University of South Carolina Libraries
BY CLINKSCALE J. G. CLINKSCALE& Editor. The Townville school under the man . agement o? Mr. D. H. Bussel f, is grace? fully sustaining its reputation as a school of thorough work and much of it. Mr. Russell is assisted by' his accomplished daughter, Miss Lela, and seems to have the hearty support of the neighbors from both sides the county line. The house is very well-constructed for the occupancy of two teachers. Mr. Wilton R. Earle is giving entire satisfaction at Mountain Creek. His school is not large, but i3 well taught. '. Mr. Earle'iafond of his work-rand am? bitious to reach the top round of the ladder in point of excellency. He teach? es patiently, and thoroughly and avails himself of every help in his reach. Modest, unassuming, but determined, he has nothing to shut him Off from success. The papers announce the marriage of Miss Maggie Graham at Hartwell, Ga., on the 14th of February, to Mr. Edmund Gross, of Dover, Ga. We would extend to'Mrs. Gross, who was for some time one of the most successful of our teachers, ? -; our heartiest congratulations, and wish for her ? iong life of abundant happi? ness. We had ho more faithful teacher than Miss Maggie, and regretted" to see her leave the county. Oue of our teachers returning a book to the Library, writes: "I return the. book after having read it through care , fuily: twice j it is a -jewel,' Please nend me another?' Of course^weseriVit, and .. . confidently expect the young lady to get from it much fchdt will make her wiser and stronger. : Another says: "This book has been "wortlrmore to me than all the books I ever read. ? This contained the very in? formation and suggestions I needed, and I didn't know where to find them." 'Mr. C. M. Barrett is driving away at Mt. Tabor-making as hard a fight as he can with the arms he has at bis command. He; throws in shot and shell with the Webster gun, making impressions where '. " he can, and where he can not he does the best he-can. He promises to use the j .slate and board more freely. He has a | . very good.board. We hope he will make it rattle.every day. What a wonderful advantage a reading chart would be to a school like that at Mt. Tabor! What a itielp 1 What a blessing II We were particularly well pleased ' with' the school taught by Miss Lucy Dunwbody over among the hills on Sen? eca River. The house was not built for that.purpose, but fills the bill very nicely. It. is comfortable and convenient to an extent above the average. The examina? tion-of the children with the use. of the chart we had with us was very satisfac? tory. How easy it i3 to ascertain when we strike a teacher whose purpose is to teach, and not simply to hear lessons and kill time. 0, for more teachers whose hearts are in the work ! : Mr; L. M. Mahaffey teaches his first school at Tugalo.' Though many of his pupils are children with whom he has been fellow-student. he seems to have little or no trouble in commanding obe? dience. There is a marked- degree of earnestness in his efforts to develop his pupils. Appreciating the fact that his own education is yet incomplete, Mr. Mahaffey is making long and heavy strides in-the direction of finishing it. Iu other words, he is ambitious. Where a young man is ambitious to get to the top of his profession and is possessed of | a Bound mind in a sound body, nothing .short of insurmountable obstacles can thwart his efforts. Mr. Mahaffey goes every Friday night to recite a Latin les? son to Mr. Russell at Townviile. We admire the.young man's pluck and ener? gy and wish him abundant success. __ , 7 The little school near Andersonville, 'presided over by Miss S. J. McClain, is .as unique in appearance as it is excellent in quality. We found the teacher mov? ing along bravely with ber work. The school is quite Bmall, but handled with the discression and acuteness of a pains? taking woman.. The clever Fork corres? pondent of the Intelligencer tilts us a little for not remaining longer with that school. It wasn't necessary, my friend, to stay longer. We know Miss McClain as a teacher. We kuow her plans. She is a student. Would that all the teachers in our jurisdiction were like her in that respect! She attends onr Teachers' Institutes. Those children could not have gone through that calcu? lation so rapidly if tbey had not been well taught. They did the work we asked of them with credit to themselves and to their teacher. If all our teachers would subscribe to the Library Fund, we ' would have more schools like Miss McClain'u. Oar friend from the Fork is eminently correct when he says: "Our school is progressing finely under the management of Miss McClain." We most heartily endorse that statement and it didn't take us long to find it out. ' Occasionally our teachers find them? selves teaohiog in Abbeville County. Miss Minerva Drake, one of our best, is now at Mount Carrael. While we do not like to see even one of our best teach? ers go beyond our borders, it i3 gratifying to know that we have one or two of A.b beville's best in return. Miss Jennie Erwin now teaching at Grange Hall is an honor to her native county, Abbeville, and to her Alma Mater, the Due West Female College. If Abbeville has any more of that kind to spare, just send them in the direction cf Anderson County, we'll take them. It pleases us much when we find a teacher using the slate and blackboard freely. This Miss Erwin does. The effects are visible upon ?.entering the house. Her work is done with an unusual degree of accuracy. Where a teacher insists upon accuracy in every department of learning, systeni and order and substantial progress an; bound to be the outcome of it. Even our country schools, our schools that are ?augH in inferior houses, may be made to sparkle and shine with a peculiar at S & LANGSTON. traction when the teacher is all that is required of her by the philosophy of tbe age and the demands of her high voca? tion. Miss Erwin reads the books in the Library._ The school house at Double Springs, like the one atTugalo, is not comfortable. It is too 9mall; it is badly arranged. The teacher, Hr. W. J. Compton, has a full school and is master of his surround? ings. Some of the young men in bis school can attest the truth of that - asser? tion. Mr. Compton deals kindly but positively with his pupils, aud is very strong at the very point where many otherwise competent teachers fail. Without discipline no school can hope to succeed. Upon strict obedience to echool regulations, Mr. Compton insists most strenuously. Mr. Complon is a faithful reader of the books in the Teach? ers' Library and assures us that his heart is in full accord with the aims and pur? poses of the Association and the great work accomplisbed'by the Teachers' In? stitutes. Strangely enough, providential hinderances have prevented his attend? ing tbe Institutes, and the meetings of the Association. Mr. Compton realizes that the protracted illness and- death of his father and child, and the extreme sickness of his wife deprived him of con? siderable pleasure and unmeasured profit, but a man's first duty is to his loved-ones and then to himself. We found the children at Double Springs well drilled and attentive. Let the people in that neighborhood hold up Mr. Compton's bands and be will con? tinue to do good work. Trekton, S; C, Feb. 15, 1888. A great deal has been said concerning tbe thoroughness of teachers in tbe branches they pretend to teach, and their keeping abreast with the times. In ad? dition to this, there is one thing of very great importance, viz: Tbe higher edu? cation of teachers. Let the teachers be ocquaintcd not only with the branches tbey directly teach, but with the higher branches. A teacher should have such an education that he may lay aside the text book, which'is often dry and uninteresting, and talk to his class, telling them things . pertinent to, but not found in the text. A teacher of a history class, can better impress on the minds of the pupils, the importance of the voyage of Columbus> and the great soul of this genius, if he himself has read Prescott's Ferdinand and Isabella. He is a better teacher of geography if ho understands astronomy ; arithmetic, if he understands algebra; of algebra, if he understands calculus. A knowledge of analytic mechanics pre. pares one the better to teach the lowest class in arithmetic. The business of the teacher is to lead the pupil from the low? est up towards the highest branches. He can do this the most satisfactorily only when he himself-knows what is to follow in the course of a polished education. His knowing the educational line from ODe end to the other, enables him . to in? struct the pupil with reference to what will follow. If this be the case, the teacher should be a student. The teachers' life is pecu? liarly suited for this. We know that he has a great deal of work to do outside the school room, but after this is done, there is time remaining in wbioh he may study to complete some branch. It is an up-hill business to study without a teach er, but one can learu something. For two or thrtie months of the summer many teachers are at leisure. During this time many Institutions give special courses. Tbese are blessings to teachers. Tbey can go to one of these and pursue a course, spending the time pleasantly and profitably. But some will say our salary is tou i mall to allow us to do so. Make a sacrifice. One reason that teachers do not get better salaries, is, that they do not deserve them. A man of a broad ! education and refinement, demauds a better salery than one who has a' narrow education, yet who teaches the same classes. It is just. Let us have better teachers;"better teachers means teachers of higher education. Work on your specialty now, and go to some summer school this year. To one who has a shal? low purse, and little time but that he may work in, it is a boon not to be too highly estimated. Try it and be con? vinced. W. E. Breazeale. Stupendous Railroad Scheme. St. Paul, Minn , Feb. 19.?Certain capitalists and railway magnates in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Chicago have been looking very wise aud mysterious for the last year or two. Their stupcn dous scheme has at last been discovered. It is nothing more nor less th >n a railway from the twin cites, vis. Bismarck, Ilr'tiah Columbia and Alaska, Id Pckin, China, and Irkoutsk, iu the Eussian Empire. The Minneapolis and Pacific, and Aber? deen, Bismarck and North western, and the Canadian Pacific will form the "line to Victoria, B. C, thence the road will bi' built to Cape Prince of Wales, on Bebring Strait, a distance of ab'jut 1,100 miles. This body of water, separating t'ie American continent from Asia, is o:ily thirty-five miles wide, and midway j i* dotted with islands. The water is only twenty or twenty-five fathoms deep, and can ultimately be bridged. On the op? posite side in Asia is East Cape, whenoe a road will be constructed to Pekin, China, and Irkoutsk, Russia, and other points in the Chinese and Eussian em? pires. A road is already being construct? ed by the Pussian government to Irkoutsk and it is expected that this will be ex? tended to form a juncture with tbe line from East cape to Pekin, about 1,G00 1 miles from the straits. The distance be- [ tween Cape Prince of Wales and Pekin is but little over 1,600 miles, making the whole route from St. Paul and Minneap oiis to Pckin, 5,109 miles. The first trains are expected to run through in ten days' time; but, when the inevitable limited is put on, the passenger who leaves St. Paul on Monday will take his breakfr.st in Pekin on Saturday morning, and his supper on Sunday evening in Hong Hong. ? To be lied about teaches us not to believe tbe one-tenth of the bad things said against others. A THE IOUNG RULER. Rev. Robert Lctthdn, in Yorkv'dle Enquirer. 'The Bible is the most interesting as well as the most instructive book in the world. There is no interesting passage recorded in that wonderful book than the brief history of a certain rich young ruler. "Wbat the young ruler's name was we do not know ; neither do we know to which one of the twelve tribes of Israel be be? longed. With these exceptions we have a full and minute history of the man, and yet it is so short that it may be read from beginning to end in less than ten min? utes. It will be found in the gospel by Matthew, chapter 19:16?22; in the gospel by Mark, chapter 10 :17?22, and in the gospel by Luke, chapter IS: 15? 23. The time that the interview between our Saviour and this rich young man occurred, was but a few weeks before our Saviour was crucified. The place where it occurred is not definitely stated, but it was at some point east of the river Jor? dan, in the region of county called Perea. The probability is that it .was opposite the city or town of Jerico. Our Saviour, with his disciples, was on his way to Jerusalem to keep the Passover. The Jews residing on the east side of the Jordan were, at the same time, going up to Jerusalem for the purpose of keeping the Passover. It is highly probable that this rich young'man was also on bis way to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, or he may have lived iu the region of country through which our Saviour was passing. Be this as it may, while our Saviour and his disciples were actually walking along the road, the you*)g man came running to Jesus, and kneeling down to him asked what good thing he should do in order to inherit eternal life. So far as we are in? formed, this was the first time the rich young man and Jesus had met, but it is manifested that the young man had heard of Jesu3 before. There was something very remarkable, about this interview. This is evident from the manner in which it is related by each of the three evangel? ists. Each* one of Jthem introduced it with behold, a word never used except to call our attention to something wonder fid. , One marvelous thing in this interview is that it occurred at all. Evidently the youDg man belonged to a class in society which furnished few anxious inquirers after the way of life. He, wo are told, was rich and a ruler. We are not in? formed whether the office he held was civil or ecclesiastical. It is evident, however, that he occupied a prominent position in society. The wonder is that such a man condescended to ask advice of Jesus at all. The class of men to which he be'onged has been notorious for six thousand years for indifferenco concern? ing their eternal welfare. Not one of the twelve apostleB was a ruler, neither was any one of the seventy sent out by our Saviour to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Very few, if any of the early Christians, were rulers. No doubt there were some anxious inquirers among the rulers, but this one and Nico demus are all, so far as is now remember? ed, who came to Jesus anxiously inquir? ing the way of life. It is a remarkable thing thatNicodemus is never mentioned without it being stated that be came to Jesus by night. This rich young man, whatever was his name, came to Jesus in open day, and in a public place. This was a wonderful thing. Another thing which made this ruler's coming to Jesus for advice with regard to eternal life wonderful, was that he was young and rich. Rich young men have, since the fall of Adam, been noted, if not for their profligacy, for their marked neglect of religion. In (he pleasures of this preseut life, their minds are wholly engrossed and they have neither time nor inclination to think about eternal life, much less inquire about it. Viewed from a human standpoint, it was a marvelous thing that this rich young ruler, however anxious he was on the subject, came to Jesus to inquire what be must do to inherit eternal life. With the class of persons to which he belonged, Jesus was contemptuously call? ed the Nazarene. They did not hesitate to tell him to his face that he had a devil, and ca^t cut devils by Beelzebub, the prince, or the most infamous of devils. If any of the class to which this young man belonged, entertaiiud a favorable opinion of Jesus, such was the universal odium with which Jesus was regarded by the rulers of the JewB, that these indi? viduals dared not give public utterance to that opinion. Because of this fenti inent of disapprobation of Jesus which prevailed among the rulers of the Jews, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. He was afraid of the certain odium which he would bring upon himself if the other rulers would learn tbat he had been con? ferring with Jesus. It is a wonder that this young man did uotgo to some of the learned Jewish doctors, or to the chief priests, or to the great Jewish Council, aud stale his case. But he did not; he came to Jesus and in all the sincerity of his heart, inquired what he must do to iuherit eterual life. This must have been regarded by the other rulers as a most wonderful thing. A rich young ruler?a man of good position in society?a young j>an with bright prospects, goes iu open daylight, and on the public highway, crowded with persons of all classes and conditions in society, to ask Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. If he had gone to Gamaliel the act would have elevated him in the estimation of the rulers of the Jews, but to go to Jesus for advice was to put both bis character and life in jeopardy. This was a very won? derful thing. All these attending circumstances pre? clude the idea of hypocrisy on the part of this rich young ruler. He was in verily an anxious inquirer. In addition, he evidently had a favorable opinion of the Saviour. Both Mark and Luke relate that he addressed Jesu3 as "Good Mas? ter," that is, good teacher; and Mark further states that he kneeled to Jesus. This shows that although he was young, and rich, and a ruler, he still regarded Jesus as bis superior. The sincerity of the young man does not admit ofyt doubt. He was courteous in his mnnners, gentle? manly in his address, anxious in regard i to his spiritual state, being fully aware NDEKSON, S. C, T. that be was not perfect and conscious that he lacked something. He was, in one word, a sincere and anxious inquirer In answer to the inquiry of the young man, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said unto him,. cording to Matthew's account, "If thou \,juldst en? ter into life, keep the commandments." The young man promptly inquired, "What commandments?" Our Saviour replied, ' Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou sbalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother, and thou shalt love thy neighbor a3 thyself." And Mark explains what is meant by "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," by "thou sbalt not defraud." These com? mandments embrace all the second table of the moral law. The young man promptly replied that he had kept all these commandments from his youth, and anxiously and honestly inquired further, "What lack I yet?" This surely was a most remarkable young man. From his childhood he had been faithful in discharging all the duties required by the second table of the moral law. His character was without a stain. He had as boy and man lived uprightly before the world. He had contracted none of those bad habits which young men of wealth and social position so often contract. Neither roan nor woman could justly bring any charge against him. Hs was neither a drunk? ard nor a debauchee, ho was honest in all his dealing, courteous and gentleman? ly in his manners. He was, in one word, when viewed from a human standpoint, a high toned, dignified gentleman. Nature had done a great deal for him* There was something amiable about him. Even our Saviour, when he looked upon him, loved him. In his irnense anxiety, this young ruler asked the Saviour what he lacked besides keeping these commandments that he might enherit eternal life. This inquiry the Saviour answered thus: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come follow me." When the young man heard this his countenance changed and a lowering cloud of dismal gloom mantled his cheeks. His brow fell and deep sorrow filled his heart, "for," it is said, "he was very rich." This simple answer of our Sav? iour revealed the fact that with all his amiable iraita of character, and honest dealings with his fellow men, he was nothing but a sincere self righteous inquir? er. He had no just conception of what eternal life meant, or the channel thmugh whieh it is attainable. "What good thing," be asks, ''shall I do that I may have eternal life?'' or "what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" aa Mark and Luke state it. He, in the sincerity of his uuregenerated heart, thought there were two ways by which he could become possessed of eternal life. The one was by doing some "good thing," the, other by receiving it as an inheri? tance. No doubt he had inherited his great riche?. Before, however, he got full possession of these riches, he had to comply with some legal forms. He had heard, in all probability, that Jesus Christ was offering eternal life to men, and he was anxious, inteusely anxious, to learn the condition on which he might inherit enlernal life. Poor man, he had wealth, social position, good moral habits and something which had a striking res? emblance to true religion, but he lacked one thing, and that one thing was every? thing so far as eternal life to him was concerned. He lacked a new heart. He was anxious to know what good thing he should do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus gave him an opportunity to do good. What better thing could hs have done than give his possessions to the poor, and thus exchange earthly-riches for atreasure in heaven. The simple truth is, the rich young mau had nothing but the most vague and ill defined ideas of what ia meant by eternal life. He did not desire the eternal life that Jesus Christ was offering to the people. He wanted some? thing, but hr: did not want anything that required him to break his hold on the world and follow Jesus. It is evident that this rich young man, with all his many excellent traits of char? acter and moral uprightness, had no just knowledge of the extent and spirituality of God's law. In the sincerity of his heart he said that he had, from his youth loved his neighbor as himself; hut there was not a word of truth in what he said. He was, in reality, a bundle of selfish? ness. Because this young man was rich he went away sorrowful when Jesus advised him to sell his property and give to the poor and follow him. He went away, and so far as we are informed he never again came to Jesus. The practical feature of this interview of the rich young man and our Saviour is, that what was necessary on the part of the rich young man to enter into eter? nal life is required of all men. We are required to be willing to give up every? thing earthly, if God in his providence requires it, and take up our cross and follow Jesus. It is to be feared that were the whole body of professed Chris? tians of the present day subjected to the test that this rich young man was sub? jected to, the vast majority of us would go away sorrowful. Not in every case because we are rich, but because our hearts are set on the things of this world, j We are not ;nformed a3 to the amount of this young man's riches. Probably com? pared with many modern rich men he was only in comfortable circumstance;', but his heart was set on his riches. The poor man who has not a roof to shelter bis head may have his heart set nn riches. The startling announcemeuts of our Saviour is that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. "Ye sec your calling, brethren," sayia Paul to tho Corinthians, "how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble arc called," or, as the revised version suggests, "have a part therein." The visible Church is largely made up of the poor. The gospel is preached to the poor and the poor are made willing to hear it and accept it. We may safely say that of the vast mul? titude who will sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, but few rich men will joiu in that anthem. This is a fair infer EUESDAY MORNIN ence not only from what our Saviour said to bis disciples afier the rich young man had gone away sorrowful, but from the general teaching of the Scriptures. Some rich men, however, will be saved. This rich young man represents the mass of rich rulers, but ihe grand.eld patriarch Job, represents also a part of the rich. Job was rich, but he said, when reduced to poverty, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." A FORTUNE 13 FELIXES. An Islam] In Tl'cst Vlrglnln to he Stocked tvlth Cats of nil Breeds ami Colors. New York Herald. "How to Make a Fortune Out of Cats" is the title of a new book which is to be placed on the American markets in a short time. The author is au enterpris? ing New Yorker, who has made and lest several fortunes, and who has finally come to the conclusion that the easiest and safest way to amass filthy lucre is to breed cats on a stupendous scale. Ex? actly bow he e"propcse3 to heap up for himself treasures on earth was fully ex? plained by him to a Herald reporter yes? terday. "There is an island about thirty acres in extent on the New River, in West Virginia," ho began. "This island is partly in timber and partly cleared and can be purchased for $1,000. I propose to form a stock company for the purpose of buying this island and starting a cat farm on it. "If ycu will think a moment you will see that there are millions of dollars in cats. Say wc start with 100,000 cats, of which 25.000 are to be black, 2-5,000 white, 25,000 Maltese and 25,000 of the common domestic breed. In the course of a year the number of cats on the island will be increased to 500,000. ?'Wheu the animals are a certaia age they will be killed and their skins will be dried and sold in the market. At pres? ent a cat's skin is worth ten cents. We fully calculate on being able to kill 1,000 cats daily. "The iuteatines will be fold to dealers iu musical instrument string's, and the carcases will bo put into big vats, boiled and given as food te the live cats. The bones can, of course, be converted into glue and afterward into bone fertilizers. In one year we can kill 300,000 cats, whose skins will net ua 830,000. Their bones will be worth at least $20 a ton, and their intestines and carcases will also be worth a good deal of money. Re? member, too, that by using the dead cats as food for their live brethren we are spared the expense of cat food. "Just think, too, how beautiful a rug or carpet of white catskiu, with a border of maltose, would look, and how many charming combinations could be made of the various colors ! Why, ladic* would buy them by the thousand, and I am pos? itive that with aD outlay of not more thau $5,000 at least $50,000 could be made in a'single year. "I hope to perfect the cataphone at the same time. The cataphone, I may tell you, i3 a musical instrument which is fashioned by taking the tails of several live cats (said cats being of different age, sex and voices) and putting them through holes in a plank so that the tails are on one side of the plank and the cats on the other side. There is the instrument, and the way to get exquisite music out of it is to hire a big strong Irishman to walk up and down the plank. As euch cat possesses a different voice you can readily see that the most difficult operatic piece can be performed with consummate ease. "Now I have spoken freely to you on this subject, but I may tell you frankly that it is no use for you or any one else to try and get ahead of me, as I have already cntered,into negotiations for the purchase of the island in West Virginia and have instructed my lawyers to secure a patent for the cataphona. When you want a nice catskin carpet or rug, how? ever, send me word and I'll not forget \ you." With these words the nineteenth cen? tury Dick Whittinglon went hi- way. If cats bring him as good luck as they brought the original Dick he will have good reason to bless the stars. It muit be remembered, however, that the origi? nal Dick never indulged in a wholesale slaughter of grimalkius. 31r. Watson's Substantial Homemade Cofliu. MOWEAQUA, III., January 23.?Near Sullivan, Moultrie County, east of here, lives "Uncle Bill" Watson. He is a very eccentric man and is known to fame as the man who has made his own coffin. While travelling through that part of the country recently, an insurance agent called on the old man to get him to insure his property. Mr. Watson never did insure, and thought he was too old lo begin now. The insurance ageut then asked if he was the man who had made his own coffin, and was answered in the affirmative and invited into the house lo inspect it. The coffin was found in the old man'? bedroom loaded down with bedclothes. Calling his wife, the farmer asked her to take the things away, so that he might exhibit his handiworki which he did with much pride. The coffin is a plain one, of black wal? nut. Mr. Watson cut and sawed the lumber himself, and afier seasoning it for about eight year.-, concluded to make it into a coffin for himself. He did so over five years ago, and soaked it in oil and then treated it to a good coat of var? nish. At the head he put a cross piece which rases that end some five inches higher than the other. He says that "when he lies down he wants his head raised." The reason given for its manu? facture is the shoddy character of the shop made article. Mr. Watson is over 75 years of age, and a Mexican veteran. His pension claim was allowed some months ago. He was also a soldier in the late war. He has lived on his present farm for forty-five years. His wife is quite a young woman and seems to care as little for the presence of the coffin as does her husband.?Chicago Herald. ? The fire losses of 18S7 were in excess of those of any previous year in the history of the country, except those of the Chica? go and Boston conflagrations, G, MAECII 1, 1888. VALENTINE DAY. Bill Arp Talks About Uic Good Old Saint. Atlanta Constitution. How grateful is the first blush of com? ing spring I It has not come, but it is not far away and the robbina have brought us the news. We see them now every day and they cheer U3 with their presence. I would not shoot a robbin and am sorry that I ever did. I would not shoot any bird that administers to our pleasure. It is a sin to kill anything for sport?that is except snake?. What a beautiful innocent life the birds enjoy ?that is except hawks and buzzards? and yet the boys kill birds just to be kill? ing something. Very often they wound them and the poor thiags linger in pain and die in misery. Boys, it is an all wrong; don't do it. When you go hunt? ing hunt for game that is good for the table, such as squirrels, rabbits and par? tridges, but don't blaze away at every little bird you sec. Don't shoot Ibe rcb bins nor the doves. They are too gentle and loving to be killed. Tbcy love our homes and habitations. It is an old superstition that the birds choose their mates on Valentine day. Of course this is not true, for away up north it is still midwinter, and away South the spring is over. It is only a narrow belt of country that has the vernal equinox in March. Whether it is winter or summer does not depend upon the months, but where we arc located. The old world was first settled in our latitude north cf the equator, and so all the names and signs and traditions and superstitions have come down to us along the same parallels, but I hey don't Gt tome other countries at ail. It is hard for u.s to real? ize that away down below the equator December is hot and July i3 cold. St. Valentine never lived down there where the birds began to mate in September and the March winds do not blow nor the dogwood bloom in April, nor the children have their pinnies in May. The whole course of nature's seasons is reversed and we would hardly kuow ourselves were we suddenly transplanted there. I wa3 reading the other day in a Northern paper about the terrible blizzards in that region, where the thermometer was 50 degrees below zero, and in another col? umn was the foreign news that told about the awful heat in south Australia where the thermometer was 120 degrees above zero on the 15th of January. Thi3 was only a difference of 170 degrees, and the people in both countries were suffering about alike, though in one it was heat and the other cold. The good St. Valentine wa3 beheaded about 250 years after Christ. He was a man of great learning and piety and charity, and everybody loved him but the wicked Emperor Cladius, and so the people commemorated his virtues by making the day of his death a notable day. As he loved everybody and every? thing, they got tip that pretty superstition about the birds mating. Afterwards the boys and girls took it up find said it was good time of the year for them to mate, and so they started the custom of writing love letters and playing sweetheart for a little while. At first they drew lots for their mates, and a pretty, sweet girl had to play sweetheart to a knock-kneed, crosseyed, twist nose booby it she drew him. The young people love to receive pretty valentines that speak loving words in pretty verses, and there is no harm in thai kind. They are symbols of love's young dream, and are for lads and lassies only. These old bachelors and maidens who have fallen in love and fallen out a s.core of times, and have fooled and flirted with Cupid until he has fled from their hearts, have no right to send or receive a valentine. If they really waut to mate, let them make a business transaction of it, and write a business letter and say "yours truly." February has a curious history. In fact, it took several centuries for the year to get split up into months as they are now. Augustus Ca?sav had August put in the calendar to please his own vanity, and Julius Ca^ar had July put in to get even with Augustu.;; and so KicgNuma had February put in in honor of the fes? tival ofLupercus Febraus, one of their mythical gods. This festival was held annually on the 15th day of February, and some historians say that the observ? ance of the 14th day came from that fes? tival. May he it did. May bo it dident. The good saint lias the credit of it, and the best right to it, and so we will let him keep it. There is no use in under? mining; everything that has been pleas? ant to us in the past. They have blotted out William Tell and are after Shakes? peare, and the other day I saw an article headed "Santa Clans must go." Some men would assassinate. Joan of Arc and Ailadin and Sancho Panza and Cinde? rella and Jack and the Bean Stalk and Uncle Toby and Tom O'Shanter and Christmas and the Fourth of July. What is the good of drying up all the imagina? tion of our natures ? Here arc the veiy names ot the days of the week that came dov/n to us from the Scandinavian my? thology, and another mythology gave us the names of the planets and constella? tions. So let St. Valentine and St Patrick have their days, and St. Paul and St. Toter their churches, and St. James his hotels. Spring is coming, and as usual, from time immemorial, I have heeu working in the garden planting potatoes aud pea3 and onions and strawberry plants and ever and anon Mrs. Arp would walk out and smile on me and encourage me to keep on that line if it took me all sum? mer. My back hurts mo right now. I got down on my marrow bones and put out 300 strawberry plants with my o'vn hands and knees. No little boy to help me now, for he is atschool, and I have to wait on my old self all the time. Mr3. Arp advised me to day to stop digging awhile and cut up some stove wood for a recreation. I read a very sad account libout an old man cutting stove wood and a slick flew up and hit him in the eye and put it out. I told her about it. and she said she didn't reckon it would hap? pen again in a hundred years. It took me two days last week to grade the ter? race in the front yard, and then I had to dig 24 big holes for the new roses that Mr. Breckmsns sent !ier from Augusta and it look a wheelbarrow full of rich earth for every two holes, for she says there i: a right way and a wrong way to plant out roses. She says that cxercue is good for me for I am getting too round and work will reduce me and make me sleep sweeter and not quite so loud. So it is all right and I shan't complain. There's another dog come home? Ralph is working down at the mines and took a notion to send his fine dog home. That makes four dogs right here in a bunch and we can't bland it. One is old and blind and won't die. Another is Carl's and my wife she claims the shep hard as her pet, but she got mad with him the other day and said she wished he was away off on some farm. So, while she was out visiting, I gave the dog away, but it didn't stick. He came back home before she missed him, and it was lucky for me that he did. It reminded me of Dr. Fclton when he walked out on his piazza and saw a lot of cattle in his corn field. "Here, Madison?Madison, come here, Madison! Don't you see those fence breaking cattle down yonder raising the corn? Run, Madison; they will ruin me absolutely ! Get your gun and kill the last one of them ! I declare it is exasperating to h?ve nabors' cattle devouring yor.r substance iu such way. Run, Madison?con?plague the cattle!" The doctor wont in and sat down in vexation, and was uning language upen his nabors when suddenly went the gun, bar.g, ban?, bang. He bounced from his chair and hurried to the door aud screamed: "Madison, you Madison; Madison"?bang, bang, bang?"you Madison; I do wonder if that fool nipprer is shooting those cattle. If he is I wotf't have anything to do with it?not a thing." It won't do to take folks at their word every time. Ralph's dog is a poicfer?an educated pointer, and will bring your hat to you. That's what he writes. Well, I don't want my hat brought to me; I can go after it, and now, it will take as much to feed these four dogs as to keep a cow; and before long their taxes will be to pay again. Wheu I was up at Anderson the dog tax was on hand and the marshal cculd hardly find anybody who ovned a dog. "Haven't you got a dog ?" "No, nary dog, nothing but a little pup about so high," and he put his baud nearly to the ground. He stopped at another house and inquired: "Got any dogs?'' "No; no dogs about these premises." "Why, what is that animal slipping under the house?" "Oh, that?that little fice; why, that ain't mine?that's Susy's little fice?he's no dog?and he don't belong to us, no how.". Nabor Freeman and I were sbout to be ruined by some long nosed, rasorback hogs, and my dogs were afraid of them?but one day I heard an awful squealing iu the strip of woods back of my house, and I thought I heard a man say. "bite him, Tramp! seizs him, Tramp!" So I hurried down Ihere and found a big, brindle, strange dog just tearing a big hog all to pieces, but I coulden't find anybody sicking him on, and I diden't feel like sicking him off. The next day the owner came fooling around with a gun, and said he saw a big, brindle, dog run under nabor Free* man's bouse, and he was gwine to kill him and sue for damages besides. Nabor Freeman straightened up with indigna? tion, and said "he is not my dog, sir. I? don't know anything about him. If ho is at my house he don't belong there, he just tuck up there. My opinion is that fcbr.t dog is a tramp. I can't keep these stray dogs from eating hog meat when they are hungry." Well those hogs never troubled us any more, and my respect for stray dogs has greatly increased.' Bill Aitr. The New Piedmont Mill, The contract for the building of the new cotton mill at Piedmont has been given to V/. T. Davis aud J. W.Cagle, of this city. Messrs. Cagle and Davis take the eutirc contract, including the con? struction of all the mill buildings from top to bottom and Ihe furnishing of all materials. They undertake to turn over to the Piedmout company the entire mill, completed according to contract, by the hit of next October. In order to do this, they will begin to-day the work of clear? ing off the ground for the foundation for the new buildings. Mr. Davi? is a well known mill contrac? tor, having built both the Piedmout mills, Nus. 1 and 2, which are conclusive evi? dences of his abilities in that line. Both Mr. Davis and Capt. Cagle will be on the grounds at Piedmont and actively super? vise the work. They will employ about 100 hands regularly. The brick will be made at Piedmont, and the rock used will he quarried near by. The contractors r.::e lo lurnish all material. The main mill building, as stated be? fore, will be ou the Anderson county aide of the river, facing northwest at an angle with the stream. It will be of brick, four stories high, 100 by 220 feet. There will also be a picker-room, two stories, 40 by 150 feet; a dust room, one story, 25 by 40 ; an engine-room, 40 by 50, and a boiler house, 40 by GO. At the front end of the main building, next to the river, will be a tower, seventy feet high, with ornamental finishings. The wholo will bei built of good materials and with the best workmanship. C. R. Makepeace, of Providence, R. I., a mill engineer of note, is the architect of the new structure, which will be erec? ted under his supervision. The tenement houses for the new fac? tory will be built by the company. They will put up about fifty operative:-, cottages and two or three better class houses for the mill superintendents. Col. Hammett, having carefully com? pleted the arrangements for the construc? tion of his new factor}', will leave in a few weeks for the north to place orders for machinery. The completion of the in? numerable details incident to so extensive an undertaking have busied the colonel for several weeks, but he has the satisfac? tion of having placed every department of the work in competent hands that will ini>ure its successful carrying nut. The Piedmont mill No. 3 will soon be a reali? ty in brick and stone.?Greenville JS'cics. ? He is happy who takes the weather as it comes cheerfully. WAS IT A HAN'S SOUL ? A 3!j-atcrioU8 Incident by tho Deathbed of p. Cliattanonga Man. GiiATTAXOOGA, Feb. 23.?The killing of Lewis Owens by James M. Barnes on January 10 last will be recalled. But there is one peculiar feature of the case, or rather a feature that grew out of the case, that has just come to the surface, and that is as yet known to but few Chat tanoogans. A few months ago young Barnes came here from Georgia and formed a partner? ship with M. J. Nix to engage in the boot and shoe trade. After a few weeks Barnes sold out to Lewis Owens, or-.e of the wealthiest and best known men in Tennessee. It appears that Barnes and Owens quarreled over the settlement, and, after being struck in the face, Barnes drew his revolver and shot Owens three times, the third shot being fatal, though not instantly. The wounded man was carried to his house, where everything possible was done, but nothing could save him. However, ho fought desper? ately to beat back the rider of the pale bora?, and so gallantly did he struggle that he lived several days. Saturday, January 14, came, and Barnes was for the secrnd time taken before the Magis? trate, and after a stubbornly fought trial be was -released on bail, the Magistrate holding that inasmuch as the victim of his shooting was stiil alive, murder was not yet committed. The next day Owens grew worse, and toward evening sank into a stupor. Those who had been watching by the bedside knew the end was not far off. Among thcs3 who remained through the night was ex Mayor Sharp. A little after 4 o'clock Monday moruing, Mr. Sharp left the room in which the wound? ed man was lying for a moment, and a circumstance that soon occurred is the feature referred to in the beginning of this story. Mr. Sharp does not like to talk ol the matter, but he consented to tell it to your correspondent, and bis own words are U3ed. "I was standing/' he said, "with my elbow resting upon the mantelpiece, looking down into the fire. The ccals were nearly consumed, and the ."pparc-nt efforts of the ember.s to burst again into f]ame3 again reminded me of the heroic efforts of my friend to get a fresh and stronger hold upon the soul that was surely, though slowly, slipping away from him. And I was running over in my mind the vicissitudes of life?how fleet of foot misfortunes are; how sorrow comes across onr path at the meridian hour of the brightest day, leaving a shadow by us?when the lines of Horace came to me: 'Pale death with equal tread knocks at the cottage of the poor and the palace of the rich.' The thought was still lingering in my mind when I was aroused by a tap on my shoulder. Sup? posing some one had entered while I was absorbed in thought, I turned to answer, but no one was there, and the door was still closed. I was startled, and immedi? ately returned to the wounded man's side, where I found the watchers aa pale as the watched, and trembling like aspen leaves. They asked me if I had been making any noise) and on assuring them to the contrary they locked at each other in amazement. They said that just he fore I entered the room a sound as of the moaning of the wind seemed to pervade the room, and peculiarly appalling sounds ?not loud, but ominous?were distinctly heard; and that for-an instant the lamp, which had been turned low, almost went out, and the little light left seemed to shine as though through a fog. What it was I know not, but it couldn't have been fancy on the part of us all. There were two other watchers besides myself. Be? sides, I was in a separate room, with the door closed, and I had said nothing to them of the tapping on my shoulder. If I were a Spiritualist I would believe that the soul of Lewis Owen, just starting on its journey home, stopped to say good bye to me, for when we went to look at our charge he was still in death." Mr. Sharp is one of the best known citizens of Chattanooga, a member of the bar, cx Mayor of the city, intelligent and fearless. He is so well known and his word is so trustworthy that those who have heard the story cannot but believe that something supernatural attended the flight of Lewis Owens's spirit from its prison home of clay. What the Deacon Was Good For. A. E. Dickinson, editor of the Reli? gious Herald, of Richmond; Ya., was telling the Philadelphia Baptist Associa? tion the other day how necessary it was to enlist the active services of every member of a congregation, when some one pertinently asked: "what are you going to do with a man that can't do anything?" "That's a mistake," returned the rev? erend journalist. "Every man is of some use. If he can't do one thing he can do another. The point is to find out just what be is fit for, and having found out, put him at it. This recalls an actual experience I once had in a backwoods congregation in Virginia. It was my first visit among the people, and I was anxious to make it successful. It should be remembered that church in the back? woods means a gathering of all the peo? ple and a good many dogs. After the opening hymn I calied on old Deacon Blank to lead us in prayer. " "Taint no use askin' me,' he said ; 'I can't do it.' " 'Suppose you start the next hymn then.' " 'Can't sing, cither.' " 'How about taking up the collection ? I guess you can manage that!' " 'No, I'm a bad hand at getting around. Better get some one else.' "Noticing that the old fellow carried a stout walking-stick, an idea was sug? gested. "'Well, brother, do you think you're able to keep out the dogs?' " 'You bet I air,' he confidently replied. Then, taking a seat at the door, he battled with the brutes throughout the meeting, and. after it was over, more than one of the congregation were fol? lowed homo by yelping curs with broken limbs. Every man ha;; his sphere of useful usej.?Philadelphia Bulletin.' THE MONEY IS COTTON. Forty Rales Ma do with ooo Mulo az? Si,4 SO Cleared r.s Profit. The young men at home and in tbo neighborhood were inclined to bo slow r.bout planting a new crop. They did not show the energy I wished to see. So lo stir" them up, I boasted I could take one large mule and one hand to plough him, and make fifty bales of cotton and ?1,500 clear profit. This had the desired effect. I talked it until I convinced my? self I could do it. So I went to work to accomplish it. I had to swap work so as to run a three horse Cassida plough to break thirteen acres of land that had been in corn, and worked by a negro for several years. It was very badly over? run with Bermuda grass, and very poor indeed. When the land was ready for planting, the big mule and negro had nine days due them, but i did net require it paid back. There was no other plough in it but the one used by the big negro and run by the big mule. My neighbois say it was good or as well cultivated as any fifty acres in the neighborhood. Bat \ I did not make the fifty bales; I made* forty-four, liest my stand on the part that had been infested by Bermuda grass, and had to poison twice for worms, which injured it some. But if possible, I mean | to make the fifty bales on fifty acres with one mule and one negro in 138S, and er- J pect to fertilize the land from the seed- j or meal of fifty bales. I will nor; tell how I prepared and cul? tivated the land, although I would not j advise any one to try it on as largo a scale as myself, as it requires practice to do the work well. This is my third year on the water furrow or alley system. I: begun with ten acres, the nest year in? creased to twelve acres, and this year; (18S7) increased it to tho fifty acres, with; the slated result. I will not be content? ed till I make fifty bales and two thou? sand dollars clear profit with one mulo and hand. It can be done, and if life is. spared me I mean to do it. The land was thrown into beds of three and one half foot rows, just as though I was going to plant on tho bed; but I did not' do so. I put my fertilizer?three hun-J dred pounds of cotton seed meal and one! hundred and twenty-five pounds of acid] phosphate mixed, as I have before de? scribed?in the water furrow or between the beds; then threw two furrows on with a double bull tongue; boarded it off; put the planter on it in the usual way, but down in the water furrow. As soou as the seed began to sprout I har? rowed with the little Iron Age?harrowej tho middle and all?and eo killed the crab grass in its infancy. Afterwar there never appeared much grass in tbe| cotton. I called this one ploughing, then bull-tongued it, and called that twe ploughings. Next ran around it with at eighteen inch sweep?one of Poppen heim's; that was three ploughings. next used the Planet, Jr., cultivator, ont furrow to the row. This was foui ploughings. Next laid it by, one furrot with the sweep. The ploughman anc mule began work by daylight and workec till sunset each working day. The ploughman cost me frlOOj _Tw<j hoeing3 cost $100; the picking cost 5? cents per hundred or 66 per bale, or $30^ for ginning' and picking. The seed cor verted into meal and mixed with acid phosphate makes the land self-supporfj ing. The mule made twelve thousand pounds of peaviue hay and peas, wkicl will support him. He did this in fivl days that were too wet to plough in thj cotton. His oat3 are growing. I expec to get 10 cents per pound for my cottonj more if I can. It will net me befor February ?1,480; this is making cottoj at less than 3 cents per pound. This not a large crop of cotton. It was thfl money I wanted as well as to stir up tbjg farmers and show it ? could be donj Now if m/ plan of selling cotton adopted, I will make $2,000 on the saaj| fifty acres next year. My experience that making cotton is the best and easie| farming in thejworld. Go at it with vim, and stick to it, stay in the field ar see that the work ia done well. Sper less money f r fertilizers, and see you put the right kind and the rig quantity in the right place. Make farm self-supporting and you are sure 'j succeed. Plant nothing in cotton but high, dj and natural draining land; bottoms tl require ditching are uncertain lant they look as if they would make a crc but generally fail in the end. There bottom lands that make cotton, but tl have a natural under-drainage^ JSt planting cotton as soon as you get off natural drained lands. One acre of cotton will take the profit from two gc acres. Every farmer should know land perfectly, and know what to put it, whether it be corn, cotton or or Whatever suits it give to it.?Capt. J. j Peterhin in his booh, "Talks with Col Farmers." Strange Occurrence on the Kail. The passenger train from Atlanta an ed in Charlotte Sunday morning withj ordinary lantern tied to the pilot of engine. The absence of the headlii caused remark by those assembled at depot, and when engineer Fogus's machine came to a stop in the yard,' depot men naturally enquired what the trouble. "Nothing", replied engineer, from the window of his "except that a dove had a collision-1 us and wrecked cur headlight." It learned that as the train was bowl a'ong down grade, near Toccoa, the gineer was startled by a crash which followed at once by a flare of light front of the engine. He applied brakes, reversed his lever and si brought the train to a stop. He hastel forward and found the oil in his headl? blazing up. The glass had been shat ed, and the cause was explained just inside the case of the headlight found a dove. The bird was dead, bone in its body having been Its breast was pierced by a shiver of j two inches long. Tho glass the headlight was threequarters of inch thick, but was entirely wreckec the collision with the dove. Eail men say that this is the first instam the kind they have ever known.?( loik Chronicle, Feb. 21.