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PROPER COMFORTERS CR. TALMAGE TELLS HOW TO HELP PEOPLE !N TROUBLE. A B?sitar W?y of Dealing With B.-cken Hearts-No Place For Cant and Much Talking?Bapplxeu Comes Through Satt: faring. The awkward and irritating mode of trying to comfort people in trouble is here set forth by Dr. Talmage, and a better way of dealing wiih broken hearts is recommended; text, Job xvi, 2, "Miserable coaaforiers are ye all." The man of Uz had a great many j trials?the loss of his family, the loss of his property, th9 loss of his health, but the most exasperating tiling that came upon him was the tantalizing talk of those who ought to have sym pathizad with him. And looking around uponthem,and weighing what they had said, he utier3 the woids of myjext. Why did UOG iei sui wmc uw world? It is a q lestion I often hear discussed, bat never satisfactorily answered. God made the world fair and teautiful at the start. If our first pa rents had not sinned in Eden, they might have gone cut of tnat garden and found 50 paradises all around the earth?Eirope, Asia, Africa, Nortn and South America?so many llower gardens or orchards of fruit, redolent and luscious. I suppose that when God poured cut the G-ihon and the Hiddekel he poured out at the same time the Hucson and the Susquehanna. The whole earth was very fair and beautiful to look upon. Wiiy did it not stay so? God iiad the power to keep back sin and woe. Wiiy did be 1 U O TXT not seep mam u?u&: ?i uj uu? u.wj cloud roseate, and every step a jay, ^ and every? sound music, and all me ages a long jubilee oi sinless men and sinless women ? God can make a rose as easily as be can make a thorn. Why, tnen, the predominance of thorns? He can make good, fair, ripe fruit as well as gnarled and sour fruit. Why so much, then, that is gnarled and soar? He can make men robust in health. Why, then, are there so! many invalids? Why not have for; our. whole race perpetual leisure instead of this tug and toil and tussle for a livelihood? I will tell you why _ God let sin come into the world? when I get on the other side of the river of death. That is the place where such questions will be answered and such mysteries solved. He who this side that river attempts to answer the question only illustrates his own ignorance and incompetency. All I know is one great fact, and that i?. that a herd of woes has come in upon us, trampling down every thing | fair ana beautiful. A sword at the gate of Eden and a sword at every gate. More people under the ground than on it. The graveyards in vast majority. The 6,000 winters have made more scars than the 6,OGO summers can cover up. Trouble has taken the tender heart of this world in its two. rough hands and pinched it until the ] nations wail with the agony. If all the mounds of graveyards tnat have been raised were pat side by side, you might step on them and nothing else, going all around the world, ana around again, and around again. These are the tacts. And now 1 nave to say that in a world like this the grandest occupation is that of giving condolence. The holy cienoc'Ojf imparting comfort to tne-trcdoled we ought all of us to,*ta"dy. Tnere ara many of you viMo coulc look around upon sow^oTyour very best friends, who wirn you well and are very in-rrof Ka flh?a imthfn I Itt ?Wll CHOUI, stuu J\fli w~?*? ? J to say to them in your days- of trouble "Miserable comforters are ye alL" I remark, iu the first place, that very valuable people are incompetent for the work of giving comfort. Bildad and Eliph&z had the gift of language. and with their woids almost bother Job's life cut, Alas for these -voluble people that go among the houses of the afflicted and talk and talk and talk and talk. They rehearse tneir own sorrows, and then they tell the poor suffereis that they feel nadiy now, but tney will feel worse after awhile. Silence! Do you expect with a thin court plaster of words to heal a wound deep as the soul? Step very gently around about a broken Heart. I - Talk very softly around those whom God has Dereft. Then go your way. Deep sympathy has not much to say. A him trasp of the hand, a compos ' sionate look, just one word that means as xna.has a whole dictionary, and you have given perhaps all the comfort that a soul needs. A man has a terrible wound in his arm. Tha surgeon comes and binds it up. "Now," ne says, "carry that arm in a sling and be very careful of it. Let no one touch it But the neighbors have heard of tne accident, and they come in, and they say, "Let us see it." And tde bandage is pulled off, and this one and tnat one must feel it and see how much it is swollen and there are irritation and infamation and exasperation where *..iere ought to be dealing and cooling. The surgeon comes in and says: "What does all this mean? You have no business to touch those , ? j : ij S c&naages. xxu*i> wuunu win ixc v cx heal unless you let it alone.' do there are souls broken down in aorrow. What they most want is rest or very careful and gentle treatment, but the neighbors have heard of the bereavement or of the loss, and they come in to sympathize, and they say: "Show us now the wound. Whist were his last words? Rehearse now the whole scene. How did you feel whan you found you were an orphan!;" Tearing off the bandages iere and pulling them cft there, leaving a ghastly wound that the balm of God's grace had already begun to heal Oh, Jet no loquacious people with ever rattling tongues, go into the homes of the distressed. Again, 1 remark that all those persons are incompetent to give any kind of comfort who act mereiy as worldly philosophers. They come in and say: ' "Why, this is what ycu ought to have expected. The laws of nature must have their way." And then they get eloquent over something they nave seen in postmortem examinations. Now, away with all human philosophy at such a time. What difference does it in? 1:3 to that father and mother what disease their son died ol 1 He is dead, and it makes no difference whether the trouble was in the epigastric or hypogastric region. If the philosopher be of the stoical school, he will ccme and say: "Ycu ought to control your feelings. You must not cry so. You must cultivate a cooler temperament. You must V . _ T * /* A cave sen reuance, seJi government, self control '?an iceberg reproviug^a hyacinth for having a drop of dew in its eye. A violinist has his instrument and he sweeps his fingers across the strings, now evoking strains of joy and now strains of sadsecs. He cannot play all the tunes on one string. The human soul is an instrument of a thousand strings, and all sorts of emotions were made to play on it. Now an anthem, now a dirge. It is no evidence of weakness when one is oveieome of sorrow. Edmund Burke was found in the pasture field with HIS ttTJi.ua Ai ULCLLV*. Ck uuxag o uwm, wt sing him and some one said, "Why, the great man has lest his mind." No; the htrss belonged to his son, i who bad recently died, and his great heart broke over the grief. It is no sign of weakness that men are overcome of their sorrows. Tnank God for the relief of tears. Have tou never been in trouble when ycu could not weep and you would have given anything for a cry ? David did well when he mourned for Absalom, Abraham did well when he bemoaned Sarah, Christ wept for Lazarus, and the last man lhat I want to see come anywhere near me when I have any kind of trouble is a worldly philosopher. Again, I remark that those persons are incompetent for the work of com fort bearing who have nothing but cant to offer. Tut-re are those who have the idea that jtu must g^oan over tne distressed and afflicted. There are times in grief when one cheerful face, dawning upon a man's soul, is worth $1,000 to him. Do not whine over e t fH ctea. Take the promises of the gospel and u ?ter them in a manly tone. Do not be afraid to smile if vou feel like it. Do not drive I any more hes^es through that poor soul. Do not tell him the trouble foreordained. It will not be any comfort to know it was a million years ccming. If you want to find splints for a broken bone, do not take cast iron. Do not tell them it is God's justice that weighs out gref. Tney want to hear of God's tender mercy. In other words, do not give them aquafortis when tney need valerian. Again. I remark that those persons are poor comforters who have never had any trouble themselves. A lark sdut cannot lecture on the nature of a snow Hike; it never saw a snowflake, and those people who have always lived in the summer of prosperity cannot talk to tnose who are frozen in disaster. God keeps aged people in the world, I think for this very wo?k of sympathy. They have been through all these trials. They know ali that which irritates and all that which so thes. If there are men and women here who have old people in the house or near at had, so that they can easily reach them, I congratulate 7ou. Some of us have had trials in life, and although we have had many friends around about us we have wish ed that father and mother were sull alive that we might go and teli them. Perhaps they could not say much, but it would have been such a comfort to have them around. These aged ones who have been all through the trials of life know how to give condolence. Cherish them; let them lean on your arm, thesa aged people. If when you speak to them they cannot hear just what you say the first time, and you have to say it a second time, wnen you say it a second time do not say it sharply. If you do, you will be sorry for it on the day w&en you take the last look and brush back the silvery lccks from the wrinkled brow just before they screw the lid on. Blessed be God for the old people! They may not have much strength to go around, but they are God's appointed ministers of comfort to a broken heart. People who have not had trials themselves cannot give comfort to " others. They may talk very beautiI fully, and they may give you a great aeai 01 poenc senii^eni; out wnue poetry is perfumejhat\jitelis sweet, it makes a very poor sato. If jou have a grav'j in a pathway, some body coma and covers it ail over; with Sowe^lt is a grave yet. Those'"^ho have not had grief themselves know not the mystery of a broken hearts Iney know not the meaning of child lessness, and the having no one to pat to bed at night or the standing in a room where every book and picture and door is full o? memories?the doormat where she sat, the cap out of which she drank, the place where she stood at the door and clapped her bands, the odd figures that ?ne scrib bled, the blocks she built into a house. Ah, no, you must have trouble yourself before you can comfort trouble in others. Bit come all ye who have been bereft and ye who have been comforted in your sorrow and stand around these tfl'.cted souls and say to them. I had that very sorrow myself. God comforted me, and he will comfort you." And that will go right to the spot. In other words, to comfort others we must nave faitn in God, practical experience and good sound common sense. But there are three or four conside rations that I will bring to those who are sorrowful and distressed that we can always bring to them, knowing that they will effect a cure. And the first consideration is that God sends our tro- bies in love. I often Jtear people in their troubles say, "Why, I wonder what God has against me?" rney seem 10 mux* uoa nis some grudge against them because trouble aad misfortune have come. Oil, no! Do you not remember that passage of {Scripture, "Whom the Lord ioveth lie chaateneth!' A child comes ia with a very bad splinter in its hand, and you try to extract it. It is a very painful operation. The child draws back from you, but you persist. You are going to take that splinter out, so you take the cbild witn a gentle but fiim grasp, for although there may be pain in it the splinter must come out. And it is love that dictates it and makes you persist. My friends, i really think taat nearly all our sor rows in tins world are only the hand of our Father extracting some thorn. I! all these sorrows were sent by enemies, I would say arm yourselves against them and as in tropical climes wnen a tiger comes down from the mountains and carries off a child from the village tne neighbors band together and go into the forest and hunt the monster so I would have you, if I thought tnese misfortunes were sent by an enemy, go out and battle against Uiem. But no, they come from a Father so kind, so loving, so gentle that tne prophet, speaking of his tenderness and mercy, drops the idea of a father and says, "As one whom his mAfhAft e/% wrill T UAV??LUVJL WUUVi 0\J TV XXX X WV<U-LtVSJL u you." Again, 1 remark there is comfort in the thought that God by all this process is going to make you useful. Do ycu know that those who accomplish most for God and heaven have all been under the harrow? Show me a man that has done anything fcr Christ in tills day in a puolic or private place who has had no trouble and whose path has been smooth. Ah, no! I once went through an ax factory, and I saw them take the bars of iron and thrust them into the terrible furnaces. Then bes seated workmen with long tongs stirred the blaz?. Then they brought out a bar of iron and put it in a crushing machine, and then they put it between j aws that bit it in twain. They put it on an anvil, and there were great hammers swung by machinery?each half a ton heavj ?that went thump, thump, thump! If that iron couitt Have spoken, it would have said: 4'Why all this beating? Why muit I bs pound ed any more than any other iron?" The workmen would have said, "We want to make axes out of you, keen, sharp axes?axes with which to hew down the forest and build the ship and erect houses and carry on a thousand enterprises 01 civilization. xnai is me reason we pound you." Now, God puts a soul into the fur nace of trial, and then it is brought out atd run through the crushing machine, and then it comes down on j the anvil and upon it, blow after blow, j until the soul cries out, "O Lord, what does all this mean?'' God sa-vs:' *I want to make something very useful out of you. You shall be some thing to hew wiiii and something to build with. It is a practical process through which 1 am rutting you." Yes, my Christian friends, we want more tools in the church of God; not more wedges 1o split ^ith. We have enough of these. Njt more bores with which to drill. We have too many bores. What we really want is keen, sharp, well tempered axes, and if there be any other way of making them than in the hot furnace, at.d on tho hard anvil, and under tbe heavy hammer, I do not Iraow what it is. Remember th?t if God briags any kind of chastisement upon you it is only to make you userui. Do not sit down discouraged and sav; "I have no more reason for liviBg. I wish I were dead " Oh, there never was so much reason for jour living as now! By tbis ordeal you have been consecrated a priest of the most high Gcd. Goout and doycur whole woik for tha master. Again,- there is comfort in the thought that ail our troubles ari a revelation. Have you ev r thought of it in that connection? The man who his never been through chastisement is ignorant about a th- usami things in his soul he ought to know. For instates, here is a man who prides himM-lf on his cheerfulness of character. He has no patience with anybody who is depressed in spirits. Oh, it is easy for him io be cheerful with his fine house, his tilled wardrobe and well strung instruments of music and tap estried parlor and plenty of money in the bank waiting for some permanent investment! It is easy for him to be cheerful. Bui suppose his fortune goes to pieces and nis house goes down under the sheriff^ hammer and the banks will not have anything to do with his paper. Suppose those people where once elegantly entertained at his tabl8 get so shortsighted that they cannot recognize him. upon the street How then? Ia it so easy to be cheerful? ? ? ? ? ' I ?M kA kArMA of. Ill Hi (JJBjf LU UC V/Uccn U-L 1U tus 11VU1C alter the day's work is done, and the gas is turned on, and the house is full cf romping little ones. Bat suppose the piano is shut because the fingers that played on it will no more touch the keys, and the childish vcica that asked so many questions will ask no more. Then is it so easj ? When a man wakes up and finds that his resources are all gone he begins to rebeJ^ and he says: "God is hard; God is outrageous. He had no business to do this to me." My friends, those of us who have been through trouble know what a sinful and rebellious heart we have, and how much God has to put up with, and how much we need pardon. It is only in the light of a filming furnace that we c&nleirn our own weakness and our own lack of UiUlOi JL COUUi W. Tiaere is also a great deal of comfort in the fact that there will be a family reconstruction in a better place. From Scotland or England or Ireland a cnild emigrates to America. It is very nard parting, but he comes, after awhile writing home as to what a good land it is. Another brother comes, a sister comes, and another, and after awhile the mother comes, and after awhile the father comes, and now they are all here, and they have a time of greit congratulation and a very pleasan; re anion. Well, it is just so with our families. They are emigrating toward a better land. Now one goes out Oh, how hard it is to part with him! Another goes^ Oh, how hard it is to part with her! And another, and we ourselves will after awhile go over, and then we will be together. Oa, what a reunion! Do you believe that? ~~*^es," you say. Oh, you do not! You do not believe it as you be lieve other things. If you do, and mitK tha cam a omnhssis whv it would take ninetenths of jour trouble uff your bears. Tne fact is heaven to many of us is a great fog. It is away off somewhere, filled with an uncertain and indefinite population. That is the kind uf heaven tnat many of us uream about, but it is the most tremendous fact in all this uni verse?this heaven of the gospel. Our departed friends are no: afl jat. Tne residence in wnicn you live is not so real as the residence in. whicn taey stay. You are afloat?you who do not know in the morning what will happen te ore night. They are housed and safe forever. Dj not therefore pity your departed frieds who have died m Christ Ihey do not need any of your pity. You might as well send a letter of condolence to Q iecn Victoria on her obscurity or tne Rjtnschilds on their poverty as to pitj t&ose who .have won the plain. Dj not say of those who are departed: "Poor cuild!'' * "Poor lather I" "Poor mother 1" They are not poor. You are poor, you wnose homes have been enattered, not they. You do not dwell much with your families in this world All day long you are off to business. Will it not D9 pleasant wnen you can be togehter all the while f If you have had lour children and one is gone, and any body asks hovr many children you have, do not be so infidel as to say three. Say four?jne in heaven. Do not tfiinlcuiat tne grave is unfriendly. You go into your rt?em aud dress lor sums grand^ entertainment, and you come xorih beautifully appareled, and she grave is only the piac* where we go to dress for the glorious resu rrecuon, and we will come out radiant, mortality having become immortality. Oj, how much condolence there is in tnis thoufc-nt! I expect to see my kindred in neaven?1 expect to see them just as certainly as i expect to go nome today. Aye, I shall more car tain Iy see tnem. Eigut or tea will come up from the graveyard back of Somerville and one will come from the mountains back of Amoy, China and another will come up from the sea off (Jape Hatteras, ana 3(J will come up from Green woodland I shall know tiiem better tna.i i ever knew theja nere. And your friends?they may be across tne sea, but the uunpet tnat sounds here will sound mere. You will com: up on just tne same aay. Some morning you have overslept yooiself, and you open your eyes and see that me sun is hign in tne neavens and you ay, "I have overslept, anu I must oe up and away." you will open you7: eyes on tne moruiug of the resurrection in the lull b.&za of God's lignt, and you will say, "I must oe up and away." On, yes, you will come up, and mere win be a reunion, a reconstruct: on of your family! 1 like what Hail our ton (? miak it was)? cmnd oid Mr Uaiiburton?said in nis last moments, ' I thank Grjd that 1 ever lived, and that I have a lather in heaven, and a motlsr ia heaven, and brothers in heaven and sisters in heaven, and I am now going up to see them." I remark occe more: Oar troubles in this world are preparative for glory. What a transition it was for Paul? from the slippery deck of a foundering sbip to the calm presence of Jesus I Wnat a transition it vas for Latimer ?from tie stake to a throne! What a transition it was for Robert Hall? from insanily to glory! Wnat a transition it was for Richard Baxter? from the dropsy to the "Saint's Everlasting Rest!" And what a transition it will be for you?from a world of sorrow to a world of jjy! Joirn Holland, when he was djing, said: "What means this brightness in the room? Have you lighted the candles?" ''No," they replied, "we have not lighted any cacdl?s " Then said he, "Welcome heaven!" The light already beaming upon his pillow. Oh, ye who are persecuted in this world, your enemies will get off the track after awhile and all will speak ?-11 ~ I TT_ wen ui juu alli.^i_'? mc iuivuw; jliu, ye who are sick ro *. No mediciaes j to take there. One breath of the eternal hills will thrill you with immortal vigor. A.nd ye who are lonesome now. There will bs a million spirits to welcome you into their companionship. Oil, ye bereft souls I There will be no gravedigger'a spade that will cleave the side of that hill, and there will be no dirge wailing from that temple. The river of God deeo ss the j >y cf heaven, will roll on between oanks odorous with balm, and over depths bright with jewels, and under skies roseate with gladness, argosies cf light going down the stream to the stroke of glitteriDg oar and the song of angels I Not one sigh in the wind not ooe tear miDgling with the waters sad plight of hav?na. Ooftl laTerj Scjrce and *te Poorer Otasae* ol Peep e S'atTlsf. Amnrc the 27 nafs5nc?rs which thi? British steamship Arecuoa brought to New York Friday from Mexican porta weie the families of refugees from Havana. With many otners they escaped from Havana to Vtra Cruz on the French steamer LaFayette. They say that the LaFayette tried to purchase coal but General Bhnco would not allow none to be sold. The limited supply now there ia being guarded jeaJously. and at night the city is in complete darkness. The electric plant has been shut down, all factories where coal i& used for fuel are stopped and the gas and water works are forced to get along with as little coal as possible. For this reason waier is scarce. When the.LaFayette sailed for.Vera Cruz there was a stampede to get out of the city. Fully 15,000 Spaniards and Onhans had ohtainpjl nassnnrts tn leave, bat exhorbitint price3 for passage were demanded and only a part of them could afford to Day tne rate demanded. As it was the LaFayette took 1,200 men, women and children away from Havana, all that she was able to carry. There were thousands left, who, although willing to j?y the pries asked, could not get passage and | they raved like madmen, offering the I fortunate ones twice the amount they | had paid for tickets. A passenger named Xiques paid $1,400 for passage for himself, wife and tiro children. Many others paid as high as $1,000 each, and then they were compelled to sleep on the decks or wherever they could find room to lie down. Three miserable days were spent on the LaFayette with only a scanty allowance of food for each passenger. Nearly all the passeng ers were wealthy Spanish merchants in Havana and other Cuban cities. -Tasa ntsn?n wVin hrnnsrht his wifa and daughters, Louisa, Marguerite and Clemencita, to this city, wa3 formerly connected with tiie city government in Havana. Ha said: ' When I left Havp.na it was said the insurgents were only 15 miles from tho oittr anH at nivht thft licrhtn nf th^ic camp tires could be seen flaring in the bills. Between the fear of bombardment by the United States warships and attack by the insurgents the city is panic itricken and a combined attack is looked for every hour. I "Food is very scarce and fresh meat can scarcely be bought at any price. Tiie blockaue is felt more "by tbe poor er classes, and as they are the ones who have been moat loyal to Spain the suf fering among them is the worst." Mr. Otero would say little about the Spanish troops in Cuba under General Bianco, but from other passengers it was learned that the army is almost as demoralized and panic-stricken as the civilians. Ammunition is scarce, and many of tne troops are clothed in ' ?? J "O > r&gs tUJLU YYltilUUW OUUCO. 1V4UVUO are bsing doled out to them sparingly, out the soldiers watch carefully all places where provisions are ino wn to be stored and the authorities will not allow private families to purchase supplies for more than one aay at a time. The Next Campaign. The sub-committee ox the Slate Democratic executive commutte, who have xn cn .urge the arrangement of the schedule for the campaign meetings, have decided that the meetings will oe held in the folio wing order: 4 CXaugeourg, GeOigc's, un&rlcslon, WaiterDoro, Beaulort, Hampton, Barnwell, Bamberg, ttumier, Manning, Monk's Corner, Georgetown, Kmgstrte, Florence, Marion,(Jon way, Darlington, Chesterfield, Bennettsville, Bishopville, Camden, Lancaster, /ii ? i? /"i l/UCawar TTiimauuiu, XUIAYUIO, vjraAi.ney, Spartanburg, Union, Newberry, Laurens, Greenville, Picken3, Waihdlla, Anderson, Abbeville, Greenwood, Aiken, Edgefield, baiuda, Lex ingtoxi, Richland. 1'ne dales could not be had, but the above will show how the meetings nave been arranged. Before this scieduie is effective it will have to be confirmed by tile State committee but they will nardly mate any caanges. Young VOiUmeer, Tne youngest volunteer of the present campaign nas come to the front. He is Douglass Dodge, aged seven j ears, and he was found securely stowed away on the City of Sydney which was about to Bail with troops from San Francisco for Manila. When the young warrior was put aboard a tug ne fought stubbornly the big deck hand who n&d him in charge, still strong in his determination to go with the soldiers, who gave him three hearty cheers. miMa'i Iodoform Liniment is the "nee pluultra" of all such preparations in removing soreness, and quickly healing fresh cuts and wounds, no matter how bad. It will promptly heal old sores of long standing. Will kill the poison from "Poison Ivy" or "Poison Oak"ndcure "Dew Poison." "Will counteract the poison from bites of snakes and stings of insects. It is a sure cure for sore throat. Will cure a ay case of sore mouth, and is a supe lxwjl nuicuj j.ui ck?j. xminit tuiu acnes. c3old by druggists and dealers 25 cents a bottle. There is no joy in this world equal to the happmesi of motherhood. A woman'* health is her dearest possession. Good looks, good times, happiness, love and its continuance, depend on her health. Almost all of the sickness of women istraceably directly or indirectly to some derangement of the organs distinctly feminine. Troubles of this kix.d are often neglected be came a very natural and proper mod esty keeps women away from physi uiB.ua, wiiwoc iuojjjvclluc upuxi eiaiuina ticra and local treatment is generally as useless as it is common. Dr. Pierces Favorite Prescription will do more for them than 99 doctors in 100. It will do more than the hundredth doctoi can unless he prescribes it. It is a prescription of Dr. E V. Pierce, who for 30 years has been chief consulting physician of the World's Dispensary and Invalids' Hotel, at Buffalo, N. Y. Send 21 one cent stamps to cover cost of mailing only, and get his great book. The PeoDle'a Common Sense Medical Adviser, absolutely free. ' I CONDITION (iF fROPA THE SEVENTH WEEKLEY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN ISSUED. Vfhit fours Or-pa *'3 Ojlng -What tlic Obsoivfre Ali Ove? ;h?frt te Bfpnt to He dqi?rter? -Th? I -'o m*-.lon C jric21dat?di The following- is the weekly weather and crop bulletin of the United States weather service issued Tuesday by 3^ction Director B*u r: There was a steady high temperature throughout the entire week with day temperatures rangicg from 84 to 100, the latter cccurring on the 21st al Hcdgpr. Tiie night tempe ratures were for the first time this season during an entire week, entirely favorab'e for the development of crops, a3 they fell below 60 at one place only, viz, 54 on the 18:h at Tria], aod generally ranged between 62 and 74. The maan temperature of the State for the week was 79 and the normal 'or ihesame period is abaut 72. Sio^ers occurred on the 17th, 18v.b and 23J, being widely scattered and general] v light on the first two dates. On the 23i good rains fell in L?xing ton, Greenwood and Gretnville ccua ties and light showers Dear the coast. 8ome rain was reported from 25 places, but only 9 reported measurements of 0 25 or more, with a maximum fall of 1 25 at Batesburg. Tne average foi the State is 0.17of an inch, and the normal for the same period is approxi mately 0.88. With few and limited exceptions rain ia urgently needed over the entire State, Grain crops are threatened se rious injury by a continuation of the /t?n mcafhoi" until tViot? nneo WiJ nvwvuvj MUIM mvj Minor field crops ana gardens all need rain to start them growing, and even corn, and to a less extent cotton, needs rain. In the southeastern and south cen tral counties ail crops are parched, wells are going dry and streams are at an extremely low stage. Tne drought extends along the coast tc Horry, while in Berkeley, Darlington and Marlboro counties frequent and beneficial showers occurred curing the week. Tnere was about 80 per cent, of the possible bright sunshine; the lowest percentage reported was 50, the highest 100. The winds were generally light southwesterly, dry and parching, and together witn the bright sunshine and high temperature caustd the surface of thegroond tc becomj very dry. Hail occurred on the 18.h in Aiken and Green woe d counties, in the latter the hail destroying cotton along a narrow nath. A severe nail storm occur red in the vicinity of Bates burg on the 22d, but did little or no damage. Tnehigh temperature and bright, warm sunshine had a decidedly favorable influence on tne staple held crops causing a general improvement in condition. Where showers occurred the improvement was particularly marked, although as has been stated, the need of rain is general and urgent over the entire State, as the partial showers covered comparatively small areas. Corn has made slow growth but im provement is noied in its general ap pearance as to color and stand, ai thnn rh th?t latter vtraa rfumaowrl h<er ftiif worms on bottoir lands, &ud worms wiiich are more numerous than foi many years in York county, and wire worms particularly damaging in Onesterfield* county. Owing 10 the dry condition oI tne soil, late planting is not coming up well, and much Dot torn land yet to i lint, awaiting rain to put tne ground in condition for planting. Corn is every where small for the season, but the helds are well cultivated. Rain is ?adly needed fox corn. Cotton has stopped dying except is a-fsw localities and shows improvement during the week in color, stand and growtn although ia tne last respect tne plant is not up to its usual aiz 3 at tnis ueasoo. Stands, also, arc generally Delow an average, witn now ever, txapinaliy t\ei and lull stands nottuin many localities. Laic planting and replanted cotton is com lng up slowly owing to lack ol mjis lure aiid crusted soli particularly on red lands and stilf, heavy toils. A few reports received of cotton fieiua Haying been plougned up and plan led to Cjrn. Chopping to stands has oeen completed in a lew iocamics onij, out mauc rapid piogress, ana was geutrai in all portions or lite State, be Lug generally irocn naif to three iourUu tin lshea. Fields aie generally clean and well cultivated almougn witn giass noted inKtrsnaw, Edgefield and on new ground principally in Barnwell. bea island cotton is iu a bad way lor want 01 rain. Tobacco is growing nicely and where sbowers occurred m tne lobacco district more rain would be of benefit. Rice is growing well and, witn ine exception ui some neids Deing grassy, is in a very satisfactory condition. Upland rice is, however, not doing so well and stands in urgent need of rain. Wheat continues promising, but would be helped by rain. Bust on blades exists quite extensively but to no Harmlui degree. Wheat is beginning to ripen and harvest will begin about the first cf J une. Tbe second wetk of oats harvest has passed and yields continue up to, or above, an average. It is feared that ibe dry weather has injured oats in the west central counties, and that a continuation of the absence of rain until harvest tima will materially affect the yield. Late and spring sown oats will in many peaces ce complete failures and they deteriorated everywhere during the week. Sweet potato draws are generally plentiful with some rspoits to the con trary, but owing to the dry weather but few draws have as jet been set, and where it was done the sets were wilted and killed. Irish potatoes need rain urgently in the eastern and southern counties and would be greatly benefitted elsewhere. CXT 4.V T 1 J 4.1 *3 *? ncre tuey nave oeeu aug tao yieiu was small, except that in Barnwell county fair yields are the rule. Colorado beetles have operated in large and destructive numbers in Newberry, L lurens and York counties. Thors is an improvement noted in meloEs, very marked in a few localities, but stands are far from satisfactory, while in Barnwell the area under cultivation is smaller than usual and the vines less promising. Peaches are doing well except in Pickens, where only sheltered trees bear any fruit Blight on apple and pear trees seems to b 3 on the increase. Grapes sra very promising, and it may he said that this fruit seldom or never fail in this Siate where proper attention is given the vines. Plums are ripening and appear plentiful, in the southern counties. Dewberries on the market, but berries small and inferior owing to lack of rainfall. Raspberries and huckleberries on the market in Florence. Strawberries qaite plentfiul in the western counties. Gardens need rain badly. Pastures dry and parched. The favorable weather permitted farmers to do a full week's work and they arenow up to the requirements of the needs of the crops, with fields clean and well cultivated. ' CAUGHT IN A TRAP. Ue - pti/lnh Ft- e Ba;{ cd Cp la eia? tl go do Cafca. At 12:30 c'cJcsk M< nd^y morn ir.-? ihe navy deparim-nt receivea a dispatch irom Commodore Schle? an 1 nouncing dffici;ely that he had iocat i ed Admiral Cevera's Care Yerde squad roniathebay of Sanii>go de (Juba. The commodore states that he has seen aDd recognized the vtsstls of the Spanish fleet. It is not believed that Admiral Cer 1 vera will attempt to escape from ihe predicament in which he finds himself, as such a course would surely re suit in the destruction cf his vessels ' and tne loss of n any lives precious to 1 Spain. The suggestion is made, how; ever, that tbe Spaniards may blow up | bis scips rather taaa nave them fail ; into ihe hands of Schley, as they will if they remain in the harbor. The definiteEess cf Commodore Schlej'a dispatch would indicate tnat he hast fleeted a lacdiojr near Santi ' a^o and iaade a personal investigation 1 of the harbor. It would be irr.Dossib e ' from the entrance to the bay definite ly to see and recognizs the Spanish , vessels, but by effecting a landing at L some point on either aidei of the entraice, a vantage point could be gain ed very ] ikely from which the entire harbor could be examined. Ia all probability Commodore Schley or one of his trusted oflficars has isuccessfully ( performed tnis hazardous undertaking , in order to oblain the valuable lnfor, mation contained in his dispatch. It is impossible, owing to the late ness of the hour, t) obtain any officii! expression upon the , news from Commcdore S.hley. ; What effect he certainty that Cervera is practically helpless will have upon the plans of the administration with reference to the invasion of Cuba can only be conjectured. The transportation of land forces to the island, it is understood, was delajed because of the uncertainty concerning the location of the Span , ish squadron. If that understanding ( is correct, tbe probability of an early ( invasion of Cuba is strong. It is not unlikely that the movement of troops, which has been delated Jrom time to J time, will begin this week and that, before the end of the week the United States forces will have obtained a sub stantial foothold upon Cuban soiL Two Italians who set out from Santiago de Cuba in a small boat on Thursday May 19, and landed nea? Mcle St. Nicholas on the 22d, arrived Port au Prince Sunday, bringing information as to the situation at Santiago. , The state of affairs there is critical, particularly so because of the lack of food. A great many of the unfortu nate people, especially the reconcen( trades, are dying of starvation. The whole population is terribly discouraged and keenly desirous of peace. The arrival of the squadron uidir ( Cervera without food supplies for the city deepened the general dispon dency. Tne squadron has disembarked 800 men, artillerymen and engineers, a ad landed 20,000 Mauser rifles, a large ; quantity of ammunition and four big guns, destined for the fortification*. 1 Iii spite of tee strict silence maintained by the officers ancl crews, the general impression when the Italians lef c was that the squadron would set out for San Juan cte Porto Rico to ob; tain supplies and land ammunition ; there. For several days the rain had. been 1 falling in torrents ani many cases of | fever had broken cut among the Spanish troops. A BATCH OF NEW GiNERALS. \ General 31. C. Warier, of this t t?. Amarg the Number. L The President Saturday sent these 1 nominations to the Senate: To be maj )r general of volunteers, i Matthew C. Butler, South Carolina. To ba brigadier generals of volunteers, L James R. Waties, Ttxis; Nelson Cole, - of Missouri; Wm. C. O^tes, Alabama. I To be chief surgeon, with rank cf i mspr, Frank S. Bjurns, Georgia. To be additional paymasters, Geo. 1 E Pickett, Yuginia; James 8. Hari vej, of Florida; Charles Albert Sim lie, Virginia; uito uecKer, u-eorgia. The Hon. M. C. Eatler, who was . Saturday nominated by the President . to be majjr general ia the army, is > Ex Senator Butler, of South Carolina. tLe served curing the civil war in the Confederate army, and afterwards was , prominently identified with tne stirring events that marked the reconstruction pariod in tne South. He was endorsed for the position by many United States Senators of all parties, and his nomination gave general satisfaction in the Senate. He was endorsed by both the South Carolina Senators. His nomination was con. firmed without reference to a commit tee. The Hon. W. C. Oites, of Alabama, who was Saturday appointed a briga- , diergeneral, was aisoa.Confederate officer. He was for many years a , mem bar of Congress from Alabama, and has sines been Governor of his State. He is a one-armed man, and . Senator Butler is one-legged, Mr. Cole, who was also nominated i tn a hntrfldier'a nnsilinn is a ni-nmi. < nent business man of 8t. Louis, Me. 1 He was an officer in the Union army s during the civil war, and. is an ex- l member of Congress. * Oue of the pleasing incidents of 1 Gsn. Butler's appointment was the a active and cordial support given him * by his old political antagonist, Senatr>T? TH11 man Tho l#tt? ctwinnln " ""J : - ***** Biw.s/ugAjr Ui^CU . Gen. Butler's selection, and. he made several visits to the White House and the war department in his behalf. Fl?g Pieuntatlon. One of the chief events of the week in military circles in Columbia was the presentation to Major Thompson's battalion of the old Palmetto regiment's flag given to them in Mexico by Gen. Scott, a large cro?d fcfctVrel at Shandon to witness the interesting care- j mony. The battalion was drawn up in line ard Col. Blanding, advancing to the front, adiiressed Major Thompson with mic'a emotion and presented j the old flag. What a Knot Is.?Probably there ] is no nautical term more frequently j used during the present naval war i than the word 4'knot." The word is synonymous with the nautical mile, | or 6,080 27 feet, while, as everyone f knows, the geographical mils is 5,280 t feet. This would make the knot equal to 115 100 of a geographical mile, and J therefore, in order to compare the j speed of a boat expressed in knots t with a railroad train it is necessary to r multiply the speed in knots by 115- 1 100. Another point to remember is t that spsed means a distance traveled c in unit time, so that when one speaks t of a boat having a speed cf twenty 1 knots it is not itecessary or proper to * add per hour. A cruiser that makes ^ twenty one knots travels 2* 15 geo grapnicai nmes per nours. i The last cotton, crop marketed to ; date Is 2.COO.OOO bales in excess of the crop before ttie last, and there is little doubt now but that the crop will amount to mere than 11.000,000 bales ?the largest crop ever raised on earth. In the face of these figures aad the , fact that a great war is on hand, it is ! surprising that it will sell at any pricr. ? THE OREGON'S LONG TRIP. M?DE A VOYAGE OF FIFTEEN "TMCUS> AND M'LES[ T'j:. 'f 1 T? s)e i Now K?J W?it Taking on Coal and Amip^ralllon Tte JKeidable St try or H?r ^ OrulM-Ouptaln Cla-k'? Pre CAixtlcna. \ / The United Stgltt Jbattleship Oregon has arrived al^?fy West, Fia., after making a^mtintfyms voyage or Mtten thousaMr?ifnr. * The Oregon - left San Francisco Msreh 19, arrived ;at. CalJao April 4, left there April 7 and passed Sandy Point (Punta Arenas) April 2L, arriving at Rio Janeiro April 30. The bit tleship reached Bjihia May 8 and touched-at B*rbk dot a May 18. At the latter place thewar&hip was quarantined, but she was only detained one dav. Oa leaving the Barbadoes, the Oregon saiJtd almost directly north, going to the north of Porto Bico about 150 miles. Tne nortnerly course was continued until the Bermudas were J * ?I _? 1 ? ? a .1 signtea, wnen sne neaaea jor me Florida coast. Capt. Clark ezpkios ihat the reason for going to J upiter inlet instead of putting in at Key West was to enable the Oregon to be ready to go either to Key West or Hampton Boada in short older after getting official information lrom Washington. Capt. Clark had no cfficial knowledge of the situation after leaving Bio Janeiro on April 30. During the entire trip the crew expected momentarily to meet the Spanish. OaJy once, however, wastnere a call to arma. Tnis was shortly after midnight on leaving Bio Janeiro. As the Oregon was ploughing through the black equatorial sea a dark; object was dis coveted ahead, apparently giving chase. The call to general quarters was sounded, the men rollou out 01 their births with the enthusiasm of boys on a circus day, and almost in stantly every gun. was manned. The Oregon left nee- course and circled around her Wack pursuer, only to fina - it" a:; harmless bark instead of a Spanish warship, v > t " BiCK to their berths crept the men with mutterings of disappointment and disgust. At Bio Janeiro Capt Clark-was told that tne Spanish torpedo boat Temerar:o was i olio wing Him. This repeat gave new interest to the trip for a daj and night, but at the next port of call ne was informed that the Temerario bad gone into dry dock at Bio Janeiro just after the departure of the Oregon* The cruise through the straits o: Magellan was most interesting. Ii was at this far southern point ?f the American hemisphere that the crew expected to receive a visit from the Spaniaidi. In many places the chan nel was very narrow and crooked, with hidden oajs and coves, and b&ck of them mountains towered in the clouds on either side. Moreover tiiey were in the land of icy winter. For more than a month tney had been sailing under tropical skies, and now the cold blasts whistled among the crags above them and the ice at night xlay on the. decfcs. But the Oregon did not lag. Capt. Clark had no idea of giving Spaniard s, if they were there, a chance to eaten him napping. If the great bat" tleship were to be caught it should be a caicn on me wing, xueeagmes were warmed up to their best worJc and whenever it was safe and possible the Oregon bowled along at 15 knots an nour. The machinery worked , well, and on occasions the speed wm increased three knots in a few minutes. A stop of three days was made at Sandy Point, where eosi > was taken on and other supplies secured* The O/egon s 25 officers and her crew of 425 seamen were well and happy when the battleship cast ancnor off Bandy Key lighthouse at 6:30 tms morning. Tne Oregon is in first class shape and ready for another cruise as long as tne one j ut ended. . Tne excellent condition of the men alter their 66 dajs' voyage is perhaps more remarkable. Tnrougnout tne entire trip there were no cases of' serious illness on board, and the men are as e*ger for immediate activity as if tney nad jast come from a vacation in the mountains. Tne Oregon picked up the cruiser MarietU and tne dynamite cruisar JNictheroy between Rio Janeiro and Bania, but she parted company witn uietn if,cr a few nuadrea nules. Uapt. Clark said tne crew of the Ot-egon nad suffered much from tne neat in uassin? twice inrou^n tbe tropics. ' All the waj along," he added,, "we were wondering wnera tne Span iards were, and we never ascertaintd mat fAct until we reached here. "Dj ycu know now Capt. Clark was asked. . ' Weil," he replied, "I imagine we can make ? very accurate guess." Tne Oregon Will remain htre for aiders. * Tb? Bain? Season. The rainy season is just beginning in Cuba, and the fleet of warships uid newspaper dispatch boats have rxpenenctd Dad weather during the )ast week, with frequent violent rain itorms. lne new cruiser New Orleans, ormerly the Amazonas, excites the admiration of all naval folks during ler present cruise on account of her i J - - - - " peeu ana apparent enecuveness as & ighting ship. The Fountain of Youth. /""p*. We all retuem'btf jM the story of Po:ice CL fo A de Leon seeking tM<r fountain of s \s etcriidJ youth; and L*jfi?v/?V we all sympathize 111 k*8 search. Youth MSf ^gk i?\ \ means so much. It |ft\ \\ means mc-f then P V life?for sometimes life becomes a v wearihess* B n * Vt youth?with . CvT^ AwT' t \a its abounding B hea'.th and vigor, V *a?|fg* Belastic step, 3 v?f \ $ ?i0wingr cheeks, =" 1 ^ 1 an<* sparkling c=|?^ eyes?we all covet genu before their ime, is not the result of accumulated years; tis the effect of wrong living and unhealthy flood. When the blood is pun and fresh he body will be fall of youth. Thousands of people who seemed to have ost their youth by disease and buffering ave found it again through the use of Dr. Herce's Golden Medical Discovery, the nost perfectly natural 2nd scientific rejuvelator of tSc physical forces evti known to nedical science. It gives the blood-making organs power to nake new blood, full of the life-giving red :orpuscles which drive out disease, build ip fre?h>' tissue,. solid muscular flesh_ and lealthy nerve force. It gives constitutional , xiwer,^ deep and full and strong: rounds . mt hollow, cheeks and emaciated forma; ] fives' plumbness; color and animation. It doses not*make flabby fat like cod liver . mL Ofl this account, it ia a perfect tonic or corpulent people. It aids digestion and the natural action of 1 he liveTj and by feeding the nerves with lighly vitalized blood banishes nervoualesa, neuralgia and insomnia. Where a constipated condition exists, the , * Discovery " should be nsed in conjunction rith Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets, which are he most perfect, mild and natural laxative n the world. There is nothinf else "just is good." There is nothing thatwill do the ruxk am thoroughly, surely sad comfortably. | . ~-%ssa . _ mv ^ Cfa?A T>. rt .. AUO C bAbC r J C III' The association meets in Greenville July 6".ti. Immediately after a*" j lurn ment the vnarty will board a tpeciil train for Wasbirgton. A. day or two will also be-spent in Baltimore, from which placs bo*ts w?ll be taken to Norfolk and Niwpcrt News, It was the original intention to tour Canada, but the committee decided on the present schedule for several good raasans prominent among which is the ore, that by going to Norfolk and New- , port, tbe touris's wii! ba able to visit and inspect warship? Assistant General Passeneer Apent H?rd wick bas rendered every c urtesy to the a?soci ati)n. Pullman car service will be in order during the trip A Happy Home [a increased tea-fold by good Maaic. Make the most of life by procuring & good PIANO OH ORGA2< Music has a refining influence, and keeps your children at home. ^ 4 ' REMEMBiiK * Fou only invest omce . . a-Msnu \ od you select a gooa nuu.aji<i' I CHALLENGE . ' Any house in America to beat my prices. quality and responsibility considered. TERM. Io those not prepared to pay cash, I will gire reasonable time, at a slight difference 1 Warranty/ I folly guarantee my Instruments sold as represented. DON'T FAIL * To write for prices and terms, and for illns trated catalogues. YOUBS FOB PIANO* AND ORG ANS M. A, MALONE 1509 MAIN STREET, COLUMBIA, 8. 0., iiagBrtagaagHwwiii. 5? frs? Maks Offset to Anvtenr S | A Good | |j i^Sno" jradtesa^en' ? ? ffsaas b jwg Tfte ocwrtion. ?j i Maiiiushek S ^ * G?xxt- <r-nr-y* Stoli&b.'e* fil <\* va?6 3a>tlHr%ctox^ A; -'liTs Laet- WU i ?- ^ You uicfe ?o ob&bcec Is buy #? ttj r? ii coaio c-?ir.<oT'ta* more cimn ft i? ' ??? :.?*i?i. rxr;y/.ic, Let'*) macb tha VK ? in xke ?.? V Wi is c. cioer iffeh <srcce <?laao #olG ?e 5KI y pji -cT/7. sb"^ ?*c4.'>rjprices f?9SjI M ^ j?y Wrlteot. fgjj^r" S - 1.<5?3^?W * ftATeS, JgV, ??--;; tv. A-r y?v S* Addrw: D. A, PBES8LEY, Agent COLUMBIA, a O. Saw Mills. Tf vrtn npAr? a sow mill *nv fdie. write me before baying elsewhere. I lure the most complete line of mills of any 1 dealer or manufacturer in the South. Corn Mills. | Very highest grade Stones, at unusually low prices. ! Wood-Working / *: Machinery. Planers, Moulders, Edger, Re-Saws, Band Saws, Laths, etc. Engines and Boilers, Talbott and Liddell, Engleberg Rice Holler, in stock, q iick delivery, low prices: V;C.BADHAM, w-.-vTy 1 ooc \r v B HILTON'S M m ursFOETRELiysii andMJ JQDNBYS, as its namr imparts, it a 8timiIator and regulator to9 Hj theseorgans. Iscne best after! meals medicine to aid digestion Prevents Headaches. Care&HS/ ? I BliUooanesa* Acts on tteKid-Hj neys.witMn Thirty minutes after Km "? *j?orta in theH Hi taking, reue?xu6 HI back from disorder of tties eor-^H fl g&as. Kelierea ail stomach I trciubiee. Is entirely vegetable, H flH 353, 60c and II03 a bottle: Sold H I dj- dealers generally, ana to/ The H I Murray Drag (Jo, Columbia, S,H I c l>r. E Bear, Charted ton, Hj Hi8* ^ 9 old b? gii3P*U7 aad br TffH MURRAY DKtfG CO <X>LIJ?BU a a " 1 THtT ? J KEELEY INSTITUTE eKBBKVILbB, 8. C. ALCOHOL: OPIUM, TOBACCO USING. Make no Mistake nor delay. This treatment restores the Disease J ^ Nervous System to its Normal coaiaija * Result?a perfect cure of the Liquor or th Morphine habit and re-establishment of th will power. Have yon a friend wiio need the cure? Detailed information mailed on ippllcation. THE KEELEF INSTITUTE, 11 (or Box 37) Greeaville, S. C. (la writing mention this paper.) jgg-mfj* //