University of South Carolina Libraries
lewis m. grist, proprietor.! ^ti litbepenbent Jantilg ftetospaper: Jfor % promotion fff f|c political, facial, ^gricnltnral aitb Commercial Interests Off % $ont{j. |TERMS?$3.00 A YEAR, INADYANCE. VOL. 22. YORKVILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1876. USTO. 12. Jin Original ^torg. TH^IRONCHESTT BY AN OLD CONTRIBUTOR. CHAPTER I. Lyndon Parsonage was one of the prettiest, pleasantest domains imaginable. It was moderate in extent, and had nothing costly or elegant about it; but good taste and comfort reigned everywhere, within and without. The picturesque simplicity of the house and outbuildings, the careful arrangement of the grounds, and the perfect neatness and order visible in even the minutest domestic details, made it a charming and attractive spot. The inhabitants of this little rural paradise were of a character quite in keeping with the outward appearance of their home. The Lyndon family comprised no less than eight members?the rector and his wife, their five children, and an invalid brother of the former, who had for many years lived under their roof. The Rev. Edward Lyndon was a mildtempered, benevolent, studious maju, greatly beloved by his parishioners, among whom he was almost as much at home as in the bosom of his own family. His congregation were mostly of the poorer class; but there were some of a better sort, with whom he was equally and deservedly a favorite, for he was not only kind, charitable and sympathizing to the humble and needy, but a man of refinement and culture; a most agreeable companion in the drawing-room, and, still better, a true and kind friend, on whom all might with confidence rely. As regarded his vocation, there were some who thought that his pulpit might have been more ably filled; but if his sermons were not brilliant, they were at least sincere, and he endeavored to practice what he preached; while in his parish work, no one could have labored more faithfully and conscientiously than he, or more earnestly tried to be a good shepherd to his little flock. ^ " * IF r J : .Equally popular was mre. juynuou, a owiling, rosy dame; portly in figure, overflowing with cheerfulness and good-humor, and always ready to lend a helping hand 'to the rector in deeds of kindn&s and charitable works. Her fair, matronly countenance, framed by brown curls just tinged with gray, always shone in like a sunbeam on the inmates of the humble cottages where she was a frequent visitor; and there were none so sick, so sullen or so ungracious as not to feel better and brighter after her cheery presence had illuminated their homes. Her out-door activity did not by any means interfere with her household rule, She was a devoted mother, entering warmly into all her children's pursuits; a watchful mistress, firm, yet gentle, in her sway ; a housekeeper whose merits were recognized as of the first order by those fl'TOBV his trusty staff; and truly no one could have occupied more fitly than herself the position in life she had been called upon to fill. The two elder children were girls?Lilly ' and Edith by name. The former, at the time my story commences, was not quite seventeen years of age; the latter eighteen months her junior. They were a pretty pair, very much alike in appearance and disposition. Lilly was the fairest; Edith had the most regular features. Beyond thfe, neither possessed any noticeable personal advantage over the other. Like their mother, they were amiable, affectionate and unsel6sh. Indeed, under her training, they could scarcely have turned out otherwise than well. The same might be said of the younger children, whose characters, however, could not be considered formed. Alfred was fourteen, Edgar twelve, and little Daisy, who was still regarded as the baby, not yet eight?all happy, healthy, blooming, merry-hearted juveniles, with a fair share of intelligence and good looks, and forming altogether a group of which any parents might be pardonably proud. Lily was most with her father, as an elder daughter is apt to be. She kept his study in order, and sometimes copied his sermons for him when he was pushed for time. Edith was fond of housekeeping, and was notable in the pastry line j: a fact which gained her favor in her brothers' eyes, these young gentlemen being exceedingly partial to ?a good dessert She was full of energy and activity, fond of being sent on errands, and almost as intimate as her mother with the rheumatic old women and infirm old men of the parish, who thought Miss Edith one of the nicest and prettiest yonng ladies that ever stepped. Perhaps, of the two girls, she had the most character. Lily was almost too soft and yielding; less apt to hold her own against trial and temptation. But of these, indeed, neither of them had yet had any experience. Their lives had flowed onward in a tranquil current from infancy, unruffled by a single adverse breath. Of Captain Lyndon, the rector's brother, a retired army, officer in failing health, there is little to be said. He was fond of solitude, and consequently kept much in his own room, which had been fitted up with every convenience and comfort which the care and thoughtfulness of his sister-in-law could suggest. He read most of the time, never saw visitors, and seldom went out except for ten minutes' walk in the most secluded part of the grounds. His nephews and nieces were not intimate with him ; but he was entirely inoffensive, and if he did not contribute particularly to the cheerfulness of the household, ho did not in any way detract from it. He regularly borrowed his brother's sermons, and carried them off to read in private, as he could not go to church; but Alfred reported that on one occasion, having been sent on some errand to his room, he discovered him ' fast asleep over one of the said manuscripts, and after that the young people were apt to smile when they saw Uncle George going, on Mondays, to the study, and would wonder, somewhat irreverently, whether papa's sermon of yesterday would do him any good. A more peaceful life than tl^pt at the parsonage could scarcely be imagined. No echo of the turmoil of the outer world ever entered there. The aims, the hopes, the pleasures of its inmates were centered in their own quiet circle; their simple plans and pursuits engrossed all their thoughts. It was, perhaps, a narrow sort of existence ; but, after all, our happiness depends less upon our actual condition than upon the light in which we regard it, and contentment, as every one must allow, is one of Heaven's choicest gifts. Possessing this, what could the Lyndons desire more ? This uneventful calm, however, was des tined to be broken in an unexpected and quite remarkably way. Sitting around the breakfast-table one morning, when the mail-bag was brought in, the curiosity of the family was excited by the ! appearance of a large, important-looking letter, bearing an imposing seal, and a superscription in an unknown hand. It was. addressed to the rector, and that gentleman, as people are apt to do, occupied some little time in examining the outside of it, and speculating who it could possibly be from, instead of taking the shorter and more direct method of ascertaining its contents. Arriving, presently, at the conclusion that to open it would be the easiest way to satisfying himself on the subject, he broke the seal; but he had not read far when an exclamation of astonishment escaped his lips, which caused his wife and children to look eagerly up, and the former to ask, with some apprehension in her tone, if anything were the matter. "Listen here, my dearand in Hurried accents he proceeded to read aloud the impor* tant document, of which we will give only the first few lines : "Reverend Sir:?"This is to inform you of the death of your late excellent relative, Sir Henry Lyndon, Bart., of Rashleigh Park, and to request of you some information in regard to your brother, Capt. George Lvndon, to whom a legacy has been left by the deceased. We are anxious to learn his precise address at once, as we desire to communicate with him in reference to the said legacy." Then followed a brief statement of some circumstances connected with the last hours of the late Sir Henry, as a matter of interest to his surviving relatives; read somewhat hastily, and scarcely listened to, so occupied was the mind of each present member of the family with the news they had just received, viz.: that uncle George was the fortunate recipient, or would soon become so, of a legacy 1 For a legacy, in the experience of this generation of Lyndon, was something quite new and startling ; a fact, indeed, wholly without precedent in their recollection. And that Capt. Lyndon should be the legatee, seemed perhaps the most surprising part of it It invested him with a degree of importance which had never yet attached itself to him or to any . j __ixL Tx U ?xl tning connected wild mm. n wm aitugctuci so curious, they were almost inclined to fancy there must be some mistake. Lilly was the first to offer a comment "How odd that he did not leave it to you, papa." "Why no, my dear, not at all. Your uncle is older than I am, you know." "But he did not know uncle George, did he?" "No; but he did not know me either, for the matter of that. The wonder is that he should have thought of either of us." "Are there no nearer relatives ?" asked Mrs. Lyndon. "I can't tell, I am sure. I knew so little Kiiunon('erwhen toy,^ met his elder brother, who has been dead now some years; but there has never been any communication between us whatever." "I suppose he did not know what to do with hie money," suggested J&ditn. "It would have been nice if he had left it to U3," said Lilly, thoughtfully. ? "Leaving it to Uncle George is all the same thiug, isn't it?" asked Alfred. "When he dies, you know?" "Sh?sh i" interrupted Mrs. Lyndon, reprovingly ; and the boy, though he had meant no harm, colored under his mother's eye, and immediately applied himself to his breakfast again. "It is nothing to you, or to any of us, what your uncle chooses to do with his money. Let us rejoice in his good fortune." "I wonder how much it is," said Edith. "Well, said the rector, folding up the letter, "I must speak to my brother about it at once. As he is the party most nearly concerned, I don't see why we should defer telling him the news. It will surprise him, I dare say." Captain Lyndon was just finishing the softboiled egg, which, with a slice of toast, constituted his daily morning meal, when the rector entered his chamber, and, without preliminarv unfolded the obieot of his visit. The Captain raised his light-colored eyebrows in mild amazement when the letter was read to him, and rubbed his forehead with a puzzled look. "Dear me?dear me!" he exclaimed. "This is quite extraordinary, Edward, is it not ?" "It is an unexpected piece of good fortune," said Mr. Lyndon, with his pleasant smile. "I must congratolate you, my dear brother, on your sudden accession to property." "Well; but we don't know yet what it amounts to, after all. It may be only some small sum," said the Captain. "We won't crow over it too loudly until we find out, will we? Though why he should have singled me out as a legatee I can't imagine, I am sure? can you ?" "Itdoes seem odd," rejoined the rector; "but odd thiags are apt to happen sometimes, you know. Will you write to these lawyers, or shall I?" "Oh! you write by all means?the letter is to you, you know. You can give them my address, if you please." "Very well; I shall write immediately, of course." "Just as it suits you. I wouldn't give myself any unnecessary trouble about it," said the Captain, indifi'erently. ?$y the way, 1Mward, do, if it's convenient, lend me that treatise on gardening we were speaking of a day or two ago. I was noticing your carnations yesterday afternoon, and that reminded me of it." Mr. Lyndon, as he left the room, could not help an inward feeling of regret that his brother should so little appreciate the good luck which had befallen him. It was scarcely a feeling of regret that this legacy, whatever it was, had not been left to him instead? yet there must have been something in it which suggested the idea, for almost simultaneously with it came a sentime* tt of self-reproach which brought an honest idush to his brow. "God bless my soul!" he muttered consciously. "What am I thinking about? Money is a snare; there's no doubt of it?and the love of it is the root of all evil. Poor George! I hope it will do him good." And with his thoughts Bomewhat in a whirl, he went to his study and proceeded at once to write an answer to Messrs. Grimsby and Sludge, the lawyers who had addressed the communication to him relative to his cousin's bequest. It cannot be denied that all the family were more or less excited by this piece of news, which' had the especial charm of being so totally different from anything they had ever thought of or expected. It invested uncle George, too, with such a new and remarkable interest; it was almost as though he were changed into somebody else. Unconsciously, it inspired the younger ones with added respect for him. Even Daisy, hearing all the talk about it, which she but half understood, got a vague notion that he was in some way raised in the social and worldly scale. The fortunate legatee himself was the least concerned of the whole circle. So little, indeed, was he affected by the change in his prospects, that he spent the whole day in alternately dozing over the treatise on gardening, and whistling a new tune to his pet canary, as placidly as though no ripple had been stirred in the tranquil, waveless pool of his simple life. In due time came another communication from the 6uffolk lawyers, which was even more exciting than the first. It was addressed to Captain Lyndon this time, and ran as follows: "Dear Sir?Please tender our acknowla/Jnrmarita in yrnnr hrntVifir t.hfi P.BV. Mr. Lvn "wj---- ? 1 ? don, for his prompt and satisfactory reply to our last letter, which has just come to hand. We beg to inform you of our intention of sending you immediately, by express?according to the wish of testator?the legacy left you by the late Sir Henry Lybdon, Bart. This legacy is in a somewhat singular form, consisting of an iron chest, with seals attached, which is not to be opened but under certain conditions?said conditions being written out in full, which shall be duly transmitted to you. We merely make this brief statement at present, wishing to lose no time, and will write you at length in a day or two. With sentiments of much respect, we remain sir, &c, Ac." The captain's pale eye-brows went up higher than ever, on the perusal of this, and the family wonderment was increased tenfold. To Lily, who was a reader of romances, the matter was one of intense interest and delight. An iron chest, with seals attached! Was ever anything so mysterious ? What on earth could it contain ? Something of immense value, she felt sure; and this opinion was participated in by most of the others. Mrs. Lyndon, however, with her clear common sense, decided that the man who could leave such a bequest as that must either have been out of his right mind, or had some very unusual motive for such an odd freak as it ap*\AO WA/1 frt Kft IU UOi CHAPTER II. Some days elapsed before the arrival of the next epistle from Messrs. Grimsby and Shidge, which of course was waited for with much eagerness by the juvenile members of the Lyndon.family?an eagerness shared by their elders; but to a smaller extent, and more carefully concealed. The rector devoted himself to his parochial duties more assiduously than ever; his wife, as usual, busied herself fluJmlr.afmtJiej. hiaiigfhflld and, oiifrrkuir. nfr , fairs ; and the Uaptain Harmlessly idled away his time, giving music lessons to his canary, reading, and taking naps, betraying no anxiety on any subject whatever. Edith, who was the most impetuous of all the children, was in a perpetual fidget; she was dying of curiosity to see the iron chest, and still more to become acquainted with the conditions upon which it was to be opened. At last the longed-for letter arrived which was to put their speculations on the latter point at rest. Uncle George had it up in his chamber, and kept it there a whole day before imparting its contents to anybody; a fact which could .only be attributed to absence of mind, as he was much too good-natured wilfully to do anything of an annoying or provoking kind. About supper-time it occurred to him that perhaps his brother would i like to read it; so he rang his bell and requested the servant who answered it to carry the letter to his master, and say to him that he was welcome to look at it if he pleased. "That's jolly !" cried Alfred. "Now papa, read it aloud, and let's have a share of the fun." ' i "Fun !" echoed Lily, who had by this time woven quite a pretty little romance in her ' own mind relative to the mysterious chest, i "I don't see any fun about it, Alfred?it is all i very puzzling ana singular, l tninK. "Well, we shall fiud an explanation here, I suppose," said Mr. Lyndon, unfolding the large blue-tinted half-sheet, with its formal cramped writing, and glancing over it as he spoke, to acquaint himself with the purport of its contents. As he did so, a sort of shadowy look of disappointment, almost vexation, settled on his face. "What does it say, papa ?" asked Lily. "Nothing very satisfactory, my dear. This absurd box is a legacy and no legacy, as one may say. .Your uncle will get no good of it after all." "No good of it!" echoed half a dozen voices; and even Mrs. Lyndon, who had hitherto been resolute in suppressing an outward manifestation of curiosity, laid down her tea-spoon and looked up with much interest for further information. "Not likely that he will, since he's not to open it for ten years, supposing that he lives that long, which we all know is highly improbable," said the rector somewhat testily. "It is a nonsensical piece of business to my mind; the man must have been crazy." < "What reason does he give?did he give, rather?for making such a condition ?" asked < Edith. i "None, that I know of. Here's the extract i from the will, which the lawyers have copied : out in full. You can all hear it for yourselves," : aud he read aloud the extract, which was < worded with sufficient clearness to be quite ' comprehensible to any mind of ordinary intelligence. The iron chest was to be delivered, without delay, into the possession of Capt. Lyndon, and to be guarded by him, intact, for the period of ten years ; at the expiration 1 of which time he would be at liberty to break the seals and investigate the contents. "And it doe|pn't even say what the contents are!" exclaimed Lily, in a tone of much disappointment. "Money, of course?gold and silver coins like those in the big iron pots that the. pirates used to bury," said Edgar. "What else could it be ?" "Parchments?old, valuable papers," said Lily. "He might have had some reason for not wishing them examined under a certain length of time." "But, my dear, your uncle would not be a likely person for him to bequeath such papere to," saia her father. "Except to get them out of the way," rejoined Lily. "There might be some family secret?something of importance, which h might want concealed ; and he might hav thought that the farther the record of it wa sent from home the safer it would be." "Depend upon it, it's a big fortune," sail Alfred. "Wait till that chest is opened, am you'll see. The old fellow had some quee crank in his head ?" "Alfred," said his mother, "I cannot alio) you to speak in that disrespectful mannei Recollect that Sir Henry was your cousin, am moreover, that he is now dead. The last fac alone should prevent your using such a ton when you mention him." "Yes, ma. But you can't deny that it 1 queer." "I wonder what uncle George thinks abou it," said Lily. "I don't suppose he thinks anything," sail Edith. "Uncle George is so funny! Now i it was me, I would be half crazy about th thing, and would be terribly angry at no being able to look into it for ten whole years.' r n ?rw,ltT Vinfc "00 HI1UU1U 1, BU1U JJiUgOl. \-TLliJ uuyi> I'll be twenty-two years old when that ches is opened 1" "Maybe we'll all be dead," put in Daisy who had been drinking in the discussion open-mouthed. "That's a cheerful anticipation," said Mrs Lyndon, laughing. "Come, Daisy, child, it' past your "bed-time?say good-night and g< up stairs. Lily and Edith, give us somi music. Suppose we drop the subject of th< iron chest for the present, and exchange it fo: something more satisfactory." "Yes," said the rector, pushing the lette: away from him. "We'll consider the subjec at an end?talking it over won't make Sii Henry's reasons, if he had any, clearer t< our minds, or alter the facts of the case foi poor George's benefit It's an absurd freak there's no doubt about that" The subject was accordingly put aside. I was, for some reason or other, evidently die tasteful to Mr. Lyndon, and the discussion o it was thenceforward limited to the younj people, who continued to speculate extensive ly on the iron chest and its contents, and U look forward with undiminished anxiety U its arrival. Every period of suspense has its end som< time or other, and the wonderful chest mad< its appearance at last. A rusty old affair i was ; looking like an ordinary box for silve: or valuables of any kind,?about two fee long and eighteen inches wide, and a littli over a foot in depth, with a massive lock, ove: which was pasted a Btrip of paper bearing thi Lyndon seal and crest The children walket around it and regarded it with awe; to then it was an embodiment of fascinating mystery The question next arose, What should b< done with it? "It's an inconvenient-looking thing," saic Uncle George, staring helplessly at it "Couldn't it be put in the carriage house ?" ...' 'In the rMfiaga^ous^L What nan rnn \* tlnuking of? askeutue rector. "Do yoi want thieves to carry it away ?" "Thieves! Bless me, I don't think anybody would take the trouble to move it," said th< Captain. "It is too heavy." "They would find a way to move it, IT be bound," rejoined Mr. Lyndon. "Haven'i you room for it in your closet ?" "Oh, dear, no," said the Captain, shaking his bead. "My closet is quite full already." "Would not the loft be a safe place?" sug gested Mrs. Lyndon. "It would do well enough except in case o: fire; then there might be some difficulty ir fetching it down." "But then it's not likely there will be s fire," said the Captain. "It ought to be under somebody's eye,' said the rector. "I wouldn't take too much trouble about it Edward," remarked his brother. "Good Heavens!" said Mr. Lyndon. "Yon talk as if it was nothing but a box of rubbish." "Perhaps it may be," calmly said the Cap tain. "Nonsense," said Mr. Lyndon, impatiently "No man would be so senseless as to bequeath a box of rubbish to a distant relative living across the Atlantic." "My dear!" murmured his wife, reprovingly ; for the rector was not wont to speak in a tone so sharp, and even his daughters glanced at him in surprise. Uncle George, however, bore the retort with meekness. "No doubt you are right," said he; but in any case I hope nobody will inconvenience themselves on my?on its account. I dare says you don't need me any longer, Edward. You can all settle among yourselves what had better be done with it, and I'll just go back tc my room." He accordingly withdrew, as little interested in the disposal of his property as if it had really been rubbish; but the family were so accustomed to his odd ways, that no one offered any comment on his conduct now. It was finally decided that the subject of all this discussion should be stowed away in a 3raall spare room adjoining the chamber ol the rector and his wife, which was used as a repository for sundry household articles not in common use. Here it would be safe from molestation, and easy to get at in case of any smergency which might involve the necessity of moving it in haste. Its owner, when informed what had been done with it, nodded his head in a satisfied manner, merely remarking "all right," and then forgot all about it, or appeared to do so; for he never again alluded to it or went neai it. To most of the family, indeed, it soor ceased to be an object of very lively interest Ten years was such a long time to look for ward to, and there were so many matters oJ present importance to claim their attention that they gradually gave up wondering whal it would be found to contain, when the day should arrive for opening it. One person, however, did not cease to thini and to wonder; but continued to meditate much in secret on the affair which had createc such a stir in the quiet household. This per son was none other than the head of the fam ily; the rector, himself. It is said that money is a touch-stone, by which many points in a man's character may be brough to light, and many qualities die covered which have not been set in play by any other means. And the prospect of get ting money into one's possession sometime disarranges one's ideas, and alters the whol< tenor of a life. It was certainly not so with uncle George who, as the reader has seen, was profoundly indifferent to the possibility, which certainly existed, of his one day becoming the owner o a large fortune; for who could tell what rich es might not lay hidden beneath the rusty lie of the old iron chest? His tranquil mine e was unruffled by this, as by most circumstane ces, which would have excited some emotion a in that of any one else. His thoughts appeared to dwell solely on the present, regardless of a golden future which might lay be* fore him. ^ Not so the rector. This possible golden r future seemed to have fixed itself in his brain, and to play dazzlingly before his eyes, v with a persistency which threatened the ex?1 nn/1 nAnonnnklft fVi/MirrV>fa . UJUBIUU U1 uiu1couuc1 ouu ihhvubuic tuuuguw. It was true, the mysterious legacy was not his ; but in all probability it would one day ;t become so. His brother's health grew yearly e more feeble; he was prey to a disease which was slowly but surely encroaching upon his * system, and his indolent and erratic habits were really the result of bodily infirmity, and t not of mere mental weakness. At his death, his effects would, of course, fall into the possession of the rector's family, unless he chose ^ to will them otherwise, which was, of all conf tingencies, the most unlikely. And the rece tor, who had never been a rich man, and had I never desired or thought of riches before, felt ? suddenly awakened in his heart an overpowering anxiety to taste the alluring sweets thus ' opened to his contemplation. He would have * recoiled in horror from the suggestion that he looked forward with anything akin to satis, faction to his brother's death?and yet he i could not be indifferent to the advantage he would reap thereby. A new and strange restlessness, an uneasy ' craving which had never disturbed him be-( 8 fore, laid a resistless hold upon him, and 3 seemed to mar all his peace in life. It was e the first-fruits of Sir Henry Lyndon's legacy, g the mysterious iron chest. r [To be Continued.] M liSf itma I p THE APPROPRIATION ACT. ) An Act to make appropriations to meet the ordi. nary expenses of the State Government for the fiscal year, commencing November 1, 1875. ? Be it enacted by the SeDate and House of Representatives of the State of South Carolit na, now met and sitting in general assembly, . and by the authoftty of the same: f Section 1. That the following sums, if so r much be necessary, be, and they are hereby, 3 appropriated to the objects herein named, out of the proceeds of the tax of one mill levied } .in pursuance of section 1 of an act entitled 3 "An act to raise supplies for the fiscal year commencing November 1, 1875," that is to a say: 3 1. For the salary of the governor, 93,500; for the salary of the governor's private secretary, $2,000; for the salary of the governor's r messenger, $500. t 2. For the salary of the lieutenant-gover3 nor, $2,500. r 3. For the salary of the secretary of State, 3 $3,000; for the salary of the clerk of the secJ retary of State, $1,500. 4. For the salary of the comptroller-gener1 al, $3,000; for the salary of the clerk of the comptroller-general, $1,500; for the salary of 3 the bookeper of the comptroller-general; $1, 500; for extra clerical services of comptroller1 general's offic?, 8500. 5. For the salary of the State treasurer, 82,500; for the salary of the State treasurer's chief clerk, 81,800; for the salary of the State a I.* -> ??? ? i 6. For the salary of the adjutant and inspector-general, 82,500; for the salary of the r clerk of the adjutant and inspector-general, } 81,200. 7. For the salary of tfie state superintendeut of education, 82,500; for the salary of the clerk of the state superintendent of edut cation, 81,000. 8. For the salary of the attorney-general, r 83,000; for the salary of the clerk of the attorney-general, 81,000. 9. For the salary of the chief justice of the supreme court, 84,000; for the salaries of the two associate justices, 87,000; for the clerk ^ of the supreme court, who shall perform the t duties of librarian of said court, 81,500 ; for the state reporter, 81,500; for an attendant k upon the library and rooms of the supreme court, (said attendant to be appointed by and , removeable at the pleasure of said court,) 8300; for the purchase of books for the library of the supreme court, 8500, to be paid > on the order of the chief justice. 10. For the salaries of eight circuit judges, i 828,000; for the salaries of eight circuit so. licitors, $8,000. 11. For the salary of the keeper of the state house and state librarian, 81,000; for the salaries of the two watchmen of the state house and grounds, 8600 each. 12. For the salary of the superintendent of i the state lunatic asylum, 82,500; for the salr ary of the superintendent of the state penitentiary, 82,000; for the salary of the physician of the state penitentiary, 8500. 13. For the salaries of the county audit1 ors, 839,750; for the clerk of the auditor of L Charleston county, 81,000. , 14. For the salaries of the county school commissioners, $32,200. l 15. For the salaries of the health officers, $5,100; for expenses of maintaining quaran tine, $2,000; for the salary of the keeper of ! the lazaretto, $400. 1 16. For the contingent fund of the gover1 nor, $3,500; for the contingent fund of the i state treasurer, $300; for the contingent fund of the secretary of state, $300; for the contingent fund of the state superintendent of education, $300; for the contingent fund of the comptroller-general, $300; for the con1 tingent fund of the attorney-general, $300; ' for the contingent fund of the adjutant and inspector-general, $300; for the contingent fund of the state librarian, $300; for the contingent expenses of the supreme court, $500; for the expenses of litigation in the attorney-general's office, to be paid upon the ' warrant of the comptroller general on appli; cation of the attorney-general, $3,000. 17. For expeuses incurred under an act to reduce the volume of the public debt and provide for the payment of the same, approved December 22, 1873, $2,500, to be disbursed under the direction of the state treas' uror; for printing books and blanks for coun^ ty treasurers and auditors, and other papers [ necessary to the collection of taxes, $6,000, , to be disbursed on the order of the comptrol ler-general, who is hereby authorized and rei quired to advertise in one daily newspaper in each of the cities of Charleston and Columbia for two weeks for proposals for furnishing ' the said books, blanks and other papers, and ' to award the contract therefor to the lowest > resDonsible bidder: for the payment of ac i 1 > * > ; counts for publishing the state treasurer's r monthly statements for the fiscal year 1874? 75, $1,500; Provided, That $400 (if so much ; be necessary) be used for the payment of aci counts for publishing the aforesaid statements I for August, September and October, 1875. Sec. 2. That the following sums, if so much - be necessary, be, aod they are hereby, appropriated, to be paid to the objects herein named, p out of the proceeds of the tax of one mill, r levied in pursuance of section 2 of the act re cited in section one (1) hereof, that is to say: r 1. For the construction and support of the - State penitentiary, $40,000, of which sum 3 $1,500, if so much be necessary, shall be used 3 for the payment of the guards and employees, $1,000 for expenses of transportation and , clothing of discharged convicts, and $2,500 r for repairs on buildings, to be paid on the p warrant of the comptroller-general, on the apf plication of the superintendent, approved by the board of directorf. I 2. For the support of the State lunatic asy1 lum, $65,000, to pe paid on the warrant of | the comptroller-general, on the application of the superintendent, approved by the board of regents: Provided, however, That $15,000, if so much be necessary, be exclusively applied to the payment of salaries and wages of employees of said institution for the fiscal year commencing November 1,1875. 3. For the support of the State orphan asylum, $10,000, to be paid on the order of the board of trustees; for the deaf, dumb an$l blind asylum, $5,000. 4. For the Catawba Indians, $800, payable on the warrant of the comptroller-general, on application of the agent 5. For the support of the University of South Carolina, 843,400, to be used as follows : For the salaries of professors, $21,500, as follows: For the salary of the litfrarian, I treasurer, <fec., $1,500; for the professor of natural and mechanical philosophy and astronomy, $2,000 ; for the professor of mathematics and civil and military engineering, $2,000; for the professor of history, political philosophy and political economy, $2,000; for the professor of chemistry, geology and mineralogy, $2,000; for the professor of criticism, 1 j Ti I;_L. \ A 1J* | elocution aua niugium mugungo ?uu niiciature, $2,000; for the professor of mental and moral philosophy, $2,000; for the professor of ancient language and literature, $2,000; for the professor of modern language and literature, $2,000; for the professor of law, $2,000: "Provided, That all persons who are not regular students in other schools of the university, who enter the school of law, shall pay an entrance fee of fifty dollars, which fee shall be paid into the State treasury, to be applied to the payment of outstanding claims against the deaf, .dumb and blind asylnm." For apparatus of the department of chemistry and natural philosophy, $200 each ; for beneficiary scholarships in said university, $15,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be paid in accordance with the law establishing the same, on the application of the librarian and treasurer of tne university; for the salary of the principal of the preparatory school of the university, $1,200 ; for the salary of the assistant, $800, to be paid on the warrant of the comptroller-general, on the application of the chairman of the faculty of the university; for insurance and repairs of buildings, $2,000, to be paid on the warrant of the comptroller-general, on the application of the librarian and treasurer of university ;-fbr the binding and preseryation of books and pamphlets, and the purchase of new ones, $1,000, to be paid on the warrant of the comptrollergeneral, on the application of the librarian and treasurer of the university; for miscellaneous expenses, $1,500, $250 of which shall be paid to James Davis, late bursar and marshal, for the half year salary due him by the State, and the balance shall be applied to the payment of two attendants and mileage of the mem be re of the board of trustees, to be paid on the warrant of the comptroller-general, on " '.l- iii : J tne application 01 me uonrmu auu ucaouiw of the university. 6. For the support of the State normal school, $15,000, one half of which, if so much thereof be necessary, shall be used for the maintenance of scholarships, to be paid on the warrant of the comptroller-general, upon the application of the board of regents: Provided, That the amount appropriated for the aforesaid scholarships shall be set apart for such a number of scholars fronj each county in the State as the said county is entitled to in its representation in the house of representatives. 7. For the payment of the interest on the bonds of the State Agricultural College and Mechanic's Institute, $10,000, to be paid in accordance whh the law establishing the same. Sec. 3. For the public printing, in accordance with the contract made with the Republican printing company, $50,000, to be paid from the proceeds of the tax of one-half of one mill levied in pursuance of section 5 of the act recited in section Thereof, upon the certificates, as now provided by law. Sec. 4. For the Support and maintenance of public schools, the sum of $250,000, or the proceeds of the tax of two mills levied in pursuance of section 8 of the act recited in section 1 hereof; $1,000 (if so much be necessary) of which shall be .expended for printing blank forms for the use of said schools, to be j disbursed on the order of the superintendent of education; and the State superintendent of j education is hereby authorized and directed to apportion the amount so appropriated upon j the basis of school attendance in the several counties of the State for the scholastic year ending June 30,1875; and the school commissioners of the several counties are hereby instructed to apportion the school funds of the respective counties upon the basis of school attendance in the various school districts of the said counties as aforesaid. Sec. 5. For the payment of the January and July interest upon the consolidation bonds and certificates of .stock of the State issued under the provisions of the act to reduce the volume of the public debt, such an amount as may be oecessary of the proceeds of the tax of two mills levied in pursuance of section 6 of the act recited in section 1 thereof; the surplus, if any, arising from said tax to be applied to the purchase of the said consolidation bonds and certificates of stock in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of the act to reduce the volume of the public debt and provide for the navment of the same, approved December 22,1873. Sec. 6. That the sum of 86,000 be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of the money derived from the laud commission department for the removal and repair of the lazaretto in the port of Charleston, the said sum to be paid upon the warrant of the comptrollergeneral, upon the application of the health officer of that port; and the following amount be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of funds in the bands of the State treasurer, on account of the land commission department, viz: Five thousand dollars for unpaid expenses of the general election of 1874, and special elections held since. Sec. 7. That the amounts appropriated for the payment of salaries in the first section of this act shall be payable quarterly, and the amounts appropriated for contingent foods as required, on the order of the comptroller-general, on the application of the various officers entitled to receive the same: Provided, That the accounts and vouchers upon which such applications are made shall be filed with the comptroller-general before he issues his warrants on the State treasurer for payment of the same. Sec. 8. That the moneys herein appropriated to be used as contingent funds, and for other purposes, by the various officers of the state government, shall be duly accounted for by tho said officers, who shall make a detailed statement of the disposition made thereof to the general assembly at the next regular session on or before December 1: Provided, That no officer authorised to make contracts or draw funds from the said appropriations shall expend, or make contracts, expending, more than has been appropriated iop>Tlfcy purpose by this act or any portion^^ftareof: Provided, further, That the amfo,prjati0ns made under this act shall ^ fata until it shall be ascertained tb&t the levy and collections for said (MBposea'are found to be sufficient to lMll ''''''VPIfl'nlfcglii folk Sec. 9. That the mbne^g^appropriated in sections 1, 2, 3 and' 4 6yth&B[ 8hall not be paid out except' for incurred dnring the fiscal year comj63bto^ November 1, 1875, and ending Cfcfoherigi, I876,and the scholastic year commei^ng Jane 80, 1875, and ending June 30,18fo. hereby made a felony for any Officer to pay out any ) portion of the same otherwise than as herein provided for; and upon conviction thereof, any officer so offending shall be punished as provided in section 3 of an act to regulate the manner in which public funds shall be disbursed by public officers, approved Maroh 17, 1874, Sec. 10. That the following sums be, and the same are hereby, appropriated out of the moneys in the hands of the state treasurer for and on account of the land commission departmeut, viz.: $1,000 for the purpose of paying the state witnesses and other unavoidable expenses incurred in the impeachment trial of Montgomery Moses, to be paid on the certificate of the clerk of the senate; also $5,000 for the payment of such rewards as may be or have been offered under the proc- ' lamation of the governor,, to be drawn on the warrant of the governor and countersigned by the comptroller-general. Sec. 11. That the sum of $4,000 be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of the levy made in the act passed at the present session of the general assembly entitled, "An act to provide for the settlement and pay ment nf certain claims ncrainat the State, for the payment of the expenses incurred under the provisions of the said act, to be drawn on the warrant of the governor, countersigned by the oomptroller-general. Sec. 12. That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with'the provisions of this act be,. and the same are hereby, repealed. DECISION ON THE HOMESTEAD LAW. THE LIEN OP A MORTGAGE NOT DESTROYED * BY THE RIGHT OF HOMESTEAD. [Reported for the Charterton Newa tod Courier.] Columbia, March 3.?The following decision of the Supreme Court in the matter of the Homestead Building and Loan Association vs. J. A. Enslow, respondent, and C. B. L. Association et al., appellants, was filed February 15th, 1876. Opinion by Willard, A. J. s The defendant, Enslow, the head of a family, residing within this^State, mortgaged, in 1871, the premises on which he resided with his family. The premises appear to be such ? as might be considered a femiljrhomes^tf^' within the sense of the con8iiUH'*OTr^^owi|,g exemption from -?vrtaifi process as against premwce so held and occupied. These premises have been sold under a decree foreclosing such mortgage, and a portion of the purchase money arising from such sale, is held under a decree of the Circuit Court asserting that the defendant, Enslow, is entitled to. the same in right of .his claim to homestead ' exemption as against his mortgage of sa:. premises. The appeal is from that decree, and alleges that the homestead right cannot be asserted as against the mortgage made by Enslow. There is no doubt but that Enslow could make a valid mortgage. A homestead had never been actually set apart. The homestead provisions do not in terms prevent the owner of lands from mortgaging them. Such an intent cannot be enforced as against the common law right of dominion, unless it is found to be essential to the operation of the homestead provisions as it regards the specific effect of those provisions. All that the constitution seeks to accomplish is to prevent premises so held and occupied from being subjected to process for the purpose,of enforcing obligations of a certain character. (Article 2, Section 32.) .The right of dominion of the owner of lands, including the power to alien or encumber, is not either directly or indirectly the subject of this provision. The whole force of the constitutional provision is expended in preventing interference in certain cases with that dominion. The statutes in pursuance of this clause of the constitution do not enlarge the nature or operation of the homestead provision of the constitution. Whether the Legislature had not the right to extend the measure of relief afforded to the beads of families by the section above cited under a more general grant of legislative authority conferred by section 20, article 1st of the constitution, need not be considered at this time, for no such exercise of authority beyond the terms of section 32, article 2, has been attempted. The statutes (General Statutes 474) merely provide specific means for accomplishing that which constituted the end and purpose of the constitution as contained in section 32, article 2. JHad the mortgagee obtained possession of the mortgaged premises otherwise than by proceedings for their sale, either nnder authority conferred by law, or the contract of the parties, on the mortgagee, no question under the constitution affecting the rightfulness of that provision could have arisen. It remains then only to consider whether a judicial sale for the foreclosure of the mortgage is embraced under the description, "attachment, levy or sale on any mesne or final process issued from any court," contained in section 32, article 2. The portion of that section involved in the present construction is as follows: "The family homestead of the head of each family residing in this State, such homestead consisting of dwelling house, outbuildings and lands appurtenant, not to exceed the value of one thousand dollars, and yearly product thereof, shall be exempt from attachment, levy or sale on any mesne or final process issued from. any court." It is obvious that I ; j . c j? process u*meu w euiuicc a juu^cucui ui decree for the payment of money, and which may be enforced against the whole estate of the judgment debtor, is here intended. To extend the sense of the constitution, as demanded by the respondent, Enslow, would be equivalent to holding that no judgment nor order of any court could bind such a homestead so as to disturb the possession of the occupant. This is manifestly beyond the intention of the constitution. It is noticeable that the exemption conferred by the constitution is not limited in terms to the head of a family holding premises occupied as a family homestead by rightful title. Nor can this be regarded as an unintentional omission, if the object of the constitution was merely to shield the possession of the family homestead against creditors having only a general right to subject the lands of their debtors to their judgments; for as against judgment creditors at large there is as much reason for protecting a homestead held by a defective title as one held by a good title. But the whole sense of the constitution would i have to be changed if we are to suppose that i no judgment or order of any court could become the means of ousting the possession of the bead of tbe family, for that construction would necessarily include a judgment recovered by one having good title to the premises * against one having a defective title. If we ' tempt to meet this difficulty by interpolating(> words in the constitution, confining tfcxjfl&t'' of exemption to cases where the pereo'i clam>~ ^ ingsuch exemption bolds by ngbtrui titMrfMft we disturb the provisions and depnyerfl^ei as they s&nd, to pte., vide protection^gafflreL^jdjgaient creditors having no other right to theland than that arising from the operation of process issued to enforce a money judgment or decree.. The view just presented is conformable to what was said by the court in Shelve vs. Mason. (2 a am) The sale for foreclosure was not forbidden by the constitution as it regards the homestead in question, and the mortgagor has" no right to claim any part of the proceeds of sale by rdason of the alleged occupation of the mortgaged premises as a family homestead. The judgment below must be modified accordingly. Moses and Wright concur.