Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, January 24, 1900, Image 1

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* ISSUED SEMI"WEEKL^ l. m. oeist & SONS, Publishers. 1 % cjfamilg jjeurspajer: <$or the promotion of the political, Social, Agricultural, and CommerrialJSnterests of the f eopte. { *Wle02opy fAi?e cents""' ""^nnaupnisss YORKVILLE. 8. C? WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1900. NO. iuui/I THE CRUC OFPHIl By REV. CHARI Author of "In His Steps: What Woi * Hardy's Sei Synopsis of Prrvious Installment In order that new readers of The Es quirer may begin with the following ir stallment oi this story, and understand just the same as though they had read all from the beginning, we here give synopsis of that portion of it wbieh ht already been published: % Philip Strong, a minister, receives two call one to a college town, where he may live quiet, scholarly life, to bis liking, the other I a manfacturlng town where there Is plenty < work to do among the laboring classes. H accepts the more active Held. Philip disco* ers that a number of his wealthy parishionei have property rented for saloons and gamblln houses. He Interviews one of them and advised that he had better not stir up tli matter. The next Sunday he preaches upo the subject, and Mr. Winter, one of his ma1 prominent parishioners, having property ren ed for such purposes, rises from his seat an walks out or the church. The next mornln Winter calls on the minister and resents wha he calls an insult to himself, then, threatei ing to withdraw his support from the cburct retires In high dudgeon. The sermon creafc great excitement, and the next Sunday a larg crowd atienas rumps cuurvu, c.\|jcvuuS sensational sermon; but Philip disappoinl them, preaching on a different subject entirely Philip attacks the saloons and preache against them to a large congregation. Hecall upon his people to join with him In an a1 tempt to exterminate them. Later he leave his house to visit a sick child, and a man oi the opposite side of the street tires two shot a % him. Philip has been severely though nc mortally wounded. His assassin is arreste and, at Philip's request, is brought before hin Philip assures him that he bears him no i will and prays for him. Philip preaches o the Sunday question and makes new enemiei Coming home one evening, he finds his wil in a faint ou the floor, a knife stuck into th desk and two anonymous scrawls, one at dressed "To the Preacher," the other "To th Preacher's Wife." They were warnings t leave the town. The minister's wife begs he husband to leave the field for another, but ir stead he prepares to continue the war agalns > the devil there and in bis own fashion. Phill astonishes his parishioners by proposing t move their church edifice into the tenemen district. He speaks to the laboring men a their hall and unintentionally influences thee against the rich by holding up the selflshnes or many rich people. When he goes home, h is informed that a mob is threatening Mi Winter at his residence. Philip goes to th scene and rescues Mr. Winter from the mot Phldp preaches against wasteful expenditure when the poor are in need and Is visited by i stranger who asks for food and shelter. CHAPTER XI. ?t hMwi mnp uurnmn this morning." A utai v? j wui wtwuv ~ OF Bald Philip's guest while Mrs. Strong was removing the small table to the dining room. "Did you?" asked Philip, because he could not think of anything wiser to say. "Yes," said the strange visitor simply. He was so silent after saying this one word that Philip did what he never was in the habit of doing. He always shrank back sensitively from asking for an opinion of bis preaching from any one except his wife. But now he could not help saying: - "What did you think of it?" "It was one of the best sermons I ever heard. But somehow it did no1 sound sincere." "What?" exclaimed Philip almost an grily. .If there was one thing he fell sure about. It was the sincerity of hit preaching. Then be checked his feel lng as be thought how foolish it woulc be to get angry at a passing tramf who was probably a little out of hit mind. Yet the man's remark had s strange power over him. He tried t< shake it off as be looked harder ai hiui. The ruau looked over at Pbilii and repeated gravely, shaking his head "Not sincere." .Mrs. Strong came back Into the room and Philip motioned her to sit dowi tear him while he said. "And wha makes you think 1 was not sincereV" "You said the age in which we 11 ve< demanded that people live in a far slra pier, less extravagant style." "Yes, that is what I said. 1 bellev< it. too." replied Philip, clasping hi: hands over Ids knee and gazing at hi: singular guest with earnestness. Thi man's thick white hair glistened in thi open firelight like spun glass. "And you said that Christ would no approve of people spending money fo flowers, food and dress on those wbi did not need It when it could more wise ly be expended for the benefit of thos who were in want." "Yes. Those were not my exac words, but that was my idea." "Your idea. Just so. And yet w have had here in this little lunch, oi as you called It. a 'bite of something three different kinds of meat, two kind of bread, hothouse grapes and the rict k est kind of milk." The man said all this In the quietest calmest manner possible, and Phili; stared at him, more assured than eve ?.ot ,voo n littlo rrnzv Mrs. Stron looked amused aud said. "You seeme to enjoy the luueli pretty well." Th man had eateu with a zest that wa redeemed from greediness ouiy by delicacy of manner that no tramp eve possessed. "My dear madam," said the mat "perhaps this was a case where th food was given to one who stood reall in ueed of it." Philip started as if lie had suddenl caught a meaning from the man' words which he had not before bear in them. "I)o you think it was an extravagaii lunch then?" he asked, with a ver slight laugh. The man looked straight at Phili and replied slowly, "Yes. for the time In which we live!" A sudden silence fell ou the group c three in the parlor of the parsonagi lighted up by the soft glow of the cot tire. No one except a person thorougl ly familiar with the real character t Philip Strong could have told why th? silence fell on him instead of a careles laugh at the crazy remark of a ha) witted stranger tramp. Just how Ion the silence lasted he did not kno\t only, when it was broken, he foun himself saying: IFIXION JP_STRONG. -ES M. SHELDON, ild Jesus Do ?," "Malcom Kirk," "Robert /en Days," Etc. "Man. who are you? Where are you s from? And what Is your name?" His guest turned bis head a little and !* replied: "When you called me in here, jt you stretched out your baud and called a me 'brother.' Just now you called me ? by the great term, 'man.' These are my names. You may call me 'Brother ? Man.' " x> "Well. then. 'Brother Man,'" said j* Philip, smiling a little to think of the z- very strangeness of the whole affair, "your reason for thinking 1 was not is sincere in my sermon this morning was A " liinnh thlo 10 Decause OI Hie KAiiaia^aui IUULU win it eveningV ^ "Not altogether. There are other g reasons." The man suddenly bowed lt his head between his hands, and Phlli* Ip's wife whispered to him: 'Philip, 58 what Is the use of talking with a crazy a man? You are tired, and It Is time to f put out the lights and go to bed. Get s him out of the house now as soon as 8 you can." a The stranger raised bis bead and went on talking Just as if he had not broken off abruptly, d "Other reasons. In your sermon you ij tell the people they o gbt to live less n luxuriously. You'point them to the rg situation In this towu where thousands e of men are out of, work. You call atg tentlon to the great poverty and dlso tress all over the world, and you say * the times demand that people live far t simpler, less extravagant lives. And P yet here you live yourself like a prince. ,t Like a prince." he repeated after a pe? culiar gesture, which seemed to Include - nn? nnlv xvlmt wns In the room, but all f that was In the house, e Philip glanced at his wife as people > do when they suspect a third person a being out of his mind and saw that her expression was very much like his own feeling, although not exactly. Then they both glanced around the room. It certainly did look luxurious, even if not princely. The parsonage was an old mansion which bad once belonged to a wealthy but eccentric sea captain. He had built to please himself, something after the colonial fashion, and large square rooms, generous fireplaces, with quaint mantels and tiling and bard wood floors gave the house an appearance of solid comfort that approached luxury. The church in Milton had purchased the property from the heirs, who had become lnvclved in ruinous speculation noftoH M'lth flrn hnilvio fni' II Klim auu pat vcu nnu vuv uvwwv ?v. ? little representing Its real worth. It had been changed a little and modernized, although the old fireplaces still re' malned, and one spare room, an annex to the house proper, had been added recently. There was an air of decided c comfort, bordering on luxury, In the ' different pieces 'of furniture and the whole appearance of the room. ' "You understand," said Philip, as his * glance traveled" back to his visitor, ? "that this bouse Is not mine. It be1 longs to my church. It is the parson) age. and I am simply living In It as 1 the minister." * "Yes. I understand. You, a minister, * are living In this princely house while other people have not where to lay * their heads." 1 Again Philip f' t the same tempta1 tion to anger steal into him, and again he checked himself at the thought: 1 "The man is certainly insane. The * whole thing is simply absurd. 1 will get rid of him. And yet"? 3 He could uot shake off a strange and 3 powerful Impression which the strun3 ger's words had made upon him. Crazy l> or not. the man had hinted at the pos- | ? sibility of an insincerity on his part which made him restless. He deter* mined to question him and see If he r really would develop a streak of in3 6auity that would justify him In get* ing rid of him for the night. e "Brother Man," he said, using the term his guest had given him. "do you I think I am livlug too extravagantly to live as 1 do?" e "Yes. In these times and after such a sermon." "What would you have me do?" Phil3 ip asked the question half seriously, half amused at himself for asking advice from such a source. "Do as you preach that others ought P to." r Again that silence fell over the room. ? And again Philip felt the same imII pression of power in the strange man's e words. 8 The "Rrother Man." as he wished to a l.? ?? II...1 1,1c, l.cod l.nt.cnon ?,ta r hands again, and Mrs. Strong whispered to her husband: "Now It Is certainly worse thau foolish to keep this up any e longer. The man Is evidently Insane, y \Ve cannot keep him here all night. lie will certainly do something terrly ble. Get rid of him. Fhilip. This may 8 be a trick on the part of the whisky d men." Never in all his life had Philip been 11 so puzzled to know what to do with a y human being. Here was one, the strangest he had ever met, who had P come into his house; It Is true he had !S been invited, but once within he had invited himself to stay all night and then had accused Ids entertainer of living too extravagantly and called *1 him an insincere preacher. Add to all ! this the singular fact that he had de f clared his name to be "Brother Man" and that he spoke with a calmness that '3 was the very iuc-arnatlon of peace, and If Philip's wonder reached its limit. g In response to his wife's appeal G Philip rose abruptly and went to the d front door. He opened it, aud a whirl of snow danced in. The wind had changed, and the moan of a" comfng heavy storm was In the air. The moment that he opened the door his strange guest also arose, and putting on his hat be said, as be moved slowly toward the hall: "1 must be going. 1 thank you for your hospitality, madam." Philip stood holding the door partly open. He was perplexed to know Just what to do or say. "Where will you stay tonight? Where is your home?" "My home is with my friends," replied the man. He laid his hand on the door, opened It and bad stepped one foot out on the porch when Philip, seized with an impulse, laid bis hand on his arm, gently but strongly pulled him back into the hall, shot the door and placed his back against it "You cannot go out Into this storm until I know whether you have a place to go to for the night" The man hesitated curiously, shuffled his feet on the mat, put his hand up to bis face and passed it across his eyes with a gesture of great weariness. iHI 111 Philip stood holding the door partly open. t There was a look of loneliness and of unknown sorrow about his whole fig ure that touched Philip's keenly sensl- g tlve spirit Irresistibly. If the man was a little out of his right mind, he was j probably harmless. They could not turn him out into the night if he had c nowhere to go. ? t "Brother Man," said Philip gently, g "would you like to stay here tonight? ^ Have you anywhere else to stay?" r "You are afraid 1 will do harm. But, ^ no. See. Let us sit down." I, He laid his hat on the table, resumed p his seat and asked Philip for a Bible. ^ Philip handed him one. He opened it and read a chapter from the prophet ^ Isaiah, and then, sitting in the chair, w bowing his bead between bto hands, ol he offered a prayer of such wonderful beauty and spiritual refinement of ex- a pression that Mr. and Mrs..Strong lis- w tened with awed astonishment. di When he had uttered the amen, Mrs. 8] Strong whispered to Philip: "Surely ai we cannot shut him out with the storm. We will give him the spare u] room." tl Philip said not a word. He at once in built up a fire in the room and In a few ci moments invited the man into it tl "Brother Man," he said simply, "stay ai here as If this were your own house. 1e You are welcome for the night." e: "Yes, heartily welcome," said Phil- w Ip's wife, as If to make amends for any it doubts she had felt before. o1 For reply the "Brother Man" raised hi his hand almost as If in benediction, k: And tbey left him to his rest. : tt CHAPTER XII. fc In the morning Philip knocked at bis ai guest's door to waken him for break* tl fast. Not a sound could be heard with- 81 in. He waited a little while and then C knocked again. It was as still as be- . fore. He opened the door softly and looked in. t( To his amazement, there was no one n; there. The bed was made up neatly, ir everything In the room was in Its ti place, but the strange being who had t< called himself "Brother Man" was ^ ;one. tl Philip exclaimed, and his wife came A in. c "So our queer guest has flown! He a must have been very still about It. I t< heard no noise. Where do you suppose a he is? And who do you suppose he IsV" "Are you sure there ever was such a v, person. Philip? Don't you think you e dreamed all that about the 'Brother n Man?'" Mrs. Strong had not quite for- o given Philip for his skeptical question- p Ing of the reality of the man with the p lantern who had driven the knife into b the desk. II "vps it's vour turn now, Sarah. t< Well, if our'Brother Man" was a dream 8 he was the most curious dream this d family ever had, and If be was crazy s he was the most remarkable insane a person 1 ever saw." II "Of course he was crazy. Ail that e he said about our living so extrava- e gantly!" p "Do you think he was crazy in that t particular?" asked Philip in a strange h voice. Ills wife noticed it at the time, s but its true significance did not become n real to her until afterward. lie went t to the front door and found it was un- t locked. Evidently the guest had gone II out that way. The heavy storm of the t night had covered up any possible signs d of footsteps. It was still snowing furl- f ously. t Philip went into his study for the c forenoon as usual, but he did very lit- n tie writing. Ills wife could hear him 1 pacing the floor restlessly. o About 10 o'clock he came down stairs t and declared his Intention of going out Into the storm to see If he couldn't set- c tie down to work better. p He went out and did not return until c the middle of the afternoon. Mrs. i Strong was a little alarmed. r "Where have you been all this time, t Philip? In this terrible storm too! > You are a monument of snow. Stand g >ut here In the kitchen while r sweep rou off." Philip obediently stood still while lis wife walked around him with a iroom and good naturedly submitted 0 being swept down, "as If I were beng worked Into shape for a snow nan," he said. "Where have you been? Give an ac;ount of yourself." "I have been seeing how some other jeople live. Sarah, the 'Brother Man' vas not so very crazy after all. He las more than half converted me." "Did you find out anything about llm?" "Yes: several of the older citizens lere recognized my description of him. rhey say be Is harmless and has quite 1 history; was once a wealthy mill >wner In Clinton. He wanders about he country, living with any one who vlll take him In. It Is a queer case. I nust find out more about him. But 'm hungry. Can I have a bite of somehlng?" "Haven't you had dinner?" "No; haven't had time." "Where have you been?" "Among the tenements." "How are the people getting on here?" "1 cannot tell. It almost chokes me o eat when I think of It" "Now. Philip, what makes you take t so seriously? How can you help all hat suffering? You are not to blame or It" "Maybe I am for a part of It But whether 1 nm nr not there the stiffen ng Is. And I don't know that we ought o ask who Is to blame in such cases. it any rate, supposing the fathers and others in the tenements are to blame bemselves by their own sinfulness, loes that make Innocent children and lelpless babes any warmer or better lothed and fed? Sarah, I have seen blngs In these four hours' time that ake me want to join the bomb throwrs of Europe almost." Mrs. Strong came up behind his chair s he sat at the table eating and placed ler hand on his brow. She grew more nxlous every day over his growing tersonal feeling for others.. It seemed o her It was becoming a passion with ilm, wearing him out, and she feared 1b results as winter deepened and the trlke In the mills remained unbroken. "You cannot do more than one man, 'hillp," she said, with a sigh. "No, but If I can only make the hurch see Its duty at this time and act he Christlike way a great many pernna will ho Ho drnnHMl his nife and fork, wheeled around abuptiv In bis chair and faced her with he question, "Would you give up this lome and be content to live in a slmler fashion than we have been used 0 since we came here?" "Yes," replied his wife quietly. "1 rill go anywhere and suffer anything 1th you. What is it you are thinking f now?" ' "I need a little more time. There Is crisis near at hand in my thought of hat Christ would require of me. My ear, 1 am sure we shSli be led by the ilrit of truth to do what is necessary ad for the better saving of men." He kissed his wife tenderly and went p stairs again to his work. All irougb the rest of the afternoon and t the evening, as be shaped his lurch and pulpit work, the words of le "Brother Man" rang in his ears ad the situation at the tenements rose 1 the successive panoramas before his Fes. As the storm increased In fury 1th the coming darkness, he felt that was typical in a certain sense of his svn condition. He abandoned the work e had been doing at his desk, and neeling down at bis couch he prayed, [rs. Strong, coming up to the study see bow his work was getting on, )und him kneeling there and went ad knelt beside him, while together ley sought the light through the torm. So the weeks went by, and the first - u a ni> 11 unday of tiie nexi mouiu iuuuu runt's Christ message even more direct Dd personal than any be had brought ) his people before. He had spent mch of the time going into the worklgmen's houses. The tenement dis ict was becoming raralliar territory > him now. He had settled finally rbat bis own action ought to be. In aat action his wife fully concurred, .nd the members of Calvary church, omlng In that Sunday morning, were stonlshed at the message of their pasjr as be spoke to them from the tandpolnt of modern Christ. "1 said a month ago that the age in rhich we live demands a simpler, less xtravagant style of living. 1 did not lean by that to condemn the beauties f art or the marvels of science or the roducts of civilization. 1 merely emhasized what 1 believe Is a mighty ut neglected truth In our modern civization?that If we would win men a Christ we must adopt more of his pirlt of simple and consecrated self enlal. 1 wish to be distinctly undertood as I go on that 1 do not condemn ny maD simply because he Is rich or ives in a luxurious house, enjoying very comfort of modern civilization, very delicacy of the season and all hysical desires. What I do wish dlsInctly understood Is the belief, which as been burned deep Into me ever Ince coming to this town, that if the ~a Almnnh nrioh trv h/\nnr aempers ui umo ?.uu>vu w he Head of the church aDd bring men o believe him and save them In this Ife and the next they must be willing o do far more than they have yet lone to make use of the physical com* orts and luxuries ot their homes for he blessing and ^Christianizing of this ommunity. id this particular 1 have tiyself failed to set you an example, ['he fact that I have so failed Is my mly reason for making this matter lubllc this mornlug. "The situation In Milton today is exeedlngly serious. 1 do not need to >rove it to you by figures. If any busl* less man will go through the tenenents. he will acknowledge my stateuents. If any woman will contrast hose dens with her own home, she vlll, if Christ is a power In her heart, tand in horror, before such a travesty on the sacred thought or honor. The Ju destitution of the neighborhood is alarming. The number of men out of ^ work is dangerous. The complete re* movnl of all sympathy between the ^ church up here on this street and the wfl tenement district is sadder than death. Oh, my beloved"?Philip stretched out ex( his arms and uttered a cry that rang in en( the ears of those who heard it and re- m mained with some of them a memory UQ] for years?"these things ought not so tjj| to be! Where is the Christ spirit with -yy( us7 Have we not sat in our comforta- ^ ble houses and eaten our pleasant food and dressed in the finest clothing and ^ei gone to amusements and entertain* pje ments without number while God's tba poor have shivered on the streets and gre his sinful ones have sneered at Chris* wa tlanity as they have walked by our on( church doors? the "It is true we have given money to cor charitable causes, it is true the town at council has organized a bureau for the F care and maintenance of those in want, the It is true members of Calvary church, tru with other churches at this time, have er done something to relieve the lmmedi* Ins ate distress of the town, but how much have we given of ourselves to those In __ need 7 Do we reflect that to reach souls ^ and win them, to bring back humanity 2 to God and the Christ, the Christian must do something different from the giving of money now and then? He must give a part of himself. That was my reason for urging you to move this Fl*' church building away from this street into the tenement district, that we 1 might give ourselves to the people of I there. The idea is the same In what 1 Aui now propose. But you will pardon me " if first of all I announce my own ac- da> tiou. which. I believe. Is demanded by dov the times and would be approved by the our Lord." jug Philip stepped up nearer the front of big the platform and spoke with an added das earnestness and power which thrilled cla^ every hearer. A part of the great con- vin' a i.t u ?ui-l I? 1 a P uiui luruugu wuicii ue uau guue iuhi lur past month shone out in his pale face ban and found partial utterance in his im- Th< passioned speech, especially as he olut drew near the end. The very abrupt- flig ness of his proposition smote the peo- mei pie into breathless attention, felli "The parsonage in which I am liv- wel Ing is a large, even a luxurious, dwell- to ing. It has nine large rooms. You are hea familiar with Its furnishings. The sal- bon ary this church pays me Is $2,000 a the year, a sum which more than provides hav for my necessary wants. What I have bou decided to do is this: I wish this church are to reduce this salary one-half and take end the other thousand dollars to the fitting to f up the parsonage for a refuge for i8 ? homeless children or for some such jng purpose which will commend itself to your best judgment. There Is money enough In this church alone to main- . tain such an lustitution handsomely * and not a single member of Calvary suffer any hardship whatever. I will on|' move into a house nearer the lower 80 part of the town, where 1 can more easily reach after the people and live f"s more among them. That Is what I propose for myself. It is not because 88y I believe the rich and the educated do H18 not need the gospel or the church. The r"0' rich and the poor both need the life more abundantly. But I am firmly convinced that as matters now are ot the church membership through pulpit Pou and pew must give Itself more than ot In the later ages of the world It has wo' done for the sake of winning men. The wot form of self denial must take a defl- wo' nlte, physical, genuinely sacrificing shape. The church must get back to 8?" the apostolic times in some partlcu- 1 lars and an adaptation of community of ver goods and a sharing of certain aspects of civilization must mark the church membership of the coming twentieth century. An object lesson in self denlal large enough for men to see, a ^ei self denial that actually gives up luxuries, money and even pleasures?this is the only kind that will make much Impression on the people. I believe if Bad Christ was on earth he would Again ?all for this expression of loyalty to j him. He would again say, 'So like- wjj( wise whosoever he be of you that for- mo] saketh not all that he hath, he canuot ^ei be my disciple.' "All this Is what I call on the mem- lur| hers of this church to do. Do I say ^ that you ought to abandon your own ^ houses and live somewhere else? No. tjot I can decide only for myself In a matter of that kind. But this much I do say: Give ourselves in some genuine t way to save this town from Its evil . wretchedness. It Is not so much your gn. money as your own soul that the sickness of the world needs. This plan has ^ occurred to me: Why could not every WOl family In this church become a savior , to some other family, Interest Itself In the other, know the extent of Its wants , as far as possible, go to It In person, let c a the Christian home come into actual touch with the un-Chrlstlan?In short, am< become a natural savior to one family? are There are dozens of families In this church that could do that. It would take money. It would take time. It H would mean real self denial. It would aru call for all your Christian grace and t'ie courage, but what does all this . church membership and church life M01 mean If not just such sacrifice? We lfl?' cannot give anything to this age of more value than our own selves. C?M The world of sin and want and de- f'"r' spalr and disbelief Is not hungering not con for money or mission scuoois or cumlty balls or state Institutions for the ."er relief of distress, but for live, pulsing, lcai loving Christian men and women who mei reach out live, warm hands, who are ^eal willing to go and give themselves, who a' ^ will abandon If necessary, If Christ a<'v calls for It, the luxuries they have uar these many years enjoyed in order Su" that the bewildered, disheartened, dis- w^i contented, unhappy, sinful creatures of 'ng earth may actually learn of the love of S^'I God through the love of man. And UP that is the only way the world ever 8e'9 has learned of the love of God. Hu- ''hr, manlty brought that love to the heart ?izz of the race, and it will continue so to sh? do until this earth's tragedy is all play- to ? ed and the last light put out. Mem- I bers of Calvary church. I call on_you bou Christ's name this day to do someng for your Master that will really >w the world that you are what you r you are when you claim to be a eiple of that one who, although he s rich, yet for our sakes became >r, giving up all heaven's glory In change for all earth's misery, the 1 of which was a cruel and bloody iciflxlon. Are we Christ's disciples less we are willing to follow him In s particular? We are not our own. i are bought with a price." Vhen that Sunday service closed, Ivary church was stirred to Its )ths. There were more excited peotalklng together all over the church in Philip had ever seen before. He eted several strangers as usual and s talking with one of them, when > of the trustees came up and said i board would like to meet him. If ivenient for him, as soon as he was liberty. 'hillp accordingly waited In one of Sunday school classrooms with the stees, who bad met Immediately aftthe sermon and decided to have an tant conference with the pastor. TO BE CONTINUED. lftw?UancDUji trading. BOERS ARE "tiAME." htlng Without Knowledge of Britain'* He source*. 'he following is an "appreciation" [he Boer, written by one of the jtrulians at the front: Fresh men are swarming up every ' to strengthen Melhuen, while rn from-his liues at short intervals Boer prisoners are coming iu, lookgloomy, sullen and vindictive. A percentage of them have a strong h of nigger blood in them, and that is struck me as being particularly ri w,i i uu and T u/nnld nnt, irivp mil?>h a man's life if he fell into their ids, either wounded or otherwise. 5 Boers themselves are a better ss; the young oues are rather hly and-given to brag ; but the old ii are rough, rugged, game-looking ows, w ho look like hunters who are I used to hardships, and are ready let their rifles take care of their ds. This latter kind is the backe of the Boer forces. I doubt if y will bo easily subdued. They e little knowledge of Britain's ndless resources, and the way we pouring troops in is a source of less wonder to them. They seem ancy that the whole British nation 'trekking" for the purpose of stayon the soil if they can conquer it. ?y often ask when the women and Idren will be coming over. It is lossible to convince these old backjdsmen that the troops here are y a portion of our army, and bavhing to do with the general popula i of our country. wnen 1 leu luem i sort of thing they simply shake ir beads with a knowing smile, and : 'Oom Paul Kruger knows better that; we will kill most of the glish and take Capetown yet, for I and our rifles with us.' " It is useless to argue with an old sr. One might as well try to exnd Euclid to a cross eyed camel, h would listen to you ; but neither ild profit by your labor. The camel ild chew the cud, and the Boer ild chew tobacco, and both would ectorate freely as soon as you left. I nothing further would come of it. now the class. We have something y similar among the old German lers in the hackbacks of Australia, emu is more amenable to reason n they are, and no man ever lived 3 could knock sense into an emu."? V York Sun. THE VICTORIA CROSS. ge of Honor For Which the British Soldiers Straggle. t is probable that of the 70,000 men } have sailed during the past two aths from England for South Africa, re is hardly a single officer or solr who does not look forward to reoiug home with that little bronzge known as the Victoria cross pinupon his breast. It is a distiuci that is within the reach of every mber of the entire force, from the isional generals down to the smallbugler or drummer boy, and there ot one of them who would not intely prefer it to any form of prolion. For its possession indicates t its owner is in every sense of the d a hero, the cross being conferred y for some signal act of altogether eptional bravery, partaking of the racter of heroism. It was founded the time of the Crimeuu war, and Dug those whose breasts it adorns generals such as Sir Redvers Bui who commands in chief in South ica, Field Marshal Lord Roberts, I plain, ordinary privates in the ly. In fact, at least 50 per cent, ol 200 Victoria cross men won the i net ion as privates or uon-commisied officers of the army and as com ii sailors in the navy. ir Redvers Buller, for instance, re red his Victoria cross for riding back ee tiroes in one day in the face of a ly pursuing foe to rescue wouuded irades aud soldiers. Lord William esford, who is married to an Amer i lady, the widowed Mrs. Ham rsley, of New York, received it fui is of a similar character. Gener 3ir Evelyu Wood got it in Iudia foi ancing under a heavy tire along a row causeway to place a bag ol ipowder against the gate of a city ich the English were to storm durthe mutiny, while at least two mid jmen received the cross for picking bombs from the decks of their vesi during the Criraeau war and }wing them overboard before the liug fuse bad time to explode the II and carry death and destruction ill around it. the case of military men the ribis of red, while in the navy the m ribbon is blue. The metal of which the cross is made is of that same kind of bronze that 50 years ago was used for fieldguns. The cross is of the style known as Maltese ; has the royal crown surmounted by the lion in the center, and underneath a scroll beariog the inscription, "For valor." It is hung suspended by a "V" ring to a bar, on the reverse side of which the rank and name of the recipient is engraved, while on the cross itself are inscribed the name aud date of the action in which the bouor was won. Any additional act of bravery which would have won the Victoria cross for its holder had he not already possessed it, is sigualized by a bar or clasp being added to the ribbon just above the bar from which the cross is suspended. The cross carries with it a pension of $50 a year, and au additional $25 is given for each bar. To the best of my knowledge there is no Victoria cross man who can boast of an additional bar to bis cross. It must be thoroughly understood that the feats of bravery for which the cross is conferred must have been performed in wartimes, and to all intents aud purposes under the fire of the enemy. Acts of bravery in times of peace do uot receive any such recognition, and although Admiral Lord Charles Beresford has on several occasions risked bis life at sea by diving overboard from a ship to save fellow officers and sailors from drowning, yet he has never received the Victoria cross, which as stated above, was granted to bis brother "Bill" for rescuing one wounded trooper under tire.?St. Louis Post Dispatch. PENSIONS FUR CONFEDERATES. Time that Justice Being Done to Mexican War Veterans. Senator Tillman, says a Washington dispatch, has come out squarely in favor of the granting of pensions to ex Confederates who served in the Mexican war. Every Southern senator is in favor of this act of justice being extended, and it is the opinion of many that the time is not far distant before this will be done by the Congress of the United Slates. Senator Tillman, in the senate, the other day announced his position in au emphatic manner during the cousideratiou of a measure, which was pending, granting pensions to ex Confederates who served during the Spanish war. The senator from South Carolina gave this measure his hearty support, as did all the other ex Confederate members in the senate, only one of whom served in the Mexican war. Senator Tillman said he could really see no reason why pensions should be granted to the class which upheld the Un- ^ ion in the Spanish war, and refused to those who had defended their coun try and their flag in the war against Mexico. Other ex-Confederates in the senate expressed the same opinion ; but no movement was made to include the latter class. It is stated that the amount involved in granting pensions to this class of ex-Confederates who served in the war of 1849 would be practically very small. In connection with this, it may be interesting to know that in the senate of the United States there is only one senator who served in the war with Mexico. This senator is Senator Pettus, of Alabama. The Alabama Senator was a lieutenant in the volunteer army during the Mexican war. Senator Pettus voted for the measure in the senate, giving ex-Confederates who served in the Spanish war pensions ; but if the same act was extended to Mexican war veterans, it is not likely that he would ask the bounty of Uncle Sam. SILVER AND GOLD PRODUCT. The World'* Supply La*t Tear?American Gold Supply Steadily Inoreaitinff. The Engineering and Miuing Journal tinds that the total production of gold in the year 1899 was for the en tire world 1313,945,468, an increase oi $24,806,689 over the preceding year. The loss of yearly product due to the war in South Africa is estimated at $20,000,000. The gold output of the United States was $72,483,055; of Australasia, $78,082,171; of the Transvaal $73,108,650; of Russia, $24,072,344; of Cauada,$18,049,593; of Mexico, $9,277,351; of British India, $8,498,571; of China, $6,742,190. Rhodesia appears among the minor producers of gold, her product in 1899 reaching $1,110,953. The war seems not to have interfered, so far, with the Rhodesian output. As the richness of the mines there has been demonstrated by the practical tests of working, a large increase of product is expected when more machinery is introduced. The three Guianas are credited with an output of $3,844,962, Columbia with $3,700,000, Brazil with $2,531,687, Hungary with $2,838,993 and Korea with $1,094,000. The silver production of the United States was about 63,000,000 ounces, or 4,000,000 more thau in 1898. The price has ranged from 61.2 cents an ounce in May, to 67.9 cents in October. The average for the year was 59.5 cents, against 58.2 cents in 1898 aud 59.7 cents in 1897. China and other eastern couulries have taken increased quantities of silver. There was an outward movemeut of gold in December approximatiug $15,000,000, and this movement still continues, being caused by the London demand. It is to be noted that this outflow is small when compared with the addition of $72,000,000 made to our stock during the year by our mines. We not only obtained considerable amounts by importation?the excess of imports over exports was, $12,192,818?but we retained nearly all of our own large production. Our stock of gold, even without imports and in spite of the exports, is constantly being increased and is now the largest ever recorded. Our exports of silver in 1899 exceeded our imports by $20,000,000.