The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, May 02, 1888, Image 1

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VOL III. MANNING, CLARENDON COUNTY, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 18 THE FARMERS' MANIFESTO. CAPTAIN TILLXAN AND HIS COL LEAGUES SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE. Suggestions of Reforms in the Adminis tration of the State Government-An Appeal to the Farmers. To the People of South Carolina: The Executive Committee of the Farm ers' Association, feeling that it is incum bent upon them, as the representatives of the organized farmers of the State, to outline a policy of retrenchment and re form in consonance with the aims and purposes of the farmers' movement, and to explain the grounds upon which we aball ask the support and aid of our Democratic fellow-citizens in the coming election, would call the earnest attention of all persons in sympathy with our aspi rations for agricultural education and a more economical and efficient govern : ment to the facts and reasons herein set :forth. We claim only our just share of edu 'itianal advantages for the agricultural and Adustrial classes, and that the same ,shall be placed within the reach of the .average farmer's son, and not, as is now the case, we be compelled to support only such institutions as are inaccessible to most farmers, and which do not furnish the cheap andpractical education needed. We make no war upon the South Carolina University as a place for obtaining a scientific and classical edu cation, and reiterate our desire to see the South Carolina College liberally sup ported, and to become a real university worthy of our State. But we assert with - out fear of successful contradiction that farmers cannot be educated in a city and remain farmers; and that in all efforts to mix practical and literary training, the first has been overshadowed; the agricul tural students have been few, and the :atempt-an utter failure. The demand for better facilities for -cheap and practical education for farm ers has been heretofore refused on the ,plea of expense, and the opposition has not hesitated to scare the taxpayers with exaggerated estimates of the p- e cost of a separate agricultural .college. With consummatecunning and ;unblushinginconsistencytheyhavetaken d of the agitation for a separate 'gricultural college to build up that won derful ten students "annex," and, while crying out against duplication of plant and teaching force, have actually increas ed the tax beyond what the farmers' asso naition thought of asking for. Not satisfied with robbing the "industrial classes" of the benefits of the "land scrip" fund, .they have stretched forth theirgreedyhandsand grabbed the Hatch :fund also; and a State which two years ago was too poor to- support any experi mental station at all, nowsupportsthree, with their duplicated attaches, thus frit tering and wasting the funds appropri ated for scientific investigation. In 1885 the University, including Claflin and the Citadel, had an income of about $50,000, and the Trustees claimed that, as then constituted, it afforded all the practical training for far-ners needed by the State. Its income is now approximately $97,000 per annum, but as an agricultural school Sitis a bigger and more costly deception. NE. cL mSO'S 3EQUsr. But while our efforts to obtain a re ' n of our rights and needs have -failedto secure a college for - edncating farmers, fortune has unex petdysmiled on us. The munificent leuest of Mr. Clemson, whose affection fouhs adopted State andws insigh in the way of providing a suitable site and farm for the college, gives us the .coveted opportunity. By this bequest ~not only do the farmers come in posses sion of property valued at well nigh .4100,000, but also of an estate eminently ~suited for the purposes for which it is given, and hallowed by the sacred-mem .ories of Carolina's greatest statesman. We .have the authority of General 8iephxen D. Lee for saying that $100,000 is ample for building and equipping a school like the Mississppi College. Without counting anything donated by *Mr. Clemson except the Calhoun ihome stead, we propose to show the needed money can be obtained without increas ing the taxes one single dollar; and while many have believed that the building of a separate agricultural college was and is the only vital issue represented by the farmers' movement, we shall call atten tion to other reforms which we deem of equal or greater importance. The pur casing power of money is much greater than it was ten years ago. The tax-pay ing power has not increased at all, while the price of our main money crop-cot ton-baa hovered very near the cost of production. The reduction of expendi tures, when possible, must then appeal *to the common sense as well as the -pockets of our people, and no good rea son can be given why salaries in our State should remain fixed higher than in North Carolina and Georgiaboth larger and wealthier States. We invite the careful attention of taxpayers to the fol lowing figures, taken from the Comp trollers' reports of the three States: soEra ca3orml~, 1887. -Executive Depatent.......... 5,200 Comptroller Geeral Department 3,500 Educational Bureau........... 3,100 Judiciary Department (counting only 8 out of 12 Judges).... 37,000 Boardof Health............... 2,000 State Department............. 4,00 M ilitia........ ........ ...... ,0C Treasury Department......... ,00 Adjutant and Inspector General.. 1,300 State House Keeper.........- 75 Total....... ....... ...... 70,300 soUTH CAROLINA, 1886. Executive Department.......... 9,500 Comptroller General Department 5,80( Educational Bureau.........-- 50 Judiciary Department (counting only 8outcof 12 Judges).... 56,750 Boardof Health............... 9,100 State Department........... - 4,100 Militia .............13,000 Treasury Departmn ent....... .. 7,100 Adjutant and Inspector General.. 4,400 State House Keeper........... 1,55 Total.... - - .......115,90C n-, ardaoinn..meowork. sem6 Then here is another table of instruc tive figures: be s 0.. .. .. . -- - . -200 0,0 [n 188 ... ... ... ... ..' 100 ,00 y I .L.. . I i7 - w IIOOL~O SouthS Crln on t e c nrrQa v 0 00 -.-e' 431 Do0 a oy c m ta e h fe : of 00 OD menap men won wuldiefiiet b e r s .CZ $23=,000,00 Iant Jud7 hi G or' Slcrs plcewe In 18 87.. . .... 341,00),000 Gain in wealth in nine ye a rs.......... 106,000,000 South Carolina on the contrary has gained nothing, but losth But judging bythe way money is paid in salaries, eta, we are by long odds the richest and most prosperous of the three States. Does anybody claim that we have more efficient or abler officials thae Georgia and North Carolina? It is urged that a reduction of pay would bring in a set of "cheap" men who would inefficient. But, judging by the scramble over a vacant Judgship or Solicitor's place, we think our taxpayers can safely rely on getting just as good as they now do for the same money paid by North Carolina or Georgia. Without going into figures, we take itc for granted that our Lunatic Asylum andt Penitentiary are managed in just as ex travagant a manner as the other .depart ments-the one proving a great burden 1 to the taxpayers and the other- yielding no income, though it might be made to pay at least $40,000 a year to defray the expenses of the government. We have shown that $45,000 can be saved if the same basis of expenditure as in North Carolina be adopted: f HOW TO MAM1~Af THE COLLEGE. The privilege tax on fertilizers amouft i to over $30,000 yearly. The work done by it can and ought to be done by the agricultural coege. Here, then, is $75,000 to build and equip the college, without either touching Mr. Clemson's money or resorting to new taxation. if, then, we leave the Urn versity the $34,500 now appropriated, and= the tuition fees, and relieve it of the ex of attempting to educate farmers and mechanics in an uncongenial atmos phere, it can accomplish its needed work in amore efficient manner and be the' eta l. ...... . .. t.ee n..es of contentin;u we ate tkeepu aln ex Cllege agribultral wcol havth foll ingth inoe witout laolina, toth tax-i paers ateallrms and eomespera-nta stations: aaintoaymre HatcrFu..e .hae.too .uch.1n5,oo0 hasiyilegixslan.andwe.blievitwuld Legtisume biannieeply ne-o acnullt arcutal rschool ad Fto chille, othyat of Soth Caoion.aThaothy ofr Clouvdn, and thu oeayers wrthy otehetnher refomsad rcnos egieou-1 vly emased boenor wegoo lt th burepnt ot taxat tou aony marked erme.t are bhe toofmicn and et-o atyvagsatonl and wec beive ipen wol be eonoy and isRdomcal avse u aregislaepeed binially insteomany of improvemens t presnt, tan to change thedae Consituesion. he the ure dsenas tato are peoti eabopre is tooeientan thoe taxpyers watho earhnest ing the irtnc a greceus iyose a onstitutionoaloeton lo sece pointed eottnoyri county gov-rs etnenoltion oth usesfficet and eto thw ntonge safegalds.n the ared handicppd sad Eprut off frow.n imovcments alon thatou line bymusr istence thesafeles eo his jeopardiegy atke oan hore ofnvtelen adtching ndrayting forslitil infair Anks e eareld warg themortne ttta a ncse sof ed conitinand conveic-seter secure neede againo in cuntyefarsoi nte aotalti oulssoffices, andtho how setrmnon safeus aondothe m cialyo hee suemao eforein the mases, but disr alsproutcie sandegardo. o accomish all this oluarnteope mof ouse tiheselves behalf then, ofethe anfarmes, whore inelligent, and actine ofntebest melafis. And hregin abouldw the teomse to insit aone of greedsy ltiasean wofeseekersio shais nt aganro ashe Sate yernmenti nateng State net tofhad, wifoethey aenoingatedvas, sor wevan ano ejruson the petient, numbens and other im portantiigstes.astbany rifcussions upot onlythe best feetas ofedcn ther nmiasebtil the clisend saegur of oher lberisr adrn the nysuaraee mof ourroits. In csibef, the on-h farmuenrs whowrpesent and aequstione are nom~intateow can know just show wherein we are wrong if they disagree with us, or give us the advantage of their approval, if they approve. See to it then, fellow-citizens, those of you who ! sympathize with our objects and aims, that no tricks be played upon us in the May convention. Farmers are too busy to give much thought to their public 1 luties. But they can and should at least 1 emand, and thus will obtain, the right ko select their officials knowingly, and nake no more leaps in the dark. THE LEGISLATURE MUST ACT. But, in the end the whole matter, both >f establishing the agricultural college nd of making the much needed reforms ind economies in the State government, pests with the coming Legislature. Our xperience with the one just adjourned caches us to beware of demagogues and a enee straddlers and weit-kneed indi riduals without firmness of character or l my convictions of their own. We would t therefore advise and urge the absolute t mportanoe of selecting candidates of t irmness and capacity, and of requiring hem to define and explain their posi ions. If a candidate is too good or too l infixed to pledge himself to any line of i >olicy demanded by the people, he can md should be left at home; and when a t :andidate, after having pledged hixa.elf mud been elected, breaks that pledge, as lid a goodly number in the last Legisla ;nre, he is no longer worthy the con idence and respect of any intelligent toter. Appealing, then, to the good sense and t >atriotism not of farmers alone, but of f ill classes of our people, to aid us in our i: fforts to secure equal justice and equal mdvantages to all, and to purify and c evate our politics, and to bring about e imore economical and efficient- govern- s nent in State and county. f We are, respectfully, t (Signed) D. K. lomuts, B. R. Tmarm, H. R. THoMAs, W. Q. M. BERLEY, E. P. MoonE, Jolt MoRnoE, J. B. Monmsox, Executive Committee Farmers' Asso ition. Columbia, April 21, 1888. THE CLEMSON BEQUEST. L Correction of Alleged Exaggerations About the Money Left to the Agricultur al College. To the Editor of the News and Courier: I see so many false statements, miscon- I eptions and ridiculous exaggerations in t he public papers about the will of my ather-in-law, the late Mr. Thomas G. 3emson, as to the amount of property )elonging to his estate, the terms of his vil, and the amount that would acrue o the State of South Carolina for the >rpose of founding an agricultural col ege, should Mr. Clemson's will be valid .d the bequest accepted by the State, h hat I am impelled to make a plain and' lear statement of the whole matter, so I ar as my knowledge extends. a In justice to myself, to my father-in- f aw, Mr. Clemson, and as both father a ad guardian of my daughter, who is : he granddaughter and only surviving escendant and natural heir of Mr. and E Irs. Clemson, and the great grand- u laughter of the late Hon. John C. Cal oun, I am induced to take this course, Y or the reason that frequent inquiries are nade of me by numerous friends of my laughter and her ancestors in South arolina, by some of the relatives of dr. Clemson, who live out of this State, ad by friends and acquaintances of my t >wn. Most of the information, which I herer ideavor to give as correctly as I can, w'as derived from Mr. RI. W. Simpson, ho has had charge of Mr. Clemson'sj: iaira as his attorney and legal adviser i: or several years past, and who is ap-s ointed by his will his executor anda rustee, and of whom he speaks in the a ril in the highest terms as his "trusted!a 'riend and adviser." If the will is not 1 ~ontested by me, as the guardian of my aughter, there would be left for the urpose of founding an agricultural col-1 ege in the State of South Carolina robably as follows: 1 The Fort Hill estate, 825 acres or~ hereabouts, the farming value of iti bout $10,000. Mr. Simpson informed me that the t ersonal property, consisting of stocks,. onds and mortgages and other securi iesin his hands, was about $27,000. From this sum take the legacies, pay- 1 ible in cash, $18,000, and it leavesC 9,000. Mr. Simpson, the executor and e rustee under the will, is allowed 5 per! ent. on the whole amount of the estate ay the will, and also, Iamn told, 5 per1 ent. by law, making in all 10 per cent. yommissions on the whole property. j 'his would amount to say $4,000. D~e uct that irom .the cash assets left of 9,000 and it leaves $5,000. Then deduct lawyers' bills, expenses of keeping up he house and many other necessary ex penses, and I think most people dli~ gree with mre in thinking that there will1 not e much left on which to found an agricultural college except the 825 acres of the Fort Hill plantation, with a few dilapidated and partly ruinous buildings. But, even valuing the remainder of the estate at $15,000, an extremely high estsmate, the interest on this sum of I money at 7 per cent. would be $1,050. Not very munificent sums these tot found a great State institution, and cer-I tainly the most incorruptible and economical stateimen could not reason ably object to the income of the estate, $1,050, being divided into salaries and paid over to the president, professors and a few practical farmers who would also be neceary to carry on the insti tution. In most of the noted colleges in the United States the presidents get at least eight or ten thousand dollars per annum, and the professors from three to five thousand. Sill, some patriotic states men might be found to serve their State from the purest motives, without money and 'without price. In that case, I would suggest that the possible income of the estate should be expended in providing hominy and milk to feed the famishing wives and families of the president and professors. 'The students, Of course, could tahe their own meals from home with them, and thus would greatly diminish the expenses of the institution. If by public clamor and ridiculously exaggerated statements in the papers the Legislature thinking and believing that Mr. Clemson's bequest to the State amonnta to $t100,000 a I have seen it Stated in one of the South Carolina papers, then, and in that case, a law might be suddenly pressed through to idd another hundred thousand or two to Nir. Clemson's munificent, "as it is lesignated in some of the papers," though I hardly think the income of the atter sum would "after all the college >uildings were provided" allow a suffi ;ient sum to provide the college officials with a decent subsistence. Yours truly, GIDEoN LEE. Seneca, April 24. Another Statement. PENDLETON, S. C., April26. To the Greenville News:-The ap )raisers of Mr. Clemson's property com leted their work this evening. The face valua of the appraise bill amounts to one hundre I and three thou and three hundred and twenty-one do! ars. With interest and premiums added, hey make a total of one hundred and hirteen thousand three hundred and wenty-one dollars. Mr. Lee will contest the will, but Col. iimpson, the executor, assures me that te has no fears whatever as to the valid ty of the will. The State will receive over ninety-two housand dollars. E. G. Evsis. A Synopsis of the Wi. There has been some speculatjon as to he provisions of the will of the late Thos. . tlemson, touching the founding of an gricultural college at the Fort Hill planta ion. The Keowee Courier has made the ollowing abstract, which must prove of terest: Item 1 bequeaths the Fort Hill place, ontaining S14 acres, more or less, to the xecutor, in trust, that when the State hall accept said property as a donation or the purpose of founding an agricul ral college thereon, in accordance with he views of the will ("of which the Chief ustice of South Carolina shall be the udge"), the executor shall deed the place o the State and turn over to it, as an en lowment of said institution, all the prop rty hereinafter given for that purpose; rovided the State shall signify its accept nce of the donation and begin a practical arrying out thereof within three years fter the probate of the will. Until such eceptance the executor is to invest the net produce of the land and other property for he endowment fund, if accepted by the tate; and if not so accepted, for the school tereinafter provided for. Item 2 appoints R. W. Simpson, D. K. Dorris, M. L. Donaldson, R. E. Bowen, B. t. Tillman, J. E. Wannamaker and J. E. radley, seven in number, trustees, with he power to fill all vacancies from any ause, in perpetuity, and expressly denies he State the power to take away or abridge heirs powers or number, but the State nay provide through the Legislature, as it ees proper, on accepting the donati-mn, for he appointment or election of six other rustees, the maximum number of trustees eing limited to thirteen forever. The sat clause of this item reads: "The name f this institution shall be the 'Clemson tgricultural Coliege of South Carolina.' " Lne trustees are requested to meet as soon fter the death of testator as practicable, 11 all vacancies, if any, and proceed at nce to effectuate, as far as they can, the uroses of the will. Item 3. Upon the actual refusal of the tate to accept the donation made in and pon the terms of the will, or upon its non cceptance by the State within the three ears, upon the terms and conditions Lamed, the donation to the State is revoked .d the executor in execution of his trust hall convey the "Fort Hill place and the cumulated fund arising therefrom, to ;ether with all other property, real or per onal, hereinafter disposed of and intended o be given to the said agricultural college s an endowment. to tne seven trustees ammed above or their successors, who shall rect upon the Fort 11i1l place such a school ir college for the youth of South Carolina in their judgment will be for their best terest," with a proviso that the school hall be principally for the benetit of the griculturat and mechanical classes, and hal be free to the pupils as far as the land .nd endowment fund will permit. The rustees are directed to securely invest the unds and held them as a perpetual endow nent of the institution, using only the in rest and income from the land, except the rustees are permitted, for the cost of erect ng suitable buildings, to use the incomeof he land and accumulated interest after his leath and as much as $5,000 of the corpus, f neessary in their judgment. The Item loses: "The name ot this institution shall > the 'Clemson Scientiiic School or Col Item 4 directs that the dwelling on Fort ill shall never be torn down or altered. >ut shall be kept in repair with all articles f furniture, &c., given for that purpose, tnd shall always be kept open for the in ptction of visitors, allowing such part of he house to be used by professors as the rustees direct. Of the value of the property thus be ueathed, the Courier mnakes the follow ug estimate: The amount likely to accrue to the State 'or the college has been variously estimated >y conjecture. From a talk with Colonel Snpson, who is a good law.Ser and ac ountant, and who, from his position as ex :cutor, has access to sources of true in ormation. we can speak with some degree )f certainty. Gol. Simpson informed us he property consisted largely of stocks Ld boids of incorporations of this and ther States and personal bonds well se :ured. Upon a rough estimate of the rincipal and interest on such investments Ld premiums now rated on same, he felt atistied the residuary fund for the college, over and above the Fort Hill tract of land, td aiter the payment of specific legacies md all expenses, would be 470,000) or up vars. Lie said there was a tract of land Maryland, near the line of the District >t Columbia, which had been negotiated for sale at $10,000, but sale not completed from some cloud on the title. If Colonel Clemson owned this whole tract, which is ikely true, the fund for the college would be $80,(A00. If he owned one half interest in the land the fund would be $75,000, md if no interest, there would be $70,000 for the college over and above legacies and expenses. Religious pessimism is carried to an xtreme in Russia. In that country there are sects that teach suicide. Re ently eighty-fotr persons met in a avern filled with straw. They fired the straw and those who were not burned to leath killed each other with hatchets. One faint-hearted fellow escaped. Congressman F:elley's .daughter re ently delivered a cture in New York, in which she char sd the capitalists with forcing the childl of this country to go to work at anil age, thus reduc ing the wages full-grown laborers. She advocated/ socialism as the only remedy. A WONDEItFUL INVENTION. A Process for Preserving Milk, Wine Fruit Juices, Etc., for an Indefinii Period. (From the New York Star.) Learning of a new and wonderful ii vention for the preservation of fru juices, milk and other perishable liquids a representative of the Star called upo Mr. W. B. Murdock, the genial pres dent of the American Exhaust and Ca] bonating Company, at their elegant an spacious salesrooms, No. 10 Warre: street, this city. After a short intervie, with Mr. Murdock in his magnificent) appointed private office, the reporte was invited to inspect the building an the workings of this extremely wonder f i. machine. This interesting method by whic] milk, cider, beer, fruit juices, wines an other food products can be preserved i their normal condition without subjec ing them to a steaming or cookin process, at once absoabed the reporter attention. The problem has eccupie the attention of scientific men for man yeers, and numberless experiments hay been made without attaining the desire results, but the American Exhaust an Carbonating Company have at last se cared the valuable patents which accom push this most desirable object. Th simplicity and effectiveness of their de vice astonishes every one. The proces has been brought to such a state of per fection that a child can operate the ma chine with ease. It is a well-known fac that the oxygen of the air is the mos essential element for the support of life whether animal or vegetable, and whet this element has been removed from an; inclosure life of every nature and kin becomes extinct. If the oxygen con tained in the various liquids to be pre served is removed by some mechanics process and replaced with carbolic aci< gas or some other antiseptic gas, th fluids preserved in this manner will keel perfectly sweet and preserve their nor mal condition for an indefinite time. The principle on which the compan: bring about this result is to first creat a vacuum in the keg, barrel or bottle b: an exhaust pump, which draws the ai from the vessel. Having filled the ves sel with the liquid to be preserved, th air is exhausted from the liquid, an< charged with the carbonic gas. Th< principle and method are so simple tha the machine which creates the vacuum exhausts the liquid of the air it contains and charges it with the carbon gas, an( then corks or seals the bottle, is workei by a single lever. One of the greates features of this process is that all liquid can be put up in syphons, and the trou ble of pulling the corks away with thereby enabling the consumer to use any quantity of the contents and keel the remainder perfectly intact for future use. The value of this invention to oceat steamers and yachting pazties is incalcu lable.. Fresh milk can be carried fron New York to Europe and remain in a: sweet condition as the day it left the farm dairy. The carbonating proces not only applies to liquids, but the comr pany is now perfecting its inventioz so that fruits and vegetables may bi successfully preserved in the same man ner. The offices of the American Exhaus and Carbonating Company are locatei at No.10 Warren street, and they invite the attention of the public to their daily experiments and tests. In the basemen of the building that they occupy an numerous syphons and bottles of fruit syrups, fresh milk, all kinds of beers new ales, Concord grape juice, foreigi and domestic wines, and sweet cide> bottles over six months ago. All thee liquids are exposed toivarying degrees oj tempreture; at one time the thermometea registers 802 or 90 degrees, and agair during the winter it is as low as zero, In spite of these severe tests the liquidi remain as fresh and sweet as wher bottled. The apparatus will be sold to loca companies which will be organized throughout the United States, and they will lease the plants and charge a royalty on the goods put up. Parties in Floridi and other sections of the country now desire to introduce this wonderlul pro cess and are arranging to do so at ar early date, their object being to treas orange, lemon and other fruit juices A number of well-known gentlemen o: this city are interested in the enterprise among them being the president of thb company, Mr. W. B. Murdock; Mr Locke W. Winchester, vice-presideni National Express Company; Hon. Rastui S. Ransom, Surrogate: Mr. J. F. Freeman, treasurer Standard Oi Company; Mr. John H. Rolston, cashie: Bank State of New York: Mr. Caleb B Knevale, vice-president Woodlawi Cemetery Company, and Mr. James W Smith, presiderat Consolidated Gai Company, all well-known citizens anc business men. These gentlemen contro. an enterprise which seemingly has n< limited to extent or field it will cover o0 business to be done. Killed a Wild Cat With a Club. The other day Tony Kern, who work on Mr. Griffin's farm near Scranton Pa.. was driving the cattle to water an while passing through a piece of wood his attention was attracted byvthe bellow ig of one of the cows. Tony espied dark object up a tree ready to sprint upon a calf. The man clenched tight large club he carried and meeting th< wild animal half way dealt it a furioni blow on the head. This only angerei the brute, and with a fierce bound i leaped upon Tony and bore him to thi gonld. The man made a desperat< effort to throw the animal off. Th< brute had scratched his face badly anm tore his clothes into shreds. Wit] superhuman power T.ony threw the bes off, and spring to his feet again he seizei his club. Once more the animal mad< for him, but a well-aimed blow from th< Dtchman sent him to the ground ap parently lifeless. Tony hurried to th< house, procured a gun, and shot the animal dead. Almost breathless wit] excitement he ran to the house with th< astounding intelligence that he had sho a fox in a tree. Farmer Griffin con luded the man was wrong as to the kin< of animal killed, and going out to th< spo foudit to be a wild cat weighini about fifty pounds. The leading Republicans are trying ti mile, but there is a very bitter figh going on among them for the Republical nninaton CEILING WALKING. *, It Appears Startling, but Only Nerv e Is Required by Performers. (Cincinnati Enquirer.) There are to-day at least fifteen per ,- sons who perform the novel feat o it walking head down along the full lengt] , of a great board and who are known a n ceiling walkers. There are lady an< - gentleman performers, their perform ances being confined almost entirely t d the variety stage. The effect is sartlini n as one of them moves along underneati v the board, far above the floor of the stage y their full form extending downward r Until recently the manner of performing d the feat was a guarded secret. While there is a general difference as to details the principle :nvolved in keeping th< walker suspended is practically the same d It is the secret of the ability of the ft; n to walk over a ceiling. . The board used is a heavy plank abou q fifteen feet long and three feet wide a This is rendered almost perfectly smootl i by being rubbed down with pumice 9 stone Near each end of the board i B suspended a trapeze. to which the per i former hangs, head down, as he presse I his feet to the board above him whet starting upon his walk Underneath i stretched a large net. An ordinary pai e of stage shoes will answer the purj'ose To the bottom of these are fastene< s circular, concave arrangements of gum a sort of bow!shaped shoes, about six ant one-half inches in diameter, and it i t these, pressed ag dust the board above t that hold the walker suspended. The material of which these bow' shaped shoes is of the same thicknes P and appearance as that used in fireman' 3 hose In the cesntre, on tie concave sidi - of these shoes, is a thick piece of steel - circular in form. To this plate is rivettai l on the convex side of the shoes a smal i iron framework. From this frameworl e extend two iron rods, shaped like th< > handles of the instrument used in toast ing or broiling. By the framework the bowl-shaped shoes are fastened to th< r regular walking shoes. The rods re a ferred to extend toward the toe, resting r underneath the ball of the foot. t pres r sure exerted upon that portion of the - foot will press out the rods and permit a the air to rush into the concave gum j shoes just at their centre. 3 Everything in readiness, the performer e sits upon the t.apeze and adjusts the con cave arrangements to his shoes. Then he swings around, head down, holding I on to the trapeza, and presses the bowl shaped arrangements on his shoe t against the board above. As he presse a the air is driven out of the bowl. A . vacuum is created as the gum is pressed all the tighter against the board, becom ing flattened out. The atmospheric y pressure on each one of the shoes used will exert a power or carry a weight of about fifteen pounds to the square inch, Then the trapeze is let go of. The per . former hang 3 suspended. A pressure upon the ball of the left foot operates the iron rod which opens a small arrange ment at the convex centre of the concave shoes. Air rushes in and the shoe be comes loosened. Hanging by the righi foot, the one loosened is thrown farther along on the board. Tightly it is pressed against the board until it fastens. Then the left is operated in the same manner, and so it continues until the board is crossed. THE SNAKE $EASON OPENED. First Gun from the Annanias of Snake dom-The Worm Scarum Discussed. A correspondent from Hot Springs, Mo., writes: The hot, muggy weather of last week drew the snakes and tarantulai out of their holes in the Ozuark Moun taine, and to-day Flint and his comn .panion saw many poisonous reptiles sunning themselves on the big ledges o: a tone skirting the "vale of vapors." The "varmints" were sluggish, but became very irritable when aroused from their stupor. Rattlesnakes and bullsnakee Iwere in the majority, but other species were represented as well. The spectacle started Flint to talking. "You never saw the parlor match snake, did you?' he asked, with the seriousness ofa judge. His companion groaned and started down the mountain. "Conme back, boy," exclaimed the catcher. "I want to tell you something you don't know. I was out hunting along a bayou near New Orleans late one afternoon last Iwinter, when .I saw a flash of light se irregular as one of -Larry Corcoran's curves and as big around as a man's arm. The ray of light, which was on the ground, was preceded by a cracking sound like the explosion of a parlo: match. In an instant the light disap peared, only to appear the next instani with the same crackling sound. I be came interested. When the light flashed the third time I fired both barrels of my shotgun at the brilliant object. The light faded in an instant. I crept to the spot and saw a snake lying dead upon the ground. Its head had been nearly shot away. Curious to learn whether the snake had been the source of the mysterious flame, I tied a 6tring around its body and took it to New Orleani where Lionel Adams pronounced ita parlor match snake. When aroused, thsseisof the worm scarum pulls its siovrisbody by hitching a lower tooth in a sort of loop hanging between the eyes. As the skin leaves the tail it scrapes a small button on either side of the snake's body with a crackling sound, and the film of oil on-the cuticule is in stantly set in flame. The oil burns with a posporecen lihtand probably struck fire the snake crawls the length of its body, thus causing the scaly hide to return to its proper place." The great catcher arose and stretched his arms aloft, and asked his companion if it looked like rain. t1 GAVE UP TO DIE." KxEoxvntzE, TENN., July 2, 1887. I have had catarrh of the head foreni years. I went to a noted doctor and he tr--ated me for it, but could not cure me, he said. I was over fifty years old and ] gave up to die. I bad a distressing cough; my eyes were swollen and I an confident I could not have lived without a change. I sent and got one bottle o; you B.e B. got., used it, and felt better. ThnIgtfour more, and thank God) it cured me. Use this any way you may wish for the good of sufferers. Mss. M.&rzwA Nronons. ) 27 Florida Street. 2 Song for the farmer-The spring time is here, 0 hoe, 0 hoe! A BABY'S TRAVELS. THE ONLY WHITECHILDEVERTAHEN TO THE LAKES OF AFRICA. f 2 Little Jack Hone and How He Wa'Viewed by the Natives-A Wonderful Sight for the Savages. (From the New York Sun.) 2 Little Jack Hone was an English baby ; and he was three months old when he 1 landed on the east coast of Africa. His father was a missionary and Jack and his mother were on the way to the home that had been prepared for them in Central Africa. The journey was 800 miles long, up hill down, through jungle, F forest and plain, and it was a serious t question how little Jack couldbeceaied comfortably over the rude native paths to Lake Tanganyika. Hisfatherthought that a wheelbarrow was likely to be the s best vehicle for Jack, and soarnge - ments had been made in England to have Jack trundled in a barrow all the way from the coast to the big like where r he was to live. A deep and commodious basket was provided for the baby. On the bottom of the basket was as soft a little bed as i could be made, and the entire inside was a padded so that Jack could -not easily hurt himseif. The basket was placed in a steel wheelbarrow frame. An awning above the basket was supported by iron s rods, and, when required, mosquito a curtains could be let down. This wasto be Jack's carriage on the march, and when in .camp at night the basket was to be placed in Mrs. Hone's tent to serve Jack as a bed. Jack was asleep in his father's arms when he landed on the coast of ,Africa, at Saadani, near Zanzibar. He 'was tucked away in his little basket; and-one of the porters trundled him along in his wheelbarrow near theheadofthecaravan. Close behind him rode Jack's mother on a donkey. Once in a while the baby was lifted out of the wheelbarrow fora change and carried a mile or two in his mother's arms. Usually yackrode along in the little vehicle very quietly, and he seemed to take as 0indly to his wheel barrow as other babes do to the most comfortable of cradles. Even whey the road was hammooky Jack did not seem to mind it, and the jouncing he got only seemed to put him m good humor for a nap. It happened, however, that Jack. was not destined to travel all the way to Central Africa in a wheelbarrow. After they had climbed the coastmoutains and were a hundred and fifty miles on their way it was found inexpedient on account of unexpected difficulties on the road for Mrs. Hone and the baby to go eany farther that year. So Jack was whed back to the coast again and before long he turned up in Englandnone the worse for his jaunt of 300 miles in a wheel barrow. Eariy in 1884, when Jack was a little over 2 years old, he landed again at Saadani There were stories from up country of widespread drought 'and famine, but nothing daunted . Ho who had come all the way from Africa to meet his family, decided to set out with them at once on the long journey to the beautiful lake, which, though narrow, is one of the longest fresh water lakes in the world. This time the wheelbarrow was discarded. The willow body of a baby carriage was - turned into a tiny palanquin for Jack's accommodation. It was suspended by stout ropes from a couple of bamboos. Along the bamboos was stretched a canvass awning, impervious alike to sun or rain, with movable sides; that could be fastened up or down at pleasure. Four natives were assigned to the task of carrying Master Jack in his unique little conveyance. The bamboos were supple, and as the carriers trudged~along there was a delightful springiness abous the rig that greatly pleased Jack. His mother was carried in abath chair rigged up in a similar fashion. Jack got along famously until he was stricken with fever, and then he insisted much of the time upon traveling in his mother's lap. When the long caravan halted for the noontime lunch the first duty oftheimen was to pitch a tent in which to shelter Jack and his mother fromthescorching sun. Thelittle fellow's great delight was in crossing rivers in the big canoes the -natives keep for ferrying caravans. He usually sat in state in his little armchair, and some times used a string and a bent pinto fish for crocodiles, wita invariably poor success. One day a porter ran away with a canvas bag containig a large part of Jack's wardrobe. In a land where caravans use a great deal of cotton cloth to pay their way there was of course pleniy of material at hand to repair Jack's loss, which he bore with more enanimity than the rest of his family. bometimes they traveled for hours through grass that was high above their heads, and in the early morning Jack liked to listen to the dew drops as they fell like rain upon the top of his palan quin, while the carriers plodded along arough the luxuriant growth of grass. Many of the marches were very wean some, and Mrs. Hone wrote that she and Jack often presented a very draggled apearance when the halt was made for the day.nieyds.A Thec Journey lastednieyds.A last the beautiful waters of Lake fanganyika came into view, and little Jack was delighted when his family embarked in a big boat for the long journey for the island of Kavala. He thought the songs of the crew as they bent to their oars were particularly jolly. le is now living on Kavala island, and, though he is the only little white boy in Cntra Africa, he seems to be thoroughly enjoying his boyhood. Friends in Eng land have sent him many toys, which hie shar' s with his Waguha playmates, and he does not now remember that he ever had any other home than Africa. One of the most successful features of a recent "literary entertainment" in a own the other evening was a "bung hittling contest by ladies." Each of he contestants relieved a square bit of ood from which to waiittle a bung to fit large stone jug. They could all see the iole to be filled, bat none could measure t. Prizes were given for the best and 'or the poorest bung, and then they were all sold at auction. One of them nearly fitted the bunghole.