Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-12-02


,nsrged.
The MEAN MAN. There was q revival in
the region where old Smithers, as everybody
called him, lived, and it took hold of him one
day. Smthers was q dreadful mean man, op-
pressiye to the poor and all that, and never
raying u debt il he could help it. lie was only
known ~ "Old Smithers, " although he wasn't
SO very old either.
Old Smithers took habit, IS they say iu
Wisconsin,, to attend one of the protracted
meetings. lie was struck with conviction the
first night and converted, as he claimed, the
next. After his conversion he was announced
to address his fellow sinners on the following
Sunday afternoon. The news that Old Smith
crs had got religion spread all about the neigh
borhool. Some doubted it; said he was put
ting it on 50 as to skin folks little closer ;
Others more charitable, said it might be true ;
and they hoped he wouldn't be 50 mean in the
future 1t 1t was.
When Sunday afternoon arrived the church
was crowded The entire neighborhood turn
ed out to hear what SO mean man as Old
Smthers would say for himself after passing
through conviction and conversion. All was
still in the church when Old SmitherS arose to
speak. lie began by telling what q mean man
he had been ali his life. He said he had pro-
hably done more mean things than any man Of
his years and opportunities living, and IT there
was any mean thing he had failed to do it was
either because he hadn' thought OF it, or there
was no good chance. Alter going somewhat
into details regarding his meanness, astonish
ing even those who thought they knew hun
best with the recital, and declaring his utter
unworthncSS, he resumed his scat.
There was brief pause, after which neigh
Dor of Old SmitherS, member OF the church,
,,,h hhOr
to Brother Smithers for long time. L have
lust listened 20 Brother Smithers remarks,
and, from an intimate acquaintance with him
and his actions for many years, | am prepared
u endorse in the fullest manner all the charges
he has made against himself, and more too.
He is certainly the meanest man L ever knew
ia the whole course OF my HE, and sat down.
Then arose old SmithCrs, pale and trembling
with rage, and exclaimed "lts ID lie, and
I'll whip you ai soon as you leave the church.
The iIIU PRICEs.-Thc causes OF the pre-
sent high prices operate in u circle. 1t costs
more to produce things than formerly, mainly
because labor is higher, and labor is higher be-
conSe living is more costly Nobody is con.
tented with the profits customary before the
war. and cannot afford 10 be, because taxes and
other necessary expenses are so much heavier.
And so il is IN whatever direction We look
The customer finds fault with the retailer, the
latter throws the blame on the wholesaler, he
says the real trouble is with the manufacturer
or producer, and the latter wants to know how
he Is going 10 live on less price for his goods
or wares Suppose we all acknowledge that
one il Is much to blame aS another, or rather
which is probably the trucr statement that
the present scale of living has irresiSl6ly iol.
lowe from general causes, without any special
.. 10 rf n nnIf
question is, how shall We get out of the pre-
dicament? Here, too, there must evidently DO
the same conjunction of influences. Ii used 70
hr SAID that bring down gold, aud everything
else would come down. Ii dbl not prove
so. however, for the same reason wo have
noted, namely, the uterdepcndence of so many
agencies bearing upon the matter. First of all,
we want n series OF good crops to make pro-
duction abundant. That will give the first
blow 10 the high cost OF living. That will
cheaper latOr without injury to the Iaborer,
which will multiply and cheaper manufactured
Goods. which will extend business With these
processes will come q relief from the necessity
of LARGO protitS, diminution OF the rate oil
tavat,on. with undiminished revenues to the
Govcrnment. and gradual return to specie
novmcnts In short, as President Lincoln SAID
apLInt rho war in one OF its dark periods we
','"st trnn pegging away" Every man who
Socs ali the work he eau, and lives as frugally,
and md rsvs as promptly, is doing his share toward
Ibn rrInrn Of better times. And It we can only
have m the greater part of the millions of people
nnrsuins that course, the Improvement Will be
absolutely irresistible, and pretty rapid, too'-
Boston JounGl.
The question of human hair blanchlng IN
single night from the effects OF fear or grGa'
trouble, has recently been investigated by III!
Austin Flint, an experienced writer on phys'
ology. This gentleman does not consider th'
case of Henry ". of France, Marie Antonette
or Sir Thomas More sufficiently we'll deilnet
hy the historians to be entirely depended upon