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About North Georgia times. (Spring Place, Ga.) 1879-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1888)
NORTH GEORGIA T MES. Vol. VII. New Series. The Singing Leper. A Saxon king with merry throng Of nobles hunted in a wood At eventide, when lo! a song Most wondrous broke, a tremulous flood Of praise from distant lips unseen. TSe hunters halted, listening keen To catch each nearing echo, till Among the trees a form unclean, A leper white moved up the hill Across their path, and sang the while. His livid features wore a smile; His wrinkled hands were clasped in prayer; While living death, a master vile, Made all his flesh a thoroughfare For swift and myriad-footed pain. And all tho while he sang his strain; Then spake the king with stirring call, And bade him halt; and with his train The king moved on with care withal And questioned him with pitying gaze. “How sing you thus these words of praise When life is death?” A moment’s pause, Then smiling answered he: "I raise My voice in songs of joy because Although a leper, yet 1 know “That as my frame decays I grow More near the sure deliverance That comes from God, whose graces flow Through all the wastes of circumstance And rhoves’by life and soul to Him.” The king’s and nobles’ eyes grew dim. Then turning to his train the king Spake thus: “Unto the very brim Is this man’s sorrow, yet they brin Rejoicings, for he trusts his Lord. i‘Thi« leper's voice shall hero record We have not hunted all in vain. Our spoils this day is as a sword W hose shining blade shall conquer pain. And to our homes we turn again W ith larger faith and nobler word. KITTY DALE, “If ever I marry,” Kitty Dale used to say, half in earnest and half in fun, “the fortunate naan—or, if you like it better, the unfortunate man—must be a person who possesses these three qualities— wealth, good looks, sense. I name wealth first, because I think it is the most necessary and desirable quality of the three. Although I would never think of marrying a fool, or a man whose ugliness I should be. ashamed, of, ".yetrf-tbrak I would sooner talk'sensibly for the one or shine for the other, pro vided ho were rich, than to economize and live in obscurity with any man, however handsome and sensible ho might bo.” I know not how much of this came from Kitty’s heart; that some of it did the sequel will show. Without doubt she built her full share of Spanish cas ties, for her education in the duties and objects of life were exceedingly imper¬ fect, if not absolutely false. But who¬ ever became acquainted with Kitty’s truly womanly nature, could not doubt that she was capable of deeper and nobler sentiments. And the time approached when Kitty must take the important step—the most important in a woman’s life—of which she had so > often spoken so lightly; when she would give her friends an opportunity to judge how much of her heart there was in the words we have cited. At the joyous age of eighteen she had a goodly number of suitors. As she never seriously encouraged but two, we will follow her example, and leaving the others unnoticed, consider the only relative advantages and merits of her favorites. Frank Gothwait possessed many ex¬ cellent qualities, which gave him the reputation among tho early and more discriminating portion of his acquaint¬ ances as being “ a highly estimable young man;” among his comrades as being “a very good fellow;” and among the young ladies of being “just as nice as he could be.” Kitty loved Frank; she couldn’t help it, and Frank knew it. He was con¬ vinced she preferred his society to that of Tom Wellington, his only rival. This Tom Wellington, his comrades called him the “Duke,” was neither an idiot, or hump-backed or bow-legged, all iff which I wish ho had been; it wou ira havo made my story much more interesting. On the contrury he was a sensible, handsome, well-bred young man; and so far as I know, there was not a trace of the rascal in his composi¬ tion. Besides these advantages, he, the son of one of our merchant. princes, possessed an income sufficient to enable him to live superbly. He counted his thousands when his rival counted hun¬ dreds. Frank rested his hopes, therefore, en¬ tirely on the influence he possessed over Kitty’s heart. The “Duke,” although just the man for her in every particular, as he was rich, handsome and sensible, could never succeed in winning her af¬ fections; and the amiable Frauk could not or would not believe she would al low the better promptings of her nobler and better nature to be over-ruled by worldly considerations. SPRING PLACE. GEORGIA, THURSDAY. JANUARY 26, 1888. When he, however, one day insisted on knowing his fate, she startled him by saying, with a deep-drawn sigh, “Ah, Frank, I am sorry we ever met!” “Sorry?” “Yes, I have thought it all over; we cau never be anything but friends.” “What!” exclaimed Frauk, turning suddenly, and nervously twisting his blonde mustache. “Never, never," said Kitty in a tone scarcely audible. Frank sat down beside her on the sofa; put his arm around her waist in spite of a gentle “Don’t do that,” and letting his voice sink almost to a murmur,spoke to her—to the proud Kitty—until she wept bitterly. “Kitty,” said he, in a tone full of tender emotion—“Kitty, I know that you love me, but you are proud, ambi¬ tious, selfish. If it is really your will that I should leave you, speak tho word, and I will go. ” “Go, then,” murmured Kitty. “Have you fully decided?” asked Frank, hardly able to believe his cars. “Yes." “TheD, farewell!” He took her band in his, looked for a moment at her pretty, tearful face, and then, unable to control himself, pressed her passionately to his bosom. She not only submitted to his em¬ brace without a struggle, but giving way to an irresistible impulse, threw her arms lovingly around his nock. Sud¬ denly, however, recollecting her resolu¬ tion, she loosened her hold and pushed him from her with a sigh. “Shall I go?" he stammered. A faint “Yes" fell from Kitty’s lips— the next moment she lay alone, sobbing and weeping on the sofa. But, little by little, grief seemed to wear itself out. Her tears ceased to flow and her breath¬ ing became more regular. Her head rested on her arm, and her face was half concealed beneath a flood of dark brown curls. The strugglo-was over; the pain was already stilled. She saw Mr. Wellington enter, apd spring up fiajly to meet and welcome him. His manner pleased her; his social position and wealth fascinated her. His heart, he said, had long been hers; would she not accept his hand? She would, and did. A kiss sealed the be¬ trothal ; but it was no such kish as she had given Frank, and she could scarcely suppress a sigh. Poor Kitty! The wedding was superb. Elegantly attired, her beauty was truly dazzling; while everything around her seemed to float in the witching atmosphere of a fairy land, she gave her hand to the man that her ambition and not her heart had chosen. Her friends were numerous; her hus¬ band was tender, devoted and loving; but all their friendship and all his ten¬ derness wero not sufficient to satisfy the longings of her woman’s heart. She had known what it is to love—to bo under the influence of that divine en¬ chantment which cannot be bought and sold like chattels in tho market; but her heart seemed dead; it found no conso¬ lation or sympathy in her luxurious life. Then came a change in her husband. Ho could not long remain blind to the fact that his love was not returned. He sought the companionship of those whose gaiety enabled him, in some measure, to forget his grief; he betook himself of those social byways which are the refuge of so many disappointed husbands, and sought to warm his heart at foreign hearths. Kitty complained to her husband that he had neglected her. He replied with reproaches that she had deceived him, had never loved him—reproaches that her conscience told her she deserved. “What right have you,” he cried, “to call me to account, go where I will, or do what I will—you who have never loved me?” “But it is wrong, sinful! remon strated Kitty. “True,” said he. “It is the sinful fruit of sinful seed. And who sowed this seed? Who gave mo her hand with¬ out her heart? Who became tho sharer of my fortune without giving me ashare of her affections! Who has taught me the pangs requited love? No, no, do not weep and clasp your hands! Isay nothing that you do not deserve to hear.” “I have not said I do not deserve your reproaches; but, whether I am or not the cold, deceitful thing you say I am, you must see that this state of things cannot continue.” “I know it,” ho said, firmly. “Well?” Wellington’s brow boro a portentous aspect. He fixed Ins eyes for a moment on his wife, and then said, in a measured tone: ‘ I have decided to live with you no longer, madam. 1 am tired of being called the husband of the charming Mrs. Wellington. You must go your road. I will go mine. Neither shall stand in the other’s way. We will be free.” “But the world?” cried poor Kitty, trembling. “The world, ha!—tho world will flatter you and admire you then as now. What more do you want? To call a simple joining of worldly interests, it accordance with certain forms, a union —what an absurdity! Tho farce has lasted long enough. But few under¬ stand the meaning of the word man and wife. And do you understand their meaning? Do you know that there can be no union unless mutual love be the connecting link? Enough of this mum¬ mery! I will consult with my friends regarding the conditions of our separa¬ tion. No, no, you need have no fears. You need not weep arid cling to me. I will be generous with you. You sliull have as much of my fortune as you de¬ mand.” He pushed her from him. She fell on the sofa, and from the depths of her despair she cried: “Frank! Frank! why, why did I send you from me? Why Was I so blind until this came upon me to open my eyes?” She laid upon the sofa, sobbing and weeping bitterly. Gradually her grief seemed to subside; she breathed calmly; her tears ceased to flow, and her lay lightly on arm, over which hung her loosened tressos in all their luxurious profusion. “Frank!” she murmurs suddenly; “dear Frank, come back to me, come back to me 1” “Here I am,” said a gentlo voice. *• She opened her eyes and raised her head. Frank stood beside her. “You have been asleep,” said he, smiling. “Asleep ?” “Ay, and have been dreaming.” “Dreaming ?” murmured Kitty; “and is this all a dream ?” "I hope so,” taking her hand. “I know you would not drive me from you sq cruelty; so I waited, in your .father’* room, where I havo been talking with him for the last hour. I came back to plead my cause once more, and found you asleep where I left you." “Ah, what a frightful dream!” mur¬ mured Kitty, rubbing her eyes. “It was so like a hideous reality that I trem¬ ble when I think of it. I thought I was married 1” “If it was so terrible,” said Frank, “I hope you did not dream you wero married to me.” “No; I thought that I had given my hand to one who had not, and to whom I could never give my heart.” “So, then, he to whom you give your hand must first have won your heart?” “Yes, Frank, he must,” said Kitty, smiling through her tears; “and-thero it is!” “A Drink and a Rock.” I shall never again say that the Massa¬ chusetts people are not hospitable, writes the New Orleans Picayune’s Bos¬ ton correspondent. A day or two ago T was driving along a country road just outside of Boston, and chanced to stop at a farm house to inquire my way. Au old lady camo to tho door and, having given me the information I desired, politely asked m3 to havo, so she ex¬ pressed it—“a drink and a roek.” By a “drink” I rather supposed sho meant a glass of milk. The “rock” was a luxury tho nature of which was beyond imagining. Satis¬ fied, however, that it was something in¬ viting, I accepted tho offer with thanks, and, having tied my horse, went inside. My hostess thereupon requested me to be seated in her best rocking chair, and poured me out a glass of water. “Now,” she said “you can have a drink and a rock, and rest yourself as long as you like.” Certainly this is the most inex¬ pensive entertainment I havo ever heard of. It beats tho 5 o’clock tea nil hollow. Wonderful Skill with a Rifle. B. A. Bartlett of Randolf, in this state, is a remarkable rifleman. In a re¬ cent exhibition of his skid he is said to have hit a common white bean at a dis¬ tance of twenty-five yards, holding his rifle in various positions. He also hit a postal card that was set up edgewise. Using a thirty-two calibro ball he shot through a thirty-two calibro pistol bar - rel, the bullet splitting on a knife blndo on the further end of the revolver bar el and each half of the bullet breaking an egg. He ignited a parlor match held by a person at the target stand, knocked the ashes from cigars and concluded by shooting a bean from the nose of a friend who had sufficient confidence in his skill to permit, the atteriipt. All these remarkable Shots are vouched for by reputable witnesses. -—[Chicago News. AN INDIAN AGENCY. Scenes at the Issue of Annuities at Fort Yates. How the Indians Pass the Win¬ ter Near the Agency. I had not been long at tho Standing Ilock Agency, Fort Yates, Dakota, says a'writer in the New York Sun, when the regular issue of annuities was made to the Indians of the reservation. The Indians received their articles in a room about thirty feet square, surrounded on three sides by coiluters piled high with annuity goods, Along the other sido of the room were the desks of tile Clerks, inspector, Indian agent, <fcc. When I reached the building, there was a string of Iudians pressing against the door like a lot of theatre goers at the box office on a first night. It was only by actually taking hold of and pushing some of the evil-smelling fellows asido that I was able to reach the door at all. various ||Wlien articles I entered being n blanket dragged full of wa9 out of the opposite door. With nfc had entered an Indian to receive-his issue. As soon as ho entered a blanket was Spread on the floor, and a glib-tongucd young clerk began to rattle off tho list of things that the Indian and his family llcrc to receive, In a moment the air if as literally thick with articles. Trou Jprs, pails, caps, shawls, blankets, gtock iiigs, .rfiotes and cups, woven wire mattresses, butter knives, boxes of akle grease, woolen scarfs, mittens, axes, canvas, needles, thread arid Cotton shirts, all rained down in tho most bountiful manner upon tho blanket, which was then gathered at the four Corners and dragged to the floor, where Rs new owner received it, r While all of the Indians receive cer¬ tain articles, those who have made the most progress in civilization and have been most subordinate during tho past 4 $4 t. are specially favored, and it is the further carrying out of tho policy here indicated that is so rapidly turning tho Sioux Indians from their savage habits to those of civilization. The principal articles are always issued in tho early winter, in order that the Indians may be as comfortable as possible dur¬ ing that cold season. Other things, such as horses, ploughs, wagons, har¬ ness, oxen, etc., arc issued in the spring, when they nro most needed to help tho Indians in their agriculture. Some of tho Iudians accept civilized customs with great reluctance. A day or two after the issue I saw spring mat¬ tresses used to soften the joltings of their wagons, and axlo grease used as butter, while trousers wero in almost The issue of annuities signifies to the Indians that winter has really come, and immediately after it those Indians' who have spent the warmer months wander¬ ing about tho prairios como in aud camp in a great village about a mile from tlie agency. A groat many livo, even dur¬ ing the intense cold of a Dakota winter, in canvas tents, or tepees. These are made circular, and are left open at the top to allow the escape of tho smoke from a small wood fire always kept burning in tho centre of the earthen floor. In order to protect themselves from the cold as much as possible, the Indians build their village in a broad bottom thickly overgrown with dwarf willows. In addition to this, two or three families pitch their tents together and build a high hedge or fence of brushwood around them to break the force of tho wind. Tho lower edge of the tent is piled a foot high with sods and earth. It would be difficult for a white man to live through a win¬ ter m one of these tepees, on account of the cold as well as on account of the smoke with which they are always filled when the fire is burning. The squaws perform all of the manual labor, and I have seen old, bpnt, wrinkled ones trudging homeward through tho deep snow, each bearing upon her back a bundle of dry sticks twice her size. Some of the Indians have built them¬ selves small log houses and have been provided with stoves. This transition from the tepee to the house is one of the hardest for the indinns to make. In this respect they resemble the more civ¬ ilized tribes of wandering gypsies. Nearly all of the Indians own ponies and many own oxen. As soon as the first snow falls these animals are seen harnessed to sleighs of the Indians’ own construction. The sleighs are made en¬ tirely of wood, deftly hewn into proper shape with the axe, and fastened to¬ gether by wooden pins. Even during the coldest weather, the Indians’ ponies and oxen are turned [oose to provide for themselves. The ponies arc aectistomefl ' to that sort of tiling, and paw the snow from the ground and manage to And enough grass to keep them alive until i spring, but the oxen have to content themselves with what willow tops and wild lose bushes they are able to find. They suffer greatly from the cold, and in tho spring it is not unusual to see oxen covered ttitb raw, hairless patches as large as a ManG hand from the effects of frost bites received the winter be¬ fore. A Mexican Dandy. Yonder goes the Dude of Yantopce, a J j wealthy young sugar-planter, whoso ancestral acres stretch away beyond the limits of vision. He bestrides a pranc¬ ing Steed, whose pace is here known ns “single step,” and the gorgeous saddle aud strappings that cover the animal almost out of ■ must have cost a moderate fortune. Observe how gin¬ gerly ho holds his gold-headed whip, and how the big diamond sparkles in the end of it! See hri pearl-inlaid re¬ volvers protruding from the S3sh of crimson silk which his short black jacket imperfectly conceals, llis panta¬ loons, tight as two candle moulds, are decotatcd with double rows of genuine half dollars up the outside seams, set on so closely as to overlap and braid to¬ gether with gold cord. Tho pointed toes of Ms tiny shoes are thrust into silver stirrups of enormous size. and from his heels dangle silver spurs that, ten to one, outweigh his feet. His great sombrero of white felt has a gold cable, largo as your thumb, wound around and around it, and its broad, thick brim bears also a heavy arabesque of gold. Ilis horse is so perfectly trained that the rider never uses tho rein, but leans slightly to tho right or the left to indi¬ cate his wish. The moro, or groom, who rides be¬ hind at a respectful distance, forms an admirable foil to the gorgeousness of his master, whom he constantly eyes with an air of excessive pride and dig¬ nity, as one who says, “There ho goes; just look nt him! Isn’t he a daisy? His hacienda covers a thousand square miles, and that white sombrero cost a hundred dollars if it cost a cent.— [Mexican Letter. How Caviare is Made. Caviare is the roe of tho sturgeon tribo of fish, but salmon and pike roes are usually added to assist in increasing the bulk. The roe is cleaned, then washed with vinegar, salted and dried, when it is packed in casks. The best quality is prepared more carefully from the sturgeon alone. Tho salt¬ ing is conducted in long, narrow bags of linen, which are hung along a cord and half filled with roe. A very strong brine is then poured into each bag until it overflows. When the brine has all passed through the bags arc taken down, carefully squeezed to exclude all superfluous liquid and after a short exposure to tho air packed in casks. The finest quality of caviare is made from sterlet’s roe, but this is said not to find its way into com¬ merce, being reserved mainly for the Czar’s table. It has been stated that 3,000,000 pounds of caviare are annu¬ ally packed at Astrakhan alone.---[Phil¬ adelphia Star. Marmot Tillage. It appears that tho marmots, like earthworms, have considerable influence in mollifying the soil. During recent explorations in the Caspian steppes, Prof. Muskctofl found that tho marmots though they made their first appearance in the region only a few years ago, have already covered hundreds of square miles with their heaps of earth. These heaps average some eleven by eight feet in length and breadth, and from one to two feet in height; and it may bo safely asserted that in each square mile of the area covered moro than 100,000 cubic yards of earth have boon brought to the surface by the litt-ie creatures. Tho ef¬ fect upon vegetation is quite apparent. Westphalia Hams. Spanish hog meat and Westphalia hams are said to owe their peculiar ex¬ cellence to the sw^ne being fed on mast, which our limited forests cannot to any extent allow. It is said that a peek of acorns a day, with a little bran, will make a hog increase one pound in weight daily, for two months together. —[London Times. The Deadly Boxing Glove. It is a mistake to supposs that the boxing glove is less injurious to the per¬ son with whom it conics in contact than the bare fist is. The fist cuts, but the glove stuns, like a sand club or a piece of lend pipe, and is more apt to produce ^congestion. —[Cosmopolitan, NO. 51. Wealth I’ntold. Reek your treasure and yoirM find It exists but in the mind. Wealth is but. tho power that hires Blessings that the heart desires; And if thnsa are mine to hold Independently of gold. And the gifts it K0n bestow, I'm rich'?* than I knowI Rich I am if, *h«n I pass ’Mid the daisies the grass,. Every daisy in my sight Seems a jewel of delight.' Rich am 1, if I can see Treasure in the flower and tree. And can hear ’mid forest leaves Music in the summer eves; If the lark that sings aloud. On the fringes of the cloud, Scatters melodies around Fresh as raindrops on the ground; And I hless the happy bird For the joy it has conferred; If the tides upon the shore Chant me anthems evermore; And I feel in every mood That life is fair and God is good! 1 am rich if I possess Such a fund of happiness, And can find where’er l stray Humble blessings on the way, And deserve them ere they’re given By my gratitude to heaven. —ICliambors) Journal. HIMOHOUS. A new thing in socks—a baby three days old. A Watch that don’t run doesn’t need any chant, A week feature in the calendar—Every seven days. The most insane of tho cereals is un¬ doubtedly cracked wheat. The barber is a firm believer in the theory of rotation of crops. The men who marry most frequently for money are the ministers. Money is so tight now that some peo¬ ple haven’t even any loose change. A poet sings; “A little further on I shall find rest " Keep him moving. The thing that a woman always knows best is how some other woman ought to dress. Tho woman who can control her tongue is greater than ho who taketh a city. She is also scarcer. Odd, isn’t it, but people who pass their lives, so to speak, on beds' of down, seldom get down in the mouth. Giving slippers to clergymen has gone out of fashion. The disobedient chil¬ dren get them just the same, however. The man who has an expensive health lift fitted up in his bedroom seldom gots up muscle enough to bring up the family coal. George Wcstinghousc, Jr., inventor of the air brake, is worth $0,000,000. This is, perhaps, tho largest fortune ever made out of wind. The hay press was invented by a woman, which leads a wag to suggest that she got the idea from a dcsiro to be hugged from all sides at once. “I thought you took an unusual in¬ terest in my welfare,” i cmnrked an un¬ successful lover, “No, indeed,” she replied, “only in your farewell.” Daughter—Wasn’t Julius Cmsar one of the strongest men that ever lived, pa? Father—What makos you ask that question? Daughter—I was just read¬ ing that ho threw a bridge over the Rhine. Timid young suitor who has won con¬ sent of papa—“And now may I ask, sir, whether — ah—-whether your daughter has any domestic accomplishments?" Papa (sarcastically) — “Yes, sir; she .sometimes knits her brows.” Little brother, whose sister is playing cards with a gentleman—Mr. Smiler, does Minnie play cards well? Mr. Smiler—Yep, very well, indeed. Little brother—Then you had hotter look out; mamma said if she played her cards well she would catch you. Art Running to Extremes. “Here, come into our sitting-roon’, will you?" said a Buffalo gentleman to a Courier reporter; “ I just want to show you how art can be prostituted. My wife has gono and bought a stove and paid $75 for it $40 for the heating ap¬ paratus and $35 lor those nickel gira cracks and figures on it, and those tiles jammed into it. 1 told her she had no sense of the fitness of things. If we want nickel statuettes and tiles, let’s have ’em where they belong, and not on a pesky stove. A stove is made to give warmth, not to serve as a crockery cab¬ inet. The next step will be art coal hods, art dish-pans, art potato-barrels and art rat-traps. The plainer and less conspicuous a stove is the better. A stove covered with these gewgaws is as out of place as a coal heaver going to work in a dress sqit and patent leather pumps.”
