The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, February 07, 1888, Page 9, Image 9

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Newspaper Page Textu/<wi)’sKM do w [This is the la lies - column. They are invited to express their opinions herein—to use it as theirown The editress will answer questions or accept sug gestions with pleasure.] In Memuriani. BY A STRICKEN .MOTVET. Yes. thou hast gone to .-1 .op, my precious darling, And left thy mother wide awake with woe. Thou'rt sweetly nestling in the Saviour's bo«om, Hos empty arms can clasp thee never more— They ache so, baby. The pain of thy sweet little life is over, Her life was never half so full of p tin. Forever safe thou’rt folded with the shepherd, She groping outside in l.e.’bitter pain. It hurts so, baby ! Thqu'rt free from pain. For this the he r* rejoices E'in in the blackness of her grief's dark night Yet strangely seems iter home's bright sunshine clouded, Which once thy baby presence made so bright; So bright, sweet baby, ••Don't grieve,’’ they say, "Tis nothing bit a baby.” •‘Yonr baby's safe in Heaven's happy clime.” •Tis true, sweet child 1 Yet mother's heart seems bursting To clasp thee to her breast just one more time lier own sweet baby. God knoweth host! Thy mother feels this, darling; She knows twes ‘‘not in wrath the Reaper came." And yet her heart keeps aching on so sorely, . God knows that heart; JHe'U pity, and not blame Thy mother, baby I 0 “The Old Book Case,” contributed by a lady from Altus, Ark., will I am sure, prove very acceptable to our readers. It will recall to many reminiscences of childhood, and the old homo long since among the memories of the past. Such recollections are always dear to our hearts, and when so feelingly protrayed as in the article alluded to, never fail to awaken a responsive chord in the hearts of others. Wb always welcome contributions of this sort from our friends. o The Old Book Case. I can see it yet—none of your fine rosewood or walnut articles of modern style, but simply a square made of four unvarnished pine planks, nailed to the wall with three shelves let in, yet containing trei a ires beyond computation—a fairy realm in Which my childish mind roamed and reveled. Ah! home, sweet home! 1 have lost you forever now, but will never lose your precious memories, especially this. There, on top, reaching nearly to the ceiling, were rows and stacks of Harper’s Magazine, Aurora, La dies’ Home Joma.il, Godoy's and others, arranged by my mother's neat hands (no room for the New York I.edg.r or Cincin inti Enquirer; they were banished to the loft overhead): while just below, on the fir: t shelf, came what 1 called then the dry books, such as Treatise on Surveying and Er.gi.ieer ing, patent office reports, agricultural no!e-, two formidable black volumes by Thomas P.iyne, and Scott's (Waverly) novels. J remember the pictures In two books on that shelf that used to interest me highly. One of them was a Home Book of Natural History. 1 was fond of looking at the birds and animals, and I will never forget an immense crane standing in the water that always seemed to me to have his throit on t>p of his back. I pondered and pondered over it and altogether learned consid.Ta ble about birds; the other was drawings and mays of the country on the Pacific slope, and the manner and style in which, the pictures were executed attracted me more than the grandeur of the scenery, they were so velvety, odd and distinct—sort of steel engravings, I suppose; but whether they were true to nature or not, to me the most vivid realities, and Mexicans, donkeys, cactus and mountains are still indelibly and geometrically the same to my mind. But that third shelf! how I did enjoy it! Often have I stole away to devour page after page when the others thought I was at my wonted playground, or, better still, after helping father in the garden all forenoon, to hide under the bed, secured from mo lestation by the old-fashioned undervalauee, with dear old Hurns, Moore, Campbell, or any I just hap pened to select. My whole being came out re freshed! The.d there were the novels, in later years, when, ih my teens, I liked Mrs. Holmes and Harland; but then, when only a child between nine and twelve, my companions were "The Old Curiosity Shop,” with its angel, Little Nell; ■ ‘Barnaby Budge,” “Pickwick Papers,” ‘‘David Copperfield," and “Bleak House." Again and again did I go over that until every character was familiar, from the jnagnanimous Mr. Guppy and Mrs. Jellaby, of the Bcorhiboolagha mission down to poor Joe, and nothing was more affecting to me than when .sweet Esther found her mother dead at her father's grave after she, with Detective Bucket, had followed her so long. At last, to say only those sad words: “It ■was my mother, cold and deed!" “The Vicar of Wakefield ’ was a great favorite also, and “Mill on the Floss," by George Eliot, though the authors were entirely unknown to me when living so ardently the scenes in each. Maggie and Tom, Aunt Pullet, Aunt Clegg and all were real folks to me. On the last shelf were mostly school books, in which 1 took no great interest until after I was fourteen, although I was a brag scholar in the old field school. Then on the little cherry table beneath were Milton, Bhakspee.ro and others, beautifully bound, and u great pride to my older sister, but which we— neither of us—often found courage to open. I think I ean safely ray, however, that from my earliest remembrance to the time of my marriage at seven teen, everything in that old bookcase was read by me from beginning to emi, from ‘ Robinson Crusoe” to the family Bible, and never can the blessed influ ence depart from my soul. Although a great msny may think that such in discriminate reading lor a child would be very detrimental, I am sure nothing whatever was detracted from my morals, manners or industrious habits in life, and while I live I will continue to be grateful lor the wise and self denying parents who let me follow my inclination in this direction and provided me with the contents of the dear old book case. o— Economy of Food. From Good Housekeeping. The American housnvife gets a rather severe in dictment from Professor H. O. Atwater in his ad dress before) the American association for the Ad vancement of Science on “The Physiological and Pecuniary Economy of Food.” Taking the world through, he says, the mats of people select foods ■which analysis shows to furn sh actual nutrients at the lowest cost. But the people of the United states, he continues, evince a marked exception. Many, even among those who desire to economize, use needlessly expensive kinds of food. They endeavor to make their diet attractive by paying high prices rather than by skillfully cooking and tastefully serving. Then, too, they are more wasteful, es pecially the wives of workingmen. An inexplicable sensitiveness upon this joint exists among working men. The best the market affords alone is good enough for them, and by their constant demand for what they wrongly consider the choice cuts of meat, they maintain the present high prices. The wastefulness of the American with his food as com pared with the European, has 1 e n the observation of every one who has traveled enough to notice it, One of the missions of Good Housekeeping is to pro mote domestic economy, not in imitation of Euro pean practices, but in accordance with the experi ence and investigations of the most intelligent and sensible housewives of this country, and to show that economy may be and is respectable. Professor Atwater alio had a word to say about over-eating. It h his opinion that this is a source of im re disease than any other one thing and that it docs more barm to health than even the drinking habit. It must be admitted, howover, in defence of the average person, that while all this study to make delicious f>x>d Is going on among housewives, no one who loves the good things of life can easily restrain himself from eating more than he actually needs. The man who now a days follows Benjamin Franklin's practice of getting up from the tade hungry must have an unusual degree of self denial, or his food must be scanty or unpalatable. It would te interesting to note what sort of a table Franklin tat down to; wc venture to say that the person of the present day would Im glad to ati-e from it when that philosopher did, and to go elsewhere and get a “square meal. 1 Correspondence. Ixoline, Skelton. Ga : ll.r v. ind whistles through the pines with a weird, moaning sound; the winter ■tars in their blue finrntment look down unsympa thetically upon old mother earth in her Ice-bound fetters, put within, the wood fire erark 1 s and bunrs so brightly, the .at pur--so contentedly, and the basket of '•grot tig"apples :rxu so tempting that one so* n forgets the **. i I r, Ithout, or remembers it only to find a pleasing contra;t It would be •egotism gons UHd to * p, v-e that 'J*e Kiugdcm has remembered me all this time, but I have not forgotten any of you, although I have not been among you since the days of sweet long ago. My visit to the Kingdom is to ask if it cannot have a higher plane of thought than how to bake a eake, wasu dishes, cure a sick chicken, or make a f tney pin cushion. These are all very well, of course, but the mind hungers for food as well as the body, only ot a diii'ercnt kind, and is it right to starve the one to sadsfy the other’ Ido not mean to detract one atom irom the merit* of a good horn, keeper or a good cook, for nothing is more essential to a home’s comfort and happiness; but I wish to protest against the bright women of the sixtny south be coming household drudges. Ift cl justified in say ing I know how to cork (nearly all country girls do) anything that anybody else doos, bat Iknowthat lioi. tvork an-i mental culture can go hand in hand. There can be an undercurrent of thought about other things that will make duty far less wearisome mud monotonous. You all have spare time to CHiti v ate your ni’.tids if you will only I’.tlli; e it, although many of you do not realize it. These long winter etchings are theve.y thing for pleasant reading and study; one feels that all the ditties of the day are oy. r, and everything is so quiet. Can we not organize a historical or literary society in the King dom.' Trusting th-. t the plan may be approved, I leave the question with yov. Florence Roger*. Summerville,Ga. : Dear Editress: w ..at sort ot tally is that y gave us a few weeks s.nc> under ‘Home-made French Candy.’” My lord and master being very fond of candy. I thought to surprise him with a lot of it made aider the recipe so highly recommended by so accompl shed a lady as A tint susie: but 1 must say, the surprise was quite the other way. I follow, d directions exactly, and the result was a coat of damp sugar that would not together—just crumbled. The recipe said: 1.01 l that out and cut in strips.” I tried to. There was no more elasticity about it than that much wet sand. 11 was altogether kicking in the quality hold together-ne s, and could not be rolled out. The I’ reach candy was a failure, and I was disappointed. I wonder i; any one else has tried the French candy. I hope you will not feci offended at this style of letter and will forgive the truth bluntly expressed. Note—l am not at all offended 'at your candid expressions, but in justice to myself must say you are the first person who has failed with the recipe. 1 have myself made pounds of candy by this recipe and *ccn many others who were successful. The fault must have been in the quality of the sugar. Did you use the finest pulverized, or confectioner's sugar? Did you sift and roll j'ottr sugar? Were you exact in measuring your cream? 1 would like you to be as candid in answering these questions as jon have been in pronouncing the failure you made due to the rceipe. L. F. Peri y. Dorchester, Liberty county, Ga.: For many years I have been a reader of Tn e Constitu tion, and Aunt Susies letter tn the last issue touched a sympathetic chord; for 1 too was, the latter part of C hristmas eve, alone., I’ntil "o'c'oek I had two children with me. One was little Grab, who was made so happy a short time since by Aunt Susie putting her letter in “May's paper.” Alter tea we took our sewing—theirs was patch work—and sat around the grate, and while the wind and rain knocked in vain for admittance. 1 told them stories of the Christ child, and then we sung carols until they got sleepy. After they were tucked in bed 1 resumed my sewing, and my thoughts WanCo cd to the absent love I ones and particularly to my little blue-eyed girl at school, who this niglit would not have mama to help Santa Claus in his work of love. Then I glanced at the two stockings bunging near me, and my heart grew glad as I thought of the many little ones whose eager footsteps and happy voices would wake the older members of their homes a few hours here, and my heart went out pityingly to those little ones whose parents do not believe in Santa Clans. 1 must not close without adding my mite to the many recipes contributed to Woman’s Kingdom. Common starch m< istened with cam phor or arnica placed immediately on a bruise or any injury will pievent a bump, or the blood from settling and causing discoloration of the skin. The camphor takes away all soreness and the starch keeps the parts cool and excludes the air. I can indorse J. R. T.’s, Newberry, S. C., recipe for bed bugs, as I have seen it tried with success. I will be pleased to correspond with Lillian De Chaster. I am glad Aunt Susie has her Bible. Constance Clay—Dear Editress: I fear that not only the children, but we of riper years, cansume your valuable space with the similarity in thelexor dums of our communication*. It is quite refreshing, when a sister, with a beautiful disregard for rheto ric, begins her letter with the subject near her heart, and effpresses herself clearly and briefly. When I read such letters, I know some fireside has an angel in|a good anil sensible sister, daughter, wife or—that name dearest next to heaven—mother. Sweet sister in the old north state across the distance I clasp your hand for your holy thoughts of the Meslah; so appropriate at this season that commemorates his birth and sor.n the lime of his death and passion. I could not keep back the t-ars when I read the verses “One Year Ago," and I often wonder if many of the sisters feel the impulses of affectionate empa thy that swell my heart when I read their letters and these of our loved editress. Perheps not. Many in their happy homes surrounded by dear ones, need not pass beyond the threshold to seek love and sym pathy. Not so with the orphan; a Pilgrim in a dis tant land whose loved ones has been gathered to the home where the weary ore at rest. Not long ago, by request, I made some suggestions to ladies, especially young teachers, and gave a list of good books, entertaining as well as instructive. Since then I have seen that my letter attracted the atten tion of “Ella” and one other, whose name I have forgotten. We who have pas-ed childhood know how children are influenced by example, hence my sne-.g istions to young teachers: The seaman who has long plowed the ocean Knows the reefs that are out of sight, But the wise young mariner steers his bark, Guided by the beacon’s light. “Mrs. M. R.,” Birmingham, Ala.: It is useless for me to begin by saying "how much I enjoy read ing "Woman's Kingdom," for I think all of the sis ters enjoy reading it more than any other part of The Constiti tion. Will some of the sisters who have|tried”Moth-er s Friend,” please write through Woman’s King dom or to me, and tell with what results? lam anxious to try it, but am afraid to do so, without hearing of some one’s experience. The editress has my address if any one will be so kind as to write to me. 1 feel sorry for any woman who has a husband who is afraid to trust her with a little money. I think if I had one of that kind, I would think up some way to teach him a lotßon, or to "get even” (as the children say) with him. My husband is so indulgent, though, is why I can boast so, 1 sup pose. I deeply sympathize with the sisters who hove lost lliclr little darlings. The greatest Borrow of my life was losing my precious little girl last September. She was our baby, and the only girl we bad, is why it is so hard for us to bear. I felt at first that I could never be comforted. I don't grieve for her now as I did at fi t. I know she is "safe in the arras of Jesus,’’ and I love to sit and think of her, aud how happy we will lie when we meet again in heaven. 1 have [a bright font-year old boy; he is a great comfort to me. I feel that my responsibility In training him is very great. I’m trying to do my best to train him to be agood and useful man. I.enjoy reading the < hildren's letters, and am anxious to see who will get the prize. "M. J.,” Boonville, N. C.—Seeing others have asked and received so much aid through Woman s Kingdom, encourages me to come in a state of per plexity, asking heln. lam anxiousto know if any one can tell whether or not there Is a passage oi Scripture in the Bible which reads thus: ‘‘Cursed is he who puttetli the bottle to his neighbor's mouth.” If any one can tell where such a passage can be found in the Bible, they will put at ease several per plexed minds. It has not been quite one year since I had the pleasure of reading Woman's Kingdom, yet how many sad changes have passed ovc; some of our lives in that shdrt time. When I read now and then a letter from those whose hearts have been made sad by the departure of their little ones, I too could sympathize w ith them. My mind would »under off to a little mound where lay * dear little twin infant only a few months old. Ob! bowsed and sure are the realities in life. Only a lew months ago, before she had quite pa c sed two summers, my other little darling passed away. There Is another little mound in the graveyard, and I now have no little Pearl to come and pull away my work and put up her little month and say "mama, ti-s.” We should not think of our dear ones as Lclng In the grave but think pf them as being in a beautiful mansion waiting and watching for us. I would say to those who have little ones, enjoy them all you cun. if they should be spired to yon a long time, they wilt not always I < so sweet and Innocent. Note I-ook Habakkuk, ii chapter, 16 ver c; you will find t'«- quotation with only a slight diflerencs. “W>unto film that u vetb )il‘ neighl'o: drink, that P'lttist thy tk.tt e t' him and umk“t him drun.en,’ etc. Mrs. .’ < or. Ms lia’.e a•. Isx.rr.j day it i&.m aud heczci n sjccu Olrisztb.is ‘ai.rij ».,c THE MEEKLY CONSTITUTION, ATLANTA, GA.. TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 7, 1888. out-door work must stop, and every beast and bird and every creeping thing it seem* to me must suffer, and a great many die with the intense «old. We, as n Kouthcrn people do not provide for our stock sufkeientiy. especially cattle. Now r good milch eow is worth as much as an ordinary horse, and we should provide for them good shelter, ch an water and t’ood warm food. Ido my own work, cooking, milking and housework, and t.n.l it much more pleasant than working with a darkey. 1 have knit ted two counterpanes, one in squares, four small ones making a square as large as an ordinary quilt s jUare,of which there are 72 or ?8s small squares;the other is about the same size, but knit in strips, and ea< h haying knit borders. If any of the sisters would like to buy one of them 1 would gladly sell one or both, and apply tire money to a good cause, husband i> w ell acquainted with the editress, • note Will and all the corps of editors of The Con stiti tios. and says he had as soon think of doing without bis: uits fur breakfast as the paper. My ad dress-is with the editress. “Mrs. C.,” D.twsom (.a,--Your letters are such a soureoof comfort to me; 1 always feel better after reading them. I <lo not wonder at the children loving you so much, for 1 think as they do. that you must be a dear g x>d lady. I love to rend the sisters’ letters too; there is something useful to be learned from most of them. I have tried some of th© receipts, and they are splendid. 1 have a receipt for lemon jelly cake, which is 5 cry nice; will send it if any one wished it. 1 have a book, the E.igt sh and French systems of cutting and fitting, which, if studied a short while, will enable any one to cut and fit their dresses nicely. The price of the book is seven dollars. I have used it one year and a half, but it is not‘oiled any. Now, if any of the sisters wish it. I will exchange took and measures fora nice table cover or two tidies, knit or crocheted. My address is v. ith the editress. 1 wish some of the sisters would explain the following terms of knit ting for me, as 1 am anxious to know, p 2 tog 10 times, 12,11, repeat 2; bto. Mrs. L. M. Leer—To Mrs. B. L. A.. Waverly, Walker county, Texas; I have long handle gourd seed, balsam apple, a beautiftil vine; hyacinth bloom, jack bean, and the Japanese batalpa, that I will exchange all or any you desire for all the teed you mentioned; or any one of the sisters that want any of these seed may write me. B. L. A., may drop me a postal to Lebanon, Texas. Millie E. Henry, Mill Hill, Elbert Co., Ga.—lt is with great interest 1 read the Kingdom each week. It contains much that is entertaining and sugges tive. I cut the poetry out that heads the column for iny scrap book. Wish our kind editress would give us Byron’s “Farewell to Lady Byron’’ and her reply. They are both very touching and beautiful poems. Would like some of the ladies to tell me a succe sul way tu raise turkeys. I send an oxcellent receipt lor jumbles. It is one my mather has always used. Every one who has ever eaten them pro nounce them delicious. If the receipt is carefully followed the cakes are sure to please: Three eggs, pound (lour, pound butter, pound loaf sugar, 1 tablespoonful of rose water, 1 nutmeg grated, 1 lea spoonful of mixed mace and cinnamon. Stir the butter and sugar to a cream. Beat the eggs separate ly and very light. Put in at once into the pan of flour, and also put in the butter and sugar; then add the rose-water and spiee. Take a small portion of dough at a time and lay on a well floured board and r >ll lightly with your hands, and cut in to long thin strips, which you curl into rings. Sprinkle over with sugar and cinnamon and put into buttered pans. Don’t let them touch. Bake quickly. “Prairie May,’’ Muldon, Miss.—l have been play ing the “good Samaritan’’this evening. Have just finished dressing a lovely bisque doll for one of my own little ones and repaired an almost hopeloss cripple fora neighbor's little girl. Their delight put me in a good humor with myself and I moralize a little, but fear Mrs. Arp might read it to Bill Arp, and what then? Carl might be sending kitscs and sweet little candy verses to the little blue-eyed lassies that has given us such a sweet flow of thought. It seem to me that 1 do not have much idle time. lam taking the Chatauqua course; am the mother of four children, who keep me busy—- sometimes, besides other duties. But Bill Arp puts me to thinking, and I find I could gather up a good many fragments of time and put them to good use. How 1 would enjoy a nice chat with a Chatanquan, or indeed any of the sisters this afternoon. Mrs. IL E. McCollum, Haggard’s Milks, Baker Co., Ga.—Receiving so many valuable hints from the Kingdom for housekeepers, I can but wish to share with others any excellent well tested receipt / pos sess. For line flavor and good keeping this made of preparing sausage meats is par excellent: Six pounds lean fresh pork, three pounds fat fresh pork, twelve teaspoonfuls powdered sage, six toaspoonftiis black pepper, six teaspoonfals salt, two teaspoonfuls powdered mace, two teaspoonfuls powdered cloves, one grated nutmeg. Chop the meat fine; mix the seasoning in with your hands and pack down in stone jars, pouring a layer of molted lard on top. I am a farmer’s wife, and dependent entirely oij the inefficient work of the colored labor. lam anxious to secure some industrious whitegirl or woman with a good constitution to aid me with my domestic work and sewing. A good home and liberal wages offered. Dear Kingdom, if you can furnish me with the address of such a person, you will confer quite a favor. With genuine regards for j o.ir paper, I close. Miss Mary Williams, BuffaloTJthia Springs, Va. - J would like to say through the Kingdom, that I have received over one hundred applications for samples of Mikado and other crochet pattern*, which I will send as soon as 1 .can. but hope no one else will tri ply, as I have now taken a larger school and have but little leisure. 1 will continue to crochet zephyrs for any one wishing such work done. Idrs. A. O. : I ce will please send her address, so that articles con be sent her. Will some please suggest a good pho e for opening a boarding house. Mrs. Lillie Sharrock, Rising Fawn, Go., would like to get a good receipt for destroying insects on plants or animals. I wish to state through Woman’s Kingdom that here at Rising Fawn is a good place for some energetic jierson, male or female, to get up a school; there is no school going on here at all and there Is no efforts being made to get one started. Any one with energy eoukl get a good school here. We like The (’oNsriTi. riox better than any pap* r we have ever taken. Miss Anna Page, Buffalo Lithia Springs, Va.—l send two recipes which I know to be very good: Texes Puddings.—One teacup of butter, 1 of sweet milk, cup of wine, 2* j cups of sugar, 3 eggs and 2 light ta'blespoonfuls of flour. Bake in pastry. Brown Sugar Icing.—Stow one j*ouml of brown sugar until it is nearly candy; then take off of the fire and pour slowly on the white of three eggs, beaten well; stir rapidly until it looks like thick batter, spread on layer cake and it makes a delight ful filling. I will embroider on very reasonable terms sachets bags, pin cushions, gentlemen's dressing gowns and other articles, if the material is sent to me stamped, or can have stamping done if so desired. Address as above. I wonder whose quilt will be the prettiest, mine or Aunt Susie’s. I’ve Loen reading with Interest from her’s. The sisters of another paper—a paper that suddenly sayk beneath misfortune, and left the sisterhood in perplexity and distress—furnished my squares on an exchange plan, and it is not only very pretty, but quite interesting to examine and bear the history of each square. It is called a “State Quilt,” and I want each state and territory repre sented. I'll name those 1 have already, and if some one will respond from each of the states not named I’ll return a square or anything Mine are of print lOxiO IncheN Alabana, Tennes see, Kentucky, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Vermont, New Hamjjshire, New York, Michigan, Ohio lowa, Illinois, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Mas sachuß/tts, Connecticut, Maine, Nebraska, Wi.shlng tou Territory. Address Box J»3 Clayton, Ala. Mrs. Charles T. Johnson, Brunswick, Ga.—Will you say to M. J. May, Jupiter, Miss., I Would like to get seed of the bonnet gourd and seed of the grass beads, for which I will pay him. Also Mr. N. R. Hill, Vance's Station, Ala., will he please to send me some of the see l of the vine, poet‘seye, and state I his pike and I will j>ay for same; will he write end i tell mo when and how to plant them. M. E T., Jlmkory Plain, Ark.—Can any of the I sisters tell me what to do for my hair? had a very | pretty suit,but three or four years ago it commenced falling out. I cannot account for the cause, f have tried home remedies but roallied no relief. Iff should use this patent hair tonic in drug ‘tores what kind should I use? J am very anxiocs to get my hah restored again. Will tho editress please tell how to arrange a valentine frarty? Many good wishes for the editress and staters of the Kingdom. When yon speak of the wolf he cannot be far off. When you have a hard cough and a severe < o!d,4>ewarr, take care! That dread conf/jmfM tion may not be far off. Use Warner's Iz>g <'abin arid (.'onsumption Remedy in time and rid jourself of th© danger. Two Mj j cent* and SI.GO. AJ druggists. Youjiq A Half Page Given to the Con stitution’s Children. < A"'™ 1 r Dear Dhildkkn : I send you this week my picture; it is in return for the nice Christinas gift you sent me, and I hope it will be a peace offering to all those who arc complaining that “Aunt Susie won’t put my letter in,” so now you must forgive me, and don’t scold any more. I wise you could peep in at me now and see three piles of letters that are before me, each containing over fifty letters, all to be read, corrected, and see how many can go in. After next week we begin with tho little folks letters, and none of the children over 13 must write for a month. It tvill be the Ist of March before all the letters for the prize can be examined, and you will then know’ who gets the prize. I wish you could all get it. There will be a prize for the best letter written by a boy, and one for tho girls also. It would never have done to let the boys have it, and they have sent some good letters, so I will give two. And now’l want to tell you, my picture is a very good likeness, but when I get real fixed up, I am better looking than that picture, and I want you to come and see mo and seo if you don’t think so. Yours, Aunt Susie. 0 Correspondence. Bont Vannerron, Donclton, Texas Try—This little word has a greater influence over man than any other word in the English language. There are times when wc become discouraged and feel in clined to give up in dispair, when tho little mono sylablc occurs to our mind and causes us to make u redoubled attempt. Wo an? too ant to give way to “can’t;”can’t and try won’t work together; it either must bo “try” altogether or “can’t” altogether. 1 have tried both and 1 speak from experience. J have learned also, that the person who employs “can’t” never accomplishes anything important duiing life; also lie who employs“try” never fails to succeed. All the great men of our country never knew what it was to fail or to say “can’t.” I’erse vercncc is chiefly brought about by the little word “try.” It is a motto well worth keeping constantly in your mind. Few know tlie true value of this word; it acts as a guide pointing out to a ro.id, which, if followed, w ill lend to honor and success. lam a Texas lassie. Age 14. Dallas Weston, Starkville, Miss.—l do not live immediately in Starkville, but some distance. I will tell you of my trip Christmas there and back. The day before Christmas, early In the morning, we thought it was going to fair off, (as it had been rain iug all night) we thought wo would make the at tempt to get to Starkville, but hadn’t got very far before it commenced raining, and afterwards snow ing, and before fifteen minutes had elapsed the ground was covered with snow’, but it did not stop with just that length of time, but snowed ail the evening, and then we had a beautiful white carpet to come home on, but our team did not like it so much, especially Old I‘efe, for he refined to try to bring us home, as he had not done any work for a long time. It seeing as if be said he wouldn’t work Christmas Eve, for we had to take him out anil borrow a mule from a friend just above us; without his aid w*e never would have gotten home. Wc had a pleasant Christmas; 1 received two very nice presents. Now 1 will toll of my accidents last fall. We live near a nice pond, and I went up there fre quently to bathe, and one evening just as cool weather bad begun I was up there dipping up my water putting it in a tub; I had to hold on to a little tree to lean over to get a bulketftil; the tree broke and down came tree, Dallas, bucket and all right in the middle of tlie pond. And another time I was going up there for the same purpose and had a small hole in my shoe and a large moccasin bit me on tlie foot, and 1 had to kick to get it off. Narrow escape, wasn’t it? but I got home and applied turpentine, whisky, etc., and came out victorious in the end. F. M. Nash, Hemphill, Ga.—Liston, cousins, and pay close attention to the ’possum hunt story I’m going to tell you. It was on one of those windy nights, when the mournful sighing of the wind among the trees reminds you ol ghosts an 1 spirits, and makes you draw close togef hcr.as you gaze with awe struck eyes in the'lark corners of ttie room. Well,we, my sister and l.ntarte l out with u great deal of hope -and more light. We didn’t require the latter, though, for the • pale present” of night ailbrd ed nlenty ol light, as it glided in and out among tho banks of clouds that swept the sky. Well, we plodded along through tile biu hcs and briars, over branches into deep hollows, and no sign of a p>s sum. At last, when despair mingled with hoi>c, the dog to bark and scratch among a clump of bushes. We hastened to the spot, my sister suggest ing that j.(!i ha| s he had tre<‘<l three or four ’pos sums. But after i had scrambled through bushes and briars-airno‘t putting out my eye on the way ■ not a.sign of anything could I see, but that dog. I felt inclined towhip him for leading me su< h a “wild goose” chase. On we went again, and deep down In a dismal hollow tlie dog began to bark again. It was a very small hole in the ground at which he was scratching. “Do you suppose If s a ’possum?” whispered my sister, retreating behind me. The idea was so funny that, in spite of myself, J laughed. A young kitten mightorjcouhl get Into it Well, there wasn’t a sign of anything iu that Evidently that dog didn't like the idea of hunting on such a night. I agreed with him, >o we started home. Suddenly the light went out, and left us in Egyptian darkness. The moon had forsaken 11s, and the tall, dark trees were shrouded In a veil of black, and stretched out their dark arms at uh, ms they Walled dismally. A n owl’s low sigh in the distance caused my sister 10 clutch my arm with a trembling “What’s that?” Wei), we got home all right, but I’ve resolved never to go 'pos-um hunting again on such a night, especially with a girl. Jam fourteen years old. Adolphus Sampson, Derden, Bill county, Texas— -1 will try to describe Hill county, as 1 live In the beautiful lone star state. We have the crop timla rs running through that is from fourto five miles wide. The timbered land Is a light, sandy loam, that is very productive of corn, cotton, vegetables, water* melons and peach fruit; also the mustang grape, that is nearly us Urge as the muscadine, but not so delicious. The prairies arc very beautiful; u black, waxy land. Any one can se eas far as their eyes •an sec. Wheat, oats, corn and cotton grow fine. 'J he farmers can plow their lands with the buggy plows, by three horses or mules hitched in abreast. They also use the two-horse cultivator in plowing their com and coUon. When the harvest is ripe they reap their grain «ith a reaj>er which is drawn by four horses. 'I he grain ta reaped and tied in large bundles with a tow-twine. We have fine stock here; we have from the small pony to the Norman. We have two rivers, Brnzos and Noland. Pecans and walnut are plenty on the rivers and oth er Urge streams. Ail the streams here have solid rock lx>ttoms, with plenty of fish. Our game is a few deer and squirrel, mule»onred rabbits, prairie chickens and quail. Society fine, good prcachb g and Sunday schools, good literary a hools that 1 un from five to eight months every year. They me free to every child from eight to sixteen. Age 11. Y. E. Howell, Winn’s P. 0., Douglas county, Ga. One night last week we were after a mink. We were sitting by the fire, and we heard onr tone make a noise, and ran to the r<-rue of the hen, bet too late. We called the dog, and be got on the track, and ran very fa-t, barsing. He treed It in the lumber pile in the lot, and ue looked fbr the mink. After awhile the dog ran in the lumber, bark ing, Tom put Lis light atone end, and I hx>kc 1 through andfeuw the mink looking at th< light, and we tried to get him out of that linni er pih, but he *Hp[x.‘d out fcomewLerc and run into anotner lumber pik that is in the lot, and ac threw some iumtx'r Cut to get him out, but as pa >kx p d down to look he saw him moving about under it, and the dog had beratehed a hole out on the other side, ar.d he got out of that lumber pile, t>o, and ran down fltrough the woods with great rapidity, ami the dog right behind him, barking and making a great fuss. All at < nce lie huslud barking, ami everything was .*•1111. Rm’ wc supposed he had caught it. It was mining, and we started to the house, and tlie <lvg hud treed an oposi-um. Wc went to him, ami there was an opossum, and we got him out ami went tu lib - house tatihtied. 1 am 13 years old. -'hit'.ieJaek<in, Nesbitt, Texas.—My subject is < leopatra, the beautiful queen, she was one of the inobt beauti ul queens ever lived, bin very wicked. Fl.c made war against her husband. He was de fvated, ami attempted to escape, but was drowned in tho ri\ er Nile. Tnen she was sole ruler of Egypt. Anu n r oilier horrid crimes, she poisoned her broth er, who was only li years of ago. When Man: Antony a Roman general, had defeat.'d Brutus and Oissius. at Philippi, in Greece, he summoned Uleopatra to come to Cilicia, on tlie northeastern coast at the Mediterranean sea. He intended to pun ish her for having assisted Brutus. When she re ceived the summons she obeyed, and went on a aph ndid vessel richly adorned with gold, and the were of costliest silks. Instead of rough, sun burnt sailory, the crew consisted of lovely girls, who rowed with silver oars and kept time to melodious music. The queen reclined under a silken aw nin .. Antony was first warned of her approach by the smell of delicious perftimea. He next heard the dis tant strains of music, but when he beheld the beau tlful queen, be thought of nothing else, and from that day he was her slave. Owing to (he queen’s misconduct, and his own, Antony was defeated by Octavius, another R iman general. He then killed himself by falling upon hissword. Cleopatra knew tLat if Octavius took her alive he would expose her to the derision ot the populaco. She resolved to not endlire such ignominy. There is a venomous reptile ealted tho Asp, the bite of w hich is mortal, but not painful. She applied it to her bosom, and in a little while her heart ceased to boat. Thus died the great and beautiful queen of Egypt. lam 13 years of age. Willie Renfroe, Quit man, Ga.—A Slate’s School Days.- Many story-tellers Itegin with an account of their own birth, parentage and education. lam not one of these; 1 tun only a slate—a school boy ’s tlut *, old and worn, rejoicing in a wooden frame, with J. c., my proprietor’s initials, cruelly and In delibly burned iu with a red hot knitting noodle. For more than a year 1 have been the victim of Johnnie’s mercilessly unwearied pocket knife, and am now cut ami notched, bored and scraped, till the faintest resemblance to my former self lias forever disappeared. I often blush for my owner’s misde meanor. Instead of paying attention to his recita tions, he is drawing a p u tiait of the worthy proles sor—long-nosed profile, witli a goggle eye. How my surface was insulted! How my blood would have boiled had I not been bloodless! I was snatched from his handsand laid on a desk beside a new slate. On it was a full front face, consisting of one large circle, In the upper half of which were t woo’s for eyes; a singular perpendicular stroke dia duty fora nose, ami a hyphen represented the mouth. I lay beside my companion In disgrace. “I do wish you would not lean so much against me. I came here last week, from a stationer’s beaut:ful shop; you are quite a disgrace to decent society.” “Why, if you please?” I inquired, mildly. “Because you are notched, cut, burned and butchered, till I posi tively shudder at any contact with you. “You will never live to be carved and ornamented like me, you will be smashed to atoms in a day or two, for your owner has as many slates in six months as Henry the Eighth had wives in a lifetime, A hoy fourteen years old. Mary Riley, Carsonville, Taylor county, Un.— Cousins, I am here to describe to you the lust rest ing place of Mrs. Mary Cox, tho grandmother of Governor John B. Gordon. Mrs. Cox departed this life August 27th, 1815 (in this, Taylor county,) and was laid to rest in the old Antioch church yard, bc neath the solemn shades of the wide spreading oaks, and the graceful sway of the forest pine, August 29, 1815. For nearly 53 years she was a regular attend ant of Antioch church, and here, too, Governor John B. Gordon used to come, then a boy of not more than 13 years Tiic old fashioned tombstone marks her grave, ami this is inclosed by plank palings, which arc now fust fulling to ruin, and the grave is in an otherwise dilapidated state, but when wo think of the years it has stood the rains, snows, sleets and storms, we are forced to say that it has stood well the defacing touch of time. The old church, too, in which she used to worship is now crumbling h> de ca'y, but ere lung the pile of ruins will give way to a handsome nOw church, and then tho grave of tlie grandmother of our distinguished governor, suites man, and general will be restored to ifs former splendor; then wc will point with pride to the grave of our distinguished dead. lam 11 years old. Daisy Lunccford, Munroe, Ga.—l will tell you about our little railroad town of Monroe, which has a fine climate, good water, about seven hundred in habitants and tho best society in the state. We have two good schools, male ami female. Our Bap tists worship in a nexv pretty church, with stained glass window s, and Methodists in a roomy church, with nothing loud about it except the music, and that is I’r t quality. We have a first class paper, the Walton News. On account of Hie fine air and cheap living our town is a summer resort for the low country people, who have the best accommodations in the new bri< k hotel. The other buildings of prominence are the new courthouse, jail and several handsome private residences, but the show place of town is the governor’s thirty thousand dollar mansion in a grove of old oaks. My parents tell inc the county has furnished RcveraJ|distfiiguishcd men; among them rue Governors Lumpkin, Cobb, Col quitt, and Governor B lynton married here, Judges James Jackson, Junius and George Hlllycr, Prole sor Williams, Rutherford, etc. Age 13. Bcrtlm B. Milla, Louisville, Miffs. -Whcti papa was hauling his corn he was solicited by the little darkies to have a shucking, to which he readily agreed, and we, the children, were delighted, for we had never seen anything of the kind. The coin was thrown in a heap in the lot. At tho appoint* <1 time the dnrkies got around tho corn and com menrcd shucking in a hurry. They sang serein! songs that wc thought were very pretty. Tlie little girls kept the shucks raked hack. The Corn was thrown in baskets and put In the crib. I will name several that were here. George Wasiiington, Jefler son Davis, K. E. Lee, Joe Jobnson, Kirby Smith and Sterling Price. Ju t think of all of those great men at a corn shucking! When they g t through mama had u table s<;t in ih • yard; it was loaded witli good things 10 cat and peanuts in nbund. n o. When they were thiough eating Mine of them danced and others rapped, and they kept lime very well. Ito. fore they disp?rsed they told mama Hint they had had a nice time, and it she wanted them to come to a working any time Just to let them know nnd they would come with pleasure, and thus ended the shucking. Age 15. T.izzie McJavren, Missouri Vnlh y, lowa- iho Thanksgiving Dinner -Our gmndpnrents imd a Thanksgiving dinner this year and a large assembly of friends and relatives gnlle rcd there to have a good lime, as most of them did. it was quite late when they had assembled, for some of them lived a distance aud the roods were pretty rough besides other hindrances,soitlwnsabout noon when they had all leached grandfathers.Grundmotber had been fix ing ud<l lowing for a week to have everything to please the children, and I guess they pleased the grown folks too. She hud baked tarts, doughnuts, cookies nnd made taffy, os most grandmothers like to do to please their grandchildren. Now just ns they had opened up conversation it was time to begin pre j»a rat lons for dinner. 'I he young folks t<x?k p*>fv don of the parlor and enjoyed their time eating candies nnd nuts and playing games; the gentlemen In the sitting room to talk politics or aixmt Dr. Talmage’s tw imoa^a nd Grady’s speec hes that you we in Thk Arm -Va Coxstitutiom; the ladies in the kitchen to get dinner, but grandmother Lad already baked cukes, pumpkin pies, ginger brciid and many other things that I haven't time to mention, and so it did not take long to prepare the dinner, but it was u Mrfendid one whin it was pro pared J cannot Mop to tell all they had, for there was feu' h a * rowd nnd that made m many tables full that by the time th'-y had all eaten it was getting lute, and the days arc to short at that time of the year. After tho dinner was *» rved the young folks ftirntali ed home nice music and then those that live<l near begun to put on their wraps to start home ami those that lhed quite a distance derided to stay all night with grandfather and grandmother. But 1 think they all enjoyed thci» Thuuksgiving dinner don e you? Age FL < 'H'idlc Vanre rfion. Donclton, Texas The Suhm r What more beautiful “x m can the eyes rest upon than a glorious aunset? When the sujj has ing Ico form< d Li« day’s jourm > across the heavi n■, ilnl s in the we>t to r posc. '1 massive bunks of < lornls rise up and advances lixe armed baXnlliuns u'eng the wettem sky, their sl» ip-s <">nAnntly changing into walls and aichcs * u.ca id iiaHs, pyifiuiids and spires, and the sjiarkluig rasauf the selling sun arc ►■> proftrviy cast among tl,< ») that they assume ah shades of color and \iewith each other in brilliancy. Wc nmy often see a line of clouds loom ing un around the .‘etting sun like a rrtngc of moun tains, the base of which will boos a sombre hue, changing into '.lie richest of purple, while the upper margin will be shining out in gorgeous splendor, aliarling into golden nnd crimson, violet nnd rose, am! er an! pearl; then looking higher in the galaxy our eyes ros's upon a sea of fleecy vapor g.eaming with pearly whiteness, forming r. silvery wreath which hangs like a crown over the beautiful scene beneath it. And should not we strive to to Ihothr.t when life’s journey has been performed, and the evening ol ouußle has conic, ns come it w ill, that wcma> ''.opart surrounded by a halo of glory no Jess than that which encircles t! e setting sun. Age 15. Willie T. Giles, Livingston, Ala.--The story isa true one ami 1 have written it all by myself, so sin cerely hope you will find it worth publishing. THE I OST CHILD. In a stone throw of the Mississippi river lived a widow and hoi two children, Sue an I Chris'. Ono day she went to town, leaving Sa? with an old ajuly servant. After dinner the old darkey fell asleep. Ibe little girl became tired, and (linking it was time for her mama to come, she went to meet h< r. It wns a beautiful summer day, and as tlie sun went down and darkness came on, Bic soon dis covered that she was 104, for she Lad wandered from the right way in her effort to gather flowers. Instead of returning she was frightened and ran on deeper into the woods, until, worn out she tell asleep under a tree. All efforts to find her wore in vain, for every day she wandered farther away. For nearly a week she lived on berries near the liver bank. A heavy rainfull caused Hie river to rise, so tn her ctl’ort to escape the water she climbc<l a large tree, whose limbs grow near the ground, and screamed until she was hoarse. Au Indian heard her and came in a skiff to her rescue. Bbowas afraid of him and would not come down at his bid ding, so lie went up after her and took her to his camp. The next morning he carried her home on his back nnd was greatly awarded by the grateful mother. lam 13 years old. Nellie Simpson, Nordhoff. Ventura county. (’al. Ventura county is in southern California, bounded on tlie north by San I.uis, Obispo and Kern, east by Los Angeles, south by Pacific ocean. ’Till here in the past few months railroads have been*a s.rnnger to Ventura, the line running from los Angeles to San I’kam i.-uo. The Santa Clara river runs about the center of the county; the land on the vaatern side is very fertile nnd rich, Hueweme on the eastern side on tlie coast is a. thriving little bn.mess place, being tho largest shipping port on tlic onst. The county is considered the best watered county iu southern Califon:! 1. Nordhoff is situated in the southwestern part about fifteen miles from Vontnra being nine hundred feet higher than the level of the sen. The valley is small, is closed in by moun tains on fill sides and is thickly covercl witli annual and evergreen trees. There are a great many oil wells up. here. The chief productions aio barley, coru, wheat, beans and other grains. 1 ha\ e described the county 1 live in. Will i e 13 years old next March. Olive V. Teaford, Alone, Va.: I come to tell yon with what success my friend’s album met with. Well, cousins, we have a large size, sixty-pngo album, pretty well filled. 1 think it is b autiliil and ftll that have seen it ex pros themselves In tho tdino terms. I sent it to her the evening before Christmas by papa. He mid she was so overjoyed she could scarcely keep from shedding tears. She said slio would not take a thousand dollars lor it, so you know it was highly appreciated. Her papa talks of taking the dear old Cosstiti tion for I.er, and then she is going to write you all a lotterof thanka. Rhe has poetry enough tu make her a scrap hook of that kind sent by the comins. Had several original pieces written for the albiim, which j put in w ith the pictures. Now. friends, I thank you all for your kind assistance and hope you will meet with suc cess in till your undertakings. J sincerely regret that It is impossible tor me to answer 111 the cousins letters, Kato E Stevenson, Stllesboro, Ga.— I am going to tell you of my visit to Atlanta, which I made during the exposition. 1 went down tlie 13th of October, but didn’t go to the. fair grounds until the Ititli nnd 19th. 1 was vi.-illng relatives them, nnd went out sight-seeing: tlie city was btautifully decorated in red, white and blue, in honor of (ho president’s coming, Sunday morning 1 went to Trinity Sunday school, heard Major Slator . deliver one ol ids elo quent lectures. At 11 o’clock a. in., I went to tho Flret Baptist church to hour Dr.; Hawthorn preach; his subject wftß “Our Country;’* lie is a fine speaker. Then at night went to tho Central I‘rcM jCttten church, which is a magnificent nttiiir. It yoked beaulifrll at night. The new capital is in j r gross; it is a massive structure. Tuesday |iook. d unfavor able for gAing to the ar. We started, and oh. such a rush ftt tlie train. We got on after so long a time, nnd away we went, and Eoon arrived r.t the I’icd iilont fair greunds, another such a jinn I n-'ver saw'. HO many pretty things to bo seen, s nnich ma chinery, marble', stones of all kinds, and the tan* y work was lovely, but best of all was the president and his lovely w ife. When they were first seen from the amphitheater tho cheers ol the peoplo were Immense. Then camo the racing, hut I didn’t like it much. There was no fire works that niglit, so we thought we would get to Atlanta early in tho afternoon, but we bad to wait so long io get on the train that wc didn't get there ’till 7 o’clock. Wed nesday it wiih still ba<l, but we went. Thnt evening we lost our escort and bad to walk to Atlanta, but we didn't care, we had so much. I guess Betsy Hamilton was with us, but wc did not know her. [ had enough of the exposition for one time. J wan sorry 1 had to lea v -the city without seeing Aunt Susie. 1 want to go some time when tlicit is no mi ii-iidl stir there, when 1 can make her a tood Jong call. lam just .5. Ada 13. Gustin, Carlisle, Ky.- The Graded *l>: FlrM the primary room. We leain ot.r A B < 'srtml spell small wor«U fruin tainted charts with curious pictures and sing nice 1 t lo soii'.H, making gestures with our hands keeping time with the Hinging. Next Intermediate room. Where we learn to »;pcll, read, and write an»i move around tho room grace fully; after which we study aritlnii' t.« , I tcigraphy a id oom position;, ifter attaining suitable proficiency in these are proii.O'.cd into tiiegrammar 10 >m;whero we study tiic higher branches of mathematics and geography, still reviewing spelling, re idiug, writing and eompo.'iitlo.),taking in addition, the iiot< ourscH oi grammar, and iij»on examination it to.iml com petent arc promoted to the graduating room, whero w’c receive 11 thorough knowledge of bo k keeping, physiology, rhetoric, algcbru, arithmetic, philoso phy. grammar, civil government and hlMory, and if y iu choose astronomy and botany, all of v. I ieh be ing completed we receive diplomas to ten uh. Tho length of time required d' jx nds upon our own ex ertions and ability. Age 14 years and months. Mary Norris, Calhoun, Ala.- Saturday moijdng dawned rain.; and muddy; this was the long looked for day that J an 1 my cousin awaited bo impatient ly. We did not have to wait long after breakfast before the train < ame and bore uk away to Fort De posit, where g.ninliai Jives. Arriving at grandpa's we chatted a while and lben with knivei in our hands scampered ofi'to the sweetgum trees; after getting as much as we wadted wo coni naed our walk (town into the woods where we gathered a lot of red berries. D:>< overing a little water fill in the fair stream tliat ran clohc by tlie tretmof berries, wo left the berries and field our gum under the fall so as to harden it. Rjtnrnlng back to the house, wo enjoyed our (linn r finely In the evening we wnt over to our old lioinc and gathered such things as we thought was pretty. I returned home Sunday night (after enjo)lng myself in tlie town bunday) with an arm full ofgrec n vines and holly. I am 14 )eais old. - —— A full grown horse, only thirty inches high, and weighing seventy pound*, ta the latent New York curiosity. The stranger is ans th eof Yoko hama, Japan, and is the smallest of his kind iu the world. SometimcM he thinks himsulf ft lap dog, and will Ho with perfect contentment in the arm* o! a friend eating sugar or Mlnping a little milk punch. He is destined tor exhibition purposes. Tho man who h:u> not ate enough had better look at the calendar for tills year. Tutt’s Pills Ju an invaluable remedy for SICK HEADACHE, TORPID LIVER, DYSPEPSIA, PILES, MALARIA, COSTIVEIIESS, AND ALL BILIOUS DISEASES. Sold Everywhere. 9

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, February 07, 1888, Page 9, Image 9