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OLD SERIES—VOL. VI. NO. 31.
CEDARTOWN, GA., OCTOBER 16, 1879.
NEW SERIES—VOL. I. NO. 44.
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THE WORKMAN TO HIS WIFE.
Come. Mary, throw your work aside,
And let your trouhjafbe;
Leave care and toil and smoke awhile,
And spend an hoar with me.
Wehl seek the cowslip on the bank,
The primrose iu the lane,
And happy sights and sounds afar
Shall make us young agaiD.
It’s long, my love, since you and I
Have beard ths blackbird sing.
Or caught, by running brooks and woode,
The glory of the Spring.
It’s long since yon and I have trod
The paths where hawthorns blow,
Then Mary, fling your work aside,
And let your troubles go.
The trees shall bend to welcome ns;
The flowers shall clasp our feet;
The very bees shall hymn our praise,
In murmurs soft and sweet.
The winds Bhall swell, with ready voice,
The chorus high and loftJ,
And we’ll forget the world, my wife,
And all its busy crowd.
A thousand things await ns, iove—
Bine skies and balm air.
Green fields, whose very sight shall make
The heart forget its care.
Then never sigh, be glad to-day,
Throw sorrow to the wind.
Nor pause till w& have left our ills
A Summer’s hour behind.
SANCTITY OF AN OATH.
“Abolish all legal punishment for per
jury,” said I, dogmatically, at the end of a
desultory argument with some of the other
clerks in the San Francisco Mint, “and not
one witness in a dozen would speak thG
truth. As for their oaths—bah! They
don’t care that for them”—snapping my
fingers like the cluck of a hen.
“I don’t know, boys,” said John Flem
ing, who had taken no part in the discus
sion, laying down his pen, and squaring
about upon his stool; “I don’t know that
I can sa} r anything on this question worth
listening to, but if you will stop your con
founded figuring a moment I’ll relate a lit
tle experience of mine that may be of ser
vice to this young gentleman who knows so
very much about the nature of an oath and
most other things.”
There was a general snapping together
of ledgers and all maimer of books ; Gov
ernment clerks do not require much of. a
pretext to stop work. We all gathered
about John, like bees about Hymettus, and
he began:
I was a witness, once, in a murder case
at Pinkerton’s Bluff, on the North Sandy,
iust above the falls. Bob D , a friend
of mine—knew him in the States—was
charged with having killed Dave Thatcher,
•knpwn in all that region 'as Bet-you Dave.
He had been a born debator, had Dave.
He was never known to agree with the
opinions of any mac at the Bluff, upon any
question under heaven; and he made use
of the one argument—“I bet you five dol
lars. ’’
The moment he heard any one make au
assertion, express a belief, or hint a rumor
■—frequently before posessing his grind of
the speaker’s full meaning—he’d bet him
five dollars it wasn’t so! When nobody
was talking lie would try in all indirect
ways to entrap some one into indicating an
opinion upon some subject, and then lie
was down upon him with that everlasting
wager. He would put up the money, too,
and what’s more he would commonly win;
unless there was a dead sure thing against
him ; and this was so frequently the case
that it kept him poor. If, in Dave’s pres
ence, a man dared affirm that his dog was
yellow, quick as ligiituing came an offer to
bet him five dollars he wasn’t; and it came
with such positive energy that if the man
hadq’t seen his dog since morning it was
ten chancfes to one that he would back
down, of haggle for time to go and take
another look. I-never saw Dave myself,
it was after his time that I came to the
Bluff; but the fame of his extraordinary
wagers, and the no less extraordinary way
in which he sometimes won them was in
everybody’s mouth.
On the fifteenth day of July, in ’58,
Dave and my friend Bob D passed the
>Vhole evening together in the bar-room of
the Spread Eagle Hotel, and during the
time Bob lost three straight bets with him.
About nine o’clock they departed together,
quarreling about the manner in which Bob
had been silenced hut not convinced.
Dave was never afterward seen alive:
but the next spring a dead body, almost
past recognition, was discovered hidden
away in chapparal, near the side of the
road over which the two must have passed
to reach their houses, about two miles from
town. Nearly everybody said the body
was that of Dave, and as it had a bullet in
it—not some old bullet, such as one might
have somewhere in lus system, but a com
paratively fresh one, which had passed
through the heart—Bob was taken into
custody, charged with the deed. In the
mean time I hail moved up from below the
falls, and as. the whole town had taken the
other side I determined to stand by the
friend whom I had known in the States.
At the trial the court room was packed
with people, aqd the tide of public opinion
get so strongly Against the prisoner that the
Judge had to draw his six-Bhooter a dozen
times to keep order. After a score of wit
nesses had been examined for the prosecu
tion, every one of whom made things look
very black for Robert, the State rested its
case. Then the attorney for the defence
arose, and simply said:
“Your Honor, I shall make no prelimi
nary statement, and I shall call bill one
witness. By him I shall prove an alibi, or
give.up the case.”
“Eh! What’s that?” shouted the Dis
trict Attorney, hopping upon his feet—as
fussy a little rascal as ever snorted law be
fore a deaf Justice of the Peace. “Will
you prove That the prisoner was net on
Spanish Town road the night of the alleged
murder ?”
“No! I’ll prove that the deceased was
not. ’
There was a marked sensation in court
as my name was called, and I was solemn
ly sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth,
imd nothing but the truih.
“At ten o’clock on the night of July, 15,
1878,” I began, circumstantially, 4> I was
walking along the. river* bank, on the side
of town opposite the Spanish Town road,
and just above the falls. I w ouldn’t trou
ble myself, if I were you”—turning to the
District Attorney—“to ask what I was
walking there for, because it isn’t anybody’s
business. ”
“I appeal to the Court Vi screeched the
little rascal, springing to his feet, “if I’m
to be insulted in this way ”
“Keep still, will you,” said his Honor,
“and let the witness proceed.” I had made
a favorable impression at the start, and it
gave me confidence. I resumed:
“It was^ warm moonlight evening, and
the mist rising above the cataract was less
dense than usual ; so I could see tolerably
welL J ust at the brink on an overhanging
rock, I saw’ a tall bent figure in gray
clothes, w earing a slouch hat—a very bad
hat; 1 don’t see more than a hundred
woree ones in the room. ’’ There was a
smile all around, and then the District At
torney asked me if I had know’n the de
ceased, Mr. Tliatcher, in his life-time. I
replied that I had not—had never seen
him.
“Remember that, gentlemen of the jury,”
said he, with a conceited smile ; “remem
ber the witness had never seen nor heard of
the deceased. We don’t mean to contro
vert the witness’s statement on that point,
sir, ” he added, addressing the counsel for
the defence, and smirking as if he had got
hold of a good thing which he would hold
in reserve as a final crusher.”
“Cuss you!” roared-the Judge, “keep
your mouth shut, will -you? The witness
wdll proceed.”
“I approached this person on the rock,”
1 continued, “and said, ‘Good evening.’”
“ ‘Bet you five dollars it ain’t!” said he,
turning sharply about.
At this there was a general snigger from
the spectators, and Dave Thatcher’s widow
who sat near, looked up with a sudden hope
in her face that was cheerful to see. I re
sumed my testimony:
“Do you see that oak on the other bank?”
continued the man on the rock, pointing to
a conspicuous pine.
“I thought the fellow must be a mani ic,
and I did not know just what to answer ;
but presently replied that I was not certain
whether I saw it or not—it depended on
circumstances.
“He w r as silent for some moments; then
he shivered and chattered his teeth.
“ ‘Snow before morning,’ said he. ‘Per-
liaps so,’ said I, non-committally; ‘seems
thickening up, but that may be an optical
illusion.’
Then he wanted to know if I remem
bered what year General Jackson was elec
ted President—‘wasn’t it in '52?’ I told
him I did not recollect. After a while he
said carelessly:
“ ‘They’re talking, here at the Bluff
about running Ben. Franklin for next Presi
dent. ’
“I made no reply. Then he came up to
me and laid a hand on my shoulder.
“‘See here, stranger, ’ said he, *ie there
any subject you feel at home on ? Have you
got any hobby—any opinions ?’
“ ‘I am not sure,’ I replied ; ‘some peo
ple have opinions, and some don’t liave
any. Some that do have them don’t have
them all the time; those who have them all
the time often forget them, ”
“‘Well, I swear!’ said he disgusted,
‘I’m going to jump over these falls—bet
you five dollars I will! ’
“1 said nothing and he continued : ‘I
shall be exactly three seconds and a half
getting to the bottom—won’t I, now ?’
“ ‘Possibly. Maybe a little more than
that—maybe a little less—maybe just that.
I don’t remember jumping over any cas
cades myself. ’
“He gave me one look, laid off his hat,
backed up to the brink of the precipice, anu
dropped himself down, hanging on to the
edge with his hands. Then he let go, fall
ing three hundred feet into the boiling
whirlpool below!”
“May it please the court,” shrieked the
little District Attorney, lunging forward
upon his feet, “I want to put one question
to this witness now! You say, sir, you
had never seen the deceased Mr. Thatcher
up to the moment you met him on the rock
—and never heard of him—and never heard
of any of his relations. Now’, sir, on your
oath, on your Bible oath sir! how do you
know’ that this man you saw go over the
falls was Dave Thatcher ? How do you
know it sir?”
“I rton’t know it. I know it was not he.
For just before he let go the rock he looked
up at me, with his nose above the edge,
and said:
“You think I’m Dave Thatcher, don’t
you?’
“I told him he might be, or he might
not.
“ ‘Just so!’ he said, desperately, as his
fingers began to slip. Bet-you five dollars I
ain’t.’
There was a good deal of loose talk in
court after this, but the spectators w’ould
not listen to it, and D —was triumph
antly acquitted, being borne through the
town on the shoulders of the jury, to the
music of a brass band and the cheers of the
whole population.
But Dave Thatcher’s window persisted
in putting up a handsome headstone over
the remains of the unknown dead, and was
going to have it inscribed with her late
husband’s name, and what she still regard
ed as the manner of his death, when Bob
stopped the proceedings by marrying her.
“I don't see what all this has to do with
the question of the advisability of swearing
witnesses in court,” said I when John had
finished his yarn.
“Don’t, eh? It’s got this to do with it.
There wasn’t a prison in the State which
1 hail not broken out of a thousand times. If
I hadn’t been put upon my Bible oath what
was to prevent my telling a lie ?”
The largest cultivated wheat farm on the
globe is said to be the Grondin farm, not
far from the town of Fargo, Dakota. It
embraces some 40,000 acres, both Govern
ment and railway land, and lies close to the
Red River. Divided into four parts, it has
dwellings, granaries, machine shops, eleva
tors. stables for 200 horses, and room for
storing 1,000,000 bushels of grain. Be
sides the wheat farm there is a stock farm
of 20,000 acres. In seeding time seventy
to eighty men are employed, and during
harvest 250 to 300 men. Seeding begins
about April 9, aud continues through the
month, and is done very systematically,
the machines following one another around
the field, some four rods apart. Cutting
begins about August 4, and ends the fore
part of September, succeeded by the
threshing, with eight steam threshers.
After threshing, the stubble ground is
plowed with great plows drawn by three
horses and cutting two furrows ; and this
goes on until the weather is cold enough to
freeze, usually about November 1. There
are many other large farms in the Territory
and in the neighborhood, and they are tilled
in much the same manner as the Grondin.
The surface of the land generally is almost
level aud the soil rich and black. The pro
duct of one field of 2,315 acres is 57,285
bushels—elevator weight—some twenty -
five bushels to the acre. The average yield
of the Dakota wheat farm is from twenty
to twenty-five bushels per acre, and the
concurrent testimony is that it is unequaled
as a wheat region in the world.
Slipper Throwing.
| The ancient custom ot throwing an old
1 slipper after the bride as she leaves her
home is still in many places believed to
bring luck to the happy couple. But it
may be questioned w’hetlier the old shoe
! was thrown for luck only. It is stated in
the Holy Writ that “the receiving of a shoe
| was an evidence and symbol of rejecting or
resigning it.” The latter is evinced in Deu
teronomy, 25th chapter, where the ceremony
of a widow rejecting her husband's brother
in marriage is by loosing his shoe from off
his foot. And in Ruth we are told that
“it was the custom in Israel concerning
changing, that a man plucked off his shoe
and delivered it to his neighbor. ” Hence
the throwing of a shoe after a bride was a
symbol of renunciation of dominion and
authority over her by father or guardian,
and the receipt of the shoe by the bride
groom, even if accidental, was an omen
! hat the authority was transferred to him.
How a Woman uoes to a Fir«.
After standing at the gate and looking
for the fire, and betting it’s on Fourth street,
or the flour mill, or somewhere “so now,”
she suddenly starts up as if an idea had
struck her, and sl.e says to herseif, “I’m
going to that fire, and it’s no use of talk
ing.” Then she begins to get ready. She
stands before the mirror and twists and
turns her own hair in all manner of
ways to see in what manner it will make
the most show; then she spikes on one
dozen of puffs, and bangs on the frizzes so
they will look “like sea-weed around a
clam,” and vowing that her arms are just
ready to drop off, she casts one more aD-
proving glance at her hair, and votes eight
to seven that it will do. What dress to
wear is the next question before the meeting
house. To decide this momentus question,
she goes to the wardrobe ; but like dame
Hubbard, “when she came there, the ward
robe was bare,” as it were,for all her dresses
had been worn somewhere ^before. Final
ly, she selects one, which, when ^buttoned
up will not permit her to take a long breath
although she affirms, and is ready to swear,
that is “just as loose as can be,” but at the
same time admits that when she gets that
dress on she can never button her shoes; as
shoes can not button themselves, they are
buttoned by proxy, and with a hair-pin, as
the buttoner is not in the place where “I al
ways put it” She is also of the opinion
that her feet have swollen by reason of hav
ing worn around the house those big slip
pers, and “you had better leave two or
three of the last buttons unbuttoned.” She
then proceeds to put on her outer garments
and flatters herself that she will be ready in
“half a jiffy.” At last the climax is reach
ed when she goes for her new bonnet. She
skewers it on the back of her head, and
then looks fourteen ways to see how the
tiling sets; turns sideways to take the
bearings; then a little to the nor’-nor’-east
and takes the latitude and longitude : then
she pokes it a little here, bends it there,
and mashes it indiscriminately, so that it
will not look stiff and set; then she seizes
a hand-glass and takes a retrospective of
her head and all appertaining thereto. Now
she adjusts her veil so that the lower edge
will come exactly to the tip end of her
nose; then she powders a little, so that her
face will not “shine like a bottle,” smooths
down the corners of her mouth, puts on her
best smile, and sails out to find the fire.
Lo! she starts, she moves toward the door,
but returns for her gloves, and glances at
the mirror to see if her rigging is all right.
Again she heads for the front door, but
comes back tor her handkerchief, and as
she passes the dressing-case, she casts one
lingering and positively last appearance
look at her reflection, settles her collars,
pulls down her cuffs, and making one final
and successful scoop for her train, leaves
the house. She is out, and so is the fire.
Gambling iu California.
Everybody did it. I did it myself. One
day, going past the horse market in Sacra
mento, when Ferguson was selling mules
at auction, a little sharp-eyed man with
long hair, a Panama hat, buckskin breeches
and coat, with a fringe of buckskin strings
around his collar, was playing the thimble
game. Sitting on a tobacco box, lus thim
bles the size of acorns, he played the game
upon his right knee. The breeches were
glazed and shiny with their accustomed
use. Three tliimbles of silver and the lit
tle joker—a small piece of putty of the size
of a small pea. I watched him for a time
with great interest. “Now you see it, and
now j T ou don’t.” “Make your game, gen
tlemen; bet an ounce you can’t guess where
the little joker is. ” Times were lively in
those early days of 1849, money plenty,
and even body gambled. Passers-by stop
ped and “gave the game a turn,” lost or
won, passed on. Chuck-a-luck, A. B. C.,
three-card monte and the string game were
being dealt in the streets aud in close prox
imity. I fingered a great golden disc of
South America in my vest pocket—a splen
did Peruvian ounce I carried for a pocket
piece; coin was scarce in those days, and
Peruvian ounces were worth more than their
weight in gold. I fumbled my coin; I
saw the little joker, and guessed its loca
tion every time. I fairly trembled with
nervous cowardice; saw the little joker,
and every time rightly guessed the thimble
that hid it. Again and again the thimble
was lifted, and I stood like an idiot, see
ing the stream of golden ounces run by
—too cowardly to risk my coin. It was
not principle that kept me from gambling—
it was the fear of loss. My father’s parting
iug injunction, and mother’s prayers, my
moral convictions and my cowardice all
gone away at once. The flood gates open
ed and my ounce came out. I planted it
on the table; I saw the edge of the little
joker under the middle thimble; it was a
“dead open and shut.” He was a gambler,
and I was* justified in betting on a certain
ty. “Now you see it, and now you don't
see it. Make your game, gentlemen ; bet
an ounce you can’t guess where the little
joker is.” It was no crime to steal ot a
thief. He covered my ounce with another,
and I lifted the middle thimble—great God!
the little joker was not there. I lost my
ounce and walked on, a sadder and a mad
der, but I hope a wiser boy, with the re
frain ringing in my ears, “Now you see it,
and now you don t; bet an ounee you can’t
guess where the little joker lies.” Gam
blers were as generous as artful in those
times of 1849. If there was a charity to be
sustained, a church to be built, a poor
devil injured in a mine or digging, lie was
sent home by passing the hat among the ta
bles. One day 1 was going up I street, not
far from the corner of Second, in Sacra
mento, when I heard loud aud angry words
in a small tent upon the banks of the
slough.
* “You ought to be ashamed of yourself,”
caught my ear, and with the freedom born
of curiosity I pushed the corner of the tent
and looked in. On the ground and on his
blankets lay an emaciated figure, over him
stood a strong-bearded, heavy, well-dressed
man.
“A duced shame!” said the black
beard.
“You know I couldn’t beg, Jim.”
“You could starve, though, and then let
the story go home to the folks that I let
you suffer when I had plenty.”
“It don’t make much difference, Jim ;
it won't last long. ”
“I tell you Cnarley it makes a mighty
difference, and it will last and you won’t
die. Pluck up, old fellow. Scurvy don’t
kill.”
A smile stole over the wan face, and the
thin fingers reached out for the strong hand
of Jim, and down the cheeks of the stal
wart gambler stole a furtive tear, which,
turning away to hide, disclosed to him
that they had a spectator. Turning to me:
“I say, old fellow, you just run and tell
Doc Russell to come round here right away.
Doc’s playing faro in the Bella Union. Tell
him to toss up his chips and come here.”
In an hour the sick man was in a com
fortable room, with a servent and a physi
cian—every comfort that money could
buy.
J im Raines was a gambler and the young
gentleman was an acquaintance same
j town at home; had been schoolmates to-
! gether. Raines explained to me subse-
j quently. “I never was so infernal mad in
my life, as when I found Charley laying
out there starviug lo death and dying, and
not Jet me know. That’s what I call treat
ing a fellow mean. ’8posin’ he had died, 1
never would have forgiven him.”
If the anecdotes of the early California
gamblers could be collected they would
make a book, and could their lives be writ
ten there would be many an incident of
generous acts, many a story of pathetic in
terest. Here is one from an old number of
the Virginia City Chronicle:
The case of John Burns came up before
Justice Knox, recently. The man is one
of those characters known as check guer
rilla. He was accused of having picked up
a $20 piece from the faro table at the Cap
itol Saloon, the money belonging to a play
er who was in a half intoxicated condition.
Burns demanded a jury trial, and when the
selection had been Siade each juryman was
asked whether he had any prejudices
against the game, the following were the
experiences of the twelve:
Juror No. 1—Have played a little; lost
$1,200 at a sitting once at Simpson’s Cor
ner ; had won the money at poker the
night before; won it of the fellow who
dealt the game.
Juror 2—Have played faro some; lost
nineteen straight bets at once at the Saw
dust Comer—just my fool luck ; think the
game is all right; used to play faro once,
lait haven’t played now for over a week.
Juror No. 3—Dropped about $40 once at
Omdorff’s trying to call the turn ; no pre
judice.
Juror No. 4—Play faro occasionally
when I have money; won $2,000 one
night at the Palace—bursted the game;
went back and tried to burst it a few nights
after; had to spar for my grub all the rest
of the week; think I could beat the game
blind if 1 bad the capital; no prejudice.
Juror No. 5—Am familiar with faro—
slightly; stepped in Joe Steward’s one
day and tapped the game $600 in one deal;
called the turn for $100, and then quit
playing because the limit wasn’t big
enough; won enough to pay up that as
sessment of $5 on my Justice stock ; think
it a good game.
Juror No. 6—Always liked faro when it
was square; think there are some square
games; but the splits give the game a big
percentage.
Juror No. 7—Got $5,000 out of the rise
in Ophir and got ready to start to the States.
(Here the juror wiped away a tear, and his
Honor seemed much affected.) I struck
one of the games—no matter which one it
was—and in two days hadn’t a red cent.
The remaining five jurors related their
experiences in a most affecting manner, and
but one was found who had any prejudice
against the game—he said he never won a
bet in his life; he always coppered and
played open at the wrong time. He’s
been calling the turn steady for two years,
and never caught once. He thought faro
was a swindle, but admitted that he had
been playing it the night before. He was
excused.
George Kreitzer, the dealer of the game,
testified as follows : “I was dealing at the
time McCarty came in and called for chips.-
He had won about $S0 when Tome first
showed up; McCurty had the jack cop
pered, taking in the tray and queen.
The Court—Does the jury comprehend
the situation ?
The jurors nodded simultaneously, and
witness continued:
The tray lost, the jack wou. So it was
a stand-off, and
The Court—Is this point clear to the
jury ?
The jurors again bowed with military
precision.
Witness—Then, after two turns, he
planked down a $20 piece on top of the
chips on the jack, and this man Tome
reached for it. As soon as I saw him muz
zle the sugar I sang out, but he slid off and
was getting off with it, when Officer Hanks
snatched it and made him give it up.
Jailor McCarty related the admissions
of Tome in jail. He admitted taking the
inohey, but excused his conduct on the
ground that he might as well have it as the
game.
The jury stood eleven for conviction and
one for acquittal, and being unable to
agree were discharged, as was also the ac
cused.
Duelling.
There has been a tremendous excitement
in the army in Paris, caused by a silly and
disastrous duel at St. Germaiu between
two officers. It appears that one of these
young gentlemen insulted the other at the
table, whereupon a duel with sabres was
fought m the presence of the usual wit
nesses and the master of arms. Both of
the officers were wounded at the first en
counter and the witnesses declared honor
satisfied, but the officer who had given the
insult desired to continue the fight. The
duel now became serious and the master-
at-arms felt it his duty to interfere, but he
was too late. The sabre of the insulted
pierced the neck of the insulter, cutting
several arteries, aud the unfortunate fellow
died a few hours afterward. The Colonel
of the regiment at once arrested the survi
ving officer and witnesses and endeavored to
punish the latter by giving them each fif
teen days of prison; but the superior auth
ority—that mysterious entity which does so
many providential things in France—inter
fered and the surviving principal and the
witnesses were set free, the reason alleged
being that it was not wise to compromise
their future military career by imprisoning
them for simply duelling. The Colonel
felt it his duty however, to inform the oth
er under officers of the regiment that the
first among them that should provoke a
new duel would be remorsely reduced to
the ranks. I knew in the Russian army, a
most amiable and accomplished gentleman
who had been three times reduced to* the
ranks for duelliing, and who, at the age of ;
forty, was only a lieutenant, when he
might have been a division-General, had it
not been for bad temper, which was spor
adic and came across his usual excellent
disposition like thunder in a clear sky. A
few such examples as this in the French
army would settle the duelling question.
An Irishman’s Pride of Hirtli.
An evening or two since a son of Erin
was telling a crowd about a man who fell
into the South Utah shaft last winter break
ing both legs and lying at the bottom of the
shaft some three days before he was dis
covered. He said: “It was only by the
mercy o’ God that he was at last found.
By a wonderful chance—divil knows what
sint him!—a man wint into the tunnel
gropin’ and gropin’ his way along toward
the ould shaft in the Sure o’ the same. As
he was stoopin’ along there in the dark he
heard the call of a voice. It was faint like
the call of a sick man or the groan of a
ghost. Ti e voice was repeated. The man
was bold in spite of his fright, and he
groped ahead and soon came to the mouth
of the winze. He listened and the call of
the voice was repaited. It came up from
the bottom of the ould shaft.
“ ‘Is it there ye are ?” said the man at
the top.
“ ‘It is here I am,’ said the fella at the
bottom.
“Air ye far down V says the fella at the
top.
“ ‘I’m Corkonian,’ says the fella at the ’
bottom, and divil of a bit more do I know 1
of how the poor fella got found. ”
A Struggle with a Ghoul.
In 18601 was a student at the old “Farm
ers’ academy,” at Goshen, N. Y., near New
York city—at least it is about sixty-five
miles from it. One night in November, Mart
Paines and myself were coming home from
a dancing party at Snake hill. The night
was dark and cloudy, but the clouds were
occasionally broken a little, and thus gave
the moon a chance to peep out and show us
our route. We were walking home alone,
having left a group of girls behind in charge
of Ned North and Bobby White, two of the
boys who liked to be with the girls better
than we did. In those days I was not
very timid, and I was quite as strong as I
am now, but a real, earnest, rough-and-
tumble test of my strength had never been
called for.
We were trudging along ahead of the rest
of our little party, when suddenly Paines
startled me with a proposition to cut across
lots and go through the cemetery, which
would shorten our journey a little, and give
us a chauce to get into town far ahead of
our companions.
When Mart and I got to the corner where
the stile crossed the fence leading into the
sfient dwelling place of the dead, I felt for
my match box to get a “lucifer” with which
to iiglit a fresh cigar (smoking is no new
habit with me, you see), aud somehow I
managed to drop the box, and as it struck
the wooilen stile with a sharp, metallic
ring, we heard a well-defined “whist,”
that was half a word and half a low whistle
of warning. We two lads instantly sunk
to the ground, wiggled up close to the
feace, and began to look and listen in or
der to see where the noise came from. In
a tioment Mart nudged me and whispered,
“Grave robbers, by thunder ! ” And sure
enough—as just then the moon came out
aid we saw two villainous-looking chaps,
\<lo, ;o my distorted imagination, at first
looked to be about eight feet high. While
the moon was shining they stood perfectly
motionless; but a moment later, when it
had withdrawn its light, they stooped
down and resumed their disreputable op-
pnf ions.
By this time we got their bearings pretty
wdl, anil I, who had been grasping Mart’s
hand, suddenly felt him begin to tremble At
tint 1 thought it was fear, but a moment
latir I knew what was the matter when he
fairly hissed in my ear: “Charlie, that is
Any’s grave, and if you will stand by me I
wiil kill or cap.ure the hellhounds who are
trying to tear her out of it. them !” I
had never imagined it before, but in a
twinkling I grasped the idea of why he had
been so sad since beautiful, haughty Auiy
B died, and I was in a moment as
amry as he was. We listened and w atched
and made out that there w’as one negro and
om white man in the graveyard—the negro
bekig a certain big, splay-footed moke from
“F.ildler’s Green, ” a classic portion of old
Goshen, where the niggers have lived ever
since their York state aucesters were set
free: for you remember that slave-holding
was once the custom in th>.t state. The
otler chap was smaller, and w as evidently a
man of the kind who preferred to let others
do the hard work. He gave orders. Now
thee grave robbers don’t dig open the en
tire grave. They simply dig a hole in be
side the grave, smash iu the coffin box and
casket, aud with a hook or rope drag out
the poor dead r.mnant of mortality, double
fc up ::od thrust it iuto a bag, refill the hole,
ie-place the tuif and drive off.
By the time we got our plan of attack
upon them digested they had dug their hole
and w r ere making arrangements to smash the
coffin with a sharp crowbar when we up and
at ’em. The fence near the stile was broken
down, and we bad each selected one of the
square pickets as a weapon. They use oak
pickets down there, Charlie; heavy oak,
about an inch square, and they were excel
lent things to break a man's head with, at
least a white man's head ; but I found a col
ored man s skull a hard nut to crack. We
made a dash over the graves and were
upon them before they got fairly turned
to face us—for the scamps did not run, as I
thought they would. I selected the wdiite
man, but as we closed upon them I found I
had the African to deal with, and I let him
have it with all my might, stumbling as I
struck, anil falling upon the ground with
the ghoul on top, my head and his heels be
ing in close proximity. To change ends
was a short job, and just as I was fastening
my grip on his throat lit? got one of his long
arms bee and dealt me a horrible blow be
tween the eyes, aud at the same moment I
saw a Hash, heard a sharp report, heard
Mart yell, and then all became confused,
for I only knew that I and that terribly-
strong black devil were locked in each oth
er’s arms—that I had his head “in chan
cery, and almost had one hand on his
throat.
I never shall forget the agony of those few
momeils when we each fought for life.
They seemed as hours as we writhed and
struggled over the graves. If I could have
got him by the throat I could soon have fix
ed him, but we each had to use a hand for
protection, and it soon developed into a
mere question of endurance. I had no time
or breatii to call for help, and, indeed, I
am not sure that I thought of it. I only
though: of how to choke off that black and
hideous fiend, and at the same time keep
him from rising to his feet to choke me
off. 1 almost prayed for an arm six inches
longer iu order to get my digits arwund Ills
throat, for we were locked in such a queer
shape that, although I had his head under
my ann, I could not get my hands on his
thoracic duct, and for a time I almost de
spaired, until the big fellow, by an effort
that must have strained his muscles not a
little, managed to get to his knees. But I
was too quick for him, and, breaking all
holds, I sprang to my feet and struck
him squire in the face. I could hit hard
in those days, Cliarlie, and, after stagger
ing, him, I closed with him again, and tak
ing him by the throat I—well, I guess I
banged his head over against the pretty
headstone that is sacred to the memory of
Major Winslow’s daughter.
They told me afterward that Bob White
and the girls heard Mart yell, and heard
the pistol shot, and a moment afterward
saw a man spring over the fence, leap into
a wagon that had been standing in the
shadow, then suddenly, with a cry’ of pain
fall out again. A moment later hearing
the negro and me panting and struggling
in the graveyard, Bob had made a break
for where I was, and had got there ’just as
I had battered the ugliness out of the black
ghoul’s head and had fainted away. Just
then Mart revived (he had not been hurt
badly, but a bullet left an ugly ridge along
his right temple), and they tied ihe negro
with liis^own ropes, and went to look after
the white ghoul. He was there sure
enough. 31art had broken his right fore
arm with that oak picket, and the fellow
did not find it out until he struck against
the wheel in climbing into the wagon and
the pain caused him to fall. The tumble
knocked his head against a clod, and it
made life a blank for him for a few mo
ments.
We recognized him as a nice young man
who had been loafing about town for some
weeks, and we thought he was too badly
hurt and scared to need much watching.
But while we were loading the negro into
the wagon our “nice young man,” who was
a professional supply agent for a certain
college, had given us the slip; but we
stayed by our colored friend until we saw
him safe iiehind the prison bars that
night, and if ever you are detailed to go
down to Sing Sing to interview some great
prison bird inquire for No. 2,821, and that
is Nick Parmlee, the colored Orange coun
ty grave roblier, sent up for a long term
for that night's work. He killed a keeper
afterward and they made him a “lifer.”
I did not get out of bed after that for
two days, and to this hour I am not over-
fond of lonely graveyards.
A Seasick Humorist.
We left Portland in the evening and a
bit of a storm. There was a heavy sea,
with its usual depressing influences. The
sea grew rougher, and as the pitching and
rolling of the good steamer New York in
creased my spirits did not rise. Your
spirits are not apt to rise, I find. They are
the only things about you that don’t rise,
however.
My subject of reflection having eluded
my rather inactive mind, I became sensible
of a kind of a sort of a languor that sug
gested repose. I did not feel like standing
up and singing. I wanted repose. I wasn’t
particular what kind of repose that of the
grave would have suited me perfectly well.
But there was no grave handy. And
when 1 went out and looked out to seaward
and gazed at the landless expanse of angry,
tossing waters, I didn’t see any material to
make a grave. And then, when I returned
to the stateroom, it began to dawn upon
me, very dimly, that the repose was about
as seldom as the grave. The ocean made
me feel as though I hail swallowed it
whole, and I was afraid I would have to
spread a little to hold it.
1 believed I would retire and abandon
the struggle with my feelings, for I felt I
was on the verge of quoting poetry. I
stood on my feet and took off some of ray
things. Then I leaned up against the door
and took off a few. Then I st<x>d on my
head.and got off one or two. Then 1 lay
down on my back and kicked off the rest
of them.
Then I looked up at my berth.
It was 600 feet from the floor and was
sMll going.
I cast an anxious, despairing glance at it,
reached out aud dragged a traveling shawl
over me and tried to warble a merry stave
of a rollicking sea song.
When I bought my passage of the Interna
tional Steamship Company, I did not con
tract to sleep in a skjTocket, and that I
should not get into berth until it came down
close enough for me to grab at it.
The sense of utter forloruess, the feelings
of desolation and goneness; the impression,
generally correct that every well person in
the ship is laughing at you: the saddening
thought that there is no chance of dying ;
the depressing knowledge that there is no
help for it, anyhow; the confidence that
nobody is going to do anything for you, and
the philosophical resolution red cent if they
don’t; the hope that you will be over it by
morning; the fear that it will last a week;
the forlorn hope, now and then, that the
pilot will get frightened and tie the ship up
to a tree at some place only for a little
while; the despairing sense of disappoint
ment that steals over you as it becomes evi
dent that the pilot hasn’t the remotest
thought of doing anything of the kind; and
at last the fervent, earnest, despairing wish
that the boiler will blow up, the ship strike
a rock, catch on fire, capsize, be run down
by au iron steamship, get struck by Iight-
ningand sink in 600 fathoms of water, and
d# it all most powerful quick, too. This is
the final spasm.
Why, even after I fell asleep, I dreamed
that I was a boy again ; a happy, guileless,
barefoot boy, and that I was in Peoria, sit
ting behind the woodshed in the old
yard on 3Ionroe street, where the postoffice
now stands, making, in boyish solitude, my
maiden efforts on my first and most ser-
reptitious cigar. And I dreamed that the
cigar was just about half smoked out, and
was lying on the choppmg-block beside me,
and that the cuitain hail just rung for the
second act.
Wonderful Georgia Woman.
A lady of the Seventh District of Worth
County, Georgia, has become insane on the
subject of religion. Her dementatiou was
first noticed about a month ago, soon after
the close of a protracted meeting at Union
Baptist Church, near her home. She at
tended the different services very regularly
and seemed deeply impressed and troubled
from their first commencement. A short
while before the meeting closed, she joined
church. Going back home, her incoherent,
maddened and rambling conduct was no
ticed by her husband and children, and
they liecame terribly excited and wrought
ap about it. She went raving about the
house and yard with a bucket of water,
baptizing every thing in her pathway. She
baptized her husband and each one of her
children, and while doing this sang ihe
most beautiful songs—songs that she had
heard but once or twice. Although an un
lettered woman (her husband will swear
this), she reads any chapter in the Bible
readily, pronouncing correctly and distinct
ly, paying attention to punctuation points,
&c. She preaches nearly all all the wliile,
anil, our informant says, uses the choicest
words and displays great wisdom and
knowledge in the handling of different sub
jects. Although not a 3Iason, she knows
all the mysteries of that mysterious craft
by heart. Dozens of 3Iasons have gone to
see her, and they all come away dumb
founded. Her husband has come to the
conclusion that she is a witch. She lia^ at
tempted acts of violence, but as yet done no
harm. He, with outside assistance, tried at
one time to incarcerate her in one of the
rooms of the house, but the doors became
unmanageable and wouldn't stay locked.
She hasn’t slept in eighteen days and nights,
and during that time has taken but few
morsels of food. This is one of the strang
est cases we have ever heard of. Hun
dreds are Hocking to see the frenzied wo
man.
The Queen—The Wife.
Long years ago—but this is a bit of ex
clusive reminiscence known only to a fe w-
Queen Victoria iu the early wedded life,
had one of those squabbles with her hus
band, of the sort which will come .'bout
sometimes, even between the most loving
married couples. Chagrined and vexed,
the Prince retired to his room and locked
the door. The Queen took the matter
quietly for a while, but after the . lapse of
an hour she went to his door and rapped.
“Albert,” said she “come out.”
“No, I will not,” answered the Prince
within. “Come, go away; leave me
alone. ”
The royal temper waxed hot at this.
“Sir,” she cried, “come out at once.
The Queen whose subject you are, com
mands you!”
He obeyed immediately. Entering the
room she designated, she sat down in si
lence. For a long time nothing was said.
The Queen was the first to break the si
lence.
“Albert,” she said, speak to me.”
“Does the Queen command it ?” he
asked.
“No,” she answered, throwing her arms
about his neck, “your wife begs it.”
—The Lutheran church in this coun
try has 725,000 communicants.
Koad Agents.
The Tom Bell gang was for many years
the terror of the mountain districts in Cali
fornia and Nevada, and many tales are told
of their lawless deeds. My father was in
terested in the building of the Donner Lake
wagon road, and in an encounter with this
gang managed by strategy to save a large
sum of money. He was traveling on horse
back and carried some of the money in a
belt and a portion in his l>oots. He was
accompanied by a friend whose route lay
with his a portion of the way, but to him
he did not confide the fact that he was car
rying any considerable sum of money, as
his friend w’as naturally a timid man and he
did not care to add to the fears which al
ready possessed him. About ten miles from
their destination their roads divided, the
friend going to the place where the work
men wete quartered and my father to the
house of a friend where he intended to pass
the night. He jogged along leisurely for a
mile or more, and as it was now about six
in the evening, was thinking of hastening
his steps in order to reach his stopping-place
before dark, not expecting an}’ trouble in
daylight, when he was suddenly joined by
a horseman. The civilities of the day were
exchanged, and they rode on together, con
versing upon topics of current interest, work
on the road, mining in the neighborhood,’
etc. At length the stranger asked careless
ly where he was going, aud asked if he was
not 3Ir. , the contractor. Papa said he
was not, but that they came up together,
and they had separated a few miles back.
At the next by-path the stranger left him,
and he learned the next morning that Ills
friend had been surrounded by road agents,
and all his protestations would not make
them believe that the right man had gone
the other way. It seems they had a de
scription of the man they wanted and of
the road he was expected to go, but the
coolness of his denial and his going another
way coupled with the fact that his friend’s
description was, in some respects, similar,
threw them off the track. As this gang
were robbers, and not murderers, probably
saved the other man’s life, for at that time
highwaymen were known to have murdered
men simply because they had no money.
A poor teamster on the mountains was once
stopped by a couple of men and his money
demanded, but when they found he had
none they contented themselves with both
kicking him heartily and cursing him for a
deceitful beggar for traveling without money.
One of my relatives, a brother-in-law,
member of a San Francisco commercial
house, has often said he would not submit
to being robbed without resistance, but
would be certain to shoot any man who at
tempted it. He always traveled well-arm
ed and fortunately never met with any rob
bers until about three years ago. He had
some heavy collections to make through the
southern part of California, and in one town
where he stopped hail several firms to call
upon. As he came out of one place where
he called he saw a man standing at the
door, but did not think of it again until he
saw him at a second place he visited. He
had been conversing with a member of the
firm-and said among other things he had ta
ken a buggy to go to several small towns in
the vicinity and would be back in two or
three days, that he was then going to the
livery stable for bis team. Just as lie turn
ed to leave the store the same man passed
out before him On his way to the livery
stable he stopped Jit Wells' Fargo'S Co.’s
express office, as was his custom, and sent
his coin to San Francisco. A few hours
after leaving town he, found himself on a
pleasant but lonely forest road, and the day
being warm, he was beginning to enjoy the
coolness of the shade, when the horse sud
denly stopped and refused to move. The
rest I will tell, as nearly as possible, in his
words: “As I raised my head to see what
wjis the matter I was met square in the face
by the barrel of a pistol. I had looked into
many a one before, but this was the first
one I had seen one with a hole in it large
enough to crawl into. ‘Throw up your
hands! ” As the lines were hanging on the
dashixjard, I had nothing to hinder my do-*
ing it at once, which I did, like a little
man. The fellow’s pal then went through
me, and while doing so, if my arms dropped
tf little, ‘higher,’ was the sharp order, and
up they would go as high as I could reach.
I had only thirty dollars, which seemed to
surprise them as they thought I had the
money they had seen me collecting, so they
cursed me and their luck, looked at my
watch to see the time, examined my wea
pons, and put them all back in their places,
said that was a nice diamond ring for
a poor man to wear, but did not take it,
saying they only wanted money, as in these
times such things always gave a fellow
away. They then told me to sit down,
gave me the lines and said if I looked back
before I reached the next iiouse they would
blow my brains out. I didn’t look back. ”
When he came home he walked into the
house and laid his pistols down, saying he
would never carry them again. When ask
ed why, he said “ ’twas of no use to carry
weapons,” and told the story I have just
given. It is related of Joaquin 3Iurieta,
the famous bandit chief, that the day after
one of liis most daring exploits he rode up
to a saloon in a mining camp, went iu and
drank with the crowd and heard his own
story told over and over by the excited
throng and what they would do if they ever
met him. He asked if they had ever seen
him. None of them had, but they could
all describe “the murdering greaser,” and
would be glad to meet him— the sooner
the better. Joaquin then ordered a
drink, went to the door and mounted his
horse, rode up to the bar, leaned down and
took the glass, drank to the crowd, tossed
the glass on]t he floor, and quick as lightning
drew his revolver, dashed the spurs into his
horse and shouted back at them : “Car-
rajo Americano ! Here is Joaquin 3Iurieta! ”
And before the bewilded miners had col
lected their senses he was out of sight.
Tbe Irishman and a Snake.
One day while working over a wheat
stubble where a gang of men were shocking
wheat that had just been bound, I heard a
yell. One of the Irshman had been bitten
by a rattler that was under a sheaf of wheat
and had fastened in his arm as he picked it
up. The poor fellow was scared to death,
almost. lout with my flask (itheld a plump
pint), and he put it to his lips, and when
he took it down it was empty. Then we
started him on a run for the hotel. I look
ed for snake weed, but not a biade could I
find. I believe that’s usually the way—you
can’t find it when you want it. We got
the man, whose name was Martin something
or other, to the house, and there filled him
up with more whiskey. At first it didn’t
seem to affect him, and the ann kept swell
ing and got black. But by’mby Martin be
gan to get happy : then he got hilarious ;
then fighting drunk ; and then finally fell
off his chair, dead drunk. He was saved.
The next day he was out with his arm iu a
sling, and I found him over in that same
wheat stubble slowly walking around, and
gazing intently at the ground. “What are
you looking for, 3Iart?” I asked. He
looked up, winked slyly, and drawled out:
“Faith, sur, O’im looking fur the boit uva
shnake.” I took the hint and gave him a
good swig of whiskey, without putting him
to the trouble of getting bitten by a rattle
snake in order to secure it.
—At Chautauqua Lake there is a
miniature of the Holy Land covering
one acre of land.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
—Wm. Quimbv.of 3Iendbam, N. J.,
has 120,000 peach trees on his farm.
—Herr Krupp spent $50,000 in enter
taining at 3Ieppen during his big gun
trials.
—In the new Eddystone Lighihouse
oft' the Cornish coast, the electric light
will be tried.
—London has 122 square miles of area,
and if it were perfectly square would
be eleven miles each way.
—Sixty-eight thousand eight hundred
and seventy-five barrels of oil were
burned in the Parker fire of Pa.
—The poppy is credited with monopo
lizing 1,000,000 acres of the most fertile
land iu India.
—The Colorado silver yield for this
year is variously estimated all the wav
from $24,000,000 to $100,000,000.
—There are 447 patients in the 3Ior-
ristown (N. J.) Hospital for the Insane,
and 434 in the Trenton institution.
—Orrin Gotham, of Epping, N. II.,
ate 36 peaches on a wager, and they
killed him.
—The French Mint at Bordeaux has
been abolished, and henceforth the
coining is all to be done in Paris.
—Iowa raised 2,950,000 hog3 the past
year, leading all the States in the
U u ion.
—The official census returns show
that the population of Kansas on the
1st of 3Iarch last was 848,970.
. —The tobacco crop of the world
amounts to 1,300,000,000 pounds. The
United States produces nearly one-half.
—Boston drinks fifteen thousand gal
lons of soda and twenty thousand gai-
lous of root and tonic beer every day.
—The expense of President Gambet-
ta’s recent fete in Paris is put at $32,000,
which was defrayed by two patriotic
lady admirers.
—Six tanks containing 1,500 barrels
of oil were burned at Red Rock,
McKean county, Pa., on the 25th of
August.
—England enjoyed but twenty three
hours of sunshine during the week
ending August 13th, although the sun
was above the horizon 105 hours.
—Fourteen hundred boxes of cheese
were ottered for sale at the Meadville
(Pa.) Exchange on the 25th of August,
but no sales were negotiated.
—The total of the subscriptions col
lected in England for tbe widows ami
orphans of those who died in Zululand
amounts to $60,000.
—It is a singular fact that since 1S42
there have been yellow fever cases in
New Orleans every year, with the ex
ceptions of 1861, 1862, 1863 and 1865.
—Peter Siple, of North Ferrishurg,
Vermont, has six daughters who aver-
j;ge 217 pounds each. His whole fami
ly of eight persons weighs 1,762 pounds.
—In 1807, when Daniel Webster
lived at Portsmouth, be had a red mo
rocco pocket-book, which is now in
possession of Col. Hoyt, of Cincinnati.
—It is reported that the various 3Ior-
mon congregations in North Georgia
are organizing for the immediate exo
dus to Utah. A great many native
3Iorrnons will go.
—The United States buys more and
more Canada horses yearly^ In 1875
we imported only 214, valued at $28,955;
wliile last year the number was 6,632,
valued at $391,235.
—Ninety persons exercising trades
an l professions in Great Britain have
incomes exceeding $250,000. About
three thousand have incomes between
$25,000 and $250,000.
—Hitherto the Krupp firm has made
and delivered to the various States of
Europe and Asia more than 20,000 can
nons, only a very slight percentage of
which have burst.
—The 3Iuuicipal Council of Paris has
voted to turn out all the teachers of the
public schools in that city who belong
to the religious congregations, and ap
point lay instructors only.
—The people of the United States pay
over $700,000,000 a year for spirituous
and fermented liquors, and only $95,-
500,000 for education anil $48,000,000 for
religion.
—Unlike liis predecessor, Archbisho
Bayley, the present Archbishop of Bal
timore, is opposed to the "mple Gre
gorian music. 3Iodern music will in
future be sung in the Cathedral of that
city.
—The cranberry crop of Ocean coun
ty, N. J., is said to be rumed, owing to
worms, drought, scald and grasshop
pers. Eagleswoixl township, producing
annually 20,000 bushels, will not yield
3300 bushels.
—31rs. Guinness recently gave a bail
in London at a cost of $20,000. 3Ian-
tel pieces of stephanotis, banks of gar
denia, and blocks of ice into which
flowers were frozen were among the
decorations.
—Professor Louth, of 3Iunich, Bava
ria. has published a book to prove that
a hieroglyphieal inscription on a mon
ument discovered in Lower Egypt by
3Iaritete-Bey shows that the monument
was erected by Moses.
—On a recent Sunday evening, 1,200
persons in St. John’s Roman Catholic
Church in Rochester, Minn., stood up
and repeated, after Father Turner, a
solemn pledge of abstinence from all
intoxicating drinks for one year.
—The Rev. Ekwin Post, 31. A., mem
ber of the New Jersey Conference, and
formerly Professor and Vice President
of Pennington Seminary, has been e-
lected Professor of the Latin Language
and Literature in Asbury University,
Indiana.
—The capital invested in British rail
ways in 1878 was $3,500,000,000; the
number of miles open, 17,333; the cap
ital per mile, 201,505; the proportion of
working expenses to gross receipts was
53 per cent; and the proportion of net
revenue to capital, 4.25 per cent.
—Excursions to Charleston at large
ly reduced rates are being organized
by the South Carolina Railroads, in
order to induce country storekeepers
to buy their fall and winter stocks in
that city, instead of geing north or buy
ing by sample from commercial travel
lers.
—According to the report of Fish
Warden Orr, just issued, there were
100,400 shad caught in the different
fisheries of the Jersey shore of the
Dele ware during the past season. Of
this amount 35,0(0 were caught at the
Gloucester fisheries and Pea Shore,
seventy-two gill nets were employed.
—R. S. Slaymaker, of Kittanning,
Pa„ possesses an ancient piece of fur
niture. It is a chair which belonged to
his great grandfather, General Persifer
Frazer, of the revolutionary armv. It
is one of six chairs which were pur
chased when his great grandfather was
married, and is estimated to be about
110 years old.
—The owners of the Great Eastern
have at last determined to convert the
great ship into a meat-carrying trader
between London and Texas. The re
quisite alterations, which includes new
boilers, will involve an outlay of $50,-
000; but as the vessel can carry 2000
head of cattle or 36,000 sheep, it is be
lieved that the speculation should prove
remunerative. s