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YOL. 2.
DUBLIN, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1879.
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH
BOYS?
BY LOUISE S. UPHAM.
THE
The long winter evenings are coming,
And what shall we do with the boys?
Brimming over with fun and with frolic,
Brimming over with rollicking joys; .
Too old for the blocks and the marbles,
Too old for the bright-painted toys;
What happiness waiteth the children ?
O, what shall we do with the boys!
The bright eye is'searching for pleasure,
The deft hand, for something to do;
The busy brain still must be seeking
For fancies, that prove false or true!
Shall we leave them alone, till they wander
Away from the fireside’s pure joys?
Away from the father and mother?
O, what shall we do with the boysf
O, shall we noi faithfully labor,
To make home amusements so sweet,
That the day will be cheered for its duties,
And evening turn homeward the feet?
Each year brings our sons nearer manhood
When they shake off the curb that annoys;
And then when they leave the old homestead
O, how we shall miss the dear boys!
They m«V have their frolics and pastimes,
But why let the worldlings defile'
The innocent hearts of our children,
That home’s magic should ever beguile?
Let the books they enjoy strew the table—
A good book or song never cloys—
And to the home feastings make welcome
The well-chosen guests of our boys.
Let them see the clear sun of love shining
In the faces that greet them each day;
Let them know' just how truly we miss
them.
Every moment they must be away;
Let them feel that their place always waits
them;
That no joys equal childhood’s pure
joys ;
And dearest of all earthly blessings,
Will be home to these rollicking boys.
A MIDNIGHT STRUGGLE.
In the early autumn of the year
1849 about an hour before sunset, I
drew reign in front of a large double
lognhouse, on the very summit of the
Blue Ridge mountains of Eastern
Kentucky.
The place was evidently kept as a
tavern, at least so a sign proclaimed,
and here I determined to demand
accommodation for myself and ser
vant Bose, a dark-skinned body
guard. Bose and I had been play
mates in child and boyhood, and ]
need hardly say that tlie faithful fel
low was attached to me as I was to
him, and on more than one occasion
he had shown his devotion. .
There had been a “shooting match”
at .the. Mountain House that day,
and, as I dismounted, I saw through
the open window of the bar room a
noisy, drunken, and evidently
quarrelsome set of backwoods-men,
each of which was swearing by all
possible and impossible oaths that
he was not only the best shot, but
that he could out-fight, out-jump,
out-wrestle, run faster, jump higher,
dive deeper and come up dryer than
any other man “on the mountains.”
“I say, Mars Ralph,” said Bose, in
a low tone, as I handed him my bri
dlo reiri, “I don’t like the looks of
dem dar. S’pose we go on to the
next house; taint fur.”
“Nonsense, Bose,” I replied;
‘‘these fellows are only on a little
spree over their shooting. We have
nothing to do with them nor they
with ns. Take the horses round to
the stables and see to them yourself.
You know they’ve had a hard day of
it.-”
And throwing my saddle-bags over
my shoulders, I walked up the nar
row path to the house.
I found, as I have intimated, the
bar room filled with a noisy, turbo
lent crowd, who one and all stared
at mo without speaking as I went up
to the bar and inquired if I and my
servant could get accommodations
for the night.
Receiving an affirmative reply from
the landlord, a little, red-headed
cadaverous-looking man, I desired to
be at once shown to my room,
whither I went, but not until I had
been compelled to decline a score of
requests “to take a drink,” much to
the disgust of the stalwart bachana-
The room to which I was shown
was at the far end of a long two-
story structure, evidently but recent
ly added on to the main building,
which it intersected at right angles.
A gallery extended along the front
by means of which the rooms were
reached.
I found my apartment to be large
and comparatively well furnished,
there being besides the bed) a com
fortable cot, half a dozen “split bot
tomed” chairs, a heavy clothes press,
and a bui*eau with glass.
There were two windows one along
side the door, and the other in the
opposite end of the room.
The first mentioned door was
barred with stout oak strips, a pro
tection, I presumed, against intrusion
from the porch, while acaoss the lat
ter door was drawn a heavy woolen
curtain.
In the course of half an hour Bose
entered my room* and announced
that the hoiscs had been properly at
tended to, and a few moments later
a bright-faced.mulatto girl summon
ed us to supper.
Supper over, I returned to my
room, first requesting to be roused
to an early breakfast, as I desired to
on the road by sunrise.
Thoroughly wearied by my day’s
ide, I at once began peparations for
retiring, and had drawn off one boot,
when Bose came in rather hastily,
looking furtively over his shoulder,
and then cautiously closing and lock
ing the door.
Mars Ralph, dars gwine to be
trouble in this house afore morning,”
he said.
And I saw in a moment that some
thing had upset the faithful fellow’s
eqilibrium.
“Why, Bose, what is it? What
do you mean?” I asked barely re
straining a smile.
“I tole you mars Ralph we had
better trabbel furdei’,” was the rather
mysterious reply. “Yon see dat gal
tole mo dar Would be a muss if we
stayed in this house all night.”
By close questioning I elicted the
fact that the girl had really warned
him that four mer. whom I had no
ticed together were a desperate set
of villains; and probably had designs
upon our property, if not our lives.
Tho girl had seen two of them at
the stables while I was at supper,
arid by cautiously creeping into a
stall, next to the one in which they
stood, had heard enogh to convince
her that they meant mischief.
Subsequently to this she also saw
the landlord in close confab with the
entire paitv, and from his actions
judged that he was urging the men
to their nefarious work.
“I tell you, Mars Ralph, dem peo
ple ain’t arter no good—now you
heard me,” persisted Bose.
I had begun to think so myself;
but" what was to be done. The situ
ation was full of embarrassment, and
I felt nothing could be done save to
wait and watch, and, by being on the
alert, defeat their plans by a deter
mined resistance.
I found that from the barred win
dow a broken pane of glass, a good
view of the stables could be had.
lotion for the other window.
I crossed the room drew aside the
heavy curtain, and, raising the sash,
looked out.
A single glance was sufficient to
cause me a thrill of suprise, and I
gave a low exclamation that instantly
brought Bose to my side.
Far below I could see the faint
glimmer of water, the low murmur
of- which came indistinctly up from
depth8, while on a level of what
should have been the ground, I dimly
saw the waving tree-tops, as they
gently swayed before the fresh night
breeze, and knew that the window
overlooked a chasm, the sounding of
which I could only guess at.
In other words, the house, or that
portion of it was bniltupon the verge
of the cliff, the solid rock forming a
foundation more lasting than any
that could he made by the hands of
l man.
I leaned far out, and saw that
there was not an inch of space left
between the heavy log on whioh the
structure rested and the edge of the
preoipice; and then I turned away
with the full conviction that if
escape must be piade, it certainly
would riot bo made in that direction.
There was nothing especially strange
in this; there are mariy houses so*
constructed—I had seen one or two
myself—and yet when I drew baok
into tho room and saw tho look in
Bose’s face, I felt danger quick and
deadly was hovering in the air.
Without speaking I went to my
saddlebags and got out my’pistols—
snberb pair of long double rifles,
that I knew to bo acourato anywhere
under a half a hundred yards.
“Dar! dem’s what I like to see!”
exclaimed Bose, as ho dived down
into his bag and fished out an old
horse pistol that had belonged to
my grandfather, and whioh I knew
was loaded to the muzzle with No. 1
buckshot. It was a terrible weapon
at close quarters.
The stables in which our horses
were feeding could be watched, and
by events transpiring in that locality
we would shape our actions. I found
the door could be locked from the
inside, and in addition to this, I im
provised a bar by means of a chair
leg wrenched off and thrust through
a heavy iron staple that had been
driven in the wall. Its fellow on the
opposite side was missing.
Wo then lifted the clothes press
before the window, leaving just room
onough on one side to clearly see,
and, if necessary to fire through;
dragged the bureau against the door
wjtfyaa little noise as possible, and
felt that everything thnbHvfirpossi
ble, had been done.
A death-like stillness reigned over
tho place, broken only once by the
voice of the Colored girl singing as
she crossed tho stable yard, •
I had fallen into a half doze, seat
ed in a chair near the window faciug
the stables, whore Bose was on tho
watch, when suddenly I felt a slight
touch upon my arm and the voice of
the faithful sentinol in my ear.
‘‘Wake up, Mars Ralph; doy’s
foolin ’bout do stable doo’ arter de
horses, shnah,” brought me wide
awake to my feet.
Cautiously peeping out, I saw at a
glance that Bose was right in his
conjeoture—there were two of them
—one standing out in clear moon
light, evidently watching my. win
dow, .while the other—and I fancied
it was the landlord—was in the
shadow near the door, which at that
moment slowly swung open.
As the man disappeared within the
building, a low, keen whistle cut the
air, and at the instant I heard the
knob of my door cautiously tried
A low hiss from Bose brought mo
to his side, from the door whore I
had been listening.
Dey’s got de horses out in de
yard,” he whispered as he drew aside
to let me look out through the bro
ken pane.
“Take the door and fire through
it if they attack,” I said. “I am
goipg to shoot that fellow holding
the horses 1”
“Lordy, Mars Ralp, it’s de tavern
keeper. He ain’t no count. Drop
the big man!” was the sensible ad
vice, which I determined to adopt.
Noiselessly drawing aside the cur
tain I rested the muzzle of my pistol
on the sash, where the light had been
broken away; and drew a bead upon
the tallest of the two men who
stood, holding the three horpes, out
in the bright moonlight.
The sharp crack of the weapon
was instantly followed by a yell of
pain, and I saw the ruffian reel baok
ward, and measure his length upon
the earth, and then from the main
builing there rang out
“Murder! Murder! Oh, help!”
Like lightning it flashed across
my mind. There were three horses
out in the open lot! There was,
then, another traveler besides our
selves.
A heavy blow descended upon tho
door and a voice roared:
Quick! Burst the infernal thing
open at let me get at him. The
scoundrel^ has killed Dave!”
“Let them have it Bose,” I whis
pered, rapidly reloading my pistol.
The second panel.”
With a steady hand the plucky
fellow leveled* tho huge weapon and
pulled tho trigor.
A deafening report followod, and
again a shrill cry of mortal anguish
told them tho shot had not been
wasted.
“Babe us! how.it do kick!” ox-
claimed Bose, under Iris breath.
The blow had fallen like an unex
pected thunderbolt upon the bandits
and a moment lateiAve heard their
retreating footsteps down the corri
dor.
‘Dar’ll bo more of ’em heah ’fore
long, Mars Ralph,” said Bose, with
an ominous shake of. the head. “I
speots dose b’longs to a band, and if
dey comes an’ we still heah, wo gone
coons for Bhuar.”
This view of tho case was new to
mo; bqt I felt the force of it. I
knew that suoh bands <J.id exist in
these mountains.
Stunned for a moment, I turned
around and stared hopelessly at Bose;
but he, brave fellow that he was,
nover lost his head for an instant.
“Bound to leab here, Mars Ralph,”
he said, quite confidently. “An’
dar ain’t no way gwine ’cept through
dat window;” and he pointed to the
one overlooking tho cliff.
I merely shook nty head, and turn
ed to watoh again, hoping to get a
shot at the rascal on guard.
Bose, left to his own devices, at
once, wont to work. I heard him
fussing around the bed for some
time, but never looked to see what
he was after until ho spoke.
“Now den for tho rope I hoard
him say, Arid.-mj>aJpBtonfc I caught
his meaning.
He had stripped tho bed of its cov
ering; dragged off the heavy tick and
the stout hempen rope with which it
was “corded.”
In five minutes he had drawn tho
rope through its many turnings, and
then, gathering tho coils in his hand
he drew it up to the sash and-prepar
ed to tuke soundings.
It failed to touch bottom; but, no
wise disheartened, ho seized the cot
ton coverlet and spliced on. This
succeeded and the cord was drawn
up preparatory to knotting it in
place of cross-pieces.
In the mean while the silence with
out had been broken once. . A shrill,
keen whistle, such as we had heard
before, was given by the man on
watch, and replied to by some one
seemingly a little way off. Then I
heard footsteps—soft, cat-like ones-
on the verunda outside, showing that
the robbers wore on tho alert at all
points.”
At length> Bose announced the
‘ladder” ready. It was again lower
ed from trie window, and the end
was hold and made fast to the bod
wo had dragged over for the purpose,
‘Now, den. Mars Ralph, I go
down fust and see if ’um strong ’riuf
to bar us.”
And he was half woy out of the
window before I could speak.
“No, Bose; you shall not,” I an
swered, firmly, drawing him back
into the room.
“You must—”
The words were lost in din of
furious and totally unexpected attack
upon tho door.
The dull, heavy strokes of the axe
yvero intermingled with the sharp
quick clatter of the hatchets as they
cut away at the barrier, and once in
a while I could hear deep oaths, os
though they have been rendered
doubly savage by resistance.
“Here, Bose, your pistol! Quick!”
I whispered, and the heavy charge
went crushing through, followed by
shrieks and curses of pain and rage.
“Now, th.cn, out with you! I will
hold the place,” I said rushing back
to the window. “Crime, Bose, hur
ry, or wo will be lost.”
Tho fellow now insisted on my go
ing first; but ho saw that time was
wasting and glidod down tho rope,
gradually disappearing in the heavy
shadows.
The fall of one of their number
oaused only a momentary lull, and I
hoard thorn renew tho assault with
tenfold fury.
I dared not fire again, for I felt
that every bullet would be ncodod
when affairs were more pressing.
It soomod an ago before I felt tho
signal from below that the rope was
ready for me; but it came, and I let
myself down pausing an instant, as
my eyes gained a lovol with tho sill,
to take a last look into tho room.
As I did so the door give way, and
the bloodthirsty demons poured over
tho threshold.
I know that I had no timo for de
liberate movement. They would in
stantly discover the mode of osoapo,
and eithor cut the rope or fire down
on me.
I had taken the precaution to draw
on my heavy riding gloves, and my
hands, thus protected, djd not suffor
as much as might huvo been expect
ed.
With my oyos fixed upon tho win
dow, I slid rapidly down and struck
the earth with a jar that wronohod
every bone in my body.
Quick as lightning I was seized by
Bose, draggod sojno paces on one
side, and cIobo against tho face of
tho cliff.
Not a socond too soon, for down
camo a volley, toaring up tho earth
’about tho foot of tho rope, whoro, a
moment before, I had stood.
. “Thunder, tlioy will escape ! Af
ter them, -down tho rope !” yelled a
voice almost inarticulate with rago.
And I saw a dark form swing out
and begin tho doscont.
“Now, Mars Ralph.” wliisporod
Bose, significantly, and with a quick
aim I tired at tho swaying flguro.
Without a sound tho man reloasod
his hold and camo down like n lump
of load—shot through tho brain.
Anothor had started in hot hasto,
and was more than half way out of
the window, when suddenly tho scone
above was brilliantly lit up by tho
glare of a torch.
Again tho warning voice of tho
watchful black called my attention
to tho figuro now struggling dospor-
ately to» regain tho room, and, as
before, throw up my pistol and cov
ering tho exposed side, drew the
trigger.
With a convulsive effort tho wretch
springing far out into tho ompty
void turned over once and camo down
with a rushing sound upon tho jag,
ged rooks that lay at tho foot of tho
precipice.
A single look to see that the win
dow was clear—wo knew there could
be no path loading down for a long
distance eithor way, or they never
would have attempted the rope, and
we plunged headlong into tho dense
forest that clothed the mountain
side.
Wo got blear, it is true; but but
with the loss of our animals and
baggage; for tho next day when wo
returned with a party of regulators
we fond tho place a heap of smoul
dering ashes, and no living soul to
tell whither the robbers hod fled.
The Latest Curiosities.
A fence made from tho railing of
a scolding wife.
A plato of butter from tho “croam
of a joke.”
The small coins in “the chango of
the moon.”
The original brush used in painting
“tho signs of the times.”
The lutest contract with the
“Trade Winds.”
The chair in whioh tho sun sots.
A garment for tho naked eyo.
The hammer which broke up tho
meeting.
Buckle to fasten a laughing-stock.
Tho animal thut drow tho infer
ence.
Egg from a nest of thioves.
A Ducket of water from “All’s
woll,
If anybody has hard work to pleaso
most peoplo, it is an editor. If ho
omits anything lie is lazy. If he
spoaks of things as they are, peoplo
got angry. If ho glosses over or
smooMios down tho rough points, ho
is bribod. If ho oalls things by their
proper names, .lie is declared unfit
for his position. If he docs not fur
nish his readers with jokes,'ho is a
mullet. If he docs, ho is a rattle-
head, lacking stability. If he indul
ges in personalities, ho is a black
guard. If he does not, his paper is
dull and insipid.
“Romomber who you are talking
to, sir,” said an indignant parent to
a facetious boy; “I-am your father.”
“Well, who’s to blame for that ?”
said tho young importinence, “tain’t
mo.”
AVe know a girl who will wrestle
with a croquet mallet in tho hot sun
for hours and not oomplain. But
just ask her to hold on to tho wooden
end of a broom for a few minutos and
sho’ll have a fit.—Stillwater Lum
berman.
Wo loam from tho Binghampton
Republican that a society for the
prevention of cruelty to pianos is
meditated. That is a grand and
upright move, and wo hope tho pro
jectors will bo on-Knabe-led to carry
it out.
Etfbry one ought to be busy, but
no ono ought to bo so busy that he
can’t do his work well. An over
worked - man is like a certain plow of
which wo huvo hoard, whioh turned
up a great deal more than it could
turn ovor.
Tho Knoxville (Tpnn.) Dispatch
says: Georgia is the wealthiest, hap
piest and most prosperous State in
tho South. There is cheerfulness
and thrift throughout hor borders.
Her people uro at work. There is
no groaning ovor an unsettled debt.
Hor railroads permeate almost overy
nook and corner of her wide domain.
Sho is emphatically tho Empire State
of tho South.
“Tho life you load will most assur
edly shorten your days,” said a griev
ed father to a dissipatod son.
“Is that so, governor?” exclaimed
tho young villain, with a joyful face.
‘I am deuced glad to hear it. If it
shortens my days it must naturally
lengthen my nights, and hitherto I
have found the nights too oonfounded
short for my pleasures.”
Fa sat down.
A gentleman, ono. evoning was
seated near a lovely woman, when
tho company around were proposing
conundrums to each. Turning to
his companion he said: “Why is a
lady unlike a mirror?” She gave it
up. “Because,” said the rude follow,
“a mirror reflects without speaking.;
a lady speaks without reflecting.”
“Very good,” said she. “Now an
swer me. Why is a man unlike a
mirror?” “I cannot tell you.”
“Because tho mirror is polishod and
the man is not.”
Tho State of Texas having imposed
a license tax of two hundred dollars
on commercial travelers nearly all of
the larger houses in New York have
recalled their agents, feeling that a
submission to the tax in ono State
would load to its imposition in
others.
An old farmer intont on making
his will was asked by tho lawyer the
name of' his wife, when ho gravely
roplied: “Woll, indeed, I really don’t
recollect what it is; we’ve boon mar
ried for upwards of forty years, and
I always' called hor my old woman,”
The lawyer loft a blank to be filled
up when tho old woman’s name was
ascertained.
“I know what made my papa an^
your papa sick,” said ono little girl
to anothor. “What?” “Thoydnnq-
ed too much at tho Springs,” “Uus)i,
my papa belongs to tho mooting,”
“So does mino whon he’s at home,
but tlioro ain’t no meotin’ up at tljp
Springs.” •