Camden commercial courier. (Camden, S.C.) 1837-1838, June 17, 1837, Image 1
L. M. JONES, & Co. PUBLIMIERtf. "AT THE PUBLIC GOOD WE AIM." M. M. LEVY, EDITOR. * ^
' J 1 I I *
VOL. I. CAJ1DEN, SOUTH CAROLINA, SATURDAY JIVE IT, 1837. NO. 7.
??f?? ????? ?????? ???????
TJKRJftS
op the . ,
OO^hskoial aounxs&i'
Published weekly every Saturday morning
at S3 per annum il paid in advance, or
84 if not paid until the expiration of the
year.
Advertisements inserted at 81 per square
tor the first insertion, aiid 50 cts. for every
continuance.
Persons subscribing out of the State, are
rnnnirml tn itfi v in n il vn nr.4? I
.V.|U..V? ?V f'J ? -
fl^Communicatious must V* post paid.=?l1
From tlie New Orleans Commercial Herald#;
poi.icb:
"When lovely woman stoops to folly,
And finds too late that men betray,
No charm can soothe her melancholy,
No charm can chase her guilt away.
4<The only art her guilt to cover?
To hide her shame from every eyeTo
give repentance to her lover?
And ring his bosom is?to die."
OtVRE TRUE, BUT sad a TaLE- For
the last two days our nolice reports have
teemed with descriptions of wars and
rumors of wars made by unruly men, op*
on "weak woman " To-day we change
the style, though not entirely the subject
?we give one of those "short and simple
annals'* that arc but too common in every
country, yet by a careful perusal of which
"the heart may learn an useful lesson
front the head." Your police office is a
great teacher of trite Iruths, and moral
maxims; scarce a subject comics under
examination than is not, to a certain extent,
"a character;" and wuich, if rightly
studied, would tench us something thai
"1 *J It ?i?noOiii??o ? " ? > '1 t.i .l- * '
.o II III ill IIVUOUIUIJ' 11 J'? '")U WII Hi I IS IO DC
found no where else. It is i:i the police
office th.il ''wise sa\? s and modern instances"
are to he had for ashing for?it is in
the police oilier, too, that ? hut as we
intend to write a scene of real life, and
not an essay, we shall say no more in this
strain.
Mary Graham was brought up to appear
and answer?she scarce knew why, she
scared not wherefore. She had indulged
over nigiit (among other pursuits and
pleasures allowed to "lawless man," but
forbidden to "lovely woman,") in drinking
ardent spirits to excess, that to some
Seemed unseeiningly; she was net intoxicated,
nor was she sober, hut she had reach
ed thai "happy medium," betwacn reasoning
and rioting that is supposed to he produced
by an atmosphere similar to that of
the seventh heaven, or the pritnum mobile
itself: \Vc said that Miss Mary had reached
this station, but unfortunately she did
not remain stationary, when she got elevated
to it, she struck a "sister in sorrow,"
raised a row, and o lie red to fight any who
should o lie ml her; and for this olfeuce
Alary was brought to the bar of an earthly
tribunal to answer for the same. How
strangely is society constituted?the of
1'cnce thai is punished in the poor in one
part of the world is winked at when per
petrated by the rich in another part.?
We have seen a Dutchess in England,
(the Dutchess of St. Albans) come out of
Covent Garden Theatre s<? drunk that she
could with difficulty ascend the steps of
her carriage?on arrriving at home this
same Dutchess has knocked down her
husband, and yet she was passed by unpunished,
Mary Graham did no more,
and was arrested as a delinquent.
Wc will not here attempt todiscuss the
propriety or impropriety of a young woman
becoming addicted to drinking to excess
whether it be cocoa or coffee, brandy
or burgundy, claret or champaignc, shrub
or sherry, cordial or constantia, port, peppermint
or porter, ale or annisccd, hock
or hcuvy wet, juleps or jxhannisherg,
Mai insey or Madeira! Wc say that we
will not hold an argument upon this peculiar
topic; we only know that a great
many of the dear creatures does indulge
in occasional draughts of the above beverages,
and that once when they acquire a
habit of iiquorising, it plays the vcrv mischief
with their manners. Such was the
sad situation of the subject of our story
to day.
Mary Graham was young?scarcely
turned eighteen. She was slili goo<' hulking,
and hud been handsome, innocent
and happy. Born on the banks of Lake
Erie, near the town of the same name,
Mary grew up a goodly and good looking
girl, in happy ignorance of the 'pumps
and vanities of this wicked world," at
once the pride and ntftilRliro nf linr i?n n?c I
she toiled for them by sun-light, and sang
them to sleep by moonlight; laid herself
down upon her humble bed, to awake on
the morrow with the light heart and heels
bright eyes and a blooming face.
Such was the simple Mary's sweet and
simple situation, about the time she entered
upon her "teens." from the first
hour that she opened her hazlc eyes to
the light of heaven, until she could number
sixteen summers, she had taken little
thought "what she should cat, what she
should drink, or wherewithal she should
be clothed." Her russet robes contented
her?her simple fare supported her?the
comfortable cottage and its glowing garden
wore at once her world and her home
?her parents' precepts were her pride
and pleasure?she Jived but to enjoy their
love?to contribute to their comfort?life
seemed to her little else than one "long,
long summer's day;" she was supremely
happy in her humble station, and never
heaved a sigh for change.
She liv'd belov'd?she knew no guile,
from her bright eye beatn'd beauty's smile,
A simple wreath oi roses rare
round up her flowing dark brown hair.
With soul serene and manners mild
Mary was .Nature's favorite child.
Some may deem this picture overdrawn
hut let any such visit the villages of the
North, and contemplate the happy faces
of the females and the quiet lives of those
who live there?let them trace back the
early history of the veriest wanton that
WO 1 L* d iktit* ? t i*ont? / m <vct it; tt a in A t
?? M I n O VUI O I VV icif yun/ow W I HIIWIII vn V
t!?cir rum to their beuuty) ami they will find
there was once a period when she was a
happy innocent girl?when she-?but we
forget; we are moralizing, when we should
be narating. (
The most important episode in Mary's
life occurred in the fall of 1835, and was
connected with the severe storm that
swept over the Northern lakes during that
season Among other disasters, the
Great Britain, or United Kingdom steam
boat was wrecked on the pier at the entrance
of the harbor of Erie. One of the?
passengers was a young Creole, from
New Orleans, who had been making a
northern lour during the summer, for the
benefit of his health. Mary, ever active
in doing good and relieving the distressed
no sooner beard that e shipwreck had occurred,
in the vicinity of the cottage, than
she ran down to the scene of the disaster
to render such assistance to the suffers as
was in her power. The young Creole
was severely lacerifled, and being insen*
sible, was carried at Mary's request to
her parents* place of abode. Once with
in these qnict walls, lie was unceasingly i
attended by the artless girl. At once his
nurse, ph) sician, and companion, Mary
was seldom absent from his side, save during
the hours it was necessary she should
devote to sleep. Ilis recovery, though
gradually, was never doubtful. All that
the most dutiful daughter could do for an
aflcclio natc father was rendered by Mary
to the young stranger.
Pleased with her power of conferring
happiness, and over joyed to intoxication
at the thanks and praises he poured into
her car, she little dreamed of the dilemma
into which she was daily plunging, or how
soon her happiness was to suffer as severe
a wreck as the boat that brought the stranger
to their shose. lie talked of leaving
for the south, and She then learned, too
late, that she loved. From day to day
she introduced some new device to delay
his departure, until longer concealment
being impossible,the smothered Hume burst
forth ; she threw herself on his bosom,
and weeping bitterly, confessed that his
presence was indispensable to her happiness*
Instead of valuing and properly
appreciating an affection so free from artifice,
he who had robbed her of her peace
endeavored to despoil her of her only
treasure?her honor. He proposed an
elopement, promising marriage on sir; iving
in New Orlcarns. She at first was appalled
at his presumption, and shunned his
society for a season ; but aware of the
power he possessed over her passions, he
availed himself of an advantageous period,
and repaid her sincerity and devotedness
by first seducing and then deserting her.
She followed him ultimately to New Orleans;
but only to learn that he was lost
to her forever?he had married immediately
on returning home, tier subsequent
career was short, swift and eventful. Her
once happy home was home no more for
her?personal pride, purity of mind and
trust in the truth of others being blasted,
she "let herself down the wind, a prey to
fortune.'' A ban was placed upon her
being ; she was (orever. shut out from the
society of the virtuous and spotless of
her sex: she plunged into pollution with
the fearful fury of a woman wronged beyond
" redemption's skill,"?she drank
to drown reason and reflection, and drive
away despair; and under the influence of
liquor, she struck a sister Cyprian for an
imaginary insult. Under these circumstances
she made her first entree into our
police court ; under what aspect her last
appearance may be made there it is painful
to contemplate.
AN AFFRCTING STORY.
1 It was in the year I?3?that a gentleman
distinguished for his talents and intellectual
abilities, suddenly resolved to abandon the
habit of intemperance to which he had long
been addicted. He was a remarkable and
extraordinary man. His talents were of the
first order, and his attainments were of the
mai caiciicivi* unnrucier. in person dp was
handsome, and possessed every exterior grace
that could please or attract the eye. His
manners were of the most pleasing and fascinating
kind, and his conversation was of that
varied and eloquent nature, that his coinpa
ny was in every condition of society desired.
No man was more deeply versed in classical
learning, and in the various branches of
scholastic philosophy he was deeply profound.
In the lighter branches of polite
lit* ratuie he had considerable acquirements,
and indeed, in every branch of intellectual
knowledge he was deeply read. He had.
been compared to Bolingbroke, who it was
wqII known by the profoundness of his philosophy
and the elegance of his manners,
could grace and give a charm to the drawing
room, or teach lessons of wisdom in the
Academy or Lyceum. At an early age he
married a beautiful and charming woman,
and from the union of two persons so well
adapted to each other, it might readily be
supposed that the stream of happiness would
continue uninterruptedly to flow: but alas!
it was soon discovered that the possession
of the highest attainments, and the mosti
exalted genius afforded ho security against j
the encroachments of a vice, whose c >urse
is marked by misery, and whose end is death.
For years he was a complete victim to this
degraded and unhappy vice, and from a cotisiflprntllp
Inftmocu r?f riiiintulifin 1*..^! - .... I.
. v^wrvj WI i* I'V* WUI i\VII | IK1U 9U1IIV
into the character of n common drunkard.
Poverty had entered his domicile, and he
was frequently the subject of the most pressing
want. Ilis wife's jewelry had disappeared
at the pawnbroker's, and his own extensive
and valuable library had met with
the same fate. Article after article of furniture
had disappeared, and nothing now remained
hut that which was secured by law.
Ilis wife, who in Iter person hud presented
all that enbon-point of appearance which
marks health, had wasted away to a mere
shadow. Her disposition, which had formerly
been lively and vivacious, was now sorrowful
and melancholy, and the children
exhibited t iat r.aggedness of dress, which
distinguished the oilVpriugs of those who are
intemperate.
A more affecting scene can hardly be
imagined, than that which occurred on a
cold and bleak day in December, when the
mother was seen pressing an infant to her
breast, crowding to a few embers that still
remained on the hearth. {Several small
children surround* d her, crying with the
cold auu begging their mother to give thorn
some bre^d, out alas ! she had none to give
them. Along side in one corner, covered
with a worn out rus, lay the-husband in a
L . .1 . _ . e - - "
oeasuy state 01 intoxication, witn a jug ol
the fatal poison at his head?a more distressing
and heart-rending scene cannot possibly
he conceived?it was one calculated to draw
tears Irom the most obdurate heart and
sotien ihe most adamantine soul. There
lay the man whose lofty intellect and splendid
talents were well suited to adorn a senate
or rule a nation, a victim to the intoxicating
draught that has destroyed thousands.
What has just been d* scribed is no fiction.
It is truth, wiihou the aid of imagination
or the coloring of fancy. Twelve
months from the period at which our story
commences, on a cold winter evening,
might be seen in a beautiful and snug little
parlor, sitting on a sofa the same gentleman,
dressed in a manner w hich indicated that he
had not quite fallen a martyr to that poverty
which is the invariable result ?-f that habit
to which he had been addicted. His hrow
was thoughtful, and an acute observer might
perceive a shade of melancholy pass over his
countenance. In the same room, seated at
a centre table, was his wife, attired in a neat
and tasteful dress, reading one of those
Rnflllt I I'll! JltHllinto A r tlin cii>IDArt .Qounr'il
beautiful children were playing in the room,
and their cheerful looks and comfortable clothing
indicated that poverty had no residence
there. This little pa: lor displayed indeed no
tokens of wealth, but evidently showed
signs of comfortable enjoyments. *Two beautiful
vases adorned the mantle piece, and
underneath was seen the vivid light of an
animating coal fire, before which, on a rug,
lay a favorite dog, who seemed to participate
in the happiness which appeared to pervade
the apartment. The wile looked up,
and casting a glance at her husband, observed
a gloominess of countenance which at once
riveted her attention. She closed the book
which she had just been reading and going
him, threw her arms around his neck, and
tenderly inquired if any tiling disturbed
him. It was moments before he made
her any reply, and then he said, my dear, I
must have half a pint of brandy.
The wife became immediately agitated and
in solicitous accents, besought him not to
send for that poison which had formerly been
licarlv ins ruin. She who hut a few mooiniiis
before, had been realizing the feelings of
perfect security, was now convulsed with
sorrowful anticipations that a renewal of her
husband's former pernicious habits was to
take place. Her bosom heaved with alarm,
and as the tears gushed from her eyes, she
implored him whom she had loved and adhered
to with a devoted fidelny, through
good and evil report, in disgrace and poverty,
that he would not 11 in tempt, by a
single indulgence, a re< urrence to habits
which must destroy - their present falicity,
and forever anniliil.ite their future hopes.
The children pariook of the sorrow of their
mother, they left their innocent amusements,
and wiih tears in their little eyes,
begged their papa not to tret any more ??f
that stuff which had made them po r, and
their mamma cry. But the husband appeared
to he insensible to the afT ctionate remonstrances
of his wile, and the artless persuasions
of his children. His eldest daughter,
who on former occa-ions had gone on
this errand, was now compelled id perform
this ; the brandy was obtained, and his wife
looked with a fearful and painful forhodiug
upon the decanter which contained the fatal
poison. He looked upon the brandy,
and approHchiug the table with a chair, he
sat down and took the decanter in his hand;
he held it up to the light, and observed hour
beautiful its color, lie thou apostrophised
thus : O how f loved thee, thou enticing and 1
misery dispensing spirit; lliou hast been my
bosom companion from morn till night, and
from night till morning. I have loved theej
with a love surpassing that of woman, and l;
I have grieved as a mother grieves over the !:
dead body of her child, when 1 found that;
the spirit of the bottle had departed ; but 1
have found thee deceptious and ungrateful.
Thou didst destroy my reputation, thou didst .
rob my pocket. Von gave me disease iti-ji
stead o< health, and inade the heart of my 11
wife pulsate with unhnppincss. My chil- i
dren wept at the tuin you eiitailcd, aud i
my house you made desolate and sorrow- I
ful. Twelve months li.ive 1 parted from 11
you, and I now renounce you forever,! I
ttiou agent or destruction ! tliou demon of i
destruction! thou accursed alluring poison! i i
With that, lie hoisted the window, threw i
the bottle into the street, and declared the ?
victory was won. His wife rushed into |
his arms, joy beaming in her countenance. I
She could on!y utter, my husbann! who <
i tenderly embraced her, and sealed her i
forehead with a kiss. The children ran to1'
their father, climbing bis knees, and their j l
cheerful prattling told how they partook of I
the sympathetic joy. Even Neptune, on!
ithe hearth rug, raised his head, gave an',
encouraging look to his master, and wagged .
his tail with evident delight.
Duties of Ff.males.?So much lias been
written and said 011 the duties of wives
thai it were a sad pity indeed if the ma- 1
irons of the present day bad not reaped
profit from the schoolings of the consort- !
011s 6r the admonitions of the experienced. 1
Women are domestic creatures naturally ;
and there are but few, comparatively speaking,
who feel pleasure abroad when tin rc
is the least attraction at home. A fond
?
coa iui visiuug ;i|?|;rnrs iu ueiorig almost
exclusively to spintcrs who have passed
the meridian of life, or young misses who
think that the world will not go right
when they are not lending a hand to keep (
it in motion. Hut the female on whom 1
has devolved all the sacred duties of a
wife and a mother, holds a reverse opinion
; she thinks that nothing will go right
at home unless she is there. To her there
is music in the clang of kitchen furniture,
and what is erroneously, (in lite opinion
of editors and poets) called ''setting to
rights," becomes a duty from the force of
habit and a desire to be considered nice.
We think this same " setting to rights"
an unlicensed privilege which housekeep
ers have taken upon themselves; neatness
and cleanliness are always admired,
hut we do protest against the unceremonious
amalgamation of our loose papers,
the misplacing of our books, and the scattering
of our ideas to the four winds of
heaven, by the unpoe'.ical clatter of the
dusting brush. Married ladies are generally
tenacious of their rights at home;
and so they should be?within doors is
their empire, and a good wife, while sh
gratifies a laudable pride in shewing off
Irni* linncoK. >Ii! c 11?1/ ....1!
II v B IBUtlOB'IK'IVI OHM t\ IV/ U(1 ? Will |
always be wary of the comfort of her I
lordly partner. At home a wife should!
always strive by kindnesb ana good humor
to keep the all'cctions of her husband
as warm as they were in the young days
of their union, for experience tells that it
is easier to win a hum's affections than to
keep litem. Abroad she should assiduously
study to retain the esteem and good
will of others and avoid letting the world i
know how tnueh she lores her hnsban.:.
for it is generally believed that those who
coo abroad arc eats and dogs at home.
The duties of a mother call forth her utmost
energies; her patience and forbearance.
On her devolves the high task of
rearing her offspring from its tenderesl
age?to nurture it?to watch it with unceasing
care?to cultivate its infant mind
and train it in the way it should go. Many
mothers we are sorry to say. trust this
natural duty to nurses who cannot feel
I their spirit lean towards the innocent heir
to a life of Care and toil. We have even
known the children of rich and influential
parents nursed and even nurtured by negro
nurses?and what was the consequence.
As thev grew up at.d began to
I i. "i ?
iMjictiit, nu n wunis pariooK lageiy oi the
I negro slang, their habits closely assimil.t'
ted themselves lo those of negroes?and
for the want of a mother's tenderness,
they were always attached to the nurse
who in their infancy was the first to satisfy
their wants and perforce treat thein
with kindness. Away with this unnatural
custom?all mothers should exclaim with
ihe Roman matron when she pointed 10
her children, 44 these are my jewels"?too
precious to be trusted to other hands.
Fashion may make imperious demands
upon the time and inclination of mothers
who have been accustomed to follow in
her wake?but what are the calls of Fash- 1
ion to those of Nature? which is the
brightest ornament to domestic society,
the glittering married belle or tho lender
mother whose entire heart and soul rest
on the little cherub that lies smiling in
her arms ?
Acoustic Chair.?This invention is of
the size of a large library chair, with a
high back to which are affixed two barrels
for sound, and at the extremity of
each, is a perforated plnte, that collects
sound, into a paraboloid vase, from every
part of the room and impresses it more
sensibly on the ear, by guing it only a
small quantity of air. The converse end
of the vase serves to reflect the voice, and
fo render it more distinct. By means of
sufficient tubes, this chair might be made
to convey intelligence from St. James's to
the house of lords and commons, and even
from London to the King at Windsor.
Marvellous as this may seem, the idea is
not a novelty ; it is but another confirmation
jf tlie saying of Solomon, that there
is nothing new under the sun. M. Itsrd.
in his excellent work on the ear, tells us
that Aristotle (who was physician to Alex*
inder the great) invented a trumpet for
his master which was capable of conveying
orders to rather more than twelve
miles. And I may remaik, hearing in
mind, too, that both Alcincon and Hippowales
arc said to have invented ear trumpets,
the ancients do not seem to have
peen so ignorant of acoustics as some ill
pur day have represented them. Another
invention of mine is a trumpet with two
ipertures, one lo he inserted into the mealus,
and the other into the mouth.?[Curtis
on the ear.
Wooden Nutmegs.?A tarnal clean
trick was served upon a feller in Market
Urcet a day or two ago. A tall slabsided
Yankee, as keen as a North West wind
from the Green Nountains, who came all
the way from Stonington hy way of Sagadahock,
in hunting up chaps lo trade with,
strayed into that 'ere loisg street with the
_ t " ? ,.i i. : - . i? ? i .11 _ ? . A A
:?iu*f|i Miiriip 111 mi* iiiiume o;i i. /liter
parading up and down some time, with
his eyes every which way, he entered one
l ihein 'ere stores where they sell Jack
knives, and fishing lines, and razors, and
tooth brushes, and clothes brushes, and
notions ami nick nacks, and what not??
'Halloo, Mister,' said he to a feller behind
the counter with a goose quill behind his
ear; 'do you want to buy any tooth powder?
I've got some that's clear grit; none
of your counterfeit stuff, such as the regular
'pothecarics sell; none of your coinpounds
of red oak saw dust and hemlock
hark, with a little alum to make it puckery,
like Aunt Nabby's apple sarce. Its
real Myrrh, Peruvian, Soda and what
not? AH the gals in our town use it, and
it makes their jaws look like a stone wall
just while washed, and their breath like a
heifers just out of clover. The feller behind
the counter iightened up I tell yc!
'What's the price?' said he. 'Five dollars
a gross, and here's a sample of ihc critter,'
CO 111 I lio Vo n L' on rill II ? n n? ft U?\V />*?# -v C I\im
owki ?uv jl uii ucif |f uiii ii^ a uua villi, ill 1119
pocket, nicely turned out of beech timber,
with a label on the top printed on red paper,
with a border of roses and chcsnut
burrs ail round. Besides litis, the box
was wrapped in printed paper, containing
directions for using the powder, and certificates
and recommendations, as long as
one of Parson Williams' fast day sermon's
The feller opened the box in half a shake,
and eyed the powder and smelt it, and read
the directions, and certificates, and was
convinced that it was gi ooine, and offered
to take ten gross, to be paid for in cash
down. The customer took, hi n right up,
and agreed to deliver it in one hour, lie
then cut stick fo| his lodgings and in about
an hour or so, returned full clnsel, followed
by a strapping nigger, trundling a
wheelbarrow fuii of the real ginooine
toot!) powder, warranted sound, made hv
9 ?j
himself, no mistake. The t? n gross eere
all cmiiited nut, rash paid and the bill receipted,
in less than no time.
The teller sonubadvertised his new tooth
powder, and the gals and young fellers,
and sonic of the old ones too, were soon
round him as thick as crows round a dead
lio.se.?hut in a few hours, things began
to look little blue. His customers ratnc
back in crowds, complaining that his boxes
woult *nt open. lie took ane, and
pulled and tugged, and twisted and screwed
it, bur all to no purpose. The top
and bottom stuck as light to one another
as A tint limit's nut cakes slick to the teeth.
At last, getting out of all patience, he
laid it on the floor, took the store hatchet,
and smashed into the top, full split. This
soon let the cat out. All the boxes, excepting
the sample, were made of one
. I .1 . . I e i
s'miii suck ci neech wood, the top and
boilom all in one, with no holler in the
middle, and a small hair stroke of the chisel
outside to look like a joint. As for
tooth pow der, as there was no place to
put any, there wasn't any there. *Darn
the yankee tin p? illar,' snj's the feller, 'it
1 don't he into him uilh a thousand of
brick!' But the chap was among the missing.
He had pulled foot for Baltimore,
and sold the rest of his tooth powder
there at ten dollars a gross: It was kinder
slippery, and he ought to have been
well lathered tor it: hut then the MnrL-^t
street feller was como over about the
sleekest.
Judicious Fxtkavagance.?The deceased
Count Bid, one night at the cider celler,
told a friend that he had intended to
leave twenty pounds to he spent at his funeral
; which induced the other to ask him
if the money was to be spent going or
returning ? Bid good humoredly replied,
<4 to be sure, for when you return
I shunt buhWtiryou,"