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^ ^ ^ xSi9ED^iEKX-WEl^li^ ^ ^ ^ ^ i. m. gsist & SONS, Publishers. | % Jfamilg Iftutsjaper: 4or (he promotion of tht political, facial, Agricultural, and Commercial Interests of the people. _ {TEE*,sIN'0ll2i"J0ApT*EFAI?El ci?TvsANCI!' "established 1855. YORKYILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 19QO. JsTQ. 33. THE HOUSE v By Sir D'Artagan Isstens, Cadet of Order of Wassmark and Oi Court of Charli MAnP I VTA A RAM AVAR iUHI/U ill X V 11 Copyright, 1890, by American Press Ass CHAPTER V. THE KING'S SUMMONS. When I found Harry, he was convulsed with laughter, lying on the conch in onr chamber. I could not challenge him to fight, so I sprang upon him with my knees and said that I would both write and read my own poems in the future. When next 1 met Marion, she flashed her eyes at me in a haughty way that raised both terror apd admiration in my heart. She did not go down to her seat on the south terrace for thiee days after the jester play of Harry'a How to mend matters I did not know, though I pondered over it continually and forgot my sword exercise and all interest in quarter staff. But one night a plan dawned upon me. and I begged Harry to give me the verses. He did so without questioning, and going up to my room I scrawled beneath them: "This is all true; I swear it. though Harry wrote the rhymes. D'Artagan." men x put iue papci iuuu uu an*? cap down in the dining ball and went np to bed. Scarcely had I got clear of my boots when in came Lientenant Red Harding. "Up. sir, and into saddle for Blatenburg, at the king's command." and off again to find Harry, who was somewhere reading Ca>sar. I palled on my riding boots, changed my silk coat for a leather jerkin with steel breastplate, hackled on my sword belt, and. hat in hand, clattered down stairs. Harry. Red Harding and 1, with 12 horsemen, were to answer the king's summons, leaving my father and the captain with tue rest of the men to gaard the boose. The mother came oat to bid as godspeed, bat no Marion; so away we started on the 30 mile road to the king's city. Harry jeeted so that the men ebook till I thought they would roll from their saddles. I did not feel onusually gay. which I think was quite natural. While Harry and Red Harding chatted merrily I rode at the lientenant's left, silent as the dead. After five hoars on the road, which was mad to the fetlock most of the way, the dawn broke in front of us. We dismounted at a little hostel and drained a cup, while the fellowe fed our horses a bite and rubbed them dry with handfuls of straw. I washed Hagart's mouth out myself, for he is a fine horse and too good to be trusted to every wayside etrble boy. Before the sun had risen a pale width * above the fir trees we were mounted again. Half an hour later we rode into Blatenburg, the king's city, and by the light on the viscount's face one might have thought it was his. The streets were alive, early though the hour was, and armorers had their forges going?and the smiths, too?for many of the incoming horses bad cast their shoes. The great housee, the hurrying people and the bright faces made what seemed to me a wondrous brave sight. Onr leader, Harry, took ns far into the city, and there ordered us to dismount at a big inn not far from the royal palace. Out of the saddles we climbed, glad enongh to be rid of them. Onr horses were led away, and we went inside to breakfast. The landlord took us to the highest table, while a drawer bustled our men in to a spread of ham and beer. "Have you heard anything of the Bohemians?" asked Harry. "Baron Vossgofi defeated tbem last night 18 miles to the north, my lord," answered the fellow, with a broad Bmile. "Thank God!" we cried, and drained to the health of Baron Vossgoff. Harry, ae our captain and representative of the house of Isstens, must go tip and report to the king, but Red Harding and I, belted and spurred, sallied out arm in aru*to view the city. I think we were a fierce looking pair by the way the other soldiers turned to stare at us. I wore gold across my breast and the mark of the cadet, together with the Isstens' crest on my sash, and Red Harding was bravely trigged out with lace and gold, polished braes and scarlet. Though ladies waved their scarfs to us from the windows and balconies of the tall bouses and men saluted us in the streets, my heart would not away from the gray house of Isstena When we returned to the tavern, Harry was awaiting us. He was most beautifully dressed in satin and lace. Wise viscount to bring his court suit along with him! It was evening and he bore news of a great fete in the palace and palace gardens, to which all true officers and gentlemen were invited. At this Red Harding, who was something of a blade at heart, pulled a long face. "By the devils, viscount, can I go in these boots If" he gasped. The troopers at the doer fell to laughing at this. The lieutenant froze them with a stare, and then he went in to supper. But as feasting would be going on at the palace we did not spend much time over the tavern beef. I had two men in to rub us up? boots, breastplates and spurs?and Red Harding groaned, "If we can't go looking like the viscount, we will go looking very much like the devil." On our way up the hill, which was paved with marble for foot passengers, Harry took an arm of each and said, "The king has ordered me to stay with him and uso my poor brains in his OFISSTENS. a Great House, Knight of the Royal tie Time Embassador to the !S I of England. -""-vnnnn nnnUDTIlJ BY THKUllUKEi ttUDEiiiio. tociatioD. counsels while the tronble lasts and yon to take the men and ont and nse yonr good swords against the Bohemians." Wesalnted. Then Red Harding said, "It is good news, visconnt, bnt it will be strange without yon riding and cutting between us." "Trne!" I cried; then, "Thank God, I have more blade than brains I" When we reached the gardens, my rustic eyes were ?ear to popping out at sight of all the lights and gay costnmes. We passed into a magnificent hall, and while I was staring about Harry plucked me by the sleeve. There was a tall, ruddy man at bis elbow, smiling broadly. "The king I" whispered Harry. I dropped on one knee, flapping bat In hand. "Arise, sir," he said, and, when I was up, "I have heard much of you from the viscount here." Then be said some kind words to Red Harding and let us go. We followed Harry through the brilliant throng like hound pups after their dam in a new cover. After parading np three great rooms Hurry halted as in front of a yonng woman in figure mncb like Marion, but with brown hair and the most rognish green eyes I had ever seen. She was talking with a tall cavalier in red and gray, but looked up with a faint run of color over her brow on our approach. I nudged Harry, who nodded. "Ho. hoi" thought I. "So this is our lady of the coach window?our future baroness." Harry presented us and then excused himself, and. with the grizzled lieutenant on his arm, left me alternately grinning at the lady and glaring at the cavalier, who almost immediately bowed and went also. Then the Lady St Arnaud moved over and bade me rest on the same seat. In spite of my sword play, my pride and my great talk of the rights of the cadet (which same, in truth, are no rights at all), I was little more than an unpolished rustic, and this honor nearly threw me into a fit. Marion had never asked me to sit beside her on the south terrace. But the lady was so kind and fascinating, like a rare, bright jewel, that I soon found myself at ease. Now I will get even with Harry and burn bis ships behind him, I thought; so I told her of his little story, which had been interrupted by the raid of the bill men. "So the viscount kisses and tells 1' she said, raising her eyebrows. "Not always." I answered. "I once saw him kiss my mother's maid, but he didn't tell us about it afterward." She looked at me gayly. I could see at once that she was painfully eharp of wit. "You shock me, Sir Cadet," ehecried in a feigned voice. "It shocked me, too, at the time, for the same maid would never let me kiss her," I said. She looked demurely at her pointed shoes. "What a strange choice," she murmured, "to let the Viscount Isstens kiss her when the cadet of the same name was within calling!" I knew that she was playing with her meaning here and that she intended I dropped on one knee, flapping hat in hand. I should know it. So I smiled simply and remarked that she would make Isstens a very merry old place. At this she blushed, stared haughtily and waved me off, and upon seeing Harry coming toward us I backed away. Later, when Red Harding and I were stamping about the gardens, Harry came out and pressed my hands. "Thanks, brother," he whispered. "I think we are quits now." Then he laughed merrily, as if his heart had nothing more to say. and left us. The old lieutenant scratched his scarred cheek. "Alack I" he cried. "The viscount and the cadet have ogled the ladies and been ogled most lovingly in return, and the Cavalier Red Harding has not won 60 much as a smile." "It is safer so, comrade," I replied, "for a youth ie in danger of losing his head before the 6miles of women." Shortly after midnight we left the gay throng, for we looked to be well on the road with onr men before sunrise of the morrow CHAPTER VI. THE CAPTURE OF THE STRANGE LADY. The horses were saddled by lanterc light, and we were all mounted before the dawn At the city gates we joined three other gentlemen, each leading ten horsemen. So together we made a stoat little sqaad of 42 men and five officers. Onr orders were to ride until we met Baron Vossgoff, who was expecting at any hour an attack from the second Bohemian army. The roads were better than the ones we had traveled before; eowe pounded along right merrily. A few miles ont we passed a regiment of pikemen with their officers mounted on shaggy ponies. They cheered as we rode by in the ditch. Be rore noon we came upon xne army, which lay along; the crest of three low hills, awaiting the Bohemians. After reporting to the baron we stationed onr men in a goat pastnre and ordered the preparation of dinner. The three officers of the private companies we had ridden along with came to onr fire. Two of them belonged to great honses in the west aDd the third was a lowly born, well tested soldier like Red Harding. While we devoured onr Spartan fare and told of past adventnres we watched company after company of horse, foot and artillery creep along the road and take np position to right and left. We were down a little from the main body of the army, with a thicket of birches in front of ns, bnt presently came noise of a disturbance and rumor that our scouts and out pickets were riding in, many of them wounded. Then the bugles began all along the line, fiercest on the hill to our left, where most of the cannon were planted. Red Harding filled a flagon with wine to the brim and got to his feet. "My lords, as the oldest officer in our circle, with most scars on my body, I pledge the war cup. To our country and our kingl To the glory of the houses we serve and to ourselves 1" he shouted, and, tipping the cup, drained it. Nothing about "To the glory of God and the saints," which is but a poor excuse for blowing out men's brains and cutting off their beads; but we lifted our swcrds and swore to fight like 1/-vtto 1 mnn on/^ fKo rnnnora oViooro^ iuj ai uigu, auu vuo %4vu^;v?u vuw*vvi? No sooDer were we in oar saddles than the guns of the enemy began to pop and onr cannon and cnlverins to answer. A richly accontered cavalier rode op and sainted us. We saluted in return with drawn swords. "The general's compliments, and he begs you to fall in behind De Audrey's lancers on the left of the prince's dragoons." Here wae honor, for these were the picked horsemen of the kingdom. We saluted again, and he rode on. "Though we are free companies, under none but God and the king," cried I, standing in my stirrups, "let us make Viscount Von Brum our colonel till the fight be over, that we may wheel and charge with one mind." The others agreed, and Von Brum thanked us and rode to the head of the squad. We found De Audrey's lancers and took up our position without delay. There were so many broad backs and big spears in front that I could see no more of the enemy than if I bad been home at Isstens, but hearing them was another matter. Our 40 fellows were armed with swords and pistols and a few with carbinea I had the baron's horse pistols in my bolsters and my rapier in place of a saber. Red Harding wore his broadsword and carried a blunderbuss across his saddle. He told me it was loaded with 20 leaden slugs and grinned pleasantly. "It will kick very hard," said L "Yes, unless it has changed mightily in its habits; but I am used to it and will brace my horse before I let fly," be answered. Our new commander looked over bis shoulder at the piece in some concern. "You will please refrain from letting it fly into my back, lieutenant," eaid be. Red Harding chuckled and answered him that it was safe not to go off before the fourth drop of the hammer. I am unable to do justice to a battle, so I will let this one pass with only a little ink spilling. We charged over the hill, keeping together as well as we could. The lancers drove at the horsemen in front of them, and it was a long time before we could get into the fight. When we did, Red Harding fired his old gun and blew himself almost over his horse's tail. He scrambled forward into his saddle again, however, and charged with the rest of us. There was a great deal of smoke and more noise. A pikeman reached my thigh, but I beat him down and leaped Hagurt over the bo< and so gained the inside of the square of footmen. We bad a warm and merrj time in there, 1 can tell you. A big captain on a white horse was jammed against me. H^swore in pure German and shortened his sword to run ib through. But he did not make allowance for my breastplate, so I smote him from the saddle with an empty pistol. Before evening the Bohemians were broken utterly and running frantically for the woods. Not many of them got away, for our light horse followed and cut them down as they fled, cheering as if it were as much eport as the English fox hunting. When Red Harding and I counted our men, we found eight left of the 12 who rode out of Isstens, and all those, like ourselves, suffering some wounds. It had ever been thus with our peasant soldiers?let the gentlemen lead on and the hotter the place of battle the happier for them. They wiped the sweat from their faces and shouted, "The king, the king, and the long sword of Isstens!" We built our tires on the battlefield and lay down to rest. Before we could yawn twice along came a cavalier splendidly attired and said that the broken army would play the devil with the villages farther on if we did not interfere. "I will see to it," I said. We devoured our frugal meal like wolves and then got about saddling our tired Horses Hagart was without a scratch, but some of the men had to catch fresh i mounts. As we went elowly acrosp the [ truuinled fields toward the highroad Red Harding grumbled away unuerbis inustache like a aolky bound. "By all the beer mugs of Germany, what ails yon?" I aeked. "I have lost my gnn, and how in the name of heaven are we going to gnard these sheep of villagers without it?" he mattered. Thie after the heat of the fight set us all langhing till the tears trickled down and washed white streaks in the blood and dnst. Going slowly along the trodden road nnder the mist my thoughts went back to the English Marion in the house of my fathers. I shut my eyes, and there she was before me, lovely as I had seen her on the first day, all clad in silks and flounces. I wondered what her heart said when she found the verses with my postscript in her silver cup. How beautiful she looked when Harry was reading those same verses 1 And Harry, A pikeman reached my thigh, but I beat him down. i the learned roeue, what havoc he must be making in tbe hearts of the coart ladies, I thonght. i .1 was ronsed from my reveries by Red Harding, who tapped my thigh. "What are the lights ahead?" he ; aeked. "I was just wondering," I answered i (a man most lie sometimes). "Let ns spnr on and find ont." i We put our horses to the gallop, whirled down npon a little wayside inn, a crowd of soldiers, a coach, servants and lanterns. A young woman was speaking haughtily from the coach window, and a crowd of raecals were hanging to her { horses' bridles. A tall man in cloak and hat answered her from the road. "What the devil does this meant" I asked, riding up to the coach. "It means," said the lady, "that these rogues?the canaille of Bohemia ?will not let me pase. They have taken my money, killed my eervante, and now they want my horses." I looked at the men. They were fellows from my father's farms and stables. I looked at tbe man in the cloak. It was Captain Castletree. "I think you are mistaken, madame," I said, bowing to her. "These ^are peasants from Isstens, and this gentleman is an English captain." But in epite of my cool voice I was sorely puzzled, having left them all safe at home. The lady bit her lips and withdrew her head from the window. "Takeout the horses," commanded the captain, "and set a guard on the coach, but no rudeness, men, or you walk up to the hilt of this sword." Then he uncovered to me and with bis rare smile asked me to come in. It was a strange tale tbe captain had to unfold, of a message hot from the pen of a friendly German count, saying that a lady of degree was posting through the country with a letter for the king of Burgar, full of lies, to set him at our throats; of a wild chase, and at last this capture within sound of tbe great battla "This is the letter," he said in conclusion, handing me a sealed paper. I returned it to him. "We will take it to tbe king, my dear captain, and I think it is as safe in your keeping as in mine." Whereat he put it back in * * ?j A j _a : D1S Dreasi ana cusseu uu ma wmu. "We will take the lady, too, in her coach and fonr," I added. "If yon will place the men in front and behind, I will ride inside with her ladyship and see that she plays no tricks." "All right, comrade," he said, and we went out to our men. Walking up to the coach, I opened the door. The lady was seated in the corner with her face in her hands. "Madame," I stammered, "owing to circumstances it is my duty to come inside and ride with you to Blatenburg." I stepped in and closed the door. I could hear the lady sobbing and through the window Castletree and Red Hurding snapping out commands. Presently the coach jerked, the driver shouted and away we went, with five men under Red Harding galloping behind and ten under the captain galloping ahead. By the light of the coach lamps I could see my prisoner lift her face and gaze at me. She was very handsome and saw immediately that I was young "Ah, milord," she sobbed, "that I should be robbed and maltreated and then carried away by a gentleman of so gallant a bearing 1" "I am very sorry," I replied, "but ft was your own fault." She wept afresh at that and for several miles we bumped and rolled along in silence. I felt very sorry for this pretty girl in distress and was about to tell her so when ehe looked up and cried: "Oh, you pity me, air I" I admitted that I did. "And yet to carry me away?oh, cruel, cruel 1" And she bent and looked at me with her tear stained eyes. "You are the enemy of my king and country I" I cried ae steadily as I could. She did not answer. ffAnd yon nre worse than a spy, tl madame, though I give you my word of u honor that yon shall not be bung," I tl continned. 0 "Oh. how kind, bow gallant of you. p sir I" she cried with mocking lips. ^ I saw that she. too. was a lady of Q keen wit, and it thoronghly abashed me. Bnt in a softer tone she whispered, j, "How can one so yonng be without a jj heart?" a Before I bad time to tell her that it 0 was usually the ones so young who lost j] their hearts she gave a little moan and i fell against my shoulder. "The devil I She is fainting," I said and was about to call for help when up c went her white hand, holding a pistol, 8t and the hammer clicked within four ^ inches of my face.. This made me very j cool. j "I am afraid, madame, that someone a has drawn the load. It is very provok- q ing, is it not?" I remarked. She gave me the pistol and blnsbed. ^ "I am glad it wonld not fire, "she _ eaid, and we spent the remainder of the ride in entertaining conversation. j It is well to be polite when riding with a lady who comes from Bohemia j( and carries pistoli We entered Blatenbnrg in the morn- ^ ing and took onr prisoner, our letter and our story to the king. jg TO BE CONTINUED. s, ___ c piswUmuoas |Ua<Uug. * ================ g THE CONCEALED WEAPON HABIT. W ri One Particular In Which There Is Great Q E Need of Reform. In hie recent charge to the grand Q jury of Richalnd county, Judge Benet a discussed the concealed weapon evil I as follows: o "What is the cause, gentlemen, of ^ Ibis extraordinary number of homi- 0 cides? I am sure each of you can as- f" sign certainly as oue cause the deplora- u ble custom of carrying pistols, a cus- 81 l.. mitvoia/t Ia an/.K an ovfan( that, nlir 1] estate may he regarded as an armored P camp in times of peace. Our young P men and boys, black and white, rich ^ aud poor, seem to think that their out- 84 tit is not complete without a pistol; a some of the older men show a bad example, and I regret to say, some public n officials have on occasions been found p armed in violation of the law. Pistols si are carried, not as a protection at night t< in some lonely road or in some remote b part of the country during the day or ti in some dangerous neighborhood, but a at public meetings, on the streets, at c social gatherings, even at dances, even o at daily labor, and following the plow, & and I add also even at church and e prayermeeting; aud as for those gath- t< eriugs known as the negroes' hot sup- fj pers, is there ever a hot supper without tl a cold corpse ? The uegro will imitate tl a white man and imitates him more tl successfully in his vices and crimes si than in bis virtues. b "Mr. Foreman and gentleman, it t< would be an interesting experiment if g the court were at this moment to search 1 the pockets all in the courthouse now fi and see how many pistols will be si found, carried on the person concealed si even in the temple of justice. Gentle- ? meu, as surely as this lamentable habit si continues, so surely will 200 or 300 of & our fellowcitizens annually fill untimely a graves, the victims of the pistol habit, ii It is a fearful price to pay lor the priv- si ilege of carrying arms. It is not only tl unlawful to carry arms concealed upon e the person, but it unchristian, uncivil- n ized, and still more should the appeal tl be made to the youth of the country a who carry pistols that it is unmanly n and cowardly, and altogether unneces- u sary in a civilized community. It causes o our young men, no doubt, to hold hu- a man life very cheap, and it causes .. _1? 1 tl tliem aiso lO nave laisc lucao ui uiaicij vi ami true manliness, and it has iDfused f< in the public miod wrong aDd vicious ri views of the right of self-defense. v "Gentlemen of the grand jury, how b many corpses of meu slain by the pis- tl tol-carryiug homicide have been o searched in vain for the pistol, and yet n the slayers have put up their plea of a self-defence, and juries have acquitted fi them on that plea, because forsooth the ti defendant, the manslayer, testified that ji when be shot his victim bad put his g baud to his hippocket or was about to si place it there, and be was induced to si believe by that act that he had a pistol tl and was about to draw it. He pre- t< surned, in other words, that he wus in a danger and acted, as be claimed, in tl self defense. If that piesumption is to ci be regarded by petit jurors must we not e create another presumption in fact, to n meet it?that the mau who carries a w pistol habitually must be presumed to n have murder in his heart and is a dan- b gerous man to the peace of any com- e munity. When a blood-guilty man is si set free by the verdict of a jury, then fi the public, through the press, condemns d the jury, speaks of miscarriage of jus- nc tice, that the jury system is a failure ti and the like, not reflecting that the jury n is only carrying into effect the public's b own mistaken view and idea of self-de- it ft-nse. Water does not rise above its fc level. A petit jury is part of the people, and it "is not Oetter or wiser than is the people from whom it is drawn by ti lot. It is futile to lay the blame atthe w door of Ilie jury or me system 01 mm p by jury. Let it lie also at the door of t< all who are guilty of carrying pistols a concealed upon their persons. I would w not belittle the right of self-defense. It b is a good right; a God given right; as s< well as a right recognized by the law of al our land ; but it is woefully misunder IV stood and most rashly and recklessly ti exercised, until the blood of hundreds tj of men cries aloud from hundreds of tl graves for the vengeance courts have ji denied them. fa "Two hundred and forty-three meu gi slaughtered in South Carolina last year, ol and how many convicted ? Ninety* tl nine. In other words, 144 men with hi their fellows' blood on their hands go at free, pronounced not guilty. There m may be a few of these reported cases d< lat have not been tried, but I am speak1 round numbers. In round numbers be fact stares us in the face that only ne of every three men who have been ut in tbe dock charged with murder as been convicted of either murderer lanslaughter. "Gentlemen, if it is always, or near f always tbe intending murderer who i fortunately killed by tbe man who is cting in self-defense, will not tbe race f murderers soon be exterminated in lis state at the rale of 200 odd ayear ? 'o put that question is to show tbe reuctio ad absurdum. "I have said that self-defense is a eared right, but it is not more sacred urely than human life and it is in be alf of the sanctity of human life that have been led to make the remarks have just made. Is there no remedy ; re we helpless; is the law powerless? 'an no law be enforced to stop the pisid-carrying habit? Our legislatures ave again and again endeavored to ass laws and have passed a variety ol tws, but they are deadletters, and a eadletter law is itself a teacher of lawissness, and unpunished violation of iw eats like a cancer into the body olitic. Are we to confess our inabiliy to take bold of this frightful evil nd to some extent moderate it. This i a land of churches, Sunday schools, uhools and colleges, of young men's 'hristian associations and all the means nd appliances for Christians religion 1 all varieties and forms, perhaps to a reater extent than any other civilized ind, and yet in this year of 1900 our ecord today cannot compare for a toment wild the record of ancient Igypt of 3,000 years ago, for it was hen the boast of Egypt that "in times f peace none of our citizens carry rms." And here in the year of 1900 am safe in saying that the majority f the youth of our country carry arms. fo doubt there is difficulty in the way ur legislature?our constitution?the ideral constitution?secures to thecit:en the right to carry arms; but it urely cannot be contended that the ttle devilish pocket pistol, the hip ocket, the coat pocket, the vest pocket istol was in contemplation of the amers of the constitution when they ;cured to the citizen the right to carry rms. "Those wise fathers of the republic ever intended to leave as a legacy tu osterity so moooy a curse. xnai coniitutional provision bad relation only j the character of arms then carried y the soldiers in defense of their counry and the huntsman on the plain? luskets, rides, swords, cavalry pistols, arried as brave men carry their arms, penly. The diabolical habit of conealed weapons had not yet grown into xisience. It was to preserve the right 5 defend home, property, person and imily and to defend the country and he right to hunt game. It was for his purpose and similar purposes that he constitutional provision was iuerted. He will be a wise man and a enefaclor to bis state who can suggest } the legislature some law that can rapple with this evil or reduce it. 'here is no doubt that a law might be amed making it a heinous crime and eriously punishable to manufacture, ell or buy or use or possess a pistol a ertain size, and the size might be made neb that it would be imposssible to onceal it upon the person and thus put stop in a large measure to the earryrg of concealed deadly weapons. II ametbing like this caunot be done hen all that is left for us to do is to ducate public opinion, to educate the rinds of the juries and to banish from be minds of the youth of the country nd the men of the country the diseased otions of self-defense, and thus we rav to some extent reduce the numbet f homicides and rid our laud of the wful curse. "I have already referred to the facl bat sometimes juries are condemned >r what are supposed to be miscariages of justice and a failure to do what ;as expected. The jury system has een very much discussed of late broughout the state, and in some parts f the state has been condemned as ot being as successful as it ought to be nd it has been eveu pronounced as s lilure. Iu my opinion such condemnsion is altogether undeserved. Out jry law, our system of trial by jury if ood if only carried into effect. Oui tatutes require that the jury commis ioners shall choose so many names in aeir respective counties, men qualified ) serve as jurors, men of sound judg jent, and of good moral character; here is uo county in this state that annot furnish a sufficient number fot very term of court?men of good loral character, sound judgment and rell qualified to serve as jurors; if the ames of such men are not put in the ox it is not the fault of the law, hut ntirely the fault of the jury commisoners who are unworthy of their of ces from whatever cause. The remey for that is to impeach the jury comlissioners ns unworthy of their high -ust and place better men in office aud ot ask for change in the jury law. II ad men are listed and their names put 1 the jury box it is needless to look >r good men to be taken out. "Jury trial is a priceless heritage. It i a protection of the poor man against ( runny utid oppression. It is the butark of onr liberties, especially in a reuhlican form of government; the pro?ctor of the weak against the strong ud the best guarantee of freedom that 'e have It does sometimes miscarry ; ut it is humun to err; that is no rea>n why the cry should be raised to bolish the system of trial by jury, [en who decry one miscarriage of jusce seem to forget that there are uiue(T-and-nine cuses where verdicts are in ie criminal and civil side, in which istice is done. Twelve honest men, lir-rainded men, of ordinary intellience, drawn from the ordinary walks f life to try a case in court?that is le system of wisdom. Nothing has sen devised that can be compared to it i a means of doing justice between lan and man and only corruption can estroy or injure thejury system." CUBAN CENSUS FIGURES. t y There Is a Large Preponderance of Whites Over Illacks. General Sanger, director of the ' Cuban census, has given out some interesting information with regard to the population of Cuba as sbown by 1 the census just completed. He says: i "Under the bead of 'colored' are in1 eluded the blacks, mixed and Chinese. It is to be observed that there are ' 187,826 white males, 21 years of age and over, born in Cuba, as against 96,083 born in Spain ; 6,974 born in other countries and 127,300 colored ; that of the whites born in Cuba, and who are Cuban citizens, there are 79,455 qualified to vote on the grounds of education, as against 55,767 white males oi r i i_ uvor years 01 age Dorn id opain, whose citizenship is in suspense. From this 65,767 there should be deducted all the Spanish males 21 years of age _ and over who can read and write, and who have registered for the preservation of their Spanish citizenship. The number left after making this deduction will give the number of Spanish voters on the ground of education to he compared with the number of white Cuban voters on the ground of education. The comparison shows a much greater preponderance of Cuban v&ters than 1 bad been supposed the census would show. There appears to be 26,692 colored Cuban citizens who can read and write. Adding this to the literate white Cnbaus, there are 105,157 Cubans who answer to the educational quali' fication. If the proportion of illiteracy ' among the colored Cuban soldiers is the same as that shown by the tables for the colored population generally, 1 in the neighborhood of 28,000 morq^ voters will be added by the inclusion of the Cuban army who could not vote on the educational qualification. ! It is supposed that a considerable numof Cubans will also be added upon property qualification; that is say, 1 Cubans who own property but cannot read or write, and were not in the Cuban army. So there will be at least 140,000 qualified native Cuban voters under the proposed basis of suffrage, and as against this there will be the 55,747 Spaniards whose citizenship i was in suspense when the census was taken, less the number who have since declared to preserve their Spanish citizenship, and plus such Spaniards as have not declared and cannot read 1 *4. . U.. t Atimnra nf flDQ Wnit) j UUl die tuo uituvio vi property. As the illiterate Spanish i males 21 years of age and over amount i to only 15,426, it is hardly probable that there will be any great number of ? Spaniards added as voters upon the property qualification alone. "It is gratifying to find that the native Cubans constitute so large a pro' portion of the population, that the whites greatly outnumber the blacks, and that so large a proportion of the 1 native population can read and write. There seems to be no room upon these figures for the objection that the pro- v posed basis of suffrage would result in 1 turning the island over to the control of Spain. Regarding the census returns as a whole the statement adds: 1 "Males are in excess of females in 1 the total population and in each province, except Santiago, where the females are a trifle in excess. Of the * native whites the females are in excess ' of the males in the island, and in each 1 province except Pinar del Rio. Of 1 the foreign whites the males are large1 ly in excess in each province, as is the case everywhere with immigrants. Of ' the Negroes and mixed races the fa1 males are in excess in the total and in ' most of the provinces. Hence it ap1 pears that the excess of males in Cuba is due to the foreign-born element. ' Native whites constitute 28 per cent. I of the total population, or much more than one-half. The Negroes and mixed ' constitute only 32 per cent., or less ) than one-third, and they are less tljan 1 one-half in every province, being > largest in Santiago, where they con> stitute 43 per cent, of the population, i The average number of Chinese is trif1 ling, being less than 1 per cent, of the nnnnIniinn of the island. The propor r~r _ " tioo of children under five years of 1 age is unusually small. The propor' tion of the inhabitants under 21 years of age is normal, being about one-half of the population. It is to be noted that I while 56 per cent, of the inhabitants ' weie over 18 years of age, yet only 15 ;< per cent, were married, and, adding ' together those married, those living ' together without marriage and the widI owed, there are only 29.5 per cent., that is, only one-half, of those who 1 are of marriageable age. "Nearly nine-tenths of the inhabi tants were born in Cuba. Of those born in other countries three quarters were horn in Spain and more than onequarter of those born in Spain are found in Havana city. Of those born in Cuba, 104,000 are not reported as being Cuban citizens; but claim other citizenship, or their citizenship is in suspense. Of those less than ten years of age, nine-tenths did not attend school. Of those above ten years of age 57 per cent, cannot read or write, and the remaining 43 per cent, are literate. It is to be noted that the children under ten years of age constitute only 22.7 per cent, of the population. In the United States they ??-?! ? O O nnr nanf. In COUSLUUIC llcai ijr uu {>?> VV? Havana city the literacy is high, the illiterate constituting ouly 25 per cent, of the population over teu years of age, while iu Pinar del Rio province they constitute 76 per cent., those being the two extremes of illiteracy." A neat letter written on a neat letter head and sealed in a nice envelope is au indication that the man who wrote it has a neat place of business and is on the road to prosperity. Poor persons are supplied with spectacles free of charge by a Boston society.