The Marlboro democrat. (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, May 09, 1888, Image 6
DR. TALMAGB'S S KUM ON
Jloroi'mntloH of ISvit Habits.
?.Whoo Kuall J uwKko, 1 will sock lt yoi
??ulu."-3'rov. Xi : ?Sb.
WITH an insight into human nature
Mich aa no othor man ever roached,
Solomon, in my text, sketches tito men
tal operations ot! one who, having step
ped
ABIDI'J Flt QM THU I* ATI I
ot rectitude, desires to return. With ii
wish for something hotter, he says:
.'When shall I awako? when shall I
como out ol* this horrid nighlmaro ol'
iniquityV* Hut sei/.cd upon by un
oradicatcd habib, and forced down-hill
bv his passions, lie cries out: "I will
seek lt jot again. 1 will try it onco
moro."
Our libraries aro adorned with an
elegant lilcruluro addressed to young
men, pointing out to them ail tho dan
geis and perils of life-completo maps
of tho voyage, showing all tho rocks,
Mic quicksands, tho shoals. Hut sup
pose, a mau bas already mudo ship
wreck; suppose ho is already off tho
track; suppos? ho bas already SOixo bi
lroy,
HOW Ki HK TU tl KT ll AU iv?
That is a field comparatively untouch
ed. I propose to address myself this
evening to such. There aro those in
this audience who, with cvory passion
of their agonized soul, aro tcady to hear
(bis discussion. They comparo them
selves with what they were ten years
ago, and cry out from thc bondago in
which they arc incarcerated. Now, if
there bo any in this house, como with
au earliest purpose, yet feeling they aro
beyond tho palo of Christian sympathy,
and that tho sermon can hardly bo ex
pected to address them, then, at this
moment, I givo them my right hand
and call them brother. .Look up. Them
is glorious and triumphant hope for you
yoi. J sound tho trumpet of Gospel de
liverance. Tho Church is ready to
spread a banquet?t your return, and
tho h m archs of heaven lo fall into lino
of bannered procession at thc nows of
your emancipation. So far as Cod may
help nie, I propose tb show what aro tho
obstacle:* lo your return, ami how to
surmount those obstac'.es.
TllK I'lIlST DIl'l H.l'l.l V
in tim way or your return is thc force
of moro I gravitation. Just as there is
a natural law which bringa down to
the carib anything which you throw
into the air, so lhere is a corresponding
moral gravitation. In other words, it
is easier to go down than it is lo go up;
lt is easier lo dd wrong than it is to do
right Cull lo mind tho comrades of
your boyhood days-some of (.boin good
some of them bad. Which most affect
ed ?you? Call to mind tho anecdotes
that you have heard in tho bist live or
ten years --sumo of them aro puro and
some of them impure. Which Ibo moro
easily sticks to your memory? During
the years of your life you have formed
cor lu iii courses of conduct-some of
them good, soma of them bad. To
which style ot habit did you tho moro
easily j ield? Ability friends, vye have
to take but a moment of self-Inspect ion
10 lind out that there ls ni all our souls
a forco of moral gravitation. Jilli that
gravitation may bo resisted. Just as
you may pick up from the earth some
thing and hold it iii your band toward
lieavon, just BO, by the power of Cod'a
grace, a soul fallen may bo lifted, to
ward penco, toward pardon, toward
heaven, Force of moral gravitation in
every ono of us, but power in Cod's
grace lo overcome that force of moral
gravitation.
Tho next thing in tho way of your
return is thc power nf evil h?bil, t know
Ibero aro thoso who' say it ls very easy
for them to givo up evil habits. I do
believe them. Hero is a mau given to
intoxication. Ho knows it is disgrac
ing Ilia family, destroying bis property,
ruining liiiu body, mind, and soul. If
that man, being ail intelligent, man,
and loving his family, could easily give
up tlial habit, would he not do so? Thc
fad. (hal ho does not givo iL up proves
it. is hard to givo it up, Ii is a very
easy Hiing to sail ddwn-slicam, the tide
carrying you with great force; bul. sup
pose yon turn
Tilg I.'OAT Ul" STKKAM,
is it HO easy then to row il? As long as
we yield lo tho evil inclinations in our
hearts and our bad habits, wo aro sidl
ing down-stream; but thc moment wo
try to turn, we put our boat in tho
rap?is just above Niagara., and try lo
row up stream. Tako a man given to
the habit of using tobacco, as most of
you do, and let him rcsolvo to slop, und
lu; linds it very difficult. Twenty-one
yearn ago I quit that habit , and 1 would
as soon duro lo put my right hand in
Mic lire as once lo indulge in lt. Why?
Because it was such a terrible struggle
to gol over lt.
Now, lot a man be advised by bis
physician tp give up the usc of tobacco.
Ile goes around not knowing what lo
do with himself. Ho cannot add tip a
lino of ligures. Ho cannot sleep nights,
11 seems as if tho world had turned up
side down. Ile feels his business is go
ing lo ruin. Where bc was kind and
obliging bo is scolding and fretful. Tho
composure that characterized him bas
given way to fretful restlessness, and
lu; has become a complet? fidget. What
power is it that bas rolled a wavo of
woo over tho earth and shaken a por
teril in the heavens ? Ho has triedlo
stop smoking I After a while ho says,
"1 am going to do as I please. Tho doc
tor doesn't understand my case. I'm
e. ol og back to tho old habit."
A pd ho returns. Everything assumes
its usual composure. His business
seems to brighten. Tho world becomes
an attractive place lo livo in. J lia
children, seeing tho difference, hail tho
return of their father's genial disposi
tion. What wavo of color has dashed
blue into tho sky, and greenness into
the mountain foliage, and tho glow of
sapphiro into tho sunset? What en
chantment has lifted a world of beauty
and joy on his soul? Hp has gone back
to smoking. Oh, the fact is, as we all
know In our own experience, that
HABIT IH A TASIv-MASTKIt;
as long as wo obey it, it does not chas
tino us; but lot us resist, and wo ibid wo
ure to bo lashed with scorpion whips,
and bound with ship cabio, and thrown
b.d.o tl io track of j^BS?^^?M^dLu??r
gormiuts. Dining tl;? war of 1812
there- was a ship set on Uro just above
Niagara Fulls, and thou, cut loose from
its moorings, lt came on down through
the night, and tossod over tho Falls, lt
was said to havo boon u scono brilliant
beyond all description. AVell, thoro
aro thousands of men on tho of ovil
habit, coining down through the rapids,
and through tho awful night of tempta
tion, toward tho eternal plunge. Oh,
how hard it ls to arrest thom! Hod
only can arrest them.
Suppose a mau, af tor ilvo or ten or
tw?nty years ol' evil-doing resolves to
do right. Why, all tho forces of dark
ness aro allied against him. Ho cannot
sleep nights. Ho gets down on his
knees in the midnight and cries: "Goel
help mol" Ho bites bis lip. Ho grinds
Ids tooti). Ho clenches lus fist m a de
tenu i nation to keep Ins purpose. Ho
dare not look at the bottles in tho win
dows of a wino store, lt is ono long,
bitter, exhaustive, haiid-to-halid fight
with an Inllamed, tantalizing, and mer
ciless habit. When he thinks he is en
tirely free, thc old inclinations pounce
upon him like a puck of hounds with
their muzzles tearing away at the Hanks
ol' ono poor reindeer. In Paris (here ls
a sculptured representation of Bacchus,
the god of revelry. Ho is riding ou a
panther at full leal). Oh, bow sugges
tive! Let every ono who is speeding
on bad ways understand bo is not rid
ing a docile and well-broken steed, but
he. is riding a monster, wild and blood
thirsty, going at a death leap.
How many there are who resolvo on
a hotter life, and say: "When shall 1
awake?" but seized on by their old
habits, cry: <!l will .try lt once more,
I will seek it yet again!" Years ago,
there were some Princeton students
who were skating, and tho ice was very
thin, and some one warned tho com
pany back from the air-hole, and final*
ly warned thom entirely to leave tho
place. But ono young man willi brav
ado, after all tho rest had stopped, cried
out: "Ono round morel" Ho swept
around, and went down, and was
brought out a corpse My friends,
Micro aro thousands and tens of thou
sands of men losing their souls in that
way. lt is the ono round moro.
I have also to say that ir aman wants
lo ; 'urn from evil practices,
. . ' 'I KT Y ItKl'UI.SKS HIM.
Desiring io reform, he says: "Is'ow, I
will shako oil my old associates, and I
will lind Christian companionship."
And ho appears at tho church door
somo Sabbath day, and tho ushergreets
him willi a look as much as lo say:
"Why, you here? You are the last
man I ever expected to seo at church!
Come, take this seat right down by tho
door." Instead of saying: "Good
morning; I am glad you aro hero.
Come; I will give you a lirst-rato seat,
right up by Ibo pulpit." Well, tho pro
digal, not yet discourag< d, enters a
prayer-meeting, and some Christian
man, willi moro zeal than common
sense, says: "Clad to seo you; tho dy
ing thief was .saved, and I suppose there
ls morey for you."
TI IK YOUNO MAX, HISCU'STKI),
chilled, throws himsolf on his dignity,
resolved he will never outer into thc
house of God again. Perhaps not quite
fully discouraged about reformation, he
sidos up by somo highly respectable
man ho used to know, going down the
street, and immediately tho respectable
man has an orran I down somo olhei
street. Well, tho prodigal, wishing lc
return, lakes some member of a Chris
tian association by tho hand, or tries to.
Thc Christian young man looks al lilni,
looks ht tho nilled apparel and Kui mark*
of dissipation; instead of giving htm si
warm grip of tl J hand, ho oilers him
Hui tip ends of tho long lingers of thc
left hand, which is equal to sirili'huj <i
man iii the /neel Oh, how few Chris
tian people understand how much force
and gospel there ls in a good honest
hami-shaking! Sometimes, When yoi
have felt the heed of encouragement,
lind some Christian man has taken yoi
heartily by the bund, have you not fell
thrilling through every Hine of youl
body, mind, and soul au encourage
mont that was just what you nee.led'
You do not know anything at all ahou
this unless you know when a niau trie
lo rotiirn from evil courses of conduc
ho runs against
?Krri.siON'S INN I'MKUAUI.K,
Wo say of some'man, he lives a bloc]
or two from the (dniren, or half a mil
from the? church. Thero aro pe. plo ii
our crowded cilios who live a tliousam
miles from church. Vast deserts of Iii
difference between them and tho hons
of God. Tho fact is, wc must keep on
respectability, though thousands am
tens of thousands perish. Christ sa
with publicans and sinners. Bul i
I hero como to the houso of God a mai
with marks of dissipation upon him
people almost throw up their hands ii
horror, as much as to say: "Isn't i
shocking?" How these dainty, fastldi
ous Christioni in all our churches ar
going lo gol hilo heaven, I don't know
unless they have an especial train o
cars, cushioned and upholstered, cac
ono a car lo himself. They cannot g
wi tb thc great horde of publicans un
sinners.
Ohl yo who curl your lip of scorn ii
tho fallon, I tell you plainly, if you ha
been surrounded by the Samp influence:
Instead pf sitting to-day amid the cii
lured, and tho relined, and tho Chrii
lian, you would have been a crouch lu
wretch in stablo or ditch, covered wit
(lilli and abomination. It is not bi
cause you aro naturally any belter, bi
because the mercy of God has proteo
ed you. Who aro you that brought r
in Christ lan circles and watched I
Christisin parentage, you should bo ?
hard on tho fallon?
I think mon also aro often binden
from return by tho fact that church
aro too anxious about their nienibcrsh
and too anxious about their elonoiniii
Moil, and they rush out when they seo
man about to glvo up lils sin and i
turn to God, and ask him how he
going to bo b.iplized, whether
j sprinkling or immersion, and wi
kind of a church ho is going to jeji
Oh, my friends, lt is
A 1'OOU TIMK TO TALK
about ?'rosny tor hill catechisms, a
Episcopal liturgies, and Methodist lo
feasts, ?nd baptisteries to a man that
coming ontof Min darkness of sin into I
glorious light cit the Gospel. Why,
reminds me PM a man drowning in
LA
sou, ami a life-boat puts out for
ami tho man in tho boat says tojth?
man out of tho boat: "Now, If Jget
you ashore, aro you going to live o:|my
street?" First got him ashore, and (hen
talk about tho non-ossontials of rolltjon.
Who cares what church ho joins, I' ho
only joins Christ and starts for heaton?
Oh I you ought to have, my brothel, an
illumined faco and hearty grip for ivory
one that tries to turn from his evil yay.
Take hold of tjio samo book with lim,
though bis dissipation shako tho mole-,
remembering that "ho that converieth
a sinner from thc error of his ways amil
savo a soul from death and ludo a mul
titude of sins."
Now, I havo shown you those obrta
cles because 1 want you to understand
1 know all thu dllllcultios In the way ;
but I am now to toll you how Hannibal
may scalo tho Alps, and how
T1IH SI I ACIC T/ISS MAY DM UNlll V UTKO,
and how tho paths of virtuo forsaken
may bo regained. First of ab, my
brother, throw yourself on Cod. Go to
him frankly and earnestly, and tell him
these habits you have, and ask Him if
ibero is any help iii all tho resources of
omnipotent lovo, to give it to you. Do
not go with a long rigmarole peoplo call
prayer, made up of "Ohs," and "Alis,"
and "forever and ever, amen !" Go to
God and cry for help ! help I help I and
if you cannot cry for hell?, just look
and live. 1 remember, in the lalo war,
1 was at'Antietam, and I went into t ho
hospitals after tho battle, and said to a
mau : "Where aro you hurt?" Ho
made no answer, but hold up his arm,
swollen and splintered. I saw whore
ho was hurt. Tho simple fact is, whon
aman basa wounded soul, all he hhs
to do is to hohl it up before a sympa
thetic Lord, and get it healed. It does
not lake any long prayer. Just hold
up the wound. Oh, it is no small thing,
Wlieh a mau is nervous and weak and
exhausted, coming from lils ovil ways,
to feel that God puts two omnipotent
arms around him, and says : "Young
man, 1 will s tanti by you. Tho moun
tains may depart, and tho bills bo re
moved, but I will never fail you."
And then as tho soul thinks tho nows is
too good lo bo true, and cannot believe
it, and looks lip in God's face, God lifts
His right band and takes au oath, an
allidavil, saying : "As 1 live, saith thc
Lord G?d, I have no pleasure in tho
death of him that dieth." Blessed bo
God for such a disciple as this I "Cut
tho slices thin," said tho wifo to tho
husband, "or tboro will not bo enough
to go all around for the children ; eut
tho slices thin." Blessed ho (?od, Ibero
is
. A FULL LOAF IOU KV KUY ONU
that wants it ! Bread enough and to
sparc. No thin slices al tho Lord's
table. 1 remember when the Master
Slroct Hospital, in Philadelphia, was
oponed during Inc war, a telegram
canto, saying : "Thero will bo three
hundred wounded mon to-night; bo
ready to tako caro of them;" and from
my church Ibero went in somo twenty
or thirty mon and women to look after
these poor wounded follows. As they
came, sonto from one part of tho land,
sonic from another, no .ono nskfcd
whether this man was from Oregop^or
from Massachusetts, <or from MiRffll^
sola, or from Now York. There was
a wounded soldier, and tho only ques
tion was how to take oft tho rags tho
most gently, and put on tho bandago,
and administer thc cordial. And
when a soul comes to God, Ho docs not
ask where you carno front or what your
ancestry was. Heuling for all your
wounds. 1'drdon for all your guilt.
Comfort for all your trouble?.
Then, also, 1 counsel you, if you
want io get back, to quit all your had
associations.
(INK UNHOLY INTIM.U V
wdl lid your soul with moral distemper.
In itll tb?; ages of thc Church lhere has
not been an instance where a man kimi
ono evil associate and was reformed.
iJo homo to-day, open your . do.sk, take
out loiter paper, stamp mid .-envelope,
and then write a letter something like
this:
"My bbl companions; I slur) Mils tiny for
heaven, t'niil I mn [?crsiiuik'il you will Joiii ino
in lilli, Fiirewcll."
Then sign your name, and scud tho
lotlur by tito hist post. (Jive up your
had companions or glyo tip beaven, lt'
is not len bad companions thai, destroy
ii man, nor live bail companions,' IJ?V?
three bail companions, but ono. .What
chance is thero for thal young mihi. I
saw along tho street, four or live young
men willi him, halting in front of a
grog shop, urging him to go in, ho re
sisting, violently resisting, until after a
Whilo they forced him to go In? lt was
a Summer hight and the door was loft
open, lind 1 saw tho process. Thoy
held him inst, and they put tho crin to
his lips, (iud tiley forced down tho strong
drink. What chance is there for such
a young man?
I counsel you also, seek Christian
advice. JOvory Christian man is bound
to help you. lt you find no. other
human ear willing to listen to your
story of struggle, como to mo and 1
will by every sympathy of my heart,
and every prayer, and every toil of my
hand, stand bosido you in tho struggle
for reformation ; and as 1 hope io have
my own sins forgiven, ?md hope to bo
acquitted at tho Judgment seat of
Christ, 1 will not betray you. First of
all seek (tod, then
SKKK CHltlSTlAN GOl.'XSKL
Ci allier up nil tho oncrgios of body,
mind and soul, atilt appealing to ?lptj
for success, declar? this day, everlast
ing war against all drinking habits, all
gaining practice*, ?ill. houses ot flirt.
Half-and-half work will amount- to
nothing: il must bo a Waterloo. Shrink
back now, and you aro lost. Push On,
and you are saved. A Spartan genoral
fell ?it tho very moment of victory, but
he dipped his linger in bis own blood
and wrote on a rock noar which ho was
dying; "Sparta hus conquored."
Though your st rtigglo to get rid of sm
may seem to be almost a death strug
gle, you can dip youiihiger in your own
blood und write on tho Hock of Ages:
"Victory through our Lord JOSHS
Christi"
Oh I what glorious nows lt would be
for Homo of thosu young men lo send
homo to their parents In tho country.
They go to tho post-ofllco every day or
two to seo if tboro uro any lot tors from
you. How anxious they aro td libar I
Nothing would please thom hali so
much as tho nows you might sond homo
to-morrow that you had given your
heart to God. I know how it ir tn tho
country. Tho night comes on. Tho
cattlo stand under tho rack through
winch bursts tho trusses ot hay.
Tho horses just having frlskod up
through tho meadow at tho nightfall,
aland knee-deep in the bright straw
that invites them to lie down and rest.
Tho porch of tho hovol is full of fowl,
their feet warm under tho feathers.
In
Tl I'M OLD PAUM HOI) SIS AT NKUIT
no candi? is lighted, for tho Hames clap
hands about tho great backlog, and
shako the shadow of tho group up and
down tho wall. Father and niothor
sit thoro for half au hour, saying noth
ing. I wonder what thoy aro thinking
pf. After awhile the father breaks tho
silenco and says: "Woll, I wondor
whore our boy is in town to-night,V"
And thc mother answers : '.'in no bad
place, I warrant you ; wo always could
trust him when ho was nomo, and since
ho has been away Ibero havo so many
prayers offered for him wo can trust
him still." Then at eight o'clock
for they retire early in tile country-it
eight o'clock they kneel down and com
mend you to that God who watches in
country and in town, on tho land and
on tho sea.
Homo ono said lo a Grecian soldier :
"What was tho proudest moment of
your lifo?" Ho thought a moment,
and said :
THU PitOUDlSST M OM KN T
of my lifo was when I sent word homo
to my parents thal I had gabled the
victory." .And tho proudest and most
brilliant moment in your Ufo will bo
tho moment when you can send word
to your parents in the country that you
havo conquorod your evil habits, by the
grace of God, and becomo eternal victor.
Oh I despiso not parental anxiety.
Tho timo will como when you have
noithor father nor mothor, and you will
go around tho placo where thoy used to
watch you, and lind them gone from
tho houso; and gone from tho held, and
gono from tho neighborhood. Cry as
loud for forgiveness as you may over
the mound in tho churchyard, they will
not answer.
OKAO ! I)KA I) I
And then you will tako out tho white
lock of hair that wita eui from your
mother's brow just before they burled
her, and you will take tho cano willi
which your father used to walk, and
you will think and think, and wish that
you had dono just as they wanted you
to, and would givo tho world if you
had never thrust a pang through their
dear old hearts. God pity tho young
man who has brought disgrace on his
father's namo. God pity die youny man
irho han broken his moll w's heart. Bet
ter if ho had never been born-hotter if,
in tlio llrsli hour of his lifo, instead of
being laid against tho warm bosom of
maternal tenderness, he had been cof
fined and sepulchred. There is no
balm powerful enough to heal the
heart of ono who has brought parents
to ii sorrowful grave, and who wanders
about through the dismal cemetery,
rond lng tho hair and wringing the
hands, abd crying : "MothCrf mother!"
Oh, that to-day, by all tho memories of
tho past, and by all tho hopes of the
futuro, you would yield your heart to
God. May your father's God and your
mother's God be your God forever.
BK ATI NO HOT i 1S ? ? 11 Ii I).
A Porcelain Servloo Thal. Was Qheup;
nt Any Pri?e.
Among tao various admirable pro
dnotions of tasto willoh tho guests of
liaron Rothschild never fail lo admire,
is <i magniilcent service of porcelain,
of singular beauty, elegance of shape
and ilnish, and remarkable for tho artis
tic richness of its paintings.. But thu
way in which tho baron became pos
sessed of il is worth relating.
One day an old man, careworn,
wrinkled, feeble, and apparently tot
tering on tho vergo of ibo gravo, pre
sented himself bo for? M. de Rothschild,
Soliciting tho honor of an interview
with thc famous banker. Tho aged
visitor took from his bag a rich and
beautiful plate, so splendidly wrought
t hiit tho baron admired it exceedingly,
amt became greatly del I gb tod with it.
..Sir," sai I tho. patriar. :' . k'\vill you
buy this of mc? L have .> Whole sot,,
ami if has struck mo that a service so
beautiful cannot lind ii moro Utting
placo than in thc mansion of the pei hue
of tlnaiiciors."
.Mt is indeed very line," said tho
baron. "??ow much do you wain for
tho service?"
"Look you, sir," said tho old man
"1 am bowed down with many years,
and have not long to live. 1 am poor,
lind wish to omi my days in compara
tive comfort. Will, you in exchange for
this valuable sot of porcelain, give mo
nu Jncomo for lifo ol' 10.? fr?he* a
mouth?"'
Tho baron looked at the poor man,
examined tho plato again] ana said;
"Well, bo it so; hero is tho ilrst pay
ment. Send mo tho service, and give
mo your name. "
Tho splendid set of porcelain was de
livered tho same day to the baron, and
a month afterward while ho was sea toil
in his counting house, a man entered
and asked for tho second payment o
tho promised income. But thc man
was young, scarcely '?0 years of age, of j
a vigorous constitution and great mus
etthtr development, and looked as if ho
would livo for a hundred years.
"But you are not tho mailt" exclaim
ed tho astonished banker.
"Excuso mc, baron," said he, "I am
Indeed tho man."
"But you appeared at least 80 years
old," said tho baron.
"I have wonderfully recovered," ol>
sorved the man, "thanks to your gen
erosity."
Tho baron laughed heartily, and gave
orders for tho pay meut of the money,
exclaiming:
"Ah, you aro an excellent comedian,
and havo taken ino in thoroughly."
"I am probably thu Ilrst who has done
so," replied tho dow, politely Vowing to.
tho millionaire.
TUKUM aro some fond, foolish, tr/tist
ing mon who will read over a recife for
mince pie and then think they really
know what lt ls matta-of.
OltAND MOUNT SHASTA.
A Skotoli of Tho Imposing ri lo.
Between the great pines going np you
seo tho religious domo of Mount Shasta,
its snows and frowns so mixed that ono
lows it nearly, with superstition*
Shasta is ono of tho ilncst mountains
in America, a naked domo of rock,
ravel and porpotuul snow, mudo by ii
oleano,. and having two sido piceos or
transepts, tho whole mass ctn liding up
in wliite and dun in cra/.y-qullt patches
of triangles o? show and ovals of rocks
and slides of loam and gravel above a
skirt of Oregon pines, which aro of som
" ur green, and seem theklrtloof a hugo,
muscular, naked man, wearing ?1 clout
of green, as bo kneels upon tho plateau
ind surveys his brood of mound y peaks
oxteuding around him in au amphi
theater of 100 miles.
Tliero is but ono Shasta, dud ho is u
lOrhi-ono of tho boid range beyond
tho Rockies, overlookintr tho Orient
West. "There is tho West ; tliero is
Europe, V says tho statue of Thomas
bonton at St. Louis, pointing at tho
uno timo west. .
Tliero ia a county Of California called
Shasta, and a range of mouhtalns be
tween tho Sacramento river and tho sea
ts called tho shasta ra'ngo. I t is only a
night's lido or a sleep Of 840 miles be
tween San Francisco and Mount Shasts,
nd iii this ride you rise nearly ?5000
fcot to Sisson, in Strawberry valley,
from which Mount Shasta's peak is still
10,885 feet higher, or above the sea 11,
140 feet.
lt is 10,000 feet higher than tho Lick
Observatory on Mount Hamilton.
This is tho power of Mount Shasta
that it rises so grandly above everything
lso--not Uko Pike's or (.hay's, ono of a
argo family of mountains sitting around
tho while tablecloth of tho skies. It
seems tho highest when you aro at it,
ind looks to bo inaccessible. Tho rail
bad keeps winding around its baso as a
wheelbarrow is guided around tho
steoplos of a cathedral. It ls moro than
twlco tho height of Motint Washington,
iud is seven-oighths of tho height of
Mount Plano.
For 2000 feet tho snow slides drop
Iowa its sides, frequently turning red.
Then for 4000 feet lower tho inorganic
mass stands like a vulcan amid his cin
ders. M ext for 2000 feet one imp tho
hrs where once tho lava licicod thc
world.
Yet it ls only twelvo miles from Sis
son, on tho railroad, to Shasta's, top,
md women bavo ascended it, and pant
md grumblo in tho deed less than mon.
liii four days tliero was carried up by
while men and Indians a copper monu
ment weighing .']">00 pounds, which can
be seen 100 miles away, but no signal
ofliccr can live on Shasta's top. Its
pimples, 1500 feet high, aro Uko tho
warts on Crom wolba head whoa
Wars Uko cloud.-* that rl.SQ utraliisl the sun,
Illili, ninku hhu (JTOIIUT sum? --mu grouter j?roiv.
As I passed Shasta a great white
loud was trailing from it Uko a pen
non, called the "snow-banner , of
Shasta." It was a palpitating, cloud
like wild bird, failing for breath as it
Hew, and holding tiptoe to tho peak,
with its feet in snowdrifts, while its
plumage blew outward and away. .
Tliero is a butte, or mountain!! hump,
near Shasta 0-500 feet high, but tho
snows, like virgin belles at court, dis
dain to coquet with it and keep-all their
flakvR for Shasta. It, too. is a lino and
stuck-up thing, quito solitary, but th
miners call it only Shasta bullo, as tb
idol's called Mr. Greene, when ho cor
pareil himself to Shakespeare,, Shak
pearo's call-boy. Coining up to Sba.'
from tho south by tho tortuous can
of tho Sacramento, you seo tho
mountain vaguely, yet troniciu,
but going from lt northward, as t
omotivo turns often to seo it,. ?
stands out naked as beforo bold
tho tlomostiolly of the bea von?,
turage plains of tho Kiamal!
ing below bim like a covorh
i way
Thc Alps too often hide in
ing dows of Lombardy, but ^
set in n sky as limpid as tho bl
eye of a babe.
ITow still it is, with that g
mistakable scar of crater, a m
miC wido, telling where hollolii
and vomited its blood and flame1
er drunkenly for some spasms o
ands of yearsl Wo have resolV
hell is not, but thero is Shas
somewhere must bo lire.
Glorious relic of a timo \yji
was not and Pan was playing v
tools of Vulcan, tho molten
Shasta ran away, spilling wost,
to a rango of mountains, eae^
ing up to be like Shasta's
making only tame miniatures'
WI3ATJ1
simulo Forecast^
Service
Uo Started..
A rag-peddler, who wi|
Gratiot avenue recently,
Hastings street when his h(J
Tho usual munb?r of smart.
soon on band with their
one suggestion after tinothej
in vain. Tho borso cou!
pulled nor pushed, and as]
ad big traill?, the crowd li
very rapidly:
.'What is it?" J md
twelve, who pushed If
circle,
"balky hmso," tun
"W hero's tho o vf
mun, can't you start]
"Xo, lie donn' st j
' "Wait a minute
The lad ran up
and pulled a ha
bale itt a ?eed
turned be cicai
tho horse, stood,
extended lils li;
up his cars, Inf
once ad va nco/
around tho e?;
"lt's accoi|
cd tho boil
"When a
iirc-cmokoj
who is fe.
root1 ball;
all over
Acioii
an i natl
poi ion
ml ol
wa
j Stj
Thero is un iinirV <?&\ai'
weather wisdom in t-hoV/S^irl
sure you that you caniV^ vj
farmer anywhere who dav '?t?p^
eyo at tho clouds, or the []h~
whero and prophesy ythai.pl
shall bavo fbi*''tho n.ox<7~ - ,
bouts. I only lack patioi(/itoe '
who seok to prognosticator*^
for weeks and months ni hod
silly signs, or no signs at all1, _ J
bibilah their reputations nsVTTll
Weathor wisdom should bo seri/!
carefully encouraged ; for to'J
twelve hours ahead whether
storm or clear weather, is U
thousands of dollars in tbt
singlo town. It is.by JJ
scionco of cunning guess^
are signa abuiidtiul thuij
careful observer, Hoi
forecast which I liavoj
and have vorilled:
der clouds, expect a
aro banked to tho ii?
peet rai lit to tho sc<f
rain if it no summc
Watching anima]
good way pf pi
eleotric f>enso, posa
makes thom apprf
bo foro its appcaraij
siblo olectric and af
that causo physic;
will bellow, aft
Hons will oil tl ici
uneasiness. Cati
grass freely. S
frisky, and'chase
will strolch then!
fe nco corners or
bio. Peacocks
fowl sqawk wor^
genoralstate of
servablo in tho nj
barns. Farbton
and learn to gui
bigly.
Bilde aro evi
tho weather,
beforo a storij
proportionate
pressure neal
up a terrible'
landward, anl
Swallows ski!
Oro ivs are noj
prink themsel
ors, Cranes/
under their
toms ato til
restlessncss?
low Hying ii
Insects ail
but they
pointers,
found, how?
fashioned
study of
Swarms o?
When spi
wind in if
If spideW
ing a til
morning^
oral, .spidj
weathor,
indicate l(
break up|
from hoi
If tiley
?Storni
rail