davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
MARDH GRAS,
AS Explained by a Learned Int
riOr Journal.
Nashville American

Nashville American.
An explanation of Mardi Gras IS
made every year, and yet so many per-
sons inquire every year about its mean
ing that it seems difficult to learn the
lesson Of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is
the Tuesday which ends Shrove Tide,
and Shrove Tide is the week, once of
confession and preparation for Lent,
which precedes Ash Wednesday, the
Wednesday following ShroveT Tuesday,
Mardi Gras. The name literally trans
lated is Fat Tuesday, and in France
the Shrove Tide week is called Les
Jours Gras, the fat days. AS was
natural, in preparing for a long fast
Shrove week was not only devoted to
confession, but also come to be a week
of feasting and merriment enough TO.
last over forty days The carnival,
literally farewell to meat-carnivale
is held in various Catholic countries,
particularly Rome and Venice, in the
shrove period. A period of about
eleven days is devoted to it 10 those
cities, while in Paris the carnivale
lasted about six weeks, ending on
Mardi Gras with the procession Of tho
Beut Gras or fat OK. The observance
OF Mardi Gras in this country was in,
troduced by the French probably from
the Paris celebration and taken hold
of by the Italians and other foreigners
of New Orleans, the main features OF
the o~Userva9ees being about the Same
in all Catholic countries where it was
celebrated. It is, however, Of strictly
Italian origin, aud is by many supposed
to have been a christianization of GER
tain Pagan ob~servances. 1t was the
glory of Christianity that it pos
sessed this adaptability which enabled
it to accept, make use of and ill with
a new spirit the customs of the people.
amongst whom it was introduced. Thus
it seized for instance upon the Yale
tide festivities Of the northern nations
and created the Christian Christmas
The beginning Of Lent is determined by
the end Of if. The subject was Qpe o.
warm DISCUSSION, hot blood and no
little accommodation The council
Of Nice finally fixed the Sund y after
the first full moon which falls upon
the next after the 2lst of March as
Easter Sunday, and Ash "Wednesday
is the Wednesday before the first Sun.
day in Lent, and Mardi Gras the daJ
before Ash Wednesday. All such oc.
c%aslons sre colerod by the genius O
the people, and hence nothing pre-.
cisely analogous 70 the Mardi Gras
Of New Orleans or Memphis will hc
fopn9 in Europe, ALTHOUGH thg main
features Of the earuiYal Of Rome and
Venice are closely similar, while those
al the six weeks festival Of Paris per
baps more nearly resemble and sug.
gest the manner Ct the New Orleans
celebration. In our cities, with char.
~acteristic American care f.Sr time
! Merd, il- lone is devoted "a puLli,
celebration, although ths week pre-
! qpdiug Is 70 some extent a holiday
week. 1t is a general impression thai
the day is very late this year, but i
may be as late as the tenth of March
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
settle It NOW. or Never.

Nashville American.
We have it on good authority that
Governor Hawkins will not call an.
extra session Of the legislature for the
settlement of the state debt. We have
it SO straight that we are ready to say
that we strongly believe the governor
has been led to step down from his
lofty position during the canvass
when We suspected be was on stills
to be willing 10 play the sharp trick Of
leaving the responsibility with the
democrats. We feel assured that it
is for the democrats a settlement at
this session, or no settlement at all
Forewarned is forearmed. State credit
democrats will now understand what
this policy means, and il they would
have a place left in the direction of
Tennessee affairs, they must aot and
act promptly. The debt must be
settled, OF the state is lost for
some time to come. Wise repub-
Leans will also understand THAI this
IS a narrow, short sighted policy
which, even If il could give the exist,
ing governor another term, would lose
itself in that and do .tae party last
ing harm. TLere is nothing to he
made for any honest party or for any
honest man Of q question which has
n9thlng ~ It but evil, except by doing
yhe only wise thing that is possible to
be done with reference to il. Ii we
arc to have decent wise and honest
democracy OF republicauism left after
this question, 1t is only to be done Tor
both by tho wise course taken BY eaeh
That which deals with falsely or with
short-sighted shrewdSess will be los,
Peyqna Fedem ZION. 1t will 10 well
TOT de% ocrats to understand that they
will have no aid iPOra Governor Haw
kins In the settlement Of this debt
aud if they allow the opportunity Of
this session to pass without a settle.
ment, final and %irrevocable, they will
have failed as to the trust reposed.
lost the fruits of victory, left tho
question open and in a worse condi
ton than it has ever been in before.
while for them there is nothing but
ruin. 1t is now or it may be never
with state credit democrats and state
credit republicans.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Reeds Gil Edge Tonic cures dyspepsia


In Austria journalists rather plume
themselves on the freedom enjoyed by
the press since the adoption of the
constitution. The worst thing that
usually happens to them as the result
Of printing an indisoreet political
article is the confscation cf the edi.
ton of the paper containing it;
whereas in Germany the imprudcnt
editor iE marched off to Jail by a file of
soldiers and prosecuted as a criminal.
The way the Austrian press law works
is shown by a recent experience of the
leading paper 10 Vienna, Die Neue
Freie PresSe, which announces at the
head Of its columns in its issue Of
January % that the edition of that
morning having been con6scated by
orders from the government attorney S
office, on account of an article on the
speech of Count Taaffe in the reichs-
rath. a second edition is printed for
the benefit of the subscribers. with
the article omitted. The government
attorney does not seem to have discov-
cred the article in time to prevent the
first edition going in the mails, for we
are in receipt of both the original and
the expurgatsd copies. The objec.
tionable article would be thought in
England, where genuine freedom of
the press exists, a piece Of fair and
digniied political criticism. The worst
thing said in it Of the Austrian pre-
mier is that his policy of taxation is a
makeshift policy, Evidently the
AusGrians have considerable progress
to make yet before they arrive at that
freedom ofnewspaper discussion which
is essential to good government,
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24

"[ do. 1 receive letters from women
| never knew, warning me against
Others I never heard Of, and telling
me how wicked and deceitful they are,
and how foolish J. would be to trust
them. Once, IN New Orleans, q lady
wrote Ia that strain, aud ended With
he announcement that she intended
10 put o. bullet Ia that cat some day,
i read the New Orleans news with
the greatest attention now, | can as
sure you"
DO you permit any introductions
to these pGopleY'
"None; except on such rare occa-
sions as when they are brought to me
by some personal friend Of mine. 1t
they poster me, | warn them, and a
threat of the police, or Of giving their
letters to the newspapers, never fails
to scare them off, But the old man
and | struck the boss idea in Wash
ington last November"
What was that2'
Whenever | get any letters now |
turn them over to him, and he calls
on the ladies in my place. | never
get another note after that.
But aren't you afraid
10 trust him? Not much. There
isn't another woman in the world but
myself fool enough to fall in love with
him. Is there, you old bear, youY
He was saying yes, on her lips, when
the News representative found Kitty
behind the hall door, and asked her
what her opinion of millionaire wild
OWs was,
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Attachment Notice.

Before D. G.. Slaughter, J.P for Shabby capr-
", TeDn.--BOwling, Jones & Co., va b
Woodland & Co. -
this cause an attaoA0. ent having been
i sued out under sectiOp S455 Of the Code Of
property oftbo defendant and aHidayit having
been made that the defendant is indebted
to the plaintiff in tho sum Of S4T2 7.lOO, due by
account, and that the claim is just, n
5nat the defendant is a nonresident of the,
state OF Iennesseo,sO that the ordinary process
OF law cannot be orved upon him; il is there
lore ordered that said defendant make his
personal appearance before me on the 18th
day Of Moreh, 1881, at my office, No. 9 Madison
street, Memphis, Tennessee and defend said
attachment suit within the time prescribed
by law, or the same win bo proceeded with,
exIparte; and that a copy OF this order be-
published once a week for four weeks in the,
Public Ledger.
This the 7th day Of February, 1881.
l37 1913 l49 lh ., @. SLAUGHTER. ! y
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Trustees Sale.

DY virtue of an interlocutory Leeree. enter
u ed in the case Of AW Cole, administrator
etc, OF ais, VS.. j S wilkins, et Ala. No. 3276'
b of the Chancery Court Of Shelby comfy,
on January oath, 1881, l.. as trustee, will pfoL
coed to sell to the hignest and best bidder for
cash, in front of the courthouse in Mempais.
Tennessee, on
Monday, Tth day of March, 1851,
at Y o'cEsk M, the following real estate, to-.
BEGINNING at a point on the north side of
W ashlngton street, 80 feet 5 inches west of the
west side Of High street, running thence west-
wardly along the north side Of Washington
street ~ feet 3 inches; thence northward par.
allel with high street l55 feet; thence east.
wafdly parallel with Washington st. 80 feet 8:
f2chesi thence s0pthwardly parallel withHieb
It. Loo feet TO the beginning, il being the same
lqt or parcel Of land conveyed to me by Us,
Hatcher in his lifetime as evidenced BY trust
decd made June 18th, 1872, and recorded I'M the
olnce OF Shelby couRty in record book So, paeD
6V, etc. to which reference is here made far
particulars.
The title is believed to he GOOD, but ] win
sell and convey as trustee only.
NM, WA WAEATLEY, T.eusH "a.
W b Gibson. soA'h, etc. ~
Memphis, February 18th. 1881. 40
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
HALF A MILLION TO PAY.
stOckh0IderA In a Defunct Ex-
press Company Liable for
Its Debts.

RICHMOND, VA, February l7.-An
elaborate and very important opinion
has been delivered by Judge Fitz.
hugh, of the chancery court of this
city, in the case of w. w. Glenn, ad.
ministrator, on the part Of the credit,
ors, VS.. the National express and
transportation company and its stock.
holders. 1t appears that soon after
the war, in New York, Maryland, Vir-
ginia and other states, $4,00O,0OO were
promptly subscribed to the capital
stock Of the company. 1t was de-
signed to be a competitor Of the
Adams and Southern express com
panies, and its operations extended
from New York to New Orleans.
General Joseph b. Johnston was its
first vice president, and its board Of
directors was composed Of some Of the
most prominent business men in the
country. OF the large subscriptions,
however, only twenty per cent was
ever called for, and that was neither
promptly nor fully paid. The company
encountered difficulties in various
ways, and as early as September, 1856.
it got into trouble and made a deed of
trust OF all its property tor the benefit
of its creditors. It suddenly ceased
business in November, 1866, leaving a
large Indebtedness due to its officers,
employees and agents, and to railroad
companies and others, which, principal
and interest, as now ascert nned and
established by the court, amounts to
over $500, 1000 The present suit is
what is known as a creditors
bill" and it was brought against the
company itself, its president and
directors, and the trustees in the deed
of trust. Its object is to ascertain
all of the indebtedness of the company
and to have it paid out OF its assets,
which consist only of the eighty per
cent of the remaining unpaid sub
scriptions of the stock. Judge Fitz-
hugh holds that the company, having
teen chartered by the legislature OF
Virginia, and being required by its
charter to keep its principal office in
Richmond, is emphatically a Virginia
corporation, though its object was to
do business in other states as well;
that its deed of trust having been
executed and delivered in Virginia,
its validity and construction must be
determined by the laws of Virginia;
that its terms of conveyance are large
enough to convey all the property OF
the company OF every description,
including the right to receive the un-
paid subscriptions, and that the com
pany having failed for fourteen years
TO make any call uron the stock sub
scribers to pay its debts, it was the
duty Of the court to make such assess.
ment as was necessary for that pur-
pose; and the court accordingly, adopt
ing the report of the master commits
sioner upon the subject, in view ofthe
death and insolvency OF many of the
stockholders and other causes, fixed
the assessment at thirty per cent. OF
the subscriptions, and by its decree
directed the present trustee in the
deed of trust to take prompt steps, by
suit or otherwise, to collect the as,
ssssment from the stockholders,
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Attachment Notice.

Before } Galloway, j. p. for Shelby county,
Ienn-H W Baumann VS.. Chris Nauman.
n this cause an attachment having been
4 sued out under section 1856 Of the Code *
Tennessee, and returned, levied upOy fnB
property Of the defendant, and afidavs hsYr-
ing been made that defendant is indebted
to the plaintiff IN the sum Of three
huodTed ana soventy-six $3.50 dollars, due
by account, and that tho claim is just,
and that the defendant is q nonresident
Of the State Of Tennessee, or has abscondod or
Rbsented himself from said state, so that pro-
cess Of law cannot DO served upon him; II is
therefore ordered that said defendant make
his personal appearance befnr5 me on
the 18th dag Of March, 1881, al y o'clock
m, at my office, No. "a Madison street,
Memphis, Tennessee, and defend said
attachment suit within the time prescribed By
law, or the same will be proceeded with ex-
parte; and that a copy Of this order be pub
iished once a week for four weeks in the Pub
lie Ledger.
This Tie 18th day Of February. 1881.
J s GALLOWAY. j. p.
J MGregorY, Atty for plaintiff. lfs l5l5n
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Attachment NOIice.

Before John Spelman, j. P, for Shelby roun-
", Tenn,-H g Hull ys,G w Hall and VIM.
Chase. 80 -
N this canse an attachment having been
" sued out under section 1856 ofthe code Of
tennessee, and returned levied upop
The property Of the defendants, and
anidaYit hPYing been made that de-
tendants are indebted to the plaintiff In the
sum of $3.50, due by account, and that
the claim is just, and that the defendants arc
n~on-residents of the State Of Tennesssee.
IT y therefore ordered that the said defend
antsm make their persona before me
the 18th day Of March, 1881, at 10 O'clock
am at my Office, No. 80 Adams street, Mem
phis, Tennessee, and defond said attach
nent SUIT within the time prescribed
by law, or the Same will be pro-
with ~ey.parte; and that a copy of this
order be published once 3 week for four sue
weeks in the Public Ledger.
This the 9th day of February, 1881.
lao l4S 1873 JOHN SPELMAN, Up.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Affachmenf Notice.

Before John Spelman, J. P. for Shelby county.
Tenn.-E WRitmore VS.. G w Ball and VIM.
Chase. 49,
N this cause an attachment having been
i sued out under section 1856 of tho Code Of
Tennessee, and returned levied upon the
property Of the defendants, and af6dayit bav-
ing been made that defendaI Is are indebted 10
the plaintiff in the sum of 5000. due by
account, and that the claim is just, and
That the defendants are non-residents Of
The State of Tennessee; it is therefore ord cred
pcarance before me on the 18th dav ~
Mnrch, 1881, at 10 o'clock am, al my oiice.
No: 50 Adams street, Memphis, Tennessee.
and defend said attachment suit within tbe
time prescribed by law, or the same win be-
proceeded with ex-partei and that a copy Of
TINS order be published once a week for four
weeks In tho Public Ledger.
This the 9Th day of February, 1881,
140 Jas 1898 JOHN&pELMAN. u
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Public sale of ReF.i Eat aIe.

A 7 noon on Wedn9'd Az, the gid day Of
a. ~ H e6Gr, hext, 1 VIII sell aublicl ?, for cash,
described ri asto LILLY nls, 11 ba iTi-
hlng ~ point "a chains 80 liz ks northward
'ue syu .snetst corner Of tbe BishOp 0tey
siaJi, oh its east line; thence with said line
noitn~ ard 7 chains "a links t. a stake; thence.
2 chains 80 links T. 2. stake on Boro's
Boro's line 70 a stake; th0nre east II chains |
link 10 the beginning, cont ining 90 acres: il
being the tract conveyed by @ Graham TO NJ
q Bowers by an indenturo dated February 10.
1877, and registered In book u6, page 2S7, I'M
payment Of purchase money. Title believed
to bo good, but L sell only in execution Of the
power. q WEATHER. ORD.
Memphis. February 10, 1881. 148 10
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
-M0n-realdanf NnMca-

No. l5S-In the Chancery Court of Shelby
Bolton, deceased, VS.. j J Csruth Ell al.
I appearing from aiiaavit In this oauyo
4 that John B Canale, a defendant to me pe-
tition Of Mary Canale is o nonresident of The
State Of Tennessee, and a resident 3, italv.
y is therefore ordered that he make his ap-
county, in Memphis, Tenn, on of before tbS,
FIRST Monday in March, 1854. and plead, answer.
OF demur to the petitioR Of Mary Canale,.
or the same will DO takon for ~coRfessed
as TO him and 80 for hearing ex-parts;
and that a copy e this order be publishedOnce
Ledger,
A copy-Attest.
r. J, BLACK, Clerk and Mas. ey.
By. u. B. MoHRykT. y. @. &M d..
Ia Ryan, sol for eompl't. 1886 l42 ] n 154
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Letter 10 a Tennesseean Thirty.
three Years Ago.

New York Tribune, 1871
WASHINGTON, February l8.-More
than thirty years ago a young law stu
dent Of Paris, Tennessee, opened a
correspondence with Thomas Carlyle,
which continued for many years. In
1917 when the young man, afterward
a United States district Judge, was
studying in the law Office of the Hon.
Isham G.. Harris, now United States
senator from Tennessee, he received a
very characteristic and earnest letter
from Mr.. Carlyle which will be read
with especial interest at this time.
The letter reads as follows:
CHELSEA, LONDON, II May, lS47.
There is unfortunately no recipe or
word that can avail you. The
course of reading" or endeayor that
would be wisest Of all c. D. in
kentucky, will already not be quite
the wisest for him, at his age, in 1897,
will no longer altogether suit him now
when the world has got ten years for
wards on its course Specific direction
is and remains impossible, in such a
case. You will have, as heretofore,
to choose by what of flight, of manful-
ness and .faithfulness is in your own
mind, the Better and the Good from
out Of the boundless imbroglio of the
Trivial. the Bad and Base (which
men Of less light are eagerly following
on all hands of you); and with, your
whole soul, to appropriate these, and
elaborate them as you have faculty
aud opportupity-You hen and now.
1t appears you have had a very faiI
success hitherto and have lifted your
head and shoulders somewhat out OF
the slough, and can look about you a
little hope confidently that the gods
henceforth will reply with like bounty
the like fidelity of effort. | have
observed this truth, even in our con
fused world; that whatever Of real
human worth a man does put into his
grand enterprise, just about the same
quantity of real human victory, ire
cogniseable often to blockheads, but
very real for all that, does he in the
end get out oft this is an unspeak-
able comfort to a brave young man
But real human worth and human
victory are, as ! say, very often not SO
recogniseable who knows, for ex
ample, whether your President Polk
and our King, Hudson (if you have
heard of such a man, who has made z
millions by railways here) have gained
any victory at all,-have gained
anything but "a more conspicuous ex-
hibition of their own ugliness." which
surely is defeat aud not victory? You
must very particularly pray the
Heavens, for one thing. Not to infect
you with vulgar ambition { literary OF
otherl, which is fatal to all nobleness
in man "Seekest thou great things,
seek them not" Seek eternal thing.
(if you know them); you will better
and better get to know them, if you
seek honestly. That also is a fact.
AS to reading read History and
Prophecy" (if you understand these
Words: whatsoever Of truly Interest
ing, has been, is, or is about to be, il
this world where you have come t
live, all that authentically bears OF
these questions, snatch it wherever
you can find it, read hat with greedy
heart, and on the whole read nOthinl
else. The hugest Follies of this WORLD
are flying ABOUT at present in the shap,
of Books aud Book - celebrities
Alden. T. CARLYLE.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24


The projected jaunt of the l@eeisla'
ture to Washington recalls an incident
of the e%extennisI. That year the rail
roads made special rates and under
took to carry the whole country to
Philadelphia. As an Involvement
people we're allowed to go by Wash.
ington whether it was on the way or
not, and stop over any reasonable time.
Thousands and thousands in the big
west and south who had never before
been so far from home took advantage
of the opportunity. Washington city
was full of them for weeks and weeks.
a new set came along every day, but
the hotels were not much better of
for it. They cooked their %rations be-
fore they left home and were indie
pendent. They stalked through all
the public buildings, including the
White House, with the air Of self-con-
tanned and self-satisaed American
citizenship, feeling that they had
rights in their fathers house, and
knowing dare maintain. This was all
right, and we only allude to it in a
suggestive way for the benefit Of any
member Of the legislature who may
hesitate on economic considerations
about going. One illustration will be
sufficient. The police at Washington
were instructed that year to look out
for strangers in long linen busters and
carrying heavy black carpet bags, as it
was feared some Of them might get
lost or fall into the river in their ef-
forts tn read the inscriptions on Wash
ington s monument. One morning a
woman from Beaver Dam, or some
such place out in Iowa, reported that
"Bill' was missing and bad carried off
the provisions. Bill-he vas her
husband. A policeman was specially
detailed to hunt up Bill. After con.
siderable search Bill was discovered
Ia a sequestered spot in a%rayine on the
grounds Of the Smithsonian Institute
He was not dead. but was unconscious
that any one approached. He was
partly disrobed. Two shirts lay on
the dewy grass, one the worse for a
thousand miles ride; the Other. stia
and white. His carpet sack s.ood
open and disordered, as if there had
been a robbery. A small looking
glass was pinned to a tree, Bills face
was white as death; be had lath4rad
it well, and was in the act Of taking
a good, clean shave. When bis dear.
old woman iain would have rushed
into his arms, he waved her off fierce.
" aud told her she was a goose tC
think that be would call on the presi
dent at the White House without
"6xin' up" like a white man. Ate.
his toilet was completed and they ha'
sandwiched they proceeded to take il
the White House and other sights
these hints may be useful II our iw
makers who will have to take ia thI
old flag at Washington the Who'll
flag and nothing but the flag, withoa
an appropriation.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-24
Marriage hyTeIegranh.

New York Herald
A marriage by telegraph has been
announced that, had the parties to the
sacrei contract been at the two ends
Of the wire instead Of two ardent
souls at one end and a clergyman at
the other, the innovation might have
been hailed as an Improvement on e4-