Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About North Georgia times. (Spring Place, Ga.) 1879-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 1888)
NORTH GEORGIA TIMES. > Vol. VIII. New Series. , To Him Who Waits. Many a castle I’ve built iu Spain, With turrets and domes that were passing . fair > ■But the first wild storm of wind and rafn dEUs proved me my castles were made’of air. Many a fleet I have sent to sea, Freighted with hopes and ambitions bright; Never a ship has come back to me, Though I have watched for them long by day and night. But I sometime; think there will come a day When my heart’s fond wishes I shall attain— When walled and towered in grand array, Shall stand secure my castles in Spain. And I look to see the sunset’s glow, As it reddens the ocean miles on miles, Shine on the ships that sailed long ago— My ships coming back from the Fortunate Isles. —[Edith Sessions Tupper. The Confederate’s Ruse. BY JOHN B. TABU. I was the last of tho fortunate few that escaped from Point Lookout prison, he said, in tho fall of ’64. , Tho enclosure—known as the Bull Pcn-K-in which the prisoners- were kept, consisted of a paling about 14 feet high, with an outside platform, not far from the top, where tho sentinels day and night walked thoir beat in sight of the prisoners. On tho eastern side of the camp was tho Chesapeake; and here, if we kept within musket range, wo could batho or fish at any hour of the day—a privi lege greatly appreciated by thoso who could stand tho exertion. For some it bocamo a daily practice, whenever tho weather permitted the sport, to fish ia tho forenoon; and this wo did either standing in the water, sometimes up to our elbows or armpits, or sitting on long-legged, crane-like tripods, which the more ingenious con¬ trived for themselves out of pieces of crackor-box. Day after day wo would ,venture out in the broiling sunshine; and I have since wondered, in thinking of it, that no case of sunstroke ever oc¬ curred. Every morning large tubs of garbage from the cook-house and slops from the hospital-tents wero brought to the beach to be emptied; • and those who happoned to be bathing at the timo had as much as thoy could do, in returning to the shore, to keop clear of the fi.th. To one of those “vessels of ignominy” it was that I owed my escape. It chanced in this way: I had waded out with my fishing clothes on somewhat furthor than usual, when I saw a tub floating upside down and drifting toward me. As soon as it was near enough, I watched my chance, and, no one observing me, dived and got under it. There I was, likeFalstaff in the buck basket, with “the rankest compound of villainous smell that ever offended nos tril.” For a moment I thought I should suffocate; and doubtless such might have been my fate but for a bung-holo in the side of tho tub, which I fortu¬ nately discovered, and through which I got enough light and fresh air to supply my necessities. As my head was en¬ tirely out of the water, I had but to turn my faco to this aperture and follow the tide. The weather being cool, the bathers that morning were comparatively few; but the beach was lined with groups of prisoners, and why neither they nor tho sentinels saw mo, I have never yet known. Once out of musket range, I was safe so long as I managed to keep my foot¬ ing. My fear was of stepping beyond my depth, and so losing the tub; or else of arousing suspicion by going too fast for tho tide. It was necessary, there¬ fore, to move with precaution, and so slow was my progress for the first two miles that it took me iully an hour or more to lose sight of the prison. Even then it was only at intervals that Idared to peep out; and not until noon did I finally venture to doff the tub and make for the beach. So weak and cramped and dizzy was I when I got ashore, that all my remain¬ ing strength was exhausted in dragging on slowly across the sand to the pin® woods beyond. Once under the whis¬ pering trees, however, and Btretchod on tho sweet-smelling, pine-tag carpet, I fell fast asleep, When I woke I did not know where I was, nor whether the sun, which was then quite low, was just rising or setting. Tho’ greatly refreshed by my live hours’ rest, I was desperately hungry, and the question now uppermost in my mind was of something to eat. I knew that the people in that part of St. Mary’s were, mo9t of them, kindly dis¬ posed to the South, and that very night brought a proof of it in the warm hos¬ pitality extended to me at a neighbor ifiar farm-house. SPRING PLACE. GEORGIA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1888. On the following morning I left this retreat, not onlyrolievod of my present wants, but provided with what would supply my necessities for at least a week longer. The adventure that closed my caroer of danger is tho only one,after I quitted the coast that deserves to bo mca tioned. I had been traveling mostly on foot since I made my escape; and now, after many a tedious delay, there remained but one critical step to bo taken to do termine my fate. A distance of ton or twelve miles was before me and I had to pass through tho villago of to reach my destination. For greater se¬ curity I was advised to make this last stago of my journey by night, and by no means to enter the village till dark, as there were known to bo spios in tho place always on tho alert. At sunset, coming in sight of tho set¬ tlement, I halted to rest and to see whero best to CQ ncoal “I 6 ® 1 * whil ° 1 . U There stood, a little to tho- loft of tho *oad, a clump of thick evergreens, to which, ■ asfho poorest refuge, I straight¬ way directed my course. On reaching the spot I was greatly assured to fiud it a graveyard. This, of all .places, I thought, is tho one most fortunato for me; so, leaping the low stone wall, I proceeded to examine the surroundings. A family vault, in a crumbling condi¬ tion, bore the namo of the village; and somo of the tombs were of older date. In oao special corner of tho enclosure was a group of fresh graves, where I took it to bo that the soldiors wero buried; and among these I noticed a nower mound, which, from tho flowors upon it, I thought had been raisod that morning. I road the inscriptions from tomb to tomb till it got too dark to decipher them. Presently lights from tho distant houses began to appear; and I was just thinking it time to go, when tho sound of somo vehicle coming my way arrested the thought. Listening in breathless suspense, I soon found that the whoels wore much nearor than I had supposed, the stealthi¬ ness of the approach alono having kept me from hoarin* them. Before I had time to collect myself, a clo3c-covered wagon stopped outsido the wall, and I saw two mon get cautiously out of it— one to open tho gate, and tho other to lead tho horso in. The time, tho place, tho mysterious approach—everything tended to agitato me, and I was on tho point of taking to flight, when tho truth flashed upon me. Proceeding at once to the new-mado grave, tho rob¬ bers, each with a spado from the wagon, began forthwith to remove tho loose earth, with a skill and rapidity that proved beyond doubt their professional character. It may bo imagined with what pro¬ found interest I watched their opera¬ tions. In less time than I had con¬ ceived it possiblo tho coffin was raised, and the body, around which they threw a long cloak, removed to the The work of refilling tho grave was soon done; and hardly an hour from the time they camo in tho rascals were out of tho graveyard and on thoir way homeward. The wagon had no sooner turned from tho gats than I started to follow it. There was no moon, and tho night was dark; but, luckily for me, the vil¬ lains drove slowly, and, though at some distanco behind the vohicle, I never lost sight of it. When about half-way back to tho vil lago we camo to a stop; and I saw tho two men, to my great satisfaction, get out at tho d oor of a public house, leav¬ ing, meanwhile, the cart and its occu¬ pant alono in the road. Just as tha tavorn door closed again I quickened my pace, and, impelled by a sudden inspiration, leaped forward and into tho cart. There bolt upright against the front seat, sat the stolen corpso, a hat pulled low down over the face, whiio the cloak before mentioned completely onveloped the rest of tho figuro. My purpose was, first, to remove the corpse, and thoD, having put on the cloak and hat, to take its place and await what might happen. V I need not have hurried my task as I did, for the men took their time. When they came out at last, it was evident that they had been drinking freely in¬ side; and I saw with delight as they entered the wagon that one had a bottle along with him to imbibe on the way. They resumed their seats, one on each side of me, and we started again. Hitherto, I am inclined to believe, not a word had been uttered upon the road by either of my companions; but, tho alcohol doing its perilous work, they began to talk openly. I learned now that it was not their intention to stop in the village, but at a vacant housb six miles beyond; and this place was, aa I further dheovered, within easy reach of my own destination. By the time wo wero fairly out of the village tho bottle had already twice been produced, with results thatgroaUy con¬ firmed my hopes of the scheme I was meditating. My comrades, soon in this maudlin state, bocamo silent and drowsy; and just here it was that my part began. Very gently at first, and by slow de¬ gree*, I inclined myself moro and more to one side. “Jim, you are pushing this ibitig on me,” said my left-hand neighbor. “Don’t lean on it so.” Jim, with an effort, straightened him¬ self and tried to sit upright. It was his turn next to complain of me, for I gradually sloped my whole - weight on him till ho gasped for breath, “By George, it is yen thnt are shoving it now! I’m almost smothered 1 Full up the blame thing, will you? ’ ho cried, “and don’t lot it slip oyer this side again.’’ Denying tho charge with an oath, tho other leaned over, and drew mo into position. So ludicrous was it becoming to me, that, but for tho stupefied state of lhe rogues, I must have betrayed myself. Tho game, howe ver, was not yet done, and my stakes in the issue ivero far too great to allow it to stop. The question was now of a second move. I was projecting another descent upon tho left wing, whon, ns if to anticipate such a design, tho onemy hemmed mo in on both flanks; and thoro I sat, pin¬ ioned between the two, like a hand¬ cuffed prisoner. A nudge of both elbows at once, on the ribs of my sleeping guards, was a shock that loosened their jaw-bones, and brought the cold sweat to their faces. “What arc you up to?’’ each ques tioneS the other in a tremulous voice. “I didn’t touch it,” said Jim, in dis The deuce you didn 11 exclaimed, tho other “Don’t tell mo a he I Put your hand under the cloak here, and feel if tho muscles are drawn.” 't.n ' Great To Cm ^ jar °n 1’ ho ' panted; “if .... the t ot “Hot?’ I yelled tearing the cloak apart; “You would bo too, if you were iu my place 1 Thc two wretches cast but one look at me, and then, tumbling bodily out of tho wagon, took to their heels. That was tho last I saw of them. Tho coast thus clear, I seiz id tho reins and drove rapidly on. Next morning discoverod mo safo at home the happy possessor of a wagon and horse, the spoils of tho onemy.—[New York Inde¬ Ribbon Enough to Girdle tho Earth. Ribbon for trimmings is in groator demand than ever, and au enormous length of silk ribbon is manufactured in Passaic county, N. J., yearly. In Pat¬ erson alono is made about 36,675,000 yards a year. This is 110; 025,00J Icet, or a littlo loss thau 22,731 miles. This would reach from Washington to Java and back. It is two and n half times tho distance to Canton, Chinn, threo times tho distance to the Capo of Good Hope, and seven times across the ocean from New York to England. Three quarters of all tho ribbon made in this country is manufactured at Paterson, and about onc-tenth as much more is imported. It is impossible to estimate how much is consumod in Amorica, as a considerable quantity is exported, but a careful calculation would perhaps make it about 30, 000 miles a year, or consid¬ erably moro than onough to put a silken belt around the earth. —[New York Star! A Magnificent Hothouse. The first magnificent attempt at hot¬ house building was that of Francis I. of Austria in 1753. They wero in five ranges, extending altogether to tho length of 1200 feet, many of them being thirty feet high. Landscape gardening, and tho adoption of the English stylo, rapidly spread into France, Germany and Russie after thoro tho year 1702. magnifi- In tha j ! latter country are soveral eont conservatories, only turpassed by those of Kew, Chatsworth, and tho Re goat’s Park, London. Tho earliest hothouses for the cultivation of fruits seem to have been those of tho Duke of Rutland, erected at Belvoir, in 1705. In modern timeB, the best constructed or most improvod kitchen and forcing gardens aro those of her Majesty, at Fragmore. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are unequaled in Europe, while those at Chatsworth, Eaton Hall and Trentham are models of taste and judg ment.—[New York Dispatch, , TIMEPIECES. Evolution of Instruments for Measuring the Flight of Time. From the Crude Sun-dial to the Modern Chronometer. At a rocent meeting of tho Balloon Society of Great Britain, an address was given by Mr. J.mcs Kendal on “Tho British Watch Industry.” Tho lecturer stated that the sun-dial of Ahaz is tho '■first record of a timekeeper, that tho ^obelisks of tho Egyptians wero intended as gnomons, and that tho next record of a sun-dial was tho hcmicyclo of the Chaldean astronomer Bcrosus, 450 B. C. Tho clopsydrn, or water clock, was the next contrivance for measuring lime, used by the Chaldeans; but to whomsoever tho early discovery of time¬ keepers may bo due, ho said that clocks were set up in churches as early as 1174, and in tho reign of Ilonry VI. of Eng¬ land a pension was granted to tho Doan of St. Stephen’s for taking clurgo of a clock in Palaco Yard, Westminster. In 1326 Richard Wallingford, abbot of St. Albans, placed a clock in liis monastry which showed tho hours, the motion of tho sun, tho changos of tho moon, tho ebb and flow of the tide, etc., and the account of this clock is still preserved in tho Bodleian Library at Oxford. In 1340 Peter Rightfoot, a monk of Glas¬ tonbury Abbey, made a clock which, at tho Reformation, was removed to Wells Cathodral, and tho original is now to bo seen at tho South Kensington Museum. Tho clock for tho Strassburg Cathodral, Germany, was begun in 1352, and finally completed in 1574 by Conra dus Daspodius. The uso of the pendulum for secur¬ ing accuracy of time was first adopted by Vincent Galileo in 1648, and tho an¬ chor escapement for regulating it, by Dr. Hook, 1668; and ho stated that little progress was made since that tirno ; until Mr. Donnison, now Lord Grirn ^,, jr p 9| designed the clock for the Yie tona Tow of tho English houses of Parli8mentin 1854 . The most remark ablo opi3ode tbo con8truction of tune keepers is tho lever oscapoment, invont e d by Thomas MuJgo in 1770, tho last epoch in tho history of tho watch. The progtegs oftho last flft in w , tch making hag consigtfld rathor ia the por . foction of proportions than in the intro duction ofuow plindplcgi for even tho j avention 0 f winding from tho pendant lnstead of a watch key ig tardy _ ciation of aa iavontion patoil tod more than half a a-o. At tho London Inven tions Exhibition of 1885, Kendal & Dant exhibited a horological novelty of a watch with two dials placed back to back, with the movement between them. On one dial. wa3 marked the old divisions of twelve hours, and on tho other tho suggested hour circle with twenty-four divisions, and this inven¬ tion attracted considerable attention from horologists and mechanicians. Mr. Kendal then referred to tho important usos to which timekeepers are devoted by tho use of marine chronometers to cnallo tho navigator to ascertain his longitude as ho travels ovor the sea. In 17,14 the English government offered a reward of $50,000 for determining tho longitude to within sixty milos, $75, 000 within forty miles, and $100,000 within thirty milos; and this reward was secured, after thirty yoars of unre¬ mitting labor, by John Harrison, a car¬ penter, of Faulby, in YoTshire, who suc¬ ceeded, in 1764, in producing the pres¬ ent marine chronometer. Peru’s Curse of Wealth. It was tho wealth of Peru and Bolivia which was their curse from the time of Pizarro to that of modern Chili. Guano has been exported since 1846 from Peru, and tho annual shipments are said to have amounted to $20,000,000 and. $80, - 000,000, whereas the wholo population of the country was not greater than Pennsylvania. The epidemic of richo3 broko both the Government and the people, and brought in foreign onomics. How much better aro wo off in some parts of thb couatry with all our riches and so little fortitude. The guano run ning down nitrato of soda was found in the deserts, and Chili came in to get this, and destroyed Peru. “The wholo coast,” says Curti', ‘*from the twenty third to the twenty-fifth parallel of latitude, appears to be one solid mass of this valuable miaeral, fit for a hundred diffaro t usos, and worth in the market from $40 to $60 a ton. Ono would think that we had something analogous in it ia our alkaline plains. It was dis covered in 1833 in South America, by an old Englishman named Georgo Smith, Thoy Bay it will take eight or ten centuries to dig it away. Nobody knows how the nitrate was formod un¬ der the sands of this desert. Shoveling off the sand you como to a course of sun-baked clay, and under this is a bed of white material, like melting marble, and soft ns choeso. It is> about four or five feet thick, and is broken up by crow-bars and ground. A solution from it is run into vats of sea- water, and crystallization is caused. Tho ulti¬ mate result is an iodine ot commerce, costing as much per ounce as the salt¬ peter brings per hundred weight. The highest grade goes to the powder mills, tho next to tho chomical works, and the third to tho fertilizer factories.—[Cin¬ cinnati Enquirer. A Teutonic Sampson. Sebastian Miller, a B ivarian browor, of New York, was the victor in a tug of war with two teams of horses at a recent picnic at Schuctzcn P.irk, I’.ttorson, N. J. Miller weigh; 225 pounds, is twenty five years old, and is nearly as broad as ho is long. Oao end of a strong, honvy laddor was chained to a stake, tho other being fastened to tho top of a wooden horse. Then Miller put two straps ovor his shoulder and lay upon tbo ladder with his inad downward. Ho braced his feet against an upper round, and held on with loth hands to one of tho lower rounds. Whon ho had thus adjusted himself, two horses of the sturdy build ; ffected by tho brewers were hitched to the straps, to which was attached a whifHctree, and began to pull for their livo*. Ia spite of whip and voico Miller held his position. Again and again the dri¬ ver urged his willing stoeds, but they made no impression upon tho stalwart Teuton, whose log and arm muscles stood out liko whip cords. Those horses weighed 4000 pounds, and theiv driver said they were accustomed to haul loads of six or soven tons with great ease. Another team tried to pull tho mod¬ ern Sampson from his porch, tugging and pulling until thoy ware in a foam of perspiration, but they, too, failed, and wore taken away amid cheers and jeers from tho spectators. After this Miller exorcised his bicep3 with heavy dumb¬ bells, broko stone3 weighing five or six pounds with his naked fi ls and per¬ formed other feati of strength. Miller says he drinks forty or fifty glasses of beer a day, and offers to bet $500 that ho can hold his own against any team in tho country.—[Times-Dimocrat. A Harpoon iu a Whale. A private letter received in this city from Captain Chaco, of tho American whaling ship Niger, now on a cruiso in the South Sons, rclutcB a singular inci¬ dent which tho Captain encountered about a month ago. He says that after nn exciting cha30 they captured a four toon-ton sperm whale off the East Cape New Zealand. In cutting up tho fish tho head of an old-fashioned harpoon of tho make of 35 yonrs ago was found embedded in the blubber. A largo lump had formed around tho iron, which was in a good stato of preservation, the projecting part showing tho action of tho water. It must have been in the whalo 20 years or more. The marks on the harpoon showed it to have boon manufactured in London in 1857.— [New York World. Steam and Electricity. Hannibal Hamlia is at present an an¬ tique. At a recent celebration he said: “Mark youl Within my own life I have witnessed not precisely tho dis¬ covery of tho powor of steam, but tho application of all its powers, until it has come to that point that In a little while it will let us repose in quiet, and steam will run tho world.” It is a fact that one man’s life, if a3 long as that of Mr. Hum’.in, very nearly covers the age of steam. But the old man does not real izo that a greater servant is already here, and we have entered a now age of electricity. Will one man’s life span, or nearly span this now era? It hardly seems possiblo that we shall discover any motive power greater and tamable. Yet who dare say?—[Globe-Democrat. Delicately Put. “When you speak of tho early closing movement, Miss Craycraft,” exclaimed the caller, with enthusiasm, “you touch ou a topic in which I am deeply inter¬ ested. Iam in favor of. anything that will shorten the dreary hours of work iag men and women.” “I am glad to hear you say so, Mr. Slowgo,” said the young lady, as she looked at the clock. “Iam a working girl myself.”—[Detroit Free Press, Tho more you grant rights to others the more justly yon can claim rights for yourself, * •«_ NO. 35. The Song of the Heart. Yes, I will sing you a song tonight, Since the theme you leave to me, The sweetest and best, my heart’s delight, For the burden, dear, is of thee; And though short the song, The story is long As a human life can be. For love is the best of all refrains, Tho dearest tho heart may hear. And welcome as ever summer raim Descending the earth to cheer; And tho love 1 sing Is the love I bring, For my life, to thee, my dearl This is tho song of my heart tonight, Its chambers with joy resound, And warm and free is the mellow light That fulleth on all around. Let thy blessing be, Dearest heart, on me And the love that wo have found. —[Mercury. HUMOROUS. A family tie—Twins. All’s fair in base ball, ovou a foul. Wo liko hot weather best whon it puts on airs. Song of tho bookworm—“Sweet, sweet tomo.” An Arab’s favorito musical instru¬ ment—Tho loot. Ilow to get even with soma mon—Pay them what you owe them. Tho shipwrecked sailor generally has a raft of things to look after. Evidenco is tho only thing a stingy man can givo without repining. Tho word pantalooningsvis coming into use among pantaloonatics. What tho whcol said to tho black¬ smith: “You make mo tired.” None but a man who is well loadod will attempt to shoot tho Rapids. Talk is cheap, unless you liavo just eaten a philopona with young lady friend. It is said that tho lawn order society is responsible for tho “Keep off the grass” edict. Whiio reaping machines liavo robbed tho cradle, thoy have contributed con¬ siderable to the grave. It h quito consistent and propor for tho seas'ido hollos to come off the bath¬ ing boacli wringing wet. Tho man who wont into an artificial limb factory and asko 1 for twelve inches, wanted a foot, but why didn’t ho say so? “Miss Lucy, a zsphyr is moving your lovely curls.” “Daar me, Mr. Snob borly, please knock it off.” “Hurrah I Hurrah 1” cried tho Boston girl as tho ball player slid to third. “Hu ha3 roar hoi tho tertiary poriod." Tho Boston Globe has au article on “Tho Decline of tho Drummer." But when did the drummer dacline any¬ thing? “I notice you never try to shine in conversation, Bromloy?” “Well, no. Fact is, Dirrington, it keeps me busy trying to concoal my ignorance.” The bulldog sits at the garden gate, t His tail is short but his teeth are long; And Soon those molars will grind and grate When the limbs of the peddler come along. “Is John doing well in the wostf’ “Oh, my! yos. He’s been there only six months, and he’s got a million now.” “Dollars?” “No; grasshop¬ pers.” Miss DeSmith—What made you and Augustus Popinjay look so sheepish and glum, this alternoon when I called? Had you had a falling out? Miss Travis —Yos—out of the hammock. An old adago says that “courtesy opens many doors.” Yes, and lack of courtesy loaves them open. Won’t somebody invent a new adago that will tell what will shut many doors? As they do it in Boston—Eldorly lady (to platform guard, at Boston and Al¬ bany station)— “Which car do I want to tako?' r Polito railroad man—“Yon will pardon me, madam, for answeriag your quostion with another, but the so¬ lution of the proposition depends, to a somewhat broad extent, on where you want to go.” Iron Freight Cars. A New York company is now mak¬ ing railroad freight cars of iron, for which many advantages are claimed. It is said that they are lighter than wooden cars, and yet have a capacity of 60,000 to 100,000 pounds of freight. The cost of repairs is claimed to be very light, and whon they havo worn out the material can still be sold for scrap iron. “This,” tho Manufacturers’ Rec¬ ord thinks, -“opens up the possibility of a new industry for the South. With cbeip iron of the best quality at hand, tho South could no doubt make iron cay at a tow cos t than any other place in the country."
