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^ ^" ISSUED SEMI'WIEHL^^ i. m. grist's sons, Publishers. T % Jamitj Jlttcsjaper: 4or the {promotion of the jjolilical, Social, Sflricultural, anJ ommti|ciat gntwats of the jptoplt. . {mM8iNo^0coit'!^liraS""' ESTABLISHED 1855. YORZVILLE, 8. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1903. NO. 91. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1AAAA, Bhe SKI 4 + \ By "RALPH J Au?h? ^ "The Man Fro 4 "Glenjarrjr School Day 4 * Copyright, 1899. by FLfcMI! M r?n a dtfd vrr VUAi, X AJlb AA V bill's bluff, T-" " "" HE Pilot had set his heart upon the building of a church SSCS5 in the Swan Creek district. partly because he was human antf^.frished to set a mark of remembrance upon the country, but more be- 1 cause he held the sensible opinion that a congregation, as a man. must have a ' home if it is to stay. All through the summer he kept setting this as an object at once desirable ' and possible to achieve. But few were found to agree with him. Little Mrs. Mulr was of* the few. but she was not to be despised, but 1 her influence was neutralized by the solid immobility of her husband. Ha i had never done anything sudden In his t life. Every resolve was the result of i a long process of mind, and every act 1 Then Dill stood up and began to speak. of Importance had to be previewed from all possible points; an honest man, strongly religious and a great admirer of the" Pilot, but slow moving us a glacier, although with plenty of fire in him deep down. "He's soond at the hairt, ma man Robbie," his wife said to the Pilot, who was fuming and fretting at the blocking of his plans, "but he's terrible deleeberate. Bide ye a bit, laddie. He'll come tae." "But meantime the summer's going and nothing will be done," was the Pilot's distressed and Impatient answer. So a meeting was called to diBcuss the question of building a church, with the result that the Ave men and three women present decided that for the present nothing could be done. This was really Robbie's opinion, though he refused to do or say anything but grunt, d as the Pilot said to me afterward in a rage. It is true Williams, the store- ^ keeper just come from "across the line," did all the talking, but no one paid much attention to his fluent fatuities except as they represented the un- j PTnressed mind of the dour, exasperat lng little Scotchman, who sat silent s but for an "aye" now and thou, so expressive and conclusive that every one knew what he meant and that the dls- ( cussion was at an end. The schoolbouse was quite sufficient for the present. The people were too few and too poor, and they were getting on well iinder the leadership of their present minister. These were the arguments n which Robbie's "aye" stamped as quite x unanswerable. It was a sore blow to the Pilot, who had set his heart upon a church, and v neither Mrs. Muir's "hoots" at her husband's slowness nor her promises that { she "wad inak him hear it" could bring . comfort or relieve his gloom. In this state of mind lie rode up with t me to pay our weekly visit to the little t girl shut up in her lonely house among j the hills. t It had become the Pilot's custom during these weeks to turn for cheer to c that little room, and seldom was he ? disappointed. She was so bright, so r brave, so cheery and so full of fun that j gloom faded from her presence as mist before the sun and impatience was x shamed into content. E CI wen's bright face?It was almost always bright now?and her bright welcome did something for the Pilot, but $ tin* feeling or raiiure was upon mm. ? itnd failure to bis enthusiastic nature | was worse than pain. Not that he ton- \ fessed either to failure or glooin: he ^ was far too true a man for that, but Clwcn felt his depression in spite of all $ his brave attempts at brightness, and , insisted that he was ill, appealing to j me. "Oh. it's only his church," I said, pro- 1 ceeding to give her an account of Rob- l hie Muir's silent, solid inertness and how he had blocked the Pilot's scheme. 1 "What a shame!" cried Gwen indignantly. "What a bad man he must ' be!" The Pilot smiled. "No, indeed," he 1 answered. "Why, he's the best man In ; the place, but 1 wish he would say or do something. If he would only get < mad and swear I think I should feel happier." < Gwen looked quite mystified. 1 "You see, he sits there in solemn silence looking so tremendously wise that most men feel foolish if they speak, while as for doing anything the idea appears preposterous In the face of Jhls Immovableness." AAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAO [ PILOT I = = r cojhjwo'r r >r of ? m Glengurry** ? /" Mid "Bkck Rock" NC B. REVELL COMPANY fVTVTVfVVf ? ??? *? ? ""I can'tT>earTilm!" cried Gwen. "I should like to stick a pin in him." "I wish some one would," answered the Pilot. "It would make him seem more human if he could be made to Jump." "Try again," said Gwen, "and get some one to make bim jump." "It would be easier to build the church," said the Pilot gloomily. "I could make him jump," said Gwen viciously, "and I will," she added after a pause. "You!" answered the Pilot, opening his eyes. "How?" "I'll find some way," she replied resolutely. And so she did, for when the next meeting was called to consult as to hp hnihtinir of n church, the conereea tion, chiefly of farmers and their wives, with Williams, the storekeeper, were greatly surprised to see Bronco Bill. Hi and half a dozen ranchers and cowboys walk in at intervals and sol-, imnly seat themselves. Robbie looked it them with surprise and a little suspicion. In church matters he had no iealings with the Samaritans from the liills. and while, in their unregenerate condition, they might be regarded as suitable objects of missionary effort, as to their having any part In the direction, much less control, oi the church policy?from such a notion Robbie was ielivered by his loyal adherence to the Scriptural injunction that he should not cast pearls before swine. The Pilot, though surprised to see Bill and the cattle men. was none the ess delighted and faced the meeting vitli more confidence. He stated the luestion for discussion: Should a church niilding he erected this summer in Swan Creek V and he put his case well. Then followed dread, solemn silence. Bobbie was content to wait till the efect of the speech should be dissipated n smaller talk. Then he gravely said: "The kirk wad be a gran' thing, nae loot, an" they wad a' dootless"?with a uspicious glance toward Bill?"rejoice n its erection. But we maun be cauious. an' I wad like to inquire hoo uuch money a kirk cud be built for HI uaui i uf uiuircj ? uu uuujc naci The Pilot was ready with his answer, rhe cost would be $1,200. The church milding fund would contribute $200. he people would give $300 In labor ind the remaining $700 he thought ould be raised in the district in two ears' time. "Aye." said Robbie, and the tone and nanner wer> sufficient to drench any ntliusiasm with the chilliest of water. >o uiucli was this the case that the hairman. Williams, seemed quite jusified in saying: "It is quite evident that the opinion it meeting is adverse to any atempt to load the community with a lebt of $1,000." and he proceeded with very complete statement of the many nd various objections to any attempt it building a church this year. The eopte were very few, they were dislersed over a large area, they were not nterested sufficiently, they were all pending money and making little in eturn: he supposed therefore that the neeting might adjourn. Robbie snt silent and expressionless n spite of his little wife's anxious rhispers and nudges. The Pilot looked he picture of woe and was on the point if bursting forth when the meeting vas startled by Rill. "Say, boys! They hain't much stuck U their shop, hell?" The low. drawling vice was perfectly distinct and arresttig. "Hain't got no use for it seemingly," vas the answer from the dark corner. "Old Seotchie takes his religion out n pray m', i guess, urawieu 111 t?iu, but wants to sponge for his plant." This reference to Robbie's proposal o use tiie school moved tiie youngsters o tittering and made the little Scotchnan squirm, for lie prided himself ipon liis independence. "There ain't $700 in the hull blanked iuttit." This was a stranger's voice, ind again Itobbie squirmed, for he athor prided himself also 011 his abilty to pay his way. "No good!" said another emphatic oiee. "A blanked lot of psalm singing mipes!" "Order, order!" cried the chairman. "Old Windbag there don't see aqy ;how for swipin' the collection with Scotchie round." said Hi. with a folowing ripple of quiet laughter, for iVilliams' reputation was none too seat re. Robbie was in a most uncomfortable state of mind. So unusually stirred vas he that for the first time in his listory he made a motion. "I move we adjourn. Mr. Chairman." le said in n voice which actually vi ratcd with emotion. ' Different here! Eli. boys?" drawled [till. "You bet!" said Hi. in huge delight. 'The meetin* ain't out yit." "Ye can bide till lnor-r-nin'," said itobbie atmrily. "A'ni gaen liame." beginning to put on his coat. "Seems as if lie orter give the password." drawled Hill. "Iiight you are. pardner." said HI. spriiiiii 11 jr to the door and waiting In delighted expectation for his friend's lead. Itobbie looked at the door, then at his wife, hesitated a moment. 1 have no doubt wishing her home. Then Bill stood up and began to speak. "Mr. Chairman. I hain't been called on for uny remarks"? "Go on!" yelled his friends from the dark corner. "Hear, hear!" ?"an' I didn't feel as If this war hardly my game, though the Pilot ain't mean about invitin' a feller on Sunday afternoons. But them as runs the shop don't seem to want us fellers round too much." Robbie was gazing keenly at Bill, and here shook his head, muttering angrily: "Hoots, nonsense! Ye're welcome eneuch." "But," went on Bill slowly, "I guess I've been on the wrong track. I've been a-cherishin' the opinion" ["Hear, hear!" yelled his admirers], "cherishin' the opinion," repeated Bill, "that these fellers," pointing to Robbie, "was stuck 011 religion, which I ain't much myself. and reely consarned about the blocking of the devil, which the Pilot says can't be did without a regular gospel factory. Of course, it ain't any biznis of mine, but if us fellere was reely sot on anytbin' condoocin'," ["Hear, hear!" yelled Hi In ecstasy], "condoocin'," repeated Bill slowly and with relish, "to the good of the Order" (Bill was a brotherhood man), "I b'lleve I know whar $500 mebbe cud per'aps be got." "You bet your sox," yelled the strange voice in chorus, with other shouts of approval. "Of course, I ain't no bettin' man," went on Bill insinuatingly, "as a regular thing, but I'd gamble a few jist here on this pint; if the boys was stuck on anythin' costin' about $700, it seems to me likely they'd git It in about two days, per'aps." Here Robbie grunted out an "aye" of such fullness of contemptuous unbelief that Bill paused, and, looking over Robbie's head, he drawled out, even more slowly and mildly: "I ain't much given to bettin', as I remarked before, but if a man shakes money at rae on that proposition I'd accommodate him to a limited extent" ["Hear, hear! Bully boy!" yelled Hi again from the door.] "Not bein' too bold, I cherish the opinion" [again yells of approval from the corner] "that even for this here gospel plant, seein' the Pilot's rather sot on to it, I b'lieve the boys could find $500 inside of a month, if perhaps these fellers cud wiggle the rest out of their pants." Then Robbie was in great wrath, and, stung by the taunting, drawlin; voice beyond all self command, he broke out suddenly: "Ye'll no can mak that guid, I doot." "D'ye mean I ain't prepared to back it up?" "Aye," said Robbie grimly. "'Tain't likely I'll be called on. I guess $500 is safe enough," drawled Bill, cunningly drawing him on. Then Robbie bit. "Oo aye!" said he in a voice of quiet contempt. "The twa hunner wull be here and 'twull wait ye long eneuch. I'se warrant ye." Then Bill nailed him. "I hain't got my card case on my person." he said with a slight grin. "Left it on the pianner," suggested Hi. who was in a state of great hilarity at Bill's success In drawing the Scottie. "But," Bill proceeded, recovering himself and with increasing suavity, "if some gentleman would mark down the date of the almanac I cherish the opinion" [cheers from the corner] "that In one month from today there will be $500 lookin' round for $200 on that there desk, mebbe. or p'raps you would Incline to two fifty," he drnwled in his most winning tone to Robbie, who was growing more impatient every moment. "Nen matter tae me. Ye're baverin' like a daft loon, ony way." "You will make a memento of this slight transaction, boys, and per'aps the schoolmaster will write it down," said Bill. It was all carefully taken down, and amid much enthusiastic confusion the ranchers find their pane carried Rill off to old Latour's. while Robbie, In deep wrath but in dour silence, went off through the dark, with his little wife following some paces behind him. His chief grievance, however, was against the chairman for "allooin' sic a disorderly pack o' loons tae disturb respectable fowk," for he could not hide the fact that he had been made to break through his accustomed defense line of immovable silence. But when he understood, some days later, that Bill was taking steps to back up his offer and had been heard to declare that "he'd make them pious ducks take water if he had to put up a year's pay," Robbie went quietly to work to make good his part of the bargain, for his Scotch pride would not suffer him to refuse a challenge from such a quarter. to be continued. Two Small Pairs.?In University place a boy, preceded by a dog, encountered a woman, preceded by a smaller dog. The dogs halted; so did the owners. The animals looked at each other fixedly from a distance of six feet, each with his tall waving back over his back, and each uttering low growls. "Call off your dog!" exclaimed the woman, as she saw the situation." "Call off yours!" replied the boy. "Can't you restrain your dog?" she demanded in a high key. "He ain't doin' nothin'." "Yps hp is: he's Intimidating my Fido." "But your Fido is givin' him sass. I ain't goin' to restrain my dog when your dog is sayin' he can lick him with one hand tied behind his back." "Here Fido, haven't you more care for your reputation than to face such a low down cur as that? Come here this instant! I will punish you for this!" "Here. Shakespeare," said the boy as he gave his dog a light kick, "you let that animal alone. You tackled one like liiin last full and you had indigestion for two months. He ain't alive. He's stuffed, and the woman works him with a string. Come along, and I'll show you a real live dog."?New York Press. iUiscfltancous Reading. IMMIGRATION CONVENTION. About Half the Counties Represented In Columbia Tuesday. About half the counties of the state were represented at the convention that was held in Columbia last Tuesday to consider the question of inducing desirable immigrants to South Carolina. The convention was called mainly at the Instance of A. J. Matheson, Esq., of Marlboro, who is especially desir ous of Inducing Immigration from Scotland; but the proceeding took the direction of an effort to encourage immigration generally. Mr. M. V. Richards, industrial agent of the Southern railway, was present by special invitation, and he made some practical suggestions that were received with much interest. They were to the effect, the Southern railway had brought six hundred or more families from the northwest to points along its line, and others had followed. He thought foreigners who had settled in the northwest are preferable to raw immigrants from abroad, and he suggested that a special effort be made at St. Louis to advertise the advantages and inducements of South Carolina. The convention was called to order by Col. J. Knox Livingston of Bennettsville, and was organized by the election of the following officers: President?A. J. ifatheaon of Bennettsville. Secretary?E. J. Watson of Columbia. Vice presidents from the congressional districts in the order named: J. E. Tindal of Clarendon; T. S. Williams of Aiken; Fred G. Brown of Anderson; J. T. Douglass of Union; Leroy Springs of Lancaster; Dr. J. H. David of Dillon; F. H. Hyatt of Columbia. There were no set speeches during the meeting; but the following resoluHnno wopi n<1r>nted seriatim. after some discussion: Resolved, That this convention recommend the establishment by the state of a department of immigration which Bhall have charge of all matters pertaining to securing Immigrants and placing them throughout the state. Resolved 2, That" it Is the duty of the general assembly of this state to make ample provision for and give liberal support to said department of immigration. Resolved 3, That in furtherance of the objects of this movement we urge the appointment of a special agent of the state to properly present the resources and Inducements we have to offer to Immigrants to be stationed at St. Louis and remain there during the whole term of the exposition. Resolved 4, That in order further to accomplish the purpose for which we are assembled a committee be elected, to be designtaed as the "South Carolina Immigration Executive committee," consisting of one from each county and each commercial body, of which the president of this convention shall be chairman, and,have power to appoint sub-committees: First?To prepare a constitution for the South Carolina Immigration association, and each county organization. Second?To prepare in suitable form all information relative to the recources, etc., of the state. Third?To elect a general agent upon whom shall devolve all the duties appertaining to an Immigration agent. Fourth?To devise a plan by which to raise the funds necessary to defray the expenses necessarily incurred. Fifth?to prepare and submit to the general assembly such legislation as may he proper to carry into effect the purposes of this convention. Resolved 5, That in order to get the work launched at once this convention calls upon the different counties, municipalities and commercial and agricultural organizations in the state to send subscriptions to the committee, thus enabling said committee to meet the expenses of the inauguration of the movement and of the preparation of such advertising matters as may be necessary. A resolution was adopted endorsing the plan of Mr. Matheson to send a state agent to Scotland to induce desirable immigration, as was also a resolution asking congress for the modification of its immigration act to the extent of doing away with the requirements that prohibits the pre-payment of transportation for immigrants. By authority of the convention the president appointed the following committee to further the work of the convention: C. C. Langston. Anderson: E. S. Addison, Greenwood: Hon. T. H. Rainsford, Edgefield: Senator J. T. Douglass, Union county; Mayor Macbeth Young, city of Union; E. J. Watson, Columbia: John Scott, Newberry; J. E. Tindal, Clarendon; J. C. Hemphill and Mr. Hastie, Charleston; R. M. McCown, Florence; Bright Williamson, Darling-? - TT A D ion; Dr. J. n. 1/?V1U, l^iuuu, iy.. a. Watson, Saluda county; J. Wm. Mitchell, Batesburg; Knox Livingston, Marlboro; J. Y. Garlington,* Laurens, who is the presndent of the chamber of commerce and had sent a telegram of encouragement; W. B. Moore, Yorkville; Pat. Matthew, Georgetown; T. H. Ketchin. Fairfield, and E. W. Dabbs, Sumter. A SCOUT'S HARD LIFE. Some of the Hardships and Dangers That Must Be Faced. An unfortunate scout, says Leslie's Monthly, was sent with a dispatch to one of the smaller outposts in the far northwest. It was toward spring, when the midday sun thaws the surface of the snow and the light frosts harden the melted crusts to a glace of ice as dazzlingly bright as the blinding Hashes of sunlight from polished steel. The thaw had crusted over the trail, and the scout had to keep a very sharp eye on the way not to lose the path altogether. Suddenly the midday sun developed extraordinary hues. Magenta, purple and black patches began to dance on the snow, alternately with wheels and rockets of cheese colored fire. Then the light went out altogether, though the man knew that it was broad day. He had become snow blind. The only thing was to give his horse the bit. The horse stood stock still. By that time he knew that he had lost the trail altogether or the bronco would have followed any visible path. He wheeled the horse about. It still refused to go on, and the man inferred that the crust of ice had been so hard that the horse could not follow back the way it had come. That night the trooper slept under saddle blankets, with the faithful horse standing sentry. For five days the trooper wandered blindly over the prairies, losing all count of time, eating snow to quench his thirst and sleeping in the holes that the broncho had pawed through the ice crust to the under grass. The trooper was now too weak to mount and keep the saddle. As a last hope the thought struck him that if he unsaddled his horse and turned it lodse it might find its way back to the fort, and so notify his friends that he was lost. He did this, but the faithful animal refused to leave the man lying on tho nnnw end stood over him in spite of all his efforts to drive It off. On the sixth day the mall carrier found the pair. The trooper was severely frozen, but the rider and horse lived to see many another day's service. THE NEW DEM0CRA1IC LEADER. Hon. John Sharp Williams Is a Man of Recognized Ability. John Sharp Williams, who has been chosen as leader of the minority In the house of representatives, Is now serving his sixth term as a member of the lower branch of congress, his service dating from March 3, 1893, when the Fifty-third congress nominally came Intr* e*(stAnr>??- Tt Is thus at the end Of ten years of the national legislature that Mr. Williams has been honored with the highest compliment that can come from his colleagues on the floor of the house. That he Is deserving of the compliment and that he will make an efficient and capable party leader his friends and adherents confidently assert. In his terms in congress, Mr. Williams has been a power on the Democratic side, and the Republicans have always had his cool and logical arguments to reckon with when the lines of party battle were tightly drawn. The gentleman from Mississippi has proved his ability many times to cope with the most learned of his brothers of the opposite political faith. He Is a parliamentarian of recognized attainments. The career of the new Democratic leader on the house side of congress is fraught with much interest. A lawyer by profession, but extensively engaged in cotton planting he first came into the political situation of his home state at the time of the Chicago convention which nominated Cleveland and Stevenson when he was a member of the Mississippi delegation. His first public office was that of representative In congress and since his first election as such he has been chosen as his own successor ever since, most of the time without opposition either within or without his own party. At the congressional election last fall Mr. Williams received every vote cast in his district, the eighth Mississippi. He has served In the Fifty-third, Fiftyfourth, Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth and Fifty-seventh congresses, and will now lead his party in the Fifty-eighth. Mr. Williams resides at Yazoo, In Yazoo county, the homestead of his mother's family. He Is a native of Tennessee, however, having been born at Memphis, July 30, 1854, and being at the present time In his fiftieth year. His mother having died and his father, who was a colonel of the Twentyseventh Tennessee volunteers, Confed erate States army, Deing Kinea ai amloh his relatives movod with him to Yazoo, where his mother's family was located. At this time Memphis was threatened with capture by the Federal troops and was deserted by all who could well afford to leave the city. Mr. Williams received a fair education at private schools and afterward was a student at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., the Kentucky Military Institute, Frankfort, Ky.: the University of Virginia and Heidelberg, Germany. After pursuing this academic course the young man studied law with Profs. Minor and Southall at the University of Virginia and in the office of Harris, McKisick & Turley, in Memphis. In 1877 he was granted a license to practice in the courts of law and chancery in Shelby county, Tenn. In December, 1878, Mr. Williams went back to Yazoo, where he has since resided, practicing his profession and being engaged in the varied pursuits of the cotton planter. Birds In Utah Penitentiary. Murderers' Row at the state penitentiary has been cast into the depths of gloom. It is all because a bird of bad omen has taken up an unbidden home in that quarter, bringing with it, as the prisoners believe, the shadow of death. A few months ago two small blackKirHo worA r>*ntnrpd hv lifp Drlsoners and given to one of the men in Murderer's Row. The birds were fed by the prisoners and became pets. They spent all their time hopping about the cells chattering and eating from the prisoners' plates. For months these birds furnished amusement and means of pastime for five condemned men. A few days ago the blackbirds forsook Murderers' Row, it is said, and made friends with two burglars who are serving comparatively short terms. Almost any day the birds may be seen sitting on the shoulders of the burglars while they are doing their work about the prison. The birds were missed by those on Murderers' Row, but no significance was attached to their disappearance until a few days ago, when a mourning dove iiew into that part of the prison and perched upon the bars of the row. There it sat and cooed until the prison rang with its dirge. Since then the bird has remained in the row, and day and night the ears of the condemned men have been greeted by its dismal song. The appearance of the bird, It is said, was looked upon by the murderers as a sign of evil, and one of them is said to have remarked that bad luck was surely coming to some one in the row. As if in fulfillment of this, the word came that Nick Haworth had been denied a new trial and must die. Then came the unexpected news to Mortensent that he had been denied another chance for his life, and that he, too, must face the executioner. The bird still coos, and each of the other three condemned men is waiting in anxious fear to hear what evil is to come to him.?Salt Lake, Utah, Herald. PORT ARTHUR'S DEFENSES. Russia's Seemingly Impregnable Fortress In the Far East. We anchored at the harbor's mouth last night and were about to go in this morning when a Russian naval officer came on board and directed us to wait until the afternoon. The reason soon became apparent, as, one after the other, warships began to come out through the narrow entrance, the last, a battleship, of 2,000 tons, saluting the admiral. They anchored in a line outside under the almost perpendicular cliffs, which were crowned with forts, or, rather, batteries of big guns, for nature has practically constructed the forts, and has only left the engineers some leveling and tunneling to do. They then commenced some manoeuvres. There were two flagged buoys anchored outside the line, and one after another the vessels passed between them and went off at full speed to different points of the horizon, leaving lines of heavy smoke fanshaped from the harbor's mouth, that dwindled away and then disappeared altogether. Three hours afterward they began to s.ppear again, first a blot of smoke, Increasing to a dense streaming cloud, and the white streak of water waving from their bows and sterns. It seemed to be a speed test, and some of them were going at a terrific rate as they returned between the flags. When we were allowed to go Inside in the afternoon, on passing through the narrow portals of the harbor, one saw at once what an impregnable retreat Russia has got In the Pacific. On the right hand side eight destroyers were lying beside the wharves and in the dock, and torpedo boats seemed to be everywhere In each crevice of the harbor. There were ten, I counted, as we entered, but during the days following I seemed always to be coming on others in unexpected places. At the Inner side of the fort, on the right hand side of the entrance, most elaborate work was in progress, and the summit of the Gibraltar-like rack was blue, spotted with Chinese coolies. ^AwiMnnlfa ai^a nrara \Jll Lite uppuouc OIUC ui^ugcio nci? v,a tending the anchorage, and the result of their labors was apparent already over half the area of submerged mud, which, when they have done with it, will be able to accommodate more ships than Russia will ever have in the Pacific. There was an astonishing amount of bu9tle and activity when one landed on shore. It was altogeth| er different from any other place to be found in the east. An overmastering [ energy seemed to be driving these streams of coolies that Jostled and shouted and pulled heavy loads through the crowded streets, and even the coolie labor seemed Insufficient?a line of junks near the landing place with cargoes of fodder was being discharged by Cossacks. Every other few yards one passed Russian soldiers in uniform ?officers in their smart light gray overcoats or companies tramping through the streets with their simple \var-soldier outfit and their bayonets always fixed. Five thousand fresh troops had arrived the day I landed. I was told troops often_ arrived?they never go away. A friend of mine there, whose chief pastime is horse riding, told me I it was simply extraordinary the number of new barracks they are building in various directions behind the twen| ty-eight forts that crown the environing hills. The most drastic and startling of their various preparations is the order that the whole of the old' town is to be evacuated. All the men who have offices, places of business or residences occupy them under leases, in which Is the clause that they must clear out in six months' notice. This I thnv Viqvo nil ropplvod. The old town Is to be converted Into a huge barracks. A new town is being prepared for them, and the building of It is now seen in progress of feverish activity about a mile from the old one. It is planned on the broad and ample lines of Dalny. As yet not many houses are completed, but the uprising walls mark the course of the future street. A big restaurant and official building are completed, and the afternoons I was there a military band was playing in an unverdant park to an audience of half a dozen nondescript listeners. It would be laughable if one did not see the deep earnestness of underlying seriousness in it all.?PailMall Gazette. Proving a Statement.?A certain mlsister, who is an emphatic preacher, is at times at lost to give his utterances nmnor wele-ht. For instance, he'll say: "This statement is as true as is the night which will follow day," or "as true ius that the trees will bud in the spring." Sometimes it happens that the doctor has more statements than he has illustrations to give them weight. On one such occasion he remarked, "This is as true as the"? Here the doctor halted. He paused a few moments, and then his face illumined. "As tiue as is the statement that some member is yet on his or her way to church." A few moments a later a lady entered the edifice and swept grandly up the aisle. The doctor's face assumed an "I told you so" appearance. The congregation began to smile and then to laugh. Sympathy for the embarrassed lady, however, soon subdued the apparently uncontrollable mirth.?Exchange. THE GREAT WHI8KY 8TATE. Poor South Carolina's Unanviabla Notoriety. The whisky business would have been practically dead in South Carolina by this time had not the dispensary law been enacted. That was perhaps the single expedient by which the life of the business could have been perpetuated in this state. The history of neighboring southern states for the last ten years proves It. Texas and Mississippi are practically prohibition states. Only in a few counties is the whisky trade permitted. The same is true of Tennessee. Fifty counties are "dry" in Alabama. Thirty of the forty counties In Florida prohibit the sale of intoxicants. Fifty Arkansas counties are "dry." Of 137 counties In Georgia probably not more # than ten or a dozen have barrooms. More than a hundred have absolute prohibition. In North Carolina sixty of the ninety-seven counties have prohibition. In both North Carolina and Georgia some counties have local dispensaries similar to ours, except that each is an Independent county concern and there are no state dispensaries. In these states the people vote as between dispensaries, barrooms and prohibition. The latter prevails in nearly all the counties. In other words, it is the simple fact that within the last ten or fifteen almost the whole south has voted itself "dry." In the larger towns and cities, like Augusta, Atlanta, Birmingham, Savannah and Jacksonville, the barrooms are retained, but whisky has heen driven almost entirely from the smaller towns and the rural districts. The prohibition sentiment has grown rapidly, and what is more to the point, the laws are enforced. One may go to "dry" towns of North Carolina, for example, as we did this summer, and never hear of a "blind tiger." The New York Sun points out that In the south, following the elimination of the Negro vote by suffrage qualifications, prohibition has been generally adopted as the law. In South Carolina the dispensary was accepted by the Prohibitionists In the legislature of 1892 as a compromise measure?as a "step toward prohibition." After the people had voted for prohibition their representatives gave them a state whisky selling system of saloons. What are the results? In the first place, we have the legalized sale of whisky more generally established in South Carolina than in any other southern state. North Carolina has thirty-seven whisky selling counties (many of these having local dispensaries) out of ninety-seven counties, South Carolina has about thirtynine whisky selling counties out of forty-one. South Carolina has about two dry counties. Georgia has over one hundred. How is that for a "step towards prohibition r The city of Charleston has about fifteen legal places for the sale of whisky and beer and the illegal places number in the hundreds. Is Augusta, Ga.. or Atlanta, Ga., in any worse condition, with open barrooms? In the city of Columbia there are five or six or more legal beer and whisky places and "tigers" are plentiful. In short, there has been no Improvement In ? U Iamvo tAurna O a ou u in i^tuuiuia in iuc uu5c wtttw ?*w compared with the large towns of other southern states. Nothing has been gained for temperance by the dispensary system in them. In the small towns in South Carolina we have the dispensary, as against prohibition throughout the south. The dispensary has probably made South Carolina the leader of southern states in the consumption of whisky. That is the distinction that our state has won and Is maintaining. In the second place, the dispensary has firmly engrafted the whisky business on the state. It has seared and blunted and cauteriaed the sentiment for prohibition. It would be almost 'impossible for South Carolina to adopt prohibition now, by counties or as a whole. The dispensary is paying. It is paying Laurens county and town, about 112,000 or more each year. Ten years ago Laurens town was unanimous against the dispensary. It was necessary to create Negro land owners by gift in order to vote a dispensary on the town. Now, however, it is probable that the people would vote for the dispensary rather than prohibition. The dispensary pays. The people who drink dispensary whisky are paying our taxes. The pocket nerve has been touched not only in Laurens but throughout the state. The outlook is that South Carolina will hold her place as the great whisky state of the south, because she Is making money out of the business. Twenty years ago prohibition was not practicable in this town. CondiI tlons were not settled. Law and order had not assumed their sway and the demoralization following the war and I reconstruction still lingered. All that has changed. Prohibition would be practicable here now, Just as it is in hundreds of towns from North Carolina to California. Ten years ago the prohibition wave began to sweep over the south. Prohibition captured the south. It was | checked in South Carolina?"checked by a compromise." Its own friends and champions were deceived by politicians, who offered them the dispensary. Today, by the dispensary, the legalized sale of whisi.. Is more strongly fortified here in South Carolina tnan anywhere else on the American continent. The volume of the sales, moreover, are increasing all the time. South Carolina, in recent years, has done more for the prosperity of American distilleries and breweries than any other southern state.?Laurens Advertiser. The only way to have a friend is to be one.?Emerson.