Newspaper Page Text
THE PEOPLES FRIEND.
Volume 1.
PEOPLE'S FRIEND.
IS PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY .MORNING
BY
A. B. S. MOSELEY,
ROME, GA.-
Si 713 S CI? IL’ r E I ON,
One year in ndvauce -------
_a.i_> viztt r r i s o,
One *qu‘re, fir*t insertion - - - -
Suhseon-nt inxertion, each - -
Liner*.l contracts for six or twelve mout 1)3
vcrti < <?ni‘!ntfe’.
{From the New York Sun.)
OKES AMES’ MEMORY.
I cannot remember. Don t task me,
’liu trying to think what you ask me
Had Colfax a share
Os the credit Mobilier?
It is < ; u-er that I cannot remember.
I cannot remmember. Don t tease me,
I’m doing -my best now to please ye.
The transaction is old,
Why, T know that I sold,
Did he hold? That I cannot remember.
I cannot remember. 111 try sir.
Was that Colfax there saying I lie, sir,
And that I must tell y< u
Just exactly what’s true?
So 1 do. Now I think I remember.
Yes, I’m sure I remember, He took sir,
Ju-i twenty full shares oy my book, sii:
And the dividends’ came
To four-fifths of the same
In his name. lam sure I remember-
lam sure I remember. 1 don t doubt it
I can tell you right here all about it.
Why, the balance to free
I’d his check drawn to me
Marked S. C. I am sure I remember,
f'ni sure 1 remotnWr, I vc papers
To prove every one of his c.apors.
On bis oath does he swear it !
I’m sorry to hear it.
’Twon’t bear it. I’m sure T remember.
I’m sure I remember. Moreover
This proof he can never get over-
Nor can he slip by
And its no use to try
To lie, for I’m ture I remember.
I'm sure 1 remember. And so, sir,
One question I ask e’er 1 go, sir,
Do the rest of this ciew
Like to hear just what’s true ?
If they do I'm sure to remember.
H G. W.
ONLY MAGGIE.
UY ANN SHIELDS.
The two words, “only Maggie,” were a
sort of byword in the Clements family,
where the young lady rejoicing in the bap
tismal appellation «»f Margaret was consid
ered somewhat inferior in all respects to
the three elder sisters.
Mi's Nora Clements was artistic, and
spent her time in wandering about the
country in search of the picturesque, or
clo'Cted'in the room she called her 'tudio,
attemptimt to rival Titian or Claude Lor*
rainc.
Miss Georgia Clements was mimical, and
her hours were passed in executing intrica
cies upon the grand piano in the drawing
room, or singing scales and exercises that
rasped the throat ol sympathising hearers
to listen to.
Mi'- Cordelia Clements was a beauty.—
Iler time was passed in trying the effects
of hair w ishes and cosmetics, studying the
combinat ions of color for new dresses, or
devising m w fashions foi dressing her lux
uriatit hair.
Maggie, the youngest, was simply a cheer
ful, good-tempered, industrious git!, who
aimed :• no special di'play of either beauty
or talent, but was quite content to be band
ma: len for the others. She ground Nora’s
colors, nr ! stood patiently for hours as a
model . s some wonderful grouping. She
kept Georgiana’s music in order, and could
always tc exactly where to find any song
or instrunn ntal piece that was called for.
She trimmed Cordelia’s dresses and ar-
Home? Georgia, Saturday, February 1873.
ranged her hair, and was the most sin
cere admirer the three Miss Clements pos
sessed.
Howard, the only brother, and eldest of
the family, was a physician and the head
of the family, the father and mother being
dead. There was wealth enough to make
a pleasant home when the separate incomes
were combined, and Howard would have
been most unwilling to see his sisters leave
him for any but a home and husband of
their own.
“We can all live comfortably together,”
he would say, but you have not enough to
live upon without work, if you leave the
house we own among us.”
Ar. first the two older girls were quite
anxious to figure as a great artist and mu
sician, but finally they allowed their broth
er to have, his own way.
The young doctor was very proud of his
.'isters and their various attractions, and
when his warm friend and fellow-student,
Paul Goddard, appeared to make a short
visit, lie led him from the office into the
house adjoining it, delighted ar. the pros
pect of showing oil the girls to a new gen
tleman.
A tour of inspection in the drawing
room preceded the actual intro 1 ction. —
Thus:
“This scene upon the Catskill Mountains
was painted by my eldest sister, I‘aul. —
We spent the summer there for the ex
press purpose of allowing Nora to make
sketches.”
“Very fine,” murmured Paul, trying his
best to admire the mountains that seemed
top-heavy, and clouds that appeared to be
muffled in muslin bags for the summer.
“And (be music is Georgiana’s. Georgi
ana is Signor Skwaliini’s best pupil. lie
compares her voice to Soatag’s and it would
make you fairly dizzy to fee her fingers on
the piano.”
“A great talent,” Paul murmured again.
“And this,” continued Howard opening
the photograph album, “is Cordelia. 11
He added no more, and truly the face
was sufficiently beautiful to need no com
ment. Pan! .-poke cordially:
“What a beautiful face! Who is this
opposite your sister, Howard?
‘’That, is .Maggie. She is my youngest
sister.”
“And docs she paint or sing ?”
“Oil, no. Maguie has no talent and no
beauty. She is a good little thing. Indeed
1 scarcely know how we cmild gel along
without Maggie. The others are so absorb
ed in their different occupations that Mag
gie has to be house-keeper. But come to
your room, Paul. Dinner wtil be ready at
six,”
“So Maggie is h msckeeper." thought
Paul, as he looked around the tasteful a
partment assigned to him. “1 think Mi'S
Maggie certainly has something of her sis
ter’s artistic eye. How exquisitely those
flowers are arranged, and how cool and
fresh it is here, after my hot, dusty ride. !
Those muslin curtains look like snow- I
drifts.” x
It was a pretty room, although the car- 1
pet was but ingrain, and the furniture a i
cottage set. But never was bed-linen a
purer white, or more daintily ruffled and
irone 1; never was a bureau or a wash stand
more prettily trimmed, towels more care
<ully placed, china and glass more glossy.
Seeking the drawing-room again, Paul
found the artistic sister contemplating the
scene ftom the back windows with rapt en
thusiasm.
“Dr. Goddard, ’ she said advancing to
meet him, “1 must introduce myself. Miss
Nora Clements.”
Paul made the necessary speech of grati- i
fication, wondering if it was the crown us
the Catskill mountains that was daubed so
extensively upon the skirt of Miss Nora'
blue dress, and >t it was artistic meditations
that had made her pm her collar er.>okcd.
and forget hcrculs altogether. She launch
ed at ouce into bewildering sea of techni
calities, and called upon Paul to admire
effects of cloud and shadow, light and foli
-1 age from the back window, till he felt like
■ a reprieved prison, r upon the entrance of
another si'ter who was introduced as “my
i sister Cordelia.”
’ The beauty was superb. Every curl of
I her gl<>"y brown hair was arranged for
i effect. Her creamy complexion was height
ened by a dress of soft white mudin, with
I tiny green leaves scattered over it. She
bowed with languid grace, but sat as if
afraid to move, tor fear of disarranging any
fold of her faultless costume, Georgiana
appeared as the bell rang for dinner and
she spoke but little. It mad-- her hoarse
to be always talking.
Paul was inwardly resotv-i-ig to cut his
visit very short, when llowa.’d opened the
door of the dining room and introduced:
“My sister Maggie.”
She was not pretty; she was not artistic
nor musical; but she was charming to
Paul’s eyes in five minutes. Her dress of
cheap cambric fitted her graceful little fig
ure perfectly; her collar and cuffs were
white and smooth; her hair was dressed
carefully and becomingly : and from the
narrow ribbon confining it r o the rosette
upon her trim little slipper, .'he was ex
quisitly neat.
Not fearing for her voice, she chatted
gayly and pleasantly ; not - eing anxious
about her dress, she moved gracefully and
freely ; and having no specially of talent,
she could talk sensibly nbouN-the various
topics her brother and his fi. 'd started.
Dinner passed off pleasen ir K.ajcon
chided that if .Maggie was ho her
dinner certainly did her cred t. The meat
was done to a turn, the veget *yles fresh and
ting, were cooked to p faction ; the
pastry was light and flaky, ■ id the table
appointments neat and tasteful. Never
was linen glossier and white!, silver more
glittering, or crockery moi temptingly
clean.
A week passed away, and Paul found
himself groaning in spirit over the Misses
Clements, lie had wondered in search of
the picturesque with Nora, bad sacrificed
gloves and boots in the pursue of wonder
ful houghs and inaccessible flowers. He
had listened to Georgiana til! hiseftrs fairly
ached, and he was divided in hisovva mind
as tu whether the perfumer or the i-teen
deserved the most pity. He bad admired
Cordelia in every variety of costume, in
every effective altitude ; had seen her eyes
rai cd, and the long lashes of t’.e drooping
Ths; ha-l marveled at rht; ?fb>'r
hands, at the profusion of her curling hair
bad consideie 1 her a beauty, a weariness
and a burden of spirits.
But he could find but little time to speak
to Maggie. He .'aw the evidences oi her i
industry and taste in every detail of house- ,
keeping; knew whose skill uirected the]
well trained servants, whose flingers filled ■
rhe flower vases, whose eyes were every '
where. But the very perfection of these
arrangements kept the little woman too j
busy lor many idle moments, and in the
eveniu . s the older sisters were all-engross
ing' Maggie sewed or knitted busily while
Georgiana sang or played. Nora talked high '
art, and Cordelia .struck attitudes, but ■
Paul drew his visit to a clo-e with a sense
of disappointment, lie wanted to see more
us only Maggie as he often heard her called
by the others who seemed to consider her a
poor little pitiable object, who had no soul
above domestic drudgery.
Two months had passed and instead of
June ru'es, ear'y fall fruits and flower.'
were abundant at MossvideJ when Paul
Goddard passed again through the village
and called at Dr. Clement's office.
“I am so sorry,” said Howard, as he
cordially shook his friend by the hand, ’’All
the girls are away. Uncle James invited j
them to pass a mouth at the White Moun- I
tains, and they deserted me.”
“Then you are alone?”
“Oh, not entirely. Maggie stays to keep ;
house for me.”
“Oh, Miss Maggie is here. Shall I in- ,
trude it’ 1 stay a day or two?
“Intrude, Paul ! Far from it. [am
not very busy, and Maggie was telling me ’
t<> day that the time actually hangs heavy '
upon her hands. Nora’.' studio could not i
be trusted to the servants, and you can '
imagine the mess a girl would make of 1
Georgiana > music, x bun (’urdeha depend ,
cd entirely upon Maggie’.' taste and fingers ,
for her fallals. So now the little dame j
ha.' time lu enjoy l.ersvlf and we have had .
some lovely nd a: d diives. Maggie does
ride beautifully, an-.i her horse is very fund ;
of her, he fuik ws her about like a ;
kitten. ’
It was true that Maggie was finding many ,
kisure h ur- •.::i’.: bur sisters were away.
an-1 Pau! foun.l th.t the retiring, modest,
girl was one of the pleasantest companion.-. '
it had ever been his fortune to meet *
He knew nothing of the hours between
daylight and dark that were spent in mak
ing the house tidy. He only saw the little
hostess who was to preside over the ceffec
pot and muffins.
It was an amusement the young physician
enjoyed, to draw out the accomplishments
that had been overshadowed by her sisters
loudly proclaimed talent and attractions.—
He found that Maggie could sing, with a
sweet, bird like voice, though .she never
attempted the difficult songs in which
Georgiana was supposed to excel. She
could play simple pieces with feeling aod
expression, aud her fingers would fairly
dance over the keys in livelier music that
required no Wonderful talent or elaborate
execution.
And it was wonderful Low pretty the
child like face became in Paul Goddard’s
eyes. There was a charm in the constant
cheerfulness that kept the rosy mouth ever
smiling and sweet; there was a beauty of
expression in the brown eyes that mere
form and color can never give; there was
an attraction always in the exquisite neat
ness of dress that was never stiff and prim,
though so carefully arranged.
Howard Clements, who loved his friend,
and had hoped to secure him as a brother
during his former visit, opened his eyes
wide in atuasJcmcnt as the days wore away
and Paul still lingered in Mossvale. During
his first visit, Howard had hoped to see
him yield to the attractions of the elder
Misscss Clements, and no maneuvering
mother ever took more pains than this
brother to display the talents and beauties
of his sisters. That any one would look
twice at Maggie, when in the company of
the others hud never occurred to How
ard.
But in the light of Paul’s evident admi
lation, the brother began to contemplate
with different (.motions the possibility of
losing bis little sister..
lie had borne with perfect, composure
the prospect of parting with the others.—
It seemed no great hardship, even when
the senaratioh ii/volleu tffe disappearance
of Nora’s masterpieces, and Georgiana’s
music-rack. l*ut to lose .Maggie was quite
another v’atter.
“Who,” Howard asked himself, “would
superintend the servants, prepare the dain
tier dishes for the table and keep the house
inorder? Who would wait with cheerful
smiles upon him when the duties of his
profession obliged him to ask for meals at
all sorts of irregular hours ? Who would
have his clothing always in dainty order,
filling the place of a wife in the stocking
darning, and button replacing capacity?”
Visions of Nora in paint-bedaubed dress
es, Georgiana with frowsy hair, and Cordelia
in inert beauty, presiding over the house
hold, filled Howard’s brains; and while he
lamented he admitted that “Paul’s head
was level” in his apparent choice.
Maggie could scarcely believe she heard
aright when Paul Goddard pleaded for the
gift of her love, and promised all love and
devotion if she would come to preside over
his home.
“But,” she said, “you cannot really love
me.”
“I real! y can and do, was the reply.
“But I am so plain, and so stupid. I
cannot paint *»or sing, nor do anything as
well as the ’offers. lam not even pretty
like Cordelia. Howard said—” she paused
and blushed.
“Well, did Howard say?”
“Never mind.”
“Tell me, that’s a darling.”
“He said, then, that 1 was sure to be an
old maid, and after the others were married
I was to stay here and help him keep up a
bachelor’s hall. I really dont see,” she
added earnestly, “how Howard will get
along.”
“He must do as I do.”
“How?”
“Seek a darling little housekeeper for a
wife.”
So, to the amazement of ail concerned
the first Miss Clements who was married
was not the artist, not the mu.'ician, uot the
beauty, but oniy Maggie.
A cobbler at Fishkill Landing left
Lis wife to tend shop and went to In
diana. When he caiuc back to relieve
her from her duties he brought a now
wife and a bill of divorce with liini.
dumber
Condensed News.
General Dix is the oldest Governor in
the United States.
Brigham Young is said to bo the father
of 127 children.
The Thomas monument, to cost 350.000,
will be erected in Washington,
A Greeley professorship of journalism is
talked of for Cornell University. '
Louisa M. Alcot makes SIO,OOO a year
with her pen.
The Greeley statute will be placed in
Central Park.
One can now go from New York to Cin
cinnati and back lor sls'
Western New York shipped by canal
1,182,000 barrels of apples last year.
The Cathedral of Stasburg was struck in
three hundred places during the bombard
ment.
The rise of the Seine in Paris destroyed
12,000 rats-
People are leaving Boston on account of
the small pox.
The Erie Railroad is sai l to have a debt
of $113,000,000.
I’he Cincinnati wafer-works cost the city
$606,000 a year.
James Beckett, of West Chester, Ohio,
recently sold 103 hogs, which averaged 490
pounds.
To 1871, Ohio manufactured over 86,009
ton-; of rolled and hammered iron--onc-tenth
of the whole amount manufactured in the
United Sta:e<.
n o i.
What Drunkuess Does.
It defiles the conscience, hardens the
heart, and brings un spiritual lethargy.
It is a discloser of secrets, a, betrayer of
trusts; a destroyer of property and credit; an
introducer of disorder, distress, and wretch
edness in families. It is an enemy to de
cency and modesty, and a sure aud sertain
introduction to debauchery. It lea Is to
obscene and scurrilous disuouiac, to profane
swearing and blasphemy, to quarrels, fight
ing, and murder. it is the father of’mis
chief. the mother of vice, uhe nurse of r’w‘..
It detorms the visage, corrupts the bruJik,
stupefies the senses, weakens the memory,
destroys the judgment, and causes stam
mering of speauh, and reeling to and fro.
It robs a man of his dignity, undermines
his healh, begets unnatural thirst, inflames
the blood, and gererates fatal disease. It
is a poison: it is a voluntary madness. It
leads us from God amt all good, provokes
his judgments, hastens on an untimely and
miserable death, and at last destroy the
soul! — Exchange,
Victims,
The argument of accident appeals to the.
common sense and the conscience of every
man who makes use of intoxicating drinks
as a beverage. The press and the police
record afford the strongest reasons for the
disuse of fermented and distilled drinks.
Men tumble from ships, stagger from
wharves, drop from ferry-boats, and are
drowned bacausc they lost their poise at
their cups. How many fall from ladders
and scaffolds and the loofs of buildings pe
cause they were intoxicated! Multitudes
of victims are sum-truck in summer, and
frozen in winter because their blood was
diluted and poisoned by rum. Blood cries
to heaven against the avarice of the liquor
dealer, ti e appetite of the liquor drinker,
and the apathy of Christian communities.
M ho ever dreamed of starting a period
ical for the express purpose of showing that
dai.y labor, the mechanic arts, and mer
chandizing, arc honest and legitimate pu:-
sui’s, ami are therefore, entitled to the
protecti<»n of law ? If the trade in the ul
choholic liquors needs such an advocate, it
is because it is opposed to the moral sense
of all right thinking men; because they
cannot exh m-iate it from the evils to which
it gives biith; and because as a business,
they cannot place it on a par with hones’,
humiraidc and useful branches of trade.—
1 ‘iff. Li'rgh Fiom\j
On Tuesday, a negro man by the name
of Harry Williams, employed on the wood
train on the Air»Line Railway, in attempt
ing to jump on the cars while in motion,
about !0 miles from Atlanta, slipped acd
fell on the track, the cars running over
h ru and severing Lis head from his body.-
G'iii't. Eagb,