Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SOCIAL DIVERSIONS. THEY THAT USE THIS WORLD AS NOT ABUSING IT. Rev. Dr. Talmage Dhcusses Good and ad Recreations--The Force of Music--Ort door Sports--Foundations For Soul Build ing-The Last Hour. WASHINGTON, March 29. In his ser mon today Dr. Talmnge discussed a subject of universal interest-viz, "Our Social Recreations. ' His text was chosen from I Corinthians vii, 31; "They that use this world as not abus ing it." Judges xvi, 25: "And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, call for Samson, that he may make us sport." There w'ere 3,000 people assembled in the temple of Dagon. They had come to make sport of eyeless Samson. They were all ready for the entertainment. They began to clap and pound, impa tient for the amusement to be. i n, and they cried, "Fetch him out, fetch him l out?" Yonder Isee the blind old giant coming, led by the hand of a child in to the very midst of the temple, At his first appearanee there goes un a shout of laughter and derision. The blind old giant pretends he is tired, and wants to rest himself against the pillars of the house. So be says to the lad who leads him, "Show me where the main pillars are:" The lad dot's so. Then the strong man puts his right hand on one pillar and his left hand on another. and, with the might iest push that mortal ever made. throws himself foward until the whole h tuse comes down in thunderous crash. grinding the audience like grapes in a wine press. "And so it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house, and he made them sport." - In other words, there are amuse ments that are destructive, and bring down disaster and death upon the heads of those who practice them. While they laugh and cheer, they die. The 3,000 who perished that day in Gaza are as nothing compared to the tens of thousands who have been de stroyed by sinful amusements. But my first text implies that there is a lawful use of the world as well as an unlawful abuse of it, and the differ ence between the man Christian and the man unChristian is that in the former case the man masters the world while in the latter case the world mas ters him. For whom did God make this grand and beautiful world? For whom this wonderful expenditure of color, this gracefulness of line, this mosaic of the ground, this fresco of the sky, this glowing fruitage of orchard and vine yard, this full orchestra of the tempest, m which the tree branches flute, and the winds trumpet, and the thunders drum, and all the splendors of earth and sky come clashing their cymbals? For whom did God spring the arched bridge of colors resting upon buttresses of broken stonm cloud? For whom did he gather the upholstery of fire around te window of the setting sun? For all men, but more especially for his own dear children. If you build a large mansion and spread a great feast after it to celebrate the completion of the structure, do you allow strangers to come in and occupy the place, while you thrust your own children in the kitchen, or the barn, or the fiels? Oh, not You say, "I am very glad to see strangers inmy mansion, but my own sons and daughters shall have the first right there." Now, God has buit this grand mansion of a world, andhe has spread aglorious feast in it, and while those woaesngrs to his grace may come in I thn that God especially intends to give the advantage to his own children-those who are the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, those who through grace can look up and say, "Abba, Father." You can not make me believe that God gives more advantages to the world than he veto the church bought by his own oo.If, thenefore, people of the world have looked with dolorous sym pahy upon those who make profes son of religion and have said, "Those new converts are going down into nrivation and into hardship; why did t'hey not tarry a little longer in the world and have some of its enjoyments and amusements and recreations"-I say to such men of the world, '"You are greatly mistaken," and before I get through I will show that those pole who stay out of the kingdom of Gdhave the hardships and self deni als, -while those who come in have the joys and satisfactions. In the name of the King of heaven and earth, I serve a writ of eje'ctment upon all the sinful and polluted who have squatted on the domain of earth ly pleaure as though it belonged to them, while I claim, in behalf of the good and the pure and the true, the eternal inheritancewtiich Godhasgiven them. Hitherto Christian philant hro pists, clerical and iay, have busied themselves chiefly in denouncing sin ful recreations, but I feel we have no right to stand before men and women in whose hearts there is a desire for recreation amounting to positive ne cessity, denouncing this and that and the other thing, when we do not pro poeto give them somethingt better. Ghelping me and with reference to my last account, I shall enter upon a sphere not usual in sermonizing, but a subject which I think ought to be presented atthis time. I propose now to lay before you some of the recrea tions which are not only innocent, but positively helpful and advantage OuS. In the first place, I commend, among indoor recreations, music-vocal and instrumental. Among the first things created was the bird, so that the earth might have music at the start. This world, which began with so sweet a serenade, is finally to be demolished amidst the ringing blast of the arch angel's trumpet, so that as there was music at the start, there shallibe music at the close. While this heavenly art has often been dragged into the uses of superstition and dissipation, we all know it may be the means of high moral culture. Oh, it is a grand thing to have our children brought up amidst the soond of cultured voices and amidst the melody of musical instru ments. There is in this art an indescribable fascination for the household.- Let all those families who have the means to afford it have flute or harp or piano or organ. As soon as the hand is large enough to compass the keys teach it -how to pick out the melody. Let all our young men try this heavenly art upon their nature. Those who have gone into it fully have found in it illimitable recreation and amusement. Dark days, stormy nights, seasons of sickness, business disastma, will do little toward depressing the soul which can gallop off over musical keys or soar in jubilant lay. It will cure pain, it will rest fatigue; it will quell passion; it will revive health; it will reclaim dissipa tion; it will strengthen the immortal soul. In the battle of Waterloo Well ington saw that the Highilanders were falng back. He said, "What is the matter therel" He was told that the bao music had ceased playing, and he called up the pipers and ordered them to strike up an inspiriting air, and io sooner did they strike the air than the highlanders were rallied and helped to win the day. Oh, ye who have been routed in the conflicts of life, try, by the force of music, to rally your scattered battalions I am glad to know that in our great cities there is hardly a night in which there are not concerts where, with the best musical iustrumeut and the sweet est voices, people miiay find entertain ment. Patronize such entertainments when they are afforded you. Buy sea son tickets if you can for the Philhar maonic and the Handel and Haydn so cieties. Feel that the :1.50 or $2 that you snend for the purpose of hearimr an artist play or sing is a profitable investment. Let your academies of music roar with the acclamation or appreciative audiEnces ass-mbled at the concert or the oratorio. Still further, I commend, as worthy of their support, the gymnasium. This institution is gaining in favor every year, and I know of nothing more free from dissipation, or more calcu lated to reeuperate the physical and mental energies. While there are a good many people who have employed this institution, there is a vast number who are ignorant of its excellencies. There are men with cramped chests and weak sides and despondent spirits who through the gymnasium might be roused up to exuberance and ex hilaration of life. There are many Christian people despondent from year to year, who might, through such an institution, benefited in their spiritual relations. There are Christiau people who seem to tbin k that it is a good sign to be poorly ; and because Rich ard Baxter and Robert Hall were in valid. they thick that by the same sickliness they may come to the same grandeur of character. I want to tell the Christian people of my congrega tion that God will hold you responsi ble for your invalidism if it is your fault, and when, through right exer cise and prudence, you might be athle ti- and well. The effect of the body upon tne soul you acknowledge. Put a man of mild disposition upon the animal diet of which the Indian par takes, and in a little while his blood will change its chemical proportions. It will become like unto the blood of the lion, or the tiger, or the bear, while his disposition will change and become fierceand unrelentiog. The body has a powerful effect upon the soul There are good people whose ideas of heaven are all shut out with clouds oftobaeco smoke. Tnere are people who dare to shatter the physical vase in which God has put the jewel of eternity. There are men with great hearts and intellects, in bodies worn out by their own neglects-magnifi cent machinery, capable of propelling a Majestic across the Atlantic, yet fas tenea in a rickety North river propeller Martin Luther was so mighty for God. first, because he had a noble soul, and secondly because he had a muscular development which would have en abled him to thrash any five of his persecutors, if it had been Christian so to do. Physical development which merely shows itself in fabulous lifting or in perilous rope walking, or in pugilistic encounter, excites only our contempt; but we confess great ad miration for the man who has a great ~soul in an athletic body, every nerve, muscle and bone of which is conse rated to right uses. Oh, it seems to me outrageous that men, through ne glect, should allow their physical4 health to oo do wn beyjond repair-a ship whicii oughal sailset and every man at his post, to be carrying a rich cargo for 1 eternity, employing all its men in stopping tip leakages! When you 1 may. through the gymnasium, work 1 off your spleen and your querulous ness and one- half of your physical 1 and mental ailments, do not turn your back upon such a grand medicament Still further, I commend to you a large class of parlor games and recrea tions- There is a way-of making our homes a hundredfold more attractive i than they are now- Those parents1 cannot expect to keep their childrent away from outside dissipations unless they make the domestic circle brighter than anhthing they can find outside of< it. Do not, then, sit in your home surely and -unsympathetic and with a half condemnatory look because of the sportfulness of your children.t You were young once yourself; let your children be young- Becauset your eyes are dim and your ankles are stiff, do not denounce sportfulness int those upon whose eyes there is the firsti luster, and in whose foot there is the ] bounding joy of robust health. It thank God that in our drawing rooms and in our parlors there are innumer able games and sports which have not1 upon them the least taint of iniquity. Light up all your homes with inno cent 7hilarities. Do not sit down with the rheumatism, wondering how cil-< dren can go on so. Rather thank God< that their hearts are so light, and their laughter is so free, and th'eir cheeks are so ruddy, and that their expectations as so radiant. The night will come 1 soon enough, and the heartbreak, and the pang, and the desolation-it willi come soon enough for the dear chil-2 dren. But when the storm actuallyi louds the sky it will be time enough 1 for you to haul out your reef tackles. 1 Carry, then, into your homes not only the innocent sports and gamnes which are the inventions of our own day, but the games which come down witnh the sortfulness of all the past ages- 1 chess and charades and tableaux and battedore and calisthenics and lawn tennisand all those amusements which the young people of our homes know so well how to contrive. Then there will be the parlor socialities-groups of people assembled in -your homes, with wit and mimicry and joviality, filling the room with joy from door to mantel, and from the carpet to the cell ing. Oh, is there any exhilaration like a score of genial souls in one room 1 each one adding a contribution of his own individual merriment to the ag-i gregation of general iilarity ? . Suppose you want to go abroad in the city, then you will find panorama and the art gallery, and the exquisite collections of pictures. You will find the museum and the Historical society rooms full of rare curiositiu, and cores of places which can stand plainly the test of what is right and wrong in amusements. You will find the lecturing hall, which has been honored by the names of Agassiz in1 natural history, Doremus in chemis try, Boynton in geology, Mitchell in astronomy, John B. Gough in moral reform, and scores and hundreds of men who have poured their wit and genius and ingenuity through that particular channel upon the hearts and consciences and imaginations of men, setting this country 50 years farther in advance than it would have been with out the lectume platform. I rejoice in theC popularization of outdoor sports. I hail the croquet ground, and the fisherman's rod, and the sportsmau's gun. In our cities life is so unhealthy and unnatural that when the census taker represents a city as havi ng 400,000 inhabitants there are only 200,000, since it takes at least t wo men to amount to one man, so de pleting and unnerving and exhaust Iing is this metropolitan life. We want more fresh air, more sunlight, more cfi the abandon of field sports. T cry out for it in behalf of the church of God as well as in behalf of seecalar interests. and our capitoline grounds might be all aquake with the heel and the shout of the swift skater. I wish that when the warm weather comes the graceful oar might dip the stream, and the eve ning tide be resonant with boatman's song, the bright prow splitting the crystalline billow. We shall have the smooth and gras sy lawn, and we will call out people of all occupations and professions and ask them to joia in the oallplayer's sport. You will come back from these outdoor exercises and recreations with strength in your arm and color in your cheek and a hash in your eye and courage in your heart. In this great battle that is opening against the kiogdomi of darkness, we want not only a consecrated soul, but a strong arm and stout luns and mighty nus cle. I bless God that there are so many recreations that have not on them any taint of iniquity-recreations in which we may engage for the strengthening of the body, for the clearing of the intellect, for the illa mination of the soul. There is still another form of recre ation which I commend to you, and that is the pleasure of doing good. I have seen young men, weak and cross and sour and repelling in their dis position, who, by one heavenly touch, have wakened up and become blessed and bouyant. the ground under their feet and the sky over their heads breaking forth into music. "Oh," says some young man in the house to day, "I should like that recreation above all others, but I have not the means." My dear brother, let us take an account of stock. You have a large estate, if you only realize it. T wo hands, two feet. You will have, p- r haps, during the next year at least $10 for chartabi contribution You will have 2.500 cheerful looks, if you want to employ them. You will have 5,000 pleasant words, if you want to speak them. Now, what an amount that is :sotatrt with! You go out tomorrow morning, and you see a case of real destitution by the wayside. You give him two cents. 'he blind man hears the pennies rat tle in his hat, and he says: "Thank you, sir! God bless you:" You pass down the street, trying to look indif ferent, but you feel from the very depth of your soul a profound satis faction that you made that man hap py. You go on still farther and find a poor boy with a wheelbarrow, try ing to get it up on the curbstone. Re fails in the attempt. You say: "Stana back my lad. Let me try." You push it up on the curbstone for him and pass on. He wonders who that well dressed man was that helped him. You did a kindness to the boy, but you lid a great joy to your own soul. You will not get over it all the week. On the street tomorrow morning you will see a sick man passing along. "Ah," you say, "what c in I do to rake this man happy? He certainly does not want money ; he is not poor, but he is sick." Give him one of those ?.500 cheerful looks that you have earner-d up for the whole year. Look joy and hopefulness into his soul. It will thrill him through, and there will be a reaction upon your own soul. Joing a little farther on, you will :ome to the store of a friend who is :mbarrassed in business matters. You will go in and say: "What a fine tore you have! I think business will ,righten up, and you will have more ustom after awhile. I think there is: ioming a great prosperity to all the ~ountry. Good morning." You pass >ut. You have helped that young nan, and you have helped yourself. Colonel Gardiner, who sat with el yow on a table spread with all extrav igant viands, looking off at a dog on ;he rug, saying, "How I would .like ;o change places with him, I be the log and he be Colonel Gardiner," or. hose two Moravian missionaries who vanted to go into the lazaretto for the ake of attending the sick, and they were told: "If you o'o in there you vill never come out. 'Ve never allow my one to come out, for he wouldi >ring the contagion." Then they made heir wills and went in, first to helpi he sick and then to die. Which was he happier-Colonel Gardiner or the1 ~foravian missionaries dying for1 thers? Was it all sacrifice when the nissionaries wanted to bring the gos el to the negroes at the Barbados,< nd, being denied the privilege, sold1 hemselves into slavery, standing side < 'y side and lying side by side down in he very ditch of suffering, in order< hat they might bring those men up o life and God and heaven? Oh, there< s a thrill in the joy of doing good! < t is the most magnificent recreation o which a man ever put his hand, or-] lis head or his heart. But before closing I want to impress pon you that mere secular entertain-. nents are not a fit foundation for your oul to build on. I was reading of a roman who had gone all the rounds >f sinful amusement, and she came to lie. She said: "I will die tonight at io'clock." "Oh." they said, "I guess ot? Youglon't seem to be sick." "I hail die at 6 o'clock. and my soul will ' >e lost. I know it will be lost. I have inned away my <tay of grace." The ooa came. They desired her to seek eligious counsel. "Oh," she said, "it s of no use! My day is gone. I have >een all the rounds of worldly pleas tre, and it is too late, I shall die to uight at 6 o'clock." The day wore way, and it came to 4 o'clock and to io'clock, and she cried out at 5 o'clock: 'Destroying spirits you shall not iave me yet ! It is not 6-it is not 6!" Lhe moments went by, and the shad >ws began to gather, and the clock truck 6 and while it was striking her oul went. What hour God will call or us I do not know-whether 6 'clock tonight. or S o'clock this after ion, or at 1 o'clock, or at this mo nent. Sitting where you are, failing 'orward, or dropping down, where vill you go to? The last hour of our life will soon >e here, and from that hour we will -eview~ this day's proceedings. It will >e a solemn hour. If from our death >illow we have to look back and see tlife spent in sinful amusement, there vill be a dart that will strike through >ur soul sharper than the dagger with which Virginius slew his child. The nemory of the past will make us uake like Macbeth. The iniquities Lnd rioting through which we have >assed will come upon us, weird and keleton as Meg Merrilies. Death, the ld Shylock, will demand and take he remaining pound of flesh and the emaining drop of blood, and upon >ur last opportunity for repentance td our last chance for heaven the :urtain will forever drop. Terrile Floods. KNOXvILLE, Tenn., April 1.-Re >orts from all points on the Tennessee tnd Hoiston rivers, indicate the worst reshet known in years. The Clinch md Powell rivers have also done reat damage and many people have yeen drowned. These rivers are the 1ihest for 30 years. Near Knoxville m pier was washed from under a new ridge across the Tennessee river. The >ower house of the Knoxv~ille Electric treet railway was tlooded today and or several hours .the entire system was topped. In Lee county. Va., Easter anderson, his wife and three children. were washed away in Powell river and drowned. Two horses were also killed. The damage below Knoxville THEIR REQUESTS GRANTED. The Commission Accedes to the Desires o the Railroads. Cumu3I , S. C,, April 3.-The Railroad Commission was in session all yesterday morning considering the requests and arguments submitted Wednesday by representatives of the railroads doing business in South Car olina. At a late hour last night the sub-joined circular was given out, con taining the decision of the Comniis sion. It will be seen that the request of all the roads for time in which to prepare their tariff books before the new rates went into effect and of the smaller roads to charge higher rates than 31-4 and 23 -1 cents per mile, those fixed in the Act regulating charges for passenger transportation, was granted. The circular is as fol lows: To enable the railroad companies operating in this State to prepare and promulgate their passenger rates sheet in accordance with the Act of the General Assembly, approved March 9th, 186 , and the action of this Com mission pursuant thereof, the passen ger rates now in force will be contin ued until the 1st day of May next. On and after that date the following rates will be enforced by the Comrnistion on the railroads doing business in South Carolina, to wit: Three and a quarter cents (3 1-4 cts ) per mnie for frst class fare; two and three quarter cents per mile for sec ond class fare, on the following named roads: Asheville and Spartanburg Rail road. Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad. Spartanburg, Union and Columbia Railroad. Soutnern Railway in South Caroli na, the Charlotte, Columbia and Au gusta and Columbia and Greenville Railroads. Central Railroad of South Carolina. Florence Railroad. Northeastern Railroad. Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Rsilroad. Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad. Charleston and Savannah Railroad. Georgia, Carolina and Northern Railroad. Port Royal and Western Carolina Railroad. South Carolina and Georgia Rail road. Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad. Three and one-half cents per mile for first class; three cents per mile for second class, on the following named railroads: Blue Ridge Railroad. Branchville and Bowman Railroad. Carolina, Cumberland Gap and Chi cago Railway. Carolina, Knoxville and Western Railway. Carolina Midland Railway. Cheraw and Darlington Railroad. Cheraw and Chester Railroad. Chester and Lenoir Railroad. Columbia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad. Georgetown and Western Railroad. Glenn Springs Railroad. Hampton and Branchville Railway. Manchester and Augusta Railroad. Ohio River and Charleston Rail road. Palmetto Railroad. Port Royal and Augusta Railway. South and North Carolina Railway. Wilmington and Conway Railroad. Wilson and Sumnmerton Railroad. On all railroads a half fare of not more than two cents per mile for chil :Iren under twelve years old or over sixyersofage shall be charged. No railroad company shal be al owed to charge more than 10 cents as a minimum full or half rate between regular stations, when the fare would e less than that amount. The fare shall always be made that nultiple of five or 0, nearest reached by multiplying the rate by the dis ;ance. In addition to these rates, passengers nprovided with tickets, when oppor ;unity has been afforded them by the ailroads to procure the same. may be -equired by the railroads to pay to the :onductor twenty-five cents excess of :he fare, upon receiving from the con luctor a draw-back ticket for the ;wenty-five cents, which shall be ashed on presentation at any ticket ffice of the company, within twenty lays after date. This circular super eds all other circulars in conflict. WV. D. EVANs, Chairman. D. P. DUxcis, Secretary. Mutst Tax Beneficiaries. COLDIBIA, S. C., April 1.-A meet ng of the board of visitors of the State Military academy was held yesterday norning in the Hotel Jerome. All of he members except one were present. ['he object of the meeting was to de ise the means of running the institu ion upon the reduced apppropriation nade by the last general assembly for he ed ucation and rnaintenance of the S beneficiaries in that institution. In he last annual report of the board of risitors to the general assembly, by in itemized statement of exnenses, it has shown that the cost of educating and maintaining this class of cadets equired an annual appropriation of 2,0000 and the point was distinctly rged that if a less appropriation be nade, the beneficiary must necessarily e required to bear a part of his ex ~enses. From the reopening of the nstitution until last year the annual propriation was $20.000. The appro ariation the current year, of 12 months, .s $18,000-a difference of $30 per cadet. ifter full discussion of the situation tnd in view of the fact that every ~conomy has been practised short of mpairing the efliciency of the school, md doing justice to the pay cadets who pay for all they get and whose arents demand the high grade of edu ation for which they pay, the board elt themselves forced to adopt the easure of requiring each of the bene iciary cadets to contribute $30 of the imount heretofore allowed on his per onal account.-State. Another Advance Made. The Keelev cure has been introduced nto the St. Agnes Hospital. Baltimore, Ed. The good Sisters realize that in ~he Keeley cure is found the only hope ~or those addicted to the liquor and orphine habits, and have made a ontract with the Keely Institute of Maryand by which the Keeley treat ent shall be administered at their hos ital by regular physicians instructed by Dr.- Keeley. This is another argu ent proving that the Sisters of Char Lty occupy the front place in the care af the diseased and in the service of sffering humanity. The treatment was adopted four years ago by the United States government and is used at the National home. Proving so ef icacious the treatment is now given at Fort Leavenworth Post, to the ofli :ers and enlisted men of the regular army. During the past two years the States5 of Maryland, Minnesota, Colo rado, Louisiana, North Dakota, Wis :onsin and others have by legislative enactments pi-ovided that indigent liquor and morphine habitues be given the treatment. The Keeley Institute of South Caro lina continues its good work at Cc lumbia, and any information desirea may be had by addressing that insti Death in a Tenement. NEW YoRK, April 1.-Ten persons perished by suffocation in a Brooklyn tenement house early today. The names of the victims are: August Buno, his wife and two children. Sally five years old and Johana eighteen months; Lena Calabia, 18 years of age; Nicola Tralia, SO years, his daughter. Lena Tralia, 21 years, Dominick, his son, 24 years, and an eight days old baby; Cornelia Marretti, 26 years. The fire started in the lower hallway of the building, which is a four-story tenement in Union street, and before the sleeping tenants could be warned of their danger, all escape was cut off. The flames swept up the stairways and the halls and rooms were quickly filled with smoke. Ten of the tenants were suffocated in their beds. The section of the city where this terrible disaster occurred is near the water front. The majority of the residents are Italians of the poorer class and they form the biggest colony of their race in Brooklyn. The firemen suc ceeded in getting the fire under con trol after a short time. The damage to the building is estimated at $4,000. After the fire had been extinguised John Calabria was found unconscious lying on the fire escape. He had got ten out of a second story window so completely exhausted that he could go no further. He will recover. His wife %vas dead in her apartments. Subsequently nine other bodies were found. When he had somewhat ral lied from the effects of suffocation and heat, Calabria told the story of how he escaped and left his wife behind. In most cases death was due ti suffo cation. The bodies of the Buno family who lived on the top floor, were found huddled together, showing that the family woke during the fire and made efforts to escape. Buno's body was found near the window. The Italian family were on the floor below. Fire Chief Dale expresses the opinion that the fire was the work of an incendiary. He says that the firemen did not know that there was anybody in the house until after the fire had been extinguish ed. The chief is not at all impressed with the story Calabria tells. The lat ter says he made several attempts to get out of the burning building, but on account of the heat could not. He finally fell exhausted on the fire es cape, from where he was taken by the firemen. The man was fully dressed and before he fell on the escape, he was seen by the firemen on the roof of the burning building. Fleeing from Fiends. HAA ma, April 1, viii Tampa. Fla., April 2.-Jose Ramon del Valle, a Spaniard who has been alcalde for some time of the important town of Jovellanos, Matanzas province, has resigned his position and brought his family here. He sails for Mexico to morrow. He states as a reason that he can no longer stand the excesses committed by Spanish troops. Senor del Valle is a man of culture and in telligence, and has no leaning toward the~ insurgents. His testimony is, therefore, unbiased. He says: "Spanish troops are killing innocent people right and left. The people of Habana have no idea what atrocities are being committed. In many parts of the island the troops pillae stores, residences and estates and ' 'lunarm ed men. Unquestionably they are more to be feared than the insurgents. There is no safety for life or property outside of the cities and large towns. While Colonel Vicuna's column was at Jovellanos, three weeks ago, they met three men on the outskirts, com ing to ward the town on the main high way. The men were unarmed. They were halted and asked for their papers. They had none, and were immediately shot. Colonel Vicuna reported this officially as a victory over a party of insurgents in which the enemy had three dead and the troops no losses& Ten days ago a detacihment of mounted guerillas, under Lieutenant Paula' while foraging near Jovellanos came upon ten laborers at work in a field. The laborers shouted 'Viva Espana, as the troops approached, but the Lat ter fired a volley at them, missing the laborers, who threw themselves on their faces on the ground, but a china man who was standing near by re ceived a bullet in the leg. He went to Lieutenant Paula and showed his wound to him, complaining at the ac tion of Paula's men. Paula said: -You are going to tell tales, are youl and, drawing his sword, he killed tne Chinaman. These intsances came un der my personal observation while I was alcalde. or mayor, of the town of Jovellanos." Clark. SPANISH BUTCHERIES. HABANA, April 2.-By thelfinding of a court martial seven more insurgent prisoners have been condemned to death under the recent proclamation of Captain-General Weyler, declaring armed enemies of the government to be bandits, incendiaries, etc. The ex ecution of the condemned men has been deferred until Monday. the re maining days of this week~ being hcl idays. According to the government reports Maceo is still west of tbe trocha line. ______ spanish Barbarity. HAVANA. March 31.-Never in mod erm times has there been a more sick ening spectacle than that which to day attended the execution of five Cubans. The men had been condemned to death by the garrote as "murderers, viola tors and incendiaries." Troops were drawn up in a hollow square and in the middle were placed the chair and post. Ruiz, the public executioner, had deputized an assistant to conduct the affair The condemned men hay ing received the offices of the church, were brought into the square to meet their fate. One of them had confessed his guilt and affirmed the innocence of all the others who also protested that they were guiltless. The first man to die took his seat in the chair calmly, the iron core was fixed about his neck and the cap drawn over his face. Then the executioner undertook to apply the screw, but was so excited that his hand slipped repeatedly, with the result that that the victim died by slow strangulation, emitting the while the most distressing cries. The second execution was accomplished with even more distressing awkwardness and de lay, the executioner being almost on the verge of collapse as he performed hit horrible function. The protests of the officers and priests forced Ruiz to undertake the thiird execution, but he did little bettec than his assistant had done. The fourth victim of bungling garroters was likewise tortured and then Ruiz literally fled from his post, leaving his assistants to put to death the fifth unfortunate Cuban, who es caped none of the agonizing experien ces that had attended the execution of his fellows. The whole affair has left upon these who witnessd it and upon those to whom it has been described, a feeling of the utmost horror. Killed by an Explosion. DANGERFIELD, Tex., April 1.-The boiler in a saw mill belonging to John C. Connolly, eight miles South of here, explcdel yesterday instantly killing J. WV. P'eliter, fatally injuring Souaal, seriously injaring Bob Banks and his teu-year-old boy and scalding John McCartney. Uncle Sams Gold.. W.-sHINGTON, March 3.-The t:-eas ury gold at the clese of business todayI stood at $128,105,404. The withdraw-j als for the day were $2e8,300. HUMAN VULTURES. Out of Suffering and War They make a Living--Robbing Cubans. WASHINGTON. March 31.-The mem bers of the Cuban janta in this city are very much annoyed and irritated at the efforts being made by persons claiming authority from the Cuban Republic to enlist citizens of the Unit ed States for service in the Cuban cause. The reputed Cuban agent engaged in recruiting divides his time between Baltimore and this city. He is said to be remarkably discreet, and is in the habit of maintaining an annoying si lence even toward those whose aid is sounght, until the character of the men is fullly assured. It is stated, however, that the party is already very large in numbers and will be in readiness to move within a few days. The larger part of those enlisted in this city are at present residents of east and southeast Washington, and are, as a rule, from respectable and well-known families. According to the proposals made to the recruits, the Americans are not to be officers in the Cuban service, but the understanding is they will enlist in the ranks. The contract calls for a salary of $25 per month, Cuban cur rency, with a proviso for a certain lump sum in the event that the insur gents are successful. CUBANS NOT SOLICITING MEN. Senor Gonzalo de Quesada, the rep resentative of the Cuban republic in this city, was very indignant when his attention was called to the work of the alleged Cuban agent. "The whole is an absolute fraud." said Senor Quesada, with vigorous emphasis. "The Cubans are not en listing any men in the Uunited States, and no one has any authority even to suggest such a course. I receive hun dreds of letters every week from Amer icans who are willing to serve in be half of Cuban independence, without remuneration, and who are willing to pay their own expenses and their sub sistance waile there, but I do not even answer them. Some time ago a man named James Hoyt, who called him self a colonel in the Cuban army, and pretended to hold a commission from Gomez, began to enlist or rather to en gage men in New Orleans. He prom ised them commissions of lieutenants, at so much per commission, demand ing $5 down from the applicants, who are at his call. He was a vile fraud, and every man who pretends to have authority to enlist men for the Cuban cause is in the same category. Such men are only attempting to make money from those whose ardor over comes their wisdom. I repeat that no one who is engaged in the business of enlisting parties for service in Cuba is anything but a fraud." Senor Quesada then called attention to the following circular. headed, "Cuban Libre," copies of which have been distributed all over the country. "All friends of progress and human ity are invited to contribute money and material to the cause of Cuban in dependence. Please send contribu tions to the following gentlemen: Colonel Fernando Figueredo, Tampa. Fla. ;General Gonzales Quesada, New York city; J. D. Christopher, Jack sonville, Fla; William H. Sloane & Sons, Cincinnati, 0.; Captain Ortan C. Cullen, Cullen, Va. The services of well-equipped parties are also solic ited. Addes as above" "You notice that the name of Fig uerido, as well as my own, is mispell ed. The whole thing is absolutely un authorized, and, in my opinion, is a fraud. The only person in this coun try who has authority to receive mon ey or supplies for the cause of Cuban independence, and who can give a proper receipt for same, is Benjamin J. Guerra, 192 Water street, New York, who is the treasurer of the Cu ban party. Hagood's Famns Brigade, The movement has been afoot for some time to have a reunion of Ha good's famous brigade in Charleston during the approaching meeting of the South Carolina Division of the United Confederate Veterans there.- The matter has been widely discussed and it has met with universal approbation. Gen. Hagood has endorsed it unreser vedly and letters have been received by gentlemen interested in the move mnent from men who have a large share in the glorious record of the brigade all heartily favoring the undertaking. T'he following address to the members, of the various companies in the brig ade will doubtless meet with the ready respone which it so justly merits: To the Survivors of Hagood's Brig-i ade-Comrades: The approaching :neeting of the South Carolina Division of the United Confederate Veterans in Charleston on April 22 and 23, will. we trust, bring together a number of the now rapidly diminishing members of those who wore the grey. It seems to us a fitting occasion for those who erved in Hagood's Brigade to hold a reunion . Our commander is heartily in favor of the movement and will be with us.- We have a record that eachI member of thaz historic command must feel proud of. Let us meet as omrades from the humblest private to the most meritorious officer and re :all the glorious part an d grasp each ther by the hand once more and ex :hange a word of greeting. Will not each member of the brigade ry and attend ? All will be welcome. Extend this invitation to those around you. Names and postoffice addresses re not now easily obtained and the ime is short, but we trust the reunion will be a source of pleasure to the sur ivors. Will not the newspapers of the State give a place to this call and id1 us in bringing toether the men who followed where Haood led, often o danger, but never to dishonor? Nilliam E. Stoney, captain, inspec or general, brigatie staff; Willham lybun, 7th battalion, South Carolina Volunteers; J. H. Brooks, 7th battal on, South Carolina Volunteers; J. J. Westcoat, 11th regiment., South Caro ina Volunteers; George W. Moore, 1th regiment, South Carolina Volun eers; J. Harleston Read, 21st regi ment, South Carolina Volunteers; R. 0-. Howard, 21st regiment. South Car lina Voluntee-s; James F. Izlar, 25th regiment, South Carolina Volunteers; . Grange Simnons, M. D., 25tn regi ent, South Carolina Volunteers; I. Dwight Stoney, 27th regiment, South arolina Volunteers, H. H. Baker, 7t'i regiment, South Carolina Volun eers. To Wreck the Capitol. JacKsON, Miss., April 2.-An at empt was made last night to wreck he State capitol. At 10 o'clock while ecretary of State Power was engaged n his office at the capitol, he heard a noise outside. Going to the window he saw several men digging at the walls. His appearance~ frightened away the men and an investigation showed that two pieces of stone about two feet square had been removed from the wall. Had the wdek gone on a little longer a section of the wall about four by twenty feet would have fallen. 1hus wrecking the whole build ing. Strenuous etforts were made :during the recent session of the Legis lature to provide for a new buildihg,I but nothing was done in the matter, and it is thought some miscreants took this maeans of securing immediate actin TREE WITH A HANGING RECORD. Furnished the Ganows for Ten Men in a Week. "Down in our town we have an old tree that has quite a history," said John F. Hale. of Seymour, Ind., to a Chicago Inter Ocean man recently. -At Least it used to be a tree, but the relic hunters have so disfigured it that it can scarcely lay claim to that name now. It was of the birch variety, and has a history that is equaled by but few other trees in the world. Upon its spreading limbs dangled the forms of tea mea in less than a week. That tree aided in its feeble way in wiping out one of the worst gar s of law-breakers that sec tion has ever had. The tree is only a short distance from the city, and the place to this day bears the name of 'Hangman's Cross Roads.' "This tree became famous early in the 'GOs, whet. the country round about Seymour was infested with a gang of bold highwaymen, who did not hesi tate to murder a man to obtain his money if necessary. The first murder was that of a man by the name of Woodmansee in the old Rader hotel. He had some twenty-seven hundred dollars on his person. His body was carried from the hotel, and an effort made to wash away all trace of the crime. The murderer of this man was never convicted. "Several murders followed, always committed with the object of robbery. At last this grew too commonplace and the gang sought .bigger game. One night late in the fall of 1S67 the Ohio & Mississippi express was boarded at Seymour and held up and robbed out about five miles. It is estimated that at least four hundred thousand dollars were taken. All evidence tended to prove that the robbery was committed by what was afterward known as tae 'Reno gang,' who lived at Seymour and operated all the way from Omaha to Cincinnati. The gang consisted of ten persons. The express train robbery was too much for the better element of Seymour and a vigilance committee was organize-, and one night in July, 1SGS, this company, all masked, took Roseberry, Clifton and Elliott, three of the Reno gang, from custody and hanged them to this birch tree. On the following Monday Gerald, Sparks and -Moore, three more, were treated in a similar manner on this same tree. The following Tuesday this vigilance committee visited the jail at New Al bany, where four more of the 'Reno gang' .were confined, and by morning Frank Reno, Simeon Reno and a man by the name of Anderson were dangling from the same old beech tree. This wiped out the 'Reno gang.' That old tree is a landmark at Seymour, and it has been badly disfigured by relic hunters." A NOTED OLD HOUSE. One of the Residences in Georgetown and Something About Its History. There is a house in Georgetown which from its foundation had a for eign influence about it. It is a large, substantial though unpretentious man sion, minus low windows, turrets and other accessories which mark the mod ern dwelling. It stands at the corner of Twenty-ninth and N streets. It was planned, says the Washington Star, by the owner, a man of fine attainments, literary tastes and a great linguist. ITe held office under the government, and, not hiaving a surplus of the "needful," was compelled to mortgage the house. The money was loaned from the estate of the celebrated Polish patriot. Gen. Thaddenis Kosciusko, by Col. George Bomford, the owner at that time of beautiful Kalorama. The owner did not live long to enjoy his comfortable home, and his widow was compelled to rent it in order to pay off the mortgage. The first foreign tenant wa Count Montholon, whose father was exiled with Napoleon Bona parte. His wife was Victoria. daughter of Gen. Gratiot. The count was a charming man, and most agreeable in all his business dealings with her. whom he termed his "amiable landlady." The minister from M1exico was the next foreign tenant, but he died short ly after taking the house. Baron Gerolt lived eight years in the house, and was so pleased with it that he made a proposition to purchase it. Chevalier de Potestad, of the Spanish legation, whose wife was the beautiful 3Miss Chapman, granddaughter of the celebrated Dr. Chapman. of Philadel phia. was a tenant during the war, and when there was a scare here on account of the southern troops being near the capital promised to hoist the Spanish flag should the place be invaded. The house did not lack for distin guished American tenants. R. Barn well Rhett, of South Carolina, a noted secessionist, succeeded Count alon tholon, and purchased from him his elegant Parisian furniture; MIr. Allen, an editor from St. Louis; Gov. Fulton, senator from Arkansas; Col. Charles Ellet, the great engineer; MIr. Worth ington, a gentleman of wealth, whose :aughter married CoL William II. Philips, a lawyer of note in Washing ton, and others. Witty and Clever. When Prof. Aytoun was wooing 31iss Wilson. the daughter of "Christopher North," editor of Blhack wood's M1aga znc, he obtained the lady's consent onditionally on that of her father be ng gained. This Aytoun was too shfv o ask, and he prevailed upon the oung lady to ask for it herself. "We must deal tenderly with his feelings," said hearty old Christopher; "fI'l write y reply on a slip of paper and pin it mn your back." "Papa's answer is on he back of my dress."' said 3Miss Jane, s she entered the drawing-room. Lurninig her round,. the delighted uitor read these words: "With the .uthor's compliments." Mlarriages on ShIpboasrd. So many engagements are made or oard ship, and so many happy mar iages result from them that a captain f one of the largest Atlantie liners ~tates that men who, for some reason r other, are unable to securmme wives at ome, take a trip over to America on a ~hance of meeting a girl on the boat.. AN exchange says "e" is the st tufortunate letter in the alphabet, be ~ause it is never in cash, always in ebt and never out of danger. Our ~xchange forgets that the aforesaid etter is never in war but always in eace. It is the beginning of existence, he commencement of ease and the end f trouble. Without it there would e no bread, no meat, no water, no ife, no gospel, no redemption. THE Chicago Inter Ocean thinks if ecretary Carlisle wants to be the )emocratic candidate, and wants leveland's influence, the sooner he ents a duck blind and buys fishing ackle the better. WOMIEN are forbidden to enter sa oons at Astoria, Or., by a city ordi ance passed a few days ago, which lso provides for the punishment of romen who violate the ordinance. THE fact that Spain.has spent $70, 00,000O on the Cuban war and has prac ically nothing to show for it; looks ike a gigantic piece of folly, but, as he Kansas City Journal says, it is eally a small matter compared to the ling up by the Cleveland adminis ration of an indebtedness three or ~our times that large, with nothing Absolutely Pure. A cream of tartar baking powder. Highest of allin leaveningstrength. Latest United States Government Food Report. Royal Baking Powder Co. 106 Wall St.. N. Y. AR1MENIAN WOMEN. Piety and Industry Their Principal Characteristics. :::b1ical Traditn i 1 "owed In the Home Life Which Kee'p. successive Gen eration" Umler One Roof Model Iioasekeepers. The school of the Armenian woman is the home, and the first character istic of the home, after its piety, is its inutKre'. The households are large, sons bringing home their wives and graniets. theirs makting up a family often of from farty to sixty rersons. In the int. r ior villages among the peasantry. the number is often much large.. This condition is a relic of Biblieal tim-:s. and is still necessary in many parts o. Armenia for mutual protection and economy of living in a country where life is often dependent upon resistance to barb-:rous tribes and money and food products are sub ject to the justice (?) of Turkish taxa tion. With primitive utensils and incon venient methods of li-;ing it may be seen that ind1ustr-, is a necessity in such great ent.,lishments, and abso lute cleanliness goes with it. A Frc:ch woman, Mme. Chantre, who spenit months in Armenia with her hum~and, an (culist, and had an un usual opportu: ity to study the ways of the people, s eaks emphatically of this element o' the Armenian home. "The Armenim a worron," says she, "are perfect housekeepers. Their hous's are marvelously clez.n." The servant problem does not exist in Arnenia. All well-to-do households emni-r': servants who come from the pe- a-ntry. and are trained in the servic. of a family and become a part of it. They "know their place," as is sai.l he re. an:d yield all respect t' their masters and mistresses; on the other hand. their "place" is known and re spected by every member of the famnil'. Thev Ar:nenian women are expert and skall ul cooks. A prominent for eigner who has traveled much through the ~country has said: "No one has eaten a goo~d dmnner who has not eaten one cooked by' an Armenian." The chief meal of the day is eaten in the eve'ning after the work of the day is done. A t this are served rich cereals and ve-retables cooked with sur pas.in' - dW:.icaep and relish, and fruits. preserved and in their sea son. of the most luscious and tempting vario tics. M eat is used, but not so much as here. Aruaenia is a land of fruit and flowers. aul the Armenian woman is deeply skilled in the art of preserving fruits and making confections from flowers. The time ot such compound ing and preparation is a sort o? holi day. The whole household gathers for the ceremony: the fruit is prepared and put into great caldrons over which presides some experienced aunt or other relative spycially secured for the occa:,ion. The rest of the women as sist according to the degree of their exess, down to the younger dau;:-hters of the home. who can only earnesti;y watch and admire the skill which it is their ambition to emulate some d v. A t the critical moment-, of the operatioln, when a drop more or less f ieemjfn juice or an added degree of heat too soon or too late may be fatal, care and watchful'ess are in tensitiedl to the superlative degrree. Silence reigns while tastes .and tests are take:n, and the w'eight of a nation can hardly burden its bearer more thman the res"onsibility of her on whom rss thIe fin' :1 decisive step. F or the~ childiren it is a holiday pure and usi al Fruits anid swveets abound nisucrfuis of the confections at vari'ous s-tages of the process are gen crousl deAt out. Trhese preserves are offered to all wh regests of the household. Cereamnia"s visits would not be com-' pete without them. Two fi::e glass bowl.s a:'e set out contalin; each a choice v'ariety of the sw'eetmneats, with an ample supply of silver sp)oonsl andl anm array of erystal goblets filed with water. A spoonful 'of the sweet is taken by each guest and a sip of wa ter, then Turkish coffee is handed round.-N. Y. Times. Men Invented Corsets. The much maligned corse'; was in ventedl and first worn by men. The earliest mentica in the history of the art Xele was 1,y Ar'istophianes, who livcd in the fifth century. ii. C. In one of his comedies he rid ieukes a brother pot, who. inordintel . vain of his pr'.nl beau''ty, was dssati'ied with the shape of his figure.u: h'..- was far 'enovei froea ideal symlnet ry, being m:'h t. thin for his hci;ht. Hie t.":ef'ore hit upona the plan of improv inig is phiysique by incasing his body in an undier-euIrass, made of little pice of wood. 'Te idea was imitated later on by another man. Emperor An tonius Pius. who found great dlifficulty in persuading the Roman women to follow his example.-N. Y. World. An Irresistible Ofrer. "Hlow many ponies will Hien's-Spur give for the hand of liomemade-Pie?" It was the niaiden's father, the great hief ear's-Ureath. who spoke. "I have no ponies." answered the oung suitor, as he stood danglig the scalp of a red-headed man, which hung rom his belt. "Egh: Bean-Pod offers fifty dollars ad a -nule " said the chief, with a dis ainful wafture of the hand. "But-" pleaded the youth. The chief turned to listen. "But I have a bicycle, and you may 'ide it on the Fourth of July of every eap year." With a bound the chief clasped Ien's-Snur in his arms. "lomemnade-P~ie is yours," he said. Iarper's Blazar. A Classical Instance. "I hear," said Diana the huntress, as ie rested her tee for an instant on the edestal. "that Py'gmalion is in love ith Galatea." "Indeed:" ejaculated tihe Bust of iner'a; "well, it's a cinch that he