Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 12, Number 52, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 24 June 1882 — Page 2

Vol. 12.—No. 52.

THE "MAIL

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

PUBLICATION OFFICE,

Wo 18 South 5th Ht., Printing House Square.

Town Talk.

THE VINCENNE8 ESCAPADE. For a hundred years or more, Vinson nes has been considered one of the few finished towns of which this growI ng country could boast. The stranger «aw it but to admire, and could recommend nothing to improve its appearance twva a fence around it, which would add tofts beauty as a frame adds to a picture. Of course the people considered themselves as finished as the town, and a acandal within its sacred precincts was ttomeftiing unheard of and never expected but with communities, as with ndivldual", the unexpected often occurs, and Vinuennes has not proven itself an exception to the general rule. The scandal has

v-oine,

and an institution of

learning, with lottery attachment, has furnirthed the participators. Scandal Is something which is read by all, which relieves T. T. of the arduous duty of going into details with which all readers ot the public press of this locality are familiar. The sweet rilorsel has been rolling under the tongues ot gossip fora week or more—and to what purpose? The peace of a family has been disturbed a wife has loarned to despise her husband, and a young woman has lost what hersex will never return to her—a good name. Ioes theend attained justify the means which have been employed in this case? T. T. thinks not. It was in tho power of the discoverer of tho couple to prevent the wholo business and this should have been done. To prevent a crime is much iwtter than to await its completion and then expose it, and if a -crime was commitod in this esse which could have been prevented, it looks bad for whoever) allowed its fulfillment.

There is no proof that the lady in the caw authorized tho use of her name as tho wife of a fictitious porsori, or confuted to it. In the absence of any proof of criminal intimacy the mantle of charity should certainly be thrown around the lady, and those who are so mixlon* to ruin her character could make better showing of Christianity and Ammanity by holdlugout a helping hand in tho hour of her trouble. A little •more charily, and much less taste for ocandal and general condemnation would be more becoming.

I'NKNOWNCOKUKSI'ONDKNTS. A great many newspapers throughout the country make a special feature of their "Personal" and "Wanted" columns, in which are to bo found many sickenlug communications between lovers, assignations and appeals from tooth sexes for correspondents. Those advertising for correspondents do so for various reasons. Some men doltthrough lure mischief, in order that they may find how many fools will accept invitations to open up correspondence, which seldom, if ever, results In good. There are a few who do it for the reasons stated in their advertisement, but they aro very few, Indeed. Women of doubtful age and vanishing matrimonial hopes are willing to correspond with the belief that thev may catch husbands, but it is a forlorn hope, which seldom pans out. It is not long since T. T. heard of a case in point. A young man stepped into the ofilce of a leading hotel in a city not more than a thousand miles away,and, glancing over the register, sauntered ofi" to the jtarlor. He was followed by the clerk, who wanted to know if he was one of the guests. Ho was not, consequently he was requested to leave. He left, but soon returned, and again took up his quarteis in the parlor. The clerk sent after him with orders to report in the otttce, which he failed to comply with, necessitating another trip by the aforesaid clerk, who was not in the l*set of humor bv that time. After considerable talk the young man volunteered the information that he expected to meet a frlet»d. Who was the friend? He didn't consider it a fair question and evaded an answer. Was it a gentleman or a la ly? That was worse than the former interrogatory, and another refusal followed. He was again compelled to evacuate, but before leaving wrote a note which he took away u.ui him. After be had been gone about an hoar, the clerk received a summons from the parlor, and upou going in found a young lady, well known in the city, who inquired if Mr.- was stopping there. She was informed that he was not, hat would not be satisfied until she had examined the register. She was very much disappointed, as she had an engagement to meet him there at that particular hour. Would she please describe him She could noMs she had never seen him before, but was to meet her here then. After expressing much disappointment she took her departure, but in a abort time sent in a note addressed to the gentleman of whom she was in search. The note still adorns the clerk's desk, and If this should catch the gentleman's eye,

he will know that it is still there, and he can have it by calling for it.

THE PUBLIC PASTDRAOK.

So much has been said in regard to cows running at large, and so little hqs been accomplished, that it seems almo^ useless to say more. The matter has been before the Council often, but that august boby is so weighed down by other cares that it has no time to devote to a subject so trivial. For years the poor man's hog was a bone of contention, but it was finally banished from the streets, except daring the watermelon season, when it is allowed the freedom of the city, and a free indulgence in rinds. The rich man's cow is another sort of animal, however, anti will not down so easily. The city has been surrendered to it so long that its title is considered equal to a warranty deed. It is not content to roam the streets and pick what is to be found, at the same time defiling the streets, but must needs take in the yards and devour the shrubbery wherever an open gate can be found, or one which can be opened by skilled horns. With very few exceptions the animals are owned by persons who can afford to pay for pasture, and tllfcy should be compelled to do it—in fact, must be compelled to do it, else those who have endeavored in vaiu to decorate their yards with fiowers and shrubbery will be compelled to de sist. In this city the cow may, with propriety, be classed with the beasts of prey, and it is deserving of the classifi cation. If the press of the city would take the matter in hand it seems that it should accomplish some good. There is certainly no reason why any citizen should be allowed to run his family dairy at public expense, and it is a crying shame that such is the case. Let all the papers take up the case and make determined warfare until it is decided one way or the other. If the cow is to rule let it be so decided, and if there is strength enough in tho Council to abato the nuisanco, let it manifest itself without delay, by doiug it. The Democrats made a great ado about what they would do if their candidates were elected. They have now a good working minority, and can gain praise for themselves by taking a stand in favor of an ordinance which will clean the streets of this nuisance, and give them the appearance of a city, rather than that of a country town,

Our Breakfast Table.

The precipitate advent of Summer has its efi'oct on the appetites of the most sharp-set boarders. They grow fastidious and critical, and nibble where once they ate.

The Major takes his coffee by spoonfuls, and Jack examines apiece of toast as if it were a curious remain, or bal an,*es a spoon neatly on the edge of his cup and Miss Laura shows the feminine taste for pickles. "Mrs. Welby, what is that neat little pamphlet tho postman has brought you?" asked the Major. "This is the twelfth annual report of the Ladies' Aid Society," she replied.

How apropos. Then the bushel is taken off the light, and we may have a few twinkles. Allow me to examine it. Thanks! Hum! let me see—officers, committees, reports, disbursements, and so

011.

Seems to me the names are the

same I have seen for years. How is that, do you never get new members "Not many this society is a sort of plow-handle that sticks to the hand. It is hard to let go. No doubt some of the ladies would like to retire, but who will take their places? It is not so easy to get workers who can be relied upon year after year, Summer and Winter, as we can upon these."

"i

notiee that you have received for the year ninety-six hundred dollars, of which all but five hundred wines from your mortgage and railroad stock. Isn't five hundred dollars a very paltry con tributlon by the city of Terre Haute to such a society "Perhaps it is, Major. I would be pleased to start a new paper with your name for—say, fifty dollars," was Mrs. Welby's sharp retort. "But I don't know that anyone is to blame, for with our liberal fund we have not needed much additional aid."

The Major said, suavely: "I 11 overlook your little allusion, which perhaps is a fair bit at all would-be critics who criticise without earning the right to do so. I notice further that yoor ten visitors have given away seven thousand dollars. That means a good deal of work for ten ladies, and also means much goed, I don't doubt." "Indeed it does. There were nine hundred poor people to be seen—some of them many times*. There were deserted wives with helpless families there were weak, industrious women, with worthless husbands widows and orphans with no money to bury their dead or feed the living and disabled or sick men—poor, helpless bread-win nera— with hungry families. Then there are so many oases of doubtful merit, where one fears to encourage mendicancy or to neglect positive suffering. Sometimes we do perhaps spend money where we

should not, but we have—fortunately, no doubt—some tender-hearted women who would prefer to feed even a great, hulking man than to let his little, neglected children suffer but, as a rule, our work is very systematic and judicious, I firmly believe." "I suppose," said the Professor, "you have many cases of nice families, who must be helped almost in secret, and who would suffer before they would take aid from anybody but your society." "There are many such. We can publish that we have spent seven thousand dollars, but not always the names of our beneficiaries and if anybody thinks we neglect our duty, let him report to us any suffering family, worthy of aid, and test our society. I do not think it will fail to respond." "Some think that your big fund attracts designing mendicants to the city, who hope to live upon it," said Derby. "Well, we cannot help that but I hope your 'some' who think so will allow to the committees the possession of a little common sense. They know "What o'clock it is?" suggested Jack. "—Once in a while, the difference between sturdy beggars and suffering poor," continued Mrs. Welby. "Of course, I admit that," said'Derby. "The work is a noble one, in good hands, and it is fortunate that you retain your experienced visitors, who are so well informed in the history of your pensioners, and know their wants. Long may they live!"

The Profeessor very naturally introduced the subject of the Public School Commencement, and said: "You probably did not go to the Opera House last night, Derby?" "No, and probably will not. Entirely too wholesale an affair. Why, when I went to the Columbia High School, we went by merit. The best orator had the valedictory, the finest scholars the salutatory and honorary addresses, and the poorest scholars didn't appear. It is not to be supposed that an entire class can furnish essays good enough for the public. It is nothing but a dress parade," was Derby's vigorous reply. "Tut! tut! The essays area small part of it. At any rate, if the public fills the Opera House two nights, it shows that the public is satisfied with the essays, if you are not. You ought to go and renew your youth, you dry old fish. Remember how yon scram bled through your English Literature, Cyclopedia, and poetry to get up your graduating exercise, and how happy you were. W7e don't want great, ponderous assays like you would write at forty. We want just what our boys and girls can write, who have not had time to think very deeplj' about anything—and I am glad they haven't. Every one of them, last night, read just enough to show that they knew the difference betweon fine and poor literature, that they could write grammatical, graceful sentences, and that they knew just as well as you do when you write an editorial for a paper, the aims and purposes of a noble life, and jastlike you they may or may not live up to their knowledge." "I like the dress-parade part of it, too," said Miss Laura. "Now for an opinion as is an opinion," exclaimed Jack.

Yes, I do," she continued. "I think it is nice to bring ocit the whole class on the stage, and let people see that every boy and girl in the people's school has had an equal chance—and when the least tavored by fortune or position makes a finer offort than the more favored, it is a lesson for all—and I like to see every girl with a handsome dress on, and to see how little difference there is between twenty girls from all parts of the city, when they have the same chanceand she drew along breath. "Anything to add on the dress-ques-tion?" asked Jack. "Yes, I believe in the pretty dresses. I think every girl ought to have a chance, once, to appear in a beautiful, becoming dress, and to enjoy the opportunity of looking pretty and mingling witb others on an equal footing. I do not think it wo«ld do any harm for a generous sool to give to some poor, struggling girl who appreciates delicate and tasteful apparel, the prettiest dress she could allow herself to wear. Of coarse the most of girls who can be spared to go through school till they graduate, can afford a handsome Commencement robe—and it is mean to begrudge it—mean to be always talking about it. I believe in good clothes as a moral agency."

Whew!" Yes a well-dressed, neat girl or boy or man is away ahead of a meanlydressed, slovenly one—has more selfrespect and general get-up^"

The Professor said: "Miss Laura la about right. It Is a good thing to exalt oar public schools by exhibiting some twenty-five or thirty young people, who look like ladies and gentlemen, who can come forward gracefully and self-pos-sessed, say what they have to my with neither diffidence nor bombast, and give a general idea of the influence of their school-life. From the highest to the lowest, we need be ashamed of none of them. We do not claim oar school to be a university, bat merely the people's

TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 24, 1882. Twelfth Year

school, that tarns oat a good average, and the average is gradually and surely advancing. Better show the whole class, than to pick out the prodigies. The Public School is not designed to produce prodigies, but to elevate the entire attendance to a good average. The prodigies should go to another school, about which we will talk some other day."

From His Window.

It is refreshing to meditate upon the large amount of goodness laying around loose. We see so many guerrillas of the press watching for men's weak spots to probe them. We display such an anxiety to have secret investigations made public—that justice may prevail No, not a bit of it, but that we may have a little crim. con. to roll as sweet morsels under our tongues. Really, it is none of my business, or yours, either, where Mr. A. and Mrs. B. travel to, or how. We get feverishly impatient, though, to know all about it. Now here is a clever thing. Our gilded youth puts its hand in its pocket for several hundred dollars to help a sick friend from this which a Canadian friend calls a "beastly" climate, to the sunny skies of the Pacific Coast. The aforesaid golden boys did a similar generous thing a few months ago, and then again awhile back. A gifted friend, who does not admire organized charity, (which is just*his chaff) would quote the sentiment that the recording angel dropped a tear to blot out one of Uncle Toby's big oaths, etc., etc. This reminds me tbat these spontaneous little charities put to the blush a good deal of cant.

Come to think of it, we have much cant. Now you, my friend, who only need a pasteboard cover to be a walking dictionary, think cant to be the especial property of women's right-ers, preachers, and Sunday-school officers who default. My idea is that cant is the language of the party that has more mouth than heart. The individual on the fence is a can tor, and often the temperance ranter is reformed de-canter.

To resume, all this splash by five-minute-writers, eternally criticising and criticising, is oant. Knew a man once whisper iu his ear when asloep, anything, and he would dream of it whisper in the other earf the opposite, and he teould dream that. So when my dearly' beloved friends get on their hobbyhorses and charge on charity and churches, society and societies, temperance und tariff, preachers and politics, I laugh. They dream, and next week or year they'll dream the other way, or, to return to the idea of all mouth and no heart, they are like a chicken—when its mouth is open its head is half off. So I see cant everywhere. In the festive Fenian flare-ups (weekly), in the candidates' chronicle (after the convention). The man that wou't swallow Tallmadge's cant, gulps Ingersoll'scant without a wink, or vice versa—and his credulity is decidedly a vice. One of the most delightfully certain pagans in this city talks to me like an angel, by the volume, In his innocent kicks against others' doxies he don't know he is a cantiug humbug. Don't you do lots of this? Of course you do.

It is all very well to laugh about a heraldic device that has on it a crusad-ers'cockle-shell, and any-one will laugh that can't show one. But our nice, clever people—and such are we—like to date.back to the Indians, at least, or show a teaspoon as old as 76. I like the Terre Haute style, and as I see the old families that began fifty years ago have only grown from one-story to two-story residences, I feel that this is yet a twostory city. The old folks, in a half a century, have moved from First street as far as Sixth or Eighth street. The people we like to know are at best plain, but rather rich people. Their homes may be extensive, but not extravagant solid, but not stylish (not very).

If we see a very gay dress, artificially very full behind, the wearer is a visitoi from abroad. They say the old Riches don't spend enough money tbat is, they don't splurge, which is to their credit. The Terre Haute style has a trace of Maryland, a tinge of the Quaker City, and a flavor of New Jersey, but very little New York and Chicago. Let us rejoice.

The reigning dames are placid, unpretentious, and run the Ladies' Aid and Parish societies on business models furnished by their husbands and the husbands like to wear their second-best coats, and buy another lot which doubles in value in thirty years or more, then they build. A very occasional party pays off all standing social obligations for another year. Onoe or twice a year my lady puts on a dress that is very rich, very unobtrusive, and visits all over town, and conscientiously omits nobody. Her cards lie in the receivers four months, and are used for grocery lists or whist tallies.

A large portion of the younger element wants to board. As each new couple enters a boarding-boose, the old boarders look at them with pity and say, "May the Lord have metcy on your

poor souls"—but he does not, and hence boarders are all transient, very transient. Eyery lady who is anybody has a premium receipt for an impossible (for anyone else to make as good) cake, and keeps a large blank book in which to copy the receipts of her friends. Hence every donation affair show's thirty-one kinds of cake to three kinds of rolls aud biscuits, all of them superlative. The crest of our average family might be a fruit-cake, and the motto: "improved by age, substantial, and no sugar-coating."

I could not miss the chance of seeing my friends assembled at the Opera House last night. Commencements are always refreshing, and all old stagers take a melancholy pleasure in watching the breezy, bright-eyed youth tumble from the nest. They intend to go it alone, and we think with pity that they are like the young bears, their troubles are all before them. I was impressed with the careful preparation made for this Commencement. The results were striking and beautiful. Summed up they were music, ruffles, bias tucks, eloquence, scollops, poetry, dainty gloves, a la Bernhardt, philosophy, lovely fans, severe morality, and a rosebud garden of girls—ahem! Some parts of the performance indicated hard work for the— seamstress, but it is ever thus, and I was pleased as Punch.

As we waited last night for the curtain to rise, or for the everlasting laggarts to come in, I had time to read through and through the High School Review. Having the programme upon it, it was well circulated, and circulated well that little item about the Normalites. This item was not only a libel upon thestHdents of the Normal, but upon the High school itself. It would be difficult to compress more unmannerly spleen and perversion of fact into eight lines, which at once were awkward and vulgar. It was evident that the unfortunate Normal students were classed with the Chinese and ought to go.

ABOUT WOMEN.

It is needless to remark that the large hats now worn by the ladies are not geared right for windy weather.

Miss Phebe Cozzens, of St. Louis, is pronounced the best-looking, best-liked and best dressed of the woman suffragists.

A sermon on the vanities of this life is weakened by the time it travels over a large congregation of beautiful bonnets.

There is a man in Green Bay who has taken his wife baek three different times after she had eloped with other men. He likes her style of biscuit, probably.

Encouragenent to women—One hundred dollars offered at an agriculture fair for the fastest trotting horse, and one dollar for the best loaf of the "staff of life."

There is authoritative. An old orthopedic sergeon of New York says the number of splayed feet among the ladies in tbat city is increasing. He insists that high heels on shoes break down the arch of the Instep and the result is fiat feet.

Mrs. Nellie Grace edits the largest paper at Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She issues a daily and a double sheet weekly. Another lady owns and conducts he largest saw mill, and another is developing a lead mine besides superintending a large farm.

The women who work in the English collieries, says The Argonaut, wear loose trousers, and are naked above the waist around the waist is a leather belt, to which a large chain is attached. This chain is dragged between the knees, and pulls loads of coal through long, low, damp, dark passages, the women compelled to go on all fonrs, like brutes. In this way they haul loads of 6,000 yards a day. The "gentlemen" owners of these collieries compel this work, yet talk of thte "delicacy of the sex being destroyed by the ballot!"

A series of coincidences observed in a Boston horse-car a few days ago is thus described by The Journal. "Seven yoang ladies were perveived in the car, of whom not one had both gloves on, and none were wholly bare handed. Of these, four had gloves on their right hand and three on their left,and in every instance the ungloved hand lay in the lap above the other. All of the seven bare bands bad diamond rings upon them, and whenever any attentions were needed by the hair or raiment of the ladies,!n every instance the ungloved hand was used to bestow them, and in the necessary movements the stones flashed and glittered very mach. And when, as happened in process of time, the seven young ladies left the car, one after the other, four of them waved their right hands to the conduct je to direct him to stop, and the other three agitated their left hands, and again the rings sparkled quite copiously. All of which was very carious and interesting to the scientific mind."

Always help the man who has befriended you.

IDEAL ART IN THE SHOW BUSINESS. Peoria Saturday KvouingCall.

It seems to me that the shows this season have got more wild, weird and appaling pictures than ever were seen bo-« fore. It is evident that managers dua* ingthe post winter must have drawn heavily on the insane asylums for ideas. Only an imagination run mad could ever have conceived anything so exaggerated and extraordinary as the Sells Bros.' picture of the two hipopotamuses, and yet that picture was really about the tamest one exhibited here this season. In this picture only the heads, or more properly the mouths, of the animals are to be seen, the remainder of the bodies being hidden by the "tempestuous waves of the mighty Nile." But those mouths! The hideous, horrible jaws are distended apparently about eight feet. A full grown man standing upright on the lower one would be unable to reach high enough to touch the upper with his hand. And tho expression of ponderous solidity and resistless power that the artist has been able to work into these jaws if fully sufficient to convince the beholder that the beasts could chew up large size burglar-proof iron safes with as much ease as a man could crush an egg-shell.

But the Bacheller A Doris fellows "acquire the pastrv." Ono can imagine their intense admiration and delight when the inspired maniac who does their drawing brought in the sketch of that cow. This cow, of gigantic size and terrible aspect, carrying a six-foot native in a blue flannel breecli-clout in her bloody tooth, is charging across an arm of the sea, carrying consternation and terror to a fleet of ships that are desperately trying to get outof her way. And how B. A: D. must have hugged the artist when he unfolded his sketch of tho blood-sucking bats, bigger by several times than buzzards, that are seen feasting on an encampment of African warriors. Aud if they didn't beg him to accept a half interest in the show as a slight testimonial of their gratiude, after' seeing his "Lion Slayer"—a baboon holding a perfectly immense lion out at arms'-length with one hand and ripping his bowels out with the other—they are not the men I take them for.

The picture of the elophant "Samson," used in advertising the Cole circus and menagorie, is a stunner. Samson is represented as about a third higher than the Court-house that is to say, about fifty feot high. His saddle is a covered pavilion about the size of an Adams street street-car—the large ones used in warm weal her for picnicsand excursions. Sixty people ride in at once without crowding. Down Samson's sides, about fifteen feet below the pavlllion,are

fng

tlatforms, each capable of accommodat-twenty-five additional passengors. To reach the first platform the daring adventurer is obliged to climb a ladder forty feet long. Another ladder of requisite length leads to the pavilion above. By way of contrast, the artist has placed an elephant about the size Juintx? just in front of Samson's fore legs. He Dears about tho same proportion to Samson that a kitten does to a cow. Magnificent and impressive as this picture is, thoro ia one improvement that might be suggested. The artists ought to work in a passonger elevator, of modern design and ricblyj upholstered, in plaoe of the ladders.

Of course there are multitudes of peoplq, all over the country, who never yet doubted a show-bill or a show advertisement. But this picture of Cole's elephant is, I fear, going to be mighty straining^ on the rural and juvenile minds. If the show comes here and the elephant is no higher than an ordinary four-story house, there will be bitter disappointment.

FITTING HERSELF TO A CHAIR. N. Y. Cor. Cincinnati Enquirer. In a fashionable furniture store, I didn't at first know what to make of tho actions of a young woman. She was elaborately gotten up as to clothes, and had some advantages in the way of natural good looks, so tbat she was altogether it thing of considerable beauty. She was sitting in an upholstered easychair before a big mirror, and striking various poses—now lying back on the soft stuffing with her" arms spread out negligently now leaning against one of the sides, with elbow supporting her body now sitting bolt upright in the middle. All the while she regarded her reflection in the glass with a critical air. What do you suppose she was at? Why,

fetting

herself fitted with a chair. She

new now hard it is to be graceful in some of the chairs of novel shape, and was bound to have one that would help instead of hindering her in nosing prettily before her visitors. When a girl sets out to be a fascinator, yon understand, she must use all the devices available for that purpose. So this creature was neither lunatic nor feol, though the appearances were a little against her. I hung about covertly, and saw that she finally bought the chair, with the proviso that the sides shoulube lowered two inches.

KEPT OUT OF THE WA Y. In too many households the sraall boy is considered a nuisance, and only that. He is not wanted in the parlor because his boots are muddy, nor in the sittingroom because he slides down the bannfilter. He sleeps In the back attic because "it is good enough for a boy," and he cannot be trusted witb the wall-paper and wood-work in one of the bed-rooms, tho short-sighted mother forgetting that pleasant and cheerful surroundings have a vast deal to do in the formation of the tastes and habits of humanity. Whatever he does offends wherever he is, be is in the way. His coming and going is a matter of indifference, so that he "keeps out of the way." Consequently he roams the street at sight—hours after be should be in bed. Wno bis associated are, where he goes, and what he learns, may be told in time from his vulgar manners, his coarse language, and his dissipated habits. Who Is to blame for his ruin? If boys were kept out of thestroots at night, their companions carefully selected, their manners and morals looked after by those whose duty it Is to instruct, and protect, and guard them from evil, there woald be little need of penitentiaries and popular reform move™ei?u\ Fprm correct principles from the beginning, and there will be no need to reform them. Give your boys tender care and protection.