The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, October 27, 1897, Image 7
f.
"smmn
- "1 AMERICAN I
g FOUND
The pearl boom is the latest sue-1
cessor of Klondike and its attendant:
excitements. For several weeks the ;
people of Arkansas have have been j
worked up over the discovery of pearls
in some of the lakes and rivers of that!
State, and in some place.s half the j
1-1.:in/Jnofrirmq]v ;
jpUpUIUHULl nave UOCU iuv?uo?4 I
digging mussels in the hope of sudden !
wealth, while the rest of the country
has been agitating itself on the subject
of dollar wheat. A New York diamond
broker recently exhibited a
very large pearl which had been sent
to him from the Arkansas field, just
what part of it he refused to say.
The stone is one of the finest specimens
of the "sweetwater" variety ever
seen in New York. It is perfectly
formed, slightly oval in shape, of a
pure white, and weighs thirty-five
grains. It is valued at ?800. Another
broker recently received a consignment
of Arkansas pearls, which included
a pink pearl, weighing twenty-six
grains. It is worth not more than
$100, however, on account of a slight
? SCENES A
"blemish on one side. Many smaller
pearls have come from this same region
during the past week, and there is
talk of a New York company to work
some of the Arkansas Dearl lakes. It
is possible, however, that thej will be
late in the field, as a Memphis company
has already leased one of the
most promising lakes for a term of five
years for ?4500, and individual speculators
have obtained control of several
others.
The Klondike excitement is not to be
compared with the enthusiasm in
Northern Arkansas over the recent
finds of pearls. At Helena and Little
Bock family parties are going out to
camp along the river and hunt for
pearls. Most of these parties have
found only small stones, but one woman
picked up a pink pearl worth ?50,
and two small boys who were looking
for clams and not for jjearls found two
stones which they sold for $25 apiece.
Most of the valuable finds, however,
have been made in the lakes and
ponds, which are controlled by private
individuals or by companies. In some j
places the owners have had to stand i
guard with shotguns to keep oft' the
^ enthusiastic pearl seekers, who have !
W been accustomed to hunt clams wlier-1
ever they wished, and who think that i
the mere fact that the shells may con- j
tain gems worth $100 or so ought not
to make any difference in this right.
The Arkansas pearl fisheries are
recommended as a good substitute for
Alaska for those who are in search of
hardship and adventure. There is
not so much frost and snow, but there
is plenty of malaria, which is apt to
carry off the unacclimated visitor, and
the swamps and forests which one has
to taaverse in order to reach the lakes
where the treasures lie will supply the
adventurer with as many unpleasant
experiences as Chilcoot Pass. Besides
the malaria that hangs round the lakes
nrk/3 an?omwc + anlriVnir orwl
aUU & ?t om|/oy vuvj vvmuitt wui^/uiki ? uvi
iron, which give the water a decidedly
unpleasant yellowish tinge. The
plaoes in winch pearls have thus far
been discovered are Murphy and
"Walker Lakes, Cross Lake, Sulphur
and Four-Mile Ponds and the creeks
flowing into them. These are all in
the Bald Knob country southwest of
Memphis.
Several Memphis citizens have invested
money in leases in White County,
and the concern already referred
to will make an organized effort to
(develop the industry in the lakes and
ponds which it controls. This company
hasjalreaily taken out several hundred
dollars' worth of pearls, but so
far the work has all been done by col
3 j.* A
oreu uiggera wu uncia, ?uu uo jmiu
$2 per day for their services. On account
of the color of the water they
hare to feel for the clams, which are
buried in the mud, with their hands
or bare feet, and so can work effectively
only in shallow places. As soon as
'EARLS @
' IN PLENTY, g
machinery can be put in, however,
the bottom of the lakes, including the
deeper parts, will be thoroughly
" ?
cireugea, ana it is expecten iuui uiuic
satisfactory results will be obtained.
It is the theory of the Memphis men
who are backing the enterprise that
mussels occasionally shed their pearls,
and that others that have died still
contain the gems, and will be found
buried deep down in the mud at the
bottom of the lakes.
It is possible, too, that the manufacture
of mother of pearl will be
started to utilize the shells, as is done
in Lower California/from whence most
of the pearl used for buttons for our
waist-coats and dresses now come from.
Mother of pearl, it may be explained,
is simply the smooth inside lining of
the shell, which is cut out and used
for buttons and ornaments.
Instances of rich finds are reported
every few days from Bald Knob or the
adjoining country. A few days ago a
colored man, who gave his name as
Harris, walked into a Memphis jewelry
ND INCIDENTS OF AMERICAN TEARL F
store and exhibited a small bag of
pearls. Most of the stones were small
and worth not more than $4 or ?5 each,
but there were a few of larger size, including
one or two pink pearls of very
good quality. An offer of $100 was
made for the lot. The colored man
held out for more, and finally accepted
$150. He said that he had worked
for a month aud had opened thousands
of shells to get the stones. He ac
knowledged that he was from "down
White County way," but refused to
tell where he had found the gems, as
he said that there were more in the
same place, and he was going back
after them.
A man named Deale, in Bald Knob,
sent a dozen pearls to New York, and
has received an offer of SI 00. He
found thorn all in the course of a week.
J. P. Smith, of Four-Mile Lake, has
been gathering pearls for several
months, but has been keeping quiet
about it. He says that he has sold
about SI000 worth, and still has some
very good stones in his possession.
Many of the natives in White County
have in their possession pearls of more
or less value taken from the ponds before
the excitement set in. Many of
them decline to say anything about
their finds, as they don't wish to en
courage a rusn to tue spot.
WORLD'S LARCEST OXEN.
Welch 7300 rounds?Yokes Seven Feet
Long? Have Hauled 11,001 Pounds.
The greatest yoke of cattle ever
seen in this country is owned by J.
D. Avery, of Bucklaud, Mass. They
THE WORLD'S
are named Joo and Jerry. Their age
is eight years and they measure ten
feet in girth. They stand seventeen
hands high, and their measurement
from tip to tip is fifteen feet eleven
inches. There is not a difference of
ten pounds in weight between them,
*nd the two together tip the scales at
7300 pounds. They hold the world's
record for one pull, having drawn
11,061 pounds of stone, loaded on a
dray, on a level, just eight feet in one
draw. They are models of symmetry
in build, are extremely kind and docile
and beautifully colored. The
best of care is devoted to them, one
man spending several hours every day
in grooming and cleaning them. They
have been on exhibition at all of the
principal agricultural fairs in the
country.
In speaking of his handsome yoke
of oxen Mr. Avery said: "The oxen
have not by any means reached their
limit; they have gained in weight
some seven hundred pounds the past
year and are capo ble of carrying another
thousand pounds. Unlike other
large cattle, tiieir nesn is distributed
very evenly, which adds very much to
their looks, and they stand on their
limbs as straight as a pair of calves.
"They are remarkably intelligent
and well trained, as you can judge
from the position which they take in.
the photograph. They are very active
and can easily walk a mile in thirty
minutes. They are colored, like all
pure Hobteins, black and white.
There coats are &s fine and glossy as a
thoroughbred racer's. They are still
worked moderately when at. home.
Their yoke was made to order, and
probably is the lareest yoke ever worn
by any team. It is seven feet in
length and weighs 200 pounds.
"Their crowning glory is their magnificent
set of highly polished horns.
I o* 4
J cc
cc4"?"'
c
^ T
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"? " ' 6??0
" 0 o o t) o V
'ISHERIES.
For size, quality, mating, and beauty
combined their equal does not exist
in the world. It may be of interest to
know that their food consists of eight to
twelve quarts of corn and oats ground
together, two quarts of flax meal, and
from six to eight quarts of bran each
day, with au occasional change to
suit their appetites."
Costs Many Human Lives.
The Beira Railway in South Africa
is completed as far as the terrible belt
of the tsetse fly country is concerned
?a stretch of something like 130 miles
of line, and the empire is infinitely
richer for the achievement. But it
has cost live years of time; it has cost
an enormous sum of money, and it has
cost in human life more than all the
fighting, for every mile of the Beira
Railway has been built at the cost of
two Englishmen's lives. It is one of
the most unhealthy parts to which the
adventurous Britisher, carrying his
life in his hand, has penetrated. That
was only one more reason why a railway
should be built across it, and
built the railway has been. Mr.
Pauling and Mr. Lawley, respectively
the contractor and engineer, survive,
and that it was which they celebrated
recently. Of friends and comrades
who set out with them in the great undertaking
few have comc back. They
rest beneath the mounds that serve as
half-mile stones along the line of the
Beira Railway.. It is not only in war
that the price of empire is paid, or
that heroism is displayed. After five
years in the land of fever, Mr. Lawley
| migtit liave consiaerea inmseii entitled
1
LARGEST OXEN.
i to rest on his laurels at home. But
in a few weeks be returns to his duty.
?London Mail.
Smuggling is extensively carried on
' on the frontier of France and Belgium
through the medium of bicycles, the
; hollow tubing being filled with the
contraband material
BARON NORDENSKIOLD.
Career of the Great Explorer?One of E
Sweden's Most Widely Known Men.
JLJaron acioii jinis jxoruensisiuiu ia
the most widely known of Sweden's t'
great men. Although distinguished t
for his family and high social stand- t
' i ' ' '' ' 1 I
BAHON NOKDENSKIOLD.
ing, the baron has won for himself a
great name in science. His family (
had/ long been emir.ent in scientific
pursuits, and he biigan his studies
with his father, Nils Gustaf, who was ,
the chief of the Finland mining de- |
partment. He entered the Univer- ^
sity of Helsingfors in 1849, and spent \.
his vacation in the study of mineral- j
ogy. Of that science he soon became
an eminent expositor. He was forced
from his native country of Finland by i .
t? :? r. I '
ILlt) JCVUasiUU vxuvciuiucui, uuu i;uvob i
Sweden to live in. He traveled toSpitzbergen,
and on his return to. '
Stockholm was appointed director ofj '
the mineralogical department. In.' |
1868 he made his first great polar, ;
voyage and attained, a latitude of'
eighty-one degrees and forty-two min-|
utes. In 1872 he decided to makei J
another trip to northward, and it was' ,
on this voyage that he made the first '
attempt to penetrate the inland ice'
in the interior. His researches on!
this voyage were of vast importance ,
to science. Nordenukiold now turned1
his attention to Siberian exploration!
and accomplished much in that direction.
Backed by the I Swedish King,
the doctor made an effort for the dis- !
covery of the northeast passage in
1878. His vessel was the Vega, and
she reached Japan one year after sailing.
On his return he was made a
baron and appointed a commander of !
the Order of the North Star. Baron
Nordenskiold has written voluminously
on scientific subjects.
Production of Peanut Oil.
The production of peanut oil in this i
country has hitherto been carried on !
in a desultory way, and it has not ; ;
been much known as a commercial i :
article. However, as the chemical !
composition of the peanut has beoome '
better known, attention has been
called to the food value of the peanut
meal and the peanut grits. It has !
been found that they are richer in .
nitrogenous principles than any of the
vegetable seed cakos, and a demand 1
has sprung up for them. So the expression
of the oil has now been undertaken
on a larger scale and with
more suitably designed presses. The 1
cold-pressed oil is of a pale yellow j
color, and of pleasar.t flavor and odor.
A very slight refining produces a very
agreeable table oil for salads and gen- !
eral culinary purposes. When once
freed from the free icid found in the
raw state, it does not tend to become
i-nnpid n.a ronrlilv nlivfl oil.
, (
Queerest: of Ail Eggs.
In an attempt to uclipse the efforts
of others of her kind an Okawville
(111.) hen has produced an e^g which |
A FREAK EGG.
j
' for peculiarity of shape and color is
| not equalled in the anuals of the barni
yard. Grocer Charles F. Mtyersick,
j of St. Louis, owns this remarkable
; egg, and if it wore a nugget from the
Klondike he could not value the strange
freak more than he does. In appear- I
ance the eg? looks like a mock orange 1
or a gourd. It weighs about half a 1
pound. 1
Money In Mules.
"The Kentucky breeder of mules is
rather elated at present over the prices i
of this class of live stock," said Mr. 1
W. H. Britton of the Blue Grass i
State. "There ha:i been an increase I
in the value of mules of more than i
twenty-five per cent, over last year,
and there is considerable speculation i
among them, owing to the active de- i
mand. Mules that are sold last year j
from $10 to ?50 are now bringing from ]
$20 to $70. They are being shipped I
to Memphis to be used in improving f
the levees of the Mississippi; to Penn- i
j sylvauia and West Virginia for service (
in the coal mines, and even as far as s
| the island of Jamaica for work on the :
fruit plantations."?Washington JL'oat. c
Clienp Living. '
Paraguay, in South America, is a
cheap place to live in. A house servant
there costs only $2.45 a month; t
and ordinary ones not so well trained ^
only 81.64 a month. A cook can be
hired for about SI a week for a good
one, though a fair one can be hired
for &3.*20 a month. |
U t
Water That Petri lien. ^ j
Extraordinary qualities are pos- 5
sessed by the River Tinto, in Spain. [
It hardens and petrifies the sand of t
iia bed, and if a stone falls in the ]
stream and alights upon another, in a .
few months they unite and become on? ^
stone. Fish cannot live in its waters. ?
TOLD OF BUCK KILGORE. Q
[in Jumping Match With a Texns Worn#
an in "War Times.
Pi
There are men in every quarter of
ho TTninn who will reffrftt to hear of
he death of Judge Constantino B.
[ilgore, at Ardinore, I. T. For eight G<
ears "Buck" Kilgore was a notable
aan in Washington. In person he
ras the typical Texan. Above six feet
all, above sixteen stone in weight, Oi
,bove the average Congressman in ^
.bility, above the average man in sin- .^
verity, straight as an Indian, and Bi
itrong as an ox, "Buck" Kilgore was Ti
k marked man wherever he ap)eared.
It was the kicking down of
he door leading from the legislative Tl
iha.mber to the House lobby that gave
11m notoriety. It was characteristic ^
>f the man. He wanted to go into the
obby; the messenger shut the door in I
lis face. He raised his foot, clothed ! ^
n an enormous cowhide boot, and ^
iicked the door down and went his W
way. The notoriety that attached to
lim on account of the aot was always T(
Iistasteful to him. Bi
Except Dick Bland and Amos Cumninps
there was no more?democratic
ooking man in Congress. The boya Ei
)n the avenne called him "Buck,"and Ti
ifter he kicked the door down everj ^
jamin in Washington was ambitious gj
:o shine his boots. Many of them coasted
of the honor -who drew or
;heir imaginations, as George the IV.
lid when he claimed to have borne a
lonspicuous part in the battle of
Waterloo. Kilgore did not have his q,
^oots shined every day. When he si
irst landed he toook rooms on 0
itreet, not far from the Capitol. Af;er
breakfast he went out for a stroll, hi
i colored boy proposed to shine, 01
'What's your name?'' asked "Buck."
"George Washington," replied the ffl
joy. "It's an honor I did not ex- ai
ject," rejoined Kilgore; "you can
Ditch rieht in." During the whole ! m
tession "Buck" would walk half a di
lozen sqares to give that boy the job fr
)f shining his boots. ?
During the 'war he was ordered w
lome to assist in gathering up some tc
leserters. One evening about dusk d(
ie was out in the country in quest of
i deserter who had been off the "lay- a.
jut" for a year. He was very hungry
md very weary. He called at a house
by the roadside and there he found a
woman just taking from the spit a
aicely broiled chicken. The savor of oi
the fowl made him ravenous. He had tl
a Mexican dollar in his pocket .which
he had carried for years and to which
he had become much attashed, bnt he w
was bound to have that chicken, and ,f
he pulled out the dollar and proposed [[
a trade?the coin for the fowl. The ai
lady said the chicken was for a sick ai
friend and that Bhe could not sell it. ?
"But," she continued, "I'll jump It
you for it." g>
"What do you mean?" said 'J
"Buck." B
"I mean that we will see which can
jump furthest from this doorsill out
into the yard, and the one of us that I
beats shall have both chicken and ^
dollar." H
"All right; that suits me exactly," o
aaid "Buck." The dollar was placed
on the dish beside the chicken and A
his gun was leaned against the wall ^
by the door, and "Buck" slung his
arms and made a tremendous leap of ^
aver twelve feet. He recovered with jj
difficulty, and when he turned to the e
door there was the lady with his cocked
gun in her hands, with the butt
against her shoulder and finger on the
trigger. 8I
"Now, you just flirt the gravel down ai
chat road, young man, or I'll make tc.
buzzard's food of you," she ordered.
There was shoot in her eyes and g
"buck and ball" in the gun. So c<
ua:?L~A j.i.? ? ;,;a P
DUCK. IliX LC9U IUC gmici, Lua
bosom swollen with impotent rage.
By this time it was dark. Over in a
i field "Buck" spied a ginhouse. He 51
went to it and climbed into the loft, tl!
laid down on the floor and soon was a
fast asleep. After a time he was
awakened by voices down below. He
listened and made the discovery T
that one was a female voice, and a to
moment later he realized that she was tl
relating the "jumping" episode to her A
companion, who gave vent to Deal af- J
ter peal of laughter. There were the ai
chicken and his dollar which he could
aee by the light of the tallow dip. ?
Peering about he saw his gun also. iE
There was a big hole in the floor of the tl
loft, and just as the man took hold of D
the dish to eat the chicken "Buck"
plunged through that hole and seized f
liis gun. Before they recovered from p
their astonishment "Buck" roared A
jut: "Madam, you just flirt the A
jravel back home, and as for this t
gentleman he and I will flirt the T
gravel to the office of the Provost ?
Marshal. He is the deserter I have
been after for a week." H
There was shoot in "Buck's" eye H
low. The woman left. "Buck" re- ^
jovercd his dollar, ate the chicken,
ind before midnight surrendered his A
prisoner to the Provost Marshal. It
ivas worth a journey across the continent
to hear "Buck" tell the story.?
Louisville Courier-Journal.
te
The BiRBest I'nRgenger-Shlp. e,
The biggest passenger-ship in exstence
is the new North German "j
Lloyd liner Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, ?8
i marine monster, an eighth of a mile c<
ong (648 feet, to be accurate), sixty- 411
six feet wide, iorty-tnree teet cieej), ?
*nd of a tonnage of 14,000. All her to
letails and dimensions are Brobding- ki
lagian. She can carry 1520 passen- ^
;ers, besides lier crew of 450.
Her engines are expected to develop
28,000 horse-power, and her cost is
jstimated to have been about two
nillion dollars. She is so much bigger
than the other big liners, and has
jo many novelties of construction, and
mch great expectations of speeil and
jomfort and safety, that her tirst trip
icross the ocean is an event.?Hurp;r's
Weekly. A
Professional Sc?recrown.
A great many people may fill the
ole of scarecrow unintentionally, but
:o adopt it as a profession is quite anjther
matter. ai
While the Anglo-Egyptian expe- lt
lition is making its way up the Nile ?'
tud doing battle with Malidist hordes, i
* i ? i. i ? r /~i.
,ne troops us mey up irom vauo ui
10 join the men at the front, see long 11
itretches of grain fields, and, dotting
he fields and raised above them, are ji
all, muscular forms, almost naked, lii
riiese are the stone-throwers, who
juard the fields from the ravages of
he birds, and were it not for them the
:rops would be entirely ruined. '
OD'S MESSAGE TO MAN. I'
REGNANT THOUCHTS FROM THE '
WORLD'S CREATEST PROPHETS.
>d'? Tomorrow?A Prayer for Self-lie-' *
atraint-Culture of Faith and PrayerWherefore
Dont Thou Doubt-"Lord,
Draw Thou Near!"?Always ltextoriug.
i the level stretches of dusty roful; 1
odding along 'neath the weary load
t evory-day cares and doubts and fears,
is hard to be brave ; yet the mist of tears,
it a resolute will kept bravely back,
lough blotting and blurring the onward
track,
erced by the sunbeams of hope, may follow
/
le beautiful colors of God's tomorrow.
3 patient,dear, when the hands grow weak,
id the words of cheer that the lips would
speak
liter uuu die in a voiceless prayer;
)r a blossom is folded in every care,
ad hidden deep in each doubt of thine,
dewdrop of truth doth glimmer and shine,
aitingthe light that shall surely follow
tie flush of the dawn of God's tomorrow.
Dday may be long and hard to bear,
at God will answer thy yearning prayer,
ach feeble struggle toward nobler life,
ow choked by the weeds of passion and
strife,
ach helpful impulse. each lofty thought,
o a glad fruition si al' be brought,
hen the angels, wh>m thou hast called
Pain and Sorrow.
iau KeiiLiy tiwiih.u liioh in \jruu a u/munvw# (
Mabelle P. Clapp, in Christian Register. ' (
1
A Prayer for Self-Itcatralnt. i
God of all patience, by whose long-suffer I
g love alone we are permitted to continue ?
i the opportunities of life, keep us in the l
iiet of thy presence all day long that we <
n not in hasty word or deed. Be swifter
tan our provocations, stronger than our 1
isily besetting sins, and kinder than our '
vn thought of others. In our impatient 1
jurs, when anger burns within us and cries l
it for utterance, give us courage in the
emoty of thy love for self-restraint. 1
l the reflection of thy mercy may our !
ces shine. In cheerful hours may we i
wait the ripening of thy purpose. So 1
ach us to weigh the hopes and fears, i
te joys and disappointments of this mortal i
fe that we may know the worth of the en- '
uring.treasure of thy grace. Guard us 1
om the folly of heart rest in earthly ^hings.
nlarge our souls in the good hope of J
ernal life through Christ and make us 1
illing instruments of service. Enable us 1
i think in charity, to speak in kindness, to {
sal lovingly as well as justly in all relations
id responsibilities of life. And glorify i
lyself in us through Jesus Christ our Lord 1
men.
The Culture of Faith and Prayer.
Spiritual imagination can be cultivated
; poetic imagination can be cultivated,
he culture of the imagination is the culture
t the ideal. It is the culture of faith and
le culture of prayer. If we imagine the
ive of God, if we* pray for the mind of the
.abler, li iu uyvty uiuiv/uibjr no otvp w
link what He would have done and said, If
e keep ever the vision of Christ before us,
we make His teaching and will and life the
st and example, we will live the imagluave
life, not always down among the dust
ad sordidness of the world, but sometimes
aaong the angels and the spirits of just men
ade perfect, and the dear Lord who has
iken captive our heart and imagination.
; purifies passion and cleanses the heart to
o with Him thus infancy through His earth
life, and to realize that He Is the same tony
in nuture and in purpose. ? Hugh
lack.
Wherefore Dost Thou Doubt.
stood amazed and whispered, Can it be
hat he hath granted all the boon I sought?
ow wonderful that he for me hath wrought!
x>w wonderful that he bath answered me!
faithless heart! He said that he would
hear
nd answer thy poor prayer, and he hath
heard
nd proved his promise. Wherefore didst
thou fear?
rhy marvel that thy Lord hath kept his
word?
!ore wonderful if he should fall to bless
xpectant faith and prayer with good successi
"Lord, Draw Thou Near!"
0 Lord, show thyself to the broken in
jirit. Draw near unto such as are weary
ad taint ana saa 01 own ubcuusb an mo is
> them a going up bill, and if there be a
jange It 19 only into the wilderness and the
>cks, to places where they may encounter
reat fear aud sustain great loss. Let there
>me iuto our souls an image of joy,a divine
resence, that we may see the uplifting of a
8w life and hear the incoming of a new and
lessed music. And so wilt thou pour into
pure heart what of heaven it may hold.
&y we have in constant remembrance thy
snediction and thy promise. "Bleesed are
le pure in heart for they shall see God."
men.
God Always Restoring:.,
We make mistakes, or what we call such,
he nature that could fall into such misikes
exactly needs, and in the goodness of
le dear God is given, the living of it out.
fld in the pure and patient living of it out
e come to find that we have fallen, not into
opeleas confusion of our own wild, ignornt
making. but that the finger of God has
?en at work among our lines, and that the
merging is iuto His blessed order ; that He
forever making up for us our own undoigs
: that He makes them up beforehand,
iut He evermore restoreth our souls.?A.
. T. Whitney.
A Hymn of Praise.
rom pa9t regret and present faithlessness,
rom the deep shadow of foreseen distress,
nd from the nameless weariness that grows
s life's long day seems wearing to its close.
hou life within my life,than self more near'
hou veiled Presence infinitely clear! <
rom all illusive shows of bense I flee,
o And my centre and my rest in Thee.
ow shall I call Thee who art always here,
ow shall I praise Thee who art still most
d'-ar.
rhat may I give Thee save what Thou hast
nd wlioin hut Thee have I in earth or
heaven?
?Eliza Scudder.
l'lurred by Self Conaciouanesa.
In looking at the stars through a great
ilescope, it is necessary first to put out
,-ery light until you are left in total darkuss.
Every light sets the air in motion,
ad disturbs the focus, and blurs the vision
[ the stars. How often our vision of God
blurred and dimmed by the flames of selfjnsciousness
and sordidness that float
round us! How many times we have to
at out the light of self-seeking, earthly
nbition and false pride of position in order
look upward, and in the clear still air to 1
qow whither God's lights are leading us,
id what God will have us to do!?Rev. W.
. P. Faunce. j
(
Good-by to pain and care ! I take i
\Tin?* OUCP tnilflV ? 1
Hi>re where these sunny waters break, <
And ripples this keen breeze, I shake <
11 burdens from the heart, all weary ]
thoughts away.
I draw a freer breath?I seem j
Like all I see? i
Waves in the sun?the white-winged gleam (
Of sea-birds in the slanting beaui,? i
nd far-olT sails which flit before the south- 1
wind free. i
?Whittier. i
i
i
Th? Itoality of Sin Always 1'renvnt. 1
There is such a reality as sin in our world : 1
uder whatsoever temptation, I caunut argue
out of my experience, it is the thought
! tuy wisest hours, not of my most foolish,
am more alive to it, not when 1 lorgot what 1
have done and what I am,but when 1 re- '
ember and ponder what 1 have done and 1
n. Especially is this true when the story !
[ Jesus is fresh in uiy mind, and the image '
! the perfect God very ciear before the
res of the soul, and tho llgut within buruig
bright.?ltufus Ellid.
Sold Homo Meat In Philadelphia.
A Philadelphia butcher haa boon arrested I
)r selling horse meat. ,
. ^ ' ; /; ^
?? .
ME SABBATH SCHOOIi.
NTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS'
FOR OCTOBER 31.
Lesson Text: "Paul's Voyage and Ship*
wreck," Acts xxvll., 13-26?Golden
Text: Acts xxvll., 25? Commentary on
the Day's Lesson by Kev. D. M. Stearns,
13. "And when the south wind blew softV,
supposing that they had obtained their
rnrpose, loosing thence they sailed close
>y Crete." Paul, with Aristarchua, a
ormer fellow traveler, and afterward a
ellow prisoner (Acts xix., 29; Col. iv., 10),
s now at sea on his way to Rome. They
ouched at 8idom and thence near Cyprus
0 Myra on the mainland of Lycia, in Asia v .
Hinor. There he was transferred to a ship
)f Alexandria bound for Italy, and after
nany days of slow sailing rounded the east
;nd of Crete and reached the Fair Havens,
>n the south coast of Crete. Here they
ipent much time, until Paul advised them
lot to venture further on account of the
leason, but the master and owner and the
najority advised to try and reach the port
)f Phenice, a little farther west in Crete,
1 r? A tt 1 n f f Kawa Qa ?k a ml n /I
*uu niuici ov nuu a nguv nuiu
:hey started, keeping as near the land as
possible. Paul is in the hands, humanly
ipeaking, of those who know not God, but
le is really in the hands of God and can
trust Him to manage.
14, 15. A mighty wind from the land
irose, against which the ship could not bear
ip, and they were compelled to let her run
jefore it. Was this of God or the devil that
:hey were thus driven out to sea? We know
:hat satan is the prince of the power of the
lir, and that he caused the wind that blew
iown the house upon Job's children and
killed them (Job i., 12,19), but he could not
io it without God's permission. God consols
the angels who control the winds, and ,. ?r,
jven the stormy wind fulfills His word
[Rev. vii., 1; Ps. cxlviil., 8). Wo must see
Sod alone.
16,17. The storm increased. Under the
lee of the island of Clauda- they get the
jmall boat on board which had evidently
been towing astern. They sonehow underijird
the ship, then lower the sail and let
her drive under bare, poles. What about MM
the condition of the passengers among the ;
276 souls on board? (Verse 37.) Sailors are
not supposed to feel anything, never to
know they are sick till they are dead, but \
many ordinary people do get awfully siok >:
In a storm. This must have been a sad
ship. And yet there were some on it very ; $jj
dear to the Lord Jesus.
18, 19. "Exceedingly tossed with a tempest."
Well, there is no use to say a word
about this unless you have been in such ( I
circumstances yourself. It was a bad case,
and many doubtless wished that there was fM
no more sea (Rev, xxi., 1). Yet even under
such circumstances the Prince of Peace can
control one's heart. In health or sickness,
life or death, we can be quiet in His loving
care.
20. "All hope that we should be saved
was then taken away." Surely they were
at their wits' end TPs. cvli., 27), or, as in
the margin, "All their wisdom, was swadlowed
up." The case was, as far as human
eyes could see, utterly hopeless. It makes
one think of the sinner having no hope
and without God in the world (Eph. ii<, 12), ;
or, as in Rom. v., 6, "without strength." ' $$3
But there is a Saviour for the lost, and only
for such. He said, "I came not to call the .
righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
21. "But after long-abBtinence Paul stood
forth in the midst of them." They had
fasted for fourteen days (verse 83), and
must have felt forlorn indeed and ready for ; ^
a word of comfort from any one who might
have it for them. None but God could
help or comfort them, and His servant is
ready to be the messenger. He is the Father
ol mercies and the God of all comfort (II
Cor. i., 3), but we cannot fully appreciate !{V
it or Him till we get into strait places.
22. "And now I exhort you to be of good
oheer, for there shall be no loss of any
man's life among you, but of the ship.'*
He emphasized it by adding, "There shall * 'r'V.
not an hair fall from the head of any of ' r.
you." and he took bread and gave thanks
to God in the presenoe of them all and be- ' ' 'Jm
gan to eat (verses 34, 35).
23. "For there stood by me this night
the angel of God, whose I am and whom I ::
serve." This and the next two verses are
to me the very heart of this lesson. Take
the words, "God, whose I am," and think * jJ-w
of what is included. His property, which
He will certainly cure for, His child, whom
He will certainly see to, loved by the Lord
Jesus as the Father loves Him (John xv.,
9), bought with the precious blood of
Christ, and therefore as precious to God aa -"i,-*
that blood is; a part of Christ Himself, a
member of His body. We need not hesi- ' > * - >
tate to say, 'The most high God,<he possessor
of heaven and earth, owns me," and
take all the comfort there is for us. Then
consider "whom I serve," and remember
that we cannot serve God and Mammon;
neither can we serve Christ and please
men (Math, vi., 24; Gal. i., 10).
24. "Saying, Fear not, Paul! Thou
must be brought before Caesar, and, lo, ,!
God hath given thee all them that sail
with thee." This is a confirmation of the
Lord's testimonv to him in Jerusalem?
"Thou must bear witness at Rome (chapter
xxiii., 11). The Lord's "musts"
are as sure as God Himself, whether
"ye must be born again" or "all
things must be fulfilled." Every purpose
of the Lord shall be performed,
and all His thoughts shall come to
pass (Jer. li. 29; Isa. xiv., 24). It was the v
Lord's purpose that Paul should be His
witness at Rome, and therefore it was as
good as done, although in this storm everything
seemed against it. How blessed are , r
the "fear nots" of God from the first one
in Gen. xv., 1, to the last in Revelationl
His perfect love casts out all fear, aqdthe
soul that rests in Him can truly say,
"What time I am afraid I will trust in
Thee. I will trust and not be afraid."
25. "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, * ..
for I believe God, that it shall be even as
.-I J If TT
It WHS CUlUIIiB. ?Waoit3a)a, auu au a* . - r
came to pass." Whatever God says is as ' , ' '<
suro as if it had already come to pass, so
we should say continually, "I believe God."
The first "believe" in the Bible is in Gen.
xv., 6, where it is said of Abraham, "He
believed in the Lord, and He counted it to
Him for righteousness." It might be literally
translated "Abraham amened God,"
or said amen to God. So did Jeremiah
long afterward. See Jer. xi., 5, in the margin.
It becomes us to be ever saying, "Even so,
Father, or, as Marysaid, "Be it unto me
according to Thy word."
26. "Howbeit we must be cast upon a
certain island?" There must have been a
good reuson for that also or it would not
have been so. It is written in Ezek. xiv.,
23, "Thou shalt know that I have not done
without cause all that I have done in *
it, saith the Lord God." Everything in
the life of a child of God is beforehand arranged
for God's glory and his highest
good. Let us not seek to Introduce additions
of our own, but be content with Hi?
plan.?Lesson Helper.
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.
? From Fort* ta
Ships Anchored Twelve 31Ilei Away.
The Navy Department has received an
nteresting report which tells of successful
jxperiments In wireless telegraphy, by
ivhich communication was maintained be- '
:ween forts on the coast of Italy and a fleet
)f vessels anchored in the harbor a good'
listance away. The invention has been
perfected by an Italian of the name of
Harconl.
A vertical copper wire, well covered with
jutta percha, was attached to a mast
linety feet high. One end was attached to
i receiver on board ship and the other end
;vas free. On shore a mast of the same
leight was erected, and to Its vertical wire
i transmitter was attached. Another ma?E
ind transmitter were placed in an arsenal
;lose by. At a distance of over twelve mllea
messages were transmitted from the two
masts on shore to the two ships afloat, the
receiving instruments on board the ships
being placed well down in the ship, and at
least eight feet under water. .
At Dover, England, further experiments
ire being conducted which are expected to
idd to the information upon che subject
already gained. The leading British naval
jxperts are satisfied now of the praotica?
bility and value of the invention, and if the '
coming tests are satisfactory the system
? * - J * ?Ml
will be adopted. Russia una Austria wm
soon begin trials with the invention, and
Germany is now conducting some at Kiel.
So far the American experts have given
little attention to It, but if the trials abroad
prove satisfactory the Navy Department
will direct that a test be given here.
.)
- .i I... .1