Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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>-J?E: STIMTKR WATCHMAN? Established April, 1850. >6wi8oJidated Avg. 2,1881.1 ?-~ " " "7 n j vt? THE TRUE SOUTHRON, EeUblUbed Jun?, 1$*6* ?Be Jttst and Fear not-Let aU the Ends tnon Aims't at, bo tay Country's, tay .Pod's and Trntas. -_-.- ,, , _ ---=-Z ??-Avo? isa* New Series-Tel. IV. No. 43. SUMTER, S. C., TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1885. ...... Publiait ?Tory Tnosiay, -BY THK Watchman and Southron Publishing . Company, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS: . Two Dollars per annum-in advance, AD VXKTISKM?NT8. Quia Square, first insertion-.$1 00 8 ver j subsequent i nsertion. 50 Contracts for taree- months, or longer will bo made at reduced rates. AU communications which subserve private interest? will be charged for as advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be !charged fbr;^ ' Marriage notices and notices of deaths pub? lished free. FOT" job work or contracts for ad ver tia og address. WaleJiswfi and Southron, or apply at tao Office; t? K. G. OSTEEN, Business Manager. -MOSf.PtRFECT IM?D? ~-tonaattn* "fffr tttUKtimj ttfao OT A*w?- ?LA ^^a?ritf04mp?a?>rBafcinc Craam of Tartar . KOST PERFECT MADE Purest and strongest Saturai Fruit Flavors. Vaaffla? Lemon. Orange, Almond, Boso, etc, flavor as o^eately arri naturally as the irait? * PfflCE BAKWG POWDER CO., C&XCAOO. ST. LOPM? AAOCMARK - REGISTERED. H09 * HU <aRARD ST,PHn.^,P^. A NEW TREATMENT For Consumtion, Asthma, Bronchitis, Byspepsia, Catarrh, Headache, Bebili ty. Rheumatism, Neuralgia, -and alli Chronic at? hiervon*^Bisorder*. " . A CARD. We, the undersigned, having received great and permanentbenefit from (be use of ''COM? POUND OXrcaNV' prepared and, ?djpinia-, ? tered by Das. ST AUK KT k PALIS, of Philadel? phia, and being satisfied that it is a new dis* co very in medical science, and all that is claimed for it, consider it a duty which we owe to the many thousands who are suffering from chronic and so-called -inmirable" dis? eases to do all'that weean to make its virtues ? known, and to inspire the public "with confi? dence, g -y ^ ; , S We have personal knowledge odf Ors. Star? key A Paiea. "They are educated, intelligent, and conscientious physicians, who will not, we are sore, make arty statement, which they do not know or believe to be true, nor pub? lish any testimonials or reports of cases which are noi genuine..* " " , ^a. D. KBLLY,-- > Mather of Congres* front Philadelphia, i 'T,?T ASTBUR, Editor and Publisher "Arthur's Some '. Magazine?' Philadelphia. T. I?. CONRAD .j Editor of "Lutheran Observer," * ? ? - Philadelphia. .. ~ ' ? C PHILADILPHIAJ Pi.., J CSE 13 1882. In order to meet a natural inquiry in re? gard to burprofessronal and. personal stand? ing, and to give increased confidence in our statements and in the genuines? of our testi? monials and repotts of cases, we print, the above card from gentlemen well and widely known and of the highest personal character. Our "Treatise on Compound Oxygen,*' con? taining: a history of the discovery of and mode of action of this remarkable curative agent, and a large record of surprising cores in Consamption, Catarrh, Nearaigia, Bronchi-, tis, Asthma, etc., and a wide range of Chron- j ic diseases, will be sent free. Address Drs. STARKEY & PALEN. ?I09 t lill Girard Street, Ph?addpnia., Pu. Folsom, E*. W. Folsom. -ESTAB'1> 1868. F. H. FOLSOM & BRO. Practical Watchmakers and Jewelers, Main-Street, opposite John ReioVs, SUMTER, S. C., WALTHAM ?3 tr o trj o o er ff O Gochs, Silverware, Jewelry, Spectacles, . Cudery, Fishing Tackle, Violin Strings, Machine Needles, O?s, dec. Repairing of Watches, Clocks and Jewelry promptly ?one and satisfaction guarantees. A FAMILY AFFAIR BY HUGH fjONWAY, Author of "Celled Bael? and "Dark Day*" CHAPTER L A LITTLE DERELICT. T was a dreary, dismal, wintry afternoon. AU the lights of Padding? ton Station were needed to conquer the damp fog which SH ed the arched expanse from end to end. The broad platform teemed with the motion and bustle attendant upon the de? parture of a train. The newspaper boys alone were having a comparatively doll time of it, as the first act of every passenger, ripon tak? ing; Ins seat, was to pull np the window and shot ont as much tog as possible, declining to let the sash down for. any one, except other travelers, who, having paid their fares, clair oed their right to seats in the train-a proceeding which, to the first installed passenger, always jeems supremely selfish. The new comer, or somers, might choose same other compext nent than his! - The moving; rack which bears the lamps reached the extreme end of the train. The rtrong-armed official below hurled the last crystal globe to the nim ble official who runs along the top of the carriages, and leaps so recklessly from one. to another. Deft asan TnrKwn joggler, he caugh: the gleaming mis? sie, slapped it into the last socket, and sprang incontinently from the already moving train. Th? guard shut the last door, which some? body's carelessness had left open, jumped into his van as it swept by him, and, punctual to the minute, the five o'cloct train left London and began its race to Penzance. Xn one of the first-class *xmpart2nent6 were three passengers, although the railroad com? pany would only benefit to the extent of two fares,' ene of these passengers being a child gtffi young enough to be passed of? as & child in arms by all save, perhaps, those tender minded persons who send conscience money to the chancellor of the exchequer. The two travelers who augmented the company's rev? enue were a man and a woman. . - That they were strangers was evident, and it waa also evident that the man was an old traveler. As soon as the train was in motion, and he felt insured for some .time toc?me against disturbance, he arranged his wraps in t?se most approved fashion, donned a soft cap, lit a lamp dad buried himself in a book. He ~ was a young man; butas he-appears in this . tale only to disappear, a detailed description would be superfluous. It is enough to know he was a gentleman, well dressed, well-to-do in appearance, and looked mito ia his place in a flrst-class'carriagev It was a different matter with the woman. There was no obvious reason why she .should ; not be able, and- willing' to pay threepence halfpenny instead of a penny a mlle' for the privilege of being whisked to her destination; yet - one could imagine a crusty old director, who travels' free Kfosftlfj and is therefore anxious to prevent the company from being defrauded, calling to a guard and suggesting that the woman's ticket should be examined. Cr, from purely benevolent reasons, a per? son who knows what mistakes women make in such matters, might with propriety have remarked: "How comfortable these first tiass carriages are." "-For my part, I should meet certainly have' done 30-not from be? nevolence; but to save myself, who had paid just fare, fr?m feeling swindled if, at the journey's end, a good-natured ticket collector let off the victim of such a comfortable mis? take. ' Yet there was nothing remarkable in the woman's appearance, except the utter absence of individuality it displayed. For any guid? ance her looks gave, she might have been rich or poor, young or old, beautiful or ugly, noble 5or simple. -Had her traveling com? panionbeen .as curious as he was at present indifferent about the matter, he might have sat opposite to her from London to the Land s End, yet not have known how to classify her. She was dressed in plain black-and black, like -charity and night, covereth and hideth much. Nb scrap of bright ribbon, no* vestige of color, broke the sombre monotony of her attire, and a thick ' black ve? bid the upper part of her face. She sat like one in a thoughtful frame of mind. Her bead was bent forward,' and so threw her mouth and chin into the shade. Her hands being gloved, it. was impossible to know whether she wore -ajweddmgnng or nott, ^ - . . Pressed her lips upon the child:s goldet head. Of the child, a Ettie boy, there was nothing that could be seen except a mass of brighl golden hair. The woman had wound a thies woolen shawl around him, and held h'm doss to her bosom. He was no annoyance to any .one, for, shortly after the train started, he fell fast asleep. Indeed, so inoffensive were , his travehng companions, that the gentleman, who had felt somewhat disgusted when a Woman and a child entered the compartment, began to hope that, after a?, he need not shift his quarters at the first stoppage. The train sped on through the white fog It was a fast train, but not so f nst as to give itself airs and decline stopping more than twice in a hundred miles. Near Reading the speed slackened. The gentleman with the book breathed an-inward prayer that he might not be disturbed. He did not notice that, as the train drew up at the platform, the woman half rose from ber scat, as if her journey was at an end; then, after a mo? ment's'hesitation, reseated herself in her former attitude. The* travelers were not .disturbed. The train shot on once more. Still the gentleman read his book-still the j silent woman held the sleeping child. In less than half an hour Didcot wa? reached. The woman, after a quick glance, to assure herself that the reader was intent upon his book, pressed her hps upon the child's golden head, and kept them there until the train stopped. For a minute or two she" remained motionless, then, layin? the child on the seat, rose quickly end opened the carriage door. The reader looked up as the cold, damp air rushed into the heated compartment. "You have no time to get out," he said; **we are off in a minute." If she heard the well-meant caution she paid no heed to it. She made no but, stepping on to the platform, closed toe car? riage door behind her. The young man shrugged his shoulders, and resumed his in? terrupted paragraph. It was no business of his if a stupid woman chose to risk missing the train. Although, two minutes afterwards, when he found the train in rapid motion, and him? self and the sleeping child the only tenants of the compartment, he saw that, after all, be was primarily concerned in the mather. In imite of bis warning the mother had been left behind, and he was in the unenviable position of having a eh?d thrown upon his hands until I the next stoppage. I Although he was a bachelor and one who ! knew nothing of tue ways of children, he scarcely felt justified in pulling the emer? gency cord. Swindon would be reached in less than an hour-there he would be re? lieved. So he could do no more than an? athematize the careless mother, and pray that tiie child's slumbers might be unbroken. Whatever effect the objurgation may have bad, he soon saw that bis prayer was not to be granted.' The child. no doubt missing its protector's embrace, opened its eyes and be? gan to struggle. It would have rolled off the seat had not its enforced guardian, who was a good-natured, kind-hearted young fellow, picked it up and transferred it to Us knee. He meant well, although he did not handle it very skillfully. A man must go through a course of painful experiences before be learns how to dandle a child properly. Our friend did bis best, but so clumsily that the woolen shawl fell from the child, and disclosed a large ticket sewn on to the dress beneath. On it was written, "H. Talbert, Esq., Hazlewood House, Oakbury, near Blacktown." The young man applauded the good sense which bad provided for a contingency which had really come to pass. Then he settled down to do the best be could towards supplying the place of the missing woman until the stoppage at Swindon might bring deliverance. - Swindon at last. Here the ?l-used traveler called the guard, and, as that official is of course paid to undertake all sorts of delicate and unforeseen duties, with perfect fairness shifted all further responsibility oo to bis shoulders, resumed the perusal of bis Dook, and troubled no more about the matter. The guard, without disputing his position ct guardian to all unprotected travelers, hardly knew what to do in the present emer? gency. The hope that the f oonah, mother had managed to get into another carriage was dispelled by ber not making ber appearance. He was also puzzled by the careful way in which the child was labeled. This guard had seen some curious things in his time, and, as the missing woman had left not a scrap of luggage behind, thought it not improbable that the desertion of the child was due to in? tention,' not accident. At first he thought of leaving the tiny derelict at Swindon, on the chance that the mother would arrive by the next train from Didcot. But the more he thought the matter over the more convinced he felt that BO mother would arrive by the next or any following train. Being himself a family man, and feeling most kindly disposed towards the little golden head which nestled in the most confiding way against his great brown beard, he decided to take the child on to Blacktown, and thence forward it as ad? dressed. He pulled a couple of cushions out cf a first-class carriage*, put them' in one corner of his vari, and tucked np little Golden head as snugly as any .mother could have dane; so snugly and comfortably that the child at once closed its blue eves and slept un? til the tram reached Blacktown. There the guard carried' the little fellow into the refreshment room, and leaving bim in charge of the pleasant young ladies, went to look xor a sober' yet sp?culative man who would take the .eh?d to Oakbury on the chance of being paid for his trouble. He even gave this man half a crown-to be repaid out of bis prospective reward-for cab hire. Then,, after another look at the little, waif, who was drinking milk, munching a biscuit, and being made very much of by the refresh? ment room young ladies, our guard rushed back to his somewhat neglected duties, and was soon spinning down west at the rate of thirty-five miles an hour. CHAPTER H. A FAJOL Y OF POSITION. - Be it remembered that Oakbury is not Blacktown. Many of its inhabitants are greatly annoyed when they hear it called a suburb of -Blacktown. Oakbury is near the large city, but not of it Although the fact cannot be ignored that the existence of the many charming country houses which adorn Oakbury ls as much due to its-contiguity to the dirty thriving town as to its natural beauties-and although a certain proportion of those desirable residences nias been pur? chased by Blacktown'? successful traders, the most aristocratic inhabitants of Oakbury look with indifference on the good and evil for? tunes of the city. They, the aristocratic in-. habitants, are useful to Blacktown, not Blacktown to them. They are out of its dis? sensions and struggles; better still, beyond the range of its taxation. They are of the county, not.the town. .So they.head their letters "Oakbury, Westsbire;" and, as a rule, decline intimacy with any Blacktown trader under the rank of banker or merchant prince. Besides Lord Ralston's well known country .eat, there must be in the parish of Oakbury come 20 or 25 gentlemen's residences. They cannot be called estates, as the ground at? tached to each varies respectively from three to fifty acres, but not a few of them might lay daim to bo described by that well-round? ed phrase, dear to auctioneers and house agents, " a country mansion, fit for the occu? pation and requirements of a family of posi? tion." They are not new, speculative, jerry? built houses, but good, old-fashioned, solid affairs. No painted and g?t railings surround them; thick boundary walls and fine old trees bide them from the gaze of inquisitive holi? day folks. As the country around is very beautiful and richly timbered ; as the prevail? ing wind which blows across Oakbury comes straight from the sea, pure and uncontam? inated ; as two of the best packs of hounds in England meet within an easy distance; and, prejudice notwithstanding, as the con? veniences offered by a large city are so close at hand--it is no wonder that the rector of Oakbury numbers many families of position among his parishioners. If mine were a fam? ily of position, it should most certainly oc? cupy a pew in that fine, old square-towered church. After this description it will be easily be? lieved that the Oakbury people are somewhat exclusive-by the Oakbury people are meant the inhabitants of the aforesaid twenty houses; the manner of the villagers and other small fry who constitute the residue of the population need not be taken into account. The Oakbury people proper are very particu? lar as to with whom they associate, and the most particular and exclusivo of all are two gentlemen named Talbert, the joint owners and occupiers of Hazlewood H vise. Their ultra-ezclusivenea was but the nat? ural outcome of the position in which they were placed. The fact that their income was derived from money made by their father in timber, tobacco, soap, sugar, or some other large "industry of Blacktown-people have already nearly forgotten which it was-must bo responsible for the caire the Talberte were bound to exercise before they made a new acquaintance. Because, you see, in their opinion at least, the taint of trade still clung to them. They were but a generation removed from the actual buying, selling and chaffering. Meta? phorically speaking, their own father's hands had been hardened by the timber, stained by the tobacco, lathered by the soap, made sticky by the sugar, according to the particu? lar branch of trade at which he had worked to such advantage. So it was that upon at Mr. Talbert, iftrcf{ant. faining the earliest years of discretion, 1 sons decided that it was more incumb? upon them than upon the generality of p sons to be particularly particular in tb choice of friends. As they were amiat right-feeling young men, they looked up this duty as a sad necessity. Had thejkbeen tempted to swerve from t line of conduct, respect for their father shot have kept them steadfast. He had ol WE impressed the great duty upon them. Beft the two boys were out of the nursery the gn coup which is expected by every sangui business man came off. Mr. Talbert reabz his capital and sold bis business. He obtain less for it because be made the stipulation tl his name should no longer appear in conni tion with lt; Then, a widower with c daughter and two sons, he bought Hazle wo House, and settled down to drift gradual into good society. He educated his children by this creed, is the duty of all people to rise in the world both in commercial and social circles. Than to his exertions and good fortune, the fli half of the obligation had been discharge The second rested chiefly with his childre He did not tell them this in definite wore but all the same preached it to them most el quently, and was more than content, and fi that the fruits of his training were shown themselves, when bis daughter married S Maingay Clauson, a fairly respectable-ai well-to-do baronet. This satisfactory alliance gave the Talbot a lift in the social scale;, although, so far ? Oakbury was concerned, it was little neede Hr. Talbert had now been out of business for ; least ten years. He was quiet, gentleman! and, if not retiring, at least unobtrusive. B wealth was estimated at about three times i correct amount. - With these advantages 1 I already found himself well received by ti families of position, his neighbors. Contei as he no doubt felt on his own account, h nevertheless, held up their sister's brillia] match as an example to his sons, and talk? so much about the necessity of their choosii their intimates fittingly that it is a marv ; the young men did not speedily develop ini fools or snobs. I But even now when verging upon midd age they were neither-although any ms who would decline your acquaintance < mine ought, of course, to be one or ti other-perhaps both. The worst that cou! be urged against the Talberts was this: Froi ; the very first they had told themselves: "W can find as pleasant and as true friends arnon the upper ten thousand-among those who d not make their living by barter-as we ca among commercial people. Let us therefor only associate with the best A man has ai undoubted right to choose his own friend) Weshall' not go out of our way to toady th great, but with our ideas on the subject w can only make associates of those whom w consider the proper class of people. A Duk of Badminton may associate with whomsoeve he chooses. He is always, per se, the duke We are not dukes. Our father made hi money in-well, never mind in what W are not even m?Uionaires. We have en cmg wealth to live comfortably and like gentle men, but not enough to roll in. If we go han? in glove with oil, tobacco,' sugar, etc, w must, on account of the narrow distano which divides us from the status of commerce sink to the level, or at least get confound?* with those useful, respectable, profitable, but to us, distasteful commodities. Therefore i i behooves us to be fastidious even to a fault" Who can blame such sentiments as these To my mind there is a kind of shrewd nobility in them! Why, with such sensible views on things ii general, the two young men did not folio* their sister's example and make brillian ."matches is a matter which bas never beer clearly explained. When, after an immacu late career, they left Oxford, they were tall well-built, young fellows; moreover carrying about them an inherent look of distinction So far as the world knew they had no vices Indeed, in spite of stature, good looks, and broad shoulders, in some quarters they wert accounted milksops. Perhaps because, in ad' dition to the polite, even courtly, style whicl they strove to adopt towards every one, they had many little finuicking, old-maidish wayi which were a source of merriment to theil contemporaries. Nevertheless, among those who were honored with their friendship, thc Talberts were not unpopular. With many women-the middle-aged especially-these tall, handsome, refined young mon were prime favorites. The fact of the brother: having reached the respective ages of 40 and 41 without having selected helps-meet foi them argues that something which makes a marrying man was missing from their natures. ! It may be that the pleasure they found io travel prevented their settling down. For many years, either together or singly, tbs Talberts spent nine months out of the twelve away from home. Their father, who had no wish to see his sons striving in the ruck of humanity for the world's prises, made them handsome allowances. Greatly to their credit they lived within their incomes, even saved money. These savings they invariably in? vested in works of art, so that as years went by their acquisitions if united would have formed a valuable and tasteful collection, the units of which had been culled from east, west, north and south-so judiciously that the brothers felt sure that, if such a thing were needed, the selection would enhance the reputation they already enjoyed for refined tastes and knowledge of matters artistic The brothen were che best of friends. They understood and sympathised with each others' likes, dislikes and weaknesses. Only once in their lives had they quarrelled, but that quarrel had lasted for six years. They shudder now as they look back upon that time. It was no vulgar dispute, which is made known to all the world and in which mutual friends are expected to take sides. It was only the Talberts themselves who knew that a quarrel existed. To outsiders they seemed more absurdly polite to each other than be ! fore. The cause of the quarrel was the interfer? ence of one brother in the other's affairs. They were peculiar men, and very tenacious of the Englishman's duty of minding his own busi? ness. On a certain occasion one of them j fancied a rather delicate matter as much his i own business as his brother's. He was mis I taken. They did not use high words, because such things were not in their line; but each brother was sadly firm. The upshot was that for six years they only spoke when they met in society. At laut old Talbert died. His successful daughter had been dead a long time. The old man left Hazlewood House and its contents to his sons conjointly. The rest of his fortune be divided into three parts, and left in tbis proportion to each of his children or their children, if any. Then the sons met at Hazle? wood House and considered what they should do. First of all, as was becoming, they made up their differences. Very little was said on either side, but it was understood that cordial relation?! were re-cstabl'shed. At which happy conclusion each man rejoiced greatly-the six years' separation had been a terrible affair, -and tacitly registered a vow that for the future his brother's affairs should be his own distinct, private property. By this time our friends had grown rather weary of gadding about. Moreovor, it was due to their position that some place should be called their ?home. For nearly twenty years they had lived in the various capitals of Europe, and they knew that they had con? quered society. Indeed, it is doubtful whether any two men, not celebrities, were better known than Horace and Herbert Talbert. So they resolved to settle down and begin house? keeping on their own account. They collected their art t reasures, and be? ing not traders, but still thorough men of business, in order to save any question arising in the remote future, made exact inventories of their respective belongings, down to the uttermost, smallest and mi>st cracked cup and saucer. Then they combined their collections and made Hazlewood House curiously beau? tiful with paintings, china and bric-a-brac This done, they settled down into quiet do? mestic Ufo, And kept their house as methodi? cally and carefully, and no doubt a great deal better, than any two old women could have done. Of course, with their cultivated tastes, their general acquirements, their cosmopolitan experiences, and the many desirable friends they were known to possess, the Talbert?' i standing in Oakbury wal undeniable. They 1 were a credit to the neighborhood, and might, had they not been too good-hearted to dream of such a proceeding, hare snubbed any one of the families of position without dreading reprisals. If people laughed at .their womanish ways, effeminate proceed* ings and domestic economies, they were, nevertheless, always glad to entertain or to be entertained by the Talbert?. The latter need not be wondered at. The little dinners at Hazlewood House were the pink of culinary civilization-the crystallization of refined gastronomic intelligence. CHAPTER III. ?IT ARGUMENT ANO AN ARRIVAL. On the night when the down train carried the golden-headed child to Blacktown, the Talberts had dined at home, without com pany. The two men were still at the table, sipping their claret and smoking cigarettes. They were neither great drinking men nor great smoking men.' If such habits are sins, the Talberts might have gone on as they were going for many years and then made atone? ment very easily. It is needless to state that the two brothers were faultlessly dressed in the evening garb of the nineteenth century. It will also be guessed that the dinner table was most tastefully laid out. In spits of the season being midwinter, it was gay with flowers. Quaint antique silver spoons and forks did the duty which is exacted from the florid king's pattern and the ugly fiddle pat? tern abominations of our day. The napery was of the whitest and finest description the polish on the glass such as to make the most -careful housewife or conscientious ser? vant wonder abd envy. There is a tale con? nected with the glass. Once upon a time a lady who was dining at Hazlewood House asked her hosts, with par? donable curiosity, how they were able to in? duce their servants to send the decanters and wine glasses to the table in such a glorious state of refulgency. Horace Talbert smiled, and answered with exquisite simplicity: "We should never think of trusting our glass to the bands of servants. Hy brother and I see to it ourselves.'* Thereupon the lady, who had. marriageable sisters, and was no doubt keenly alive to the fact that her hosts were eligible bachelors, said: "It was very sweet of them to take so much trouble;** but her husband, who heard the question and the answer, burst into a flt of uncontrollable laughter. His was a low, coarse, commonplace mind, utterly unable to divest the ideal from the material. To such a groveling nature the picture of these two six-feet, brawny men washing and rubbing their rare and costly glass seemed intensely comical. The Talberts showed no signs of annoy? ance; they even smiled gravely in response to his vulgar mirth; but Hazlewood House knew that person no more. But the wretch took his revenge after the manner of his kind. Unluckily, in spite of his faults, his position in the county was not to be despised, and more unluckily he pos? sessed a certain amount of humor of the low class. He was brutal enough to nickname our friends the "Tabbies,** and, appropriate or not, the name clung to them, and will cling for ever and ever. This is but another proof of how careful a man should, be in the selection of his friends. Although to-night the glass was as radiant as ever, there was at present no one to admire it save its owners and caretakers. By virtue of his year, of seniority, Horace Talbert sat at the head of the table.' Herbert was at his right hand. The two brothers were strangely alike both in figure and face. They were brown-haired men, with long, straight -noses, calm, serious eyes, rather arched eyebrows, and average foreheads. Each wore a well kept beard and mustache, the beard clippod close, and terminating in ft point at the chin T-a fashion which suited their long, oval faces remarkably well, and, perhaps, added a kind of old-world courtliness to their general ap? pearance. Their looks may be summed up by saving that the Talberts were men who one felt ought to possess a picture gallery of distinguished ancestors. The absence of such a desirable possession seemed a heartless freak of nature. The room in which the brothers were sitting was furnished with a bold mixture of modem and antique. Where comfort and utility were the first consideration, the modern prevailed; where ornament or decoration had to be sup? plied, the antique, often the grotesque antique, was called into requisition. On the Ugh, carved mantel niece stood Oriental bronze vases with hideous dragons creeping round them, and gaping, grinning kyhns, who looked mockingly and fearlessly at the fierce metal monsters. They knew-old china figures know more than people suspect-that the dragons were welded to their vases more irrefragibly than Prometheus to his rock. Here and there was a plate of rich-colored doissonne enamel, a piece of Nankin china, a specimen of old brass work, a bracket of real old carved oak, an antique lamp, or some other article dear to the collector. Some hah* a dozen medium-sized but valuable paintings hung upon the walls. The floor was covered by a sober-hued Persian carpet, and of course a roaring fire filled the grate. The Talberts looked very grave-as grave and solemn as Roman fathers in high debate. They were, indeed, discussing a weighty mat ter. After an interval of silence, Herbert rose and walked to his brother's side. The two looked critically down the table. They went to the bottom and looked up the table. They went to the sides and looked across the table; they .even sent glances diagonally from corner to corner. "It is certainly a great improvement,** said Horace, with quiet triumph. ^^^^^^ liJl is certainly a great improvement? said Horace. "A great improvement," echoed the other. "Echo" is the right word-even their voices were alike. In a contented frame of mind they resumed their seats, their claret, and their cigarettes. The great improvement was this: For some time past these excellent house? keepers had been sorely exercised by the con? ventional way m which laundresses fold table cloths. They did not like the appearance of the three long creases on the snowy expanse. They turned their inventive abilities to ac? count, and a week ago walked down to the residence, redolent of soap and hot water, of the woman who did the washing, and startled the poor creature out of her wits by in? sisting upon their table cloths being folded in a new and improved fashion. They even demonstrated theil- meaning hy a practical ; experiment, and so impressed the nymph of the wash tub and mangle with the importance they attached to the .natter that she had actually managed to learn her lesson well enough for the result of their teaching to give them great satisfaction. Coffee was brought in, and the two gentle? men were about to leave tho dining room, when the Rev. Mr. Mordle was announced. ! Mr. Mordle was the curate of Oakbury, and j always a welceme guest at Hazlewood House, j It was an unspoken axiom of the Talberts that the church set the seal of fitness upon her ser? vants, or at least upon tier upper servants. Organ blowers, parish clerks and pew openers were the lower servants-so, all things being squal, a clergyman could always break through the exclusiveness which reigned at Hazlewood House. Mr. Mordle was clever in his way, full of talk, and of course knew every in and out of the parish, in tb-, admin ? istrat?on to the wants of which he must have found the Talberts a great assistance. All great men have their weaknesses-perhaps their friendship for Hr. Mordle was the Tal berts* weakness. But then they dearly loved having a Anger in the parochial pie, leaving out of the question the fact that they liked the curate, and in the kindness of their hearts pitied his loneliness. So he often dropped in hice this, uninvited, and no doubt felt the privilege to be a great honor. On Mr. Mordle's side, he could thoroughly appreciate humor, the more so when its exist? ence was quite unsuspected by the sedate humorist. To him the study of Horace ard Herbert was a matter of keen and enduring delight. They rose and greeted him. "Excuse me,*1 said Horace rather nervously, "did-" "Tes, I did," answered the curate briskly. "I rubbed them-I scrubbed them-my feet feel red hot. I could dance a minuet on your tablecloth without soiling it.7* The redundancy of the answer set their minds at rest. The bugbear of their domestic lives was persons entering their rooms with? out having first wiped their shoes as every Christian gentleman should. The hall door was so heavily armed with mats and scrapers that such an omission seemed an impossibility. Yet sometimes it did occur, and its effects were terrible-almost tragic Horace rang for more claret; Herbert passed his cigarette case, and the three men chatted for a while on various subjects. Presently said Horace with sad decision: "Ann Jenkins came to us the day before yesterday. She told a piteous tale. We gave her five shillings.** "Very good of you,*1 said the curate; "she has a large family-nine, I think.** "Yes, but we are sorry now that we gave the money. We are sure she is not a careful, thrifty woman.** The curate's eyes twinkled. He knew Ann Jenkins well-too well "Careful and thrifty people wouldn't want your half-crowns. But how did you find out her true characterr Mr. Mordle expected to hear a mournful ac? count of a domiciliary visit to Ann Jenkins, and a dissertation upon the various and almost original stages of untidiness in which hit friends had found her numerous progeny. But the truth was better than he had bar* gained for. "We walked behind her across the field this morning,'* said Horace, with grave regret. "When she got over the stile we saw she had on two odd stockings, a black one and a gray one-or blue and gray, I am not certain which." "Blue and gray," said Herbert, "I noticed particularly." "Her tastes, like yours," said the curate, "may be cultured enough to avoid Philistine uniformity." "Oh dear, no," said Herbert, seriously. "We argue in this way. The woman has two pairs of stockings-** "I doubt it," said the curate. "But never mind-go on." His friends were surpassing themselves! "She has two pairs-one gray, the other hine or black. She has worn one stocking into holes. Instead of sitting dows and darning it, like a decent body, she simply puts on one of th? other pair." '.Why doesn't she put on the other pan altogether?' asked Mr. Mordis? "Because," said Horace, triumphantly,"Cos stocking of that pair is in the same d?ani oaced condition; so her coofttotfe douhlybad. As I said, she ls not a d^ssrtlai woman/ - "Granting your premises," said Mr. Mord?a, "your argument is not illogical. Your reasoning appears sound, your deductions correct. .Bat-^-? _ "The curate was" prepsx?fl^fo?-t:- d?ici??s battle on this subject, w?forn or otherwise, of Ann Jenkins1 hose: meant to learn why one stocking of either pair should wear . out before it? fellow, and many other fanciful ?mb inations were forming themselves in his subtle brain, when the interest in the mended yr unmended stockings was extinguished by he entrance of the Talberts' irreproachable coking man-servant. He informed his mas? ara that the man had brought the child. "What mani What child?" asked Horace. 'Do you expect a man or a child, Herbert* "Certainly not. What do you mean, Whit? taker?" "A railway man has brought a child, sir. He says it is to be left here." "There must be some stupid mistake." "No doubt, sir," said Whittaker, respect' fully, but showing that his opinion quite coin? cided with his masters." "Where is the man?" asked Horace. "In the hall, sir." "Bid be wipe his shoesr asked Herbert, in dread. "Certainly, sir ; I insisted upon his doing so." "We had better see the stupid man and set the matter right," said Horace. "Excuse us for a moment, Mr. Mordle." The two tall men walked into the hall, leav? ing Mr. Mordle to chuckle at his ease. Hazle? wood House was certainly a most interesting place this evening. It was lucky for the curate that he indulged in his merriment with his face turned from the door, as in a minute the respectable Whittaker entered the room That functionary was most ten? acious that due respect should be shown to his masters. Most probably the look of vivid amusement on Mr*. Mordle's features would, had he seen it, have made an enemy for life of the faithful Whittaker. "Mr. Talbert and Mr. Herbert would be glad if you would step out for a moment, sir." Thereupon Mr. Mordle went into the hall and saw a most comical sight-thc solemnity of the actors concerned not being the least comical part of it. Standing sheepishly on the door mat, or rather on one of the legion of door mats, was a stolid-faced porter in his uniform of brown fustian, velveteen, or whatever they call the stuff. On either side of the massive, oblong hall-table stood one of tho Talberts, while between them, on the table itself, was a child with a mass of tum? bled, flossy, golden hair streaming down from under a natty little cap. Horace and Her? bert, each armed with his horn-rinur.ed eye? glass, and with looks of utter consternation and bewilderment upon their faces,' were bending down and inspecting the child. To Mr. Mordle's iniaginative mind, the group suggested a picture be had once seen of the Brobdignagians taking stock of Gul? liver; nor could the picture have been in any way spoiled when he himself, a tall man, went to one end of the table, while Whit? taker, another tall man, stood at a becoming distance from the other end, and joined in the scrutiny of the diminutive strangor. "This is a most extaaordinary thing f said Horace. "The child. is sent by rail addressed hero." Mr. Mordle read the ticket: "H. Talbert, Esq., Hazlewood Hou?e, Oakbury, near Block town." "Where did you say it came from?' asked Herbert, ftiruing to the stolid-faced porter. "Let us hear all about it again.*' "Guard of five o'clock down, gentlemen : lie says child was left in first-cla^s carriage. Mother got out at Didcot, and missed the train or didn't come back. Guard told me to get cab and bring the child hera ?Said I'd bo paid well for my trouble. Cab was three and six, gentlemen." "There must be some mistake. What are we to do!" asked the brothers. "Don't expect any visitors, I supposer asked the curate. "None whatever. You must take thc child away again," said Horace, turning to the por? ter. The man gaped "What am I to do with it, sir**' he nsked. "Lost parcels ortice," suggested Mr. Mordle quietly. Whittaker gavo hun a reproachful look. Themattcr was tot) serious a one for j*st. "Cut the label off," was tho curate's next piece of advice. "There maj' be a letterunder it" They took it off. The label was a piece of writing papor gummed on to a plain card which had been torn or cut irregularly. No letter was concealed beneath it. Then they searched the pockets of the child's little coat, but found nothing. Their perplexity in? creased. "I'll wish' yon goodf cVening, gentlemen,", said the porter. "Cab was. three and six." The "Tabbies" were ott the horns of a dilem? ma. The eyes which could detect the discrep? ancy in the unfortunate Mrs. Jenkins' stock-, in gs were able to see that the baby was well, even very well, clad. It was just possi? ble that a letter had miscarried-possible that some one was coming to Hazlewood House without invitation or notice-that she had really unseed the train at Bidget; thai eh* ' would arrive in the course of an hour or two* and explain matters. The safest plan waa ta keep the child fe?- a while. Having settled this, Horace fished fir? shillings out of his pocket and sent the perter away happy. Thereupon Herbert produced a half crown which he handed to his brother, who pocketed it without comment and as a m?tter of course. They ware not miserly men, but made a point of being just and ex* act in their dealings with one another down to the uttermost farthing. 21 ich annoyance would be saved if all men were the same as the Talbetts with respect to small sums. Nev? ertheless, this rigid adjustment of matters pecuniary was a trait in their characters which gr?ai ly tickled Mr. Mardle. All tile while the little boy, with fat sturdy legs placed well apart, stood upon the great oak hall tabla -The lantern of many colored glass over his head threw rich, wann tints on his sunny hair. He seemed in no way shy or terrified; indeed, if any fault could be found in his bearing, It was that ms manners were more familiar than such a short acquaintance justified. As the dignified brothers once more bent over him to resume their examination, he seized Mr. Herbert's watch chain in his ' chubby fist and laughed delightedly-a laugh which Mr. Mordle echoed. He had long looked for a suitable excuse* for expressing his feel? ings in this way. The situation was so funny. An unknown child foisted upon hts friends at this hour of the night! No dirty beggar's brat, but a pretty, well-dressed little boy, old enough to possess a row of tiny white teeth, but not, it seemed, old enough to give any explanation of this unwarrantable intrusion. The child had such large, bright blue eyes, such wonderful golden hair, such fearless and confident ways, that Herbert, who was fond of children, patted the bright head and pulled out his watch that the little rascal might j hear it tick; while Mordle slipped back to the dining room and returned with a couple of unwholesome macaroons. "Nearest way to a child's heart through the stomach," be said, as the youngster deserted his first friend for the sake of the sweets. Horace ey ed these advances discontentedly. "But what is to be doner he said. Just then the muffled strains tl a piano parsed througi the cloned door of i he drawing room. "I should think," said the curate, "you had better take Miss Clauson's ad rte? ca the fro BK CONTINUED ] Bill Arp in Texas. Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta is a lovely Georgia town, bat it happens to be in Texas. It is in Cass County, and these Georgians talk about changing the name from Gass to Bartow. There is a Dalton and a Marietta in tbe county, and tbe Alabamians bere bave reamed their little village Cnsseta, and there is also a Lanier and a Coweta township. ! Cass county is on the line, tbe eastern line, and tbe Georgians and Alabam? ians stopped here ta rest, and they have not got done resting yet. Tbe soil is a sandy loam, and the forests look like old Georgia, especially the pine belt that occupies a large area. The lumber huB\neB8h&&iA*ji&! amazing. Therc-afe^forty large mills betw^^ Jefferson and Texarkana, sej|^"miJes. Some of these, mills cut one hundred thousand feet a day. The freight agent who has it all 'to move, told me there was now one hundred millions of sawed lumber upon the mill yards and saw logs for as much more. The bayous along the railroad are full of logs-logs by the acre, and one can cross the lakes on these rafts of logs. The average price of lumber at these mills is twelve dollars a thousand. It all goes west to build up new towns and enlarge the old ones. Atlanta is only four years old and now has 2,000 inhabitants, ll found Professor Looney here teaching a large school. He is well-known in Georgia as one of three brothers-all teachers of fine reputation. The good people here and hereabouts are a unit for Georgia and Alabama-all southern to the core and delight to honor their old mothers-the states they moved from. Texarkana is a novelty. I never knew until now where its long curi? ous* name come from, Texas and Arkansas, and it is all right for the state line splits the town in two. This line does not run with the streets, but diagonanally 'and right through business houses and private residen? ces, so that when the merchant is be? hind his counter in Texas his custom? ers are in Arkansas. I thought that there would be some conflict of laws, and there is some-especially about crime-but those people all unite itt everything for the good of Texarkana, and the criminals can't dodge over the line to do any good. They have extradition laws of their own, not state laws, nor municipal laws, but ihe laws of custom and self protec? tion. When a man skips over the line the officers of that side shove him back law or no law. If he wants to sue for kid-napping he can't find a re? spectable lawyer to take his case, public opinion ts against it, and so he has to submit. They have a double city government, two mayors and two marshals, but there is no clash or con? flict and uo jealousy. Well, I be? lieve that the people on the Texas side are .a little more airy and conse? quential than those over the Arkan saw line-for a Texan is-well he is just a Texan, and that means a ' good d< al. - They are not only proud of living in their state but they are sorry for those who don't. They look upon all the rest of us as unfortunates. The time was when they invited im? migration, but they have ceased to feel concern about that now, for the cry is "still they come.7' They give cordial welcome to all, but they hint that after awhile they may take a vote as to whether a foreginer may come or not. Texarkana is a railroad town and the shriek of the locomotive and the rumbling of long trains cars is al? ways in the air. Speaking about this dividing line reminds me of the trou? ble Frank Jones used to have when he was running Etna furnace down below Rome at the Alabama line. The legislature had prohibited the sale of whiskey down to the line and Ala? bama had done the ?ame thing up to the linc. This was to secure sober labor for Etna and Stonewall furnaces -one in Georgia and the other near by iu Alabama. But a cute and devlish fellow built his saloon right ou the line an " kept his whiskey behind the counter in Alabama, and Iiis customers drank it from a counter in Georgia! Alabama couldent punish him, for the whis? key was drank in Georgia ; Geor? gia c??ldent punish him, for it was sold in Alabama ; and' so' he dodged the law on both sides and bedeviled Frank Jones for a rear or two. Bo? finally they mobbed the fellow and mn him off and bu roed- up-his shebang: Law is strong, bot public necessity is stronger. ?" ?ri i - This Ked river country's 'just love? ly. All along from Texarkana td Shennau the Trans continental > rail? road mos east and west parallel to the river and only a few miles from it. Prairie and timber alternate, and the country is thickly settled with: good farmers. Th riving village? about ten miles apart grow up between! the larger ones, the county se?ts*-bnt the county seats grow more rapidly of course. Everything grow? rast Texas. In Clarksville they h?w? given up the old court bouse that looks just like Georgia and hare nearly completed a grander one to cost sixty thousand dollars. They don't mind money in this country. They make it easy and spend it freely, - Here, in Paris, is another magnificent one. Paris is the most consequential town in all this region. It has grown in ten years from 2,000 to 6,000 in?' habitants and is still growing, lt m not a black muddy town, but it is on a gentle elevation of sand with beau? tiful streets and abounding shade of elms and maples and beautiful houses all around. Her trade most be im? mense, judging from the stocks of goods in store. Good water is here from wells not cisterns. Her trade reaches far back into the nation, aa they call it, and the dusky Indian^ are seen upon her streets. One cam? into Dr. Baldwin's office tobe treated for rheumatism and said be bad no money, but promised forty cows or * forty ponies whichever fae preferred, ' But while Paris is so well eituated - upon th? sand, the surrounding ?oun-< try is al) prairie, or nearly all. There is enough timber near by for fuel, and I found that wood was preferred to coal, and much cheaper. There art many Georgians here too, and Dr. ^ Baldwin, who was from Cuthbert, was kind enough to hunt them up for me, for you kr o w that my heart ' yearns toward them, and now that I " am away off, I love theJSeor^Sn^^ ! tetter that ever before. A few more days will, 1 hope, fee me journeying home as fast as the rolling wheels cari:0 carry ins. The Georgians still lead in all the region I have found. Onto man told me jocularly there was one pod sign that spotted the Gebr? " Ie said that when a man in " wanted te draw the cork botfler-anT^c^^ ^saioT: "Is there anylSeorgian in thisU car V And a modest fellow rose ?p and said, "?es, sir: I am a Geer*" gian,7' the man said,"Well, lend nie your corkscrew." . ?&fk |?? . . m I I ' aw '^^M^T Wnat Our Editors :S?#:" J - Less Cotton, More Corn, Oats and Wheat. Nowotny Next osa* BtnUi^d^^-A The country is poorer to-day than U has been since the war. Theft is in? deed no money in it, or in fact to little' that we ' may say there is none. Uk* last cotton crop is sold and the price oL it gone. Besides this there are 6om-; paratively no provision* in the country. Farmers have been making no meat for; a decade of years, and the common re? sort has been to the Western market, and not only for meat, but* corn and to. some extent floor. It is evident; tb ab!. classes, outside of the farming circle;: while to this class it is dear ts noon? day that a most deplorable condition of affairs exists, and that it is leading.to worse. What is the cause of thia We answer cotton-^cottou-all cotton.. Twenty years ago enr advice to the farv mer was to plant less cotton, cultivate a smaller area, hire fewer bands, and im? prove a less number of acres year after, year, until the'farm should blossom like v the rose, and increase thereby io value. The crop raised thereon would be worth vastly more tn proportion than that' raised on fife or even ten times mora land, and the proceeds too, instead ot going to pay a larger number of hands, be pot into the pockets of the happy far* mer. Year after year has this advice been given, and time and again have farmers agreed with us that this was tho course to be pursued, and that they would follow it. It docs indeed seem " strange to us that advice so foll of reas? on should not be followed, when too. year by year the. farmer has been grow? ing, leaner, poorer and hungrier than, ever before. Docs it not seem wiser to enrich five acres"of land, so that it will produce as much as twenty acres, and be more valuable each year following than the past, and the crop raised wita one, or perhaps no hand but your own. labor, at an expense so trismg as to. amount to almost nothing, and you be saved a world of care, annoyance and trouble which the large number of hands would give voa. Let Him Resign. Medium. T. Stobo Farrow, Esq , has been ap? * pointed to a subordinate place in ons of - thc Departments at Washington. He . beats any man we ever knew to get into v these small places. For a time he held * one office in Washington and another ia Columbia at the same time. Now he .? will have to loosen bis bold as Clerk of the Senate of our State. . V Col. Farrow should not bide his U?-.. est in any such amall place as he has received. South Carolina needs all ber < soo s at home. A man of Col. Farrow's . standing ought to sec rn any such a sobor- U ioatc position. The pay is>mall, the . work responsible and there is no chance . for promotion. Aman necessarily be?:, comes a machine. He should resigo si once. _ _ * Thc Washington correspondent of. the New York Herold says : 'It is on-? derstood that by Joly 1 not one Federal official in the State of Virginia or else? where who owes bis appointment to the . influence of Senator Mahons will be. io office. The announcement of thiiN fact will bring joy to : many applicants .; and sorrow to the holders, of the offices. in Virginia who admit thatr tbev have, already held office longer than they ex? pected under the circumstances. The surest political sppointment is dlsapjtoiotmViit.