THE ALAMANCE GLEANER
VOL 3
THE GLEANER
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Raleigh
EOAED
M. PER Dm
* J S Brown, Proprie
tor.
The table is surpassed 1 by no house in the
State. If you wish to \be .pleasantly, and
Comfortable located, stop at the National,
fronting the Capitol Square,
The National is located within fifty yards
4f the State House, it is the most convenient,
attractive and pleasant headquarters for
members of the Legislature in the city.
Terms are low' to suit the times, fare unsur
passed, attention and accommodations the
Best.
Saloon and Billiards
libaseinent. 'Two of the best Tables in h3
City, for the use ot guests, free of churgtf. 0
Dec. 13th. 1870.
John
G-REENSBORO, N. C.,
PRACTICAL AKEB
WATCH AIMU
JEWELLER
DEALEIt IN
VINE WATCHES, JEWELRY,
[ Sterling Silver, and Plated- Ware,
f INB SPECTACLJKS,
and every thing else in my line.-
Special attention given to the rcpaiKfig
and timing of Fiue Watches and Regulators.
I offer you every possible guarantee that
whatever you may buy of me shall be genu
ine and *u»t as represented, and •you shall
pay no more for it than a fair advanee on the
wholesale cost, Good* ordered ttball be fur
nished as low as If purchtu**! in person at my
couuter. I have made in the handsomest
manner,.
■* lr DUm«S4
"II kimrf.
•f*i«« Jewelry, aH
Silver Watch Caaea,
«M„ at*.
My machinery and other applianeea for
Staking the different parte- of Watches, is
perhaps the moat extensive in- the Plate, con
scquently I can guarantee that anv part of a
watch or clock can be*epiaced- with the ut
most facility,
nar I guarantee thar ray work will com
pare favorably in efficiency ar i finish with
any in the land.
. JOHN CHAMBERLAIN,
Watch Maker and Jeweler,
Greensboro, N ,
DR.W. F. BASON,
Dentist,
Would be pleased to attend the calls of al
in Alamance and adjoining counties who
appreciate the best condition of their Own
or CHILDREN'S TEETH.—
N. B. Communications through P.' O. a
Haw River, N. C., or otherwise will be at
tended the first opportunity WTeeth
extracted without pain (if best) and ABT.
"■"was on short
uiargee, very modeiate.
' Poetry.
A SUDDEN CUKB,
[From the St. Louis Timr*.]
A mclanchojv woman lay
in sickness on her bed,
And in a faint and broken voice •
To her sad husband said:
'•Dear David, when my earthly form
lias turned to lifeless Clay,
0 wait an' weep a little while,
Nor throw yourself away.
'"I know a woman kind and true,
On whom you may depend:
Ohl marry Aramiila Jones-
She is my dearest friend."
"Yes, Hannah, I have wanted l° n g
To speak of this before;
For Arannlla Jones an' I
Have iallred the matter o'er."
"Then you an' Aramiila Jones
Have been'too smart and sly;
1 teH you, David Wilkinson,
I'm not oS-goin' to die!''
J Her dark eyes flashed;- her strength re
# turned j
She left fier bed of pain ;■
A week had scarcely paosed away
When she was well again. »...
OliO TIMK DUeiJNQ.
[From the St. Louis Globe Democrat ]
The latitude of New Orleans has,
tor three quarters of a cenlurv, been
the theatre of more thriving duels
than any other part of the United
States. One of the most de&pei'ata
and sanguinary recontres that ever
took place there was in the winter of
1844, between Alcea La Branch, a
Creole planter aud politician.* aud J.
11. Iluston—a meeting that was ren
dered the more memorable by the ex
traordinary events that preceded and
inspired it. Tho.ugh the duel was
duly recorded at the time and has
been frequently referred to since,
there are some facts connected with
it which have never before been in
print, and which will be of general
interest at this time. The new lacts
refer particularly to the gentleman
who had the melancholy fate to fall
on "the field of houor," and were re~
lated to the writer by the eminent
surgeon, Dr. Warren Stone, who
staunched the death wound and bore
the corpse back to the city.
The origin of the fight was of a pos
litical nature. In December, 1837,
the State Legislature was in session,
and Alcea La Branch was speaker of
the House, lie was a gentleman of
pronounced ability, uI marked French
temperament, neivous, fiery, active
and enthusiastic. Though popular
witha majority of the members, he
had a number of enemies, aud these
were of the most implacable sort.
Auiong these latter was Col. John It.
Grymes,-ofPoint Coupee Parish, a
leadihg representative and influential
member on the Democratic side of
House. Between Grymes and La
Branch a feeling of the deepest hostil
ity'had grown up, and' more than
once during the session their hatred
of each other had almost culminated
in personal collisions. On several
occasions Speaker La Btauch was ac
cused of treating Col. Grymes with
palpable discourtesy while on the
floor of the House, and those who
knew both men considered a hostile
meeting inevitable. But the culmina
tion of the fued between the two
came about in a totally unexpected
way. and produced a'scene which' is
undoubtedly the most extraordinary
which ever happened in a legialas
tive hall in this country. One day,-a
moment after the S|»eaker had taken
his chair, and was in the act of calling
the House to order, Col. Grymes ap»*
peared in the hall and deliberately
walked down the main aisle, holding
n his hands two dragooiv pistols.
Arriving within fifteen feet of the
Speaker's chair, he quickly raised one
ot the pistols and fired at La Braneb
the ball grazing his scalp and clipping
off a lock of hair. La Branch ,• in
stantly drew a small pistol from his
pocket aud returned the fire, the ball'
going wide oft be mark and buying
itself in a desk, betore which a mem*
ber was seated. Grymes fired- a sees
ond time, and his pistol'having- only
one charge, La Branch retreated
through the door in the rear of Hie
Speaker's chair.' GTjmes followed in'
close pursuit, both parties making
tjeir way into Canal Street, the fash*,
ionable boulevard at that time as well
as uow. After Grymes was about
closing in on Iris fleeing foe, three
ladies, promenading the st reet, pass
ed before him, aud oue of them being
GRAHAM, N- C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2 1877
brief parley was held, in which prin
frigh'teucd by the evident peril that
surrounded her, screamed, whereup
on Grymes halted and La li ranch got
away. The next day Grymes was
arraigned before the bar of the House
and severely reprimanded for his con*
duct, and here tlta affair terminated.
Seven years afterwards, however,this
singular episode bore sanguinary
lruit* Thd campaign of 1841 was the
most exciting that had ever taken
place in tlio State before, and party
feeling ran high. In the Fourth Con
gressional district, Gen Placide Bos
sier was the Democratic namiiiee for
Congress, afnd Atefca I/a Branch the
Democratic candidate in the Second
District. Bossier was a noted duels
ist of his time, aud several years bes
fore had.inet Gen. Gainnie, a distins
guisiied AVhig leader, in an encount
er with rifles. During that caiugaign
J. H. Huston was editor of the Baton*
Rouge Gazette, a journal ot strong
Whig proclivities. In an editorial
reference to the various Congress'ion
a) nominations throughout the State,
Huston spoke of Gen. Bossier as hav
ing been nominated lor his "prowess
in battle," and of La Branch as hav
ing been selected for his "skill and
ability in retreat," meaning in Ihe
latter case the encounter seven years
previously between Grymes and La
Brauch. La Branch was very much
Incensed by 1 the offensive allusion,
and, taking a friend with him, at
once proceeded to Baton Rouge to
deinaud satisfaction of Huston.
When lie arrived at Baton Rouge lie
learned that Huston had just left
or Mew Orleans. Returning to the
city, La Brauch ascertained that Ilus
ton was a guest at tho St. James Ho
tel. on Magazine street,' He proceeds
ed without delay to the hotel, and in
quired for Iluston. The latter was
in the billiard room, engaged in play
ing a game ot billiards. La Branch
walked up to him, aud asked:
"Are you Mr. Ilufeton?"
" Yes, 6ir."
"Ot the Baton Rougo Gazette?"
"Yes, sir."
" Well, then," replied La Branch,
"I am Alcea La Branch, and I give
you this lor your owardly slander,'
at the sane time striking Huston with
a heavy walking cane, and felling
hi in to the floor. He struck a half
dozen blows,and Huston was taken
to his room in insensible condi
tion. Huston was seriously injured,
and needed constant medical atten
tion lor two weeks. At the end ol
thi*e weeks lie sent lor a frictui. and
though very weak from his severe
beating, announced his determination
to challenge Lit Branch without des
lay. The challenge was delivered
that day, and immediately accepted,
La Branch choosing double-barreled
shot guus, loaded with single balls,as
the weapons, and named the distance
of forty feet.
The terms were promptly acccplcd
by Huston, and 011 the following day
the combatants, with surgeons see*
onds, and a halt dozen Iriends each,
repaired to a dense grove of live oak
trees on the Gentilly road, three
miles from the city—a spot that had
long been'tortious tor the number of
noted duels fbught there, lu the
assault made upon him by La Branch
Huston had received every blow ot
the ponderous cane 011 his head, and
bad several bad scalp wounds from
Which he was suffering severely on
(he day of the duel. His friends and
Dr. Stone, his physician, had advised
to delay a settlement of the matter
uutil ho had regained his strength,
but Huston was impatient lor satis
faction, and would brook no delay.
Though ot Northern birth he was as
excitable as the typical Southerner,
being even more nervous aud untam
able than his Creole antagonist. The
party arrived on the field about an
boor by sun, aud at ouce measured 08
tbe'gjfound and placed the parties in
position, La Branch gettiug the
choice.- Both men were highly exci
ted andmanifestly animated by an
intense hatred- ot each other. La
Braneh was,-perhaps, the coolest of
the two, and bad the advantage o f
being id splendid physical trim, while
bis antagonist was pale and thin from
tba recent assault and confinement to
bis bed. La Branch was also an ex
cellent shot with the weapons be bad
selected, while Huston knew nothing
about handling a shot-gun, though
he was a good pistol shot. Within
ten minutes after arrival on the
ground the duelist had been placed
the weapons loaded, aud one round
fired. Neither shot took eflect. A
cipals, seconds and friends 011 both
sides demanded another shot, and
the weapons were accordingly reload- j
ed. The second shot was fired with
out resulr, as wore the third, lourth !
and fifth, all parties demanding at |
the pan leys between shots that the |
fight should proceed. At the sixth j
exclmnge La Branch's ball passed
through /Alston's hut, and the blood
was seen to trickle down' his forehead
and over his lace. It Mas only a
blight abrasion of the skin, and llns
ton excitedly exclaimed: "I demand
another shut! 'to which his seconds
readily consented. As tho surgeon
wiped tho blood from Huston's face,
the hattei said; "lie will finish 111 c
next time. I know it." The uninis
tiikabh excitement ot Ilustoli seem
ed to have a calming effect 011 La
Branch, and as he took his position
for the seventh shot, lie handled his
gun with the air of a man confident
of his game At the word Huston
fired, without effect, while Lit Branch
who had gotten the range of his ans
tagonist, took slow and steady aim,
and as he fired Huston reeled aud fell
full ou his fafte. In a moment he was
in the arms of Dr. Stone, who tore
the shirt from his bleeding bosom, and
staunched the flow of blood wfth Ids
hand, lie was shot directly through
the lungs, and was already gasping
tor breath. He was tenderly lifted
and taken to a carriage fn waiting,
and held iu the arms of Dr. Stoue,
and driven carefully to the city. He
was dead before the carriage proceed
ed a half a mile. He neyer spoke afs
tor tho fatal shot, aud died almost as
quickly as if he had been shot through
the heart. His body was encased 111 a
splendid coffin and sent to his friends
in Baton Rogue, where lie was buri.
ed.
Huston was a native ot tho State ol
New York, His tat her had emigrated
there from the South, and though he
spelled h's name differently: was a
near relative of the distinguished Sain
Houston. As an illtistnn ion ot how
often men fail to practiso "what they
preach, it is a notable lac' that Huss
ton hud always been violently opposed
to dueling, and had frequently de
nounced it personally and through
his newspaper, as a relic of barbarism
and a custom unworthy of the Chris
tian age. And yet ho lived to be a
challenger himself, and the victim of
a folly he had so often deprecated.
111 a conversation with his surgeon,
bet 01 e proceeding to tlie battleground
Huston reiterated- his conviction g
concerning dueling, but stated that
there weie certain imperative and
overwhelming reasons that impelled
hiir to seek such a vindication iu
that instance One of the reasons is
believed to be the fact that he Was
engaged to be married to a beautiful
young lady at Baton Rogue, who
would have scorned the consummation
ot an engagement with a wooer who
would fail to exact satsfaction under
the code. The night before the duel
Huston wrote, scaled and addressed
a letter to this young ludy, and in it
stated that he had a promonttion of
his death. He also stated to 'his
surgeou while on tho way to the field,
that he had a presentiment of death,
aud expected to be taken back a
coypse. He aonsidered it a fatality
thin shot-guns had been selected as
weapons. His choice would have
been dragoon pistols or short swords,
and from his acknowledged skill with
these weapons the opinion prevailed
that, had either been selected, the re
sult would have been different. Huss
ton was quite a small man, aud iu
110 way the physical equal o! La
Branch.
TIIE VAXKEK AID PIBITE,
Tbcre lived many years ago, on the
eastern shore of Mouiit JJcsert, *
large Island off the coast ot Maine, an
old fisherman by the nauie of Jeiledis
ab Spinnet, who owned aechoouer o*
some hundred tons burden,-in which
be, together with four stout sons,was
wont to'go-about once a year to the
Grand Bank for the purpose of catch
ing codfish. The old man bad five
things about wbich he loved to boast
—his schooner, Betsy Jenkins, and
bis four sous:
The four sour were ail that their |
father represented thelnto be, and no
one ever doubted his word wheu be j
said that their like was not to be j
found for fifty miles around. The j
oldest was twenty-two, while the i
youngest bad readied bis sixteenth
year, and they answered fo the names
ofSeth, Audrew, John %ud Sam
uel.
One morning a stranger called up
on Jedidiah to engage him to take to
Havana some iron machinery belong
ing to steam engines foV sugar plan
tations. The terms were soon agreed
upon, mid the old man ami his sons
immcdralely set about putting the
machinery on bbnri. That accouis
plished, they set sail for Havana with
a fair wind,- and for several days pro
ceeded on thvir journey without an
adventure of any kind. Ouo morus
iug, howover, a vessel was descried
oft the larboard quarter, which with
601110 hesitation, the old man pro
nounced to be a pirate. There wus
not much tirno allowed thein tor
dcubliug, tor the vessel soon saluted
them.with not a very agreabie
zing of an eighteen pound shot under
their stern.
"That means for us to heave to,"
remarked the old man.
"Then I guess we had better do it,
hadn't we?" said fcelh.
"Ot course "
Accordingly -Betty Jenkins was
brought, up into the wind and iier
main boom hauled over to wind
ward.
"Now, boys," said (he old man, as
soon as the schooner came to a staud,
"all we can do is to be as cool as pos
sible, and trust to God. There is ti'o
way that I can see now, but perhaps
if we are civil, they will take such
stuff as they want and then let us go.
At any rate, t!:ero is 110 use crying
about it, for it can't be helped. Now
igct your pistols and see that they are
surely loaded, aud have your knives
ready, but be sure to hide thorn, 60
that the pirates shall s:c no signs of
resistance."
In a few moments all the arms that ]
the schooner afforded, with the exs
ception of one or two old muskets,
were secured about the persons of
our Down Easters, and they quietly
awaited the coining of the schooner.
"One word more, boys," said the
old man, just as tlie pirate came
round under her stern. "Now watch
every motion I make, aud be ready
to jump ths moment I speak."
As Captaiu Spinnet ceased speak
ing the pirate luffed up uuder the
fisherman's lee-quarter, aud in a mo«
inent more the latter'a deck was
graced by th ) presence of a dozen of
as savage-looking mortals as eyes
ever looked upon.
"Are you captain of this vessel?"
asked tue loader of the boar Jers a*
he approached the old man.
"Yes, sir."
' 0
"What is your cargto?"
"Machinery for steam engines. ,r
"Nothing else?" asked the pirate,
with a searching look.'
At this moment Captaiu Spinnet'g
eye caught what looked like a sail
off to the south'rd aud east'rd, but
not a sign betiaved the discovery,
and, while a briliant idea shot
through his mind, he hesitatingly
replied:
'-Well, there is a little something
else."
"Ha, aud what U it?"
"Why. sir, p'raps I hadn't ought to
tell," said Captain Spinnet, counters
fcitiug the moat extreme perturbation.
*'You sec, it wa* given to me as a sort
of trust, an' it wouhhi't be rigbt fur
me to giro it up. You can take any
thing elso you please, for I'can't help
tnysell."
"You are an honest codger, at any
rate," skid the pirate. '*but it you
wauld live ten minutes longer, just
tell me what you've got on board,
aud exactly the place when; it
lays."
The sight of a cocked'pistol brought?
the old man to his senses, aud iu a
deprecating-tone be uttered:
'-.Don't kill me,-sir. don't; FH tell'
you all. We've got forty thousand
silver dollars nailedup in boxes just
for'ard o' the cabin bulkheadbut
Mr. Defro didn't suspect that any
body would have thought of looking
tor it there."
'Perhaps so, 5 chuckled' the piraltf
while bis eyes sparslcd with' delight.
Aud then*turning to Ms own vessel
be ordered all but three of bis men
to jump on board the Yankee.
lu a lew minutes tbe pirates had
taken off the hatches, aud. in tlie'r
haste to get at the 'silver dollars,'
they forgot all else, but not so with
1 Spinnet. He had his wits at work,
aud no sooner had the lust of the
vidians disappeared below the
hatchway than he turned to his
boys'
NO, 30
♦Nc w, boys, tor your live*.- Seth,
you clap jour knife across the fores
throat pcnk-hulyards, and yod, John,
cut thd main. He quick, now, rfu'
the moment you have done it jump
aboard the pirate. Andrew and Sam,
you cast off the pirate's grappling,
and then you jump—then we'll walk
into them three chaps aboard the
clipper. Now for it:
No Boouncr were the last words
out of tho old mail's mouth than his'
sons did exactly as they were direct*
ed- The tore and halyards were cut,'
aud tho two gropplings cast off at the
same n&taut, and as the heavy gaffs
come rattling down our heroes leaped
ou bbard the pirate. Tho moment
the clipper felt at Kberty her head
swung off, auti before the astonished
buccaneers could gain the deck of
the fisherman their own vessel nearl'v
a hall a cable's length to' the leeward,
sweeping gracefully away before thu
wind, while the three meu who had
been left iu charge were easily se
cured. „
'Hallo, there!' shouted Capfaiu'
Spinnet, as tho luckless pirates
crowded around the leegangway ot
their prize,'when you jet thorn 'ere'
siiver dollars, just let us know, will
you 1*
Haif a dozen pistol shots was all
the answor the old man got, but they
did not barm; aud crowding on the
sail, be raado tor tho vessel he h«f
discovered, which lay dead to lees
ward ot him, aud whhih he uow made
out to be a laHge ship. Tho clipper
cut through the water like a dolphin,-
aud iu a short space of time Spinnet
luffed up under the ship's stem, aud
explained all that had happened. The
ship proved to be an East ludianmau
bound tor (Charleston, having thirty
men ou board, a portion ot whom '
jumped ou board the clipper aud offer*
ed their services iu helping to take tho
pirates.
Betore dark Captain Spinnet was'
ouce uioro within hailing distance ot
his own vessel, aud raising a trumpet
to his mouth ho shouted
"Schooner,- ahoy !* Will yon quiet
etly surrender yourselves prisoners it
we come op board?"
"Come aud try ill" returned the
pirate eaptain. us he brandished bis'
cutlass above his head iu a very
threatening manner, which seemed to
indicate that l.e would fight till the
last.
But this was Ids last moment, for
Seth crouched below the bulwarks,
taking deliberate aim along the barrel
of a heavy rifle, aud as the bloody
villain was in the act of iuniiug to
his men tho sharp crack of Seth Spins
net's weapon rang ids death peal,
and the next moment the pirate caps'
tain fell back in the arms of his mate
with a brace of bullets through bis'
heart. ■ > . .. . ,
"iVow," said the old man, us he
leveled the long pivot gun aud seized
a lighted match,"l'll give vnu j nßt r
five minutes to decide in,-aud it yon
don't surrender V J! blow erery
one of you into the other world."
Tho death of their captain brought
the pirates to their sense#, and they
threw dowu their weapons.
In two days troin that time Captaiu
Spinnet delivered his cargo safely in
Havana, gave the pirates into the'
hands of tho civil authorities, and'
delivered the clipper up to tho gov
ernment, 111 return for which lie re
ceived a sum of money sufficient lor
independence for the remaiudor of
his lite,as well as very haudsome mcd
al from the Governor,-
UOW LIQUOK* ABK HI A 08,
At the teceut meeting of the Amer-'
ican Temperance Union in Cooper
lnsliti te, New York, Mr. KM Joliu
son said: "Two rears ago a proms
inent wine importer died in Ibis city.
Among his books no tecord ot a single
invoice of wine was found, but in hi*
cellar machinery tor making it wa*
discovered. There are beer factories .
which can make beer in fifteen min
utes. without a panicle of hop or
malt. 1 had heard that drummers of
liquors no longer carried around
samples of liquors. They took a box
of drugs instead, from which to man
ufacture their wine. For a long
time 1 tried to obtaiu a similar box,
but failed to do so. Finally a young
physician committed suicide,'induced
by the u»o of poisonous* liquor.
Among i-is effects were found one ot
tbese sample cases.- Here it is." The
lecturer shewed a black liu box, in'
jvhieti wete several bottles containing
colored liquids.' He continued: "In*
tbisr box were essential oils for MiUkv
ing eight'kinds of brandy. six kinds
of whiskey, four ol gin and- two ot'
wine. Eaclt of these bottle* is guar
antced to make tweuty gallons' of
liquor. There is a house in tbis city
th?t aianufactnres these articles.
This bottle of oil made by litem con*
talus material for twenty rations ot
French Brandy. They also issue a
book of directions," winch lie showed,
'•which specifies oue hundred differ*,
cut oils by manufacturing drinks. Ail 1
are made ot different parts ot alcohol,'
water, sugar, tartaric acid and other
deleterious ingredicn s, together with
| the essential oil. The oil is the only
change made iu anV of them. This
■ bottle is guarrauteed to make twenty*
1 gallons of port wiue. It i& what
, physicians order for uck pco
[Pie.
Q