Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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

/ ISSUED SEMX-WEEEI^^ l. k. grist & sons, FibUshen. } % ^aotilg gercseager: 4or the promotion of the golitical, ?otiat, &jritul<ural, and (Bonrnetjtial Interests of the geogle. { tekm^^a^e^ia^pvakca. ESTABLISHEDTsoo. YORKVILLE. S. C., VEItNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1900. NO. 95. THE MYSTE MA By ANNA KATH/ Author of "The Leavenworth Cas and Ring," Copyright, 1900, by Anna Katharine G Synopsis op Previous Chapters. In order that new readers of The Enquirer may begin with the following installment of this story, and understand it Just the same as though they had read it all from the beginning, we here give a synopsis of that portion of which has already been published: The story opens with the close of a ball after daylight in the morning. While the guests are leaving the house Frederick Sutherland dashes out frantically and disappears in the woods on the other side of the road. Agatha Webb is found up stairs murdered. The body of Batsy, the cook, is found hanging from a window. Philemon Webb, Agatha's husband, is discovered sitting before a dining table asleep, with a smear of blood on his coat sleeve. Philemon being charged with the murder, his mind, alrady feeble gives way completely. All Agatha Webb's money has been taken. Miss T>a<rn atonrilnc nn thf? laWH. DOlntS tO a spot of blood on the grass. Frederick Sutherland, who has been a wild fellow, promises nls father to reform; also to give up Amabel Page, whom he has been expecting to marry. Miss Page tells Frederick that she followed him on the night of the murder and saw him secrete $1,000 in a hollow tree. She declares that he shall either marry her or she will proclaim him a murderer. She is about to leave him and the town when she is held as a witness. CHAPTER IX. SIX LITTLE GRAVES. There was but one topic discussed In the countryside that day. and that was the life and character of Agatha Webb. Her history had not been a happy one. She and Philemon bad come from Porcbester some 20 or more years before to escape the sorrows associated with their native town. They had left behind th?m six small graves in Port Chester churchyard, but though evl-1 dences of their affliction were always ^ to be seen In the countenances of either they had entered with so much purpose into the life of their adopted town that they had become persons of note there till Philemon's health began to fail, when Agatha quit all outside work and devoted herself exclusively to him. Of her character and winsome personality w? can gather some idea * from the various con . ersations carried on that day from Torchester green to the shipyards in Sutherlaudtown. In Deacon Braiuerd's cottage the discussion was concerning Agatha's lack of vanity, a virtue not very common at that time among the women of this busy seaport. "For a woman so handsome," the good deacon was saying, "and 1 think I can safely call her the finest featured woman who ever trod these streets, she showed as little interest in dress as any one I ever saw. Calico at home and calico at church, yet she looked as much of a lady in her dark sprigged gowns as Mrs. Webster in her silks or v? Mrs. Parsons in her $1,000 sealskin." As this was a topic within the scope of his eldest daughter's intelligence she at once spoke up: "I never thought she needed to dress so plainly. I dou't believe in such a show of poverty myself. If one is too poor to go decent, all k tight; but they say she had more toonair ihon nmat nnv nnp In town. I won der who Is going to get the benefit of it?" "Why, Philemon of course. That is, as long as he lives. He doubtless had the making of It" "is it true that he's gcue clean out of bis head since her death?" interposed a neighbor who had happened In. "So they say. I believe Widow Jones has taken him into her house." "Do you think," asked a second daughter, with becoming hesitation, "that he had anything to do with her death? Some of the neighbors say he struck her while in one of his crazy fits, while others declare she was killed bv some stranger equally old and almost as infirm." "We won't discuss the subject," objected the deacon. "Time will show who robbed us of the greatest hearted and most capable woman in these parts." "And will time show who killed Batsy?" It was a morsel of a girl who spoke; the least one of the family, but the brightest. "I'm sorry for Batsy, she always gave me cookies when I went to see Mrs. Webb." "Batsy was a good girl for a Swede," allowed the deacon's wife, who had not spoken till now. "When she first came into town on the spars of that wrecked ship we all remember, there was some struggle between Agatha and me as to which of us should have her. But I didn't like the task of teaching her the name of every pot and pan she had to use in the kitchen, so I gave her up to Agatha. And it was fortunate I did. > for I've never been able to understand her talk to this day." "1 could talk with her right well." lisped the little one. "She never called things by their Swedish names unless she was worried, and I never worried her." "I wonder if she would have worshiped the ground under your feet, as ^ she did that under Agatha?" asked the deacon, eying his wife with just the suspicion of a malicious twinkle in his eye. "I am not the greatest hearted and most capable woman in town." retorted his wife, clicking her needles as she went on knitting. In Mr. Sprague's house on the opposite side of the road Squire Fisher was relating some old tales of bygone RY OF TEA WEBB. LRINE GREENE, je," "Lost Man's Lane," "Hand Etc., Etc. Freen. Porcbester days. "T knew Agatha when sbe was a girl," be avowed. "She bad the grandest manners, and the most enchanting smile of any rich or poor man's daughter between the coast and Springfield. Sbe did not dress In " " - calico men. sue wuie iijc ^ajcsi clothes her father could buy her, and old Jacob was not without means to make his daughter the leading figure In own. How we young fellows did adore her. and what lengths we went to win one of her glorious smiles. Two of us, John and Jacob Zabel, have lived bachelors for her sake to this very day, but I hadn't courage enough for that ' married and"? Something between a sigh and a chuckle filled out the sentence. "What made Philemon carry off the prize? His good looks?" "Yes, or his good luck. It' wasn't his snap, of that you may be sure. James Zabel bad the snap, and he was her first choice, too, but he got Into some difficulty. I never knew Just what It was. but It was regarded as serious at the time, and that match was broken off. Afterward she married Philemon. You see, I was out of It altogether, had never been In It perhaps, but there were three good years of my life In which I thought of little else than Agatha. I admired her spirit, you see. There was something more taking in her ways than In her beauty, wonderful as that was. She ruled us with a rod of iron, and yet we worshiped her. I have wondered to see hor an mppk nf late. I never thought she would be satisfied with a brick fioored cottage and a husband of falling wits. But no one, to my^knowledge, has ever beard a complaint from her lips, and the dignity of her afflicted wifehood has far transcended the haughtiness of those days when she had but to smile to have all the youth of Porchester at her feet" "I suppose it was the loss of so manj children that reconciled her to a quiet life. A woman cannot close the eyes of six children, one after the other, without some modification taking place in her character." "Yes. she and Philemon have been unfortunate, but she was a splendid looking girl. boys. 1 never see such grand looking women now." In a little one storied cottage on tne hillside a woman was nursing a baby and talking at the same time of Agatha Webb. "I shall never forget the night my first baby reli sick," sue rauereu. 1 was just out of bed myself, and, having no nearer neighbors then than now, I was all alone on the hillside, Alec being at sea. 1 was too young to know much about sickness, but something told me tLut 1 must have help before morning or my baby would die. Though I could Just walk across the floor, I threw a shawl around me, took my baby in my arms and opened the door. A blinding gust of rain blew in. A terrible storm was raging, and I had not noticed it, I was so taken up with the child. "I could not face that gale. Indeed, 1 was so weak 1 fell on my knees as it struck me and became dripping wet before 1 could drag myself inside. The baby began to moan, and everything was turning dark before me when I heard a strong, sweet voice cry out in the roadway: " 'Is there room In th's house for me till the storm has blown by? I cannot see my wa'- down the hillside.' "With a bursting heart I looked up. A woman was standing in the doorway. with the look of an angel In her eyes. I did not know her, but her face was one to bring comfort to the saddest heart. Holding up my baby I cried: " 'My baby is dying. I tried to go for the doctor, but my knees bent under me. Help me, as you are a motherr "I must have fallen again, for the next thing I remember I was lying by the hearth, looking up into her face which was bending over me. She was white as the rag I had tied about my baby's throat, and by the way her breast heaved she was either very much frightened or very sorry. " i wish you had the help of any one else,' said she. 'Babies perish in my arms and wither at my breast. I cannot touch it, much as I yearn to. But let me see its race, remaps I can tell you what Is the matter with it.' "1 showed her the baby's face, and she bent over it. trembling very much, almost as much indeed as myself. " 'It's very sick.' she said, 'but if you will use the remedies I advise I think you can save It.' And she told me what to do and helped me all she could, but she did not lay a finger on the little darling, though from the way she watched it 1 saw that her heart was set on his getting better. And he did. In an hour he'was sleeping peacefully, and the terrible weight was gone from my heart and from hers. When the storm stopped and she could leave the house, she gave me a kiss, but the look she gave him meant more than kisses. God must have forgotten her goodness to me that night when he let her die so pitiable a death." At the minister's house they were commenting upon the look of serenity observable in her dead face. "I have known her for 30 years," her pastor declared, "and never before have 1 seen her wear a look of real peace. It Is wonderful, considering the circumstances. Do you think she was so weary of her life's long struggle that she hailed any release from It, even that of violence?" A young man, a lawyer visiting them from New York, was the only one to j answer. "I never saw the woman you are talking about," said he, "and know nothing of the circumstances of her | death beyond what you have told me. D11 tfAm/ InAAArMnilfvr KftfviTAnn UUl JL1 ULU kuc *C1J IUWU?1 UllJT I IT ttiJ her expression and the violent nature of her death I argue that there are depths to this crime which have not , yet been sounded." "What depths? It is a simple case , of murder, followed by theft To be sure, we do not yet know the criminal, , but money was his motive. That is clear enough." I "Are you ready to wager that that is j all there is to it?" ( That was a startling proposition to the minister. I "You forget my cloth," said he. ( The young man smiled. "That la ( true. Pardon me. I was only aftxxious , "Is there room in the house for met" 1 to SHOW DOW strung my l-uuvivuuu nan i against any such easy explanation of a I crime marked by such contradictory features." Two children on the Porchester road were exchanging boyish confidences. "Do you know what 1 think about It?" asked one. "Naw. How should I?" "Wall, I think old Mra Webb got the likes of what she sent Don't you know she had six children once and that she killed every one of them?" "Killed 'em, she?" "Yes, I heard her tell granny once all about it. She said there was a blight on her house. I don't know what that Is, but I guess it's something big and heavy, and that It fell on every one of her children as fast as they came and killed 'em." "Then I'm glad 1 ben't her child." very different were the recollections Interchanged between two middle aged Porchester women. "She was drinking tea at my house when her sister Sairey came running In with the news that the baby she had left at home wasn't quite right That was her first child, you know." "Yes, yes, for I was with her when that baby came," broke In the other, and such joy as she showed when they told her it was alive and well I never saw. I do not know why she didn't expect It to be alive, but she didn't, and her happiness was just wonderful to see/' I "Well, she didn't enjoy It long. The y poor little fellow died young. But I y was telling you of the night when she ? first heard he was ailing. Philemon ^ had been telling a good story, and we t were all laughing when Salrey came in. I can see Agatha now. She always g had the most brilliant eyes in the coun- j ty, but that day they were superbly i dazzling. They changed, though, at the sight of Sairey's face, and she Jumped to meet her just as if she knew what Sairey was going to say before ever a word left her lips. 'My baby!' (I can hear her yet.) 'Something is the matter with the baby!' And though Sairey made haste to tell her that he was only ailing and not at all ill she turned upon Philemon v/ith a look none of us ever quite understood. He changed so completely under it, just as she had under Sairey's. and to neither did the old happiness ever return, for the child died within a week, and when the next came it died also, and the next, till six small innocents lay buried in yonder old graveyard." i "I know, and sad enough It was. too, especially as she and Philemon were j both fond of children. Well, well, the < ways of Providence are past finding 1 out! And now she Is gone, and Phile- ] mon"? 1 "Ah, he'll follow her soon. He can't J live without Agatha." ] Nearer home the old sexton was chattering about the six gravestones 1 raised in Porchester churchyard to < those six dead infants. He had been < sent mere to cnoose a spot iu wuiuu j to lay the mother and was full of the i shock It gave him to see that line of < little stones, telling of a past with i which the good people of Sutherland < town found it hard to associate Phile- i mon and Agatha Webb. I "I'm a digger of graves," he mused, ' half to himself and half to his old wife I watching him from the other side of the hearthstone. "I spend a good quar- 1 ter of my time In the churchyard, but i when I saw those six little mounds ! and read the Inscriptions over them I couldn't help feeling queer. Think of this! On the first tiny headstone I read these words: | ! I *: 'I 'I' 'I' STEPHEN, . * . Son of Philemon and Agatha Webb, . < Died, Aged Six Weeks. *' God be merciful to me, a sinner 1 ' I -I- '! -I1 '! I "Now what does that mean? Did you ever hear any one say?" "No," was his old wife's answer. "Perhaps she was one of those Calvin1st folks who believe babies go to hell If they are not baptized." "But her childitn were all baptized. I've been told sojfaome of them beforo she was well opttpf her bed. 'God be merciful to me a Winer!' And the chick not six weeks oloil Something queer about that dame if it did happen more than 30 years ago." "What did you see over the grave of the child who was killed by lightning In her arms?" "This: " 'And be was not, for God took him.'" Farmer Waite had but one word to say. "She came to me when my Sissy had the smallpox, the only person in town who would enter my doors. More than that, when Sissy was up and I went to pay the doctor's bill I found it had been settled. I did not know then who had enoneh monev and oomnasalon to do this for me; now I do." Many an act of kindness which had been secretly performed in that town during the last 20 years came to light >n that day, the most notable of which was the sending of a certain young lad to school and his subsequent education is a minister. ' But other memories of a sweeter and more secret nature still came up likewise, among them the following: A young girl who was of a very timid but deeply sensitive nature had been urged into an engagement with a man she did not like. Though the conflict this occasioned her and the misery which accompanied it were apparent to everybody, nobody stirred In tier behalf until Agatha Webb took it up. She went to see her, and, though It was within a fortnight of the wedding, she did not hesitate to advise the girl to give him up, and when the poor child said she lacked the courage Agatha herself went to the man and urged him into a display of generosity which saved the poor, timid thing Crom a life of misery. They say this was no easy task for Agatha and that the man was sullen for a year. But the girl's gratitude was boundless. Of her daring, which was always on the side of right and Justice, the stories were numerous. So were the accounts, mostly among the women, of ber rare tenderness and sympathy for the weak and the erring. Never was a man talked to as she talked to Jake Cobleigh the evening after he struck bis mother, and if she bad been in town on the day when Clarissa Mayhew ran away with that Philadelphia rascal many said it would never have happened, for no girl could stand the admonition or resist the pleading of this childless mother. It was reserved for Mr. Halllday and Mr. Sutherland to talk of her mental qualities. Her character was so marked and ber manners so simple that few gave attention to the intellect :hat was the real basis of her power. The two mentioned gentlemen, how?ver, appreciated her to the full, and It was while listening to their remarks :hat Frederick was suddenly startled jy some one saying to him: "You are the only person In towD who has nothing to say about Agatha SVebb. Didn't you ever exchange any words with her, for I can hardly beieve you could have met her eye to ?ye without having some remark to nake about her beauty or her influ>nce?" The speaker was Agnes Halliday, who had come in with her father for a toclal chat. She was one of Frederck's earliest playmates, but one with whom he bad never assimilated and who did not like him. He knew this, is did every one else In town, and It was with some hesitation be turned to inswer her. "I have but one recollection," he bejan and for the moment got no furher, for in turning bis head to address lis young guest he had allowed his a ^ 4 You are the only person in town who has nothing to say about Agatha Webb." gaze to wander through the open winlow by which she sat Into the garden beyond where Amabel could be seen picking flowers. As he spoke Amabel lifted her face with one of her suggestive looks. She bad doubtless beard Miss Halllday's remark. Recovering himself with an effort, tie repeated his words. "I have but jne recollection of Mrs. Webb that I ?an give you. Years ago. when I was i lad, I was playing on the green with several other boys. We bad had some Ilspute about a lost ball, and I was swearing angrily and loud when I sudlenly perceived before me the tall form md compassionate face of Mrs. Webb. She was dressed In her usual simple way and had a basket on her arm, but she looked so superior to any other woman I had ever met that 1 did not know whether to hide my face In her skirts or to follow my first Impulse and run away. She saw the emotion she had aroused, and, lifting up my face by the chin, she said: 'Little boy, I have buried six children, all of them younger than you, and now my husband and myself live alone. Often and often have I wished that one at least of those darling Infants might have b^en spared us. But had God given me Jhe choice of having them die young and innocent or of growing up to swear as I have heard you today I should have prayed God to take them as he did. You have a mother. Do not break her heart by taking the name of the God she reveres In vain.' And with that she kissed me, and, strange c as it may seem to you, In whatever S folly or wickedness I have indulged, * I have never made use of an oath from ? that day to this?and I thank God for * it" 1 There was such unusual feeling in * his voice, a feeling that none had ever 0 suspected blm capable of before, that Miss Halliday regarded him with as- t' tdbishment and quite forgot to indulge y in her usual banter. Even the gen- h tlemen sat still, and there was a mo- v mentary silence, through which there f presently broke the Incongruous sound t of a shrill and mocking laugh. a It came from Amabel, who bad Just e finished gathering her bouquet in the f garden outside. s TO BE CONTINUED. t t PtettUiuuou? Reading. ? fi OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. 8 n n Tariff Decision May End Philippine Question, b Congressman George W. Ray, chair- v man of the hftuse committee on judlci- a ary, who was one or tne leaders in rne r< fight for the Porto Rlcan tariff bill, c said yesterday at the Fifth Avenue ho- o tel, that until the test case brought to li determine the constitutionality of the d Porto Rlcan tarlfT was decided by the United States supreme court, there would be no legislation by congress for the Philippines. "That decision," he said, "will show us where we stand and we can then proceed Intelligently. If the court sustains the Republican contention that b Porto Rico is not a part of the United States, but territory belonging to the h United States, and that, therefore, the j, constitutional provision for uniform p taxation throughout the United States n does not apply to Porto Rico, of course s the same will hold good with regard to n the Philippines. We can. then frame a t) tariff bill for the Philippines which will provide the necessary revenue for the y government of the Philippines on progressive lines, and also afford the nec- jj essary protection to our own manufac- a turers and labor." e "What If the decision of the court 8 should be that the Porto Rlcan tariff Is j, unconstitutional and that Porto Rico Is a part of the United States?" p "If such should be the decision of the court It might necessitate our having t! to give up the Philippines. We are t( bound to the open door in the Philip- y pines. That means that the products n of all nations can come into the Philip- b pines on the same basis as our own. If we cannot raise a tariff against Phil- 9 ippine products coming into the United States, then our labor would be brought y into competition with the cheap labor ? of the Orient If that condition should b come about we might feel that our interests would demand our withdrawal c from the Philippines. ,, "For myself I have no doubt as to p what the decision of the court will be. Q 1 am confident that the court will sus- j, tain the contention that the constitution does not go Into Porto Rico and the n Philippines of Its own force, and that v they can be held as territory belonging h to the United States. If the decision should be against us I feel certain It p will be a divided court." ^ "Do you think the result of the re- n cent election will have any Influence on 0 the court in its determination of the jj case?" t, "Well, there Is always a tendency to b support the popular construction?that h Is human nature. But, of course, the s court will not allow itself to be swayed n by the popular verdict in favor of keep- h Ing the Philippines. It Is for the court c to pass upon the constitutionality of laws passed by congress, and the court n cannot delegate its authority to the h people. If it did the people might re- v verse thejr verdict at the next election b and the court would have to change ? with them, a proceeding which, if fol- 8 lowed often, would not add to the gen- n eral respect for the court as a judicial g tribunal. li "It was the Philippine problem which we saw looming up in the future which led us to frame the Porto Rico tariff. If we had not taken the position we did with regard to our new possessions II when we did, we would have had to make the same fight whenever we started to legislate for the Philippines. Now, if the supreme court sustains the Porto Rican tariff we will know Just where we stand with regard to the p Philippines and can act accordingly."? ^ New York Times. e * 0 CHAIRMAN JONES ON THE RESULT. s P Says the Future Will Determine the Issues of ti Next Campaign. ^ United States Senator James K. tl Jones, chairman of the Democratic a National committee, gave out an inter- t< view last Thursday, the first since the ii election. Among other things he said: v "The election result was a great surprise to all Democrats. All were so li confident of success that the sweeping r Republican victory came as a severe v shock. Even on the evening of the day p before election, re-assuring telegrams a came from leaders that New York was safe for Bryan, and from leaders in c other pivotal states that the Democrats t< were sure to win. It was these fore- s casts that buoyed us up to the last b moment, and made the actual result more startling. But Mr. Bryan is a ti great man, one of the greatest in e America today, and his influence will be felt for many years to come in tl American politics. He is a giant in w intellect and simply Indefatigable In the c prosecution of a campaign. Whether c he will be a candidate ror me pica- u ldency In the near future remains to be a seen; but It Is not probable that he w will. It Is more reasonable to presume that he would decline the nomination, a; even should It be offered to him. lr "Re-organization? Oh, that's all nonsense. There's nothing in It, and it will blow over In 30 days. It is a precipitated by those who deserted the a party and gave aid and comfort to the tl enemy, and does not represent the strength or the spirit of the genuine tl Democracy. What they would do is to ei adopt all the policies of the Republl- p can party and be Democrats only in ti name. But granting that there's is ;ause or strength for so-called re-orfanization, who has the power within he party to do it now? Not the disrrunted disorganizers who have raised hd?taue. If there is to be a re-organzation of national committee or platorm it cannot be done for four years >r until the next national convention. "As to the issues they must depend argely upon the national and internaional developments of the next four ears. It may be laid down primarily, lowever, that the Democratic party rill never vary from its established undamentals, a strict construction of he. constitution and an unswerving dherance to its principles and an conomically administered government r?r the benefit nf thp eovemed. The ilver question may solve Itself. Should he amount of gold produced be ample 0 maintain a sufficient volume of meallic money and Insure the stability f prices, the sliver question will be ubordtnated; but should the supply all short of the demand of trade, the Ilver question will be made promient. The question of Imperialism lay also And a solution outside the allot box. I believe the supreme court rill decide against the Porto Rica law, nd should this be done, there will be a evulsion on the part of the Republians themselves against the retention f the Philippines. But just what the ssues of 1904 will be, no one can preIct with any degree of certainty." COMMON HONESTY. 9 Is the Only Safe Protection For Money Vaults. It was said the other day by several ank presidents and capitalists, when he largest defalcation known In the Istory of American banking took place 1 New York, that the one practical rotection that the people had for their loney was common honesty. All the chemes devised could not keep crimlals from taking what did not belong o them. The best banks In the counry have been robbed by the employes rho were most trusted. The facts that he wrongdoers had been speculating or ving beyond their means came ouc fterward as they always do, but provd little as to the carefulness of the intltution in taking care of the moneys itrusted to it. After all is said and done, after every lan has been put In operation, the nal safety is common honesty. It is hat way in other departments and enerprises of life. Schemes may be inented, bonds may be taken and efforts lay be made to bring: honest results, ut in the end common honesty is deended upon for protection and for ecurity. It was the author of Don Quixote rho uttered the immortal phrase, honesty is the best policy." This has een improved in later years by anothr who said that there is no good poliy but honesty. Grim old Thomas Carrie said, "Make yourself an honest lan and you may be sure that there is ne less rascal in the world." Washigton declared, "I hope I shall always ossess firmness and virtue enough to laintain what I consider the most en-iable of all titles, the character of an onest man." In common honesty there is no comromlse. A man who is partly honest ! wholly dishonest. It is the real comlon honesty that the world needs, not nly in business but in its social life, ts religion and its politics, honesty hat will do what is right and will ravely face every duty. The-man who as this virtue need have no fear of 1 ? Uln In UCCetiB 111 1111B WUUU, 1U1 1110 itnuiu m laterial gains as well as In the higher onors of life Just as sure as anything an be In this world. There never was a time when the lan of common honesty was so much i demand, and there never was a time rhen common honesty was so profltale. The trickster and the shyster have heir day and their hour, but they are ure to be caught In the end. But comlon honesty Is for afifetlme and for the ood name that endures long after life j over.?Saturday Evening Post. THE COT?JN BOLL WEEVIL. ; Is a Most Serious Annoyance to the Growers of Texas. Over 200 cotton planters attended the onventlon which was held at Brenam, Tex., on November 14, for the purose of considering the cotton boll wee11 pest and adopting some means for :8 eradication. It Is conservatively stlmated that this pest destroyed 100,DO bales in Texas during the past seaon. Prof. Frederick W. Malley, exert entomologist of the state agrlculural and mechanical college, who has een making a study of the cotton boll reevll for two years past, embodied he results of his Investigations in an ddress. His recommendations for exermlnatlng the weevil were embraced i the following resolutions, which re re unanimously adopted: "We endorse the successive steps outned by Prof. F. W. Malley, of the Agicultural and Mechanical college, rhlch are necessary to successfully reel the attacks of the boll weevil, which re as follows: ? ?i nnffAn "First?urazmg un wk?v.., leaning all rubbish that affords proection to the weevil and burning the ame, and deep plowing. This should e done at once. "Second?Plan trap rows of early maaring varieties of cotton to trap the merging weevil in the spring. "Third?Shaking off the weevils from hese few rows, and then spraying dth this poison solution, which is recommended as follows: One gallon of ane molasses, two ounces of arsenic oiled in water; four ounces of arsente of lead to forty-seven gallons of rater. "Fourth?That the fallen squares be ystematically gathered and burned at itervals of 12 days. "Fifth?That the spraying begin early -as soon as the squares begin forming, nd kept up once each week for May nd June, and at intervals of 10 days lereafter. "Sixth?That early maturing varices of seed be imported from the northrn portion of the cotton states and lanted as soon as practicable for the *ap rows. "Seventh?That spraying, gathering and burning the squares shall go together to insure the best results. "Eighth?That a sprayer, with boll weevil attachment, be used in the spraying efforts against the weevil. "Ninth?That for the trap rows and the small cotton planter, any good, knapsack sprayer is thoroughly efficient and more practical than larger ma- . chines for small acreage." POPULATION OF THE STATE. It Is Now 1,340,316 Souls, Against 1,151,149 In 1890. The population of South Carolina was officially announced last Friday as 1,340,316, against 1,151,149 in 1890. This is an Increase since 1890, of 189,167, or of 16.4 per cent. The population in 1880 was 995,577, showing an Increase of 155,572, or of 15.6 per cent, from 1880 to 1890. The population by counties is as follows: Abbeville " 33,400 Aiken 39,032 Anderson 55,728 Bamberg 17,296 Barnwell 35,504 Beaufort 35,495 Berkeley 30,454 Charleston 88,006 Cherokee 21,359 Chester 28,616 Chesterfield 28,401 Clarendon 28,184 Colleton 33,452 Darlington 32,388 Dorchester 16,294 J OP iffo .Eiugeneiu 40,410 Fairfield 29,425 Florence 28,474 Georgetown 22,84$ Greenville '. 53,490 Greenwood 28.343 Hampton 23.733 Horry ?3.364 Kershaw ....' 24,696 Lancaster 24 311 Laurens 37,382 Lexington 27,264 Marion 35,181 Marlboro 27,639 Newberry 30,182 Oconee * 23,634 Orangeburg 59,663 Pickens 19,375 Richland 45,589 Saluda 18,966 Spartanburg 65,560 Sumter 51,237 Union 25,501 Williamsburg 31,685 York 41,684 MISSIONARIES IN CHINA. The Testimony of Diplomats As to the Benefits of their Work. ? The October Missionary Herald presents views from leading diplomats who were asked by the secretaries of the American board whether the influence of the missionaries has led to this uprising and whether they ought to withdraw and leave China to herself. President Argell, Hon. Charles Denby, Hon. George F. Seward, all of whom have occupied the position of minister of the United States to China; Hon. John W. Foster, counsellor for China in making terms with Japan, and Hon. John Barrett, recently United States minister to Slam, agree in praising the quality and result of missionary enterprise and exonerate the mlsslona ries as a class from any effort to lessen the loyalty of the native converts to the Chinese government. Ex-Secretary Foster declares that all the recent disorders have not changed his opinion, formed six years ago after two visits to China, that It is the most hopeful field for missionary work in the world. Mr. Denby's testimony, which, in its condensed and inclusive form, is perhaps the most effective of all five, expresses the judgment of a man who made a thorough study of missionary work in China, going on a man-of-war from port to port with this view. He says: "I visited Chefoo and the highest open port, Neu Chwang, in Manchuria, To lrii on/4 T4 on.Toln on/4 fYio lolan/4 r\f xaivu, aiiu x xc?r x 01 aa, auu kuc lomuu vjl Formosa. I lived at Pekin, and knew that city. I went through the missionary hospitals. I attended synods and church services. I saw the missionaries, ladies and gentlemen, in their homes. I saw them all, Catholic and Protestant, and I have the same opinion of them all. They are all doing good work; they merit all the support that philanthropy can give them I unqualifiedly and in the strongest language that tongue can utter gi^e to these men and women who are living and dying in China and in the far East my full and unadulterated commendation." . ? Says a Charlotte dispatch of Wednesday: Last night two old ladies, Violet J. Colley, aged 75, and her niece, Jane Cathcart, who lived alone in a house on a main thoroughfare five miles from Charlotte, were murdered, robbed and their bodies burned. The old ladies were generally reported to be wealthy. It is known th?.t they had a good deal of money. They had lived a retired life for years and seldom ventured away from home, not even to the city, except when business compelled a visit. The house which they occupied, stood within 150 feet of the roadside. Near it was a small building, which tney usea as a Kiicnen ana in wnicn they kept their stores. People passing along the road this morning noticed that the small house had been burned. There was no sign of life about the place and an Investigation showed that the dwelling had been ransacked from top to bottom, indicating that a most thorough search had been made for the money which the old ladies were supposed to have kept In the house. Bureaus, desks and cabinets had been opened and their contents strewn ctuuuL. rjvci7 nuuiv tiiiu cuinei ui mc house bore evidence of having been searched. The general surroundings and the absence of tne old couple pointed all too plainly to a case of murder, robbery and arson, and it was no surprise when a search of the ashes of the small building revealed two burned stumps, the bodies of Mrs. Colley and her niece. The supposition is that the old ladies were attacked while they were at supper, after which their residence was sacked and the house in which their bodies lay was fired. For years past they had been known to be accumulating money and had probably $1,200 saved up. There is absolutely no clue to the perpetrators of the deed. The neighborhood people are greatly excited and both city and county officials are using every effort to get a trace of the murderers. % : '