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THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION - . ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY DECEMBER 29 I8S5-—SIXTEEN PAGES.,
15
LYDDYi
BY THEODORE BARTLETT.
Copyrighted 18©, "by H. 8. McClure.
* My frieud, wo will not inquire about her
past life; Joe Coble did not, and ho married her,
«o w hy need We? Her laces were bought for a
few cents a yard, and her silks carno from au
. old clothes shop, but for what purpose she wore
' her little fineries, or how she paid for them,
wre will not question. You and I passed her
with averted eyes. Not so, innocent Joe Coble,
He found that Lydia had a heart, and he lifted
a hat to it, an imaginary hat; ho seldom re
moved his own. Later ou ho found ho loved
her, and, in a blunt Way, of course—a rough
man like Joe cannot make love in the refined
way you and I can—he told her so.
“Eft bedn’t lien fur you, Lyddy (really I
can’t help callin’ ye familiar-liko), eft hedu’
Leu fur you, these yer threo.days't I’ve parsed
*t Frisco wouldn’t hev ben nowhere ter me—
cepfc fur the sights.”
He took her hand awkwardly in his, as
though it were a piece of fragile lace, nud re
garded it admiri ugly. He did not see the black
and blue spots her sleeve covered.
- "I live a kind o’ lonely life up in thecleariu*
(it ain’t'all a clearin’, though I like ter call it
so, for the sake of old CVliney), ’n somehow
the scsberablc time 1'vo lied yer'smadeet
stem lonelier’n ushtil. You see, when yo
hauled me in out o’ the wet that night,’n asked
*f I Wouldn’t corao in ’n wring myself out, 1
ho
laughed, “’t seemed \s tho' I was mungst m’
eld nebbors down ter the corners. 'N then,
afterwards, ye was so kind f n soshcrble!’
She Had bold, questioning eyes (you ' remem
ber how defiantly they looked at us as she cn
tcred the old clothes shop),hut they had lost all
their defiance while he was talking, and even
gathered a little moisture.
"The clearing rether lonely,” ho contiuucd,
after a pause; "tho Highest nebbor's five mile,
’a the railroad’s ten. But it’s right purty-
right purty! Thcr’s th’ old mount’n back op
us a loomin’ up, ’in tho valley lie fore us
sweepin’ down, ’n not Air ofl’s th* ocean a peep
in’ over the cliff. ’N all around ’s trees 't
left standln’, ’n flowers *t : I planted ’th cm* own
bauds: ’N yo ken sec all this from tho v’ran
dy.. Oh, its purty, Lyddy, right purty! But,’’
after a pause, *‘ct docs seem lonely now, does
seem lonely.”
A more experienced observer would havo
noticed a strange little drop making a wet
roadway down Lydia’s check,
"Ter tell the truth, Lyddy, I’vo begun to
think thet—thetl couldn’t go back without ye,
’n thet’s tho long ’n’ short o’t.” Sbo with
drew her handjand coughed. "O’ course,” rub
bing his chin nervously, "this sounds a little
forrard, ’n bold t’ a lady like you, Lyddy, V
I knowhow attractive the city is;butl could n’I
help askin’ $0. ’N’ ro’Tly ye might liko tho
clearin’ better 'n’ yo think* * ■ • ° But I
wish ye would speak, Lyddy; efs kind o’ not-
tlin* not to hear no answer.”
Ho looked up. Slio was sobbing.
You remember, my friend, the night wo
passed that rather tall, round-shouldered fel
low at the ferry buying tickets for a way sta
tion up the coast (the night we triod to beat
the company out of a pass), and you remomber
when he bowed to mo how sweet his bluo $yes
were in spite of the ticket agent’s insolence be
cause or his two 'or three simple questions
about tho time card. That was the night Lydia
, disappeared and Joe Coble was married,
b Poor Lydia! While Joe was talking to her so
sweetly, she bad pictured to herself a happy
little wife, breathing fresh air^nd singing under
the trees, and picking red rotes, away up iu tho
, "clearin’;” such a happy littlo wife with a roal
lionjc-iiiiil a real husband! No moro wicked-
P1MB)im<r%roublo, and heartburns, but a lifo of-
' unending bliss. And just before the hour camo
a when she must bid Joe good-byo forever, she
I Sr cm Id W lying there on tho green sod—of
f course she would die in thegreensod, with the
7 bine sky above, and she would take his hand
in her’s and .tell him all—all about nor past
^ life. And then, of course, aftfer abo . bad toon
1 good to him so very, very long, then ho would
forgivo her—when ho kucw all. But sho
ncedn’fe toll him navr, oh, no, not now! Uo
couldn’t understand, and besides, ho didn’t
know her well enough. Sho wasn’t afraid. No,
indeed! Sho could tell him Just, as well as
not, only—only—and theu Joo had looked up
and found her sobbing.
But, after the first joy of puro country air,
and the green trees, and tho yellow and red
flowers, that vague, trembling fear tho sobbing
had smothered for a timo burst forth with ro*
newod life; and all at onco everything scorned
changed. Tho trees bent their heads together
and whistled mysteriously, tho flowers that Joe
had planted nodded this way and that, as if en
gaged in tho most damning of silent gossip, and
tho old house, a sliakf relic of days long past,
answered her footfalls in echoes that made her
look around with a shiver, and tread moro
lightly. .
"Joe,” she whispered in aflVight one even
ing, "what’s that pointing at me?”
They were walking under the trees, and sho
stood quite rigid boforo a few low bushes.
"Nothin’, Lyddy, nothin’,” Joe answered,
and ho walked through and through tho bushes
till she was quite satisfied. "Ain’t yo kind o’
nosbnnal, Lyddy? Mighty fow bear ’rouud
yer,”
Gradually sbe began to shun tho houso and
the flowers aud the trees, and to wander further
off, down to tho sharp cut in tho cliff, whero
the trout brook ran into tho sea. Hero there
were no trees to whisper about her and nobril
liant flowers to assort their purity over her’s—
nothing but tho abrupt cliff and the dark pool
below. Aud tho little falls that plashed into
tho pool did not mock and scorn her os tho trees
and the flowers did. They talked to her as
Joey talked, softly and soothingly. Oh! if sbo
could but feel as calm and happy as the water
seemed—if, perhaps, she could go to sleep down
there in the deep pool—with Joey l
And, after awhile, Joe always knew where
to find Lydia when sho was not in tho house.
It was always at tho Gate, as ho called it, be
cause it opened luto the sea. Neither the tall
pines nor the sunny garden seemed to hold
Lydia.
"Et’s party’t the Gate, ter he sure.” ho- said
ono evening, "but tber’a other places ’s purticr.
Seems ter me ye’re gettin’ morc’n moro tiosbn-
wTquie^and peaceful-like, Joe,” au-
swered Lydia, "I love to come here and—and
—think.”
Joe looked anxious. "I don’t believe think-
in’s eo good far ye. Lyddy, ez gardnin or—egg
buntin’. I’ve noticed lately that ye wasn’t so
smart as nshul.”
Ho sat down by her side. The tun was sink
ing in tho sea, blushing as it disappeared, and
the old mountains at their backs caught up its
last glow and grew ruddy also.
"When I think, Lyddy”—tenderly lifting a
forlorn little spray of lace from her neck—
"when I think how lonely th’ old place was,
n then look't you ’n mo together yer, why et
acema’a tho* I’d bin better done by than was
right.” . , . *,
Lydia thrdw her arms over her head and
v swayed her Wbdy slights.
\ "Joe,” she said, "I don’t like to hear you
talk like that. Nobody has been good to you.
Why do you keep saying so?” ■
"Ter be sums ter be sure,” he answered,
hastily. Thet is, p'raps I'm a little over ra-
tin’ ct.” lie remained silent for a minute.
"I’m afraid, Lyddy, that thet's my fruit, over
ratin’ things. When I begun to talk up the
clearin’, I tho’t then tbet p’raps I was over
doin’ it. Bnt ’tain’t preachia’ ’s brings things
true; ct’s the allowin'.”
Joe picked up a twig and broke it in pieces,
trying to conceal a trembling of his hands. "I’m
afraid, Lyddy,” he began again, "thet I hovn’t
done right by ye. I talked up the clearin’high
f n P'raps I misled ye. But sbo! don’t take on
no” (she was crying), "dop’t take on so. fik
sore’s ye liv't Tl be all right in time. Why,
ye hevn’t seen the big tree nor the lighthouse
Lydia, threw her arms about his bent shonW-
cn. "Oh, it isn't that, Joe. I love this place,
In my way, because—bemuse it it year’s, and
She hesi
’Joey,” sbe said at length, gently releasing
him, "when you asked me to. bo your wife, if
you had knowu I was holding back from you
something I should havo told you, would
you—”
"Why, Lyddy,” broke in Joe, Va littlo bold
in’ back’s nothin’. Now, fur instance, when I
preached up tho clearin’—”
"Yes, yes, I know, but It was worse than
that. I—I deceived you, Joo—just a littlo.’
She plucked nerviously at a fringe on lie
drees.
"Oh, didn’t amount *ter mithiu’, I reckop.’
Joo looked away reflectively. "Talkin’ about
deceivin’, Lyddy, tlicr was onest a wopnn
right yer’n this county, ’n she deceived a
• ’Friscoman. ’Nonenight sho kem up ycr’n
jumped int’ tho {tool—this very pool yer—so’s
ter bo drouuded.
"Oh. don’t, Joe; don’t!” moaned Lydia, cov
ering her face with her hands.
"Sbo! I was onlyinstnucin’, Lyddy. Why,
sho was wicked you know—awAil wicked—
jtm this woman.”
Lydia withdrew her hAnds. "Joo if you
thought I had deceived you bad like that would
you—would you drown me?” Her faco was
quite pale.
"Drown ye?”—looking, up—"why, what’s
the matter, Lyddy
"Oh, I was joking.” She laughed dryly.
"I—I wish yo wouldn’t joko that way.”
"No, no, I won’t Joo, any more (plucking
again at the fringe), but, speaking of this wo.
man—perhaps her heart was good; sho may
lmvo bad a fiftrd, cruel life. There are such
women, Joe; perhaps you have met them (Joo
shook his head) or—seen them somewhoro. I
have. I have seen women deceived and* be
trayed and abused. And this woman now, may-
bo her life had l>cen mado hard and wicked for
her-; sho might lmvo had a warm heart even if
she did do—bad things.’’
Joe did not answer. Sho caught his arm.
"Perhaps, Joe, this woman had been abused,
ill-treated, you know; lmd black and bluo spots
on her as—as I had once—beaten, beaten, Joe,
by n cruel father!”
Sho clutched him with both hands. "You
never met my father? I didn’t want you to. 1
wanted to get away from him; and so I married
you. I mean (convulsively), “1 loved you just
the same, but I—I .wanted to get away. Don’t
you sec ? You deceived yourself, you know,”
(laughing). "You never asked mo nnytbing,
and—and why didn’t you ? You might havo
asked mo all about—all about it—all atont
my—.” Sho cried herself into hysterics, aud
Joe, noor frightened Joe, was unable to com
fort her. But when .sho had became calm again
and they stood there silent in tho clear light of
the moon, she drew his head to her and softiy
kissed him on his neck, on his coarse chin, and
on his trembling lips. •*
"Et takes time, J.yddy,” said Joe, tremu
lously, "et takes time and a heap o’ sliowin’ tor
make tbiugs come right.”
part if.
One sunny afternoon during tho rainy sea
son’s January vacation a party of sportstnon,
evidently from the city, pulled up before tho
house and asked for water. Joo was sitting on
tho veranda alone, smoking his pipe. Ho in
vited them to the well and drew tho water
himself. Tho members of tho party wore
rather coarse appearing men, perhaps from tho
barroom, but they boro themselves with a
quiet, good natured enjoyment of everything
that won Joe’s heart.
T don’t sec much o'city folks,” said Joe, as
they finished drinking, " ’n* I liko ter hovyo set
yer Air awhile, cfvo like. I hovn’t but the
edge o’ the v’randy *n the grass ter offer yfl (o’
course yc’ liko ter set’n tho sun) but make
yerselvcs ’s comfortablo ’s yo ken. From
’Frisco, I s’posc? Was down’t tho rity myself
nigh a month passed.”
"Why, old boy,” spoke up ono of the party,
"that’s so; how d’ye do ?”
Joe look at the stranger curiously. In spite
of a low forehead and a certain hard cast to Bis
faco ho was a handsome fellow and carried
himself with a careless, jaunty swing.
"Well, I swears” said Joe, "you beat mo. I
can’t placo yc.”
"My name is Howard. I met yoif going into
Lyddy’s^^You ^ re member. J^yddy?’’—with a
'J should say I did—should say I did. Now
sit down yet! all o’yo. Seems to me I do recol
lect sccin’ yo oncst Air a mininit. Name’s
Howard:'n'yc know Lyddy!” .
“Who's Lyddy?” inquired ono of the party.
“Lyddy?” Howard tossed his head. "On,
Lyddy was a gay girl!”
"So she was,” put in Joe.
"Expect wo never knew her,” said nnothor.
"No, J think uot, Sho was iny—” Howard
smiled significantly.
"Oh.” His fricuds tumod away indifferent
ly. Joo relighted his pipe and sat down bosldo
Howard on tho steps. Tlio rest threw them
selves carelessly on tho grass, laughing and
joking with ono another.
"Yo must a been kind o* soft on Lyddy,” Joo
obsoned, pufllng.
Howard laughed, "Oh, well, if you call It
that. But sho gave me tho slip, all tho sumo.”
"I s’posc, Mr T Ioward”—after a pause, re-
oving tho pipo tom his mouth—"I s’poso yo
wouldn’t kcer te» meet Lyddy Jest now.”
"I should say I would,” ho answered.
Joe turned around. "Lyddy!” ho called,
softly.
There was tho sudden rustlo of a dress with
in tho houso. Howard stnrted.
"I thought I’d s’priscf’ said Joe, his faco
beaming.
You don’t mean to say.” whispered Howard,
creduously, "that Lydia is hero—with you.”
Joo nodded his head slowly with mingled
pride and embarrassment. Howard laughed
through his teeth a disagreeable, grating
laugh.
Joo colored. "Seems humorous, does It?
flo’t it did ter mo’tut first: reoly, I couldn’t
rcnlizo et moro’ii you—seen a gel’s Liddy, But
’tis so, Liddy’s my wife.”
Howard ceased laughing. "What, married
to you!” ho exclaimed, in a loud voico.
The others looked up. Joe’s free was hot.
"I suppose marriage is one of your d—d high
notions,” lie added, contemptuously.
"How! Noshuns! Whatd’yomean?”
Howard looked amazed. "Is It possfblo that
you don’t know—” lie bent forward and
whispered in Joe’s car.
"Hey? What d’ye say?” Joo smiled, with
an effort, an though tho point of an intended
. okc had escaped him. Then the meaning of
Howard’s words hurst upon him. IIo sprang
‘ his feet.
“D—n yc, yclie!” ho cried, striking the man
blow in the face.
Howard, staggering to his feet, pulled out a
revolver, but bis companions, who had rushed
forward, seized his arm and held him fast.
His eyes were ablaze.
"Curse you!” he hissed, "you’ll be sorry for
this!”
Joo hesitated. Perhaps he hod boon hasty.
There was no mistaking tho man’s words, but,
then, possibly he was not in earnest. "I—I’m
rether blunt, mebby, but ye was lyin’—jokin’,
I would ray—wasn t ye?’ r
rould ray—wasn’t ye?”
‘Not by a d—d sight!” cried Howard. "I
told the truth. Why not ask Lyddy? ‘Scch
a gel’s Lyddy,’ you know, she’d tell you.”
There wag the sound of a step within the
bed-room; Lydia must have hoard it. Joe’s
fingers twitched. How ho would liko to throt
tle this fellow, and yet might it not bo true?
There rushed through hia mind what Lydia
had said that night by the gate. Then she
had tried to tell him—but her heart had failed.
Poor Lydia, had she not enfterad day by day
in silence and alone ? Had she not been abused
—great God—outraged! by—by thiawreteh?
Joe clenched hia bands.
"Look ye 1 Lyddy may hev been bad, et ye
call ’t so, but she was true t’ ye. I’ll swear
that; 'n was ye true to Lyddy? By law.sho
wan’t yourn, yet sho gave ye her hull trust.
Think ye! was ye faithful to’t? afore God!”
Joo stood there, his hard-worked shoulders
almost straight, in his simple dignity. Tho
members of the little group surrounding How
ard stood silent and expectant.
Howard shtugged his shoulders. "Ob, well,
I don’t claim to be an angel. When a woman
makes a fool of herself—” _ ....
Joo took a step forward. His whole body
There’s times when the Lord Hisself ’ll
smile on a woman’s sin; ’n when 'nspite
Irate, r n sufferin’ ’n down troddm’ a cal ’ll
elingtoaman till the last straw's throwed on,
mweftfaera ain't no vantage I'll dropdown
n’ wbrsliip her! ’N you—you that camo yer 1
sneer about’t !”
Joe pointed to tho road—"Go!”
Howard’s companions pressed around and
forced him away.
"My regards to Lyddy!” ho called. "My re
gards to Lyddy, ami—”
Some ono silenced him.
Joe stood there till the party was out’of sight
and then slowly entered tho house. Ho stepped
to the bed room door; it was ajar; ho thought
lie Heard a movement within.
"L3*ddy!” ho called softly.
No answer.
"Lyddy, bo you thov?”
Still no answer. Ho pushed the door open
Lydia was uot there. A window sliadeVushed
by tho breeze was the movement ho had heard.
He looked about tho room. The bed showed
an impress as though Lydia had knelt there,
and a mat by its side was half upturned. On
the bureau, lying in a pool of its own making, •
was a wet pen hastily thrown down. It lay
by a sheet of note paper, aud on the paper was
written: "Good, kind Joe. Good-byo.” That
was all. Below lay tho littlo gold wedding
ring Joo had given her. Ho took m> the
ring in a dazed way. Tho truth flashed upon
him.
"Oh. God—God!” he groaued; "sfio feared
me, ’n's gono back ter him!”
Ho threw himself down by the bed, and the
ring, slipping from liis fingers, bounded, with
a faint tinkle, across tho floor. •
Tho breezo was yet stirring when Joo loft
tho house. Ho bored his head to it and walk
ed away lu feverish haste. The houso was
stifling, aud so dreadfully still! Ho camo to
tho edge of tho cliff. Here, whero Lydia and
he had sat and talked so often; hero, where
Lydia had so loved to think, ho knelt down
and looked earnestly into tho dark waters-
the peaceful dark waters!
"Poor Lyddy! poor Lyddy!” ho murmured
covering his faco with his rough hands, whilo
tears, breaking through, ono by ouo, fell to tho.
ground. Onco in a while, above tho plashing
.of the falls, there aroso a moaning sound, the
evening cry of some bird, perhaps, oh, so sad
and lonely, so much liko a cry from his
heart. Ho Icaued far over and listened.
"It is the woman!” ho whispered. "She’s
cornin’ out tonight ’n she’s callin’ for me.
God! I sec her face, but it’s on tho rocks ’n—”
"Lyddy! Lyddy!” ho shouted In agony.
He stnrted up, looked around, aud ran wild
ly to tho old ford half way back to tho house.
Then, springing over rocks and slipping over
wet stoucs, ho rushed down tho canyon, splash
ing the water right aud left. "Lyddy! Lyddy!
I’m cornin’!” ho shouted again and again.
Nearer and nearer camo his call, and at last,
hot and pantiug, Joo threw himsolf by her
side. Ho took her in his arms.
"Don’t! don’t, Joel” .sho cried in pain.
"Don’t move me!” Aud lie laid her down
again, away from tho rocks, on a clear placo in
tho sand.
"I think,” sho whispored—"I think it’smost
over.”
"Oh, Lyddy, don’t say that! I’ll git hclp’rt
—but sbo whispered to him moro faintly,
nud ho had to kelp still and listen.
"It’s no use; 1 feel It. Stay by me!”
Ho took oft’ his coat and, rollinglt intoa pil
low, placed it under her head.* As lie did so
he laid his hot cheek, wet with tears, on hers.
Sho looked up with pleading eyes. .
"I was going to jump into tho pool;
didn’t—I fell.”
Joe covered liis eyes with his hands. His
throat seemed dosed.
"Joey”—weakly—"Howard told yon all and
you cannot forgivo mo. You donotlovomo
now.”
"God, do you s’poso I could stop lovin’ yon,
Lyddy?”
A faint flush camo Into her cheeks.
"Ho told you all. and you still lovo me?
Ob, put my arms about you, Jocyl”
Ho tenderly took hor arnis nud drew thorn
around his neck. A groat sob shook his
"And yon did lovo mo all along, Lyddy?”
With tho littlo strength that was left In her
arms, perhaps tho very weight of them, sho
dre w his head to her and hold him closo.
"Joey,” sho murmured, “uoxt to the groat*
God above, that perhaps I’ll meet—next to
Him, Joey—I lovo you 1”
And with her faco closo to hfa shq Wliis- (
jicred:
‘•That night—that you first said—you loved
me—Howard wanted—me to get—your moiioy
—I wouldn't—and lio—ho boat me!”
Joe raised his head. Sho opened her eyes
and looked at him.
"Ob, Joey—1’insoglnd—I didn’t fall—into
the—pool—and—drown!”
Her arms fell from his neck, lie took ono
floor hand, white and limp, ami pressed It to
his wet check. For a moment their lips met,
and then her eyes, tender *and moist with a
last happiness, were fixed on tlio bluo sky
above.
And tlio little falls in soft splashes whisper
ed to tho nassiug breezo, and tho passing
breeze caught up a fluttering soul and bore it
away. And away off above tho clouds—whero
you and I have no judgment, my friend—it
w as decided whether this soul was so very,
very black.
A NOVEL SIGHT.
THE PRESS.
ARP WRITES A LETTER ABOUT
Bow Psptre Manage to Produce Biographies of Emi
nent Uen lia Such a snort Time After Death
—BUlli Sympathy for the Moonshiners
-Other Topics Discussed by Arp.
Great things, notable things, concorn
nation, and agitato it from center to circum
fcrenco. The press is alivo to them nud oh tho
wild hunt for them. Tho press exaggerates
them and makes them of moro consoquonco
than they deserve. But still it is well to keep
the public posted, for ^hey learn moro nowa
days through tho press than at school. All
that schools and colleges do now is to make
the boys capable of learning from tho prom.
If a notablo man dies his biography
comes out next day in tho press and
everybody knows all about him in a fow hours.
It took Plutarch a long time to writo tho his*
tory of a man, but these newspapers write it
and write it well before he dies and keep it hid
away and waiting. They bad Grant’s ready
and Ben IIill’s and Alek Stephens’s •ndToombe’s
and every other great man whoso death was
imminent. They file them away in the "obit
tisrv pigeon hole.” Sometimes tho famous In
valid gets well and they have to.wait on him—
reluctantly wait. They havo boon waiting on
Mr. Tildcn a, good while, but they
have got him—got him down fine,
all except his Jlast letter to Mr. Randall, but
Mr. Tildcn won’t die. I had a letter tho other
day from a New York journalist, and he Mid
they kept on hand an unfinished biography of
every great man who was llkolyto die, but
they could not provide against sudden and un
expected deaths, and consequently had to got
up and go to work lively on such events as the
death of Mr. Hendricks and Vanderbilt.
Well, there are a big lot of us they don’t havo
to worry about. A big lot who got a mere men
tion among tho dead heads, and a bigger lot
who get no montfon at all, but who are ns
loved and as lost as the greatest in the nation.
A man’s own nro the biggest iu tho uation to
him; the family is the kingdom at last. I was
thinking how insignificant were all earthly
things to{me now that 1 have n dear old mother
COO miles away on her lost bod and waiting
and longing for mo to como to receive hor
blessings, and hero I am waiting aud watchlni
tlio vital spark that still lingers in her gram
child, a boy sho loved and who now seems
likely to greet her on tho other side.
But wo Took on tho bright sido still, though
it is hard to See it. Like the Hobrew captivos
we are ready to exclaim, "How can we sing tho
Lord’s song in astrango land!” Notable things
are happening every day that have no record,
and they rem ind me of tho monument that was
built and dedicated to tho unknown and un
recorded dead. That was good, wasn’t it ? II
I had a million and desired to show tho ro*
spcct that I havo for tho best heroes of a nation,
1 w ould spend half of it on a monument to tho
humble and industrious poor. Tho poor who
till tho farms and labor in tho
workshops and fight their
country’s battles without substitutes or bomb
proof places. The poor who lire and die and
make no sign. The poor who toil to koep tho
rich in comfort. Rowland bad but ono room
and a back shed. It was a log house without
a window, hut he never complained. My wIfo
was sorry for Rowland because ho didn’t com
plain, and sho asked mo to build another room
and I did and put a glass window in it and
Mrs. Rowland w»a happy—very happy, Not
long after this her sister died ofid left a little
new 1>orn child, and Mrs, Rowland took it aud
added ono more to her little flock of five: and
still sho was happy. In a fow weeks Rowland’s
father, a very old and feeble man,was stricken
with Paralysis and Rowland brought him and
installed him in tho new room and cares for
him and lifts him about and is tender and kind
and Rowland is chcorAil and happy.
"You havo another trouble, and
c—ns good ns ho was able, an& It was no
frdship Air me to wait on him now.” Why,
audcrbilt wouldn’t have dona as much for
e old commodore as Rowland is doing for his
father. lie would have hired It done, but ho
wouldn't havo dono it himself. Tho rich know
nothing of tho sacrifices of tho poow and not
knowing they do not care. Why. Vanderbilt
could ’bnvo made ono hundred thousand fami
lies happy. Just think of It, whdt ho might
have done.
Well, I was thinking about notablo events
tjint’l read of in your paper away down here
in Florida. They nro a littlo old when tho
get here, but theyaro Just os good as now t°
I sometimes think I would bo as well
On a hill covered with pino trees, near the
mil read depot, at Charlotte, N. C\, three or four
hundred negroes have bocn congregated for two
weeks, waiting for emigrant agents to furnish
them with transpoitation to tho west. Tho
sight is a novel one in every respect. Tboro is
not a camp on tho hill, and tho darkies lay
in the pine thicket subjoct to every
change in tho weather. They forage
upon the surrounding country for fire wood,
and all night and tho greater portion of every
day largo camp fires are kept burning. Many
of tho men in the party have their families
with them, and children of every size are scat
tered over tho ground. At night the negroes
huddle about tho fires and put in their sleeping
hours, keeping themselves warm. Half or
them are without monoy or any
thing to cat, and this is tho condition
of things about tlio camp.
HOW THEY COME THERE.
Some weeks since Charley Walker, Fred
Bush and other jiassctiger agents of Atlanta
received orders from planters at n dlstsnco to
get up a mini tor of farming hands. Three
passenger agents sent out their never-failing
circulars and tho North Carolina negroes came
to Charlotte iu swarms. Those who had noth
ing took the road for Charlotte without a mo
ment's delay, and those who had property sold
it at uny cost and hurried to (.'liurlotte, whero
they expected to tako tho traiu
for the promised land. It seems that whilo
the negroes were being gotten up all passen
ger rates were restored, and along with the
restoration came an increase in emigrant rates
of stout a cent a mile. This action upon the
part of the railroads caused tho planters to
temporarily, at least, reconsider what they
had done, and the money to pay for the trans
portation of the negroes has been slow in
coming to the front. It is thought that the
money will to furnished in a day or two, as the
situation is now thoroughly understood by tho
planters and they have ascertained that tho
increased rate will be strictly adhered to.
Charley Walker was in Charlotte a day or two
•go, giving the negroes words of encourage
ment. The negroes who had homes can’t re-
tuin to them m they have broken up aud sold
everything, while the others never bad any
homes and want to leave North Carolina and
to go to some other state just for a change.
Yesterday seventy-five emigrants, belonging
to the Charlotte party, reached Atlanta on
their way to Texas aud Louisans.
Remember that Allcock's ore tho only*
genuine Forous Plasters. They act quickly
and with certainty, and can be worn for weeks
without causing pain or inconvenience. They
are Invaluable in cases of spinsl weakness, kid
ney and pulmonary difficulties, malaria, ague
cake, liver complaint, dyspepsia, strains, rheu
matism, sciatica and nervous debility. Other
plasters blister and inflame the skin so that the
pores are cloeed and often cause serious injury.
Do not risk health and waste time and money
by buying inferior articles made to sell on the
reputation of the genuine. When purchasing
plasters ask far and see that you get Alkock’s
the registered trade-mark stamp.
who are st ill voting for General Jackson, and
nro happy. I know that there are peoplo up
in Pickens, who believed that the election of
Mr. Cleveland meant tho repeal of tho rovenuo
laws and the free privilege of making whisky.
They pass my house on their way to market
and somo of them have stopped and asked rao
about it. They bring down apples and cab
bages and generally a little keg of "sorghum”
hid away somewhere—apple sorghum or peach
sorghum or corn sorghum. Csptaiu Nelms
can’t stop that business. Ho can limit it, but
ho can’t unnihilato It. IIo may break
up ono set of stills, bnt another set
will worm upsomewhero. The boys say their
fathers made it in the old times before the
war end they rant scewh’y they shouldn’t
especially since the radicals are out of office.
They liko the very peril of It. Bough adven
turous poople are fond of peril. Peril makes
a school toy steal apples and play "seven up”
in a gully. There Is » charm about peril. It
made 8am Patch Jump the falls of Trenton
and Montmorcnco and made that fellow Jump
from tho Brooklyn bridge and Blondin to
walk a repo suspended across Niagara, and By
ron to swim the Hellespont. It is peril that
inspires the smugglers on tho coast who for
a hundred years havo been plying
tbeir business in defiance of law and govern
ment. They are caught and punished and
muny sacrifice their lives, but still they keep
on—fathers and sons and grandsons, and they
keep on banding it down. There is something
to admire la this defiance of government—this
dark night work of one utn against a nation.
Who ever read n story about smugglers and
did not take the smuggler’s side? And jntt so
it is now about the moonshiners. The sympa
thy of the people is with them. Captain Nelnn
may hunt them down and arresttbem^nd Judge
McCay may fine and lecture and Imprison, but
tho involuntary sympathy of the people
is with them. Not because they are doing right
in makiug whin) 1 * *
tbo government
b/Kiinihino; but the
f the license and al ,
ms to ho moonshine or none. It is a rich
man’s war and a poor mau’s fight. It is the
power of a great and mighty government
against a poor devil without money aud with
out friends. Jt Is the United States marshal
with bis well-armed troop of deputies
hunting down a wan, not for murder or arson,
or any crime named fn the deealoguo; not
for making whisky or lirsndy but really for
M ing too poor to pay for the privilege. Mr.
Kclk-tt or Captain Kcllett (they are all non-
tom missioned captains, I believe) was a good
officer I suppose, but it seems that he put a
bullet In McCoy tenyeart ago when it was all
right for revenue officers to scatter their balls
around, and it seems that McCoy hsa a good
memory. We don’t know whether Kellett had
right to shoot McCoy then
not, but we do know that many
of those "captain*” were more
lawless than the outlaws they were pursuing.
They trifled with human lffr ts If it were a
dog’s. They loved blackmail and extortion.
One of the best citizens of Floyd county, a nun
who had been sent by his people to represent
them in the legislature, was arrested and car
ried to Atlanta and fined five hundred dollars
for a trifling violation of the revenue laws. He
bad procured a license to nuke brandy from
bis own peaches, but left some little thing un
done, ana he told me that his maltreatment
bad made him hate and despise his govern-
Bat there is five-hundred dollars reward for
McCoy and a detective force that will hunt
him down, I reckon. He had no friends where
he was shot ton years agn, but he has carried
the bullet it sceuiiT. Well, 1 hope they will not
get him, that’s all. Mr. Cleveland is right.
That portion of his message which related to
the oppression of tho United States district
courts with al! their tedious circumlocution
and all their disregard for the poor defendants
and witnesses whom they drag from their
homes to await tho law’s, delay was most ad
mirable and most humane. He has said moro
in his message than our members of cougres3
have ever said upon the floor .with perhaps
two exceptions—Dr. Felton and Mr. Stophous.
What a power Gcucrnl Toombs would havo
been to havo swept this whole iniquitous sys
tem from the statute books of congress. His
transcendent love of the liberty of tho citizen
and of equal rights to all would have awakenod
the fires of his eloquence iu behalf of a rough
but honest and fearless people. Wo noed an
other Toombs, Where shall we
ft ml him? Most of our statesmen
lovo power aud money, but Toombs loved lib
erty more than all. His favorito theme was
King John and tbo barons at Runnymedo and
the great writ of habeas corpus. For himself
he denied aud defied all control, and he de
manded it for his people. His llamilcar
speech was inspired by this love. His insubor
dination in tho army sprung from the some
source. General Joo Johnston sent me to
him when camped at Meadow bridge
with an order for his brigade wagons
to haul supplies from Richmond. "Tell
General Johnston,” said he, "if he requests tho
lqan of my wsgons he can havo them, but if he
demands them ou this peremptory order he
will have to get up my quartermaster's receipt
for them before I will give them up.”. I did
not get the wagons, nor did his brigade get any
rations, and there was a wild commotion in
his Camp. General Toombs mountod his horse
and galloped’Airiously up to General John
ston’s quarters and in a few minutes I received
orders to supply his men. and
" left "old Joo and our Bob” hobnobbing to-
S ether over something that was In a black
ottlo between them. Not long after he issued
an order for a general election in his brigado
to fill tho numerqus vacancies that had oc
curred, for he swore that tlio humblest private
in the ranks hsd the right to to elected cap
tain if the hoys wanted him. Bnt this was not
the West Toint regulation, and so General
too countermanded It and the Issue was mado.
It was a sore trial for tho patriots
gnd tho Georgians were waiting with
anxiety to see who would rule
tho Georgia trooops. But the issuo never camo
to a result. That night at 12 orders came for
the army to march, and march they did, and
they kept on marching aud fighting, so there
was no time for clcctious, and'General Loo's K
orders prevailed.
Toombs was an extremist ou liberty, If ho
did not overestimate the rights of man, he did
undervalue the rules and regulations that
should control him. But such men ore needed.
They remind the peoplo of tho encroachments
of power and tho inioloncoof office and the
oppression of tyrants, and so the people become
BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ.
THE RUBY REES HEALING THE NATIONS.
From tl»© Mountains to the Sea. Pralsss Come
Wafted for II, R. B.
Tho Nurse at thejBedNldo of the Sick
WU1 find a safeguard and purifier In Darby’s
Prophylactic Fluid. It will thoroughly purify
tho air of tho room aud destroy all diseaso
gcrain arising/rom tho patient, tho bod, niglii
chairs, etc. Tho patient will obtain refreshing
relief by being sponged with a small quantity
of fluid diluted with water. For safety, clean
liness and comfort in the sickroom the fluid is
Indispensable.
8NF.KiT7.and Zuketortare about to play a
game of ebem for a stake of HOO. •
That
he noor mountaineer can’t
l all the incidentals, and so
"Is There No Dal in
In Gilead, is there no physician their?” T
cry may henceforth cense, for all Who will can
bo healed by obtaining the "Hclenco of Lifo. ’
8cc advertisement.
TvBJ.fbiif.r’bNote.—A Chicago paper says
that tho actor who plays "Koko” in tho
"Mikado,” at the theater there, had such a
that he could not have sung "Tltwillow”
ic not roedrered liU voiro by a dose&t Red
8taf Cough Cure, which costs only twenty-flvo
cents a bottle.
APrnkkylvaxia girl, with nn eyo to bust-
iitM,’uddc«l to her wedding invitations, "No pleklo
dJsbc* for presents.”
No Mystery About It.
There are no mysteries or Hocrcta about tho
compounding of Brown’s Iron Bitters. The
preparation of iron is the only one that can bo
taken without Injuring the teeth or stomach.
It gives vigor to the feeble, life to tlio debili
tated and health to tho dyspeptic. You need
not fear to give it to tho most delicate child.
Mrs. Kinina Williams, of Starkweather, Mis*.,
says, "It relieved my daughter, of dyspepsia,
and myself of general debility.
Sixty tons of almonds were gathered from
•lxty*five acres oil tho Oaksbado farm, la Yolo
county, fob, the present reason.
Catarrh and Bronchi!f* Cured.
A clergyniau, after years of suffering from that
loathiomcdisease, Catarrh, and vainly tryffifevory
known remedy, at last found a prescription which
lately cured and saved him firom deo;h. Any
sr from this drcmlful disease scndlug a self
tsed stamped cnvulopo to Dr. J, Flynn it Co.,
j*t lfitli it., New York, will recclvo the receipt
ftco of charge. _ declfiwkeow
Tub Milwaukee Seiitinvl says vice-presi
dent Hendricks died of a dress coat and an oven-
lug reception.
Fortunate BUelple of Franklin In Boston.
A Boston Job printer, Mr. M. B. Nelson. No.
70 Mcrimnc at ? held one-fifth of Ticket No.
in the November Drawing of tho Loui
siana State tottery, which drew $75,000, cost
ing him $1. lie is single, about 23 years of age,
lives with his parents, aud this prize money
will enable him to oxtend his business, lie fa
a steady, Industrious young man, and will mako
good use of hfs wealth.—Boston, Mas*., Gam-
mcrcial and Shipping List, November 2T». IIo
tan print hfa own luck.
MOTHER AND SISTER.
B. B. B. Co.: My mother and sister hsd ulcerated
throat and teroAila, and B. B. B. cured them.
E. Q. TINSLEY,
June 20,1889. Columbiana, Ala.
GOD SPEED IT.
B. B. B. Co.: One bottle of B. B. B. cured me of
blood poison aud rheumatism. May God speed it
to everyone. W. R. ELLIS,
June 21,1885. Brunswick, Go.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.
B. B. B. Co.: One of my customers, J. B. Roger*
was afflicted 25 years with a terrible ulcer ou his
leg, but B. B. B.-has nearly cured.him. *
B. F. WEDLOCK,
June 22,1885. Nejrcrota, da,
BAY HORSE.
B. B.B. cured mo of atruloer with which I had
been troubled fifiy years. 1 am now as fat sa a bay
horse; and sleep better than anybody, and B. B. B.
did It sib R. R. SAUNTER,
June 21,1885. Athena, Gs.
RAILROAD TALK.
Four bottles of B; B. B. cured me of a severe form
Of rheumatism, and tho ramo number of bottle*
cured my wife of rheumatism.
J, T. GOODMAN,
Conductor C. R. R,
MAGICAL, SIR.
The use of B. B. B. has cured me of much suffer
ing, as woll as a case of piles of 40 yean’ standing
Although 80 yean old, 1 feci like a new man. B
B. B. is magical, sir. GEO. B. FRAZIER.
WONDERFUL GODSEND.
My*threo poor, afflicted children, who inherited
a terrible blood poison, have improved rapidly alter
the use or B. B. B. It I* a Godsend healing balm.
MRS. 0. M. WILLIAMS,
Sandy, Texas.
KAST3HORE TALK.
We have been handling B. B. D. shoot 12 months,
and cau say that It is tha best selling medicine wo
handle, and tho satisfaction seem* to be complete.
LLOYD A ADAMS,
June 25,1785. Brunswick, Gs.
VERY DECISIVE.
Tbo demand for B. B. B. 1* rapidly Increasing,
and we now buy In one gross lots. Wo unhesita
tingly say our customers are all well pleased.
fflLLRROA,
June 2t; 1885. , Anderson, 8. t*.
TEXAN TATTLE.
* • • One of our custotadrs left his bed for tlio
first time In six mouths, after uSihg only One tiottto
of B. B. B. Ho hsd scroAila’Of a tcrrlblo form, that
hsd resisted all other trestmoht. Ib B. B. now
takes the lead In this section.
LIEDTKB BROS.,
June 10,1885. Dexter, Texas.
In .V rtntcssnd 13 territories of the U. 8., tho
people use Dr. Bull’sCough Hyrup.
i-Sccrctiry Lincoln *r©
LEMON ELIXIR,
An Old Citlxln of Atlanta, Go,
By the recommendation of Rev. C. C. Davis Tused
Dr. Moric) '■ Lemon Elixir for a severe case of Jndl-
Motion, ralpitation of tho heart, constipation and
biliomncf*. I aln> suffered greatly with gravel and
great pains In the bock and kidneys, unabfa to
stand alone. I wa* treated, by many phyridms
and ukhI many but got no relief; Dr.
Mozley'a Ix mon Elixir alone has maulo a perfect
cure of all there dlreaw*. My. wife tow suffered
greatly with constipation and sick toot laches, from
which she could get no relief. The Lemon Elixir
has permanently cured her
A. lb Amxold, 22 Ella street, Atlanta, Go.
Lctnon Hot Drops*
Dr. If. Mocixv.—Dear sir: I havo sufibrod for
five years with a revere cough -and lung trouble,
saw your advertisement of Lemon Hot Drops, and
procured a small bottle, having tried ev«y cough
syrup and lozenge (hot I conlA hear of with little
benefit. 1 had small frltbin It. To my surprise, 1
derived benefit from the first dose. My cough faff
me, also the sorenere of my hsnri, by the uae of
four small bottle* only. My cough was so revere
S tSeibanS the wllofwS ro great and so stiSSSi
that I shall ever feel grateful to you for ibis great
“la It Uue ttl.t. b« «n pntt nm In proper-
lion thru » hor.u *-Anilon.“Ob! It U
>lu> true Hint . bn cn pnrti wore ttiwi ho cn
poll." _
Hollins' Sure Core Jfcnli Wash Dentifrice.
Cam Pore Thrott. 1
■'ontb. Clcmf«
Gartnor FUzhagli Ic hu declined • pre-
tm of » hlndw. crrUy,
Th* *mt Bocae rain*, of Nevada an lew
noted then Dr. Boll’. Ccnfb Hyrip.
m. rich & Bros.,
54 nml CO 'WltUeliall St., Atlanta, (in.
Cloaks! Cloaks Cloaks!
We offer our entire stock of
Plusli, Silk aud Beaver Cloaks
and Wraps forladicsandmisscs
at 15 per cent less than manu
facturers’ cost. That means
about 50 cents on the dollar of
regularprices. Beat thatifyou
can. Our stock of dress goods
must he sold in the next thirty
days. We have choice goods.
If you don’t get a dress cheap
now, it is because you won’t
come to see our stock. To
hotels and boarding houses in
the city and country we say that
nowistlietimeto buy your Blan
kets,Comforts,TableLiuensand
Towels. We want to sell our
present stock. At the reduced
S rices we offer them, you can’t
elp but buy. We want the
cash, and you can have our
f oods at your own price. M.
ticli & Bros.
Last ti’cek of our special
sale, we shall begin our stock
taking ou January ist, and
want to have as few goods to
measure as we can, consequently
S cat inducements will be of-
red in all grades of carpets,
rugs, etc., to close them out.
Several lots of handsome
carpets, rugs, etc., brought out
for the holiday trade, are un
sold. We will not carry them
over as we intend to sell them
regardless of cost or market
value. No such startling re
ductions in prices of carpets
and upholstery goods have
ever been made in this city as
we are making now. Come to
see us. M. RICH & BROS.
T UMBKH \V.\NTKI) - MI 1,1. ANI> TIM BUR
It oat factory, on tbo It. «n.l D. nUroU, AtUnta.
litt.,!™ »ututliu& willy it
/Blue s aweC;
AaEK'iwV/'A^TED.r., , , , r:
bfvitf ofMOwtf •noftplM.foftoi
l< lr»ttry. IrrprUor *
_fad Iwdr-o.-ooifa
mrK iHfrtloMv jowrirr*. do <'.og
with now <«*■«iredi
novA-ft kites not