The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, June 03, 1896, Image 4
THE DRAMA OF LIFE.
"MEN SHALL CLAP THEIR HANDS AT
HIM AND HISS HiM."
Rev. Dr. Talmage Choose. Another Unique
Text and Preaches an Eloqtuent and lor
tatory Sermon FTu of Vivid Picttures.
Last Act of the Drama.
WasmGTO , May 21.-Rev. Dr.
Talmage, in this discourse, sets forth
the causes of failure in life, drawing
on a Biblical reference to the the thea
ter for startling illustration. His text
was Job xxvii, 23, "Men shall clap
their hands at him and shall hiss him
out of his place."
This allusion seems to be dramatic.
The Bible more than once makes such
allusions. Paul says, "We are made
a theater or spectacle to angels and to
men." It is evident from the text that
some of the habits of theater goers
were known in Job's time, because he
describes an actor hissed off the stage.
The impersonator comes on the boards.
and, either through lack of study of
the part he is to take or inaptness or
other incapacity, the audience is of
fended and expresses its disapproba
tion and disgust by hissing. "Men
shall clap theirhands at him and shall
hiss him out of his place."
My text suggests that each one of
us is put on the stage of this world to
take some part. V hat hardship and
suffering and discipline great actors
have undergone year after year that
they might be perfected in their parts
you have often read. But we put on
the stage of this life to represent char
ity and faith and humility and helo
fulness-what little preparation we
have made, although we have three
galleries of spectators, earth and heav
en and hell! Have we not been more
attentive to the part taken by others
than to the part taken by ourselves,
and, while we needed to be looking at
home and concentrating on our own
duty, we have been criticising the oth
er performers and saying, "that was
too high" or "too low" or "too feeble"
or "too extravagant" or "too tame" or
"too demonstrative," while we our
selves were making a dead failure and
preparing to be ignominiously hissed
off the stage? Each one is assigned a
place. To supernumeraries hanging
around the drama of life to take this
or that or the other part, as they may
be called upon. No one can take our
place. We can take no other place.
Neither can we put off our character.
No change of apparel can make us
anyone else than that which we eter
nally are.
Q Many make a failure of their part in
the drama of life through dissipation.
They have enough intellectual equip
ment and good address and geniality
unbonded. But they have a wine
closet that contains all the forces for
their social and business and moral
overthrow. So far back as the year
959 King Edgar of England
made a law that the drinking cups
should have pins fastened at a certain
point in the side, so that the indulger
might be reminded to stop before he
got to the bottom. But there are no
pins projecting from the sides
of the modern wine cup or beer
mug, and the first point at which mil
lions stop is at the gravelly bottom of
their own grave. Dr. Sax of France
has discovered something which all
drinkers ought to know. He has
lound out that alcohol in every shape,
whether of 'wine or brandy or beer,
contains parasitic life called bacillus
potumanice. By a powerful micro
scope these living things are discovered
and~when you take strong drink you
take them into your stomach and then
into your blood, and, getting into the
crimson canna of life, they go into
every tissue of your body, and, your
entire organism is taken possession of
by thesenoxiousifinitesimals. When
in delirium tremens a man sees every
form of reptilian life, it seems it is only1
these -aaie of the brain in exag
ertdsize. It is not a hallucination
ibtthe victim is suffering from. He
only sees in the room what is actually
crawling and rioting in his own brain.
Every time you take strong drink you
swallow these maggots. and every
time the imbiber of alcohol in any
shape feels vertigo or rheumatism or
nausea it is only the jubilee of these
maggots. Efforts are being made for
the discovery of some germicide that
can kill the 'aastes 'of alcoholism,
but the only thng that will ever extir
pate them is abstinence from alcohol
and teetotal abstinence, to which I
would before God swear all these
young men and old.
America is a fruitful country, and
we raise large crops of wheat and corn
and oats, but the largest crop we raise
in this country is the crop of drunk
ards. With sickle made out of the
sharp edges of the broken glass of bot
tle and demijohnl they are cut down,
and there are whole swathes of them,
-whole winrows of them, and it takes
all the hospitals and penitentiaries
and grveyards and cemeteries to hold
this havest of hell! Some of you are
going down under this evil, and the
never dying worm of alcoholism has
wound around you one of its coils,
and by next New Year's day it will
have another coil around you, and it
will after awhile put a coil around
your tongue, and a coil around your
brain, and a coil around your lung,
and a coil around your foot, and a
coil around your heart, and some day
this never dying worm will, with one
spring, tighten all the coils at once,
and in the last twist of that awful con
volution you will cry out, "Oh. my
God!" and be gone. The greatest of
dramatists in the tragedy of "The
Tempest" sends staggering across the
stage Stephano, the drunken butler,
but across the stage of human life
strong drink sends kingly and queen
ly and princely natures staggering
forward against the footlights of con
spicuity, and then staggering back
into failure, till the world is impatient
for their disappearance, and human
and diabolic voices join in hissing them
off the stage.
Many also' make a failure in the
drama of life through indolence.
They are always making calculations
how little they can do f or the compen
sation they get. There are more lazy
ministers,lawyers, doctors, merchants,
artists and farmers than have ever
been counted upon. The community
is full of laggards and shirkers. I
can tell it from the way they crawl
along the street, from their tardiness
in meeting engagements, from the
lethagies that seem to hang to the foot
when they lift it, to the hand when
they put it out, to the words when
they speak.
Two young men in a store. In the
morning the one goes to his post the
last minute or one minute behind.
The other is ten minutes before the
time and has his hat and coat hung up
a; his post waiting for duty. The one
is ever and anon, in the afternoon,
looking at his watch to see if it is not
most time to shut up. The other stays
half an hour after he might go, and,
when asked why, says he wanted to
look over some entries he had made
to be sure he was right, or to put up
some goods that had been left out of
place. The one is very touchy about
doing work not exactly belonging to
him. The other is glad to help the
other clerks in their work. The first
will be a prolonged nothing, and he
will be poorer at 60O years of age than
a 20. rThe other wilt be a mecrhaunt:
prince. Indolence is the cause of
more failures in all occupations than
you have ever suspected. People are
too lazy to do what they can do and
want to undertake that which they
cannot do. In the drama of life they
don't want to be a commo" soldier.
carrying a halberd across the stage, or
a falconer, or a mere attendant, and
so they lounge about the scenes till
they shall be called to be something
great. After awhile, by some accident
or prosperity or circumstances, they
get into the place for which they have
no qualification, and very soon, if the
man be a merchant, he is going around
asking his creditors to compromise for
10 cents on the dollar, or, if a clergy
man, he is making tirades against the
ingratitude of churches, or, if an at
torney by unskillful management he
looses a case by which widows and
orphans are robaed of their portion,
or. if a physician, he, by malpractice,
gives his patient rapid transit from
this world to the next. Our incom
petent friend would have made a pas
sable horse doctor, but he wanted to
be professor of anatomy in a universi
tv. lie could have sold enough con
fectionery to have supp->rted his fami
Iv, but he wanted to have a sugar re
doery like the Havemeyers. He
could have mended shoes, but he
wanted to amend the constitution of
the United States. Toward the end
of life these people are out of patience.
out of money, out of friends, out of
everything. They go to the poor
house, or keep out of it by running in
debt to all the grocery and dry goods
stores that will trust them. People
begin to wonder when the curtain
will drop on the scene. After awhile,
leaving nothing but their compliments
to pay doctor, undertaker and Gabriel
Grubb, the grave digger, they disap
pear. Exeunt: Hissed off the stage.
Others fail in the drama of life
through demonstrated selfishness.
They make all the rivers empty into
their sea, all the roads of emolument
end at their door, and they gather all
the plumes of honor for their brow.
They help no one, encourage no
one, rescue no one. "How big
a pile of money can I get?" and
"How much of the world can I
absorb?" are the chief questions. They
feel about the common people as the
Turks felt toward the Asapi, or com
mon soldiers, considering them of no
use except to fill up the ditches with
their dead bodies while the other
troops walked over them to take the
fort. After awhile this prince of
worldly success is sick. The only in
terest society has in his illness is the
effect that his possible decease may
have on the money markets. After
awhile he dies. Great newspaper
capitals announce how he started
with nothing and ended with every
thing. Although for sake of appar
ance some people put handkerchiefs
to the eye, there is not one genuine
tear shed. The heirs sit up all night
when he lies in state, discussing what
the old fellow has probably done with
his money. It takes all the livery
stables within two miles to furnish
funeral equipages, and all the mourn
ing stores are kept busy in selling
weeds of grief. The stone cutters send
in proposals for a monument. The
ministers at the obsequies reads of the
resurrection, which makes the hear
ers fear that if the unscrupulous finan
cier does not come up in general ris
ing he will try to get a "corner"~ on
tombstones and graveyard fence. All
good men are glad that the moral nui
sance has been removed. The Wall
street speculators are glad because
there is niore room for themselves.
The heirs are glad becausc they get
possession of the long delayed inheri
tance. Dropping every feather of all
his plumes, every certificate of all his
stock, every bond of all his invest
ments, every dollar of all his fortune.
he departs, and all the rolling of
"Dead March" in "Saul," and all the
pageantry of his interment, and all
the exquisiteness of sarcophagus, and
all the extravigance of epuitaphology,
cannot hide the fact that my text has
cotie again to tremendous fulfillment,
"Men shall clap their hands at him
and shall hiss him ou-t of his place."
You see the clapping comes befor~e
the hiss. Tho world cheers before it
damns. So it is said the deadly asp
tickles before it stings. Going up, is
he? Hurrah! Stand back and let his
galloping horses dash by, a whirlwind
of plated harness and tinkling head
gear and arched neck ! Drink deep of
his maderia and cognac! Boast of
how well you know him! All hats
off ashe passes! Bask for days and
years in the sunlight of his prosperity !
Going down, is he? Pretend to be
near-sighted, so that you cannot see
him as he walks past. When men
ask you if you know him, halt and
hesitate as though you were trying to
call up a dim memory and say: "Well
ye-s, yes. I believe I once did know
him, but have not seen him for a long
while." Cross a different ferry from
the one where you use to meet him
lest he ask for financial help. When
you started life he spoke a good word
for you at the bank. Talk down his
credit now that his fortunes are col
lapsing. He put-his name on two of
your notes. Tell him that you have
changed your mind about such things,
and that you never indorse. After
awhile his matters come to a dead halt,
and an assignment or suspension or
sheriff's sale takes place: You say:
"He ought to have stopped sooner.
Just as I expected. He made too big
a splash in the world. Glad the bal
loon has..burst. Ha, ha!:" Applause
when he went up, sibilant derision
when he came down. "Men shall
clap their hands at him and hiss him
out of his place." So. high up amid
the crags, the eagle 1lutters dust into
the eyes of the roebuck, which then,
with eyes blinded, goes tumbling over
the precipice, the great antlers crash
ing on the rocks.
Now, compare some of these goings
out of life with the departure of men
and women who, in the drama of lire,
take the part that God assigned them
and then went away honored of men
and applauded of the Lord Almighty.
It is about 50 years ago that in a com
paratively small apartment of the city
a newly married pair set up a home.
The first guest invited to that resi
dence was the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the Bible given the bride on the day
of her espousal was the guide of that
household. Days of sunshine were
followed by days of shadow. Did you
ever know a home that for 50 years
had no vicissitude? The young wom
an who left her father's house for her
young husband's home started out
with a parental benediction and good
advice she will never forget. Her
mother said to her the day before the
marriage: "Now, my child, you are
gcing away from us. Of course, as
long as your father and I live you will
feel that you can come to us at any
time. But your home will be else
where.. From long experience I find
it is best to serve God. It is very
bright with you now, my child, and
you may think you can get along
without religion, but the day will
come when you will want God, and
my advice is, establish a family altar,
and, if need be, conduct the worship
yourself." The counsel was taken,
and that young wife consecrated every
room in the house to God. Years
passed on, and there were in that
home hilarities, but they were good
and healthful, and sorrows, but they
were comforted. Marriages as bright
as orange blossoms could make them,
riven. They have a family lot in the
cemetery, but all the place is illumi
nated with stories of resurrection and
reunion. The children of the house
hold that lived have grown up, and
they are all Christians, the father and
mother leading the way, and the chil
dren following. What care the mother
took of wardrobe and education, char
acter and manners. How hard she
sometimes worked. When the head
of the household was unfortunate in
business, she sewed until her lingers
were num and bleeding at the tips,
and what close calculation of econo
mies, and what ingen'iity in refitting
the garments of the elder children for
the younger, and only God kept ac
count of that mother's sideaches and
headaches and heartaches and the
tremulous prayers by tae side of the
sick child's cradle and by the couch of
this one fully grown. The neighbors
often noticed how tired she looked,
and old acquaintances hardly knew
her in the street. But, without com
plaint, she waited and toiled and en
dured atd accomplished all these
years. The children are out in the
world, an honor to themselves and
their parents. After awhile the moth
er's last sickness comes. Children and
grandchildren, summoned from afar,
come softly into the room one by one,
for she is too weak to see more than
one at a time. She runs her dying
fingers lovingly through their hair
and tells them not to cry, and that she
is going now, but they will meet again
in a little while in a better world, and
then kisses them goodby and says to
each, 'God bless and keep you. my
dear child." The day of the obsequies
comes, and the onliciating clergyman
tells the story of wifely and motherly
endurance, and many hearts on earth
and in heaven echo the sentiment,and
as she is carried off the stage of this
mortal life there are cries of, "Faith
ful unto death." "She hath done what
she could !" while overpowering all
the voices of earth and heaven is the
plaudit of the God who watched her
from first to last, saying: "Well done,
good and faithful servant: Thou hast
been faithful over a few things. I
will make thee ruler over many
things. Enter thou into the joy of
thy Lord!"
But what became of tue father of
that household? He started as a young
man in business and had a small in
come, and having got a little ahead
sickness in the family swept it all
away. He went through all the busi
ness panics of 40 years, met many
losses and suffered many betrayals,
but kept right on trusting in God,
whether business was good or poor,
setting his children a good example
and giving them the best of counsel,
and never a prayer did he offer for all
those years but they were mentioned
in it. He is old now and realizes it
cannot be long before he must quit all
these scenes. But he is going to leave
his children an inheritance of prayer
and Christian principles which all the
defalcations of earth can never touch,
and as he goes out of the world the
church of God blesses him, and the
poor ring his doorbell to see if he is
any better, and his grave is surround
ed by a muititude who went on foot
and stood there before the procession
of carriages came up and some say,
"There will be no one to take his
place," and others say, "who will pity
me now?" and others remark, "He
shall be held in everlasting remem
brance." And as the drama of his life
closes all the vociferation and bravos
and encores that ever shook the am
phitheaters of earthly spectacle were
tame and feeble compared with the
long, loud thunders of approval that
shall break from the cloud of witness
es in the piled up gallery of the heav.
ens. Choose ye between the life that
shall close by being hissed off the
stage and the life ~ that shall close
amid acclamations supernal and arch
angelic.
On, men and women on the stage
of life, many of you in the first act of
the drama, and others in the second,
and some of you in the third, and a
few in the fourth, and here and there
one in the fifth,but all of you between
entrance and exit, I quote to you as
the peroration of this sermon the most
suggestive passage that Shakespeare
ever wrote, although you never heard
it recited. The author has of ten been
claimed as infidel and atheist, so the
quotation shall be not only religi'xus
ly helpful to ourselves, but grandly
vindicatory of the great dramatist. I
quote from his last will and testament:
"In the name of God, amen! I,
William Shakesi~eare of Stratford
upon-Avon, in the county of War
wick, gentlemen. in perfect health
and memory, (God be praised), do
make this my l'ast will and testament,
in manner and form following: First,
I commertd my soul into the hands of
God, my Creator, hoping and assur
edly believing through the only mer
its of Jesus Christ, my Saviour, to be'
made partaker of life everlasting."
A Slanal Victory For Silver.
LEXINGTON, Ky., May 31.-The free
silver leaders are jubilant today over
their sweeping victory throughout
the State yesterday. Accurate figures
on the returns from the state show
(70 silver delegates to the State con
vention against 240 of gold. The sil
ver men carried every congressional
district except the Fifth, which is the
Louisville district. The western end
of the State, including the Frst, Sec
ond, Third and Fourth districts did
not send a sound money delegate, and
for that reason, the leaders, who have
consulted with Senator Blackburn,
think it will be proper to make a wes
tern Kentucky man chairman of the
convention. 'The choice will probably
fall between ex-Congressman Good
night of the Third district, and Con
gressman Stone of the First, Senator
Blackburn is disposed to be magnani
mous. He said tonight: "There is
no time for quarrelirg. The success
of the Democratic party ought now to
be the the aim of every true Democrat.
We have fought a good fight and
we have won. We ought riot to say
an unkind wvord of our late opponents
nor censure those who came to us at
the eleventh hour." The friends of
Carlisle and Cleveland are not so easi
ly propitiated, for they say they -will
not vote for a free silver candidate
for President. They openly avow
their preference for McKinley or any
other Kenublican for President over
a silver Democrat running on a free
silver platform. Senator Blackburn
will probably be made temporary
chairman of the convention Wednes
day. He is in splendid spirits tonight
over yesterday's victory and the hun
dreds of congratulatory telegrams he
has receivedl from all over the Union.
A Gold Eng Bolt.
CmeCAco, May 21.-At a representa
tive meeting of the sound money men
of Iltinois held at the Palmer House
yesterday afternoon, it was decided
that a new Democratic organization in
Illinois should be inaugurated. The
object of the new party will be to de
feat the silver men, and to that end
they will ignore the present coun
ty and State committees, and will not
take part in the primaries called for
tomorrow. They will also hold a
State convention of their own, at which
a delegation to the national conven
tion will be chosen. This delegation
will be pledged to the single gold
standard idea. Another meeting will
be held next Thursday and a comnete
plnio action will be outlined. ~
LOYAL WOMEN ORGANIZE.
CONVENTION OF THE DAUGHTERS
OF THE CONFEDERACY.
An Adnirale Con-titution Adopted--Mr
Ioins' Proposition Endorsed-Thanks to
CaItain White -Ch:arleston. Invitation
Received.
COLMm.a, May 2.-The State con
vention of the United Daughters of
the Confederacy met yesterda - at 12
m. in the senate chamber of the state
house, and remained in session about
three hours.
Besides the delegates there were a
good many Columbia ladies present,
all tending to make the occasion one
of enjoyment as well as of usefulness.
Dr. J. W. Flinn, chairman of the
escort of honor from Camp Hampton,
was called on to open the meeting
with prayer. At the conclusion of the
prayer he submitted the following:
To the United Daughters of the Con
federacy, South Carolina Division:
Lidies-I have the honor to report
that an escort of honor has been ap
pointed from Camp Hampton veterans
to tender your most honorable body
any service you may require in aiding
your plans. The escort consists of the
following gentlemen: Col. R. G. La
mar, Col. McMaster, Col. Cardwell,
Col. W. H. Manning, Col. Youmans.
Col. A. D. Goodwyn, Col.. R W.
Shand, Col. T. J. Lipscomb, Adjt. D.
R. Flenniken, Dr. T. B. Legare, Rev.
J. W. Flinn, D. D. These gentlemen
are at your bidding. Respectfully,
J. W. Flinn
After reading the above, Dr. Flinn
invited the ladies to visit the South
Carolina college, and assured them
that the faculty would take great pleas- 1
ure in aiding them in any way.
A temporary oreanization was per
fected, Mrs. Smythe being chosen
president, and Mrs. Miles secretary.
The president appointed the following
committee on credentials: Mrs. Clark
Waring of Columbia. Mrs. Bailey of
Georgetown, Mrs. Buist of Greenville.
The committee's report showed these
delegates present:
Charleston-Mrs. augustine T.
Smythe, Mrs. L. C. McCord, Mrs. E.
R. Miles, Mrs. James Connor, Mrs.
Zimmerman Davis.Mrs. Fannie Jones,
Miss S. A. Smith, Miss Etta Kelly and
Miss Bessie Ravenel.
Abbeville-Mrs. W. C. McGowan
and Miss Perrin.
Greenville-Mrs. Hugh Buist and
Miss Blythewood.
Georgetown-Miss Munnerlyn and
Mrs. Bailey.
Edgefield-Mrs. John Bacon.
Marion-Miss Durham.
Johnston--Miss Ready.
Spartanburg-Mrs. C. E. Flem
ming.
Columbia-Miss Kate Crawford,
Mrs. Thomas Taylor, Mrs. T. J. Lips
comb and Mrs. Clark Waring.
The temporary organization was
made permanent after accepting the
report of the committeeon credentials.
The chairman of the Charleston del
egation submitted a draft of a consti
tution. which was referred to a com
mittee of five, consisting of Mrs.
Smythe, Miss Kelly, both of Charles
ton; Mrs. Taylor of Columbia, Mrs.
Flemming of Spartanburg, and Miss
Ready of Johnston.
During the recess which was taken
until this committee should report,
refreshments were served in the ante
room of the senate chanber. Here the
ladies mingled freely together and
spent a pleasant time making new
friends and chatting with old ones.
Tea and cakes were welcome to all
after the arduous duties of the morn
ing. and when the convention was
called to order everyone felt much
better,
The constitution was read and adopt
ed by sections. It declares the name of
this division to be, "Daughters of the
Confederacy, South Carolina Divis
ion." Continuing, it says: "The ob
ject of this association shall be literary,
charitable and social; to collect records
and incidents of the Confederate war;
to aid in the preservation of the truth
of its history, the perpetuation of the
principles involved in that struggle,
and the memory of those who took
part therein; and to see that there is
laid before the rising generation an
impartial and just account of that pe
riod of our history.
Those eligible to membership in this
organization are. "The widows,(
wives, mothers, sisters nieces and
lineal descendants of such men as j
served honorably in the Confederate
army or navy, or civil service, or those
persons whose loyalty gave material
aid to the cause, and also all women,
and tneir lineal descendants wherever
living, who can give proof of personal
service, and loyal aid to the southern
cause during the war."r
The constitution and by-laws as
adopted, are concise and well written,
and reflect credit on their authors.
Carrying out the provisions of thec
constitution, Mrs. A. T. Smythe of
Charleston was elected president: Mrs.s
Conner, of Charleston, first vice presi
dent ;Mrs .Thomas Taylor of Columbia
second vice president; Miss Martha B.a
Washington of Charleston, secretary I
and Mrs. Durham of Marion, treasurer.e
Mrs. Bacon offered the followinge
resolutions, which were adopted: -
Resolved. That we, the U~nited I
Daughters of the Confederacy of Southi
Carolina, in convention assembled, doe
greatly value the generous propositione
of Mr. Charles Broadwvay Rouiss ofJ
Ne w York, to donate $100,000 for the t
establishment of a grand battle abbey
or memorial in the south, for the ore
servation of Confederate relics and re
cords, on condition that the wholes
united south contribute an equal I
amount for that purpose.
2. That we heartily endorse the
splendid scheme of this high-souled
man, once a poor Confederate soldier,
now a wealthy New York merchant,
ant, and will exert, our best efforts to I
advance this patriotic project.
3. That it is the sense of tuis meet
ing that no place will be so appropri- -
te for the battle abbey as the Confed
erate museum the stately mansion for- a
merly occupied by the Hon. Jelfer
son Davis, while P'resident of the Con-(
federate States, now held in sacred s
trust by the Confederate Memorial c
Literary society of Richmond.
Mrs. Miles spoke on the offer made t
by Mr. Rouss, to defray one-half the
expenses of erecting a memorial shaft
at Winchester, if the ladies of South(
Carolina would raise the oth~er half.
N l-s. Miles said she had visited the
Stonewall cemetery and that 149 soldi- 1
ers graves were known an.i marked, 1
but that there were 800 unknown,
many of them from the upper lpart of
this State. The Daughters should 1
avail themselves of Mr'. Rouss' offer
and raise the required funds.
Mrs. Fleiining offered the follow- I
ing resolution, which was passed:
Whereas, Capt. Samuel E. White of
Fort Mill, S. C., has erected in his
town a handsome monument to the I
women of the Con federacy; therefore,
beit
Resolved, That we the South Caro- a
lina division of the Daughters of the a
Confederacy, in this, our fir-st meet- e
ing, return most hearty thanks to
aptain White for his generous and
chivalrous act. We also wish to as- r
sure him that it is our highest aim tov
cherish and keep green, through our d
association the memory of the brave a
men who made the geat safce or Cn
their State in the hour of need. In
the future we shall endeavor to show
ourselves worthy of this noble deed of
a gallant soldier.
Mrs. Waring announced that Gen
eral Hampton would preside at the
meeting for the free library, which
was held last night in the opera house
and invited all the ladies of the con
vention to attend.
Charleston invited the divison to
hold its next annual meeting in Decem
ber, at that place,
Mrs. McLeod, on the part of the
visiting delegates, offered the follow
ing resolution, which was passed:
Resolved, That the thanks of the
visiting members of this conven
tion be given to the ladies of Colum
bia for their warm-hearted hospitality
and kindness; also to the members of
the United Confederate Veterans for
their courteous attention to the dele
rates; also, to the State House author
ities for the use of the senate chamber.
and to Dr. J. W. Flinn and the fac
alty of the South Carolina college for
their courtesy.
The convention after this adjourned.
The women who constituted yester
lay's convention were as represeata
Live a body as could be gotten togeth
:r, and their actions reflect credit on
themselves and the organization of
which they are members.
The stay of the visitors was made as
pleasant as poss ible by the ladies of
Columbia, and all will doubtless often
hink of the hospitality of the city on
,he Congaree.
MANY PERSONS KILLED.
k Cyclone's Destr.Actire Work in the State
of Michigan.
DETROIT, Mich., May 26.-The cy
lone which devastated the northern
ortion of Oakland county last even
.ng swept a path half mile wide and
ixteen miles long from west to east,
,leari-ng the earth of nearly every
hing moveable. About forty per
ons were killed outright and fully
that number were injured, some of
whom will die. The cyclone first
truck the earth six miles west of Or
onville and passed half a mile north
>f that village. In these six miles of
levastated country before Ortonville
was reached fifteen persons were kill
ad and twenty injured, some fatally.
Of the injured William Mitchell,
Joseph Porritt and John Wilkie will
lie. At the Mitchell homestead not a
trace of the house and farm buildings
remain but the foundations: There is
nothing but foundations to show where
he home of Abraham Quick stood.
Bix occupants of the house were killed
md one seriously injured. Prescott
Wilkins, one of those killed in the
quick home, had reached there on a
n'isit but an hour befor the cyclone
tore its way through.
The home of John Wilkie, on a
Line with Ortonville, was unharmed,
but his barns were wiped out. Mr.
Wilkie and his son John, aged is
were in a barn when it was demolish
!d. The son was instantly killed and
he father is in a critical condition.
[n the next half dozen miles
f the track of the storm only two
persons were killed and the damage
was comparatively light. The dead
tre Mrs. Cleo K. Meaton and Ed
l'ifield. Three persons were proably
fatally injured and ten less seriously
aurt.
The cloud struck Oakman almost
without warning and there is little
eft of that village today. The Meth
dist Episcops.1 and Congregation
~hurches the town hall, practically all
Lhe busines housess and most of resi
lecnces were left in ruins. Nine per
ons were killed in the village and
nany injured. The three miles
tretch from Oakwood to Thomas, is a
~cene of heartrending desolation and
wreckage. Everything in the path of
he cyclone was levelled. In and
round Thomas, the death list is
arge and many are injured.
Between Oakwood and Thomas and
n the latter village the dead are:
EIrs. Van Wagner, Charles Hicks,
hv. C. M: Pretchyplace, Andrew
Pettibone, M. Bremeyer. After com
leting its work of destruction at
IChomas the cyclone evidently separa
ed, one section going northeast and
loing immense amount of damage be
ween Thomas and Dryden, in La
eer county, and the other following a
outheasterly direction to North Ox
ord. After leaving North Oxford,
he path of the southeast cyclone is
narked at intervals until Mount
llemens is reached, where greiat dam.
Lge was done and many persons in
tired, only one fatally, however, a
vidow named Anna Pohl, whose back
vas broken.
The next heard from the storm was
tear Walkerville, Ontario, twenty
nie a e scuth of Mount Clemens
he cyclone evidently expended its
orce after striking Canada,as no other
eports of damage have been received.
t.fter passing Dryden, and White
rille in Lapeer- county, the next he-ard
rom the other storm was in Sanilac
ounty, thirty miles away at the vil
age of Amadore, which was nearly
wept away.
The funnel shaped cloud struck a
nile west of the village and in a path
mile wiae and six and a halt miles
ong to the shores of Lake Huron, ev
ry building was more or less damag
d. Tuscola county was also visited
>y a wind storm of cyclonic violence
ast evening. Nearly every building
n the path of the storm, which start
d near Gilford and traveled directly
ast for six miles, was destroyed.
'oseph Malburg was hit by a flying
hoard and instantly killed.
Eleven Drowned.
CAIRo, Ills., May 26.-This morning
bortly after S o'clock the ferryboat
catherine, capized and 11. persons
reredrowned. The boat left her land
nig at 8 o'clock and was near the Illi
Lois shore, about a mile below here.
rhen the storm struck her. She turned
ompletely ov-ei and remained in that
osition for some time, while her up
~er works were carried away, nothing
emaining but her hull ar.d engine.
~he captain, John F. Hacker, Engi
eer Geo. Ma gee, Clerk Stanley Posey
nd Jos. Curry, a passenger, escaped
rom~ the wre~ck and they assisted Dr.
)rr of Wycklitf'e, Ky., another pas
enger, out of the debris and they all
limbed up on the overturned hull,
w-hich was partly submerged. They
xpected every minute it would sink
.nd Hacker, Posey and Curry swam
shore, while MaGee remained with
)r-r, who could not swim. Assistance
was soon at hand and the survivors
rere brought to this city. The boat
Las since righted herself and lies with
er stern considerably sunken. Dr.
)rr was badly injured about the head
y falling timbers. He was stand
ag in the cabin with Mr. Rittenhouse
rhen the boat turned over and he can
Lot tell how he escaped. Mr. Ritten
Louse and Mr. Gilhofer were both old
esidents of Cairo.
sad. Picnic Ending.
COLUMBIL S. C., May 22.-At Sa
uda, a picnicking ground ten miles
bove here, Bellinger Fishburne and
'inckney Purse, boys about 16 years of
ge, were drowned today. They had
*one from here with several hundred
hildren on the annual picnic of the
Vashington Street Methodist church
nd went swimming in the Saludia
iver. Pinckney sank and Bellinger,
rent to his rescue and both were
rowned. They were both most ex
Ilent boys, and their sad ending has
POSTPONEMENT OF T HE EXPOSITION
What the Hon. Patrick Warsi. Says A io.at
the Matter.
AU(;cSA, May 2t. To the People
of the South:
On account of the great interest man
ifested in the reported postponement
of the Southern States' exposition of
Chicago and in response to numerous
telegraphic inquiries. I make the fol
lowing statement:
The announcement of the postpone
ment of the Southern States' exposi
tion at Chicago on account bf the Ten
nesse Centennial was totally una'ithor
ized by the advisory board. Neither
the chairman nor the secretary of the
board authorized any such statement.
The dispatch sent out from Chicago
last night by the Associated Press that
the secretary of the board at Augusta
made such a proposition in the inter
est of the Tennessee Centennial is
wholly unfounded. Before my de
parture for Washington last week in
the interest of the exposition, I wrote
a letter to Major J. W. Thomas, pres
ident of the Tennessee Centennial,
who was until recently the Tennessee
member of the advisory board, depre
ciating the inaction of Tennessee. In
this letter, I informed Major Thomas
that if Tennessee was hostile or indif
ferent to the Southern States exposi
tion. I would resign my position as
chairman forthwith. The answer to
this letter confirmed me in the belief
that nothing had been done in Tennes
see, and Major Thomas informed me
that it would be impossible to prepare
Tennessee's exhibit in three months.
I was in Washington when Major
Thomas' reply to my letter reached
Augusta. On its receipt, General
Manager Debarard and Mr. Thomas
K. Scott, who had taken an active in
terest in the exposition, visited Major
Thomas in Nashville. The result of
their visit is briefly summed up in the
statement that Major Tnomas went
with the Augusta delegation before
the Tennessee commissioners, ad vocat
ed the Southern exposition, and agreed
to subscribe S1.000 to the fund.
"Mr. Debarad came onto Washing
tou and explained the situation in
Tennessee.
"I returned to Augusta last Wednes
day to find that 11 appointments had
been made for me in Georgia by Pres
icient Mesbitt of the Georgia Exposi
tion company. I was not satisfied
with the general situation, and-my ap
pointments were postponed. On my
return from Washington. und an
official notice from the c an of
the Chicago committee that the south
must have exhibits from nine States.
This was the agreement entered into
at Chicago. A prominent citizen of
Chicago wrote me confidentially that
he thought the Chicago management
would be satisfied with exhibits from
seven States. I could only see in sight
exhibits from four States, supplement
ed by exhibits from the Southern rail
way, the Mobile and Ohio and the
Georgia railway. Under these cir
cumstances, with a notification from
Chicago that the management there
would have to be definitely informed 1
of the south's action by the 25th, I is
sued a call for a meeting of the south
ern advisory committee to be held in
Augusta on Thursday next. I wired
the Chicago management of the Au
gusta meeting and invited Chairman
Lawrence to be present, or to send a
delegation as the meeting was impor
tant. In response to this, Chairman
Lawrence wires today: "The com
mittee deem it unnecessary to be rep
resented on Thursday. Have writ
ten."
I have not been officially notified of
the postponement of the exposition by
the Chicago exposition company. If
the Southern Exposition is a failure,
it would be a perversion of the truth
to place the blame on the merchants of<
Chicago, who have made the most pub
lic spirited and most liberal offer ever
made to advertise the products and re- <
sources of the south. If the proposed
southern exposition fails, let us place -
the responsibility where it belongs, on<
the citizens of the States who have -
failed to avail themselves of Chicago's 4
unexampled opportunity to advertise
the varied products and unrivalled
natural bounties of the southern States. 1
I have given three months' time to I
the Scuthern States exposition of Chi
cago, and I feel that the work has not I
been in vain. Patrick Walsh.
Chairman.
THLE EXPOSITION OFF.
AUCsTA, May 28.-The proposed
Southern States exposition is aband-.
zd, because the s'outh did not re
spond in accordance with the terms of
the agreement entered into at Chicago
that nine States should be represented.
South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama
would have been ready in time-Mary- S
land applied for space. The Southern I
railway, the Mobile and Ohio and 9
other roads had also applied for space.
These roads would have secured ex
hibits from half a dozen more States, C
but this would not have been a com
pliance with the agreement.
The depressed condition of business,
rendered it impossible to secure favor-r
able action in the Virginias, Northb
arolina, Florida, Mississippi and oth- a
er States.
Under the circumstances, the South
ern advisory board which met in this k
ity, declared the exposition off. The ~
chairman has authorized the follow- c
ing announc ement, which will be re
ieived with regret by the friends of ,
Southern development, wno appeciate r
the generous offer made by Chicago
and who believe in cultivating trade o
r~ations between the citizens of the
south and northwest.
The advisory board of the Southern s
States exposition company met in Au- b
usta this morning and declarea the s
proposed exposition otf, for the reason t
that a sullicient number of States had b
not responded in aecordance with the e
agreement entered into in Chicago in
February last. This is to be regretted r
because of the liberal otfer made by *y
Chicago, and the great opportunity
which the exposition would present to
nvertise the south. Tbc ~advisory d
board feels that the provisional comi- a
mittee of Chicago has complied with
Lts agreement and expresses the earn
est hope that a southern exposition
will be held in that city in the not dis- c
nt future. Rhspect fully,
Patr-ick Walsh, Chairman. \
iveryh'.ay W11 1)e welcomIV.I
l('Iolon, May 2t.-Some of the
eatures of the approaching Con fed
~rate reunion will be the reception i
. be given at the Confederate muse- v
2m in honor of Mrs. Jeltersoni Davis ji
nd her two daughters, Miss Winie d
Davis and Mrs. IHayes. The idea is if
.hat this entertainment should be C
nore select, and that a limited num- b
er of invitations should be issued, h~
s5 been exploded. The atrair will be
public and ' rough the columns of
he oress, the thousands who will be
in Richmond on the night of June 30l, v
tS%, will be extended a cordial invita- t
ion to attend. Mrs. Davis and her t.
laughters will receive in the Georgia t
oom, which was Mrs. Davis' draw- fi
ng room while she presided over the o
iomestic atairs of the '"White H~ouse y
:.f the Confederacy." Other ladies w'
who will be in the room with Mrs.L
Davis will be the sponsors represent- a
ng the several States, the omeiers of a
he Confederate Memorial Literary Ih
ociety and the regent and the vice Ia
THE STORM KING AT WORK
U~eathi i Being Cyciones Visit Iowa and
Michigan.
DES MoiM:s. May 25.-As more de
finite accounts reach here of the storm
in Polk and Jasper counties the num
ber of dead is placed at 20 with as many
more seriously injured, a number of
whom will certainly die. The storm
started in two divisions about 12 miles
north of Des Moines, the starting
points being nine miles apart. Asthe
divisions progressed they gathered
force and gradually converged until
they met two miles east of Ankeny
and there they developed first the cy
lone form with funnel and tremen
:ous force and with roaring and elec.
trical disturbances.
MCGEGOR. Ia., May 25.-A fatal
cloudburst devastated this city and
county las t night. For 10 miles every
thing is in ruins. All the afternoon
the clouds were gathering and about 1
o'clock the storm burst in its fury.
con deluging the valley it swept
everything before it. Six bodies have
been found and no people are missing.
A. small stream called Bloody run pas
ses through the town, and some of the
anfortunate victims are supposed to
have been carried out in the Missis
sipoi river, into which Bloody run
smnties at North McGregor.
OELWEIs, Ia., May 25.-A cyclone,
half a mile in width, passed through
ingo, Ia., about 12:30 this morning,
illing Mrs. Martha Dickey, Mrs. L
Witney, Mrs. Schell and a young child
>f D. Aiken.
ROCKFORD, Ill., May 25.--Several
people were killed and many thou
sand dollars worth of property de
troyed by a storm of wind, hail and
rain, which swept upon tbis region
Last night. Four persons were injur
ad, some fatally. The storm was
nost severe southeast or the city. At
nidnight a cyclone struck one mile
south of Egan City, wrecking the res
dence of Mrs. Isora Bird and killing
er instantly.
Dc. llilderbrandt, his wife and
laughter were killed near Monroe
'enter, the wife being beheaded by a
Iying beam, and Miss Rhinehart lost
er life at Leaf river. Davis Junc
ion was also a victim of the storm to
serious extent.
In this city, the storm raged for
nore than an hour, filling the air
with balls of electric fire and flashes
>f lightning, following with frightful
-apidity. The city, however, escaped
he destructive force of the storm, the
:hief damage being to houses struck
>y lightning, first floors and base
nents flooded and telephone wires
roken. The railroads into the city
ire obstructed by washouts. The
racks are strewn for miles with the
reckage of the storm.
PONTLIC, Mich., May 25.-Reports
'rom Ortonville, Oakwood, Oxford
nd Thomas which are located in Oak
and county, 15 to 20 miles north of
sere, say that a cyclone swept these
;ections this afternoon. Ortonville
md Thomas were nearly wiped out of
?xistence. It is said that fully a dozen
>eople lost their lives at Ortonville,
ivhile at Thomas four were killed.
MoUNT CLEMMENS, Mich., May 25.
-A cyclone passed over this city this
wening wrecking about 50 houses
mnd kiling six or eight persons-and
njuring several others.
HUNDREDS THROUGH A BRIDGE.
>e of the Year's Greatest Disasters at Vic
toria, B. C.
ICc.oRIA, B. C., May 26 .-A defect.
ye soan in the Government street traf
i bridge across Victoria Arm, gave
way this afternoon, precipitating a
oaded street car and several private
arriages into the, bay, 100 feet below.
Che number of victims cannot at this
,ime be estimated. The bridge was
rowded with vehicles containing
leasureseekers bound for MacCan
ey's Point, where the qneen's birth
[ty celebration sports were in progress.
.t 2 p. mn., a large and heavily laden.
ar left Government street, having up
ards of 100 people on board.
When the middle span of the traffic
ridge, about 150 feet in length was
-eached, it collapsed, throwing the car
Lnd a number of carriages and foot
>assengers into the water. The car
was completely submerged and all
ave a few who were on the platform
nd roof were drowned. A number
ere killed by falling timbers, and a
ew escaping by climbing to the float.
ng ruins of the bridge. The number
if cars lost anid the foot passengers
arried down in the wreck cannot be
earned. It is claimed by many that
illy 200 persons went down with the
pan and tbat more than half of them
erished. The accident occurred so
uickly that nobody has a very clear
ecollection of what transpired. A
umber of bodies have been carried
ut of the harbor by the outgoing tide,
hich runs at not less than seven
:nots an hour at the point where the
ccident occurred.
Sixteen identified bodies have been
ecovered, as well as a nuanber, which
ave not been identified and others
re constantly being taken out of the
rreck.
UOwing to the fact that nearly every
ind of craft in the city was engaged
>r the day, boats were hard to pro
ure and the work of rescue was some
rhat slow. Steam naptha launches
rere hurried to the scene, and in this
articular the boats of the various
rarships were the most active. Scores
f people who were floundering in tne
rater or clinging were picked up and
iken to places of safety, but many
ank before the eyes of the rescuers
efore they could be reached. The
ad atfair Ihas cast a deep gloom over
1e city. The navai review and sham
attle 'were caucelled, as were all oth
r sports planned for the afternoon.
Tuousands of sorrowing friends and1
elatives are gathered around the ap
roaches of the bridge eagerly scan
ing each body as the work of rescue
rogresses. It "will probably be several
ays before the full extent of the dis
ster can be correctly estimated.
Her Children swept Awiay.
Duuasmo, Ia., May 25.-In the midst
f the storm here ton ight, Mrs. Clark,
~ation agent of the Cnicago and Great 1
Vestern railroaa, was called from her I
asidence to the depot nearby to get I
rders for a train, which had just ar
ied. She took her four cnildren I
i:h ner. and was at work when theC
ood, sweeping down the Maquota
aley, carried away her residence and3
aiy tihe depot which was borne
own sti-eamn a oulle and a half. TheJ
ur children were drowned, but Mrs..
Mark clung to the roof and was saved 1
y the trainmen. Her bereavement
as dethroned her reason.
Electrocute'd in The Streets.
ST. Lonis, May 31.-One person 1
as killed, one fatally injured and
o seriously, in a panic on an elec
-ic car on the Carondelet line. The
olley wire broke and fell on the car,
ightening passengers, who rushed
ut. Miss Veronica Pavelock, 17
ears old. camre in contact with the I
'ire anid was instantly killed; Miss s
illie Gloqutte, 17ypars old, sustained
compound fracture of the skull
ad will die; Miss Blanche Cloquete,
er sister, received a scalp wound t
ad Uswalk Vatt, a butcher, had hiis
POWDER
Absolutely Pure.
A cream of tartar baking powder.
Hiohest of all in leavening strength.
-Latest United States Government
Food Report.
ROYAL BaTING POWDER Co.,
New York City.
OUR OLD VETERANS.
Sarge Plunkett Watches tht Impressive
Scenes on Memorial Day.
As I stood upon the corner and
watched the procession on Memorial
Day I forgot my own sorrows while
remembering the brave Confederates
for whom the day is celebrated.
Thirty five years have passed since
the guns lumbered at Fort Sumter, yet
it seems but a short while to the old
folks; so short a time that the inci
dents of those troublous days seem as
but yesterday. These memorial occa
sions lend a hallowed sweetness to
everything around, and it is to be
hoped that the interest in them will
never grow less, but will go on, in
creasing down through the ages.
It should be thus, and especially
does it occur to me that little caildreu
cannot be impressed too forcibly with
the sacredness that sutrounds tae oc
casion. They should be encouraged
to take the liveliest interest, for to
thern will be left the duty of perpetu
ating and keeping the occasion
Let the children, sweet and lovely,
Bring that day the sweetest flowers,
And their hands in loving kindness,
Scatter them in softest showers,
Above the graves where heroes sleep
And thus perpetuate and keep
A sacred day.
It will not be long-it will see
mighty short when it has passed-till
the children of today will be men and
women. Last Monday I watched a
mother at her work who was a babe in
the cradle in the year 1861. It did not
seem long, as 1 ruminated over it,
since this mother was a babe, and yet
she was starching and ironing the
dresses of her own little children, and
before the line or march was taken
up they were ready, looking prim and
sweet with flowers to scatter.
This is as it should be, and I hope
enthusiasm will never grow less. Ttur
ty-five years ago as 1 stood over the
cradle of this mother of to-day, I little
dreamed of what was to come, and
come so quickly. She had a sweet
mother in those troublous days, sweet
as any now, and the last time I saw
her she was fixing up clothes to go
into her husband's irnapsack. John
was this husband's name, and he was
the father of the babe in the cradle
the mother of last Mtonday. As I
watched this mother of last Monday it
brought up many memories, sweet
memories and sad memories, -so sad
that I could but shed a tear as .1
watched and ruminated. I could see
her soldier father as he waited for his.
clothing to be packed. I could see
his foot tilting the -rocker up ancL .
down, up and down, it seemed so real
as I studied upon it. And that war
time mother came back to me so plain,
so plain. I could see her as steolded
the garments, so clean and smooth,
along with the gray jacket and packed
them into the knapsack. With every
garment came a tear, but she kept her
sorrow hid-many times she turned
away to keep John. from seeing the
tears. I saw the parting. Isaw many
sorrowful partings. Tneir hearts were
ready to burst when the little babe
was taken from the er..le to be kissed
goodby. The little babe thought it
was fun and jumped and crowea, and
I doubt whetner sne has ever realized
how good and brave a father she lost
when John was killed at Malvern Hill.
I'nen
Let the mothers-while there's any
And the sisters and the wives,
Of the noble Southern heroes
Who for country gave their lives,
Mlagnify M1emorial lbay
Teach the children in this way
3Make it sacred.
I watched with espe.aisl interest the
yld veterans in the procession. All
:heir heads are tinged with g:ay. Tne
youngest among them are groating
>ld, and their line is shorteniug fast.
rhese old men look almost pitiful
now. They are bent with age, and
Limping with infirmities, but thirty
ive year ago they stepped proudly to
he tap of the drutm, and I doubt if
here will ever be again such physical
nanhood as was round in an carlv
ieorgia regiment of volunteers. Taeoy
were as strong of heart as they were
>f limb--brave, true and willing
Grand survivors of the conflict
"Rebel" veterans, old and lame
Raise your heads in pride of conscience
For with the dead you share the faume
That was won through tribulation,
ln a loved, but short lived nation- -
lll.as this day.
Especially should noble old (Jon !ed
rate women be remembered on the~e
>ccasions. It was her part of tue
treit tragedy to etuifer lat solitude.
Chey had not the privilege to die.
lhey could not join in th : songs of
he camp nor the excitment of the
>attles-they could ouly be patient, -
and suffer, suffer. Wneu the child
en were sick they nursed them all
Jlone; when tbe childreu cried for
>read it was for these women to hear
heir cries, and the children had none
>ut these mothers to feed them. There
ver-e many, many just such cases.
ick children and an empty meal bar
el was the portion of many a Con
ederate mother for mrn-e than once.
lut they were as true as the Spartan
romen of old, and they should hold a
nost atfectionate nooa int the hearts of
oming generations.
What changes have the last thirty
'ears brought?
What changes will the next thirty
-ears bring?
This cannot be answered, but 1 feel
n my heart that
Vhen other thirty years hav-e pa-ced,
And all have gone who were the gray,
weet little childron, with their tiowers,
Will mteet and miagnify this day.
he South's warm heart is beatingr yet,
nd never, nier can forget,
Who wore the gray.
Eighty Children Killed.
QUINCY, Ills., May 2t.-A report
as reached here that Rage, Ills., near
toodhouse, ills., a cyclone struck a
chool house, utterly demolishing it,
illing eighty children and injuring
early as many more. Nearly every
ouse in the village is wrecked, and
ough no other fatalities are reported,
is more than probable that other