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About North Georgia times. (Spring Place, Ga.) 1879-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1889)
NORTH GEORGIA I TIMES • \ aaiSS&R, I Proprietors. 2Hscot«7. When the worlds first grttv.t westward voy ager Sailed out in faith to this new continent, Whither he felt all his life-currents stir, Though knowing sot unto what placs he went, One-day, no land in sight, his grating keel Reported shoals; the unconscious vessel slid Across, nor heard the grinding sands reveal The secret of the coast beyond them hid. He drifted past, though waif of leaf and bird, Floating and fluttering after, bade him stay; Vague invitations everywhere he heard: By hope’s own dazzling glamour led astray, He landod on an islaud’s rim, nor guessed How nearly he had won his larger quest. Alas! the dumb, inscrutable human sea That will not tell us of the shores we seek! Its jealous waves, in moaning mockery. But just returned from pressing a blue cheek Against fresh roses blown for us, unseen, In our own realm, that never will be ours, Though through the starry dusk all night wo lean, And, unaware, breaths balsam from the flowers, And feel its soft mists wrapping us around, And hear far, wave-tossed voices whisper ing From some dim bourne beyond the horizon’s bound— Heart’s kindred starving for the love we bring, As we for theirs—an unreaped harvest-field: Our treasure just within our roach—con¬ cealed 1 And yet, Columbus, this New World is thine! Thy claim was in thy forward-reaching soul, An inner, prescient right: thou didst divine Wonders that the veiled hemisphere should unroll At last, from out the blue blank of the sea = And whatsoever foot might tread this shore, Clear was thy title of discovery, Whose thought outsailed thy ships so long before, That which we recognize and seek is ours: Approaching, uuperceived, related souls Slir irresistibly our noblest powers; Us toward our own the tide of being rolls: And shall it not be joy, the voyage done, To know the continent and island oue? —Lucy Larcom in Harper's. MARCHHARE’S WILL If there hadn't been a touch of— well, to put it mildly—a touch of ec¬ centricity about old John Marchhare, he would have hatdly made such a will. Several years before the veisel in which he was returning from the West Indies went down at sea, with nearly all on board. John Marchhare was picked up by one of the boats, and clinging to a little girl—a mere child — whose life he had saved, while her relatives and all who knew her were among the lost. From the little stranger thus thrown upon his care ho did not turn away. She was too young to give any account of her parents or family; and all sub¬ sequent efforts to discover her kindred or whence sho came proved fruitless, John Marchhare adopted her aud took f her to his home and heart. Having neither wife nor child, he felt free to do as he would with his handsome fortune; and it pleased him that it should go to his adopted daugh¬ ter— “provided,” so ran his will, “that if my said adopted daughter should marry during the lifetime of my brother, Edward Marchhare, whom I hereby constitute her guardian, without the approval of my said brother, then the foregoing bequests and devises shall be¬ come void, and my whole estate shall go to my said brother.” This was an eccentric will; but, we have already said John Marchhare was an eccentric man. It is easy to see that it was left to Alice Marchhare, as she was called, the threefold choice of ac¬ cepting a husband of her guardian’s se¬ lection, of remaining single during his lifetime, or of forfeiting her fortune. That it was thus made tho interest of Edward Marchhare to oppose any match that might be offered to Alice was a point that probably did not occur to the testator, or, more likely still, he knew his brother better than to suspect that sordid motives would ever sway him in fulfilling a trust committed to his con¬ science. Alice had barely reached womanhood when her benefactor died; but when it was known how John Marchhare’s will read and the power it gave his brother, suitors swarmed around about the young lady and her guardian, and it is hard to tell to which they were the most ob¬ sequious. George Preston had not waited foi the publication of John Marchhare’s will as the signal for falling in love SPRING PLACE. GA.. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 12, 1880. with Alice, as several others had done, in spite of her beauty. The truth is, he had been in that state as far back as he could remember, And Alice, we may as well let the reader know, had always liked George. But when George Preston asked Mr. Edward Marchhare’s permission to tend¬ er his hand to Alice, the old gentleman shook his head. ‘ Have you a home to offer her?'’ he asked? “or means to support her?" he added, before George, in his confusion, could find an answer. “Perhaps,” he continued, giving the young man no timo to rccovet himself— “perhaps you think Alice’s fortune suf¬ ficient for both, Now, whether she shall have one or not” “Is a question I have never stopped to ask," broke in George, indignantly. “Whether she shall have a fortune or not,” said Mr. Marcbhare, disregarding the interruption, “depends on her not marrying in my lifetime in opposition to my wishes: and I shall certainly never wish to see her wedded to a man willing to be dependent for a living on the bounty of his wife.” “You much mistake me,” cried George, with flushed face, “if you rank me in that class. I have strength and energy” “But as yet they are untried,” said Alice’s guardian, without waiting for him to finish. “I am willing to put you to the test, however. Return in three years the possessor of $5000 saved from you own earnings, and if Alice then consents to hear your offer I shall not oppose it.” George's face brightened. A much severer ordeal would not have daunted him. And avhen ho took leave of Alice, though there was no formal plighting of troth betsveen them, he had no mis¬ giving lest the end of three years should no; find her faithfully waiting his re¬ turn. The allotted time had nearly gone by before George, after many struggles and hardships, hal succeeded in laying up the sum which entitled him to ap¬ pear and claim of Marchhare tho fulfil¬ ment of his promise. At a railway station, the last stop¬ ping-place on his journey home, ho went into the refreshment room for sup per. He had not half finished tho scanty repast when the sound of the bell, and tho summons of tho porters, caused a general commotion and rush for the train. George caught up his overcoat, ami followed the rest. On reselling his destination he was about to draw on his overcoat prepara¬ tory to leaving the carriage, when for the first lime he discovered that the gar¬ ment he had brought from the supper rocm was not his own. It was similar iu color an I material, but the attempt to put it on at once revealed the difference, lie was thunderstruck at the dneovery. In a secret pocket of his own co it was the banknote which had cost him three yeais o:' anxious toil, aud which repre¬ sented so many preciout hopes. He wildly ran among the dispersing passengers, looking sharply at every man he met, as though expecting to find upon him the object of his search. Bat all in vain; it was nowhere to be seen. With a vague purposo of advertising everywhere, and telegraphing in all di¬ rections, he was hurrying rapidly along, when whom should he meet but Mr. Marchhare! George’s first greeting was to blurt out his loss. “I am very sorry,” said the old gen¬ tleman, gravely; “but you know my conditions; and with respect to their fulfillment, it seems you are just where you started." “Give me but another chance!” cried George. “I can earn double as much in the same time. I will work night and day to do it! ’ “Your time is up to-day,” said Mr. Marchhare; “and I have promised my old friend, Wells, in the event of your failure, that his son Lawrence may pay his addresses to Alice to-morrow. The young man, though well enough, is something of a fop, and I doubt if Alice will listen to his suit. Still, my word is passed. Ah, here he comes! Shall I introduce you?” “Stwop thief! stwop thief!" shouted a flashy-looking youth, rushing forward and seizing George by the collar. “What do you mean?” exclaimed George, dashing aside the hand so rudely laid upon him. “What’s the matter, Lawrence?” asked Mr. Marchhare, astonished at the proceeding. “Mattah! mattah enough, I should say! Why, that's the fellah that stow ie my cwoat! There it is now on his arm.” “Come, come!" interposed Mr. Marchhare; “mistakes will happen sometimes.” “Mist wake!” sneered Lawrence Wells. “A vewy likely mistwake, see¬ ing mine’s twice the best cwoat, and his is rnoro than a yeah behiud the fwashion. I’m almost asliwamcd to be sween in it; I am, upon my swoul. But I’ll hive satisfaction. I’ll cawll the police! After a quick glance at the young man’s apparel, George flung asido the coat on his arm, and, placiug a hand on each of the dandy's shoulders, got him out of the one he had on, in a manner more expeditious than gentle. Hastily examining the secret pocket, Georgo found his money safe; and Lawrence Wells was convinced, under all the cir¬ cumstances, that there had, indeed, been a mistake. Mr. Marchhare took him aside, and explained that his call on Alice must be postponed for the pres¬ ent. We need scarcely add that it never took place. The World's Queerest Restaurant. Not far from tho Rue St. Denis, says a Paris letter to tho Times -Democrat, is a restaurant that has few counterparts. It is the cheapest place in Paris, and that means in the world. 1 once had the honor to bntertain a Whyo King, since hanged, in one of the chief Chat¬ ham street (New York) eating houses. The Whyo had what he called a “cork¬ in’good feed,” and the bill, I think, was 14 cents. But the Paris restaurant is much cheaper. It enjoys the title of “Au Hasard de la Fourchctte.” In it a huge cauldron hangs over a fire. It is filled with all sorts and conditions of eatables. Tho customer pays three ceuts to the burly gentleman who is in charge, Ho receives in return a huge long-handled fork. This he pluugos into the pot once—no more. I did not try my luck, but I fouud it interesting to watch those who did. It was a pe¬ culiar game of chance, and those who played it showed more interest iu it than you can see on tho faces of tho gamb ct 3 at Monaco. Sometimes a lucky oue would bring up a chicken wing or a substantial chunk of meat, and thereon his face would light. But moro often the fork would come up lad¬ en with only a potato or some insignifl. cant article. However, that made no difference. Tho player had to bo satis¬ fied with his winnings, or ho would travel to the street with moro velocity than comfort. Altogether the “Fork Hazard’’ is a queer place and is worth seeing. Air as a Cure for Dyspepsia. Some dyspeptics have fouud out by experience that a change of air from town to couutry or sea, or from a hot, relaxing climate to a colder one, will drive away their distressing symptoms in a few days. Bid air or air that, though not ba:l for tho robuit is very far from purity, can not make the blood pure like good air; it can not get rid of the waste tissues of the body so com¬ pletely as they should bo got rid of; it does not stimulate and brace up the spirits; it does not promote sleep. On tho other hand, in order that digestion may be comfortable and perfect, there must be a sufficient quantity of effective gastric juice secreted after every meal. But this requires pure blood and a ner¬ vous system in sound working order. By far the best thing for many dys¬ peptics to do is to seek an immediate change of air. It is often said of drugs, or rather it used to be often said of them, that they “acted like charms.” Very few drugs, indeed, have anything of tho “charm” about them. But a pure, clear, bracing atmosphere makes such a change in the blood and nervous system in a few hours that it almost de¬ serves to be spoken of as a “charm.”— Hospital. A Farm Worked by 250 Lima tics. The whole of the work on the Islip farm, Long Island, is done by the 250 insane patients who live there. Many of them are excellent laborers, skilful and steady, as Dr. MacDonald, who has had charge of tho work there during the past summer, can testify. The farm, which was formerly poor land, is in a fine state of cultivation, highly pro¬ ductive and pleasant to behold. It is greatly admired by the level-headed farmers of Long Island who take a look •tit.— New York Sun. OLD FURNITURE. Antiqueties Produced From Brand-New Materials. Ancient Chairs, Clocks, Etc., Turned Out to Order. Tiie rage for having furniture of the antique pattern li:u grown wonderfully during thu Inst few years. Antique oak dining suits, bedroom suits and hall furniture seems to bo the most popular, but anything of an antique character now sells very rapidly. Many purchasers who are furnishing their houses really believe that they are buy¬ ing furniture which some old time Puri¬ tan has used. In this they are greatly mistaken. Antique articles are manu¬ factured every day in the different ware¬ houses. A furniture dealer recently talked with a New York Mail and Express re¬ porter on this subject. He said: “A few years ago agents used to be sent all through the rural parts of New England to pick up superannuated furniture of every kind—such as was found astray in farm houses, village attics, county ho¬ tels and elsewhere, having been handed down from generation to generation in the families of long-resident natives. The latter were usually willing enough to part with the treasures, which were only valuable in the eyes of people of asthetic tastes, and the dealer paid a mere song for the articles and reaped a big profit. But now the supply ob_ tained in this way has been practically exhausted. Now it is the fashion for rich people to have in their houses one or two apartments intlio old colonial style, with floor and walls of dark oak, mas¬ sive rafters, huge fireplace, mahogany furniture and an occasional spinning wheel. There are not nearly enough of these precious relics to go around, so it Is a blessing that provision is made for reproducing them indefinitely at eom paiativeiy cheap rates." “How are these articles manufac¬ tured?" was asked. “The most approved method of giv¬ ing a floor or wall the look of old age is to scrub it at intervals with gallons of a'c. Thu produces a flue effect. Mahogany is generally used for the man¬ ufacture of antique piecei of furniture. In its natural state it is no darker than black walnut, and to make it of the proper hue staining must be resorted to. If oak is wanted, it is rubbed with com¬ mon shoe blacking, and the usual wax finish put on afterward. This is war¬ ranted to add fifty years to tho appar¬ ent history of a bureau or desk in one Lour. For the inside work of said desk or bureau pine is employed, and this is given tiie requisite look of antiquity by repeatedly firing a shotgun loaded with nothing but powder, and plenty of it, into the drawers and around them until the surfaces exposed are sufficiently dis¬ colored and all full of those curious indentations which ordinarily signify age. Auothor process is to wash the drawers, etc., with a coarso sponge dipped in powerful acid, which eats the wood here and there anl effects the same result.” “But how about the brass fittings? ’ “These are manufactured in all the ancient designs that were ever used. In order to make them look dull and old, the molds in which the brass 19 cast are rubbed and chipped somewhat, and in them a little gunpowder is placed and fired with a match, This occasions a discoloration, which seems to betoken the action of time’s gnaw¬ ing teeth, and the same is warranted to last until tho merchandise is sold, though not much longer. “A special branch of the work has to do with clocks of the ancient upright pattern, which are copied in every de¬ tail from the really old ones. Even the metal faces, with their curious numer¬ als, are imitate!, and tho works of modern pattern are permitted to lie in a dusty corner and oxide comfortably, while tho framework is in process of construction. There is nothing, the makers say, in the lino of back-number furniture that cannot be reproduced at a few days’ notice from brand now ma¬ terials, and yet so like the old that no ordinary person could possibly tell the difference.” The average number of hairs upon tho human head is only 120,000. The American wifo will please bear this in mind when taking a large, generous handful from the head of paterfamilias. There is a limit to all good things. VoL IX. New Series. NO. 45. Wcdding Superstitions. As long as there are fair women and brave men there will continue to ba weddings and as long as weddings are the fashion there will still be plenty of persons on hand to suggest to a young bride just what she should do to avoid bad luck, and also what she must not do for the same reason. People who arc otdinarily sensible about most things lot all their superstitious notions creep into their ideas regarding the prepara¬ tions for a wedding, and these whims arc made the subject of discussion at as early a stage in the proceedings as when the young lady is considering what she prefers for an engagement ring. She is told to avoid opals, as no one ever was known to have any happiness who owned one of them. In spite of this however, dealers say that there is always a demand for rings set with this beautiful stone. Pearls, the superstit¬ ious say, are even worse, but eventually the little circle is purchased and the time for tho wedding is discussed. Then more complications arise,as certain days are unfavorable and some months are to be shunned. May is said to be an es pecially unlucky month—why, no one can tell but many a rhyme could be quoted to show that this notion has pre¬ vailed for many centuries. August is also looked upon as a disastrous time in which to wed, and those who marry in Lent, will “live to repent,” according to very old authority. Misfortune is sure to follow the bride who has a speck of green in her cos¬ tume. 8hc must never array herself in ail her pretty robes until * dressing for tiie ceremony. She must never read tho mairiago service quite through and she must not stand before tho mirror one second after she is ready, no matter how pleasing the reflection of the happy face and graceful gown. The one who speaks first on entering the church will rule the house, so tho wise ones say, and iu throwing tho numerous articles of foot-wear after the departing couple, any of the guests may run after them, and the one who succeeds in picking one up will be married next. On her return from her wedding journey the bride must bo careful not to stop on the threshold of her home, but must bo lifted across by her husband. If all the e rules are followed carefully, and great care is taken before becoming en¬ gaged that the object of her admira¬ tion has a name which begins with an¬ other lotter than her own, there does uot seem to bo any reason why every¬ thing should not prosper with a brido unless the old saying may possibly have much of the truth in it, which says the reason why so few marriages are happy is because young ladies spend their time in making nets instead of cage *.—New York Star. The Man in the Moon. Most persons are under the impres¬ sion that this familiar expression refers only to the faint appearance of a face which the moon presents when full. But those better acquainted with folk¬ lore are aware that tho object referred to under tho name of the Man in the Moon is a dusky resemblance to a human figure which appears oa the western side of the luminary when eight days old. Tho figure is something like that of a man in the act of climbing, and carry¬ ing a thorn-bush upon his back. There is a detached object before him which looks something like a dog. Among various nations it is a popular notion that this figure is tho man referred to in the book of Numbers as having been de¬ tected by the children of Israel in tho wilderness in the act of gathering sticks on the Sabbath-day, and whom the Lord directed to be stoned to death without tho camp. Our poets make clear to us how old is this notion. When moonshiue is to be represented in Pyramus and Tliisbo (Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream"), Quince gives due directions as follows:' “One must ccinc iu with a buih of thorns and a lantern, and say he comes iu to dis¬ figure, or to present, tho person of moonshine.” This order is realized: “All I have to say,” concludes the per former of this part, “is to tell you that the lantern is the moon; I the man in tiie moon; this thorn- bush my thorn bush; and this dog my dog!” Chaucer thus adverts to the Man in the Moon: On her Brest a chorle painted ful even, Bearing a bush of thorns on his backe, ■Which for his theft might clime so ner the heaven. Dante, in his “Inferno,” make3 a refer¬ ence to tho Man in tho Moon, but calls him Cain, a variation from the popular English idea.— Lippincott. Hands. Two dimplod hands Outstretched in glee, As pink ami as white As shells of the sea! Oh, softly caress them And well, for I wish That such tiny hands Were made to kiss! Two slender hands All dazzling with gems— As soft and as whit,) As lilies on their stems, O, lovingly clasp them And kiss—for I ween That such dainty bauds Thou never hast seen. Two toil-worn hands On a pulseless breast So hard and so brown— Tired hands now at rest 1 O, reverently fold them, For she’s gone to stay Where the weary old hands Are at. rest for aye. —Augusta Wall in Atlanta Constitution. HUMOROUS. The path of duty—Through the cus¬ tom house. Speaking about “cotton bagging” is it at the knees. When a mustard plaster sets up in business it generally lias the drawing room all to itself. The world may owe you a living, but no bad debt agency will undertake to collect it for you. She—And will you always love me? All the live-long day? He—Ye-e-s, I think so. You’ll give me a chance to stop for meals, I suppose? Editor—“1 cannot think and use the type-writer at the same time.” Rival Editor—“Then you find the type- wri ter no letter than the pen.” Mrs. Smithington—Oh! Mr. Tibkin, you are always so kind in coming to see me off. Little Tibkin—Not at all; it is always such a pleasure. “Healthy in our town? 1 should think so! We have had only one funer¬ al for ten years, and that was the doc¬ tor, who literally starved to death.” Johnkin—I hear you belong to an ac¬ cident insurance society? Tomkiu— Yes, I joined over six months ago, and deuco take it, I havn’t got hurt yet. The man who tries to study out a knitting work pattern iu the household magazine knows about how a woman feels when she is trying to understand a printed base ball score. There are no less than 857 different terms in tho English language which express the state of being iu love, and the sweet young authoress of tho glow¬ ing society novel utilizes them all. “Take her, my sou, and bo happy,” said the fond father, with a paternal smile. “Oh, yes, I’ll take her,” said tho overjoyed, but philosophical young man, “and 1’vo no doubt,” he added with a sigh, “that we shall be happy— for a while.” Houses Used ns Fuel. The people of Central and Northern Iowa will long remember the horrible winter of 1872-73, when there was such dire suffering among them from the unprecedented cold. I was in that country then, and 1 have a very vivid recollection of the rigors of that season. I was living at tho town of Adel, Dal¬ las County. The country is railroaded now, and it will never bo possible for such scones to be witnessed there again. Those days there were no railroads, pas¬ senger transportation being by stage. During tho winter the cold was so se¬ vere that quite a number of stage driv¬ ers were frozen to death. In Adel there was a famine of fuel, and it became a serious question what the people would do. After all the coal and wood was gone resort was had to corn in the ear, which cost seven cents a bushel. It looked sinful to mo to see such a valua¬ ble food product blazing in the fires, but thero was no help for it. Coon River, whence wood was usually brought to Adel, was forty miles away, and the trip was out of the question in the pre¬ vailing temperature. Pretty soon, how¬ ever, another difficulty arose. The corn was gone. Then in their extremity the people began burning their houses. This was done by lot. For instance, my next neighbor and I drew lots to see whose house should be burned. He lost, and so wo dismantled his house for fuel, while he aud his family moved into my house with me. If I had lost tho rule would have worked the other way. I don’t want any more Iowa weather. Missouri is good enough and amply cold for me.—Philadelphia itecord.
