Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

LETTER from burke county. I have been promising so long to write you from this land of salamanders, gophers and alligators, that 1 fear you think my promises are made to be broken. Perhaps some of your little readers may wish to know what a salamander is. They are small animals living in the ground, like the mole, and are about the size ol a large rat. They throw up their small mounds of earth all over the woods, and are some times very destructive to seeds planted in the ground. The gopher is something like the terrapin. They too burrow in the ground and their holes arc sometimes twenty or thirty feet long. They are very strong: a moderate sized one is strong enough to carry a man on his back. They do not make good horses, if the rider is in much of a hurry. There were a great many in this country before the war. The yankees, however, almost destroyed the iast one of them during the war. There was a stockade of prisoners near here, and a few of them were out on parol, to assist in providing rations for the prisoners. These hunted up caught and ate every go pher in reach. This country is neither level nor hilly. The impression on looking over the country, at first sight, is that it is level. Instead of a range of hills or ridge, it is composed of sinks, hollowed out in the shape of a basin. Many of the sinks fill up with water, which does not dry up all summer. Most of these ponds of any size have been drained, and put into culti vation. I know of one ditch over thirty feet deep for the purpose of rendering one of these ponds fit for cultivation. The draining of these ponds have rendered this County, which was formerly regarded as a graveyard, as healthy as any section of the State. In some places, however, it is still quite sickly. The soil is sandy—in some places the clay is near the surface ; such lands produce cotton finely. The farmers here are paying much more attention than formerly to making their farms self-sus taining. Very little corn is brought into the County, and, until the war commenced in Turkey, you could buy as much as you wanted at sixty-five cents per bushel. It is a great County for chickens and eggs. I know one family, that sold last year about fifty dollars’ worth of eggs. It is also a fine country for cattle and sheep ; the wire grass when young affords fine grazing for sheep, and the cattle eat it all summer. It grows all over the woods Bor 10 inches high. It is a great country for fish, judging from the number I see going out on excur sions of this kind, and by the samples that have been sent me. I went out early in the season on a spring branch two or three times, and caught each time enough for breakfast. We caught then the “red-eye,” “war-mouth,” “log-perch” and “ rccl bellies.” These are all varieties of the perch family. Now, they catch bran, cat, red-horse and jack. Many of your readers will be surprised to learn that we have to purchase our worms in Augusta. There is a kind of ant here that destroys nearly all the worms, and besides, they do not grow well in this sandy land. Each man that pretends to fish at all, has a box in which he rears and takes care of his bait. At this season of the year, they use the “ Ca tawber ” —or rather “Catalpa —worm for bait: it looks very much like a cater pillar. Very little interest was taken in the Convention question. Until they began to draw the color line, a majority of the whites were opposed to the Convention ; but the drawing of that line on this ques tion, changed the votes of all who were opposed to it. It is very dry down here and crops are beginning to suffer. We have had two light showers lately that has improved matters wonderfully. The gardens are completely burnt up. Allow me to say “ The Sun ” makes its visits regularly every week, and always brings a cheering ray to the household. Long may it continue to shine. D. Hope. When the farmer’s ground is hard and cloddy, when his cotton is dying, when his corn is frightfully small, must he despond and quit the business ? He must not; but he must labor on, and hope. When the teacher tries, month after month, in the best way he can to advance a dull pupil, and does not see success, must he cease.' No; he must be doubly diligent and perse vering, and finally success will crown his efforts. When a man is overtaken in a fault, and the cold world seems to scowl haughtily at him, and every one he sees seems to be his enemy, must he give up to be nobody and to do nothing ? No ; he must hope, and labor, and study, and do every kindness to every one he can, and. after awhile, by so doing, his honest efforts will be, under a kind providence, crowned with the very best results. When the stu dent studies diligently and uses every fa cility for improving his mind, and he can see but little improvement, must he cease studying ? No ; he must study more, think more, try more, and hope a great deal more, and he will soon discover that his labor and hope have been of great ad vantage to him. When the merchant, 81.50 A YEAR. through inadvertency, credits many who will not, or can not pay him. must he de spond and cease merchandising? Indeed he must not; for we need merchants and cannot do without them. He must try to be more cautious, and let his misfortunes, instead of allaying his ardor, add tenfold to his energy, and at last success will be almost certain to coine to his rescue, and his hopes will be realized beyond all his expectations. C'raftsville. Ills Postal Card. Detroit Free I‘resa At ten o'clock yesterday forenoon a man wearing a doubtful look appeared at the stamp clerk’s window in the Post-office, and asked for a postal card and facilities for writing. lie was a long time getting ready to put his pen to the card, and he had only made a stroke or two when he called out: “ Ilow do you spell ‘ Jim?” “Why, J-i-m, ofcourse,” answered the clerk. “ Don’t look as if it was right,” said the man. as he held up the card and scruti nized the word. “ Sure you havn’t made any mistake?” “ That’s the way, of course.” growled a bystander. “ How else can you spell the name?” “ That's so—how could I?’’ smiled the man, as he looked again. “ I’ll put J-i-m against any other style of spelling every time. Now, his other name is—is . Well, knock me down if 1 haven't forgot ten ! Why, hang it, I have known him for ten years, and now I can’t think of his name ! Jim—Jim—Jim—J-i-m —yum 1” He looked around in a helpless way, and one of a small crowd finally said : “You can write the message aud think of the name afterward.” “So I can. 1 want to say to him that his wife is sick abed, his landlord is howl ing around for rent, and that] he’d better come home. How do you spell it?” “ I’ll write it,” answered the clerk. “ He couldn't read your shearography,” said the stranger. “Jim isn’t much on education, and I have to write just as poorly as I can or lie couldn't make out a word. Less see ! Do you want to start on with P. S., or what?” “1 should say: ‘You are wanted at home to once,’ if it was me,” suggested a car-driver who was after a stamp. “ Twouldn’t do,” sighed the man, shak ing his head, “I wouldn’t dare spring the thing on him suddenly, or he’d make for Canada. The place to tell him to come home is down here at the bottom.” “ Where is he ?” someone asked. “ Why, in in in why, blister my ears why !” “ I’ll bet you've forgotten the place !” shouted the car-driver. “J-i-m, Jim—J-i-m, Jim., and lie's in— in—J-i-m, Jim !” gasped the man as he looked around with an appeal in his eyes. The crowd mentioned twenty different places, but he shook his head at each one. “Ifyou can’t think of his name, and can’t remember his address, how are you going to send the card?” asked the clerk. “ That’s so—how am I?” sighed the man. “If you was me you wouldn’t send it, would you ?” “ T don’t think I would.” “ Then 1 won’t. If his wife can think of his name and the place where he is she’d better write it.” When lie walked away lie carried his hat in one hand and scratched his head with the other, and muttered : “ J-i-m with a great big ‘ J,’ and Blis ter my ears with a great big “ B.” and 1 ought to have written his name down on the door or somewhere. Less see ! J-i-m, and he’s l-n in—in,” and he disappeared up Congress street. Maternal Remembrance. Child's World. A lady was riding in her carriage among the mountains, when they came upon an old woman, with a funny little hood on her head, and a staff in her hand, walking on alone. She was neat and clean, and her skin was soft and delicate, but her back was bent, and she was barefoot. The lady saw she was shoeless, and stopped her carriage. Here is some money,” said the lady in a tender tone. “ What for?” said the woman, looking up pleasingly. “ To buy some shoes for your poor feet. Do you want a pair of shoes?” The woman laughed a little low laugh, which seemed to come from a heart tilled with simple happy thoughts. “ Don't you want a pair of shoes?” ask ed the lady a little hurt. “ I s'pose I do,” said the woman ; “ but I didn’t think of anybody's giving them to me.” “ Take this bill, please, and buy you a pair,” said the lady. u God bless and reward you !” answer ed the woman, heartily, The carriage drove on, and the lady sank back on her seat with tears in her eyes. “ 0,” said she, “ I thought I saw my own mother m that dear old lady. She has just such a sweet face and pleasant voice. You don’t know howl felt when I thought of my mother, old and feeble, walking with bare feet over the rough rocky road.” If we all saw fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in the poor, and the cold, and the hungrj r , what a world this would soon be. - Ladies ! If you want the gentlemen to admire you, take Dr. J. 11. McLean's Strengtheng Cordial and Blood Purifier. It will give you health, strength, vitality and pure rich blood. Dr. J. H. McLean's office, 314 Chesnut Street, St. Louis, Mo. HARTWELL, GA„ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20. 1877. The €’****. Blest they who seek. While iu "their youth, With spirL ‘meek, The way to truth. To them the sacred Scriptures now display Christ as the only true and living way ; His precious blood on Calvary was given. To make them heirs of endless joy in heaven. And e’en on earth the child of Cod can trace The glorious blessing of his Savior's grace. For them he boro His Father's frown; For them he wore The thorny crown ; Nailed to the cross, Endured his pain. That his life's loss Might be their gain. Then haste to choose That better part. Nor e'en dare refuse The Lord thy heart, Lest ho declare, “I know you not,” And deep despair Should be your lot. Now look to Jesus who on Calvary died And trust in him who there was crucified. Ciive ll 2 su n I,lft. Few Orleans It *nc Journal. Give him a lift! Don't kneel in prayer, Nor moralize with his despair; The man is down, and his great need Is ready help—not prayer and creed. ’Tis time when the wounds arc washed and healed, That the inward motives be revealed ; But now, whate’er the spirit be, Mere words are but a mockery. One grain of aid just now is more To lnm than tones of saintly lore; Pray, if you must, in your full heart; Hut give him a lift—give him a start! The world is full of good advice, Of prayer, and praise, and preaching nice ; But the generous souls who aid mankind, Are scarce as gold and hard to find. Give like a Christian—speak in deeds ; A noble life’s the best of creeds ; And he shall wear a golden crown Who gives ’em a lift when they are down. All Condense and transpose the following lines; each line to make a distinct and proper word : 1. Toll free gin. 2. Nice tape. 3. All can owe. 4. 0 try a lid. 5. A man less. 6. I distill a ton. 7. Ten charms. 8. I term sin. 9. It groans. 10. 1 can rest. Lee. Two weeks given to answer. Key to the anagrams will then be published. How 'file I,iuli!t l-'ish. There are generally about six of them in the bunch, with light dresses on, and they have three poles witli as many hooks and lines among them. As soon as they get to the river they look for a good place to get down on the rafts, and the most venture some one sticks her boot-heels in the bank and makes two careful steps down—then suddenly iinds herself at the bottom with both hands in the water, and feeling that everybody in this wide world is looking at her, and she never tells anybody how she got there. The other girls, profiting by her example, turn round and go down the bank on their hands and toes, backward. Then they scamper over the rafts until they find a shallow place where they can see the fish and shout, “ Oh, I see one !” “ Where ?” “ There.” “ Oh, my ! so he is.” “ Let’s catch him.” “Who’s got them baits?” “ You lazy thing; you're sitting on my pole !” All these exclamations are gotten off in tone that awakes every echo within a mile around, and sends every fish that hears it into “galloping hysterics.” Then the girls, by superhuman exertions, man age to get a worm on the hook, and throw it in with a splash like the launching of a wash-tub, and await the result. After a while a feeble-minded sunfish contrives to get fastened on the hook of a timid wo man, and she gives vent to her tongue— “ Oh, something’s got my hook?” “Pull up, you little idiot !” shout five excited voices, poles and hooks are dropped and they rush to the rescue. The girl with the bite gives a spasmodic jerk which sends the unfortunate “ sunny ” into the air the full length of the line, and he comes down on the nearest curly-head with a damp flop that sets her to clawing as though there were bumble-bees in her hair. “ Oh, murder ! take it away ! Ugh, the nasty thing!” Then they hold up their skirts and gather about that fish as it skips over the logs, one all the time holding the line in both hands with her foot on the pole, as though she had an evil-disposed goat at the other end. Then they talk over it : “ How will he ever get off?” “ Ain’t it pretty?” “Wonder if it ain't dry?” “Poor little thing; let's put it back?'’ “How will we get the hook from it?” “ Pick it up.” says a girl who backs rap idly out of the circle. “ Good gracious, I'm afraid of it ! There, it’s opening its mouth at me.” Just then the “sunny” wriggles off the hook and disappears be tween two logs in the water, and the girls try for another bite. Hut the sun comes down and fries the backs of their necks, and they get three headaches in the party, and they all get cross and scold at the fish like so many magpies. If an unwary chub dares to show himself in the water they poke at him with poles, much to his dis gust. Finally they get mad all over and throw their poles away, and eat enough of dried beef and rusk and hard-boiled o”;gs to give a wood-horse the nightmare ; after which they compare notes about their beaux till sundown, when they go home and plant envy iu the hearts of all their muslia-de-lnine friends by telling what “just a splendid time ” they had. Tlie Oriental Riikliicmn. A good citizen of Crogham street was reading the other day of a good Persian gentleman who always walked about with a smile on his face. W hen this Persian was asked why he always looked so happy when other men looked sad he replied : “ 1 smile because it may ho sunshine to some poor soul surrounded by shadows.” It was very nice in the Persian, and the Crogham street man said he’d be hanged if he couldn't outsinile the Persian or any body else walking around on two legs, lie at once began to smile at his wife. She stood it for a few minutes, and then ob served : “ What’s the matter, William—got the colic again ?” “ 1 smile because I want to carry sun shine to your darkened soul.” he replied. She wanted him to understand that fifteen minutes at the wood pile would help her more than all the grins he could grin in a straight week, and when ho went into the kitchen to smile some sunshine at the hired girl, the wife followed him and raised a row that put dinner three-quarters of an hour behindhand. However, one can’t get the hang of Oriental business in a day, and this man tried it again on the street ear as he came down town yesterday. < Ipposite him sat an old woman with a basket, and he undertook to smile the shadows from her heart. She watched him for two or three minutes, growing mad all the time, and presently she asked : “Do you think you know me, that you are grinning across the aisle, like a circus baboon ?” “ I smile, madam, because—because ” he stammered, forgetting what the Persian said. “ I smile because ” “You are grinning because I’ve got sore eyes !” she shouted. “No, madam, I smile that I—that l ” “ I’ll not stand it!” she cried, and she hammered him with the basket until he escaped off tin; platform. “Now grin over that, will you!” she called after him as she shook the basket in the air. “ The Persian who went around smiling was a fool and Pm his first cousin !” growl ed the man, and he quit smiling and picked a light with a harness maker. A Flue I>i*tinclion. New York World. A young man whose attire was clean and neat, and whose appearance was rather prepossessing, stood before the bar of the Jefferson Market Police Court yesterday morning. Hy bis side stood a young man of about the same age, witli a coal black face and wooly hair, and who was dressed in all the gorgeousness of a “ swell.” “ What’s your name white man?” asked the court. “ McFinnigan, sir.” “ And yours, my man and brother?” “Gawge Washn’tou Jones, sah.” “ What was the matter, George Wash ington?” “Sah, I’ll tell yo’ de truf, sah. I was a goin’ up dc street, sah, las night, when 1 met this man an’ I kine’ ofjostled agin ’im, sah, an’ he turn’ right roun,’ sah, an’ fetch me a clip on de nose, sah, den I calls an’ offsa’ an’ had dat man arrested, an’ dats all dc troof, foa’ God, sah.” “ llow was it McFinnigan?” “ Shure, yer Oner, an’ it was all the nayger’s fault, sor. I was cornin’ down the av’nie quiet as a lam,’ sor. sayin’ no thin to nobody, whin that spalpeen came forninst me, sor, wid his clbie, an’ 1 up an’ hit ’ini upon the spur av the motnint.” “ No, sah, he hit ine on de nose sah !” “ On the spur of the momint.” “ On de nose, sah.” “Never mind line distinctions,” said Hia Honor, “it costs a man 810 in this court to hit a man, whether it be upon the spur of the moment or upon the nose. George Washington you arc discharged.” A swarm of B s.—The following is a swarm of B’s worth having : Bpatient; B prayerful; B humble, B mild, B wise as a Solomon, B meek as a child ; B studious, B thoughtful, B loving B kind, B sure you make matters subser vient to mind. B cautious, B prudent, B tasteful, B true. B courteous to all men, B friendly to few. B temperate in argument, pleasure, and wine. B careful of conduct, of money, of time. B cheeful B grateful, B hopeful, B firm, B peaceful, benevolent, willing to learn ; B courageous, B gentle, B liberal, B just, B aspiring, _ B humble, because thou art dust. J> patient, circum spect, sound in the faith. ! active, devoted, B faithful till death ; B honest, B holy, transparent, and sure. B dependent B Christ-like, and you'll B secure. - “ Bangs ” sends us the following compo sition on rabbits, by a school-boy of his acquaintance : Babbits is generally about the size of a cat. They ain’t so useful to catch rats as a cat, but they will pull the bark off of my grandfather’s pear tree, and he got mad, and kicked the stuffin’ out of him, and skun him. Babbits’ cars is long, so you can pick cm up easy. A rab bit often has red eyes, but if a girl had red eyes she’d look bad, you bet. Me and an other boy done up some hoss radish in a cabbage leaf, and gave it to Mr. Hacketi’s rabbit to eat, and he jumped over a clothes line and run into the kitchen and upset a bucket of syrup all over his hair, and he was a sick-looKin’ rabbit, and don’t you forget it, I’d ruther be a dog than a rabbit.” SEMI-ANNUAL CON V ENTION. l*roeeellnK* of lli Animal Hlnif. iiilt Con trillion oT Hurt County, Held nt frtvldcMCt I'hurrh, May 8,1*77 The Convention was called to order by the President, W. V. Vickery, who opened the same with prayer. The list of delegates present, as follows : Reed Creek School —Mr. 1,. T. Fisher and Miss liosa Weldon. Provide nee Church —J. A. Parker, C. M. Ledbetter, J. H. Thomison, Misses E. A. Gwinn, Ella Reeder, Tilda Pearman. Rted't School —Mrs. E. 11. Vickery, John Moore, Misses Nancy Burton, .Sarah Isom. llcthcsda Church School —J. G. Thorn ton, Miss L. C. Thornton. On motion, received R. L. Madden and J. G. Madden, from the musical fraternity of Hanks County. Music, led by G. W. Weldon, thirty minutes. After one hour for dinner, the Conven tion was called to order by the President. The following Committee on Order was appointed : G. W. Weldon and R. L. Madden. Lessons in singing, by the whole Con vention, led by J. 11. Thomison, twenty minutes. H. 11. Pearman, 20 minutes. Recess, 20 minutes. Lessons in singing by the whole Conven tion, led by Isham Dyar, 20 minutes; 0. M. Ledbetter, 15 minutes ; J. S. Moore, lf> minutes; L. T. Fisher, 15 minutes. Recess, 15 minutes. Lessons in singing by whole Convention, led by F. M. Estes, 15 minutes; J. V. Brown, 15; F. M. Brown, 13; G. W. Weldon, 15. The Convention then adjourned till the next morning, 9 o'clock. The Convention met this morning (Sun day, May 6), according to adjournment, aud was opened by prayer by Isham Dyar. Croat lioud Society—A. W. Gulley, T. 11. Brown, Misses M. E. Gulley, C. M. Watson. Cross Road Sabbath School —J. L. Wat son, M. P. C. Temples, Misses J. A. Neese, H. A. Harris. Lessons in Singing by the whole Conven tion, led by R. M. Adams. The Committee on order reported the ex ercises for the day. Lessons in singing by the whole Conven tion, led by the following gentlemen, 15 minutes each: H. M. Holland, M. R. Vaughn, J. W. Suit. Recess, 15 minutes. The Coirvcntlon was called to order by the President. An essay on music was delivered by A. G. McCurry, alter which a motion was carried that the thanks of this body be tendered A. G. McCurry. A motion to call for correspondents from other Conventions was carried. Received T. A. McFarland audit. M. Adams from the Franklin County Conven tion as correspondents. Lessons in music, led by J. P. Weldon, 15 minutes ; James E. Vickery, 15; G. W. Weldon, 15; T. A. McFarland, time not limited. Recess for dinner, one hour. Convention called to order by President. Changed time of meeting from Friday before the 2d Sabbath to Friday before the 4th Sabbath in October, 1877. Gave an opportunity to every one to join the Convention. Names of those joined : J. B. Moore, 11. P. Skelton, J. 11. Thomison, J. A. Parker, Misses M. M. Brown, N. M. Brown, T. E. Duncan, M. A. Duncan, S. C. White, M. E. Brown, L. C. Thornton. Lessons in music, led by Isham Dyar, W. E. McCurry, W. V. Vickery, each 20 minutes. Recess, 10 minutes. Lessons in music, led by T. A. McFar land and M. R. Vaughn, each 20 minutes. After which the following resolution was adopted : Resolved, That the thanks of this body be tendered to the friends and citizens of this vicinity for the kindness with which they have received and entertained the Convention during the present term. Adjourned, to meet at Line Church on Friday before the Fourth Sunday in Octo ber, 1877. M. V. VICKERY, President. J. E. Vickery, Secretary. NUMBER 43. Tlae Uoimoii Answered. Up in New Hampshire, where I used to live when a boy, (says Gov. Noyes) there was an old deacon who was a great deal more pious than honest. He was an old hypocrite, and when he had done any par ticularly mean thing he eased his consci ence by going out into a field, along one side of which was a stone wall, and kneel ing beside it, praying the Lord to topple it over on him if he hail done anything of fensive to Him or wrong in his sight. Well, we boys found it out, and one day when we saw the deacon making for the stone wall, we got on the other side and waited—He knelt down according to his usual custom, and went through his usual formula, closing w ith the petition to have the wall toppled over if he had done any thing wrong. And we toppled it. Jump ing out from under the stones, the old man cried, in tones of mingled disgust and alarm, — “ Good gracious ! Can’t you tell when a man is joking?” The pooreU tea— Pover-ty.