Aiit- 1
VOL. XII. NEW BLOOMFIELD, 1JA.., TUI5SDA.Y, OCTOBER 22, 1878. NO. 43.
THE TIMES.
An Independent Family Newspaper,
18 PUBLI8HBD BVERY TUESDAY BT
F. MORTIMER & CO.
SIBSCKIPTIOK P1UCE,
(WITIIIN TUB COUNT!.
One Year tl 2
Six Mouths 75
(OUT Off TUB COUNTY.
One Year, (Postame lnoluded) SI M
Six Months, (Postage lucluded) 85
Invariably lu Advance I
W Advertising rates furnished upon appli
cation. 0elct Poeti'y.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY.
In speaking of a person's faults,
Pray don't forget your ow,
Remember those with homes of glass,
8hould never throw a stone.
If we have nothing else to do,
Than talk of those who sin,
Yes, better we commence at home,
And from that point begin.
We have no right to Judge a wan
Until he's fairly tried j
Should we not like his company,
We know the world Is wide.
Borne may have faults, and who has not I
The old as well as young j
Perhaps we may, for aught we know,
Have fifty to their one.
I'll tell of a better plan,
And find It works full well,
To try my own defects to cure,
Ere other's faults to tell.
And though I sometimes hope to be
No worse than some I know,
My own shortcomings bid me let
The faults of others go.
Then let us all, when we begin
To slander friend or foe,
Think of the harm one word may do
To those we little know.
Remember sometimes curses, like
Our chickens, roost at home ;
Don't speak of others faults until
We have none of our own.
A TELEGRAPH ROMANCE.
FIRST, I must tell you who I am,and
how I came to be In the Bayvillo
Bank in the " wee sma' hours" one
dreary December night, some three
years ago.
My name was then Olive Hudson and
I was seventeen years old that same De
cember night, and so small that Mrs.
Knight's Dolly, who was not twelve
years old, was a half a head taller than
myself.
We were rich folks .once, but father
died and left us very poor. Mother
struggled along in a weary hand to hand
fight with poverty till I was sixteen,and
then died. She had rented two rooms
of Mrs. Knight, widow, also, with two
stalwart sons, an aged father and two
daughters. After mother died I was
adopted by the Knights, and, although I
was earning a support as music teacher
in the Baysville Academy I was like one
of the family when I was in my good
landlady's home.
They were all in good position, but
by no means an aristocratic family.
John, the eldest son, was in New York
in a wholesale sugar-house ; Tom was
the night watchman of the Baysville
Bank building, and grandpa we all
call him grandpa was telegraph opera
tor of the town, while Mary wa9 a mil
liner, and Dolly stayed at the office
sending and receiving messages.
Baysville Bank building was a large
granite structure, containing the post
office and bank on the first floor, the
telegraph office and a number of private
law offices on the third floor. In the
basement were postoffice rooms for sort
ing the mall and also the large bank
vault.
I knew the building well, for I was
fond of telegraphing, and spent half of
my leisure time perched up beside
grandpa while he slept peacefully or read
the newspapers.
And that was the beginning of my
amusement at Dryden, the next station.
The operator at Dryden was a wit, and
flashed nonsense to our office when busi
ness was dull. It fell flat when grandpa
was In the office, but if IJ were there I
sent back Jest for Jest, and sometimes
an hour slipped by like a minute as we
talked over the wires of every topic un
der the sun. He called himself" Lion,"
and I, for nonsense, signed myself " El
ephant," laughing as I did so at the re
flection of my tiny figures In the office
mirror.
Beyond Dryden, and only five miles
from Baysville, was C , a large com
mercial town, the nearest railway sta
tion, and where an office was always
open for the accommodation of travelers.
As I have said, Tom Knight was the
night watchman of Baysville Bunk
building, and a lonely spot he had of
it. The last mall came by stage at four
o'clock in the afternoon and the post
office was vacated at six. The bank
closed at three, and by six every office
was deserted for the night.
At seven Tom was on duty ,and grand
pa, who was restless at night, was in the
habit of taking down some coflee and
luncheon, as the building was only a
stone's throw from the house.
On the December night I have already
mentioned, it had stormed heavily all
day, and I had taken a new class at the
academy, coming home later in the day
than usual, mid excited over my increase
in salary.
Everybody else had gone to bed, and
I was lingering over the fire with Mrs.
Knight, dreading to plunge into my
cold, room where I had allowed the lire
to go out.
The clock struck twelve and Mrs.
Knight, lifting her face from over the
fire, said :
"Do call grandpa, Olive; he's asleep
on the sofa in the sitting-room. I'll
have Tom's basket ready by the time
grandpa has his coat and hat on. I hate
to call him, for he was complaining of
rheumatism all day and the ground is
very wet, though the storm is over.
" Let him sleep," I said ; " I'll run
over with the basket. It Is but a few
steps.
"But it is so dark; are you not
afraid!"'
"Not a bit; I'll slip on my water
proof and rubbers, and draw the hood
of my cloak over my head."
" Well, if you will, though I'm afraid
Tom will scold at my letting you go."
"I'll put down the basket and run,
and he will never know who left it."
"Go Into the rear basement door; he
leaves that open for grandpa.
"I know."
I grasped the handle of the basket,
and hurried over the space between the
building and the house, and stole softly
in at the basement door, in pursuance
of my plan to drop the basket and
run.
In my rubber shoes my steps were
noiseless, and I had scarcely passed the
threshold when I stood rooted to the
floor in terrible amazement.
Somebody was talking.
I crept forward and listened. There
was a man in the vault, and a light
shone under the door.
While I listened, some one said :
"There is a confounded draft here;
did you shut the door, Smith ?"
" Yes, but the wind might have blown
it open."
I had just time to dart under the
staircase and crouched down, when the
door of the vault opened and a man came
out.
He crossed the entry, drew two heavy,
noisy bolts, fastened the door by which
I had entered, and returned without
closing the vault door.
I could look in by the dim light and
see two men working at the safe locks
by the stream of light thrown from a
dark lantern.
There was the outline of a man bound
and gagged upon the floor, but I could
only conjecture that it was Tom, for I
could not see distinctly.
There I was nicely caged, for it would
be impossible for me to draw those heavy
bolts without attracting notice. And the
bank being robbed, that was evident.
How could I prevent it? I could not
go out ; I could not reach Tom. Sud
denly I remembered the telegraph office
on the second floor. If I could sum
mon help from C . It was only five
miles, and there was a long job for the
burglars before they could open the
safe.
I could creep around the staircase. If
one of those busy men turned his head I
was lost. I softly crept out on all fours,
slowly, watchfully ,aud gained the stairs.
Up I darted, blessing my India rubber
shoes, till I gained the door of the tele
graph office. All was dark there, and I
dared not strike a match.
I listened, and then, leaving the door
open, groped my way to the well-known
desk and gave the signal for C . I
could hear my heart throb as I waited for
the answer. It came. Still working in
the dark, I sent this message :
" Burglars in the Baysville Bank
vault 1 Watchman gagged and bound I
Can you send help ?"
Again the agony of suspense lu listen
ing, but at last the sound reached me :
" Will send help Immediately."
I crept to the head of the staircase,
afraid the clear ring of the instrument
had been heard in the vault, but no one
came upstairs. The windows of the
telegraph office faced the street, so I re
turned, bolted myself in, and sat down
to watch.
The town clock gave one resonant
stroke, breaking the deep silence,and no
signs of life were visible in the long
stretch of road leading to C . I was
numb with cold, wishing heartily that I
had left Tom's basket under the stair
case, thinking regretfully of my own
cosy bed, when I heard afar ofT the
sound of horses' feet.
No sister Anne, in Bluebeard's tower,
was ever more watchful than I was
then. Would the burglars take the
alarm ?
The building made a corner of two
streets, and I saw eight mounted men
dash up the road, separate, and while
four dismounted in front, four went to
the rear.
The burglars were unprepared for this
flank movement, for while the police in
the front were thundering at the main
entrance, the robbers rushed to the rear
basement door right into the arms of
the police stationed there.
I could hear the hubbub, pistol shots
fired, the scuffle of feet, cries, oaths, and
general confusion ; and I slipped down
stairs out the now deserted main en
trance and ran home.
Everybody was In bed, and I went to
my room and had a good crying spell,
and comforted my half frozen body in
double blankets, where I soon fell
asleep.
All this was on Friday night, and I
had no teaching to do until Monday, so
I slept late, but coming down I found
all the family prepared to make a hero
ine of me.
" I never knew until mother told me
this morning," said Tom, " that it was
not grandpa who sent the telegraph to
C . By Jove, Olive, you're spunky,
if you are little. I gave up when four
pounced on me from one of the upper
rooms. They must have got in during
the day and hid there."
I tried to make the Knights promise
not to tell my adventure, but could not.
Before night all Baysville knew how
Olive Hudson caught the burglars. I
was In the office with grandpa, when
over the wires came this message :
" Who does Olive Hudson look like?
Everybody in Dryden is talking about
her great exploit."
I flashed buck :
" What do you suppose such a woman
would look like ? She is nearly six feet
tall, broad-shouldered and loud-voiced
a perfect elephant."
"Was it really yourself, Elephant?"
" Dear Lion, it was."
" Do you know, I want to see you. I
am going to New York to-day, but I'll
be back next spring."
If he came to Baysville he did not see
me. I ran away in a fit of shyness.
In March a wonderful thing happen
ed. My mother's brother, who had been
seventeen years nearly all my lifetime
in Cuba, came to New York, found
me out and took me into a life of ease
and luxury, making me a pet in bis
splendid home. He was a baehelor.over
fifty years of age, handsome and well
informed, and with lurge wealth.
He Introduced me to old friends of his
and my circle of acquaintances widened
every day. I was entirely happy,for we
loved each other well.
One day Uncle George brought home
to dinner a stranger, whom he intro.
duced as :
"The sou of my old friend, Olive,
Mr. Roberta."
I made myself agreeable, us in duty
bound, to Mr. Roberts, a man of thirty
or thereabouts, with a face that was
downright ugly, but pleasant, with en
expression of frank good humor and in
telligence upon It. We talked of every
thing, and I wag surprised at the con
geniality of taste we soon discovered.
In an animated discussion of heroines,
Mr. Roberts, turning to Uncle George
said :
"You were kindly inquiring this
morning about my fortune since father
died, but I did not tell you one little
episode. Before I was fortunate enough
to obtain my present lucrative situation
I was for a time telegraph operator in a
small place called Dryden, and then I
heard of a real heroine of whom the
world will probably never hear."
I knew what was coming, but kept
my face perfectly composed to listen.
When tho story was fiuished, giving
Uncle George a sly pinch to keep quiet,
I said :
"What kind of looking person was
the wonderful heroine ?"
" I never saw her, for although Bays
ville was the next village to Dryden, I
never went there. But she was described
to me as tall, strong and masculine."
" In short, my dear Lion," I said
gravely, " she was a perfect Elephant."
Such a stare as greeted me I am cer
tain never came upon Leo. Robert's
face before or since that hour. His eyes
dilated till I thought they would pop out
of his dear, ugly face, and his mouth
opened In utter amazement. Finally he
remembered his manners, and gasped :
" Pardon me, I was it really you?"
" Uncle George," I said, " will you be
kind enough to Introduce me properly
to Mr. Roberts? I believe he thinks
your niece must bear your name."
With a flourish Uncle George arose
and gravely introduced :
" Mr. Leo. Roberts, Miss Olive Hud
son: Miss Hudson, Mr. Roberts."
After that we could not certainly be
strangers, and Mr. Roberts come often
to dine with Uncle George.
And one day there was a wedding,
where the bride was very small, burled
in lace and orange blossoms, and the
bridegroom was ugly and good-natured :
but it was a true love match, a fit ending
for the flirtation commenced at Dryden
and Baysville " Over the Wires."
A NICE OLDGENTLEMAN.
NICE old gentleman he was; big
white waistcoat, low-cut shoes,
bald head and silver-bowed spectacles.
He led in the singing on Sunday eve
ning in the hotel parlor, and sung that
old-fashioned basslin the " Coronation"
and " China" in that sonorous up-and-down
style which country choristers
used to practice in accompanying the
big fiddle, and withal had the bland,
benevolent look - of a good old up-country
deacon.
He was " looking around the house"
next night, and stepped lu where
some of the boys were playing cards
sometimes where they were talking of
"calls" and "raises" and "seeing."
The boys looked a littlo disconcerted,
but the old man didn't say anything
till the hand was played out, and one of
the party, under pretence of having an
engagement, winked to the others and
said he must go, intending to break up
till the old man had gone away and
then resume the game. But he had
scarce turned his back when the aged
visitor remarked :
" I wonder he didn't 'raise' ye with
the hand he held."
" Do you understand the game?" one
of the party asked, taking a cigar from
his mouth.
" Wall, a leetle ; I've seen 'em ploy
in' on it, and sometimes thought I'd
like to take a hand jes' for fun."
"Just so," said another; "suppose
you t ry a game or two with us."
" Wall, J don't mind jes' for the fun
er the thing.,' Ho the old man eat down
and with a good deal of instruction
managed to get through with the game
and won on the penny ante. "Thar,"
said he, " if that feller that's gone had
been spunky and put in $5 he'd get it
instead of those eight cents, wouldn't
he?"
" Why, certainly," said one of the
young men, " certainly ; it's your deal,
uncle, now, why don't you go in for a
$5 ante?"
" Wall," said the old fellow, throwing
round the cards, " I dono, but I will,
but I hain't got nothin' but a $20 that I
drew outen the bank to come here
with."
" Well, uncle," said the other, gather
ing up and glancing at his cards, " I'll
go yer twenty, and you can put it In
the missionary box when you win it, if
you like."
"So! so I ken," said the old man:
" I don't think 'twud be gambling at all
ef that's the case."
" Not at all," said the other, winking
to his companions.
" Well, then, I don't care ef I go yer
this 'ere other fifty but I s'pose you'll
think I'll be doin' on it to skear ye
but our denomination's tarnal poor,
and a big contribution is jest what they
are hankerln' arler'."
" Oh, no, I cover your fifty, uncle;
we ought to be liberal, you know," and
so the game weit on till finally the old
man remarked :
" Wall, I'd no idee I had this 'ere roll
o' bills In my pocket so ye call, do ye ?
$500 up 1 yes, you hev got three plc
ters three queens and a jack I Well,
it's kinder qileer I got tother queen
haw 1 haw I'
" Yes, I'm sorry for you, but what
are your other cards?" said the young
man. triumphantly.
" Wall, three on 'em is kings why,
darn it, all that 'ere pot o' money is
mine, young fellow !" said he, stretch
ing out a powerful paw and squeezing
the bills out of the hand of the young
man, who had already begun to roll
them up. " Perhaps, mister, you'd like
to take your hand again," said he to
the other who had returned meantime ;
" they are goin' to sing sometimes up
stairs before going to bed, and I prom
ised I'd jine 'em."
There was a blank look of amaze
ment in that circle as he left, and the
thought forced itself into more than
one mind of the danger of trusting to
appearances.
PETER CARTRIGHT.
AMONG the most notable of the
American pioneer preachers was
Peter Catright, who was born in Am
herst Co., Va., in 1785, and died at
Pleasant Plains, 111., in 1872. When he
was a child his parents removed to Ken
tucky, where, about 1801, he was con
verted through the instrumentality of
an itinerant preacher and joined the M.
E. Church. He was ordained as a Dea
con in 1800, as an Elder In 1808. In 1812
he was appointed Presiding Elder, and
acted in that capacity GO years ; the last
forty-five in the Illinois Conference.
During his ministry he received more
than 10,000 members into the church,
baptized more than 12,000, and for thirty-three
years preached, on an average,
iour sermons a weeK. nn "jpnty
Years a Presiding Elder," and his " Au
tobiography," edited by Rev. W. P.
Strickland, D. D., are a perfect store
house of characteristic anecdotes and
reminiscences. Among these we find
the following :
One day, on approaching a ferry
across the river Illinois, he heard a fer
ryman swearing terribly at the sermons
of Peter Cart right, and threatening if he
ever had to ferry the preacher across,
and he knew him, he would drown him
in the river. Peter, unrecognized, said
to the ferryman :
"Stranger, I want you to put me
across."
" Wait till I am ready," said the fer
ryman, and pursued his conversation
and strictures on Peter Cartright. Hav
ing finished, he turned to Peter and
said :
" Now I'll put you across."
On reaching the middle of the river
Peter threw his horse's bridle over a
stake in the boat, and told the ferry
man to let go his pole.
" What for?" asked the ferryman.
" Well, you've just been using my
name improper like; and you said if
I ever came this way you would drown
me. Now you've got the chance."
" Is your name Peter Cartright ?"
" My name is Peter Cartright."
"Instantly the ferrryman laid hold of
the preacher; but he did not know
Peter's strength, for Peter Instantly
seized tho ferryman and holding him by
the nap of the neck, plunged him into
the water, saying :
"I baptize thee splash in the name
of Satan, whose child thou art."
Then lifting him up, dripping, Peter
asked :
" Did you ever pray ?"
"No."
"Then it is time you did."
" I'll do no such a thing," answered
the ferryman.
" Splash 1 splush ! and the ferryman
was in the depths aguin.
" Will you pray nov ?"
The gasping victim shouted: "I'll
do anything you bid iue."
"Then follow me -Our Father,which
art In heaven,' " etc.
Having acted as clerk, repeating after
Peter, the ferryman cried :
" Now let me go."
" Not yet," said Peter. " You must
make me three promises: 1st, that you
will repeat that prayer, morning and
evening, as long as you live; 2nd, that
you will hear every pioneer preacher
that comes within five miles of this
ferry ; and, 3rd, that you will put every
Methodist preacher over free of expense.
Do you promise and vow ?"
" I promise," said the ferryman ; and,
strange to say, that very man became a
shining light in the church.