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O^i/% O c onLUi ^uccTKirrc tfu io*
I
Just at night fair a rough-looking
man was walking past ‘Chestnut
Woods,’ when he fancied he saw some
one gliding stealthily through the
underbrush, as though seeking to
avoid observation. He stopped and
looted more closely, but there was not
so much as the rustle of a leaf to
betray the presence of another. He
turned into a narrow foot path ; and
at that moment a boy sprung up from
behind a clump of bushes.
•Is that you, Cray?’ he exclaimed.
‘What on earth are you here for at
this time of day, and what have you
got in your bag?*
‘I have been gathering chestnuts.’
‘But I thought chestnuts were all
gone?’ •
‘They be. They were most gone
when I began to pick; but Airs.
Oliver said I might have what was
left, and so I have been in the woods
pvery day this week, and I have got
every one there was.’
‘All right; but what made you
skulk so?’
‘Because—because —I was afraid
somebody would see me and tell
lather. If they should, he’d sell them
for rum. You won’t tell, will you,
Mr. Weston?’ -
‘Not a word, Cray. You need not
be afraid of me getting you into
trouble. What have you done with
your chestnuts?’
‘Mother’s hid them somewhere, anc
when Mr. Walters comes along she’s
going to buy me some shoes/
So that’s it. Jbeil, you need the
shoes, and if you don’t have quite
enough, tell Walters I’ll make it up.
lie’ll trust me if I do get drunk once
in a while/
Oh, Mr. Ifeaton V I wish you
didn’t. You d be so good if you
didn’t; and perhaps father would be
good if he didn't drink rum.’
‘He ought to be with such a boy as
you be. If my Jimmie and his moth¬
er had lived, 1 should be different
from what I am now.’ And as lie
said this Mr. Weston brushed the
tears from nis eyes. You won’t
meet your father to night. He’s got
some money to spend before he’ll
come home; so hurry along tc your
mother and good luck to both of you/
The speaker was one qf those men
who are usually describe^ as good-
hearted, kind, and generous. He had
a true ’l ankee genius for the Yankee
trade of tinkering and wherever he
in ght go w.<8 reasonably sure of be n .
welcomed as the very person whose
presence was most desired. He might
have been rich, and yet he was poor,
living in a bit of a house on the
farther edge of the wood.
A week passed when he saw Cray
Thornton’s father enter the misera¬
ble groggery, which by compliment
was called the grocery store. He
quickened his steps, and rushed in
just in time to see the bag of chest¬
nuts carried by Mr. Thornton poured
in a half-bushel measure.
‘Hold on there!’ he exclaimed;
‘them chestnuts are stolen property,
akd I can prove it. I’ve done some
mean things in the way of drinking,
but I never got so bad as to steal
chestnuts from a boy! Thornton
Stole them from Cray. I know he
did. And if there ain’t enough here
to see fair play, it's a pity. Cray
han't got a pair of shoes to his feet
and he picked them up one by one
after everybody else got through.
Thornton, you are a brute if you sell
them for liquor. I never abused my
boy, and if he had lived he shouldn’t
have gone bare footed such weather
as this. If you’ve got human feel¬
ings, you will stop drinking and take
care of your family.
‘You’re a fine fellow tq preach, I'll
quit drinking whenever you do/
‘Take your oath on that?’
•Yes/
‘Then here goes—111 never touch
another drop of liquor while I live.
So help me God.
\\ ith his right hand uplifted, Mr.
Western regarded his companion with
a fixed look, until the latter, as if
moved by a sudden impulse, raised
his own hand and repeated the very
words I have transcribed —‘^p help
me God.
Til take back Cray’s chestnuts,'
said the father.
Mr. Thornton left the store, fol-
lowed by his friend. They were
both silent. It was no time for
talking ; but from that dav dav there there was was
plcr.tr in two hmnep v here had been
TOCCOA NEWS
By Edw SCHAEFER- r
VOL, II.
poverty, and happiness where bad
been fear and wretchedness.
Cray Thornton’s chestnuts were the
ransom of two souls from the thral-
dom of a drunkard’s appetite.
A KIND WORD.
‘A Krss from my Mother madkAie a
Painter.’
1 Said the veteran artist, Benjamin
West, after he had won fame and
hung his pictures in royal academies.
When she looked at his first boyish
sketch she praised it; if she had been
a silly or sulky parent, she might
have said: ‘Foolish child, don’t
waste your time on such daubs,’ and
so have quenched the first spark of
his ambition. Commendation is a
prodigious power in training children.
One sentence of honest praise be¬
stowed at the right time is worth a
whole volley of scolding. Everybody
likes to be praised. When the tough
of the struggle comes, a hearty word
puts new mettle into the blood, and
carries us over the crisis. Hll my
readers may recall the incident of the
gallant fireman who ascended the
ladder to rescue the child, who was
in the upper window of the burning
building. When the flames burst into
his face he faltered. ‘Give him a
cheer !’ shouted a sagacious person in
the crowd. A tremendous huzza
arose from the whole multitude, and
through the flame and smoke he went
on until the child was reached and
rescued. There is many a boy who
Las been stunned or soured or spoiled
by harsh di .couragenients. There is
many a grown man, also, to whom a
hearty, ‘well done’ would have carried
him through the piooh and saved him
from failure. The sun understands
how to raise plants and open flowers
at this season of the year; he just
smiles on them and kisses them with
his warm rays, and they begin to
grow and unfold. That master
human nature, Napoleon, knew the
value of an approving word, a promo¬
tion, or a medal of honor. One ot
his dying veterans on the battlefield,
as lie received the grand cross of the
‘Legion of Honor from the Emperor’s
own hands, said, ‘Now I die satisfied/
— Rev. Theodore L. Culyer.
THE RAILROAD WAR.
The Richmond And Danville Rail¬
road Out of the Pool—Wiiat
Does it Mean?
Atlanta Constitution.
About a month ago the Richmond
and Danville railroad company gave
notice cf an intention to withdraw
from the Southern railway and steam-
ship association, and as the time has
about expired it may now be said
that the Richmond and Danville is
out of the pool. The cause of this
has not been made public but it is
presumed that the road considers
itself able to ‘tote its own skillet’ and
has made up its mind tq do se. Tne
road has instructed its agents to
maintain the rates of the pool, and it
is said that an understanding has
bcen had with Mr. Powers to the
effect that rates will not be cut. At
the same time there is considerable
apprehension that a railroad war is
imminent. The pool men in this
country do not hanker after railroad
wars and consequent ruinous rates,
and would dislike to see this import-
ant line begin a war on the pool. It
is even hinted that rates are already
being cut in some quarters in the
shape of rebates, but there is no
positive information on this subject.
The belief is that the railroads are
standing on a mine which at any
j time is likely to gooff, and when it
does the lightning is going to strike
somewhere. It is believed that the
Richmond and Danville has been
preparing for this independent sclied-
I i ule ule for lor a a long long time time and ana • ■ it it is is ■ no no new new
' idea with the, management, of the
Devoted to News, Politics. Agriculture aud General progiess.
TOCCOA, GA., JUNE 24, 1882.
road. If the road cuts, the general
belief is that it will be on western
produce. The Richmond and Dan
ville has an ally in the Chesapeake
and Ohio road from Louisville down
to Richmond. It may be that the
managers of the long haul on west¬
ern'produce propose to cut rates
against the short haul. It cannot be
guessed what the real scheme is. It
is certainly to be desired that what¬
ever is done the building of the
Georgia Pacific will not be hindered,
The rate committee of the pool will
meet in New York on the 22d, and it
may be that the whole thing will be
straightened up in a satisfactory
manner Any day may s’art the
ball rolling, or it even may not roll
at all.
THE NEW SILK INDUSTRY.
The greatest incentive to engage
in sil k culture is the knowledge that
there is a home market for $15,000,-
000 worth of floss, which American
manufacturers are obliged to import
from foreign lands The other con-
sideration is, that silk culture furn¬
ishes women aild children in the
rural districts, with a congenial
occupation that docs not require
constant attention, and so will not
interfere with household duties.
In view of these facts the YV omen s
Silk Culture Association of Fhiladel-
phia was organized two years ago,
for the purpose of calling the atten¬
tion of the women of the country to
the opportunity given them to estab¬
lish a new industry, both suitable
and profitable : and also to give the
necessary instructions to all desiring
to engage in silk culture.
The success of this pioneer associa¬
tion is remarkable; there has been
aroused a wide spread interest in the
cultivation of cocoons, that must go
on increasing until the aim ol the
association is fulfilled.
This fact was most forcibly pre¬
sented at the last exhibition of the
association, at which the display
cocoons was very fine and interesting.
The chief feature of the exhibition
was the display of specimen cocoons
by the twenty-six contestants for the
Strawbridge & Clothier premiums.
The first one of which, by the way,
was carried off by Mrs. Rebecca
Taylor, (mother of the late Bayard
Taylor] who is over 82 years of age,
and a sufferer from
The association announces that
through the liberality of Messrs.
Strawbridge <$• Clothier the well
known dry goods merchants of
Philadelphia, it is again enabled to
offer to the silk-eulturists the sum of
five hundred dollars in ten premiums,
as follows: first premium, $100;
second premium, $75 ; third premium.
$65; fourth premium, $6 : .); fifth pre¬
mium, $50; sixth premium, $45;
seventh premium, $40 ; eighth pre¬
mium, $30; ninth premium, $25;
tenth premium, $10. For these pre¬
miums any resident of the United
States may cosiest-. From the ten
largest amounts of cocoons, one
pound will be taken, without selee-
tion, and the test of reeling applied;
the quantity and quality will be the
conditions fqr premium. Application
for competition must be endorsed
and the amount of this year's cocoons
raised by the culturist, testified to
by some responsible ^person. Stock
must be sent not later than December
1,1882.
Anyone with sufficient land to
grow a few mulberry trees can add
the rearing of silk worms to the daily
care and find it a source of pleasure
and profit. The work Occupies but a
small portion of the vear, and a child
C an attend to the daily gathering
leaves and feed the worms. If a
supply of mulberry leaves cannot be
had, an osage orange hedge will
answer every purpose. The osage
i orange orange leaf leai is is admirable aamirauie food ioou for ior the me
silk worms, from which they
splendid silk.
A very interesting event of nation-
al interest, connected with this
subject of silk culture, has just
curred in Philadelphia. The Wo-
men’s Silk Culture Association se-
lected silk from twenty six families
living in fourteen states ; had it spun
on a ‘Ytmkee’ reel, made it into a
web of twenty-eight thousand threads
of silk, knd woven as a brocade on a
Jacquard loom, requiring three
thousand six hundred needles to
form the original and striking de¬
sign. This is the first brocade ever
woven in America of American silk ;
and probably the heaviest in texture
ot any brocade ever woven. It is
known as the Garfield dress, as it is
the intention of the association to
present this magnificent fabric to
Mrs. James A. Garfield.
PINING ROOM.
Etiquette at the Table of State
During a Bn Dinner.
In this Democratic age few people
are aware of the grandeur to be seen
in the home of the chief ruler of the
nation. The state dining room is the
room in which the President enter¬
tains at table the distinguished
guests. No matter whom it may be
he is entertaining, the President is
always served first. lie sits at the
centre of one side of the long table,
his wife, if he be married, directly
opposite him. It sometimes happens
that the Secretary of State will be
seated in the chair usually assigned
to the President’s wife. After the
President has been serve 1, Wl ,: te
House etiquette requires that the
lady sitting next the President on
the right, and then the lady on his
left, be served before any others.
Then the President s wife is waited
upon, afterward the gentlemen
immediately on her right and left in
the order named. Then t <e other
guests follow. IP he never the table
is set for a dinner the la~ge brass
plateau which extends for 13 feet
along the table, which was imported
from France during the Administra¬
tion of President Monroe, is filled
with fruits, flpwers and French
candies. In the centre, directly in
front of the President, is placed a
full rigged Acral ship, which was sent,
to President Garfield at the time
the last inauguration by a Boston
florist. The flowers are renewed
from the White House conservatory.
When the chandeliers and candelabra
are lighted, and other effects pro¬
duced to heighten the scene, the
spectator is apt to think of the regal
festivities of some other land than
free America.
MARRIED BLISS.
‘You ought to get married, Bill,*
said Spuddles to a young friend of
his as the two were leaning over the
front gate of the Spuddles cottage,
talking about old times/
‘Don't know,’ said the doubting
William, ‘it strikes me that a single
life beats your married bliss out of
sight*’
‘There’s just where you are off, old
boy,' said Spuddles, ‘You know I
used to be one of the gayest of our
gang, but now. since I’ve tried mar-
ried life a year. J'm twice as happy’,
I have a cozy home, a nice little wife,
and one of the sweetest of children,
and when my day's work is done I
come home and all is peace and
harmony. No Bill, the old life has
no charms for me now/
Just then the door opened and
Mrs. Spuddles’ head protruded.
‘Mr. Spuddles, run right up town
and get another bottle of that cough
syrup for the baby—he’s just cough-
ing up his very toe-nails—and come
past the store and bring down a ham
of meat, and some butter, and eggs,
and coffee -we’re clear out—and
some lard, and another sack of
i TERMS—$1 50 A TEAR.
NO.
and don’t forget the can of peaches
you promised me a week ago. We
must have some potatoes, too, and if
you see any vegetables get some.
Heavens alive ! do you think I can be
penned up here day after day with
a squalling brat, and nothing to cat
in the house? And don’t forget those
new towels sometime this week, and
be sure to wait till I’m entirely
barefooted before you get those new
shoes—you know I can‘t go after
them while Johnny’s get this cough—
and ’ But Spuddles was flying
up the street at a gait that would
have charmed an admirer of fast
stock so we suppose he did not hear
his wife when she raised her voice to
the highest pitch and fairly screamed :
‘Come by old Tubbingers and see
if Sally can wash for me this week.’
The door closed with a slam, and
the happy wife muttered ;
‘It seems that that man won’t do
anything I want him to any more.
As soon as I begin to tell him what I
want he starts otf, and now III lay a
dollar he is not back for four hours.
Hanging around the saloons I reckon,
like the balance of the men.
WORSE TH~N THE PRODIGAL
In an alley off Hastings street, just
back of a tumbledown rookery, a
member of the sanitary police squad
found a man lying under a wagon
and inquired if he was ill. The man
pointed to the old h use, cautioned
the officer to speak low, and replied ;
‘I’m the husband of the woman you
see hanging out clothes over there.’
‘And why are you hiding here?’
‘I’ve been off on a spree for a
whole week/
‘Ah ! I see. It is the return of the
prodigal.’
‘Wuss than that, sir. The prodi¬
gal had no wife and he didn’t steal
the rent money to get drunk on. Oh,
I’ll catch it. sir, if you don’t inter¬
cede for' me.’
‘But what can I do?’
‘You slip around to the front of
the house and say that you have
news for her. Watch her face and
see how she takes it. Then tell her
it is about me. Watch and see if she
gets white around the mouth, Tell
her that you have news that I was
drowned at the ferry clock. Watch
her tears at this point. If I can get
her all broken down and overcome
111 bust in on her and get her for¬
giveness before ahe gets over wiping
her eyes and pulling her nose. Go
on, now, and 111 owe you a debt of
gratitude all my life. I think Mary
will melt under your soft words.’
The officer slipped around and told
the wife that her husband was hiding
in the alley, and then took a position
where he could see what followed.
He had hardly secured it when the
man came down the alley on a gal
lop, followed at a short distance by
the wife, armed with a hoe-handle.
There were no words spoken, but the
man simply threw up clouds of dust
with his heels as he put on the steam,
and as he passed the offiem he some-
what curtly observed ;
‘Ah! but you ain’t worth shucks
at the melting business’/ —
Free Press.
THE PLEASURE OF MEMORY.
Arkansas Gazette.
Uncle Ike was one day riding a
mule and had a little negro boy*
behind him. Tell you what, Ung
Ike, ’possum mighty good thing, said
the boy. ‘Yas, ’tie/ said Uncle Ike,
as the mule struck a brisk
‘Specially when you got lots ’o gravy
wid him/ Uncle Ike was silent,
seemed restless. ‘An’when you got
some roasted ’taters to sop in de
gravy,’ said the boy. Uncle Ike used
his switch with nervous energy, and
the mule increased his speed to a
gallop. ‘Yes, Ung Ike, when de
‘possum right brown an’ de gravy
drenin’ out an’-’ ‘You shet your
mouf. you little fool! You’ll make die
mule run off an f kul us boaf.
BE WAS WAITED FOR.
A Chicago mau who lives on the
top fiat, came wandering home and
found he had forgotten his night
key. Howling through the tube to
his flat he demanded in what he
assumed to be a disguised tone : ‘la
Mrs - Jone9 thcre? ’
‘Yes/ she replied.
•Is Mr. Jones there? 1 asked the
husband.
‘It isn’t time for him yet,’ replied
Mrs, Jones. ‘He doesn’t generally
come home till daylight.’
‘The devil he don’t!’ muttered
Jones. T say,’ he continued aloud
‘can’t I come up and wait for him?’
‘Not to night; some other night.
There’s some one here now who has
been waiting for him since dark 1’
‘Great Scott!’ muttered Jones,
glancing at his watch, ‘and it is now
4 o’clock. Look here \ l don’t care
anything about Jones I want to see
ihe man who is waiting !'
‘That’s just the way I feel about
it,’ replied Mrs. Jones, sweetly, *A 7 ow
go away like a good man, and don’t
disturb me !’
Then Jones began to hammer on
the door and howl, until one of the
neighbors came down and hauled him.
in by the collar.
‘Where’s that man?’ he demanded
of his wife. ‘Where’s that man who
was waiting for me?’
‘What man?’ asked Mrs. Jones, *
rubbing her eyes and looking up
innocently. ‘I said there was some
one waiting for you, and it’s me, and
if you think I am not enough, you
want to stand around there just a tew
minutes longer by the watch !’
Jones blessed God that it was not
so. and rent his garments fiom his
system, and landed himself into bed,
saying : ‘The wise man hath a
froward tongue, but Jones goes no
moro unto the walking match without
his night key.
m-*
REV. WHANGDOODLE BAXTER
INSULTED,
The Rev. Whangdoodle Baxter, an
Austin colored clergyman, wished to
hint to Uncle Nace, who is his near
neighbor, that a gift of a cord of fire¬
wood would be very gratefully
accepted. Uncle Nuce by the way
does not like Whangdoodle much.
Finally, says Whangdoodle, insinua¬
tingly, ‘Uncle Nace, I’se gwine ter be
powerful hard up for firewood dis
winter. Can’t yer give me a load?’
Uncle Nacc looked all around as if
he was afraid of being overheard, and
then he said—
‘Parson, is you werry pertickler
whar de wood ccmes from?’
Parson Whangdoodle supposed
this to mean that Uncle Naca was
going to give him some stolen wood,
so he replied:
‘Uncle Nace, as long as I gets de
wood, I don’t keer much where it
comes from/
‘Der» Parson yon don’t keer whose
wood you burns up/
•Hit's all de same ter me, Uncle
Nace/
‘Well, I am gwine,’ said Nace.
‘War is yc gwine?’
‘Ter lock up my wood shed.’—
Texas Siftings.
A YOUNG VIRGINIAN INSULT-
ED.
Lyncbburg News.
A goed‘story is told—and it has
advantage c.f being true—about
DeYoung J son of one of our citizens
who is attending one of the state
colleges. While on the cars recently
the young gentleman got up and
gave his scat to two gentlemen whom
he did not know, but who were looking
for a scat together. When the boy
moved out one of the gentlemen
praised him for his courtesyq and
said to him that one of these days he
might be <v b-.»ator use l *y a on ®-
The young gentleman raised himself
up in his seat and said half seriously
and half jocosely : ‘I hope you don’t
mean to insult me by comparing me
to Billy JJahone.’ The youth did
not undeistaud the laugh that rang
1 through the car as he said this, but
he learned afterward that the com-
panion of the gentleman who ad*
dressed him was none other than
Afahone himself. Ever since the
occurrence the friends of the young
Lynchburger, who thus bearded the
readjuster boss, call him general*