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THE BAINBRIDGE WEEKLY DEMOCRAT. VOLUME I. BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1872 NUMBER 40 The Weekly Democrat, hraiMBtR EVERY THURSDAY MORSIKC. SUBSCRIPTION TERMS: One Copy one year - - - $3 00 One Copy months - - - 1 50 grading Matter ®n Every Page. A MUTUAL CONFESSION. jjl WHICH GOSSIP IS EXPOSED. BY R. D. It was a lovely morning In Sep tember, ami Mr. Percy Mortimer an«l hi.s pretty young wife were seat ed at breakfast. The early sun streamed into the bright, pleasant looking room, show ing how neat and tidy every tiling was; the snowy white table-cloth and pretty china breakfast set. A vase of flowers with their colors and fresh, green leaves, occupied the centre of the table, contrasting with the pol ished silver cofl'ec pot, from which, as our story opens, Mrs. Lottie Mor timer was helping her husband to a •cup of fragrant coffee. Mrs. Mortimer was a petite, very prettj, although a rather delicate looking lady of about twenty, and had been married about six months. Mr. Mortimer was a young and haudsome man, with brown, curly hair, blue eyes, and a heavy mus tache. lie had commenced business Tor himself in Sew York, a few months before his marriage, and re port said he was doing very well, indeed. His house, “Rose Cottage” by name, was situated in Myrtle avenue, Brooklyn, and had an air of elegance and comfort about it that betoken the wealth *nd prosperity of its owner. Mr. Mortimer finished his break- last, glanced for a few moments at the morning papet, and looked at his watch. “It is time I theuglit of going to* the office, Lottie," he said, rising from his chair. “So late already, Percy," replied his wife, with a look that plainly said that she would like him to stay a hub; while longer with her, ir pos sible. “Yes, indeed, dear, I must be off. But I'll tell you what I will do. It promisjps to be such .a lovely day, 1 will come home early this afternoon, aud we will go for a nice drive down in the Park. You arc looking pale, Lottie, ami a little fresh air will do you ever so much good." “Indeed, Percy, I am feeling very' well, but I shall enjoy a drive with you very much, if it will not interfere too much with your business.” Thus it was arranged, and Mr. Percy Mortimer put on his hat, and stotJh at the door ready to leave the house. As he stooped to kiss his wife, and wish her good-bye, there Was a fond look in his eyes, and a tender tone in his voice, that showed plainly that the husband was still the lover; and Lottie stood at the door watching the retreating form of her husband until he turned the corner of the street and was lost to sight. ***** “Let me press you to take another cup of tea and a bit more of muffin,” said Mrs. Tabitha Quigley to one of her guests,*3 she was dispensing the hospitalities of the tea-table one evening. Mrs. Tabitha Quigley re sided in Brooklyn. She was a maiden lady of a certain age, and one of the, most inveterate gossips of the neigh borhood. Her chief pleasure was derived from a tea-party, # which she gave regularly oucc a week, the guests being three or tour other eld erly spiuisters of the same turn pf mind as herself. She would doubt less have been very indignant at the accusation, but it was a fact, never theless, that many a scandalous re port and ugly rumor, without any foundation in fact whatever, owed their origin to these weekly gather ings at her house. There was not an incident that transpired in the neighborhood that was hot fully dis cussed, and events, trivial %nd harmless in themselves, took quite a new shape after haring been handled by these sonjewhat ancient virgins. ^Irs. Quigley was generally looked up t<£y her companions. She was moderately rich, lived in a house of her own, and was very free in dis pensing the good things of this lift: to her guests. She evidently thought that the best way to their hearts (and tongues) was through' (heir stomakhs. Her disposition was mean, her temper none of the best, ami she al ways took the worst view of human nature. Her curiosity was unbound ed, and her talent for scandal was (as poor “Artemu3 Ward” would say) “ekalled by few and exceld by none.’* By the time the prolonged tea was over most of the current events of the week had been discussed, and most of the neighbors’ characters had been demolished. “Have you seen that beautiful piano Mr. Percy Mortimer has just bought for his wife ? It came home on Wednesday, and must have cost a heap of money, ” and Mrs. Brown’s eyes lingered. lovingly bn the dainties of the tea-table, as she gently swept the crumbs from her lap. “You don’t say so, Mrsi Brown. Now I really do hope everything is all.right at that house; but - it seems to me Mr. Mortimer, lor a young man just started in business, is fear fully extravagant. Their house is furnished elegantly. Now I wonder if it is all paid for ? There will be a smash up there some day; mark my wjrds.” 1 ‘They do spend a power of mon ey, surely,” said Mrs. Quigley, who thought it her duty as hostess to say something, “but I suppose Mr. Mor timer finds it rather a hard thing to refuse his pretty young wile any thing.” “Pretty? Why, Mrs. Quigley, where can your eyes be ? Pretty! a little'bit of a chit like her, with her turn up nose and doll’s faccl” And here the elderly ’spinster glanced at a mirror that hung ou the opposite wall. “Well,” replied Mrs. Quigley, her taste thus called in question, “Mr. Mortimer thinks her so, anyhow.— Why, they say there never was such a happy couple.” “llappy!” exclaimed Mrs. Brown, in a derisive tone; “well, how some folks arc deceived! Mind you, I shy nothing, but I know perhaps a little more than people thinks. Poor Mr. Mortimer, I pity him !” Here she turned up her eyes and signed. ^ Her hearers were at once all at tention, for it happened that Mrs. Brown lived nearly opposite “Rose Cottage,” and might consequently be supposed to be well posted in the movements of the Mortimers. Although Mrs. Brown protested that she would not tell for all the world, it was not long before her hearers were in possession of all the facts of the case, and probably some thing more. . Mrs. Brown’s communication, shorn of all the comments of that somewhat garrulous lady, amounted to this: For the last month, about an hour after Mr. Mortimer was in the habit of leaving his house in the morning to go to the city, a buggy would be driven up to the door of “Rose Cottage,” from which de scended a gentleman who would' enter the house aud remain there about an hour or so. The door would then open and the said gentleman would come out, looking as pleasant as possible, shake hands with Mrs. Mortimer, and drive off. This would happen two or three times a week, invariably in Mr. Mortimer’s ab sence. There was complete silence among the assembled ladies when, Mrs. Brown finished her recital; but although the silence was complete, significant looks passed from one to the other, far more eloquent than words. “What sort of a looking man is he ?” at length inquired some one. ‘ ‘Is he young and handsome ?” asked another. t _ “He is a fine, handsome man of about forty,” replied Mrs. Brown, gratified at the sensation she had created, “very distinguished looking indeed,” and she added with unmis takable significance, “the sort of a man any woman would fall in love with.” . “Well, poor Mr. Mortimer.” “I do pity him, I am sure.” “What tools some men are, ” and other sim ilar exclamations fell from the lips of the ladies, and this new scandal was the topic of conversation until the tea-party broke up, “Although I could not possibly do it myself,” wore Mrs. Brown’s part ing words, “I really.think it a duty of some one to ope4 Mr. Mortimer’s eyes, ami I do hope some one will, for I han’t bear to seef such carryings | od/ { It site riot long after this subject had been ventilated at Mrs. Quigley’s that the report reached the ears of Mr. Mortimer. At first he paid no attention to it, whatever, but at last, as the rumor was continually reach ing him in one 3bape or another, he made up his mind to speak to his wife on the subject. Before doing so, however, he was determined to be fully conrinced.-r- The course he had adopted to con vince himself is not to be justified by any means, still it was one that would be sure to suggest itself to many men. One morrifcig he left the house as usual to go to the city, but in about an hour’s time he returned. As he neared the house he was disagreeably surprised to find that rumqr for once was correct, for a buggy was stand ing at the door of “Rose Cottage,” from whence, in a few minutes, emerged a gentleman, who, after shaking hands with Mrs. Mortimer, drove off. Percy Mortimer’s first impulse was to confront his wife and tax her with the deceit. On the second thought, however, he determined to go to his office as if nothing had happened, and have a full explanation with his wife when he returned home in the evening. > Mr. Mortimer passed a very un comfortable day. He was full of doub';. There was some mystery, and he almost dreaded to learn the truth. His wife, whom he loved so dearly, trusted so implicitly, did she not return his love ? He could hardly doubt it, and yet—these visits of a stranger in his absence. What could they mean ? His looks of anxiety did not escape the notice of his bus iness friends. He satisfied them, however, by pleading a bad head ache; a bad hcart-ache would have been nearer the truth. The moie he thought of the matter the more he became perplexed; a hundred conjectures passed through his mind, and were dismissed as al together improbable. How he got through the day lie hardly knew, but thb time at length arrived for him to leave tne uiucc. m » K . to do so, when his clerk brought in a card and said a gentleman wished to see him. Was anything ever so annoying ? He glanced at the card, “Dr. Rogers,” a name he had never heard of. He impatiently told the clerk to admit the gentleman, and stood, hat in hand, determined to make the interview short as possible. , The gentleman entered the room, and Percy Mortimer gave a start as. his eyes fell upon the stranger. A stranger ?• No! The maii who en tered was n« stranger! The interview lasted fo. some con siderable time, and when at last Percy found himself ou his way home grief and great anxiety were depict ed on his face. How thoughtful his look, so changed from the light hearted, happy man of yesterday. • , As he neared his home, and saw his wife standing at the gate await ing his arrival, it was with the ut most difficulty that he forced a smile, determined that his face should be no index of his aching hearh ' , ,• Two days afterward “Rose Cot tage” was vacated) and the neigh bors learned that business had called the Mortimers away to Minnesota. This event caused considerable gossip'in the neighborhood, of course, Mrs. Brown insisting that Mr. Mor timer had not gone to Minnesota at all, but to Indiana, and that the reason was obvious. Mrs. Quigley hinted a debt, and the other ladies each had something to say; fan from the truth, but equally as malicious. Soon after, however, some other subject engrossed their attention, and the late occupants of “RosC Cottage” were forgotten. Twelve months elapsed, at the end of which the Mortimers returned to “Rose Gottage,” much improved by their trip. Lottie w^s no longer the pale, delicate looking lady of twelve months ago, but the picture of per fect health, and Percy with his old genial smile and ringing laugh was again a happy man. They were now seated in the gar den where Percy was enjoying his evening cigar, and Mrs. Mortimer was supposed to be reading, for she held r book in her hand. It was evident, however, that her thoughts were far away from her book, and her glance would often settle on her husband, who lay lazily watching the blue wreaths of smoke as they curled upward from his half-consumed Havana. “Percy, do yoa recollect the time just before business took you away to Minnesota, how pale and sick I was looking ?” cnqnried his wife at length. * ‘Yes, darling, I remember it qnite well.” “Well, I have a secret to tell you. Do you know just then I was quite alarmed about myself, and, un known to you, consulted Dr. Rogers, a very old friend of mine ? He doc tored me for some time, but nothing did me any good until we went away. I verily believe that trip has quite cured me. Npw, .Percy, you are not angry with me, are you, for keeping this a secret ? I did not wish you to know my fears; I wished to save you pain.” Was he angry ? Did he remem ber ? Further, could he forget the time, when almost doubting his wife he learned the truth ? How his fears were then aroused, not for his wife’s honor, but for her life. Could he ever forget that interview with Dr. Rogers, when he learned that she was threatened with that dreaded scourge, consumption, and that her interviews with the doctor had been kept a secret from him to save him pain ? “Why, Lottie, I have nothing to forgive. I am so happy to see yon well again; and besides I have a little secret to tell you, too. Do you know why I took you to - Minnesota last Fall ? It was because Dr. Rog ers told me he was sure it would do you good.” Lottie’s eyes opened in astonish ment. How she had been deceived 1 “Oh, Percy, I will never forgive Dr. Rogers for breaking his promise of secrecy to me. You did not go to Minnesota on business at all, then, but because yon knew everything and the doctor told you it would do me good ?” . “Exactly so,” replied Percy, as he bent down and kissed his wife. Years have passed away, and the Mortimers still live in “Rose Cot- with the laughter of merry children. .Although rich and prosperous, they care not for the splendors of a ‘mar ble mansion’ or ‘brown stone front’ in the aristocratic precincts of Fifth avenue or Madi son square; butare content to live in the pretty house beneath whose roof they have passed so many happy years in perfect har mony and entire confidence, for Mr. aud Mrs. Percy Mortimer have had no more secrets from each other since that evening in the Fall,, when they made a ‘hnutual confession.” The Waudei ing Sing-Singer. The Memphis Avalanche gives us the latest intelligence of the wander ing Bard of Sing-Sing who recently played upon his harp of a thousand strings in Atlanta. The Avalanche says: “That cheerful political pyro technic, Sambard, has turned up again. A few months ago he was in Atlanta, publishing the True Geor gian. It started as a Grant paper, but in its last gasps advocated Hoff man for President. The gods loved it and it died young—very young. Then we thought that the star of Sambard had sunk to rise no more. But it Vtas merely traveling in its or bit) to return in due time, like Encke’s comet. The other day Sambard swooped down on Chattanooga, Ift on a pile of types, and at once began the Daily Herald, devoted to Grant and the “eternal per-rinciples of the Republican party.” We have always felt kindly, toward Chattanooga. It is a fine point to emigrate from. The mountains up there first-class, and a guest at on of the hotels can chew longer on a given quantity oi beef* steak than at any other hotels in the country. There are thirty dentists within pistol shot of each hotel, all doing a splendid business. What has the town done that it should be com pelled to endure the baneful upas of Sambard? We ask this with tears in our eyes.”- _ An Affair of Hohor. Yesterday our citizens down town were on the qui vive in regard to an affair of honor which was pending between two lawyers ot this city. It appears from what we can learn that the difficulty grew out of a case in Justice Elsinger’s Court, in which one of them impugned the Yeracity of the other. A written request was made for a retraction, which was met with a refusal, and the result was a challenge and acceptance. The place selected was the well- known duelling ground at Screven’s Ferry, and weapons chosen were pistols—distance ten paces—and yes terday at five o’clock the time ap pointed for hostile meeting. As the parties were about to be placed in position the friends of the challeng ed party stated that they could sub mit a proposition which would lead to an honorable adjustment of the difficulty. After some parley the mat ter was amicably arranged by a dis claimer Qf the offensive language which was the cause of the affair. The parties returned to the city last even ing about seven o’clock.—Sav New&, Ithinst. Agriculture. A good farmer will never be sat isfied with his farming until he sees his land growing better every year. Hog hair is recommended for hens’ nests by a correspondent of the World. He says hens setting in these nests have never been infested with jlice. Hen lice in hogs hair won’t stay. It is thought that ten million acres of woodland are swept off eve- ery year in this country. The Amer ican Agriculturist says that the country, for its highest productive ness needs one-fifth of its tfhole sur face covered with forest. Ground bone is mentioned by ex perienced fruit growers as the very best fertilizer for trees. Apply it during the winter and see that you get that which is not too fine. Pow dered bone is best for grain, but for trees it should not be ground fine. Use op Lime.—It is a good plar. for all fruit growers to apply lime freely in their orchards every two or three years. A half bushel to each tree, or one hundred bushels broad cast, per acre, will suffice. Light loamy land will be the best benefited by the lime. Shell lime is better for for fruit than the usual stone lime. Kneading B utter. ~*A great por tion of the fine flavor of fresh butter is destroyed by the unusual mbde of ough kneeding for the removal of the buttermilk and a subsequent pressing in a linen cloth. Batter thus pi epared is preeminent for its sweetness of taste and flavor—quali ties which are retained a long time. ,To improve manufactured butter, we are advised to work it thorough ly with fresh cold milk, and then to wash it in clear water. Speedy Growth of Radishes.— The Acclimatization Society of Pal ermo teaches that radishes may be obtained at any season, and very quickly, in the following manner: The seed is to be first soaked for twenty-lour hours, and then placed in baps and exposed to the sun. They will begin to germinate in about twenty-four hours, and are then to be set in a box filled with well-manured earth, and moistened .from time to time with lukewarm water. In five or six days the rad ishes will attain the size of a small onion. To grow radishes in the winter the box is to be placed in a warm cellar, covered with a top, and the earth moistened from day to day with lukewarm water. Dressing Mutton.-^Everybody says that the oil which lubricates wool is disagreeable to both taste and smell. In slitting and taking off the pelt) it is difficult to prevent a contact of the wool with the flesh along the lines where the skin is first served, preparatory to it being stripped off Tho accomplished butcher cannot wholly prevent this contact, and he therefore very thor oughly scrubs the part exposed with salaratus dissolved in cold water, which wholly removes the disagree able odor and flavor. The farmers for a tong time, were not aware of the necessity of such purgation, which should be* applied at once, as soon as the pelt, by the greatest ac tivity can be removed. This done, the meat is as free from the taint of wool oil as the meat of any other an imal. • Deep Ploughing.—The monthly report on the progress of scientific farming on the Ogden Farm, near Newport, R. I., under the direction of Colonel George E. Waring, closes with the following paragraph, as printed in the American Agricul turist: In general farm matters .thwr is nothing of especial interest. We jog aloqg very much as usual, well satisfied of the benefits of soiling, and not especially dissatisfied with our results in any respect, save that, in spite of thorough cultivation and heavy manuring, we still feel the ill effect of the deep ploughing of about ten acres of the farm in the autumn of 1868. For ordinary crops it does very well, probably much better, be cause of the deep ploughing, but about two acres of carrots planted upon it wiff bring a very insignifi cant result, because of the injurious effect of the upturned clay on the delicate and slow growing scedings. . Use of Sulphur in Nests.—The ^powdered sulphur sold by druggists is a cheap preventative of parasites upon young chickens. After a hen has been setting till well established, sprinkle a small handfull upon her eggs when she is off, and upon every part of the nest, and for a little dis tance all around it. Then when she goes on, disturb her just enough to make her bristle her feathers, and then dust another handful down to the skin upon her head, neck and every part of the body not in contact with the nest, and do not omit to. put a pince under each wing. Then when the chickens are hatched, there will bo no vermin whatever to leave the hen and gather upon the young, as is frequently the case when no precautions are taken One thorough application such as we have described will suffice.—Rural Home. WIT AND HUMOR. Laps of time—old coat-tails. What comes after cheese?—Mice. Cash advances—attentions to a rich widow. • Ths tobacco cliewer’s music—spit toon Fee simple—Moncy # given to a quack doctor. The drunkard’s week is made up of Thii’stdays. Congressmen like corns are often pared off. JWWltg VT XXI ™ he only has’phtients. • The breaking of both wings of an army is a pretty sure way to make it fly. Why is a pig like a miser? Because he is no good until he is dead. A Doctor’s motto is supposed to be “Patients and long suffering.” ’ The most warlike nation of mod ern times is vaccination, because it is always in arms. What is the funniest ourglary on record? When the man “bursts into a laugh.” You should always . keep your horse fat, and never allow any lien on him. Next to busy bees, boot-blacks fhrnish the brightest example of im proving the “shining hour.” A lady advertises herself as a teacher for “persons of newly-ac quired wealth and deficient educa tion.” Quadrat says he don’t mind the nakedness the trees are putting on, but he notices the corn is shocked. Politeness is like an air cushion; there may be nothing in it, but it eases our jolts wonderfully. A darkey says: “All men arc made oi clay, and like meersbaurn pipes aremore valuable when highly colored. If ihe seas were dried up, what would Neptune say ? I really haven’t an ocean (a notion). Josh Billings says: It is a statistical fact that the Wicked work harder tew reach hell than the righteous do tew get to heaven. The minister who divides his dis courses into two many heads will find it difficult to procure attentive ears tor all of them. If you don’t look carefol’y after the bits of your horse, you may some day be looking after the bits of your wag on. “My daughter, yoa must never lis ten to flatterers.” “Bat, pa, how can r -ell that they are flattering unless I listen?” Doctor, what do von think is the caase of this frequent rush of blood to my head? “Oh I it is nothing but an effort of nature. Nature, yoa know, abhors a vacuum!” A Wisconsin editor was called out of bed one night to receive a subsci ip- ticn; after that he cutup nights for over a week, but the offense wm sot reported. Frightened Mormons, instead of seat- iug any number cf new wives, are now carefully concealing the somber of wives they have. A robber who was seized for steal ing snuff out of a tobacconist’* shop, by way of exensiag himself, said that he was not aware of any law that for bade a fuaii to lake snuff. Do yon think, asked Mrs. Pepper, that a little temper is a bad thing in woman? Certainly not r> ma'am, re plied a gallant philosopher; it is n good thing, and »ho ought never' to lose it. A Michigan doctor who has been arrested because his patient died, has been acquitted on Ihe ground that he did the best he'could, giving all the medicines he know the names of. An old.lady recently directed the attention of her husband to a pair of twins, remarking, as she d : d so, ‘‘How much these two children do look alike, especially the one this way!” An old lady complaining of the bad quality of u ham to tire provision dealer, the latter assured her it was a regular Westphalia. “That it is, in deed!” exclaimed the dame, “and the woist failure I ever had !” A countryman in Savannah obser ved a gang of darkies laboring on the streets, each wearing a ball and chain. lie asked one why that ball was chained to his leg. “To keep people from stealing it,” said the dar key, “heap of thieves about here.” The projector of a new paper at Atlanta, Georgia, having declared tbat-he will “condemn the wrong and applaud the right,” the Era says the task will keep him about as busy as a school-boy with a hornet in his trous ers.. Another bumble imitator of G. Washington has appeared, A Michi gander recently presented himself to ,the sheriff weeping, and said be could not tell a lie—that he had cut down ct: "¥Ho "sLVr'.lNoYd* ViiTrti' f fia good to live much longer, and it is probable that ho won’t. An Englishman and Frenchman had to fight a duel. That they might have the better chance for missing one another, they were to fight in a dark room. The Englishman fired.up the chimney, and, by Jove! he brought down tire Frenchman! Whon I tell this story in Paris, ooserved the poet Rogers, I put the Englishman up the chimney. There is not much taste for the fine arts among the press gang of Lonis- ville. ’ The Courier Journal one day intended to represent an ice gorge in the Ohio River', by an illustration of ihe sarno in the shape’of a wood cut. The next day .the Ledger came out and says the Cincinnati soup house iu Chicago has been abolished. For par ticulars see cut* Courier Journal tho previous day. BAINBRIDGE SOUTHERN - MADE CLOTHING. NOEL GAINEY & GO., —FEELING— That unless the Industrial Pursuits could be sustained the country could never be truly prosperous, have determined to manufacture their ENTIRE STOCK in Bainbridge. £3- they warrant their goods CHEAPER AND BETTER THAN THE EASTERN MAKE. .And challenge comparison in Quality, Style . * and Price. They also keep the best quality of SHIRTS AND GENTS* FURNISHING GOODS, Xf-A LIVE OP SHOPS AND HATS.^51 Appealing to the people of Decatur, we say achieve your independence by building up your own institutions. nich7 ly