The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, July 06, 1904, Image 7
*
tsTHE SPLEf
TEE ADVENTURESj
By ARTHUR T. 0
CUArTER VIII. I
^uuuiiucu.;
She bandaged the sore with linen
from my shirt, and tied it round with
Baekcloth from her own dress. 'Twas
all most gently done; and then I foued
lier arms under me, and myself lifted
<is easy as a baby.
"Left arm round my neck. Jack; an' !
Bins out if 'tis hurtin' thee."
It seemed but six steps and we were
out on the bright hillside, not fifty
paces from where the plow yet stood
In th? furrow.
Down the hill she carried me, picking
the softest turf and moving with
an easeful swing that rather lull'd my
hurt than jolted it. I was dozii?g,
even, when a strange noise awoke me.
'Twas a high, protracted cote, that
eeem'd at first to swell up toward us,
ar.d then broke off in half a dozen or
more sharp yells. Joan took no heed
of them, but seeing my eyes unclose
and hearing me moan, stopped short.
"Hurts thee, lad?"
"No. 'Twas not my pain but the
sight of the sinking sun that wrung the
exclamation from me?I was thinking,"
I muttered.
"Don't; 'tis bad for health. But hide
thee still awhile, and shalt lie 'pon a
soft bed."
By this time we had come down to :
the road anil the yells were still going
on, louder than ever. We cross'd the
road, descended another slope, and
came all at once on a pile of low build- 1
ings that a moment before had been
iiid. 'Twas but three hovels of mud,
utuck together in the shape of a head- '>
less cross, the main arm pointing out
toward the moor. Around the whole
Tan a battered wall, patched with furs, i
and from this dwelling the screams
;were issuing ]
"Joan!" the voice began, "Joan?Jan 1
Tergagle's a clawin* my legs?Gar-rout
thou devil's cat?Blast thee, let me zog! J
Pull'n off Joan?Jo-an!"
The voice died away into a wail, thenbroke
out in a racket of curses. Joan J
stepped to the door and flung it wide.
As my eyes grew used to the gloom in- '
side, they saw this:
A rude kitchen?the furniture but '
two rickety chairs, now toss'd on their i
faces, an oak table, with legs sunk into i
the earth, a keg of strong waters, tilted i
over and draining upou the mud floor, 1
a ladder leading up to a loft, and in s
two of the corners a few bundles of
bracken strewn for bedding. To the '
left, as one entered, was an open 1
hearth; but the glowing: peat-turves <
were now pitch'd to right and left <
over the hearthstone and about the
floor, where they rested, filling the den
iwith smoke. Under one of the chairs
a black cat spat and bristled, while in ]
the middle of the room, barefooted in
the embers, crouched a man. He was
Lalf naked, old and bent, with matted
gray hair and beard hanging almost to (
his waist. His chest and legs were ,
bleeding from a score of scratches, and (
lie pointed at the cat, opening and ,
shutting his mouth like a dog, and ]
barking out curse upon curse. (
No way upset, Joan stepped across ,
the kitchen, laid me on one of the ;
bracken beds, and explain'd: J
"That's feyther; he's drunk." ,
With which she turn'd, dealt the old
man a cuff that stretch'd him senseless, !
and gathering up the turves, piled them 1
afresh on the hearth. This done, she
took the keg and gave me a drink of ,
it The stuff scalded me, but I thanked '
her. And then, when she had shifted 1
' my bed a bit to ease the pain of lying, .
she righted a chair, drew it up and
sat beside me. The old man lay like a i
log where he had fallen, and was now (
snoring. Presently, the fumes of the (
liquor, or mere faintness, mastered me, .
and my eyes closed. But the picture 1
they closed upon was that of Joan, as ,
she leaned forward, chin in hand, with
the glow of the fire on her brownish |
skin and in the depths of her dark !
eyes.
But the pain of my heart followed
into my dreams. I woke with a start
and tried to sit up.
Within the kitchen all was quiet.
The old savage was still stretched on
the floor; the cat curled upon the
liearth. The girl had not stirred; but
looking toward the window hole, I saw
night outside, and a frosty star sparkling
far down in the west.
"Joan, what's the hour?"
"Sun's been down these four hours."
She turned her face to look at me.
"I've no business lying here."
"Chose to come, lad; none axed thee,
that I knows by."
"Where's the mare? Must set me
across her back, Joan, and let me ride
on."
"Mare's in stable, wi' fetlocks
swelled like puddens. Chose to come,
lad; an' choose or no, must bide."
" 'Tis for the General Hopton, at
Bodmin, I am bound, Joan: and wound
or no, must win there this niglit."
"And that's seven mile away; wi' a
bullet in thy skull, and a peat quag thy
tjurial."
"But go I must." cried I; and hereupon
I broke out with all the trouble
that was 011 my mind, and the instant
need to save these gallant gentlemen of
Cornwall, ere two armies should combine
against thcui. I told of the King's
letter in my b"e:>"t. and how I found
the Lord Stamford's men at Launces
ton; how that Ituthven, with the vanguard
of the rt'beis, was now at
j-iSKearu, wini oiu ;i uaiv iwj ? ui.ui.uing
between the two, and none but I to
carry tlio warning. And Ob. Joan!''
I cried, "my comrade I loft upon the
road. Brighter courage and truer licnrt
never man proved, and jet left by me
In 1he rebels' hand?. Alas! that I
coulil neither saw nor help, but must
still ride on; and here is the issueto
lie struck down within ten mile of
my goal?I. that have traveled two
hundred. And if the Cornishtuen be
rot warned to give light before Lord
Stamford come up, ali's Inst. Even
tiow they be outnumber'd. So lift me.
Joan, and set me astride Molly, and I'll
Hvin to Rod mi 11 yet.''
"Reckon, Jack, ihou'd best hand me |
thy letter." 1
k
(DID SPUR"
OF JACK MARVEL.
CILLER COUCH."
Ml
Now I did not at oncc catch the extent
of these "words, so simply spoken,
but stared at her like an owl.
"There's horse in stall, lad," she
went on. "Tearaway's the name and
strawberry the color."
"But, Joan. Joan, if yon do this?feel
inside my coat here, to the left?you
will save an army, pirl. maybe a
throne! Here 'tis, Joan, see?no, not
that?here! Say the seal is that of the
Governor of Bristol, who stole it from
me for a while; but the handwriting
will be known for the King's, and no
hand but yours must touch it till you
stand before Sir Ralph Hopton. The
Kin? shall thank you, Joan; and God
will bless you fo't."
"nope so. I'm sure. But larn me
what to say, lad; for I be main thick
witted."
So I told her the message, over and
over, till she had it by heart.
'"Shan't forgit, now," she said, nt
length; "an' so hearken to me for n
change. Bide still, nor fret thysel'.
Here's pasty an' oat cake, an' a keg o'
water that I'll stow beside thee. Pay
no heed to feyther, an' if he wills to get
drunk an' fight wi' Jan Tergagle?
that's the cat?why, let'n. Drunk or
sober, he's no 'count."
She had the letter in her bosom and
stepped to the door.
She was gone. In a minute or so I
heard the trampling of a horse; and
then, with a scurry of hoofs. Joan was
off on the King's errand and riding
into the darkness.
Little rest had I that right, but lay
awake on my bracken bed and watched
the burning peat turve turn to gray,
and drop, flake by flake, till only a
glowing point remained.
As day began to break, the old man
picked himself up. yawned and lounged
out, returning after a time with fresh
turves for the hearth. He noticed me
no more than a stone, but when the fire
was restacked drew up his chair to the
warmth, and breakfasted on oat cake
and a liberal deal of liquor.
All day Ion? I lay there helpless and
waiting eagerly for Joan to return.
It was not until nightfall that there
?arae the traniplin? of a horse outside,
.ind then a rap at the door. The old
man started up and opened it, and in
rushed Joan, her eyes lit up. her breast
heaving, and in her hand a naked
sword.
"Church and King. Jack!" she cried,
ind Pang the blade with a clang on to
;he table. "Church and King! O brave
lay's -work, lad?0 bloody work this
lay!"
And I swooned again.
CHAPTER IX.
[ Buy a Looking Glass at Bodmin Fair
and Meet With Mr. Hannibal
Tingcomb.
There had. indeed, been brave work
5n Braddock Down that 19th of January.
For Sir Ralph Hopton with the
Cornish grandees had made short business
of Ruthven's army?driving it
headlong back on Liskeard at the first
charge, chasing it through that town,
ind taking 1200 prisoners (including
Sir Shilston Calmady), together with
many colors, all the rebel ordnance and
ammunition, and most of their arras.
A.t Liskeard. after refreshing their
men. and holding next day a solemn
thanksgiving to God. they divided?the
Lord Mohun with Sir Ralph Hoptou
md Colonel Godolphin marching with
the greater part of the army upon Saltash,
whither Ruthven had fled and
was intrenching himself; while Sir
John Berkeley and Colonel Ashburnbam,
with a small party of horse and
dragoons and the voluntary regiments
jf Sir Bevill Grenville, Sir Nich. Slanning,
and Colonel Trevanion. turned to
the northeast, toward Launceston and
ravistock. to see what account they
might render of the Earl of Stamford's
[irmy; that, however, had no stomach
*rxTrmi*- ^VtA*vt K" f rvApfrtfl All f nf fhfl I
IU UWtlJL lUt'UJ, UUl \SUL vi
county into Plymouth and Exeter.
'Twas on this expedition that two or
three of the captains I have mentioned
halted for an hour or more at Temple,
as well to recognize Joan's extreme
meritorious service, as to thank me for
the part I had in bringing news of the
Earl of Stamford's advance. For 'twas
this, they own'd. had saved them?the
King's message being but an exhortation
and an advertisement upon some
lesser matters, the most of which were
already taken out of human hands by
the turn of events.
But though, as I learn'd. these gentlemen
were full of compliments and
professions of esteem. I neither saw
nor heard them, being by this time delirious
of a high fever that followed my
wound. And not till three good weeks
after, was I recovered enough to leave
my bed, nor, for many more, did my
full strength return to me. No mother
could have made a tenderer nurse than
w?s Joan throughout this time. 'Tis to
her I owe it that I am alive to write
these words: and if the tears scald my
eyes as 1 do so. you will pardon them,
I promise, before the end of my tale
is reached.
In the days of my recovery, r.ews
came to us (I forget how) that a solemn
sacrament had been taken between
the parties in Devon and Cornwall, and
the country at peace. Little I cared, at
the time: but was content?now spring
was come?to loiter about the tors, and
while watching Joan at her work, to
think upon Delia. For. albeit. 3 had
null* imjK' u> nt'i ii^tuu, iii.i nut
pretty comrade held my thoughts tlio
day Ions;. I shared them with nobody:
for tho* 'tis probable I had let some
words fall in my delirium, Joan never
hinted at this, and 1 never found out.
One day?'twas early in May?we
went to Bodmin Fair, where I bought
Joan a hand mirror, which I handed to
her as we were riding home.
' What i' the world be this?" she
asked, taking and looking at it doubtfully.
'Why. a mirror."
"AVI).it's that':"
"A glass to see your face in," T explained.
"Hp this my face?" She rode forward.
holding up the glass in front of
t
, I
\
f I
her. "Why, -what a handsome Jookfng |
pal I be, to be sure! Jack, art certain ' r
'tis my very own face?"
"To be sure." said I. amazed.
' Well.1" There was silence for a full 1 f
minute, save for our horses' tread on ,
the highroad. And then
"Jack. I be powerful dirty!" f
This was true enough, and it made .
j me laugh. She looked up solemnly at ,
my mirth (having no sense of a joke, .
[ then or ever) and bent forward to the ,
glass again. ?
"By the way." said I, "did you mark
a carriage just outside the crowd by
the Cheap Jack's booth?with a white- ,
haired gentleman seated inside?"
Joan nodded. "Master Hannibal .
Tingcomb, steward o' Gleys." s
"What!" ! f
I jumped fn my saddle, and with a
pull at the bridle brought ?.iolly to a i
standstill. .1 _
"Of Gleys?" I cried. "Steward of Sir ?
Deakin Killigrew that was?" 5
"Right, lad, except the last word. *
'That is,' should'st rather say."
"Then you are wrong, Joan; for he's j
dead and buried, these five montns. j
"Where is this house of Gleys? for I (
to-morrow I must ride there." ! *
" !Tis easy found, then; for it stands ;
on the south coast yonder, and no
house near it; five miles from any- 5
where, and sixteen from Temple, due *
south. Shall want thee afore thou
startest. Jack. Dear, now; who'd ha' ^
thought I was so dirty?"
The cottage door stootl open as we *
rode into the yard, and from it a faint c
smoke came curling, with a smell of
peat. Within I found the smould'ring 1
turves scatter'd about as on the day
of my first arrival, and among them 1
Joan's father stretch'd, flat on his face; '
only this time the cat was curl'd up f
quietly and lying between the eld *
man's shoulder blades.
"Drunk again,' 'said Joan shortly.
But looking more narrowly I marked ?
a purplish stain on the ground by the I
- ^ - > ,-AfflT- f
old man s moutn, ana xurucu mm suiuj
f
over. J
"Joan," said I, "he's not drunk?bo's s
dead!" | 5
She stood above us and looked down, i
first at tbe corpse, then at ine, without *
speaking for a time; at last ; (
"Tben I reckon be may so well be *
buried'." | *
"Girl," I call'd out. being sbock'd at r
tbis callousness, " 'tis ycur father?and f
be is dead!" ! 1
"Why, that's so, lad. An' he were ; *
alive, shouldn't trouble thee to j
bury 'n."
And so, before night, we carried him
up to the bleak tor side, and dug his
grave there; the black cat following us.
to look. Five feet deep we laid him,
having dug down to solid rock; and i (
having covered him over, went silently
back to the hovel. Joan had not shed <
a single tear.
The next morning, following Joan's ?
directions and her warnings against
quags and pitfalls, I was soon riding i ^
south across the moor and well on my 1
road to the House of Gleys.
It was high noon?and a dull, cheer* 1
less day?before the hills broke and let j
me have sight of the sea. Ncr till the t
noise of the surf was in my ears did I
mark the chimneys and naked gray ! s
walls of the house I was bound for. j
A thin line of smoke blown level
from tbe chimney was all the sign of j
life in tbe building; for the narrow i
lights of the upper story were mostly c
shuttered, and tbe lower floor was hid j
from me by a high wall enclosing a ?
? C\-r^r\ pfnnto/1 nsh. !
courtiage in iruui.
with boughs tortured and bent toward 1 j
the mainland, stood by the gate, which r
was lock'd. A smaller door, also lock'd, I
was let into tlic gate, and in this again ^
a shuttered iron grating. Hard by j
dangled a rusty bell-pull, at which I J
tugg'd sturdily. , .
On this, a crack'd bell sounded, far j 1
in the house, and scared a flock of ! 1
starlings out of a disus'd chimney, i
Their cries died away presently, and ; 1
left no sound but that of the gulls <
wailing about the cliff at my feet, j
This was all the answer I won. i j
I rang again, and a third time, and 3
now at last came the sound of foot- |
steps shuffling across the court within.
The shutter of the grating was slipp'd
back, and a voice, crack'd as the bell, I
asked my business. j <
"To see Master Hannibal Tingcomb," ; .1
answer I. ! s
"Thy name?" J
M He shall hear it in time. Say that; *
I come on business concerning the es- , i
tate." t
The voice mutter'd something, and 1
tbe footsteps went back. I had been c
kicking my heels there for twenty :
minutes or more when they returned, <
and the voice repeated the question; | 1
"Thy name?" I
(To be continued.) j i
? . 1
Maine's Insular Dcpcndency. *
The first town meeting of the Squir-! J
rel Island village corporation occurred j '
Saturday evening and presented the 1
novel phenomena of women exercising *
the right of suffrage, and of citizens of ! '
other States voting in and being elected 1
to office by a .Maine village meeting, j *
and there is nothing to prevent a sub- ! *
ject of England or Russia, provided 1 c
he owns a cottage on the island, from J
exercising there the prerogatives of a I
born citizen of Maine so far as local j 1
matters are concerned. The island, *
indeed bears to the State of Maine the
relation not unlike that lorne by Porto ,
Rico to the United States except that
IA/IOI moHftfC iirp
1X1 AUi. as flUlClJ 1VVUJ Iiiuivvtv
concerned Squirrel is more independent.
The arrangement promises to be |
extremely satisfactory to all parties. !
and it is probable that Squirrel will j
not lout: be the only village of this j
type in the United States.?Bath (Me.) 1
Times. |
Sporting Meteorology.
"On the car the other day I overheard !
a short dialogue conducted certainly
under cross purposes." said Will 'Hen
niger. "An oiJ gentleman, somewhat j
hard of hearing, sat by me. A young
fellow came in and. referring to the j
prevailing Little Ilock summer mania, ' ,
said: c
" 'Well. we won.'
" 'Yes. pretty warm.' assented the I
old gentleman.
" 'Eight to one,' continued the youth, I
rofprring to the score. t
" 'Worse than that. 02.' the old man t
gave answer, referring as before to the u
weather.
"Then the young man changed Ills I
scat and found more congenial com- j
panions with whom to discuss tbi* ball J ?1
game."?Arkansas Gavotte. t .V
f . ' ?T"' '
TO PROTECT THE PEARL rj
'rannplantatlon to Sheltered Spot* Suj?
Canted.
11
Professor Herdman. who was sent to ,r
"eylon by the Colonial Office of Great
Britain, to attempt a solution and find
. remedy, if possible, for the yexrs of s.
ailure which occur so frequently in
he pearl fisheries, has recently pubished
a report which is most intereetng.
Not only during recent years, but
or many centuries previous, the fat "
ind lean seasons have been the despair n
if the collectors of these beautiful ^
:ems. The task of investigation under- h
aken by Professor Herdmaa and his a
ible assistant, Mr. Hornell, was no *
ight one. but. as the report sbowa, ^
;eems to have been abundantly fruit- ci
ul in scientific results and achieved
he purpose for which it was dis- |
latched. A complete survey of the p
vhole sea bottom of the pearl fisheries n
irea has now been made, partly by 0
.ounding and dredging and partly by ?
be aid of divers. Mr. Hornell himself tl
lescending in a European diving dress, w
:t was found that flourishing beds are ?
)ften depleted by the ravages of boring s)
;ponges, boring molluscs, starfishes, in- j ri
ernal parasites and fishes, though 1 jr
he destruction wrought by these Is "
ilight compared to the wholesale de- o(
struction caused by shifting sands due n
o currents or churned up by the south- !j
vest monsoon. One bed examined in j.(
March, exterding over an area of six- 0i
een square miles was covered with normous
quantities of oysters, "not !
ess that about a hundred thousand i p
nillion.'' In November of the same w
roar the spot was revisited, when this | P
ast host was found to have vanished, ! J?
laving been buried in ttie sand or j sl
;wept down the deep declivity outside j n
he bed. | !r
The loss from overcrowding is also
mormous. Professor Herdman sug- ' v
rests the simple expedient of trans- | st
)lanting to sheltered spots affording j
suitable conditions for growth and in- \ tj
ection. Nature has ofte^h to be as- j n
listed in the preparation . of these ! *1
;pots by the process known as "culch- ^
ng." scattering the floor of the bed j t
vith rock and loose coral, to afford an- E
'borage foi' the byssus of the young i w
>yster. The havoc caused by starfish lc
s shown from the fact that a bank ex- : h
tmined in March. 1902, lodged a crop : d<
?f oysters estimated at five and three- i P
juarter millions: by March, 1903, they j "
iad nearly gone. ! tl
j vv
WORDS OF WISDOM. ; ?
Our virtues are most frequently but
rices disguised. ai
A large house often gives the soul a '
ramped feeling. j Ci
Accuracy is the twin bFotber of hon!
ir
?sty.?C. Simmons. ,
Wo cannot put a great hope into a j tl
mall soul?J. L. Jones. Pj
Set a beggar on horseback and he b!
vill ride a gallop.?Button. ! iz
w
Brooding over troubles but hatches ! sj
lew broods.?Ram's Horn. , tl
Next to the originator of a good sen- 1 j,
ence is the first quoter of it. : rr
Passion, though a bad regulator, is jj*i
powerful spring.?Emerson. j j.(
Man is but a reed, the weakest in a
I W
lature, but he is a thinking reed. | j,
To accept good advice is but to in- j
Tease one's own ability.?Goethe. j p
He must have a holy purpose who n
leeks heavenly power.?Ram's Horn, j P'
To be conscious that you are ignor- |
int is a great step to knowledge.?Dis- j 1.
aeli. . | ^
Every duty we omit obscures some d'
ruth we should have known.?John
ituskin. rp
Could wc forbear dispute and prac* ir
ice Jove, we should agree as angels w
lo above.?Waller. p
Personal liberty is the right to act i
vithout interference within tbe limits ?
)f the law.?J. Oerter. j. ai
Do not accustom yourself to con- : ^
;ider debt only as an inconvenience; j _i
?ou will find it a calamity.?Johnson. | pi
1 n
The French Clock. ! 01
Have you beard, perhaps, a modern 1 ^
?rench dock?clackety-clack, clackety- i n
lick, push-push-pusli ? There are al- | oi
vays ornaments on the shelf where it j
stands, and ornaments on tbe table, 1 ^
ind on the floor. It has gilt on its face j ^
ind jewels on its bands, and it lives j w
;ery fast?sixty minutes to the hour ! ?
ind twenty-four hours to the day? : w
lurried hours, breathless minutes, : n
trammed to the brim with excitement, j w
* * * Clackety.-clack, clackety- ! ^
'lick, pusb-pusb-push, quiek-quick! ! a:
rt'beu I find one in the chamber where j v
am to sleep. I always look carefully : J
ibout for some safe hole in which to ! ^
)estow it. If no other offers, my trav- i 3!
>Ling bag will at least m'uffle its stren- ' o:
ious voice till the coming of the morn, i ?!
3ut alns, if the clock be small and ! j,
ouml and easily hidden from sight in ! el
stray corners of the bag! Twice have ! ^
borne away the timepiece offered for j jj
ny delectation. Twice has it fallen J d
o my lot to explain to a a energetic , v
lostess my peculiar conduct. Now I I ?
ilways put it under the mattress. If j a'
go away and forget it. I am only re- j tl
warded as a little crazy, which is sure- ' vy
better than rolling up a reputation ! ^
or kleptomania.?The Atlantic. ! y,
Anlnanltt at Sea.
A French scientist has made some
nteresting observations as to the be- ve
lavior of different wild animals at sea. ! 4*
i Til
The polar bear, be says, is the only ; ni
me that takes to the sea. All others i va
iolently resent a trip on water, and i ?r
ociferously give vent to their feelings j
mtil seasickness brings silence. The V?
iger suffers most of all. He whines be
litifullv. bis eyes water continually.
md he rubs his stomach with his terible
paws. Horses are very bad sail>rs,
and often perish on a sea voyage, j
)xen are heroic in their attempt not i
o give way to sickness. Elephants do
lot like the sea. but they are amenable I (jf
o medical treatment. A good remedy j to
s a bucketful of hot water containing u?
^ ..r ' Ka
nree or iuur puu* ui ?? m?w i ^
lUiices of quinine?St. James' Gazette, j p,
sa
Alpine Gardens. i t,j]
On tlie summits of tb-> Rj<ri and
"Mlatus Alpine gardens ar^ to lit- main- j
ained hereafter for purposes ci' ho- ,
anie study and for tlie preservation i <?'
ind propagation of rare Swiss plants, j ^
ai
A Good Tip.
P.o careful wbat you do hero and '
loi'.'t worry about what will be done ,
nth you hereafter.?Chicago News, j
[HE SUNDAY SCKOOI 1
sITERNATICNAL LESSON COMMENTS 5
FOR JULY 10.
abject: Jeroboam's Idolatry, I Kings F
xiiM 25-33?Golden Text, I John, xv., I
21?Memory Verses, 28-30?Copainentary
on the l>ay'B Lesson.
I. Improvements made (v. 25). 25 /
Then Jeroboam built." After he wa? I
lade king Jeroboam immediately took | I
leasures to establish himself in his kingom.
There -were bright prospects before , "
im. "Sheehem." This citv was enlarged j
nd fortified and thus made fit to be the i ^
oval residence. But he soon removed his
ipital to Tirzah, a few miles north (1 |
[.ings 14:17; 15, 21), and this remained the j C
ipital until Omri removed it to Samaria.
Mount Ephraim." See R. V. Not a sin- i
fe mountain, but the hill country of |
iphraim, extending from Bethel to the \ I
lains of Jezrcel. It is, the richest and !
lost beautiful part of the land. "Went j \
ut from thence." Sheehem was the base
f operations in the building and fortifying j
ther cities. "Penuel." The place east of j J
le Jordan, near the fords of Jabbok,
here Jacob wrestled with the angel (Gen. j T
2:30), and whose tower and inhabitants !
i the time of the Judges Gideon had de- ! C
troyed (Judg. 8:17). Jeroboam probably |
;garded it as an important position, com- | (
landing the great caravan road to the
irther East, and accordingly fortified it.
II. Idolatrous worship established (vs.
3-31). 26. "Said in his heart." He did
ot speak out his real motives. He would
ave been ashamed to have done that, and
would have been poor policy. His real
aasons were in ?.is heart, but he used anther
argument to the people. "Return to t
-David." Jeroboam was exalting policy i
bove principle. Josephus says the idea I
as forced on the king's mind by the ap- [
roach of the feast of Tabernacles, at I
hich time it had been usual for the peo!e
to go up in great numbers to Jerusa- [
m, and to live there for some days. 27. ;
To offer eacrifices" (R. V). His keen eye j
iw at once that the religious element in i
lan's nature >s a great power to be taken |
ito account in politics. Humanly speakig,
Jeroboam's fear was, it must be con- 1
tssed, well founded. "Shall kill me." ?
fhen they :.ve had time to repent of the '
;ep taken. Such revulsion of feeling is
ot uncommon. "Uneasy lies the head j
lat wears a_ crown." Jeroboam had for- ;
fied himself so he did not fear war, but ,
ow another danger seems to arise which ,
irows a gloom over his prospects. In relity,
however, there was no such danger, |
>r God had promised to establish his
ingdom on condition that he would serve
[im (1 Kings 11:38), and God's promise
as sure.
28. "Took counsel." With his counselirs,
or the heads of the nation who had i
elped him to tne throne. They were evi- i
ently like the king in worldly policy and !
lanfl. "Made two calves." Jeroboam's j >
JMUtrilCU ill JjU,) uau iiiiiuc mill lumiiiui i
itli the calf worship so Jargely practiced | ?
lere, and this, doubtless, had much to do j *"
ith the erection of these golden shrines; f
esides, the people had already become ac; i
istomed to the sight of the figures or rj
xen in their religious ceremonial bv their i
resence as supporters of the molten sea
c the temple in Jerusalem. These calves
ere not set up to be worshiped as idols
ny more than were the ark and other sa ed
shrines at Jerusalem, but Jeroboam
iw that he must provide for the religious
istincta of his people, and at once intro- 1
uced a system of his own creation. A'- 0
lough he did not design to lead the peo- ^
le into idolatry, yet he deliberately broke s
le second commandment, and "from wor- 8
liping God under a false and unauthor- c
ed form, the people gradually learned to ?
orship other gods altogether, and the ?
mctuaries at Bethel ana Dan prepared '
le way for the temples of Ashtarotn and
aal at Samaria and Jezreel." "Of gold." ! 6
; was probably overlaid with gold. "Too
iuch." The sense intended is probably ?
ven in the margin of the Revised Ver- f
on, "Ye have gone up long enough.'' Je- i<
)boam's argument was, "You have chosen o
new king, choose also new places for s
orship." This was an appeal to the flesh- r
r love of ease. ?
29, "Bethel." A city in the extreme 1<
>uthern part of the new kingdom. "Dan." v
ormerly oalled Laish, situated in the f
orthern part of the kingdom. There was v
olicy in choosing these places, as they 8
ad been associated with religions worship I
i ancient times. See Gen. 12:S; 28:11-22;
Sam. 10:3; Judg. 18:30. 30. "Became a fc
n." The first and second commandments h
ere both broken; the service of God was li
egraded, and the people were led into fi
lolatry, including the obscene rites prac- a
ced at idol shrines. "Even unto Dan." t
here are different views as to the mean- t
ig here. (1) It may mean that the people n
ent there to worship at once; or (2) it
lav be intended to snow that the people o
referred to turn from all associations with n
erusalem and therefore went to far away c
>an on the northern frontier. 31. "Made c
i house." He built a temple or sanctuary t
t each of the two cities where the calves d
ere set up. "Of high places." Houses of s
orship were originally built on high }
laces and in groves on hill tops. "Made d
riests,"etc. SeeR.V. Jereoboam'ssin was o
at that he selected persons of low birth i<
r bad character to act as priests, but that I
e selected them from among the people t
ithout reference to tribes, thereby an- c
ulling the divine plan that they should be ],
[ the tribe of Levi. "Sons of Levi." .7er- d
boam would no doubt have been glad to I
ave retained the Levitieal priests, but j
ley probably opposed his devices, for, (_
ridently banished by Jeroboam, they 0
ent over in a body to Rehoboam. a
III. A feast instituted (vs. 32, 33). 32. c
In the eighth month." November. This
as to take the place of the feast of Taberacles,
one of the three great Jewish feasts
hieh, by divine appointment, was he!d on *
le 15th of the seventh month in Jerusa- _
? * - . -ii , a
m. Had Jeroboam provided no counter i t
traction many of -his pubjects would have r
isited Kehoboara's capital at this time,
he reason generally given for changing P
be time from the seventh to the eighth
lonth, in defiance of the law (Lev. 23:34, ?
41), is that "in the northern districts
f his kingdom the grain ripened at least a a
lonth later than in southern Judah, and 0
lis festival was to be kept at the insather- ?
ig of the fruit of the land." "He offered." *1
tc. "He went up into the aitar." K. V. "
Jtars were asccnded either by steps or a^
lclincd plane. The king assisted in the ~
edication, thus imitating Solomon at the j1
education of the temple. 33. "He had dc- jised."
The entire system of Jeroboam "
sceives its condemnation in these words,
[is main fault was that he left a ritual
nd a worship where all was divinely autiorized
for ceremonies and services whic h fi
ere wholly of bis own devising. He was g
laced in difficult circumstances, but he n
let them with the arts of a politician, uot j ii
'ith the single-mindedness of a saint. t
4
Beautifying: Taxis.
The Paris municipal authorities have of- j
red prizes and medals for the best floral
jcorations for city balconies. Every I'asiari
apartment has its balcony, always
ore or less adorned with plants and
ises, and m.uch art is displayed in their
rangement, especially in the newer d
nises, wliere special provision is macie lor i
were. The few houses decorated last t<
:ar by a society having for its object the 1
laatii'yinp of the city were so effective j ^
at the present prizes are offered. The i
ry that will pass upon the balconies in- !
udes the eminsnt painter Eesmard and a a
imber oi other artists and architects.
Ozone For Incobatori). I V
Ozone, as is well known, is a powerful ^
rmicide, and this fact has been made use j n
by George H. How in an infant incuba- I 0
r which lie has'recently patented. He
;cs a static clectric machine, the spark ! ^
p of which is located inside the incuba- j ](
r. The discharges between the terminals j jr
odtice ozone in the interior, which is ci
id to be productive of man> beneficial j s<
feels.
Their First Auto.
AJarpe number of people in the capital V
Ko'apur, India, on seeing a motor car
r the first time, prostrated themselves q
ilore it, declaring that it was moved by
1 iuvisible god.
it
Live Wire Kills fteeg. P
'A live wire fell in a Swiss apiary and ^
illed 400,000 bees. . J.
* -.
'HE GREAT DESTROYER
OME STARTLINC FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE. _
oem: Only ft Woman Drunlc ? On?
Opinion of So-Calle<l Liquor CurenThe
Greateit of All Cures 1* the Chriti
Cure?Has Cured Ten* of Thousand*.
l crowd in the busy street, a block in the
bustling way, '
i pause for the weary feet, that soarcely
have time to stay;
What is the matter? Say! Someone tc ,
earth has sunk,
Vhy do they stop the way?" "It's only a 1
woman drunk!"
)nly a woman drunk! Look at her as she
lies,
Vith her face all mud and dirt, and that 1
wild leer in her eyes.
lark to the crating voice shouting ia
drunken alee,
Vould she could see with sober eyes her
own deep misery!
i
i woman, did you say? Woman was made
to bless,
?o while our cares away, to comfort and
caress.
)h, who could love that face, begrimed by
dirt and drink!
)h, who from that embrace would not in
terror shrink?
jook at her foaming lips, hark to the
muttered curse;
L drunkard is a fiend, but a -woman?oh,
'tis worse!
Jod save the maidens fair who gaze upon
her now,
'rom falling in the snare of the fiend who
has laid her low.
)nly a woman drunk! Oh, sons with
mothers dear,
'ass her not by with tearless eye, but foi
her drop a tear.
Iusbands with loving wives, oh, guard
them well, I pray,
L _ .1 4.1 : * ..1 .1 1. C. 1
iiiu save mem iruin me iuui uiiiih. uuuu, j
who does all virtue slay.
>nly a woman drunk! Once on a mother's I
breast
?hat woman closed her baby eyes, and
sank to peaceful rest;
Lnd when in maiden prime, a bashful
lover came,
ind whispered words of tenderness, until
her cheek grew flame.
)r.Jy a woman drunk! That woman was a
wife,
\.nd vowed to love and honor one, and
help him on through life,
^r.d children round her knee once lisped
their evening prayer;
) God! that ever she should lie and wal- I
low there!
["here on the pavement stone, scoffed at by j
passers by,
Ringing in drunken tone, with that wild
leer in her eye;
)n]y a woman drunk! Brother, go honia
and think,
Chink of your mother, sister, wife, and
save them from the drink.
-W. A. Eaton, in the National Advocate.
I Tlie Christ Cure.
One can scarcely take up a paper to-day
vithout noticing flaring advertisements
if so-called liquor cures. A firm will ad
ertise that if any drinking man would i
end $1 with name and address they would
end a never-failing prescription. Tjpon reeipt
of the order for $1 the firm would
end back the following: "Stop drinking."
^ good cure, but a better oue is, "Neve*
iegiM."
A short time ago we 6aw an "ad" that
aid for $5 a certain firm would cure a
nan of the drink habit in Jess than fivd
lays. Quick work and cheap. Still mora
ecently we read the statement of a superatendent
of the Anti-Saloon League in an
fficial organ of the League in 'wnich that
uperintendent says he has discovered "a
emedy which seems to be well nigh inallible."
This remedy he will sell for?tha
aw price of $5, and he appeals to Christian
workers to open their purses and providJ
or the victims of drink a way of escape
then he says, "$5 is all that is needed to
ave a soul from such a terrible destrucion.
If this Anti-Saloon League superintendnt,
who has the prefix Rev. to his name,
ias really discovered a cure for the drink
labit, a remedy that will "save a soul
rom such terrible destruction," why not,
s a minister of the Gospel, make known
hat relhedy to the poor victims? Whp let
hem go down to death because they canot
hand over to him $5?
Further comment is unnecessary. To
ur readers we commend a cure that has
evor iauea, ana tnis we oner without
barge. It is the "Christ cure!" This will
ost the victim less than $5 or $1, and do
he work in less than five days or one
ay. Time to be effective is just as many
econds as it takes a man to surrender to
Iim. Tkis is the cure that saved the
runken pirate, Jerry McAuley, and made
ne of the greatest, evangelists of light. It
i the cure that proved effective on John
>. Gough, and made him the greatest
emperance apostle of his age. It has
ured ten thousand thousands, and its
ealing power is still effective. To the
rink victim we say: Stop where you are!
)ash that bottle to the ground." Look to
esus in prayer. He will deliver you.
'ount that villain your worst enemy who
ffers you drink. Shun bad companions
nd tne work will he done by the "Christ
ure."?National Advocate.
The Lifjnor Educational Campaign*
The Christian Herald f\. Y.I aav*?
Such a campaign we can almost imagine
s being not uniike that waged by Diabolus
gainst the. city of Mansoul, when Eye
iate, Ear-Gate, Mouth-Gate and other
ates of the city had been closed against
im. The campaign of the liquor men
lust be one to 'educate' the people into a
jve and adipiration of all that degrades
nd brutalizes man and effaces the image
f his Maker. A campaign it must be to
omrnend broken-hearted wives, ruined
omes, neglected children; to popularize
ishonor, bankruptcy and pauperism; tc
phold violence and crime of every sort;
o take all that is noble and pure and upifting
away from life, and to substitute
he dust and ashes of misery, remorse auc
lopeless despair.
Canada More Temperate.
Perhaps no county within the past I
ifty years has made more marked proless
in temperance matters than the Do
linion of Canada. The decrease in drink
ng is everywhere apparent. Since 187;
he tavern licenses have been reduced from
79?/ to 2631; the shop licenses from 1307
o 308: the wholesale licenses from 52 tc [
1, and the 33 vessel licenses have beer ;
one away with altogether.
The Crusade in BriefWhen
the church wakes up, the drink
evil will go into mourning.
Temperance is not everything, but in- ]
;mpe;anee mars, everything. ,
The total abstinence pledge is better 1
han the pledge of the pawnbroker.
Charlotte. X. C\, has organised a locai
nti-saloon league with 400 members.
The Northern Pacific Railway has been 1
dded to the large number of corporations j
,'hich prohibit the use of alcoholic liquors j |
y their employes at all times. This is a m
iosi effective form of lecture on the evils 1 (
f intemperance.
'"Buffalo Dill' is a strict total abstainer,
hich is doubtless the secret of his tire;ss
energy and splendid physique. "I've i
ot OlKT men here." said the Colonel re- ]
entlv in London," and 1 abstain for the j
ike of example.'' ,
The Bureau of Temperance Research is 1
new organization established in Boston. 1
ts object, as explained by its Secretary, r
'. \V. Clark, is to furnish to all inquirers 1
ny information, especially ot a stati. tical '
ature, which may be sought.
Out in Ohio the li juor business is larg
i the hands of the brewers. The money
aid by the brewers to one county each
ear runs close to $750,000. The breweries
radically capitalize the saloons oi the j
atire county. '
-
II
g|C6J)fe
The Coming Brotherhood.
rhere shall come from out this noise of
strife and groaning, '
A broader and a juster brotherhood;
A. deep equality of aim, postponing
All selfish seeking to the general good.
There shall come a time when each shall
to another
Be as Christ would have him?brothernin*
^ to brother.
There shall come a time when brotherhood
grows stronger
Than the narrow bounds which now di?
tract the world;
When the cannons roar and trampetf
blare no longer,
And the ironclads rust, and battle fl&gf
are furled;
When the bars of creed and speech and
rice, which sever, '
Shall be fused in one humanity forever.
?Sir Lewis Morris.
A "Word About S< rrow.
Blessed are they that mourn, for thej
shall be comforted.?Matt, v., 4.
This does not mean that sorrow, in and
of itself, is a good thing, and that w#
should deliberately go about in search of it?
To place sucn construction upon tb?
words would be to do then a violent in-,
iustiee.
There is no reason for believing thai
Jesus meant to apeak a beatitude for sor?
row purely as sucu. The Son of Man wai
not a gloomy-minded ascetic, a nater ol
human joy and gladness; and to hold thai
He went about inviting men to wretched*
ness would De as unnecessary as it would
be unreasonable and unwarranted.
Here, then, is the substance of the second
beatitude: "If sorrow comes, be not
discouraged by it; be hopeful, be brave;
for after t.'ie sorrow shall come the jov<
The sorrow is only one side of the shield;
hold on in hope until you see the othei
side, and then all wil] be explained, and in
the explanation you shall rejoice."
In other words, Jesus here announce*
the idea that this strange old life of mafl
has a. meaning, a larger, kindlier meaning
than appears upon the surface of our hi*
man experience, and that that meaning
finds its truest expression in the word lovl
?infinite love.
Behind the world and our life therein!
behind tne serio-comic drama of our hi*
man existence, with its smiles and tear%
its laughter and atony, its indescribable
rapture and its unutterable pathos, stand]
the love which never slumbers nor sleeps
which never grows faint nor weary, whiclf
in the night-time of sorrow and care" at
well as in the heyday of gladness anq
mirth, is slowly but surely working out itl
beautiful purpose.
That was what the Great Teacher said
that day in the long ago to the peopli*
gathered about Him on the Mount, and
every one who knows what it is to siC ifl
the darkness with a mighty grief tugging
away at nis heart strings thanks the Mu?
ter for the comfort that His word brings.
We are all human. No matter how mud
our creeds may uffer; no matter what
"logical" hobbyhorses we may be in th(
habit of riding, deep down in our hearty
is the humanity that will not Je hushedj
and to every one of us this second beati*
tude comes witfc the joy and strength thai
lift us up and gi~e us courage.
Sometimes, when our evil angel has temporary
control of us, we feel like ciwinj
out: "What is the use? This old life il
nothing but a curse, anyway; so what's th<
use of trying to make anything out of it?'
TUawa -in a nroif /tofll /%f knmon nafnrfl
A UCJC IB a gltttu Uttti VTA. UUUiUiJ UUVU4V
that awful cry?and the finer and tenderel
the human nature the more liable it is t?
give up in despair. i
Human life?looked at just as it is?is aj)
affair wherein the shade vastly predomii*
atee over the light. The poet knew per
fectly well what he was doing when 111
sang that word about '"The low, sad mm
sic of humanity."
We have never yet dared to confess t|
ourselves the actual sadness of our life*
We must-be diplomatic and keep some
thing back, covering up with compliment
the cold, hard fact.
But into life's sadness the Master flingi
the note of a victorious hope!
Life, He tells us, is not a "curse." Trna
there is sorrow in it, but tha; sorrow il
not the final thing. Sorrow, rightly borne)
sweetens, beautifies, strengthens us. Son
row is tne Via Dolorosa alone which infir
nite love is leading us toward the charactel
which no "Primrose Path" could ever de
velop in our souls.
And so, when all is said, this is the sign
by which we conquer:
"Blessed are they that mourn, for thej
shall be comforted." t- The Rev. J. B, ?
Gregory. ,
Time and Friendship.
'Tew people give themselves time to b*
friends, says one writer. Friendship ai
an ideal is always loyely and attractive)
but friendship in reality takes so mucll
time that we can hardly find room for it
? * ?? V....... Imiak ?C 4? /i T4- rtlmo fimM
JU UU1 uusy 1IVC3 Ui tu-ua*. AW i?a^o uun
for parents and children to understand
each other well enough to be friendly; tins#
spent in the home circle is one thing nece?
sary to genuine friendship between brothers
and sisters; young people have ail sorti
of social relations without that quiet
knowledge of one another which make*
for true friendship. And in the friendshij
that helps and uplifts the element of time
if-still more prominent. "What these people
need is not money but personal influence
and heipful friendship,' said an ear
nest worker among the millions of a great
citj\ Even if we cast out everything that
is evil and worthless there ai"e more demands
upon our time than we can respond
to. We must make a choice in study, in
recreation and in duly. But whatevej
choice we make, if it is a wise choice it
will leave time to be friendly.?Philadelphia
Young People.
Sober Thought.
When a man is tempted downward h?
ought to stop and think. If some selfiab ,
consideration entices him toward the abysa
he should wait for the Sober second
thought, but when his nobler feelings are
aroused and the angels of God allure him
upward he ought to a:t with instant energy.
No man should think twice as to
whether or not he should do a generous
deed or fulfill his higher convictions.?Tk?
Rev. N. D. Hillis.
Honesty.
Honesty is one of the first principles ok
Christianity. It lies at the base and also
at the apex of Christian character. It
must be the dominant force in all traffic.?
TV. rx V T?
Help Others to Be Happy.
Whether at home or abroad the happiesk
ire those who have helped iome one else
to be happy. Each morning determine to
be profited* that day. and you will not be
disappointed, for "the will is more than
half the man."
t>e? ol Temptation.
It is while you are patiently toiling at
the little tasks of life that the meaning
md shape of the great wholf of life dawns
upon you. It is while you are resisting
little tempta'Jous that ycu are growing
5tr?uzer.
Large Ditch Finished.
The Ouieley Marsh ditch, in the north*
ivestern part of Pulaski County, Indiana,
las just been completed. With its laterals
t is twenty-four miles in length, and ife
vill convert nearly 25,030 acres of swamp
and into fields for growing corn and
vbeat. The main canal is forty feet across
it the top and twenty feet at the bottom,
ind is twelve feet in depth. The co?t of
(instructing the canal was ?48,000, and the
and, which a few years ago was worthless,
s now selling at $40 an acre.
Amber 15<>crp??lnt.
Tho prosperity of the pipemaking indus*
;ry in Birmingham, Lngland, is being
hreatencd by a famine in amber.
???m