Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-12-02
BY THE BLUFF TATLER.

Iv-LIG HTS AND SHADES.
The man who tolls need never trouble
himself with the thought that the men or
women who trifs their time away are
| happy. Look at Fitzpoodle, the dandy,
srrayed in broadcloth, with vermillion
necktie, patent boots, Paris hat, and q
watch-cbain ornsmented with crosses and
keepsakes; think you be is happier Or
jollier than Cobs, the cobbler, dressed in
his common-cut corduroys, with plain
studs in his hickory shirt aud plain band
around his coarse felt hat Not bit.
OF the two Cobs is the most useful man,
because he works and pays his way ;
while Fitzpoodle is alwaysidle and never
liquidates his debts. Look at Miss Oat-
sideshow, as she trips down the sidewalk,
appareled in crimson silk waist and
sky-blue skirt, with plumed turbsn SCI
sideways on her head, and an Arab shawl
flung carelessly across her shoulders, her
eyebrows penciled, her cheeks rouged,
her nose and neck varnished with the
Bloom of Youth" and soy is she not
the pink Of beauty, the goddess of grace
and the angel of elegance2 o But wait
till she doffs her fuery and sons her in
door toggery, and washes her face, and
lays aside her ringlets, and Tolls on the
parlor sofa, and what do you behold Z? A
useless lump of clay, thousand times
inferior toAhce, the tidy housekeeper,
who brushes away the cobwebs, lights the
fires, makes the tea and toast, trips
through the house blithely, sings like
lark, bushes like rose, and brings
forth Joy with her smiles. Sappose
it should fall to the lot of poor
Jiblets, the Joiner, to marry Miss
Outsideshow, what happy time he
would have with her and she with him, If
there were but very littles cash in the
drawer and DO cook in the kitchen 2 Il
is only thus by locking at the lights and
shades of things that we learn their
proper value. Miss Neverknewanything
might dazzle one by her appearance at
tableau as the Queen of Diamonds ia
borrowed jewelry; but if she were to tie
a check apron about her waist and at.
tempt TO make cup of coffee, one would
be amazed at her stupidity and borrified
at the STOP served. All is not gold that
glitters by gaslight or moonlight or IN
the unskilled eye. There are people, to
be sure, who imagine that Turkish
harem is like o Mormon household; but
this arises from surface science and in
formation derived from lestherheads.
There was grim old law in New England
hundred years ago to the effect that a
maid who coaxed a lad into marriage by
perfumes, powders, false hair, I false
teeth, corsets, crinoline and high.hesled
boots should be prosecuted for sorcery,
and if found guilty burned az witch; but
the progress of enlightenment (as the
newspapers ssy) has taught US what sad
and absurd fellows our grandfathers were;
and who knows but the next generation
of gentlemen may think US the greatest
boobies that ever existed2 The most seu-
sational man nowadays is the Populsr
Preacher. Religious freedom has pro-
duced as great variety of IDEAS as po-
litical freedom; but whether Gas the ar
risgs service ssys) "for better or for
worse, for rich or for poor, every man,
being in a free country and his ewn mas
ter, must decide for himself. Next in
order Of excitement is the Perpetual
Candidate, a comicsl cuss with an ever
changing countensnce, no sentiments,
empty pockets, idle gaze, and always
sighing for small piekings. lis worth a
ten cent piece to see how gracefully be
button holes voter ard how humbiy
he bows to press reporter. Poor fellow
why don't he do something besides hut-
tering about like 9 buzzsrd Why not
employ him instead of the Chinamau2
Why not make him useful as well 90 or,
namental2 Still the man who tolls should \
not neglect bis own enlightenment, but
endesvor to learn everything worth learn
ing. The task will be found more vain,
able, more entertaining and more agree
able than gossiping about one another's
faults, pickering about trid,s, filing the
soul with unkindnsss, aud making life a
weary pilgrimage through darkness and
danger, without a spark of hope or a mo- |
ment's peace from the start to the end OF
the journey. ErAalgT -au1
lyIl
A Priest Shot Dead at Confession. |
q At B4lfontaiue, recently, man named
John Powers went 10 confess to a Csth- |
olic priest, aud shot him. ID Z u /
The ball entered the priests head
about three-foarths Of 40 inch above and
forward of the ear. aud passed through
to the base Of the brain. killing him in-
stantly. Powers at once started for the
Jail aud delivered himself up. No one
saw him do the deed. The murderer !,
says that be went to confess To the priest
and that the priest began to sssuse him |
and highly insulied hir oy telling hin
that the Pro,estap. religion was no bet-l
ter thsp adogs, and that be then drew
bis revolver Ia Smith 4 Wesson six-
shooser) and shot the priest As be went to |
the table 70 snuf the candle. Powers |
had been alternately Catholic, Meth
Odisl and 3 Bapiisi, and was very eccf, a.
80