Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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BY E. H. MURRAY & CO. ANDERSON, S. C., THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 24, 18'84. VOLUME XIX.-NO. 41. DEAR AUNT KATE. STORY Ol" A WOMAN'S DEVOTION. ?rt C. E. ?lean?, of Spartanburg, S. C., in Charleston Weekly Neut. lu ibis sketch I must, to enablo the eader tu ujijireciate the character of my ervine, touch momentarily on her lile efore tho war, make you acquaintcdjwith unt Kate and her husband. He was a mn of uncommon personal beauty, of bc pureSaxou type, tall, broad-shoulder ,1 erect. The red blood colored his betts, with girlish rosea. Tho yellow air, worn in those days several inches one, had a gleam of gold amid its curls. he blue eyes were violet in their shin jg depths, and the white teeth, even and trODg, lilied a well-shaped mouth. Villi all this beauty there was nothing emiuine about his appearance. Aunt Kate herself was tall and slender, handsome brunette. In the purlance f the country neighborhood, "they were n uncommonly likely couple." She as a fine housekeeper ; bo a good mau ger, and no earthly Eden wa? ever more ec from sorrow or sin thau their home hen tho war came. The man, of the type I havo sought to escribe, was of the material of which o best soldiers are made. Airongst the ery first volunteers he went forth lo lol ,w, for better or worse, the fortune? of io Confederacy. Ann' Kate Buffered o.uielly bot very cutely from the separation, but at unco 'ie identified herself with the work to be (tue for the country. Men were to ght ; women were to work, as well as -eep and pray. Bhe gave ber personal tteution to tho details of plantation erk. She was up by daylight, attended the feeding of horses and cattle, rode vcr thc fields to see that the work was one lhere as it should be, looked after e plantation supplies, Bick negroes; in iori, displayed such energy thal the hole neighborhood talked of her extra rdinary management. LETTERS TO THE ABSENT ONE. At night, after her little children bore were three) were 'n bed, she wrote ber husband, filling paget closely writ n, consulting him in regard to every ttlc matter, yet never relating her cubics, repeating instead the smart yingsof the children and making jokes out their quaint old neighbor*. As he pressed it, when speaking of ber 'et rs: "Kate don't let me get home-sick, e keeps me posted about everything at me ; even sends me a piece of every eas she makes for herself or the. chit en, and then writes me which they've om during the day." There were no sheep on the plantation hen the war began, but soon she had thered a fine Honk, and watched their ece us if it was gold. She raised indi , and when the autumn came she had splendid suit of warm jeans-spun, .ed, woven, cut and made by her own nds, to Bend to her soldier husband, e almoKt HP om cd to grudge that any nd but lier's should do anything for m. Every few weeks a box of dainty pr? nions were sent to him in camp-boiled ms, roasted turkey, baked chickens, es, cakes, preserves and pickles. Even ter the troops were sent to Virginia, all da she contri v?d to send frequent boxes edibles, until Bhe bad the reputation being the best housekeeper of ai tin's wife iu the regiment. His last visit home was just before the ovement of our troops into Pennsylva a. When he left for a few weeka Aunt ate seemed entirely crushed. She had st taken hold again of her usual daily utine, when the news of the battle of ttysburg came, and in the list of miss g of Company K, Firat Regiment of ifles, was the name of her husband, ost of his friends gave up hope and lieved him dead ; she would not think WAITING AND WATCHING. It waa wonderful ht?., many ways she dertook to learn some word of her ?.band's fate, but every effort wua fruit ss. With agonizing interest Hhe read e papers, watching each proposal made the Confederacy for aa exchange of isotiers. "If uuly I were North." BIJO old aay, "I surely could move Lincoln r humanity's sake to accede." The horrors of AndersouviUo were a "giog gr>ef lu the whole South, yotthe el policy of war caused the united ates lo reject all term? of exchange for e prisoners of either siJe. At last, iu December, Ifkvi. Aunt Kate eived a letter. The superscription ? a scrawl, ao broken and tremulous s the handwriting, but she knew it as r husband's. With a glad cry she cned and read it. There woro only a w words: "I am exchanged; have cn for months at Fort Donaldson, om the cold, cruelty and starvation countered there, I am nearly dead, me to Savannah lo meet me. I may, d willing, live to 8ee you once more." Aunt Kale did not seem to realize what ese words conveyed. To her they only :d he lived, and sho would soon be with m again. At once abe took her children toher tier's that they might stay there, whilst went on to Suvunnah. She went mediately to the nearest depot, but i 8 told that the Government had taken ?session of the road for the transporta n of troops and provision.-), and no usage was given to any one. She hired i onveynnco and drove through to Co hia. Alter encountering many difll tiea ahe succeeded in obtaining an in view with the General in command, from him got an order to be allowed a&ge on the railroad to Charleston, ain by personal application, and earn supplication, she got a pass to Savan QHASTLY SCENES IN SAVANNAH. u her arrival in Savanuah she ca ntered the greatost' contusion. Sher u had enterod the city only a few frs before her. Aunt Kate now had r qualitiea of heroism fully teated, e was alone in a city just conquered an invading enemy ; confusion waa OD bauds; the Confederate bills with ich she bad provided herself were no re money than the brown leaves shir ?g in the winter's blasts. Unfaltcr .J, however, the beroio woman looked uer husband. After various inquiries learned where the steh Con federates e to be found. The* building used as OSpital was full of w rx rds, but she could no one in authority to give her a of information or advice. 8be de* ined to walk through the linea of , hoping ?be might find her husband, was a sickening sight. The poor ex? nged men were as ghastly as rags, , sores, and starvation can make poor anity. Ahl it wan pitiful I To think .he great country ci the United les ; how it had enough, and to spare, yet had starved and tormented tu/ote r men, thrown bv the fortunes of war their hands.. Sherman aaid: "War cruelly, and yon cannot reline it !". But the world never yet linn justified England for tho treatment of the prison er of Helena. Aunt Kate gazed at each cot in passing. One poor man she uo ticed whose form was attenuated until ho seemed a living skeleton. One eye waa eaten out with scurvy ; the other was closed as if he was asleep, but his face was contorted with pain. She panged ou a few paces, growing for the first limo sick at heart with apprehension that her husband might be like one of these. Overcome by the thought a sudden faiut uecs attacked her and she leaned for a moment for support against a pillar near by. A SAD MEETING. Standing there, her limbs trembling, depressed and discharged, she heard her name spoken in faint tone? : "Kate ! Kate!" : She thought surely her senses mocked her. Tho voice was husky and not fa miliar. Agaiu she heard tho words : "Oh, Kate, don't you hear rr..n" It wa? the man whom she had thought was asleep. She looked back at the cot and saw the poor wasted hand held out entreatingly to her she knew then that she had lound her husband. The excitement and effort of calling caused him to faint, and perhaps for both il ?as a mercy that she had a few moments in which to realizo his condi tion, (or Aunt Kalo Baw at once that her husbaud was a wreck, phyuically and menially. His hopeless imprisonment, starvation, cold and disease had sapped the foundutiooH of his constitution She had found her husband only, she felt, to sec him die. But not here! Nut in thc common hospital i Hbo al ouce sought out a pastor of one of the city churches, and with her quite dignity told her situation. The clergy man had a large bouge, and assisted her in removing her husband into a pleasant room, procured her fuel, medicine and necessary food. Moro he could not do, for there was illness in his own family, and the servants bitten by the wild idea of freedom, having nothing to do, had gone away, and Aunt Kate had, without help, to caro for her poor, sick soldier. Tho long Hight? of stairs of tho tail city house were wearisome to climb ; the water-currying, fuel-bringing and cooking were hard tasks, in addition to the con stant care of an invalid, to one uuaccuB tinned lo menial tasks. ?Still the devoted woman did not know she was tired in the hour of supreme trial. GALLANT FEDERAL SOLDIERS. Tho sick man, under the inspiration of her presence, believed himself able to get home. His constant prayer was to see his children agaiu and his wife de termined that be should. She went to tho Federal commander and asked for trans portation tor her ill husband, who was an exchanged prisoner. No man could be brute enough to be unmoved by herstory. Not only did the Federal General give her an order to pass the lines and trans portation on the boat to Port Royal, hut also fcnt an ambulance to carry them to the wharf and detailed a soldier to help them on board. Although Aunt Kate lost, through the cruel policy of the Northern government, her husband, yet she always lemembers that, in her Bore hour of need, from the highest officer to the common Yankee Moldier, she received from our enemies help and sympathy. In that sad journey home never once did they fail to lift the helpless mau tenderly aud proffer assist ance to the sad woman who attended him. At Hardeeville che came to our lines. One of the mea who was sent to meei 'hem happened to be her brother. Uer heart gave a glad throb in anticipation of his help in getting on home. But the need for every mau in our ranks wai then inexorabio, and the application foi him I" be allowed to go aH far aa Charles' ton, even, was refused. Everything was in n sad state of confusion, transporta tion for our sick and wounded was verj inadequate. Between Charleston and Columbia Aunt Kate felt that her husband wot sinking under the fatigue and discomfort! encountered. It seemed to her mort than ahe could bear, to have him so ncai the goal of his earthly desire and yet fall But succor caine. One of the most beautiful features ol our sad war waa the Wayside Homes, provided by our women at various points In them our Boldiers, far from theil homes, had gaping wounds dressed throbbing temples bathed, and, withou money or price, found love, reat, sympa thy. In our own State there was th< lovely mission of old Mrs. Roo. Un wearingly she visited the trains on th) South Carolina Railroad for mani months, (ceding the Bick and wouudet first ; then, if it was to spare, giving ti the hungry. 8he found out our wear travellers and took them off the cara to i nice room, where they were soon provid ed with all necessary comforts. GOING- HOME TO DIE. After resting here for two days, th fiamo of life burned again more steadil; and the devoted wife felt that she migh yet take her husband home, and ratlf bis one remaining wish-to again see hi children. She reached Columbiia with out fresh difficulty ; there a friend me ber, and the next day she reached he father's house. Her husband had hi heart's deBiro ; two days later he wa beyond the gates. For weeks Aunt Kate was ill, but sh lived, went to her home, reared her chi dren, and has done her daily duty as ot women throughout the great Soutblan have nobly done. As a people we ai happy iu this, that we are proud of ot struggle, and not ashamed of our defea The world still points, as an illustrate of the highest courage, to the Army < the Southern Confederacy and to tl Women of the Southern Statea ia tl great civil war aa examples of matcble devotion. . , . _. . In writing my sketch I have draw the skeleton of the trials of Auut Kat and not undertaken the details of her e: perieuce. Pages might have been wn ten, but it is not well .To gild refined (fold, to paint the illy. To throw a perfumo on tho violet. Or ?dd snottier hun to the rslooow. Will Read Either Way. Our young friends have heard of ps indromes-words or lines that reada. spell the same backward as forward, ll following sentences, printed in the Lo don Truth, simply make sense read wo by word either way : "8olomon bad vast treasures-silt and gold-things precious Happy ai rich and wise was he. Faithfully serv he God. ' .. , "She sits lamenting sadly, often t much alone. 1._. ?.Man is noble and generous often, to sometimes vain and cowardly. "Carefully boiled eggs are good a palitable."- Youth'? Companion, - ?.The best suit I ever made," i marked the tailor, after proposing mi riage and being accepted by his la lovl "Yes," replied she, "I'm ye maid to order." After they were m. ried, however, he always declared tl she was a ready maid. I WRECKED ll Y ANOTHER CYCLONE, J U??B ni"u ? Away, Train? Wracked mud Uves Lin t. FLOWERY BRANCH, April 15.-During ino terrible rain storm the hou ,c of Mr. Worth Strickland, near this place, was struck with lightning, kitliot? Mr.Strick land iiiHtautly and terribly shocking bis child. The child may recover. TEN PERSONS KILLED DY THE STOII. GRIFFIN. April 15.-News has reached ? thia city this afternoon that a most terri ble cyclouc visited upper Pike and the Eastern portion of Meriwether, near Sandtown, about three o'clock this morn iug. The same old, but sad story of bouses being blown to atoms ; trees, j fences and everything, given with tho mad fury of the whirling wind. Six j persons arc known to have Leen killed j on Luke Powell's place, near Sandtown. j Mules, horses, calves all gone. Four ? negroes were killed on Mr. Powell's place ; in Meriwether. Numbers of persons j were fatally wounded. The direction of ' the storm was Northeast. It divided, , went around Griffin, but tho display of I electricity and deafening peals of thun 1 der, was most startling here. NEGRO CHILDREN TOSSED BY THE WINDS. ! LA GRANDE, April 15.-A cyclone passed oue and a half miles Southeast of towu about 1 o'clock last night. On tho I Hamilton road, where it crossed, the ? house of John Brown, colored, was ] ' moved from its foundation. At Mr. J. j W. Cooper's plantation, two miles from j \ town, his gin bouse and some out houses I were destroyed. Five tniies from town, on the Greenville road. Mr. A. E. Rob j ertsou's ginnery, barun, stables, some out houses occupied by negroes, timbers and fencing were scattered broad cast. ! It is also reported that several negro ! children bad been blown away and one horre killed. Further on, it struck the i bouse of Mr. Pete Nelson, destroying j everything except the dwelling house, j I hilling some mules and breaking the ; thigh of a negro man. A negro girl was i i killed on Mr. Boosley's iarm, and other ! destruction to property. A NEGRO KILLED NEAR ATHENS. ATHENS, April 15.-A negro was killed by lightning at a store about six miles from Athens. Several bad come into the store to get out of the rain, when lightning struck the chimney and ran down ou the inside. The negro, George Johnson, wan leaning against the chim ney, and the lightning hit him on the top of the bead, passing down bis body to the Moor. He died instantly. Anoth er boy had his foot on the side of tl place, and it tore his shoo to pieces wit. , out hurting him. HOUSES SWEPT AWAY. KOGANSVILLE, Ga., April 15.-About six miles below here a cyclone passed from Southwest to Northeast. Daniel Owen's house were destroyed aud barn burnt up. Alexander Allison lost all his I buildings but his dwelling. Rullin Hooker have no house standing thi?. morning. Frank Blalock damaged, i James Dollar was not left one piece of | timber upon another. J. Allsabrooks lost bis chimneys. Bill Woodroof had I his house blown away. Mrs. Frances ? Woodroof lost all her out bouses and j dwelling. Sa-nuel Whatley bad all his bouses blown away and narrowly escaped ?leiith. William Humphrizes lost, to gether with bis dwelling, every house on ! his place. Union church (Baptist) WSB | blown to atoms. THE FLOOD AT BIRMINGHAM, BIRMINGHAM, AU., April 15.-The heaviest ra'.n ever known in this section 1 began falling here lust night at neveu o'clock, continuing until eleven p. m. The rainfall was five inches in that time. Village creek, the source of the water supply for this city, rose nearly seven feet in the pump house in four hours' time, extinguishing the fires and doing considerable damage to the engine. Coalburg bridge, over this creek, was washed several feet out of line. The houses near the creek were inundated aud families narrowly escaped drowning by climbing to the top of the house. Ali tho railroads leading hero were badly dameeed, and the wires are down, mak ing it impossible to get full particulars. The Georgia Pacific had bad washouts between hore and Anniston, delaying all the trains. THE TERRORS OF FIRE. On the Alabama ?nd Great Southern, at Atalla, sisty miles above here, the lightning struck tho depot ano hotel, setting fire -o and consuming both, with the freight, books and papers. The in mates narrowly escaped. FIVE PERSONS KILLED IN CHIPLEY. CHIFLEY, Ga., April 15.-A terriGc cyclone struck the Southern portion of Chipley at 2 o'clock this morning, sweep ing everything in its path. Its course was frdm Southwest to Northeast. Tho loss of life and property was great. In Chipley the houses destroyed were those of Mrs. Champion, IX. J. E. Thorn ton, E. F. McGhee, it. B. Traylor, A. J. Irvin, W. H. Layfield, John Lang ford and A. P. Hampton. Ono milo and a half East of Chipley the residence of John Langford, Mrs. Mary Davis and Mr. J. W. Culpepper, were destroyed. The following is a list of the dead : Mr. Lee Alford, Mrs. John Langford and two children. The wounded are Mrs. Lee Alford and seven children injured painfully ; A. J. Irvin, thought to be fatally injured ; William Langford, bruised painfully in the chest ; Mrs. Mary Davis was fearful ly lacerated; Dr. J. E. Thornton, arm bruised, and many others injured slight ly. A mass meeting of citizens was held at the city hall tc-night and committees were appointed to canvass this and ad joining counties for the relief of the sufferers. This is one of the most disas trous cyclones that bas ever struck Har ris County. THE WRECK AT CHATTANOOGA. A heavy rain storm passed over this section last night, causing considerable destruction to property. The telegraph wires were blown down, the railroads washed out, delaying all trains. It is impossible to estimate the damage, as the trains on most ali the roads have been sbaudoned, including those to At lao ia, and passengers are compelled for the present to go over the East Tennes see, Virginia and Georgia to reach the city. On the Alabama Great Southern road, near Attalla, Ala., the bridge in thrown ont of lina, and all UK tretas are unable to pass. The Western and At lantic road has suffered moat. On thc East Tennessee road, near Tecumseh, Ala-, the creeks bad become so swollen tbat a bridge near that place waa washed away, as well as a targe portion of thc track. THE HEAVIEST RAIN EVER KNOWN MARIETTA, April 16.-The rainfall last night was the heaviest ever known here. During the day and night it fel! to the depth of seven and one-fourth in ches. No train went through on th? Marietta and North Georgi? Railroad or j occount of the washouts. TWO MRN OO DOWN. 't ROME, Aprii 15.-Dispatches recd vee -s to-night states that at the Alabama fur nace, on the Auniston ami Atlanta rail way, the bridge gave way while two meo , were standing on it, and both were drowned. Along Choccolocco creek the ? destruction by wind and water is very i great. The track on the East Tennessee railroad at Weavers and other stations is , completely submerged. Railroad truvel j is entirely suspended. HOM;: UNDER WATER. ROME, Ga., April 15.-The details of 1 last night's storm are coming in. It was 1 very severe in all portions of the County. I A large number ol barns und out houses ' were blown down and a vast amount of fencing destroyed. Numbera of mules 1 aud horses were killed and many injured. 1 In several instances barns were struck by ' lightning and totally or partially destroy- ' ed. No care of loss of life or injury to 1 persons is yet reported. I The Etowab and Oostanaula Rivers 1 rose at a tremendous rato last night. I Tho Oostanaula rose fourteen feet, and ( is now being hacked up by the Etowah. ' Tlie danger of tho freshet here is very ' great. At this hour tho rivers are still 1 rising rapidly. The merchant* are mov- * iug their goods and the prospects now 1 are that Broad Street will be navigable ( with bateau to-morrow. All railroad 1 connection is cut off and no mails have * been received to-day. Advices received ! state that at Calhoun the Oostanaula is 1 rising 15 inches au hour, aud is nearing I the high water mark of 1881. The 1 bridges have been swept away in all di- 1 rectious, and the damage is very serious. Tho Atlanta Constitution says of the 1 storm ?nd its consequeuces : ( The storm of Monday night may bo 1 recorded a? bringing the heavies rain g ever known in Atlanta. It was tropical i in its fierceness. The lightning was t blinding and the thunder almost contiu- i uoua ; hail and wind added to the steady e roar of the rain fall. For two hours tho I scene was a fearful one. and many fami- t lies crept from their neds, dressed and i gathered in Borne central room. The 1 storm reached ita height about 2 o'clock, t By scveu o'clock there was perfect t calm. The sun abone brightly and i brought surprising warmth. The city I was as clean as a dairy having been swept c by the whirling torrents. No casualties t are reporteo iu the city. The trains on f most of the railroads aro delayed, and c heavy washouts are reported, with a c1 dreadful accident on thc Western and 'J Atlantic railroad. The details of the t storm will be found below. s TUE FIRST WRECK. G The Western aud Atlantic railroad a was the victim of two horrible und death I dealing accidents as the result of the [ storm of tho night. The two accidents were productive of J three instant and horrible deaths and an enormous loss to property. They l"?o- ? pened within fifteen minutes of the sa..io time aud were only four miles apart, but !j neither knew of the other's disaster un til Atlanta was teeming with sensational ! 8 exaggerated rumors concerning it. Tho 0 first accident occurred just two mile? a South of Big Shanty on a big Gil which B is twenty-seven miles from Atlanta. By 0 it two men were dashed into eternity and ft thousands of dollars worth of property v was destroyed. The othei accident hap- I . pened nearly two miles North of Big Shanty and resulted in the horrible death v of a young Atlantiau and the total de- 0 Btruction of a passenger train and bun- *? dreds of pounaB of mail matter. The heavy rains which fell Tuesday 8 morning was the direct causa of the ac- J" cidents and when the trains made their . last leap the rain was falling in torrents, ? the skies were covered with heavy dom's . and the darkness was intense while the \ restling, whistling winds made the night hideous. At 1:50 o'clock Tuesday morning sec- 0 tion A of freiglit train No. 8 left Big ? fl Shauty for Atlanta. The engine was under tho control of Mr. S. A. McDon- ? aid, an engineer of ability and worth, ! who had for bis fireman Mr. Ed McCul- F loch, while the train was under the com mand of Conductor Theodore Corrie. " When the train passed away from Big Shanty thc rain was pouring down but tho train's crew was happy fora few more F hours only were required to put thom J home and give them rest. So thought the crow, and when Conductor Corrie ' waved bis lantern Engineer McDonald placed hia band upon tbe throttle of his 9 engine and in an instant started on bis last run, little dreaming Iben of tbe ter- 0 ride, death that was in store for him and a his fireman, with whom be was chattiug 4 pleasantly. c From Big Shanty to Marietta the road is a series of cuts and fills which havo been in constant use for thirty years 1 during which time the heaviest storms c have played against them without effect. Jj Two miles South of Big Shanty there . is a deep fill about one hundred yards ' long. At some points the fill ie fully fi thirty feet, and at the middle there ia a large stone culvert, made for the passage of a small rivulet. The heavy rain 1 Tuesday morning produced more water { than the culvert could carry away, and ( the result was that about fifty feet of the fill was washed out. As the engine rolled ! on to the fill or embankment tbe engi neer gave bis engine full sway, nnd like y lightning it daubed onward. The night ' war. dark and the headlight was of little 1 service, owing to the heavy rain, and THE YAWING AnV8S INTO WHICH THE , ENGINE PLUNGED I was not seen by tbeengiueer. Tho open- 1 ing was fully fifty feet wide, and when c the engine reached the edge it gave a < plunge which carried it nearly over. The '? tender and freight cars followed, but t their weight drew the engine from its I slight hold upon the opposite bank and < in an instant engine, tender and cars I went down. Tbe fail was a terrible one < and tho rattling of the breaking irons < and timbers were heard above the noise t of tb6 storm, telling the terrible story of | death and destruction. When the engine i went down the engineer and his fireman i rve.o at their posts and were buried be- i neath the mass of iron and timbers. The t engine was pulling sixteen freight cars < and a cab. Fifteen of the curs followed < the engine in its terrible descent, while the sixteenth hung over the edge of the chasm preventing the cab from going -'own and thereby saving the lives of the I conductor and two brakesmen. I The crash was a terrible one and to . those who were io the cab it was suggea- i tive of death and danger. With speed I they hurried from the car and by tba ( light of their lanterns secured a faint ? idea of the horrors of the accident. The I darkness was too intense to discover any - thing a foot off, but with loud calls they . tried to learn if they were alive. Their < calls secured no response and the still* i hess was prophetic of the truth. There they found . CAR PILED UPON CAR TJSt UHEAT COX* I FUSION. While their paths were strewn with bacon, flour, grain and boxes. Feeling ( certain that they were alone with tbe i dead the three men wended their way back to the cab where each told what he I bad learned. One of them was then l sent to Marietta and intelligence of the i i terrible accident was wired to tho road's l office in this city. I ] THE PASSENGER'S PLU NO E. In less than a quarter of an hour after the freight train went down tho passen ger train duo in A llanta at 3:10 a. m. came rushing along the road over which tho freight had gone in safety. Thc train was composed of a mail car, two condies und two sleepers. Engineer Everett was at tho throttle and best'-o him rode Fire man Marion Hurlee. Conductor Jam?s was in charge, and ns the train rolled on to its doom lie went through tho coaches lookiug after thc- comfort of his passen gers. Two miles North of Big Shanty, while running rapidly and easy, Engineer ICverett felt hisengiuc quivcrnud at the ?ame instant begin to sink down. .Quickly he realized that ho was in a rvashnut, but believing that he had gone :oo far to stop ho gavo his engine all the iteam there was in tho boiler, and closing :iis eyes prepared to meet the como juence. The sinking sensation was soon .ns?cd, but it was followed by a motion ; if the engine which warned both men hat the ponderous machine was going , iver. Knowing that it meant death lo | cmain longer at their posts both roen ? ?prang through the darkness and the rain 0 the ground. The engine was upon nu ? .mlmnkment and tho engineer rolled , lown to thc solid earth. Ho wns. not ? ?tuuned, and getting upon his feet he saw ? hat his eugine was lyiug upon its side , notioulcss, while tho tender had sn^p- , ied tho coupling link and was hanging j lown over the track. As he saw thia lie i leard the moat pitiful cry. "Oh, my Cod ! let me out. Brenk ? ?pen tho door, 1 am burning to death." , Plainly tue voice came from the mai! ? ar which was hanging over theopeuing. , Airgetling bia own danger tho brave en- j ;ineer sprung up the bank, and with a ? nee? of the tender which had been . iroken oil', began trying to knock a hole | ii the postal car. While ho was thus , ngnged the earth began crumbling away , teneath his feet, omi as the earth fell e he opening grew larger and larger. But j itiiniudful of his danger bo knocked and i mocked uutil the car began sinking. As i he car sank it carried with it the dirt | 1 pon which Engineer Everett was stand- \ ng. Feeling himself sinking lie realized ? lis danger and tried to escape, nnd sue- j eeded only hy hard climbing. At that ( ?me tho opening waa only about twenty { eet, and tho lender and mail coach alone ccupied it. But us the mail coach sank t lown it drew the baggage car with it. ( 'his made the opening larger and soon j ho baggage car was followed by tho t mokine car which went only pnrtly t ver. The gap by this time war? fully H i sty feet. The cars did not go down | apidly nnd it is good that they did not c ur had they followed one another quick- ? y tho loss of life would have been fear- t ul. Immediately after the mail coach j ilted over, the mail matter caught tire, v ,ud in a second the car was burning \ ?rightly. The car waa filled with mail | natter and the lire made swift headway. t .'ho coach was Boon entirely destroyed, t nd then the baggage car which was also ( n tire, dropped into its place. This was , Iso quickly destroyed, and then the , looking car dropped down to the bottom , f the buming pit. The iii.mes had , Iready caught the ladies' coach nnd il " .as entirely destroyed. r When the engine broke loose from the [ ender the automatic brakes did their j ,'ork well, and the cars stopped on tho ? pposilo aide of the gap. Hie stop was N midi n, and told all on board that sonio- , hing was wrong. Conductor James war j ?liing in the front of the ladies' car and j /as pinned tight to the seats bei.'jgdrawn ? ugether. Ho called for help, and as a non as he was relieved quickly unloaded . is passengers. The unloading was j ono hurriedly. As the passengers were ? eaving the cars the wheels wero slowly ) oiling fotward i.?rryin<x the cars nearer ? nd nearer to the 'embie pit which waa < rowing larger constantly. Finally every ( ody waa out and then the two sleepers j .?ere uncoupled. By this time the buru- , ng mail coach gave plenty of light, nnd , K-lieving that the eutiro train would c .urn, the two sleepers were pushed back ( ml the ladies given seats therein. ( The scono presented beggars descrip- ( iou. The burning cars, thu crying wo- ( aen and the cries fur help from thc burn- t ng cars all went to make up tho awful j ablcau. Aa Boen as thc passengers were ? einoved Conductor James began to sec , he extent of the damage. He soon as- t ertained that his engineer and fireman ,. lad escaped death. He found mail ( genia, Ed H?ls and J. W. Gillespsic, t nd from them be learned that Mr. il. t i. Merrill, the mail weigher, bud gone f. lown with the car. , Yesterday a big wrecking force worked j o clear the two tracks. There were no t raina on the road and the Atlanta ticket t dGce was closed uutil the Marietta nc- , ommodatiou went out yesterday evening. , ['he passeugera were transferred by a , umber train engine which was at Big j Shan ty, and were brought to Atlanta last t light. Mr. Kontz, the local manager ; br the Pullman car company, who went 't ip yesterday morning, waa aboard, and , itter hie arrival he gave u graphic account ? if the accident. Said he : < "It was the most horrible thing I ever j aw. The freight wreck was all you have , leard. It was bad enough, but the other , ras woree. You see Everett felt the , oad sinkiug and by pluck got over all ( ight. The road sunk until everything ] vent down. The burning cars were < iwful. The shrieks of poor Merrill , nust have been terrible. The engine is , mw laying h..if on and half off the em- , lankment. The gap is fully fifty feet | leep, and 'the rails are hanging bent , iver tho edges of the chasm like reeds. , rho remains of Merrill, charred, and I , mess beyond recognition, could be seen ying across the trucks of a car, half :overed by dirt and car wheels. After ie was dead a pair of trucks, which was , til that was left of the car which burned >n the track, rolled down on him. Why, o see those car wheels turning slowly, oiling along to the opening as the burri ng below made room for them, was ter 'ible. I tell you it was an awful sight, \ ind one a man wants to see only one ,ime in his life. Hie remains will prob tbly be recovered to-night. The road >f!icials are doing all in their power." THK MAIL DESTROYED. The mail that was destroyed wan a very m portant one. The train brings oue of .he heaviest and most valuable mails that comes to Atlanta. It generally weighs 'bout 2,600 pounds and ie mostly writ ten matter, it brings the Nashville and Chattanooga mail, and the heavy West ern mails, and the Eastern mails for the South. A call was yesterday made at the Atlanta poa to 63 ce. Postmaster Wilson >f course could not tell anything about the mail, but Bays that it will give the inspectors lots of work. - A fair Pharisee : She-"I think it s sin and a shame to kill the dear little feathered songsters. If I had my way I'd make a law against killing hirds. Ghiess people wouldn't starve if they let the birds alone." He-"But what would j the ladies do without hat ornamenta?"; 3he-"Ob, that is an entirely diff?rent1 thing. '. Of course when there is an ac-j luai necessity for shooting the dear crea-. < tures one must stifle one's feelings, you i know." BETSY HAMILTON'S LETTER. Iii t-.y Continue? tue Kxiierleiicc* of Her Soliool Days. Atlanta Oiiutitutiun. LAZY FARM, Ala., 1884.-After tea wo lingered as usual around the table ; each having BOUIO nnccduto or iucideot nf school days to relate, when CiilT re membered tho unfinished letter. "Let's see," said he, "whether Cousin Hetsy went back to school or not. Where did I leavo off reading ?*' "Where she was getting her spelling lesson with tho bool; bottom upwards," said Fannie, "and '1'ap' was explaining why she gut foot." "Yes, that was ibo place-read on," said Mat tie ; and Cliff continued : On a monday Pap he mado me go back lo school. I'd a druthcr he'd a wiiouped me. Hut he never riz his han to gimme a lick in his lif, and I found nut utter wards that bo had gin old Westfield orders not to tetch tho woight of n hickry on me at tho rcsk of his life ; and I know in reason 1 must or needed n thousand. Ile kep me Bkcered up auvhuw piottn1 it nt me, and I tried to hide up all my devilment from him. I'd gil ibo schob irs all to giglin', then I'd look as solemn 18 old brother Cole or old Arminty Pen* lergrass at quarterly tneetin' and he'd never suspicion me. Sometimes he'd pint nt me and say to tothers : "Now, why can't you all behave like Betsy ?" When I got thar that mornin' it "was 'books." Quick as I landed ever in the .'tuner ne ?;a!? nil gol .o whispering and dm* timi, he CL,ch mc, and marched me )ut aud sot me on the dunce block. I jad a little thumb paper madcout'n blue iud white paper plutted like n heart. I vatched when he wasn't a lookin' and ielt it up so all the school could see it, ind they nil let in to makin' signs for no to gin it to them. Sam Davo Thotnp on had nxed me for it on n Friday, trowed he wanted it bekase it was my ?eart, and Jake Loftia he begged mo for t. That was the fust timo I Ly lloborson iud saw it. He writ on a paper und vadded it up like n ball, and when "old ngon-head" looked tother way ho Hung I over in my lap. I outwisled it and ead: "Yu air mi sweto hart; gin me bat putty and doan ein it to Sam Davo.'' les then old Westfield (he's got eyes in ho back of his head) lowed ; "Fetch hat paper horo to mo." I crammed it ti my mouth and chawed it fast as I :ould, .-nd looked way out yaudor al tho recs. ' Como here to mo this minuto," ays ho. I marched up to him. "Como lore ; what am I to du with you ? Why lidn't you bring mo that pnpor ?" "Here t is," says I, lukin' tho little wet wad lut'u my mouth und baudin' it nt bim, rle was plum out doue, and lowed he was i gwiuo to make 1'ap frail me good for he way I'd boen a gwine on. Now, if ie lind said Maw I mought have boen keered, bul lung as it was Pap 1 was latisfied. I went back to my seat and ?hawed my Bwee'gum and made birds on ny slate, and dono ever'thing cept git ny lesson and let tothers gitthcrn. That vas n turrible day to old man Westfield ; ?very last chap in school jos tried thcy elvcs to see how much they could tor nent nnd aggervato him. Tho littlest >oys was tho tormontinest. Thomas leffersou Bonaparte Loftia was the lit lest boy in shool, and he didu't want to vhoup him so ho made him stand dost ip in tho comer with his fnce to thc wall, ile stood thar and snubbed u while then io jerked off splinters and gouged out he chi ukin from betwixt the logs and pit through thc cracks. He pulled offs deco of burk aud hollered out loud, "Oh I got you ; oh, I got you," and ho had retched a great big bess bug and was loldin' it up high. "Oh, I got bim." 'What do you meau 7" aays the old mau, 'making such a fuss. Throw that bug luwn this minute." "I dou't wants tc ling him down," says bo, "mammy she vants bim to k'yore her year ache. Oh ! rcs, Mr. Bug, I got you. You can'l :rawl twixt them logs no more, HO you ;au't. Mammy's gwiue to bust you wid< >nen and drap your blood in her year Jh ! yes, Mr. Bug, I got you ;" and ht alkea on right while old Westfield wai eltin' him to hu?,h up II?B mouth. Thee ie culled up li;tie Malissy Loftia wilt 1er fust reader. She baa to spell bei vords. He told her when abo come u .wo o's to say double o, and two e's tc iay double c. "Remember when yoi rome to two of anything to eay double j' io ?he wry} rctidiu' about "Up, up, Lucy ?tc.," and when ?ho seod the two ups ihe said, "double up. Lucy," and tin ?/hole Behool doubled up a laughin* Be kep Julie Dickerson in for nussiu ho >eok in her lap. He thrashed fust om bcu tolhir of tho boy-, all that day. I mas a "gitti.V out loud" Behool. Yoi :ould hear 'em a buzzia' a milo fore yoi rot thar. Ho got so bum puzzled bi 'ried to make 'em bush and study U .hevselves, but they'd forgit tbcyaelvc iud go to sayin' it out loud agin, nm .hat kep him mad all the time. At din 1er time two little gals liken to or go nto a fight over their dinner bucket* jao of om lowed : "Don't put your han n my dinner bucket, for you've got th neasles." She got awful mad aud in nilled like, and lowed : "I haint got n neasels no aich a thing, I thank you ; it' .he each I've got, I ? tbank you." Ol Mick peared to be io some of the boyi Two or three of the boys flt and fit ti .bey was bloody as a beef. Jeff Wlggin was too big a cry baby to fight. H :ome a anubbin' and cry in' like he wi lilt. "Mr. Westfield, Nath Hooker h sailed me out'n my name. He calle me a bowlegged mud tarripin, so ho dh ind I wasn't a doin' nothin' tall to hil -oo-hoo-hoo-and I'm gwine to te my Maw, too now, BO I am," shakin' ar Qoddin' of his head. And that was tl tame day Iky Roberson got into sich turrible scrape. Ue struck old Wes field a whalin' lick on the back of b bead and Bent him a whiriin' over in tl middle of the floor. You aee he didi go to do it. The old feller waa e doubled up iii his cheer a flggerin' out mm on the alate for Iky, and Iky bo w a standin' behind him a facin' loth scholars, and a doublin' up bia fist lil he was a gwine to hit old Westfield < the head, and we'uns was all putty nij a dyin' a laughin'. He kep on a slriki at it, every time a gittin' a little 1 cl ester, and a little bit closter. We'u was all a whisperin' and a laughin' fitt to choke, when Julie Dickerson (sbi allere a gigglin' out) anickered out ai muck hor head down on tho bench play as it wasn't ber; and j int tuon t old man riz np to atop the racket, ai flung his head right back agin Iky's fi and over he went, cheer and all, spa kerdab right in the middle of the tux and I tell you when he riz be could ha spitfire he was so ho'-nd so bopp! mad. Bot when he . deed around 1 Iky, why, Iky he was a mile or beti down the Briar Patch road, lt was tit to turn ont anyhow, so be rubbed I head a minute, grabbed his old hid ?witch from betwixt the logs and bi whaliu' lick ou his desk and lo wi "you're dismissed." But laming waa likely to be the ruination of me, Tor di liment'peared tobe about all thom of- us studied about. Iky Rob bon lowed he couldn't study his books rt mi y i o' about mo, and ho has bees atudyln' ubout mo over sei?;*?. He gin- j nerty pu.**. Ibo time u killin' Hies in time o' books, and a pinyin' marvels, and a plnttin' liickry whoups, and a makin' whistles at playtime when hu wasn't u tail kin' to me. I could tell you outline* of things that happened nt old "ingon head's" school, hut I must cloze now. My pen ia had, my ink ?B pale, my han' it shakes like a beaver's tail. Your'u, BETSY HAMILTON. Parental Training. God in bia providence has established a very interesting and n very important relationship between parents and their offspring. Tho child in largely dependent upon its parente, and parents feel that they are tn many respects, largely re sponsible for the life and comfort ol their cnild. For several years of its existence every child is dependent upon its mother, or some one who will supply the place of a mother, for food and that peculiar watchful care without which it cannot live. There ia no living being moro helpless than an infant, and there is no love so tender as that of a mother. Physi cally, mentally and morally tho child must bo trained, or it munt romain a creature possessed of undeveloped capa bilities. Its instincts aro few in number und void of power. With its tiny body there is, mysteriously united, au immor tal soul ; I it it requires training to bring that soul ito action. The proper per sons to di shurge that important ollice arc tho pa 'nts of lue child. Thin is ono of the appointments of Clod. Parents are largely responsible for the position which their offspring occupy in society. Children in their features and in tho forms of their bodies resemble their parents, and they inherit the men tal traits of thoir parents, hut children aro like their parents, in that, in a great majority of casos, they aro tho rigid imi tators of thoir parents. Tho child learna to talk by imitating tho parents. No matter what may bo tho language of the paronts, it will bo the languago of the child. Parenta aro required to teach their children to bo obedient to themselves. This is tho first lesson in tho syatcm of training which Clod has appointed. The neglect, on the part ot the pnronts, to discharge thia duty, is always attended with the most unfavorable results. Pa re?is could adopt no more certain mothod to bring their children to infamy and shame than to neglect to demand of them obedience. To givj a child ita own way is to point out to it tho road that leads to destruction and to encourage it to walk therein. Parenta who allow their chil dren to do an they please will, in the majority of cases, bo brough?, to shams by their cb i ld ron. Tho first stop toward the penitentiary or gallows, is disobedi ence to parents. It is to bo feared that paronts rarely relied upon tho important duty which (Ind imposes upon them. Seldom do they take into consideration tho fact that (tod requires them to train their children for him. Multitudes of parents promise to bring up their children "in tho nur ture and admonition of tho Lord," and never attempt to perform the vow. Parents train their children lo work. This is commendable, lt is a duty. No parents should Hillier their children to grow up iu idleness, lt would be a sin. Parents, at least ninny parents, train their children lo make mouey. This, if proporly understood, ia right. There is, however, one kind of training that parents frequently neglect to givo thoir children. Parents neglect to train their children for God. This is a sad oegtcct. Not unfrequently it ?B equiva lent to training them for the devil. The fundamental principles of the Christian religion aro learned around the fireside. In fact they can bo learned no place else. Tho instructors in tho school of Christ are tho paronts. in this par ticular, God has assigned a duty to pa routs which no one ehio eau perform. If they neglect it, their children never learn it. It ia not claimed that parents can communicate gruce to thoir oiTspring : but it is claimed that God has promised to bless the efforts of paronts in training thoir children for him. God uses means in graco us well as in nature. Without the use of theao menns no good results can bo expected. God promises that if parents will train up their children in the way thoy should go, whan they arc old they will not depart from that way. This ?rcmise God baa over bcou faithful to fulfil, and ho will con tinue to be faithful to the eud of time. No parent will ever have just grouud to complain that God has been unfaithful in fulfilling this gracious promise. Ou the contrary, as a rule, when professed Chrlstinn paronts neglect to train thoir children for God they train them for the 5real arch enemy of all good. Such chil ren generally go to destruction. They rush to ruin.-REV. RODERT LATHAM, in YortviUe Enquirer. Tho Emperor of Germany. LONDON, April H.-Tho Emperoi William, it ?B reported on ?3 .od authority, bas entered into a elate of pronounced dotage. He bas become abnormally suspicious of every person surrounding him and constantly exhibit;! a childisb eagerness to be before the public in Im* norial state and to perform royal duties This maaia renders him almost intracta ble to the attending physicians. The) find themselves compelled to resort to al kinds of subterfuges in order to deceive their patient into accepting the disciplim absolutely necessary io his present en feebled condition. It is said that one 01 the principal medical advisers of the Em peror baa been ordered by bim into dU grace because the prudent doctor, in tin excess of his zeal, found himself com pelted to resort to a white lie for the pur pose of preventing his Imperial M nj eat: from imprudently enjoying a drive whei loo weak to bear the exercise. The doc 'or, on the occasion referred to, induce he Kaiser to spend the day indoors b; misrepresenting the state of the thor i.lometer and jarotnetrical indication outside. The Emperor did not discove the dc*?pt!ou until the next day, wbei ho learned from a non-posted visitor tba the weather on the previous day wa simply delightful. This in for mat i o made the Kaiser furious and bo at one forbid the offending doctor to evor agni enter.tho Imperial presence. Tho fact that such deceptions as th above are found necessary by the com physicians and that the order of expul sion is secretly ignored indicate plainl how far advanced ia the old Emperor childishness. Of course the authoritit officially deny that the aged Emperor i seriously ailing, and bus/ themselves i making many official declarations thi he is rapidly recovering. But all the* official announcements may be set dow aa attempts of statecraft to hide the dh agreeable truth, which is that the Ea peror is .far on the dauger?u* aide of di cadence, ile ia at present sutieric greatly from the insomnia j that eat, J during tho congestivo chill which pro; tra ted him inst Tuesday nod which KO] the attending physicians desperately ei gaged at his bedside all that night.-Sp dal io thc Philadelphia Time*.,. An Execution on the Potomac. Newberry News. The Louriana Brigade, composed of tho Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Louisi ana Regiments and Wheat's 1'igcr Battal ion, wore encamped near Centerville. Wheat having recovered from his wound, was again in command. Tho Seventh's camp was between that of tho Battalion and Centerville. Oue evening ono of the Tigeis returning from Centerville, while Sassing through the camp of the Seventh, ada difficulty with a member of that regiment. He was nrrested and placed in the regimeutal guard-house. The nicht before, two ol the Tigers, named O'Brien and Laferty, had gone about 8 miles beyond Centerville foraging for whiskey. Arriving ut the place about sunrise, they each had a couple of can teens tilled and started on their return to ;arap ; trudging a'ong they passed tho lime by alternately singing a song nnd taking a drink. All went well until the :amp of the Seventh was reached. Thero hey were told that a member.of tho Battalion was in arrest. Tho first thing hat crossed the minds of theso generous irishmen, was to divide the whiskey with heir unfortunate comrade in ariUR. They vent tn the guard-house, which was a urge tent, walked in without hinderance, ind in a few minutes the trio were enjoy - ng tho contents of the canteen. The [.lieutenant und sixteen members of tho ruurd wore lolling under tho trees if:on tho outside; four stacks cf arma vero standing in front of the tent, and he sentry was pacing his bent. The vhiskey they wero drinking, made theae ?rave men reckless. O'Brien whispered o Laferty that tho Seventh had uo right o hold a Tiger prisoner, and that they vould release him. They told Frank, or that waa tho prisoner's name, that hey would fight tho guard and he must un for tho Battalion's camp ; giving the canteens to Frank they made ready for ho rush. Out of the tent they ran, to brow down a stack of arms, grasp a gun ipicco, knock down the sentry, Lieuton mt and three or four of the guards and Irivo tho others off was thc work of a nument. Col. Hnyes, bearing the noiao, an from his tent towards the guard muse. O'Brien seeing him coming trapped the but of tho gun ho held into ho hollow of bis shoulder, and told the Colonel if he moved a step farther, he vas a dead man. The Colonel walked tack to his quarters, nnd tho two victor!* ms Tigers took the shortest route to their twn camp, and finished the day by get* ing gloriously drunk. The uext day Gen. Dick Taylor order id that tho two men should be arrested, md placed in tho guard-housa of tho ioventh. They were arrested by tbe irat sergeant of the company of which hey were members and turned over to he Seventh. Col. Hayes ordered a com mny to gunrd them. They were tried ly court martial, convicted of striking a uporior oflicer, und sentenced to be shot ti 2i hours. Gon. Taylor ordered that they should to shot by twelve of their comrades, 'ho order was received with horror. Vould thc Battalion submit to this hu uiliation ? Why not fight nnd die, with he two men ? was asked by u dozen ongues. What difference would it make? ?ono expected to survive the wari After tapps that night dark shadows vere seen moving from tent to tent. Prcs ?fitly armed men issued from the tenta and nado their wuy to a small grove, not ? lundred yards away ; span every enlisted nan belonging to tho Tigers waa in tho ;rove. What did it mean ? Did they atend a rescue, knowing that the two non were guarded by two regiments, vho had ordern to sleep on their arma nd shoot down any body of meu that .pproached tho condemned? No, they tad determined to dio with their com* ades. Quietly they formed in lin6, vord was passed not to shoot until tboy vere upon tho guards and then every nun was to fight for himself, kill nil he :ould, and then die. Tho column moves, bey pass into tho moonlight, by tho outs of their sleeping officers ; no not di sleeping, fur there is a light, in tho ont of tho Commander, tho gallant iVheat, unable to sleep, is thi nkiug of hose two brave heath", that will be Said ow on the morrow, thinking of the late lattle, of tho man who caught tho Colors ind boro them to tho front, when the ?o!or-bearer was ?hot down, aad now hs oust die all cn account of a drunken pree, surely the Confederacy has no ives to spare. Tho column reaches the oud, a march of a mile and they would ie there and then-But what is. that .oming down the road? It looks like lome ono running, and is, who can it bot ie comes closer, a top J, moves on, and :omea up to tho men, and they see it is . Lame Jerry, a young brother of O'Brien's, vho bas been allowed to visit the pria* mers. He bringa a letter from the con temned. A light, is struck and tho letter .ead, it says : "Boys, we know you will isten to the last request of dying men, for Godfs sake attempt no rescue, wo are ready, and willing to die. Now that we' ire prepared, we would rather die than live and perhaps die unprepared. We want men of our own company to do tho (hooting: and, comrades, aim at our heart? ind don't mangle our bodies." The men looked at each other, all felt that the re* ?uest must be obeyed ; silently they niiko their way back to camp, throw .hemselves on their bunks and await the ii or row. When morning arrives the Battalion is ordered out, with side arms inly, they are marched to a field, when .ho troops are drawn up in the form of a ectangle, with one end oped. At the >pen end are two stakes and two coffins, a. battery of shotted guns are upon the left. Two regiments of Infantry with oaded musket* are on the right. The General still fears a rescue. At the other end of the rectangle the Tigers were placed in position, and brought to rest. The band ia heard play ing ibo Dead March, and noon the con* learned are seen approaching guarded jy ' four companies of Infantry. They iro taken to the stakes and ordered to kneel, they ask to be shot standing, with uncovered oyes. . Thia request is denied,. io they kneel and are tied to the stakes erith their hands behind them, a bandage is placed over their eyes, and the Lieu tenant steps back to give tho command to the firing party. In a low but firm voice, it cornea : Pre* tent, aim, fire ; a sheet of flame oom a Jozen rifles, and two bleeding lumps of slay are all that remain of two aa gallant soldiers as fought beneath tho Stars and Bara. - A lady writes to the New York Sun thia aure cure for snoring: "A remedy for snoring, and I have had a better half who was greatly affected that way. U to let the person so afflicted before going to Bed drink a cup of strong coffee, without milk or sugar in it, and lie on their right lido." . , -, , ' - "Will you be good enough to bring me some butter?" said a traveler to a hotel waiter. "You have butter on your butter dish, air," returned tba haughty knight of the soup ladle, in reproaebfu. touea. ''Oh ! excuse me," said tba traveler, "I took it for aerease spot." A nd then no mund could be heard except tbe gentle rustle of Ute dinner goox