Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 17, Number 27, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 25 December 1886 — Page 1

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THE jylAIL.

A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

Twelve Pages.

Notes and Comment.

A Merry Christmas to all!

Make happy the hearts of all the little ones, The stockings Khould be well filled. You have to fill them only once a year.

It will soon be time to turn over that new leaf. Might an well be thinking about the matter now.

Westward the hoary liar takes his course. A report comes from Cheyenne that a Maltese cat there drives the cows to and from the pasture as successfully vs a cow boy.

In her new $500 poein, Rose Elizabeth Cleveland declares thnt man Is "a thing of hair and neckties." Rose should not say such naughty things if she ever expects to get married.

A Democratic representative from Texas lost his vote on the Morrison bill because he was taking a bath—and yet they say tho southern Democrats are not progressive.

It is getting pretty hot for the ©lection scamps in Indianapolis, but it is not hot enough yot. Let tho good work go on until tho forgers are put behind prison bars for a good long term.

They have an effective plan of getting rid of unpopular preachers in Rockford, Illinois. A certain church had but three attendants last Sunday, and the minister immediately resignod.

A Rockville editor has been apponted postmaster or thnt place, and he is al ready adding his volco to the shout that is going up from officeholders—for •'Cleveland and Reform."

Wo hoar a great deal of the superior in ventlve ingenuity of man over woman and yet this weok a Florida woman was arrested who had for some time been smuggling rum from Cuba in a tin bustle, which had long deceived the revenue odicers. .,*y

The election frauds, the coming session of tho Legislature and conjecture as to who will be the next Senator, have all lost their interest in Indianapolis—driven Into obscurity by a weightior subject. They are talking of forming another base ball club over there.

Many-tlmes-a-mlllonalre Mackey haa declined the offer of the Senatorshlp of Nevada. Western millionaires usually buy their way into the United States Senate, and as this was offered him unanimously, Mr. Mackey doubtloas declined because it came too easy.

And, after all the nastlness of the Colin Campbell divorce case, the jury found that neither of the partial was guilty of the offenses charged. This will be glad news to the readers of that class of literature, for they will get a chance to read it all over again when anew trial takes place. ________

And now some health crank has discovered that the daily use of potatoes fills the whole body with starch and produces catarrh. It is In order now for some other health crank to show that the eating of good juicy beefsteak is responsible for the corns which decorate our feet. _____

Cleveland's mugwump friends claim that It Is rheumatism and not gout with which he is afflicted, and that he has had the complaint after each annual mesaage. His last one did not have quite that bad effect upon its readers—it only put them to sleep.

Herr Liebknochi, the German socialist, who was over here a few weeks ago, according to his story, had a splendid reception on his advocacy of socialism. Distance lends enchantment to the gentleman's views. Over here it looked as If his socialistic theories were decidedly snubbed.

Men may coins and men may go, but the Downing Beasley contest seems destined to go on forever. At the present rate of progress the examination of witnesses will not be concluded before next spring, long after the legislature has adjourned, and the election of a Senator has been decided.

After all the talk about the color line In the south It transpires that it exists in the north. ANew York manager has barred his theatre against colored patrons —*td what makes the action more prominent is that the first week the new rule operates it prevent* the colored cltima from assisting at a benefit to the Orand Army of the Republic,

Master Workman Powderiy has given further evidence this week of hi* good senses He declined to address a meeting of the Vnited labor party at Philadelphia. saying that as long as he holds his present position he will neithar preside,

officiate or speak at political gatherings, and advised the discontinuance of any action as to a party. His other, and better, move was the reprimand of the Chicago assemblies for their endorsement of the anarchists. No organization that expects to gain public approval can endorse the opinions of the men charged with the Hay market murder. The order has created no little excitement among the Chicago Knights, already badly affected by internal dissensions.

Another New York alderman has gone to the penitentiary for his part in the Brooklyn railroad steal, and it begins to look as if "boodle" has lost some of its power in the administration of public affairs. The time has come none too soon, and from the present state of public opinion it will not be allowed to pass without emphasizing in a very marked manner the fact that the laws cannot be violated to benefit a few individuals with a little power.

Even the worm will turn when trodden npon, and so much fun has been made of the army because of the disgraceful surrender of a squad of soldiers to train robbers in Texas recently, that meeting of the enlisted men at Fort Worth, Texas, has denounced the con duct of the party. It is something of a novelty in the way of public meetings to hear of a meeting of United States regulars denounce the cowardly conduct of some of their fellows.

The Chicago millionaire, West, now undergoing imprisonment in the Penn sylvanla penitentiary, for complicity in the gas well riote last year, has again been refused a pardon, and it looks as if he would have to serve out his sentence There Is nothing particularly severe about this, although some of his friends are laboring to make It appear so. The laws are made for all men, be they mil llonalres or paupers, and their enforce ment should in no way be limited by the slanding of any violator. Mr. West can evidently cut no great figure as a martyr to unjust laws. ,l

A Baltimore reporter has been sent to jail for refusing to reveal the name of his Informant In a grand jury disclosure, the judge making the point that if allowed to go unpunished, the example would eventually lead to the breaking up of the grand jury system. If there is one feature of our modern legal system deserving to be legislated out of existence it is the grand jury. By it persecution Is made possible, as a means of gratifying private spite and malice,"and an innocent man is as likely to be sub* jected to expense and annoyance as one who Is guilty. It is a secret court in which only one side of a casie ie heard, and in the march of modern Improvements ought to go.

Prof. Swing has reached the conclusion that the ballet has como to stay "as long as amusements and material beauty shall stay on earth," but he makes the plea that the ballet girls should wear mere clothes. It Is not altogether certain that the reverend gentleman is alone in his position. Tho ballet girls of the National Opera company must have been better looking and more shapely than any that has-ever been shown here, for most of the latter could only bo attractive when abundantly dressed. Age and an entire lack of attractiveness have in the majority of eases distinguished them, and our ministers have had no chance to discuss tho splendid disguise of sin as illustrated by the ballet.

Samuel E. Perkins, a witness In the fraud cases now in course of investigation before a United States commissioner at Indianapolis, refused to testify and was sent to jail for three months for contempt. As the gentleman was the one to whom the correct returns were handed, and which he gave back altered, he perhaps has personal reasons for refusing to testify. All the same the Investigation is going ahead, and before the end is reached some of the ward politicians and fine workers will hear something drop. Were such offenses permitted to pass unnoticed the affairs of state might as well be turned over to the bal-lot-box manipulators. Fortunately there are fair-minded men In all parties who will spare no efforts to bring to justice these offenders, whose crimes strike at the very root of our liberties. Justice may be somewhat slow at times, but it finally brings about the desired end.

That the feeling is becoming stronger among all classes that the product of convict labor should not be sold in competition against those of honest labor, is shown by the report to the House of Representatives of the committee on military affkir*. Severe criticism is made upon the employment of convicts in the manufacture of shoes in the military prison st Leavenworth, the boots and shoes for the artny being made at that place. The report after setting forth the theory that the boots and shoes cost much more made there than If purchased of manufacturers, makes two goed point*. #One is that the conrict workman lacks the skill sad aptitude of the professional workman, and the other is that a sentence to prison followed by an education as a shoemaker, a broommaker, etc., good quarters, good living and good dothes, has not In It the tsr-

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Vol. 17.—No. 27. •***&*$'*' TERRE HAUTE, IND., SATTJRDA' EVENING, DECEMBER 25,1886.

rors tending to suppress crime. It is fitting that the general government should take initiatory steps toward suppressing this evil. While there is much to be said for and against the system, it is certain the majority of the people are opposed to it. And the majority should rule, although in these days it is not always the case.

Let the little ones believe in Santa Claus. Don't rob them of this sweet faith, by word or act. Only a few more years, and then they will have learned: for themselves that gifts come from warm human hearts—not from the genial old man from Greenland. The fond deceit will vanish soon enough, without your help and then one more pretty thought will have been laid away forever. Until then, let Santa Claus be in truth all that he is in sentiment.

The barn-storming aggregations which started out at the beginning of tho dramatic season, prepared to astound the world and coin money are now beginning to break up, and the would-be actors, who might shine as wood-saw-yers and housegirls, are now engaged in pedestrian exercises. In Marion the other day, one of these barn-stormers, driven by hunger to desperation, committed a burglary, and got a year's sentence in the penitentiary, where he will be safe for a time from the beckoning of fame. The desire to run a newspaper or be an actor are strong rivals In the breast of many a person, who has no qualifications for either. The results in many cases entitle these characters to a term in prison, although violating no laws of the country.

"The lynching Is generally cbmmended by our best citizens," says a dispatch from Eaton, Ohio, telling of the hanging of a man by a mob for an atrocious murder perpetrated there. It is such nonsense as this telegraphed over the country that creates a sentiment that murderers should be hanged without process of law, as a warning to other criminals. It Is a pity that the circulators of such stories cannot be reached by the law as accessories to crimes that follow. The best citizens of no community can afford to sanction mob law—and they do not. The best citizens condemn lynch law, and believe that the ends of justice are best reached by a strict observance of the laws enacted for the punishment of crime. They know and say that two wrongs cannot make a righ\, and that the reputation and staudlng of. munity is injured in every instancy where violence is resorted to as a substitute for law and justice. Let have no more of the twaddle about the "best citizens" commending mob law."

LOOSE ENDS TAKEN UP.

Ex-Sheriff Hull, who has been appointed superintendent of the poor farm by the new Republican board of commissioners, is a member of that coterie of Republicans known as "the kickers.* It may not be generally known, yet it is a fact that there is such a clique in this county. Its membership is small. Its persistency in opposing any candidate or measure having the endorsement or favor of certain prominent gentlemen in the party, is its chief claim for recognition. As illustrating the perversity of politics It may be said that these kickers were regulars when the anti-Pelrce Republicans were kickers.

There has boen a good deal of local interest in the federal appointments this week. The Brazil and Paris postmasterships had a local interest if not a local bearing. Garner, the newspaper man of Paris, who defeated his dozen rivals, has a number of friends in this city who rejoice over his succes. If John Sourwine had received the Brazil appointment before the election, there would have been a good deal of political significance in it and Mr. Lamb's troubles would have been increased ten-fold in Clay county. The Brazil postoffice war is now nearly two years old and the effect of the appointment of Sourwine has been discounted. It will be remem bered that when the fight was fiercest sn effort was made to secure peace by means of an election. At that election Lynch led the several candidates voted for. Sourwine declared that he had not submitted his candidacy to the ballot-box test. He was the choice of the Lamb Democracy, but it was thought best not to force him into office until after Mr. Lamb had tried conclusions with the kickers already in the field.

A gentleman just returned from Washington says It Is all fixed for Hanlon to west. His appointment will require advice and consent of the Senate. It Is not expected that those who opposed his confirmation as collector of Internal revenue will renew the fight on him. "Did" Alexander, whose father, Colonel Alexander, was a particular friend of Senator Voorhees, will not get a land office, but it Is understood abetter thing has been prepared for him which will keep him in Washington this winter. Captain Barrett, who had a lot of cattle at the distillery at one time, and who was also in bosinem here, wee an applicant for the United States Marshaiship for the southern district of California.

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Monday the President nominated notber man for the place*

The local Democratic leaders do not Save much hope of carrying the city in spring. They realize that it will require more than one winter to heal the wounds of the Lamb quarrel. Each side ip determined that no active member of ie other shall be nominated or elected an office of any kind. It is conceded $hat Jim Fitzpatrick will be renominated tor treasurer, but the anti-Lamb people |*y he was too demonstrative in his supof the candidate for Congress. Some iends of City Clerk Davis are insisting .t he should make a third race but it understood that he declines to do so. ,nk Morrison will be a candidate for uomination for marshal. Mayor Kolim would like a second term but he has been warned. It is remembered pgainst him that he presided at the I jamb eting at Dowling Hall and that after had been considered as "one of us" the kickers. Among the Republicans

Jos. H. Briggs is frequently mentioned as a candidate for mayor. With plsem and Briggs as the two candidates re would be furnished the spectacle of of a kind. Among all the citizens of irre Haute no two men can be found io will equal them in tho politician's of caution. They are indeed politic iticians. It would be an interesting tpaign and if they should be the oping candidates the time between the ventlons and the election should be igthenod from one week to one month.

ie Downing-Beasley contest grows re tiresome and the end seems to re[e as the proceedings drag along. In fa county the^e has been but little done 'frying the week. What evidence harf bfl^n taken, however, is considered very stjj&ng for the contestor. The net result int^this county thus far is that about fifteen illegal Democratic votes are shown have been cast, the proof of which is than sufficient to take before a rotable court, such as the House of ^resentatlves will be In this case. In tiivan county there has been an odd

Jng of the contest. According to law the county clerk appoints the justices to take the evidence in a itest, and the Democratic clerk at [llvan appointed two Democrats on

JDowning's petition. Tho duties of commission are ministerial, yet Sullivan Dogberries decided that were no grounds for a contest and & to take evidence. This sort of tMng, it may be remarked, will tend to jtify any aetion the aforesaid favorable coart may decide to take in the matter of the contested seat. v•.:%

While there has been no public effort to enforoe the liquor laws here, and the town has the appearance of having been given over to the "wide-open" policy, it is a fact that steps have been taken in the past few months to enforce the Sunday law. The movement was not of a public character quite the contrary, indeed, and no mention of it was made in the local papers. A temperance society in one of the prominent churches concluded that something should be done, and headed by the pastor besought the grand jury to take action. The pastor was called before the grand jury and asked if he could swsar that liquor was sold on Sunday. Of course he could not and he was informed that therein was the trouble in successfully indicting the ths saloon-keepers that there must be direct evidence of violstion. The temperance society thereupon placed spies at some of the saloons and sent to tho grand jury tho names of a number of well-known young gentlemen as pat­

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Still a good selection to be had in Fancy Goods and Toys for the Holidays at Fechheimer's Cent Store, South Fourth Street.

of Sunday saloons. These young men were called before the grand jury, but of course they could not swear just who It was that handed over the bar to them their beverages, and the then crusade, if it may be so called, came to an ignomin- =======•&%:&

MR. BEECHER AS A CONTRIBUTOR. The Mail, with several other Journals, has made an arrangement with Rev. Henry Ward Beecher to contribute a weekly article. This may be regarded as a feature of great interest. Mr. Beecher hss written little for the press of late years, and it has been difficult to engage him for this work. Whatever subject he puts his pen to he invests it with rare interest, and we have no doubt that our readers will welcome gladly this valuable addition to the special matter prepared for The Mail. Hie first article, on "Christmas Thoughts," written as only Beecher can write, appears in this issue. Other articles on social, political and religious topics will appear each week.

"SNOW BOUND AT EAGLE'S? Lsst week's issue of The Mail is exhausted and as a very lsrge number of subscriptions begin with this Issue we reprint upon an inside page last week's installment—the first chapters—of Bret Hade's charming story "Snow Bound st Eagle's," with an additional chapter on the page following. If any of our readers skipped it last week, we sdvise that the thread of the story be taken up. It has the old time flavor of the rare, M»e unique, the only Bret Harte.

ME. BEECHERS LETTER.

CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS FOR A CHRISTMAS SUXDA1*. j-

THE BIHTH OF PEACE ON EARTH—THE WORLD TO BE ANCHORED IN STILL WATERS AND UNDER SKIES WITH

GOLDEN CLOUDS—A CHRISTMAS IN OLD NEW ENGLAND—A CONTRAST WITH THE CHRISTMAS OF TO-DAY. [Copyrighted, 1886.]

BROOKLYN, December 22.

Of the four evangelists only one gives us the angel choir which announced the Saviour's birth but that evangelist, Luke, set forth the sweetest idyl that was ever recorded. Every poet of name since the Advent has celebrated the angel vision of the shepherds who, watching their flocks at night on the hills around Bethlehem, saw the heavens flaming with light and resounding with angelic music.

To a devout believer the scene is full of entrancing interest. But, even to those who are not fortunate enough to accept this scene as the Church does, it yet has charms which place it at the very top of dramatic poetry.

There is an exquisite simplicity about the scene. It developed in the heavens. It had no storm or thunder. It was a flash of light upon midnight, as it wore a singing meteor that stayed not, but with sweet outcry went back into the mysterious space whence it came leaving behind nothing except those melodious words which.have gone on sounding over the world. And what nobler words, fit for the lips of a God, were ever recorded? "Peace on earth." Peace was a seed never before sown on earth. Thistle seed, thorn seed, nettle seed had been sown broadcast, but peace never! Warriors were the heroes of antiquity. Men burned town and city and quenched the embers with the blood of those who had dwelt in them. In the sea or forest there was nothing so cruel as man. In courts, corruption in camps, cruelty and slaughter everywhere joy kindled only to be quenched by suffering. Not the midnight dew was more abundant than tears. No other sentence could be framed that could so surprise the world as this angel prophecy, "Peace on earth." Passion extinguished, cruelty ended, the cry of the warrior, the sound of the trumpets and neighing of steeds, the clash of armor and the cries of the host ended and peace on all the earth, that had never known peace but had brought forth its generations with cries only of anguish! Words lit for a coming divinity!

But, ages have rolled away. The angels have gone back into heaven and the earth has had no peace! Even tho hope of it seems to have been slain when the Saviour cried,

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come to Bend peace on earth I come not to send peace, but a sword." Were tho angels wrong? Was the hope fallacious? Did Jesus rebuke their utterance? Nay. Both were right and loth were true! "Peace on earth and good-will toward men" is the harbor towards-which the world is steering. The voyage is long, and has been, and will yet be, tempestuous. But the harbor is awaiting the incoming ship. The world shall yet be anchored in still waters and under skies with goldpn clouds that carry no storms, but an everlasting peace!

In the long voyage, with dark days and relentless storms, the shipmaster lays his course, and knows that with patience and skill he will reach the desired haven, and leave the storms to mutter and the fierce waves to rock themselves to sleep.

Once spoken the words of the angels cannot be unspoken. We cannot hear them but they are yet sounding. No matter what discordant noises drown them to heart or ears they are still murmuring in the upper air, "Peace and good will to men." As in some of Beethoven's symphonies the theme for a time is lost in the war of the orchestra and the rush and roar of contending instruments, but reappears at length, and rises higher and clearer, and finally rides triumphant over the storm, so it is with the divine peaoe.

Discords die out in concords. Defeats are but seeds of victory. The earth goes on thundering, but the far-up heavens sing on—snd so shall it be to the end. We are waiting for that other angel song: "The kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and be shall reign for ever and ever."

All the Christian worid once agreed in celebrating this Christmas Day as a day of joy, of greetings and happiness. We onrselves were cheated out of it an age when it would have been enchanting. When the Puritans broke with the mother church, they not only renounced the government and doctrines of the Church at Rome, but they sought to get rid of the superstitions that lay hid in many Innocent services. In my youth the scriptures were not read from the pulpit on the Sabbath, because reading of the scriptures constituted an important element in High Church worship. Tbtere were few or no services at funerals feasts, fasts and festivals were mainly set aside. Had it not been that my father was an eloquent preacher the

Seventeenth Year.

church service would have been dolorous in the extreme. There was no brightness in it, no atmosphere or color, nothing for the imagination, nothing for the senses, nothing but the duty of sitting dtill and not whispering, and a certain fearful looking forward to catechism which awaited the return home. All that Sunday had for me of gladness was in nature, the sky, the clouds, tho hills, the shimmer of the distant lake, the birds or the stillness which sometimes seemed oppressive as if the world were pressing down upon me to take my breath away.

In those days no Christmas lajr in ambush for children! Santa Claus was unknown in Litchfield, or if recognizcd, by only a few Episcopal households by stealth. No dolls, no little wagons, no tops, no rattles, no skates, hoops or whistles no expectant stockings, no illuminated trees, no nothing! Indeed the day was not known or thought of. Santa Claus walked softly and held his breath in those days in our town. But now, thauk God, the innocent festival is oelebrated by all our children, and one day of three hundrod and slxty-ftvo stands apart from all tho rest dedicated to peace among all mankind, good-will and love!

Among the many Christmas displays about town none excel for lusclousness that of P. J. Kaufman's. Tho tasty, unique and attractive arrangement of fruits and poultry and game and appetlzizlng victuals, fairly makes one's mouth water Pass along that way and see it before it is-broken up.

On every one of the twelve pages of this Issue will be found interesting reading. It is our aim and study not to have a single dull paragraph in The Mail.

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HuNKt WAftB BEECHER.

Our table is filled with elegant holiday editions of our weekly exchanges. The Graphic News, Cincinnati, takes the lead, and is the handsomest holiday paper ever printod in- this country. The Des Moines Saturday Evening Mail ranks next, and then follow the Chicago Saturday Herald, Elgin Every Saturday, Topeka Lance, Minneapolis Saturday Spectator, Albany, N. Y., Sunday Press, all most elegantly printed and a credit to tho craft.

Ths oratorio of "The Mossiah" will be rendered by the Oratoria society, at the Congregational church, next Tuesday evening, and should have a large audienco, for this grand old work appeals not simply to the hearts of musicians, but to the respect and sympathy of the public, and with an impressiveness equalled by no other work in all musical literature.

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WOMEN'S WAYS.

Miss Mary E. Allen, Indefatigable in the promotion of the physical culture of Boston's daughters, has now'secured a perfectly equipped gymnasium exclusively for women. We laugh at Boston, as, of course, who wouldn't, but she does look after her women. I-

Dr. Elizabeth H. Bradley, of London, a leader in the social purity movement, who lately addressed'Sf'Chicago audience under the auspices of the W. C. T. U.,. says to mothers: "Don't let your daughter marry a man to save him." This is not Cbristisn sentimentality, it is better —it is Christian expediency. A pure woman is worth a legion of corrupted men.

The famous female gymnast, Zazel, known as the original human cannon ball, for two years a feature of the Aquarium, in London, and for a season with Barnum, retired two or three years ago to study for the stage. She made her debut in a comic opera at the Harrisburg Opera bouse. She appeared as Regina in the "Princess Trebizonde," and scored a great success. She sang her first song while walkinga tight wire over the heads of the audience.

Jennie June says: A long cloak of seal-skin or other fur is quickly found to be a mistake, for there are so few days upon which it can be worn while the heat it produces is so much greater than that of an ordinary garment, that a change is always sttended with risk. A gentleman who had paid 9400 for a seal cloak for bis wife, after several years of repeatedly expressed desire on her part, was unutterably disgusted to find, after a trial of one season, that she bad it cut down into a dolman mantle, which could' have been bought for 9150.,

A Boston philanthropist and student of human nature bought a dozen cheap umbrellas, had a nickel plate inserted in each handle on which was his address, and the request that the umbrella be returned, and on the first rainy day i#nt out on the street and banded one to each umbrellaless woman that he met. All were returned within a week, but one, and in place of that came a note saying that it had been stolen and that the writer would pay for it. The next rainy day he handed the umbrellas to twelve unprotected men. He never saw bnt one of them again, and that was brought in by a friend who said he had stolen it at a church festivaL

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