The Southern journal., September 23, 1845, Image 2

About The Southern journal. (Monticello, Miss.) 184?-18??

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shall thy veins hr filler! with the fire that
animates immortal spirits and thou shall
never taste of death.”
“Wilt thou promise me then, revenge on
Toke Jarl?” asked Ruscha, her blue ryes
Hashing fire.
The old woman nodded. “Then I will
comply with thy conditions,” said the
queen; and the wood witch led the way to
a cave hidden from sight hy very thick
bushes and foliage, that shutout the beams
ofsunevcnat noon-dny. Within the re
cesses of this cave the deep darkness was
rendered more horrible hy hideous shapes
that flashed like tongues of flame before
the sight, and by the sullen glare of the
fire over which hung the caldron of infer
nal preparations. When the queen reap
peared from that den of demons, a change
had taken place in her looks; her skin be
fore so delicately fair, had a strange daz
zling glow, as if tinged with the reflection
of sunset, her eyes were much darker and
flashed with almost intolerable brightness.
With a light step and joy in her face she
returned to the city and the palace; hav
ing promised before she parted with the
witch, to visit heron the seventeenth day
of every month to renew the league into
which they had entered. ^
From that hour king Toke Jarl was at
tacked with illness. During the day he
sutTured not, but as soon as night came, the
most agonizing pains tortured him in all his
limbs. It seemed to him as if molten me
tal, instead of blood, flowed through his
veins. The anguish was so intense that
it threatened to destroy him. lie grew
every day more emaciated, and wandered
like a spectre about his palace. All the
science of his physicians could avail
nothing.
The little Finnish slave, hopeless of re
lief for his master from ordinary means, dc>
termined on a desperate remedy. He went
about through the woods, and upon the
mountains, and gathered herbs in the moon
light, from which he prepared a drink and
administered it to the king, who lay help
less on his couch and knew not what was
done to him. After a while the pain abat
ed; Toke Jarl rose up in bed and looked
around hrm. - •
“What lias been done to .me?” lie
asked.
The Finnish slave threw himself on his
knees before the king. “My gracious
lord,” he cried, “1 know now what is your
malady! I have sought the most poison
ous herbs impregnated by the moonbeams
and banned by evil spirits and distilled
them into a drink of which you have taken.
The portion has dbtic you no harm, but
driven away your pains. This would not
have happened had your malady been a
natural one. Now know 1 that my lord
the king is bewitched; and 1 know more
over that if he find not means to break
the spell his life will be sacrificed—and
♦Jin. In ml will liavn cnr»1* anmo nthn.
ruler.”
Toke Jail sprang in horror from his
couch. “By Thor’s hammer and the horn
of Odin I swear,” cried he, “if thou dost
help me to discover who hath done me this
evil turn, from that hour thou shalt be
Jret^ and the highest noble at this, my
court!”
But the boy quietly seated bimself on
the foot-stool by the royal couch, nd ans
wered, “my lord and master, I would a’
ways remain your slave and per nt, md
receive from your hands my witcaien bread
and honey, and cured bear’s flesh and as
old mead as I can drink. May this
be, I will speak my whole mind.”
Toke Jarl nodded, and the boy went on:
“consider, my lord, how long is it since this
bad demon had power over you! Was it
not from that very night when my royal
lady the queen was missing all day from
the palace and returned late, .saying she
nad lost herself in the wood? Has she not
three times since wandered in the same
wood, and been lost, and returned at night \
By all your gods, my king, and their horns
and their hammers, of which I know no
thing, I do believe that my lady, thequeen
knows but too well the way to the dwelling
of the old witch Runna, who can conjurr
all the wood spirits, and has for a servant
a dark looking elf, a little demon will
red tongue always hanging out of his
mouth!”
The king grew paler and paler while hi:
servant was speaking. Then he seatei
himself upon the ked-side, and mused :
while. At length he said, “thou art right
Yes, I do believe thou art right! May al
good and evil spirits help me to take ven
geance on my wife! Tell me, boy, has
thou observed when the day returns?”
“The day after to-morrow—my lor
king.”
“It is well; and the hour, knowei
thou it?”
“I do, my lord. We will follow tl
queen anil hear what she will say to old
Runna.”
“Well said, hoy; now give me another
draught of thy poison drink that I may go
to sleep. Yonder golden horn is full
of excellent mead. Drink thou to my
health.”
Griep administered to the king another
draught of the medicine and the monarch
fell into a slumber, while the hoy crouched
on the low stool,sipped the mead from the
golden horn and pleased himself with the
prospect of abundance of money, when ten
bread and bear’s flesh.
The next day and the following, Queen 1
Ruscha observed that the king gained
strength visibly in spite of the power of the
spell. The'poisor. draught of the little Griep
trad restored him.
Her dismay was excessive. She longed j
impatiently for the seventh hour of the
evening, and as soon as the West was
o7
crimson with sunset she departed, attired j
in a plain dress and her face concealed by
a veil. She left the ciiy and with steps
trembling from eagerness hastened into the
forest.
Griep led the king also by a secret ar.d
shorter path through the wood cldse to the
old witch’s cave. There hidden among
the bushes, but near enough to hear all
that was said, thcli awaited the arrival of the
queen.
Ruscha came at length, stood before the
cave and called, “Runna!” three times.—
At the third call a sullen rumbling was
heard within the cavern; the iron door,
which had been closed, opened slowly and
the witch appeared.
“What would’st thou?” she asked.
“Help!” cried Ruscha. “Thy spell has
no longer any effect. For the last three
Toke Jarl has been on the recovcrv. In
vain every night by thy direction I Imve
strewed coals around his waxen image and
enveloped it in poisonous vapors; he has
seemed yesterday and to day stronger than
ever!”
The hag knit her brows; “it' it bo as
thou say’st,” she replied, “there mu.-t le a
counter spell at work more potent than
mine, li this avails not, thou must deprive
the king of his life at once.”
“And lose the pleasure of tormenting
j him?” cried the evil queen. But how can
that he done?
The witch laughed bitterly, for site was
piqued at the failure of her magic in tho
first instance. “Were he a hero as mighty
as the great Thor himself,” said she, “he
must yield to the word of power which 11
shall give thee.”
Ituscha’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, give it
mo, good Runna!” she exclaimed.
. Runna pronounced the word of power.
The king listened breathlessly. “When
thou dost meet Toke Jar),” continued the
witch, “iix thine eyes steadily upon his;
utter the word and call him by name. He
will fall instantly struck down by its ma
gic. Now, tare thee well! My spirits sum
mon me!”
At tbcentranco of lire wood she suddenly
encountered the king standing in a threat
ening attitude, with his draw n sword up
lifted. She started track with a scream of
terror; he shouted the word given her by
Runna, adding her own name; and at the
same time dealt her a furious blow with
the sword, which cleft her head. Toke
*nrl lied to Ilia ensile, wiping the blood
r m his sword with his hand, ere he return
ed it tfc its sheath. Soon his hand began
to burn, as if scorched with fire. In vain
he plunged it into water and moist earth;
the horrible burning extended to his arm,
gradually spreading over his whole body;
and before many hours he expired in dread
ful torments.
Ruscha could not the, as the witch had
assured her, nor could she live like the
other inhabitants of the earth.
From the circumstance that the “word
of power” given her by Runna, was sup*
posed to sound like •
The second child born in Cincinnati still
lives and has not seen the middle age of
life, while Cincinnati contains 80,000 in
habitants! The Old Pioneer who first
settled where Cincinnati now stands,
when Ohio was a wilderness, “walks there
hearty and strong, amid a throng of two
millions of souls.”
There ism the heart of man a native sense
I
( of beauty, a latent sympathy, a harmouy
, with all that is lovely on the earth, which
I makes 1dm unconsciously seek out spots of
peculiar sweetness, not only for his daily
t dwelling,but also for bis temporary resting
place, and for the mar.son of Ins long rc
[j pose.^__ ^
The Lexington Gazette says, that Col
it R. M. Johnson has tendered his services t<
the President, in the event of a war will
e Mexico.
S2<8Hrarami6,<B*
TUl-yDAY, SEPTEMBER 23. 1815.
DEMOCRATIC STATE
NOMINATIONS.
FOR GOVERNOR,
A. G. BROWN.
FOR OONGRE??,
.T VCOB THOMPSON.
JEFFERSON DAVIS,
STEPHEN ADAMS,
R. W. ROBERTS,
IJOR SECRETARY OF STATE,
WN. HEMINGWAY.
FOR STATE TREASURER,
WM. CLARK.
FOR AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS,
JAS. E. MATTHEWS.
FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL,
JOHN D. FREEMAN.
We have been requested to state
that there will he a Camp Meeting held at
Tilton, commencing oil the 2d Thursday
in October—being the 9th day of that
month.
We have been requested to inform the
citizens of this and the adjoining counties,
that the Rev. Robert McLain will preach
in this place on the 1st Saturday and Sun
day in October next.
The Pearl River Baptist Association
was held at the Fair River church on the
13th, 14th and 15th instant—at which
there were some eight or ten preachers and
a large concourse of people. The Associ
ation business was conducted with much
regularity and promptness, and many able
and eloquent sermons preached. A rc~
spcctable number of persons residing in
the vicinity of the church gave general in
vitations to the congregation to stop at their
iioiiscs Giuin|r uit* prr .i:i:up ii n.*us<'
was was provided with a proa.her, and
lectures were delivered at night. A great
deal of satisfaction was expressed towards
the Fair River people for thqir kind and
hospitable treatment.
Mississippi has many men within her
borders with gigantic minds and active
talents as can be found in any of the oilier
Slates. Hon. R. J. Walker’s head may
be considered as a perfect index, that can
refer y ou to a knowledge of men and things,
events and incidents—historical, political
and practical, lion. J. SB. Thachor is a
rn3n of great attainments—he has taken
some interest in the resources, prospects,
and improvements o'our State, and lat
terly has wrote and said much on the sub
ject of education, a subject worthy of the
man and bis mind. Wc should bo much
gratified to hear his views in relation to the
resources of eastern Mississippi, and in re
lation to the improvement of the navigation
of Pearl river—we know he is a man <\
great research, and his opinion would ait
much in the march of improvement.
ALETTEIi
To the Governor of Mississippi
upon the condition of Education
in the State, and proposing the
outline of a plan for the estab
lishment of Public Schools,
BY HON. J. S. B. TtlACHER.
We wore highly gratified by the perusa
of a letter, in the Free Trader, bearing the
ahftVft (•Hhfion 'Thr wnnt nf nHr>nuntr
means of Education, within our State, hat
long been a subject of regret to every ci:i•
jzen. The apparent difficulties attending
; the devising and adopting of some practiea
! system, has hitherto dctcred all from eve
attemptirfg, to remove the many obstacles
which surround this all important subject
It is a matter of surprise that this has s<
long continued to he the case.
The political equality of all, ami the ca
pacily of the people for self government
I arc principles upon which our governmen
rests.
While these principles are ever on tin
lips of the politician, the means of perpe
tuating that equality, and enlarging tha
capacity through a system of thorough am
universal education, has been entirely neg
lected. But the reason is obvious.
Our public men, (and to a great exter
our whole population,) have been engage
in the ephemeral questions of the day, i
devising patent panaceas for all evils, an
attempting the discovery of a short roys
1 road to personal and political aggrandize
i ment, while the more important, but let
\popular, interests of the country, haverm
with neglect. But a belter state of things
seems to be dawning in the State. As an
evidence of this, we hail with proud satis
faction , the efforts of Judge Thacher in the
glorious cause of Education. We say
efforts— Judge Thacher I133 been devoting
all the time, which the faithful discharge, ol
the laborious duties of his responsible sta
tion, would permit, to this great sub
ject.
We have reason to believe, that to his
personal exertions, to his voice and pen,
are owing, in a great degree, the popularity
the prosperity and success of the Public
School system, lately adopted in the city
of Natchez.
The renewed evidence, which his leltci
to the Governor, upon this subject, gives
us, of the deep interest he feels in the ques
tion ofPublic Education, and his known
ability and perseverance, give earnest, that
a new spirit will he awakened in the Slate,
in regard to Education. It is this desire
for the welfare of the Slate, and exertion
for Jicr greatness and glory, without hope
of personal benefit, (at a time too, when
personal aggrandizement appears to be the
only object of so many) that bespeak the
truly great and good man. Our limits will
not permit us to furnish our readers with
this valuable letter entire, but we will give
an abstract, ofsome facts stated in the let
ter, also the Plan for the establishment of
Public Schools, throughout the state.
We cannot close our remarks on this sub
ject, without congralulating the citizens of
the Stale, upon the dawning of that spirit
of Education (which we think \vc discern)
which ere long, will place the son of the
poorest citizen, on an equality with the son
of the richest nabob, in the means of knowl
edge, equal in all that is worth possessing
jn life, when knowledge shall be diffused
like the dews of Heaven falling alike upou
the rich and poor.
Before laying down a Plan, for a sys
tem ofPublic Schools, Judge Thacher gives
some statistics, showing the great necessity
f!5 BC .
enm/a cirafzinr r»f I^rlii/tntinn nnrl in-o.
liable expense of the same. From a cal
culation. based upon the increase of free
white children over the age of 5, and under
20, which the census of 1830 and 1810 dis
closes, he concludes, that nt^Plie ratio of
that increase, there are at the present time
; 121,420 free white children, over fi, and
j under 20, in the State. Out of this num
| her, calculating from the same data, there
! must he the incredible number of 101,089
children in this State, to whom, the means
of instruction, are imperfectly, if at all ex
tended. If the ratio of increase, of those
who can neither read nor write, be the
same from 1840 up to this time, (hat it was
from 1830 until 1840, it would not seem
improbable that there must now be in the
Slate 14,630 persons over 20 years of age,
who can neither read nor .write, and it
means are not provided to avert the cala
mity, the census of 1850 will show that
number to have increased to 25,601.
After noticing the expense of teaching in
Massachusetts, he comes to the conclusion
that a male teacher will cost $400 and a
female $300 per annum. On the supposi
i tior. that each teacher would teach 63 pu
| pi Is. the expenso would he $4 84 for cael
j pupil per annum. If the school were con
| tinued the whole year, a halt; of cotton ni
ft ik _ki __- ~ «k:kj r .
more limn four years, anil if continued bin
for six months then for more than eigh
years.
Upon the supposition that the schoolable
children were equally distributed over the
State, there would be 252 to every 101
square miles.
By placing a teacher in each subdivisior
of 25 square miles, 63 children would lx
! accommodated wrth tuition, in eacli sub.
' division, and the greatest distance of have
for any pupil, to school, would be but S
miles and a half.
But if necessary from sparseness of po
• pulation tc^ place a school-house in tin
, centre of the area of 100 square miles, thi
. greatest distance to any pupil, would Ire bu
i 5 miles, and any inconvenience arising
from this, could be remedied by holdin;
but one school session in each day.
, The outlines of Judge Thacher’s Plat
is briefly as follows—omitting the notes.
1st. There shall he established and con
; ducted, at the charge of the Slate, a Nor
■ tnai School in which persons of the age c
t sixteen years and upwards shall bead
1 rnitted, free of expense for tuition, ended
- ucated, for the term of not more than tw
years, in the branches of a go^d Englis
t education, and in the art of teaching, pre
:1 vided such persons shall agree to devot
a themselves to the business of teaching i
d the Public Schools of the State, for ill
J term of at least three years after they sha
- leave or become graduated at the Norm;
« School.
■t 2d. In every incorporated town and c
II HI—B—p—————
tv,and in every county, there shall he kept j
in each year, at the charge of the town, j
city or county, by teachers of competent
nbililv and good morals, Public Shools for
the instruction ofchildren of 5 arid under
I twenty years of age, whose parents or,
I guardians reside in such town, city or!
j county, in reading, writing, English gram- j
mar, geography, arithmetic, orthography, j
vocal music and good behavior, for the
term of not less than six nor more Ilian
! ten months.
3. There shall he employed at least
one such teacher for every eighty such
children in such towns,cities or counties.
4th. It shall be t Ire duly of the Select
I men of every town and city, and of t lie
j Board of Police of every county, to ascer
tain ihe number and places of residence
! ofsuch children in their respective towns,
j cities and counties.
5th. Ii shall he the duty of the Select
' men of every town and citv and *il the
I Board of Police of every county to dcsig
j natc Ihe number of teachers of he employ
ed in fheir Public Schools, and the num
ber and locations of school-houses, togeher
with the limits of territory to which they
j shall appertain, and to cn slitute their re"
! spective towns, cities and counties, each a
| School District.
i 6th. It shall be the duty of the Select
; men of evciy town and city and the Board
j of Police of every county to appoint annu -
ally a Board of School Visitors fur each
School Dietrict, to consist, in the towns
and cities, of not less than seven persons,
and, in the counlies, of nof less than one j
lor every school-house, all of whom shall
he selected from persons residing near the
school-house.
7th. It shall be the duty of the Board of
Visitors of each School District to elect by
ballot the teachers for that District; con
sidering, however, no persons as candid
ates until they shall have first presented
to that Board full and satisfactory eviden
ces of good moral character, and until they
either shall have passed an examination
before that Board, or a committee appoint
ed by it, upon their literary qualifications,
and capacity for governing schools, or
shall have presented a certificate of qualifi
cations and capacity from the Principal of
some Normal School. The Board of Visi
tors of each District shall also he empow.
crcd to discharge any teacher at pleasure.
8th. There shall be biennially appoint
ed by the Governor of the Stale seven per
sons to compose a State Board of Visitors
whose duty it shall he to establish rules for
the government and discipline of the Nor
mal School and the Fublic Schools and to
direct what books shall he used in them,
provided, that they shall direct none to be
used which are calculated to favor the
it
i tenets of any particular sect of Christians.
9;h. The State shall he divided into
Three Grand School Districts, and in a
central point of each there shall he held
an annual Convention of the Visitors of
every School District in each Grand Dis
trict, who shall then present a full report
of the condition and progress of the Fublic
Schools in their Districts, from which,
each Convention shall prepare a general
report, wiili suggestions and reflection as
shall seem meet, to he presen'ed, by a del
egation of each Couvcn'ion, to the State
Board of Visitors at its annual meeting.
lOlli. It shall be the duty of the Slate
Board of Visitors to hold an annual meet
ing at the Capital of the State, fur the pur.
pose of receiving and acting upon the Re"
ports of the Convention of, the Three
Grand Districts, and, also to prepare for
and present to the Governor of the State an
elaborate report upon the condition of eve
ry Public School in the State.
11th. It shall be the duty of the se
lectmen of each town and city and the
j Board of Police of each county, to assess
j and levy annually, in the same mode as
•1 their other taxes are assessed and levied,
; such an amount of money as shall be re-.
: quired to meet the expense of their several
l number of Public Schools, established ac
r cording to the requisitions of the previous
> articles; Provided, that if the inhabilans of
1 any town, city or county are desirous to
i raise annually a greater amount of money
; for the purpose of extending the education
. | of their Public Schools, to branches, in ad
i dition to the branches of learning already
I ! enumerated and required by law, the same
shall be permitted to he taught in said
- Schools in separate departments.
^ | Correspondence between the Gov
. I ernor of Mississippi and the
sj Hon. Win L. Marcy, Secre
i! tary of VVar.
E Maj. Generals Duflield, Quitman, Brad
1 ford and Brandon; Brigadier Generals
1 Bennett, Heard and Brown have tendered
their services to Gov. Brown, In the event
- a requisition is made upon this Slate.—
Besides these a great number of inferior
officers and citizens, too numerous to men
tion, have tendered their services.
The subjoined eorrespondencc will be
read with interest.—Mississippian.
WAR DEPARTMENT, )
Washington. August 25ih, IS45. j
llis Excellency, A. G. Bnov.v,
Governor of the State of Mississippi}
Sin: Genera! Taylor, to whom has
been committed the command of tho army
of occupation in Texas, is authorized to
draw any auxiliary force he may need from
Texas. If such aid should be wanted, it
i> not doubted that the patriotic citizens of
that State will rally to his assistance with
alacrity, in sufficient numbers to enable
him, in conjunction with United Stales
troojis, to repel the invasion of Texas by
Mexico, should it tv- attempted. Though
nur information as to the force Mexico
may bring into the field for sGch a pur
pose, is not very accurate, yet there is
reason to apprehend that it is more numer
ous th in that under the command ofGyr.
Taylor, and mny, perhaps, exceed his ef
fective force, when augmented with the
auxiliary aid lie miy derive from Texas.—
Besides; he may need addition:.! troops to
a greater number, and sooner than they
can bn furnished him from that S'nle.—
Should ho need assistance from your .State,
he is directedJo signify to yon the nun:
her and description of troops he may deem
necessary to receive as volunteers intoser
vice. Relying upon the zeal and public
spirit of ilie gallant militia of Mississippi,
the government here do not doubt that he
will be promptly furnished with such, and
so many as lie may express a desire to have
mustered into the service of the United
Stales; and it has the most perfect reli -
ance upon your countenance and co-oper
ation in organizing and sending into Texas
such a volunteer force from your State as
he may desire, tt is necessarily left to his
judgment to designate the number. It is
proper to observe that the emergency, ren
dering such assistance from the militia of
your Stale necessary, docs not appeal to
have boon foreseen by Congress, and con
scquenily no appropriation was made fu
paying them; hut it is no! to he doubted
that such a provision will be promptly
made, when Congress shall again assem
ble. In order to be paid, the State troops
must be mustered into service. In or«an-»
izing companies and regiments for that
purpose, the number of officers must be
proportion to that of the privates. Enclo
sed I send you from the Adjutant General,
a statement of the number and rank ofofii
eers for each company of men, as well ns
ilie regimental nod stall' officcis, should
a regiment of volunteers be called for.—
From the known patriotism &, military ar
dor of your Stale,it is presumed that volun
teers to the number that may lie required,
will readily lender their sendees to their
country in the cointemplated emergency.
Should aid from your S ate he required by
the commanding general in Texas, it will
he of the utmost importance that the troops
should he sent into that State without de
lay. This consideration will render it
proper that they should come fiom such
part of the State as can most promptly
furnish them.
I have the honor to he,
Very respectfully,
Yur obedient servant,
VV.L MARCY, Sec’y of War.
ADJUTANT GENERAI/3 OFFICE,) t
»•»• asmngun, August aatn, i»4.». )
Sir: Agreeably to your instruction I
herewith furnish a memorandum of the
regimental and company organization of
the militia according to law, agrecablyflo
which any militia or volunteer force that
may lie mustered in o the service of the
United States must conform
A COMPANY Of INFANTRY TO CONSIST OF
1 Captain, I Lieutenant,
1 Ensign, or in lieu thereof one 2d Lieu
tenant, if the laws of the State or Ter
ritory, make provision for it,
4 Sergoants, 1 Drummer,
4 Corporals, 1 Fifer or Bugler,
50 Privates.
A BATTALION TO CONSIST OF
1 Major, 4 Companies.
A REGIMENT TO CONSIST OF
1 Colonel, 1 Lieutenant,
1 Major, 2 Battalions.
REGIMENTAL STAFF
1 Adjutant, 1 Quartermaster,
1 Paymaster,
to be takon from the line or otherwise, as
the Slate or Territorial laws prescribe.
1 Surgeon, 1 Sergeant’^ Major,
1 Surgeon’s mate, 1 Drum Major,
1 Fife Major.
Sttcli detachments as aro called or re
ceived into the service ofthe United States,
will be mustered before they shall he con
sidered in service, by an inspector-general