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lewis m. grist, proprietor. J Jnkjplmtt Jfaittilf ftetospper: Jfur % ^remotiim (if % political, Social, ^gritaltnral anb Commercial Interests of % Soat|). | TERMS?$3.00 A TEAR, IN ADYANCE. VOL. 24=. YOEKVILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 31, 1878. 1STO. 8. jto Original Jdarjr. * Written for the Yorkville Enquirer. I MARIPOSA; OR. | THE HEART OF A BALLET GIRL. I I CHAPTER XIV. I Ou bearing the doctor's fiat, a look of renewed disappointment and perplexity came j into the girl's face. "If I can't go, I don't know what I shall do," she said. "Is your engagament so important?" asked the doctor. Why, yes, sir; I don't see howl can be spared at all," was her rejoinder. "But, my dear young lady, surely an engagement to a place of amusement cannot be of any consequence, compared with your health," argued the physician. "It is absolutely necessary that you should, for the next few hours at least, indulge in perfect quiet and reBpose." "But it's a professional engagement, sir," explained bis patient, opening wide her lovely eyes. "I'm leader of the ballet, and if I'm not there I don't think they can get through it, and I may get into trouble with the manager." An involuntary ejaculation of astonishment framed itself upon the physician's lips at this revelation. He had not dreamed of this beautiful, refined-looking being occupying such a position. He was too polite, however, to betray his surprise, so he hastened to answer, in his ordinary manner? "Oh ! well, the affair can be explained to the manager, and, of course, he must be satisfied. I'll give you a written certificate, if you like, to prove to him that it is a matter of necessity." "Thauk you, sir," was the reply. Still she looked distressed. "What,are you not satisfied yet?" asked the doctor. "I suppose I ought to be," replied the girl; I "but it's a new engagement?at least this is only the second night?and it seems so very unfortunate to have this accident happen just now." The doctor, as he busied himself writing the promised certificate, thought how singular it was that a ballet-dancer should possess so entirely the outward attributes of a lady. Her speech, her air, were those of a person of culture,her voice and accent musically sweet; and delicacy and purity of mind were stamped on every feature of her face. He had just finished, when Allan returned from his quest. "The carriage i3 waiting, doctor. Do you intend to accompany the lady home?" "I can't, I am sorry to say, though nothing would give me greater pleasure. I have a professional appointment and am already late.' ,J'rnek), pray alfcnv trc ~ber escurt,"" ssirf" Allan, eagerly. "Here is my card," and suiting the action to the word, he presented his card to the doctor, who, as he took it, bent over it in order to conceal a quizzical little smile which Allan's proposal had brought to his face. "I am happy to meet you, sir," he said, recovering his seriousness directly. I have heard your name frequently, and have the pleasure of knowing some of your connections; some of the Dashwood family, I mean." They shook hands, and Allan repeated his proposition, which was acceded to. The young patient was assisted iuto the car riage, and her self-constituted escort placed himself on the seat opposite to her. "Where shall I drive to?" asked the hackman. She named one of the principal hotels as her address. Allan, during the drive, was dying to find out the name of his fair compauiou. Of course, having been absent from the shop during her conversation with the doctor, he knew nothing of her professional avocation. She seemed too nervous and distraite to care to talk, and he contented himself with vowing, mentally, to obtain, before taking leave of her, permission to call the next day to inquire after her health. "You must allow me to assist you to your door," he said, as he helped her to alight, when the carriage had stopped. "You cannot walk up stairs without my arm." "Thauk you," she simply answered, and Allan having directed the driver to await his return, accompauied her into the hotel. As | they reached the second floor she suddenly i stopped, with a perplexed look. "My certificate !" she exclaimed. "I must! have dropped it. How unfortunate !" "What is it?" asked Allan, who had seen the doctor hand her a paper, but supposed it to be a prescription. "My certificate, which I was to show Mr. Boatwright, the manager." "Boatwright?the manager?" repeated Al-; Inn nnvnla/t laiif pu ?j?jl\*\i . "Yes, sir, to explain my absence. I wonder if I could have left it in the carriage?" "I'll look," replied her escort, more and more mystified. There was a sofa standing ! near them, in the passage way. "I'll sit j here aud wait, if you will be kind enough to J find out for me," she said. "My room is just1 beyond here." Allan ran down stairs and sought the carriage for the missing paper, but without sue-1 cess ; and having also looked in vain about the entrance, thinking it might have been dropped there, he returned to announce his failure to his beauteous incognita, who seemed much disappointed. "Perhaps,'* he suggested, "I can get another ; certificate for you, from Dr. Fitzgerald ; or perhaps, if you could entrust any explana- | tion to me?" "Would you really explain to him for me ? To Mr. Boatwright, I mean," she eagerly rejoined. "It would be very, very kind! ? But I fear," she added, "it would be giving you too much trouble." "Not at all," cried Allan, who felt ready to go to the end of the word in her service. "Then, sir, if you would kindly see him, and tell hitn the accident?Mariposa Manuel i is ray name, and please say how very sorry I am that it has happened, but I think I shall be quite strong enough to appear to morrow evening." "Mariposa !" A new light flashed into her I listener's roiud. "Are you?do you mean? that you are the celebrated?performer?en- ; gaged by Boatwright as leader of his ballet corps ?" "I am Mariposa, the dancer," she simply \ [ replied. Her large, ingenuous, dark eyes met ! his, as she made the confession, with the candor of a child's. To her mind there was nothing mortifying or embarrassing in it. But perhaps Allan's expression, which, at the moment he was quite unable to control?an expression of absolute wonder, disappointment, incredulity and dismay, strongly anti uumistakably blended?startled her into a new consciousness of something which she had not before felt. She colored deeply, and her olanco aiiHrienlj fell. h J "On second thought," she said, in a constrained manner, and a tone which trembled slightly in spite of herself, "I would rather you did not take any trouble about this. It is not of much consequence. I can arrange it myself?" "Trouble!" interrupted Allan. "It will give me the greatest pleasure, be assured, to act as your envoy, or render you any other service in my power." He would have given anything, now, if he had not suffered that involuntary betrayal of his feelings. For this girl, he felt sure, in her beauty, innocence and simplicity, was worthy, no matter what her social position might be, of all the courtesy and consideration it was the province of a gentleman to accord to her sex. She made no reply; but after a momentary hesitation, rose and looked toward her door. "Can I be of auy further use?" asked Allan, concluding that she wished him to go. "No, I thank you, sir." Her manner, in replying, was still formal and cold. But, directly after, she added with mingled reserve and sweetness, "I am most grateful to you for your kind assistance," then, with a graceful inclination of the head, turned to enter her own apartment. Allan, as he drove towards the Theatre, ruminated over this strange episode with feelings impossible to be described. Never before had he met a girl whose beauty and charm of manner had so forcibly impressed Kim or tt'lmm hp would more readilv have chosen as the object of his attentions, had they stood on equal ground. But a balletdancer ! Heavens and earth, what a misfortune! The idea of this delicate, pure-looking being displaying herself in the mazes of a ballet to the eyes of the public, to the vulgar criticism or admiration of the general throng, Oiled him with repugnance and horror. She seemed the type of reflned, perfect womanhood, fltted only to adorn the highest circles of society, and shed a grace and lustre around the domestic hearth. He felt as if he could have given worlds to arrange things differently?to have transplanted her from her unworthy sphere to one suitable to her deserts. But, after all, what did he know about her? Her outward aspect might be only a beauteous mask ; her graceful courtesy aud polished speech simply the result of a painstaking effort, utterly iucougruous to her nature. He repelled this idea, however, as soon as formed. "She is no deceiver, no mere actress, I'll ?enture"to tak?Tray oath upon tKatT^hF said, energetically to himself. "Whatever her calling may be, she was iutended by ua ture for better things, and has only, by some strange mischance, been reduced to the ignoble level to which she has descended." He obtained, without difficulty, an interview with Boatwright, the manager, whom he found, to use an expressive, if not elegant, terra, "in a stew." He was a good deal disposed to bluster, and received Allan's explanation of Mariposa's non-appearance with an outbreak of angry fault-6nding and complaint, only restrained from becoming actual invective and abuse, by respect for his listener, of whose standing he was quite well aware. "It's a m?ist aggravating and unprecedented occurrence?a most coufounded shame and disappointment, sir, to me and to the public. Here I bad the performance all arranged, the ballet to come in between the second and third acts, where it would have been most effective; and half the people come only on account of the ballet in these spectacular plays, and for the girl to go and get kuoeked down in the street! I never heard anything like it," said the injured manager. "The other giils were all at a loss, because, of course, they had their parts arranged dependant upon hers. We L-or>t- lnnUinor f,,r her until the verv last mo .wv?..e - J ment, supposing that something had happened to delay her coming, and then had to get up a substitute, all in a hurry, and the whole thiog was a failure. See what the papers will say about it to-morrow !" "It will be easy enough, I imagine, for you to get a paragraph iuserted, explaining the affair. You do not seem to take into consideration that the young lady, herself, is the chief victim of the misfortune, of which she is entirely blameless," said Allan, disgusted with his selfish injustice. He would not stay a moment longer than he could help, but hurried off, more troubled and indignant than ever. To think of the delicate Mariposa being exposed to the vulgar resentment of a man like this. He wondered if she had any protector, any friend worthy of her confidence, to watch over her interests and guard her from iusultand unkiud treatment. He walked about the streets half the night, thinking the matter over, and unconscious how late it was growing, until a church clock near, startled him by chiraiDg the hour of twelve. Then he weuded his way homeward, hoping that he would find all the family gone to bed, and be able to effect an eutrance unheard. The Fates were against him, however. Mrs. Dashwood was sitting up in the library, and hearing the turn in tVio lnnlr pqmp nut. Rt nnoe jaitira^j wuii* iu ...w vw. into the hall to raeet liira. "Where on earth have you been, Allau ?" she exclaimed. It may be readily surmised that he did not give a full, particular and satisfactory account of his evening's exploits. Indeed, the account, if a true one, would scarcely have been satisfactory. So he made up some plausible tale about an unexpected encounter with a frieud, and escaping, as quickly as possible, her questioning, betook himself to bed. Iu the meantime, Mariposa?or Posy, as for the sake of old acquaintanceship we will call her?having sought her own couch, in obedience to the doctor's behest, lay awake a long time, disturbed by auxious thoughts. Not only was her accident, and its probable results, the subject of these meditations. The face and voice of the courteous, gentlemanly stranger figured largely in them, and, wheu finally her wearied eyelids closed in sleep, they mingled with equal persistence in her dreams. She was scarcely dressed the next morning , I when a servant brought to her door a card and a boquet. The card bore Allan's name, and below it was written in pencil? "May I be permitted to satisfy myself in person of your welfare? My anxiety, since ' last evening, has been great." Mariposa immediately wrote, upon a blank 1 card of her own? "I regret that it is impossible for me to i receive visitors. Accept my thanks for your ! kindness, and please receive the assurance that ray strength is quite restored." Allan, of course, was obliged to depart without seeing her; though she had kept his flowers, and that was sorae consolation. Posy had not, indeed, been able to deny herself the pleasure of placing this offering in a glass on her dressing table, where she could admire it, and be reminded by it of the donor, to whom she felt so grateful. Important changes had occurred in Posy's life since we left her last. Her good friend, Manager Lacombe, was dead, and Mrs. Lacombe, was forced, by ill-health, to give up her boarding-house. Posy had removed with her to a smaller abode; but after continuing there for awhile, had received and accepted an offer of considerable value from a San Francisco theatre, and while performing in that city, learned, through a letter from Mrs. Lacombe that a sister of the latter, having inherited some property .in one of the Eastern States, was about to remove there permanently, and had offered her a home with her for the remainder of her life. Physicians, she informed Posy, hail la ely given her, as their verdict, that she could not recover from her present disease, though a change of climate would, in all probability, be of some benefit to her; and she gave the girl her choice of accompanying her or remaining, under suitable guardianship, where she could, at least for the present, best make a living for herself. Posy was still deliberating on the question, being anxious to go with her friend, and at the same time reluctant to intrude herself upon the family of a stranger, while she felt that in her present situation she could earn a handsome support, which was uncertain elsewhere, when a second letter settled the difficulty for her. Mrs. Lacombe wrote to her, with many expressions of sorrow, that the sister had declared herself unwilling to have her accompany them ; and as she felt her own days to be numbered, and was not desirous of ending them in a state of dissension with her only sister, she would have to leave her dear Posy behind?a thing, she added, which nothing could have induced her to do, had she any prospect of being restored to health. Posy obtained leave, not without difficulty, to make her a flying farewell visit, then returned to San Francisco, where she had already acquired a brilliant reputation. Her salary was uow sufficiently handsome to enable her to employ a respectable middle aged woman as a personal attendant and chaperone; and dwelling quietly and cheaply in modest lodgings, seeing no visitors and seldom going HUruml, Htie led a life to which uu lepioach could be attached. The management which employed her, at length conceived the idea of making arrangements for her to visit certain other places ou a starring tour, which they expected would result in considerable pecuniary proht to themselves and to her. Favorable contracts were made with parties in several western cities, and also in some of the principal cities of the South; among others, New , Orleans. And thus it is that we find her so ! far removed from her former home. Besides I Margaret Fanning, her hired attendant, she ! traveled in company with one or two members of the theatrical profession, who were well known to her, though their course did not entirely be together. Her engagement in New Orleans was for three weeks, with possible exteusion. The | first night had been a great success, and it i seemed especially disastrous that she should i have met with the drawback of an accident j so soon after her appearauce on these boards. ; Although fancying herself quite well enough to fill the rule assigned to her, on the next evening after, she found her strength severely taxed in doing so, and half repented of having made the attempt. Fortunately, the day following would be Suuday, and she could, for at least tsventy-four hours, take a I complete rest. On this Saturday evening, ! Allan Lambert was one of of the audieuce. I He was more than ever impressed by her i beauty, more than ever disturbed by the con| trast between her surroundings and herself : as she ought to be. As she passed out of the lobby, leaning on Margaret Fauning's arm, be stepped quickly , to her side, and with the utmost courtesy and : respect, accosted her with an inquiry after her health. She blushed deeply, as she raised a startled look to his face. His manner was ! such that she could not take offense at it, i neither could she repress a thrill of secret gratification at the interest he so plainly evinced in her welfare. Margaret gave her arm a warning pressure, which, for the first ; time, she felt inclined to resent. She answered him so gently and so sweetly that he j was more charmed than ever. But he read I suspicion and defiance in her duenna's glance, ! and had the discretion to withdraw almost I ' immediately, not even offering to see them to J the hotel, which was but a couple of squares off. This was only the beginning of an inter course which he soou found it impossible to break off. With infinite tact he managed to overcome the attendant's scruples and objections ; not through bribes, which she would have disdained to receive, but by a mode of conduct so judicious as to gain her confidence and admiration. She soon discovered, as she told Posy, that he was a "real gentleman ; none of your make-believe-sort who carried a fine outside over a false heart." It was, in fact, Allan's sincerity that so impressed her. His admiration for the beautiful ballet-girl, : which he had felt from the beginning of their acquaintance, rapidly merged into a warmer sentiment, which she, on her part, reciprocated as fully as he could desire. Here, indeed, was a complication, which would have sent anguish and terror into Mrs. Dash wood's heart, could she have discovered it! But it need not be said that she was kept in ignorance of Allan's folly, for folly lio hiniyplf f..]f it tn hp! vet. if such it was. so sweet did he find it, that in this case it would have been, for him, "folly to be wise." He I did not allow himself to reflect much on the situation ; he did not care to look forward to the end of this dangerous enterprise. After all, what enterprise? He had no defiuite aim, no distinct object, in view. He felt that Posy was infinitely beautiful and sweet. He | c , believed her to be as pure-hearted and truth- | ; ful as any girl he knew ; perhaps more so than j i many. At all events, he could not resist her j 11 artless fascination, and more and more close-I i ' I ly did her charms wind themselves about his : heart. For the first time he realized that he had a heart, and one whose affection could be deep and strong. He would not think of ' j Posy's profession, that hateful drawback to 1 his joy. e Did he desire, or intend, to seek her hand f 1 ' - TT I I II. L.J * ' in marriage r xieaven oniy anew, no u?u u a vague idea that matters would arrange ? themselves, somehow, but whether for good v or evil, who could tell? Not he! 1 [to be continued.] g IpstrUfliicous grading.; SHARING OUT THE SPOILS. The True Inwardness of the State Bond n Ring. S ? 8 The evidence of ex-Treasurer Parker, be- n fore the Bond Commission, exposes the char- t: acter of the arrangements among the Repub- ( lican State officers for dividing the public q spoils. It is more shocking than anything of I the same kind heretofore made known. f< ex treasurer parker'8 testimony. 0 Mr. Parker testified that the acts providing for Slate loans were, in most instances, if not ? all, "shown to him before they were presented to the General Assembly." He under- P stood they were drawn by Mr. Chamberlain, 8. then attorney-general. In some instances Kimpton brought rough drafts from New " York, but always to Mr. Chamberlain. He ? said : I do not know the amount of the proceeds of the iale of bonds made by Kimpton. 8< The reports made by Kimpton to the corap- p troller-general were not made for the purpose of giving information upon that matter. They n were made so as to show each year an increase of the debt as little as possible. This was by concurrence and arrangement with the | P financial board here. 1 never examiued " Kimpton's books. I often endeavored to see there, but never could. Finally, I gave up Cl trying to see them, because I learned he had v prepared a new set to meet the exigencies of a the case. I always knew Kimpton's reports a were not correct, and the board always knew they were not. ^ Governor Scott wanted Kimpton removed in 1871 from the financial agency. I con- P curred with the Governor at first, but we a fouud it impossible to find any one who f1 would take his place and advance the money which he claimed to be due to him, without w making an expose of the financial condition a of the State, which we did not desire to do, . and the idea was then abandoned. ^ Mr. Chamberlain never wanted Kimpton j. removed. It was through his influeuce that l Kimpton was appointed financial agent of the cj State. Governor Scott proposed Mr. Cameron, of Charleston ; but not being on personal terras with Cameron, and having no choice, *j I supported Chamberlain in the choice of ^ Kimpton. Mr. Chamberlain informed me before Q Kimpton's appointment, that Kimpton, if ap 1 ' I fjjyiHfl knt.imnn us three?Mr. Kimpton, Chamberlain and myself,?and Mr. Kimpton made arrauge- ti ments to that effect with us two?Mr. Cham- ??i berlaiuand myself?before his appointment. t( We had him appointed on the strength of that Is agreement Mr. Kimpton carried out this agreement only partially. Mr. Chamberlain admitted to me that he had received some money from is Kimpton on this account, but never owned to is having received as much as I did, which was tf about ?52,000. Our shares would have been nn . * _/ about tfiou.uuu eacti; tne total amount 01 ??< commissions allowed Mr. Kimpton being p about 3550,000, being nearly 12 percent, on tl the amount he reported he had sold all the lc bonds for, in addition to the commissions paid by him to other brokers and the 7 per cent tl interest on loans. e< There were no terms made as to what w Kimptou'8 commissions should be at the time Si of his appointment, nor uutil '71 or '72. Kimpton repeatedly wrote to Mr. Chamberlain and myself about fixing his commissions, and they were finally fixed by the financial se board addressing letters to parties whom &i Kimpton designated in New York as to the commissions which would be fair to be allowed ol to Mr. Kimpton for selling such bonds, and n: making such loans as he (Kimpton) had effec- h ted, and on the answers made by these parties to these letters the financial board fixed oi the commissions to be allowed him. The r< drafts of the letters I addressed to these par- h ties were prepared by Kimpton and sent to tl the financial board from New York and pre- il sented to me by Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Kimp- si ton having, as he stated to me, had previous a interviews with these parties in New York. tl At the time the settlement was made with tc the financial board and Kimpton, he (Kimp- si ton) received a due bill for about 8139,000 h from the financial board as the balance of rc commissions due him. This,according to our ol agreement, would be divided equally between T Chamberlain, Kimpton and myself, and just C before Chamberlain addressed his comrauni- tl cation to the public in the summer of 1874, a concerning the charges made against him 3 with reference to the public debt and other p matters connected with Governor Scott's ad- re ministration, he promised me, by the side of p his sick bed, in his own house, that if I a pared, to go before the public without con- tl would permit that letter? which he had pre- u tradiction. and he should be nominated and elected as Governor, I should be paid my tl share of the $139,000, as expressed in said ir due hill, and that, too, at an early day. ft The financial board made the settlement a with the financial agent by virtue of the au- o thority conferred upon it by the act of Gen- I eral Assembly, passed in February, 1872, known as the "Financial Settlement Act." ? The financial agent and the financial board si all desired that an act might be passed giving v the financial board the power to make the n settlement so as to cover up the transactions h | which had taken place between them. There tl ! was some difficulty in getting the bill passed. ! These difficulties were overcome by the use of ti money among the members of the General tl ; Assembly. The money was received by drafts a 1 drawn on me by Kimpton and accepted by : me, and the money was furnished for the ri ! drafts by the bauks in this city. Kimpton t< put up Blue Ridge Railroad scrip as collat- it I eral security. There were three drafts : One j for $25,000, oue for $35,000 and one for $12,- w 000. They were to be paid at maturity by I Kimpton, but when they became due he fail- p : ed to pay thern, and I had to pay two of ei I-i . ii_ ,u? ....? oQftnnn n | ineni j)t?rsuiJtuijr~~~"tiic iwu iui vuu,wv ?uu ^ ! 825,000 respectively, and also for 82.500 on n the 812,500 draft. Governor Scott paid the T remainder of this latter draft, he being an b endorser on it. I obtained the collateral at y i the bank, for the two large drafts, and Scott t< garnished the collateral of the other. I de- tl j murred at first to accepting these drafts, but n | finally accepted them on Kimpton's assurance C | that Chamberlain, who was then absent, would a | endorse them on his return. Chamberlain i I i endorsed only the small one. I parted with a the scrip referred to to reimburse me as far as it would go. It did not pay me all. The a money raised on these drafts was disbursed li , by Kirapton, maiuly amongst the members fi ?f the Senate, to procure the passage of the ; t Jettlement bill, the Validating bill and the w Blue Ridge scrip bill, as per agreement be- a ween Kimpton and Patterson. It was under-j c tood and agreed that Patterson was to ar- s ange the matter in the House, and secure i v he passage of the bills there, and Kimpton v n the Senate. Fifty thousand dollars of this a noney was used to purchase Senators; the, t lalance was to go to the House through Pat- n erson. j ii F Hn not. know that KimDton used anv raon- b y from the proceeds of State bonds for the J ti (assage of these bills; but I do know that he i a ised the proceeds of bonds belonging to the j h Jtate to secure the passage of other bills , e yhich he was interested in, to-wit.: The Ster- c ing loan bill, the bill to authorize the dnan- p ial agent to pledge bonds for State loans, the a Jinking Fuud bill, bill for payment of inter- a st in gold, and bill to issue bonds for the re- C ief of the treasury. I know, also, that he >aid out out of the proceeds of the sale of the ti Jtate bonds, the money for a share and a half, { a .s it was called, of Greenville and Columbia j G Railroad stock; a share, including assess- n nent of $4,000 immediately payable, being j o >24,000. This was for Neagle. Another I p hare was for Joe Crews, (chairman of com- b aittee on railroads in House of Represents- IV ives,) also one-fourth share, being 86,000, for s< Jardozo, which, however, Kimpton subse- I uently took for himself, as he did Crews', le also paid for two or two and a half shares ar George W. Waterman for Governor Scott f like value. He paid for two shares of ike value for himself, and so far as I know ,nd believe, he paid" for one-half share for D. n I. Chamberlain, of the value of 812,000. I j aid for one of them myself. It was undertood by Kimpton and the financial board, t] bat the amount of these expenditures and 0 lany others should be realized from State tj ouds, and covered by the difference between ^ be actual amounts for which the bonds were n aid by Kimpton, and the amount which he Q hould report that he bad sold them for. C. 8( '. Leslie bad a share paid for in the same D lanner, which he afterwards sold to Kimp- j an for 825,000 cash. oi Kimpton also advanced money out of the a roceeds of the State bonds to assist the 0] rreenville and Columbia Railroad, but I d link he held second mortgage bondB of said ompany as collateral security for all the ad- ^ an cos he made for or to the road. He also e, dvanced the Blue Ridge Railroad Company tj bout $200,000 out of the proceeds of the w tate bonds; these advances were made by j 'itness' advice and consent of the financial ^ oard; $600,000 of the bonds of said com- h any were placed in his (Kimpton's) hands ]8 s collateral, but he always reported that he ai Duld not pledge them for any money, and that ^ e never raised any money on them, nor did j e ever know that he had pledged them until w fter the passage of the Blue Ridge scrip bill; w len, when it became necessary that we lould have them to turn into the treasury, t} limpton reported that they were pledged. p( le also advanced out of the proceeds of State p, onds, by and with the consent of the 6nan- ^ ial board, moneys used for the land com- c, lission ; also balance claimed by him as due e] n the sinking fund account; also expenses of ^ le high joint commission; also what was p nown as State arras account, and the order f Governor Scott, but without the direction ^ f the financial board. ^ THE TAXPAYERS' CONVENTION. ju Question. In anticipation of thatC'onven- o: on of 1871, was there any predetermination 8? o the part of the financial board and agent ^ > mislead and deceive the Convention in re- r( ition to the State debt ? u Answer. There was. Q. What was done ? tl A. We agreed to conceal the facts of the b sue of the Conversion bonds, to make the cl sue of other bonds as small as possible. With w lis latter view we represented to the com- ni littee of the Taxpayers' Convention that the cc 300,000 of bonds had been redeemed from as ledge in New York and returned here for B le purpose of retiring, and should be no g< mger considered a part of the public debt, tl: Q. Was it with a view to carrying out n< lat purpose that a committee of the Taxpay- si s' Convention was invited to a conference fu ith the State officers and examination of the ol tate offices? se A I. n. a i woo. vj Q. Where was the conference held ? te A. I think iu Governor Scott's office. Sub- ai iquently a committee examined my office d( iid the comptroller-general's office. m Q. In the conference in the Governor's ffice, who represented the executive depart- ai ient, and what representations were made by c? ira or any other persons to that committee? *r A. Gov. Scott and he told them that no tfc ther bonds were outstanding except those P1 ipresented by a statement there and then exibited, which was prepared by Chamberlain, P le attorney-general, for that occasion, and, 30 ' there were any other bonds out, Gov. Scott m iid he did not know anything about them ai ud that he signed none others. Just after 30 le conference broke up, Gov. Scott came in- It ) ray office and I upbraided him for telling 1* ich a direct lie to that committee, when a* e knew that very soon the fact must be m lade public that he had signed millions of er ther bouds and that they were in the market, th 'he statement referred to as prepared by Mr. ft Chamberlain suppressed all information as to le Conversion bonds which had been issued L ml were then out, amounting to about 81 5,000,000 or more. The statement was pre- c? ared in my office by Chamberlain, and sub- p1 litted to Scott before exhibition to the Tax- >n ayers' committee. The paper was prepared C? fter a consultation between the members of 8t le financial board and Kimpton, and agreed >8 pon by them. w When the committee came into my office, hi lere was no evidence there to show that any bi regular Conversion bonds had been issued. n( lo entry was made in my books at the time, 1,1 nd I believe there was no entry at that time ti f the second issue of interest on the Public C? )ebt bonds. ta Q. Was the Taxpayers' Convention, for ft hich Mr. Chamberlain prepared this false 81 ;atement of the public debt, the same con- E ention of which Mr. Chamberlain was a C( lember, and which he addressed in favor of rj onesty and reform in the administration of 13 ie State government ? v' A. If you mean when he asked the ques- t* on, in a speech, "Who does not know that Di ie presence of one honest man puts to flight n baud of robbers?" Yes! ^ The remainder of Parker's evidence is di- ai ected to the explanation of the mass of let- r( irs principally from Kimpton. The follow- o ig is also of interest: T Q. (By Mr. Meetze.) What necessity b 'as there for issuing bonds at all ? A. None in the world, except for the pur- ti ose of funding past due principal and inter- n< 3t on the bonded debt. I was opposed to the p ayment of interest in gold, and to the pay- d lent of any past due interest at the outset, ei 'he bills receivable could have been retired a y taxation. I now believe, and have for fc ears believed, that the sole purpose of Kimp- w in and Chamberlain in passing the act au- tc horizing the issue of bonds, was to make tl loney. I endeavored, in the Constitutional li lonvention, to prevent the State from issuing w ny bonds in excess of $500,000, and failed, a' always regarded the laud commission scheme si 8 a corrupt one from the first. e< It was agreed between myself, Gov. Scott P nd Chamberlain and Kimpton, during the oi ist two years that I was State treasurer, and ir requently made a subject of conversation be- c; ween us, that, at some convenient time, we rould have a sum of coupons to divide, mounting to $50,000 each, more or less, acording to circumstances, and that Neagle i hould have a share of them, and Kimpton rould see that Chamberlain got his share, rhile I was to distribute the share to Scott nd Neagle. We did not inquire how Kirapon became possessed of them, but we could ot doubt that he cut them off of bonds pass ag through his hands, and the financial ioard did not doubt it. When the final deails of the division were discussed, Kimpton voided a division of only $50,000, so, as e said, the amount might not be large nough to attract attention, but sent me the oupons and left it to ray discretion as to the recise amount that should be divided, and, s I believe, to his own discretion as to the mount he would retain for himself and Jharaberlain. When I was sued by the State in 1875 for 1 ie recovery of $450,000 in coupons, the 1 mount it was charged that I had funded, rovemor Scott sent me $2,000 cash to assist 1 ie in defending the suit. The amount was I btained from him by Neaglo, whom I era- 1 loyed for the purpose, and delivered to me * y him in person. Scott's brother-in-law, ' Ir. Waterman, told me that Scott said he rat me $7,000, but I only received $2,000. ( have never seen Governor Scott since. ] ? ? ? HOW A POPE IS CHOSEN. ' THE MOST SECRET VOTE IN THE WORLD. Regarding the successor of Pope Pius IX, iteresting questions now arise, such as who he { iay be, who elect him, and when and how , oes the election take place7 To the first two of these it may be answered , lat the cardinals, by a two-thirds vote, elect , e of their owd number, though this limita- | on is a matter of custom, not of law, votes , aving been given for men who were not lerabers of the Sacred College. The cardi- j als are seventy in number, but there are now ( jme vacancies in their ranks, and all will ( ot be able to reach Rome within the nine | ays which must elapse before the assembling j f the conclave, but such is the prepondernee of Italians, that three-quarters or more j f the whole may be expected to be in atten- , ance. There is nothing to prevent the elec- , on of Cardinal McClosky, of New York, or ardinal Manning, of London, but it is in ? rery way probable that an Italian will be , je recipient of the honor. Among those j ho have been prominently named are Car- j inal Bilio, one of the three who have had j le greatest influence with Pius IX, and who as furnished much of the inspiration for the itter part of the deceased Pontiff's career, J nd Cardinal Monaco La Valietta. Others j ave ambition, but it is as impossible to pre- j ict the result of a Papal election now, as it as in 1846, when Mastai Ferretti, now dead, j as chosen, to his own surprise and that of le whole world. There is one limitation on ( le power of the conclave?the veto power y ossessed by France, Austria and Spain. This j ower is supposed to be absolute, and has ac- ( rally been used to defeat a candidate in this jntury. But it must be exercised before the ection takes place, and it is a curious fact j ?** * a?1m nn/ldnnnooo rrrl f V? nikl/ik fka loto IQb UUiJ bUC OUUUVUUCOO TV 1 bit TV uivu biju imuv j ope was agreed upon, saved him from being ( efeated by the interposition of Austria. But , is noteworthy that, in spite of the formalit which surrounds all the proceedings of the mclave. the system contains a vast amount J f elasticity, as an English writer has ob- j jrved, and it is doubtful if the protest of a Republican Government of France would be j jgarded as weighty enough to defeat a choice pon which the cardinals were agreed. This elasticity is illustrated in the time of ie election. It has often been hinted that a | ull may have been provided, not to be dis- , osed until after the Pope's death, which ould absolve the cardinals from the prelimiary observances and regular forms. This he )uld have done, as has been done before, and t s is said to have been done by Gregory XVI. ] ut when the ordinary routine is followed, a ? meral meeting of the cardinals is held on c ie day following the Pope's death. The fu- ' jral ceremonies occupy three days, and the x which follow are devoted to preparation ] r the conclave. The whole of the first floor | " the Vatican, it may be presumed, will be t t apart for its purposes. In the vast balls 1 this palace will be erected wooden booths, ? chnically called cells, one for each cardinal, r id similar accommodations for their confijntial attendants, of whom each cardinal s ay have two. There are physicians, bar- p ;rs, carpenters, sweepers, in fact every prep- a ation is made for meeting the wants of the i irdinals during their imprisonment, for t om the time they enter the conclave until s ley agree upon a Pope, they are practically i risoners, being isolated from the world, and e rbidden communication with it. In the r auline cha.pel are erected additional altars, i that each may say bis accustomed daily ass ; in the Sistine the voting takes place, id one large hall has always been used as a ?rt of exchange or place of general resort, s , should be noted that the elections since $13 have been held in the Quirinal, which I fords superior facilities ; but since Pius IX i .i tt . ti. J ii: aae me v aucau nis uwemug piauo n jo gcu- \ ally supposed to have beeu his wish that j lere, as of old, the choice of his successor lould be made. All these efforts for secrecy, c may be noted, often prore unavailing, ike a cabinet council, or an executive seson of the Senate, the conclave rarely sue- s >eds in keeping its doings to itself. On the a inth day after the Pope's death, after attend- I g mass together and hearing a sermon, the c irdinals enter the conclave, and by.evening \ rangers withdraw, and every door but one walled up, and communication with the c orld is supposed to cease until the work in c and is accomplished. The election is by c allot. The votes are sealed, and the voter's g ame written within, only to be looked at 1 uder the peculiar circumstance of an elec- 1 on by a vote of exactly two thirds, in which I ise an examination is made to render it cer- i tin that the successful candidate did not vote ir himself. Mottoe* are written on the outde by which each vote may be identified. < Ivery morning a ballot must take place, ac- t jmpanied by the greatest formalities. Eve- i 7 afternoon a second ballot takes place, which ( a sort of revision of the first, as no one ] otes except to transfer his morning's ballot i > some other candidate than the one he then < amed. As soon as the balloting has fur- < ished a return with a majority of two-thirds | ie conclave is declared at an end, the doors ] re thrown open to the world, the new Pope < ?ceives the homage of the cardinals, and his ' ame is proclaimed to the waiting populace, j hese are the outlines of the proceedings only, i ut they will serve to give an idea of them. Thirty-two years ago, when the last elecon took place, Italy had neither railroads or telegraphs. The loss of the temporal ower will change many of the outward indents of the event; the speed with which forgn cardinals can reach Rome will give them tore influence than they could have had beire; the influence which the great powers ere wont to exert will probably be confined > remonstrances and intriguing, since the iree nations which possess the veto are not kely to exercise it, and the German empire, bich feels the greatest interest, has no friends t court. That the young King of Italy lould interfere seems improbable, so, whatver precautions may have been taken by ius IX, to secure the freedom of the college, r whatever action the cardinals themselves ] light feel justified in taking in an emergen- 1 f} we look for a quiet election, which will \ result in the choice of an Ultramontane who will carry out the policy of the late Pope, with only such variations as changing circumstances and personal peculiarities may lead to. JONES' GREAT TOE. A SKETCH THAT NEWSPAPER MEN WILL UNDERSTAND. The "local" may go on month in and month out, never once getting a name, a date or a figure wrong, and not a word of praise will he get for it?no one seems to care a tinker's blessing for it when it is done; but just let him blunder, then he hears from the people. They rise in their majesty and go for hi* aaoIn ftnmo nnnoqp t/\ matrA it t.Hpip business to go prowling and snuffing through their paper on purpose to searoh out errors, both of ommission and commission. Having found some kind of mare's-nest they watch for you, paper in hand, and get after you somewhat as follows: "Hey, I say, you! Look here. Do you know you made a horrible blunder in saying positively as you did, that William Jones had the great toe of bis left foot dislocated ? It was the great toe of the right foot that was put out of joint?his right foot, sir; not his left? do you understand " The man eyes you over as if you had ruined Jones and all bis family for life. "Right foot!" he cries, as you attempt to escape. "The great toe of the right foot, and you ought to make the correction!" You are regularly caught, and con not say a word in defense of your published statement, [t was your business and you cannot deny it, to have been more particular in regard to which of Jones' great toes it was that suffered. You should not have been satisfied with the evidence of one or two witnesses ; persons, too, perhaps, with whom you were but slightly acquainted, and in regard to whose veracity you had not the least knowledge. These persons, for all you know, may have bad some sinister object?some malicious, jeep, and devilish design?in telling you that it was the great toe of Jones' left foot that was dislocated. It may be that Jones lost the great toe of his left foot years ago in i trap while prowling about some farmyard ; t may be that he has no left foot, even?leg ind all may have been amputated when he was a boy. However, supposing mm to sua oe id possession of both legs and both feet, was it for pou thus lightly and flippantly to accept evilence and satisfy yourself in regard to the njury sustained by Jones?Mr. Jones ? How 8 it, think you, with the suffering Jones and Jones' sympathizing family and friends ? A.h ! it is a serious matter with Jones, and io trifling affair with his friends. We can lear them sneeringly say, as they turn up ;heir noses and toss their heads: "His left great toe, indeed! Ridiculous 1 How could the man be such a fool ?" It is, perhaps, the first time that Jones has iver bad his name in print in connection vith any little personal adventure or expedience?in any other way than in a delinquent tax list, or amoDg the arrivals and dejartures?and now to have the main fact and joint of interest wrongly stated?thoroughly jotched. Had the accident been properly ecorded, the paragraph might have been cut >ut and pasted into a scrap-book, where it vould have been occasionally referred to with pleasure. As it is, the family can take no jride in it. When they look at it tbey will 98"unable to restrain aTfeellng oT sadness ahd regret?the grand central fact-that it was the great toe of the right foot, and not of the eft, that was dislocated, and will always itare them in the face, and make the whole :bing a swindle and a fraud. After this can you say that you should not lave been more particular in regard to what pou put in print about Jones' great toe ? THE PIBATETFISHERMAN. The fish-market of Havana is said to be ,he finest structure of its kind in the world, [t also interests the traveler by its romantic issociation with the story of Marti, a reformid pirate and smuggler, who built it and the 'Tacon Theatre." During the administration of Tacon, from 834 to 1838, smuggling and piracy had jrown so bold in and about Cuba as to defy he Spanish navy sent to suppress the outaws. Their leader was a man named Marti, ind for his person, dead or alive, the Goverlor-General offered a large reward. One dark night a man was watching the entinels pacing in front of the Governor's >alace, Havana. As they turned their backs ind separated for a moment, the man sprang, inobserved, through the entrance. He passed ip the broad stairs, saluted in an imperious tyle the guard there stationed, and passed nto the Governor-General's room. The Govirnor, engaged in writing, looked up as the nan coolly cast aside his cloak, exclaiming? "Who enters unannounced?" "One who has information of the pirates." "What of them 7" said Tacon, earnestly. "One moment?I must not sacrifice myelf." "You have naught to fear. Even if you >e one of them, you will be pardoned." "Will you pardon and reward me if I rereal the lurking-places of the pirates, and >ut Marti into your hands ?" "I pledge you my word of honor," said Tason. "Your Excellency, I am Marti." The cool scoundrel then entered into an irrangment with the Governor for the betrayil of all tbe smugglers and pirates. Under lis guidance, the Spanish vessels sailed to the iutlaws' hiding places, and captured those ?ho were not slain. When Marti returned to Havana, he was iffered the pardon, which he accepted md money, which he declined. In lieu >f the reward, he asked the monopoly of lelling fish in Havana. It was granted, and ie erected a magnificent stone market. When ie became master of enormous wealth, he )uilt a theatre and named if after the Goverlor-General who had pardoned the scoundrel. Age for Legal Marriages.?There is jonsiderabie variation, in the different Euro)ean States, of the age at which a legal marriage can be contracted. In Austria, the age >f discretion for both sexes is fourteen. In Hungary, each religious sect makes its own -egulations, marriages being regarded as an entirely ecclesiastical affair. Russians can jontract marriages at the age of eighteen in ;he case of males, aud sixteen in that of females. The Italian law fixes the age at eighteen and fifteen years respectively. In Turkey there is no general law. The French ind Belgian codes allow marriages of young nen at eighteen aud girls at fifteen years, but powers of dispensation in special cases are relerved. In Greece, Spain and Portugal, parties of fourteen and twelve can contract a binding marriage, but in the latter country the consent of the parents is necessary if the parties are under twenty-one. According to the amended paragraph of the new German jivil marriage bill, the state of wedlock cannot be entered upon under twenty and sixteen respectively, though the existing laws or Prussia and Saxony permitted marriages at sarlier periods. There is much dissimilarity Id the Swiss laws, every canton having a lo:al regulation of its own. In some of them ;he consent of the parent is necessary np to the age of twenty-five. The influence of climate upon the temperament and constitution is observable in the earlier age at which marriage is allowed in the Southern nations, where maturity is reached at a much earlier period, than among the Northern people,