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Jfi, IND., J*J;JS±S 21, 1877.GPBEB.VATOKIAI. 1XGKQ2,1.ING. |..Dornycr liide. Congress I whoa! there |A Correspondent or the Iudltua|»olis.Her.aid Gives an Amusing Account of! fc“Down Thek*,’? iJendrfeks County, June 2.—This part of'theTcounlry.has at last become famous. The laie logrolling did the iniroOrial bSsiiiess forit. But lor that saturualian ''picnic, Dari-vilc and all the godTdly Acres round about would be known orily to the geographers and officials of: the postofiice department, and a few other lolks.All the world lias by tbfc time heard of the log-rolling, li took placo on last Saturday at thc~farni ofSDr. Furnas, three and a half miles south of Danville, and Governor Williams figured in it conspicuously. It was a big thing. The roles were all well taken. anfi after considerable fitful prodding and turning over, each log rolled well.The day was fair, for: liea'ven smiles on log-rollings, and tSvorftibusarid people at least graced the happy clearing grounds wiUr their' gehtaV handspikes. The farmersof lIcndricKs-county, from near and from far, were on, hand, frantic to join the roll, and the druggist, posUuastcr, salt-barrei; statesman, editor and the remaining few citizens of the ville, put by their occupations and rushed boldly out to the great roll, intent on soiling their pampered hands in the noble cause of logS. Danvillo was as still as the'tonib of flic Capulets after the tragedy. Its citizens and the neighbors of the surrounding country had been half mad with excitement for a week or more before the day of the “roll.” Nothing of such stupendous importance had ever “cotuo off” in that section, and expectation and anticipation drove the public pulse at a rattling pace. The siege of Troy or the ruin of the Philistine temple never created hall the sensation that this rural entertainment did. The Homeric demigods never received half the homage from mortals that our own Blue Jcnus did on this occasion. Me was escorted from the depot by a band of young ladies, dressed in blue jeans mnde-en train, and a la Grecque, who sang “11 ail to the Chief” all the wav, to the detriment of their silvery voices. His Excellency rode a lierv charger, blind of one eve, whose constitution had been slightly shattered by thirteen years of life’s fitful fever, and whose tail had been “chawed” off by the calves# •Solore Shim marched a corps of oldest inhabi-tants, gay old sports, chums of his Ex-“cellcncy in the log-rollings Of yore. The greatand good Governor was nttiied in his cvery-dav suit, which showed some evidence of .service, but still was blue etipugh to inspire the heart of a poet or second-hand clothing': merchant. When he sprang lightly to'the ground, the two thousand guests of^ the rolling opened their dulcet lhroatsj*;simuilane-voii old shirk I Gee, there, .Church, you!” Once when ho utildly suggested I to Church to turn ‘around, and indicated the direction he should turn with his wand, the belligerant Church raised his.powcrfnl tail,and handed the Governor one in the left eye. Ilis Excellency did not swear, although the provocation was great. He wiped his eye and his chin, and said something about the weather, which those nearest him understood to be something about a damp time comiug on. After he had rolled four hundred and thirty-three logs, and had fagged the oxen to a' standing point, and toned his spirit dowu to Fahrenheit, buttermilk, ■ whey and “swankey” were passed to the crowd, and a photographer, armed with the necessary implements, came on the field and “took” Uncle Jimmy’s picture, ox-eu and all. Ob, it was gay.Then came the dinnct and speech making.^ The Governor mounted the lecturn first, hnd treated the crowd to a speech that was immense even lor a Governor. lie reveled in sentimental reminiscences of log-rollings of yore, and of the girl3 of that good old iime, who carried their shoes to within sight of the church and then put them on. There were other speeches, but they were as water unto wine beside his.The rolling came, to an end at last, and the Governor took a -special train for home, a more tired and happier man. Cor iu Roy.oil sly and gave him awelc«J»e.. Every chicken, hog; dog, frog. auu lic-c ____________'Ciit joined in the cliortisT Thc.GqVkmor-sh^w-- -ed-Hlt;r *fnfccialion;bjTtummga aomer-'aauft aud aljghtiug on hut hcols,:which he . then raised high iiv the ’.air,' and cracked to^th’e'Fwxra InSffiflr- a “cockadoodle.”After prayers the “long roll” was j! beaten, and the work was commenced.- j 11 is Excellency was provided with a . j yoke of oxen, of fearful, wonderful andi even terrible construction, and a whip •jnith a lash on it of a length and fury s; to overawe the most defiant ox that ev-j 1 cr heard a “whoa!” Most of the two , [ thousand “innocent spectators” devoted themselves solely to the business of 31 looking on. Several who had charge of ^ j oxcii stood still in th*ir tracks, looking iiwitlt adorable wonder and astonish* ! tnent at our athletic Governor, as he ^ j raised a ponderous log with one hand, 3 • tossed it over his head, and then urgedI j it gently but rapidly forward with his -; nimble left heel. This and other horcu-5 i lean feats were repealed again andagain, and still the strength of Ilis Excellency never failed. The team he manipulated attracted almost as much attention as their overseer. .The one on the right was a monstrous carcass, whose left horn was curled and twisted like a rant’s, and whose right prong grew straight toward the sky. Ilis eyes were a combination of green and fire, and his broad back was of a tawny hue. Ilis tail—well, he had none to speak of. His companion was not a perfect match for him ; he was~mildor in manner and his personal appearanco was more winning.- Both wore light . j blankets of blue’jeans, embroidered ‘i with coat of arms of the State.: The : i name of the big one was Congress andII the little one answered to the soft ap-iSpoliation of Church.j The Governor as a driver showed off | to good advantage. v: ;I see the Seutinel says: “As an ox-;; driver His Excellency was amemincnt 'success, having that easy, kind and coaxing way with the gentle kine that g?ve them confidence iit their driver as a friend, and stimulated them .to thefr best.” That is a mistake. Worse, it is two mistakes. Two errors to oBe troth. It is true that as a driver he was an eminent success; untrue that be drove r, “geulle kinc.” Kt, indeed; the Gover-11 nor was not to be put off with n pair !! of dociie cows, when the opportunity for distiuguishmenfc presented itself. He drove oxen —Trothing, roaring stamping, earl h-ten ring oxeri, that reared and charged and gored ni everything wheucver they came to a liilt. Novone but au expert could have managed them. The Sentinel reporter.ie .considerably to leeward when he asserts tliat Ills Excellency had that easy, kind And coaxing way that gave lbeincoufiiJence in-their driver. He larruped then, and jumped and yelled at themj, and; (Overawed them instead of/*wipningjtheir confidence.” . No time was spent m any such foolishness as ^winning thclri confidence. He instilled into th^n i wholesome fearof bis absoliitetfithor-Ify.. Thecrack: of bis whip qoanded like a musket shot,, and was plalntfy discernible at Danville, three,jsll£. off, though there was no one but tie/post-office clerk lo.hcar it. When hehAngl.t the leather lash down.on *’ ing back -the wretched* the ground, arid/humped their work, with the, frrij fromtheir: m ou ths^-and.tl** .bulgiogTike the;bron^pf:• ■African A fit.Bishop Gilbert llavcn, giving in the Independent some of his experiences in Western Africa, has the following to say about ants:'The drivers! Who are they? Natives or Yankees? You ran’t guess in twenty questions. 1 will relieve you in part. They are the buzzards, theclean-ers-np of the country. Without them vermin of every sort would flourish rilhout let or hindrance. They are the jreat foe of bedbug ami rat and mouse and cockroach (oh ! for a faw on thii ship!} qnd the innumerable sorts of such that are bred by hot countries aiul not'too particular people. What still can they be, my pi-etty prattler, for whom I write this? Yonr ten-year-old baby, not you, reverend sir, or sister, if the last is admissible in our present pause in progress—I will tell yon, not your superiors in their own con ceit.* They aro ants. They move across the country in lines no wider than an ingh ; but miles long. When they approach a house they deploy, put their column into fighting order, and advance on 'the enemy. The housewife sees them coming, and gets herself and her family out of tho way. Gets out of the wav, too, her lt;?og and cat arid bird and cow and goat- For if these these do not escape they are doorged- Tl«'«,.wt,Jiii)»-th6 .Vfead of flicks armed ones ahd shrink behind the arras. Tlie bugs that 'bavo tormented you, fleas, and worse are devoured. Not a bone of flea or rat is left to tell the talc. They go from gafret do cel lar, sweep it dry of living creatures,and depart. If you attack them, they sting furiously. .A gentleman told me they camejinto his house, ‘millions aud millions.’ He bad to send oil his goat and cow and poultry, or they would have eaten them np. They did not touch any of lho family. They spent the night quietly in their bod, while their visitors' wero cleaning the house. I should have preferred to have spent tho night awav, if their bod had been such as I linvo been of late privileged to enjoy in partnership, and allowed (hem to give that a clcauing atso.When through with their job, and every roach and mouse and bug is faithfully ‘done for,’ they fall info line and move on to the next rauclu They are a serviceable race. Such wn9 the black column I saw crossing the path when going up fo Liberia College. Such are the ‘drivers,’ the most industrious, energetic, and successful pcoplo in these parts. They have their foes.- What good people havo not? The red ant doesn’t surrender, nor the ant-eater. Tho former is- too much for them in courage, the latter in capacity.The Human Pace.The countenance or every nation defines the characteristics of its people. Every human face Indicates a moral training as wcli as fhe temperament and ruling traits of its owner, just as much as every human form indicates1 the quality and amount of its physical tsxercise. This is proven’ by the variety of human faces everywhere visible. Those whose lives have bccu given fo physical labor, unbrightcncd- by an education of ideas, have always a stolid, stupid expression, ■ even , while their limbs and muscles are splendidly developed. The more savage tho people, the’ uglier they are in facial development. The very features of their faces are disfigured bv violent and ungoverued passions. Fcople whose employments are intellectual, have invariably a large, clear gaze, a bright, outraving expression, as if from an inwanL light and shining through a vase. Where a fine organization and a deep sensibility ac company the practice of intellectual pursuits, often tbe features take on a transparent luminous look. Persons endowed with powerful sensibility, however plain their features, always have moments of absolute beauty.A Dead Officer’s Bing.A touching incident has jusi occurred in connection with the death of Lieut. Win. Van W. Reiley, who fell with Cnster in .that terrible fight on the Little Big Horn, last year. At the time of the battle he wore.a seal ring with his crest cut opon.it, Arid this, together with his clothing, bia aword, his pistols, and all bis belongings, was torn from his* dead body arid carried away by some one of the foe who had helped fo kill him. His mother,niiab1o’ to secure his remains, and longing for something that had..been with him to the last, tried, in every way to recover it; ohe offered immense rewards; she^ad ‘fac similes of the die.made aud sent Yo (he different agencies mlong the frontier,1 arid- Bhe wrote' td: all the commanding - ■*^---^‘--iaesenbirigV~‘ilvfe0f ’.rt*
Newspaper Details
Danville Union
Danville, Indiana, US
Thu, Jun 21, 1877
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Danville P.
IN, USA 21 Jul 2023
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