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% tan. u DUBLIN, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1879. ffi&VVEXI'fcG YEAR. urs, the year is dead, Cririie arid sigh, come arid weep, Merry hours sipile instead, For the yenT is’but asleep ; See,? it smiles os it is sleeping, Mocking your untimely Weeping. As <)n earthquake rooks a corpse And its coffin ir the day,* So white winter, that rough nurse, Rocks the dead-cold year to-day; Solerim hours! wail nloud For your motUer.in, her shroud. As the w s ld air stirs and sways The trec-awung cradle of a child, So the breath of these rude days Rocks the year; he calm and mild Trembling hoiirs; she will arise With new love withip her eyes. January gray is here Like a sexton by her grave; February bears the bier; TVtrirch, with gHef, doth howl and rave And April ^eeps—but oh, ye hours; Foilpw with Mar ’s fairest flowers, CHRISTMAS AT MUD FEAT. She bad been; in camp four days. Where she carno from, why site came. But she wits in camp, and had come to stay, there was no doubt. SluTwtfs 1 quiet, modest, and simply clad^i^qMaiiti^ commeri- ded her to the residents of Mud Flat as a change from the ordinary run of feiftjifcri? who from time to time in vaded the prcciucts of that classic 8Ottlcm0bt. Nor were these the only points which had been noted by the boys; As, Andy McCorkle had gallantly handed her from the lower step of his hind-bespattered coach to the portico of the hotel, everybody saw that she clung almost convulsively to the little child whose arms were twin ed" about. her neck. They observed also that her feat.ures„wcre pale and bloodlbss to an extent that was almost pitiful. By that 'delicate intuition which sometimes exists under the roughest exteriors, the sturdy miners of Mud Flat understood that the strange lady, was suffering from men tal as well as physical nimwe. Their sympathy was aroused in her behalf from that instant, and every man in the place immediately constituted himself her champion and friend. Aiduy later, whon she had rented a cabin .near the outskirts of the town, without disposing to m onc her intentions for the future or her story of, tl»C past., tgar interest wa* increased, and they began to show their frierid’ehipiJU whstaiitial wAys, A great, heap of fire-wood was myste riously aefosftetl* Witf/fti A&jr'reach the first night. Bags of flour,' quan tities of coffee and sugar, a whole ham, and a quarter of fresh venison likewise made their 1 appeuranbe from somp . unexplained source the third morning. Little \v*as seeii of the recipient of these treasures* Jiowever. She had only been ori the streets once, and tljen only ^f^hVC^ase a few necessary articles. Upon that occasion she met; the reverential gaze of a score of lonrigers^. and tprnpd W hbad aiyay, pretending not to sec, when the jovi- ulBillU^tcV smhggled a'tinge pack- ie child’s capacious, age of candy into the child’s capacious pocket; But s aside from that she had remained Itidden from view, and the.miners knew as little about her otftlie fourth day as they had bn the The 23d of December was unusu- a^y t ^ld„oyeh for that locality. As the frozen moon came up over a dis tant cibg, cutting wi|h chilly hands the dusky gloom, one plight have fancied that he had suddenly been transplanted into,the Arctic regions. The ground was covered with a th ; n layer oi suow, which ’glistened like burnished silver in the pale light. Here and there along the sides of the gulch, giant pines, standing like ghostly sentinels, threw spectral shadows across the white expanse. The roar of Potato Creek, wrapped in the icy arms of winter, was snb- dued. to a tiny muffled trickling. And the wind, gently sighing through the pusses, played uEolian melodies among the needles of pine and tassels of hemlock. In the main apartment of the agnblia saloon, a party of boys were sitting around a table upon which steamed a large bowl, emit ting a fragrant and aromatic odor. Whoever slio monglit be,”observ ed a tall and rather angular person age, known to his companions as Long Tom Rollins—“whoever she monglit be, she’s alone, barrin’ tliet kid, and unportected besides. She is sickly, too, and ortcr have a doc tor. This ain’t no sort of a place for a—a—iuvorlid,” lie concluded, hesitatingly, removing his heavy hoot from the table, and helping himself to a liberal allowance of the punch. Then, after a pause, he continued, “I wonder what ails the krittor, any how?” A man's at the bottom of it, gontlemon, you hear me,” observed Judge Gash wilder, from the other side of the fable, nodding conviction at oacli of hip, .hearers in turn. “Tako my word, for it, there’s a man. in it, as there all ere is in any deviltry as robs some poor woman's check of its bloom, and her eye of its light.” The Judge was eloquent at all times. But when his round pate glistened from r the effects of good punch, and his theme was woman, he was thought by the men of Mud Flat to have few equals. Therefore the little party seated around the table were considerably startled when just .as,, their favorite orator had thrus^ his riglit hand into his breast as a preparatory gesture leading to a more extended .tribute to the sex, Long Tom Rollins leaned forward and exclaimed: “See hero, old man. IIow do you know all this?” For a moment everybody was aghast. Whether they were aston ished at the suddenness of the inter ruption or the half-savage tone of the speaker, or whether it occurred to them that the Judge might, possi bly have so far over-stepped the bounds of prudence as to have at- t'ffftfptetl “pttmpiugl’.tUe interesting stranger, may never be known. But it is certain that they were astounded iu to si lenee. Even Judge Gash wilder was observed to lose his usual pres ence of mind. For au instant his naturasly serene countenance wore au expression which in another would have been mistaken for guilt. If the confidence which the others had al ways placed iu him was a tritie sliaken at that instant; it was quickly resior ed when, after a moment’s hesitation, the old gentleman explained his pe culiar position. “You see, gentlemen,” he said, gradually resuming the uttitiide from which lie laid been surprised by the abrupt speech above quoted, “1 was prowlin' round her cubing lust night, when all of a sudding I hcerd voices inside. Tlio door was open a lectio hit, and by standin’ where I was couldn’t miss a syllcrbul. I will here explain,” ho continued, thrust- iug his red bandaunu handkerchief into his breast, as was liis wont when speaking publicly, “that I was there for the purpose of tindiu’ oiu, if pos sihle, whether the gal was m need of anything that I could help her to.” “Which accounts,” observed bystander, “for that chicking which was hung up alongside the door when 1 came by this momin.” “I heard her talkin’ with the kid,” continued Judge Gashwilder, not noticing the interruption, “and couldn't help lisscimen. As near as I could make ont, the talk was like this: “When shall we see papa?” “Heaven knows, my baby. We have sought Him long, and when Gpd is ready He will restore him to us.” “Is Clirismas cornin’ soon, mam ma?” “Yes, baby, darling. But there won’t be no presents for my little one this time. We are away from home, and i>oor. But when we find papa we will go where there are lots of pretty things, and then baby shall have plenty.” Here the Judge loaned forward and whispered in a mystonous voico, telling his companions that lie had heard the mother repeat to tlio child the sad story of how her father had gone West four years ago to seek his fortune; how for two years his letters containing money for her support, had como like rays of sunshine through the clouds; how they had suddenly stopped, and no answers were received to her agonized appeals; how for two more years she had sup posed him dead; how, ut last, the postmaster in the little village where she lived had, upon liis dying bed, confessed to having stolon the letters from her husband so as to got the money they contained, and suppress ed her missive to him for fear of discovery; and hoiv she had started out with her little one to find the lost husband, who had been last heard from in Mud Flat. All this tlio Judge told to tlio few friends lie could trust, speaking in a whisper,, lest, the precious secret should ho pussed to others iu the the room, ‘And now,” lie ucl^ed? resuming his rhetorical attitude and voice, “I Axes you, {is gentlemen and repre sentatives of Mud Flat Chivalry, shall this gal and her kid, being too poor to have a Christmas of their own—shall thoy go without it, or riot? Remember, gentlemen, that kid is the fust one as over cumc into this place, and p’raps she’s our luck. Let us nurtur her, my friends, let us show her mother that, we ain’t so lost to virtoo an’ principle as not to appreciate Jt when wo hev a good woman and a innocent kid amongst us. Let us give ’em a Christmas. I will now percocd to houd the sub scription.” So saying, the gallant old man moved the punch-bowl to one side, and emptied the contents of his breeches pocket upon the table. Others followed suit, and whon the last man had placed liis contribution there the pile contained a sum. " “Now, gentlemen, some one of us lias got to tako that money, ride to Denver, and spend it for ’em. Who shall it be?” “Le: me he vour agent,” respond ed a deep bass voice. Turning, they saw a tall stranger standing near by, who lmd just en tered in time to hear the Judge’s call for contributions. Onc or two in the rriom recognized him as a mi nor who had come in from the dig gings that afternoon, having found it too cold to work longer in the mountains. They were inclined to resent the interference of an outs’der, and prob ably would not have heeded his request had he not spoken a second time. Drawing near the table he said: “Gentlemen, I was once a married man myself, but my wife, God bless her, is dead.. For the love I hear her memory, for tlio affection I have toward the remembrance of my little ono buried with her, I ask yoh to let me aid in this matter.” The sadness in his .voice and face was so sincere, and the utility of sending a irian who had “been, tliar, and ktiowed what wimmen folks would like,” presented itself so fa vorably to the miners, that with but' little hesitation they allowed him to do os he had wished. In an hour lie was gone, and the settlement was lost in speculation as to what he would bring hack for the strange lady aud her child. The morning of Lee. 25th dawned crisp and cold. The fresh, hiding air of the mountains raced among the trees right merrily, whisking the snow into little wreaths, and frolic- ing among the branches with real holiday gayety. It was nearly noon when the stranger rode into camp loaded with bundles. At the Mag nolia he met an eager crowd of mi ners, who, headed by Judge Gush- wildor, were soon on the road to the stmngo ludy’s house. Arrived there, they felt a sudden hesitation about entering. It was like intruding upon some sacred ground, and they wore almost tempted to dopositjbhoir bun dles upon the threshold and fly. You take the stuff,” said tlio Judge to the stranger, “and go in fust. You’vo bin familiar with wim- miu, and Iviiow how to handle ’em. We’ll watt outside.” But the stranger felt the same hesi tation. Perhaps liis long absence from feminine society made him bashful. Perhaps a thought of tlio memory he revered caused him to hold hack. Filially tlio Judge consented to take tlio lead, and doffing his hat, knocked softly. The door was open ed by the child, who hade tliom ou ter. Beside the fire sat tho mother, who rose to meet them. AU passed in hut the stranger, who styod out side. ‘Mann,” said the Judge, who somehow had lost his usual ease of speech and gesture, “we—that is, ( the citizens of Mud Flat, has come to wish you a merry Christinas, rind to offer you these few tokens 1 of our respok and esteem.” Having thus delivered hipiSplf, theold gentleman deposited the bun dle on the table, and stood beaming serenely on all liis companions. The strange lady, completely overcome by this unexpected kindness, could nor. find words to reply for a. mo ment. Then, in a broken voice, she said: “This is a glad moment of my sorrowful life. You are good, kind men, and I know God will' repay your generosity to tlio widow and the fatherless. 1 ” She stopped suddenly, and stood with blanched cheeks and distended eyes, staring toward tho door. Tlio niitiera tui’ned and beheld the stran ger, who, with a great stride forward and a cry expressing tho wildest joy, caught the woman in his arms. Thoy stood thus, heart pressed to heart, and lips to lips, for an instant. Then tho stranger turned liis eyes devoutly toward tho ceiling. “Thank God,” he murmured gen tly. ‘*yhc wifo I had supposed dead is restored to mo.” The miners stole softly away and left the stranger standing thus, with his arms tenderly twined about the womun of his love; and tho little child clinging fondly to liis knees. The air was balmv outside; the sun shone with ineffable sweetness upon the scene ; a hluojay screamer liis delight from a neighboring tree; and the wind played a joyful tune among the rocks. Christmas had come to Mud Flat, Augusta Evening News: “Ben Hill may ho a great, lawyer, but no man who loses $190,000 on li.is plantations in three years, can he regarded as a successful planter.” The colored people of Georgia pay taxes on $5,000,000. Of course they have made all this since the war, which is more than the sumo number of The poorer class of white people have done. If women are really angels, why don’t they fly over the fence instead of making such a fearful awkward job of climbing? If every man is tho architect of his own fortune, the most of them had better abandon architecture and go to mauling rails. An old lady being asked to sub scribe to a newspaper, declined on the ground, that when she wanted u.e.ws she manufactured it herself. Women have a great respect for old age. Watch a young lady seated in a street car between a young gen tleman and an elderly one, and see how determined she is not to incom mode the luttor by crowding against him. . • . £$i.-v l Man with a Wife and Six Chil dren, who Never Saw one of Them. you NO 31 Can a Man Marry Himself? A genuine Yankee in San Fran cisco, having bored a new comor with ovory Conceivable question relative to his object in visiting tlio gold coun try, his hopes, his means and his prospects, at length asked'him if lie lmd a family. “Yes, sir; I have a wifo and six children, and never saw one. of them.” V '/? : ! ; >i‘v After this reply tho couple sat a few minutes iu silonce, when tho ntorrogator commenced: “Were you evor blind, sir P” “No, sir.” “Did you triarry a widow, sir ?” “No, sir.” Another interval of silence. “Do I understand you to say, sir, that yon hod a wife and and nix ohjl dren living in Now York, and had never soon one of them?” “Yes, sir; so 1 stated it.” Another and a longer pause. Then the interrogator .again iiujnired,: “How ciin it ho, sir, Unity never saw ono of thorn ?” Why,” woh the response, “ope of thorn was horn after I loft.” Gen, B. F. Butler has wriTten a letter to a gentlemen in Indianapolis iu which he says: “In the Democra tic convention ut Charleston, 8. G., in the year 1800, I voted fifty-seven times, as I remember it, for Joffor- son Davis, of Mississippi, afterward President of tlio Confederate States, as u candidate for tlio Democratic party for President. He was not be fore the convention us acnmlidute, for my voto and that of ono of my col- lougnos/vero the only ones lie had. 1 believed, him to he a representative man of the South, and subsequent cl ients have shown I was right. And I believed then, and I boliovo now, that if he could have been nominated for President and. elected, the war would have been saved and tlio at tempted disunion prevented; for he would have o boson to bo Prosidont over thirty-two states rather than fif teen; and my experience Ims been that tho North always got more con sideration on questions of human lib erty from a Southern statesman as President, before the war than it did from a Northern dough face,and that remains truo down to tho present time.” Gov. Hampton, having • recovered •sufficiently to travel, will in a few days make an oxcurslrtii to Florida. The trip will ho made in an easy and ologautcar, which will ho fitted up Specially for his comfort by Col. J. 13. Palmer, of Columbia. Ono section will be furnished as a bedroom, an other as a rocojition and sitting room and no change will bo necessary*to be made between Columbia and Jack sonviile. At this poitit the car will be loft to await his further move ments, and tho Governor, Col. Pal rner and party will take passago on a steamer up the St. John’s to Indian river, where it is proposed to spend a few days fishing and shooting in tho happy hunting grounds of the departed Seminoles. Returning to Jacksonville the Governor will resume possession of tho ear, and return in it to Columbia by way of Charleston. The Georgia Press Association meets in Oartcrsville tho first woek in May. Tho following order was recently left on tlje slato of a New Hampshire doctor: “Doe, cum up to fchor house; the old man has got snuix in his butos agin, an’ raisin kain.” On the 29th of November, 1831; the Rov: Samuel Beamish; of Cork; boing then in holy orders, went to the house of a niilliner riiimcd Ann Lyons, in the city of Cork, arid there, in a place where lie believed there was no witness, performed a ceremo ny of marriage between himself and a young woman named Isabella Fra zer. Tho ceremony was that pro scribed in tho hook of Common Pray er, tho Rev. Mr. Beamish officiating for himself. No clergyman was pre sent at tlio performriricc of the cere mony oxcopt tho Rev. Mr. Beamish himself, nor was there, in fact, aiiy ono presont as a formal witness : but the performance of tlio ceremony was witnessed by a female tiarned Catha rine Coffco, who, without tho kiiowl- edgo of tho contracting parties, and sololyfrom curiosity, saw it going on through a window from an adjoining brick-yard, though she did not hear what was said by either party. Isa bella Frazor gavo birth to a soli in 1841, and tn 1844 Rov. S. Beamish died iritestate. It was then conton 1 - dod by a brother of the reverend gentleman that thO fnarriage wirs invalid, and that the hoy was Mu*ro- forri illbgitiihatri, arid could not sriev ecod to liis fatlioFs property. Tlio quostion occupied tliC attention of the I Halt law conks for two years, hut it was at length’finally decided that the marriage was valid' in Ire land.—/&. ’ : ‘ j ' A corrcsiamt of the Barnesville Gazette says that Mr. C. II. Willson, of West Pike, made last year, with nine hands and five mules, 72 bales of cotton, each weighing 500 pounds, 1,100 bushels of com, 500 bushels of wheat, 8,000 bushels of oats, 500 bu shels of potatoes, and peas enough to muke 5,000 |>ounds of pork. Lion hunts are not 1 very common oh Ibis continent now-u-days, but ' one is just reported from Rag Ganyoh, Califciilnin; A furm-owner there had been missing goats for quite a time, and a young man named Henry Sam uels started out with his rifle and dogs to solve the mystery. He soon ran across' a largo California lion of ! tho male sox, and at once oponed the attack with his rifio, wdnnding the animal, and then the dogs and lion had a tussle. The canines wore'boon vanquished, howovor, und then tho angry boast inado for the him tor, who stood his ground and lodged another hullot iii tlio lion’s body. At this fire the boast sprung into a tree and Samuels put five more, bullets into liirit before he died. The lion was **■ of a yollowish-dark color, measured Bix foot eight inches from tip of tail to the nose arid ! Otohd j two fcotj toir InOhoOhigh. ! I was once walking a short difc- tanco behind a handsomely dressed? young lady, and thinking, as I look ed at her beautiful clothes, “I won der if she takes us muoh. pains with lior heart as she does with her body?” A poot man wiw coming up the walk; With a louded wheelbarrow, aud juBt before the reached us he made two at tempts to go into the yuid of a small house, hut the gate was heavy, and would swing hack before he could get'through. “Wait” said the yhiirig girl, springing forward, “I’ll hold the gate open.” And she held tlio gate open till ho passed in, and re ceived' liin thunks with a pleasant smile as she passed on. Slio deserves good clothes I thought, “for a beau tiful spirit dwells in lior breast.” Augusta wants the Slate Fair held there this year.. Wo don’t object. ; ■ i. Tjd-.;! 1 n ui Whenever yn cum akrost a man who distrusts overyboddy, yu have found one whom it is safe for everjr- boddy to distrust*—Josh Riljinga. The Echo says that several, negroes m Oirlothorpo county have bought, and paid for valuable farms since« the war, und have money out at in- torest. t ... Ire hope that keeps us up, .'. It’s hope that keeps our memories green. It’s hope that iimkvn our liven Huliliinc, It’s soap that keeps us clean. The man’s an Ignoramus, Or, lower yet, a scamp, Who writes for information. And sends no pontage-stamp. f —Courier Journal.