The Weekly Independent. (Belton, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 2, 1857 Page: 1 of 4
four pages : ill. ; page 21 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
ft
THE WEEKLY INDEPENDENT.
VOL 2.
Belton, Bell County, Texas, Saturday May 2, 1857.
8
NO. 1.
i
MISCELLANEOUS READING,
SIAMESE AMAZONS. %
The army of the King of Siam con-
tains a corps which particularly at-
tracts the attention of strangers; this
is the battalion of the King's Guard,
composed of women. This battalion
consists of 400 women, chosen among
the handsomest and most robust
girls in the country. They receive
excellent pay, and their discipline is
perfect. They are admitted to serve
at the age of thirteen, and are placed
in the army of reserve at twenty-five.
From that period they no longer serve
about the King's person, but are em-
ployed to guard the royal palaces and
the Crown lands. On entering the
army they make a vow of chastity,
for which there is no exemption unless
any of them should attract the King's
attention and be admitted among his
legitimate wives. The King's choice
seldom falls on the most beautiful,
but on the most skilled in military ex-
ercises. The hope of such a reward
animates them with extraordinary zeal
for military instruction, and Europe-
ans are astonished at the martial ap-
pearance of that battalion, as well as
its skill in manoeuvring and its excel-
lent discipline.
The costume these momen wear is
very rich. Their full dress is compo-
sed of a white woollen robe, embroid-
ered with gold. The cloth is extremely
fine, and descends as far as the knee,
it is covered with a light coat of mali
and a gilt cuirass. The arms are free
and the head is covered with a gilt
casque. When wearing this dress on
' State occasions their only weapon is a
lance, which they handle with wonder-
ful dexterity. With their undress
they are armed with a musket. The
battalion is composed of four compa-
nies, and each company of 100 wo-
men—commanded by & captain of
their sex. Should the captain die, the
company is drilled three days by the
King, who appoints the most compe-
tent to succeed to the command.—
The battalion has been commanded
for the last five years by a woman who
saved the King's life at a tiger hunt
by her courage and skill. She pos-
sesses great influence at court, and Í3
much respected by those under her
command. She has the same
establishment as a member of the roy-
al family, and ten elephants are placed
at her service.
The King never undertakes any ex-
pedition without being accompanied
by his female guard, nor does he
, ever hunt, or even ride out, without
an escort of the same guard who are
devotedly attached to liis person,—
Each individual of the battallion has
five nogresses attached to her service;
and having thus no domestic occupa-
tion, she can devote herself exclusive-
ly to the duties of bar profession.—
There is a parade ground near the ci-
ty, where one company is stationed for
two days ev<?ry week to exercise them
selves in the use of the lance, the pis-
tol, the musket and the rifle. The
King attends once a month at those
exercises, accompanied by his brother,
who shares in some degree the sove-
reign power, and distributes prizes to
those most deserving. Those rewards
consists of bracelets, or other valua-
ble jewelry, to which the females and
their families attach great importance.
Those so honored fill the offices of
sergeant and corporal.
Punishment is very rare in this
corps, and when it is inflicted it con-
cists of a suspension from service of a
period not exceeding three months. —
But duels are much more frequent.—
They must be sanctioned, however,
by the female captain, and be fought
with swords, in presence of the entire
company. When the death of one of
the parties ensues, the deceased re-
ceives a magnificent funeral, and the
high priest pronounces a panegyric,
declaring that the deceased, by her
valor, has merited eternal rest in the
abode of the blessed. The survivor
receives the congratulations of her
companions; but, as a measure of dis-
cipline, she is sentenced to pass two
months away from the company, in
fasting and prayer. The military or
ganization of this battalion is so per-
fect that the entire army endeavors to
imitate it.
"Pat, you have dated your letter a
.week ahead. It is not so late in the
month by one week, you spalpeen/'
"Troth, boy, indade, an' it's jest me-
self what is wanting sweet Kathleen
to get it in advance of the mail. Sure
I'll not care if she gets it three days
afore it is written, me darlint 1"
A mirror is the only tolerated
medium of reflection upon woman's
beauty, and it is the last is discarded.
DON'T DEPEND OF "FATHER.'
Stand up here, young man and let
us talk to you. You have trusted
alone to the contents of "father's
purse," or his fair fame for your suc-
cess in business. Think you that
"father" has attained eminence in his
profession but by wearied industry ?
or that he has amassed a fortune hon-
estly without energy or activity ? You
should know that the faculty requisite
for the acquiring
SUNDAY READING.
DYING IN FULL AGE.
We do wrong to speak of death as
always a sorrow. It may be the must
welcome and grateful event. It is
ood that it is appointed in men to dies
Lnd some there are who ueem alike
happy in the tenor of life, and in the
moment of death. They live lonr
of fame^or fortune4e,nouS^ .to "swer life's great end, am
is essential to, nay, inseparable from
the retaining of either of these. Sup-
pose "father" has the "rocks" in
abundance, if* you never earned any-
thing for him you have no more busi-
ness with these "rocks" than a goslin
has with a toitoise! and if he allows
you to meddle with them he perpe-
trates untold of mischief, and if the
old gentleman is lavish of the cash
towards you, to while away your time,
you had 'better leave him: yes, run
away rather than be an imbecile, or
something worse, through so corrupt-
ing an influence. Sooner or later you
must learn to rely on your own re-
sources, or you will never be anybody.
If you have become idle; if you have
eaten '-Father's" bread and butter,
and smoked "father's" sigars, cut a
swell in "Father's" buggy, and tried
to put on fathers influence—you might
far better be born a poor canal boy,
the son of a chimney sweep or a boot
black; and indeed we would not swap
with you the situation of a poor half-
tsarved, motherless calf! Miserable
objects you are that depend entirely
on parents, playing gentlemen [dandy
loafers.] What in the name of com-
mon sense are you thinking of?
Wake up there! Go to work, either
with your hands or brains, or both,
and be something! Don't merely
have it to boast of, that you have
grown in fathers house—that you have
vegetated as other green horns!
Come, off with your coat, clinch the
saw, the plow handle, the scythe, the
ax, the pick ax, the spade—anything
that will enable you to stir your blood!
Fly round and tear your jacket", rath-
er than be the passive recipient of the
old gentleman's bounty. Sooner than
play the dandy at dad's expense, hire
yourself out to dry some potato patch, let
yourself to stop the hog hole, or watch
the bars, and when you think yourself
entitled to a resting spell, do it on your
own hook. If you have no other
means of buying fun of your own.
buy with your earnings an emyty bar-
rel, and put your head into it holler,
or get into it and roll down hill; don't
for pity's sakemaketheoldman furnish
everything, and you live at your ease.
Look about you, you well dressed
smooth-face do nothing drones. Who
are they that have worth and influence
in society? Are they those who have
depended on the old gentleman's
purse? or are they those who have
climbed their <¡?ay to their position by
their own industry and energy ?- True
the old gentleman's funds or personal
influence may secure the forms of res-
pect, but let him lose his property
or die, and where are you? a miserable
Hedging—a bunch of bones and flesh
that needs to be taken care of. Again
we sáy, wake up—get up in the morn-
ing—turn round twice before breakfast,
—help the old man—give him now
and then a generous lift in business—
learn how to take the lead, and do not
depend forever on being led. and you
have no idea how the discipline will
benefit you you. Do this, and our
word for it, you will seem to breathe
a new atmosphere, possess a new frame
tread a new earth, wake to a new des-
tiny—and then you may begin to as-
pire to manhood. Take off, then,
that ring from your lilly finger, break
your cane: shave your upper lip, wipe
your nose, hold up your head, and by
all means, never again eat the bread
of idleness, nor depend on "father".—
[Life Illustrated.
The Traitors' Reward.—Harris-
burg, January 14th, 1857. Menear,
of York, openly boasts that he rece-
ved $8,000'for voting for Cameron.
He said he would have voted for
Forney for $5,000. The boarders at
Wilk's Hotel, where Menear has been
stopping, protested against his remain-
ing. He was consequently dismissed
by the Landlord.
Brady, to whom he applied for
board, refused to receive him. Omit
has given Wagonseller and Lebo no-
tice to quit. In the House, an effort
will be made to expel Menear.
The citizens of Jacksonville Fa., are
taking measure's to deepen the entrance
of St. John's river without awaiting
jr,in,. i —fPio.
then retire from the scene at i the hap-
piest moment that could be chosen for
their departure.
Take the case of one who has lived
a long life, who has reached his three-
score and ten, and who has filled the
measure of his days with constant
usefulness. The father, who has lived
to train a large family, who has been
permitted to watch over their education
and to form their principles, and who
at last seen them all established in the
world, respected and happy, may well
feel that he has accomplished his work
on earth. And a glorious work it has
been. Now his limbs bogin to totter,
and his thoughts turn towards home.
And should such a man dread to die ?
Death is the time of his release and
reward. He looks for it as the laberer
looks for the setting sun. Then he re-
ceives his crown. i
That this patriarch should die
is not a matter of grief and lamenta-
tion. Friends of course will feel their
loss, and mourn that one so great and
good is gone. But for the man him-
self, no evil thing his befallen him. He
has run his race. He has finished his
course* And that lie should at last
disappear from the horison of this
world, is no more to be deplored than
that the sun should go down behind
the hills after traversing the heaven
thro' a bright summer's day. Let us
not weep that nature has its course—
but rather standing in the peaceful
twilight which lingers after such a
decline, let us enjoy yet a while the
radiance of the departed luminary.
Indeed, for him who has nearly
reached life's proper bound, the thing
most to be dreaded is—not that he
should die before his time, but that he
should live beyond it. It is not possi-
ble indeed, to over step the limit which
God has fixed to existence.—But it is
possible to outlive all usefulness and
enjoyment. How many linger on year
after year, when life has lost all charm;
when the eye is not delighted with see-
ing, nor the ear with hearing. How
many sink into complete dotage.
Their faculties are gone. Memory
ceases to recall the names of their
dearest friends. They have become
second childhood—this is a calamity
greater than death—that the body
should live when the mind is gone.
At such a point we cannot desire that
existence should be prolonged, even in
those we love most. Our parents, for
example, we wish to live, and Ave pray
to God to spare them, as long as
their faculties are preserved; so long
as they themselves enjoy life, or be
made happy by our affectionate care
—if it be till they are a hundred years
old. But what son could desire to see
the mother that bore him, living on,
not only helpless in body, but shatter-
ed in mind? God spare us this an-
guish. Bitter as it must be to lose a
mother by death, far less the agony to
follow her to the grave, and lay her
there to slumber until the blessed res
urrection, than to see her sinking into
idiocy ! Oh, no! We cannot desire
for another we should dread for our-
selves. When our work on earth is
done, may our father in heaven let us
depart. For rather would we be off
in our prime, than live to feel that all
our faculties are in decay—that the
last flicker of Reason is about to be1
extinguished in utter night.—[N. Y.
Evangelist.
JOY IN HEAVEN.
Listen to the heavenly choirs.
What mean their fresh outburst of
praise? What wondrous event has
called forth anew song, and given new
joy throughout the whole host? It is
the conversion of one penitent sinner.
One penitent sinner has given his
heart to the Savior. And who is it 1
Has he worldly rank, or power, or
greatness ? Or is he poor and hum-
ble, and disregarded? No matter
who or what he is. He is a penitent
sinner and loves the Savior. He may
be among the great or among the lowly
AGRICULTURAL.
CHINESE SUGAR CANE.
We have read in many papers the
experience of different persons, rela-
tives to the newly introduced Chinese
Sugar Cane, which had some weight
with us, and was all good enough,
"as far as we knew," but below we
give the testimony of a man whom we
all know; -and we know furthermore,
that what he writes is just exactly
as he says it is.
We are much pleased to see notices
in different exchanges, to the effect,
that the Commissioner of Patents of
the United States, having exhausted
the sifply of seed which he had tiro-
cured, of this wonderful article, has
sent for a much larger supply for dis-
tribution among the people of United
States.
If it will do half of what is claimed
for it, it is the most wonderful pro-
duction we have ever heard of.
New Braukfels, Texas.
For the last six months I have
hardly opened a paper, whether de-
voted to Agriculture, politics, religion,
sporting affairs, or what not, without
seeing some notice of the Sorgho Su-
cre, or Chine se ^sugar cane; why have
I not a perfect right to add my experi-
ence to.the general stock of informa-
tion in relation to the cultivation of
this new grain, or plant, or whatever
it may be termed? To begin, then
In October 1855, I purchased in
Paris a small paper of the seed,
do not think there was more than two
table spoonsful of it, or three at the
odlside. I brought it with me to New
Orleans, and on arriving sent it here
to be planted. When I reached this
place, early in May last, it was just
peering above the ground, two rows
of it in a ten acre field, which had
been devoted in the main to millet,
oats, and a little Indian corn, and four
short rows in our garden—the latter
plantel last.
About the 8tli of July the two rows
in the larger field had shot up, headed
out, and ripened, notwithstanding the
drought, and the heavy heads were
cut for Beed. The oats meanwhile
liad not come up, the millet was hard
ly above ground, while the Indian
corn was parched and drying up for
want of rain. Two or three mornings
afterwards, on looking at the field from
a hill close by, I noticed that the two
rows of Sorgho Sucre liad entirely dis-
appeared; while rows of Indian corn
on either side were still standing. On
close examination, I ascertained that
a lot of hogs—hogs are apt to do such
things—had broken into the field, and
devoured the> Chinese sugar cane root
and branch, it was cut clean to the
ground by the porkers, not a sign or
vestige was left, while as already sta-
ted, the stalks of the common Indian
corn on either side were left standin
I was thankful I had saved the see'
and thought little more of it.
Some few days after this—perhaps
a fortnight—the rows planted in the
garden were examined, the heads of
seed found to be ripe, and the greater
Ejortion cut and brought to the house,
eaving the tall stalks still stand-
ing. On cutting down one of the lat-
ter, which must have been ten feet in
height, I found it to be exceedingly
heavy, and on tasting the cane it seem
ed to me to be as full of saccharine
juice as the ordinary sugar cane of
Louisiana. At the same time I had
three imported French Merino sheep in
my yard in great want of green fodder,
and on cutting the cane into small pie-
ces I found that they devoured it with
the greatest avidity. After this I fed
them daily on it for some time, a sin-
gle stalk furnishing a good bait,
also gave some of it to a favorite mare,
she eating it even more greedily than
the sheep.
Some three weeks after the ripe
heads of seeds were cut I noticed that
new heads had shot up from tie same
stalks; and these new heads blossomed
filled and ripened in September, and
were cut and brought to the house.—
All this time you must recollect we
were suffering from the unprecedented
drouth, and Indian corn and
potatoes, water melons, pumr*"®8 an<*
the like, had died dow- 10 very
ground.
1 now becar
seed by way of experiment:
up rapidly, looked thrifty,
til it was nearly knee high.
this last seed
it came
grew until' it was nearly kneehigl
and was finally cut down by frost in
November. A gnat many shoots
or suckers, tVhieli sprang up from the
stalks first planted, were out down at
the same time: the Sorgho Sucre oan
stand any kind of a drought, bnt the
first sharp frost kills it to the ground.
And what amount of seed do you
think I gathered from the little paper
I purchased in Paris? Nearly, if not
quite two bushels! and had not the '
hogs broke into the field. I should
have had three. It certainly yields in
the most miraculous manner: beats
evervthing for dry weather
Of its properties for the product
of sugar I can say nothing: I only know
that it tastes like the common sugar
cane, and is full of juice about the
time the first heads ripen. As a green
fodder it also beats everything whieh
grows: horses, sheep, and hogs are
certainly inordinately fond of it, and so
full are the stalks of saccharine matter
that they must be both nutritious and
fattening. I cannot say what kind of
bread or cakes the seed will afford, nor
can I tell what kind of dry fodder the
plant will make when cut green: these
experiments I have yet to try, and now
that I have the seed I intend to do it
more interested in
the Sorgho ^r®th a«ver' al-
though out dai'y to lh® we-
r- Pand marc, left a portion of the
p*«i s standing. Soon new heads
_ "i.Srere seen shooting out, and these in
aye, even one of you, dear children t*&
cause this shout of rejoicing throug£,u.
heaven. And now bear in
you may and must do—S*ve t^e^re-
jc in heaven
>
to the Savior, and never
cious verse, "joy shall ^ J?
over one sinner that -iPent€ 1
i a grand scale; I shall plant it in rows
drills, shall sow it ana
first. I kept no account of dates, but
think this third crop of seed from the
same stalk, if so I may call it, was
gathered about the 1st of October: it
might have been during the 2nd week
of that month. I planted some of
on i
or drills, shall sow it ancl shall cut it at
different stages to try its qualities as a
dry fodder. Let me repeat over and
over again, that it stands a drought bet
tcr than anything we have—does not
seem to require rain after it is once up.
CALCULATIONS IN REGARD
TO FODDER.
It is a great object to the farmers
of Maine to raise a supply of the
best kinds of fodder for their stock
during the winter. Hay, we all know
is the great dependence, the staple
material for this purpose, but there are
many other crops which can be raised
to advantage among us, and which are
very valuable for furnishing food to
stock, and thereby saving hay.
In order to ascertain the real value
of these crops for the purpose above
named, it will be necessary to compare
the nutritive properties of the séveral
articles with good hay, as the stand-
ard.
Experiments, and close and careful
comparison of the results of many tri-
als, have given the following as the
comparative difference between the ar-
ticles mentioned and good hay. We
have published these results before,
but we now put them in a tabular
form, so as to give the reader an easi
er mode of comparing them.
100 pounds of hay are equal to
275 pounds of green Indian corn,
442 pounds of rye straw,
164 pounds of oat straw,
153 pounds of pea straw,
201 pounds of raw potatoes,
175 pounds of boiled potatoes,
330 pounds mangel wurtzel,
504 pounds turnips,
54 pounds rye,
46 pounds wheat,
59 pounds oats,
45 pounds peas or beans,
64 pounds buckwheat,
57 pounds Indian corn,
68 pounds acorns,
105 pounds wheat bran,
109 pounds rye bran,
179 pounds rye and barley,
167 pounds wheat, pea and oat
chaff.
From this "bird's eye view," it
will be easy to calculate the fodder
value of any of the above articles
which you may raise. For instance,
if you have 504 lbs, of turnips, "they
will give as much nutrition to your
cattle as 100 lb. of good hay, or, in
other words, it will take 5 lbs. of tur-
nips to be equal to 1 lb. of hay.
An ox, it is said, requires 2 per
cent, of hay per day, if ne does not
work, and 2 1-2 per cent, if he works.
Suppose, there&re, you have an ox
that weighs '.MO lbs., he will require
30 lbs. of nay Per d y if he does not
work But you wish to feed him in
pp/t, turnips. If you give him lfi lbs.
of hay, how many pounds of turnios
must you give him to make up the
supply? Ans. 75 lbs., which, at 60
lbs. to the bushel, will be five pecks.
Again, according to the table a lit-
tle more than half a pound of Indian
corn is equal to a pound of háy. If,
therefore, you give the same ox 15 lbs
of hay, how much Indian corn must
must he have to supply the 16 lb.?
Ans. A little over 8 1-2 lbs. Al-
lowing corn to weigh 50 lbs. ber bush-
el, it will take five quarts and a third.
Allowing the estimates in the table
tobe correct, they will be a conve-
nient guide to the farmers in feeding
cattle,Ac., on other articles in order
to save their hay.—Maine Fanner.,
II
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Marschalk, A. The Weekly Independent. (Belton, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 2, 1857, newspaper, May 2, 1857; Belton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth180520/m1/1/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.