davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
PENITENTfARY, CELL No. 97.l
December 27, 1875. {

Ny PRECIOUS ,Gose,wor::-lt is. q
.asSct thai I robbed n man. and an r.
d,itional fact that, for this little 6x
plot, | am now serving out 4 sem
tence of ten years in the penitentia-
ry. No doubt knowledge OF this
fact goes hard with you and the old
woman, as the realization Of it GER
tainIy does with ME.
But. governor, | can not think that
you should blame me altogether for
this unlucky scrape. The lessons you
gave me Oh the subject of respecta-
bility, were so many seeds sown in
very rich soil; and it was my horror
of work and its consequent loss of
responsibility that brought me to rob-
berry and the Penitentiary.
Besides, my most righteous gov
ernor, although, as in duty bound,
YOU took endless occasions to preach
honesty to me, your practice, l was
sharp enough to perceive. was quite
the reverse. In fact, it was down
right rascality. Your idea of respec-
liability, permit me to suggest to you,
was Utterly false and pernicious, in
tiuencing you, as it did, IN support of
this ridiculous sham, to resort to
shifts and tricks Of which truly re-
spectacle man would have scornec to
avail himself. Think you that, boy
as | was, | was too obtusc to discern
and understand the means by which
you deceived and swlndled first one
man and then another? There were
neighbors Thompson, Jones, Smith,
and many others, from whom, to my
certain knowledge, you borrowed
various sums at different times, and
you have never to this day returned
to them one cent-that is to say, you
managed to get possession of their
money without incurring the risk
usually attending theft and robbery.
There arSkthe merchants of the viii
lage; is there one Of them that you
have not cultivated and finally vic
timized? There, too, are the news
paper men, the doctor, the school
teacher, tho mechanic, the butcher,
and host of common laborers, to
say nothing of the numerous, hard
listed farmers from whom you have,
from time to time, bought butter,
eggs, poultry, etc., on a credit. From
all these parties you have contrived
to procure services and supplies ac-
tually for nothing. All this may be
very respectable" but it is certainly
not honest. In comparison with you
and all such as you, the midnight
thief is a gentleman, and the highway
roboer hero.
All! my affectionate governor, had
you been little less fastidious about
your respectaoility, little more given
to useful industry, little more hon
est in the payment of your debts, you
would have set me a better example
and been spared the humiliation of
my crime and its just punishment.
Your ruined Son.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
A Sad New Year.

Mrs. Tilton spent sad New Year.
Her husband returned few days
before from his successful Western
tour, and found that his daughters,
Florence and Alice, had not called
upon their mother. Florence, the
elder, now dignified snd self-reliant
young woman, was quite disinclined to
do so, out Mr. Tilton, il is said, urged
that her mother would miss the calls
and attentions she had been aecHs-
toned to receive, and the daughters
at last started off in carriage, with
two bouquets for their mother. Ar
rived at the door, they sent up their
names, bouquets, and an affectionato
note, with the salutations of the new
year, and asked to be admitted. The
servant quickly brought back the
bouquets and the note unopened, with
the message that Mrs. Tilton did not
wish to see them or receive anything
at their hands.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
Don't Plant all Cotton, This Year

Our readers, for the past five years,
are fully aware that we have been a
deadly foe to the all-cotton system of
planting. We have labored zealously,
'in season and out of season." to in
duce the farmers of Mississippi to
adopt a wiser and more p.ovident
course. We have scolded and coaxed,
bullied and cajoled, and used every
fair and honest means in our power
to prevail upon them to abandon
their error, which we knew would be
fatal to their prosperity, but, though
we could bring their own expert
ence since the war to sustain our ar
guments, to-day there are almost as
many all-cotton planters as there
were in 1866.
The "Jack o. Lantern" which has led
our planters on from one failure 10
another for the past ten years has
been the hope of making big crop
of cotton, get big price for it and
have big surplus at the end of the
year. The farmers of Mississippi are
poorer this lst day of February, 1876,
than they were at the surrender, and
the whole cause of this calamitous
state of affairs is the all-cotton system
of planting. If our lands would not
produce the various kinds of grains
in large quantity and Of fine quality
ir TREY could not grow grass, clover,
root crops and vegetables in as great
abundance as any country in the
worId-if :hey could not raise cattle.
hogs, sheep and mules as easily and
more profitably than any other--if, in
fine, cotton was the only thing they
could produce, there would be some
excuse for this all-cotton SYSTEM. 1t
would be the misfortune of the peo.
pie and not their fault; but as it is,
their folly is criminal. This all-cot-
ton doctrine is the most ruinous that
any people ever followed, to their
own destruction.
In California, for anumber Of years,
the only crop was gold, and while
she adhered to her one-prcduct sys-
tenn, buying from abroad everything
she needed, she was one of the poor
est States in the Union. Now, that
she has diversified her industries and
made her gold her surplus crop, she
is the richest and most prosperous.
So it will be with Mississippi, as soon
as her planters will make her cotton
the surplus crop by raising their sup
plies at home and making their farms
self-sustaining.-Farmers' Vindicotor
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
"iS That Ant -

A few days ago a gentleman from
Tennessee, following the fashionable
impulse to "Go West" stopped At
Jefferson City. lie had heard of tie
thriving business and live nature of
the place, and he had $4,000 in cash
to invest in trade right there. He
struck the JoWrnal Office, and that
paper tells the result:
We handed him the morning Journal.
TO our surprise he did not stop to
read our newsy "pick ups" or our
attractive editorial page, but turned
to the advertisements and commenced
going over their space. "Well,' said
he, looking up from the paper, "Is
that all Is that the business of this
town?"
"Oh. no." said we, "there is the
Tribune with few advertisements
that do not appear in the Journal"
He then counted the additional local
business advertisements in the I,I-
bune, and again looking up, with the
remark: "And this is all, is it? Why,
you haven't got near as much of a
town here as | thought you had"
And then we explained to him that
we have a great many business men
who do not advertise. "They are not
business men to hurt" was his answer.
We could not contradict him, and
we were powerless to vindicate the
''claims of the city," He left us, say
ing if he had time he would look
around, but thought this no place for
him.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
The EOthSchildS,

The combined capital of the Roths-
childs is stated by Emile Burnouf, the
well-known publicist, to have attain
ed IN the present year to the almost
lncalculabie sum of seventeen bill
lions of francs, or $3,40O,0OOOOO. The
significance of these stupendous fig
ures may he rudely conceived by
comparison, but there is nothing in
the history Of private wealth of which
they can be compared. The capital
Of Barings. the estate of Lord Dud-
ley, the Marquis of Butte, and the head
of the family of Grosvenor, belong
relatively to an humble category, to
which the city of New York has
contributed the fortunes Of Astor,
Vanderbilt and Stewart.
The financial resources attributed
to the Rothschilds can best be meas
ured by contrasting them with the
funded debts of the richest countries
OH the'globc. The capital of the house,
as estimated by NJ. Burnouf, is about
equal to the whole funded debt Of
of Great Britain, or that of France,
and considerably exceeds the nation
al debt of the United States. A sim
gle century, or the possible span of
y, f0r ha n
emulation of this fortune, and the
rise of its authors from a shabby
rookery in Frankfort to the financial
domination of Europe.
At the period of the Rothschilds'
first decisive triumph on the London
Exchange, the day after the battle Of
Waterloo, just sixty years ago, John
Jacob Astor was already rich man.
The great fortune which the latter
bequeathed is not believed to exceed
$50,O00,000, while the inheritance ofI
his Hebrew contemporary has been
swollen to more than sixty times
that sum. Although its territories
are not to be found on any map, and
the names os its Representatives, are
set off with iio princely dignities,nev-
ertheless the House Of Rothschild
must be rockoned among the fore
most war-susiaining and war-com-
pelling powers of the earth.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
For the Bpokhaven Led yer.
Father and son.
Tic MANSION, Dec. 3, 1875.

| w MhNSION, iIfS. Is Io'c'
My Dtr, Unhappy Son: - One
year ago ou, in a fit of ill-humor,
ran away from home, leaving us,
during this weary time, in state
of distrtsng ignorance with respect
to your ihereabouts, your present
situation.nd your future prospects.
Judge, tsrefore, what must have
been the elings of your poor mother
and anxins father when, the other
day, we hanccd to learn that you
are cOnti'sd at hard labor in State
prison ioS the crime of highway
robbery.
My son, how could you do this
wicked thing? How could you thus
bring downufon yourself this heavy
punishment, and upon your parents,
in their odd are, q disgrace so griev-
ously blighting? flow shall I ever
reconcile myself 10 the thought OF
my son in q conyic:'s garb? or be
able, under tliszsfreaiful stigma, to
go forth among men and hold up my
head agaif9
Up to It's cruel turn, it has been
my aim aid ambition to maintain the
pretensioIs and respectability of my
family, lsither engaging in myself,
nor exading of you, anything like
manual lrndgery. Often, indeed,
have ebeen sorely pressed, even
for the ncessaiies of life, rather than
any of u should soil our hands, or
lower ouselves in the social scale, by
vulgar, iynobIe labor. If there was
one thin; which I, in most especial
manner sought to teach you, it was
to be rspectablc-to preserve your
respectailitv.
If yoJ really needed money, my
son, why did you not do as usually
do, bofrbw il :! This, surely, would
have pSoved safer plan, one far
more respectable, than robbery. Re-
is nov, however, too
late, since you have already entangled
yoursei iE the meshes of the law.
| will add, in conclusion, that the
news Of your disgrace has cut your
mother to the heart, and so over
whelmed me with shame as to prompt
he wish, you had never been born.
have written this merely to apprise
you that we know where you are,
md that we fully realize the ire
,rievable wrong that you have done
Is. Your crest-tallen father,
JEREMIAH LYNCH.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
BROOKHAVEN, MISS, THURSDAY, ]

"Ah!" returned the guest, with deep
feeling, 'if poor Liant Morton had
such a wife he wouldn't be mail
carrier"
When horton left he was directed
to stop at the first settlement and state
to the officers what had happened,
and he promised to do so. He once
more blessed the brave woman who
saved his life, and then set out. Late
in the afternoon two officers arrived
at the cabin, and when they were
shown the dead bodies, at once pro-
ceeded to remove them. And ere Il
week had passed, the whole settle
ment blessed the border heroine for
the W ork she had done.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
Cheated.

Mr.. N, of North Vermont. is
not distinguished for liberality, either
of purse or opinion. His ruling pas
sion is fear Of being cheated. The
loss, whether real or fancied, of a few
cents would give him more pain than
the destruction of our entire navy.
He one day bought large cake of
tallow at country store at ten cents
pc: pound. On breaking it to pieces
at home it was found to contain a
large cavity. This he considered a
terrible disclosure of cupidity and
fraud. He drove furiously back to
the store, entered in great excitement,
bearing the tallow and exclaiming:
"Here, you rascal, you have cheated
me! Do you call that All honest cake
of ftallow? IL is hollow, and there amt
near so much Of it as there appeared
to be! l want you to make it right 2"
"Certainly, certainly" replied the
merchant. "l'll will make it right.
l did not know the cake was hollow.
Let me see; you paid ten cents per
pound. Mr.. N, how much do
you suppose that hole would weigh ?"
Mr.. N returned home with
the dishonest tallow, but was never
quite satisfied he had not been cheated
by buying holes at ten cents per
pound.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
Chanped His Mind,

A strappinS big stranger entered %
store on Woodward avenue last week,
and leaning too heavily on the show
case, broke one of the panes OF glass,
"That will cost you two dollars,
said the proprietor.
"Haven't got the money, replied
the stranger. 49,.
"Well, you can't go ont OF The store
until you pay for chat glass" said Tho
store-kceper in a determined voice..
"I'm sorry, but I'm willing 10 be.
licked, if that will do you amy good,
replied the stranger, rapidly getting
ont of two coats and vest, and show
ing arms like joints of a stovepipe.
ooh, guess it was purely acciden-
tal," said the shop keeper in an alter
ed voice, as he got behind the counter
in hurry and you needn't mind
about waiting around here any long
er. Here's car ticket if you are GO
ing up the avenue"
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
VOL. 5.


This is ABOUT the season of the yeal
when the country BOYS are most think
ing ofquitting the old farm aud going
TO the city in search of fame and for.
tune. Time spent in such thoughts is
time badly employed-better by hall
employ it in committing to memory
and repeating the following beautiful
poem by some unknown but very
sensible author:
Come boys, have something to tell you;
Come here, would whisper it low;
You're thinking leaving the homestead
Don't be in a hurry to go.
The city has many attractions,
But think of the vice and sins,
When once in the vortex of fashion,
How soon the course downward begins!
You talk Of the mines of Australia,
They're wealthy in treasures no doubt,
But ah, there is gold in the farm, boys,
If only you'll shovel it out
The mercantile life is hazard,
The goods are first high and then low;
Better risk the old farm awhile longer
Don't be in hurry to go.
The great busy world has inducements,
The rostrum, the tripod, the mart,
But wealth was not made in 2 day, boys,
Don't be in a hurry to start.
The banker and broker are wealthy
They take in their thousands or So
All think what they have to encounter;
Don't be in hurry to go.
The farm is the safest and surest;
The orchards are loaded to-day;
You are free as the air of the mountain,
And monarch of all you survey.
So stay on the farm while longer,
Though the profits come in rather slow;
Remember you've nothing to risk, boys;
Don't be in hurry to go
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10

To the party sending US five names and
ten dollars, we will send the paper one
year free.
We have concluded to offer a few pre-
miums to those who would send us club.
But in no case will the premiums
or papers be sent unless the money accom-
panies each club of subscribers. The sill
yer plate we offer as premiums Is manu-
factured by Reed s. Barton, New York,
and is first-class.
To the party sending us four yearly sub
scribers and $500 we will send a childs
cup, gold lined and finely engraved.
Price 1915.
For five subscribers and $1,000 we will
give one half-dozen teaspoons-beautiful
design; extra heavy plated, latest style.
Price, $500.
For six subscribers and $1,000 we will
give six elegant napkin rings. Price $500
For six subscribers and $1,000 We will
give child's set-knife, fork and spoon, in
a fine morocco case, satin-lined. A beauti-
full birthday present for a child. 1t will
be easy for several relatives or friends to
form a club and secure this premium.
Price $500.
For eight subscribers and $1,000 we
will give one half-dozen tablespoons or
forks. Price $500.
For twelve subscribers and $24,Oo we
will give butter dish-globe shaped
handsomely engraved, with knife-rest.
Price, $3.50.
For seventeen subscribers and 90
we will give a cake basket. A new and very
popular pattern. Price, $3.50
For nineteen subscribers and $500 we
will give an ice pitcher. An exceedingly
beautiful design, fitted with the new seam
less lining, ivy decoration. Price, $3.50.
For thirty subscribers and $4,000 we
will give a beautiful communion set-fve
pieces, viz. two plates, two cups, one tank
ard. Price, $4,000. aF
For fifty subscribers and $4,000 we will
give $1,000 sewing machine, of any
make.
For ninety subscribers and $4,000 we
will give an elegant parlor organ, new and
first-class. Price, $1,000.
Parties who attempt to get up clubs can
send us the subscribers they receive from
week to week, with $500 for each name,
and they can select any premium in the
list they choose after the requisite number
of subscribers has been received at this
}H ~sa&
office.
Money can be sent in Registered Letters
at our risk. -
Address all communications to
r. III. HENRY,
Editor BRooKHAvEN LEDGER,
Brookhayep, Miss.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
STATE LAWS.

AN ACT to repeal an Act entitled an Act
to amend Chapter 46 of the Revised Code
of 1871, in relation to the State Militia,
and for other purposes. Approved Feb
ruary 25th, 1875.
SECTION |. Be it enacted by the
Legislature Of the State of MIssissip-
pi: That an Act entitled an Act to
amend Chapter 46 of the Revised Code
of 1871, in relation to the State Mill
tia, and for other purposes, approved
February 25th, 1875, be and the same
is hereby repealed.
SEC. 9. BE it further enacted: That
this Act take effect from and after its
passage.
BY limitation, Jan. 26th, 1876.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10

AN ACT to repeal an Act entitled an Act
relating to Special Elections, approved
December Oath, 1874.
SECTIoS l. BE it enacted by the
Legislature Of the State OF Mississip-
pi: That an Act entitled an Act re-
lating to special elections, approved
December oath, 1874, be and the same
is hereby repealed.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted: That
this Act take effect and be in force
from and after its passage.
BY limitation, Jan. 26th, 1876.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10

AN ACT entitled an Act to repeal an Ac
in relation to the State Board of Equali
zation, approved April I'd, 1874.
SECTION l. Belt enacted by the Leg.
islature of the State of Mississippi :
That an Act entitled an Act in rela-
ton to the State Board of Equaliza-
ton, approved April ID, 1914, be and
the same is hereby repealed.
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted: That
this act take effect and be in force
from and after its passage.
By limitation, Jan. 25th, 1876.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
LUClFER LYNCH.
Book agent to lawyers clerk. who

Book agent to lawyers clerk. who
is greatly bored-"Sir, you had bet
ter take that book; you'll find it a
remarkably good investment, and"
"Can YOU change a tea-dollar bill =
asks the clerk. "Oh, yes; l can do
that" "Then you've got a mighty
sight more money than have. Good
day !"
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10

AN ACT to repeal an Act in Relation to
Legal Counsel of Boards of Supervisors
SECTION |. BE it enacted by the Leg
islature of the State Of Mississippi !:
That an Act entitled an Act to ena-
BILE the Boards of Supervisors to en-
ploy counsel at stated salary, ap-
proved February 7th, 1872, be an the
same is hereby repealed.
Sec. 2. BE it further enacted, That
this Act take effect and be in force
from and after its passage.
Approved Jan. 14th, 1876.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
AN ACT for the relief of the Taxpayers OF

the State, and for other purposes.
SECTION l. Be it enacted bv the Leg
isla.u-e OF the state of Mississippi
That Tax x-Collectors are hereby au-
thorized and required to collect and
ceive the taxes of the fiscal year 1875,
without costs or damages. until the
second Monday in February, 1876
and no damages for failure to pay
such taxes within the time prescrib-
ed by law, shall be required of any
taxpayer; and if any such damages
shall have been collected by any Tax
Collector he shall refund the same to
the taxpayer upon demand; Pro-
vided, such damages have not, before
demand, been paid into the State or
County Treasury.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted: ThE
after the second Monday in Februa-
rv, 1876. the Tax-Collector shall adj
vertise all lands delinquent for taxes
for the fiscal year 1875, as required in
Section 1897 of the Revised Code of
1871, with the following exceptions,
viz: That two insertions of such adj
vertisement in a newspaper, or two
weeks notice by posting shall be le-
gal notice, and only the total tax due
shall be specified. and not the State
and county tax separately. And on
the second Monday in March. 1876,
if the taxes shall rem in unpaid, and
no sufficient personal property can be
found on which to levy the same. the
Collector shall proceed to sell the
said land in the manner prescribed in
the Section Of the Code aforesaid ;
Provided, That lands that have been
heretofore advertised and sold ac-
cording to law for the taxes delin-
quent for 1875, shall not again be sold
under the provisions of this Act, I'M
less specially directed by law.
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted: That
the owner or any person interested
iE said lands, sold under the provis-
ions of this Act. or which have been
heretofore sold for taxes for 1873
NAV redeem the same at any time be-
fore the 1st of January, 1877, by pay
ING the amount for which such lands
were sold, with interest, at the rate
of twenty-five per cent. per annum
from the first Monday in January,
1876. and all costs and charges there
on, and bv complying with any addi-
tional requirements hereafter enacted
by the Legislature; Provided, That
where lands shall have been sold to
the State for taxes on the first Mon
day in January, 1876, and days fol.
lowing, the owner or any person in.
terested in said lands may redeem the
same at any time before the second
Monday in March, 1876, by paying
the amount of taxes due on sai6
lands, and all costs and charges with
out interest.
SEC. 4. Be it further enacted: Tha
Tax-Collectors shall receive the fee!
now allowed by law, for all tax deed
executed to individual purchasers a
tax-sales, but no fee shall be allowed
for deeds made to the State for th,
year 1875, or any future year; mol
for lands forfeited to the State; MOI
shall any allowance be made to any
Tax Collector for taxes on State lands
except upon such as the taxes have
not been paid, a list of which shall b.
made out and sworn to before thu
Chancery Clerk of the county il
which said lands lie; and the Audito
Of Public Accounts is prohibite! from
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10
YoUNG man, stick to your business.

YOUNG man, stick to your business.
1t may be you have mistaken your
calling if so, find it out as quick as
possible, and change it; but don't let
any uneasy desire to get along fast.
or dislike Of your honest calling
lead you to abandon it. Have some
honest occupation, and then stick to
it; if you are sticking types, STICK
away at them if you are selling oys-
ters, keep on selling them if you are
at the law, hold fast to that profess
sion pursue the business you have
chosen, persistently, industriously,and
hopefully, and if there is anything Of
you it will appear and turn to ac-
count in that, as we'll as or better
than in any other calling; only, if
you are a loafer, forsake that line as
speedily as possible, for the longer
you stick 10 it, the worse it will stick
you.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10

"CAN you spell donkey with one
letter p asked silly young man of a
bright girl. eyes," she answered,
"ITn