The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, February 27, 1894, Page 2, Image 2

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Newspaper Page Text2 OLD-TIME MUSIC. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN GEORGIA HUD HEIt OWD SYSTEM * Os Notes in Vocal Mvsic—Decline of the Ante- Bellum Singing School touched Upon. Hound Notes vs. Square Notes. During all its historical years—from the revolutionary days through the civil war, in reconstruction times —the south has never had a more interesting struggle within its borders than that between tiie round note and the square note. The particular field of this musical strife, with its many dis cords. was the old-t hne singing school. Tills epoch is one of intense interest, re garded front no matter what standpoint, ami undoubtedly involved the decline ami the nearly complete downfall ot the obi time singing school. In Georgia, more par ticularly than in any other stale, perhaps, is the custom of holding singing schools time-honored, and the struggle, witil" not outwardly fierce, was deep-s ated ami Otten had tiie m 'St deplorable efteels, bloodshed having resulted in one instance through the discussion of the relative merits ol the round and square notes. To illustrate this sentiment in regard to the obi-time singing school, I quote a por tion of the introduction, written in I'll. by Professor B. F. White, to his “bacred Harp" singing book. It reads: "A sitigmg school should be of the same ch.tr.- t. r as a Sabbath school or a Bible class; it is, in part, of tiie same class of school, and should be condu ted witil the same solemnities. The gilt ot’ a. talent to Sing implies an obligation to improve it, B med G st-kO* ~~ 'l'X'a't UiSf —’ 4—Space below. 2-First line. 3—First space. 4 —sec nd tine. s—Second spic '. <> Thud lj ne . rmrd space. S-Fourth line. - Fourth space .10--Fifth line. 12—Space above and not to offer unto the Lord the halt aril lame, bat to cultivate tile voice that they may sing to < lilieatioii. and not to be an annayanee to every one near them. l-'oi ,-e'v. nty years or more, until 1670, the singing school flourished and the singing mas.. with it. Ti;e system used was alto gether a system that had been th" out growth of the singing master's efforts to make it easier for the pupil to be taught vocal music in the shortest time possible. J‘r>.lessor B. I - '. Whit • was fur a long lime a singing master, and, after giving the sit ua n much tudy, he devised, or invented, ■what is known as the four-note, or square note, or shap'd r< t> . The “Sacred Harp” singing bi. ok was a book of sacred songs on the four-note system. Thus, the square or four-note can !>.• easily recognized as purely local, but it had its warm advo cates and was not slow to spread over many southern states. The round note i.ii.ie into th- raging school, brought by a sturdy professor of vocal music, and grappled with tl,< square net -, until it had fairly substituted itself. After this there wheti r a com;inimise or what not, the seven-note, oft -n called the char acter note. This last, the character note, was also the work of a Georgian. Editor Pounds, of The Barnesville Gazette. tSomething About the Singing- School. Enough of prefa -e has been said, ami the facts can be touche 1 upon more in detail. When or wher - tin nrst s.aging school was hold, depow it saith not, bat in Geor gia it dates far back. For m.ny years it was kn r.v'i as . • d, and as a peculiar something develop- I about it it became known as th “old-time” singing school. Thus tiie old-time singing school is first treated. It is true that the old-time singing schoo was not only where the voice was expected to go through certain maneuvers. undet the direction of a man who wieb. d a. tun ing fork and bore the title of singing mas t- r. but where ami's' m< nt and n t. at’or were sought far and found. Usually tin church and the school were held in th< same little rough-built house, with its un conv, hes. and th is be- ing the .-use. the singing master did not hesitate to hold forth when the occasion seemed most appropriate at . io same place No om- ever knew just when there would be ping tig school, but it was a ways an ticipited in high gle- by the young men and gr-wing girls of every partieulat neighborhood. In truth, the singing school had established itself as a source fertile of fun. an-i was a wide c iver under which swe.-thearts might “spark” furiously and ft a rb-ssly. Whem ver and wherever the singing mas ter made his appearance a certain excite ment always followed the announcement and .-very young beau sought out the lady of ills choice and asked permission to sing with io r: as a m tfttr of fact, this involved transnortat'or to and from the school. The Singing Master ns a Type. Too much cannot be said about the sing ing master, for he is a type that is fast disappearing, and one that wi 1 leave noth Ing behind him save a fleeting memory in K ,? s v g FOUR NOT!'. AND SEVEN NOTE. the minds of some older persons. No on< Ever asked a singing m ister where he l.vec —no one seemed to care. Tip re w< re only 1 ur to connect him with the world in genera’ from the world’s standpoint Thes-- were th- annotmeemeiit that he war < • m;c . his u rival, the singing school am Th- singing master was always a most ]■ diar ,-p mo n • >!’ iimne.mty. He was in variably tad and :-!• nd<r. always middle si g<al; reticent in a manner that to his pu j-.ls b->p .1;.- <ii ..opuiutme tin ive, and to tile v:ii:ic ■!■ dyspepsia. To the old i,ph wa - c--urt -oil--, severe to the y. un.e la ii.-s ami bar. h to the mon. His V' ry ip'" iranee p Id plainly enough what ] ■ I to mention himself that he was lilt,-.’ but f -r en • t...m. num iy, t" teach t-hmim- school. II- was an lehabod Crane w rhich was his insepara- 1 . tl •’ g master i:.iih tr- m r , \ r knew, el.-■ did not Seek d’si ver, at. < ■’ -’ t that would jin. -loir ;>■ d I'ruitb-ss. Ho waft- ed i - ■ th, •:.■ lunity fr< m parts unk town; in much the same manner he withdrew, pa dug thus fi . ,i t wn to town, or settle ment ment. A fact of peculiar in- terest, and wohty of note; is that the num l..-r i-l .-iaging masters has always been un certain. r-. veals it. and the free- masonry of th-- tun'ng fork has 1 ft no re cord behind. Yet, however large the num ber. no two ever r- ■- h< i th ■ same town during the same r-asea; on the other hand, ttmall as th< nay have been, no lo- cality once favov-'d was overlo-ked. The im - - ■■ naster taught the < id-tiim i-e.-e a system, and used his cld-time tunin-r fork. In order to got the proper pit-h be struck his tuning fork on r table and then held" it to his ear. First •io ma i< ;he -la .; sing ov< r tiie piece with nut worlds, hut u ing "fa. sol, la. > ii." Wn -n h ■ was r-ady for the words t , b- -ung he w iui'l place his tuning fork between his t 'th, jerk it out nervously, call out “senlimeiits," catch tin- pitch and the song would begin. Tlx- I’l-oiossor e.f V..«•:»! MvsH-. It was about IS7O that ‘lie professor of vocal mu.-le mad his bo v in the places once visited by the singing master. This school of instruction made Its appearance jrrudually. but wherever it secure! a foot hold it retained it firmly. The new professor was of a distinct type, also, and brought with him a new discipline, and. t ■ the pupil- of the singing master, a new note book system. The professor of vocal music was young, vigorous and ag gressive. lie was conversam. most thor oughly so, with what he termed the round- Highest of all in Leavening Power.—Latest U. S. Gov’t Report. DHMk] Baking rtCS! Pbwder ABSOLUTELY PURE THE AVEEKLY CONSTITUTION; ATLANTA. GA„ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27,1894, note system. He was energetic and busi ness-like in his ways. His coining, instead of being unostentatious and a matter of conjecture, was heralded weeks beforehand so that every preparation mieht be made to give all attention to singing school. And it was not the same old school that he taught . The professor was an business, and i.is school became of \cecesslty surrounded with more restrictions than that of the singing master. His announcement was that he would teach so many pupils sc many lessons tor so many dollars. His ses sions were divided into two a day. This change was viewed with disfavor by those who tolerate'.! it. anil there was a fierce minority against it. The new singing schoo. was denounced as a direct inro.-u upon the custom that was nearly as olu and fully as familiar, as the red hills them- *l3lll the storm was yet to burst! AVlint the Square Note Im. The square note system is known under several names. By some it is called tht four-note svstem, by outers designated tin B. F. W hite system; again it is called the shape note system, but it was better knowr as the “fa, sol, la” system. There were four shapes to the notes triangular, in the shape of a right angw Kiugie; square, Hiamond-shaped am round. These* four notes were supposed tc make the learning of music less ditueiilt Al us e, when written In these characters took its value, or sound, not only from tht position, but from the shape of the note i'he position did not alter the name or sig nilieanee each note held. This system wa: a Ivoeated because it was supposed to bi easier to learn, though the effort to memo rize them thoroughly occupied no meat time. Professor B. F. White, who has already been quoted, has a ways been looked upor as at least the perfeetor of this system and his book has been in use for many years. In fact, it was a local mannerism or dialect, in music. This was. as it is un derstood, the old time singing school sys tem also. "Do. Ke, Mi" Enter the field. When the professor of vocal music came on he brought with, him the round note which, as 1 understand it, is sometimes called the Gregorian note, and was inventei in the eleventh century. Before the mys teries of profundi and staccato, quaver am demi-semi-quaver were entrusted to the pupil all the underlying principles of musk were to be imbibe!. The.pupd had to un dorstand what he was after and then gc about it in a disagreeably systematic way The professor was up in his business am pushed himself rapidly to the front. Whili he used nothing but a tuning fork as ar instrument, it was the latest style, and h< could easily play upon almost any instrument at a few moment: nptieo But the round note which is now in vogue all over the state, save in those little settlements referred to. needs no description or illustration. With the round notes th'- value of every note was to be taken according to the position it occupied upon the staff. K.-»unil A i-i-sus Sqimt-e Note. These, then, are the two hostile quanti ties, but one was young and aggressive and the other was aged, though by no means feeble. It is undoubtedly true that there had been, even before the innovation of the pro- c . j n - - SAAII’LE TI NING FORK. lessor and the round note, a decline of the oid-time singing school; true, it was bareiy perceptible—aim only so now by compari son—but perceptible it was. To what tins decline, at this time, was due has never been fully settled upon, but by many is attributed to the peculiar at mosphere attendant upon me advance of railroads, small as that advance, compar atively speaking, then was. As the buffa loes tell before civilization and enterprise, so the same subtle influence, thrown out, perhaps, from a slightly different source, had already begun its work before the pro fessor of vocal music appeared to complete it _ Yet it was not to tie without a strug gle, in which the stronger was to crush out the weaker, and the universal to supersede the purely local. It is possible that the singing master, who shrank back before the forward pro fessor, aided this by his inertia; but it is also true that he, when brought face to lace with any exigency that demanded a yyord from him in defense of the square note, was not sloyv to give it. He saw, him self, that the new system was a good one and that it was possibly better #!ian his, and, therefore, made no crusade in behalf 01 the rights ot the old-time svstem and the old-time singing school. Not' much can be said sp-cili aily of these musical hostili ties, but in one instance of which I have th" record, bloodshed grew out of it William It, id Killed by His Son. A\ hile the singing master may not have asset ted himself, he had enthusiastic sup porters and ardent followers. They discuss ed upon every occasion the merits of the s V H, ems and eyen in families there x\ f-r<‘ oitf'n fierce divisions of opinion. Tn south Georgia, just at the opening of ♦he round-note light, there lived a family bv the name of Reid. Th" familv w.hs well to-do and the members all highly rospect t\-o r,l . f ‘ ro WC 'T’ several children, but the I? i J' !PS - i as "" twenty 1,. . plr ' J ? lst sivfeen. When it y\as knmyu that a professor of music was in the neighborhood, the young woman beg ged to lie allowed to attend his school. He father reluctantly consented, denotmeing it all as a new-fangled ilea. The girl -as of a very sprightly nature. an q when at home would make it ;1 point i o practic ■ ov, r t’m scale. One night, after sunner it was. the father to! | h- r not to sing' “do. ra, mi.” but 1 mt. she could say “fa, sol. la.” The girl continued her singing, until her father, an geled beyond control at her persistency’, caught her by the shoulders and threw her to the floor. It is n-'t likelv that he would have struck her. but before ho hail a chance, the son caught up a gun from be hind the d or and fi' d b .th loads into tlw r.afhor’s sid* . who f.-Il tlepd. \p attempt was made to lynch the young man. but this was averted and he served a five-years sen tence in the penitentiary. Ended in :• F’lglit. It is said that a sing'ng master named Bittle began an argument with a professor of th now system named Carson. The two argued away rapidly and began to illus trate by singing. Both kept at it until Car son accused Bittle of interrupting him. This was denied and the lie passed. An immedi ate mixmg of the two systems occurred and both mon were severely smashed up. The Preacher Wouldn't Have It. Not far from Oak Grove, which is near Atlanta, there is a church that was once presided over by an old-time preacher. This was during the days ot the round note up heival. A professor came into the church and led the service singing. No shouting was indulged in. until the preacher pointed his finger at the professor and told him to sit down. The minister then began, “When I can read my’ title clear," according to the old system, and converted ten men. The (oniproiniHi* System. A system, local also, which seems to be quite out of place in its sequence, was in augurated just after the round and square note war. Unlike th" square note, this n"w system bore no kinship to the round note. This list was cnlbd seven, or character note. Position of the staff di 1 not enter into any consideration, but every one of the seven notes represented a different sound. I say bore no relation to the round note, but it did in one particular—“do. re, mi, fa, sol. In, si, d." were used. The seven characters were as follows: Diamond shap. square, round, conical like a. bullet with flat bottom, triangular like a pyramid, triangular like a right an gle. and triangle-shaped with a curving base. The author ( ,f this system was a Geor gian, also. Editor Pound, of The Barnes ville Gazette. It, too, has nearly disappeared, and its death-blow was when, some years ago, the Georgia Singing School Association adopted the regular, or round note system JULIAN HARRIS. A NEW GEOLOGY. ARP GIVES HIS THEORY OFTHE CRE ATION OF FLORIDA. He Thinks Some Great Convulsion of Nature Barely Got the Land Above Water. Takes a 'lr.p Ainonj the Lakes. This is a stringe land. It seems to me that in some great convulsion nature up heaved the peninsula just barely above the waters. It was a mighty struggle whether it should ba land or sea and all around the southern borders from Key AVest to the main land nature failed to uplift her bur den and so left a thousand islands to mark her lack of power. Indeed, the whole state marks her weakness —her last great strug gle in “dividing the waters from tiie wa ters.” If all the lakes and bays and rivers and inlets and swamps of Florida were measured the dry land would hardly exceed them in area. It is water, water in sight almost everywhere and the railroads and wagon roads have to wind around and dodge in between to find away from place to place. Some of these lakes are as large as whole counties in Georgia. 1 have jukt circled lake Apopka, which is sixty miles around—a lake that is bordered with early settlers some of whom found it just after the Seminoles were driven away and some who came just before the late war, but more who came since the war and they have lived upon the fruits and vegetables that luxuriate upon its rich banks. 1 never saw such a growth any where, not even in the sugar cane regions ot Louisiana. I never saw the acres of cabbages so dense and luxuriant. I could almost hear the big heads whisper and say: lie along, get further, don’t scrouge me,” for they did touch each other in tiie rows, and the ground could not be seen under them. They are sold by the carload and hurried away to northern markets. The farmers used to realize four and live hun dred dollars per acre, but are content with half that sum now. Alternating with these cabbage fields are orange groves that are just immense. Most of the fruit has been gathered and shipped, but there is still enough left to show how bur dened were the trees. I saw one tree that was loaded to the very ground with bending fruit, and two oranges of the naval variety that I plucked from it and brought home were a curiosity even to old Floridians. I measured and weighed them—one was eighteen inches in circum ference and the other was eighteen and a half. The two weighed five pounds; who can beat that for oranges? One of my little cousins. Chester Norton, from Louisville, Ky., had a birthday party last night at the S< aview hotel, and these oranges were my gift, and when cut gave a good-sized slice to ail tiie little folks. I saw a natural grove at, Oakland for file first time. It was down in a hammock that bordered «n Lake Apopka. They had all been budled. of course, and there were no rows or pilari ty, and as the trees kept grow ,g and spreading in that rich soil, the ax < 'd the pruning knife have to be used. The ’-owth all around Oakland was a revelation ) me. Weeds grow in the muck near the la that reach fifty feet in height in one ear s growth and are as Large as a baru The Oakland people prepared one last y c for the world’s fair and cut a hole it its ump and tied a coon in it, but they .-oi not got transportation. Oakland is the ead cuarters of the Orange Belt railroai now called the Sanford and St. Petersm - g—a road that is a blessing to the gulf oast sot it is the only one we have. It be lieve, tiie only road in the st ite that cli;|r;..es only 3 cents a mile, am! it is very po ir with the people. Mr. Macleod, its g< I manager, is a young Scotchman vv ho at the bottom and has worked his ' by that diligence and integrity 'ha the highlanders as pie. The road belongs, to Bhil Armour or e.se lie nas tb ing stock. How these northern i do spy out this southern lam : ome of their money in payin,e That’s right, lei them do i‘ hail not been built there Wu no Tarpon springs, no Suther: din or Clear Water harbors. \\ land I was the guest of Air. \ Georgian who married into the Iv. a family well known in Gem Spear ocated 2,000 acres here warrants ami now his descemla their kindred are profiting by his He kept open house here for many an 1 many a pioneer shared his hospi I wish that he was now living to development of Oakland and the thri.<’ol h er schools and churches and the Ship ments ot her fruits and vegetables. I found the little town ot Apopka j* lew miles further on around tiie lake. It is made up pretty much of Georgians., ami there 1 found tlm 'Andersons ami Wol fords ami Lins and other ot my own county of Bartow. It was there that I got into the tail of the blizza and 1 actually suffered from cold, for was thinly clad and had lost my cloak the railroad. I had to get up at 5 o’c' 'k to take the early train for Orlando. Th tram ii.. not come till near 7 o’clock and liked to have frozen, for there was no re. A genteel darkey who sported a secor.l-hand iicaver ami a brass watch and chtin, came up with a polite bow and a scrape'of his him! feet. “Gwine to Orlando?” j“Yes,” nd j. “Lowed to go myself, b-c I is embarrassed wid peculiar circumstances.” 'l',-., ii h» . arm nearer and vvuispetcd. “is vott a Mason, sir.” “No,” sai l I. Then he paused awhile to work bis wits. uoes you live in l.’lm-idy. sir?” ‘ No.” said I, “I live ir, Gemgia.” Then he brightened up and said: "Jesso, I was shore you was a south ern genth-man. Somehow I can toll ’em from all other kinds of peoples. I would like miglify well to go to Orlando this morning, but. the t’ak is sur. I jes’ la"k half a dollar of the money and that’s v.hv I remarked that I was embarrassed.” His game dident work on me, but I saw him on the train all the same. Orlando is the same beautiful town it was two years ago. From there I journeyed to Kissimee, a little gem not yet in its teens, but is has what no other town has got. Her broad streets are paved with bermuda grass and as are the suburbs. The sand is hidden evervwhere. I wonder if other towns can’t propagate it. This town fronts the beauti •fitl lake that is the head waters of a con tinuous cha'il of lakes that find their wind ing wav to th" gulf and tire navigable for 5110 miles. I did not find time to visit St. Cloud, where Hamilton Disston is growing cane and making sugar on such an immense scale. Disston works there, but lives at Tarpon, 'tin the gulf side. This week I go north to Inverness and Crystal river and Brooksville, where Georgians abound and old soldiers dare to hold veterans’ camps and talk over the war. I am going to see the big live oak tree, the oldest and largest on the continent. Two horsemen can ride into its hollow abreast and circle round and ride out in military style. That is what folks tell me. BILL ARP. SENSIBLE BI.AI KS. Alabama Nesroes Resolve to Work Out Thrir Own ’•alvnf inn. ATontgomery. Ala.. February 21.—About six hundred black belt negro farmers came together today in the third annual Tuske gee, Ala., negro conference. Professor Booker T. Washington, of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial institute, presided. Alany distinguished people w- re present from the north and elsewhere and letters of regret were received from such men as C. P. Huntington, Dr. Lyman Abbott and Bishop Potter, of New York city; Robert C. Winthrop, of Philadelphia, and President Gilman, of the Johns Hopkins university. Tiie most of the people were from the counties where tlm negroes are in the ma jority, but nearly every portion of Ala bama and many other southern states were represented. The farmers occupied the time of the conference and gave, in their own way, an account of their condition and what they hoped to do in view of it. They spent no time in looking to the past or in fault finding, but agreed that the thing’ for them to do was to lend every energy in receiving education, property and practical religion. They resolved to lengthen their schools by subscription, to provide better teachers and schoolhouses and to get their best, educated men and women to come to their relief instead of remaining so large ly in the cities. They admitted the almost .universal mortgage system and the evil influence of the one-room cabin, but they said great changes for the better had been wrought since the beginning of these con ferences, and they expressed their pur pose to go home and buy land, raise their own food, work winters as well as sum mers, practice economy ami cultivate the good will of their white enighbors. Great plainness was used in speaking of their moral and religious condition and all agreed to draw sharp linos between the virtuous and tiie immoral, to tolerate no wrong do ing on tiie part of leaders, especially minis ters and teachers. A large number ot women held a meeting of their own. Many noted southern educators are pres ent who will hold a conference tomor row. TIIECLAYEATEES. A STRANGE COLONY IN MIDDLE GEORGIA AND HO W THEY LI VE. They Feast Upon Lumps of Clay—A Glimpse Into the Cabin of a Clayeater-An In teresting Scene in a Hovel. Scotsborough is a town of other days, about five mfles south of the thriving city of Milledgeville. It crowns a succession of rolling hills and overlooks a vast extent of woodland. Upon one side you can follow the Oconee wind ing its way slowly through the valley be low, Now and then you can catch a glimpse of its waters glistening through the tall trees which border its banks. Upon the other side the columns of blue smoke curl ing high above the horizon tell that the city lies in that direction, and nearer still the imposing dome of thes tate lunatic asy lum rises to view. Scotsborough was old and gray before Milledgeville had doffed her swaddling clothes, in spite of that threadbare tradition which tells how a committee from some ancient legislature was sent to lay off a town in that part of the state, how that Scotsborough was selected as the site, but the festive legislators had a fatal weakness A CLAY EATER’S TURNOUT. for toddy, and finding Jarratt spring a con venient place to mix drinks, decided to eamp there, and how the next morning that tired feeling precluded farther navi gation and that Milledgeville was laid elf at the foot of the hill. So Scotsborough stands, and the crum bling remains of a few brick buildings here and there are monuments to the glory of departed days, and an old-fashioned lose bush is sometimes found blooming in the pine thickets, reminding on strikingly of what was in the long ago. This old town marks a radical change in the soil and vegetation, for there the i'’ 6 **" mont escarpment ends and the late geolog ical formation begins. The clay gives tip its red hue and takes on a loamy white ness interspersed with extensive sandbeds. The long-leaf pine begins to pop up and the undergrowth also changes. In the Right Spirit. What is more remarkable, the people change. Instead of the red-faced, sturdy farmer, buoyant with strength and health, full of vigor and rejoicing in the .con sciousness of his own robust nature, there comes a class of people witli sac«« so worn and haggard that it senas a shudder through your very soul to Im is at them. A little inquiry about the neighbor hood will put. you onto some appalling facts, and the shudder of pity will increase to in ague of alarm when you learn that these mortals are dayeaters, real and genuine. For tiie sake of information it might be well to state that a clayeater is one who eats clay. This definition, however simple, tarries weight, when it is taken into con ' ideratimi that these beings make a regu ar practice, a fixed habit, ot dining upon » dainty morsels of kaolin. Chew it Oh, they chew it with as much enjoyment cow gets out of her cud, and swallow ih more eagerness amt relish than a .11 boy does a green apple. Incredulous it may appear, whole families have the .iabit. From the father, and grandfather, too, if he has chanced to survive, down to the skinny-faced little tot who tyies for his share, they ail eat clay regularly and eagerly. Tiiis depraved taste fixes itselt upon them in early childhood, and, as they grow older, the habit becomes stronger and stronger, until it is an uuer impossibility to breaK off. It is said to be more powerful than the whisky, opium, morphine, cocaine or any other habit yet known. Os course, heredity has much to do with it. ami thus the habit is transmitted from generation unto gen eration with singular precision. There is no mistaking a clayeater. Their countenances have a distinctly original and unearthly cast, reminding you more of “a death’s head with a bone in its mouth” than anything else. Tiie children have large eyes, set deep in tiie head and F .-entuated by high, skinny cheek bones. These eyes lack luster and they glare with leaden stupiditj from the cadaverous hollows. And as for the men and women, compared with theirs the face of an Egyptian mummy would look, fresh and beautiful. The milky whiteness of the skin, which they have in childhood, has changed into a parched brown, which fails in folus about their eyes and neck. Deep wrinkles radiate rrom their mourns and spread in every conceivable direction. You can easily trace them, as they serve for convenient aqueducts to tobacco juice. Tiie clay which they devour is not, as some have supposed, the red variety so common throughout middle Georgia, but a peculiar while Kind, with a soft and greasy feel, and found only ; n certain localities. It is said to contain arsenic, thus uctcui.t ing for the force of the habit and ,’ts effect upon the system. The clayeaters are not wholly without social instincts. They are said to hold fes tivals, or rather dinings, the menu ot which is made up mainly of clay. For iustanee, one of lite patriarchs will decide to celebrate, and invitations are is sued to all the families in the neighbor hood. After several wild “break iowns," the tempting glebe is passed around for refreshments. Corn liquor, of course, is a necessary adjunct. Ho„ liii- < InyeaterM Live. These beings make no attempt at regular work. They eke out their existence in the winter by selling kindling wood in town, and during the summer the most energetic pick and sell blackberries and huckleber ries which grow in prolusion there. Some of them own donkeys auu these, attached to the little two-wheeled, nondescript ve hicles, are familiar sights along the public highways leading to Aiilledgeville. Last winter, returning from a hunt in the lower part of the county, 1 was forced by the rain to lake shelter in the dwelling place of a full-fledged clayeater. 'J he house, if such it might be called, was n.t It in the regulation log-cabin style. ’.the building was set back some distance from the road, and a well-beaten patli led through the weeds to the doorway, fri.ni which the blanched faces of seme half dozen children peered forth cu riously. It was a squalid den. There wi re two windows utterly destitute of glass, stuffed with old rags and paper to keep out •he chill, while the rain beat dreaily and the wind whistled dismally between the old rotten logs. It is customary to daub up the cracks in a log house with clay, but the absence of It there could be explained. The plank floor, laid directly upon the ground, was broken in many places and the damp, green mould oozed up through tiie numerous erpeks. Os furniture there was none except a poor apology for a bed over in one corner. A large pile of corn cobs in the other cor ner appeared to be the nightly resting place of the children. This gloomy interior was somewhat cheer ed by the fitful blaze of a pine knot on the hearth. A cur dog, composed mainly of libs, had already asserted his right of way by an ominous growl. The pater-familias was sitting cross-legged before the fireplace, and his spouse had gone to the spring for a fresh drink’ of water. A chew of tobacco start’d the fellow to talking, but upon the clay-eating subject he was woefully reticent. A iSestion about his family, however, brought forth a big dose of genealogy. “Wall, now,” he said, chunking the Are, “thar’s my wife, who are named Susan, an’ thar’s my son-in-law. Bob, and his wife what lives over on ter fur side ofter woods, and thar’s by darter, Silvey, and her chil uns, and thar’s my brats out thar which are six more, and then thar’s myself who are William Henry Sintson, called Bill Simson fer short.” After - delivering himself in this manner the clayeater rallied forth to snatch one of his brats in out of the rain. One thing is certain, however squalid and wretched those unfortunate mortals may be, there is always on hand a bountiful supply of children, and they foi.ow fast in the foot steps of their fathers. Numerous efforts at different times have been made to better the condition of the clayeaters. Preachers of every denomination have tried their skill at turning them from the error of their way, but to all appear ances they have wasted their ammunition. They are barbarians still, and they die as they have lived in tiie midst of the deepest sqaulor and misery, unwept, unmoaned, un loved. Think of it! With all the luxuries and enlightenment of the nineteenth century about them, living almost in sight of one of Georgia's most thriving cities, watching daily the trains speeding on to the busy marts, while the wires above their heads flash the happenings of the world, these beings, human like ourselves, are living the lives of forlorn animals, with no pleas ant recollections of the past, no happiness in the present and no hope for the future. ALFRED C. NEWELL. A REVENUE I’l 7.Z1.E. A Moonshine lli.lnbliiiliiiienl •’* l-.iist Knoxville, Tenn., February 20.—(Special.)— Whenever a new deputy enters the revenue service in this section of Tennessee, he is generally assigned to the task of arresting Madame Betsy Brewer, who, as is well known to all of the revenue officials about here, runs a. jug house in open defiance of the laws. Th" assignment seems a simple one, and the unsophisticated deputy has no suspicion of tiie work cut out for him, as it is easy to find the place and Madame Betsy may always be found at home. The question is not in arresting her but in bringing her to justice. The Brewer cabin is situated at some distance off the road in a most inaccessible part of the mountain. To approach it it is necessary to dismount and walk for a considerable distance over a rough bridle path. And herein lies the rub. Madame Betsy weighs 580 pounds and is almost helpless, lying as she does on her cabin bed all the time. As she cannot escape, her arrest can be easily accomplished, but it is absolutely im possible to bring the prisoner away. To do so it would require a skilful engineer, several months of road building, a rail road and a derrick. So Mrs. Brewer pur sues her chosen occupation serenely, dis pensing the forbidden juice from a jug kept at her bedside, and all the young dep uty marshals who are taken into the reve nue’service in this section are given as an initatory assignment the arrest of Madame Betsy Brewer. Nothing can ever accom plish her being brought to trial but a rail road through an inaccessible part of the mountains or copious doses of anti-fat, and it is not probable that either of these two means will be employed by Uncle Sam to accomplish the ends of justice. C’HAING ANGS I NUONS IT'l'l TIONAL. A Nev Ruling on Ihe Ln w by South (arolina'M Supreme Court. Columbia, S. C., February 20.—(Special.)— Chaingangs are unconstitutional in this state. So says the supreme court in a de cision filed today. The case comes from Charleston, where a prisoner was put on the chaingang for thirty days. An appeal was taken on the ground that the punishment was not legal except upon conviction by a jury of twelve and that a sentence to work in the chaingang is void in law. The su preme court holds that a jury under twelve is constitutional, but that the sentence to work on the chaingang is null and void on the ground that this additional imposition to "fine or imprisonment” exceeds the limit prescribed by the constitution. Justice Pope concurs concerning jury trial and dissents as to chaingang work, holding that me word imprisonment should include employ ment during imprisonment. REDUCE THE ACREAGE. Alabama's Farmers tote to (at It Dow n On e-Fi fl 11. Birmingham, Ala., February 23. —(Special.) The farmers’ institute of Alabama, which has been in session here for two days, passed a resolution that the overproduction of cotton being in their opinion the cause of the low price of that staple, which is now less than the average cost of produc tion in Alabama, it is to the interest of the planters that, the acreage of last season be reduced one-lifth and the said 2(1 per cent of acreage Hfe planted in crops that will supply home consumption demands. A resolution inviting farmer immigration and assuring immigrants of good fellow ship was also passed. Tn Minnesota a decree was given to the wife because "the defendant never cuts his toenails, and. being restless in his sleep, scratches this plaintiff severely.” Hood’s Cures Annie L. Artier Os Augusta- Ky. More Than PSeased With Hood’s Sarsaparilla—For Tet ter and Blood Impurities Stronger and Better tn Every Way. ‘•I have been more than pleased with Hood’s Sarsaparilla. I have suffered with tetter break ing out on my face and all over my body all my life. I never could find anything to do it good until I began to take Hood’s Sarsaparilla. I have now used about eight bottles, and Oh, it has done me so much good that I have the utmost Hood’s paril’.a Cures faith in it and recommend it to everyone. Besides purifying my blood, it has made mo so much stronger and better I do not feel like the same person at all.” Annie Arnek, Augusta, Ky. Hood’s Pills act easily, yet promptly and efficiently, on the Uver and bowels. 25c. 3 KNOWLEDGE Brings comfort and improvement and tends to personal enjoyment when rightly used. The many, who live bet ter than others and enjoy life more, with less expenditure, by more promptly adapting the world’s best products to the needs of physical being, will attest the value to health or the pure.liquid laxative principles embraced iu the remedy, Syrup of Figs. Its excellence is due to its presenting in the form most acceptable and pleas ant to the taste, the refreshing and truly beneficial properties of a perfect lax ative; effectually cleansing the system, dispelling colds, headaches and fevers and permanently curing constipation. It has given satisfaction to millions and met with the approval of the medical profession, because it acts on’the Kid tevs, Liver ami Bowels without weak ening them and it is perfectly free from every objectionable substance. Syrup of Figs is for sale by all drug gists in 50c anti $1 bottles, but it is man ufactured by the California Fig Syrup Co. onlv, whose name is printed on every package, also the name. Syrup of Figs, and being well informed, you will not accept my substitute if offered. Frrswß (From U. S. Journal of Jlrilic.inc.} Prof.W. ll.Pecke,whoinnk"saEpecialty of Epilepsy, has without doubt, treatrdand cured more cases than aitylivingPhysician; hisstt ng We have heard of casesof 2'l years’ standing cured by him. lie publishesa valuable woi I’on 1 ’on this disease which he eends with a large bottle of ills absolute cure, free to any sufferer who may send their P.O. and Express ad dress. We advise anyone wishing a cure to adchess, Prof. W. 11. PEEKE, F. D., 4 Cedar St., New York. SjcFHEABACiEj POSITIVELY CURED BY ® iCARTtRS “x 'OhTM | tress from Dyspepsia, In : fva digestion,aadToo Hearty I b l? tlli Eating. A perfect remedy ® s S 3 f° r Dizziness, Nausea, Drowsiness, Bad Taste in the Mouth, Coated Ton- j guei p-j n i n the Side. They regulate, the Bowels and prevent Constipa tion. Are free from all crude and irritating matter. Very small; easy to take; no pain; no griping. Purely Vegetable. Sugar Coated. S.viall Pill. Small Dose. Small Price. Rews re of Imitations and Ask for CARTER’S and see you got C-A-P-T’E-S-’S. ¥r?bowes? SPECIALIST, In chronic, nervous, blood and skin diseases, and diseases of th•• genito— urinary organs, male and female. i5-> Maneha St, Atlanta, Ga. < tvet twenty years’ ...Xpert: nee. Send 6c in stamps for <p. list and I" I. '"i’ S. i"l . eent stamp ■-* : t m Jes. Th" V. ry lust i t lied. Address DR. W. W. BOWES, ;Wi 15' . Marietta street, Atlanta, Gl. ' I Mention The Constitution. j [mMtKAiacazasEuazxAwnui't ■:rMganag«a’n<ca'ganMW SLOAN’S * * Liniment CUKES 801 rheumatism girl “ • And ail . . ■ Aches & Painsi 25 cts. DRUGGISTS & DEALERS, MONEY REFUNDED IF NOT SATISFAUWR fMi DR, E. S. SLOAN GO, ■ BOSTON, MAsli rfill lier. r r.iga-l il. Ct'AltAN'TFi: KEMr.D S Co., ML Suites 51 &52 Bexter Bldg., S 3 Adams MeDiiou The CuDitllution. purfxe, no salve, no supjxisitory, no indelicacy. For aale by (Iruggi.'ts. Mail' d free. Aildn-~. «j. !!. It EEVES, Box New York City, N. Y. Mention The Constitution. SEXUAL POWER I'o.-iti vel< .in l pur nt i ■utly r 'it .rod in -tol’ >1 iy Sealed bo' >k 1: -u, giving tu'li partii-itl us. Addrol San.Uateo Meu. Co., I'. O. Box 451, St. Louis, Mj Mention The fvdstitutiou. IMW WRM Cme Yaurself Fl!n ii> DAYS I will send FREE to any man the prescription of a new and positi\« remedy to enlarge small weak organs, and sure cure for ail weakness in young or old men. Cures cases ot Lost Manhood., Emis siosts and Varicocele? in 15 da..“t disease never returns. Correspondence privat«», ail letters sent in plain sealed envelope Address T. C. Barnes, 5.’" s \ '»it h. Mention The Constitution. Mention The Constitution. V 0 u £LF rOI Iftroubledwith < Whites. SpernuitorrhosaWM or any untiature.! discharge ask O , V v V''^- vour l,r:; ggist for u bottle of i!i e it cures in a few days without the aid or publicity of a BjSJWTWa doctor. Non-poisouor.s and ■JBfJtSSI •guaranteed not to Ftrietnre. l ' nive,rsß ' L American- Cure. Manufactured by sa-T.. Evans Chemical CINCINNATI, O.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, February 27, 1894, Page 2, Image 2