The Eastman times. (Eastman, Dodge County, Ga.) 1873-1888, November 12, 1873, Image 1

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EASTMAN TIMES. A Ileal Live Country l’npor. Published every Wednesday Morninif, by I?. S. BURTON, Terms of Subscript lon : One copy, one year $2.00 One copy, sir months 1.00 Ten copies, in clubs one year, each 1.50 Single copies 5 cts r“All subscriptions invariably in advance. No name entered upon the list uutil the subscription is paid. 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: i m 3m.1 6m. 13 m. 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.