Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-03-03
MATCHES, Music, MONEY, AND Nun.

we accidentally witnessed the other day a
little scene ofsingularly ludicrous and pathetic
interest. The fact Is the wourd is not half SO
bad as cynlcs would make it out to be, and the
true creamy milk OF human kindness may We.
be found upon earth, undiluted into chalk and
water. A little German match girl, in her
haste to escape cab that came rafting along
the street she was crossing, ran against large
dog that was bouncing at the same moment in
an opposite direction, andoyer she went, with
her box of matches and al, postrate into deep
puddle ofmud and water. Her matches were
nvery one destroyed. add the poor girl was
dragged out of the puddle by passer by, COW
cred from head to foot with a thick and uni+
form covering of glutinous blue mud.She could
emit cry at first for the mud that was plastered
all over her face, and it was pitiful though lu-
dlcrous, to see the poor thing blubbering and
bay ling with her ewes shut and her mouth wide
open.
The cab-man drove On, with an oath and a
laugh; clerks and business people hurried past,
having no time to bestow more than glance
upon the little object; a fat grocery keeper sat
on barre, drumming with his heels and laugh
ing ready to burst at the sport; his example
was followed by half dozen dandy negroes,
with canes and gloves, standing on the corner;
and the only being who showed the child the
least compassion Except the individual who
pulled her out of the puddlel was an old music
grinder, who set down his barrel organ on the
sidewalk, pulled snuffy cotton handkerchief
from his pocket, and commenced rubbing the
mud from the little girls face. The dandy
niggers an the grocery keeper were even more
delighted at this than at the tumble, and their
amusement grew more excessive every mo-
ment. The innocent music grinder, however,
I seemed to have no perception of anything lu-
i dicrous in the situation, and continued, with
very grave countenance, rinsing his handker-
chief again and again in'the gutter, and wiping
the mud from the chids face, until the poor
girl at last got her eyes open. Then the mig
gers and grocery man had new laugh, and
louder vet, for the first use the little grl made
of her ewes was to look round for her matches
and upon observing the inter demolition of her
whole capital in business, she broke out in
pitiful expression of glief while her tears burst
forth to assist the old music grinder in wash
ing her face; all of which was irresistIbly droll
to the grocery man and nlggers.
Wewill never say another word against Or
gan grinders. Weconceive that this old man
has fully atoned for all the sins ever committed
by himself and his cotemporaneons mnrderers
Of melody. This old fellow had music in his
son, as well as in his barrel organ. He had
an organ of benevolence as well as of music.
We have been in the habit of abusing and rldi-
culing these itinerant street Ministries, but we
shall regard the whole tribe with honest res
pect hereafter.
so shines good deed in naughty world
and fit was the fashion in ourday for virtue to
90 starring, we should expect to see this old
man strolling round with his organ to some ac-
count.
His kind feeling did not cease here either,
for seeing the chld still wringing its hands, and
gazing pitifully at the puddle in which the mat
ches we're plunged, the poor old beggar drew
! several small pieces of silver from his pock-
ct and put them into the little girls hand,
at the same time pattihg her kindly on the
head. -.
: We incontinently placed fifty cent piece up.
On the fore Joint -four right thumb and fIrted
# TO the oIdfellows foot. He picked itup and
put it in the little girls hand. There was
fashionable residence near, and we were
!, happy to find that all this had been observed
I One of the windows was lifted, and fair hand
( threw out a shower of silver, every coin 0
c which was gathered by the old man and CIV.
t en- TO the match girl. There is something
!. about this, now, that we woulI call touch 0
. street romance, for such things are not see
every day. PIcayune.
S CURIOUS REMARKS on THE BIBLE, b
'- widow at Go who had nothing to do,an
n could not sleep.
70 The Bible contains 1866, 4s9 letter
Ne siO,697 words, 3l,173 verses, LIS
lie chapters, Sc books. The word {" and
RI occurs 1927 times, Lord" 1854 :
'e g Reverend" only once, and that 10 III
ut filth Psalm. The 9th verse ofthe Il
ID chapter Of Ezra contains, the alphabet
le The 10Th. chapter of the ID book Of KING
a. and the 37th chapter of Isaiah are alik'
te The first man recorded as buried N co
q FIN ,voS Iosooh E04b -haueer of Genes