The Texas Countryman. (Hempstead, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 5, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 3, 1868 Page: 1 of 4
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
5 •*<
its-
r<vt-a'
fS^k .0
;
OSTERHOUT ¿ BEMAN, Proprietors.
DEVOTED TO PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPLES AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
ESTABLISHED IN I860
V GLUME VIII.
HEMPSTEAD, TEXAS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1868.
NO. 5
i fi *
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW.
a. chksley. geo. w. johsso*
Chesley & Johnson,
TTORNE Y S AT LA W,
BELLVILLE,
Austin County, Texas,
iy Office in the Court House
dec21 ly
Z Qovr •f. Holland.
HUNT & HOLLAND,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
BELLVILLE,
Austin County, Texas
febi-fl-Jy.
J. P. OSTEHUOUT
A T TORNE Y AT LA W,
BELLVILLE.
Austin County, Texas.
pbafi-ij.
B. T. & C. A. HABBIS,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
BELLVILLE,
Austin County, Texas.
apr13 ly
J. W. OL1VEB
Attorney at Lvov.
HOUSTON. TEXAS.
JACK BELL.
ATTORNEY -AT L A IT .
NELSONVILLE.
Austin Cockty. Txas .
Post-office address. Industry, Austin Co
g36tf
I. O. Searcy, H. II. Boone
SEABCY & BOONE,
ATTORNEYS AT L A IT,
ANDERSON,
Grimes County, Texas.
ieb2-ft-ljr.
B. F. ELLIOTT,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
HEMPSTEAD,
g*24-tf Anstin County Texas.
\V. WOODWARD.
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
Bed River Street.
• Hufstad, Txas.
In the «ame room with Mr. Clint* n Fort-
CUAS. T. KAVANAUGn
AS1®©®MPB2£ AW i. &W
BKEXHAM.
Texas.
jno. t. joyce 8. reese blake
JOYCE Sr. BLAKE.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW.
HEMPSTEAD, TEXAS.
Over Kemper Stone &, Co's., Drag
Store.
SAMUEL A. G'CMMINGS,
ATTOKNEY-ATLAW
—axd—
COUNSELLOR IX EQUITY.
h3 Industry P. O., Austin Co.. Texas
J. HABEIS CATLIN,
ATTOKNEY-AT-LAW
—and—
COUNSELLOR IN EQUITY,
h:t Travis, Anstin Co., Texas.
DOLBBAB
COMMERCIAL COLLEGE
(Open constantly, Day and Evening,)
Corner of Camp and Common Sts
Iu the Elegant and Spacious Iron Building,
NEW ORLEANS.
Founded in 1832—Chartered by the Leg-
islature of Louisiana, with Commercial,
Agricultural, Mechanical and Litcrary
Departments.
THIS COLLEGE lias, by its ojf* mcriti
and through, practical plan of edu-
cation, Mtiived all the liberally endowed
State Colleges of this and the South-west
era States. It is the Oldest Commercial
College in the United States.
Every student who gives proper attor
tion to the Instruct n is qualified befoi
graduating to keep any Set of Books,,
matters not what the business may be, and
do the corresponduiuMJ of any house. Stu-
dents can attend the Commercial College
or the Literary or Agricultural Course, or
to Penmanship, Arithmetic or Book-keep
ing, or the English, French, Spanish, Ger
man, Latin or Greek Languages, Tele
graphing. Phonography, Penmanship,
Book-keeping, or the higher Mathematics,
«te., separately.
Circulars and Catalogues sent to all who
desire them,
We have ample arrangements for one
thousand Undents during the current year.
RUFUS DOLBEAR, President.
g31-tf
feas fattrpait.
OSTERHOUT & BIMAN.
PROPRIETORS.
.p osterhout...—" bellville.
has. a. bbman. .hempstead.
OFFICE—ON 18th, BETWEEN MAIN AND
WASHINGTON STREETS. FIRST BUILD-
ING BELOW THE MASONIC LODGE.
All communications and matter con-
cerning the paper should be addressed to
Osteruout & Beman, Hempstead, as
the Senior Editor will continue to reside
at Belleville.
firttrg.
"Nothing To Wear"
A Tale ofBccent disclothcsoxc.
HEMPSTEAD.
HEMPSTEAD FEMALE
ACADEMY.
THE FOUR TH session of this schooj
opened on Monday, January. 6th
in charge of Mrs. 11. S. Grates and Mrs.
S. J. Herndon. Board can be obtained
with Mrs. Hanney, Mr. Noouer, Mrs.
Graves and Mrs. Montgomery.
Frimary Department, Per Month $2,50
More advanced classes " " $3,00
Higher English Branches " " $4,00
Musie «' " $5,00
Embroidery, " " $2,00
Spanish. French. Latin and German $5,00
Board, w ashing, light« A- c included) fl?.
an efic(acuani1a)p0em.
There was once a poor lady, a sad widowed
wife,
Who could only live by great struggle and
strife;
Her friends had all left her, to cry and to
bawl,
For when she got poor she had no friends
at all.
Hei clothes on her person were tattered
and torn,"
Till she looked like the maid who was
truly forlorn,
That once milked tho cow with the
Cruinpety horn.
Now, this lady was poor, so poor, on my
word,
'Tis painful to tell, 'tis really absurd;
She had, only a hundred thousand of dollars,
And so had to live like the ravens and
"s wallers."'
Bnt then she had watches and camel hair
shawls,
Point lace garnished dresses, and long
water-falls;
Smooth gable capes, and gieat diamond
rings,
And a great many thousand such femitiise
things;
How the lady caino by them I cannot ex-
plain,
But she treasured them all, as her own got-
ten gain.
To patch up her fortune, so much broken
down,
The lady determined to sell cv'ry gown;
So unto New York she straightway pro-
ceeded,
And did what her poverty urgently
needed;
Went to a hotel and there keeping dark,
She Only was thought to be one Mrs.
Clark.
In seeking hotels, though there were
many,
The one of her choice was tho noble St.
Denny;
Where Bhe sat herself down, in a plaiu,
simple way.
To talk over her projects with one Mrs.
K„
Her bosom friend, though shady.
Till they hit on a plan, the best to pursue,
To sell ofT the things at the choicest ven-
due,
Was to Bell them to Willism II.
B y!
When this was all done, as had been de-
vised,
There was not a soul in the city surmised,
Mrs. Clark was in truth Mrs. Noodle,
Who long had existed in grand regal State,
Quintescent nobleness—all that was great,
Herself, and her little poodle.
But, alas! it so happened in one evil
hour,
A penny-a-liner was making a "sour"—
'Tis certain the fellow was drinkin'—
In the St. Denuy bar-room, and saw
through his glass,
A stout lady veiled, through the passage
way pass;
When he cried out, "The e'a Mrs.
L n."
Tho really sharp fellow, at sight of her
dress,
Discovered tho truth—as told by the
press—
Then out came the story about the old
clothes
Tho lady was striving to sell, for her
woes.
And queries put forward, the public en-
dorse,
Affecting the friends of the darkies of
course;
For of darkness snch things savor;—
How did Mrs. L. obtain all those duds ?
Were they the fruit of affectionate
buds—
The gifts that sincerity gave her?
Or were they bestowed, if sho gave a de-
tail,
As price of a place for some shabby
white male.
Who was glad to concede, in the shape of
black mail,
A bonus for White House favor ?
Republican Rads, in square feet and
inches,
"She has nothing to wear," is where the
shoe pinches.
Republican whites have acted like scamps,
But black negro voters are sending hor
stamps;
As each of her duds may find a new owner.
¡ Come tell us the truth now, who was each
donor.
History of a Wooden Shoe,
Towards tlie end of September,
1832, it was announced among the
artistic circles of Paris that Nicolo
Paganini had fallen seriously ill at the
conclusion of a grand coucert given
by the illustrious violinist, He was
attacked by a low, intermitting fever,
which refused to yield to the reme-
dies employed, and even gave rise to
apprehensions of his life.
Paganini, whose leanness was al-
ready almost spectral, now seemed to
have his frail existence suspended by
a thread, which the slightest shock
might saver. The physicians unan-
imously ordered solitude, absolute re-
pose, and a strict regimen as to diet.
In order to carry out these pros-
criptions Paganini removed to the
Villa Lutetiaua, in the Faubourg
Poissonniere. This excellent estab-
lishment, which no longer exists, was
intended exclusively for the reception
and cure of wealthy invalids. A
spacions, comfortable house stood in
á large, park-like garden, where each
patieut could ramble at will, and en-
joy either solitude or society at his
choice. A great charm of this honse
was that every one lived just as he
or she pleased ; in the evening either
retiring to the solitude of his apart-
ment, or joining in the games, music
and conversation held in the drawing-
room. Paganini naturally belonged
to those who preferred passing the
evenings in quietness and retirement.
There was plenty of gossip about
him in the drawing-room; three or
four censorious old maids fell on him
tooth and nail.
" Ladies," began one, " have yon
seen this great musician 1 lie salutes
no one, and never speaks a word. He
takes his bowl of soup :n an arbor in
tl e garden, and then hastens away if
any one approaches. What an odd-
ity he must be V
"That's part of his malady," said
another; " people say that there is
some terrible mystery about his life
—some love story, I imagine."
" Not at all," said a third ; " Pag-
anini is a miser ; there's no mystery
about that. Do you remember that
concert which was organized in favor
of tho families who had suffered from
the inundation of St. Etieune 1 The
great violinist refused to take part in
it because he wouH have to play gra-
tuitously. Depend upon it, he tears
that were he to mix in our society he
might be asked for similar favors."
Paganini guessed pretty well how
he was regarded by his fellow board-
ers, but, like Gallio of old, he cared
little for these things. liis health
became gradually better, yet in the
whole house ho never exchanged a
word <*ith any oiib except Nicette.
This was tho house-maid who at-
tended on him—a cheerful, innocent
country giii, whoso gay prattle, when
she seived his meals, often availed to
dispel the cloud which habitually
darkened the brows of Paganini.
One morning Nicette presented
herself with a sad, drooping counte-
nance, and served breakfast without
uttering a word, Tho musician, who
was amusing himself with carving
piece of ivory for the handle of a
dagger, noticed the change iu the
young girl, and questioned her upon
it.
«* What's the matter, my child ?
You look sad ; your eyes are red ;
aome misfortune has befulleu you
Nicette ]'*
«• Uh ye5?, sir."
" Would it be indiscreet to ask
you what it is ?"
" No, sir, not precisely; but—"
Paganini fixed his great black
eyes on the girl's troubled counte
nance.
' " Como," he said : " I see how it
¡3. After having made you a thou-
sand promises he has quitted you, and
you no longer have any tidings oi
him."
" Ah ! poor fellow ! ho quitted me
certainly, but it was not his fault."
" Ilow is that ?"
" Because in the conscription li
drew a bad number, and he has been
sent away with a great long gun on
his shoulder, and I shall never see
him again !" sobbed poor Nicette, as
she buried her face in her white
apron.
" But, Nicette, could you not pin-
chase a substitute for him V
The girl, withdrawing her apron,
smiled sadly through her tears
" Monsieur is jesting," she said ;
how conld I ever buy a substitute I
" Does it cost very dear ?"
" This year men are tremendously
dear on account of the report that
there is going to be a war. Fifteen
hundred francs is the lowest price;
The musician pressed Nicette's lit-
tle plump hand between his long sal-
low fingers as he said :
" If that's all, my girl, don't cry ;
we'll see what cau be done:"
Then, taking out his pocket-book,
he wrote on a blank leaf:
"Mem.—To see about giving
eancert for the benefit of Nicette."
A month passed on ; whiter ar-
rived, and Paganini's physician sail
to him :
" My dear sir, you must not ven
ture out of doors again until after the
month of March."
" To hear is to obey," replied the
musician.
During the winter a comparative
degree of health and strength re-
turned to Paganini. Having no
longer the pleasant, shady arbors of
tho garden as a refuge, he began
gradually to linger a little in the
drawing-room. After dinner he used
to throw himself on a sofa of crimson
velvet, and pass half an hour in
turning over a volume of engravings,
or in Fippmg a glass of sugared wa-
ter flavored with orange flowers. The
old ladies of the Society gossipeJ on
about him and his odd ways, but he
affected not fo hear, and certainl" did
not heed them.
Christmas-eve approached. On
the anuiversary of the b'tih of our
Lord a custom exists in France very
dear to its juvenile inhabitants. A
wooden shoe is placed at the corner
of the hearth, and a beneficent fairy
is supposed to come down tbe chim-
ney, laden with various presents and
dainties with which he fi Is it. It is
calculated that, one year with {moth-
er, the Christmas wo o Jon sloe en-
riches the trade of Paris with two
million francs.
Oa the morning of the 24th De-
cember four of Paganini's female
critics were in consultation together.
" It will be for this evening," said
one.
" Yes, for this evening ; that's set-
tled," replied another.
After dinner Paganini was, ac-
cording to his custom, seated on the
drawing-room sofa, sipping his eau
sutrcc, when an unusual noise was
jeard in the corridor. PreEeutly Ni-
Cbtte entered, and announced that a
>orter had arrived with a case di-
rected to Signor Paganini."
'• I don't expect any cuse," said
ie ; " but I suppose he had better
wring it in."
Accordingly a stout porter entered,
bearing a good sized deal box, on
which, besides the adlress. were the
woids, " Fragile—with care." Pa-
ganini examined it with some curios-
ity, and, having paid the in ssenger,
proceeded to open the lid. His long,
thin, but extremely muscular fingers
accomplished this task without diffi-
culty, and the company, whose curi-
osity caused them somewhat to trans-
gress the bounds of good manners,
crowded around in order to see the
contents of the box.
The musician first drew out a largo
packet, enveloped in strong brown
paper, and secured with several seals.
Having opened this, a second, and
then a third envelope appeared, and
at length the curious eyes of t went y
persons were regaled with a gigantic
wooden shoe, carved out of a piece of
ash, aud almost large enough to serve
for a child's cradle. Bursts of laugh-
ter hailed the discovery.
Ah!" said Paganini, 4t a wooden
slice. " I can guess tolerably well
who has sent it. Some of these ex-
cellent ladies wish to compare me to
a child wlo always expects presents
and never gives any. Well! be it
We will see if we cannot, find
method of making this shoe
so.
some
worth its weight in < old."
# O «_/ ^
So saying, and scarcely saluting
the company, Pagrftiini withdrew to
his own apartment, carrying with
him the case aud its contents.
Duriug three days he did not re-
appear in the drawing-room; Nicette
k'torined the company that he worked
from morning till night with carpen-
ter's tools. In fact, the n.u.ician,
whose hands were wondrously flexi-
ble and dextrous in other things be-
sides violin playing, had fashioned a
perfect and souorous instrument out
of the clumsy wooden shoe. Having
enriched it with one silver string, his
work was complete. Next day a pub-
lic notico appeared that, on New-
Year's Eve, Paganini would give a
coucert in the large hall of the Vill
Lutetiana. The great master an-
nounced that he would play tea pie-
ces, five oa a violin, five on a wooden
shoe. The price of the tickets was
fixed at twenty francs each. Of
these only one hundred w re issued,
aud it is needless to add that they
were immediately purchased by the
elite, of the hau. monde, who, duriug
several months, had Hiis3ed the pleas-
ure of hearing Paganini. The ap-
pointed evening arrived; the hall,
furnished with comfortable chairs,
was prepared and lighted for the oc-
casion, el^gaut equipages were sta-
tioned along the Faubourg Poisson-
iere, and expectation was on tip-too
to know what the announcement re-
specting the wooden shoe could pos-
sibly mean.
At length Paganini appeared, smi
ling, with every appearance of re
newed health, and on his favorite vio
lin played some of those narvelous
strains which never failed to trans-
port his auditors to the seventh heav-
en of delight. Then he seized the
shoe, which, in its new guise of a vi-
olin, still preserved somewhat of pris-
tine form, and his whole being lighted
up with enthusiasm, he commenced
one of those wondrous improvisa-
tions which captivated
his hearers. This one
first the departure
tears, the wailing of his betrothed,
then his Btonny life iu the camp, and
on tho field of battle, and finally his
return, accompanied by triumph and
rejoicing. A merry peal of wedding-
bells completed the musical drama,
Long and load were the thunders of
app'anse; even the old ladies who
disliked Paganini could not refrain
from clapping, and bouquets, thrown
by fair and jeweled bands, fell at the
feet of the musician. In a corner of
the hall, next the door. Nicetto was
weeping bitterly ; the symphony of
the coRsc ipt had gone straight to her
heiirt. At iho end of the concert the
receip's w<?re cunnted ; they amount-
ed to two thousand francs.
'' Here, Nicette," said Paganini
•* you have five hundred francs over
the sum required to purchase a sub-
titule"; they will pay your bride-
groom's traveling expenses.
'ilien, after a pause, he continued,
•' but you will want something where-
wi.li to begin housekeeping. Take
this shoe-violin, or this violin shoe,
and sell it for your dowrv,"
Nicelte did so, and received from a
rich amateur six thonsand francs for
Paganini's wooden shoe.
it is now, we believe, in the pos
session of an English nobleman, who
was formerly British Embassador at
Paris.
Fobuot His Namk.—" Gris "
sends us the following: A conceited
fellow by the name of Head ia ma-
king New Year's calls in a certain
city, made the acquaintance of
young la-ly upon whom ho flattered
himself lie had effected a very deci-
ded impression. He felt that he was
irresistible to the sex, anyhow, but
in this particular instance he was con-
fident that he liad accomplished a
complete conquest. Not to be too
cruel to the damsel whom he imag-
ined to be languishing over his ab-
sence, he called upon her again after
tho now year was a week or so old.
That lie might feast upon the sur-
prise and joy she would evince on
discovering who her caller was, he
refiained from giving his name to the
servant who answered his ring, but
instructed her to tell Miss that a
very particular friend desired an in-
terview. He was ushered into tho
parlor and after a brief delay the
young lady whom he supposed to bo
rapidly approaching dissolution on
his account, entered.
She paused on the threshold anc
looked embarrassed. He expectec
that, but contrary to his expectations
no blush of emotion or gleam of rec
ognition, even, lighted up her coun-
tenance.
tl Don't you remember me ?" said
he, putting oi. the smile, which ho im-
agined had melted her young and sus-
ceptible heart upon their first meeting.
•' You know I called here last New
Year's with a party, in a four-horse
sleigh ?"
'' Oh, yes," saiif the young lady,
who didn't appear in the least crusliec
by the recollection, " I remember.
Your face did look familiar, but your
name—"
"Don't you remember my name?'
inquired the heart-pulverizer, with un
air of deep chagrin.
" I have almost got it," said th
lady, with a puzzled smile. «' It
isn't lírown ?"
" No, indeed. But really, madam
this is not very flattering to me, your
forgetting my name. I imaginet
that I had made a decided inipres
sion."
"15o you did, so j on did," the lady
hastened to say- " Strango that
your name should have escaped me
though. I was thinking of ifc iust
before you rang. Don't fell me what
it is, I shall think of it in a minute.
Really, this is quite mortifying;
what has become of my memory
and she trotted her pretty little foot
impatiently on the carpot.
" But let me give you a hint," said
Mr. Head, whose mortification was
rapidly increasing.
" Well, just a little hint. I should
think of your name in a minute, any-
how—-just the least hint in the world
will do."
•' Now then, what do I carry on
my shoulders?" queried Head.
A moment's puzzled reflection,
then her face brightening up she ad-
vances toward him wi;li outstretched
hand and cordially exclaims :
" Why Mr. Squash, how do you
do /"
The Doctor's Last.
When we say the doctor's last we
do not mean tlia length of his foot—
we mean his last joke; nor do we
meau by last that it is his joke in
articulo mortis, for we hope he will
ive to joke a thousand years. We
simply mean the latest or youngest
of his facetia:. A worthy French-
man, who was very hoarse and troub-
~ed with a bad cough, went to Dr.
Elder some time ago to consult him
upon his maladies. Before he went,
the Frenchman, whose knowledge of
English was very imperfect, turned
to his dictionary to see how cpngh
was pronounced, aud seeiug that
though was pronounced tho, he nat-
urally concluded that cough was pro-
nounced cow. To make assurance
doubly sure, he looked and saw that
the definition of cough was " malady
in the chest," *• a sort of bronchitis."
WThen lie arrived at Dr. Elder's,
the latter said :
" Well, monsieur, what is the mat-
ter with you ?"
The worthy Freucbman replied :
" I have got one ketle hoi so and
one bad cow."
" You've got a horse and a cow,"
said Elder. " Ah ! I suppose you
want me to buy them."
" ]\lon Dk u / I vish I could sell
em ; they vil not let me sleep at de
nights," said the Frenchman.
" W by don't you lock them up in
the stableinquired the doctor.
The Frenchman was in despair.
" Ah. you no me understand," he
cried, clasping his hands, " I have
got ma-lady in de bewc."
" Got your lady in a box—what!
with the horse and the cow 1" asked
the doctor, who began to think mon-
sieur was mad.
Almost frantic with bewilderment,
the Frenchman ejaculated :
" Oh, sacre ! De brown creatures
n« let me sleep at night,'" (meaning
bronchitis.)
" Oh!'' said tho d.ocfor, " tho bugs
bite you, eh ?"
Assuming a dignified air, tin
Frenchman said, as he struck his
breast pantoniimically:
'• Sare, I have got here, sare, von
horie, von bad cow, and the brown
creatures and ma-lady iu de box. 1
ask yon, sare, to cure my cow ! Why
for you no cure my cow ?"
•' Because," replied Elder—" be
cause I am not a cow doctor."
'•Yes, sare, you are, sare; you
cured my wife's cow."
At this minute. Dr. B s, the
editor of the , happening to
drop in, tins Frenchman told him in
French what he wanted. They all
had a hearty laugh at the barbarism
of the English language, which they
declared wasn't fit for a pig.
The Baby.—Welcome to the
rents is the puny little struggli
strong in his weakness, his little arms
more irresistible than th« soldier's,
his lips touched with persuasion
which Chatham and Pericles in man-
hood had not. The small despot
asks so little that all nature and rea-
son are on his side. His ignorance
is more charming than all knowledge,
and his little sins more bewitching
than all virtue. All day between
his three or four sleeps ho coos like
a pigeon-house, sputters and spurs,
and puts on faces of importance; and
when ho fasts, the little phari$ce .fiiils
not to sound his trumpet before him.
Out of blocks, thread spools, cards
and checkers he will build bis pyra-
mid with the gravity of Palfadio.
With an acoustic apparatus of whis-
per he explores the law of sound. But
chiefly like his senior countrymen,
the young America studies new and
speedier modes of transportation.
Mistrusting the cunning of hie small
legs, he wishes to ride on the necks
and shoulders of all flesh. The small
enchanter nothing can withstand—^no
seniority of age, no gravity of char-
acter; uncles, aunls, consins, grand-
sires, grandmas,—all fall an easy
prey; be conforms to nobody, all
conform to bim, all caper áud make
mouths, and labble and chirrup to
him. Ou the strongest shoulders h«
rides and pulls the hairs of huireltfl
heads.—R. W. Emerson.
tho souls of j The wit doesn't
represented ■ Tho wit isn't
f a conscript, the is.
The Telegraph has gone in heavy
oa Pendleton for President, and
claims to be tho first in the State to
do so.
The Sherman House at Chicago,
which is to be the headquarters of
Radical delegates, does not admit
colored persons. The Louisiana del-
egation will have to quarter else-
where.
Mr. Bingham said in the Senate
that Mr. Evarts sought to make his
speech immortal by making it etem.nl.
justify the theft.
the theft
Mi ch Ado About Nothing.—
The following story is told by "Mark
Twain" of a gallant naval officer ;
Twenty or thirty years ago, when
the missionary enterprise was in its
infancy among the Islands of the
South Seas, Captain Sunnners an-
chored his sloop of war off one of the
Marquesas, I think it was. The
next morning he saw an American
Hag floating from the beach, Union
down. This excited him fearfully,
of course, aud lie sent of a boat at
once to inquire into tho matter.
Presently the boat returned, and
brought a grave looking missionary.
The Captain's anxiety rail high. He
said:
'•What's the {rouble out there?—
quick!"
"Well, I am grieved lo say, sir,"
said the missionary, "that the natives
have been interrupting our sacerdotal
exercises."
"No ! Blast their )*allor hides, I'il
—what—what was it you said they'd
been doing?"
"It pains mo, sir, to say that they
have been interrupting our sacerdotal
exercises."
•'Inteftiqiliug your—your h- —11 !
Man them starboard guns! Stand
by, now, to give them fhe whole bat
tery !"
Tho astounded clergyman has-
tened to protest against such exces-
sively rigorous measures, and finally
succeeded in making the old tar
understand that the natives had
only been breaking up a prayer
meeting.
"Oh,devil take it, man ; is that all ?
I thought you meant that they had
stopped your grog
Bingham's,
During the long French war as two
old ladies in Stranrear were going to
the kirk, one said to the other, " Was
it not a wonderful thing that the
Breetisli were a victorious owner the
French in Battle?—''Not abit,"
said the oilier lady. " Dinna ye k<*u
the British aye say their prayers be
fore they ga'in into battle? The
other replied, '• but canna the French
say their prayers as weel ? The re«
ply was most characteristic, "Hoot,
Jabbering bodies! whacouhl under-
stand them ?
Luxemburg is to have a new jour-
nal, the Aveuir, to ajvocale annexa-
tion fo France.
A Locomotive Struck by Light-
ning.—The Peoria (111.) Transcript
of the 4tli, describing the storm
which visited that city and vicinity
on the Friday before that date, men-
tions the following incideut:
Friday iust, during the bail
storar that visited this section, the
eastward bound traiu on the Toledo,
Peoria and Warsaw Railway, George
Boles, conductor, and C. A. Martin,
engineer, bad just left EI Paso as tli«
storm struck it. When about a mile
east of that city, tho lightning struck
a telegraph pole. Instead of shatter-
ing it and going to tint ground, it
burst the insulator, making a blaze of
light, as intense, a looker-on informs
us, as a thousand gas jets, and so on
for five poles. It then ran down on«
pole and leaped to the track, aud rau
back without doiug any damage until
it struck the engine. It ran up one
of the drivers aud burst a section of
two feet out of the solid tire, and
passing along the boiler, without do-
iyg any damage, it reached the lever
and went upward with a blaze of light
similar to that 011 the telegraph wire,
and with a detonation like a small
cannon. So intense was the light,
and so violent was I he shock I hat the
engineer was nearly blinded, and al-
most stunned. Our informant says
that th<3 appearance of the light on
the track and ou the wires was bril-
liant beyond conception. It looked as
if there was an immense lake of fire
ahead, into which the train was about
to plunge, and the ordinary daylight
that followed, seemed as great as that
between the brightest day and tho
darkest night.
Washington's Orthography.—
Washington himself, before he be-
came a public man, was a bad speller.
People were not so particular then iu
such matters as they are now; and
besides, there really was no settled
system of spelling a hundred years
ago. When the General wrote for a
"rhemu of paper," a beaver "halt,"
a suit of "cloatlies," and a pair of
"sattiu" shoes, there was no Web-
ster's unabridged to keep people's
spelling within Louud''. Nor was ho
much of a reader of books. He
read a little of the Hi- tory of Eng-
land, now and then, and a paper from
ilie Spectator occasionally on a rainy
daj*; but he had uo literary taste,
lie was essentially an out-of-door
man, and few things were more disa-
greeable to him thau confinement at
the desk. There was nothing in tho
house which could becalled a library.
He had a few old-fashioned books,
which he seldom disturbed aud never
read long at a time.
slnticlar phlinomknon.—A cu-
ri.jus story comes from San Jose, Cal-
ifornia. A druggist there, who keeps
a large collec tion of gold fish iu au
aquarium, temporarily removed tho
fishes to a large globular glass jar
filled with water. By accidetit bin
clerk discovered that by placing his
forehead in contact with the upper
portion of the glass globe the. fishes
all acted precisely as if they had re-
ceived a shock from an electric con-
ductor. He tried to startle the fishes
by touching the jar at the same point
with his hand, with books, with Iiím
chin, face, and elbows—all without
efi'ict. Even thumping smartly upon
the jar with his knuckles failed to get
up a piscatory excitement; but when-
ever he touched the glass with the
top of his forehead the fishes were
instantly thrown into violent agita-
tion. This would seem to indicate
that there is a sort of galvanu
battery in the top of the human era
niuir.
The Texas convention is to asees
ble ou the 1st of June.
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.
Osterhout, J. P. The Texas Countryman. (Hempstead, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 5, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 3, 1868, newspaper, June 3, 1868; Bellville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth180296/m1/1/?q=+date%3A1865-1876&rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.