Kansas Capital from Topeka, Kansas • 4

ffiWWMBWBBWHBWIMWHB WllMii Personal Points. ANNOUNCEMENT. The Capital is intended to be a distinctively Kansas institution, reflecting the best thought of the State upon topics that specially interest its people. It will aim to occupy a substantially new field in the journalism of this locality, and to commend itself to popular favor not so much by contesting with other papers for the general patronage, as by addressing an audience that it hopes to make entirely its own. Its business will be principally with literary and society matters, and with the local affairs of the city in which it is published but nothing that concerns the fame or the welfare of Kansas will be slighted or ignored.

It will be in some degree political at times, since political questions so closely touch the common prosperity and happiness but it will never be partisan, preferring to treat politics not as a mere strife for place and spoils, but what the lexicographers define the term to signify, the science of government. The Editorial Department has been confided to the management of three well known and experienced Kansas jonrnalists, who will give it their careful and conscientious attention, with a view to making it a pride at home and a credit abroad. Other abte, agreeable and popular Kansas writers will contribute to its columns regularly and a cordial invitation is extended to people of literary taste and aspiration throughout the State to make it the medium for communicating their thoughts to the public. Contributions of both prose and verse are desired, and manuscript not found available will be promptlyreturned. Writers can suit themselves in the matter of furnishing their names with their contributions; we care more for things than for names.

The Capital will be published every Sunday morning and furnished to city and mail subscribers, postage free, at two DOLLABSper year, in advance. A limited number of advertisements inserted at fair rates. Address The Kansas Capital. Topeka, Kansas. THE CAPITAL.

TOPEKA, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1876. Ition to go a little deeper into the subject, to present Suthin combinin' moral truth With phrases such as strikes," is almost irresistible but we stubbornly refrain. All of us know that we are none of us as good as we flatter ourselves we are. We are well aware that the preachers do not tell us of half our weaknesses and meannesses. We know that the doctrine of total depravity is proved anew every day in our courts.

We know that all the commandments are severally and repeatedly broken right under our noses. We know that not one of us is really and truly what he seems, or even what he tries to make himself think he is. It needs no messenger from the skies to tell us that we are clothed with frailties as with a garment, or to remind us that in spite of all our doors and shutters and curtains, our houses are all of them glass, and we know it. We dont talk about these things excepting to ourselves but we think of them, nevertheless, oftener than we should care to confess, and we try to meet and hush them by these vainglorious efforts of conscience which at the beginning of a new year take the form of swearing-off. But does the swearing-off stick? Not often.

As we grow accustomed to the new almanao, the party with the cloven hoof and the incredible tail begins to get in his work again, and the first thing we know, if we stop to think of it, the good intentions are gone to pave the place where money melts and fine raiment is a mockery and a superfluity. The promises we make to ourselves are the easiest and the soonest broken. Our annual swearing-off is nothing but a subterfuge. We mean well enough, but life in April or in August is not life in January As long as the birds stay south, we do not care rob their nests while watermelons remain only abstractions to us, we are not likely to steal them. But when the birds come back, and the melons get ripe, our winter resolutions slip away from us like so muoh snow.

After all, perhaps, the great trouble with us is that we lay out more ground than we can cultivate. We aim to sohedule our oonduet for the coming twelve months, when it would be better to confine ourselves to a single day at a time. The man who does right and acts wisely for twenty-four hours, has but to keep it up, a day at a time, through the three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, and he will oome off conqueror. What we propose to do tomorrow does not help us to day, and to-day it is that we have to do with, for the to-morrovr in which we are going to redeem the promises the heart makes to the head never comes. It is better, it is braver, it is bolder to put aside all speculation of the reformatory kind that does not touch the very hour that is passing, and so to live that, come what may the next month of the next year, you shall be able to say with Shakespeares shepherd not in some remote and shadowing future, but in the living, tangible present Sir, I am a true laborer I earn that I wear; owe no man hate envy no mans happiness; glad with every mans good content with my own.

Prom present indications, oalling will be quite general in Topeka on New Tears day. hear every year some orookers who declare the custom is on the decline, but we do not believe it. We have heard the same assertion made every year, as long as we can recollect and that is longer than we mean publioly to confess. It is, to our mind, a choice fashion, and renders New Years day the most agreeable holiday of the year. It is a day of brilliant changes, of gay rencontres of sparkling inter ludes, of lively gossip, of beautiful faces, of exquisite toilets, of pleasant compliments, of reciprocal admirations, of kindly words, of generous cheer, of general good-will.

It is a day of re-unions and of pleasant pledges, and every man not entirely insensible to the charms of society, has found in its observance some of his most agreeable experiences. When the entire female population of a town have decked themselves in their most fasoinating attire, and the entire male population are brushed and curled and scented, how can the mutual enoounter of these admired and admirers be otherwise than enjoyable The Shawnee County Bar association has reorganized with the following officers: G. C. Clemens, President; J. D.

McFarland, Vice President; A. H. Case, Secretary; R. A. Friedrich, Marshal; G.

W. Carey, Treasurer. The object of the association is to attain sociality and fraternity in the legal profession, to improve the mind and to elevate the moral tone of the bar of this county, as well as to prevent improvident legislation, should such legislation be attempted. During the holidays G. 0.

Wil-marth has displayed a very pretty stock of gold pens, fine stationery in elegant boxes, gift books, notions eto. He carries a complete stock of office stationery of the very best manufacture, consisting of paper, envelopes, standard inks, pens, penoils, and stationers sundries of every variety. All kinds of commercial stationery in quantities at low figures. He is making a specialty of this class of goods. 305 Kansas Avenue.

Womans rights are developing. Thursday morning a farmers wagon came across the bridge, with a cross cow towing aft. The stern old granger drove, his neighbor sat beside him talking politics, the farmers two big boys lolled on the grain saeks behind him, and the farmers wife trotted along behind and kept the cow stirred up to a realizing sense of her duty with a club. There were very slight indications of hard times in the manner in whioh the various organizations, religions and otherwise, celebrated Christmas. The crowded condition of the stores and shops exhibited no pent up currency, and during the week Kansas Avenue has daily displayed a sufficient circulating medium to get away with everything offered lor sale.

i Cord wood is the staple commodity here jnst now, and finds more ready sale than political badges did during the campaign. The gentlemen who amass humble fortunes by severing this kind of fuel into proper proportions for combustion are in steady demand and light supply, and the wheeze of the back-breaking saw is heard in the land. The silver twenty cent pieoe looks so much like a quarter, that every once in a while a delighted customer goes chuckling out of a store thinking how the merchant has cheated himself, and does not open his eyes until he tries to buy a quarters worth of something with that same deceptive coin. During the coldest day of the past week one of Topekas best young men on whose upper lip the down resembles the mould on' an mince pie, was frequently seen standing put in the weather to see if his moustache would freeze. It did freeze and the youth is happy.

Capt. Peck is going to Davenport. Attorney General Davis is in the city. Mr. H.

K. Rowley is home from New York. Harry Cullum, of Wichita, is at the Tefft. Col. Fluno expects to locate in Texas.

Col. Perry, of Paola, was in the city this week. Geo. Renick, of the Queen City, returned on Thursday. Miss Keith, of Atchison, is stopping, with her friend Miss Myra Kellam.

Chase county is solid for Prouty, and Prouty is solid for Chase county. Miss Amy Price, of Kansas City, is visiting Mrs. Scott and Mrs. E. H.

Davis. J. Lee Knight is keeping house by himself now, his family having gone east on a visit. The smiling phisiognomy of Fred Willard, of Leavenworth, graced the Ayenue on Monday. It is understood tfiat Col.

McMeek- in will take possession of the Fifth Avenue hotel soon. Judge Gray, private Secretary to Governor Anthony, has leased a residence on Tenth avenue. Dr. C. A.

Logan, U. S. Minister to Chili, was in the city this week, stopping at the Fifth Avenue. Prof. Thomas is the most even-tempered man in Topeka.

No matter what happens he always keeps school. Mr. Swayze, of the Blade was presented with a beautiful gold pen on Christmas day, by the employes of the office. A fair count at the home of Will Cavanaugh shows an increase of two daughters, born last Saturday. Will wouldnt trade places with either Tilden or Hayes.

The following are the officers elect of Orient Lodge, No. 51 A. F. A. Frank Drummond, W.

R. Edwards, S. Johnathan Myers, J. Blandin, S. Geo.

Palmer, J. D. Brockway, Treasurer, Wm. Whitmer, Secretary. The cast of characters in Boston Dip, for the Worrall show, includes the following ladies and gentlemen Mrs.

T. J. Anderson, Misses Maud Macdonald and Minnie Gray, and Messrs. W. C.

N. Garvey, J. D. Cruise, E. G.

Dick and Wallace Dickinson. A line from Madge Wildfires song, What did ye wi the bridal ring-bridal ring was answered in Topeka on Christmas by the following eouples William H. Gibbs and Ma-linthaJ. Downing, of this county; Henry R. Rice, of Newton, and Nannie A.

Kuykendall, of this oity Robert F. Hopper and Martha E. Bright, of Columbus Elias G. Hastings and Mary E. Shuler, of Jefferson Cbunty.

Mr. J. E. Montrose, formerly of the Fifth Avenue, is now the proprietor of the Clifton House at Ottawa, 111. The following extract from the Chieago Tribune of December shows that he is also proprietor of something else The marriage of Mr.

Jackson E. Montrose, formerly of this city, now a resident of Ottawa, 111., and Mrs. Kate M. Burwell, eldest daughter of Mr. James L.

Smith, took place Thursday afternoon at the home of the brides father. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. L. T. Chamberlain, after which the happy hair departed for their future home In Ottawa Happy New Year.

The time for good resolutions has come again. With the going down of this Sundays sun, the best and wisest, along with the worst and silliest, of us will begin to map out numerous changes that we propose to make in ourselves at the opening of the new year. It is the swearing-off season. A. is going to quit his cigars, B.

is going to abjure brandy, C. is going to give up coffee, and all of us are going to curtail our expenses, do less loafing, and lead better and higher and grander lives. Of course we are. Not that we are so awfully extravagant, or lazy, or reckless of the fact that to be virtuous is to be happy. Oh, no 1 We sometimes say that we are weak and erring creatures, to be sure, but that is but a polite bit of verbal concession that we make to the truths of Christianity; as a matter of fact, away down in our hearts, we believe ourselves to be marvels of strength and sturdiness and latent goodness.

Our faults are not faults, bless you, in the dictionary sense they are merely habits. We do not have to purge ourselves of any inherent vileness we merely have to ohange habits, as we change shirts or bonnet-trimmings. We are not exactly saints, or we should need wings and harps and a change of oompany. But neither are we those naughty things which went down into the sea with the swine. We are a little lower just a little lower than the angels, and while we wait for the chariot, sure of its coming, we do not need to discipline ourselves after the manner of the unregenerate.

We have no sins to repent of; nothing but a foolish habit or two to discard. So we swear off. It is barely possible that there is a good deal of self-deception in this way we have of privately exalting ourselves but that is a matter for the pulpits. We are not preaching a sermon we are simply unmasking a little human nature. The tempta-.