University of South Carolina Libraries
An Independent Family Journal?Devoted to Politics, literature and General Intelligence. HOYT & CO., Proprietors. ANDERSON, S. C. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7. 1869. VOLUME 5.---N0. 15. The Constitutionality of the Homestead Law. The Charleston News publishes tho fol? lowing communication, from ono of the ablest lawyers of the State, in which the constitutionality of the Homestead Act is denied. His views will bo read with interest and deserve consideration : Our Judges havo rendered decisions upon this Act greatly at variance with each other. Somo of these have boen published. As nisi prius decisions, they have no general authority, and had bet? tor not been published, as they are calcu? lated to mislead and disappoint. The writer of this has little doubt but that our Supreme Court will declare this Act unconstitutional, so far as it is retrospec? tive, as impairing the obligation of" con tracts. No authoritative decision can be found to sustain the Act. The decisions of other States have no authority. If tho Acts construed are similar to ours, then they are entitled to consideration? nothing more. Often the- grounds of Buch decisions are entirely different. Georgia, for instance, has a different con? stitutional provision, and the action of Congress upon that Constitution was dif? ferent from that upon tho Constitution of any other State. It is argued that at the adoption of our Constitution, South Car? olina was not, in the purview of the United States Constitution, "a State." This question has passed the stage of ar? gument, for the United States Supreme Court has decided tho precise point in Texas vs. White, 7 Howard, p. 726. I would call especial attention to these Veords in that decision : "The obligations of the State as a member of the Union remained perfect and unimpaired. It certainly follows that the Stato did not ?eas? to be a Stato." This decision "must havo escaped the notice of some of our Judges, for they are bound by it. It is argued that tho hon estcad provisions of our Constitution are made of force by becoming, by adoption, an Act of Con? gress. Now, Congress could not give any State the power to do what tho Con? stitution has forbidden. This proposi? tion cannot bo seriously controverted, and is conclusive of tho point raised. But Congress did not assume (as is as? sorted) to make the Conetitotion of this State an Act of Congress. Read tho Act, XV, United States Statutes, p. 73, and nothing can be found therein in the slightost to justify the assumption. The preamble recites that "wheroas the peo? ple of South Carolina have framod a Constitution of Stato Government that is Kcpublican. * * * Therefore, bo it cnactod that South Carolina shall be entitled to representation in Con? gress." Alter all the stress that has been laid upon the action of Congress, those who read the Act will bo surprised to find that there is nothing else in it bear? ing at .ill upon this question. What, now, did Congress enact ? Nothing, be? yond allowing this State representation. And suppose we call tho preamble an enactment, then what follows? Why, that the constitution is Republican. Noth? ing more. Will any Judgo pretend that any legal, enactment is covered by tho word "republican V Or to come more closely down, that this sanctions the homestead clauses; Suppose, however, that Congress had enacted, (as is assumed, without any foundation in fact,) that the Constitution of South Carolina should have tho force of an Act of Congress. This would not sustain a homestead pro? vision antagonistic to the Constitution of tho United States, for the Constitution of 1868 itself provides that nothing in it "in contravention or subversion of the Con? stitution of the United States can havo any binding force." (Articlo 1, Section 4, and the "oath," Article II, Section 30.) Let us hear no moro about Congress hav? ing given its authority to a measure which is so directly in contravention of tho Constitution of the United States. But, mirabile dictu, the Constitution of South Carolina does not make a retro? spective homstead provision. I challenge any one to point out the clause Articlo I, Section 20, and Articlo II, Section 32, make no provision that the exemption is to apply to antecedent indebtedness. Au? thorities can be cited, ad nauseum, that fn the construction of constitutional or statute law, all provisions are presumed to bo prospective, unless tho eantrary bo expressly enacted. Neither secession, them, Congress or the Constitution of 1868, authorized a retrospective home? stead law. Nothing is now left but the naked Act of 9th September, 18GS, XIV Stats., p. 19. The provisions of that Act . are retrospective The Act ot 18G8 at onco falls as impairing the obligation of contracts, by virtue of tho prohibition of the ?nitod States Constitution, and by the prohibition of our own Constitution of 1868. (Art, I,-Sec. 21.) Do wo hear any one bold enough to say that a retrospective homestead ex? emption does not impair Iho obligation of contracts, and is not violativc ot tho Constitution of the United States? If so, wo meroly reply by citing the decision of tho United States Supreme Court, ! (which is binding upon our Judges,) in | the caso of tho Planters' Bank vs. Sharp, wherein, after deciding (as quoted by ono of our Judgos) that States can pass laws exempting a homestead and tools, &C, the court makes this qualification, which, we think, ought not to be overlooked, having a slight bearing upon the ques? tion. "Again, State insolvent laws, if made liko this law, to apply to past con? tracts, and stop suits on thorn, have beon hold not to be constitutional, except so far as they dischargo tho person from im? prisonment. When so restricted, tbey do not impair the obligation of tho con? tract itself, because tho obligation is left jn full force and actionable, and future property, as well as present, subjected to its payment. Where future acquisitions are attempted to bo exonerated, and the dischargo extended to the debt or con? tract itself, if done by States, it must not, as here, apply to past contracts, or it is held to impair their obligation." This case, then, goes to the extent of not only not allowing an exemption to be made of property which a debtor owns, but not even what he may hereafter acquire, as j affecting " past contracts." This extract from tho case will be found in 6 Howard, page 328, where the court sustains itself by ten authorities. Let us not tamper with the law and JUSTICE. Homestead Decisions.?Some three weeks, or more, ago, one Christian Meyer absconded from this town taking with hint some valuable property, and leaving various ones of his creditors here unpaid. Last week tho wife of the said Meyer prepared to follow him, and had all their household goods hauled to the depot for transportation in a freight train. One of the creditors of Meyer took out an at? tachment under the Act of 1868. Tho furniture was attached in the freight cars marked to Atlanta, Georgia. The wife of the absent debtor comes before Judge Thomas and asks for an or? der dissolving the attachment on the ground that the articles arc exempt from attachment, levy or sale under the Con? stitution and "The Act to determine and perpetuate the homestead." The Judge grants the order; and the next day the lucky wife takes the cars with her furni ture and other household goods to join her husband in Adanta, Ga., and set up a homestead there. Another case. A Bill is filed by an Administrator to marshall tho assets of his intestate's estato for the payment of debts. A minor son, 16, years of ago, answers by guardian ad litem and claims that a homestead should be admeasured to him out of tho lands of his deceased father. He is not the head of a family? has no one but himself to occupy the homestead if laid off. The accounting of the Administrator has not yet been had; the debts against the said estate have not yet been proven; the Court, thorefore, could not know that the lands of the in? testate would have to bo Bold for the yay ment of debts. Yet the Court grants an order for the homestead to bo admeasured to said minor son. Now it is plain to us that these decis? ions are very far beyond cither tho letter or spirit of tho Homestead Act. And it is because we regard tho homestead ex? emption as a wiso law, and wish to seo it established and acquiesced in by all, credi? tors as well as debtors, that wo regret to see such stretching decisions, as will nec? essarily have the effect to bring the law itself into disrepute. Tho approaching session of tho Legislature, together with tho action of tho Supremo Court, will, we havo no doubt, set at rest the many points of doubt now involved in tho construc? tion of this beneficent law.?Chester He porter. The Radical Parti'.?Some one has drawn up a very correct bill of indict? ment against tho IJadical party. It is one that can bo sustained by facts and figures. In this bill of indictment the .Radical leaders stand charged with?cal? ling themsolvcs Unionists, they have con? summated and maintained disunion. Af? fecting economy, they have given us the costliest government on earth. Prating of virtue, they made it the most cor? rupt. Clamoring for equal rights, they havo proscribed more people than any monarchy in Christendom. Invoking freedom, thoy established and maintained the darkest despotism in eleven Statos. Professing toleration, they proclaim ac? ceptance of their creed tho alternative of ostracism and disfranchiscment. Howl? ing about purif3*ing the government, thoy havo made dishonesty and oflice-holding identical. Preaching principle, thoy sub? sist by passion and prejudice. Deploring caste, they elevate blacks above tho whitos in two-thirds of the country. Magnifying loyalty, they trample out ovcry worthy principle of our system. Claiming states? manship, their officials arc either conspira? tors or thieves. Lauding independence, they arc the servile slaves of a party cau? cus. Pretending to invite criticism, thoy stifle freedom of debate in Congress, by partisan rule, and drown it elsewhere in blood. Insisting upon peace, thoy prolong tho old strife to stir up a new one.?Sav. JNcics. ? The IMsmal Swamp, on tho boundary line of Virginia and North Carolina, is every year affected by the drought, so that tho surfaco takes fire and burns until extinguished by autumn rains. This year, on account of the long continued dry weather, tho conflagration is of un? precedented magnitude, and has already burned for a distance of 10 miles, from northwost to southeast. Several fino farms have been burned out, and on fields formerly r;ch with crops nothing is to bo seen but acres of ashes, tho pits in somo cases being 15 feet deep. The surface of the swamp consists of decomposed vege? table matte?, herd together by the roots of water plants. Though a slight shower may extinguish tho conflagration on tho surface, yet in many instances the firo con? tinues to burn underneath, and thus forms extensive hollows. Tho bod of Drutn mon<l Laka, in tho centre of the Swamp, is supposed to have been burned out in this way, many hundred of years ago. ? "Why do women spond so much timo,and money on dress?" asked a gen? tleman of a belle. "To worry other wo? men," was the diabolioal reply. ? Editors ought to be ablo to live very cheap?they get "bored" for nothing. Editorial Correspondence of the Charles? ton Daily News. Pendleton, S. C, September 28. It cannot be said .that Pendleton is thriving in appearance, for tho only new structuro in the village is a cotton gin and press, completed a day or two ago. The streets are not as well paved as they might be, nor aro the houses as outward? ly fresh as paint and pence could make them; but changing times have not taken away from the village tho puro elastic air, nor havo they deprived tho Blue Ridge of one whit of their solemn or tender beauty. Much of the society which made this one of tho pleasantcst neighborhoods in the State still remains, n*id the seaboard is represented by several prominent fam? ilies. Pendleton cannot now claim the wealth and brilliancy of the days before tho war; but the peoplo are gentlo in manner as in blood, and look forward with confidenco to tho timo when the vil? lage may see its own again. And, in? deed, it must be a cosy place wherein to .spend the weary summer days. All tho good things of life may be had in abun? dance?except in drought years?and if my Pendleton friends will throw off a little of their disinclination to praise themselves, and will encourage some com? petent person to open a good hotel, this placo may have next year a comforting array of visitors. The Air Line Railroad, which is expected to touch every village in the Northwest, will, it is believed, pass through Pendleton. This will give the people rapid communication with Georgia and North Carolina, and may encourage tho adrent of cotton manufacturers, who will find in this vicinity water power enough to run all the mills ot New Eng? land. What may bo accomplished by cotton mills in this State is again illus? trated in the case of the Pendleton Cot? ton Factor}', which is situated about threo miles from the village. This facto? ry was built in 1836, and is 160 feot long by 60 feet broad, giving employment to about fifty hands and consuming 1000 pounds of cotton daily. The presont proprietors, William Perry & Co., have put in new machinery sinco tho war closed, and are making arrangements to put up machinery for weaving plaids and woolen goods. The Pendleton Factory, in spite of tho high price of cotton, is paying dividends of five per cent, a quarter, or at the rate of twenty per cent, porannura. There is not, in truth, any spot in South Carolina, whore tho water powor can be had, whore a cotton mill might not be worked to handsome profit, while the Northern mills at tho samo prices would loso money. Tho difference in our favor is made up by the lowor cost of tho raw material, wages and food, and by the saving in waste, cost of transportation and other like expenses. an indian story. There are in this section, as I suppose you know, a number of crooks called tho "One Milo" Creek, "Five Mile" Creek, '?Six Mile'' Crook, and so on to "Ninety six Mile" Creek, now the name ot a sta? tion on tho Greenvillo and Columbia Railroad. Theso creeks obtained their names in this way. During the Chorokee war of 1760, the British garrison at Fort George woro cut off from their supports, the nearest fortified placo being at Nine? ty-Six. It was discovered that tho Indi? ans intended to make an attack in force at a certain time, and there was no hope of succor unless the garrison at Ninety Six could be informed of tho perilous condition of their comrades. Tho coun? try was overrun by hostile Indians, and all hearts wore faint, when an Indian squaw, who had at a distance become enamored of one of tho officers, volun? teered to carry tho momentous dispatch to the distant fort. The squaw set out, following the old Indian trail, and as sho crossed the creeks on tho way, sho named them according to their distance from the point of departuro. "Ono Mile" creek was ono mile from Fort George, and so on to the end. Theso distances ar^p nearly correct by tho present high road. Tho legond says further that tho devoted wo? man ran tho ninety-six miles in a day and a night, and that Fort Georgo was saved. i for the summer visitor Pendleton has many attractions, and f not tho least of those aro the moderate rates of board and the low rents. Ono of tho best houses in the village, with, I be? hove, ten rooms and a lot of eleven acres, ^ m rented for ono hundred dollars a year. Othor houses, suitable for families, are rented at sixty dollars. A largo number i of refugees lived in this placo during the war, and have sinco rnovod away. There arc no now comers of an}' consoquenco; and the littlo demand for house-room keeps rents at the rates I havo namod. a choice school. Pendleton has als? a school for young ladies, conducted by Miss Warlcy, a lady of largo experience and ripe culture. Tho institution is spoken of on all sides as one in which tho pupiis study rapidly and learn thoroughly, while, by constant com? panionship with their toachcr, 1 hey attain a moral dignity and elevation of sentiment worth in itsolf far moro than any ordina? ry education. For young girls' growing up to womanhood, Miss Warloy's school is all that could bo desired, and 1 am pleased to learn' that the ntfmbor of pupils is steadily increasing. ? A photographer in one of tho coun? try towns in Massachusetts was reccnth' visited by a young woman, who with sweet simplicity asked, "How lon?r does it take to get a photograph after you leavo your measure?" ? Law is like a sieve ; you may see through it, but you must bo considerably reducod before you can get through it. An Exposure of Official Ignorance. Some two months ago, we published a letter from the Commissioner of Agricul? ture in this State, and which originally appeared in a Cincinnati paper. We call? ed attention to his extravagant assertions at that time j but did not enter into de? tails concerning the stupidity and ignor? ance of this official, believing that our readers would detect his manifold errors without any assistance. This letter has recently been published in other newspa? pers, and a correspondent of the Colum? bia Phoenix tVjus exposes the reliable sta? tistician : Henry Sparnick, Esq., Commissioner, &c. Sir:?Your remarkable communica? tion in the Cincinnati Commercial, of the 13th September, republished in the Co? lumbia Phoenix, of tho 24th of the same month, demands an exposure of its absur? dities at tho hands of some practical man, who knows, which evidently you do not, something of the productions, and aver? age harvests of your State. Without questioning the motive that prompted such an extraordinary epistle?whether it were an attempt at Munchausenism or whether it was to inform the readers of tho Commercial, that South Carolina had a Buroua ot Statistics, and that ego was Commissioner, or whether you believed the present "black and tan" General As? sembly had a "lively appreciation" of our agricultural wants, not heretofore enter? tained by our Legislature?1 simply in? quire, where did you get your statistics? You assert that your only reliance has been the consus reports of tho United States. Can you, from those reports, got a single idea published as a fact in your lotter ? You say, "over 100 bushels of corn and 60 bushels of wheat have, with ordinary cultivation, frequently been made to an acre in this State." Has your credulity induced you to publish your total unfit ne8s for the offico you presume to fill ? Where have you ever known such yields to bo harvested in this State "frequently," oven with "extraordinary labor V Sev? eral years ago, one gentleman in Winns boro produced fifty bushels, perhaps, of wheat, on a single experimental aero; another in Cokesbury grew a 100 bushels of corn, and a third in Columbia produc? ed, by irrigation, 200 bushels of corn. But that similar crops have over, at any time, in any portion of the Slate, been produced upon more than a single acre, with most extraordinary preparation, and excellent seasons, is all news to the plan? ting interest of South Carolina. You further state, that since the war. "by good ploughing and a moderate use of manure, 300 bushels of corn have been I gathered in the samo area. Under my personal observation, 212 bushels were made on one acre, within the corporate limits of thiscity last season, on land that can hardly be classed ordinary." Pray tell us who grew this wonderful crop? Havo you not been VanWinkleizcd ? Ten years ago, I think, Dr. Parker grew this identical crop in Columbia. But you proceed : "Prior to 1860, our average harvest per acre, according to the official reports of the United States, was 600 pounds of cotton, 25 bushels of wheat, 40 bushels of barley," &c, &c.,and this too, "despite tho carelessness of slave labor," <fcc.; and "sinco tho war, this av? erage has bfen largoly increased." Is this shameless ignorance on your part, or is it a wilful misrepresentation ? Such an : average yield has never been made on any two plantations in any District in the Stato, and if it is so reported in the offi? cial reports of the U ited States, it, only proves their uttor irroliability. The planters of South Carolina will agroo with you, that "wo are blessed in the distribution of tho seasons," and that our climate and soil onablo us to grow any crop produced elsowbere on the earth's surfaco, within the temperate zone. But they bog you, when you repre? sent abroad tho interests which they cherish so dearly, that you will do so truth? fully. Do not invite the energetic immi? grant to seo what you1 hover s?w in South Carolina. His credulity is of a different stamp from yours, and ho will bo driven off rathor than induced to come, by your exaggerations'. Ho comes to make a liv? ing by honest labor, you make your's ? well, it matters not how. The landown? ers of South Carolina appreciate the ad? vantages presented by her soil and cli? mate to tho immigrant, and "with open hands they hold them out, and invite tho children of every section and clime," (save Afric's sunny sands,) to como and onjoy them. But at the samo time, they protest against having their average yields misrepresented abroad by one as ignor? ant of their agricultural statistics as he is of tho Yecpoos of Tartary, and as little entitled to bo thoir spokesman as he is to tho enjoyment of his annual salary fleeced from them by unjust taxation. A PLANTER. ? Recently, Mis. Denn}', a resident of Princeton, Ky., purchased a lot of duck q(ttrs, carried them home, and, for conven? ient uso, placed them in her bureau tfraw or, whore thoy remained undisturbed for some days, wbon her attention was called to the bureau by an unusual noise therein. Upon pulling out tho drawer, to her utter astonishment, sho found three young ducks hatchod out and scratching around for freedom. ? A Sunday school teacher was giving a losson on Ruth. She wanted to bring out tho kindness of Boaz in commanding tho reapers to drop largor handfuls of wheat. "Now, ohildren," she said, "Boaz did another very nice thing for Bath; can ycu toll mo what it was?" 'Married her!" faid one of the boys. The Decline in Cotton. I " We do not regard it is by any means certain," says the Columbus Enquirer, and wo fully agree with it in opinion, " that the great decline that has been brought about recently, is based upon conditions that will continue to affect the price dn ring tho season.' The staple has been hurried to market, and the receipts to date are far ahead of receipts to cor? responding dates of late previous years. But is there as much cotton remain? ing to be gathered as usual at this time of the year ? We are sure that there is not in Georgia and Alabama, and we doubt much whether there is in other States. Not only has rust destroyed a considerable portion of the plant in many localities, but the severe drought has pre? vented the formation ot the later belle, and there is now literally no " top crop" on cottoh that with more favorable sea? sons would now be full of young forms and bolls. Tho state of tho weather that has prevented this later growth has hur? ried the maturity of the earlier cotton, and planters have taken advantage of it and of tho high <price to get all the cotton they could to market. Thero will soon be a check to this, for the lack of a " top crop," and then we will see receipts fall? ing off, at least in this part of the cotton region. We do not advise planters to hold on to their cotton?when they can get remunerative prices. But it* is to their interest so to regulate the supply on the market as not to give rise to errone? ous estimates of a large crop." Thero is no doubt, says the Savannah Republican, but that our Columbus co tcmporary is correct in his diagnosis of the present true state of* the cotton market. Tho planters themselves are the cause of it, in hurrying their crops, many of which are already more than half gathered, into market in advance of the business season. Tho extraordin? ary dry and hot weather of the past six weeks has caused a premature develop? ment of the crop, and the price being high, the planters strained every nerve to get it into market, and the conse? quence is unparalleled receipts. This fact has alarmed only the ignorant deal? ers in cotton. Nobody else dreams of a large crop, or one reaching even three million of bales. It is the premature movement of the staple, rushing in large quantities into the ports of the South before the principal purchasers have en? tered it or even made their financial ar? rangements for the season's work. Nor would they buy now if the}7 wero here, at a fair price to any great extent, for there is no shipping to enable them to send it forward. Under theso adverse circumstances, while cotton has almost stood still in Liverpool, having declined but an eighth of a penny, or half a cent sinco the 10th instant, we have tho re? markable exhibit of a decline of five cents for tho same period in New York, and about the same in Savannah and other southern markets. In view of theso facts, and tho short supply in Liverpool and Manchester, it is evident that the planters have the remody in their own hands. We think they have nothing to fear from delay, and can well afford to " wait for the wagon." Lot them cease to press their crops upon the market before it is ready .to receive and forward them. The prin? cipal buyers in all tho Sontheim markets have not yet returned to their posts from the summer vacation, and when they do, money and ships will come along with them, prepared to enter upon tho season's work. Disinfectants.?Some one says that noxious effluvia are absorbed in an in? credibly short space of time, if two or three onions are cut in thin slices, and put on a plate, to be renewed every six hours. This is just as true as that the smarting from the scratch of a pin becomes instan? taneously unfclt if the person is knocked down. Tho Onlv sate, healthful and effec dual method ot keeping a sick room "sweet," is to keep everything scrupulous? ly dry and clean; instantly remove every article of clothing or bedding which has an atom of dampness or moisture upon it; ' do hot allow even1 pure water to Stand a moment in tho apartment; let the fire? place be always kept open, with a fre? quent and frco admission of tho pure and tho fresh airfrom outdoors. This should be done ever}' two'or threo hours" during tho twenty-four. It is tho pure air that sick people want, not an atmosphere loaded with tho fumes of onions, for in a pint Of air they displaco just as many particles of fresh air as would bu'rot su? gar, cologne-water, or the sulphuretted hydrogen of tho oui-house; for bo it re? membered, it is not the odor which does the mischief so much as tho deficiency ot nutrititou8 particles of tho atmosphere which it takes tho placo of. Tho greatest humanity we can show the sick is to secure to them tha most important reme? dies ever known?to'wit : quietness, clean? liness, and pure air. These alone would cure three-fourths of all our diseases, bnt wo will not use them ; yet they are every? where attainable, and cost nothing but a little trouble.?Hall's Journal of Health. ? A Western paper is responsible for tho following: It is said that a cup of coffee is a sure barometor, if yon allow the sugar to drop to the bottom of a cup and wateh the bubbles arise without dis? turbing the coffee. If the bubbles collect in the middle, tho weather will be fine; if they adhere to the cup. forming a ring, it will be rainy; and if the bubbles sepa? rate without assuming any fixed position, changeable weather may bo expected. ? A Cleveland dry goods firm has at last found a remedy against loafers on their corner. Tho following sign hangs in their window: "Wanted a few more loafers to stand on this corner." The Great are Dying,, Recently three distinguished then have* passed away?Hon. John Bell, of Tennes-' see, Senator Fessenden, and General Rawlins. Secretary ot Wan The latter is said to have been the only friend of the South in Grant's Cabinet. Now that he is gone, the duty of trusting to God for* protection is more apparent. "Vain is the help that man supplies" at best, but when those that are friendly are taken out of the way, then we must say with the Psalmist: "God is our refuge and our strength, In straits a present aid." Gen. Sherman is tho successor of Raw lins, pro. tern., and if he is disposed to make amends for the evils he has inflicted on us, the way is open ; let him show ? friendly hand. Senator Fessenden showed himself a man in the impeachment of Andy John? son. Doubtless he had a very pooropin-? ion of A. J.. but he had too good an opin? ion of his own character and uprightness to bo influenced by party considerations to give an unrighteous decision against the President. He will be hor.ored for his stand in this matter, while those who could stoop to a mean act, to carry party schemes, will be contemned by postority, if not by the present generation. If Mr. Bell had been the only candidate in opposition to Mr. Lincoln tor the Presi' dency, Lincoln would have been defeated, and the war with all its horrors, would have been postponed indefinitely. But appears to have been so ordered that three candidates were to take tho field and weaken each other, and so open the way for Lincoln and the war and the ultimate overthrow of the Government. But let us hopo for the best. Though tho great men die, God lives and reigns, and may defeat the schemes of the weak, and wicked.?A. M. Presbyterian. They Won't Trouble You Long.^-? Children grow up?nothing grows so fast as children. It was but yesterday, and that lad playing with tops, a Buoyant boy. He is a man and gone now. There is no more childhood for him or for us. Life* has claimed him. When a beginning is made it is like ravelling a stocking, stitch by stitch gives way until all is gone. The house has not a child in it?there is no more noise in the'hall?boys rushing peil mell: it is very orderly now. There are now no more skates, sleds, balls or strings, left scattered about. Things are neat now. There is no delay lor sleep}' folks ; there is no longer any task before you lie ' down of looking after the children and tucking up the bed clothes. There are no disputes to settle, nobody to get off to school, no complaint, no importunities for impossible things, no rips to mend, no fingers to tie up, no faces to be washed, or collars to be arranged. There was never such peace in the house ! It would sound like music to have some feet to clatter down the front stairs! Oh, for some chil? dren's noise! What used to ail us, that wo were hushing their loud laugh, check? ing their noisy frolic, and reproving their slamming and banging the doors. Wo wish our neighbors would only lend us an urchin 01* two, to make u little noise on these premises. A home with out children ! It is like a lantern and no' candle; a garden and no flowers; a brook and no water gushing and gurgling through its channel. Wh want to be tried, to be vexed, to' be run over; to hear children at work with all its varieties. During the secular days this is enough marked. But it is tho Sabbath that puts our Immes to the proof. That is the Chirstian family day. The intervals of public worship are spaces of peace. The tamrly seems made up that day. The children are at home, and you can lay your hands upon their heads. They seem to recognize tho greater and lesser lov??to God and to friends. Tho house is peaceful, but not still. There is a silence that echoes in the ear. Thero is Coo much room at the table, too much at the hearth; The bedrooms are a world too ordorly. There is too murh leisure . and too littlo care. Alas! what mean these things? Is Somebody growing old ? Aro these signs and tokens? Is life wan? ing? - The Little Girl and the King.?The King of Prussia, while visiting a village in his land, was welcomed by tho school children of the place. After their speaker had made a speech for them hu thanked them. Then talcing an orango from a plate, he asked : ''To what kingdom does this belong ?" "The vegetable kingdom, sire." replied the littlo girl. The king took a gold coin from his pocket, and holding it up,asked, '-And to' what kingdom does this belong?" "To tho mineral kingdom," said the' girl; "And to what kingdom do I belong, then ?" asked the king. The little girl colored deeply, for she' did not lite to say "the animal kingdom," as he thought she would, lest his majesty should be offended. Just '.hen it flashed' into her mind that "God made man in His own image," and looking up with a brightening eye, she said: "To God's kingdom, sire." The king was deeply moved. A tear stood in his eye. He placed his hand ori tho child's head, and said, most devoutly : rGod grant that 1 may be accounted! worthy of that kingdom !" Thus did tho words of a child move the heart of a king. Little children will learn from this that even their words may do both good and harm. A pert word from a child may wound the heart of a mother; a loving one may make it. glad. My little children, let your words be kind, true and right.