Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

lewis m. grist, proprietor.! Jinindependent family ilcivspaper: 4'oi[ flic promotion of fhct $olitiqal, Social, ^cultural and (foimncrcial interests of lite ^outh. |terms?82-00 a year in advance. VOL. 40. YORKVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1894. NO. GO. --- -? ----- . _ ? , ?-- n -v -l ?i-v ?Tit? i*.:? I wntinilpfl \vt?r? mjirrhpil to tlm ro;ir nnil 1 .. ^ ^ ... | ^ .1.^,1 nn ..... l,^ )winlw?ww) A YANKEI ? BY CHARLES B. 1 Copyright, 189*, by the American Press Ass CHAPTER VI. Only a small portion of the Confederate forces made pursuit of the retreating Federal army and that so slowly that there was no fighting. The regiment to which the Shenandoah guards was attached moved down front the plateau and went into camp. It had been broken and defeated, and yet it had rallied and won u reputation. Every one of the 10 companies had been more or less disorganized, but the guards perhaps worst of all. That this company should have been led back into the hottest of the fight by a private, and that it sbonld have brought off the field one of the guns over which the fight had been so bloody, furnished occa, eion for remarks throughout the entire brigade. JDuke Wyle was no coward. There wasn't a taint of craven blood in his veins. It was so also with his fellow lieutenant. The fall of the captain and the rush of the Federals had stampeded officers as well as men. War was a new thing, and few had served an apprenticeship. Wyle followed the company back, but in the hurly burly became separated from it. He knew it was Royal Kenton cairying the flag and leading. He saw the gun brought off, and he saw General Jackson halt the coatless, hatless and powder begrimed men to question them. "He's a brick even if he is a Yankee, and I'll shake hands with him!" said the lieutenant to himself as he advanced to rejoin bis company. That was Duke Wyle, the man. He hadn't taken 30 steps before Duke Wyle, the rival lover, cursed the luck which had given to another all the glory he had hoped to win, and he growled: "1 owe him another for this, and I can't pay him off any too 6oon!" The first man of his company be encountered was Steve Brayton. If Steve had given way in the knees before the fight opened, he had pulled himself together in good shape as soon as he smelled powder. He had been the first man to turn and follow Kenton, and he had fonght beside him to capture the gun. "Waal, lootenant," grinned Steve as he awkwardly saluted, "I kept my eye UU luab 1UUACU an iuu umc, uuw * didn't hev to shoot bira!" "Curse him, but what business bad he to assume commaud of the company?" replied Wyle. "I was just about to halt und re-form when yon fools all rnshed off after him!" "Yes?I see!" remarked Steve, "but I wouldn't find any fault if I was yo\ We unsis the only company in the regiment which captured a cannon, and the boys feel as peart as game chickens about it. Reckon 1 wouldn't say nuthin agin the Yankee either! It won't look exactly right, you see!" "You and the Yankee have suddenly become bosom friends!"sneered the officer. "Not exactly, lootenant, but I hain't got nuthin agin him no mo'. If heuu's a Yankee spy, we orter hev about 10,000 mo' of 'em on our side!" Late that evening after the stragglers had rejoined their comm&nds and order had been brought out of confusion Lieutenant Wyle received an order to report at brigade headquarters. On his arrival he was admitted to the presence of General Jackson, who had that day won bis famous sobriquet of "Stonewall." "Lieutenant Wyle,"said the general as he received him, "I am sorry to learn that your captain is so severely wounded that it will be months before be will be able to take the field again. I saw him in the field hospital two hours ago and congratulated him on the heroism displayed by his company. I wish also to congratulate you, and through you each and every man. That was a grand rally made in the face of disaster. One of your men acted like a hero of old. If you will give me his name, 1 will Bee that he is promoted to the position he deserves. He is a private, is he not?" "Y-yes, sir," stammered the lieutenant, confused and chagrined that bis rival should be thus honored. "His name, sir, is Ike" It was on his tongue to rob Royal Kenton of his laurels and transfer them to Ike Baxter, but he could not do it. "It was a private named Kenton, 1 believe," he said as he lifted his eyes to those of the general again. "Thanks. He is a brave man, and you ought to be proud of him. Yon must not feel put out about it, lieutenant. All of us are new to war yet. poorness win come wuu experience. i have no fault to find with any of the officers or men. That's all, sir." The officer saluted and retired and made his way back to his company. But for one thing he would have sent for Royal Kenton and offered him his hand and bis congratulations. Both loved the same maiden. Even if both had stood on the same footing in her estimation when the company left the valley events had occurred thai; day which would give his rival the lead. The first thing Lieutenant Wyle did after reaching his lines was to send for Ike Baxter. He was much of the same mold as Steve Brayton?a small farmer, shiftless and uneducated and having a decided distaste for anything like hard work, but far more bigoted in his sectional feelings. He was not one of the handful Kenton had rallied and led back, but was forced up with others latter on and had his musket been examined after the battle was over it would have been discovered that it had not been once discharged. "Ah, I am glad to see you, my brave boy!" said the lieutenant as Ike came scuffing into his tent. "I want to compliment and congratulate you on the pluck and bravery you displayed in that battle. I had my eyo on you most of the time, and I never saw a cooler man in the face of danger." "Yo'?yo' doau' mean it, lootenant!" gasped Ike, who fully realized that his conduct was open to censure instead of praise. "Mean it? Of course I do! I am proud to have such a brave man in the A' ^ "Ah, 1 am yUid toscc you,my brave boy." ranks of the company. As the captain is badly wounded I shall probably bo promoted soon, and I will see that you are made corporal at least." "I enlisted to fight them dod durned Yankees, and Invent for 'em the best I knowed how,"said Ike, who had recovered from his surprise and was now willing to take all the credit extended. "Yes, you did a power to help drive 5 IN GRAY. | ? 7 .EWIS, M QUAD." ? - ( , i iociution. 1 j 'em TjacTr,^ repliefl the officer", "and ; I'll see that you aro properly rewarded. | f j By the way, Ike, what aro the men say- J ing about that Yankee?" ; ? "Ho un can't bo no Yank." "Why not?" j ' "Why, he an font dead agin 'em. I They all is sayin that he's a snorter to . fight. Reckon he'll get office." "Look here, Ike, don't you bo taken , in and done for like the rest! Do you I know why he enlisted?'' "On account of tar and feathers, I reckon." "Exactly. You had him boxed up that night. He wasn't ready to skip, and he was afraid of being coated. He I reckoned on deserting to his friends w?en we got down here." "Then why didn't we uns fix 'em?" i "Wehad our eyes on him, but he was too sharp for us. Ho knew we were watching him, and he didn't dar' to I bolt. He had a better plan than that. ' When he grabbed that flag and led you i back?and I saw you were ono of the { first to follow?do you know what his | plan was?" "To git that cannon, 1 reckon." "No, sir! No, sir! Ho fooled the j i whole pack of you! Ho intended to lead ; j , you into a trap and get you all cap- i tured." j t "Yo' doan' say!' j I "But I do! I know all about it. If t I hadn't followed on with the rest of the company, not one of yon would have j a got hack alive." ! h "Then, dod rot his Yankee hide, why , 1 doan' we uns jump right onto him , t heavy?" shouted the excited Ike. q "Because we've no positive proofs, you see. He's been too deep and sly thus f far. You see, he's even fooled almost j t j every man in our company. You " ! haven't no love fur Yankees, I take it!" \ h "Dod rot 'era, I reckon I killed about j j 20 of 'em down thar', but I wish it had I g been a hundred!" "I wish this fellow was out of our I company," mused VVyle. "So long as n he is with us we have got to be on our t< ! guard against his Yankee tricks. He'd ; feel proud to take us all over to the e; I Yankees." a "Why doan' yo' un git him out?" tl asked Ike after a moment's reflection. h j "I'd like to, but how can I? I've b j just come lrom brigade headquarters, tl J where General Jackson asked after him n i and as much as said he'd promote him. j j He'll probably give him the place I : want you to have. He's fooled Jackson Ir i the eame as he has the rest of us." 1( "And Jackson will make he un a corJ pural?" asked Ike. \ g | "Sure to." 6( "Say, lootenant," whispered Ike as , b j he drew a step nearer, "I reckon I i know how to get that Yank outer this w i company!" j n "How?" f( "Shoot him out!' "I?I don't understand!" j n "If ho un goes, do I git to be cor- sj j poral?" ; a I 'Yes." j v "Then yo' leave it to me! Mebbe it g ' will take a week or two, but yo' bet g yo'r last dollar be un's got to go!" | p CHAPTER VII. j 8( After Bull Run Federals andConfed- g erates began making earnest prepara- j g| j tions for war. The holiday was over, b I There was no longer talk of CO or 90 r day campaign, of soldiers returning to g I tho farm in time to harvest the crops. v While the Federals gathered on the a plains of Arlington to learn the tactics w of war the Confederates remained on a the fields where their first victory had j g been won and prepared for what was to j ? come. There was fighting in the west, g armies were being raised and troops I 0 moved in every direction, but we fol- | e( low only those which had confronted j jj eacti oiner on mat iainous neiu. 0 Organized and reorganize, drill, scout, 6] reconnoissance, arm and equip. In thf g | beginning tbo various companies ha<? n I been allowed to select their own officer* I by ballot. After Bull Run all comuiis- a sions came from the secretary of war; 1 all noncommissioned officers were duly ^ appointed. Duke Wyle was commis- ^ 8ioned captain of the Shenr.ndoah ' ^ guards, the second lieutenant was advanced, and tbo orderly sergeant was g i promoted to a lieutenancy. Among those who secured brief turlouglis wero i Captain Wyle and Steve Brayton. The g | latter reached home first. The story of the battlo was known, but the story of i i the rally?the incident which had directed General Jackson's attention to I Royal Kenton?was news to the people ^ and a great surprise. Brayton had no I need to exaggerate tacts to compel cheers j for tho "Yankee." as Kenton was still called. He told the story over and over j, j again, always to an interested audience, 1 and ho always wound up with the ob- ^ servation: "I reckon yo' all knew that I was j agin him and kinder hoped to put on ; the tar and feathers, but I've changed ! my mind. Dura my hide if I don't ^ wish ho was captain of our company!" j One day as he passed the Percy man- ! ? ! sion Marian was at the gate, seemingly waiting for him. "I have read of the battle and heard g a great deal of talk about it," she said, "but would you mind telling mother and I of tho part taken by our own company? Wo are naturally more interest- g ed in them than any other pai ticipants." g Sitting on the veranda with mother j and daughter for an audience and using w a piece of chalk to draw a rude diagram on tho boards, Steve Brayton kept them deeply interested for an hour. "You were at first driven back?" i queried Marian when he had finished. "Driv' right back like a flock of sheep, and thar' hain't no use to deny it," ho u i replied. n "Where were your officers?" f( "Runuin as fast as tho rest of us." ? "And Mr. Kenton rallied your" g "He did, ma'am. Abner Jenkins was i carryin our company flag, and ho turn- ( ^ bled down and left it lyin on the ground. 1 c, I was right behind him with Kenton, j g and tho Yankee lifts it up, waves it r) 1 about and yells for us to halt and rally." "And did tho officers rally, too?" per- n RiRf-pd Marism. v. "Waal, yes, but they was purty elow *j about it. Wo had got the cannon and c were drawin it off afore 1 saw any of 'eni. Reckon they feel mightily cut up over it, fur they alius said the Yankee wouldn't stand fire." u i Stevo Brayton was not a close observ- .. er, or ho might have discovered a secret j, that afternoon. Roth mother and daughter exhibited the greatest interest and C; asked him many questions, and when a ho took his departure he said to himself: "Durn my hide if they wasn't more jj interested than half the men!" c. Two or three days later Captain Wyle appealed, and Steve Rrayton vanished. 0 The captain expected to create a sensa- C( tion, but was bitterly disappointed. Everybody was friendly, but Rrayton had g told the story of the rally and put the 6( ?...I.t. ...Iw..,. if lu.lniwMul f ? ? JlJlll Tllf?tl vxcuix nuviv x.. x I a ty of excuses to urge, and his story was quite different from Bray ton's, but y somehow it failed to go. While he was ai congratulated on his promotion, which c, was strong evidence in itself of his good 0 standing with his superior officers, ho y had not rallied Ins flying company and ^ led it back, and 110 one could be quite ^ satisfied with his record. On the sec- j ond evening of his arrival he called ^ upon the Percys. His sole reason for returning home at that timo was to j \ make this call. The victory which ho a. had helped to achieve, his promotion, j p the Jaudatory notices lie .had received ' y n"his"hdfife newspaper, all these things ivent to make him believe that he would i #. .1 1 1 je accorued a irana wen-ume uy mown-i ind daughter and that opportunity night he given him to plead his cause. The captain's welcome was cordial enough, and after the first salutations conversation naturally turned to the ivar. Ho took an early opportunity to laughingly remark: "Well, I supposo you have heard all ibout our Yankee?" "To whom do you refer, captain?" itiffly inquired Marian. "Why, to Kenton, of course. I beievo you both knew him? 1 had noidea 1c drew up his musket and deliberately fired to kill. bat he could bo induced to enlist, and am surprised that ho did not desert to lis friends before tho battle opened." "Mr. Keuton believed it his duty as i citizen of Virginia to take up arms in ler cause," replied tho mother. "And instead of deserting ho seems o have led your company to victory." iUiefly added MaVian. "He was simply in the rear as wo aced about and was carried along with he rush," explained tho captain. 'Nevertheless be is a brave man. and 1 ope he is in earnest." "Why shouldn't he be?" asked the irl. " Pln/vl will foil' is nn nlfl Rjivinc. uuuunuw jl ouaii un anaj. xuu ????j fter at 10 o'clock in the morning 1 isli you to report here to inc. Stay! I rill write an order to that effect, which rill he your authority for leaving camp, how it to your commanding officer." And when Kenton returned to the uards and related his interview and shibited the order all congratulated im?all except Ike Baxter. That inividual felt himself greatly wronged, nd his mutterings took the form of ords: "Drat that durned Yankee, but he's ;st gwino to hoss this hull army if the irptain doan' dun hurry hack to camp!" CHAPTER VII1. As with the Federals at Arlington, so rftli the Confederates on the fields and leadows to the south. Battles were jught on the eastern coast and on the estern rivers?battles which made istory were fought in North Carolina, [entucky, Tennessee and Missouri, hut ie Army of Virginia remained in its amps. Its leaders realized from tho eginning that Virginia would he tho L'al battleground of tho war, and that 10 Army of Virginia would ho called pon to render heroic defense. Every our gained was an advantage, every ay a gain of men and material and sperience. When Royal Kenton reported to ieneral Jackson as per order, ho was sked if ho know tho country to tho orth of tho Confederate outposts. Ho ras forced to reply that ho was entirely jnorant of it. "This is a disadvantage, hut one you an overcome," said tho general. "Wo ro in need of a few more bravo men at ie front to act as scouts. Would you avo any objection to serving in that upucii) ; "I?I should not liko to act tho part f a spy," stammered Kenton in much Dnfusion. "Nor would I ask you to. A spy is cnerally a bravo man and often moved jlely by patriotism, but few of them ro soldiers, and tho profession is uner a stigma. As a scout you go in our uniform, secure such information s you can in a legitimate way, and if aptured you aro treated as a prisoner f war. You can take a comrade with ou or go alone, as you elect. Do not o afraid to state your objections if you ave any." "I will go and go alone," replied [$?*%on after a moment's thought. wy well, I am glad to hear it. i now return to your company, an uaring tho day I will send the roper order to your captain. Upon our return report to mo direct, and .I have uo doubt you will bring Information of value." That afternoon Captain Wylo returned to his company, an;l when he re1 ceived tho order detailing Privnto Kenton for temporary duty at headquarters aud learned its object ho was almost tempted to congratulate him. As between captain and private or between man and man, ho would havo done bo with great heartiness, but as a rival lover ho could not. When Ike Baxter had related tho story of the attempted "removal," as ho called it, he expected words of praise, but they were not uttered. On the contrary, his action was severely criticised, and ho went away to sulk and growl. "Understand me," said the captain as Iko betrayed his disappointment by word and look, "I don't want murder or assassination. 1 hate him because h?'s n Yankee and because he is an en i einy among us. I want to drive him out?force him to desert to his own side. I want the news to go hack home that ho lias deserted and is a traitor to I us. Bring that about, and I'll do anything I can to reward you, but don't shoot him down in cold blood. Now that General Jackson has taken him under his wing wo must he moro careful than ever." Armed with a pass that would take him through the Confederate lines and pickets, Royal Kenton made his way toward Washington. When he reached the last outpost, tho officer in command gave him the lay of the country along that front, the position of tho Federal i videttes so far as known, and named many farmers who sympathized with the Confederate cause and would give him shelter. It was about 10 o'clock in tho forenoon when Kenton left the last post behind him and disappeared in the woods. He know in a general way what was required of him. It was. first, to push as near the Federal lines as possible, and then to estimate the strength of camps or marching columns, locate forts aud earthworks ard seek to discover the strength of. positions. Spies go iu disguiso and often remain in a camp for days. Scouts are saved from tho halter when caught only because they are not "an enemy in disguise." Tho spy is detested simply because ho is generally moved by a financial consideration and is often a person who will work for tho side paying liiui the best. The neutral ground between the two armies was a strip of territory from three to six miles wide. Reconuois8ances were almost of* daily occurrence from one side or the other, and cavalry commands patrolled tho highways at frequent intervals. The sentiment of tho Virginia fanners was overwhelmingly Confederate, and whenever Kenton identified himself he was given all information at hand. , During tho first two days he bad several shan't be suiprised to wake up some aorning and find that he has deserted 3 the enemy." "You do Mr. Kenton gross injustice!" xclaimed Marian as her color came nd went, and her eyes looked brighter ban he had ever seen them before. "I ave seen nothing in him to lead me to elieve that he would countenance anybing dishonorable, and bravo men are ever recorded as deserters." If the captain had planned to make er betray her true feelings toward oyal Kenton, he had succeeded. Her >ok8 and demeanor, added to the words ie utteied with so much spirit, satised him that his own cause, unless Dmething unforeseen should arise, was opeless. While ho was a man of hot ?inper he had a great self control, and 'hen he left tho house neither mother or daughter suspected his bitterness of ;eiing. "It's no uso to deceive myself!" ho mttered as he walked slowly down the :reet. "If tho Yankee doesn't desert, nd if-ho is not killed in battle or otherrise, ho will return to wed her. With im removed my path is clear. It will e my fault if something doesn't hapen to him very soon!" Something did happen?two or three jmethings?before the captain's return 3 camp. Ike Baxter thoroughly undertood what Captain Wyle desired, and 0 was eager for an opportunity to cnry out his wishes. One night when oth were on guard about tho camp h> rheeled in his beat, drew up his musket nd deliberately fired to kill. Kenton as hardly 20 feet distant, face turned way and completely at his mercy. The eavy bullet passed between his arm nd side and sped across the camp and illed a poor sergeant as ho lay sleeping n his bed. The would be assassin plead1 accident, and it was natural to beeve that it was snch. Kenton was one f the first to excuse him, and not the lightest suspicion of the soldier's murerous intentions found lodgment in his lind. Another incident, and one with far lore pleasant surroundings, occurred ie very next day. A message came to 30 commanding officer of tho guards :om Stonewall Jackson to send Private .'enton to his headquarters. Tho genral looked at tho young man before im for half a minute before saying: "You headed tho detachment which aptured tho gun in a hand to hand ght. You did nobly. Who is captain f your company?" "Captain Wyle, sir." "Ah, yes. Captain Truesdale was rounded and crippled for life. I see. .nd you are still a private?" "Yes, sir." "H'ml 1 ought to have remembered ou, but I have been busy?very busy. 3 your captain with his company?" "No, sir. He left several days ago on arlough." "H'm! And haven't yon asked for a urlough too?" "I have not." "Well, we'll see about it later on. i ... T ..1... 11 1,? fPl.A rlmr narrow escapes irom r?e<ierai cavuiry patrols, and on the third day he was | treated to a iloublo surprise. The farmer with whom he had remained over night had recommended him to ono much nearer the Federal outposts to secure additional information. He reached this place about 11 o'cloca in the forenoon, and the first face he saw was that of Marian Percy, tho next that of The first face he saw mis that of Marian Percy. her mother. Tho meeting appeared to be as pleasant to all as it was unex| pected. Tho Percys had arrived only two days before in hopes to remove the farmer's wife, who was a relative, to their home in the valley. Tho woman was ill?too ill to stand tho journey, and they would wait for a few days in hopes of an improvement. Tho house had been visited daily by parties from both armies, but thus far no violence had been olfered nor had anything been taken from tho farm. For almost tho first time since ho had known her Royal Kenton was left alono with Marian Percy for an hour. They 6at under tho applo trees, and ho told her the details of the battle of Bull Run as far as he had gathered them, of his interviews with Jackson, the object of his scout, his hopes and fears of tho future. "You enlisted to serve your state," she said when opportunity came. "This is 110 longer a question of what a state ' may or may not do. It is no longer Virginia, but a southern confederacy. Do you feel the samo obligation?" "Does tho samo obligation exist?" he queried in reply. "Certainly not. I have dared to so assert and have almost been called a traitor for my language. One does not need to be a politician or the daughter of a politician to realize that the success of tho newborn confederacy means tho downfall of the republic. And yet Virginians cannot return to their liomes and lay aside their weapons of war." ; "Thus far I have cast my fortunes with Virginia," replied Kenton, "and it is too late to retreat now, even if I so desired. What tho end will bo no man can predict." They talked of other things as they sat on the rudo bench Farmer Hastings had constructed that ho might smoke his pipe in the shade and still look out over tho dusty highway which ran past his door. There was no declaration of ' love by word of mouth, but I think that somo conclusion was arrived at just tho same, and that both were happy over it ' in a silent way. Dinner had just been eaten when ono of tho colored servants announced the approach of a body of Federal cavalry from the direction of Washington. Kenton counted them while they were yet half a mile away and made tho number to bo 20. It was a patrol, and it might I stop or pass on. "You see the situation," said Marian as slio approached Kenton, who was carefully examining his revolver. "You I could not beat them off single handed, and if you are discovered hero you will be taken prisoner and the rest of ussubi ,1 nml insult Vml 1 JVtlUU IV illiwu uu\1 iiiou.v, jl \jk+ I must go at unco." "Ami leave you unprotected?" "Our people have an idea that tho ! Yankees have horns and hoops," sho | laughed, "but I havo lived among them for years, as you know. They will not make war on old men and defenseless women. Go! There is no time to lose! I They are surely going to stop here!" Kenton retreated through the orchard to the cover of a stone wall "200 feet in , rear of tho house. He was scarcely j sheltered when the troopers filed into tho yard through the gate and surround1 ed tho house. Tho captain in command : dismounted and was about to rap on the wide open front door when Marian apI peared. "Well?" sho queried as ho looked at her in tho greatest surprise for half n minute. "Ah, excuse me!" ho stammered. "I am looking for some one?a man?a j man who is supposed to be a Confederate scout or spy." j "There is only one white man here? 1 tho old farmer himself. Wo havo seen ' no stranger. You are at liberty to search." "Ob. no, no! The word of a lady is amply sufficient. Perhaps he took the j other road. Sergeant, re-form the men in tho highway." CHAPTER IX. When the troop had disappeared up j the dusty highway, Kenton returned to tho house to say goodby to its inmates, i and half an hour later he had turned 1 his face southward, satisfied that he had secured all information possible for a ! scout to pick up. Tho farmer posted him as to where he would likely strike ! the Confederate outposts and warned } him what highways to avoid, but on that ve^y day McClellan was pushing bis cavalry forward and seizing new territory. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon as Kenton, who had been traveling in the fields and under cover of the forest, | was about to cross a highway he heard the click, click of a carbine, and a voice called to him: "Halt where you are, or you are a dead man!" It was a Federal vidette, dismounted I and posted among the bushes which fringed the highway. Kenton looked up to find himself covered by a carbine. Both were on the same side of the road. Ho had approached the vidette in rear, . and had ho exercised more vigilance would have detected his presence in ; time to avoid him. The men were not over 30 feet apart when Kenton got the summons to halt. Many of the Federal troops were still dressed in the gray uniforms supplied I by their respective states, while the Confederates had a variety of uniforms, and it was difficult to detect one side fiom the other. The vidette hud done his duty in halting the prowler, but he was not sure what sort of game he had bagged. \ "Throw up your hands!" ho com manded as he advanced. Kenton obeyed. He was armed only with a revolver, and as that was hidden from sight he appeared defensi less. "Now, then, who are you?" asked tho Federal as he came to a halt scarce six feet away, i "I might ask yon the same question," ; replied the scout, making a great effort i to appear cool and indifferent. "I know you might, but I guess you won't! Answer my question!" "Ihave information to give." j "Whut is it?" "Which side aro vou on?" "Oh, it makes a difference, does it? Well, I'm a Confederate. What's your news?" Kenton looked about him in an uneasy manner as if ho had fallen into a : trap and contemplated making u bolt to i escape. j "Sny, you look like a reb, but act like a Yank," laughed tho man as ho low1 ered his carbine. "I guess you've got news, and I guess you want to go to headquarters." | "Will you kindly tell me which way to go to strike headquarters?" "I'll do better'n that?I'll go with i you to the picket post and see that you ; aro passed along. Have you been scoutj ing?" "Yes." | "Seen any rebs?" "Plenty of them." "Well, come along, and I'll rido , down tho road with you to tho post. | Wo are posted along here in hopes to i catch a reb scout who's been Bneaking i along our front for two or three days. I What did you say your name was?" "Kenton." "And mine is Fisher. Hear anything 1 about when we aro going to move?" "Not a word, though the army seems to be all ready." "It is ready, and why McClellan doesn't push down and walk all over the j Confederate army is a puzzle to me. : Seems as if he was waiting to let them 1 get a good ready. Everybody is giving him hail Columbia, but I suppose he knows what he's about. What command do you belong to?" The pair had been slowly walking side by side down to where the cavalry| man's horse was hitched to the limb of a tree. The Federal had quite accepted ; Kenton as belonging to his side and was "Tlirow up your hands!" he commanded ax he advanced. j planning to do him a good turn by guiding him to the reserve. Kenton must avoid that. Ho had hoped to do it . by strutegem, and he had excuses already 011 his tongue when asked for his command. Answer he must, but ns he did not know the exact location of a single Federal regiment his answer , would probably betray him. Ho was 1 hesitating when the trooper repented: " What regiment do you belong to,and where is it stationed?" "I'm independent,"replied thoscont as he suddenly snatched at the carbine and twisted it out of the other's grasp. ; "Now throw up your hands! Up higher! I see you have a revolver, but if you drop your hands by so much as an inch I shall fire on you! Forward! March into the woods!" "By George, but you don't tell me you are a rebel!" exclaimed the astonished and bewildered cavalryman. "I don't know yet whether I am or not," replied Kenton. "I'm a Virginian and in the Confederate urmy, and j whether we are robels or patriots is a question I haven't settled. Keep to the left." "And you may be tho very rebel scout wo were hoping to capture!" "You are pretty near right about I that. Keeprighton?I'm coming! Now halt and keep your hands still up!" " What are you going to do with me?" asked the man as lie was disarmed and j permitted to face about. "How far is it to tho nearest Con fed! erato outpost?" "About two miles down this road." "How many videttes between us and tho post?" "Three or four. You aro not going j to kill mo out hero in cold blood?" "You may rest easy on that score," | replied Kenton. "A year hence war will mean devastation, destruction, murder and assassination, but men's hearts are not brutalized yet. I innst reach tho Confederate outpost, but I can't do it by tho road." "I don't think you could fool all the ! others as you did me," said the cavalryman, with a sickly smile. '' The question is what to do with yon? If I set you at liberty, you'll raise an j alarm." "Guess I would?in fact, I know I j would." "And I have nothing to tio yon up with until I can get safely away." "That's so. You remind me of the chap who caught the bear and dasn't i let go." "I must take you along with me to tho Confederate outpost. Wo shall cut across tho fields aw] woods to reach it. ! xou go aneao, mm i win iuuuw. n i needless" "I'm no fool!" bluntly interrupts the Federal. "When I'm down and tin other feller has got his thumbs in in] eye and my nose in his jaws, I knov enough to cava. You won't have t< shoot me, and I want to ask a favor o you." "Well?" "Don't walk mo in a prisoner." "I'll seo abont that. Let's go on." They struck through the woods, cross ed an old field, skirted a meadow uni entered another piece of woods. As the] wore traversing this thoy came upon i negro cutting firewood, and he informet | them that the Confederate outpost wai 1 only 20 rods below them on tho high I way. "At this stage of tho gaino ono pris | oner more or less is of no earthly ccn ! sequence," said Kenton as he looked a ; ii 1- t,. ; UJU LaVUli)IJJUU. X Ul t\J IVV J UV i return." j ''And I've concluded to bo taken pris oner and sent to Richmond," replied tin man. "For what reason?" "Plain as a pumpkin on a gatepost > If I go back without my arms, whal can I say? I'd just have to admit thai a Johnny rob came along and playe< me for a sucker and got the best of me That would mean ridicule and disgrac< forever. If I don't go back until ex changed as a prisoner, I'll be all right I'll sort o' give out that I was tack let by about six of you, you know." "1 am sorry that I was obliged tode ; ceive you to save myself," said Kentoi I after a moment of thought, "and then ! is no need to disgraco you. Here art 1 your weapons, and you are free to re> turn to your post. The war has not fair ; ly begun yet. There will be hate ant; j bitterness and rancor after awhile, ant ) there will be few opportunities to extent : courtesies." i "Say, Johnny, that's a square deal 1' i joyfully exclaimed the Federal as h< received his weapons, "and I want tc shake hands with you! Put it there Can't tell but what we may meet agaii before this row is over, and if we do J I hope it'll come my way to do the fail thing. So long to you!" Kenton watched him out of sight ant j then walked down to the highway t( find himself at the post of a vidette. fl< was directed back to the reserve, liii pass examined, and he was then withir the Confederate lines and ready to pusl on to Manassas and Jackson's head j quarters. When his information hat i been laid before the stern faced man, i toHoho titln nf "nrnfessor" had beer ! changed to that of "general" within t I few brief months, he quietly said: "You havo done excellently. Mj command is ordered into the valley. ] shall have further need of your service: in this line, but you may return to youi I company at present." CHAPTER X. 2Jo part of the south witnessed sc much of the wreck and misery of wai as the Shenandoah valley. Its high ! ways, fields and forests, its houses, barn: ! and sheds, its every breeze by day ant' ! night for three long years, echoed tht j fierce shouts of contestants and the | groans of wounded men. Nature madt it a garden. War converted it into a ' vast graveyard. The Federals had begun their marcl j up the valley from Harper's Ferry. Jackson was ordered over to bar the way. Historians may write with prey adice and politicians speak in bitterness. Let us be fair and conscientious. 1 even if we cannot be neutral. Jack! son's first battle was on the broad fields j of Kernstown. All historians who have i written for the future have pronounced j him a wonderful man in the science oi i war. Before his command was fairly ic | the valley Royal Kenton apd others j were far ahead, scouting for inforinai tion. Their reports decided Jackson on i moving swiftly up and attacking the | Federals as they reached Kernstown. ; He was beaten back and fairly routed, 1 but that was to be the first and only time. As Jackson's own brigade swept for ward into the fight Kenton was in the i ranks of the Shenandoah guards. Or ! his right was Steve Brayton, on his lefl | Ike Baxter. He had known but little ; of his company since detailed for scon! duty. He divined that Captain Wyle's ! bitterness had intensified, and that the j prejudice against him among his com! rades had rather increased with his ab; sence. He had been detailed from his company, and his return to it as Jackj son ordered an advance and everybody | knew that a battlo would be raging j within a couple of hours proved his | metal in the eyes of all. And yet nol j over a dozen men in the company had s ! nod or a word for him. Ike Baxter, tinj dor the tutorship of his master, was cari rying out a plan to drivo him out in disi grace. "He un's yere fur no good, and yo' ! kin lay to that!" Ike had whispered from man to man. 'Jist yo' fellers keep yo'r eyes open! I'm gwino to dc it, anil if he un tries to play tho traitor I'll put a bullet straight into his carcass! Mebbe he un kin fulo Gineral Jackson, but he uu can't play no Yankee tricks on me!" As they marched forward on tho highway Steve Bray ton found opportunity ; to say: "Look yere, Kenton. Ike's goiu tc I play yo' some onery trick if the chance ! comes, nnil yo'd better be ready fur him. ' He un hates yo' like pizen, and ho uu't ! tryin tomako all the rest do the same." J "I am aware of that," replied Kenj ton, "but can you tell mo tho reason ! for it?" "Reckon thar ar' several. In the i fust place, yo' didn't happen to be bo'n i down yere, while Ike Baxter and the ! rest of us critters did. In tho second, j yo' took tho shino out o' tho officers at j Bull Run. In tho third, as nigh as I kir: : make out, thar's a gal in the case, j Looks to mo like Iko had been hired ti ! talk agin yo'. At any rate, he's got the ( boys all stirred up, and yo'd better be : keerfnl not to git too fur ahead of the | crowd in case we liev a font down yere!" "How does it happen that you are j not down on mo with tho rest?" asked i Kenton. "Reckon thar ar' several reasons in j that too. Fustly, yo' could hov got ! away to tho Yankeo army if yo' had j wanted to. Yo' didn't, and that's 11 I purty good sign yo' un ar' all right. | Nextly, yo'vo got pluck, and I like s i plucky man. Mo' nextly, tho mo' men i we hev tho less chance of my bein bit j myself. Lastly, I've seen Captain Wyle i and Iko Baxter with their heads togethei ' about yo', and I'vo heard that both 1 | yo' and tho captain was sweet on : tho samo gal, and I've sorter put twi and threo together and made seven. I'm j goin to be right alongside o' yo' in this i font, 'cause I like yo'r way o' fightin, linf v.,' tuitid what 1 tell vo'l Till j bullet which hits yu' today is liable tc , come from our side!" Jackson's command, numbering no! j quito 0,000 men, made a rapid marcl: ' of 40 miles down the valley to strike t ! blow at General Shields' command o! 1 8,000. They were waiting for tho Con ] federates. Jackson attacked at once. Even while tho rear of his inarching ; column was still two miles away he at: tacked. It was a tierce and bitter fight, j As daylight began to give way to twi' light on that dismal March afternooi: ] tho guards were ordered to charge i t battery which was making a portion oi ] tho Confederate line untenable. The) dashed forward to ho met by n voile) ; which killed or wounded a dozen men, and a swift movo on tho part of a Fed ! eral regiment resulted iu thecupturo oi nearly one-half of Iho others. An houi ' later Jackson was retreating. Ho had j been defeated. j Ike Baxter was among tho wounded, j With others ho was taken to tho field 5 hospitnljto bo cnred_for,_while tho un 1 placed under guard. Ike had been hit ] in the shoulder. While his hurt was a being dressed lie said {o the surgeon: ? "If a Yankee deserts to our side and f ! fights agin vo' uns, what happens to be a un if yo' captur' him?" f "He'd be shot!" was the blunt reply. "But a'posin ho un also played spy fur our side?" "He'd be hung instead of shot! Do , you know of such a case?" "Reckon I do, and I feel it my docty 1 1 j to tell yo' about him. Jist tell yo'r ! f i gineral to inquar among tho prisoners a j fur a man named Kenton?Royal Ken] ton. Ho un's a Yankee deserter and a 8 spy fur Gineral Jackson!" "But why do you tell of it?" queried I ontrranr. lug OUl^VUlli . | " 'Cause it ain't a fair deal." Half an hour later Kenton was taken t before General Shields under the charge ! j made by Baxter. The latter had over| reached himself. Had only the two ! . | been captured it would have been a dif3 ferent matter, but there were 20 of the : guards who gave testimony in favor of Kenton, though it came from mcst of j them grudgingly. A search of his pert : son brought to light a pass from Gent eral Jackson in which he was mentioned j as a scout. | "While you are cleared of the 3 charge, " said the general after a long j examination, "how does it coine about . that you, a northern man. are found in 1 the Confederate ranks?" "I enlisted in the cause of Virginia, my adopted state," was the reply, i "But the cause of Virginia was and 3 is unjust. She is guilty of treason. 1 3 ' Every one of you under arms is a traitor j . j to the government. The principle is so . I plain that no one need doubt." I "But there are doubts, sir. A large proportion of the northern people aro I doubtful, and some of the most influential of the northern papers contend for > j tho right of secession." ? | The general could not gainsay that, j J Tho government was rushing troops ; into tho field, and battles weio being , fought, but the principle was still being [ | discussed, and men eminent as jurists, r | statesmen and journalists were still divided. Kenton was dismissed to be rej turned to his fellow prisoners. Only I j one guard accompanied him. 3 Half way between headquarters and 5 j the spot where tho prisoners were bej i ing held under guard they eneounl j tered two men bringing in a wounded i man on a stretcher. Tho victim proved i to bo tho guurd's brother. For a rno- j ! j Royal Kenton a, prisoner. ( I ment ho forgot his prisoner, and when , ho had recovered from his excitement over the discovery he no longer had a prisoner. Kenton had walked off into , | the darkness and made good his escape, i And now as tho night drew on apace | and the cold rain steadily beat down i I upon the battlefield parties of men went forth iu search of tho wounded. They cared not for the dead. At the front j , there is but little sentiment or syinpa, thy for the wounded. They are cared for ; because many of them will recover to I , fight in somo other battle. They were : found in the open fields, in tho furrows , half full of water, in the deeper ditches ; , skirling the forest, among tho trees and ; bushes dripping with the rainfall, j Somo cried out in the darkness with tho , broken voices of lost children; others prayed or cursed or wept. And here { and there, with their faces buried in tho j , grass or dirt or with faces upturned to j J the sky of night and eyes half open, j were dead men, n thousand or more. l The morrow would do for them. The dead of a battlefield ask nothing. The . i living give them a covering of a few \ . I inches of blood soaked soil, and give ' that grudgingly. TO HK OONTINUKI) NKXT WKKK. j ?? t aiiitn MnniDV > j " """" A good story is told of a bright young American and several German 1 otlicers, who, at a dinner one evening, j set out to make him uncomfortable by I chafling him about his country. The young man is Albert II. Washburn, j the United States consular agent at Magdeburg; and the story is told by > i the Albany Journal. Henry F. Mer> i ritt, then consul at Chemnitz, was ; the first one of the Americans attacked i with a taunt from one of the Germans ! that lie could not give the names of i the presidents of the United States. 1 | Mcrritt named them over with some I deliberation, and drew from his Ger> i man friend the declaration that he 1 j did not believe that there was another j American present who could do it. j "Young Washburn had said nothing : ; until now : but he broke in, and dc1 | dared, 'I can do it, and I will give i you the vice presidents.' He was ' I about to begin, when a second thought ' ! struck him, and lie suid, "While I am 1 ! about it, I might as well give you the J : secretaries of state, too.' "The Germans got down a book j ' giving the names, and kept tabs ou 1 ' the young man as he correctly went J through the list. "They were pretty well backed down ! ' i already, but Washburn had no idea of ' j letting them oil' so easily. "Now, I 1 j should like to know,' he said,'whether j any of you can give the names of the : 1 ! Prussian rulers from the time of [ Charlemagne and his sons down to Emperor William? J "Not one of them could go half through the list; and they were on the point of apologizing to the young j Massachusetts scholar, when He looic i them down still more by modestly suggesting, 'l'erhaps I had better do it for you.' "He began with Charlemagne, and went through the list without a break, I much to the astonishment of his Oer| man hosts and the delight of Consul i Kdwards and the other Americans. "'How did you do it?"' asked Mer- 1 j rilt. I " 'Oh, my father had a taste for such i things, and taught them to me when i I was a boy; and you see they are j j sometime useful to know," he quietly I I replied. ?sBf The curious method of burying a | fowl that is either very fresh or threatens to be tough, which is often I adopted by French cooks, may have ' j a suggestion in it to some country housewives, ine jowi is wrapped m a cloth, and put in a fairly deep hole 1 f in the yard and well covered with r earth; it is usually left all night, [ though it may be buried in the morning for use at a six o'clock dinner. This process vastly improves the llavor j I and condition of poultry suspected of | not being up to the standard quality. | pwllatimts itcatUnq. JII SIC IIATII CHA101S. ! How a Ship'* Captain Soothed an Afrirau Clistotint Ottieer'M Kar. The duty 011 plug tobacco, which cost twentv-iive cents a pound in this countiy, was at one time seventy-live cents a pound in the Portuguese possessions along the west coast of Africa. The natives were fond of chewing, and the high impost tax was, therefore, a great inducement .......x.ll.w, Tlx. At?n,.;?nn uhtm: ' iw v.... which traded with the west coast almost always carried several tons of pin# tohacco along with the general cargo, and the skippers usually made an attempt to get the tobacco ashore free of duty, so as to make the two or three hundred per cent, profit assured if they were successful. Smuggling became so frequent, how- I ever, that the customs authorities finally placed an ollicer on each ship as soon as it entered the harbor, and no goods could be landed by the skipper , without the permission of this I'ortu- I guesc negro customs inspector. This vigilance interfered somewhat with the smuggling, as it was not always that the officer could he bribed. An American sea captain tells the following story of how he smuggled several tons of tobacco into thecountry in spite of the presence of an officer on his ship, according to the New York | Sun. He had been laying off a small ; town in the Gambia river for scverul | days, and had landed a good part of his cargo in the legitimate way. He had about six tons of plug tobacco, but he preferred to take it back to America rather than to pay the required duly of seventy-five cents a pound. The afternoon before he intended to sail, a coasting schooner came into the : river, and shortly afterward the trader j in charge hoarded the American and asked the skipper it lie nan any piug tobacco. "About six tons," answered the I skipper. "I'll sell it too for fifty cents I a pound." The trader reflected awhile, and fi- ! nally offered 75 cents a pound for the tobacco delivered 011 board his schooner. The American said he would do his I best to circumvent the watchfulness of j the customs officer on board during 1 t he evening. There was another American trad- j ing vessel in the river and the the skipper rowed over to his countryman to see if the later could help him out. On j board this last vessel were several mil- i sieal boxes, and the captain was bring- j ing them to Africa as presents to the j daughters of some of the many Portu- j guese dignitaries to whom he was un- : der obligations. "How much do these musical boxes : eost?" asked the visiting skipper. "About $40 at home," replied the j other; but I have not brought them I over here to sell. I am going to give ! them away." "Sell me one," said the captain who owned the tobacco. "I have a particular use for it. I will give $75. After a little demurring, tlie other agreed to the trade, and a half hour later the would-be smuggler was sitting in bis cabin turning up "Home, Sweet Home," and "Down Upon the Sewanee River." The Portuguese inspector heard the sounds from below, and left the deck to see what the cause of the melody was. "Hello!" said the captain us the officer came into the cabin. "What is that?" asked the Negro, as he gazed in wonder at the box, and heard the familiar tunes. "This is a musical box," answered j the skipper, and he told the negro to 1 turn the crank utid make the music j himself. The latter had never seen ; anything like it before, and was I amazed at the wonderful machine, j .MIS urst question was ; "How much ?" "Five hundred dollars," answered | the skipper. The negro rubbed his head and looked disappointed, for he knew he could never own a musical box at such , a price. "You can play on it for awhile, if you choose," said the skipper, present- ! ]y. "I'm going on deck to give my I orders for the night." As soon as the captain was out of the ! cabin he called the mate, aud asked j him if the tobacco was in a convenient j place. The mate said it was in the j main hatch and near the top. "Tell the boys to stand by with | their shoes oil'," said the captain, "and ; load the tobacco into the long boat as j quietly as you can. Then put it aboard the schooner. As long as you hear the music box playing we are j safe." The captain went below and lit his j pipe. The negro was still turning the 1 crank. "That's a great thing," said the ! skipper. "Fine!" answered the customs of- | ficer. "Well, it would not be much good ! over here," continued the captain, ] "because your young ladies could not j play on it longer than fifteen minutes, j They would get tired." "Nonsense," siiid the Negro. "I ; could grind this all day." "I'll bet you tbe instrument against j a quarter," said the captain, "that you : can't grind it an hour without stopping." The Negro jumped at the bait, and put a quarter excitedly on the table, ! and vowed that the white man could not draw back from the oiler he had made. The captain laughed, and said he had no intention to hack out of the bet, and then took the time and told the officer to go ahead. The sailors above heard the notes in the cabin, and they worked with a will. In three quarters of an hour they had made two trips to the schooner, and had discharged the entire six tons of | tobacco. The mate then strolled into : the cabin, and nodded to tbe skipper that it was all right. "For Heaven's sake, stop that grinding!" shouted the captain, to the Negro. "You arc driving me crazy. "I'll give you the machine if you will stop j grinding!" The officer laughed and ceased his turning. "Why, I could do that all night!" he said. The next morning, when his relief came aboard, the Negro was rowed . ashore holding the music box in bis lap, and no suspicion came across bis mind as he glanced at the little coasting schooner filling a mile or so below 1 with her nose pointed seaward. Thk Hoksk Was Lath.?A good many years ago the brigade-major of (iibralter, who was a strict disciplinarian, was accustomed, whenever he could sec any soldier under the influence of drink, to scribble on a piece of , paper: "Please confine this man for drunkenness," put it in an envelope, ; nnnnulinir ?lir> i 11 oil l-i II 1 oil j illlU UllWWUfe ...V ... J , , desire him to deliver it to the commander of the guard, with the result that he would be confined under lock and key, and brought up before his I coinnimunding oflicer the next day to receive punishment. On one occasion he met an Irishman J slightly intoxicated, scribbled out the ' usual note, and, calling on the man, requested him to deliver it to the noncommissioned oflicer commanding the ; South Port guard. Pat took the letter, turned down the next street, and meeting the brigade- j major's own groom, a strict teetotaler, j a>l\l'U llllll 11^> ?l ItiYWI, un IIV i <i | r j ?%, iiv/M to be going in another direction, to give that note to the person to whom it was addressed. The unsuspecting groom took the note and delivered it, with the result that he was immediately confined and kept under lock and key. The next happened to be hunting day, and the brigade-major was always anxious to be in time for the meet, but waited in vain for his horse. At last he suspected something was wrong, and on making inquiries, discovered what had happened. He at once ordered the man released, and tried in vain to find out who the other was. He lost his day's amusement, and it \vaa remarkable that after that nobody else was the bearer of his own confinement order. True Economy.?Some women entertain curious ideas of what constitutes economy. A fragile little housewife saves seventy-five cents each week because she cannot afford to hire some y. one to do the ironing. I5ut she never hesitates to pay a dollar a pair for stockings, or two dollars for a pair of gloves, or three for the doctor's visit occasioned by overtaxing her strength. Another considers fruit a luxury beyond the reach of the family purse, but she has no scruple whatever in buying new material for the dress which she has worn only a few months, and employing a dressmaker to alter the sleeves to accord with the present voluminous fashion. We recall a dear woman, the delicate mother of six active children, who would not save her strength by using a carpet sweeper, because she said, "They do wear out the carpet so."' But the habit of what she called economy wore her out long before the carpets, and the mothless children have the things mother saved instead of her precious self. True economy considers other values than dollars and cents. It also studies how to secure the largest returns from the expenditure of money. The purchasing power of a dollar varies greatly in the hands of different women. She who has the most to show, not necessarily in material goods, or increased saving in the bank, but in health and comfort, in friendships and growth of character, is the one who has most wisely used her Lord's talents. UPKNINU COURT. The old form of opening court, and that still generally prevalent in most States, began by the crier shouting, "Oh, yes!" three times. Many a juror has heard him and wondered what "Oh, yes !" meant. It is a corruption which has grown up in the centuries, of the single word "Oycz," which is a command to listen,?the words "hear ye," used by Mr. Sibley today, are a literal translation. When William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, had won the battle of Hastings, in 10GG, be divided up the land umong his knights, and arranged everything very much in his own fashion. He brought over the NormanFrench laws, very naturally, along with his camp equipage, so that the foundation of English law, which, in turn, became the ground work of American law, was Norman French. "Oyez" is Norman French, and eight or nine hundred years ago the French criers very naturally began proceedings by commanding everybody in the court-room to listen?"Give ear, ye children." Presently Anglo-Saxon criers began to call it "Oh, yes," and Euglish and American court openers have been crying "Ob, yes" ever since. fi@PThe fiction about drink is that it is a food. The fact about drink is that a gallon of ale contains less nourishment than a penny loaf, that a glass of wine contains less'food than could be put on a three penny piece, and that a glass of spirits contains as much nourishment and is about as satisfying as the bite of a mad dog. How can this be true, when people feel so much strengthened and revived after taking a drink? Because stimulation and excitement is mistaken for strength. A spur or a whip will carry a horse to the top of a hill, but no one is insane enough to suppose the horse is really stronger for the whipping. The fiction about drink is that it strengthens the body and enables it to endure additional fatigue. The fact about drink is that it weakens the center of life and action, namely, the heart. A pint and a half of beer, or two glasses of wine, or one glass of spirits, will cause the heart to beat six thousand extra strokes a day. The fiction is that alcohol helps digestion. The fact is that If /.(menu inrlitrpqtinri Jllld (Ivsnei)sia. The fiction about drink is that it warms the body. The fact about it is that it cools it, lowering the temperature and rendering the body more susceptible to cold. ? ? ThkTomb of Cain*.?The early traditions concerning the city of Damascus are curious and interesting, even though untrustworthy and contradictory. By some of the ancient writers it wus maintained that the city stood by or near the Garden of Eden, and just outside there is a beautiful meadow of red earth, from which it is said, God took the material from which he created Adum. This field is called Ager Damascenes, and near its center there formerly stood a pillar, which was said to mark the precise spot where our first parent was created. A few miles out there is an eminence called the mountain of Able, supposed by some to be the place where the two first brothers offered their sacrifices; also the spot where the first murder was committed. The most interesting spot pointed out, however, is about three leagues from the city, where an old ruin is shown, which all the Orient believe to be the tomb of Cain. The traditions respecting this famous spot are known to antedate the Christian era by several hundred years. I'ptothe time of Vespasian the interior is said to have been lighted and warmed by one of the "ever-burning" lamps so commonly used by the ancients. Atif One of the best ways to punish a child is to find out what the child wants to do and then prohibit it from doing that thing for a while. IVrlmps it may be well to prohibit a certain kind of food of which the child is fond, as a punishment for misdemeanor. The going without will teach him self control, and be a constant reminder of his error. Some method of this sort is much better than corporeal punishment which usually hurts only for a few moments and the chief effect of which is to make the child angry. PatT A placard placed by the order of the government in the Belgian schools, states that of 12o,000 deaths, one-fifth of the number, or 2<>,0U0, are attributated to alchohol. In one period in which the population increased 11 per cent., the use of alcohol grew to ;i/ per ccnr. i ne cases ui mimiiu_i increased 4"> j>er cent., the criminals 47, and suicides SO per cent. Finally might be mentioned the number of beggars and roving, unoccupied persons 15(i per cent. SuiT While we boast ourselves to he an agricultural country, we do not export as many potatoes as we import. The importations last year were from Canada, Germany and Scotland, and amounted to $2,0G(i,;>fl0. The exports were to Cuba, Mexico, and other Central American countries, and amounted to $700,000. It would seem that there is room for a little more attention to potato growing here.