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HOW THE FESTIVAL IS KEPT BY THESE RELIGIOUS CELIBATES. fh« Day la One of Great Hlgnlftcanee t« j Itieiu and In Obaererd wltli Great 84>lemulty—Their fitmu*, Marchea and Shaking—Tl»e Christmaa Dinner. No one probably celebrates the glad Christmas holiday in a more peculiar way than do the Shakers, those strange ; yet industrious celibates who wer ■ brought over from England considerably aver a century ago by the good old “Mother Ann Lee.” There are several colonies of these queer people in the | United Stages, and all enjoy the same pleasures, if there ran be such a thing in j their lives, and all believe in the same | doctrines. Years ago these honest bnt j misguided jieople discovered that the Scriptures directed all men and women to live apart. They believe that be cause the Messiah did not marry Hiss sin for them to do so, and consequently there is but one love in their lives, and that a love of religion. The Shakers have a manner and style peculiarly their own and worship Ood In every breath. Believing as they di in the Messiah, they think it a duty to celebrate the birth of the Saviour, a their service on Christmas day is most beautiful and impressive. The remark “still as a Shaker meet lug" has often l>eeu heard, and those who have attended a meeting of these dovo people know that a word is never spoken until the “spirit moves,” and so it g< from Sunday to Sunday until Chnstm comes, which with them means a day ol the greatest devotion. The day to them does not bring tiie joys, pleasures and dissipations of the world, there is nogiv ing of gifts, no belief in St. Nicholas, no Christmas tr -e and no pleasures, in fact nothing but prayer. No preparations are made fo- he glad festival. The morriiig before Christmas the celibates move toward the little clmruh in couples. 'he men go by themselves and dress in the conventional black, with broad brimmed hats ami gaze straight before them. They never smile, for to smile is a sin in their belief. The worn eu follow the men, and wear Shaker bon nets of yellow straw and gray gowns, and look prim and qaaint. A large white handkerchief covers the chest in primitive simplicity. Quietness reign.-, throughout the day, never a word being spoken. In fact the spirit does not move, and the people stand there for hours like statues. At sundown they go to the dormitories aixl retire. Christmaa morning they go to the church again and pass the holiday in prayer, song and religious glorification. They stand perfectly quiet and mute un til the “spirit moves," when each one gives his or her experience, for on this day above all they delight in testifying to their great and complete happiness. A Shaker church is entirely different from the "world’s people’s" church. In stead of seats or pews, as are usually seen in churches, there is a big 01*11 space, and the men and women range themselves on opposite sides of the room. One of the elders makes a short address. Then all is quietness. After about half an hour a dozen or so of the younger people, either male or female, or perhaps both, enter the center of the space and begin a solemn march. The Shakers sing beautifully and their tunes are remarkably pretty, sprightly and quick in character, and have a won derfully fascinating air. The rich, deep bass voices harmonize perfectly with the clear, sweet and high tenors and so pranos. Almost irresistibly the feet and hands of all commence keeping time with rythmical beats. Soon the entire l-.wly of Shakers are moving around the singers. As the music increases the men and women circling around be come so imbued with the beating of the notes that their bodies swing and rock, their feet dance and shuttle, their hands and arms swing and beat the air, all in |>erfect keeping with the music. This grows more intense until they all drop from sheer fatigue. Quietness again reigns for nearly an hour, when tie- same performance is gone over, and then over again, until sundown, when all re pair to the dormitories to enjoy the only meal in the year in each other's com pany, for on every other day the men ami women eat by themselves. The Christmas dinner of the Shakers is not like the Christmas dinner of the world's people. There are no wines, fruits nor delicacies. They have turkeys, ducks, chickens and plain bread and butter and vegetables of every kind, well cooked and in the greatest abun dance. The women occupy one side of the table, the men the other. The elder sits at the head and invokes divine bless ing. then each man and woman rises al ternately and lifting their right hand say, "God is love.” They then begin eating, and during the meal not a word is spoken, each one helping himself or herself to what they desire. They drink an enormons quantity of milk during the meal. At the conclusion of the Christmas dinner all rise and sing. The clear voices of the celibates make thi banquet room ring with a soft and charming melody. The hands and feet of all keep time. After the song the elder raises hiseyes heavenward and chants a prayer in which all join, after which they march from the room in couples, the men to gether and the women by themselves, and go to their dormitories. The re mainder of the night, while‘the world outside is enjoying itself in every con ceivable dissipation, is given up to son. and prayer, and all night long the voftw of the Shaker sisters and brothers aje heard through the halls. The Shakers are kind hearted snl geu erous. They are very hospitable, sod 1 is one of their principles to entertain s.ml honor all who come into their Uttl world. For days before Christmas the.' find great pleasure in sending good things to the poor in the neighborhood and no matter how poor a man may be he is sure of a good Christmas dinner ii he lives in the neighborhood of a colon} of Shakers.—Buffalo Express. WHAT CHRIS! MAS MEANS Celebrated a* a Holy Day ftinee the Teat of Our Lord Ud. At midnight on the 2)th of this month the birthday of the Saviour of mankind will have been celebrated for the seven teen hundred and ninety second time, for Christmas was first kept os a holi day A. D. US. We have no means of de termining the exact date of the Saviour's nativity. As to the year, preponderance of opin ion and of sncb evidence as we have Seems to favor that of 4 or 5 B. C. As to the mouth. December is the height of the rainy season in Judea, and. there fore, the fact, us stated by the New Tes tament, that shepherds were watching their flocks on its*plnin* whil ,-irs were shining in the heavens 011 tae night of the Saviour’s birth, makes it extr 111 -ly unlikely that it could have ownnvd in that month Many learned treatises have been written and plausible ,.rgu- incuts advanced to prove that it must have taken place in Octoner. hut tin) question will ever remain in abeyance For the first three centuries Cunstm.is was one of the moot movable of -sll re- Ibrious festivals. .The Eastern church observed Jan. 9 as the anniversary both of Christ's birth and circumcision. But in the Fourth century Pope Julius I or dered an investigation of the matter, and after long deliberation the theolo gians of both the east and the west united in appointing Dec. 13 to be kept as Christ's birthday. It seems not im probable that in selecting Dec. 23 as the date of the greatest event save one—the crucifixion—in the world’s history the worthy fathers were influenced by a de sire to supplant the many heathen fes tivals of the winter solstice, such as the Saturnalia, or great festival of Saturn and Ops, which began on Dec. 19 (or after cieaar’s reformation of the calen dar on the 17th) and continued for seven days. This presumption is made more prob able from the fact that for many centu I lies the fern ; vities of Christinas were prolonged until “Twelfth night," Jan. 6, and even till Candlemas day, Feb. 2, while they usually began as early as the night before All Saints’ Day, or Hal- j loween, thus showing the desire of the j early fathers of the chnrch to make the heathen converts to Christianity feel j that they hud lost nothing in harmless ; pleasure ami enjoyment by the substi- j tution of the Christian festival for the j heathen one. Not only did the Romans observe this : period of the year as a time for mirth ; and rejoicing, bnt many of our most familiar Christmas usages are derived from the old heathen festivals which Christmas replaced. The custom of giving Christmas presents, now so uni versally observed, was derived from the old Roman Saturnalia or Feast of Saturn, above mentioned, at which it was cus tomary for all the members of a house hold to offer gifts to one another. The Yule clog, or log—the jjreat stiQt of timber placed in olden tipies ujion the Christmas tire—was derived troin the Saxon feast of Jul or Yul, at which a similar piece of timber gave the priuci pal fire and the principal light. The Yule clog and the superstitions con uected with it are among the most ven- arahle of Christmas associations. The Yule clogs that blazed in the vast hulls >f the old English feudal barons of the Middle Ages were huge trees, and we are told that even just before the close of he last century the mansion of an Eng lish gentleman residing near Shrews bury was totally destroyed by fire in :onsequence of too large a Yule log hav- ng been lighted on his hearthstone. When the Yule clog was not all con- mined before dawn and burned on into the light of Christmas day, its ashes were carefully preserved until the next Christ- nas eve. The custom of decorating churches, Iwellings and places of business with ■vergreen, holly, laurel, bays and mis- letoe at the Christmas season has also a K-atbeu origin, being a perpetuation of in observance of the old British Druids, whose belief it was that kindly sylvan ipirits sought these ornaments of living green and hovered near them, untouched and unharmed by nipping frost, until the death of winter. Those some old Drnids attached much importance to the mistletoe, investing it with a peculiarly hallowed and mystic character. They regarded it as an em blem of love and believed that it typi- led the beneficent feelings of their gods toward mankind. It is doubtless to this rid Druidical association of the mistle toe with love that the English custom, which still obtains, of enforcing the for- eit of a kiss from any female who Is aught under a branch of it at Christmas iuie is traceable. By the celebration of Christmas, with ts grand liturgy, its magnificent music m l its pictorial and dramatic repre wntations of the principal events in the ife of him whose birth it comment irated, the church sought to replace hese heathen festivities and to lift up .he minds of the people to something dgher and holier, though from the first he day was regarded both as a holy commemoration of a most sacred event md as a mirthful, joyous festival. In .ho Middle Ages the festive observances >t the day often so far overtopja-d its more sacred features that the clergy were frequently compelled to check the unseemly merriment of their flocks. The name of Christmas assigned to the festival was derived from Christ and the Saxon maes.se or mass, and the two words were combined to denote a special service in honor of the birth of the Son of God. Probably one of ttie most generally known of the old Christinas observances, next to the giving of presents, is th. dnging of C ristmas carols. These wer ptous canticles designed to replace tin ribald songs of the old heathen festivals, and tne custom of children and eve:, grown [icopie g-ang sboat from houst to hiqyse singing them at the door on Christmas eve and being rewarded with Christmas cheer and Ceristmas spend mg inouey is maintained in many part# of England even at thn present day.- New York World. Specimen Cases. 8. H. Clifford, New Castle. Wis., was troubled with Ncti ralgia and Rheumatism, hit- Stomach was disordered, his Liver was affected to an alarm ing degree, appetite fell away, and he was terribly reduced in flesh and strength. Three bot tles of Electric Bitters cured him. Edward Shepard, Harris burg, 111., had a running sore on his leg of eight years’ standing. Used three bottles of Electric Bitters and seven boxes of Bu k len’s Arnica Salve, and his leg is sound and well. John Speak er, Catawba, O., had five large Fever sores on his leg, doctors said he was incurable. One bot tle Electric Bitters and one box Bucklen’s Arnica Salve cured him entirely. Sold by Willcox & Co’s Drug Store. Waycross, Oa. Dr. W. H. Whitehead: Dear Sir—<At your request I will state my case. Some years ago I contracted malaria in its most violent^orm while living at Newark, N. J. I consulted various physicians and took Joye & Sanders, For the Fall ami Waiter of M numberless preparations recoin- We now have opened the largest ami as well specie mended as “sure cures,” but it t 3wss (Goods, ivtmmmgs, finally came South, and while here tried new' le nedies, said to always cure malaria, and it still stuck to me, and you know the broken-down condition I was in when I came to your P. P. P. (Prickly Ash, Poke Root and Potassium), and 1 improved rap idly, and am to-day in as good health as I ever was—in fact better. As a remedy fora brok- endowii constitution it has no equal. Yours, etc., T. P. Cottle. Twenty-two newspapers in Kansas are edited by women. Clothing $30 per suit. feted stock of etc., i as was ever brought tu Darlington. GEHTS’ FURNISHING GOODS. | We have an elegant line of Gents, Youths and Boys’ in every style—Gents’Suits from $3 to HATS from 25cts to $3 each SHOES. SHOES. Our Shoe Department is complete, and as usual our prices are very low. Would call special attention to our Evitt & 1 rother’s Ladies’ Fine Shoes, every pair guaranteed to give satisfaction. Call and examine ocr goods and get our prices, before buy ing; they will compare favorably with the low price of cotton. Ihe Hiilejr Bill Boe Not Hurt, Consumption Cured. An old physician, retired from practice, having had placed in his hands by an East India mis sionary the formula of a simple Give US tl Cilll, WC will SaVC YOU 11101 ICY. vegetable remedy for the speedy | j j and permanent cure of Cou- Generosity of an Old Rival. Agnes: “Frank has gone to Dick out an engagement ring for me.” Kate: “Indeed! Well, there’s I nothing mean about Frank. He might have used the one he gave , me last summer. It was a per fect beauty, too.” Now Try This. It will cost you nothing and will surelv do you good, if you have a Cough, Cold, or anj trouble with Throat, Chest oj Lungs. Dr. King’s New Dis covery for Consumption, Coughs and Colds is guaranteed to give relief or money will be paid hack. Sufferers from La Grippe found it just the thing and under its use had a speedy and perfect recovery. Try a sa np!e botllo at our expense an! !enni for yourself just how goo 1 a thi ng it is. Trial bottles fr< e at Wiil- cox & Co’s Drug Store, Large size 50c. and fl.00. j sumption, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Asthma and all Throat and Lung Affections, also a positive and radical cure of Nervous Debility and all Nervous Complaints, af ter having tested its wonderful curative powers in thousands of cases, has felt it his duty to make it known to his suffering fellows. Actuated by this mo live and a desire to relieve hu man suffering, 1 will send free of charge, to all who desire it. this recipe, in German, French or English, with full directions for preparing and using. Sent by mail by addressing with stamp, naming this paper. W. A. Noyes, 820 rowers’ Block, Rochester, X. Y. Respectfully, Joyc & Sanders. DAlUel.Ntn'OY'S Wff tf 5L ESALE '1" We have in stock and to arrive in a few days. One car TO load oi npilE St cklielJers ot the Darling i jo ton Fanners’ Alliance Coinpau} | wul meet in the i'onrt House at Dai ! ington, Friday, January 1st, 1892, at ^ 1 o'clock r. v. This meeting is called by the Board of Directors, and every j Stockholder is expected either to be present or send written proxy > K. M. WILLIAMSON, President. W. J. ROGERS, Secretary. Patronize Home Industries. The Darlington Ginning, Milling, ! Fertilizer and Warehouse' Company j are turning out the Bacon, Corn. Flour. Molassses. the F 1F rrt A 1A Cud Mes 1 i UnJ, n zround from best, sound co; n, and ab ■adutely free from adulteration. The} propose to sell it as low as pure good can be sold. Buyers, ask your mcr •bant for Darlington Meal and take no other; it is always fresh and always reliable. Merchants, patronize you: ii me mill and give your customer: the best meal to be had, besides savi writing, exchange on bills, and haul ing. Give us your orders. The Darlington H t j r ,p. w P-, Ufq iii.i r. a ii. Lt* May 21-tf Sheriff Sale. XT A TE OF SOUTH CA Ho UNA. COCNTY OS' DAKI.ISGTON. Z. C. Norwood vs. Joanna Gar ner—Judgment for Foreclosure. By virtue of an order of court made in this case, I will sell on the first Monday in January next or the Tuesday thereafter in front of the court house of Darlington county, all that tract or parcel of land lying and be ing situated in the county of Darlington and State aforesaid, containing one hundred and nim acres more or less, and hounded on the north by lands of Bruce Davis and Henry Heath; east by lands of Alexander Grey: south by lands of estate of J. C. Garner and west by lands ol Gar.ier, the same being more fully described in a deed from the said Z. C. Norwood to said Joanna Garner, bearing even date herewith. Teuns of sale cash, purch iser to pay for pa pers. W. P. GOLF, S. 1). C. December 14 1891. Iii fact everything in ‘HEAVY GROCERY" LINE We handle in large quantities. IfiZgo We invite- a comparison of prices in Wholesale Department with any market. Respectfully, J, Ft'anls Em'bj. Buggies A.TMI3 Lon Prices of Lofton <i* not Injure, / / Those who heed the Logic of the A ? A1 1 lOiTiPH Arguments . Tlxe Only etiacl Oirigrino,! Red Flag Racket Shepard, WHOSE STASH IS THE OLD EYIWRISEHROfERV.OJi PEARL SRTEET. The store is 150 feet long and is filled from end to end with Lye Openers, a ml Record Smashers, i’onipetition Millers. oeifi Carts, tFagmis, Harisess, Saddles, bridles, Malted, Lap Curs’y “Combs, Harness Oil, Whips, etc.,Be;Co Ui’S. f KiS RUST CAHMiGH in northern Georgia was a mission of war and destruc tion. His Second Campaign, Twenty years after, ends in forgiveness for the first and a happy marriage. Read the particulars in OUR NEW SERIAL The story has many dra matic situations and the inter est never flags. COPTRlGHlEDftND ILLUSTRATED. | Tu belegun in The Darlington News in the first issue in Janu ary, 1892. “Young Men’s ’ Buggies at $(55.00. jfcirThe time has come for a brief matter of fact talk on a matter of fact subject. You buyers of Fall and Winter Goods are about to supply yourselves with the Necessities of the Wardrobe and Household Novelties for the Season. The idea uppermost in your minds should be to getTiomcththing Good and Serviceable at the Lowest Prices. Then it comes to the question of the right place to go. All acknowledge that the RACKET has done more towards giving the people the worth of their Hard Earned Cash than any store in town, so this settles the ques tion as to where is the best ulaco to seek your fall and winter goods. We are going to do business straight through this prosperous fallen the basis of the —The Best Goods at the LoWfet Possible Prices.— • You will will find us prepared to please and certain to carry cutjall our promises and we have an immense stock for you to choose from. We are crowded with bar gains of the newest and best styles in seasonable goods. Every article has been selected with care and bought at bed rock prices. Why, first see our 75 different styles of Dress Silks, Plushes, Velvets, etc. McKinley'has no say in this matter for we are below importers’ prices. We are confident that we have the goods you want in new and popular styles and in the latest novelties. ALL COUNTRIES ARE R-EPRESENTED HERE, We don’t ask your patronage unless we can repay you in quality and prices. Our goods, prices and intentions aio all right and you will he all right if you call at our store and buy your supplies. Silks, 4octs and up; Shoes, 87}cts. and up; 200 dozen men and boys’ HATS, to fit every one of these heads, iSreasliies, rather. $£2^ We sell good machine made HARNESS complete, with Collar and llames, for $0.00. We can furnish any style ot HANDMADE HARNESS, from the cheapest single huggy harness to the finest coach har ness; also one and two-horse wagon harness. Special attention is called to our! N. L. Harrell & Co. Satisfaction. When a man says he is Satisfied, he means a great deal. JOueof the policy-holders of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, Mr. Charles A. Edwards, of >ew York, who, in 1871, took a twenty-year Tontine policy with the Equitable for $10,000, writes as follows: "I am extremely well satisfied with this result, obtaininy more than $1,000 in excess of all the premiums I hare paid, in addition to hnciny enjoyed the protection of my po’ioy during the twenty years it has been in force 1 am loath to part with such an old friend as this policy has been to me, but in doing so, l do not propose to part ■ompany with the Equitable, hating applied for another Tontine policy, the benefits under which 1 also hope to obtain during my lifetime," Another, Mr Nathaniel Wilson, of Washington, writes in relation to policy No 99,313 as follows: “J took out a Tontine policy in your Company for $20,000. The poli'-y has been settled to my satisfaction. / bare since taken out policies of the same kind for JoO.OOO,- because Tam satisfied that the Tontine plan is to be preferred to any of which / have knowledge." If these statements were from the widows or executors of policy-holders who had died, they would he significant, or, if they were from policy-holders who were satisfied with their assurance because it furnished protection, and gave them sufficient peace of mind to offset the burden of the. coni inning annual Premiums on their policies, they would he no more than reasonable assertions. But this satisfaction is something more than this: It is the gratification of men who have, over and above the protection from the assurance, rkalizkd on a profitable investment. They have reason to be satisfied. For twenty years they have been building up their business and accumulating fortunes, and meanwhile their families and estates have been protected against the disaster i which would have come, if through some accident they had died prematurely. But these dangers have now been passed, and what is the result? Must they j say, "M’e have paid out a great deal of money in premiums, but we hare e?t-1 ioyed the protection of our assurance, and arc satisfied that unr money has been well spent: we have nothing more to expect, and hare nothing further to ask." They might say this, and he content, but they are able to say much more than this, thus: “ B> are more than satisfied because, in addition to the protection gire.i. for allthese years, our Tontine policies hare turned outtobe loud INVEST MENTS, as isprored by the fact that the Equitable has returned U that we hare paid, with interest added " Think of it! A return of the total amount expended in iremiuniti, tvith compound interest at from 3 to 5 per •entiini per annum added thereto. GEO. HENRY McKEE, '- Darlington, 8. C., SPECIAL AGENT. from lOcts up; 3,000 yards of ribbon of all kinds, let and up; Nellie Bly cans lOcts. and up. An immense stock of ’ MILLINERY in charge of Miss M. A. Trice, and expert Milliner, from Baltimore. Red Flag Racket Shepard, *r» * Headquarters, 541) Broadway, New Yolk.