The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, September 30, 1875, Image 1
?GRAY HAIRs.
It cannot be! Hold up the light
Close?the other way ^
Yes, child, your laughing guess was
right?
My hair is turning grr?y.
Among those tresses, long my pride,
A thread of silvery sheen
' Has dared audaciously to hide
Their rippling waves between.
Ah me! when youth and childhood j
.'seem. ,
Scarce-to have passed away,
'Tis sad to startle from one's dream
And find one's hair is gray.
I know the fire burns in my heart
Or flashes from my eye
As fiercely as it used to start
In days so long gone by.
I know I feel, I love, I hate,
As keenly as of yore;
I had not deemed it was so late?
Child age stood at che door.
"Life's hours seem more than ever full,
And joy crowns every day,
Yet o'er their current comes a lull?
My hair is turning gray.
Yon offer comfort, darling,?say
The silver lies alone;
Companionless it will not stay
Ere many months have flown.
Gray hairs you think a circlet bright
To crown a regal head;?
One used to praise their raven light
In halcyon evenings fled.
But ah"! that voice is silent now,
That form is laid away,
The lips are closed that used to vow
Long ere my hair was gray.
Well, let it come,?the silver sign?
I live again in thee;
Thy tresses are as surely mine
And still more fair to see,
For morning's gold is glinting back,
And morning's purples lie
Along my darling's sunny track,
Reflected in her eye.
What matter, since her young life
grows
More brilliant every day?
Her mother grieves not, though she
knows
Her hair is turning gray.
Ah well! the clouds have often rifts
Their masses dark between;
As suddenly the topmost lifts
A silver ray is seen.
It may be God draws back the clouds
And lets heaven's glory through
In silver lines across the shrouds
? That bar it from my view.
And I can hail his path of light
Which marks my upward way,
And so give thanks because this night
My hair is turning gray.
THE APOI.OGY.
Too late I stayed; forgive the crime ?
Unheeded flew the hours;
So lightly falls the foot of time
That only treads on flowers.
Ah! who with steady eye can mark
The ebbing of the glass,
When all its sands are diamond sparks
That dazzle as they pass ?
Or who to sober measurement
Time's happy fleetness brings,
When birds of Paradise have lent
Their plumage to his wings ?
The Character of Joseph Crews.
The Columbia Register draws the fol?
lowing picture of the late Joseph Crews,
which will be readily recognized by those
who knew him:
Lying back of the chronic quarrel and
embittered memories which might have
broken out any time in bloodshed or in?
stigated revenge, between Mr. Joseph
Crews aud his personal and political ene?
mies in Laurens, was a deeper cause of |
trouble, danger and embarrassment to
him as a public man. His position as
such was anomalous. He was entirely
out of place in having its honors and re?
sponsibilities to bear. We allude to it
without a particle of unkind feeling to?
wards him, living or dead, solely because
it is truth, and gives a key to some of his
many entanglements and personal and
political embroilments, and because
there are others in the State in a similar
awkward position, who may profit by the
facts and the lesson they teach.
Joseph Crews was shrewd, but not of j
the kind of shrewdness which benefit
one's fellow men. He had the milk of I
human kindness flowing in his veins, but
it curdled at the si ightest touch. He was
fenerous to his friends and dependents,
ut his nature was essentially piratical.
He created consternation on whatever
Bea he sailed his craft. The purposes,
the objects, the inspiration of his life,
were such as to bring him into conflict
with the best. and most stable interests of j
society. The men who sought to serve
it, who, if in publie positions, would place
duty and obligation of trust above per?
sonal emoluments and advantage, he in?
stinctively shrank from, disliked, and, if |
need be, persecuted. Such a man was
not fitted to take any conspicuous, honor?
able or just part in public affairs. He
could only enter into combinations for
mere gain. He had necessarily, and
as a matter of course, his sympathies and
antipathies, his spites and his ring pro?
clivities to indulge in, all turning mainly
upon their relation to his personal ad?
vantage. We are ready to believe, how?
ever, that even with such peculiar sus?
ceptibility to selfish influences and con?
stitutional exemption from such as would
qualify him for public usefulness, he was
to a considerable extent the victim or
foot-ball of circumstances. He had not
lived in an era of gross corruption, in
such times as brought obscurity into no?
tice, exalted chicanery and trick into
virtues, and made public men out of the
commonest and coarsest clay, he would
have escaped undeserved notoriety, per?
haps lived a better life, and died a more
peaceful death. Lifted into prominence
only by party and to serve mere party
and personal ends, he could never feel
easy in any respectable society, or enjoy
the confidence of any respectable commu?
nity. He was not in his place as a leader
of men, and necessarily gravitated to?
wards acquiring ascendency by any
means over the lowest a*nd most ignorant
classes, in order to secure a lever of con?
trol over the higher, who repudiated him.
He was consequently always in hot water.
He had victims to immolate, enemies to
puuish, friends to raise up and reward at
the expense of better men, and at the
cost of the public interests.
It is claimed for him that he was af?
fectionate in his family, and ready and
willing to lavish favors and kindnesses
upon his friends. We can well believe it
to be true. It is a great and redeeming
virtue. It is one which several of his as?
sociates in the public counsels, who fully
shared his defects and vices, do not pos
sesss. It would be well if they could see
this, and as speedily as possible withdraw
themselves from the public view. With
them the post of honor would be emphat?
ically a private station.
A PAWNBROKER'S STORY.
As a pawnbroker in a populous suburb
of London, I have had occasion to see
painful and sometimes not unpleasing
phases of society. Just to give an idea
of what occasionally comes under the
notice of persons in my profession, I
shall describe a little incident and its
consequences. One evening I stepped
to the door for a little fresh air and
look about me for a moment. While
was gazing up and down the road I saw
tidily-dressed young person step up
our side door. She walked like a lady?
and let me tell you that in nine cases out
of ten it's the walk, and not the dress
?which distinguishes the lady from the
servant girl?and first she looked about
and then she seemed to make up her
mind in a flurried sort of way, and in
moment more was standing at our conn
ter holding out a glittering something
a little trembling hand covered with
worn kid glove.
My assistant, Isaacs, was stepping for
ward to take the seal, when I came m
and interposed. The poor young thing
was so nervous and shy, and altogether
80 unused to this work, that I felt for her
as if she had been my own daughter
almost. She couldn't have been abov
eighteen years old?so frail and gentle
creature.
"If you please, will you tell me," she
said timidly, in a very sweet, low voice
trembling with nervousness, what is the
value of this seal ?"
"Well, miss," I said, taking the seal
into my hand and looking at it?it was
an old fashioned seal, such as country
gentlemen used to wear, with a coat of
arms cut upon it?"that depends upon
whether you want to pledge it, or se II it
outright."
"I am married, sir," and she said the
words proudly and with dignity, though
still so shy, and seeming ready to burst
out crying; "and my husband is very
ill?and?and?" And then the tears
wouldn't be kept back -any longer, and
she sobbed as if her poor little heart
would break.
"There, there, my dear," I said to her
"don't cry; it will all come right in
time;" and I tried to comfort her in my
own rough-and-ready way. "I will lend
you, ma'am," I said to her at last, "a
sovereign upon this seal; and if you
wish to sell it, perhaps I can sell it for
you to advantage." And so I gave her a
pound; and she tripped away with a
lighter heart, and many thanks to me
and I thought no more of the matter at
the time.
The very next day, the day before
Christmas, there came into our place of
business a very eccentric gentleman, who
had called upon us pretty often before,
not for the sake of pawning anything,
though he was dressed shabby euougli
to. But he was a collector?one of those
men who are mad upon old china and
curiosities of all soils.
"Anything in my way, to-day, Mr.
Davis V he said, in his quick, energetic
manner, with a jolly smile upon his face,
and putting down the cigarette lie was
smoking upon the edge of the counter.
The Rev. Mr. Broadman is a collector of
gem's, and rings, and seals, and, in fact,
of any stones that have heads or figures
upon them. And I had been in the habit
ot putting aside for him whatever in this
way passed through our hands, for he
gave us a better price than we should
ave got for them at the quarterly sales.
"The fact is, Davis, he said to me, "these
things are invaluable; many of them are
as beautiful, on a small scale, as the old
Greek scriptures; and some of them even
by the same artists. And they are made
no longer; for, in this busy nineteenth
century of ours, time and brains are too
precious to be spent on these laborious
trifles." Now, although I had no stones
of the kind he wanted just then, it en?
tered into my head that I would tell him
about the seal which had come into my
possession the evening before.
I told him the story somewhat as I
have just told it to you. He listened at?
tentively to all I said. When I had
done, he looked at the seal and said "I
observe that it has the heraldic emblem
of a baronet." He then congratulated
me upon the way in which I had acted.
He asked, too, for this young lady's ad?
dress, which she had given me quite cor?
rect, and then he left the shop without
another word.
You must give me leave to tell the rest
of the story in my own way, although it
may be a very different way from that
which the reverend personage employed
in relating it to me afterward.
It seemed that it was a runaway match.
A country baronet's son had lallen in
love with the clergyman's daughter in
the village where his father lived, and
they had run away together and got mar?
ried. Then they came up to London,
these two poor young things?for neither
his father, nor her's either, for that mat?
ter, would have anything to say to the
match?he, full of hopes of getting on
in the literary and artistic line, and she,
poor creature, full of trust in him.
The project of living by literature did
not turn out what was expected. The
young fellow, without experience or
friends, spent much time in going about
from one publisher to another, and send?
ing his writings to the various magazines
?which I need not say were always "re?
turned with thanks." And then ho fell
ill; typhus, I fancy, brought on by in?
sufficient nourishment, and bad drainage,
and disappointed hopes. The registrar
general dosn't give a return of these
cases in any list that I am aware of; but
we see something of them in our line of
business, nevertheless.
It was just at this time that Mr. Broad
man found out Mrs. Vincent; for that
was the name of the young lady who
came to my shop with the gold seal.
Cambridge Terrace is not very far from
the Angel at Islington, and there, in a
little back-street of small, respectable
houses, inhabited by junior clerks, with
here and there a lodging house, Mr. and
Mrs. Vincent lived.
They were rather shy at first of a
stranger, and a little proud and haughty,
perhaps. People who have seen better
days, and are down upon their luck, are
ant to be so. But the person with his
pleasant ways and cherry voice, soon
made it .ill right; and, in a jiffy, he and
Mr. Vincent were talking about college,
for they had both been to the same uni?
versity. And there was even soon a
smile, too?a wan smile enough?upon
the poor invalid's sharp-cut, thin face,
with the hollow, far-away eyes, which
looked at you as if out of a cavern, lie
was the wreck of a fine young fellow,
too; one who bad been used to his hunt?
ing and shooting, and all the country
sports which make broad-chestcuVstrong
limbed country people the envy of us
poor, thin, pale townsfolk.
Mr. Broadman came direct to me when
he left them, I did not live far off, and he
thought that I might lend them a neigh?
bor's help. "Davis," says he, "that poor
fellow is dying; I can see death in his
eyes."
"What is he a-dying of?" I replied.
He looked at me steadfastly a moment,
and I could see a moisture in his eye, as
he said, slowly and solemnly, "Of starva
tion, Davis?of actual want of food."
"A gentleman starving in London,
Islington, a baronet's son, too! Why
it's incredible."
"Not at all," said Mr. Broadman
"these are the very people who do die
starvation in London, and in all great
cities. Not the poor, who know where
the work-house is, and who can get at
the relieving officer, if the worst comes
to worst; but the well-born, who have
fallen into destitute poverty, and who
carry their pride with them, dive into
back alley, like some wild animal into
hole, to die alone. Mr. Vincent wants
wine and jellies, and all sorts of good
things; if help hasn't come too late. No
no, my friend," he continued, putting
back my hand, for I was ready to giv
my money in a proper cause. "No, no
I have left them all they want at present
Davis. But I'll tell you what you can
do; you can, if you like to play the good
Samaritan, go and see them, and cheer
them up a bit. Mrs. Vincent hasn't for
gotlcn your kindness to her, I can assure
you. And I think her husband would
like to thank you too, and it would rouse
him up a bit, perhaps." And then Mr
Broadman told me, shortly, something of
what these two poor things had gone
through?she, loving and trusting him
so; and he, half mad that he had brought
her to this pass, and could do nothing for
her.
Mr. Broadman wrote that very day to
the baronet, a proud, hard man, I'm told
But the letter he wrote back was soft
enough, and melting to read; it was so
full of human nature, you see?the
father's heart swelling up at the thought
of getting back his son; and bursting
through the thick crust of pride which
had prevented him from making the first
advances. And the parson says to me :
"Well, Mr. Davis," he said, "there are
many people kept asunder only for want
of somebody to go between them, you see,
and make peace."
And I said, partly to myself; "Why
shouldn't Christianity itself be such a
generous peacemaker as that?"
"Ay," replied Mr. Broadman, "if peo?
ple only believed in it properly."
That very day we got the baronet's let?
ter ; I was on my way in the afternoon,
to Cambridge terrace to pay my respects
to Mrs. Vincent?and I had sent in a few
bottles of good old pert wine from my
own wine-merchanf>?at least as good as
could be got for money or love. Well,
whe n I got near the door, I saw an old
gentleman walking up and down, a little
disturbed, apparently, in his mind at
finding himself in such a queer locality,
and as if looking for something or some?
body. A short, rosy faced fellow he was,
clean shaved as a piu, and very neat and
old-fashioned in his dress; with that
sort of air about him which marks an
English country gentleman wherever he
may be. Well, we soon got into a talk,
for I'd spotted the baronet in a moment,
and he was anxious to find out something
about his son, as soon as he heard I knew
a little of the young couple.
"And you do not think sir, that my?
that Mr. Vincent is dangerously ill?"
said the old baronet; and there was a sob
in his voice as he spoke, and his hand
trembled as he laid it upon mine.
"Here is the house," I said, "and you
ttill be able to judge for yourself."
We went in. At least the baronet
went into the room, trembling in even
limb with the excitement of seeing his
son. But when he set his eyes on him,
the poor old man was so startled that he
could scarcely speak. His son saw him
and tried to rise, but fell back feebly into
Ris chair. "Dear father," he murmured,
stretching out a thin, trembling hand,
"forgive-"
But the lather was on his knees by the
chair in a moment, clasping his son's
head in his arms, and fondling him as he
had done when the man was a baby.
'?What have I to forgive? You must
forgive me for being so hard, my dear
boy, and get better soon, Wilfred, my
son, my son I"
I had come into the room; I could not
help it, I was so interested and excited.
But I saw that in the young man's face
which made my heart sink in my bosom
like lead.
The young wife saw it too, and gave
one, two. three sharp screams, as if a
knife ban been thrust into her side.
Mr. Broadman saw it ; and quietly
kneeling down, commended to God?as
well as he could, for sobbing?the soul of
his servant departing this life.
And I?well, why should I be ashamed
to confess it? I knelt down too, and cried
like a child ; for the young man had died
in his father's arms at the very moment
of reconciliation.
A Lessox from Cabbage.?Every
one knows that cabbage will not grow
fast or head out well unless they are hoed
very often. Most have also learned that
this crop docs the best if hoed very early
in the morning, while the dew is on the
ground. Hoeing later in the day, when
the dew has evaporated, will not have the
same effect. The reasons appear to be
these : The dew being covered with soil
is retained, and helps keep the earth
moist. It contains a large amount of
oxygen, which it took from the air.?
These acts to decompose the soil, and to
hasten the growth of plants. It also ab?
sorbs a large quantity of ammonia, which
is directly taken up by the plants.?
Now the same cause ought to produce the
same effects on the other plants, and it
has been found by observing farmers that
they do. Market gardeners prefer to
have potatoes hoed cither when the soil
is wet with dew or after a slight rain.
Observations made by one of the best
farmers in Wisconsin, extending through
many years, convinced him I hat there
was great advantage in plowing land
while it was wet with dew. Especially
was this the case when clover or grass
was plowed under. It was found that the
grass and sod rotted much sooner, and
that the succeeding crops were larger and
of better quality.
? "I hcv heard a great deal ccd," re?
marked Josh Billings, "about broken
hartes, and the world may be fill ov 'em,
but mi experience is that next to thegiz
ard the harte is the lullest piece of meat
in the whole critter."
THE GULF CYCLONE.
Instruction of Indianola, Texas, and
Many Lives Lost.
The town of Indianola, Texas, was al
j most entirely destroyed by the storm of
the 17th inst, and more than one hun?
dred and fifty lives were lost. The tele?
graph wires were carried away at the
start, and it was several days before the
news was communicated to the outside
world. We give a sketch of the scene,
as portrayed by business correspondents
received by firms in Galveston:
On Wednesday, the 15th, winds from
eastward veering to north. On Thursday
morning it became more steady, increas?
ing to a gale. The water was waist deep.
Every man, woman and child were seek
a place of safety. It blew fearfully.
The situation was awful. Screams from
women and children could be heard in
every direction. The water was six feet
deep in the street. About two o'clock
Friday a. m., the wind veered to the
northwest; the waves then become
chopped, and houses washed away or
tumbled to pieces. The wind, toward
a. m., began to lull a little, the water
was getting lower, the wind veered to
the north, then came hope. Daylight
began to break, and then did we behold
the awful destruction around us, and
thanked our God that we had been saved,
and that our perilous condition was as
nothing compared with the sufferings of
our neighbors and citizens along the Day.
Broad daylight revealed a scene that was
terrible to behold. The town could not
be recognized as the Indianola of the
day previous?ruim, total ruin! Every?
where people were seen walking and
jumping over one gully and another.
Neighbor met neighbor and told of the
troubles and tribulation of the previous
night. Death and destruction were all
around us. Houses were crushed to the
ground; others swayed round and lean?
ing over. The wind was dying and the
water disappearing from places in the
streets. Those that could rallied to learn
the news. Bodies of men, women and
children were found in all directions.
Police and guards were organized and
the search was made for missing relatives
and friends. How many have lost their
lives in this fearful storm, it is impossible
to learn. Up to this time sixty or seven?
ty bodies have been found and buried.
Women were found, and men also, who
had floated off on doors or anything they
could get hold of. Some were beneath
the roofs, carried away long distances.
The escape of so many of our citizens is
almost miraculous.
The search for bodies is still going on,
and the number of human beings
drowned will never be known, as there
were a large number of strangers in
town. We estimate the number of lives
lost at l?O. H. J. Huck lost everything
but bis houses. Eighteen bodies were
found yesterday, and search will b^ con?
tinued until all the dead are deposited
in their last resting place. You cannot
imagine the extent of the disaster.
Nothing short of its full details will give
a proper knowledge. Numbers of per?
sons were out on rafts for hours, but in
many cases were not saved. Wm. Tay?
lor, on trial for the Sutton murder, was
let out of jail to prevent his being
drowned, and made his escape.
All the churches in the town are
swept away. The Court House is safe.
One hundred and fifty-five persons, in?
cluding Capt. Sam Brown and two of
his family, were saved. They took ref?
uge iu the light house, and were thereby
saved. Brown is now the only surviv?
ing pilot at the pass. Great destitution
prevails. The Victoria people, hearing
of it, nobly sent us assistance at once.
Information from Corpus Christi reports
that town safe. They escaped the heavy
gale. The town of Saluria was entirely
washed away. Telegraph lines are pros?
trated for miles.
THE STORM AT GALVESTON.
The New Orleans Times gives the fol?
lowing account of the storm at Galveston,
derived from newspaper accounts and
statements of passengers from that city :
"To briefly summarize the disaster, the
gale by Wednesday, at midday, reached
such proportions thatcaptains of steamers,
who have been accustomed for generations
to traversing this portion of the Gulf, de?
clined to put to sea. Almost simultane?
ously with the announcement of this de?
termination came the report that a ship?
yard at the extreme eastern end of the
Island had been inundated, and that the
men were fleeing for their lives. A rap?
idly falling barometer indicated an in?
crease of the storm, and the waters of the
Gulf on the south side of the island
gradually begun to encroach upon the
gardens of the scattered residences skirt?
ing the beach, and they were soon over?
flowed, the water during the day reach?
ing a depth of two feet. All day long
and during Thursday it blew a hurricane,
pushing the waters of the Gulf over the
entire island and covering even the high?
est elevations to a depth of two ami a
half foot. This ridge embraces an area
of perhaps twcleve blocks of buildings,
extending from Mechanic street to Mar?
ket street, a distance of two squares lati
tudinally, and from Centre street to Bath
avenue about six squares longitudinally.
In the entire of the cast and west ends of
the city the water rose to a sufficient
depth to float large wooden edifices,
many of which are very valuable. The res?
idence portion of the city was affected from
Vremont street for a distance of at least
one mile and a half. Every garden and
every foundation is destroyed. Domi?
ciles are scattered promiscuously in the
centre oftbc thoroughfares, many of
them being jammed together.
Further to the west, in the neighbor?
hood of Oleander Park, where there are
many small farms and a number of styl?
ish residences, the water is reported to
have reached from six to nine feet in
depth. A similar story is told of the
eastern end oftbc island, which extends
from Centre street at least one mile and a
half, in the. business portion of the city
large stocks of goods are kept on the
ground floors, and one may estimate the
injury which thirty inches of sea water
would involve. It is fair to presume that
the earnings of an entire year will be ex?
hausted in repairing the damage. Prob?
ably the vegetation has been utterly de?
stroyed, but that the island is involved
in wholesale, ruin we do not apprehend."
? Bayard Taylor says thai there is
alcohol in fresh broad, but one has to eat
ISO loaves before he imbibes enough of
the liquid to feel happy.
The Hard Times?The Best and Surest
Remedy.
We are no croaker, nor do we desire to
dishearten our readers by referring to the
gloomy present and darker future of our
financial affairs. No one can be injured
by kuowing a thing which may even
threaten him with disaster. On the con?
trary, such knowledge is his best defence
against harm and may enable him to pass
the danger with little or no serious con?
sequences. The heading of this article
is not required to remind our people that
there is a great scarcity of money in the
country. The depleted pockets of the
people are daily reminders of this. We
need not tell the merchant that trade is
dull, and the little trade he does is on a
credit basis. The farmer, too, generally
knows that his crops have fallen far short
of his expectations, and the prospect for
a remunerative price is far from bright.
Hard times and worse coming are the ap?
propriate terms to express our present
! condition and future prospects. What is
[ our condition ? Our people generally are
in debt by over trading their means.?
We do not think that less than seventy
! five to one hundred thousand dollars are
owing to our merchants in Walhalla upon
I notes and accounts. Of course a consid?
erable amount of credit trade has been
done at Seneca City, Westminster and
Fair Play, which will largely swell the
amount of indebtedness. To pay this
! will requre from two to three thousand
bales of cotton at present prices. This
will only put the farmer even, with his
wants and necessities for the next year
unprovided for. The tax of next year
will be a heavy one, and will, doubtless,
not fall short of twenty or twenty-five
thousand dollars. This must be paid in
cash, and will require from four to five
hundred bales of cotton. In a word, we
doubt if the present cotton crop will pay
j for our home debts and taxes, for the
crop cannot exceed two-thirds of an aver?
age crop for the land planted. Our corn
crop, though a fair one, will not be great?
ly in excess of our wants, because the
crop is hardly average, and the area
planted in corn is less than that of sever?
al years ago. The wheat, oat and rye
crop will not supply our wants, and we
do not believe that our county has raised
as much meat as it consumed any year
since the war. With our cotton crop
spent before it is harvested, with a defi?
ciency of flour and meat, and only a
small superfluity of corn, what have we
got to bring or even keep money in our
county for the next year? Nations,
States and counties are but an associa?
tion of families, and as an individual or
family, which spends more than it makes,
must grow poorer, so a county, the aggre?
gate expenses of whose people exceed
their aggregate productions, must be
without money and annually grow poor?
er. We are constrained to believe that
while our farmers have worked well since
the war and have produced large crops,
'they have succeeded in spending more
than they made. A little of the pre?
vious year's debt has been too of?
ten carried forward in the ledger of the
merchant and the debt of the next year
has been increased. It is time for every
farmer to reflect and, if possible, econo?
mize his expenses. Hard times are often
useful to a people in bringing about this
very thing. While everbody is prosper?
ing, crops good, prices high and money
plenty, the merchant does not feel the
burden of the credit trade he is .carrying
on and the farmer has no fears of his
debts amid his prosperity. Let pri?
ces decline, crops partially fail and mon?
ey become tight, and the credit trade of
the merchaut weighs upon him heavily.
He needs his money, and for the reason
of his needing it badly, the debtors have
not got it to pay with. This we fear, j
may become our condition, unless |
evtry person economizes his present j
means. We have not gone so far but we
can save ourselves, but the sooner practi?
cal economy is begun the better for all. I
Try the advice of Col. Aiken one year
by paying as you go, and the expenses of
every will be less both by reduced
profits of the merchant and by every one
doing one without many things not abso?
lutely essential. In the matter of flour
let every one remember to sow wheat is
only labor, and though you get.but five
bushels to the acre, it is turning idle la?
bor into money, while, if you buy flour, it
is money. The former every farmer can
command, while the latter is, at times
difficult to obtain. If all our people
could say we have meat and flour and
corn enough for the next twelve months,
then our surplus crop of corn and cotton
would return as money, which would re?
main in the county. Until this is done
we will have hard times, and they will
annually grow harder.? Walhalla Cou?
rier. I
Not Entirely Without Reason.?
Bunday has been married two weeks and
left his wife. Bunday is a little man and
his wife weighs two hundred and forty
pounds, and was the relic of the late
Peter Pots. About ten days after mar?
riage Bunday was surprised on awaken?
ing in the morning, to find his better
half sitting up in bed crying as if her
heart would break. Astonished, he asked
the cause of her sorrow, but receiving no
reply he began to surmise that there must
be some secret on her mind that she with?
held from him, that was the cause of her
anguish ; so he remarked to Mrs. B. that
as they were married, she should tell him
the cause of her grief, so, if possible, he
could avert it, and after considerable
coaxing he elicited the following from
her:
"Last night I dreamed I was single,
and as I walked through a well lighted
street I came to a store where a sign in
front advertised husbands for sale.?
Thinking it curious, I entered and ranged
along the wall on either side were men
with prices affixed to them. Such beau?
tiful men ; some for $1,000, some for ?500
and so on to $150. And as I had not that
amount 1 could not purchase."
Thinking to console her, Bunday
placed his arm lovinglv around her and
ashed:
"And did you see any men like me
there?"
"Oh, yes," she replied, drawing away
irmn him; "lots like, you; they were tied
up in hunches, like asparagus, and sold
for ten cents per bunch."
Bunday got up and went to see his law?
yer as to whether he had sufficient ground
for a divorce.?N. V- Commercial Adver?
tiser.
? Let's stop slurring pull-back dresses.
When one comes to remember that a
woman has got to sit sidewaysona horse,
and that she can't nut her feet, on the
top of the stove, it does seem as if they
might be allowd some extravagances.
Planting on Credit?Startling Figures.
A recent report of the Georgia Depart?
ment of Agriculture makes an exhibit of
the business methods and prospects of the
planters and farmers of that State, em?
bodying facts, which, though they cannot
be said to be new to any Southern com?
munity, are aggregated and formulated so
as to present some startling and instructive
statistics. We arc told that the fanners
have not bought on credit to as great an
extent this year 03 last; that about twen?
ty per cent, of their number have been
purchasing exclusively for cash; that
about forty-four per cent, has been paid
on the cost and prices of goods when
bought on a credit, payable November
1st; that sixty-seven counties report hav?
ing paid $2,078,500 as annual interest, by
buying on time ; that about thirty-eight
per cent, of the cotton crop was pledged
for supplies advanced to make it?in
other words, one-third of the crop was
virtually sold before it was grown ; that
of those who raise their own supplies,
about eighty per cent, make a profit by
farming, and eight per cent. lose. Again,
it is found that about seventy-one per cent,
of the farmers give daily personal super?
vision to their farm labor, while twenty
nine do not; also, that land is more rap?
idly "exhausted and gutted under the
cropping and renting system than when
worked by wages labor. The report, ac?
cepting these returns as reflecting the ac?
tual situation, indulges the following re?
flections:
We learn from the above that only 20
per cent, of the farmers buy entirely for
cash, while those who buy on a credit
pay at the enormous rate of 44 per ^.ent.
per annum interest on what they con?
sume, amounting in the aggregate, in the
State of Georgia, to the astonishing sum
of $4,240,000?-four and a quarter million
dollars, paid by the farmers in interest on
what they consume. Is it remarkable
that forming is not profitable under such
a suicidal policy? No legitimate busi?
ness can pay 44 per cent, per annum on
the capital necessary to conduct it and
live.
Another instructive lesson taught by
the above answers in the fact that 80 per
cent, of those who raise their supplies
make a profit, while 75 per cent, of those
who buy lose money. Let us put these
facts together, and study the lessons
taught by them.
1st. Only 20 per cent, of the farmers
pay cash for what they buy.
2nd. Those who buy on a credit pay
an average of 44 per cent, per annum in?
terest on the cash prices.
3rd The farmers of Georgia pay, in
interest of supplies?nearly all of which
can be raised on their forms?the sum of I
$4,250,000, which is more than half of the
bonded debt of Georgia, and is 14 per
cent, of the value of the entire cotton
crop of the State.
Among the remedial measures sugges?
ted by the report, the fanners and plant?
ers are recommended to cease buying
supplies that can be raised on their farms,
and at the same time to reduce their
planting down to a cash basis; to de?
mand such a tax upon dogs and such
protection from their ravages as will en?
able them to raise wool and munon, and
thus at present utilize their waste or use?
less lands; also, to commence at once to
provide against the leeks which are sap?
ping their financial life-blood, by sowing
largely of grain, and especially of the
rust-proof oat, early in the fall, by care?
fully husbanding all the manures on the
farm, under shelter, for use in compost?
ing for the next season's crops, and by
taking proper steps towards increasing
their facilities for raising stock. As to
the "plague of dogs," the fact is worth
mentioning that with only 370,492 sheep
in Georgia, the annual loss by these ani?
mals, valuing the sheep at only $1.50
per head, is $S3,457, which is a mere trifle
compared to the amount lost to the State
by the prevention of sheep raising.
The advice given to the Georgia plant
ters may be heeded with advantage by
those of South Carolinaas well. Here,
as indeed all over the South, the reckless
use of credit has been the bane of the
planting interest.
The Possibilities of an Acre of
Land.?No man knows what these are,
We know that two hundred bushels of
corn were once grown on one acre, and
that live bales ot cotton have been made
on the same area of soil, but we do not
know that the limits of production were
reached in either case. We should try
to find out not merely how much of any
given crop can be produced on an
acre of land, but how cheaply it can be
grown. A big crop may not, in all cases,
be a profitable one. It may cost too
much to make it. The greatest yield
with the smallest possible outlay of capi?
tal and labor is what we must aim at.
As we have said before?and we wish to
impress the truth on the reader's mind?
our farmers are often poor, not so much
because their crops are small?and small
they are compared what they might be?
as because it costs too much to make
them. We must learn to make larger
crops with less labor. To do this, we
must go over less ground, and make sci?
ence ami practical skill properly supple?
ment muscle and machinery.?Jiural
Carolininn.
Large and Small Farms.?Twelve
of the States have farms that average less
than 125 acres in extent, which in some
States even runs up nearly to an average
of 500 acres. These twelve States give
the following as the average size of their
farms: Maine, 98 acres; New Hamp?
shire, 122 acres; Massachusetts, 103
acres ; Rhode Island, 94 acres ; Connec?
ticut, 93 acres ; New York, 103 acres ;
New Jersey, 9S acre*!; Pennsylvania, 103
acres; Indiana, 112 acres; Ohio, 111
acres; Michigan, 101 acres; Wisconsin,
14 acres.
While the total value of the farms in
the United States is put down at $9,202,
803,361, the value in.the above small-form
States foots up $5,407,587,178, or nearly
three-fifths of the total?and this, too,
while the area of these States is less than
one-tenth oftbc area oftbc whole coun?
try. No more conclusive exhibit of the
practical superiority of the small-form
system could be given than this.
? A Western man has invented a shell
which deserves the immediate attention
of Secretary Roberson : "It is filled with
small shells, and when it bursts among
ten thousand soldiers, these smaller shells
are scattered in all directions, and burst?
ing in turn, send out still smaller shells,
which travel around recklessly, and by
the time the miniature shells, contained
in the third size explode, the army is
nearly wiped out, and the few men re?
maining want to go home."
The Situation in Laurens.
Desiring to know the true state of af?
fairs in Laurens, we paid a visit to our
old home on Saturday last. We found
some little excitement existing, but not
the amount which we had been led to ex?
pect. Crews' funeral took place on
Thursday, the lGth, and was attended by
some two or three hundred negroes and
a few whites. The negroes formed a
long procession and marched to the grave,
but there was no unusual demonstration.
Various rumors are in circulation in re?
gard to his deathbed conversations, but
it appears that for some time previous to
bis death he was under the influence of
opiates, and in an unconscious state.?
From what we could learn, it is not
known who he suspected of having done
the deed, one rumor having it that he
said he was killed on account of the Shell
murder; and another, that he thought
that an ex-official radical had instigated
or perpetrated the deed. It may be how?
ever, that the fatal shot was fired by some
one who had long submitted to oppres?
sion, and who thought it was better to
"fly to evils he knew not of, than to sub?
mit to those that were." We found a
very proper feeling among all classes,
and was glad to see that there was no
probability of any unnecessary excite?
ment or disturbance. The whites are
not exultant, but on the contrary deeply
deplore the truly unfortunate situation in
which the county has been placed for the
past ten years. They feel that they have
been borne along by circumstances over
which they have had no control, and the
c?jniy having been under the absolute
cortrol of Joe Crews for such a length of
time, they were beginning to despair of
ever seeing a better day. The people of
Laurens are very conservative in spirit,
but are not hypocrites, and do not hesi?
tate to say that while they deplore the
circumstances, and the situation which
made such a deed possible, still, no mat?
ter by whom it was done, they can but
feel that a great burden has been lifted
from them, and that there is some hope
for the county in future.
Capt. G. W. Shell and his son Walter
have been arrested and imprisoned, the
warrant having been sworn out by one
Canton, a detective from Columbia. We
visited Capt. Shell and son, and found
them in good health and spirits, and as
comfortable as circus:lances would per?
mit. Capt. Shell does not hesitate to as?
sure all of his friends of his innocence,
but also of his safety; and has con?
cluded to remain in Jail until Court
sits at Laurens, at which time hr.s case
will be brought before the Grand Jury.
There can be no evidence upon which to
base his arrest, except the suspicion
which naturally follows him as the
brother of Dr. Shell. The murderers of
Dr. Shell have not yet been arrested and
brought to trial, but doubtless will be as
sonn as possible. Laurens has experi?
enced ten years of sorrow and trouble and
oppression, unequalled by anything in
history. The United States Government
is primarily responsible, for it created
the State government which gave and
supported Crews in the use and abuse of
the power which he had. Every right
thinking man would have preferred to
see the change come in a different way,
and effort after effort has been made, but
it seems that "man proposes and God
disposes." Let come what will, the peo?
ple of Laurens have proven themselves
to be a "patient and long suffering peo?
ple."?Sparianburg Sparfan.
Hocshold Remedies?The following
information is given by the Scientific
American: If mosquitoes or other blood
suckes infest our sleeping rooms at night,
we uncork a bottle of the oil of penny?
royal, and these animals leave in great
haste, nor will they return so long as the
air in the room is "loaded with the fumes
of that aromatic herb. If rats enter the
cellar, a little powdered potash, thrown
in their holes or mixed in meal and scat?
tered in their runaways, never fails to
drive them away. Cayenne pepper will
keep the buttery and store-room free from
ants and cockroaches. If a mouse makes
an entrance into any part of your dwel?
lings, saturate a rag with cayenne, in so?
lution, and stuff it into the hole, which
can then be repaired with either wood or
mortar. No rat or mouse will eat that
rag for the purpose of opening communi?
cation with a depot of supplies.
? Is suicide ev 3r committed by a sane
person? Unquestionably. Many result
from deliberate intention and reasoning.
Whether the mind reasons properly or
not, under these circmstauces, is a dif?
ferent question. Mental suffering is far
greater than physical, and yet statistics
show that one-ninth of the cases of sui?
cide result from physical suffering. This
prevent* the mind from reasoning as to
the criminality and folly of the act. Of the
case in which"mental anguish is the cause
of suicide, one eighth is from the loss ot
property, one-tenth is from fear and re?
morse of conscience, one-tenth from fam?
ily quarrels. The cases from disappoint?
ment in love are, proportionately, very
small, while another ninth result from
drunkenness and its kindred. Three
men kill themselves to one woman. Few?
er suicides occur among the married
than among the unmarried, more
among the widowed than among the sin?
gle, and more among the divorced than
among the widowed.
? William T. Alexander, postmaster
at Jacksonville, Ala., occupies a unique
position before the great American pub?
lic. He is a Democrat, but yet holds a
position as a federal office-holder. He
was appointed on the 18th of last August.
Upon tue receipt of his appointment, to
set himself right before his neighbors, he
published a card saying that if he did
consent to serve the Government he was
yet no minion of Grant's.
Upon the publication of this bold card
certain people in his town have tried
to persuade the Postmaster-General to re?
move him on account of his disloyalty.
Jewell has investigated his case, and has
found that there is" not a Republican in
the town capable of discharging the
duties of postmaster ; that Alexander is
an efficient officer, and upon this ground
his commission, which has been held back
ever since the date of this appointment,
was issued to him on the 20th inst.
? Speaking of the checks now worn
by gentlemen, a London correspondent
thus abundantly evidences that capri?
cious fashion is not confined tothegcntlor
sex. "I believe," he says, "that some of
the plaids are s<> long that a gentleman
has two pairs of trousers?one worn in
the morning, the other in the afternoon,
to show the entire pattern.''