The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-05-13

BEEcHER on HAIR DYE. In the
Ledger, Mr.. Beecher replies to the ques-
ton as to the morality of dyeing the hair,
as follows:
We do not think that it lies in the
sphere of morality at all. 1t is a mere
matter oftaste, and every man has Alright
to his own liberty, whether to dye or not
dye. But it Is asked:
docs not God make hair black or
grav?"
God does it. to be sure; but in no 9TH
er sense than He gives the collie after GU
cumbers, indigestion after excessive eat
in, constipation after sedentary habits,
rheumatism after exposure to cold and
moisture, and premature age to men who
have overtaxed themselves. Does any
body think it wrong to take medicine, as
if it were an interference with Divine
Providence? Still more pat is the ques-
ton. "Ought he not wear it as it grows 3"
How about cutting it, then? Has he a
right to NEEDLE with natures length of
hair. but not with her color? Is it
wrong 10 comb and part the hair? If
nature is to be strictly followed, how sin
full the race has become by wearing
clothesl No man was ever born with
trowsers on.
There is vast deal of nonsense spring
ing from incorrect notions Of nature
Men are born into life with powers and
faculties susceptible of indefinite develop
ment. The results to which education
brings man are as really part of nature
as are the faculties themselves. An
TO han ba
oak tree which springs from it. 4 gar
dener may by skill and patience produce
results in a vine which would have never
been reached if it had been left alone
But no gardener has power 10 do more
than develop what God had stored up in
the vine. The susceptibility to develop
ment is part of nature.
But let us 90 back to hair dive. If a
man is young, and from some peculiarly
of constitution, or by reason of sickness is
premature gray, whether he shall dye his
hair or not is a matter of his own. If
he will be the happier for it let him do it.
If his wife will love him the better, or if
she will be made in happier, in the name
of love let him dye Finally happiness
is a great blessing to purchase at so small
a cost as bottle of hair dye.
But is it seemly for an old man to put
on the appearance Of youth and not meet
his fate bravely? That is a question OF
good taste. For ourselves we prefer gray
hairs. \ buckish old gentleman of sew
enty-fve returning every month from his
barber with glossy brown locks is not our
style of manhood. But if he likes it, he
might do things far worse. We admire
the bravery in a woman by which, at
she carries her locks, full of
silver. And yet, ifher happiness may be
promoted by hiding the early gray, we
see no reason for criticism.
We are in favor of bald heads, and al
So of wigs and toupees. We are in favor
of wearing our own hair, and just as much
of borrowing your neighbours to exc out a
scanty supply if one chooses to do it. In
short, let one have full liberty of hair
1t would, however, be terrible to leave
men to full liberty of dress, and not to
leave their neighbors free TO poke fun at
them. But as long as we are free to
laugh, we may be safely left with the
largest liberty of costume. Shame is
more general and active restraint in this
world than science or reason.
We have but entered upon this subject.
Dyeing the hair is not a beginning. Ar
tifcial teeth grin at us; painted cheeks
and lips smile at us; and long forms are
made to look short. Dumpy people look
long. Thin and plump people come forth
plumb and comely. Fat folks shrink to
In the great world of toll
cite and dress, there are to be sure, some
questions of morals, but far more of taste.
How long the dress should be at the bot
tom is a question of taste, but how long
it should be at the top, is also a question
of morals. To discuss the whole matter
would require many articles.
The History Ofthe Tune Of''Dixic."
The Memphis Post tells this story of
''Dixie :"
In the first place the song and chorus
of ''Dixie" was composed and arranged
by Dan Emmett, a member of a travelling
minstrel party, who, while at Mobile in
laborers singing ON the levee while load
ing steamboat with cotton. The thought
struck Dan that with a little change Of
measure it could be made a good song and
"walk around" which generally winds
up a negro minstrel concert Dan ar
ranged it and produced it. 1t became
success, and was sung and played all over
the country by all the bands.
In the spring of 1861, Mrs. John Wood
came to New Orleans to play an engage
ment at Varieties Theatre During the
time she appeared in Brougham's bur
lesaue of PocahOntas At the first reher-
sal of the piece everything went well I'M
til near the close of the second act: Tom
(now agent for Lefingwell,)
the prompter, got up a ZOuave march and
drill by twenty-five ladies, led by Susan
Denim. Everything ran smooth, but the
music for the march could not be fixed
upon. Carlo Patti was leader of the
and he tried several marches,
but none suited McDonough-one was too
slow, another was too tame, another not
enough spirit. At length Patti struck up
the negro air of Dixie" THAT will do,
Patti-the very thing" said Tom, and
Dixie was played, and the march gone
through with, and the chorus by all the
characters. AT night it received double
encore, and Pocahontas had run, and
from that time out the streets and parlors
rang with Dixie" The war broke out
hat spring, and the military bands took
It up, and Dixie" became to the South
what the Marsellaise Hymn was to the
French. And that's how 'fDixie" be
came the popular war song of the South.
TRAVELLING STONES. = They have
walking stones in Australia, and, as we
Ire informed, they have travelling stones
N Nevada. Here is a description -
They are almost perfectly round, the ma
ority of them as large as a walnut, and
If an irony nature When distributed
about upon the floor, table, or any other
evel surface, within two or three feet of