University of South Carolina Libraries
^ ' 7 ^ " sssxyEP ^ ^ ^ l m. grist 4 sons, Publishers, } % ^amilj Jfetregaper: <jjfor the promotion of the political, Social, ^gric 'turat and djommerciat Interests of the jpeopte. {TKRSingle coVJk^iveNc^ts1NCB' established 1855. YORKVILLE, S. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1899. NUMBER 100. THE FARM II A TALE OF By FLORENC Copyright, 1899, by Florence Warden. Synopsis of Previous Installments In order that new readers of The Enquirer may begin with the following installment ot this story, and understand it j.,cf conio n? thonffh thev had read it ali from the beginning, we here give a synopsis of that portion of it which has already been published: The Rev. Granville Masson, who Is traveling In Wales, writes his brother, Dr. Reginald Masson that he is about to go on an excursion in the hills with a wild, uncouth, redheaded guide. After this nothing Is heard of the clergyman. Dr. Masson goes to Wales, tinds the innfrom which his brother started and learns that he was going to the house of Mr. Tregaron, owner of Monachlog farm, some six miles distant, under the guidance of a man nicknamed Coch Tal. Reginald starts in l he afternoon, and, In his haste, without a guide, to make his way in face of a snowstorm to Monachlog farm. Perceiving a figure ahead of him, Reginald hastens and comes up with a large, reaheaded man, who on seeing the doctor. shows signs of great terror and darts ahead. Reginald follows, feeling sure that the man is Coch Tal, and, overtaking hiin, calls him by that name; but the man ngain eludes him. He pursues the fugitive down a ravine till he arrives at the edge of a cliff, from the bottom of which comes a groan. Above him he hears a voice calling and, retracing his steps, comes upon a farmer, who conducts him to his house. The man's daughter is 111,and Reginald agrees to attend her. On the farmer's finger Reginald sees a ring that had belonged to his brother. The house and the people in it are mysterious. There are an old woman, the farmer's young son. Tom, and a farmhand called Myrick. Reginald goes to the room of the sick girl, a,o-vn unri 11 non seeing him. she is struck wit& horror. Reglnuld sleeps in the kitchen in a chair before the fire. During the night tie awakens to find that some one has entered the room and has evidently tried to rob him, suspicion pointing to the farmhand M.vrick, who turns out to be Coch Tal, and the farmer turns out to be Mr. Tregaron and the place Monachlogfarin. Tregaron tells Reginald that he found the ring on a hillside near by. Reginald watches at Gwyn's bedside, and she warns him to leave the place before morning. Everything and everybody about tlie place is mysterious. The old woman never speaks ; but appears to be spying ; Coeh Tal is moody, while Gwyn is in constant t rror. Reginald, seeing Coch Tal climbing a ladder to a loft, follows him, corners liitn in his bedroom and questions him about his missing brother. Coch Tal admits that he was Granville Masson's guide and says that Masson insisted on climbing where it was not safe. Hedisappeared, and Coch Tal never saw him afterward. Gwyn recovers and urges Reginald to depart. A heavy fall of snow prevents, and he believes that he will never get out of the place ulive. While he is with Gwyn, Coch Tal comes to the door. Reginald goes out to him, and Coch Tal shows plainly that he is in love with Gwyn and Jealous of Reginald and threatens him in case he does not depart at once. Reginald pacifies hi in and returns to Gwyn, who discloses that she hates Cocli Tal; but evidently fears him. Reginald feels that she possesses thesecret of his brother's disappear ince. Reginald discovers a pit on the place and. while examining it, see the old womans watching him. She gives a satisfied chuckle. Gwyn relapses ana acts strangely. Reginald," while watching with her, falls asleep, lie awakes to find himself bound, a cfoth over his head, snd hears Gwyn pleading for him. She is telling some one, "He loves me, nnd I love him, and he is going to marry me." Then Reginald is left alone with her. Gw.vn does not explain the mystery, but the next day declares that the attack upon him was a tricK to irignien him. She does not explain why site said that she and Reginald were to be married, but declares that such must be the understanding . until she can secure his departure, when lie * will be free. Tregaron congratulates Reginald. Reginald determines to sleep in the loft with Coch 'l'al. He awakens to find Cocli Tal bending over him and asking him to wake up and help him control his desire to kill him. Coch Tal confesses that his enmity is on account of Gwyn. but finally nobly udmits that he desires Gwyn's happiness even at the exjiense of his owu. Reginald asks Gwyn to be his wife, but she resists the temptation to tnarry above her station. They suspect that their conversation has been overheard by an eavesdropper. CHAPTER xxi: FAREWELL TO THE FARM. Masson crossed the kitchen floor very softly and opened the outhouse door But there was uo oue there. The place was so large, so dark, there were so many hiding places among the lumber, so many pitfalls besides the old well that he dared uot make a very exhaustive survey, lie went back agaiu iuto the kitchen, however, with the definite impression that some oue had been in there listening to his conversation with Gwyn uud that the eavesdropper, whoever it was. had found a way of egress. The belief was a disturbing one. Massou knew that in the belief of the household he was eugaged to Gwvn. thut he was going to marry ber and take her away with him luy his safety. And he was therefore not surprised when the girl made a pretext for detaining him after dinner to whisper . In his ear that he must try to get away ^ without delay. He was startled by her earnestness. "Some one overheard us this morningV" said he abruptly. "Yes. And you must go at once. There must be no more delay. I don't say the Journey will be without danger. but it is worth the risk?any rl9k. There will be light for nearly three * hours, and by that time you will have got out of the hills if you have any luck. The road to the bottom of the hill is clear now. isn't it?" "Yes." "Well, you must shirt then and get away as quickly as you can. The others are on the hill yonder, making a way up to the rest of the sheep. Go now, at once, before they miss you." As slie snoke she thrust out her hand. aiid lie took It in liis. Refore he could utter a word in his turn, however, the door was opened briskly, and the farmer's cheerful voice cried: "Hi, doctor, we've been looking for you. Come and lend a hand. We must m push on up hill before dusk comes." "I'd been asking the doctor to go down the hill, father, into the valley to see whether there's a way up to Thomas' yet," said she. "We're running rather short of provisions, and 1 know Mrs. Thomas can help us. Make , haste, doctor, and don't be long," she went on, turning to him with a warning frown which her father did not see. "Get down the hill and look along the valley to-the left. If you see ineu i THE HILLS. 1 MYSTERY. 3E WARDEN. at work a little distance off, cutting ( their way toward you. shout to them and tell them I would be glad to know whether they can let me have a side of | bacon." , She hurried the doctor out. helping , him on with his overcoat and muffler , and giving him when she could a warning glance to urge him quickly on | his way. Then she opened the front door, which had now been freed from snow, and let him out. with a smile | and a nod. Her father was standing 1 behind her. Just inside the doorway. Farmer Tregaron's eyes were fixed , upon him all the time with a look < which Mnssou thought suspicious, curious. Under this tire nothing in the nature of a tender parting from Gwyn was possible. He would have offered | his hand for one last clasp, but her i own arms were held rigidly behind her I back, and although there was a < strange look of yearning and sadness < In her black eyes her lips uttered no 1 word. i "Goodby. then." muttered Masson Id i a muffled voice. I "Goodby. doctor, for the present." returned she loudly. < And as If fearful lest he should by I some word or action or look betray the I understanding there was between them she shut the door. < Masson sped on his way down the i bill with a tumult of strange reelings ; raging in bis beart. lie could not be- ; lieve tbat he ban seen Gwyu's face for I the last time; tbat the deliverance from prison, for which be bad been longing, bad come at last and brought nothing but soreness and regret with it As be crossed the stone incumbered plain In front of the farmhouse and began the descent of the bill by the narrow cutting through the deep snowdrifts which lie had helped to make he was torn with regrets and longings, with remorse and distress, in which his admiration and reverence for Gwyu struggled with his self reproach on his brother's account. Had he not wasted Ills time up there and the opportunity which he should never have again of finding out what "-4 nasty place, this," said Massoru ' had become of pot*- Grauvllle? Should he not have made still greuter efforts than he had done to discover the truth 1 of his brother's disappearance? And again, ought he uot to have in- ' sisted more strongly than he had done 1 upon his wish to make Gwyn his wife? 1 What would become of the girl, the ' noble girl, who had so unselfishly < watched over him and sacrificed her I own desires of happiness to her belief I that 6he was acting for the best for mm in rerusmg uis oner: m- &uew that she was miserable in her life; that there were terrible secrets of the strange household to which she belonged which must lie with tenfold weight upon her own Innocent soul. These considerations caused his heart to bleed and his steps to lag, until by the time he reached the bottom of the hill and had to face the plunge into the snow of the valley he had almost made up his mind to turn back again and to approach her with a more resolute front and with a more Impassioned prayer that she would become his wife. The only consideration which formed a check upon this inclination was the vague belief he had that her own brother and grandmother had been In some way connected with his brother's death. But then again appearances seemed to be so much stronger against Coch Tal. the guide, than against the old woman and her grandson that this suspicion could scarcely be considered strong enough to influence his action. Anil this was especially the case In i view of the fact that Gwyu herself | had made no suggestion, either by ] word or manner, of there being such i an obstacle as this between them. So when he reached the bottom of the hill Masson turned to retrace his ] footsteps, after having glanced down j the valley aud up again and seen no sign of another human being. The i way to Treeoed did indeed seem to be open to him. for he could see the path on the opposite hill, which the sliding 1 masses or snow bad left free. Even with this prospect of escape In sight the thought of Gwyn made him turn back. And as he did so his heart gave an odd leap within him. for. standing a few feet from him and evidently on his track, was David Tregaron, the farmer. The men looked at each other for a moment In silence. Tregaron had been taken by surprise, for there was on his face a scowl which It had not worn on their last meeting and which he Instantly tried to exchange for a smile. Masson, on his side, was considerably disturbed to find that he had been followed. The farmer spoke first. "I thought." he began, "that you mightn't be able to find your way up again so easy as you had thought to, sir. It's still slippery up here and not altogether safe." Masson heard or fancied he heard In these words something more than a warning?a kind of threat. "Thank you." said he coldly. "I can Bnd my way about better than you think." Even if he bad wished to go forward an his way to Trecoed he saw that to aarry out such a plan in the face of what would be determined opposition was impossible. Tregaron was armed with a huge as for one thing, and in bis position above the other to aim a fatal blow at the doctor below would tiave been easy enough, and In the second place if Masson had attempted to sscape and to trust to his heels he would have had no chance against the man who knew every chink and cranay of the hills and of the valley between. He at once, therefore, began to reasjend the hill, while the farmer waited for him. and then dropped a few steps behind. "We are getting on nicely, sir," went an Tregaron in as buoyant a tone as usual, "with the snow clearing. If you'll come up with me I can show you Just what we've got to do. The Inst of the sheep will be reached by tomorrow. if things go on as well as this." He took Masson across the little tableland In a different direction from that by which he had come. Instead or going near the farmhouse, they went round by the south side of the old church walls and up the smooth slope where Masson had already been with Coch Tal. Masson. who for the first time had begun to feel some mistrust of the fanner's motives toward him. took rare to keep by his side and not to allow Tregaron to drop behind him. lie remembered the cleft in the hillside toward which they were bending their 3teps. and he resolved to be on his junrd against accidents at that perilous point As, by good fortune, he knew exactly when to look out for it, be managed to drop behind In his turn is the farmer and he reached the opening. and Just as he took the backward step he was shocked to see on Tregaron's face a look which betrayed a hostile feeling in every liue of the eagle face. At that moment Masson _felt a sick horror at his position. Ilow was he, unused to the mountain life, to the steep paths and unexpected precipices xnd chasms, to hope to escape from the hardv hill horn tanner, whom he now knew to be his enemy? "A nnst.v place, this." said Masson at last, with a glance down toward the chasm they had reached. The farmer, who was a step in advance. laughed shortly. "You've beeu here before, then?" "Yes." Tregaron wheeled around briskly. "And have you been up the rock to Pen Uchaf." asked he abruptly, "thai looks straight down into Llyu Koel?" "No. This Is as far as I've been." "Come along, then. I'll show you a 3ight you wou't forget." If Masson could have declined the Invitation, he would have done so, but the tone in which it was given made it rather a command than a request, so he went on. keeping to the farmer's side or a step or two behind and evading all attempts, real or fancied, on the farmer's part to make him go first. They branched off sharply to the right, walking alongside the chasm until they reached a point where It could be crossed without difficulty In the stride. After this the ascent became much steeper, although, owing to the nature of the ground and Its comparatively sheltered position, they found it less incumbered by snow than the other parts of the mountain. As they got higher the way became more difficult. Here the patches of ft<n<iiiant nn/1 tlinou L/illV l\JV.l\0 n VI C llVIIUVUlt unit kiivw lark gray ~W>s were slippery and steep, so that the short winter afternoon had begun to darken toward evening by the time they reached the top. There a grand and awful sight broke suddenly upon the view. The point of hill on which Masson find the farmer stood seemed to hang right over the black waters of the mountain pool, and Masson turned giddy and stepped back hastily when he looked down and saw the still, dark, waveless lake beneath him. A horrible notion seized him at that moment that it was from this point that his brother had been thrown and that the silent tarn was Granville's grave. He shuddered and, looking up at the farmer, saw that the man's thin, bloodless lips were stretched into a savage grin of malice. "It Is horrible! Let us go back!" said Masson. "Not yet," said the farmer shortly. And he was advancing upon the doctor with a menacing look when a cry In a woman's voice reached their ears: "Father! Father!" CHAPTER XXII. "must you de sacrificed too?" "Gwyn! It's Gwyn's voice!" ' As the farmer uttered these words a change came over his face. The savage expression disappeared, and his I features became iu an instant con- ' vulsed with tender anxiety. The cry was repeated, and Tregaron I and Masson both answered by shouts, 1 to which she auswered by a sort of ' irmrl snli nf relief. In a few minutes they cauie upon the girl, who had be- r gun to ascend the side of Pen Uchaf in their track, hut who had sunk down, 1 exhausted and giddy, at the foot of a 8 greut slab of bare gray rock. 8 "Gwyn! My girl! My little girl! Out \ here! Oh. doctor, she'll catch her ' death!" ^ And the angry and malignant man * became in an instant the humble sup- J pliant, and he looked pathetically up into Mnsson's face, with his eyes streaming with tears. e "Help me to carry her back." said t the doctor briefly. i They half led. half carried her back t to the farmhouse, which was soon s reached. The grandmother, who stood \ watching their approach from the door- 1 way. was eujoined to change the girl's s clothes at once and to put her to bed. n But after the lapse of a few minutes t Gwyu. regardless of their injunctions, came down stairs again, clinging to I the banisters for support, but full of t energy, of solicitude for Masson. c "Go back up stairs to bed." said the t doctior gently as he ran forward to her j assistance. ' t But Gwyn shook her head obstinate- t ly- e "1 will go up stairs," whispered she [ hoarsely, "when you are sareiy away? not before!" c Masson tried to protest, but she im- f periously silenced him. f "Now be thinks he has you safe, be- a cause It is too late to try again to a reach Trecoed tonight. So It is, but s you must get out of this bouse. You t must go down the hill and turn to the c left and up the valley, keeping on this ^ side of the stream until you get to a Thomas'. Go up there and ask them to give you shelter for the night and f start for Trecoed as soon as it is light. Mind, don't be stopped. If some one j meets you and tells you 1 am ill, dying, c don't believe it and don't stop. It will c be a trick to turn you out of your way. f God forgive me for having to warn ( you against my own flesh and blood. But I must save you; I must, I will!" She looked up into his eyes with a H luminous light in her own which In- . toxlcatcd him. / "Gwyu," he whispered, "don't send 1 me away from you. Let me stay until L I can marry you and take you away. : Let me, my darliug, let me save you!" . But she drew herself energetically 11 away. * "That has all been decided?settled," ? said she peremptorily. "Now, there is 11 only one more thing to be said. You ' must swear that when you leave here c you will forget everything that has f passed, everything that has happened. And thnt you will never come here r again yourself or set auy one else to r come here with?with inquiries, with investigations." 8 Mussou drew back a step. She fol- ^ Iawa/1 him tin o thrnntnninfr llrrltf curl- C denly blazing in her eyes. 0 "Swear!" she repeated. "Swear!" "But"? stammered Masson. "My brother!" "What good can you do him now?" 1 A groan broke from Masson's lips. "You know he is dead, that he must be dead. You knew that when you came here. You know that he lost his J way among the mountains." "I do not know that." Interrupted he. Gwyn stamped her foot. "You know that he must have died, as many other rash travelers have died, through his own carelessness, his a refusal to take a warning. What doubt ^ can you have about that ? And what . good can you do by supposing anything else?" Suddenly she changed her tone 1 and from stern and eager became tearful and entreating: "Oh!" she cried as ^ she clasped her hands and looked at ^ him with weeping eyes. "IIow can ^ you hesitate? IIow can you be stubborn and mad? Must we have another n crime laid at our door? Must you be c sacrificed too?" c "Who will hurt me?" said he in a ' low voice. Her answer, full of fire and dignity, 1 took him by surprise. 1 "I will!" cried she. "I will give you up to any fate that may overtake a e lonely man among the mountains un- s less you swear that you will never In- b terfere with us, never cause us to be Interfered with, on your word of hon- u or!" f: Masson could be obstinate also. t "I will not swear," said he. "And I will take my chance." s Without another word she left him, opened the door aud then, returning t quiCKiy, seized nun ny tne coai sieeve d and tlirust hlni out Into the gathering u darkness. il "Then," said she. "take your chance. j| I have told you what to do." "Gwyu, let me speak to you!" cried j, he eagerly. "Let me speak!" g But the ouiy answer he got was the grating of the holts of the door. 0 The dusk was deepening in the val- v ley and creeping up the sides of the g mountains as he staggered away, heart sore, weary of limb and alone. -u TO 1?K CONTINUED. ' S a 8^* Angels weep 011 the day a young b man begins to spend more money than he can make. 0 ittisfftlaneous Reading. ; MURDEROUS BANDITS. >nrden of Them Are Terrifying the People of Luzon. Although, according to a recent re>ort of General Otis, organized rebelion no longer exists in the province of juzon, and the Americans have occu- 1 )ied and garrisoned all important cen- 1 res of population throughout the is- 1 and where garrisons seem to be re- 1 ? f?J J [Uireu, guuu uiuci xjoo uui jci uccu estored. I Since the disbanding of the main t irmies of Aguinaldo, General Pilar t ind other Filipino leaders, the Filipino ? oldiery has been roamiug the country n small hands, terrorizing and mur- ? lering natives who are friendly to the * Vmericans, ambushing commissary ? vagons and picking up straggling ? American soldiers. ? A few days ago a band of guerrillas ? mtered the town of Malosqui and t assassinated seven officials who bad exhibited friendliness to the Ameri- t :ans. Later Colonel Smith, with a letailmeutof the Seventeenth infantry, c urrounded the party in a neighboring ? rillage and captured the whole outfit. ? The dispatch in which the story is told iays that these men will receive a trial, ? md if they are convicted it is likely ? bat they will he hanged.. General Wheeler's private secretary, > rlr. Garrett, was attacked by one of ? hese ruffians recently, almost in sight ? if the general's headquarters, and was ? >adly wounded. The brother of the ? >resident of Imus went outside the 1 own a few day ago to look after the 1 larvesting of bis rice, and was captur- t id by his former compatriots who put dm to death. ? Towns are frequently raided by gangs * if guerrillas who murder such of their i ellow countrymen as are especially * riendly to the Americans, and steal ill they can get their bands on from f nybody. The American officers conider the Filipinos as being much worse r ban Indians, and many are in favor v it adopting tne policy or Hanging as ? landits all who may be found with c ii ms in their possesion. General Otis, in a recent official dis* c >atch, describes the general situatiou is follows: "In Bulacan province the 9 nsurgents have been scattered and I Iriven east to the mountains. Our c iasualties in that section in the last ew days were 10. The insurgent cas- * laities in killed, wounded and prisonrs aggregate 100. Considerable in- * urgent property with records, arms 1 ind ammunition have been captured. )ur troops are now in the mountaius 1 n pursuit. The insurgents have been 8 liiven from Subig bay and the marines iow occupy a nayal station there. I )ur column moving west from Tarlac ? s now on the west coast of Luzon, vhere it has been supplied. It enountered little resistance. A column . s now moving west and south from (l )agupan along the coast. There is no onccntrated insurgent forces of im ' (ortance in Luzon north of Manila. Southern Luzon will not offer any se- ? ious resistance. Troops are co-opealing in tbat section. Organized relellion no longer exists and our troops ? ire actively pursuing robber bauds. Ul important and threatened ceutres if population iu the north have been iccupied. COMMON SUPERSTITIONS. 'hey Are Not Only Prevalent In North Carolina; But AImo In South Carolina. If one would learu the popular sulerstitions of North Carolina, says the ^respondent of au exchauge, he must ;o into the rural districts. Below are 9 orue of the commou sayiogs : If, in washing the dishes or cleaning he table before a meal, the cook drops o . dishrag, some one is coming io bun- 1 ;ry. The crowing of a rooster before the root door early in the morning fore- d ells the visit of a stranger. If a red bird flits about tbe front 'ard and cbirps merrily, a young girl l ;aily dressed and light hearted may o ie expected soon. Tbe crowing of a rooster early in the b light is a sign of hasty news. Thus any a chicken rooster, by a single row, has cast a gloom over an entire I umily. b The howling of a dog at night fore- tl ells some dire calamity, such as a > ragic death. d If a dog lies on bis back, with feet v xtended upward, in the front yard, p ome member of tbe family in which ie belongs is sure to die soon. ti The screaming of a screech owl three tl lights in succession in or about tbe vt runt yard is tbe sigu that some one in he bouse is in danger of death. j< To drive the owl away stick the a hovel in the fire. w The crowing of a chicken hen por- si ends bad luck. It certainly means a ci leath, for no good woman would per- e nit a crowing ben to live longer than a l would take to bring an axe across d is neck. . c In ironing a garment, if the smooth- p ug iron is dropped, the owner of the si arment will never live to wear it out. si Friday is an unlucky day. If a piece fi f work is begun on that day, the oue y iho begun it will not live to see it v nished. h tr inrtinf a hnntini? nartv. t> a crossing a fence go over the same h ection, luck will be good ; but if sever- k 1 sections are crossed the hunt will d e a failure. p If in strolling two persons go on d pposite sides of a tree, one or both of fr hem will meet disappointments before he day is over. Looking at a new moon for the first ime through obstructed space, as hrough a tree top, foretells misforunes during that moon. To see it >ver the right shoulder and in clear ipace brings good luck. The rabbit always carries omens of 11 fortune. If you meet him on going rom home you may look for trouble )efore you return ; if going toward ?Ama tliAKA i?m11 Ko trniiMn in vnnn i \J LU G J I LI VI U mil UV VI UUViV IU J VMA umily. Ashes must not be taken from a fire)lace in a sick room. The death of he patient would follow. Nor must be bed of a sick persoD be turned >ver. No one ever saw a Negro meet a :orpse. The most courageous Negro vould go out of his way to avoid such i calamity. It is said that if you meet i corpse your time will come next. If i corpse is stopped on the way to the jrave, another member of the family vill soon follow. Kraut must be made in the dark of he room if it is to be sour. It is the beightb of folly to cut a :hild's finger nails before it is a year >ld for then it will steal. The nails nust be broken off. If a child is allowed to look in a nirror before it is a year old teething vill be difficult. The tying of a small sack, containng the four feet of a ground mole, iround a baby's neck, assures a full set >f pretty teeth. If in teething the ibild's gums are sore, that may be sured by rubbing them with rabbit trains hot from the head. The writer ias seen both of these remedies praciced. To remove a wartyrom the body teal a piece of meat? rub the wart vitb it, and then bury it. Say nothng what you have done and the wart vill soon disappear. A stray black cat in the backyard oretells good luck. If a woman is making soap and a nan comes up and stirs it, all will be veil and the soaD will be fine: but if a voman comes, tbe soap will spoil io oaking. If you sing in bed you will cry next lay. If a railroad engineer sees a black beep cross the track in front of him te expects trouble. That is an omen if ill luck. If you want a cat to stay at your lomfi-rubita paw on the stove. To keep a new dog measure bis tail vith a cornstalk and bury the latter inder the front steps. If you sleep with your feet toward he door you will soon be carried out i corpse. >AWN OP THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. tew York Suns Figures the Problem Out to Its Own Satisfaction. The Suu has received so many evilences of confused minds regarding he beginuing of tbe twentieth centuy that it will present a proof that tbe wentieth century begins after tbe ear 1900 is ended, in the shape of a ittle conversation : . Question?What is a year? Answer?Three hundred and sixtyive days. What is a century '? One hundred years. When did the year No. 1 end ? December 31 of the year 1. When did tbe year No. 2 begin. Jauuary 1, of the year 2. When did the year 99 end? December 31, A. D. 99. / Did that complete a century ? No. When was the century completed ? At the close of the year following 9, or at tbe close of tbe year 100. When did tbe second century begin ? January 1, of tbe year 1, of the secnil oonhiru tliut is Tanimrv 1 A. D. """ ") ~"??J -I ? ? 01. When did the 19th century end ? At the close of the nineteen bunredth year, or at the close of 1900. When does the 20th century begin ? It begins on day No. 1 of year No. of the 20th hundred year?that is, n January 1, A. D. 1901. We must still see two Christmases efore the twentieth century dawns. Dickens on the Dewey Case.? )ickens was roundly denounced when e went back home after his tour of bis country and wrote his "American Totes," in which be said some very isagreeable things about the people /bo bad paid their money to hear him ead. But some of his observations were rue. For instance, he anticipated be Dewey case pretty thoroughly /hen he wrote: "You carry," says the stranger, "this ;alousy and distrust into every transction of public life. By repelling /orthy men from your legislative asjmblys, it has bred up a class of andidates for the suffrage who in their very act, disgrace your institutions nd your people's choice. It has reoered you so fickle and so given to hange that your inconsistency 'has nst into a oroverb : for vou no sooner it up an idol, firmly, than you are jre to pull it down and dash it into agmeuts; and this because directly ou reward a benefactor, or a public serant you distrust him merely because e is rewarded ; and immediately aply yourself to find out either that you ave been too bountiful in your acnowledgements or he remiss in his eserts. Any man who obtains a high lace among you, from the president ownwards, may date his downfall om that moment."?Augusta Herald.