The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume], January 27, 1860, Image 2

About The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865

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VOL. XI.—NO. 42 SAINT PAUL, FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1860. NEW SERIES-NO. 215
THE TWO TONGUES
From Bayley's Ballads.
Oh ' did you not, hear in your nursery,
The tale that the gossips tell,
Of the two young girls that came to drink
At a certain iairy well ?
The words of the youngest were as sweet
As the smile of her ruby lip,
Hut the tongue of the oldest seem’d to move
As if venom were on its tip !
At the well a beggar accosted them,
A sprite in mean disguise;)
The eldest “poke with a scornful brow,
The youngest with tearful eyes.
t ried the fairy, “Whenever you speak, sweet
girl,
Pure gems from your lips shall fall—
Hut whenever you utter a word, proud maid,
From your tongue shall a serpent crawl.”
And have you not met with these sisters oft
lu the haunts of the old and the young :
The first with her pure and unsullied lip—
The last with her serpent tongue '!
Yes the first is Good Nature—diamonds bright
On the darkest theme she throws ;
And the last is Slander—leaving the slime
Of the snake wherever she goes.
[WRITTEN FOR THE I'IONEER AND DEMOCRAT.|
Mi*. N vine s’ Party.
Mrs. Gioriana Smith's boarding-house
was the model of all kindred institutions ;
a concentration of all respectability and
gentility—the epitome of all hospitality and
affability. If there has arisen, in later years,
any house resembling it, the fact has never
come to my knowledge.
Storms break the golden calm of the
Southern seas, occasionally, and I am going
to tell you how the peace of our household
was materially disturbed. I say “ our,” lor
being one of the respectable and genteel
boarders under the fostering care of Mrs.
Gioriana Smith, I felt myself decidedly
identified with the household.
There were some very pleasant ladies in
the house, both married and single ; and
two or three fellows—capital fellows they
were, too : so we generally had a delightful
time—a little flirting ; a little reading ; a
little music and dancing ; and, occasionally,
glorious little suppers, which Aspasia would
have envied.
Well, to my story :
• >ne day we were all discussing some very
, laiet beef, when the door bell rang. This
was no unusual occurrence; yet, the stal
wart pull, which seemed to tear the bell-wire
irom its fastening, made the nervous fraction
of our deipnosopbilaj half rise from the
table. We strong-minded fellows, however,
went on masticating our beef and potatoes,
lvgardless of the repeated storming at the
front door.
Our grave landlady, at length, arose with
a severe and crushing frown upon her face,
and stepped majestically into the hall. A
confused commingling of voices soon fol
! wed. in the midst of which, the dining
room door was thrown open, and a tall
angular female stalked in, iollowed by a
mecdi-looking man and our worthy hostess.
•• A regular character !” whispered Harry
Fayne, who sat on my right.
Without taking off her bonnet, (a very
outre one, by the way.) she drew out a
vacant chair, and established herself oppo
site me, and bvgan her dinner in the most
unembarrassed mood ; while the meek little
man stood against the wall, with his thin
arms folded over his little breast, impervious
to the entreaties of our landlady to be seated
at the table.
1 Jisgusted with the rudeness of the new
comer, the ladies began to withdraw, which
movement the tall lady eyed with grim sat
isfaction. Our hostess suggested to her the
tact that she could dine more comfortably
with her bonnet off, but she received the
suggestion with such unfeminine ferocity
that she was allowed to do as she pleased.
So she ate her dinner with her plumes nod
ding triumphantly from her head, frequently
casting sharp glances at her mural attend
ant. whom we were beginning to suspect
was her husband, in a very bad way, truly.
Suddenly a shrill voice from beneath the
plumes, called out : “ You Dan, you Dan,
fetch them trunks in here directly !”
1 >an started from his ruminations, and
was darting out of the door, when our
landlady interfered, and ordered the trunks
up stairs, saying she would show the room.
After some wraugling, the new boarder and
her lilliputian lord were established in their
room.
“ Mr. and Mrs. Dan Syvers ; want board
in" indefinitely,”-our landlady remarked, as
she passed through the room on her return
from the upper regions.
Harry Favne and I discovered that the
new corners were established in undesirable
proximity to our room ; undesirable as we
found that night when we went up to bed.
M bile taking our usual smoke, we heard a
most infernal noise in the next room, and
* soon n cognized the shrill voice of the strong
minded Mrs Syvers, using rather strong
language to the unfortunate Dan.
Jn the morning we were roused from our
innocent slumbers by a renewal of the femi
nine garrulity, with the addition of several
suspicious sounds suggestive of flagellation.
The noise increased, and above the din we
distinguished Madame’s voice shrieking :
“Dan Syvers! you Dan Syvers, come out
of there or I’ll smash ye.” This interesting
morning salutation was adorned with
a few choice expletives, and a* regular
prize fight ensued. The poor little Dan
evidently did fight, for she would yell
with pain occasionally, but her superior
strength and strategy gave her the laurel,
and the little man could be heard sobbing
very audibly, in a corner, over his most
wretched destiny.
This agreeable performance went on
every day ; sometimes bringing the stately
Mrs. Gloriana Smith to see what was the
matter, and frequently subjecting her to the
complaints of the boarders. Harry and I
stood it very well, however, and rather
enjoyed the business.
During the day Madame Syvers would
be circulating freely from kitchen to garret,
insinuating herself in the ladies’ rooms, and
even in our own apartment she was found
by Harry one day, opening a private drawer
of his secretary which he had carelessly left
unlocked.
There was a young medical student
named Nymes, boarding at our house at
this time; one of those soft, meek, good
natured souls who can be talked into any
thing through fear of giving offence, llis
devotion to the fair sex was so intense, that
he would attempt utter impossibilities at
the suggestion of a pretty girl. His devo
tion, however, could not grasp Mrs. Syvers,
for he hated her with the common hatred of
the household, and dreaded getting into
conversation with her above all things.
Very naturally Nymes was a favorite in
the house. His obliging character was
constantly made use of by the girls, and
Nymes became a sort of Mercury for our
little boarding house Olympus. He, how
ever, wisely cut Mrs. Syvers, and thus
escaped, generally, prospective infliction.
One day Nymes announced his intention
of going to New York on some business,
and as we were all shocked and grieved to
be deprived of his company for so long a
time as three weeks, we all suggested to
him the propriety of having a little parting
jubilee before he left—a little soiree dansante,
crowued with a pleasant little supper.
Nymes had given several little parties of
the kind at his rooms, whicli gave general
satisfaction, so he was quite delighted with
the idea, and avowed his intention of imme
diately making preparations.
lu a day or two, Harry and I received
our invitations on rose colored note paper
for eight o'clock, Thursday evening, and
determined to go, as we knew Irom past
experience that Nymes was a capital hand
at entertaining his friends, and we would
have a delightful little time of it. We
found on investigation that Nymes had
iuvited the whole femality of the house with
the exception of the bete moire , Mrs. Dan
Syvers. That he had the courage to per
petrate this neglect was a matter ol wouder
ment to us all, and I need not say it was a
matter of general congratulation.
Lou J, indeed, were the plaudits and en
comiums bestowed upon Nymes for his
sutislactory course of conduct. When he
came up to dinner on the invitation day, he
blushed uud stuttered like a fool, whenever
Mrs. Syvers looked at him. She had
wreathed her face with her most seductive
smiles that day, and the first thing she did,
after Nymes was seated at the table, was to
ask him if “he was going to have dancing?”
“lor,” said she, “you know we poor ladies
can't get along without dancingshe
hoped, morever, “that Mr. Nymes’ rooms
were entirely ventilated, as she invariably
caught cold alter beitg in those over-heated
rooms.”
“ Harry, she means to go, depend upon
it,” I whispered.
Poor Nymes! He quivered in his boots,
turned as red as a matured beet, and finally
upset the sauce he was passing to Miss Diu
ley, directly in that amused young lady’s lap.
Overcome with this fatal catastrophe, he
rushed from the room. Mrs. Syvers, how
ever, went on eating in the most satisfactory
manner, and was unusually gracious to us
all; remarking that “ Mr. Nymes had been
looking shockingly for two or three days,
and must be ill.”
It was generally believed that Nymes was
desperately in love with pretty little Miss
Dinky. Indeed, a furious flirtation had been
carried on for some time between them; and
the young lady was in a highly excitable
state of nnnd in regard to the party. Nymes
hud craved the privilege ol conducting her
to the festive scene. The usual feminine
confabulation about dresses prevailed ; and
the eventiul day having arrived, there cer
tainly was in our house “ a running to and
fro,” a twinkling of little feet along the
passages, a gleaming of incomplete toilets
Irom room to room, delicious little gamuts
of silvery feminine laughter, and a general
culmination to Nymes’ party;—at least,
Harry and 1 thought so, from what we saw
and heard as we went up to our room about
tea-time.
The girls told us that throughout the day
Mrs. Dan Syvers had been most indefatigably
endeavoring to borrow a pair of slippers,
and had announced to several of them her
intention of being present at Nymes’ party
in the evening.
INTENTIONAL DUPLICATE EXP
Miss Dinley came down to the parlor,
dressed for the party, and in a capital good
humoy with herself and people generally.
She had not heard the dreadful news relating
to Mrs. Dan. We were sitting in the parlor,
talking pleasantly, when the door opened,
and one of the girls rushed in, with horror
depicted on her lace.
“ Girls,” she cried, out of breath, “ that
horrid creature is going to the party. I
looked through the keyhole of her door, and
there she was, dressed in that vile yellow
silk, with Ada Smith's beautiful scarlet
feather in her hair. Ada, I told you
she took that feather 1 declare, it is
monstrous—unbearable! Mr. Njmes, I de
clare I shouldn’t let her come into my
house.”
“ Well, I for one don’t go,’’ pouted Miss
Dinley, determinedly.
It was nearly time to go. Nymes had
rushed up to the house on purpose to get
Miss Diniey. He had very little time to
spare, as there were other guests to receive.
That young lady, however, positively refused
to go, if Mrs. Dan Syvers was to be there.”
“ I’m sure, I never invited her!” almost
sobbed poor Nymes, who was pleading his
cause with the utmost pathos.
We all went off, leaving Nymes beseech
ing, and Miss Dinley frowning angrily on
the poor fellow.
Words cannot describe his anguish. He
swore he didn’t believe Mrs. Dan would have
the impertinence to force herself upon them ;
vowed he would refuse her admittance if she
came, etc.
Thus, Nymes was talking and uttering
the most savage threats against the common
enemy, when suddenly the door opened, and
that much abused female swept in, in the
fall glory of her yellow silk and Ada’s
feather.
“ All ready, I see, Mr. Nymes—sorry to
have kept you waiting so long ; it was very
good of you to wait for me; you know we
women do take long to dress—parties
especially ; one moment if you please, while
I take a parting look in the glass.”
Nymes nearly swooned at this juncture.
He fell heavily against the wall, and gazed
rabidly at the hated woman, with clenched
fists and fiery eyes.
“ Not unwell, Mr. Nymes, I trust,” said
Mrs. Dau, sweeping around the room ; “ for
shame, on the evening of your party; its
eight o’clock, Mr. Nymes, 1 declare; and
upon mv word we must be going. Not
going 1 Miss Diuley, I’m astonished ; you so
gay and fond of dancing ! I hope you and
Mr. Nymes haven’t quarrelled ” —and with
this last overwhelming speech she put her
arm within Nymes’, and actually marched
the poor fellow into the hall, thereby escaping
a sirocco of wrath from the enraged Miss
Dinley, who vows she never was so mad in
all her life, both at Mrs. Dan's impertinence
and Nymes’ pusillanimity.
Poor fellcw! he mechanically walked
along, while Mrs. Syvers leaned her ponder
ous body on his delicate frame, giving him a
faint idea of the tribulations of little Dan.
The lady talked amazingly; she might as
well have talked to a statue, for Nymes did
not hear a syllable.
They had proceeded a square or two from
the house, when with a sudden start, Mrs.
Dan said, “ Oh, Mr. Nymes, 1 do feel as if
my sister were coming to town to-night!
Wouldn’t it be pleasant if she were with us?”
Nymes muttered, “ Yes,” but at the same
time wished the sister in the Cannibal
Islands.
“ Now, Mr. Nymes, the cars will be in in
a few minutes ; just let’s walk around to
the depot, and we’ll just exactly meet her ;
it won’t take long, you know, and we’ll just
get to your rooms in fashionable time, you
know ; there’s a good man.”
Now, the aforesaid depot was some six
squares off, and Nymes would rather have
had the earth swallow him up at that mo
ment, than go there after the confounded
sister ; but he dare not say a w r ord, so off
he went with the triumphant Mrs. Daniel.
The evening traiu Lad not arrived,so they
went into the waiting room.
Mrs. Syvers turned to consult the mirror,
and for a few moments her back was turned
upon her victim. A desperate thought here
entered Nymes’ maddened brain. Why
should he not throw off these infernal fetters
and go to his own party ? He arose and
cautiously advanced on tip-toe to the door.
But his temporary courage here cruelly
deserted him ; he paused, and before he could
take another step his tormentor having con
cluded her self examination, turned around
and confronted him with, “ going to get me
a glass of water ? thank you, I don’t care
lor it. Please come and put on my shawl
for me.”
Nine o’clock! Nymes in a volcanic con
dition. Thought of yelling for police.
Ten o’clock ! No cars, and awful thoughts
of the party going on without him. What
would people say ? Still the imperturbable
Mrs. Daniel sat delicately fanning herself,
and watching Nymes with evident enjoyment.
Such coolness was maddening to a man in
Nymes’ situation. The poor fellow was
crimson with pent-up rage ; biting his lips
till the blood flowed freely, with the delight
ful consciousness that he had given a party
and was not to be found himself. “Awfully
ridiculous; confound the woman,” thought
he.
Eleven o’clock! Oh Show fervently did
he wish the whole race of Syvers’ in the
bottom of the ocean. “My God,” thought
Nymes, “ I’ll go mad ; I’ll kill her —l’ll run
—l’ll do something desperate,” and up he
jumped.
There is no telling what dark crime he
would have committed ; the next day’s pa
pers would have been filled with accounts of
a “ Mysterious and bloody tragedy at the
Northern Railroad Depot,” “ Mysterious
murder of a woman,” etc., had not the cars
just then rolled up to prevent such a catas
trophe, at 11)5 o'clock I*. M.,and discharged
their human Ireight upon the platform.
Mrs. Syvers’ sister was there, sure enough;
true to the singular presentiment oI the for
mer lady. (It was afterwards discovered
thatshe had written to her sister to come to
the party.)
“ Quite early iu the evening ” Mrs. Dan
iel remarked, “ Mr. Nymes will go to the
house with us, Sally, aud you can dress and
we’ll start off”
Another delay I Nymes dragged the two
sisters to the house in e rage. He was get
ting his spirit up now. He told them that he
would wait teu minutes. While they were
getting ready, Nymes thought over his ab
surd situation. Here he had been dragged
around the dark streets half the night by a
women he hated most cordially ; who would
insinuate herself into his company and make
him a laughing stock. He had been kept
away from his own party and felt pretty
much like a fool.
It is useless to attempt to describe the
sensation which was produced, when, at the
hour of twelve, Nymes appear d wedged
between two gigantic females at the door of
his room. A general hubbub ensued ; the
girls giggled convulsively, (the younger
ones I mean), while the more dignified shook
with inward laughter. By dint of a mas
terly use of handkerchiefs much of this pro
voking exertment was concealed from
Nymes. We fellows nearly exploded.
Harry in his frantic efforts to preserve his
gravity and the respect due to Nymes, fell
backward among a bevy of pretty girls and
presented a rather singular appearance
sprawling among the soft muslins. This
unfortunate event increased the excitement
so that Nymes glowed with embarrassment
and wrath.
Numerous were the queries poured out
upon him as to his late appearance, none of
which he answered very satisfactorily.
Supper had been waiting about an hour ;
and when Nymes had sufficiently recovered
his dignity, that important meal was an
nounced. Mrs. Syvers and her sister enjoyed
the affair immensely—ordering everybody
around to bring them eatables until the table
in front ol them resembled some vast mag
azine ol subsistence. Nymes kept out of
Mrs. Daniel’s way pretty effectually. Some
times when he passed near me, I could hear
him mutter, “ confound the woman.”
We were to have a grand old-fashioned
reel after supper. The duty of leading off
devolved upou Nymes with the lady he had
escorted. They started off, but before they
had taken many steps, Mrs. Syvers’ shoes
were observed to fly off in the most unac
countable manner. She went down the
room in her stockings. Some fellow picked
the shoes up and discovered them to be India
rubbers, which iu the warm room stuck to
the floor and left the lady stocking-footed.
She was not in the least embarrassed by this
accident, but put on her rubbers again with
the greatest nonchalance. You may be
sure Nymes kept clear of her after this, but
Tom Cribbs, out of diablerie, asked her to
dance, not imagining that she would attempt
it after her untoward accident. She, how
ever, smilingly complied, when Tom request
ed her hand for the next set. She then
turned to a girl sifting near her and whis
pered, “Look here, for God’s sake, fend me
your slippers; quick! hurry! pretend
you're going out to arrange your dress ; I’ll
follow !” The poor girl went to the dressing
room, took off her slippers and exchanged
with Mrs. Syvers, so that when the new set
was formed, Mrs. S. was ready for it. It is
my private opinion that she went off with
that unfortunate girl’s slippers on—perhaps
not intentionally.
Soon after this the party broke up. The
ladies were quivering with curiosity in re
lation to Nymes’ protracted absence, but
bad to depart rather mystified. Some of
our girls guessed at the truth. Nymes went
off the next morning to New York and
never returned to our house again. I went
to see him after he got back. He said he
had been sick ever since he had left us and
was going to take to his bed immediately.
He gave me a full account of all his suffer
ings on the eventful night of his party. He
said if the cars bad not have arrived so
opportunely, be would no doubt have been
a fugitive from justice or a prominent mem
ber of an insane asylum.
Mrs. Syvers becoming too confoundedly
impertinent and disagreeable, and the board
bills not meeting with the desired attention,
our landlady one fine day gave her notice
to leave u 3, which she unwillingly did, to
gether with her wretched little husband, and
a trunk full of the spoils of the house, ar
ticles carefully selected from the ladies
wardrobes, and among them Ada Smith’s
scarlet feather which had adorned her per
son on the long-to-Bb-remembered night of
Mr. Nymes’ party.
Death of Lord Macaulay.
From the London Telegraph,
It is with leeliugs of deep regret that we
announce the death of the eminent essayist
and historian, Lord Macaulay, which melan
choly event took place at eight o’clock on
Wednesday evening, at the residence of the
noble lord, Holly lodge, Catnpdenhill, Ken
sington. For many years past Lord Ma
caulay's health had been good ; but in 1852
he had a serious illness, consequent on dis
ease of the heart, the circulation being ex
tremely languid. The attack was subdued,
and his lordship’s health continued to be
tolerably good up to a fortnight ago,
when he had a second attack, from which,
however, he rallied to such an extent that
his medical men ceased to apprehend danger.
He continued to improve, and, on Friday
last, when seen by a friend, he looked much
as usual. A relapse seems to have subse
quently taken place, and his lordship expir
ed suddenly, as we have said, on Wednesday
evening. Lord Macaulay never was mar
ried, and the title consequently dies with
him.
Lord Macaulay was born at Rothley Tem
ple, Leicestershire, in the year 1800, and
was consequently only 59 years of age. But
though he died comparatively young, his
life has been one of constant acquisition
and unflagging industry. The son of Zach
ary Macaulay—a man worthy to be named
along with Clarkson, Wilberforce and Ste
phens, for his exertions and sacrifices to
promote the abolition of the slave trade—
Mr. Macaulay had, doubtless, an excellent
early training. He entered Trinity college,
Cambridge, in 1819, and was soon distin
guished in the university as a youth of sin
gularly rare and varied attainments, as well
as remarkable mental powers. He carried
off prize after prize, and having, on leaving
the university, chosen the bar as his pro
fession, he selected the northern circuit as
the sphere of his legal career.
About this time his celebrated article on
“Milton” appeared in the Edinburg Review.
The publication of that article wai a literary
event, and it was soon felt that a uew lumin
ary. was rising in the literary hemisphere.
Subsequent articles of equal ability led to
Mr. Macaulay’s beiug made a bankruptcy
commissioner, and to his introduction to
parliament under the auspices of the mar
quis of Landsdowne, as member for Caine,
and to office as secretary of the board of
control. This was iu 1838, and the part
played by him during the exciting parlia
mentary discussions on reform led to his
beiDg named, along with the late Mr. Mar
shall, jr., as a liberal candidate for Leeds,
in the event of its being enfranchised. By
the free choice of the inhabitants of so in
fluential a borough as Leeds, with which he
had no local or personal ties, Mr. Macaulay’s
political position was now made. To the
surprise, however, of his constituents, the
right honorable gentleman, before two years
had passed, accepted an appointment in the
supreme council of India. At the end of
two years and a half Mr. Macaulay returned
to England, having completed his proposed
penal code, which, however, has never yet
become law. To bis residence in India we
owe his essays on Cord Clive and Warren
Hastings, two of his most brilliant produc
tions. Mr. Macaulay’s subsequent political
career iu England was somewhat less active
than that prdvi'iU'i ro his departure for the
East; but he fetal* contributed—Up member
of parliament lor Edinburg,'seevetaty at*
war. and pay nUste?; el - the forces. - to the
3torts> on’ oji-.puTlmmentary, eloquenta.. ; .
The loss of his electiori fof ‘Edinburgh in’
1847, owing to his views on the Maynooth
question, iuduced him to retire from public
life and to devote his time to literary pur
suits. Under ordinary circumstances, his
rejection would have been the subject of
lasting regret. But while his admirers were
deploring the fact of a man known to fame
as a poet, essayist, and orator, being thus
displaced by a constituency so important
and intelligent, they derived no small conso
lation from the rumor that he was to devote
his leisure to the grand project of writing a
history of England. His peculiar qualifi
cations for the task, his parliamentary
career, his official knowledge, his social ex
perience, his historical information, his
familiarity with ancient literature, and the
art he was kuown to possess of writing
what people like to read, as well as leading
skillfully with the less attractive parts of a
subject, raised high expectations ; and when,
in 1848, an installment of two volumes
appeared, with the title of “ The History of
England from the accession of James the
Second,” they met with an enthusiastic re
ception, and elicited universal praise. In
the majestic sentences with which he intro
duced his work to the public, Mr. Macaulay
stated that he would cheerfully bear the
reproach of having descended below what
is called the dignity of history if he could
succeed in placing before the English of the
nineteenth century a true picture of the life
of their ancestors. He made the sacrifice,
and accomplished his object. By ajudi
cious selection and arrangement of materials;
by retaining only what was interesting of
itself, or could be rendered so by the artifice
of style ; and by adorning his pages with
biografical sketches of the principal actors
in the scene he treated of, Mr. Macaulay
succeeded in producing a book which few
can peruse without gratification.
RE
In 1848 Mr. Macaulay was chosen lord
rector of the university of Glasgow, and de
livered an inaugural address, memorable for
its ability. In 1849 he was nominated pro
fessor of ancient history in the royal acade
my. In 1852, when a general election
occurred, he was by his friends put in nomi
nation for Edinburgh. Mr. Macaulay, how
ever, stood haughtily aloof from the stirring
contest; neither issuing an address, nor ap
pearing as a candidate before the hustings.
N everthelcss, the electors restored themselves
to the good opinion of the world by replacing
him in his former position; and gowing
northward in the autumn, he delivered a
speech that did much to clear a way for the
coalition government, which he subsequently
supported in the house of commons, by two
orations deemed not quite worthy of his an
cient reputation. In 1853, Mr. Macaulay’s
various speeches were collected and pub
lished. In 1855, the third and fourth vol
umes of his history of England were hailed
with an enthusiasm which marked them out
for a popularity hardly less extensive than
that which attended their predecessors. Iu
1856 Mr. Macaulay resigned his seat for
Edinburgh, and on September 10,1857, he
was raised to the peerage ; but a chronic
cough, which of late years prevented his
speaking for more than a short time, proba
bly induced him to refrain from ever ad
dressing th upper house.
In the introduction of his last and great
est work, the author expressed a hope that
he might be enabled to bring down the his
tory of his country to a date within the
memory of living men; but unhappily this
hope is far from being realized. For some
time it has been currently rumored that the
fifth and sixth volumes of the work were
about to appear, but we are enabled to state,
on good authority, that, whatever materials
may have been accumulated, no such exten
sive addition to the history is nearly ready
for press.
The speeches and writings of the deceased
peer are familiar wherever the English lan
guage is spoken. As an orator, an essayist,
a poet, and a historian, he has occupied a
leading position, and his death at such a
moment, when the nation was anxiously
looking forward for another installment of
his great history, will be a theme for uni
versal lamentation.
Grand Trunk Railway Company.
The greatest Canadian Railways have
been, as a general thing, well managed.
There is great order and regularity in their
movements, and we have been glad to see
that every bridge is to be iron, so that no
stray spark from a locomotive can endanger
the life of travelers. This road is distin
guished above all others for its good discip
line. But the English management has had
some pretty dearbougbt experience in taking
care of a Railway m a climate entirely !
different from that of the mother country,
and where the curves are frequent (they
have but few in England) and the grade
much steeper than in Europe. Therefore,
when the management in England got hold
of the American end of the road, which
runs from the border of Canada to Port
land, a lot of English locomotives, which
were of light draft and made to whisk at a
furious rate over a level bee line set of rails, j
were put upon the road. But the steep
grades and heavy snows in New England
soon knocked them of the track. The en
gineer en chef of the locomotive depart
a:ent made kpown to his betters in England
American locomotives were needed for
American Railways. Word came back to
the effect that the machines ran “at ’ome.” 1
and they must go on the Grand Trunk ; and '
if the engineer could not make them go, a
man would be sent out who could. Suffice i
to say, the engineer retired, and another
was sent out in his place, who did make the
English machines do what the management
“at ’ome” wished. His process was a very
short one. He soon saw how the case stood, j
and had the locomotives taken to the ma
chine shop, and altered into very respectable
“iron horses,” and thus “made them go” to I
the tune of several thousand dollars. We '
have often chronicled the success of the
Grand Trunk Railway, and rejoice at its j
prosperity; but we never dreamed that i
experience in a very simple matter was
again to be bought at a very high price. ;
The whole United States —the mechanical
potion of it at least—has enjoyed a hearty
laugh at an item which recently appeared in
the Railway Journal. It was there stated that
the Grand Trunk Railway Company wished
one or two thousand axes. Now it is well j
known that our country excels in prime axes, ;
but the astute managers sent an order for the
desired article to England. The order was
accompanied with a model axe blade and
the specification —“exactly like the pattern.”
In course of time the axes returned, but as
blind as new-born kittens, without an eye
to see through or to put a handle in. These |
acute but 'eyeless instruments, made “exactly
like the pattern,” are now on sale at Mon- •
treal. — Si. Y. Journal of Commerce.
J. E. Fry, member of the Massachusetts
State Senate from Worcester county, is said
to be involved iu the crime of forgery, and
resigned his seat in the Senate on the 19th
inst. The alleged forgery is on a firm in
Pearl street, for 53,500.