two Hollahs vv.n aVnttm. y " GOJLVA^^ COUNTRY. always in adVanck.
" VOL UM B 8. SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY 2, 1875. NUMBER 16
THE SEK J KANT.
v Memo Morrison was tint hminicst
lassie in 0* Rurnfnot?n>. at least, said
?11 the male portion hf the community;
the women were not quite so sure about
. it; some of them hintin-r that -ho was
red haired, others saying plainly
enough that she was a pale fatted, up
setting thing, that didna k^n him t.?
come mto the kirk tor pride; and what
was she, aftir all. but just auld J dm
Morrison the bedral's daughter.
- Memo' teas a boiiuie lassie,.and s!?e
had been bingiihirlv fortunate; she ha !
been a good and faithfttl servant f'oi
some years to nu old maiden lady; who
had lately died, at the time our story
opens; and she had left Menic most ol
her wardtobf, and ?C10 in mimey, which
,' was accounted quite a Ibrtuu ? at uuru
foot. Moreover, she ?ra? gniuj; t? Ij
married to Richur 1 l'h unps-m, the
young blacksmith in the village, a
steady, well-doing lad. with a good busi
ness und a ci inlortable Imuse .t his <>wu
His mother lived with htm; a.id lit eh o
had promised to his lather on his death
bed that the old woman shuulJ til ways
find u home with him. To most youug
women this would have beeu a dn.v
buck, but Menic liked Ritchie all the
better for his kindness to his mother,
keeping iu mind the old proverb that,a
good son aye makes a good husonud
Now Ritchie had one liiiiing that had
already brought hint into .-o ne serious
Httapc?he was trt-uioudnusly j'ul.iu ?;
he thought that every man that even
Jot ked nt Menic must bo in love with
her; and as sho was by no means disin
clined lor u little fun and flirtati in, iu
n quiet way, poor Ritchie had his hand<
full. He guve Sandy Mas in, the young
itiillcr up the water, two black eye- lor
lingering about her father's house cue
evcn'ug, trying to get speech of her;
and a smart young Irishman, who ha 1
lately C-?Di? t? th? Vliiagvj ?i?Viiig said
in Hitcbic's hearing that he had a go-id
mind to try to put the "comcther" on
her (whatever that might be"), he there
nnd then gave him such a thrashing n?
quite satisfied him, although he was
an Irishman.
At the time our story opens it is the
jncuth of May, and Ritchie and Meuie
had agreed to be married about. Mich
aelmas, when Mrs. Gordon, ouc of good
Dr. Leslie, the miutstor's daughters
arrived at the mause with three child
rcn aud a nursemaid. Her husband, a
captain in a rcgimout of foot, was nuur
,, tered in the neighboring town of L -
with a rccruting party. As the eo -
tage in which Miss Graham, Menie s
late mistress, had lived, was to let.
furnished, Mrs. Gordon tojk it for
three months; nnd Mcnie, after some
persuasion, for she was busy with hci
providing, agreeing to serve her for that
time. Ritchie was greatly annoyed at
this, as the Captain had a smait s ddier
servant coming about the place; and
that he should ever speak to Menio was
more than could be borne.
The household at Hose Hank Cottage
cousibted of Mrs. Gordon, ,hor three
children, Katy the nursemaid, and
Menic. There was also a splendid I'd
low of a cat, which a ee-jeant of the
regiment hud given the eldest boy; it
whs named after the donor, Serjeant
Mncdonuld, and was a great favorite
with everybody. Howovor, since the>
came to Hose Hank ho had got into
dissipated habits, insisting on going out
nt night and staying till morning, ami
then scratohing at tho window of the
room where Mcnie slept to be turned
in.
"Menio, I cauna ataud this," said
Ritchie one evening as they were part.
Jog at the littlo gate behind tho cottage,
"yo mnun leavo this and come hatuo.
What rieht has that fallow to speak to
. you iu that manner ?" alluding to the
soldier servant who had just gone iuto
^ the house, and had passed somo joko
with Monie.
"And what for should I gang hame?"
said Menio; "are yo losing your seuses
/entirely, Jlitohio ? Suroly, man, yo
canna be jealous o' me wi1 that fellow
a common soldier. Look here," (point
ing down tho garden), "there's a wise
like fellow o' a tattie-boglej I thin k
yo'll be turning jealous o' him next."
"Ye'ro an impudent cutty, Menio,"
taid Ritchie; "I wonder that I fash my
Bel' about ye. Hut is that chlold that
gaod in the urto j ust a common soldier ?
1 thocht it wad he him."
"Na its no tho serjeant," said Menio,
laughing, '7/c is a braw follow; there's
no money like him "
Mis he often here !" said Ritchie.
"Oh. yes," said Mcuie, ''he maistly
stays bore; wo conldna do without the
serjeant. Frtie the mistress dowu we're
a' fond u' the serjeant "
? Is he a married mao ?"said Ritchie
1 I d'nna think he is." says Meuio,
laughing signing, '-but ye nei'dnu put
down your bros and stock your fists thn
gate. llitchio, if you hurt the Aerjeiiut,
1 could never speak to you anain; but
f>uid nicht, lad. it's time I was iu."
Ritchie gacd hatno that ni.dit with
his bend in a whirl; ho would not tasto
tlti*supper his mother hid preptrcd for
him. This wus the worst business yst:
a serjeant?a braw follow, as she had
??ailed him- living under the same roof
with Menie; it was dread I ol; hv- was
nearly in a fever before morning. His
two apprentices had a bad time of it
next, day; everything went wroug with
Uifohia.
Although he had detennined that he
would not go noar Meuie thtt nij;llt. b.t
got so rcs h.'S't about dusk that he
thought ho wonl 1 >;,i uttil liok iboit.
and perhaps he might get a glimpse ol
this magnificent Berjeaut. Just as he
go' to the b tck gate be heard voices
d.iwu tbe wall;, and presently Me ?ie
and a female friend ol her's came out
tie had drawn back among some bushes, j
so they did nut see him.
'?Wool, good nicht, \Ieoic," s.iid ihe
friend; 'I niu sorry that I have not
seen the Eerjeaht."
'?The Serjeant's a rascal,'' said Menie;
"he will gang out at uuht, and he'll b*
Co tiling to my window rattling at a' the
hours in the morning, and of course I
.vu.ruYw ti^e.anj lot h' ti in."
"To should learn him bittor m i i
tiers." said fii'n' friend, g'dug down the
road laughing.
Meuie stood for some minutes loojc
inj? down the road very wistfully and
then turned in at the gtrito with a heavy
high Ritchie's heart began to be it,
Was it 'or him or the scarjeiut she w.-ia
bok ug iu that weary way? lie under
stOiid from what be had heard that the
serjeant was out, and was expse'ed to
come in during the nij'ht, so he was
determined he would see him. and have
it out with him some way or another j
Nuw, it so happened that tjoptain
tlordon had promised to conic out from
Ij - to tho cottage that same even
.ng; and although he bad been unavoid
ably detained till it was late, still h i
was anxious to keep his word, and he
set off to walk in the soft moonlight of
that May evening. It to>k him longer
to walk than he 1 nd anticipate 1, and it
was very late indeed when ho got t ) the
cottage. He did not wish to d isturb
Mrs Gordon or the child inn by ringing
the bell so ho went quietly round to the
back, to tho win low o f Meuio's room,
and tapped gently.
"Wha'a there." said Menie terrified.
"It's just me, Menie, luy dear," said
tho captain; 'lot tue Iii quietly."
"Will she ?" said a voice behind him;
and ho found himself lifted off the
eround and shaken as n do^ would shake
a rat.
The captain, although, taken it a dis
advantage, was a strong man. a id stru-?
gled mmfully with his assailant, but he
was getting the worst of it.
''I'll learn you to eomo to Menio's
window that way, you iufern il villain,"
said Ritehe. "What business havo you
hero, I would like to ken ?"
"I think I may rather ask you that,"
said the captain, struggling to get.
breath.
"Oh, Ritchie," said Menio, running
out, "havo you gono mad a'thogethcr '(
It's tho captain 1"
"The captain f" said Ritchie in
amazement, letting him go; ''1 thocht it
was tho serjeant. '
"The sorjoiiit, you great go ueril,"
said Menie.
" .hat. is tho noauin * of alltlii?,
Menio!" said the ojptaiu. 'and what
serjeant do you allude to ?"
"Hero he conies to speak lor iii.u
sei'," said Menio, as an imuieuso rod
cat stalked around the coraur ol the
house; "here's the sorjoaut. Uitdiie; I
am euro you will bo mair joalous than
ovor now that you havo seen him."
Poor Ritchie stood utterly dum foind
ed as the captain, now seeing through
tho afluir. burst into laughter.
"I will leave you to mako your poacc
with Menic," said he; "but oh, man. to
be jealous of a cat!"
Ritchie did make his peace with
Menie; nud in due time they married.
and a very happy couple they wero; and
if ever Ritchie showed the siighost in
clination to be jealous, the least allusion
to a cat or a serjeant brought him very
quickly to his sensos. I saw him a few
Sundays ago standing at the plate, an
elder of the kirk, as Menie, with half a
dozen children, passed on to their own
seat.? ZiidiCS (hen Journal.
- ? .--????
Pleasant Paragraphs
THE RUGO DOCUMENTS.
DT CLARA AUOUSTl'S.
I out up that night at tho Fox Pint
House, and studied out where I'd go
nes t.
I decided on Marysville Corners, iu
till State of New Jersey.
AI ore I sot out, T bought a couple
of feet of lightning rod to korry in my
pocket, for fear I should be struck by
Jersey lightning?which [ ara told is
as thick as blackberries in that region.
To Marysville Corners lived a ' man
and a brother.' of the culh-red perswas
sion who had been a l> S. 'An at
Inched 15. S..' so Iiis letter sod.
His name was Sambo Gumbo Wash
ingtOn Esquire.
Me was aged one hundred and two
dud four months, iIe had his eyesight
and his hearing, and his speeches, and
all his other senses and masons, as par
fietly as a boy of sixtoeu, who is jest
beginning to hanker after something to
lu'&Vehig whisker*, grow.
It took nie two days to git to'^larylP"
villo Corners, and when I got there I
inquired for Mr. Sambo Gumbo Wash
ington Esquire at the depot. They
didn't know him! Never hoerd of hitu !
I was shocked ! The ideo of anybodys
being so onregineratttd at to livo clus<
t>y a 15ody Servant of the late lament ;d
t;Gorge, and not l:u ?w hint !
1 groaned iu aggony of sperit, but
then I took comtort, as the well known
p.sMdge of Scripter cum iuto my
mind :
",\ piofit Is not without honor savo iu his
own country."
I consulted Mr Gumbo Washing
inn's apis!le to me. and found that he
lived on the llo<; Holler road ?th o next
house beyond the skulo'u.s. So I en
quired for the Bog Holler road, aud
trudged onwards, musing onto the on
gra'cfulucss of republicks in gitieral
and of the State of New Jersey in per
tiekarlar.
I soon com to the skulo'us and seod
M r? < \ utnbo's house jest ahead. Etwas
small and umblu, and had a couple of
dirty looking dogs on tho dnorstep. anl
two more a sotting on a wheclcarrer
cluss by.
All of 'em cum at me a1* I arri", but
I laid rouno mo with my ambrill, a.id
they collapsed with their tails at half
mast.
A youngish man answered my
k nock
He was as white as anybody, but he
sed he was Gumbo's great grandson
Hosed they had bin ixpecting me, and
his granther was very onputioot for me
to cum, seeing as he thought I might
givo him a trifte, as bo was very poor.
He didn't chaw, nor smoke, nor drink,
but he took peppermint drops, an 1 he
was about out of 'em. Pepperiniut was
his grauthcr's wust failing !
I givo him a quarter,and he sod bo'd
go and prepare the old man for to re
oeive nie.
L sot down on a bug of corn, and
looked around mo Evidently Mr.
Gumbo waiu't overburdened with the
kind of riches that moth and rust doth
corrupt, which Ehler Jones is so fond
of telling about when he wants a dona
tiou of dome of that same kind of u >r
ruptible property.
1 hero wasn't much l'uruituro except
the dogs ainre.-aid, and a oouplo of disa
bled cheers, and a tablo made, by put
ting a shed door onto a flour barril.
Pritty soon a womau cum in, and sod
grautrer would nec tuo notr, and I foj
tared her into an inner room, where
tto venerable B. 8. was ingaged in
nading the Bible upside down. I wan
teltoask him why he proferrod to
roid that way, but I fourboro, for fear
it,wouldn't be respectful to his great
age.
|'Io was the oldest looking man 1
evpr seed. His hair was white as snow
ant his face was blaok and shiny, and
heiworo green goggies as big as sar
co^s.
? Granther,' sez the young woman,
'hare is Mrs Perkins that you sent tho
let[cr to. She's come to see you about
Mttster Washington.'
|Ay, ay !' sez the B. S , shaking bis
1*11 warrant it! That's what
cvjrybody comes to see oio Gumbo il
it Worn't for dat interest, dcy's all got
in ipLissa Wash'n'lon '
dy aged friend,' sez I, 'do you en
good health ?'
?|Ves, I jist does dat, misses, tank de
head,
Lorjd '
'Ifou arc a pio
pious man, be you?'sez
1
'so a brand pluejjcd from de burn
missis.'
yhat kind?' soz I, 'Methodist or
5& V
IcfodisV
vnd you was a servant to George
Washington ?' sez I.
il es, missis, and a good mossa he was.
too. Neber scolc, nebcr swear, ucber
do no^in'- Allers prayed troe times a
day.iind iu loul weather lour times,
lettii ig alone Sundays, wheu it was uuf
fin'c 00 but pray and sing all di ti ne .
Ah,* nissis, dem was great times down
in oil 1 Vaginny.'
"JJ ;d he have many other servants V
bcz \\
?Heaps ob 'cm,' sez he: bat no body
servants but dis chile. None it all,
bress M?LlLJ
mjo mm?' -^^J-^
harnsum as a pictur'. IIil eyes
aud hnir was black as dc wing of a
crow?'
'Black ?' sez I. 'I oilers heerd he
bad blueish gray eyes.'
'Nebcr had nuffiu' of do kind. Guess
1 know, llaiu't L seed 'cm snap when
he was ixeitod ?'
'Did he ever get mad ?' sez E.
'Nebber !' sez he; 'only excited.'
'How did you amuso yourselves iu
them days ?' sez I
'Uh , we chased 'possums, aud picked
cottou over, aud danced iu the eben
iugs. Golly; missis! if dis chile warn ,t
so pious he eoul.1 show you jist how dat
dancing did kick up !'
'Twon't do no hurt !' sez I; uot a
mite ? They danced in the Bible, you
kuow !'
'So they did.' sez ho 'Ann Marier,'
to the woman, 'do you 'spose Elder
Hungry would eher find it out if I
should jist shave her down a little?'
'Don't be so cattish, Granther ?' soz
Ann Marier, pitting him on the hjad.
The old man he got up, ballnn ting
himself on his cane, and having cleared
the floor by kicking two of tho atorj
said dogs inty the lire place, aud tother
one under the bed, he began for t) trip
j tho 'light fantastic.'
Tor a man aged oue hundred and
two, he went it lively, und L was jest a
going to clap mv bands and yell for
Ann Gore, as they do in theatres, when
one o! them dogs in trying to shy out
of the door, with tho eat iu his iinuth.
held by the scruff of her nuek? soinehow
gut himsclt tangled up with the legi of
the B. S., and the vonerable man cum
down ou the lloor kerswash !
And as he fell, his while hair and his
green goggles rolled oft, and the black
was wiped off from oue aide of his faco
and left a white streak?und my gra
cious me ! Cum to git a good look at
him, it was tho identicle young mm
that had cum to the door when I had
rapped.
1 was dumbfounded, an 1 s:ood still,
froz to the spot.
Youm, J. It. Perkins.
A ten year old girl in Wood county,
Ohio, weighs 2d5 pounds.
Ovor one quarter of tho State of
Minnesota has been given to railron ds.
The Emperor ot Russia will visit En
gland in Aptil
A pri/.n Brahma hen was sold recent
ly at a poultry show, in Buffalo, for
?75.
The Christmas Legend.
It was Christmas Eve. The night
was very dark and the snow falling fast
as Hermann, tho charcoal burner, drew
his cloak tighter nround him, and the
wind whistled fiercely through the
trees of the Black Forest. He had
been to carry a load to a castlo near,
and wob now hastening homo to his lit
tle hat. Although ho worked very
hard, he was poor, gaining barely
enough for the wants of his wifo and
his fuur little children. Ho was think
ing of them, wheu he heard a faint wail
ing. Guided by tho sound, he groped
about and fouud a little child, scunbtily
clothed, shivariug and sobbing by it
self iu the snow.
'Why, littlo one, have they left
thee here all alone to face this cruel
bias t r
The child answered nothing, but look
ed piteous!}- up in the charcoal-burner's
face.
'Well, I canuot leave thee here.
Thou wouldst be dead before the morn
ing.'
So Faying, Hermann raised it iu his
arms, wrapping it in his cloak and warm
ing its little eold hands in his bo3om
When he arrived at his hut, he put
down tho child and tappod at tho door
which was immcdiatejy thrown opeu,
and the children rushed to meet him.
'Here, wife, is a guest to our Christ
mas Eve supper,' said he leading in the
little one, who held timidly to his fin
ger with its tiny hand.
?And welco.no he is,' said the wife.
?Now let him come and warm himself
by the ft re.'
The children all pressed arJiiad to
welcome and gase at the littlo new com
er. They showed him their pretty fir
tree, d .-eorated with bright colored
lamps iu honor of Christuna Eve, which
tJ^Ngflod jflptber had eudcavored to
I make a fen? foe the^ch\1d^o^T?B^i'*
. _ ??
they sat down to supper, each child
contributing of its portion for the guest
looking with admiration at its clear,
blue eyes, and golden hair, which shine
soastosheda brighter light in the
little room, and as they gazed, it grew
into a sort of halo round his bead, and
his eyes beamed with a heavenly lustre.
Soon two white wiogs appearc 1 at his
sbouldec, aud he seemed to grow lar
gor and larger, and then the beautiful
visiou vauished spreading out his hands
as in J bencdi tion over them. Herman
and his wife fell on their knoos, ex
claiming, in awe struck voices. 'The
holy Christ child :' and then embraced
their wondering children ia joy and
thaukluloess that they had cutcrtaiiieJ
the Heavenly Guest.
The next moruiug, as Hcruvinu pass
ed by the place whore hi h id found
the fair child, ho saw a cluster of love
ly white flowers with dark grcui loavos,
looking as though the suow itself had
blossomed 11 ermann pluskc-J soaie,
and carried them revcrvntly ho:uc to
his wife aud children, who treasured
the fair blossoms, aud landed them care
fully in rcniembrace of that wonderful
Christmas Eve, calling them Chrysan
the mums* and every year, as the time
came round, they put aside a portion of
their feast and gave it to some poor, lit
tie child according to tho words of the
Christ: 'Inasmuch as yo have dorn it
unto one of the least of these my breth
reo, yo have done it unto me.'
The Guardian Rat
In the ''early days," San Fraucisco
was completely overrun with rats. It
was a common thing to see them run
ning through the streets in every direc
tion. I have often heard a " '19-cr"
tell of his experience with one, and I
have every reason to boliovo in the
tvuthfulnoss of his statement. His placo
of business wus ou a wharf, somowhore
noar what is now tho corner ol Mont
gomery and Washington streets, a loca
tion very favorablo to tho species of
rodent under discussion. As was very
common iu those days,, uiy iuf'ormint
slept in t he store. Thcro were numer
ous traps set to oatch rats, and ono day
on entering his placo of busiucss, Iub at
tention was called to an immoaao gray
rat struggling in a trap. Some sudden
impulse Beized him to sot it at liberty;
ho said he thought its apparont a-o air
vfcnerablo appearaooo ioflucuood htm
Wbcn freed, it did not immediately
leave bis presence, bat remained for
some time, and accepted food from his
hands. Aller this tho rat put in an
eppearance daily, always receiving food
and mnkiug demonstrations' of pleasure
at his presence.
Ono night ho was awakened'from a
sound sleep by a gentle but impetuous
scratching of his head. Ho was at first
alarmed, thinking it a supernatural
visitation, but recovering himself ho'sot
about ascertaining tho source of his dis
turbance. At this time his attention
was drawn to a noise that ho was soon
convinced was caused by an attempt to
file u strong bolt by which the door-was
secured in addition to tho look. Rising
softly he put his revolver to the.key
hole and fired, an exclamation and a
groan told that execution had been done.
Ou lighting a candle he discovered hia
friend, the rat, sitting on his pillow and
wuggiug his tail with every appearance
of extreme satisfaction. Daylight re
vealed a pool ot blood, and tracks show
ing that a body had been removed by
more than one person, and by following
up tho case ifc was ascertained that a
well-arranged plot to rob anl murder
had been frustrated by timely warning
of the old gray rat.
_ J _ HI
How He Started Out
LTenry J. Raymond, member of Con
gress, Lieutenant Governor of the .State
ot New York, bui better known as the
founder and editor of the New York
Times, was tho son ot a poor farm3r.
At the ago of twouty ho graduated at
the University ol Vermont. His father
wa uted him to go to work on the farm.
Rut young Raymond had no inclination
for farming. He felt if he could get a
start in New York City, that ho had ha
bits of industry and the brains which
would ooablo him toJ^gs?l Moved by
i l.
throe hundred dollars by mortgaging
tho farm, aud with that sum the future
journalist went to tho city. Th'ore ho
studied law, taught school, wrpte for tho
newspapers, and was tho first person, it
is said, to writo regular letters from New
York to the country journals.
Horace Grecley, about that timo,
started the Now York Tribune, and be
ing acquuiutod with Raymond, invitel
him to do bis writiug in the office. For
some months ho wrote at his borrowed
desk, when, receiving a liberal offer to
teach school in tho South, he detormin
od to accept it. Thanking Mr. Greeley
for his mauy courtesies, ho iuformad
hi.n of his iatended departure.
"I don't think," said tho kind hearted
editor, who, liko Raymond, was then
struggling for breal and a position,
"thcro's any particular use of your going
'way down there, Henry. You ought to
do as well here, and New York's a bettsr
place for you. How rauoh aro you to
get for teaching ?"
"Ten dollars a woek, and I c.in't earn
as much hero." . .. ? ? <,(
"O, well, you'd better stay. Writo for
the Tribune) I'll givo you eight dollars
a wcok." . , 1 ,
A man of seedy appearance ontarol a
beer saloon in Savannah, called for a
glass of lager, drank it, and as ho starte 1
to go out, without paying for it the pro
prietor culled his attention to his mis
take. The man turned around and very
coolly said : "My dear sir, T nWer pay
for any thiug I drink?ihot's the kind
of a man Tarn !" Whereupon tho irate
proprietor procccdod to kiok him out
saying: "Got out of here yob mean,
contemptible swindler?that's tho kind
of n man T am !M
Half the discomfort of life is the re
suit of getting tired of orraolves
Thee who havo truo light in them
solves seldom become satellites
v? hen a London Times dies, that
paper says nothing of it.
~ Why is a side aaddlo like a four quart
jug ? Bccauso it holds a gallon.
If Worcester spells Wooater, whj
does uot Gloucester spell Qlooator.
Tho editor of tho Cape Ana Advor
tiscs says that a olean shirt is,ono of wa
mans best Sifts to man.
? lMuok and patience are a strong firm
in transacting the.daily badness of
life.