The sunny South. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1875-1907, June 01, 1878, Image 4

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JOHN H. SKAL.S, - Kdltor and Proprietor. W. SEAL81 - Proprietor »»d Cor. Kdltor. MRS. MARY K. BRYAN (•) Associate Kdltor. ATLANTA, GEORGIA, JUNE 1, 1878. [New Stories to begin next week. MAD ALL HER DAYS, A forcible and deeply enthralling Serial, by Mrs. Purdy, of Texas. WAITING FOR THE DAWN, A well drawn and interesting study of d omcstic and social life, by Mrs. Irene Inge Collier, of Alabama. TS^= Your paper is discontinued at the expiration of the time paid for, and if you wish it continued don’t fail to notify us in advance. We cannot supply back numbers and if you wish to keep up the connection with running stories, notify the office in good time. Two dollars and fifty cents will renew for one year. Y1 iimp-Slioiildercd Women.—“Cor sets only twenty-five cents,” advertise some of oar dry goods merchants. Alas ! the cheapness is fatal. We shall see no more free, nnthwarted forms even among the females of the poorer class. The mothers of even country girls—the last one of them—will think they are fulfilling a solemn maternal duty to “shape" their daugh ters properly when corsets are so cheap, and ■when for twenty-five cents the poor things can be put in harness every day. The sequel is, we shall have a nation of hump-shouldered women. It is almost that bad now. Look at the women that walk our streets; how many of them have fine shapes ? how many move with that free, easy natural grace that delights the poet s eye ? There is something wrong with their figures. Most of them have a wooden look. The shoul ders are square, humped or distorted; the arms hang like a Dutch doll’s; the waists are dispro portionately small, or they are stuffy or stiff. They do not curve in and out to form the hips with those fine, free outlines that are of Nature’s making. Even to an eye trained to false, arti ficial notions of the human form, there seems something wanting; but to one who has studied Nature, who kno ws her sweet methods, her free, " *”•'■■'1 ** * " * m———— ntnff*T tolerable. And the fault lies in this little in strument of torture left over from the Inquisi tion—the corset It is this unnatural harness, oarly applied, that distorts the figure—makes it lumpy and humpy, breaks up all the flowing harmony of its proportions. Travelers in uncivilized countries invariably praise the stately, graceful shapes and move ments of the women—‘ Barefoot princesses’ one of them calls the women of the South Sea Islands. Ah 1 that is because, with all their savagery, they have nothing so barbarous as the corset. I re member how,often I have admired the free, sinu ous shapes of the negro fleld-women, and the easy grace of their walk. Of course, since ‘freedom come,’ they have grown more genteel, and hardly one of them now but groans and sweats, on Sunday at least, in whale-bone torture. The corset is a token of aristooracy with our colored citizens. ‘ My darter wears her cosset every day at school. I aint gwine to have her growin' up wid no shape,’ said a leader of darkey society in our hearing. Various have been the crusades against the corset. The dress reformers have dealt it stur dy blows and the Hyg6inists have held it up as a physiological horror, yet it still holds its place —stiff as its own steel banrds and ribs of whale bone. Physicians have shown how the unnatu ral compression engendered diseases of the pul monary digestive, and uterine organs, and dem onstrated that it interfered with beauty, being the immediate cause of muddy and pimply com plexions and of red noses and elbows. But all in vain. While fashion decrees that the lungs and viscera shall be compressed into half their natu ral space, the poor, short-sighted mother will apply the compress, feeling that she is dis charging a serious duty in improving upon God in the matter of her child’s shape. And now, that these machines of torture can be had for a quarter of a dollar—so that our wash women’s daughters can be genteelly squeezed and ‘shap ed’ Monday as well as Sunday—save us ! what an array of humped-shouldered and lumpy waists dawns upon our prophetic vision. The emergency calls for an appeal to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. * A Touching C’onfitlence.—As we write, a mocking bird is building her nest amid a bower of honeysuckle just beneath our window. Ever and anon we can see her white wings glis tening in the sunlight as she darts about amid the green foliage, gathering up the materials for the home of her future brood. Bight merrily goes Bhe about her task, seeming wholly free from any fear of the presence of man. Nay, may we not believe that in selecting this spot she has been controlled by an instinctive desire to solicit his protection ? Believing this, he were a wretch indeed who could lay a harmful hand on that nest. It would be the basest treachery to injure the little innocents who have thus been intrusted to our care. One who would rob that nest of its tiny eggs, or lay a destroy ing hand upon the callow brood could not be trusted either in business or in love. What we would be to our own kind, did they hang upon our xneroy shows itself in our treatment of the d umb creation beneath us. In most instances, the man who is merciful to his beast is full of e and kindness to his fellow men. The Black Sheep in School.—In schools and colleges there are often so-called inoorri- gibles—whose erratic propensities no amount of discipline can keep under. These black sheep are usually the recipients of reprimands, pun ishments and disgraoe; often the sequel is ex pulsion. Science tells us that the fanlt is some times with the teacher. The true teacher is a physiologist He understands something of brain Btruoture, he knows the normal working of the brain, he can detect a morbid tendency. That vigorous periodical the Science Monthly tells us that there are many physiological oirou in stances that should qualify school-room man agement; such circumstances as abnormal tem peraments, hereditary defects, eto. As an in stance of how closely what is called morality is connected with cerebral conditions, the first member of the new medical Quarterly Brain gives the case of a girl who had been expelled from school as incorrigible. She was sixteen years old, well grown, well developed and heal thy looking. She had a bad reputation in ^school—a repu tation for wilfalness, cunning and a malicious temper, though she could make herself amiable and agreeable when she chose. She is said to have committed indescretions and to have shown a want of modesty. She declared her self deaf, but it was found she could hear; she asserted that she had lost the power in her low er limbs, and could not walk, which was sup posed to indicate her desire to avoid the daily walks which she disliked. She bad nervous attacks, and shouted, ltughed, and threw her self about, striking the nurse. Physicians were consulted, who said nothing ailed her but hys terics, and ordered her to be placed under ‘strict moral control.’ Dr. Bennett ascertained that her father was of excitable temperament and had had several attacks of mania. Her mother died when she was an infant, and noth ing was ascertained concerning her health, but an aunt was said to be of unstable mind. Her sisters were all nervous and hysterical, and one of her brothers seemed to inherit her fath er’s mental disposition. She consulted Dr. Bennett April 1st, but grew worse, becoming fitfully blind, deaf, unable to walk, restless and excited; wandering, delirium and wild raving followed, and she at length became suddenly comatose, and died on the morning of May 1st. Dr. Bennett had the greatest difficulty in ob taining an autopsy, but on opening the brain a tumor was found in the right cerebral hemis phere, about the size and shape of a hen’s-egg. The cause of the intermittent blindness, deaf ness, muscular feebleness, and various other derangements, was now apparent. As the tu mor had been growing,probably, for years, pres sure was exerted upon the surrounding parts, the circulation was impeded, the nervous con nections disturbed, and the disorganization of cerebral structure and functions produced in sanity of conduct It is in the highest degree probable that she inherited anfunhealthy brain, which became gradually the seat of positive dis ease. Dr. Bennett was satisfied of the existence of some form of cerebral malidy, but he had great difficulty in assuring the friends of the patient, even in her last days, that it was not a mere case of deception, perversity, and vi cious caprice. For tlie “Bear People.”—Cincinnati has just had a great musical festival. Every- U-T,- —O a qvcn/1 analo Thfi mUSic hall, B dollars, with a §40,000 organ, was gorgeously decorated, and daring four days seated sixty thousand people who came to hear a picked or chestra of Italians Germans and Americans play such music as the Messiah and the Bide of the Walkyrres; to hear Pappenheim and Carey, Os good and Whitney sing delicious solos and to listen to a magnificent chorus of the finest na tive singers, male and female, all in splendid voioe training. It was a noble entertainment, but it failed in one of its professed objects. It was given out that this rich musical feast was not to delight a favored circle, only, but to be enjoyed by the people at large—the people whose tastes need elevating and refining, whose life of toil cries out thirstily for some pure recreation yet whose purses seldom permit them to listen to the best music. All were to have a commun ity in this musical festival—all were to feel that they had a share in it. A committee had walked through the city from house to house, from the loftiest to the humblest, requesting the people to decorate their homes and stores in honor of the occasion. Yet the price of a seat in the great music hall was two dollars, and tickets for the entire entertainment of four days duration were from twenty to one hundred dollars. We should think those figures would exclude a good many of the people from the Festa, unless dollars are more plentiful in Porkopolis than they are in our eastern cities. This mnsical treat for the people was some thing like A. T. Stewart's Woman's Hotel, which the press of the country threw open at first with such a grand flourish of trumpets, as a “Benevolent Enterprise,” and then, when it transpired tnat the price of the benevolence per female head, was six dollars per week, they de clared it was all a mistake—the Woman’s Hotel was never intended as a charity, and its benev olence consisted in affording an asylum (at six dollars per week) for timid females who were afraid of the male creature that infests ordinary hotels. * A Want. Will it cvey lie Supplied? —For many ages the pencil of the artist has been able to transmit to posterity the lineaments of the human face, and more lately photography has rendered this easy and cheap. But no lim ner has yet been able to give any idea of the rapid and wonderful changes which the counte nance undergoes as it gives expression to the various emotions of the soul. Without this our conception of the man or woman’s real appear ance must be vague indeed. Then too the pen may tell as what men say, and phonography has left us little to wish for in that direction. But is utterly powerless to tell us how it was said. The intonations and inflections which consti tute the characteristic part of man’s utterances c an not be transmitted by any art heretofore discovered. How much it would add to our enjoyment in reading an oration if we could recall the tone with which the glowing thoughts were spoken ! Will the telephone supply this want? Time will telL It may end in being a plaything for a few months. It may on the con- trary prove an important step forward in man’s advance towards the ultima thule of his attain ments. It may be that those of the ooming generation will be able not only to look upon the form, bnt to hear the voiocs of their departed The Better Alternative.—We are the farthest possible removed from anything like free-loveism. We believe that people should choose their companions by the law of natural af finity and that having made their choice, they should bring all the loyal feelings of their hearts into exercise to make the relation into which they have entered a mutual benefit and pleasure. Neither party should suffer thoughts of a sepa ration to be excited by petty vexations. T here are cases however in which marriages bring on so much unhappiness that wisdom and morality both pronounce in favor of living apart. We do not urge incom patibility as a sufficient plea. This is an evil whic h in a multitude of instan- c es may be remedied. A little firmness display ed in the dismissal of Miggs and an utter indif ference to the hysterics of her mistress would have given Gabriel Vardon a happy home. So, in some cases.the patient forebarence of the wife wears out the unkindneBs of the husband. But there are instances in which these resorts are of no avail—instances in whioh the bitterness of Xantippe’s tongue can not be cured or the bar barous cruelty of Pinchwife cannot be endured. In such cases, separation may not insure peace and happiness. A blunder in marriage gener ally leaves the patties but a choice of evils, and of these, a dissolution of the tie is by far the better alternative * Have We Touched Bottom t — “ Wb haven’t touched bottom yet,” declare the chronic croakers, who button-hole you on side walks or soda water saloons and take all the sac charine out of your lemonade by their vinegar visages. “We haven’t touched bottom yet. You think times are hard now; but you havn’t seen anything.” For about a minute after leaving them, our mental sky is hung in sack-cloth; then we re member the tokens that we have touched bot* tom and are coming up. We recall the streaks of daybreak; we remember we have the dollar ot our daddies; that the blackberry crop is promising; that Grant is going to retire and Ben Butler has been baptized and is turning Democrat. True, the wheat has the rust; and the whine of the tramp is heard in the land, and the loafer multiplies on the sidewalk; but we come to regard tnese last two as necessary con comitants of civilization, which seems to breed them like flie^ without any remedy unless each State could be controlled by a Dictator like Francia, of ’ iron will and comprehensive judgement and power of management, who would rake up all these idle consumers and parasites and put them out upon the thousands of broad acres lying untilled,unoleared along our railroad lines—which their enforced labor might make to wave with grain and whiten with cot ton, thus feeding their own hungry mouths and adding to the revenue of the State. A Fran cia would solve the problem of the tramp and loafer in some such summary way—putting him upon large State plantations, or sending him to dig in public mines. There were no idle burdens hanging upon the State or the people in the model province that the South American Dictator controlled. But in spite of the rust and the tramp and the tightness of the times in matters of money, we will not believe with our chronic croaker that we haven’t touched bottom yet. We have touched it, and are rising slowly to the surfaoe where we shall float bouyantly in time, having a sneet anchJf easrUnwv ia, p>njr_Bheet_ anchor, off the rust of old Ways and applying improved methods and jy.ew knowledge. Stories IV»r Children.—There are some books which must be read in early youth if the full enjoyment which they are capable of af fording would be realized. What grown up persons ever read the Arabian Nights, Bobinson Crupoe, or the adventures of Lemuel Gulliver with one tenth of the pleasure derived from the perusal by a boy or girl in her early teens? Then the imagination is all aglow, and the faith unsuspecting. Not a doubt arises as to the reality of those soenes which the stroke of the enchanter’s ward has brought into existence The palace arising in all its splendor at the touch of the wonderful lamp, and the rock re ceiving and dismissing its inmates at the cry of Seasame, axe to the entranced mind of youth as real as the dome of St. Peter, or the tower of London. The island upon which Crusoe wan dered about with his man Friday becomes as much a part of the geography of the globe as the coast of Ceylon or the bay of Naples. Though the lands of Lilliput and Brobdignag are not to be found on Olney’s Map of the World, it is confidently believed that they are somewhere and that we might, if we chose, seek these realms of giants and pigmies. As we grow older, our minds grow more skeptical, and we realize less enjoyment from works of pure fiction. We still admire the skill with which shape and consist ency ha3 been given to what the imagination bodies forth; but the pleasure we once felt in believing it all true is gone forever. This lack of faith lessens our enjoyment of many books not specially designed for the young. Who that has sat from the first dropping of Night’s sable curtain until the iron tengue of midnight told twelve,fascinated as the wand of Prospero called up one scqne after another, has not felt that a large part^of his pleasure was destroyod by his knowledge that all this story of the Enchanted Island is as baseless as the fabric of a vision ? So is it with many other creations of the fancy. With faith that accepts all without any doubt ing scrutiny we may receive in the full all the pleasurable emotions which these pictures are calculated to awaken. as a black runner, whioh had been basking in the sunshine, darts away indignant at the un welcome intrusion. As the sun nears the me ridian the crowd, by preconcerted arrangement, gather in the shade where a spring sends up its sparkling waters, and gaily discuss the events of the morning, while they partake of the contents of ther lunch baskets. Swiftly pass the hours until the lengthening shadows warn the gay revelers that it is time to go home. Thither they carry not much fruit, but the re port that they had a most delightful time. Every day thus spent is marked with a white stone, and memory fondly recurs to it amid all the scenes and trials of after life. No one may rightly olaim that his existence has been miser able who can refer to many such periods and say “I was happy then.” Wasted Breath.—What will Prof. Hux ley, with his theory of the correlation of foroes, say of the foroe expended in getting up and delivering set sermons and speeches ? Your orator oonverts his pound of beef, bread and vegetables into an oration which he delivers to a crowded house, three-fourths of whom hear it not at all, and the other fourth are wholly unmoved. What beoomes of the force ? Is it lost ? Or if not lost, upon whom or what does it infringe? Thousands of such speeches are delivered every year—speeches which in many instances have required great brain power to produce, and great musoular effort to deliver, yet are utterly barren of any practical result. At all great religious gatherings sermons of splendid eloquence are delivered of which not a score of the hearers could next day tell you one word, and perhaps a still smaller number retain any vestige of the impression produced. At commencements and at reunions, at memo rial celebrations, and *at festivals of almost every kind, speeches are in demand—and for what ? To fill up the pageant; to diversify the entertainment; to fill a lack for which the wit of the managers can suggest no other supply. Sometimes, indeed, an orator of transcendant genius, without the inspiration of any special ly momentous occasion utters words that rever berate for ages. But usually it is expected that the speech will be forgotten even before the garlands and ribbons employed on the occasion shall have faded. Strawberry Gathering’.—We dosome unpleasant things for the profit that is to fol low, and we do some other things that are of little profit save the pleasure realized in the performances. In this latter class we may name the gathering of wild strawberries. The fruit is not much—generally small, always sour. But what is more delightful than for a crowd of young people to go forth equipped with baskets and buckets to search brake and hedge for the tiny crimson berries? As they approach the fields where the fruit is to be found, gal lant selects the fair one whom he expects to make the object of his attentions for the day, Soon the gentle murmur of voioes maybe heard through the thiokets, varied by an exolamation of glad surprise as a bunch of more n»n ordi nary fintaees is discovered, or by a cry of alarm The Atlanta Dramatic Society gave the two Comedies, Robert Macaire and Naval Engage ments, on Wednesday evening for the benefit ot that gallant military corps—the Governor’s Guards. Several new members of the society appeared upon the boards for the first time; among them Miss Milligan who took a leading role in both plays, j The part of Marie in Robert Macaire is a very trying one, especially to a de butante. There is nothing attractive in it. The only sentiment inspired by the suffering, pov erty stricken, invalid wife of the bold criminal is that of pity. It is a painful part, particular ly if acted in a realistic way. Miss Milligan, with a conscientiousness that shows her possess ed of true art-instincts, chose to be realistic, and b«r M»rie was painful and true. She showed her versatility by appearing in ments in a character the antithesis of Marie. She was arch, gay and graceful as the Old Ad miral’s petted and pretty fiancee. Neither play gave opportunity for any representation of im passioned feeling or exalted sentiment, and it is in expressing these (judging from her recita tions') that Miss Milligan excels. We should like to see her as Pauline—but no; that is too hackneyed. Would she be afraid to essay Par- thenia with Mr. Moyers as Ingomar ? However there is a slight artificiality and a nervousness in her elocution which she must correct. Miss Fairbanks, as Mrs- Pontifix, made her first appearance behind the footlights. None would have guessed it from her composed and perfect ly at-home manner of acting. “Really Daven- portish, ” whispered a clever critic—himself a habitue of the stage. She was dressed in fine taste, she looked handsome as she always does, and she had an excellent conception of the char acter she personated—that of an English lady, aristocratic, stately and gentle. Miss Castleberry as Clementine in Robert Macaire, sang beautifully and acted her part gracefully. Mr. Moyers had the title role in Robert Macaire, and was Lt. Kingston in “Naval Engagements.” Wehavesaid before that this young gentleman was the best amateur actor, we have ever seen. He enters perfectly into the spirit of his part. He has wonderful self-possession, and is never at a loss. If anything goes wrong with the other performers, his ready ingenuity fills up pauses and invents “business.” He plays with much animation; what he lacks is finish. There is a certain roughness in his personations. They are spirited and bold, but they want delicacy of finish. Mr. Kates as Jacques in Robert Macaire was exceedingly funny. His Admiral Kingston was equally good in a totally different way. He is perfectly at home on the stage and being pro fessional is au fait to the secrets of effect. The other characters had minor parts but they made the best of them. Mr. Will Forrester made a fine appearance and his acting was correct; Messrs. Johnson and Ingalls were delightfully comic, Messrs. Reeves, Harralson find Ragan filled their parts oorreotly. The Entertainment was well managed, and netted a fair sum for the Guards. We hope other Representations by the Dramatic Corps, will enliven the sum mer. • We are delighted to hear that our good friend, Dr. Hendree, lately of this city, has been warm- ly welcomed by the citizens of Anniston, AU- bama—his new home. He merits every consid eration at their hand. He is not only learned in his profession, a fine scholar, and a polished gentleman, but he is a good and true man, and the poor of the city will miss his charitable at tendance. We deeply regret losing from our city Dr. Hendree and his noble and amiable wife, whose heart and hands were so ready to be engaged in every benevolent enterprise, or scheme for doing good, or giving pleasure to others. Messrs. J. J. & S. P. Richards, of this city, constantly keep a large and thorough supply of music, and one oan almost certainly rely on get ting any piece from them, whether vocal or in strumental. STANDING NOTICES TO PAT- RONS AND CONTRIBUTORS. Your paper is discontinued by the mailing clerks at the expiration of the time paid for. The clerks have no dis cretion in the matter and the proprietors do not know when your time expires. Always keep the date of your subscrip tion and renew in time to avoid missing a number. In ordering your paper changed from one office to another don’t fail to name both offices. When you write on a postal card don’t forget to write your office on it. We sometimes find it impossible to at tend to orders because no postoffice is given. In writing your own name or the names of others be very particular and write as plainly as possible. Leave off all flourishes and aim only at being plain We have much trouble sometimes in making out names and frequently get them wrong. In sending us MSS., or writing us letters don’t fail to prepay the postage in full, if you wish us to take them from the post office. The Department is very particular in charging and collect ing the extra or unpaid postage on all matter passing through the mails. If you do not hear from your MSS., right away don’t conclude that it is re jected and get mad about it, for we can not keep up with all the MSS., that comes into the office. We have a great number in hand which have not been read. Don’t ask or expect compensation, un less you have good reasons for believing that the public would be pleased to near iroiu you of your establish ed popularity as a writer. If you are poor and needy that does not add to the merit of your writings. The public knows nothing of your circumstances and is not at all inclined to make al lowances for an inferior article iu a pub lic journal. In sealing your letter or MSS., be particular and do not allow the glue of the envelop to stick to the letter." They are sometimes torn to pieces in getting off the envelop. It would encourage us so much if all the friends of the paper would renew regularly and promptly at the expiration of their time, A\ e cannot know wheth er you wish the paper continued unless you notify us in time, and the mailing clerks in addressing the papers skip ail names whose times have expired. Bear this iu mind. And old subscriber can renew for 12 months for §2.50 : for 6 months for $1.50; 4 mos. for §1.00 : 3 mos. for 75 cts. Two new subscribers sending together can get the paper one year for $5.00, or 6 months for §3,00. The Sunny South and Boy’s & Girls of the South will be sent one Year for §3.50. Thomas Jefferson.—“Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.” Also: “Those by death are few; by resig nation none.” Also: “We mutually pledge to each other onr lives, onr fortunes, and onr sa cred honor.’ Burke.—“The tomb of the Gapnlets.” Shaks- pear did not say it. Bnrke in writing to Moth er Smith, says: “I wonld rather sleep in the corner of a little country church yard than in the tomb of all the Capnlets.” with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; bat oar ooantry, right or wrong." Palafox, Governor of Saragoxa—“War, even to the knife." Advertisements. A few unobjectionable advertisements will be inserted at 10c. per line. Special contracts made at a lower rate according to the time aud quantity of matter. ° 5.00 12,00 18.00 six Club Rates. Two subscribers one year, Five, “ u a Eight, (t <( « To any one sending us a club of olA subscribers at $2.50 each, we will send him or her the paper one year free. How to Procure Agencies. We receive many applications for Agencies from unknown parties which are not noticed unless accompanied with strong and responsible indorsements. Agents must give satisfactory guaran tees for energy, faithfulness and honesty. We have been grossly deceived, cheated and swindled by many whom we thought worthy of confidence and must exercise rigid precaution in future in appointing Agents.