North Georgia times. (Spring Place, Ga.) 1879-1891, January 12, 1888, Image 1
- 5 NORTH GEO •»-4 ■ 1 | * J * ■ * i 1tZ Vol. VII. New Series. My lot is SSi The humbler walk*.of life; with feet . That oft are weary—begging bread And Mirtered with the dust and heat, And all the story of my years Is but * tale of smiles and tears. The 'TgXsZZZ*™ >•; ■ winds of every clime may bring A tribute of respect to me— Yet all the story of tty years b but a tale of smiles and tears. It may be that suy Iffc frath wrought Some mighty truth from chaos, when The wsy wns dark and no one sought T* cheer the burden’d hearts of men. Still, all the story of toy years Is but a tale smiles and tears. It matters *ot what rank 1 hold Among the sons of toil and strife, Or whether young or whether old, I resell the goal of mortal life, fbr all the story of my years Is aye a tale of smiles and tear* For all the stales 0 f my years Are but the tales ot tniiien and tears. —[Morris H. Turk. A Bomance of the Rail, 'GERTRUDS PRESCOTT, THOMPSON. It was on the Pan Handle railroad itn-January, 1863, and tlio train was rttn aiiing from Cincinnati to Chicago. I got <fm hoard at Newcastle, lud. Entering ;acar in the middio of the train I seated aayshlf about a third way down on the Tight and was soon bttty studying tile 'passengers. Presently my mind was 'attracted by a little girl, apparently iabout eight years of age, who sat in the 'seaVin front of me. Beside her sat a ;young lady, seemingly 30 years of ago, :rosy cheeks, laughing cyos and a sweet aiad gentle voice. These points I noted in her animated, conversation with the little one, who, was evidently her sister. Carrie, the little girl, had on* of those toy telegraphic “tickers, M and she was having a high time with it, regardless of the ominous looks and , frowns of an Old *naid, who sat a few seats front, on tile other side. As she continued her sport, 'alternately tick! Sift her :n u "“' u s ,ltl uuoccupjea seat wd ingratiating herself into tho good graces of the being who might be occupying the other end, sho became quit| well acquainted, during the long trip, with the whole car, the aforesaid old Staid excepted. Dtring the course of her mcanderings ishe spied a vacant scat in the rear of the one she occupied and flew to it, ticker in hand. The other occupant of tho *eat was a young man who had been interestedly watching the frolics of the hqppy darling, and he immediately fcegan * conversation with her, which resulted in his obtaining possession of the ticker. Placing the ticker on tho sill, that it might more closely resemble a true telegraph machine, ho began to form the letters of the alphabet. As the sound fell on my cars, I noticed with surprise that the attention of the young & IS S ttic of him was * jk{so ceu tred in tho soundi produced by the operator,, I listened, (how could I help it; everybody heard it,) and by and I recognized words, carefully spelled. Soon he framed a, sentence. It was, “Going home?” What could ho mean by that! He looked toward the young lady; she nodded her head in affirma¬ tion of the telegraphed query. Could it be he was talking with her? Soon, came again from the machine, carelessly spelt this time, apparently to mislead those who were able to understand, “is your father the same as ever? ’ another o#d. It must be. He was talking to her. What could I do? It was wrong to play the eavesdropper, but if people will talk out loud in vour presence, are you to blame for hearing? It was soon apparent that the young man, the young lady and myself were the dhly ones in tho cars who un detftaqjjs". the mystic swallowing signs of my acffiplesHwU^ttd prepared to listen. The Conversation consisted of just such talk as might pass between acquaint ances who had not met for about six months, although it was confined mostly to Mm, as her share consisted of guard ednods or shakes of the head. He asked.for her health; her family’s, and touched on a matter which the “"h® n0t We| ! fathom » l,ut . from of the lady's face and her im patient nods, judged it was unpleasant, Myejt 4 least, ' disagreeable. Then he wound up by telegraphing; “I must get ontffibre; this is my home.” “Log’nsp’tL^ho the'ydfr&g brakcuian shouted, ihd man disappeared. At soon as thf ^raia was under way again, Carrie an again her wander lags, and thi! o seated herself be * 1 SPRING PLACE. GEORGIA. TI Y. JANUARY 12, 1888. side me. Being fond of children, I talked with her on one subject and another, when it occurred to me to have a .little fun with the ticker. Procuring It of the little one, I asked: ‘‘Do you know how to telegraph?” “No, sir.” , r, < „ W Mo to take a lessonf” “les, sir! Sister has tried to teach me, but I can’t learn, somehow." Nevertheless, I began the lesson. I first made a, then b, then c, then spelt “C-a-r-r-i e,” telling her as I went along what letters I was making. So cn grossed was I that I did not notice a pair of lustrous gray eyes and flaming cheeks over in the scat in front, until I heard a voice of silvery sweetness say: “Excuse »ne, please, sir, but do understand the telegraph?" “1 believe I am sufficiently acquainted to enable me to understand it in ordi nary use.” Blushing profusely, she again said: “I hope you will excuse my unman nerly way of addressing a stranger, but will you tell me—did you—do you know what passed between us?” “I could not help but hear,” I repliod, “but I assure you it is safo with me.” She looked at me searchingly and did not seem at case. Presently she turned herself back and seemed while for a time absorbed in thought, I continued playing with Carrie, although I ceased from the further ma . hipulation of the ticker. Carrie, after a while, ieft my side and left me alone with my thoughts. “I wonder,” I cogitated, “what’s in the wind! She seems very nervous and dis pleased that I overheard their converse tion. Such a pretty girl t«, I wonder cf-no Tllask her'- and learin# for ward I said* as gently as UcU.d, -V displeasure, it I, a stranger, may be per “ d r Sh SsSkxvk Sho looked at the ciwii'’f.r some sec turning' to a SB “Mr. Williams, *$» I feel well acquainted already f||| ie There is a something which pros to think you are my friend and that I shall need your services. I fully appreciate how widely I depart frOm the customs of so¬ ciety iu thus talking with ouo whom I never met beforo, but the ice is broken, and I am about to seek a great favor at your hands. Are you going to Chicago t > “I am,” I replied, growing .interested each moment “and shall be delighted to be of service to you.” , “I should be much plcasod to have you call at my father’s house at your earliest convenience. I was bewildered, but as the train was nearing the end of the route I phil¬ osophically accepted the situation, thanked my good luck and agreed to call at three tho next day. So tho adieus were spoken at the station and we separated. Promptly at the appointed time. I was at the house of the yolmg lady, and dur¬ ing the few moments l had to wait lor her appearance, as she had just come in from a drive, I was speculating as to what the “great favor” she' had men¬ tioned was. So absorbed was 1 in build¬ ing situations in which I was tho hero rescuing a persecuted girl that I did not see her enter the room, nor Was I aware of her presence till a light hand on my shoulder caused me to look upon as sweet a face as it ever had been my lot to see. I stood spell-bound and'could not even utter the conventional civili¬ ties necessary to the occasion. Perceiving my confusion sho merrily remarked, “Well, I am surprised, real¬ ly. I always thought reporters were never embarrassed.” “I sincerely beg your pardon, ” I re¬ plied, “but I must confess that your presence-is, so cqiq.p!ctg „a 'summoned surprise and the errand for which I inn is so new an experience that I must really plead a lack of that control of mysoif that never before deserted me. Such a sudden vision of loveli—” “Pardon me if I interrupt you,” she said. “Arc you sure you were not about to use a stereotyped phrase of your profession—but, there, I am very ungenerous in chaffing you this way, but you know, a woman glories in an opportunity to make a man feel uncom fortalde, that is, when she feels certain she can set it ali right again. Besides, 1 am in my stronghold, as it were, and.. I could scream real hard if yougot 1 bit, my lips, djho was this woniaul Her making fun of me in intelligent, self-reliant way ft me that I was talk! a practical, self-posi ' : of of fortune, fortune, and and she she spoke spoke in in a * manner manner so so full full of of fun, fun, and and the the merry merry twinkle twinkle in in her her eye eye indicated indicated so so strongly strongly the the entire entire absence absence of of any any deliberate deliberate idea idea of of offending offending that that it it won won from from me me only only the the highest highest esteem—“but,” esteem—“but,” I I said said to to myself, myself, “if “if she she were were only only a a man.” man.” i “Now,” “Now,” said said she, she, as as if if divining divbing my, my ; thoughts, thoughts, “I “I hope hope I I have havo not not provoked provoked you, you, but but let let us us come come to to business. business. You You remember remember I I said said 'i I had had * a favor favor to to ask of you. You heard what passed between that gentleman and myself, I call him "gentleman” because it is polite to do so. He is my persecutor, Some two or three years ago, being desirous of knowing something or being proficient in some art or trade that be of benefit to me if misfortune befell my father’s household, I studied telegraphy, and, although my was not in favor of it, I accepted a posi tion as operator at a station on the Pan Handle road. This “gentleman” was the operator at Logansport, where ho left the train. I had to send nearly all my Work through his office. As the work of the office Was pretty heavy, my signature appeared pretty frequently there, and ho was not long in finding out that the operator at B— fcras not a man. After that discovery lie suddenly found out that a good many things in my office were not nice enough for a lady. One,day a lot of pot-plants came down, these wore followed t by kniek knacks, odds and ends to fix up with, and in stormy weather ho would run down and insist that my instruments needed adjusting. What could I do? I could not very well say that I did not want those things, or his help, for he gave me to understand he Was acting under orders from headquarters; al though my wire never revealed an^ subh ing, that instead of respecting him as I I" flr f, i f lined t0 C !°’ h0 became very “~I t = ~~ »»«» m ' j : “V ators. 'Instead of taffig'thAlln|'" jA... it seemed to me it Was very evident he should do, he has followed me so per¬ sistently that I told Charlie of it and he has sworn that if he meets him he will shoot him, Charlie is so quick-tem¬ pered, but true-hearted, that I am sure he will keep his word. Now, what I want you to do is to help me to make -this man desist, for Charlie will surely do something that will bring oiir family name into notoriety if he ever sees him. Will you help me?’’ Bhe had spoken so earnestly,so openly, so free from affectation, that, as she pro¬ ceeded, she held me spell-bound, untit she mentioned “CharMc,” when a queer feeling ran over me and I was even more at a loss for something to say than when she first entered the room. Charlie! Who was Charlie? Was he hor lover ? Did slio think that I was there solely to serve her, regardless of others? my blood almost run cold when I realized that I had come on an errand of help to her. I had indicated by my presence that I was willing to do her bidding and that the idea of “playing second fiddle” was neither here nor there. I swallowed the lump in my throat and huskily replied: “Miss Hilliard, it will be a great pleasure to me to be of the slightest ser¬ vice to you. Name the task and I will help you if I can. First, give me the name of this offensive party and I will proceed to the best of my ability.” What an effort it was to say that I Thera was “Charlie” still ringing in my ears and, to my horror, she burst forth: “Oh, Iamsoglndl I know you can help me. You newspaper men have such a faculty for digging out scrapes and Charlie won’t have anything to do with it. How I would hate to have him do anything rash. I love him so, that it would break my heart to see his temper lead him to an extreme in this matter, for he thinks the world of me.” There was “CharliO” again! He thought the world of her. She evidently wanted someone else to rid her of her unpleasant follower, so that Charlie’s fingers might not be soiled by the affair Well, I must keep my word to her any way; but I left that hous* in afardif f erC nt frame of mind than when I entered it. “Confound that young one and her ticker.” Once in my room I began to think over the case. The unpleasant fellow’s was Charles M. Bteeklev. lhad ’ occasion when *4 had been ss to f‘write up” an affair Logan&^ft, Log I 7 had occasion to us*. us*, oft$T the wire considerably a( the ^hit * srein Blockley presided, and bwsin^wf^ talkf^considerably with him in a the^mattef As I ransacked my brain in in the t recollected that thi same same eierator < was mixed up in a little defalc8tjfl| affair had been in that hushed same office; that that had the up; he boen boen affowed to remain in his position, which whic was quite a lucrative one, by the clemenfy of his “super,” who consid ered him an expert operator.' “Now,” I thought, “here is a point to work on; but, plague take it all, what pleasu^Js there now in working for her, when it is-only to rid hor of an obstacle to her complete enjoyment of the society of another. Confound the ticker, ; confound Charlie, Confound I stepped. If my temper was getting the beet■* of me why could I blame Charlie? lhad promised, and I must dp it' but I assured myself that ip the next affair of the kind I would knoto what I was workbufor, before 1 promised. Next day I went to Loganspart and called da Blockley. Inviting him to a private significantly: honvorsation, I said abruptly and “Yb$ remember that little affair of - yours here, about eight months ago?" Blobklev started, felt he was power- Affirm lesg> he eitated, and then nodded at ivelv “Thou let mo tell you something Miss Hilliard is tired of your attentions wants them discontinued. As I am a ne ar frbid of hers I am in a position to :* deiqjM offr-^you a cessation of your persecu tion £ persist, I will venti lftlo * few { u . th e n , oUr nawe Will have enough con L zrzjtz m I emphasized “fortune,” and Block rr,:r.is■— ‘ i hfethtug up *to this m* L i game was up and Amply asked: “What do you propose to do?” “Nothing, if you leave her alone; then you will be left alone. If you bother her, you will be bothered. So that’s enough.” “I understand.” I slowly ascended the steps of her house about a week following my first Visit. I was shown to the same room and: thelsame chair. The same thoughts were in my mind when she entered the room again. How lovely she was. Who could blame Charlie for worshipping her? Charlie was likely to have her love. I only wished I wero Charlie; that’s all. “Miss Hilliard, it gives me pleasure to inform you that Mr. Biockley will, in all human probability, never trouble you again.” I know my tone was melancholy, for a sudden thought paled her face. “You have not killed him?” she ex¬ claimed, in a startled tone. I smiled. Herfranknoss dispelled my previous thoughts. Killed him? What a transition it would be for a murderer, with blood on his hands, to be standing without the menace of the law over his head, talking to one of the loveliest of women. Killed him! How I wantid to laugh, but I simply replied, “Not quite so bad as that, I hope,” and then proceeded to relato the affair as it had been arranged. ‘ ‘How can I eveV thank you, ” she asked. “You do not know what a load you have lifted off my mind. What can I do to repay you?” “The fact that you and Charlie may blend your lives peacefully together and that I have been an instrument toward that end will amply repay rao,” I replied. “Allow me to congratulate Charlie.” “Congratulate Charlie for what? For being my brother? He who would give his life for me (and I the same for him) will thank you most sincerely for this service to me. Charlie is iny brother, and a good, noble brother he is too.” Her brother 1 Her brother! Had I, been spending my venom on the brother of an angel? If I had been embarrassed on ray first visit I was doubly so now. I stammered, tried to say something, stopped, started again and finally stopped entirely. She saw my confusion and came to my help. “Mr. Williams, you arc a Welcome guest at fhis house whenever you may cl u... Words! Did I ever-choose to was not many moqns before ird became Mrs. Williams, and f little toys we delight to spend <* i|j I'licker. with now and then is a te ” .-■ft A DAILY PARADE. Government Employes Quitting Work in Washington. The Curious Spectacle Present¬ ed at the Hour of Four. Thero are some queer sights about the Government departments daily when the hour of 4 arrives and the 10,000 of Uncle Sam’s servants turn out on dress parade, writes a Washington correspon dent ’ You do not get so good a view of tllcm in the morning as they go in, f fr they are more scattered then. The Umid ones begin to come along nearly ^alf tlle an morning, hour before and time they to begin straggle work in “ untU after nine o’clock, But at night U* ere ' 9 no draggling. They are promptly on tin and when the hand P oiQts to 4 ike a bee line for the door ' By half-past three to a quarter <>* f°« r *»rk is laid aside and prepana t,on8 are mado % lightning disappear- 8QC0 when the momenfc for disappear ance comeSl Yhe scenes outside the buildings are as curious as those within. By 3.45 you ® oe * a l roat °* every building a number of vcdncle9 °* yari °d description wait J [ n 8- dr,ve Some “ by aro flno ba > “ dsome ams - and liyar5 ■“ « d ’ drivers. They are the carriages of the ants ’ They are, most of them srovernment turnoute - T! sr class ° f carr!a S C8 ive and it: » oy are driven iQ ' ♦ife or sister for whooi e j&j another and i uu . ■ , “tancl b'ft : 45 : vldual who walks to the carriage in a dignified way, as though he were afraid of breaking, is either a head of department orassistaut. flee how* defer¬ entially the clerks bear themselves tow¬ ard him. If they are os fortunate as to catch his eye they doff their hats with a vigor quite surprising in its comparison with the energy exhibited at the desk by this same individual. That individ¬ ual who precedes the secretary, open¬ ing doors and bowing obsequiously as he enters the carriage, and the door is closed behind him, is the “messenger” at his office. He blacks his master’s boots, brushos his clothes, brings him his lunch from the restaurant in the build ing, and jumps to help him on with his overcoat when he soes him ready to start out. That other dignified person, who carries a bouquet in his hand, is not the head of the department. He is a division chief or head of a bureau. He feels just as good overit, however, as tho head of tho department fools in his place. He is the recipient of as much attention in his way from his own sub¬ ordinates as the secretary gets, and en¬ joys it more. That bouquet which he is carrying home to his wife—or somebody else—was placed on his desk by some of his subordinates who hoped to make their $100 a month job more secure by it. And that elegant “shine” was placed on his boot by a gentleman with simiiiar ambitions regarding his $60 a month job. The giver of tho bouquet is probably following along in easy dis¬ tance hugging himself wiih a secret de¬ light at having mado a new point in his efforts to make himself “solid with the old man.” The procession as it comes out is a curious mixture. Pretty young girls, with rosy cheeks and shining eyes; plump and pleasing widows, whoso eyes are as active as those of their younger sisters; lean old maids who are hurrying home to their cats and parrots; young dapper men with dude collars and canes, who mako eyes at the pretty girls as they go by; smirking old widowers, who are trying to catch the eye of some plump widow; rummy and seedy old sinners, whose rum-blossomed noses and unsteady steps tell very well what is the matter with them. There are some touching sights, too. The smile on the face of the man in threadbare but well-brushed clothes, when he sees the faces of a group of children waiting for him, the empty sleeve, the crutch, the wooden legs which poorly support the worn out old soldieT; the pretty girl on crutches, whom everybody pities for her mis¬ fortune; the lunch basket, the hollow cough and wasted cheek of men and women slowly dying from disease con¬ tracted by long hours in close rooms. NO. 49. The Ship. A king, a pope, sad a kaiser, And * quoen—most fair was she Went sailing, sailing, sailing, Over a sunny sea. And amid them sat a beggar, A churl of low degree; .* And they all went sailing, sailing. Over the sunny sea. And the king said to the kaiser And his comrades fair and frost “Let us turn adrift this beggar. This churl of low degree; For he tainte the balmy odors That blow to you and me, As we travel, sailing, sailing, Over the sunny sea.” “The ship is mine,” saH the beggar. That churl of low degrees “And we’re all of us sailing, nailing. To the grave, o’er the sunny se*. And you may not, and you cannot, Get rid of mine or me; No, not for your crowns and aceptrea— My name is TfoMh f’ quoth he. —(C. Mackey. humorous: Jjail-birds are of the same stripe. ' Means businoss—The merchant. No dentist lias yet been able to pull fco tooth of time. The mighty dollar is not mentioned |n ornithology. Yet it is a tenth of a* eft gi a J ■ W imt t " said' the opera singer, “k notes for notes; large notes for high notes ..> , aSel lion tea young lady he is court P"*“’ A. pumped out petroleum well, like w man driveu out of his native country, a “ exile. "ft " They raise vegetable taiiow in Aus «“»■ 1»*« <• — r Vft - ft & quiet activity, but very - bustle i out the dress reform ns there w * popular be esnnot be a wedding without a hitch in it. pay running expenses. Snooks—“I suppose you have a wid* acquaintance in Now York, Mr. Blinks!” Blinks—“Well, yes, one that weight about 250.” First Tramp—“Tho melancholy day* have come.” Second Tramp—“Tha saddest of the year.” “Yes, everybody has wood to saw.” Young Mr. Sissy (to his pretty cousin) —In your matrimonial fishing, Maude, if you should mako a catch like me, what would you do? Maude—Throw it back in, Charley. An umbrella dealer tells “how to opan an umbrella without damaging it.” It would bo more important to know how to take your eyes off an umbrella with¬ out losing it. A teacher m this city asked a class to write an essay on “The Result of Lazi¬ ness,” and one of the bright but lazy boys in the class handed in as his com¬ position a blank sheet of paper. When a young man is making love to a girl he is apt to tell her that he withes her silvery accents might ring in his ear forever, but nine times out of ten he would as soon hear a perpetual steam whistle tan or fifteen years after tha minister has got his fee. Young Crimsonbeak—“Goose again for dinner to-day?” Landlady— “Yes, sir.” “Well, I declare I've boarded here for throe years and I think you’ve had goose for dinner nearly every day.” “I guess you’re right, Mr. Crimson beak. You seldom miss a meal.” A New Gnn. The new Lebel gun which is to b* used by the French army is described a* a very effective weapon. It is a repeat¬ ing rifle, throwing a small steel-pointed bail, which is propelled by a newly in¬ vented smokeless powder of great pow¬ er. Tho balls revolve at the rateof 1,000 revolutions a minute, and are af¬ fective at a distance of a mile and s half. In recent tests bullets at 500 yards penetrated a brick wall eight in¬ ches; and it is said, that at a mile they will pass through a man as easily as at ten paces. The cartridges are so small that a soldier can carry 300 rounds. One hundred and sixteen rounds baa heretofore been the maximum. A Sagacious Clerk. “I am tired ot the struggle of life,” said a melancholy merchant to his clerk. “Tired of life!” “Yes, it will be a >weet relief wb*a my time comes to sink in obscurity and oblivion. “Why don’t you take your ad. out of the papers right away?” asked the clerk sympathetically.—[Merchant Traveler. ft -