Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

I . ' . to-'-. " < ? 4 AM at ? By Anna Katharine Green, CHAPTER XXVIII. Continued. ( No wonafer the detective stands irresolute?that Hilary forces back the shriek that rises to her lips. Death is hovering doubly over the head of the one they hoped to guard, and nothing - - they can do 'will serve to save her. IWU1 not the guardian spirit of her mother see her peril and stop the unconscious girl thus hurrying upon her doom? No. But other help is near? help, sure and potent; for see! just as she floats upon the assassin and the fingers of the murderous "wretch close more tightly upon bis uplifted dagger nnther fnrm rreens in behind bin). and Byrd, youthful, alert, full of fire and of purpose, fliBgs himself upon the man in front, and, without a word of framing, pinions him in hie two strong larms. The shriek "which Miss Aspinwall fead been able to restrain jn her terror flew from her lips in her relief, and at the sound the signorlna, who was now almost upon the two struggling men, paused, and flung out her arms. At the sight Hilary rushed forward, and In a moment the hall was lined with frightened faces, every door having opened as by a spell at these sounds ?f trouble and danger. a But Hilary saw only one face, that <of the slgnorina. Pale as death, with staring eyes in which life had suddenly leaped into being, she confronted the two men struggling for mastery before her like one suddenly awakened from nightmare into a worse dream of reality. So absorbed was she in the contemplation of what she saw that she did not feel Hilary's arms about her, amd only moved when the knife, which the'iwo combatants had equally struggled to possess, flew from the hand of *he assassin and fell at her feet. Then ehe came to herself, and stooping down picked up this weapon, and clutching it with frenzied fingers leaped toward the door..of her room just as the man Who had raised his hand against her Buccumbed to the strength of his antagonist, and rolling toward the staircase slipped over its verge and tumbled in a heap to the floor below. .... CHAPTER XXIX. THE VALET. ; "Is be dead?" The question was asked by the signorina, who had come again from her chamber door, and was now pressing ;wilh the rest toward the stair. > *No " came up in muffled tones from the young detective, who had bounded down after the fallen man, "he is not dead, and he is in custody. You need not ffear this man any more." ?ut her terrors were not so easily quieted. Though she did not speak, eho stood shaking from head to foot, and seemed not to know whither to go or what to do. "Would there be any harm in my seeing this man?" she ventured timidly, after a somewhat painful pause. "I should like to ask him what he has against me." ^ "Take my arm," said a benevolent Toice over her shoalder. "I shall be Tery glad to have you see him. And Mr. Gryce stepped forward with such an air of authority that she forgot that his face was strange and took the proffered arm -without a word. * He led her to the stairs, down which 6he went, tTembling very much, but otherwise seemingly composed. Lamps had'been-lit in the hall below, and the forms ?f Mr. Byrd and Mr. Degraw were to be seen standing above that of toe prostrate man. She paused as she perceived her lover, but instantly recovered herself and went on, smiling a little sadly as she passed him. The man, upon whose wrists the handcuffs had been put, turned his lace upward as her light steps approached. "Why, it is the valet!" she cried. "The man who said he was a detective, and who warned me " She r?7\ fnrfTior on/1 liov nmfofJnn ho. came so great that the dagger, which she still nervously clutched, fell from ler hand on to the breast of the man npon -whom she was gazing. Mr. Byrd stretched forth his hand and took it She did not notice, she was looking in the face of the desperate assassin and her lips moved mechanically, but no sound came from them. The wretch, who did not seem in any way overcome by his misfortune, atared back at her curiously. "You sec me down," said he; "well, that is no matter, you will soon see ine up again. I am not the man tc swing." "What a fearful wretch!" she mut frprpfl nnrt hflrrllv fnnnrl tnnnrnr* + r* fol. 1-VUliU IV AUI v ter: "There seems to be no good reason why you should attack me. What have I done, what has any of us done thai you r.hould come here with a knife?" He laughed and gazed about hinc with evil eyes. "There are some here who can guess," he cried. Then witi a sort of bravado continued: "No mat ter why I came here, miss. I can comc no move, and that ought to suffice you Good days have begun for you, miss and I cannot prevent it; the police have been too many for me." She looked as if she did not under ?tand, as if she wanted to questioi him further. Bnt her lover, who fell her contaminated by any conversatior with this man. advanced at tbis poini and began to draw her away. "Come," he urged; "this is no plac< for you." Instantly the wretch, who bad no' ehown up to this point any real sens< of his situation, roused and looked af ter her. "Ah, ha!" he cried, "you may los< yet. Eleven o'clock has not yet come." She started, dropped Mr. Degraw'i trm and looked wildly back. "He is mad!" she whispered, ant fastened to hide herself from thos< yes. ' * : ] _ JVken ?he and the artist who xu? i . . , ' ' X;1 ' - , (sriJ'e'r,.'JiiiiL.. a , ? . rER * pi T Tnw<2 1 ! ijui visl ? - - ii r J Author of "The Forsaken 1 ROBERT BONNER'S SON*. J sisted in following her, were again in the hall above, she found strength to say: "Is it all a dream? Did that man try to kill me?" "Yes, darling, but providence was watching over you and you escaped. How can I express my joy / jiow ux- * ter my thankfulness?" "You are not hurt?' she asked. "You did not have any struggle with this man?" "No; I have been in no danger; that is, for the last few hours. The fellow did try to poison my wine, bnt he was detected. Can you realize that, notwithstanding all his fine-talk, it is he, and not Mr. Degraw, who has been at the bottom of all the trouble which has been suffered by your various namesakes?" "He? What do you say? Have they found out that?" "Yes, through Mr. Degraw's explanation. He has been very frank and But I must not trench upon bis prerogative. He will tell you all you wish to know to-morrow, and, though it is hard for me to acknowledge my error"?he crushed down his jealousy, consulted his honor and continued bravely?"I must say that this valet of his has blinded more than one of us, and that you are exceedingly fortunate to be under the care of so vigilant a police, f We both owe our lives to Mr. Byrd, c and you " f. But here he found it impossible, to 1 talk further. Though by this time the I various inmates of the house had vanished again into their rooms, to dress < and reappear again for endless gossip, < Miss Aspinwall and the servants "were t drawing near* and he felt that it was 1 no time for him to express the hue- < dred anxious thoughts which the sig- I norina's deliverance from danger had I called forth. Besides, In honor, he > should wait till Mr. Degraw had re- 1 vealed to her the position she was des- t tined to occupy. Signorina Valdi, poor and friendless, might feel very differ- ? ently from the wealthy Miss Rogers ^ with the world at her feet. Kow could f he tell but that his sympathy even < would seem superfluous to her then, much more his love. No, whatever it 1 cost him, he would wait till the morrow had come and gone. No one should * accuse him of taking advantage of her 1 weakness. She knew he loved her; and that was enough. But ah] that dreadful tomorrow! Mr. Gryce, who had accompanied them to the upper hall, now advanced. 1 "I consider the danger over," said he, * "and yet I shall watch beside Miss 1 Rogers' door till eleven o'clock to-mor- 3 row morning. Have you any objection ^ to:that, miss?" 3 "Oh, no! Oh, no!" was her eager response. "I have not been afraid be- c fore, but lam now. But why till eleven?" 1 "I believe you have an engagement 1 for that hour." J She blushed deeply and threw a side- J glance upon her companion. 1 "I did not know that I had spoken of it," she cried, naively. 1 No one answered, but the detective 1 smiled benevolently upon her. "You are a very fortunate young c lady," he observed, "if villainous men ( do strive to take your life." ; J These words seemed to fix the blush * upon her cheeks, and made the refuge ^ of Mies Aspmwairs room, wmcn was now offered her by a gesture of that ( lady, more than aceaptable. "I do not know what all this mcar.s," * she said in withdrawal, "and I cannot wait to find o.ut. Miss Aspinwall is beckoning and I am only too glad to 1 fly to some place of quiet, where I can * think.. Goodnight, ;*Ir. Degraw." Her J gase was almost lingering. "Good- J night and take good care of yourself, ? for bound men have been known to 1 escape, and?" She did not say what, } but her fearful glance toward the stair \ beneath which the wretch to whom sne J alluded still lay seemed to tell something of the an:'~ty that yet affected s her mind. And even after she had ' passed through the doer held open for s her by her friend did her last fond 1 look seem to say to the enraptured , artist: "Beware!" "All:" mougm lie, utue muiuiui ui the warning itself, "will ehe cast suc-h a look behind her when she knows herself the possessor of three millions?" Some time later, Mr. Byrd explained how he cime to appear so opportunely at the head of the hack staircase. As. , you will remember he had been ap- j pointed to watch the back windows ] and side entrance of the house. Hear- ? ing, about two o'clock, a gentle bird- i call which came not from the trees but j from the path leading tip to this side of the house, 11 became suspicious and crawlcd out of the arbor in which j he had concealed himself, just in time to discern the form of a man disap- j pearing through one of the lower win- j dows into the house. , Recognizing the valet, and realizing , all that his presence in that place meant, he rushed after him and climbed ] into the same window. He found him- j self in a narrow hall, and next minute 1 came upon a staircase yet creaking j with the assassin's stealthy tread, i Mounting It more quietly than the other had done, he came upon the ( scene which we have already described, and tKas, as far as man could 1 see, became the means of deliverance 1 to an otherwise doomed human being. 1 Mr. Degraw, of Cleveland, had not moved from the place which he had - been set to watch. 1 CHAPTER XXX. \ A GREAT HEIRESS. , It was the hour at which lawn ten? nis or croquet was usually in progress in Miss AsplnwaH'8 grounds. But no s games occupied the guests this morn- : ing. 1 The great excitements and broken ? rest of the night before hod prevented early rising OH',their part, and not one i ? oc jj>* jIcmub opening on the wide hail J--'-', Vf-v ;VT;. * r.'?^;.*^'?rsrr4 X jad.yet swung back under tue watch'ul eye of Mr. Gryee.who Bat like a itntue in front of the room occupied >y the signorina. Ten o'clock and iven Miss Aspinwall herself was not to )e seen! But before another half hour had mssed more than one brisht figure bnd itepped into the hall, and in this recess >r that of the great house small groups vere gathering, ready to resume the alk \^ich had not been exhausted by lours of secret whispering from pillow o pillow. At a quarter to eleven one loor only remained shut, the door upon vhich all eyes rested, for through it hey expected presently to appear th? leroine of the preceding eve, a heroine tround whom this frustrated attempt it murder had woven such an atmosjhere of romance and mystery that the :oming of a girl with a tray of break'ast caused quite a shock of disapinmtmont +n tiooq thrmich the throne. leroines being supposed to be above ;uch mundane -wants, or at least to iglore them at certain periods of pecuiar interest or excitement. But this touch of sentimental feeling n the young men and women of the jouse "was soon lost in the surprise hey felt at seeing Mr. Gryce suddenly ouse from his apotby, take the tray !rom the girl's hand, and after surveying its contents with care, carry it n himself to the signorina. Nor was his astonishment in any wise diminshed when; in a minute later, be reap)eared with the tray and handing it jack to the girl remarked: "Miss Rogers cares for nothing but >ggs this morning. A couple of boiled iggs, if you please." An interference so minute must mean something. What? Curiosity grew ampant, and it was. a sorry disapjointment to the eager watchers when he breakfast bell rang, summoning hom till tn the dinim? room. Another bell rang about this time; t Teas the _?ne connected -with the rent door. As its echoes ceased one >r two of the young men who still lingered in the hall beheld the door of ler room open and the signorina ap)ear. Ah, how fresh-she looked, notvithstanding her night's adventures! )r were her blushes the signal of some 'oming event not disconnected with he summons they had just heard. Chey would wait a minuie, and they lid, noting with a ccrtain sort of stu>efaction how the aged detective jowed as she passed him, and with yhnt a look he followed her down the iall to the top of the staircase. Was he old fellow smitten? No, but he vas impressed by the sight of this 'oung-girl going to an interview from vhich she would return the mistre?s of t fortune large enough to make her a lueen among her fellows. a+ of the sfaiivasp she met Hilary. "Mr. Degraw, of Cleveland, is wait* ng for you in the library." that lady mnounced. "He is not alone; did you expect to se him alone?" The signorlna drew bad*. "Who is with him?" she asked. "I leave you to find out," returned he other, mischievously. "Only I bought I would warn you to expect nore than one caller. Ah, how lovely 'ou look In white!" purusued Hilary, vith a short sigh. "No one would think 'ou had not slept a wink all night." The Bignorina smiled and took the >ther's arm. "How kind you are!" said she, and ooked so child-like with her quivering ips half parted that the stronger womm's heart warmed with a sweet cornjaseion as she drew her down to the ibrary door. "I must go to mj other guests," renarked Hilary, "but my heart will renain with you." And though she could not know and ould not guess what this visit portend:d she went with evidently reluctant j eet toward the dining room, loosing , >ack more than once upon the slight, ' vhite-clad figure standing doubtfully )efore the library door, as if in dread >f an interview which might have a ietermining influence upon the future ate of more than one in this great louse. "j When the signorina finally sumnoned courage sufficiently to open lie door and pass in'she was startled 0 observe three gentlemen present, tnd was greatly confused, notwithitanding the warning she had received vben she perceievd that one of them vas the artist. Surely this was not he interview she had expected when tfr. Degraw, of Cleveland, had set this iour for saying something to her of ipeclal importance! "Do you wish to see me?" was con;equently the question with which she net the greeting she received. To be continued. Originality That Paid. Originality with cabmen gives them ibout the same measure of success is is acquired in any other business. V traveler who alighted at New Haven 1 few days ago was surprised as he talked out on the platform to see a Ine rig dash up toward him and to aear a well dressed and polite cabby say as he touched his hat: "How do rou do, sir? 1 have been waiting for fou." j "Why, how is that?" exclaimed the risitor. "I came out here to look for i five-cent carriage.". "Oh, if that's the case, you'll find j .hem over there," added the cabby, I pointing to the trolley cars, "but I'll ?arry you more comfortably and it'll inly cost you a quarter." "Well, if that's the case, and you've ! been waiting for me, I would be sorry ' to disappoint you, and I guess I'll have ; to let you tane rue up 111 me xowu, and the visitor climbed into the hack, ivhile the bright cabby cracked his whip gleefully as he rattled up the street?New York Times. Befogged Cables. Fogs hare been charged "with causing considerable trouble with elcctric transmission on the Pacific coast. It has been found that the lines work well in wet weather, but with a dry spell, followed by a fog, poles become burned off. To overcome this difficulty. the pins and the lower parts of the insulators are buried jn a redwood block four and one-half inchcs deep, with the hole for the insulator of one 2nd one-half inches greater radius than the Insulator, and the top of the block two inches below the wire. So far, it is said, the device has prevented dust and fog drifting in under the insulator.?Pace's Magazine. ' ' VV:'.. ; "S. A SEKMON FOR SUNDAY AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED "COMMERCIALISM." A Pertinent Talk on a Present-Day Problem, by the Rev. Dr. Reeie F. Alsop? Jeans Christ Is the Measure or the Stature of the Perfect Man. Brooklyn, N. Y.?Dr. Reese F. A!$op, rector of St. Ann's Church on the Hsights, preached Sunday morning on "Commercialism." He took his text from St. Luke xii:15: "Man*6 life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he pos cesses." Dr. Aleop eaid: I heard lately from a brilliant speaker an address on "Commercialism." To the surprise of all, it was a panegyric rather than a diatribe. His argument was that commercial, that is, business activity, the industrial epoch in which we live and whose push we feel, engenders certain useful and even moral qualities, such as thrift, underlying all accumulations of capital: truth telling, which is essential to successful trading; trust, without which the vast credit system of the day could not exist; the sense of responsibility shown in the honesty of the great army of clerics and place holders, among whom breaches oi trust, defaults and the like are comparatively rare, the percentage of the honest being surprisingly high. At the same time our Civil War and the Boer War have 6hown that the commercial spirit did not extinguish heroism and liberality. Witness the gifts of rich mea to education and charities. XT ??/} -tra? no a bad flavor about the word commercialism. It has another caonotation. Is it not a matter of emphasis? Jesus says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." He says again, "What will a man give in exchange for his life?" What are men exchanging their life, with all its possibilities of symmetrical development, for? What are they seeking first? Is it not too largely material success? dt. Paul says: "Having food and raiment we have enough." The feeling of to-day scorns such moderation. A modest competence is nowadays nothing accounted of. To make a living is not enough; to achieve comfort for self and family is a eiuall thing: men aim and toil and struggle for more dazzling prizes?a success that makes a noise ana is talked ofy that glitters and dazzles the eye. This is commercialism as I understand it; the measuring of success by the. standard of the market place, the sinking oi other aims in the eager rush after gain. There are high things* possible for man. ^ J? ? in twnrol v/uicure 01 uuuy, iuauu, jivhw u^mumi and spiritual attainments, expansion' in faculty and usefulness. There are magnificent careers open to him in science, in art, in literature, in philanthropic , service. Over against all these stands the spirit oi the age and cries follow me. The idc&l'is a man'who turns everything to gold thdt be touches; a man who gets, and holds and then goes on to get more and hold more. Two conversations lately overheard, illustrate the point. Dr. Kainsf6rd, of St. George's Church, walking down a^New tYork avenue, overheard the talk of .three or four university men before 'him'.' Looking upon the gleaming equtpages and splendid dresses flitting by. one said to another: "I tell you. boys, it is money that goes in this town, is it not?" T^e Pfh^f that.it is money that goes?the feeling that' it is money that ought to go-^are evidences of an almost universal sentiment. > PA "Who is building ; that magnificent house?" said one to another. "Qh, that is to be the-residence of so and id." t He used to be a poor Baptist preacher, but Roickefeller found out that he had business ability, and I tell you he did not leave him long a Baptist preacher. He took nim into the Standard Oil Company, and now see what a success he has achieved." There speaks commercialism. There is the voice of the ideal which has almost hypnotized our generation. Agassiz's splendid reply to the lecture bureau, "I have no time to make money," sounds like a niece of insanity. Gordon's refusal to accept reward from the Chinese Emperor for his help in the Tai Ping rebeDion sounds like a piece of Quixotism. The "simple Hfe," aa lived by Thoreau in the woods, as pictured by Wagner, sums only an. idyllic dream. The pursuit of learning for learning's sake, the service of man with no itch lor reward, the.auiet, unostentatious sacrifice of pereonarinterest for the good of others, these arfe repudiated. as folly. The maddening crowd's ignoble strife is what makes itself heard. It draws like the song of the siren. Like the suction of a vast maelstrom, it seizes men and draws them in. By and by, dizzied by the fierce whirl, they forget the high things and are content to be simply money-makers. That is what I understand by commercialism; the thrusting into the front place of merely material success. It ia a corruption of the spirit in which life is livid. It is a low, wrong motive. It brings in and holds before the soul a false standard of value. It misconceives what is the real success of life. It subordinates the man to bis possessions. It is a radical corruption of the ideal?an absolute reversal of what our text says. Commercialism declares and persuades that man's life does consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Therefore, it urges let him love supremely those things: let liim aim at them, follow after them,' sink his very life in them. Let him for them forego, if needs be, mental culture, artistic development, moral elevation, spiritual activity and all that goes to make a full developed manhood. Quench, if necessary, all lofty aspirations. Get things, gather them about you, enthrone yourself on and among them. Let atropny seize every other faculty so your faculty for getting and getting on grows stronger. Let me give an illustration .or two. There is a story of a maji who was so eager to keep 6afe a very precious thing that ne took it with him into a closet, set his candle on the floor and then diligently nailed fast the door, only to find, as his candle flickered out, that he had shut himself in with his treasure. Nailed and encoffined in his own etrong box. Here is another: I read some time ago of a young man, who, upon graduation from college, found hinifielf the nnsRpsfinr of $50 000 a vear. He had health, strength, education, position. Choices lay open before him. He might go in for. political life, for philanthropic service, or college settlement work. He might become a student and a patron of art, of literature. He might throw himself into the civic life of his day. In any of a dozen wayB he might find his life by losing it in the service of man and of God. But alas! be was dazzled by the ideal of the age. Ambitious to turn his one million into many, to win the power or notoriety vast wealth can bring, be flung himself into a banking house. All the beautiful opportunities that invited him he forewent simply and only that he might increase his pile?a Sile which was alraady sufficiently large. (rant him all the success he coveted, what would be the end? A dwarfed man, with an immense oile heaped up around him. A life practically sunk and lost in the abundance of the things which he possessed. As I said, then, a moment ago, commercialism is found m a wrong emphasis. Wealth is good fairly won and nobly used. It is not money, but the love of money, that is the root of all evil. Business is good, commerce is good and necessary, industrialism is good and brings forth n goodly progeny of virtues; zeal, activity, perserevance, cleverness in affairs, are all praiseworthy. Material success is desirable. "The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich." Yes, but to put these things first., to rush after thein so eagerly as to forget other and higher things, in a word, to sink in them one's life with its possibilities oi growth and beauty and usefulness, that is to have caught tHe spirit of the commercialism of the day and the age. Who can look abroad without seeing how this spirit tends to invade and even to dominate every sphere of human activity. We read of commercialism in politics, in nrt in litprntnrp in prfucatinn in thp sn. cial world, even in religion, and '.hough we may not have a distinct definition ready we have a fairly clcar idea of what is meant. The place holder in nation or city or State whose main thought is what he can make and not what he can do: the artist who listens not to the voice of his ideals but to the bids of the market, and paints or carves simply for the money to be got; the author who writes simply what will sell and forgetis the truth for which he ought to stand and the service in the way of instruction, or comfort, or amusement which he might minister to his fellows, is each one tainted with commercialism. Jt ^8 crept even into QU? universities, temptj boards of trustees and faculties to bow too ik bservientty to LUose who can furnish endowments, tempting the;.young man to turn from courses that cultivate the mind to those which prepare for business. Our tneatres have felt the influence, and think mere of pieccH which will draw than of those which will elevate as well as amuse and recreate, those who see and hear. Yea, it is conceivablc that even the church may not escape. The ministry that sets gain above usefulness has caught the contagion. "Put me into the priesthood that I may eat a pifce of bread! So cried one of old. The very thought was a desecration. The ministry that is sought for , the sake of ,;the pieces of bread" for a livelihood. whether it be large or small, is a ministry not to God, not to those among ( whom it is exercised, but to the man that ! bo'.ds it. The clergy who are in orders chiefly for what they can win in tjie way of comfort, or respectability or income are unfit for. their place. They serve not God r- their fellows, but themselves. And. so 1 the church whose chief aim is a large-pew ' rental and a fashionable congregation?for; getting the while that the Master's boast !, was that to the poor the gospel was I preached, is tarred with the same stick. Yes, commercialism is in the air. It ia , the spirit that now works?that stealthily penetrates every d Tiartment of modern activity, always seeking to make gain, the ; dominant motive. There ia no line of work, no business, no profession safe against its insidious influence. It invades law and medicine, even divinity, as we have seen. : It is felt in balls of legislation and seats of government. Yea, it pervades even so; ciety, making the fine raiment and the gold ring and the large bank account more poi tent to open doors than gentle birth and ; fine breeding. How are we to resist this influence?escape this spirit? Just as we resist the contagion of an epidemic, the depression. of a . malaria, by fortifving the powers of iife. A man in whom the tide of life is full and strong will walk unscathed through the i olague laden air. The health that is in , him resists the disease that rushes upon i him.. The bacteria that floats into throat > or lung, or, stomach finds no nidus , and. 'dies. It must, be thus; then,, that we es: cape the spiritual danger. Fortify the life within. Remember that life is more than meat; that the kingdom of God and His righteousness are infinitely worthy of our > seeking. Do not forget the possibilities,of your life, what you can make of it in the way of growth, what you can make of it in the way of usefulness. Keep your eye on i the Master. In Him see what you may be > ?in Hin? see wh^t you mav do. Yea, not only keep your eye on .Hijn, feilt keep in living touch with Him, that the'tide#' of His life may--flow into your soul; and carry ; you on and up to' the measure of the stature of the perfect man in Christ Jesus. Finally, my brethren, "whatsoever things are honest ? whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things." Turn, your thought and your eyes away from the dazzling bait of the age. Escape its snare. Seek first the kingdom of God. Determine to be a man, mentally, morally, spiritually; ' determine to be a brother to your fellow man,, and do for him a brother s part; determine to be a child of the heavenly Father and obey His will, so far as yon know it; resolve that in you the splendid possibilities hidden in. the gift of life shall be realized, and you>ha?i .have learned how to use this world without abusing it. Then commerce, business, success snail minister to you but !no? enslave you; shall embellish yofcr life buVnflt absorb it; shall i bring you, perchance, an abundance of | things to. po&?CM, bu? leave the while, strong' and- pure witfntf ydtf the life of God. Then sjiall you in very deed possess the abundance of the things which are i youra. Let them once get the better of you, climbr into the throne of your heart ancLlife, and then they: possess you and yon are their slave and their victim; nailed and incoffined in your - own strong box which h&s, alas, with your treasure, shut in your soul also. Living In Hope. The habit of living in the future should make us glad and confident. We should not keep the contemplation of another state of existence to make us sorrowful, nor allow the transiency of tins present to shade our joya. Oar noj)e should make us buoyant, and keep ns firm. It is an anchor of the soul. All men live by hope, even when it is fixed upon the changing titi/iarfnin fVtiri fro ftf 4 VllO ' Htlf I t*UU uuvtl Mliil VUJI UgO V? VII iu ff v*a%?t w the hopes of men who have not their hearts fixed upon God' try to grapple themselves on the cloud yrack that rolls alons the flanks of the mbuntains; while our hopes pierce within that veil, and lay hold of tne .Rock of Ages that towers above the flying vapors. Let us then be strong, for our future is not a x trim .peradventure, nor a vague dream, nor a "fancy of our own, nor a wish turning itself into a vision, but it is made and certified bv Him who is the God of all the past and of all the present. It is built upon His word, and the brightest hope or all its brightness is the enjoyment of more of Hie nresence, and the possession of more of His likeness. That "hope is certain. Therefore, let us live in it.?The Rev. Alexander MacLaren. The Poor Man's Day. . In all our towns, and throughout too large a portion of our country districts, the Sabbath rest is violated and the worship which was the Consequence and condition of this rest is abandoned: At the same time the soul is deprived of its pourishment and the body of its repose. The poor man and the wo'rkingman are' delivered up, jnprotected, to the every day increasing influence of error and evil. Tbss the ntofanation of the day has become the ruin of the moral and' physical health of the people, at the same time that it is the ruin of the family and of religious liberty. The Sabbath is emphatically "the " poor man's and the working man's day. And there is no surer way to break down the health, as well as ;ne morals and religion of the people, than to break down the Sabbath. To say nothing'of the Divine law, on mere worldly grounds it ia plain that nothing is more conducive to the health, intelligence, comfort and independence of the working classes and to our prosperity as a people than our Christian American Sabbath.?Count Montalembcrt. Getting All We Deserve. Happy is the man who realizes he is getting all he deserves in this world. The man who relies upon God is sure of that. We know that God i3 just with His own. And we know, or ought to know, also, that the world estimates us at- about our real value. We may not realize it so much in our own case as in those of others. We wonder sometimes that persons of certain pronounced abilities have no higher place in the world than they do have, while others who have less talent along certain lines seem to be better appreciated. . The trouble is that we sometimes fail to consider the whole man. The world knows what it wants and will usually se1 lect that. It is not the potent intellect which always makes the complete man. Brilliancy may be combined with a disagreeable manner. Tact is poraetimes more potent than talent. ?5ut the unrr ~>an 01 average intelligence, combined w?'* real humility, will have great power -e the spirit is so much like the Chilli.? Kev. R. V. Hunter, D. D. Past an?l Future. The past is dead and has no resurrection, j but the future is endowed with such a life that it lives to us even in anticipation. The past is, in many things, the foe of mankind; the future is, in all things, our friend. For the past there is no hope; for ' the future there is both hope and fruition. ! The past is the text book of tyrants; the | future is the Bible of the free. Those who are solely governed by the past stand like Lot's wife, crystallized in tne act of look, ing backward, and forever incapable of ! looking forward.?H. Kirk White. A Year of -Growth. 1 One way to be sure of a good year is to > make it a year of growth. We are in this world to grow. Every day should show its i new line in every life and character. We should be better men and women at the be( ginning. Yet we must remember that mere largeness is not always growth. One i may be richer in estate and yet be poorer i in mind and heart. He only is advancing in life whose heart is growing softer, whose I blood wanner, whose Drain quicker, whose : spirit is entering into living peace.?Rev. J. R. Miller. j The Tear. ; Beautiful if fbe year in ite Gominc and in its going?most beautiful and blessed because it ie always "tbe year of our i j Lord."?Lucy Larcom, j THE - SUJNDA? fcCHOUJ. INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS FOR FEBRUARY 14. 8nbject: Jesaa Forgives Slot, Mark il., 112?Golden Text, Mark 11., 10?Memory Verge*, 3-5?Commentary ou the Day's Lesion. 1. A palsied sinner brought to Christ 1 .4 \ 1 *' A 1 ?" A f f ho ff\ac I V 0. ! ?). I. nuu J.JL.V fca.w www* of the missionary tour in Galilee. "Capernaum." Which was hie home or headquarters. "It was noised." The news spread very rapidly. "In the house."Lither the house which He occupied with His mother and His brethren (Matt. 4: 13), or possibly that of St. Peter. 2. "Many were gathered." 'JL'he audience included Pharisees and doctors of the law who had come f-om the towns of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem (Luke 5: 17). They had come to inspect and criticise this new Teacher. "About the door." There was a great concourse of people so that tbe house and court were both filled. "Preached the word." The doctrine of the Son ol God. They had come partly to criticise and partly out of curiotity, end now Jcsu? seizes the opportunity to prea&h the gospel. We .should be instant in Seasori and out of season to point others to Jesus. Preaching and healing went together and made a powerful impression. 3. "Come unto Him.", Access to Jesus seemed impossible.' There were many ob-1 etaeles in the wav. Should thev have I waited for a convenient season? No. They must force their way to Christ. "Bringing one." He was young, for Jesus calls nim son, but he was full, grown, for it required four to carry him. There are many eo weak and discouraged that they cannot go to Jesus without assistance; we should always be ready to help such. "Sick of the palsy." Paiey, a contraction j?f/tbe worcOparalysis, t? diaeaae^hat deprives the part 'affecfed of eensahoir, or the lower of motion, or both. This patient is utterly helpless. The disease is considered incuraole. "Borne of four." Each one holding a corner of the "pallet,", or bed. which was merely a thickly badded Stilt of mat. There was co-operation in is work. One could not have done it; it needed four. In the union of hearts and hands there is strength. United they eWtir&o difficulty? . * & w "The 01*88.'', It seemed ,(juit#impos-. sible for the . crowd to make ai? opening suflfdentl/large for theA to pass through. "Uncovered the roof." Luke saya, "through the tiling." In the Eastern couptries tne houses were *flat-roofed and 'joined together, so one could walk upon them from one end of the city to the other. These housetops were places of prayer and meditation, and from the housetops criers proclaimed the time* 01 pnbKc worship;; Outside stairs always led to the roof. "Broken it up." They took UD the tiling. * They determined that nothing should stand in1 their way. "Jjet down." Imagine the surprise of the crowd. 98 this opening through the tiles appeared, and a paflet was let down before them. 11. Christ forgives sins (vs. 5-7). 5. "Saw their faith." Many of the rifts of healing and restoration were obtained through the faith and prayers of the friends of the sufferers. See Matt. 8: 13; Mark 5: 36; John 4: 50. Jesus "saw" their faith. Real faith'acts. Their holy boldnesa pleased Him. "Thy sins are forgiven" (R. V.) Our first great need is the forgiveness of sins. Jesus rightly puts this ahead of the healing of the body. We cannot doubt that this paralytic.was a co?" science-stricken young man. The ; conditions necessary to forgiveness are repentance, confession, forsaking ,sin and* faith.* 6. "Certain of the scribes." The scribes were the leaders of the nation, the thealogians, legislators, politicians. They had :ome up from Jerusalem and other places for the purpose of opposing him. "In their hearts. They had not spoken open iy. 7. "Blasphemies." To blaspheme ia ;o slander Goa or speak impiously againpt Sod., In this case they supposed tnat .Dhrist was taking to Hims^t what beiongff, to God.only. He is intruding on the divine rights. The blasphemer was to be put to death by stoning. "But God only." l'hey rightly understood that all sins are iins agamst God, and therefore only God ;ould forgive them. $e?. Pia. 51: 4. 111. Christ heals disease (vs. 8-12). 8. 'Jesus perceived." In- telling them the thoughts of their hearts testis'gave them the fullest proof of His divinity*, Ije 'searcheth ail hearts and. understandeth til the imaginations of the thoughts." No jin cscapes His notice. "Why reason ye?-' Matthew says: "Wherefore think ye evilf1" Why are you putting a misconstruction jn my wordsV 9. "Whether it is easier!." Both are equally easy and equally difficult. Everything w equally easy to tnat pdwer whirh is unlimited. A universe can be at ?ndi1iL.?rnr1n(?o/1 itu. n ninirlp nf f.lip Hi UDiV {/IV^MVV? vj; % ?...e pind.tnll as the smallest part of mattet. 10. "That ye may know. Externa] jnii'a:les are the proof of internal ones. 'Christ was conscious of divine power. If failure had been the'result His humiliation woujd have been overwhelming and 'final. He pro> poses now to,prove His divinity bey ond que* tion. "Son 01 Man." This is the title>micli Christ most frequently applied to Himself, iome times interchanging it with the "Son . Df God." He appropriated to Himself th? proohecy of Daniel (Matt. 26: 63, 64; Dani 7: 13). It is applied to Christ more than ;ighty tunea in';, the NeW 'Testament, V It implies His .' humiliation {Matt. 8:;20), and that He> the Son oi.God. became ft true man (Rom. 8: 3). 2. That He was tnt one perfect man, sinless, and complete in every human virtue. 3. That He was tht representative man, elevated above indr vidua!, class and national prejudices. 4. That He wast officially, the representative t>f the human race in His life and death for man. "Power on earth." They were thinking of God as being in heaven, and Jesus calls attention to the fact that there is power on earth now to forgive sins The Son of Man has come to earth and has brought this power with Him. 11. "Arise." Here is the test. Christ J shows His ability to forgive sins by Hi9 ability to heal. 12. "He arose." The man had a part to perform. Had he not- acted at the word of command he could not have been healed.: He exercised the power of his will and put forth the necessary effort to arise, believing that strength and Kmxlrl bo frlven him "Hpfnrn them iicaiiUK a.. all." This thing was "not done in a corner." Christ's miracles were performed in the most public manner and were never cuestioned by those who witnessed them. ''Amazed." Luke adds: "They were filled with fear." "Glorified God." They had a high degree of reverence for God and were filled with admiration for His power and ! goodness. "On this fashion." Christ's | works are without precedent. He acts independently and advises with no one. Tliey bad seen three marks of His divinity: I. Forgiving sins. 2. Perceiving thoughts. 3. Healing disease. The works of Christ are astonishing the world to-day. He is the same mighty Saviour as ever, and is etill able to forgive sins, perceive thouahu and heal diseases. A New Genes Seal Lizard. The Shasta County fossil beds, of Caft fornia, that have been so prolific in tha production of the remains of prehistoric extinct animals, have yielded still another specimen to the scientific world and tha zoological kingdom. The animal appears to have been of a family entirely unknown to paleontologists and has been named the thalattosaurus. It is a huge eea lizard io pofim.itpd to have been at least seven feet long. Originally it was a shore form, but became, after a long period, a marine animal. The remains represent not only a new species, a new family and a new genus, but a new order. a statement the importance of which wi]l be appreciated by specialists as a ve"* considerable one. To Educate Waif of a Battle-FIeJd , Among tiie new students at All Slants' School, at Sioux City, S. Dak., is Lost Bird, the Indian baby who was foar.l cling-1 ing to her mother's breast on -Wounded Knee battlefield. two days after the battle. She was adopted by General and Mrs. Colby, then of Nebraska, but now of Wasnincton, and has been sent to Bishop Hare to be educated. I Penalty For spitting. , To spit on'the sidewalk in Ct. Paul, Minn., ia to incur the penalty of cleaning the flagstone under the official eye. fireevKteM Trust. Tc be content! That is the best. Not to be indolent And simply rest, \ i - V; T?nt bovine* /inn* ajliuf rfiitv rails t/l i?o. And having been to,your soul-impulse Then worry jiot*be<iau?e you do not see ? Results. Leave these onto the time-to be., Do what you ran. Trust God for the event* And be content. \ To be content! ' ? Who in his soul > \ Learned this accomplishment Has gained the whole. .1 He who can master self alone is great. He who can work and who likewise cart wait. Greatiy deserve, and weary not the Lord i : By constant intercessions lor reward. .. know that all will be returned that you have lent And be content; \ . To he content! r.. J-O WIaUUJ/1 iruc. .4 Know what lor you is meant ; Will coine to you. . Cry up the heights your- motto,. "Onward on!" Then climb, nor pause to coijttt the <]?fr? tance gone. -A Think not of self: but if some-iithef adul .\\ Is faint, assist and point him to the gold. Xhuc mount and help until life'* day iit. <: : spent . * Vx.t, And be content. V/i To be content! ; This is the best\ " \ Life's sun and ?tomi are blent ; ' V> And both .are blest. All glory, love and joy that soul secures Who strives, who overcomes and who. endures. ;0 oil ?,i ,.?? w; 1 VI i? UU It uu, JUU ITlkll IJkilU 1Y Know this and you liave gained the goal of' life. Take.you this blowing that is heareo-seftt in And be content. . , l ?J. A. Edgertoo. : ' Bow to Oct ft fresh Stmrt. ''' "V ' . :..,f The closing, sear preaches ita pirn aer* mon. Many ra^irom the pages of the last twelvemonth memory offers, and conscience applife9vtbeta "With a pointedness, f power ana a, particularity that no hunyu* pulpit ^ver equals AV metamy tarns fterv leaves, pausing now with a smile to reread \ thif. or lingering over-that page stained .! with tears, bow strange it: all seems,that v this atmosphere which, we so lately; breathed has now become a part of. the irrevocable past! We lookback^ and <the point where memorv seems to'touch the quick as we look is that we shall nprer;i^e* that way again- Ah! nays conscience, bow; much of good that you might have done as you passed through that year has been left undone; how many kind and-cheering words might hare been said that rere notjf the thirsty child, that cried, how easy" to have given it a cup of cold wate*V *nd it went sobbing away: the old man who fell away back there, after staggering along in.', the heat under his heavy load, how little it; would have been for you\ to' have, carried ita while for him. ana -you did not; f)er.haps he might not have fallen, and, bard-' &t of all. that, dear one of .vour own who ' My down to rest so suddenly; oh, bow many, many things you would have done: for him if you had only known he was so^ soon to die! AH the* and nntny more* ; memorv leads by in review. The lesson : from them all is. le* the new year be better than the old; brighter,, happier, holier for all around me and for myaqlf;. for I pass this way but oncel ' >_ . . And eo we have fallen into the- habit ai these milepoets of the years' Of puttinfe on L record * set of new resolutions?poor,, feeble things, many of them, that be broken behind us as we make out way through them to the next year's account. . What is the fault with, all our resolve*, " and why are tho-leaves -thW we-tarn over *; invariably as soiled and blotted, while tjfe year is. etfll new, as the ou<$ that wre pa??, The majority of us have tned nofteotly every year siijce we have taken Christ as .. our guide to put off the.old man*. This "old man," vtfth tii? lying tongue, wita iws corruption and deceit and thievery, his am , ger and hrs I&nhess, it" llot a pleasant char-\ * acter for us1;? wear. We'know;it. We; long to be frue from it;.. And y*t <mr at- \ tempts to do away with -him- are bo-often; [ vain. Why? I It it not because in putting off the old man we have fotgotferi to ptft on the new? . We are to put on Christ Jesus,, and that we have forgott'enlcf 3o." "We are to let Him live in ua, just as ifjHe came ta earth.- wains and grtew to ywifs^in* fo* bodv inetoad of His own. When we go about the house we^ are to remember that it is Jesus Christ that is to do the work this morning, and if we reihember that, how thoroughly will it be done, and how will the humble work be glorified! And when we meet the neighbor upon the street who is thinking ot Doymp cur oiu norse we wiu ?.-u uuu plainly about that limp, he has and not Efiek to hide itJ as we had intended, because that is what Jesus would do. For we are members of one another, and lying to (another is lyin<? to ourselve*. And M" we come out of church next Sabbath and meet uoon the steps the man who has spoken' slightingly of us, we shall not torn away and pretend not to sec him, for we shall \ have-to remember that we have put oaChrist Jesus, and we must be tender-bAarteil. forgiving one another, "even as God for Christy sake hath forgiven you." There is something wistful and pleading about these words of Scripture, recognizing all the evil that is in us, .and aopealinfc to the possibilities of good. Yet Pauthaa put his tinker boldly upon the source of all our trouble, and tries to show that there is only one way in which we may take a fresh start with any hope of keeping on that way. and that is by putting on "the new man"?Christy Je*ns.?Grace Livingston Hill, in the New York Mail and Ex press. The 8teps of a Ladder. If every new year we effected even a radical change in ourselves, and in the course of the year ihade it a confirmed-. habit, the total effect would soon be remarkable, and thus would our new year be the steps cf a ladder by which we should rise to the perfection which is our goal.? James Stalker. D. D. ' The Oil of Joy. Christianity wants nothing so mucb in the world as sunny people: and the old are hungrier for love than for bread; and the oil of joy is very cheap; and if you can help the* poor on with a garment of praise it will be better for them than blankets.?Henry Drummond. New Year Thoughts. Tbe thoughts of the new year arc not' thoughts of the ease of attainment, (secured or anticipated, but they are thoughts " ** -J -C no f li At VifA Ot uie seventy ui me fiu^nui f??" <? and of the toilsomeness of the track, and Hfl these thoughts would prove disheartening to the bravest of us if wo could not have ? faifh in Him who has passed this way be- Hf fore, and who invites us to an \rofailinc trust in Him in hours of despondency or of BH cheer. He who has helped ud hitherto will H| not desert ua now.?Sunday-School Timet. H| In giving \i? the Sabbath I feel a? if God had given us fifty-two springs in every; year.?Coleridge. EX To E<lacate Waif of a Battle-Field. SB Among tae new students at All Saints' 10 School, at Sioux City, S. Dak., is Lout Bird, the Indian baby Who was found cling- H| ing to her mother's breast on Wounde<i^B "Ktipp Imt.flpfiplH two davs after tbe baU^H tie. She was ndopted-by General and Mr?. |B Colby, then of Nebraska, but now oiHB Washington, and has been eent to'BisbopHj Hare to be educated. . KB S7280 For Two Stamps, SHj Two >enny Marntius postage stamps oJ^H .LS47 w?.re aoid at & jtion, at Dondon, Eng?H| land, for $7250. It is understood thai they HI were bought by the PrinSe of Wales, is an eager philatelist. ? 1 i-t 1 _i