Newspapers / The Blue Ridge Blade … / June 7, 1879, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Blue Ridge Blade (Morganton, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
' - i i . . - , x...,,.... ....... ; ' ; T : l ':- . " 4 ' mmmmmmm''''mmmmmi''mmmmmm Bi 1 7T1 - at .-, . BLADE. 1 JnLJlld VOL. IT -NO. 16. MORGANTON, N. C SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1879. WHOLE NUMBER 172: TEX OLD COUPLE. They sat in the tun together, Till the dy wu almost done. And then, at the close, an angel Stepped over the threshold alone. He folded their hands together, He touched their eyelids with balm ; And their last breath floated upward , Like the close' of a solemn psalm. -Like a bridal party they traverse The unseen mystical road ; Xhat leads to the beautiful city Whoae builder and maker is God. Peshi pwttu mlracTjjJouhtry, ' "r Thy will give h t lort youth back , And the flowers of a banished springtime, Shall bloom In the spirit's track. One draught of the living waters Shall restore his manhooi's prime, And eternal years shall measure - The love that outlives time. Bat the shape the? left behind them, The wrinkles and silver hair Made sacred to us by the kkses The angel imprinted there. We'll hide away in the meadow, When the sun is low in the west ; Where moonbeams cannot find them, Nor the winds disturb their rest But we'll let no tell-tale tombstone. With its age and date, arise O'er the two who are old no longer In their Father's house in the rkies. Who She Was.. "Hubby, dear," observed Mrs. Simpkins, mildly.-one morning after breakfast. Mr. Simpkins immediately put down his newspaper and rammed both hands deter minedly into his trowser pockets. Twenty years experience of married life had made him wily, and he knew that this bland form of address presaged a persuasive attack on his . pocket-book. When Mrs. Simpkins wanted money she addressed Mm as "hub by, dear;" inrtheir ordinary domestic inter course he was plain "Mr. 8." or "Simp kins." ' lcHubby, darling," said Mrs. Simpkins, "I really must have a new bonnet this spring. I'm quite ashamed to go into the street. Mr. Simpkins groaned. "I saw one at a Broadway store yester day," continued Mrs. S.; "a beautiful thing, so stylish and so cheap only fourteen dol lars." " "That's always the tune," blurted, forth Mr. Simpkins. "Here s corruption in every department of the Government ; silver worth only 98 cents on the dollar ; and but whatV the use of talking of economy to women ? ' Mrs. Simpkins arose, and passing over to her husband, flat down on his lap, and put her arms around his neck. I She was no longer young. Her cheek had lost some thing of its beautiful bloorm and her figure its girlishness, but there was in the action that 'which recalled to Mr. Simpkins the days of long ago, when he was proud to hold her thus, and when he would cheer fully havVpaid for a hundred bonnets a year if she had asked for them. , "My dear," he said, relenting a little, "do you know what $14 will buy ?" "Yes," she said, simply, "it will buy that bonnet." Mr. impkins sighed, and his pocketbook came slowly forth from his pocket. "There 1" he said, handing her the money; "I can't see the sense in a woman having so many bonnets. There's a whole barrel ful up in the attic now." i Mr. Simpkins arose with a gesture of im patience, and jamming on his hat, stalked down town to his business. He stopped on the way and bought a $12 box of cigars, and lunched that noon at a fashionable re staurant at an expense of $2.50; but, then, these things were necessities, and Mr. Simpkins did not have a barrelful of old cigars in the attic. Whether it was the remembrance of his ' wife's little act of girlishness that morning, or whether his heart was tinged with a slight feeling of remorse for his ungracious ness, Mr. Simpkins took his way home up Broadway that night -with warmer feelings toward womankind than he had known for a long time. In some way every woman he met appeared attractive a psychologi cal phenomenon which other men besides Mr. Simpkins have observed in their own experience. In fact there was scarcely a woman who passed him that afternoon whom Mr. Simpkina did not notice, in re spect either of eyes, hair, teeth or dress. "I declare," he said to himself, "I had no idea there were so many pretty women in New York." But when Mr. Simpkins reached 10th street there descended from a 23d street stage a vision of such perfect female loveli ness as made the heart of Mr. Simpkins fairly leap Into his throat. Clad in what seemed to him the most elegant and bewitch ; Ing of summer costume, and wearing the most piquant of hats, tied beneath the chin with a bow of cherry-colored ribbons, the long ends of which floated saucily over her shoulder, this celestial being tripped across the street to Stewart's raising her snowy skirts as she went, and displaying en pas sant an. ankle ufttcicntly bewitching to cause Hiram Powers in despair to smash to infinitesimal atoms all the graven images he had ever attempted to make. Mr. Simpkins stopped short ana gazea after her. ' He was no longer a young man, but the fire3 of youth still smoldered within his breast, and seemed now to burn with an ardor as fierce as that of twenty years ago. "By Jupiterl" he exclaimed, "could "anything be more lovely ?" Without a moment's hesitation he crossed ' the street and entered Stewart s in pursuit. At that moment he would have given the price of fifty bonnets for another single glimpse of that one with cherry ribbons. But his search was in vain. The lady had disappeared. Upstairs and down, in the elevator, around the rotunda, through every department of the immense estauiisumeui, went Mr. Simpkins, so many times that the clerks began to eye him with curiosity not unmixed with suspicion. At last, in de spair, Mr. Simpkins gave up the search and idly wended his way homeward. "It was a dream," he said to himself, softly. "An infatuating, beautiful dream. I might have known it could not last." At the supper-table that night Mr. Simp kins was unusually grave and reserved. Bewildering kid button boots stared at him from the sugar bowl, cherry-colored bonnet ribbons floated in his tea, the very napkins resolved themselves into white with the snowiest of frills. petticoats My dear," said Mrs. 8.. "what makes you so melancholy ?" -th f , said Mr. Simpkins, starting from his reverie. "O, nothing. Doocid tired. Hard day at the office. " "Poor old hubby!" said Mrs. S. sooth ingly. "1 I got that bonnet to-day, dear." . "Mr. Simpkins grunted. "Would you like to see it t" queried his wife, doubtfully. At any other time Mr. Simpkins might have said "Yes,'" but now, with, the recol lection of thowe rheny ribbons uppermost mto mtaA U(infvJcttif aoy otlMO-tion net would Lave i j;-V "No," he replied, shortly, I don't know anything about such gewgaws. If it suits you it will suit me." Mrs. Simpkins was silent. 'f'll go to Grace Church next Sunday," the thought, "and have my revenge.'' Air. Simpkins that night dreamed that he was In heaven, and was being driven about the streets of the New Jerusalem in ;a 23d street stage by a swift-winged angel, robed in cherry -colored silk. He went to his place of business next day, still in a thoughtful and reflective mood. Why the recollection of that beatific vision should remain with him so persistently he did not know. It gazed up at him from the pages of his ledger, and floated before him in the smoke of his cigar. When at last he left the office and started home again it accompanied him up Broadway. He had turned into Union Square and nearly reach ed University Place when he came sudden ly to a halt. By all the gods of Greece it was she. She stood with her back toward him, waiting for a Broadway car. Those IIele like shoulders the cherry ribbons. He could not be mistaken. Mr. Simpkins stood still a dozen yards behind. The car came and stopped. The lady picked her way daintily toward it over the muddy crossing. Again the snowy ruffles and that entrancing, voluptuous, infatuating ankle ! Mr. Simp kins followed and took his stand on the front platform, crowded as it was. He could not see into the car, but, by nearly dislocating his neck and several times losing his footing, he managed to observe every passenger as he or she got on or off. On went the car, past 17th street, past 23d, past 30th street. It seemed to Mr. Simp kins that the lady would never get out again, and as he went Mr. Simpkins busied himself with a thousand vain conjectures. Who was she ? Was'she married or single? Of what nationality ? Was she beautiful ? He bad not seen her face, but the possessor of such a figure, he argued, could not be otherwise than'beautiful in feature. Young? Yes, she was surely young and patrician, too. No plebeian ever owned an instep like that. In fact, so sure of all these things did Mr. Simpkins feel, that he almost dreaued the m. .;nent when thtf yourg lady should descend, and perhaps, in meeting him face to face, destroy at a single blow Ms proudest illusions. He-had not long to wait, for at 34th street the conductor's bell rang, and the lady got out. She crossed the street, and with Mr. Simpkins following in a transport of admiration, entered an of fice on the corner. Now, as Mr. Simpkins' luck would have it, this office was the real estate office of Mr. John Bigler, and Mr. John Bigler was a brother-in-law of Mr. Simpkins. Mr. Simpkins halted suddenly, in some confu sion, and "walked round himself," so to speak. The lady passed in without notic ing him, and disappeared from view. Mr. Simpkins stood for a moment irresolutely in the doorway, and then fired with a sudden determination, dashed up stairs. The offices of Mr. Bigler were situated on the second floor. They consisted of two rooms, an outer one about ten feet square, called by Mr. Bigler his "reception room," and ar larger and more luxurious one within, reserved for the purpose of confidential in terviews. As Mr. Simpkins expected, the lady was in the private room, but the door stood slightly ajar, and as she sat with her back toward it, he could see her earnestly conversing with the villainous Bigler. At that moment Mr. Simpkins caught Bigler's eye, and beckoned frantically to hint' to come out. Bigler, thinking from Simpkin s excited manner, that the house might be on fire, came auicklv into the outer room. As he did so he swung the door wide open, re vealing to Mr. Simpkins' entranced gaze the lovelv object of his pursuit, her head rest ing upon her small and delicately-gloved hand, her lace shawl drooping gracefully from her beautiful shoulders, and that pret ty foot peeping saucily from .beneath the folds of her dress. Her head was turned away, and her eyes bent evidently upon the floor. - The sight was entirely too much for Mr. Simpkins, and he seized AIT. Bigler s arm with such energy that the latter fairly howled. "What the devil's the matter ?" exclaimed Biffler. "Who is she ?" cried Simpkins, pointing, toward the private room. "Introduce me. In heaven's name, who is it ? "Who's what-' asked the bewildered Rie-ler. strusfflins to free himself from Mr, Siiimkins' irrasD. "What in the name of common sense is the matter with you V "That divine creature in there," said Simnkins. wildly. "I must know her. nw her for the first time yesterday. She's the most lovelv woman I ever met. I fol lowed her here today. Such a figure ! Such a step ! Such an an ankle ! Bigler, I must know her. There are chords, Big ler, in the human breast which, once struck, render no man responsible for his actions. Who is she?" "Who ? That ?" exclaimed Mr. Bigler, following Mr. Simpkins' gaze toward the open door. Mr. Siimokins nodded eagerly. Mr. Big lpr lnokivl at Mr. Simokins blandlv. Then he looked at the lady, and then again Mr. Simpkins. Then he became seized Dy a violent internal paroxysm, anacommenceu crammin? his handkerchief into his mouth. "That " he exclaimed, as soon as he had in some measure relieved himself by this proceeding ; "why, you blasted fool, that's your wife! Given Ip 1; Doctors. "Is it possible that Mr. Godfrey is up and at work, and cured by so simple a remedy f" "1 assure you that It is true that he is entirely cured, and with nothing but Hop Bitters; and only ten days ago nis doctors gave him up and said he must die!" -. . . ell-a-day!That Is remarkable! I wiil go this day and get some for my poor George, I know hops are good. The Tyranny of fashion. "There 1 look at that lady, Sarah. That makes five times since I've been in town to day I've seen 'em do that." "Do what, ma ?" "Why, reach over and snatch up their skirts, and then make off as grand as the queen what queen was it, Sarah, that showed off so that King Solomon writ a song about her ? But this must be the very latest fashion." "Why, they've been doing that. ma. for ever so long.'' Is that so ? Well that's eenerallv the way nere in Jiissouri most evervbodv the good of the latest fashions before we do. vow Watck'imvSsrWi, rid See if J do ft inj he corrert stvlo " ' the correct style.' Goodness, ma, you can't do it : vou are too fat." - Too fat, am I? Youll see that vour mother's agoin' to do everything tbat's in iuc lusiiiou. ow iook. saran . vt- The mother, a substantial ladv of twn hundred pounds avoirdupois, measured the uisiance with tier eye between her hand and the ample skirt, beneath it. She was resolute, but Sarah, the daughter, was fear ful. The first attempt was not successful Now, ma, don't try any more. You cant do it, you are too fat. Don't try, youll break something." uut what Missouri woman of ambition was ever deterred from the eniovment of the very latest quirks of fashion by a trifling break? She tried. harder than ever. Tt was inability to grasp the object this time that made it a failure. She gasped for breath. but felt encouraged. "Ma," sakl the anxious daughter, "thev bring it up with a kick this way some times," and she illustrated the fashionable pedal motion. The mother promptly tried it. and as promptly abandoned that method of doing the new fashion. . "That sort of a kick may do for snips of girls, Sarah ; but your mother ain't no colt and I don't reckon there's any call for sen sible married women to be frisky like that wuu uieir neeis, even n it is tne tashion. " 'We 11 give it up till we get home, ma : there won't be anybody round to see, then, and you needn't care vif something does" ureaK. "I might never nave another chance to show 'em. I can do it as rood as the fash- ionablest, and I'm bound to do it right whether things break or no. You'll see me do it this time, Sarah." But, sad to relate, she failed to do the fashionable act. Tilings did break, to such an extent that both mother and daughter were hastily pinning up the damages. When mother and daughter passed on down the, street and witnessed the fashion able skirt feat accomplished again, the mother tossed her head scornfully. "I ain't got no chance to be in the fash ion, Sarah, till we get home. But when that back porch is cleared, off and nnbodjc looking, l'lf do it, if it bursts every forset string in Missouri. Winter in the Pyrenees. One of the few places in the Pyrenees which may be described as an essentially winter residence is Pau, once the Capital of the Beam, and the birthplace of Henry IT., whose tortoise-shell cradle is still to be seen in one of the chambers of the ancient castle. Pau has acquired a new import ance within the last twenty years, having become a favorite resort of Englishmen and, above all, Americans during the wint er months. The rainfall ofPau is greater than that of London, while, to make mat ters worse, nearly the whole of it falls du ring the six months of the Pau season. But against this fact must be set the dryness of the soil and the absence of damp in the air, which are such that the effect of even twenty-four hours' heavy rain is soon obli terated. Then, again, those who have to submit to the rain at Pau can be recom pensed upon the first fine day by that mag nificent view of the Pyrenean chain, wMch so impressed Lamartine that he declared the sea view from JNeaoles and the land view from Pau to be the two most beauti ful sights which he, traveler, as he had been, ever beheld. The panorama is a most beautiful one, as viewed from the terraces of the Place Royale and the' adjoining hotels, or from the gardens of the Castle, embracing, as i: c!oes, ni a'.'y all the high est peaks of the Uppei and Lower Pyrenees upon the French side ol the irontier, irom the Pfc du Midi above Bagneres de Bigorre to the solitary Mont Perdu, round which hnnrs such a wealth of legend. But the magnificent view is 'not the only or even the" chief attraction of Pau, wMch, all nuestion of climate apart, is one of the most pleasant of winter quarters, mere is no lack of amusement and sport, while at the same time there is not that admix ture of- the gambling element which the propinquity of Monaco brings to Nice and Mentone. The large Anglo-American coi- . - 1 1 : . onv at Jt'au are not in any way ruriutu, though they so tar maintain nome traauions as not to allow of any card-playing at ine English Club on Sunday, in spite of the re peated efforts of a minority to repeat the rule. But the main feature of the Pau season is the pack of English hounds, which, after havine been for several years under the managment of Major Cairns, is now hunted by the Farl of Howth. The present master, who in his younger days was one of the finest horsemen in Ireland, has formed an entirely new pack, consist ing of sixty couples of hounds, which he ffot toffether during last summer, some from ImtA Spencer and some from Her Majesty s kennels at Ascot, and wMck before being brouzht over to Pau were banted lor a lew weeks m Ireland. Lord Howth has mounts edthe servants of. the hunt very well, and so far as the success of a hunt depends uoon the ability of its master the Pau pack should take very high rank. At Pau the fox is not hunted as in Great Britain. There is too much woodland and too many foxes for that, and the mode of procedure is as follows: A drag is laid on at the place of meet, and the hounds run this drag for about forty minutes, after which they find themselves on the track of- a bagged fox wMch has been let out at a place previous ly agreed upon by the huntsman and the man who runs the drag. Many ,of those who come out to the meet are unaware of this innocent fraud, and when they see the hounds running into the bagman after quick forty-five minutes they are inclined to exclaim, "Here's sport indeed!" Tne Pau hounds meet three days a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and there is generally a large field, many ladies he me unfailing in their presence at the meet, and conspicuous in the front of all the best runs. The sister sport of racing is also in great favor at Pau, and the second day steeple-chasing on Wednesday will bring us a lot of visitors from Biartitz, Bordeaux and Tarbea if the weather remains favora ble, several of whom will be going on to Nice, where the annual races will be held. Lawn tennis is the favorite amusement of the ladies at Fau, though what with din ners and dances they must fiad ample em ployment for their Qme, as there are few pleasure resorts in which so much hospita lity is exchanged among the visitors as Pau. Pau being a large townthe shops are as well supplied as the ; most fastidious could desire, and several English shops 1 V Jl f-- .1. i t m. ,c. ucu c OI f Angfc-Amene ony, whose splnhi- ,l" . $ pwyww-rorj r ine winter season is ifcv wen -favorable for mountain climbing, but a few adventurous spirits make their way from time. to time through the Valley of Argeles and Pierre fitle, Nestalas to Cauteret, Bareges de Bi gorre,, by- way .of, the Tourmalet, ad thcre w some gpea .rough shooting QJe baa in the hilts and valleys about Pau. For fbose who are unable or unwilling to use their legs, many places of interest can be easily reached by rail, cMef among them being Lourdes, which is within an hour s journey of Pau, and which is well worth the visit of all those who can appreciate beautiful scenery. Chance Shots. Young man, this is the best advice I can give you lust now : Act natural, or do not act at all: always be yourself nothing more, nothing less. We should remember this, the world is moie inclined to give us credit for what we are doing than for what we have done or intend to do. After a man has made a reputation, to prevent infringement, it would be a happy thing if he could have it patent ed. The man who will agree to work for nothing, is the hardest kind of a man to satisfy, when you come to settle with him. I h;.ve seen folks spend all their prin- ipal, and then try to live ou the inter est ot it. This is gloomy. To let yourself down to any man's level is easy enough, but to get back to where you came from and not tear your clothes is pure business. My sweet youth, you were given two ears, and one tongue, and two eyes.for a wise purpose. What do you suppose the purpose was? Many people are afraid to be natural for fear they will be called common, but the truth is, we are never so strong nor so interesting, as when we are per fectly natural. but eaunot'make ;e hiid tespectablc? but one-half the people do not know the difference. Do not suppose there is any such thing as perfect happiness, and what little happiness there is, is largely com posed of this mean ingredient; we are happy iust in proportion as we have got something that others have not got, nor cannot get Probably the great successes of life have often most been reached by know ing how to take advantage of our lucky moments. My dear boy, lay this up on your up per shelf if you hit the bull's-eye nine ty times, and miss the hundredth, the world never forgets the miss and cannot seem to remember the hits. It it were not for the risks, there wouldn't be any fun living in this world; dead sure things (enough of them) will demoralize any man. hy do we love little children so much? Is it not on account of their simplicity, all of it, springs from their faith ! It is not after all so much what wc enjoy, as what we expect to get, mat makes us happy. Theman who will not forget any thing is not airolng to learn mucn more. There is one rule which I believe has no exception to it; when a man tails down on the ice, where the water is an inch and a half deep, he never feels proud of the job. : V About oue-half of the trouble in this world is manufactured to order out of nothing, and a large share ol the other half is the result of not knowing the true value of things, The world has many people in it who are very respeciaDie simpiy uecause they are very proper. The Pot Ufa. Between the ages of forty-five and sixty a man who has properly regulated himself may be considered in the prime of life. His matured strength of constitution rend ers him almost impervious to an attack of disease, and experience has given soundness to his judgment. His mmd is resolute, firm and equal ; all his functions are in the highest order; he assumes mastery over his business; builds up a competence on the foundation he has laid in early man hood, and passes through a period of life attended by many gratifications. Having gone a year or two over sixty, he arrives at a stand stilL But athwart this is the via duct called the turn of life, wMch, if crossed in safety, leads to the valley of "old age," round wMch the river winds, and then beyond, without moat or cause way, to effect his passage. The bridge 's, however, constructed of fragile material, and it depends how it is trodden whether it bends or breaks. Gout and apoplexy are also in the vicinity to waylay the traveler, and thrust him from the pass; but let him gird up his loins ai.d provide a with a fitter staff, and he may trudge on in safety, and with perfect composure. To quit meta phor, " the turn of life'' is a furn either in to a prolonged walk or into the grave. The rvsteni and powers having reached the ut- most expansion now being either to close like the flowers at sunset or break down at once. One injudicious stimulant, a single total exam may xorce it oeyona its and the withdrawal of all trads to force a financially, until he engaged as Baf plant will fustain it in beauty and vigor on- fol le's successor a very adroit youDg til night has entirely set in. On th Circuit. win .the good old days of Michigan tbere wasn't any money to speak of floating around from band to hand. When a householder wanted meal, he scraped half a ;'dozan coon-skins to gether and made a trade. If he want ed meat, he killed it; and if there was heed of whisky, it was a very poor man who couldnt find a wildcat bill or a bo gus half-dollar down in "bis: pocket. One day a circuit preacher, hunting for a place iu which to speak to the doaen ot twenty settles in Oakland County. USced at a for lorn-iookiug cabin beside the trail and asked for dinner. The squatcer's wife extended a very cordial welcome, and said : i "It's lucky you come along to-dav,as I have got a new bag of ineaL, lots of sassafras for coffee, and some of the best coon mutton you ever tasted of. Go down to the ditch and wash up, and I A have the dinner ready in ten min utes." " ; When the preacher returned he be gan lamenting the hard times, and the fact that he hadn't seen the; sight of money for several weeks. I He was cheerfully trying to do good, but he frankly confessed that he could do much better if he could now; and then hear thejingle of money in his trowsers pocket. The woman looked : wise, but mide no reply, and by and by the good man resumed his journey. His horse was picking his way along. the trail, about three miles from the cabin, when a native, six feet high and attired in coon-skin cap, hickory shirt, and Indi an leggings, came after him on the run, yelling out : "Youtharl whoal hold on, you!" When he came up he asked : "Are you the traveling Bible who halted back there for dinner and eat up a whole coon?" "I am a circuit-rider, and halted back there and eat more or less of a big hunk of delicious meat," answered the good man-. "And didn't you tell my wife you were dead broke for cash ?" : "I intimated as I now recollect, that I was not burdened with any great amount of cash." 1i "Well, my wife is the mast infernal hard-blow in the Territory, and I'm the meanest liar in the diggins,but yet we must keep religion b'iling. j I got home jnot tut ivftnd ibn she told me about ou? being hard -f P I Weflt 'to work and molded you these six half dollar pieces. There's aj leetle too much lead in 'em, but if you are care ful to wipe 'em on your coat-tail now and then, they will pass 6a anybody except a land-broker I" Some legends say that the preacher didn't take them ; but legends are not always reliable. A Fiendish ReveDge. On the 2l8t of June, 1844, six young merchants were drinking wine at the hotel European, on the Rue Riveraine, in Bordeaux. They were in the best of spirits, for wine had risen rapidly in the market, and that very morning every one of them had made thousands of francs by advantageous sales of claret at the Wine Exchange. "Boys, if this stroke of luck contin ues for a few months," said M. de St. Andrieux, laughing, "we'll all be rich before we know it. Waiter, more champagne!" The merry company consumed ' a great many bottles of the effervescent wine. Finally they were almost in a state of intoxication, and when in that condition the natives of Bordeaux are decidedly dangerous. ! Three young officers of the Third Royal Regiment of the Line entered the room. They smiled superciliously as they perceived the Condition in which the young wine merchants were. "Have some wine !" shouted M. de "St. Andrieux to them. j One of the officers, a young Sub-Lieutenant, replied proudly : ; "We do not drink With such trash as you!" "The next moment St Andrieux had grasped the young officer's throat and pummeled his face with his fists where upon the other young wine-merchant kicked the three officers! out of tne room. Next morning St. Andrieux was chal lenged to mortal combat by M. Adolphe de Val-Brieux, Sub-Lieutenant. The duel came off the following morning. St. Andrieux fired at his antagonist, but missed him. The Sub-Lieutenant fired into the air shoutingi. . "I do not want to kill that wretch !" The news of this duel reached Bor deaux the same day. St. Andrieux was so mortified that he djid not dare to show himself in public. He sold his business out and disappeared from the city. Val-Brieux and his regiment were transferred a feW weeks later to Algeria. ! The Sub-Lieutenant's father was a wealthy land-owner in Tonraine. He lived at the splendid Chateaux de Lu voene, with his only daughter, Jacque line, a pretty girl, but, like the rest of her family, immeasureably proud. Qne day old Mr. de Val-Brieux j confidential steward. Kanolle, was 'found to have embeled nearly two hundred thousand francs, with which egcaptd t0 Brazil. TfaU cri led Val-Brieux for a time, 1 man. who said that his name was Jaan Andre. Andre caused his employer to write promlsory notes to the amount of upward of .one million francs, which he had got discounted, it Is true at al most ruinous rates. " Val-Brieux, glad to have extricated himself for the time being from his fi nancial troubles, became dissipated. He was frequently under the influence of liquor. One morning his daughter came to him, and confessed in great distress that she had been seduced. Her father wanted to know who had ruined her. She refused to tell. , ' ., In his rage. Val-fJr'leux stiot himself through the head. Andre took charge of the estate until Val-Brieux'g son, the Sub-Lieutenant, would arrive from Africa. When the young man arrived, he said to Andre : "I have seen you before." "Yes, so you have ." "Ah, you are that drunken fellow from Bordeaux. Get out of my chat eau:" ."Indeed! Get out yourself. This place belongs to me. I have mort gages on it which you can never pay. You are a beggar. This is my re venge !" St. Andrieux told the truth. He had purchased all the notes signed by his employer, and had taken for the amounts mortgages on the latter's property. The Sub-Lieutenant in his despair, blew out his brains. Mile. Jacqueline was sent to a con vent. St. Andrieux sold the estate In Tou raine at a heavy discount, and went to Chiua. where he established animport-ing-ho3se; but'he died a year after his arrival in that country. After the Lion. Captain Ayl'ward tells a droll story of a ren contre between a bushman and a lion. The narrator was acquainted with the man, and hat no doubt of the truth of the story. The bushman, while a long way from his home was met by a lion. The animal, assured that he had his victim completely iu his power began to sport and d.illy with him with a feline j Kiosity which the poor little bushman failed to appreciate. The lion would appear at a point in the road and leap back into the jungle, to reappear a little further on. But the bushman did npt lose bis presence of mind, and presently hit uyon a device toy which be RiiMrcbir iwjt iu ioe. . mis p:an was euggesteu Dy trie lion's own conduct. Aware that the brute was ahead of him, he dodged to the right, and, feeling pretty sure ot the lion's whereabouts, resorted to the course of quietly watching his move inents. When the lion discovered that the man had suddenly disappeared from' the path, he was a good deal per plexed. Ha roared with mortification, when he espied the bushman peeping at him over the grass. The bushmni at once changed his position, while the lion stood irresolute in the path, follow ing with his eye the shifting black man. In another moment the little man rustled the reeds, vanished, and showed again at another point. The great brute wasfirstconfused,and then alarm ed. It evident began to dawn up him that he had mistaken the position of matters, and that he was the hunted party. The bushman, who clearly re cognized what was passing in his ene my's mind, did not pause to let the lion recover his startled wits. He be gan to steal gradually toward the foe, who, now, in a complete state of doubt and fear, fairly turned tail and decamp ed, leaving the plucky and ingenious little bushman master of the situation. A Clever Rogue. A gentleman of great experience ' in the commercial world cashed a check at a London bank for 1100 taking tne whole in 100 notes. He was only a few yards from the bank when a per son resembling a clerk, bareheaded and with a pen behind his eai, touched him on the ;8houlder. saying: iieg your pardon, sir; will you allow me just to take tie number of these notes again 'i I won't keep you a minute." The gen tleman taken off his guard, handed the notes over to the supposed clerk, whom he followed into the bank. After giv ing the former time to reach the top and return, he met the gentleman at the door, saying: "Please walk this way; that gentleman will attend to you in a minute," pointing to a clerk who was deeply engaged, five minutes elapsed before the gentleman could draw the clerk's attention to his case. and he was thunderstruck to find that the officer knew nothing about it. The other clerks were interrogated, and they were equally In the dark. Of course no time was lost in going to the Bank of England, but too late; the clever rogue had been before them and obtained gold for the notes. Not Horry. You will not be sorry for hearing before judgment. i or thinking before speaking. For holding an angry tongue. For stooping the ear to a tale-bearer. For disbelieving most of the ill retort. For being kind to the distressed. For being patient toward everydody. For doing good to all men. For asking pardon for all wrongs. For speaking evil of no one. For being courteous to all. Tomato canners in the lower part of Harford county, Md., are busy pre paring for the coming season. Con tracts have been made t supply toina toes at factories at from 15 to 20 cents per bushel. BRIEFS. There are 603 chartered lodges of Masons in Illinois, with a membership of-33,616. Out of 972,000 pieces of baggage carried over the Pennsylvania railroad lines during the year 1878, nly one was loss. , Ex-Senator Simon Cameron has rented, for $6000 a year, the elegant residence of Ex-Governor Shepherd, in Washington, E. C. Mrs. Maria Gillett, a gran-nlece of Ethan Allen, and fo-Jlfty year a member of- ttre Staket- community, lately, died from Uibjiof a slider. The rTrrrswr'urjrtro'i University of EtMnbOrg Is vacant. The emoluments of this position aretald to amount to about $9000. About $2,000 worth of wild ducks were sold from Havre de Grace (Md.) market during the season just Closed, which Is considered a poor result. William J. Aydelotte, of Maryland, and George H. Bagwell, of Virginia, have been appointed to adjust the boun dary line between the two States. A capital stock of $100,000 with , power to Increase to $500,000 Is being subscribed to in Buffalo, N. Y., for the purpose ot building a new music hall at that place. A pack of wolves was recently seen in Claeklick township, Armstrong county, Pa. The farmers spread around poisoned meat, and several dead wolves have recently been found. Mr. Yung Wing, the Chinese Sec retary of Legation, at Washington, has lately given to the Yale College Libra ry 400 Chinese books, in addition tp a like g'ft some two years ago. The Penn Hard ware Company of Reading, Pa., are engaged on a ton tract for $100,CHW worth of egg-beaters, and are allowed three years lu which to complete the work. A little girl named Brademore is lying dangerously ill at Conemaugh loroiigh, Cambria eounty," Pa., fro:u violent exercise in rope jumping. Another child Is expected to die at' the same place from tl Is cause. The late Dr. Charles Ives, of New Haven.' Conn., bequeathed $10,000 to Yale College for the support of poor students in any department, the same sum to Beloit College, and $0000 to the . New Haven Orphan Asylum. What is supposed to be the largest tree In the Southern States is a toTip bearing poplar near Augusta, (., which is 155 feet high and nine feet in iiameter, its lowest branches being 53 feet from the ground. The experiments with the electric ight In Portsmouth. Me. harbor are reported to have been a complete suc- 1 lie results were euuallv suiU- actory whethw thaTiiuht was concen trated on a. ?-.rth-lar spot Mryttfowu over a distance. Dr. B. Joy Jeffries, who has been esting the evesightof pupils iu Boston schools, found that of 9303 boy-, 3G1 or i.ba per centum were color-blind In greater or less degree, and that of 5429 girls, only two, or .030 per eentum were afflicted at all in this way. Mr. Johnson, an American,- ha-i taken the first science scolarsliip at Trinity College, Dublin, the authorities laving "decided that he has a right tb hold it, as, althcugh he was born in America, his father was a British sub ject f Misi Lisetta Rist, for forty-three years an organist in a London church, lied a short time ago and left a -cun- si.lerable", sum In the hands of the trustees to be applied forever to the dis tribution of gravel on steep and slippery roadways In London. She had seeu to it personally during her lifetime. A curious pair are two brothers, in Hartford, Conn., employed at the same place of business some miles from their ioine., who bad a falling out a dozen years ago, and have never spoken to each other since, though they ride to and from work in the same wagon. preserving a moody silence toward each other, with no other companion. -WJ lh elm did a kindly act at Colum bus, Ohio. Just before his arrival there a woman died who was very fond of music, and had eagerly anticipated the pleasure of hearing film play. A message was sent to Wllhelmj, and he visited the house of death and request ed the privilege of playing a requiem, as is the custom in his own German home, which was granted. Mr. George W. ITalstead, the last of the famous HaUtead brothers, of Elizabeth, X. Y died at Mount Holly. In that State, recently, of pneumonia, aged 81 years. Two years ago the eld est brother, ex-Chancellor HaUtead, died at Elizabeth, aged elghty-flve. Last year Ex-Congrecsraan Hal-dead died at Trenton, aged eighty-three years. Potter, the trans-continental travel-' ler w ho arrived at San Francisco with his whe?lbaarow not long ago, made the whole distance from Albany to San Francisco, about 4000 miles, in 172 davs. He made an average of 23 miles a day, or a little more than four miles more than he agreed to make each day, in order to win his wager of one thousand dollars. Mr. II . D. Cone, a prominent paper raauutacturer of liouitaiunic, Mass., in connection with his wife, founded a free library there in 1869, which is open to all' people in the coun- . ty as well as to his own operatives- It has now twenty-six hundred volumes. Mr. Cone employs the nbrarian, pays all the expenses himself and aecepts no assistance of any kind. ' Fifteen portraits pilnted by G31- hert Stuart are now in Washington. Among these Is the portrait of the cler gyman Edward Everett, at the age of nineteen. Sir Edward Thornton has in his house the jiortrait of hl lather, Ed ward Thornton, painted ty Stuart w hen the Englishman was Secretary of the British Legation in Jeffenon's time. The picture Is very well pre served . TheFe were distributed by the rail way postal clerks on the line between New York and Pitubnrg during the month of January 56.800 packages of . letters, and 11,152 .sacks of papers, making an aggregate of 3.411,600 pieces of letti-r mail, and 1,130,400 pieces mail separated and made up lor routes and offices. The toUl number of registered packages handled waa 28,005. There were 48 men engiged ia the distribution.
The Blue Ridge Blade (Morganton, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 7, 1879, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75