Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1859 — The Lent Newspaper. [ARTICLE]

The Lent Newspaper.

[Let eve r y one who is troubled with borrowing neighbors pass this article round.] “John, what has become of last week’s newspaper!” inquired Mrs. C. of her husband. “Surely, wife, I cannot tell; it was brought from the office, I think.” ‘Yes, James brought it home on Saturday evening; but neighbor N., and his wife being here, he laid it on the parlor table.’ ‘Oh, N. has got the paper, I remember now of lending it to him.’ ‘I am very sorry for that; I think you do very wrong, husband, in lending the papers before we read them. He who takes a paper and pays for it, is certainly entitled to the first perusal of it.’ ‘I know it wife, but neighbor N. don’t take a paper, and I can’t refuse when he asks to borrow ours.’ ‘Don’t N. take a paper!’ inquired Mrs. C. with surprise. ‘No.’Why not! he is, as he says, always very fond of reading.’ ‘Yes, but he seems to think himself unable to t’ake one? ‘Unable! He is certainly as able as we are. He pays a much larger tax, and is almost always bragging of his superior cattle, and ’ ‘Hush, wife! It is wrong to speak of our neighbors’ faults behind their backs. He promised to return the paper to-day.’ ‘I hope he will. It contains an excellent art icle which I desire very much to read.’ Mrs. C. was an excellent woman, and probably possessed as liberal feelings as her peace-loving husband; but she could not believe it to be their duty to furnish a free paper to their more wealthy and covetous neighbor. N. had formerly taken a paper; but thinking it too expensive, to the no small discomfiture of bis wife and little ones, he had ordered its discontinuance. He, however, dearly loved to read, and had, for a year or more, been in the habit of sending ‘little Joe’ on the disagreeable errand of borrowing old papers from his neighbors. Mrs. C. waited patiently through the day, expecting to see ‘little Joe’ coming with the paper, but the day passed, as likewise did the evening, and no paper came. The next morning, after breakfast, she was heard to say—‘Well, John, the paper has not been returned yet.’ ‘Ah, indeed, I guess neighbor N. has forgotten his promise or is absent from home,’ .replied C. ‘I think,’ she continued, ‘we had better send James after it.’ ‘Would it not be best, wife, to wait until afternoon! N. may return it before that, time? ‘As you think best? was the reply. They waited until nearly dark, but no paper made its appearance. James, a smart lad of ten years, wes now instructed to proceed to neigbor N.’s and get the paper. He soon arrived and made known his errand, iHe was very politely informed that R., the blacksmith, who lived half a mile further on, ; had borrowed it. James unwilling to return ■ home without it, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, continued on to the blacksmith’s. •

It was quite dark when he arrived, but he soon made his business known, and was informed by Mrs. R. that ‘little sis got hold of the paper and tore it up? ‘l’ll take the fragments,’ said James, who was for having nothing lost. ‘The fragments, Jim!’ exclaimed Mrs. R., ‘Old Donk, the pedlar, come along here today, and I sold ’em with the rags? James, somewhat dispiritedwith his unsuccessful mission, silently beat a hasty retreat for home, where in due season he arrived, and reported the result of his errand. ‘Ah, very composedly remarked Mr. C.,‘l suppose R. asked neighbor N. to lend him the paper and he did not like to deny him. We cannot, I think, accuse either of doing i intentional wrong; and one paper is of little value? ‘You may argue N.’s case as you please’ replied Mrs. C., ‘but be assured of one thing? ‘What is that!’ asked Mr. C., with evident I fear. ‘Nothing, only neighbor N. will not be long at the inconvenience ot troubling ■ people for newspapers.’ In about three weeks from, this conversation, N. was informed by the postmaster that he had a paper in the office. He was highly pleased with this announcement, but could not think who was so very kind as to send him a paper. After many conjectures, i however, he came to the canclusion that it i was from a friend that he had assisted in former years.

One year had passed; the paper continued to come and N. was still ignorant from whence it came; but one day at a ‘hauling’ he informed his neighbors of his good fortune, and expressed Some fears that he would have to do without a paper soon. ‘No you shan’t,’ said James C., in a loud tone of voice,‘for mother sentbn two dollars for you last week.’ ‘Well done. Jim!’ shouted a dozen voices, while a simultaneous roar ran along the line of teamsters. N., who had previous to this announcement been remarkably cheerfukand talkative, became suddenly silent, while a deep red color, the emblem of shame, mantled his brow. This was a good lesson for N. Early next morning he went and paid Mrs. C. the $4, acknowledged his error, and was never known afterwards to take less than two weekly papers.

O”The moon was sitting on a cloud, Full fledged in golden light, A hatching out the little stars, The chickens of the night. But out of all that brilliant brood, Produced by Luna, pale, There was but one poor little chick That could produce a tail.

Execution of a Murderess in China.— A short time ago a woman was convicted before the Imperial Court, for the murder of her husband; she was sentenced to be cut six times, and then be beheaded, which sentence was carried into effect. The unfortunate was taken to the execution ground; here she was stripped naked, then seven executioners carried the sentence of the law’ irtto effect; two of them cut off her breasts, two more cut off the fleshy part of her lips, two more cut off the thick part of her ankles, the parts cut off being thrown in front of her to look at; this done her head was severed from her body, and her horrible sufferings were put to an end. If a criminal happens to be a female, her sex seems to gain no sympathy from her male companions.

years ag0,(1829) New England had thirty-nine members in the House of Representatives, and the North-western States eighteen. Now the New England States send twenty-nine, and the Northwestern, fifty-nine. New Hampshire then sent six, and now has only three members; while Illinois then sending onlj’ one, now has nine members. The census of 1860 will make the disparity far greater than it now is. The census to be taken next year will show the population of the United States to be over thirty million. CO”A man li\ ing near Nashville, who had been absent in California some three years, on coming home recently, found a babe only three months old lying in the cradle. With a cruelty utterly diabolical he at once cut off the infant's ears to avenge his “wounded honor.” The screams of the little sufferer called in the family, when the infuriated man learned that the cliild belonged to a neighbor who was visiting his wife; he had to flee to Escape a lynching. fr?7‘A Methodist minister at the West, who lived on a small salary, Was greatly troubled .to get his quarterly installment. He at last told the non-paying trustees that he must have his money, as his family were suffering for the necessaries of life. “Money?” replied the steward, you preach for money! I thought you preached for the good of souls!” “Souls!” replied the minister, I can’t eat souls; and if I could, it w’ould take a thousand such as yours to make a meal.” O^7”A fearful earthquake has destroyed ths city of Quito,with over two thousand lives. The loss of life is computed by some as high as five thousand. The loss of property is said to amount to §3,000,000. A number of small towns to the northward were also destroyed. [Quito was the chief city and capital of Equador, South-America, and quite an important place.]

O^7”A Jefferson Club has been formed in Washington, with the purpose of circulating the opinions of Jefferson on slavery. The Providence Journal thinks “it will b£ curious to see the manner in which the opinions will be received by those who profess to found their political faith on his doctrines.” O^7”A teacher wishing to explain.to a little girl, the manner in which a lobster casts his shell when he has outgrown it, said: “What do you do when you have outgrown your clothes —you throw them aside, don't you!” “Oh, no,” replied the little one, “we let out the tuck !” Washington States grants that “under the most auspicious circumstances, Pennsylvania would probably support the Republican candidates. Divided between two rival and inimical factions, the Democracy have no hope of ascendancy in the State. Campbell, convicted in Philadelphia of robbing an unknown man of nine cents, has been sent to the penatentiary for three years. QJrA law recently passed in Maine, establishes the annual salary of trhe members of the Legislature at §l5O. They can sit twelve months, if they please, for this prince-, ly sum. one blamed Dr. Marsh for changing his mind. “Well,'* said he, “that is the difference between a man and a jackass; the jackass can’t change his mind, and the man can—it’s a human privilege.”