•yisirrirfman
VOLUME III
OXFOKL), N. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUAEY 17, 1877
NUMBER 3.
:xoTiiiiN«.
I askf*tl a lad wliat he was doing ;
“Nothing, good sir,” said he to me.
“ I^y nothing well and long pursuing,
Nothing,” said I, “you’ll surely be.”
I asked a lad wliat he was thinking;
“ Nothing,” quoth he, “ T do declare.”
“ Many,” said I, “ in taverns drinking,
By idle miuds were carried there.”
There’s nothing groat, there’s nothing Muse.
Which idle hands and minds supply :
Those who all thouglit and toil desiiisc,
Merc nothings live and nothings die.
A thousand naughts are not a featlier,
When in a sum they all are brought;
A thousand idle heads together,
Are still but nothings joined to naught.
“THE SWEET SEUENITF OF
HOOKS.”
Wli.at fellowship have we not
all found in books ! When otlier
pleasures fail, when life disap
points, when ill health haunts us,
we return to their perhaps long
neglected companionship, and we
meet with thorough geniality.
When we are fatigued, they re
fresh us ; when we are ill, they
amuse us; when we are hurt b\^
man’s ingratitude, thej’ draw u's
away from ourselves and our
rights. They do not interrupt or
contradict us, while they afford
much ot the pleasure of conver
sation ; and though the opinii ns
or thoughts advanced in a book
majf not chance to coincide with
our own, we are not offended bv
them. Moreover, we are not
obliged to listen to them when we
iire not in the humor, in which
respect they liave an advantage
over the most delightful talker in
the world. We can shut the
book up when we feel inclined ;
the talker is not so easily disposed
of. We can even take the liberty
of falling to sice]) over its pages ;
and what talker on earth would
wink at such an indignity—would
gather up the broken threads,'
when wo [deased to awake, and
))urBue subject with unruffled
(■o’ii))osure
delights us we forget that tlie seat
is uncushioned, tliat the day is
stormy, the purse lean, the cup
board empty ; fact is dotiironed
by fiction or fancy for the nonce;
and we are never alone, but sur
rounded by a cloud of witnesses.
What an endless resource do
books offer to those tvhose ways
and means are too limited to ad
mit of the expensive entertain
ments of society, the play-liouse,
or the concert-room ! What
teachers ef manners they are, and
how stimulating to the'faculties !
And yet some people pretend to
despise them, and speak of them
with the contemjjt duo to some
explored method of enlightenment,
to some pretentious folly.—Bazar.
AMEKICAN SIL,.4A'G.
! f A book is a disem
bodied thouglit, and we do not
co-nae into collision with the
personality of the writer, as we
are apt to do witli that of the
speaker;: and thus, if our own pet
ideas are impugned, the attack
does not savor ot malice nor
arouse resentment. Who does
not recall the first volumes of his
youth with something like a
transport of remembrance 1 And
wliat renown would not that book
achieve which should produce the
same effect upon the mature mind?
What inexhaustible rielies did
net the fairy-books of that period
©pen to our young imaginations,
wherein we saw the minarets of
Bagdad shine, and heard the Ti
gris murmur, and the bulbul trill,
and all the barbaric: splendors of
the East were unfolded! To
those whom ’’circumstances detain
at the chimney-corner, what a
boon and enlightenment is the
book of travels which carries them
awaj' from their prosaic experi
ences into enchanted regions,
opening their minds to a thousand
marvels, widening their sphere of
thought, narrowing their pi-edju-
dices, and acquainting them with
a world beyond their boundaries!
Who does not remember stolen
half hours at some favorite tryst
which have solaced us for days
spent in uncongenial tasks ? In
the company of a book which
The richness and variety of
American slang is remarked upon
bj’ almost all English travelers,
who, liowever, might find at home,
in the language of high-born peo
ple, departures from purity quite
as frequent and as great a's tliose
prevalent with us, altliough per
haps not so gross; for it must be
confessed that most of our slang
is coarse and offensive, at least in
form. But the most remarkable
American peculiaiity in regard to
slang, or indeed in regard to any
new fangle in language, is the
quickness with which it is adopt
ed, and comes, if not into general
use, into general knowledge.
This readiness of adaptability to
slang may, liowever, be attributed
almost entirely to the reporters
and correspondents, and ‘make-s-
np’ of our newspapers, who catch
eagerly at anything new in
phraseology as well as in fact, to
give temimrary interest to tiieir
ephemeral writings. Here, for
example, is the word “bull-dose,”
the occasion of our remarks. A
man who went on a journey to
South America or to Europe "four
months ago would have departed
in the depths of deplorable ig
norance as to the very existence
©f this lovely ivord ; returning
now, he would find it in full pos
session of the newsnapers—ap
pearing in correspondents, in re-
ports in sensation headlines, and
even leading articles; Although
to the manner born, be would be
puzzled at the phra.seology of the
very newspaper which mingled
itself with his earliest reccollec-
tions and with his breakfast, for
there he would find the new word
in all possible forms and under
all possible modifications: bull
doze, the noun ; to bull-dose, the
verb; bull-dosing, the present
participle ; bulldosed, tiie past par
canisms” is full of words of this
kind —^ locofoco, for . example —
whicli lived tiieir short lives, and
pa.ssed not only out of use, but
out of memory. While tlioy are
ill vogue, however, they deform
our speech, and they tend to in
crease our habits of looseness in
language, and they bring reproach
upon us such as that with an al
lusion to which we began tins
item. For our reputation's sake
we should stop still; it subjects
us with some reason to ridicule.
But we shall not stop, because
the men wlio could stop it—tlie
editoiy—will not do so. Very
few newspapers in the country—
only two or three—are really
edited as to the language used in
them; and as to slang of this
sort, it is regarded as something
pleasant to the ear of the average
reader, who is supposed to think
it funn^-—The Galaxy for January.
AN ESiljS.«Ai;X HOUSE, OK
HUT.
ticiple; and even,, to the horror
of the author of the “ Words and
their Uses,” and in spite of him,
being bulldozed, “ the continuing
participle of the passive voice.”
Such a phenomenon in language
is peculiar to this country. But
notwithstanding the fears of the
purists and the philosophers, it
does not threaten the existence of
the English language here, nor is
it at all likely to affect it perma
nently even by the addition of
one phrase or word. For our use
of slang of this kind is the most
fleeting of temporary fashion.
Such slang passes rapidly into
use and into general recognition,
and passes as quickly out again.
Barlott’s “ Dictionary of Ameri
One would think that, cold and
dreadful as the Arctic regions are
known to be, the inhabitants
would need every comfort that
could be imagined in the way of
a house. But. no. The first
thing the Esquimaux does in his
house building is to clear away
the snow and ice from a spot of
ground of the riglit size for his
house. This lie makes as smooth
as he can, leaving one end a little
higher than the otlier. The high
er end is to serve as parlor and
bed room; the lower as work-shop
and kitchen. Around this cleared
spot of earth blocks of liard frozen
S low are laid in such a fashion
that they form a low round roof,
resembling in sluqje the half of a
hollow ball. By way of a tvin-
dow, a small square of rathar tliin
and clear ice is set into the
wall.
On the side of the house least
exposed to wind is a long and
low ])assage-way leading to the
open air. This passage is so low
that the inmates of tlie house
have to crawl through it on then-
hands and knees. The door is
only a loose block of snow.
These huts do not appear to be
very charming res’dences, but
there are two good things about
them. One is that the high winds
of that desolate region cannot
possbly blow a hut over, though
they may bury it in snow; the
other good thing is that no one
hut can be lived in longer than a
season. The poor Esquimaux
are, unfortunately, a very dirty
people, and if they live ever so
long in one house they would
neverclean it. Bntthe snow-house
finally cleans itself in the most
thorough manner, for so soon as
the w'arm days of Summer come,
it melts away, and its inmates
must set about building a seal
skin tent that will shelter tliem
till Winter comes again.—St.
Nicholas for January.
on credit, and the questions ; f
pa3’ments are matters tiiatlie carts
but little about. But wliat a crop
of trouble springs up from tlie
seed of debt. How many grav
liairs it brings, and liow often it
shortens life, sometimes leading
men to commit suicide or murder.
iViid 3-et how easy it is to keep
clear of this terrible monsteiv
Every young man should form a
fixed and nrialterabls determina
tion, before commencing his active
business career, not to incur one
penii3' of indebtedness, under an3’
circumstances. Never buy any
thing unless 3'ou have the 0101103’
to pa\’ for it at once. Pa3’ im
attention to the “sjilendid oppor
tunities,” “rare clnuices,” gain,”
and the like. Such are 01113^ traps
set to catcli victims. If von s ©
anything that you would' like to
have, look first at 3’our mone3’,
and make the answer depend upon
that. Always pay as you go. If
you are short of mone3’, guage
3mur demands accordingly.-
Church Union.
THE TKAOE WINDS.
The eartli turns on its axis from
west to east, and with its rotates
dailv’ the enormous envelope of
tlie atmosphere. The velocity of
rotation at the equator is some
thing over 1,000 miles an hour ;
at thirty degrees distance in is
about l;j0 miles an hour less. In
higl ler latitudes it is still less;
and tlie poles nothing. Therefore,
whenever the air moves north
and soutli on tiie surface of tlie
earth, it will carry wiili it a greater
or less velocity of rotations tliaii
the jihices it pa.sses over, and will
turn into an easterly or westerh'
wind accordingl3' as it approaches
or rec ;eds from the equator. In
the region of the sun’s greatest
heat, the air, rariliedand lightened,-
is continnall3’ rising, and cooler
currents come in on both sides to
take the place ot the ascending
volume. As these side-cnirents
come from a distance of about
25 degrees from the equator, they
Iiave, at starting, an eastern ve
locity maii\’ miles an hour less
than the localities the3’ will
eventually reach. Consequently
tiie}' will appear to lag, behind
in all tlie course of their progress
to the equator—that is, they will
have a westerly motion united
with their north and south move
ments. Tliese are the great
trade winds, blowing constaiitl}-
from the northeast on this side,
and the southeast on the other
side of the equator.—Bopular
Science Monthly.
can not appear with tlie saim
liberality as formerly, will he sti
think himself ]ia]i])vin ^'oursoci
and instead of witlidrawing bin:
self from an unprofitable conne
tioii, take pleasure in professii
li-'mself your friend, and chee.
full} assist 3’ou to support th
burthen of 3’onr affliction f Wliei
sieknes sliall call' 3 011 to retir
from the ga}' and hms}’ scenes 0.
the world, will he follow 3-011 into
your gloomy retreat, listen with
attention to 3-our “tale of s3'inp-
toims,” and administer the balm of
consolation to 3’our fainting spirit?
and last!}', when death sliall burst
asunder every eartlily tie, will he
shed upon your grave and lodge
the dear remembrance of von
mutual friendsliip in his heart
A tr ie friend will do all this.
THF GIANT PEANETS.
In a recent lecture, Mr. Proctor,
the astronomer, taking for hi
theme “The Giant Planets,” dis
coni’sed on Jupiter, Uranus an
Neptune. _ The name, “Giai
I^laiiets,”^ is quite apjiropriati
101 the size ot J upiter is so ^re
tliat it would take 1,300 gTobi
the size of our earth to make 01
world as large as //icgiant plane
'Hie diameter of Saturn is nir
times greater than that of tl
earth, and that of both Urani
and Neptune is four times great
er.
Mr. Proctor said that the giai
planets are not in the same cond’
tion as the earth, but are bodie
in an entire!}’ different stage i
planetary life. In fact, they at
'tj’y ^ 3’oiing pli n its, growii
with intense heat, and preparin,
perhaps, to become one abode
of life. But, though the gian
plannets are not adapted for life,
yet Mr. Proctor thinks that the
satellities round .Jupiter mav be
suitable abodes- for living crea
tures, whose sun is the plannet
itself.
LIKE THE SWIE'T SHIPS.
A TISUE FKIEND.
KEEP OUT OE DEBT.
Half of the perplexity, anno}’-
ance and trouble, that men have
in this world, is in consequence
of getting into debt. It seems to
be natural for some people to buy’,
and incur obligations, without
measure, so long as they can
avoid paying ready cash. Give
one of this sort a chance to buy
Concerning the man yon c.all
3'our friend, tell me, will'he weep
with you in the hour of distress ?
Will he faithfully reprove yon to
your face, for actions which oth
ers are ridiculing and censuring
behind 3'our back ? Will he dare
to stand forth in y’our defense,
when detraction is secretl}' aim
ing its deadly' weapon at 3’our
reputation ? ' Will he acknowl
edge you with the same cordiality,
and behave to yon witii tlie same
frindl}’ attention in the compain'
ot your superiors in rank and for-
tune, as wdien the claims of pride
do not interfere with tliose of
friendship? If misfortunes and
losses should oblige you to retire
into a -walk of life in which von
How swiftly the mariner flies
ironi a threatening storm, or seeks
the port where he will And his
home. \-on have sometimes seen
the-ship cut through the billows,
leaving .a white furrow behindTer’
and causing the sea to boil around
her. So is life like the swift ships,
when the sails are filled by the
wind, and the vessel dashes on,
dividing a p.assage through the
crowded water. Swift are the
ships, but swifter far is life. The
wind of time bears me along. I
cannot stop its motion. I may
direct it witli tlie rudder of God's
Hoi}' Spirit. Like a swift ship,
my life speeds on its w.ay till it
reaches its liaven. Where is the
haven to be ? Shall it be found
in the land of bitterness .and
dreariness, that region of the lost?
Or shall it be tlie sweet- hay'en
of etermal peace, where not a
troubling wave can ruffle the
q^niesceiit gloiy of my spirit?—-
Spurgeon.
On a child being told that he
must be broken of a bad habit, he
n.aively replied," I'.ipa, hadn’t
i better be mended?”
None are so fond of secrets as
those who do not mean to keep
tliem; such persons covet secret!’,
as aspen dthrift docsmoiie}’, for the
purpose of circulation.—Colton.