Newspaper Page Text
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BEKIIY TANARUS, MOSELEY, Editor.
VOLUME XII.
A MISER'S NEW YEAR.
BT M. QUAD.
[Copyright, 1P94, by American Press Associa
tion.]
“Miser Jones”—that was what ev
erybody called him, and the title did
not displease him. Indeed it rather flat
tered him. To boa miser meant the
possession of money, and money was his
god. There were people who could re
member him as a young man and a
spendthrift, but they were very few.
To look at him one would wonder if he
j -
“IT IS A GOOD DAT FOU MET”
had ever been young. Ho appeared to
be 60 years old when people first began
to call him Miser Jones, and the passage
of timo did not appear te affect him.
He' was wrinkled and skinny and white
haired, and men said lie would liavo
been dim of sight but for the greed of
(gain which burned in his eyes till they
shone like a wolf’s.
Miser Jones had relatives, but for
fear they might want money ho cut
‘loose from them. He owned several
houses, but that he might not take from
the rent lie lived in a miserable room
.and fared little better than a dog. He
had money to lend, and he exacted usu
ry. There wero no days of grace for one
in his debt. Prompt payment must bo
made, and last penny, and nei
ther \Ards nor tears would move him.
•No charity, no church, no beggar, ever
extracted one cent from Miser Jones.
He cared nothing for the trials and mis
fortunes of others, and ho was never af
fected by what mon said of him except
when someone observed that lie could
mot take his money beyond tha grave
That idea alone upset him and detract
ed from his happiness. He spent hours
In wondering if it could not bo done,
and sometimes he was oil the point of
asking a lawyer to so nrrango matters
that his money should at least be buried
with him.
The New Year dawned bleak and cold
and dreary. There was a high wind,
iand the air was full of whirling snow,
laud even had it not been a holiday few
people would have moved away from
their firesides unless forced to.
“It is a good day for me—a fino
'day!” chuckled Miser Jones as he look
ed out on the deserted streets and up at
the leaden sky. “No one will disturb
me today, and I may sit down and
count up my wealth. lam richer than
a year ago today, much richer, but I
Want to know the figures to a shilling—
to a penny. They call me Miser Jones,
but I can laugh at their sarcasm fcnd
abuse. Now we will figure.”
Miser Jones had bonds and mortgages
and notes and a bank account. pe knew
the sum total within a dollar, but it
was a keen delight for him to sit down
and cast up interest’again and add it to
\
“SEE! I HAVE B BOUGHT THE BOOK.”
itho principal. With greedy look and
trembling fingers he brought dut his
memoranda and pencil and soon forgot
jthe storm and the outside world.
“So you are figuring again, Miser
Joi es, closing the account of the old
year and opening with the new’?”
The old man leaped from his chair
with a shout of surprise. No one had
knocked at the door. He was alone in
the room. The voice had come from one
seated on the opposite side of the table,
but he looked and rubbed his eyes and
saw only vacancy.
“Sit down, Miser Jones. Sit down
while we talk together a hh, ” contin
ued the voice as the windows rattled in
the storm and a sknrry of snow blew
into the room under the door and reach
ed almost to the old man's feet.
He looked all about him in a dazed
and wondering way and sat down.
“The old year has ended, the new
begun, Miser Jones. Human life is
counted by days and weeks and months
DANIELS Vli !I. .aDM 8 -I/ ' .u.V, J-M„ Srj.dis:
and years. On the tombstones of the
dead you may read that they who sleep
beneath lived so many years, months
and days. It is meant that eacli and ev
ery man should sit down at the begin
ning of anew year and write the record
of tlic old. You are an old man. You
have lived lieyond the time allotted to
man. Y'our hand shakes as your lingers
guide the pencil. Y on have been mak
ing figures. Let me take the pencil and
help yon. ”
“But I want no help!” protested the
old man. “Yon have upright here!
Y’ou were not asked to come! Leave me,
or 1 will call for help!”
“You are figuring on dollftrs and
cents,” said the voice. “Thero is a long
column of figures, and I will look them
over with yon and help you to find the
sum total. You have first recorded the
sum of S3OO. That is mouey you loau
ed to n hardworking nuphunio and took
a mortgage PU his home. Misfortune
had come to him and still pursues him.
You hoped that more troublo would
come to him, and it has. You figured
from the first that you would got pos
session of his homo for half its value,
aud yesterday, when he camo to yon
with trembling bps and pleaded ruisfor
tmin, your heart was like stone. Today
yon are figuring on your profit. ”
• “But ho camo to mo to borrow and was
willing to pay the interest!” protested
Miser Jones.
“Here is the sum of $730,” contin
ued the voice. “Yon lent \ widow S3OO
cn a mortgage and foreclosed it and
drove lior out of her homo. Y’ou figure
that you mado $l3O on that deal. Site
pamo to you and wept and prayed, but
you rubbed your wrinkled hands iu sat
isfaction.'”
“One must havo a profit when he
lends money, ” replied Miser Jones fis
ho looked at tho figures with satisfac
tion.
“Here is the sura, of SBOO. Y'ou loan
ed money to tho, owner of a small facto
ry to help start him again after ho had
been crippled by firo, but what tho
flames left you soon took possession of.
Yes, you mado a clean S6OO on that
transaction. I find the sum of S2OO and
$273 and S3OO, a long column of fig
ures hero to show tho profits of the year
just tnded mid add to your fortune. Mi
ser Jones, yon are a rich man.”
“Yes, yes—a rich maul Ilikoto hear
you say I am rich!”
“But you are an old man. Yon can
not hope to live a great while longer. ’’
“But I shall live for years and years,
lam not so old as you think. Don’t
talk to me. of death. ”
“You are an old man, - ■■:! vnnr time
has almost tame,” continued the voice.
“You have laid up treasure cu earth.
/.V
SOME OXECRIEP OUT THAT MISEUjJOXES WAS
' DEAD.
Let, us see what is to your credit in
heaven. There is no money beyond tho
grave. The spnls of the dead are judged
by past deeds and not by tho amount of
gold and silver left behind Take the
pencil, Miser Jones. It Shall bo left to
yon to make tho record. Have you had
sympathy for the ragged and shivering
and hungry fellow men who passed your
door?”
“But all of them were impostors!”
“Men and women have appealed to
you in sickness and misfortune as ono
fellow man has the right to appeal to an
other. How have you responded to those
appeals?”
“I can’t always be giving and giv
ing!”
“Withont religion earth would be a
desert aud man a savage. Ail that is
good aud noble and beautiful comes
from our faith' in God. What have you
done to aid the cause?”
“It costs a great lot of money to keep
up so many churches!” sighed the old
man.
“There aro destitute widows, father
less children and grieving orphans,
whom it is our duty to assist. Even a
I kind word to such is placed to our rec
' ord in heaven. Write down year credit,
Miser Jones.”
The old man had nothing to write,
no word of reply.
“All around you hearts have-ached.
Tears of sorrow h. ve been shed Men
havo cursed their God because of the
coldness of the world. Have you
brought a ray of sunlight to a single one
one of these?”
Miser Jones had no answer.
“What has your life been made up of?
Avarice, selfishness, greed. You have
sinned against God and man and your
self. In yourgreedof gain you have throt
tled every noble sentiment God placed in
your heart as a child. Y’ou have sacri
ficed every principle that makes a man
Jrespected aud beloved. You have made
juioDey, but you have been pointed out
as a thing instead of a man. Asa hu
man being you have lived to be hateu
U - COUNTS '■']) T.lii DEMOCRATIC P\:IIT
j, -jS
.Dirt reviU*.. ... . —wuM?"
“After death—what?” whispered Mi
ser Joucs.
“Tho recording ang'>l of heaven sets
apart a page in her golden book for-each
human being born into tho world. Seel
I have brought the book that you might
gaze upon it. Hero is your page—the
page on which your name was inscribed
as a child. What do you sec?”
The old man looked and peered and
rubbed his eyes. Blindness seeimjd to
have come to him, and in his torror he
groaned aloud.
“flero is tho debit—avarice, selfish
ness, greed, riches. , Ht£. should be
your credits, but tbere-aro none. Look
for them. Bend your head to bring your
eyes nearer. Today brings anew year.
Today you pass from earth to eternity
to stand lieforo your God and bo judg
ed. This is ihe record from which be .
will judge you! I close the book!" '
Tho galo howled about the old house
and rattled doors and windows, but Mi
ser Jones paid 11b hoed. Men passed and
repassed, some laughing, some cursing,
but he did not look out upon them.
Noon came, and ho sat there with pencil
in his fiqgers and paper before him.
Thp winter day drew to a close, and
night came down, hut no light shone
from his window. At midnight ho sat
where noon found him, at daylight
where the winds of midnight had blown
the snow under the door and over his
feet. When noon camo again, someone
opened* his door and criod out that Miser
Jones was dead!
New Year’s Don't*.
Don’t fail to receive New dear’s day
with a smiling face.
Don’t usher in that day by declaring
you nro growing old.
Don’t sent word yon are out becauso
New Year’s calls are out of fashion.
Don’t neglect to send a bonbon box to
your best girl.
Don’t receive au old friend gloomily
on that day. j
Don’t trust to now 181)5 and slander
old 1894.
Don’t fail to send Now Year’s,greet
ings to thoso far away. ""’V
Don't think yon may meet your fate
in 1895. Perhaps it will be better to
miss him. g
Don’t bn unfriendly. Do all tho gJRi
you can, am don’t slander anybody.!
Don’t turn over too many hew lonee;
for 1895. \'J
Don’t be unhappy about anything.rfie
a philosopher.
Don’t deride tho new year.
Don’t mid the day unhappy. . j
Don't lose your temper.
Don’t fall in love.
Don’t declare yon hate men. ' ■
Don’t celebrate too much.
Olil Scotch Practices.
At New Year’s in Scotland children
make calls upon their older friends and
sing in front of tho house, after the style
of Christmas carols:
Got up, pude wife, anil shako your {outliers
Pinna think that we arc beggars.
We are children cut for play.
Gie’s oor cukes an let’s away.
Of a different class are tho men who,
wearing disguises, call begging upon
their richer neighbors and shout:
Get up. gudv man; be na sweer.
And deal out bread ns long ns you're hero
The day will com when you will be dead.
You'll neither rare for meat nor bread.
To Get the lfest Husband.
Avery pretty custom was that of
tasting the “cream of the well,” tin
first drink from spring or well on New
Year’s mom. The first pail of water
drawn, “the flower of the vpll,” ii
sured positively the best husband in til
parish to the wafer drawer.
Twalf struck—two utebonr ldzzics raise
An liltiu gaed a wi-1 gnt*
Tiie flower o' the Well to our house goes,
An I'll b.v the bonniest Li-l yet.
Canadian bn.. New Year’s
m<.nii4 aftrir holms taken breakfast
■ ii, father, mother, sisters and
Lr. .t his way to the best
looking .glfraji-. ii
v.-ry wly, tq-kiss
him < iu 'lc Job* do Ban” presents him
n.'lf atf !u r door, thrro to bo warmly
i.i. ■ I■.d”.'l ii.viturl,to cutCTi
Tiikii’u iff. his snowHlioes—it’s wnimL
. la mude du
flimli the •'
use a ‘ *lf
tali',/i, * ho c-essttS the.thrcshcid
iI. ■ l I’" h' |fi 1 1 US Idr.f'
kitiSni'i! to ot
origin in * ! • , ‘• i
served. Timt’s what tho young than
does. Tho young girl waits.
But tho old folks do not, forget that
the flay is ti e first one of tho yoar. So
after tho Work of tho household is over
they put on riieir best bib and tucker
aud hitch up “Mouplaisir, ” and they
start out and begin the rounds of mak
ing calls, stopping at ench house, the
old man kissing the neighbor’s old wom
an, afirt vice-versa, rinsing it down with
“ala votro” from the sideboard.
| Conviviality raigns, good health is
drunk, nml alcoholism is unknown,
j From tho time tho sun first oasts its
rlys on a Canadian New Year’s morn
itg until a week aud sometimes two
wtoks later a round of joliificution ex
is(s among the Frcuoh-Canndians of
gfiod standing. Every night a dinner is
held at ono of tho “clique,” and so on
till each has had his “blow out,” and
pally all relapse into tho old rut of
common, everyday life, arising at the
sound of tho angelus iu the morning and
burning very few candles and still less
kerosene in the ovening.
What the liow Year Brings. ,
Vacajit chairs.
Good wishes without number.
Chai:gc, but not always tsi 1 '-or.
January—and all tlio others.
Mistakes— .to dato our letters wrong.
Friends growii older and a few joy
slrns.
Bills of every description, but every
one too largo.
Improvements that cause wonder and
questionings.
Dividends witiiout variety, all shrunk
like old flannels.
“Tho now -faces at ths door, tlfc new
loot on tho floor. ’’
. New -.friends? Yes, and worthy ones
'on. How have wo existed without them?
,Jrla)> New Year'* Cakes.
In County Antrim in Ireland among
the Scotch-ivish oaten bannocks, with a
hole in the middle, like our doughnuts,
are specially baked for gift cakes. In
other Irish counties a cuke is thrown
outside -the door nil New Year’s eve
“ to'keep out- hunger" the ensuing year.
In the isle of Man a curious belief
, and custom existed till tho middle of
this century, In each homo the house
wife smoothed £hc ashes over the kitch
en floor, just before stepping into bed.
If there were found in tho morning On
tho surface of tho ashes anything re
sembling the print that pointed toward
tli-i door, it indicated a death in the
family within the year. But if the lieol
of the footprint wfcro toward tho door
it was a suro proof that the family
would bo increased.
Fein? * (Freet dealer, ' will*#’
yoy-nu P-;;*n, “sweef.es
nnd Lest oj* ee-'b”, at-the pric
yoi w. ' rmr- 'or in lu'erio
instrument, pedd.*-} eut#verthe
country. T C Conaway,
Athens, G.
KEW YEAR THOUGHTS 1
WHAT THE CAY HAS BEEN AND (S
- NOW.
*E' -> u. . J -3L
. JmZ
The W—taw and <b. Catt.n, Pr.c,
ta—Why the Custom if Alabin? rails
t*M A bated —A Day of FrchucM and
&mm m
L ( ' Bf-ifiwr ”I c t H*” o^pf?
nr sm \ )
wSotL • .p-iLL',’
they 1 ori'W-d-js-. ’Lk-. •. ~’> !'•■ .•<iiirion><
seldom' I- ..r fruit. 'levy ter \i.for
the most part, in v.olds, iu pronjkwl
themselves, in mockeries of jarform
ntJco. Wbat u mini is tit 10 be is apt to
remain. No amount of New Year's ro
solvcs will help him who is not full of
virtuous endeavor. Jjui. 1 dawns bright
ly to tho mind, hut the succeeding dhys
conclude* dismally ns to wehiuvenwnit.
Nevertheless its recurrenco must over
be pleasant. If it does liot bring accom
plishment, it at least brings hope, and
hope nerves us to bear our burdens, to
discharge our duties. Then welcome
Now Year’s Wo dourly lovo to think
that the cares and troubles of the old
year, which so largely spring from our
temperament, will not invade tho now
one.
Originally New Year’s was intended
not for a universal, misci ilanoous
calling day, without illative or pro
priety, into which it ultimately di-gen •_
, ernted. It was intended for a day wlicu
men who had boon prevented during
the year by business or any condition of
oircumsthucPs from keeping rip their
friend: Up or aarinaiinauoo iv: t h wmivn
they lit'd “v eifU) med r. ■ >• 1:0 ?"■
cial dton< nr nt for apparent, no' i mu!
renew th< ir. pleasant refill,tons. Tho.idea
was i fee) It lit and w nnic-ndablu, m
was the custom, am! ! 'ore this city
grew to lie such a Babylon the calls
were agreeable, ofttn delightful, to
makers and receivers. But tho city be
came too big, and the community that
assumed to represent society in some
manner, more or less remote, became
too heterogeneous. The custom was
grossly abused. Many men mid women
thought only of the number of culls,
I ignoring quality for<inantity, and some
times the scones indoors and outdoors
' waxed (lisreputafik) from overiudul-
I gencc.
The better sort of people, repelled by
the license prevalent, refused to “re
, oeive" any longer. Tho smart set who
bad long lielieved calling too ‘‘common ”
—they declared, with their pretense of
superiority, that it had grown vulgur—
set thomseh jg and their influence firm
ly against it. They refused to see visit#
ors on that day and soon after shut up
their houses and fled to thir touutiy,
thus setting tho seal of fashion on their
last decisions which speedily met with
social approval. The fact was that re
spectable folk had got tired of the ex
treme to which calling hud been car
ried, and the coarse, objectionable class
could not sustain it alone. So tho wholo
thing fell to pieces here, and there is no
probability of its reconstruction in the
immediate future.
The custom extended long ago to -oth
er cities and is still followed. But os
the mctropo.is makes the inode its du
ration is doubtful. Now Year's is yet a
holiday—he idnys ate always whole
pome—nnd isire** of all kinds is sus
pend,-<i. /Sol*, fiu-bands, fathom, mm
stay at bon- ', instead ui racing about
town, tiling and boring themselves to
little purpose, and they aro gaineiH,
aloijgwitli thir /amilies, by (lie change.
Knur. Mi He.#.' .* , ft .vy'- ( „ Jtijt'tAftisfe
K : JMSER 26;*.
A "NEW YEAR-0 PRAYER.
Thou art our God. I'etVi m< r and Creator ;
Thou art **Ot r Father.” tWre man* of sit
Great in thy vower sod vliOm, Is tuv*
Therefore we, roar rot on thy com* to mB
IT :.r tvO r:! r, so trr eeifee coiifaMinf
’Th*'triigt rail font, o of the bj-jtene year.
Grant to. l.TKlvenm. tail with that thy V*
Or r f >lfh *to• r; aetht n tuid our hearts to
gwvoten for us o*o!, Wttrv rttp of duty
Or stn uathr.i us tlx Ir Wttrrnoas to qoatf.
Oivr us to'siss the Kins In ell his hremty
And to Is liolU tho ktml which is far off.
Wc tliatilt ttits' for onr Isir.i* and well hoingt
Give- us ujdtft’i.a and v.ptaddltig’erswa
To si ryd t?,uo hviv uiull, earth's shadow fLO>
—SufLlo A'cws.
. —r —7
■ - ■
- 7* ’ - , *J~ • ’ ...
rrr.'l.., . tu 0
wiii*. iLit' mi-iuben* of Uio i. msohoid.
Many assert that the hogbiaen, or iiill
nioii, wore the good genii versus tha
trolls, or evil ou'Os, who were the Imuiga
refoitrcd to; hence tho ditty;
ITocmaimy, Trollolay.
Gin inn o' your white brood.
, I’U hoc tiHiie o’ jour gray.
Tho white breud, signifying the
things of life, versus tho gruy, or evil
ones. Avery ponnlar rhyme, with
moral, is ana freely sung in the north
eastern comities of Scotland i
Got tip, KUdc wife, end filnns KWelr Jlar.yJ
And dual your t.n.ad to them that'a boro, .
For fho time will emnu when ye'll bo “-lid.
And t!im ye’ll neither mud slo uor broad.
My fret’s eantd, my shousTi thin.
Uiti'S tuy cukes and let mo rln.
Having diinlked flic doors with thd
New Year's numl.tiv:, they depart t
gather coppers, cakes and fruit elae
where.
At the fttroko of midnight each mem
ber of the family party would quaff s
full bumper of “hot pint” mid wish the
others a happy New Year nnjl many ol
them Then it' was customary for tb
cl'Ln to 6a.’'.y forth wiflt a hot kettle,
bread anil u. •••*<•, eto.. und pr.y visits of
gretftitig to {Jut' u-rigiibpts. The first
puvty to enter n bouse were called the
“fij-ail ftwl 1 nvl were warmly weloom
td, ini tin ii in > in that capacity in
dicutisi good Inek. Jluch kiouJy rivalry
ensued, and from midnight to 1 o’clock
the streets were fairly swarming with
would bo “first footers.” This custom
was still prevalent iu Scott's day.
non*** AND JUHJtS.
In 1660 thnru were in Georgia 189,791
honKH find 101,00!* males.
Iu 1870 thorn were 81,777 horses and
67,478 mules.
In 1680 98,520 horses and 189,788
indies.
In 1880 115.629 horses and . 105,708.
males.
The value of the horses was |9,589,-
120. Of the mules, #15,119,204.
The best compilation for 1894 shows 9
deefcase from lhl)0‘ of 10,000 horses,
with an increase of 6,000 mules.
ftHKKA.
In 1860 we had 512,618 sheep.
Iu 1870, 410,405 sheep.
In 188 *. 527.380 sheep. „„ ;
In 1899. 411,816 sheep. < ‘
In 189i, 411,169 sheep.
FARM XcmuOK.
In 1850, the average farm in Georgia
contained 441 acres; in 1880, 188 acres;;
and in 1899, 147 acres. It is interesting '
to compare these figures with those gf
all the states for the same years, fn i
1859, the nverago farm in the United]
States contained 203 acres; in 18%CL 1841
acres, and in 1890, 187 acres. That the*
average farm in Georgia in !(M-!
tamed 238 more acres than the 4nru|
in tii United States; whereas, fc4Mi •
ootuaiiio only 19 acres tpore.