The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-07-31

"A good deal OF matter prepared for
this issue muse give place 10 later news.
We MIKE it the rule of the FARMER AND
MECHANIC office that news items shall
always take a precedence over editorial and
contributed matter
The wife and four daughters Of Capt.
DodsOp, and himself: Mrs. Emma H. and
Master Willie Bragg. Miss Kate Mallory
and Miss Annie Stallard, of Petersburg
were poisoned by eating ice cream whose
custard had been boiled in brass kettle
All were dangerously ill at last accounts.
Geo. w. Smith, who halls from Fayette-
vile. where he said his parents reside, was
arrested near Beaufort, S. c., for killing
Albert De Lettre on the lst of July. He
escaped in company with a negro by cuts
ting through the jail wall. He is about
% years old, redfaced, with reddish m GUS
tache.
Rev. J. Ii. Wiley, of the Methodist
Church at Wilmington, Del, has Beecher-
lied himself out of the pulpit, pariceps
with beautiful young married woman
We don't mind telling of the fall of cler-
gyman occasionally, because it adds to the
credit of those who stand, and the vast pre-
ponderance of the latter is something Won
derful considering their cha-tempta-
tlOpS.
The lady whom we mentioned last week
as having fallen into a trance during the
tornado at Roxobel, BERTHE county, was
Mrs. Adelaide Burton. and she was being
carried out of the house in her coffin when
she raised her head, and asked what sort of
a tea-party was going on. She had been
g stone dead" for 4S hours. She is now all
ri ght, and is having her house rebuilt.
Here we have additional testimony to the
probability that many persons are buried
alive.
Col. Silas Mcdowell. one of the first
citizens of Macon county, dropped asleep
OF the 14th iust., after long life of useful
ness and honor He was close student,
and was engaged in studying Chambers
Cyclop2dia of English Literature, when
called to bed, whence he did not again
rise. 1t was his pen called attention to
the 'Ihermal Belt characteristic of many
of our mountains, (and notably Tryon, in
Polk county); as we'll as to the mineral
and other resources of the Highlands His
daughters, gifted like their sire, have some
thought of editing his writings aud MSS
for publication in book form.
No man should ask young lady to en-
gage herself to him unless he is able to bid
her name the wedding day. He may evince
his affection for her, and under some cir
cumstances might go SO far as to explain
how he is situa,e ed but he ought not to ask
her to commit herself, and waste her youth
waiting for him. And no man should ask
his sweetheart TO name the wedding day
until he is able to take her to home of
some sort, however humble. And no hus-
band should take home his bride without
closing the door upon his mother in-law,
his sisters, his cousins, aud his auntS, (eX-
cept as gueSts) at least until the second
baby is out of Pinaiores.
Col. l.. L. Polk can now have an easy
time as Commi issioner of Agriculture. The
Chapel Hill end, and the Fish Pond end, of
the Department are no longer attached to
his office. Commissioner Ledoux, with
three assistant Professors" and printing
press, runs the University end, and rumor
saws. we know not with what truth, there
are indications of a desire to move the
W whole concern thither Commissioner of
Fish, S. G. Worth, runs the Morganton
end. Both these branches are now
of Col. Polk, and make their
repO tS to the Governor, or the Board.
The Central Bureau is presided over by
Col. Polk and Prof. Kerr. The Colonel
answers letters, exhibits his museum, and
will issue monthly report at considerable
expense which might have been avoided.
By the way, it seems the much talked or
museum is unlawful. The law says it shall
% conducted as feature of the Geological
Museum. So we have been informed by a
member of the Roard Perhaps the Gov
,rnor ia not aware # its existence, as we
earn he has not b>.en in the Department |
office since he became chairman of
Board.