The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, September 17, 1890, Image 2
INSIGHT.
I see with the spirit's sight
That many a nauseous weed of wrong
Has root in a seed of right.
For evil is good that has gone astray.
And sorrow is only blindness,
And the world is always under the sway
Of a changeless law of kindness.
The commonest error a truth can niako
j. Is shouting its sweet voice hoarsa,
And sin is only the soul's mistake
f In misdirecting its force;
And love, the fairest of all fair thing3
i? That ever to men descended,
Grows rank with nettles and poisonouthings
Unless it is watched and tended.
There could not be anything better than this
: Old world in the way It began,
Although some matters have gone amiss
i From the great original plan;
And however dark the skies may appear,
And howeversouls may blunder,
I tell you it all will work out clear,
For good lies over and unacr.
?Ella Jr. Wilcox, in New York Weekly.
\ Sear-Sighted Jealousy.
Mr. Matthias Coddlemaa was a broker
in the city, and like many other brokers,
he was possessed of a small house and
garden in one of the outlying suburban
towns, to which he was wont to retire
"when his day's work was over. He was,
in short, a plain, evcry-day merchaut,
about thirty years old, and by no means
lacking in manly beauty.
Mr. Matthias Coduleman certainly
seemed to be a very matter-of-fact and
good young man, for he regularly attend
ed to ins business, ana was, moreover,
the superintendent of a Sunday-school in
the town where he lived. He was nevertheless
possessed of a romance, and a very
substantial romance it was, weighing, I
should think, nearly 200 pounds; for Mr.
Matthias was married.
' This is how it came about. Some two
years before the time at which I write,
he had taken his summer outing at one
of the popular seaside resorts, and there
had met for the first time the future Mrs.
Coddleman. Etta Sayles, as she was
then, was a plump and pretty maiden,
under the charge of an old aunt, her
father being dead, and her mother and
only sister in Europe.
Etta's aunt had but one failing, and
that was the Patagonian savages. On
learning of tho deeply religious nature of
Mr. Matthias, this estimable gentlewoman
pounced upon him forthwith;
and so much was she interested in discussing
with him plans for the conversion
of these heathens,that she never perceived
the conversion of Etta, as effected by
Love and Mr. Coddeman, till it was too
late. As Mrs. Sajlis was a great invalid
and had gone to Europe for her health,
it seemed useless to wait for her return.
So after much letter-writing and discussion,
it was decided that the young couple
should be married, and they were the
next spring.
They had now been man and wife for
more than a year, and thus far nothing
had occurred to mar their tranquility.
Indeed, there was no reason why they
should, for Mrs. Matthias believed her
husband to be perfection, and Mr. Matthias
returned the compliment. His wife,
indeed, almost merited that belief, for
she had but two failings; one a failing of
eyesight, and the other a most inordinately
jealous disposition. Of the first of
4-Viac<* foilinrrs Hor hiiQlvinr? tt?q nnrnrA* nf
the second he knew nothing, because he
was such a thoroughly good young man
that even his jealous wife could And
nothing to carp at.
? > The day of the 10th of July, 1S75, was
noted for two things: the arrival of Mr.
Coddlemau's sister-in-law from Europe
and the arrival of the green-eyed monster,
jealousy, ic his household,
Shortly before the time of which I
write, Mrs. Saylers had died abroad, and
her daughter was now returning to live
with her married sister. The day in
question opened auspiciously enough,
for, though sultry, it was very beautiful.
As Mm, and Mrs. Coddlcman rode into
town that morning, he to his business
and she to meet her sist6r, no pair of
turtledoves could have been more devoted.
Before the train had proceeded far
on its way, however, an accident occurred
to ruffie the composure of Mrs. Matthias,
and this was the loss of her glasses,
r " Oh, Matt!" she cried, when she had
discovered the fact, "I have left ray
glasses behind me at home; what shall 1
do? Why, I should not know my sister
without them unless she was within three
feet of me."
"Well, my love," replied he, "it
strikes me that you can't tind her without
them, and can't go back to get them,
the best thing will be for you to wait at
the station and let her find you."
His wife agreed with him in this, and
?n the matter ended.
All through the heat of the day Mr.
Coddleman toiled at his desk, stopping
occasionally to wonder how he should
like his sister-in-law, whom he had
never met, and whether she had yet
)jund his wife. When four o'clock
came, he arose from his work and sought
the railway station with joy.
* All the trouble of that unfortunate
Afternoon arose from his extravagance,
for as he knew that the common car
would be both hot and crowded, he
determined to treat himself to the luxury
jf a drawing-room scat.
* Entering the first of the coaches he
found it full, and passing through it,
secured one of the two remaining chair;
in the forward car. He had scarcely
settled himself when, just as the trait
started, the porter showed a lady, lader
Tvith many bays and bundles to the re
maining seat. Just tliea the car gave r
lurch, and before she could seat herself,
her baggage flew in every direction. A<
the porter had meanwhile disappeared,
Matthias came to the rescue and collected
her scattered cejongings.
J* "So kind of you," she murmured, a:
Bhe sank back iu her 6cut with a sigh ol
comfort.
> "Not at all," he replied, but yor
should have some one to assist you witl
these bundles?thty are too heavy foi
you to cairy."
|? "I was expecting some one to helj
me," she returned, "but was disap
pointed." After a moment she con
tinucd, "I do not know this part of thi
country, and if I would not be asking to<
much, I should be so much obliged i
you would give me some informatioi
about reaching my destination."
He hastened to assure her that, fa
from troubling him, he should esteem i
a great honor to be of any service to her
and begged that she would tell hin
.-where she was going.
"Why, to be sure," &he replied, ,!th(
place is, is 1 declare I have forgottei
(the name. But I have it on a card in m;
pocketbook, which is in my little bag?
no, not that one," as he picked up a
brown traveling case, "the one nearest
you. Ah, thanks. Why!" sheened, as
she opened it, "the card is not hereafter
all, I must have lost it; but I can remember
the Dame, I guess. Let me see,
Bell?, Bell?Bellville; that's it, I think.
Is there such a place?"
Mr. Coddleman said that there was,
and told her furthermore that she must
change at the next station, and that ho
himself would put her on the other train.
Mr. Coddleman was by nature retiring,
bst the lonely position of the lady and
. her trust in him inspired him with the
idea that he must make himself agreeable;
in which he succeeded so well that
it seemed but a moment before the junc1
tiou was reached.
"Oh, really this is too much!" she expostulated,
as he loaded himself with her
baggage; "I can't think of allowing ycu
to carry all of it."
"Do not speak of it, madam; it is
nothing at all," lie panted, from beneath
his load of bags and shawl straps.
They had crossed the station and
boarded the other train, when Mr. Coddlemau,
happening to turn, he saw his
wife standing on the platform of the car
he had just left, with a h$rd, cold look
on her face that boded no good for
him.
He was aghast; she had seen part-but
not all, and evidently thought he was
going of! with a strange woman. He
must hasten back to explain her mistake.
But first he must get rid of his load and
likewise of the lady. He therefore hurried
after lie?, found her a seat, and excused
himself as quickly as possible; but
before he could leave the train, it was in
motion; and by the time he reached the
platform, it was moving at a good rate
of speed.
Mr. Coddleman was inclined to be
stout, and, moreover, wa3 much flurried,
and this fact, coupled with an absolute
ignorance of the laws of moving bodies,
may account for his jumping with both
feet together, and in the opposite direction
from which the train was moving.
The result of this manoeuvre was a complicated
series of somersaults, whioh landed
him in a heap on the floor of the station;
from which he gathered himself up just
in time to see his own train disappear in
the distance. This involved a three
hours' wait during which he meditated
on the events of the afternoon and the
reception thit awaited him at home.
It -was after tea at night whea ho at
last, weary ;mu ? uiu, r-iuucu uuiu?.
It took him a little while to summon up
courage to enter.
Ia the parlor sat bis wife, bolt upright
in a chair by the table, reading the family
Bible?an ominous sign.
"My dear," he faltered, iu his meekest
tones, "I missed my train, and have
just arrived. I trust you have not been
worrying about me."
Mrs. Coddleman on his entrance 6lowly
closed the Bible, laid it on the table,
j folded her hands before her, aud waited.'
Matthias began to get nervous. "Has
: ?has not your sister come, my love?" he
; asked hesitatingly.
"Wretch!" returned his spouse, and
dissolved into tears.
"What is the matter, my angel?" ho '
i inquired, in a vain attempt to appear at
case.
"Monster!" she ejaculated, and swept j
hr him nut of the room and uostairs. I
! and this was the extent of their conversation
for that night. By personal obser|
vation he di -covered that her sister had
: not yet arrived, but of the circumstances
I he could learn nothing.
At breakfast the nest morning, Mrs.
: Coddleman wore the expression of a
! martyr undergoing torture; she poured i
the coffee with a Christian resignation :
! beautiful to see; and the manner in '
i which she passed her husband the butter J
! would have brought tears to the eyes of i
' the most hardhearted. Mr. Coddleman
i determined to make a bold break, and j
summoning up all his courage, addressed
| his wife:
j "My dear'" he suid, "I fear you did
I not rightly understand the events of yes'
terday; in short, that, that "
| "No explanation can avail, Matthias,
II saw it all."
I "Saw all what, my love?''
1 i t
I " 1JU UUt UlLUilljit bV UtUj lb. x O.M? '
' you wlica you passed through the rear
! car, though you did not see mc; I foli
lowed you into the front one to speak to
j you, aud you meet th.it odious woman?
.; by appointment, I've no doubt. I saw
j you devote yourself to her, and finally go
off with her, I don't know where. It is
, well for her that I was without my
| glasses and could not see her to know
' her, or "
\ Just at this moment a carriage laden
j with trunks drove up to the door.
;! "There is your sister, my love," said ,
j Matthias. "For heaven's sake, don't j
! let's have a family row just as she is arriving.
"Coward!" replied his wife, and left
,! the room. Mr. Coddlemau groaned, aud I
; O ? ,
i awaited results in the dining room. He
now heard the voice of bis sister-in-law j
in the hull; it sounded familiar.
"My darling, what a happiness this i
is!" she cried. "I thought I should !
never get here, for I could not find you j
, at the station, and one of the stupidest j
, men you ever saw offered to help me, and
, j put me on the wrong train, and sent mc '
, | oil ever so far. I got the name of your i
, town mixed up, to be sure, and told him
I I wanted to go to Bellville instead of Bell,!
mont; but he ousjht to have known even
i ?
if I didn't; men are so dull?why, that's
1 ! the very man!" she gasped, as she enp!
tered the dining room; "whois he?"
, | "That," replied Mrs. Matthias, smiling I
t j for the first time that day?a smile in
. j which surprise and relief were curiously
t miauled?"that is my husband."?liar'
card Advocate.
>|
How Derby Hats Soften in Summer.
I . ikHmtlvn K/? Vionrllnrl Trifr.H i
L 17CI IJ\ naw UJUCV iyv, uau.iibv^ > ,
) velvety touch in summer," quoth J. Mc- j
> Kain, taking down a stiff hat from his ,
f I shelves and giving it a professional tap. i
| "Few people are aware of the fact that j
i I the great heat at this season of the year
i ' softens a stiff hat so much that it can ai- j
r j most be rolled up into a ball. That's (
i why the crown should be handled as lit
> j tie as possible, because it is the easiest |
- i thing in the world to dent the hat when ,
- I it is soft, and the mark will stay there (
21 forever. The hat is all right if you don't j
> touch the crown while it is soft, because j
f it regains its natural stiffness as soon as (
i cold weather cools it off. If jou hold a ,
I derby hat near a hot stove it will lose its j
r j stiffuess in a few moments and be limp as
t : a rag."?Pittsburg Dispatch.
?
1 It is stated that the fee for the charter
of the American Gas Investment Com- !
2 pany's certificate of incorporation, filed
l at Trenton, was the largest New Jersey j
f ever received, namely, ?10,010.
SnELL FREAKS, j
CONCHOLOG1CAL CURIOSITIES
IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.
Queerest of Snails?The Truth About
the Chambered Nautilus?Tho
Biggest Shell In the World
?Giant Clams,
Tlie most astonishing curiosity that has
reaclnd the National Museum at "Washington
for many a long day was sent
hither recently by a Frenchman named
Caillaud, who has devoted his life to the
study of shells. There is in France a
creature called the "vine snail," which
inhabits the viueyards and grows to about
the diameter of a silver half dollar, its
Bhell resembling in all material respects
that of certain very common water srails.
Of course, however, water snails are of
infinite variety, and a certain sort of
" < ~ 11
water snau most coramou m mi uuuia uu
particular resemblance, so far as shape is
concerned, to the vine snail mentioned.
But M. Caillaud, being of an inquiring
mind, took a number of vine snails and
proceeded to denude them of their shells,
taking the utmost care not to injure the
animals. The latter he inserted into
empty shells of the common water snails
spoken of, accommodating the hinder
parts of the laud smails as well as possible
to the convolutions of the new dwellings
they were intended to occupy.
It is not surprising that a majority of
the vine snails thus treated should have
died. Their new shells did not fit them
at all, being of a spiral shape, instead of
nearly round, and this enforced moving
must have come very hard with them.
However, a few, being wrapped in damp
moss and deposited in a moist cellar, not j
only survived, but grew and thrived |
healthily. As they grew they must i
needs make their shells larger, and this ;
they did by adding on to the strange
shells they occupied deposits of their own !
proper shell matter. For obvious reasons :
if riifl nnt onifc thnm tn fnllow out the I
structural plan of their adopted tenements?they
preferred to make additions
to their dwellings after the architectural
pattern recommended by their ancestors.
Hence was accomplished the construction
of a shell?a perfect specimen of it
is now deposited in the National Museum
?which exhibits a structural combina- '
tion of the land snail shell and the water !
snail shell. One-half of the shell, be- j
ginning at the peak, is after the water j
snail pattern and the remaining half after j
that of the land snail, the latter material
simply continuing the former as one :
kind of stone might unite with another ;
stratum. Not only is the material and j
coloring of the land snuil part different ;
in those respects from the water snail;
part, but the structure of the addition
immediately takes the new vine snail
form. Thus bv artifice has been produced |
the most remarkable freak of natural history,
in its way, so fur known to the
world.
Among other interesting snails in the
National Museum's collcction is one so
valuable that a poor and broken specimen
of the same kind was sold the other
day at auction for $300. Its distinctive
peculiarity is a long slit iu the shell '
material which accommodated the gills
of the animal. Prototypes of this creature
were plentiful among the earliest living
forms found among the remains of
a geological epoch perhaps fifty million :
j-ears old. At present, however, there;
are so few such in existence that only |
three or four are known to collectors. !
The Smithsonian Institution has plenty j
of specimens of the snail which Roman !
gourmets used to eat and sometimes train j
for races, ju9t as the Chinese nowadays
employ for racing purposes tortoises and
Oni> nf the most interest- I
ing shells in the Smithsonian collection j
is the far-fumed chambered nautilus, if '
only for the reason that so many untrue j
stories have been circulated regarding it. j
For some reason not altogether under- |
stood poets and others have confused j
it with the argonaut of the eastern seas i
and have told how it rises to the surface 1
and goes a sailing for fun in calm weather, j
The argonaut does float unon the surface '
L I
of the sea in its boat-like and papery shell,
paddling itself along with little tentacles ;
extended over the side of its craft, but
the chambered nautilus is an altogether
different concern and has no such powers
of navigation.
The chambered nautilus resembles outwardly
a big snail shell coiled. As it
^jrows the animal slides out of the com- j
partment it has occupied for a season and j
builds a wall of pearl behind it. Each !
Bpring, when moving time comes, it
changes its room in this way, each time i
building the pearly wall behind it, until
the entire interior of a full grown shell:
is composed of a series of compartments, !
the animal itself inhabiting only the out- '
ennost one close to the mouth or opening :
of the shell. The shell, when the outer :
parts are removed, exhibits the most j
beautiful structural arrangement iraagin- j
able, of chambers of pure pearl, such as j
any diminutive mermaid princess might:
be proud to live in. As for the empty ;
chambers, they are connected together :
by a pneumatic tube of pearl by which
the animal cau exhaust and supply air, so !
as to either descend to the bottom of the j
ocean or rise from the depths toward the i
surface. Such are the facts regarding !
the storied nautilus.
As for the argonaut it is the only shell'
fish in existence that has no attachment i
to its shell. The female is the one that
is found sailing; the male has no shell at j
all. Such specimens of the chambered
nautilus as are secured arc almost all
caught in the Indian Ocean with baited
traps. i
Oi:e of the biggest shells in the world
is the "queen conch," which is largely i
used for food in the West Indies. The i
natives there know just how to break o'T
the peaks of the shell at precisely the :
point to detach the animal from the j
shells. Then it is easy enough to pull j
out the big snaiL The shells are shipped I
to England to serve as material for cam- 1
eos. Most of the cameo brooches in the :
world are made from these and other
shells, muriatic acid serving to eat away .
their outer coat down to the exquisite i
arrate or nearl of the inner coat. It is j
astonishing, by the way, that nature |
should have devoted so much decorative
effort to the inside of shells. Ordinarily
she devotes horself to beautifying the
outer and upper sides of things?as in
the case of the leaf on the tree?but with
the shell she i3 satisfied to make the in- j
terior a picture of loveliucss, while the j
outside is as ugly a3 possible until pow- i
erful acids have removed the outer coat- !
ing and exposed the beauty that lies
beneath.
One of the biggest shells iu the world
is the "tritou" of the Pacific Ocean,
which ii used by o$tive$ of Polynesia
for a teapot. For this purpose it is
filled with water and hung horizontally
over a fire, the "canal" at the mouth of
the shell being subsequently used for a
spout. Also the triton is used in those
parts for a horn, as are many other such
shells in various portions of the world?
notably a Florida conch, which is used
down there as a dinner horn, and can
be heard for many miles. To blow
upon it, however, requires practice; a
novice would not be able to produce a
sound.
The largest shell in the Smithsonian's
possession is that of a giant clam, 300
pounds in weight, which inhabits the
Indian Ocean and occasionally seizes in
its clutch a pearl diver who is so unfortunate
as to get his foot caught between
its open jaws. It is a choice with
such a victim between succumbing to
his fate and amputating the limb with
his own knife, for the byssus by which
the monster is attached to the bottom
is as strong as a ship's cable, and there
is no hope of the diver's cutting himself
loose. It is worth mentioning, by
the way, that the so-called "pearl
nvcfnr" nnf. rflnllr an ovater at all.
*V" J 7
but another sort of bivalve with a
scientific name too long to bother with.
One of the most prized of the museum's
curiosities in the way of shells has its
convolu;ions extended like those of a
horn, instead of being wrapped up as in
ordinary shells. Freaks of this description
arc well-nigh uuknown.?Waihing~
ton Star.
The Value of Knowledge.
A Brooklyn manufacturer paid a bill
without a murrncr the other day, simply
on account of the way it was worded,says
an exchange. His engineer found that
the hot-water pump would not work and
sent for a machinist.
The lacter bothered with it half a day
and said it must corns apart. This
meant the stoppage of the factory for a
long time. It was suggested that a
neighboring engineer be sent for, as he
was a sort of genius iu the matter of
machinery.
He came, and after studying the
pump awhile be took a liainraer and |
gave three sharp raps over the valve.
"I rekon she'll go now," he quietly
said, and putting on steam "she" did
go"The
next day," say3 the manufacturer,
UI received a bill from him for
625.50. The price amazed me, but when
I had examined the items I drew a check
at once.
"The bill read this way: 'Messrs.
Blank & Co., Dr., to John Smith. For
fixing pump, 50 cents; for knowing bow,
$25.'
"Had he charged me $25.50 for fixing
the pump I should have considered it
exorbitant. But fifty cent was reasonable,
and I recognized the value of knowledge,
so I paid and said nothing."?
New York World.
'?* - * A- XT' A
Xlie JLOii^esL nuru.
Several of your correspondents, says
a letter in the New York Sun, have lately
submitted, as entitled to the honor of
being "the longest word in the English
language," the first three of the words
following, in competition wherewith I
send a fourth:
1. Dis-pro-por-tion-a-ble-ness.
2. HoD-or-if-i-ca-bil-i-tul-in-i-tv.
3. Dis-es-tab-lish-ment-a-ri-an-ism.
4. Un-pro-pre-an-te-psn-ult-i-mat-i-ca-bil-i- !
ty.
The meaning of the last is obvious and '
may be predicated of the great majority !
of words in every language, since it ap- j
plies to all that have no "propreantepen- i
ult;" that is, to every woid of less than j
six syllables. The stem of the word, of j
course, is "ult," the remainder being an i
aggregation of prefixes and suffixes.
Several years ago, says another Sun j
correspondent, the same thing was up, J
no oe T /ion rnmflnilwr fho xrnrfl !
UUUy IM UtUl no A Vlku 4 Wluvuwv. J v... ,
brought out by the Sun then was "Yelocipedestrianistrianarianologist."
Multi-Leaved CloTcr.
A few days ago a Providence (R. I.)
lady, Mrs. W. R. Perce, while takiDg a j
stroll at Jelferson, discovered some re- !
raarkable specimens in the line of.many- j
leaved clovers. She found in all 262 j
leaves, each of which consisted oi ruore '
than three leaflets. Of this number fifty |
were four-leaved, 382 were five-leaved,
twenty-four had six leaflets each and six
numbered seven little leaves on each
stem. Among them was one specimen
which we feel sure must be of interest to
botanists. On a runner about three
inches in length there were five stems,
arranged as follows: The pedunclc nearest
the root bore three leaflets, the next
four, the others five, six and seven respectively,
and there were no intermediate
leaves. Mrs. Perce seems to find the ua
usual m clovers, naving in ner couecucra
a nine-leaved one, gathered among others
at Mount "Wachusett a^few summers ago.
?Among the Clouds.
The Indian's Gifts to the Whites.
The Enstport Sen'inel notes that of
the two gifts which the Indian has made
to modern civilization?the birch canoe
and the snow-shoe?the canon appears
to be passing away, owing to the scarcity
of material. The Passamaquoddies are
now compelled to go away up under the
sh;.dow of Katahdin to llnd birches of
sufficient size to furnish the material for
building, and are themselves substituting
canvas, which cost less and will bear
rougher handling. But the Indians
have given us the idea, even if the canoe
of the future be made of something
other than birch, and who knows but the
time may come when we shall have
eretnr-i r\f frwnztpr nnrl
SUiiiC llllCUl^CUb v* * v? vumj uuv? j
plant trees as we now do corn and pota- |
toes in a systematic manner, without de- I
pending for their growth on chance,
hampered by man's watchfulness and
greed for immediate results??Lctidon
{Me.) Journal.
She Scwcil on the Finger.
While Miss Stafford, a school teacher
<->? P.Kn.l clmwVi wns ornhT* from lior
VII UUMM O C5
school iu the evening she found that one
of Mr. Ileglund's children, eighteen
months old, had had an index finger cut
of! by her brother. The mother was unable
to do anything for her child, so
Miss Stafford secured the piccc of linger
which had been cut off and earned tho
child to a neighbor's where she could get
help and necessary materials. She then
sewed the piece of finger on and bound
it on in its proper placo with splints. At
last accounts the finger seemed to be
doing well.
Miss Stafford seems to have a natural
fitness for a surgeon, and should not
allow her abilities to be neglectcd. It
was not long ago that this young lady
rescued one of her pupils from drowning
by going to hia assisiance ia the slough.
-ygrtgon Atiorian.
* -r 'T-iiiiriilifl
1IEV. DR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUNDAY
SERMON.
Subject, "in the Lion's Den."
Text: "Then the King commanded, ana
they brought Daniel and cast him into the
den of lions."?Daniel vi., 1C.
Darius w/-s King of Babylon, and tho
young nmn Daniel was so much a favorite
with him that he made him Prime Minister
or Secretary of State. But no man could
gain such a higli position without exciting
the envy aud jealousy of the people. There
were demagogues in Babylon wno were so
Appreciative of their own abilities that they
svere aflronted at the elevation of this young
man. Old Babylon was afraid of young
Babylon. The taller the cedar the more apt
it is to be riven of the lightning.
These demagogues asked the King to make
a decree that anybodv that made a petition
to anyone except the King within thirty days
should be put* to death. King Darius, not
suspecting foul play, makes that decree. Tho
demagogues have accomplished all they
want, because they know that no one can
keep Daniel from sending petitions before
God for thirty days.
So far from being afraid, Daniel goes on
with his supplications three times a dav. and
is found on his housetop making prayer. He
is caught in the act. He is condemned to be |
devoured by the lions. Rough executioners
of the law seize him and hasten him to the
cavern. I hear the growl of the wild beasts,
and I see them pawing the dust, and as they
put their mouths to the ground the solid
earth quakes with their bellowing. I see their
eyes roll, and I almost hear the fiery eyelialis
snap in the darkness. These monsters
approach Daniel. They have an appetite
keen with hunger. "With one stroke of their
paw or one snatch of their teeth they may
leave him dead at the bottom of the cavern.
But what a strange welcome Daniel receives
from these hungry monsters! They fawn
around him; they lick his hand; they bury
his feet in their long inane3. That night he
has calm sleep, with his head pillowed on the
warm necks of the tamed lions.
But not so well does Darius the King sleep.
He loves Daniel, and bates this stratagem by
which he has been condemned. All night
long the King walks the floor. He cannot
sleep. At the least sound he starts and his
flesh creeps with horror. He is impatient
for the dawning of the morning. At the
first streak of the daylight Darius hastens
forth to see the fate of Daniel. The heavy
palace doors open and clans shut loner before
the people of the city waken. Darius goes to
the den of lions; he looks in. All is silent. He
heart stops. Ho feels that the very worst
has happened: but gathering all his strength
he shouts through the rifts of the rock: "0
Daniel! is the God whom thou servo6t continually
able to deliver thee?" There comes
rolling up from the deep darkness a voice
which says: "0 King! live forever. My God
has sent His angel to shut the lions' mouths
that they have not hurt me."
Then Daniel is brought out from the den.
The demagogues are burled into it, and no
sooner have they struck the bottom of the
den than their flesh was rent, and their
bone3 cracked, and their blood spurted
through the rifts of the rock, and as the
lions make the rocks tremble with their
roar they announce to all ages that while
God will defend His people the way of the
ungodly shall perish.
Learn first from this subject that the
greatest crime that you can commit in the
eyes of many is the crime of success. What
bad Daniel done that he should bo flung to
the lions? He got to be prime minister.
They could not forgive him for that, and behold
in that a touch of unsanctified human
nature as seen in all v%03 of the world. So
long as you are pinched in poverty, so long
as you aro running the gauntlet between
landlord and the tax gatherer, so long as you
nuu it uaru wnrs w euucaie your cnuuren,
there are people who will say, "Poor man, I
am sorry for him; he ought to succeed, poor
man!"
But after a while tho tide turns in your
favor. That was a profitable investment
you made. You bought at just tho right
time. Fortune becomes good humored and
smiles upon you. Now you are being in some
department successful your success chills
some one. Those men who used to sympathize
with you stand along tho street,
and they scowl at you from under the rim
of their hats. You have more money
or more influence than they have,
and you ought to be scowled at from under
the rim of their hats. You catch a word or
two as you pas.s by them. "Stuck up," says
one one. '"Got it dishonestly," says another.
"Will burst soon," says u third. Every
stone in vour new house is laid 011 their
hearts. Vour horse's hoofs went over their
nerves.
Every item of your success has been to
them an item of discomfiture and despair.
Just as soon as in anv resDecfc vou risa
above your fellows, if you are more virtuous,
if you are more wise, if you are more
influential, you cast a shadow on the prospect
of others. The road to honor and
success is within reach of ths enemy's
guns. Jealousy says, "Stay down or I'll
knock you down." *4I do not like you,"
said the snowflake to the snowbird. "Why
don't you like me?'' said the snowbird.
"Oh!" said the snowflake, "vou are going
up and I am coming down." Young merchants,
young lawyers, young doctors, young
mechanics, young artiste, young farmers, at
certain times there were thosa to sympathize
with you, but now that you are becoming
master of your particular occupation
or profession, how is it now, young
lawyers, young doctors, young artists, young
farmers?how is it now? The greatest crime
that vou can commit is the crime of success.
Again, my sunject Impresses me with th(
value of decision of character in any department.
Daniel know that if he continued his
adherence to the religion of the Lord he
would be hurled to the lions, but having sat
his compass well he sailed right on.
For the lack of that element of decision ot
uuai auLei so eiuiueuu in uaniei many men
are rained for this world, and ruined for the
world to come. A great many at forty
years of age are not settled in any respect,
because they have not been able to make up
their mind. Perhaps they will go West. Perhaps
they will go East. Perhaps they will
not. Perhaps they will go North. Perhaps
they may go South. Perhaps they will not.
remaps they may make that investment
in real estate or in railroads.
Perhaps they will not. They are like
a steamer that should go out of
New York harbor, starting for Glasgow,and
(he next day should change for Havre de
Grace, and the next for Charleston, and the
next for Boston, and the next for Liverpool
?these men on the sea of life, everlastingly
tacking ship aud making no headway. Or
they are like a man who starts to build a
house in the Corinthian style and changes
it to Doric, and then completes it in the
Ionic, and is cursed by all styles of architecture.
Young man, start right and keep on.
Have decision of character. Character is
like the goldfinch of Tonquin: it is magnificent
while standing firm, but losses ail its
beauty in flight. How much decision of
character in order that these young men may
be Christians! Their old associates make
sarcastic flings at them. They go on excur...
- 4.1..^7.
prophesy that he will give oat. They wonder
if he is not getting wings. As he passes
they grimace and winli and chuckle, and
say, "There goes a saint."
r Oh, young man, have decision of character.
You can afford in this matter of religion
to be laughed at. What do you care for
tho scoffs of these men, who are affronted
because you will not go to ruin with them?
"When the grave cracks open under their
feet, and grim messengers push them into it,
and eternity comes down hard upon their
spirit, and conscience stings, and hopeless
ruin lifts them up to hurl them down, will
thej* laugh then?
I learu also from my subject that men
may take religion into their worldly business
Daniel had pnouTh work to <lo to
occupy sn men. All tne affairs of state
were in his hand?questions of finance,
questions of war, of peace, all international
questions were for his settlement or adjustment.
Ho must have had a correspondence
vast beyond all computation.
There was not a man in all the earth who
ha?l more to do than Daniel, the Secretary
if State, and yet we find him three times a
day bowing beforo God in prayer. There
are man in our day who have not a hundredth
part of Daniel's engagements who say
they are too busy to be religious. They
havo an idea somehow that religion willsDoil
tneir worldly occupation, that it will trip
the accountant's pen, or dull tho carpenter's
saw, or confuse tho lawyer's brief, or disarrange
the merchant's store shelf.
They think religion is impertinent. They
would like to have it very well seated besido
them in church oc the Sabbath, to find
t&e piace m me psalm "book, or to nudge
them awake when they get sleepy under
the didactic discourse; or they would like
to leave it in the pew on Sabbath evening,
as they go out closing the door, saying:
"Good night, religion; Til be back next
Sunday P' But to have religion go right
along by them all through life, to nave religion
looking over their shoulder when
they are making a bargain, to have religion
take up a bag of dishonest gold and shake
it. ana say: "Hal tial where dTd you get
that?' they think that is an impertinent
religion. They would like to have a religion
to help them when they are sick, and
when the shadow of death come3 over them
they would like to have religion as a sorb of
night-key with which to open the door of
heaven; but religion under other circumstances
they take to be an impertinence.
Now, my friends, religion never robbed a
man of a dollar. Other things being equal, a
mason will build a better wall, a cabinet
maker will make a better chair, a plumber
will make a better pipe, a lawyer will make
a better plea, a merchant will sell a better
bill of goods.
I say other things being equal. Of course
when religion gives a man a new heart it
does not propose to give him a new head, or
to intellectualize hiin, or to change a man's
condition when his ordinary state is an overthrow
of the philosophical theory that a total
vacuum is impossible: but the more letters
you have to write, the more burdens you
have to carry, the more miles you have to
travel, the more burdens you nave to lift,
the more engagements you have to meet, the
more disputes you have to settle, the more
nnnortnnitv von h.ivo of hftinc a Christian.
Tf you havo a thousand irons in the fire
, uuvcu tnouaauu more opportunities of
serving God than if you had only one iron
in the fire. Who so busy as Christ? And
yet who a millionth part as holy? The
busiest men the best men. All the persons
converted iu Scripture busy at the time of
their being converted. Matthew attending
to his custom house duties; the Prodigal Son
feeding swine; Lydia selling purple; Simou
Peter hauling in the net from the sea; Saul
spurring bis horse toward Damascus, going
down on his law business. Busy! busy!
Daniel with all the affairs of state weighing
down upon his soul, and yet three a day
worshiping the God of Heaven.
Again, I learn from this subject that a man
may take religion into his politics. Daniel
had all the affairs of state on hand, yet a
Christian. He could not have kept his elevated
position unless he had been a thorough
politician; and yet all the thrusts of officials
and all the danger of disgrace did not make
bim yield ono iota of his high toned religious
.orinciple. He stool before that jut-a. ha
itaniTs before all ages, a specimen of a Christian
politician.
So there have been in our day and in the
Jays of our fathers men as eminent in the
ierviceof God as they havo bean eminent in
the servico of tho State. Such was Benjamin
F. Butler, Attomey-Gjneral of New
York, in the time of your fathers. Such
was John McLean, of Ohio. Such was Geo.
Briggs, of Massachusetts. Such was Theodore
Frelinghuysen, of New Jersey. Men
faithful to tne State, at the same time faithful
to God.
Tf ic oKcil1?<4 4 /% ATnonf
wwju?u w VAycw vuau iucu ?? uu uuvo
been immersed in political wickedness for
thirty or forty years shall come to reformation;
and our hope is in the young men who
are coming up, that they have patriotic
principle and Christian principle side by side
when they come to the ballot box ana cast
their first vote, and that they swear allegiance
to the government of heaven as well as
to the Government of the United States. We
would have Bunker Hill mean less to them
than Calvary, and Lexington mean less to
them than Bethlehem.
Bat because there are bad men around the
ballot box is no reason why Christian men
should retreat from the arena. The last
time you ought to give up your child or forsake
your child is when it is surrounded bv a
company or Uboctaws; and the last time to
surrender the ballot Box is when it is surrounded
by impurity and dishonesty and all
sorts of wickedness.
Daniel stood on a most unpopular platform.
Ho stood firmly, though tho demagogues
of the day hissod at him and tried to
overthrow him. We must carry our religion
into our politics. But there are a (jreat
many men who are in favor of taking religion
into national pontics wnouo not see tua importance
of taking it into city politics; as
though n man were intelligent about the
welfare of his neighborhood and had no concern
about his own homo.
Religion would drive out all base personalities
from polities. You have a right to
discuss men's politics and denounce their
political sentiments, or receive them as you
will; but you have no right to assail their
?rivate character, as is done every autumn.
hat is not carrying religion into politics.
Now you can always tell without asking, in
any contest, what candidate I will vote for.
It is always for the man who is most badgered,
and most abused, and most sjrit upon,
and most howled at. You have a "right to
contest a man's political sentiments; you
have no right, for case political purposes, to
assail his private moral character.
My subject also impresses me with the
fact that lioas cannot hurt a good man. No
man ever got into worse company than
Daniel got into when be was thrown into
the den. "What a rare morsel that fair
young man would have beau for the hungry
monsters! Ifthoyhad plunged at him he
could not have climbed into a niche beyond
the reach of their paw or the snatch of their
tooth. They came pleased all aroun^ about
him as a huuter's hounds at the well known
whistle come botindiusr to his feet.
You neo 1 not go toIfumidiato get among
flip linns Ton all have had them after vou
?the lion of financial distress, the lion of
sickness, the lion of persecution. You saw
that lion of financial panic punting his mouth
down to the earth, and he roared until all
the banks and all the insurance companies
quaked. "With his nostril he scattered the
ashes on the domestic hearth. You have
had trial after trial, misfortune after misfortune,
lion after lion; and yet they have
never hurt you if you put your trust in God,
and they never will nurt you. They did
not hurt Daniel, and thoy cannot hurt you.
The Persians used to think that spring rain
falling into sea shells would turn into pearls;
and I have to tell you that the tears of sorrow
turn into precious gems when they drop
into God's bottla You need be afraid of
nothing putting your trust in God. Even
death, that monster lion whose den is the
world's sepulchre, and who puts his paw
down amid thousands of millions of the dead,
cannot affright you.
When in olden times a man was to get the
honors of knighthood ho was compelled
to go fully armed the night before among
the tombs of the dead, carrying a sort of
* ' A . 1 1.?
spear, ana tnen wnen me uiiy uiuno no
would come forth, and amid the sound of
cornet and great parado he would get the
honors of knighthood. And so it will be
with tho Christian in the night before
heaven, as fully armed with spear and helmet
of salvation he will waft and watch
through the darkness until the morning
dawns, and then he will take tho honors of
heaven amid that great throng with snowy
robes streaming over seas of sapphire.
POPULAR SCIENCE.
It is impossible to run at an altitude
of 17,000 feet above the sea.
A mountain of alabaster is supposed to
have been discovered about 159 miles
south of Denver, Col.
A Russian officer claims to have discovered
in eggs an oil from which can be
made a powerful explosive.
, Artificial musk is a recent chemical
achievement, a proccss for its production
having recently been patented in Germany.
A Spanish inventor renders from grass,
hoppers a fatty substance which is declared
to make the finest soap yet pro<Tiir?
ml
A new and improved compass for
ships' use lias just been introduced by
Lieutenants Diehl and Gibson, of the
tJnited State9 navy.
In Ru3siathe fields are being cultivated
by electrical appliances, the gain so far
being apparent more in time saved than
in increase of crops.
Sea air has been found to have a thickening
effect upon the leaves of plants
and trees. Moreover, plants grown in
salted soil produce thicker leaves.
What's in a name? Tnat which we
call limburgher, by any other name,
would cdoriferate the same,?ifeu' York
Dispatch.
SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOB
SEPTEMBER 21. -^-p?
Lesson Text : "Jesus Entering Jerusalem,"
Lake xlx., 37-48?Golden
Text: Lake xlx., 38?Commentary.
' ' '0^9
87. And when He was come nigh,even now
at the descent of tho Mount of Olives." He
was riding upon the ass's colt, according to
Zech. ix., 0, thus literally fulfilling one of
the last public signs that He was the long
predicted Messiah, the Son of David, Israel's
king. But He knew well how it would be.
They would not recognize even this sign,
but surelv consummate their sin by putting
Him to death. He no doubt considered the
time yet future.the joy set before TTim (Heb.
xii., 2) when He shall come to that same
Mount of Olives in power and great glory,
bringing Hissaints with Him (Zech. xfv., 4^
5). But at this time He was nigh to the
cross, not the glory.
"The whole multitude of the disciples bo*
gau iu icjuiv-t: tuiu TjraibO uoa WItQ a iOUQ
voice, for all tbe mighty works which they
had seen." They were convinced that He
was their Messiah, and, notwithstanding the
parable of the last lesson, they thought He
would now surely proclaim Himself king,
and therefore their joy was most exultant,
their praise most hearty.
88. "Saying, Blessed be the King that
cometh in the name of the Lord: Peace in
Heaven and glory in the highest." He was
to sit on the throne of the Lord to make
known the name of the Lord, a king ruling
in righteousness, prince of peace, making
wars to cease to the ends of the earth, ana
speaking peace to all people; thereby bringing
the ti jie when all the earth shall befllled
with the glory of God (Jer. iii., 17, 18; Isa.
xxrii., 1; ix., ti; ii., 4; Ps. xlvi.. 9; Hab. ii.,
14). All this shall yet surely come; while
we wait for it, are we as truly for Him as
these disciples were at this time.
39. "And some of the Pharisees from
among the multitude said unto Him, Master, ^
rebuke thy disciples." l'he religious rulers
were always against Him. The people who
ought to have welcomed Him hated every
word spoken in His favor. A little later, as
the children praise Him in the temple (Matt,
xxi., 15.16), they again find fault. Wh?k -v
there was occasion to rebuke His disciples B6
did not hesitate to do it (Matt. xvi., 23; Mark
x., 14), but there was do occasion now. They
TOoro not". nMIGinrr onr
"V*w UUJ IW1VUU.
40. "Aud Ho answered and said onto
them, I tell you, that, if these should hold
their peace, the stones would immediately
cry out." John the Baptist told those who
came to him not to pride themselves upon
being children of Abraham, for, said ha,
"God is able of these stones to raise up children
unto Abraham" (Matt, iii., 9). And ai
to stones crying cut, one of the prophets
had said that, because of their an, "the
stone should cry out of the wall, and the
beam out of the timber should answer it"
(Hab. ii., 11). When there is any testifying
to be done, and no human voices to do it, God
will cause inanimate nature to testify
(as at tho -death of Christ), or make a dumb
ass to speak with a man's voice (as in the
case of Balaam), or send noly angels as at
the birth of Christ. He gives to redeemed
people tho high privilege of being His witnesses,
but if we will not testify and glorify
Him, He will pass us by and get glory to Hu
holy name in some other way.
41. "And when He was come near He bfr
held the city and wept over it." <His weeping
over this city bad a special significance,
for this was the city of David, the holy city,>the
city of the great King, the city which Ha
had chosen to put His name there, that Ha
might be glorified (Matt, iv., 5; v., 35; 13
Chron. vi., 6). He as the long promised Son
of *>avid was ready to make it more glorious
in the eye3 of all nations that ever it had
been in Solomon's days. He would make it a
city of truth, a holy mountain, and dwell in
their midst, making them a blessing to all
nations (Zech. viii., 3, 13), but instead of thii
He sees the destruction of the city, the
slaughter and scattering of the nation, and
the long desolatioa of the whole land, and
He weeps. A42.
"Saying, If thou badst known, even
thou at least in this thy day, the things
which belong unto thy peace! but now they
are hid from thine eves." Thou?thy day? .
thy peace; this was Zion that He had chosen,
that He had desired for His habitation, con*
cerning which He had said: "This is My rest
forever; here will I dwell; for I Have de
1 U 9t /TX 1Q 1 Q\ !> ,+ k.
bUt'll il, Uli;. 9. tAAAU., JUUU UJ
ber unbelief she was blinded and knew not
her day r.or Him who was her peace. To
every sinner this same Jesus is saying:
'Now is the day of thy salvation." "I am
thy peace." But of how many is it so sadly
true that "In them the god of this world
bath blinded the minds of them which believe
not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should
shine unto them."
43. "For the days shall como upon thee,
that thine enemies shall cast a trench about
thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee
in on every side.'' So it literally camo to
pass iu about forty yeara. What He describes,
even though in the far future, may
be the fulfillment we may rely upon as coming
in due time to pass just as He said.
Every redeemed soul passing out of this
world has undoubtedly found an angel convoy
to bear it triumphantly to realms of
bliss; while every unsaved soul has as undoubtedly
found itself in torment after leavi
Ing the body, just as Jesis described in
j chap, xvi., 22, 23.
44. "And shall lay thee even with the
ground, ana rny caurtren within thee; unH
! they shall not leavo in thee ono stone upon
another; because thou kuewest not tho time M
of thy visitation." So also did it literally I
come to pass, as Ho said. And as the same
Spirit had said through Micah 700 years be- B
fore: "Zion shall for your sake be plowed 1
as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps" P
(Mic. iiL, 12). When wo see how clearly ' fl
events have been by the Spirit foretold, and I
how literally thev have been fulfilled, how
can any believer doubt that the thoughts of as
the Lord shall coma to pass, that as Ha has
proposed so shall it stand, and that every I
purpose of the Lord shall be fulfilled? (Isa. fl
I xiv., 34; Jer. li., 2D.) . B
45. "And He went into the temple, and l|H
: began to cast out them that sold therein,
i and them that bought.'' The Tabernacle of
! Moses and the Temple of Solomon were in
some respects the most remarkable buildings
this world ever saw; chiefly because God
alone was tho architect of each, and each
was made that God might dwell on earth in
the midst of His people. Jesus Himself was
the true tabernaclo and temple, and when
the Kingdom comes wo shall then see the
full significance of each. They were never
intended to bo places of merchandise, but
rather places where God might reveal Himself
to Mis people, and where they might
flmw near and worship Him.
40. "Saying unto thorn, It is written, My
house is tho house of prater; but ye have
made it a den of thieves." In Isa. lvL, 7,
the reading is: "Mine bouse shall be called
a house of prayer for all people." And the
context refers to strangers joining: themselves
to the Lord, to serve Him and enjoy
His name. One of those reforencos to tho
llockiug of all nations to Israel when onca
tho Lord shall have come again to dwell in
their midst. It is tho exaltation of Jehovah
that shall draw tho nations; not the desecration
of His temple.
47. "And He taught daily in tho temple.
But the chief priests anl tho scribes and the
! chief of tho people sought to destroy Him."
! The next two chapters will give us some of
I His teachings during theso days, but it ia
j more fully recorded in Matt, xx., 25. He exposed
their sin, the hoartlessness of theij
ceremonies, foretold moro fully the cotni ng
judgments, and made many references tc
tlis return in power and glory. Bat as far
as tho chief of the peoplo, either in civil or
religious matters, were concerned. His teaching
fell on dull ears and hearts full ot hatred
for Him and His teachings.?Lesson. Hclvert
The Colonial Dames of America. B
"The Colonial Dames of America" H
is the name of n new society composed B
of women who are the descendants, in
their own persons, uf some citizen who
established liis residence in America
prior to 177G, and rendered worthy
service in the building up of tlia H
I United States. a
To have a course nial-ked out before I
hand, is to be prepared for difficulties. 4 I
'