Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 10, Number 40, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 3 April 1880 — Page 1

Vol. 10.—No.

4.0.

THE MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

SECOND EDITION.

CANDIDATES for getting numerous.

coanty offices are

THE Albany Argus believes in a third terra for a spring overcoat.

WASHINGTON takes the lead of all other cities this season for big scandals.

THE New York World observes that dead business men tell no tales in the advertising columns.

MR. .VOORHEES, just now, with his oxodus committee, is like a jealous husband, looking for something he doesn't •want to find. The testimony the past week hasn't been at all to his liking.

THE wonderful advancement of the colored race within a tew years is made prominent by the statement that twen-ty-nine journals are now published in this country exclusively by colored men.

ACCORDING to popular superstition, atmospheric discharges of aqueous particles during the present lunar period are calculated to induce a prolific generation of the trailing arbutus in the succeeding period: or, if language is immaterial to you, "April showers bring forth May flowers."

THE Supreme Court of this State decided on Wednesday that smoking iB a necessity for those who have acquired the habit, and that "whatsoever is necessary and proper to do on Sunday to supply this constant daily need is a work of neoessity within the meaning OJf the statute." The court held that the selling ot cigars on Sunday by a hotel was not a violation of the Sunday laws. _____________

IT is always easy to find a subject to quarrel about, and almost always easy to find a person who Is just hot temper•od enough to give you a good opportunity. With subject and person at band •the way !s open to make life as disagreeable as possible, and you can feed on hot words until your moral digestion is spoiled. We have have noticed that In every quarrel it is the reply and not the assertion which makes the trouble. The man who gets mad cannot possibly have a good time until he can get a second person urnd also, and if he succeeds iu that the two have a very enjoyable season. When a man says a biting thing to you if you cau only get your tongue between your teeth and hold it there for a few minutes the storm portents will pass away but if, on the other hand, you are determined to give .as good as is sent, a rivalry immediately begins, and you become hot, feverish and unreasonable. Tho old negro was right who said that the reason why a oertain quarrel was settled was that one of the parties "kep' on axln' 'pertinent questions and do oder kep' on sayln' nothln', an' that," ho added, "will settle a big difficulty qulcker'n anythln' else."

FUNERAL FASHIONS. The St. Louis Republican states that the Evangelical Alliance ol that city, at a recent meeting, took action on the subject of funerals which cannot fall to meet the approbation of all who have had occasion to observe the extravagance and display of the funeral fashion. The "alliance "regret the unnecessary expense to which many bereaved families are subjected by the prevailing customs," and as a means of correcting the evil advise that only members of the family and specially invited friends %e expected to be present at the religious services held over a deceased person that tho officiating miulster be not expected to attend the interment unless in peculiar cases making it obligatory that the bereaved take their final leave of the remains privately, and that Sunday funerals be discouraged in all cases except when they are unavoidable.

It is difficult to alter a custom involving so many conflicting passions, grief, affection, friendship, vanity and social rivalry as our funeral fashion involves, but the hardships that too often follow expensive interments are so serious as to demand that the effort be made. The cost of a funeral is of little consequence to the rich, but 4n case® of families of limited means, it is sometimes equal to a temporary impoverishment. The funeral of a dead person may cost a sum tbat would support the bereaved household fpr half a year, as it may entail debts that are paid only by years of painful self denial and effort. It is a pious duty to lay away our deceased friends with all reasonable accomQanlmenta of fondness and respect, but these gentle feeling* are not expressed in pageantry and display, which do the dead no good and the living groat harm, and it were far better that the simple and quiet proceeding recommended by the alliance should take the place of the labored and expensive exhibitions now too frequently resorted to.

"He who surpasses or subdues mankind Must look down on the hate of those below."

So wrote Byron, and many besides have experienced the truth of the couplet. Some toadying gossip of a correspondent wrote a flattering notice of a lady in Washington to the local paper at her home. He told how much good she was doing, and how she stopped to speak with the little colored children on the street, etc. It was all true, and the woman was really a most excellent woman. But she had the fortune,—shall it be called

good

fortune or misfortune?—

to surpass some at her home. Of course ail could not the wives of Congressmen. And this gossipping toadying letter set flying the tongues of the jealous ones, and all sorts of bitter things were said. One wished the Washington people oould know how she treated poor white women at home. Another thought if she was so dreadfully sweet and good at Washington she might keep a little sweetness and goodness for Lome folks. Inslxuistfefrs, sneers, innuendoes, and ail sorts of mean, and untruthful sayings, resulted from that silly letter. She bad surpassed womankind at home in position and must pay the penalty, and look down on the hate of these below.

SOME very good women joined in this talk, and revealed a bitterness and pettiness of spirit that wera anything but creditable to them. Their very fretfulness revealed the fact that they themselves were very eager for preeminence, and not being able to gratify their ambition, bad allowed it to turn to gall. Not being able to win the place they would like to secure, they meanly pecked and carped at one who bad succeeded. How often is it the case tbat one is made bearieick by those whom he respects and loves, and whom he desires to continue to respect and love, as they thus reveal unconsciously toeir narrowness and badness of spirit and character. A word has come like a flash to reveal what one wishes he had never seen or known. The revelation has been made beforo there has been time to turn away the eyes or stop the ears, and the man has gone home and Baid to his wife, or the wife to her husband, "I wish Mrs. B., had not said that, forT cannot think so well of Ber as I did be-' fore." The blow has really come back upon the head of the one who dealt.

THESE unconscious revelations of character are by no means unfrequent. Constantly people are revealing themselves by the fault which they find with other people. It is not the humble who are most easily offended by the pride of somebody else, and have the most to say about it. It is not those who are the most generous with their money who are also the most lavish with charges or insinuations of stinginess on the part of others. It is not those who are the most opeu and frank aad have the highest standard of living and are struggling hardest to reach their standard who have the most to say about people who make professions and fail to live up to them. It is not those who are content In their lot, but rather the ambitious, who growl most about the ambition of others. The man who most carefully warns the parson not to get under the control of some other man in the church is .the very first, and often the only man, who will attempt to control the parson contrary to his own judgment and conscience, the very first one to get displeased because ho cannot have his own way. It is the chicken that wants the worm which another has found that gives chase, or pulls hardest, and you know be wants it because he runs or pulls. It is tlie dog tbat wants the bone another has possessed, that is the most ready to growl, and,(if he dares, to fight. The fox slanders the grapes he wants but cannot get. So people chase, pull, growl, fight, slander, and in so doing reveal the ambition, the covetousness, the pride, the selfishness of their own natures.

SPEAKING of ambition, suggests the idea whether in religious matters there are not too many.appeals made to this motive. It Is true tbat the Bible speaks of becoming kings, and setting on thrones and the like. But.when two of tho disciples got ambitious snd went with their master to ask for the best places, and the rest of the disciples revealed the same ambitious spirit by getting angry at the two, the master told them they were entirely mistaken about his kingdom. It was to be entirely unlike all other kingdoms, as the prince in It, instead of having servants, was to be servant, and the great instead of being in authority, were to be slaves themselves. He certainly taught that true christian greatness is not in authority or in place, but in service. Hie christian ambition is to give not to get, to help not to be helped, to serve and not to be served. He was trying to root ont ambition, and not to teach a better and surer way of realising ambitious desires. To be a prince in service, to be great in doing for others, ts the ambition which Jesos attempted to kindle, and to which he appealed.

Susan Perkins' Letter.

TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 3,1880.

TKfeUB'lHAirrE, April 2,1880.

DEAR JOSEPHINE—LastTuesdayevening the Opera House was a scene of unusual gayety. Between half-past seven and eight o'clock the streets were thronged with people, all moving in a motley yet oontinuous stream in the direction of the Opera House. This generous outpouring of people was perhaps owing to the fact that home talent was to amuse them, or because the funds taken at the door were to assist in a good cause, or, possibly, because Lent was over and the many who had kept the fast in strict seclusion from worldly matters were nothing loth to once more join the votaries of pleasure. Whatever the cause, the large audience room was filled to overflowing with the beauty and chivalry of ferre Haute. Before the curtain rose the sea of animated faces was a study. Bright eyes, lavtghing lips, pretty hats, sparkling jewels, immaculate gloves, the hum of voices and bustle of fresh arrivals, the enchanting music and roving opera glasses, all conspired to make the scene a brilliant and fantastic one. By the way, what a strange custom this is of staring at one another through the opera glasses. If a gentlemen should look steadily at a lady on the street, for half a minute, she would be highly indignant and most likely call him impudent, yet he oan stare at her for half an hour through his glass at the theatre without comment. The lady would not be guilty of returning his gaze on Main street for anything, but in the Opera House she coolly levels her lorgnette and surveys him cap-a-pie, until she has scanned all of his features enough to be familiar with their peculiarities. There is something so convenient and fascinating afcont these opera glasses. One oan gaze enraptured upon the fca tures most interesting to oneself, can dissect the dress and manners of some detested rival, or admire a fashionable stranger, and even our right hand neighbor cannot be sure of the exact point on which our visual orbs are fixed.

But to return to the scene 6f action, Considering tba£ the performers were all aoost TOWetn well. One fault, from which only two or three of the actors were exempt, was tbat of indistinct pronunciation. It is a fault of which most amateurs are guilty, and is not to be wondered at, considering the immensity of the room, and the unfamiliarity of the surroundings generally. Those who were not familiar with the poem which was dramatized doubtless found it difficult to understand it, unless they were seated near the front. With this exception I shall not criticise, and I hope my friends, the performers, will not take it amiss, as it may serve them a good turn at some future repetition of the play. Miss Keller interpreted the part of Ellen in a pleasing manner, and looked very pretty in her beooming, yet simple, dress. Miss McEwan rendered the part of Blanche of Devon iu a style that showed she bad thoroughly studied the character. It was certainly appreciated by the audience, to judge from the continuous applause, which only subsided at her appearance before the curtain. The MoKeen Cadets went through with some very fine marching which was enjoyed as much as any part of tho performance, and the appearance of the bagpipes was a signal for continuous laughter and applause. In the farce which concluded the performance, Miss Blake carried off the palm. Indeed, ber acting was superb and would lead one to believe that she had been familiar with the stage for years.

Some of the belles of Terre Haute appeared in the court ^scene which was the concluding one in the Lady of the Lake. They were supposed to be ladies In waiting, and with their powdered hair and rich dresses made very pretty pictures. Mr. fiager, the general .manager and getter-up of the whole, ought to receive the thanks of everybody, especially of the Ladies Aid Society snd O. A. R.

One of the unplessant features of the evening was that of a baby crying somewhere in the family circle. Every once in awhile it would burst out afresh, and I do not wonder, poor child! Now you know, Josephine, tbat I love little babies. I think they are real sweet, especially when clean and on good behavior, but I do think that they ought to be at home In their own little beds, instead of making night hideous and themselves miserable by applauding from the gallery in the wrong places. The plea is often made that a mother must always stay at home or else bring the baby, having no one to leave it with. Tbat is an inducement to stay at home always would be a severe punishment to n»f bat still it would be preferable to dragging the poor child around, risking its life from exposure to night air, and almost scaring it to death with the many strange faces and sights. Besides that, what woman can enjoy a performance when she is occupied all the time in keeping baby still It Is hardly fair to disturb a whole audience with a baby's

cry in?, either. If the poor mamma is very anxious to go, why not inveigle the devoted papa into staying at home to take charge of the little responsibility once in awhile This is not written on account of this one particular case, fcr such occurrences are frequent.

Yesterday I woke up with a cold and a bad headache, and although well enough to Bit up in a big chair, Aunt Miranda insisted on my keeping my room for th9'day. Thus immured, you may imagine I was glad to hear Uncle Ezra's step on the stairs, followed by a gentle tapt the door. The kind old soul came up to see how I was, telt my pulse, looked at my tongue, and after many kind admonitions, be began to look around the room. Presently be espied the dressing case covered with the nick-nacks which every well regulated girl thinks it her duty to have handy. What did that inquisitive old fellow do, but deliberately march up to them and proceed to investigate with as much coolness as a member of the exodus investigating committee could assume. I can tell you I was on thorns. "Been cleaning silver, eh!" said he, taking up a small, round box containing a fine powder, with a small piece of flannel on top. "No," said I, bravely, "that is for the complexion. All the girls use it, and it is perfectly harmless. Buntin & Armstrong prepare it themselves Besides, I only use it enough to take the shine off." "And this I suppose is to 'put the shine on," and be held up a mangled artificial rose with some of the red rubbed off. To save my life I could not help the blood rushing into my face in a torrent, but I only groaned and told him my bead ached frightfully. "And what in the name of Christopher Columbus are these—sugar tongs?" and he held up my crimping pins. I gsve tbe desired information. "Strange," he chuckled, ^but I don't remember of Miranda's having these gewgaws lying around. What is this glue for?" "It isn't glue,1' said I, ss7agely, "It is quince seed to keep my hair In crittop." Then he poked his nose successively into my bottles of cologne, sozodont, and shoe polish, and finally took up a small saucer containing a black substance. "What in the dickens is this," said he,

with a brush," said he, in surprise. Would you beMeve it, Josephine, there he had my camel's hair brush, with which I tip my eyebrows when I wish to look especially interesting. "Is this contrivance a bird cage?" taking something from a chair. That was too much. "No, it isn't a bird oage," said I, with haughty scorn, "and if you wish me to go Into brain fever, keep on." At that outburst he condescended to take his departure, but I heard him chuckling to himself all the way down stairs about the girls of this generation being mighty cute, and that no wonder the boys got taken in once in a while. Such is life, my dear Josephine.

Reflectively yours, SUSIE.

WHAT SHE WANTED. Here is tbe sort of a husband a San Francisco .girl advertise)} for in the Chrdniole of that city:

A man with good looks and plenty of money, generous to a fault and easy to manage, who keeps his carriage and will give his wife another, who has a good time himself and will let his wife go to the matinee and opera without getting jealous or looking cross, who will give her an open credit at a first class dry goods store and ask no foolish questions about what she does with ber pin money. A lawyer or leading merchant would do a stockbroker, having a seat in the big board, would be preferred. I would not be unreasonable In case of failure I would be willing to travel for a time in Europe and .as a matter of reasonable and prudent business precaution, I would have my husband put a first class residence and all tbe valuable silverware, furniture and diamonds in my own name, where they would be safe from the importunate demands of avaricious creditors.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LEAP YEAR. A young lady in Keokuk, Iowa, beautiful, attractive and daring, received calls from three gentlemen one evening last week and exerted herself to the utmost to entertain them. Tbe time was spent most agreeably, and in the course of the evening tbe question of matrimony and leap year was broached, and culminated in a proposal from tbe young lady to a young medical student. Of course it was made in a jocular manner, Tbey agreed to be married at once, and one of tbe gentlemen present was called upon to perform the ceremony. It happened that the gentleman who was called upon to tie the nuptial knot was a clergyman, and the groom threatens to place tbe marriage on record, while the young lady feels so badly over the matter that she has left the city for the West on a visit among friends. She will probably return when she finds out tbat a marriage is invalid in that State unless a license is taken out in advance.

SAD NONE ON SAND. Tbe White River Junction Vt. Observer relates that one day recently a farmer from a neighboring town went to the seminary at west Lebanon. .N H., with two little girls, and inquired for tbe inqt measles. He said be wanted his children to "catch them" now, before tbe busy time of the year ca&e on, when they could not so well be taken care of. He was told that tbey bad no measles on hand, tod went away disappointed.

HARVEY has the largest Ihd Finest stock of FURNITURE ever seen in this city. Call and see it.

RANDOM SHOTS.

GO TO CHCRCW

From every pulpit and altar place tomorrow morning will fall some word worthy to be garnered up and remembered. The sermon may be weak, may be wanting in beauty and polish and euphony, but surely there will be something of good to be fastened in tbe memory to influence each soul to tbe right. If there is not, if all is dross without one grain of gold, there will be at least the precious word of God, the lesson from tbe Bible. No one need to attend the services of any church and then plead the excuse of having heard nothing to affect one for good. The text, the passages from the Scriptures, are ever fresh and powerful, and if all else be but as chaff, the full end of each holy word may fall on a willing heart and bring forth fruit. The prayers will ascend, in broken, feeble language,, may be, but they are worthy pleasant incense to Him who listens not to the trembling voice, the disjointed sentences, the weak words, but receives the offering of the heart, pure and true. No need for any to stay away from church because their clothes are worn and old, and they are miserable. He who is no respecter of persons does not exouse because of shabby apparel, nor does He grant a nearer audience at His throne because of rioh array. He searches the heart, and many a feast has been spread for Him when He knocked and would come in to sup, that the world knew not of, a feast so grand that the heavenly guest departed not. No need for any to remain away because the church is magnificent, because the light shimmers through stained windows and falls upon pew and altar splendidly draped. All, even the poorest, will be welcome to the services, to the prayers, the hymns, the sermons, and though some one may scorn the humble ones for their poverty, Christians will gladly ipeet them and bid them God speed. The poor must meet the rioh in other plaoes, why shrink so from mixing with them at church? Let him who needs the "glad tiding" the most be the first to come and hear. Let him who would cover up his rags with the robe of salvation be the first to

I faintly murilntly murta yro write of

"Come unCO Me." Every churoh in this oity should be filled to-msrrow, not with the rich or the poor, God knows no distinctions, but with ail who need the love and grace of the Savior to help them through life, whether they tread the easy paths of pleasure or the thorns of sorrow and poverty.

THE CONVENIENCE OF ETIQUETTE. Etiquette is a good thing to have in the family. There isn't any donbt about it. There are only two things that we can think of that are better for general family use than etiquette—one of these is twins, and the other provisions, When a man has worked hard all day, and, going home late at night, his wife asks him which he will have, a little etiquette or a plate of pork aBd beans, he will almost invariably take the pork and beans. This seldom fails to be the case, unless the man has bad a wrong bringing up. Etiquette is a wonderful thing. It requires a man to eat with his fork entirely, without regard to tbe kind of food be is eating. Now, if a man is eating beets or piclcles, or something tbat he can spear a fork will go firatrate, but when it comes to custard pie it is discouraging. After looking around tbe table to see tbat no one is watching him, he carefully cuts off apiece of the pie, and then, drawing a long breath, he slowly raises the precious burden until within a few inches of his mouth be opens his mouth, gives a sudden lunge forward, the custard is gently deposited upon his shirt bosom, while tbe crust rolls back upon bis plate. Of course be has made a failure of it, but it doesn't make any difference, tbe law of etiquette requires tbat it should be done tbat way.

A recent writer on this subject tells us that we must spread our bread upon our plates, and not while holding it in our band. This is a tiptop idea. If you happen to have a little potato, a little turnip, apiece of meat, and a mound of cabbage upon yonr plate, wby, just

I(

while tbe spreading process is going on, and, after you get through with that, you can shovel them back. You might hold tbe meat in your teeth during tnis performance, and drop it at your leisure. This writer also gives us permission to bold a bone or cob in our band, and gnaw tbe meat or chew tbe corn, but we mast bring to our aid only one band. Now, we are not told what ase we should make of onr other band, but we would suggest, at least we know what use we shall make of it, if wo are gnawing tbe meat from a bone or chewing tbe corn from a cob, and some parties with malice aforethought attempt to take it away from ns—we shall use tbat other hand in cuffing tbe said parties back until tbe meat disappeared from tbe bone, or tbe corn has dissolved from tbe cob. There is one thing that grieves us sorely. We notice tbat some of our leading hotels are making use of tbe English language in their bills of fare. This Is not right. Tbe English language is good enough for tbe poor man, aod those in the commoner walks in life, bnt It should never be used where tbe French or some foreign tongue will answer the purpose ss well. Of course the majority of people will not understand a foreign language as well as tbat of their own country, bnt nevertheless it should be used, as it gives a tone to tbe institution.

Teni

ear

ABOUT WOMEN.

"Honest Little Emma" has made f20,#00 this season. The secret of fashion is to surprise and never to disappoint.

Gail Hamilton can, at a reoeption, chat with a dozen people at onoe. Four of the widows of Brigham Young have married since their husband died.

The young ladies of Des Moines, Iowa, have an anti-slang society, which meets once a month.

Ladies, beware of the man with a elbve in his breath he may show the cloven foot one of these days.

Venie Clancy has left the Weathers byGoodwin Froliques on account of her ill health. Elma Delaro fills the vaoanoy thus occasioned.

Mr. Sindney Lanier is credited with saying that women mako better players in an orchestra than men, particularly in using stringed and reed instruments.

President Hays says that he is a firm, believer in oapital punishment, bnt when he was Govenor of Ohio he said that no woman should be hanged during his administration.

A mother propped up her baby in a* chair in a photograph gallery in Columbus, Ohio, to have its ploture taken and then excused herself for a moment. She has not yet returned

A Council Bluflb reporter found on one of the trains pairing through that city a happy little girl, four years old, being sent all alone from^Chlcago to her papa in San Francisco. I

The "Kitchen garden" association of New York, the purpose 6f which is totrain young girls in housework, so as to provide them means of earning a good: living as trained domestics, has been in operation since 1870. II has now 60# girls studying housework under teachers. On graduation tbey obtain situations without the asking, and applications for admission to the school, from girls of poor families are numerous. The same work is in progress in Boston and Philadelphia.

Society vroihen In Philadelphia ar* accu.'ied of strange devices bj^ the ifhop*"^ keepers. One store keeper in the artificlal flower business says it is quite at common occurrence to have ladies call on the morning before a ball and have handsome flowers sent to their residence* for approbation, which are faithfully returned the next day, with perhaps the purohase of a fifty cent rose, and occasionally without making any purchase at all, haying thus obtained the required adornments for one evening's wear at the merchant's expense. Some time ago a carriage customer, it is said, ordered to be sent to ber fashionable residence, for selection, braids, puffs and curls of a color to match her hair.. As it was on the eve of a grand reception, tbe messenger was told not to re* tufn without the money or the goods* The lady played sick, the articles were sent to her room for examination and the messenger politely dismissed. Determined not to be humbugged, the store keeper sent a peremetoryjmessage demanding the return of the articles immediately, which was reluctantly complied with,

WHO IS A GENTLEMAN. A gentleman is a person not merely acquainted with certain forms and etiquette of life, easy and self possessed in society, able to speak and act and move in the world without awkwardness, and free from habits wbich are vulgar and in bad taste—a gentleman is something beyond this: that which lies at the root of every Christian virtue. It is the thoughtful desire of doing in every instance whatotbera should do unto him. Hols constantly thinking, not indeed how he may give pleasure to others for the mere sense of pleasing, but how be may avoid hurting their feelings. When he is in societv be scrupulously ascertains tbe position and relations of everyone with whom bo comes in contact, that he may give to each his due honor, his proper position. He studies how be may avoid touching in conversation on any subject wbion may needlessly hurt their feelings—howhe may abstain from allusions which may call up a disagreeable or offensive association. A gentleman never allude* to, never even appears conscious of any defect, bodily deformity, inferiority of talent, of rank, of reputation, In the person in whose society be is placed. Ho never assumes any superiority to himself—never ridicules, never sneers, never boasts, never makes a display of his own power, or rank, or advantages—snch as implied in habits or tricks or inclinations which may be offensive to others^

Mm. LONG'S CURIOUS PRESENTIMENT. New York San.

The aged mother of Dr. damuel Long, of New Brunswick, N. J., lived for many years in Norristown, Pa. She bad a presentiment tbat sbe would die if sb» had any of her teeth drawn. Several weeks ago one of ber young lady friends,, who was not very strong, had five teeth, drawn, and the old lady then decided tbat if tbe young lady oould stand the dreaded operation sbe oould. She therefore sonsulted with a dentist, who langhed at her fears. Three of her teeth were drawn without serious results, but as the fourth tooth was being extracted tbe old lady dropped ber bead, said sbe was dizzy, and in an hour sbe was dead.

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