Newspaper Page Text
VOL XII.
J. H. & W. B. SEALSj PBOPWBTOB *
ATLANTA, GA., JUNE 5, 1886.
Terms in Advance}mnglbu&p’y 2 ;*.
NO. 554.
UNCLEEDQM AT THE CIRCUS.
By Fanny Andrew.,
I don’t see no ’casion to bring me up to’ de
chu’ch, brer Junifer, jes’ fur gwine to dat suc-
cus, ’caze I never went dar o’ my own mine j I
never keered nothin’ ’tall ’bout dere foolishness,
but Dilsy she seb she wanter take de chlllun to
see de anamils, an’ I alnt seed no harm in dat.
’caze Noah be had all de anamils In de ark, an’
so dar’s Scriptur fur it you see.
“How I come to scaaemlze de chu’ch?” you
ax, “by walkin’ in de ’cession wld dem show
folks dressed up like dat ’oman o’ Babylum?”
Well, I’se gwine tell you bout dat right now.
I alnt had no money, you see, but jes’ a quarter
an’ two ten centses an’ a thrlp; an’ when 1 show
it to de man be seh ’twarn’t enough, we couldn’t
git in dar wla all dem cbillun fur dat, an’ so I
wasgwine away when t’other man he seh:
“Hello, uncle, ef you’ll come long heer an’ do
a little job o’ work, I’ll let you in fur DOthin’.”
An’ den I seh mighty quick, “All right, boss,
what you want me to do?”
An’ he say, “Jes’ come heer,” he seh, “an’
take Mike Tooney’s place in de 'cession while It
march froo town, an’when you git back you kin
go In to see dat show fur nothin’.”
An’ fo’ I knowed what he was a talkin’ ’bout
be had done took an’ kivered my clo’es all up
wld one o’ dem red things jes’ like a ’Oman’s
frock, an’ sot dat debll’s cap wid de peacock’s
feader In it on my bead, an’ put t’other eend o’
de rope, what tie dat onarthly creetur, (eammle,
dey call him) In my ban’ an seh:
“Now glt along wid you, ole nigger 1”
Ah, my brudder, I feel den dat Saturn was
dost tehlne me, an’ I git outen de way o’ dat
eammle quick, an’ I seb:
“No, boss, 1 can’t go dar wld dem beases; I’se
a preacher, an’ ’twould scadamize de ebu’eh ef
I was to go conllommeratin’ aroun’ in dese heer
clo’es.”
An’ he seh, “Sbet up, you ole cuss you, an’
f it along back In dat ’cession, er I’ll show you
ow ter be a brakin’ up your comtracks wid
white folks I”
An’ he crack dat big whip, wbat he blit In his
han’, right in my face so loud dat I hatter glt
back In dat ’cession quick. I tell you, my brud
der, ’twarn’t no fun a gwine long dar wid all
dem beases a trompln’ tebine me, an’ I feel den
dat Saturn was a pressln’ me bard sho’ ’nough.
De brederen all look at me mighty sorrowful as
we pass along, an’ shake dere heads; an’ when
we come to Lon Hitson’s cornder sis Beady
Pounds she runned out in de road a shakin’ all
over like a agur an’s cryin’ fit to kill hersef,
an’seh:
“Dar goes my shepherd, my shepherd a walk
in’down de road to Egyp lan’! Come back,
brer Edom, come back outer Egyp lan’!’ An’
a’mos’ to’ de words was outeu her mouf, I felt
sumpen a tetchln’ me tehlne, an’ dar was dat
ole elephanter a retebin’ out his snout over my
bead, an’ he ketch Sts Beady by de call o’ her
coat an’ histed her clean over to tother side o’
de road an’ set her down dar wrong end upper
most, wld her legs a flyin’ in de ar like two
hickory poles on a fence cornder. An’ den all
dem white folks, dey begin to laugh, an’ dat
show man be crack his big whip at me as I was
a runnln’ to help Sis Beady, so I hatter git
back In dat 'cession quick, an’ stay dar till it
come back to de succus tent agin.
“I Jes’ tell you, brer Junifer, I had done had
enough or dem beases by dat time, an’ was a
gwine ’long home, but Dllsy. she ’lowed she
must take de chlllun in to see dem anamils. She
seh anamils Is a high morril show, an’ she want
to prove dem cbillun’s morrlls, an’ you know,
brer Junifer, when a ’oman git her head sot to
do sumpen, she inglner’ly do It, an’ so 1 hatter
go in fur de sake er peace.
“Why I didn’t stay dar wid de anamils, you
seb, ’stead er goln’ In dar wbar de sinners was a
settln’lookin’on at de dancin’ an’ de rldln’?
Well, I’se gwine tell you bout dat right now.
You see, dar warn’t no place fur to set down In
dar whar de anamils was, an’ de chillun, dey
had got tired, an’ so I hatter take ’em in de suc
cus tent to set down.
“Why I didn’t go long back home, you seh?
“Well, I’se gwine tell you bout dat too. You
see, I was afeerd de man wouldn’t like It atter
he gin me de ticket, jes’ to walk right out agin;
hit wouldn’t be perlite, an’ you know de Script
ures tells us to do unto others what we like to,
an’ so I was er bleeged to go in dar or go agin
de Scriptures; you see dat, don’t you, brer Ju
nifer?
“Yes, I thought you would when I come to
'splain It. I didn’t keer nothin’ ’tall ’bout dere
foolishness, an’ I shec my eyes jes’ as soon as
de show begin to keep 1 um seein’ wf It. An’ a
powerful sight dar was to see, too, an’ when dat
white lady come out dar all dress up in red silk
wid gold stars all over it, jes’ like a queen, an’
went to spinnin’ ’round on dat hosses back like
a top, an’ den turn bead over heels plum froo
dem rings what de men hilt up befo’ her—good
God a’mlghty, brer Junifer, you never see a
rabbit jump outer a briar patch pearter’n dat!
youjes’ oner a been dar to see!
“Thought I had my eyes shet, you seh?
“Well, I’se gwine tell you ’bout dat now. You
see I was bleeged to open my eyes atter awhile
to see if Dilsy bad hern shet, ’caze you know,
brer Junifer, de ’oman ’o de weaker vessel an’
mus’ be kep fuin tem’tatium, les’ her fall, an’ so
I hatter keep my eyes open to watch Dilsy, an’
I couldn't hep seein’, though I didn’t want to
look at dere foolishness. But I stood up fur de
Lord, brer Junifer; I stood up fur de Lord right
dar, an’ I’se gwine tell you bow it happen. Atter
awhile a man come out a ridin uf fo’ hosses at
onst an’ he stretch hlssef so a straddlin’ all dem
critters, an’ I was so skeered fur him, dat all
unbeknownst to myself, I jump up an’ holler out,
’Good Lordy messy, de man’ll split hissef 1” An’
den all dem white folks in de succus, dey begins
to laogb fit to kill deyselves, an’ de ole clown,
wld his red cap an’ painted face, be plnted right
at me an’seb, ‘Ladies an’ gemplemen,’ sez be,
‘dat dar brudder o’ de Ethiopium persuasion has
ben to de succus befo.’
“Well, brer Junifer, I jes’ couldn’t stan’ dat,
an’ me a good Baptis’, as ev’ybody know, an’ so
I holler ont agin loud as I could, an’ sey, ‘No,
boss, ’scuse me,’ sez I, ‘I ain’t no Ethiopium nor
Fisperclopian, nor nothin’ er dat sort; I’se a
Baptis’, I Is!’ And den all dem white folks dey
laugh agin fit to kill deyselves, jes’ ’caze I stood
up fur de Baptis’ ’ligion. But 1 wasn’t gwine to
be put down by none er dese foolishness, an’
les’ as soon as ever dat show was over, I take
Dllsy an’ dem chillun an’ walk right straight
outer dat tent. I stan’ up fur my ’ligion to de
las’, brer Juniper, an’ turn my back on dere
wickedness Jes’ as soon as dat show was over.
Yes, I knowed you’d seh I was right soon as
you’d heerd all about it, an’ now you see dar
ain’t no case to have me up fo’ de chu’ch jes’
along er gwine to dat little ole one hoss show.”
SOME EX-CONFEDERATES.
Whereabouts and Occupations of Lead
ing Southern Generals.
The recent meeting of ex-Cenfederate Generals
at Montgomery, Ala., leads a Washington corre
spondent of the Louisville Post to look up the
present whereabouts and occupations of some
of the principal survivors among the leaders of
the Confederacy. Of the six full Generals ap
pointed by the Confederate Congress, only two
survive- Joseph E. Johnston, now United 8tates
Commissioner of railroads, and G. T. Beaure
gard, Adjutant-General of Louisiana and man
ager of the Louisiana Lottery drawings.
Of the twenty Lieutenant-Generals appointed
to the provisional army, several are living. E.
Kirby Smith is Professor of mathematics in the
University of the South, in Tennessee. James
Longstreet is keeping a hotel down in Georgia.
D. H. Hill, of North Carolina, was, till recently,
President of the Agricultural School of the State
of Arkansas, and now earns a living chiefly as a
magazine writer. Richard Taylor, son of Presi
dent Taylor, Is engaged in building a canal near
New Orleans. Stephen B. Lee Is a fanner, and
President of the State Agricultural College of
Mississippi. Jubal A. Early practices law at
Lynchburg, although his chief support is derived
from bis connection with a lottery company.
Of the Major-Generals, A. P. Stewart is now
President of the University of Mississippi, at
Oxford. Joseph Wneeler Is in Congress, is very
wealthy, and one of the largest planters in Ala
bama. John B. Gordon is a candidate-for Gov
ernor of Georgia. Genera. Luring, of Florida,
was engineering in Egypt until a few years ago,
when he came to New York to work at the same
profession. B. F. Cheatham was recently ap
pointed Postmaster of Nashville, Tenn. Sam
Jones, of Virginia, Is in the Judge Advocate-
General’s office. Lafayette McLaws is Postmas
ter at Savannah, Ga. 8. B. Buckner lives In
Louisville, Ky., where he owns a great deal of
real estate. S. B. French earns a scanty subsist
ence by engineering in Georgia. C. L. Steven
son is in Fredericksburg, Va.; John H. For
ney, brother of Congressman Forney, is in an
insane asylum at Selma, Alabama; Abney H.
Mauray is Washington agent of a New York
life Insurance company; John G. Walker is
also in the insurance business; Isaac R. Trim
ble is in retirement In Baltimore on a fortune;
General Heah is employed by the Government
on some Southern rivers; Cadmus Wilcox is
writing a history of the Mexican war; Fitzhugh
Lee is governor of Virginia; "Extra. HLi” Smith
practices law at Warrenton, Va.; Charles W.
Field, once doorkeeper of the House, is superin
tendent of the Hot Springs reservation; William
B. Bate is governor of Tennessee; W. fl. F. Lee
is a Fairfax county farmer; C. J. Polignac, who
came over lrom France to espouse the Confed
erate cause, is back in Paris busied with rail
road operations: William Mabone is in the Sen
ate, as is E. C. Walthall of Mississippi: John 8.
Marmaduke is governor of Missouri; Pierce M.
B. Young is United States consul general at St.
Petersburg; M. C. Butler Is a senator of the
United States. G- W. Custis Lee is president of
Washington and Lee University at Lexington,
Va.
Only a few of the several hundred brigadier-
generals can be mentioned. West Adams is
postmaster at Jackson, Miss. Frank Armstrong
is now waiting the Senate’s confirmation to be
Indian agent. John C. Brown was twice gov
ernor of Tennessee, built the Texas Pacific rail
road, for Jay Gould, and is the latter’s attorney
for ail of bis roads west of the Mississippi,
well as receiver for the Texas Pacific, with ne
ead-
quarters at Dallas. J. R. Chalmers represented
, the “shoe-string” district, in Mississippi, in Con
gress until he was left last tall by party splits.
John B. Clark of Missouri is clerk of the United
States House of Representatives. F. M. Cock
rell and A. H. Colquitt are United States sena
tors. R E. Colston is in the surrgeon-general’s
office. W. R Cox of North Carolina is in the
House. X. B. DeBray is commissioner of the
land office of Texas. Basil Duke edits the
Southern Bivouac at Louisville, Ky. J. T. Mor
gan of Aiabama and S- B. Maxey of Texas are
United States senators. A. M. Scales Is gov
ernor of North Carolina. C. M. Snelley is third
auditor of the treasury. E. L. Thomas is in the
land office of the Interior Department. R. M.
Vance is assistant commissioner of patents.
A hundred more brigadiers are scattered over
the country, most engaged in civil engineering.
*yhat a Whole Negro Might Do.
[The Hatohet.]
At a negro oelebration lately an Irishman
stood listening to the oolored speaker expa
tiating upon government and freedom, and
as the orator came to a “period” from the
highest and most poetical flights, the Irish
man said:
"Be dad, he speaks well for a nagur; did’nt
he, now?”
Somebody said: "He isn’t a negro, he is
only a half negro.”
“Only a half nagur, is it? Well, if a half
nagur oan talk in that style, I’m thinking a
whole nagur might bate the prophet Jere
miah.”
JONES BANES ON PROVIDENCE.
It Has Stood by Him all Along, so He
Stands by It.
[San Francisco Post.]
“Speaking of Jones,” said a Comstocker in the
office of the Palace, the Nevada senator being
under discussion—“speaking of Jones, he’s the
cheerfullest man I ever saw.”
“Why?” asked a cut-rate tourist in search of
information.
Because he trusts in God,” answered the
Comstocker. “I don’t say that Jones is a pious
man, for I have no desire to influence Eastern
sentiment wrongfully, but he’s got more faith In
Providence than all the rest of the Senate put
together. When he made his first race for the
seat In '72 I was working hard for him. At one
stage of the fight it looked mighty blue for John
P., and I said so.
‘Don’t you worry,’ says Jones. ‘Providence
is looking out for me, Joe.’
‘Providence I’ says I bewildered, for I
couldn’t see what Providence could have to do
with Nevada politics.
“ ‘Yes, Providence,’ says Jones. ‘I’ve always
believed in Providence since one day, years ago,
when I was Sheriff over in Shasta county. It
was a roaster of a day, and I was returning on
horseback from a bunt of some sluice robbers.
1 was slowly following a faint mountain trail,
and the sun was just baking me and the horse
was in a lather. I came under the shade of a big
rock, and thought it would be pleasant to get off
and have a smoke. I sat down on a cool boul
der, cut a pipeful from my plug, filled my pipe,
and felt for a match. Well. Joe, there wasn’t a
match anywhere in my pockets. I searched and
searched, but there was no match. I tell you,
Joe, I felt worse over that disappointment than
I have done since when the market has gone
back on me and hit me for a hundred thousand
ata clip. But in gloom, what d’ye suppose my
eye suddenly fell on? A match, by heaven, lay
ing on the trail not six feet away from me! I
used it—though I was a little afraid to touch it
at first—and had my smoke. So you needn’t
worry about how this political fight is going to
OUR GALLERY OF SPRING BEAUTIES.
foot scarcely ever treads, isn’t likely to get left
when it comes to a common plaee little thing
like being elected to the United States Senate.’
“Ever since that time,” concluded the Com
stocker, “I’ve never refused a dollar to a par
son, and have generally done my best in a quiet,
unobtrusive way, to make myself solid witn the
people who have the pull on Providence.”
ROME, GEORGIA.
A Remarkable Revival of Religion-
A correspondent of the Augusta Evening
Xeus writing under date, May 25th, says: Rome
is in the midst of the most remarkable revival
of religion that has ever occurred In her history.
The oldest Christian citizens say they never saw
the like. It began in the First Methodist Church
under the pastoral care of Rev. T-. R. Kendall,
about two weeks ago, and services have con
tinued without Intermission ever since. Rev.
Dr. Leftwich, of Nashville, a preacher of con
siderable ability and of some reputation as a
worker in revivals, assisted the pastor for about
ten days, doing all the preaching while here.
At one stage of the meeting four ser rices a day
was held-6 a. m., 10 a. m., 4 p. m. and 8 p. m.
The morning services have now been dropped
off. The 4 p. m., service was held at the skat
ing rink, but the crowds was so great that it
was feared the building would be unsafe, and it
was moved to the opera house, and then to
Simpson & Ledbetter’s large and commodious
warehouse. By agreement, many of the busi
ness houses closed from 4 to 5 p. m., to allow
their employees to attend the service. Among
these were two liquor saloons. All classes nave
been affected by these meetings. They have
produced a profound impression and their influ
ence is wioe-spread. About 75 have united
with the Methodist Church, and others will join
the Baptist and Presbyterian churches. A re
markable feature of the meeting was the conver
sion of several women of ill fame. This was
brought about by some Christian ladies, assisted
ed by Dr. Kendall, who visited the house where
they were quartered, and after praying with
them persuaded them to attend the services at
the Rink. They came, went forward for prayer,
and afterward professed conversion. They have
united with the church, and the ladles have
them in charge, and will either induce them to
return to their parents, if they are living, or will
secure homes for them in some Christian fami
ly. On Friday afternoon the keeper of the house
of ill fame was present at the service, and went
forward for prayer. The reformation of these
women, with the interest manifested, naturally
brings up the question of something like a be
nevolent home for these unfortunate characters.
Augusta is to be congratulated on the move she
recently made to provide a home for reformed
women. It is to be hoped she will succeed in
such a deserving enterprise, which appeals so
strongly to Christian and sympathizing hearts.
What to do with them when converted Is the
perplexing question which troubles the minds
of those deeply interested in them.
Speaking of religion, leads me to remark that
Rome ought to be a religious town. The Mayor
ol the city is a good Presbyterian, and observes
family worship. The Judge of the Superior
Court resides here, is a prominent Baptist, and
prays in public. Half of the City Council are
professing Christians; the Clerk of the Council
is a Methodist, and every member of the police
force is a church member, save one. Added to
this, the Ordinary, Deputy Sheriff, Tax Receiv
er and Tax Collector are all religious men—the
last named having been converted during the
revival now going on.
’Twas Ever Thus.
AT FIRST.
He sat and twisted his b-onde tt ustache;
She toyed with a straying carl,
And silently thought of her other beau
And he of hie other girl.
AFTERWARDS.
She stood with her head on his shoulder laid:
He toyed with the straying curl;
She had no thought of her other beau
Nor he of hie other girl!
ivrc
EVOLUTION OVERWHELMED.
The General Assembly Proclaims Itself
Against the Theories of Dr-
Woodrow.
Augusta, Ga., May 26.—The sixth day of the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
South was devoted to discussion of the question
of evolution. The debate was opened by Dr.
R. D. Smoot, of Texas, in favor of the majority
report, contending that the matter is properly
before the assembly for decision, and not a mat
ter of convenience or expediency that can be
deferred.
Drs. George D. Armstrong and W. F. Junkin
and G. B. Strickler followed in support of the
majority report.
In favoring the minority report Dr. F. L. Fer
guson, of Louisiana, opposed action at this time
by the assembly on the ground that it would
prejudice the case of Dr. Woodrow, now pend
ing In the lower court at the church.
Dr. Fiinn and Dr. Woodrow closed the debate
on the minority report.
Dr. Woodrow did not speak in support or even
advance his theories of evolution, but spiwe
against the propriety of the convention taking
action now, and against the assembly adopting
the report of the majority, alleging the creation
to have been immediate. The majority report
was adopted by an overwhelming vote of 137 to
13, as follows:
To the several overtures on the subject of ev
olution of man sent up by the presbyteries the
General Assembly returns answers as follows:
The church remains at this time sincerely con
vinced that the Scriptures, as truly and authori
tatively expounded in our “Confession of faith,”
and the Catechism teach that Adam and Eve
were created, body and soul, by immediate act
of Almighty Power, thereby preserving perfect
race unity; that Adam’s body was directly fash
ioned by Almighty God, without anv natural an
imal parentage of any kind, out of matter pre
viously created out of nothing, and that any
doctrine at variance therewith is a dangerous
error. Inasmuch, as by methods of interpret
ing the Scriptures, which it mnst demand, and
in the consequence which, by fair implication
it will Involve, it will lead to denial of doctrines
fundamental to the faith.
Geo. D. Armstrong,
R. K. Smoot,
G. B. Strickler,
L. C. Vass,
A. N. Hollifield,
M. Van Leon,
R. B. Fulton,
O. N. Kennedy.
’Twas Water That He Meant.
A tramp sat on a rich man’s stoop,
The day was cold and drear;
The battered can beneath his coat
Was filled with aged beer.
His shoes were bad, hie coat was torn,
He wo e an i ncient "Knox,”
And through its many airholes peeped
His carrot-colored locks.
Thus did he ruminate as I
Str< de by with lordly air;
“I’ll drink no more; no, not a drop—
Beform I will, I swear!”
I paused and said: “Good man, I heard t
Those words you uttered low;
At dl'm so pleased I’ll take you home
And dine you, if you’ll go ”
He smiled and answered: “Bleesyou pard.
You’re off the blooming scent.
When 1 remarked I’d drink no more.
’Twi a water that I meant.”
CALAMITIES]! BOOKS.
How Valuable Works Have
Been Destroyed and Lost,
Narrowness of Mohammedans, Roman
Catholics and Protestants, in Their
Estimates of Literature—Big
and Little Bonfires of His*
tory—Interesting In
cidents.
“Fable has gone very great lengths,” says
John Foster, “but fable has its limits. It as
cribed to King Midas the power of transmitting
everything he touched into gold; but it has
never attributed to any man, king or subject,
the faculty of turning all the books he might
touch, or even read, into sense and value. As
there is no hope for such a metamorphosis of
books, the next thing devoutly to be wished for
Is the destruction cf valueless works.”
We live In the book age. Everything is writ
ten up. Every profession or trade has its ori
gin, and every new idea is promulgated in book
form. So far as these productions are well di
gested and written with an earnest purpose,
they are an honor to the widespread culture of
the times. The annual product of books now is
numbered by thousands, but what a vast amount
of chaff, of trashy, frivolous and Immoral nov
els. Wbat <t collection of brainless books, man
ufacturedfrom the most mercenary motives,
not to mention those written for the most de
praved of tastes! If a bonfire now and then
could utterly annihilate them, no true lover of
the liberty of the press would bewail their loss.
No Milton to-day is obliged to plead for an un
licensed press. There Is the most unrestricted
liberty that could he desired. Many good citi
zens could wish mat the censor s grip had a
firmer hold of those enemies of morality, who
barely clear the law in their writings. A brief
retrospect of the calamities which have befallen
books and manuscripts may bring into stronger
contrast the privileges of authors and readers
to-day. When we consider the influence ol the
book, with its multiplied Impressions, how far
reaching it Is, It Is not to be wondered at that a
bigoted^intolerant, aee should show itself often,
a bitter enemy to written or printed produc
tions.
THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY.
The greatest calamity to books in the ancient
world was the destruction of the Alexandrian
Library. This library was in two buildings—one
said to contain 400.000 volumes, and the other
300,000. The former was destroyed accidentally
by soldiers. The other library was subsequent
ly increased, and surpassed the part of the li
brary that was burned, but was finally totally
destroyed by the Caliph Ornan, whose narrow
ness of mind could see nothing worthy of pre
servation outside the Koran.
“U these writings agree with the Koran,” Or
nan is reported to have said, “they are useless
and need not be preserved; If they disagree,
they are pernicious and ougnt to be destroyed.
And the scrolls of this vast repository were dis
tributed to the 4,000 baths in the city, and were
six months m being burned.
Many books of antiquity were destroyed by
royal edict, others by decrees of councils, and
still otbers fell under the anathema of tbe Pope.
Tbe Roman Church has been especially inimical
to literature; and again and again has she at
tempted to silence all who opposed her doctrines
and polity. Pope Alexander VI. ordered all
books prejudiced to the Church to be burned.
Pope Gregory VII. ordered the Palestine Apollo
to be destroyed by lire, a library that had been
enriched by several emperors. The distinction
between profane and sacred literature dates
doubtless from this time—all works not sanction
ed by tbe Church being declared profane.
Tbe Jesuits quite effectually stamped out the
literature and destroyed tbe national independ
ence of tbe Bohemians by their proscriptions.
We are indebted largely, no doubt, to the mon
astic system for the preservation from decay of
many manuscripts. The weary hours of the
monk in the cloister were beguiled in copying
ancient manuscripts and enriching them with
tasteful and brilliant illuminations, yet how
much has been lost no one can tell. They have
transmitted manuscripts which have been par
tially erased, and the lacur.se supplied by inter
polations of psalters and other writings.
How much has literature and history lost
through the famous Indexes? The Index was a
catalogue of books forbidden to be read. An
other fist, called tbe Expurgatory Index, con
tained tbe titles ol books that were to be amend
ed by tbe Church. One of the expurgators, Arias
MontaDQS, a distinguished inquisitor belonging
to the Netherlands, had the tables turned upon
him, and one day found his own books In tbe
Index. Catholics, however, were not the only
destructionists. The reformers had their bon
fires, selecting for their prey illuminated manu
scripts; the Puritans waged war on Popisn
books; Jews burned Pagan books and Romans
Jewisb books; and in these conflagrations,
while tbe world has been rid of much that wonld
be an incumbrance and aD offence to the alcoves
of our modern libraries, yet there can be no
doubt that religious zeal and partisan spirit has
deprived us of much valuable treasure.
PRINTING.
After the discovery of printing books were ex
amined by a public censor. Tbe first book
printed by governmental permission was about
1480. England bad a licenser of the press till
1688. Books were condemned by these censors
both on account of morals and religious faith.
Mlltou made bis eloquent plea for a free press
in his Areopagitica in 1644, just lorty years be
fore the public censorship was abolished. It
was doubtless a strong contribution towards its
abolishment. Milton put it thus: “Unless wari
ness be used, as good almost kill a man as kill a
good book; who kills a man kills a reasonable
creature, God’s Image, but he who destroy’s a
good book, kills reason itself.”
A valuable manuscript of tbe book of Genesis,
belonging to tbe Cottonian Library, was partial
ly destroyed by fire in 1731. This manuscript
was illustrated with 250 paintings. Of this num
ber only twenty-one were saved.
Classic students lament over tbe lost books of
Livy. We have only thirty-five hooks of this
author out of 140. Of Tacitus we have a little
more than four books out of thirty, “yet Tacitus
in fragments is still tbe colossal terso of history.”
It is impossible to estimate what we have suf
fered in tbe loss of Varro’s lives of 700 distin
guished Roman’s, and Atticus’ Acts of Eminent
Citizens of Rome.
We look with a kind of veneration upon books
bearing Imprint of the fifteenth century, and
wbat wonder time in her onward march has not
utterly annihilated more books; the surprise is
that so many have survived the advance of time
and the depradations of worms. But we have
only space to glance at tbe calamities that have
happened to Individual books.
lished; the last six, the admired poet offered to
a bookseller, but the amount proffered him was
so small that he became exasperated and threw
the manuscript Into the fire.
With all our improvements we shall not trans
mit to posterity the books of to-day in as Inde
structible a form as tbe ancients have to us. for
their paper was of the strongest kind and their
books were bound with a durability that has
greatly prolonged their existence.
R. B. Fools.
NEW MEXICO.
An Interesting Letter
Colonel Fielder.
From
Mistaken Ideas About the Great West
—Aristocratic People—Hewers of
Wood or Street Sweepers
for Bread.
Editor Sunny South: The general circula
tion of your paper will, if you are willing to give
the space, enable me to answer many as to the
wl9dom and propriety of leaving the South-At-
lantic States, and removing to the “great West.’.
Expenence is said to be the best teacher. The
narration of personal experience and observa
tion, is one of the Dest methods of giving relia
ble information. It would be presumputous In
me to pretend to know well the entire country
referred to, although 1 know much more of It
than I did when in the fall of 1881, I crossed
the Mississippi, for tbe first time, as an emi
grant to Texas, from South-West Georgia.
There was then with me a want of actual com
parative knowledge of my native State,. and the
West—something that Is Imperfectly taught by
the Western newspapers In the hands of inter
ested publishers, and by the communications to
eastern papers by new-comers who are Infat
uated with appearances and without experi
ence, and whose descriptive accounts are, iu
most instances, made of borrowed material.
My removal was caused by a desire to re
gather my children, who have begun to scatter,
In „ good country, where business would pay
better and In a better climate to pass the de
cline ol life, believing that I and my wife wonld
be specially bsnentted by tne cmuige.
The average climate. of the South-Atlantlc
States Is better than that west of the Mississ
ippi river for health, comfort and chances of
long life, taking into consideration social Influ
ences, which vary In all countries. Those East
woo have been exposed to malaria, can have an
Idea wbat they will encounter If they stop In
localities of the West where malarial diseases
prevail; and they will find it difficult to evade
them on any of the water courses, or on fertile
lands. The vast, high, dry, mid-continental re-
§ lon is far less subject to malarial fevers. Is
etter for lung and bronchial patients. But for
excess of ozone and the want of sufficient ox
ygen, is promotlve of neuralgia and rheuma
tism, and most of elderly people and those of
nervous temperament, suffer with them to some
extent and iu some form.
AS TO BUSINESS AND MONEY MAKING.
Carlyle on the completion of the first volume
of the French Revolution, lent the manuscript
to a friend, and it was destroyed by fire. The
whole work had to be done again. Carlyle
somewhere gives a description of nis feelings on
this occasion in his own peculiar manner. Kos
trov, the Russian poet, wrote a translation of
Homer’s Iliad. The first six books were pub-
In this lies the general gTound-work of mis
take on the part of Eastern people. It Is only
□ow and then a new comer prospers beyond
what he had done, but few of them get rich;
while those who by the change depreciate their
worldly condition, never to be regained, are
numbered by the thousand. Men bring with
them their experience and fitness for some kind
of business and naturally drift into something
similar. Unforeseen obstacles develop as their
enterprises proceed. Tbe visionary charms that
caused them to remove have operated to bring
many others to compete with them. They find
the Western towns over-built and far In advance
of the country that may hereafter, when settled
and developed, support them. And they find
that any and every kind of business is overdone
and crowded, except productive labor, and they
do not come to engage m that. A parcel of new
comers in a new town, who produce nothing, can
soon eat each other out. They do so in nearly
all the newly boomed towns in an undeveloped
country. All men who have accumulated money
and desire to invest it are welcome everywhere.
But as competitors In business stand at a disad
vantage, I have done much better than I had
been doing in Georgia for several years—due, in
great part, to tne energy, popularity and tact ol
my partner son, who came earlier to the West—
but not, by far, as well as I hoped a man of my
age and experience could do. Many of the youths
and young men who reach the West do so under
greater difficulties than the old. They bring the
habits, tastes, indisposition to come down to per
sonal labor tbat caused their failure at home,
and which make it more speedy and disastrous
far away. They come with the delusion that
there is a country, If they can only get to it,
wnere living Is easy and without toll—where
bar room pleasures are gratuitous and whiskey
don’t make men crazy. They wake up to find
they have to chop wood or carry water or sweep
for breakfast or do without it. And many no
ble, proud boys have done both at times—work
when they can find menial service -to do, and
do without meals when they can’t. They will
toot believe this when they read it. They
g-an’t be made to understand that the
“great West” doe9 not hold itself bound to
give every clever young man occupation who
can work his way to it. Each will find that there
are scores of them everywhere seeking what he
will fall to find, and that when his money Is all
gone, he is a competitor with a swarm of tramps,
to chop the wood and do the menial service, for
the leavings of the family meal.
Many men come West inflated with the Idea
that they bring with them the talents, accom
plishments and business qualifications to which
the people among whom they settle, will look
np, and tbat they are to rule the communities.
All are to realize their mistake, and to find that
the standard of intelligence and talents as to all
matters of business, is higher, the perceptions
of men quicker and keener; that they are more
alert to make money, generally shrewder and
more penetrating, and m many cases more un
scrupulous, if possible, than the depraved men
East, whose frauds have disgusted them there.
Some bring money to embark in mining, of
whom only now and then a lucky man Increases
the value of his capital; many struggle long and
hard to keep up, and many others lose all and
become poor.
The sure money-making business Is cattle-
growing, with which Eastern people are not ao-
qualnted; that requires time and patience, and
tnat switches off entirely from society those
who reside on the ranches in order to look after
and protect their Interests, which suits but few
of Eastern families. Those who come, bring
their tastes, cultivation and refinement; and I
am sure there are more educated men and wo
men and cultivated families in Grant county,
New Mexico, according to aggregate popula
tion, than in any county where I was acquainted
in Georgia. Such people soon tire of the mining
camps and on stock ranches, or on farms. They
crowd the towns and overdo all kinds of busi
ness, as I have stated.
Truly vour friend,
Herbert Fielder.