptive Cure.—
Sure cure foe consumption, branch
tis, coughs, croup, colds, and all lun t
affections. Restores lost voice, etc.
Call at Dr. Ed. 8mith’s drug store.
Dr. King’s old stand, and get a trial
battle for 50 cents. 1 Large size $1 60
situ? uobnivqo bo# .f«evo«p**r -,01?!
. ard, Banks county—
Let us never vainly stray '
In search ot thorns from pleasures way.
Miss Mollie Poole, Hart county—
Tho’ dim our eyes, wo may yet so©
our duty every hour. 1 , u .
Miss Floy Howard, Brit. Hondu
ras—Perhaps and Might, how they
puzzle all. ......
sciences,- presides over the primary
department. All the essential condi
tions of success in this department
were present: First, culture to
direct (only cultures can impart cul
ture : Second, the formative period
of the mind ; consequently the exami
nation of this division was satisfactory
in full, as it only could he. Then
came the intermediate and advanced
divisions, with an opportunity to de
tect, upon the one hand, collusion
between teacher and pupil, if such
existed; to ascertain, on the other,
the extent to which the “ Cramming
Process'’—so common—had been in
dulged.
If any pupil entertained the hope
of leniency or collusion, the nnexam
pled coolness with which Prof.
Glenn led the nnsnspecting into
snares and gins, dissipated such ex
pectation, thinking and a recourse to
fundamental principles as a guide,
were tho only expedients possible
from the toils and mental gymnastics
in- which the -learned principal de?
lighted. If any were “ crammed,"
tor a siege, Prof. Orr entered severe
ly /a o judgment, thus advertising the
possessors of strong memories, that
such stores might be exhausted, and
tnat such preparation is incompetent
to the elucidation of elementary
propositions. Prof. Orr reminded us
rof an astute attorney sitting over
against a truthful witness plying ques
l.o is with such skill and tact, that
an analytical knowledge only of the
subject could suggest the answer,
, The y,oufh under instruction de
veloped an intimate khowledge of the
principles in which their texts were
grounded and as seamen, who having
ventured too far into the mainland,
upon assault, flee for refuge under
cover of their gunboats; so these
young aspirants, grappling with the
concrete and practical, in every time
ot trouble beat hasty retreat to the
abstract and theoretical, that from
the vantage-ground of settled princi
ples and general truths they might
proceed to the solution of difficult
questions. It was evident to the
easual observer even,that the stu
dent* of this school, male and fern- le,
are taught to think, and that, too, in
aocordanco with the laws of thought,
the only road to learning or success.
The examination was honest and
felt to be so by visitors and students.
The value of this feature is incalcula
ble, whether considered as affecting
independent and original thought on
the part of those taught, or tho cul
tivation in them of true virtue, itself
a priceless element of education.
The char cut stamp of the bright
coin of honesty in the teacher on
such occasions, and in school life,
makes men and women. As all
kinds of dishonesty destroys our
pretenses to honest principle of mind,
so this genuine stain]) iu teaching is
the specific difference between a true
educator and the money-seeking
time-server; between solid worth
and superficial gaudiness. The high
aims of teachers find their culmina
tion and reward in the formation of
character, discipline of mind and the
amelioration of individual life; the
selfish impulses of charlatan instruc
tors, realize their highest hopes in
outward display and sordid }>elf, ill-
gotten, because obtained at the dear
price of ft deterioration of morals, of
poor scholarship, and of the sum of
human happiness.
It should be remarked that the
declamation, essays > and original
speeches were good. The articula
tion, self-possession and spirit in which
they were rendered, signalized the
painstaking and care bestowed upon
this much-neglected and most impor-
XOU- H.H.h Uh
tant branch. To note the compara
tive excellence where all did so well,
would uot be just. It was remarked
** that one unacquainted with the
school, would suppose that it consisted
o. natural orators.” Many ot those
young men, in. life, will be able to
express the thoughts that burn in
their own breasts, instead ot asking
others to rise in political 9* religi o us
assemblies and say whaV thi^r so
much leeL
-The prizes in elocution were deliv
ered to Miss Ella McDonald, Master
Charlie Thompson and Mr Marcus
Pittman. These prizes were delivered
by Mr. W. 8. McCarty who related
their origin and defined their object,
possible ?” gasped
attain-mm* •■* * k " ~i— ung ^ ur bistoiy to Roman days.
...... .. . I lie little speech was as happy as it
inpYfwllorl 1 : / ! r \ \ iff 1 •;"/
was unexcelled. / T HlHTilY
The Anniversary Address of Mar
tin Literary Society was delivered by
Mr. F. A. Giehn, at 3| o’clock,
Wednesday afternoon, subject—
*’ Nothing reasons less than the spirit
of party ” Mr. Glenn was elected
from his own society to deliver this
oration, and it was well done. His
hearing, his noble and generous senti
ments, so fully sustaining his proposi
tion, have won him a laurel, in our
opinion, not his last.
The concert, in charge of Miss
Myrtie McCarty, the highly accom
plished “belle of Jefferson and of
Georgia.” was excellent. Considered
as the first appearance of these pupils
in public after only a few months’ in
struction, they reflected high credit
on their instructress and honor to
themselves.
Col. Henry Perry’s address on
Thursday, illustrating the “ superior
ity of cultivated intellect over physi
cal force,” was a rare,: intellectual
treat. When published, ‘ as we un
derstand it may be, it will speak for
itself.
The last crowning act was the de
livery of diplomas to Miss Mary
Caritliers, of Jefferson, and Miss Rosa
Poole, of Hart county; by their be
loved preceptor and principal, Prof.
John Glenn.
The benediction pronounced, the
school separated to meet in the lall
to add another year of labor to tlie
glorious prestige of the past.
—
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Fraternity,
The annual Convention convened
at the parlors of Fork’s Hotel at 8
P. M. yesterday. This organization
is largely and favorably known
throughout the Southern States as
one of the largest and mostfloiuisliing
ot southern college fraternities. Dat
ing back as far as 1850, it now num
bers in its list of more than one thou
sand members many of the most tal
ented and influential men in the coun
try. Having chapters or lodges in
many of our most promiuent educa
tional institutions, and alumnus chap
ters in many of our cities, it is doing
a great and good work among the
young men of the country.
Delegates were present from eleven
colleges, and having a quorum, the
Convenlien completed its organiza
tion by electing the following as offi-
eerst for he ensuing year—viz: Ma
jor Robert H- Wildberger, of the
Kentucky Military Institute, presi
dent ; John Glenn, of Washington.
Lee University, vice-president, A O.
Murphcy, of the University of Geor
gia, and A. J. Crovatt, of Bruns
wick, Ga , secretaries; R. II. Peek,of
the Virginia Military Institute, cor
responding secretary; and M. T
Freeman, of Mercer University, war
den.
After appointing the usual com
mittees, aud some time spent in the
discussion of matters of 110 special
interest to the public, the Conven
tion, having received advices of more
delegates to arrive to-day, adjourned
over to 9 :30 A. M.—Richmond Dis
patch.
Scene in a Detroit Court.
[ Detroit Free ITtss.]
“My brother died, you know,”
began Ephraim Cowels.
“JYes, brothers are dying all around
us,’’ replied the court. “ If I had
any brothers I should expect them to
■ake their cnnncfs with the rest.”
“ He died, sir, out in Springwells,
and I was going down to the funer
al.”
“ Of course you were, Mr. Cowles,
and of course you felt very sad at the
had news. But you didn’t get down
there.”
No, poor John ! I didn’t!” ex-
you were trying to bite the bar
tender’s thumb off, and he was
getting ready to gongc your eye
out.”
“ Is that
Ephraim.
“ I’m telling you nothing but the
best brand Of truth to be had in the
market. You bad already demol
ished two tablets and broken several
bottles of rare old wines made of
alcohol and logwood.. When a. man
is going to his brother’s funerai, and
the horse runs away, you can’t tell
what strange things will follow.’’
“Well, you seem to know best
about it,” said- the .prisoner; as. he but
toned his coat. “I’ll go down and
tell the man that I didn’t mean to bite
bira.** "
“Oh, mj'YGu won’t. I sent him
your regrets an hour ago, and. in-
termed him that he could draw on
von at three days’ sight through the
House of Correction. Thirty days is
the figure.’’
“ And I’il go up as soon as I see
about the funeral.”
“ Delays are dangerous, Mr Cowles.
You had better go right up right
away.”
“ I won’t 1’’
“ But you will!”
And so he did. It made Bijah red
iu the lace to lift the fellow into the
buggy and tie his-legs around one of
the seats, but the law must be en
forced if the effort snaps oft’ every
suspender button in the great west.
Sequel to a Divorce.
Mrs. Martha A. Berge, of St. Lou
is, recently obtained a divorce from
her husband, Louis Berge, for inhu
man treatment and on other grounds.
The lady had a little property of her
own which, when the divorce was
granted, was decreed by the court
as entirely hers, her former husband
having no claim thereto. Notwith
standing this, he seemed to think her
possessions were still his whenever
he could lay his hands on them, and a
few days ago he entered her room
and helped himself to 81,400 worth
of jewelry. She promptly had him
arrested and has indisputable proof
of his crime. On his preliminaav
examination she gave in her testimo
ny against him, and when she retired
from the witness stand the following
conversation ensued between the
two:
“ Have you no pity for me ?” said
he.
“ Had yen any pity for me when
you made my life miserable for eigh
teen years ?” replied his wife.
“ Have you no love?”
“Love!’’ with a sarcastic laugh,
“ love. Oh, no, that’s dead long ago
—you killed it.”
“ NN ould you send mo down to a
prison cell?’’
“ N\ hat is a prison cell compared
tt .lie hell yon have k**pt me in all
these years, you, who killed my
father and our child. Yes, I would
send you to a prison cell.”
“ But my misery, my misfortune-
will nothing move you ?”
“Nothing. You have brought
this upon yourself; you can take the
consequences.”
A mansion now building in New
York has a Pompeiian room, the
woodwork of w hich is of ebony, with
ivory inlaid figures, and panels of
amaranth wood paiuted by hand.
The furniture is upholstered with raw
silk of reseda tints, bordered with
crimson velvet.
An Irishman once ordered a pain
ter to draw his picture, and to repre
sent him standiug behind a tree.
In 1864 Crook and Seigel moved
simultaneously on the railroad connec
ting Richmond and the southwest and
up the Slmnandoh, their operation b< •
ing designed to help Grant by crip -
pling and confusing the enemy. Crook
was fairly successful in destroying the
road, but Seigel was forced by Early
... to retreat. Colonel Strother (“ Porte
claimed the prisoner, wiping his eyes Crayon’ ), who was on Seigel’s staff,
on his sleeve. “ I met with a bad» , , ,, . . , ,
accident, sir. The horse ran away | rcrnai ^ e( ^ ^at the only difference he-
and threw me out.”
“ Correct, Ephraim, entirely cor
rect, hut wasn’t it funny where you
landed. You were thrown a mile
and a half to a foot, landed in a
Woodbridge street saloon on your
feet, and you walked directly to the
bar aud said you’d take some sugar
in yours.” 0
*• Was I in a saloon ?” asked the
prisoner, seeming greatly aston
ished. ij,:-, i-j-i,
“ That’s wheio you were, my boy,
anl it wasn’t a first-class saloon,
tween the two commanders was that
while Crook was tearing up the road,
Seigel was tearing down the pike.
—The Philadelphia Press says that
while there is depression in the dry
goods trade, the mrnufactures cf that
city are in a remarkable flourishing
condition, some ot them doing a better
busines-i than at any previous period.
The production this year is estimated
at 8660,000,000, against 8552,000 last
either. When our folks first saw vou year.
r:V .?• V-S'*?ai
triy ,<*»«• =A
