Lancaster intelligencer. (Lancaster [Pa.]) 1847-1922, October 13, 1869, Image 1

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§tfSWttHnMUSS.
A Notable Kaco of “The Times Before
tlio War.”
Some fifteen or twenty years ago,
Troy, Alabama, was quite a lively lit
tle village ; the county Bite of a large
and populous county, a considerable
distance from any thoroughfare of
travel, and there being no navigable
river or railroad within the limits of
the county, it was a place of considera
ble trade. For the reasons above stated,
also, its trading population were a
rough set. Troy, at that time (it has
been immensely modernized since,)
could boast of its half dozen fights
weekly, its saddle and plow horse races
daily, and every court week a “big”
race or two, in which the whole county
almost' was interested. Several young
men around in the county prided them
selves each on having “ the fastest
horse in the State,” and nothing would
quiet their bragging short of a trial and
the loss of a fifty or two. Occasionally
owners of “ peert” horses in Montgom
ery county, would slip down and carry
off a few huudreds of dollars from the
Troy “ boys.” This trick of the “for
eigners” was only successful a time or
two, however, before the Trojans began
to open their eyes and be more cautious,
and it was rather a difficult thiDg to get
up a race upon any but a Pike county
horse.
It was during the sitting of the spring
Court of 183-,, November, I believe,
while the bench was occupied by the
lamented Judge Robert Dougherty, that
the race we are about to describe came
otf. A quarter race, for a purse of fifty
dollars, between Bob Adam’s sorrel filly
and Jim Hanson’s dun pony.'
After the crowd had assembled on the
track, aud just as the riders were pre
pariug their horses for the race, a soli
tary horseman (not G. P. R. James’
horseman, however) might have been
seen joggiug along toward the crowd at
/ a, leisurely pace, on a limping steed,
coming down the Montgomery road. —
The man was small (say 123 pounds
weight), aud dressed in common home
spun, and had on a Hop eared wool hat.
horse, a very ordinary
looking ohe, he approached the assem
bly with, “Morning, gentlemen !” He
attracted but little further notice, save
that he exercised remarkably good
judgment in selecting his men to
Oct with, aud remarkably poor judg
ment in the selection of the horse
to Oct upon. For the best judges of
horselleab on the ground were the men
he picked out to bet with aud lost every
time. This at the time made him a sub
ject of ridicule; but afterwards it was
looked upon as a bait. Duriug the pro
gress of the race he was seen to imbibe
several draughts of “corn juice,” and
afterwards appeured rather boozy, talk
ing loudly and making foolish proposals.
The race came off—much money chang
ed hands, and Bob Adams’ filly bore oil
the purse, and our stranger horseman,
as we have already said, lost every one
of his beta. He appeared to be furious
with excitement aud liquor, aud pro
posed, if any gentleman would be so
good as to loan him the money, to bet
s]|Jo that he could beat the winning
horse with a poor old broken-down
plough horse. No one paid much at
tention to him at first, but Bob Adams,
who was considerably elated at his suc
cess, aud, becoming irritated at the
braggiugof the strauger on his “old
plough horse,” and running down his
(Bob’s) filly, called out to the latter to
“ bring out your(his) old plough horse
if you have the ambition to have him
beat by a racehorse.”
Bill L whispered in Bob’s ear ;
“Bob, keep your eyeskinned, old fellow.
Maybe that’s a Montgomery racehorse.
Bob felt too sure of success, however, to
heed the warning.
The stranger led up his nag, which
now limped badly iu his right fore leg,
which was tied up in a huge bundle of
dirty rags; removed his saddle and led
him arouud, to display his sorry appear
ance, perhaps. At first it was “an old
broken down, lame plow horse,” now
he chauges his tactics. “Gentlemen,”
sayshe, “.lookatthat hoes.” He’B«omc,
certain, a perfect case, aud no mistake,
barring his constitutional, chronic lame
ness. You jes putliim to abuggy an he
cau trot his mile in 2:10, aud no break,
akufile, rack, fox trot, or.pace, but a
genuine trot. Not pawing the air like
make-believe, nor standing the.ground
like driving splliu for a mill dam, buta
sort of touch me light an go easy style;
jes like a city gal’s finger on a pianny.
He’s a superior animal, and no mis
take. I uever was a plum suited iu a
horseafore in my born days, and I don’t
know but lie’s split me from ever ‘bein’
suited agin. Sometimes I think I can’t
part with him, but then agin I think
lie’s worth too much money for a poor
man like me to own. Borne of you know
Dick Orm, I reckon. Well, he is crazy
to git that jewel of a horse, an if Dick
don’t know a horse when he sees him,
lie does wheu he tries him, that’s cer
tain. Examine him, gentlemen. His
sinews are rawhide, aud he has muscle
enough for two sieh creeters. He’s a
superior horse, an’ no mistakq; and
he ken jes beat that ar sorrel filly,
what won the race aud my money
10-day, ef he is so lame that he can
hardly walk for a cool hundred, ef any
gentlemen will behind enough to loau
me the stake. Dou’t be afeared, gen
tlemen, of losing your money, case you
cau jes take the finest horse in the
State, if I should huppeu, by accident,-
to loose the “bet.” Jim Hanson gave
the strauger two fifties to back out Bob
Adams as a sort of salve to the mortifi
cation of his defeat. “Here’s the spon
dulix,” yelled the stranger, waving the
fifties over his head. “Ef anybody
wants to go home to night with an
empty pocket aud a broken down horse
let ’em plank down a cool huudred on
top of those beauties.” Adams could
stand it no longer, aud, uotwithstand
iug, Bill L cautioned him again,
sayiug the fellow was humbugging—
that his horse was a race horse from
Montgomery —that the rags were put
ou his leg for efi’ect, there being no sore
uuder them, &c., Ac. He put up his
“cool huudred ou the beauties,” and
began to prepare for tlio race, especially
after seeing Jim L-lauson backing the
stranger.
“How fur shall we run?” said the
latter, apparently now as sober as a
judge, and much more so than some of
our uew style scalawag judges. “ Only
a quarter,” said Bob. “ I’d rather run
a mile; my horse will jes begin to get
his lame leg limber,in a quarter. How
aomever, I don’t mean to beat you but
half a mile in the quarter.”
Beckoning to Jim Hanson, the stran
ger led his horse down a hill until he
was out of sight of the crowd, when he
stopped, aud, turning to Hauson, said:
“Well, stranger, I don’t know your
name.” “ Hanson,” said Jim. “Well,
Mr. Hauson, you’ve acted the plum
gentleman to me, nnd I’m going to re
turn the favor, aud will let you into a
seoret that’ll benefit you some, ef you
only give me your word of honor you
won’t blaze on me.” Hauson gave the
required pledge. “ Well, then, I’m jes
dead certain to win this race as it is
run. My horse never was beat, an’ he
has run a few races. He’s a regular
quarter nag, an uo mistake. That sore
on his leg Is a sort of strategy.” Here
he removed the bundle of rags, and re
vealed, what appeared to Hanson a very
bad sore ) “ Them scabs are stuck on
with tar, Mr. Hanson, au that blood is
doneby this needle.” (Herehe showed
to his companion a wad of cotton on the
inside of the rags, with a needle in the
centre of it, and a plate of tin on the
outersideof the wad.) “I tietbisround
my pony’s kneepan pretty tight, an
when I want him to lame, I jes taps
on.the rag a leetle bit, an that makes
the needle stick in, an every time he
bends his leg, it hurts him and
makes him lame But jes take the wad
off and he is so glad you ken hardly
hold him from starting off on a race.
Now I’ve got a little money,” (here he
?ulls out a well stuffed purse) “though
borrowed the stake from you jes to fool
the boys, an l wantyou to make all the
bye-bets you ken, and we’ll go havers.
They’d smell a mice ef I was to make
’em you know.” Hanson, having as
sented, took divers 50’s and 20’s, and
the straDger having replaced the rags
on tho horse and given it a “tap,” they
returned to the crowd. When they
reached the race track the stranger,
In the presence of the crowd, began
to remove the bundle of rags with
every apparent caution, not how
ever, without giving the rags a light
“tap” again. Upon its removal, the
spectators gathered around to detect
the humbng, but they were in reality
humbugged, for no one was able to ex
pose the cheat, so admirably were the
scabs stuck on. The horse was restless,
too, from the smarting of the exposed
. •> >•- s' vr-fv -;-)o vt - -^r ^; : i; '.
flic Xancastcf fntc H ige nat:
VOLUME 70
sore, as the spectators thought, the
stranger and Hanson knew v better.
The ground was measured and the
judges selected. The stranger laid aside
his Baddle blanket and the sheepskin
cover; stript himself to his shirt, drawers
and socks; tied a handkerchief around
his head; took off his iron stirrups and
putting hiß feet into the stirrip leathers,
mounted and announced himself ready.
We have but little to add. The Tro
jans were completely taken In, all ex
cept Bill L , who said he “know’d a
snake when he seed the least bit of his
tail.” Hanson succeeded in betting.all
the str&Dger’s money and in winning
every bet.
The Btranger,-after pocketing his win
nings. placed the rags with care on the
horse’s leg, with great care giving it a
light “tap,” having Imbibed another
draught of the “corn juice,” and having
bid the crowd “good day,” lined off
towards his home in Lowndes, not
Montgomery county.
Pugnacious Journalism,
MnrK Twain as a Fighting Editor—How
ibry volt In Tennessee—A Betnarka-
ble jSxperienee.
Mark Twain, who is making a very
good show as a journalist, relates the
following as among his experiences :
I was told a physician that a
Southern climate would improve my
health, and so I went down to Tennes
see and got a berth on the Morning
Glory ana Johnson County War Whoop,
as associate editor. When I went on
duty I found the chief editor sitting
tilted back in a three-legged chair with
his feet on a pine table. There was
auother pine table in the room, and
another aillicted chair, and both were
half buried under newspapers and
scraps and sheets of manuscript. There
was a wooden box of sand, sprinkled
with cigar stubs and “old soldiers,”
and a stove with a door hanging by Us
upper hinge. The ohief editor had a
long-tailed black frock coat on, and
white linen pants. His boots were
small and neatly polished. He wore a
rullled shirt, a large seal ring, a stand
ing collar of obsolete pattern, and a
checkered neckerchief with the ends
hauging dow n. Hate of costume, about
1848, lie was smoking a "cigar and try
ing to think of a word. And in trying
to think of a word, and in pawing his
head for it, he had rumpled his locks a
good deal. He was scowling fearfully,
and 1 judged that he was concocting a
particularly knotty editorial, lie told,
me to take the exchanges and skim
through them and write up the “Spirit
of the Tennessee Press,” condensing
into the article all of their contents that
seemed of interest.
SPIRIT OK THE TENNESSEE PRESS.
Tlieeditorsof the Semi- Weekly Earths
quake evidently labor under a misap
prehension with regard to the Bally
hack liailroad. It is not the object of
the company to leave Buzzardville oil’
to one side. On the contrary, they con
sider it one of the mostimportantpoints
along the line and consequently have
no desire to slight it. The gentlemen
of the Earthquake will of course take
pleasure in making the correction.
John W. Blossom, Esq., the able edi
tor of the Higginsville Thunder 801 l
and Bqttle Cry of Freedom , arrived in
the city yesterday. He is stopping at
the Van Buren House.
We observe that our cotemporary of
the Mud {Springs Morning Howl has
fallen iuto the error of supposing that
the election of Van Werter is
not an established fact, but he will
have discovered his mistake before the
reminder reaches him, no doubt. He
was doubtless misled by incomplete
election returns.
It is pleasant to note that the city of
Blatheraville is endeavoring to contract
with some New York gentlemen to
pave its well-nigh impassible streets
witli the Nichnlßon pAvemoot. iJut it
is difficult to accomplish a desire like
this since Memphis got some New
Yorkers to do a like service for her and
then declined to pay for it. However,
the Daily Hurrah still urges the meas
ure with ability, and seems confident
of ultimate success.
We are pained to learn that Col. Bas
com, chief editor of the Dying Shriek for
Liberty , fell in the street a few evenings
since and broke his leg. He has lately
been suffering with debility, caused by
overwork and anxiety on account of
sickness in bis family, and it is supposed
that he fainted from the exertion of
walking too much in the sun.
I passed my manuscript over to the
chief editor for acceptance, alteration or
destruction. He glanced at it and his
face clouded. He ran his eye down the
pages, and his countenance grew por
tentious. T was easy to see that some
thing was wrong. Presently he sprang
up and said:
“Thunder and lightning! Ho you
suppose I am going to speak of those
cattle that way ? Ho you suppose my
subscribers are goiDg to stand such
gruel as that? Give me the pen !”
I never saw a pen scrape and scratch
its way so viciously, or plough through
another man’s verbs and adjectives so
relentlessly. While he was in the midst
of his work somebody shot at him
through the open window and marred
the symmetry of his ear.
“Ah,” said he, “that scoundrel
Smith, of the Moral Volcano— he was
due yesterday.” And he snatched a
navy revolver from his belt and fired.
Smith dropped, shot in the thigh. The
shot spoiled Smith’s arm, who was just
taken a second chance, and he crippled
a stranger. It was me. Merely a fin
ger Bhot off.
Then the chief editor went on with
his erasures and interlineations. Just
as he finished them a hand grenade
came down the stovepipe, and the ex
plosion shivered the stove into a thous
and fragments. However, it did no
further damage, except that a vagrant
piece kuocked a couple of my teeth
out.”
“That stove is utterly ruined,” said
the chief editor.
I said I believed it was.
“ Well, no matter—don't want it this
kind of weather. I know the mau that
did it. I’ll get him. Now hero is the
way this stuff ought to be written.”
I took the manuscript. It was scarred
with erasures and interlineations, till
its mother would not have known it, if
it had had one. It now read as follows :
SPIRIT OK THE TENNESSEE PRESS.
“The inveterate liars of the Semi-
Weekly Earthquake are evidently en
deavoring to palm off upon a noble and
chivalrous people another of their vile
and brutal falsehoods with regard to that
most gloriouß conception of the nine
teenth century, the Bally hack Railroad.
The idea that Buzzardville was to be left
off at one side originated in their own
fulsome brains—or rather in the sett
lings which they regard as brains. They
had better swallow this lie, and uotstop
to chew it, either, if they want to save
their abandoned reptile carcasses the
cowhiding they po richly deserve.
“That Ass, Blossom, of the Higgins
yille Thunderbolt ct Battle Cry of E’rec
dom, is down here again, bumming his
board at tbe Van Buren.
“We observe that the besotted black
guard of the Mud SpriDgs Morning
Howl is giving out, with his usual pro
pensity for lying, that Van Werter is
not elected. The heaven born mission
of journalism is to disseminate truth—
to eradicate error—to educate, refine and
elevate the tone of public morals and
manners, and make all men more gen
tle, more virtuous, more charitable, and
in all ways better, and holier and hap*
pier—and yet this blackhearted villain,
this hell spawned miscreant, prostitutes
his great office persistently to the dis
semination of falsehood, calumny, vitu
peration and degrading vulgarity. His
paper .is notoriously unfit to take into
people’s homes, and ought to be ban
ished to the gambling hells and brothels
where the mass of reeking pollution
which does duty as its editor, lives and
moves and has his being.
“Blathersville ‘wants a Nicholson
pavement—it wants a jail and poor
house more. The idea of a pavement
in a one-horse town, with two gin mills
and a blacksmith shop in it, and that
mustard plaster of a newspaper, the
Daily Hurrah. Better borrow of Mem
phis, where the article is cheap. The
crawling insect, Backner, who edits the
Hurrah, is braying about this pave
ment business with his customary loud
mouthed imbecility and imagining that
he is talking sense. Such foul mephitic
scum as this verminous Buckner is a
dlßgrace to journalism.
“ That degraded ruffian Bascom, of
the Dying Shriek for Liberty , fell down
and broke yesterday—pity it
wasn’t his neck.' JEe says it was * de
bility caused by overwork and anxiety.*
It waß debility caused by trying to lug
six gallons of forty rod whiskey around
town, when his hide is only guaged for
four, and anxiety about where he was
going to bam another six. He 'fainted
away from the exertion from walking
too much in the sun!’ And well he
might say that—but if he would walk
straight he wotild get just as far and
not have to walk as much. For years
the pure air of his town has been ren
dered poisonous by the deadly breath of
this perambulating pestilence, this
pulpy bloat, this steaming animated
tank of mendacity, gin and profanity,
thisßascom ! Perish all such from out
the sacred and majestic mission of jour
nalism !*' -
“ Now that is the way to write—pep
pery and to the point. Mush-and-milk
journalism gives me the fan-tods.”
About this time a brick came through
the window with a splintering crash,
and gave me a considerable of a jolt in
the middle of the back. I moved out of
raDgeI—l 1 —I began to feel in the way. The
chief then said:
“ That was the Colonel, likely. I’ve
been expecting him for two days. He
will be up now right away.”
He was correct. The “ Colonel” ap
peared in the door a moment afterward
with a dragoon’s revolver in his hand.
He said: —
“ Sir, have I the honor of addressing
the white-livered poltroon who edits
this manlygsheet?”
“ You have —be seated, sir—be careful
of the chair, one of the legs is gone. I
believe I have the pleasure of addressing
the blatant, black-hearted scoundrel,
Col. Blatherskite Tecumseh ?”
“The same. I have a little account
to settle with you. If you are at leisure
we will begin.”
“I have an article on the ‘Encour
aging Progress of Moral and Intellectu
al Developement in America’ to finish,
but there is no hurry. Begin.”
Both pistols raDg out their fierce
clamor at the same instant. The chief
lost a lock of hair and the Colonel’s
bullet ended its career in the lleshy part
of my thigh. The Colonel’s left
shoulder was clipped a little. They
fired again. Both missed their men
this time, but I got my share—a shot
in the arm. At the third fire both gen
tlemen were wounded slightly, and I
had a nuckle chipped. I then said I
believed I would go out and take a walk,
as this was a private matter and I had
a delicacy about participating in it
further. But both gentlemen begged
me to keep my seat and assured me
that I was not in the way. I had
thought differently up to this time.
They then talked about the crops and
the elections a while, and I fell to tieing
up my wounds. But presents they
opened fire again with animation, and
every shot took effect—but it is proper
to remark that five out of six fell to my
share. The sixth onemortally wound
ed the Colonel, who remarked, with
fine humor, that he would have to say
good morning now, as he had business
uptown. He then inquired the way to
the undertaker’s, and left. The chief
turned to me and said—
“I am expecting company to dinner
and shall have to get ready. It will be
a favor to me if you will read proof and
attend to the customers.”
I winced a little at the idea of attend
ing to the customers, but I was too be
wildered by the fusilade that was still
ringing in my ears to think of anything
to say. He continued :
“Jones will be here at 3. Cowhide
him. Gillespie will call earlier, per
haps—throw him out of the window,
Ferguson will be along about 4—kill
him. That is ail for to-day, I believe.
If you have any odd time, you may
write a blistering article on the police—
give the chief inspector rats.—The cow
hides are under the table ; the weapons
in the drawer—ammunition there in the
corner—lint and bandages up there iu
the pigeon holes. In case of accident,
go to Lancet, the surgeon, down stairs.
He advertises—we take it out in trade.”
He was cone—l shuddered. At.
end of the next three hours I had been
through perils so awful that all peace of
mind and all cheerfulness had gone
from me. Gillespie had called and
thrown me out of the window. Jones
arrived promptly, and when I got ready
to do the cowhiding, he took the job off
my hands. In an encounter with a
stranger, not in the bill of fare, I had
lost my scalp. Another stranger, by the
name of Thompson, left me a mere
wreck and ruin of chaotic rags. And
at last, at bay in the corner, and beset
by an infuriated mofc-of editors, black
legs, politicians, and desperadoes, who
raved and swore and flourished their wea
pons about my head till their shimmer
ed with glancing flashes of steel, I was
in the act of resigning my berth on the
paper when the chief arrived, and with
him a rabble of charmed and enthusi
astic friends. Then ensued a scene of
riot and carnage such as no human pen
or steel one either could describe. —
People were shot, probed, dismem
bered, blown up, thrown out of the win
dow. There was a brief tornado of mur
ky blasphemy, with a confused and
frantic war dance glimmering through
it, and then all was over. In five min
utes there was silence, and the gory
chief and I sat alone and surveyed the
sanguinary ruin that strewed the floor
around U 9.
The Dismal Swamp Fire.
Almost every year there is a fire in
the Hismal Swamp. When one breaks
out it increases until it is put out by
rain. As there has been so long contin
ued a drouth this year, the conflagra
tion has extended almost beyond pre
cedent. It has burnt about 16 miles
almost without interruption, iu aline
from northwest to southeast. It is still
progressing in its work of devastation,
and it is feaced that it is destined to
do much more harm before it is arrested
by rains. Several fine farms have
been burnt out, and where there were
formerly the richest fields there are seen
now acres upon acres of ashes, some pits
of which are 15 feet deep. The drouth
has been so severe that the swamp is in
many places dry down to the subsoil,
which varies in depth below the surface
from 4to 15 feet. All above it is vege
table matter, in a greater or less degree
of decomposition, which has accumu
lated and becomes itself tbe bed of in
numerable swamp plants, until the
whole is matted together by their roots
permeating the whole mass. When this
is perfectly dry, it catches like tinder,
and burns from the surface down to
the ground beneath, requiring a great
deal of water to put it out. If a small
shower falls, enough to wet the
surface to the depth of only three or
four inches, the fire is not stopped ; for
it burns away underneath. When this
is the case, the soil is underburnt often
to a great distance, and people walking
on what they think firm ground some
times sink down many feet into the
ashes below. If they should still be hot,
wo be to the unlucky wight; his growth
is stopped forever. Persons unacquaint
ed with the features of this country ex-
Erees surprise at the existence of Lake
•rummond so far above tide water, at
the 9ummit level of the swamp. This
is easily accounted for, when we reflect
how that whole Bwamp was formed. It
is raised up many feet above the orig
inal soil by tbe accumulations of vege
table matter for ages upon ages, until
some parts of the Hismal Swamp are
much higher than any of the surround
ing country. Hundreds ofyears ago the
middle of this great swamp caught lire,
and the burnt district is now Lake
Hrummond. This is shown by the fact
that all through the lake are found
charred stumps, and its whole appear
ance is that of other smaller lakes that,
have been formed in the swamp within
the memory of men now living.—Nor
folk Journal.
Grooming Horses,
Though suitable and properly pre
pared food is the prime requisite for the
horse, regular groomiDg holds the sec
ond place in the management of him. A
man who omits the customary ablutions
at stated times—who goes for days or
weeks with uncombed hair,
but does not live in the proper
the word. So of the horse. Grooming
is alike essential to looks, health, and
elasticityof action. Thecurry comb and
card should be brought into daily requi
sition, nor should the ‘clipping shears
be omitted. Fetlockß bedraggled with
mud, unkempt and tangled mane, de
tract much from the appearance of the
animal, repress his ambition, and hence
diminish his usefulness. A man who
neglects the regular grooming of his
horses is an enemy both to the beasts
and himself; to them because he with
holds labor which is their due. and to
himself because he depreciates tne value
of his own property.— American Stock
Journal .
Two-thirds oftha-to wn of Port Dalhonsie
in Canada, was burned yesterday. The loss
is $40,000.
LANCASTER PA. WEDNESDAY MORNING OCTOBER 13 1869
A Bold Strike For aWlfe.
BY JUDGE CLARK,
It was my first visit North since I had
taken up my abode and entered on the
practice of my profession in New Or
leans.
In the city of New York I had a very
dear friend, my old chum and class
mate, George Hickson ; and is he was
the only person I knew in the great
metropolis, of coarse I lost no time in
looking him up.
Three years had passed since our last
meeting, but ten could scarcely have
produced a change more marked than
bad taken place in the appearance and
manner of my friend.
Our first greetings and friendly in
quiries over, I longed, yet forbore, to
ask the cause of my friend’s melancholy.
I felt sure, in due time, of being made
the confidant of the secret, provided no
motive of delicacy prompted its conceal
ment.
That evening, in my *room .at the
hotel, George, told me his story. He had
formed an attachmentforayouDg lady,
whose graces of mind and person he
portrayed with all the fervor of a lover’s
eloquence. She had returned his affec
tion, but her father had opposed his
suit, having set his heart on the mar
riage of his daughter to a nephew of his.
This nephew was a youDg physician,
of profligate character, my friend as
sured me—but that may have been pre
judice—who had long but unsuccessfully
wooed bis cousin, to whom his proffers
were as repugnant as to her father they
were acceptable.
Some months since, Mr. Parsons, the
young lady’s father, had gone south on
business, accompanied by his nephew.
At New Orleans he had been seized by
sudden illness, which terminated fatal
ly in three days.
On the day preceding his death he
had executed a will, (which had since
been duly proved by the depositions of
the attesting witnesses,) containing a
solemn request that his daughter, to
whom he left the whole of his estate,
should accept the hand of hiß nephew
in marriage, coupled with a provision
that in case the latter offered, and she
refused, within a specified period, to
enter in to the proposed union, the en tire
estate devised to the daughter should be
forfeited to the nephew.
To sacrifice her fortune to her heart’s
choice would not have cost Julia Par
sons a moment’s hesitation ; and noth
ing could have more delighted George
Hickson, than so fair an opportunity of
showing how superior his devotion was
to all considerations of personal ad van t
age. But her father’s dying request, in
Julia’s eyes, was sacred. It had sur
prised and stunned her, it is true, for,
in their many conferences on thesubject
he had never gone beyond the most
kindly remonstrance, and had never
even hinted at anything like coercion.
Young Parsons bad not the magnani
mity to forego his ungenerous advant
age. He might have been content with
his cousin’s fortune alone, but his right
to that depended on his offer and her
rejection of an alliance which she felt
iu conscience bound to accept. The
brief season of grace, whien she had
been compelled to beg even with tears,
had already almost passed, and a few
more days would witness the condem
nation of two lives to hopeless misery.
At the conclusion of my friend’s nar
rative, in wnich, for reasons that may
hereafter be developed, I felt a peculiar
interest, I prevailed upon him to ac
compaqy me to a place of amusement
to which I had previously procured
tickets^
When we reached the theatre, the
performance had already begun; but we
succeeded in finding seats which com
manded a fair view both of the etage
and the audience.
In a few moments George touched my
elbow.
“Observe tbe gentlemen nearly op
posite, in the front of the parquette,
seated next tbe column, leaning his
arm on his cane,” he whispered.
I looked in the direction indicated,
and saw a face whose striking resem
blance to one I had seen before cause i
me to start with surprise.
“Who is it?” I asked.
“ Eldridge Parsons,” was the reply.
“ The nephew of whom you spoke ?”
“Thesame,” my friend answered.
“ Hoes he resemble his uncle ?” I was
on the point of inquiring, but just then
the stranger drew the glove from his
right hand, and I saw that the first joint
of the middle finger ivas wanting , a cir
cumstance which, for sufficient reasoD,
absorbed my attention.
‘ Ho you know the exact date of Mr.
Parsons’ death ?” I asked, when he had
gained the street at the close of the per
formance.
“Yes,” said George,” it was the
twenty-third ofHecember. His daugh
ter received a telegram from her cousin
announcing the fact the same day. But
why do you ask ? ”
“ I have a reason which may or may
not prove a good one,” I returned ; and
stating that I had business engagements
for the whole of the next day, I parted
with my friend, promising to meet him
on the following evening.
Next afternoon found me at the office
of Hr. Parsons.
“ Hr. Parsons, I presume?” were the
words with which I accopted the gen
tleman I had seen at the theatre.
“ Yes, sir.” *
“ You may not remember me, Hoctor,
but I believe we have met before.”
“ I beg pardon, sir, for not recollect*
ing the occasion.”
“ You were in New Orleans last win
ter, were you not ?”
“ I was,” he answered, with some em
barrassment.
“ I am the gentleman on whom you
called to firaft a will.”
He turned pale, butmade no reply.
“I saw a record of that will in the
Surrogate’s office this morning,” I re
sumed, “and —”
“You speak of my uncle's will,” he
hastily interrupted.
“And yet,” I continued, you said it
was yours when you applied to have it
written. You represented yourself as
desirous of executing such a document
preparatory to embarking on a perilous
voyage. The paper was drawn in ac
cordance with your instructions, leav
ing the date to be filled in at the time
of signing. Your locks were gray then,
and you certainly looked old enough to
have a marriageable daughter, but your
disguise was
to the mutilated Jinger.
“ What do you mean ?” he shouted in
a defiant tone, springing to his feet.
“ Simply that your uncle’s signature
to that paper isa forgery / ” I answered,
rising and confronting him. “He died
on the twenty-third ofHecember. Your
own telegram to that effect is in exist
ence. It was on the twenty-fourth , tne
day before Christmas, that you called
on me to prepare the paper now on
record as his will. The inference is
plain ; you undertook to manufacture
this spurious testament after your un
cle’s death, and wishing to clothe yonr
villainy in legal form, you procured
from me the required draft. You, or
some one at your instigation, simulated
the signature of the deceased. The
witnesses, who have since perjured
themselves in their depositions, were
procured in some manner best known
to yourself—”
“ Enough, sir!” he ejaculated placing
his back against the door ; “ you have
shown yourself in possession of a secret
the custody of which may prove dan *
gcorusV ’
“lam not unprepared foryour threat,”
I replied. “In the first place, I did.not
come here unarmed; in the next, I have
prepared a full written statementof the
facts to which I have alluded, with in
formation, besides, of my present visit
o yourself. This paper will be deliver
ed to the friend to whom it is directed,
unless within an hour I reclaim it from
the messenger, who has been instructed
for that length of time to retain it.”
His face grew livid. His frame quiv
ered with mingled fear and rage, and his
eye gleamed like that of a wild beast at
bay.
“What is your purpose ?” he exclaim
ed, in a .voice ‘hoarse with suppressed
passion.
“To keep your secret while you live,”
I answer, “on one condition.”
“Name it.”
“That you write instantly to Julia
Parsons, renouncing all pretensions to
her hand, and absolutely withdrawing
your proposal of marriage.”
After a moment’s pause he seated
himself at his desk, and hastily penned
a brief note, which heßnbmitted to my
inspection; it was quite satisfactory.
“Be so good as to seal and address it,”
I said. He did so.
“I will see that it is delivered,” Ire*
marked, taking it up and bowing my
self out.
When I met George Dickson that
.evening, his old college look had come
back. He had great news to tell me.—
The next thing was to take me to see
Julia, and it id needless to tell what a
happy evening we three spent together,
and what a happy marriage followed
not long after.
Eldridge Parsons, I have just learned
joined one of the late Caban expedi
tions, and was killed in a recent en
counter with the Spaniards.
Eccentric Englishmen.
Englishmen aresometimea very bizarre
in their betting arrangements and de
vices forspending money. We are all
familiar with the story of the eccentric
Briton who followed a menagerie /or
years, In hopes of one day seeing the
Hon tamer devoured by his tawny pets.
It was stated of the famous pedestrian,
Captain Barclay, that he once undertook
for a wager to travel on foot through the
United Kingdom, in the gnise of a
Scotch piper, the acquisition of a
certain sum of money by which feat
was a contingent to his winning the.—
Now we are informed by European pa
pers that a couple of North Britons are
making a pedestrian tour of Europe,,
clad in the traditional garb o/Uheir
country. They have made a considera
ble wager, it is stated, with two' Eng
lishmen, that they would make the tour
of Europe kilted, philabegged, and sans
oulotts , and Bpeaking in no other tongue
than Gaelic. It is added that the two
Englishmen are on their tracks to see
that the conditions of the wager are
fully complied with —which doesn’t
seem to be a very chivalric move on the
South Britons. The most eccentric
condition of this wager is the exclusion
of all lingoes save that of the Keltic
Scotch. It is true that, at one peri
od the intercourse between Scot
land and the Continent of Europe—
France, especially—was very close,
which accounts for the many words of
French origin that have become incor
porated with the Lowland Scotch dia
lect, but we doubt whether a kilted
Scotchman would get exactly what he
wanted at a Continental roadside inn
if he called for it in Gaelic. Fancy a
Scotchman calling fora Welsh rabbit
in Gaelic at a German inn, for example,
and you will realize a possible compli
cation of things for these bold but
breechesless North Britons who have
laid their money on the event. Being
Scotch, however, they ought certainly
to be “up to snuff.” They have a right
to their Highland fling, which, so long
as they are able to pay the piper, is
nobody’s business but their own.
English Farming.
The meeting of the Boyal Agricul
tural Society at Manchester, (Eng.) be
sides showing improvements in live
stock and farm and dairy produce, made
clear to all beholders that the applica
tion of machinery to agriculture has be
come more and more practicable. There
were nearly eight thousand machines
and implements exhibited, and ibis fact
aloueimpliesa large and lively demand.
Among them were horse pitchforks,
which, by a combination of poles, ropes,
and pulleys, will fork hay or barley from
a wagou to the top of the tallest nek
with surprising rapidity. Ploughs
are now made to effect eight furrows
at once by the aid of a steam en
gine; and steam cultivators loosen at
once breadths of from nine feet to eigh
teen feet, and work to a depth of six
inches. No wonder that the number
of those enterprising persons increases
who undertake to plough farms in any
part of the country by contract. Anoth
er contrivance lays down iron shoes as
a Burt of euUiosß ran sutler tho tt-iicc!3
of carts on softs roads; and thus anoth
er .farming difficulty is overcome.—
And hard roads are not neglected, for a
fifteen-ton roller has been constructed
which bites up the surface of an old
road, agd presses down solidly a layer
of new macadam at the rate of half an
acre in ten hours, and at a cost of a
farthing square yard (superficial.) We
hear that the Manchester meeting was
unprecedently successful, and it seemfl
to have deserved success.— Chambers's
Journal.
A Ghastly Lawsuit—Life Jnsurnnce.
A curious insurance case has been tried
in San Francisco. A life insurance com
pany declined to pay the amount of a policy
due the widow of Char.es Geggus. It ap
pears by the eyidence that Geggus left San
Francisco upon tbe 22d of August, 1868, in
a state of mental and bodily prostration
bordering upon, if not actually within the
region of, absolute insanity. On tbe 3d of
September following, his remains, in au ad
vanced stage of decomposition, were found
in the mountains ofSan Joaquin county.—
The policy of insurance expired on the 27th
of August, 1868, just one week before his
remains were found. Hence aroso the
defense, tbe company denying that
when found he had been dead seven days,
and upon that point they went to trial. For
the plaintiff a certificate was produced
signed by a justice of the peace, declaring
that he had held an investigation touching
the death of Charles Geggus, upon the occa
sion of his remains being discovered on the
3d of September, 1868, and that he found
that the said Chas. Geggus died from ex
hausiion and exposure, and had been dead
at least ten days when found. Six doctors
testified that from the condition of Geggus
when last seen, August 23d, hShiot haviDg
tlen euten anything for over two days, he
must have died within a period ranging
from 12 to 48 hours thereafter, thus fixing
his death at a time at least two days prior to
tho expiring of the policy. Upon this evi
dencethe plaintiff’s case rested. In answer
the company sought to show that the body
had not been dead a week when found, and
for this purpose called five doctors as med
dical experts. Two of them testified that
having heard a description of the state Geg
gus was in when last seen, they agreed that
he must have died within the period men
tioned by the plaintiff. The three others
that tho state of decomposition described
was not of a body that had been dead seven
days. They admitted, however, that the
peculiar rarity of atmosphere in which the
body was said to be found might arrest de
composition. The jury retlied? and in a
few minutes, returned with**the following
verdict, viz : “We the jury, find that tho
late Charles Geggus died previous to the
27th day of August, 1868, and, therefore,
find for tbe.plaiutiff, Elizabeth Geggus, in
the sum of 89,776.78, with interest, §437.97.
Total, §10,214.75."
Odd Fellowship In the United states.
From the annual report of the Grand
Sire, E. D. Fanswortb, of Nashville, Ten
nessee, the following statistics nave been
obtained in advance of publication:—The
number of contributing members of the
Order in each jurisdiction is about.aa fol
lows: Maine, 2,100; New Hampshire,
3,500; Vermont, 1,200; Massachusetts, 10,-
000; Rhode Island, 1,100: Connecticut,
2,500; New York, 18,000; New Jersey,
10,000 ; Pennsylvania, 73,000 ; Delaware.
3,000 ; Maryland, 14,000; District of Co
lumbia, 3,000; Virginia 3,000; West Vir
ginia, 3,200; North Carolina, 1,100;
South Carolina, 1,100; Georgia, 1,500;
Florida, 300; Alabama, 1,000; Mississippi,
1,500; Louisiana, 2,000; Texas, 1,600; Ar
kansas, 1,000; Tennessee, 4,500; Kentucky,
9,000; Ohio, 32,000; Indiaaa, 18,000; Illi
nois, 20,000; Michigan, 7,500; Wisconsin,
6,000; lowa, 8,000; Missouri, 8,500; Kan
sas, 2,090; Minnesota, 1,200; Nebraska,
800: Uolorado, 600; Nevado, 1,500; Ore
gon, 2,000; California, 13,000; the Terri
tories, 1,000; Lower Provinces, British
North America, 400 ; Ontario, 1,900 ; Aus
tralia, 5,800 ; making a total of 891,600 mem
bers. The Encampment Branch of Patriar
chal Branch, the highest department of the
Order, and working entirely separate from
the Lodge Branch, is reported to be exceed
ingly prosperous in the United States, there
being thirty-two State Grand Encamp
ments and nine hundred subordinate en
campments, with a total membership of
50,060. From 1834 to 1859, according to the
official records, the number of members
initiated into the order of Odd Fellows
amounted to 660,&43 ; the aggregate revenue
from all sources amounted to §33,552,824;
number of members relieved, 526,577; num •
ber of widowed families relieved, 62,503;
amount of relief paid, 14,160,402. The
greatest number of persons initiated iu any
one year was 30,737 for the twelve months
ending July Ist, 1869. Theaggregate of the
membership iu the order iu Europe and
America, amounts to lover 1,000,000, there
being over 500,000 Odd Fellows in Great
Britain.
A Dankard minister Nominated for tbe
liegfslatnre.
The Juniata Register says:
“Mr. Abraham Rorer, of Toscarora twp.
was nominated by acolamation as the
choice of Juniata oounty for Assembly.
Mr. Borer is a minister of the Dnnkard de
nomination, and one of the best citizens in
Tuscaiora valley. He Isa hard-working
tamer and an bonest man. He is also a
man of fair abilities, and would make an
excellent member of the Legislature. He
could not be controlled by any corrupt
“ rings” or lobby influence, but would con
scientiously discharge his dnties with an eye
single to the best interests of his constitu
tents and the Commonwealth. No better
selection could have been made or one
more popular with the people of the county.
If nominated by the District Conference his
election we believe can be made.”
He has since been settled by the Confer
ence, and is now fairly on the track. Sab
cess to him, say we.
Delano's Sophistries,
The Express does not pretend to un
dertake to show any want of logic, or
any mis-statement of facts in our com
ments upon the speech of Master Com
missioner, Chrisopher Columbus Dela
no. It contents itself with a vague
charge ofmls representatloh. We have
the satisfaction of knowing that our
opinion of his speech, and of the caliber
of the speaker tallies exactly with the
judgment of many of the most thought
ful Republicans of Lancaster, not a few
of whom have spoken to us on the sub
ject. The sophistical speech of this
offioial was published in full In Forney’s
Press, and It has excited nothing but
unfavorable comment. The New York
World takes exactly the same view of
it that we did. It says:
When his speech is examined, it will be
found to be a. tissue of the most impudent
sophistriesever put forth by adisingenuous
partisan In support of an indefensible cause.
Delano cries up General Grant (and this is
his chief topic of praise) because a greater
revenue is collected on whiskey this year,
with a tax of fifty cents a gallon, than was
collected last year under President John
son, when the tax was two dollars. This
sounds plausible only so long as it is ad
dressed to ignorance. When the tax was
two dollars, the profits of illicit distillation
was so enormous thatno energy or vigilance
could have prevented frauds on the reve
nue. It waa because Congress was of tnis
opinion that it reduced the tax to fifty cents
before General Grant was elected President.
If Congress had been of opinion that any
amount of honesty, capacity, or vigor
could collect the two dollars, it would
have left the tax at that rate, and have
given General Grant the opportunity to
win golden opinions by collecting it when
bis predecessor had failed. But nobody
believed that so high a tax could be col
lected. Mr. Rollins, Delano’s predecessor
as Commissioner of Internal Revenue,
a Republican who never lost standing
with the party, and was kept in office in
spite of President Johnson, recommended
the reduction of the tax on the ground that
so high a tax could never be collected, and
that a lower rate would yield a larger reve
noe. It reflects neither credit nor discredit
on Gen. Grant that this opinion proves to
correct. The increase of the revenue is the
predicted consequenoe of the redaction of
the tax—a reduction in which Gen. Grant
had no agebey, and for the expected fruits
of which be deserves no praise. The un
fairness of M r. Delano iu contrasting several
months of Gen. Grant’s administration with
Lhe corresponding months of President
Johnson’s last year, will be apparent when
we recall a passage in the last annual re
port of Commissioner Rollins, who in ac
counting for the small revenue from whisky
for several months preceding the reduc
tion of the tax, said that it was owing to the
fact that the reduction was expected by the
distillers, and that they theretore left their
whiskey in the bonded warehouses to take
advantage of tbe anticipated change in tbe
law. They would have been fools to have
taken their whiskey nut of the bond and
paid two dollars tax, when they were ex
pecting that Congress would soon exact but
a small fraction of that rate. It was inevi
table that, during the period of suspense
and expectation, the revenue from whiskey
should almost entirely cease, by the bond
ing of the whole product of the distilleries
on which any tax was meant to be paid.
And Mr. Delano bas the impudent effront
ery to contrast thoso months of suspense
and stoppage with the corresponding
months of the following year when the tax
bad been settled at fifty cents ! General
Grant must be iu a sore need of eulogy when
it can be found only in such pitiful soph
istry.
Mr. Delano says that the revenue is more
faithfully collected under General Grant
than it was under President Johnson. We
do not doubt it. The reason is, that Presi
aUlAHt Tolax>ao£4 vaa iui aU. n... ..1 4a 1 - *
his own officers. The Tenure-of-Offlce law
tied his hands and prevented the removal
of Mr. Lincoln’s appointees, depriving him
of all power to prevent the rascalities of
revenue collectors whom he did not select
and could not control or cashier. The first
thing General Grant did when he became
President was to demand the repeal of the
Tenure-of-Office law, declaring that he
could not otherwise collect the revenue.—
After a struggle of several weeks between
him and Congress, the law was so modified
as to give him control of his subordinates ;
and now be is absurdly praised for excel
ling Mr. Johnson when Mr. Johnson moved
in fetters. If the tax on whiskey had re
mained at two dollars, and General Grant’s
hands had been tied by the Tenure-of-Office
law, the tax would not have been any bet
ter collected than it was under his prede
cessor.
Mr. Delano bestows preposterous praise
on General Grant because some of the ex
penses of the government have been reduc
ed. General Grant has had no more agency
in the reductions than the man in the moon.
Alaska was paid for last year; but he de
serves no commendation because that pay
ment happened to fall last year instead of
this. The Freedmen’s Bureau was abolish
ed just before he came into the office; it is
ridiculous to praise Atm for the stoppage of
this source of expense. The.same remark
will apply to the cessation of military gov
ernment in seven of the ten revolted States.
The extra bounties to soldiers ceased just
before his inauguration; in the .preceding
year they drained the Treasury of nearly
twenty-five million dollars. The Pacific)
Railroad was just on the point of comple
tion when his administration commenced,
stopping an increase of the public debt
which had been going on in. the last years
of his predecessor. To make a merit for
General Grant of reductions of expense in
which he had not the slightest agency, is
absurd and dishonest; but it was only by
absurdity and dishonesty that Comrnis
sioner Delano was able to say anything
that even ignorance could accept as an ex
tenuation of President Grant’s feebleness
and imbecility.
Foreign News.
London, Sept. 28. —Charles Dickens
opened the winter sessions of the Midland
Institute, at Birmingham, last night, with
a pleasant speech. After reviewing the his
tory of the institution, and offering advice
for itsfutnre management, be touched upon
other subjects. The present he said was a
materialistic age. His political creed could
be summed upin twoarticles: His faith
in the people governing was infinitesimal ;
his faith in people governed was illimit
able.
Tbe Times says tbe coincidence of the
Emperor Napoleon’s sickness, and the re
construction ot the French Government is
a serious misfortune. The energies of the
Emperor cannot be well spared at such a
crisis, and reforms come unfortunately
while the Emperor is incapacitated,and at a
time when he is most required. The spec
ulations of the people on the uncertainties
and opportunities of tbe future, are so en
couraged asto augment public disquietude.
If this crisis had occurred ten years ago, the
Emperor could have brought to the work
the energies he carried into the Italian cam
paign, and if the experiment had then suc
ceeded, France would now possess a gene
ration of statesmen with Borne Parliamen
tary experience. The only question is, was
the prospect of success so clear then as to
justify precipitating instead of postponing
the trial ? The present peril, serious in any
case, is aggravated by the Emperor’s en
feebled health, but peril of some kiDd has
been the prospect of the Government for the
past trwo generations.
Lisbon,- Sept. 28. —The King of Portugal
has contradicted the rumor of his candidacy
for the throne of Spain, aud says he was
born a native of Portugal and will die a
natlyq of that country.
News Items-
Assistant Secretary Richardson of the
Treasury sentffiis resignation to. Secretary
Boutwell yesterday.
Five years ago Emporium, Cameron co.,
contained about 250 inhabitants. Now it
casts about one-tbird of the entire vote of
the county.
Isaac N. Fowler, whose defalcation and
disappearance, when postmaster of New
York many years ago, created a sensation,
died in Chicago on Wednesday.
Tbe editors of the Democratic newspapers
in Texas have met in convention, ana nom
inated Hamilton Stuart for Governor.—
Stuart has accepted.and a full straight Dem
ocratic ! ticket is to be nominated. Forty
newspapers support the tbe movement.
The Mississippi Radical Convention, yes
terday, completed its ticket, by nominating
H. Musgrove for Auditor, W. H. Yassar for
Treasurer, and J. S. Morris for Attorney
Genera]. The resolutions adopted advocate
universal suffrage and universal amnesty,
and revision’of the labor and taxing sys
tems.
It is reparted from Fort Baford that Gen
eral McCook’s troops are building stock
ades for protection against the Indians. The
tort baa been provisioned for the winter. A
detachment of tbe sth Cavalry, from Fort
McPherson, has been attacked by Indians,
but nothing is known except that a sergeant
was separated from bis company and pur
sued twenty-five miles.
The Massachusetts State Labor Reform
Convention met at Worcester, yesterday,
to form a new political party in the inter
ests of the working men. Resolutions were
adopted declaring against any distinction
on account of color, nationality or pursuit;
that labor associations should receive the
same chartered privileges as associated
capital; that eight hours should constitute
a day’s labor; that government bonds
should be taxed, and the revenue laws
changed so as to bear less produc
ing classes; opposing Chinese immigration
and opposing the claim,that tbe National
debt is payable in coifi. A State ticket was
nominated, headed by E. M. Chamberlain,
of Boston, for Governor, and James Chafc
taway, of Springfield, for Lieut, Governor.
TBE VIRGINIA SPBUGS.
The Summer is ofer, and with it has
passed away the brief period of relaxation
which the busy people of this busy nation
are accustomed to appropriate from its lat
ter months. The pleasant sojourn at the
seaside or on the mountains, at the quiet
farm house or the fashionable and crowded
Springs is over ; we have girded our loins
for the struggle of another year, and have
breathed our last regretful sigh for lhe Joys
we have left behind us.
Our country is abundantly blessed with
Summer resorts, but the Old Mother State
of Virginia is provided with them In the
most lavish profusion. The largest and
most noted of them all Is the White Sul
phur Spring, in Greenbrier county, West
Virginia, just over the border of Virginia,
on the western slops of the Alleghenies.—
We reach the White Sulphur by way of
the Orange and Alexandria Railroad irom
Washington, connecting at Gordonsville
with tbe Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
which at present terminates at the Spring;
The train leaves. Washington at 7 o’clock
in the morning, and after an interesting
day’s ride over the historic scenes of the
war and through the Alleghenies and Blue
Ridge, reaches its destination at 9 o’clock
in the evening.
The soil immediately around Alexandria
is pretty fair, but looks poor enough as you
continue on through Fairfax aud Prince
William counties. Reaching Fauquier
county you strike the famous Piedmont
Region, and as you approach and cross
tbe Rappahannock river the land is appar.
ently of very good quality, a character
which it maintains through Culpeper,
Orange, Louisa and Albemarle, all of which
you touch before reaching the Blue Ridge,
as you follow the southwesterly course of
the railway. The Piedmont Region, as its
name implies, Is composed of those counties
of Virginia -which lie at the eastern foot of
the mountains, between tho Potomac and
the James, and is widely celebrated for the
fertility and productiveness of its soil.
The war laid a heavy hand upon the
country which the Railway traverses be
fore it reaches the line of the Rapidan, a
short distauce this side of Gordonsville. It
was '.he hotly disputed territory of the war,
often changing hand?, and many times
traversed by both sarnies. It tells now of
a savage and cruel war In its every feature.
It is denuded of every tree and swept of
every ienco. A solitary house here and
there at long intervals, dots the landscape.
The country undulates very gently, and in
its bareness and desolation is the very
counter-picture of a great western prairie.
The names of the streams, the hills and the
railroad station?, speak loudly of the war.
We pass by Fairfax and crosß 801 l Ruu,
an insignificant and most innocent looking
riyulot. We pass Manassas Junction, and
run through, at Bristoe, the slight railroad
cut of some ten feet in depth, in which our
troops fought the bloody battle of Bristoe’s
Station. Brandy Station, in Culpeper
county, recalls to mind the great Cavalry
fight of the war; and the round topped,
heavily-wooded hills of no great elevation,
near the railroad, off to our right, gave
name aud location to tbe sanguinary battle
ol Cedar Mountain. We cross the Rapidan
at the point where both armies laid, facing
each other, during the winter 0f’63’64, and
from which they marched to meet some
nin« miles further ee?l, at. tho Battle of the
Wilderness. A well filled and neatly-ar
ranged cemetery of the United States at
Culpeper, tells of the many soldiers of tbe
Northern army who died on these now calm
and silent plains, and have been gathered
here to rest.
At Gordoaville we meet the train of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad coming np
from Richmond, to which we transfer
ourselves, although both trains run on the
same track some twenty miles farther, io
Charlottesville, in Albermarlo, where the
Orange and Alexandria Road turns South
to Lynchburg, while the Chesapeake and
Ohio runs Westward around and
up the mountains. Charlottesville is a
handsome town, and is the seat of that an
cient and renowned institution of learning,
the University of Virginia. Monticello, a
mile or two off, is in .plain sight from the
Railway, crowning the summit of a lofty
hill. Regretting much that we have not
time to stop and visit it, we speed onward
and soon reaching the base of the Blue
Ridge, we repair to the baggage car and
throwing wido open the large side doors,
we prepare ourselves to enjoy the grand
ride whiebjs before us. Our party consisted
of Col. Dechert, of the Hagerstown MaiU
Foster, of the Charlottesville Chronicle,
Cannon, of the Warrenton Sentinel Selby,
of the Columbia (South Carolina,)
Fhcenix, a Mr. Hunter and ourself, and it
was no fault of Foster’s choice and ample
commissariat stores, if we were not in a
sufficiently elevated frame of mind to ap
preciate fully the elevated situations in
which we soon found ourselves. We were
nscending tbe Blue Ridge, and our train
wound around the sides of the mountains
iu the most bewildering fashion, and would
apparently approach the top of tbe Ridge
from every point of the compass; but we
finally rushed through the last tunnel to
the mountain top, and striking tbe lime
stone formation, descended into the rich
valley of Virginia to Staunton, a large and
flourishing town ; again passing on wo are
soon once more buried in mountains, and
we never get out of them for some seventy
or eighty miles, nor until we have crossed
the Alleghenies and reached our journey’s
end. We mount North Mountain (on
which is the highest elevation on the whole
road) and Mill Mountain, aDd innumer
able spurs of mountains which are not
even dignified with a name. Mountains
are at a great discount here, and are not
named unless fifty or a hundred miles long.
Everything else is a “spur.” We are
climbing apparently Mount Chimborazo;
“Conductor,whaffis the name of this moun
tain?" “ Has none that I know sir; jt is a
spur!" We tried tho brakesman on the
next occasion, with the same result; then
the baggage-master and a passenger or two,
but found that it was vain to strive to get
Lhe nomenclature of the mountains if they
had any, and were obliged to be content
with tbe knowledge that we were traveling
for many miles over “spurs” lying be
tween the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies. We
passod through many tunnels, some twelve
or thirteen in all, and several of them very
long.
This railroad is intended to be built
through to the Ohio, and when completed
will be a formidable rival to .the Baltimore
and Ohio and the Northern roads for the
through trade between tbe east and the
west. The gradients on the road, notwith
standing the rough country through which
it passes, will bo very light, not exceeding
291 feet to the mile. There are at present,
however, on the road several temporary
tracks, which are laid down to get around
places in the permanent the
road, that will require very heavy tunnel-
IngQ or filling, and a large expenditure of
time and money to construct the road bed
at tbe prescribed grade. Tbe grade on some
of these temporary tracks 1b frightfnl—at
one point it is 296 feet to the mile! At these
places our train of five cars was broken and
an engine was placed in the centre; a third
engine was attached in the rear of the
train, and thus held, pulled and pro
pelled. we slowly descend into a val
ley, and as slowly climb again the
opposite mountain. The steepest of these
temporary tracks is upon tbe last twenty
miles of the road, made within tbe past year
from Covington to the White Sulphur
Spring, and it is well that the train passes
over it after dark, for if the pleasure-seek-.
ing Spring visitors shoald see it by day
light as we afterwards did on a special trip
overit, they would be apt to dream troubled
dreams for a night or two and resolve to
take the stage coach on fhpir return. Dan
gerous as it lcoks, however,it is really quite
safe as long as the engines don’t give out,
and they could not very well all give way
at once.
There is |a good deal of iron ore
in these mountains. Three large tracts
were purchased this summer by a party of
Pennsylvanians: Mr. Pardee of Hazleton,
and Mr. Firmstone of, we believe, Easton.
Hon. Hiester Olymer and Mr. C. Brooke
are said to be’ interested with L em to the
NUMBER 41
extent of a third of the purchase. They
bought altogether twenty-five thousand
acres at a total cost of sixty-seven thonsand
five hundred dollars. One of their tracts
lies on the Jackson River—a prolongation
of the James—abont two miles irom Coving
ton and on the Railroad. The other two
tracts, upon which are the best ore, lie some
$ miles from the Railroad, and the company
.wijl have to expend a couple of hundred
thousand dollars on a railroad of their own
to get out their ore. They claim by these
purchases to have bought all the available
iron territory of this section, and to control
the iron manufacture in this region. They
propose to build large iron works at
the point where the railroad orosses the
Jackson river, and to which point.it is pro
posed to continue the James River Canal.
Their enterprise depends largely on the con
tinuation of the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
road to the Kanawha, as they will need the
coal from the abundant deposits along that
river.
Leaving Covington wo cross with many
convolutions the main range of the Alleghe
p nies, through mountains of apparently
solid slate, and abont nine o’clock we reach
the Spring lying in a valley on the western
slope of the ridge. A Masquerade Ball was
in progress, which had been announced by
the proprietors) as in ; compliment to the
Press, Not more than a pcore of Press re
presentatives,however,were present,yet the
ball was a very gay and spirited affair, and
was doubly relished by us, as it gave us an
opportunity of seeing the belles and beaux
ana notabilities, of whom more anon.
A. J. S.
State Items.
The debt of Williamsport is $600,000.
The Radical meetings all over the State
are first-class fizzles.
A typographical union has boon formed
at Middletown, Wayne county."
Great preparations have beqn made in
Berks for the present county fair, which is
being held at Reading.
Several prominent merchants of Lock
Haven have been arrested for defrauding
the revenue.
The Mayor of Reading recently went n
fishing and caught 93. The Heading papers
now cull him the champion angler.
The first Agricultural Fair held in Bucks
county, was on‘August ISIL, at John
Ruckman’s, in Salsbury.
Of $87,504 collected by the Revenue De
partment in theoth District, which includes
Bucks county, $1(3,307.30 was derived from
cigars.
Bayard Taylor has purchased a very
handsome and valuable mare, for his private
use, from Dr. William 11. Knight ofKennot
Square, Chestercouuty.
Reading offers a reward of $3O for the nr
rest of those persons who '‘maliciously and
willfully spit tobaccojuice on ladies’ dross
es and on the doors and windows of resi
dences” in that city.
Cornelias Dougherty, residing in Phila
delphia, died at the Pennsylvania Hospital,
on Saturday, 11th inst., from hydrophobia,
caused by the bito of a dog about seven
months ago,
James Lachv had a drill seven feet long'
forced entirely through his lungs recently
by an unexpected explosion in a quarry
near Norristown. Yet the Republican says
it is thought the patient will recover
Mr. Jesse Showers, ofßaushGap, Clinton
county, exhibits a curiosity in the shape of
two large sized yellow squashes grown out
of one stem. Both heads look healthy, and
have fully matured.
The quantity of coal sent from the Schuyl
kill mines, for the weeking ending on the
18th ult., was 88,639.11—by canal, 10,857
making in all 99,496.13 tons, against 135,893
for the corresponding week last year.
ocm otMr. Goorgo Spleae,
of North Coventry, Chester county, walked
barefooted in a bed of hot coals that had
recently been pulled from a bake oven and
nad one of his feet badly burned a short
time since.
A week or two ago, Mrs. Jacob Miller, o
South Coventry, Chester county, was gath
ering potatoes, when her fingers was bitten
by a small snake. The arm became very
painful and was much swollen. She applied
a poultice of raw onions, which seemed to
be beneficial. The wounded part is now
well.
Last week Dayid Phillips, residing near
Beltzhoover’s tavern, in Lower St. Clair
twp., Allegheny co., was instantly killed.
It appears the deceased was sitting in the
pit with his chin resting on a shoyel handle,
when in an instant a huge mass of slate
loosened itself from above and fell upon
him in suon a manner as to force bis throat
against the handle of the shovel, and keep
him in that position until he waß choked to
death.
Mrs. Rebecca Leseig, at the great age of
96 years 2 months and 27 days, died at her
son's residence in Orwigaburg, Schuylkill
couDty, a few days ago. She died of old
age, and it is a remarkable fact that for forty
days previous to her death she was unable
to partake of any food whatever, subsisting
upon water only. She had been a widow
sixty-two years. She was a woman of
wonderful memory, aud retained possession
of all her faculties to the last.
The Carlisle Herald says ; “ A rumor
comes from Shippensburg of tbe murder of
a Mr. Kelly by two brothers by tbe name
of Bowermaater. It appears that tbe men
were intoxicated and disorderly, and were
arrested at the instance of Mr. Kelly, and
placed in the lock-up. Some time during
the night they contrived to break out, and,
going to the house of Mr. Kelly, brutally
murdered him with a knife. The murder
ers are.still at large.”
The Pittsburg Republic states that the
market constable, of that city recently nr
rested a boy named Douglas, who has but
one leg, and is about ten years old for theft.
At six o’clock the other evening, while the
front doors oftbe market were being closed
the boy entered oue of the rear doors and
stole six cans of oysters from the oyster
stand of Thomas McCoy. Subsequently
tbe same lad stole a largo armful of Bolog
na sausages or puddings from tbe stall of
David Dexter, a butcher in tbe market. It
is said that he has beon committing thefts,
large and small for a long time about the
market, but has hitherto escaped with no
more than serious punishment than threats
und reprimands, bis lameness exciting tbe
compassion of the officers and market peo
ple.
Fisk AjCo,
The indignation against James Fisk, Jr.,
who, it now appears, has been the prime
mover in all of these nefarious transactions,
is terrific. It is said that |orders of arrest
are out agaiDst him, but protected us he is
in his Twenty-third street office by a body
guard, and four attorneys in his employ, it
is next to impossible to reach him. Threats
of murder have been made against him,
but be takes good care not to show his face
in Wall street.
IHustral lßStrumcato, &c.
WOODWARD’S
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL
MUSIC ST ORE.
NO. 22 WEST KING STREET.
Pianos, Organs, Melodeons, Piano and MeJo
deon Stools and Covers, Violins, Guitars. Bftb-
Jos, Tamborines, Accordeons, Concertlnls,
Drums, Flies, Flutes, Flageolets, Harmonlcos,
Clappers, Triangles, Strings of all kinds, Bow
Hair, Tuning Forks, Pitch Pipes, Violin Bows,
Cello Bows, Violin and Guitar Boxes, Music
Portfolios, Instruction Books of all kinds,
Sheet Music, Music Books, and every descrip
tion ol Musical Merchandise. All orders Oiled
promptly at the canal Retail or Wholesale
Prices, and SATISFACTION G UARANTE ED.
Tuning and repairing promptly attend
ed to. A- W, WOODWARD,
522-tfd*w No. 23 West King street. Lancaster.
grttomgs-at-gw.
J. W, F. SWIFT,
No. 13 North Duke at,. Lancaster
B. C. EBEADT,
No. 24 East King street, 2d floor, over Bkllea’
New Store.
EDGAR C. REED,
No. 16 North Duke st.. Lancaster
B. F. BAEB,
No. 19 North Duke st., Lancaster
FRED. fi. PYFEJR, _
No. 5 South Duke st.. Lancaster
A. J. SANDERSON,
No. 48 East King street, Lancaster
R. 0. PRICE,
Court Avenue, west of Court House, Lancaster
A. J. KAUFFMAN,
No. 238 Locust Stbkst,
dec 22 lyt»iw) Columbia, Pa
g. v. hunter, t ,
No. 6 South Duke st,, Lancaster,
WM. LIAAAS, 4 T .
No. 5 North Duke st. Lancaster
A. J. Si EISHAN,
No. 9 East Orange st., Lancaster
H. M. NORTH, _ _
Columbia. Lancaster county, ra
ABBAS SHANK,
No. 88 North Duke st.. Lancaster
D. W. PATTERSON,
TT aif removed hi« office to No. 68 East King st.
SIHON P. EBY,
attorney at law,
OFFICE WITH N. ELLMAKER, Esq.,
North Dukje Btbset,
sept 25 LANCASTER, PA, lyw3B*
BATE OF ADVERTISING.
Busurxss ApycvnßXMrarra. $l2 a year p<r
junarauTtenHußtySfi-per yearJtoT'tackad-'.
ditionalsquare. ; .
Rxal Estate Anvx&naxHe, lOcenta'a Unei’fbr
the fixxt,~snd 5 cents tor each subsequent in
sertion.
Gevekai. ADVSBTisiMo7con{aa line for the
first, and 4 cents for. each subsequent lnscr
.. tlon.
Special Notices inserted In Local Column
15 cents per line,
Special Notices preceding marriages and
deaths, 10 oeaU per line for first Insertion!
and 5 cents for every subsequent Insertion!!
Legal and oth e b Notices— *
Executors’ n0tice5............... 2.60
'Administrators' notices,- 2^o
Assignees’ notices....... 2.50
Auditors’ notices, 2.00
Other “Notices,”ten lines, or less, 3
three times,.....— 1.50
Snj (goods. &r.
pAI.L, 1569.
MEN’S WEAR !
CLOTH*. CABSIMERES. COATINGS, Ac.
HAGER & BROTHERS have now open)a
choice selection of Foreign and Domestic
COATIBGS IN BLUE, DAHLIA, OLIVE,
AND,BLACK.
EDRIDON. MOSCJW AND CASTOR BEAVER
FOR OVERCOATINGS, Same Shades.
MELTONSjAND CASSJMERES FOR SUITS.
GOODS FOR BOY’S;WEAR,
At the Price of same goods In ISGO.
READY MADE CLOTHING for slen and
Boys of our own manufacture. Material caro
fuJy selected and satisfaction guaranteed.
GENT’S FURNISHING GOODS.j
MERINO SHIRTS AND DRAWERS,
SMALL TO EXTRA SIZE.
GENTS’ SHIRTS OF APPROVED MAKE.
TIES, HANDKERCHIEFS, GLOVES,
HOSIERY, AC.
The above stock will be found completo'’and
at Low Down Prices. We Invito Inspection.
825 HAGER A BROTHERS.
DBT GOODS
HAGER A BROTHERS havo now In store a
full stock of Foreign and Domestic DRY
GOODS for FaUSalcs, and invito an cxtmlaa
tiou.
LADIES DRESS GOODS.
ALL WOOL POPLIN AND SERGE PLAIDS
for Ladies Children's Suits In Now Choice De
stgas and Colors.
PLAID .AND WATER-PROOF CLOAKINGS,
NEW FALL SHAWLS.
OPERA FLANNELS PLAIN AND I’LAID.:
BLACK AND COLORED NILUS,
From Fiuo to Extra equalities.
Silk Poplin*, Woi Eplngllnos, Darrltz, Em
press Cloths, Merrlnoos, De Lalncs and
Alpacas, in all the Now Shades.
DRESS GOODS FROM 2Uo UPWARD,
MOURNING GOOBfI.
BLACK BOMBAZINES, CRETONK CLOTH,
A Now Material.
TAMIESE CLOTH, EMPRESS POPLIN,
MERINOES, WOOL DE LAI NES A ALPACAS,
BLACK THIBET,
LONG AND SQUARE SHAWLS,
BLACK CRAPE VEILS AND COLLARS.
MERINO VESTS toil LADIES & CHILDREN.
FOREIGN AND .DOMESTIC
HOSIERY AND GLOVES
THOMPSON’S IMPROVED CORSETS
KID GLOVES—Now Fall Shades.
White, Rod and Grey FLANNELS In low
and line Shaker and D illard Vale FlanuolH.—
BLANKETS In all qualities. H.mso Furnish
ing Linen and Cottons.
The above goods wore purchased In tho Now
York and Pnlladelphla markets for Cush at
Low Prices and will be sold accordingly.
525-Iwd HAGER A BROTHER.
Q ARPETS I CARPETS J I.
BEST ENGLISH AND AMERICAN BRUS
SELS, LOWELL AND HARTFOUD 3-
PLY AND INGRAIN BRUSSELS,
8-PLY VENETIAN STAIR CAR
PET, WOOL DUTCH, !HEMP
AND RAG CARPETS,
COCOA MATTING,
RUGS AND DOOR MATTS.
floor; oil cloths
FROM 1 TO -i YARDS WIDE.
Wi LL PAPERS,
PLAIN AND DECORATIVE FOR PARLORS
HALLS, LIBRARIES, DINING ROOMS,
CHURCHES, Ao., Aa.
THE LARGEST STOCK IN THIS CITY.
WINDOW SHADES,
DAMASK AND LACE CURTAINS,
BUFF AND GREEN SHADE HOLLAND
fob sale nr
06 (HAGER A BROTH EltS. 3Lw4U
gew fort giflmltsmgntg.
Ladies, if tou require a relia
ble remedy, use the best?
DR. HARVEY’S GOLDEN PILLS
have no equal. They are safe and sure In ordi
nary cases.
PRICE, ONE DOLLAR PER BOX.
DR. HARVEY’S GOLDEN PILLS,
four degress stronger they are lutemloa for
special cases
PRICE, FIVE DOLLARS PER BOX.
Private circulars sent free. Enclose slum If
rou cannot proonre the pills euclose the mo iej
ind address BRYAN A CO., Codar streot. Nev
York, and on receipt they will be sent, woL
sealed by return malL
Errors of youtii.
Young Men the experience of years, has
demonstrated the fact that reliance may be
placed In tbe efficacy of
BELL’S SPECIFIC PILLS
For the speedy and permanent cure of somlnal
Weakness, the result of Youthful Indiscretion,
which neglected, rulus the happlnoss, and un
fits the sufferer for business, social or marri
age. They can be used without detection or
Interference with business pursuits.
Price one Dollar per box or four boxos for a
dollars. If yon cannot procure those D lls,
enclose the money to BRYAN A CO., 01 Oe lar
street, New York, and they will bo < ent by
mall, well sealed. Prlvato circulars to Gea’Je
mon sent free on application, enclose itanp.
BRYAN'S LIFE INVIGOBATOB
OR REJUVENATING ELIXIR,
For all Derangements of the Urluary Organs.
It gives LIFE, HEALTH AND BTKENGTHtC
ail who use It and follow my directions. It
never fails to remove Nervons Debility, impo
tency or want of Power, and all weakness aris
ing from excesses or Indiscretion, resulting In
loss of memory, unpleasant dreams, weak
nerves, headaches, nervous trembling, general
lassitude, dimness of vision, flushing of the
skin, which If neglected, will surely lead on Lg
Insanity or Consumption. When the system
is once affocted It will not recover without
help. It must be Invigorated and strengthen
ed, to enable the sufferer to fulfil the duties <ft
life.
This medicine has boon tested for many
years, and Ills warranted a certain CURE, no
matter how bod the case may be. Hundreds
of certificates can be shown. Price, ono Dollar
per bottle, or six bottles for five Dollars
BOLD BY ALL DRUGGIST.
If you cannot procure it send a statement of
your case and enclose the money to BRYAN
A CO., 64 Cedar street. New York, and it will
be sent you On receipt of Five Dollars, a bot
tle nearly equal to seven small will be sent to
any express offloe In the U. B. charges paid.
Private circulars, sent on application, (en
close stomp.) dec26-2owd Aly w
gnsorantt ©orapantti.
COLUMBIA INSURANCE 'COMPANY
JANUARY IST. 1869.
CAPITAL AND ASSETS, 1689,101 15.
This Company oontlnnes to insure Build
ings, Merchandise, and other property, against
loss and damage by Are, on the mutual plan,
either for a premium or premium note.
NINTH ANNUAL REPORT.!
CAPITAL AND INCOME.
Am’t of premium notes. 1954,581 10
Lam amount expired.....— 807,786 19
SD46,7QI 91
Cash receipts, lees commissions in ’6B _ 07,391.01
Loans i..! .—••*. 13,800 ou
Due from agents and others 8,6 92 03
Assessment No. .9,lst Feb. estimated 21,000 00
Locsea and expenses paid in 571,200 13
Losses adjusted, not due...— iljiojh
Balance of Capital Jand Asset*, Feb.
. 1, 1869~~—.
8762,077 94
•A- S' GREEN, Precldent, >
Gxobgi Youwo, Jr., Secretary,
*• «*•
R. T. Ryon, William Patton;
John Eenrtrlch, M. M^Strlckler,
H. G. Mlnich, Geo. Young, Jr.
Bazn'l F. Eberleln, Nicholas McDonald
Amos B. Green, John B. Bachman,
fftrain Wilson, Robert Crane,
For insurance and to
Beal Estate, Oolleotlon & Insnranoe Agents.
No. 8 North Doha street, Lancaster, Pa
nov? tfttaw
anfl Coal.
McCOMNEY <Jfc CO*, __
nr
O O A. L A. y £ I* UM B JL R t
Yard on Penn’a R. R., Cor. Prince and Walnut
streets, Lancaster, Pa,
Hava now on hand and for sale a well selected
SSS of Family Coal from the best mines
which we will sell at current marfcet prices
andyoarante© satisfaction., Also^a full stock
of well seasoned Lumber*of all Wndß at Ke
duoed Prices. jyaMioAw
jjIALL, 1800,
flbvm 94
... 669.JC1 15