Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 9, Number 16, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 19 October 1878 — Page 1

Vol. 9.-^.0. 16,,,^?*^'

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

SECOND EDITION.

Town-Talk.

cot. BO&ERT o. niosiiaoix. As has been announced this distinguished gentleman will again lecture in this city.

As

before he

00ones

under the

auspice* of the Occidental Literary Society. One morning this week T. T. saw in the Express a card from that organization, starting off with: "We want It distinctly understood that the Occidental Literary 8ociety. as a

society

does not Indorse Col. Ingersoll's religious views." T. T. was about to take this text for this week's article, bnt as be laid down his morning paper, his eye fell upon a better paragraph in the Cincinnati Com* mercial, which said:

Bob Ingersoll ought to go to ehnrch once in a while, and find oat what people do believe nowadays. Evidently he doesn know.

The fellow who wrote that paragraph hit the nail square on the head. The point is well taken. Bob is a mighty smart fellow. There is no doubt about that. That he is a witty fellow there is Jo at as little donbt. There isn't a man in the ooantry who has a knack of patting things better than he. T. T. always enjoys hearing or reading his speeches and lectures. Whatever he goes for, whether it be Democracy or Beligion, Democrats or Preachers, Ghosts or the Devil, he makes the fur fly in a most laughable manner. Bat when a fellow has wiped his eyes—for no one with any appreciation of fun in him can help laughing till he cries—and looks soberly after the wreck whioh has been made, he finds it chiefly straw, and that the far was simply false hair. He now and then hits a real democrat or a real minister, bat a great deal oftener a man of straw whioh he has himself set ap. T. T. is always reminded of a Billy Ooat whioh he had when a boy. The said Billy had a great propensity for butting, and T. T., in order to gratify him, one day, in boyish sport arranged an effigy so that it seemed to stand on the ground, but was really supported by a cord fastened to the limb of a tree. Billy saw the Btranger, standing with his back to him, under the tree, and drew back to get a good start, and then graoefully curving his neck, made a terrific dash at the man, hit him, sent him higher than a kite, and himself went rolling and tumbling, literally heels over head, A down rods away. By the time Billy had gathered himself vp and looked around for his victim, T. T. had the effigy ready ag&ia. Another bold dash and over and over went Billy again. And so he kept it up nntll T. T., more dead than alive with laughing, took away the straw man. Since be was a boy T. T. has never seen anything that so nearly approached this scene as Bob Ingersoll in one of his speeches on politics or lectures on religion. He doesn't seem to have the slightest idea that the opinions which he rid I rales so mercilessly, or denounces so eloquently, are opinions which nobody holds. People who attend cburch and liston to preaching are utterly astounded when they attend one of Ingersoll's lectures to find out what is preached in the pulpit and what is believed by the churches. They never heard such preaching, and never found anybody who held such opinions as be ridicules tnd denounces. And they think themselves very fortunate in having a minister who is to advance of the clergymen generally, and in attending a church that doesn't hold or advocate such views. The writer of the paragraph above mentioned, who was probably a reporter, and, In the discharge of his duties, accustomed to listen to all kinds of preachers and preaching, never having oome across anything like that so mercilessly and forcibly upset by Bob, sees the point of the joke and advises him to goto church once in a while, and find out wbat people do believe, nowadays, adding, that evidently he doesn't know. It is possible that Joshua Billings might have been listening to one of Bob's lectures when he got off that choice bit of wisdom, "It is bet* ter not to know so much than it is to know so much tbataintso." But It wouldn't be better for Bob. It would spoil all the best hifert in his lectures. The

funniest thing about them Is the way be sets them ap, and then upsets "things that ain't so." And if the ministers and church members would turn iu and lsugh with the rest of the crowd at the funny sayings of Ingersoll, his power to injure them or their oourse would be gone. The great trooble Is that these people take the matter too seriously altogether. The foot Is that all the best sentiments which Bob advocates are advocated in nearly all the pulpits in the land, only he doesn't know it, and the heft of his lighting and ridicule is aimed at opiniona which nobody, or very few, hold. In his lecture on Burns he'll my lots of flne things whicb it will do all good to hear. And if be chooses to butt the old effigy now and then, It will add a little spice. T. T. hopes the ministers and church members will turn out and hear Bob when he comes. Don't be scared and lose a good thing because he hits man of straw, and says It is you. If you squeal or whine, or hit back, people who don't know, will take bis word for it that you are hit. But if they see you laughing at the fan, they'll conclude that you are not hit after all, and agree with Josh that for all purposes, save fun, "It is better not to know so mucb, than it is to know so muoh that ain't so," snd after laughing over the wit, and the supposed hits, will join in the sentiment thst "Bob Ingersoll ought to go to church once in a while and find out what people do believe nowadays. Evidently he doesn't know." ttfk

Topics of the Times.

RESTORING THE EQUILIBRIUM. "All at once—in 1873—there came a crasb, and the brother that had stayed at home and worked on the farm saw in tbe paper that bis brother, who was president of a life insurance oompany, was a vagrant and a vagabond. He read, too, that the railroad had failed, and that it was in the hsnds of a receiver, and that its bonds were ss worthless as tbe first sutumn leaves that grew on this earth. Then he began to think that be was doing well himself and the fact is that the men who cultivate the soil are to-day the riohest, on the average, of any class of men under our flag.—Bob Ingersoll.

Tbe city brothers have oome to about the same conclusion and a good many of them have been "folding their tents like tbe Arabs and silently stealing away" to -the oountry again. And more will follow. The writer talked with two men recently who have lived in the city for some years past and been engaged as real estate and loan agents, One hss given up the city to go upon a farm near by and engage in stock raising, and the other will leave in the spring for Minnesota, to grow wheat. Both are Intelligent men and one spent several years in the practice of law. They believe the country offers them better inducements at this time than tbe city. These are not exceptional oases. There are hundreds and thousands of similar ones. The fact is there has been sinoe tbe panic a steady and continuous migration from towns and oities to the oountry. It is a propitious sign. The result will be a restoration of tbe Industrial equilibrium and with it a return of healthy prosperity to the nation. Exactly this remedy for tbe hard times was advocated in these columns shortly after tbe panic, and it is tbe only true remedy for the evil.

CORDIAL CHURCHES.

5 4

In a recent sermon, Dr. Baylies, of Roberta' Park church, Indianapolis, ssld: X" |f{ "I have been a pastor twenty-one years. I suppose that in that time I nave beard every form of criticism which men ever indulge against the church, and I have never heard one word of criticism against sociability and cordiality in the chnrcb. I have beard the opposite condemned in language of marked intensity. I have known many to be turned away by it. Bat cordiality is always an attractive force. And there is a deep philosophy in it. Tbe world wants heart. It is naturally selfish the shadow of care and sorrow is upon it, and men turn to a warm heart as instinctively as shivering children gather round a Ore in winter. And so it occurs that a warm and oordial church attracts those who are chilled by the world's losses and cares."

These are wise and true words which it would be well for many a church to heed. It Is a matter of observation that tbe cordial, warm-hearted churches are tbe prosperoua churches. Their ministers may not be so learned and eloquent ss many others, their mnslo may be less grand, they may in fact wast many attractions that other churches around them possess nut if tbe people gathered within their walls are sympathetic and sociable, they are bound to become strong and popular churches. A cold church is an abomination. And yet there are churches wboee members are so 00Id and unsociable that tbe stranger who approaches them feels as though he was getting into the vicinity of an iceberg. Tbe minister is perhaps a warm hearted man and tries, to the utmost of his ability to thaw out the frigidity which he sees in his church. He announces that on a certain evening a church social will be held, and extends to all members of the congregation and their friends a warm and cordial invitation to be on hand, and asm res them

TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 19.1878.

that the members of the oburoh will do all In their power to make the oooasion a pleasant and profitable one. Attracted by the warmth of tbe invitation people put on their beat clothes and assemble at the appointed time. Bat,

Alas! for the rarity, Of Christian charity, Under

the

sun!"

1

It ii a oold and cheerless region into which they have been deooyed. Nobody seems glad to see them no one extends a warm and oordial hand. The old, aristocratic "pillars of tbe churoh" gather in small knots and seem to enjoy themselves exceedingly well. The stranger that la within the gate is left to amuse himself aa best he can. If some one a little less heartless than the rest, at length takes pity on his evident distress, and ventures to introduce blm to a few of tbe older members, the latter pass a few words of oold and formal politeness with him and tarn him over to tbe tender mercies of the crowd. Tbe result Is, he goes away dissppointed, hurt and disgusted. He feels ss if he had been snubbed and outraged. He is tempted to believe tbe churolt a fraud and religion a humbug. It doesn't take him long to deoide that that is not tbe church for him. He seeks a more hospitable clime. How different would tbe oase have been if every member of the churoh had greeted tbe Btranger with a warm welcome and tried to make him feel at home! Instead of going away in disgust be would have been strengthened and encouraged. A smile and a kind word are more grateful to the heart sometimes than a cup of oold water to thirsty lips. And they bless alike him who gives and who receives. A churoh whioh has much of the spirit of Christ in it ought not to be oold. -.1

AGRICULTUR A GROWTH. Great as are the agricultural interests of the United States at the present time, when tbe products of the soil largely exceed in value, each year, the national debt, they are destined in the near future to be vastly increased. During the past five years there has been a constant emigration of men from the towns and cities to the country just the converse of what had been going on for the years preceding the panic. Many of these men, having limited means, have gone west and settled on the public lands others of larger means have bought valuable farms near the places in which they lived. Many of the latter will give special attention to the raising of fine stock—cattle, sheep and hogs—and this branch of agriculture will thus receive an unusual impetus. No oooupation could be more pleasant and healthful and probably few are more profitable when intelligently oonduoted. Already the United States exports large quantities of beef and cattle to foreign countries but it is evident that this exportation will rapidly increase within the next few years. Indeed oar country, if it shsll be blessed with peace and a wise administration of the government, is destined to become the greatest grain and stock producing country in tbe world. ,, _=___

A.

A Woman's Thoughts,

to JBY ANEW CONTRIBUTOR 1 J* "Street flirtations" have been pretty well written up in the past few weeks, and it is time we should give tbe naughty girls a rest, but before we entirely leave tbe fruitful subjeot of flirting it will perhaps not be amiss to reflect a few moments upon another evil thst exists in our midst in alarming proportions, an evil more harmful in its execution, more lasting In its effects, more fatal to domestic happiness than tbe very worst kind of street ooqaetting. I refer to what is known ss "MARRIED FLIRTATIOUS."

Comparatively few people have any idea to what an extent this srt is carried on, not only in Terre Haute, bat in all other towns and cities. The married flirt 1 Who oan desoribe him or her? No single description will spply to any two of the olasa. I have often Jtned to classify men who were particularly attractive to women, whether they were large or small, plain or handsome, talented or commonplace, bat it is impossible. Homely men are often wonderfully successful among that sex noted for their love of the beautiful. "Give me half an hoar to talk away my face," said Mirabeaa, "and I would not give my chances for those of the handsomest man in the world." Then one would suppose- women would be partial to men of lofty stature and imposing mien, and yet some of the most popular men I ever knew, men who carried by storm the be&rts of those gentle matares that we are told must have somebody to "cling" to, were insignificant fellows that one would hardly notice on the street. Aa the petite Jennie Quigley sang: "I'm little, bat—Oh, my!" A flne education Is not necessary to render a man adorable in the eyes of butterfly women. A man may read Greek and Latin fluently, and yet he will be discounted by a superficial bean skilled in the language of tbe eyes he may have a thorough knowledge ot all the Isms and ologles, and yet he will find him­

rt

5

self entirely set aside by some gentleman of the world who can fathom the mysteries of a woman's heart and adapt them to his own benefit. And these same rules apply to the other asx. Women of handsome face and figure have an immense advantage over their plainer aisters in this, that they attract universal admiration at onee, but when it settles down to astesdy acquaintance, pretty divinities ere often entirely distanced and left behind by some plainfaced, low-voioed woman without a claim to beaaty of form or feature. When she hss subjagated some individual who haa considered himself proof sgalnsl the sex, all the other men will say, "Great Jupiter! what does he see to admire in her?" and be will reply, "I dont know wbat it is, but if you were acquainted with her yoa woald soon find out," and sometimes they do find out to their sorrow Nor is a college education necessary to render a woman fascinating. Indeed, your sooiety men are rather afraid of a highly educated lady. They fear ahe may include a knowledge of human nature among her other accomplishments, and they prefer to remain a sealed book exoeptso far as they ohoose to open tbe pages to the pnblio. Summing ap, therefore, we msy truthfully say that It is utterly impossible to define whst constitutes a fascinating man or woman, yet they do exist end unfortunately they sometimes cross the wrong path or enter the wrong household snd anhappiness and desolation is oftentimes the result. All this generalising has at last brought me back to the original topic, flirtations among married people.

When two people marry anew family is formed, whioh becomes an important and vital part of tbe commonwealth. The successes, the reverses, the general reputation of tbe little family become of interest to the pnblio at large, and they should feel flattered rather than offended at the notice they receive. Any dlreliotion of dnty on the part of husbsnd or wife is quickly noted and commented upon, and hence they cannot be too particular in their conduct towards each other and towards society. Yet among all classes we find many instances where either the marriage vo ire sit too lightly and are dlsregsrded, or else they press to heavily and are despised. There is no middle ground. Either married people are true to their vows or else they are untrue to them. They promise to love, honor snd protect, and although sometimes they find it impossible to love, yet it is always possible to honor the marriage relation, to protect the good name and reputation of the husband or wife. The carelessness of men in regard to the obligations imposed by marriage, is so wide-spread, so universal, so shamelessly public, that I have neither the inclination nor the ability to write upon it. I do not think anything I oould say would affect it in the least. When married men of high standing openly boast of their infidelities, acknowledge their mistresses and visit them in broad daylight, and at the same time are received by sociwty with open arms, occupy prominent pews in our churches and take active part in the socials, prayer meetings, Ac., I do not feel thst "the pen is mightier than the sword," for an attack from the most powerful pens In the land would strike hsrmless upon the impenetrable shield of their hardened consciences. We oan only leave them to tbe avenging sword of outraged justice and morality which walteth long but surely strikes.

But what can be said to the women of Terre Haute, tbe lovely, tasteful, cul tured women of our city? Can it be possible that they forget their pure and noble womanhood? It cannot be denied. There Is no womsn, much ss she msy desire to defend her sex, bnt mast admit with shame that many a guilty heart beats under the silken robes of some of our fairest dames. My knowl edge is limited compared with that of hundreds of others, and yet I know time, place and circumstances where many a married woman in this town has met men, husbands, in some instances, of her intimate friends, drank wine with them, played cards till the wee sma' hoars, and committed such improprieties ss wonld have caused their husbands to take advantage of tbe divorce law if they had discovered it. Pretty, graceful women,with advantages of wealth and society, how could they fall so low I Flirting among married women incapable of msny different constructions, bat none of them are complimentary. Women who flirt may be divided into three classes First, those who water into a flirtation willfully and deliberately, knowing all the consequences, bat impelled by a craving for attention and flattery, relying upon their husband's poition to keep them from utter degradation, and regardless of the result, vain of their power over mm, forgetting that it Ssthe most transitory of all influences and succeded by utter contempt 5 second, that nnforton ate clam of women who are unhappily married and who are driven into a flirtation through recklessness and desperation 'ind third, tboae wos»n who flirt merely from a love of excitement and

amusement, without a thought of any serious consequences, jast fp they did before marriage.

To the first class of women there nothing to be said. Old sge will bring to them reflection and remorse. They will have lost tbe love of their husbands, tbe esteem of the world, and all respect for themselves. No repentanee, no reformation will ever restore them sgain to virtue and parity. It is only to be hoped thst tbey have no children to bear vpon their Innocent foreheads the brand of their mother's disgrace

Tbe seoond olass deserve muoh pRy. When a woman disooven thst her marriage is a mistake, it seems after awhile that there is not modi in life worth living for, but if she bear ap bravely and perform her dutlea faithfully, ahe will discover erelong that tbe world still contains many bright possibilities. If a woman learns her husband is unfaithful, that is no excase for breaking her vows tbey are just ss sacred, Just as binding, and there is additional reason why she should be virtuous, that the world may see bow ipexcupsble is her husband's conduct.

If she finds that he is utterly oneongenial, let her seek the society of good women, of interesting books, any kind except thst of unprincipled men, who will only take advantage of her domestic nnhappiness to ruin and betray her. There is no pain so keen, no humiliation so complete, no degradation so terrible, ss that of a woman who has lost forever her own self-respect.

Tbe third olsss comprises many of oar beet and sweetest women who are happy in their family relations and devoted to their husbands, and yet even to them is applied that suggestive word "flirt." With them it Is perfeotly natural to make themselvee agreeable, not from a love of admiration bat because they cannot help it. Tbey are bright and witty and charming in conversation, free and unoonventional in their actions, never dreaming of harm and, by their very innocence, giving the suspicions and uncharitable occasion for gossip. They would fly with horror from any improper proposal and yet tbey are constantly rendering themselves liable to be misunderstood, and when they learn that their reputation is questioned they are almost broken-hearted. Such women deserve ^sympathy and consideration they nev er get, and for this reason they should be very guarded In their behavior.

The position of married women in regard to gentlemen is a very delicate one and requires great tact and skill to be agreeable and yet not too familiar to be reserved and yet not prudish it is not Strange so many men wonder why it is that the majority of women cease to be entertaining so soon after they are married. They are afraid to be otherwise. I never eee a young and pretty married lady engaged in her innocent flirtations without trembling for her safety. It Is so easy to step downward, and so many women deceive themselvee by saying,

He will nev&r tell." There oould not be a greater mistake than this. He ttill tell. Any man that is mean enough* to take advantage of a married woman will tell it, yes, and boast of it and exaggerate it. There never was an exoeption to this rule. Better give him nothing to tell and then yoa are safe.

I must close this lengthy artiole, hoping that if it should chanoe to meet the eye of any woman who is hesitating, half-tempted, half-reluctant, to receive the flattering attentions of some man who is not her husband, ahe win pease and remember there is nothing on earth can compensate for the loss of a pure heart, there is no return into the kingdom of holiness after she hss gone out from Its portals and the gates have closed upon her.

People and Things.

Just as the elbow's bent, the swig's Inclined^—Boston Post. Every country chnrch has its stareway.—Boston Transcript.

Now is the time when a prudent man has a for collar pat on his linen duster. Cronin, of Oregon, is dead, bat his nose will live on and shine on in history aa long aa America shall endure,

Bob Ingersoll is lecturing on the "Mistake of Moses." It wssn't Moses' mistake at all it wsa his misfortune.

Mr. Bancroft is so rigid a tetotaller that be refused to take a little wine, even fkr his rib's sake, after his repent accident.

The action of Mr. Talmage's flock in increasing hi? salary so as to keep him from lecturing outside of Brooklyn is likely to be hailed with joy throughout the country.—New York World.

Charles A. Baudouin, of Fifth avenue and Fifty-sixth street, is said to be the best "whip" in New York. Now Ml ua what woman has got the best "switch." It oagH to be some brakeman's wife.

In several German cities young gentlemen are prohibited from smoking in pnblio places nntll they have attained the mat tire age of alxteen years, after which they ere at liberty to whiff themselves airay.

Ninth Yeari

The rapacity, the shameless rapacity of some people is disgusting. Here is a man in Helena, Montana, worth 9230,069, who reoently died and left every dollar of his wealth to his wife and children. And seven lawyers In the town, too.— Burlington Hawkeye.

A tooth brash that aheds bristlee will do more to exasperate a saan than anything else we know of unless it be drinking soup at a table with one leg shorter than the other.—Pack. We dont see why tbe length of a man*? leg*, ahould affect his eating aonp.

There have been instances of bridegrooms wearing the saose apparel on their second marriage which they wore on their first, but tbe culmination of darned meanness has been reached in Georgia. A bridegroom married three times in the same pair of Books. He had owned them for forty six years.

The Detroit Free Press man has been to the races, bnt be didn't strike on the wmning horse, and hence in the anguish of his soul, remarks: "It wonld seem thst the only way to secure an honest horse rase in this eoantry is to turn the horses loose on tbe track, mob the pool sellers, egg the judges, and throw the drivers over tbe feme."

Mr. Beecber is thought to have aimed the following in a recent Sunday night sermon at Theodore Tilton "There be men who are great geniuses, who have large faculties of thought and expression, who are orators, accomplished speakers. Then there oomee a small fry of spuUering speakers, who hav®. the gestures, the hsir, the bad grammar, running about in imitation."

Feminitems.?*iW

No man has ever yet been punished for killing a woman in Texas. The lstest song is, "Why dose sister laoe so tight, when mamtna says she mustn't?" 11 f.,.

~iU

...»

The physical force wasted daily en chewing gum by some young, girl? woald suffice to do a week's washing.

Felt gray is a popular Oolor for ladies' spring salts. Felt blae is the popular oolor for the husbands who have to pay thebillc.1

It is the feshlon In Boston to ssy nothing about missing females. When one dissppears it is taken for granted that she has, gone off with another woman's huaband. The body of a at range lady waa found the other day Abating In the Bay, and the dlsoovery led to the fact, till then unknown to the polioe, that thirty women in that city were mining.

In the early days of Utah a calico dress and sun bonnet were the higheet extravagance of the Mormon women, bat at the present daf their demands for personal adornment have so greatly increased that one man oould hardly be expected to provide imported toilettes for half a dosen wives, or elaborate trousseaux for thirty daughters 1 Thus the much slandered fashions have giten really the death blow to polygamy, and, though the monster Is having a hard and lingering death, the dry goods box. will eventually prove its sarcophagus.

In Philadelphia female hotel servants are paid by the month as follows, board included: Chambermaids, f8 kitchen girls, 910 laundresses, 99 sorubbers,98 paint cleaners, 98 lroners, 912. In New York City female servants in private houses are paid by the month, ss follows, board included: For general housework, 914 for oooking and waahing, 915 for oooking alone, 910} laundresses, 914 ohambermaids, fl4 nurse aad seems tress, 912 waitress, 914* The shop girls of New York City receive from 94 to 9B per week, and are not well treated. Tbe pay of New York seamstresses is simply slow starvation*^

Kentaoky beauties, according to a correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, have nice featurea and beautiful delicate hands snd feet, but they dab whitelead powder (whioh tbey call, "whitenin'") over their froos till thej look as if they had stuck them into flour, dab a bage splotch of red on the oheeks and draw a veil over it. One belle is described as having a big, bony noee, like a male's, and a roagh, yellow akin, plastered with a hideous, lividblue cosmetic, so that her nose snd cheeks were the oolor of skim milk, while her Mrs and neck looked lik|jKle leather.

OOME UP HIGHER* New York World.

Talmage's sslary has been raised by bts audience to 912,000 a year from 97,000, which latter sum is considerably in excess of tbe average professional income of sober and respectable persons.

KEEPS ON DROPPING. New York Sun. W. T. Thome, who wss in 1874 expelled from tbe North Carolina Legislature for denying the existence of a God, is now a candidate for Congress. ..

INSTINCT VS. INTELLECT. Washington Capital. There Is more snoosas in Das Voorbees's instincts than in all tbe Demo-' cratJc intellect of the South. New Yorte and Pennsylvania combined.

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