University of South Carolina Libraries
BY E. B. MTJKEA' ?-??? - ? _ i - J- G. CLINKSCALES, Editor. :Z ^ _:___ Let ns again iusist that the trustees re* quire the teachers to give the average at? tendance of the males and females sepa? rately. This matter is very important and we trust will receive the attention it deserves.. ? ?-:? L The Big Creek school, under the man agemeut of Mr. Frank Pickel, is in a '^flourishing- condition. Mr. Pickel- is a ?' graduate of Furman University, and is ? laboring faithfully to develop the youth? ful minis and characters under his con? trol. ? Mrv Sullivan, a few miles below Big :f Creek, seems to be earnestly endeavoring .: to instruct the children intrusted to his -? ciire? He is a modlet, aspiring young man,'and proposes to go to school him? self as soon as his session expires. Every earnest teacher hungers for moro knowl? edge. JVe hope Mr. Sullivan may. have an opportunity to get that knowledge he bo much desires. " Mr. A. S. Burns, formerly of this conn ty, but now of Florida? sends us ? sup? plement-to the Florida Chataugud, which 'contains the programme for the next Teachers' Meetiiag. It would be delight ? ful to attend that meeting, but in these days .of hard times, we see no possible ? chance "for it. Mr. BurnB is a young man, bat is teaching in Florida and is : delighted, with his surroundings. Mr. Thomas W. Norris is appointed to fill vacancy on the Board of Trustees for Savannah Township. Mr. Rainey-, the retiring trustee, has served faithfully and_ well for many years, and takes with - him' the best wishes of the Board of Ex? aminers. Mr. Norris is an energetic young man and will, no doubt, discbarge the duties of his office with credit to himself and to the community he serves* ? ? ? - .. Miss Nannie Harkness is now teaching at NeaPs Creek. Miss Nannie is a fine teacher and has the sympathy and sup? port of her patrons. By their honest | efforts and successful work, the ladies are rapidly removing the, prejudice against "woman teachers." The Neal's Creek school is in'a fine" community, and the people are beginning to be aroused on the subject of educating their children. ' Much of their enthusiasm is due to the quiet, earnest labors and influence of j Rev. 'W. D. Hiott, that Christian gen? tleman, the pastor of Neal's Creek Church, It is a note-worthy fact, too, that some persona in that neighborhood, who"Traveno children of their own, are J deeply interested in the. success of the j ^school- ? ^- . ? ? ^ Besides the- educational journals that find-their way to this office regularly, j which we have taken occasion time after time to mention for .the benefit of our teachers, we find on our desk this morn? ing ..The School Teacher, of Winston, 1{. Ov and the Popular Educator, of Boston, - Mass.' Both these'papers seem to be en? thused with the proper spirit, and are filled with sound and wholesome' reading matter, such as will give teachers some? thing to chew On in school and out. We do not wonder that there is so little done by some teachers. -They are in a state of . mental decomposition rather than of act*ve,;vlgarou8, healthy growth. Show me the best teachers in Anderson County and I'll Bhow you the reading and think? ing teachers; yes, I'll show you the writing teachers. It is not expected that a teacher's desk be covered with liter? ature, but it' is expected that every teacher take at least one good educational journal and read and study it thoroughly. Some one.has said, and he spoke truly, (hat whenever we give one hour to read . . ing, we ought to give two to constant, earnest; searching thooght. The Teach? ers'' Institute, that paper of sterling worth'| . that finds its way to this office, costs only $L2? ? year. Is there a teacher in Anderson County that can not afford to. take that paper ? If so, let him hold up his right hand; We'll put the question in this way i Is there a teacher who can afford to do without it ? We do not hesitate to answer that with an emphatic no 1 * That paper comes every month. By thoroughly mastering it, our unedu? cated teachers may, altera while, educate themselves. ^When we see the prevailing - indisposition on the part of so many to help themselves when the bountiful means lie wholly within their reach, we are reminded of the crew that were starviDg for water while the vessel was floating in the mouth of the Amazon. The very thing they needed was all around them, but they knew it not. If Col. Bice, State Superintendent of Edu? cation, can 'succeed in stirring lip our teachers to a proper appreciation of the many helps that Jie around,, he shall ibaveas many public.meetings as he will attend in the summer. Trained teachers are the one great desideratum of the pub? lic school system. We want teachers that think more; we want teachers that feel a, professional pride. Col. Bice is making a tour of the State, inspecting the public schools. Will our teachers be r:ady for him? The writer proposes to carry Col. Rico ill - over the county when be comes, so it would be well for you to be on the alert. We might drop in some morning when you were least prepared for us. Being the Superintend? ent of. the whole State, it would be natu? ral for Col. Bice to ask how many edu? cational journals are taken in the County. And so, too, it would be-perfectly natural, and quite appropriate, for him to en quire of each teacher what helps he had received from his journals. We do not know what will be Col. Bice's plan ; but we may presume that he will have some way of ascertaining just how a county stands as to the quality of its teachers, and just how it moves up in educational matters.. Let us appeal, however, to the pnreit motives of the Uachers. Get you an' educational journal and study it because you owe it to yourself and your pupfla-?because it is right.- Get it"be? cause Jt.is right; read it.because it is j your nduty;-study isyh ?nrtKli^; if voa do not. -T" Y & CO. Thoughts for tho Month, From the Southern Cultivator and Dixie Far? mer. Last month, plans and arrangements' for the year's work were discussed. It is presumed that by this time every farmer has matured his plans, and is already under way in executing them. One of j I the first things to claim his attention is the preparation of the manure to be used. He has decided to use composts largely and he must now prepare them; the matter cannot be deferred mnch longer. Whilst a compost will give fair results, prepared only a month or six weeks in advance of its application, the general drift of experience indicates that better results ensue where they are' prepared three months in advance. Composts for cotton should be put up at once, and care taken that every condition for proper fermentation be present. These conditions are proper admixture of ingredients, decided moisture all through the mass, and a decided compactness. A loosely thrown op pile of manure will become too hot and be greatly injured. A.prope: fermentation brings about sev? eral valuable results. First, it reduces Or breaks down the coarser ingredients, as hay,'straw, leaves or other litter, and renders the distribution of the compost easier and more uniform. Uniformity of distribution is a matter of first impor? tance. In the next place it renders inert, insoluble materials active and solu? ble. All of the nitrogen, for instance, of green or fresh manure is insoluble; it is either in the form of albuminous com? pounds or of urea (a constituent of urine), and must be changed to ammonia or nitric acid, before plaats can appro? priate it. The danger of that is, as this ammonia is formed, it may be driven off by heat and'be lost. This is to be pre? vented by keeping the fermentation within proper bounds, as above pointed ont, and by covering the heap with a layer of rich dirt six or eight inches thickoto catch and absorb any escaping ammonia. Another and. very effective means of preventing loss is using kainit as one of the ingredients of the compost. The prevalent idea has been that land plaster was excellent for that purpose. But plaster only acts efficiently where there is water enough to dicsolve it, and this is not generally the case in a com? post heap. Kainit is much more soluble than plaster, and will fix ammonia'under circumstances where plaster ? will not. Kainit is decidedly the best cheap and available substance for the purpose that we know. ";' N" ? . . It has been just stated that kainit ought to bo one of,the ingredients of a compost heap?what other of the chemi? cal or concentrated fertilizers should enter into it. There need be no hesita? tion in eaying that phosphoric acid, in some form, should occupy a front place in this respect. No substance is more universally wanting in old, long-cropped lands than phosphoric acid, none, the application of which, on such lands, has given more uniformly good results. Besides kainit and phosphoric acid, there are no other chemical fertilizers which need generally unter into composts; in exceptional cases some others may be needed; that depends upon the nature of the more bulky basis of the compost, and to this let us turn attention. As a rule, barn-yard manure is the main foundation of composts. It consists of the excre? ment and urine of horses and cattle mixed with a variable quantity of litter. With the farmer it is an over-pressing inquiry how he may increase the quan? tity and improve the quality of this most valuable substance. As to the first (the quantity), the ready answer of Northern and European writers has been by keep? ing more stock. But bear in mind, how? ever, that this answer comes from regions where grass and grain are the leading crops, and where large cities and a dense population, (largely manufacturing) cre? ate a large demand for food, including meat. To a Northern or English farmer the question is, shall hay and grain be sold direct from the farm, or shall they be converted into meat and milk, and cheese and butter, and these become the objects of sale? He can find sale for either. With a Southern farmer the conditions aie somewhat different. At present the mass of his land is too poor to grow grass successfully, and climatic conditions render small grain crops lather uncertain. The cities about him are small, population in sparse, and a small portion of it engaged in manufac? tures. Would these surroundings war? rant a general increase in the number of live stock on the farm? That is extremely doubtful. Except in localities where there is extended "range," most farmers have, until a recent period, erred in keeping too much rather than too little stock. In one direction there might be a profitable increase, viz., in raising all the horses and mules they need, and possibly the hogs required for domestic use. Gradually our farms might be brought up to the requisite degree of fertility to produce grass and grain enough for a moderate increase in the number of milk cows. There is a demand for good butter at the South, and we ought by all means to strive to work up to the point of supplying it. But ( after all, the increase suggested would be small, and Would not go very far towards increasing the quantity of manure. How, then, can it be done ? By more careful husbanding of all manurial material on j the farm (especially the urine of animals) and the preventing of the leachiug of the soluble (and therefore most valuable) portions by rain. In this connection the most urgent need of Southern farmers is more stall room for stock. Stalls should be large and roomy, and 60 arranged that stock will not have to be haltered, but may be free to move about at will. When animals are haltered their urine is dis? charged at certain spots; the coarse manure is not uniformly impregnated with it, as it should be, and''the animals I; will stand or lie down in pet, manure to j the serious injury of their hoofs or bides. Again, large stalls arc desirable that manure may accumulate in them for long "periods oT time /without undue rais .ing-of the bottom of the-stftll-or other inconveoience. Lat/ge 'StaJls, for like\ reason,admit of th^iise. of large quanti ?iies of litter. AnMhis is one of our most I available means of increasing the qusn [ tity of stable manure. On many South? ern farms nine-tents of the urine of stock is practically lost. When not at work they are allowed to run at large in open yards where there is no absorbent; or if there is one to absorb it, the rains most effectually leach it out in the end. Keep in large stalls, when not at work, and these stalls kept well littered, a very large portion of the urine is absorbed and perfectly saved. When litter is impregnated with urine, its'quality is greatly improved. It is a very different' thing from litter simply mixed with solid excrement and rotted. Here is room for great improvement in our methods?this husbanding of the urine. Agaiu, stalls should not be cleaned out more than once a year. Managed as above, neither the health nor the cleanli? ness of animals demand it, and under no other conditions can manure be accumu? lated with so little loss or*detriment to its quality. The great foe to barn-yard manure of high quality is the open yard. Abundant littering helps matters some, but leaching will be great. The dark, rich juices which flow from it after every heavy or protracted rain are impregnated with salts of ammonia no less than soluble mineral ingredients. Let us banish the open yards from our farms, and change the name from barn-yard to stall manure. Another source of bulky, organic manure, which is quite unlimited, and which may serve as a basis for compost, is leaves, straw, etc., decomposed by the agency of ashes and lime. Asjies may be used alone or .in combination with lime, or lime may be used alone. In the last case the cbief function of the lime is to decompose and reduce the leaves. When ashes are used alone, they accom? plish the same purpose, but in addition increase very materially the fertilizing properties of the leaves. They add to them lime, potash, magnesia, phosphoric and sulphuric acids?indeed, every min? eral ingredient needed by plant*. If a proper amount of ammonia and some phosphoric' acid be added to such a mix? ture, a very complete and perfect manure is produced. Such a mixture, then, makes an excellent basis for a compost. Ashes and lime should not he added di? rectly to stable manure; they will drive off ammonia. But after those substances have been mixed with large quantities of leaves, have become diluted and marked by them, and entered into new combina? tions, they may then be mixed with stable manure without detriment. Ten bushels of ashes to three or four well packed two horse wagon loads of leaves makes a good mixture. It ought to be prepared some months before it enters into the final compost heap. A farmer might begin now, and at all available opportunities through the year, gather and haul leaves and put up pens of such mixtures'. He would be astonished at the amount which system and energy would accumulate in the course of a year. It should not be pat in piles, but in pens four or five feet high, well moistened to start with, well packed and covered at top with a layer of rich dirt several inches thick to retain moisture. After such a heap has been well moistened, rains will be apt to keep it wet enough afterwards. Bain will leach thin layers of manure scattered in a yard or the tbin edges of a spread-out heap, but will not leach a mass four feet thick wich straight upright sides. Now, supposing a farmer has the sev? eral materials mentioned on hand and is ready to make his compost?howv shall he"proportion the sevenl ingredients? Furman's formula, now so extensively used, is IhUty bushels each of stable manure and cotton seed, 400 pounds of acid phosphate and 200 pounds of kainit. Experience has shown this to be a very excellent compound for land of average fertility. Can it and should it ever be varied? Suppose one has cotton seed, but no stable manure. Ia such case, ten additional bushels of cotton seed should take the place of the lacking manure; so that the formula would read 40 bushels of cotton seed, 400 pounds of acid phos? phate and 200 pounds of kainit. But it would be desirable, to keep up the de? sired dilution of the chemical fertilizers in the compoBt, to mix with above ingre? dients twenty-five or thirty bushels of rich earth, or wood mold, or something of the kind. Again, suppose one" has stable manure bat no cotton seed; the place of the cotton seed may be taken by cotton seed meal?say 30 bushels of ma? nure, 300 pounds of cotton seed meal, 400 pounds of acid phosphate and 200 pounds of kainit. Suppose one's land ia extremely poor. Then the quantity of the cotton seed in the compost may be doubled, the quantities of other ingredi? ents remaining the same. If one's land is quite rich, half or even less of the cotton seed may. enter into the compost, the other constituents remaining the same. Suppose one has the mixture of leaves and ashes, but no manure or co .ton seed; then the formula should be 60 bushels of leaf mixture, 400 pounds of cotton seed meal, 400 pounds of acid phosphate and 100 pounds of kainit. Less kainit would be called for in this case, because the ashes, in leaf mixture, would take its place. If lime only was mixed with the leaves, the full quantity of kainit should be added. It is well to build the compost pens in or near the fields to which it is to be applied; this will save hauling during the very busy sea bo n of spring. And every one ought to provide himself with a compost distributor, both for economiz? ing labor and time, and for securing uniformity of distribution. Various patterns of these are now made over the country, and some of them are simple and inexpensive. A revolving cylinder with spikes, in a hopper with slot in the bot? tom and movable slides to regulate width of slot, constitute the essential parts of a spreader, and almost any farmer can make one for himself. As spring oats will be sown this month, attention is called to the mixed character of seed oats sold in the market as Texas rust proof oats. Last year a good deal sold under that name were not the red rust-proof; the crop ripened late and very unequally. The straw of some was tall, soft and giving?quite different from pfche strong, Btifl^sirow of the rust-proof. j ?Anna gp^^rnM oa Tn-rao T.^i^yyrjf ia TOEKSON, S. C, TH very good, but one should be cautious and examine closely before purchasing. As a rule it is better to buy home-raised seed, if it is possible, when one is under the necessity of buying at all. For spring oats, sow spring-grown seed, and those from a region south of your locali? ty are preferable to those from a point north of you. We need fully acclimated varieties. Sow as early as possible;. it ia just as well to risk killing by cold when a crop is sown early, as to run the gaunt* let of destruction by the drought and rnst in the spring when a crop is sown late. Bich land and bottom land may be Bown later than poor upland. Have seen good crops of oats on bottom land sown in March. It is always well to sow some of the oat crop on such land, if one has any that is well drained. Bottom lands need occasional rest from corn crops, and if the spring is very dry, an oat crop on bottoms pays very handsomely. By all means sow a large crop of oats, and give it a fair chance. Angora Goats. I will try to give you the promised article on Angora goats, and although a good deal has been written about them during the last twenty years, yet, as there are but few of them in the United States, they are comparatively unknown to the average farmer. They are a fleece bearing animal, the fleece of which re? sembles silk and has been much used as a substitute for raw silk. The first importation of these valuable animals was made by a citizen of this State, in 1849, Dr. James B. Davis, of Monticello, Fairfield County, who kept jkhem a few years and sold his whole herd to Col. Bichard Peters, of Atlanta, Ga., at $1,000 each. Col. Peters has bred them success? fully on his stock farm near Calhoun, Ga. Several importations have been made since, but owing to the high prices at which they were held aud the little in? terest taken id stock by our people, com? paratively few have been sold near home; but in Texas and other Southern and Western grass-growing States they are attracting the attention they deserve. Having been crossed extensively with the common goats, they now have a class of grades about equal in looks and prac? tical value to the pure breeds. Five or aix crosses will produce this result. The first cross makes but little show, the second produces a fine fleece, about three inches long, and by using pure-bred bocks (and no other should be used) the fleece is gradually increased in length until it attains the requisite length, which is worth about fifty cent; a pound, when put up in good cctdition, and so on down in proportion to grade, and even the second crop is marketable. Messrs. Macnaughton's Sons and the Tengue Manufacturing Company will buy all that is raised in the United States, and a great deal more has to be imported from Asia Minor to meet the demand. This is the mohair of com? merce, and it is a shame for our manufac? turers to have to send all the way to Turkey aud Australia for mohair and wool while we could so easily and so profitably supply the demand. Thou? sands of sheep and goats could be raised by the farmers in the Southern States at very little cost and much clear profit, but while the dogs remain above the law little progress will be made in this line, especially with sheep, the natural prey of the dog. The goat is comparatively exempt from the depredations of dogs. The dog is much less inclined to chase the goat, and the goat is not so much in dread of (be dog a* to interfere with his graziug, while the sheep will leave the pasture at full cpecd at the sight of a dog, never looking back to see whether it is pursued or not. These goals seem perfectly adapted to our climate,- are very healthy, and are easily raised, eat almost everything that grows in the way of vegetation, and are great helps to the farmer in eradicating briars, sassafras and other farm pests. I have eeen ibem eat the balls off the thistle, thereby destroying the seed. The seed of the Jamestown weed, a pest, is an especial luxury in this way. They im? prove our pastures by destroying what other animals neglect. I will continue this subject.?J. Washington Watts, in Weekly News and Courier. Conrting. Select the girl. Agree with the girl's father in politics and the mother in reli? gion. If you have a rival keep an eye on him; if he is a widower keep two eyes on him. Don't swear to the girl that you have no bad habits. It will be enough for you to say that you never heard yourself snore in your sleep. Don't put too much sweet stuff on paper; if you do, you will hear it read in after years, when your wife has some special purpose in inflicting on you the severest punishment known to a married'man. Go home at a reasonable hour in the evening. Don't wait until the girl has to throw her soul into a yawn that she can't cover with both hands. A little thing like that might cause a coolness at the very beginning of the game. In cold weather finish saying good night in the house. Don't stretch it all the way to the front gate, and thus lay the founda? tion for future 88thmn, bronchitis, neu? ralgia, and chronic catarrh, to help worry the girl to death after she has married you. Don't lie about your financial condi? tion. It is very annoying to a bride who has pictured for her ancestral halls, to learn too late that you expect her to ask a bald-headed parent who has been uni? formly kind to her, to take you in out of the cold. Don't be loo soft. Don't say: "These little hands Bball never do a stroke of work when they are mine," and "you shall have nothing to do in our home all day long but chirp to the canaries," as if any sensible woman could be happy fooling away time in that sort of style; and a girl has a fine retentive memory for soft things and silly promises of court? ship, and occasionally in after years, when she is washing the dinner dishes, or patciu^g the west end of your trousers 8he will remind you of them in a cold, sarcastic tone.?N. Y. Mail. ? Man was created first^WjjfttMWi 9 QBSDAY MOBNING TUE OLD PLANTATION DADDY. A True Picture of Southern Country Lifo. From the Southern Christian Advocate. Nashville, January 20.?I returned from Charleston to Barnwell, the home of my childhood ; preached at Salem on Sunday, and saw aged friends and their generations; visited the graves of ances? tors; (the holly bush is not bearing ber? ries this year;) howdy'ed with the family negroes who "lag superfluous on the stage"?Ike, Nancy, Long Sam, Robin, Ned?and then pursued my home? ward way. Bless the old land, and the people who dwell in it I A couple of bushels of potatoes raised on the Hutto Farm (300 bushels to the acre) reached Nashville nearly as soon as I did. None like (hem. A basketful of them went to the mother of the editor. She keeps house on the campus for her son?the popular bachelor professor of. Latin. They can appreciate the Carolina flavor of those tubers. The old servants 1 The sight of them saddened me and made a real, felt link with the past. I crave a place for a record of one phase of our civilization now almost out of sight. My old freedman, Cyrus, died at his home in Butler County, Ala., November 2. His wife, "Aunt Bess," as we called her, died two days after, and they were buried side by side at Mulberry Baptist Church, of which they had long been principal members. As nearly as I can make out from the family records he was over ninety and she was eighty years old. This venerable pair of ex-slaves were "dear unto me," (Luke vii,) and, as rep? resenting a cls.93 of persons and of feel? ings rapidly passing away, a brief sketch may not be without interest to others. "Uncle Remus," so charmingly sketched by Chandler Harris, of Georgia, had his counterpart in many a Southern household. My Uncle Remus is dead. He was the home-born slave of my grandfather, in Barnwell, and in his early manhood rafted lumber down Edisto River to Charleston. A pure African by blood, he had the strongly-marked prognathous features of bis race; was six feet high, with flesh and muscle in proportion. On the marriage of my father, in 1820, Cy was given to him, and helped him to build the log house to which he took his bride, and to clear bis first field. Uncle Cy, as the children always called him, taught me to ride a horse, and, later on, to shoot a gun. He shook hickory nuts out of the tall trees, and rived trap slicks for me to catch birds; made cute bows and arrows, and in the spring-time could peel off bark from saplings and plat me the most glorious popping whips in the world. He was the best wagoner of his time; could get more out of a team with less worry, and take a heavy load over the worst roads with less accident than any? body else. At log rollings and house raisings he was head man, and likewise at cradling oats and wheat. He was fabulous, in my eyes, for strength and ?skill. For ploughing, hoeing and cotton picking he was no great things?rather disdained them as fit only for women and common niggers. He was a great ax man( and could hew to the line. In 1830-81 he worked ou a section of the Hamburg and Charleston Railroad that ran near oar home?that primitive period before cross-ties and T rails came in, when sills were stretched along the road-bed nod fiat bars of iron nailed down on them. He chewed tobacco; and many of my choicest favors and propitiations were procured by a quid (literally quid pro quo.) I suppose he was the father of thirty or forty children, begotten in his own image, and that all his posterity? children, grandchildren and great grand ?children?would at this time amount to several hundred. Uncle Cy became a fair plantation carpenter and blacksmith ; could make a plough and stock it, hang doors and gates, and make a wagon that would run. On my father's death Cy became the property of my mother by his will, for he thoughtfully said she could not keep up the plantation without him. At the division of her estate he and his wife fell to me. By degrees he graded me up as years went on. It was first Holland; then Mas Holland; then Master, which title he used to the last, as- though he liked it. Here I may record a criticism on that romance of marvellous genius, "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Such a negro as "Uncle" Tom was never sold out of any family. Money could not buy that sort. It was a great treat to be permitted to "go to town" with Uncle Cy on the cot? ton wagon. ' There was one to whom he bore a tender loyalty, and for whom he had three names, Missus, Your Mudder and M!bs Betsy. To her be felt amenable for the lad's safety, and he well-knew how to afford him the utmost fun within safety limits. When the bright camp fire was kindled, and the team baltered and fed for the night, Uncle Cy would briDg out that frying-pan?his only culinary apparatus?and work up a savory meal. For butchering a beef or mutton there was none like him, and at hog-killing time he enriched me with pig tails and bladders. In ghosts and witches he was a firm believer, and could beat Vennor prognosticating the weather. I would put him against Carlisle or Barnard for telling the hour of the night if the Seven Stars, Job's Coffin, the Threo Runners, and other heavenly bodies were shining. For overseers he had a deep dislike. While obeying his own master in the letter and spirit of the Epistle to the Ephesians, he was insubordinate to del? egated authority; and here came in his most serious troubles. A Bad case I re? member to have occurred in Alabama about 1840. In a difficulty with the overseer Uncle Cy rebelled and ran away, taking with bim two other negro men. They were gone over a year, and no tidings of tbem could be got. Ab last they turned up in South Carolina. It seems they had made their way back to the old Barnwell neighborhood, (a dis? tance of over three hundred miles,) cross: ing the Chattahocchee, Flint, Oconee, Ocumulgce, and Savannah Rivers; and becoming weary of hiding out, thej Itfjfijuft&idly surrendered themselves. ] Mro^h^o/^ky^^^^^^^^^^ , FEBEUAKY 17, 181 ragged and chopfallcn plight of runaways being returned home. Thirty years later Uncle Oy met me at the depot to take mo out to my farm, "Butler Lodge." Of that runaway episode in his life be had ever been reticent, but as we rode along through the lonely forest I drew him out on it. "Now tell me; no danger; freedom's come; tell mo all about it?how yon dodged the patrols and crossed those rivers, and made the trip." And slipped a plug of tobacco into his hand. Never was a twenty mile journey better beguiled. He told me all?how they got up a stock of provisions to start on, and how they replenished it by the way; the narrow escapes, the Bhrewd disguises for passing through or around the towns and villages; lying low by day and travelling by night. Dickens never contrived a story with richer or more various inci? dent. Much comedy, but ever and anon touching on tragedy. Xenophon's famous retreat with the ten thousand Greeks did not excel this in strategy. Out of what was left when emancipa? tion came I gave him forty acres of land and (not a mule but) a yoke of steers, a cow and calf, some provisions, and his tools. He soon fixed up a suug home and a shop; and what with working at his craft, and a little farming, and Euch annual stipend as I could send him in money, he made out to finish his pil? grimage tolerably well. His connubial morals improved, and I believe in his salvation. His last letters to me (dicta? ted) were full of gratitude and hope. Uncle Cy owed much to his wife?an honest, truthful and virtuous woman. She was the best^nurse I ever saw, and ministered with unspeakable fidelity and tenderness to my parents, and brothers and sisters on their death beds. "Aunt Bess" was the first woman I ever heard pray in public. She was a leaven and a light. Some influence and honest pen? nies she gained by practicing that delicate profession which the Egyptians^ in Moses's time, turned over to their women.' Only once did she fail me. When the Federal armies were getting into Ala? bama we proposed to put our siher spoons and such things in her keeping. "Well, master, in, course I'll do it if you say bo, but I can't be 'sponsible. Dem Yankees is a coming, and I beam tell how dey carries wid 'em^omethiu' like a pinter worrn^ and when it's sot down dey tells it to pint wha any money or silver things is hid, and it pints jest as straight as a gun." Uncle Cy's family pride was a trait characteristic of the old regime. I have seen him tuke bis wife down by remind? ing her that he had been in the family longer than she. Once I had arranged with a neighbor, Squire Fowler, to get a swarm of bees. Uncle Cy was hollow? ing cut a gum, and with some hesitation said : "Master, don't you know some people can't git into bees? Our family is too industrious for bees. Old master tried to git iuto bees, and L 'member well how old master befo him tried, and dey never conld. It's only lazy, poor white folks has any. luck raising honey." And he made numerous citations in sup? port of his position. But his flattery was not to balk my experiment. I got iuto beed. At first, they weut in and came out of the little hole at the bottom of the gum briskly. After awhile, iew and fewer; then only a straggler or two. We knocked off the top and found a triangular shaped piece of comb, but no honey. So ended my first and last attempt at "getting into bees." Farewell, faithful, loving, dear old Uncle Cy. I'm sure he loved me and prayed for me. Indeed, they tell me that he has been it; the habit of praying for me, by name, in public meetings. My family have joined me every year in making up a box for Uncle Cy and Aunt Bess, filled with half worn clothes and various things, new and old, such as they liked or needed. Christmas is coming, but no box goes that way any more* Our children and the generations follow? ing, can never know the sentiment that sprung up between the two races under the system of domestic slavery. It bad its evil and it had its good. Both are gone forever. H. N. MoTyeibe. The Better Time. The man in rags, the drunkard and the man in good circumstances, all hope for a better lime. The wretch who be? lieves, after repeated trials, thai; he has not the strength of will to master his alcoholic appetite, will, as be tremblingly lifts the glass, say: "Well, here's hoping." Hoping for wbat? A better time, he says. Wbat good can a better time do him ? The world might; be full of happiness, wages might be ten times as high and the necessaries of life ten times as cheap, and still so long as he yields to his appetite, there is no hope for him. The ragged tramp hopes for a better time; not for a time when work shall be more plentiful, but a time when servants shall be a little more prompt in handing out something through the kiteben window, or mayhap, for a time when people, after giving him clothes, shall insist upon his taking dinner with them. The man who is comfortably situated, who has a fair business, hopes for a better time. What better time does he want? He provides well for his family, dresses well and goes to places of amusement when his business for the day is closed, yet he is waiting and hoping for a better time. That better time usually comes with an undertaker at one end of it. A little philosophy, the philosophy of resignation should be liberally mixed with hope. Hope is nearly always disappointed; philosophy never is. Hope is extravagant; philos? ophy is economical. Let the man in rags, the drunkard and the man in good circumstances think of these things, Well, hero's hoping.?Arkansaxo Traveler, ? The resignations of Secretary Man? ning and Treasurer Jordan have beer sent to the President. Manning is to be President and Jordan Vice-Presideni ol the Western National Bank of New York. It iB stated that Assistant Secre tary Fairchild will become the head o the department. ? The tailor and dressmaker are th< individuals who dwell most on the eterna of things. 37. PROTECTION OF OUR FISH ERMEN. The Toflltlon of Congress Compared With the Acts Which Led to the War of 1813. National Republican. Tbe bill of protection which has passed the Senate, and which will soon become a law by the concurrence of tha House, is entitled "An act to authorize the Presi? dent of the United States to protect and defend the rights of American fishering vessels, American fishermeD, American trading and other vessels in certain cases, and for other purposes." The act cannot be considered a measure of n taliation for any past outrages on the rights of our fishermen, nor be regarded as any impe? diment to the negotiations now pending between the United States ard Great Britain for satisfaction and an umicable settlement of this fishery question. The bill enacts: That whenever the President of the United Slates shall be satisfied that American fishing vessels or American fishermen, visiting or being in the waters or at any ports or places of the British dominions of North America, are or then lately have been denied or abridged in the enjoyment of any rights secured to tbem by treaty or law, or are tb<;a lately have been unjustly vexed or harassed in the enjoyments of such rights, or subjec? ted to unreasonable restrictions, regula? tions, or requirements in re spec: of such rightSj or otherwise unjustly vexed or harassed in said waters, porU, or places; or whenever the President of tha United States shall be satisfied that any such fishing vessels or fishermen, having a permit under the laws of the United States to touch and trade at any port or ports, placo or places, in the British dominions of North America, are or then lately have been denied the privilege of entertaining such port or ports, place or places, in the same manner and under the same regulations as may exist therein applicable to trading vessels of the most favored nation, or shall be unjustly vexed or harassed in respect there of, or other? wise unjustly vexed or harassed in said waters, ports, or places, or shall he pre? vented from purchasing such supplies ss may there be lawfully sold to trading vessels of the most favored nation, or whenever the President of the United States shall be satisfied that any other vessels of the United States, their mas. ters or crews, so arriving at or being in such British waters or .ports or places of the British dominions of North America are or then lately have been denied any. of the privileges therein accord ad to the vessels, their masters, or crews of the most favored nation, or unjustly vexed or harassed io respect of the same, or other? wise unjustly vexed or harassed in said waters, ports, or places, then, and in either or all of such cases, it shall be lawful, aud it shall be the duty of the President of the* United Stuten, in his discretion, by proclamation to that effect, to deny vessels, their masters and crews, of the British dominions of North Amer? ica, any entrance into the waters, ports, or places of or within the United States (with such exceptions in regard to vessels in distress, stress of weather, or needing supplies as to the President shs.ll seem proper), such vessels shall have come directly from said dominions tu such destined voyage or by way of some port; or plr.ee in such destined voyage else? where, and to deny entry into any port or place in the United States of frech fish or salt fish or any other product of said dominions, or other goods coming from said dominions to the United Slates, the President may, in his discretion, apply such proclamation to any part or to all of the foregoing named subjects, aud may revuke, qualify, limit, and renew such proclamation from time to time as he may deem necessary to the full and just execution of the purposes of this act. And then follows tbe penalty for its violation. It does not become retaliatory until a new overt act of outrage is committed . r.raiust our fishermen by tbe Canadian authorities, when the President isvau thorized to issue his proclamation closing the ports of the United SlfiLes against the vessels and imports of British dominions in North America. It is simply a pro? tection to our fishermen by signifying to Great Britain that further outrages will be redressed by prohibiting Canadian vessels and cargoes from entering our ports. The issuing of the proclamation would in no sense be a cants belli, although should the British government uphold tbe Canadian authorities in future unlawful acts it might lead to a. rupture between the two governments. During the war between France and England innumerable outrages and vexa? tions were committed on our coasting vessels by British ships of war, and such was then the licentious spirit of the Brit? ish naval commanders that they did not hesitate to fire into our coasters to bring them to, and in one instance killed one of the crew. The neutrality of our portf was grossly violated with impunity. In 1804 Capt. Bradley, of the British frigate Cambrian, entered the harbor of New York, seized a merchant vessels?jusl arrived?and carried off and impressed f number of the seamen and passengers setting at defiance the civil authorities. In 1806 the French ship Impcricux, o seventy-four guns, when aground on tb< shore of North Carolina, was fired on boarded, and burned by three Britisl ships of war, in violation of our sover eignty and neutrality. At the same tim< Norfolk was actually blockaded by ai English frigate, under the notorious Capt Douglas, who obstructed our citizens fron 1 ordinary communication with neighbor 1 ing places, and boas-ted of the L press ' meat of American seamen. These insults and outrages finall; i culminated in June, 1807, by the audaciou 1 attack of tbe British ship of War Leopan i on the American frigate Chesapeake . which was fired into without warnii killing several of her crew, besides forci ' bly seizing four of our sailors under pre i tense of being Englishmen. * This last and most flagrant aggression r added to the previous outrages and ii T suits to our sovereignty and flag by tL * insolent British naval commander f caused Mr. Jefferson, on the 2d of Jul; 1807, to is^ue bis proclamation interdii 3 ting all British armed ships from ot 1 ports, aud forbidding them the use an ^ privileges of our harbors aud water VOLUM] The proclamation made reference to the outrages and aggressions as the consid? eration requiring it. The President hav? ing interposed this precautionary inter diet, lost no time in instructing our min? ister at London to demand the satisfac? tion due for these aggressions and insults, while reminding the British government that in 3 SOG assurances were given this government that instructions were issued to British naval commanders to observe the greatest care in preserving the citi? zens of the United States from any molestations or injury, and that immedi? ate and prompt redress would be afforded all injuries sustained. In 1808 England sent to Washington a special ambassador, Mr. Bose, for the adjustment of difficulties and differences especially arising from tbe outrage com? mitted by the leopard on tbe Chesapeake On his arrival Mr. Rose informed Mr Madison, Secretary of State, that his instructions expressly precluded him from entering upon any negotiations so loog as the President's proclamation of interdiction (known as the non-intcr cour.-e act) remained in force. To this surprising request Mr. Madison replied that before the proclamation of the President could become a subject of con? sideration satisfaction should be made for the acknowledged rggression which preceded it, and which was in accordance with the usage of Great Britain in similar cases. A long correspondence ensued, in which the British ministers resorted to every species of subterfuge, evasion, equivocation, and delay that could be set up, while refusing, in fact, to abandon tbe right of search and impressment of our seamen, and which Congress fully set furth with all these outrages in April, 1812, as a cause for the declaration of war which followed. These factn are presented, and are essential, that we may see to day how we stand on a similar issue with the govern? ment of Great Britain. In the present case it is for the Canadians to commit some overt act which would authorize the President to issue his proclamation. In that event it would be far from being considered a cause of war by England and would most probably hasten amica? ble negotiations?without England up? holds Canada in continued future viola? tion of treaty obligations. It has been suggested that England is willing to back up*Canada, in order to engender had blood and strife between her pebple and the Americans, as it is known that there is a large party in Canada in favor of annexation to the United States, which might thus be checked. It has also been semi officially said that, while England would be glad to get rid of tbe protectorate of the do? minion, provided they would become and remain an independent government, it would not countenance annexation to tbe United States, because adding to our power and defense in case of war. 'It is but just to state that tbe position taken by Senatar Frye in behalf of the rights of our fishermen in his masterly speeches on this question have not only been instructive to this government of its duties, but has awakened a spirit of pa? triotism among the people that ranks him as one of the foremost statesmen of this country and caused the American Senate to give a unanimous vote in favor of this measure. liow to Keep the Carriage New. The preservation of a carriage depends largely upon the way iu which lit is housed. Tbe barn or shed should be airy and dry, with a moderate admis? sion of light, otherwise tbe colors of painting and lining will be affected. Do not let tbe vehicle be rolled near a brick wall, as the dampness of the wall will fade the colors and destroy tbe varnish. The coach-house should not be connected with the stable or next tbe manure pit, since the ammonia fumes rising from the manure will do more to crack and ruin varnish, and ruin colors of paint and lining, than all other causes put together. Do not allow mud to dry on a newly varnished carriage; spots and stains will be the result if you do. Do not permit water to dry itself on a varnished surface, but remove all moisture with a chamois leather only, after tbe soft sponge has been used. Do not let- tbe leather top carriages lie long unused with the tops down, but raise occasionally, taking off the strain on the leather and net-stay by slightly easing tbe joints. Keep the moths out of cushions and linings by frequent brushing. Examine tbe .axles often ; keep well oiled and see that the washers are in good order. In Search of a Still House. Recently a revenue officer, who lives less than a thousand miles from Hart well, was approached by a man who said: "Do you want to find a still house?" "Yes," was the officer's prompt reply. "Go with me to-night and I will show you one." The officer was delighted. That night the officer and man took a walk into the country, about five miles. Tbe nighl was dark; the weather bitter cold. "Do you see that house over there on the other side of the creek ?" "Yes." "That's a still house. It might be besl for me to make myself scarce." And the man did make himself ex ceedingly scarce. The revenue officer went to the house The door was open and the house wa vacant. Meeting the man the next day he said "There was no still in that house." "Of course not, who said there was ?' "Didn't you say it was a still house ?' "Yea, and so it is, very still?hasn' been occupied in two years." The revenue officer became quit angry, which is hardly to be w~nderei at,.?Bartwell, Ga., Sun. ? Reflect upou your present blessing* of which every man hai many, not oi your past misfortune, of which all me have some. ? It is said th.it a "mule cannot bra if a brick be tied t> his tail." Yes, bi what becomes of the man v. ho engineei the brick? E XXII.?NO. 32. Sam Jones's Boston Sayings. Flowers are GocVs thoughts in bloom. It is tbe business of every man to fight evil. God has not lost his power, bot the pulpit has lost its voice. More lies are told about money than anything else in the world. Can a man be a Christian if ho votes one way and prays auother ? When a man knows one thing well he is likely to find out other things. You need not wait to ask a man to make a profession, for you can tell him' by bis acts. I know in tbe depths of my soul there' is something in this world Letter than money. I know you denounce drunkenness, but how few pulpits poll out their dagger and stab it Truth will not only take care of itself, but it will take care of the man who preaches it. Whiskey is the worst enemy God or man ever had, and the best friend the devil ever had. Find me tbe preacher who is built up upon divine character, and I will show you a great character. Though nome men may beat me in liv? ing aright, no man shall beat me in repenting of my meanness. It is every preacher's duty to denounce the things of hell just as much as it is to preach the beauty of Christ, When a man just lives for what he can get and what clothes he can wear, he is not ten feet from tbe basement' It would be as impossible for me to attempt to exaggerate the glories of Heaven as to try to exaggerate the hor? rors of evi and sin. There ne ver was a time in the history, of the wor ld when the Gospel and reli? gion needed so much backbone and nerve as now. If you will do what Jesus Christ tells you, and you don't come out a whole man, then you have got an issue that will ? v bankrupt tbe Bible. Every si a that man commits is a direct stab at his conscience, and be stabs and stabs until conscience^breathes its last < and is dead forever. A young lady once said to me (her father was a preacher, too): "My father don't believe in revivaia." "Well," said I, ''there'** where your father and tbe devil are alike."?Baton Herald. Report oj the Railroad Commission. The eight annual report of the railroad"-^" commission of South Carolina has been published. It shows that the total mile? age of railroads in the State at present is 1,754.5). During tbe year ended November 18,1886. there had been con? structed 127.3 miles of new railway. Eight new lines have been projected of, which six are now in active course of construction. During tbe past four years 233 miles of new railroad have been opened, and in proportion to Its territory South Carolina is in the lead of all the other Southern States in the matter of railroad construction for tbe past year. They paid in capital stock of the twenty-' three railroads by which reports' are furnished to tbe commission amounts to $16,468,785; funded debt, $31,385,134.65; -4 .unfunded debt, $683,872.50; total stock and debt, 149,027,792.15. The earnings from transportation of passengers have been $2,262,811.59, and from freight, $4,027,793.18. The net income for the ?'. year ended June 30, 1886, was $2,047, 135.31, which is an increase over the net earnings of the previous year of $445, 12499. ' _ Happiness as It Is in Youth and Ma? JB tariff. Isn't it a little queer that as we grow ? 'A from youth to manhood- tbe objecto change which bring us pleasure? The amount of happiness realized varies bat little 1 There seems to be a certain amount of the article implanted in us; no more n) less. Tbe boy's sled gives place to the richly caparisoned sleigh, the toy house to the imposing residence, V the toy waxch to the real one, the toy - ^ boat to ar ocean yacht?but the first yield quite as much pleasure as the last {[ The Christmas gifts and pleasures of youth brought as much happiness as % houses and lands, honors and fame do 'M in after years. Our happiness is all re- ;4 lative, any way. We enjoy by compari- ^ son. The boy's sled is big enough to fill -3% his mind. The man's yacht is merely a ;J toy, which has its use for a time and V then cease s to amuse. Christmas ia fT*% reality to the young?a definite pleasure point. To the full grown boys and girls it is an attempt to arouse the old en? thusiasm, the belief in Santa Clause, the jjg enjoyment in gift giving and gift receiv? ing. It comes and (roes, and they try hard to persuade themselves that they ?| enjoyed it with an old time zest ? Cured by faith. Adbian, Mich., February 2.?Mrs. Walter S. Mead, aged 29 years, has suf? fered two years with an abscess in her . side and for the past few weeks has been confined to her bed. Sunday she was ?-. very low and up.to Monday night doubts '\ were entertained whether the wonvn would live. Yesterday the physician '"p found his patient dretsed, sitting up and ''k eating with fair relish. She said ?last' I night the Lord, in response to her prayers, had healed and restored her strength. She was cured, an examination of her aide* ^ showing apparently a healing wound with % suppuration. Bills Signed by tbe President Washington, February 4.?The Presi? dent, at 5 o'clock this afternoon, signed the inter State commerce bill, audit thus became a law. The President has also approved the act to fix a day for the meeting of electors for President and Vice-President, imi to provide for and regulate the counting, of the vote for President and Vico-Presi dent, and the decision of questions arising thereon. ? A man who is a'ways losing his temper never seems to have much trouble in finding fit again. ? A woman cau sharpen a pencil, but she requires leisure.