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THE BWLENDID SPUR' Mi?HML. ? J*a MAMH. , *T A1T1UK T. qUUUK OMJ(X; to drop on eC-troupera iNfu to dnt I -A shrewd nightr ' " Ajre. a tmt tr?4 that eotdtarlnc to ? I ftr i . trade o' pfoaobtag. Bet lefe Be cheer ktA. for the role* ?r the twtto to heud fthilud. . The man took e pell at hie hot heer before wjhhhj, "The turtle ilgiHi> the Bert ef SUnfocd, that Jp te night |Mlhf Colonel Boots hi eeeaet. an* thle ie the Import w, hiiiiy war. Mark , "Stirring, etrfvtog theee!" "Yon mar aay eo! 'A hath ftfteen thousand man, the Sail, no tether off than Tsenloa ahy, mw deer. hew palejroe leek, to he ewer " Tie mj heed that aefcee," answered the girt. The ?en finish* their drink, and eoeater'd eat I srapt from under the coaster, and loek'd at her. , "Father*!! hill aao Cor tMe!" Than 70a ahall ssy? Is it forward or back I must go f "Neither.** Che palled op a trap olooe heeide bar feet and pointed oat a ladder loodlag deem to tte derkneoo. The coarta age fall of troopers," she addad. "The cellar?" Sue and fled "Quick! There's a door at the far ond. It laede to the crypt of Bt Doha's Chapel- Yea'U And the key beside it. end a lantern. Here la flint and steel." She reached them down ifcsom a shelf bealde her. "Crunch Bewa, av they'll spy y*u through the iertedew. From the ?? Jpt a paaaage tajtee you to the governor's house. How to eteepe then, Ood haowa! *Tis I ctn think on." ""*? ?MWl'd *?4 began to step fawn ffie ladder, the stood for e mpmsRt to'Wffoh, iM^yinf the trsp open lor potter fight Between the ?teftue of o^Hs and Wna I stumbled toward the door end lantern that were Jtlft to he dieeern'd at the fsr end of the cellar. As J ehrnck steel on flint, ft heerd the trap doae; and since then have novel eat eyes on thst kind hearted firt The lentWQ Ut, I followed her direc tions ahd moceaded in gaining un observed the entrance ball of the governor** boose. An'oek door, very maasive. fronted me; to left and right were two smaller doors, that plainly led into apartments of the house. While I stood pondering wbicb door to take, the doubt waa answer^ for me. From behind the right hand door ?came a burat of laughter and clinking of glasses, on top of which a man's tvolce ? the voice of Colonel Essex? called out for more wine. I took a step to the door on the left, paus'd for a second or two with my band on the latch, and then cautiously puah'd It open. The cham ber was empty. *Twss a long room, with a ligb* burning on a square centre table, and around 1t a mass of books, loose papers' and documents strewn seemingly without order. The floor, too, wss lltter'd with them. Clearly this was the Colonel's office. I gave a rapid glance around. The lamp's rsys scarce lllumln'd the far corners; but In one of these stood a trout leathern screen, and over the fireplace near It a rack was hanging, frull of swords, pistols, and walking ?canes. Stepping toward it I caught eight of Anthony's sword, suspended there among the rest (they had taken 1t from me on the day of my examina tion), which now I took down and atrapp'd at my side. I then chose out a pistol or two, sllpp'd them into my sash, and advanced to the centre table. Under the lamplight lay His Ma jesty's letter, open. My band wss stretch'd out to catch It up, when I heard scross the ball a door open'd, and the sound of men's voices. They were coming towsrd the Office. There was scarce time to slip back, nnd birth behind the screen, before the door latch wss lifted, and two men enter'd, laughing yet. "Business, my lord? business,'* said the first ('twas Colonel Esse*); "I have much to do to-night." "Sure," the other answered. "I thought we bad settled ft Ton are to' lend me a thousand out of your gar rison " "Which, on my own pai$ I would willingly do. Only I beg you to con alder, my lord, that my poettlon here hangs oil a thread. The etfirfrme men are already agafhst me; they talk of replacing me by Flennee " "Nat Flennes is no soldier." "No; bat he's a bigot? s stronger re commendation. Should this plan mis* carry, and I loae a thousand men ? "Heavens alive, man! It cannot mls *erry. Hark ye; there's Ruthen of (Plymouth will take the south mart ?with all his forces. A day's m?rch behind I shall follow? along roads to northward? parallel for a way. bnt afterward converging. The Cornleh ?ton are ell la Bodmin. .We ahall come V . oa them nfth tolW? their uurtw, ?ft, ifaon tnbk Ou yon doubt the tmer "Scarcely, with the Bui of Stem* Cord tor (ln?nl " The Sail was too tor occupied to notice tble compttmant. Twm be swift and secret/* be as Id, "as Death himself? and as sore. Let be the tact that Hop ton Is all at sizes and swans since the Marquis shipped tor Wales; and at daggers drawn at Mslma " the Colonel slowly? "Aye. the Is good enough. Were I not la this comer. I would not think twice. Listen mam: only this morning they torosd ma to order a young man's hanging. who might if kept sllve be forced In time to giro no news of enlne. I dsr*d not leftist." **He that you caught with the King's letter?" "Aye? a trumpery missive, dealing with naught but summoning of the sheriff's posse and the like. There la mors behind, could we but wait to get at It.** "The gallows may looeen his tongue. And how of the girl thst waa taken to or' "I hare her In safe keeping. This very evening I shsll visit her, and make another trial to get some speech. Which puts me In mind " The Colonel tinkled a small hand bell thst lay on the table. The paiwe that followed waa broken by the Earl. "May I see the letter?" ? The Colonel handed It. and tinkled the bell t*", more Impatiently. At length steps were beard In the hall, and a servant opened the door. "Order the coach around the barbi can In twenty minutes from now? twenty minutes, mind, wlthsat fall. And say? 'twfil aave time? the fellow's to drive me to Mlstreaa Finch's house In St. Thomas's Btrsst? sharp!" As the man departed on his errand, the Barl laid down His Majesty'* letter. "Hang the fallow/' he said. "If they want It; the blame. If any. will be theirs. But. in the name of bsaven. Colonel, don't fall In lending me this thousand men! 'Twill finish the war out of hand." "I'll do It." anawered the colonel, alowly. J "And I'll remember It." said the Esrl. "To-morrow, st 6 o'clock, 1 set out." The two men ehook handa on their bargain and left the room, abutting the door after them. I crept forth from behind the screen, my heart thumping on my ribs. Tbua far It had been all fear and trembling with me; but now tbla was chang'd to a kind of panting Joy. 'Twas not that I had spied the prison keys hang ing near the fireplace, nor that behind the screen lay a heap of the Colonel's riding boots, whereof a pair, ready spurr'd. fitted me choicely well; but that my ears tingled with news that turn'd my escape to a matter of pub lic welfare; and also that the way to escape lay plann'd In my head. Shod In the Colonel's boots. I ad vanced again to the table. With seal* lng wax and the Governor's seal, that lay handy. I clos'd up the King's let ter, and sticking It In my breast, caught down the bunch of keys and made for the door. i The hall was void. 1 snatch'd down a cloak and heavy broad-brlmm'd hat from one of the pegs, and donning them, sllpp'd back the bolta of the heavy door. It opened without noise, j Then, with a last hitch of the cloak, to bring It well about me, I stepp'd forth Into the night, abutting the door quietly on my heels. < My feet were on the pavement of the Inner ward. Above, one atar only broke the blackneaa of the nlghtl Across the court waa a sentry tramp ing. A a I walk'd boldly qp. he stopp'd short by the gate between the wards and regarded me. I Now was my danger. I knew not the right key for the wicket; and If I fumbled, the fellow would detect me for certain. I chose ono and drew nearer; the fellow look'd, saluted, stepp'd to tho wicket, and opened It himself. "Oood night, colonel!" I did not trust myself to answer; but passed rapidly through to the ojntor jrafd. Here, & my loy, ln.tbe arcbM passage of the 5ar5fcan gale, waa the carriage watting, the porter standing beside the door; and here, aleo, to my dlamay. waa a torch light, and under It half a dosen soldiers chatting. A wblaper paaa'd on my ap proach? "The Colonel!" and they hur ried Into the guard room. "Oood evening, Colonel !" The por ter bowed low, holding the door wide. I paaa'd him rapidly, cllmb'd into the shadow of th^ coach, and dxtw a long breath. \ Than ensued a hateful pause, at the great galea were unbanfd. I gripp'd my knees for impatience. The driver spoke a word to the porter, who came round to the coacb door again. "To Mletrees Pinch's, Is it not?" "Ay." I muttered; "and quickly The coachman touched up hla pair. The wheels mov'd; went quicker. We were outside the Castle. After a short drive the coach tame to a halt. I looked out. Facing me was a narrow gateway leading to a house that stood tsome* What back from the street, as ty sl(n> Jhtpa thatwadg'd It In m etthsr tend pfll a.liBk vu bmlM. > ;?topp'd from tte com h. opea'd the *5 "J ?????' I the nail court , ^ d?*thMs Wt|piw<r. I rmnf BOW ImA tk6 MtttftCtloi toknrtllgktfoottliM*^ a bolt -WM palTd ud a girl aimed holdlna ?oaadle high in bar hand. QiMu 1 ntepp'd past her Into tb? "Dollar "?,t' CIom the door. Where It Mistress Finch r "Upetalra, expecting Colonsi Essex! Oh. the happy day! Com ? ? ^ m mo Into a narrow back mob and set ting down the light rtgarM me Jack. my eye* are rod for timer "I mo they ate. To-morrow I wai to be hang*d." She pat Her hand* together. catch In* her breath; and Tory lovely 1 t^a?tJ,ar' 10 ber ***** gray gown and Puritan cap. _ "They have, been questioning ma. Didst get my letter r The answer was on my Up when Ihore came a aoond that na both start. Twaa the doll echo of a gun Urine, up at the Castle. "Deha, what Ilea in the back htseT*' "A garden and a garden door; after U?* a lane leading to street." "I moat go. this moment** "And ir 8be did not wait my anawar. but, running out into the paaaage, aha came twlfily back with a heavy key. I opeu'd the window. "Delia! De-liar Twaa a woman's Tolce calling her, at the head of the stairs. "Aye. Mistress Finch.~ "Who waa that at the door?" ' I sprang into the garden and held forth a band to Delia. "In one mo ment. mistress!" card she. and in one moment waa hurrying with me across the dark garden beds. As ehe fitted the key to the garden gate I heard the voice again. "De-liar Twaa drown'd In a wild rat-a-tat! on the street door and the shoots of msny voices. We were close press'd. "Now, Jack? to the right for our lives! Ah. these clumsy skirts r We turn'd Into the lane ???d rac'd down it For my part. I swore to drown myself in Avon rather than let thoM troopers retake me. I heard their outcries about the bonse behind na as we stumbled over the frosen rubbish heapa with which the laae was be strewn. "What's our direction Y* panted I, catching Delia's band to help her along. "To the left now? for the river.'* _y*e "truck into a broader street, whereof one aide waa wholly Un'd with warehouses. And here, to our dismay we heard shouts behind and the noise of feet running, About half way down the atreet I ?pled a gateway standing ajar and pull'd Delia afide Into a courtyard llt ter'd with barrels and timbers, and across It to a black empty barn of a place, where a flight of wooden stepa gllmmer'd, that led to an upper Story. We ciimt>'d these stairs st a run. "Faugh! What a vile smelir The loft was piled high with great bales of wool, as I found by the touch, and their odor enough to satisfy an army. Nevertheless. I waa groping about for a place to hide, when Delia touched me by, the arm and pointed. Looking, I descried in the gloom a tall quadrilateral of purple, not Ave atepa away, with a speck of light shin ing near the top of It, and three dark streaks running down the middle, whereof one was much thicker than the rest. 'Twas an open doorway; the ?peck, a star framed within it; the broad streak, a ship's mast reaching up; and the lesser ones two ends of a rope, working over a pulley above my head, arid used for lowering the bales of wool on shipboard. Advancing, I stood on the sill and looked down. On the black water, twenty feet below, lay a three-masted trader, close against the warehouse. My toes stuck out over her. deck si mpj#. AT" first glance 1 could see no sign of life on board, but presently waa aware of a dark figure leaning over the bulwarks, near the bows. He was quite motionless. Ills back waa to ward us, blotted against the black shadow, and the man engaged only, It seemed, in watching the bright splaah of light flung by the ship's lantern on the water beneath him. I resolved to throw myself on the mercy of this silent figure, and put out a hand to teat the rope. One end of It was fixed to a brfle of wool that loy, as It had been lowered, on the deck. Flinging myself on the other, I found it sink gently from the pulley, as the weight below moved slowly up ward, and sinking with It. I held on till my feet touched the deck. Still the figure In the bows was mo tionless. I paid out my end of the rope softly, lowering back the bale of wool, and as .aoon as It reated again on deck signaled to Delia to let herself down. She did so. Aa she slighted aritl | stood beside me our hands bungled. The rope slipped up quickly, letting down tho bale with a run. . We caught at the rope and stopped It tJu?t in time, but the pulley above creaked vociferously. I turned my thead. , "The man in the bows had not moved. (To be continued.) LftrfMt Bottl* la (ha World* Th? largest glau bottle ever blow* has recently been made for exhibition at the St. "Louis Exposition. It hold -fortj-flre gallons, and required forty pounds of jMttaa glass, drawn frotfi .the fdrnadBfed ahaped on the end ot RUSSIAN CAUSE DESPERATE Only Their Wed Directed Flight Has Saved Entire \ v ^ Army From Extermination CHBUL (OMftTKIN RESIGNS Ixtmt of M iiaig'n Disaster is Far Greater Than Sarller Reports Indi cated, and It la Now Almost a Fore gone Conclusion That Even Should tho Wamwanta of the Army Roach Tie Paas They Would be Unable to Hold It Ajalnat Their Pursuers. i While Oeneral Kuropstkin has ap parently succeeded In sarins more of his artillery than seemed poealble, his losses In men, ammunition and com miaarlat supplies, lb the battle of Muk den, are far greater than earlier re ports Indicated, sal even that portion of hla army which he succeeded In extricating from the positions around Mukden la still In serious dancer. The Japanese generate, realising that with a little more apaad they oould hare Inflicted a crushing defeat on the Rus sian army after the battle of Liao Yang, determined aM to again allow an opportunity to pass, and are fol lowing after the defeated and sorely tried Russian torcee. While a ?mall portion of Kuropatkin's army has reached Tie Paaa. the greater part of those who escsped from the battle of Mukden are atill atrnggling northward, being at laat accounts between 12 and 18 miles from their goal, with the Japanese, flushed with victory and re enforced by fresh - men, hsraaalng them from all aides. Even should the remnsnta of the army reach Tie Pass, It is hardly poesible for it to make a stand there against the over whelming force oppoeing it, and es pecially as the Russians must be s^orn out and weakened by the loss of men, guns and ammunition. It la .more likely that Kuropatkin will fall right back to Harbin with what he can eavo and wait there tor the re-enf orcem enta that St Petersburg already haa prom taed him. A posalble obstacle to the plan la Oeneral Kamamura'a army, which haa not yet been located and which may also be heading for the northern capital. Oeneral Kuropstkin admits that 1, 190 officers and 46,931 men are not responding to roll calls. This is rath er vague. It may or may not Include the thousands of wounded who have been sent north, and again It may not include the losses suffered by the Third Army, with which the com msnder-in-chlef was not in communi cation for some time. The figures given by the Japanese War Office ap pear more reasonable, namely: 40,000 prisoners, 26,600 dead on the field, and 90,000 killed or wounded, the lat ter figure, of course, Including the dead found by the Japanese. The Russian losses, theiefore, iotal much over 100,000 men, or more than one third of the whole army. The fact that the Japanese report the capture of only 60 guns indicates that Kuro patkin, at the last moment, succeded in sending a considerable portion of hliL artillery northward on the rail way. The Japanese losses up to this morning were reported as 41,222, not including the army which pushed north between Mukden aud Pushun. Official Russia is determined to car ry on the war, and St. Petersburg re ports that orders have been issued for the mobilisation of more troops. This may prove a difficult task with the temper of the Russian people In Its present condition. There is still hope In St. Petersburg thst Russia can exhaust Japan financially, and for months there has been talk of the mobilization of an army on the Si berian border, which v/ould compel Japan to keep her vast army In Man churia. Bryan Loses Appeal. Hartford, Conn., Special. ? In a de cision handed down by the Supreme Court Thursday, the Superior Court Is upheld In declaring that the sealed letter In the Phllo S. Bennett will con taining a bequest of >50,000 to Wil liam J.- Bryan Is not a part of the Ben nett will. The case went up on Mr. Bryan's appeal from the Superior Court's decision. Japs In Kuropatkin's Rear. "With the Japanese Left Armies, Wednesday, Noon, via Pusan. ? The left armies have cut and destroyed the railroad between Mukden and Tie Pass. Details are not obtainable at present. The Russians are In retreat over the northern roads. The left column of these armios Is at Llkampu, seven miles north of the Hun river and Ave milos west of the railroad, and has had a fierce fight with a Rus sian force thrice its number. The Russian casualties number 10,000. The Russian centre Is retreating In great confusion. Acquitted on One Charge. Savannah, Oa., Speclal.?W. R. Mc Arthur Thursday afternoon waa acquit ted In the Superior Court of larceny after trust. The prosecution was based upon the payment by C. L. Cliff to Mc Arthur of $276 In discounting twelve $25 notes. The notes were not returned to the maker, but were placed In bsnks. W. R. McArthur and P. E. Mr Arthur, his father, are to be tried upon joint Indictments charging larceny after trusL Mad* a Qoatf Rim. Official Information from the Rus sian headquarters In the Held, supple mented by dispatches 'res corres pondents with the army of the Rus sian Emperor, show that General Ku ropatkln. after suffering by far the post severe defeat of the war. has succeeded, as he dU after the battle of Llao Tang, In extricating the rem nants of his army from a position which military experts 24 hours be fore believed would result In its annl hllstlon or surrender. Ihe retreat from Llao Yang has been considered the most m^iteriy ever executed, but It is far overshadowed t y this latest feat of the Russian general, who has taken personal command of the troops. After fighting for nearly three weeks, losing in killed, wound ed. and mlaring. probably a third of bis army, or nearly 100,000 men, and a fourth of his artillery. Kuropatkin gathered what waa left together north of Mukden and la taking them towards Tie Pass through a rain of shrapnel which is being thrown on them from both right and left. This he seems to have been able to accomplish by re sorting to the same tactics which saved his army at Llao Tang. General Kuropatkin has sent In his resignation to the Emperor. General Kuropatkin h&s telegraphed to Emperor Nicholas assuming him self all the responsibility for his de feat, making no excuses except that 1 the strength of the Japanese was mis calculated and refusing to place any of the blame upon the council of gen erals upon whose advice he determined to give battle. His reputation as an offensive strategist is gono, and. thoughh the Emperor's military advis ors know not where to look for a bet ter general, his resignstlon will be accepted. In losing General Kuropstkln, the ?rmy will lose the Idol of the prlvste soldiers, an officer who. In spite of the Intrigues of his generals and his failure to win a battle, has won their confidence and affection. The flight of the Russian army of upwards of a quarter of a million men and the t,000 pieces of srtillery with which it was expected confidently General Kuropatkin and his lieuten ants could prevent the advance of the Japanese beyond the Shakhe and Hun rivers. Is still in the balsnce. They have been drawn from those positions, and are now rushing northward to wards Tie Pass, around which are high hills, which were prepared for defense after the battle of Ll&o Yang, In September, there being no hope at that time that the J&panese would al low the defeated army to rest south of the Tie Pass. That the Russians' have lost many guns and large quan tities of ammunition and supplies is certain, for with but a single track of railway to the north, It would be Impossible to remove the large stores which had been gathered together at Mukden. These, it seems certain, have been destroyed. The Japanese have not yet reported the capture of guns, which they generally do almost immediately; but it seems hardly llkoly that Kuropatkin could have re moved all of his artillery. On the 1st of January, according to corres pondents who have Just returned from Mukden; the Russians had in position along the Shakhe and Hun rivers 1,500 guns. The losses in the operations preeed- ! Ing the battle and those In the battle proper must reach enormous propor- i tions, but up to the present time, [ neither side has attempted an esti mate. They will exceed the Shakhe josses, in which the Russians alone lost In killed and wounded and miss ing 67,000 men. The Pas* Undefended. Tien Tsln, By Cable. ? The well In formed hero roughly estimate the to tal Russian casualltles at 150,000 and those of the Japanese 60,000. It Is reported that Tie Pass Is practically undefended, and another great action Is regarded as improbable. A Japa neso officer has said: "We must push the advantage home and give no re splto until a crushing defeat has been administered." Not Expecting Peace. Washington, Special. ? ''After fLIao Yang there was talk of peace. Rus sia's answer was re-lnforcements. Like Ltao Yank. Mukden Is scene of another retreat, and again Russia's answer will be large re inforcements, but of peace, not a word." This was the emphatic statement of Count Casslnl, the Rus sian ambassdor. If an echo of peace should come out of 8t. Petersburg, no official In Washington would be more surprised than the Russian ambassa dor, who has all along been positively Informed that nothing but victory for General Kuropatkin can bring an end to the war. Will Hana For Killing Negro. Charleston, 8. C., 8peclal. ? A special from Darlington tells of the sentence In the Court o t Sessions, and among the penalties Imposed, Bob Smalls, a white man recently convicted of kill ing a respectable ghd Industrious ne gro named Frank Scott, was sentenc ed to be hanged Friday, May 5. John Noll, also white, an accessory to the crime, was commended to mercy and was given a life sentence. Sam Marks a negro who killed Hillary Langston, white, was sentenced to die on the gal lows with Smalls, May, 6. STATE EDUCATIONAL NOTES Stif iMpirilwlMt Jtotk Write* Latter to Co? ty Saperlnteadsata. Mr. 0. B. Mvtta, Stele aapsrtetend eat of ?lMaUo% la ptowtni a m?1m of eonterMCM at which he hopaa to mett u many county supareintendents of eiacatloa and tfawlr boards aa pos sible. In a latter ts the cauaty super IntendWhts, Be sajrs: "I wish to discuss with you vartaus plans for our work daring the coming year. 1 especially desire to confer Id regard te sumaer schools, libraries, the schoal building act, and ether re cent legislation. I think that we can facilitate the work by coming together and making mutual suggestions. To this end, therefore; I shall be at the following places on the following dates and I wish to urge you to meet me at the place moat convenient to yon: "Clemson College, llsrck 14, II a. m.; Hartsvllte (high school), March 16, 10 a. m.; Orangeburg (Supt. Mel 11 chanmp's office), March 24, 10 a. m.; Cheater (Supt. Knox's office), March 27, 10 a. m.; Greenwood. (Sept Sog ers* office), March 29, 10 a. m.; Spar tanburg (Supt. Elmore'* office), March 30, 10 a. m.; Charleston (Supt. War ing's office), April 4, 12 m. Please let me know as early as possible where you can meet me and also whether any members of your board will be present." Superintendent Martin has received an Invitation to address the next an nual meeting of the Kentucky Educa tional association to be held at Mam moth Cave, Ky.. June 21-23. This meeting comes so near to the opening of the State Summer schools that Mr. Martin Is afraid that he ahall be un able to accept. Superintendent Martin received a check last week for (1,000 from Dr. S. A. Green, general agent of the Pea body board. This money is to be utied in aiding the summer schools work. The department of education has re ceived many inquiries in regard to Senator Mauldin's bill for celebrating Calhaun's birthday in the public schoaap as "South Carolina day." The bill Uron the senate calendar and will likely pass next session. It does not provide for a holiday, but simply that ?he teachers shall use part of this day to Impress important facts of South Carolina history upon children and pa rents. The date, March 18, is appro priate not only because it is' the natal day of one of 8outh Carolina's great est statesmen, but also because It comes at a time when the schools are In session. Scuppernongs by tho Carload. Mr. B. J. Wat bod, commissioner of immigration, has been In communica tion with one of the largest wine man ufacturing concerns in Missouri, with a view to the opening of a market for 3outh Carolina raised scuppernongs, this grape growing so generally and easily In almost every portion of the 3tate. Commissioner Watson stated yesterday that he had Just been ad vised by the concern that It would "be in a poaltion to take all the scupper nong grapes that may be offered this fall" If the scale of prices can be ar ranged satisfactorily. Mr. Watson Is now looking Into the transportation feature as he Is doing in the matter of opening an extensive market for sweet potatoes, and is hope ful of accomplishing resolutions that will establish a new and profitable In dustry. The concern that wishes the grapes is willing to pay a fair price for the grapes In quantity, very likely a trifle more than the market price governing the locality where grown. The company referred to Is large enough If all arrangements are made to take the entire output of the State In scuppernongs. Just as soon as the matter reaches the stage where exact figures can be quoted a circular to grape growers will be issued, just as is proposed to be done in the case of the market for sweet potatoes If satisfac tory prices can be obtained after all .he details of transportation are worked out. The company is in a position also to purchase all of the scuppernong wine that can be made In 8outh Caro lina, but the dispensary law is so con structed that people residing in the State cannot make wine to be shipped outside the State or for other than per sonal use. ? Columbia State. 8eeking Incorporation. The Saluda River power Company of Greenville yesterday applied foe a charter. The concern was given char ter rights by the legislature with the understanding that ft charter must J>e secured in regular manner from the secretary of state, so that a charter fee could be collated. The capital stock will be $300,000. The corporators ore L. W. Parker. A. O. Purman. J. I. Westervelt and H. J. Haynswort'a. A now enterprise of considerable sig nificance Is to be started in S'ltnmcr vllle. It Is a pickle factory. The spirit of diversification seems to be taking hold of the people of the State and the establishment of this Industry may lead to others. The capital stock Is to be $10,000. ,T. T. E. Thornhill is presi dent and Wallace Hutchinson secre tory. The purposes of the new com pany shall he "planting, raising arid buying vegetables, for the purpose of manufacturing the same into pickles; the manufacture of pickles out of veg etables and other articles suitable for such purposes; and the sale of the same and also the manufacture in<l pale of condiments and other articles for table use." A concern which stands for progress was given a commission by the necre tary of state. This Is the Myrtle Beach Development company of Conway. The capital atock will be $7f>.000. Corpora tors. P. A. Burroughs. B. G. ColHns, O. R. Sessions and J. E. Bryan. The purpose of this company will be to "purchase. Improve and sell real es tate. clear up land and swamp lnnd. drain and cultivate same. Also to sell or manufacture the timber m moved from the lan^ under its control. PALMETTO AFFAIRS Occurrence^ of Intanal In Varltut Parti of tkt tUt*. CtiartoCt* Cotton Market. Those figures represent prlcoo paid 10 Strict good middling f i*-if flood middling 7% Strict middling ..... ... 7% Middling 7'* Ttngoa 6% to 7^4 italno 5* to 8.00 Gsnesl Cotton Market. Middling. Oalveiton, Una ..... 7*/? New Orleana. steady 7 >i& Mobile, steady ... 3mnmlr firm ..... 7^? Charleston, firm 7?? Wilmington, steady V 4 Norfolk, steady 7%, Baltimore, normal 77? New York, qnlet 7.90 Boston, quiet 7.3? Philadelphia, ateady 4. IS Ronaton. steady 7-^* Austin. firm 7% Memphis, ateady 7%, 3t. Ijoi lis. ateady 7 V* Lonlsville. firm Heavy 8alea of Fertilizers. The sales of fertilisers appears to te Increaalng. In the eight days or March the State treaanrer has received ovor 117.000 from the tag tax fcgalnst 7.Guf> laat year. This shows an lncrnue of nearly $1,000 a day. For the months of January and February there had been a marked falling off. and now It is probable that the month of March will nearly offset the difference of $33,000 between the months of January and February of last year and the samit months this year. Indeed It Is quite probable that Clemson college will re ceive royalties nearly aa heavy this year as laat year, when the total reach ed $118,000. The total figures from the privilege tax are as follows: 1904. 1905. January $35,008.90 $ 16.SB5 February 45,789.50 40.6.->6..".0 $80,798.40 $57,521.50 The total for January. February and the first eight days or March. 1904. Is $88,427. and the total for the aame period or the current year is $74,441. a difference or $13,986 more ror last year than tor this year. But the first day of March the difference was $33,000. Whether these sales mean that the farmers will use more fertilizers on a smaller acreage or whether tliev will use fertilizers in Intensive rarmlng on lands used for other farm products la not shown, but the flgurea show that fertilisers are being sold In great quan tities this month. In two days the V.-C. C. Co. sent In checks aggregating $5,000. At the rate of 25 cents per ton this would represent 20,000 tons of guano. 'Sinking Fund Commission. The sinking fund commission met Thursday for the first time since the adjournment of the legislators, a great many bills were passed Up per mit counties to borrow money from dn sinking rund commission. Over half or the counties in the state are asking for loans, and all. or course, cannot granted. It will be necessary to mako the loans on a pro rata basis, as was done last year. The commission de terred action In compliance with the. rollowing report and resolutions from the loan committee: "The loan com mittee respectfully reports that after conferring among themselves and with the attorney general are or the opin ion that the March 1st apportioning or rund In hand among applicatart counties, under section 95 or volume 1902, should be made under the fol lowing rules and unless it be other wise ordered by the commission that the apportionment be so made: First Funds to be apportioned under this section constitute not only the cash on hand on March 1st ot each year, but also those outstanding annual loans (made unler laws requiring repayment and authorizing reloaning annually), which fall due during the year within a reasonable time after March 1*1. Second. In apportioning such 'uiuls among applicant counties, the county shall be charged In the apportionment with all of its such outstanding an nual loans then unpaid but falling duo during the year, but the county shall not be charged with any unpaid portion or any special loan extending over eral years made under some special act authorizing same." An Aged Convict. Portman Gosnell, a negro of ad vanced age who la serving a sentencn on the chalngang In Greenville coun ty for violation of the dispensary law. Is said to be an object of such pity that a petition has been sent to Gov. Hey ward asking for him to be pardoned. The convict Is too old to work. Is con fined to (he Jail. Is f>!> years of ago and has nine children, all but one of whom have deserted him, and this one is a child 11 years old. Rock Hill Pastor Resigns. Rock Hill, Special. ? Rev. J, C. Johnes, rector of the Church of Our Savior, has resigned his charge here to take tip work In California. He will begin his new duties about the 1st of April. Mr. Johnes has been rector of churches here and In Yorkvllle for sev eral years, but recently he has devoted his entire time to this parish. He has also done much work In I^ancaster, niacksburg and other towns of thla section. The expressions of regret heard since his decision to leave Rock Hill have he??n many and sincere. Mr. Johnes Is a man of rare personality and has endeared himself to the community as a whole Irrespec tive of his own church. Wants a Reward Offered. Gov. Heyward has received from Mr. Simeon E. Smith of Barnwell an ap peal for the Stato to offer a reward In addition to that which he has al ready offered for the arrest of the nnr ty who killed his brother, J. T. Smith, Jr., of Wllllflton. Mr. Simeon K. Smith Is a lawyer at Barnwell and has of fered a reward of $1,000 for the arrest, of the guilty party. He states thnt he Is willing to doublo tho amount If necessary.