lie
illll
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. NIL D12SPERANDUM. ' . Two Dollars per Annum.
VOL. VI. RIDGAVAY, ELK COUNTY, IA., THURSDAY, ATOIL 20, 18TC. NO- 9-
Sunset.
Upward do I journey slowly,
As the Bhadow lengthen fast,
To a land of sunlight holy,
Where no evening thades are cast
Noontide glory
In that land shall always last.
Bee the sun In iplendor shining,
Oa the hilltops of the went 1
. Grandly thus the day declining,
Brings a night of peaceful reft ;
Wuile earth's weary,
Loi.g to fl id its sluaher blest !
Life's hi(;h wesVm hills aro shading,
Solemnly the path t go ;
Stinsot glory too is fading,
Soon I'll miss the golden glow j
Sunset shadows
Soon will leave my path below.
And with joy unmauned by sorrow
Do I hail life's eventide.
Herald of a blight to-morrow,
Ovi r on the other side ;
Through the darkness
Gladly will my spirit glide.
Some I love are over yonder,
Basking in a fadeless ray,
And my feet would gladly wander
With them in their nen found day ;
Since they left me,
Lone to me has been life's way.
Night comes on ; and not regretting
That the day is almost done,
Calmly I await the setting
Of the distant sinking sun ;
Glad in spirit
That the race is nearly run.
THE DOUBLE WEDDING.
Marjorie Wallace represented to me
nil th it was noble, generous, self-sacrificing
in womanhood. Sly gratitude to
her begun when I was ten years old, and
she came to the cottage where my moth
er had siraped ont scauty food for her
Helf and for me longer than my memory
recalls. 'She lifted mo from that moth
er's deal, cold form, when I was sob
bing out my childish agony, and cover
ing my thin, chilled limbs in her own
velvet cloak, carried me to her home;
sho clothed me in garments as soft and
fine as her own; phe shared every luxury
of lyr splendid home with mo; phe gave
mo teachers for all studies suitod to my
ag As I grew to womanhood she
introduced mo to society as her adopted
sister. Bast of all, she loved me I
bin was twenty-five when she took
mo home, and for eight yeas I can re
call only happiness. I had no whim un
gratifiod, no reasonable wish crossed or
denied. If I had been indeed the sis
tor phe called mo she could not have
lavished upon me more tender care and
affection.
When I was eighteen I had a lovei
who won my whole heart. I gave him
love, unconsciously, and when his words
showed me what my own sensatious
meant I shrunk back affrighted. With
the intuition of deep, grateful affection,
I knew that Marjorie had wrapped up
her life in miuo. She stood utterly
alone in tho world. Her paid compau
ion nud housekeeper was a matron of
middle age, whose whole soul was ab
sorbed in preserves, pickles and crotchet
'work. In her loneliness she had taken
me into her great, noble heart, and when
I loft her I knew I should leave her
desolate.
So I shrunk back from the avowal that
was such an ecstaey of delight, such a
bitter self-reproach. I thought I had
conquered all traces of emotion in my
face as I went from the garden where
we had walked my lover and myself
to Marjorie's sitting-room. But sho
looked into my face, with her soft,
beautiful eyes shadowed by a troubled
inquiry.
" Have you quarreled with Stephen ?"
she asked.
No I have not quarreled we
that is I do not think he will come
again."
For tho first time she frowned sternly.
" Is it possible that you are that base
trifler, a coquette," sho said, in a voice
full of indignation, " that you have led
Stephen to believe that you loved him
ouly from vanity, and have rejected his
honest, true love f "
In my deep pniu that she could so
misjudge me I sobbed out the truth
that I loved Stephen, but that it seemed
to mo a base ingratitude to desert her.
"Child! child 1" she said, softly,
gathering me in her arms. " Heaven
forbid your life should be pacrifioed to
me 1 Did you ever hear among our
friends of my love story ?"
"Never t" I said, earnestly. " But I
knew there was a great grief in your life
at some time. I could see it in your
eyes, even in your smile. It is tender
and sweet, but never joyous."
"When I was your age," she said,
gently stroking my hand as she spoke,
" I was called handsome, and I was as
light hearted as a bird. My orphanhood
was an event so long past that I have
no recollection of my parents ; but my
uncle was father and dear companion to
me. He was a wealthy man, and gave
me every advantago that wealth cm be
stow. And when Arnold Halcombe "
I started at that name, but Majorie
did not notice, continuing her story :
' wooed me for his wife, Uncle Charles
made no objection, though my lover was
a poor man, compared to my uncle. We
were very happy in those days, very
happy ! Arnold was a true, noble man,
one to whom love was a sacred word, a
woman's heart a sacred trust. We had
been betrothed nearly six months when
Uncle Charles docided to accept an invi
tation to spend a week with some city
friends to give mo an opportunity to do
shorminc. for in the spiiner I was to be
Arnold Haloombe's wife. We started off
gayly, and spent a most delightful week
in London. Uncle Charles was a resi
dent there during several years before
he retired from business, and oonld
take me to visit all points of interest.
We made large purchases for my bridal
outfit, and returned home.
Alas I we returned, mourning heavi
ly, where we had left so gayly. Upon
our trip from the city, Uncle Charles, in
some way, made a false step upon the
platform from a railway carriage, and
fll. ininrinar himself so severely that im
mediate amputation of both legs became
necessary. It was in my power then to
repay tho devotion and care that had
been lavished upon me, and I faithfnlly
endeavored to alleviate my dear nnole s
sufferings in every way in my power.
" It was theu, dear, that my heart was
torn as yours is to-day. The basest in
gratitude seemed to me involved in my
marriage, necessitated a divided duty,
even if my husband would consent to
live here. That, too, I hesitated to ask
for, as you know the life here will tiet
ter suit a retired elderly man or woman
than a young, ambitious aspirant for the
world's honors and profits. So I made
my choice."
"But your choice was to remain with
your uncle."
"Yes, dear. I remained here. Arnold
Halcombe, the noblest man I ever knew,
did not make my duty harder by anger
at his dismissal. Very sadly he admitted
the necessity of the case, and left me.
Even then he 'would have corresponded
with me, have held himself bound; but
that I would not permit. My uncle's
life was not in danger, and I would not
let Arnold waste the best years of his
manhood, without wife or home. So we
bade each other farewell, and a few
months later I heard that my lover had
joined a party of men going to Austra
lia." " And have you never heard of him
since ?"
"Never I My uncle lived sis years.
When I was most desolate, after his
death, I found you. You have been my
comfort for eight long years; but I do
not mean to tie your young life down to
mine. When I die, I hope to leave you
happy in your own home. Stephen
knows this, dear."
" Majorie," I whispered, "did Arnold
Halcombe marry ?"
" I never knew, dear."
"But you do you still love him?"
" Yes, dear, I shall love him while I
live I"
She told me no more then of her heart
history, but talked of Stephen, of our
love, or ner entire sympathy in our
future. I think sho must havo written
to him, for in the evening he came again,
and we were betrothed.
I knew that Stephen must return to
his business in a few days, but he prom
ised to return in a month's time.
Marjorie gave him a cordial invitation
to be our guest. But when Marjorie
left us alone for the confidences lovers
exchange, I plunged at once into the
subject that had been in my mind all
clay.
"Stephen," I said, "tell me again
about your cousin's offer."
" Why, do you want to go to Austra
lia ?" he cried, in amazement.
" No, but I want to know something
about your cousin."
" There is but little to tell. When I
was a mere boy he went to Australia, a
poor man. He invested a very small
capital in sheep, hiring his farm. By
degrees he increased his stock, bought
tho farm, and became an enormously
wealthy man. About six months ago he
came to London, intending to remain
here. But he wishes still to retain some
of his Australian possessions, and is
looking for an agent, to whom he offers
far greater advantages thau those he en
joyed himself. When ho first proposed
to me to go, I thought as I thiuk now,
that I preferred to pursue the business
I have here, and grow rich slowly, than
to exile myself perhaps for years. But
had you persisted in what you said this
morning, I think to-morrow I should
have accepted my cousin's offer."
" Is your cousin married f "
" No, indeed 1 And yet he is as free
from bachelor eccentricities as I am. He
had some disappointment in his youth,
and it never soured or imbittered him.
He is a splendid fellow, one of the haud
somest men I ever saw, and as noble as
he is fine-looking. But why are you in
terested about him f "
" I will tell you when you come again.
In the meantime, will you use your in
fluence to persuade him to come with
you r
" Here ?"
"Yes, here. Bring him with you.
Make nny excuse you like, only bring
him !"
" But I do not understand," began
Stephen.
" Never mind. I have promised to
tell you then."
"I will bring him, if he will come."
I was sure he would come I It was
hard to carry a secret hidden from Mar
jorie's loviug eyes for an entire month ;
but, fortunately, we were soon engrossed
in wedding preperations for Marjorie,
remembering her own broken love
dream, had consented and won my con
sent to Stephen's wish to be married in
January.
So we spent the late October and early
November days in stitching busily upon
the finery that every bride wishes to
take to her new home. And as our
needles flew in and out upon the dainty
work we reserved from that in hired
hands, Marjorie told mo more of her
own youthful life, revealing unconscious
ly how purely unselfish she had ever
been, how her whole life had gradually
led upward to the noble self-sacrifice
that left her at thirty-three still single.
When the day came, all my nervous
anxiety about our preparations was at
tributed to my desire to have Stephen
please J ; but, strange as it may seem, I
was not thinking of Stephen. He was
to come on the train due at half-past
eleven, and the carriage was sent to the
station to meet him.
I was dressed early, and fussed about
Marjorie till even her quiet gentleness
was roused to opposition.
" Why, child, it is absurd," she said,
as I dragged my favorite of all her
dresses from the wardrobe. " I shall
look like a goose in that in the morn
ing !"
" But we will have no chance to dress
again," I urged, " and this is bo becom
ing." I had pulled her hair down, and was
twining the magnifioent raven lengths
into the most becoming coiffure my skill
could compass. In the' glossy braids I
twisted a half wreath of fine leaves with
the scarlet blossoms I had taken from
the conservatory. The dress Marjorie
would not wear, but she chose a heavy
black silk, with trimmings of thread
lace, and let me put a scarlet bow upon
the fine lace at the throat, and coral ear
rings in tne small, white ears.
" I look like a flamingo I" she protested.
" You look like a queen I" I persisted.
The folds of rich silk trailing upon the
ground suited well her tall, noble figure,
and her face was always the most beauti
ful one 1 ever saw. Her life of constant
nsefulneps, charity and intellectual de
velopment had left its seal in the depths
of her large dark eyes, the smile upon
her perfect mouth.
It required some diplomacy to escape
observation when I led our visitors into
the house, but I invented an errand that
sent Majorie to my room just as the car
riag drove up.
Stephen was accompanied by his
cousin, and my first look into his hand
some face convinced me that memory
was busy at finding himself in Marjorie s
house. I gave scant greeting. to Stephen
before I drew Arnold Halcombe into the
library. I scarcely know in what words
I told him of my debt to Marjorie, of
her confidence to me, and my plau, of
which I was careful to assure him she
was totally ignorant. But his answers
sent me with flying feet to seek my bene
factress. I found her in my room, vainly search
ing for the ornament I had fast in my
pocket, but my face caused her to pause
in the task.
" What good news does Stephen bring
that makes my little girl so radiant ?"
she asked.
I put my arms about her, and holding
her fast, I said, almost sobbing in my
eagerness :
" Marjorie, since the day you lifted
me from my poverty and suffering to
utter happiness, I have never ceased to
pray that at some time I might be per
mitted to bring some brightness to
you."
" Dear child, every hour you are with
me answers your prayers," she said,
lovingly.
"But I never hoped," I said, "that I
could bring you such glad tidings as I
have now."
" To me 1" she cried, her sweet face
growing pale.
"Of Arnold Halcombe," I said,
softly; "of his true, unchanging love
for you; of his faithful devotion to the
one deep affection of his life; of Mar
jorie, Marjorie, of his presence here to
day to tell you this himself I"
I was sobbing by this time in excited
joy. But Marjorie, only a little paler,
her eyes slowly irradiating with glorious
light, said :
"Here? Arnold here?"
"In the library, waiting for you," I
answered, suddenly releasing her, plung
ing down stairs, rushing in upon patient
Stephen iu the drawing-room, aud exe
cuting a pas scul for his benefit that
certainly would have admitted mo to any
lunatic asylum in the country. Then I
pulled him down, and, iu whispers,
told him about it, laughing and crying,
till he declared I would wind np with a
fit of hysterics.
But I didn't. I was as proper and
prettily behaved as possible when Mar
jorie came in, loaning upon Arnold Hal
combe's arm, with every lurking shadow
chased from her face by the gentle hap
piness there, while he, erect and proud,
looked as a man does who gains tho su
preme desire of his heart after years of
waiting.
If ever true, fervent thanksgiving as
cended from a grateful, happy heart, I
am sure it rose from Marjorie's on that
November day when Arnold came to
her.
We had a double wedding in January,
aud Stephen carried me to his London
home ; but we make frequent holidays
to the lovely home where Marjorie gives
us cordial welcome, and whero, I am
sure, she has the desolation I dreaded
to leave all swept away in the happiness
of her husband's presence and devoted
love.
Wise People.
Because a man has lived in a city all
his days no one need immagine that ho
isn't posted in all that pertains to agri
culture and horticulture, botany, etc.
Such a man is even better posted than
he who makes it his business to sow and
reap and prune. A gentleman living on
Fort street, west, employed a gardener
to trim up a shade tree a little. Tho
gardener had just commenced work
when a lawyer passed by and remarked :
" Do you want to kill that tree ? If
you don't, you had better let it alone for
r.t least two weeks longer."
The gardener fixed his ladder and put
the saw into a limb, and a doctor came
along and said:
" You'll kill that tree stone dead if
you cut a limb off ! You ought to havo
pruned it three weeks ago."
The gardener had severed two or
three more limbs when a banker halted
under the tree and exclaimed:
"Good heavens I Are you insane?
You shouldn't touch that tree till June,
when the sap is warm ! Any fool could
tell you better than to trim it now!"
The gardener expected such expres
sions to be hurled at him, and he kept
at his work without heeding them.
Pretty soon a clergyman sauntered up,
saluted the tree trimmer with a pleasant
"Good morning," and added that it
made his heart glad to see a man trim
ming trees iu the right season. He said
that the last few days of March were
really the only days in the whole year
when the limbs could safely be lopped
off.
The gardener was just finishing tho
job when an insurance man who never
lived a day outside of a city, except to
take a vacation, came around the corners
halted, scowled fiercely, and said:
" See here ! What kind of a garden
er are you, any way ? If you don't tie a
rope around the body of that tree, the
sap will all run into the roots, and the
top will die!"
The tree is still in. position to hea
further remarks. Detroit Free Press.
One's Own Steward.
An old refrain teaches that those who
would thrive by the plow must either
follow it or drive. This inoident illus
trates the same idea of business:
" I cannot conceive," said one noble
man to another, " how it is that you
manage. Though your estate is less
than mine, I cannot afford to live at the
rate you do."
" My lord," said the other, I havo
a place."
" A place f Yon amaze me. I never
heard of it till now. Fray what place?"
"I am ray own steward."
The Spring Styles.
A handsome parlor tablecloth is of
blue satin, brocaded iu gold colors, with
a heavy, deep edge of gold colored
lace.
The uppers of walking boots for
ladies are made of the same goods as the
suits worn, unless they are of silk. The
foxings are French kid.
The dress parasol is made of eoru col
ored silk, either plain or figured, lined
with brown taffeta silk, and finished by
a fall of ecru colored lace.
Light summer-like overdresses are
made of unbleached imperial or Itnliiin
lace, rows of inserting alternateing with
rows of cream colored silk or ribbon.
Overskirts and jackets made of alter
nate rows of Valenciennes lace and col
ored grosgrain ribbons are to be worn
over silk skirts matching the ribbon iu
color.
Very high combs are to be worn with
tho Centennial coiffure, in which ar
rangement the hair is brought up, very
high on the head in heavy braids and
puffs.
The latest importations of suits have
the sleeves of the material of the cor
sage, but the composite effect is secured
by deep trimmings of the materials of
the underskirt.
A black velvet band to be worn
around the neck, outside of tho stand
ing collar, has gold or silver coins sew
ed on the lower edge, and in front there
is a pendant made of the coins.
Cream colored honeycomb or fine
diagonal cashmere is used for stylish
overdresses, trimmed with cashmere lace
in the neck and around the wrists, but
no trimming on the bottom.
The new " Blade-'o-grass " hat is of
wood colored chip, trimmed with pours
of wood colored gretradine, grasses gone
to seed, rosebuds, and ribbon grass.
The new sailor hats for boys are made
of straw without any rims. The upper
edgo of the band around the crown pro
jects further out than the lower edge,
which is bound with ribbon; two short
ends drop from the back.
Some waterproofs are made of gray
English waterproof cloth, bound with
block braid. They are cut almost tight
fitting, having a pointed hood, lined
with black silk, and gathered with a
black cord and tassels. They have large
coat Bleeves, but no cape.
One of the sailor hats for girls is of
brown chip, having a cardinal red gros
grain ribbon around the crown, tying in
the back into two long bows and ends.
The crown on the top has two or three
of the braids split open and bows of
cardinal red silk and white flowers in
serted. A pretty sack for a little girl is made
of blue aud white honeycomb cloaking.
It iu long and has two pockets, one on
either side. The coat sleeves, sack,
pockets, lapels, and collar are bound
with blue bias silk. The turu-down col
lar is fastened by a blue ribbon boa; a
blue pash ties it in at the waist.
A pretty suit f or'a small boy is thus
described ; The skirt is kilt-plaited,
having threo plaits of gray flannel, then
three of blue flannel, and so on around
the skirt. The sailor blouse waist is
made of the gray flannel, with the col
lar and cuffs of the blue. A suit for a
girl aged nine years is made in the
same style, with the addition of a long
blue flannel Bash.
A very pretty hat, in the capote
shape, of white chip, has a scarf of
cashmere net on one side of the crown,
with an end and loop in tho back. Ecru
colored silk bows are mixed in withjlhe
net. On the other side is a bunch of
full blown daisies, with brown centers
and buds. The edge is bound with
brown velvet. The face trimming con
sists of the silk and daisies.
A Curious Medical Case.
Over two years ago, at Adrian, Mich. , a
little boy about two and a half years old,
son of Sylvester Blossom, was playing
with his sister, older than himself, in
the yard near by a leech of ashes which
had been set up and from which strong
lye was dripping iu a kettle. The little
fellow had a clay pipe and his sieter told
him the lye was molasses, and he dipped
some up iu tho pipe bowl aud innocently
swallowed it. His screams of pain
brought his frightened mother to the
spot at once, and as soon as possible a
physician was summoned, who admister
ed antidotes to save the little sufferer and
counteract the influence of the lye, but
the great harm had been done and the
child was in a most pitiable condition.
For a time it was thought he must die,
as no nourishment could be kept upon
his stomach at all. He finally became
enabled to keep down a little milk, and
lingered along for months. The best
physicians of Adrian aud many promi
nent men from abroad were in turn
called upon and treated him, but none
could give relief. The throat had seem
ingly become hardened, and the esophagus
or tube passageway leading to the
stomach had gradually contracted until
it is now not more than one-eighth of an
luoli in diameter, nor a wliile an egg
was mixed with his milk and occasionally
some beef tea given him, but usually the
stomach rejected it, aud if the least
pa tide of solid substauce was eaten it
invariably choked him. Finally he was
given milk alone, and he is now quite a
strong boy aud otherwise apparently
healthy. He eats or lather drinks three
quarts of milk per day, and this consti
tutes his entire food. If he happens to
get any substance in this passageway
and gets strangled he gets relief by
naving ms arms jerked suddenly upward,
wneu ine obstruction is expelled.
The Invitation Card.
Cards of invitation t the Centennial
opening are ready. They are double
sheets, with the dates "1776 1876" at
the top, and a shield on which is the in
scription :
" The Centennial Year of the United
States of America.
Then below :
' The United States Centennial Com
mission respectfully invites you to bo
present at the opening of the Interna
tional Exhibition of 1876, on the tenth
of May, at Fairmount Park, Philadel-
pma.
"To
" Philadelphia, 1876."
THE RIYEIi ROUSTABOUTS.
The Hongn of the OTInnlsalppI Rteomern nnrt
I.rvrr A C.lnss of Men whose OKI Char"
acteiistlca are Deparllnn Vocallam or a
a Novel Sort.
Probably loss than one-third of the
stevedores and 'longshoremen employed
in our tiver tralho, says a uuicinnati
paper, are white: but the calling now
roally belongs by right to the colored
men, who are by lar tne Dest rousta
bouts and are unrivaled as firemen. The
white stevedores are generally tramps,
willing to work only through fear of the
worknouso ; or, sometimes laborers un
able to obtain other employment? and
glad to earn money for the time being at
any employment. On board the boats,
ne whites and colored men mess separ
ately and work under different mates,
there being on an average about twenty-
five roustabouts to every boat. Cotton
boats running on tho lower Mississippi
will often carry sixty or seventy deck
hands, who can earn some sersons from
forty-five dollars to sixty dollars per
month. Roustabout life in 1he truest
sense is, then, the life of the colored
population of the Bows, and, partly, of
Bucktown blacks and rr.ulattoes from
all parts of the St.tas, bat chiefly from
Kentucky and eastern Virginia, where
most of them appear to have toiled on
the plantations before freedom ; and
echoes of the old plantation life still live
in their songs and pastimes. You may
hear old Kentucky slave songs chanted
nightly on the steamboats, in that wild,
half-molancholy key peculiar to the na
tural music of the African race ; and you
may see the- old slave dances nightly
performed to the air of some ancient
Virginia reel in the dance houses of
Sausage Row, or the " ballrooms " of
Bucktown. There is an intense unique
ness about all this pariah existence ; its
boundaries are most definitely fixed ; its
enjoyments are wholly sensual, and
many of them are marked by peculiari
ties of a strictly local character. Many
of their songs, which havo never ap
peared in print, treat of levee life in
Cincinnati, of all the popular steamboats
running on the "Muddy Water," and
of the roustabout haunts on the river
banks iu Bucktown. To collect these
curious songs, or even the most popular
of them, would be a labor of months,
and even then a difficult one, for the
colored roustabouts are in the highest
degree suspicious of a man who ap
proaches them with a note book aud
pencil. One of the most popular rousta
bout songs now sung on the Ohio is the
following. The air is low and melan
choly, and when sung in unison by the
colored crew of a vessel leaving or ap
proaching port, has a strange, sad sweet
ness about it which is very pleasing.
The two-fold character of poor Molly, at
once good aud bad, is somewhut typical
of the stevedore's sweetheart :
Molly was a good gal and a bad gal, too,
Oh, Molly, row, gal.
Molly was a good gal and a bad gal, too,
Oh, Molly, row, gal.
I'll row dis boat and I'll row no more,
Row, Molly, row, gal.
I II row die boat and I'll go on shore,
How, Molly, row, gal.
Captain on the biler deck a-heaving of the lead,
Ob, Molly, row, gal,
Calling to the pilot to give her " Tarn ahead,"
liow, Molly, row, gal.
Here is another, to a slow and sweet
air. Ihe cliorus, wnen well sung, is
extremely pretty :
Shawneetown is burniu' down,
Who tola you so ?
Shawneetown is burniu' down,
Who tole yon so ?
Cynthie, my darliu' gal,
Who tole you so ?
Cynthie, my darlin' gal,
How do you know ?
Chotue Sharcneetown is burnin', etc,
How, my boys, d'ye 'spect to hold her,
Way down below?
I've got no skin on either shoulder,
Who tole you soV
Chorus Shawneetown is burnin', etc
The next
we give is of a lively de-
scription :
I come down the mountain,
Au' uhe ojmo down the lane,
An' all that I could Bay to her
Was, " Good-bye, 'Liz Jane."
Chorus Farewell, 'Liza Jane !
Farewell, 'Liza Jane!
Don't throw yourself away, for I
Am coming back again.
I got up on a housetop.
And give my horn a blow ;
Thought I hcerd Miss Dinah say,
"Yonder cornea your beau."
Chorus.
Et I'd a few more boards,
To build my chimney higher,
I'd keep arouu' tho country gals,
Chunkin' up the fire.
Chorus.
The following are fragments of rather
lengthy chants, the words being almost
similar in both, the choruses and airs
being very different. The air of the first
is sonorous and regularly slow, like a
sailor's chant when heaving anchor.
The air of the next is quick and lively.
Balle-a-Leo's got no timo,
Oh, Belle ! oh, Belle !
Robert E. Lee'a got railroad time,
Oh, Belle! oh, Belle !
Wish I was in Mobile bay,
Ob, Belle I oh, Belle !
Rollin' eotton by de day,
Oh, Belle, oh, Belle !
'
I wish 1 was in Mobile bay,
Rollin' ootton by de day, .
Stow'u' sugar in the hull below,
Bolow, belo-ow,
Stow'u' sngar in de hull below !
De Nacbez is a new boat; she just in her prime,
Beats any oder boat on de New Orleans line.
Btow'n' sugar in de bull below,eto.
Engiuee' t rough de trumpet, gives the fireman
UoWS,
Couldn' make steam for de fire in de flues.
Stow'n' sugar in de hull below.eto.
Cap'n oa de biler deck, a soratobiu' of bis heal
Hollers to de deck hand to beave de larbo'rd
lead.
Stow'n' sngar iu dehull below, etc.
One fact worth mentioning about these
colored singers is, that they can mimio
the Irish accent to a degree of perfec
tion which an American, Englishman, or
German could not hope to acquire. But
the most famous song, in vogue among
the roustabouts is "Limber Jim," or
"Shiloh." Very few know it all by
heart, which is not wonderful when we
consider that it requires something like
twenty minutes to sing "Jjimber Jim"
from beginning to end, and that tho
whole song, if printed in full, would fill
two columns. The only person iu the
city who can sing the song through, we
believe, is a colored laborer, who " run
on the river " for year, and acquired so
much of a reputation by Binging "Limber
Jim," that ho has been nicknamed after
the mythical individual aforesaid, and is
now known by no other name. Jim, very
good - naturedly, sung the song for
us a few nights ago, aud we took
down some of the most striking verses
for the benefit of our readers. Tho air
is wonderfully quick and lively, and the
chorus is quite exciting. The leading
singer sings the whole song, excepting
tho chorus, " Shiloh," which dissyllable
is generally chanted by twenty or thirty
voices of abysmal depth at the same
time with a sound like the roar of twenty
Chinese gongs struck with tremendous
force and precision. The chorus is fre
quently accompanied with that wonder
fully rapid slapping of thighs and hips
known as " pattiDg Juba."
Nigger an' a white man playing eeven-up,
White man played an ace; an' nigger feared to
take it np.
White man played ace an' nigger played a nine
White man died, an' nigger went blind.
Limber Jim,
ill. Shiloh 1
Talk it agin,
All. Shiloh!
Walk back in love,
AH. Shiloh!
You turtle dove,
All Shiloh!
Under a Cloud.
A Danbury merchant was standing in
his store door, talking with several
friends, when a passing stranger, a lank
man in a rough suit of clothes, approach
ed and shook hands with him.
"How are ye?" inquired the stranger.
" Pretty well. How is yourselfi" re
sponded the merchant, with business
promptness, nit hough it was evident
that he couldn't "place" tho new
comer.
' You're looking a heap better than
that night down at Ransom, you re
member ?" said the stranger.
" Ransom ?" ejaculated the merchant.
" I don't know what you mean."
"Mum's the word!" said tho man,
winking oneeye with exquisite facetious
ness, while the several bystanders look
ed inquiringly at the merchant.
" I don't remember ever seeing you
before," said the merchant, coloring
slightly.
"I don't suppose you do remember
seeing me, but you did see mo at Ran
som that night, aud I see you. I kinder
reckon," he significantly drawled, "that
I did."
" I never saw you iu my life," assert
ed the merchant, smarting under the in
sinuating language of the stranger.
That party smiled.
"Wa'n'tyou at the hotel in Ransom
two weeks ago to-morrow?" he asked,
shutting one yo.
"No, I was not."
" Oh ! And you didn't have the jim
jams, I suppose?" demanded the stran
ger, desperately.
"Never !" gasped the merchant.
" An kick over the table, continued
the stranger, "an' knock down the
landlord with a billiard cue ?"
" Never, never I"
" An' I suppose you'll next deny that
two of us had to hold you down to keep
you from knocking your head against
the -wall, an' that arter the doctor come
I had to stand around with a club and
swL-.li away at pretended snakes to keep
'em from bitin on you ?" and the stran
ger looked intently at his victim.
"It's no such thing. It's a lie,"
cried the unhappy merchant.
"Ohl You ain't the man ? You ain't
the man that swore you'd have the
heart's blood of all Ransom ? You nin't
the man, I suppose, who tore all his
own clothes off, an' jumped into his own
hat, a new silky, an' knocked the crown
clean through?"
"I tell you, I ain't the man, and I
want you to understand it," shouted the
merchant, losing his temper entirely.
" Not the man 1" gasped the stranger,
looking very hard at him.
"No!"
" Can it be possible," said the stran
ger, in a tone of mingled doubt and
pain, " that there are two men in Dan
bury with just such heads, an' such
eyes, an' such noses an chins. I
wouldn t a thought it 1 wouldn t a
thought it"
And, shaking his head dubiously, he
passed on.
"That man must be a lunatic," the
wretched merchant gasped, mopping the
perspiration from his fiery face.
"Yaas 1" drawled one of his neighbors,
looking curiously at the others. And
they slowly and silently withdrew, and
the merohant went back in his store,
feeling very unsettled and uncomfort
able.
To Secure an Adjournment.
The gentleman from Louisville, Ken
tucky, is entitled to a patent for a new
method of bringing about an easy and
quick adjournment of the Kentucky
House even in the midst of the most
persistent filibustering resistance. After
many abortive attempts had been made.
about ten minutes after the clock had
struck two p. h. he sent one of the
pages out and procured a large piece of
middling meat, which he proceeded to
broil on the coals in one of the large.
projecting fireplaces of the Eouse. Sot n
the dinner suggesting odoi 8 of that broil
mg meat began to spread through the
House and salute the olfactories of bat
tliog but hungry members, and in less
than five minutes another motion to ad
journ was made and carried like a shot.
Gessips.
These are the spiders of society
They weave their petty webs of lies and sneers ,
And lio themselves In ambush for tho spoil.
The web seems fair and glitters in tho mn,
And the poor viotim winds him in the toil,
Before be dreams of danger or of death.
Alas, the misery that snch inflict !
A word, a look, have power to wring the heart,
And leave it struggling in the net,
Spread by the false aud crnel, who delight
In the Ingenious torment they contrive.
Items of Interest.
How to get something in your stock
ing Put your foot in it.
London pays nearly one-third of tho
whole of the income tax of England.
The extreme height of misery is a
small boy with a new pair of boots and
no mud puddle.
Nature is nature, you can't alter the
crook of a dog's tail much and preserve
the length of it too.
A Nevada highwayman bought six
books of an agent just for the pleasure
of stealing the money back.
If there is a past in which men have
done ill, let them have hope, for there is
a future in which they may do well.
Every married woman is personally
acquainted with a man who will sit right
alongside of a stove and let the fire go
out.
A small place has been selected for
tho Greek contributions in the Centen
nial building. It is known as the
Greece spot.
Four thousand head of cattle have
died in Utah this winter on account of
the deep snows, which prevented their
getting to the grass.
" Thou Hast Loved Me and Left Me,
for twenty-five cents," is the latest caso
of heartless desertion, and may be seen
in the window of a music publisher.
A Western paper says every member
of Congress has a good angel continu
ally looking over his shoulders. Those
angels must be dreadfully shocked occa
sionally. In the Spanish department of the
Cenntenial there will be a display of re
markable taste, for at the restaurants
you may not only see a cigar smoked
but a cigarette.
A Buffalo dyer will send to any part of
the city for a five cent job, dyo it, and
return it to the owner, and send the bill
by mail. The only mean thing about
him is that he wants his pay.
Wholesale dry goods merchants, who
know to advertise, an exchange says,
sold more goods, in the last twelve
months than in the corresponding period
of any former year. Make, a note of
this.
Formerly it was a maxim that a young
woman should never be married until
she had spun herself a set of body,
table, and bed linen. From this custom
all unmarried women wero termed spin
sters. Here is the model verdict of a
coroner's jury : " We do believe, after
due inquiries, and according to our
best knowledge, that wo do not know
how, when and where said infant came
to its death."
A skillful doctor who cured tho sultan
of a carbuncle, has been mado a general,
and received four thousand dollars in
gold. The reward shows a medical man
what industry, patients and a good car
bnno'e will do.
And canst thou always love me
thus, Alfred?" she murmured, "even
when age has crept upon me and left his
traces here i There was a pause on
his part, but it was only momentary,
when he replied, in a tone of deep re
monstrance: " Can a duck swim ?
A celebrated scientist is going about
telling that our sun is much inferior to
other great lights in the universe. As
if it were not enough for poor, down
trodden man to know that his gas is a
failure, he has to be taunted with the
fact that even the daylight is far from
being a first-rate article.
A remarkable duel is reported from the
neighborhood of Toulouse. The com
batants were two journalists, and both
good shots. They met at eight in tho
morning, and after the usual prelimina
ries the signal to fire was given. Both
the duelists fell dead on the spot, each
having received a boll in the region of
the heart. They were both married and
leave large families.
Norwich Bulletin says : Mr. Buckle
states that human nature has changed
very little in the last three thousand
years, but we do not remember any re
cord of a ltoman senator trying to ac
count to his wife for a light deposit of
pearl powder on the left shoulder of his
toga on the ground that he had been
playing checkers in a grist mill.
Michael McConnell, who was hanged
recently for murdering Mr. Nelson
Mills, at Hamilton, Canada, said on tho
scaffold : " If Mr. Mills had taken a
little more pity on me this would not
have happened. He made me a bank
rupt for a debt of $14, when all I asked
for was a little more time. I got angry,
and killed him in my auger. I hope
this will be a lesson to all present."
The editor of the Hopkinsville Era
asks, with the air of one who has had
losses: "How are the people of the
United States to enjoy the Centennial
celebration when they are haunted by
the consciousness that, notwithstanding
their existence as a nation covers a
period of one hundred years, they have
never invented a noiseless shooting gun
by which burglars and other pests
might be killed without disturbing the
police ?"
The Journal de Jloubaix tells a heart
rending tale of the horrible fate of a
family who could not escape from the
top story of a high house in which a fire
was fiercely raging below. Mattresses
having been placed on the roof of an ad
joioing shed, the eldest daughter, aged
twenty, leaped first, and, notwithstand
ing she fell on a mattress, broke her
skull, jaw and hips, surviving a quarter
of an hour. The father followed and
was instantly killed, next came the son,
with the same result, the youngest
daughter jumped last and shared the fate
of the others,