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.

BY E. B. MUEBA T^??H^'GOI/?MN, j. G. CLINKSCALES, Editor. Mess. R. I. El rod, Perry Glenn and S. L. Clinkscales have been appointed o'. fill vacancies on the Board of Trustees for their respective townships. Persons having business with the School Commissioner would do well to call on Saturdays'or Salesdays. We can not be at two places at the same time. This fine weather starts us out among the schools. Our effort shall be to ben? efit every school we visit; and, if we find abuses that need correction we hope to havo the courage to speak as calmly and as frankly as the necessities of the case demand. The meetiug for Williamston Town? ship will be held at Shiloh next Friday. The trustees, Messrs. Lander, Hogg and Richardson, have taken the matter in hand and are determined to make the en? terprise a success from its very beginning. Trustees will be expected to make a report to the School Commissioner at the end of school year. Blanks will be furnished for the purpose. It is hoped that the boards havs kept a correct record of their work and will be able to make correct reports, which will certainly very greatly aid the Commissioner in making his annual report to the Superintendent of Education. Last Friday we 3pent very pleasantly with the Trinity school. On account of the unsparing attacks of measels, only sixteen of forty pupils were present. The faithful trustees, Messrs. Neah Gentry and Cartee were on hand endeav? oring by their presence aud counsels to contribute to the success of tho meeting. Our readers will remember that Friday was the day appointed for the meeting of the teachers and trustees of the township. On account of the prevalence of the measels, very few of the teachers were present. The trustees request us to state that for that reason they are excused this time, but that every one must be at Tucker's school house on the first Friday in March, their next regular meeting day. We can not overestimate the good accomplished by these township meet? ings. Last Friday was spent in heariog lessons, interchanging ideas as to the best methods of instruction, etc. Patrons of the school are cordially invited to attend that they may see what is being done and what efforts are being made to improve the efficiency of the public schools. an interesting exercise in geog. raphy. As I have been requested to fill a short space in our "column" this week, I thiuk I can do no belter than to tell of a nice device which wc have lately adopted in Geography. A few weeks ago I asked my pupils in Appleton's Geography, without any previous preparation, to write me an exercise on the Stale of Florida on the following plan : imagine yourselves spending several days travel ing in Florida, and write tu me a letter describing the country as it appears to you. I was surprised to see how readily they responded. Forty minutes was the time allowed for writing the exercise, at the end of which time all handed in well-written papers, which showed not only a correct geographical knowledge of the State, but displayed a lively exercise of the imagination. There were de? scriptions of visits to the famous orange groves?sails on the beautiful Sc. John's River, excursions to its lovely lakes, and descriptions of St. Augustine, the city of olden time. One was written in the form of a journal kept during a week's travel iu the wonderful 'Land of Flow? ers." Thus we propose to take imaginary journeys over each State of the Union, especially of our fair South-land. The longer I teach, the more thoroughly am I convinced that written work is neces? sary in all branches taught in our com? mon schools. The easiest and surest way to ascertain what a child knows of any subject, is to require him to express his own ideas of it in writing. Lkxora C. H(J?bar?. kindness. This, from the Anglo-Saxon egnd, and the English kin, is a most expressive work. Shakespeare says, "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." Tt means kindship, kind redness, humane, affectionate. Pestolozzi was wonderfully kind. The greatness of great men has 3hown itself in this quality. At one time Lincoln, walking in his garden, was seen to examine carefully a little bush "What is the matter?" eome one said* "A little bird has fallen from its nest and I am fixing the peer fellow up again," be answered. During :i journey in his lawyer days 0:1 a muddy prairie in the spring, in company with several lawyers, he passed by a hog stuck fast in the mire. His companions laughed heartily at the predicament the poor animal was in, and they rode on. When half a mile away Lincoln said, "I don't know what you think, but I'm going back to help that hog." So out he jumped and waded through the mire, helped the poor porker to solid footing, and waded back again while the wagon waited and his companions laughed. This was kindness, for ibis quality makes us kin even to the most de-pi-erl dumb animal.". An eloquent niini-?t"-r lately said, "When f was a boy I was as regu? larly whipped as Saturday came. I was a bad boy, but a teacher came who stopped whipping hut began speaking kindly. One day when I was vexed over my sums and was showing impatience, she simply stooped down and pointing with 1j( r finger .said in a ipiict voice, 'That's the trouble.' The difficulty van i.-]ied. I fell in love with thoi /,. ll was a new era in my life. Her kind? ness vived me and I bless her memory every day!*' What :>. triumph! ()?}?? boy saved through kindness-! Y>s, thousands saved, and it will yet save thousands more. Mungo Park found it in dark Africa. So did Livingstone, for it brought to him faithful attendants, onn Y & CO. of whom carried his dead body hundreds of miles cm his back, in order that it might be giveu into the hands of kindred and laid among England's mighty dead. ?School Journal. I -Ji'-J,"-?,J'L: Itrtckinridgc and Benjamin. Recently I saw in a southern paper a highly colored and sensational account of the narrow escape and flight of Gen era! John C. Brcckinridge and Hon. Judah P. Benjamin in their hasty trip through Florida in Apr*!, lSb*~>, writes a correspondent of the Philadelphia Times. Their fearful races and concealment to elude capture, apprehensive of recogni? tion, dangers encountered, deprivations and perils experienced, were all glowingly portrayed. In the summer of 1S7? I met General Breckinridgc iu Richmond, aud one Sunday afternoon we were sit? ting alone in front of the Ballard hotel. I said that, if not unpleasant, it would be gratifying to have him give an ac? count of his escape after the downfall of the confederacy and how it occurred that Mr. Benjamin was separated from him. He replied that he would cheerfully do I so, and said that after following Mr. Davis some distance on the retreat he became satisfied that Mr. Davis had selected the most dangerous route, a*id to continue under his guidance, which he persisted in, capture wculd be certaiu ; and inevitable. "1 decided to pursue a j different course, and taking with me some trusty men and as few as possible, left Mr. Davis and his escort and struck j off for the Florida coast. Soon after? ward Mr. Davis, as I predicted, was cap? tured. I met with some soldiers of I he federal army. They did not recognize me, and nothing specially occurred to cause me to apprehend my arrest or safety. I passed a squad oi them iu a gallop, but no demonstration was made against me, nor did they seem to be j aware of who I was."' He said : "Hav? ing been accustomed in early life to hunt and travel at night in Kentucky, I re? called the experience of my youth, and adapted myself to change of circum? stances, traveliug incognito and with a I few faithful and fearless followers. Iu a short lime, with nothing specially peri? lous during the journey, we reached the j coast in safety. We then procured a small boat and a supply of provisions, which were easily obtained, as I was sup? plied with some gold, and with a small pocket compass, which I always carried with me, and with J. Taylor Wood and two others in au open boat we started for the coast of Cuba. In two days and three nights of the most delightful aud propitious weather, we landed within one mile of the island, our only guide being my pocket compass. Captain Wood fell overboard during the voyage, but was soou hauled in, aud was not the least disconcerted or alarmed. He was one of the bravest of men. After reaching Cuba I found friends aud accommoda? tions. I remained there a brief time and then went to Paris and back eventu? ally to Canada. The rest you arc no doubt familiar' with." "Where was Mr. Benjamin?'' I asked. t;He remained with n:e only a day alter leaving Mr. Davis. He was a remark? able man ; could adapt himself to any society or circumstances; could speak French, German and other languages fluently. He traveled through the coun try as a Jewish merchant, and sailed from Charleston, so 1 have learned." 1 made a memorandum of this conver? sation at the time, and this is a verba? tim report. Deadlier Thau Greek Fire. The navy department will complete early this week, the drawing of a contract ! with the Pneumatic Dynamite Gun com? pany, of New York, for the construction of a dynamite steel cruiser to be com? pleted by June 1st. If this vessel is all J that is claimed for it, then the harbor of New York wili be safe from any foreign fleet. The work on this vessel will be hastened on account of possible compli? cations between this country and Eng? land. Congress authorized the construc? tion of lIsis vessel last year, but very lit? tle has been said about it, and the fact that the department has completed the arrangements for its building is not gen? erally known. The vessel is to carry three dynamite guns, wich capable of throwing with accuracy two hundred pounds of dyna? mite a distance of one mile. The con? tract, provides that the gun shall be capable ol being discharged once in every two minutes. These are to be guns of ten and one half inch calibre. The com? pany has promised tu make them twelve inches. If the guns are made of that capacity they will be able to throw four hundred pounds, which would he suili debt to blow up the largest verse! known to any modem navy. The contract spec? ifies that the vessel shall have a capacity oftweiiiy knots an hour, which means twenty-three miles of speed. There arc very few vessels of great capacity capable of making any sue!) speed. None of the heavy armored vessels of modern times will be capable of running away from this new cruiser. She is to be 220 feet long, 20 feet breadth of beam, with "A feel draught and 3,200 horse power. The government contracts to pay for her !?'!50,000. The company hns given bond lo carry out this contract. If the vessel does not reach the speed named . she will not be accepted. The contract ' also specifies that these gnus are tobe ? fired with safety and accuracy at objects J on'.- mile di.-tant as another condition of ; acceptance. The company is confident it ? will bo able to fulfill the rigid letter cf j the contract. The plan of the boat has [ b'.en favorably reported on by a naval board and by the secretary of the navy; Although tho contract was made with thcPneumafic Dynamite Gun company; the boa' will be constructed by the Cramps, of Philadelphia. .Naval officers think this vessel will revolutionize ihe naval syslcmoCliic wot Id; If the exper? iment of her construction is successful modern navies will he rendered useless A I' w suuii vessels would proti-ut "tir coast uirain*-! the combined natives of \\\'. world. --- It. Miiihrn." N. .!.. ? wnhlimc was p?M|M.ii?f| ht-c..i- ib- bride had lalc. n a sleigh iid?- r-i .>-?>? r.eariy !.?'?/> n ro death. THAT TYPICAli AMERICAN* Truth Stranger Tlinii l'ietion. [I-Voiu the TMuxcille Times.] About the ino.st entertaining talker I have listened to for many a day is Judge James Madison Nelson, of Nynck, N. Y. He is a native of Clarke Couuty, Ken? tucky. His father, Thomas Pope Nelson, was iho first United States Minister to j Turkey, and died while a member of Congress from the Winchester, Kentucky, j district. His great, grandfather was Thomas Nelson, Jr., one of the Virginia signer* of the Declaration of Indepen? dence. Nelson county, of which Bards town is the seat, was named for this famous family. Gen. Nelson, who was killed at the Gait House early in the war by Gen. Jell*Davis, and bis brother, Gen. Nelson, late Minister to Mexico, a familiar figure iu Washington, are of this immediate family. Judge James Madi? son Nelson went from Kentucky to Illi? nois; and later to New York, where he has repeatedly been .1 member of the j Legislature and prominent in politics. He knew Abraham Lincoln intimately for a quarter of a century, and was often with him at the White House during the trying times of the war. He is an ardent admirer of the "martyr President," but must, lie says, smile at the stories told ! and the efforts to manufacture a demigod, j He says Mr. Lincoln was a child of j nature, with kindly impulses, some streaks of genius and which compensated for his lack of culture. The Judge tells me some things which I am satisfied have never appeared iu print. Said he: "In religion Mr. Lincoln was of about the same belief as Bob Ingersoll, and there is no account of his ever having changed, lie went to church a few times with his family while he was President, but so far as I have been able to find out he remained an unbeliever. I asked him once about his fervent Thanksgiving message, and twitted him with being an unbeliever, in what was published. :Oh,J said he, 'that is some of Seward's non? sense, and it pleases the fools.' Mr. Lin? coln, in his younger days, wrote a book, which was published, in which he endeavored to prove the fallacy of the plan of salvation and of the divinity of Christ. "Is it true that Lincolu was a lunatic for a lime?" 1 asked. "Yes. He went crazy because he could not marry a sister of Judge Ninian Edward?, who was a native of Logan county, Ky., but then a Judge in Illinois. Lincoln went stark mad on this last affair and was confined in a log hut with a roof nailed down to prevent his escape, and fed through a crack between the logs. Some young Kcntuckians, whose fathers had settled upon the rich lands of South? ern Illinois, heard that a young man from their State was shut up uuder such miserable conditions, aud they went up to the lonely cabin and took him to Ken? tucky, where he was placed in an asylum aud remaiued for a year or eighteen months, lie afterwards married Miss Todd, Judge Edwards' sister in-law, you will remember. It was an ill-starred match, and she led him an unhappy life. It was that which gave him that woe? begone look. Congenially mated he would have been one of the happiest of men. His wife fussed and quarreled with him. She had a contempt for his plebiau origin, aud often taunted him with it. She was a more rabid Republi? can during the war than her husband, though shu was doubted at the North. "As ah illustration of my statement her youngest sister, Lucy, had married an Alabamian named White. White was elected to lIio Confederate Congress and was at Richmond. His wife was visiting relatives in the country at the time and came to Washington to get a I pass through the lines. She called at I the While House and sent her name to I her sister, the President's wife. Mrs. | Lincoln refused to see her. She .-cut her j name up again and was again refused. ! ?ho went to the National Hotel and j sought Mr. Grillenden, who was then a Senator from Kentucky, 'Why,' said he, 'are you a daughter ol my o d friend, Col. Toed'!' and he hugged r.nd kissed her liiere and theu as lie would a child. 'Of course,' said he, you have been to see your sialcr at the White House " 'Yes,' she replied ; 'but she ivfu.-ed Id see me.' "'Very well,! said Mr. CriltoiKiun ; 'I will see what I can do for you with the President. 1 think 1 can get you a pass through the lines to your husband.' The next day Mr. Crittenden went with her to the White House and, leaving her in the carriage, he went up to the Presi? dent's presence and told him that his sister-in-law, Mrs. Lucy White, of Ala? bama, was below and wanted to see him. " 'What, Lou here?! 'il go right down ton son her. Why didn't you bring her up?' Lincoln suddenly slapped on his old slough hat and hastened down the stairs to see his youngest sister-in-law. He embraced her :>.inl lifted her out of the carriage. He asked her to come in, but she declined and told him what her.sister had done the day before. She would not go in, for she told Mr. Lincoln what he wouL :atch if she did. Lincoln told her, of course, he would issue her the pass she wanted, and told her, jokingly, that he did not care how much quinine she: carried through, and tha her trunk should not be searched. You know the re was then a great to do about the smug? gling of quinine through the lines. Strange as it m.??y seem, Lincoln's sisters in-law?three it four of them?were very fond of him, while his wife treated him with ill-temper. "St.'inlon gave Lincoln a great, deal of trouble. Lincoln told me that Slanloh had been meaner to him than any man living, lie said the reason-that he ap pointed him was a long story, and thai h'j would tell me ail about it spino day, but he never did. McC'-elhm thought Stantot! was just the man for Secretary ol' War, but he was ?bused and betrayed by him a- soon ns he got in. Stauten was a constitutional scoundrel, tyrant; hypocrite and brute; I told Mr. Lincoln ?ill this otic day, and he agreed with me fully; btiLsaid that he believed Staiifon ?? honest. :i rare virtue in iho e days. Tin President had -aid !?) me r-ome time before, when I charged a" o't'chd with DERSON, S. C, TH1 stealing from the Government, that he believed that they were all at it except Chase (Secretary of Treasury), Hales (Attorney General) and himself. He recalled the statement and said he would add Stan t?n, whom he believed was not stealing. Lincoln knew Stanton was abusing him like a dog, but he didn't care. He had an idea that Stanton was filling a hard place. Lovejoy went to Stanton one day with a message from Lincoln. 'The President is a d? d old fool." 'What! the President a d?d old fool did you say'?' asked Lovejoy. 'Yes,' replied Stanton. 'I shall tell him,'said Lovejoy. 'I don't care if you do,' said Stanton. Lovejoy told the Presi? dent of it with intense indignation. 'Well, I don't know but what Stanton is right, and I must drop the matter.' re? plied Lincoln. I know that this occurr? ed. Julian relates the incident from Lovejoy in his book. Lincoln never had much respect for Seward. He appointed him Secretary of State to fill a promise. When Lincoln was nominated for the Presidency, Seward, who hail hoped for the nomination, and his political discov? erer, Thurlow Weed, skulked in their tents. Judge David Davis went to Xew York, at the instance of Mr. Lincoln, and told Seward that if he would go into Illinois and Minnesota and make speech? es iu ihe campaign he should have a place iu the Cabinet. David Davis said he was authorized to speak for Mr. Lincoln. Weed was distrustful, and said Lincoln might appoint Seward and turn him out iu a few weeks. Davis told them to make it as strong as they pleased. Mr. Lincoln would write ihcm a letter guaranteeing the place for the full term. Judge Davis wrote the letter, hut they were afraid to entrust it to the mails and Democratic postmasters. It was sent on to Illinois by Tom Murray, who was a a political protege of Mr. Seward, and had held the position of 'Harbor-master' in Xew York through his influence for eighteen years at an annual salary of ?5,000. Murray delivered the document in due time, and Mr. Lincoln agreed fraafcly and fully to the terms. Mr. Lincoln told Murray before he left that he should have a slice if the election went, all right. Murray indicated that he would like to be United States Mar shall for New York if the Presidency panned out according to promise. Mr Lincoln agreed, and afterward made good his word. When Seward and Weed were in Washington parceling out the offices after the election, Mr. Lincoln let them name the list until they got to the Mar? shal's place. He said he had a man for thai place himself. Seward and Weed, in astonishment, asked for his name. Lincoln said it was Tom Murray. Mr. Seward said Murray was not i\ catnlidate. He had known him for twenty years, and had helped him into place, and he had never said a word about the Marshalship. 'That's all right.' said Mr. Lincoln, 'Tom is a candidate, and I am going to appoint him ; and he will accept, for he has told me so.' Seward and Weed were amazed, but of course acquiesced. Murray con Grmcd the story at the WHlard hotel that night. He was appointed and served, as you know. "Lincoln regarded Seward as a 'phrase ruaker,' as he put it. Ho re-wrote Scward'd explanation or apology for the giving up of Mason andSlidelh Seward had written the paper over a dozen times to round out the sentences. Lincoln scratchced out and interlined it, and Seward sent the corrected copy. In 1SG2, I think it was, the Senate met in a body?with the exception of Harris, of Xew York. Cowan, of Pennsylvania, and Doolittle, of Wisconsin?called upon tlie President in a body, and requested the resignation of Seward. Harris had refused to join in the movement because he was from Se ward's Slate, and Doolittle and Cowan said they believed in the President forming his Cabinet to suit himself. Tue President was much per? plexed, aud promised to look into the matter. He went to Chase and acquaint? ed him with the situation, and told him to tell Seward. The Presidout said he was under promise to retain Seward, and wauled to make it good. He told Chase that there was nothing left Seward hut to resign, but added that he (Chase) could save him by resigning also. Said Lincoln to Chase : 'If you resign the railroads will be eholicd with bankers and business men the next day asking you to revoke it. The Senators will ask you to take it back, but you must save Seward. Resign with him, and refuse to go back unless he goes with you. You are the only man iu the country big enough lo save him.' "Seward and Chase did resign, and the protests came pouring in. The Senators and business men and politicians from all over the hind begged Chase to recall his resignation. He coupled his case with Seward's, and (here was a demand f r bot!) of them to remain. They did so. Lincoln chuckled over his cunning trick. It saved Seward. Lincoln never had any politics particularly but the abolition of slavery, lie believed in that thoroughly. He was a great man in a natural, simple way, and unconscious of his powers. He had an apt anecdote to illustrate almost any proposition that was presented. He was over six feet four inches, and his fists went to his knees when they hung ! down. He was the only man I ever heard of except Hob Roy MacGrcgor, I whose arms were so long. His hand was J enormous I' w:u like the hand of ; Providence. His feature* were alhcom ; monplacc, except his . yes. which snap ; ped with humor especially when he told j his stories. He had a way of looking 1 .straight into your face, with his eye's 1 emitting this lire that forced conviction j upon you. lie would tell a story with? out seeming to disagree with your argu ' merit, that would utterly demolish your side of the case. Ho did not use tobacco a! a!!, nor did he drink, and slory-lclling seemed to be his only dissipation and n l.ix-ition." Judge Nelson says thai. Stephen A. Douglas sent for tiie Illinois aud Indiana delegation to c une to his house in Wash iiigtoii one Sunday shortly alter Mr. Lin? coln's uomiiiaiioii. Judge Nelson was her.' Iljeii aud won! along with thorn: Mr. I'mi'h' told thorn lliey mus' siylo the Demoe. "ic editors in the' ' Stales ib.xi |bcc v-\ C l*vo Ihing" hi Mr. I Jo DliSDAY IMOKNING coin's life IhiiL could not be mentioned in the campaign : his crazy spell and the book he wrote against rebellion. Mr. Douglas said Lincoln was a good man, and they might want his help, but he could never forgive an attack of that sort. The episodes never appeared in the cam? paign assaults. Fond Sophistications. ''There is no such thing in this city us the adulteration of articles of food, as a sanitary question,''said Health Commis? sioner De Wolf, of Chicago, to an -Even? in;/ Journal reporter who asked him to what extent our food supply was adul? terated. "There is a sophistication of articles of food, and that sophistication is a commercial fraud, but that is all there is to it. The sophistication of cane su? gar by glucose is not a sanitary question, for glucose is as healthy as cane sugar. The mixture of certain fruits with pep? per berry to the extent of 8, 10, or 15 per cent, is a fraud upon the consumer, but has no insanitary feature. So with the sophistication of all spices. The mixture of ground lemon shucks and ground cocoanut shucks with spices is commer? cially a fraud, but it does not affect the sanitary product. Codecs arc sophisti? cated and adulterated to reduce the price, and the Rio coffee berry is by a process of roasting and polishing made to resem? ble the Old Government Java. Flours, the various preparations of oatmeal, and starch of all kinds, are neither sophisti? cated nor adulterated in any way in our city. The most our chemist finds in our milk is the addition of water or the removal of cream. There is occasionally found, however, in pickles, cooked and prepared for market, a slight trace of copper. This copper i3 used to give them the bright giecn tint. That is poisonous and is objectionable. It is probably true, also, that there have been times in this city within the last ten years when con? fectionery was colored with some salts which are highly objectionable, but I presume this custom has ceased. It is 'rue, with the exceptions I have told you, there is no adulteration. It may be true that peas are used to sophisticate coffee. "They make coffee berries out of them. That is getting to be quite an industry down in Connecticut, where they manu? facture wooden nutmeg?. That is a commercial fraud, but has no insanitary feature. I have heard, also, that honey was found in the comb in beautiful cuts, where neither the comb nor the contents had ever seen a beehive. The comb was manufactured out of paraflinc, and the cells were filled with glucose, but that is not a sanitary violation. It is a commcr* cial fraud, honey is glucose. 1'eopie prefer spices that are sophisticated. They won't buy and pay for spices that are pure. Sonic time ago a wholesale grocery firm sent out, all through this community, at my request, spices that they guaranteed to pe perfectly pure and free from any sophistication, and they only gut one order, and that was from General l'hil Sheridan. The rest of the people had rather pay nine cents a pound for pepper ground, when they know that the good berry cannot be bought for less than eleven cents, for they know that the adulteration doesn't hurt anything, and answers just jis well. People in this city will not h\\y and pay for condiments which responsible firms guarantee to be free from sophistication. They prefer a sophisticated article at a lower price. In short, our great food products made up of the various preparations of flour, wheat, rye, oats, all our starches, and all kinds nl flesh meat are perfectly pure." A N'olu or Warning. The variest drunkard on earth, in his lucid moments, will freely confess that drunkenness is brutalizing, debasing and ruinous to both body and mind. All sots commenced as mondcratc and occasional drinkers, and booted at the forebodings of their friends that they would wind up as drunkards. They would meet the warnings of sincere friends with ike remark thai they had resolution sufficient to control themselves and that they could stop at any moment. All feel this degree of confidence in the .strength of their own resolutions at the outset. The occasional drinker may gradully become the regular drinker, the moderate may insensibly drift into lho immoderate drinker. "The appetite,"' as Shakspeare says, "grows by what it feeds upon ;'' the craving lor stimulants increases; habit ripens into second nature, it takes an increased quantity to keep oil" depression, ami the end of it is that the moderate drinker otter becomes the absolute and helpless slave to alcoholism and neglects his bus? iness as well as brutalizes his nature and intellect. He may go so far as to lose his self-respect and feel no shame in be? ing drunk in public. Moderate drinkers may, before they arc aware of it, go too far. Ni'ccessity of Two Kar*. Sound travels by waves radiating from a central point of disturbance, like the wavelets caused by dropping a pebble into still water. So far ai the hearing of of each individual is concerned, these waves move in a direct line from the cause of sound to his ear, the impact being greatest in the ear that is nearest to the source. The efleet, in this respect, of the want of hearing 'none car was forcibly illustrated by 'he statement of a patient wie? consulted me recently, lie lived in a wild portion of Tennessee; and spent '.a-good denied" his spare time in the woods, hunting squirrels, accompani? ed only by his dog. An explosion sud? denly destroyed the hearing in one' ear. Alter this accident, while in the woods he found that he could hear his dog bark, but for the life of him he could not tell the direction of the sound, even when quite close to him, and ho was compelled to lake his little boy along with him tc find the dog. After a lime persons learn t'i correct, to a limited extent, the errors' in I'siiuia'iiiig distances after the less ol vision, but the effect of the loss of an eai upon ihe estimation --f the direction ol sound is nev er coi reeled.?J)r\ William* ? A wonderful gold mine has boor discovered in Soil >ra, Mexico. Th< miners gel pure metal by hrenkine ll" quartz !V*illi liaP?fnfijf*, , FEBRUARY 10, 18! A Letter From Birmingham. Kivm Greenville Kiitrtjirife und Munnluinccf. Mr.. Editor: You will grcnt.lv oblige me if you will lind space in your columns for tins answer to numerous inquiries which sire coming lo me every mail since my location in this city. The claims of my business arc such upon my attention that I find it impossible to indulge my? self in the pleasure of replying to each of the interrogatories individually. They have come from speculators, mer? chants, mechanics, railroad men and common laborers?all desiring informa? tion ; and I hope that this general letter will be comprehensive enough and responsive enough to give each and all of the inquirers the desired information. To begin, then, I may say that the city of Birmingham is the most remarkable and rapidly growing city in the world, both in population, in wealth and in newly inaugurated industrial enterprises. As an evidence of this, I will cite a few facts, that, without comment of mine will satisfy the most skeptical doubter that J do not indulge in the language of exag? geration when I assert the broad propo? sition above stated : In the year 1SS0, Birmingham had a population of 4,500; iu ISS-1, a population of 17,500 ; in lSS?, a population of 21,3-17 ; in lSSb', a popu? lation of 32,000; and now a population of about -10,000. The value of taxable properly in Jeflorson County in 1.8S0 was only ?3.2-10,37-1, while iu 1380, as shown by Tax Receiver's returns, this value had increased to $11,079,019. Since this assessment was made at least ?6,000,000 or ?7,000,000 has been added to the wealth of the County?the very large majority of which has been invested in Birmingham and its immediate vicinity. Capital has come to the city in larger proportion to population than ban ever before been known in the history of city building. There are a large number of immense manufacturing establishments, consisting of furnaces, rolling mills, foundries, iron and steel works, wood works of ail kinda, furniture factories; and, indeed, every conceivable sort of similar enterprise. There is a rapidly growing wholesale trade in every depart? ment of commerce which is destined to be immensely increased in a very few months, upon the completion of the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad, the Georgia Pacific, westward to Columbus, Mississippi, the Goodwater extension of the Georgia Central, and the Mobile and Birmingham connection. Retail merchants iu every line do a magnificent and profitable business. Employed in the various foundries, furnaces, workshops and other wage pay? ing establishment-, there are fully fifteen thousand male adult laborers iu the Bir? mingham District. There is a steady demand for carpen? ters, brick masons, and all sorts of laborers who can assist in house-building. Thousands of houses are going up and more will be started in the spring. As to wages, brick masons arc paid from ?2.7? to ?3 75 per day; carpenters, ?2.00 to ?3.00; s'.one cutters, ?2 25 to ?2.75; plasterers, ?1.75 to ?2.25; pain? ters, ?1.-50 to ?2.20; tinners ?1.20 'o ?3.25 ; teamslers, ?2 50 to ?3 00 ; day laborers, ?1.00. There is a splendid call for tirst-class domestic servants?but only fir.st-cla.ss arc wanted. Labor is paid off every Saturday night in cash?a consideration of importance alike to the retail dealer and the laborer himself. In a few words I may coincide by remarking that the coal, iron and lime? stone fields produce their three hundred and twelve crops per annum, and these g-.i daily on tha market to be converted into cash to pay each week the wages of the producer. Ours is a very different system from that of the cotton country, where the whole year is consuimd in producing and gathering and selling the crop, and landlord and laborer have alike to wait through weary months to secure their compensation. Wo need more hotels and boarding houses ; and this want is due to the fact that immense throngs of people are com? ing into the city upon every train, cither to invest their money or to cast their lots with our growing und fatuously propcrotts community. One other thing may be mentioned, while property is now selling here- at what persons from abroad regard as fabu? lous prices?and, indeed, the prices have advanced hundreds of per cent, in the last six months?nevertheless, 1 can most confidently predict that by mid-summer every lot in the city will have doubled its value to its owners, Trust my word for it that when I state that at least ?200,000 in actual cash is paid out in this city every Saturday afternoon to employees, that I rather under estimate than exaggerate the fact as it really exists. Nearly all this money is spent here for the various supplies which are needed by these working peo? ple and their families. During this spring, summer and fail, I know of contemplated building enter? prises which v:i:l surpass in extent all those that have been completed in the last three years. These movements arc made to meet an actual demand which an ever increasing population renders steady : and investments of this sort will assume to capitalists the handsomest dividends while it will afT'ord the working classes comfortable and comparatively cheap homes. It is a well-known fact that, if the supply of business houses and dwellings had been adequate if) the demand, the population of Birmingham to-day would have been at least 2(>,0u0 greater than it now is. Capitalists of immense means have realized this and seeing that they have been .?tauding in their own light, are now moving with great zeal and energy to remove this obstacle to that full growth which has only been delayed for the reason that thousands who desired to locate could find neither business stands nor habita? tions for themselves and their families. The metal .vorkers of the North and West, at hist realizing that iron can he produced lo re for at least ?5.00 per Ion less than in Pennsylvania, <>hin, Ken lucky. Lake Superbo1 :u >\ other on producing Kn-linns o! Ihr. North tine Nor Hi west, are rapidly coming to tin r.?Golusion to Mike time bythc futolocl 5 /. and locate their plants in this vicinity. Ten years ago the London Ti'ihessaid that j "Birmingham, Alabama, is destined to be America's greatest metal workers' city.1' This prophecy is now being rap? idly realized, and in a very short time millions of dollar? will find investment here that are now being employed in the Northern and Western States at a great disadvantage. The eh cap supply of the raw material here compels them to come to this great iron center of the Continent. A new era is dawning. The long prostrated .South is now emerging from the depression which a revolution of its political system wrought. It is marching in the van of material progress and is winning glorious achievement in the amassing of wealth and the extension of a new prosperity. In the grand column of States that are pressing forward with high resolve and victorious sweep, Alabama is at the forefront, bearing a shining banner, on whose folds is inscrib? ed the legend, ''Our night has ended; the morn of prosperity has dawned." With many kind wishes for your con? tinued prosperity and happiness, I am very truly, V ;ur friend, &e., .1. Mim.s Sui.i.ivax. Agricultural Value of Teas. The pea I regard as an essential crop for all farmers to cultivate. The pea is the clover of the South in increasing the fertility of the soii, besides furnishing food for man and beast. The continued ove-rllow of my bottom lands, from the lSlh of May until too late to rely upon Mi cm for a crop of com, made it necessary to provide the means for my stock, and to do this I commenced to plant peas as soon as the wheat and oats were harvested. On the first plat of 13 acres?wheat field?I planted one bushel black, half bushel red or stock, and the balance in cow or clay peas. From the one bushel black, say four acres, I picked 1,S1(1 pounds, in the hull; of the red or stock, half bushel, 536 pounds ; seven acres clay, 3,0'JS pounds, or 5,450 pounds from 13 acres, with, per? haps CiO pounds to the acre in the field, too green at the picking. h will thus be seen that the black yielded i-j-i pounds, the red 2?S pounds, aud the clay 4-12 pounds to the acre, j The prospect the last of August prom? ised a much greater yield, but the hot dry weather throughout September lessened the yield at least one half. The black and ciay varieties ripened j rapidly under the hot sun, losing all the leaves, while the red held their leaves, aud are still bidding the leaves. My ex? perience is, the red pea is preferable when ilie vine is the object desired; but the speckled or whippoorwill is prefer? able in this, that while they do not vine, yet, in cutting the vines, when the peas have matured, lose less in handling. The clay pea, planted two weeks or more later than those mentioned, lipened nearly as early, and held their leaves better. My observation as well as experience has proveu that the vining varieties should not be plan led earlier Mian the last week in June. The speckled ir whippoorwill may be planted at any season after the first of May, with good I results. When peas are planted for the benefit ! of the soil, as well as for forage, the j vining varieties are preferable. If our farmers were to plant more peas, and follow with cotton, the yield will be greatly increased from the vege? table matter of the decaying vines, be? sides securitic nitrogen in the soil, taken up from the atmosphere during the : growth of the plants. The question of curing and saving pea vines is an important one, and, if not ; properly done, the leaves arc lest in handling aud much of the virtues lost. 1 hauled miuc, half cured, and put ou poles iu the barn so as to get a free calcu? lation of air, and they are thus cured. Or, better still, haul in the vines and store away by putting a layer of vines ; and a layer oi wheat or oat straw alter j nately. The vines will cure beautifully in this way. and thus improve the straw j as forage, and certainly securing the leaves. The pea vines should not be cut until they are matured; and at least one-half 'if the peas are ripe.? T. W. IJolloway in ?V. C. Agricultural JJulfdin. The Little Children Hull arc (June. Why do they come, these little ones that enter our homes by the gateway of h tillering, and that linger with us a few months, uttering no words, smiling in a mysterious silence, yet speaking elo? quently all the time of the purity and sweetness of heaven ? Why must they open the te-ndercsl fountains of our ua I lures only to leave them so soon choked with the bitter tears of loss? It is iui | possible wholly to answer such questions of the tortured heart, but one can .say, in general, that these little temporary wanderers from a cele.si.ial home come and go because of the great love of Cod; ft is an inestimable blessing to have beeu ; the parent of a child that has the stamp ! of heaven upon its brow, to hold it in j one's arms, to minister to it, to gaze ' fondly down into lite little up turned face, and to rejoice in the unsullied beauty of its smiles, and then?to give il back to Cod at His call, with the thought that in heaven, as upon earth, it is still our own child, a member of the house hold still, to be counted always :ts one of the chil? dren whom God hath given us. Such a love chastens and sanctifies the hearts of the father and mother, carries them out beyond time anil sense, aud gives them a hold upon the unseen. As things of trroat value always cost, il is worth a'l the sorrow to have known this holy affection and to have this treasure in heaven.?' 'liicago Advance. ? The drought that existed in Central Illinois since the summer is growing more serious. Hundreds of wells have been dug in vain, though some succeeded, and along some of the rivers people are cut? ting ice, hauling it home and molting it for wnter, - The medical colleges of the United Stales have graduated over ;?."ijp00 pby sici.'i's during ihr pa I nine year-. Mid the p/. -ent rate i-- nhnu* -1,001) per nn num. 4 VOLUMJ EDUCATION l'OU FARMERS. Governor S. I>. Lire on lliu Hi-in-mial Kllects or Ihn .Misslsslnpl Agricultural Fitiin the Wtckli/ XfWi und Qniricr, There is no doubt in my mind, as to the cfleet of this college upon the agri? culture and general industries of Mis? sissippi. Its establishment was most opportune. It has succeeded in arresting the attention of our farmers; and point? ing them to the careless system of agri? culture in tiic State, resulting in a grad? ual exhaustion of the soil and consequent lessening of the yield of crops, which has a tendency to depress farmers gener? ally. It has pointed out also that the soil is not an inexhaustible mine, but that it must be carefully and intelligently worked to preserve its fertility. That to work land that is nearly worn out in crops of cotton, corn, &q., without fertil? izing, or gradually restoring its fertility, will not yield sufficient to pay wages or profit, but that such lands must be re? stored at loss expense and labor, and by resorting mainly to stock raising to get profits from these poor lands while they arc being re-tored for future crops. These facts, mainly demonstrated at the college in practice, and taught iu addresses and bulletins in various sec? tions of the State by the faculty, in hold? ing farmers' institutes, and also through the teachings of students attending the college, are producing practical results and bearing fruit. A more diversified and careful system of fanning is being adopted. The elementary principles of common-sense farming, so long diregard ed, are now being resurrected and fol? lowed. The college, its workings and teachings, are regarded as reliable aids in adopting more varied and careful methods. Citizens from all sections of the State visit the college to he informed before starling in new enterprises in ag? riculture. Most of the creameries in the State have been started and managed by graduates and students of the college. Stock raisers generally visit or apply to the college for information as to the con? struction of barns, sheds and silos, and as to the earing for of imported stock, and feeding and handling of stock. The faculty of the college arc invited to meet the farmers and discuss with them the best methods of farming. They are un? able to attend half of these invitations. Last year they held eight farmers' iusti tutts, and individual members of rhe faculty attended as many more gather? ings by invitation. At a Dairyman and Fruit Growers' Convention, to be held in Jackson, iu February, gotten up by the Illinois Cen? tral Railroad, and at which there will be a getieral attendance from the West and South, three of the faculty of the college are booked for adodressis on Southern native grasses, how to make a creamery pay, how shall we regain lost fertility to soil, and showing the practical character of our work, and the estimate in which it is held by others. Now as to the students and graduates. Wc have only been in operation six years. Only a few classes have gradu? ated. It is yet too soon to speak posi? tively as to the work of graduates. At his present writing there are thirty-sevc-n living, graduates; sixteen of this number Are engaged in farming. Most of the others are teaching schools, to obtain means to farm, as far as I can learn. The demand for good teachers in schools is great, and it requires considerable cap? ital to start even a small farm, and most of our graduates are young men of mod? erate means. Out of the last graduating class, ("So) six out of eleven are farming. Four of the creameries in the State were started and worked for a time by one graduate. Two are now in charge of a former student, who left college, to en? gage in such work. Two students who iiad to leave college for lack of funds, after remaining two years, were recom? mended and obtained places as managers of slock farms and dairy herds within the last two weeks. We are constantly get? ting applications for young men trained al liiis college for such positions. All over the State, as far as 1 can learn, our students who have attended the college, are demonstrating tin's fact, and leading in a more careful and intelligent system of agriculture made easy to them by their theoretical and practical training at the college. Our college farm has 2,000 acres of land, composed mostly of portions of worn out cotton plantations; only 350 or-100 acres arc rich enough to produce cotton or corn. This is carefully worked with paying crops, The; balance is used as pasture lands and is yielding and paying at the rate of ?2 50 to*:] an acre in beef, butter ami milk sold from it. These pas? ture lands, too, are rapidly recovering their fertility, and about every two years are doubling their capacity for feeding stock, by the increased yield of grass growing on the lands. The college has a herd of 300 animals, pure bred and grade mostly. They are handled, fed and milktd by students. Our barns, sheds, silos, creamery, dairy preparations and distribution of food to cattle, and al! such work, is done by students under skilful direction. Al! this is necessarily having its influence in the State, and demon? strating, in an official object lesson, to bur citizens and boys that the best, most practical and least expensive way of handling our own lands is to combine st?ekraising intelligently with a more intensive system of farming. The stock furnishes the manure for carrying on intensive farming, while at the same time the pasture lands an- gradually building up and haying their fertility restored by not being overtaxed by too many cri? tic grazing on then!. The college for years has been becom? ing moic popular, if wc arc to judge by the applications made for admission. For the last two sessions wc have had to decline receiving over two hundred each year of those desiring to enter the college at the beginning of the session. Our accoiuod.itions arc only sufficient for 250 or 300 students a year. ? An Ontario: minihler prayed, one recent Sunday morning, as follows "Lord, bless our servant-girls who are letained fr??m joining in the v.or hip of thee by the sleeping of ih^ir masters and mistresses " 5 XXII.?NO. 31 Jim Akerc. Jim Akers was a tall, two-headed, knock-kneed man, with irregular teeth, which made his mouth look like a ateei trap twisted out of plumb. His wife was a largo, raw-boned woman, fully a head taller and fifty pounds heavier than Jim. She had the temper of a half-famished wildcat, and no darkey just "getting religion" was ever half as much afraid of the devil a~ Jim was of her; he had rea? son to be. When she was fairly on the warpath .-lie breathed chain lightning and flung cyclones from the tip of her tongue. Nor did she content herself with words only, however bitter and fu? rious. She very often brushed the poor little fellow with a hickory until he felt as if he had borrowed his back of a saint fresh from the gridiron. One bright, golden, delicious afternoon in the latter part of March, Jim left the patch where he had been hard at work all day, and "'snuck een" to his cabin by the back way. He proceeded hastily to doff his every day clothing and don his Sunday garments, casting furtive glances all the while at the black browed, terrible dame sitting in the front doorway knit? ting. With trembling haste he completed his. preparations, and was shambling out again when his wife, previously appar? ently oblivious of his presence, shot a fierce glance at him which made him jump almost out of his shoes and brought the perspiration out from every pore. "Whar you boun' fur?" she asked. "I 'lowed i wuz gwine down to the fishfry fur a hour or two. Them boys is a hc-vin'?" "Well, you '"lowed wrong. You jest histe off them close, and go hack inter that, patch and finish hoein' them perta ters. Don't you distress yerseif 'bout no fish-fries." "But I done lole the boys I wuz gwine to be thar." "Well, you tole 'em a lie." "But Ed Sykes and Hank Evans is waitiu' fur me now at the cross-roads, and I'd ruther not disappint 'era." "Well, I'd ruUieryou would. Sbet up, now, and do az you're told.' Jim gasped and quaked with fear; but, for the first lime in many years, he thor? oughly realized the tyranny under which he was crushed. His heart was set on the fishfry, and in that feeble fiutterh.g little organ, a faint shadow, a dim eidolon of spirit became suddenly aroused. He hesitated a moment, ventured even to return the gaze of those glowing, wrathful eyes, and then started, saying : "Well, Fare a-gwine." Great Jchosaphat! He up hi! She swooped on him like an owl on a mouse. The air was filled and darkened with dust and sandy hair and agoniz? ing shrieks. Ed Sykes and Hank Evans at the "cross roads," became convinced that Jim's cabin was on fire and that he was perishing in the flames. They rushed in haste to his assistance ; but as they near ed the spot the clatter subsided, and they heard a stern feminine voice, which caused them to halt and keep out of sight, say: "Now, I reckon you'll do ez yer tole." Then they recognized Jim's piping voice, protesting betwixt convulsive sobs : "I'd sorter giu out gwiae befo' yer spoke."?Southern Bivouac. How is Your Cooking ? The average families, both of town and country, do not live as well as they ought to do. There is a considerable amount of over-eating and under nourishment. The preparations of the principal foods, that support lifo and keep up the repairs of the body, is not as good as it ought to be. Take bread, for instance, and you will find half the housekcepeni of the country make a very poor article. Even com bread, in many families, is a soggy, heavy mass, unfit to eat. Then the wads of baked dough, called biscuits, produce dyspepsia and bad tempers. There is tocj little variety in our cooking. A. womatr can display her inventive genius by making a half dozen different kinds of bread and rolls out of flour. Then with the corn meal and grits she can get up quite a variety. The country people have eggs, butter and milk, the very basis of all good cooking, and with the addition of sugar they can get up an endless varie? ty of side dishes and desserts. Children, especially, are pleased with variety. We do not exhort you to crowd a great varie? ty on them at one meal. That is bad taste and will produce bad health. Grits, or hominy ot some sort, should be on every breakfast table. If it was possible to peep into every house in the county while the family is seated at the breakfast table, you would fiud the bill of fare about as follows : A little fried meat, cofl'cc, biscuits, good, bad or indifferent, aud perhaps molasses aud butter. That goes on the year round. It gets very monotonous afterwhile and it is no wonder that some of the strong bpya. re? fuse to cat breakfast. When working people are hungry, it is a great mistake to attempt to till them on fried meat and heavy, greasy biscuits. The boys come in from the field, and they are ravenous. They will bolt solid chunks of food The careful mother should know some ? thing about the human stomach and it! wants, and she should cook so as to mee ; those wants. The average man or wo? man eats too much solid food, such as meat, heavy bread and compounds into which much grease enters. We needj more soups and broths, more prepara? tions to be used with milk, such as mush, grits, hominy, cooked fruits and the like. There should bo a thousand fold mere, loaf bread and light rolls. Fruit or veg? etables should be on the table everyday. Fried meat, poor bread and coflee will never make very strong and healthy people. Let our housekeepers begin to study kitchen economy and get ready for lectureson cooking when the encampment is under way.?Sparlanbnrg Spartan. ? Natural gas is by no means a recenl discovery. Even its utilization for th< purposes of the mechauic arts was lomj ago successfully attempted iu China where, by pines of bamboo, it was con veyod from natural wells to suitable fur naces, and, by moan* of ip> r.a rnffahom Crs. consumed: