The Mercury. (Sandersville, Ga.) 1880-1???, October 09, 1883, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textthe mercury. fnMnd U ■wond-elsss matter at the Ban " uanvlU* Poatofflea. April H, IM gandcmllle, Washington ConlJ, 0*. rrnnin at A . j. JEENIGAN, PaorUBTOB AMD PUBUMHfc 8ub«orlptlon-.. .IM par Tear c. 0 BROWN, I - attorney AT LAW, Bandanrllla, Oa. ft Watches, Clocks And JEWELRY BBPAIBBD BT JSRXTZCAXT. H. N HOLLUTELD, Physician and Surgeon, Bandanrllla, Oa office nait door to Mm Bayne's aMlllnary ■tort on Harris attaaa ' 0. W H WHITAKER, dentist, Sanderavllla, a a. terms cash. Office nt lila Residence, on Harris streak Aorll 3<1. 1880. B. D. IVANS, ATTORNEY AT LAW, BandeiarlUe, Qa. April 1,1880. j Dr. H. B. Hollifieldp THE MERCURY. A. J. JERN1GAN, Proprietor. DEVOTED TO LITERATURE, AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. ^tt # ro per Annnm. VOLUMK IV SANDERSVILLE, GA., TUESDAY, OCTOBER II, 18811. NUMBER 27. F2TSICUI ill mini Ravine recent)/ graduated at tha Unlvar- of Maryland r * illy of Marylauu and returned home, now olters Ids professional aarrleea to the eltlaena ol Hnndersvllle and vlelnlty. Ofltoe with Dr. II. N Uolllflelil, next door to(Mra. Bayne’s millinery store, 13UY YOUR SPliCTACLCS, SPECTACLES, FROM JERNICAN, None genuine wlthont onr Trade MarH on hand and for sale, SPECTACLE. NOSE GLASSES. ETC. /. K. Hines. HINES & ROGERS, Attorneys at Law, 8ANDER8VILLE, GA., Will practlea In the oountlea of Washington, Jefferson, Johnson, Emanuel and Wilkinson, and In the U. B. Courta for the Bonthem Dle- trlct of Georgia. Will sot ns agents In baying, sailing or renting Ileal Kslata. office on West aids of Public Square. Octll-tf MUSIC, MUSIC —GO TO— JEENIGAN Bows, Strings, Rosin Boxes, Etc- Machine Needles, Oil and Shuttles, fou ALE KINDS or MACHINES, Ibrsnla. 1 will also order parts of Machines that get broken, for which new pieces are wanted. A. J. JEHNIGAN. ENOCH ARDEN'S TRUE STORY, Wlion Enoch Arden enmo homo after that memorable anil disastrous voyage, 'vliich shipwrecked him and his hopes, he crept up the streot to his old homo, as Tennyson informs u?, and looked in 'ho window. There ho saw Philip Ray and Annio, his wife, and thoir child, all seated around tho hearth crackiug wal nuts. the wliolo bitter truth camo upon him With terrible fordo. Annio, supposing Enoch to be dead, had married Philip, B0118 to have a home for hersolf and a man about tho house in case of tramps. •it was a Ra< ] coming back for Enoch, and ho was mad about it. Not so much nooaiiBo Philip had married his wife, for Here were plenty more wives to be had: not because his child bad learned to call another man “pa,” though that was • Pijl, inosmueh as tho ohild looked a mile hko Philip any how. Uii er of these things worried him an bo much as to note that Philip was eanng his (Enooh’s) clothes. With a . ? a °, lu B gesture Enoch was just abont hash into the house and annihilate w l' c n suddenly the anger in his w lteimi ' co Wft8 supplanted by a look of i° r , ftn( l * le slunk away os silently as A n „ ; , com °- Ho had oanght sight of ttl '® B mother, who during Enooh’s and 00 lad broken up house-keeping an,i over to l‘ vo with her daughter, l ha< } become a fixture there. wanlo, 1 , toU1 80me of the boys after- of v, 11 was the narrowest escape i a , n ^ that he would rather be enormia ever y five minutes than to 1118 mot her-m-law.—Saturday GENEHAL NEWS. I Tiioaoco will ho cultivated in the Rot- ton bolt of Florida. Tire orango crops of Florida aro now worth over ono and ono half millions of dollars, Ralt.eioh, North Oamli'jn, 1ms thir teen factories and mills. TnR Richmond Vo., Grain elevator, which lv. Ids 300,000 bushels is now full, A short sugar crop in predicted in Louisiana, owing [to on insufficiency of rain. Flora Iiob 030 factoriee, working 2,00- 5t8 hands, with a capital invested of 81,- 097,030. The shores along Mobile boy, on lx>tli sides are becoming lined with orango groves, 8t. Augustine, Fla., pays 12j cent* a barrel for oyster shells to improve hor roads. The number of homesteads entered in Mississippi since the passage of tho law in 1802, is 13,885. The banana trues nl out Madison Fla. aro noorly all bearing large, fine bunch os of fruit thisyonr. The cigar business is greatly extend ing in Key West, Fla, It is oarriod on mostly by Cubans. • J. C. Word, who kcr| s a hotel at Bria tol is said to be the fattest man in Vir ia. Ho weighs 500 pounds. A worm similar to' tho army worm is making terrible lmvoc with the pea crop in portions of West Tennessee. Many portions of West Tennessn arc suffering with a dry-spell. Nearly all the grass destroyed and water for stock get ting scarce. A variety of cotton known hh the Son- eganihia is attracting considerable atten tion in sumo quarters of Alabama. It is said to turn out n pound to fifty IkjUs. Southern farmers have been experi menting with tomatoes as food for cows with very satisfactory results, and they consider it an absolute preveutative of cholera. The peanut crop in Virginia, according to tho latest reports, is a great failure. It is bclioved that owing to drouth not much more than ono fourth o a crop will be made. In Texas colored and white people hro to ride in separate coaches, but they are to be equal in quality. That ia how tho Lone Star stntc manages the erclal prob lorn. Two twcnty-five-yenr old orange trocs near Tampa, Fla., one measures ten inches above tho root, fifty-three inches n circumference, and the ether fifty-onc- nchc s. The New Orleans Timcs-Domocrat ex presses tho opinion that the cotton crop of 1883-81 is owned by tho producers, and will leave moro Burplu* monoy in the country than any cotton crop of recent years. An unctmmin stalk of colli n was ex hibitcil in Natchez roeently. It wns sev- eii feet high, with leng clcee branches all of which wore filled with bolls. Those numbered over 250. It wns raised by Allen Corpenter. Another item lins boon added to Ala bama's rich and boundless resources. Prof. Smith, state geologist, while pros pecting in soutliwott Alabama Inst week foinuVa fine flow of petroleum on the Tom- bigbeo. t Tue Marksvillo Bulletin, Louisiana, tells of a stalk of cotton from Buckland plantations, Bod river, the property of tlio clerk of court, which contained 330 bolls and forms, tho majority of tho bolls having fivo “locks 1 ’’ On tlie farm of Mr. R. C. Madden, near Williamsvillo, in Pike County, Georgia, is probably tho largest grape ire lit the -ctuntiy. It is eighteen years old, thirty four inches in circum ference nt tho base and is a quarter of a mile long. General Withers, tho Kentucky horse raiser, says that tliq best stock follows tho limestone rather than tue clay and sandstone formations. It forms a perpetual fertilizer for tho land and gives out a pnsturftgo upon which is knit the bone and firm muscular tissue, m&Doit. In the elenr strawberry wcallior, When the sun in splon 'or shone. Mauil and I went out together! Roaming through a WuiiitlknU Sobs. She was fair, ahd I was spoony— She was wtsi>, and I wns not— For a fellow’B always looney When soft hair with gold is shot. Ah, her hands wore white and fll tnlet, And her Voice was like the soil# Of a bird, whose sleepy, tendor Carol thrills tho air along. And I thought her like the lily. Swaying with the restless title) If the altollo seen silly, Think that she wm by yonr side— That the air was cool and fragrant, And your faco wm softly fanned By a tress, that breezes vagrant Loosed from out its nznro band. Think tho path waa lone and narrow, And quite willing to eclipse All the world, save eomc port sparrow, When sho turned to yon hor Ups. Think of this and then remember That May's aupple, winsome graoe Mikes short work of wise December, When backed by a pretty facoj And then vow that I'm a softy, Just because tho papers say That your servau*' and Maud Lofty Boon will travel Hymen's way. Do I like my moss of pottago'/ Maud is handsomo as a poach) And tho owner of a cottage At Nantasket on tho beach,— Is well-read, and shrewd and witty, An t has all tho polntB to match) Bo I doubt if in the city I ooald And a better catch. Don't be heavy oh a follow— Walt till Love shaU play his hand) Borne flno day wlion skies aro moUow, Yon wUl bow to his command— . Yes, and think, oh, scorn big mortal, That the semo of all bliss b to wait beside the portal That yon open with a kiss. Tbomas 8. Collie* 1* 10. She got maid a pass to the seat of war. it, Early on the morning of the 21st of August, we fluff Mine. Lrtbbrt littd her multi nt llio rtliliVa.J' stilt|l)tl Hi id Boon they and their Ititggitgo, including the mucli-discnsscd eotnmissnriul linmpi r, wero on routo lot tho Beat of War. After numerous interruptions ftud alopixiges hor journey Was Concluded! It Was lute in tho eVUnlllg when tlio li'aiu fenchei! Hanrbrtlckcn, Wticto Litdelt itud lief maid got ollt; tho officers bade it friendly fare well to their “Comrade Emit Veil Rha- deu,” and with ninny good wishes for a speedy tUeetlUg With ller husband, they hastened ttway in heard) of their respec tive quarters. Tuthlng to a polder, Lucca asked him where sue coul * night’s lodging, “A night’s lodging 1” ropeatod he, looking nt her In surprise! "there Is no elmneo of a lodging anywhere in Banr- hntoken, The with soldiers," i could got a hruoken, The whole place is crammed Parisian Cabmen.—In Paris they re ward cabmen for their honesty. In ad- ditlon to voted rewards there is honor able mention. This year three and two&ty houciot cabmen go* 1,600 francs between them, and thirty others, whose integrity was remarkable, but not up to the level of monetary recognition, were honorably mentioned The firet prize man received two hundred francs. Sta tistics give very singular details as to this raws of oab-dnving Parisians. It Includes unfrocked priests, ruined bank ers broken-down cooks out of employ ment, and dishonest notaries out of prison. m SbsIStSLPffJ! hS&S’gia tramp is a very differ- flftnAnmiles and get there before the Hawkeye - ON THE BATTLEFIELD. i REMARKABLE ADVENTURE OF A FAMOUS FR1MA DONNA. On the 18th of August. in the year 1870, a number of tlio inhabitants of Berlin were seen ruAhing wildly toward the pillars outside Litfnsz's, in order to jet the first glimpso of the victorious bulletins that had just keen put up here. A stout old gentleman, with spectacles >n nose, now begged for quiet, and whou this was established ho read out in a -lear voice tho dispatch from Pont-a- Nfonsson, announcing that the enemy had made a sortie from Metz on the 16th, hut hod licen drivon hook again into the fortress, after twelve hours' bard fighting. Heavy loss on both sides waa, however, a sad ending to tho glori dub news. The crowd was just boginning to dis perse when an open carriage drovo up, and the tastefully dressed occupant, or- iering her coachman to stop close to the f iillars, told the footman, who hastily limped down, to tell hor at once the contents of tho telegram. “I can spare your servant Iho tronblo, Madame," said our gray-liaired old (riond stepping toward the carnage and lifting his hat politely. “Ah, good morning, dear Doctor,” cried the lady, very pleased. “I have not seen you for an ago; please tell mi prickly, have we gained another vic tory?” “Gonoral von Doring ana von Wondei «o killed, and von Rauch and von Grutei are wounded," repli d the Doctor. “And is there nothing about Lioutcn- mt von Rhftden?” questioned the lady in an anxious tone. “No, Madam, your husband is not mentioned,” smiling good-naturedly at ber naive question. Then I must telegraph at once. Who w«is that interesting-looking lady ?” nsked a bystander of tho District inspector. That little lady is the prima donna of our opera, Mmo. Paulino Lucca, the wife of Baron von Rhaden, who is now sway with the army.” Mme. Lucca had scarcely entered her door when the porter plaood a telegram in her hands. Hastily tearing it open, she read “Lieutenant von Rliaden is wounded but not dangerously.” “Ah, it is as I feared! ’she concluded. ‘It was not for nothing that I dreamod three nights running about snakes ! Ii is true tho telegram says he is not dan- gerously wounded, but I am sure he must want nursing; and here I am— hundreds ol miles away from him 1 Then speaking to hersolf, she con tinned : “No, no—I know my duty an. will fulfill it I John must not take tin horses out, I must drive off at once Whore is mv maid ?—Editha, you havi lust come’in time. Get everything ready, we start at once. Pack changes of linen in my small tr dresses we shall not require, as we shall certainly not be asked to Court. Here is some money, go at once and bu everything that wifi strengthen my sic husband; pigeons, chickens, meat ex Tact, preserves; if there is any caviare you can get a small barrel from the old Russian in Charlotte street, and don I forget the very best cigars, and take one dozen bottles of the oldest wine m the cellar. But I must have a pass from Count Eulenberg, the Minister of the Interior. Quick, quick, Editha, pack averv thing into one box and send it ofl to the station. As soon as you are ready And I'm so tired I" exclaimed Mmc. Lucca. “Don’t you know of any place where I could rest for the night ? No matter how small or poor, 1 would re ward you well." The porter shoved Ills cap Oh One side, scratched his head, thought for a mo ment and then saidi “Tho engine house—there 1 flatild ar range you a good boil of clean straw or huy, “ you think it is rospeetabh enough," “Respectable enough I tthdwliy hot?" ' “Because, madam, in peace time we jften Bliut trampB up there." "My good man, that won’t trouble me in the least—but could you not get ns some blankets ?" “Oh, yes, ’ answered tho porter. “I can got plonty of blankets from the offi core, if 1 say they are required for la dies." Feeling scouro by the knowledge that they wore guarded, mistress ana maid lay down and thoroughly tlrod out, did not awnko till four inlhe morning: whoi suddonly drums began to boat, bhgles to sound, words of command wer shouted out—warlike noises wore heard al) round) something extraordinary musi be going on in Saarbfiiekotl, The barrioado was quickly removed and Mme. Lucca stepped out, just ax Lieutenant von L came spurring up on his fiery chestnut, reporting hurriedly “There is an alarm, Madame, the Frond won’t wait any longer. Everything luu gone on, and I have been left behind t< report to you. Au revoir I but stop- t bad very nearly forgotten to tell voi :at yonr husband is in the hospital a I'ont-a-Mousaon." “And how far ia that from here?” "About forty miles) but. pardon nn . am called away. Adeiul" and off 1. galloped like a bullet out of a ohassepn The aspect of Snarbruckcn was i Iced desolate when the troops had )«-i Seeing au old man coming along, Mtu Lucca asked: “My good man, is any > your army still here I” “Only the Grand Duke of Oldeubnri ihero ho comes up the street with h staff," and off ho went. “Good morning, your Highness, said tho prima donna, iu a loud voice. The Grand Duke, surprised, pulled up his horse, and looking down at her said: “Can I bo mistnken? no, surely it is Frau Lucca, onr prima donna! Many n timo have I hail tho great ploasure of hearing yon at tho opera." “Your Highness, I am delighted that you graciously remember my insignifi cance. In Berlin I am introduced to dukes nt court; here, howover, I must doit mysolf in tho open street,” I have come to foich my husband, who lies wounded at ront-a-Mousson. I entreat of yonr Highness to help me.” “That, dear lady, is, I fear, impossi ble, with tho best will in the world,” answered ho pityingly; “for at this mo ment there is nothing at hand but the baggage-wagon which follows us witL tho servants.” Serene Highness,” exclaimed Mme, Lucca, “bad driving is bettor than good walking. If that is your only objeotiou to the baggage-wagon, plonae order down three men, so that 1, my maid and baggage may mount." The Grand Duke laughingly complied shook her heartily by the hand, ex oused himself that, he could not do more for her and rode off. Mmo. Lucca anil her maid got up, and tho wagon slowly rumbled off to Pont-a-Mousson, It was late tho following day when they at last reached tho town. Tho whole of Pout- a-Mousson was converted into a huge hospital, and nearly every house hod the Geneva Hag. Frau Lucca went indefat- gably from ono to the other, till at last, jne got the information: “Lieutenant von Rhaden severely wounded. First floor—Room No. 9.” This confirmation of her fears seemed to take away her Aud tflirtt If tlto dream ttotfi ft furtll- fv ? ’ questioned the doctet. Ah, impossible," mrirmrtred tho sick man; “I would ns soon fancy an angel from lleaVeh coming hero to Mo." Mine, LtwtJa totild amitaln liorself no longoh .... “Adblpli, I am htiro I" She dried In n voice choked with tears, falling Oh her kiiCOS beside him. Wo Will not further dospribe this scone; SilftlHO ltj lhat IMo doctor, by moifllA Of persuasions ftfltl threats, brought Mine. I.ncen. to her former eoni)H)HUfo, telling hot of ftliat toll use she could bo. Tho patient) rts Mmo. Lucca afterward related with great satis- ctiOhj had no less than fivo cups of this —iffeo. she licfSelf feeding him. For ten dftyH Mmo. Lucca nurtefi her hus band idcfaligably, nnd notwithstanding all tho disagreeables attendant on wotlnds, never left bis bedside. Her mailt every day Cooked and prepared a portion of tho domitfeased vegetables and soups, Which tho pntiont cottlil only tako in spoonfuls nt a time) bltt, thanks to good nursing) his health Improved rapidly. ’ On the tenth day tho dodtor dulled Btfnln. "There has been another cav alry skltmisli," ho said, “only a mile from here. Now, oilf oittposlfl rife only about 800 paces from the French, so that With a good field-glass one can plainly distinguish their kepi*. “I have brought my glass With me.' qniokly said Mme. Lnccn. “Could not go nml see this French outped ■ Call you tell mo ffhdfo I could get po mission to go ?" The only person who ooa givo you leave to visit the outposts is tho Etup >oU Commandant, Captain H , of tin Bilans." The Captain was just reading the pa trol's report, according to which n hatth was expected nonr Suihiit. An aide-de- camp had brought him orders to strengthen the OUtpusts on tho heights of Pont-a-Monsson, and to do his ut most to prevent the French troops, scattered round there, from re-form- An orderly came in nnd announced A lady from Berlin wiahos to sponk to you.” "A lady I" exclaimed tlio Captain, urpriacd. “Did she givo you any name?" Frau von Rhaden, she snya." Dio Lucca 1” cried tho Captain, jumping up nnd himself going to open the door. "Madame," ho said, “I am both surprised nnd delighted to welcome yon to my quarters." “I just want to visit tho outposts and have a look nt tho French, " brought her hero In this tlmo of danger, to Which sho replied: “1 have just been to fetch my owl man from the sent ol War, for I think I shall nuren him bettei nt heme than the Sisters of Mercy could do in the hospital.” Four montlis after thosoevonlR Mmo. lmCOtt became tho happy mother of w chnrmiiiR daughter. — —— Aft AWFUL RKStPONSUHLITf Tho Cnptain thought he eould not havo hoard rightly. "You wish to visit the outposts? The theatre of war is very different, to that of the opera 1" “Oh, I know that I—on the battle Held the ohnssepot bullet* take tin soprano, the mitrailleuses tho baritone, and tho shells the bass parts. But 1 should like, just for onoe, to hear such a concert." •And what if n bullet hit you ?" ‘Oh, no fear! French bullets an much too polite to do that. Please please Herr Rittmeistor, givo mo a pus. ind a oonplo of Uhlans." “Really, Madam, I am very sorr.v but I cannot grant your requost.” ♦iwri pceoi-nt, ""••tSSw »i** .rrrir; necessary expense and trouble,” j ,ia i«ted ;TSr.^'II you want to take something with you, let it bo com pressed vegetables, condensed milk, Lm- big’s extract, ooffee, tea, sugar, all theso he can enjoy, and if you like, I will go Sh. entreated to gr*»t b«B*U «d courage. “Wo hope to pull him through yet., said the doctor reassuringly: “pray Madame, do not lose heart; all will go well I hope. Follow me up the stairs, but only after I have prepared him can I allow you to go into Iris room.” She stepped in, her looks anxiously searching for her beloved husband; but what a picture met hor eyes! In n small close room stood a bed, to judge by its length only intended for a ohild, on which lay a tall manly figure of at least six feet, the legs hanging over the end, the head and face bandaged, leav ing nothing visible^ but a nose and mouth, fearfully swelled, and the oolor “Is 1 that my husband?” Frau Lucca asked in a broken voice. “Yes, that is Lieutenant von Rhaden. # Sho sank down on a chair, covering her face with both her hands. “Pauline?” murmured the patient al most inarticulately. , “Pray, Madame, go behind the head of the bed,” said the doctor. Youi husband is about to awake and your un- expeoted appearanoe here might do him k^The patient moved again, and the doc tor came and felt his pulse. “You have had a good sleep, Baron; i you feel any easier?" _ _ . . “A little, "If you only hesitate on I will absolve you in writing from nil n sponsibility,” saying which she took i piece of paper from tho table, wrote i few words and banded it back to tl>> Rittmoister. “Here ia your warrant, she said. Of course, if you thus insist, I mus givo in.” And without further deluy in handed her a pass, told off a Sergeant and ten Uhlans as escort, and the who! party were quickly en routo to tin heights. It was the 30th of August, the sun was streaming down hot and fiercely, and Frail Lucca, her sunshado in her right hand and glasses iu her left, walked bravely on, humming au air out of “Figaro," and tho Uhlans follow ing behind. After half an hour’s rough walking through hedges and across ditches, they reache I the first lino of outposts, when the sentries, like moles, hod thrown up the earth, to protect them from the en emy’s fire. ... Even on thoir way thither, single bul lets lmd come aoross from “over tin way,” but fortunately bail passed harm lessly over their heads. Now, however when the party halted, thus giving tli French a mark, the builots began t fall thick and close, ono ol the penan I was shot from a lance and tho horses be gnn to get restive. The Sergeant rode up, saluted and said: “Frau Baronin, if I remain hero quarter of an hour longer with my Uhlans, I shall not bring back a sing) man unwounded; for tho sight of ; Uhlan always makes the French spend a fabulous nmouut of ammunition.’ Even as he spoke a bullet grazed hi; horse’s ear. . “For Heaven’s sake,” cried Lucca startled, “don’t let any one’s life be cn daugered on my accouut. Pray, gentle men, turn and ride back as fast as you can, and take my very best thanks to yonr Captain.” There was no need to repeat ber com mand. Tho Uhlans, having received in structions to obey tho lady in every thing, dashed away with lightnuu speed, and were soon out of sight. Shortly after their departure the ene my’s fire also ceased. Mme. Lucca was now able toluol around, and taking advantage of tin quiet, went on till she reached one m the formost sentries. Here she fouud an old, shot-riddled stump, on which, being rather tired, she seated hersell, d0 .7. 0 ?:^ whispered, "I had such ft ^oT^oui^wife ?—you called out her wife—of Pauline 1 It was ■ike reality—I saw her stand at my bed side, ben/ing oyer ^ eyes, salt* whispered, ‘Adolph, ■Yes, of my' from niDpnlrl.rr Tl'IU EemeiMs* Attain III* IliiCeS. People who climb oh a passenger train she is two or three hours hrte, little iihftgWtti #hnl endless planning and management it takes to got her through iiifely. Lot a freight got Behind time, fthfl w« can handle her by miming trti another train’s tjme, but a passenger breaks np everything on tho road. A train dispatcher must lie laffllMnf with every circumstance nnd every possible Combination of oiroiimsiaucos. He must know j«st Wl what portions of tho road fast time cau be made, and givo orders accordingly, tto must never givo nn order tor Certain tifno fo bo made unless he is positively pertain flint the grade nnd Condition of tho weather will permit of such time boing mndo, To-ilay 1 may order a train to riih from Station A to Station B, and another tot a train to run from B to A, wlion tho same ordof to* morrow would precipitate a eollision. Yon have got to know nil tho men on the line. Why, on tlio road that 1 worked on there WGflld lie engineers and conductors that could novef got * train jnb’on timo. Then there were others that would never bo late except in ease of accident. Why, sometimes during my eight montlis of duly I would giro 250 train orders. Just think of that a ttire RiOnt, Horo is a passenger train four hotlre late, and nfroighttrain side-tracked at almost every station, Of course that tits etefy train behind time. First I _jave to order tho operator to jput out his flag and hold tho ttaift for orders, nnd then I have to send the order and wait for it to bn tepoated back. At tho same time a train may be pnRS ing a station five miles away, wben I want to hold and sido-traok her, All this time 1 mast not only keep a clear track for the passenger train, but must not unnecessarily detain tlio freights. Sometimes, right in tho middle of a rush of business like this, the wire would break, or some operator would leave his key open. Then everything Is to pay. Fortunately, tho train dispatcher's order is tho law. Every employee is l>ound to obey it. Bo we ao not have to worry abont that. Onoe I left the office, by permission in core of my assistant, and wben I re turned I found that he had two trains running toward each other on a single I track, and only a station betwoen them. Fortunately I got a message to the sta tion in time to flag the Tret train that go* there, hut if one of them had happenod to pass there would have been a fearful aocident. It wns a vory natural error. On another oconsion I 'ost a train, It was a little late. It left F. twenty min utes behind time, when it was ordered to a side track for No. 3, a fast express. F. and M. wero eleven miles apart, and No. 3 could not leave F. until the local was reported side-tracked at M. Well, I wnited an hour, nnd then cnllcd M., who hail the message for tho locals, nnd asked him whore tho freight wns. He didn’t know. In tho meantime tho ex press was at F., nnd tho passengers were getting mail. Thirty minutes moro anil still no train. Then I ordered No. 3 to run cautiously to M. She did so, but found no local. To say that wo wore paralyzed is putting it mildly. Ton minutes later W., a little station near the city, reported the local there. Sho hnd gono by M. in some way without disturbing the operator. THE MERCURY. FUBU8HED EVERY TUESDAY NOTICE, v ST An eommnnlemtlon* Intended hrthM $% papar must to* aMompanlod till the full namaof tha writer, not nwesmrlty ter path I- cation, bat os a guarantee of *ood faith. We are In no way responsible tor tha views • or opinions of correspondents. A FURIOUS LIFE. That t,ed hr the Men Whn Make Hows* papers. What a curious life journalism opens lo its devotees I Borne fellows sit quietly in their offices from 8 o’clock at night until 2 in the morning doing nothing but reading what other people have writtet, striking ont here, putting in therd, knowing absolutely nothing Of the world except that which they read of, sleeping l ho lietter part of it at home, giving to their families not more than three or ■ POSH. , bilities, hnmdrnmming through life,' busy, native, neeful, bat turinformed out , of certain grooves. Others devote themselvos to specialties, in which they become proficient, aside from which they 4 know no moro than the ordinary mm- chant or broker. Others, again, afe im mersed iu politics, writing upon no other subject. Homo deal with oonventionB exclusively. Writers on oti, whether it Ihj dramatic, lyrio or the work of tho painter, aro of no special uso as general newspapor men, but seek and find well paid employment upon greatnewspapdW i which can afford specialists. Then there Is tho correspondent, here to-day, thero to-morrow, and somewhere else all the rest of tho time. With his eyes open he has it in his power to know everything knowable—in a superficial , way. He meet* the great men of the country and the little ones, nnd is known to them by name and sight. He is al ways weloomeil, beeauso ho has it in hi* power to serve. If he wero lo bo stricken blind, or with paralysis, or bo laid up ltcyotid the possibility of convalescence anil reeu|>eratioD, they would see him in, Hades beforfl they would pot their hands in their pockets to the extent of f 1 for him or his. Correspondents, by the way, on dL vidcil into sundry classes. Bosse men have noses for nows and nothing else. They scent nn item from afar. Other* nre enterprising in the last degree., They not only know a good thing when they soo it, but they see it before any body else is aware of its cxlstenee and understand how to ntilizo it for the ben efit of their employers. There are goto sip writers, men who know nothing ex- oept stories abont this, that and the other man or woman. If the gossip can have on unpleasant flavor to it, oil the 1 tetter. They are mud slingera, stirrer* of cornmnuitics, people wboareshnnned . by reputable aud tboughtfnl men, ohisfi ly because it ft* nnsafo to talk in theil presence, men who do not hesitate to ro- )teat private conversations, to violate tlio sanctities of confidential communi- Too Much For Them. compunction.—Jo. How Ann. A Carious Claim. and taking out her glasses was plainly able to see the glistening of the French bayonets at no great distance. I ho eround between the French and Ger man outposts wiw literally plowed up with shot and shell. Here she waited for a quarter of an hour, but no further shot came. On her return to Pont-a- Moussou she heard a soldier remad- “She is bullet-proof; she must be i witch 1” A few days after the battle of Sedan Lieut. Von Rhaden, carefully bandaged and well wrapped up, started for Berlin, accompanied by his wife and her maid. At Neuendorf, near Mannheim, a Beilin hanker asked Mme. Luoo* what had Tho keepers of bathing houses along tho bench say that bathers are much afraid of sharks; but each is eager to aver that, while there may be some dan ger at other places, there ia not any at iis. An Irishman, who hnd a lieaoh wagon and did hauling for houses along the beach, entered a bathing house one morning, saying: ..... “Oh, Misthor , oive got tho fora- est curiasaitay of a fish for you that you iver saw. Oi waa comin’ doown this mornin’ boyant, and found it dbruv up on the sand by the lasht night’s storm, I suppose. You can have it for six dol lars, an’ it ’ll draw tbousauds hero from New York toseoitif you advertise it.” The bathing bouso keeper went .out and saw, to his horror, an enormous shark that tlie Irishman had, with great diffculty, got upon his beach-cart. It looked to him, ho says, as long as a oircus tent centre pole, wlion he first 8aw ^ • , “Take it away 1 Tako it away quick, before the crowd gets down from Now York!” he screamed. “Tako it away, or I’ll drowu you, kill your liorsc, and burn your wagon! I’ll tell you what to do. There's a couple of Dutch men who have just started a bathing place about a mile up tho beach. They're new in the business. Tako it up and sell it to them.” The Irishman adopted the sugges- tion, and the Germans actually paid him ton dollars for his prize and put it con spicuously upon free exhibition. It waa a fortnight before they could under stand why it was that of all the crowds that came to see their new place there wero so few persons who cared to go into tho water. When they realized that their great curiosity was a man- eater shark, one took at whose jaws would make a man want to hug dry land for the rest of his life, they very quickly buried the awe-inspiring “cur- iassitay.” “Yon don't know how many curious claims against tho Government are re ceived," said tho chief clerk of one ol the department offices at Washington. “Here,” he continued, holding up a good Rized package, “are all these papers just about one man’a body.” “How’s tlint ?” asked tlie reporter. “Well, in 1862 an undertaker in Alton, 111., buried an army officer in his vault in the cemetery there. In 1876 he wrote the department stating that fact and saying that we could have the re mains upon tho payment of vaultage at tho rate of 85 per month for tho timo tho officer hnd been buried. That amounted to »8d0.” “Did he got tho money ?” “Not much. Wo wrote him that we wero not buying, and tlie body might remain where it was. Ho then Lgreeil to take half tho amonDt, but wo declined to pay anything. Now we have been informed that the undertaker bos died anil that tho vault has oome into the possession of the cemetery company, who desire to remove it to make some improvements, and they wish to know if the Government will remove the body to tho military cemetery. This we will do. “Does the company say anything about vaultage ?” “No, not at all; and they will probably make no claim. It would not be allowed if they should." The New Rood Overseer. A letter from Virginia says:—Among the families which nave always had a share in tho conduct of affairs in tho State are the Tylers. President Tyler’s old neighbors in Charles City county ileal oftencr that they liked; nor would lie accept any excuse, or allow the cus tomary commutation in money from the rich planters. Every one of them he mustered out on the roads at daylight whenever ho wanted them, he mean while riding around and exasperating them by his presence, while he saw that no man shirked his work. Soon every road in tho county was like a turnpike. Then he began improving the private roads. His rule by this time had be come so trying that various plans for getting riil of him before bis term of of fice expired were canvassed. But the ex-President had been too wary for them. He could only be turned ont for malfea sance in office, and nobody could accuse | him of that. So for two years they never knew when the whole population | would be called upon to turn out on the roads for a hard day’s work under the ex-President’s own eye. When his term expired the laugh was oa the other side. Louisiana Plantation.—Some of tho Louisana papers admit “that should the railroads take charge of the levees, crevasses will become things of the past, and our lands will be eagerly sought after by men of capital from all ports of the country. Theve is no reason why a A Denial. A person who describes himself as a “descendant of Leofrio and Godiva” bos written to a London newspaper protest ing against the Godiva festivity at Coven try. He is indignant that the memory of his fair ancestress and excellent an cestor should be kept olive only bys fable—a fablo. too, which, as he says, is “a disgraco to English history." This , “descendant” tries to show that Godiva never did ride naked through the market aud that Leofrio, Earl ol th« plantation yielding 820,000 annunlly | place, au ,. „ ™ - should not be worth 8200,000, except it , Mercians, who is spoken of by Mr. Ten- be that eternal fear of being crevassed | nyson as the “Grim Earl, was a wia* which has taken hold of the people; but statesman, a loyal subject, and a devoted particularly of strangers,” husband,

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Mercury. (Sandersville, Ga.) 1880-1???, October 09, 1883, Image 1