Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TBK SUMTER WATCHMAN, K?tabli?hed April, 1850. Consolidated Ans:. 2, 1881.1 kBe Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's. THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established June, 186?, SUMTER, S. 0., TUESDAY, NOVEMBER ll, 1884. New Series-Vol. IV. No. 15. s< Sei PttMiakedewxy Tuesday, --BY TSS Wt?&maM. and Sot?kron Publisliing Company, SUMTER, S. C. '* TE HMS : f ; Two Dollars per annum-m advance. .. O * K R T I S ?M K N TS . On? Square, first insertion.$1 00 Kverj- sobsequent insertion. 50 .; Contracts ipr three months?, W longer will ?^^3*0? at reduced rates.. All communications which subserve private .interests will be charged for as advertisements. Ob?taaries'acd tributes of respect will be ^-;%3nn??jpd For. . ^ ' Sarrage notices and notices of deaths pub '?.Jfcliedfree. ; ^-Fe* job "work or contracts for advertising 1 -address Watchman and Southron, or apply at ?Se'?ffie*,to N. G. OSTERN, - - Business Manager. ET ?80BBAM} POWDER T0-DAT? Brtnds adr?ti>ed ?s absolutely pure OQBVVAXN' AMMONIA. THC TESTS PlwumttopdoTm on a bot store until heated, then fjMJuim ?ml ?mell. A chemist will nos he r*? ; tbeprweace ot CONTAIN AMMONIA. QUESTIONED. i foe a qcarter of a century lt hu* MOf rsHable twt. lr - IS TEST 6F THE OVBi. ?WCE BAKING POWDER CO., WITT?* Q9 Prto's lapofm Yeast Oems *fcCjUjkt, Healthy Bre^l. Th? Best I>ry H jp Yeajtln tho W?rKL" TOm ?ALE BY CRQCERS. HEALTHY BREAD Tba feet dry hop yeast ia the w?rid. Bread vabed tey tte yeast is tight, whito and whole i&aoor qraocftnotaer's delicious bread GROCERS SELL THEM. . mtPtXBO BY TM? > Price Baking Powder Co., Cn* ugo, m._ St. Louts, Wo. K?C3?TErt?D. " ?iii BE SB IMA A KEW. TREATMENT Por Consum? iou. Asthma. Bronchitis. Dyspepsia, CcUarrJt. Headache, Deiili toj. Rheumatism,- Neuralgia, and ail Chronic and Nervous Disorders. A CARD. m J ?' We,-the nndersigned. having received great a?d permanent benefit from ihe use of "COM OXYGEN," prepared aud adminis? tered tr DM- STABKKY & PALES, of Philadel? phia, and being satisfied that it is a new dis? covery in medical science, and aii thar is claimed for ti, ronsuier ita duty which we owe to the many thoosa'nds who are suffering from chronic and so-called "inrurable" dis? eases, to do all that we eau to make its virtues known and to inspire the public wi: h co titi dence. We have personal knowledge of Drs. Star key ? Palen. They are educated, intelligent, and conscientious ?physicians, who will not, we are sure, make ?ny statement, which they do sot know or believe to be true, nor pub tab any testimonials or reports of cases which axe not-genflioe. WM. D. KELLY, Member of Congre** from Philadelphia. T. S. ARTHER", Editor and Publisher "Arthur's Rome ' Magazine,1' Philadelphia. V. h. CONRAD Editor of "Lutheran Observer,'' Philadelphia. PHILADELPHIA, PA , J?SF. 1, 1882. Tn order to meet a natural inquiry in re? gard to-our professional and personal stand? ?og, and to give increased confidence in our i tat?mente and in the ?en u? ness of our testi? monials and reports of cases, we print the above card from gentlemen well and widely known and of the highest personal character. Our uTreatiseon Compound Oxygen,'1 con? taining a history of the discovery of and mode of action of this remarkable curative agent, and a large record of surprising cures in Consomption, Catarrh, Neuralgin, lironchi tis, Asthma, etc , and a wide range of Chron e diseases, will be sent free. . Address Drs. STARKEY* PALEN. 1109 A HU Girard Street, Philadelpnii., Pa. A DESIRABLE RESIDENCE AWELL SITUATED FARM of one hun? dred ?nd ten acres, about sixty cleared, situated one mile from Sumter C. H., S. C. A' beautiful grove of live oaks around the dwelling1, with weil and fine spring of water. Term*accommodating. Apply to Joly 15 A. WHITE. Agent. FRESH ARRIVAL -OF SCHOOL BOOKS. For all Schools in the County, Teachers and Parents will do well to get my prices before purchasing. SLATES, COPY BOOKS, CRAYONS, Book Straps and B?gs, Paper, Pens, Pencils, J uk, &c. Patents will please send their children to J. A. SCHWERIN, Lire Book Store, opposite Court House. FRUITS, CONFECTIONERY, Ac, in Oct 7-3 I FIBS! CUSS JOB VOSK AT BOTTOM PRICES Iirciiii th sacrHfiON m mm. LET IT PASS! Be not swift to take offence ; Let rt pass ! Anger is a foe to sense ; Let it pass! Brood not darkly o'er a wrong Which wi?! disappear ere long ; Rather sing this cherry song Let it pass! Let it pass ! Strife corrodes the pnre3t mind ; Let it pass 1 As the unregarded wind, Let it pass ! Any vulgar souls that life May condemn without reprieve : 'Tis the noble who forgive. Let it pass ! Let it pass I Echo not an angry word ! Let it pass ! Think how often joe have erred ; Let it pass I Since our joys must pass away, Like the dew drops on the spray, Wherefore should our sorrows stay ? Let it pass 1 Let it pass ! If for good you've taken ill, Let it pass 1 Oh ! be kind and gentle still ! Let it pass ! Time at last makes all things straight, Let us not resent, but wai?, And our triumph shall be great ; Let it pass ! Let it pass ! Bid your anger to depart, Let it pass ! Lay these homely words to heart, "Let it pass !" Follow not the giddy throng, Better to be wronged than wrong, Therefore sing the cherry soug Let it pass.! Let it pass ! Grace Lntrarne's Secret. A STORY OF TWO CHRISTMAS DAYS? CHAP7S.R SECOND-CONTINUED. Love misplaced, and affection slight? ed are sometim?s pleaded as excuses for deeds of passionate. revenge; but, though the plea is a bad one, Grace Lil burne could not shield herself behind even that flimsy pretext. It is true that si ie eovetr-d the ad? miration and devotion ot Koland Ayre; but this was rather:because it was giVen to Kate titan because she set any very great store upon it for-itself. Indeed she was incapable of the strone, passionate self-denying devo? tion that is a quality of even the most selfish love, and tims, though she would gladly enough have committed any crime to win her sisters lover, she would very readily, accent a substitute if she failed. Therefore, it was not solely on ac .couAW of* Roland Ayre that she now gave herself u|> heart and soul to work vevJL ferrite* vy ot Kate's beauty, of her * weilMi^nti even of her virtues made tSSs wicked creature determine upon her half^ister's destruction. But how was it to be accomplished? It is easy to wish an enemy dead, and only a little more dif?eult to some na? tures to resolve to make the wish a reality, if an opportunity to do so can be found; but it is not always easy to make the opportunity and to carry out the vile intention in sucha mann rthat no suspicion shall attach itself to the perpetrator. k*Siie shall die," hissed Grace, as she clenched lier little hands till her nails dug themselves into the pink palms; "yes, she shall die this very night, even if I risk ruy own life by putting an end to hers. But how-how am I to do it?" She bent lier head in morbid anxious thouglit, and she wandered about the deserted passages and corridors of the ancient portion of the castle, as though she expected that the ghosts of som:i of her d&f? ancestors, who had bjen no? torious for their evil deeds, would come to tell her how to accomplish, her mur? derous design. In her resUc-ssness she wandered np to the top chamber in the old tower, and listened io the howling of the wind and peered through the narrow window into the darkness beyond. A river run near the base of this tow? er-a deep silent river, that would not readily betray her if she gave it a vic? tim; bat how could K be consigned to the dark water in sucha manner that help would not be fortticomni::? Sae mused on tills schema so long that she at last bethought her of a way in which to entrap Kate down to the river-side. If Kate received a note purporting to come from Frank Fa:r&?.d. the son of her foster-mother, and whes.* road in? fatuation for her sister had b :n:s.ied him from the castle. Kite might Per? haps yield to the appeal ami go out to meet him, and then uutbr co vat of the dark night the rest would be easy. - But would Kate keep tiie appoint? ment, or would she not be more likely to hand the note to her father and ask him to deal -villi the imprudent writer? Here was the difficulty. Grace knew that she would herself be an easy dupe for such a plot, but Kate was so uncomfortably straightforward, and had such a high appreciation of what was due to her own honor and dignity, that she might regard the most impassioned appeal as an insult, and res.mt it accordingly. And then again, Frank would not dare to ask Kate to meet him, and she would know this, and for this reason, if for no other, would not go to the rendez? vous. "Next to Kate I detest him," Once muttered vind:ctive!y: "but there has been no love lost between us all our lives; he was the terror of my childhood, and yet,for all that, I played him some clever tricks, and often got him punish? ed when he would otherwise have es I caped. Ah, that reminds me; in this very tower is the secret well that he threatened to throw me into; it will an? swer my present purpose if I can once g?t Kate to its eug**. Th*at wiil be a grand revenge indeed upon both of them." She laughed a low wicked laugh, and the wild wind, as though iii. sympathy, shrieked among the branch?s of the leafless trees that partially surrounded the mansion. But Grace heeded not the sound; she had given up her whole mind to work evil, and the moans by which to accom? plish her foul purpose were near at hand. "I must and will get her here this very night," she muttered; "but how is it to be done? Ah. ? have it. I ll pro? pose a game of hide-and-seek, and it shall go hard with me if I don't make Kate hide in a place where Roland Ayre will never find h^-r. We'll have a mod? ern edition of 'The Misletoe Bough.' " Then she began to sing in a mocking tone: ** An?l yo:; n?- Lovel ci-ied : 'Oh where doet thou birlo? 3 am lonesome without thee, My own o'eur bride.' " She finished the song, the singing of which seemed to give her much satis? faction, though she had not a single listener, and when all her arrangements were mads she went back to the hall; but it was some time at ter wa rds before the happy lovers rejoined the guests. "I wish you would trv to put a little spirit into the people, Katn," said Mr. Liiburne to his eldest daughter as she and Roland reentered the nail; "every? thing seems to flag, and the musicians are half asleep." "Poor fellows, they are tired, and hungry too, I have no doubt," here in? terposed Grace with more consideration than she bad ever shown before. 4,Let them go into the kitchen, papa, and join in the fun the servants are ha^ -we can-amuse ourselves/' / "But how?" asked Mr. Liiburne d ouslv. '.We'll have some Christmas gar We will get up some charades, or h forfeits, or play a game at hide-E seek. That would be the best 1 wouldn't it?" she added, appealing Boland. "Itwould bsa change/' he rep indifferently, "and I dare say pee are tired of dancing. Some are go j too." ? " Yes, but we must have one romp I fore we break up. Let the band their supper, papa, and we will hav game of hide-and-seek. When tl come back we can dance Sir Roger Coverley, and then say gooA-night." "Very well," assented her father. So the tired musicians were taken to the servants'-hall to be feasted, i Grace, who seemed to have develo] I an unusual amount of animation, dared they would have some prime f Her excitement was infectious, t several girls went off with her to hi and they were all found sooner or lal whiie the boughs gf mistletoe that w hung so profusely'about the castle fered an excuse for kisses that wo never have been ventured upon in 1 presence of a chaperon, let the exci j be ever so valid. j This romp had been going on i some little time, but Kate Lad taken j part in it. I There had been plenty ot giris w ! ing enough to hide, and* others eagei find them, so that she had escaped; 1 Grace at length would take no refus "Come. Kate," said her sister in a 1 i disagreeable tone, "it seems as thou you were too prudish to join us, a you. needn't be afraid; Roland is si to find you. I'm sure you two hi been spooning there long enough for the world te* know what it means." Kate made no reply, but she rose her feet, gave one smiling glance to I land, theil turned and followed her ? j ter. * ! '* Where shall we hide?" she asked i differently. r "Oh, I know a splendid place-v" "fl i the reply; "we will hide in the w . turret. You shall have the little cha ber leading out of this room," she sa throwing open a door at the top of t stairs, "and I'il shut myself up in t one above you." "But it is dark, and it is cold," o jected Kate with a shiver, as they ero: ed the room towards the little tun chamber which opened out of it. "Nonsense! you won't be here fi minutes, and the corridor is light* Go in quickly; I think I hear them co ing." So saying, she pushed her half-i luctaiit'sister through the narrow do< then closed it upon her with a sile spring. She did not go into the room abo^ however, but she stood pale and motic less, listening for the faintest cry. Xone came; and at length, unable bear the suspense any longer, she ca tiously reopened the door, and pi nounced her sister's name. No answer was returned, but a bia of cold dank air seemed to rush up frc far below, and to strike to her ve heart with its icy breath. Grace Lilburne was not surprise though she had only been th?re one j many years ago. In her childhood si ! had been shown the chasm at her fee ! and had been threatened by Frank Fai ! field, the son of Kate's f oster-moth< j that if she listened at doors and to j tales about him again, he would thro her down here, and she would never 1 heard of azain. The threat had been efficacious, ai the horror of it lingered long in h I memory, and she remembered as thou? j it had happened yesterday h nv terriih j she had been at seeing wiiat looked lil j the solid t?oor glide noiselessly aw; : when he touched a spring, leaving u j covered a dark and terribie chasm th; I seemed to have no bottom. While Roland had been telling Ka he loved her, and after she had mac up her mind to kill her sister, Grace hy taken a lamp, and with no slight dill culty had pressed the long" disuse spring willi sufficient force to make tl i false lioor slide out of its place, reven ing the foul dark chasm below, whic i had once been such a source of tern ! to her childish imagination. j She ? iud left the lloor of the turre t chamber open, though she had earefu?l j closed the door-hue now, when tl: j murderous work was done, she dare j not bring a light, neither dared si: I leave the place * uncovered, and she fe j cautiously about for the spring, and ? ! some peril to herself, since "she Wi j working in the dark, she niauaged t 1 lind it, and the floor slowly moved bac I into its place willi a grating noise, clo? ins with a sharp sn;:p. Terrified lest "she should be d?tecter and confident that the search had al ready be^un, Grace almost fl?w tc tin room above, and there stood pale ant well-nigh spell-bound with horror a the foul deed which she had so deliber ately planned and so completely accom ? plished. But she knew she must not give wa) to ber fears in the presence of othe? j people, or she would soon betray her/ j self, for au awful time of anxiety ano j dread was still before her. ? lt was witli an intense feeling of re i lief that she heard the door open ant j saw a man's form in the doorway, foi j the passages, as I have said, were al : dimly lighted, though small out-of-the i way rooms, like those, in which the tur I ret chambers were, were left in dark j ness. j "Oh, I am glad you have found me,'1 j she said, coming forward; "I seem tc ! have been here such a long time, and J j am so cold." j **it was very foolish to hide in such a I part of the castle as this,'1 said Roland j severely. "Where is Kite?" j "I don't know where Kate is," was ! the petulant retort; "I supnose she was 1 wiser than I and hid herself where she i cou?d be more easily found; but I shall ! go back to the others. I dare say Kate j has already been found." j "Probably she has," returned the anx ! ions lover. j Then he walked back to the great I hail by the side of Grace, but as they ' passed under alight he exclaimed in j surprise, as he looked at his companion: : " what have you rovie to your dress? i The front of it is dim..st black." Grace uttered a little cry of alarm, then recovering herself, she said: I ' k*How careless of me! I forgot the i wails would be thick with dust, and I pulled myself up to the window to see ; if it was "still snowing. Excuso me a I few minutes, I dare say my maid can . wipe it off." So saving, she hurriedly left him, but no maid could wipe off tne mark from her white satin dress any more titan the stain of the crime she had committed could be wiped from her false heart, j She covered over thc soots on her ; dress with some Howers ana lace, which . ?he hastily pinned in their places; then ; she washed her hands, mid went back ? to join her father's guests, i Many ot' these were gone, others were i departing, and Roland Ayre's often-re : pealed question: "lias" Kate been j found?" though answered willi a vague j "I don't know," did not excite the in I terest or anxiety that it would have i don?'* at any other moment. : When all Hie visitors who were not ! going to remain for the night had driven . away. Mr. Lilburne's annoyance at the ; disappearance of his eldest daughter j gav? placo te alarm, and ho summoned ; the servants and organized a search throughout the castle." But though they ransacked the man : sion from garret to basement, and ex? amined every nook and coiner, Kate I Lil burne was not to be found. ' Grace was questioned again and j again, but she stuck to the s:orv she ] j had at first volunteered, and declared I I that Kate had parted willi her before ! I she ascended lite staircase which led to ! the turret-chambers, in one of which she was herself found by Roland Ayre. ! '.Can she have hidden away in some 1 old oak chest?" suggested one romantic spinster doubtfully. But Mr. Lilburne retorted disdain? fully: "We have no such old oak chests, nor any secret rooms in this house, madam; all that kind of thing was destroyed when the castle was rebuilt by my father." "It was not altogether rebuilt," sug? gested the old lady timidly. "No, but there was nothing myster? ious about what was left," was the im? patient reply. "The old baronial hall, and that part of the original building nearest the river, were spared, and there is nothing mysterious about them. I used when a' boy to wish that there was." "Still, Kate must be somewhere," ex? claimed Roland anxiously; "she would never have gone out of the house on such a night'as Ibis, for the snow is fall? ing heavilv, and, wherever she is, I am convinced*that she has met with foul play at the hands of some one." " What can you mean?" demanded Mr. Lilburne. "Who is there who could wish to injure ray child? She never had an enemy in tue world." Roland Ayre shook his head, and his eyes unconsciously rested upon Grace. ' Do you think Kate has eloped?" she asked nervously. "Eloped! With whom should she elope?" demanded Roland hotly; "only this evening, she promised to be my wife." "I-I didn't know," faltered Grace; "there was Frank Fairfield, whom papa had to send away from tlie neighbor? hood; I thought "he might have come back again, and-" "Ami what?'" demanded her father sternly. "And persuaded Kate to go away with him," was the seemingly reluctant answer. "Then never make such a suggestion again,." thundered Mr. Lilburne; "Kate "had mere consideration for herself and for me than to have taken such a step. Go to youi-own room. If you had not persisted t in playing that ridiculous gamerlhis misfortune could never have happened; go to vour room, I say." The girl obeyed, and the other ladies of the party quickly followed her ex? ample. "Now what is to be done?" asked Ro? land blankly, when he and Mr. Lilburne with two gentlemen and three or four servants were left together. "I don't know," was the despairing reply; "we will go through the house once more if you like, but I have very little hope of finding her before day? light. If something very serious had not happened to her she would have an? swered when we called her. I don't know what to do, I feel perfectly stun? ned and bewildered." And he pressed his hand to his throb? bing brow; the anxiety of the last hour se?ined to have aged him many years. "You stay here and rest." said Ro? land; "or ?0 to bed if you think you can sleep, while I with some of the servants will search through the castle again." And they did so. But this second search was as fruit? less as the first- had been, and all through that night the snow fell with a soft rustling sound, and when the pale grey morning dawned the cold misty light fell upon faces haggard and worn with anxiety, while outside the castle the ground was covered with snow to the depth of several inches. When daylight came the father and lover searched every crevice in the great building once again; and they called Kate by name, and entreated her to answer, but the only response was the echo of their own voices, and at length the two men utterly broke down under the grief that overwhelmed them. CHAPTER m. What a state is guilt When everything alarms lt. Grief and dismay at the mysterious disappearance of Kate Lilburne were not confined to her father and lover, for the servants were almost as much moved by the loss of the fair girl, as were the members of her own family. After the first shock, however, it was strange to observe how people shook their heads and hinted vaguely that Miss Grace might know more about her sister's fate than she chose to tell. IndeejL-Grace-never ?tiew how ciose ' ly she was watched at this time, nor hov; keenly her every word and action was weighed and speculated upon. But nothing could in this way be dis? covered; her remorse and fear found vent in tears and lamentations which were attributed to grief, and became so excessive that a doctor was called in to try to calm her. Remembering the hints which Grace had thrown out about Frank Fairfield, Roland began to question her about the young man, and she answered readily enough until a sudden thought occur? red tb her, when in a moment she be? came pale'and began to tremble. "What is the matter with you now?" he asked. "Nothing," she replied-"nothing; it just came to my mind that Frank could not have taken Kate away, because last year he went to South America." "What is the young man?" question? ed Roland. "A civil engineer." "Your father paid for his education, I suppose?" "Yes; his mother took care of Kate, and nursed lier when her mother died, and sha was always very fond of Mrs. Fairfield, and of frank too." "Where does this Mrs. Fairfield live?" he next asked. "I don't kuow; she went away from here. Perhaps she is cone to South America to her son. I am sony now I suggested that Frank had taken Kate away, becau.se I see it is impossible." " Why impossible? lie may have re? turned."" "Oh no; not at all like ly. Poor Kate! I wonder if she ewr will be found." She made matters worse now by her fe verishly anxious endeavors to con? vince her companion that the young man could not have had anything to do with Kate's disappearance; but her arguments on this point only confirmed Roland in his determination to find the young engineer. When, however, he appealed to Mr. Lilburne for further particulars respect? ing Fairfield he received no encourage? ment to seek the young man. "Ile never harmed Kate," he said sadly, as he shook his head. "Ile would have given his life to spare her a mo? ment's pain. He is a noble young fel? low, and when he gave me his" word that he would neve r speak of love again to Kate I believed him. as I should be? lieve you. Roland. Ile has kept his word, depend upon it. I would as soon doubt myself as doubt him." "And yet Kate must have met with foul play,'' said Roland gloomily. "Any mere accident would have been dis? covered before now.'' But Mr. Lilburne shook his head as he replied: "I don't know. It's a myst? ery-an awful mystery. My poor child -my poor child! A few days after Christmas a thaw set in, and the river was dragged, and the castle and grounds were searched once more, but again in vain, and then Roland Ayrebade adieu to the sorrow? ful old man and his tearful daughter. "You will come again soon. Roland, and tell us if you have discovered any? thing?"' Grace, had pleaded plaintively as he was going awav. But lie replied coldly: "I shall never enter Silverton Castle again, unless I bring Kate with me, or come to meet her." And turning to Mr. Lilburne, he add? ed: "I shall take you at your word." "Heaven grant you mav be able to do so," was the answer. Then they clasp? ed hands and parted. Gnie questioned her father as to what Roland meant. But she received no SeVdsfactory reply. uays and weeks rolled on. The m? tery was a mystery still, and Grace I gan to talk of putting on mourning 1 the sister who must be dead. When she spoke of it to her fatlu however, he sternly forbade any th i: of the kind to be done. Why should you suppose Kate to dead?"1" he demanded sngrily. "I doi believe she is dead. I believe that s is alive, and that I shall see and cia her in my anns before I die." Grace trembled with fear. JKatealn Kate in her dungeon, bruised, bleedin and starving! .No, it could not b Death must have ended her su ff erin ere now, and the dead girl could u come back to tell the piteous tale treachery and cruelty of which she h; been the victim. Other people looked forward to t. possibility of Kate's return to her fat er's house, and many were the specu! tions as to what would happen if s! did come buck. But Grace quiet smiled at all anticipations. She knew that they would never 1 realised. She knew, past all doubtin that Kate was dead, and that thereio there was no "if"in the matter, and s! secretly but exultingly declared herse to be her fathers sole heiress. Hitherto Kate had been first, whi she in all thiners had been second. II father's property would at his (lea have been dividend equally between h j two daughters, but the title, as the were two of them, would naturally ha5 ! fallen in abeyance, j She sighed as she remembered si I could not forthwith take possession < I Kate's fortune, buff one cannot get z one desires in this world, and she b ? gan to wonder how long it would be b ? fore lter father's life would come to ? ! end. And throughout all this she looked ? ; innocent, so pretty, and so chila-lil i with her golden curls, her sweet bli ! eyes, and rosebud of a mouth, that seemed impossible to suspect her < anything more serious than careles Bess or folly. So those who judged only by appea: anees pitied her because of the sadnei of her lot, and others lik^.d hernone th less for the fact that, she was now ! grr-at heiress. Boland Ayre, true to his word, nev? j came near Silverton Castle, and the Li ? burnes received nc message from hiu j but Victor Gayherd, a cousin of bi: came frequently, and so also did Alge: non Colebrook. But Grace never felt quite at ease i the uresence of'the latter. Algerno wou?d sit or stand, and calmly au steadfastly look at her as though sh were a curious study; and when on OB occasion she was rendered sufficient! i irritable and uncomfortable to raab \ her ask sharply what made him do s< ! he replied with a bow; ".My profoun ! admiration." j Dut his admiration did not lead hil ! to transgress in like manner again, an soon alter this he ceased to call at Si! j verton Castle. Victor came pretty frequently, how j ever. He was handsome, light-heartcc and uncomfortably poor, and it wa above all things necessary that h should find a rich wife. He made no secret of his positior but treated all the accidents that befe) him in life in a happy-go-lucky fashior taking nothing very seriously or ver much to heart. Personally he was very like his cous in. Roland, and in other respects wa far too good for treacherous Grace Lil i burne. j For a time Grace k^pt him from pro posing, hoping that Roland would tir of his"fruitless search, and would re turn to her, for she felt that he kne-? that she loved him. But Roland never came nor showe< the least sign of coming, no news o him reached the casile, and Grace phil osophically carne to the conclusion tha she. inight as weil take what she couh get, since she could not obtain what sh? wanted. So one day Victor Gayherd propos?e and was accepted, and Grace sent hin I off to her father to obtain his consent So far she was safe, and if she couh get away for a time and forget lie; crime she thought that all would b< well. When Victor returned, however, tin expression of his countenance quickly told her Cf tuc ^vrr-SUCtiCCa oi ins mi:; sion. j "I don't think your governor is quit? I right." the young man remarked as hf took a seat by her side; "he seems a lit ! tie bit touched." and he tapped his owl ! forehead significantly, j "Why, what did lie say?" asked Grac? 1 breathlessly. ? "He said* a good many things. II* i seems to believe that your sister is alive though he has not seen her nor hearc from"her. and he says thar until he has received proof of her death beyond ali doubt, that lit will only give you thc portion you wou'.d have baa before she was lost."' "That is provoking, but it won't mat? ter in the Jong run," returned Grace heartlessly; "he curt live for ever, and then all lie has must b.' mine." '.Unless your sister is alive," replied Victor slowly. "Oh. she's dead safe enough." was the callous answer; "you needn't trou? ble about her." "You speak as though you had seen her die," ne exclaimed with sudden sus? picion. "Well, I didn't see her die." she re I torted defiantly, as she contracted her j brows and clenched her teeth; "but I ? haven't the least doubt she is dead. If she were not, do you think she would j stay away from everything that can make life enjoyable? Xo, ?lie is- dead enough, and Silverton must one day be mine. But what else did papa say?" He did not refuse his consent to our mar? riage, did he?" "!N'o; but he refuses to allow it to take place until after neyt Christmas Day, and now it is June. Imagine our having six momhs to wait!" "Yes. and I hate Christmas," ex? claimed Grace passionately. "Wewon't wait; Victor. If papa won't give His consent we will be married without it." Victor Gayherd shrugged his shoul? ders and made a rueful face before he leplied: "I admire your courage, Grace, and should applaud it, if it were not for the pitiful condition of my own finances, ?mt your father has foreseen the possi? bility of our dispensing with his permis? ti?n, and has told me that if we many without it he will not give you one six? pence while he lives." "If my estates vere not mortgaged for almost their value, or if you had a fortune from your mother, as your sis? ter had, we might afford to do as we please, but now it is impossible." Grace threw herself upon a couch, and wept, and declared that he didn't j love lier, and she sobbed and cried, and altogether made herself exceedingly j ridiculous; but Victor, was not su?i j ciently infatuated to be imprudent, and \ as her father happened to come in just j as this scene was at its bright, Miss Grace was ordered off to her own room, and desired to remain thereuntil she had regained her s T?S:.-S. Then Mr. Lilbuib:; talked quietly but kindly with the venns m in. and it was agreetl between "them that j if nothing unforeseen occurred in the interval, the marriage should take place immediate? ly alter Christmas Day. When Miss Lflbume heard of the ar? rangement, and lound that she could not have her own way, she r.-signed her? self to the tyranny of' circumstances with the best grace she could assume. The rest of this terrible year must be lived out at Silverton Castle, for Mr. ; Lilbnrne, with the morbid expectation I of his eldest daughter's return, would ! not go to London or Scotland, or to any of the pla? es on the Continent that it i was almost his yearly custom to visit. Here at the castle lie remained, and here, sorely sgainat her will, Grace was i obliged to stay with him. As the days shortened, and the nights grew dark and chilly, and Christmas was again approaching, a horrible fasci? nation seemed to draw her to the room under which she had consigned her sis? ter to so terrible a fate. At last she could resist the feeling no longer, yet when she at length yielded to the desire, she dared not move the sliding floor and look down upon the body of her victim. She had no earthly doubt that Kate j lay there as she had fallen, or, if not j exactly in the same position, if she had 1 not been actually killed by the fall, the j guilty girl was equally sure that her j sister was lying dead at the bottom of | that horrible pit. But though she would have given half of all she might ever possess to look upon the face of her victim, she dared not remove the floor that hid the mur? dered girl from view, because she fear? ed that as surely as she did so, she should be irresistibly impelled to cast herself down beside her. As Christmas came nearer, however, and the wedding was fixed for the suc? ceeding day, Grace became rather wild and excited. Since they must spend Christmas Day ; at Silverton Castle, they would be mer? ry over it, she said, and as her marriage was to take place immediately after? wards, she invited a great number of guests to come to l?e castie for the Christmas festivities, and stay over the wedding-day. li We wiil forget last year if it is to be forgotten/' she exclaimed to her lover j almost hysterically; "and whatever we i do we must keep papa cheerful. I dread Christmas Day; oh, how 1 do dread it!" She broke down, and began to sob and tremble as she said this, and it was some time before Victor could soothe her. But when Christmas Day really dawn? ed, Grace was calm and cheerful, and only those who knew her well could detect the under-current of excitement which she suppressed with so supreme an effort. "To-morrow is my wedding-day," she kept whispering to herself, "and then I shall be free-free from the nameless terror that in this hot se always haunts me." wTo-morrow! But what wir even to dav brinar forth V" * (TO BE CONTINUED.) j What Our Editors Say. Stringencies of the Times. Wateres Messenger. The whole country is groaning un? der the heavy pressure of business stagnation, scanty of money, low price of products and fabrics, and un? certainty and ueasiness as to the future. There is no prosperity, but a failing back, and the derangements incident to our condition are being most seriously felt. Debt, like a millstone is around the necks of thrcefourths of our people, and there are, we venture to assert, more long faces than ever was known before All over the country the cry of bard times is heard. But fortunately the production of breadstuffs Iras been so large as to make living cheaper, and this is a sunny spot. Clothing is also cheap, and with economy (which we do not "practice as we ought) people can manage to live. But hard times are ahead of us, and we must trim our sails accordingly. To the thoughtful observer the causes which conduce to make the condition not only of this State, but the United States, so peculiarly embarrassing and stringent are apparent. There are many of them, such as extravagance, speculation and over production, but one of the principal causes of the de? rangement in business circles at thc North which has affected the whole country is the false, unreasonable and unjnstificable management of the finan ces of the government which has caused such contraction compared to business j demands as to tuck up everything *nost j fearfully and create suspicion and dis- j trust. We need a change of administra tion in a business point of view as much as we do iu a purely political one. Patent Medicines. i Press and Bannar. Our ueighbor, the Newberry Obser? ver, thinks that some of the patent medicines are good. We do uot deny that statement, but we do deny that the average citizen is a proper judge as to when to take any patent medici oe, the ingredients of which are unknown and which medicine is not prescribed by a physician. A great many patent medicines claim to cure consumption, Bright s disease, cancer, epileptic lits, and other diseases which intelligent physicians have pronounced incurable, and which diseases, so far as wc are in? firmed, have never been cured We think all advertisements which pretend j to cure incurable diseases are frauds, j which hold outjiopes, fair to the promise j but false to the performance. We fully j concur with the Observer in the opinion that an editorial or other notice iu the ? reading matter recommending patent medicines is a fraud upon the reader of i the newspaper, and we further concur in the belief that an advertiser who would impose his advertisement on au I unsuspecting public as a reading mat- j ter, furnishes one proof of improper j dealing. While we believe that we have saved j many dollars to our readers by refusing j to advertise patent medicines, yet we j fear the great mass of our readers do not appreciate our sacrifice in trying to defend them from the many snares which are presented io honeyed words, and breathiug to the afflicted hopes, which can never be realized. The fact j is, that we all swallow too much modi cine. We demand it of our physicians, and we take it of our own accord, and j the result is that we are hurried off to' the grave. Died of too much medi? cine, and not enough of wholesome i blood-making diet. An Incident. As Col. Tillman was about to take j ! the train on Friday afternoon for Barn- | j well, wc were informed that a promt- j uciit merchant of Aiken walk? d up to' him and, after shaking hands politely, ! said. 4I am a prohibitionist, and desire ; to thank you for the speech you j have made to-day ; it has helped the j .,-iUse of Temperance very much ' Col. : Tillman walked ufF, looking provoked : but without u'^ring a word. This in- j . . -5.1 cident is a fair illustration of the feeling : in regard to thc speech. Its violence ,1 and impropriety have produced precise- i ly the contrary effect to ?hat the hon? orable gentleman intended.-Aiken ; Recorder. j Ex-Governor Moses. Particulars of his Recent Attempt to Commit Suicide. [Detroit Free Press. Oct. 31.J Ex-Gov. Franklin J. Moses of South Carolina, charged with stealing ?15 from Rev. E. L. Rexford, D. D., pas tor of the Uoiversalist Church, by ob? taining that amount from him by false? ly representing himself as Rev. Dr. Hicks of Washington, spiritual adviser of Guiteau. the assusin of President Garfield, made an attempt about 5 o'clock yesterday morning to hang him? self in his cell rn the County Jail. The prisoner made a rope from two handkerchiefs, which be placed around his neck ano. tied one end to his cell dodr, in Waru No. -?. He then kicked a stool on which he stood from un^cr his feet, and was str Jggliug "when the oci?e was heard by a prisoner who oc? cupied an adjoining cell. The inmates of .'his ward are not locked up in thc;r cells ?t night. This saved the ex Governor's life. The prisoner who heard the noise arose and going into the corridor found Moses hanging. His face had turned black and in a minute or two more he would have been stran? gulated. Thc prisoner used an old pair of scissors which were allowed io the ward for hair trimming purposes to cnt the would-be suicide, down, and laid him on bis bed, where he was re? vived through the exertions of other prisoner?? who had been awakened by a cry of alarm. Moses said but little of his attempt although he acknowledg? ed that he was determined to die rather than go to prison. He realized the position he was in and for some time had been very despondent. This was the 6rst attempt at suicide tn the jail for many years. When Moses was brought into the police court yesterday afternoon for trial he looked very pale and feeble and dis played s^me nervousness, He was ueatly dressed iu black, but had an un? shorn face which he turned away from the spectators who gathered to get a glimpse of him. In front of the pris? oners box sat Rev. Dr. Roxford with his wife and daughter ready to proceed with the case. Moses eyed the rever? end gentleman whom he had swindled, but did not. speak to him. At 2 15 o'clock Justice Miuer called thc case of .John F. May,' when his attorney. George X. M. Collier, arose and asked that it be continued until the mental condition of Lis client could be establish? ed. He said that since the last adjourn? ment of the case he had made diligeut efforts to get witnesses here in his be? half, but had failed. He corresponded with a number of persons in the South? ern Slates who were acquaintances of the prisoner, and received several an? swers; but on account of the election excitement they could not come here until after the close of the campaign. Among the letters received was one from the Secretary of the Navy, who wrote that the son of the prisoner is iu the Naval Department in California. It was certain that he could not come to help his father out. Justice Miner replied that the case had been continued an unusual length of time, and he could not see how the prisoner could be benefitted by another adjournment. There is no positive assurance that witnesses in his behalf would he present at a future time. If a continuance was granted ii could only be doue until November 5, tis the case will then have been in court for a mouth, and under the law it must h. ;iis>posed of in that tim?1-otherwise the court would have no j?risdi.-tion. Mr Collier said that ho was author? ized by bis client to say chat if he does not furnish cay evideuce at the time j thc case is adjourned to he wiil with? J draw his plea of not guilty and plead ! guilty. The attorney agreed that if the I court ??as disinclined to grant another ! adjournment it would be useiess to pro ! cced to trial, as the facts in the case were weil understood and a trial would be waived. The court said that he had been very indulgent iu the matter of continuing the case, both to the complainant and to the defendant. The business of the court demanded that it be disposed of witiiin the time prescribed by law. Mr. Collier said in answer to this that an adjournment of two or three days wouid be of no beuefit to him. Justice Miner-'What do you intend to show for your client?' Mr. Collier-'I desire to prove by medical testimony that, my client is entirely irresponsible for his acts. Ile has been travelling from place to place engaged iu the business he is charged with here. I'don't know anything about him except what he has person? ally told me and what I have seen iu the papers.' The Court-'I have no judicial knowledge of the case.1 Mr. Collier consulted Moses and then announced that he would withdraw bis plea of not guilty and enter one ot guilty. The attorney asked the court whether be would defer passing sen? tence. Justice Miner said that he could uot do this, and then addressing the priso? ner a:-kcd him if he desired to withdraw his plea. *l do,' replied Moses. 'Have you auvthing to say for your? selfv 'I desire to say so much that I de not wish to trespass ou the time of thc court in my case.' 'You have the whole afternoon before you. I will listeu patiently to what you say.' Moses again said that he did not wish to go to trial and the court then sentenced him io imprisonment in the House of Correction for ninety days without the alternative a fine. Mr. Collier asked that the prisoner be allowed to remain in jail until Mon? day before being taken to prison, which the court granted. Moses was then taken back to jail and confined in the fourth ward. Ile was visited by a patrolman wiio h:;d known him iu South Carolina while be wr?s Governor and plensnntly chatted rr iib him for a few minutes, recalling incidents of the time "rheo be was in power. The handkerchief with *bich he at? tempted to commit. su'Hd* will be kept by iu'pkey Troy as a curiosity iud me will be taken that he will not I repeat his attempt duriog his stay io ?jail. ? The charge against the prisoner di j obtaining money from Rev. J. C. j Atter bury under false pr?teuses will be' j heard when his term of imprisonment expires. Much more trouble is io sto:e j for the celebrated convict in different I parts of the country. The Parksville Tragedy. The following account of a murdcr ! ous affair at Parkville, Edgefield Coun j ty, is copied from the Edgefield Adver | User : j On Saturday night the 25th October j it seems that six negroes commenced to j abuse a colored maa in a store next door : to Mr. Robert Park's because i?:e unof ! fending negro professed to be a Democrat. : They used insulting language and ?aal j Iv walked off from the store, firing their " j pistols. Sunday morning Mr. Parks saw one of the parties, Jno. Yeld^H hy name, aud upbraided him about bis conduct of the night before. Tbeoiber j negroes joined Yeldell, and being ask ! ed by Mr. Parks if they were not arm j ed, responded they were, and all dis? played their pistols. Mr. Parks then issued a warrant against these parties for carrying concealed weapons, and Mr. James Blackwell was deputed as constable to serve them. With two or three aids he surrounded a house where the negroes were supposed to be to affect the:r arrest They bid however, in ambush aud fired upon Blackwell, rid? dling him with buckshot and Inflicting wounds from which he has since died. About thirty ronnds, it is said were fired, but no one else was hurt. Seven other negroes came up, attracted by the firing, and were arrested by the whites. These seven with two others, bavo been brought to our town and lodged in our jail, where they still are. They have not demanded a hearing. Those who fired the fatal volley, however, ran off, aud these are the par? ties who are cow being anxiously look? ed for. * Io aa editorial? tne Advertiser says : The ringleaders in the savage and j wanton Parksville tragedy have not yet been caught, but a party of earn? est and determined white men arc con? tinuing the search for them. It is thought they have crossed the Savannah \river, which is near Parksville. And when these barbarous and bloody j&lack bullies shall be apprehended, there is a way of dealing with them which need involve no outraged citizen in any way. Let the strong, silent, steady footsteps of the law overtake these men, and show them and their companions what it is to set themselves up against the law of the land. Such impudent tongues, stupid heads and bloody bands seldom escape punish? ment, ./here is bat one proper end to such an act. The men who perpetrated it must be hanged until they arc dead, dead, dead ! "-* - 11 a Absent-minded Women. Stories tdd by Chuclding Chicago Hus- . bands about their Better Halves. 'Speaking of absent-minded people/ said a West sider, 'women beat the na? tion at that. There is my wife, one of the most careful and level-headed women in the world. But oue night last winter we went to a large party, and we both, for special reasons, were more than anxious :o appear well. My wife was greatly concerned about me. as I am the absent-minded member of the family, and looked me over criti? cally and carefully after I left the coat rocw~a~d before we WP?*' down sta:rs. She wa? herself U7t right, of coupse, aud was superbly dressed. We went down in high featucr, and had passed through the parlors and had spent a delightful half hour on parade duty, as j it were, when my wife suddenly turned, pale in what I thought was a fainting * fit I hurried her from the room, and was about to turn thc house upside down in search of restoratives, when she clutched my sleeve and pointed to her feet. She had before leaving home drawu over her shoes a pair of my socks and had forgotten to remove them. Thc thought that she ijad been parading before three hundred peo? ple with those socks OD was too much for her.' A South sider, who had listened Jp j this said, after indulging in acontenie ? j little chuckle : 'My wife tells almost r?>? good a story as that on herself. She is. as everbody knows who knows her at all, very particular about her dress, and she grieves over r> spot on my shoes with a grief that will not be comforted. She went down street shopping on one occasion last spring, and in trying'"'on bonnets became a little disturbed 'over the fact that none of thc new shapre*^., suited her face. She therefore picked up her parasol, walked out of the store called on a very aristocratic acquain I tarice, aud then came home. A glance iu the glass showed that she had no bon I net ou. She had taken it off to try on j the new oucs, and as she expressed it, i had been parading aloDg the ktreet j with nothing on her head but a small I veil across her forehead. She didn't i scold me about the spots on my coat for I a week.' I 'I have a better story than that,'said a superintendent of one of the depart? ments at Field's, 'Not long ago a fashionably dressed lady came in early, and in the course of her bargaining put j her parasol on the counter near a large j feather duster which one of the clerks ; had been using. After making some j purchases the lady caught op the duster i instead of the parasol and weot out. j As soon as I discovered the mistake I ! sent a boy after her with the parasol, but he did not overtake her until she had made quite a journey. *ln fact, she flourished that feather duster along/the street, flourished it about as she went into another store and put it down on the counter, still under the impression that it was a par? asol, and seeing the feather duster asked for her parasol. The clerk ex? plained thrt she had not brought any narasoi in, bat erne in carrying that duster. She was *r dignaut at such an intimation, and was delivering the clerk a sharp lecture on he subject when in came our hoy with her parasol andan explanation. She was so over? come that she bad t? be sent home iu a carriage.'-Chicago Neics.