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.

ISSUED TWICE A WEEK?WEDNE8IDA.T' A.KTU SATURDAY. L. m. grist & sons, Publishers. [ St dfamilg |tfirspaj)tr: Jfor the promotion of the political, fhoriat, Agricultural, and Commnjcial Interests of the JSouth. |tekss^-^oo^jwk^i^.a^anck. VOL. 43. Y()RK\rlILK, S. C., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1897. XO. 70. EXILED TO BY WILLIAM MUK Copyright, 1897, by the Woolfall Publishing Co. Synopsis of Pevious Installments, k In order that new readers of The En- b quirf.h may begin with the following in- t< stallment of this story, and understand it just the same as though they had read it ? all from the beginning, we here give a ? * ' *- ? :* ?i,r synopsis 01 mai portion 01 n, muv.u . ?? t already been published: ^ Chaptkr I.?Vladimir SaradotF, a Rus- j. sian being heir to the fortune of his nephew, Maurice Hammond, an American, in B case of his nephew's death, conspires to J have him sent to Russia in order to get t him in his power. II.?Hammond and his friend Philip Danvers arrive at St. ( Petersburg, and Sarndotf lays plans to have them arrested as conspirators against a the government. Ill and IV.?Ham- \ mond at a review saves the life of Colo- . nel Jaroslav. Proceeding to Moscow, 1 they are arrested and sent to Siberia. On the way the boat on which they travel k catches fire, and they, with two other con victs, escape in a skiff. V, VI and VII.? . Hammond and Danvers pursuo their way A with the two other prisoners, who attack an approaching wagon. Hammond and o Danvers defend an officer in the wagon. * A troop of Cossacks appears and recapt- , ures all the prisoners. The officer tells ? the Americaus that they will probably be shot, but in view of their services to him fc he will do all he can for them. VIII, IX and X.?They are sentenced to be shot. The sentence is commuted to imprisonment at Kara, but a riot in which they s: are involved results in their being put to j] work in the mines of Kara. XI.?At the mines Captain Daroman attempts to kiss Lora Mehkotfand Hammond knocks him 0 down. ' y a CHAPTER XIIL o LORA MELIKOFF. f< Cossacks and convicts alike were petrified at the lad's daring deed, and for C a moment no one stirred. ti Phil made a motion to follow his com- tJ panion, but Platoff fiercely held him 1J back. Then Captain Daroman stagger ed dizzily to his feet. He drew bis P sword and sprang with a savage cry at v Maurice, who was standing calmly in P front of the girl he had rescued. n The lad's fate appeared to be sealed, but just when the weapon was within ^ a foot of his bead tho captain Btopped e short and cried in a voice hoarso with passion, "No, no, my fino fellow; that's P too merciful for you." He sheathed his n weapon and turned to the soldiers. n "Bind him to that tree yonder," he ?' shouted, "and shoot him instantly." b The Cossacks sprang forward, and Maurice was speedily tied to a large A tree that stood a few yards distant near 1 the base of the hill. t] Tho convicts huddled affrightedly to- c gether, and the girl, who seemed uu- b able to comprehend tho meaning of the sceno, edged away from the spot, look- v ing with unutterable terror at Cuptain o Daroman. n The commandant gavo several sharp, p quick orders, and a dozen Cossacks ad- v vuueed from tho line. They dropped their rifle hutts with a ringing clatter o to the frozen ground and then raised o them to their shoulders. v Maurice, pule and trembling, faced ri the glaring muzzles. u Ho knew that in another moment the ji leaden volley would pierce hie breast, and yet he faced the prospect with a i< calmness that surprised himself. All n his p st life was surging throueh his a mind, out still he saw distinctly every ti detail of the scene beforo him?the awe- ci struck convicts, the agitated faces of b Phil and Platoff, the firing squad of t< Cossacks and the ferocious countenance of Captain Daroman. e: "Why did they not fire?" he wonder- fi ed vaguely, and then he began to utter ii a silent prayer. v "Takoaiui!" shouted the comman- si dant, and the 12 black muzzles centered together. Maurice closed his eyes with k a shudder. A low sob burst from Phil, o and Platoff ground his teeth. ei "Fire!" was already trembling on v Captain Daroman's lips when a star- u tling interruption occurred. o: The young girl sprang across the ri- a; fles and threw herself in front of Mau- a rice. a "I forbid you to shoot!" she exclaimed, facing the soldiers. "Release this t< man, or you shall all be punished! And p you," she added to Captain Daroman, ci "you shall pay dearly for this insult." d The commundaut sworo a frightful T oath. "Take her away I" he shouted to tl his men. "Drag her to one side and fi finish this dog hera" P Half a dozen Cojsacks advanced toward the courageous girl, but she held n her ground and met rhem with flashing n eyes. In another instant they would a have seized her roughly, but just theu a a clatter of hoois was heard, and a young Cossack ofi cer, mounted on a fi black horse, galloped up to the party. e He surveyed the scene for a moment, p Then, flinging the lines to a soldier, ho fi leaped from tho saddle and approached p tho girl, doffing his cap respectfully as a he did so. a "Miss Lora," he said, "your father, d the colonel, has sent me in search of i] you. Ho feared you had strayed off and lost your way." t A revolving bombshell could not have e - -i. ? *i __ caused greater cousierauuuii ixiuu uiu u tho quiet speech of this youug ofiicer. The soldiers lowered their rifles iustaut- c ly, and the convicts began to whisper e excitedly among themselves, and Cap- c tain Daroinau's face assumed an expres- h sion that none who saw it can ever for- a get. u "You have come just in time," replied tho nn?deu. "I have suffered in- g suit at the hands of that man," point- g lug to the trembling commandant, v "and this convict here, who saved me g from the wretch, was about to be shot t. for his noble deed." c The officer turned sternly and inquiringly toward Captain Daromau, who t, now came unsteadily forward. "Sude- B SIBERIA. :ray gkaydon. in, wTio Is tlial girl?" ho asked in 8 usky voice. "I thought she belonged - ?L ? nnmmnJ MOllflnT " J UIC UCC WUiUiuuu .* "She in the daughter of Colonel Mel koff, the governor of the mines," re (lied the officer. "She went out for i valk this morning and wandered u] (ere from tho lower diggings. I wai ent in search of her. Itlopksasthougl on were in a pretty had scrape thii ime, Daroman." The commandant grew still paler 'But tell me," he whispered, "cai lothing be done to smooth matters over Vhy, I didn't even know that Colone lelikoff had a daughter." "She just came on a visit from Ir :utsk," replied Sudekin coldly. "Ev rything rests with her, Daroman )on't talk to me." The commandant hesitated a secout r two, and then in a cringing mauuei bat must have been bitter as gall t( lis proud spirit approached the girl. "Miss Melikoff," ho began humbly, ut at the first word she indignantly aoved to one side. "Before you daro speak to me," sh< aid angrily, "rclcaso that bravo mar here." The commandant gave tho necessary rders, and then, while tho soldien rero unbinding Maurice, ho made ar bject apology, and in the most piteouf Dues begged that his offense might b( verlooked and kept from reaching hot Either. It was a strange scene, the savagf Japtaiu Daroman suing for mercy it he presence of his own soldiers and ol he convicts who had felt so often his ran rule. The girl listened calmly to his apeal, and when he had finished sh( talked proudly away like an offendec rincess, not deigning to givo him sc inch as a glance. "Take me home, Lieutenant Sudein," 6he said. "I havo heard quit* uougb." The lieutenant pointed across the lain. "A sleigh was ordered to follow le," he replied. "I seo it coining ow." The conveyance quickly reachd the spot, with a merry ringing oi ells. Miss Lora darted a grateful glance al laurice and stepped in among the furs, 'he driver whipped up the horses, anc be sleigh sped rapidly off. attended loscly by Lieutenant Sudekin on his lack charger. Captain Daromau watched it until il ras dim in the distance. Then, turning n Maurice one glance so venomous ant lalignaut that tbo lad shuddered, he ut spurs to his pony and galloped 08 without a word. "Get in line there," cried the sub Sicer harshly. The convicts instautlj beyed, the Cossacks surrounded them rith shouldered rifles, and the intercepted march was resumed as calmly ud monotonously as though the eveul ast witnessed had never occurred. Alaurice, assisted by his two compan3ns, staggered forward with the utlost difficulty. He was suffering from violent reai tiou. He had bravely aticked the commandant and faced the ertaiuty of death without a tremor, ut the sudden restoration to hope wat 30 much for him. The officer in command perceived hit feebled condition, and feeling doubtal as to the bearing which the recent icident would havo on the young conict ho wisely concluded to bo on the rfe side and act with leniency. He gave Maurice a few drops of voda from his own flask and mounted liim n a pony until the mines were reachd. This treatment was speedily effect ?e, and Maurice wus ablo to work as Bual with his fellow prisoners, for the flicer refused to extend his leniency uy further. Ho was kept rigorously part from Phil and Platoff, however, ud put to work some distance away. The rest of the day was not destined ) pass uneventfully. During tho noon eriod of rest un ominous incident ocarred, and ono from which Maurice rew on iuferenco favorablo to himself, 'weuty mounted Cossacks rode up tc bo mines, headed by a middlo aged ofcer with dignified bearing, who stern j usked for Captain Daroman. When told that tho commandant had ot accompanied the convicts to the lines, he appeared much concerned, ud presently the whole party rode way at full speed. Trudging home at sunset, threo difsrent squads of soldiers wero encounterd, and on reaching the settlement supressed excitement was visible on the aces of all whom they met. Within the rison much whispering was going on mong tho convicts, and the new arrivls wero speedily acquainted with a ozen different versions of what was adced a startling tale. The facts of tho case, as gleaned from beso different stories, which had enterd the prison in some unaccountable aauncr, appeared to be as follows: Captain Daroman, on leaving the onvict gangs that morning, had returnd in haste to tho prison, changed hit lothes in his own apartment, armed imself he.-ii-ilv and then aalloned way on a fresh horse, in what directior ione observed. Shortly after his departure a troop ol oldiers arrived from the lower dig iligs with u warrant for his arrest. Ii t'as no secret that the commandant hat ought safety in flight, and now hall he force iu barracks was scouring tin ountry in pursuit. Maurice was jubilant as ho sat or be bare platform, eating his frugal sup cr. with Phil and Platoll by his side. Their fellow convicts had been crowd- ' iug abont them, eugerly discussing the 1 momentouH affuir, and now at last they were comparatively by themselves. ' "And how do you think this will af- ^ I feet me, Plutoff?" aeked Maurice. "Will ! it lighten my sentence, or is it even possible that I shall obtain a fair hear-j 1 ing from tho governor and be permitted 1 to toll him our story? I feel sure that I 1 should convince him of the truth." Platoff gravely shook his head. 1 "JDon't be too hopeful, my friend,"! 1 he replied. ""There are complications in ' this affair that you are unable to see. j j To me, with my knowledge and expsri- , ence, they are only too plain. You have I performed a brave deed, it is trne, ano protected from insult the daughter of Colonel Melikoff, but at the suine time you have broken the severest of prison " rules and committed a flagrant crime. 1 for which the penalty is death." ' "And would not the one offset the 3 other?" demanded Maurice with indig1 nation. "Would the circumstances count 3 for nothing?" "Colonel Melikoff is known as the > most stern and rigid disciplinarian in J all Siberia," answered Platoff soberly. "I fear that he may insist on making 1 your case an example to the other prisoners. You assaulted an officer?an un pardonable crimo." "Yes, and saved his daughter," as serted Maurice hotly. "Can he overlook that?" 1 "He can overlook anything," said r Platoff grimly. "Listen! I can tell you 3 what kind of a man Colonel Melikoff is in a few words. Do you remember in > one of Victor Hugo's romances the gun7 ner who allowed a huge cannon to tear loose from its fastenings on shipboard 3 during a storm, and then, after a ter1 rifio combat in which his life was jeopardized a hundred times, overturned tho 7 monster and saved his comrades?" ' "Yes, I have read that," said Mau? rice. 3 "Very well," resumed Platoff. "Tho ) commander of that vessel first rewarded r that man for his bravery, then shot him for his negligence. Colonel Mcli) koff is a second Marquis do Lautenuc." i "But you don't think I'm in any I danger of being shot?" asked Maurice 3 in a horrified whisper. "No," said Platoff; "it's not that . bad. You may know all tomorrow, and > then it is possible that I shall have [ something to say to yon." ) Platoff refused to explain himself i any further, and presently, in spite of , . his troubles, Maurice was sleeping , j soundly. , The morning verification was presided ^ over by Lieutenant Sudekin, who, it j P seemed, had been appointed temporary ( , commandant of tho prison. Before start- , ! iug for the mines it was whispered J I among the convicts that Captain Daro- ( man had not been caught, and this ru. mor was presently verified, for tho working gangs started out that mornI ing in custody of less than half the L usual guard of Cossacks, and the cordon j j of troops around the prison was correspondingly small. It was soon evident , . that the new commaudant had no in- j , tentiou of dealing more leniently with j [ the convicts than his predecessor. All j , that day the ooys toiled hard under the , i watchful eyes of the overseers, and not the slightest conversation was allowed. ' Two or three days passed thus, and ( , still Maurice heard nothing from Colo- j nel Melikoff, nor was the fugitive commandant recaptured. 1 "He's sure to bo caught sooner or . later," said Platoff. "It's only a ques- J tion of time." On the fifth day, however, many of tho absent troops returned, and it be- ( ( gan to look as though Captain Daroman had made good his escape, for the time ( at least. "They have forgotten me," said , Maurice one night, as he sat on his hard bed, thinking of the pretty dark ( ( eyed girl who had passed like a vision across the wretched monotony of his ( 1 life. "Sbo believes me to be some low criminal, no doubt," ho added bitterly , , to himself. \ "No," said Platoff, glancing up from " the cup of tea he was drinking. "Be j assured Colonel Melikoff has not forgottou you. He never overlooks a crime agaiust his rules and discipline of tho ) prison, as you will know before long." j A week passed by?a week of heart , sickening toil and misery?and then , PlnfnflF'a nrnflipHnn r>nmn trnrv thnnch ' not just in tho way ho had anticipated. [ CHAPTER XIV. j I STOLEN INTERVIEW. , It was bitterly cold, and the snow ) was falling thickly, but weather counts : for nothing at tho mines of Kara, and < ' the convicts, shivering in their thin gar- 1 nients, worked with feverish energy, hoping to put some warmth into their < aching limbs and bodies. ^ Phil and PlatofT wero driving their picks into tho hard stratum of clay and 1 gravel, and Maurice, in company with half a dozen others, was wheeling tho stiffened clods to u distance. Close by 6tood tho watchful overseers, stamping ' their feet continually and clapping their i It was bcckvttina htm to approach, t amis together, while iu the background, . out of the snowy mist, loomed tho solt rlicrs, pacing to and fro in their heavy I coats or grouped about the feeblo fires, [ where the tea was warming for the 3 noonday lunch. With increasing regularity the long i string of wheelbarrows continued to load and unload, and when midday; , came tho weary toilers with tho picks, bad uncovered a large surface of smoofh and yellow sand. The overseer came forward and looksd at it with evident satisfaction. "That Is good work," bo said briefly. "Today fou may have 80 minutes' rest." Some of the convicts oheered and Sung their caps into the air. Even this insignificant privilege was something to be thankful for. Picks and barrows were tossed aside, and sitting down on stones and clods of earth the hungry men began to devour greedily the blaok Dread and tea that were served out to ibem. The Cossacks stocked their arms, with the exoeption of two or three sentinels, and gathered about the fires, rubbing their hands and stamping their Peet. Ten or 15 yards from the spot where the convicts were grouped the brow of a rocky hill sloped to the river. It was barren and rugged, strewn with bowlders and a half a dozen stunted birches. A few feet below the crest a spring of ley water ponred ont, and after falling in numerous cascades down the slope emptied into the Kara river. At this spring the prisoners were often allowed to drink, for the waters of the Kara were slightly brackish and, moreover, were usually muddy and tainted from the mining operations. Today but few of the men were thirsty. One or two dim bed painfully up the slope, and filling their tin cups came back to their places. Maurice was sitting on an upturned wheelburrow slowly enting his bread and looking wistfully at Phil and Platoff, who were some yards away near tho bank of the river. He turned his eyes toward the spring. The snow was falling thickly over the rocky crest of tho hill, and suddenly against the gloomy whiteness of the sky ho saw an arm thrust from the rocks. Thinking it only a delusion, he rubbed his eyes and looked again. No; he was not mistaken. It was a human arm, and it was beckoning him to approach. Ho watched it closely for a moment or two. Twice it vanished and then appeared again, and still it con tinned to motion him forward. A sudden thrill of hope made his heart beat wildly, but with great self command he checked all show of emotion and assumed a careless attitude. Presently he ventured to look about him. No one else apparently bad seen the signal. The convicts were engrossed in their bread and tea, the overseers were sitting by the fire with their backs toward the bill, and the soldiers off duty for the time were chatting loudly among themselves. Maurice hastily gulped down tho remainder of his tea, .and taking the tin cup in one hand and his hunk of bread in the other he rose slowly to his feet and commenced to ascend the hill with careless, hesitating steps. He trembled constantly with excitement, fearing each second to be called back, but no such summons came, and at last he gained the spring and sat down on a flat stone beside the outpouring water. Close over his head was the nook among the rocks where he had seen that wavering arm. Not daring to look behind him, he glanced down into the hollow. Some of his fellow prisoners were looking at him in a careless man 1 * wow fV?o uurp UUli L1UI UJt'I tuu UV CIBCUO uu* vuu soldiers were paying any attention. He dipped bis cnp into the spring, and as he raised it to bis lips a soft voice whispered with a strangely familiar accent: "You sa?v my signal. You have come. Be on your guard. Don't move. Don't speak a word." The cup almost dropped from Maurice's trembling hand, but with a great effort ho recovered himself and drank as though nothing had happened. "I am Lora Melikoff," continued the speaker after a pause. "I have not forgotten your brave deed. I am going to do wbat I can for you in return. You speak my language, do you not?" Maurice inclined bis head without speaking. " Your noble act has put you in great peril," resumed Lora; "more so than you think. My father is grateful, it is true, bat he is stem?ah, you do not know how stern and severe?and he declares that you must be punished as an example to the other men. I have implored him in vain, and Inst night I listened when he was talking to some officers. They will either shoot you or send you to the province of Yakutsk. One is as bad as the other. I have not time to tell you of Yakutsk, but it is a terrible place. In a week an officer is expected from St. Petersburg on a tour of inspection, and then your fate will be decided. You must try to escape, though it is almost hopeless. Do you kuow anything Df the country? Could you find the Pa cifio ocean, do you think? There are vessels at Vladivostok from every part cf the world." Maurice tremblingly held his bread to his lips as though he wero eating and said in a low whisper: "I havotwo friends. One of them is a Russian, a man who knows the country. Ho has spoken of Vladivostok and knows tbo rcnv dnwn the vallov of the Amur." Then ho added with sudden alarm: "There are guards down tho other slopo. They can see you surely." "I do not fear them," said Lora oalmly. "There is but ono and him I have bribed to allow me to reach this spot You say you have two friends. It will be rnoro difficult for three to escape, I fear, and yet I may be wrong. Three can do more than one. But I have much to say, and littlo time in which to toll it. Listen closely now to every word and bo careful that your actions do not betray you. I have placed a small package under the stono on which you are sitting. It contains tools which muy help you to escape from the prison at night. You must conceal it in some way about your clothes. I have written on a scrap of paper your best plan for getting free of the prison. Heod it carefully and bo sure to destroy the writing. It will be difficult and dangerous, and success is very doubtful, but if you once gain tho outside of the prison stockude you can pluco yourself in security for a few days at least. After that you must do tho best you can, and I shall pray constantly that you may roach Vladivostok uud .get safely aw^y I from Sileriu. Now, hero is what you must do when you are outside the prison: Go directly to the Kara river and follow its channel up to this very spot, so that it will bo impossible to track your footsteps. Two miles along this ridge is a cave among the rocks. It lies in among seven pine trees and is difficult to find. No one but myself knows it, and I discovered it by uccident two years ago, when my father first came here from Moscow. In this cave I have already hidden clothes and money. Today or tomorrow I shall find a way to convey food there, and tomorrow night you must attempt to escape. If you can *r>nnh tho rnvn. vou arc- safe for awhile. Remain there for a week or two, and then, when the pursuit has ubated or is being conducted fur from here, it will be time to start for the distant Pacific. If your friend is a clever man, ho may puide you there in safety. You will find clothes for three in the cave. Now you had better go. Don't attempt to get the package at present. Wait until yon start buck to the prison at night " "But you"?cried Maurice, quito forgetting himself?"you have placed yooreelf in peril for my sake. How can I ever thank you? How can I ever hope to repay such a debt of gratitude?" "Hush," said Lora; "not so loud. You will betray yourself." Her voice had a touch of haughtiness, of offended pride, that showed Maurice instantly the gulf between himself, a degraded convict, wearing the prison stripes, and this aristocratic young Russian, tho daughter of famous Colonel Melikoff. "Forgive me," he said humbly. "I forgot?I was so grateful?that was all. I did not think"? "It is a debt," sho interrupted coldly; "a sacred obligation on me, an obligation that is doubly binding sinco my father refuses to acknowledge it. But do not think that I regard you as those men yonder, those thieves, assassins, robbers. I have heard something of your history. You are Englishmen, you and your friend. You are very young, and I prefer to believe that you have fallen into bad company and sinned through ignorance. Don't think that I sympathize with your views, for those who plot against our czar aro winlrpfl men. If throuch anv aid of mine yon can reach yonr own country again, pleaso try to think better of Russia." "I shall never forget you," said Maurice, "but your opinion of me is wrong, I assure you. I am neither a revolutionist nor a Nihilist, and I have never plotted against Russia. I am an American, Miss Melikoff, and my story, could you but hear it, would give you some different ideas of your own land. My mother was"? "Hush I" said Lora suddenly. "The guards ore coming. I must slip away at once. I will never seo yon again, but I shall pray for your escape. Goodby." "Goodby," exclaimed Maurice fervently, and as he rose to his feet the harsh voire of the overseer summoned the men to work, and he went slowly and sadly down the slope. Through the long hours of that afternoon he worked as though in a dream, and more than one sharp reprimand was hurled at him by the angry overseer. Little did ho care for that. A wild hope of freedom was seething through bis brain, a vision of faroff America and friends he had never expected to see again, yet there was bitterness mingled with his joy. This Russian girl believed him guilty of tho crimes with which he was charged. She believed that he bad plotted against her native land, against the czar, whom sho honored and revered. Carried away by his feelings, Maurice even began to find some excuse for the tyrannical and despotic means that hud placed him in his terrible situation. If only he could have a chance to tell her his story, he thought, sho would bo convinced und believe him. And now he would never seo her again, never havoacliauce to explain, and sho would always be ignorant of the truth. The agitated expression of his faco was noticed by his companions. They regarded him curiously, wondering evi-( r* lie drew the flat, h envy parcel from under a stone. dently what bit of joy conld bo mingled with his wretched existence. Bnt the watchful eyo of the overseer, trained on the work that was being done, failed to note theso signs. When the coppery sun went down, the labor ceased. Now came the most difficult part of all, but Maurice was equal to the task. Beforo the convicts formed in lino for the homeward march bo carelessly climbed the hill with his cup, and stooping, under pretense of getting a drink, ho dexterously drew the flat, heavy parcel from under a stone and hid it in tho folds of his shirt beneath the heavy overcoat. There it rested snugly all through the long tramp back to the prison, and when tho evening verification was over und tho convicts ?<nvn onHiin thoir Runner on the nlat forms his heart was beating fast at the thought of whut lay next to it?the precious means that might bo destined to lead to safety and freedom. TOSE CONTINUED. BfcgT Medicine which tastes bad can he easily taken by means of a newly devised glass, which has a partition in the centre to separate the medicine from a liquid to wash it down, the partition preventing the two from mixing and allowing the wash to flow out by tipping the glass higher up. ^tiscellaneous $ca<Ui>;). MATTERS OF HISTORY. Interextlng Card From Duncan and Statement From McLanrln. Although the election is now over, and nothing that can be said or done can influence voters, there are a few developments of the past few days which deserve to he recorded as matters of history. We refer especially to a card from Mr. J. T. Duncan, and another card from Mr. McLaurin, both of which appeared in the daily papers of Sunday. Mr. Duncan's card is as follows: To the Public: I suppose that the voters of the ' 9tate have all understood my attitude in this campaign since my Newberry speech. I withheld my name from the ballots, and as today closes the campaign I withdraw my name from the list of candidates. My primary object in filing my pledge was to justify my fight of last year if Evans attempted to pose as a martyr. He has timidly asserted, as I see from the papers, that he was beaten by "lies and slanders," and at Laurens he added that he had been "dared to come into this race," and where now was "the one to confront him ?" I accepted this challenge and left the bedside of my wife to confront him at the next meeting, which was at Newberry. There I spoke first and threw down the gauntlet, which he dared not pick up. I asked him to specify wherein I had misrepresented or slandered him, offering at the same time to produce positive proof with accumulated evidence to substantiate every word I had uttered about him. He dwelt not upon his wrongs on that occasion, and made a ridiculous attempt to divert attention by saying, "If any man had anything personal against him he knew where to find him." That record of his he dared not touch upon, and as for the man he wished "to confront him" he really did not seem anxious to see him. Judging from some recent threat of his to hold some one to personal ac count, it appears that his desire to can to account increases in proportion to the increase of distance between himself and his would-be victim, and decreases as the distance grows less, even up to the point of meeting, when all outraged feelings and vindictive designs vanish. Had circumstances been different, I might have made the campaign; but I was unwilling to take from the votes of other candidates to increase the chances of this unworthy man. I beg pardon of the general public for having this much to say of this man in explaining my position. I commend him to your tender mercies, and ask you to pity him, forgive him if you may, but retire him from politics for the good of your state, and I shall again be pleased at having you a second time vindicate my fight of last summer. By retiring such men from politics I trust that a better era may dawn, wherein we may cease to magnify our differences, but increase in unity of purpose for peace among our citizens and prosperity in our land. John T. Duncan. At one of the meetings last week, Governor Evans referred to campaign literature that was being sent out from the McLaurin headquarters in Columbia, and said that, after the election, he would hold the managers of the bureau personally responsible. The managers at once said that they were willing; but that was not all. On Saturday afternoon the Columbia State received the following card which was in Mr. McLaurin's own handwriting : "I am responsible for anything in the campaign that is offensive to Mr. Evans and he need not put himself to the trouble to make any inquiries; but -S ?i i m U*\A may proceed, wneu ue sees ui>, iu uuiu me responsible. "Jno. L. McLaurin." CALIFORNIA AND ALASKA The widespread excitement over the discoveries of gold in the remote Klondike region strikingly recalls the scenes of half a century ago. To the few "forty-niners" still alive the talk of the new El Dorado in the north must bring thrilling memories of the time when they girdled the continent or faced the terrors of the desert on their way to the land of gold. California in 1849 was by many days farther from the Atlantic seaboard than is Alaska in 1897. Its Englishspeaking population was inconsiderable aud it had no systematic communication with the east until, as luck would have it, in the autumn of 1848, the very year of the great discovery, the Pacific Mail Steamship company sent its first vessel around Cape Horn from New York to San Francisco. That vessel, the California, was the first of an immense fleet. Every craft that could he pressed into the service carried gold-seekers. In the winter and spring of 1849-f>0 250 vessels left eastern ports with passengers for California; 45 arrived in San Francisco in a single day. Meanwhile the short cut across the Isthmus of Panama was taken by thousands who were too impatient to go by the long route "around the Horn." The overland travel was still greater. Thousands gathered along the Missouri river during the winter following the discovery and waited until the grass on the plains had grown sufficiently to feed their animals. No more picturesque incident can be found in American history than the long summer's journey across the desert. The picture has its darker shades, for the cholera overtook the wagon-trains and there were many freshly-made graves in regions where there were no homes for the living. By sea and by land over 80,000 reached California before the end of the year. Many followed in the years immediately succeeding. Out of all the thousands a mere handlul found riches in the form in which they sought it; but many found successful careers in other pursuits. The movement had in the end consequences of the widest importance; for behind the wave of immigration to California followed other waves that peopled the territory between the Pacific coast and the Mississippi basin. Attention was soon drawn to the Kansas-Nebraska region, and then began the struggle for possession between north and south which led up to the Civil war. Fifty years ago it was thought that the Golden Gate marked the limit of the western expansion of the country. tj..i iL. U A 1 i onn JDUt lue puruuaae ui aiusku iu 100/ provided room for more one exodus of hardy and adventurous spirits.? Youth's Companion. SEVENTEEN RULES FUR A WIFE. Isabel, Lady Burton, is a character of unfailing interest, says the Boston Transcript. The posthumous "Romance" of her life is a mine of human interest. It begins with her young girl adoration of her captain that continued until her death, which comes speedily after his, in old age. In her "seventeen rules for a wife" she set down a certain code of action for a woman whose life was to be linked with that of a man, who, until 40 years of age, had roamed the world from Mecca to Salt Lake. Several of the seventeen rules embody minor rules, but all of them are of spirited significance The first one is about friendship and companionship; the second about care of him when ailing; the third about making home snug and attractive to intimates and people that interest him as well as to himself. The fourth rule is for selfimprovement and education; the fifth about following on journeys at an hour's notice, ready to rough it; the sixth about generosity in afTection and care in personal appearance, and the seventh about promoting her husband's interest, professional, social and personal. The ten remaining sections of advice from Isabel Burton to herself contain so much philosophy that they shall be given in full: "Never confide your domestic affairs to your female friends. "Hide his faults from every one and | back him up through every difficulty and trouble. "Never permit any one to speak disrespectfully of him before you ; and if any one does, no matter how difficult, leave the room. Never permit any one to tell you anything about him, especially of his conduct with regard to other women. Never hurt his feeling by a rude remark or jest. Never answer when he fiBds fhult* and never reproach him when he is in the wrong, especially when he tells you of it, nor take advantage of it when you are angry, and always keep his heart up when when he has made a failure. "Keep all disagreements for your own room, and never let others find them out. "Never ask him not to do anything? for instance, with regard to visiting other women, or any one you particularly dislike; trust him and tell him everything except another person's secret. "Do not bother him with religious talk, be reliaious vourself and give good examples, and take life seriously and earnestly, pray for and procure prayers for him, and do all you can for him without his knowing it, and let all your life be something that will win mercy from God for him. "Cultivate your own good health, spirits and nerves, * * * to enable you to carry out your mission. "Never open his letters nor appear inquisitive about anything he does not volunteer to tell you. "Never interfere between him and his family ; encourage their being with him, and forward everything he wishes to do for them, and treat them in every respect (as far as they will let you) as if they were your own. "Keep everything going, and let nothing ever be at a standstill." Eccentric Wooing.?Numberless anecdotes are related of the eccentricities and characteristic acts of Rev. Lorenzo Dow, the famous itinerant Methodist preacher. Mr. Collins relates that when he was a widower, he said to the congregation one day at the close of his sermon : "I am a candidate for matrimony; and if there is any woman in this audience who is willing to marry me, I would thank her to rise." A ...????? msvma tiAMit woom Ka nnlrvit A WULUUU IU9C VCIJf UCUI uic puijxt, and another in a distant part of the house. Mr. Dow paused a moment then said : "There are two ; I think this one near me rose first; at any rate, I will have her for my wife." This woman was in good standing and possessed of considerable property. Very soou after this eccentric wooing she became Mrs. Dow. t&F To the experienced eye, the roughish or granulated surface of the perfectly fresh egg distinguishes it at once from the more shiney or polished surface of the egg that has been uuder the hen a day or two. The secret is very simple. Just scratch over the surface with the finger nail; if it grates, the egg is fresh ; but if the nail slides smoothly, the egg is old. A little practice makes this a sure test. 1 ? I After driviug a horse, his feet should De exomineu in searuu 01 stones which he may have picked up. Some horses rarely, if ever, pick up a rock, but others frequently get large ones lodged between the frog and the shoe. It may be the shape of the foot or the way he sets it down in going. When a stone is hurting, the horse goes lame, but when it sticks out and makes his foot roll, a twiching in the shoulder is noticed.