Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Haunted Chamber. 3r "THE DUCHESS." .uho of "Monica," "Mona S "PhyUiS," etc., etc. CHAPTER. VII. It is now "golden September," and a few days later. For the last fortright Florence has been making strenuous efforts to leave the castle, but Dora would not hear of their departure, and Florence, feeling it will be selfish of her to cut short Dora's happy hours with her supposed lover, sighs. and gives in, and sacrifices he- own wishes on the alta- of friendship. It is five o'clock, and all the men, -n in hand, have been out since early !awn. Now they are coming strag gling home, in one or twos. Amongst the irst to return are Sir Adrian and his cousin Arthur Dynecourt, who, having met accidentally about a mile from home, have trudgea the remaind er of the way together. On the previous night at dinner.Miss Delmaine had spoken of a small gold bangle, a favorite of hers. she was greatly in the habit of wearing. She said she had lost it-when or where she could not tell; and she expressed her self as eing very grieved for its loss. and had laughingly declared she would give any rewara claimed by any one who should restore it to her. Two or three men had. on the instant, pledged themselves to devote their lives to the search; but Adrian had said nothing. Nevertheless, the bangle and reward had remained in his mind all that nit and all to-day. Now he can not reirain from speaking about it to the man he nsiders his rival. "Odd thing about Miss Delmaine's bangle," he remarks carelessly. "Very odd. I dare say her maid has put it somewhere and forgotten it." "Hardly. One would not put a brace let anywhere but in a jewel-case or in a spec'al drawer. She must have dropped it .amewhere." "I dare say; those Indian bangles are very liable to be rubbed off the wrist." "But where? I have had the place searched high and low, and still no tid Ins of it can be found." "There may have been since we left home this morning." Just at this moment they come with in full view of the old tower, and its strange rounded ivy-grown walls, and the little narrow holes in the sides they show at its highest point that indicate the ition of the haunted chamber. What is there at this moment in a mere glimpse of this old tower to make Arthur Dynecourt grow pale and to start so strangely? His eyes grow brighter, his lips tighten and grow hard. "Do you remember." he says. turning to his cousin with all the air of one to whom a sudden inspiration has come, "that day when we visited the haunted chamber? Miss Delmaine accompanied N us, did she not?' "Yes"-looking at him expectantly. \"Could she have dropped it there?" aks Arthur lightly. By Jove, it would be odd if she had-elh? Uncanny of place to drop one's trinkets." is strange I didn't think of it be fore," responds Adrian. evidently struck by the suggestion. "Why, it must have been just about that time when she lost it. The more I think of it the more convinced I feel that it must be there." "Nonsense, my dear fellow; don't at conclusions so hastily! It is improbable. I should say that ..she opped it anywhere else in the world." "Well, Il go and see, at all events," (eclares Adrian, unconvinced. It is some lingering remnant of , some vague human shrinking frmthe crime that has begun to form '-self within his busy brain, that now 1ducesDynecourt to try to dissuade Sir . drian from his declared intention to stiarch the haunted chamber for the 'Iost bangle? With all his eloquence he seeks to convince him that there the ~ bangle could not have been left, but to nao effect. His suggestion has taken m ~ dria's mndand at be useless to hunt 'for it in that uncan& ny chamber it isworth atrv. It may be there. This dim possiblity drives him to his fate. "Well, if you go alone and unprotect ed your blood be on your own head," sasDynecourt lightly, at last surren erghis position. "Remember, what emer hpes. I advised you not to go:" As Arthur finishes his speech a sinis ter smile oversprads his pale features, -and a quick ligt as evil as it is pierc ing comes to hseyes. But Sir Adrian sees nothing of this. He is looking at his home, as it stands grand and ma jest'ic in the red light of the dyiing sun. He is looking, too, at the old tower, and at the upper portion of it, where the haunted chamber stands, and -where he can see the narrow holes that se - f~m s. How little could a ne ' ~eof the busy ~world wtout: - "Yes, I'll remember." he says jesting l. "When the ghosts of my ancestors 'ai me as their victim, and incarcer ate nmie in some fiendish dungeon, I shall remember your words and your advice." "You don't mean to go there, of course?" asks Arthur carelessly, whilst watching the other with eager scrutiny. "It~ is quite a journey to that dismal hole, and it will be use'less." *"Well, if it distresses you, consider 1 haven't gone." says Sir Adrian lightly. "That is right," rejoins Arthur, still with his keen eyes iixed upon his cousin. "I knew you would abandon that foolish intention. I certainly shall consider you haven't gone." They are at the hail door as these words pass Arthur's lips, and there thyseparate, Sir Adrian leaving him wit a smile, and going away up the large hall whistling gayly. 'When he has turned one corner, Ar thur goes quickly after him. not with the intention of overtaking him, but of keeping him in view. stealthily he follows, as though fearful of being seen. -There is no servant within sight. No friend comes across Sir Adrian's path. All is silent. The old house seenms wrapped in slumber. Above, the pret tyr guests in their dainty tea-gowns are sipping Bohea and .prattling scandal; below, the domestics are occupied in their household affairs. Arthur, watching carefully, sees Sir Adrian go quickly up the broad front staircase, after which lie turns aside, and, as though filled with glilty fear, rushes through one passage or another, until he 4rrives in the corridor that be longs to the servant's quarters. Coming to a certain door, he opens it, not without some difficulty, and, movng into the dark landing that lies beyond i, looks around. To any casu al observer it might seem strange that some of the cobwebs in this apparent "long-forgotten place have lately been brushed away. as by a figure ascending or aescending tne gloomy staircase. To Arthur these signs bring no sur prise, which proves that he, perhaps, asthe best right to know whose figure rushed them aside. Hurrying upthie stairs, after closing door carefully and inoiselessly be d him, he reaches, after considera e mountings of what seem to be in rminable steps, the upper door he opened on the day they had visited e haunted chamber, when Rine'wood d he had had a passage-a arms ut his curiosity. ow he stands breathing heavily 'de this door, wrapped in the dis darkness of the staircase, listen gintently, as it were, for the coming a footstep. In the meantime, Sir Adrian, not ded from his determination to the tower for the missing ban gayly up the grand stajircase, the corridors and galleries, y comes to the first of the on- d doors. Opening it, he stands upon the landing that leads to the other door by means of the small stone staircase. flere he pauses. . Is it some vamude shadowy sense of danger that mna-es him stand now as thoush hesitating? A quick shiver runs hough his veins. "How cold it is," he says to himself, "even on this hot day, up mn this melan choly place!" Yet, he is quite uncon scions of the ears that are listening for eves unat are w vatcinz mm tnrougn a chink in the opposite door: Now he steps forward again, and, mounting the last flight of stairs. opens the fatal do'or and looks ito the room. Even now it occurs to him how un pleasant mhitiht be the consequences should the door close and 1t cret lock fasten him in against his \niLl. lie pushes the door wel1 opei. and hold., it so, atid tlien tries wheIith er it M i;:ll to again of its own i'IarOrd. and so make a prisoner of iiim. No; it stands quite oien, innnovable apparently. and so, convinced that he is safe enugh, lie conineii-es his search. The' swift as lightning, a form darts foin its concealed position, rushes up to the stone staircase, stealthily cre ei1 still earlanes into the rooa. Sir Adri :wk is turned: he is stoopin loi in every :-orner for the nissint lre. Ife ses nothing, hears nothin. though a treaherous form eroching o.n the t1rtshld is making ready to seal his doom. Arthur Dyiiecurt. pnt:ing forth his hand, which niuther trembles nor fal ters on its deadly mission. silently lays hold of the door. and drawing it to ward him the secret lock clicks sharp lv. and separates the victim from the w1korld: Stealthily even now-his evil deed accomplished-Arthuitr Dynecourt re treats down the st airs. ani never in deed relaxes his speel until at length he stands pant ing. but relentless, in the servant's corridor again. Remorse he knows not. But a ce tai sense of fear holds him irresolute, making his limbs tremble and bringing out cold dews upon his brow. His rival is safelv secured. out of all harm's way as far as he is concerned. No human being saw him go to the ill fated tower: no human voice heard him declare his intention of searching it for the missing trinket. ie-Arthur -had been careful before parting from him to express his settled belief that Sir Adrian would not go to the haunt ed chamber. and therefore he feels pre pared to defend his case successfully. even should the baronet be lucky enough to find a deliverer. Yet he is not quite easy in his mind. Fear of discovery. fear of Sir Adrian's displeasure. fear of the world. fear of the rope that already seems to dangle in red lines before his eyes render him the veriest coward that walks the earth. Shall he return and release his prisoner, and treat the whole thing as a Joke, and so leave Adrian free to dis pense his bounty at the castle. to en tertain in his la'.ish fashion. to secure the woman upon whom he-Arthur has set his heart for his brid&e No; a thousand :iues no! A few short days. an' all will belong to Ar thur Dvinecourt. le will be "Sir Ar thm-" then, and the bride he covets will be unable to resist the temptation of a title. and the chance of being mis tress of the stately old pile that will call him master. Let Sir Adrian die then in his distant garret alone, des pairing. undiscoverable For who would think of going to the haunted room in search of'him? Who will even guess that any mission, however im portant, would lead him to it. without having mentioned it to some one? It is a grewsome spot, seldom visited and gladly forgotten;' and, indeed, what possibly could there be in its bare walls aad its bloodstained floors to attract any one? No; surely it is the last place to suspect any one would go to without a definite purpose; and what purpose could Sir Adrian have of going there? So far Arthur feels himself safe. He turns away, and joins the women and the returned sporstmen in the upper drawing-room. "Where is Dynecourt?" asks some body later. Arihur, though he hears the question. does not even change color, but calmly, with a steady hand, gives Florence her tea. "Yes; where is Sir Adrian?" asks Mrs. Talbot, glancing up at the speaker. "Helef u abutan hour ago,' Capt. Ringwood answers. "He said he'd pre fer walking home, and he shoveled his birds into our cart, and left us without another word. He'll turn up presently, no doubt." .. . "De~ -me; i hoie nothing has hap pn to him!" says Ethel Villiers, who is sitting in ~a window through which the rays of the evening sun are stealing, turning her auburn locks to threads'of rich red gold. "I hope not, I'm sure," interposes qrhruite feelingly. "It does seem odd he hasn't come in before this." Then, true to his determination to so arrange matters that, if discover en sues upon his scheme, he may stil find for himself a path out of his aifficulties, he says qtuetly, "I met him about a mile from home, and walked here with him. We parted at the hall-door; I dare say he is in the library or the stables." "Good gracious, why didn't you say so before?" exclaims old Lady'FitzAI mont in a querulous toe"Iut be gan to believe the pootoy had blown out his brains through disappointed love, or something equally objection able." Both Dora and Florence color warm ly at this. The old lady herself is free to speak as she thinks of Sir Adrian, having no designs upon him for Ipdy Gertrude, that voting lady being en gaed to a very aistinguished and tit. ed botanist, now huntmgfrfeni the West Indies. ngfrensn "Markham," says Mrs. Talbot to a footman who enters at this moment, "go to the library and tell Sir Adrian his tea is waiting for him." "Yes. ma'atm." But ress t1v Markham returns and Sir Adrian . not in the uibraryv. "Then try the stables, try every where," says Dora somewhat impa tiently. Markham,. having tried everywhere, brings back the same answer: Sir Ad rian is apparently not to be found! "Most extraordinary." remarks Lady FitzAlmont. fanning herself. "As a rule I have noticed that A'drian is most punctual. I do hope my tirst impres sion was not the right one. and that we shan't ind -im presently with his throat cut andi wallowing. ii his blood on account otf some silly young wo man!" "Dear mamma." interposes Lady Gertrude. laughing. "what a terrible old-fashioned surmise! No man ntowa days kills himself for a false love; he ony goes and gets another." But, when thie dinner-hour arrives, and no host presenits himself to lead Lady FitzAlmnont inlto dli~iner, a great fear falls upon the guests save one, and confusion and dismay. and1 anxious conjectre reign supreme. CHAPTER IX. The night passes: the next day dawns, deepens. grows mtto noon. and still nothing hapnens to-eiv the terrible anxiety th'at is felt by all with in the eastle as to the fate o~f its miss ing master. They wearv' themselves out wondering, idly but' incessantly, what can have become of him. The second day comes and goes. so does the third and the fourth, the fifth and the sixth, and then the seventh dawns. Florence D~elmaine, who has been half-distracted with conilicting fears and emotions. and who has been sit ting in her room apart from the others. with1 her head bent down and resting on her hands. suddenly raising her ees, sees Dora standing'before her. 'The widow is looking haggardl and hollow-eyed. All her dainty freshness has gone. and~ she now looks in years what in reality she is. close on thirty five. Iher lips are pale and drooping. her cheeks colorless: her whole air is suggestive of deep depression. the re sut of sleepless nights and days tilled with grief and suspense of the most poignant nature. "Alas, how well she loves him too!" thinks Florence, contemplating her in silence. Dora,' adlvancing, lays her hand upon the table near Florence. and says, in a hurried impassioned tone "Oh, Florence. what has become of him? What has been done to him? I have tried to hide my terrible anxiety for the past two miserable dlays, but now I feel I must speak to some one or go mad:" She smites her hands together, and, sinking into a chair, looks as if she is going to faint. Florence. .greatly alarmed, rises from her chair. anti, running to her, places her arm round ra repulses ner aimost rougmy ana motions her away. "Do not touch ine'" she cries hoarse lv. "Do not come near mvz you, of all peonph. should he the Iasi to come to nv assistance: Besides. I am not here to'talk about myself, but. of him. Flor ence, have you any .suspi.-ion?" I Dora leans foiward ant looks scrutin i7iuglv at her couin as iiithoigh fearing,'( \t hlopinig to get ant :1nsver in the ilinative. Bti Florence shakes her head. "I have no suspicion-none." she an swers sadly. "It I had should I not act uloIn it. whatever it might cost me?" "Would vou." asks Dora eagerly, as though llipressed I' her coipanion.5 w'rds-"winitever it might cost vou?" Her manner is so strainge that Flor ence panses before replying. -Yes." she savs at Ist.. "No earthly con~sideraon shofl'h k nit' from us In(any nowledt I wight bv accident or oilIvrwise become pottssesse1d of to lav bare this mystery. Dr " she cries suddenly. "if y: know a'thiig. I im plore. I re von to sa so." "What shoudtl I knoiv?" responds the widow. reoiling. "Yolu loved iii to," says Florence piteot'uslv. now mire thanii ever con vinced t'hat I)'ora is ke'pg somiething hidden from her. -For the sake of that love, disclos" anytling yoi inty know at'it this awful inuter." -I (are nwt spea:'k rpenly," reolies the widow. grwIi I elI a shade paler. "because my SUSpicioI is of the barest character. and may be altogether wrong. Yet there arV. moments when some hidden instinct within my breast whispers to ie that I am on tfie right track." "If so," murmurs Flerenee, falling upon her knees before her. "do not hes itate; follow up this instinetive feeling, 4 and who knows but something may come Of it' Dora. do not dtlay. Soon, soon-If not already-it may be too late. Alas." she cries, buirsting into bitter tears, "what do I s.y? Is it not too late even now? Wf:t hope can there be after six long (ays. and no tidings?" "I i l do what I can. I an resolved," declares Dora. rising abruptly to her feet. "If to late to do any good, it may not be too late to wring the truth froin him. and bring the murderer to justice." "From him? From whom - what murderer?" exclaims Florence, in a voice of horror. "Dora. what are you saving' "Never mind. Let me go now; and to-night-this evening let me come to you here avia. and tell you the result of vwhat i Im now about to do." She quits the room as silently as she entered it. and Florence. sinking back in her chair, gives herself up to the ex citement and aiiazement that are over powering her. There is something else, too, in ler thoughts that is puzzling and perplexing her; in all Dora's man ner therc was nothing that would lead her to think that she loved Sir Adrian; there was fear, and a desire for re venge in it, but none of the despair of a loving woman who had lost the man to whom she has given her heart. Florence is still pondering these things, while Dora. gong swiftly down stairs. turns into the side hall, glanc ing into library and rooms as she goes along, plainly in search of something or some one. At last her search is successful; in a small rooin she finds Arthur Dynecourt apparently reading, as he sits in a large arm-chair. with his eyes fixed in tently upon the book in his hand. See ing her, he closes the volume, and, throwing it from him, says carelessly: "Pshaw - what conteiptible trash they wrdite nowadays!" "How can you sit here calmly read ing," exclaiins Dora vehemently, "whien we are all so distressed in mind! But I forgot"-with a meaning glance "you gain by his death; we do not." "No. you lose," he retorts coolly. "Thougli, after all, even had things been different, I can't say I think you had much chance at any 'time." H~e smiles insolently at her as he says this. But she pays no heed either to his words or his smile. Her whole soul seems wrapped in one thought, and at last she gives exorossion to it. 'ynat nave vou done witn rmy" she breaks foi'th, aidvancing toward him, as though to compel him to give her an answer to the question that has been torturing her for days past. "With whom?" lhe asks coldly. Yet there is a forbidding gleam in his eyes that should have warned her to for bear.a, "With Sir Adrian--with your rival with the man von hate." she cries, her breath coming in little irrepressible gasps. "Dynecourt. 1 adjure you to speak the truth, and say what has be come of him." "You rave," he says calmly, lifting his eyebrows just a shade, as though in pity for her inolish excitement. "I con eds the man was no favorite of mine, and that I can not help being glad of this chance that has presenitedl itself in his extraordianry disappearance of my inheriting his place and title; but real ly, my dear creature, I know as little of what' has become of him, as--I pre sume-vou do yourself." "You'lie!" cries Dora, losing all con trol over herself. "You have murder ed him, to get hini out of your path. His death lies at your door." She points her linger at him as though in condemna ion as she utters these words, but still lie does not flinch. "They will take you for a Bedlamite," he says, with a sneering laugh. "if you conduct yourself like this. Where are your proofs that I am the cold-blooded ruffian you think mew?" "I have none"-in a despairing tone. "But I shall make it the business of my life to tind them." "You had better devote your time to some other purpo~se," lie exclaims sav agely, laying his iiand upon01 her wrist with an amount of force that leaves a red mark upon the delicate flesh. Do von hear me? You must be mad to go dn like this to me. I know nothing of Adrian. but I know a good deal o your designing conduct. andl your wild ealousy o~f Florence Delmaine. All the world saw how devoted he was to her, and-mark what I say--there have been instances of a jealous woman kill ing the man she loved, rather than see him in the arms of another." -'Demon!" shrieks Dora, recoiling from him. "You would fix the crime on me?" "Why not? I think the whole case tells terribly against you. Hitherte I have spared you, I have refrained from hinting even at the fact that your jeal ousy liad been aroused of ~late; but ouir conduct of to-day. and the wily ianner in which you have sought to accuse me of being implicated in this unfortunate mystery connected with my unhappy cousin,'have made me for get my forbearance. Be warned in time, cease to persecute me about this matter, or--wretched woman that you are-I shall certainly make it my busi ness to investigate the entire matter and brine von to iustiu'" "Traitori" cries Do~tra. raising nor pale face and looking at hini with hor ror and defiance. "konu tiumwph now, because, as vet, I have no evidence to suport my belief; but"-she hesitates. 'Ah, brazen it out to the last!" savs Dynecourt insolently. "Defy me while o can. To-day I shall set the blood-] hounds of the law upon your track, so beware-beware!" "You refuse to tell me anything?" ex claims Dora, ignoring his words, and treating them as though they are un heard. "So much the worse for you." She turns from him, and leaves the room as she finishes speaking; but, though her words have been diefiant there is no kindred feeling in her heart to bear her up. When the door closes between them, the fiush (lies out of her face, and she looks even more wan and hopeless than she <iid before seeking his presence. She can not deny to 'herselt that her mission has been a failure. Hie has oenly scotfed at hier threats, and she is aware that she has not a shred of act utal e'videnlce wherewith to support her suspicion: ltChe ravauh> with which he has sought to turn the tales upon her self bot h ichttens an~d dishieartens her, and now she' con'fesses to herself that she knows not wher'!e to turn for couw [Continuem. 1EW YORK IN DANGER. VHATAN EARTHQUAKE OR CYCLONE WOULD DO THERE. L Strojig Presentation of the Probable Con sequences of Such h Convulsion of Natwge. ;ininnati Euquirer. New York is turning iio a ciy igh stories. Erasmus remuarked of Lmsterdam, which was built on iles driven into the mud. that he ad seen a town where the people re like crows on the tree-tops. but ew York is putting up the most izzy and weighty structures upon he siiallest possible pieces' ( groinumL 0 that a scientific uan lately re larked to me: "If an earthquake ver strikes the city of New York it ,ill produce more death nad ruin han anywhere on the globe where z earthquake has struck." "You remind me," raid I. --of these lesolate and gruesome reformers vho are telling us that the surplus vill be expended in a few months. ,hereas they never told us that the;e V'1ou(l be any surplus six monlis be ore it was coming. They are not oing to stop building. I apprehend. n New York for fear of eart hquakes. vhich have never y-t come to Mani iattan Island.~ However, I fell to reflecting my elf when ever an earthquake would -ome to Manhattan Isluid at any ime. now or far in the future. I did iot see any sound reasoi to appre end any earthquake in tiis quarter. 6ve have had earthquakes almg the idal alluvial sandbar country. which iave come as far north as 1udthniore, Lud, perhaps. Philadelphia. Our worst arthquake in the East has been at Mharleston, where the mountain range vhich defines the solid limits of the :ontinent is a great way inland. The Mharleston earthquake was really a )ig thing, and we can aftord for a noment to glance at it with reference ;o the rocky framework of this conti ient. It is 130 mile from Charles :on to Columbia. and thence to the nountains it is at least 140 miles, or, ,ve may say, about 300 miles from the ;eat of the late earthquake to the rib >f the continent, which is the Blue Ridge. When you come out to New York, iowever, you see that same moun ain almost overhanging the city; chat is called the Orange mountain , New Jersy is the eastern dike of the .llegheny ridge. In shortNew En land and tidal New York are the olid continent. down almost to the ates of the ocean. The rock line ;hen recedes and it is 100 miles west >f Philadelphia. forty miles west of Washington. which if itself far inland apon an estuary: and when we arrive .t Charleston, as I have said, the nountains are near 250 niles inland. rf we are to suppose that the con ,ulsion which overthrew a part of Charleston had some relation with hbe gulf stream and the volcanic mountains of the West Indies and Central America, there is no great probability that our granite main and has ever been or ever will be dimeected from the same cause and re atons. The area of earthquakes and erup ions is tolerably well defmned. San Francisco has felt earthquakes and been greaily dwarfed by them, and since the two earthquakes over there luring the present generation they Lave ceased to build high houses on hat coast. The volcanic zone seems o embrace the Sandwich Islands md co-terminus parts of the Pacific. Daraccas and Lisbon constitute two :enters of an ellipse, where the aarf has been greatly disturbed vithin the historic memory. But the formation of the Allegheny mountain hain, which constitutes the eastern like of the Mississippi valley, would ippear from geological criticism to be altogether different from the vol anic formations of the tropics and bhe Cordilleras. It seems to be the idea that the Alleghenies where once m high table land with a soft under tratum, and that the plateau fell :lown like a piece of badmason. and left the chains to catch each other where there were hard parts, thus constituting the stretch of tolerably uniform ranges~ through our Western and Middle States. The trend of the Al Legheny chains is from about Chatta iooga to the Hudson river, near the city of New York, and thus some chiins are found taking in the whole breadth of New England, from almost vithin sight of the seacoast b~ack tc the region of Canada. The city of New York is built upou islads and bars of hard gneiss which have been covered with sand in time, and, therefore, you can strike be. tween the bars of rock here and there nd find either quicksilver or well water. There is no analogy to war* rant the belief that New England, New York city, or the region of the Alleghenies are ever to suffer from~ other than universal electrical and caloric conditions. There seems to be no record that the city of New York ever had an important earth quake. Hence, the establishment of these high buildings on the island of New York is fairly conservative, and the same class of buildings are put ap in London and in the main cenl bers of Europe, and where cheap aoal and invention justify and st miu ate elevators to supplant stairways. New York is a very narrow island. ma where the island is the least nar ow it is probably the least solid; hat it is to say, the expansions of ;his island toward the East River are muite probably due to bars formed by he confluence of waters through the sound and the East River and the arrison River. Long Island ap wears to be a gravel formation, some hng in the nature of drift or allu 7ial which is subject to the action of hue waters, and move about. But h mountains in northern New York such as the Adirondacks, were de cribed by e Agassiz as the olde'st dry ,round on' the globe. One of his ectures, entitled "America, the Older ontinent," shows that the Adiron lack Mountains are the oldest land nd the hardest lad on earth: they vere long called Azoie, because no 'ossil remains or shells or rudiments f organie life were visible there. A Horrible Story. A horrible story comes from Mo occo. A large box was recently re 3eived from the interior of the coun ;i-y at the port Mazagan for ship nent. It was addressed to a person mlmown, and was opened. when a hnastly sight wvat revealed. Closely acked in a box were the bodies of ;ixteen young women, one mail and a egress. All the victims had been lecapitated and the heads were miss ng. The bodies were embalmed. nd had evidently been a long time n the condition in which they were und. It is believed the slaughter vas the work of some pasha, who PEPPER FROM ZEB VANCE. A Very Lively speech on the Montana Sena- A torship--Anecdotes Which Fit the Case. In the United States Senate the other day, when the Montana election case was taken up. Vance, a member I of the Connnittee on Privileges and Election-s, made an argument in sap port of the luinority report. declaring il Clark and Maginnis. the Demo'rat ic a claimants, entitled to the seats. In a the course of his speech he told the s story of a person who was once f, schooling a country )unpkiln to fit n him to be god father at a christening. t: The parson asked him what was the 1< outward and visible sign of baptism. t! The bumpkin. after seratching hiI t head for awhile. answered witih ani air of triumph. -Why-the baby to j) be sure." And sohe s(lid, the outward 1< and visible backsliding of the Repub- a lican party will be the Montana twins -not the baby but a couple of them. t [Laughter.] He alsoillusti ated Hoar's a position that while none of the ob- a jections to counting the votes of f precinct 34 in Silver Bow County was suffiecint of itself to justify re- t jectioni of the votes all of thei to- 1 gatihe d idl constitute stitlielit ground I for doing so by an anecdote of a N justice of the peace before whoi a ( Case was tried in which eleven dis- c tinct pleas in bar were entered. The justice took them up one by one and decided as 4o each of them that it t was not worth one cent. but that i taking all of theim together they niade i a good case for the defendant. He i (Vance)had never heard a title to a i seat hi the Senate based on such slender teelmical, trifling grounds. i He had never known the public will i of a community to be thwarted and trampled underfoot on such flimsy nretexts. He knew, he said, that the Piat had gone forth. He knew that the Republican claimants were to be seated. But in the wise regulation of the moral world there was com pensation for all things, The Re publican Senators would be sicker over this thing before they were done with it than he was. He once heard of an old fellow who went out to Ohio i Lo speculate in hogs. He bought a < big d1rove :,f them and shipped them 1 to New York. He found that hogs I were cheaper there than they were in Ohio. So he shipped them back and sold theni in Ohio and some friend said to him: "Jim, you made a i bad speculation.~ -Yes", said he-"I lost . good deal of money, but I had the company of the hogs both ways." So he (Vance) thanked God that in all future denunciations of the South I for the suppression of colored votes, Southern Senators would have the company of the hogs. [Laughter.] And all that they would have to do was to I inquire of the Republican Senators in their altitudinous cerulean flights of oratory for the purity of the ballot. "Who stole precinct No. 34 of Silver 4 Bow County, Montana?" Eihnunds inquired whether the 174 persons who had voted at precinct 34 were legal voters. Vance asserted that they were. They were aliens who had declared their in tention to become citizens and they were under the Territoral laws enti tled to vote. Why the Farmer is Not Prosperous. A thoughtful writer' i the Aprili Forum has an article addressed to this question: "Why the farmer is not prosperous." The writer admits the fact and deplores it. There are ten million people employed in agri culture in the United States. The] greater portion of these people are unprofitably employed. The farming interest is in a condition of "unthrift. The state of affairs is not the result of laziness, for the planter works] longer and lives more econonmically than other people. It is not due to the crop failures, for the land is pro ductive and seasons in the main satis factory. When the farmer finds that he cannot make fair remuneration he concludes with justice that "the] times are out of joint." He attributes his failure to the lack of silver, to a: high tariff, to prevalence of trusts. to the raih'oads and to speculation ini farm products. But these things have prevailed to gieater or less de-] gree since "Adam delved," and the "middle man" has always existed as a g-.eat.e.- or less evil. The writer tumais his attention to existing fac'ts, and finds that wheat sells at forty to fifty cents a bushel, oats at nine to twelve cents, and corn atten to thirteen cents. For thirty n' ie years endiuig 1889, the increase in population was 175 per cent., and the increase in the production of corn was 237 per cent., of wheat 389 per cent., and of oats 411 per cent. Du ring twenty years the exportation of corn has averaged less than five per cent., and of oats less than one per cent., so the price of these grains must depend on home requirements. With such tremendous increase in crops, the price is bound to fall. The cor'n crop of 1889 exceeded that of 1887 by more than (;56.000,000 bush els, yet, counting the cost of the extra amount handled, it will bring the growers $100,000,000 less. Again, the crop of 1878 was 64 per cent. greater than that of 174; and, allow ance made for cost of handling, brought the farmers $140.000.000 less.I The history of' American farming for twenty years is, in brief, that as the area in cultivation has increased, so has the product per capita, to be followed by es e---declining Prices and I diminishing retuns per acre. If. in the period ending in 1874. with a cattle supply of 62 to 100 people. the supply of corn less than 25 bushels per capita, that of wheat and oats less than 6.5 bushels, and the domes-1 tic consumption of pork, 73 p)ounds for each inhabitant, all the require ments of the peo ple for breed and meat spirits and proveeder we.:.e fully and promptly met. it is qgoLe apparent that, estimia~ng consumption per capita as fifteen per ce at. greater than, then, the present supply of beef is sufficient for 71,000,000 p~eople: that of swine of 76.000,000; of wheat for. 79,000,000: of corn for 70.500.000; and of oats for more than 100,000.000.I The logical conclusion from the evi dence off'ered is that the trouble of, the farmer are due to the fact that there are altogether too many farms. The Wheat Crop. The Louisville Courier--Journal f publishes reports on the growing wheat crop from one hundred andc fifty of its corr'espondents in Ken tucky. Tennessee. Southern Indiana I and Northern Alabama. The outlookt in Kentucky and Alabama is for a nearly average crop: while across the'. Ohio and in Tennessee the prospects. are not so good. This is especially 1 the case in the border c'ounties of I Indiana. where cold and wet weather has played havoc with the grain. -The estimated amount of timber T seized in South Alabamat and 3 Florida by the goven'anenit is 8300.- t 000. ( A PICKPOCKET IN CHURCH. n Unexpected Incident at the Service of the New York Methodist Episoopal Con ference. NEW YORK, April 10.-During the ssion of the New York Conference f t. Methodist Episcopal Church L Calvary Church. at One Hundred ad Thirty-ninth street and Seventh venne, there have been several occa ons when the members of the Con -relce and others who attended the ieetings had occasion to complain iat either attempts had been made )st money while entering or leaving ) pick their pockets or that they had i9 church. On two Occasion2s the acts of the e'kpocket werte so delil)erate as to 1ave o doubt that the criminal was professional. The Rev. Dr. Day, astor of the church, called the atten ton of the police to the incidents, nd Captain Hooker detailed several Wu in civilian's clothing to watch at the offender at the service on Sun .ay morning. The announcement hat Bishop Goodsell was to preach rought together a very large udienc, and among the attendant;. !a Mrs. Roed. one of the most active i the la.Lies conneted with the hurch. When the services were oncluded Mrs. Reed walked with ome of her friends toward the cen ral exit of the church. where there .re placed contribution boxes to eceive money for the assistance of uissionaries. Mrs. Reed placed one money in one of these, and was )ut to put her hand in her pocket ii order to get her handkerchief vhen she found a hand there. She turned quickly and discovered neatly dressed woman, about forty ears old, wearing a shawl of Paisley anufacture and a very jaunty hat. rs. Reed followed the arm of the ntruding hand and grasped the wo an's shawl. exclaiming "You thief, take your hand from ny pocket!" The woman muttered something d tried to take her hand away, but n her hurry it became tangled in the ress and she could not extricate it ithout tearing Mrs. Reed's costume. 5he did not hesitate at this, however. ihe ripped the dress down the side, nd would have escaped at once had ot Mrs. Reed taken a firmer clutch pon the pickpocket's shawl and lung with all her might, calling for ssistance. her necessity being ap )arent to those who were leaving the hurch. The thief, seeing that it was ikely she would be captured, scratch ,d and tore Mrs. Reed's hands to uch a degree that from very pain he was obliged to relinquish her old. The woman in her struggle to get oway lost her shawl and hat. While he confusion continued she succeed d in regaining these and made her scape, without any of Captain looker's men appearing or making wy attempt to pursue the woman and arrest her. Several members of the onference chased the thief a little vay. but they lost her in the rapidly noving crowd in Seventh avenue. frs. Reed saved her pocketkook, but Lt the expense of badly scratched 1ands. The pickpocket can be identi ied by Mr's. Reed and those who saw he occurrence should the police suc :eed in finding her. The Farmers' Alliance Demands. In Georgia the Farmers' Alliance las now formally determinid to re lire all candidates for Congress in hat State this fall to pledge them elves to vote, if elected, for the sub titution of legal tender for national >ank notes; for taxes, State and na ional, to be levied only for revenue; or such a revision of the protective ariff that the burdens now resting )the agricultural and laboring lasses shall be lessened to the great ~st possible extent; for anti-trust aws, and for the "Sub-Treasury bill" 10?, before Congress, by which the 'ederal government is directed to tore farm products and loan money :o the owners of them to eighty per ,ent. of their market price. The Al .ance in other States is proposing the same pledges, and we notice such prominent Republicans as Senators 3herman, Cullomi and Stanford are etting ready to step up on the Al iance platform. Unless the Alliance blows over," the candidates this fall ~re going to do some curious pledging. -New York Herald. Practical Jokes of Students. When the breakfast bell at the orth Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical College rang on the iorning of the 1st of April not a student appeared, and when a careful search was made not one could be round. Nor vwere they in the college grounds or in the park adjoining or f the city. Their disappearance was ibsolute and their whereabouts a Avster'y. In the afternoon it was Escovered that before daylight they ad left the college in the quietest anner and gone to Carytown, ten niles distant. There they remained il day and at noon had a par-ade, ,v bannws and music. The faculty ad a day of leisure and were very irtily riled at the 1st-of-April joke >Feich they were made such comn >1ef'e victims. Q aeer Scenes in a MaineCourt. The Skowhegan correspondent of he Fairfield Jounal gives the fol owing description of the home-like ppearance of the Maine Supreme Jourt room during the present ternm >f court: "Ladies in the gallery -ing their needlework and sit out he long hors of the session. It is uteresting to watch them threading eedles, tieing knots, basting, occa ioally pausing to catch some por ion of the evidence and again to onfide in a neighbor something rela ive to some new-comner, interspersed with the slight click of the scissors, .1 of which tends to impress the ookers-on with the solemnity of the accason. and adds perceptibly to the bome-like' appearance of our judi ial residence." An Edaefield Murderer Captured. CoLmBIA, S. C., April 9.-Whitfield hurell, one of the convicted mur erers of Paul Younce, who escaped rom Edgefleld jail several months go. was captured this morning in a ave under his father's house, six ailes from Johnston. A score of uen surrounded the house during he night, a'nd today two of them rawed under and discovered him in ,cave. He clapped a pistol to the ead of one, but the other shot him a the band. Murrell let fall the itol anid surrendered. -It is learned that Harper's Ferry Ien'y county'. Ky., wvas almost coin letely destroyed by the tornado. e village. composed of less than wo dozen houses, is a considerable istnc from the railroad. -1NSALLS ON THE NEGRO. The Kansan Senator Explains His Views oR the Race Question. -I have been much misrepresented in regard t o my views on the race question. remarked Senator Ingalls recently. "I do not believe in social equality for the two races-far from it. I only wish the blacks to be treated with justice and thoir votes counted. There is no reason for antag onism between the races. The white men are the landed proprietors. They have superior talent and superior edu cation and there is no likelihood of i the negro race overriding them." I "'Will a preponderance of negro votes throw the government in the' hands of the negroes?" was asked. --There is no reaon that it should." he replied, --for the white race cai easily manage. even with perfectly fair elections, to keep the State offices in their hands. The negro was peace able in slavery, and even during the war they behaved with remarkable fidelity. There is no record of treach ery of slaves to their owners, none of theiii insulting women. harming children or destroying property. But now it seems as if it were an entirely diff'erent thing-as if it wasnecessary to antagonize the two races, which should dwell together in justice and harmony. --The idea of the negro domineer ing over the whites is a painted devil. There is nothing to show that the blacks wish to overthrow obligations. or to Africanize America. If they wish to emigrate let them, but if the Southern people would cease to re gard their former slaves as present enemies-those peaceful servants of the past as future foes-and allow them fair representation and a fair count, they would see that the dread 'race war' exists only in imagination. "In fact, the granting of the ballot to the negro has thrown an addition al number of the voters into each dis triet, and this grants additional rep resentatives to the South. The case is this: The majority of white men in the South are Democrats, while almost all negroes are Republicans Did !lhe negroes vote the Democratic ticke, there would be no race trouble; everything would be amicable. "No, there is no cause for alarm. The superiority of the white race over their former slaveis self-evident. These slaves are naturally peaceable, loyal race, as a rule guided by the whites.when rightly treated. so all that is needed is a free ballot, a fair count and a count of every vote." Costly Candor. A story is told of Congressman Taulbee, of Kentucky, who was shot lately by Charles Kincaid, in Wash ington City, that contains considera ble humor. An old colored man called Uncle Eph had lived in the Taulbee family many years and was considered an honest and faithful old servant. After the election for Con gressman, Taulbee having been a candidate, he was taunted by some of his opponents with the statement that Uncle Eph had voted against him. Loth to believe it he called old Eph into his room and said: "Uncle Eph, is it true that you voted against me at the election?" "Yes, Massa William,"replied Eph; "I voted de 'Publican ticket." "Well, said Taulbee, "I like frank ness, and here's a dollar for your candor." The old colored man stood scratch ing his head, when Taulbee asked: 'Well, Eph, what is it'?" "Well, Massa Taulbee," said Eph, "if von is buying candor you owes me fo' dollars mo', kase I voted again ye five times." Accidentally Killed. GRiEENvILLE, S. C.,April 8.-Walter King. the little nine-year-old son of John King, of Piedmont, S. C., and his sister, started to enter the store of J. H. Simpson at that place about & o'clock yesterday afternoon. As the little fellow stepped on the thresh hold, a pistol Mr. Simpson was show ing to a customer in some way was discharged, the bullets entering little Walter's temple, killing him instantly. Mr. Simpson did not realize the awful effect of the discharge until the little girl screamed and cried to him that he had killed her brother. As soon as he did so he became al most frantic with grief, and it was feared by his friends that he would do himself some great injury. A Great Bridge. The Congressional House of Rep resentatives has passed the bill for the big new bridge across the Hud son River between New York and Jersey River. The bridge is to have six railroad tracks, with capacity for four more; is to be of a single span, and stand as high from the water as the present Brooklyn bridge. Its construction must begin within three years, and end within ten years. This bridge, if built. will excel the famous Forth bridge. The End of a Libel Suit. CoIXrIan, S. C., April 9.-The libel suit for' $20,000 damiag~soughtk1ry Anna R~ and George B. Mosely, of Chester,. against Chas. A. Calvo, Jr., proprietor of the Columbia Register, for publishing damaging reports against the character of Mrs. Mosely, ended this evening. The jury in twenty-one minutes rendered a ver dict for the defendant. A H~eavy Storm. UNrox, S. C., April 9.-A cyclone passed over this section this after noon at 5 o'clock. doing considerable damage. Several houses were crush ed by falling trees. A colored man on a mule was struck by the cyclone and was blown off his mule, and his arm was broken. The worst of the cyclone was above the town, doing more damage there than in this i mediate vicinity. --The offieial organ of the negroes in North Carolina announces that a State convention of negroes is to be held soon to consider the question of cutting adrift from the white politi cians, who, it is alleged. have year after year misled the negro. preyed upon him and used him as a tool. The negroes are greatly stirred up. and say that to save their manhood they must take such action as that proposed. --Matilda Louise Shumack, tiftee~n years old, died at St. Johns. N. B.. on1 Monday from an electric shock. While at the Salvation Armiy bar racks she toucheid an~ elec'trie lamp) with an ironi poker, and at the same time she unconseiously caught an iron post. this completing th'e cir'cuit. She received a heavy shoek and after a few hours illness died in great agonyV. 1 CENERAL NEWS ITEMS. Facts of Interest Ga hered from Various Quar ers. -The grand lodge of the Indepen lent Order of Odd Fellows of tht state of North Carolina will meet in Wilmington, Tuesday, May 13th. -In the past fifteen months 71.000 1egroes have left North Carolina. This estimate is made on reliable lata. and upon careful investigation. -On Sunday night two Italians xalking on the West Shore railroad track, in Newburg, N. Y., got into a ight, and paid no attention to an ipproaching train. They hammered aeh other till the train struck them. Dne was killed. The other will die. -It is reported that Prophetown. illinois, has been swept away by a cyclone. Twenty freight cars were blown to atoms, the whole town has been wiped from the face of the earth, and many people have been killed. -The Gainesville, Fla., Sun learns that a company owning a big deposit of phosphate in the Trenton region is negotiating for the construction of a railroad to the Suwanee river, to connect with boats to transport phosphate rock to Cedn- Keys for shipment. -Richard Proctor, Jr., son of the late famous astronomer of that name, is supposed to be wandering of St. Louis in a deranged condition. Proc tor's insanity takes the form of an ex aggerated idea of great wealth. He is without money or friends, and if not speedily found vrill run the risk of getting into serious trouble. r. -Postmaster-General Wannama ker has prepared for publication in the forthcomingmonthly postal guide a circular letter addressed to all post masters, asking for contribations to a postal museum to be established in connection with the Postoffice De partment at Washington, to contain a permanent exhibit of such articles as will illustrate the growth of the postal service in the United States and the methods employed therein. -The Farmers' Alliance of North Carolina has passed the following resolution: "Resolved, That we here by pledge ourselves not to give our support to any candidate for the Leg islatu:re who is not known to be in favor of a railroad commission for Nori Carolina, nor any candidate for Con; ess who will not pledge himself to e. it his best efforts to secure the earl enactment of the bill before Con 2ss known as the sub-treasury bill. - ;u the farm of Mrs. S. E. Jones, nea Jurphy, N. C., there was a well for .! by nature on land that has been 'a cultivation for fifty years or more. It was cultivated in cotton last 'ar, since which time this well or M ie. two feet in diameter and fouri .-en feet deep, has formed. Wat-er rose ten feet in it. It is at least fifty feet above the bed of the nearest stream. -There was a fire under the North River at New York Sunday morning, a caisson of the big tunnel under that stream being ignitedby anuemployee's carelessness. When the fire had drowned out the question was how ostptehole made in the caisson as men could not get in. The trouble was solved by catching a number of water rats and turning them in with. bunches of oakum tied loosely to their tails. In following the air audi crawling through the holes they left the oakum and plugged up the leaks. TIMELY TOPiCS. A Chinese party in this country is among the possibilities, but thelsign a of the times do not point to its early birth. Thbe Lodge election bill is intended to serve a double purpose, namely, to return Republican candidates to Con gress, and supply campaign employ ment for more than half a million of. ficia Is at five dollars a day. The whole country will be glad to know thas Mr. Randall is recovering. from his long and severe illness. The. Philadelphia Times announces that he: is now able to attend to his correspon desce and hopes soon to resume his3z duties in Congress. North Dakota has not been a State many months, but she has already ss. tablished gilt-edge eredit. A few ihys ago :in issue of $150,000 of her bonds bearing 4 per cent. interest, sold at a premium of nearly 10 per cent. Few of the old States can match that record. The Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed the decision of the Circuit Court in the case brought on beh af of Mliss Isabella Lee to recover possession of the Fort H1111 plantatiou devised to the State by the late Thom as G. Clemson, for the establisi a of an agricultural college. Ti. cision settles the State's rig ht to thea The signs of dis--ontent among ef Republicans of the North west anhe comning so pronounced that even the st alwart Sb. Louis Globe-Demanerat api. prehead~s trouble for its party in that quari.-. iSpeaking of trhe outlook in cowa it says: "The Republican ma jority. .which used to be the largest in an of the States, as d windled to fig mi es that imp~ly early andl complete loss. of po;wer." The New York Legislature l ot year enacted a s.at e the like a which - ehould be. adopted ini every State. It provide~s that peiso:,s intentlit-g to en te-r at medical college s:,all .arat pass :'n? exardination in arithmetic, grammar: geography, A merican history, English' literature and natural philosophyws This examinat ion must be conducted,, not by the faculty of the medical col lege which the applieant proposes to' enter, but by the regents of the State' uniiversity in accordance with fixed! rule-. The .!sryland Senate recently pass ed by an almnost ucianitnous vote a bill to amend the law relating to official oaths so as to abolish the custom of kissing the Bible. For this eeremony it pi oposes to substitute the raising of the right band in formal recognition a f the soletunity of the oath and to~ amit the words "so help me God" as mpi!eriiuous. The House killed the 'ill on thbe idea that the present form )f oath is familiar and that any inno o :nion might lessen its impressiveness