University of South Carolina Libraries
I e^nrrwTar<g/CTrTKii->rr^ riiwi ?a? r Mynhe: DY ST. QE0RQ1 Lv?tV?V*>" CorTEICSHT 1SK, Coe CHAPTER I. [Continued.] ' "'When the time came to land, in order to stive tlie city from the mob. 'Arab: being defeated, I found myself thrown in the company of one who was a stranger to me. lie came from a British warship. Liked his looks from the first, and side by side we wont tlirrmtth the streets of Alexail dri:i. Firing all around us ?got in numerous little engagements; was #a:v surrounded by a pack of howling ative troops, who thought they could 1 wijH* us out. Mr. (1 rimes, you missed j the sight of your life in failing to see | how Cordon's friend stood off those | curs. Bless my soul! I can shut my eyes and look on the whole thing yet J never saw such a fire-eater in action, find yet in repose Joe is as meek as la tub. "After that I froze to him. We saw Borne weeks in company?weeks I have never forgotten, because 1 loved tnat mar.. Then I was ordered to watch the Italian operations about AbysBlnia, while Joe went to find Chinese | JGordon. I lost track of him. but have never ceased to feel the deepest interest in his work, as an explorer second only to Stanley and Einin Paslia. Now you can understand my intense delight upon hearing that the man are going to see is no other than ^gj^ny comrade in Alexandria, Mynheer Tins is iilwout tbe longest consecutive narrative Mr. Grimes has ever heard Sandy give utterance to, tvhich marks the i>ower of that magical name. On his part, the silver king does not prove bo confiding. He speaks of the man who interests them both as though acquainted with his past; but whcth-1 er he has personally met him, Saudy 1 finds it impossible to say. Meanwhile, they have been making i progress in the direction of the river. A light of some sort is positively needed iu these streets after nightfall, moon or no moon, on account of the peculiar custom of building. The houses, as a general rule, are three stories iu height. As the street itself is but an alley, barely ten feet in width, and each story of the houses ! project beyond tbe one below It. It is ! easy to sLake hands from the neighbor- , mg roots. t.ven mis srnau space is | ofteu covered with mats, to keep out j the garish light of day, which, reflect- \ ?d from the white walls, dazzles the eyes. In these narrow streets men stand j to groups engaged in discussion or bar- i ter. now and then gently pushed aside j by the nose of some camel advancing | ilently, the "ship of the desert" being. besides the donkey, the only burden-bearer allowed in the native section. Here and there a light Is seen mov- ! ing along, as some sheik proceeds homeward; but, as a general thing, ' darkness hangs over the street In many of the houses, no doubt, gayety abounds; but Arab and Moor believe l ?in Keeping tueir nomes sacrea irom me public, nud ouly huge piles of whitened bricks lie on every side. As yet they have met with no adventure, and the distance between the 1 gruud square and the river has been diminished by half. This savors of rare good luck, fo# it is not always that a Frank can traverse this region, at such an hour, unmolested. Cairo abounds in rascals who do not fear the English law, however much they may respect the native koorbasli and stocks. It is not a sin or a crime to rob a foreigner?unless caught in , / the act That is the way they look at it. Sandy knows this, if his companion does not happen to be so thoroughly i posted with regard to the customs of the city on the Nile. He continues to 1 keep his eyes about him, and does ! not let the Arab who carries the flam- ; beau got beyond his reach, knowing that in all probability in case of an attack the first act of the dusky ras?il will be to fly and leave them in darkness to meet the foe. They have ^ even cut down the distance to a fourth and soon the light will fall upon the waters of the river, when the wa.: correspondent bends suddenly forward and snatches the torch from j the hand of the astonished carrier. CIIArTEll II. TOE MAS WHO SAW CRAVE GORDOX FALL. 'V Mr. Grimes sees the action and does * not appear to ' e at all surprised?in- i ^ deed, he rarely deviates from the steady repose that marks him as a wonderfully nervy man. Something glistens in his hand?it Is a revolver, and the light gives ilio blue 6teel a cruel as well as a cold look. Evidently the scout tourist is ready to take care of himself. Sandy has clutched the torch, which be at once raises above his head. Half. dozen ragged forms have sprung Into view beyond. Perhaps some arch has secreted them until now. There can be no mistaking their intentions, rfor quickly they advance, spreading cut as If to prevent the Franks, who have thus wandered into their net, from escaping. "Backsheesh!" they clatter like a lot of monkeys, holding out begrimed hands and scowling. There Is only one way to treat these rascalif you comply with their demand* they grow more and more im v?? Q er - Toe. 1 E JRATHBORNE. r ?*?+*??? | r.bt Bosxek's Sows." \ portunute. uutil tlie.v llnally proceed to openly rob their victim. "Stand back!" cries Sandy with a roar, as be swings tbe flambeau around bis head. They understand enough English to know what lie is saying?at any rate, his actions are doubly significant? but, believing they can rule the ranch by mere force of numbers, the ragged % ? r. b <* AVH'O Ull oeggars couuuue to j.usu thus hemming the two whites in. I Although suiall in point of stature, Sandy is a warrior, every inch of him, | and, as might be expected from his nervous manner, possess*?<i of an inflammable temper. "When the nearest of the rogues pushes within reaching distance and clutches at him with bony lingers, the newspaper man brings the flaming torch, with a resounding .hump, against the top of the beggar's head. It does not affect the link, beyond sending forth a shower J of sparks, but re unfortunate recipI lent of the blow, tinding sparks in his long hair, utters vociferous shouts and dances with the fervor of a 'dercisli. This is deemed a signal for a general assault all along the line, and for the space of sixty seconds there is ? A in iltn seen H speciui'li; lairy unuuvu iu n?vnarrow streets of old Cairo. At first the two foreigners are averse to using their firearms, and endeavor to inspire terror in the breasts of their enemies by a generous exhibition of muscle. When Sandy has to dodge a fiendish blow from a wicked dagger he thinks it about time they proceeded to sterner measures. Sandy opens on the rag-tag-andbob-tail crowd, as he terms them, seek- J ing to inflict wounds and create a di-j \ version. He is immediately backed j up by his companion. His strong, j white teeth hold fast to his cigar, and ; even as he lets drive at a dark-faced j fellah who seeks to cleave him Willi j an Algerian yataghan, the silver king puffs out a small eloiul of smoke. Talk i about coolness! Here you have it in j a human Iceberg. Sandy holds his j breath while looking at this strange j coinpauion. and wonders whether he j would show excitement in the heat of battle. This sort of a reception is hardly to the liking of the cowardly curs who have appeared daring simply becauso their numbers gave them confidence. At the first shot most of them began to glnuce over their shoulders. This is a sure sign of a desire to retreat. Then comes hotter work. Sandy uo longer waits for them to come, but with his revolver in one hand and the .<1 t * ?nU(?l(nM lUlHJlllj; lUICil twill mi? auuui Ilia uvuu, he leaps toward the footpads. This L too much for them?they break and fly with cries of terror, some springing up the street while others go down in the direction of the river. In a marvelously short space of time the street is empty save for one poor fellow, who, shot in the leg, is hopping off as fast as his good leg will carry him. calling on Mohammed to save him from the foreign tigers. In any under city under the sun. such a commotion at dead of night WDuId create an intense excitement. Not so in Cairo. The white walls shut them in, pierced by minute windows that allow little chance of street gazing. Those who hear the sounds o? war are discreet enough to know that it is none of their business, and they will be l etter off away. T ..?L- nnf liuhtml vaii clr"' Sandy, and tlie silver king turns suddenly to cover a creeping figure that has advanced from a darkened archway. whereupon the most piteous jargon is heard, and heboid the suspected assassin turns out to be their torch bearer, who, having witnessed the hot little affair from a place of security, is now crawling back to resume bis interrupted duties. They welcome him gladly, and Sandy relieves ldinsclf of the iiambcau, glad to be rid of it. As there are no more footpads in view to give them battle, they again take up their line of march | for the river, fortunately close at hand. Mr. (irimes has had explicit dlrecI tions from Mr. Tanner how to reach the boat, and a suspicion bus already entered his head that the ambuscade into which.they ran might have hc-eu. arranged by the reis of the sailing craft to relieve his rich employer of .tupcrilnous wealth.- These Arabs and natives are tip to ail manner of tricksI to gain filthy lucre, and old travelers ( become so accustomed to treachery that they are surprised at nothing, and learn to depend upon themselves entirely. lie even mentions the f;-/-t. as it occurs t*> hhn, to ?-:i::dy. who declares there is a strong clement of probability about it. and in the same breath swears that, if the occasion offers, he will sift the matter to the bottom and wring the neck of the wily old reis if I such a course is necessary to extract) the truth. "The river!" calls out their guide in his uative tongue; and the fact arouses the two men to new Interest, as they remember why they have come here. A minute later and they stand upon the edge of the Nile. Just here th<A bank is high, and at this season of the year the water reaches its lowest stage to the south, though at Cairo there la always plenty. Below them they eon see lights upon .numerous vessels, some anchored out in the river, others tied up at the docks. Voices, too. come over the water from the west?men are sinjrin? on some of the coasters that ascend the river from the Mediterranean. All i-~ Krt..te onAM niiAti tliie rrrnof I IK* ??' <11.- ??? ?.|?vn m.?.o p.<v .? sea cr.n bo foun'.l on the lower Nile. Ilere are schooners. brigs. ships, menof-war?the boggnln. felucca, xebec, settee and even a pa tamer from India, while numerous smaller craft and dahabenhs suited to travel on the Nile dot the surface of the river by day, making a scene worth remembering. Our two frlneds can discern nothing of this now since darkness rests like a pall over the water, relieved only by the riding lights and lamps on board the numerous craft. Their attention is directed at once to a point immediately below, where the gleam of several lights proclaims the presence of a boat. As they advance, they make out the clean-cut model of a new dahabeah, and can see the dark-skinned Egyptian sailors squatted on deck forward, while aft. the cabin, painted snowwhite, is easily distinguishable. The boat is tied to a dilapidated '* " 4 *or seme reason. It is also gang-plank leads from the shore on board. Sandy orders the torch-hearer to lead the way. and in order to make sure of the fellow's attendance when IIK'Y U.Mr llt'l'U \JL IIIO cri i two uh.?.U| ucglects to pay him. Thus they trip across the plank and reach the roof of the cabin, where the captain meets them?si man with grizzled beard, white turban and flowing robes. Upon his face Sandy reads a look oi' perplexity and disappointment. and from this moment he knows the truth?that they really owe their adventure to this reis. who. believing millionaire Tanner would come to the boat, arranged to have his pockets tapped while on route. These captains all talk fairly good English, although their hatred for the foreigner seems to be an inherited quality. Outwardly they may npi pear jolly and as meek as lambs, but I Inwardly they are ravenous wolves. I Sandy has a habit of pushing himi self forward: not that lie means to | be rude, but it is a characteristic of his impetuous nature. To Lis credit bo it said, the same thing urges him on in times of danger. Lie is always found in the van. "This boat is the Alice?" he ask? boldly. The captain removes the stem of his long nip,? from his mouth, and gravely nods his head in an affirmative way. "We have come direct from Mr. Tanner, to whom you are engaged for the season." Another solemn nod. "Enable to conio himself, he has sent us to see the man you picked up ou the Nile?a man who was once my friend." The native captain looks at liiui closely, as though mentally liguring just where he should place Sandy. Then he smiles blandly aud holds out his hand. "If his friend, then mine. I have suffered at the hands of El Mahdi, and he who is an enemy to the False Prophet is my brother. Shake!" Sandy complies, anil gives the old reis such a Freemason grip that it wrings a groan from the dark-skinned owner of the daliabeah Alice. "Now lead us to your guest. We are in haste," he says, with an as sumption of authority tnar no oue ventures to dilute; for, despite bis lack of majestic proportions, the war correspondent lias the air of one born I to command. It is not stature tbat I makes a leader like Napoleon. ' Follow, gentlemen," says tlie cap* I tain, with a majestic wave of bis | band. They obey willingly. Tbe door of the cabin is close by. On eiflier side are tbe steps leading to the promenade on tbe roof, over wliicb an awning is stretched, for it is hero tbat the tour* List lives during the day. for the cabin, beginning amidships, extends io tbe stern. When tbe cabin-door is opened they behold a splendid interior. .Money has not been spared in filling out the "ad only a millionaire like Tanner could engage such a lovely craft for tbe season. A lamp is turned low. so tbat something of a dimness rests upon tbe interior, but tbe sharp eyes of Sandy have already discovered the figure of a man upon a divan. ..n?... H core tlio nill 11*111 tM. ^( UllCUiVU, V ?-? rcis. Straight across the luxurious cabin strides the newspaper correspondent direct to the lamp, which, with n turn, he causes to send forth a tiood of light. Then he faces the recumbent figure on the couch; recumbent no longer, for as though the voice of the reis at the cabin-door has broken the chain of slumber which exhaustion iias forged around him, the castaway of the Nile has raised his body with one arm and looks at them in a way that proclaims his bewildrmcnt; tlie bright light dazzles his eyes. too. so that with his other hand lie shade# them. It is n picture?Sandy, standing there, bending eagerly forwan. his eyes glued upon the beardrd face of the other, and actually holding his breath as lie gazes spell-bound. The man who thus half raises himself upon the coueh is worthy of n second look. Ilis figure Is splendidly proportioned, though not above the ordinary .11 point of size. It is the face that must interest an observer most of all?a face that is marked by determination, valot 'and frank fearlessness. This man has seen suffering iu the past; ht show:s it In his eyes, and yet it has not , crushed the spirit that lcndKlhe ex'.plorer to seek new honor and renown wmid the dangers of unknown wilds; pestilential swamps of In the depth! ran African desert. \ I To to ContiOTedJ MANY WERE RAIDED c Another Moral Spasm Attacks City of New York GET EVIDENCE WITH DYNAMITA. District Attorney Jerome Makes a Sensational Raid on Gamblers in , Fashionable Quarter. New York, Special.?District Attor- ! ney Jerome's sensational raids on al- ; leged gaml)ling resorts begun about midnight Sunday night. were continued until 4:30 o'clock Monday morning and numerous small places were raided. The attacks on the latter, however, were almost overlooked in the public interest which centered in the assaults on the mansions occupied by Itichard ; A. Canticld and William Burbridge ! which were entered by mear.s of lad- I ders, axes and sledges. The police alleged that Frank Farrel! is interested in Burbridge's place. Great quantities oi cysuy eviueuce were i ai icu anaj from those places by the police but arrests were few. Up to last night a general impression prevailed that Canrteld'o which is the heart of the fashionable up-town district, only a few doors from Fifth avenue and near two celebrated restaurants, was a 'Gibraltar" which \ could not be taken and a similar be- ; lief prevailed in regard to Burbridge's j place, which was especially protected j by steel doors. This place is in a cross ; street up-town, only half a block from j Fifth avenue and a few steps from a ; celebrated hotel. So great was public interest aroused by the news of the raid on Canfield'a that people flocked to the neighborhood until the intersection of Fifth avenue and Forty-fourth street, the j corner nearest Canfleld's, was blocked , with carriages and people. After Burbridge's the raiders visited Ludlam's ! ( place, otherwise known as the Savor i 1 Club. They got one man there, a col- ; , ! ored subordinate employed about the ! | place. Jerome, Captain Poper, Inspector i Brooks, several assistants to the dis! trict attorneys and numerous detectives , j were busy in Ludlam's place until : after 4 o'clock this morning. They i | i blew open a safe for evidence. ! Earlier in the night the district at ' tornoy made many raids in the down j ; town Italian quarter of alleged disorj derly houses. These were "prellmina- | ries,:' as it were, to the big events, | ! Canrirld's and Burbridge's. I , District Attorney Jerome refused to j | make any statement after his night's I , i work. Captain Lantry, of the East j , Fifty-first street station, in whose pre- ( ! cinct the Canfleld place has been for ( | years, declared to the reporters and , j others assembled that he had never expected to live to see such an event j as the lading of Canfleld's. , The raids were expected in every ' , ; place visited. In Canfleld's the owner ; declared nothing had been "doing" for j weeks. It was much the same in Bur- ! | bridge's and Ludiam's, although Joseph I Jacobs, the Citizens' Union detective, j last night declared he had played in | every place. But that the raids were to be made seemed to have reached the men interested for every place was prepared as if in advance. At Burbridge's they even left the great steel door ajar. They went into the house in the usual way. Canfleld was not arrested. The report to that effect was erroneous. He was held at his house for identification by a detective who claimed to have gambled in the house, but the detective said Clanfield was not the man who had dealt faro for him. Later the detectives said E. W. Bucklln was the man and Bucklin was arrested. He is said to be Canfield's manager. David Bucklin and Sampel J. Smith, who were arrested in the raids, were held in $1,000 for examination. Thomas McGibney, who was arrested at Burbridge's house, was discharged. Fined For Riding on Negro Car. New Orleans, Special.?J. Alius Wets, one of the wealthiest cotton merchants of New Orleans, was fined $25 for vio- | lating the separate car law. He sat on the side reserved for negroes and refused to go to the other compartment, j where there was no empty seat. ] Tennessee's Democratic riajority. Nashville, Tent.., Special.?The official returns In the late election have . been compiled by the Secretary of ( State and show a total vote of 101.14P. ( This is a falling off of over 40 per cent. ] as compared with the vote of 1900 and ? of over 12 per cent, as compt<red with j the preceding official year. The vote is , as follows: Frazier, 98.954; Campbell, ? 59,002; Cheves, 2,103. This is a major- , ity for Fraxier, Democrat, of 37,759. ] Cigarmakers Return to Work. Havana, By Cable.?All possibility c4 another general strike has ended, r.t the cigar makers have voted to return to work and the factories were runniri as usual today. The detachment of artillery from Fort Cabanas, which hat been guarding the public buildings in this eitv since the outbreak of tht strike, was ordered back to barrancks. The police have reported to the authorities that anarchists from Barcelona. Spain, are in Havana and ar^ supposed to have been in collusion with the Socialistic element during tnc I strike. The authirif.ies are conducting an investigation with a view to the ar? rest and deportation of these anarcJ Ma. Iron People Qet Together. Detroit, Special?One of the bigge<| deals ever made in the State of Mich:? gan was consummated in the office ol W. C. McMf^an here today, when 17 of the leading malleable iron concerns in the United States signed an agreement to form & big company with cap"ital from $16,000,000 to $20,000,000. ij Nearly 20 firms, including the RcssMehan Foundry Company, of Chatta nooga, are in the combination. ,v. - \ t . .v THE BAPTIST CONVENTION. Great Gathering of Religious Work ers at Greenville. Greenville. Special.?'The opening session of the Baptist convention was well attended. The devotional exercises were eonducted by J. R. Aiken and the minutes read by Secretary Ervin. wkrin miscellaneous business was taken up by the body. i. L. Gusts lor the committee to nominate members of the board of Trustees of Funnan University and Greenville Female College, submitted the following: L. K. Dorn. C. K. Henderson. D. W. Key, J. J. Lawton and Biooks Rutledge. Col. Jas. A. Hoyt moved that a committee of three be appointed to draft suitable revolutions on the death of Rev. I. T. Tiehonor. The following committee was appointed: Col. .Ins. A. Hoyt. Rev. T. M. Bailey. I). I)., and Rev. Mike McGoe. Rev. vV. W. I.awton. mi.ssio:ia:y to China, was recegmzed by the (hair and welcomed ton icat in conventijn. The report on ministerial education was made by J. Ha: lwell Kdwaids and was spoken to by C. Z. Hurts. The speaker pleaded for more money for Lhis work and more interest in it. The fathers loved and worked for it and so must we. Do not -expect ministerial students to pay back what has been given them. They go out to work for small salaries. Other speeches wese made by L. C. Hinton, R. T. Marsh. L. C. Ezell, W. J. Langston and A. J. S. Thomas. On motion of J. W. Blanton the matter of ministerial students sup plying churches while in the university was left with the board of ministerial ' education. . 1 Or. T. P. Bell, editor of The Georgia Index, A. M. Croxtou. Miss Jones and \ Miss Baker. missionaries in South Carolina, were welcomed by the chair. A. C. Wilkins read the report on the report of the State missionary board. This recommends $20,000 for State mis- ' sionary work; more female mission aries for work in the mill districts; that a State evangelist be appointed, If the board thinks best. Speeches were made by A. C. Wilkins and H. A. Bagley. On State missions. Dr. Bagby said, it was good for the improvement of citizenship, thus purifying politics. People with religion do not buy and Bell votes. Rev. E. M. Llghtfoot also made a fine speech to the report. He was followed by Rev. Vernon 1'Anson, missionary in the mill town of Columbia, 1 a district c' 10,000 population. He spoke in highest terms of the earnest work being done by the female missionaries. Misses Jones and Baker. Jesus, he said, is again sending messages to Hie disciples through the women to arouse them to the work and the faith. He plead for a school for the training of female workers. This speech was followed by a spontaneous hearty offering of $105.25 for the building cf the Southeside church, of which Mr. 1'Anson is pastor. The delegation just got up and carried their offerings to the front like the colored people do. $37.00 was pledged. Dr. Bailey, the veteran State mission secretary, exm-essed ereat Dleas ure at the fine speeches made to the report and asked the pastors who are going to work for $20,000 for this work next year to stand. They were hearty in their response. On motion of R. W. Lyde to amend one of the commendations, striking out fhe words "missionary evangelist" and inserting instead "Sunday school evangelist," speeches were made by R. W. tide, V. I. Masters, F. C. Hickson, E. r. Atkinson and R. W. Sanders. On motion of F. C. Hickson this matte- was placed in the hands of the committee on order of business, to be brought up later. On motion of J. D. Chapman the report of Young People's work was appointed to come up tonight. On motion of L. C. Ezell. Dr. Lee Davis Lodge of Limestone college, and Rev. H. Hatcher of the American Bap:ist Publication society, will be assigned an hour to address the convention. J. B. Parrotte submitted the followng which was adopted: Trustees of Donnie Maxwell orphanage;?- A. G. ifoungblood, J. J. Waters. D. W. Key. 3. H. Burton. Orlando Shepherd and ( D. A. Williams. G. W. Gardner for the committee to loiuinate board of ministerial educa :ion submitted the following, and it ivas adopted: W. J. Langston, Wm. 31odsmith, Jr.. H. T. Cook. F. N. K. 1 Bailey. L. M. Rice. F. M. Satterwhite. ' 1 E. Burts. J. E. Covington. F. P. j Covington, J. A. Brown, Simoon Hyde tnd J. B. Parrotte. Gold Standard for fUxlco. Mexico City. Special.?It is again reported that a powerful New York synlicate is disposed to fjrnish the gov-' ?rnment with sufficient gold to estabish firmly a gold standard here. The sum named is $50,000,00. Some local nankers think half of that amount Bvould be ample. There is a strong sentiment in favor of retaining the silver dollars, although giving them a normal value. A Dangerous Plaything. Woodruff, Special.?One year ago Mr. J. P. Roach of Cashville. whilo carrvine the mail from Woodruff to Cashville found a railroad torpedo. Mr. Roach carried the torpedo home, not knowing what he had found, gave it to his children. His children have been playing with the explosive for about a year. Thursday through curiosity. three little girls, aged 8. 6 and 3. respectively, determined to examine the contents. They carried it to a stone and hammered it causing an explosion, killing the^.oldest and injuring the other twe Neglectful of Duty. The Attorney General finds his annual report further delayed by the failure of a number of the county clerks of court to send in their reports of criminal statistics of their respective counties as required by law. He says if they are not sent in immediately he proposes to omit them and send the report to the printer explaining therein to the general assembly that the omission is caused by the clerks' failure to comply with the law. '' . - m =======? .. RURAL FREE DELIVERY, Satisfactory Progress Has Been Had# in South Carolina. Columbia, Special.?Congressman AF. Lever of this district spent a portion' of Sunday in the city on his way to Washington to be cn hand when congress reconvenes. While here be talked most interestingly about the growtn and development of the rural delivery system, having speut considerable time in getting routes established in bis district. Mr. Lever said: "Only a few years ago rural delivery was regarded as a most questionable kind of an experiment in the development of our postal system. While It was admitted that it was a most excellent thing for England and the thickly inhabited countries of Europe, where it had been in successful operation for many \ears, its application to our conditions get. with little encouragement from the postal authorities in Washington, and the meagre appropriations made by a skept.cal congress were allowed to go unused by the department, and It is in very recent years that there has been given it anything like genuine tal authorities. But its maivelous tal a uthorities. But its marvelous ernwth anri nrmnlarlfv are' ahnwn In the fact that congress in last six or eight years has gradually increased ths appropriation for purposes of its extension from $10,000 to $7,500,000 in last Bession, and this year Supt. Machen, who all along has been its friend, will ask for something like $12,000,000, and there is not shadow of a doubt that there will be any trouble in inducing congress to give all that is deemed necessary by the department. "It is estimated that it will take In the neighborhood of $24,000,000 to extend the system to the doors of all the farmers in both thickly and sparsely settled communities; but when it is recalled that we annually appropriate over $17,000,000 for supplying about 800 cities with free delivery, there will hardly be any objection to even so large an appropriation which goes direct to the benefit of the' farmers, who have so long endured the antiquated methods of the star route and fourth class office. No one can appreciate the great Improvement a rural delivery is over the old system until both have been tried. I live on a rural route myself, and yet my morning paper reaches me by the time the paper is being read by the people in Columbia, where it is printed. I used to walk several miles for my mail, and then could get it only at noon. This is the experience of every one served by the system and it is the reason for its universal popularity with those to whom it has been given." "Is there any complaint against th6 system?" "None whatever, except from these whom we have not been able to reach as yet, and a few fourth class postmasters, whose offices have been discontinued upon the inauguration of the system. The demand for It is general, and the impatience of the people not receiving it makes the Ufe of a congressman trying his beet to get it for all his people a burden. We can't get it fast enough for those petitioning, because the hitherto limited And* of the department have been insufficient, and a rule of prorating among the districts has been adopted, and each district must, to some extent, await its turn. "Another drawback I find in my district is its lack of good roads and bridges. Good roads with streams bridged make one of the conditions precedent to the establishment of a route; and of course there must be in a circular of not over 25 miles not less than 75 white mail getting families, and these are semewhat hard to find in sparsely settled communities.'Thesa requirements serve to retard the de*. velopment of the system with us, and especially in our district, but my judgment is, in the course of a few years, as congress becomes more liberal in its appropriations for :his purpose, shorter routes with a less number of people on them will be accepted and all the people served. This is the end to which all an me ineuua vi rural aeuvery are working, and I confidently expect, in the next decade, to see nine-tenths of the farmers of my district receiving Lheir mail practically at their doors. We are rapidly approaching that, as can be 3een from the statement that six years ago the first route in the district was put into operation, while now, beginning on the first of December, there will be in active operation about 45, serving on an average 75 white families to the route; and yet there are many petitions still awaiting the consideration of the department. "We are rapidly coming to a general rural delivery system, but we can't get there in a day or a year. We must mix patience with systematic effort, and work on." The State's Finances. Almost every year in order to tide over the period when taxes are not coming in the State in thhrdlu dludlu coming in the State of South Carolina has to borrow money from the banks for running expenses. Sometimes the amount is large and sometimes it is small. This year the amount borrowed happens to be unusually large?$300,000. And unless the county treasurers send in tax money rapidly in the next thirty days the treasurer may have to arrange with the banxs for further advances In order to meet the January interest on the State debt. This interest amounts to something like $175,000. Big Railway Charter. Guthrie, O. T., Special.?A charter .* was granted here to the Enid, San_. . Diego & Pacific Railroad Company, to build a line 1,000 miles long from Enid. Oklahoma, to San Diego, Cal. The incorporators are Oklahoma capitalists, who are at present back of the 'Frisco Extension, now building between Enid aniS Guthrie. The capital stock of thw new company is ?****\ at $30,000,000,