The Central Texian. (Anderson, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 34, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 24, 1857 Page: 1 of 4
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THE CENTRAL
BY R. A. VAN HORN.
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UBCTBSK M ill 8D8JSGT8---KI3T1AS OS K0H3.
TERMS—$3 00 IN ADVANCE.
VOL. 3.
ANDERSON, GRIMES COUNTY, TEXAS, JANUARY 24, 1857.
NO. 34.
A Prediction Ver fled.
One evening lately at Baden, iu a con-
versation relating to the feeling of fear and
repugnance, still entertained by a few
superior persons, (Rossini amongst ihem,)
at the bare idea of a journey by railroad,
some one was te.ling the story of a young
Venetian, Count Florezan G.
Elegant, witiy and brave, tlie Count bad
proved his courage on various occasions;
but the coolness aud strength of mind that
he exhibited on every poiut, vanished en-
tirely at the sight of a railroad station. A
steam locomotive was, to him, the cause of
an unconquerable terror.
In vam did his Ultimate and confidential
frieuds endeavor to overcome this weakness.
The gravest reasoning, the most merciless
qilTSfzuigs, Were alike wáSOknfpoii him.
Perehahce the young Count had Lrtd a bad
dream, or he was the victim ol some sinis-
ter prediction A deep impression over-
mastered his will. He was convinced thai
a dreadful fa'e awaited him it ever he were
so imprudent as to trust himself on a rail-
road. For him it wonid be hurrying to a
certain catastrophe, an iuevitable death.
One circumstance making this timidity
still more annoying, was, that the Count,
so dreadfully afraid of the'modern mode ol
rapid locomotion, was a gr at lover of
traveling, an inquisitive tourist desirous ol
visiting all countries. Iu each of his ex-
cursions he found himself stopped by the
change which was superceding post horses,
aud he anxiously forsaw the moment near
at baud when the whole world, having
become enclosed in a net-work of irr.n rails,
a tourist would have no choice between a
car aud a hack.
Iu the meantime the Count gave as much
work as he could to the last surviving post-
hoys. He traversed Europe during the
summer months, and spent, every winter
in some city, wh>cli he examined at his
leisure, ami of which he studied the manners
and customs While frequenting the best
society.
During a winter that he was thus spend-
ing at Berliu, «be young Venetian fell
violently in love with a charming lady,
who, iu addition to the most seductive
attractions, possessed ttie advantage of
being an excellent match. Then the
traveler who had already seen many lands,
that the best thing he could do, would be to
unharness tiis post-horses aiid settle down
iu matrimony.
He paid bis court, and was favorably
received; without, however, being allowed
to reefcou upou assured sticccss. 'I bus
passed the wiuur, aud the lover l*?gan to
despair, when one day the young lady at
last made up her mir.d to the long-hoped
Coi avowal.
After a few significant word* which filled
his heart with soft emotion, she said to him:
•• 1 have promised to spend next mouth in
Belgium, where a part of my family
resides. I shall start to-morrow ; it depends
upou yourself alone, whether you will ac-
company me "
«• What!" exclaimed the young man,
radiant, "a journey together!"
- Certaiuly," reiurned the la<!y with an
encouraging smile, aud a Ipok which made
her meauiug clear," can I prevent yon from
going at the same lime as myself, or 'rotn
gelling iu the same car on the railroad ?"
At the wi#ds cur aud railroad, the Count
grew pale; intense emotion was depicted
on his countenance The lady mistook the
cause ol the paleness and ihe emotion ; she
attributed both to the effect of sudden and
tiuhoped for happiness, aud she added with
most bewitching grace, •' it is agreed, then,
to-morrow, at twelve, at the station."
The Count, halting between love aud
fear, passed a terribíe night However
after a loug and paiuful struggje, love con
quered, and iu the morning he was resolute
lo ruu i he risk ol the terrible road.
He made his preparations with feverish
resignation, and at the last moment went
to the station. At. the sight ol the engine,
which bail just been hitched to the train, he
fell hi" resolution give way—fear was again
in the ascendant, and he wa about to
retreat, when his lady-love, who was there
in all her beauty, came to him and said,
" quick, get your ticket. I have marked
you r place next to mine in this carriage,
where we shall be alone."
Encouraged by these flattering words,
love regained the mastery, ami Count pro-
cured his ticket.
14 Do come !" cried the lady, calling her
traveling companion through the window of
the ««mage, ill which she had placed her-
self
The Count, stifling thought, sprang for-
ward ; but suddenly a formidable whistle
escaped Irom the engine, and he stopped,
frozen with terror.
The wretched man remained motionless
for an instant, casting hi« bewildered gaze
now upon the smiling lady was calling to
him. now upon the smoking aud shrieking
locomotive—then, with a gesture of despair,
he buried his face iu his hand* to hide his
shame and grief, and rushed oHt of sight
Cursing the timidity which had cost him
his happiness, and which he could not
conquer, he went, the next winter, to seek
•orgetfulness iu Paris While there he re
ceived a letter from an uncle living at
Warsaw, who requested l.is immediate
presence. This uncle was very old, and
dangerously ill. He wished, befora he
died, to see his nephew whom he had not
seen for filieeu years. t
" Make haste,he wrote, " I have but a
few days to live, but you may yet be here
in time to receive tnv last farewell, I.v
taking the railroad without any delay, ll
you leave, as I beg yon to do, as soon a
you receive my tetter, you will arrive here
next Saturday. I do not doubt your eager-
ness, aud shall expect you on that d..y."
The Conut was willing enough to res-
pond to his appeal. Interest and affection
both urged hi-n to do so He was not
wealthy, and expected a large portion of
his relation's rich inheritance. He knew
him to I e very touchy, and quite capable of
leaving iu his will au evidmce of his anger,
if his nephew did not arrive on the ap-
pointed day.
But, in order to arrive on that day he
must take the railroad. Interest was not
likely to triumph iu a conflict wherein love
had failed After a vain struggle with his
weakness, the Count set off to travel by
post.
He found some of the post-houses ill-
attended; others where there were uo
horses ; he was ten days going a distance
that lie could have accomplished iu sixty
hours by the railroad.
Wlien he arrived a- Warsaw, he found
that his uncle had died the day before, after
bitterly upbraiding him for Ins absence. An
alteration in the will had disinherited the
tardy nephew
Thus his dread of railroads, after depriv-
ing bun of a wife who would fa\e made
him happy, bar! co*t hiin a fortune that,
would have hriorhteued his future days.
Last year, the Count returned to Venice ;
and his friends, deploring more than ever
the weakness that might be the cause of
yet more disasters to him, resolved to cure
him at any price.
They did not doubt that the Count,
being extremely superst it ious, yielded to the
threats of some fatal prophecy. A som
tiarnbiilist had told him that death would
come upon him on a railroad the first time
he ventured upon one. Zealously desirous
to cure him of an unworthy pusillanimity
and to show him how chimerical were his
terliz, they hit upon a plan which they
thought must prove infallible The Count
was invited to breakfast at a villa near one
of the stations of the road between Venice
aud Milan. A narcotic was mixed with
his wine; and when the train passed by
aud he was fast asleep, his frieuds placed
him iu one of the cars.
The tra r. was traveling with the rapidity
of lightning when the Count awoke
" Where am I ?" he asked, with astonish-
ment.
•' On the railroad," answered his laugh-
ing friends,and you see it does not kill
you "
With a dreadful scream, the Count ro«e
as though to spring from the car, and lell
buck senseless in the arms of his friends
Ail '.lie care bestowed upou him was use-
less; before the train stopped at the next
station, die Count was dead. The fright
had killed him, aud the prediction was
verified.
Itossini has probably heard this story, of
which all the oetails are well authenticated,
and which caused a sensation in Italy.
To Unmarried Ladies.
The following items of advice to ladies
remaining in a state of single blessedness,
are extracted from the manuscript of a fair
dowager:
If you have blue eyes, languish.
If black eyes, affect spirit.
If you have pretty feet, wear short petti-
coats.
If you are the least doubtful as to that
point, wear them long.
If you have good teeth, don't forget to
laugi^flow and then.
If^you Jlave bad ones, you must only
simper
While you are young, sit wiili your face
to the light.
When you are a little advanced, sit with
your back to the window.
_ It you have a bad voice, always speak in
a low «one.
If it is acknowledged that you have a
fine voice, n ver speak in a high tone.
If you dance well, dance seldom.
If you dance ill, never dance at all.
If you sing ill, make no peurile excuses.
It you sing indifferently, hesitate not a
moment when you are asked, for few per-
sons are competent judges of siuging, but
every one is sensible of a desire to please.
It in conversation you think a person
wrong, rather hint a difference of opinion,
than offer a con trad ction.
It is always in your power to make a
friend by smiles, what folly to make ene-
mies by frowns.
When you have an opportunity to praise
do it with all your heart.
When you are forced to blame, do it
with reluctance.
If you a> e envious of another woman,
never show it but by allowing her every
good quality and perfection except those
which she really possesses.
If you wish to let the world know you
are iu love with a particular man, treat
him with formality, and every one else with
ease and freedom.
If you are disposed to be pettish or inso-
lent, it is better to exercise your ill humor
on your dog, or your cat, or your servant,
than on your friend.
If you would preserve beauty rise early
If you would preserve esteem, be gentle.
If you wou'd obtain power, be conde-
scending.
If you would live happy, endeavor to pro-
mote the happiness of others.
The man who talks back to a person
with the toothache is a rash individual.
For giving an upper tendency to the pas-
sions and right too* we know nothing equal
to it. Stepping on a sore toe iu a tight
boot comes uext in order. The first time
you feel like going up a foot, foot and a
half or two feet¡ try it on.
The Peddler at SwafFham.
The curious woodwork in the church" of
Swafiham, in Norfolk, England, has a
singular story connected with U, and pretty
well authenticated it is said tobe, too
A peddler living in the jlace, saw one
night in a dream a supernatural figure
standing by hiin, which said, " Rise, and
go to London Bridge, aud there shall thou
find a treasure "
The peddler was, it appears, unwilling to
undertake so long a journey on 'his intima-
tion, aud took no notice of the apparition.
The next night it stood before him again,
and more urgently commanded him to set.
off forthwith ; and that iu sucha command-
ing manner, that, on awaking, he determ
ed to obey. _
Having happily surmounted the tedious
journey, taking only his dog as" his com-
panion he came to London Bridge, and
wandered up and down a whole day with-
out any result At last, as it grew towards
evening, a man, who luid, from one of the
houses on the bridge, watched hi* incessant
motions to and fro, carne up to him—
" Sir peddler," said he, " may I be so
boid as to inquire tli^ cause of your wander
nig up and down the bridge all this live
long day, without intent, methinks, to gain
any advantage thereby ?"
The peddlet, who, by this time began
himself to mistrust the reasonableness of
his errand, was loth to expose what might
be considered his own folly ; but, at last, on
being very much pressed, said :
" Well, au' I must tell you a vision bade
me ceiue to Loudon Bridge, for that there J
should find a treasure; but treasure have 1
found none, and, unless I am the moie for
túnate, I shall go back as pooi as I came."
" Never trust again to visions," quoth
the other; " if Iliad been fool enough tobe
taken in by thern, I might have been sent,
ere now, on as wild-, oose a chase as you
have been. I dreamed, once on atime, that
I saw a figure which bade me go to a town
called Swafiham, iu Nortolk, to a peddler's
house lying hard by the church, and dig iu
a corner of his garden, for that I should
find a pot of gold there ; but I never went,
and never intend to go ; and vo", methinks,
had done well to stay at home, ai.d mind
your own business, as I did."
" Good evening, friend," quoth the ped-
dler—"I'M warrant yon I'll never come
back aud look for treasure on London
Bridge again."
Back he ami his dog journey to Swaff-
ham. He gets a lend of a pickaxe, and
with that and his spade, lalls vigorously to
work iu the described cornel of his garden.
Fre seuily he hits ou something lianl ; he
redoubles his efforts aiid turns it out ; it Ts
a large pot of gold.
With part ot it he builds the church, aud
a magnificent perpendicular erection it is
Iu commemoration of the adventure, he had
it carwd ou the wooden seats, where,
however, much of it is now decayed ; but
the figure of ihe peddler and muzz ed dog
occurs on the seats, aud ou the basement
mou.ding of the huge tower. The inhabit-
ants ful.y believe the story, anil I see no
reason to doubt it.
Human Nature.—They tell a good -tory
of two bachelors down East, who lived a
sort of cat-and-dog life, to their neighbors
discomfort, but who had been at camp
meeting, were slightly converted, ai.d both
of them concluded to reform.
*' Brother Tom," says one, when lltey
had arrived at tlirir home, " let us sit down
now and I'll tell yon what we'll do You
tell me all of my faults and I'll tell you all
of yourn, and so we will know how to get
about mending of 'em "
" Good!" says brother Tom.
" Well, you beg n "
" No. you begin, brother Joe."
" Well, in the first place, you know,
brother Tom, you will lie I''
Crack goes brotl.er Tom's paw between
brother Jot 's •' blinkers," and a considerable
of a "scrimmage" ensues, until, iu the
course of about ten minutes, neither being
able to come to tune, reformation is post-
poned sine die.
There is nothing like fun to make hu-
manity to relish a roast beef dinner. Take
old Swipes, your next doofc neighbor be
tore dinner, and talk to him about busi-
ness. Why, he'll l>e as cross as an Arctic
bear at the point of starvation. But just
treat him to <-a dozen or the chafing dish,"
seasoned with a good joke, and his heart
and pocket will open instanter. At the
splendid show funerals of the '"lings,'' the
solemnity of the procession would be a
crying evil, were it not for the side-split-
ting jokes and funny varus of the invited
guests in the rear carriages. Life itself is
but a joke—a mere pun upon the reality of
the great Hereafter. Who ever heard of
a man who could'nt see anv fun in any-
thing, emulating Methtiseleh in age? Who
ever heard of a jolly fat man going toan
early grave on account of a broken heart ?
If misfortune stares you in the face, dash a
broadside ol mirth into its teeth If pov-
erty—that policeman of fortune, who is
always arresting a wrong person—g>nsps
you by the collar, throw it off with a j"ke;
and our word for it, you'll be out on bail,
a regular Croesus, betore you die.
Midas was so great a man, that every-
thing he touched turned to gold—altered
case now, touch a man with gold and he
will turn into anything.
In all delicate cases where blame is due,
you will generally find the following law
acted upon ; The poor man is accused, the
rich man is excused.
Love in a Cottage.
BY N. f. WILLIS.
They 'alk of love in ¡i cottage,
And bowers oftrellii-ed vine—
Ot nature hewitchingly simple,
And milkmaids halfdivine;
They may talk of ti>e pleasures of sleeping
In the shade of a spreading tree,
And a walk in the fields at morning,
By the sidfe of a footstep free !
But giv¿*fc a sly flirtation
By the'I ght of a chandelier—
"With music to play in the pauses,
And nobody very near;
Or a seat on tlie silken sofa,
With a glass of pure old wine,
And marrma too blind to discover , *,v_
The small white hand in fliwe, '
i «rtxftrtfé ÍS:hTHfgiy,-* ~
Your vine, is a nest for flics—
Your milkmaid shocks the Graces,
And simplicity talks of pies!
You lie down to your shady slumber
And wake wi h a bug in your ear.
And your damsel that walks in the morning
Is shod like a mountaineer.
True love is at home on a carpet,
And mightily likes his ease—
And true love has an eye for a dinner,
And starves beneath sbady trees
His wing is the fan of a lady
His foot's au invisib e thing,
And his arrow is tipp'd with a jewel,
And shot from a silver string. •
Through death to Life.
" It is sow.i in dishonor, it is raised in glory."
Trip star is not extinguished when it sets
Upon the dull horizon, it but go< s
To shine in other skies, then íeappear,
In ours, as fresh as when it first arose.
The river is not lost, when o'er the rock
It pours its flood inio the abyss below,
Its scatter d force rigatl.' ring iron) the shock,
It has ens onward with yet fuller How.
The bright sun dies not when the shadowing orb
Of the eclipsing moon obscures its ray ;
It si ill is shining on, and soon to us
Will burst undimmed into the joy of day.
The lilly dies not. wjien both floWerand 1> af
Fade, and are strewn up"n the chill, sad ground,
Gon*3 down for shelter to its mother ear h,
'Twill rise.rebloom,and shed i sfragrance round.
The dew-drop dies not, when it leaves the flower,
And passes upward on the beam oí morn;
It dots but hide itself in light 011 high,
To its love I flower at twilight to return.
The tine gold has not perished when the flame
Seizes upon it with consuming glow;'
In freshened splenuor it comes lourtii anew,
To spark'.e on the monarch's throne or brow.
Thus nothing dies, or only dies to live— lg°'d,
St.ir. stream, snn. flow< r, the dew-drop and the
Each goodly thing, instinct with buoyant hope,
Hastes to put 011 its purer, finer n.ould.
lation it lias to undergo in the further
operations of the beating in the lap ma-
chine, and extra carding, that besides
ascertained large amount of waste,
seventeen per cent., which now Hies ¡oflfcth
consequence of ibis treatment, a large
quantity of broken zip, fjiutilaied, and in-
trinsically destroyed fibre inters into the
yarn, and of which it is largely composed."
And herein stands out in bold relief the
great improvements, that the zcaste by Mr.
Henry's procest is diminished at least ten
per cent., and the yam being made of com-
paratively utibrolen and mutilated fibre, is
infinitely stronger, and finer yarns can be
made out of ft witji greater ease. We all
know the length'of the fib.re is what gives
Strengthtquh■ 'aWd tlffráttWffian-
ipuiation the less the fibre breaks, and the
iess of the downy substance may be ascri-
bed the adhesion or affinity of fibre, which
makes the yarn of cotton the king of tex-
tiles.
By this invention it is claimed there can
be manufactured a yarn filty per cent, bet-
ter than can be made by present methods,
and which will se lire the markets of the
¿vorld, defying competition. The ma-
chinery can be conveniently arranged on
the platform, where the cotton is ginned,
and very little additional power to that
which gins the staple, will suffice to spin it
also. One skillful carder and spinner can
superintend half a dozen plantations, while
the women and children on each planta-
tion will be sufficient to spin up the crop.
Among other improvements resulting from
the invention, the following are enumera-
ted :
"Cotton being spun into yarns, is so
compressed that the same number of pounds
that now covers over a steamboat, exposing
it to wet and fire, can, 011 the same sized
boat, be stowed and protected nicely under
cover. Yarn, unlike cotton, i< not extra
hazardous, aud insurance will lessen on it.
The freight and general charges being on
the pound, as they will be on an article,
doubled in value, will le 1 educed in the
descending ration one-half. Sold by num-
bers in the ports, its frequent sampling and
turning out for examination, &<•., will be
discontinued. There is deducted from the
price which the planter receives for his
cotton, whether he sells, all the losses and
charges on it until it reaches Manchester,
and also the estimated waste on it there,
while it is being converted into yarns.—
Hence, a system which saves ten per cent.,
of waste is equiva ent to adding ten bales
to every hundred of the ci op. Besides, the
Spinning Cotton on Plantations. |«vi^V d.«g« p-tjp, ten percent.
° fiir.nislje.s- with other sn-omrei:. non
he recCTttmi veiitmii unrrr. tie org e G
Ileurv, for spinning cotton before it leaves
the plantation, may be looked upon as sec-
ond in importance only to the invention of
the cotton gin. Should the invention ac-
complish fully the object for which it is
es gned, the íesult will be an increpse in
the value of the cotton crop to the South,
and a great addition to the wealth ot the
couiitrv. We find in the New \ork Jour-
nal of Commerce, au inteiesting commu-
nication from '•Spinner," which gives an
account of the modus operandi of the in-
vention, and particularizes the benefits t >
accrue from it. By the present process of
preparing cotton for market, it retains
more or less leaf, trash, itc., which the gin
did not teiiiove., and it becomes entangled
and matted together in baling, so that be-
fore it can be spun it. is necessaiy to run it
through several machines iti order to dis-
entangle it and remove .the foreign sub-
stances. To do this it is first run through
a machine 1 ailed a picker, with a cylinder
that revolves three hundred times a min-
ute, and is armed with strong iron teeth.
It is then taken through the lap machines,
w hich have two or linee beaters revolving
some '2,100 or 2 200 times a minute. Ihe
fibre is passed through two of these in
in any factories, from whence it is taken to
a set of carders, and often through another
set to finish it for the drawing, heads, &c
The improvements c-nsist in attaching
the lap machine to the gin, and so arrang-
ing the spinning machinery in connection,
that from the gin and lap the cotton is la-
ken 011 through the different machines used
in the process of spinning without any
handling irom the time it euteis the gin,
until the yarn is put into bales. Among
the advantages of lliis process is the fact
that the gin is not required to gin over one
third the quantity of cotton that gins now
do, because there will be no necessity for
lit * present haste to get it to market, and
thus the gin will do its work much better,
to the improvement of the cotton. The
cotton, as now thrown out from the gin.
is iu a very open, straight ami flexible con-
dition, and by the present improvement,
will be taken just in that condition from
the gin, and passed on through the lap and
other preparation and spun, without going
into a lint room, being baled, or reopened,
ifec. Sa_\ s the w liter :
"It will strike everyone very forcibly,
that taking the fibre when thus open and
loose, to have the impurities abstracted
1 rom it, as t his fibre lias not grasj ed or
tangled itself about them, the trash and
impurities fall easily, freely and natural!}
from the fibres, precluding tin* necessity of
tearing, bruising and pulverizing manipula-
tion it now requires to cleanse and open it,
and with all which it is still very imper-
fectly done. Besides, taking the cotton
just from the seed.it is oily and elastic,and
works tar more kindly into yarns than it
ever afterwards will. It must be here
stated that in running the co ton through
the gin as rapidly as it is now run, in the
necessarily running it through the picker
in the cotton factories to open and disen-
stric rati oris, "Hie motive to determine the
planter to the manufacture of his cotton
into yarns—and the advantage to consu-
mers is that the saving of ten per cent of
waste is equivalent to an increase of the
American crop of 300,000 bales per annum.
Mr. Henry's airangeinent is not diffi ult
to adopt, as the cost of the machinery for
the whole process is not equal to the en-
hanced value of tiie first crop &pun.
The Figüting Preacher.
The Western itinerants (who were the
legisfulmínea ot the American ministry of
their day-) were usually brawny, athletic
men, phy-ically, if not mentally, educated
almo.-t to perfection^ They had occasion,
sometimes to preach to their rude hearers
xvith tliei fists, as well as their stentorian
lungs. " At a cainpmeeiiiig," says Mr.
Finley, " a row was raised, 011 Sad@Bpf,
l>y about twenty lewd fellows of therfciier
sort, who came upon the ground intoxicated,
aud had vowed they would break up the
meeting. One of the preachers went to the
leader for the purpo e of getting him to
leave; but this only enraged him, aud lie
struck ttie pteacher a violent blow 011 the
lace aud knocked lii'm down Here the
conflict began. The members saw that
they must either defend themselves or allow
the ruffians to beat them and insult their
wives aud daughters. I' did not take them
long to decide They very soon placed
themselves iu an altitude of defense.
Brother Birkaminer, an exceedingly stout
man, seized their bully leader who had
struck iht; preacher, and with one thust oi
his brawny arm, crushed him down be-
tween two benches. The aid de-camp of
the bully ran to his relief, but it was to
meet the same fate ; for 110 sooner did lie
come will in reach of the Methodist, than
with crushing lorce he felt himself ground
011 The back of his comrade iu distress.
Here they were held iu durance vile, till
the Sheriff and his posse came and took
possession, anil binding ihem with ten
others, they were carried before a Justice,
w ho fined iheui heaviiy for the misdemeanor.
As soon as quiet was restored, Bishop
Ashbury occupud the pulpit. After sing-
ing aud prayer, he rose and said he would
«ive tl.e rowdies some advice :
" ' You must remember that all our
I rol hers iu the church are not yet sanctified,
aud I advise you to let them alone ; for it
you get ihem angry, and the devil should
get in them, they are the strongest men to
light and conquer m the world. I advise
you, it you do not like them, to go home
and let them alone.'
" In speaku.g of one of bis brother
itinerants—one to whom it was owing
•that Methodism i.s now the prevailing
religion iu Illinois,' be says :
" ' At the cainp-meeriiig held at Alton, i.i
the autumn of 1S33, the worshippers were
annoyed l>y a sel ol desperadoes from St.,
Louis, under the command of Mike Fink
a notorious bully, the triumphant bully ol
unless fi"hts, in none of which lis had
ever met an equal, or even second The
wi.^ .v, „r.. ...... coarse drunken ruffians carried it with a
tangió it, and the continued severe mnnipu- high hand—outraged the men, in«rtlted th
make
1 ————
women, so as to threaten the dissolution of
all pious exercises, and yet such.dKas the
terror the name of their leader, Fi«,k, iii-
íjfPí ihat 110 individual eiwJd,.Jjt^pund
brave enough to face his prowess. At last
one day, when Mr. aseeuded the pul-
pit to bold forth, the desperadoes en the'out-
skirts of the encampment raised a yell sp
deafening as to drown utterly every other
sound. Mr M -'s.dark eyes shot light-
ning. lie deposited his Bible, drew off his
coat, aud remarked aloud :
Wiwi f^f a few minutes, my brethren,
devil pray'
with a smile on bis
tumult, and addrees*
pray.
The desperado rolled beck the tangled
festoons of his blood-red hair, arched his
huge brows with a comical expression, aud
replied:
" By golly ! I'd like to see you do it, old
snorter."
" Very well," said M-¡ , " will these
gentlemen, your courteous friends, agree not
to show foul play V
'• In course they will; they're rale grit,
and won't do noihin' but tl.e clear thing,
so they won't," rejoined Fink, indignant-
lY
" Are you ready V asked M .
" Ready as a iace horse with a light
ridei,"squaring bis ponderous person for the
coming combat.
" But the bully spoke too soon; |for
scarcely had the words left his lips, when
M made a prodigious bound towards
his antagonist, and accompanied it with a
quick, shooting punch of his herculean fist,
which fell crashing the other's chin, aud
hurried him to the earth like lead. Then
even his intoxicated comrades, filled with
involuntary admiration of the feat, gave a
cheer. But Fink was up i 11 a moment, aud
rushed upou his enemy, exclaiming:
" That was n't fair, so it was 11't!''
" He aimed a ferocious stroke, which
M parried with his left hand, aud,
grasping his throat with ihe right, cmshed
him down as if he had been au iiifaut.
Fink struggled, squirmed and writhed in the
dus', but aíl to no purpose ; for the strong
muscular finger* held his windpipe as iu the
jaws of ail iron vice. When he begau to
turn purple in the face and ceased to resist,
M slackened his hold, aud inquired :
" Will you pray, now ?''
* 1 does n't know a word how," gasped
Fink
" Repeat after me," commanded Mr. M.
" Well, if I must, I must," auswered
Tin 11,—Because yrm te me uern-
The preacher then said over the Lord's
Prayer, line by liHe, and the conquered
bully responded iu the saine way, when the
victor permitted him to rise. At the con-
suma tion the rowdies roare 1 tin • loisterotw
cheers. Fink shook M's hand «.teclantig:
" By golly, you're some lieaus in a bat
fight; I'd rather set-to with an o d he bar
in dog days. You can pass this 'ere crowd
of nose smashers with your picture "
Afterwards Fink's party bel a ved with
the utmost decorum; and M resumed
his seat in the pulpit."
The Texas Trade.
We were the first last summer to point
out tlie great value of the Texas trade to
New Orleans; the iudispensability of a
sufficient steamship communication to de-
velop as well as preserve the trade \ th«
loss of a large portion ol it already incurred
by our deficiency of steamship facilities;
and the certainty thnt we would continue
to lose it, and that it would be, permanently
perhaps, diverted to Northern ports, unless
regular, complete atw efficient steamship
connection were established to sustain and
stimulate it. We stated facts in regard to
the Texas and the entire Gulf trade, which
have not been denied, and are undeniable.
Our object was to bring the community to
think seriously and wholesomely of the
obvious wants aud exigent necessities of
our .commerce, and lead them, if possible,
Irom thought to action. In this we parti-
ally succeeded, at least. Amid the din of
profitless political controversy, our words
were noc altogether inaudible, and all our
seeds were not ca<t in stony places. The
Opelousas Railroad ('oinpany, with season-
able sagacity, soon effected an arrangement
with Mr. Vanderbilt, for running a regular
line of steamships, in connection with the
road to Texas, and thus shortening the dis-
tance one-half; and Mr. Vanderbilt, at-
tracted by the fine opportunities and possi-
bilities of profitable steamship enterprise in
the (ruIf trade, embracing the semicircle
from New Orleans to Galveston, Brazos,
Tain pico, Vera Cruz and Minatitlan, has
already given substantial evidence of a dis-
position to employ his capital and his ships
in supplying the wants of our commerce in
all those directions. The Daniel Webster,
one of the large-t and most superb steam-
ships which has ever been in the Gulf—of
unquestionable sea-worthiness, which has
never vet quailed before heavy sea or fierce
gale, and which will not have to go a-beg-
ging for insurance, is to commence to-inor-
lovv her trips between New Orleans and
Galveston and Matagorda, and is now, we
learn, receiving more applications for
freight than she can carry. This is the be-
ginning of the end. Two other ships built
expressly for the Berwick's Bay line will
be out by the first of March; additional
ships will in due time be put on other lines
to Tnxas that will give us the steamship
facilities we so much need to secure and to
develop our trade with thai State, and
save it from being ridden by that Old Man
of the Sea in commerce, called Monopoly.
—Delta.
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Hepperla, John C. The Central Texian. (Anderson, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 34, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 24, 1857, newspaper, January 24, 1857; Anderson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth181131/m1/1/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.