North Carolina Newspapers

THE N AZE iDevolcd to lie Trotectio?i of Home and te Interests of lite County. Vol. II. Gastonia, Gaston- County, K C3 Saturday Morning, November 19, 1881. No. 46. UNCLE DAVY 'Girls, who do yon think is going to be married to-day ? I almost .forgot to toll you, we had so ninny other things to talk about. I want you all to enow.' The speuker, a lively young Indy by the name of Carrie Hurt, bad come irom the . villiuge that doy to visit the Smiths, who tlivcd in the country. She had been retail ing all the neighborhood news to Mrs. Smith and her four daughters. They were all in the sitting-room, en gaged in sewing and fancy work.; but at the mention of the marriage, needles, thim bles, sewing, all were forgotten as the, fair owners gave their whole attention toi guesstog who had made pp their minds to venture out oo the sea of mntrimony in search of faappiners. ll knew yoa would never guess said Carrie- 'It is old Uncle Davy Henderson J' 'Not .Uncle Davy 1' said Mrs. Smith, yoa are just joking, uren't you, Carrie ?' while the girls were making all sorts of .ejaculations. 'It is true, I am sure,' said Carrie ; 'for his daughter. Sue, who 'has been keeping house for him since her mother died, told tpeso yesterday. She is dreadfully out of sorts about it.' 'And no wonder!' paid Mrs. Smith. 'It's a One thing she is married and can have a home of her own. or I fear there would be trouble between her and her ttepmotber. Cut what dues the old man mean in mar rying now, after being a widower so many years?' 'Tell us all about it, Carrie,' cried the girls altogether. 'Just think of that little old man getting married again I' said Mary. 'I've often wondered how he came tote aiiurried in .the first place :; I do not believe he is four feet tall, is he, girls?' 'four feet ! No, indeed,' said Sallie. K)h, pshaw! girls, he taller than that; but he is short enough, gordness knows,' .from Lucy, who was .not very tali herself. 'But I do wonder if his new wife is as large a woman oa his other one . was. Father said that he remembered, long ago, whwi everybody went to church on horseback, (Uncle Davy and It ia wife would .come', both ridinjy on one horse. You could not see him at all, she was so much larger than be.' 'Yes,' said Katy, 'I have often heard him laugh about it. You remember that itime they roasted an ox ait a political meet ing, and Uncle Davy rode all around town mounted on the stuff d ox-skin upon a platform? Wasu't he proud ? Oh, dear, dear! It was too killing.' Such a chorus of laughter as followed this recital would have scared the old gen tleman himself. Be still, girls V said Mrs. Smith. 'I won't have you making sport of an old gentleman and a good friend to you all. Let Carrie tell us about the weddirg and who he is going to marry. Is it anybody we know, Carrie ?' No. Indeed, girls, yoa must not make fun of Uncle Pavy said Carrie. 'He may be little, but he is mighty. But f will tell you all I know about it, which is hot much Yoa know that we lived in a part of their house lust spring, mother and I, while our house was building, and Sue and I became such great friends that we were almost like one family. Far a long time Uncle Pavy has been talking of tuarryjng again, but the three boys and Sue have opposed jt bo strongly that he did not say yery much about it, bat I know he tbougbt a great deal. Sue and her husband lived there, and she kept bouse ; but she hag a terrible temper, and the old man bad no peace with her. Why, there is not one of bis children who would be willing to take the old man into his home and treat him right without wrangling about money. I don't blame him much for wanting a home of his own. He said last summer that he would give his house in town, where he lives, and his cow-pasture, to any woman who would marry him. I told him I would marry bim if he would give me his farm, but he was too stingy for that,' 'Oh, yoa naughty girl J" said Mrs Smith, while the girls giggled and wondered how Carrie could talk that way to any man, even an old man like Uucle Davy, who was more than old eooqgb to be her father. Cut Carrie went on with her story. 'Some time before Christmas be went to Indiana to visit some friends, he suid, but more likely to get away from Sue's nagging. While be was out there his friends kept Baying. Unc'c Davy, why don't you get married? Yiu'ie not bo eld. Sixty-five is not very old, and you're not very gray. Get married.' That is the way they talked to him, until be told Ibem at lust that he would be glad to get married if be could find some nice woman who woald like to have a bouse in town and a cow-pasture, with himself thrown in. They told him abont a woman who lived near there, a widow, with a good income, fine looking, g od tempered, ard (he best ccok in Indi ana into the barguin. Uncle Davy was taken at once with the description, and agreed to be introduced to her with a view to marrying. The only obstacle to a hoppy termination to his suit ;luy in the fact that she had repeatedly declared her intention never to marry again. Uncle Davy concluded to try his fate, but s! e wouldn't have him, notwithstanding the house and cow pasture. So ha came home a sadder man. He told his. children about his disappointment, and announced that he intended to give up now and lead a solitary life. Of course they were rejoiced at this, for if the old man should marry again they might not get every cent be owns. Just at this juncture there.came a loud knock at the door. Mrs. Smith went in answer, and ushered in a gentleman by the name of Dinsmorc, familiarly known as Jack Dinsmore. After inquiring con ceroing the health of all the family and discussing' the slate of the weather, be suddenly launched forth with 'Whete is the old man ? I came to see bim and you, too, Mrs. Smith. iUocle Davy lieuderson was married this morn ing.' 'So Carrie was just telliug us,' said Mrs, Smith. 'I never was more surprised in my life.' Well, it is true, and he is coming horns to-D'ght. Jack was terribly mud nt first, like all the rest of them, but, be is coming around again, and is going to meet the old man at the depot this evening pod take him to his house to stay till morning, to get rested; and then all of us fellows who are the old man's friends are going out to Jake's to-morrow morning with the band, a nice carriuge aud William's gray ponies, to eort him and his wile to town in fine style. The women will huve a nice dinner ready for them.. That's what I camo out here to tell you nbout. I want you all to come ana see the purade and nave some dinner. I'll see Smith as I go through the fields.' He had already started toward the door, when Carrie detained him, saying Suy, Jack, you just tell them about how Uncle Davy happened to get married. 1 had just got as far us when he came home disappointed. You can tell them better than J can." Yes, I guess I can. You eee, Mrs. Smith, the old man was awlul down-heart ed after he came back Irom bis visit. He'd come into my shop of evenings and sit and sigh and not say a word, and you know he is naturally a great talker. Well, one even ing there wasn't any customers at all, and somehow he got to telling me nil about his troubles aud disappointment, and how bad he felt that she wouldn't have nothing to do with him, and he just thought there wasn't mother woman would come up to her. 'Pshaw ! Uncle Davy,' says I ; 'don't you know that yvomen always say no, and then after a while they come around and say yes as meet as you please; Why don't you write to her?' says I, 'and she if she bosu't .changed her mind by this time ? 'Do you think there might be a chance ?' says he. 'Of course I do, Uncle Davy,' t-ays I. 'Whysavs I, 'my wife said no hall a dozen times when (she told me after ward) she meant yes all the time. Write to her, Uncle Davy,' suid I, ogaiu. 'Would you, really, Jack ?' says he. 'But look here ; I have the rheumatiz in my bands so bad I can't write,' says he, 'and the children would as soon see me dead as mar ried. They wouldn't write for me. And suddenly he said, 'Say, Jack, would you write lor me V Says I, 'I don't write many letters, but if yoa tell me what yoa want written I'd do my best.' 'All right, Jack,' said Uncle Pavy, as cheerful as could be. What Lave you. got to do this evening ? Could you shut up shop and write it now ?' fWby, certai ily,' said I. 'It's most time, anyhow.' So I wrote the letter, and what do yoa think Mrs. Smith V I was right. She said yes, and told him to come along as soon as he could make his arrangements I tell you the old man waa iiappy,' What did his children say to that ?' asked Mrs Smith. Oh, you plight know that they were as angry es they could be,' Baid Jack. 'They tried to prove that he was crazy and child ish, and to appoint a guardian for the old man, who has a better mind than any of his boys. They even went so far, when they failed ia this, as to write to the wor man herself, and told her that the old man was crazy, and she should not marry bim ; but they failed, in that, too. So he is mur ried now, aud they are all as mud as can be but Jake, and I hey are all m id at him now. John said he would shoot Jake or any of his family who ventured to come to bis house. He threatened to turn Sue out of the house her husband bad rented cf him if she allowed the old folks or Juke to come there.' . 'Why, Jack,' said Mrs. .Smith, I did not thu:k anvbo.lv vouM be so mean as thutl' 'Oh, pshaw ! that's nothing,' responded Jack. "They even threaten me for writing that letter for the old man. But indeed I must go. Be sure to come to-morrow.' And he was gone. 'Well,' said one of the girls, 'we have heurd a great deal, but I want to know what her name is.' 'itodge.rs, I believe,' answered Carrie. 'Sue told me slie would wish it was Dodg ers if they happened to live with her a week.' 'I wonder what .Undo Davy will say about the surprise they have In store for him to-morrow.' 'He will talk himself to death, 1 fear, Baid Mrs. Smith j 'thot's bis failing, and he knows it, too. He narrowly escaped banging at one time daring a great politi cal excitement. He got into the wrong crowd, but he would not stop talking. He was saved by some friends, who arrived just as they were adjusting -the rope around his neck. He soys that he could not stop talking.' 'Carrie, what did you mean when you said that Uncle Davy was small but mighty ?' 'I meant just what I said, and I will give you a proof of his courage. You remem ber the cow pasture, do yoa not, girls? Well, last summer Mr. Jenkins kept his cow in a pajture near Uocle Davy's, and the two old gentlemen used to start oat in company to drive their cows to and from the pasture. '1 hey do not agree on many subjects, being bitterly opposed in politics. Mr. Jenkins is tall and dignified a Brah ma. Uncle Davy is little and nervous a Bantam. While Mr. Jenkins walked along the middle of the road, gravely disputing contested points, Uncle Davy skipped about from side to aid.-, impatiently wait ing his turn to speak, looking for all the world like a ten-year-old boy driving two I refractory cows. One evening they reach ed the end of the argument, and the time cume for a decision of the case. Uncle Davy offered to fibt it out. and they real- were on the point of coming to blows, when some of the neighbors interfered. Uncle Davy, in recounting the affair, al ways wound up by saying, 'I have the rheumatiz so bad 1 can't make a fist ; bat I could have just slupped him over.' But, girls, I am going to find 'out why Mrs. Kodgers changed her nnud, it 1 have to ask her myself; eee if I don't,' said Car- ie. 'I wonder,' said Mrs. Smith, 'if it could be the same woman that I used to know. She livid out thpre where Uncle Davy's folks live When I knew her, her husband was sick with consumption, but he must have died long ago. I shall be very glad if t is the sunie ooe, for I know her to be a good woman. Carrie, you must stay until o-morrow, and go with U9 to see the fan dango.' 'All right,' said Carrie.. The next morning, at the appointed time, they were all at the scene of the day's excitement. They mingled with the crowd who were awaiting the arrival of the party from Jake Henderson's. They bad not long to wait. : Here they come J' 'Look ! Look !' 'Don't Uncle Davy look proud, with his new suit of clothes and new set of teeth !' were heard in every direction. Oh, girls, girls! look at his wife ! She's bigger than the other one was,' whispered Carrie. Sure enough, she was large, with a round, good-natured face, which was a war rant to all the observers that Uucle Davy bad chosen wisely. 'It is the same Martha Rodgere I used to know,' said Mrs, Smith, as she hurried forward to greet her old friend. Uncle Davy strutted around among his friends, introducing his wife and showing off his house and grounds. Carrie called to him : How do you do, Uncle Davy ? I hear you have been getting married.' He left his wife standing a little way off, ulking to some friends, to shake hands with the girls. Yes,' suid he, 'there's my woman, and he trotted off again to take his ''woman" nto dinner. The dinner was excellent. Some speech es were made, J.ikes cracked, the band iluyed, and all left for their homes except few ppeciul friends, among whom were the Smiths. Mrs. Henderson took Mrs. Smith, her daughters and Carrie into a room where they might enjoy themselves quietly. The two old ladies talked over old times. The girls were growing tired of this, but their interest Was renewed when Mrs. Smith asked 'My dear Martha, how did you cune to marry agnin, and Uncle Davy of all men ?' Wrll, Mary,' said she, T always said after Jacob died that I would not marry again; and when Mr. Henderson asked me to marry him I said, 'No, Mr. Hender son,' suid I, 'you can't take Jacob's place, said I ; and I meant it, too, when I said it. Poor man ! he seemed disappointed He said, said he, 'I have plenty to live on, said he, 'and I could keep a wife in style. I wouldn t feel so bad about it,' said he 'but I have no home any place.' Said he '.My children are always quarreling, and I have no peace with them.' But I wouldn't listen to him, not even when he mentioned the home and the cow pasture, for I had enough to live on, so I need not care for that. 'No,' said I 'you nor nobody else can take Jacob's place,' said I. Then be came home, and I never heard a word more from liim ; but I couldn't forget him and bow forlorn and forsaken he waa, and such a fine man as be is, too. After a while things began to go away My cow took to coming home at all hou rs or the night to be milked. Why, some nights I bii'I to get up at twelve o'clock to milk her. Then my chickens took to running in my neighbor's wheat Geld, and be tbreateaed to kill all of them if I did not keep them out. Thieves came and carried a wuy mv wood and my chickens and my smo!ed meat, until I just camo to be so worried that I thought what a pity I hadn't a mm about the hoc3e to help me contend with these things. Then I got Mr. Henderson's letter, and I answered it right off and said 'Yes.' And when I got that letter from his children saying that be was crazy I tlnuht it would be good for us t live together and help to bear each other's burdens. Sphere I am, not among strangers, but with one old friend, anyhow.' 'Yes,' said Mrs. Smith, 'I am si glad for our sulcus ami U'cle D ivy's that you hive come among us.' Thi8 happened a long time ago. Uncle Davy's wifo has proved such a peace-maker that the members of the family are all united again and on better term than ever before. Is Uncle Davy happy? Does be get ulong with bis wife ? We will take Carrie's evidence. She is visiting the Smiths again, and the conversation turns on the subject of second marriages. She says 'Well, I know that Uncle Davy Hen derson and his wife are happy. I have been to see them. They seem to think only of eaeh other. When dinner was ready Aunt Martha said, 'Come, daddy. gAt. your teeth in ! We have beef for dinner.' I thought I should die laughing !' THE GENEROUS YOUNG MAN, Detroit Free Press. A generous young man, having takin a bundle of clothing to the relief room9 Sat urday afternoon, asked if they wanted help, for, h.iving a little leisure, he was willing to lend a baud. They welcomed him gladly. So he off with bis coat and worked like a major until dusk. Then, looking around for his coat it cjuIJ nowhere be found. What did you do with that coat ; sane stuff as my breeches and vest?' be asked. 'Why,' said oue of the packers, 'I thought it was a contribution aud packed it up with the other thinga.' 'Where is it ?' asked the young m id, in great excitement. 'Up the river,' was the reply. 'Up the river! What in blank is it do ing up the river ?' 'On its way to the suffjrers. Wa9 it a nice coat ?' 'A nice coat ! 1 should say it was a nice coat. I put it oa brand-new last Sunday. There was ?2l in my poeket-book in the inside pocket, and three new silk handker chiefs I bought this afternoon.' The young man bad to wear home one of the 'burn-out's' garments, and some sufferer' up the luklfwlll be lost in ad miration at the benevolence of the Detroit people when he goes through thut coat. ' COST OF FENCES. To give some idea of their great cost we here append these facts, taken from the Farmers' Union, upon this subject : "The fence is a costly fixture. Illinois is said to have ten times as much fence as the whole of Germany, and it is claimed that Duchese county, New York, has more than all France, Germany and Holland. A few years since in South Carolina the improved land was estimated to be worth $20,000,000. the fences at the same time had cost $ 17,000,000. The annual repair is a tenth of this. A calculation made some eight years since placed the cost of the fences in the United States at $1,300, 000,000. Nicholas Riddle, more than forty years ag, said the fences in Penn sylvania hud cost $100,000,000. In Ohio thiy bost more than that sum. and in New York only a few years since, they had cost $141,60ti,000. Some day fences will prob ably disappear, and boundaries will le marked wiih fruit and shade trees or neat LeJe rows. RELIGIOUS NEWS- From Sunday's Raleigh Observer. The International Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association ask that the week November 13-19 be observed as a week of prayer for the welfare of the association. Bishop Wightmao's present condition is such as to bnr any hope of his getting to the North Carolina Methodist Conference on the 23d of November. His place will be filled by another member of the College of Bishops. On the 10th of November the four hun dredth anniversary ofXuther's birth was celebrated. Several publications of Lu ther's works and of works aboat bim were brought out io connection with tbis event, A 'Lutheran Ecnmenical Council is now called for. The Lutheran Visitot believes that such a conference would be, perhaps, one of the greatest meetings ever held, and asserts that, instead of a few million of Calvinisis or Americans, it would repre sent 50,000,000 Lutherans from all quar ters of the globe. According to the most recent statistics, the Roman Catholics have in China 41 bishops, C64 European and 559 native priests, 84 colleges, 34 convents, and 1,092,- 818 Catholic population. The whole num ber of Protestant communicants mikes about one fiftieth of the Catholic popula tion, and the number of Europem priests is twice as large ae that of Protestant or- The ventrablc Bishop of Kentucky and presiding Bishop of the Protestant Epis copal Church, Dr Benjamin Bbsworth Smith, passed, October 31, the forty-ninth anniversary of his episcopal consecration. He is the only Bishop living who waa con secrated by Bishop White, whom 1 e ex ceeds in the vears of his episcopate. Bish op Smith is the oldest Bishop of the Eng lish speaking churches. m m THE CLERICAL KISS. Quite different, but not less satisfactory experience of Dominie Brown, fie had reached the mature age of five and forty, without ever having taken part in this pleasent exercise. One of his deacons had a very charming daughter, and for a year or two the Dominie found it very pleasant to call upon her three or four times a week. In fact, a 1 1 the neighbors said he was courting her, and very likely ha was, though he had not the slighest suspicion of it himself. Oo Monday evening he was silting as usual by her, when a sudden idea popped into his head. "Miss Mary," said lie, "I've known you a long time, and I never thought of such a thing before ; but now I would like you to give me a kiss, Will you?'' "Well, Mr. Brown," replied she, arching her lips in a tempting way, "if you think it would not be wrong, I have no objec tions," ''Let us ask a blessing first," said the good man, closing his eyes and folding his hands. 'Foi what we are about to receive, the Lord in ike us thankful." The chaste salute was tbec given and warmly returned. . "OhJ Mary, that was good, let us have another and return thanks." Mary did not refuse ; aud when the ope ration had been repeated, the Dominie ejaculated in a transport of j y : "For tne comforts which we have now enjoyed, the Lord be praised, and may they be sanctified to our temporal and eternal good." History says that the fervent petition of the houest Domiuie was duly answered ; for in less than a month Mary becama Mrs. Brown. "DON'T MENTION IT." A citiz 'nof Detroit entered a Michigan avenue grocery the other day and said be wanted a private word with the proprietor. When they had retired to the desk he began : I want to make confession and repara tion, l'o you rememoer oi my ouying sugur here two or three days ago ?'' I do.' Well, io paying for it I worked off a counterfeit quarter ou the clerk. It was a mean trick, aud I came to tender you a good money.' 'Oh, don't meution it,' replied the grocer. 'But I waut to make it right,' It's all right all right. We knew who passed the quarter on us, auJ that afternoon when your wife sent down a dollar bill and wanted a can of sardines 1 gave her that bad quarter with her change. Don't let your conscience trouble you at all it's all riijht. Pres. W HA T DOES THE SOIL NEED ? The reader is ready to ask, now am I and other planters to know what oar soils need to make them produce good crops, jou say the analysis of the soil will not tell us ? We reply, resort to the plant analysis. Ask your soil a series of questions such as the following : Do you need potash? Do you need ammonia? Do yoa need phosphoric acid, or do you need any two or all of these ? How shall I ask these questions, and how will I interpret the reply ? Select a plat of land which will represent .fairly your soil, or several such plats, if yoa have soils differing materially io character and supposed composition. Next get a few pounds of .muriate of potash, a few pounds of sulphate of ammonia, and some high grade superphos phate or acid phosphate. If you have a State Department having supervision of fertilizers, yoa can get those already inspected and analyzed. Ask the chemist of your State College, or your Commission er of Agriculture, to suggest the quantities of each of these elements to apply per acre, and then apply to one plat, say three rows, sixty feet lone, only potash ; to three others only phosphoric acid , to three others only ammonia ; to three others, potash and phosphoric acid ; to three ott ers, phos phoric acid and ammonia; and to still another three.all three of these clem nts leaving three rows io the center ol the plat without the application of any unanure whatever. If your soil needs nothing but phosphoric acid, it mfi --- -r -a the largest yield where phosphoric acid is used, whether alone or in combination. If t needs two of the elements, that combina lion will give best results. If it needs all three, or .the .so-called complete manure, the plat on which all were used, will show best results. If individuals cannot uffird to undertuke these inquiries, let clubs combine to bear the expense, and impose the in vestigation on their most careful and accurute observer. If this caunot be done, nsist upon you Commissioner of Agricul- ure selecting careful men in different parts of your State to conduct the inquiry under HO UJI CHIVU, lib III ouffpij' iul iiihici ini, vtw, tn.HMn.lnn lifl (n nnnnln lit. ,n.li,.,i1 .(n iiDd publish results. If you have a General Assembly with intelligence and statesman ship enough, get them to establish one or more experimental stations in your State with your money which you pay for the support oi your government, 'o oe aunnnif- tered by your servants!). If you farmers who read and think and know the needs of the productive industries of your States, will wield the influence you should andean f you will, you can instruct your brethren of the plow firat, and then your servants icho make llic laics Southern Planter and Farmer. The origin of congratulations, gifts and visits on New Year s day is ascribed to Romulus. The usual presents were dates or figs, covered with gold leaf, and accompan ied by a piece of money, which was ex peuded to purchase the statues of seme deities. rr,virrjjjr. ruGER GILES. There is something rather comical than sublime in the idea of a man knowing everything and being able to teach it. An intimation of what might be is given in the following real advertisement copied by Chamber s Journal from an Essex paper, England : Roger (iiles, Imperceptible Fenetrator, Surgin, Paroch Clarke, &c, &c, Romford, Essex, hinforms Ladis aad Gentlemen that he cuts their teeth and draws corns without waiten a moment. B.isturs oo the lowest turms, and fysics at a penny a peace. Sells god-fathers cordials and strap-ile, and un dertakes to keep any Lidis nales by the year, and so on. Youne Ladia a d Gentlemen tort the heart of rideiDg, and the giamer language in the neatest manner, also great Kare taken to improve their morals and spelling, sarm-singing and whisse!in. Teaches the jewsarp and instructs young ladies on tbo gartar, and plays the bo-by. Sliotish, poker and all other ruls tort at home and abroad. Perfumery in all its branches. Sells all sorts of stationary, baith bricks and all other sorts or sweetmeats, including bees wax, postuge stamps and lusifers ; likewise laturs, roobub, sossages, and other garden stuffs, also fruits such a hard-bake, inguns, tooth-picks, ile and tinware, and other eat. ables. Sarvj, treacle, winear, and all other hardware. Further in particular he has laid in a stock of tripo, china, epsom salts, lollipops aud other pickles, such as oysters, apples, and tahle beer, also silks, Bitins, and hearthstones, and all kinds of kimislry, in cluding wax dolls, razrs. dutch cloks, and gridirons, and new laid eggs every day by me Riger Giles. P. S. I leetures on joggrely.