tiPiF li Ja
VOL. XI. 1STEAV BLOOMFIELD, IW., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1877. NO. 49.
THE TIMES.
in Independent Family Newspaper,
IS PUBLtStlBD KYBtlT TUESDAY BT
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WONDERFUL MAN.
How poor, how rich, how abject, how august,
How complicate, how wonderful Is man I
How passing wonder is lie who mado him
such !
Who centred in our make such extremes,
From dlfllerent natures marvelously mixed,
Connection exquisite of distant worlds!
Distinguished link in being's endless chain 1
Midway from nothing to the Deity !
A beam ethereal Bullied and absorpt !
Though sullied and dishonored, still divil c !
Dim minatnro of greatness absolute !
An heir of glory ! a frail child of dust!
Helpless immortal ! Insect infinite !
A worm I a god ! I trembio at myself,
And in myself am lost. At home, a stranger,
Thought wanders up and down, surprised
aghast, '
And wondering at her own. How reason reels !
Oh, what a miracle Is man to man !
Triumphantly distressed ! What joy ! What
dread !
Alternately transported and alarmed !
What can preserve my life ? or what destroy t
An angel's arm can't snatch me from the
grave ;
Legions of angels can't confluo me there.
Young! Kight Thoughts.
Popular Sayings.
ALMOST every one has on hand a
store of trite apposite sentences,
using them daily, hut having no knowl
edge of their authorship ; and as men
are apt to be curious concerning the hab
its and laws they follow or are govern
ed by, tracing their origin back into the
dimness of long-slumbering centuries, so
they are often possessed with a desire to
know who first framed these words into
the sentences so familiar to them. The
following have been strung together by
one whose nature leads him to ramble
among books for his soul's best amuse.
ment.
' It was Thomas A. Kempis who,in the
fifteenth century, gave us "Man pro
poses, but God disposes ;" and the equal
ly well-known saying, "Of twoevils the
less is to be chosen," the original of "Of
two evils choose the least." Thomas
Tusser, a writer of the sixteen century,
gave, " Better late than never," and
the key for four other common phrases
in " For Christmas conies but once a
year," "it's an ill wind that turns none
to good," " The stone that Is rolling can
gather no moss," "Look ere thou leap,
see ere thou go." It was Francis Rabe
lais, a French wit of the same century
who said that by "Robbing Peter he
paid Paul," and told that when
The devil was sick, the devil a monk would
be ;
The devil was well, the devil a monk was he."
It was also in the sixteenth century
that Sir Edward Coke, a celebrated Eng
lish lawyer, said " For a man's house is
his castle," and Lord Brooke sung,
" And out of mind assoou out of sight."
It was Christopher Marlowe, the fore
runner of Shakespeare, and father of
the grand old English drama, who sang
to the ladles, "Love me little, love me
long," and told of "Infinite riches iu a
little room."
We owe to the public genius of Shake
speare, "This is the short and long of
it," " The world's mine oyster," "Com
parisons are odious," "As merry as the
day is long," "A Daniel come to judg
ment," "It Is a wise father that knows
his own child," "And thereby hangs a
tale," "He needs must go that the devil
drives," " Why this is very midsummer
madness," "The smallest worm will
turn when trodden on," "Smooth runs
the water where the brook is deep," "So
wise so young, they say, do ne'er live
long," "The weakest goes to the wall,"
41 We have seen better days," "This was
the most unkindest cut of nil, ''Stand
not upon the order of your going, ""A
deed without a name," "Frailty, thy
name is woman," "I am a man more
Biuned against than sinning," "They
laugh that win,"- and a thousand more
as good, though not as well known.
Francis Bacon, the " wisest, greatest,
meanest of mankind," said " Knowl
edge is power," and Beaumont and
Fletcher pronounced that " What's one
man's poison, signor, is another's meat
or drink." Milton tells of a "Moping
melaucholy and moonstruck madness,"
and also of "A wilderness of sweets,"
"All hell broke loose," and "The para
dise of fools."
Samuel Butler, author of "Hudibras,"
dubbed a religious creed thus: '"'Twas
Presbyterian true blue." Dryden says
"None but the brave deserve the fair,"
and "Sweet is pleasure after pain." He
also warns thus : " Beware the fury of
a patient man," "All delays are danger
ous in war," and thinks that "Men are
but children of a larger growth." The
Earl of Roscommon has it that one
must "Choose an author as you choose a
friend," and says that " The multitude
are always in the wrong." John Bun
yau wisely reminds us that " lie that is
down needs fear no fall," and Thomas
Southerne "That pity's akin to love."
It was crazy Nathaniel Lee who averred
that " When Greeks joined Greeks, then
was the tug of war."
Matthew Trior thought " The end
must justify the means;" and Deane
Swift said "Bread is the staff of life."
George Farquhar called " Necessity the
mother of invention ;" Edward Young
a very sombre fellow, said " Death loves
a shining mark," he also thought that
" Man wants but little, nor that little
long," and that "A fool at forty is a fool
indeed ;" he also told of "Tired nature's
sweet restorer, balmy sleep," Pope says
" To err is human, to forgive Divine;"
and Thompson tells of "Cruel as death
and hungry as the grave." It was John
Gay-who said "While there's life, there's
hope," and sang of " Over the hills and
faraway;" Lawrence Sterne thought
that "God tempers the wind to the shorn
lamb," and Benjamin Franklin that
"God helps them who help themselves;"
Cowper said that " Variety's the spice
of life;" Thomas Campbell that " 'Tis
distance lends enchantment to the
view;" he also said, "And coming
events cast their shadow before ;" Dan
iel Webster told of a " Sea of upturned
faces," and Washington Irving thought
our idol was "The mighty dollar," By
ron says that war presents " Battle's
magnificently stern array," and Keats
that "A thing of beauty lsa joy forev
er;" and last, it was Bishop Berkely, an
English prelate, who in the seventeenth
century, said, "Westward the course of
empire takes its way."
. Terrible Experience.
MR. J. J. TALBOT, who died at
South Bend, Indiana, from the
effects of a recent relapse into intem
perance was formerly a minister, and
once a member of Congress from Ken
tucky. He operated for the temperance
orders, but evidently was not supported
by religion. In a temperance meeting
at South Bend he gave the following as
his experience :
" But now that the battlo is over I
can survey the field and measure the
losses. I had position high and holy.
This demon tore from around mo the
robes of my sacred office, and sent mo
forth churchiess and godless, a very
hissing by-word among men. After
ward I had business large and lucrative,
and my voice iu all large courts was
heard pleading for justice, mercy, and
the right. But the dust gathered on
my unopened books, and no footfall
crossed the threshold of the drunkard's
office. I had money ample for all
necessities; but they took wings and
went to feed the coffers of the devils
which possessed me. I had a home
adorned with all that wealth and the
most exquisite taste could suggest. This
devil crossed its threshold and the light
faded from its chambers; the fire went
out on the holiest of altars, and, lead
ing me through its portals, despair walk
ed forth with her, and sorrow and
anguish lingered within. I had children,
beautiful, to me at least, as a dream of
the morning and they had so eutwined
themselves around their father's heart
that, no matter where it might wander,
ever It came back to them on the bright
wings of a father's undying love. The
destroyer took their hands In his and
led them away. I had a wlfo whose
charms of mind and person were such
that to see bor was to remember, and
to know her was to love. For thirteen
years we walked the rugged path of life
together, rejoicing in its Bunshine and
sorrowing In its shade. The Infernal
monster couldn't spare me even this. I
had a mother who for long, long years
had not left her chair, a victim of suffer
ing and disease; and her choicest delight
was in reflection that the lessons she
had taught at her knee had taken root
in the heart of her youngest bom, and
that he was useful to his fellows and an
honor to her who bore him. But the
thunderbolt reached even there, and
there it did its most cruel work. Ah I
me ; never a word of reproach from her
lips only a tender caress , only a
shadow of a great and unspoken grief
gathered over the dear old face ; only a
trembling hand laid more lovingly on
my head ; only a closer clinging to the
cross ; only a more piteous appeal to
heaven if her cup were not full. And
while her boy raved in his wild delirinm
two thousand miles away, the pitying
angels pushed the golden gates ajar, and
the mother of the drunkard entered into
rest.
"And thus I stand: a clergyman
without a cure ; a barrister without brief
or business; a father without a child;
a husband without a wife ; a son with
out a parent; a man with scarcely a
friend ; a soul without a hope all swal
lowed up in the maelstrom of drink."
The Marine Band.
EIGHTY years ago, when the repub
lic was in Its earliest infancy, and
the navy consisted of a few wooden
hulls, one of them, during a cruise on
the Mediterranean, was boarded by a
band of musicians claiming that they
were the " Royal Bund" of Italy, and
had deserted witli the idea of reaching
America and making their fortunes in
the new world. The American captain
realized the situation and hesitated, al
though he had just received orders for
the ship to return. It seems almost im
possible to smuggle the band to Amer
ica without detection, and if exposed he
would incur the displensure of the
Italian Government, and in the end be
dismissed by our own.
The band-leader watched his counte
nance, and read that a decision was
about to be declared against the band.
The poor fellow pleaded his cause, and
with accents of pity and distress begged
for a voyage to the " land of the free."
At last, when nearly every lay of hope
had deserted him, a happy thought oc
curred. He was a good leader also a
fine judge of human nature and he
discovered that the American captain
was a lover of good music, and while
the officers were called aft to discuss the
question of carrying off the band, the
leader sounded the call, the instruments
were brought out, sheets of music placed
in position, and the consultation of the
officers interrupted by such delicious
strains of music that silence pervaded
" fore and aft."
It was the " last hope," and every
member of the once famous band felt
that his life and liberty depended on the
effect of their music on the Americans.
Arguments, pleadings and words had
failed, 'jut music, heavenly and divine,
was successful, and as the last strain
died away on the soft air of that sunny
clime, the brave old veteran captain said
to his officers, "Gentleman, that band
shall go with us to the United States,
and the consequences, whatever may
come, will rest on my shoulders alone."
The voyage was a long one, and before
reaching the country the band adopted
a suggestion of the captain, and, on be
ing landed, scattered to different cities,
adopting for the while other trades and
occupations.
As expected, the Italian mlniste re
ceived a notice from home to watch for
the runaway band. Some diplomatic
correspondence followed. He was cer
tulu the band had never reached Amerl
ca,and soon after the count was recalled,
and the band, who had friendly advisers,
were assured that all danger was over.
They met in Washington and favored
Congress, then assembled, with a con-
cert such as was never heard before in
America.
The effect was electrical on our worthy
law-makers. An act Incorporating the
" Marine Band" was passed and became
a law, and the Marine Band from that
date has been one of the special objects
of Interest to all Washington visitors.
As years rolled by It was kept strictly a
private affair. Sons were trained to suc
ceed fathers, and only a few outsiders
allowed to enroll their names.
Tabby's Curiosity Satisfied.
THE Virginia (Nev.,) " Enterprise"
tell this affecting story : " Charles
Kaiser, who has the only hive of bees
In town, says that when he first got his
swarm his old cat's curiosity was much
excited in regard to the doings of the
little insects, the like of which she had
never before seen. At first she watched
their comings and goings at a distance.
She then flattened herself upon the
ground and crept along toward the hive,
witli tail horizontal and quivering. It
was clearly evident that she thought the
bees some new kind of game. Finally
she took up a position at the entrance to
the hive, and when a bee came in or
started out, made a dab at It with her
paws. This went on for a time without
attracting the special attention of the In
habitants of the hive. Presently, how
ever, ' old Tabby' struck and crushed a
bee on the edge of the hive. The smell
of the crushed bee alarmed and enraged
the whole swarm. Bees by the score
poured forth and darted into the fur of
the astonished cat. Tabby rolled him
self in the grass, spitting, sputtering,
bitting, clawing, and squalling as cat
never squalled before. She appeared
a mere ball of fur and bees as Bhe rolled
and tumbled about. She was at length
hauled away from the hive with a gar
den rake, at the cost of several severe
stings to her rescuer. Even after she
had been taken to a distant part of the
grounds the bees stuck In Tabby's fur,
and about once In two minutes she would
utter an unearthly ' yowl' and bounce a
full yard in the air. On coming down
she would try and scratch an ear, when
a sting on the back would cause her to
turn a succession of back somersaults,
and give vent to a running fire of
squalls. Jike the parrot that was left
alone with the monkey, old Tabby had a
dreadful time. Two or three days after
this adventure, Tabby was caught by
her owner, who took her by the neck
and threw her down near the bee-hive.
No sooner did she strike the ground than
she gave a fearful squall, and at a single
bound reached the top of a fence full six
feet In height. There she clung for a
moment, with her tail as big as a rolling-pin,
when with another bound and
squall, she was out of sight and did not
again put In an appearance for over a
week."
Anecdote of Judge West.
MANY years ago there lived in
Tolland, Conn., Judge West, who
had been a magistrate for many years
and was also elected to the Connecticut
General Assembly. One day as the
Judge was in his field plowing, having
an ox team with a boy for a driver, a
man came in gteat haste with no hat
on, coat badly torn and looking as
though he had fared hard in a hand-to-haud
encounter. The Judge, who con
jectured what was the trouble, kept on
ploughing, merely asking :
"What is the matter, Nate Smith?
You seem to be in a hurry."
" Matter enough," said Nate following
along; we had a little fuss, Bill Jones
and me, down at the tavern. He in
sulted me, and because I resented it, he
pitched in and nearly half killed me as
.you see. Now, I want you to give me a
writ."
"Can't do it," said the Judgo.
" I won't stand the abuse of that
rascal Jones any longer," said Nate,
" and I must have a writ."
" If you had been at home about your
business," replied the Judge, who still
kept on plowing, " you would have had
no trouble."
"If you don't give me a writ, I'll
have you brought before your betters,"
said Nate, thinking to accomplish his
object by a threat.
"Whoa!" said the Judge. "Boy,
give me that whip."
. The Judge, who was a powerful maa,
gave Nate a good whipping and resum
ed his work as though nothing unusual
had happened.
Smith was hardly.out of sight before
a man came puffing and blowing from
another direction.
" What's the matter with you, Jones V"
said the Judge.
" The matter is," said he, when he
got his breath, " I've been assaulted and
abused by Nate Smith at the tavern,
and I want a writ for his arrest."
" What business have you to be at the
tavern V If you had been about your
work, at home, Smith would not have
troubled you."
" Give me a writ or I'll have you be
fore your betters before night."
"Whoa I Boy, give me the whip."
The Judge gave Bill a sound thrashing
with the ox whip and went on with his
work. After going around the field
once or twice, the Judge stopped and
delivered himself of the following:
" Well, John," said he, addressing the
hoy, " I declare, a believe I have broken
the law I But I've done those rascals
Justice, anyhow."
It is, perhaps, needless to add that
J udge West was not brought " before
his betters."
Camp Meeting Experience.
IN a camp meeting in this State a
woman related her experience in
giving up certain articles of ornament
and gay attire that she had loved. She
said that at first she resolved to wear no
more artificial flowers, jay colored rib
bons, handsome silks, ear ornaments,
nor brooches ; but one idol remained.
It was her wedding ring. At last she
resolved to throw this away, too, and
when she did it the blessing of sanctifi
catlon came. The Methodist says : " As
she stood iu the audience relating the
great change that had come over her,
she displayed an immense mass of false
hair wound up on the back of her head,
upon which wa3 mounted a topknot of
a hat, neither protection from sun or
cold, nor ornamental to behold. She
disclosed beneath a half cast-off shawl, a
corseted waist which was reduced to
such diminutive proportions as to appear
painfully abnormal. She supported
padding, puffins, pannier, and piuback,
and a dress skirt sadly bedrabbled to a
depth of the several inches which is .
dragged upon the ground. As she sat
down after her testimony and an ex
hortation to erring sisters to renounce
all pomp and glory of the world, she
plied her fan and panted very like a
ball-room belle who had waltzed too
long and was dressed too tightly to
breathe with ease. When at the close
of the meeting the woman walked away,
she had a parasol, a fan, and a hymn
book to hold in one hand, and the other
was employed In gathering and holding
the front breadth of her skirts high
enough to enable her to step, while the
limit of her mincing gait was determin
ed by her contracted pin back and stilted
boot heels. And away she went, a
sanctified woman."
A Singular Petrifaction.
Judge E. C. Bronaugh has attached to
his watch-chain a little amulet or
charm, which, aside from its peculiar
history, is very pretty in inself. It Is
nothing less than a petrified rosebud.
During the Rebellion a young nephew
of Judge Bronaugh, while in one of the
Southern States, writing home to his
mother enclosed a rosebud. The letter
arrived safely and after perusal was laid
aside with the rosebud in a drawer,
where It remained for eight or nine
months. WThen the drawer was over
hauled and the letters auin brought to
light, the rosebud was liiscovered to be
petrified. The Judge's aunt recently sent
the stone to him at this place, and he
placed it In the hands of a jeweler for the
purpose of having it fitted to carry on
his watch-chain. The petrifaction is so
very hard that, while trying to drill . a
hole in lt,two or three tools were broken.
It is a perfect rosebud, and so well pre
served that the finest fibres are to be
seen. What peculiarities of air, earth or
water could have changed the tender
rosebud into a hard, almost 'diamond
like substance in the short space of nine
months is to us a mystery. J'ortland
Orcgonian.