Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 7, Number 49, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 2 June 1877 — Page 1

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Vol. 7.—Noi 49.

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

SECOND EDITION.

Town-Talk.

T. T. wa» detailed to use his goose quill—(goose quills are lead pencils and steel pens, in these degenerate days)—in wiiting up the Mistletoe Bough at the Opera House last night. Much might be written of the bevy of Terre Haute's beautiful'girls, and of the gallant young gentlemen who took part, of the gorgeous dressing, the beautiful tableaux, the dancing of the "stately minuet," the country quadrille, the may pole dance, the games by the children, the music, the sweet and cute singing of little Belle Allen, the distinct articulation of Miss Beacbamp in singing the recitative parts, the graceful and correct pantomimic action of all, but it can be summed up by saying that it was a delightful and enjoyable performance, worthy of a repetition, and that it refects much credit upon Mrs. Chauncy Warren, jr., who T. T. learns has taken the lead in ita management. For an amateur performance, In which all did their best, T. T. will not be so Indiscreet AS to make individual mention and say this one did well and that one didn't. Oh, no T. T. has had too much newspaper experience not

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know that In such a case, if men­

tion is uiade of one, the same number of lines and the same number of adjectives, and the latter of equal force, must be given to each of the sixty persons who took part. And now it strikes T. T. that this is a good time to learn a common sense lesson

AIIOUT THEATERS.

The Mistletoe Bough was nothing more nor less, better nor worse, than a theatrical performance. There was the acting upon the stage, the performers were costumed in stage dress, many of the suits having done duty In a Chicago t'teater. The "stately minuet -was danced by eight of the beet dancers in the city," as The Mail said it would be, and as it was danced on the same stage a year or so ago when Mira Nellson played in ''Romeo and Julietthe may pole dance was done as in "Fanchon" tho orchestra played the same musio used at theatrical plays, tho same scenery was usod Indeed the aoting, the costumes, the dancing, the scenery are all the essential features of a theater. Yet the actors, and especially the auditors, were both, many of them, our best christian people, aud the proceeds go to help one of our churches. T. T. does not say this with the slightest Idea of censure, but only to 00mmend, for he truly and heartily approves of these christian people acting this play, and of the christian people witnesssing And enjoying it, and of the church receiving the proceeds. He belleyee It would be far hotter if christian people would oftener take hold of these things and show the world that, while they have the good sense and courage to condemn and stay away from whatever has auy, even tht least taint of vulgarity about it, they also have the good sense and the courage to discriminate between what is fit and proper and what is not. The wholesale and indiscriminate denunciation of theatres is not wise, Is not beneficial to the individual, tho church, or the community. Theatres and plays should stand on exactly the same footing as concerts and songs. The bad should be let alone and the good should be attended without conscientic us scruples. And T. T. has confidence enough in the &ood sense of christian people to believe that they can be trusted In this matter without any set rules laid down far them. Now T. T. has a sincere Interest In all these younger and older people who have become christians daring the put winter, and would not tor the world put a straw in the way of tbolr being efficient and consistent christians. He hopes every one of them will hold out. One of the questions which is sure to come to some, probably many of them, for decision, is whether they may attend the theater. Now If T. T. were a preacher, or if one of the«e In whom he has an especial interest were to come to him for advice, T. T. would advise somewhat in this way. In the first place he would say, never go to the theater, to any play

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whatever, or do anything merely for amusement, while there is doubt in the mind whether it is right for you to do so. So soon as any person begins violating his conscience, even though it be an over-scrupulous conscience, he is on dangerous ground. So, unless these persons see their way to any place of amusement clear of all conscientious scruples, they should stay away. T. T. would also say that in his judgment the people who make a great deal of amusements of any kind, whose minds are much filled by these things, will not make very efficient or successful christians. Yet all have a right to amusements, and all have need of them.a And so to those who really desire to do right, and desire to settle this matter conscientiously, T. T. would say that, while ho sees a great deal of barm in same theatrical performances, he sees no harm-in others. He thinks the "Mistletoe Bough" was a perfectly proper play, and that actors and attendants need not scruple to repeat what they have done.

T. also thinks that many of the plays put ou the stage at the Opera House are perfectly harmless, and some of them even instructive, and be would give it as his judgment that such might be attended by any person without harm, who &as not conscientious scruples about them. Nothing against one's conscience can be done without harm. But an enlightened conscience will judge theaters and theatrical performances, not as a whole, but according to the merit or demerit of each particular case, just as concerts, just as books, are judged. And T. T. does not see how the christian and church people who were engaged in gettinu up the Mistlotoe Bough, and those who attended the performance, and those who are to be benefitted peculiarly by it, can justify themselves on any other ground. To T. T. this ground of justification seems ample and satisfactory. Would not more good be done if people were warned against that which is raally harmful, than is done by a general denunciation of that which has in it both good and evil?

Husks and Nubbins.

N0T25C.

FATE.

If you please to plant yourself on the side of Fate and say, Fate is all then we say, a part of Fate is the freedom of man. Forever wells up the impulse of choosing and acting in the soul. Intellect annuls Fate. So far as a man thinks, he is free. His sound relation to these facts is to use and command, not to cringe to them. 'Look not on nature, for her name is fatal,' said the oracle. The too much contemplation ol these limits lnduoes meanness.* They who talk much of destiny, their birthstar, Ac., are in a lower, dangerous plane and invite the evils they fear.'

EMERSON.

Whether or not there is such a thing as Fate,—a

000trolling

and irresistible

force which impels men on to renown or ruin in a way they are equally incapable Of helping, hindering or comprehending,—it is not worth while to discuss. Opinions differ as to the matter. There are firm believers in the doctrine of fate. To such the "star of destiny" rises and sets for every man. Tbtore are others, and the great majority, let us hope, who have no plaoe for fatalism in their lives who believe everyone's sucoess or failure is in strict accordance with his deserts. In their view every man reaps as he has sown. Prosperity fellows effort, diligence, ability defeat and failure are the fruit of sloth and incompetency. It is a good and proper dootrlne, beeause it tends to develop thrift and energy and to make good citizens. It is a rational faith, too, for it gives to everyone according to his works. I suppose most reasonable people entertain this doctrine, as they ought to do. And yet, say what wo may, there are many incidents in tho life of every one which are not altogether reconcilable with it. Many a one who would scorn the imputation of being superstitious, and who really is as free from superstition as possible, yet is superstitious^ times and upon particular subjects. Let the most realistic being alive spend an evening with others In telling and hearing ghost stories and then go out into the darkness alone and see whether he will not be superstitious. Should a rabbit cross bis path or a cow suddenly move by the roadside, he will quake with dread.

Sober, common sense people often complain of the violations of the realities of life which thoy find in novels the novelist brings his characters fitoe to faoe in 90 many Improbable ways and plaoea. He sets two people afloat on the wide world in such diverging courses that it is next to impooaibie they should ever meet again, but of course they do meet and this, they aay, to Improbable and unnatural Yet everyone who ever read a novel could, if he bad not forgotten them, cull out of his own matter-of-fact lifts more and stranger coincidences than the whole story contains, though it be one of Charles Readers. Take the mecnlmte, or what at least appear to be audi, out of your life and what is there left? Why did you come to the place you live in? How did yon get Into the business you are following? By whut accident did you meet your wile at that

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out-of-the-way place and at that unexpected moment? How often did your best laid plans come to nought and your careless and thoughtless acts end in surprising results? A man buys a property in the heart of the city at a bargain and thinks he sees his fortune in it but after years be sells it for no more.than it cost. Another, having but. little means, invests it in afield adjoining the city, thinking to make himself a home by and bye, the city suddenly swells in his direction, he plats bis field into lots and is suddenly lifted by the tide into a position of wealth. What was it? Not foresight certainly. Was it accident?

It runs through our life, from beginning to end, in large things and small. We do a favor to a stranger in one quarter of the world and never expect to see the person again sometime it will happen that we are next door neighbors. How often does one find himself in need of a favor from the very person who, years before, be treated with slight and neglect a perpetual admonition to be kind and civil to all! It is not safe to count anyone a stranger. Beware bow you are boorish across the sea it will travel over the ocean to meet you. "Go, poor devil," said uncle Toby to the fly, there is room enough in the world for both of us." As if it were not quite probable they would. sometime meet again!

The swiftest runner does not always win the" race nor the brave3t soldier come from the battle unscathed. What come struggle for in vain comes to others unsought. Some men rise and we can scarcely tell how or why others toil and strive and are obscure after it all. It is not likely that Senator Morton will ever be President, but how unlikely it was that Mr. Hayes would be! An oriental poet wrote:

On two days, it steads not to ran from thy grave, The appointed, and the unappolnted day On the nrst, neither balm nor physician can save,

Nor thee, on the second, the Universe slay." It is a curious study, this of Fate or accident yet, as Emerson says, "the too much contemplation of it induces meanness." It is not a safe or profitable study and must be touched but lightly. Though it be true that good fortune often comes unexpectedly, she is a capricious goddess and delights in surprises and it is sadly true that those who wait for he:- coming, wait in vain. The sea is forever calm round him who idly waits for the passing breeze while he who paddles his boat as well as he can, though with but a broken oar, presently strikes the path of a gale that fills his sails and bears him onward. It is true that great help often comes from an unexpected quarter but that very statement shows that it does not come when waited for and expected. How frequently we read in the journals that a large fortune ha? fallen unexpectedly to a common laboring man. We never hear, though, that he was looking for the wind-fall. If he had been, he would not have been surprised in the .shop or thefaotory.

ROSEBYT1NOK

This brilliant artiste and fine emotional actress is pleasantly remembered from her playing of Rose Michel here last reason, and her return is eagerly looked for by lovers of genuine acting. She comes again next Wednesday evening, supported by a first-class company in her great oharacterof "Armand Chandoce" In "Led Astray," played by her in New York oity 236 times. Hear what the New York Commercial Advertiser says: "Let us speak of the players—and among the players, without prejudice to the rest, we would speak of Miss Rose Eytinge. This lady has never appeared to such advantage and if she was provided with a great opportunity, it is but a scant justice to say she made the most of it. The drama is constructed around the one character of Armanda. She is not only the central figure: she is the subject of the play, around whloh the other characters are grouped. It is no discourtesy to the greatest actresses of the ilav to say that not one of them could have competed with her in this finished and splendid piece of acting. The dell cacy, 1 entleness and repose of the first two act* the heavy passion of the third and fourth, and the dignity of the fi th, were drawn with a skill aiid a depth of feeling not to be surpassed by any artist ih any language. Let us take, for example, the scene in Armande's bedchamber on the night of the duel, when her husband comes to bid her farewell when the strugglo between love, pride and despair is torturing the wife as she lies gasping in the chair during the cold and deliberate directions to which abo listens, as Rachel used to listen in "Lea Horaces," to the description of her lover'sdeath.

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TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 2, 1877.

During tbisscene, so nrtural,

touching, and so ?rtfthful, Miss Eytinge revealed the highest attributes of tragedy. Tho lonely and husky cry that came from her white lips, as her bead rolled from aide to side in speechless despair, was one of the finest efforts that we have ever witnessed. It would be impossible to describe the effect produced cm the audience by this piece of acting. They felt that there was no kind of rpplause suited to the expressions of their emotions. Theie were occasions throughout the performance when their feelings were more loudly vented, but not one where they were so deeply pen-

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public which must leave her name engraved indelibly on the pillars of the drama. *^4

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ANSWERS TO Ut'WJ fMd STUPID.—No

CORRESPONDENTS.

Caudle's Leo-

•Mrs.

tures" are never given as a wedding present. SAIXIK.—One of the neatest and most appropriate patterns to work in variegated colors for "your beau's slippers" would be the "Qaeen of Diamonds."

MOLLIK.—Your Iriend is right running your tongue out will hasten your thoughts a great deal more in writing a poem than nibbling the end ^f your penholder.

JEALOUS.—You are but another victim of woman's faithlessness. Her writing you but eight letters a day instead of sixteen, as formerly, shows that she intends to drop all correspondence and acquaintance.

DAMON.—"What does the wearing of a gold ring upon the third finger of the right hand of a young lady indicate?" It indicates that she is "engaged." It may be, though, that the young lady is not aware of this significance.

HARRY.—After declining to attend a concert with "A," he being the first to invite her, it was not in good taste to accept the invitation of "B." She should either have gone with "A" or remained at home, even though she had a personal preference for "B."

ADONIS.—"How can I mane my nands white Take 9ne part lime and three parts water mix .thoroughly apply it to the hands with a soft brush, and then dry them in the sun. They will impart a dazzling whiteness which cannot be equalled by any other preparation.

LADY ADMIRER.—We shall feel ever indebted to you for the handsomely embroidered dressing gown which you sent us (express paid.) But we would not advise you to ever do so again. Your judgment is too excellent, and your taste of too good a quality to waste upon our humble selves. In fact never again let an exhibition of your ability go abroad. Use yeur talents in beautifying your home—in weaving deoorative door mats, or crocheting dish cloths, or weaving patterns for flat-iron holders, or something of that sort.

F. E. G.—Of course the world goes on just the tame, no matter what calamities come to individuals. It may seem hard to a person whose prospects have been suddenly blighted to see everything moving on just the same, and without the slightest indication that bis sufferings are of the least account but then, when you come to reflect upon it, is it not right that so it should be? If the world were to pause to take note of every man's misfortunes, it would be at a constant stand still, and we should all be engulfed in the common calamity of universal stagnation and death.

E. S.—We find the beat reply to your question in the following sensible advice from an eminent physician: "My pro fession has thrown me among women of all classes, and my experience teaches me that God never gave man a greater proof of His love than to 'place woman here with him. My adviee is, go and propose to the most sensible girl you know. If she says yes, tell her how much your income is, and from what source derived and tell her that you will divide the last shilling with her, and that you will love her with all your heart in the bargain. And then keep your promise. My word for it, she will live within your income and to your last hour you will regret that you didnt marry sooner. Gentlemen, don't worry about feminine extravagance and feminine untruth. Just yju be true to her— love her sinoerely—and a more fond, faithful, foolish slave you will never meet anywhere. You won't deserve her, I know. But she will never know It. Now, throw sside pride and selfishness, and see what will come of it."

DAISY.—This correspondent writes us a very pitiful letter about her having a beau who is so dreadfully bashful that when be comes of an evening, be sita and won't speak hardly, until she sometimes gets out of patience with him. She wants us to advise her as to -.vbat she should do to cure him of this tiresome habit, and whether it would be improper for her to break the silence upon such occasions. As to the last question, certainly not, there would be no impropriety—on the contrary, it would be an act of charity to help the poor fellow out of hia trouble and pnt him at bis ease, if such a thing were possible. As to how she can cure him altogether, we must leave to her own mother-wit to devise the beet method. We will give our correspondent a story of a young lady who was fixed somewhat the same as she is not, however, that we advise her to follow the example she set literally, but only in the hope that she may get a hint of how the difficulty may be overcome. Finding that ber lover would not speak, In order to break the silence, she cried out: "Now, don't kiss me, Sam!" The young man, considerably taken back, exclaimed, rather indignantly: "I was not kissing you, Carrie!" "No, but I thought yon mightI" returned Carrie.

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People and Things^

Tweed appears to be dropping out of eight. It is generally the man with dirty finger nails who affects white vests.

When President Hayes was a boy and went to base ball matches he was always counted in.

The Easton Free Press says [Some people act in this world as though they believe they can buy reserved seats in next.

Wheb we see a man standing out with an umbrella to keep the rain off from his potato patch, wj k^that hejs a book farmer.

Why is it when a woman falls down stairs she screams out at every bump, while a man holds his breath till he gets to the bottom

If a man reaches into your berth and

Bteals

your cash.in the sleeping oar within the boundaries of Iowa, the railroad will have to hand back an equivalent.

The yellow covering on American sugar cured hams has, by English physicians, been pronounced poisonous. It's wonderful how mucli they know abroad.

Mr. Friedlander, the California grain dealer, who failed recently, used to pay f6,000 a month for accommodations for himself and family at the- Palace Hotel, San Francisco.

We never can tell exactly where we lose our umbrellas. It is singular how gently an umbrella unclasps itself from the tendrllsofour mind, and floats out in the flimsy distance of nothingness.

The new postmaster at Dead wood writes under.date of May 10: When I arrived here, on the 19th ultimo, I found six thousand letters awaiting me, and an excited populace awaiting them."

Robert Bonner's -physician recommended him some twenty years ago to resort to driving for his health, and now he has half a million dollars worth of this medicine to take.—Boston Post

The thing now-a-days is to make your money go as far as possible. The chap who has got down to hia last ten oents, looks over the saloon bar for a liquor that will tickle all the way down to his boots.

An exchange says that when a man is treating a dashing widow to ice cream, and sees his wife ooming into the restaurant, about all he can do is to bntton his coat, hang to his ohair, and trust to Providence.

When a London medical journal wants to describee healthy man it simply says: "Clean tongue, good appetite, slow pulse, cool skin, clear head, steady hand, good walking power, and light, refreshing sleep." "Miss Grundy" relieves the public mind by writing that, though the Preeident does not wear gloves at his receptions, he holds a pair of fresh white kids In his left band, while he shakes hands with his right.

The Easton Press has found out that a man may be brave enough in daylight for a major-general, but let the dish-pan fall down the cellar stain, and be will sit up in bed holding his breath, with his eyes sticking out like pot-feet wondering whioh way the ghost is ooming.

It is all very fine to laugh at a woman's tantrums when a mouse makes Its appearance near her skirts, but a little merriment should be reserved for the man who plays circus while a June bug is walking up the inside of his clothing with the slow, measured step of a day laborer.

In France when a man marries a widow before the year of mourniug is up, society prescribes that he shall wear mourning for the remainder of the allotted year, in oompany with his wife. In this country they don't wear mourning, but they.re usually sorry that the other fellow died.

While bartenders are closing tip their drinking saloons in the East, they are encouraging the tipplers to further activity in the West. A Santa Barbara Cal., saloon keeper offers to every one who takes a drink a numbered ticket. Every time a drink is taken anew number is given. At the end of the month, the numbers are put into a lottery wheel and the lucky number draws 925. Of course the toper who has the largest number of tickets la supposed to have the beet chance for the $25.

The average New .Yorker begins by boarding, which lasts till there is a baby then he takes a little house in Brooklyn then he goes to Harlem. then out to Orange or Patersot^ or Elizabeth then back to New York again to live in apart of a house or flat," and there is where he la now. His worry at the present moment is this He Is sick of flats. Yes, sir, you may talk about flats, but be has tried them (flats made over from a Darn or a tenement bouse), and the question is shall they take a cottage a mile "out of tbe city, orahall his wife keep a boarding boose ?-Jennie June.

Six hundred people went to Indianapolis last Sunday on tho excursion train.

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Price Five Cent*

Feminitems.

"Deoollette," the Buffalo Express thinks, means "necks to nothing." Jenny Liud is 51 years old, and her youngest child is three months of age.

A female justice of the piece in Wyoming recently fined her husband heavily for flirting.

The ladies are gradually encroaching on "man's kingdom." Panama hats are the latest feminine fancy.

No true woman, married or single, can be happy without some sort of domestic life.—[Harriet Martineau

A writer in Harper's says: "Washington is the only oity in this country where women take any interest in public aflhks, air are sufficiently well informed to converse intelligently about them." r/4/. 4ut -U1

When a woman drinks soda she hoists the glass at an angle of eight degrees, bends over, holds in her dress, and as she looks out of the corners of her eyes, seeming to be in an ecstasy of appreciation, a little drop of soda runs down off her chin and goes like a pearl plummet to the floor. "Have you 'Put Me in My Little Bed?'" asked a Philadelphia girl of a music store clerk the other day. "No miss," he answered, blushing, "I—I— really, I believe I never havo." They revived her in a neighboring drug store, and the innocent clerk is still wondera 1

A writer in the Baltimore Bee is of the opinion that black-eyed ladies are most apt to be passionate and jealous. Blueeyed, soulful, truthful, affectionate and confiding. Gray-eyed, philosophical, literary, resolute, cold-hearted. Hazeleyed, quick-tempered and fickle. A woman is either worth a good deal or nothing. If good for nothing, she is not worth getting jealous for, if she be a good woman she will give no cause for jealousy. A man is a brute to be jealous of a good woman—a fool to be jealous of a worthless one, but is a double fool to cut his threat for either of them.

Misa Ida Hawley, of Hornelisville, Steuben county, aged twenty, committed suicide by drowning a few days ago. She left a paper, setting forth her reasons for refusing to live, in which she writes that she was young and healthy, that she had never felt the lack of love, of friends, of food and clothing. She voluntarily abandoned life, as she says, from "a deep-seated conviction that it was not worth living, a prospect of a life beyond the world whioh this is but a preparation for, being vague and ohlmerical." One does not like to speak harshly of suoh an unfortunate, and it seems kindliest to say that this young woman was unquestionably insane, though all the aooounts declare that she was not. Her statement of reasons, while it has a thin varnish of philosophy, is exceedingly confused, and nobody ever gave stronger evidence of an insane condition.

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps writes: Earnest women have said: We can afford to hold our own umbrellas if we may receive equal wages for equal service with you When forced to support a growing family and a sick husband by our own unaided hands. We can bear to take the outer edge of the sidewalk if we can purchase by that sacrifice the right to our own children. Earnest men have said: All that is worth saving in the faith of ohivalry will be saved at all events. The genuine respect felt by genuine manhood for essential womanhood rests upon deeper foundations than any which this reform can shake. The larger elements of it can never slip through the sieve of these troublesome times. Men will at le^st exhibit to a weak woman the same consideration which they exhibit for a weak man. She asks no more. They will be sure to entertain toward a strong woman the same generous instinct of good comradeship which they entertain toward a strong man. She will accept no lesa.

OoL Robert Ingersoli says: "I believe that woman has the same rights that man has. He has the complications of business, wbicb, of course, no woman can understand—buying calico at four cents a yard and selling it at four and a half wonderful complications! I despise a man who says to me, 'I am the head of the family/ and talks cf what be will make them do. In the family where there is kindness and love the woman moves in tb% perfume of light, never growing old to him, and his is ever the same young and handsome face that she first knew and thus they grow old and pass away to the grave with the prattle of children in their ears. I believe that woman is a human being. She has often to support herself, and every avenue should be open to her. Why should some Ignorant, mean lout make laws for a magnificent, educated woman? There are always some men who are afraid women will get ahead of them. The lower and more ignorant a man is the mora he Is opposed to and maltreats woman. That manner of looking down on woman that some husbands have, if I were a woman, I should rather be knocked down every Monday than realize." fKjf fi*