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MAX. Hich, alluvial "so Of covered the little grven vallsy on the bank* of Clear river. Gottlieb Itchier, a Gsrmun emigrant, cliauced to come upon It as he was traversing a lonely part of Ohio, in search of work or a bit of land which might be bought with the few pieces of foreign gold coiu that he carried in a small leather bag in hia bosom. Gottlieb knew a little English. He sought out the owner of the large tract where the little valley lay. The man was glad enough to sell a part of it, and soon the young and sturdy emigrant wa*> the owner of the emerald-turfed meadow and the overshadowing belt of wood land. The very day the conveyance was made mid the purchase money paid. Gottlieb sent a letter across the sea, with instructions for the young wife'to come to his Ohio home. It was a long while he had to wait for her, but the time was occupied by get ting a part of his laud under cultivation and building a comfortable log house in which to receive thclittle frau when she should arrive. In two years from the time they were married in the gray old church on the banks of the far away Moselle, they were working away as happy as a pair of blackbirds on the Ohio clearing. When Maurice, their first baby, was a bright eyed little fellow of ten months a party of men with chains and survey ing instruments and little red flags came through the woods near Gottlieb’s resi dence, laying out a line for anew rail road. By the time the twins, Francis and Frederica, were old enough to clap their hands at the unusual hustle, there was a great steam-shovel clattering away in the hillside back of the house, and a pile-driver pouuding down long-pointed logs for the foundation of the piers of a bridge which was to span Clear river. And long before the loßg-haired Jo seph was old enough to creep about the green turf in front of the house the rail road trains were running regularly every four hourtfpleasautly relieving the mo notonous life of the Lechlers, old and young. The passenger trains were real panoramas, with real living people from the great towns over the hills and plains which the delighted children had never seen. was not long, before the train hands begad to take an interest in this isolated little log house, with its bright flowers in the doorynrd and garden, where four clean, fresh handsome children seldom failed to salute them with swinging hats, handkerchiefs and hands as they passed. In that lonely region the train was al most the only thing that gave any va riety to the life of the cottagers, and its arrival, although it never stopped, was eagerly awaited. Sometimes, indeed, the engineer, or one of the passengers would throw some thing out to the children —an apple, a cake, a package of candy or a newspa per —which was always received with great delight. And it seemed to afford the train hands almost equal pleasure, as every face was lighted up with smiles as the cars went rattling past. There was only one thing that gave Frau Gottlieb any anxiety, and that was the fear that the children might be run over ; but after a year or two this ap prehensiou almost entirely passed away, as she saw that the children were ex tremely careful, and the whistle gave warning even before the train was in sight. One day the “ noon freight,” which always went slowly up the grade from the bridge moved slower than usual. I think the engineer, John Chamberlain, was in the secret. When the long, heavy train was just against the house, Kra.uk Caldwell, the jolly “ tail brakeman,” swung off a han dled half,bushel basket, in which was a flit, round, black-and-white, six weeks old Newfoundland puppy. The basket went rolling oft down the sandy slope, and the pup, recovering his equilibrium, waddled, full of delight, to the open mouthed, wondering chil dren, who had never seen a dog before. The train men all laughed and ges ticulated until the great puffing locomo rnotive had drawn them around the curve and out of sight of the surprised little ones. After that the puppy, which the chil dren had named “ Max,” was always one of the pleasant group that greeted the train hands. Sometimes his shaggy, curly coat was stuck so full of flowers that he looked like an animated boquet. Sometimes there would be a wreath around bis neck. Often the children would make him The Hartwell Hun. By BENSON & McGill. VOL. IV-XO. 17. walk on his hind legs, make bows, roll over, turn summersaults, dance and go through a variety of antics which Gott lieb, the father, had taken pains to teach him. After a while the intelligent dog, w hen he heard a train rounding the curve, or crossing the bridge, would rush out, catch up a stick ami rush about the meadow with it, dive off the bluff into the river and swim to the opposite bank. Or, standing upright, he would dance and how like a performing hear, while the engineer, fireman, conductor, train hands, and often the passengers, bowed and laughed in genuine enjoyment of the whole pretty performance. By the time Max was full grown, a baby called Theresia had been born in the little white cottage, which had taken the place of the log house, and when the warm, sunny days came again, it was the plump, yellow-haired midget that was rolling about on the green turf where all the other children had rollick ed in turn. Little blue-eyed Tissy happened to be a wonderful creeper. She was strong and uimhie, and would creep on her small hands and feet quite as fast as the other children could walk. One day news came from over the sea —from the little old village on the Moselle —that very soon the mother Lechler would come to live with her children in their Ohio home. Full of joy Gottlieb drove to the nearest station on the railroad, and told the agent to look out for his mother when she arrived and to send a messen ger up the track to his house to let him know she was there. Graudmother was coming, and there was great excitement in the happy household of the honest and hard-work ing German emigrant. The children said: “ Perhaps she w ill come to-day, and we w ill go down the meadow and gather flowers to trim Max, and to trim our selves and the room.” And the smiling expectant little mother said she would do this, und that trivial thing to make the cottage bright er and more cheerful, for the grand mother would be very weary when she came. “We will leave baby Tissy by the door for mamma to look after while we goto the meadow for daisies,” said Mau rice. But the mother was so busy she did not heed at all the little charge her first born had given her. She heard the merry voices of her children down back of the cottage, and as soon as the whistle of the 3 o’clock express sounded, she saw' the pretty group scamper toward the track. Instinctively going to the open door way, she, as well as the children and the engineer and the fireman, was horror stricken to see baby Tissy between the long, black rails sitting in the sunshiue, scattering handful after handful of white, glisteningsaud in her bright, yel low hair. Although the train had “slowed up” as usual on approaching the bridge, it would be impossible to stop the engine before it reached the child ; but the en gineer made the effort. The terrified mother could do nothing but lift up her pallid face to heaven, and pray for strength to bear what must inevitably follow. But just then Max, with his ears thrown back and his plump tail trailing on the grass, shot like a dart from the other side of the track where he had been rambling. The intelligent crealupe had seen the danger and comprehended it. In an instant of time Max had bounded by the screaming children, cleared the intervening space between them and the track ; caught the baby by the belt of her pretty pink calico dress, lifted her from the rough hewn tie upon which she wa? sitting, and brought her to her mother’s side. “Uud den,” said Mrs. Lechler, on telling the story afterward, “dot en chineer he sthopped dot enchine, und lie coom down dot yard, und he shook mine bant, und he kissed desc children all arouut mit der baby und he pat dot tog, und der dears all der time rolt down hims cheeks. “He not spik one word, hut go rigid HARTWELL. CA„ WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 24. 1871). back on dot enchine, und blow dot whis tle like (hinder nnddot train got off like blitzen. •• Und I sit right town on dot grass und tauk der goot Gott; uud I hug mine children, und dey gry, trail I gry Den somebody said in Sherman : “ Daughter, why do you gry?” " Und I look up, und dcre is our mut ter Lechler, from over der groswasser, und I dinks she be a ghost. “She say to roe: * How dot man know right where mine Gottlieb live?’ “He say: ‘Get off der nex dime der drain stops.’ “ Uud der drain sthope, uud I get off, und dere is my son’s frau und mine cranchilJren.' ” A RICH SERMON. In the autumn of 1830 I attended a Methodist camp-meeting in the interior of Georgia, and heard a sermon which I have never been able to forget or de scribe. At the earnest solicitation of friends, I have attempted several times to write it. But it cannot be put on paper. The main force of it was in the snuffling and spitting and groaning and hound-after-a-fox sort of yelp and whine, to which no pen can do justice. It must be intoned to be appreciated. I have preached it a thousand times for the amusement of friends, and have been satisfied with my effort. I have used it as a remedial agent in exorcis ing the demons of hypochondria, and luivc never failed “ to scud them down a steep place in the sea,’’ or somewhere else, to the great relief of the sufferer. The speaker had just been licensed, and it was his first sermon. In person he was small, bullet-headed, of a fair, sandy complexion, and his countenance was indicative of sincerity and honesty. His remarks evinced great reverence lor the works of God as manifested in zoology and natural history, and “ was taking up the Bible in regular order for the first time Ln his life.” He had got ten as far as the history’ of Noah, the Ark, the Flood, etc. Besides, “just before his conversion he had been read ing Goldsmith’s ‘Animated Nater,’ and the two together, by the aid and assist ance of the Sperit, had led him into a powerful train of thinking as he stood at his work-bench, day in and out.” But whatever his sermon may have been, it was his own. The text was : “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the son of man be.” After commenting upon that portion of Genesis descriptive of the Flood he “ warmed up,” suddenly, and broke out in the following strains : “ Yes, my bretheren, the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the g-r-e-a-t deep kivered the watera-ah ; and there was Shem, and there Ham, and there JaphetU-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ali. “ And there was the elephant-ah, that g-r-e-a-t animal-ah, of which Gold smith describes in his ‘ Animated Na ter’-ali what is as big as a house-all, and his bones as big as a tree-ah, de pending somewhat on the size of the tree-ab, a-1-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ali. And the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the g-r-e-a-t deep kivered the watera-ah ; and there was Shem, and there was Ham, and there was Japheth-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ah. “ And there was the hippopoptamus ah, that g-r-e-a-t animal-ah of which Goldsmith describes in his ‘Animated Nater’ ah, what has a g-r-e-a-t horn-ah a stickin’ right straight up out of his for ward-all six feet long, more or less-ali, depending somewhat on the length of it-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ah. “ And there was the giratte-ah, my bretheren-ah, that ill-contrived reptile of which Goldsmith describes in his ‘Animated Natcr’-ab, whose forelegs is twent3 r -five feet long-ah, more or less-ah, depending somewhat on the length of ’ein-ah, and a neck so long lie can eat ha} 7 off the top of a barn-ah, depending somewhat on the liithe of the barn-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ah. And the heavens of the windows was opened ali, and the floods of the great deep kivered the waters-ah ; and there was Ham, and there was Sliem, and there was Japheth-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the Ark-all. •• And there was the zebra-nh. my Devoted to Hart County. en-ali, what is the king of beasts-ab, aceordin’ to Scripter-ali, und who, as St. Paul says-fth, prwwls around of a night like u roarin' devil-all, a-seekin’ if he can’t catch somebody-ah, a-l-1 a gwine into the Ark-ah. “ And there was the antelope-ah, my bretheren-ali, that frisky little critter-alt, of which Goldsmith describes iu his ‘ Animated Nater’-ab, wlrnt can jump seventy-live loot straight np-ah, and twice that distance down-ah, provided his legs will take him that ftir-ah, a-l-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ah. And the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the great deep kiver ed the waters-ali; and there was Shorn, ami there was Horn, and there was Ja pheth-ali, a-l-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ah.” Just at this point he stopped speak ing a few moments, wiped his forehead, turned back his wristbands, ran his Augers through his hair, spit and rub-1 lied his boot in it, drank a little wuter, ’ commenced on a lower key, and pro ceeded as follows : “ But time would fail me, my breth cren-ah, to describe all the animals that went into the Ark-ah. Your paticnoe and my strength would give out before I got half through-all. We talk, my bretheren, about the faith of Abraham and the patience of Job-ah; but it strikes me they didn't go much ahead of old Noer-ah. It tuck a right smart chance o’ both to gather up all that go pher-wood and pitch and other truck for to build that craft-all. lam a sort of carpenter myself and have some idee of the job-ah. But to hammer, and saw, und maul, and split away on that one thing a hundred ami twenty year-all, an’ lookin’ for his pay in an other world-all—l tell ye, my bretheren, if the Lord had a-sot Job at that, it’s my opinion he would a-tuck his wife’s advice inside of fifty year-all. Besides, no doubt his righteous soul was vexed every day, hand runnin’, with the filthy communications of the blasphcmious set that was always a-loaferin’ and a saunterin’ around-ah, a pickin’ up his tools and a misplacin’ ’em, and a call ing him an old fool or something worse all ; and, to clap the climax, he was a preacher, and had that ungodly ginera tion on his hands every Sunday-ah. But the Lord stood by him and seed him through the job-ah; and when everything was ready, he didn’t send Noer out to scrimmage and scour and hunt all over the wide world for to git up tiie critters and varmonts that he wanted saved-ali. They all come to his hand of their own accord, and Noer only had to head 'em in and fix ’em around in their places-ah. Then he gathered up his own family, and the Lord shut him in, and the heavens of the windows was opeued-ah. “ But, my bretlieren, Noer-ah had use for patience after tliis-ah. Think what a time lie must a-had a-feedin’ and a waterin’ and a-cleanin’ out after sich a crowd-ah. Some of ’em, according to Goldsmith’s Animated Nater-ah, was camiverous, and wanted fresh meat-all; and some was herbivorious and wanted vegetable food-ah ; and some was worm ivorius, and swallered live things whole ah ; and he hail to feed everything ac cordin’ to his nater-ah. Hence we view, tnj 7 bretheren-ah, as the nater’ of the animals wasn’t altered by goin’ in the Ark-ah, some of ’em would rear, and howl, and bark, and hray, and squeal, and blate the whole indurin’ night-ah, a-drivin’ sleep from his e3 7 es and slumber from his evclids- all; and hretheren ah, that b-o-a-n-i-f-u-1 animal of which Goldsmith describes in his ‘ Animated Nater’-ah, what has thro* hundred stripes s-runnin’ right straight around his body ah, more or less-all, depending somewhat on the munt>er of stripes-ah, ami nary two stripes alike all, a-1-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ah. “And ttiere was the anacortder-ah, that g-r-e-a-t snrpint of which Gold smith describes io his •Animated Nu tor’-ali, what can swallow six oxens at a meal-all, provided his appetite don’t call for less-ali, a-l-1 a gwine into the Ark-ah. And the heavens of the win-1 dows was opened-ah, and the floods of; the great deep kivered the waters-ah ; and there was Shein, and there was Ham, and there wrns Japheth-ah, a-l-1 a-gwine into the Ark-ah. “And there was the lion-ah, brether- $1.50 Per Annum. at the first streak o' daylight the last hoof of ’em would set up a noise ac ! cordin’ to its natcr-ah, and the hulls of Hnsiinir wer’n’t no whar-ah. I’ve often wondered how their women stood it. Scripter is silent oil this pint-ah; but I think I know of some that would a been vapory and uerviotis under sich cireiiuistanees-ah, and in an ongunrdod moment might a said somethin' besides their prayers-ah.” Here the speaker stopped again, spit, took water, etc., and hastened to n con clusion. “ My brethereti,” said he, “one more won! lor old Noer-ah, and I will draw to a close-all. After the outbeatin’ time lie had, flrst and last, for so many hundred year-ali, if he did, by accident or otherwise, take a lectle too much wine on one occasion-ah, i think loss ort to o-been said about it -ah. Be sides, 1 think he was entitled to one spree-ali, as lie made the wine hisself, and accordin’ to Scripter, it makes glad the heart o’ man-all. “ My bretheren, as it was in the days of Noer-ah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be-ali. The world will never be drowndod agin-ah. It will be sot a-fire, and burnt up, root and branch, with a fervient lient ah. Oh ! what will wretched undone sinners do on that orful day-ah ? They won’t feel ! fit for to live, nor for to die-ah. They will be put to their wit's end, and knock and straddle around in every direction uh. For all at onet, uiy bretheren ah, they will behold the heavens a-darken in’-ah, the sens a-roarin’-ah, the tombs n-bnstin'-ah the mountains n-meltin’- ah; and everything, i think, will be in a confused aud onset tied state-all. “ May the Lord add lii.s blessing. Amen !” What a Georgia Carpetbagger Thinks, John E. Bryant, s,Jie most notorious and pugnacious of the Georgia carpet baggers, lias been interviewed on poli tics generally, aud the plans of the Georgia Radicals particularly. When asked who he thought the wisest of Southern leaders, he replied : “ Mr. Stephens beyond question. He is the one man that we never trip up or fool; on the contrary, he succeeds in hood winking our leaders, lie came very near capturing Grant when lie was president, and it looks as if lie had started now witli a view of controlling him If he is elected again. He did cap ture and control Hayes entirely. For a longtime he had Hayes wound around his finger. The other southern leaders tried to manage the president, but Mr. Stephens is the only man that succeed ed. Our only fear is that he will cap ture enough of the northern people to turn the scale in the doubtful States by his broad utterances. Those wlio im agine though that Mr. Stephens will surrender one jot or tittle of his convic- tions do not know the man. He has been consistent and determined all his life and never gave up a conviction. He has moved along quietly until he lias succeeded in bringing the Demo cratic party to his views. When his councils prevail, the party becomes dangerous. I may say that, as a lead er, he is more feared by the northern Republicans than any man in the South. It is a marvel to me how he has been able to hold bits position in the south, while he was taking such ad vanced ground in Washington, but he has done it.” A certain old gentleman, very rich and still more stingy, is in the habit of wearing his clothes to the last thread. One of his friends, meeting him, ex claimed : “ They told me that you had anew hat, and I’ll be hanged if you haven’t!” “Oh, yes,” said the miser, looking as if he were a trifle ashamed of himself, “ you see rny wife kept tell ing me that the old one was a g<xxl deal worn out. Well, yesterday was my wife's birthday, and I got myself a new hat for her birthday present.” The State of Khode Island does uot pay half the revenue to the government that South Carolina does, while the lie publican States of New Hampshire, Minnesota, Kansas and Maine do not pay, altogether, what South Carolina does. Kentucky, too, pays nearly three times as much revenue as all the New England States together. WHOLE NO. 113 THE CHILD ON THB DOORSTEP, - “ Did site leave any children ?" “ Yes, this bit or a child.” “ And who’ll take her ?” “ 1 don't know. \V are aff very |MH>r around here, sir, but we must And her a place somewhere. God help the little girl for she's all alone now!” The sexton had called nt an old ten ement house on LuFayette street east to take a body to a pauper's field—the body of one whose life had been worn out in the tread-mill of hunger and de spair. No!sidy knew that the mother wus dead hardly suspected that she was ill, until one morning this child ap- peared at a neighbor's door and quietly said: " Would you be afraid to come over to my house, for irn is dead and I’m keeping awful stilt, and I’m afraid to talk to her when she won’t answer ?” The mother land been dead for hours. Long enough before day came the flame of life hail burned low and died out, and that child, hardly 7 years old, had been with the corpse through the long hours, clasping the cold hand, kissing the white faoe and calling for life to re turn. When they as led if she had any friends she shook her head. When they told her she was alone in the great world she looked out of the old win dow on the bleak November day and answered: “ I can make three kinds of dresses | for doll-babies, build fires and carry in wood, and I r ll work ever so hard if somebody will let me live with them!” There was no funeral. There was no need of a sermon there. The lines of sorrow around the dead woman's mouth counted for more in heaven than any eulogy man could deliver. Them was no crape. Iu place of it three or four honest-hearted women let their tears fall upon the white face and whis pered : “ l*oor mother—poor child !” The child's big blue eyes were full of tears, but there was hardly a tremor in her voice as she nestled her warm cheek against the lips stilled forever und said : “ Good-bye, miv—you'll conic down from heaven every night at dark, won't, you, and you'll take me up there just as soon as you can, won’t you ?” The landlord locked up* the house, and 4he child went home with one of the women. When night came she stole out of the house and away from those who sought to comfort her, and going hack to the old bouse she sat down on the door step having no com pany hut the darkness. An ollleer passed that way, and leuning over the gate lie peered through the darkness at something on the step and called out: “ is anybody there ?” “ Nobody but a little girl!” came the answer. “ Who is it ?” “ It’s a little girl whose uia was bur ied to-day 1” He opened the gate and went closer, and as he made out her little bare head and innocent face he said : “ Why, child, aren’t you afraf<l ?” “ 1 was afraid a little while ago,” she said, “ but just ns soon as I asked ma not to let anything hurt me 1 got right over it. Would anybody dare hurt a little girl whose ina is lead ? They could he tixiken up, C(jj' ,I fi*t they ?” He offered to go to the house where she was to have a home for a few <lays, and taking his big hand with the utmost confidence she walked be side him and said: “ I ain’t going to cry much till I get to bed, where folks can't see me !” “ I hope every one will be good to 3'ou.” he remarked as he put his hand over her curly head. “If they don’t be, they’ll never go to heaven, will they ?” she queried. “ No.” “ There was a long pause, and then she said : “ But I guess they will be. I can make a doll out of a clothes-pin and a piece of calico, and I guess somebody will be glad to let me live with ’em. If you see me over on the step some other night you needn't be a bit afraid, for I ain’t big enough to hurt anybody, even if I didn't want to cry all the time!” North Georgian: We have heard the mutterings about a consolidated gov ernment and states rights all our life, hut so long as the fanners of the coun try remain quietly at their work, wo see no imminent danger that must necessari ly result from the prattle of the politi cians. When the farmers go to beating their plow shares into Joe Brown pikes, it is time to make application for posi tions in the commissary department. A Merry Christmas to all!