Newspapers / The Commonwealth (Scotland Neck, … / April 30, 1885, edition 1 / Page 1
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1 - , . - . .:. . .. ' THE DEMOCRAT. : J DEMOCRAT PUBLI8HINOCO., PUBLISHeTs. " SUBSCRIPTION PRICE SI.SO PER YEAR. VOLUME I. SCOTLAND NECK, HALIFAX CO., N. C. THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1885. NUMBER 23. I AN AMAZONIAN FAREWELL, AVell, we have threaded through and through The gleaming forests. Fairy Isles, Begirt in God's eternal smiles As fallen stars in fields of blue; gome futile wars with subtle love Tbat mortal never vanquished yet gome symphonies by angels set In wave below, in bough above Were join s and mine; but here adieu. Yet if 't l"orn to Pass some days That you grow weary, sad, and you Lift up Jeep eyes from dusty ways Of mart and moneys to the blue viiul pure, cool waters, isle and vine, And bathe yon there, and then arise Refreshed by one fresh thought of mine, I rest content; I kiss your eyes, I kiss your hair in my delight, I kiss my hand to say "Good-night." May love be thine by sun or moon ; May peace be thine by stormy way, Through all the darling days of May, Through all the genial days of June, To golden days that die in smiles Of sunset on the blessed isles. Joaquin Miller. An Awkward Moment. " Ycu must have been in some pretty ti"ht plact'8 at different times, Roger. We know what you got this cross for, but I suppose that the chances were often verv nearly as heavy against you." The m.in "ho nude this remark was seated opposite his frieud before the cheerful lire in the smoking room of a London military club. Both had the b -onzed faces and prematurely, grizzled hair which betoken long sojourns under almost tropical skies. The one who had been addressed as " Roger " was slightly the elder, and upon his broad chest bore the tiny scrap of ribbon that indicated that the wearer had won the most prized of English decorations, the Victoria Cross. lie did not reply for a minute or two to his companion's words. Appar ently they had called up many reminis cences, few of which were agreeab'e, but t last a smile lighted up his features, and he said : " Yes, old boy; I've very often thought my lire wasn't going to last a second lunger; but the most awkward moment 1 ever put in wasn't in the Held." "No? Then I presume it was when you were besieged in the Residency dur ing the mutiny?" "It wasn't in action at all. It was on board shin." "Wreck?" "No. That is to say, the ship wasn't wrecked, but I thought I was." "Tell me about it." 'Well, I don't mind. It's twenty jears ago, and the telling can't hurt any one now. Still, you will understand that the names I shall give you are not the true ones, and you must promise not to trv to find out what those were." "All right. I'll be content with the story." "Here goes, then," said Roger,settling himself l ack in his chair. "It occurred j just after we'd finished up the last of tlioie Inditn imps. I had pretty nearly got over the wounds I received in the affair for which the queen gave me the cross, and I reported myself as fit for duty. The colonel, however, ble33 his old heart! wouldn't hear of it, and in sisted on my taking a year's leave. There was no canal in those days, and the pleasantcst way of going home then was by one of the fine clipper ships round the Cape. I was fortunate enough to set a cabin to myself on board the Winchester, of Greene's line. The j urser, Watson, I had met at some mes3 dinners in Ca'cutta. and he promised to make things as pleasant as possible. We had very few passengers.mostly invalided officers. two or three civilians, and four ladies. I saw three of the ladies on deck when we sailed, and none of them impressed me as being specially charming. The cap tain, whose name wa, we ll say, John Smith, looked like one of the regular navy. lie wore a uniform and sword, and was very severe of aspect and stiff in bearing. I found out afterward that he tvas a regular martinet, and the half do.en midshipmen and the minor officers stood in considerable awe of him. On my being introduced, he favored me with a formal grasp of the hand, and jerked cut a few words about having heard of me before. "We did not begin to drop down the river till the day was fairly advanced, and I had scarcely got my traps in order when it was time to dress for dinner. In those days the captain would have been insulted if his passengers did not turn out in full evening toggery. We soldiers were seated at table in accordance with our rank, and as I had only just got my company, I was pretty well down toward the foot, or purser's end. This I did not at first feel inclined to regret, as the prospect appeared that we should be a little more free and easy than were the fogies up at the top. But when I had ot fairly settled into my place I looked toward the captain, and immediately be gan to deplore my insignificance. Seated on his right was the prettiest girl I had t ver seen. Her eyes were well, it's no use my giving you an auctioneer's cata logue of her charms. You just picture vour ideal, and she would come very near it. All I knew was that I was com pletely knocked over. I am sure my neighbors must have thought I was t'ithtT surlv or stunid. for I never ad dressed them, and I was scarcely con demns what replies I made to their re marks. Al! my attention was given to a S h-nt ithirwr rtf mv nanr r1ii7irii ir anrl 1 frailticallv pnviprl thr rn.nt.stin and a . ! I. .it . . : T 1 I -"ii oia colonel who were privileged to i;t beside her. -S SOOn sta flinnAi- waa aui1 T rmf JOld of my friend Watson, and inquired 'lie name of the young lady. res a Miss Latimer.' he said: came out with us this voyage, I suppose only fr her health, since she's going tii oack. Understand she's an orphan, "11U "Ot SOIT1A mnnoir T A 'Of course I iumried at th nffor n1 yery soon the magic words were spoken uich privileged me to snpnfc tnm.MJ l ou st.e even now I get enthusiastic and fh "n',c,n m' language -when I talk oout her, so you can imagine the condi gn of hopeless 'smite' in which I was ch arming 8 9he looked, and before I o.. jmuvcu iu ue jusi as 1 ,.--- V,rnea in for the mVht. I was deeply, l)erat9;y in love. "I don't suppose there is anv nlace in the world so favorable for love-making as a comfortable passenger ship. Not one of these new 'ocean greyhounds' that rush at break-neck speed through all kinds of weather, and land you at your destination almost before you have time to know any one aboard, but a fine clip per vessel, whose only propelling power Is nature's breath, and to the passengers on which every change of weather or shift of wind is of vast import and in terest. These afford endless themes for talk, and mutual interest seems to draw people closer together. Miss Latimer had quite an affection for the Winches ter, which had brought her safely from England, and was then hearing her back. She and the captain appeared to be on excellent terms, and she was often invited to walk on the captain's own side of the quarter-deck a pathway which we were supposed not to venture to tread without a special summons. "There was something about Miss Latimer Rose was her name which was irresistibly attractive to me. I do not know exactly how to describe it, ex cept as a curious compound of girlish innocence and womanly frankness. One would never dream of flirting with her, and I fancy few people would have ven tured on any direct love making witht.ut a speedy accompaniment of a humble entreaty for her hand. She was awfully kind to me; used always to be afraid that I'd over-exert myself, and was con stantly making me tell ler stories of my experiences. I am afraid that sometimes j I a little overdid the Othello business, but she never seemed to mind. - '"Day after day slipped away in an ec stasy of happiness tempered with occa sional qualms of doubt. I hesitated tc put my fate to the test for if by any chance she should refuse me and de spite my belief that my inflection, was re turned, such aa event was barely possi ble it would be very un)2easant to meet her every day for at least two months. Aguin, if she accepted rae, I should be . so -anxious to be married that I couldn't bear to think of waiting till we got to England. There is no need for me to say that I was very young; you can see that from my state of miud. Well, finally I made a confidant of Watson. He cut the Gordian knot at once. 'Ask the lady,' he said, 'and if she consents, get the captain to marry you as soon as she's agreeable.' " 'But is that legal? I inquired. " 'Perfectly. It will be duly entered in the ship's log just the same as a birth. The captain is ex-officio clergyman, mag istrate, Registrar and sometimes doc tor.' ';The idea was splendid, and I gave Watson my best thanks. I should have at once proceeded to act on his advice, but it occurred to me that it might be as well to sound the captain, and see. if he would be willing to perform the cere mony. You see, I wanted to have every thing sure before I put my faith to the test. I waited through one day for a favorable opportunity to speak to the captain on deck, but he never invited me to share hi3 walk. So the next morn ing I sent a message by his boy, asking if he could spare me a few minutes. The boy speedily returned with a request that I would follow him to the captain's cabin. "I found the great man sitting at hi3 table looking over a chart. Somehow or other he appeared to be unusually'for midable. " Good-morning, Captain Hamilton,' he said, as he waved me to take a seat. 'Can I do anything for you?" ' " 'Well, captain, it's rather a delicate matter, but I wanted to ask you some thing about vour powers on board.' " 'They are absolute, sir' he answered, a little sternly. 'Why do you ask? Do you want s me one put in irons lor in sulting you?' " 'Not exactly, captain. The fetters that I would like you to use are of a dif ferent kind the matrimonial ones.' " 'The deuce you say!' he exclaimed, jumping to his feet, and hi3 face light ing up with a sailor's quick sympathy for a love affair. 'So you have lost your heart to one of my passengers? Pray which is it?' " 'Well, captain,' I answered. I know I can trust you not to let this go any further at present. It is Miss Latimer.' "I didn't quite like the look that came over his face. Is it possible, I thought, that this old sea-dog is a little bit gone in that quarter himself? "He gave me plenty of time to think before he made any verbal comment on my announcement. His first words were : " 'Pray, sir, have you spoken to the lady on the subject of your hopes?' "' Not yet, captain.' "' Has she given you any encourage ment to think that the love you say you feel is returned by her? ' " 4 No, captain; but she has been very kind to me, and has talked to me a great deal, and seemed to like to have me talk to her.' "'And on these faint grounds you base your hopes? ' - "1 didn't at all like the tone in which he made that remark, and I was about to reply a little haughtily. I suppose he saw the expression on my face, and he stopped me from speaking by holding up his hand. 'Don't say any more, Captain Hamil ton. I ought to have stopped you before. I couldn't possibly marry you to the lady.' " ' Why not. Captain Smith? ' I asked, rather warmly. " 'Because, sir, I couldn't very well marrv you to my own wife.' " 'What?' I almost shrieked. " 'My wife ' he answered, firmly. 'I am very sorry you should be placed in so unpleasant a position. It is partly my fault, but much more that of your own youth and rashness. You are an officer and a gentlem in, and will respect the secret I am about to confide to you.' "I felt so utterly crushed that I was scarcely sensible of where I was. Cer tainly I did not fully understand all he was saying, but I managed to retain sense enough to bow my head in sign of assent. " 'I waa married,' said the captain, when I was last home, to Miss Latimer, who was left an orphan under unusually sad circumstances and surroundings. She dreaded to be left in England alone. The owners of this line do not allow their captains to . have their wives with them even as passen gers. We therefore decided to keep our marriage secret, and my wife booked as a passenger under her maiden name. Not soul on bard except yourself knowa the truth. I trust to you to keep it sa cred, for I don't want to retire yet for a voyage or two.' "Iam sure I don't know how I gt from his cabin to my own, but once in the latter, I bolted the door, and never came out till the next morning. I can't tell if the captain ever confided to his wife what took place in his cabin, but I sometimes fancied I could see in her face when her eyes fell on me, an expression of mingled pity and amusement that I never noticed there before. One thing I was sure of, however, and that was that when I became more familiar with her I did not think her quite so pretty as I did at first. "When the Winchester touched at St. Helena, I arranged with Captain Smith that I should go ashore there, and wait for the next ves3elof Greene's line. Wc made ill health and the need of land air the excuse. "That time iu the captain's cabin waa the most awkward moment I ever knew. I suppose I am the only fellow who ever asked a man to marry him to his own wife. "At anv rate, if there is- another. he has my svmpathy." Julian Magnus. I in juurjier s teciiiy. Nankin's Porcelain Tower. The city of Nankin, the capital of China, has for centuries been famous to the "barbarians" of the outer world for its porcelain tower a relic of the splen dor of its ancient days before Peking usurped its dignity as the seat of the empire. The place is now, to a great extent, a city of ruins, and the city proper has shrunk to one-fourth of its former dimensions. The porcelain tower was built quite early in the fifteenth cen tury, by the order of the Emperor Yung Loh, and as a work of filial piety.. It was a monument to the memory of his mother, and he determined that its beauty should as far outshine that of any similar memorial as the transcendent virtues of the parent, in her son's eye3, surpassed those of the rest of her sex. No expense was spared in its erection, and its total cost is estima'cd at more than three-fourths of a million of our own money. The work was com menced at noon on a certain day in 1413, and occupied nearly twenty years in its completion. The total height of the porcelain tower was more than 200 feet, or about equal to that of the monu ment of London, and it was faced from top to bottom with the finest porcelain, glazed and colored. It consisted of nine stories, surmounted by a spire, on the summit of which was a ball of brass, richly gilt. From this ball eight iron chains extended to as many projecting points of the roof, and from each chain was suspended a bell which hung over the face of the tower. The same arrange ment was carried out in every story. The bells added much to the graceful appear ance of the tower, breaking its otherwise formal and monotonous outline. Round the outer face of each story were several apertures for lanterns, and when these were all illuminated, we are told, in the magniloquent language of the Chinese historian, that "their light illuminated the entire heavens, shining into the hearts of men, and eternally removing human misery." It is rot difficult to imagine, however, that the appearance of the tower on such an occasion must have been beautiful in the extreme. On the top of the tower were placed two large brazen vessels and a bowl, which together contained various costly arti cles in the nature of an offering and f charm to avert evil influences. Amon these were several pearls of various colors, each supposed to possess miraculous properties, together with other precious stones and a quantity of gold and silver. In this connection, designed to repre sent the best treasures of the state, were also placed a box of tea, some pieces of silk, and copies of some ancient Chinese writings. The tower was demolished by the Taeping rebels in 1853. The Mind Cure. A correspondent of the Providence Journal in a recent letter from Bostoa says: It is rather a curious thing that the mind-cure craze should be almost wholly confined to Boston, and that it should have so captivated - the erratic Boston fancy. Here it sprung into existence some years ago under the auspices of Dr. Cullis, whose faith-cure had. in it the germ of this later system. Here it made for itself a footing, and slowly, quietly gained many a convert and accomplished many an astonishing cure, until it has become a firmly established institution, with a theory, a practice, a church, and a school the Massachusetts Metaphysi cal college, on Columbus avenue where its tenets aire taught and which numbers among the faculty such men as Dr. Bar tol. There seems to be something weird and myste?ious about it, though the treatment id simple enough with no medicine, no . quackery of any sort to raise a doubt. The patient visits the mind-curer or Christian scientist, sits in a comfortable chair and is requested to - follow Buu thorne's advice and think of nothing at all, while the operator, sitting opposite with closed eyes, puts her vigorous mind to work for half an hour And this is all. Science or no science, argument pro and con notwithstanding, there remains the stubborn fact that hundreds of peo ple have received good care at the hands of these new doctors, and that remark able cures are every day reported and duly attested. Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett, the novelist, who came from New York with nervous prostration, wa3 persuaded to try a little Christian science and returned in high glee, restored to health," and a warm believer in the theory,, and Mi?3 Louisa Alcott, who spends her winter in Boston, and who has been quite ili, is now under the care of Mrs. Newm?jr,one of the most successful operators, nd is rapidly recovering her health and spirits. These are two out of a thousand instan -ces of the wonders worked under our own eyes, and we are prepar id to accept any startling intelligence ' nth compla cency. It is a necessity of the age we live in. this indifference to miracles, and ere long we shall be so steeled to sur prises that the skies might fall and no one lift a startled eyebrow. The'forests of the United States com prise 412 species of "trees, belonging to Of these, fortv-fiiffht sev- j era and sity ':! we pawiilu :u Florida. ; TIMELY TOPICS. Mr. Kecly of motor notoriety has re cently found a competitor for fame in France, where an inventor, M. Boutet, claims the honor of discovering a new force by the application of air and water. How he does it, he tells no more than Mr. Keely, but he promises to exhibit a tramway operated by the new motor at the coming Antwerp exhibition. The dahlia, after having been unfash ionable for many years, has of late asain gained many friends, who will no doubt be interested to learn that this flower might this year celebrate the centenary of its introduction into Europe. In 1784 the Spaniard Vincent Cervantes found a nev plant in Mexico with small red, violet, or orange flowers along a large yellow centre, growing on a long thin stock. He sent a specimen to Senor Cavanilles, the director of the botanical gardens at Madrid, who gave the flower its present name. From Spain the dah lia was exported all over Europe. For the first thirty years it was cultivated in England in a greater variety than in any other country, but later on Germany,and especially the town of Kostritz, has taken the first place in the culture of dahlias. Making cyclone pits is one of the do mestic industries of Georgia. They are underground refuges lor shelter in a tor nado. - The tremendous force of these storms, several of which sweep across the State every season, destroying every thing in their track, has warned the peo ple . to provide safe shelters near the house where the family can find refuge when the tornado approaches. In general they are merely deep holes in the ground. Tha latest improvement is called a "waterproof pit," the floor aud walls be ing lined with brick lined with cement. The track of a tornado is so narrow, very rarely so much as half a mile wide, that the area swept by them is small com paratively, and the likelihood that any particular house will be in the path of a tornado is not great. Most of the mak ers of cyclone pits will never need to use them, but if the need dce3 come it is very imperative. The progress of the tea plants at the station near Summerville, S. C, is re ported by the superintendent as being quite satisfactory. The plants, it is thought, are now large enough to afford leaves in sufficient quantities to warrant an effort at tea manufacture, if such an operation should be considered necessary by the department at Washington. That the Chinese tea plant can be grown over a large portion of the United State.', and that . good teas can be made from these plants, have been demonstrated, but whether teas can bo procured of standard qualities to meet the requirements of commerce and bring profit to the planter and manufacturer are questions which have not been practically demonstrated. It is well recognized that in some essen tial conditions of successful tea produc tion (a principal one being a deficiency in the average rainfall) there is sufficient reason for caution in experiments on a large scale, even in the most favored cli mate. A Chinese imperial decree has recently been issued, ordering that the late vice roy of Yunnan, through whose negli gence, it is alleged, Sontay and Bac Ninh were captured by the French, and the viceroy of Kwangsi, who did not.ad vance beyond Langson to the relief of these two towns, are to be beheaded after the "autumnal assizes." The vice roys Li and Tso, who strenuously inter ceded for the culprit,3, are degraded two degrees in official rank. The viceroy of Canton, who was guilty of recommend ing one of them for employment, is also to be punished. He is, however, to be leniently dealt with on account of recent services in providing for the defence of his province. Chang Peilun, who com manded at Fo.ochow during the bom bardment, is summarily degraded and dismissed, and is ordered to-Pekin for trial, while several other military com manders and high officials who recom mended them for employment are also either degraded or handed over to the board of punishments for trial. Any one in need of a carpet or a set of chairs would - naturally be attracted by the announcement, in a New York paper, that 'Colonel C. Bonner, being about to sail for Europe, will sell his en tire household furniture, pictures," etc. The fact, however, is that Colonel Bon ner is a mere myth. The auctioneer, on the other hand, i3 a swindler, who hires a house and furnishes it, merely for the purpose of shoving off worthless furni ture upon unwary buyers. The name of Colonel Bonner is occasionally varied by the advertisement of " a private family breaking up housekeeping after only six months." In these cases their is always a Steinway grand-action piano, and some times twoj and this instrument adds dig nity to the sale. The method is to fill the house with cheap but showy furni ture, made only to sell, and then have their underbidden, who lure on the gen uine purchaser. The latter, of course, learns by his experience, as he sees the " bargains " tumble to-pieces; but every auction brings its new set of greenhorns, and so the fraud becomes a permanent feature in the season. Dr. W. E. Sylvester, in a paper which appeared recently in the Alienist and Neurologist, states that twenty years ago the number of insane persons in the United States was on!v 24,042. In 1870 it had reached 37,432," and in 1880 treat ment was; required for 91,959 lunatics. From 1870 to 1880 the increase in insan ity was nearly 150 per cent., while that of the total population was about twenty six. These figures do not, however, rep resent actual increase, but during this period a large numbtr of insane person, previously concealed, were brought to public notice by more thorough investi gations. In America, apart from several larse county asylums, there are eighty State and forty private institutions for the care of the insane, with a proper ca pacity for about 40,000, but containing 53,192, thus leaving probably 45,000 to be cared for elsewhere. The proportion of insane is greatest in New England, while the increase has been most rapid in the Western States. In the State ot New York there are thirty-five institu tions for the care of these unfortunate neople, accommodating 11,343 patients, while it is said there for at home. are 4,000 providec Porpoise fishing promises to beconw one of the principal industries on tht New Jersey coast. The experiment made last fall at Cape May proved si success ful that the facilities there were greatlj increnscd, aud other porpoise fisheries will be established iuboth Cape May and Atlantic counties. At first porpoises were caught for the skin and blubbei alone, the carcasses being thrown away or in a few instances used as fertilizers. From the blubber is extracted a very fine oil, while the skin makes a superior quality of leather. Some time last fall it was discovered that porpoise flosh was savory to the taste, and it soon became popular as an article of food and was in great demand. The juicy red meat, which is taken from beneath a layer of fat next to the skin, is pronounced by epicures to be more palatable than any porterhouse steak ever cooked. In ap pearance it resemble3 beef, but is more solid and of finer grain and very, tender. Some persons say that it tastes like ven ison, and that there is nothing of the fishy taste about it. Last fall New York fish dealers offered two cents per pound for the carcasses, but they wili command a much higher figure next summer. The Chicago Times asserts that "the last quarter of a century has been a pe riod in which his'ory has been made with unexampled rapidity -thati3. va9t events in dense masses hive been developed. Rarely in any other period of equal length, save perhaps in the career of Na poleon Bonaparte, has to much occurred, and which has been so gigantic in the dimensions of the respective units, or so potent, in influences on the destiny of the nations. Within that period many of the most mighty changes of modern times have taken place. In 1861, Russia emancipated her 22,000,000 serfs, and the same year in this country, commenced a conflict one of whese results was the freeing of nearly 4,000,000 slaves held by the Southern States- A year or two later, the comparatively insignificant state of Prussia commenced a series of aggressive movements against Sch'eswig Holsteiu, which ended in the expulsion of Austria from the German confedera tion and the creation of the German em pire the mightiest product of the cen tury. There were also the Russo-Turkish and Franco-Prussian wars, each of which made material changes in the map of Europe and radically modified the con dition of at least one great empire. Kaogarooing is the most exciting sport in Australia, and is one of the most exciting in the, world. Large meets arc organized, parties of from twenty to thirty joining in these hunts. They ride to the kangaroo grounds, and as soon as an animal is sighted the two dogs are released aud the horses are given their heads. If the Australian horse is well up in his business, and if you let him take you instead of you trying to take him, he will carry you safely, avoid ing trees and underbrush. A good, strong kangaroo will give you a long chase, and very often the dogs cannot follow him. In this case, when the horseman gets up to the kangaroo he takes off his stirrup and strap and knocks the animal over the head, which effectu ally stuns him. He is then killed and skinned. The hind quarters are given to the dogs! It is good enough for eating, but too strong to be palatable to those of delicate taste. The tail, on the contrary, is considered delicious when made into soup. The average si'.e of a kangaroo is about three and a half feet high, but the old man kangaroo is often six feet, and is very fierce whea cornered; he has even been known to rip men open with a single blow from one of his hind legs. The New Yrork Constant Current Stor age Battery company, for the first time makes it possible for a man to go and buy his electric light by the pound, and take it home with him. For $5 you can tuy a little box about the size of a thick pocketbook and weighing a little more than half a pound. This box is hermeti cally closed and may be carried round in the pocket. Two wires project from :t. With the box comes a little incandesceut lamp about the size of a horse-chestnut. Attach the two wires to the lamp and for four hours you have a pure and steady light equal to about three candles or half a gis light: at the end of that time the ! lamp goes out because the battery is ex I hausted. Then you can take it back to ! the company's office and get it refilled at a cost of twelve cents If instead of allowing the battery to run out the light , is used for a few seconds at long inter vals, extending over months, the leakage of electricity is very small and the lamp may always be depended upon for light, provided there is any current left. This is the smallest size of battery sold, but the lamps are of all sizes, the smallest being as large as peas and intended for surgeons who wish to see what is going on inside the body. The larger size bat teries are intended for carriage lamps, for house illumination when cost is AO object, and for use upon the stage. It was this type or battery which was car ried about some time ago by the girls in one of the ballets, and which lit up a small star in the headdress of each girl; but it is only now that they have been put upon the market ia quantities for practical use. Church Membership. The following table, says the Inter Ocean, gives the membership of the dif ferent churches according to the most leliable authorities. The Roman Catho lic church claims to have 6,370,858 ad herents in this country, but their actual church membership is not reported : Adventists, including three sects .... 89,333 Baptists, including five sects 2,269,431 Congregationalist-s 383,685 Disciples of Christ 567,448 Dunkards 90,000 Episcopal, including Ref. Episcopal. 363,049 Evangelicals 144,000 Friends, or Quakers .V 67,643 Jews 13, 6S3 Lutherans 684,570 Methodists, including the M. E Church.Soutb. the Colored Church, Free Methodises, etc 3,736,594 Moravians.. 16,113 Mormons . 1 10,377 Presbyterians, including several branches of the church -891,453 Reformed Church 2-J3,6"j9 Shakers and other communities n,'i8 S wedenborgians 4, 734 Unitarians , .. T7,!V0? Unit3d Brethren l"o,437 Ur.iversalists... 20.3.J8 Wi?bi-ennerianB 20,224 SILAS SOMERBY'S SUCCESS. How bis Industry Kesnlled in a Rapid Advance in Wages, I never lag behind in my pursuit of the nimble and elusive dollar but I think of Silas Somerby, and straightway push on refreshed. In the hope that it may encourage some fellow-toiler, I will briefly set down the story of his great success. He began his business life in the em ploy of his father, in whose establish ment he still remains, universally looked up to and honored by all whose position in the house is inferior to his own. It was arranged in the beginning that he was to live at home, and that he was to receive a salary of $10 a week, half of which was to be deducted in payment of his board. His father designed thus not only to give his son a good start, but to inculcate at the very outset sound prin ciples of economy, and to accustom his offspring to the now almost obsolete practice of laying aside a certnin fixed percentage of his income to meet living expenses. The son repaid the father's kindness with earnest effort, and at the end of six months he was one day summoned into his progenitor's private office, and thus addressed : "Silas, I have observed with great pleasure your diligent attention to busi ness, and have decided to raise your sal ary in practical recognition of your in creased value. After to-day you will draw $15 a week, instead of $10, as here tofore. And, by the way," the father added, as Silas turned to go, "as your living will now be, naturally, upon an increased scale of expenditure more in keeping with your augmented income, I shall hereafter deduct fiO a week, instead of -$5, for your board." Filled with a iiiatituuv; luu uccu iui expression, Silas left the paternal pres ence resolved to deserve his kindness or perish. He redoubled his efforts, and in six short months more he again stood one day, by particular request, before his father, who said with a broad smile of satisfaction draped about his Denevo lent countenance: "My boy, you are exceeding my fond est ahicipations. Such endeavor as youis shall not go unrewarded. I have decided to raise your salary for the sec ond time. Twenty-five dollars is the figure of the future, and may God bless you." Here the old man paused; and in a voice trembling with genuine emotion Silas stammered forth his thanks. As he was leaving the room his father added, without raising his head from some papers over which he was busied : "Oh, Silas, one thing more. I wag about to add that this change in your circumstances will make a great differ ence in vour mode of life. You will eat J more, drink more, in fact, lead a broader and fuller life in every respect. I shall, therefore, charge you $20 a week for board after this date. Good morning." In the next six months Silas surpassed himself, and boomed things to a per fectly phenomenal extent. He was not, consequently, wholly taken by surprise when he found on his desk one morning a note in his father's familiar hand. Hastily tearing open the envelope with hands trembling with pleasurable an ticipation, he read as follows : My Dear Son I cannot express to jrou my deep satisfaction in your wonderful pro gress, nor shall I try. Words are cheap, but cash is, in such cases, the most accomplished conversationalist. Continue your efforts at double your present salary. Inclosed please find ck. for this week. Your affectionate Father. The inclosure bore in the lower right nand corner the flowing signature of the senior Somerby, and in the upper left the symbol $, followed by the figure 5. In an ecstasy of gratitude Silas pressed the letter to his Jips. As he did so he observed the legend "Turn over" ob scurely placed in the lower corner, and following instructions he read a3 fol lows : P. S. Your pecuniary circumslances are now such that you will no longer feel the nesd of economizing. A variety of mild extrava gances, hitherto made inaccessible ty limita tion of income, are now within your grasp. You will feel like branching out in many directions. Men in your circumstances smoke fif ten-cent cigars, and drink wine upon occasions. Their board sometimes costs them as much as $45 a week. Yours will cost you precisely that amount. Stimulated by these practical proofs of parental pride, Silas fairly humped himself, so to speak, during the next year, and, despite the distracting innu- encj of a large income, attended more I strictly than ever to business. One dav toward the end of the year he received a summons from his father, whom he found standing before the fire in his private office. Judge of his surprise when the good old man, laying h's hand affectionately upon his son's should er, said: " Silas, my boy, you have been doing nobly, I have long intended to more sub stantiilly reward jour efforts than by mere 'words of praise, and I have decid ed to let that reward come in the form of a raise of salary. I am aware that a salary of $100 a week will place you in society to which your poor old father can hardly aspire, it will be your proud privilege to give suppers and to assist in booming the hack interests of this great metropolis. I, alas! on account of deficiencies of early training and education, and lack of funds, cannot tread these flowery paths with you ; But the father is con tent to live "again in the son, and to en joy his triumphs in a back seat. I can scarcely hope," he continued, his voice trembling slightly, and a big tear rolling down his cheek, "to keep you at home with us any longer. Your new life will be at variance with our simple ways. You will, -no doubt, feel like going to one of the principal hotels, and, perhaps, pay as much as $95 a week for board We cannot compete at home with the crockeryware and silver they will give you there to eat, nor with the manifold discomforts of the place ; but, my boy, we can give you good, wholesome food, plainly served, and a hearty welcome at the same price, and, by heaven, we will!" And they did. And somebody still has a place at their fireside, despite his altered circumstances. Happy in their son's success, the old folks never mur mur, but put up with his late houra and altered way of life with a self-denying tience that is rare indeed. Puck. j The southern part of Africa has 70,- 000 tame ostriches, producing $30UJ,U'J0' worth of feathers annually. " AFTERGLOW. It is not altcgether dark, 1 1 is not altcgether lonely, That the sky to-day holds shadows only; If soma bygone year to us was fair. Its light still lingers on the air, As the flush in the west is fair to see When the sun long since has dropped under the soa. It is not altogether dark, It is not altogether lonelj, If the friend be'oved was once ours only; The leaf of verbena, when we look Through leaves of some long since opened book, Is haunted, we find, with the scent to-day That it held the morning when laid away. It is not altogether dark, It is not altogether lonely, If the scented leaf remains to us only; A little grave flower, though it be Linked with our loved one's destiuy, That grew in the light of that bygone year, That saddened and sweetened and left life dear. v Jennie Maxwell Paine. PUNGENT MRAGRVPHSl The surest political appointment is disappointment. Marathon Independent. It is not the change of scene that curs so many traveling invalids. It is absence from the doctor. C'al'. "I'm down cn roller spates !" ex claimed he, as hs calmly proceeded to regain his feet. The Hint;. "Liquor strengthens the voice," says a great tenor. This may be. It certainly strengthens the breath. Call. The boy whose hair i3 cut by his mother seldom takes off his hat when there are any girls around. New York Journal. A New York man has a bulldog that can read. He acquired his literary tastes by biting book agents. Keteman Inde pendent. The labor depression grows wor.-e and worse. A great many skating riuks are only running on half time. Marathon Independent. A French physician has written a long letter on the advantages of groaning and crying. One is that neither will be mis taken for singing. Boston Po&t "Plant anything on your Kansas farm. Bill?" "Yaas, planted a mortgage and two cowboys, but I am afraid I can't raise nary one of 'em." Bxrdette. An exchange asks, "How shall we prevent mice from gnawing bark off fruit trees?" Kill the mice, of course. A dead mouse never gnaws bark. Graphic. A man may be loaded to the eyebrows with philosophy, and yet become as helpless as a child when he tries to get the last word with a woman. Chicago Ledger. The inability of George Washington to tell a lie left a gap in our national system that his fellow-countrymen have used every exertion to fill. Pittiburg lelegrap'i. A Brooklyn seamstress carelessly left a needle in the back of a young lady cus tomer's dress, and now a particular friend of the family has his arm done up in ainica. Rochester Herald. You may talk of the signs of tha weather, Of the coming days you may sing, But sitting down on a red-hot stove Is a sign of an early spring. Gorhum Mountaineer. "How long does it take to become a pianist?" asks a subscriber. It is diffi cult to say. Wc know some people who will never be pianists. This is reliable and is published for the general good of the community. When Mrs. PinaiVhor read that a mil operator in Philadelphia "had a thousand hands, she looked a little credulous, and then ouietlv observed that "it must cost him an awful lot of money for gloves. " Norrixtown Herald. A man never begins to find out how little he knows about domestic matters until his wife asks him to keep his eye upon the baby, and to sec that a pan of melted butter is kept stirred, while she goes into the attic to look through her rag bag. Fall Iiicer Advance. "Madam, can you tell me why tw women stop in the middle of a stree crossing to talk?" "I suppose they do i for the same reason that a man rushes a the top of his speed to get across the track in front of a train of cars and then stands and watches the train go by." The gentleman changed the subject. Chicago News. i Rural Reader (to agricultural editor) "Will you please tell me in the next is sue of your valuable paper, if ashes are good to put on strawberries?" Agricul tural Editor (in the next issue of his valuab'e paper)" 'Pomona' may like ashes on his strawberries, but as for our selves we prefer sugar and cream."- Harper's Bazar. There was a little man, And he had a little can, And a quart or more of kerosene was in it; And upon the kitchen fire, To make it burn still higher, Ho poured the oil, and in much less than a quarter of a minute There was no little can, There was no little man The tale's too sad I can't go on Oh! why did I begin it? Dettoit Free Press. A man in New York, who could speak Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Turkish, French and English fluently, applied to the justice of the tombs a few day! ago for employment. While this unfortunate man was frittering away his valuable time mastering several lan guages, he might have learned the art of pitching a curved ball, and would now be overwhelmed with tempting "offers to become the pitcher of a score of profes Bional baseball clubs. Norristown Herald. The Richest Cabinet Lady. The richeot lady in Washington, says a correspondent, probably is Mrs. Whit ney, whose husband is secretary of the aavy and whose father is the millionaire Senator Payne, of Ohio. - It is said one of her brothers gave her a cool , million within a year or two, and as a trifling Christmas gift gave her a $10,000 orna ment of rubies. The diamonds she wore at -her-first Wednesday reeeption in Washington were very large and bril liant. Her ear-rings of soltaire diamonds and the three soltaires which were set in a bar breast-pin are unusually large and nure. , 1 4 "'I
The Commonwealth (Scotland Neck, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 30, 1885, edition 1
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