Newspaper Page Text
Battles Around Atlanta.
SEVENTH PAPER.
General Joseph E. Johnston.
BY SIDNEY HERBERT.
. Those persons who have been entertained and
instructed by the previous papers in this series,
many of which were largely devoted to the ope-
rations of Gen. Johnston's army around Atlanta,
the grateful homage of the people for whom
those daring deeds and snblime acts were per
formed.
Having had occasion to copy from Gen. John
ston’s •‘Narrative" a high tribute from him to
the dauntless courage and heroic fortitude of
Col. I. W. Avery, (at present the efficient Pri
vate Secretary to Gov. Colquitt) while command
ing a force of cavalry the next day after the bat
tle of New Hope Church, I asked Gen. Johnston,
during our interview, about the matter, and he
assured me that he had failed to give, even in
that glowing tribute, full credit to a most gal
lant officer.
will nn Hnnht »7 5 I Finding himself confronted by the advance
doUbt . be interested in some personal guard of 8 several divi . sion8 of Federal troops.
references to that great commander, in connec
tion with his late trip to Georgia, which I made
in a communication to the Detroit Free Press, of
last week, and from which I shall make liberal
extracts for the present article.
It is not my purpose to undertake a review of
Col. Avery saw that it was hopeless to contend
against such odds, yet a stern sense of duty
made it plain to him that he must resist their
advance until the Confederate forces could have
time to place themselves in action. Under
tho mii.tn.. "rVr'".'' these circumstances, and impelled by this
’an nor dAll T 6 *t ° f ^l 8 dl . 8tln 8 al8bed ' 1 F.^ ln ' strong sense of duty, he fought against over-
-an, nor shall I attempt to discuss the qualities J - - - - --
attempt to discuss the qualities
which mark him as a soldier of the highest or
der of talent. To enter upon such a review and
discussion would be to again open up the his
tory of the differences which existed between
President Jefferson Davis and Gen. Johnston,
and which prevented the latter from displaying
successfully his greatest generalship. My pur
pose is simply to speak of Gen. Johnston, as he
whelming numbers, and with bloody results,
until the needed reinforcements came up. His
rare personal courage inspired his brave sol
diers. Although severely wounded, he remain
ed in his saddle, supported by a soldier, and
thus accomplished, under great physical suffer
ing, his grand self-imposed task for duty’s sake.
A BLOODY AND DECISIVE ASSAULT.
ago in the Philadelphia Weekly Times, endorses
in strong language Gen. Hooker's estimate of
Gen. Johnston as!an accomplished soldier. He
says: ‘What character Gen. JohnBton has as a
soldier, history has already, in part, decided.
In military resources perhaps no captain in the
South ever excelled him.’ Gen. Sherman, in
conversation with the Messrs. Appleton, of New
York, said ‘he regarded Gen. Joseph E. John
ston as one of the greatest masters of the art of
war now living.’ To the same firm Gen. Sher
man also wrote, regarding the publication of
Gen. Johnston’s ‘Narrative' then about to be is
sued from the press: ‘Gen. Johnston is most
favorably known to the military world, and is
regarded as the most skilful general on the
Southern side. He is also ready with his pen,
and what ever he records will receive the clos
est attention by students of the art of war on
this continent, and will enter largely into the
future military history of the war.’
The above testimonies are all highly compli
mentary to Gen. Johnston, as a great master of
the art of war, but the tribute paid hi.m here in
Atlanta (where he was removed from an impor
bad; but nothing less than full exposure of the
bare skin will answer her outrageous demands;
and thus are
COUNTLESS THOUSANDS OF CHILD BEN
sacrificed year by year. And sacrificed they
must and will be. A few children may escape
the trying ordeal; but mothers who obey fash-
Anecdotesof the Elder Booth.
HOW HE DOT HIS BROKEN NOSE—PAWNING HIMSELF
FOB LlyOR —WITHERING UP THE BUTTON-MAKEBS.
Junius Brutus Booth—the father of Wilkes
Booth, who killed Lincoln, and of Edwin Booth,
ion rather than the laws of health, in dressing 1 the famous impersonator of Hamlet, Iago and
their children, must suffer the penalty in days
and nights of anxious watching around the sick
beds of their loved ones; and in many cases, in
their premature deuth.
EFFECTS OF SUGAR ON CHILDREN.
Sugar is an essential nutritive element in
milk, and therefore, in combination with other
things which go to make up this tiuid, it is
wholesome and nutritious for children. But it
does not follow from this that sugar by itself,
and especially in excess, is conducive to health.
On the contrary it is a well-established fact
that the free use of sugar tends to acidity, diar
rhea, flatulency and all that common train ot
symptoms so often seen in the ailments of
Richalieu —was in many respects a most remark
able man. In spite of many personal disad
vantages, he no sooner appeared upon the
stage than he enchained the interest and carried
with him the sympathies of his audience. This
was due to the powerful electric quality of the
man, and to the fact that he lost himself in the
part he played. He did this so utterly some
times, that it became a sort of insanity. It was
comewbat perilous to play Richmond to Booth’s
Richard 111,, particularly if he was in liquor.
During the combat on Bosworth field, he was
apt in his excitement to consider himself in re
ality the King, and cut and thrust with the
fierceness and ferocity of a man in au earnest
and life-depending trial of arms. At such times,
it was necessary to disable him, and it was in
Of the desperate assault made upon his works
by the Federals, June :27th, 1804, which was (in
the opinion of Gen. Sherman) ttie severest fight
up to that time in which the two armies had
Chief Quartermaster. In the preparation of forth- '• engaged, Gen. Johnston gave me a glowing
cominu naiiers on the “Ruitlea Arnnnd Atlanta.” picture, in which he paid a sincere and elo
quent tribute to the heroic and persistent efforts
of the Western troops to scale his works. On,
on, the brave fellows came, line succeeding line,
like the waves of the ocean chasing each other
up the beach, although the deadly cannon balls
and the piercing bullets of the Confederates
sent sure and sudden death into their serried
ranks. Amidst continued showers of shot and
shell fired from across the broad, open space,
the bravest that fell not as they pressed forward
met their death on the very breastworks of the
enemy against whom they so gallantly sallied
forth. And yet, with such a sublime display of
undaunted heroism and unswerving fidelity in
the very jaws of death, Gen. Johnston says
Gen. Sherman makes his losses really insignif-
now appears, and give a brief account of an in
terview which I had the honor to enjoy with
him during his recent visit to Major L. Mims,
of this city, his former honored and efficient
n the preparation of forth
coming papers on the ‘‘Battles Around Atlanta,
I desired some important information from
Gen. Johnston, and being confined to my rooms
by a severe illness, he very kindly called, at
my request, to see me in regard to the desired
facts.
AS A FEDERAL SOLDIER.
Gen. Johnston was the highest officer in rank
who resigned from the United States Army, in
1881, and entered the service of the Confederate
States in a military capacity. He wa3 at that
time Quartermaster-General of the army, hold
ing the high rank of Brigadier-General, and yet
he did not hesitate to respond promptly to the
call of his native State for his services in
her behalf. Brigadier-General David E. Twiggs,
of Georgia, then a Brevet-Major General of the . .. . ,, „ , -
army, also resigned and came South, but did | “ aut - 80 «u»aH that they actuary reflect upon
not enter the Confederate military service. Gen. | the valor ol the living and the dead of his army.
Lee and other distinguished Southern com-! There is a very erroneous opinion abroad, re-
manderers held the rank of Colonel (and some j m,ilked Gen. Johnston, in regard to the relative
a much lower rank), when they resigned f rom ^erits ot the Eastern and ’Western soldiers ot
the United States Army 1 the Lmon armies. For some reason unknown
Since the death of General Robert E. Lee
there has been no one of the great living com
manders of the Confederate armies to divide the
highest place in the list with General Johnston.
Graduating at West Point in 1820, he held the
rank of thirteen in a class of forty-six, including
such soldiers as General R. E. Lee, General
B. W. Brice, General T. A. Davies, General
Thos. Swords, General Seth Eastman, General
Wm. Hoffman, General Sidney Burbank, Gen
eral O. M. Mitchell, General C. P. Buckingham,
General James Barnes, and numerous gallant
young officers who were killed in the Indian
campaigns or the Mexican war.
During the campaign of 1836, against the
Seminoles,Lieutenant Johnston was aid-de-camp
to General Scott, and in the Florida campaigns
and the Mexican war he was several times bre-
vetted for “gallant and meritorious conduct.”
His term of service iD the army covered various
branches, such as artillery, engineer corps, cav
alry and staff. He became a Brigadier-General
(and Quartermaster General) Juno, 28, I860, but
resigned April 22. 1861, having served with dis
tinction for over thirty years in the regular ar
my. This term of service was continuous, with
the exception of about one year (from May 31,
1837, to Ju'y 7, 1838), during which he was out
of the army, and engaged in civil engineering.
His re-appointment (as First Lieutenant, Corps
of Topographical Engineers), was accompanied
with a Brevet of Captain, for “gallantry on sev
eral occasions in the war against the Florida
Indians. ”
HIS PRESENT APPEARANCE.
In every respect Gen, Johnston presents a
strikingly marked appearance. Low in stature,
of slight figure, with short gray beard, and a
flashing eye, even as a stranger he would attract
general attention in any company. His figure
is erect and firm, and every movement is easy
and graceful, while his whole manner is so dig
nified and pleasing that no one can fail to de
tect the thoroughly cultured gentleman in the
brave and chivalrous old hero.
And 1 should hardly say old in this connec-
nection, except as to years, for there is an alert
ness in every movement, a brightness of the
eye, and an erectness of carriage that makes it
impossible to look at Gen. Johnston and feel
that his first military service dates back nearly
half a century. His wiry, closely-knit frame,
and his clear, strong intellect have escaped the
ravages of time, and are to-day, to all appear
ances, good for any kind of active service in
field or forum.
I shall never forget the two hours which the
General devoted to me that day, for his visit
made an impression as indelible as it was grand.
It seemed hard to believe that the mild and
agreeable little gentleman who stood before me,
dressed in plain black, and with such exquisite
neatness, was the great warrior whose heroic
and devoted followers on battle-fields which my
windows overlook, had sent such fearful de
struction into the attacking Federal ranks. How
his lithe form straightened up, and his clear
eyes grew brighter, as pointing through the open
window to the battle-field of June 27th, 1864, he
described in glowing and eloquent language the
bloody scenes of that decisive and desperate
Struggle.
DEATH OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL POLK.
Having occasion to refer to Lieutenant Gen.
Leonidas Polk (Bishop of Louisiana) General
Johnston corrected several errors into which I
had been led by Sherman’s “Memoirs,” in re
gard to the death of that lamented officer. Gen.
Johnston, accompanied by Generals Hardee
and Polk, had ridden over to Pine Mount, and
after leaving their horses, were surveying the
country about them with their field glasses.
No enemy was then in sight, and these officers
were therefore greatly surprised by the sudden
appearance of a cannon ball that came crashing
through the trees.
General Hardee passed to the left, to where
they had dismounted from their horses, and
General Johnston and General Tolk turned to
the right, the former to make some further ob
servations with his field glass. On looking
around a moment later General Johnston saw
that General Polk was missing, and in another
moment a staff officer came up hurriedly and
announced that he was killed. Gen. Johnston
ran to where h had iallen, and raised him
from the ground, but too late to afford any
relief, as a cannon ball had struck him in the
side, causing instaDt death. General Sherman's
account of the use of certain signals to an nounce
General Polk’s death is a mere delusion, as no
signals were used at that time for any purpose,
innch less lor a sad event of this kind, which in
no way required any snch speedy and peculiar
method of announcement to the army, of which
he was so distinguished an officer, and by whom
the gallant preacher-soldier was so believed.
A HEROIC SENSE OF DUTY.
The late war was full of thrilling scenes and
startling incidents, only a few of which, compar
atively speaking, have ever reached the artists
pencil or the journalist’s pen, to be partrayed
the admiration of the world, and to call forth
to him, but apparently existing,very many wri
ters have sought to exalt the merits of the Eas
tern soldiers at the expense of those who came
from the West. After a critical observation and
some experience he was led to form quite the
opposite opinion. To his mind the best soldiers
were the Western men, whose powers of endu
rance, intrepidity and daring, and persistent
pluckiness, were unsurpassed in the annals of
the war. To ignore their claims to an equal
share at least in the honors of the achievements
ot the Federal armies, is to do them great injus
tice. No better, braver or truer soldiers than
the Western troops ever went to the battle field.
I had carefully studied the graphic and detail
ed accounts given by Gen. Sherman, Gen. John
ston and Gen. Wheeler, in print, but nothing 1
had read gave me such a vivid idea of that day’s
terrible slaughter. It was indeed a decisive
struggle, for it clearly proved to Gen. Sherman
that it was throwing away the lives of his brave
men to attack Gen, Johnston in his fortified
strongholds,and he so confessed in his ‘Memoirs.’
I remarked, therefore,that Gen. Sherman made
it appear that the attack was a most desperate
one, yet his list of killed and wounded does not
show that such was the case. That is very true,
replied the General,and my recent article in the
Philadelphia Weekly Times touches upon this
point. Gen. Sherman seems to have covered
up his losses in a most singular manner, for he
was always reporting heavy engagements with
the enemy, yet his killed, wounded and missing
footed up in a manner not at all keeping with
his reports. The National Cemetery at Mariet
ta (not far from Atlanta) shows an immense
loss on the Federals during the slow and stub
born retreat to Atlanta.
GENERAL hooker's TESTIMONY.
Major General Joseph Hooker, in a letter to
General Mansfield Lovell, of New York, has this
to say of General Johnston’s retreat from Buz
zard’s Roost to Atlanta, and of the character of
his defenses at various points along the route:
“During the campaign to which you refer, I
served in the army opposed to him, in command
of a corps, on which, as you estimate, much of
the heavy work of the campaign devolved — I
mean the retreat of the Confederate army from
Buzzard’s Roost Pass to near Atlanta, Georgia,
embracing a period from May 6th to July 27th.
At the former point, Johnston found himself too
weak to cope with our army with any prospect
of success, and it became his problem to weaken
the Union army by drawing it from its base of
operations, and seeking opportunities in the
meantime to attack and destroy it whenever oc
casions presented themselves to do so advan
tageously. Our vast superiority in numbers
enabled us to divide our army and turn all his
positions without risk from any quarter.
“General Johnston, however, as he abandoned
his intrenched positions, conducted his retreat,
in my judgment, in a prudent and consummate
manner, both in strategy and tactics. AU the
positions chosen for making a stand were se
lected with the utmost sagacity and skill, ani
his defenses were thrown up and strengthened
with the exercise of marvellous ingenuity and
judgment. This was the case near Dalton,
liesaca, Cassville, New Hope Church, Kennesaw
Mountain, Peachtree Creek, and other points
which I do not now remember. Considering
that Johnston’s army was on the retreat, I think
it remarkable that we found no deserters, no
stragglers, no muskets or knapsacks, and no
material of war.
“Johnston’s troops also covered and protected
the citizens living in the vast district in which
we were operating, in carrying off all their
property from before us. In fact, it was the
cleanest and best conducted retreat, as was re
marked by every one, that we had aver seen or
read of. Wherever we went, we encountered a
formidable line of battle which all commanders
were inclined to respect. I know that this was
my feeling, and other officers in command of
armies and corps appeared to feel as I did.
Indeed, this retreat was so masterly, that I re
gard it as a useful lesson for study for all per
sons who may hereafter elect for their calling
the profession of arms.
“After having given the subject a good deal
of reflection, I unhesitatingly state as my con
viction that this retreat was the most prominent
feature of the war, and, in my judgment, reflects
the highest credit upon its author. The news
that General Johnston had been replaced in
command of the army opposed to us, by one
whom we considered very much his inferior in
military capacity, was reoeived by our officers
with universal rejoicing. - That we were not
wrong in oar estimate of his successor, was
fully proved by subsequent events. General
Hood s career while in command, tells its own
story. One of the prominent historians of the
Confederacy, ascribes the misfortunes of the
•LostCause’ to the relief of General Johnston;
I do not think this, but it aeriainly contributed
materially to hasten its collapse.”
TRIBUTES FROM SHERMAN AND OTHERS.
Mr Edward S. Gregory, in au able article on
the seige of Vicksburg, published a short time
children. Therefore, while the desire of children
taut command) by distinguished Confederate t:il 811 rAn thit; ^esire^honld ^he^i^itified in ' ono °* tijOHe “erazv spells” that his faoe was dis-
soldiers, has a deeper significance and is of a ! a natural one, this desire should be gratified in I ’ F
more flattering character. On the ‘doth ot' Jan.,
1875, a large and enthusiastic convention of ex-
Confederate soldiers was held at De Give’s Ope
ra House, of which Gan A. R. Lawton was tem
porary President, and Gen. C. W. Fields tem
porary Vice President. Among the more prom
inent delegates, were Gen. W. S. Walker, Gen.
L. J. Gartrell, Gen. Wm. Phillips, Gen. A. G.
Garlington, Gen. Wm. McRae, Gen. John B.
Gordon, Gen. A. H. Colquitt, and others. A
permanent organization was made, under the
name of the ‘Survivors’ Association of Confed
erate Soldiers and Sailors, for the state of Geor
gia.’ On motion of Col. Thomas H. Hardeman,
Jr., of Macon, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston was
elected the first President of the Association,
‘by acclamation, without, a dissenting vote.’
Immediately after his election, on motion of
Capt. John Milledge, Secretary of the Associa
tion, three cheers was given for Gen. Johnston
‘that made the building shake. ’ A tribute like
this, from gallant soldiers whom he had led in
victory and in defeat, but always in honor and
with a proud, defiant crest, should fully satisfy
Gen. Johnston that there is no danger of his
losing the high place which he has always held,
as a great military chieftain, in the hearts and
affections of his old comrades in arms.
GEN. JOHNSTON FOE CONGRESS.
It is more than probable that our great.South-
ern captain will soon be able to display in a
most satisfactory manner his qualities as a wise
statesman. The recently inaugurated move
ment to send Gen. Johnston to Congress from
the Third District of Virginia, to succeed ex-
Gov. Gilbert C. Walker, who declines a re-elec
tion, has created great enthusiasm in his behalf.
In reply to a letter from many distinguished
citizens, asking him to accept the nomination,
Gen. Johnston has consented to do so. Here
and there some little opposition is manifested,
but the general tide of public opinion favors his
election. Two objections to him are very feeble
—that he is too old, and is not a statesman.
If the writer who makes the first objection
could have seen the old hero as I saw him during
our recent interview, that objection would be
instantly withdrawn. Standing erect before
me, his clear eye flashiug fire, and every move
ment and gesture of his body quick and impul
sive, as he pointed out of my window to the
bloody field of the decisive battle of June 27th,
1864, and in glowing words of eloquence de
scribed that fierce onslaught, I felt that such a
figure, small though it be in statul^, would at
tract universal attention on the*d pr of Con
gress. Age has not dimmed his e/o,e eye, nor
defeat quenched his fiery zeal, nor the cares and
burdens of life palsied his sinewy frame. There
is no young man in Congress to-fj with more
mental activity or physical alerufi 1 ^)
And as to his statesmanship, a giauce at his
terms of surrender to Gen. Sherman will settle
that question beyond dispute. It is true that
Gen. Johnston is a soldier, bred and trained
and experienced in the art of war, still he is
thoroughly posted in publicaffairs, and possess
es qualities of statesmanship unknown to three-
quarters of the members of the present Con
gress. Occupying the high position of Quarter
master-General of the United States Army when
the late war commenced, he certainly had some
intimate acquaintance with public men and
public measures. His life since then has been
such as to greatly increase that fund of knowl
edge. Once in Congress, and Gen. Johnston
will soon show the country that he is a clear
headed statesman as well as a skillful soldier.
Atlanta, Ga., March, 1878.
moderation, and the sugar should be taken fi S” red for \ ife b >\ an | m P e u ril « d ac ‘ or > the bridge
mostly in the form in which nature provides it,
that is in combination with milk and the various
fruits and vegetables into which it so largely
enters. This would, of course, exclude the free
use of candies and other sweet things, which
contain not only an excess of sugar, but also, in
many instances, indigestible skins, seeds and
nuts, and not unfrequently
MINERAL POISONS,
such as arsenic and copper, which are used in
coloring. l)r. Eberle, in speaking on this sub
ject, uses the following language, which cannot
be too strongly impressed on the mind of par
ents: “The conduct of parents in relation to
this subject is often extremely irrational and
pernicious in its consequences. They would
not themselves venture on the frequent and free
use of confectioneries of this kind, and yet will
indulge their children with scarcely any res
traint, in the use of these pernicious luxuries.
The sicklier and weaker a child is the more apt
in general is it to be allowed these destructive
gratifications. The pale, feeble and sickly child
whose stomach is hardly able to digest the most
simple and appropriate aliment, is sought to be
appeased and delighted by the luscious and
scarcely digestible articles of the coafeetioner.
Indigestion, intestinal irritation, terminating
often in ulceration and incurable diarrhoea, are
the frequent consequences of such conduct;
and, at the best, such indulgences must inev
itably prolong tho feeble and sickly condition
of the child and not unfrequently eventuate in
permanent constitutional infirmity.”
To the truth of these statements all parents
who have permitted such indulgences in their
own children or witnessed their effects in the
children of others, will testify.
But while all this is true, it is proper to say
that the popular notion of the direct injurious
effects of sugar on the teeth is erroneous. If
the teeth are affected, it is indirectly through
the much more serious derangement of the
stomach and the digestive organs generally.
Nor are fruits of the proper kind and quantity
injurious in any way, as I may show in a sub
sequent article.
Cremation as a Cure.
of his nose being broken by the blow delivered
through sheer defense. No one who ever saw
the man in his great character of Richard, will
be likely to forget his peculiar impersonation of
the part. It is said he once played Orinoko
with bare feet, insisting that it was absurd to
put shoes on a slave. On another occasion, he
actually made his appearance in Philadelphia,
performing the part of Richard on horseback !
While supporting Forest on a certain evening at
the theatre in Pittsburg, instead of going upon
the stage at the proper time, he walked out and
took the cars dressed and made up for the char
acter of an Indian chief. One night, while per
forming Sir Flwaril Mortimer in the ‘Iron Chest,'
at Philadelphia, the manager, perceiving his
unfortunate condition, advised him to “finish as
quickly as possible.” Booth quickly walked
forward and observed : “Ladies and gentlemen,
I have been directed by the 'manager to finish
this as soon as possible, and so I’ll finish it
at once. Here, Wilford, catch me,” saying
which, and throwing himself into his arms, he
“did the dying scene,” and the curtain was rung
down amid roars of laughter.
His appetite for liquor was sometimes abso
lutely voracious. Being without money one
time when in New York, he went into a pawn
broker’s shop, literally pawned himself for
money to purchase liquor, was regularly tick
eted and exhibited in a window, where he
stayed till redeemed by a brother actor. On an
other occasion, being announced to appear in
Philadelphia—at the Walnut street—the mana
ger, on the day for the performance, had Booth
shut up, but was outwitted by the actor, who
bribed the servant to bring a bottle of brandy,
a saucer and a clay pipe. Inserting the pipe
through the key-hole, with the bowl inverted,
the brandy was poured into the saucer and
sucked up through the pipe by the thirsty tra
gedian, and the fact was disclosed when in the
twilight the manager proceeded there to con
duct him to the dressing room and,, found him
in an insensible, condition.
The very ludicrous scene which occurred at
a New York theatre, between Booth and tha
celebrated ‘fat girl,’ of Barnum’s Museum, is
probably familiar to most of the readers of the
Times, and is perhaps one of the most amusing
incidents in the annals of the stage.
Mrs. Boggs had been under the weather for Booth, after being successful in London, where
two or three days. At least she said she was, his professional life commenced, made an en-
but these attacks came rather frequently, Boggs j gagement with a Manchester manager. Man-
thought, for when his wife was h iving one of ; Chester then, as now, a manufacturing town,
her off spells he had to cook the meals and do ; was devoted largely to the production of but-
all the housework. We don’t remember what j tons. Booth appeared before his new audience
particular state the weather was in this last time, | determined to make a hit. We jhave forgotten
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
By John Stainback Wilson, M. D.,
Atlanta, Georgia.
Children’s Clothing-. —Effects of Sugar on
Children.
CHILDREN’S CLOTHING.
The three great essentials of clothing for
children are lightness, warmth and looseness.
The dress should be light, so as not to oppress
by its weight; it should be warm, because chil
dren cannot generate heat like older persons;
though the prevailing style of dressing them
seems to be founded on the erroneous idea that
they have the advantage of adults in their
power to make heat Tho dress should be loose,
because growing children should have perfect
freedom of motion in every muscle, no part of
the body being compressed in the slightest
degree. Besides lightness, warmth and loose
ness, there is another thing not less essential—
this is length.
That is, the dress of children should be suf
ficiently long above and below to cover them.
What sense is there in exposing the breast and
arms of children without covering, when these
parts are always to be covered in after life?
Unless, indeed, fashion should require of girls
au occasional airing, and an exhibition of their
fair proportions at some evening party! Low
Decks and short sleeves and short skirts are the
cause of more deaths among children than any
single thing; except, perhaps, excessive and
irregular eating. And yet, the demands of
fashion are so imperious, and
“the little things do look so nice”
in short dresses, that mothers ignorantly or
wiltully shorten the dress at the terrible expense
of health and life. Now, if the child must wear
short skirts or pants, the best plan of proceed
ing is this: If the dress must reach no lower
than the knees, or half way down the legs, let
these be covered with long stockings of cotton
or wool, according to the season; and let these
stockings extend up above the knee and fasten
with elastic bauds on each side of the waist of
the drawers. The drawers, made of good warm
material, should then extend down over the
stockings and be fastened just below the knee.
This is intended as a kind of compromise meas
ure, though not the best; for the legs should be
covered both by drawers and stockings down to
the ankles. As to the covering for the breast and
arms, Icannutsee how any compromise c»u be
made with the senseless and murderous de
mands of fashion, when she requires that the
arms aDd bosoms of children should be entirely
hared to the chilling winds of winter. If she
would allow eveo knitted or elastic nndersleeves
and jackets or vests as a partial protection, as
are the stockings for the legs, it would not be so
but Mrs. Boggs was under it, and she was under j
it very bad. She even told Boggs that she did’nt j
believe she was ever going to get up out of it. 1
and she made a hysterical request that he bury |
her in some sunny spot where the birds might
come and sing to her; and she made him prom
ise that he would bring flowers once a week and
scatter them over her grave. A dozen times
that day was Boggs called from his work in the
kitchen to bid a last farewell to his dying wife,
but still she lingered. He had been through
this experience a great many times before, so
he wasn't so much alarmed as he might other
wise have been.
That night as he sat watching, like the afi'ec
the name of the play in whieh he appeared—
enough that he threw himself into it with his
whole soul. But alas! the house would not come
down.' His choicest efforts were thrown away,
and self-distrust began to steal over him. At
last there came in the play a personal set-to,
into which Booth went with such a hearty zeal,
that the cheers and shouts thus far repressed
broke into a perfect storm. Booth caught the
secret and forthwith so belabored his ^fellow-ac
tor that he fairly yelled with pain. He then
sat down in his chair, and stretching his neck
towards his audience, with a face on which was
depicted the most bitter contempt and^disgust,
exclaimed in a way all his own: ‘What do you
tionate husband he was, at her bedside, she saw j think of that, you low-lived button-makers ?’
that he was deeply engrossed in a book.
‘What book are you reading, dear?’ she faintly
asked.
‘A railroad guide, my love,’ was the reply.
‘What do you want with a railroad guide?’
she inquired.
‘I want to see how far it is to Washington, j ter days the ‘foul fiend’ betrayed him
Penn., and how the trains run,’ said Mr. Boggs.
She would have asked him what he had to do
with Washington, Penn., but he got up and
went out and she fell into a doze, the inclina
tion to which she didn’t care to repress, even
though it delayed the final departure that she
had so often prated about. When she awoke |
she saw Boggs bending over her with a candle. ;
He evidently hadn’t observed that she was awake, j
so closing her eyes she feigned sleep and over
heard the following soliloquy, which sufficient
ly explained to her now thoroughly awakened [
senses his inquiry of the railroad guide about
the route to Washington, Penn.
‘Splendid subject for cremation—a little scrag
gy (Mrs. Boggs's fingers worked nervously un
der the bed clothes and she had hard work to
keep from flying at him), but the scraggy ones
incinerate quicker than the fat ones, the doctor
says. She could be greased if necsessary to
make her go Quicker. Think I’ll send her up
by express, as I’m too busy in the store to get
away. Her ashes can be forwarded to me in an
envelope through the mail. 111 know them (au
dible chuckle). They’ll be under the weather
every few weeks and want to die. And they’ll
ask me to bury them in some sunny spot, where
the birds can come and sing to ’em. I’ll send
word to Dr. Le Moyae to make it hot for her—
she has kept things hot enough for me. And
I'll tell him to let all the reporters in, so as to
give her a good send-off through the papers, and
whoop ’er up Liza Jane. Sorry I can’t be there
to stir her up myself and—’
A thrilling, ear-piercing scream came from
the woman under the weather, and with abound
sufficient to land heron top of any weather that
ever lived, she sprang out of bed and had Boggs
by the ear in a flash, while she fairly scream
ed :
‘You’ll cremate me, will you, you baldheaded
old reprobate! You’ll send my scraggy body-
up to Washington by express (giving his ear
a wring between the sentences); and tell that
wicked old wretch Le Moyne to make it hot for
me; and you’ll have my ashes sent to you in a
letter (growing more and more wrathy, and
thumping him over the head with the candle
stick she had snatched away from his baud);
and bury me in some sweet sunny spot (whack !);
where the birds may come and sing (biog!);
and you want the reporters there (bang) to
whoop ’er up Liza Jane (boom !). Oh. you
mean, wretched, wicked old man, you; I’ll live
a hundred years to spite you, see if I don’t I’
Then she pushed Boggs out of the door and
bolted it, and he had to make up a bunk on the
kitchen floor that night next to the stove. But
a peculiar smile played about Boggs’s face even
wtien he was rubbing the sore spots on his bald
head, and he murmured softly to himself, -Guess
I’ve cured her of them spells for one while.’
Mrf. Boggs hasn’t been under the weather
since', but mention of the word oremation drives
her wild.
He was obliged to leave the stage as well as the
city, with a mob of the button-makers on^his
track.
Junius Brutus Booth was, in his palmy days,
par excellence, the greatest, delineator ot the trag
ic muse the American stage ever knew. In af-
into his
lure, when the soul and the physique that en
tranced mortals with magic spell lost its mystic
power, and the wand of the great enchanter
fell to the dust. Booth was his own worst ene
my, and his love for alcohol was his ruin of
mind and body—and to a certain degree, aloo-
hol demoralizes most persons who drink it.
Should Girls Read Fiction l
Many persons condemn novel reading in very
strong language, and consider it as one of the
deadly sins, taking the stand that it is a waste
of time, unfits one for sober, real, every-day
life, and cultivates a love for the sentimental.
No doubt this rnayjbe the case when it is carried
to excess, but now-u-days the girls have other
things to do, and can only indulge pin^novel
reading at “odd times.”
Now, I do not think reading sensible works of
fiction, in moderation, does harm. The mind
cannot be kept too highly strained without in
jury to bodily or mental health. Relaxation,
of some kind, must be indulged in, and I do
not see the evil of a pure, well-written novel, (I
don’t mean one of these thrilling sort, but one
that will rest as well as interest.) Suppose it
does have love for the foundation, that’s nothing
wrong. “Love always slumbers in a young
maiden’s heart, but he "dreams.” Many other
sentiments are often introduced with good ef
fect; and lessons of patience, forbearance and
humility are frequently learned from this much-
condemed class of books. They often increase
a thirst for knowledge, a love for the pure and
beautiful, and a hatred for what is worthless
and mean, for, generally speaking, virtue meets
its reward and vice its punishment.
I would not recommend indiscriminate novel
reading to any young girls, for many of the
works of fiction of the present day, (and I grieve
to say, some of them bearing women’s names as
authors,) should never be seen in a pure young
maiden’s hand. Their sophistry and immoral
ity are veiled by such beautiful language and
style that one is charmed into reading them,
and the danger unperceived until too late. Vice
is called by such pretty names, (or done up in
French,) and immorality painted in such glow
ing colors, that a young girl would soon think
them not half so hideous as she had been taught
to believe. Others, under the pretence of show
ing np error chat it may be avoided, teach more
of it thau ever would have been known. Shame
on the woman who would thus pervert her tal
ents for gold or infamous notoriety! She de
serves the condemnation of every true-hearted
woman in the laud.
And no v, dear yonng friends, I would ask of
you that when yon have a new book to read,
learn first from some one of a cultivated and re
fined taste, if it is a book you can safely peruse.
Betsy Teotwood,