Newspaper Page Text
NORTH GEORGIA TIMES
S. JL"OAftfkR, | Proprietors.
The First Grandchild.
“Grandmother P’ called the farmer, and there
came
Out through the vine wreathed porch a blush¬
ing dame,
Surprised and eager at the strange new
name.
The clock within rang forth the chime for
eight,
“A message? Read it—quick—how can you
wait?”
Her husband, smiling, leaned upon the gate,
At arm’s length holding In his trembling
hand
The crisp, white sheet, while he the writing
scanned,
Then read once more, with voice almost un
miymed:
* "‘Thy granddaughter salutes thee, "Baby
Bely”
Mother and child, thank God, are doing
well”
A moment's silence on the proud twain fell.
She broke it soon, “Grandfather I con
grat”—
“What, me?" the good man cried, lifting his
hat—
Grandfathor?—me? I hadn’t thought of
that!”
—Anna A. Preston, in Harpers,
IN THE NICK OF TIME.
Miss Lily Somers, night telegraph
operator at the Floodwood station, sat
before her table on which tho telegraph
instrument clicked busily, a thoughtful
expression on her face.
A face whoso expression was its
charm, that never could be called pret¬
ty, but that, nevertheless, suggested a
possibility—only a possibility—of being
handsome. For there is a vast differ¬
ence between pretty and handsome.
Pretty people seldom know very much;
but to he handsome a person must have
brains, an inner as well as an outer
beauty.
Floodwood was a forlornly desolate
spot, and one where any woman, except
Lily, would have been afraid to come,
much less to stay alone all night with
nothing but tho wind sadly sighing
through of the wires wild overhead and thoshriVl
shrieks the cats away up on the
mountain side to keep her company
through her nightly vigils. But to her
thero was something fascinating in tho
very desolation of tho place. From ear¬
ly childhood she hod been accustomed
to commune with nature in her wilder
scenes, and played and wandered at will
in the mountain glens and canons. With
no foolish old woman or silly nurse girl
to frighten her childish souses with sto¬
ries of hideous ghosts and monstrous
goblins, she had grown to womanhood
naturally brave and fearless. In truth
she did not understand tho meaning of
the word fear.
Her office was nothing more than a
roughly built shanty, seven or eight feet
square, with a small window in each end
and one in tho door which faced the
railroad track. It had been hurriedly
put together with green lumber while
the road was in courso of construction,
with the intention of only using it
temporarily until a better one could bo
built, but, as usual in such cases, it had
done duty for its original purpose ever
since.
The rough, unpainted boards were
badly warped and shrunken by long ex¬
posure to the elements, and in many
places large knots had fallen completely
out.
No doubt in the winter time the bleak
mountain wind cheerily whistled through
these many apertures, and while one
sido of the unhappy operator was being
nicely browned like a piece of toast by
the red-hot stove the other side would
be refrigerated like a frozen rabbit.
It was about 1 o’clock in the morning
when Lily received an order from the
train dispatcher, which read as follows:
To Operator, Floodwood:— Hold No, 21
until No. 22 arrives. E. K. C.
On receipt of this order she immedi¬
ately displayed the red signal light,
which is furnished all telegraph stations
for this purpose, in a conspicuous place,
in plain sight of passing trains, and also
where it could be seen from the office
window.
The necessity for this order and posi¬
tion of the two trains, briefly stated, are
as follows:
No. 22 had arrived at Silver Creek,
ten miles west of Floodwood, a few
minutes after No. 21 had passed Red¬
wood, which was thirteen mile3 east of
Floodwood. As No. 22 was late and
could go no futher on the schedule, ac¬
cording to tho rules of the road, they
would be compelled to lay at Silver
Creok until No. 21 arrived there, unless
they could get orders by telegraph to
meet them at some other station. Flood
wood being the only intervening tele¬
graph office between tho two trains, the
SPRING PLACE. GA.. THURSDAY. JULY 18, 1889.
dispatcher gave the above order to that
station, and as soon as it was properly
acknowledged by Lily ho sent another
order to No. 22 at Silvor Creek, which
read in this manner:
To Conductor and Engineer No. 221
Meet No. 21 at Floodwood. Approach care
fully. E. K. C.
The intelligent reader will readily un¬
derstand that by means of these orders
the two trains would meet each other at
Floodwood in perfect safety, notwith¬
standing that one of them knew noth¬
ing of the arrangement.
To explain: If No. 21 should arrive
first, they would be stopped by the rod
light, which showed that thero were or¬
ders for them at this station. The con¬
ductor and .engineer would immediately
proceed to the telegraph office, where
tho operator would deliver them a copy
of the order to hold them for No. 22.
This would bo sufficient, and they
would wait until No. 22 arrived. If
No. 22 should arrive first, the execution
of the order would be yet more simple.
No. 22 would tako siding,
and as soon as they were
clear Lily would bo at liberty to
tako down the red signal lantern, and
allow No. 21 to pass without stopping.
No. 22 having arrived, the object of the
order was already fulfilled. If both
trains should happen to arrive at the
same time, the red signal would stop
No. 21, and as No. 22 had instructions to
“approach carefully,” they would do so,
expecting to find No. 21 occupying the
main track.
Lily perfectly understood tho import¬
ance of tho order she had just received,
and during the long hour which wore
slowly away she kept careful watch of
the signal light which, however, con¬
tinued to burn as brightly as ever. At
last she’heard a rumbling noiso away in
the west which gradually became louder
and louder and more distinct. By this
time she knew that No. 22 was coming
and -yould probably get in on tho siding
before No- 21 should arrive.
The rumbling became londor and
louder each moment; the earth began to
tremble, and tho peculiar vibration in
the air which gives warning of a rapidly
approaching train hummed loudly in her
cars.
She began to feel anxious, as they
were evidently coming at a high rato of
speed, and not approaching as carefully
as their order had instructed them; she
also had not heard the whistle which is
always sounded by trains when ap¬
proaching a station, and this omission
increased her fears that something was
wrong.
But she was given no timo for fur¬
ther reflection, as tho train now dashed
around a curve not a hundred yards dis¬
tant, running at full speed.
Lily flew out and stood between the
rails swinging hor hand lamp wildly
across the track and shouting at tho top
of her clear young voice. But no at¬
tention was paid to her signal, tho train
coming madly on, with such a rattle and
clash that it drowned tho sound of her
voice.
Tho roaring, rushing train was now
upon her, and she barely had time to
spring from the track and escape with
her lifo. With a rattling crash and an
awful rush of air tho hissing, throbbing
monster sped swiftly past her, while the
clang, clank of tho car wheels passing
over a looso splice near by was so rapid
that it resembled the rapid hammering
on the anvil in a blacksmith shop.
For a moment Lily was unnerved and
bewildered, but suddenly arousing hor
self to action she rushed into the office,
and seizing a piece of firebrick that did
duty for a stove leg, she turned and
hurled it through tho window of tho
caboose that was just passing. An in¬
stant later the red lights in the roar end
of the train had disappeared around a
curve in the cut, and the rattle of the run¬
away train quickly lessened in the dis¬
tance.
Lily’s heart throbb ed painfullyand she
was seized with a sudden fit of shiver¬
ing, which most persons of delicate or¬
ganizations are subject to when under
great excitement. As soon as she had
somewhat recovered she went into the
office, and calling tho train dispatcher,
who answered at once, she said:
“No 22 passed at full speed and No.
21 not yet arrived 1”
“My Godl" telegraphed back the dis¬
patcher as swiftly as his frightened fin¬
gers could form the letters, “the crew
must -be asleep. They will strike in that
cut and pile up fifty feet highl Heav¬
ens! This is horrible 1"
Lily then went on to explain that sho
had attempted to awaken them by
throwing a brick through a caboose win-
JS^St
to finish and said excitedly:
“Run to the east end of the siding,
and, if you see them backing them
throw the switch and let them in on tho
tiding. No. 21 is not duo hero five
minutes, and there is a chance for them
yet.”
“I have no switch key,” said Lily.
“Break the loek with a hammer, a
rock, or anything,” was the quick reply.
“Run, fly I”
Lily seized an old ax that was
handy, and, with a vague idea that toojf: Afl
might also need tho rod light, she
it into her other hand and flew up tho
the track with speed of tho wind, at the
•imminent risk of falling and breaking
her neck in the inky darkness. •
Once she stumblod and fell, and file
lantern was dashed from her hand and
went rolling along the ground far be
yond her reach by the sudden impetus
which her fall had given it, but without
pausing to regain it she sprang to her
feet and bounded on.
Tho switch at the end of the siding
was fully half a mile from tho office,
and about the same distaneo from the
beginning of tho cut. If No. 22 could
back in on the siding in time they would
be safe, but if they attempted to back
down tho main track past tho telegraph
office they were liablo to be overtaken
by No. 21 before going half tho dis¬
tance, as, according to tho dispatcher’s
figures, No. 21 should now bo very
close.
As Lily reached tho switch a pair,of
gleaming red lights suddenly appeared
around tho curve in tho cut, and she
knew that the train was already rapidly
backing up, and that she had not a mo¬
ment to lose.
Fooling for the lock in the darkness,
she then struck it several heavy blows
with tho ox, which she stiU retained.
Luckily, one of the blows taking effect,
the broken lock dropped to the ground.
She then grasped the switch lover and*
ried to throw it over, but it resisted her
utmost efforts to move it.
Tho train was now only a short dis¬
tance away, and with tho energy of de¬
spair she braced her feet against the
switch standard, and, putting forth her
strength in one mighty effort, tho ob¬
stinate lover camo over with a sudden
jerk and No. 22 glided safely in on the
siding.
Tho shrill scream of a whistle was
now heard in tho cut, and as soon as tho
train was clear she again exerted all her
strength and threw the switch back to
its former position.
A headlight now flashed around the
curve, and a moment later No. 21 rushed
roaring along.
Lily, by her bravery, promptness and
presence of mind, had averted a terrible
calamity.
At the official investigation which
took place a few days later tho entire
crew of the runaway train acknowledged
that they were asleep, and that the con¬
ductor had been awakened by a brick
thrown in at tho caboose window.
Tho only excuse they had for their
neglect of duty was that thoy had been
on tho road for thirty-two consecutive
hours without sleep or rest, and that
they were completely worn out.
Notwithstanding tho fact that tho
management of the road was responsible
for requiring the men to run tho long
double trip, tho entire crew wore sum¬
marily discharged for neglect of duty,
as though man’s endurance was an infal
ible bank, to bo drawn on at pleasure 1
Grim Humor.
It was at Tonquin. The young Count
do T——, who was serving as a private
in a light infantry French regiment, had
his skull fractured by a bullet during an
engagement with the Black Flags. He
was taken up for dead, and removed to
the ambulance. “Ho won’t recover,”
said the surgeon-major; “ono can see
the brain.” At this word, tho patient
suddenly opened both his eyes. “You
can see my brain?” ho asked; “I beseech
you, major, write at once to apprho mo
father of the fact; he made me jcin tho
army, because he pretended I had no
brains.”— Argonaut.
Not an Intentional Smilo.
Miss May Morningside—I’m very sor¬
ry to hear of your brother’s death, Mr.
Villers; but you’ll pardon me if I say
that I see no reason to smile over it!
Mr. Yorke Villers—Oh, dear, no l I’m
not smiling, don’t you knowl It—it—
must be this eyeglass I’m trying to keep
in!
A sign writer—The stenographer
PORPOISE CATCHING.
A Successful Harpooner Needs
Courage, Skill and Endurance.
.. .
'il Methods of _
Securing the Fish
i£ and Trying the Blubber.
* Along tho coast of Maine there aro
^several places where porpoise catching is
, carried on extensively, and affords the
rincipal mCAns of su PP ort f or many of
,ho P C0 P le living in those localities. Tho
■
Ba y of Fund Y 13 on especially good fish
' ’’ n £ ground, and Indian Beach, border
* u g on the waters of tho bay, is moro or
less occupied the year round by whites
iind Indians who do little else. For
years the Passamaquoddy Indians have
^eado a practice of camping on the boach
d epplyiog themselves assiduously to
.porpoise harpooning and shooting. The
Winter fish aro the fattest and give the
most oil; that is the va’uablo part of tho
catch. Tho largest porpoises are about
seven feet long, will girt fivo feet, weigh
1500 pounds and over, and yield from
'Six to seven gallons of oil. Tho blubber
is an inch or so thick in warm weather,
but in tho winter double that. A
. fat fish’s blubber will weigh about
' 100 pounds. The Indians do their
wor R in much the samo way
| n ow as they did in early years, the most
primitive methods prevailing. In trying
| out the blubber the appliances aro of
Abe rudest kind. The fires aro built
| among pilos of stones, over which iron
pots are hung. The blubber is cut into
Small pieces and slowly melted. The
Oil is skimmed into jars and cans, and
At hen pure is worth 90 cents a gallon.
The host oil comes from tho jaws of tho
rpoise. Tho jaws are hung up in the
un, and tho oil drops down into a ves
el, each pair producing about one-half
pint. fine Watchmakers and others using a
very oil tako it in preference to all
ijft? or, and it • commands ■ a big price,
Tho blubber oil gives a good light, and
for years was burned exclusively in the
light-liouseg along tho coast.
In a good season an Indian will catch
nearly 200 porpoisos, each yielding
about threo gallons of oil, but most of
them fall a good deal below this, as
they aro not over-partial to labor, and,
as long as tho returns of one catch will
last, will loaf around tho camp rather
than go out again. Tho custom is to
got a few gallons of oil, go to tho near
est market and sell it, then “rest" till
forced by necessity to make further ex¬
ertions. Tho porpoiso’s flesh is much
liko pork when cooked, and is a staplo
article of food.
The bravery, skill and onduranco de¬
manded of the porpoise-catchers in their
work is almost uuknown to the outside
world. In tho morning, when the men
are going “porpoisin’, ” tho women and
children turn out to see tho canoes off.
Each boat has two men, and when a
storm comes up while they aro out, or
they are unusually late coming in, there
is great anxiety among thoso on shore •
It takes years of training to make a good
porpoise-hunter, and the big boys begin
by going out with tho experienced men.
No matter what the wator’s condition,
be it rough or smooth, if thoro is a trip
contemplated, tho start is made. In
calm weather tho blowing of the por¬
poise can be heard a long way, and
guides the Indian in the right direction.
Shooting is the most successful method
of killing tho fish. Long, smooth- bore
guns, with big charges of powder
and double B shot are used. As the fish
is floating, swimming, and diving about
the water, first on tho surface and then
below, tho canoe is paddled as near as
possible. Then, as tho porpoise lifts
himself to dive the gun’s charge is let
fly. There is seldom a failure to make
a sure shot, but tho fish is speared to
stop his floundering about in tho dying
struggle. It is then landed in tho ca¬
noe by grasping tho pectoral fin with
one hand, sticking a couple of fingers in
the blow hole, and dragging it over the
side. In still water this is easy, but
when a high sea is running tho under¬
taking is hard and dangerous.
Sharks are plenty, and their fins are
almost always visible, cutting tho water
as soon as a porpoise is wounded, the
blood attracting them. No end of stories
are told of men having had their arms
bit off by a shark while they were reach¬
ing into the water to secure a porpoise,
but old fishermen scoff at such a thing,
and pay no attention to the dread ocean
monsters, as they almost rub their noses
against the sides of tho canoes.— St.
Louis Globe-Democrat.
Vol. IX. New Series. NO. 24.
The Tea of the Himalayas.
The tea of the Himalayas is the best
in the world, writes Frank G. Carpen¬
ter, and I would advise housekeepers to
try Indian tea. There is a tea in Thibet
which has the flavor of milk to such a
degree that when used it has all the
properties of good tea mixed with tho
most delicious of Jersey cream. This j
Himalaya tea has the flavor of flowers.
It is pure and clear and it is supplant¬
ing the Chinese tea in tho English mar¬
kets. The tea plant grows wild through I
these Himalaya TT . . hills, and , in . some of ... the
regions near here it attains tho dimen- j
sions of a large tree. Still it is now
only about half a century since tea cul¬
ture was commenced in India, and now
there aro many Indian tea men who
prophesy that Indian tea will eventually
push Chinese tea out of the markets of
tho world.
The lower hills of these Himalayas
are covered with tea plantations. Tho
plants look not unliko well-trimmed
box-wood hedges, and they rise in ter¬
races up the sides of the hills.-. Here
and there you may see a gayly dressed
woman picking their leaves, and now
and then a low shed in which the firing
is done. Tho seeds arc sown in nur¬
series in December and January, and
they are transplanted between April and
July. Tho ground has to be well
drained, and I am told that the best tea
soil is virgin forest land, which in In¬
dia is very rich. The plants begin to
bear about the third year, and they are
at their best when they aro ten years
old. The Indian tea planters get about
five pickings a year, and often seven.
In China and Japan three pickings is
considered good.
Catching Abalonos and Turtles.
’The coasting trado with Baja Califor
nia from San Francisco, San Pedro and
San Diego is much larger than is usually
thought. Abalone shells and meat
form a large portion of the trade. The
abalone is an enormous clambko shellfish;
from the interior of the shells is mado
more than half of the “mother-of-pearl”
used in the world. The shells are chiefly
shipped to Paris where they aro ground
and tho article put into a marketable
form. The shells bring from $25 to $35
a ton, according to their quality; and
as they often grow as largo as a wash¬
bowl, it does not require very many to
make a ton. The meat is in very great
demand among tho Chinese, and is ex¬
ported largely to China where it is worth
$110 a ton.
Moro than half tho whaling done on
this coast is done off tho shore of the
peninsula, and the hunting of turtles is
very profitable. The United States fish
commission steamer Albatross returned
to San Diego from a trip down the coast.
While in the vicinity of Bartholomew
bay a big seine was cast as an experi¬
ment. Tho seine was 400 foot long, and
it required thirty-five men to haul it
ashore, and when it was landed it was
found to contain 167 green turtles, av¬
eraging 125 pounds each.
Tlie Hatching of Lobsters..
Mr. E. A. Brackett of tho Massachu¬
setts Commission on Fisheries and Game
is making arrangements to commence
tlie propagation of lobsters on the Mas¬
sachusetts coast early in June. A steam
launch has been purchased by the com¬
mission and is now being fitted for this
work. Mr. Brackett has mado the
drawings for hatching boxes, and they
are now being constructed. He expects
to be able to turn 40,000,000 young
lobsters into Massachusetts waters this
season. Tho experiment will be watched
with a great deal of interest by every
one interested in fish culture, as this is
the first attempt made to propagate the
lobster artificially. The lobster fisher¬
men are interested in the experiment,
and have promised to give all the aid
and assistance in their power to help the
project along, and it is from them that
Mr. Bracket expects to secure tho fe¬
male lobsters, and, as a female lobster
of twelve inches in length carries from
30,000 to 40,000 eggs, ho will only re¬
quire from 1200 to 1400 to furnish tho
requisite number or eggs to make up
tho enormous number he proposes to
hatch this season. Professor S. Garmeu
will be detailed from Harvard College
to assist Mr. Brackett in this great un¬
dertaking.
An Exorbitant Charge.
Convalescent— “Doctor, how much
do I owo you for saving my life?'’
Doctor—“Sixty dollars.”
Convalescent— *‘Sixt dollars 1” (with
aa air of convictiou) It ain’t worth it.”
The Silver Lining.
Above my head, beneath my feet
The black clouds roll in fury by:
I glance as far as eye can see,
And naught but storm clouds All my sky
No ray of light, no sunboam shining—
Noglimmer-of a silver lining.
About my soul and on my heart,
The shadows fall In silence grim,
The murkey clouds have Ailed my brain,
And left my weariod vision dim.
My soul in grief and woo repining,
Can see no gleaming silvor lining.
Clouds of the past but roll away,
To let the present gloom appear;
While future years rise dark and stern
With threat’ning cloud heads far and near,
Tho hand of fate my lot designing,
Obscures tho blessed silver lining.
Roll on dark clouds with grief oppressed!
Thy vaporing mists must pass away.
The soul bears but its destined load
Qf sullen sorroW3 day by (Iay .
Some welcome breeze thy mists entwining,
Must yet discloso the silvor lining.
—Lurana W. Sheldon.
HUMOROUS.
Consumptivo’s early stage—A linck.
Were the dead lauguages talked to
death?
Nature’s serial story—Tho spinal col¬
umn, continued in our necks.
“I should rc-mark,’’said thomerchau
when the price of goods wont up.
The frontiersman who shot an Indian
corpse didn’t know it was Lo-dead.
Tho man who mado himself a new til®
out of fur was fur-tile in resources.
When tho “shrill music of tho shells"
is spoken of, is a bomb bard meant?
“Only a how and cry,” said tho boy
who sliced his foot with o broadaxo.
When a man goes out for a “spin”
on tho road ho should use a “top” bug
sy
To uso the languagoof gushing youth,
tho very perfection of tho beautiful ia
the smilo which now adorns the face of
tho seaside hotel keeper.
Youngs Lady—Mr- CondustM^will I
have time to say good-by to my friends?
Conductor—Guoss not, miss; this train
leaves in two hours and a huif.
A lawyer’s lifo is full of trials and
tribulations, but ho mannges to make
money out of the trials and leaves noth¬
ing but the tribulation for his clients.
Mr. Softleigh (approaching the point)
—“Tho sentiments I hold toward you,
my dear Miss Iveeno, are so tender that
I cannot express them !’’ Miss Keene—
“Then you might send thorn by mail."
Pupil—“ Teacher, kin mo an’ Bill go
an’ git a pail o’ water ?” Arkansas
Schoolmaster—“Thero you go again.
How many times have I got to toll you
that it ain’t good grammar to say me an’
Bill?” Pupil—“What ort I to say?"
Teacher—“Bill and mo. Can't I never
learn you nothing.”
When In the orchard Robin sings,
When in the meadow springs tho grassy
Tis time for cucumbers arid things
And tender “garden sass."
Spring vegetables glad the heart;
Oh I thoy are welcome ever;
A zest to life do they impart,
And purify the liver.
“Are those our men?” asked Major
Pitcairn, as a squad of soldiers ap¬
proached along tho road near Concord.
“No, sir,” replied Colonel Smith.
“They aro minute-men.” General
Washington believed that it was to this
that the British defeat may be attribu¬
ted.
A Plentitude of Meals in Russia.
The Russian cats on an averago once
every two hours. The climate and cus¬
tom require such frequent meals, the di¬
gestion of which is aided by frequent
draughts of vodki and tea. Vodki is
the Russian whisky, mado from potatoes
and rye. It is fiery and colorless and is
generally flavored with some extract liko
vanilla or orange. It is drunk from
small cups that hold perhaps half a gilL '
Vodki and tea are tho inseparable ac¬
companiments of friendly as of well of
business intercourse in tho country of
the Czar. Drunken men are rare. Rus¬
sia and Sweden aro tho only countries in
which the double dinner is the rule
When you go to the houso of a Russian,
bo he a friend < r a stranger, you are at
once invited t j a side tablo, where salted
meats, pickled eel, saltod cucumbers,
and many c .her spicy and appetizing
viands, are urged upon you with an im¬
pressiveness that knows no refusal.
This repast is washed down with fre¬
quent cups of “vodki.” That over, and
when the visitor feels as if he had eaten
enough for twenty-four hours, the host
says, “And now for dinner.” At the
dinner tablo the meal is served ia
courses.— 2few York Star.