Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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yez m; . a v: ** A XIX- t ,i -Ih-' BARNWELL S C, THURSDAY, JANUARY 2. 1896. The ChrletuiM Fiddle. There's somethin’ In • fiddle's sound that somehow shake* an’ thrills ■7 soul with sweeter music than the songo whippoorwills. Or the wild notes cf the mocldn’bird when _ ^ . «prlng Is In her prime. But best of all I lore ’em when they’re play in Christmastime. When the cabin fires are blarin' an’ the holly- berries red -With temiitin' sprays o' mistletoe are hangin' overhead; When a feller* eyes are chasin’ o’the dlm- * . °’0>e girls, An ho s lost his way forever in the tangle o' their curls. Its > every Then l like to hear the fiddle an tune Is sweet; There’s a twinkle in my eyes then an’ a fidget in my fret; When they range the girlsaroun’ me for the danoin* soon to be _ _ Ita' a h Uoluia season to the very soul o' me! When I see the old time fiddler who has heard ' the fiddle sing For many a frosty winter—in summer time, In spring, Lay by his coat an’ strike a note, It’s “ Broth ren, bar the door!” For 1 know that trouble's cornin’ on that cabin’s sandy floor! When 1 hear that: *• Swing your partners !” 1 feel my pulses bound!' full o'sweetness an' the room a- 1 Hands --Ji 1 round 4 And, Ladles to the center!” an’ round !” thrlls me through. For a girl’s hand’s thigh ty tender in the brown, broad palm o’ yon! .■ The heavy hail may patter on the shingled roof above; Thd snow may the . the songbirds from windy nests they love; The cows may .nil a* the clover op the hillside an' the lea, Bnt in joy Tip. rollin' over when the fiddle sings to We ! - • ButiSts ftlway holly’s hi An’ hangin’ high An’ t the Christmas lamps are lighted in the windows o’ the sky; ’I think if I was dyln’ 1 would srill bo ^ firnilin pgiaae— ; As the liveliest angel fly In’, with a fiddle Christ- time! — Frank L. SUintim. BILL ASP AHD HI8 WIFE QUIET TIMES AT THE OLD HOME STEAD. The Children are Scattered and Gone —The German Opera Malta* Him Tired and Sleepy. ft orchestra Was in full blast fiddling and blowing and drum beating for dear life and stopped all of a sudden it scared me. I thought something had bursted or the boiler had collapsed or the air brake come uncoupled. The suddenness always awaked me and once I jumped so my wife noticed it and asked what was the matter. I told her 1 had a slight palpitation and was threatened with heart failure, which I am. At times it seemed to me the musicians were trying to drown the voice of that woman that Sieg fried found asleep or dead In the woods and sang sher to life again, but they couldn't do it. I never heardsuch vioce in my life, but I was sorry that she was lame. She couldn't walk at all hardly. My wife saya eLe was just tangled up in her shroud or maybe she had been dead so long she had lost the use of her extremitifee. She was the star—one of the great singers of the world they say, but aba couldn't do justice to herself with all those horns blowing. Siegfried bad found her asleep in the woods reclining on a mossy bank, and as he had never before seen a woman he thought she was an aogal and wanted to wake bar but was afraid. For a long time he tiptoed and circled and at last ven tured to touch her and his plaintive voice seemed to plead with her to awake, but she didn’t. By and by he got bolder and leaning over pressed his lips to hers and drew back as if he had committed the un pardonable sin. Weil, of course, that w u waked her—of course it did : and after il'll be better toWupper, sir'.’’ 00,110 herself* she looked lov- - - - rr ’ ingly toward him and began to sing— and oh, such notes. I don’t know so nothing for child with- 's not have its Every grand- Half a chicken—half a dozen bis cuits, a little hominy and butter and a small pot of coffee. It has been about forty years since wife and I sat down to as little as that. Of course it is enough for us, and moru than enough, but it looks so stingy ; only two of us now, except when wts send off and bor row a grandchild—our home daughters and the little orphan have gone to Flor ida for the winter. My wife sayi she hears the raU galloping in their rooms upstairs every night. They have found out that the girls have gone. My wife waan’t sure that raU made the racket, and so about midnight, when deep sleep falleth upon a man, but not upon a woman, she aroused me and asked what it was. Being prema turely deaf on rats, I couldn’t hear anything; but to satisfy her I took the edodle aod went upstairs in my noc turnal garments and hunted all over the rooms and closets and under the beds, and found nothing, of course. I didn’t expect to find anything. She is juat lonspme and sad, that's all, and she didn’t like to hear me snoring while she was ruminating about the scattered children. All <tf the ten have left us at last, and by and by old Father Time will separate us too. Of course wr could go and lire with some of the married children, and they would be glad to have us; but 1 never saw an old couple that liked to give up their home and fireside. The hab its of forty years tre ba>d to be broken. Half a chicken is enough, hut even that is a sign that we are alone— we two. I didn’t feel like saying grace bver such a stingy meal. *’ Why didn’t you cook it all, Aunt Ann," said I. “Cos it’ll be ' ' she said. But we send for a grand child now evtr> day or two and swap them around, and they are always glad to come. My wife’s greatest pleasure now is petting the grand children. She says she is nearly blind, but I see her sewing. od| something every day—fixing _up their Christmas out a grandmother d' share of happiness, mother is a Eugene Field, though they can’t make poems of their feelings. I was talking about Field the other day to my friend Ferris in George Adairs office, and he said he used to set type with Field for The St. Louis Times, and the boys always had a good lime in leffling with him. “ What’s that ?” said I. vJ* Well,” said he, “we didn’t throw dice for the cigars, but we threw em quads.” “W’hat’s that?’’ said I. “Well,” said he, “type-set- ting is counted by the ems. It is a quad piece, and there are three little nicks on the shank, and jelling was played by taking up a handful of quads at random and throwing them down upon the table, and the one who ^*hdwea u n the fewest nicks lost the wager. rSju.'iu’raber that Field was generally t* /*nluok.v boy, and had to pay the 's^i’s. There were seven of us who generally spent our leisure time together after our night’s work was done. There was Heiny Huff-itndi Fatty Smith and Dummy Ed war di and the Monk and Betsy Heyd and Gene and myself. Betsy was a boy. None of us were bad or wild, and Gene was, as amiable as be was unlucky. There was more in him than we knew then, and I always felt a pride in having been one of his companions. You know that Charley Lewis was another type-setter and took his pen name of ‘M''Quad ’ while,, on The Detroit Free Press. Betting type is a good school for a boy. He is obliged to learn lit erature whether he wants to or not, and there is many a bne who has made his-mark besides Ben Franklin and Eugene Field.” “But what about the ^quad ? ” said “Oh, that is a Latin word and means how many. We were paid net by the number of ems, but by the measure of them. It took two e% or three I’s to make an em.” “Angelina,” said l (wbwn I feel very loving I call my Angel} 1a, like the hermit.) “ Angelina, my dear, wouldn’t you like to go to Atlanta aod hoar Damrosch open? You haven't hoard an open since I took you to Son tag and Stoffanoai and Max In New York In 1853. Just of it—that was lorty-two years “ Oh, It costs too much money,” said she. “ Only $2,” said I. “Two dollars for a-good seat in the balcony. Suppose we go and hoar “Siegfried.” “Jessie ought, to go,” said she “Jessie understands fine music and never has -heard an opera on the stage.” That settled is. I had beard hinted around that my wife would Hke to go, but wouldn’t ask me—so I had to ask her. We have been. Venl, vidi. nudi—and I am satisfied. Four hours bn a hard wood seat will satisfy any veteran—even if the angels were mak ing music. It was all German to me 1 beard Jenny Lind ring once and that was music. I understood that it and I was charmed. It thrilled me but thought that it should take the and filled me with unutterable rap ture and all I could do was to weep with emotion. But this German busi ness tired mo awfully and I slept right good at times. I can sleep bolt upright and never move. When the music was soft and sweet I enjoyed it, but 1 couldn’t s$e anything nardly. Sieg fried was mending an old broken sword and I liked that old-time black smith shop, but there was a tall wo man in Trbnt of me with a big black ostrich fenther in her hat aod she bobbed it around so I didn’t even see the anvil cut in two. It’s an outrage The lady behind me had no such ob stacles. There are n j feathers on my head. clink of the hammer and and the screech of the file were good and the nlnsic chimed with both de lightfully. Siegfried is a good black smith and ought to follow the trade in wftrii -tfie- j my^opitricHF: f wig fa -tfaey-woutd Yftny in English. I'll bet there were-not ten in a hundred of that audience who who understood .a word that was sung. They go there because !t is oonsidf red the titing to do. It is fashionable. Of course there was sweet music and so there is in a church or in the parlor or Tn a minstrel show and it don’t drag along for hours. Siegfried had to kill a dragon and it took him a half an hour. It was a drag on sure enough. I could have killed him in a minute with that magic sword. But the birds did sing most sweetly and that lady that was hidden up in the trees—ah, that was delicious. I liked ttbat. The drums and horns all hushed for that. Sometimes when the whole notes. what she said and I don’t care, but there was love in it—lots of love and he caught the malady and sang hack at her and just such melody I never heard. It took him too long to wake her up. though. I think I would have waked her in half the time. But all operas have an end some where, and this one finally olosed just in time for us to lose our train and we had to wait UearJy three hours for the next one. "This vexed me and I con sidered myself the injured person, but I didn’t complain—no I never complain. My wife and daughter say that it was grand, and as I went there to please them it is all right with me. ft was grand, gloomy and peculiar. They had read the ope^a before and knew what the singing was about, and they told me how Tannhauser and Lo hengrin were composed nearly fifty years ago and were introducea in Paris and Vienna and nobody liked them, and they went dead and slept for thirty years until Liszt took hold of them and received them out of his great regard for Wagner. He educat ed the musical world up to Wagner's standard and now they are played by the week in Qaireuth, the greatest musical center:' in the world. ' By the week is meant that it takes a whole week^o go through one opera, for it is not cut or abridged like it is over here. The company Will play all the morn- iug and have a recess for dinner and continue in the afternoon and again at night and the next day and so on until the whole thing is finished. Merciful fathers—what .would become of me if I had to endure the like of that / Bill Arp. —The Seaboard Air Line has given sixty days notice o( its intended with drawal from the Southern, States Freight Association. Vice President St. Johns says that the Seaboard with draws because the organization has not been completed, in that a new ar bitration committee fyas been elected and there is a deadlock over the mat ter. He declares that some of the stronger lines are not disposed to treat the weaker lines fairly. The with- drawaflof the Seaboard will be apt to lead to a rate war," 7 ‘ ; —fi ts a common fact, but not gen erally remembered, that a cock will not crow unless he can throw back his head. If acock is shut overnight Jn a low coop where he cannot stretch beck hisneek, there will be no crowing la the morning until the bird Is re leased. NOT A DISSENTING VOICE. The Senate Peeeee the Bill Removing " Confederate Disabilities. The United States Senate engaged in a work of reconciliation on Christ mas Eve by passing the bill removing disabilities of Confederate soldiers. The. proceedings were as follows: Mr. Hill (Dem.) of New York asked the Senate.to take up and pass the bin introduced by him last week to repeal the statute which prohibits ex- Confederate officers who had previously been commissioned officers in the United States army or navy from hold ing positions in the army or navy. Mr. Sherman (Rep.) of Ohio declared himself as heartily in favor of the bill, ordinary coarse and be referred to the committee on military affairs. Mr. Hill argued that the bill was a simple one, and needed no considera tion by^a committee. He thought it would be a good thing, ju„t b*. fore Christmas, to make this present to the old Confederate officers who had for merly held commissions in the United States army. Mr* Chandler (Rep.) of New Hamp shire favored the kill and declared that it ought to be passed and passed to-day. It was simple in its character. As the Senate had, the other day, unanimously, without distinction of party, come to the support of a Demo cratic "President when he announced national principles in relation to Vene- zuela, so he hoped* that to-day with out delay, without criticism, without amendment, , freely^jtnd^ ynerously, firmative votes of everv Senator. Mr. Gray (Dem.) of belaware, while favoring the bill, agreed with Mr. Sherman that it should be referred to a committee in the regular way. Mr. Hawley (Rep.) of Counecticut, while favoring tha bill. limtHiad ti act which is now proposed to repeal It was proper legislation at the time it was passed, but that time had now passed away. Mr. Daniel (Dem.) of Virginia favor ed the bill and presented resolutions of the Virginia Legislature favoring its passage and the President’s mes sage. He said that when the Confe derate soldiers laid down their arms, they laid them down aod were done The disagreeable memories war were obliterated, and ever since the men of the South and of the North were one people with a common country. It should not be forgotten, he said, as to the young men who had been educated at West Point and An napolis, that the expenses of those in stitutions bad been contributed to pro- portionably by their own States. Mr. Sherman submitted the motion to refer the bllhte the committee on mil'tary affairs.’ Mr. Voorhees (Dem.) of Indiaaa was Inclined to favor the motion to refer. He attached no great importance to the bill noW except as an expression of nationality, brotherhood and total re conciliation. He called attention to the fact, however, that Confederate oflioers of the highest rank who had resigned their commissions in the Union army, Longstreet, Joe Johnston, Maury and others, had been confirmed by tha Senate for many important positions. Mr. Piatt (Rep.) of Connecticut ex plained that his objection to the MU ast week was merely to a technical point, not as to its merits, for he favor fighting, of the wa the South bad taken occasion to laud Mr. Hiil, to condemn him (Mr. Platt) wanting in every attribute of pat riotism and to apply all sorts of epith ets to him, being careful to send him a marked copy of each paper (laughter). He had examined the bill and was satisfied that it was now in proper form, and that it would effectuate the purpose which its Author had in view and he was so full of forgiveness this morning—the day before Christmas— that he was willing to join the Senator from New York in presenting this Christmas gilt to those officers who had fought in the Confederate army and who he was sure would rejoice to fight in the army of the whole of the country if the opportunity presented itself, of which tie believee there was no prospect at present. Mr. Allen (Rep.) of Nebraska ex pressed his belief that the bill would not have been heard of if war had not been threatened, and if Prendent Cleveland had not been “twisting the British lion’s tail.” He hoped, how ever, that the motion to refer would be withdrawn and Chat the bill would be passed at once. Mr. Hill said he had not supposed that the kill would have occasioned such a long debate. Every Senator bad bearJ tue bill read : every Senator understood; yet for diversified reas ms, nq Senator wishiditto pass immedi ately. It would have to be referred to a committee which knew all about it, but which would have to take some time to consider it. Why, he asked, go through those useless forms ? He had labored under the idea that if last week the Senate could afford to take up and pass the Venezuelan commis sion bill, involving consequences of peace or war. without action by a com mittee, it would not scrupfte to pass this little bill and to give to thobe old Confederates that Qhristmas ..present. He thought that the spectacle was one of straining at a gnat and v swallowing camel. He remembered that the SaqaB? from Ohio, Mr. Sher mao, had moved to refer that bill to the com mittee on foreign relations; but he had not pressed that motion nor voted for it himsplf. As to Mr. Platt’s re ference to newspaper articles lauding lim (Mr. Hill) he said that he would ike to have seen some of those com- >iimentary notices, as he saw few such n print nowadays. (Laughter.) After further discussion, a vote was taken on Mr. Sherman's motion to refer the bill, and the result was: Yeas 8, nays JO—less than a quorum. A subseqent roll call showed the presence of 47 Senators—over a quorum —and then Mr. Sherman withdrew the motion to refer aod the bill was read a third time and passed. -Ti» FORT SUMTER TO BE MANNED. The War Department Will Repair the Historic Fort and Build Bat ■ terles on Sullivan’* Island. Special to The News and Courier. Fort Sumter is to be rehabilitated and armed for the protection of the city of Charleston. That old fortress that played such an important part in the opening of the war for Southern independence is again to be fitted with ten-inch rifles and be equipped for the defence of Charleston bar nor. _ The proiect has been under consideration at the war department for some time past, but the question was brought di-> recUy to the attention of the Secretary of War, Gen. Miles, the commanding general of tho army, and Gen. Craig- hili, the chief of engineers, by Repre sentative Elliott, who represents the Charleston District. Gen. Miles has recently been South, and is beartiiy in favor of the restoration of the old forti fication to a warlike conditioii It 1* not known whether' the renovation of Fort Sumter is due to the threatened conflict with Great Britoin, but the proposition meets with tbe cordial en dorsement pf-all of the officers named. There is spmetbing like 175.000 avail able for the fortifications in Charleston harbor, and the Secretary of War is willing that the money should be ex pended upon Fort Sumter, and a land battery on Sullivan’s Jstand, in tl-e same harbor. Since the close of the war Fort Sum ter has be* n almost deserted by the Government troops. For many years «P:_pr4nftafi9: serg* ant has lived there as a sort of wateber-rtf tbe-rapid-^ decaying government property Time has made but little Impression upon its stout walls, hut the elements have played havoc with the interior and the exposed portions of the struc ture. It is estimated that the fort can In good cnmlitjiin ^nH fnnd a quite formidable without the expendi ture of a large sum of money. The principal outlay will be for guns. It is a remarkable coincidence that Fort Sumter, the first fortification to figure in tbe late war, is now the first point of defence to ret ready to resist foreign invasion. Even if there should he no occasion for conflict, it is con tended that Fort Sumter should be re- stored to its normal condition, and maintained with the same care and fi delity that is employed upon the forti fications in New York harbor. Repre sentative Elliott was highly gratified at the success of his visit to tbe war department, and he proposes to push the matter to an early settlement. While at the *ar department Col. Elliott met Capt. Abbot, who is In charge of the river and harbor im provements in and around Charleston. Capt. Abbot also kgrees with his su periors that the fortifications in Char leston harbor should be rehabilitated. In addition to equipping and arming Fort Sumter it is also proposed to build three batteries on Sullivan’s Island for guns and mortars. The work on Sul livan’s Island has been delayed by the difficulty in fixing tbe price for tbe property needed, but it is understood that Capt. Abbot expects to have the matter adjusted so that work may commence without further delay. As to sending troops to Sullivan’s Island, Gen. Miles says he is fully in sympathy with such a proposition, and he will do all in his power to have the new batter ies garrisoned without delay. Upon examination of the subject it was their thread in East Tennessee for flax thread. They sold flax thread to tho shoe makers and had a large amount woven in the country looms, paying a skein of cotton thread for weaving a yard of cloth. Pelham, Mr. Editor, Is about sixty yards inside the Green ville line. ediL Butyet, be said, newspapers ie .certained that tber*) are now on Suttl- who hav receiving ti You have a gr« bell.” “ Yes, sir, _ that,” was the reply. And then paue- 3 , with a shake of his head : “ Not /was it a great trial, but let me tell, a matter of Terra considerable real trial, Mr. Caorp- you inay well say van’s Island buildings belonging to the government, which may be used as quarters for the troops. The site for one of the new batteries is quite near Fort Moultrie, and the other two are to be located according to the judgment of the chief of engineers. All of these batteries will be armed with ten-inch rifles. Some time ago Col. Elliott asked the Secretary of War for a report on the project contemplating the improve ment of navigation between Charleston and Beaufort by means of a cut through Fenwick’s Island. The proposed im provement was recommended several years ago, but it was not provided for because of the large cost involved. Capt. Abbot has just submitted his re port on the project, which he says can be completed at a greaily reduced figure as compared frith the original estimates. For from $25,000 to $45,000 a channel of from forty-five feet to nine ty feet can be cut between the points named. Backed by Capt. Abbot’s re port, Col. Elliott will press the matter before the river and harbor commit tee. r EARLY COTTON FAC TORIES. The Pioneer Was lhe Burni Factory - in Npartaiiburfc County—Some Facta About the Builders. ilin Maj. Wm. Hoy in Carolina Spartan. Mr. Euitor :—I have been called on for information with regard to the pioneer manufacturers of cotton in South Carolina. The first factory for spinning cotton that I ever beard of was what was sometimes called the Burnt Factory. It was . in operation before 181ti. At that time Weaver, the proprietor of tbe factory, was en gaged in a'awBuit with McDowell, of Charleston. McDowell died that year and his executor carried on the suit and gained it. • When the factory was burnt, I do not know. Weaver after wards built a factory on one of the prongs of Middle Tyger, in Greenville County. The Hills must have come to Spartanburg about 1817 or ’18. Major Henry came with tbe Hills and was for sometime engaged with them in spinning cotton on Tyger. He quit the business and was a lawyer in full practice as early as 1822. When the Rev. Thomas Hutchings came to what is now called Pelham, 1 do not know. HU was tbe first factory 1 ever saw. I recollect seeing it as early as 1822. Mr. •Hatcbings operated the factory to some time near 1830,: he took into partnership Josiah Kilgore, who had plenty of capital, and they made it a success. It might, Mr. Editor, be of some in terest to some of your readers to know bow the factory Was operated. I heard Kilgore say that it took $20,000 a y to buy the cotttm. That would JM0 battqj which number Is now qpun at Pelxer in five days. To turn/this twenty thousand dollars back into cash they would have to transport their thread by wagon* to Western North Carolina, Eaet.Tennessee aad a t quantity to the lower part of the They bartered a quantity of When Mr. Hutchings sold his factory on Knoree he built another at a place oow called Batesville, on a large creek a short distance from what is now Batesville. He wa* running that factory In 1833. The precise time he sold It, I do not know, but be was running another at<p place now called Arlington in 1837. In thU factor,) Simpson Bobo and D. W. Moore were concerned In some way. Most of the capital that built the factory belonged to those men. A lawsuit in equity resulted in Mr. Hutchings losing his case and the factory in some way felt into Dl W. Moore's hands. Mr. Hutch ings then quite the factory business a.id wool to preaching in Charleston and Savannah with great success. 1 knew of tas paying some of bis former debts with money be received for preaching at these places. Not far from 1837 Mr. V*rdry McBee hunt a factory on Keeuy River, not lar from Greenville. This was a brick building and was tbe btst house tbai uau betu put up for culion fsciori* s in the ritat*-.. 1 think it was about 1&37 that Dr. 'Bikings came t6 riparian burs auu uritfibaud what was lum caiieu Bivingaviiie That *ua the uiiwl « x u usiVe 1 xle prise in the maoufactur* ol cotiou tnat nau been originated 11. the State. F. biu some cans - a lawsuit sprung Op, much to tue injur/ ot ai. parties concern in it. rioine tout about ‘4fi o. ’47 Dr. Biving^ came t»- Midaro T. gcr anu built a lactory. tm n called Cra* forUsvilie, now ca.*eu Fair moot and operated it to the end of tue ConieUeraie w ar. At w hat time Vaitc> Foils commenced business, - 1 do sot know ; It was running during tbe war Simnson & Downs once had a factory on Rabun’s creek, Laurens County. It was said >that it was not a financial success. I believe that it was burned. They were both lawyers. Both were afterwards* candidates for Congress Simpson succeeded; Downs failed. There was once a small factory on a prong of Reedy River, in Greenville County. A man by the name of Berry was concerned in It. I saw a small factory on a big creek two or three miles below old PetMlleton. It is well know that there was a large cotton factory near Columbia, on Saluda river, several years before tbe Confederal war. Nicholas Vloele Van- Patton, after going three times to England purchasing machinery for parties at the North, came to what was then known as Cantrell’s shoals on Enoree and put up a cotton factory. Van Patton was said to be the best mechanic in the world. After a short time he piled up bis machinery and went to work the third of a century trying to establish perpetual motion, •pending thousands of dollars without success. There are few places, Mr. Editor, so well adapted to manufacturing pur poses as Cantrell’s, or VanPatton xhoals. The entire fall is said to be fifty feet. The river approaches the fall in a horse shoe -shape making a B inineula of fifteen or twenty aerfes. y making a solid dam, the peninsula could be made a water reeervolr which, by tunneling on both side* of the river tapping the reservoir, two addi tional falls could be secured. By mak ing the dam high enough to catch the night and Sunday flow of water six factories, each as largo as Pelham, could be operated. . Vaucluse, in Edgefield County, ha* been a cotton manufacturing establish ment for more than half a century. I believe it U the only concern in this State that ever was attempted to be operated by slave or negro labor. The experiment signally failed. Tbe negroes robbed the factory and burnt it, or attempted to burn it and were hanged. When a Northern member of Congress told McDuffie to build a factory, put his negroes to work in it and get the benefit of a protective tariff, he replied by relating the Vau- cluse matter and showed that the thievish and treacherous character of the negroes made them unfit for manu facturing purposes. A Question in Theology.—F. K, Van Tas»el, a local missionary in Ul ster, contributes to tbe Kingston Free man an article from which we take the following story : “ As I passed through Ha«brouck.I saw a churc” in an un finished condition, and inquired what churcq it was. I learned trial Jt was Mr. Hamilton's. This leads me to speak of tnls second Robert Collyer, a blacksmith and a preacher One day a ini ji-ier of tbe Methodist Episcopal denomination came to have bis horse shod by Mr. Hamilton. Knowing his Ueptist proclivities, he thought toimi joke him. Said he, “ Is. this a Baptist- V shop?” “It is, sir,” said Mr. Hamil- “ ton. “ Well. I wadt Methodist shoes put on my horse.” “ All right, sir.” The sturdy blacksmith, with a smile, went to work, turned, calked and fitted the shoes, then laid them down and waited saying, “ Will take some time tocool, sir; you>ill have to .writ a little.” “ Wliy don’t you dip them into the tub?” Sbid the Methodist man. “Oh, that would make them Baptist shoes, sir I” said Mr. Hamilton. The -joke had gone far enough by this time, and the Methodist brother replied, “Oh, well, dip them anyway ; I’m in a hurry.” So tho Methodist horse wore Baptist shoes one time, and was no worse for it. TO MEET THE EMERGENCY. The Republicans Report Bond and Tariff Blll4 fbr the Relief of the Treasury. - . The Democrats wanted the ways and means committee to postpone action on the tariff and bona bflLs, but the Republicans ordered them to be re ported by strict party vote, the AH the members of the oommittee, except Mr. Gfosvenor, of Ohio, aad Mr. MoLaarin, of South Caroilna, were tn attend-jince. The session lasted two and a hall hour*. - The Democrats made a general protest against both measure 1. The tariff bill was first considered. As each section was read Mr. Turner, of Georgia, moved to strike it out, tbe Democrats voting in tbe affirmative and the Republicans tn opposition. Mr. McMHllo, of Ten- aessee, then entered an earnest plea for more time in which to consider both bills. He argued that this being a holiday the departments were closed; tbat it dould be Impossible to secure from the treasury department before Tbuisday the data necessary to sup port the Democratic contention, ana cio-ed with a motion tbat further re consideration of tbe measure in com mittee be postponed two days. This motion was defeat'd, as was ai-q dis motion for tweniy-four hours’ ii'-Aty. After tilts, diacu-sion, (or a * hlie, became gen* rai. The D-mo- •-r»t* emit* nUt-d that the tr< a*>ur\ now -oulaiAid a enau oaiano- of $I7o(AJU.- i*UU; that this wtsa-upie Wi meet ,«n <1 ttotwoete* which misht arts fo< vtrrai year**; ibai V*i« re-ceip s ” 'or' ue ems* o* to*- fiscal y*-ar w.,u d . q t.,i •-Xpenuituresi an<i that no tar ff cgi»- ttliOu u* c* ©"nrj’. T.» this Chairman D ngley respond* d with a general'i-ajialm r. He stated that $70 OUO.UOO f the amount v*as >u greenbacks, winch has not been re oeived as revenues, but which were redeemed with gold, and that they be- onged practically to tbe redemption 'und. They wer*- a hey wer*- a part, really, of the cash balance, and ought not to be used for current expenses. He showed 'hat tbe greenbacks were used as %n “endless chain” to draw gold from the Treasury, and approved tbe policy of tbe Secretary in looking them up The purpoae of the tariff bill, ,Mr Dingley continued, was to furnish tbs money needed for tbe expenses of the Government without trenching on tbe gold reserve, or tbe greenbacks which bad been redeemed in gold. He ad mitted that in offering these revenue measures th* Republicans have waived, for the momdot, their protec tion principles and they made this 000- cession, hoping that the Preeideat would be equally unselfish in patting his own objections behind kim. Mr. Dingley insisted that tha bill was not intended as a party measure It was, be explained, non-partisan in charac ter, aad he hoped that it would puli tbe full vote of Congress, is order to save the credit of the government, which, according to tha Preaidant’s message, and disclosures made la pri vate dt Secretary Carlisle, was in great danger. The condition of the Treasury, ha | insisted, demanded prornjH action. Every day’s delay k), the embarrassment of administration. Inasmuch a* ao re vision of the tariff was attempted in the measure in question no discussion in oommittee at this time was nnoas aacy. : The Republicans, he said, in con clusion, had taksn the tariff law of 1894 as a basis, >nd, according to tha importations for that year, the new bill would add $40,000,000 so Dually to the revenues. Of this sum $12,000,000 would be derived from duties on raw wool, $14,000,000 on manufacture* of wool and $14,000,000 additional from the horizontal Increase on tbe remain ing schedules, except sugar, which was not changed, and lumber, the duty cn which would be tin per cent, of the McKinley trriff rata. The first and only break in the Dem ocratic column was the motion of Mr. Turner (D'*in. of Ga.) to strike out the second section of tbe bond bill au thorizing the Issuance of 150,000,000 certificates of indebtedness. On this motion Mr. Tarsney (Dem. of Mo.) voted with the Republicans and the amendment was lost. Thereupon, Mr. McMIUin (Dem. of Tenn.) offered an amendment that the oertlUuatcs issued should be subject to taxatiou as are tbe greenbacks and other moneys, but this amendment was hIso rejected, tbe Republicans voting against it THE OPENING or B1L1TIMORK. and —Guiana was discovered by Colum bus in 1498. Dutch settlements were founded in 1480. In 1S9S Sir Walter Rjaleigh landed in the country * to search for gold. British Guiana has |-miles an area estimated at 99,925 square miles- In 1851 the population was about 148,000. The English made no rmanent settlements in its early istory. After various changes Eng land made an arrangement with the Nethelands in 1814 bv which they re gained possession of the territory, which Is now called British-Gulana. They have enjoyed undisturbed p jests sion since that date. Sugar is the principal export from that country to England. lie money rained* about ibree-fourths the value of ail other products. Rum oomes next. Vand'-rbllts IL-aui ilul House Grounds Near Asheville. George W. Vanderbilt, the. youngest member of tbe great New York family of millionaires, formally opened bis country home near Asheville on Christ mas Day. AH i mm mediate members tne Vanderbilt family now is this Country were guests of “Biltmore House.’’ Among therm were Mrs. Wil liam H* Vanderbilt, mother of the owner of Biltmore ; Mrs. Bromley, bis aunt; Mrs. Kissam, Miss Klssam, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Vanderbilt, Mr. and Mrs. W Seward Webb, and tbelr daughter and son, Cornelius Vander bilt anl family, W. Kt Vanderbilt, W. D. Sloane aud family and others. AH of these persons traveled in their own private cars, and brought with them an army of servant*. For two weeks previous G. W. Van derbilt bad personally directed a corps of carvers, joint-rs, decorators and florists in giving the finishing touches to the great mansion, and it stands to day, in connection with its surrounding park and outlying hunting and fishing preserves, tbe most valuable os well as the most extensive private property in America. The house tract cgqtains 8,000 acres, upon which seventy-five of unrivalled driveways have already been constructed, while the hunting preserves embrace 87,000 acres, in which is included Mount Pirgah, one of tbe meat prominent peaks on Asheville plateau, which boasts th* highest point east of tb* Rocky Mountains. For two weeks provisions of all kinds have bean arriving in carloads, eonfeo- tions in hundred pound packages, gome, fish, fowls of all aorta, frozen meats In carloads, all giving intima tion as to the bountiful good cheer whick Istobedispaused. At 11 o’clock a Ch -istmas tree was given ail am- 9- ploys* on th* aetata, neml tweeu 300 and 500. Barrels of toe and wsgon loads of holly loads of paokngas Were pel let* feature, aad the bonquei * crowded with eager, bapf more than two boars. Chri-tmus tree a bountiful spread. W one the company BOW is made up exclusively of members ef tbs Vsnderblit family, th# feslvitles will broaden towards the etom ef the week, whan a large company of Mr. Vanderbilt’s New York frionds will be his gueets for perhaps ton dags. The time will be spent la coaching parties, hunting parties, fox chasing, quail •hooting and fishing. A Tribute to Robert O. War- THROP —At tbe latest meetiag of tiff trustees of tbe Peabody educational fund a committee was appoisted tn draw up a tribute to tbe memory of the Hon. Robert C. Wlntbrop. That committee consisted of Chief Jostle* M-lville W. Fuller, tb* Hoe. William A Courtenay, of South Carolina, and the Hon. Joseph H. Choate, of Now York. Charles E. o. Wingate write* from Boston to tdi Now York Critic: “ I have just seen a copy of that trib- ute, and qu**te one strong paragraph. Judging by it-style, I should say trial he otemof-ial was written by Mr. Gbuate. After ap* akiog of tbe worm i>-rsonwl fro-od»h*p of Mr. Peabndy, i he found*mf tbe truat, with Mr. Win* rop niui-trau-d by tke appoint t hr lett* r s* one of the ortg* ee an* 1 pt-rmaoea' pre-i*t* nt, tfcatrlb- •’*- •»>-: “ Hia >ofvy eriaracter. bis - -urteous b* ariog, bis uniform kind- ' •Mtinali hUdeaUags with the tnts- e*a over whom he presided, endeared ''m to earn member of the trust as a «*rm personal friend, and tha llghl f 1 i r»f 1 IiiN sj v 11**r Imnswa nnrl ~ W n■ imr 1 nH rrm *• m * UV* muu ■ O''W itojKv tat arose bed upon every question that for deliberation nlways made tha taak of his associate* an assy 00s. Wa felt tbat whatever Mr Winthropapi af’er tb* study and refiectioa wi in-isted upon giving to ovary measure pr jected, must of oours* be right. 1$ was a imrj grant thiag for aa instil*- t this to b* tlon Hke thFa to be presided over by ■'•on a man. who fur a quarter of a ooa- tury was willing to give to its ooutiaual * serzioe tbs bast power* with which ha was endowed.” - The Coot or Bad Road*. -Tha office of road Inquiry of th* Depart* meat of Agriculture has Interest!! the use 1 United States. Returns hare tved from abort 1,300 1 rosu inquiry 01 toe vepew Agrleuiture has oomnlrtsd aa in* Investigation rolrtiag to of th* common rondo of th* ■bowing th* avorng* length of haol from forma to markets or shipping points to ’ho IS miles; th* average weight of load for two pounds; and th* average ooet p C mile 25 cento, or $2 forth* 1. Estimating tha farm at 219,824,227 too* ia weight ai ing estimates 0* other arMoies over the public roads, it la of tbat tho aggregate sxpeeee tronspertotlon la tb* United I 1940,414,666 per aaaem. Rape been asked from th* U si tad consuls abroad of the axpeoaaof lag whar* th* reads are good, an render possible a ealculati wUl show iyiw much of this lay is duo to bod rondo. Tho Ik ventured, however, upon tioo in th* office of road inqary, lag tha leas of time ia markets, th* saforced Idleness stock and tolivai healing machinery caused by poor roads, thrt two-th'rds of tho cost might to by no Improvement of the roads. A Dismal Failure.—On* of the moat amusing stories of th* day tonal* of mistaken philanthropy. At a ear- tain army post thore was a sentry on uty near th* hospital. Tho surgeon aa preparing to go to bod inside, when he was annoyed aad alarmed ai the senWy's coughing. Hia expo rienoed ear told him that the mna had a severe bronchial affliction, asedtag a strong remedy. He debated awhile with himaalf, aad then going into tha diapeasiag room, compounded a powerful mixture. Thle be took outside to th# sentry with In structions to swallow it Immediately. The . man refused. Th* surgeoa in sisted and finally commended tha 1 to take the modiolo*. which ha did, grumbling. Than th* with much worthy surgeoa went *0 ben, pleased to bear no more coughing. Next morning to bis surprise th* oommaddlng officer sent for him aod ■aid tuat the sentry had complained, declaring that tue surgeon had forced him to swallow something bethought was poison. An investigation follow- J ' revealed the fact tbat while ed and tbe gprffooa was mixing th* medtolae. - — — * * * " "liMC toe coughing sentry had been roll sod consequently the remedy had been given to the wrong man. ■h oapl- d. Tbq United —It is said that during Moody’s meetings n worker a young man with th* qu you a Christian ?” Tha looked up. smiling good-aa to replied. “Oh, no, air; l ttoeholr.” of Mr. ■J m m - - : •• : 1 3 The Russian Loan.—Th* story of Russia’s proffered loan of 940,006,010 in gold to the United States bn* beta confirmed with the exception that th* details of the offer ar* somewhat changed. It is still tha sensation of financial and diplomatic oireloa aad nas not only Improved tho tone of American markets, but possibly pre vented any further raid on tho gold reserve. It is not expected, however, tbat the United State* will accept the offer, which wae made eighteen months ago, and declined at thattisM, although the gold, it is understood, is ■till at the disposal of this oonntry. It . is considered more than likely the gold wiU be obtained from bankers Instead -of from any sources. This is the most 1 elusion for the reasoc the Venezuelan trouble, Cleveland would not oare to eater intd a new arrangement with British 1 talisto fot a new supply 'of gold, attitude of Russia toward th* “ States has always bean of h friendly character. As th* long before tho Venozoeian tbat could not to sold to bearing upon the loan. I Di