Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-10-08
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
A D VIRGINIA VERTISE
(FoR THE COUNTRY
!:A- Is published regularly on TUESDAYS,
THURSDAYS and SATURDAYS, at Sc per
annum-payable in advance
BEAU HICK MAN.

BEAU HICKMAN.
That prince of dead beats and Tycoon OF
bummers, Beau Hickman, is in New York and
York Standard. Among other questions put
to the great chip collector" were
''Do you take much interest 10 current poll
tics, Mr.. Hickman p
o. yes. Always 90 to those conventions
especially Presidential. Thought Of going up
to Rochester. Have attended the national
conventions for ihe last thirty years. Don t
care 50 much about these State politics.
"What are your opinions respecting the last
Congress p 80
Now, to tell the truth, I don't think much
ci6c sopers-that's what [ call 'em-hey !
They amt so lively and gentemanly nova
days as they used 10 be- They all 20 in for
cheap board, and all that. They save their
revenues to speculate in lots. Not half so gen.
teel as q good square game Of faro or seven up.
That used to be the way in my day. was a
cotemporary OF Henry Clay-had the honor of
being born down near whe.e he was. They
boast that old Hanover county produced three
great tAmericans-Patrick Henry, Henry Clay
and you know the third, hey ? There no need
OF great man being so devilish modest, you
know. I'm not what 1 was though; that's a
TACT Used to be great beau with the ladies
at White Sulphur Springs-well let me see,
about 1880. There was d-d upstart
there-some count or other-called the beau
America to have to import our dandies.
The afternoon l got there, just before din
ner, out on the verandab, where everybody
could hear him, he called out to his valet,
Here, Jim, bring me my ninety. second waist
coat for dinner Then called out louder to
my boy, Bring me my one hundred and nine.
ty-second pair of pantaloons, and fifty sixth
coat. He boltcd by the next evening" train.
Bolted is a word from the turf, you know. l
saw him and went him one hundred better,
as they say in bluff. That's the way came to
be called Beau. ~
The Standard reporter here making a de-
monstratiop toward the door, the distinguished
parsonage above described inquired if he knew
What Chips" were? Protesting ignorance
and teachable spirit, be was instructed to the
effect that the Beau calls 5 bill white
chip" S. bill red chip and $50 bill
blue chip" half dollar he calls "spilt
chip" These phrases, he informed his audi.
tor, he had borrowed from The gaming room to
designate the amounts he was accustomed to
levy upon ali gentlemen who were introduced
10 him, or introduced themselves to him, or to
whom he introduced himself" The reporter
took the hint and gave the Great Interviewed
The chip Whereupon they parted.
RIVER Bor1oM FARMS The late floods 10
the James and Shenandoah rivers have been
most disastrous to crops on the low grounds on
these streams. 10 view OF the constant llabl-
ity of the rich auvia fields which lie on their
banks to be destroyed by overfows aud the
frequency of such cases, We are disposed to
doubt the correctness Of the universally preva'
lent idea that river bottoms are more valuable
ior cultivation than improved uplands. 1t is
true that they are far more productive than
the more elevated lands which are beyond the
reach of freshets. The soil too is much deeper
and stronger as well as more durable. But
still, the fact that the crops which are cuitlVa-
led on these rich fats are every year exposed
to devastation by an enemy that can neither be
avoided or resisted, cannot be Denied, ]here
is no sream, however, great or small, whose
bottoms have been prepared Tor tlllage,
that is not pregnant with the Danger OF
which we speak, and universal expert
enoe testi6es to the uncertainty of crops
along their margins. We do not mean
by these remarks TO condemn the practice OF
farmers and planters in cultivating their low
grounds. This they should do, tor all human
things are sutiect,to vicissitudes. But We will
take the occasion to say that the wiser course
would be in all cases for them to improve their
uplands and render them as luXuriant as pos.
sible for by so doing they will be largely In
IDENTIFIED for the losses they may sustain by
nundatiops. 1t has been pretty much the Gus
tom heretofore to put the bulk OF the crop IN
the river fields and to trust the whole years
profit to the chances OF escape from the Watery
grave which may at any time sweep 1t away.
By equally dividing his labor and attention be-
tween his low ground and uplands. the evil
would be corrected and he would have the ad
ditiona! advantage of the increased productive
ness of the latter by regular, judiclous pro
Iy improved upland is moro valuable than bot.
tom land, because it is not subject to the ter
ribe visitation of an overflow, which so often
blasts alike the hopes and labors of the farmer.
Petersburg Courier.
How WE 60 TO SLEEP. The order in which
the muscles lose their power is deserving OF
passing notice. The muscles which move the
arms and legs usually become relaxed before
those which maintain the body in al erect POSI-
ton. There are, however, many exceptions
to this rule, as may be seen IN church on not
Sunday, when some of the congregation are a.
most certain to be seen with their chins quietly
resting on their chests, but yet tightly erasplngG
their prayer books. In relation to the special
senses, that Of sight is first lost, the closing OF
tne eyelids setting up barrier between the
retina and the external world. Some animals,
as the hare, do not shut their eyes when asleep;
and in cases Of somuambulism the eyes remain
open, although the sense OF sight is temporari-
Iy lost. The other senses are not altogether
abolished but their acutcness is much lessen
3D. Taste is the first and then smell; hearing
fellows; and touch is the most persistent Of
the senses. So, conversely, person is most
easily awakened BY the sense OF touch; next