Newspapers / The Orphans’ Friend (Oxford, … / June 9, 1875, edition 1 / Page 2
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.ME/ OKPilANlS’ FlilENl). JMsae ?>S«, iS'JG. HUPIBIK-JS. In tliese modern days tlie road to wealth has become so jdain, with all the ‘stumps and runners’ cleared out, and mile posts and sign boards ui)-at every fork and crossing, that it is really surpris ing that there should be any poor in the land. Take up any. nows- j)aper you will and you will find the mo”st flattering proposals for ‘flight and genteel*’ employment, with the very- highest remunera tion gurrantied, and all without captital on y-our part except, per haps, a few postage stamps, a ten cent or twenty-five cent shinplas- ter, or, at most, a few dollars, to be forwarded in advance for the necessary blanks and instructions. From two to ten dollars a day, or seventy-five to two hundred dol lars a month, is a mere bagatelle. It can be realised with scarcely any- exertion at all, and if one should be industriously inclined and push the business in a busi- nes.s way, there is no telling how nmcli may be realized. These delightful openings for making a fortnne in double quick time, witho-nt labor- or risk of cap ital, are excellent baits for gudg eons, and many- a one is enticed and caught by them. So fair is the bait and so numerous aird va ried the specious hooks its covers, that the only difficulty- with the fortune seeker would seem to be, to know which to bite at. We warn our readers not to bite- at any- of them, Ilut the agency Iitmubug i'» not the only one the- advertising col umns of the newspapers offer as an easy road to ease and’ a®u- enco on the labor s-avfng; dodge. Farmei-s and mechanics are offer ed daily- the, most wonder-wor-k- ing inventions for doing their work for them. Ca.tSElogiies of :\-aluablo money-making discove ries and inventions are as plenti ful, as blackberi-ies, or,, to ex press it more classically-, ‘Thick ,^s leayps upon iho brooks of Val- w,inBrosa.’” One proposes to fell iipw to make butter at four ceirts a pound. Another scheme pro- poses^ for a six dollar investment, to teaeli one to make frottxSi 1,000 , to $3t„0'0'0 a day ! 1 That’s better ■ than a California gold mine. And what is this mighty secret? Why- nothing more than to-make ‘split- scull’ and ‘forty--rod’ whiskey hy fhe skillful combination of a few poisonous-ikugs. One ‘scientific’ discoverer proposes,, for a consid eration, to reveal the secret for the destruction of pestiferous in- aeets, anotheu wants to sell, at a Iifgli figure, seeds, of ‘Japanese jreas’ that w-ill suffieieutly grease themselves in. Booking, without bacon or lard, and leave a ‘right smai-t skimming’- for soa.p grease. Wo advocate .agricultural, and niechaniciil' hnpi-DVoments and in ventions. JIany very valna-blo ones have been offered to- the jjublic. But we advise- the- rcader to be cautious in taking- hold of, and spending his money- for,, eve ry- liiglily puffed article ho m.ay- sec advertised and certified to, in . the flaming advertiseinonts in the ])apei-s, or so beautifully- delinea ted in colored pictures in the thousands of p.implilets and ‘al manacs’ with which the country hi flooded. Among the modorn humbugs, none are more sj)0(-ious iuid plaus ible Ibaa those,-of ‘cheap sewing machines,’' v.-onderfnl fertilizers, imiaoved seeds,, iuul the thousand and one shapes-in uifiich the |)at- e.it nisi! pp,-.si-’nt tl-cir pills and bitters, salves, lotions and potions. Tliore may be good in .all these things, but wo never tako the long list of friendly- cer tificates ofl'ered in their behalf as much eviilence of it. Don’t lay out your money for every highly pulf'ed humbug that conies along, but save it to purchase really- use ful .and meritorious articles. Ke- member that legitimate schemes, those which offer a fair iirospect of profit, don’t have to go bog ging all over the country- by means of circulars' and ‘liifalutiu’ advertisements ; there are plenty of persons ready to invest in any enterprise if common sense says there is profit in it. -a-iiia UKSvstiJSt-r'V. THE SKWSMH M,V€SUSE. patents for inventions, improve ments, modifications and new ar- raiigoments of the parts of sewing machines, reached, according to the Fatent Office lieports, nearly one thousand, and nearly as many- ^ -you will not go ajiplications have been rejected, without meeting or q’ffirty-se-ven patent.s wore issued seventy-two in 1858 and The Board of Trustees of the State University will meet in Raleigh on the ICth inst., for the election of professors and to at tend to other inattors requisite to commencing operations at Chapel Hill next September. At the last meeting of the Board a resolution was adopted appointing a committee, consist ing of Messrs. Kemp B. Battle, B. F. Moore, W. A. Craliam, Paul C. Cameron and John Manning, “to adopt such measures .as they may deem advisable for raising contributions for the use of the' University, on such conditions and limitations as may- be agreed on with the donors.” The following article from the News of the 4th inst., informs us lof the fiattering success the coin- iiiittee has met with in its labors up to that date, and also contains : a request from the chainnan of i the committee to which attention ' is directed: i “We learn from Mr. Kemp P. ; Battle, chairman of the conimit- jtee for raising contributions for tlie revival of the University, that iho finds the most gratifyinginter- , est taken in the subject, not only- among the sons of the Uiiiversi- it-v, bat all the friends of higher educatiou. He is sending sub scription papers out rapidly-, .and hopes soon to chronicle large ro- tiu-iis,. In a visit to Udgccombc last week, in a few hours he se cured oyer , S2,000, and Capt. Fred. Phillips, who is acting as lis agent, expects by- the 10th inst, to-raise the quota of Edge- comhe to 83,500 or 84,000. Thus far have been handed in, most of them volimtarily, two subscrip tions of 81,000 "each, jiftoen of 8500 eacli, one of 8300, four of 8250 each, one of 8200, seven of 8100 eacli; aggregating' about 812,000. All of those subscrip tions are pay-able in equal annual installments except one of 81,000, which is ill an eight per cent first mortgage—a first class security-. No publication will be made ot the subscriptions until after the 10th of Juno, Avhon the reports will all be in. Mr. Battle requests tli.at those who are willing to help the Uni versity-, to whom he may not send subscription papers will communicate with him at once.. lie further requests that news papers desiring to aid the revival of the University will please copy this notice.” This looks like putting- the University-' on its legs again, and we hope to see it enjoying, at an .early' day-, a degree of prosperity - beyond anything in the past. The First Uow.—The first -cow that ever grazed upon the t-erritory- now embraced within the limits of the United States, was bronglit fi'Oi-ii England to .Jamestown in Virginia, about the year KiO!). So says the Ilussa cti.'.sjtte rhicjlisiiui. Travel where you will in this fair.jand of,, qnrs—along the san dy plains or pu the nioimtaiu top —oil county- road or iieiglibor- liood mill path- 'many mile; overtaking a neatly- paiiited and splendidly- labeled sewing ma- cliino wagon. They go every where and the agents are so per severing in their efforts'to sujijily tlieir wares that, according to the newspapers,; they-, with insurance agents , and ' liglitning-rod 'nieii, have almost. beCoine . proverbial bores. There is one thing to be said in their favor, however, and tliat is, they have pushed their business'■ ivitil such success that' few families, able to purchase, are now to bo found without a sew ing niacliiiie, and we don’t think any family is any- worse oil for bnyiing one. Blit this has not been the case many- y-ears. There are now liv ing; m.any nnmarried females who deny the soft impeachment of be ing old maids, wlio can re member the time when there was not a sowing machine in all the country-—when the watch-dog never barked at a sewing machine agent from January- to December. The various inventions and im- proveiiientsin this indispensable adjunct.of -homss-keeping have lieen the work of a few years past. “Tlie introduction of the serving' machine, by which the slow and tedious process of hand sewing is so largely done away- witli, is due entirely- to American ingenuity- and enterprise.” It is true that some stejis in this direction were taken in England as early- as 11*55, wliiii a patiiit was granted -jjo Gharles E. Weis- senthal for a, machine for “an im proved method of embroidering.” This was simply- .a needle pointed at both ends with the ey-e in the middle, by- which it could be pushed through tlio faliric -with out being tuniCd, In 1770 a pa.t- ent v.'as granted to Hobort Alsop of England for the use of shuttles ill embroidery- for the p.urpose of securing the stitches. At various times,.from 1770 to 1851, patents were granted for improvements *011 the above, buf none of them contained the princi])lo of tlie m.a- chines -now in use ill this country, for joining so.ams- by a regular stitch. The - first American patent on sewing machines was granted, February 21, 1842, to James Greenougli, of Washington. This machine made what is called ‘the shoemakers’ stitch,’ and h.ad the eye in thq centre. In 1843 pat ents were granted to G. R. Cor liss and B. W. Bean. But these macliines''‘merely basted. The first practioahle' machine ever patented ;was that of Elias Howe, ,Jr., September 10, 1846, though it had lieen invon-ted and worked some years before, lie afterward considerably imiiroved his lirst in vention, but from some cause tail ed to excite sufficient attention to it, either in America or Europe, to eiuihle him to raise the ca.pital necessary to its general introduc tion. But he afterward received large amounts in way of roy-alty- 011 Ills invention from other pat entees, most of which, was ex hausted in law suits in maiiitain- iiig his right, so that he is. said to have died in comparatively- mdi- geat circumstances. Howe’s invention w-as the ho- giiming of an era of iiiventioiis and improvements in sewing ma chines, and. the muiibor has iii- 'croased* with each sncceoding ' vear, so tliat between the year " 1871 tUi' nmiiber of in 1857, the same number in 1859. The number averaged .about fifty each year until 1869, in which y-ear tlioy reacliod eighty'-elght. Many- of these patents have never been successfully brought before the public, .but a siitfieieiit number have for .all practical pur poses, , If the inventors, however, will only go on until they-, shall have perfected a machine with a hopper to it, in which the goods may be placed and the works ad justed to the particular size, &c., of the garment to be constructed, -with clock-work .attachment to run it, so that it will turn out a dress, sacque or wrapper while the “glide wife” goes to milk the cows, or fry the jiaii-cakes for dinner, they will, doubtless, reap a rich remuneration and have the thanks of all female Christendom Perfection in this lino has not yet been readied. Wliat a sad spectacle it is to see so many- of the boy-s of our country, growing up without -learning any- trade, or preparing for anv occupation bv whicii they- ma-v- make an honest .and inde pendent living when they come to bo men. Gur people depend too mncii upon chance, and for tuitous ciraiimstances for the means of livelihood, ignoring the fact that a man will generally sncceed best in that calling for which ho has jirepared himself by a course of study and training; For this st.ate of things parents are much to blame, and they- of ten entail .an untold amount of suffering np-on their offspring by- tlie foolish notions iustilied; -into their minds oven from early- sii- fanev, and the indulgence shown liiciii in allowing them to follow thoii- own inoHnaffioiis in what they- will or will not do. A- boy- baby is born and straightway- the -fond parents lnb him George IVashiiigton or Benjamin Frank lin, and their whole Course of his after treatment shows that it is only a matter of time for him to become the father of his country or to set about bottling lightning for medical and scientific purpo ses. Put him to plowing ! 0 no! that would cramp his genius. He is too muoli a jirodigy to learn to join planks or lay- bricks, and so, not knowing exactly what big thing lie is to do, he does noth ing in particular, but grows up in habits of indolence, amk, finding no country particularly in need of a father, and the supply of electricity on hand sufficient for all telegraphic purpose's, he con- tinuos to feed on “dad” .and waits for “something to turn up.” Fi nally, conscious shame at Ills own” woi'thlessiiess drives him to look lomid forsometliing like em- jdojment, and ffirding something o.asy and shady, he' pitches ir witlioiit the first previous (pialili- cation for the bu.siness and usual ly-'SHCcrciis in making afaibirc. Is the picture overdrawn Wo would fain hope-so, but can not believe it. Wo see too inaiiy y'ouths, whose parents are not sufficiently wealthy to insure ■ their sons and da.ugliters .against the necessity of-labor, growing up without acquirirg habits ofiir- diistry- and without any settled })urpOBB'iiT life, to allow the idea that we- have drawn tho- jiicluroi! in colors loo high. work: Ghod*!e some useful ofccu-' p.ation—sonie trade—and then sel about qualifying J’ourself for it; If afterward you find y-oii have a genius aiid talent for something higher, the ivorld will find it out and open the door for you to eii- ter'upon it. It is a shame and » disgrace for a man or a woman to get a living from the world and do iiotliing for the world to Jiay for it. And don’t depend npoii. making a living by- your wits alone, lest you fail , for want of capital. COJIl'Ili-SOKY JHimCATTOIV.'-. “I can’t read.” We hear this expression frequently- from full grown free white men, iv.ho fiiiyo' been raised, perhaps, in.. the iieigliborhood of school-houses^ and in a country where tivo spelling book,s can be bought for tlie price of one plug of tobaecd^ Wo don’t believe tliat more than one ill ten of those niiable to read, are devoidi of .that uecessar ry accomplisliiueiit. .because they- could not, but because they wovld 'Hot learn at tlie proper'ago, and nobody compelled them to do it.- Hence we are in favor of compul sory- education. Perhaps a largo majority- of children would keep from school and never look into a book, at least to study- it, unless’ they- were forced to do it, either by the loving persuasion or more potent arguiuents of their parents. But -wlleu parents, from igiisr- .aiice, carelessness or parsimony, fail to exert the' necessary influ ence over their cliildren to induce them to learn, there ought to bo some pow'er exercised over tlite jiarenfs to force thein to do what is so necessary- for the good not only- of the child, but of'tl'fe; c»i»-- muuity.alsp. And when there is no parent, then the State ought to become the giuirdian of tlio .child and attend to its-, welfare iiv this respect as it does.in taking care ®f its pi'Djierty, if it.has any ©cHcon M—-S Ifsaiycrs’ 'i.''- A yowig lady was t.afe&g a jile'a'.s'- ure walk, one sunmief day-, ill a deeply-shsded woodland, and be ing weary-, *!rt down to rest on at secluded Biessy- bank; near tko' summit ot a hill. Presently- she heard a voice, as of one engaged ill earnest conversation, and on advancing a step or two, she saw good Deacon M—coming leisure ly- up the hill, the reins hanging loosely over his horse’s neck. ‘What can ho be talking abouit so earnestly to liimself?’ she 1846 and thought; hilt directly she heard the voice of jirayer, and the word.s which God’s providence caused to be especially impressed upon her mind, were these ; ‘G Lord, have mercy upoii the dear y'onth of this place.’ ,. The good old! nian rode, .on ; but the- voice of pray-er was hoard after he had. disappeared if em. her -view- iii the depPai of the-forest;. The young la.d\- v-.-^as strucii;- with the thought,‘ ‘Is this the way GhristianS' go about rlio towns and mingle Vv-itli tlie ii'orld? Do they- pray- thus-for onr souls ?■ I have hardly ever pivay-ed for my own.’ From that day' and*hour she* began to pray-, and became her self the first fruits of a- glorious* revival. The good deacon’s pray-- or was answered even while it was- being offered. Don’t de.spise or treat unkindly a little boy- or girl just because, they- d'o'uot wear fine, clotnes, Tor’ many a-warm;, brave- heart; has* Gur advice lo'l been found v,-riipp;3d up in ragged' cerv'.g'irl "iid fcoy is, kairn to-, cl-jtlies-.
The Orphans’ Friend (Oxford, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 9, 1875, edition 1
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