The Opelousas journal. [volume], August 22, 1873, Image 1

About The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878

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dry goods, groceries, &c.
TUST ABBIV EP i
Ladies, Read the News!
CAMILLE ROOS
Having just returned, by last boat, from New
Orleans, with a FULL and BEAUTIFUL STOCK
OF MERCHANDISE, invites all, both Ladles
and Gentlemen to call and examine Iiis stock,
which they will find complete in every article
they may need.
GENT'S FINE READY-MADE CLOTHING,
GENT'S FURNISHING GOODS,
HATS, GLOVES, ETC.,
LADIES' VERY FINE DRESS GOODS, such as
FINE GRENADINES,
BLACK AND COLORED ALPACAS,
MOURNING GOODS,
JAPANESE CLOTHS, (all shades and prices,)
A FINE ASSORTMENT OF HOSIERY,
LADIES' MISSES', AND CHILDREN'S TRIM
MED HATS,
LATEST STYLES OF SHOES,
Also a full stock of
PROVISIONS, GROCERIES,
HARDWARE, WOODENWARE, TINWARE,
TOBACCO, CIGARS, WHISKY, ANISETTE,
&C.
At very low prices to suit the times.
FINE JAPANESE CLOTHS at from 15 to 25 cts
per yard.
CHOICE ELOUR (guaranteed) at 114 per barrel
Highest prices paid for
COTTON, HIDES, WOOL,
And all other produce, at
CAMILLE ROOS',
Cor. Main and North Streets, Opelousas.
april5-tf
R
8. WII.KINN,
WASHINGTON, LA.
Receiving and Forwarding Merchant,
and dealer in
WESTERN PRODUCE,
Hay, Corn, Oats and Brail.
B
EST JUTE RAGGING.
ARRAW TIES,
TWINE,
LIME, and
SALT,
For sale by R. S. WILKINS.
H
AY,
CORN,
OATS AND
For sale by
BRAN,
R. S. WILKINS.
CO» FISH,
MACKEREL in Half Barrels,
MACKEKEL in Kits.
For sale by R. S. WILKINS.
F
OR SAI^E.— FLOUR OF VARIOUS
grades and brands by R. S. WILKINS.
KINK EVE POTATOES ON HAND
hand and for sale by R. S. WILKINS.
M
OSASSES AS» SUGAR.
For sale by R. S. WILKIN S.
I1TTSRURG CO Ali KEPT CONSTANT
ly on hand and for sale by R. S. WILKINS
»ORK KEPT CONSTANTLY ON HAND
and for sale by R. fl. WILKINS.
TOHIS IS NO HUMBUG !
LOUIS DESMARAIS
pretends to keep the cheapest Fancy and Fam
ily Grocery in Opelousas.
Look at the following list of prices : .
Coffee, prime.. 25 cents per pound.
H fair 20 " " "
Lard, the best : 15 '• " '
Sugar 2 pounds for 25 ets.
Rie«, the best 2 " " "
" second quality 2 pounds for 15 cts.
Fine cut smoking tobacco.. 75 cents per pound.
Sardines 25 cents per box.
Oysters 15 cents per can.
Canned fruits 30 cents per can.
Good wine 25 cents per bottle.
And everything else in proportion.
He has on hand, and is constantly receiving
by every boat, a choice assortment of all kinds
of fancy andfamily groceries,consisting of Flour
in whole and half-barrels; Sugar Cured Hams,
Smoked Shoulders, Breakfast Bacon, Pork,
Crackers, Rico, Vermicelli, Macaroni, Teas, all
kinds of canned Fruits, Fishes and Vegetables ;
French Cognac, American Brandy, Jamaica
and Louisiana Rums, Gins, favorite brands;
Whiskey, Old, Bonrbon, Old Rye, Monongahela,
Dexter, &c. ; Bitters, Hostetters, New Found
land, Sazerae, Russian, and all other kinds,
Fresh and Dried Apples, Oranges, Lemons ; and
in fact, anything that you may call for, in the
line of Fancy and Family Groceries.
Choice Liquors, Tobacco, Cigare, &c., &c., &e.,
will be found at
LOUIS DESMARAIS',
Corner of Market and Bellevue Streets,
Opelousas, I.A.
F
IAKCT GROCERY STORE.
C. B. ANDRUS,
conxer main an» lakdry streets,
Always has on hand a full assortment of choice,
family groceries, and particularly flour in bar
rels and half-barrels—Cheap ; also :
TINWARE, CODFISH»
WILLOW WARE, MACKEREL,
HARDWARE, HERRINGS,
SHOT, SALMON,
POWDER, FANCY SOAP,
CARDS, STOVE BLACKING,
FLUTING MACHINES.
Also,a full assortmentof FineLiquors, Brandy,
Rye and Bourbon Whisky, Peach Brandy,
wines and Bitters, Fine French Cordial, Dant
zick, Old Irish Wi»e, Madeira Wine, Port Wine ;
and in fact, every variety of Liquor and Wines
all for cash and Cheaper than the Cheapest.
Will commence the New Year by selling ex
clusively
FOR CASH AND CHEAP.
dec. 28-ly.
jj^EW STORE ! NEW STORE ! !
(Under the Courier. Printing Office,)
main street, opelousas, la.
CHEAP FOR CASH!
A. MARKS
Informs his friends and the public in general
that he has opened a store at the above stand,
where he is always ready to sell them—
DRY GOODS, CLOTHING,
HARDWARE, CROCKERYWARE,
BOOTS, SHOES, SADDLERY,
PROVISIONS and GROCERIES.
As a proof of his determination to seU low, he
to offering the best brands of Calico at 124 cents
per yard.
Call and examine his new stock and judge for
yourself.
Highest prices paid for Cotton, Hides, Wool, ice.
dec. 2i-iy.
p J. LEFERVRE, AGENT,
Corner of Court and Landry Streets,
OPELOUSAS, LA.,
Has always on liand and offers to his friends,
for cash , at such low prices as will fully satisfy
them:
DRY GOODS, Staple and Fancy.
ciiothing.
BOOTS, SHOES AND HATS.
NOTIONS.
HARDWARE AND TINWARE.
CROCKERY.
GROCERIES, Staple, and Fancy.
WINES AND LIQUORS.
BAGGING AND TIES.
CORN, OATS AND BRAN.
SMOKING AND CHEWING TOBACCO.
June 8.
jf you want to buy anything
AT A GREAT BARGAIN,
Such as
CLOTHING,
HATS,
BOOTS and SHOES
For Ladles and Gents,
STAPLE GOODS,
COTTONS and WOOLENS,
And more especially
Dress Goods ,
Which are offered at a SACRIFICE!
Call and sec for yourselves, at the store of
P. J. LEFEBVRE,
JanJStf Cor. Landry and Court Sts
N
OTICE to tax payers of
THE TOWN OF OPELOUSAS.
Ten days after the publication of this notice,
all persons owing taxes to the town of Opelou
sas for the year 1873, are requested to pay the
same to tbo undersigned Treasurer, at his office
or suffer the penalties imposed by law.
JOHN POSEY, Treasurer.
Opelousas, La., June 21,1873.
postage stamps and stamp.
Jt ed Envelopes.—The Postmaster at thisplaci
takes pleasure iu announcing to the public that
the post office is at present supplied with a full
assortment of postage stumps, envelopes
stamped and unstamped, newspaper wrappers,
et«. Therefore, those wishing any of the above,
in small or largo quantities, can have them by
calling at the post office. may 31-tf
t|issoi«ution .-THE FIRM OF BLOCH
Aß & Dupré is dissolved by mutual consent,, to
take effect from the tlrst day of January, 1873.
The busluess is continued by Joseph Bloch and
Simon Bloch, under the name and stylo of
apl 5-tf] J. BLOCH & CO.
VOLUME 6.
OPELOUSAS, LA., FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 1873.
NUMBER 34
drug stores.
o
PELOITSAS DRUG- STORE.
SIGN OF THE BIG MORTAR!
Opposite the Court House,
OPELOUSAS, LA.
The undersigned in returning his sincere
thanks for the very liberal patronage with
which he has heretofore been favored, would
respectfully call the attention of all needing
anything in his line, to Iiis
LARGE AND COMPLETE STOCK
of everything belonging to the Drug Business.
Physicians, Country Merchants' and Planters'
orders solicited.
Prescriptions will rçeeivc particular attention
at all hours of the day or night.
CLAUDIUS MAYO,
Pharmaceutist.
A COMPLETE ASSORTMENT
OP
PAINTER S' M ATERIAL!
SNOW WHITE ZINC,
WHITE LAED,
TURPENTINE,
BOILED LINSEED OIL,
RAW LINSEED OIL,
PATENT DRYER,
COPAL,
DAMAR,
AND
JAPAN
VARNISHES.
I'aint and "Varnish Brushes.
SASH TOOLS, &c., &c., &c.
AT.T. COLORED PAINTS, PIGMENTS AND
EARTHS IN OIL AND DRY,
At C. MAYO'S
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La..
A CHOICE ASSORTMENT
of
STATIONERY!
RECORD,
LEGAL CAP,
CONGRESS CAP,
LETTER,
INITIAL NOTE,
AND MOURNING NOTE
PAPER!
ENVELOPES,
INKS, (of all colors,)
PENS,
SLATES,
AND PENCILS,
&c., &c., &c., &c., &c., &c.,
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousns, La.
ITTERS! BITTERS! RITTERS!
B
HART'S,
HOSTETTER'S,
NEWFOUNDLAD,
ARGYLE,
PLANTATION,
HOOFLAND'S GERMAN
and
ENGLISH FEMALE
BITTERS !
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La
FULL LINE OF
STANDARD
DRUGS!
QUININE—French and American.
CALOMEL—English.
BLEE MASS—English.
RHUBARB—Turkish.
&c., &c., &c., &c., &e., «fee., ,
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the. Big Mortar, Opelousas. La.
SUPERIOR WINES AN» LIQUORS
for
M E DI C A L PU R P O S E S I
" VIEUX TEMPS " COGNAC,
FINE OLD BOURBON WHISKY,
SHERRY, MADEIRA AND PORT WINES,
<&c., &c., &c.,
At. C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
0ONGRES8 WATER,
EMPIRE SPRING WATER,
VICHY* WATER,
&c., &c., &c., &c., &c.,
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
^HEWING TORACCO,
SMOKING TOBACCO,
CHOICE HAVANA CIGARS,
SNUFFS, &e,, &c.
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
EVIL
A REMEDY FOR EVERY
to which
HUMAN FLESH IS HEIR—
"POVERTY NOT EXCETTED."
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
J^HEAVY STOCK OF
APPROVED SCHOOL BOOKS,
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
JUST RECEIVE»!
A Fresh Supply of SHAKER Garden Seeds,
At C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
H°
GARDENERS!
Fresh Garden Seeds, Landreth's growth 1871..
At. C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
Garden seeds :
at
C. MAYO'S,
Sign of the Big Mortar, Opelousas, La.
24
TH YEAR! 34th YEAR!!
POSEY'S MEDICAL EXPRESS DISPATCH.
Read ! Read ~ Read !
. .
XT!OR RENT.— that desirable place I
DRUGS AND MEDICINES,
the
FRESHEST AND PUREST TO BE HAD,
can always be found at the old and well known
ST. LANDRY DRUG STORE
and
ihedicaii depot.
(Established Anno Domini, 1848.)
All the popular Patent Remedies of this " Pro
ressive Age."
Chemicals of every description.
Eclcctlc Medicines.
Paints, Oils, and Window Glass.
School and Blank Books.
Stationery of every variety.
Toilet Articles, and New Choice Perfumery.
Pure Wines and Liquors for Medical Use.
Garden Seeds.
Tobacco, Cigars, Snuff, &c., &.
The proprietor devotes his entire time and
stud}' to compounding and dispensing
RELIABLE MEDECINES.
ractlce and
Twenty-Three Years of dally practicc
experience, with unremitting efforts and
unfeigned desire to please, will serve, he hojn-o,
to keep alive and perpetuate the esteem and
patronage of his numerous customers.
Physicians' and Planters' orders respectfully
solicited.
Prescriptions carefully filled night and day,
with the most approved ingredients.
JOHN POSEY,
Apothecary.
Opelousi^
miscellaneous.
H/rEmCAL
lvi :
NOTICE.— A REGULAR
Meeting of the St. Landry Medical and
Surgical Association will be held at Opelousas
the tirst Monday of every mouth, at 10 o'clock
a. m. VINCENT BOAGNI, M. D.,
President.
J ames R at , M. D., Secretary.
July 22, 1871-iy.
SO BEWABD .-I WILL PAY THE A
bove reward for the arrest and conviction
the parties who broke Into my store, In the
night of the 29th ultimo.
- LOUIS DESMARAIS,
Opelousas, May 9d. 1873-tf
J? of business now temporarily occupied by
Bloch & Dupré, in Opelousas. Possession given
on first January next. For farther particulars,
apply at next door to „ „. T ^
dec. 21-tf. CHAS. N. EALER.
. HATS
H AT * ~
Dress Hats of snperb quality finish.
All the nobby styles for young men.
Youths', Boys' and Children's Hats, in the
newest designs, at
may 10-tf
JOS. BLOCH & CO.
lumber—lumber.
'r3S»E»î IilJMBJB»! IIJMBKB
Choice Cypress and Pine Lumber, of every
dimension, and in unlimited quantities, sup
plied by the undersigned at Mount Pleasant
Mills, near Washington. We are receiving a
large lot of chain logs, and will till with prompt
ness and dispatch all bills entrusted to us.
Orders addressed to the undersigned, at Wash
Ineton, will receive immediate attention.
All kinds and any anount of Seasoned Lumber
always on hand, at Reduced Prices.
Terms—Cash at the mill.
FRANK McNICOLL.
Mt. Pleasant Mills, July 8, 1871.
Your Mothcr-in-L.aw.
her side of the story—and a pretty
good story, too.
A good many things, some of tliem
good, many sharp and occasionally
cruel, have been said of mothers-in-law,
and now comes one of this much talked
of class and tells her side of the story.
That she tells it well, will be admitted
by all who read it :
Left a widow, after a few years of
most unhappy married life, I retired,
with my two children, to a small towu,
where I intended to devote myself to
the care of their education.
I think the enjoyment we have in our
children before they reach the age of
ten is very great. All faults and evil
tendencies seem so sure to be eradicated
with time, we can scarcely believe the
pains we are taking will ever have any
but the desired result. These early
promises are so beautiful ! Every child
ish liking seems a talent, lacking only
opportunity to develop into excellence.
My girl and boy went to school in the
morning. In the afternoon we walked
together, and we all three enjoyed those
long, rambling walks. Then our tea
table, and our evenings, when I read to
them—how delightful was our compan
ionship ! How I tried in every way to
sow the good seed. I have said that my
means were small, but my wants were
few, and I considered it a duty to make
them fewer, for my children's sakes. I
took care that they were always well
dressed, often working until late at
night at their clothes—my own were
plain enough. They never knew, of
course, the sacrifices I made that they
might have pleasure.
That my children loved me, respected
me, I need not repeat. Their first
thoughts always seemed to be of me.
At Christmas they presented me with
horrid little daubs, which I still treasure,
tied up in little packages and dated.
Ah ! happy, happy days !—days when a
paper of sweet cake is sufficient for hap
piness.
The day came when they grey tall and
less dependent on me. James left school,
and, as my means did not admit of his
?oing to college, I obtained admittance
.or him into the place of business of a
friend. One day I heard an acquaintance
say that my son admired a Miss Benson.
Then first shot into my heart that acute
pang of jealousy which I had heard a
woman feels when another woman dares
to lay claim to her son—a bitter unreas
oning feeling, but strong and fierce,
trample on it as you may. I asked
James about it; he laughed at the
idea.
A year later he announced that he
was engaged to this very girl, and asked
me to go and see her. 1 went. She was
veiy tall and very thin, and stylish look
ing with reddish hair, and long, thin
hands and feet. She wore a great many
flounces, anda great deal of jewelry of the
palegoldkind. Her manners were very
gracious to me, but some how or other
there was something about her that
seemed to say she was the one who had
always had a right to James, while I
stood out in the new and awkward light
of one whose claims upon him were very
trifling and quite recent.
When I went home I sat in my rock
ing chair for about an hour, thinking.
I had understood every kite he had ever
had, fathomed the capacity of every
toy cannon with which he had ever
missed committing suicide, overcome
the misteries of marbles of every degree,
loved every puppy and kitten he had ever
adopted and taken to his heart—why
could I not at least try to love this red
dish haired girl ? People congratulated
me. "0 ! yes, I was very much pleased,
of course, not losing a son at all—0 ! no
—only gaining another daughter !" De
lightful, certainly, and early marriages
are, as you say, so very desirable.
A year afterward they were married,
and remained some months with her
family, during which time I saw her of
ten, and cannot say that I ever had any
fault to find with her. Then James
sought and obtained a very good posi
tion in a town distant about one hun
dred miles. At first the news was very
satisfactory. "Charming little house,
the perfection of servants and then
later, "the lovliest little baby," my
grandson. Then, some months later,
things were not so bright. The baby
had the croup, my son himself a touch
of the intermittent fever, servants were
great pleagues, housekeepers a dread
ful trouble. Disturbed beyond meas
ure at the reiteration of these lamenta
tions, I decided to go and see for my
self how they were circumstanced, and
be of what assistance I might for a
short time.
So one winter morning, leaving Fanny
with an intimate Mend, and intrusting
house and all it contained to one ser
vant, I left home alone. Arriving after
dark at my destination, I found the two
younger servants enjoying a comfortable
meal in the kitchen, and the baby asleep
alone in a chilly nursery. My son and
his wife were out spending the evening
with some friends. Their surprise and
Eleasure at seeing me on their return
ome was very great. Upon conversing
with Maria next day I found her to be
very ignorant as regarded baby's re
quirements. "He does cry so dreadfully,"
she said. I stayed there a whole month
perhaps it was too long, but there al
ways seemed something for me to do.
I took charge of the little creature
whenever Iiis mother wanted to spend
an evening in company, which was pot
seldon. Many and many a lonely hour
I spent in that dimly lighted room
rather than trust him to the awkward
ness of the young girl who professed
to fulfill the duties of a child's nurse,
I did a great deal of sewing for Maria
of whom I became fonder than I hat.
ever expected to be.
James had a relapse of his intermit
tent fever. His wife knew nothing about
sickness, I nursed him—I who had never
known fatigue when he needed any
thing in former years, would surely not
fail him now. 1 sat up with him night
after night, and showed the cook how
to prepare nice little dishes for hi'm,
such as I knew he liked—that is to say I
prepared them while the cook looked
on. Whatever was needed now, up
stairs or down, I was the one to plan
and do it. At last I began to think I
I ought to return to Fanny ; and seeing
James fairly convalescent, I sought the
train for my journey homeward. Sit
ting in the railroad car, a party of young
people had places in front of me, laugh
ing and talking with eager animation
principally about persons I knew noth
ing of, except by name. Presently one
of them began to speak of my son T
wife.
"I used to see a great deal of them at
one time," she said, "but—"
"Oh ! well, you know how they have
had a mother-in-law raging round late
ly, so I have kept away.
"So have I."
Here followed a laugh of derision
"A mother-in-law !" exclaimed anoth
er ; "that is hard ; I do pity them in
deed."
But I understand she is off now, luck
ily."
"Glad to hear it. Have you heard the
new opera ?"
I was the mother-in-law on whose ac
to
a
count friends stayed away. I remem
bered the weary nights in that sick
room ; the weary days when, suffering
from the loss of sleep, I struggled to
keep my eyes open that I might attend
to various little household duties. I
remembered the nice little dishes, the
neatly arranged rooms, the carefully
tended baby. Which of all this was
the "raging round" which excited the
risible muscles of those young people ?
I thought of Fanny, of her good looks,
her intelligence, her affectionate na
ture, and found myself wandering what
her nature was to be. But here we are.
There she was waiting to meet me,
dear child ; but there was some one with
lier, a most insignificant looking indi
vidual, with very prominent eyes and
larce whiskers. Why did my heart
sink with a melancholy foreboding.
How glad she was to see me again !
She introduced her companion to me as
Mr Jenkins; and whereas I was all anxiety
to be alone with her, Mr. Jenkins, with à
great flourish of politeness, walked all the
way home with us. Before I could un
tie the strings of my bonnet he told me
that Fanny had promised to marry him !
I was thunderstruck, having iu the an
noyance of his presence forgotten my
forebodings of a half an hour before.
I had read with much attention, in va
rious highly lauded books, of the great
and imperative duty of bringing up î
girl to be a helpmeet for a noble man
Was this my Fan ny's noble man, this dap
Eer little mannikin ? He seemed amiable,
ut so utterly insignificant. He had
uninteresting parents, and weak, plain
sisters, all of whom made a perpetual
amusement of the engagement. My
parlor was given up to them—that is, to
him and his sisters. I seemed always
detrop when I entered, judging by the
sudden silence which followed the ani
mated task. My coming was an inter
ruption. I began to sit up stairs ; I al
ways walked alone.
Having avoided all society and all ac
quaintancesliip when my children were
young, that I might devote my whole
time to them, I found myself now des
olate and friendless. Friends, like
plants, must be cultivated. I found no
congeniality in either of the two fami
lies with which my family were connect
ing themselves.
After two years they were married ;
and after a year of boarding aspired to
the dignity of keeping house. After
looking at many dwellings one was se
lected, one which required a great many
repairs, and now my services were in
very great request; I attended to all
the directions Mr. Jenkins wished given
to the workmen ; I stayed in the cold,
empty rooms all day, when there was
nothing to sit on but an empty candle
box. I did the necessary quarreling
with the plumbers, and bore the snub
bing of the upholsterers. I put the fur
niture in the places I thought best by
degrees, and by degrees changed all to
suit his tastes. I washed all the china and
glass; and sometimes fancied, when I
got dirty doing all this, that I was hap
py. I had so long been accustomed 5 to
work for those I loved, that it was hard
to learn there might be any reproach
connected with it. I must do Fanny
the justice to say that she was very kind
and grateful for all this trouble.
On the last day, after having some
cold tea out of a pitcher on the corner of
a mantlepiece, I overheard Mr. Jenkins,
who had brought a friend to admire his
new dwelling, say :
"Well, the carpets are down, the fur
niture is all here, and I think now when
we get our servants, and engage a
baker and milkman, and are rid of the
mother-in-law, we shall be ready to
move in."
Both my children married, I had my
solitary little home to myself, and very
solitary it was. I tried to get up some
spasmodic friendships with my neigh
bors, but being hollow, these forced in
timacies fell through. But I ought not
to complain ; it is the way of the world.
I only wonder if, considering the love
we women have for our children, young
or old, the world is not apt to be a little
hard upon the mother-in-law.
Advertising the State .—The State
agent of the Louisiana Immigration So-.
ciety announces that he is in almost
daily receipt of letters from abroad con
taining inquiries with reference to the
jrice, location, and products of saleable
ands in our market.
These inquiries are elicited by the fre
quent publications of newspaper ar
ticles setting forth the advantage which
the State affords to immigrants. It will
thus be seen that the press is a valuable
motive power, and if for a time the
press should subordinate the discussion
of political topics to that of immigration
interests, the State would be advertised
and good results would follow. The
Stat« to prosper must do as all successful
business men do, advertise freely and
often in the columns of the press.
We suggested the other day that one
of the first steps, after the organization
of parish branches of the Immigration
Society, should be to place small farms
in the market, and to advertise these
lands particularly in the parish news
paper, and in at least one in New Or
leans. The wisdom of such a systema
tic policy is sustained by the character
ana number of the letters addressed to
the State agent, who at present appears
to be the only medium through which
strangers may apply for reliable infor
mation.—[Crescent City.
How Money Goes .—-In our country
every good workman can get ahead, if
he knows how to deny himself, and to
save. Much money is worse than wast
ed in poor families, An exchange
says:
A hard-wording man—as for instance
a bricklayer, mason, or blacksmith
drinks about eight glasses of beer daily,
at an expense of 40 cents per day, or $2 80
per week.
Eight glasses of beer daily, at five
cents a glass, cost each
and each year $146. We
suppose this is more than one-sixth of
the yearly earnings of the average
"hard -working man." It is probably
two-thirds as much as the "hardwork
ing man" pays for rent, and twice as
much as he*pays for clothes. It would
enable him to take a six weeks'rest each
year, if he saved it, or pay Iiis expenses
to New York and back three times, and
almost to Europe and back. It would
buy him a good lot of ground not very
far removed from the city, or if put out,
at interest would bring him as much |
as he gets for two or three days' labor.
It would buy him three times as much
bread as he could eat, or woukl prob
ably suffice to pay his meat bill.
A witness in a late divorce case kept
saying that the wife had a very retaliat
ing.disposition j that she retaliated fop
every little thing,
"Did you ever see her husband kiss
her ?" asked the wife's counsel.
"Yes, sir, often."
"What did she do on such occasions !"
"She alw ays retaliated, sir."
Where ?—A man who had had a severe
fall was asked by the surgeon : "Have
you sprained yourself near the fibula ?"
"No, sir," answered he ; "near the mar
ket place."
week I
—
"Ji m Smile y."
[As related by Simon Wheeler, Esq., of Angel's
Camp, Calaveras county, California, on be
ing askéd for information concerning a cer
tain Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley.]
There was a fellow here once by the
name of Jim Smiley, in the winter of
1849—or may be it was in the spring of
1850—1 don't recollect exactly, somehow
though what makes me think it was the
one or the other, is because I remem
ber the big flume wasn't finished when
he first came to the camp ; but, any way,
he was the curiosest man about always
betting on anything that turned up you
ever see, if he could get anybody to bet
on the other side ; and if lie couldn't
he'd change sides.
Any way that suited the other man
would suit him—any way just so's he
got a bet, he was satisfied. But still he
was lucky, uncommon lucky ; lie almost
always came out winner. He was al
ways ready and laying for a chance ;
there couldn't be no solitary thing
mentioned but that feller'd offer to bet
on it, and take any side you please, as I
was just telling you. If there was a
horse race, you'd find him flush or you'd
find him busted at the end of it; if there
was a dog fight, he'd bet on it ; if there
was a cat fight, he'd bet on it ; it' there
was a chicken fight, he'd bet on it ; why
if there was two birds sitting on a
fence, he'd bet you which one would fly
first ; or if there was a camp meeting,
he would be there regular to bet on
Parson Walker, which he judged to be
the best exhorter about here—and so he
was, too, and a good man. If he even
saw a straddle-bug start to go anywhere,
he would bet you how long it would
take him to get wherever he was going
to, and if you took him up he would
follow that straddle-bng to Mexico but
what he would find out where he was
bound for and how long he was on the
road.
Lots of the boys here has seen that
Smiley, and can tell you about him.
Why, it never made no difference to
him—lie would bet on anything—the
dangdest feller. Parson Walker's wife
lay very sick once, for a good while,
and it seemed as if they warn't agoin'
to save her. But one morning lie come
in, and Smiley asked how she was, and
he said she was considerably better—
thank the Lord for His infinite mercy
—and coming on so smart that, with
the blessing of Providence, she'd get
well yet; and Smiley, before he thought,
says: " Well, I'll risk two and a half
that she don't, anyway."
This yer Smiley had a mare—the boys
called her the fifteen minute nag, but
that was only in fun youknow, because,
of course, she was faster than that—and
he used to win money on that horse for
all she was so slow, and always had the
asthma, or the distemper, or the con
sumption, or something of that kind.
They used to give her two or three
hundred yards start, and then pass her
under way ; but always at the fag end
of the race she'd get excited and des
perate like, and come cavorting and
straddling up, and scattering her legs
around limber, sometimes m the air,
and sometimes out to one side among
the fences, and kicking up m-o-r-e dust
and raising m-o-r-e racket with her
coughing and sneezing and blowing her
nose—and always fetch up at the stand
just about a neck ahead, as near as you
could cypher it down.
And he had a little, small bull pup,
that to look at him you'd think he
wasn't "worth a cent but to set around,
and look ornery and lay for a chance to
steal something. But as soon as the
money was upon him he was a different
dog ; his under jaw'd begin to stick out
like the fo'castle of a steamboat, and
his teeth would uncover and shine
savage like the furnaces. And a dog
might tackle him, and bullyrag him,
and bite him, and throw him over his
shoulder two or three times, and An
drew Jackson—which was the name of
the pup—Andrew Jackson would never
let on but what he was satisfied aud
hadn't expected nothing else—and the
-
j'int of his hind leg and freeze to it>
bets being doubled and doubled on the
other side all the time till the money
was all up, and then all of a sudden he
would grab the other dog jest by the
not chaw, you understand, but only
jest grip and hang on till they throwed
up the sponge, if it was a year.
Smiley always come out winner on
that pup till he harnessed a dog once
that didn't have no hind legs, because
they'd been sawed off by a circular saw,
and when the thing had gone along far
enough, and the money was all up, and
he come to make a snatch for his pet
holt, he saw in a minute how he'd been
imposed on, and how the other dog had
him in the door, so to speak, and he
'peared surprised, and then he looked
sorter discouraged like, and didn't try
no more to win the fight, and so he got
shucked out bad. He give Smiley a
look, as much as to say his heart was
broke, and it was his fault, putting up a
dog that hadn't no hind legs for him to
take hold of, which was his main de
pendence in a fight, and then lie limped
off a piece, and laid down and died,
It was a good pup, was that Andrew
«— : —
| believe him
~
Jackson, and would have made a name
for hisself if he'd lived, for the stuff was
in him, and he had genius ; I know it
because he hadn't had any _ opportun i -
ties to speak of, and it don t stand to
reason that a dog could make such a
fight as he could under the cireum
stances if he hadn't no talent. It al
ways makes me feel sorry when I think
of that last fight of liis'n, and the way
it turned out.
Well, this yer Smiley had rat-tamers
and chicken-cocks, aud all them kind
of things, till you couldn't Test, and you
couldn't fetch nothing for him to bet on
but he'd match you. He ketched a frog
and took him home, and said he cal'kla
ted to edercate him ; and so he never
done nothing for three months but sit
in his back yard and learn that frog to
I jump. And you bet he did learn him
too. He'd give him a little punch be
hind, and the next minute you'd see
that frog whirling in the air like a
doughnut—see him turn one summer
set, or maybe a couple, if he got a good
start and come down flatfooted and all
right, just like a cat, „
He got him so up in the matter ot
catching flies, and kept him in practice
so constant, that he'd nail a fly every
time as far as he could see him. Smiley
said all a frog wanted was education,
and he could uo most anything; and 1
believe him. Why, I've seen him set
Daniel Webster down here on this
floor— Daniel Webster was the name of
the frog—and sing out : " Flies ! Daniel,
flies!" and quicker'n you could wink
he'd spring straight up and snake a fly
olFn the counter there and flop down
on the floor again as solid as a gob of
mud and fall to scratching the side of
his head with his hind foot as indiffer
ent as if he hadn't been doing any more
than any other frog might do.
You never see a frog so modest and
straightforward as he was, for all he was
so gifted. And when it came to fair
and square jumping on a dead level, he
could get over more ground at one
straddle than any animal of his breed
you ever see. Jumping on a dead level
was his strong suit, you understand;
and whfen it come to that Smiley woulc.
ante up money on him as long as he
had a red. Smiley was monstrous proud
of his frog, and well he might be, for
fellows that had traveled and been
everywhere all said he laid over any
frog that they ever see.
Well, Smiley kept the beast in a little
box, and he used to fetch him down
town, and lay for a bet. One day a
feller—a stranger in the camp, lie was—
come across him with his box, and says:
" What might it be that you've got in
that box?"
And Smiley says, sorter indifferent
like, "It might be a parrot, or it might
be a canary, may be, but it ain't—it's
only just a frog."
And the feller took it, and looked at
it careful, and turned it round this way
and that, and says, " H'm ! so tis ! Well,
what's lie good tor?"
"Well," Smiley says, easy and care
less, " he's good enough for one thing,
1 should judge—he can out jump ary
frog iu Calaveras county."
The feller took the box again, and
took another long, particular look, aud
gave it back to Smiley, and says, very
deliberate : " Well, I don't see no p'nts
about that frog that's any better'n any
other frog."
"May be you don't," Smiley says.
"May be you understand frogs, and
may be you don't, understand 'em ; may
be you've had experience, and may be
you ain't only a amature as it were.
Anyways, I've got my opinion, and I'll
risk forty dollars that he can out jump
ary frog in Calaveras county."
And the feller studied a minute and
then says, kinder sad like, " Well, 1 am
only a stranger here, and I ain't got no
frog ; but if I had a frog I'd bet you."
Aud then Smiley says, "That's all
right—»that's all right ; if you'll hold my
box a miuute, I'll go and get you a frog."
And so the feller took the box and put
up his forty dollars along with Smileyls,
and set down to wait.
So he set, there a good while, thinking
and thinking to liisself, and then he got
the frog out and prized his mouth open,
and took a teaspoon and filled him full
of quail shot—filled him pretty near up
to his cliiu and set him on the floor.
Smiley he went down to the swamp,
and slopped around in the mud for a
long time, and finally he ketched a frog
and fetched him in, and give him to
this feiles, and says :
"Now, if you're ready, set him along
side of Dan'l, with lus forepaws just
even with Dan'l, and I'll give the word."
Then lie says, " One—two—three—jump!"
and him and the feller touched up the
frogs front behind, and the new frog
hopped off, but Dan'l give a heave, and
liysted up Iiis shoulders—so—like a
Frenchman, but it wasn't no use— lie
couldn't budge ; he was planted as solid
as an anvil, and he couldn't no more stir
than if he was anchored out. Smiley
was a good deal surprised, and he was
disgusted, too, but he didn't have no
idea what the matter was, of course.
The feller took the money and started
away ; and when lie was going out at
the "door he sorter jerked his thumb
over his shoulders—this way—at Dan'l,
and savs again, very deliberate, "Well,
I don't see no p'nts about that frog
that's any better'n any other froj
Kmilpv. Ii« stood sm-ftt,cliiner hi
Smiley, he stood scratching his head
and looking down on Dan'l a long time,
and at last ne says, " I do wonder what
in the nation that frog tlirowd off for ; I
wonder if there ain't something the
matter with him, he 'pears to look
mighty baggy, somehow." Aud he
ketched Dan'l by the nap of the neck
and lifted him up, and says: "Why,
blame my cats, if he don't weigh five
pounds !" and turned him upside down,
and lie belched out a double handful of
shot. And then he see how it was, aud
he was the maddest man. He set the
frog down and took out after that feller,
but he never ketched him. And
Here Simon Wheeler heard his name
called from the front yard and got up
to see what was wanted. And turning
as he moved away, he said, " Just set
where you are, stranger, and rest easy
—I ain't agoing to be gone a second."
But the stranger did not think that a
continuation of his history of the en
terprising vagabond, Jim Smiley, would
be likely to afford much information
concerning the Rev. Leonidas N»Smi
ley, and so I started away.
M ask Twain.
it
A Wife's Power .—The power of
wife, for good or evil, is irresistible.
Without one, home must be forever un
known
A good wife is to a man wisdom,
courage and strength ; a bad one is con
fusion, weakness and despair. No con
fuson is hopeless to a man where the
wife possesses firmness, decision and
economy. There is no outward pro
priety which can counteract indolence
extravagance and folly at home. No
spirit can long endure bad influence
Man is strong, but his heart is not
adamant. He delights in enterprise
and action, but to sustain him he needs
a tranquil mind ; and especially if he is
an intellectual man, with a whole head,
he needs his moral forces in the con
flict of life. To recover his composure,
home must be a place of peace, of com
fort. There his soul renews its strength,
and goes forth with fresh vigor to en
counter the labor and troubles of life.
But if at home lie finds no yest, aud
there is met with bad temper, sullen
ness, jealousy and gloom, or is assailed
by complaints and censure, hope van
ishes and he sinks into despair. Such
is the case with too many who, it might
seem, have no conflicts or trials of life ;
for-such is the wife's power.
The man who has begun to live and
work by artificial stimulant never
knows where he stands, and can never
count upon himself with any certainty.
He gets into his castle a servant who
becomes the most tyrannical of masters.
He may resolve to turn him out, but
will find himself reduced to the condi
tion in which he can neither do with
nor without him. The use of stimu
lant to the brain-power brings on dis
ease in whose paroxysms a man is no
more his own master than in the raving
of a fever—.a disease that few have the
knowledge to understand, and for
whose manifestations the world has no
pity. ^
Applying Ashes to Potatoes .—My
experience in applying ashes to pota
toes, with the best results, has been to put
on a single handful to each hill soon
after they are planted, and before they
get out of the ground. I have increased
my crop one-half by so doing. By mak
ing an experiment in the same field, by
leaving a row without ashes, I have
seen the result. I consider ashes bet
ter than plaster for potatoes ; worth to
me twenty-five cents per bushel.—[J. D.
Kandall.
A Medical Journal estimates that the
people of the United States pay $125,000,- i
000 yearly for physicians' services and
for medicines. They spend a good deal
more than that for liquors and other
things to make them sick.
—-— • —
An old Scotchwoman termed De
Quincey "a body wi' an awful sieht o'
irnnk.'' and declared ho. wrvnlrl mnl.-p n.
The Humorists' Column.
A little nonsense now and then,
Is relished by the wisest men.
" Is Pat Flannigan onboard this ship?"
roared Nelson, during a lull in the firing
at the battle of the Nile. "I'm here,
my Lord," said Erin's son, showing
himself on the deck. " Then," said the
gallant Nelson, looking satisfied, "let
the battle proceed." That story is
Pat's.
"I hope you will be able to support
me," said a young woman, while walk
ing out with her intended during a
somewhat slippery state of the pave
ment. " Why, yes," replied the some
what hesitating swain ; "with a little as
sistance from your father." There was
some confusion, and a profound silence.
The wife of a Methodist minister in
Tennessee lias been seriously ill for
some time, but, says a Southern paper
in announcing the fact, "hopes are en
tertained that she will recover." And
then it adds "Let him (the husband)
have the sympathy and prayers of his
brethren in this hour of affliction and
discoura gement."
That was a good, though a rather se
vere, pun which was made by a student
in one of our theological seminaries
(and he was not one of the brightest of
the class either), when he asked, " Why
is Professor the greatest reviva
list of the age?" and on all "giving it
up, said, " Because at the close of every
sermon there is a great awakening."
Surgical Operation.—A gentleman
writes to us as follows : " My yungest
boy, three years old, playfully put a but
ting up his noze, and after triing to ex
stract it with instruments, and failing,
I then placed my finger on the child's
>«oze opist to the butting and my mouth
to the mouth of the boy. i then blew
into the mouth of the boy and the butting
come out of his Noze."
A damsel fresh from Ireland, who
proposed to perform certain household
services for a lady of Brooklyn, made
the following inquiry:
" And plase, ma'am, will ye be afther
telling me if it's Croton water that
ye ve got all oyer the house?"
"No," replied the lady; "we do not
have Croton water iu Brooklyn."
"Och! Shure, then, Tin not afther
stay in here, havin' been always used to
it in Irel and !"
Be careful vhen you make some sug
gestions oof your landlady dot you
dond make some mishdake like myself
did on roosjay. 1 find it oud iu dher
rsoos Ledder last veek some receipt
vot you make cake tings oof. 1 cut
it oud and gif it to mine landlady,
but 1 vos so extonislied like tunder af
terwards when 1 find 1 cut dher wrong
piece, and I gif her instead, a piece of
paper vot say, "how to manage a vi
cious cow"— und now I haf von tooths
der lesser, my head aks oufully, und
she dond took oft my board pishness not
tirty cent a veek oud. Dis vos convi
den shall.
An old negro named Pete was very
much troubled about his sins. Perceiv
ing liim one day with a very downcast
look, his master asked him the cause.
O, massa ,1m such a great sinner!"
But, Pete, said lus master, "you are
ioolish to take it so much to heart. You
never see me troubled about my sins."
i know the reason, massa," said Pete,
when you go out duck-shooting, and
kill one duck and wound another, don't
you run, after the wounded duck?"
i es, Pete; and the master wonderèd
what was coming next. " Well, massa,
dat is de way wid you and me. Dé
tlebil has got you sure ; but as he am
not sure of me, lie chazes (lis chile all
de time."
It was at the second battle of Bull
Kun that a cannon ball carried ott" a
poor soldier's leg.
" Carry me to the rear !" he cried, to a
tall Yankee companion, who had been
fighting by his side.
The Yankee caught the wounded sol
dier up, and as he was about to put him
across his shoulders, another cannon
ball earned away the poor fellow's
head. The Yankee, however, in the
confusion, did not notice this, but pro
ceeded with his burden towards the
rear.
, " }.y iia . t F« you carrying that thing
for ?" cried an officer.
" Thing /" returned the Yankee. " Its
a man with his leg shot off'."
" Why, lie hasn't any head !" cried the
omcer.
„ T' 1 « Yankee looked at his load, and
tor the first time saw that what the offi
cer said was true. Throwing down the
body, he thundered out :
"Confound him! he told me it was
his leg!"
An Indiana editorlaysdownhis shears
tor a few minutes to write a double
leaded editorial, in which he plaintively
remarks: "We are the recipient of
nali a peck ot nice onions, two water
melons, and a hottlo of ginger beer
trom one of our subscribers. The rifts
were like the shadow of a rock in a
weary land. We are glad some one re
membered us in the midst of our labors
and cares, and evinced that remem
brance in so delicate a manner. We
dote on onions and love melons dearly ;
and so long as the fragrance of the
former and the gripes of the latter
linger about us, we shall hold the kind
donor in affectionate remembrance. Of
ginger beer we have never been able to
sneak enthusiastically, but may say
that our children enjoyed it greatly,
while the empty bottle added not. a
little to the effective force of our office
armory. These little acts inspire us to
renewed exertions, but our subscription
price will remain the same."
Here is a new outburst of the Western
salutatory mania : " With our publica
tion we want to please everybody, but
never having acquired the knack of
placing each person's advertisement at
the head of the first column, we don't
expect to. We don't mean to be very
"touching" in our personal remarks,
hut. it as a reform educator, or anything
of the kind, we displease any parties, it
may be well for them to consider the
tact, before taking means of summary
vengeance in their hands, that our
weight is always over one hundred and
fifty pounds, and that in the many lei
sure moments we have had the pleasure
of entertaining in our earlier career, we
went heavy into the practice of hoisting
two hundred pound anvils over our
head, holding bags of flour at arms'
length, and other feats for muscular
development. This is not told as a
dampener to any of the pugilistic spirits
of this community, but to let people
know that we are "independent and
fearless,"
Among the mourners for the ones
lost on the steamer Atlantic was an
Irishman. He crowded into the office
of the comnany in the city of New
York and asked—
" I say. sir ! To the devil wid ye ! I
say, sir! where is my brother? He
came over to New Y ork on vour ship, and
is drowned. Doyou hear that? An'I'm
drunk ! I'm I'll stay drunk, an' I'll get
drunker, if I sell the very shirt on me
j back. An' I'll be drunk every minute of
I me life till I see me brother. Mind that,
j now ! "
,, a : nes VA' 1 -*'* * ie a PP ea ^ed again at
i , ® office of the company, drunker than
! .['JV 6 ' an " about half dressed. Said he:
, . Has me brother come ? If you don't
I ?, nn o , , n j ,i 8 * a y drank till you do !
" a " °i Me clothes for whiskey.
i An the other half will 'last me the
morrow, just. If ye don't bring him till
j me to-morrow I'll stay drunk till ye
/Iapk fliwl mov Kr» irM 1.^ —