University of South Carolina Libraries
lEIectioncrefug Iii a Back Kooni. The parties who were engaged in the following conversation are both candi dates for the next Legislature, and each con?dcnt that bo will win. For the sake of couveuienco we shall call one Quartz and the other Crusher. Tho placo in which the interview took place is n small ten by twelve room. Quartz?r"I have been watching for a chance to have a chat with you ior some time, Mr. Crusher, but the Argus ?eyes of these devils around here have been fixed so closely upon me that 1 found it next to impossible to do so without being caught. You see these follows about this place, hangers-on, knowing that I am a strong man, arid feared by the lessjr constellations which adorn the political sky, would give anything for the least information from me iu regard to my propo cd plan of campaign. They want it and would make money out of it by imparting 'he same to my small fry-opponents. You understand. Now to business. I sup pose, Mr. Crusher, you are aware of the fact that I am a candidate for the Legislature ?" Crusher?"Yes, ami so am I. Certain men have bad office long enough, and I intend to give some of them h?II if they dare to offer themselves " Quartz?(Somewhat excited), "YVelli that's just it?the very thing [ wanted to lind out*. There are live members to ' be elected to the House, and if you an i ;.'? 1 ,ci?u ague upon i-ome plan und work together, wc will bo t.vo of them/'" Crusher? (In a business like manner ). That will do very well to talk here, but bow do 3'ou know that you und I will be successful provided we coalesce '! Have you caimissed the chances ? QuXirtz?"Months ago. and I tell you, ngain there is no doubt about the matter." Crusher?(Rlill unwilling to jump at conclusions,) -'How ore Hochimo, Van Dykts, Alphouso and Cuthbert'{ Do you t! ink j'ou con count on the Quartz?"Ob yes ! they will do 11113 thing in the world forme. NY by they have proffered to spend money in my favor." 1 Crush r? "You say you ure sureoftiiu tnppoi t of Ynn Dydes and Cuthbert." Quartz?"They may not support mo ns strongly as the other two j but thuy? will help what Llittle they can. They hnvin't got much in llucncc you know an}' way." Crushir?"Well, Quartz, you must have been successful in getting thosu fellows in a lively mood before they made you all these promises. They are usually very cautious and reserved." Quartz?"Never so with me. M\ relations with them huve been very inti mate. I know all their secrets, and can command them if I wuut to." Cnnhci?"1 begin ((/understand you now. They've done something thny, would not like for the public to know, and will help you along to keep your mouth shut. Is that it?" Quartz?"Yes. Now comp and let u. jigrco upon some plan. ]ly coalescing ' wo will unite our forces, and thus coin bined, wo could weed out the small frv .of a half dozen Counties like this. Critf-hcr?"I'll think the matter over :nud let you know to-morrow." Quartz?Well, if you do that rcuteni !bcr that mum is the word. Here those two politicans separated, ?Cithcr said to himself, as he was going diomc, "Now bo i3 a pretty fool to think ibo can play lu'3 gum game off on me die wnuts my influence. He shan't dinvo it. All the men ho mentioned Ibtlong to my clique, and I control them J intend to tell them too Low ho hints iat their soercts. lie's got no iofluou jo ? and wauts other men to carry him. 1 wont do it" Quartz was left by himself and soli Joquized thasly?'-Woll, I've gained -one point by talkitig with .that fool ?Crusher. He's .not on my aide, I Fee ?that. What a fool I was for saying any ?thing to him about what I know, Bit' iif ho to'Is any body I'll deny it. My ?word is as good, ns his. To-morrow >whon ho comes I'll tell bim I have ?changed iny mind. What use'have I ;got for bin? .any how whon IJochimc, ?VaniDykes, Alphuso und Cuthbort havo sworn to stund by mo?" Can any of our readers tell us who i* ahead 7 nnd who Bochiuo, Van Dykes Alphonso and Outhbcrt have lied to 'i Will friend Roarer at Branch ville solve the problem for us ? [For tiik "OnANiir.nnuiui News."] ' * Tito Emigrant Question. One who has had some experience as a laborer in the Noith, and as an Enii grant to tho South, would like to pay u few words iu connection with the sub ject of tho communication o( the Hoard of Directors in your last. Tho writ r supposes froin tho information given in that paper, that matters iu England nod the North are about tho same, with the diU'ernec, that the litter lias i longer working season, and higher wages arc given there. In an extract of a letter from N. Y., inserted a f?w weeks since the prices were set down at 1 2 to 81 ."> nor mouth. Could that price b.; offered here, except to an expert lab irer under the mobt lavorablo circumstance* V Tt is stated in thu iu formation l'ivei by the Board, that the farm hand-? take their meals in the kitchens. There in <y jbo gross misconception here if things be as at the North. Our idei of a kitclien here, is, a rickety "board or pole out house, with na^ol smoky sides and festoons of web and sop t hang ing from the rafters. At the North (and no doubt in Europe) tho kitoli en is a nicely liuished part of l.hc dwelling itself j adjoining, or under ncath tho family room ; a id i< pre frrcd sometimes by lab irers because of its unrestrained comfort and hilarity The advantage of, perhaps higher wages, with tho current of liuiigritiuu (offering even on tho route the Society of fatherland) that is sotting So strongly all uro in 1 u;> u >rth ol us, will bo difficult to oyorojma, ova.) if greater in lucotnents be offjrijJ here;' at every stopping point Emigrants are liable to bo switched off on to this beaten track. Another question is tho fare. Fro i) all ncooun's, the Oer mm and Ii iglisli lab ir. r live well, if not 1 ixu: i,>n!y Tlie article referred to gives when bread, cheese, bonus, Irish pptatoei (Tin most important) and meat, r/ith b:or and cider". Will hot most of us who live out of town acknowledge this (?>!>: pretty good living 7 Ye-;! Well. .Whit have we to offer Hi suhs itut.-s ! Wheit a very uncertain crop; clnosa titJ2"lots., p.^r lb?mark it out?boa us at 85 per bushel?mark it out, but suYuitute (fold) cow peas, at which many, to tho piny words born, turn up their noses. Metit enn bo purchased, like ckecso tin I flour, though at a very uncertain price; certainly not much will bo raised on the farms for some time, Beer and cider mark out. Iu tho spring, if he follow tho usage hero, the Inlf famish cd Emigrant, as we do, gets a few little baby potatoes, a half do/.c i to tli ? Sjoonful, eating as potatoes, m ich as :i calf a mouth old would oat lik j haul" As for the sweet pot a too crop, during the fall and winter, the now comer may cat at one cud of his potatoe, but thu rot will m.-ct him half way from the other, and he will have to (ju;t. Then comes tho scratch for the poor limi grant. The little money used up j corn bread (his ubiiorunce), very prevalent, All this eliminated, brings his bill of fare down to what it really is, with mo t families for several mouth-. 'J'lie de tested corn bread, bacon and ejil.tr Is cow peas, and a wormy tutiip. Will this be a happy exchange for his wheat bread cheese iV.c. No ! No duubt there uro those who may and will, thine the luxuries of their tables with the unaccustomed Milligram but will they lind it to pay '{ '1 ry, no body ivill be hurt. Tho Southern planters buvo boon, previous to tho war extra hospitable. '?A put your h<?r.-c in the corn crib, aud pile a stack of fodder on him p topic, " cau it be so now when tho mini of fifty bales goes out to drop the cow peas, that arc tu be his tubsisrauce, iu tho corn Held '/ Thu warm hand shako and tho kindly greeting arc still there but the aflluoncc is departed. "Ho ?fters you ids last potatoe, that a cold one" God grant that the Southern heart may never boor the,pony stamp. But all this has rcfcrcuco to family mcu only. Wo will suppose tho planter ' lias nil unexceptionable, young man. Hu is been in (ho habit of attending church services regularly, but as a side play (p drop iu to some one of bis sweethearts, or, if destitute for tho time to look one up. Very likely at every stilo ho meets and banters an acquaint auce on the same errand porhaps. If your help* be a fruulicn, s'ie, equally expects the dropping in. or the hunting lip, and if this has to be done over many miles ol piny woods road on foot, or on the baulky sore backed mule, it wilt surely at lastend in a liigcn. A.-; for society in the sous and daughters of the land?haven't they been to college ? ain't their diplomas hinging on the wall ? They would much prefer to waste their sweetness on the desert air. than to brighten the lonely life of a foreigner, belie never'so virtuous. All ibis may seem to be hiclovunt but it all goes io cither make, or nut make, a homo feel prevail. The Writer ventures to say lli it more workmen iiavc been driven tiWiy by the cross-cut, vixenish, look of dainty ladies, or the ioc-bcrg ntniosphcro of their pattern daughters; than frotu any other cause whatever,' "and unfortunately, it is an element which the .em pl?y or him self cannot, control. Now mark, to in ike the isolated Immigrant feel at home requires 'tlvc\ suavity, the kindness, and the I'.unilitir ity of the employer,'the"good nature.1 interest, and proffer ol assistance in wardrobe matters, from the mistress, and above all the simple, sweet man ncrcd co ivcr.-ution, and society, ojc isioti ally of the unmarried Com lies. 1) m't rasp him down Miss Arumitita with your imperious, "d >u't t itioh t he he.n of* my garments look." Don't bo afraii. It' bruin be rough atidshigiy he don't want to swallow you whole. Ainu.i? rytjursplf inuociiitdy with liisiV - l>r' o'c'nj (belter to make it not n icecssnry) 'twill please him and 'twill riot hurt you. Lf you have any d sire t > sosoii 1 the efforts of your fri t ids in the emigration scheme learn from one who knows lb it other things being ?qual, tho far.njr who has tho largest lamily of nmiub'i ilaughter.s is always the most successful in keeping work in "ti. Tlic._ poor I*jinigr.uit like a transp'un Lod shrub should I, - t-t.'sn <??,???/by his employer lor a while at least. The/c are a thousand annoyances, besides tho breaking upui'ull old associations; which with the addition of labor a ider a Southern son, ? "galling and i.ui ating. and for all whi.b the Km ploy r should make allowance < Irangebtirg d une 20lb 1 >->7 I. iM. I,. II. Wo publish the following letter from Count v Commissioner Smoiik. It is no! our desire to impale him upon his own petard, but in justice to ourselves it i but lair that weshoul Istnto that it was at Mr. Smoakc's own instance that we stated it lo be t lie dut) of the sub-'Com missioticrs to repair tins bridge*. Asto tho insufliency of tin; pay of County Commissioners, we shall say nothing except that it w is our op'ni mi lieYctofo o that men were ulcotod, no! that, they might get tbreo h in lr.-d d.dlurs p'jr annum, but to do their duty, [f we didn't act out four ye irs ago wh it we "preach" to day, it was because we ha 1 our friend Kd noitd us one of our inspectors of roads and biidgcs. Ott VNtsniiuitti, S. C dune 22rd, IS." I. To (tic Kilt I or of rite "Ordni/rbiiri/ Awrs." Sir:?In your last issue you hail ocenssion to comment very severely on the actions of the (lounty (loiniuissioncrs . stating that "noiuplnjuts come in thick nrid last concerning the eoadition ol the bridges." As the law now stands the County Commissioners are allowed compensation for one bundl ed days service per aim um , and it is impossible for us to visit all the Bridges in the County every week for such pay. ifeu further say that, "the County Commissioners must do their duty." In reply I wi'l say that, it wo Id have been tt benefit to the people of this County bad you said this about lour year.: ago and have acted out what you now preach. The presout Board ore all in ' this Comity and try to do their duty, and' wo" i?tend to remain here until their term of voffice expires, and not weary of their work until it is done. Respectfully. E. T. lt. SM OAK, Chairman Board Co., Cotn'rs; P.S. 'I will regard it as an especial favor should any one be aware of a bridge heeding repairs to notify the Hoard of tho fuels before complaining olfcew Iicq\ Under tho Foam. Scen nsi^LNi) Sketches From City Life. Tin' softened glow that lingers around the memories of youth is the comfort and harmincss of age. No life so drca ry but has had its pleasures?none so barren but the heart recalls some joyous? hours fragrant with recollections of by gone oays. The good ami pure and virtuous feelings that are borne with us* may have passed uwayj the heart mr.y ha Ye grown hard and rocky; the gene r"Us impulses stilled and subdued; yet, somewhere back on life's dreary pith way arc spots green in our memories; where llpwershavc grown in sweet mom oiial of agentler time. And t"f. those whose lives have boon free from wron&whn hive fought and strilg^cd bravely with the world and Ink! or W.oil its honors, the same senti ments belong. There is magnetism in recollection' No matter whether l*?e experiences we recall ho said or ? \. \ sant, l!ic mind reviews the incidents that cp'iue and Hit through revcry, as if thought possessed a strange, wierd beau ly that 110 experiences iu life Cou'd dis pel. Thfjs t 1 '"ile.eti ins naturally nri e in 1 leCiiTiing an incident of the lain war, j which ma) not inappropriately bj call < d hero. Tin: stouY or Tin: kino. It relates to a cireunistancc which oc currcd when tin old Medical college was a military prison. A party of young men?six. I believe?halb ci arres'.ed somewhere in the interior ul the stitc a'td brought to the city as prisoners of war. Months passed iu weary conflitc incut. Kxpcctation and '?hope*dcforrcd makes the heart sick," and these men i t ew weary of their long imprisonment. At last they concerted menus for escape They walked hopefully an t waited tin lionlly, aud the period of their delive rahec came at last. An oxcav.i lion un der the walls and a hribod guard was all there was of romantic interest in the llight. l!ut alter getting; faraway from the prison one of the fugitives stopped short and announced his intent ion of ! ret inning. '?Return !' cried his companions,'why you will be taken. The guard have "been changed ere this, ami our escape no doubt il iscovcred.' ??line," lie said, 'but stili I must re turn." So far the writer listened to the nar rative as it was related by one of the fugitives one night 11 ar the close of the war iu a quiet little house nestled among tin; Lexington hills. The narrator was the 1 cut re 1 fa scene of gaiety aud bright iiof-s, a village party, but one where mil tore and icfincmont was as noticeable as in the most brilliant gatherings in tin city. A lady sat near him listening eagerly to what lie said. liven after the lapse of so many years I can con jure now the beautiful visiion her inonio ry recalls. A classic lace, with grca' luminous eves, and a figure as faultless in contour ai d outline as the Medician \ onus. The face was sad, even in that scene of pleasure. The shadow of some great sorrow hung about her life, and all the ro-y hopes of llCV youth had laded iu their bloom. 1 had noticed an evident, constraint in her manners, w hen during the even ing she wsi3 brought in contact with .Mr. W., 0110 of the guests. They appeared to iiatuaily avoid each oilier; or rathsr he refraiiicd from paying attentions that he fen rod would be considered disagree.! hie. Anil yet gossips said they had once been lovers' 'Rut to return is death' I urged, upon my friend said the narrator. * Von will he shot if taken.' 'I know it,'he Baid, 'butstill I urn going back.' Tho. words were quietly spoken, but I there was an inflexible determination in their tone which almost appalled mo . I reasoned and remonstrated in vain. I showed him the certainty ofcapture and the po siblc death that, awaited him. It produced no impression. He listen ed to me quiet I)-, sadly I 'thought, but his resolve was unalterable. "lint why," I asked, out. of patience with his obstinacy, "will you incur this risk Y What reason, what necessity is there iu it'{' '?1 am going back for my ring," be said. At these words the eager listening holy started visibly, and her face flush cd scarlet. But the narrator did not perceive it, and went on with his sto ry:" 1 What ring V I asked?not th it little gold circlet 1 saw you woarjng?' 'Yes,' he said, it was the gift of a dear friend. I laid it aside as we were work ing under tho wall, lest I should break it, and in the hurry of escape I left it. We were scarcely outside of the wall when I thought of it, but I would not peril your escape by returning then. Now you arc sale, and I go bick for my ring.' 'But why peril your lit".: lor a triflo like that ;/ '1 told you it was the gift of n dear friend: h lady! It is the pledge of truth to her. If I lost or gave it away, she would bold mo foresworn jj If she saw me without it, I should stau 1 in her eyes a traitor. 1 look it on those coudi t'ons and 1 must go back.' There was no doubt of the lady's in tcrest in the narrative now. She lean cd forward in her chair. Her whole soul was absorbed in listening. Not a word, not an accent escaped her Etraiu ed and eager senses. My iutcrcst in Hie story bad given pluco.to my iuterast iii the lady. I never saw such intensity of feeling in my life 'I expostulate ! with him,' continued the narrator, 'I ridiculed the idea: ?What value is the ring? fell the la dy you lost it!' '.Not so he said, 'she could lb -n say 1 loved liberty and per sonal freedom better th in the gift she gave me.' ' A ud be ret urncd V It was the lady who asked tho qucs lion. Her voice was very low, a jdthe inquiry came with a cb iking utter a n co. 'He did, and served for his gains nine dreary months of "imprisonment, a soli tary captive with bill and chain.' 'And the ring!' We all demanded eagerly, lie di 1 tint find it'.' Kveu as we spoke, the lady rose from her seat and passed across the room to where Mr W was sitting. As quick ai thought it flashed upon us: these were the parties. I beard her say us she came close to his side, "l did not expect from you im possibilities. You should have tol 1 me the story.' The s;id mask bad dropped from her face. Her eyes were full of tears but not ?>f bitterness. It is useless to tell of the happy wed ding that ensued; of the joy an I merry making of the guests. Our fair red ors can imagine that. And so en is the story of the ring Tempers. Few n cu h ive sweet tempers, or hold such as they possess under invariable control, though there are mm who, with out this sweetness of nature, however much tried, never seem to lose their sjlf command. No public man can get on long who hn.? not bis temper well in band ; but with the same amount of inflammable particles, men differ much on the occasions that set firo to them Some people who are all composure when we might reasonably expect and justly excuse an explosion, will break down into peevishness or passing frenzy on slight provocations NVe have known men, quite remarkable for a well bred serenity, to be unreasonably and child ishly testy at some transient annoyance of a sort they are not usod to Highly sensitive organizations and intellects kept on the stretch arc always irritable DcQtiincy, who has no heroes, says that Wordsworth, with all his philosophy bud fits of ill-temper, though the Uu i sampled swoetuoEO of his wife's temper made it impossible to quarrel with hor The two great hymn writers and good Christians, Newton and Toplad, met but once, and for a few minutes, yet something passed?a trifling jest which upset Toplad's equanimity, and mode his parting words, we arc told by tho friend \y by-stander. not very courteous There ni e times when men think they do well to lie angry, and attri??te their display of ill temper to a holy impulse, while the observer sees only a common pet exposing itself at the most uusuitablo moment?at the failure of the efforts to attract and impress, perhaps to shioo Tho preacher is particularly subject to the temptation of an angry remonstrance uttered in '.his spirit It must be hard to fuel your best passages lost through the restlessness of school children or tho infectious inattcution of the sitiirins: galleiy, hut it seldom answers to allow tho chafed spirit its fling The parson may bo in a passion without knowing it, h.ut not {without the congregation being quite alive to it, and the remembrance of the scene will outlive every other effect of his discourse A Shorkiug Suicide. A WOMAN CUTS HER THROAT KilO.M EAR TO EAR. Wednesday evening just after tho factory,whistle blew for quitting time, our quiet town was thrown into a high pitch of excitement by the report that Mrs Robert Buchanan; the wife of a factory employee, had ceded her exis tenco by cutting her throat from car to car with a razor. Subsequent examina tiou proved tho report to be horribly trU'', aud those who< hastened to the scerlio found the unfortunate lady wol tcring in her o,wn blood. She had boon sick some two or three weeks with pneumonia, during which time mor phino had been given her to alleviate her pain and to satisfy the appetite she had previously forme! lor it, aud at one time was considered out of danger, although she was not as well oa thj day of hor death, as sho had been a few days previous, and on account of her peculiarly nervous and despondent tern pormont, and despito tho assertions of the doctor, her husbands anl friends that ialtc would live, she had become firmly impressed with tho idea that sho would never get well. About four o'clock she asked for two cigar boxes which were in tho room, and they were banded her without hs.Vt tatiou or a thought of thc'.r deadly con tents. She apparcntlp satisfied herself with their possession, and when hor husband came home from his work ha placed them iu their former positiou. .lust as the family were preparing to scat themselves at tho supper table, sho requested that the door between the dining room and her bad room be clos od, complaining of tho heat, which was promptly done, and a3 one of the ladies who were attending to the household duties was about seating herself at tho table she I card* a strange, gurgling noise, which caused her to turn and open the door, little dreaming of the blood curdling sight that would meet her sight. There lay Mrs. Buchanan iu the agonies of death, the blood flow ing from several veins. The alarm was immediately given, and a man dispatch cd for Dr. Sander of Marble Hill, but before he arrived she had breathed hor last, and hor trials nud troubles woro ended. After the deed, her actions of tho proceeding twenty four hours wore cast ly interpreted, and now, for tho first time, they woro mado awaro, of tho fact that sho had extracted a razor from one of the cigar boxes, and concealed it un til the room was vacated, when she mado the fatal stroke. The instrument did its work weli, and in twenty min utcs sho was a corpse. - i P..WII I ? - ? -Lll ? ? - llev. Mr. Tackier, a Baptist minister of Amcricus Ga*, having preached against Uuivcrsnlist as ."profane swear ers, gamblers, thieves, drunkards./ Mr. L. W. F. Andrews demands a re traction, and threatens if it is not fjrt.Hcoiuing * mithin. a month's time, to make it quite torrid Vor Mr. Fack ler. N V