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^wo 1 *mti'1 ^ *g*tMMI*****1*TfffTffi "' '' . The Supreme Court of North Carolina the key ofchristmas unr | to sec me, however, and groeted me I <,A TUa-a Ai' -1 k-\_- ? I 4"!* L holds that ? ? * ? uvupou J UQCUIDM liable for punitive dam&gos in wilfallj failing to stop for passengers at a regular station and cannot escape liability on the ground that there was not sufficient room in the train if it appealed that by reasonable diligence it might have provided cars. 1 The northwest provinces of Canada have made bountiful provision for the education of the multitudes of people who are expected to some day occupy this now somewhat lonesome expanse of territory. Sackotchewan has set apart 3,646,000 acros of land for the main^ '' tenauoe off^lo sehools, Assfnibota 8,040,000, and Alberta 3,2u0,000. { flays the Atlanta Oonatitutwn: "Humor jhas its fashions. The funny men of the past generation do not please the readers of to-day. Mark Twain realizes this, and he is trying to strike a new vein. The Danbury Neiot man, Bill Nye, Eli Perkins and a host of others have found their nonalaritv waning and . i ? 31 *""J ?*"? .working hard to adapt therrnelvos to the change in public taste. Their failure ia inevitable. Tas average humorist haa only one career. When the public drop him ho is at the end of hit row." .. 1 The Chicago Newt says: "The reign ot terror inaugurated by bandits known as train-robbers is increasing in extent and flagranoy. These outlaws invariably ^ select some lonely spot in the country for * their depredations. It does not follow ,thatarural police force could always present train robberies, but there can be no jdoubt that its effect would be to lessen the boldness of American banditti. A rural police patrol, especially in sparsely Isettled districts, would seem to be a nofcessity of the times. It is not often that }traic robbers become so bold as to select a point near a large city for their dendish work. ,That an express trsin only an 'hour out of Chicago on the St. Paul road (has been held up by bandits proves how daring this class of criminals is becoming. They must be checked in the interest of ?Mp jto'-rr if a aystern of mounted rural police shouhi be generally adopted we would also soon hear tKS'TSst 1ft outrages* hy^ wlilte-oips ,aud their allied outlaws.'' In an address lately delivered in Albuquerque, Governor Prince says that in New Mexico tho improved systems of irrigation, on which they have to depend for the multiplication >< their area of useful land, are advancing rapidly. In the northeast the Springer system, with fifty miles of ditches and five reservoirs, covers 22,000 acres; and the Vormejo system, with fifty-seven miles of ditches and ten reservoirs, supplies 30,000 acres. In tho northwest there are 290 milc3 of ditch completed and forty in process of construction, giving fertility to 24,000 acres. In the southeast the Pecos Valley system, already largely completed, about fifty miles of main ditch and 120 of laterals beiug in operation, with its great dam 1140 feet long and 270 feet wide at the base, and its lake seven miles in length, will soon supply almost 200,000 acres of land with the necessary irrigation. And in the southwest tho wcrks along the Mimbres are solving a new problem, aud ' will supply a section of wonderful fertil iry whq water requisite for suicossful cultivation. Pittsburg, Peon., is stirred up over revelations of the depravity of tbe Chinese secret k society T'ian ti, which has sbeeu persecuting a Christianized Chinaman turned Ye Tang. In the ethics of the society tbexw^rsion of a Chinaman to Christianity is a helnou^trtb, and he is thereafter a marked man, especially if he should proaeiytizo in the cause of his new creed. The Rev. E. R. Donehoo, a missionary among tbe Chinese in Pittsburg, says that for a ion,' time the T'ianti Society has beeu trying to dri70 the convert Ve Tang out of tho city or plot him into prison. Tbe latter thny have now succeeded in doing. The unfortunate Ye Tang was charge I with obtain. .ing money uuder the false pretence of se curing licenses to conduct "business" for his Cuinuse friends. These friend* filled the court room on the day of the trial, and, according to the Rev. Mr. Donehoo, they lied with euch apt conaiatency that there was nothing more for the magietrate to do but aentence Ye Teng to $Tjr four months' Impriaonment. A previous charge mado againat Ye Tang, which fall through, wae that be conspired to kill several of hie weetthy countrymen and decamp with their property. "Heathen Chinamen," aays -Mr. Done boo, commenting on the woe* of Y?| Tang, "have no regurd for theh oaths before civil courts. They observe only thoeo of their own sooietiee sad religions. I here worked long among them, gf: . end can safely say I would not believe tbern uo.ler oath. We Americana can not reaHr,-. the intense hatred felt, agtina w bo has the key of the Christmas Land? Where the bonfire shines, And the holly twines. Carol 1 ere sing?a merry band? And stars are bright o*or that fair strand? Who has the key of Christmas Land? Light are the hearts in Christmas Land; In each group you meet There are faces sweet. Bosoms young and guileless are there, And brows not yet wrinkled with care? Who has the key of Christmas Land? Dear baby hearts in Christmas Land, We want to be near, And join in your cheer When the tree with its strange fruit bends, i And yon wait for what Banta send*? Who has the key of Christmas Land? Lore has the hey of Christinas Land, Ob1 come, Cherub Love, Viith wings like the dove, Spread over hearts thy light of peace, flow for a harvest full of iaorease? Open the gates of Christmas Land. Open the gates of Christmas Land; There is mjich to do And the days are few. Bid all men set Charity free; By thy grace, let us see there be None of God's poor in Christinas Land. ?William Lute. A MAf CHRISTMAS BT E. PHILLIPS OFPBNHEIM. If there is one thing more than another when a bachelor commences to doubt whether his state of single blessedness is ' the most desirable form of existence it is at Christmas time. The joys of the season are essentially domestic joys; and every one is either looking forward to convivial meetings with a circle of relations and friends or a happy reunion with his own family. At such a time a middle-aged bachelor with no relations (eels rather out of it. Now, although I must plead guilty to ten years of bachelorhood, I never was one of the misanthropical tme. I ??<> tingle (observe the past tease) not from principle, but merely from force of circumstances, and I was never addicted to (hutting myself up with my books and a cat, and growling cynical remarks at the pleasure seeking world. On tho contrary, I am of a somewhat jovial die position, and was always fond of society. Christmas time Ilikea to spend at a jolly country house, and could turn my inind to charades, dancing, romping with the villagers or children, conjuring and many other accomplishments. In fact, I may say with fine modesty that I once Juaui ni|iwtr nwmw *? ?.* ? hostess as an "extremely useful sort of man." j? "WITH MY BACK TOW ADD THE ENGINE.' * The idea of spending Christmas in an j olitary rooms, with only my landlady and her domestic to talk to was a contingency which I bad aiever contemplated for a moment; but last year I was very nearly brought face to face with it. 1 generally had at least two or three invitations to select from, and choee the one where I should be likely to meet the most interesting set of people; but on this occasion my usual invitations did not arrive. The liarwoods, with whom I had spent the Christmas before, had lost a child, and .ss a WCIC 111 tuuuruiu^ j IrLlO JIUUIUOUS VVCIO wintering at Nice (lira. Houlden was delicate) and at Houghton Orange botb the girls were married, and the Christmas house parties were things of the past. These were my stock invitation; and as I recollected others among my circle of acquaintances to whom something or other had happened since last year it slowly dawned upon me that if I desired to avoid a Christmas in Condon I had better make arrangements to remove myself either to a northern hydropathio establishment which I had occasionally honored with my presence, or to a Brighton hotel, where I was sure of falling in with some pleasant company. Just as I had arrived at this melancholy decision, however, a letter arrived which afforded me the greatest satisfaction. It was an invitation to spend a week or two with my old friend, tt*A Halle ton. at his dIsco in Leicester hire; and with the vivid recollection before me of ? pleasant Christmas spent at Oaolbj Hall some three years ago, 1 loat no time in penning a cordial assent to the weloome invitation. A few days later beheld me, followed by a porter earning my various impediments, on the platform of St. Paneras, prepared to imrfrt my journey down to Leicester by the half-past three Manchester and Livsmtooi ezpraas. The Pali man wat crowded with a pack of noisy school-, boys, so 1 eschewsd it and selected an empty flret class carriage. I took ><Asession of my fsvorite corner seat, with my baok to the engine, and wrapping my leg round my kneee and unfolding newspaper glided away from the city of smoke in a remarkably good humor, pertly inspired, no doubt, by a capital lunch, and pertly by pleasurable antici t pationa of my forthcoming visit. > . Fred met me st Leicester station, and I saw with regret that ha waa looking pule and ill end much thinner than whan I felt Mfrkte tat. WMMd plMMd warmly. During our drive to Gaulby I hazarded a few remarks, with a view to ascertain- , ing what sort of a party there was collected at the Hall, but 1 got nothing definite out of him. He was quite unlike j bis old self, and I eainc to the conclusion , that he must be ill. As we drove up tho , avenuo I leaned out the window to gazo , at the fine old mausion, and !t struck mo , at once as looking cold nud uninviting, , while the grouuds were certainly very j much neglected. Something seemed ] wrotg all round, and I began to feel al- ( most sorry I had come. We overtook | Mrs. Hallston at the hall door, just re- i turned from a walk. Sho was as gracious i and as pleasant as she had ever bean to < me, but I fancied that I could detect in of the ill being which^^n^dT'to^eiS^ around her. i We all three entered together, and the moment we passed through the door I ! felt conviuced that my expectations of a ! jolly Christmas party were doomed to dis- 1 appointment. There were no decorations r about, only one doleful looking servant and apparently nothing stirring. I felt e sure something was wrong, but at any ' rate I consoled myself with the reflection c that I had lost little by coming, as it had a been a choice between here and the e hotel. But, all tho samo, I did not feel li particularly cheerful as I followed the d doleful lookinc servnni- -1 O niuug 1] wide corridor*, across passages, upstairs s again, and then down a long corridor, n until at last we reached my room in the a west wing. My surmises were correct. When I I descended, after prolonged and careful v toilette, my host was lounging about in tl a shooting jacket and he and bis wife u were the only occupants of the room. I a was the only guest. T 'I've something very serious to say to b jou, Neillson," he said slowly (Neillson n is my name). "I'm going to make a b contklant of you, if I may, old man." si I bowed my head and listened. ' b You haven't noticed anything par- I ticular about my wife, I don't suppose, It have you7" ho asked, with a searching ii glance. r< I admitted I had thought her strangely t< silent, and apparently having some d anxiety weighing upon her mind. k He laughed, a short unpleasant laugh, I and leaned over to me confidentially. li "I rely upon your discretion, you a< know, Neillson. I wouldn't have it I known for the world; but my wife is F mad." , u "Mad!" I stared at him iucr:lu)ously. Yes, mad," he repeated impatiently. tl r a herself to it. The doctor whom I have tl consulted advised me to send her toa hi private asylum, but I haven't the heart bi to do it. She's perfectly harm you w know; but, of course, it's an ' A trial c< to me." _/ I stammered out an expression of syrn- in pathy. To tell the truth,I scarcely kuev r( T V. :u? tv iiai/ iw oay. i nas UPWHUCICU at (UIS IE painful explanation of the gloom which al reigned over the house. Presently Fred ej closed his eyes and left rae to digest this Is strange and unwe'.eome piece of news. g I am naturally somewhat selfish, and before very long my sympathy was diverted w iu some measure from my host to my- ai self. It occurred to me tha; it was by ri no means a pleasant prospect to be a tl guest in a house the mistress ol which n was mad. It was not altogether kind o'. n Fred to invite rae, I thought, under the a circumstauces, without some cxplana ii tion of his wife's state. I began to fee! n quite ar iujured man. I was quite tired ? of my own company, and Fred was fast f asleep. So I opened the door softly and ri made my way down to the hall. As 1 a passed an opuu door Mrs. ilallatou up h peared and beckoned me in. 1 had no fl alternative but to obey her invitation. g ?: b i I "I'm OOINO TO CHUCK HER DOWN." j ' V "Mr. NeilWon," she said, in an agitated tone, "as you are going to stop here for a day or two, thero is something connected with this household * which you ought to know. Has my t ausband told you anything?" I I bowed and told her gravely that I ] knew all, and that she had my profound- t est sympathy. She sighed. "Perhaps you are surprised that I should ask whether Fred had told you," she said, turning a little away from me. "It seems strange, doesn't it, that one should be mad and be eonscloue of itf It only comes on in fits, and they ere terrible. She shuddered, and so, to tell the truth, did I. IiQiiaVi a n^aaa of marlniita I* ? |iiiax7 ui uiau ucu A* jituwauij not incurable," I ventured to suggest timidly. "Incurable 1 of courae it ia not incurable," aha answered, vehemently. I edged a little toward the door. ] had no experience in talking with lunaties, and felt anything but oomfortable in my present position. Mrs. Hallaton was beginning to look very exoited and dangerous. "Of courae if you are frightens J, Mr. Neilltoo," she said a little contemptuously. "you leave us whoever you ' r.?v. m. uma iib? no now cane oa 01 ten but they are anything tat pleasan thinga to witness when thy do com* on." / "I should imagine so," I Useuted, de voutly hoping a St was not (then pend ing. Soon I managed ti make mi adieu, and with a sigh of/relief fouad myself once more in the till. I made my way to Eurdett's room, but he had orone to bed, and seeing it las nearly 11 o'clock, I decided to go a bed, and, preceded by a si|8|?,*,*V (I (could nevei have found theT^?6? ^ll, I mounted again tho widcA.** '6? ??' threaded the numerous par \ Qf Jed to my room. It wa>/~*Jt wide corridor, on elt' were ?*x "Does atw one^Asj^^^P^LAsked ut [luiutoa Jt*y oppciite "That is the masLr'i room, sir," he eplied; and the on r at the bottom end 8 MVs. H&Uaton's. No one else sleeps n this part of the 1 tuse. The servants' ooras are all in the Kirth wing." I nm generally ab i to sleep at whativer hour I retire; I i*t it was early, and he fire looked tem] ting; so, instead of mmediately undressing, I changed my oat for a smoking jacket, and, lighting pipe, made myself comfortable in an asy chair. Soon I heard Mrs. ilallaton's ight footsteps ascend the stairs, and the !oor of her room open and close, and a ittle while afterward Fred halted outide my door to bid ine a cheery goodight, aud then enteipd the room oppoite. How long 1 eat Ihete I cannot tell, for fell into a heavy doze, and when I roko up with a sudden start it was with lie une \sy consciousness ^hat something nusual had awaTtctfKTTne. I sprang tc ty feet and looked fearfully urouud. 'he flickering flames of my tire, almost urncd out, wero still sufficient to show le that nc ono had entered the room.; ut while I atood there with strained snscs I heard a sound which made my lood run cold within me; and, although am no coward, I shivered with fear. twas the half -muffled shriek of a woman t agony,and it came from Mrs. Hallaton'i )om. For a moment I was powerless > move; then I hastily unlocked my oor, and, hurrying down tho corridor, nocked at her3. There was no answer, tried the handle; it was locked; but, steniug for a moment, I could hear the >und of a woman gasping for breath. rushed back along tho corridor to 'red's room. The door was closed, bu' nlocked, and I threw it open. "Fredl" I cried; but Fred was not tere, nor had the iJbed been slept on tfco to room was whai^QH^d to bo a ole in the wall, bntwhen I stood Bforo it I saw at once that it was a :cret passage running parallel with the arroidor. Looking down it, I could ;e a light at the other end, and knowig it must lead into Mrs. Uallaton's >om, I caught up the candle aud bondig almost double half rau, half crept ong it, until I reached its otbci itreraity and founl myself in Mrs. Haldon's room. I stood upright and lanced half eagerly, half fearfully round. The room was empty, but the dndow directly oppdfcito to me was open, ad as my eyes fell upon it I stood petted with a dull siotcening horror, aud le candle dropped with a crash from kj nerveless- fingers. There was a kiniature balcony outside the window, nd on this stood Fred Hallaton, holdag in an embrace, which was certainly ot of love, the failing form of his rife. The mood VasSTfiningfullou his ice, ghostly and demoniacal, with the iging fire of the madman in his eyes nd the iml>ccile grin of the lunatie on is thin lips. In a moment the truth ashed upon me, and as I stood there aping and horror struck he saw me and iurat into a fit of wild laughter. "Ha, ha, hal You NellUon? What a oke! See what a glorious view of the ;rounds I Come and bond over, man; lon't be afraid. Does the height make ou dizzy? It's made her;" and he aotioned to the insensible figure of his rife, whom be still held clasped in his irms. "Do you know what I am going o do with her? I'm going to chuck her lown there," and he pointed to the garlen below. "A. mad woman is of no ise to anyone. Come and lend me a land." Mechanically I rushed to the balconv nd strove to wrench from his encircling riaspthe fainting Trifr Liko flash his imbecll^prtli vanished and lis eyes filled with a maiiguani fury to let go hia grasp of his wife and sprang ,t me like a tiger cat. It was in vain hat I wrestled with hira. His long irms were Around me and held me as if were in a vice. I tried to snout for mlp, but my tongue cleaved to the roof >f my mouth, and a faint gurgling was ill the sound I could command. Nearet ind nearer we drew to the parapet's ;dgc, until at last I could see ths lawn >elow, studded with flower beds like the >attern of some fancy work; for Qsulby flail was built high, and we were on the bird story. I felt his hot breath in my uiuuipu ns ne siowiy forced me back[ ward against the outside rail, which B creaked and swerved with my weight, nnd then my Btruggliug feet seemed to . part with the earth, as with a wild yell of: f "Leicester! Leicester!'' I opened my eyes and silt up with a start. The paper ^ had slipped from my tiugers, and the train was slowly steaming into Leicester station, and there, standing upon the platform, smiling and robust, looking , the very picture of health, was Fred Hallaton. That Christmas party at Gaulby Hall was the most enjoyable I was ever at, ? and the people (the house was crammed full of visitors) the most entertaining and c agreeable I ever met. There was oue young person especially? a Miss Alice si IS j ? ?v. a ji visit so much in uiy life as I "did that one, nor a ride so much as one afternoon R] when Miss Pratison and I, after a capital r< run, rode home together with her little \\ hand in mine and our horses very close together. Next Christmas, if Alice e] doesn't object, 1 mean to have a jolly little house party of my own. r THE BROADENING OUT ? ft Of Southern Development.??-Signs of T Improvement Everywhere. h The Manufacturers' Record, of Balti- Rl more, of December 19, in reviewing the industrial progress of the South, says: "The signs of a general improvement 11 in industrial development and in large investment operations throughout the 11 South noted in the last issue of the n Manufacturers' Record are even more noticeable this week, notwithstanding the near approach of the holiday rcasou, I4 when business meu*generally wait for the next year before going into new enter- h prises. There is a decided revival in the P projection of new miniug, manufacturing and railroad cnterpiscs, and, despite the J very low price of ?otton, the general out- t look in the South is daily growing bet- s ter, though collections in mercantile lines t! may for a while continue slow. A gcu- 1 crnl survey of the field shows that good S progress is being made towards securing 8 the full $800,000 required for the pro- i posed steel works near Birmingham, while one or two other steel enterprises p are in a fair way to secure the requisite ^ capital. Important coal-mining enter- 8 prises are coming to the front in Texas, p and, while one company reported last () week is putting in a plant to mine 1,000 j tons per day, another company with a n capital stock of $100,000 is preparing for ,, active work. The opening up of coal ? mines in Texas will uivc a great impetus c to the whole Stute. Extensive- railroad 6 | work is being pushed, and' thc ^opeuing f the Ohio river marks the beginning of another era in the South's foreign commerce and domestic trade as will bring into operation another through liue to t the West and open the way for pushing Virginia and West Virginia coal into ter- a ritory now controlled by Pennsylvania coal. At Norfolk this road will at once commence the construction of very large ^ machine shops, and additional piers and warehouses for the shipping trade. The building of a road from Ronuokc through Kincastle to Clifton Forge, which is to he pushed, will connect the two great systems, the Norfolk ?fc Western and the Che peake A Ohio, and open, in counecncction with other lines, a direct routo between Pittsburg and the South. In evciy direction such signs as these tell of the rapid advance which the South is making. The fact is also emphasized by the report of industrial enterprises mentioned in this wtelf's is>uu of the Manufacturers Record. Among some of the in re important ones are the near com plctiou of large tinplate works at Baltimore to make 1,800 boxes a week, and of tiic cotton-tie and rolling mill at Denison, Texas, giving that State cotton-tie mills; the organization of a bridge-building company at Anniston, Ala.; a $250,000 coal-mining company at Parish, Ala ; a $15,000 lumber company at Perdue Hill, Ala.; a 000,000 phosphate company a $"*>' 0,000 phosphate company and a $10, 000 phosphate company in Florida, large phosphate works in the same State to be uilt by a Georgia company; a $10,000 j < CK'vaior-DUUuiug company, Atlanta, ana t the removal from the west to Chattanoo- i ga of a similar company; a $12,000 lime r and fertilizer company, Augusta, Ga.; a < c.inul-coal company, Maysville, Ky.; a < $500,000 fuel-gas company at Newport, Ky.; a $25 000 tool-manufacturing com- > pany nt Baltimore, Md.; a $100,000 iniuiug company at Chattanooga, Tenn.; a 1 $50,000 coal-mining company at Dallas, ' Texas; a (535,000 contract for extension ' of water works at Port Worth, Texas. ; J a $50,C00 lumber company at Leggett, Texas; tho Srtlo of 80.000 seres of timber ' in 1 in Texas: a $50,000 ice-factory company at San Antouio, Texas; a $25,000 lumber company at Newsoms, Va.; a (25,000 woodworking company at liad ford, Va.; a (50,000 shoe-factory company at Charleston, W. Vn. ; a (10,000 ron-manufneturiug company at Huntington, W. Va ; a $50,000 glass-works company at Kanawha City, W. Va.; a (200,000 corl-mining company at Fort Smith, Ark.; removal of hardware works ' from New Jersey to Martinsburg, W. ' Va , etc." I ^ ' V Peculiar Chatham County Case. Raleigh, N. C., [Special.j?Several years ago in Chatham county M. R. Weathers, a prominent citizen, fell dead in his yard on the day appointed for his second marriage. Dr. Stone, the family nlnkipun wac in Invn with V*llic Weathers' pretty daughter. Neighbors suspected that the doctor poisoned Weathers and charged criminal intimacy !> tween the physician and Miss Vallie. A year after the father's death the doctor and Miss Vallie were convicted of adultery, and the man was sentenced to tho penitentiary. He was pardoned on a plea of ill health after three month's incarceration and left the 8tate. L ist week he returned to Chatham, an 1 on leaving carried Miss Weathers with hiin * to parts unknown. He leaves a family of thirteen in destitution. A new napthft spring of immense caKicity recently opened in litkon, uMia. if it continues with the same powers m at present, it will be the richij e?t a?ptha (ouataio la the world. DECEMBER DOINGS. Phe Latest News From a Trio of States. Interesting News Items From Many Points in Our Own and Neighboring States. VIRGINIA. A girl died in Chesterfield who had aten nothing for five weeks. A deputy United States marshal is bared with murder in Smith county. The Piedmont Hotel in Louisa was 3l> Wash.- " igton county, putin jail, but escaped. Two hundred and fifteen people at the hops of the Richmond & Danville Rnillad in Manchester were discharged last -eek. Congressman Win. B. Wilson has been lected president of Richmond Co'lege. A convention of the postmasters of harlotte county was held at Smithville. ic object being to secure increased pay >r fourth-class postmasters. The tirst annual session of the State einperance Convention met at Richmond ist Tuesday. The lion. John E Mas?y was elected chairman. Mayor Elyaon ddressed the body. City Councilman M. T. Page, of Richjoud, was a*rested Thursday for enaging in a turk'-y raffle. He was trylg his luck in a crowd when a police lan ordered the crowd to desist. Page eclined and was arrested. Never before was there such an Odd 'elloas' lodge as that instituted iu Norjlk last week. The new organization us a charter membership of 319 and romises to grow even larger. A special from Roanoke savs: The lorfolk & Western has ord red 15,000 ons of steel rails to be used in the coutruction of the Ohio division. Ten housand tons are to be furnished by the 'ittsburg steel works and 5,000 tons by i par row Point, Md. Tho Roanoke and outhern have driven the lust spike in he completion of their road. At the session of the Grand Lodge a Richmond Grand-Master J Howard Vnyt, of Staunton, declining to serve a ecotid term, Wm. H. Pleasants, of IIol ins Institute, was elected grand muster f Masons of Virginia; Mann Page, of 'rinec George, was elected deputy grand riastei; J. 1\ Fitzgerald, of Furmvile, ;rand senior warden; A. R. Courtney, [rand junior warden; W. T. Allen, ;rand treasurer; W. B. Isaacs, grand ccretary; F. A. Heed, Alexandria, grand 'Hyf?t7rt"vtiW(f(f;"grunR jtfiilW OeViVn. T" NORTH CAROLINA. Gov. Holt gave his first reception in he Governor's Mansion, Thursday. A company has been organized to build $75,000 hotel in Winston. Forty-five of the employees of the Ruligh & Gaston shops, at Raleigh, were ropped last week. A N. Y. company has purchased the cd of theUwharric river and will dredge t for gold with the latest improved mahinery. The Mecklenburg county commissionis have decided au.iinst nil applicants or whiskey license and Charlotte will be dry" next year. The Wilmington, Chad bourne and Jon way Railroad has been purchased by he Atlantic Coast Line. Warren G. Eliott becomes president and J. R. Kenly general manager. The various orders of King's Daughters >f Raleigh have inaugurated a movement o e tahlish a home for aged and infirm adies there. Rev. R. O Burton, I) D , for over ifty years a member of the Noith Caroina Conference, died at his home near Attlcton, Thursday morning, in his 79th rear. He leaves several sons, among vhom are Rob' it O. Burton, a dialing lished 1 iwyer in Raleigh, and Andrew J. lurton, a member of the Asheville bar. Advance notes of the. returns of piopnty in the Stale for the current year sa\s hat the total of all property, including miuunon 01 rauw ys, ts f2r>7,0>2.? 00. rhis shows an increase in the valuation )f railways alone this year over last year >f nine millions. Shelby has a mechanical prodigy in the person of young Lector Eskridge, the loui teen-year-old sou of Webb Eskridge, the well known machincst Youug Eskridge can unlock any safe in town in two minutes without knowing the combin tion He was subjected to several si vere tests this week and was victorious in cveiy iustanco. He is also .an espett telegraph operator. Wilmington is greatly excited over the arrest of Jno. Davis, prominent in church affairs and principal pr >moter of the elegant new Fifth Street .Methodist church, on the charge of false pretense to an amount approximating $100,000. Much of the money was church funds. Widows, orphans and laborers have suffered at his hands. Claims of $60,000 are already iu the lawyers' hands for collection, and Davis is in custody of the sheriff. SOUTH CAROLINA. The new County Government bill failed to pass the Legislature. A national hank has been organized at Anderson, capital stock $100,OoO. The massive stone wharf and pie> at .i.. n..... t. /- !...1- v.... UIO V/1ISIUIII IXUU9C1 III VUDItCBlUII Mtl?C been completed. Barrooms are not profitable in Abbeville. That of F. C. Perry was closed last week under mortgage of $1-100. A new social club has been arganizad in Charleston known as the Button Club. They have handsome quarters on King street. The executive committee of the board of trustees of Cleroson College at a meeting in Greenville informally agreed that they will not attempt to open the Collegf at the time fixed if the Legislature does not pass the appropriation of $(11,000 foi the institution The Legislative committee reported fgvon&ly oo joint resolution to jtrovidt for the erection of marble headstone* over the graves of the South Carolina dead at Franklin, Va. Ross A Smith, president of the Charleston Poultry and Pet Stock Association, is enthusiastic over the prospects of the success of the exhibition to le given by the A sociation next month. The Legislative committee on Federal relations reported favorably joint rcsoluto permit the French Cable Company to land its lines at some point on the coast of this State. The Duke de Litta is in Charleston and will remain two or three months. He is one of the direct decendsnts of the seven distinguiched Dukes of Milan, and arrived in New York from Italy in October, since which time he has been travCarolina tobacco, H. E. Harman, editor of the Tobacco Journal says: "The J?ttlc tobacco colony nround Florence has grown rapidly. I have seen the tobacco grown there come in direct competition on the ware house floors with the tobacco crrow H in Vnrtll f'nrolin., \r. o ? Moulin, and I h-?\c proudly seen (he Palmetto pioduct lead all otheis in high I'ii i? c?. lhe South Carolina Legislature has been ask< d for a cha tcr for the Norfolk, Wilmington and Charleston Railroad This company has been acting under a North Carolina char er, and now needs another to further its plans. It is reported that his road is to he built from Norfolk to Kinst'in, N. C , from which place the main division will continue down the coast to Charleston, while another will be built to Camden and Colum bia. lloth Capitular and Cryptic Masonry are making rapid progress, and several ucw councils havo recently haaa instituted lu the State The Grand Royal Arch Chapter and Gnud ,Council both meet in Charleston on tho second Tuesday inFebruary. Sloan Oglesby, colored, and Belle llugdins, white, convicted of arso t and scull-m ew in i.) years imprison mot, 1 il 1M8."), were pardoned by the Governor The pardon of Helle Iludgins was mainly ob ained through a lady of Columbia. OTHER STATES. A bill has been introduced in Congress ptoviding for the appropriation of $10,000,< 0 ? for the improvement of the Miss ssippi river. The planters of Decatur nud other counties of Southern Georgia have found that they can raise tobacco of fine quality of the Cuba cigar-leaf variety, aud are preparing to add that to their usual crops. 1IU nuuAi JH&HUKY. The House, After a Short Sesaion, Adjourns Until Saturday. Washington, D. C., [Special.]?In his opening prayer the chaplain of tha house invoked divine protection of the House against the assaults of the insiduoiis disease now p rvadiug the land. The speaker announced the appointcommittee on rules as follows: The speaker (chairman), Messrs. ? Millin, Catchings, Reed, and Burrows. Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, presented the report of the board of visitors to the military academy. Referred to the committee on military atTairs when appointed. Mr. Gates, of Alabama, oifered a resolution providing for the appointment of a standing committee ou order of business. to consist of lifteen members, of which the speaker a''all be ex-olficio chairman Mr Bnrtinc, of Nevada, who has been absent < n account of illness, appeared at the bar of the House nud took the oath of offic \ Mr Taylor, of Tennessee, rising, said that it was his mournful duty to announce the death of his fr end and colleague, Hon. Leonidaa C. Hook, who died suddenly from accidental poisoning at hia home in Knoxville in May last He paid a tribute to his collcaeue. The House then, a* a mark of respect to tlie memoiy of the deceased, adjourned until Saturday. As nothing ran be done in the House until after Holidays the major number of Southern Congressmen left for their homes. Representative. McChlian, of Indiana, says Governor Gary will he a candidate for vice president in the Democratic convention, with a solid delegation at his back. Seual i Ca'.i. of Florida. wants Cuba 1 to become aiepuhlic. He has introduce^, a resolution in the oauatt- to that effect. The President sect to the Senafctne nomination < f Stephen B. Elkins. of West Virginia, to he Secretary of War, vice Redfild Proctoi resigned. TELEGRAPH BREVITIES. Reports of the ravages of influenza in various parts of Europe ate constantly received. An order has been issued ordering all telegraphers on the Pacific system of the Southern Pacific road to strike. John P. Richardson, one of the largest and best known cotton planters in in the South, died at Dallas, La. The new tariff bill introduced in the chamber of deputies in Lisbon is strongly protectionist in character. The Portsen Island Building Society, of London, has suspended. The est..listed securities h'.'. l by the society amount in value to ?700,000. ine mission minister ot war nan aura moned nil the chiefs of the general staff to attend h council to make a new disposition of Russian forces. The nmouut of silver offered for sale to the treasury department Tue;d?y was 726,000 ounces, and the amount purchased 250,000 ounces at 05 cents I The steamer Advance, which has arrived in New York from South Amo iea, repoits tha* on November 29th C. If. , rteiBon, quarte. master, aiea 01 yeitow , fever ann was buried at tea. r The steamer Herbert, o' Chattanooga, from St. I.ouis, wee sunk at Florence, I AIh , after having successfully pa ?e<\ , through Muscle Shoals canal. M