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THE HHILTOH JODRHAL
HAMILTON, GEORGIA
'! 1 1
A HAdIKI.OK’N MMJHft.
A Ufa miMjvriit, in Incomplatad miaalo*,
A hmiaa ml void of me:-ry lauirh
I‘artain tinto Uutt fractional condition
Of man without • bettor half.
No one to rhnar him In this world’* linraat,
And soothe a dabt-betnuddled brain;
No love with fnrtllo fancy to stiKKcat
Home way to “ rilie the wind" again.
No no* to laugh with him when all la bright.
Nor weep when joj acem over gone—
Alia ! no nngera, deft and white,
To eew a mlaaiug button on.
No purffcwhite brow, no love-lit eyee of bln*,
No treeMoa moved by summer breeze;
Ah roe 1 no dewy lips of roay hue,
No llng’rlng, aoft, while hand to aqueeze.
No sympathetic hope of morn of life.
Nor memory when he 1* old—
Ho aad the thought t no meek and gentle wife
To eneer at when the coffee’s oold.
And duties over, when the long day dies,
No need of gentle wifely tones,
No one to nek with glad, expecting eyes,
“ l>ear, did you get the bent of Jones V”
Of earthly Joys and pleasures ho la bare,
lie hue no hope of heaven withal;
No school for Christian resignation where
lie uevei hears a tby squall.
A Peculiar Woman,
“ Ketch hold. Tom. There I I declare
il you aiu't spilled about a quart! I
knew you would get it too full.”
“I didn't spill more than ten drops,
Cousin Silence. How you worry over
the loss of a little grease.”
"It’s one of my principles to save, as
you might a’learned long ago.”
“I believe in prudence; hut what’s a
few drops of lard more or less on this
farm, and nobody knows how much in
Isuik ? You skimp and screw as if you
think there were danger of your getting
on the town.”
“Well, you are the frankest young
man I ever saw,” and Silence Withers
put her arms akimbo and gazed at her
young cousin, Tom Lowey, as if he
was a curiosity escaped from some mu
seum.
“Yes; I was always noted for my
frankness,” said Tom, coolly, “and I
never hesitate to speak my mind when
duty urges. However, I don’t want to
hurt your feelings, Cousin Silence.”
“No danger, said Miss Silence, with
a laugh of derision. “lam no spring
chicken, an’ my feel in’s have grown
tough. But the idea of your duty urgin’
you to speak your mind to mo! Perhaps
you dour recollect the whippin’s I used
to give you. ”
“1 haven’t forgotten,” laughed Tom.
“ You used to make me do my duty in
those days. But 1 wish I could convince
you that it would ho only a Christian net
for you to send a little help to Mrs. Bald
win'. You wouldn’t feel the spending of
950 out of your 950,000.”
“Massy sakesl It seems as if other
folks know more about my business than
Ido myself. Fifty thousand! Law 1
Who,said 1 worth that much ?"
•• uti, it’s common talk,” replied Tom.
“Well, it won’t do you any good to
talk. You’ll never see the color of my
money after I’m dead and gone. I’ve
made my will; and, siuce plain sjleak
in’ pleases von. I’ll make free to
sav you ain’t mentioned iu it. So,
there 1”
“ I calculate to take care of myself,”
said Tom, tilting the chair agaiust tho
wall. “ Leave your money wherever
you choose ; I don’t want it*’
“ The day may come whou you will
want it, Tom Lowcv, and then you’ll bo
sorry for sayin’ them words. I’ll ro
memlK'.r ’em; so will you when your
pride has its fall. There’s plenty of
things! can leave my money to; it won’t
go begging.”
“ I guess not.”
“You’d more’n guess if yon were to
live here a Hpell and see the stream of
visitors 1 have. There ain’t a day but I
get, nagged alvout my money by some
body. Deacon Bonuey thinks it’s his
hounden duty to advise me to leave it to
found an orphans’ home. Old Mr.
Craig wants it left to Wolf Ivor o Acad
emy ; ’Squire Darby lias his mind on it
for a public library, and the minister
thinks I ought to remember wliat a
debt’s on the church. To hear ’em talk
you’d think 1 hail one foot in the grave.
1 don’t give none o’ ’em any satisfaction,
ami then they say I’m peculiar. Well,
{verhaps I am ; but I dou’t see no possi
vilitv of any change in my natur'.”
Tom laughed. He was spending a
couple of hours at the farm, which had
lveen his only home until lie began to
“ scratch for himself,” to use Ins gaunt
cousin’s expression. Now lie never left
more than a day or two pass without
looking in on the lone spinster to see if
he could give her nnv help, and to-day
he was making himself useful in lifting
jars and boilers of hot grease on and off
‘the stove, for Miss Silence was trying
out lard.
Tom’s law practice, as yet, was not
Tory exacting, much to his regret ; and
he had more time on his hands than
pleased him.
“ lint, mm, do promise you’ll send
Mrs. Baldwin something for Christmas,
Cousin Silence,” said Tom, returning to
the attack.
“1 never promise what 1 don’t mean
to j>erform," was the oliarncteristic an
swer he received to his plcadiug. • ‘ Mar
tha Baldwin and ine ain’t been on speak
iu' terms for these live years, and I'd be
makin’ myself pretty small to send her
Christmas presents. I’d soon bo on the
town if I began to help all the poor folk
you know. It ’pears to me yon tase a
mighty deep interest in them Baldwins,
Tom. * Melissa Bonuey let out a hint
that von was a sparkin' that Prissy Car
roll.’ 5
“ I wish Melissa Bonuey would mind
her own business.
“ Don’t get riled. I dare say it’s true.
’Twould be like you to court a gal with
out a penny, because you’ve not a pen
ny yourself. Prissy Carroll’s lieen raised
out of charity bv her aunt.”
“ That don’t make her less lovable,
Cousin Silence.”
“Now, Tom Lowey,” said Miss Si
lence, brandishing tlie big iron spoon
with which she stirred the lard, “don’t
make a fool of yourself over a pretty
face. Butter your breiwl Ivefore you eat
it. There’s Melissa Bonney, whose
father’s worth—”
“ That’s enough,” interrupted Tom,
and, Ivefore Miss Silence could stop him,
he was out of the kitchen d<vor and
walked briskly down to the gate.
“ Law sakes 1 what peculiar creatures
men arc 1 Talk of lvein’ i>oouliar ; why,
I ain’t n circumstance to that Tom
Lowey. He’ll inarrv that Prissy Car
roll now, if it’s only to show me he
didn’t care for ray money.” And,
with a sigh, Miss Silence went hack to
her lard.
“ Christmas gift, indeed 1” she mut
tered, after standing for some time in
deep thought; “I think I see myself
eating humble pie to Martha Baldwin.”
But, somehow or other, her conscience
did not feci quite so easy as it had felt
before Tom’s call.
An hour later Tom was sitting in the
Willow Baldwin’s small parlor, with his
arm around a very trim waist, and a very
lovely golden lieud resting on Ins
shoulder. It was very evident that the
closest economy was necessary with tho
Baldwins, for the earjvet was patched
and worn, and the muslin curtains
washed threadbare, and the furniture
m sail need ox vumisli and new Hair
cloth.
“ I wish I saw my way clear to take
you out of tliis. Prissy,” said Tom, with
it sigh, “ hut clients arc scarce enough
in Wolf boro.”
“ Now, Tom, where’s the need to
worry ? I couldn’t leave Aunt Martha,
anyway. We are both young enough to
wait.”
“You’re too good for this world,
Prissy,” said Tom, with a kiss on the
dimpled white chin.
“There’s someone knocking ; lot me
go,” cried Prissy, springing up and run
ning to the. door.
It was no visitor, but the hired man
from Miss Silence’s farm, with the spring
wagon, which he had brought to convey
Tom to his cousin’s home, for Miss Si
lence had, not ten minutes after his de
parture. an hour previous, overturned a
kettle of lard by accident, and been ter
ribly scalded.
“Where’s my hat?” cried Tom, in
great excitement, while the man was
telling how he had wasted time by go
ing to the office first, and, not finding
him there, had hunted him up.
“Let me go with you, Tom ; 1 know
I can help,” cried Prissy, as her lover
was springing into the light wagon.
“ Oh, Prissy, if you only would.”
“ Wait until I get my bonnet and
slmwl and tell Aunt Martha. I won’t
be gone a miuute,” anil Prissy rushed
into the kitchen, where her aunt was
ironing.
“Go, by all means,” said Mrs. Bald
win, when* she had grasped the meaning
of the gill’s incoherent explanation.
“ Stay as long as you tire needed, and
don’t worry about mo.”
Miss Silence made no remark when
Prissy entered her room with Tom. She
was in great pain, and was thankful to
see even this member of the hated Bald
win family.
J?’or three weeks Prissy was chief di
rector at the farm, and managed so clev
erly that Miss Silence had uo chance to
find fault. But the grim spinster had no
word ivl commendation for the young
girl’s untiring industry.
“ I calkerlate to pay you for what you
have done.” she said one day, as she
watched Prissy making bread. “You
needn’t think you’re workin’ for noth
in’.”
“I don’t want any pay, Miss Silence,”
said Prissy, with trembling lips; “I am
only too glad to do what I can, be
cause—” She hesitated and turned
scarlet.
“ Because you’re iu love with Tom."
finished Miss Silence. “Oh, you needn’t
blush; I know all about it, and, it he
chooses to break his head agin a stone
wall, I ain’t a-goin’ to stop him.”
At the end of three weeks Miss Silence
was able to la> about again, and Prissy
went home, declining the s*2o bill for
her services. But she had not been
gone three hours when the hired man
came from the farm, with two large
baskets, which he sat down on Mrs.
Baldwin’s kitchen floor.
“ Compliments of Miss Silence, and
she sent these in place of the money,”
mid was driving off in the spring wagon
In'fore Prissy could recover sufficiently
from her astonishment to ask him any
questions.
The baskets were full <>f good things
of every sort, and th was a royal
Christmas dinner for the Baldwins the
next day, much to the joy of the chil
dren, who had contemplated, ruefully,
dining: on mush and potatoes.
Prissy sent a note of thanks to Mias
Silence by TVun, but she never received
an answer.
'lime moved on, and Tom’s law busi
ness improved so much that he persua
ded Prissv, against her better judgment,
to marry him.
Miss Silence did not grace the impor
tant (X'oasiou with her presence.
“ I've no time to be gallivanting off to
weddings," was her excuse, when Tom
reproached her for this alight.
“ She is such a peculiar woman, we
must not expect her to act like other
people; but she has a good heart in
spite of her queer ways,” said Prissv,
when Tom tried to moke excuses for his
cousin’s remissness.
“ But her greatest peculiarity lies iu
her not liking von, Prissy," said Tom,
kissing his bribe’s soft cheeks. “ And I
can’t quite forgive her lack of taste.”
All went well with the young couple
for more than a year. They began
housekeeping in a modest cottage Tom
was paving for by installments, and were
so prudent that they managed to gather
about them many little comforts that
made their home pleasant.
But fortune seldom smiles long at a
time, as we all know, and reverses will
come to every one. One hitter night in
December Tom’s house caught fire and
burned to the ground, nothing being
left except a few clothes ueiouging to
Prissy and the baby.
Of course Mrs. Baldwin opened her
house to them at once, though it neces
sitated much crowding. Prissy sug
gested an appeal to Miss Silence, but
Tom emphatically declined to make it.
He was far too proud to ask for the help
which he thought should have been
earnestly offered. His last books and
papers had all been destroyed in the
fire ; for he hail used a room in the cot
tage for an office, and getting a living
was rather up-hill work. Christmas was
dreary enough that, year, and even Pris
sy’s courage sank at the thought of the
future.
“ Tom Lowey will have a chance to
show what kind of stuff he’s made of,”
said Miss Silence. “He burdened him
self with a wife and baby, and he’ll have
to look out for ’em. I told him I’d never
give him a dollar of my money, and I’ll
keep my word, no matter what hap
pens.”
Miss Silence had thought herself proof
against the weakness of falling ill; but
in March she caught a severe cold, and
pneumonia ensued. She felt she never
should get well again, and the doctor
told her frankly that in all probability
she would live but a few days.
“ I want to see the lawyer at once, if
that is the case,” she said. “I must
make anew will.” . .
Mr. Simons, who hail managed her
business for years, came as soon as he
received her message, and the will was
mode. He hardly left the house before
Tom called.
“I’m worse,” said Miss Silence, feeb
ly, “but I’m not afraid to go. Per
haps I’m peculiar in that as in other
things. Deacon Bonney and the minis
ter, Mr. Craig and Mr. Darby have all
been here a urgin’ of their several
claims. 1 told each o’ ’em Id consider
the matter.”
“ Will they be disappointed, Cousin
Silence ?” asked Tom.
Poor fellow! he was in such a sore
strait that he could not help a desire to
have some small help from his cousin’s
hoard. He hardly dare hope she had
left him a cent, anil yet he was her only
relative.
“That remains to be seen,” was the
unsatisfactory reply he received to his
question. “But don’t, you cherish no
hopes, for I aiu’t left you a cent.”
A bitter smile curled Tom’s lips, but
he made no reply.
“ I suppose you think me peculiar in
not leavin’ you my money, seein’ you
are the only kin I’ve got,” went on Miss
Silence, “but you’ve taken such pre
cious care to convince me that you don't
want it, that I’ve believed you and acted
accordin’. ”
Tom went home and repeated the con
versation to Prissy, who shed a few tears,
but tried to ek#er her husband’s droop
ing spirits with hopes of more law busi
ness in the spring.
That night Miss Silence died, and the
whole town turned out to her funeral a
few days later.
•• l expect Wolf boro Academy will find
itself able to erect anew building when
Miss Silence’s will is read,” said old Mr.
Craig. “She's told me she’d consider
the matter, and I know she was im
pressed with my arguments. ”
“ I rather think you are mistaken,”
said ’Squire Darby, “for I feel morally
certain she has left her money to found
a library.”
The minister, who stood near, smiled
to himself. He had not the slightest
doubt that the debt which hung over his
church like a pall would now be lifted
through Miss Silence’s will.
Tom did not want to go to tne reading
of the important document, but Prissy
insisted, so they went together, though
neither of them looked very cheerful.
Mr. Simons made no objection to the
presence of ’Squire Darby. Mr. Craig
and the minister chuckled as Deacon
Bouney entered with a pleasant smile
for Tom, who well knew what sarcastic
triumph lay beneath it.
The will was dated three days pre
vious, and every penny in the bank, and
the large farm were left unconditionally
to Pressy Lowey. Her husband’s name
was not mentioned,
Tom's face was a study, while Prissy
almost fainted from the sudden relief to
all her trouble.
The faces of the other men present
were studies, bx>. The deacon left the
house without a word, and the ’Squire
looked grimly at Mr. Craig.
“She was a very peculiar woman,
said the minister, wiping bis brow, on
which the 1 tended drops of perspiration
stood thickly. His anxiety about his
church had been very great, you see.
But Tom and Prissy could afford to
forget their dead cousin’s peculiarities,
since she had kept her row never to give
Tom a cent, and yet had managed to
make him comfortable for life. There
was an immediate flitting to the comfort
able farm-house, and Tom furnished a
nice office ui town and drove m every
morning in the spring wagon. Past
troubles and cares were forgotten, the
Baldwins were made more comfortable,
and, considering all things, Miss Si
lence did more good with her money
than if she had left it to found a library
or lift a church debt.
Trk State of Louisiana levies a poll
tax for the benefit of the public schools
upon all male inhabitants over 21 years
of age. It is a lien on all property of
the tax-payer, and employers are liable
for the tax of those they employ, pro
vided the service has been for niuety
days during the year for which the tax
is "due. The property of employer or
employe, in case of non-jmyment of the.
tax. may be seised and, after ten days’
advertisement, sold to pay the tax and
costs. The tax is never to be less than
SI nor more than 51. 50.
SOUTHERN NEWS.
There is only one white woman in the
Alabama penitentiary.
It is said that Sabine’Pass has been
deepened ten feet at an expense of $50,-
000.
A vineyard in Live Oak county, Texas,
is said to have produced three crops of
grapes last year.
A single business house of Greensboro,
N. C., has bought 250,000 rabbit skins
this season.
S venty buildings were erected in
Raleigh, N. C., in 1880, of which one
was a church and sixty-three were dwell
ing houses.
Col. Thomas Rutfin has been appoint
ed Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court of North Carolina, vice John H.
Dillard, resigned.
The Arkansas State Senate has passed
a bill appropriating #IO,OOO for a branch
normal college at Pine Blufi for the edu
cation of colored teachers.
? The proposed amendment prohibiting
the sale of intoxicating liquors in West
Virginia has been indefinitely postponed
by the State Senate.
In Gadsden, Ala., the value of taxable
property has increased from $293,792 in
1879 to $411,200 in 188'', and the city
tax at one-fourth of one per cent, from
$784 48 to $1,033 15.
The Swedenborgian Publication So
ciety has donated to the library of the
Georgia institution for the education of
the deaf and dumb Swedenborg’s com
plete works. There are no funds to re
plenish the library of this institution,
and persons who can give books should,
send them to Cave Springs, Ga., or to
Gov. Colquitt.
The North Carolina Legislature has
passed a bill providing for the publica
tion of a roll of the North Carolina
troops in the late war. The duty of
collecting the names has been delegated
to Maj. Moore, the historian. In addi
tion to this work he will add other facts
descriptive of the movements of each
regiment during the war.
Montgomery Advertiser: Considera
ble sensation was excited by the sudden
sinking of nearly 100 feet of the track of
the Montgomery and Eufaula railway at
a point near the limits of Union Springs
a day or two since. Those who visited
the spot speak of it as something of a
phenomenon in its way- It had the ap
pearance of a depression caused by an
earthquake.
Memphis, Tennessee, is in a bad way,
financially. Its taxable property has
decreased from $30,800,00 in 1866 to
$13,900,000; there is $2,500,000 of back
taxes due ; and the tax rate for the next
two years, if the health improvements
are carried out, will be $8.95 on SIOO.
The present population of Memphis is
33,593, and the total debt, $6,000,000, is
$l7B per capita, and 43 per cent, on the
whole taxable property.
The rapid development of the business
of importing fruit to New Orleans, the
Times of that city says, has materially
interfered with and reduced the foreign
trade of New York, which city has here
tofore supplied the entire West, with
fruit. New Orleans possesses exceptional
advantages as a distributing point. Her
climate is favorable. Fruit often reaches
New York during the winter frozen, or
is exposed to severe frosts on landing.
Speaking of the State debt of Louis
iana, the New Orleans Democrat says:
Under the provisionsof the new constitu
tion the debt, in case all consolidated
bonds are exchanged for four per cent,
bonds, would amount to $8,879,650, re
quiring the sum of $355,182 annuallv for
interest. Collections for the interest
fund already amount to $355,225 83, or
more than enough to pay the interest
for 1880 upon the whole amount of the
State debt refunded under the provisions
of the new constitution. The surplus,
$43 83, doubtless goes to the support of
public schools.
It is questioned at Mobile whether the
public pro]>erty belonging to the defunct
city of Mobile, now in the hands of the
Commissioners for the adjustment of the
debt of the late city, should not, under
the decision of the United, States Su
preme Court, in the Memphis case, be
turned over to the Commissioners of the
port of Mobil? for governmental
purposes. The jx>rt of Mobile has
not money enough in its treas.
urv to meet the pay-roll of this
month. The }h>u Commissioners have
paid to tlu Mobile Commissioners from
rentals and markets about $3,700 per
annum for the last two years.
A lecture was recently delivered In
Buffalo on “ The Birds of Buffalo,” and
there wasn't a word in it about the dear
li*tie ducks of that city.
TLEASANT PARAGRAPHS.
Boiler explosions are becoming so
numerous that vaccination appears neces
sary to keep them from breaking out.
—Ph ila <lelph ia Ch ronicle- He ra Id.
A Chicago restaurant keeper adver
tises “roast turkey and cram Iverry satis,”
and yet a hungry man might go where
they spell hotter and fare worse. —New
Orleans Picayune.
“ Post love me? Tell me once again,
My little pootsy toots!”
With love-lit eyes vhe sweet replies:
“Pol? You bet your boots!”
—Modem Argo.
The Cleveland Herald lias published
some verses entitled: “Why do I sing?”
and written by a young woman. It is
fvrobably because her father paid five
ltmdred dollars to a music teacher for
spoiling a good stocking darner.
At an undertakers’ conference in New
York recently, one undertaker complained
that the sextons were getting “all the
cream of our business.” Wliat for Heav
en’s sake, is “the cream” of the under
takers’ business?
In olden timer, when people heard'
Some swindler huge had come to grief,
They used a good oM Saxon word,
And called that roan a “ thief.”
But language such as that to-day
Upon too many feelings grates,
So peoole smile and simply say,
‘‘He— ‘re-liypct hi cutes.’’ ”
The man who journeyed long to spi#
upon the grave of his enemy found that
the said enemy was drowned in a lake
and his body not recovered. There are
lots of things in this world to make a
man mad.— Detroit Free. Purees.
The Galveston News says a man in
that city who had a mule for sale, hear
ing that a friend in Houston wanted to
buy a mule, telegraphed to him: “Dear
Friend—lf you are looking for a No. 1
mule don’t forget me.”
An exuberant youth hails a supposed
acquaintance with “Hello, Joe, ” but,
finding his mistake, adds: “O, excuse
me; I thought you were another man !”
Laconic stranger answers: “lam.”
Buffalo Express.
No Adolphus, newspaper men do not
have duplicates of the last straw that
broke the camel’s back. They axe use
ful, as you say, but newspaper men are
so accustomed to d—k—g the other
way, they don’t care a straw about
them!
A minister overtook n Quaker lady
and politely assisted her iu opening a
gate. As she was a corupartive stranger
in town, he said: “You don’t know,
perhaps, that lam Mr. . Haven’t
you heard me preach?” “I have heard
you try,” was the quick rejoinder.
“As for me,” says Mme. Z., whose
husband is a member of the Assembly,
“I always do my shopping when the
Senate is discussing the appropriation
bills. Then, you see, my husband is ac.
customed to suclx large figures that my
bills look small to him.” —French paper.
This is the particular time of the year
when the citizen is attacked with a se
vere case of economy, and immediately
cuts off his entire list of newspapers.
There is one paper he does not relin
quish, however. It is his paper of to
bacco.—7lock-land Courier.
The man who works in a factory, his
pay day comes once a month; but the
man who works at ditching has his spade
day oftener than that.— Marathon Inde
pendent. Hoe! Hoe! Fork conscience
sake shove ’long this pun, and don’t har
row np our feelings in this way.
A Yankee tobacco chewer was in the
habit of declaring about once a month
that he would “never chew another
piece,” but broke his pledge as often as
he made it. On one occasion, shortly
after he had “broken off,” he was seen
taking another chew, “Why,” said his
friend, “ you told me you had give aup
that habit, but I see you are at it again.”
“Yes,” he replied, “I have gone to
chewing and left off lying.”
Tom Corwin’s Welcome to His Son-in-
Law.
At the marriage of his oldest daughter,
Eva, to Mr. George K. Sage, a young
lawyer of Cincinnati, Corwin manifested
so much feeling that the occasion took
more of the aspect of a funeral than of a
wedding. During the ceremony he
shed tears, and at the supper, after a
prolonged and solemn silence, he sud
denly broke out:
“Now I want it distinctly understood
that tliis thing is never going to happen
again in this house. There will never
be another wedding here. I will get a
nigger six feet tall, and give him a pole
ten feet long, and post him at |he front
door, and instruct him to knock any
young man in the head who comes to
see my daughters. ”
Gen. Garfield relates that, shortly be
fore Corwin’s death, when lie returned
to Washington from a flying visit to
Lebanon to attend the marriage of his
youngest daughter, he referred to this
marriage of Eva, and said that he shut
himself up in his room for three or four
days before it occurred, and could not
be' persuaded to take any part in the
preparations, and only on the most
earnest solicitations did he come down
to witness the ceremony. He said: “I
could not endure the thought of my
daughter loving another man better than
myself; and yet she married a noble
fellow. And now the old feeling has re
turned. I tell you I had a horrible time
of it until the ceremonv was over.”
Adulterations of Food*
The liberty guaranteed by this great
Republic is a* fine subject for Fourth of
July oration, but when that liberty
licenses fraud, and permits imposition
on the people, alike injurious to health
and dangerous to life, it reaches the
precincts of abuse, and should receive a
prompt and vigorous check.— JPeo)
Freeman.
A promixest citizen oi unicago nas s
bootjack which he has named Care, be
eanse it once killed a cat.'