smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

We continue to receive letters from
members of the Order in different parts of
the State warmly endorsing the position
ofTHE PATRON in urging the farmers to
unite and organize and send their best
men to the Legislature. To these and all
other farmers who appreciate the necessi
ty of the Legislature being made for once
truly representative body, we most
earnestly appeal to go to work at once
and take steps to secure complete and
efficient organization in their respective
election beats. There is no time to lose.
The town rings are hard at work, and
will succeed in packing the county con-
ventions as they have SO often done before,
unless the farmers, the true men of every
neighborhood, take the matter of organi-
zation in hand at once.
Year: 1879

The.reading, thinking members of the
Order in the Southwest are taking a more
active interest in THE PATRON than at any
former time. They are raising clubs for
it from the orange groves of South Florida
and the mountains of East Tennessee to
North Arkansas and the prairies of West
Texas. No paper in the South occupies
SO extended field, and none has more
leading men of the farmer class working
to extend its circulation. The indications
now are that the circulation of THE PA
TRoN will soon be larger than that of any
political or agricultural paper published
in the South. We hope to present such
a journal as will fully meet the demands
and expectations of its co-workers in the
good cause.
Year: 1879

lily near Germantown, where he has since resided
Here he began life farmer, and under the
guidance of his mother, lady of remarkable in
teectual powers and an energy that untir-


ing he was very successful. He soon acquired
high position in the confidence and esteem of all
with whom he was associated, and elected
Magistrate, an office of considerable Importance


in Tennessee, the County Court being composed
of the Magistrates of the various districts. This
office he has filled worthily for the last eighteen
years. For some time past, he has been anxious
to withdraw from this position, but his eminent
fitness for has caused earnest protest against
this that, against his will, he has continued to
serve He would doubtless have been elected to
the State Senate last fall, but his health was so
impaired by an attack of the fever, that he de-
cned to be candidate.


The great modestyan unassuming manners of
Judge Walker would prevent a stranger from esti-
mating his true worth; but those who know him
we'll, especially in his official character, honor
him as one of the truest, noblest, worthiest and
most capable. Cool, deliberate, cautious-clear
sighted, and taking the most common sense, un-
BIASED and unprejudiced view of question, he is
peculiarly fitted to perform the judicial functions.
1t is his clear vision, his apprehension of affairs,
and his practical solution of them, that win for his
opinions and his judgments the most respectful
consideration.


The leading characteristic of Judge Walker is
Prudence; yet he has been no time-server
trimmer, but for many years of his life op


posed and msrepresented by popular opinion,
until the development of events proved the wis
dom of his views and he has had the good
fortune to outlive detraction, and reap the
wards due an incorruptible and unhinching spirit.
Prudent, cautious in all matters, determined
never yielding inch for what he believed to be
right and for the best, he has recorded, in deeds
that the people of Shelby county will not soon
forget and which speak more loudly than words,


the evidence of an unselfsh, courageoes patriot.
Judge Walker is full of deep and tender
sympathies, especially for the young, and has a
keen perception of genuine worth.


During the prevalence of the terrible scourge
| last year, he was the first in Germantown to be


stricken down. and for weeks his life was despaired
lsof When he recovered after weeks of delirium
it was to learn that his venerable mother lovely
niece and number of his most intimate and de-
voted friends. had passed away.
Year: 1879

All intelligent farmers in the State
know that their interests have suffered be-
cause their class had no representation in
Congress, and would rejoice to see Worthy
Master Darden elected to the u S. Sen
ate, but they understand so little of the
work of organizing, that they are dispos-
ed to stand still and wait for others to act.
We beg them to remember that the most
important service they can render their
class, their families and themselves. in
public affairs is in attending the prelimi-
nary meetings in the election beats. There
they can discuss the questions that are
likely tc arise and the fitness of candidates
and by doing this, they will be able to
have their sentiments and wishes repect-
ed and obeyed in the county conventions;
there they can determine whether an hon
est, true farmer and patriot or some tenth
rate political trickster shall represent the
State in the United States Senate.


We ask farmers when they organize in
election beats to notify us, that we may
publish the fact. The farmers of every
election beat in the State should be or
ganized before the first of July.
Year: 1879

A Patron in West Tennessee writes us:


81 am exceedingly pleased with the new
heading of THE PATRON. 1t is handsome
and very appropriate, and SO well ex-
presses the great objects of our Order and
what it may and should accomplish in the
Cotton States, that the simple exhibition
Of copy of the paper in Grange ought
to be sufficient to induce every member
to subscribe.


II am reioiced at the action of the Exec.
cutive Committee of the Arkansas State
Grange in adopting The PATRON as the
Grange organ for that State, in place of
the journal of Agriculture of St. Louis.
This is what the Executive Committee of
our State Grange should have done. /
feel sure that its adopting even indirectly
the journal Of agriculture will be and
should be condemned. That paper is in
no sense Grange journal, and a Patron
subscribing for it with the expectation of
getting Grange paper will be disappoint-
ed. To catch the Grange patronage, it
devotes page, and an obscure one at that,
to the letters, ETC., of Grange officials. 1t
does not advocate prominently, if at all, in
its editorial columns, the principles and
measures of the Grange. What the Order
needs and must nave is an d0O0Cdle, open,
fearless, able and active, of its principles,
its measures, and its representative men.
1t must be wholly and exclusively devoted
to the Grange. Every attempt to adopt
political or agricultural paper as Grange
organ by the officers of a State Grange,
will result in disappointment to the mem
bers and direct injury to the cause. This
experiment has been tried so often, and
the failure in each instance was SO con-
spicuous, that l. for one, was very much
disgusted with the action of our State Ex-
ecutive Committee in its arrangement with
the ST Louis paper.


81 would suggest to you to send a spec
linen copy of THE PATRON to each Mas
ter of the Subordinate Oranges in this
State. and l think its evident superiority
as Grange paper will commend it so
strongly to the confidence and good will
of the members that hundreds will be-
come subscribers, and that our Executive
Committee will be induced to take ac-
ton similar to that taken by the Executive
Committee of the Arkansas State
Grange"
Year: 1879

We add a feature to THE PATRON this
week-the publication of biographical
sketches, accompanied by portraits, of
leading members of the Order in the
SOuthwest-which, we think, will greatly
enhance the value and attractiveness of
the paper. The next will be that of
Worthy Overseer Rose, of the Texas
State Grange. We expect soon to pre-
sent a sketch and portrait each week.
Year: 1879

ways considered the Grange the farmers sole
hope, and has made numberless speeches to con-
vince them of it--speeches full of the soundest
common sense and timely, practical advice He
has been somewhat impatient at the slow growth
of the Order, or rather the temporary retardation
of it, but we hope in its general revival that
he will see his section advancing to prosperity
through its agency, and his principles in practical
operation than which nothing would be more
gratifying to him.
Year: 1879

For anv one who has kept posted as
to the current events of the world, for
the last six or eight years, it is evident
that three evils which atflict it, insanity,
murder and suicide are largely on the
increase. The first, can easily be ac-
counted for, particularly in the United
States. There is no rest for the Amerl-
can people. Dangerous speculatlons,
Just grazing total ruin-a habit of get
ting a certain amount of work out of
every second of the twelve hours-a
nervous excitable temperament, which
forbids rest, all this destroys the equili-
brium of that complex machine the
human mind, and throws it off its bal
ance too often forever.


But the crime of murder, though too
often the murderer escapes by the usual
plea of insanity, cannot he traced back
to these causes. 1t may be a special
form of madness, but this madness is
the outgrowth of uncontrolled passions,
and lawlessness, and usually disappears
a1Cer the CFlHlo 10 SotiIhittSo' ~ ~"
simply an utter indifference to any law
human. or divine in the brutal instinct
Of destruction. If crime met with swift
and speedy punishment there would be
less of it, but between sentimentallstS,
peryerted laws, and venal law enforccrs,
man in many places in the United
States may take life without any ap-
prehension of the consequences.


AS for suicide it is decidedly the out
growth of the infdel tendencies of the
age in which we live. A man or woman
who neither believes in God, nor their
own responsibilities to higher Power,
is very apt to cut the Gordian knot, and
be done at once and forever with the
"muddle" they call life, when it is en-
cumberedlwith difficulties. 1t is urged
that suicide is quite as common amongst
people in a lower class of life, as among
the educated and thoughtful. We re-
peat that intidelity is as marked in the
day laborer as in the gentlepan of
leisure and culture. Itmay be coarser
kind of infdelity, unsupported by logic
and argument, but it is based upo.t the
same negations, and the same impatience
of life's troubles.


In former age suicide at one
period in France became mania.
1t was We think during the reign
of Voltaire's atileistic philosophy, and
all classes and conditions of people were
infected by a morbid desire to bid the
world farewell. Young girls particu-
larly were the victims-the very last
persons one would suppose to be in
fatuated by the horrors of such an end.
When they were prevented from using
poison or the dagger or sufa'ocating
themselves by the fumes Of charcoal,
they threw themselves into wells. The
Department de Loire hit upon singu-
lar and effective cure for this mania.
The authorities decreed that the body
of the first girl who committed suicide
should be exposed publicly for two days.
There was but one suicide after that.
What neither reason, morality nor
religion could do, an instructive feeling
Of modesty accomplished. So perhaps
some apparent tri1e may check the in
crease Of self destruction in this country.
Year: 1879

THE SANITARY CONDITION OF OPE-
LoUsAs.-After the terrible visitation of
so many towns and cities of the South
last year by yellow fever, it would GER
talnly be nothing less than criminal
negligence on the part of any commu-
nifty in this State that forgetful of the
past neglects, this year, any prccaution,
conducive to the public health. In New
Orleans the authorities and the people
generally seem to be thoroughly aroused
to the necessity of adopting at once
such sanitary measures as will protect
the public health. 1t is time too, our
authorities were beginning to move in
this matter. This is the season of the
year when everything should be cleansed
and put in order. A month hence hot
weather will set in and then it will be
too late to begin doing that which should
he done at once and without any delay,
An ounce of prevention is worth pound
of cure. The privy on the public square
is a nuisance, which should be abated at
once. There are others in but little
better condition. There are backyards
In town encumbered with filth, which
should he removed before the hot sun
OF summer causes them to distil their
pestilential stencil to poison and taint
the air. All these things should be at
tended to at once by our town officers.
Our worthy mayor has our streets In
splendid condition. Let him now turn
his attention to the premises bordering
on the streets, and see that they are put
in equally as good condition. All that
is necessary to bring about this state of
things Is to enforce the town ORDINANCES,
now on the statute book. Notify owners
OF premises to put them in order, and il
they don't do it within the legal delays,
let the town have it done at the expense
OF the owner. Now is the proper time
to do this, and let us hope it will be
tnr III
Year: 1879

He had been sitting still so long that
the mother expected to find him asleep
when she looked around and asked:


"Well, Harry, what are you think
ing off"


INA, are we very rich?" he solemn
ly inquired, by way of reply.


''In one way we are" she said;
"your father says he values me at three
million dollars, you at two millions,
and the baby at one"


That closed the conversation on that
subject, but next morning as Harry
was getting on his overcoat, he ex-
nmined the new patch which had been
added, and coolly observed :


"Well, think father had better sell
off about half of you or the whole of
The baby and got the rest of us some
decent duds to put on"
Year: 1879

George G. Vest, the next United States


Senator from Missouri, is native of Ken


lucky, and lawyer by profession. He is


about forty-fve years old, and first became


prominent in Missouri as leader of the


secossionist in 1861. His active exertions


and fervid orrtory-he is a sky-scrapel-
did much to stimulate the movement which
sent 50 many thousand Missourians into
the service of the Southern Confederacy.
In 1861 Col. Vest was elected to the Con
federate House, but in 1864 he vas trans>
ferred to the Senate. His battles were
mostly fought, not on the field of blood,
but on the floor of the House, in words.
He was conspicuous in both bodies, and
since the war has been the acknowledged
leader of what is still known in that State
as the Confederate element 1t is to the
loyalty of this element that he is indebted
for his election. Personally Col. Vest is a
man of the highest character; but in point
of abilities he is regarded as brilliant rath-
er than solid. His oratory is ornate and
but does not reach far below the
surface. The charm is lost when the echo
Of his words dies away.
Year: 1879

Although the recent cold weather has had
a very depressing effect upon the orange
treea in this vicinity, yet after an examina-
tion of many old trees We do not think
they are materially injured. The leaves
are scorched and withered, but the trunks
do not seem to be affected to any great ex-
tent. and we believe this years crop will
not be diminished much, if any. The
Young trees have suffered somewhat, and
some of them are killed. yet we do not
think very many will die out If the trees
survive this cold shock there is not apt to
be weather cold enough to kill them for
many years to come.
Year: 1879

A negro man living ON DR.. Hamp COx's place in
this county was reckless enough to choke his wife
to death few nights ago-as the jury which was
summoned to investigate the affair declared in their
verdict. He was brought to town on last Saturday
and lodged in Jail. His trial will take place
at an early day. The name of the perpetrator of
this most murderous deed is Louis johnson. The
evidence is very much against him. 1t seems tina
he was moved to the commission of this act by the
desire to marry anothur woman who lived in his
City Herald


Hardly a sufficient excuse.
Year: 1879

IT was Judge Longstreet who said that
no man could take up any newspaper,
however unpretentious, and not find enough
in it to pay for years subscription.
But let it be borne in mind that this
opinion was given before the invention of
s'patent outsides.'
Year: 1879

NEVER go to bed with damp feet; always toast
them by fire ten or fifteen min ties before going
to bed.-Hawkeye.


But, suppose they should get done in
less than ten or fifteen minuets, what's the
use of toasting them any longer?
Year: 1879

WHEN the gold fever broke out some
years ago, driving the fortune-huuters to
Pixies Peak under whip and spur. there
was one man undeterred by the wreck Of
broken wagons and returning paupers
who made up his mind to get there. A
thousand miles of driving two-hnrse
team through the the wilderness filed with
Indians was not cheerful But he had
printed on the covering of his wagon,
Bound for Pixies Peak or Bust In
about two months the same wagon returned
with these words; Busted, by George
Probably Col. CAN'T may understand how
this may affect ''Our new Government. -
Memphis Avalanche
Year: 1879

absurd ! Lynch a lunatic I lynch &
crazed moralIst ana mad scntimentalist
and philanthropist. He knows moth
ing, and can sec and learn nothing, OF
matters of which he talks so passion
ately. We venture to say that the
Bishop never saw n genuiae Ethiopian
In all his life. He has seen them as
civilized along railways, at dining Ia
bles and in barber shops, but never has
he encountered genuine representa-
tive of the great mass of rice, cotton
and sugar plantation blacks such as
hold sway in South Carolina, Louisiana
and along the valley of the Mississippi.
The Bishops glowing fancy has gilded
for him colored joss and he bows be-
fore it in humble and insane alteration.
Let him remain here twelYemoHth
and the thin gloss which comes from
anxiety to retrieve ancestral errors and
condone ancestral crimes will disap-
pear. The Boston bishop will see
Sambo as do other BOstonians natur-
allied In the South and the Bishop
himself would be foremost of icono-
clasts to destroy the gilded fanciful
image of this negro deity which he SO
insanely adores.
Year: 1879

WHEN a negro has served out term
in the penitentiary his fellow-sympa-
thisers at Paris give him dinner,
and congratulatory speeches are made.
Would it not be well to inquire
whether taxpayers would not suffer less
in making these colored people happy
if the whipping post adorned the pub
lie square of each county town? Va
grant whites that do such detriment
and frighten women and rob homes in
the absence of men would soon bid
Texas and the whipping-post final


adieu. These and nomadIc blacks are
the rulers of Texas towns, giving us
our local rulers and tax gatherers and
taX-consumers. The whipping post,
next after the So suffrage tax, will be
the chiefest reformer and benefactor
of municipal governments in Texas.
Then if we might reform present and
future generations and stop the breed
of knaves by adopting DR.. Linthernm'G
philosophy of stirpiculture, Texas
would prosper as never before and the
Texan of the future would be tha model
man and hero of all coming time.
Year: 1879

The advent of this fearfully cold


weather, when the thermometer, dur


ing the day, is at forty-fve degrees ard


during the night below the freezing


point, should induce good people, blest


with plenty, to discover and relieve the


helpless and unfortunate. When this


cold wave smote these plains and hills


it only made the fires glow more


brightly upon the hearthstOEes of the


rich while the poor shuddered, and


there are those who are forced to


choose between fuel and food. Mer-


rily enough do the well-clad, having


abundance, hurry along the frozen


streets. This bitter cold crowns with


fresh delight the joys of their homes;


but helpless poverty and tottering age
shudder and shrink into privacy, too


proud to beg and yet their very bones


ache while cold and hunger tug at the


latch string. While bright smiles and


ruddy checks of laughing youths and


maidens greet US everywhere and Joy


reigns within our dwelling-places
there is dark side of the


picture of life In the capital
and they who are blest with plenty
should learn that none have the right
to indulge in every pleasure while
many as good and wise and noble as
themselves endure every grief that
wintry blasts and fireIess hearths and
empty purses can inflict. The poor
tremble and poverty looks with long
ing eyes through the brilliantly lighted
windows of opulence. Shadows cast
by blazing fires in happy homes dance
across the street suggestive of bright
est joys and hopes within, becom-
ing the shadow dance of death with
out. There are many, very many be-
nevolent people in Austin. We have
tested their generosity in appeals for
the poor and helpless and never In vain
and it is only proper to remind
them that such weather as this in this
land of blesscdness rarely intensiiies
the anguish of poverty or appeals to
the charitable and good. While cold,
wintry winds como down upon us from
the distant north, and while the sun
shines lustrously as is It's wont, but in
vain to give warmth TO poverty, it
would be crime when such days are
so few if we failed to relieve the woes
of the unfortunate. If we bought
fewer Christmas presents and al
ways for those who need them least,
and gave large share of sums thus
wasted to the poor and aged our self
satisfaction would be perfect, and
that which God will signify when He
makes up his jewels will be infinitely
more significant and gratifying. OF
good words, in and out of pulpits, we
haYe enough in Austin and Only need
a larger share of good works.
Year: 1879

PIsToIs are 70 protection against
robbers. The wearer of a pistol in
the latest stage robbery protested that
he had none. In fact 4 man generally
prefers loss of money to risk Of life,
and hands over his loose change and
watch while the pistol Is only to be
used in street fights and in putting
people to death at the corner grocery
for mere words and to illustrate the
heroism and high sense OF honor of
the s'pistoler." But the robber always
s'gets the drop" on his victim He
lies in wait, and however well armed
the innocent traveller or wanderer at
night about the city may be, he is al
wEys helpless. II the robber do not
s.set the drop. he is not, on this oc-
casion, a robbeT-
Year: 1879

friend, "upon his hack, partially
dressed, 10 front of the mirror. His
white shirt bosom was bespattered
with blood, and a pool OF blood sur
rounded his head on the floor. The
pistol was near his right hAnd.n


Schwartz became dependent
after her death, and often spoke of
her strange dream. Yesterday
morning his housekeeper, Dora
Stoltz, when to his room, the same
in which his wife had died, to call
him to breakfast. She found him
before the mirror, brushing the hair
from his temples. He was partial
.ly dressed, having on his trousers
and slippers, and spotless white
shirt. She asked him If he WAS
dressing to make q call. He replied
that he would go down to the break
fast after q little while. A few
minutes afterward, the report of
pistol was heard in his room. On
opening the door the household
found Schwartz lying on his back
His white shirt front was spattered
with blood. A bullet-hole was in
his right temple, from which the
blood was flowing, and q revolver
was lying near his right hand. All
was rs Mrs Schwartz had dreamed.