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THE GOURANT-AMERICAN.
VOL. X.
ABOUT SNAKES.
>otes Regarding the Few Species
F9und Hereabouts.
V Local Writer Gives Dec iptious, aiul
Ment ions Cna. ucterlsties of Poison
ous lteptiles.
Ed : to.s Couraut-A nevlcau:
Perhaps few words during the
saving and summer months are
ofteuer pronounced than the word
“snake,” and yet how meagre is the
accurate information as to these
frequently harmless creations
While there are a few venomous
species to be avoided the practice
of intimidating children and ren
dering them unnaturally nervous
and cowardly in the contemplation
even of “snakes” seems unwise and
jhjudged.
Some snakes are exceedingly use
ful. The reptile known in the
woods as king snake, recognized
from his shining coat and by his
bright, white and black squares re
minding one of a polished checker
board, is really a pretty sight, and
the writer is not the only eye-wit
ness to the fact that this species
will deftly and fearlessly wind him
self around the neck of the veno
mous kinds and strangle them to
death by straightening the tough
sinew in his back. I have witness
ed such an encounter with a mocca
sin fully three times as large as the
king snake. The king snake there
fore should be protected rather
.ban harmed and are not poisonous.
Of the really poisonous kinds
found in this region of Georgia 1
know of hut eleven species, which
for convenience sake will be named
in familiar speech without hard
terms. Class first are such as usu
ally show fight; if they happen to
be ill they very rarely run from
man or beast, it is not safe to treda
near them except to strike a quick
death blow, to-wit: The rattle
snake, black adder, spotted adder,
rattlesnake pilot, ground rattle
snake, highland moccasin, cotton
mouthed moccasin, (seven). In
class second all other venomous
kinds are embraced as far as I
know them, but they are such as
almost always retreat from men or
quadrupeds, unless suddenly cor
nered or possibly trodden on, i. e.
The horn-tailed snake, (which is
very rare) a long, very slender
green snake (also rare) sometimes
seen in small trees or briar patches,
and a short, blunt-shaped, brown,
ugly lookiug adder, (also rare).
Some include the jointer snake, but
the writer knows of no well authen
ticated case of a serious disaster
from this species; they always
scamper off, (four.)
Occasionally in very dense tim
ber, a watchful huntsman in sultry
midsummer weather may see in
the decaying hollows or knots of a
withering tree the ugly eyes of a
large red lizard, very rarely seen,
which has been known to jump
, from his perch upon the man below.
It’s bite, if it enters the naked flesh,
is said to be almost certain death.
I have seen this fellow, but never
his bite.
Every woodsman, nearly, is
familiar with the odd performance
and appearance of the “stinging
scorpion,” occasionally seen about
old decaying houses, underneath
dead wood or rocks mixed with
trash. They are 2 to 2f inches
in length, dingy brown in color,
walk slowly on their ugly little
legs, and when disturbed rear the
anterion extremity high over their
head; their poisonous sting is con
tained therein. At tunes the boys
find one of these virulent little
monsters in lieu of fish bait. It is
hoped they always kill them.
Certain species of venomous
spiders, ants and another lizard or
two, pretty well winds up the list
of dangerous things that creep or
crawl through our woods. We
have really less of all kinds than
the people of any other region I
have ever traveled over, which lies
as near the tropics as this.
Providence seems to have ar
ranged, that of the list of poison
serpents, etc., allotted to our terri
tory, those which are most deadly
and spiteful are also most seldom
confronted, so that all left us to do
is to look out for them when we
invade their favorite haunts.
In case your readers or pickniek
ers, who delight in traversing
natures sweet solitudes, or in rusti
cating undisturbed amongst elfish
retreats and fantastic cascades wish
additional entertainment as to the
strange but funny ways of the rep
tilian genus, I will in another con
tribution, from an experimental
CAUTEUSVILLE. GEORGIA, THURSDAY, -JUNE 11. 1891.
standpoint or well authenticated
evidence, attempt to classify the
snakes not venomous, and will re
late some of their odd freaks, be
sides showing how to discern these
from other sorts. M. E. C.
City Court.
The following is a list of cases dis
posed of at the June term of the
city court up to noon Wednesday
the iOth inst.
Jno. W. Akin vs. E. 11. Wood
ward; judgment for plaintiff.
Juo. W. Akin vs. P. Cason, prin
cipal and C. F. Price endorser;
judgment for plaintiff.
W. A. Johnson vs. C. F. Price;
judgment for plaintiff.
It. S. Clark &'Co., vs. E. F. Bibb;
judgment for plaintiff.
W. 11. Howard vs. J. A. Baker
principal and Thos. 11. Baker, secu
rity; judgment for plaintiff.
Citico Furnace Company vs. Em
erson Malleable Iron company;
judgment for plaintiff.
James li. Heitt vs. John Gentry,
action for power to recover proper
ty; verdict in favor plaintiff for
property in dispute.
State vs. Butler Davis, riot; plea
guilty; judgment of court $25.00 fine
or 3 months in chain gang.
State vs. W. E. Puckett, charge
carrying pistol; verdict of not
guilty.
State vs. G. W. Suddeth, charge
misdemeanor; verdict not guilty.
State vs. James Miller, adultery;
verdict guilty. This case has a his
tory, it was tried by the city court
several terms since and a verdict of
guilty found. Anew trial was
granted by Judge Neel and upon
second trial a verdict of guilty
found. An appeal was taken to the
supreme court where the verdict in
the lower court was reversed. A
third trial ensued in the city court
and again a verdict of guilty render
ed. A second appeal was made to
the supreme court and a second re
versal had. The fifth trial was held
on Wednesday and a verdict of
guilty rendered.
Styles in Weddings.
The sterotyped wedding ceremo
nies are being varied pleasntly now
with unique innovations displaying
much originality of thought among
the fair brides of the seasons. At
one wedding the ten bridesmaids,
ail in pale rose color, emerged in
single file from either side of the
chancel joined hands in the central
aisle, and advanced in a procession
to meet the bride as she entered
the church. Then, preceding her
to the chancel, they divided again
and ranged themselves on either
side the bridal pair, executing the
pretty maneuvers promptly and
gracefully. At important Roman
Catholic weddings the bridal pro
cession is met by a number of aco
lytes in scarlet robes and lace tu
nics, who carrlighted tapers in long
gold candle sticks and chant the
nuptial hymn as they march to the
altar.
Mayor’s Court.
Rather an unusual excitement oc
curred in our city on Tuesday by the
enforced appearance before the
mayor’s court of quite a number of
our town boys, ranging from the
recently released apron-string chap
up to the young fellow who still
feels like a boy.
The offence charged was the pelt
ing of the deaf mute (would he)
showman with eggs of various de
grees of odor. There was no diffi
culty in proving the charge as many
of the boys squarely acknowledged
what they had done.
The larger boys had not intended
to nor did they throw any of the
eggs into the hotel, which was quite
a grave offence, but once started the
little boys lost their heads and did
all sorts of wrong things.
They were fined by his honor in
various sums, ranging from SI.OO to
$2.50, which was all that was neces
sary to bring the matter before the
respective parents where it will he
properly corrected. The hoys are
all sorry for what they did and con
vinced that they might have selec
ted a less inoffensive character to
vent their ideas of fraud upon, and
that is about the most important
lesson needed.
Base Ball.
The Acworth club came up Mon
day to cross hats with the Etowah
hoys. The game was called shortly
before two o’clock and was pro
gressing nicely until the falling of
considerable rain put a stop to it
during the fifth inning.
The Etowahs will go to Acworth
Monday next when the two clubs
will try it again.
GLOWING WITH MERIT'
Were the (losing livercl cs of
West Eml Institute.
The Attendance W t ness IntereslMig Kx
uuiwmtions—M rs. Lejrg; Furnishes a
Capital Kntertaiiunent.
As mentioned last week the com
mencement exerc'ses of this insti
tute began with a sermon in the
Methodist church by Rev. John B.
Robins. It was ‘ most appropriate,
and delivered to a large and appre
ciative audience. All of Mrs. Har
ris’ pupils, about eighty in number,
were in attendance and occupied
the center of the church.
The mornings of the week were
devoted to examinations and the
evenings to exhibitions by classes
to the patrons and other guests.
Wednesday was appropriated by
tile freshman and sophomore
classes, and Thursday by the
juniors.
Where there was so much well
done it is very difficult to discrimi
nate. In tact, one left the hall on
both evenings with rather an in
definite Idea of which scholar had
done the best, and still like the
donkey between two bundles of
hay, lie would be uncertain which
to choose. But we cannot refrain
from calling attention to the grace
ful piano fingering of Miss Geneva
Attaway, and the feeling and
pathos with which Miss Dollie Car
ter recited “Jane Conquest’s IVay
er.V
As explained by Mrs. Harris
in her notes of invitation the size
of her school rooms does not permit
of a general invitation to the exer
cises, but it is to be regretted, for
they are not only well worth at
tending biff such as all cultivated
people would enjoy. The whole
system ot West End institute can
not be too highly commended. It
fills, and most thoroughly so, a need
in a manner which; Bartow county
should be proud oh The steady
and sure advance of esch class in
each department of liter dure, mu
sic and deportment is web defined
and convincing. The bevy of girls
composing the junior class of West
End institute will compare mo.ff
favorably with that of any institute
in the state. The modest and cul
tivated demeanor of the entire class
is unexceptionable and evidenced
most careful and trained manage
ment. There must he some pecul
iar and extraordinary need for any
Bartow county girl to leave the
county to reach a good wholesome
education.
FRIDAY BVESINtt’S ENTERTAIN
MENT.
On Friday evening, Mrs. Legg,
assisted by the elocution and music
classes ot West End institute, gave
the public a delightful entertain
ment at the opera house. The
audience was not as large as it
would have been had the weather
not been so unpropitious, a heavy
shower coming up just as the audi
ence was about to gather.
Those who attended, however,
were entertained in a manner which
will recall them to the next event of
the kind.
Each class of West End institute
was well represented in music, elo
cution, and the effect of calisthenic
training.
One of the tableaux, “Parsee nun
Worshippers” was capitally pre
sented by six of the junior class
girls donned in oriental costumes.
The other was “Homage to Po
etry,” and was the attractive group
ing of sixteen pupils ranging from
the juveniles up to the juniors.
Sam Willard in his recitation of
the “Strike at Hinman” convinced
his hearers that if whipping could
bring a boy up to that degree of
excellence in elocution that it ought
not to be abolished in schools.
Miss Florence Milner in “Aris
tarchus,” whilst eliciting many
pleasing emotions by her powers of*
elocution, rather impressed the
girls* in her audience with the hor
ror of a husband who wanted to be
an orator.
Mrs. Legg’s own recitations left
no doubt of her ability to teach elo
cution, posture and gesture. Her
classes will be continued during
vacation, and she will always be
found at the Methodist parsonage.
The fall session of Mrs. Harris’
school will begin on the first Mon
day in August.
Three >f the Chinese pirate chiefs
who led the attack on tiie steamer
Naomi have been caught and will
be executed. Nine of the pirates
have . already suffered the death
penalty.
iTNDIPi .kHTINhh
Sayings as we encounter them in
reading, u;al who first said them, is
a study that is sometimes both use
ful and agreeable, and it lias occur
red to me that a kind of miniature
cyclopedia of expressions from peo
ple one is every day thrown with
would prove a curious and peculiar- j
ly entertaining collection.
* * *
Just think, if one could corral all
the good things that are heard
emanating from such a store-house
of active and unique thought as the
mind of Uncle Simon Peter Rich
ardson. He never is in a crowd of
friends that he not entertain
them by his odd but forcible re
marks. Speaking the other day of
Dr. Hawthorne’s utterances on the
subject of woman-preaching, he
said he couldn't see how such a
thing could be objected to. Every
thing was allowed a freedom on
this line, and bible history gives us
a case where it extended to the
humblest extreme of creation, and
that was where the ass preached to
Balaam.
* * *
Two drummers the other day
were discussing the fact of the gov
ernment making national decora
tion day a legal holiday. One was
from the north ami the other from
the south, and of course one sanc
tioned the observance and the other
didn’t. The southern man finally
getting a little jostled in spirit bv
the strong words of the northern
man, said: “Well, sir, I don’t mind
our folks, with yours, being requir
ed to close up their post offices,
banks and other public places to go
out and decorate the graves of the
yankees, but T do object, emphati
cally, sir, to us being expected,,
even, at the same time, to strew
flowers over the bodies of the
d—<l foreigners who were brought
over here to fight us.” There was
an earnestness and directness in
this which took the northern man
aback and brought a sudden termi
nation to the controversy.
“Where ignorance is—(you can do
the rest). I know of a recent in
stance where a man of rankest pre
sumption hut indifferent intellect
ual capabilities was in company
with a young lady whose unlimited
opportunities for culture were well
improved. Tiring of his uninterest
ing gabble, she finally remarked,
“Oh, you are so crude.” The fellow
actually cherished her words as a
most appreciable compliment until
he afterwards learned from a friend
what the word “crude” meant.
Another young man who consider
ed himself deft at performing on
the violin was told by a young *y
that he was “a considerable som
nambulist” and he manifested the
supremacy of his Ignorance by say
ing, “Yes, madam, I have had much
practice and have been told that 1
play right welL”
* * *
These sayings are hardly more in
teresting than some others—strik
ingly awkward ones—among which
in my mind is that of a tinker in a
neighboring town who couldn’t stop
to talk with a man about a certain
a matter as he “had to go
down to the church to fix the
chandelean,” that of the small mer
chant who called at the printing
office for “a parcel of wayward
notes,” and also that of the fellow
from the remote backwoods who
wanted at the post office “some of
them yaller developments that you
do up letters in.”
* * *
How cute, though, are many of
the sayings of the little folks. The
boy we have read of who being told
to go to sleep retorted that lie “did
shut his eyes, hut they come unbut
toned again” has plenty of little un
conscious imitators in every com
munity. A Cartersville “tot” a few
days ago was told by his mother to
return to the bowl and wash his
face again, the ominous streaks of
soil showing how unsuccessful had
been the first effort. With an air
of injured innocence he exclaimed:
‘And, mamma, des suppose I soukl
wash all the skin off my face.”
Another being told the story of
Cain killing Abel, asked “why ‘Big
Jim’ didn’t arrest him.” Another,
on seeing a cripple with a peg leg,
wanted to know what “that man
doing wid a stick in his foot.” And
still another one of our. embryo
wiseacres, seeing his pa dickering
with a boy over a basket of huckle
berries, asked of the boy quite
curtly: “Say, who raised them there
berries anyhow?” His pa thinks
POPff VfiIGHM
Have Just Received a New Line of
WHITE GOODS, GHALLIES.
Kiber Cloth, Parasols, Umbrellas, Prints, &c.
The above lines were bought under value—we place
them on sale at prices lower than ever.
OUR ENTIRE STOCK OE
DRESS GOODS^
NOW BEING SOLD AT COST.
We are determined to close out every dollar’s
worth of gents,’ boys’ and children’s
CLOTHING,
Now is your chance to buy a Suit at Half Price!
Our sales in Clothing have been large. We can af
ford to sell the remainder At Cost.
STRHW HATS
for Gents, Boys and Children at Half Price.
*
Great reductions in ladies’ and childrens low cut
Shoes to close out. Prices in every department lower
than any competition can offer.
PORTER & VAUGHAN.
of taking him a trip out into the
huckleberry wilds.
* * *
The negro beats all, though, in
his quaint remarks, and a string of
expressions wholly foreign to their
intended meaning that would fur
nish smiles for the Union could he
easily gotten together, but none
have I heard of that more amused
me than that from an old man who
affected a learning that caused him
to scatter words like shot from a
gun*. Coming up with a dis
tinguished white friend, lifting his
hat and giving a most crushing
“curtsy” he ejaculated, “Mars boss,
I would like to embrace a short
conversation to yo’ prejunctry oner
stan’in,’ an’ in makin’ de fus’ col
lusinary resert to de fac’s I wan’s
ter know when de white fofks
gwine to hab de big court agin.”
The gentleman succumbed and
readily tendered the desired infor
mation. Incog.
The Shelman.
Being well apprized of the merits
of the present management, the
Courant-American would feel it
was overlooking inexcusably a note
worthy matter if it failed to refer
to the past success and the splen
did outlook for Cartersville’s popu
lar hostelry, the Shelman hotel.
Where the house under former
names and managements whs the
subject of unwholesome criticism
which did our town no little injury,
it now has its pr aises sung and the
traveler who stops there once
comes again and induces his friends
lo come.
“Mine hoste” Shelman is a host
indeed, looking after office and out
side details with an active turn and
thoughtful eye, while his good wife,
Mrs. Shelman, personally superfn
le.ids the housekeeping work, the
kitchen and admirable garden
which has been a beneficial adjunct
in supplying fresh vegetables for
the table. Everything about the
hotel and grounds is as clean as it
is possible for it to be, and guests
breathe none but the purest atmos
phere.
Every one who observes and
thinks knows what a benefit a
properly kept hotel is to a city, and
recognizing this, all will readily
vote the day a fortunate one that
the Shelrnans took the old St.
James,
An Ex-Miss of Cartcrsville.
Mi.s.s Birdie Lam more, through a
short train of unexpected circum
stances, has been the cause of a little
stir in the public mind in Atlanta.
The young lady is only fifteen andi
her studios at school have shown iu
phenomenal progress that her own
people thought entitled hertogriwf
uation papers along with those in
similar studi(*s but who were older.
The teacher awarded her only a
second honor at which there was a
show of spirit over the disappoint
ment both by herself and her
people.
The committee from the board
who investigated the matter while
sustaining the teacher decided to
give her her papers, and when her
name was called among the others,
in the award of diplomas at the
opera house, the audience, acquaint
ed with all the facts in the matter,
gave her a perfect ovation, the ap
plause, according to the Constitu
tion, fairly shaking the budding.
The Laramore family resided
here for some years, and have rel
atives and numerous friends heie
now who congratulate them on the
happy termination of the matter.
Public Week.
Next week will he public week In
the public schools. The friends and
patrons of the school and public
generally arc invited to visit them
and see how they arc conducted.
There will be no exhibition but
simply regular every day work
open to the public. There will be
exercises in each room in the qity
schools and all rooms will be open
for visitors.
The exercises of the graduating:
class will take place at 9:30 a. m. x
June 19th, at the tabernacle. Every
body is invited and expected.
Impromptu Dance.
The Cartersviile
joyfully accepted the tender of the
spacious rooms of Mrs. Chas. H.
Smith on Tuesday for a dance on
that evening. From the short notice
it was a small gathering, but the
evening was delightfully spent.
There were sufficient number of
young ladies present-to form two
sets, and there was a plenteous sup
ply of beaus iu attendance.
FLYTRAPS! PLY TRAPS!!
Neat and effective glass traps for Hie*,
for sale at Baker AHalls.
NO. 51.