The Bloomfield times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, April 07, 1874, Image 1

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""lclr'l . AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. ",'
"Vol. "VIII. Now Bloomfield, Pa., Tuesday, .Vpr-il 7 TVo. 14.
6rV
Ioomfit pints.
IS PUBLISHED BVEUT TUESDAY MORNING, BI
TRANS HOETIMER & CO.,
At New Bloomfield, Terry Co., Ta.
Being provided with Rteam Power, and Urge
Cylinder and Job-Presses, we are prepared
to do all kinds of Job Printing In
good style and at Low Prices.
ADVERTISING HATKSl
7Ytwin U Cents per lino for one Insertion
13 " " two insertions
15 "three insertions
Business Notices in Local Column 10 Cents
per line. -K
.For longer yearly adv'ts terms will be given
upon application.
April Violets.
'Tls not the valut of the gift,
That friendship's hand may tendor j
'Tis not a thing's intrinsic worth,
(Though goms of rarest splendor),
That calls the heart's best gratitude,
Or wakes a deep emotion ;
The simplest flower may be the gift,
And claim a life's devotion.
A bunch of violets, culled when first
The showers of spring unfold them,
May be of small intrinsic worth,
And fade while yet we bold them
Tct are they types of modest truth,
And may become a token,
From friend to friend, of kind regard,
That never shall be broken.
These fragrant flowers which thou hast
given,
And I so fondly cherish,
May, ere another mora shall rise,
Before me fade and perish
Yet are they sweet their grateful iol
No time or change can sever ;
Bo lives tho memory of thy gift;
It breathes of thee forever.
A Runaway Match.
A GREAT many yeaiB since, when
bright-eyed and fair-haired lasses
were not so plenty in New England as they
now are, there dwelt in the town of P ,
a pretty village, distant, then, some five-and-twenty
miles from " Market-town," a
peculiarly comely and graceful maiden,
who had a peculiarly ugly and cross
grained but wealthy old father.
Minnie was Danforth' only child ; and
report said truly that she would be his sole
legatee. The old man was a sturdy farm
er, and was estimated to be worth full ten
. thousand dollars ; at that period, a very
handsome fortune, to be sure.
The sparkling eyes and winning manners
of Minnie Danforth had stirred up the finer
feelings of the whole male portion of the
villago, and her suitors were numerous ;
but her father was particular, and none
succeeded in making headway with him or
her.
In the meantime, Minnie had a true and
loyal lover in teertt I Who would have
supposed for one moment that such a fel
low would dare to look upon beauty and
comparative refinement? His name was
Walker, or, as he was called. "Joe"
Joe Walker ; and h'e was simply a farmer,
employed by old Danforth, who bad en
trusted Joe with .the management of his
place for two or three years.
But a very excellent farmer, and a right
good manager, was this plain, unassuming
but good-looking Joe Walker. lie was
young, too, only twenty-three ; and he ac
tually foil in love with the beautiful, pleas
ant, joyous Minnie Danforth, his old em
ployer's only daughter. But the strange-
est part of the occurrence was, that Min
nie returned his love earnestly, truly, and
frankly ; and promised to wed him at the
favorable moment
Things went on merrily for a time, but
old Danforth discovered certain glunoes
and attentions between them, which excit
ed bis envy and suspicions. Very soon af
terwards, Joe learned the old man's mind,
indirectly, in regard to bis future disposal
of Minnie's hand, and he quickly saw that
bis cose was a hopeless one, unless be re
sorted to stratagem ; and so he set his wits
at onoe to work.
By agreement, an apparently settlod
coldness and distance was observed by the
lovers towards each other for five or six
months ; and the father saw (as be bollev
ed), with satisfaction, that bis previous
suspicions and fears bad been all prema
ture. Then, by agreement also between
them, Joe absented himself from the bouse
at evening ; night after night for full three
months longer, did Joe disappear as soon
as his work was finished, to return borne
only at a late bed-time. This was unusual,
and old Danforth determined to know the
cause of it.
Joe frankly confessed that he was in love
with a man's daughter, who resided loss
than three miles distant ; but, after a faith
ful attachment between them for several
months, the old man had utterly refused
to entertain his application for the young
girl's band.
This was capital. Just what old Dan
forth most desired. This satisfied bim
that he had made a mistake in regard to
his own child ; and he would help Joe to
got married and thus stop all further sus
picions or trouble at home. So be said :
" Well, Joe, is she a buxom lass ?"
"Yes yes," said Joo. " That is, other
folks say so. I'm not much of a judge
myself."
"And you like her?"
" Yes, sir yes."
" Then, marry her," said old Danforth.
"But I can't the fathor objects"
" Pooh '." continued Danforth, "let him
do so J what need you care ? Run away
with her."
"Elope?"
" Yes ! Off with you at once 1 If the
gal will join all right. Marry her, bring
her horo ; you shall have the little cottage
at the foot of the lane ; I'll furnish it for
you j your wages shall be increased ; and
the old man may like it, or not, as he
will !"
"But
" But me no buts, Joe. Do as I bid
you ; go about it at once ; and
" You will stand by me ?"
" Yes, to the lost. I know you, Joe.
You're a good fellow, a good workman, and
will make anybody a good son, or bus-
baud."
" The old fellow will be to mad, though."
" Who cares, I say ? Go on quickly, but
quietly."
"To-morrow night, then," said Joe.
" Yes," said Danforth.
" I'll hire Colver's horse "
" No you shan't."
"No?"
" I say no. Take my horse tho best
one, young Morgan ; he'll take you off in
fine style, in the new phoiton."
"Exactly."
" And as soon as you're spliced, come
right back here, and a jolly time we'll have
of it at the old house."
"Her father will kill mo 1"
"Bah I lie's and old fool, whoever he
is ; be don't know your good qualities, Joe,
so well as I do. Don't be afraid ; faint
heart, you know, novor won a fair woman."
" The old man will be astounded."
" Never mind, go on. We'll turn the
laugh on him. I'll take care of you and
your wife, at any rate."
" I'll do it," said Joe.
"You shall," said Danforth; and they
parted in the best of spirits.
An hour after dark, on the following eve
ning, Joe made bis appearance, docked in a
nice new black suit, aud really looking
very comely. The old man bustled out to
the barn with him, helped to harness young
"Morgan" to bis new pbaiton ; and leading
the spunky animal himself into the road,
away went happy Joe Walker In search of
his bride.
A few rods distant from the house, be
found her, as previous arrangement ; and
repairing to the next village, the parson
very quickly made them one in boly wed
lock. Joe took his bride, and soon dashed
back to the town of P , and baited at
old Danforth's bouse, wbo was already
looking for bim, and who received him
with open arms.
" Is it done ?" cried the old man.
" Yes yes !" answered Joe.
" Bring her in, bring her in," continued
the old fellow, in high glee ; " never mind
compliments ; no matter about the dark
entry ; here, here, Joe, to the right, in the
best parlor ; we'll have a time now, sure !'
and the anxious farmer rushed away for
lights, returning almost Immediately. '
"Here's the certificate, sir," said Joe
"Yes, yes" !
"And this is my wife," be added, as be
passed up bis beautiful bride the bewitch
ing and lovely Minnie Danforth I
" What I" roared the old file j " what did
you say, Joe you villain, you scamp, you
owdacious cheat, you you you"
"It is truth, sir ; we are lawfully mar
ried. You advised me to this course, you
assisted me, you plannod the whole affair,
you lent me your horse, you thought me,
last evening, worthy of any man's chlld.you
encouraged me, you promised to stand by
me, you offered me the cottage at the foot
of the lane, you"
" I didn't ! I deny it. Yon can't prove
it ; you're a a a '!
" Calmly now, sir," continued Joe. And
the entreaties of tho happy couplo were at
once united to qnell the man's ire, and to
persuade him to acknowledge the union.
The father relented at last. It was a
job of his own manufacture, and he saw
how useless it would be, finally, to attempt
to destroy it.
He gave in reluctantly ; and the fair
Minnie Danforth was ovorjoyed to be duly
acknowledged as Mrs. Joe Walker.
The marriage proved a joyful one ; and
the original assertion of old Danforth prov
ed truthful in every respect. The cunning
lover was a good son and a faithful hus
band, and lived many years to enjoy tbo
happiness which followed upon his runaway-match
; while the old man never cared
to hear much about the details of the elope
ment, for he saw how completely he had
overshot his mark 1
A California Story.
1HIE following anecdote, which was told
. me by an eye-witnoss, I will relate as I
can recollect it in his own words.
In the early mining days of California,
there Btood at the foot of the hill, not many
miles from Nevada one of those rough-
built gaming houses so common throughout
the mining sections of the territory. A de
scription of this structure and its surround
ings will convey to the reader a better idea
of the incident I am about to relate. The
building contained but one room, the en-
tranco to which was situated at one end,
with a large adobe fireplace on the other
end, nearly opposite to the entrance. On
the large stone hearth burned a wood fire,
giving to the room a cheerful appearance.
On the front, at the right of the entrance,
was a well-filled bar, around which were
congregated representatives of different na
tions, some speculating on the success of
various mining operations, while others
were discussing the general topics of the
day. Along the rear side of the room ex
tended a row of tables, around each of
which was seated a company of miners
playing poker, and staking large sums of
gold with as much coolness and apparent
unconcern as if they were partaking of
their evening meal. A few rude seats oc
cupied the space around the fireplace, and
in tho front portion of the room beyond the
bar. The cabins of the settlers extended
some distance to the front of the spot,
while the unsettled portion of the country
lay in the rear. .
The hill before mentioned rising abruptly
from this position was thickly interspersed
with sage brush and thick bushes, affording
a temporary hiding place for the fugitive.
As the evening wore on, the patrons of the
saloon became more numerous, while the
chilliness of the atmosphere caused those
not interested in the games at the table to
gather round the fire. The conversation,
which at this time was becoming animated,
was suddenly interrupted by the entrance
of a tall, raw-boned Yankee, bearing in his
hand a long rifle ; around bis waist he wore
a belt, from which was suspended a powder
flask and bullet pouch. .
Advancing to the fire-place, he deposited
bis rifle in the corner, and after accepting
the seat courteously offered him by one of
the company, be seated himself by the fire;
resting one elbow on hisknee,and dropping
his chin into bis band, be sat gloomily
watching the fire as if some mighty grief
was preying upon bim. He mumbled In
coherently at times, and sat without chang
ing bis position. The attention of the
company was soon drawn to the stranger,
and an occasional glance from those at the
table was directed toward the place where
he sat. He at length broke out in such
lamentations as these :
" I am tired of life. My claim has failed,
and I am without friends or money. I bave
not even enough to purchase a supper.
have been out all day hunting, and bave
killed nothing."
He addressed no one personally, and no
one seemed to sympathize with him in his
disturbed condition. He sat in silence a
few minutes, then raising bis head he ex
claimed,
" A man may as well be dead as out of
luck. I will take my own life."
Then taking from his side the flask, he
unscrewed the cap from the top, and pour
ed from it into his hand some apparently
fine Hazard powder, then pouring it care
fully back, be replaced the cap, and screw
ing it firmly on, yelled,
"Yes, I will die myself, and all around
me shall die also."
He then flung the flask upon the burning
coals. The tumult that followed was inde
scribable. The rush for the door was al
most simultaneous with the rash act of the
stranger. The windows served as a means
of escape to those who were unable to press
a passage through the door. The Yankee
sat a calm spectator till the lost occupant
of the room hod made bis exit, then with
the rapidity of lightning he sprang to the
tables and scraped from thorn the shining
piles of gold which had been left by the
gamblers and deposited them in his hat,
escaping through one of the rear windows.
With desperate strides he ascended the
bill, and jumping upon a fallen tree, turn
ed to survey the multitude below. All
were awaiting breathlessly, watching the
building, expecting every moment that the
contents of the heated flask, would blow it
to atoms, when the shrill voice of our hero
rung out on the clear night air,
" Don't bo afraid, gentlemen. There is
nothing but black sand in the can."
Then springing from his perch be disap
peared among the chaparral, completely
eluding the pursuit of the gamblers, who
returned to the saloon to find tho tables all
cleared of tho lost vestige of their treasure.
A Minister in a Fix.
Tho other day lawyer Johnson went out
of town for the afternoon, and left the of
fice in charge of the boy. As soon as he
hod fairly got out of Bight the boy hailed
Scoville's boy, and, bringing him into the
office, the two sat down to a game of seven-
up. They wore playing with great spirit,
continually accusing one another of cheat
ing, and getting up and throwing books at
each other's head, and sitting down again
to resume the game, and generally enjoy
ing themselves as much as if they had both
been orphans and there were no apple-tree
switches in the county. After this had
gone on for an hour or two, and lawyer
Johnson's boy bad nearly "brokon" Sco
ville's boy by winning five of his seven
cents, the Rev. Mr. Smiloy happened in to
ask Mr. Johnson about when ho ought to
have a donation party. The two boys were
caught and there was no use in lying about
it, although lawyer Johnson's boy showed
the effects of his legal education by at once
beginning to swear that he could prove an
alibi when the proper time should come.
Good Mr. Smiley thought he would just
talk kindly to the boys, and so ho sat down
with them at the table, and picking up the'
cords began to ask them if they had any
mothers, and if so what those mothers
would say to see their sons gambling, and
whether they were prepared to die with
their hands full of aces and jacks, and bow
they would explain this matter in a future
world. Just then old Biggs came, and
said, " Hollo I Flaying the boys a little
euchre, are you ? Don't mind if I take a
hand myself." Mr. Smiley replied, very
sternly, that bo didn't know the game to
which he alluded. " Don't know it, hey?"
said old Biggs," Well what was you a-play
ing, boys?" "Seven-up," answered law
yer Johnson's boy with great promptness,
"Well, well," continued old Biggs,
" I'm sorry to hear it. 8oveu-up ain't no
game for a minister, Mr. Smiley. Euchre,
now, is a nice, genteel game ; but I never
thought you'd play seven-up, and for mon-
ey, too. If you're goin' to play for money,
poker's your best hold. I'll play you my
self now for half an hour ten-cent antes
and dollar bets. Here's my pile, you see,"
and that gracelos old reprobate pulled
out his pockot-book and drew up another
chair to the table. Mr. Smiley sat speech-
loss, holding the cards in his hand, when
in came Scoville and collared his boy. As
be dragged bim away to execution, be re
marked to Mr. Smiley. " So, I'm a back
slider, ami? All right. After I've done
my duty as a parent I'll call on your dea
cons to ask them what they think of a min
ister who teaches boys to play cards. Ob,
yes I I'm a backslider, I am 1 To be sure,
Of course I am." '. Uttering this and
other writhing sarcasms he withdrew, and
the story has been told with so many
changes and additions, that the queston
which now agitates the village is whothec
old Biggs did lose fifty dollars on a flush to
Mr, Smiley who held a full, or whether
Mr. Smlley's four jacks were the hand that
really broke old Biggs.
Difference.
We are told that 800 years ago ladies,
combed their hair just as they do to-day.
This won't do in a civilized land and
among obsorving peoplo. Three hundred'
years ago ladies used to comb their hair ou
thoir beads now they hang it over thej
back of a chair to comb it.
Lake Tlticaca.
THIS is the most singular and interest
ing lake in the world. Situated on
the crest of the Andes, it is the highest
large body of fresh water ; and as con
current traditions point to it as the spot
where Manco Capac, the first Inca, ap
peared and woke the aboriginal tribes from
thoir long sleep of barbarism and igno
rance, it is the historio center of South-
America. Humboldt called it the theater
of the earliest American civilzation. On,
an island within it are the imposing ruins
of the Temple of the Sun, and all around
it are monuments which attest the skill
and magnificence of the Inoas. There are
also, as at Tiahuanaco and Silustani, tho
remains of burial towers and palaces,
which antedate the crusades, and are there
fore pre-incarial.
Lake Titicaca is about tho size of our
Ontario, shallow on the west and north,
deep towards the east and south. Tho
eastern or Bolivian shore, being backed bj
the lofty range of Sorata, is very high and.
preciptious. The lake never freezes Over,,
although the temperature of Puno is often,
18 at sunrise. Two little steamers of 100
tuns each do a trifling business. Steam is -generated
by llama dung, the only fuel of
the country ; for there are no trees within
150 miles. The steamers actually cost
their weight in silver ; for their transpor
tation (in pieces)from the coast as much as
the original price. A steamboat company
has just asked from Bolivia the exclusive
privilego of navigating Titicaca and the
Rio Desaguadero to Lago Pampa, with a
guaranty of six per cent cost on the capital.
and a share in all now mines discovered.
Professor Orton, the latest traveler iru
that region, calls attedtion-to the fact that
Lake Titicaca is not so high as usually
given in geographical works by about 300
feot. Its true attribute is 12,403 feet, and
in the dry soason it is four foot less. This
fact has been revealed by tho consecutive
levelings made in building the Arequipa
railway just finished, which reaches from
the Facifio to Lake Titicaca. The roach
rises from the sea to Arequipa, 7,550 feet
thence to the summit, 14,000 feet; and
then descends over 2,000 feet, to Puno on
the west shore of the lake, a distance by
the track of 825 miles from the ocean.
Pentlandt'B estimates of Sorata, Illimani,
and other peaks of the Andes, having start
ed from tho Titicaca level as a base line,
must come down full 800 feet.
How Frank Pierce Heard of His Nomina
Hon.
Sitting one night in tho Tremont house
with the late Col. Barnes, he said to me :
"That was a queer thing about the nomina
tion of Frank." " Frank who ?" I said,
"why, Frank Pioroe Gen. Fierce. , You
see we intended to run Frank for the Vice
Presidency. We thought the South would
concede that office to the North, and we
pitched upon the General. He was very
quiet.
He spent his evenings with a set of good
fellows,and the fact is he drank a good deal,
though it was not generally known. The
morning of the nomination it was agreed
between Frank and myself that he should
spend the d ay in Mount Auburn, no one
but mysel f knowing where his place of re
sort was. He was very nervous and greatly
agitated. I agreed to drive out in the af
ternoon and tell him how things looked.
When the news of General's nomination
came on, men rushed into the Tremont
House by hundreds. They knew my inti
macy with the General. But I kept my
own counsel. I drove out to Mount
Auburn. It was a long time before I could
find Frank.
He was solitary and alone, leaning on the
monument over the graves of the Webster
family. As soon as I saw him I shouted
V Frank, you have got it!" "Got what?"
" Got the nomination for the Presidency I"
"Not the Presidency?" "Yes, you are nom
inated for the Presidency by the great
Pomocratio party of the States." Pale as
marblo, Frank turned from me half stand
ing grasping the sandstone shaft, he took
I a solemn vow that he would drink no intox
icating liquors during the canvass, nor,
if elected, during, his Presidential term.
'That vow those who knew him best knew
that he kept. ,
t$T The young folks in Newark, Ohio,
have had a danoe for the benefit of a church
and oleard $50. The church declined the
r money because of the dancing. Then the
benevolent Terpsichoreaus tried to give
the money to another church, but were re
pulsed in the same way. Perhaps they will
'now spend the money which it is so hard
to get rid of in some additional festivity
may be, in an oyster supper. :