Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 10, Number 28, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 10 January 1880 — Page 1

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Vol. io.—No. 28.

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

SECOND EDITION.

HOW NOT TO FIGHT THE DEVIL.

It may be perfectly fair to fight the devil with fire, bat except among devils themselves it is not good policy. It is safer for saints to stick to holy water. In a duel the challenged party has the choice of weapons, and, of course, he selects those in the use of which he has superior skill. Bat when one attempts to fight the devil with fire, or to beat dishonest men at their own tricks, he foolishly shooses the very weapon with which his opponent has the superior skill. It is very difficult for men to learn this lesson. They see the advantage which some bad man gains over them by a resort to dishonest practices, and if a good opportunity comes to pay tit for tat, or to play a dishonest trick in return, they are very likely to do it. They forget that their unscrupulous opponent can easily go farther in that direction than they would dare to go, or than their sense of honor would allow. A liar will easily outstrip any man who has a deoent regard for the truth, and therefore it is the best policy,—saying nothing about principle—for men who mean, in the main, to be truthful, never to attempt to meet a liar with deception While one who is accustomed to tell the truth is getting off one or two white lies in such a bungling manner that they will appear to be the blackest of the black, the liar himself will rattle off 'titty black lies, "made out of whole cloth," with such a volubility and air of confidence that half who bear him will believe be is speaking the honest truth.

Besides, if they do not believe him, he has nothing to lose. He is in the case of Lady Waldemar, to whom Aarron Leigh writes, "Pay the price Of lies, by being constrained tclU on still

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easy for thy sort: a million more Will scarce damn the deeper."

Arpi/yiN« the above principle to basiaeat, it is not safe to tJfctempi »o gel'the best of rogues at their own tricks. Three-card-munte men invariably succeed in fleecing the smart greeny who thinks himself too bright for them. Countrymen with a little money can try the experiment of sending it to New York, or Chicago, in answer to advertisements promising to return hundreds of dollars lor every one sent. Mbsfe people who do this get their money's worth, though they are obliged to take it in experience rather than in hard cash. If any man is sufficiently "soft" to trust another man to cheat for him, he may be sure that bis agent will be suecessful, and that he will suoceed first and best with the one who has trusted bim. The same rule applies to competition in business. If a mean man resorts to mean tricks for success, his competitor, unless he is just as thoroughly mean, and as ready to go to any lengths in meanuess, will do best to stick to honesty. Saiuts fight the devil better with holy water than with fire, Honorable men fight dishonest men abetter with honorable dealings than with tricks.

IT may not be out of the way to add that politics furnish no exception to the wisdom of the course recommended above. "It is the only way to meet our opponents," is the plea for many a dishonest political trick attempted by men who are honest in other matters. If men attempt to right an actual wrong ,in Louisiana by legal technicalities, shrewd manipulations of the law, soon* *r or later there will be a Maine in which men will wrong an actual right by the same meaus. Already there are hose who say that the difference between Louisiana and Maine is the differ* ence between skinning and being ikinned. This certainly is one of the differences, but not the only one between the two. No^doubt Louisiana's vote was cast as it would have been if -here had been freedom at the polls.

There is just as little doubt, less in fact, hat Maine's vote was a free and honest »ne. But the results in both cases were jained by tricks. Many a politician inds his chickens coming home to roost ust when he least wants to see them. If time of war, loyal men secure an Election by Importing and voting sol iiers to save the government in an imergency, their unscrupulous opponents, in time of peace, when party nterests demand it, will year after year mport and vote disloyal men from other States. The party which has little jrinciple, and is ready for anything to win, will outwit in trickery the party with principle, and depending upon

Morality and intelligence. The only $afe course for honest and honorable men in politics is to stand by honesty and honor, lose with these if they most, for they cannot successfully fight the devil with his own weapons. In time,— it may.be along while to wait—he will

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succumb to truth, honor and sound principle. Lies and trickery are his forte, and he can afford to risk almost any issue upon these.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO" is about as poor a plaster as was ever applied to any woand of body or mind. There may be hurts which are made a little less painful and area little sooner healed by the assurance that he who inflicted the pain did it unintentionally. But when that old sow went tearing down the sidewalk and chanced, by the merest accident, to ran her nose between the legs of the Unsuspecting pedestrian, and. getting her nose there, was obliged to let her body follow, and as a result picked up said pedestrian on her back and gave him an unceremonious ride to the middle of the street, where he tumbled off in the mud, it didn't clean his clothes, or smooth the creases out of the crushed silk hat, or make him feel very affectionate toward that particular porker or her rcae generally, to be informed that she didn't mean to do It. She could not very well have done worse with the cleanest intentions. There are people—the company is large and respectable—who never mind where they put their noses and when, as a result of following said noses where they had no business to be, they get some unlucky fellow into a mighty uncomfortable fix, they turn around and think to make matters all right by saying, "Really, now, I didn't intend any such thing," and seem to think the bedaubed and bruised party is very ungenerous if he fails to come up smiling with the assurance that it is not the least consequence in the world and agreatchuri, nb gentleman, if with or without expletives, few or many, weak or strong, the query is suggested why the nose was not kept where it belonged. An ounce of prevention in the shape of carefulness beforehand, is worth a good many pounds of that universal cure-all, "I didn't mean to." Of course there will be blunders committed in this blundering world, and even with the utmost care it Is not possible to escape giving unnecessary pain or doing harm unintentionally. But more intention not to give pain unnecessarily or to do harop, would save from a large portion Ijffr oure by pleadingnointerction, fSlysfegt

BIRTH NOTICES.

The publication of a birth notice' in the Express, one morning this week, in form similar to marriage and death notloes, induces us 10 freely offer the columns of The Mail to announcements of this kind. A modesty akin to that which would put pantalets on the legs of pianos, will alone prevent happy fathers from sending in these notices for publication. There is nothing improper or immodest in publishing the advent of a child ostensibly one's own.

And then, sweet are the uses of publicity In matters of this kind. In the first place, an opportunity Is afforded a man to get a free advertisement in the newspapers, and there are some men who would sooner die of hydrophobia than forego the chanoe of dead-heading three lines in the paper which they borrow regularly of their friends. Again, when a man has pat indellibly on reoord the advent of his twins, he can devastate his friends at a distanoe, and defraud the postoffioe, by mailing innumerable copies of the paper, wherein a mourning border of ink surrounds the notioe. These are some of the advantages to the Individual most deeply interested.

The item will cause mach amusement to his friends and those of his wife. The men will, by date and sex of the episode, decide numerops wagers, and will be furnished with an occasion to Imbibe at his expense, and to ask upon whom his suspicions rest. The women—bless them—will make abstruse and charitable calculations as to the precise number of lunar months which have elapsed since Mrs. Smith's marriage and the birth of her first-born. Or else they can comment on the fact that this is her fourth in five years. And still more Interesting will be the perusal to distant friends.

How strange it Is that In these realistic days no dramatist has as yet availed himself of the natal notice. In the drama of The Strawberry Mark or The Lost Heir of Baldwlnsvllle, Indiana, when the villain has succeeded in stealing the family bible, wherein is recorded the marriages and births* after poisoning the clergyman and family doctor, the nurse and other witnesses, and holds the lordly castle and broad lands of the unidentified and missing heir, with what thrilling effect could the author introduce the search of the heir and his sweetheart through the back files of The Mail for a notioe of his birth. The prefatory conference with the editor—"Yes, there are the files, look at them"—the thrilling search for the necessary volume—the joy of discovery —the fear that the number ia qaestion might have been omitted—the sickening oxpectancy when the number was found —(lights down and thrilling chords by the orchestra)—then the triumph of suc

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cess, when (lights up—music forte) the villain rushed on and was knocked down with the yolume, while the lovers embraced amid applause and calcium lights—what a splendid effect would this produce!

With this touching peroration we conclude. Our space precludes further consideration of the subjeot, and, besides, we have nothing more to say.

RANDOM SHOTS.

BY A WOMAN.

I do not believe that any one in the world detests impertinent, impolite people as I do. How I dread the ordeal that muse be passed whenever I m&et them! and If I were to live to the age of Methuselah I can never overcome my repugnrfnea to this class of individuals. I do not comprehend the spirit which instigates men, women and children to pry Into what does not concern them Immediately. If I chance to have all I' need for present comfort I do not care a cent bow muoh .other people possess. Suppose my next door neighbor rides in an elegant equipage and can afford laces and diamonds I never once think of inquiring whether or not she Is able to indulge in such luxurious display but poor me! I never go outside of my door* (or very rarely do I) that I am not, forced to answer a string of impertinent questions, or listen to disagreeable comments upon my appearance, or give an account of myself generally. Only A day or two ago I met an acquaintance— one I had not seen for some time—and ,, to tell the truth, she looked so haggard and careworn that I was almost afraith to recognize her but I was too polite to comment upon.herchanged appearance. I merely halted and asked: "Is not this Mrs. Sbesmiled and replied: "Yes but I never would have known you. My gracious! you are looking so old. How sallow your complexion is! Do tell me, are those your teeth? Dear! dear! you do look dreadful!"

Oh, I was (as the saying is) "lighting madfor only a few minutes'before 1 bad stood before the looking giass congratulating myself upon my clear complexion and, as I really thought.

If one stays at home and (to use the common saying) attends to their own business, impolite and inquisitive people wonder why "you are so queer and unsociable." If you go abroad they wonder still more why you are "eternally on the gad." There is no such thing as pleasing them. Incredible as it may sound, I have actually had these prying people to ask, "How old are you and then open their eyes in amazement if I answer, "That is a question I never ask, and it is one I never answer." Then they will assume a half penitent, half injured air, and say, "Law! I didn't mean any harm, for goodness knows I don't care who knows my age."

Men are almost Invariably impolite to their wives. They act precisely as if they think that by marrying the. creatures of their choice they have conferred an obligation that nothing can cancel. They monopolize the fire in cold weather and the coolest place in the summer, and in the£latter case expect a woman to neglect her duties to keep the files off while they snooze. They always read the daily paper first and on Saturday evening they hang on to The Mall until bedtime and in nine cases out of ten when their wives ask *ra question will not deign to reply. What's the use? it's no body but her 'and if she ventures to complain of fatigue or of feeling nervous, he either ignores her complaints or files into a passion because shews not universally cheerful ani pleasant, and perhaps, to.end the matter, flirts out of the room, slamming the door imperiously. I do not say that women or wives never act selfishly or impolitely toward their husbands but, as a general thing, men are selfish at home, and exhibit a great lack of thought for the wife, who has a thousand little trials to endure that men never stop to consider.

A PERSON writes to the San Francisco Argonaut for the purpose of demonstrating that the Christmas holiday should be abolished, and concludes his remarks as follows:

The day is associated with the barbarous custom of present-giving, pres-ent-taking, and present-expecting with inners, hollow civilities ii rnrtghi lying with mawkish editorials la the

solemn family dinners, ho! ass salutatic deoeption of children and downright

and meaningless salutations with the

newspapers, warmed over from last year with mental distraction relieved by flashes of physical prostration. Chrtstmss, as observed in this oountry, leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY#vENING, JANUARY 10,1880

of fbelinj angry with wha£.I deett impertinence, I ought to hare thankdd my lady acquaintance for her candor but, as Sam Siiok says, "it's agin natur'" for any one to feel pleased at being told they are not looking weel. Knowing this, I make it a point of conscience never to say anything disagreeable or anything calculated to make my acquaintances feel unpleasant. If I cannot say something complimentary, and tell the truth, I remain silent.

THE BETTER WORLD

GHURCfflBS, PASTORS AND PEOPLE.

People who are so thoroughly sectarian ii£ spirit jthat they can see no good ID tboSewhdf disagree with them in certain nice theological distinctions will do well toiond^r the saying of the colored enthusiast, ^ho declared in a heated debate that he 'Imight be a mighty poor Christian butfhe was a fus' rate Baptist, anyho^r."

It might do no harm If some of our mlntatei'8 would read this little anecdote atone or two of their prayer meetings: When a colored convert was in the midst Of wn incoherent ha angue, and was Mildly, fhrowing his arms about and shoo king at the top of his voice because he h*d nothing to say, the presiding elder raj^jd his gavel on the desk and remarket '-'Brother Brown, won't you subside and let some one speak dat is better^jjaiteH wid de Lord."

Don't inakr Sunday the very worst day of the-week for your children. It is nofrnecessary to give them permission to kick football in the front entry, or blow uptli£i$ck yard with gunpowder neitherisj^riedessary to compel them tQ sit ^jtu^gug faces, hating the very word feUndAy, and wishing it were Monday-, That child had a bad theological education, and her house was by no metr|^religious in its best sense, who sax she wished she could be a ralmstc»-^vuse ho could talk as much .as he Sunday and even "holler'jpytfie pulpit.

During^ .j^ecatorio recently given in a ChicagoJptrch two young girls in the piece approached the king on "the light faoll^^MS'^with a dainty, zigzag odoveipeu'w ffhia irritated a church lryimbsr, whofsi da peringl asked whether the time had come when the "house of (Sod is to *e converted into a dancing academy The pastor felt called upon to say ^$vorl of twain explanation, and discharged the responsibility thus: "In a cpftaijt par| of the oratorio two young ladies, entering. from different parts of the platforu)| approached the king with a glidin^m|#?iJf. I am willing to confess that the motjrai is not a walk, but I equally sure-iM* Wjte ndt exactly^what

ere is a vast deal of common sense in the song of the old negro cook. She fwas a little befogged as to the theological aspect of the case, and didn't know any more than some whi^e people'do what certain events In her life meant, but she expressed a very, general ,*opinion when she'said— My 'sperience be. dat hits bery well 1 habn't de power to choose: Oie Masser above he knows I'se got

More'ligiondan I can use. And when the last day comes she believed that the Lord would only ask her if she had done well the few and humble things whiph he gave her to do, and not tease her concerning a host of other things which she never knew anything about. She sang: He'll call me np from my kitphen fire,

Some day wen I'm tbrough wid sin, An' He'll say, "Poor Lizzie, she do her bes-, Go, Gabriel, an' tote her In."

FASHION NOTES.,

New York Evening Mail.

Poor Marie Antoinette is rung in again on the winter fashions. No fashionable lady should be with out a muff of leopard skin.

Parisian modistes predict the early death of the fashion of short dresses. Doctors say seal skin cloaks are unhealthy. They are in price, at all events.

In ball costumes the semi-indecent of styles last season are maintained. Something new in street costumes are corduroy shirts and overdresses of camel's hair.

Some of the flaming bonnets recall the young women^who ride in the first act a the circus.

Undressed kid gloves never go out of fashion, and in this respect may be likened into gas bills.

Brown is one of the most fashionable colors of the season. Many of the handsomest suits are donejbrown.

Cut-away coats are still worn by some women who delight to be masculine not only in dress but in manners.

Velvet and satin jewelry in all the rage. The velvet necklaces and lockets are amoug the prettiest novelties of the season.

Turban ASts are much worn by young ladies, but to very few are they really becoming. It is, to say the least, a rather pronounced style.

The most elegant of the fur-lined cireulars are those with hood, lined also with fur, and having long ends of black ribbon hanging down the

THE ACTOSS IN A GREAT CASK Of all the people in the famous Brook* lyn trial, Beecher alone seems to thrive. He waxes old slowly, retains his old hold on Plymouth, reaps a rich harvest there and in the lecture field, and builds a palace on the Hudson. Everything flourishes with him. He is entirely free from affliction of any outward and visible kind. Moulton has dropped oat of aigbt. Woodford ins been defeated for the mayoralty of the city of the scandal. Theodore THton, still wearing his boms, exhibits them upon the rostrum wherever he can get an audienee. Bessie Tamer is starving in a Brooklyn garret. Mm, Tilton, still a religions enthusiast, is Hying at the expense of her husband in a Brooklyn house, having the custody of some of her children, the disputed Ralph among them, and growing old with great rapidity.—Exchange.

Susan Perkins' Letter.

TXRBB HAUTE, Jan. 9, 1880.

DEAR JOSEPHINE:—I, too, have been taking a walk through Main street, not however, by gaslight, bat through the drizzle and slush of a rainy day. My object was to get some ribbon of a certain shade and no other—such were my orders—for my pretty, but sometimes selfish, cousin Matle. She was going out that evening, and late in the afternoon discovered that her dress of turquoise blue needed bows of satin ribbon of the same shade to relieve the somewhat plain front breadth. The more she looked at the dress and thought of it, the more necessary it became that nothing but satin ribbon would do, and she finally came to regard her wish as imperative in its natare. "A bride without even a satin bow on her dress!" and she snubbed me scornfully, as I mildly suggested that it was raining, and she must be sure to put on her overshoes. However, her ladyship had no idea of going for the indispensable satin herself, but soon hsd me, her good na* tured cousin, clad in armor of waterproof, rubbers and umbrella, wildly searching the town for turquoise blue satin. Did you ever attempt to match anything in the way of dry goods In a place about the sizs of Terre Haute? If so, you have some idea of the enormity of my task! No matter at which end of the town you begin, the object of your search is at the other end, provided it is found at all. So It Is with the satin ribbon. I first went to Arbuckle's— every other eolor of the rainbow was represented, but not turquoise blue. Then I passed on to the Star Notion House, and Mrs.. Riddle's, to again meet with disappointment. Through the mud and drizzle, with the uncomfortable feeling that my dress was just long enough to dip into the mire once in awhile, and with a stream of dirty water trickling from the umbrella down my alabaster noso, I waded on. At one place they had the exact shade, but not in satin. I remembered my orders, and marched grimly on. At the next, beautiful satin ribbons of all colors, but not the right width—and so on ad infinitum,

fashion, to stare at the pretty things, and was confronted by a whole window fall of ribbons. What a bonanza I And yes, surely there was turquoise blue in all of Its splendor! I rushed into the store and up to the counter, and was confronted by a superior looking creature, with hair dressed a la mode, bracelets on her wrists, and a general air of haughtiness which warned me not to be too impetuous. She looked at me coldly and carelessly as I drew near, and left mo to make known my errand. "Have you any ribbon of this shade?" said I, meekly holding out a rumpled bit of satin. "I think not," said the beautiful being, glancing at it but standing still. "Why, I am positive I saw some in the show window will you please look?" And I pushed the sample towards her. The amiable creature took it, went to the window, and returned, saying, "There is apiece but it is very wide," and she laid down the sample as though the matter was settled tl^en and forever, "Suppose it is wide—that is what I want," and the beautiful being opened her eyes in astonishment at the idea of a vagabond in an old waterproof, with hair rendered destitute of friz by the dampness, wanting satin ribbon of that width. However, she condescended to get it for me, and when I ordered three yards cut off she paused and said, "It is seventy cents a yard." "Mademoiselle," said I, loftily, for the temper with which nature has endowed the owners of red hair was struggling for speech, "Mademoiselle, I will take three yards of that ribbon, no matter if it is twice as wide, and regardless of cost!" The fair divinity said nothing more, but still eyed me suspiciously, until I had paid for my purchase.

Now this is no fancy sketch: such things have actually happened iu the stores of Terre Haute. A lady related an incident of the kind the other day. She went into one of our first class houses and inquired for plaid stockings for a child. The shop girl threw down a cheap pair of stockings the lady asked for others she threw down a lot more, but still of an inferior quality. When the lady insisted upon some better ones the girl said, "Oh! If you want expensive ones we have some." Now I think the girl bad no right to assume that the lady did not want expendve ones at any rate each saleswomen do not add to the popularity of store. I know that their duties are trying but that is no reason that they should be impertinent or assuming, any more than the customers should be critical and overbearing. I do not say that all the clerks in the stores here are of that natare far from it. Indeed they are so few in number that the disagreeable ones are at once singled oat, and I will say in the defense of the class that some of them are mors lady like and refined in their manners than some of their aristocratic customers.

I attended such a pleasant littje party

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on sonth Fifth street last week. It was* more enjoyable from the feet that it was^ a complete surprise. All of the young|| people were in the best of spirits and|^ passed a merry evening. To be sure W. did feel a little ancient among the very young set but I managed to enjoy my- Xf ilf notwithstanding.

The latest news in the matrimonially line is that a fair yoang teacher is going to resign in order to join the army ofjy wedded ones. How nice it must be, to be a teacher! They always seem to get'j married I am told that teachers lnvari-|f" ably marry sooner or later that eveaio' those who are getting along Into the# "sere and yellow leaf' stsge, eventually jj* get married If they only teach long" enough. Now, do you suppose It can b»na on a of he a pa re a it to

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Tenth Year

take care of themselves that Induces the^. men to believe that they would be useful In managing a household At anyt^ rate we have still one hope if leap year^ fails to find us comfortably settled !L$ Josephine, we will teach school—pro-r* vided we con get situations.

Last night I attended the best entertalnment of the season. The Opera House was well filled with an apprecla-K tlve audicnoe the orchestra treated UBtfj. to some exceptionally fine music, all conspiring to make the occasion a pleas-* 9 ant one. When the curtain rose all elSe^ was forgotten and the interest did notr diminish until the last aot was finished. The two Dromios were as much alike, as it two peas in one pod, two leaves upoir^ one stem or two stars in the heavens above. They were not beautiful, bubi their acting was the essence of perfect^ tlon. The two masters were beautiful^ and evidently as muoh at home In their^ parts as the poor, Imposed upon, Dro«*3r mios were in theirs. In fact all were^4 good, and the "Comedy of Errors'^... •must be seen to be appreciated.

The weather has been subject of conversation the last few days. The oldest? inhabitants say that it is the most won* derful on record: think of delightful May weather In January There when* I once get started there Is no telling when I will stop: my pen is as bad as* my tongue.

If uot already asleep, good night, SUSIE-

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About Women,

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York' ladies put ?6 b8Ws Oti

slippers. No true lady will ever smoke in thfe f, presence of a gentleman.

Woman has been vindicated. It ia not the female parrot that talks the most)1 readily.

The best farmer about Lawrence, Kan^i sas, is a woman.^Ten years ago she was left a widow with fourteefi children and a patch of land. Nowjehe owns three largeifarmB.

Dresses that button in front instead of.» the bade are coming into fashion again. The reader'sfearliest recollection |masfe convince him that It is an old style revived.—Turner's Falls Reporter. ^.

A yoang lady in Chicago, when asked! by an officiating minister, "Will you^ love, honor and obey this man'as your husband, and be to him a tree and lov-' ing wife?" said plainly, "Yes, if he does what he promised me financially."

When you see a lady running after horse car, shaking her parasol like mad, and crying out frantically, "Here, here!" the thoaght oomes that all this trouble and vexation of spirit might have been^ prevented had she been taught to whistle on her fingers.

One of the most ^pleasant and least" ostentatious of the^charities of the season Is that,devised|and managed by wealthy£lady]£of Philadelphia. Thatf? lady last year visited the stables of one of the principal street railroads and gave each driver and conductor a pair e£ warm gloves and scarf. This year sh» made a slight variation in her gifts. Each married man received an order!: for five dollars' worth of groceries, an% each single man a knit jacket and a neat^' necktie. The presents are thankfully reoeived by the men. The name of th» lady is not known. She is her ownr/ almoner, and comes, thickly veiled, in! her own carriage, drawn by a pair off very costly horses.

MINISTERIAL COURTESIES. Report of New York Ministers' meeting#-: Rev. Dr. Fawler told a good story of, an eminent divine who outwitted an« other eminent divine. Eminent minis-* ter 1 entered the church of eminent minister 2 just as eminent 2 was abbut to announce his text. Eminent minister 1 tried to sit dowc. near the door, but eminent 2 spied him and invited him tocome at once into the pulpit. Eminent^ minister 1 could not escape he mounted the stairs and took his seat by the sid® of eminent minister 2. "You must preach for me this morning," whispered the preacher at home. "I came to hear*,. you." said number 1, "and I'm going to." BUt the other insisted, ana the stranger llnally consented, so number 2 took his written sermon from between** the leaves of the bible, where he had placed it when about te deliver it, and' tacked it on a little shelt under the pulpit. He went down Into the congregation to enjoy his friend's sermon. But number 1 simply pulled the sermon or number 2 from under the pulpit and went through it word for word.

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