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art 1 71 ts HE id s fiw _3 w * - S. B. Burr, Knoxville, Ga., Sept. 1st, 1880. Editor Mirror: The writer has no recollection of any year that has been so bless e 1 with Barbecues. Picnics etc., as 1180, which is certainly an exhibi¬ tion of advancement financially, of our citizens and country, generally .—of all that your correspondent Ills attended, none lias equalled the one in your comity; on the 25tli of last month .which took place in a beautiful grove in front of the Idence of Mr. Thomas Hardisor, and which might be called the Har dison dinner.’ The intention of it was that all the members of that (Hardisons) family might bo to getber as it’s not often, when there are so many of one family, all shall ever be present on any occa¬ sion. In 1824 Mr. Frederick Hardison settled in the Ctli District of Craw fo d county. His family consisted of himself, wife and five children viz; James, Thomas,Elizabeth, Fan nie and Julia. Ho was blessed with three more, Hardy, Saliie and George. He, like most of the oth er settlers, had to labor very hard to raise his children, but with their help raised them all. The chil dren all lived Jong after their parents had fallen by old age into their long sleep* and all are living yet but one, Mrs. Elizabeth Giles, who died on tile 11th of July last past. James Hardison was mar ried three times, 1st, Miss Eliza¬ beth Jones, 2nd, Miss Annie Dir <Ien, 3rd. Miss LouAmos. Thomas Hardison was married twice, 1st, Miss Hirriet Garble, 2nd. Mrs Elizabeth Gray. William Giles married Miss Elizabeth Har¬ dison, Solomon Aultmaa married Miss Fannie Hardison, Jno. W. Williams married Miss Julia Ilardi son; Hardy Hardison married MiS sAlcuy Weaver, Goorga W Thames married Miss Sa’lio Hardi¬ son, George W. .Hardison married Miss Walton. The number of descendants is about two hundred. There were at this re-union 182. They all felt how pleasant it was for all to meet together one time and perhaps the last. The day passed on and near mid¬ day the table that had been arran¬ ged for the occasion was loaded with the best viands that could be afforded in our country, until if possible it fairly groaned with its weight and yet the cries from the meat pits and bakery’s were that there were more yet. There were 185 to eat and enough was on the table for fully one thousand per¬ sons. Ice cold lemonade was in abundance. Buckets of this de¬ lightful drink were at every turn. It was remarked by an old gentle¬ man not a member that he had never in his life seen so much car ried away after tho tab’e being kept spread all day. The write-, when be looked around upon the beautiful faces of the girls present, and in addition to this if there would be a re-union every year, could not help hut wish ho was a member of this noted family, and if unmarried should certainly spare no time in trying to become one of the number. V SH. Editor Mirror: The Legislature Aug. 26th, 1872, passed an act-relating to Fences and stock, or to give the planters of Houston county, or any other county in this State; the privilage of fencing Stock in, instead of fen cing out. With your f ermission I will write a few short articles to be published in the Mirror, I am a planter, and reside in the Oth dist. I will state in the first place, that a neighbor of mine who runs from a nine to ten horse farm, and a very close calculation it requires one hundred thousand rails to fence his plantation, and it requires thousand rails every • year to liis plantation in good repair, what is tr*e of this plantation, true of every other one in county, which is kept in good pair, to make them a lawful fence, w d I will assert, without tho of successful contradiction, that i costs the planters of Houston coun¬ ty, more money or labor which if equivalent to money, to keep their fencing in good repair than their state and county taxes cost, and if I would say fifty per cent, more I would comenearer the true amount. A. neighbor of mine, who rents a two horse farm, said it required from 12 to 15000 every year to keep his place in good repair, which cost at least $12 to split, haul and put up, and his State and County lax-, es was about 5 to $G per year, and why is this heavy expense every year to keep a few poor vicious hogs, cattle and broke down mules and horses from dear eying crops, for there are but few valuable stock suffered to run at large. Most of the planters of Houston county fence in their stock, and why, because this county is not a grazing county, the larger portion of the lands fire under fence and the wood land has grown up with a thick under' growth, and grass os are shaded out, and the principle place stock have for grazing is in I in is audfeaoe corners, and break¬ ing in neighbors fields. I will ven¬ ture to say that if all the stock suffered to run at large were sold for cash the sales would not amount to one tenth dollar of the cost of keeping the fencing in good repair, to say nothing about crops destroy¬ ed and hard feelings, and some¬ times difficulties of a serious char¬ acter between neighbors, "but an objector would say what are poor men to do who owrt no lard, and freedman who cultivate land on shares, or rent land, this law fflys shook must bo fenced in and not allowed to run at large. E v ery farmer can fence in as much land as he chooses for pasture land for any other use, and laborers renters would have the same 1 Labor is too scarce ftr ownei-s hot to bo willing to renters or employees the priv¬ of pasture land as much as might need and would be to fence. In my next communication, I show some of the benefits aris to the farmers of Houston by this law. , Farmer 9th Dist. Judge Warner’s Letter Judge Warner is a grand old man. He has long held high sta» lion in Georgia and honored it.— Ho has asked for no \indications.— entire stale acknowledges his purity and uprightness. Be¬ low we publish his iettir written to the Burnsville people. The leading Colquitt organ has the grace to pub it. The communication lias no uncertain ring. It speaks the sen¬ timent of a true Georgian, who has nobly illustrated hia state. His words burn into the Colquitt admin as a coal of fire. We ad that they be read and pondered. -’ come from one who has served c mn< nweiltb ably and with fidelity, and has never attempted an act which was not for the welfare of his .state. Read his letter which follows; Greenville, Ga., August 30, ’80 Messrs, j. R. Jenkins and olhors, Committee, etc.— Gentlemen :—I am in the receipt of your letter in¬ viting me to address the people of Barnesville on the political i-sues of tho day, on Friday, tho 3d of Sep¬ tember. My prior engagements will prevent r compliance with your re¬ quest, but you can say to my Barns ville friends that I am for Tom Norwood and good government.— I know him to bo both honest, and capable, and too good a lawyer not to know that a’though the governor may make a contract with lawyers to represent the state,yet that officer cannot touch a dollar of the people’s money to pay such contracts until the general i a ;emb!y shall have had an opfortunily to judge of and upon the reasonableness or sonableness of such contracts, and to appropriate tuffi an amount in payment therefor a* in their judge mint ti e so vices oro reasonably worth, and tho governor can draw h s warrant for tk • amount so »ppi FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1880. mated, and no ra ire—for the consti ration expressly declares that “no money shall be drawn from the treasury except by appropi rations made by law.” Tom Norwood is too good a lawyer not to know that it the governor of the state can make contracts with lawyers to pay them $10,000 for their services, and can then thrust bis bands into the treasury and clutch out that amouut and pay.them without an appropri¬ ation having been made tlieiefor, as required by the constitution, that he could make contracts to pay law¬ yers $500,090 for fees, and thus bankrupt the people’s treasury w ith out as much as saying by your leave or the leave of their representatives. A man acting for himself in his indi¬ vidual capacity may make a con¬ tract with a lawyer for fees, and the lawyer will have a lien upon the money collected, for the simple rea¬ son that the money belongs to him wbo made the contract, ho having the power and authority to ereate a lien upon his own money by bis own contract, but Tom Norwood is too good a lawyer not to know that the governor has no power or authority whatever to make a contract with a lawyer and thereby create a lien on the people’s money, and that the lawyer acquires no lien by any such contract until the general assembly shall approve ami ratify it. Making contracts with lawyers toy the gov¬ ernor, at extravagant foes, is one thing, but thrusting his hands into the people's treasury and clutching oat their money to pay such fees without an examination or appropr¬ iation ha-ing boon made therefor by the legislature, is a oilier and very different thing which Tom Norwool will never do. Tom Norwood has not held the office of for tho last four years, and did not leave his seat in that high and travel all ovav the country with all power and patron¬ age of the state govern men t, for the purpose of stocking a convention by tt.c Boss Tweed process of primary with a majority cf dele¬ to vote for bis nomination and for nobody else; he did not crack his executive whip over that convention of stocked delegates and compel them to remain and vote for bis nomination, and nobody else, on the assumed ground thsrt his stocked delegates represented a majority of the people, whereas not one-tenth of voting population of the state had spoken at tho Boss Tweed primary election. No, Tom Nor .rood has not forced himself on the people by any such proceedings as that to vindicate himself from the ollodged persecution of the lcr’isla'lire and and judicial depavtm nits of the government worse than Lattiacr ever endured, and it is to be hoped he never will. If his official record won’t vindicate him, no frantic ap¬ peals to the people can. Very re¬ spectfully your obedtent servant, Hiram Warner. Lye Hominy make A it. correspondent Fill largo asks kettle how half to a full of hard ashes, then fill up with water and boil until the lye is v ery strong; put it one side to settle;' draw off the lye; return to the ket¬ tle and when it is boiling as fast as possible for five or- ten minutes, or until the hull is eaten off. Skim the corn into a cullender and rinse and rub it in a pan of cold water, af¬ ter which it must be boiled in clear water lor three or four hours, or un¬ till tender. Be careful not to burn and put no sal tin it wbilo cooking. Have the tea-kettle full of boiling water and add to tho com occasion requires. Daring tho last hour let the water boil away so that when done it will bo with almost dry. It may be eaten cream or warmed up with milk and butter, or fried tri bacon’ greas. gait to suittho taste In either case. Ladies are like watches--pretty e lough to look at; sweet faces and dolic tto hands, but somewhat diffi" cult to ‘regulate’ after they aro set a-going. An old lady says she never could imagine where all the Smiths came from until she saw, in a Now Eng laud town, a largo si«n: ‘.Smith Manufacturing Company.' THE STEP-MOTHER. BY MRS. AMELIA V. PURDY. ‘Children are like —every < n i wants their own, and I have no ambition to be wet nurse or nursery governess for an other woman’s brats. Dr. Wyjit is all yon say, I suppose as men g. —he is personified perfection.— Nevertheless ho must go elsewhere for a mother for his children.— That is my sole objection, but it insurmountable.’ And the er, a girl on tho shady side twenty, rose from her seat and strolled to the piano and began piaying low symphonies as if to soothe her perturbed feelings. Judge Dixmont laid down his paper, grave and dissatisfied of face, say ing: ‘ As a rule, the suitor whom the parents consider particularly eligi¬ ble, the child considers peculiarly objectionable. Of all the men I k now, Dr. Wylie stands pre emi¬ nent as talented and progressive, has a large and lucrative practice, is popular and handsome. The only drawback is two little g'lrls of two and four, whose very helpless¬ ness and innocence would appeal strongly to any one’s sympathies.— I will tell you a story, Ida, and when it is done, if yon still consid¬ er the children insurmountable objections, I will never revert to the subject again. ‘Once upon a time there was a domestic Eden, in a certain town in this State. The family consist¬ ed of father, mother and one child, a boy of five. ‘The mother, was young, beauti¬ ful and talented, a natural sunbeam full of vivacity, and the admiration qf all who knew her, and her bus band was idoiatrously fond of 'Tfcr. Wherever these rare unions exist, death may be safely predicted standing' near,- sceptre in hand. ‘The Yellow fever swept through the town ; the brason demon that destroys so many fair homes, and all that was left of her was her wedding dress, her jewels and tiny slippers, over which the crazy hus band bended for hours. In liis grief he forgot his little son, as his mother would never have done, and the child would steal softly up stairs and peep in at liis father, who, with bowed head and aching heart, sat in the room where N she died, bathed in wearied moonlight* and oblivious of all around him. ‘Sp ha sat for months, till grief had become disease. Grief is the least liberal and most selfish of our emotions, and the pain is the per¬ sonal suffering the loss occasions. We shall be lonely, miserable, un¬ dated for. No one will misis ns when absent, and long and watch for oar return. The first person is a paramount in giief, and Mr. Holmes, blind to a sense of his pa¬ rental responsibility, bestowed no thought upon the child, who natur¬ ally gravitated to tho kitchen. * The African race have had superior advantages in tho shape of moral instruction and churches from time immemorial in the South (Jjut they remain as uncivilized and beastly to-day as their cousins in African solitudes. Under such ed¬ ucators, John Holmes at eight was notorious, a little swearing ruffian, who was tho terror of the town childven. Once in a wbilo Mr. Holmes woke up and gave him a terrible cowhiding, but it was pro duotive of no good, and did not at. rest him an instant in his headlong career to destruction. Ope dav an indignant neighbor ’presented ft heavy bill for a fine French-plate show-case which Master John had broken and a council of ted and long-suffering citizens reg ularly impeached the boy, in father’s presence, misdemeanors' of sundry crimes and poor father’s eyes suddenly od to the enormity of bis own d uct, the culpable neglect had ruined the gentle and child his dying wife bad j ! od with tears to his charge; John, who confidently expected j uvnereiful whipping, stood when his father leant his sorrowfi head on tho table and cried. ‘ ‘I don’t know what to do wit. him,’ he wailed in the bitterness o bis heart. ‘Oh, Lily, if you could see the boy you were so proud o’, nice, and who was to be judge auc president some day!’ ’ ‘ ‘Marry,’ suggested tome bright, clear-headed '—a widow, large-hearted, thetic and humane. Having dren, she will bring valuable expe Hence into the management of an d household. . ‘ John is notorious,’ he re¬ monstrated: ‘no woman in her senses would undertake such a kur cal eon task.’ ‘ ‘Try Mrs.- Clarke,’ suggested the good angel. ‘She is like oxy¬ gen and sunshine, and possesses great administrative ability—a nat ural ruler, as others are natural poets or painters-’ ‘Sunday came, and Mr. Holmes went to church, for t\ie first time in three years, and escorted Mrs. Clarice home, asking and receiving permission to call again. She had bewitched him in ten minutes’ walk from church. Her very laugh was infectious, and she had the rare tact to draw out the best in each. She soothed and strengthened him. When he went to church, he did not see that he was walking through sunshine ; at leaving her, he won¬ dered at the golden glow and beau¬ ty of the sky. She was to his mind what iron and strychnia are to the nervous system. Some people draw out the good that is in us, and elevate; others weaken and depress where they do not actual ly degrade. We feel like purring softly under the benign, refined, silky influence of this one ; and we are wolfish, tigerish, full of discord, discontent and bitterness, as the coarser nature strikes all too sus¬ ceptible chords of self. It would be a safe rule in life to dismiss any friend who has not power to teach, improve and benefit, and to steer clear of the callous and tho coarse. She went on a visit to New Orleans, and a pleasant correspondence en¬ sued, and on the Ides of November Mr. Holmes went for his bride.- Dinah, an ancient negress who oc¬ cupied the responsible position of housekeeper, was telegraphed to get the house in readiness, and Master John also, ponding their arrival, and gleefully imparted the information in this wise : “Now you’ll git it, Mars. John ! Can’t tell me ’bout stepmothers: I’ve seen ’em, I has; an’ dat wo man yer pa done married is noted for her strictness. She’ll lift yer ha’r, I till yon 1 Oh, Lord, but she will fan yer with a fence rail! Euty I done tole you yer pa would mar¬ ry some day. But I’m sorry for you, po’ chile ! Sure, don’t tall her I said anythin’ agin her, ’cause I didn’t; I’m comprehendin’ step¬ mothers gineraliy.’ She breaks out singing : “Oh, de day am cornin’ when we'll go home, Jews screws do Cdum 1 An' eat pies an’ cakes by do great white throne, Jews screws de fidtim !' ‘Mass John, is you gwine to h.ab on your clean close ’an git washed? You ain’t? Well it’ll be a sorry day for you when de bride gits yah, an’ you lookin’ like po whito folks’ chillun. You yer my miration, John Holmes?’ John swears and throws hatchet at her - ho l ,in S wi!1 stl ’ ike her ; and dirty and forlorn, with a fierce sense of injustice in his brhast, he wends his way down to the wharf, unheeding the pitiless sleet- A blue norther is -a norther deeply, clarkly, horri bly blue, and tho tears that well up intheir’founts hot, freeze as fall from his rounded cheek. vHuufss deserted, and the coming over the turbulent b»y. a « keen as a newly ground Ho croud e; on the south side too building and waits. fiua! j ie *’ » <*ae. He glances t . w tho Ron< N Qlhl thoro Bil ° j the mi Mbxico, soon the rocking dreaded in the ith whom it will be war to the aife and the knife to the hilt, will 3 tho presiding divinity of tho nly pdace he can call home.— Drays rattle along the strand and rat upon tho wharf, the drivers with red noses and gloved hands, their months converted into minia¬ ture smoke-stacks and some of them curse the weather as they the wretched child. It is strange, but when man, woman or child are in trouble— deep, scath ing trouble —surroundings impress themselves upon the mind even to the minutest detail, forming, as it were, a picture Rsmbrandtain in light and shade and bold in pros pective. John sees here and there a broken plank; and wonders why it is not repaired; then his deso¬ late eyes fall on a crab, who, re¬ gardless of the day, is probably going to see a particular friend.— He glances again at the steamer.— The cannon is fired, and she touch es the wharf. He sees his father hand a lady into the rockaway : afterwards a little boy of three, and with a child's uneering per¬ ceptions, divines her character. It is a pleasant genial face, but firm as adamant. He rises • and looks over the gray waste of waters, sol¬ emn as the sleep in death and ex¬ claims : “It can’t he no worse anyway,” and the tender God looked pitying¬ ly on the small misanthorpe, with his heart, that should have been as stainless as showy fleece, scarlet with sin. Ha reaches home and darts into the parlor and creeps under the sofa. The room is chcerfa! and bright, with that best of all furni¬ ture in bitter weather, a big fire.-— Soou his father and mother e iter.— Says the lady : “I shall send one of the servants to find John. Thii is no day for a little child to be out-doors. ’ “The negroes say lie is perfectly fractious to day,” Mr. IIolme3 an su ers : “My dear, I am afraid John will give you a good deal of trouble. I have whipped him until I had to give it up in despair.” “I do not believe in whipping,’ ro plies Mrs. Holmes dryly, “and shall try moral suasion. Any sensible child can be goverone.l without blows.’’ ‘ I wonder what moral suasion is?” queried Master John. “If I hadn’t played hockey so much I’d know. Catch me waiting time that way again.” They leave the room, and John follows in a little while, and stands boldly on the threshold of the diu iug room. His bold, bright, black eyes arc redolent of defiance, but when tho lady rises and kisses him and leads him to the fire and actu¬ ally holds him in her lap, it recalls the fair young wither for whom liis child heart is still sore, who was rudely snatched from him never¬ more to return, and though ho makes a brave effort to keep back his tears—be who would not cry when, in bis almost daily fights, hand if ul of hair is torn from liis head -breaks quite clown and cries; and though his blurred eyes he sees the little child lie saw in hie father’s lap draw near and say sweetly: “Is it my little brother, mama?” “Yes,” answers Mrs. II >lmes.— ‘‘And John, when Willie is with you I want to icol perfectly safe and ■ sc 1 - cure in the be’ief that you' will 1 not let him hear bad words or let' him gat hart. I want to bo proud of iriy two boys when they are men. ’ “A step-mother talking like that! Too good to hold out,” whispered Uicevd nature But as weeks wore on and it was proved that she was not only wise, bat good, John’s nature began rad caliy to change. She was a fairy as potent ns Quern Mab, and •hem; ty and order sprang up in' her foot steps,. The house was refurnished and a beautiful ai d l»ndionu J> furnidied room assigned to John— The grounds were laid off testtfdly —rustic scats andI urns and statu* ary introduced. I be wall* of bis ru0in W0IC with "chromon rich iu bright colors, and vases fill, d with flaw, rs were placed upon bis Vol.-io No. ii mantle. “Anything is good enough lor a boy,” is the common exclama ation. Well, it is, if yon want to' animalize him—not unless. If you' want him to be high-toned, gentle¬ manly, refined, let his surroundings be perfectly reft, d, the refinement extending clear through from stir roundings to acts and utterances. He saw that he \va3 coarse and rude, with a sense of humiliation, and strove to get rid of bis kitchen' habits and conversation. Once he forgot himself and swore in her presence, and the trouble her eyes expressed, smote him with keen' pain. W ell dressed, well fdl, taught tor consider himself a boy who would some day be a leader among men. tho angles rounded beautifully-’ He began’to’learn rapidly, and' ac¬ quired, in place of the bold effront ery a graceful self possesion and self-respect, without which no man¬ or woman be a success. Theoret¬ ical humility is beautiful, and exalts’ while it abases; practical humility, a sense of ttnworthiness, will make’ and keep a man a clod for others to walk upon. It is as important ’ to inspire as it is to respire, and we who bate a dog if it cringes, • have little patience with tho Uriah Ileepish trait, of which there is cpiite too much in this old world of otws. Mr Holmes looked proudly at his wife as his reconstructed son bora off the prizes at school and his merry songs rang through tho gar¬ dens and halls. Ah! the grand Se¬ cret is this: make the evil happy and you make them good. For Mrs Holmes, John entertained a love that could not be estimated, weighed or gauged, while her child was his idol. So tire' Hippy years • wore on. At twenty-one he grad¬ uated and was admitted to the bar. At 35 was Judge of the Supreme Bench, and had been M. C., three times. “Ida, I was another ‘woman’s brat’—a low outcast and social Pa¬ riah, and yet your grandma made my reformation a labor of love “Oh! papa,’’ cried Ida, tearfully, “I thought dear grandma was your own mother; but will love her bet, ter than ever now, because she was so brave and good, and' only for her, the brightest judge on the bench would have been lost to tho world.” The door opened, and a stately old lady entered iu rich black silk, with rich lace ruffles at tho throat and falling over tho small, snowy jeweled hands. Ida flew to her an cl hugged her roughly, crying: “Ohlyon dear old precious grand¬ ma! Papa has been telling mo what you have been to him.” Tho Indy dropped her hands on the black hair of her stalwart son. “My son, you should have waited till I was gone ere telling that story. But,” smilingly, “he was too modest to toll yon, Ida, that it was a fine nature all run to weeds, and had so little root that a touch drew them up, and in their place sprang up a rare flower. He gavo me no trouble. Take any ehil J and place it among educated, refined, • bright people, and it will be all the most fastidious can desire.” Says Ida presently: ‘Papa I have reconsidered my de-' vision. I am sorry for Dr. Wylie's • motherless children,and will try’ atid be as good a -mother to them 1 as grandma was to you.” And ere he could frame a reply, ■ she sbpped from the room. The Washington Star (tnd. Rep.)» concludes nnfoditoria! on - the p 0 . litical contest in-Georgia with tho ‘ remark that “the wedge that will split the solid South politically, has been entered in Georgia, Virginia, - Tennessee and Arkansas, and -it wil be driven home in less than a year.” It remains to be soon whether the Democracy bf Georgia will permit the glorious old party that has given peace, prosperity and security to the State, to bo riv on and destroyed simply to gratify tho aspirations of discontented f iv office