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w lima! ram,
4. A. TURNER, EDITOR. |
VOLUME I.
THE INDEPENDENT PRESS.
Published every Tuesday Morning.
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OF THE
INDEPENDENT PRESS.
npilE INDEPENDENT PRESS is published
L weekly in Eatonton, Ga., at the price of 82,00
per annum, invariably in advance ; except where
the subscriber resides in the county.
As its name indicates, it is designed to be entire
ly independent, being governed alone by such rules
as decency, gentlemanliness and good morals im
pose upon every press. It hopes not, however, to
mistake licentiousness for liberty, nor scurrillous
ness for independence..
Its politics are Democratic—of the school of
Jefferson, Madison and Jackson. It, however,
is subject to no party discipline which would
compel its Editor to sacrifice truth and honor in
behalf of his political associates. lie will speak
what he thinks.
One distinctive feature of this press is that it
allows and invites a discussion in its columns of
all subjects whatever, proper to form reading mat
te! for tlie popular mind. Communications from
political opponents are admitted upon the same
terms as communications from political friends.—
It is required of both, that they make their artcil
es brief to the point, and free from personality
and all illiberal feeling. Religious questions, as
well as political, and others, may be discussed.
Much of the attention of this press is devoted
to Literature and Miscellany. It is not entirely
filled with political wrangling and party strife.—
In addition to its literary and miscellaneous matter,
it contains articles on Agriculture, &c. And as
Georgians and Southern people generally are fond
of field sports, this subject also aids in filling the
• columns of this paper.
Whatever can add to the prosperity of Georgia,
and aid in developing her resources, moral, mental
and physical, is considered peculiarly adapted to
these columns. The cause of common school edu
cation, especially, will be urged upon the people
of Georgia with all the ability we can command.
All communicat ions must be addressed, post-paid,
to the Editor of The Independent Press, Eatonton,
Georgia.
April 18, 1854 J. A. TURNER.
-protcssiamtl & Httsmcss Carte.
J. A. TURNER,
♦! TTORJYE IMT
EATONTON, GA.
RICHARD T. DAVIS,
asrenDißHati ait aAW 9
EATONTON, GA.
OFFICE OVER VAN MATER’S STORE.
mm sl wmmio.
RESIDENT DENTIST. '
EATONTON, GA.
May 16, 1854.
S. W. BRYAN,
BOTANIC PHYSICIAN,
EATONTON, GA.
OFFICE up stairs, adjoining the Printing Office,
where he may be found during the dav, and at
night at the residence of W. A. Duvih, unless pro
fessionally absent. All calls for medicines or atten
tion promptly attended to.
Inference TRY IIIM.
May 30th, 1854. 41y
W. A. DAVIS,
ualfiotcsdlc aiiir Detail Grocer:
Sells Country Produce on Commission:
East corner Jefferson St., Eatonton, Ga.
April 18, 1854.
C. L. CARTER,
FANCY CONFECTIONER,
No. 4,Carter & Harvey’s Range,
April 23, 1854. Eatonton, Ga.
S. S. DUSENBERRY,
r.isiuo.wuti.M: tailor
~W 7”E warrant to please all who wish the latest
V V style of dress. Shop up stairs, adjoining the
Printing Office.
April 18, 1854.
HUDSON, FLEMING & CO.,
FACTORS A fiOMMiSSKM MERCHANTS,
No. 94, Bay Street, Savannah, Ga.
TENDER their services to Planters, Merchants,
anddealers in the sale of Cotton and all other
country produce. Being connected in business with
Hopkins, Hudson & Cos., of Charleston, the establish
ment of an office in this city will offord our friends
choice of markets Strict attention will be given to
business, and the usual facilities afforded customers,
J. It. Hudson, ) j Lambeth llopkiks,
AV. K. Fleming, > 1 Aifousta.
Savannah. ) (J. J. CSfSBx, Charles«.
S Mlcclili to fitatra, f olita, anil
COURT CALENDAR FOR 1854.
REVISED BY THE SOUTHERN RECORDER.
8 VPERI OH CO UR TS.
JANUARY. 4th Monday, Richmond
2d Monday, Chatham Muscogee
4th Monday, Richmond AUGUST.
FEBRUARY. 2d Monday, Clark
Ist Monday, Clark 3d Monday, Campbell
3rd Monday, Campbell Walton
W alton 4th Monday
4th Monday, Baldwin Monroe
Jackson Taliaferro
Monroo Marion
Marion Baldwin
Meriwether Jackson
Sumter Meriwether
Taliaferro Sumter.
MARCH SEPTEMBER
Ist Monday, Coweta Ist Monday, Paulding
Chattooga Coweta
Madison Madison
Morgan Chattooga
Paulding Morgan
2d Monday, Butts 2d Monday, Polk
Cuss Cass
Crawford Crawford
Elbert Butts
Greene Filbert
Gwinnett Greene
Harris Gwinnett
Polk Harris
3d Monday, Cobb 3d Monday, Cobb
Fayette Twiggs
Hall Fayette
Putnam Hall
Twiggs Putnam
Talbot Talbot
Columbia Columbia
Hart Hart
3d Thursday, Bulloch 4th Monday, Gordon
Monday after, Effingham Newton
4th Monday. Gordon Macon
Macon Washington
Newton Wilkes
Washington Clay
Wilkes Last Thursday, Rabun
Clay OCTOBER.
APRIL Ist Monday, Cherokee
Ist Monday, Cherokee Fulton
Fulton Murray
Randolph Randolph
Murray Warren
Pike Wilkinson
Warren Taylor
AVilkinson Tuesday after, Pike
Camden 2d Monday, Forsyth
Taylor | Whitfield
Thursday after, Rabun 1 Dooly
Friday after, Wayne *Habersham
2d Monday, Forsyth Hancock
Whitfield Montgomery
Dooly Laurens
Glynn Thrs uday after, Tattnall
Habersham 3d 3 ionday, Lumpkin
Hancock Worth
Montgomery Franklin
Laurens Early
Thursday after, Mclntosh Henry
and Tattnall Stewart
3d Monday, Lumpkin Emanuel
Worth a Jones
Franklin 1 Oglethrope
Stewart Pulaski
Early 4th Monday, Union
Henry Decatur
Jones DeKalb
Liberty Houston
Oglethrope Jasper
Pulaski Lincoln
Emanuel Seriven
Thursday after, Bryan Telfair
4th Monday, Union Catoosa
Decatur T 1 irsday after, Irwin
Dekalb Bulloch \
Houston M( nday after, Effingham
Jasper NOVEMBER.
Lincoln Is: Monday,
Seriven Kinchafoonee
Telfair Fannin
Catoosa Heard
Thursday after, Irwin Walker
MAY Upson
Ist Monday, Is Tuesday, Bulloch %
Kinchafoonee 2c! Monday, Bibb
Fannin Gilmer
Heard Chattahoochee
Walker , Baker
Upson ! Jefferson
2d Monday, Bibb > Dade
Gilmer 91 Monday, Spalding
Chatahoochee Pickens
Baker Burke
Chatham Camden
Dade Calhoun
3d Monday, Spalding Troup
Pickens J iday after, Wayne
Burke 4 h Monday, Glynn
Calhoun I ; Thomas
Troup Doughtery
4th Monday Thomas I Floyd
* Dougherty ijlmrsday after,
Floyd ' Mclntosh
Monday after Lowndes, llonday after, Lowndes
Monday af Lowndes, and Liberty
Clinch Thursday after, Bryan
Thursday after Clinch, llonday after Lowndes,
AVare. Clinch.
Monday after AVare, Thursday after Clinch,
Appling. AVare.
Wednesday after, llonday after Ware,
Charlton. Appling
Friday after, Thursday after
Coffee. Charlton
JUNE. Triday after, Coffee
Ist Monday, Jefferson DECEMBER.
2d Monday, id Monday, Lee
Lee Carroll
Carroll 4li Monday, Muscoogee
*On the Ist and 2d ilondays in October next
(for one term only.)
f Fall Term, 1854.
\ After Fall Term 1854
Definition of n Gentleman.
The late and lanented Judge Tal
fourd, in the case if Wag vs. Kelson,
tried at the Bristo, England, Assizes
shortly before his sudden death, thus
defined the character of a gentleman:
The evidence pbved that the defen
dant, while in the theatre, had said to
the plaintiff, “Do not speak to me, I
am a gentleman, Und you arc a trades
man.” “Grentleijun,” said the learned
judge, “is a tem| which does notap
ply to any station but to the mind and
the feelings in evfey station. The man
of rank who demrtg himself with dig
nity and candof, and the tradesman
who discharges Ilis duties of life with
honor and integrity, are alike entitled
to it, nay, the kmblest artizan, who
fulfills the obli ations cast upon him
with virtue an| with honor, is more
entitled to the mane of gentleman than
the man who c Ddd indulge in offen
sive and ribald gjrnarks, however big
his station.”
The most Dim-.ult Ascent—Getting
ur ft subseripti’di.
I
EATONTON, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1854.
Select f flttrii.
GEORGIA.
Blessings on thee, Land of Beauty!
Sleeping in a sunny climo—
Blessings on thy. hills and Tallies—
I invoke them in my rhyme!
Far and wide my steps may wander,
Fairer scenes may meet my eyes,
But my soul will cherish ever,
Memories of thy glorious skies.
Northward ’gainst the quiet Heavens,
Thy blue mountain barriers rise,
And above thy foaming torrents,
Glow the Iris’ radiant dyes.
There Tallulah dashes madly
Through the sundered granite hills,
And a sense of awful beauty •
All the gazer’s being fills.
And Toccoa, haunt of fairies,
And Nacoociiee’s valley sweet,
Where the shining Chattahoochee
Stars and sunshine love to meet;
And Mount Yonah, soaring proudly,
Where the winds are pure and free,
AVafts a greeting on their pinions,
To his neighbor Cuhuaiiee.
Thine the Mountain Rock of Granite,
Rising mid thy fertile plains—
Nature’s everlasting watchtower,
Looking o’er thy wide domains;
Looking northward to the mountains,
Southward o’er savannas wide,
Where, through dark lagoons and marshes,
Flow the Altamaiia's ticlo.
Thine the lovely Forest City,
Bonayenture’s wealth of shade—.
Classic Athens—seat of learning,
And Augusta’s mart of trade;
Macon’s thine and fair Columbus,
And Atlanta’s busy streets,
And the pride of Rome the western,
Where Coosa’s tribute waters meet.
But thy proudest treasures, Georgia,
Are thy Sons, so brave and true,
And thy gentle, bright-eyed Daughters,
Who with love our souls imbue;
Thine the valiant and the lovely—
Manhood’s strength and woman’s charms,
And thy homes adorned by beauty,
Guarded are by valor’s arms.
Pisttllitneous.
FOR THE INDEPENDENT PRESS.
MY UNCLE SIMON’S PLANTATION;
OB
SKETCHES 0E SOUTHERN LIFE, &C.
BY ABRAHAM GOOSEQUILL, ESQ.
MY UNCLE SIMON.
“You are old, Father William, the young man cried
The few locks which are left you are grey;
You are hale, Father William, a hearty old man.”
— Southey.
I will devote this number to a de
scription of my Uncle Simon, who, as
I intimated in my last, is an excellent
old man. It is usual for an author to
give an exaggerated account of his he
ro, and so make him appear larger on
paper than any where else. Now, Ido
not flatter myself that I can make my
worthy uncle appear half so well in the
description I shall give of him, as he
would, could you see him with your
own eyes; and, should you ever have
the pleasure of his acquaintance, you
will be constrained to say, as Mrs.
Sheba did to Mr. Solomon, “the half
has not been told me.”
He is a “hale old man,” and “the few
locks which are left him are grey.”—
His age is almost seventy, and although
Time has bound such a heavy bundle
of years upon his back, he pertina
ciously refuses to bend under the load,
but walks as erectly, and with as elas
tic a step as he did nearly forty years
ago, when he marched to the sound of
the drum and fife to do battle against
his country’s foes. He was then about
thirty years of age, having married my
aunt Parmela in his twenty-fifth year,
by whom he had three children at the
breaking out of tlie war. After its close,
he settled down quietly upon his pres
ent plantation; and although he has
been several times called from his ru
ral retreat to serve his State in her leg
islative councils, yet most of his time
has been devoted to improving his
farm, so that, from small beginnings,
he has by prudent economy, added to
his possessions, until he is quite a weal
thy man.
Economical at first, from necessity,
he continues so, from choice; and he
is always giving wholesome advice up
on the subject to those around him. I
assure you, too, he is quite an adept in
the science he professes to teach, and
Adam Smith himself, would have lis
tened with pleasure to my uncle’s con
versation upon his practical notions of
economy; and, as to Prof. Way land,
my uncle’s elbow chair in the chimney
corner, can give out more wisdom in a
single hour about making and saving
money, than Avould emanate from the
aforesaid professor’s seat in a Aveek—
e ven though that seat be illuminated
with the wisdom of every political
economist from Smith doAvnwards.
- Numberless old horse-shoes, hung up
on trees and pegs, and old rusty nails
and buckles, Avith various such other
things too tedious to mention, stoAved
away in boxes and gourds, slioav that
Uncle Simon learned his notions of
economy in the school of “Poor Rich
ard,” a copy of Avliose Almanac he in
herited from his father, and Avliose dog
eared, greasy leaves, show that it has
been in use at least a century. “I pre
fer,” says Uncle Simon, “The Way to
Wealth ,” to any treatise I have ever seen
upon the subject of economy.”
Let it not be supposed that because
the old gentleman is economical, he is
parsimonious. “Parsimony and econ
omy,” says he, “are two very different
things.” Niggardliness is on one ex
treme and prodigality on the other.—
Economy is the golden mean. The mi.
ser is just as far from economy as the
spendthrift is. He refuses to lay out
a penny Avhich will bring him in a
pound, because there is one chance to
a thousand that he may lose the penny.
The parsimonious man gets gll he can
and shuts it up in an iron grasp; Avhile
the economical man gets all he can, but
holds it in a liberal hand to let it go
either to his own advantage, or that of
others.”
Speaking of a ‘liberal hand,’ reminds
me of my relative’s liberality, and real
benevolence. I never have seen a man
more humane; one Avliose heart Avas
more alive to the sufferings of others.
This good will extends, not only to
creatures of the human kind, but also
to brute animals, and even to reptiles
and insects. His neighbors upon Avhom
fortune has not lavished so much as
upon him, can testify to his deeds of
charity. But do not imagine that he
bestoAVS his charity upon umvorthy ob
jects. The idle and profligate find no
favor at his hands, and he only helps
those who help themselves. It Avas
but the other day a hale, hearty, stout
young man, came to his domicil asking
alms. After eA’-eing him for some time
from head to foot, and scanning with
much interest his sturdy limbs, he as
sured him that his potato patch needed
work just then, and if he would hoe it
over, he Avould give him fifty cents
per day, besides boarding him. The
beggar vanished speedily; and this
gave Uncle Simon an opportunity to
indulge in a tirade against gentleman
beggars in general, Avho, he says, very
much abound in this day, and have re
duced beggary to a science.
Ilis negroes are all Avell clothed and
fed, and you cannot offer him a great
er insult than by treating one of them
amiss. He regards certain of their
rights as inviolate as his oavh liberty.
I think I never saAV a man more vexed
than he Avas last summer, when a par
ty of school-boys violated the right of
property inherent in his man Sampson,
by breaking into his melon patch and
bearing off a number of prizes. He
Avent to the school-house, and made
complaint to the teacher with all that
testiness Avhich is wont to influence a
Avhole-souled man, Avlien the weak have
suffered a Avrong. The teacher Avould
have flogged the offenders, but my
benevolent uncle, seeing this, softened
down, and being speedily metamor
phosed from the prosecutor into the
advocate, obtained the boys’ acquittal,
upon the promise that the offence
should not bo repeated. Thus it is,
that his benevolence sometimes prevails
over justice, and the vicious often in
trude upon his good nature.
This goodness of heart makes him
very fond of seeing others enjoy them
selves. It is a favorite custom of his,
to have all his little negroes brought
before his door under the shade of a
venerable oak tree, Avith a large tray
of food from his kitchen placed before
them, so that lie may see them enjoy
themselves eating. 1 have already said
that his benevolence extends to brute
animals, reptiles and insects; therefore
all the horses, cattle, &e., on his plan
tation, must be kept fat and sleek.—
Their feeding is carried on under his
OAvn immediate supervision, and lie"
must see everything eat, or he Avill be
quite incredulous as to Avhether it has
been fed. Three times a day, morning,
evening and at noon, he makes his man
Sampson take a basket and go Avith him
to the crib, and fill it Avith nice, large
ears of corn to put in tlie horses’
troughs. Tiien, Avlien the cows, sheep,
hogs, &c., are to be fed, he must lie
present to devise Avays and means to
prevent the stronger from imposing up
on the Aveakcr. lie says that he is a
Democrat in the true acceptation of the
term, and does not believe in an aris
tocracy of strength, any more than an
aristocracy of Avealth.
He can’t bear to see any object on
his plantation lean. Every thing must
be flit. To such an extent does he ear
ly this notion, that even his rats must
be kept in proper plight. These ani
mals once became so troublesome, that
he adopted the plan of building his
cribs Avith the sills placed upon blocks
formed in the shape of inverted cones,
so that when the rats craAvled up these
blocks, they could not get off into the
cribs. This plan operated finely, and
he rejoiced to have gotten rid of these
soricine vermin, until one day, happen
ing in one of his empty cribs built up
on tlie old plan, liesaAV a score of ghost
like rats, so lean that they more re
sembled sliadoAVs than substances, cha
sing eacli other up and doAvn the raft
ers. They Avere so Aveak from a Avant
of food, that they Avere often compel
ed to stop and prop each other up, in
order to keep themselves from falling.
When they saAV my Uncle, they all
stopped and gazed at him so steadfast
ly, that the kind-hearted old man im
agined that he read in their eyes a pray
er to save themselves and helpless
young from the horrors of famine.—
The appeal was not to be resisted, for
he remembered the golden rule, “do
unto others as you Avould have others
do unto you,” and, accordingly, he had
the corn removed from one of his rat
proof cribs, into the one where he had
seen the famished vermin running up
and doAvn the rafters. Old David, an
ancient family slave, ventured to ex
postulate with him at the suggestion of
Cousin Aristides, Avho disliked very
much to see so much corn devoured by
the pestiferous gentry; but the old
gentleman placed David in the situa
tion of the rats, and asked him how he
would like to be famished to death.—
This appeal to the old negro’s heart, si
lenced, if it did not convince him.—
Since that time, all of my Uncle’s cribs
have been built after the old order of
architecture, so as to afford as much,
aid and comfort as possible to the rats.
The only means he noiv uses to destroy
these animals, is to keep a larger num
ber of cats than he did formerly—Avhich
he keeps so flit, hoivever, as to coun
teract much of their native hostility to
their prey.
Uncle Simon will not suffer the
SAvalloAvs in the chimney to be disturb
ed, and they build there Avithout any
molestation, and keep up a continual
chatter, much to the inconvenience and
annoyance of my Aunt Parmela, avlio
with all the help the screen and broom
can afford her, can hardly keep the par
lor floor clear of soot. The spiders
build about in the corners of the room,
and the house-maid has to pick an op
portunity when my uncle is absent, to
destroy these poisonous insects and
their webs. There Avas one large old
felloAV, Avho had spread his net in a
conspicuous corner of the parlor, whom
my relative regarded with a great deal
of interest, and would not alloAV to be
disturbed. He remained there for near
ly a Aveek, my Uncle’s affection increas
ing for him nearly all the time, until
one morning, he saAV a poor fly entang
led in his web, and devoured by the
monster. From this time, there Avas a
verv perceptible change in his feelings
towards his former friend the spider,
and one day at dinner, he discussed
with Aunt Parmela, the propriety of a
writ of ejectment against his spider
ship. After the meal Avas over, Cous
in Dorothy got up from table and Avent
into the parlor to see after Harlequin.
A shriek Avas heard, and Uncle Simon
sprang from the table to see what could
be the matter, and, on reaching the
spot, he found his golden-winged but
terfly, in the fangs of the spider.—
With utter indignation, he seized the
broom which the house-maid had
snatched up as she folloAved him, and
brushing the spider down, crushed him
with his foot, much to the discomfit
ure of Aunt Pamela’s floor, Avhich
Avas somewhat soiled by the reptile’s
entrails, For the balance of the day,,
all Avas gloom—Aqnt Parmela sorrow
ing over herparlor floor, Uncle Simon
penitent for acting so rashly, and Cous
in Dorothy, kind-hearted soul, weep
ing over the untimely fate of the poor
butterfly.
The other day I Avent into the libra
ry, and my attention Avas excited by the
buzzing of a yellow-booted dirt-dau.
ber. I examined to see where he Avas,
and finally found him building his nest
upon a splendidly bound volume of the
“Life and Writings of Washington,”
by Jared Sparks. Os course, I de
spatched the insect mason, and razed
his castle. About the time I had fin
ished, in came Uncle Simon, and rated
me soundly for my cruelty. “These
dirt-daubers, Abraham,” said he, “are
very troublesome, but I rank them as
Ido doctors and lawyers; evils that
can’t be remedied—at least Avithout
causing a good deal of pain and suf
fering.” Then he quoted to me the fol
lowing lines of the sensitive Cowper—
“l would not enter on my list of friends,
(Though graced with polished manners and fine
sense,
Yet wanting sensibility,) the man
AVlio needlessly sets foot upon a worm.
An inadvertent step may crush the snail
That crawls, at evening, in the public path ;
But he that has humanity, forewarned,
Will tread aside, and let the reptile live.”
I Avas in hopes he Avould go on Avith
the quotation, and justify me in the
sight of our squeamish poet. But not
so. He Avas for inflicting summary
punishment, and had no idea of pour
ing into my bosom tlie oil of justifica
tion of my deed. It Avas in vain that I
Avent over in my mind a continuation
of tlie quotation from Coivper—
“The creeping vermin, loathsome to the sight,
And charged perhaps with venom, that intrudes
A visitor unwelcome into scenes
Sacred to neatness and repose, the alcove,
The chamber, or refectory, may die.”
I say it was in vain that I went over
these lines to myself. I dared not re
peat them aloud, for this, so far from
changing my uncle’s Avill, Avould only
have irritated him the more. So, to
atone for my offence, and to avoid
farther scolding, I preserved a proper
silence under his reproof. In less time
than I have been in Avriting
this, he changed his tone, and asked
my pardon for rebuking me; Avlien I,
thinking that it Avas too trivial a circum
stance to make “much ado about noth
ing,” dexterously changed the subject.
I mentioned uncle Simon’s fondness
for seeing things eat, and also his super
vision of the feeding of all the stock.—
He sometimes seems disposed to exer
cise the function of quarter-master in
the poultry yard; and has had several
disputes with aunt Parmela about the
proper kind of food for the various
species of infant foA\ds. One morning,
very early, before aunt Parmela had
gotten up, he made Sampson getja half
bushel of shattered" corn, aiid pour it
to the poultry promiscuously. Now,
aunt Parmela had been in the habit of
feeding the young fowls Avith dough
and small hominy, contending that a
Avhole kernel of corn Avould choke
them. This happened several years
ago, and every Spring since then, Avlien
the old lady’s young chickens die of
the gapes, or her goslings , are killed by
the minks, she attributes their death to
the corn which uncle Simon gave their
progenitors years before, and accuses
him of murdering foAvls by tlie whole
sale.
I have not told you a tenth part
about my uncle, but I must bring this
number to a close. I wanted to give
you a formal introduction to him, by
relating to you a few of the sumvxa
capita, as Eneas said to Dido, of his
character ; but of these more anon.
*A term used on plantations for shelled corn.
Uses of Cotton.—Mr. Wallis no
tices, in the report of his visit to Ameri
ca, at the time of the New York In
dustrial Exhibition, that thenheapness
of cotton in the United States, as a
raw material, causes it to be used for
many of the purposes for which
flax and hemp are alone employed in
Europe. There was cotton sail-cloth
at our own great Exhibition in 1851,
and in the Exhibition at New York
there were very excellent specimens
of the use of cotton in tiie manufacture
of cordage and twine. Fishing nets of
cotton twine, woven on a loom, at
Baltimore, are stated to be quite equal
in every respect, probably superior, to
hand-made nets. Seamless grain bags
are another novel and important ar
ticle'of trade, and a company at Man
chester, New Hampshire, have one
hunched and twenty-gix looms employ-
lumbumuto*.
NUMBER 7.
ed in producing them. The inventor
of the seamless bag loom lias lately
patented an adaptation of the invention
to the Aveaving of cotton hose for fire
engines; and Mr. Wallis states that
there is no material escape of Avater
when the hose is filled, as the fabric
swells, and it is as perfect a duck as the
ordinary leather hose, and there is
no oiling required to preserve the elas
ticity. A perfect imitation of morocco
leather is produced by tlie application
of a preparation of gutta perch a to the
surface of plain Avoven or tAvilled cotton
cloth. The surface is corrugated in
imitation of morocco, and is colored
and varnished so as to present all the
external appearance of that kind of
leather; the elasticity is perfect, and
the cost less than one third that of mo
rocco. Mr. Wallis describes it as com
ing largely into use in tlie covering of
articles of furniture, and for carriage
linings. — London Times.
Origin of I Words and
Phrases.
“ He’s cut a Dido.”—lt is told in his
tory that Dido,'a queen of Tyre, about
eight hundred and seventy years be
fore Christ, fled from that place upon
the murder of her husband, and with a
colony settled upon the northern coast
of Africa, where she built Carthage.—
Being in want of land she bargained
with the natives for as much as she
could surround with a bull’s hide.—
Having made the agreement, she cut
a bull’s hide into thin strings, and ty
ing them together, claimed as much
land as slie could surround with the long
line she had made. The natives al
lowed the cunning queen to have her
way but when anybody played off a
trick, they said he had “cut a Dido”
—and the phrase has come to our day.
“He’s caught a Tartar.”—ln some
battle between the Russians and the
Tartars, who are a wild sort of a people
in the north of Asia, a private soldier
called out “ Captain, hold on there. I’ve
caught a Tartar!” “Fetch him along,
then !” said the captain. “Ay, but he
won’t let me!’, said the man; and the
fact was, the Tarter had caught him.
So when a man thinks to take another
in, and gets bit himself, they say —
“He’s caught a Tartar!”
“ Carrying the war into Africa.”—
In one of the famous wars between
Carthage and Rome, about two thou
sand five hundred years ago, Hannibal,
a Cathagenian leader, and one of the
most wonderful men of antiquity, led
his army into Italy, and for several
years continued to threaten the city
and lay waste to the surrounding coun
try. Scipio, a Roman general, saw the
neccessity of getting rid of Hannibal
and his forces; so he determined to
head an army into Africa, and threaten
Carthage, and thus make it necessary
for Hannibal to return home for its de
fence. This scheme had its desired
effect; and in all times this retaliating
upon an enemy, by adopting his own
tactics, is called “ carrying the war into
Africa.”
The term “Yankee” 's supposed to
have originated with the Indians, who
called the English Yongees, which came
at length to be Yankees.
“ Hoosiers.”—the people of Indiana
are called Hoosiers, and it is said to be
anabreviation of “Who’s here?”—a
question which used to be shouted
aloud by the traveller in that quarter,
when, amid the tall grass of the prai
ries he heard voices, or saw the
smoke of a log cabin, but could see
nobody.
“Suckers” is the disignation of the
people of Illinois, because, as it is said,
the Galena miners used to appear in
spring about the time the suckers,
a large fish of the West, ascended
the rivers.
“ Wolverine ” is the title of a citizen
of Michigan, because an animal of that
‘name resembling the raccoon, is com
mon in that State.
“ Buckeye ” is a tree resembling tin
catalpa and it is common in Ohio ; so
Ohio is called the Buckeye State, and*
the citizens Buckeyes.
“ Corn-crackers ” is the nickname or
the Kentuckians,* as a compliment to
the soil and climate, which furnish
the people with abundances of corn/
and appetites to devour it.
“John Bull” is the title given to
England and Englishmen, because it
is fancied that there is a surly, grum
bling manner about the people of that
country, which reminds one of a bull.
population and wealth.
Pennsylvania is called the “ Key
Stone State,” because of ifs central
position,
