Newspapers / The Torchlight (Oxford, N.C.) / April 14, 1874, edition 1 / Page 1
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- . . -1 m . : to v . ' J . : . ; 4 DAVIS & ROBINSON, Editors and Proprietors, .1 VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE, THAT GIVES IT AT.T. ITS FLAVOR. TERMS iL60 per A", in Advance. HI 'Hi. VOL. 1. OXFORD, GKAKVTLLE GOUNTY, N. JO., TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 14, 1874. NO. 17. Hfl I ' l ill 'Ry 'Pv - to v. ft 7' ' : J . . - For the Torch-Light. FIBS nCTTOES. "What do I see Ie the fire lights gheen? Shapes all glowing and airy I ween, Castles with moats of violet flame, ; 1 Hoary with ashejs, (Time's touch a frame,) Turrets all firmly guarded with bands, Formed from the fragments of dying ' brands; Kjow they vanish, castles and moat, i And turrets in jellow lustre float, Again the blazes ; dance and whirl, The logs have fallen and o'er them furl Sparks in their ilpward flight that show A glowing cavern far below ; Xot Golconda's boasted mine, Shows gems as fair in its depth decline, As the glowing part And fall from jewels that sparkle and the hickory's stubborn heart. The ruby is there with its crimson hue, The opal, a dusljy coal which through . Its ashy covering palely gleams, J As the sun through clouds of morning beams, j And sapphire flames that creeping chase Over the logs in an endless race, And down below where the coals are dead- Lie ebony brocks half flused with red. But now as I gaze the fire burns low, The cavern flits with the jewel's glow ; The logs consumed form a firy mass, Over which the blazes whirl and pass, Like the flow and ebb of waves that break On the trembling breast of a firy lake ; And flicker faint, arid rise and fall, "While the shadows grow on the chamber wall, Then smoulder low, and all is dead, And but pardon, me reader I'm off to bed. Ruth. For the Torch-Light. 1SS1E. BIN 6 W. WILLIS. During the summer of '72 I had ss through that part occasion to p of Kansas known as "the wilds" -"ii. "1 11 n and having a eonsiueraDie sum oi money about my person deemed it expedient to travel well armed. 1 had been attending to some land patents granted by the Govern ment to a lew settlers, and was about to turd my steps eastward. I had been stopping at Wanbrook and the nearest railway station on the U. P. R. R., was eight miles to the northeast, the road or bridle path running through the wildest part of the territory. My horse wasthe finest specimen of the beast tribe that could he found, and at sunrise one day . in July, I mount ed my animal 1 and started on the journey For the first thirty or forty miles I got along tolerably well, the path being well traveled and consequently easily discerna ble among tl ie tall ; prarie grass, but at nightfall I began to wander now and then from its narrow space and finally lost it entirely, finding myself in a small wood. My first thought was to dismount and spread my blanket there and await until jday-light before at tempting to recover the lost trackj; but at that m anient I caught sight of a gleam of light a mile or two ahead, and pu tting the spurs to my horse dashed onward. I found it to be the hut pf a hunter, and af ter dismounting and tieingmy horse, knocked at the door for ad mittance. It was opened by an old white-haired man clad in a trappers suit of deer-skin, who bowed low as he saw me before him ; his left hand holding the door open while his right grasped a long barreled rifle. J A lew morients after and I was seated at a well filled table with the old hunter before .me. He wasf the sole occupant of the cabin, with the exception of a large dog that lay asleep in one corner of the room. After partaking hearti ly of the meal, and my horse fed, we sat down in the doorway and convened unon various topics; I soon saw that the trapper before me had once seen better days. His language at times was deep and eloquent, while now and then it would seein as if he had forgot ten himself and would drop the peculiar twang of the western hunter and (use the more polished style of the 'east. Slowly I drew from him evidence enough, to con vince me that he had once been an eastern man himself, and at the close of a thrilling description of a bear fight in which he had been a participator, I summoned courage and inquired why and now ne had chosen tins me oi solitude. For a moment he was silent. I had touched a tender chord in his bosom, but soon he turned and af ter filling and lighting a long brier pipe which he carried in his waist coat pocket j he began. "So you want to know how I came to livte here. AVell, strang er, it is a long story but I will try and tell it to you in as few words as possible. Just pull that door a wee bit closer and I will begin. I once lived down in York state in a little town on the Hudson. You've seen the Hudson have'nt you, stranger ? "Well, if you have'nt I can tell you it is one of the prettiest rivers in tha part ot the universe. Well, I lived in a little town called Carthage. I was 'bout twenty-one, and was holdin' a fine position in a mill just out side the village, when I fell neck and heels in love with one of the prettiest little specimens of human nature that's ever walked on earth. They called her Cassie, CassioH Templeton. I can't describe her to you, stranger, for no man could dQthat. All I can say is that she was beautiful. "Well, after a long while maneuvering around the old folks, I managed somehow to call. From that time I was com pletely swallowed up in happiness, and within six months time, would you believe it stranger, she had promised to be mine. They were poor, but thank God she was noble! My old man was one of these stuck up old fogies whose ideas run all in money, for he was pretty well oft in his i share of this world's goods, and when he discovered our engagement, forbid me entering the house or even speaking when we met. This , was too much stranger and I could not stand it. I just told the old man that I was going to marry that girl if it cost me my life. I had promised and with the help of God I would keep it.. Well, what do you think he did? Hid he get right up and rave; and threaten to disinherit me and all that sort of thing, such as we read about in books? No, not a bit of h He didn't say nary a word, but late that night when I came home from the mill through a fierce snow storm, I found all my traps set out in the yard and the front door locked. I knew what it meant stranger, and I took it to heart too. Picking up what few things I wanted, and leaving the rest where thev lav, I went back to the mill and made abed in the office. The next day I told Cassie what had happened. Good heart ed girl that she was she pitied me and made me make my home there. Stranger, people may say what they choose, but I say there is more downright happiness in the home of the poor than there is in 1 the parlors pf the rich, and so Ifound it there. I never knew what real comfort was until I had been there, and then at that time no mortal on earth could have induced me to go back. For a long j time I fought along trying to make my dollar db its utmost un til I could lay by enough to give her a house. She stood by me, God bless her, through all my troubles, and many a weary battle did I fight with her at my.; side. At last my folks saw I was deter mined to have her and one day they sent tor me to come home. I went and we had a long .talk. He said that if I would give her up he would give me a good j start in j business. He offered me al most anything, j But no stranger, Cassie Templeton held a place in my ' heart that wealth could n not buy, and I refused his tempting offers. For awhile he was angry, but soon saw If was determined and so he gave in. Then he wanted me to come back iome and live. My mother joined, with him in urging me to return and so I obeyed, r or a long while all went well. But you see strang er there is always a calm before a storm, and so it proved here, One day not long after we had become reconciled, there came to Carthage a young fellow; by the name of Carson from the South. He was handsome and rich. He saw my Cassiej and was bound to have her. He tried all sorts of plans but she was true and held firm to her promise. 1 He made her expensive presents all of which shereturned. Evenings she would sit and tell me how he had called in the after noon and asked fori her hand. This would at times almost set ine crazy. But I could not help! my self and so I love it ithe best I knew how. Soon I noticed a cold ness springing up between! her parents and myself. They would hardly treat me j civilly, and final ly forbid my entering their house. I entreated them to give me I their reasons for acting thus but I was not j heard. : Cassie would write me every day and tell how: they ill-treated her. j Every now and then we would , meet and renew our vow. Each day she seemed in my eye to grow more beautiful and I often wondered to myself how I had kept her so long. But she still clung to me. Sometimes a whole week passed and I would not see her, but still she wrote. About this time, work run short and I accepted a place in the city. I could not see Cassie before I started and so with a line or two telling of my departure I hastened away. I worked as man alone can work, night and day until I was almost reduced to a living skeleton. I dreamed of the time that would soon give her to me for my own. She wrote me after I was settled telling me of her troubles and urging me to hold true and take her away. Every thing that I thought would please her I purchased and sent to her. Her letters began to grow ; wider apart after awhile, and" finally they ceased entirely. This almost drove me frantic. Could she be ill ? was the question I asked my self a hundred times a day.' I wrote letter after letter but it brought no tidings. "Weeks passed away .and still no news from my loved one. Each hour seemed a month in my mind, and every mail I watched with the eye of a vul ture. I dared not return to Car thage to learn the cause of her silence for I knew should her parents become aware of my; pres ence they would only treat her the harsher, and so all I could do was to wait patiently for some Word from ; my darling. Pardon me stranger- for talking so foolishly, but I loved her and sKe was my darling. I can't help it sometimes it seems natural that I should call her such names! One day there came a large envelope directed to me in .my darling's handwriting. Frantic with joy j I burst: the seal only to find it an invitation to the wedding of my Cassie with the man whom I had feared. It was terrible ! , I can't tell ' you' what I said stranger ; all I know is that one day shortly afterward I found myself in this little hut It serves me very well. I am only to live but a short time longer and this is well enough for the time I am here. The world says "old Cassie" is crazy, stranger, but I'm not I am only waiting to hear the sound of the trumpet that shall call me to: the judgment seat, where Cassie Templeton and I shall be judged b the great wiler on high.. Do you think she will pass stranger? Ibt I ! She has broken the heart of one mortal and hastened him tojthe ; grave, and if that is not crime then may God forgive me for saying it. . Call me "Cassie" stranger j and you are my friend. Sjhe deceived me, but I love her stjilly and the , sound of her name recalls to my memory faint recol lections of the past I have heard fom her once since I came here ; it was many months ago. It was that her husband had deserted her leaving her helpless with two sinall children. I wonder if Cas sie Templeton has thought of me then ? Bui I don't want to see tier, I will meet her soon enough a!nd then she will know I kept my vow. They all call me Cassie around these part3 although they know not my history. You are the only man whom I have told my story, and stranger if you would be my friend, keep it a secret There's a pile of skins over there m that corner. Here's mine. Good night stranger !" Taking the well directed hint I tlirew myself down upon the Couch of skins and was soon asleep dreaming of the man whose life had been so blighted for the sake )f j. love. At daybreak a gentle touch upon my shoulder told me ihat he was at my side, and spring ing i up I prepared to resume my journey. The old man had been Up before me and a bright fire was racking on the hearth. Eating a hearty breakfast prepared by his Own hands, I mounted my animal and after bidding Cassie farewell, vas away, reaching my destina ion that evening in safety. ,This was nearly three years ago. iiast summer I passed that way again, but all the trace I could land of the hunter and his cabin, was a small board standing in the ground hear the ruins of a burnt dwelling, bearing the simple name bfj i "Cassie." This was all that signified the death of the white aired hunter beneath it It had een erected by some kind brother rapper, and rude as it appeared, it 6poke volumes to our mind, for It reminded us that although the jieart of man ;may often seem to the world, warm and unselfish, Vet one flash from the arrow of T-i 1 " . "- "lV 1 ?i i ili 1 deception win sen a it into a state bf! lethargy forever. THE FIRM. THE SECBET 0? SUCCESS. BY BART. After long and mature consid eration I have reached the. con clusion: that many of us are con stitutionally unequal to the task of fearning ' a fortune on the farm. We were either born unlucldy or else have contracted a complaint hat consigns so many promising youths to the gloomy vaults of oblivion. The disease I speak of is owing to a sort of sluggishness if the blood, and may be termed an indisposition to work. '. To us the shining hills of opulence are steep and unapproachable heights J never, to be scaled except by strategy. Surely I shall deserve the gratitude of the unfortunate and afflicted if I reveal the true secret of success to those who can hever liope to gain wealth by honest industry. - v Farming is truly a delightful occupation. If there is one thing I do like better than some : other J things it is to sit on the top rail of the fence and look at the boys hoe corn. Success at farming is at tained pretty much like success at cither pursuits. Hyou havnt the patience to wait for it to come, in driblets jou either have to steal or else practice some other strategy. The best plan in either case is to go where you are not known In fact, if you are up to any such game as marrying a fortune it is almost indispensable. for you to go away from home i I know of several instances in which, this game has been successfully played in our section of late. : "Distance lends enchantment" and impecu nious youths are ever ready to borrow. If any one feels con scientious scrxmles about entering the matrimonial, market j under the influence of pecuniary motives he can "excercise the privilege of staying out in the cold. j ; An esteemed friend, an ex-rebel, whom I believe to be a represen-d tative man has related to me his postrbellum history, which il give to you in his own words. 'W'cfo of worldly wisdom which 1 ,rk livers as crumbs of qpmi whom it may concern. ; Some are born rich; sorr -wealth ; and " some hr thrust upon them ye; have their riches snatcl: At least such was my r rather misfortune - at tii the late "unpleasantnc. . : some time in -f"11"" i o repair my shattc t first I offered my . cr 50 likely ;f :ic-res ' v price ; but bu They said thn t as ti . discharged ane worth much. Confederate Jmc but they didn't i ii cents a bush'c :n II couldn't think I c 3 than twelve an d consequently! -id yet. There lq ar !cn, however, in: t if Congress continue the currency my Co: ip will soon be on a r backs, j Hhvin c-v. personal asset- tur: tion to the 1 arm. - O - servationl pel other gentlcihc pay attention gentlemen v .....t and such like no v collect debts tp ?de i basis. In short I vt. to give up the" whole the harpies who 1 ' ' myself that ... quit forever tl where the mocki . to sleep every r: red rooster wal morning. It v. patiate on the cm that parting. Sutucc neither tears nor f ui my sorrow or que for wealth, j! flood to cxtingui? i nary and conser to shine throur' the "Torch'.'? to ,;.to rerv lied i to I cf cf , i Alive to tne cxi ' occasion . I pitrr emergency and t wherein to expand i. nius.r If my .heal good and J hadn't with that indispc position to work) h have ; been different ; . t signed to my, fate. -II: infirmity I yielded to t tions of my empty purse ; ried for money. ' It is nccUic state that I got a 7 wife in the 1 j i gain. Although Iwould have i . ierred to negotiate for the wife m a separate lot, still Jam moderate ly well pleased with the trade. Il . i ..1;' ' ! " ! ' ' : , ;. , : - i is likfipbuying a job lot at auction, you gpt a good thing that you parr ticularly desire, and some pretty fair gjiods thrown-in j, f A jy ife is sometimes a good tiling to pu iin a house, and a house is ahcai a good thing to put a wife in. j o get the wife an d house botblionce is just, the best thing out 1 1 Borne are born rich ; some achieve wealth and some have moni- thrust ? upon them. yea and sme marry ajfortune. Com mehtlHne ever to this wedded bliss! Sonirnarry for love : Some mar ry j tit for the fun of the thing: but laying all joking aside some marii'i'for the ready money. Not for sBliiment ; not for sense, but for tbsreal dollars and cents. Ca 1 up aili money down. ; - PKE KNOTS. Thlmostr' lo become .1 lm3 for its' litv Dollars a lucks dip their their little ' '.. j c traigl 1 1 est man ; l l: ;rch -wanted to -niikcrj ctq a bad lot They : :ofpocploctecl pens and , then: ..v thy do write. ; I V; ; :T1 A tittle boy tried to amputate the cjfc's tail the other day, and iio'.y ft & does all his seeing with cue cue. -. ' - A lilwaukee boat club has adop1jd a light uniform, described as a liritidkerchief around the head and : A io sir n. 1 1 i i a wb Thf mr" Yei. hca 1 v r speala -of .at State be-';;. l arrested fcrV .. it-. a rcia canzq Wlir.t is thu difrorencebetweerirp. a cloud- hn d. a b eaten child ? One ; pours, cwitlil rain . and the ; other foars ?ith pain. - : ': ; '. . f Kao -Field tells of a Yankee ' vromn, who, being told at dinner -of heihusband'8 death, exclaimed, "Justjwait till I have done eating , and ft 11 show you some tall cry- marked to hU vifo thr Lcauflral, doligttful. "iv " r 1 - - t lonr fools- vcuthful and !" . said she, Luvc but ciiw' A Cmciuatti man who went off the oilier day with hi3 familyexcept hb nlother-ih4aw and the house cat, found upon his return that the anirnM had been talked to death for bhg out late at night AjdpriginalTPensylvania editor comjalout fairly and squarely. He ; calli ljis paper "An airy old sheet, dovotW to wind whiskey, wick c dnc :1 and other religious matters. Vox Bppulus, Vox Beelzebub. A sag observing on the, door cf a htuse the names 6f two' phy sician remarked that it put -him iu mitd of a-double barrel gun ; if end! pished the other would bo r.ure t kill. my son, run to the ;nd fret me fome sugar. j-::...- p me, md ; I am somewhat d th:i mcming. Send ::o. couple who could Iivc.cn ,t, find there i? ' I bean?. Fcr I'.yi.i bad t i
The Torchlight (Oxford, N.C.)
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April 14, 1874, edition 1
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