University of South Carolina Libraries
XVI. PICKENS, S. C., TIIUISDAY, AUGUST 4, 1887. yo45 TROIl lES OF TIlE WAR. A GLANCE AT CAPTUtIEf CON FI EI ATE FLAGS AT WASIIINGTON. The Story Told by These Muto Enitei of a Lost C usc--auners of Silk nwliL flanners of Tattors--Hwo the Flags nr Kept in the War Department. (Letter to the New York wordi.) WASIINUTON, July 29.-Yostorday i walking through the immonso granit< pile of the State, War and Navy 1)epart monts, I was taken with the curiosity t< see the battle flags which have set the country in an uproar. Turning to the right from tho main corridor of the building on the second floor, I entered the commodious apartments of tho Ad jutant Gonoral's ofiico, and found myself confronting at a corner desk in ono of the rooms, a rather statured m)tn, of vell-fed form and placid face, with his coat ofl like an ordinary clerk, bending to his work, altornately mopping the heat from his forehead and signing or dors. This individual looked as l1ile as possiblo like kindling the memories of a great rebellion or starting the wor,d on flame in any quarter. The heat of the day soomed all suflicient for his onergies. All the same, It was General ])rum, Adjutant General of the United States Army, whose autograph on a slip of paper addressed to Mr. Cleveland a fow weeks ago, and recommended the distri bution over the country of a variety of tattered bunting in the garret of the War Office, set the country by the ears and is likely to play a considerable role in a coming campaign for an American President. I had been told that Adju tant General Drum was extremely sensi tive to the inquiries of visitors concern ing this same bunting. I was agreeably surprised, therefore, on informing this gentleman that I had witnessed in the ) old days of the rebellion the spectaele of the arrival cf nIny of these flags in the War I)eparttAent, fresh from the b'attle fields on which they were capturcd, and of my wish to again inspect; them, at be ing met with the blandest of smiles and promptly put in charge of an atteniant with instructions to aid n4 mission. Carried by an elevator live stone', up, nuder the roof of the War i)epardient, almost burning in this Washii'gton mun mer weather, the key )eing turned by my guido in the door of an attic roo', I stood an instant later in a little pace hardly more than ten feet rquare, ncurly within reaching distaneo ont all sides of these battered mementos of the war, the ery mention of which has set afire the { hearts of sixty millions of people--a few rags saturated with the explosive wash of patriotism! But the first thought on seeing thom in this pent up st>ace of attic is of the smallness o ' the sire of the effeet. T about the room appear a. a hAndful at the most, but ., rately there are 75() in all, over five hun dred of them being Confederate and the romtinder Federal flags recaptured iron their captors. One half of the entire number are attached to their stavei as as they were originally taken, the 11.ags of the two sections being stacked in separate masses against two sides of the room, facing the other half folded and protruding from pigeon holes on the op ,positc walls. The sight of the stars and stripcs keeps always familiar. But the first look at the dark red heap of the banners of rebellion, piled here against the side of the attic, blots out twety five years from the memory and brings back as if it were yesterday, the red y ears when they wvaged at the head of their egimoents. There is hardly a flag among them all that has not its history record ed i the book in the hands of the keep er of the room. Nearly all are ridldled with bullets, and many, like those car ried through such hattles as the Wiler ness and the second Bull Run, were shot literally into tatters and almost un recognizable sprays of rag. The contrast in the appearance of the Southern and Union standards is signf1 cant of the history of the war. The lat ter are rigged on clean polished poles5 and are of firm, rich material, many of them of silk, showving an abundance in the North of the fabrics of which they continued to be made. The majority of the Confederate flags are of the wretch cat shoddy bunting, miserable in color, ss in substance, wi le groat numbers of themu are mounted on rude, unbarked gads and saplings, hastily cut from the weeds on the mnarch--recalling the blockade and the pinching days whxen war had fallen on a section without manufactures, and the intense, desperate purpose of a peop)le forgot seemliness and absorbed every thought but the win ninig of their fights. Many of the flags lying folded in the boxes and taken out to be exhibited by the guardian of the room recall still a more vividly the narrowv straits of rebel lion on its last legs, being literally inde pendent of discrimination in color and made of p)atchies from womon's dresses and underskirts of nearly every hue and material-pitiful reminders of the Spar tan poverty and courage that were still to' fail of their end. There are somne ox. eptidns, however, in this storeroom of battle trophies, to these mementos of thp sterner daysi of the wvar for thc South. The attendant drew from thle pigeon holes oni the walls amd unfolded] for my inspction three or four magnifi. cent bannors of heavy silk, fringed witi: tassels of gold and orniamenited wil pictures in oil and rich embroiderings or: a field of blue. Those flags represent the early and halcyon dtays of the Losl1 Cause, wyhen they. were made by local associations of ladies and p)resented t the military organizations which carrie( them. One of those flags bolonk d t< the Apalachicola Guard, whose name i, stitched in gold letters on its folds atbovt the exultant mottoes: "'In (God isi On: Trust!" "Our Rights Weo Will Main taini!" The finest of them all is th< Norfolk Lighlt Artillery, with an oi portrait of Washington in the centre o itsfieold, the mottoes on the reverse sid, being the same as those of the fl'ig jus described. The days when the Confed drato aumies could afford such luxury i ensigns quickly passed away, however as is evi dened by this collection, repre ieniting every period of tho war, In tu beginning of the rebellion the dlesign (3 the ilag carried- by tlk, Southern regi monts was that of the Stars and Bars two rod bara and one whito--ohanging at a later period to a red field with the outhern Cross, resembling the British Union Jack. A study of the record kept by tho War Department of the name and capture of each of those flags, though a work of days, would bo of in tense interest to the veteran soldier. It would recall to him the episodes of tri umph on jialf the flcids of the rebellion. The sight of the flags themselves would do something moro-quickening his beart-beats with memories of the great fight. That not a few of these standards have been the centres of deadly personal encounter is evident from the numerous blood-stains still traceable upon them. The staves, also, of many of them are raggetl with the gnaw of bullets, the lead in som1 instances piorcing their centres and remaining imbedded in the wood. Everything, in fact, in the ap pearance of tho whole collection, as it is piled here in the narrow garret, faded 1 iad soiled and tattered, shows that these r are no banners of holiday parade, but have passed through the fire and ex- I tremity of a?tual war-the sorrowful ; weeds blasted and fallen from its wrath. 1 For myself, not a soldier, but a resident e of Washington (luring the war period I C recalled the stirring incidents of their v presentation to the War Department as they were brought straight from the fields of their capture. On one of these t occasions thirty of these staudurds, as I I remomiber, were carried here two days 1 after the fight at Winchester by a dole- 1 gation of soldiers whose hands had aetu- c ally seize(l them in the fight, Custer, tt with his long, yellow hair, at their head. ( Stanton, the grim Secretary, unbent, t loved results and these were the palpa- t ble evidences of triumph. Coming out i of the lion's den of his office ho took each soldier by the hard and welcomed ( them as a body with a speech. As the 0 little group stood before his door listen- ' ing to his address, the captured stand- a aids hold above their heads in the nar row hall of the old War )epartuent s mat d a pictures(que cloud of color, t which, together with the entire scene, it t was niot easy to forget. WVhen tihe ainlir C was over the soldiers started again for i the field, and Stanton, taking Cu'ter's s' arm, walked slowly down the steps of ft the War Ofhice. Such was his habit with t any of the brilliant leaders of the war s after a visit to his depatrtau nt. VIr.IAM .JA(,sso Autt ;ao,. t Tlto Cot toit iti'.vufa:it t. .Fomn the Now York Financial Chron iele'sr cotton article of J ly 23 the follow ig figures are gathered relative to the movouienm of the staple during the past t week: "or the week ended 1 uy 22 the total f receipts reached 3,215 )ales, against 1 4,l;00 bales last week, 1,261 bales the i previous week, and 3,598 bales three 8 weeks since; making the total receipts since the I st September, 1880, 5,202,098 v hles, i;ainst 5,259,012 bales for the same t 885-6, showing a decrease since .r 1, 1880, of 87,511 bales. tal sales for forward delivery for the week were 483,700 bales. For im- e mediate delivery the total sales foot up 1 this week 5,800 bales, including 0.207 1 bales for export and 2,053 for home con- g sumplltion,i. The exports for the week reach a total of 18,931 bales, of which 1G,G51 were to Great Britain, t0 to France, and 2,237 to the rest of the continelit. Thu imports into conitinental ports during the week were 20,000 bales. These figures indicate an increase ini the cotton in sight of 73,100 bales as corn pared with the same dato of 1880, an increase of 33,392 bales as compared with the corresponding (ate of 1885, and a (decrease of 31(;,023 bales as compiared .1 The total receipts from the p)lanlta tions simce 1st September, 188(1, are I 5,183,221 bales; in 1885 .0 were 5,388,572' bales; in 1881 5 wer*e 4,720,410 bales. Although the receipts at the outports for tile past week were 3,295 bales, the actual ( moveiment from the planltations was only --bales, the balance being taken from tjio stocks at the interior towns. Last s year the receiplts from the plantations I for the same week were 3,327 bales, and s and for 1885 they 903 bales. Tihe (le- C crease in almounit in sight to-niight, as t compared with last year, is 110,842 ba low, I the imlrease as compared with 1881-5 is c 715,312 b)ales, iand tile increase over t 1883 1 is 701,025 bales. The Chrlonicle says that thle specula- a tion in cotton for future delivery at this market has been fairly active for tihe 1 week under reviewv, but prices have < shlown a good deal of variableness and< irregularity, influenced laigely biy maa nipuilation by the regular operators. Saturday was rather firmer, but on Mon-< (liy the announclement of the failure of< a house reported to have been a leader in the cilort to "'cornler" this drolp caused 1 a sharp decine in Juily and August op tioins, anid weakened the whlole piosition; but oni Tuesday a beotter repiort from Liv crp)ool and thoC repeotition 0'. reports from the Southwest that dannage wias being done by drouth, with some accounts of worms, caused on equally smart advance.< )n Wednesday the early mioths opened< lower and( the next crop dearer, when thle tono suddenly chlangedl; there was an active buyinig of August, with the next cro moro freely sold, closing lower, while this crop maintained a email ad vanco. Thursday an irreglair opening was followved b)y ia genieral decline, attrib, nted to thie repoert of failures at Now Orleans, the elfect of the recenlt sharp) decline. Friday the market was dull adweak. Cotton on the sp)ot has met with a moderate demnandl for home con sumuptioii. Quotations were reduced i-1 Ge. on Monday. On Thursday a large bulsne:Ss was one for export, ando upl lands wore advaniced I -16c. Friday thlere was little doing, and mliddling up lands i omiluial atl)20 -. A l'ri,. Ihr thei I.,ttery Of life whihh is; uuaol ly uinnphl'reo'.ted iintil It is lost1, p erhap neverSA'i to ref.rn , is ealthI. Whaot a prlicleASs bioon it. isod - owi we ought to cheirish it , th ife mayiCi 153 I (t be) a wo(rtle.n lank Io us . Manoy h le diseseos thatiesh Is heir to, iand whichl [ make li fe burnlisi,n( stio a ~ssi Iltio ~eroful a of thle hlaigs), anmd of heri seroifuilous ud btloIiod disens~es, ore comipletely ciid ere t)r I t V. I ierce's have fatIled . I) r. I .irc' tr!lhe on cosum ilo )111ailed for Senits tap.Add dress, \Vorl's spenuy Meic11Aociation, 063 Mahin freet, 1hlflo E Xu ih looks att the possIble, age at the COISItCiNo TIE CLEltY. Experlieces of the Charlesto,, Churches After the OccupatIou of tho (Ity--Itr,tul Order of the Post Coimmuander. (From the Sunday News ) Having just road the interestin sketch of "The Parish Church of St. Michael," by Mr. George S. Holmes, which forms a part of the "Year Book" for 1886, and having noticed a slight inaccuracy on page 307 (in the extract from the chron :le of the venerable A. E. Miller) I am tempted to correct it while recalling )thor incidents of tho times referred to. L'hs statement is; "The Rev. Mr. Howc' ofliciated at St. Paul's, with othors, until some time in L'ebruary, 1865, when ho loft the city in onsuqueneo of his objecting to road thq >rayer for the President of the United 3tates. The same thing occurred to the .Cov. Mr. Marshiall, D. D)." The facts are: Rev. Mr. Howe did not eavo the city in February, and Dr. dlarshall never left at all. The Roy. Mr. (now Bishop) Howe had >eon officiating at St. Paul's for some ime when, on the morning of the 18th ebruary, 1865, the United States troops ntored end, while the fire which burst ut at the Northeastern Railroad depot was sweeping before it the (then) well nown residences in Chapel, Alexander nd Charlotte streets. In this day of error and distress tho Rev. Mr. Ilowe rought comfort to many. On the fol >wing Sundays those members of the :piscopal Church, who were still in the ity, gathered around him at St. Paul's nd, on the 19th and 26th of February, which days wore Sundays,) amid all hat was dark around them, had, at least, he comfort of undisturbed religious rorship. In the beginning of March, however, Jo1. Stewart L. Woodford, commander f the post, sent for Mr. howe, and, hile entirely courteous in his language ud manner, insisted that the prayer r the President of the United States hould be used, or Mr. Howe must leave lie city. As Mr. Howe did not concede an army oflicer the right to make hanges in the ritual of his chbrch, Col. Voodford notified him that he would be ont out of the city, with every facility iven him to reach his family; but, in lie meantime, consented to his holding ervicer, on the 5th of March. On that day Mr. Howe spoko feelingly D his congregation, ex)laining the posi ion and taking lcave of us-none know cir how long. his tones and hearing rero so impressive that, on his retiring r the vestry-room, two ollicers of the united States navy who had attended he service hurried after him and offered u use their influenco with Col. Wood nrd to induce a recall of his or ?er. 'hoy were unsuccessful, and the next ay, March 6, the Rev. Mr. Howe was out by steamer to Georgetown, S. C. t. Paul's was then closed, but the ser ices of our church were still held in the i[tlo St. John's Chapel, IIampstetd, by hat venerable, godly man, Dr. Alex. larshall. ]Iero for weekn tihe saddened faces and till sadder hearts c:f those who, pent up ii Charleston, saw the enemy's heel pon her imeck, and felt it themselvs, athered from Sunday to Sunday to our out together their prayers and their orrows, their hopes and their fears. his place of worship being remote from he great highways of the city, and so nprotending in itself it was hoped that eligious worship there at least would be umolested. These hopes, however, ,re rudely dispelled when on the 9th I think) of April the church was closed nd Dr. Marshall given a week to decide hether he would take ''tihe oath of alle ianco" and use the prayer for the Pres lent of the United States or leave the ity. Dr. Marshall wrote to GIon. Ilatch o expostulate. Here is the General' I eply ; '1EDQARen NouTuIiuNs isTmcua, DEP'AwRMENT OF rTnE SourTH. CHAunuisTox, Ap)ril 25, 18(;5. heoral Orders No. 29.] It has been rep)orted at these head uiarters that the R1ev. Alex. W.: Mar hall, missionary of St. John's Chapel, lamplstead, has, in the services of the aid chapel, since the occupation of the ity by the United States forces, omitted lhe prayers for the President of the Jnited States. In a written conmmuni ation, addressed to the commander of ho pos5t of Charleston, ho styles the >rayer for the President of the United tates a "political prayer." it is, there ore, ordered that ho be sent beyond the mnes of the army, and( be forbidden to ntor the city of Charleston during its ccupation by the United States troops nithout permission of the commander of he district or department. It is further rdered that his personal property be onfliscated to the use of the United tates Government. in p)unishing the cead of the congregation worshipping at ;t. John's Chapel tho brigadier-general ommanding diesires it to be considered warning to those whoe, attending the ervices for weeks, so far forgot their Luty to their country as not to inform he military authorities of the conduct >f this disloyal p)riest, with other wvords f warning added. By command of ]Brig. (Gen. ,JoIns HATCIn. LEioNARDI ]l. 'Eirlty, Acting Adjutant Gieneral.". This specimen of war literature, (et ault. al. ) was taken doewn at the time. in the helpless and almnost lihpeless ondition of the times, in dread of being oft without a clergyman to bury our lead, D)r. M.'s friends induced him to ubmit. This templered hatch's anger, ud lie revoked the order, but Dr. M. icver usoid the p)rayer until there was no Iluestion as to the propriety of using it. 3efore the next Sunday came round lhe yas run over b.y a careless driver, and or months confined to a bed of suffering. .1NO. UADsIIxN. Summorville, S. C., July 10, 1887. l'iniicos n,ld Org,mig. All af thet best makes. $25 cash and >ak.nco Novemb,er 1, at spot cash p)ricos ma a Piano. $10 cash and( balance No vemiber 1, at spot cash price on ani :)rgan. Dolhivered, freight free, at your rearest depot. Fifteen days test trial md freight both wayvg if not satisfactory. Write for circulars. N. W. TEUMP, * Columbia, S. C. Induiansx never kiss one another, and( nio one who has ever seen11 an Idin van blanhe t hem much. A LAUGIIING FAMILY. A PASSING STRANGE STORY F tOl NEW JERSEY. A Family Withi a Peculiar Malady--Laugh lng in Church and at Odd Times am 'laces--Curious Stories Told by Poople I'assing By. NEW YoR, July 28.-The story o. Jersey's laughing family is certainly oe of the oddest that over reached the carF of a correspondent. That a family with such a peculiar malady, and one so scemingly interesting to tho miedica profession, should have lived so long it a State pretty well populated withou getting into the newspapers, except in a brief and remoto way years ago, is do cidedly strange. The family reside in a large, substantial house, not far fron the Dolaware river in Huntordon coun ty. The father and sons are farmnori and prosperous and voll to do. The on. tire family arc chronic laughers, having an affection of the muscles of the mout: and throat that compels them to givt vent to apparent merriment at stated in tervals. The malady first appeared in the father about a dozen years ago. lie was usually a very quiet man, enjoying fun, but manifesting his enjoyment with out much noiis. ie was seated at the dinncr tablu one day in the spring of the year, eating steadily and not engag ing in any of the conversation which thc other members of the family were carry ing on. Suddenly, without any cause, lie burst into a loud it of laughter so extremely different from his accustomed laugh that all were attracted by it at onco. When asked what was the reason of his sudden outburst he made no re ply, but continued his merriment. Some of the boys thought lie had hysterics, end polindeild him on the back, but it Llid no good. After a few moments hc mado motions for pencil and paper, and wrote that he was anable to control his risibles, and asked thel to send for a loctor. .1The rural physician came, but could give no remedy that stopped the laugh ter. Peal after Peal of what sounded like the heartiest kind of fun came from aim, and nothing would avail to prevent it. The doctor finally came to the eon lusion that ho was the victim of a nervous attack, and, leaving a norviuc Leparted. A SINOULARe T1OUBLE. The father continued laughing until rbout sundown, when he suidenly stopped and fell on the floor completely prostrated. He soon grew better, how ever, ate a Learty supper, and spent th< evening much as usual. No signs of th< return of the trouble appearing, he went to bed and was soon fast asleep. Along about 2 o'clock, however, his was awak ened by his laughter, and the samt symptoms as of the day before mani fested themselves, lie kept it up until 7 o'clock, laughing loud and strong. At 7 o'clock the noise suddenly ceased and did not return again until dinner time. Tlhuis it continued, recurring each day shortly after noon and in the night about 2 o'clock, and has every since. As the weeks passed he grow so accustomed tc the disease tha he was caused very little inconvenience by it. He did not got tired out, as at first, and soon was able to go about his work-sowing seed and planting corn, digging vegetables and watering the cattle-while laughing im moderately. lie could not talk while under one of the spells, but carried a slate and pencil around with him, after the fashion of a deaf and dumb person. Th~le trouble was very regular in itt coming and going, and only occaslonally broke forth at unlooked-for sensons. Once the old man was taken in church, just wvhen the minister was exhorting hil bear-ors in the most solemn strains, and spoiled the effect of the discourse, be sides disturbing tihe equilibrium of thc clergyman. Another time 1h0 was found by 0o1( of his neighbors along the road, lyimg b)enealth a bag of flour, laughing al a terrific iate, lie hias- been taken whilt driving home from the mill, and th< suddeniness of the sounds frightened the horse, causing it to run away and dumi the man andl part of his load out in th< road. IFor eighteen months the father wva the only one of the household aillicted with the malady. Several of them had comlahined from time to time of an in clination to join the father in the laugh, but none of them did so until nearly twc years aifter he was taken, when Susie, the youngest child, suddenly burst intt a similar 1it during one of her father't attacks. From that time on she has laughed al ab)out the same hours that her fathoi does. One by one the remaining mom. hers fell victims to the strange com p)laint, until two years ago there was bul 0110 left free and that wats Charles, th< eldest son. hlis long exemption led him to believe lie would escape the malady, But he was mistaken, and it is said ht had his first attack while p reposing foi the hand of a gil at WIl kesbarre, [Pa. S3o frightened was the maiden by Charles's queer behavior that she run from the room, and it was a week before the proper explanation eouk*l induce hem to seeolhin again. S;heis no31w one of the family aind escasping the malady never minds tihe hideous chorus of laughter which twice a -day resound.t through the house, It is regarded at odd that none of the iieighbor-s shoul have caught the infection, although: maiiy of them ingle constantly witl: tile famiily. No ll IEDY KNowN. E'verythinig piblol has been doino ft remove or alleviate thie maiady, bii withie t iany poiceptible efYct. Sevora ,:niinint phiysicians from this city ani IPhliladelp hia are understood to haw visited the house and bece- ini>rcet( in tihe case. Thiey all confcssyd them solves batted andt wVanted sonme of the family to come here to New York fo treatnmnt. This thley reigscd to (10 lieir noticeable umisfortune has render (d them ver-y sensitive, and they wihl iiot 1tavel where thley will be subjecto< to, ,ulic scrutiny antd remark. . boy go to church or the store in th 080aocls by and attend social gath (:rings occasionally in the neighborhoo< in the evenings, but only amon~ lif long friendi, Popl wthr -.a rdu a few miles are so accustomed to thc thing that they never mind it or men tion it. Conseg untly, wery few pcople i outside of the immediate vicinity, and the physicians who have attended them, are cognizant of the circumstances. People passing the house, especially in the summer time, have been filled with curiosity by what they saw and heard, and have carried accounts to distant places. These reports are very vague, for the passers-by have had no definite idea of the matter. They only know that it looked remarkably strango to see a father and his sons out in the ileld plowing and sowing many rods apart, yet each one laughing as though he had heard the best joke in the world. Curi ous stories are told of the travelers who went that way. Several yesrs ago two young men ca.e from the interior of the State to attend a party at Easton, onnsylvania. It was a warm night and they did iot start until late. 'They drove past the house of the laughing family soon after the regular nightly attack had begun. The windows were all open, as it was early summer, and every sound could be clearly heard. As the young men ap proached they heard the most unearthly noise their ears had ever received. It seemed like pandemonium, and the youths felt sure they had struck the en trance to Shool. The horso took fright and nearly ran away with them. Coming to the con clusion that at least the place was haunt ed, they hurried home, and the liext morning spread the news. Parties were formed to investigate the matter, but none of them solved the subject until informed by a man in the villoge near at hand as to the nature of the case. They wore urged to remain reticent about the matter, and have done so. PHYSICAL RFFECTS. The years of incessant laughter have told somewhat on the faces of the fami but not so as to be very noticeable. 'I hero are scores of lines under the eyes and above the cheeks, caused by the drawing up of the skin. Then their mouths have become wider and they keep them closed with difficulty. The most marked result of the disease, how ever, is in the voico. The entire family talk in the samo tone, resembling as nearly as anything the voice of the alto singer. Males and females have the same inflection and intonation. Most of them have more or less trouble with their eyes, several having become very near sighted. The pupils have coo traeted, and the entire eyeball is dimin ished in size. This is accounted for by the contraction of the eyes while hugli ing, and the effort required in working or reading while undergoing an attack. Very little physical annoyance is caused the laughers. They read and write, sleep and work without any troullc. The only thing they seem unable to do, while attacked, is to eat, and that can be readily understood. Several grand children have been born, and in all but one instance, they were taken, soon after birth, with stated attacks at the same hours as their parents. Of course they do not laugh as the older oncs do, but they crow and express all' the signs of baby glee twice a day, and never cry while in that state. If the disease coi tinue in the now generation, the laugli ing family may ultimately become a laughing village. Tihe Toigue ai IUIOx of ClhiiI ifoar. \Vords weigh character. The tongue is the tell-tale of the inner, the real life. "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be con dmned." We may judge of the depth or superficialness of a person's character by the tone and1 trend of his conversa tion. Tihose who live in a narrow, en vious, selfish sphere, unmoved by high aims and pure motives, take delhght in depreciating the reputation of a neigh bor, in giving a fresh vent and a new version to some petty gossip designed only to annoy and irritate; if the rumoer is against a minister of the gospel or some one in high standing in society, the indulgence of their low taste is the more keenly relished. Such busy-bodies in their intermingling, not only ro-e'.:l the secrets of the community, but dis close to all tho hollowness of their p)ro fessional friendship, and the danger im plied in making them a conxtidant. The~ tattler is one of the p . ts o,f society. lIe or she is a standing ninace to all. Since Since the (lays of the Ap)ostle ,James there is no record of any such having been cured of the evil. "'For every kind of beast and of birds and o,f ser poents, and of things in the sea, is tamned, and hath been tamed of nmanikind' but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison." "if any man offend not in word, the same is a poerfect man." Let. it beC our daily aim to attain such a high and "n - nobling state of grace. ".1 iJI talk about persons let it be their mewrits that we haitoni ta disclose, their good deeds that vwe gladly unfold. lIn all di.iussioni on oniaractor let the good conme into prominence, in all our uttereid hopes for the future let our hiighiet ideal re coive the emuphasis. L4et truth anid not error, light and not darkness, love anmd not hate, be our themes. So chall we increase andl perpotunte a111 that is goodI by frank utterance, while evil will de crease and disappear under the thick drapery of silence."-Biaptist Weekly. Near Sholby, N. C., are now open for the reception of guests. Tihose Sprinigo are two miles from Shelby, 541 miles west of Charlotte, N. C., and within one mile of the C. C. Railroad. ilacks will bx at station on arrival of ever y train. I 'ar ties from Wilminigtoxi andl along the line of thew (Carolinam Central R ail road cani reach this delightful resort before 'ark on the Eanmo day. Within e hours rid" of Wilmington. Thei. Cuising i'; under controi fi a Chief eune. io any in the South, andt no eo.pen^r shall be spared D to~vido the fabi.s with the best the market alfocd.. Polite and attentive servants in 411 dopartmnents. Cold and warm baAIs. WVhito and Red Sulphuir and Chalyboate Waters. A good. string -Ihand secur'.d for the season. A Bowling Alley in good order. Live:ry accommo Idations attached to the hotel. Parties can leave Charlotte each afternoon at 1.30 o'clock, and reach the Springs be -fore (dark, the railroad schedule now be inmg better thani it ever was before. Ad direas S. Mo,BnmIE P~o5TON, Proprietor, Shelby, N. C. I')N\) LEA I (STi'I{AW.) lHox. A. P. Ii rin, (ommissioner o Agriculture, Columbia, S. C.: In compliance with your request, am for the benefit of some of our farmers, will give you my expelicuce, and that o some of my nioghbors, but more par tioularly my own, as I can speak mor< defliitoly, of the use of pine straw as 1 manuro. I have been using it for six teen years, and for the most of this tin [ have been using ten cords to the aor< for cotton, and with that amount of straw and 100 lbs. acid l)hosphate, 101 lbs. kainit, and 18 buchels of cottoi) seed, I make an average of a bale of cot ton to the nere, and some years I gut a bale and a half, on what was said to be 01(1 worn out land, but by the use of the above 1 110W have my land in good heart. it is said by some farmers that straw v. ill kill the cotton, but I havo never had it to kill liy cotton, and would use doubl the (uaitity that i do if it wore so thai 1 could got it to the land, as getting it in the land is a small matter with us. We break the 01(1 beds down with six furrows with a seven inch turn plough, then 01)011 with an eight inch double. winged straight hoo sixteen inches long; thus it may be seen how I get in my ten cords to the without troublo. It is said by some that I claim too much for pine straw, but this is a mistlke, a 1 only claim what the analysis, I believe, gives it, about 8 per cent. potash; but to take it at mtch less, and still I am an advo cate for its use, for 1 claim a good deal for its percoiatiig influence in the land -the same that yeast has in our bread for in this: it opens the soil and lets in the air and admits the gases from the rain, which, in close clay soil, is very necessary, An1d, as I think, in all soils, whether it be clay or otherwise. There are many objections to the use of straw. One adluccd by men of intelligeneo is, that. straw, when rotted, becomes sand, which, according to may experience, is both talse and true, for I claim that the stue soil that produces the growth, when rotted it will be the s:1ae, citl,er sand or clay. I believe all the farmers hue iv that ct,tt(onI grown on clay land hlas at yellou linige, lrodu tctled 1y the clay; iual if 0111 iiitt iarltk :, of tlhe soil, why ut pine straw? l'ut to [ie I ou olher thIban my own Cxpr'it. e'. lI spea:tking to ia well-to-tlo fiNe111'1' it ethe s11c't, lhe said lie Would tluit the faium if Ie cold not ;et pine straw, as l is lne that it: (s it largely. But it may be asked, how we are to get I In iich quantitit? ' can (nily say how I do it at this \uritini. I have in th,e woods Iifteen ihudret p iles, four fet.t high aiti four feet wide; theso have been raked w h\vn a the w'eattler Was such that .t u0111(1 not do t,the r ttrml vork; and wl we lay by our crop, .iiclh we usually itu about tie _t'i.i of .1 uly, th1en, bctwec(en that and the 111lad,i gathering, we get al ve u?e in the lot; ltud when we 11rst gel it in lot it i; ttn or twelve feet teel away frio thll ie fente. II t ais is niot don<t We couild never get it frioii thle woods it the spring, and, liaviug it in th> lot, it it tramiped by ti he i,ttiek, 1111(1 though 111 cut utp, aS this Cat1n0t be o11 aceounltt of dI tepthl, it, bll,m ? Con11ipact , aid, om.c w'\et, tetle0 ntt get dry nil:1 h.uling or Ilhe tine for pllinl, .I :>y l t wrong, I but .i tlhil r1ii jsjastet i L\ tL i' is 11, 1110o it ia isit i . le t:: I:' t c is not. (:nul!ghI 1tlt hi tl,l lat, h i' it tskes a lar'ge <lnottityv, 1i,hliL, to m10t a1 littie ('111ar 1 th totted; ttd 1 ill .;y this: the lloe oin hsg i :w lel0 ptosphate lie may w i!t pay',i tre: t g1 1 .e will only btt sure tond get th1S t.raw\ Wt11 in the itlrirols. I hve i1:sd fort' live blge piles to t,ie aero orlit sweet p) tatoes, alicl this atlon(e, liiu,i made very int) put- 'tb ; but 1 Ptll two Inmilis to the gltogll, aillt got tle stra. well in te grountl. there is 01ne fact abou 1111Itraiw thalt may int he generally known; it is this: very soon alter it is puit inl thle greolimd It goeS through a sweat, and1 th>es not get dtry any inlore unit il rtted, ati wuh ichi tm 'I have tahi it1 up 1fr1m the bot tom of theIIt planti furrow ititd founid thiat I1thedecome pose8(d straw was a inet work' of' fil i' roots. t!at have btn 4.1eei dinig lthee threough the seasoii. Dut I ii iu say, before I close, ilth rt yea iiI r ill the itse (of straw it dboes inot pay 'o largely, but eachl suceethniig yeari will paiy motre antd mor~e, or tis lhas bee my 111 xperienice, and( Mi. 8. M\. P'itt1, ( f Stl.1erounity, gaive lue thue linme as. his \lxper Ince, and lho has it b)roaidenst w. ithi good resltl, which I have never donte. Now, ini concelusi, let inie saly, whbile thle cottoii plant is imade upl o)f t'ven .omoniejnt pairts, a.nd pino 4traw~ will anad does consitituite on1e ofI tho(se l)urts, a little 1i1ish ati pihich andI wie have th at on hnu idt ill thet bar'ii Youlrs faithfully, Ae., lie will conti..lno to ' ..''iver evidenie oh the uii tne o''' the nepr, inim a Ie 1pub1iani'. huiin>i j'tdint I t exercistl of thei'I' r Ihtiof miile' . I1 Tel a. late t e nle eIt imb, tteneilen a:~ >uertie ( h>v es erl'nor.1 (eVil paper,l to llouther Leader,l t libernlir iii te si ;ttIh ile lway show conlelil ation1 in he co.lttIilre poo pile sultis tveril reay toc sa tlont oflj w~isomt all tncuraenI-ut to he n. f1e1l 11(redo tanjtiih'isa e rty or caed tducationalfacihtie;forvw uri eople wil bfte re ebeed.t' 1'ilo show thatl ho1, a pureiexo their , that ystterCit andt,not of anvy atluirprt, orn cflit toret indexg on therudeo haton mystri thlat su rroiund the old structure show, Iby their ri:igs, fully five hundred y'earl' growth. TIhese trees, no(w being ciut away, are thle only witne(sset to the age ofi the istonie work. Will their toust.inOIny b0 aicceptodt by hiistoriains? Will thet anititquarians ever ibid out wiho budlt that1 old( stone fort, andi for what purpose'? II ainy inivesttigaitorsi with to examine those trees, they should do so pret ty soon11, ai thley alr( rapidly disapplcaring.' Sout.h orn L.uaumrmani. f English as She Is Taught nd Written n England. (From the Youths' 0o panlon.) The subject of sohool ys' blunders has recently been agitat in various di rootions, and the collected result is ox ceedingly amusing. Some of the very boat instances of inadvertently happy phrasing come from English boys, and are recorded in the Cornhill Magazine. One youthful historian states, in exami nation, that "a constitutional monarch is one who has a good constitution." Another seems a trifle vague about the feudal systom, and writos that "it was a law that every one should got up at 8 a. in. to put out his fires.' Perhaps a p>hilologist might think that the boy was of French descent, from his referring the word feud to fou-fire. Passing on to the Bible history, we find versions of the Beautitudes which differ from those genorally received: "Blessed are ye when men shall say unto you, 'Rues,'" and "Blosed are the poor in spite of it." A certain passage in Xenqphon tells us that "on one occasion all tao soldiers escaped unhurt, but one man on the left wing was said to be shot." A translator, by transposing the words, made the statement "that one was said to bo shot on the left wing," whereupon a clever boy aptly remarked: "lie must have ben a goose." "One pupil, who was asked to explain the merning of the phrase, "the last in lirmity of noble minds," at once replied, "the diseaso you die of." Another youth defined "guordon" as "a largo flat thing that you broil on." This probably seems funnier to an Eng lishman than it does to an American, for the Englishman is apt to use tho word grill instead of gridiron. Another boy must have been suflering from pangs of hunger, for he wrote, in answer to the question, "What makes the tower of Pisa lean?" "because there was a sore famine in the land." E.ECTRI1 F"IRE BALLS. A Quxlionh ltislso I to Vhether Thej are No,t Opt.k1Icleiuutos. (Fromt the Newv York Sun.) In nearly all of the reports of personal injury by lightning strokes victims who recover say they have seen balls of fire. The lire ball seens to figure conspicu ously in all stories of prostration by lightning, and it would be interesting to study this special phase of the phenome na for the purpose of ascertaining whether the fiery ball has any existonco except as the result of the bright flash upon the optic nerves. Almost invaria bly the persons who are close enough to a hash of lightning to see this ball havo declared that it moved slowly, dancing and bounding through the room or across the field, and in cases where men and women have been prostrated and subsequently recovered they have as serted that the ball bounded slowly to ward them and struck them full in the chest. I recently talked with a man who was in a factory which was struck by lightning, and he told me that two balls of lire approached him from the and of the room, slowly bounding along the floor; and leapirg almost to the ceiling. When they reached him, he said, they both struck him on the breast at the same instant, and he fell insensible. The factory chimney was struck on this occasion and partly demolished. Ho re covered in fifteen minutes and carefully examined his clothes to see i. they wore burned. I firmly believe that the ball of fire is merely an optical illusion, and that it is seen only by persons who are not in the lirect liu of the electric current.. Ilaa anybody investigated the matter? IiLbor l'arties. T Ihe plolitical labor movemeut is nof, a transient p)henonmenon, destined to speedily thisapp~ear, but a movement of imore p)ermainent character, wvhich will continue in some form until its objects, so far as p)ossible, hav~e been attainedi. F'or this reason it behooves our states men, and the educated and thinkirg class generally, to consider what they ought to do in order to gulido the movii ine nt aright. An exclusively working mnas party, is an undesirable thing,. even if its aims are right; and no such, party can be maintained for atny length. of time if an hontest attempt is made by the educated peCoplo to help the working, People improvo their lot, That much. may b)e accomuplished, if all classes will work together for this end, there can be 110 realsonab)l doubt. Moreover, the duty cannot be shirked. TIhe iluestion of imp)rovimg the life of the toiling masses is the main political and sociaL p)roblemi of the ago, and will remain so, until it is solved -if solution be possible; anid it can only be solved by measures that are just to all other p)ortions of society. While American working men are desirous of attaining their ends by just means, they are liable to be misled by their passionis or their supposed in ti(rb, .j --yigning men who plander to both. .It is the duty of the business. muen amonig us to de all they can to help) the workig men in their legitimato aspirations, and at the same time to. show them their errors and rebuke thei when they go wrong. .With popular leadership of the right sort, parties mado up of.laborers mainly would soon cease to e.i-4, and working men would attain their ends by means of parties complosed of all classes and aiming at the good of all--Thle Century. "Aul Men, A re iar',"* Sai David of ol. lie was probably promp~1~ ted to make thle abhove remaruiks after 3linig some1 unreC]liable catarrhI remed(y.. oind ie beenti peiitiited to lIve until the present dauy, aiu nred IDr. Sag~e's l(temedy,. le ightli have' hadt a better oi)f)ionii of man-. I id. Wo chiltim i timt ino-cases of catarrht ca with j. thle noiiye effcCts of this. ., Cnd rolheicine. oe tial of it wfill iiuvince you of Its ellieaiy By druggIsts; (Irasshoppers are destroying crops in variouls parts of Belgiumi. The Massachusetts liopublican S3tatoc Conventtion will be held in Boston on A Loel, Mass., dlispatch says that. four girls were drowned Thursdlay at, North Bollorica, while bathing. At linob i ck, Mo., a collision occurred about -I o'clock Thursday morning be twoeu two freight trains, resulting iin the death of three men,