Newspaper Page Text
A FORTUNE ON A BRICK.
A correspondent of the New York
Evening Boat gives the following ac
count of an expemnent in human na
ture which illustrates well the qualities
of earnestness and resolution, and how
an Incident, essentially grotesque, may
be tlie foundation of a useful and pros
-0
perous career:
One bright morning of November,
some years ago, I was preparing to go
down-town, when the servant informed
me that n man was waiting at the front
door to sec me. “Tell him I'll be
down in a moment,” I said, and on
going to the door, a man of tall stature
and robust appearance called me by
name, requested assistance, saying that
he had a large family, a wife in delicate
health, and no means to procure food
for them. “ You appear to be strong
and healthy; why don't you work !
asked I. “ Simply, sir. for the reason
that I cannot procure work.”
Not having any work to give him, I
thought I would test the sincerity of
his intentions. “If I give you work,
what pay do you want ? “ Anything,
sir, you choose to give me, so long as I
can obtain means for my suffering fam
ily” “ Very well,” said I, “ I will give
you twenty-five cents an hour it 3on
will carry a brick on your arm around
the block for five hours without stop
ping.” “Thank you, sir; I will do
it.” After hunting awhile I found a
brick, placed it on the man's ann,
started him on his walk, and then went
down-town to my business.
Not having the least faith in the
man’s promise, I thought hut little
more or it; yet as I knew I should be
hack within the five hours, I determined
to see it he performed his work. My
business kept me away rather later
than I expected, sol had to forego my
usual walk home, and took a Fourth
Avenue car to be hack within the fi\e
hours.
As I approached the corner of the
street where I reside I found a great
crowd of persons gathered—two fire
engines, a hose-cart, and a hook-and
ladder truck. Upon inquiring where
the fire was, I was informed that it was
a false alarm, and that what brought
the people together and occasioned the
agitation was the spectacle of a tall
man can \ o. An his arm around
the block for nearly five hours. The
neighbors were looking at him from the
windows and doors as he passed along:
some thought he was crazy, but when
spoken to bis answer was: “ Don't
stop me ; it's all right.” As he inter
fered with no one, lie was allowed to
walk on undisturbed. “ Where is the
man now ?” I asked. “ There, you can
see him at the other end of the block,
walking with his head down,” was the
answer.
lie was just about turning the corner,
and I waited till he had performed the
circuit, then taking him quietly by the
arm, marched him to my house, follow
ed by a lot of boys. In the meantime
the firemen, engine, and hose-cart rat
tled otf. The man was thoroughly tired
out when I took him into my hall and
seated him on a chair, while my servant
went to procure something for him to
eat. I paid him forthwith a dollar and
a half. He informed me that while
making his rounds a lady came out ol
a house and inquired why he was carry
ing it, and on his giving tier the reason,
he received a dollar. The object soon
became known, for as he passed the
houses small sums were given to him
by different persons, and he wa3 well
satisfied with his day's work. “ But,”
said he, “ what shall I do to-morrow ?”
‘■‘Why,” I replied, “go early in the
morning to the houses from which you
received the money and ask for work,
and no doubt you will find someone
who will put you in the way of getting
it; then report to me.” The following
afternoon he informed me that he had
been sent to a German who keptapork
establishment on Third Avenue and
who wanted a clerk to keep his hooks.
He wa3 to get five dollars a week if his
work proved satisfactory, and his duties
began on the following day. Before
leaving lie asked for the brick which
had brought him such good luck, and 1
gave it to him. Within the year I as
certained that the man had been trans
ferred to a larger establishment of the
same kind, with a salary of one thou
sand dollars.
Three or four year3 after this I was
riding in a streetcar, when a well-dress
ed man accosted me with a smile and
asked me if I knew him. Seeing
me hesitate, he said, “ Don t you recol
lect the man who carried the brick ?”
He then informed me that he was
doing a prosperous business on bis own
account, had laid up money, and es-
VOL III —NO. 19.
peeted soon to build himself a house
up-town.
“ What became of the brick ?” I in
quired.
-That brick, sir, has always occu
pied a place on our mantel-piece, and
we value it as the most precious of our
little possessions. It has made our
fortune.”
An Influential Moonshiner.
“ rntumae " in Savannah Xrws.
One hit of gossip is anent the lion. |
Alexander Stephens. One day after
the close of the last session Mr. Ste- j
phens, who had already announced him
self as a candidate for the next Con-,
gross was driven up town from his hotel j
to the department of justice. lie was
assisted up stairs by his faithful body
servant and escorted to the room of the
pardon clerk, Judge Cray. Mr. Ste
phens laid before Judge Gray the ob
ject of his visit. It was to secure the
panion of a man in his district convict
ed of illicit distilling. Mr. Stephens
said the man was a respectable citizen,
and one of the best in his district, and
had violated the law through ignorance,
not willfully. The pardon clerk told
him the man could not he pardoned.
Such a proceeding would be against the
rule of the department in such cases.
He might, however, ask the attorney
general about it,. Mr. Stephens went
into General Devons* room and waited
some time for that gentleman’s return
from a cabinet meeting. When the
attorney-general arrived, Mr. Stephens
laid before him his case. The answer
he received was a confirmation of what
Judge Gray had said. “All right,"
said Mr. Stephens, gathering his
crutches, and with his servant starting
to leave the room. ■ When he got to the
door the “ great commoner ” paused to
look back. “ I suppose you're right in
your course, Mr. Attorney-General,
he said, “ but the failure to get tuts
man pardoned loses me exactly one
thousand votes in my district.” Mr.
Devens laughingly replied, “ I am sor
ry to hear that, Mr. Stephens.” Mr.
Stephens went his way, and in a few
da}’s learned, greatly to his surprise,
that his constituent whose failure of
pardon was to cost him so many votes
had been “ pardoned by the president
upon the recommendation of the attor
ney-general.”
Appcarance.
When a man begins to go down bill
he is apt to betray the fact by his exte
rior appearance; he wears a long face,
allows his clothes to look shabby, and i
acts like one bereft of hope or prospects.
Now. this is very poor policy ; the sym
pathy of friends is not gained by wear
ing a dirty shirt; and, unless a man
acts as though he had some confidence
in himself, he must not expect to inspire
it in others. And so with the external
appearance of everything. Neatness of
appearance does not end with mans
credit, but often enhances the value of
articles which he may have for sale.
This is especially true upon the farm,
and we will venture to say that the
farmer who attends to the exterior of
things in general, such as clean stables
and animals, clean yards aud buildings,
and fences in good repair, will obtain 5
to 10 percent, more for the products of
his farm than one who neglects such
simple matters.
If any one doubts the effects of ex
ternal appearance upon values in mar
ket or elsewhere, let him try sending but
ter to market in an old, weather-beaten
firkin, no matter how good the butter or
clean the vessel may be inside. If this
does not satisfy, try some stained or
dirty eggs, or half-plucked poultry.
Producing a good article is one thing,
and selling it to advantage is quite an
other, and the good salesman generally
makes the most money of the two. The
importance of a fair exterior can hardly
be over-estimated. The principal is po
tent in any branch of trade, and in ev
ery grade of society ; therefore it is too
important to be overlooked or passed un
heeded.
Never stand still in cold weather, es
pecially after having taken a slight de
gree of exercise; and always avoid
standing upon ice or snow, or where the
person is exposed to a cold wind.
Christmas is over.
HARTWELL, GA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1879.
nniITCM, OI.D YEAR!
To-night, thedeep-toned hell of Time
Tolls to tho tomb another year.
Within my heart an answering chime
Of human heart-throbs, low ami clear.
The sobbing wind a requiem sings
Upon the chill and wintry, air.
The leafless branches moan and swing
Their naked arms in mute despair.
Tho past before me like a scroll
Unfolds its pages to my view ;
And as I gaze, the mournful toll
Kings out the old. rings in the new.
0 year ! full freighted hast thou been
With joy and grief, with love and pain,
And struggles with the giant Sin,
That 1 could never wish again.
To-night, the end of life seems near.
And ere the ceaseless seasons run
Another cycle, joy and fear
Within us forever may be done.
1 cannot pierce the dark Beyond.
The gathering mists hang dark and drear
About heath's river, where no fond
And loving welcome greets 1113- ear.
Blit far beyond its waters cold.
Faith points and bids us look and live.
O World ! with all thy fame and gold.
Where is the rest that tlm.u canst give ?
Farewell, old year ! Hail I the power
To bold thee. 1 should use it not;
But thoughts that fill thy dying hour
Will live when thou hast.becn forgot.
--Alice Br<>wn. in Phrenological Journal.
A REPRESENTATIVE OF TENNESSEE.
HOW UE FIDDLED HIS HUT IXTO COX
a HESS.
Cor. Cincinnati Enquirer.
Last Wednesday, at Asheville, N. C.,
Congressman-elect Robert Taylor was
united in marriage with Miss Sallie
Baird, a niece of Governor Vance, of
North Carolina. The marriage is the
conclusion of a somewhat romantic story.
When Taylor was nominated by the
Democrats as their candidate for Con
gress, Miss Baird promised him that, if
elected, she would marry him ; if defeat
ed, it would be an indefinite time before
their union. The district contains some
of the strongest republican counties in
the State, and has always given a Re
publican majority of 2,200 or 2,300.
The prospect for Taylor attaining his de
sires were, therefore, not at all promis
ing. Besides, he had as an opponent
Petti bone, oue of the Republican chief
tains of the State, an emigrant from
Michigan, possessed of unusual shrewd
ness. In the Presidential contest, as
one of the Republican electors, be had
borne the banner of the party as gal
lantly as was possible, worrying the
Democrats considerably. For Taylor
lie entertained seemingly nothing but
coutempt. Taylor’s nomination was
simply a lucky stroke of fortune. In
the Republican convention Taylor's
brother, a very pronounced Republican,
was the principal candidate for the nom
ination against Pettibone; but the latter,
after a hitter fight, secured the honor.
Republican Taylor’s friends were all
angry, and the Democrats conceived
that it would be a good tiling to nomi
nate his Democratic brother, who would
probably draw votes from the Republi
can ranks. The plan was carried out.
Taylor was only twenty-eight years old,
and in that region had made consider
aglc reputation and popularity as a fid
dler. At the frequent gatherings for
dancing lie was a most welcome guest.
His nomination seemed to fire the young
men with enthusiasm. Numbers of Re
publicans and two or three Republican
journals left the party ranks and went
over to Taylor’s side. Pettibone was
accused of being in with the revenue
and custom-house rings, which had con
trolled politics in that section. It was
an understood fact that federal money
was ‘to be showered on the district.
Taylor, as he afterwards told friends,
had only $5 to commence the canvass
with, but once out, money aud assis
tance of every kind poured in on him,
so that, after the campaign was over,
very little of the $5 was spent. Petli
bone looked down on him with contempt,
and in the opening speech merely allud
ed to him as the “ beardless boy who fid
dles.” When it came to Taylor’s re
joinder, he approached the tabic with
a fiddle in one hand and a carpet-bag
iu the other. He commenced with the
statement that the serious charge had
been made against him that he was a
fiddler. Then, laying the fiddle and
carpet-bag side by side on the table, he
asked the crowd to choose between them.
The point was taken up and carried
from one end of the district to the oth
er, producing any amount of merriment
!at Pettibone’s expense. Pettibone, af-
ter wait!, never nlluiletl to Taylor's fiddle
more than once or twice. Taylor also
taunted Pcttibone with the fact that his
regiment, nt the dose of the war, dis
banded with more men tlmu it started
with. The young Democrat was a
ready, eloquent speaker, and never fail
ed to awaken enthusiasm. Frequently,
when the speaking was over, lie would
entertain the crowd with music front his
violin. The district Ims its share of
moonshiners, and they, with all their
friends, were for Taylor, as Pcttibone
was in with and supported by the reve
nue men, the enemies of the moonshiners.
Taylor's majority w as nearly 1,500, mak
ing a Democratic gain of one Congress
man from Tennessee. 11 is father rep
resented the State in Congress just after
the war. When nominated, Tavlor was
advised to take a very conservative
course, but answered firmly that he pro
posed to make the fight on straight-out
Democratic principles. He did so, and
won. •
How a Baby aui) n Man had a Circus.
Easton Free Frets.
Mrs. Oxtoby went shopping, yester
day, and left her baby with Mrs. Arch
ibald to be taken care of, and it was
sitting on the floor very happy, with
playthings galore, when Henry came in.
“ Hello, ole gal! made a raise, have
you ? Pliweet! Pliwect! Sa3 T ANARUS, young
follow, how's your colic ?” The baby
made no response of an intelligible
character, and Henry sat down and
stared at it.
“ Babies is queer things, now ain’t
they ? Just see that young imbecile
trying to chew the potato-masher. Now
he's taking a taste of the stove-lifter.
That's a fine old moustache you've
made across your mug, now ain't it ?
Gosh! hello! here, old woman, quick!
The young tin's swallowed half a yard
of the poker!”
Henry rescued the poker, and in
doing so upset the baby and its temper.
The hack of its head was bumped, and
it howtedf and Henry got a thirty-six
pound love-pat alongside the ear, and
the baby was up-ended again, and the
kinks taken out of its temper with a
poultice of bread and molasses, so
quick that the old man thought he had
got into a humming-top factory. Then
Henry let the bal>3’ alone and looked at
the old woman picking chickens. The
baby wanted some of die feathers, and
he reached it a handful, half of which
it immediately spread on the bread and
molasses, and the rest it stuck around
its mouth and smiled through the adorn
ment like a cock-eyed parrot with the
delirium tremens, but it looked dread
fully happy. Then it put some feath
ers in its mouth, and rubbed the bread
and molasses over its bakl head, cooed
like a two weeks’ old wife, and next it
j turned purple all over, and squirmed
till its face looked like an old gum boot
; that had been eating green persimmons.
“ I don't believe this young one likes
: feathers along with his grub,” said
Henry, reflectively, and Mrs. A. turned
round on him like a volcano that was
sick at the stomach.
“O! you wretch,” and she wasn't
j sure whether she hit him on the ear or
j top of the head first, it was done so
i quick. Then she grabbed up the incip
: ient Oxtoby and ran ber finger down its
| throat, as though it were a stocking and
1 she wanted to turn it inside out.
“There,” she exclaimed,as she held
up three feathers and waved them men
acingly before her bosom’s lord, “ see
what you’ve done ! For half nothing
i at all I'd take’ll ram them down your
i fool throat. Here, see if you can hold
this child a minute without killing it,
till I got a towel,” and she plumped the
young one on his knee and went up
stairs.
Baby cooed and kicked and got hold
of llenrj'’s finger, which it inspected
with great care, and then put it in its
mouth. Then Henry ripped out a sig
nal of distress that scared the baby
I stiff as a telegraph pole.
“Quit hollerin’ at that child that
way!” shouted Mrs. A. from upstairs.
“ Do you want to scare it to death ?’’
“ Scare, thunder ! It's me that's a
scarin’. ’Spose I want my fingers
taken off for liver pu lin’ and eat by a
. cannibal baby ?”
Then he added to the child t “ Here,
WHOLE NO. 123.
old fellow. I’ll give you something to
chew on. l’ussy, puss}’, pussy," and
as he lifted the eat on his lap, the young
one grubbed its tail, inserted it in his
mouth and shut down on it. The cat
swore and spit and sunk about twenty
claws at once into Henry's leg.
“()-n-c-h! Bloody murder! Take
him off!" and as tho agonized man
leaped to his feet he shot baby into the
coal-scuttle and kicked the cat over the
stove into the buckwheat-cake hatter.
He had just opened his mouth for a
wholesale swear, when lie got a glimpse
of Mrs. A. descending upon him like
a day of wrath, so he shot, out of the
front door, forgetting that the landlord
had taken away the steps to paint
them, and got through falling when lie
jammed his bald head against the board
fence on the other side of the street, in
a way that fnadc his skull flop up and
down like a loose half-sole in the mud.
TV lien a neighbor came along mid set
him up against a fence, his right hand
fumbled around his head in a dazed
kind of way, and he smiled vacantly
up into his friend’s face.
The Apple in the Bottle.
On the mantelpiece of my grand
mother’s best parlor, among other mar
vels, was an apple in a vial. It quite
filled up the bottle. Childish wonder
ment constantly was, “How could it
have got there?” By stealth I climbed
a chair to sec if the bottle would un
screw, or if there had been a joint in the
glass throughout tlie length of the vial.
I was satisfied hy careful observation
that neither of these theories could be
supported ; and the apple remained to
me an enigma and a mystery.
One day, walking in the garden, I
saw it all. There, on a tree, was a vial
tied, and within it a tiny apple, which
was growing within the crystal. The
apple was put into the bottle while it
was little, and it grew there.
More than thirty years ago we tried
this experiment with a cucumber. Wc
laid a bottle upon the ground hy a hill
of cucumbers, and placed a tin}’ cucum
ber in the bottle to sec what would be
the result. It grew till it filled the bot
tle. when we cut it off from the stem,
and then filled the bottle with alcohol
and stopped it up tight. We have it
now, all as fresh, with the little prickers
oil it, as it was when first corked up.
How to Raise Large Corn.
I have made a great many experi
ments with corn within the last fifteen
years. I had fourteen different kinds,
and this year I got some of the largest
ears I ever raised. 1 always select my
seed corn in the fall, at husking time,
and in the spring I sort them over again.
Last spring I took no cars that were
less than twelve inches long; then I
took off three inches at the tip end and
two inches at the butt end, and from
these central grains I got ears fifteen
inches long and from fourteen to six
teen rows. Several years ago I select
ed ears from stalks that had two ears,
but the result was not nearly so satis
factory as from planting only central
grains. My opinion is, if farmers
would be a little more careful in selecting
their seed corn they could raise from
five to ten bushel* more per acre than
they do when they pick it out of the
crib in the spring.
A Good Cement.
A good cement for mending almost
anything may be made by mixing to
gether litharge and glycerine to the con
sistency of thick cream or fresli putty.
This cement is useful for mending stone
jars, or any coarse earthenware, stop
ping leaks in seams of tin pans or
wash-boilers, cracks and holes in iron
tea-kettles, etc. Holes an inch in di
ameter in kettles can he filled and used
the same for years in boiling water and
food. It may also be used to fasten on
lamp-tops, to tighten loose nuts, to se
cure loose bolts whose nuts are lost, to
tighten loose joints of wood or iron,
loose boxes in wagon hubs, and in a
great many other ways. In all cases
the articles mended should not be used
until the cement is hardened, which
will require from one da}* to a week,
according to the quantity used. This
cement will resist the action of water,
| hot or cold, acids, and almost any de
; groe of heat.
OCR WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, I). C'.. Dec. 25, 1878.
The adjournment of Congress has
had little perceptible ellect on the
crowds in the streets of Washington.
.Many members remain, and always du
ring the Christmas season, there are
man}’ persons here from abroad. Of
course nil our own people arc out—
men. women, and children. The dis
play of Christinas goo Is is finer this
year, I think, than ever hefone. Most
people, happily, give to something nt
this season, and many deprive them
selves of some ordinary comfort rather
than not make happy others near and
dear to them. The “ hard times” w ill
never rob ns of the happy Christmas
habit of giving to those we love, ami to
those who need.
Wo shall have, on tho reassembling
of Congress, a renewed effort to extend
our trade with South American ports.
We shall always have such efforts while
our manufactures are shipped in Eng
lish vessels from this country to Eng
land, sold there, and then shipped in
English vessels to South America, pay
ing J or 4 profits to Englishmen, while
reducing the profits of our manufac
turers and and tlie wages of our work
men. What (shape the relief asked for
will take is not known, hut prouino.it
Democrats and Republicans not here
tofore identified with any such move
ment will tie interested in it.
The politicians are quarreling over
Minister Bayard Taylor s place with a
| liveliness not at all becoming. Gov.
Hartranft. of Penns}dvania. and Gov.
Joint B. Henderson, of Missouri, are
most named, and. as Mr. Haves lias
long wished to oblige the latter gentle
man it is likely the office will go to him.
Senator Christian?}’ has been mention
ed, hut as this is simply a schema to
get Chandler back to the Senate it will
not receive much consideration from
the Administration. Outside of poli
tics Richard 11. Dana, jr., of Massa
chusetts, is mentioned. As combining
advantages Doth in a political and lit
erary sense, and as a representative of
the reform principle so dear to the Ad
ministration, George Win. Curtis is
spokcu of. Rex.
Winter Rules.
Never lean with the back upon any
thing that is cold.
Never begin a journey until the break
f.ist'has loon eaten.
Never take warm drinks and then
immediately go out in the cold air.
Keep the back —especially between
the shoulder-blades —well covered; also
the chest well protected.
In sleeping in a cold room, cstnl l!*h
the habit of breathing through the nose,
and never with the mouth open.
Never go to hod with cold or damp
feet; always toast them by a fire ten or
fifteen minutes before going to bed.
Never omit regular bathing, for, un
less the skin is iu an active condition,
the cold will close the pores, and favor
congestion or other diseases.
After exercise of any kind, never ride
in an open larriage, nor near the win
dow of a <nr for a moment. It is dan
gerous to health, and even to life.
When hoarse, speak as little as possi
ble until it is recovered from, else the
voice may he permanently lost, or diffi
culties of the throat produced.
Merely warm the back by a fire, and
never continue keeping tlie back ex
posed to heat after it has become com
fortably warm. To do otherwise is de
bilitating.
When going from a warm atmosphere
into a colder one, keep the mouth closed,
so that the air may be warmed by its
passage through the nose, ere it reaches
the lungs.
What the South Should do this War.
Memphis Appeal.
There are two requisites that should
not he lost sight of in that portion of the
Union known as the cotton helt—one in
cities, the other in the country. Cities
should aim to establish cotton factories,
with a view to export yarn and cloth in
stead of raw material. To further this,
thev should seek from Congress such a
modification of our tariff laws as will
facilitate the exportation of manufac
tured cotton goods. The country should
gtow their own supplies—not cottou
alone —in this way the money for tho
feeding of their households and laborers
is kept at home instead of being sent
away. Our country press, we are glad
to see, are awakening more and more to
the importance of the grow-food-at-home
policy. The Dardenelle Arkansian re
marks on this subject: “We believe the
low price of cotton will do tlie country
good in the end. It will be the means
of causing our southern fanners to stop
and think, and the result will be they
will turn their attention more to such
crops as will epahle them to live witluu
\ themselves."