Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'Be 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 Jon?, i860 SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9,1887. New Serles-Yol. TI. No. 45. -: Published every Thursday, JST- Gr- OSTEEN, SUMTER, S. C. TEEMS: Tw^?f?l?rSTOr annum-in advance. , ". : >a,i>,v ? axis EXISTS. 0Be Square,firsUesertkm..................$1 00 Bvery subs?quent inserUo?~._. 50 .Goatracts for three mon tbs, .or longer, will be made'at reduced rates. . -_4JU.communicatioDs which subserve private j atecests killoe charged for as advertisements. ~ Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. A FRAGMENT. ':S. j.^Love him, trust him, ? 1 Him alone ; ' \- a - Fatber> Keeper, . /; - Three in One.. S?? - Saviour, Master, Leader, too, Lover, Brother AU ta joe. .xSear not, care not; .Only Jollow Hjs way, this day. -". And to-morrow. . Waiting, working For bis sake ; Watching, boping Tm d*y-break. Peaceful, joyful - In bis peace ; Filled full,.kept full, . Bj his grace. , ICO.VTLNL-fcU).! CHAPTER X X ti. , OS THE. BO AD. ? They had just finished their meal, and TV ere aboatto leave the table, when suddenly the . rdoor opened, and who should appear at it but Frank Muller himself. There was no mis? take about him; there bo stood, stroking his - toi^ golden beard, as big, as handsome, amt, .j to Jess1 mind, as1, evil looking as ever. Thc' cold eyes fell upon John with a glance of rec ? ogijuoon,-and then something like a smile be gan to play round the comers of thc frac cut, cruel mouth. Suddenly, however, his gaze - lit u po a the two Boers, ono of whom was -packing fais teeth frith a steel fork and the s other lightaag his pipe within a few inches of Jes^ head, and instantly his face grew stern ~ * and angry. ^"What- did X teE you two menf be said; "that you'were not to eat with the prisoners". (this word ?truck awkwardly on Jess* ear). . **I told yon that they were to be treated with aR respect, and here I find you sprawling over - the table and smoking in their faces. Be off with youl71 The smooth faced man with the tusk rose at once with a sigh, put down tho steel fork with which, be had been operating and de " parted, recognizing that Meinheer Muller was not a commanding officer to be trifled with-, but his companion, the V?derbeeste, demurred. '-What," he said, tossing his head so as to throw the long black hair out of his eyes, "am I not fit to sit at meat with a coopte of accursed English-a rooibaatje and 5 a woman ? If I had my way he should dean my boots and abe should cut up my tobacco;*7, and he grinned at the notion tm eyebrows, whiskers .and mustache all nearly met round - bis- nose, makiVg bim look for all the world : like a hairy faced rjaboon. ... Frank Muller made no answer in words. . He simply took one step forward, pounced ' upon his insubordinate follower, and with* a anglo awing cf his athletic frame sent hr?n flying headlong through the door, so that the free and independent burgher lit upon his head m the passage, smashing his pipe and considerably damaging bis best feature-bis nose. 'There," said Muller, shotting the doo^ after him, "that is the only way to deal with & fe?cw like that, And now let me bid you good day. Miss Jess," and bo- extended his - band, which Jes took, rather coldly it must bo owned. "It has given me groat pleasure tobe able to do you thia little service," be added, po? litely. "I had considerable difficulty in get? ting the poss from *be general-indeed, I was obliged to urge personal services before he would give- it to me. Bat, never mind that, I did gat it, a? you know, anditw?l be nay caro to eacort yon safely to Mooifon - tem." Je? bowed, and Muller turned to John, who had risen from his chair and was stand? ing some two pace? from him, and addressed, bim: "Capt Niel," ko mid, "you and 1 have had some diff?rence? in the past I hope that the service I am doing you will prove that I, for one, bear no ma?ce. I will go further. As I told yen' before, I was to blame-in that affair m thedanyardat Wakkerstroom. Let ns shake bands ard end what we cannot mend,0 and be stepped forward and extended his band Jess turned to see what would happen. Ste* knew the whole story, and hoped he would not take the man's hand; then, remem? bering their position, she- hoped be would. John terned color a little, and then deliber . atery drew himself up and put his hand be? little Ibis bock. -. - "*I am very t rry, Mr. Muller," he said, "but even in our present position I cannot snake hands with you;;you well know why." Jess saw a flash of the furious passion, which was ins weak point, spread itself over the Boer's face. - . "I do not know, Capt. NieL Be so good as to explain." "Very well, I will," said John, calmly. ^"Yoa. tried to assassinate me." rf ? f?fcfetf doyon mean T thundered Muller. "What I say. You shot at me twice under pretense of firing at a buck. Look herc!" and he took np his soft black hat, which be stu! had-"here is the mark of one of y otu* bullets! I did not know about it then; 1 do now, and I decline to shake hands with you." By this time Muller's fury bad got the better of bim. "You shall answer for that, you English liar!" he said, at the samo time clapping his hand to his .belt, in which bis hunting knife was placed. Thus for a few seconds they stood face to face. John never THEY STOOD TACf: TO FACE. flinched or moved. There he stood, quiet and strong as some old stubby tree, his plain, honest face and watchful eye affording a strange contrast to the beautiful but de? moniacal countenance of the great Dutch? man. Presently be spoke in measured tones. "I have proved myself a better man than yourself once, Frar-.k Muller, and if necessary J will again, notwithstanding that knife o? yours. But, in the meantime, I wish to remind you that I have a pass signed by your own general guaranteeing our safety. And now, Mr. Muller," with a flash of the blue ?ryes, "I am ready." The Outebman drew the . knife and then replaced it in its sheath. For ? j-QOflssat he was minded to end the matter then and there, bnt suddenly remembered, evenin his rage, that there was a witness. "A pass from the general ?" he said, forget ? tingJhi&caution in his, fury; "much good a passifrom-the general is likely to be to you. You are in my power, man! If I choose to close my hand I can crush you. But there there," he added, checking himself ^'perhaps I ought to make allowances. You are one of a.defeatedjpeople, and no doubt are sore, and say what you do-not mean. Anyhow,.there is-an end of it, especially in the presence of a lady. - Same day we may be able to settle our trouble; like men, Capt. Niel; tilttheh, %i??yoh?. permission, we will let U dro>J^ , " ^"Quite so, Mr. Muller," said John,'"only you' must not ask me to shake bands with you." .* Very good, Capt. Niel; and now, if Ton will allow me, I will tell the boy to get your horses in; we must be getting on if we aro to reach Heidelberg to-night." And ho bowed himself out, feeling that his temper had once more endangered the success of-his plans.' .'Curse the man!" he said to himself??'he is. what those English call a gentleman. '" It was brave of bim to refuse to take my hand when he is in my power;*' "John," said Jess, as soon as the door had closed, "I am afraid of that man. li I had understood that he had anything to do with the pass I would not have taken it I thought that the writing was familiar to me. Oh, dear!. 3C wish ;we had stopped' atfPre toria." * '* What cant be. cured must be endured," said John, flg??n.. "The only thing to do is to make the best of it, and get on as we can. Yon will be all right anyhow, but he hates me like poison. I suppose that it is on ac? count of Bessie." - "Yes, that's it," said Jess; "he is madly in love with Bessie, or was." "It is-carious to think that a roan like that can be in love," remarked John, as he Ht bis pipe, "but it only shows what queer mix? tures people are. I say* Jess, if this fellow hates mo so, what made him give ma the pass, eh? What's bis gnmeF Jess shoe* lier head as she answered, "I dont know, John; I don't like it." *3 suppose h?c?rft mean" to murder me* he; (fid'tryntron oiiee, you-know." ' - - "Oh, no, John," she answered, with a sort of cry, "not that" "Well, Idont know that it would matter much," he said, with an approach to. cheer? fulness which was rattier a faiknvJ "It-would save one a deal of worry, and only anticipate things a bit But there, I frightened you, and I dare say that-ne is, for tho present, ai any rate, an honest man, and has no inter:- : ?ons on my person. Look! there is Mouti calling us. I wonder if those brutes have given him anything to eat Well collar the rest bfthis legof mnfe?n on chanco: AtCahy rate, ' -Frank 'Muller shan't starve mer- to death," and with a cheerful laugh he left tho room. . In a few nnnutes.they were on their road again. As they started Frank Muller came up, took off bis hat and informed them that he would yrobably join them on the morrow below-Heidelberg, in which townr,they?would find ?very preparation to enabler tbeni to spend the night comfortably. If he did not join them it would be because he was detained i on duty. In that case the two men had his or? ders to escort them safely to Mooifontein, and, ho added significantly, "I do not think you will he troubled with any further impo? liteness." In another moment he had galloped off on his great black horse, leaving the pair .consid? erably mystified and not a little relieved. "Well," said John, "at any rate that does not look like foul play unless, indeed, he has gone on to 2>repa: e a warm reception for us." Jess shrugged her shoulders; she could not ..make it out; and then they settled themselves down to their long and lonely drive. ?. They had forty odd'miles to cover, but the guides, or rather the guard, would only consent to their outspanmng once, which they did cn the open veldt a little before sunset At sun? down they mspanned again and started across the darkening- veldt The road was in a shocking state, and until the moon get np, which it did about 0 o'clock, thc journey was both difficult and dangerous. After that things were a little better; and at last, about II o'clock, they got . into Heidelberg. Thc town seemed almost deserted. Evidently the great body of thc Boers were at the front and had only left a guard at their seat of govern : ment "Where are we tooutspan?" asked John of the Unicorn, who was jogging on alongside, apparently half asleep. "At the hotel," was the short reply, and thither they went and thankful enough they were to get there, and to lind, from the lights in the windows, that the people were still np. Standing at the inn door, holding a light above her head, they found a pleasant look j ing Englishwoman, who welcomed them heartily. "Frank Muller was here three hours ago and told me to expect you," she said; "and very glad I am to see an English face again, I can tell you. My name is Goocli. Tell mc, is my husband all right in Pretoria? He went up there with his wagon just before the siege began, and I have not heard a wcrd from him since." "Yes," said John, "he is all right He was slightly wounded in the shoulder a month ago; but he is quite recovered." "Oh, thank God!" said the poor woman, be? ginning to cry; "those devils told me that he waa dead-to torment me, I supposed Come in, miss; there is some hot supper ready when you have washed your hands. Tho boys will see to the horses." Accordingly they entered, and wero made as happy as a good supper, a hearty welcome and comfortable beds could make people in their condition. In tho early morning one of their estimable \ escort sent m a message to say that they were not to start before 10:50, as their horses re? quired more rest, so they got several hours more in bed than they had expected, and anybody who bas ever made a journey in a pogt cart in South Africa can understand what a blessing that was. At 0 they had breakfast, and as thc clock struck 1U:3U Mculi brought the cart round, and with it came the two Boers. "Well, Mrs. Gooch," said John, "what do we owe youl" "Nothing, Capt. Niel, nothing. If you only knew what a weight you have taken off my mind! Besides, we are quite ruined; tho Boers have taken all my husband s cattle and horses, and until last week six of them were quartered on mo without paying a faithing, so it makes no odds to me." "Never mind, Mrs. Gooch," said John, cheerfully, "the government will compensate you when this business ix over, no doubt " Mrs. Gooch shook her head prophetically. "Never a farthing do I expect to see/ sue said. "If only I can get ruy husband bael:. I and we can escapo out of this wicked place j with our lives, I shall be thankful. And I look here, Capt. Niel, I have put up a basket full of food-bread, meat and hard boiled eggs and a bottle of three star brandy. The}* may be useful to you and the young lad}- be I fore you get home. I don't know where you will sleep to-night, for tho English are still holding Standerton, so you won't be uble to stop there, and you can't get right through. No, don't thank me, I could not do less. Good by-good by, miss; I hope you will get ! through ail right. You had better look out j though. Those two men you have got with you are a very bad lot. I heard say that I that fat faced man with the tooth shot two i wounded men through the - head after the j fight at Bronker's Spruit, and I know no ? ge*yl of ti:'- other. Th<*y wore laughing and j talking together about you in the kitchen this morning; one of my boys overheard j them, and the man with the long hair said j that, at any rate, they would not be troubled i with 3'ou after to-night. I dont know what he meant; perhaps they are going to change the escort; but I thought that I had better tell you." John looked grave, and his suspicions re arose, but at that moment one of the men in question rode up and told lum that ho must I start at once, and so off they went i The second day's journey was in many re ! spects a counterpart of the first. Tho road ' was utterly deserted, and thoy saw neither ! Boer, Englishman nor Kaffir upon it; noth i ing, indeed, except a few herds of game glaz? ing on the ridges. ; Nothing further occurred till, by the orders I of their escort they outspanned, an hour or i ao before sunset, at a spot in the veldt where . a faint track forked out of tho Staudertuu road. CHAPTER XXIII. IN THE DRIFT OF THE VAAL. j The day had been intensely and o verpo we j ing?y hot, and our travelers sat in th/* sha? : of thc cart positively gasping. During tl ? afternoon there had been a little breeze, bi this had now died away, and tho stirling a j felt as thick as. though they -were breathir cream. Even thc two Boers seemed to fe the "heat, for they wero both outstretched c the grass a few paces to the left, to all a] peal-anees fast asleep. As for the horses, the were thoroughly done up-too; much so 1 eat-and hobbled along as well as their kr? halters "would allow,- daintily picking mouthful hero and a mouthful there. TL only-person who did not seem to mind w* the Zulu Mouti, wno sat on an antheap nea the horses, in the full glare of the setting sn and comfortably droned ontas?ttle song c his own invention, for Zulus, are as great fe improvising as the italians, - " Jobn,"-said Jess, at last, "where do yo . suppose weare going to camp to-night? 1 we follow the main road we shall reach Star derton in an hour." "I don't suppose that they will go nea Standerton," he. said. "I suppose that w shall cross the Vaal hy another drift an have to 'veldt,' it" Just then the two Boers woko up and bega to talk ^earnestly together, as though the; were debating something hotly. Slowly thc huge red ball of thc sun sank tc ward tho horizon, steeping the earth and sky i blood. About a hundred yards from wher they sat the little bridio path that branche from tho main road crossed the crest of on of the great land waves that rolled away t every direction toward the far horizon. Jobi watched the sun sinking behind it till some thing called away his attention for a .minute When ho looked up again there was a flgui" on horseback, standing quite still, upon th crest of the ridge in the f ull glow of the not disappearing sun. It was Frank Muller John recognized him in a moment. His hors was standing sideways, so that over at tba distance every lino of his features, even th I trigger guard of the rifle that rested on hi knee, showed distinctly against the back ground of smoky red. Nor was that all Both he and his horse had the appearance o being ahsolutely on fire. Tho effect producet was so" weird and extraordinary that Join called his' companion's attention to it Sh looked and shuddered involuntarily. "He looks like a devil in hell," she said .. "the fire seems to ba running all up and do wi . bimX .'.. ,: ? - . "Well," said John, "be certainly is a devil I but I am sony to say that ho bas not ye reached his destination. Here bc comes, iik< "a whirlwind.3' -. In -another twenty seconds Muller hac reined the great black horse on to bi: 'haunches alongside of them, and was smiling .sweetly and taking off bis Lat. "You see I have managed to keep nrj word,"he said. "lean- tell you that Ihsc great difficulty in doing so; indeed, I wai nearly obliged to give tho thing np at thi last moment However, here I am." "Where are we to outspan to-night?" aske<3 Jess. ?At Standerton?" cNo," he said; "I am afraid that is more than I cnn manage for you, unless you car persuade tho English officer there to surren der. What J have arranged is. that we shoulc ! cross toe Vaai at a drift I kr.ow abent twe j houri (twelve miles) from herc-, and outspax f ata fana on the other side.' Do not trouble. I assure yon you shall both sleep well to? night" and he smiled a somewhat terrifying smile, Jc-ss thought "Bat how about this drift, Mr. Mullcrf said John; "Is it safe? I should have though*: that tlc Vaal would have been iii flood :iftcr ali the rain that wo have bad." '.The drift is perfectly safe, Capt. Niel. 3 crossed ic ;:?y?rl? about two hours ago. 1 know yen have b:.-.l a bad opinion cf mc, but I suppose you flo not think that I should guide you to nu unsafe drift?" and with an? other bow he'rode on to speak to the two BofMN, saying, as be went, "Will you tell the Ivaili.-t > put'tbe horses inf' Wi: h ? shrug of bis shoulders John rose and went oil toward Mouti,-to kulp bim to drive up thc four grays, who were nov/ standing limply together, biting at tue Hies, that, be? fore a storm, sting more sharply than at any other time. The two horses belonging to thc escort were some fifty paces to tho left It was as though they appreciated the position of affairs, and declined to mix with the ani? mals of the discredited Englishman. The two Boers rose as Muller came and walked off toward their horses, Muller slowly following them. As they camu thc horses-hobbled away another thirty yards or so, and then lifted up their heads, and, as a coirsequence, their fore legs, to which tho beads were tied, and stood looking defiantly at their captors, for all the world as though they were trying.-to make up their minds whether or not to shake hands wich them. Frank Muller was alongside the two men now, and they were alongside the horses, "Listen!" ho said, sternly. The men looked up. "Go on loosening the reins, and listen." They obeyed, and began to slowly fumble at thc knee halters. "You understand what our orders are. Re? peat them-you!" The man with the tooth, who was addressed, still handling the rein, began as follows: "To take the two prisoners co the Vaal, to force them into the water where lhere is no drift, at night so that they drown; if they do not drown, to shoot them." -Those are thc orders," said tlic Vildcr beeste, grinning. "You understand them?" "We understand, ineinheer; but, forgive us. the matter is a big one*. You gavo the orders-we wish to see the authority." "Yah, j'ah," said the other, "show us tho authority. These are two harmless people enough. Show us the authority for killing them. People must no"t be killed so. oven if they ore English folk, without proper au? thority, especially when one is a pretty girl who would do for a man's wife." Frank Muller set his teeth. "Nice follows you are to have undor one!" he said. "I nm your oiliet-r; what other authority do you want? But I thought of this. Sec here!" and he drew a paper from his jiocket. "Here, you-read it! Careful now-do not lot them ac*.- from tbe wagon." Thc big, flabby faced man took the paper and, still bending down over thc horse's knees, read aloud: "Thc two prisoners ond their servant (an Englishman, an English girl and a Zulu i Kafiir) to < .wut'-d in pursuance of our de? cree, as your commanding 'officer shall order, j as enemies ot Ibu iv:.'tildie. For so doing this i shall bo y'?ur warrant" '.Y<?u sec tho sicr.r.turo." said Muller, "and you do not dispute iff "Yali, wo seo it, and wc do not dispute it." "Good. Give mo back thc warrant" Tho man with thc tooth was about to do so, when his combinion interposed. "No." ho said, "the warrant must remain with us. I do not like tho job. If it. acre only the man and tho Kailir now-but the girl, the gi ri! If wc give yon back tbe war? rant, what shall we havo to show for thc deed of blood? Tho warrant must, romain with xis." "Yah. yah ;die is right," said the Unicorn; "ti.-c warrant must remain with us. Put it in ! your j t., Jan." I "iTrsc 3 . ".J, give it to me!" said Muller, b<> j tween bis louth. "No; Frank Midler, no," answered tho Yil derbeestc, patting his pocket, wbilo the two or 1 :?rce ><: -are inches Of skin round his n? -o wrinkled up in a hairy grin that, owing ? '> che cut on his bead, was even moro curious than usual; "if you v. ?sh to have thc '..arrant I you shall have it, bul then wo shall upsaddle i and go, and yon can do your murdering yourself. There, there, take your choice; wc shall l>e glad enough to get home, for wc do I not like the job. If I go out shooting I like to shoot buck or Kaffir, not white people." Frank Muller reflected a moment, and then bo laugheil a little. "You aro funny people, j you-bonic bred Boers," he said ; "bul perhaps you are right After ali, what does ic matter who has the warrant, provided the thing is well done? Mind there is no bungling, that is all." "Yah, yah," said the fat faced mau, "you can trust us for that. It won't bo the first time that we have toppled over. If I have my warrant f ask notbing better than to .co gu sbooUng Englishmen ul! night one down. "the oilier come on. ? Know no pr?tfier than an Englishman toppling over." ''Stop that talk a*d saddle up, the ce waiting. You fools'can never understan difference between killing when it is i sary to kill and killing for killing's These people must die because they hav trayed the land" "Yah, yab," said the Vilderbeeste, trayed the land; we have heard that be Those who betray the land must m anni that is a good rule," and he laughed passed on. Frank Muller watched his retreating : with a smile of peculiar mali^mity 01 handsome face. "Ab, my friend," he sa himself in Dutch, "you and that warrant .part company before you are many h older. Why, it would be mo ugh to hang even in this happy land of patriots. Old would not forgive even me for taking little liberty with his name. Dem: me, \ a lot of trouble one has to take to be rid single enemy! Well, it must be done, Bessie is well worth it; but if it had not -for this war I could never have manage< Ah! ? did well to give my voice for wai am sorry for the girl Jess, but ?it must there must be no living witness left. Ah are going to have a storm. So much the ter. .?Such deeds are best done in a storm Muller was right; the storm was COE np fast, throwing a vail of inky cloud ac the star spangled sky. In South Africa t is but little twilight and the darkness fol] hard upon tho heels of the day. No so* had the great angry bail of tho sun fin disappeared than the night swept with all stars across the sky. And now after her c the great storm, covering up her beauty ? his blackness. The air was stiflingly Above was a starry space; to the east angry bosom of the storm, in which lightnings were already playing with an cessant flickering movement, and to tho *\ a deep red glow, reflected from the sun sun, yet lingered on the horizon. On toiled the horses through the gathei gloom. Fortunately the road was fa level and free from mudkoles, and Fr Muller rode just ahead to show the way, stroiig, manly form standing out clear aga the departing western glow. It was an awful night Great pillan mud colored sky came creeping across surface of the veldt toward them,, seemir blown along without a wind. And now, 1 a ghastly looking ringed moon arose i threw a weird, distorted light upon tho bli ness that seemed to shudder in her rays though with a prescience of the advanc terror. On crept thc mud colorai colun and on above them, and resting on tb came the muttering storm. Thc cart i quite close to the river now, and they co plainly hear its murmur. To their loft wi koppio, covered with' white, slablike stoi on which thc sickly moonbeams danced. "Look. John, look!" cried Jess, with hysterical laugh; "it looks like a huge gra 3'ard, and the dark shadows between are ghosts of the buried." "Nonsense," said John, sternly; "what you mean by talking such rubbish?" He felt that she was a little off her balar and, what is more, he was gettiug rather his own, and therefore was naturally angrier with her, and the more determii to be perfectly matter of fact. Jess made no answer, but sho was frighten she could not tell why. The whole thing sembled some awful dream, or one of Dei pictures come to life. No doubt, also, neai" presence of the storm exercised oh t il upon her nerves. Even the wearied Lor snorted and shook themselves uneasily. They crept over the ridge of a wave land, and the wheels rolled softly on l grass. "Why, wc are off thc road!" shouted Jo to Muller, who was still guiding them, fifte or twenty paces ahead. "All right! all right! it is a short cut to 1 ford!" he called in' answer, and his voice ra strange and hollow through the great depl of the silence. Below then, a hundred yards away, t light, such as it was, gleamed faintly up the wide surface of the liver. Another fi minutes and thoy were on its shore, but tho gathering gloom they could not make c the opposite bank. . "Tum to the left!" shouted Muller; ?t ford is a few yards up. It is too deep here f tho horses." John turned accordingly, and follow Muller's horse some OOO yards up the bai till they came to a spot where the water r: with an angry music, and there was a gre swirl of eddies. "Here is the place," said Muller; "you nm make haste through. The house is just t oilier side, and it will l?e better to get the before the tempest breaks." "It's all very well," said John, "but I car see an inch before me; I dont know where drive." "Drive straight ahead; the water ia n more than three feet deep, and there are i rocks." "I am not go?ug, and that is all about it." "You must go, Capt. Niel You cam* stop here, and if 3'ou can wo cannot Lot there, man !" and he pointed to the east, whi< now presented a truly awful and magnifi?e] sight Down, right on to them, its center bow? out like the belly of a sail by the weight < the wind behind, swept the. great storm clout while over all its surface the lightning playc unceasingly, appearing and disappearing i needles of fire, and twisting and writhing se pentwise round about its outer edges. The distant muttering of thunder that thc had heard had died away, and now the gre: storm swept on in silent majesty, like lt passage of a ghostly host, from which thei arose no sound bf feet or rolling of wheel Only before it sped the swift angels of th wind, and behind it swung the curtain of th rain. Even as Muller spoke a gust of icy ai caught the cart and 'tilted it, and the liglri ning needles began to play more dreadful! than ever. The storm*was breaking upo them. ' Come, get on, get on!" he shouted, "yo will be killed here; the lightning alway strikes along the water;" and as ho said it h struck one of thc wheelers sharply with hi whip. "Climb over the back of thc seat, Mou ti and stand by to help me with the reins!" sun j out John to the Zulu, who obeyed, getting bc tween him and Jess. "Now, Jess, hang on, and say your prayers for it strikes mc we shall have need of "them So, "horses, so!" The horses backed and T?lunged, but MuH? on tho ono side and the smooth laced li? ?er OJ the oilier lashed them without mercy, und HI List they went into the river with ?L nish The gast bad passed now, and foratuoiueni or two lhere was renewed silence, except foi the whirl of the water and the snakelike hi. ! of the coming rain. For a few yards, ten or fifteen nerhap?. ali went wolli and then John suddenly disenveivd that they wore getting into dwp water; tin two. leaders were evidently almost oil their legtffand coidd scarcely.stand against the cur? rent of the flooded river. "Damn you!" he shouted back, "there is nc drift herc." "Goon, go on, it is all right !" carno Mul? ler's voice in answer. John said no more, but, putting out all hi* strength, tried to get bis horses round. Jess turned herself on tho seat to look, and just tr?en raino a blaze of lightning which revealed Muller and his two companions standing dis? mounted oh the bani:, thc muzzles ot their rifles jointing straight ut tho carl. "Ob, God:" she screamed, "they ?uv going to shoot us.;; Evtu as thc-words passed her lips thrco tongues of flame flared out from the rifles1 mouths and tho Zulu, Mouti, sitting by her side, pitched heavily forward on to lu's bend into tho bottom of the cart, while one of the wheelers reared straight up into the air with a shriek of agony and came down with a splash into tho river. And then followed Q seen.1! the hoiTors <>f which bailies my poor pen. Overhead tba storm burst in fury, and Hash after flash of fork, or rather ol' chain, lightning fell into the river. The thunder, too, began to crack like the trump of doom; thc wind rushed j down, tearing the surface of thc water into ! foam, and, catching under thc tent of the ! cert Jiftcil it clean off tho wheels, so that ic ? began to float Then ;the two leaders, mad I with fear by the fury .of the Storni and thu dying struggles of the off wheeler, plunged and tore at the traces till they actually rent themselves loose and vanished between the darkness overhead and the boiling water be? neath. Away floated the cart, now touching the bottom and now liding on the water liku a boat, oscillating this way and that, and slowly turning round and round. With it floated the dead horse, dragging down the other wheeler beneath the water. It was aw? ful to *?ee his struggles in the glare of the lightning, but at last he sank and choked. I And meanwhile, sounding sharp and clear across the din and hubbub of the storm,*came the cracking of the three rifles whenever the flashes showed the whereabouts of the cart to the murderers on the bank. Mouti was lying still in the bottom on the bed plank, a bullet between his broad shoulders and another in bis skull; but John felt that his life was yet whole in him, though something had hissed past his face and stung it- Instinctively he reached across the cart and drew Jess on to his knee, and cowered over her, thinking dimly that perhaps bis body would protect her from the bullets. Rip! rip! through the wood and canvas; phut! phut! through the air; but some mer? ciful power protected them, and though one cut John's coat and two passed through the skirt of Jess' dress, not a bullet struck them. And very soon the shooting began to grow wild, and then that dense vail of rain came down and wrapped them so close that even the lightning could not show their whereabouts to the assassins on the bank. "Stop shooting," said Frank Muller; "the cart bas sunk, and there is an end of them. No haman being can have lived through that fire and the Vaal in flood." The two Eoe rs ceased firing, and the Uni? corn shook his head softly and remarked to his companion that the damned English peo? ple in the water could not be much wetter than they were on the bank. It was a curi? ous thing to say at such a moment, but prob? ably the spirit that animated the remark was not so much callousness as that which ani? mated Cromwell, who flipped the ink in his neighbor's face when he signed the death warrant of his king. Muller was also thinking of the warrant which he had forged. He mr. - get it back somehow, even if "Let us take shelter under the bank there. There is a flat place, about fifty yards up, where the bank lies over. This rain is drowning us. We cant unsaddle till it clears. I must have a nip bf brandy, too. Almighty! I can see that girl's face how! the lightning shone on it just as I shot Well, she will be in heaven now, poor thing, if English people ever go to heaven." It was the Unicorn who spoke, and tho Vilderbeeste made no reply, but advanced with him to where the horses stood. They took the patient brutes that were waiting for their masters, their heads well down and the water streaming from them, and led chem along with them. Flank Muller stood by his own lorse thinking, and watched them vanish into the gloom. How was he to get that warrant back without dyeing his hands even redder than they were? As he thought, an answer came.. For at that moment, accompanied by a fearful thunderclap, there shot from the storm over? head, whicb had now nearly passed away, one of those awful flashes that sometimes end an African tempest. It lit up the whole scene round as light as day, and right in tho white heart of it Muller saw his two com? panions in crime aud their horses as the great king saw the men iii the furnace. They were about forty paces from bim, on the crest of the bank. He saw them, one moment erect; the next-men and horses falling this way and that, prone to tho earth. And then it was nil dark again. He staggered with the shock, and when it had passed rushed to the spot, calling the men by name; but no an? swer came, except the echo of his voice. He was there now, and the moonlight began to struggle faintly through the rain- Its palo beams lit upon two outstretched forms-one ly big on its back, its distorted features gazing up to heaven, the other on its face. By them, tho legs of the nearest sticking straight into the air, lay the twp horses. They had gone to thoir account. Thc lightning had killed them, as it kills many an innoeeut man in Africa. Frank Muller looked; and then, forgetting about tho warrant and everything else in the horror of what ho took to bo a visible judg? ment, lushed to his horse and galloped wildly away, pursued by all the terrors of bell. [TO BE COJrtTKTED.l The Lawyer's Fame. It was the wish of Hume's family that he should be a lawyer, and he went so far as to commence the study of the law ; but it seems to have been distate ful to him, and belays himself : 'While they fancied I was pouring upon Voet and Vinnius, Cicero and Virgil were the authors which I was secretly de? vouring.' If David Hume had continued the prosecution of the study of the law pos? terity would probably have beard but little of him. The greatest of the English philosophers would hardly have said of him as he did a short while ago in a public address at Edin burg, 'That I make bold to pronounce David Hume the greatest philosopher that the eighteenth century produced, even though that century produced a Kant.' Prof. Huxley tells us in his life of Hume that 'there appear to have been in Hume all the elements of which a good lawyer is made ; clearness of judgment, power of rapidly acquiring knowledge, untiring industry, and dia? lectic skill; and if his mind had not been preoccupied, be might have fallen into the gulf in which many of the world's greatest geniuses lie buried professional eminence-and might have left behind him a reputation limited to the traditional recollections of thc par? liament house or associated with impor? tant decisions.' This is highly complimentary to thc bar, but it is a warning to the youth? ful votary of fame. The lawyer's fume is his contemporary and it dies with him. LY'?rd Erskine, thc greatest advocate that the English bar ever produced, is even now scarcely known beyond thc j circle of his professional fuccessors : ! and Mansfield, Utile and Hardwicke live only in the great judicial decisions i wliich they rendered. - -a- - Quite a Romance. I BtBMrxt??iAi?, Ar.A., May 21.-Scv j oral yeats ago a rainer, while drunk, j j cursad out a family at Warrior, and ' ; raised such a row that nc was seni to } i thc penitentiary fer two years. One j j.of tho witnesses against him was a ! j young lady. The miner served out ? j bis sentence and then entered the j j employ of thc Coalburg Coal and Coke ! I Oo, Time passed and the ex-convict j i had become a quiet, orderly citizen, | ! when the lady whose evidence had j sent bin) to the mines went to Coal burg to live. The two met by chance and failed to recognize each oilier, and no one thought to mention to the i lady that her new friend had served a j term in thc mines. Their friendship j ripened into love. They came to tho ! city yesterday, purchased a license, j and tho same Justice who sent, the j groom to prison united the two in : wedlock. j Our State Contemporaries, Laurent Advertiser. There can be no donbt that a first class agricultural collego would be of incalculable benefit to this State. Law? yers, doctors, merchants, mechanics, find that io order to gain the greatest proficiency, careful training ami study is essential, and we believe the same is true with farmers. While we trust that the two experimental stations which that august body, the l?gislature of South Carolina which assembled in 1886, has ordered to be established, will accomplish something, we believe they will prove signal failures. Farm? ers know a great deal more than they practice, Tt is not experiments by a set of men, but the training of young men in experimental farming, the sci? ence of agriculture, agricultural chem? istry and the like that will elevate far? ming as a profession to its true dignity and make it profitable. The right kind of an agricultural college will do this. But the question arises, 'Is the State in a condition jost at this time to embark in such an enterprise V That it will cost money cannot be doubted, but we think it equally as certain that it is money well invested. We are in favor of an exclusive agricultural college, if the people are willing to bear the ex? pense, but we are opposed to this col? lege if it is proposed to uproot the South Carolina College to get it. This college offers a liberal education to all who are seeking it, and it is designed to prepare men for all avocations ; and a sense of justice demands that if the State cab give but one, that which is adapted to the needs of every yoong mao, irres* pective of the profession be has chosen, is preferable to a school that teaches only agriculture or that prepares him for tiny other one avocation. Lancaster Ledger. It is said that a band of robbers is operating in this county in the direction of Liberty Hill. The band is composed of negroes who lie hid in the woods. Several negroes have been halted arid their supplies taken from them in thc day time but their depredations are committed principally in the night. A gentleman from that locality asks us to put the people on tho lookout for them. Forewarned is forearmed! Florence. Times. The strawberry season is over, and Mr. C. E. Jarrot says he has netted ?125 an acre on four acres that be cul? tivated this year. This is a paying business, and much more has been re? alized on this one product than most farmers will make on their whole cotton crop. Mr. Jarrot says he intends to plant ten acres io strawberries next year and if be has the same luck then as he had this year, he will clear over twelve hundred dollars. Greenville News. Jap Davis the Anderson wife mur? derer, io a conversation with Mr. J. Foster Fant on Monday said be bad given up all hopes. Messrs. Prince & Yan diver, his attorneys, have abandon? ed his case as hopeless. Whee asked if he was prepared for the end, he re? plied no, and said he believed God was folly able to fully pardon every act of bis life tbr.t was sinful, but the trouble was that he could not have that faith and trust in dod that was a prerequi? site to pardon. 'I have no hope of the future/ was his awful conclusion. He said the reason he had for killing his wife was that be thought she bad been guilty of a breach of faith toward him, but as soon as he had committed the awful deed his mind chanced on this subject, and now be thinks bis suspi? cions were only a delusion used by the arch fiend of his soul to cause him to take the life of his wife. Williamsburg Record, June 1. John Orr, a colored man, who says he is from Sumter, was committed to thc jail io this county 30th ult. He is charged with stealing a watch aod knife from a colored man at Lane's last Sat? urday oight. Camden Journal, June 2. Richard Hollermao, col'd, the miller at Dr. E. J Rembert's mill near the line of Kershaw and Sumter Counties, went down under the mill on last Monday to see what was wrong with the machinery. While the wheels were io motioo he at? tempted to remove something from the cogs of one wheel when he was caught in the machinery aud crushed so badly that he died in a short time. The trestle over Sanders Creek is nearly ready for the iron The con? tractors are now at work erecting the trestle over Gum Swamp. The board of arbitration agreed upon by the par? ties interested to settle the right of way through Mr. Nettles' premises for the C. C. & C. R. R. have not jet held a meeting, so that work has cot been com? menced oo his land yet. On Tuesday night a terrific storm visited the Swift Creek section below Camden, and on Mr. Ellerbee's place it assumed the proportions of a cyclone. Several houses were blown over aud completely wrecked, while fences and trees wore leveled on every side. The storm ia said to have been very severe in the upper portion of the conuty where trees and fences were blown dowu in every direction. Ilorry lUrald. Tho Holiness Association held its Session in Newberry last week. It ap? pears to be composed of pennie of pecu? liar views and notions, und seems to imagine that the knowledge of religious i subj', cfs is loJgcd with them for dissem? ination among the common people. l:omc of them are guilty ol using very ansanctificd expressions in (he sacred desk, lt is questionable, if thc methods adopted by them to propagate the relig? ious views are thc best that could be devised to accomplish the greatest amount of permanent, and substantial good. One of them stationed out in the con? gregation ts reported to have prayed for tho return of earthquakes. A scared people can make as much noise and com? motion as wild beasts, but our observa lion ts, that there is very little religion in simple noise and exciting the emo- j 'ional nature. They seem to have a ? special autipathy to ladies fashionably ' dressed^ as if the dress always and in? variably affected the reverent and wor? shipful spirit of the woman, but not that of the man. We freely admit that extravagance in dress, or language, is sinful, and needs to be carefully guard? ed against, but an oddly dressed woman attracts more attention and elicits more comments from others, than if ehe was dressed in moderate fashion. Palmetto Post. By reference to our Black List, we $nd that sofue of the ; most prominent irreconcilable seceder? from the Dioce? san Convention were signers of the Black List. The Black List was a list of the prominent gentlemen of Charles? ton who just before the great revolution of 1876 by; Mart Gary and M. C. But? ler, and when things looked so blue that it seemed as if there never would be a chance for any one of them to get office without joining the. Radical party, were willing to compromise and meet half way, that is, swallow half Republican doctrine, all the negro, (not even sugar? coated) and to receive one half the offi? ces in the gift of the howling negro ma? jority, that had ridden rough shod over the white people of the State for ten or eleven years. Gary said no I Butler said no ! The people of Edgefield said no!. It was no!! Darlington News. The Fourth Regiment is considering the question of going into camp for a week or two this summer, and Col. Auld, who commands the regiment, issued a circular Liter to all the Cap? tains a short time ago, urging upon them the importance of taking this mat? ter into consideration. Col. Auld sug? gests that Smithville, N. C., would foe a good place for such an encampment; but with all deference to his opinion we are compelled to differ with. him. For very many reasons, which will be obvi? ous, but which are too numer?os to mention in detail, the proposed encamp? ment should be held within the borders of the State, and near the home of one of the companies composing the Regi? ment. The encampment this year, for instance, should be near Darlington, next year near Sumter, and so on. By this arrangement one of the five com? panies would each be spared the ex? pense of going away ; while the town [ near which the encampment would be held would derive the benefit which would accrue from the accession of some two hundred visitors, instead of that benefit going to some far off town in North Carolina. Anderson Intelligencer.' The Intelligencer and its Editor have for years urged upon the people of South Carolina the importance of sepa? rating the liquor question entirely from politics, and for this purpose Mr. Mur? ray drew up and secured the passage of the local option law, by which the elec? tions on the question of license or no license are to be held at a different time from the municipal or State elections, and no other question shall then be voted on. The Intelligencer .has also persistently advocated the policy of County option in those. Counties where the people desired to settle this ques? tion. It is the only way to keep the issue oct of politics. It is true that it might be kept out of politics if either side would yield to the other side, but neither will do this. The anti-prohibi? tionist will not give cp the liquor traf? fic, and the prohibitionists will not agree to let it :alone, Therefore, one pf two pkns must follow. .Either the two parties must and will make it an issue in electing members of the Leg? islature, so that if the liquor men can elect the majority the traffic will stand, or if the prohibitionists elect- the ma? jority it will be suppressed. In this plan it is certain, to enter also into State ; elections, for the" G o vernor's veto power : must be had on one side or the other, and the Lieutenant Governor's casting vote must be looked after. The Attor? ney-General also has often important power in construeing a law and enforc? ing its provisions. Thus it will be seen that it is easy to make it a politicial issue hy by fighting directly for the enactment of the law. This has been done in several Northern and Western States, and always results in loss to the party in power. It is to be deplored j whenever it is resorted to, and should be avoided whenever it is possible to do so. The other plan of dealing with the matter is to let the people settle the issue for themselves by a direct vote, when there is no other issac or election to be voted on. This is what we may term the Georgia plan, and it effectually takes the question ont of politics. By voting on it by Counties, all of the people in the State can express their sentiments, and discharge what they may deem^to be their duty in the premises, without connecting it with party politics. By this plan the party tn power is not put at the disadvantage which attaches to the other mode of dealing with it. Experience proves that this is the only way of dealing with the subject without producing political confusion. The people of Anderson and Laurens Counties will vote on prohibition this year, and next year they will be all the more active and vigilant iu maintaiuing the interests of the Democratic party. South Carolina at West Point South Carolina bas two representa? tives in the graduating class of the United States Military Academy at West Point, John M. Jenkins and T. Q. Donaldson, Jr. The class has six? ty-four members. It has a colored cadet. John II. Alexander, of Ohio. At present lie stands seventh in the third section in engineering, sixth in the second section in modern lan? guages, third in the fourth section in law, and fourth in the fourth section in ordnance and gunnery, all of which is a good record. Ile is thought a good deal of by his class. Rev. J. W. W?lling, Missionary of the South Carolina Conference to Bra? sil, arrived at his destination, Rio dc Jancrio, on thc 15th of April. He wns twenty-eight days cn the waters ! and enjoyed fine health. In a "letter to j the Christian Advocate he speaks en- j couragingly of the outlook before him. j Editors. The distinguished editor of the Loo ie vi ?le Courier-Journal has a right, if iny one baa, to discuss the functions and responsibility of an editor. Io a recent article he ?aid : 'The editor wbo is true to bil calling, makea every year of bis ..life a record which would be hurtful, if not fai*Jt-kr campaign requirements. The editor who is fit for bis calling is likely to bo unfit for officeV"becau8? there la between the two the principle of so irrec? oncilable antagonism; the functions of the doe being mainly critical, of tire other more or less constructive. Politics, -no less than journalisai, is ft business to be learned by regular ser* vice and to be pursued consistently. Otherwise its achievements and honors must'be tut ecipty* vanities/ In a newspaper experience extending through the- decades we have always avoided office and all candidacy for office. .In our view a competent editor is the equal of any man. This is not the prevailing view even among news? paper men.' There are probably no persons tn our country more prone to worship power and place than men of the press. An editor who is not a pol? itician Is a small man compared with ft fellow in office" although he may have forgotten more than the politician ever knew or will ever know, and has brains enough to set up a half dczen such men in business life. There are editors all over the country who would think Mr. Watterson one of the foremost men ia all the land if be was not connected with a newspaperr but was is tito Senate and displayed one-fourth of the ability, the learning, the accomplishments, the de? votion to sound policy and principle, and the o%sb and vigor and eloquence and thought that distinguish his con? tributions to tho Louisville Courier Journal. If editors regard their breth? ren as so inferior tb office-holding and office-seeking' politicians how may it be expected that others shall regard them? . So far as.we are concerned we believe that in the past such men as James Watson Webb, Henry J. Raymond, Horace Greeley, Joseph Gales, John Sf.' Daniel, John Hampden Pleasants, Oliver P. Baldwin, Roger ?- Pryor, John: Forsyth, George D. Prentice, Thomas Ritchie, Patrick Henry Aylett, Hugh Pleasants, and others that might be named, were among the most potent intellectual batteries of their time, and were equal to the prominent men ra their several States who were so influ? ential. -We-believe that there ?re scores of men to-day in the newspaper business of the country who are intellec? tually the peers of their most distin? guished fellows. They aro doing ft weic that would soon empty the vessels of most of the leaders in polities. Tho point we would make is: that news? paper men must learn to estimate their craftsmen at their proper worth if they would pass for what they are worth. We have noticed through the years that when papers began .to enumerate illustrative able men that they fell back on the politicians or the bar. And yet we do not know of many men in North Carolina who have the information, the learning or the ability of Peter M. Hale, whose health, we so much regret to know, is so very infirm. How *n*nj public men in North Carolina can meas? ure brains with the present Secretary of State ? What man in Western North Carolina, exhibits from year to year more ability and information than,John D. Cameron, of the Asheville Citizen? But why enumerate ? We can name ft dozen men who are or were editors thai are men cf capacity and reading and scholarship and who are abler men than most of the politicians they sp often puff ad nauseam. Let the editors have more regard for their own profession and the people will have more regard for them. No man ever ge ts credit beyond his own figures. If he writes as if he thought an editor was a sort of inferior animal, useful it may be, convenient somewhat, a friend? ly pack-horse, if you please, but after all of not much consequence or force in the world_thea the public will accept the estimate and stamp all editors as common-place, tenth-rate fellows. They will, look upon you as a pretentious fel? low without real parts or merit of any kind. We believe that an editor who is a man of capacity, of information, of common-sense, of earnest conviction and of high conscientiousness is the peer of any man that walks the earth, and is one of the most useful and necessary. Wilmington Star. -s S ? -^ Bobbing Bird's Nest It is hoped that the small boys who are in the habit of robbing birds' nests will take notice of the following which ia ao extract from the statutes of the State: No person or persona shall, si any time or place within the State, take, kill, sell, expose for sale, export be? yond the limits of the State . . . any mocking-bird, . . . under a penalty of five dollars for each bird so taken ... No person or persons shall destroy or rob the nests of any of the said birds, under a penalty of ten dollars for each offence. Major Smith, an influential and in? telligent citizen, of Atlanta, Georgia, who has become famous to newspaper readers as 'Bill Arp/ is of the opinion that the South lost nothing io money value bv e emancipation of the slaves. He was a ?lave owner and ought to know. Talking about the old peculiar institution of the South, the other day, in New York, ho said : /This talk that the South lost $400,000,000 by the Emancipation Proclamation is all non? sense. I am prepared to show that tho South did not lose a dollar, tn all my experience as a slave-owner, if I ever made a dollar by their labor, I do not know it. We got their labor ia exchange for their food and their clothing, the rear? ing of the young and caring for the old. We get their labor for the ?ame price now without having the burden of re? sponsibility for the yoong and the aged aid sick. We used to pay their doc? tors' bills ; now they pay their own. Thc difference is already seen from tho fact that many men are accumulating wealth through the employment of negroes who never got ahead a dollar in the slave day?, although they were owners of many slaves.*