Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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,