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EASTMAN TIMES.
A Ileal Live Country l’npor. Published every
Wednesday Morninif, by
I?. S. BURTON,
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COMING AND GOING.
Olt. 8. T. Cf.AllK.
AVinda, to-day, from yonder lilacs, blowing through
my open door,
lktre their fragrance to a baby who had never
breathed baforc.
But the, dear old man who knew them, just ai>
freah and purple then,
Seventy yearn ago, as now, will never, upver breathe
again !
One was going up to heaven as the other came to
earth;
And the mortals arid immortals each made record
of a birth,
A two souls, upon the boundary which divides that
world from this.
Met and parted, in the melting of a first and last
sweet kiss!
With a weary wail of welcome saw the little child
<i„ t
With a song of praise triumphant passed the patri
arch away !
All the same—the cradled cherub, or the pulseless,
coffined cold—
Life and death alike are angels and the messengers
of God!
HUSBAND, OR CHILD?
No other ax resounded through the
forest with such a clear and decided
ring as that wielded by Thomas ; none
other so sure of its aim, while raised
between sky and its destined rest.
His voice was the most cheerful and
his carol the merriest that reverberated
in the beautiful woodland that extended
through the Rhineland to the borders of
Holland.
Wherever his hands w T ere omployed,
the work was accomplished in half the
time. “The merry Thomas,” the
“magnificent Thomas,” tho “indus
trious Thomas,” were the names given
him by people far and wide, and when
he married and became the father of a
son lie was jollier than ever.
His wife seemed to partake of his
spirit, and his boy gave promise of be
coming just such a happy soul. The
whole neighborhood were happy in the
harmonious life of this joyous trio,
while each derived a particular pleasure
in witnessing the felicity of the other.
But suddenly, the lightning flash of cir
cumstances penetrated this happy home.
One bright morning, ax in hand, he
stood beside a fallen tree, while wife
and son stood near, ready to gather the
fragments, and they were no mean chips
that fell beneath Thomas’ stroke.
High over his head tho glittering
steel was raised, and, as his glance
noted the reflected ray of sunshine fol
lowing it, he shouted merrily, “ Wife,
see.s’t thou my meteor? Hui! is it not
verily like the flash of one?” But the
shining metal and its attractive mete
oric light did not disappear in the wood.
Glancing lightly over the bark, it en
tered Thomas’ foot and there was no
time for useless tears. The wife’s griev
ing heart did not vent itself in idle
lamentations, but questioned, liow was
she to get her husband home?
The other laborers had not arrived.
Thomas was always the first at work, as
now he was also tlie iirst to regain liis
cheerfulness to encourage wife and child
in this trial. A spring near supplied
water to wash the wound that proved to
be severe, and the manly Anton divested
himself of his little shirt to bind it up
with. •
This carefully done, Thomas set his
big white teeth firmly together, rose,
grasping with one hand the shoulder of
his boy, and, supported on tho other
side by his wife, he ordered, “March
quick ! the house is not such a long way
off, then all will be well.”
Taking the shortest route home
obliged them to cross over a railroad
track. Although this w T as a forbidden
road for pedestrians, they considered it
the best in this emergency. But here
misfortune overwhelmed them in terri
ble earnest.
At the first step, the sufferer caught
his wounded foot in the rail, stumbled,
fell, throwing his boy into the middle of
the road, breaking the little fellow’s leg.
A helpless living mass they lay there,
and before both could bo rescued from
their perilous bed the steaming, roar
ing monster of tho road came tearing
down upon them, leaving their boy
a mangled, bleeding corpse the next in
stant before them.
Such was the story t-01.l by Thomas
and bis wife to tho horrified and sympa
thizing people.
But there must have been something
singular and mysterious connected with
this mournful event that remained un
told, a secret within their own heart,
for, spite of the repeated efforts to have
tho story told again, they would always
answer, “You have heard it once,”
Avhile a shudder of horror would follow
at the remembrance.
Thus years passed without mitigating
the strauge melaucholy and deep dejec
tion that had settled on this once merry
Thomas and his equally cheerful Ger
trude.
The wounded foot had long since re
covered, and Thomas handled his ax
with his former strength, while his wife
was ever at his side. Want and c:ire
were strangeis in their home, and they
retained the love and respect of all, and
appeared to love each other as formerly.
No word of complaint ever passed their
lips, and still this perpetual sorrow that
had banished every smile from the face
of this once joyous couple.
Gould tiiis be the result of the tragic
death of their child? Naturally en
dowed with a sound mind and body, a
disposition cheerful and ready to see
the bright side of all troubles that had
heretofore overtaken them, is wasscarce
ly probable that such natures should
give themselves up entirely to this cease
less grief. There must be some secret
cause.
I left no pains untried to ingratiate
myself in their favor and obtain their
confidence. Not only curiosity was ex
cited, but I had a real psychological in
terest in the matter, and, I acknowledge,
just the least suspicion of- something
foul ; a criminal secret, possibly an ac
cident, that required but little light to
lead these people back to happiness.
It is not necessary to explain how I
brought it about; suffice it to say that
one day in the presence of her husband,
Frau Thomas unburdened her sadly op- j
pressed heart to me in this wise:
“After the birth of our child I was a !
great deal happier and loved Thomas
‘ better than ever when he was at my
side, but I could aRo enjoy his absence,
and not watch the window and door con
stantly if he chanced to remain away
longer than usual. I used to tease h>m
frequently, and say, ‘Somebody is wel
come to steal you, now 1 have got my !
baby.’ He would laugh at me and then j
By E, S. BURTON.
VOLUME 1.
say, ‘Well, if you have no further use
for me, all right,” and playfully leave
the room as if in great anger, and bang
the door. But I knew he was only in
fun, and laughed, as if I did not care.
Nevertheless, my heart grew sad and
was disturbed until his face again ap
peared at the door, and he would laugh
at me with those great white teeth and
say, ‘Husband or child, w r hich?’ Then I
quickly replied, ‘Husband, oh! the
husband!’
“ But it was so queer, for just as soon
as he was with me again, my spirit for
teasing returned, and I would say:
“ ‘I think it is the child after all.’
“Then he would take the boy from
uij dance him joyfully up
and dr wn and say, ‘You are right!’
“Then he' lUflilm’giVe me a good kiss,
and tlms our little innocent ‘jars’ were
never quarrels, and ended in perfect
content.”
She gazed Tor a moment silently be
fore her, while Thomas sat.nodding his
head sadly,
“ You see,” she continued, “it is nec
essary to tell you all this. If it does
seem foreign to the real subject, it be
longs to it, for it became a matter of
most heart-rending thoughts to us after
ward. This question asked in a joke
became a frightful fact.”
The woman was so overcome she
oould scarcely continue, and her eyes
turned a mute appeal for help toward
her husband, but he only shook his
head mournfully, making a motion with
his hand as if to bid her speak on, look
ing into her eyes lovingly, as if to cheer
her.
“Well, the story we told at the time
of the accident was true in every par
ticular, up to our arrival at the railroad
track. There it was a little different,
and we hesitated in giving the exact
manner of the horrid occurrence. We
have never fully understood ourselves
why. It would have been better, I
thiuk, if we had not made a secret of it;
much of this weary shallow that has
clouded our lives would have w r orn
away, had we talked it over wdth an
other person. That is why we give you
our confidence now, hoping an intelli
gent, right-minded man like yourself
will advise and judge if I have erred.
“It happened thus: As my Anton
and I led father toward tho track I
imagined I heard the locomotive, but I
could see nothing, as a heavy fog lay on
the ground, and I supposed the monster
was far, far away fr. m us, and the mo
ments were precious. My poor Thomas
was suffering terribly, saying his feet
was burning like caustic, and it was
only a step and we would be over,
and had Thomas not had the misfortune
to stumble, we would have crossed
safely.
“ They both lay in the middle of the
road, Auton to the right of me, Thomas
to the left, and in that instant their
startled cry and the shrieking roar of
the iron monster fell on my ear, and
through the dense fog I saw his burn
ing, greedy eye fastened on my dear
ones, while the fiery sparks were thick
ly scattered about, as if hell itself had
opened to devour them.
“ Oh ! if I live a thousand years, the
horrors of that moment will remain, as
I realized I could save one of them,
only one !
“Ah! sir, sir! Human nature may
be subject to a million different dis
tressing heartaches and mental strug
gles, but heap them all into a lifetime,
it is as nothing compared to what I en
dured in a few seconds.
“I have often wondered since, how
it was possible the mind could compre
hend so much while subject to such in
tolerable suffering and fright, as now,
thought after thought flashed through
my brain in so short a time.
“Aly mother-heart yearned for my
child, and I seemed to grasp it Avliile
the hand of God Himself seemed to
hold me toward Thomas. I thought,
Avas he not thine before the child ? Did
you not swear at the altar never to for
sake him ? It seemed, then, as if I
loved him best; lie was more useful on
earth. Then I thought, oh! hoirible
raven mother ! to desert your child !
But tho thing was upon us. I heard
men’s voices warning through the mist.
It was as if they tried to stop it, but
failed. It cut the darkuess and rush, and
towards us with one bound I turned
from my child, grasped for my husband,
and, with the strength of a giant, raised
kiuroff the track, "turned, but the awful
monster had passed, leaving me the
crushed remains of my child.”
She stopped short, as if suddenly
frozen iu body and soul. Her husband
trembled in every limb, clutching at his
beard as if it could steady him. I sat
a speechless witness of this fearful
grief. My sympathy had no w T ords my
*‘yes must have told them how deeply I
entered Avitli them into this touching
history.
Thomas recovered himself first. Go
ing to his wife he tenderly placed his
arm around her. She started with the
magnetic touch, looked up at him, and
then at me as if waiting for me to pass
j udgement.
I could only take her hand between
my own and say :
“ Poor, poor mother! Noble Avoman !
Righteous Avife!” At this, her eyes
beamed as if suddenly relieA'ed of a
dark A'eil ; a flush of genuine happi
ness covered her face ; the whole coun
tenance of the woman changed from a
sluggish horror to an incomparable re
lief.
Thomas stretched his hand toward
me; his eyes flashing Avith joy, his
hea l erected with manly pride, and for
the first time in years his broad shining
teeth appeared through a smile again.
“ God reward your kind heart and
good AA’ords, sir,” she cried. “It seems
as if we dared be liappy once more !”
She embraced her husband, looking
lo\dngly up to him, and softly asked :
“Do you not think so, Thomas?”
“Just so, just so, wife.” He could
scarcely articulate the words for the
emotion that conquered him now. Hot
tears fell on his wife’s hands aud face ;
she, too, sobbed and Avept with him.
They were the first tears. . None Avere
shed during that horrible time.
“ You see what it was that changed
me so, all these years, sir. The ques
tion constantly appeared before me :
Have you not committed an unpardon
able sin against your own flesh and
blood ? I could find no rest. My peace j
was gone forever, and I told Thomas
EASTMAN, DODGE CO., GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1873. NUMBER 42.
never again would I dare become a
mother—”
A deep blush mantled her face and
she paused. I thought here was the
time to advise and restore harmony to
the distressed family. I said reproach
fully to her: “You appear only to
think of yourself, Frau Thomas. Do
you not suppose your husband has also
suffered all these years the same as
yourself?” She looked at me astonished,
and, rather abashed, replied :
“Of course he was miserable to see
me fo, but, as he could not help me, he
let me alone.”
“Now, Frau Thomas, we have the
secret, and that is where you have been
unjust, and wronged your husband.
You daily exhibited regret that his life
had been saved at so great a sacrifice to
yourself. It left him in more uncer
tainty regarding your love for him, and
can you blame him if he did not think
his life too dearly bought? It was
noble in him not to reproach you for
saving his life at the c st of the one
dearer to you. Is it not so, Thomas ?”
“Truly, you have read my feelings
better than I could have explained
them. Frequently my heart seemed
ready to break when I realized what
you have said, but I could not blame
her, when she had done so much for
me.”
The woman’s face was a study. Em
barrassment, regret, perplexity, all ap
peared, until for very shame she cast
herself on her husband’s breast, beg
ging his pardon.
It was his turn to be embarrassed
now, and it was really touching to see
the man act as if lie had done some
thing very foolish.
I left them confident in their future
happiness, and so it proved. In time,
another child came to bless the sorely
tried mother’s heart, but never again
the question, “Husband or Child ?”
Wilhelm and the Pope.
The following two letters recently
passed between the emperor of Ger
many and the pope :
Vatican, August, 1873.—Your maj
esty : Measures which have been
adopted by your majesty’s government
for some time past, all aim more and
more at the destruction of Catholicism.
When I seriously ponder over tho causes
which may have led to these very hard
meaus, I confess I am unable to discover
any reasons for such a course. On the
other hand, I am informed that your
majesty does not countenance the pro
ceedings of your government, and does
not approve the harshness of the meas
ures adopted against the catholic reli
gion. If, then, it be true that your
majesty does not approve thereof, and
letters which your August majesty has
addressed to me formerly, might suffi
ciently demonstrate that you cannot ap
prove that which is now occurring ; if,
I say, your majesty does not approve
of your government continuing in tlie
path it has chosen of further extending
its vigorous measures against the re
ligion of Jesus Christ, whereby the lat
ter is most injuriously affected, will
your majesty, then, not become con
vinced that these measures have no other
effect than that of undermining your
majesty’s own throne? I speak with
frankness, for my banner is truth. I
speak in order to fulfill one of my du
ties, which consists in telling the truth
to all, even to those who are not Cath
olics, for every one who has been bap
tized belongs in some way, which to
define more precisely would be here out
of place—belongs, I say, to the pope.
I cherish the conviction that your maj
esty will receive my observations with
your usual goodness and will adopt
measures necessary in the present case.
While offering to your most gracious
majesty the expression of my devotion
and esteem, I pray God that he may
enfold your majesty and myself in one
and the same bond of mercy. Pio.
The emperor replied :
Berlin, September, 1873.— 1 am glad
your holiness has, as in former times,
done me the honor to write to me. I
rejoice more at this since an opportu
nity is thereby afforded me of correct
ing errors which, as "appears from the
contents of the letter of your holiness
of the 7th of August, must have oc
curred in communications you have re
ceived relatiug to German "affairs. If
reports whieh are made to your holiness
respecting German questions, only sta
ted the truth, it would not be possible
for you to entertain the supposition that
my government enters upon the path
which Ido not approve. According to
the constitution of my states, such a
case cannot happen, since laws and gov
ernment measures it. Prussia requires
my consent as sovereign. To my deep
sorrow a portion of my Catholic sub
jects have organized for the past two
years a political party which endeavors
to disturb, by intrigues hostile to the
state, the religious peace which has ex
isted iu Prussia for centuries. Leading
Catholic priests have unfortunately not
only approved this movement," but
joined in it to the extent of open revolt
against existing laws. It will not have
escaped the observation af your holi
ness that similar indications" manifest
themselves at the present time in seve
ral European andiu some trans-Atlantic
states. It is not my mission to inves
tigate the causes by which the clergy
and the faith tel of one Christian de
nomination can be induced to assist
the enemies of all law in the states
whose government has been entrusted
to me by God. lam conscious that I
own hereafter an account of the accom
plishment of this, by kingly duty. I
shall maintain order and law in my
states against all attacks as long as God
gives me power, lam in duty bound
to do it as a Christian monarch, even
when to my sorrow I have to fulfill
this royal duty against servants of the
church which I suppose acknowledges,
no less than the evangelical church,
that commandment of obedience to se
cular fauthority is an emanation of the
revealed will of God. Many of the
priests in Prussia, subject, to your holi
ness, disowj, to my regret," Christian
doctrine in this respect. My govern
ment under necessity is supported by a
great majority of my royal catholic
and evangelical subjects of extorting
obedience to law by worldly means. I
willingly entertain the hope that your
holiness, upon being informed of the
true position of affairs, will use your
authority to put an end to the agitaticn
carried on : Amid the deplorable dis-
In God we Trust.
tortion of truth and abuse of priestly
authority the religion of Jesus Christ
has, as I attest to your holiness, before
God nothing to do with these intrigues,
more than has truth, whose banner is
invoked by your holiness, I unreservedly
subscribe. There is one more expression
in the letter of your holiness which I can
not pass over without contradiction, al
though it is not based on previous in
formation, namely, the expression that
every one that has received baptism be
longs to the pope. The evangelical
creed which, as must be known to your
holiness, I, like mv ancestors and the
majority of my subjects, profess, does
not permit us to accept in our relation
to God any other meditator than our
Lord Jesus Christ. Difference of be
lief does not prevent me from living'in
peace with those who do not share mine,
and offering your holiness the expres
sion of my devotion and
esteem. William.
How Negroes Fight at Home.
The Haussas are the most civilized of
the African tribes; and their language,
like French, is a cosmopolitan tongue.
They, however, are inordinately fond of
boxing, and in Clapperton’s diary the
following account is given of a match :
“The boxers arrived, attended by two
drums and the whole body of butchers,
who here compose ‘ the fancy. ’ A ring
was soon formed by the master of the
ceremonies throwing dust on the spec
tators to make them stand back. Tho
drummers entered the ring and began
to drum hastily. One of the boxers
followed. He placed himself in an at
titude as if to oppose an antogonist,
and brought his muscles into action,
seemingly to find out that every sinew
was in full force for the approaching
combat; then coming from time to time
to the side of the ring, and presenting
his right arm to tlie bystanders, he
said: ‘lam a hyena ;lam a lion ; I
am able to kill all that oppose me.’ The
spectators to whom he presented him
self laid their hands on his shoulder,
repeating: ‘The blessing of God be
upon thee ;’ ‘Thou art a hyaena ;’ ‘Thou
art a lion.’ He then abandoned the
ring to another, who showed off in the
same manner. The right hand and
arms of the pugilists were now bound
with narrow country cloth, beginning
with a fold round the middle finger,
and then passed in many turns round
the fist, the wrist and forearm. After
about twenty had separately gone
through their attitudes of defense and
appeals to the bystanders, they were
next brought fotwurd by pairs. If they
happened to be friends, they laid their
left breasts together twice, and ex
claimed : ‘Wo are lions! w r o are
friends !’ One then left tho ring, and
another was brought forward. If tlie
two did not recognize one another as
friends tho set to immediately com
menced. On taking their stations, the
two pugilists first stood at some dis
tance, parrying with tho left hand open,
and whenever opportunity offered, strik
ing with the right. They generally
aimed at tlie pit of the stomach and
under tlie ribs. Whenever they closed,
one seized the other’s head under his
arm and beat it with his fist. In this
position, with the head in chancery,
they are said sometimes to attempt to
gouge or scoop out one of the eyes.
When they break loose they never fail
to give a swinging blow with the heel
under the ribs, or sometimes under the
left ear. It is these blows which are so
often fatal. The combatants Avere im
mediately separated by my orders, as
they Avere beginning to lose their tem
pers. When the sparring-matcli Avas
heard of, the girls left their pitchers at
tlie well, the market people threAv their
baskets, and all ran to see the fight.
The whole square before my house was
crowded to excess. After six pairs had
gone through several rounds, I ordered
them, to their great satisfaction, the
promised reward, aud the multitude
quietly dispersed.”
Duck Hunting Extraordinary,
Tlie manner in which the gentle duck
is beguiled with amateur hunters is
enough to fill that much-wanted biped
with disgust at the remorseless greed
of min. A Minnesota youth, finding
tlie ducks on Rice lake too wary to wait
until they Avere shot, determined to re
sort to other means to obtain enough
for the family Sunday dinner. He se
lected a pumpkin, cut a hole in it, re
moved the inter'or, aud carried it to the
shore of the lake, where, divesting him
self of his clothing and placing the
pumpkin over his head, he waded in
among the rice where the ducks were
feeding. In a short time tlie chief duck
approached to reconnoiter, and seeing
nothing more formidable than a juicy
and toothsome pumpkin he signaled liis
companions, and they advanced in or
der to feast upon the fortunate windfall.
While on their way toward the banquet
they were surprised by seeing the chief
duck suddenly dive under the water,
feet foremost, and failing to come up.
Another duck took upon itself the office
of scout in order to investigate the
cause of this strange proceeding, and in
turn made a back somersault Avith sur
prising rapidity, and was seen no more.
Duck number three, who followed, went
dowm tail feathers first Avith a scream
and a despairing fluttering of its pin
ions, aud also neglected to come back
and tell Avhat, the matter was. The re
mainder of the bereaved flock took to
flight with terror depicted upon their
countenances, and doubtless with a
firm conviction that there Avas a myste
ry connected with pumpkins that no
duck can find out. That Minnesota
youth had his Sunday dinner, but he
got it in a very unsportmanlike manner.
—Great Salt lake in Utah is not quite
the Dead sea, in which no li\fing thing
can exist, that it has generally been con
sidered. A naturalist in Prof. Hayden’s
expedition has found its saltest portions
swarming with a little crustacean, which
appears to be identical with the Europe
an brine shrimp. This little creature,
which is one of the most highly organi
zed of the lower Crustacea, is common
ly found in the strong brine of the salt
pans established on the European
coasts. From the presence of gulls
and pelicans about the lake, it is also
suspected that fishes may exist in its
briny waters.
—Most people drift. To do this is easy.
It costs neither thought nor effort. On
the other hand, to resist the tide one
must have principle and resolution.
Anecdotes of Public Men.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
One day, iu a fit of abstraction the
juvenile George cut down Bushrod’s
favorite cherry tree with a liatcliet. His
purpose was to cut—aud run.
But the old gentleman came sailing
round the corner of the barn just as the
future Father of his Country had
started on the retreat.
“Look here, sonny,” thundered the
stern old Virginian, “ who cut that tree
down ?”
George reflected a moment. There
wasn’t another boy ©r another hatchet
within fifteen miles. Besides, it oc
cured to him that to be virtuous is to
be happy. Just as Washington senior
turned to go in and get his horsewhip,
our little hero burst into tears, and,
nestling among his father’s coat-tails,
exclaimed: “Father, I cannot tell a lie.
It must have been a frost. ”
“My son, my son,” stammered the
fond parent as he made a pass for his
offspring, “when you get to be first in
war and first in peace, just cover your
back-pay into the treasury, and tlie
newspaper press will respect you !”
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Early in the war a party of distin
guished gentlemen from New England
called on Mr. Lincoln to urge the ap
pointment of a certain Mr. Brown to
the post of quartermaster. The presi
dent, who Avas amusing himself by
splitting portions of the staircase of the
White House into rails, received them
cordially. They stated their errand in
an earnest but respectful tone, and
calmly awaited his ans Aver. Mr. Lin
coln, drawing himself up to liis full
height and clapping the spokesman of
the party on the shoulder, began to tell
a story about a dog-fight lie once saw in
Kentucky.
By and by it had gradually groAvn
dark; several hours had passed away,
and neither dog appeared to get killed
or to gain any advantage OA r er the
other. One bv one the party had
dropped out, till the leader (who did
not wish to disturb Mr. Lincoln’s hold
on his shoulder) was left alone, trying
to conceal a yawn and to look inter
ested. Suddenly Mr. Lincoln, with
that peculiar smilo on his countenance
which Mr. Carpenter can talk about,
but can’t paint, remarked, “ By the w-ay,
my friend, I’m sorry for Brown, but I
gave that appoinment to the other man
yesterday.”
DANIEL AVEBSTER.
The following anecdote of the great
Massachusetts statesman has never be
fore appeared in print: One day Clay,
Webster and Calhoun met upon the
steps of the capitol. Mr. Clay ven
tured to remark, in his most affable
style, that it looked like rain. Calhoun
looked wise, but said nothing. Evi
dently he took in the whole situation at
a glance. It was a crisis for Webster.
Carefully laying his thumb behind the
third brass button of liis blue coat, lie
gazed from out of those cavernous eyes
and grandly uttered these prophetic
Avords : “No, gentlemen, tlio American
people will never forsake the constitu
tion. We shall have fair w'eather.”
And so it proved.— Lippincott's.
A Powerful Indian Tribe.
The Sioux —or, as they call them
selves, tho Dakota—tribe of Indians,
are, according to a writer in the Chicago
Tribune, by far the most powerful and
numerous nation of savages on tlie
American continent. For centuries past
they have lorded it over the Avhole of
the northwestern portion of the United
States, being near the head-waters of
the Mississippi river, and along a great
portion of the Missouri. They have
been, and are, the lords of the plains,
anil’ every man and animal that has
passed through their country for ages
past has done so only Avitli their per
mission. They are brave, hardy, and
warlike and able to bring into the field
such numbers of men as to ov’erawe
their weaker neighbors, and keep them
in the proper degree of subjection. The
Sioux nation, as a whole, numbers about
forty thousand souls. They occupy an
immense extent of country, and are
able, upon occasion, to bring into tlie
field more than three thousand war
riors. For years past they have dic
tated their own terms to both Avkite and
red men, and have declared their inten
tion to continue such a course in the
future. Tlie members of this tribe are
personally brave, and all men are train
ed soldiers and hunters. They make
no concealment of their supposed ability
to Avliip tlie people of the United States
whenever and wherever they are so
minded, and point to the various battles
in which they have beaten the Avliites in
proof of this assertion. Their arro
gance is almost beyond belief. They
consider it a great feat to kill a small
number of soldiers; but the crowning
glory of their li\ T es is to kill a few aged
and helpless women. After having
butchered some whites, or their red
neighbors, they glorify tkemselA*es for
many days, holding the scalps of white
women up to all kinds of mockery and
derision, and painting themselves up
until they look like the veriest fiends
on earth, which they are.
Tiie Yellow Fever in Siireveport.
After a temporary suspension caused by
the sickness of every member of the
editorial, reportorial and mechanical
force, the Shreveport Telegram resumed
publication on the 20th. Of the ravages
of the pestilence, it says: “Out of a
population of about 4,000 remaining in
Shreveport when the yellow fever was
declared epidemic, at least 700 have
gone to their last home, numbered
amoDg whom were many of our bright
est, most upright and intelligent citi
zens; yet, notwithstanding our sore
afflictions, we look forward to a bright
and prosperous future. The sad ex
p riences of the past have taught us to
realize that ‘one touch of nature makes
all the world kin,’ and also that the
laws of nature, so imperatively and
plainly marked out, cannot be violated
with impunity.” This indicates a total
mortality of \l\ per cent.—an appalling
record.
—Quite an interesting gentleman is
Said Pasha, viceroy of Egypt. He
speaks French and English, dresses like
a Christian, and has four wives and a
largely populated female exposition, in
which he holds a season ticket. With
an income of $110,000,000 he lives com
fortably.
$ 2 00 per Annum.
ABOUT WASPS.
A tropical -wasp differes very greatly
from the kind we are accustomed to see
in this country. It is double the size,
though with the same tapering shape,
a: and most handsomely marked in black
and yellow rings. They are very com
mon in Africa, and much feared by the
natives, who dread the great pain and
swelling which follow a sting. They
are fond of hanging their combs on
small trees and bushes, and in clearing
jungle the men often get stung. Two
or three are suilicient to cause a tempo
rary fever, and they always pick out a
most tender spot, such as the ear, eyelid,
or the tip of the nose. t was on one
occasion much interested in the move
ments of a lady-wasp building her nest.
She commenced on a hot summer’s day
in February, by coming into the room
where I was reading, and buzzing around
all the corners until she had selected
one. Then she went out, and returned
with a little lump of clay as big as a
pea, which she stuck against the wall
with her two front legs, humming all
the time. When that was done, she
fetched another, adding piece to piece,
until by night she had completed a hol
low ceil as big as a pencil, and about
an inch long. One end was closed, the
other open. Next morning I found her
hard at work again, carrying something
which I afterward found were spiders,
and, placing them inside the cell until
it was full, then she closed it up, aud
set about constructing another on the
top of the first. This process went on
for a week, when she had made seven
cells, one above the other, completing
one every day. She did not work any
more, though continually flying in and
out and buzzing around the nest, until
one day soon afterward, it fell down
during a gale of wind. Luckily it lighted
on the sofa, and was not smashed. I
was very curiojis to find out, what she
had been putting inside, aud proceeded
to open each cell with my penknife.
The clay had become dry and hard, and
it was not easy to do ; but with care I
got the contents out unharmed. No. 1
had a partition in the center, making
two chambers. Each contained a small
grub, with a white transparent skin
about half an inch long, and the size of
crow-quill. In the first were two spi
ders, and in the other one partially eat
en. There is no doubt they were placed
there as food for the young wasps, for,
on my putting the already eaten one
close to their mouths, they both laid
hold of it with a sucking motion. No. 2
cell contained the young in a different
stage. It had slightly shriveled up,
and was yellower than the others. It
also had a brownish outer skin like
that of a chrysalis, bound round with a
few silky webs resembling those of a
cocoon. There were two spiders \i ith it.
No. 3 was filled with twenty spiders, on
one of which I found a tiny oblong
transparent eye, or more propably a
grub, though I could not make out the
mouth, and all the others were the
same, only differing in the size of the
grub, and the number of the spiders—
the formot increasing as the latter les
sened.
What puzzles mo is how they get out
when arrived at maturity, as their pri
son is formed of such hard material. I
can understand how, from being almost
microscopic, they become large grubs
after eating twenty spiders, how they
then become a chrysalis, and lastly a
full-grown wasp, but not how they
break the strong clay walls and get into
the open air.
Most of the spiders were of the com
mon home sort, all but three, and those
I had never seen before. One was a
delicate green, and I-think the wasp
must have sharp eyes to distinguish it
from the grass. A jet black one with
yellow feelers, was very like a beetle in
shape, and the third had a green front
and yellow afterparf, with a red stripe
running along the back. Altogether
I found it very interesting. Since that
I once lived in a room that was not pa
pered, but merely painted over the plas
ter; and the wasps came in in dozens.
Two built nests like the one I have des
cribed, the others merely bored round
holes iu the walls, iu the hard plaster,
nearly, if not quite, an inch deep. I
never could quite clearly make out what
they did it for, but I believe they were
carrying off the clay of which the plaster
was made to make nests with in other
places. Afterward, in a sugar-mill I saw
the walls similarly pierced.
Talking of -wasps, brings up the sub
ject of honey. I believe it is not gen
erally known that in the interior of Af
rica there is a small fly that makes
honey in large quantities, as good, if
not better, than that of the bee. I have
often eaten it while shooting. This lit
tle fly bores a minute hole in the earth
eighteen to twenty-four inches deep,
which it lines with clay. It then forms
a round lump as large as a turnip, the
shell being of hard earth or clay bound
together with some sticky substance,
and the inside pure honey. It it very
liquid, and has a slightly acid taste, and
though rather difficult to eat without
getting any earth in one’s mouth, it is
capital, and well worth the trouble of
digging up. The place is found like a
bees’ nest, by seeiug the fly alight and
go down the mouth of the little hole,
and it is curious that the honey-bird
never leads one to it.
The way this little bird, which some
what resembles our water-wagtail, fol
lows and persecutes auv human being
it may see until it gets them to follow,
is one of the most curious tilings in na
tural history. It makes a sharp chitter,
flitting in front from tree to tree, com
ing back every now and then to see that
you are going iu the right direction un
til you get into the neighborhood of the
nest, when, after telling you, by a slight
change in its demeanor, that you are
close to the spot, it flies off to a neigh
boring tree, and watches your opera
tions. Failing a bees’ nest, it may take
you to anything uuusnal it may see—a
large snake, a tiger, or even a human
being. Game in much-hunted districts
learn to connect the chitter of this bird
with the presence of man, and keep a
sharp lookout when they hear it. —Land
and Water.
—A youth who was taking an airing
in the country, tried to amuse himself
by quizzing an old farmer about his
bald head, but was extinguished by the
old man, who solemnly remarked,
“Young man, when my head gets as
soft as yours, I can raise hair to sell.”
EASTMAN TIMES.
BATES OF ADVERTISING:
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SFACK. 1 a
*A HO f 7 00', flO 00 $ 18 00
One square * f 12 00 ,18 00 25 00
Two squares J 75 19 00 28 00 39 00
Four squares " ' mkq!34 00 46 00
One-fourth col 11 33 50 Us 00 80 00
o<-half col ™sj 60 Sol 00 UOW
Advertisements inserted at the entg or each
square for the first or leeß constitute
subsequent one. Ten u
cards, $15.00 IV* for
months, SIO.OO, in advance.
GLEANINGS AND GOSSIP.
\ French observer states that, by
feeding silk-worms on vine-leaves, he
has obtained worms of a magnificent
red ; aud where lettuce leaves were t io
food, the product was of a deep emerald
greeu color. By thus varying the food
of the worm, M. Delidon de Sain -
Gilles, of Vendee, has been enabled to
obtain silk the natural colors of which
were a beautiful yellow, green and vio
let. In view of results so important
the question is at once suggested: \N
the worms thrive upon this new diet.
for, if s-, then this discovery may justly
be regarded as one of the greatest im
portance in this department of the ap
plied arts. Should our native silk
growers be inclined to attempt the ex
periment, it is well for them to know
that the silk-worms must be fed on mm*
berry-leaves when young, and supplied
with the rine-iettnee or nettle-leaves
during the last twenty days of the larva
stage of their life. It now only re
mains for some patient worker to com
pound an artificial food, which shall
combine the nutritive properties of tlio
mulberry-leaf with the coloring-power
of the others, and thus at once dispense
with the complicated and delicate dying
processes now in use,
—The editor of the Allegan (Mich.)
Journal attended church the other day.
After the regular services vrere ended
the customary exhortation was given,
asking members to speak. “ Who will
be first to speak?” said the minister.
Presently an elderly gentleman, who
weighs about three hundred pounds,
arose and humbly observed, “ I believe
it is the duty of the biggest sinner in
the house to speak first, and that’s me,
thank the Lord!”
—A young New Yorker, spending a
month with his uncle in New Jersey,
wrote thus to his mother : “ The peach
trees here are too slippery for me to
climb ; uncle won’t let me sail boats in
the milk pans ; there’s no birds’ nests
around here that I can see; Snllie Law
spilt, molasses on my best pants ; a
smaller boy than I am, who plays with
me, wears a gold chain and I want to go
home.”
—The following verse appears in a
poem written by a popular clergyman :
“No longer fly Thy kite, Lord; draw me home.
Thou pull’st the string through all the distance
bleak.
Lord, lam nearing Thee; O Lord! I come;
Thy pulls grow stronger and the wind grows
weak.”
The reverend poet would sail a little
steadier if he would tie ou more tail.
—The word panic arose out of the
battle of Maratliou. In that immortal
fight a mere handful of Greeks encoun
tered an infinite host of Persians, and
put them to utter rout. How did they
do it ? The Persians were smitten by
the god Pan with a sudden causeless
and extreme fright. They lest their
wits ; and that state of things took its
name from the god who produced it.
—“ Now, young people,” says a pro
fessor of Natural History, to his class,
“ now, then, as to hens. A lion has tho
capacity of laying just six hundred eggs,
and no more, and she finishes the job in
just five years. Now, what is to be done
with her after that?” “Cut her head
off and sell her for a spring chicken !”
exclaimed an urchin whose father dealt
in poultry.
—The sinking of a Mississippi steam
boat is thus graphically described :
“ She sot and hove.
And hove aud sot,
And high her rudder flung,
And every time she hove anil sot
A wusser leak she sprung.”
—An hospital to be conducted on
temperance principles has been opened
in London. The patients are in all
cases to bo treated without the use of
stimulants, which will doubtless pre
vent the establishment running into
debt through an overflow of patients.
—A frantic woman’s rights advocate
has discovered another evidence of the
“inequality of the sexes,” in the fact
that even iu the nursery, the song, in
Bridget’s vernacular, is “ Lull-a-boy
baby,” but she has never yet heard of
“ Lull-a-girl-baby.”
—Everything which tends to discom
pose or agitate the mind, whether it be
excessive sorrow, rage or fear, envy or
revenge, love or despair—in short,
whatever acts violently on the mental
faculties tend to injure the health.
—A little boy born very far north en
treated his mother to tell him some
stories about bad boys, and, upon her
expressing astonishment, said he wanted
to find out how they got out of scrapes.
—Of the 55,000 inhabitants of Mem
phis, it is estimated that 45,000 have
left the city, leaving a population of
some 10,000. No city in modern times
has been so ravaged by disease.
—Few insults are greater than that of
addressing a person as though he was
destitute of common sense.
—The fiftieth session of the university
of Virginia opened last week, with 427
students.
—There are fifty-two papers published
in Japan.
“John Paul” in Northhampton.
Northampton is a pleasant little place,
of varied historical associations. The
people are fond of playing “ checkers,”
and only drink by medical prescription.
Yesterday, I met Mr. James wandering
round the streets. In reply to my ques
tions he said he was looking for a doc
tor ; didn’t think he was much sick, but
felt as though he had better take some
thing. He invited me to walk along
with him. After strolling about the
town for the better part of the after
noon, we came to a store where an es
cutcheon bore the inscription “ Todd’s.”
Mr. James stepped in and said he
wanted one. Mr. Childs leaned over
the counter and said, “You want
what.'' “A tod,” said Mr. James.
“ Will an Index Rerum suit you?” said
Mr. Childs. “If it’s a square drink it
will,” said *Mr. James. Mr. Childs
handed the thing down from a shelf,
and it proved to be a square book. Mr.
James had heard of cocculus indicus as
an ingredient in liquors, and evidently
got Index Rerum mixed up with the
other drug. The “Todds” of the sign
turned out to be books by the late Rev.
Dr. John Todd, who, from the number
of his works, might, indeed have been
christened le-John Todd. But his “In
dex Rerum ” is an excellent book for
any man to have who ever has facts to
arrange. And Mrs. Paul says it is handy
to write down household recipes in.