Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-12-17

tFoR TIE COUNTRY
~ Is published regularly on TUESDAYS,
THURSDAYS and SATURDAYS. at Sc per
annum-payable in advance.
A TENDER HEARTED ENGINEER. .-Locomo-
tive engineers are peculiar class OF people.
Some OF them are very superstltious, and feel
almost as bad about runaiDg over a man and
killing him by accident as though they, had
only as one of the incidents of the profession.
''Thats the eighth man I've killed." said
Jack Smith, gloomily, after the coroner had
sat on the victim. Jack was engineer on
the Cleveland Toledo Railroad, and one Of the
best that ran into Cleveland some two years
ago.
Hundreds of people made it their habit to
walk on the track for mile or two out and
as there were several tracks with trains pass:
ing and repassing constantly, careless or deaf
people land deaf people always seem to prefer
railroad to walk on,) in stepping of the
track to get out of the way, frequently get
right in the way OF one approaching unobserv.
ed in another direction. In such cases, how.
ever careful an engineer may be, he cannot
prevent collision.
Yes said Jack, after brooding over it in
very melancholy way, that's the eighth
man I've killed 10 just that way-wslking on
the track, and then stepping right in front of
my locomotive 'thou't onts seeing me. But
this is the wust case of ALL" continued Jack,
producing his pocket handkerchief and blowing
his nose with much feeling ''wust case Of all,
ard feel dredful about it." His svoioe tramb-
led, and tear trickled down bis bronzsd
cheek.
"How worst of all, Jack ?" inquired.
"Wby, you see,'' said Jack, che was big
fat man, and he mussed my engine all up"
The NORTHERN PULp1r.-We fud 10 the
New York Herald of Monday the following ac.
count Of an entertainment given by Rev. ID
Henry Ward Beecher at Plymouth Church 90
Sunday last 1t must have been equal to b
first class theatre and surpassed anything ever
witnessed at political meeting. Such preach
ing ought to 'draw,' for Mr.. Beecher seemed
to put all of his hearers 10 good humor, and
they went their way satisfied, doubtless, that
they had been favored with rare entertain
meut. The Herald says: yesterday Broth.
er Beecher abandoned the sombre style of de-
livery with which he had surprised his fashion.
able congregation for some weeks past, and
was himself again. Perhaps he had grown
alarmed at the approaching revival OF the
Black Crook, and desired 70 give sinners
counter attraction which would wean them from
the meretricious Influences of that peslterous
drama. But whatever his reasons we're, 1t IS
certain that his sermon was not only serlo-com
ical in its language, but that 1t afforded SUB
lime opportunity, which was not lost, for
Brother Beecher to exhibit his powers as
comedian. Individual responsibility in reli-
sious and secular affairs was the theme OF the
discourse. Roars OF laughter attested the pow
ers of the preacher and the JOY OF the congre-
patiop. And when the swagger of the Popin-
iay Of Europe was described in pantomlme, the
enthusiasm was immense. One pious lndivl-
dual encored so loudly and persistently that he
had to be equelched by volley OF 'sh' 8 y
Thus passed the ca rstiau Sabbath at the
Brooklyn abernace. We cherish the hope
that many souls were saved. '-Lynch. parg.
The DIVORCE BUSINESS IN CHICAGo.-The
States of Indiana and Illinois are famou tor
the facilities they afford for dissolving copjugal
ties. The process in the various courts OF
these States is simple and easy, so that very
few unhappy partners need apply IN VAIN.
Consequently, the work OF undolng what the
Parsons have done, goes bravely on, aud the
LAWYERS reap good harvest in the shape OF
fees. The business has been very active in
Chicago this year. We are told by an exchange
that ':down to the 9Th of August when the
new constitution abolished the most popular
divorce court-the recorder s-sixty suits had
DScQ Wy "OWOo ih wv oNPSAAo,
court twenty.tbree in the circuit court. and
two hundred and thirty three in the recorders;
by men. twenty-five in the superior, thirteen
iu the circuit, and one hundred and ninety
seven in the recorder 's-making an aggregate
of five hundred and fifty eight in little over
seven months. In 1860 the number reached
six hundred and fifty eight, of which over FIVE
hundred terminated in final divorce. A large
proportion of these cases Of matrimonial INTEL.
city do not originate in Chicago. 1t is stated
that at least two thirds of them come from the
East to avail themselves of the easy divorce
laws of Illinois. Chicago is merely in this
country the autithess Of what Gretna Green
is in Scotland-the back door through which
mistaken life partners emerge from their
shackles and copjugal Imprisonment.
COUNTRY BORN AND BRED.-Tbe New York
Commercial, noticing the recent removal OF an
eminent lawyer from Troy to New York city,
mentions the fact that with here and there
au exception the most eminent legal talent OF
the metropolis graduated in the rural districts.
Evsrts, Fields, Stouehtop, Seward, Choate,
Shofer, Fullerton. &c., were not to the pave
ment bred. On the contrary, they were "nur-
rlaho rnrk ond