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

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Vol. 9.—No. 19.

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THE MAIL

A PAFER FOR THE PEOPLE.

SECOND EDITION.

Town-Talk.

T. T. SURPRISED.

As. T. T. got bis band

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are members of churches. While at tbe present time, no religions test is made a condition of holding a position in one of these faculties,yet President Seelye, of Amhurst, says "we should no more think of applnting to a post of instruc tion here an irreligious than we should an Immoral m»n, or one ignorant of the topics he would have to teaoh," and this is generally true in reference to other colleges. Now this is an important fact when it is remembered tbat all tbe most omlnent sclentlflo men in this country are members of college faculties. Tbe next faot that astonished T. T. was the one tbat

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ot tbe twenty thousand college students in this country are members of oburcbes. T. T. had supposed that the young men in colleges were, as a rule, or at least very generally, "skeptics," and tbat tbe "Christian" students were few and far between. Even at Harvard College onefifth of the students are "professor* of religion," and at Amherst and Williams four-Aftha are member* of churches. But what surprised T. T. most of all was the faot, as proved by tbe statistics, tbat daring the last tweuty«five yean there has been a

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in the proportion of "Christian" students in the colleges. T. T. bad supposed that, during the last twonty-flve years, religion had been getting pretty badly behind in the colleges, and elsewhere. But tbe figures, which, like the father of bis country, "can't tell a li^" do tell a different story.. Twenty-five years ago, in Harvard College, the church members were only one in ten, and now tbey are one in five in Brown they were one In five, and now tbey are three in five at Yale tbey were one in four, and now they are two In five at Dartmouth and Boudoin they were one in four, and now tbey are one in three at Williams they were one in two, and tbey arc now four to five. Of course the Western colleges have not been long enough in existence to make a comparison of tbe present with twenty-five years ago of much value. Many of tbe Western colleges did not exist then, and nearly all of tbem were small, and hardly more than high schools. T. T. did not find the statistics of Wabash College or tbe State University, but of Western.oolleges, IOWA and Here* have four out of five of their students in the churches. And, if tbe comparison is made with a Hill earlier date, it is even more favorable to the churches. At the

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religious matters, be rises this week to remark tbat be has been greatly surprised by sotpe statements and statistics found in a magazine artiole wbicb he read a few weeks since. Of course T. T. does not conline bis reading of tbe local press to Tbe Mail, bat keeps familiar witb tbe editorial columns of all tbe city papers, and, from tbe tone of some of tbem, be bad come to think tbat a belief in Christianity, as held by tbe churches generally, was, like gold and silver money, getting to be a relic of tbe past and darker ages, and tbat tbe coming of •"flat money," which is dawning so auspiciously, would bring a change also in religious oplnious. In ft»ct, T. T. had supposed tbat the era of "flat" religion was rather in twlvunce of the eraof "fiat" money. He bad not, for along time, loubted that, especially auiongeducuted men, church notions had lost their grip, tbat among college students and college graduates there were comparatively few "professors of religion," as tbey are called. Hut tbla article, which seems to have beeu prepared after a very careful collection of facts and statistics, took T. T. all aback, and led him to feel that there must be, or possibly might be a mistake on tbe part of that portion of the Terre Haute press and people who assume tbat tbe thinking people of tbe present day have outgrown old religious notions and practices. The first statement which staggered T. T. was the one that a large majority of our college faculties, which are composed chiefly of

beginning of tbe century French infi dellty bad gained almost entire control of tbe opinion of the oollege students. There was a time when there was but one church member in Yale College, and about the same time .there was only one in Williams College, and in the flrt»t eight classes at Boudoin there was but Blngle chcrcb member.

These figures do not seem to indicate that the churches must "step down and out" at present. In view of the facts tbat a large majority of the educated and scientific men who compose the facu'tlesof our colleges still have such religious views that they are members of churches, and that one balf of the twenty thousand students in these colleges are church members, and that tbe proportion has very largely in creased within twenty-five years, and tbat it has even more largely increased within seventy-five years, it does look as if tbe churches were not very rapidly going out of fashion. The preachers and church members have no great reason to tremble in their boots, not withstanding all tbat is said about tbe "relics of barbarism," tbe "advanced thought" of the age, and tbe "conflict between science and religion." It looks a little as if gold and sliver might con tinne to be money, and Christianity continue to be preached and believed for quite a number of years yet, strange as it may seem. At all events the country, at least outside of Terre Haute doesn't seem to be pining for "fiat" money or "flat" religion.

A Woman's Opinions.

BY A NEW CONTRIBUTOR."

It was my intention to devote apart of this week's article in replying to the criticisms of Rev. Henderson and Town Talk, upon the "Opinions" of last week, but tbe past few days have been such unusually busy ones tbat it has been utterly impossible for me to obtain and examine the authorities necessary to sustain the points taken. Tbey were written entirely from memory and while I may be willing to modify somewhat tbe statements made, I most certainly do not retract tbem. A religious controversy would be very unpleasant to me, and doubtless to most of your readers, but at some future time, should the occasion demand it, I will not hesitate to fortify my opinions by established facts.

I am most unfortunate in selecting topics, or in discussing them, for although I commenced writing this column with the determination to offend nobody, yet I believe every article has provoked an answer from somebody.

I believe if I should write this: "There are four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autnmn and Winter. Some like Spring best, some like Summer best, some like Autumn best and some like Winter best, but as for me, give me Liberty or give me Death," some captious critic would oomeout witb an article next week discussing tbe propriety of a woman's asking for Liberty. To write for a newspaper is not a great luxury. If one need only write when in the humor, and with plenty of leisure, if one were only sure of selecting an agreeable topic and saying something interesting about it, then it would be a pleasure, but when one must write, no matter what other cares are pressing or how little inclination she may have, then it sometimes becomes tiresome. It Is strange that married women, with the burdens of a house and family, would ever undertake to write for tbe press, yet some of our brightest contributors come from tbat class. I have frequently heard gentlemen s#y tbat after a woman bad been married a few years she became a nonenlty. Tbey didn't find any fault witb ber housekeeping, or sewing, or oooking, but only that she was not a brilliant conversationalist. There are several requisites to develops woman's intellect. Cooking and scrubbing, and washing and ironing are not among these essentials, and while every married woman ought to understand these duties, yet, if she Is able, she ought to lay part of these burdens on somebody else, and pay some attention to tbe cultivation of her mind for her husband's sake, if be is a man that will appreciate it if be is not, then for her own sake. Reading, writing and good society have a refining and elevating influence upon a woman. Tbey lift her up from tbe household drudge, and make her tike equal and companion of ber husband (and frequently his superior). A woman wbo never reads, writes, or goes out into company must expect to detoriat*. One who writes has, perhaps, the hardest time. She mart expect to do like Harriet Beecber Stowe, who,'it is said, wrote the best pages of Uncle Tom's Cabin, "white watching tbe pot boil for dinner and trying to amuse the little children clinging to her skirts.'1

Had she heeded tbe advice generally given to women, she would have thrown her paper and pencil into the fire and concentrated her talents upon the boiling cabbage and potatoes, but she persev» ,-cd and gave to the world tbe finest nt eel ever written in America.

The old idea chat a woman who writes

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for tbe newspapers must necessarily wear blue stockings witb a hole in tbe heel, have her hair twisted into a little knot on tbe top of ber head, and a big spot of ink on ber finger, has given place to something a little more sensible. Pt»ople have found out that a woman may be literary in her tastes, and yet drees in style, have a well ordered bouse and neatly olothed children, but yet a woman who writes has much to contend with.

People will make excuses for all other women, but none for her. They will not consider writing as part of her work and give her credit for doing that well, but tbey expect eyery room of her house to be scrupulously neat, ev«n though their own may be tnost nntidy ber ohildren must be exquisitely dressed, though, in all probability, theirs are making mud pies in the gutter her cooking must equal Prof. Blot's, though these very ladies who criticise her, in all probability, could not make a loaf of bread to save their lives. In .short, women who write are expected to excel in housekeeping as well as in literature, notwithstanding the fact that very few people are fitted to do several kinds of work equally well. Nothing would delight a orowd of gossiping women more than to learn tbat the husband of a literary woman has a button off bis shirt!

Then no woman who keeps house can go off and snut herself up for hours at a time, no matter how capable her servants may be. She must expect, when in the midst of a poetic flight, to have the door open and Bridget say, "Please, ma'am, what shall I get for dinner?" "O, just get what you have in the house, and don't bother me," says tbe writer. "Well, ma'am, but tbe flour is out, and there isn't a bit of sugar in the house, and Mrs. Jones borrowed all the coffee we had, and Johnny broke the last egg just now"—and the writing must belaid aside while something must be bunted up to feed tbe hungry family. Or, if woman sits down to discuss the beau ties of childhood and the glories of metherbood, it casts a gloom over ber imagination, as it were, to have the baby upset tbe ink bottle, and Tommy tumble down stairs, and Willy come in fresh from a fight with the neighbor's boy, clothes torn, hands dirty, face scratched and generally used up.

Then again, when a woman has left her article till the last moment, to have a wagon load of country cousins drive up to spend the day and a boy at the door with a note from the editor saying he can't wait any longer. Then there are siokness and accidents and tbe thousand ills tbat require a woman's hand and a woman's time, so tbat ber hours et leisure are very uncertain and very unsatisfactory. But if she overcomes all obstacles and writes her articles, then, ah then—nobody but one wbo has tried it knows what she has to encounter. In the first place, no matter what a woman writes, people insist upon thinking she is describing her own personal experience. Tbey will not admit that she knows anything from observation. If she touches upon unhappy married life, they infer that she is unhappily married if she illustrates some of tbe inconsistencies of religion, tbey set ber down as an atheist if she advocates a larger sphere for woman's capabilities, they call her a "woman's righter," "strong minded," etc. They cannot understand that while she may not desire any additional privileges for herself, she may see their necessity in the case of many women not so fortunately situated. She may expeot all this, and then if she ventures to oondemn any of the leading evils of tbe day, she is sure to hit some of her acquaintances nna wares, and at once she is told tbat she is ruining her husband's business. Men are naturally severe upon a woman wbo is supposed to be literary in her tendencies. They are always ready to sneer pt her from principle, though really they may eqjoy ber writings. But it is from women she may expect the least charity. There is one sin a fashionable woman will never forgive in a sister—It is writing for a newspaper. Does anybody doubt this, let him try an experiment. Wait till yon are in a crowd of society ladies and then mention tbat a certain woman writes for tbe papers, and await the result. Watch the little nosss go up and listen to tbe criticisms and sarcasms and innuendoes and yon will conclude that this woman has committed one of the seven deadly sins. So uqjust and nncharitable is tbe world toward the early efforts of feminine aspirants that many of our lady authors after tbey have become Damons, are so embittered at tbe treatment tbey have received that tbey refuse to enter society at all, preferring to live among their best friends, their books and writings.

Yet, in spite of all these annoyances, women still continue to write, some well, some bsdly, and In this as in all other departments, tbe mediocrity will drop ont of sight and tbe talented will rise to positions of fame and honor, and to thv» wbo win for themselves a noble and enduring name, many a woman with talents and capabilities, longing for something beyond the dull routine of housework, may look hopefully and

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gratefully, and, stimulated by their success, earnestly endeavor, if possible, to win a position equally honorable, or, failing in this, at least to render life happy and profitable.

People and Things.

To every 800 persons in this country there is one minister. A soft money man finds greenbacks hard money to borrow vll

Tbe Philadelphia Bulletin says Talmage must have bis few-roars. Mr. Flood, of San Francisco, expects to finish his 12,000,000 mansion in 1884.

Frotbingham, of New York, says teeth are "carious, precarious, or vicarious." A Nevada man said the gash In bis bead was "as big as a nigger minstrel's mouth */,„ .'«-

A man wbo went to bear Talmagb says bis manner resembles tbat of a monkey with hysteria.

A dentist at Berlin has succeeded in making artificial teeth of paper, and the man witb a tin ear is not far off.

The St, Paul Pioneer Press suggests for an inscription for one side of Bob Ingersoll's tombstone1 "Bobby Burns."

Tramps will be thicker than ever this winter. Tbe yellow fever has scared a good many carpet-baggers home to tbe north.

Talmage says the average boy begins the pernicious use of 'tobacco on a cigar stump which his father, or some minister visiting the house, has thrown away.

A reporter of a California free fight says: Colonel Buckner was shot once in the left side, once in tbe right shoulder, and once in the drinking saloon adjacent.""

If a bank cashier is short, he must gag bimseif, tie his mother-in-law to tbe bedpost and claim to have been robbed. If depositors are not satisfied tbey can publish a card. "My Grand father's Watch" has been published as a compalon to "My Grandfather's Clock." It will be followed by "My Uncle's Chronometer" and "My Aunt's Alarm."

The "Tall.Sycamore of the Wabash" has a rival in nomenclature in the person of the Hon. Aaron Alpeoria Bradley, the "Waboo of the Ogechee." He is a Southern statesman. "One minute in the penitentiary" was the punishment fixed by a Dallas, Texas, jury for the tramp who, having been discharged weak and hungry from the hospital, stole as citizen's breakfast

No liquor of any kind will be served at White House dinners the coming season, witb tbe exception of tbe annual dinner to the diplomatic corps, and then there will be no wine glasses before the President and Mrs. Hayes.

Military promotions may keep right on though a fellow has left -the army. Many a man who came out of the war as a sergeant soon became a "captain," in a few years more, "colonel," and is now "general."

A man was crushed by a heavy wagon in Aurora, Nev., and left writhing in agony. His companion, reasoning that he could not recover, and tbat it would be merciful to end bis suffering, deliberately shot him through the heart.

How to rise: Resolve you will, take in a long breath, kick off the clothes and make abound for tbe middle of the room, ooldor no cold.—Chicago Journal. Tbe mau who resolves on this subject is lust. Tbe only wsy is to quit thinking and kick off the oover. ...

Ansell Merrit advertises ss follows In Troy, Kansas: "Whereas, when I am intoxicated I am not competent to make contract* and whereas, I have been taken advantage of on several occasions recently in suoh contracts, I notify all perons tbat I shall not hereafter fulfil any contracts made by me when drunk."

The good man slameth tbe gate and bangeth the door and maketh a noise, for bis heart is without guile, and he feareth not tbe grlevoos words of his wife, but the naughty man shuttetb tbe gate softly and stealeth np stairs in hiB stocking feet, and stumbletb over tbe rocking chair, and tbe condition of tbat man is woree than tbe first.

At a political gathering in Buffalo tbe other day, where a large number of smokers were together, one gentleman remarked that it was no pleasure to bim to amoke in the dark and the discussion spreading, it was discovered tbat nobody bad ever been beard of wbo did enjoy a pipe or cigar when be couldn't see the smoke. Is this the universal experience?

Dr. Sample went to Dayton, Ohio, while a temperance revival was in progress there, and soon became tbe foremost speaker. He was eloquent, looked like a philanthropist, sang melodlonsiy, related thrilling incident® in bis past career ofdrunkennem, and made himself exceedingly popular with the women, wbo pitted, fed, clothed him. One day be lapsed into the old evil, and, while drunk, exu'.tingly showed love tokens from several of tbe women who had figured most conspicuously in tbe tern-

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peranoe work: A husband of one of the women had bim arrested on a charge of stealing ber watch, but it was proved that she had lent it to him. Now he is under arrest on sn accusation of blackmail.

In describing a dinner at tbe Sultan's pslaoe, Mr. Drew Gay writes: "And now comes tbe critical moment for you if you are present at this fesst as a stranger. You will have placed your meat on your plate, and be carefully cutting it up, when suddenly a more than ordinarily juioy morsel will be pushed into your mouth by a pair of very greasy fingers. You must not resent this. It is a token of loving kindness, a sign tbat you are respected, esteemed, beloved. Eat it, you are a favored mortal." ^}.

Mr. McClellan of Chicago, grappled witb a burglar, and of course got very muoh the worst of it. Sleepy men should not throw themselves unarmed upon the trained murderers, miscalled buglars. Tbe rules of the burglar are simple and grim. He will rob your house and leave quietly if possible. In case of alarm be will kill any one tbat threatens his safety. He is armed with knife and pistol, is wide-awake and ferociously in earnest' Of all murderers tbe burglar is the coolest. His premeditation amounts to a system. It is astounding that society deals with him so lightly, and tbat drowsy men, like Mr. McClellan, close in upon bim without weapons as deadly as bis own.

Feminitems.

In driving a ben a woman is slow but shoo ber.—Boston Globe. But in scaring a cat it is not only scat but scatter.

In choosing a wife, be governed by her chin, says the Phrenological Journal. Tbat is just what most husbands object to.

It is to the credit of American chivalry that tbe wife-beaters in this country are almost without exception men of foreign birth." ».•« 'A

Marriages by telegraph may he romantic, but some day a widow may discover tbat they are not worth shucks to bold property by.

Two young women in Carthage, Mo. (the local calls them "ladies"), cowhided their uncle in the street because he had criticised their conduct.

There are two periods in a woman's life when she tells a falsehood about her age. One is before she is forty, and the other after she is forty.

Hand made bnttons *re a novelty. Ladies buy tbe plain, flat buttons, and paint them to suit the costume for wbicb tbey are intended.

When you send a paper to a young lady cut a small item out no matter what. This insures tbe office tbe sale of another paper.—Boston Globe. *-w

A pretty girl down East is a "mind, reader." She said to a bashful beau tbe other night: "Ha! I believe you are going to kiss me!" She was right.

Take it out in California, for instance, and no woman ever falls over a cliff or is run away with but she is mentioned as "that beautiful and winsome—."

A certain soprano of Boston, reoently married, has a mother and a sister, and between tbe three they have had eight husbands, seven of whom are now living.

A porter on a sleeping car says tbat as a rule tbe woman who loses a fifty-cent breast-pin makes more tuss than the one who loses a whole set of good jewelry-

The strongest propensity in a woman's nature," says a careful student of the sex, ''is to want to know what is going on, and the next thing is to boss the job.

Tbe first thing some women will do when they get to Heaven will be to look and see if their wings are cut bias, while the wings of other angels are gored. —Keokuk Constitution.

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A good woman who died in Ohlo the other day, left by will the sum off 113, which she desired used in tbe "publication of a daily religious newspaper for one year.!' Innocent old soul! f.

At an amateur performance given in this city, a short lime ago, a young lady who was cast for a character requiring them things like what Dr. Mary Walker wears, wss found trying to put them cm oyer ber bead.—Philadelphia Globe.

Faithful, self-sacrificing women! How she has pinched (her waist) and reduced the circumference of ber skirts, to meet the sbrinksge in ber husband's income and how she is going to cartail her cloak this winter to meet the demands of— fashion.

Kissing the baby may result in deforming its nose and bringing on near-sightedness. Tbe safest plan is not to kiss a baby of tbe feminine persuasion until it attains the age of sixteen years. The cartilage ofthe nose is much stronger then.—Detroit Free Press.

It is stated tbat nine woman in a neighboring town banded themselves together last week, by a solemn vow,

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How the fllM report of Mr. Samuel. J. Tllden's engagement to tsarry a St. Louis young woman originated is ex-* plained by tbe newspapers of that city. "The Mistletoe Bough" was to be parformed for tbe benefit of a fashionable chursb, and Miss Hazeltine was to enact tbe bride. Some of the women wbo were msnaging the enterprise thought it would be an effective advertisement if tbe public could be told that Miss Hazeltine was betrothed to Tllden, and aooordly tbey gave tbe item to a reporter, wbo believed and published it.

Maud E. Lord, a Boston spiritualistic medium of wide fame, disappeared from her home several months ago, and it was tbonght that she had been murdered. Tbe spirits gave no information as to her whereabouts. She has just come into public view again in Quinoy, El. in connection with a very strange tragedy. She went there to live with her mother, in whose employ was a young and ignorant, but pretty girl, named Agnee McDonald. Mrs. Lord said that Agnes oonfeesed to ber things seriously inculpating seven monks of a Roman Catholic institution in tbe plaoe. Tbe girl repeated her statement to others, and a shocking scandal was the result. The monks selected a committee residents, Catholic and Protestant, to investigate, and before this body Agnes admitted tbat all she had said was false. Other evidenoe cleared the monks, who charge that Mrs. Lord instigated the charges for tbe sake of notoriety. As for Agnes, she has killed herself with arsenic.

Fashions' Fancies.

Siti N.Y.Sun.

Muffa are of medium size. Sleeves are tighter than ever. Repped fabrics are in high favor. Black dresses are as popular as ever. Watered silk—moire—is very fashionable.

Medium sized bonnets are not fashionable. Gold brocaded cap ribbons are much worn.

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Balayeuses are seen on very short oostu tries. All dresses of woolen materials are cut short a '-*5

All tbe new bonnets are very' small or very large. Visite paletot is tbe name of tbe newest steel wrap.

Toques made of seal will be mnoh worn this winter. It is fashionable at tbe moment not to be fashionable.

Stockings are in more bizarre styles than ever before. Tbe London fall styles for women are very masculine.

Slashes at the elbow and at tbe top are seen on many Parisian dress sleeves. Seal pelisses and seal circles are seen among other mid-winter far novelties.

Striped goods in Pekin and satin and satin or silk and moire are very fashionable.

Leggins to match are worn with short "oostumes for tbe moorlands" in England.

All winter wraps and oloaks are very long, but very short jackets are also worn.

The olan tartan and Scotch plaid short costumes are the fancy of tbe passing moment.

Dresses, to be fashionable, must be very sbort in front, even when trained In the back. "f

Satin, velvet, In I re, and gros faille are favorite combinations ia composite oostumes.

Striped Pektus and striped moires ate in demand for parts of dressy oomposite costumes.

Leather buttons for country costumes, or "suits for the moorlands," are among the London dress novelties.

The talma is anew mantle which is simply a revival of an old style, with tbe only difference of a tight back.

The newest buttons are ballet shaped. They are of colored pearl, jet, brass, steel, crochet, and fine porcelain.

Japanese designs appear on the surface of silver and gilt buttons or in ebony gold, and silver Buttons for short costumes.

Moire) or watered silk, In stripes, is the favorite material for combining with faille or gros-grain silk in costumes or wrsps.

Tbe beefeater hat may be worn with tbe brim turned either up or down, and when down it is an excellent shade for tbe eyes,

Silk or span silk stooklngs to match are to be worn witb black kid low shoes, witb a strap across the instep ands steel buckle, but no bows.

I VESTS.

tforrtgtown Herald:*" "T It is given ont that ladies will wear vests precisely like tbe gentlemen's thte winter. When a married man goes to bed be will have to pat a chalk mark on his vest, or next morning he may slip on his wife's, and not discover bis mistake until be inserts his thumb and forefinger in the right hand pocket for a pinch ot finecut, and finds nothing bat a piece oi chewing gum and tbe stub of sbort black lead pencil. Then he will suddenly remember that there was a roll of t«n dollar greenbacks in tbe left band pocket of his vest—tbat is If be is an editor, be will—and be will rush back home in Rams time.

When a German musician says "Gotterdamernng," be doesn't mean to qv

'"o- wniwioiuti^* www- »r never to speak of other women at all, if profane. He is anorely speakfog of Wag' they could not speak well of tbem. ner's great new musloaJ performance.

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