The Winchester weekly appeal. [volume], July 26, 1856, Image 1

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THE WINCHESTER WEEKLY APPEAL.
A FAMILY NEWSPAPER -DEVOTED TO POLITICS, LOCAL INTERESTS, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC NEWS, AGRICULTURE, MECHANISM, EDUCATfON" INDEPENDENT ON ALL SUBJECTS,
VOLUME 1.
WINCHESTER, TENN., SATURDAY, JULY 2G, 185G.
NUMBER 24
SOPHIA NORTON'S WAY OP
HEADING A CONSPIRACY AGAINST HER rEACE,
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.
The sex to which I have the honor of
belonging, has, from timo immemorial,
been accused of being poculiarly subject
to that compound of love and hate, of fol
ly and fury that Lear of passions, the
weak, mad dupe of his own creations
Jealousy. In the name of the sisterhood,
I deny the charge, I fling it back on our
accusers; for the lordly sex it is, who yield
to the 'green-eyed monster' the most loy
al and ready obedience. Does any one
doubt the truth of this position? let him
eeat himself, with becoming resignation,
listen to my proof, and riso up convinced.
A rare girl was my schoolmate, Sophie
Norton, a charming, beautiful riddle.
She was a blonde, of the most delicate
description, with a mild, tender, Lucy
Ashtonish sort of a face, and ways so con
fidingly willing, I would defy flesh and
blood to withstand them. And yet, this
angel in form and feature, this seeming
embodiment of all most exquisitely ethe
real and spiritual, was in truth the most
dashing, daring, carc-for-naught, gipsy of
a creature, dear reader, that ever took
your heart by stratagem, or carried it by
Btorm. She was admirably politic, how
ever, seldom showing both sides of her
character to tbo same persons, or class of
persons. Our teachers praised her as a
model of propriety 8nd loveliness, while
we adored her as the queen of fun and
frolic, who led us into the wildest and
most unheard-of-scrapes, and as skilfully
and triumphantly led us out.
On leaving school, Sophia spent a few
months with a friend in Philadelphia.
I cannot say that her visit caused any
'great commotion' in right-angle-dom.
Sho was beautiful, exceedingly, but hers
Was not the stylo of loveliness to create a
furor. She was very like one's summer
dream of sweetness and gentleness, yet
few people, beside poets, ever think of
falling in love with a dream; and then,
she was not an heiress.
At last, as the Germans would say, she
met her destiny. Wishing to have her
miniature taken, a young artist, of con
siderable promise, was selected by her
friends. She found him quite one's idea
of a true votary of the divine art; his light
est words, the tones of his voice, showing
an ardent, earnest, enthusiastic temper
ament. His face would have been of al
most too lofty and severe a beauty, were
it not for a smile of child -liko archness
and amiability always dancing attendance
on his lips. His form was finely propor
tioned, but in my eye rather too petit for
perfect manliness.
Well, Sophie soon saw, by woman's
marvellous intuition, that Mr. J. Ran
dolph Richmond, (he wrote his name
thus, for fear of being called Jack) was
irretrievably in love and with her own
sweet self. Yet Sophia was a sensible
girl, and kept her own heart with all dil
ligenee. She liked the lad passing well,
but in regarding his character sho had one
chilling fear. It was, that his devotion
to painting arose not fiom a sincere love
for the art, but from personal ambition,
that passion which tho world has baptiz
ed with praise, and christened with a glo
rious name, but which is in truth only a
fiery, intense, and concentrated sel
fishness. So, she did not yield to wo
man's amiable weakness and love, be
cause she was loved did not let grati
tude lead her blindfold to the altar. I
know, I should put on gloves while hand
ling this dear pet fault of my sex. But
my charming sisters, why are you grateful?
Just bring your every-day tenderness,
your patient, fond, worshipping, self-sac
rificinglove; and then place man'sholiday
admiration, his fanciful, patronizing, ex
acting, doubting affection, in the opposite
scale, and see in what a passion of haste
they will go up. Thank a man for read
ing you five unacted acts from his drama;
for writing an acrostic on your name; for
asking an introduction to a rival belle;
Cor saying you aro surprisingly like his
maiden aunt but never for the honor of
his preference. Bo grateful to him for the
offer of his handkerchief to hem, or his
gloves to mend, but never for that of his
heart and hand. In love matters, fling
way gratitude; 'tis but a charity sort of
irtue at tho best.
It was, finally, in no hour of triumph,
that Sophie Norton flt nil the sweet wa
ters of her hoart gushing freely, gladly,
tumultously, toward him who loved her.
Sho had accompanied him to tho Acade
my, where a painting, on which ho had
spent much timo and enthusiasm, was
being exhibited. There was present one
of tho first artists of his country, who,
pausing bofore Randolph's picture bestow
ed upon it somo warm praise, and then
criticised it with tcrriblo severity. Sophie
attentively watched tho fnco of her lover;
flushes passod over his brow, his lips were
compressed, but he silently drank in ev
ery word of the artist. When tho ordeal
was passed, he left her side, went up to
the judge, gracefully introduced himself,
and expressed his gratitude, with frank
and unmistakablo earnestness, for tho
valuable though painful lesson. Sophie
is not given to weeping, but when Ran
dolph rejoined hor, she was actually in
tears. She pledged him her dear little
hand that very night. There's a true
woman for you!
Sophie left for her home soon after.
I saw, almost as soon ns we met,
that she loved; that woman's Jcstiny had
floated out of heaven, and hung over her
life a cloud of purple and gold. Oh, rea
der mine, you should have seen some of
their letters! They were tender, delicate,
impassioned flowers, music, painting,
poetry, love! There was one thing 1 no
ticed Sophie had evidently not shown
her lover the playful, girlish side of her
character. Woman, when first in love,
seldom deals in persiflage. Sho really
makes a serious, solemn matter of that
which is, at best, but a 'Divine Comedy.'
A few months of the engngement had
passed, when a sifter of Randolph's vis
ited Philadelphia. Ho, the adopted of a
childless untie, had not seen her for scv
eral years; meanwhile, she had comodnn
cing up from childhood, and was now just
poising herself on the threshold of six
teen; a wild, spirited, beautiful brunette.
Randolph tried in vain to tame her she
would play tricks, tell anecdotes, and
laugh aloud, and her Mentor ended at
last by falling in with her shocking, en
chanting ways.
Our hero had never written to Sophie
of his sister Kate, but he soon told the lat
ter all about Sophie. Ho enlargcdmuch
on the confidence of his lady-love.
"Don't you think it strange," said he,
"that she never expresses a doubt of my
fidelity, though she knows that in walk
ing Chestnut Street I daily meet belles
and beauties, who would not care to look
farther than the brother of so fine a girl
as you, Kate?"
"Ah, but has that modest brother of
mine ever as much as intimated to her his
knowledge of the existence of those dan
gerous creatures? that's tho question."
"Why, no, Kate."
"Then sho has not the shadow of a
cause for distrust; give her a hook to hang
a doubt upon, and she'll all the girls
are alike, Ran."
Just then sho caught a glimpse of her
radiant, roguish face, in tho glass oppo
site, and clapping her hands in ecstacy,
cried
"I have it! you say that she docs not
know that Providence had blessed you
with a sister Kale just write her a des
cription of me! Don't go so far as'to
pretend you ore in love, but tell her all
about tho lively life wo livo as master and
pupil; and if sho doesn't fly into a beauti
ful passion of jealousy if your angel
don't show the woman, I'll bo a good
girl for a whole fortnight!"
Well, they put their wicked heads to
gether, and tho next mail bore Sophie
Norton tho following from her faithful
lover:
My Dear Sophia Your sweet letter
has looked me reproachfully in the face
every time I have opened my cscritoir for
several days. I have no excuse to offer
for my silence that will satisfy myself,
so it might not you. Hut you will find
one for mo in your heart won't you,
dearest? I shall make haste to tell you
of a charming new pupil of mine; first
premising that you will not bo jealous
there is nothing in the world so disagree
able as a jealous woman. You really
should see "our Kate," for so every one
calls her. She is the most amusing little
melange of the artless impulses, careless
graces, and untamed spirits of the child,
and the budding affections and harmless
couMnf f tho girl, ynu ran imagine.
I hclicvo tho creature has sentiment; 1
know sho has feeling; but her first per
vading, restless spirit is mirth. Her very
prcsenco is tho soul of joyousnoss; sho
dances as though her foot had unseon
And then her
laugh-
0, it is
the silvery gush of gladness. Her face
is classical in its contour, but thcro arc
so many phases to tho beauty of a bru
nette, and each one more entrancing than
the preceding, thai it i3 impossible for
pen or pencil to show them forth. Her
eyes, ono moment you would swear
affirm, I mean were of tho softest hazel,
and the next, as black as night; her hair
is a dark chestnut color, curling bewitch
ing!)'. I'd not call her lips rosy, they
are of a deeper, ruddier hue. 1 have it
now: they are liko rich June rose-leaves,
lipped in wine. As to her manner, sho
has, it must bo confessed,' a little too
much naivete. But she is so young
scarce sixteen; and then she hud, it seems,
the most accommodating guardian angels,
as she has never known a sorrow. I re
gard her innocent breaches of strict deco
rum with great leniency. For instance,
while giving her a lesson this morning,
sho laid her delicate hand on my arm, anil
said, with a charming smile,
"I did not think that I should like you
half so well when I first sawyou. I find
we aro strangely alike in many things."
Sophie, 1 really felt called upon to kiss
that hand I did, indeed. She only
laughed, dearest. I don't believe she
thinks ofuie, for she knows I have only
a moderate income,' and her face can win
a fortune. Indeed, she is pretty . A bru
nette is a fascinating creature, yet 1 have
always thought tho empire of the blonde
over the affection.-; the more ciiilurin,ur.
Kate is teaching w.o waltzing. I know
it will give you pleasure to hear 1 am
making rapid progress in this delightful
accomplishment. Were vou a .sillvirl.
now, 1 should fc.iryour pouting over this,
anil so, to soothe you, say, J ahvoys fan
cy you my partner; that it is your dear
form 1 am whirling about in the delicious
delirium of tho waltz. Rut 1 don't tell
you any such thing; for I know you to bo
a sensible, high-minded woman, never
troubling yourself, or those who love you,
with unfounded doubts and suspicions.
Though my little friend is somewhat in
my confidence, I have never told her of
our engagement. 1 fear tho madcap
could not keep it to herself, and love is
something far too delicate for tho rough
atmosphere of tho world.
Kate is waiting for me to accompany
her to a concert. Forgivo the brevity of
this. I know you will: thcro is nothing
in which I have greater faith than in your
truth and goodness; they constitute a lit
tle heaven, of which I am solo proprietor.
Adieu, love. J. R. R.
f 01 HIE NORTON'S RITLY.
Dear Jack I was surprised, pleased,
delighted by your Inst letter. It is just
the most remarkable coincidence, quite a
romance m real life lis both funny and to life; those vows, plighted before Hcav
stiange. But I must explain. Well, er)) beneath the eternal stars, Sophie! I
there lately arrived at Sweet-Briar Cot- would go to you, but I dare not; tho
tagc, Lieutenant Mortimer Lacy, of the place by yoursideis for another, far dear
army, my ow n cousin, and a splendid fel-1 cr. ut three short months have passed,
low he is, Jack. He has such a faultless ( sjnce i n delirium of rapture I first call-
form and face, and so imposing an air;
and then, he sports such a love of a mous-
tnchn, and his uniform is so becoming!
Mortimer (how nice it is to have a pret-
ty first name, Jack!) says that ho was
tho tallest cadet ever on parade at West
Point. I wish all men were tall; it is cer-
tainly more natural to look up to them.
I wish all men were soldiers, too; there is
something so terribly grand in the profes
sion, andnniforms are so beautiful in a
ball room. By the way, can't you pur -
chase one, Jack? To be sure, Cousin Mor-
timer's would hang on you liko a suit of
alderman's clcihcs on your easel. Not
that the lieutenant is corpulent ho is
admirably proportioned though large, a
very Mars.
I nerce with you that "there is nothing
in tho world so disagreeable as a jealous!
woman," unless it be a prudish one. , ly thought to give you "a Roland for an
Now, some people think it shocking for ' Oliver." So you see, love, you have
mo to waltz with Mortimer, but I smile , waste I an immense amount of Romeoish
at their old-fashioned notions, and away nnguish. Nor is that the worst fca
we whirl! I am glad you are learning, it ture in your lamentable case. You have
will be quito convenient when cousin is
gone.
Mortimer is a splendid horseman, and
we have delightful excursions, a chctal.
Yowwcre always so fearful tho horse would
run with rr.e, or toss mi over hi hea l,
that it really mudo n pain of a pleasure.
Now, cousin pays mo tho compliment of
trusting to my horso-womanship gets mo
mad, untamable steeds, and teaches me
new and daringexploits. Why, the oth
er day wo took a wild gallop, with our
hands closo clasped!
Mortimer is very wealthy, and says
that after ho has been promoted to a gen
eralship, he shall resign, and spend his
lifo enjoyingerfutti cum digniate. That
sounds like Latin, and means, I suppose,
a house in town, box at the opera, travel
ing, and giving dinners and fetes. Ho
will bo in Philadelphia in August, and if
you call on him and aro civil, he may
prove a patron, though he has no taste
for the fine arts. I hope you will take his
portrait, a la militaire, for us; it will bo
a pleasure, he is so handsome.
I believe with you in tho sacrodncssof
love, I keep our engagement a holy se
cret. There isnot tome a more ruefully
ridiculous figure than an obviously engag
ed young lady, in tho absence of her bo
loved. She sits in company with folded
hands and dreamy eyes, puts on a lady
abbess look of shocked propriety when
oskel to waltz, and shrinks like a mimo
sa from tho innocent kiss of a brother or
cousin. I believe my manners have been
free from this school-girl practice; for to
tell the truth, tho gallant lieutenant has
already laid seigo to my heart with the
most soldier-like impetuosity. I know
you will be proud to hear your betrothed
hn made so considerable a conquest.
Tiie horses ;ire at the door; now for a
ride! 0, there is more music in the tramp
ling of those hoofs than I could ever yet
thump out of a piano. Good morning,
Jack; I kiss my band to you.
SOPHIE.
A tolerable idea of mental chaos, hod
Air. J. Randolph Richmond, on reading
the above. He smiled, but it was a ghast
ly smile. In vain ho tried to believe So
phia in jest; jealnwy obscured his per
ceptions with a thick green cloud. Kate
was going out for tho evening, but he
called her back, and pale and trembling,
handed her the letter. The gipsy laughed
over it, till he threatened to send her to
the watch-house; then gave it as her sage
opinion, that his love was a true love, a
sensible girl, that knew bow to take and
give a joke; and left him with the sisterly
advice not to make a fool of himself in his
reply. How he profited by it tho follow
ing will show:
My dear, too dear Sophie Howcould
you write so terrible a letter? Mine was a
; joke, all a joke. Kate is my sister, my
j own sister! But yours cannot be mere
, pleasantry; you never deal in that.
neath the sparkling foam is an under-cur
rent of deep meaning. ItisasI have of
ten feared, you do notlovc me; you are lost
to me forever. You must have seen that
my letter was a jest, but were too happy
an opportunity to break thoso ties, which
' to y0U aro irksome, but which bind vie
ed you mine; and now, in an agony of
'hopeless love, I write, you are free!
, Q Heaven! my heart is crushed, my
brain whirls 1 fear lam ill. Yet do not
let that giveyou unhappiness. May love,
and joy, and peace be around you, liko
the breath of the blessed angels
J.R.R.
He wrote the above in absolute ear
nest, reader, and in due time received the
following:
1 My denr Randolph Whata nice Com
ely of Errors wo havo been acting, to bo
sure. There was but this difference you
wrote in a lover-like way of your sister,
while I was romancing altogether! I have
not, I never had, a cousin Mortimer, but
j as I manufacture ! him, "regimentals" and
all, out of my own brain. I too your
letter as nn unmitigated hoax, and mere
doubted mo. In a rash mood you have
flun mo back my holy plighted faith as
a thing of little worth. Now, indeed is
a noble opportunity for mo to display the
; lofty ?pirit, the inborn dignity of woman,
J by proudly ncccptine the freedom y u of-
fer. But, alas! thcro is one provoking
little obstacle in the way. It happens,
unfortunately, that I love you; that it
has somchowbecomo quite a habit with
me to think of you, and I am not tragedy-queen
enough to punish myself in be
ing revenged on you. Como to us. and
bring "our Koto," I am impatient to meet
my charming rival, and to have one long,
united, glorious laugh over our romance
of folly. Now and ever yours,
SOPHIE.
T. S. Don't think of being "ill," nor
any such nonsense. If thcro is any ac
complishment I pride myself upon, it
is that of ministering to'he sick. So,
if it is just as convenient for you,
pleaso postpone all illness till I am
within calling distance, if you wish to
bo nursed con amore.
SOPHIE.
And now my patient reader, havo I
not sustained my first position.
Written for tho Winchester Appeal.
TO A ISmCUAVED FKIEN'D.
I would not sing to thee of joy,
Which like a transient hour has flown.
For pleasure may the heart alloy
When sorrow weighs tho spirits down.
Thy pence has fled, like somo bright bird,
With plumago gay as summer even,
And 0, how fair its hues appeared
When all its plumes were spread for
Heaven!
Say, wouldst thou Marion's arrow throw
To stop its passage to the slues
No, let tho gentle spirit go
Unto its home in Paradise.
But wouliM thou trace his flight above,
And shun the world's disturbing carel
Go, ask of Faith ami Hope, and Love,
They'll give thee wings to follow there.
Sarah.
ANECDOTES OF CXAV AND
KL'CHANAN.
Mr. Clay, although he deeply resented
Mr. Buchanan's degrading conduct in
1825, never broke off all personal inter
course with him till 1814, when he found
him guilty of another act of unparalelled
baseness towards him. But, even when
they were on terms of personal civility,
Mr. Clay was always fond of putting him
to tho torture.
After Mr. Buchanan's appointment as
minister to Russia, he and Mr. Clay were
of the same dinner party in Washington,
and Mr. Buchanan, who always played
the toady to Mr. Clay, remarked to him
acioss tho tablo thathe had no court dress
and enquired of him as to the style, cost
&c. Mr. Clay playfully remarked that
io had ono which ho had no uso for, and
he would with pleasure givo it to him.
Mr. Buchanan thanked him very earnest
ly, but said,
"I am afraid it is so old that it must be
a little tarnished."
Mr. Clay replied in his own peculiar
manner:
"Ah, but you can turn it, Buchanan.'
The discomfiture and dumb embarrass
ment of Mr. Buchanan caused a general
titter around tho table, Mr. B. having just
turned his political coat most unblush
ingly. Upon a certain occasion in the U. S
Senate. Mr. Buchanan, in the course of
a personal explanation, stated thathe had
volunteered to go to Baltimore in the last
war with Great Britain when the British
attacked that city.
"I think I have heard something about
tho gentleman's volunteering," said Mr
Clay, "but I understand when he arrived
at Baltimore, the British were gone."
"Yes," replied Mr. Buchanan, "they
were."
"Well," said Mr. Clay, "I merely wish
to know whether Mr. Buchanan volun
tecred because he knew that tho British
were gone, or whether the British heard
that the gentleman had volunteered, and
therefore evacuated the coast! Leu. Jou.
Some ofthe Democratic papers are in
quiring how much the New York Herald
is paid for supporting Fremont, In '52
it was the ardent advocate of Pierce; so
they certainly ought to know what its
usual price is.
Strange Events. An exchange re
cords tho marriago of John M. Strnngo
and Elizabeth Strange as a strange
event. The next event will probably be
a little itravgtr.
nOIOCUATIC I'EAHLS AT
RANDOM STIUNCJ-NIIKIJASKA
HILL.
I consider this bill tho Nebraska
Bill a proposition in favor of frcodom,
and I am surprised that the North should
opposo, and tho South support it. Pres
ident Pierce.
I congratulate the Senate on this em
phatic endorsement of Squatter Sovereign
ty. Ccneral Cass.
I deny that slaves are property. Sec
retary McClelland.
This bill effectually prevents tho ad
mission of another foot of slave territory
into the Union. Gen. Shields.
Thegreat issuo is, whether or not the
people of Nebraska, shall bo allowed to
settle thequestion ofslavery, or no slave
ry, for themselves. In Illinois we estab
lish such constitutions as suit us; if you
liko them come and dwell with us; if you
do not, stay away. The Nebraska bill
proposes to carry this principlo into all
the territories of the United States. It is
tho great cardinal principle of tho Dem
ocratic party. Senator Douglas.
Under this bill the Southern slavehold
er may go to the territoiies, but he must
leave his slaves bohind. Tho quick
moving Yankeo squatter will have it
peopled and its institutions fixed before
tho slaveholders of the South could pack
their cumbrous household goods, hand
cuff their slaves, yoke their oxen and
start their emigrant trains. Mr. W.
Montgomery, of Pa.
A principle fixed and irrevocable in
spite of all the howls of faction, is the)
theory that each distinct inchoate State
of this Union shall determine for itself
what shall be its own institutions. In all
parts of this Union, it must become the
unanimous conviction of tho people of
these United States, that whether a State?
of this Union is, or is not, to regulate la
bor in this or that manner, depends upon
the will of the people of that Stato or
Territory. Attorney General Cushing.
In my opinion, the Kansas and Ne
braska act recognizes the full force and
power, in all its vigor, of the right ofthe
people of tho territories to legislate on tho
subject ofslavery prior to their organiza
tion as a Stato Government, as fully and
completely as it is recogmzod tho power
of the people of the States over the sub
ject of all domestic questions not delega
ted to the Government. Gentlemen may
call it what they please, non-interven
tion, squatter sovereignty, or popular sov
ereignty, it was a power of tho people
which thoy had never nolcgated to tho
Government, and in my opinion they, and
they alone, should exercise it as well
while in a territorial condition as in a
State Government. Hon. G. W. Jones,
of Tenn.
It is a slander upon the Democratic
party to say that it is in favor ofthe ex
tension ofslavery. Boston Post.
I am with you, hand and head, and heart
and all my might. Gov. Wise to the
Buffalo Freesoilers.
The Democratic party North ofus, has
everywhere been beaten by the Republi
cans, or disorganized by tho abolition
ism in its own ranks. Pensylvanian.
We pledge ourselves to use every ef
fort to extripate tho evil ofslavery. Ohio
Democratic State Convention.
We shall spare no effort to prevent the
extension of slavery." New York Soft
Convention.
German emigrants are universally anti-slavery
men, both from principle arfd
taste, being unable to endure contact with
tho colored race. New Hampshire Pa
triot. rOIEEIGXEItS WANTED.
The Chicago Weekly Democrat, Went
worth's paper, at present supporting
Fremont a supporter of Pierce in 1S52
of June 23 says
The fact is, if people wish to drive
slave labor from our free territories, they
must look to foreign labor as the best
means of doing it; and hence, all anti
Slavery Exiensionists should labor to en
courage rather than to discourage foreign
emigration. We must have more foreign
ers here, and they should be of the kind
that will resist slavey at all hazards."
Several fatal cases of sun stroke have
occurred at Memphis, during the iccm;
tevcalv hot weauVr.