Newspapers / The Commonwealth (Scotland Neck, … / June 18, 1885, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE DEMOCRAT PUBLISHING CO., PUBLISHERS. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE SI.SO PER YEAR. SCOTLAND NECK, HALIFAX CO., N. C. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1885. VOLUME L NUMBER 30. THE TRUMPET BLOWS. The brown clods quicken into creeping green , Tlie bushed air wlusjxi. Bare boughs burst out in tomler. misty sheen. On banks tho violets Mow, -The orch.mU lIsm sudden like a bride, a .i fir lulls melt m liaze, VhiIo goklon willows stand on either side Along the brooks glad ways. Glancing with quiv'ring wings from bough to bough The bluebird finds bis mate; ri!l : dash of piercing melody - 5 ay. 'ly one w,,y s late? In every little wood a bliss to sing 7i trembling, fluttering birds; lfiili rapture satisfied the copses ring, A joy beyond all words. To the light kisses of the odorous ail My pulses rife and fall, Enchanted by that timid touch, aware Of one who stirs in alL I, too, am borne by iufluonces doop; 1 treuible, like the rose. Love- hath awakened all tho world from sleep For mo the trumpet blows: . IL Goodale, in Harper. ALHTOST A TRAGEDY. "It mi"ht bo trulv paid that a band 01 music welcomed them upon their arrival, for as the hotel coach drove up to the door Mr. and JMrs. W insula, the sole occupants, stepped out to the time of "See the ('cii.jucriug Hero Comes," one of the various melodies with which the numerous quests of the Mountain house were entertained on pleasant afternoons. lark hair and eves, well-cut features, broad shoulders, five feet ten. such was 'r. Frank Winsum, who sprang first from the clumsy vehicle and assisted a little lady with golden hair, violet eyes, perfect complexion, retrousse uose Mrs. Frank Winsum. The bridal couple, for such they proved to be, were received with undisguised satisfaction. We were getting ired of the despotic control exercised by Sirs. Vaudeville, a tall, dignified woman, exceedingly slender, with a Roman nose, piercing Hack eyes, and an imperious manner, which overawed most of us, more particu larly her husband, a meek little man, who w as a terror in his ollice aud a slave at home. She had directed the social clement of Mountain house for a month past, and so completely' subjugated its inmates that I fancy we hardly ventured to take a drive befure consulting her as to the best road. The new people were on their honey moon trip, and an event of so novel and romantic a nature claimed immediate in terest. Mrs. Yandeville, who was the mater nal parent of two auburn haired daugh ters, eyed the fascinating bride with cold suspicion. "Who are these persons?" she said in a severe tone, looking round her small circle of adherents. "We cannot be too careful. We are wives" this with a scathing look at her timid spouse "and mothers," casting a sentimental plan ceiit her fair progeny, who imme diately began to whimper; "and it is due to our families that we should find out exactly who these Winsums are be fore allowing ourselves to become inti mate with them." Although fully agreeing with their leader that evening, the next day an in tioduction to the enemy completely routed their prejudices, and one and ad shameles-sly went over to the other side without instituting a single inquiry as to their antecedents, or, in fact, asking anything about them. Mrs. Vandevillc accepted the situation but it was evident she did not intend to relinquish the field without a struggle. She had chosen tho picturesque spots for picnics, superintended the ice cream parties, occupied the post of honor in all the rides, led the songs in a high soprano key during our moonlight sails; therefore it is hardly to be won dered at that she failed to yield grace fully to the younger and prettier woman, hut on the contrary cherished a feeling of bitterness, and determined to be avenged upon her lovely rival. We were located at a sort of farm house hotel almost on the top of Ihe Murdock mountain in Sullivan county. There were not more than forty boarders just enough to make a pleasant party. Before the advent of the Winsums it was divided, each clique endeavoring to supersede the other; jealous, and in many ways quarrelsome. But somehow 'his bright little couple soon changed all that. " - They were not well off, that was cer tain, and occupied the cheapest room in the house. The bride's dresses, though fitting exquisitely, were made of the plainest materials, here and there trimmed with a bit of ribbon, which, together with her piquante beauty, made her en tirely charming. They were both brim ming over with talent. Frank possessed an inexhaustible fund of clever songs, and. with a good bari tone voice and an excellent knowledge of music, accompanied himself to every body's satisfaction. as lor little Jurs. rant, sne -was really wonderful. She invented de- "fjlitfnl games for the children, taught the girls the newest and most intricate Stitches in rrnchet. drew exouisite sketches of the prettiest views about the vicinity, and, in fact, proved positively valuable. Mrs. V nnr?Avitlo 1-iomA snllnn with disappointment, and finally declined to Ju"i us in any of our innocent amuse ments. Summer waned, as the poets say, and we were beginning to meet at brcakfast tnue with questioning looks and "What shall we do next?" written upon every ace. No one had anything new to pro pose, and our social circle seemed at a Btandstill. ' . Inuring the week Mrs. Vandeville maintained a mysterious silence that oused suspicion, and presently vague "hispers were circulated to the effect Vh Vhu facinating Winsums- were not wuat they appeared to be; that their af tction in public was a delusion. "is dreadful rumor demanded Instant nvtigation. in i AtteT f course, the ladies ques- oned Mrs. Vandeville, while t" rentle ";5"lnierrgated Mr. Vandcvil. -who leari." 7 admitted that he and his wife, Win!,g ?trange sounds issue from the WSUms foom, which adjoined theirs. considered it a duty to society to listen, and in consequence thereof had heard the most dreadful things, adding underT" his breath, "It makes my blood run cold , to think of it, and you must excuse me, for I will say no more." This was enough. Several guests who still remained loyal to the Vandevillc colors congregated in that lady's room at a late hour the same night, not only to verify Mr. Vandcville's statement, but also to satisfy their own curiosity. I The door of a large closet which sepa rated the two rooms was purposely left open, and ordinary conversation could bo easily heard. ' Mrs. Vandevillc looked virtuous and important; her husband disgusted and abashed. A tiny clock on the mantel chimed eleven. A slight rustling could be distinguished, and the listcuers bo-. camrintcrcsted. Suddenly a low voice broke the op- piessive stillness; but the confused jum ble of undertones was tooindistinct,.and disappointment was plainly visible on every countenance. I After a few moments of inaudible con- ' versation, the voices grew louder and still louder, until, the occupants of Mrs. Vaudeville's room, in their excite- ' ment, exhibited signs of immediate be- J trayal. j That lady made an imperious ges ture, and the eavesdroppers listened breathlessly to the following dialogue: I "I will hear no more, I tell you. What have I to live fcr? I placed my honor in your hands, and how havo you repaid me?" "Indeed, Harold, I have always loved i you, always been faithful to you I" "Harold !" echoed Mrs. Courtenay, the Vaudevilles' dearest friend. "Then his name isn't Frank, after all !" "Hush!" The stern voice continued: "Oh, Marion!" "Marion!" ejaculated Mrs. Courtenay in horror; "why, she said, her name was Eleanor," "Hush!" murmured, tho assembled party again. "Oh, Marion, you dare assert your in nocence, knowing that I hold the actual proof of your guilt here in my hand? What is this letter, but an avowal of love for the man whom I have taken by the hand and called friend, and who de ceives me beneath the very roof vc both call home?" "Gracious me !" whispered Miss Mer ton, a gentle spinster of forty. "He must mean brother Fred. You know how outrageously she flirted with him." "Silence!" said Mrs. Vandevillc. "Htrold, have mercy; do not shut me out from your heart. Sec, upon my knees I plead to you. In memory of the many happy hours we have been to gether, listen to me, and "I can explain all." "How drealful!" gasped Miss Mor ton; "and they pretended to be a bridal couple." "Enough! not one word. To-night you leave me forever." "Oh! this won't do at all," cried Mr. Courtenay, who was usually an extreme ly quiet and punctilious man. Some thing must be done. The propriety of this establishment ought to be main tained. A departure at such an hour would be ruinous.and create disagreeable gossip. Mr. Vandcville,you must knock at these people's door and tell them all is known, that no scene will be permit ted. To-morrow they will be more than welcome to take their leave; but by all means beg them to make no disturbance at midnight. We will follow and in dorse anything you may consider proper to say." The party fell in line, and in another moment were facing Mrs. Winsum' s door, from whence a faint cry was at this in stant audible. Emboldened by this sound, Mr. Vande villc rapped hastily, and a hearty "Com in !" responded. Pushing her husband aside, and draw ing Mr. Courtenay by the arm, Mrs. Van deville entered the room, followed closelv by the remainder of the party. The picture that confronted them was decidedly embarrassing. Frank Win sum, comfortably ensconced in a capa cious rocking chair, held his small wife upon his knee; her fair aim was about his neck, her golden hair mingled with his chestnut curls as their two heads bent over a yellow covered book. "Oh, my!" said the little woman, springing up; "is this a surprise party?, Frank, dear, put on your coat," and, with her face suffused with blushes, she rattled on: "You see, we came to our room early this evening, because we were getting up a little plan for something new; so we've concluded it would be a good idea to arrange a series of private theatricals; but, as you've caught us reading over a play book; you shall be taken into the secret at once; therefore," with a dramatic gesture "enter all and choose parts." "I think, my dear Mrs. Winsum, we already have the characters your , that best who suited to us," said Mr. Courtenay, was honestly ashamed of his share in the conspiracy. "Why, I don't understand you. Wliat characters do you mean?" '"Those of busybodies and fools;" and thereupon the whole story came out. The next day two trunks marked "Vandeville" were conveyed to the sta tion Mr. and Mrs Winsum became greater favorites than ever, and a roar ing farce was the only result of what had promised to become "Almost a Tragedy. Growing Gold Mines. The famous Comstock lode is still ' growing; that is, the causes which pro duced the great vein are yet in opera tion, though with diminished activity. The lode was probably millions of years in reaching the coudition which it had attained when It was first discovered, and in millions more, if left undisturbed, all the great chambers that have been robbed of their ore might again be filled. In all the softer ground where a drift is run a movement is seen toward the closing of it. This movement is called by the miners the "swelling" of the ground. In many places it amounts to more than a mere swelling amouuts to a degree of motion that; is almost startling in its energy. Belts of a pecu liar kind of clay that have been cut by drifts have been known to rise from the floor until more than thirty feet have been cut away. - - - A music expert says only one man in 1,000 can whistle a tune. LIFE IN AFRICA. queer Incidents of Xravel Among Wild Tribes. When an African chief travels he takes the whole or a part of his house hold with him. The simple aborigines, therefore, are apt to look Upon the soli tary white traveler who wanders through their country without a single wife in his train as a suspicious character. They are quite sure he needs close watching to prevent his running off With some of the females of the tribe. Dr. Barth, the ex plorer, said, after living five years in Africa, that it would be better for a trav eler in those regions to take his wife with him, if possible. He said the na tives would respect him more, and he would get along better. "They had nothing to object to me," he wrote, "ex cept my being a bachelor." If the traveler has no wife the native chiefs, as a rule, are not backward about offering to supply the deficiency. Nearly all the explorers have had some annoy ing experiences with kings who were anxious to have them settle down, marry into the royal family, and grow Up with the country. Some travelers have felt compelled to leave very abruptly in order to escape the attentions of women who were determined to detain them as their husbands. Dr. Buchner, the German traveler, who lived for six months at the capital of the Muata Yanvo about five years ago, was much distressed by the deep inter est with which he had unwittingly in spired the sister of that Central African potentate. He describes her as a mid dlo-agcd and remarkably unprepossess ing person of great avoirdupois. She insisted that Buchner take her for his wife and settle down comfortably as the joint. proprietor of her extensive herds and fields She importuned him so fre quently that he was glad, to escape her at list by quitting the country. One of the daughters of the king of the Ambucllas, near the Zambesi river, fell desperately in love with Scrpa Pin to, the Portuguese explorer, who re turned to Africa a few months ago. Her eld.-r sister, who ably abetted her matri monial designs, was very indignant when Pinto refused to marry the young girl. She wanted to know in the shrillest of tones, if thefe were any prattief worrien in the country he canie from, and what Bort of a man he Avas anyway. Tho sharp-witted wife of one of Pinto's por ters heard the row and entered the hut. Assuming an air of great indignation, she told their royal highnesscsthat Pinto was her husband, and they had better let him alone. She bundled them out of the hut, and Pinto and his party left early next morning to avoid any further complications. In the picture Pinto's book contains of the infatuated young woman she appears to be quite a fine specimen of an African beauty. Explorers have learned by experience that it is best to permit their porters to take their women along with them, even if their journey is to be thousands of mile inMength. When a carrier has his wife with him ho is not likely to run away. Beside tho women carry bur dens nearly as heavy as those of the men. They wash and cook better than the men, endure fatigue better, carry their burdens more cheerfully, and work for less pay. African women have proved valuable adjuncts of nearly every expedi tion that has penetrated the continent in the past ten years. Mr. Hore,a missionary on the great Lake Tanganyika, found near the southern coast three years ago a flourishing tribe, whose ruler was a woman. She was a good-looking negrcss, nearly forty years old, and she was attended everywhere she went by a train of fifty ladies in waiting. Mr. Hore was the first white man Queen Mwcma had seen, and she thought she would like to have the pale faced stranger permanently near her res idence. She begged him to live in her town, and when he insisted that he could not, she did not let him go until he had promised to send some of his breth ren to reside in her district. The queen said she would give them houses and plenty of land. At last accounts a mis sion station was about to be established in Queen Mwena's town. The late King Mtesa, whose subjects inhabit the beautiful shores of Lake Vic toria Nyanza, made a unique response when a missionary applied to him for food supplies two or three years ago. He listened in silence to the good man's petition, and then sent an attendant out into the streets of liubaga with instruc tions that the missionary did not hear. Presently the attendant returned- with a dozen damsels of Uganda in his wake. Then his majesty informed the poor mis sionary that he was tired of supplying him with food. He had concluded to present him with these women as his wives. They would plant his garden, prepare his dinner, and support him very handsomely, and he musn't come bother ing around the place any more. Mtesa was very angry when the missionary de clined to accept this wholesale matrimo nial offer. He told him to shift for him self, and the poor fellow and his com rades would doubtless have had to flee from the country if Mtesa's envoys to England hadn't opportunely returned with such wonderful stories of what they had seen that the politic despot thought it best to keep on good terms with the whites, He restored the missionaries to favor. Last year all his daughters were permitted to receive religious instruction, and one of them, who was converted, now occupies as king's sister, a position of large importance and influence among the Waganda. . On the great interior plateaus of Afri ca, whose inhabitants are generally much superior . in mental and moral develop ment to the coast negroes, the men ex hibit a good deal of affection . for their women. Livingstone, who usually speaks of African women as "ladies, "makes many allusions to this fact, and so do Schwein furth, Burton, and other explorers. The red-skinned Nyam Nyams are as noted as the Zulus for their intelligence and bravery, but if any of their women are captured by an enemy they will make any sacrifice and incur any disgrace to get them back again. The coast negro, however, appears to know neither love nor jealousy. Mr. J. Menteiro, who has lived for many years on the west coast, Bays that he never saw a negro there manifest the least tenderness 'toward a negress, or give or receive any caress that would indicate the slightest loving regard on either side, It is to the credit of the natives that the white women who havo entered the depths of Africa with their missionary husbands have almost invariably received kind treatment. If they could endure the climate they had nothing to fear from tho aborigines. Mmc. Tinne is perhaps the only white female traveler in: Africa who has been killed. She wan-, dercd in safety among the blacks of the' upper Nile, but fell a victim at last to Mohammedan fanaticism. Travelers say they would often be unable to make any progress whatever among the most savage tribes if they were not able to convince the natives that they possessed super-! natural powers. A few conjurers' tricks will often open the way among savages, who would fight the explorer if they did not think he could bewitch them all. Young Thompson, who recently came back from the Masai" country, traveled far on his reputation as a man who could; takhis teeth out of his mouth and put them back again. He had two false teeth on a plate. When argument and en treaty availed nothing, he had only to do. the teeth act to get about everything he wanted A chief south of Lake Nyassa, who had never seen glass, became the warm friend of a missionary whose watch: he was examining. He could see the' hands right before him, but he couldn't put his fingers on them, and he thought the white man by some occult power kept him from tptiching thcai. ' Some petty chiefs have been in the habit of appearing before explorers and; personating their sovereign the Big King for the purpose of getting a handsome present. The explorers have found a means of exposing these frauds. As a rule, none but great chiefs are allowed to possess gaudy or highly-colored cloths. If such goods are offered to a sub chief-who pretends to be the king he refuses to receive them, and stands revealed as a fra.id. Consul Elldu car ried A quantity of red velvet with him ill his travels through East Africa. He says he reserved the velvet for great chiefs or, impostors, and that in both cases it answered admirablyg Neio York Sun. IVrsiau Dervishes. The ordinary meaning of the word, "dervish" is religious mendicant. In Persia," dervishes are certainly mendi cants; but their religion does not go much bgyorid pious ejaculations and the cursing of the infidel. Their hair and1 beards are always worn lotig, unkempt, and flowing in the wind. A striking ap pearance is affected and obtained by startling costumes or by the strange weapons which, only a dcrvislLcarries. Every largo town has a shop in which are exhibited the paraphernalia of the dervish tall hats of cloth or felt, in shape and size resembling a sugar loaf (Od tbe-c hats are embroidered pious: ejaculations or texts from the Ktiran) ; the calabash (generally an elaborately carved vessel made from a single Indian nut that will hold several pints) which hangs from the dervish's girdle by brass chains it is his wallet, drinking-vesscl, and alms box all combined. At these strange shops too may be seen carved beads In strlii29, each bead an inch or more in diameter; these necklets serve to add to the weird appearance of the der vish. It is in his arms that the real dervish's fancy takes most scope. Bludgeons with portentous projections; clubs bristling with spikes or knife blades, steel axes, single headed or double headed, at times beautifully damascened with silver or gold ; maces of steel Or iron with one or other of these curious weapons the dervish is sure to be provided. The harvest, of the dervish is at the new year. At this fes tival, observed with rejoicing by all Persians, the dervish has a good tune; every passer-by givc3 him a trifle for luck. At every rich or great man's door a dervish now encamps literally encamps. He pitches a tiny tent, composed of a yard of canvpg, which he pegs against the wall ol 'he victims doorway; he makes in front Of the tent a sort of glo-" rifled mud pie, and calls it his garden; he decorates the pie with oranges or sprigs of shrubs, and he shouts "Hakk-Ilakk-IIa-a-a akk!" day and night, per haps for a month, till at last he is dis: missed with a present. As there is a certain glory is it not a visible sign of wealth and dignity? in having a derv ish at one's gate at New Year's time, the dervish generally remains at least a week. When he becomes impa tient, real tortures commence. In ad dition to this unending "Hakk!" tho dervish blows upon a buffalo horn. The horn is blown suddenly, viciously, at dead of night, and at irregular intervals, by an irritated dervish with sound lungs. The expected gratuity docs not long re main ungiven when he takes these noc turnal solos. The dervish is permitted by custom to enter any assemblage, to seat himself at every board a humble, uninvited, but still welcome guest. Ho is often a fortune-teller, at times a mes merist or conjurer. He does, not, as a rule, mutilate himself or undergo penance ot any kind, save at the month of mourn ing, the Mohurrim, when, in honor of the saints and martyrs Hassan and Housv sein, he will chop his forehead with a sword till streams of blood flow over the white shroud in which he dresses him self on this occasion. And in the same solemn month strings of dervishes may be seen who' scourge their own bare backs with heavy iron chains until they bleed, while with their left hands they beat their naked and bruised chests, shouting at each stroke, , 'Hassan, Hous scin !" in dismal chorus. One of Lite's Calamities. When a long-suffering fisherman acci dentally and unexpectedly finds a big trout has actually grabbed his hook aud shows light and darts around and pitches and cavorts, and lashes the water and bends the pole almost double and you brace yourself for the great occasion with hope in youreye and your heart in your mouth and begin to draw him in and up and out, and just at the inex pressible moment of success and triumph he gives a flirt and fall9 back oh, what a fall was that, my countrymen! What goneness, what helplessness, what crush ing, subduing feelings come over a man. He couldnTt smile if he was going to be hanged if he didnt. It is worse than to have a cow die, or to be left by a train. I have experienced that, and gone home as humble as a wet dog. It is a $10 grief over the loss of a half dollar fish Bill Arpt in Atlanta Constitution. New Orleans was founded by a com pany of Frencn adventurers in 1743. PACTS FOR THE CTJRIOU9. There are fifty farms in Switzerland devoted to snail culture. In Florida oil is thrown into ponds and standing water to prevent mosqui toes from hatching. Kockford, 111., has a curiosity in a young negress with a luxuriant growth of auburn ringlets. The Bank of North America, the first established in this Country and the be ginning of our present financial system, was founded by Robert Morris in 1782. It is said that the word "natty," as applied to dress, was derived from tho personal appearance Of Nathaniel P. Wil lis, who was the pioneer "literary dude." The oldest of the existing religion's K&3 established by Zoroaster in Persia about 1,200 years P.. O. The youngest ivfts "rc-vealcd" fa Joseph Smith in 1827. The Chinese have a queer way of pun ishing persons who venture to commit suicide in the precincts of that portion of Pekin occupied by the imperial court. The bodies of the offenders are brought to a bridge or eonie other public place and flogged. The Indian rilcthod of planting corn was to make a coaicid uilldck, in the top of which the com was pluccd, and being used for the same purpose these hills be came1 so hard that thc-y have, in sonic old fields, lasted till to-day.; In some places in Michigan a heavy growth or maple iias sprung up since, and yet the old cof hilld are clearly marked. Tile idea which associates ih.' clog's howl with the approach of death is probably derived from a conception of ah Aryan mythology, which represents a dog summoning the departing coul. Throughout ail Aryan mythology wthe souls of the dead are supposed to ride on the night wind with their howling dogs, gathering into their thronsr the souls of tho'tc ju3t dying as they pass by their houses. Kccpins Old Congressional Bills!. It is not generally known that every bill, every report, every executive com munication in short, everything that comes before Congress is preserved id the original. But such is the fact. There is a place devoted to the prcsei vation of these relics, and & man special ly charged with preserving them. Tho room is a succession of iron corridors, one above the othor lined with recep tacles for holding large volumes. Commencing on the roof of the house, the records run down in chronological order. The books are of all sizes dowr to about forty years ago. when they as sume uniformity. They are all leather covered, and are strongly bound. In side of Ihcni are thick leaves upon which billSj reportSj and other congressional documents are pasliid in the original. Every kind of paper is there. The his tory of the improvement in paper manu facture can be traced in these volumes from the first session o the Continental Congress down to the prese' t day. It is noted, too, in delving among these old tomes that the latter ones are better prepared than those preceding them. For instance; there is evident slovenliness in the volumes of the first Congress. Improvements go on as the dates become more recent. But very lit tle is missing in this va;t collection. The first and second congresses are not com plete, and there is a somewhat bad break id the continuity of the r.co ds in the years just before the British burn- .i th capitol. For the past thirty years these volumes have been prepared by an old gentle man who is now nearly seventy ycara of age. Ho has a room iii the basement of the capitol set apart for his own use. There he locks himself up ?nd gives a receipt for the documents which are sent to him. He then arranges them in l5s books in regular order. When he has finished a volume he turns it over to tl-e proper official and gets a receipt. Th? volume then goes to the place set apr ?or Buch records. One would not think that there would be much inquiry for Avhat is contained in the dust-covered old books, but there is. There is hardly a day but that some body wants to get a copy of an original document of years and years ago. They are always accommodated. The old gen tleman who prepares tho original matter for preservation is but seldom seen. One ' of the gentlemen in charge of the iron corridors says that he does not see tho old man more than two or three times a year, when he appears to hand over th volumes he has prepared. Washington Critic. - Died Fighting. A. wild story comes in from Peri ban, Michoacan. Three well mounted and well armed men stopped at an inn to pass the night. The woman who kept the place advised the authorities that three suspicious men had called at her house. The president of the city council and the judge, with a few citizens, went to the house to see the suspicious characters. But the three men locked themselves in their room and refused to be interviewed. A crowd of citizens was collected, but when they appeared they were greeted with a volley from the three men. An assault was then made on the room, and the prisoners breaking out of the door fought their way through the crowd, using their revolvers and daggers. The crowd followed closely after the fugitive and many shots were exchanged. Finally one of the fellows dropped ; even while dying he turned over and fired on his pursuers. A second fell a f ew steps further on, fighting hard. The third sheltering himself behind a rocV. made it warm for his pursuers, and though often wounded, fought on with scarcely enough strength to draw his riflo to his shoulder. Called on to surrender, Ve only replied with a bullet, which re lieved the president of his hat. The erowd closed in round him as the death mist was passing over his eyes. Still ho tried -to pull the trigger of his rifle for a parting shot, but life and strength failed him. The corpses were buried in Peri ban. They were supposed to be a part of Marcial Brave's bandit troops. During the fight the citizens had fired 200 shots, and of these nearly twenty had taken effect on the bandits, who were torn o pieces by a terrible storm of lead. Scl eral of the citizens were wounded. Th bandits died like legendary heroea--Two Republics City of Mexico). The mosquito always makes himself to hum. Boston Star. " " THE LITTLE DELMONICO." A CTttiat Italian Restaurant In IVciV York. The New York Mail and Express say that persons who are not accustomed to economical living are frequent in their expressions of astonishment as to how men who labor for wages ranging from seventy-five cents to a dollar a day can contrive to keep body,and soul together, There are several hundred Italian resi dents in the sixth ward, on Mott, Mul berry, Baxter, Pearl, Pell and Bayard 8trcet3j who do not earn over $0 per week, who never go hungry and who al ways sleep under a roof, except in the dog days, when they repose on the upper side of the roof. Many of these men not only pay their way on the $0, but put a small sum aside every week to meet the rainy day. How do they live? As far as the sin gle men are concerned, this question was fairly solved by a Mail and Exjrress re porter in. a visit paid yesterday to a queer little restaurant located on one of the business thoroughfares of the ward. The landlord calls the place the Littlo Delmoflico, while shis patrons designate it by the title of the Tramps' Delmon ico. A number of men, most of whom wore threadbare garments, were seat ed at the tables, which were covered with oilcloth. Tho dining-room, which would seat about two dozen-persons, was as clean and neat aa many places of higher pretentions. The land lord, who has served as a lieutenant in Garibaldi's army, was quite affable. He entered with swelling pride into an ex planation of the system by which he furnished viands at a ridiculously low rate and made money, prefacing his re marks by producing the fo lowing bill of fare: Cents. Cup of tea.... 1 Cup of coffee 1 Cruller 1 Bowl of soup 2 Friod liver 3 Stewed heart 3 Corned beef hash 3 Roast heart 3 Beef stew 3 Mutton stew 4 Corned beef and cabbago 4 Boiled pig's head 4 Pork or mutton chop 4 Beefsteak .' 4 Fried fish 4 Fried brains...."" 4 Pork and beans 4 Fried sausages 4 Two fried eggs 5 Veal cutlet 5 Chicken stew 5 lioastbeefor mutton 5 Ham and eggs 10 Half a pie 2 Rice pudding... 4 Regular dinner 12 "You see, my friend," said the happy caterer, "that I treat my guests well. I served under Carabaldi aud I know what a good dinner is. I give my guests a good dinner, everything the very best, although the portions are not very large. They can dine a la carte or table d'hote, as they please. My table d'hote at twelve cents is equal to many dinners given in this city for seventy-five cents, the only difference being that I furnish my guests no napkins or toothpicks. They are practical people and don't car about such things." "Of what does your twelve-cent table d'hote consist?" "Ye give soup, fish, one kind of meat to be selected by the diner, with salad, chow-chow, coffee, desert, and plenty of bread and butter." "No wine?" "No, sir; this is a temperance house?" "How many persons take meals here daily?" "Hundreds. Italians, Germans, Ameri cans and Irish, but principally Italians. Some very respectable people come here, men who have seen better days and some who arc in comfortable circum stances at the present time. Lawyers, doctors and others of that class drop in occasionally from curiosity, and all pro nounce my viands excellent." "You make money?" "I clear from $5 to $12 daily. Satur days and Sundays we are always crowded but some days are dull. Taking the year round I make a net profit of over $40 per week." "How can you undersell to such a re markable extent other men in your busi' uess!" x -"I buy my meat at tho slaughter house, where I can get it from thirty to forty per cent, cheaper ,than in the market. Beef sold at eleven cents per pound in Washington market I buy for eight cents per pound. I buy pigs' heads at two centa per pound, mutton for stews at four cents per pound, and veal at three cents per pound. I cannot give big plates, but with a large custom I can make money by selling at my prices, as a little calculation will show. There is no reason why eggs should sell at five and fen cents each, when they rarely cost over one cent each, if you buy a large quantity. Last month good mack erel sold for twenty-five cents per 100. I laid in a large supply, which I salted down, and can sell them at a handsome profit at four cents each. I have now let vou into some of the mysteries of my business," concluded the big lieutenant. "My customers are more than satisfied, and myself and wife are content and happy." And he looked happy. Left Him Behind. i,ord Charles Hamilton used to go about Naples attended by a large, fero cious bull-dog. Having decided upon rrmnr to linmn. he wroceeded to the sta- thWand took his place in a first-class ? ... ... ..... carriage, the "dawg" talcing up a posi tion on the seat opposite his master. The platform inspector, with many ges ticulations, declared that the bull-dog should not travel in a passenger carriage. "Very well, then, take him out," was Lord Charles' quiet rejoinder. In vain the official expostulated ; he merely re iterated his former reply a piece of ad vice, it is needless to say, which was not followed; and Lord Charles, apparently master of the situation, threw himself back in his seat, and calmly lighted a cigar. But the Italians were not to be outdone, and quietly detaching the car nage in which thc'"English milord" was seated, Ihey made up the train with an other baggage-car and started it off. Lord Charles sat quietly smoking for 3ome quarter of an hour, and then, sur prised at the delay, thrust his head out of the window, and demanded when the train, was going to start. His feelings, when the situation was described to him, may be imagined, -Argonaut. sleep. My little child, holding a battered toy, Resisted slumber at the close of day, Because he would not leave his pleasan play; But sleep at last seized tho rebellious boy. He knew not when nor I; his treasure small Lay all about him; no low-lisped "good" night" Fell from his lips; in the fast waning light I laid him down and kissed him; that was all Baby caresses would have touched my lips If he had known; he would' have said a prayer; I should have seen the mystic quiet there Touch his blue eyes and rosy finger-tips. Wo fall asleep at eve, forgetting all The pleasure and the pain that filled the day; If in our slumber we should pass away, And silence on our hearts and lips should fall. We should go out from our accustomed places Without regret, nor crave the life we leave, -so bitter parting would our spirits grieve: We should be spared tho last sad fond em braces. Oh, loving friends and true, come not to weep, " If I should sleep, and painless pass away; He whom God loves has little need to pray. Surely to His beloved comes death in sleep. Helen Erwine Grigg. PUNGENT PARAGRAPHS. Figures often lie in hammocks. A one-legged man will never ba troubled with wet feet. Brooklyn Times. "Ah, that may be said to help the caws." said a crow as he looked upop the corn field. Boston Times. Fellows who paint the town red over night are liable to feel blue in the police court in the morning. Siftings. "Don't you love the little birdies?" entreats the poetess. Yes, indeed we do, but we want tho toast well browned. Eodon Pout. No matter how you may tread on it, and hammer it down, the carpet is al ways prepared for attack again. SL Paul Herald. Julia Pease, a Vassar graduate, culti vates 0,000 acres of land in Texas. This is the biggest patch of Pease on record LoiceU Courier. The inventor of a flying machine, if he doesn't soar very high, has the satis faction of being sore when he drops. St. Paul Herald. "A man and his wife may differ," says an essayist, with great gravity. They may, they may; and, what's more, they generally do. Chicago Ledger. "There is a balm for those that weep, A rest for the weary-pilgrims found." And yet the giddy ice cream joke Continually passes 'round. The Hatchet. If there is any one thing which tha average American can do satisfactorily it is to tell a parent how he would gov ern the other's child. Boston Post. The lad who plays truant to go fishing, very rarely catches any of the finny tribe on the excursion, but he is pretty ture to catch whales when he gets home. Sift ing. Thomas Stevens, who is going through Asia on a bicycle, will doubtless be a man of whirled-wide fame by the tim0 his journey is completed. Boston Courier. "Dear me," said a lady in Fifth aye- nue the other evening. "How the china craze is growing! Here's a New York club that is paying $3,000 for a pitcher. Albany Times. i The bean has found a new enemy iq the bean weevil. Hitherto the worst; enemy of the beans has been the cook; who has mashed them into a paste likw potatoes. Graphic. "Doctor," said a despairing patient ta his physician, "I am in a dreadful con dition 1 I can neither lay nor set. What shall I do?" "I think you had better roost," was the reply. Some of the Vassar college girls havo been photographing the moon. The in vestigation was doubtless started to dis prove forever that there is a man in th satellite. Lowell Citizen. A little girl wanted more butteredl toast, but was told that she had enough, and that more would make her ill. "Well," said she, "give me anuzze piece and send for the doctor." Detroit has a policeman who is a grad uate of the University of Michigan. H was advised by his physician to select a profession that would not keep hin awake nights. Burlington Free Press. Miss Fisher "I really don't think I shall take part again in theatricals. I always feel" as though I were making a fool of myself." Pilkins (who always, says the wrong thing) "Oh, everybody thinks that." Life. The composer of " Put Me in My Lit tle Bed " announces that he got ten dol lars for writing that interesting lyric, andi hints that it was not enough. It wag not: he ought to have got ten years. Philadelphia Record. Now nature wears a joyous smile, The girls are wearing feathers, And the dude is out in his new white tile, And a pair of patent leathers; . Once more the days are warm and bngnt, Tha Wi-rls urn cavlv SUUTinC A H tv io cream oeddler's bell at night Boston Courier. Doesn't that man remind you of the) sea?" said a pretty girl to her companion as a very fashionable masher went bjj " I don't know. How do you mean?'1 "Oh, because ho is such a heavy swell.' "Yes, dear," was the quiet response! ' but you know the sea swell is salt." "Chawley, dear," said a lovely maid, As they sat in the house one night, It's unhealthy to kiss, the doctors say, So of course it cannot be right. Not right" Well, darling," spoke the noble youth, As his color mantled high, 'I never thought being kissed to death, Such a horrible death to die. Let's try." Dansville Breeze. The total population of the British Islands is 36,800,000; of the British Em pire, 310,225.000; of Russia, 100, 038, 42 ; of Germany, 45,234,061 ; of France, 37,672,048.
The Commonwealth (Scotland Neck, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 18, 1885, edition 1
1
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