Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 9, Number 28, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 11 January 1879 — Page 2

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Vol. 9.—No. 28.

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

SECOND EDITION.

Town-Talk.

TOO MUCH.

Too much is too much. Sugar is good in tea. In fact T.T. doesn't like Oolong, Suckong or English Breakfast without sugar, and he does like either of these, or all combined, with just a good plump teaspoonful, or two square lumps, in eaoh cup. But too much sugar is too much in fact it is worse than none, for T.T. can worry down a cup of tea without any sweetening, but if it be too sweet it makes him sick, and he cannot drink it. Therefore it follows, "as the night the day," that too much is too much, even too much of a good thing is too much. T. T. is fully convinced that there are very few good things of which it Is not possible to have too much. A wife is a good thing, but the mere mention of Brigham Youug's fifty widows carries conviction to every candid and unprejudiced mind that too much wife is too much, so much too much that if T. T. had bad as much wife as the old Mormon prophet and could not have disposed of forty-uine fiftieths, he would gladly have had fifty widows, and, under the circumstances, not considered that he had too much widow. But T. T. is a bachelor, and his judgment in matrimonial matters is not very reliable. Besides, T. T. is after another point now,

it is that there is TOO MUCH ECONOMY. Since the hard times came everybody has been preaching economy, T. T. among the rest. Individuals, corporations, charities, towns, cities, states, and the nation, have been constantly urged to practice more eponomy. All political parties and all office seekers have set up as the special champions of economy. In fact the crop of reformers, from poor Cipher Dispatch Tilden down to Terre Haute aldermen, has been enormia, and all this enormous crop has howled for economy. The one subject upon •which all political parties have been agreed, and upon which all the newspapers, and all the pulpits, and all the people have been agreed, has befen the necessity for economy. There has been so much talk about this matter that economy is the fashion, and when anything becomes fashionable it is always carried to excess. T. T. is fully convinced that* while there has an absolute uecesslty for more caro iu reference to expenses, and while, with many, and in many directions, there is still need of great cue, yet one of the a BEAT OBSTACLES TO GOOD TOtES is excessive economy. Now T. T. would not encourage the extravagance of former days. All hands were living beydhd their means, and discounting the future. Individuals,, corporations, municipalities, states, aud Uncle Sam, all rushed headlong into debt, bought more than they could pay for. T, T, has no desire to see a repetition of this folly. He would have all bands go slow, or at least go no faster than they can pay. »o debt should be contracted without a definite arrangement for its payment, and this rule should apply to cities and states as well as to individuals. If an improvement is projected which is to coat more than immediate taxation can pay for, a definite amount of the debt should be liquidated each year, and so provision made at the start for the payment of the last foliar at a certain fixed date. But there are people who, especially in their individual expenses,

ARK GOING TOO SLOW.

It has become so fashionable to economise that many well-to-do people have unnecessarily cut off expenses, and the result is that the laboring classes suffer in consequence. If Mrs. Toplofty, who lives "on Sixth street, oatohes the economical spirit, and, while her hnsband still has a good income, cats down expenses, who suffers? She gets along with two servants instead of five, and three working girls lose the wages which they need and which Mrs. T. could afford to pay. She dings economy in the ears of Mr. Toplofty till he dismisses his man, and takes care of the horse and carries the coal himself, and Patrick loses his place and his wages. Now if Mr. and Mrs. T. had Been living beyond

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their means, running ig debt, or exhausting the capital which was needful to the proper proseoutlon of Mr. T.'s business, or disoounting the uncertain future, this economy were very commendable. But when Toplofty— man and wife—are simply saving what they do not need to save, the people who have heretofore wortced for them suffer in oonsequence. If this same unnecessary economy be carried in other directions, then the dry goods merchant suffers, and if the merchant suffers the clerk suffers, and the manufacturer suffers and if the manufacturer suffers the mill han^s and the shop hands who produce or make up the goods suffer if these suffer, then also the producer of the raw material suffers. And so Mrs. Toplofty's unnecessary economy has a long train of bad influences. If there be a hundred or a thousand in the city who are imitating Mrs. Toplofty in this matter, then the business of the city feels the influenoe, and good times are retarded. Suppose everybody in Terre Haute were to live as economically during the year to come as the Chinese in San Francisco live. The result would be that every merchant, who depends upon local trade, would be driven out of business, and the market here, upon which thousands of producers depend for their support, would be utterly ruined. If the entire nation were to beoome so economical as to consume only the bare necessities of life, ninetenths of,the business and of the labor of the country would cease. All unnecessary economy tends in this direction. And T. T. thinks that there has oome to be considerable unnecessary economy, and that it is time for some to begin to loosen the purse strings a little. By loosening the purse strings he does not mean running in debt he does not mean using up one's capital he does not mean making no provision for the future but be means living as well as one can afford, with due regard to the honest payment of debts, the means to continue business, and provision for a rainy day and old age. Such living as this will hasten the return of good times.' _________

A Woman's Opinions,

The past week has .been so prolifio of interesting events that it seems almost impossible to generalize in a prosy way upon abstract subjects as I usually do, and yet this style of writing has immense advantages. By not indulging in personalties you offend nobody, for unless the name Is mentioned, everyone who reads your criticisms will immediately apply them to his neighbor. Then if you write in favor of a man's pet hobbies, he declares that you are an able contributor and onght to be encouraged but if you attack his cherished theories, and attempt to disprove them, he will vow with equal emphasis that The Mail will reduce its circulation by publishing such fallacious opinions, and that anonymous writers ought to be suppressed. It is so easy, and requires so little courage to write articles that will be well received by the majority of their readers. £11 you have to do is to ascertain the popular side of a subject and go with the tide. Do not touch upon ancient prejudices, do not investigate favorite superstitions, in short, to use a common expression, "keep on the fence," or if you do climb off, be sure you land in good company, on the side of popularity and not in a "bramble-bush" of new and consequently unpopular thoughts and ideas* for if you do you'll "scratch out both your eyes," and it won't bo very easy to "jump into another bush and scratch them in again." "But," exclaims the newly-fledged scribbler, "if I write upon those old subjects, I can only say the moat commonplace things, which have been said a thousand times before, and even these would not be my real sentiments." What of it, my dear young friend, what of it? You will make no enemies, just think of that! Perhaps no one will care to read your articles, since they have neither originality nor personality. But there is compensation in this: that if nobody-reads ^hat you have written, nobody can take exceptions, and it is so terrible to feel that you have offended sbme one to whom you are not in the least indebted, who has never shown you a kindness, and whom you do not even know by sight. I was muoh amused once, to bear an elderly lady reprove a younger one for a satirical artide she had written. "But," said the culprit by way of excuse, "it created such an excitement that a second edition of the paper had to be printed." "O, yes," was the reply, "I would be a cat's-paw, to draw chestnuts out of the fire for the editor!"

THE OKAW PRHACHBR

has caused quite a ripple of excitement. The old man had been quiet for so long that we feared the late oold spell "frose the genial current of his soul," but thanks to the melting influences of his New Year's calls, and "Billy Tool's" hospitality, he seems to have thawed out, and, like most of those old preachers, having once commenced, it is hard to tell when he will stop. To us who

are acquainted with the good old fellow, it seems funny to bear him say that anything so mild as eggnog would oause a weakness in his knees. We always considered him one of those old-fashioned, Hard shell Baptist preaobers, who carried a well-worn Bible in one pocket, and a worse-worn bottle of whisky in the other. It seems hardly kind in a minister of the Gospel to mock those poor little boys, Bobby Hudson, Jacky Hagar, Willy Ball, etc., by telling how heartily they fed. I have it from the best of authority that these urchins behaved so badly they bad to be sent home before the feast, not even receiving the sealskin caps and patent leather boots that were to be given to them as a slight reward of merit. With the exception of these bad children, (who may be excused for not knowing how to behave in the presence of "quality,") the dinner passed off delightfully, and will long remain a bright spot in the memory of those friendless little ones, who would rather forget than remember most of the events in their sad lives.

The Reverend old party from Okaw need not expect to bring the whole world down to the level of the Wabash swamps. He'd better take Coziar and go home. I don't suppose his aristocrats relations want him around just at Holiday times.

Now it is universally conceded that "Hoosiers" are the greenest people on the face of the globe, and we are only too glad to embrace every opportunity to Improve our seml-barbarlc condition. We are happy to sit at the feet of the "Canucks" (I believe that Is the polite name for Canadians). We're delighted to meet people from a higher sphere, and isn't the soil of Canada hallowed by the foot of royalty? All the "blue blood" there is in Indiana has turned blue from a protracted session of fever and ague. A hundred years ago our forefathers fought to throw off the tyranny of a king to day their descendants humbly ask the privilege of bending the knee to a moneyed aristocracy. Let them have their "High Tea" if they choose. That doesn't hinder us plebians from drinking our cup of sage by the kitchen fire, or if that isn't low enough, going to the cellar. Let them drive their Tandem teams. It is only a matter of custom, harnessing our horses side by side. There is no Scripture authority for it. "Tandem" is a Latin word, meaning "at length," and is applied to this kind of a team bectfuse the driver usually measures his length on the ground before he finishes his ride. (Now, I hope I haven't displayed my ignorance.) There is a bliss in the "pomp and circumstanoe" of fashionable life which Suckers, like the Oakaw preacher, can never hope to experience. Just as he is lifted np above his flock by reason of his righteousness, so our aristocrats are elevated above the common herd by reason of their—a—their—a— money,—and so long as they spend it among our own towns-people, and lend the lustre of their name to our city, and furnish entertainment to our wealthy idlers, I protest against any criticism of their habits, even if it is done by an orthodox Baptist, pastor of the "Pizgay Association." In this connection let us speak of

THE BURGLARS.

They are generally entertained, like angels, "unawares." You can never talk with anybody on the subjeot but that you'll find he has his mind made up as to just what he will do "Vfben the thieves enter his house but when they come in the wee sma' hours and, very considerately, take care not to distnrb your slumbers, and you do not know they have visited you till the next morning, how is a man going to put all his fine intentions into practice Then it is very different, sitting in the bright sunshine making boasts, from waking in the dead hours of night to hear the stealthy footsteps creeping up the stairs. In the daytime you feel as as if you could whip the world at night the predominating desire Is to crawl under the bedclothes and let the nocturnal visitor help himself to whatever he can find. But if there is one .thing more exasperating than another it is to think that while you are peacefully enjoying the sleep of the just, some fellow Is in the next room coolly taking an inventory of your pockets, biting the coins to see if they are genuine, and in all probability, damning your poverty. Considering that in one night burglaries wrfre committed in seven or eight localities and not an arrest made, one feels like inquiring very respectfully, "Where were the polioe One of the foroe said he saw a oouple of men leaving a house at two o'olook in the morning, but supposed they had been "sparking" the young ladies who lived there. A walk, past the premises would have"revealed the fact that the front shutters and window were wide open and remained so till daylight. A few months ago a number of bouses ail over town were burglarized in the boldest manner, but none of the thieves were ever captured. Housebreaking is not so dangerous after all.

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THE COSTHSSIOX

of the Murderers of Eva Peters possessed but slight interest to the general public

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TEERE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY#, 1879. '£4^^ '^^Ninth Year

a few exolamationsQf surprise, a feeling of gratification that the mystery was at last revealed, *nd then the subject was dismissed to give plaoe to other items of news but to those who know something of the inside history of that sad trial, this recent discovery arouses the most intense sentiments of indignation. The murder, with all Its attending circumstances,was horrible beyond description and deserving of the extreme penalty of the law, but it came very near being the cause of another tragedy, which the oitlzens of Terre Haute would have remembered with remorse to their dying day. I refer to the conviction of Talma Jones. So strong was the circumstantial evidence against him that? for a while, his execution seemed a certainty, and many of our ablest lawyers, after reviewing the testimony, were forced to believe him guilty. By a mere ohanpe he was able to prove an alibi, and through this was set at liberty, but to this day many have entertained doubts as to his innocence. He was permitted to go free, but with the mark of Cain on his honest, young brow free to walk upon the streets while people pointed at him and said, "There goes the boy who murdered his old nurse, that loved him like a mother and would have shared her last crust with him." Mortified by his disgrace, stung by his humiliation, be enlisted in the regular army and sought oblivion in the far Weat. Now, after four years.*he is found to be perfectly guiltless. With the world the matter rests here, butjlwhat can ever compensate that boy for the nine weary weeks he lay in a dark prison «ell for the Insults he was forced to receive from a curious and unfeeling public for the agony of that long trial when his life hung suspended by a thread for a sullied and tarnished reputation Nothing on this earth. The blight cast upon his youth will go with him to the grave. And the real murderers, matured men and women, stood by and saw all this yes, and no doubt would have gone to the foot of the gallows and witnessed his execution. Is not this enough to destroy one's faith in universal salvation Does it not seem that even total annihilation after death would be far too light a punishment for them? Suppose they are hung. A brief struggle and all is over, nor would they even leave any relatives to feel particularly disgraced by their dishonorable death. And again comes up the perplexing question of capital punishment. Should it be inflicted or not? Here are two examples on either side of the subjeot. If it had been put into practice in the first instance it would have itself been murder, but if these self confessed murderers are not executed, we may expeot this crime to be followed by others equally henious. To decide such cases with unerring judgment requires more than mortal wisdom, and he from whose lips the sentence must fall should be possessed of the keenest insight, the finest perception, the purest conscience and the highest sense of honor.

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FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED.

Editor Mail:—I am acquainted with a olrcuuistance that, if mentioned in your paper, may result in making the husband of one of the sweetest of women and most confiding of wives, see where his conduot will lead him to, and Bave his yet unsuspicious wife from great wretchedness. The young couple have a comely looking and pleasant mannered girl of all work In their employ, who is much annoyed with the attention that is extended her by the husband. In various ways does he attempt to Insinuate himself into her good graces offering to make her presents, and frequently assuring her that if ever she needs a friend she can always rely on him inquiring, is there nothing he can do for her to make her oomfortable?—is there not something in the way of wardrobe she would like to have?—and other solicitude for her welfare, all oouched in language that would be becoming towards a wife or sister, but altogether too tender from a husband to his housemaid. Yet he has never made any overtures which the girl would be justifiable in resenting. The girl likes her plaoe. The household duties are agreeable to her, the -lady of the house one of the best of women, the house has facilities and conveniences to make work light, the wife expects the girl to remain permanently, yet muoh as she would prefer to remain, if she could give an excuse for leaving without compromising the husband, she would do so immediately. In a moment of confidence, the girl revealed to me just how she was situated, under a promise not to tell, which I will not do, yet that a giddy husband may be forewarned, and a good girl retain her place, I ask you to publish what I bave written. A Wifb.

The youthful Mrs. Ole Boll is said to' be the business bead of the concern, making all her husband's contracts and even his programmes, speaking two or three languages, meeting everybody amiably and acting as the famous fiddler's Bosweil and biographer. Ole is over seventy, and he has an enterprising mother-in-law, too. ,. I* **!^1 .-9, MS*, j* it iL-r

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SHOWS AND SHOW PEOPLE.

McAllister's Minstrels played to a small audience last night. They came unknown and upon short notiee, but gave suob an excellent performanoe— not particularly brilliant, but, what is better, original—that a second visit at any time will cause a large audienoe to gather at the Opera Qouse.

The French authors of "The Two Orphans" produoe only one play In about three years. They are slow, but sure. Their time to have a play arrived last year, and the successor of the "Orphans" came accordingly. It was called Une Oauae Celcbrc—ln English "A Celebrated Case." It was immediately produced at the Union Square theatre, New York, where the "Orphans" achieved a phenomenal success, and it proved equally strong as its predecessor. The Union Square Theatre company, under the management of J. W. Collier, will present it at our Opera House on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The Agnes Wallace-Villa company made a few of our theater-goers familiar with the plot of the drama. It is so human and so touching that, like the "Two Orphans," it mnst ever stand alone and distinct, safely removed from the touch of plagiarists and appropriators of others' ideas. The play is full of startling action and situation, so peculiarly original that while preserving all the unities, it breaks loose from the hackneyed usages of the drama, which leads one to anticipate every action. The auditor knows the secret and motive of the play from the first, but the aotion and working out excites his Interest to the highest point. It is, indeed, a grand play, and never was sympathy more thoroughly enlisted than in the case of the unfortunate "Jean Renaud" and his devoted and sacrificing daughter, who struggles to prove bis innocence to the successful And f' »ijJ* itm-A

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The play is of that peculiar action, which in the hands of an average company proves successful. But Mr. Collier —himself one of the best leading men in the country, and well known to the majority of our play goers—was not content in this fact, but has gathered about him a company whose members are noted for their individual excellence, to which is added rich and costly toilets, effective Bcenery and appointments, as originally played in New York. The company has met with unbroken success all over the country and a couple of large houses will greet them here. The style of play is peculiarly adapted to the tastes of our theatre-goers and they will undoubtedly bestow their patronage accordingly, fii .3

On Thursday evening of next week Joe Murphy, a prime favorite here—in fact everywhere—will appear at the Opera House in his famous"Kerry Gow." He is so well known that the simple announcement seems all that is necessary, but for the benefit of our country readers and strangers in our midst we annex the following from the Kansas City Mall:

One of the largest audiences that ever assembled in Coates* Opera House greeted the appearance of America's favorite last night in his inimitable rendition of "Kerry Gow." It is Impossible to speak too highly of this play. From first to last tbe vast audience were charmed and Interested in the performance. All the actors performed the part for which they were cast in an unexceptionable manner and acquitted themselves creditably all around. Mr. Murphy as Dan O'Hara personated the Irish character in such a thorough manner that it would be Impossible to improve on it. The blacksmith scene was especially fine, as was also the escape from prison. The heroine of the play could not be excelled. Her aoting was superb and shows that she possesses talent of a high and superior order, entitling her to the praise of all who witnessed this charming and pleasing actress last night. Her part was most admirably and excellently performed to a successful conclusion, and as such she gained tbe plaudits of the vast assemblage present. All tbe other members of the troupe are good actors, and the entire company throughout is one that commends Itself to tbe public. Facts speak louder than words, and the facts are nearer the truth than the Imaginary, and this company do all that they assert, and a visit to tbe Opera House to-nigbt will convince all sensible people of this fact. "Kerry Gow," by request, will be repeated to-night, and those who fail to see it will miss one of the finest entertainments that ever visit ed this city.

Mrs. Chanfrau has again changed her route, and has .cancelled her date here for the 22d. .1^ f.

The Berger Family and Sol Smith Russell were booked this week for tbe evening of the 28th. The Williamsons in "Struck Oil," come on the next evening, and Lotta follows on tbe 31st.

Mr. Hosford this week closed an engagement with Modjeeka, to appear here on the evening of March 3rd.

Thos. H. Hite has taken editorial and business charge of the Opera House Programme, Charles H. Hebb having accepted a position to travel In advance of the Agnes Wallace-Villa company.

Tom Gist will furnish the horse for Joe Murphy to shoe upon the Opera House stage next Thursday evening.

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Dion Boudcault and his wife never act in the sams piece if either can help it. Modjeska claims to be 30. No doubt she is, as she has a son who is as old as Mary Anderson.

BuflUlo Hn haafifede £135,000 6n the stage, and he has bought $300 head of cattle in Kansas, where he will live.

Wilbelmj', tbe Hungarian violinist, receives for this season's engagement in this country, $30,000 and bis expenses.

According to a recent statement Paris has forty-eight theatres, in which are employed 1,777 actors and 1,102 actresses*

Cora Tappan Richmond, the spiritualist, has introduced in her Boston lectures the novel feature of impromptu poetry. She invites the audience to suggest topics, on each of which she makes a verse.

Among tbe attractions offered for a charity entertainment in a Virginia ©ity (Nev.) variety theatre weret a boxing match between ballet girls, a pie eating 'contest by newsboys, and an attempt by a dog to kill twenty-four cats.§f^

Nine years ago, Emma Abbott, then 9 poor wanderer, gave a concert in the parlor of a Fort Wayne hotel to an $18audience. Recently she appeared there in opera to the largest audience that, ever gathered to an entertainment in. thatcity^j^.H-r

One person, at least, made money out of the "Won at Last" combination* Steele Mackaye, the author of the play, received for it, it is said, the absurd price of 93,000—oash down—in addition to a royalty of from f25 to $50 eaoh night it was performed. *. vf»& W9s-'-f%&-v "Over the Hills to the Poor house" wasthe title of anew play to be.'produoed in Battle Creek, Michigan, by a traveling theatre company. The leading actor got so drunk that he could not perform, creditors seized the baggage, and one of the unpaid employes actually did go over the hill to the poor house.*

William, formerly "Billy,^ Arlington, the negro minstrel, has taken to the lecture field, and is now devaatating Michigan on the subject, "Life's Problem." The Chicago Tribune says he had the choice of several situations: "To introduce anew atove polish, canvass for Stanley's new book, tend bar, drive an express wagon, start an evening paper, or enter the lecture business, and decided upon the latter."

Tbe dramatic season has not proved' what was expected, and. tbe ChriBtmas season, whioh was relied upon to help managers out, was a disappointment. A great many traveling companies that held out in order to reach the holidays and the holidays not meeting expectations have disbanded. Lingard, Marie Gordon, Rose Eytinge, and Cal Wagner, who went up In Ohio last week, are among the list.

Edwin Booth has lUen*gaining a litle cheap notoriety, recently, by a letter to the editor of tbe Christian Union, in which he styles the theatre as a "mere shop of gain—open to every huckster of immoral gimcracks." The whole letter is somewhat after this strain. It is said that his recent engagement at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, which was a complete failure, had something to do with this prejudiced and ill-tbmpered letter.

It seems that Anna Dickinson, has not given up her intention to folldW the stage. She has been devoting herself, since her theatrical experiences of last season, to the study of French history, and has decided to give a series of lectures as the result of ber studies. Sh» is fearful that thiswilil be construed into an abandonment of her dramatic aspirations, but it is not, for she has determined to "bide her time," and then once more to tread the boards in characters of her own creation.

The New Yotk Dramatic News punctures P. T. Barnbm's claims as a public educator and rqoral agent ratjier severely. It says "he is tbe oompletest type of mendacity ever known, and built his fortune from the start on falsehood he is the hardest hearted taskmaster that ever cracked a whip, and his subordinates never leave bis service but with execration and contempt. There jingle in his pockets tbe rent of dens of infamy and vioe and more unclean, more stolen, mora' dishonestly acquired money passes' from the hands of his tenants into the hands of this self ordained educator than into the hands of any other landlord In New York."

Fanny Lotrfse Buckingham played Mazzeppa In 9 Philadelphia theatre last week. A deputy sheriff went behind the scenes to levy on her wardrobe, but there was so little of it that he also attached the "fiery, untamed steed" used in the {day. Mazseppa begged him to permit her to ride the hone once more over the steppes of Tartary, so that the audience might not be disappointed. He consented, and was conducted to a private box to wait. The curtain was raised, but no horse was there. At the same instant he heard the clatter of booHs in tbe passage back ofthe box. He ran out and was just in time to see the steed, with a groom on its baok, dashing down the street.