Newspaper Page Text
182
ffltteeeltatciMi# Sclccviiiiie,
{ LION IJV THE PATH,
From a record of sporting adventures in South Af
rica recently published in an English magazine, we
make the following extract It is as thrillingly gra
phic as anything wo have met with for some time:
Whilst breakfast was preparing I proceeded to
take a saunter down to the pool, not without some
faint hopes of a bath, though I feared our horses, to
say nothing of the other animals who had visited it
during the night, might have muddied it too much
for that. Uowevcr, I resolved to try, and throwing
my Minie into the hollow of my arm, and cocking my
wide-awake over my eyes, lounged down a path
among the bushes, now well beaten by the feet of
men and horses. The latter I found up to their bel
lies in the pool, enjoying themselves as completely
as the flies would let them; hut as the water looked
uncommonly turbid, I thought I would skirt along a
ltitle to the left and look for a cleaner spot; and so,
climbing a short steep covered with long grass and
underwood, I pushed aside some branches which in
tervened between me and a small clear space of shor
ter turf, and —to my very intense astonishment,
though I must say not at that moment to my dismay,
I was so used to the sight of them—found myself
within a few yards of otie of the finest male lions I
ever saw, and who was engaged with a look of grave
patriarchal interest in watching the movements of
the horses below—doubtless selecting one for his
breakfast. Have you not seen Landseer’s etching of
the lion in the old Tower Menagerie? Inexactly
the same attitude, still and unmoving, like a noble
statue, stood this neighbor of mine; and, for a few
seconds, I remained really lost in admiration of the
grand beauty of the “tableau” he presented.
It was, however, necessary to decide on some line
of action immediately. I could not help hitting him,
if I chose to fire, but if I did not kill him outright
with one shot, he was so close to me that I could
hardly hope to escape without an ugly brush. Sure
ly this was a case in which discretion would bo the
better part of valor; and as he was so absorbed in
the contemplation of the horses below (hat lie had
not yet noticed me, I concluded (as Jonathan would
say) to steal ofF as I came. Ah! that dry twig that
would place itself in the way of my very first rctro
gade foot step! The sharp crackle effected what the
more subdued noise of previous movements had not
done, and with a short startled growl, the beast
swung himself round, and in a second was staring at
me with a look which said, “Hullo! who are you?”
as plainly as look could speak. Instinctively I throw
my rifle forward, cocking it at the same moment,
and some seconds of perfect immovahlenoss on cacli
side ensued, during which l was trying to make out
whether he would charge or not. The study of phys
iognomy is doubtless pleasant enough on the whole;
but when your subject is a big male lion, and the
question depending Oi) the study whether you shall
ho summarily “smashed” or let alone, why, I confess
it becomes (as Mr. Weller says) too exciting to he
pleasant.
How I studied every feature, frying to detect a
change of some sort which gave me a cine ? It came
at last: he gradually lowered his head, and by the
“wiggling” motion of his hind quarters, which I
could just spy over his shoulders, 1 saw he was gatli
ering his hind legs under him—a sure indication.—
What odd things come into people’s minds, in mo
ments of peril! That movement brought to my re
collection most vividly a bitterly parallel scene in my
aunt’s garden at Harrow, where 1 watched her eat
gathering herself up in an exactly similar way to
pounce on a wretched sparrow.
The next moment he dashed at me with a hoarse
snarl, which sounded as though a giant had drawn
the bow suddenly across tho strings of a stupendous
violincello. I tired as ho rushed in, aiming as well
ns I could at the middle of his forehead. As I did
so, 1 was swept down with the force of an express
train, and for a few seconds lost all consciousness.
The first thing 1 was sensible of, as soon ns l be
gan to get my senses together, was the clear, strong
voice of N-, culling to nw in the most placid,
though earnest manner :
“Lie perfectly still, Walter, it’s your only chance.”
How my heart leaped at the voico! Help was at
hand, but the very words that announced it, at the
same time pointed out my extreme danger: it need
ed only the most moderate exercise of my leturning
faculties to understate why.
I was lying on my face among tlie long grass at the
top of the little steep I have mentioned, I could see
nothing, hut 1 could feel the lion elose to me. I
could hear his deep, short, angrv breath, like sttirra
tv purrs of an enormous cat —could detect a smack
ing noise, which 1 afterwards found arose from his
licking at a stream of blood which flowed down the
side of his nose, from a deep sore on his forehead
given him by my hall—nav, 1 could feel his huge
tail, as he rolled it angrily across from side to side,
rest for a moment on my hack now and then.
The bitter anguish of those few years of moment.;
-well, you can guess all that Presently 1 heard
the t rack of a rifle on my left, a sharp whistle close
to Uy head, and a thud on my right, as the shot told
among the fur, succeeded by another short, sharp
snarl louder than the lirst—another crack, a sensa
tion like a red-hot w ire across my neck, (being at the
bottom of the slope they could hut just sight the lion
over my head, and N had tired a quarter of an
inch too low) another furious snarl, and then a roar
such a roar—within a yard of mv tympanum. 1
never heard such a sound out of {anything, living or
dead; then three or more shots close together, and
a bustle at my side, w hich sounded like tin neighbor
settling down among the grass and bushes.
“'Now roll! roll for your life!” shouted N’s
T W ‘’ uiv ” *•• l was saved the trouble—the dy
ing brut*, m ins convulsions, giving uie a kick with
OS l iud legs which sent me Hying down the steep
out of reach ol’ fur Iher dang; r.
TBVMI’KTKRS.
Ilu re are threw
who blow s hW own tvumti “' an ’
gets ft. , riWllKl c VU “ Wn *
W TV revjtv oje'er „ ‘ V . WM ‘ Ol W i &l 'd
IT**’ blow,, first c f a ” l ' K ‘ trum
te . ‘ */? ‘ U '" s ’ l ” >• M>Ct.
* h **-
class is necessarily a very small one, we cannot qu.n
rel with the modesty of certain men, who, feeling
there is but little chance of Fame ever blowing the
trumpet for them, become subscribers of that highly
popular Musical Society of “Every Man his own
Trumpeter,” and blow away lustily for themselves.
Some of our greatest politicians, patriots, doctors,
tragedians, and tight-ropo dancers are already mem
bers of tiie abovo society, and the numbers are in
creasing daily.— Punch.
Cjjc Ccmp.frante fanner.
PENFIELD, GEORGIA.
Saturday Morning, November 17,1855.
GOING TO CHURCH.
Did you ever take a seat in Church and watch as
well as /mu/? If not, come and let us seat ourselves,
fronting the entrance, where we can see all that is
mjwg on. Look now—the people are beginning to
enter. Do you see that sleek, well-fed, pompous,
paunchy, smooth faced, stiff-collared, plausible-look
ing old gentleman ? Observe the air of veneration
on his countenance —the reverential character of his
walk—the holy awe that beams from his downcast
eye. Seel his lips move in silent prayer—he res
ponds audibly—he sings with such spirit and feeling !
Overcome, finally, with the intensity of his devotions,
he leans his head on the bench before him, and you
can see his godly back rise and fail in pious undula
tions. Without a wonder, this substantial-looking
pillar of the church is hollow. With songs, and
prayers, and sighs, he buys the cloak of Religion, to
bide the livery of his master, the Devil—he cheats
his neighbors all the week, and praises God on Sun
day by sleeping and snoring—he is the Hypocrite!
Rut what is that, which, like Hamlet’s ghost,
“scents the morning air?” Just turn your eyes a
little, and you will see. Here come some excellent
specimens of that class of bipeds who delight in
plaid pantaloons, assailing everybody’s nose with the
commingled odors of cologne, macassar, rotgut, and
puppyism. Here they come into the house of God,
like so many monkeys into a menagerie, mincing
their steps, mil-king and smiling —attitudinizing
down the aisle, distorting their unmeaning mugs in
vain endeavors to make them expressive, looking
unutterably simple, with shiny hats and soft heads,
With slender ratans
And empty brain-pans—
most amusing and ridiculous travesties of the “hu
man face divine” —most egregious blunders in the
general harmony of creation—overwhelming proof
of a regular gradation in the long list of created be
ings—the connecting links between men and mon
keys. Don’t you feel proud of your species, when
yon see such exalted “specimens of the genus homo?
Don’t you detect yourself fraternizing with the lower
tribes? In this collection may be seen those whom
Nature slighted, in tin- distribution of brain—those
who were intended for men, hut cracked in season
ing—those whom Nature tried tier “prentice hand”
on and spoiled, ninn vhatnmers, nincompoops, and
numbskulls, of almost any age, from 16 to 23, —the
period (according to Mrs. Thomson) of masculine de
testability. What an abundant harvest for the fool
killer! Rut we are wasting ink.
Just turn your eye to the left, if you wish to see
the counterpart of tho class already noticed, making
due allowance for the addition of a few failings,
peculiarly feminine. There they are—fashionable
young ladies—lisping, simpering, snickering simple
tons in silks—wasp-waisted, hip-padded, paint-be
daubed illustrations of mantm-maker mechanism—
artfully fitted-up contrivances of paint, cotton, can
vas, and whalebone, which nmnoeuvering mammas
use as decoys, to catch the “main chance,” that is,
some unsuspecting single gentleman, who has the
funds to support a desirable establishment— delicate,
excessively nervous, spine-diseased, sofa-loungers
who read the “last novel,” and nurse rod-eyed poo
dles—rocking-chair teetotums, which light-headed
fops, with very erpremre little legs, spin through
the mazes of the giddy dance—gaudy-winged but
terflies, that lose their beauty when they are caught
—silly moths that flutter and are consumed in
the glare and gas-light of fashionable life—and
these form a class of our church-going people.
l>o they come here to worship God? We are very
much afraid, that like the Pharisees, they come here
to he “seen of men.” These fashionable young la
dies and “nice young men” adore themselves first,
each other next, and God—not at all. They very
justly conclude, that they owe Him no gratitude as
their Creator, (all gratitude on this score being en
tirely due their tailors and dress-makers, j and if they
were to come into the presence of the Lord, (which
is not at all likely in our fashionable churches,) we
doubt very seriously whether they would he recog
niiod as belonging to the race made in “His own
image.” Thoughts of devotion can never dwell in
brains saturated with macassar and bear’s grease,
and as to any fear of future punishment, thev wise
ly conclude that Hell is not the place for tools and
idiots.
But we are so interested with this last class, that
we arc about to miss the best part of the exhibition
—the Preacher is going to shore now—a real literary
man. judging of his fondness for letters , from the
quantity he has attached to his name—a fashionable
highflyer, on the principle of a kite, which flies high
or, the longer the tail attached. His dress is the j
pink of fashion, the tie of his white cravat irreproach-1
able, “his every motion grace,” and the women pro-j
noui.ee him a “love of a man.” as he proceeds in a’
disgusting, lackadaisical tone of voice to read a sa
cred hymn, as a dandy would a love-song. While
the choir are completing the work of murder u|>on
the hymn, the preacher, that pious individual, who
ought to he praying, is primping. The singing and
primping through with, he advances to the desk. 1
puts his hands gracefully on the Bible, stands with
lus head erect, and in a sort of do-as-you -please \
j about-it tone of voice, proceeds to eymk to the Lord j
jinreferwco to various matters of earth, recommend-i
jmg the course which he thinks best to be pursued |
! S " Ver *’ v> r > happy suggestions, insulting ,he
gmu God of alt the earth, w ith bombast that would
j sophomore, , nd at Ust wlnda llp #
®*gmhoent and aonoroua that subserves
the temperance banner.
the double purpose of closing up his prayer, and of
waking up his flock. Another hymn having been
sacrificed, he informs us that he proposes to preach
“Christ crucified,” instead of which he preaches his
own beautiful diction, his sublime thoughts, his deli
cate fancies, his graceful gestures, his sweetly modu
lated voice, his eloquence; in short, he crucifies
Christ and preaches himself. He dilates on brother
ly love and charity, and at the same time he and his
dear brother behind him, are at loggerheads and
hate each other like snakes. He tells us, that the
word of God is the “sword of the Spirit”—he makes
it, however, the boxing-gloves of controversy, and
knocks down all denominations, but his own. He
grows eloquent about the beauty of their feet, who
preach the Gospel—we would like to add —especial-
ly when they are kicking each other. But enough.
We left the church door, pitying, from the bottom
of our heart, the poor, benighted heathen, who, the
Preacher told us, “worshiped the workmanship of
their own hands,” and thanked God that we were
horn in a land blessed with gospel privileges, where
we can go to a religious show every Sunday, and it
need not cost us a cent! *
- -ii>
HOME JOURNAL.
See advertisement of Prospectus in this paper, and
send for it.
OEOROII UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE,
With its usual amount of reading matter, is punc
tually on our table. It is under the patronage of the
Senior Class of the State University.
WOODWORTH'S YOUTH’S CABINET
Promises g"eat tilings for 1856. Published at $1
by D. A. Woodworth, 118 Nassau-strcet, N. Y.
SCENES IN THE PRACTICE OF A NEW YORK SURGEON.
We have received the above work from those en
terprising publishers, DeWitt A Davenport, 160 and
162 Nassau-strcet, N. Y. The author is E. H. Dixon,
M. I)., well known to the rending public as the able
Editor of the Scalpel.
These scenes have been compared with those de
picted by Dr. Warren, in the Diary of a Physician.
In thrilling interest, in painful incident, and in tragi
cal effect, they are inferior, pel haps, to that famous
work ; but far superior, we think, in truthfulness of
detail, in life-like description, in the information they
convey’ and in the attention which they will attract
to some of the greatest evils that curse fashionable
society.
PETERSON’S MAGAZINE.
Great improvements will be made in this capital
Magazine for 1856. The reading matter will ! e in
creased to nine hundred pages a year. Each num
ber will contain a steel engraving; a colored fashion
plate, and about forty wood engravings. The fash
ions arc always prettier and later in “Peterson” than
in any other magazine. Mrs. Ann S. Stephens, the
celebrated author of “ Fashion and Famine,” is one
of the editors, and writes exclusively for it, assisted
by all the best female authors. No other magazine
has such stories as this: and morality and virtue
are always inculcated. The terms are a dollar less
than those of other magazines of similar rank, viz.
$2 a year, instead of $3. To clubs the terms arc
cheaper yet, three copies being sent for $5, five copies
for $7.50, and eight copies for $lO, with a splendid
premium to the person getting up the club. Ad
dress, post-paid, Charles J. Peterson, No. 102 Chest
nut-street, Philadelphia. Specimens sent on being
written for.
GEORGIA LEGISLATURE.
From our exchanges we gather the following ab
stract of proceedings:
in the Senate, on the 7th, Judge Cone offered a
resolution to Inquire into the number of Clerks ne
cessary for the Senate and House, which, being
amended by Mr. Pope, so as to make it a joint reso
lution, was agreed to.
Judge Cone also introduced a bill to reduce the
number of Senators and Representatives— to have a
return to annual sessions, and for anew re-district
ing of the State.
Mr. Peeples introduced a hill to increase the sala
ries of the Judges of the Supreme Court.
In the House, there was hut little business done,
except the inauguration of the Governor.
On the Bth, in the Senate, Mr. Miller reported an
important bill, in reference to the permanent location
of the Supreme Court.
In the evening, tho Senatus Academicus met. —
Many distinguished citizens were present. President
Chun h read an able report on the subject of Com
mon Schools, the cause of Education, and the con
dition of the University. He announced that Prof.
Venable, of Virginia, had been elected to fill the place
of Prof. LeConte.
The only matter of interest in the House, was a
bill introduced by Mr. Harris, to authorize the coun
ty of Dougherty to aid in building a railroad to Florida 1
At night, there was a meeting of the Anti Know
Nothing and Democratic Party. A committee of 21
offered resolutions, which were adopted, alter speech
es from Senators Toombs and Iverson.
The Legislature, on joint ballot, elected Wm. R.
McLaws, Attorney General for the Middle Circuit;
Lindens Oliver, Solicitor Genera! for the Chattahoo
chee, James C. Longstreot for the Cherokee, Julian
llartridge for the Eastern, James R. Lyons for the
Flint, Wm. Phillips for the Blue Ridge, T. M. Mont
fort for the Macon, T. M. Daniel fur the Northern,
W. A. Lofton for the Ocmulgee, E. F. Sheftall fur the
! Southern, J. AY. Evans for the South-western, and
S. P. Thurmond for the AA'estern Circuit.
Peterson Thweatt was elected Comptroller Gener
al; J. W. Greene, Surveyor General; J. B. Trippe,
Treasurer; and E. P. ‘A ntkins, Secretary of State.
No nomination has yet been made forjudge of the
Supreme Court, but the prominent candidates in the
field are David R. Lyons, of Albany ; A. 11. Chap
pel, of Macon; Hope Hull, of Athens; and Thomas
AV. Thomas, of Elbert.
The following gentlemen have berm re-appointed
! by Gov. Johnson, his Secretaries in the Executive
Department: Capt. AA’m. Steele, of Baldwin ; LuciH-
I us 11. Briscoe, Esq., of AA'alton; and Boswell B. De
j Gratfcnried, of Muscogee.
she American Party met at the Capitol on Friday
night, the Pth. lion F. H. Cone in the Chair, and
•I Knowles, See’y. Resolutions were offered and a
State Convention recommended to be held, the 2d
Thursday in December, in Milledgeville. Spirited
addresses were delivered by Messrs. Wright, Peeples,
and Jones.
A REMARKABLE MAN.
AND A UNIVERSAL REMEDY FOR DISEASE.
This city is now the home of one of the most re
markable men of the age—a man who has traversed
the civilized globe, and established in almost every
country which he has visited, the sale of his medi
cines for the relief of human suffering , and which
are a certain cure for disease in all its forms. We
allude to Professor Thomas Holloway, of London.—
It is now several years since this benefactor of the hu
man race lirst proclaimed to the world through the
British press, that he had, after deep research, pre
pared a remedy that was sure to eradicate disease.—
Years of patient investigation into the laws of human
physiology which control our bodies in health and
when diseased, led to the invention and preparation
of the world-renowned Holloway’s Pills and Oint
ment. Nearly, if not quite one half of the human
race have taken his medicines! Ilis name is as uni
versally known over the globe as that of Alexander,
Napoleon, or Washington, when in the height of their
ambitious career. If they conquered nations on the
field of battle, Professor Holloway has, with no wea
pon hut that of science, conquered disease in all its
forms. Ilis meritorious career is bounded by no im
aginary lines of latitude and longitude short of those
marking the confines of civilization itself. No isola
ted country or nation was sufficiently extensive for
the operation of his enterprising and gigantic intel
lect. Wherever disease has a residence, there he has
penetrated with his medicines, and left an enviable
and enduring reputation. After enlightening Europe,
his fame spread over Asia and the civilized portions
of Africa, and finally’ appeared in America. He has
translated the cures he has performed and the vir
tues of his medicines into as many languages as the
missionaries have the Bible. Governments, other
wise the most despotic, have been forced by the great
value of his medicines, and their popularity with the
people, to remove antiquated and time honored re
strictions upon the introduction of foreign medicines,
and open their custom houses to a free introduction
to the Pills and Ointment of this distinguished man.
Empires and kingdoms removed the barriers of ages
against the introduction and sale of proprietary or
patent medicines, and freely permitted Holloway’s
medicines to become the physician of the masses.—
X. Y. Dispatch.
For the Bauner.
THE MONTHLY RAINBOW, OR CHAPMAN’S PRE-CAL
CULATIONS FOR ELEMENTARY CHANGES.
This is a small sheet, published monthly, at $1
per annum, by Campbell & Cos., 73 South st., Phila
delphia, devoted to the predictions of changes of wea
ther, earthquakes, auroras, epidemics, &c., upon prin
ciples discovered by Dr. L. L. Chapman, of that city.
The great agent, which controls these capricious phe
nomena, he supposes to be electricity, determined, in
its relations to our earth, by the character of the rays
of light, reflected to us, at different hours, from the
sun, planets and stars.
From his calculations, he discovers what colored
rays, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or vio
let, will predominate at different hours of the day,
for the ensuing month. These he arranges in a ta
ble, with proper explanations; thus placing it in the
power of every one, to compare his predictions with
the actual changes of the weather, health, &c., as the
month elapses. We have not been able to make any
extensive comparisons ourselves, and can only refer
to tho-e instituted by editors in Washington and
Philadelphia, which show some remarkable coinci
dences.
The number of the Rainbow before us contains the
prospectus of a work, Chapman’s Principia, by the
same author, in which he attempts to demonstrate,
that the same agent, electricity, and not gravitation,
is the great motive power of the universe, causing
the revolutions of the planets, &c. Newton certain
ly taught a different doctrine, and we must confess
our dissent from so summary a removal of the old
landmarks set by him. This wholesale application
of electricity to explain obscure phenomena in wea
ther, disease, Ac., is no new tiling. Dr. Chapman
has only given it a more ambitious extension, in its
relations to the planets. He will have a fair hearing
before the American public; they have paid well for
every new light—Animal Magnetism, Galvanic Belts,
Clairvoyance, Animated Tallies; and if this new as
pirant for popular honors does not succeed, it will be
the fault of the system and not the people. !!
For the Banner.
HINTS TO BOARDERS.
That’s right, Mr. Boarder, walk into the parlor.—
Call on Miss Kate to play whatever you like, for she
is only practicing, and, of course, don’t mind being
interrupted. Besides, hasn’t she the whole day to
practice? And for what, in the name of common
sense, do people have young ladies at boarding
houses, if it is not to talk and sing and play and af
ford amusement for the hoarders? It stands to rea
son that this is their business. Therefore, don’t take
a refusal, or a hint to leave, if she tells you that she is
tired, or that she has couio in only to practice.
That’sall stuff. She maybe tired, butcan’t she play
as well then as at any other time? The music is all
you want; you don’t care whether it is agreeable or
disagreeable, or irksome or painful to her, so it pleases
you. Select the music yourself, and dictate to her
what she shall play, fir, of course, she is to have no
voice in the matter—her taste is not to be consulted.
In doing so, it don’t matter if you tear up, mix, and
scatter her music to the four corners of the room ;
she can re-arrange it when you have gone. Don’t
you be foolish enough even to offer to arrange it,
that’s her business—not yours. Make it a point to
look regularly through her music hooks, and if you
espy any writing in the leaves, or notes and letters
laid away there for privacy, be sure to gratify your’
curiosity by reading them. If delicacy and common
sense should whisper that it is imp litc and ungen- ‘
tlemanly, don’t heed them. Pshaw, are you not n ;
boarder, and have you not an indisputabiejight to i
“make yourself at home’’ in any part of the house ? i
Assuredly you have. Then exercise it.
Ifat any time, as is frequently the case, you ti ni ]
the parlor door closed, and hear Miss Kate practicing
within, don’t take the trouble to knock, hut
tatingly enter without giving warning of your p r( . R .
ence. To be sure, she is always glad to receive you”
and if she is not, what of it? She can’t help herself.
After you have entered, unceremoniously close the
door—throw yourself at full length on the sofa, and
call for “1 he last Rose of Summer,” “Old folks at
homo,” or any other piece of music you may choose
to fancy. Never let the thought trouble you that
you are violating the rules of good-breeding by clos
ing the door, and by lying down on the sofa in her
presence. Po<.h, if she don’t like it, let her tell yoii
so; you feel perfectly at home, and if you are not
allowed such liberties you can get another hoarding
place. “Shall I not take mine ease in mine inn?”
Feed your vanity on the reflection that she comes
in there every day, at the same time, because she ex
pects to have the pleasure of seeing no less a person
age than your admired self. Else, why does she al
ways practice at that hour ? Oh, it is perfectly evi
dent why she does that. Delightful thought; just
think what an influence you exert over her how
she admires your sleek, oily, and curly hair— and
how she doals on your company! Can you conceive
of an individual more welcome at all times than your
self? Os course, then you will avail yourself of all
these advantages and circumstances to promote your
own enjoyment at her expense. Should you feel
dull on a Sunday evening, and wish to amuse your
self by listening to the simple and childish prattle of
some woman, send in for her to go with you to
church. No matter if it is after the lirst bell, and
she has had no idea of going before receiving your
message—she will have abundant time to dress, and
if she has not, she will he only too glad to accompa
ny you. It is evident, that you ought to mingle in
the society of ladies to become more polished and re
fined ; and whose business, pray, is it to fill the of
fice of polishers if it is not the duty of the girls at
your boarding house ?
Softly—your ear if you please. IJAve you in con
templation any little love affair, about the success of
which you are deeply concerned ? You have, eh ?
Then, practice on Miss Kate or Miss Sallie, by way
of posting yourself on all the needful points. ’Twill
he of immense advantage to you, and possibly may
be rather pleasant than otherwise to—yourself.—
Don’t bother your head about the consequences to
her; for I dare say it will not more nearly break the
poor girl’s heart —if girls at boarding houses have
hearts—than other affairs of similar nature have done.
You understand me, I guess. A word to the wise is
sufficient. And now, my dear Mr. Boarder, with
these hints I will take my leave—hoping, before I
go, that your views will coincide with mine, and that
you will derive much real pleasure from the advice I
have freely given. An revoir.
LOLA LAPDOG.
Penfieid, Ga.
For the Banner.
GATHERINGS BY THE WAY.
Wilmington, N. C., Oct. 25, 1855.
Mems. Editors, —After proper ablutions, change
of raiment, and refreshing sleep at the “Globe,” I
arose to look upon a city covered with dust—the
streets being in almost as bad condition as if they
were a foot deep in mud. Not much animation in
business, —some thirst, and sonic persons trying to
quench it in a way not very commendable —at least
to a teetotaller.
Merideth Holland, the great natural Mathematician,
was in the city exhibiting his miraculous powers of
calculation. He is a curiosity indeed. He is a small
man, though apparently well formed. His face does
not indicate even a common degree of intellectuality.
He is, I suppose, about 20 years of age—only went
to school AO days in his life —has always had convul
sions which prevented his studying,—is able to read
and can write a little. He is able, without the aid of
figures, to solve the most difficult mathematical pro
blems, no matter how long or tedious the process
would be to another. He seems to answer such ques
tions —to arrive at his conclusions, which are always
correct —not by any reasoning or calculating process,
but intuitively. He is really a wonderful person.
I took the cars on the South Carolina railroad at
night, to avoid the dust; but strange as it may seem,
I was doomed to suffer, (the cars being full of it,)
night as it was, till we arrived at Branchville, where
we took the Wilmington and Manchester railroad,
leading through poor pine lands and boggy places
almost entirely uninhabited, so that we were no more
troubled with dust. ButO! the dreary desolateness
of that waste howling wilderness, through the Tur
pentine districts. I never saw the like before; and
never imagined that America had such bad looking
prospects any where.
On the cars were some gentlemen from Tennessee
going North, whose company was quite agreeable.
I formed an acquaintance with an unfortunate gen
tleman—unfortunate, because he was a drunkaid. —
He told me his condition—frankly confessed that he
was fast ruining himself and family. He bitterly and
lamentably bewailed the degradation to which his
habits had subjected him,—with tears streaming
down his cheeks he told mu of his futile attempts to
reform, —the fast hold which the monster had on
him, and his horrible reflections at the thought of
dying a drunkard. He asserted to me what I have
long been convinced of, viz. that a drunkard could
not leave off his drinking and stay sober as long as
liquor could be seen, by him. How many had drunk
ards have you and I known to sigu the pledge —
to join the Sons? Thousands! thousands!! How
man) have we known to keep it and die in their in
tegrity? Fere, few ! There’s a spell, a fatal charm,
a bewitching influence, a fascination in the appetite
for ardent spirits, that lays hold on the individual
with the strength of a lion's grasp, and with an en
durance which is surpassed only by eternity, and
never terminates until death has done his work. 0!
I would not be under such an influence for the hope
of heaven! Nothing earthly is so dreadful. It is
little thought of or noticed by the gay and careless
world—never dreamed of by the moderate drinker.
The dram-drinker cannot possibly see any impro
priety in his taking a dram once or twice a day.—
Tell him that he may bring disease upon himself, —
he thinks that it is his business and not yours. Tell
him that he will make a drunkard some day and
bring himself and relatives into disgrace—he is in-
November