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??Tir?***'-? "y m "?? "II ' i,. i .in - ? i-1 . - - - - i i i . .- . ? .. . ...... i ? -- ." 1 "~* 1 ? - i . _ . ?, . , , . - , 5 Try-;-<-;--~ .?}?, t?K SU?TER WATCHMAN, Established April, is50. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's * ... - . -.~ THE TR?JK SOCTHKONV Established ?une ?86? .* -. .. -:- ~-.- ' -' ' * " ' ? 1 * - ?-1-. Cfll?o?k?te? Ans:. 2,1881.1 SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1887. ." ..... ^ hw. S?rl?s~?ot -fi. in. ?tl |?l Maternait an?r ^oiiiijroiL Whisked every Wednesday, \{r p . " " sr M.?Gv OSTEEN> ^ SUMTER, S. ?; TBRMS; *?wo Dollars per annum-io advance. 1DTIST1SSXISTS. One Squ?rVfitst insertion.?1 OG livery suSsjfcojuent insertion. 50 Contracts ftfrtbree montbs, or longer will be madest reduced rates. AU cpmrnoincatiocs which subserve private iateresfcs w$l$eeharge& for as advertisements. Obituaries sod tribales of respect will be charged for. ACEOSS THE DEE. Lift me, brother, into tbe-sirjng; The hedge is high, I cannot see ~ ? 2 Theblue Welsh hills where harpers sing Across the swiftly flowing Dee. t bare a harp, the strings are dumb To other ears, but not to me-; TIT?ng until the sound shall come From.old Welsh harps across the Dee. Lift me, brother, and swing me high Above the hedge that I maj see -The blue Welsh Mils and sunset sky" Across the swiftly flowing Dee. ? cleave the air as bird on wing, Blue Wis abd golden clouds i see, And music floats-swing, brother, swing; I bear Welsh harps-across the Dee. -B. L. Tollemacks. f ICOXTXXUED. 1 ry g CH3PTER\ XXIV; ~'"THE SKADOW" OP *DEA7?. The firing from the bank had ceased, and 'John* who still kept his head (being a rather phlegmatic specialen of the Anglo-Saxon race),, realized that, for the moment at any -tate, all danger from that source was ended. 'Jess lay perfectly still in his arms, her head upon his breast; and a horrible idea struck h?ll that she might be shot-perhaps already dend? ' ^ ~ ' ^fijss, Jess,77 he shouted, through the tur? moil of the storm, "are yon all rightf Shb. J?fted her .head an inch_or, two-$I thn^^^shesaid. fWhatisgoingon?" ?Godomy knows, ! dont. Sit still, it will bo afi square,77 Bet in bis heart he knew- that it was. not "all'aqnare," and that they were irv imminent danger of death from drowning. They were whirling down a raging river in a cart. -Ina few moments it was probable that the cart wouMupse^ and thea--7- ; Presently the wheel bumped' against some? thing, and the cart gave a great larch and then scraped along a little. "Kow for it," thought Joba; for the wcter i was pouring over the flooring. Thea caree a ! check, and the cart leaned still farther over, j Crack! ' The pole had gone/and the cart I swung round bows, or rather box, on to the j fttream. What bad happened was this: They ? bad- stock across a rock that projected up J from the bed cf the river, the force of the j current having washed the dead horses to the ? one side and the cart to the other. Conse- j quen^tiwjHfe?c anchored to the rock, as it j were?the^ancbor being the dead horses and j tho cs&ie the stout traces of untanned leather, j Solong ?s-th'ese traces and the i-est of the ! harness held they were, comparatively speak- i ing, safe; but of course they did net know j this^.. Indeed,. .,tbey knew, nothing. Above ] them rolled the storm, and round them the j waters seethed and thc rain hissed. They \ Irnew nothing except -that they were helpless ! diving atoms, tossing between the wild waters ! and the wilder night, with imminent death j staring them in the face, around, above end j below. To and fro they swung, locked fast : n each other's arraSy and as they did so came that awful hash that, though they knew it not, sent two of the murderers to their account, and for an instant, even through She nheet of rain, illumined thc space of boiling Tratar and the long lines of the banks on either side. It showed the point of rock to which they were fixed, it glared upon th? head of ose of the poor horses, tossed noby the driving current, as though it were trying to rise from its watery death, and revealed the form of the dead Zulu, Monti, lying on his face, one arm hanging over the edge of the cart and dabbling in the water that ran level with it, in ghastly similarity to some kDe passenger in a pleasure boat who lets his fingers slip softly through the stream. In a second it was gone, and they were once more in darkness. . But then by degrees the storm passed off and the moon began to shine, feebly indeed, for the sky was not dear' washed of clouds, which still trailed along in the tracks of the tempest, sucked after it by its mighty draught. St?l it was lighter, and the rain gradually thinned till at last it stopped. The storm had passed in majesty down the ways of the night, and there was no sound round them but the sound of rushing water. "John," said Jess, presently, "c*n we do anything?" "Nothing, dear?" "Shall we escape, John?" He hesitated. "It is in God's hands, dear. tTe arein great danger. If the cart upsets wo shall be drowned. Can you swim?" "2?o, John." "If we can hang on hero till daylight we may .get ashore if those devils are not there to shoot tis. *I do not think that our chance is a good one." "John, are you afraid to dieP He hesitated, "I don't know, dear. I hope to meet it like a man." "Tell me what you truly think. Is there any hope for us at all r Once more he paused, reflecting whether or not he should speak the truth. Finally he de? cided to do sa "I can see nene, Jess. If we are not drowned we are sure to bo shot. They will wait about the bank till morning, and for their own sakes they will not dare to let us live." He did not know that all that was left of two of them would indeed wait for many a long year, and that the third had fled aghast. "Jess, dear,'* he went on, "it is no good to tell hes. Our lives may end any minute. Humanly speaking, they must end before the sun is up." The- words were awful enough-if tho reader canf by an effort of the imagination throw himself for a moment into the position of these two, he will, perhaps, understand how awful. It is a dreadful thing, when in the full flow of health and youth, to be sud? denly placed face to face with the certainty of violent death and to know that in a few | more minutes your course will have been ? run, and that you will have commenced to ! explore the future, which may prove to be I even worse, becatise more enduring, than the j life you are now quitting in agony. It is a ? dreadful thing, as any who have ever stood j in such a peril can testify, and John felt his ! heart sink within him at the thought-for j death is very strong. But there is one thing ; stronger-a woman's perfect love. Against ] this death cannot prevail. And so it came to ! pass that now, as he fixed his cold gaze upon Jess* eyes, they answered him with a strange, ; unearthly light She feared not death so 1 that she might meet with her beloved. | iTsatbwasher hope and opportunity. H^re j she had none} there she might have all-or j sleep. The fetters had fallen from her, I struck off by an overmastering hand. Her ; duty was satisfied, ber trust was f ulfilled and j she wa? free-free to died with her beloved. '? Ah! her love was. indeed, a love deeper thou j the grave; and now it roso in all its strength, ! standing tiptoe upon the earth, ready, when j dissolution had lent its wings, ta soar to love's j own star.- ' *Tou are sure, JohnT she asked again. r Tes, dear, yes. Why do you force me to j repeat itt I eau see no hope." ' Her arms were round bis neck, her soft ? ?uris rested on his cheek, and the breath from ' her lips played upon his face. Indeed, ic was only by speaking into each other's ears that conversation tras feasible, owing to the rush? ing sound cf the waters. ''Because I have something to tell you which I cannot tell unless we are going to die. You know it, but I want to say ic with my own lips before I die. I love you, John; I love you, I love you; and I am glad to die because I can dio with you and go away with you." *t A3? "GLAD TO DIE, BECAUSE I CAN DJS "WITH YOtT." He heard, and such was the power of her love, that his, which had been put out cf mind in the terror of that hour, reawoke and took the color of her own. He, too, forgot the imminence of death in the warm presence of his down trodden passion. She was in h:'s arms as ho had taken her during the firing, and ho Lent his head to look at her. TL? moonlight played upon her pallid, qt?vering face, and showed that in her eyes which no rp*re could look upon and turu away from. Once more-yes, even then-there came over him that feeling of utter surrender to the sweet mastery of her 'rill that had possessed him iii thesittingroomof "Thc Palatial.'r Cut now; nil earthly considerations having faded away, he no longer hesitated, but pressed his lips against hers and kissed her again and again. It was perhaps as wild and pathetic a love scene as ever the old moon above has looked upon. There they were, those two. experiencing the fullest and acutest joy that j life has to ofFer in the shadow of death. !?ay,? j death was present with them: for there, bc- j neath their feetb half hidden bj- the water, j was the stiffening corpse of the Zulu. To and fro swung the cart in the rush of \ thc swollen river, up and down beside them ] the carcasses of the horses rose and fell with : the swell of thc water, on whose surface tho j broken moonbeams played and quivered, j Overhead was the blue/ star sown depth j through which they were waiting presently j to pass, and to the right and left the long, j broken outlines of the banks stretched away j till at last they appeared to grow together in ! the gloom. ,; But they heeded none of these things; they . remembered nothing except .that they h?:d ? found each other s hearts, and were happy j with a wild joy it is not often given us to fee*. \ The past was forgotten, tho future was at j bond; and between the one and the other was j spanned a bridge of passion made perfect and sanctified by the approa-umg end. Bess?s was forgotten, all things were forgotten in that consuming fire. Let those who weald blame them pansa a while. Why not ? They had kept the faith. They had aemedthcmselyes and run straightly i down the path of duty. Pat tue compacts cf ? life ead with life. No man may bargain for ! the beyond. Even the marriage service ? shrinks from it. And now that hope had ? gone and life was at its extremest ebb, why should they not take their happiness before j they passed to the land where, perchance, ali [ things will be forgotten? So it seemed to I them; if indeed they were any longer capable j of reason. He looked in"to uer eyes and she laid her i head upon his heart in that mute abandon- ! ment of worship which is sometimes to l>e I met with in this world, and is redeemed from vulgar passion by. an indefinable quality of I its own. He looked into her eyes and was j glad to have lived, ay, even to have reached j this Lour of death. Aad she, lost in the ? depths of her own nature, sobbed cut her ! passion laden heart upon his breast, and called him her own, ber own, her very own! And so the long hours passed, till at last a | new born freshness in thc air told them that j they were not far from dawn. The death j they were waiting for bad not yet come. It j must now be ver}' near at hand. "John," she whispered in his ear, "do you I think that they will shoot usr "Yes," he said, hoarsely; "they must for their own safety." "I wish it were over," she said. Suddenly she started back from his arms with a little cry, causing the cart to rock vio? lently. "I forgot,*7 she said-::you can swim, though I cannot. V.'hy cannot you swim to the bank and get oil arider cover of the darkness. It is not more than fifty yards, and the cur? rent is not so very swif s><" Thc idea of escaping without Jess had never occurred to him, and now that she suggested it, it struck him as so absurd that he actually broke into a guost- of a laugh. "Bout talk nonsense, Jess," he said. "Yes, yes, I wilL Go! You must go! It does not matter about ino now. I know you j lov*> me a:id I can die happy. I wilt wait for ' you. Oh, John! wherever lam, if I have any lifc and any remembrance, I will wait for you. Never forget that all your iife. How? ever far I may seem away, if I livo at ail, I shall bc waiting for you. And now go; you shall go, I say! No, I will not be disobeyed. If you will not- go I wiii throw myself into thc water. Ob, the cart is turning over!" "Hold on for God's sake!" shouted John. "Thc traces have broken." He was right; the tough leather was at length worn through by the constant rub? bing against the rock and the strain and swaying of the cart on the one side and thc dead horses on the other. Round it spun, broadside on the current, and immediately began to heave over till at last tho anglo was so sharp that the dead body of poor Mou ti slid out with a splash and vanished into tho darkness. This relieved tho cart, and it righted for a moment, but now no longer held up b}* tho bodies of the horses, or by the sus? taining power of the wind, it began to lill and sink, und at the same time to revolve I round and round. John realized tiiat it was t all up, and that to stop in the cart would i only mean certain death, l>ecauso they would ! be held under water by thc canvas tent. So with a devout aspiration for assistance ho seized Jess round the waist with one ann and sprang off into tho water. ?Vs ho did so the cart filled and sank. "Lie still for Heaven's sake!" ho shouted, as they rose to the surface. In tho dim light of thc dawn, which was ! now creeping over the earth, lie could make ? out the line of the left bank of the Veal, the same from which they had started into the j river on the previous night. It appeared to . be about f<^ty yards away, but the current j was running quite six knots, and ho realized ; that, burdened as he was, it would IA? quire impracticable for him to try and reach it. ! The oniy thing to do wa** to keep afloat, j Luckily the water was warm and he was h ; strong swimmer. In a minute or so he made ' out that about fifty paces ahead some rocks ; jutted out twenty yards into the bed of tho \ stream. Then, caf-hing Jess by the hair i wit li his left hand, he niado his effort, and t ; desperate one it Was. Tho broken water ! boiled furiously round the rocks. Present ly . he was in it, and, bctt'-r still, his fret touched | tho ground. Next second ho was swept off ? them aud rolled over and over at the bottom | of the river, getting sadly knocked about ' against tho bowlders. Somehow ho struggled j to his logs, still retaining his hoM of Jess. ; Twice ho fell, and twice he struggled up ? again. Ono moro effort-so. The water wis only up to his thighs now, and ho was obliged , to half carry his companion. As lie lifted [ her he felt a deadly sickness come over him, ? but st?rbe struggled on like a nmn , till at last they both fell of a heap upon a big fiat rook, and for a whilo ho remembered no more. j When he came to himself agnin it ivas to I find Je?^ who had recovered sooner than he liad, standing over him and chafing his hands. Indeed, as tho sun was up, he guessed that he must have lost his senses for some time. He rose with somo difficulty and shook himself. Except for some bruises he was sound enough. "Are you hurt?" he asked of Jess, who, pale and faint and bruised, her hat gone; her dress tom by bullets and the rocks, and-, drip? ping water at every step, looked an exceed? ingly forlorn object. "?o," she said, feebly; "not very much." He sat down on the rock in the sun, for they were both shivering with cold. "What is to bc done?" he asked. "Die," she said, fiercely; "I meant to die why did you not let me die? Ours is a posi? tion that oui}" death can set straight." "Don't be ulai'med," he said, "your desire will soon bo gratified; those murdering vil? lains will hunt us up presently." The bed and banks of the river were "clothed with thin layers of mist, but as the sun gathered power these lifted. Tho spot where they had gone ashore was about 300 yards below that where tho two Boers and their horses had been destroj-ed by the light? ning on the previous night. Seeing the mist lift, John insisted upon Jess crouching with him behind a rock, so that they could look up and down the river without being soen themselves. Presently he made out the forms of two horses grazing about 300 yards away. "Ah," he said, "* thought so; the devils have off saddled there. Thank heaven, I have still got my revolver and the cartridges are wat :r tight. I mean to sell our lives as dearly as I can." "Why, John," cried Jess, following the line of his outstretched hand, "those are not tho Boers' horses; they are our two leaders that broke loose iu the water. Look, their collars are still on." "By Jove! so they are. Now, if only wo can catch them without being caught our? selves, we have a chance of getting out of this." "Well, there is no cover about, and I can't see any sig^s of Boers. They must have been sure of having killed us and gone away." John looked round, andjfor the first time a sense of hope began to creep into his heart. Perhaps they would survive, after all. "Lets go up and see. It is no good stopping herc; we must get some food somewhere. I feel as weak as a cat." She rose without a word, and, taking his hand, they advanced together along the bank. They had not gone twenty j^ards be? fore John gave an exclamation of-joy and rushed at something white that had stuck in some reeds. It was the basket of food which " had been given to them by the innkeeper's wife at Heidelberg. It had been washed out of the carr., and, as the lid was fastened, nothing had been lost out of it. He undid it. There was the bottle of three star brandy un? touched, also most of the eggs, meat and bread, which last was, of course, sodden and worthless. It did not take long to get tho cork out, and then John filled a broken wine? glass there was in the basket half full of water and half of brandy, and made Jess drink it, with the result that sh? began to look a little less like a corpse. Next ho re? peated the process twice on his own account-, and instantly felt as though new life was fk ring into him. Then they went cautiously ors. Thc horses allowed them to catch them without trouble, and did not appear to be any the worse for th",v adventure, though the flank of one was grazed by a bullet. "There is a tree there where the bank ? shelves over: wo had better tie the horses up, dross and get some breakfast," said John, al? most cheerfully; and accordingly they pro? ceeded thither. Suddenly John, who was ahead, started back with an exclamation of fear, and the horses began to snort, for there, stark and stiff in death, and already swollen and discolored by decomposition-as is some? times the case with people killed by lightning -tho rifles in their hands twisted and fused, their clothes cut and blown from the bodies by the explosion of the cartridges in their bandoliers-lay the two Beers themselves. It was a terrifying sight, and, taken in conjunc? tion with their own remarkable escape, ono to make the most careless and skeptical re? flect. "And yet there ero people who say thai j there is no such thing as a God and no pun- j isbment for wickedness,? said John aloud. CHAPTER XXV* MEANWHILE. John, it will bo remembered, left Mooifon tein for Pretoria toward the end of Decem? ber and with him trent all the lifo and light of the place. "Dear me, Bessie," said old Silas Croft on the evening after ho had started, "the placo seems very dull without John," a remark in which Bessie, who was secretly weeping in the comer, heartily concurred. Then, a few days af terward, came the news of the investment of Pretoria, but no news of John. They ascertained that ho had passed Standerton in safety, but beyond that noth? ing could be heard of him. Day after day passed, but no news, and at last, one evening, Bessie broke out in a passion, of hysterical tears. "What did you send him for?" she-asked of her uncle. "It was ridiculous-I knew it was ridiculous. He could not help Jess or get her back; the most that could happen was that they both would be shut np together. And now he is dead-I know that those Boers have shot him-and it is all your fault! And if ho is aead I will never speak to 3*ou again." Tho old man retreated, somewhat dis? mayed at this outburst, which was not at all in Bessie's style. "Ah, well," he said to himself, "that is the way of women; they turn into tigers about a man !" There may have been truth in this reflec? tion, but a tiger is not a pleasant domestic pet, as poor Silas found out during the next two months. The more Bessie thought about the matter the more incensed she grew at his having sent her lover away. Indeed, in a little while she quite forgot that she had her? self acquiesced in his going. In short, her temper completely gave way under the strain, that at last her undo scarcely dared to men? tion John's name. Meanwhile things had been going as ill without as within. First of ail-that was tho day after John's departure-two or three loyal Boers and an English storekeeper from Lake Chrissie, in Now Scotland. outspannt*} on the place and came and implored Silas Croft to tty for his lifo into Natal while there was yet time. They said that the Boera would certainly shoot any Englishmen who might be sufficiently defenseless. But the old man would not liston. "I am au Englishman-?ivis Romanus snrau" he said, irr his sturdy fashion, "and I do not believe that they will touch me, whe? havo lived among them for twenty years. At an}* rate. I am not going to run away and I leave my place at the mercy of a pack of thieves. If they shoot me they will have to reckon with England for the deed, so I ex? pect that they will leavo mo alone. Bessie* can go if she likes, but 1 shall stop hero and see the row through; and there's an end of it." Whereon, Bessie having flatly declined to budge an ineh, tho loyalists departed in a hurry, metaphorically wringing their faends at such au exhibition of ill placed confidence and insular pride. This little scene occurred at dinner time, and after dinner old Silas proceeded to hurl defiance at his foes in an? other fashion. Going toa cupboard iii his bedroom, be extracted an exceedingly largo Union Jack; and promptly advanced with it toan open spot -between two of the orango trees in front of the house, where a flagstaff j was planted, formed of a very tall young blue gu'::, ii ueh a position that it could bo ! seen for miles around. On this llagstaff it was old Silas'habit; to holst Ibo Union Jack on the queen's birthday, Christmas day and Other state occasions. "Now; .iant je," he said; when ho had bout on the Hag, "run her up, and I'll cheer!" and, accordingly, its tho bread flag floated1 out on thc breeze, ho took off his hut and waved it, and ga ve such a "hip, hip,-hurrah'" in his j stentorian tones that J?-ssir? Came running j down from thc house to see what was tho j matter. Nor was ho satisfied with this, but, j having obtained a ladder, )ie placed it against j tile post and sent .Iantje up it;,'instructing j Him to fasten she rope on which the hug was bent about fifteen feet from tho ground, so that nobody should got at it io haul it down. ".There," he said, "I've nailed my colors to* i the mast. That will show these gentr j ?a Englishman lives herc. '.Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks God save the queen." "Amen," said Bessie, but she had her c about the wisdom of that Union Jack v whenever the wind blew, streamed < visible defiance not calculated to sooth breast of excited patriots, j Indeed, two days after that, a patr three Boers, spying the ensign while ; long way off, came galloping up in hot to see what it meant. Silas saw them ing, and, taking his rifle in his hand, and stood beneath the flag, for which he an almost superstitious veneration, fi sure that they would not dare to in either with him or it. "What is tho meaning of this, Om S asked the leader of the three men, with i whom he was perfectly acquainted. "It means that an Englishman lives Jan," was the answer. "Haul the dirty rag down," said the mi "I will see you d-d first 1" replied Silas. Thereupon the Boer dismounted and i for the flagstaff, only to find Uncle Ci rifle in a direct line with bis chest. "You will have to shoot me first, Jan said, and thereon, after some consulta they left him and went away. The fact was that, notwithstanding ho was an Englishman, Silas Croft was 1 popular with the Boers, most of whom known him since they were children, ar toc-mber of whose volksraad he had t been. It was to this personal popularity he owed tho fact that he was not turned of his house and forced to choose bet* serving against his countrymen or being prisoned and otherwise maltreated at very commencement of the rebellion. For a fortnight or more after this flag epi nothing of any importance happened, then carno the news of the crushing defea Laings Nek. At first Silas Croft would believo the news. "No general could h been so mad," he said; but soon the rej was amply confirmed from native sourcei Another week passed, and with it came bews of the British defeat at Ingogo. first they heard of it was on the morniu: Feb. S, when Jantje brought a Kaffir ni the veranda at breakfast time. This K< said that he had been watching the fight fi a mountain ; that the English were complei hemmed in and fighting well, but'that "tl arms were tired," and that they would all killed at night time. The Boers, he Si were not suffering at all-the English cc not "shoot straight." After hearing this t passed a su??ciently miserable day and ev ing. About 12 o'clock that night, howe1* a native spy Mr. Croft had dispatched cc back with the report that the English gene had got safely back to camp, having suffe heavily and abandoned his wounded, mairj whom had died in tho rain, for the ni; after tho battle was wet Then carno another long pause, dur which no reliable news reached them, thou tho air was thick with rumors, and old Si was made happy by hearing that large re-* forcements were on their way from Englai "Ah, Bessie, my dear, they will soon si another tune now," he said, in great gi "and what's more; it's about time they d i can't understand what the soldiers ha been about-I can't Indeed." And so the.time wore heavily along till last there came a dreadful day which Bes will never forget as long as she lives. It M the 20th of February-just a week before t final disaster at Majuba Hill. Bessie ti standing idly on the veranda, looking do^ the long avenuo of blue gums, where t shadows formed a dark network to catch t wandering rays of light. The placo look very peaceful, and certainly no one cou have Imo wu from its appearance that bloody war was being waged within a ft miles. Tho Kaffirs came and went abo their work as usual, or made pretense 60; b now and then a close observer might seo the stop and look toward the Drakensberg ai then say a few words to their neighbor abo the wonderful thing that had come to pa that thc Boers were beating thc great whi people, who came otit of tho sea and shoe the earth with theil- tread. Whereon tl neighbor would trike the opportunity to rela from toil and squat down and have a pin< of snuff, and relate in what particular collo tion of roc!? on tho hillside ho and his wiri slept lite last night, for when tho Boers ai out on commando tho Kaffirs will nol; sloe in their huts for fear of being surprised an shot down. Then the pair would spend ha au hoar or so in speculating on what would I their fate when the Boei^ bal eaten up tl Englishmen and taken back the country, an finally came to the conclusion that they lia better emigrate to Natal. Bessie, or. thc veranda, noted all this goin on, every now and again catching snatche of the In/.y rascals' talk, which chimed in bu too sad!;.- with her own thoughts. Turnin; from it impatiently, she began to watch th bens marching .solemnly about thc drive, fol lowed by their broods. This picture, toe had a sanguinary background, for under o orange tree two rival cocks were fightin; furiously. They always did this abouc one a week, nor did they cease from troablinj till each retired, temporarily blinded, ta th shade of a separate orange tree, where the] spent thc rest ot' tho week in recovering, onl] to emerge when the cure was effected ai? fight their battles over again. Meanwhile i third cock, young in years but old in wisdom who steadily refused to fight when attacked looked alter the k* ns in dispute. To-day thc fight was particularly ferocious, and, fearing that the combatants would have no* eyes left nt ail if she did not interfere, Bcssio called tc the old Boer hound who was lying iu the sur. Oil tiie veranda: "Hi, Stomp,- Btomp-^-hunt them. Stomp!" Up jumped Stomp and mado a prodigious show of furiously attacking the embattled cocks; it was an operation to which he was used, and which afforded him constant amusement. Suddenly, however, as h? dashed toward the trees he stopped midway, his simulated wrath ceased, and, instead, ah expression of real disgust came upon his honest face. Then tho hair along his back? bone stood up like the quills upon tho fretful porcupine, and he growled. "A strange Kaffir, I expect;" said Be>sie to herself. Stomp hated strange Kaffirs. She bad scarcely got thc words out before thc}' wero justified by the appearance of a native. Ho waa a villainous looking fellow, with or.o eye, and nothing on but a pair of ragged trousers fastened round the waist with a greasy leather strap. In his wool, however, were stuck several small distended bladders, such as are generally wont by medicine men and witch doctors. In his left hand he held c: long stick cleft at the end. In tho cleft v^is a letter. "Come hero. S^mp," said Bessie, and as she did so a wild hope shot across her heart like a meteor across the night; perhaps tho letter was from John. The dog obeyed her unwillingly enough, for he evidently did not like that, Kaffir; and when he saw that Stomp was well 'mt o? the way the Kaffir himself fdkrwed. He was an insolent fellow, and took 710 iv-tice of Bes? sie beyond squatting himself down upon the drive in front of her. "What is it?" said Bessie, in Dutch,- Fier Kpt? trem? ?I ?ag as she spoke. "A Ictt?rj" answered thc Trsxrt. "trivc it to me." "No. missie, not till I have looked nt yon to Sec if iL is right. Light, yellow h:iir that curls-one," cheeking it on his fingers, "yes, that is right; large i?lu" ey?*-two. that is right; big and tali, and lair as a star - yes. tho letter is for you,: take it,-'*and 1er poked thc long stick up iilmost into her face*. "Where is ir from?" asked Bcssio, with sud? den suspicion, recoiling a step. "Wakkcretrooin last.." "Who is it from?"' "Read it, and yon witt seo.-" Bessie took the letter, which was wrapped up in'a piece of old newspaper, from tho cleft ; of the stick anil turned it over and cor doubtfully. Most of us have a mistrust of ! strange looking letters, and this letter was ; un usually strange. To begin with, it had no : address whatever on the dirty envelope, which was curious. In the se?rod place, tho envelope was sealed apparently with a three- I penny bit. j "Are you sure it is for nie?'' asked- Bessie. "Yah, yah-sure, sure," answered the na? tive, with * rude laugh. "There are not mauy ?Tsucu w?itc giris- ??HE?o xrausT??i. J. haro made no mistake: I have 'smelt you out/" And he began tc go through his catalogue "Yellow hair that curls/' etc.-again. Then Bessie opened the letter. Inside was an ordinary sh??et of paper written over in a bold, firm, yet slightly unpracticed writing that Bessie knew well enough, and the sight of which filled her with a presentiment of evil. It was Frank Muller's: She turned sick and cold, but could n?i choose, and read as follows: "CAMP NEAR PRETORIA, Feb. 15; "DEAR Miss BESSIE-I am sorry to have to write to you; but though we have quar? reled lately, and also your good uncle, I think it my duty to dd so, and send this to your hand by special runner. Yesterday was a sortie made by the poor folk in Pre? toria, who are now as thin with hunger as the high veldt oxen just before spring. Our arms were again victorious; the redcoats ran away and left their ambulance in our hands, carry? ing with them many dead and wounded. Among the dead was the Capt. Niel"-* Here Bessie gave a sort of choked cry; and BESSIE GATT. A SORT OF CHOKED CRT. let the letter fall over the veranda, to ono df the posts of which she clung with both, her bands. The ill favored native below grinned, and. picking the paper up, handed it to her. She took it. feeling that she must know all, and read on like one reads in some ghastly dream "who has been staying on your uncle's farm. I did not see him killed myself, but Jan Van zyl shot him, and Roi Dirk Oosthuizen and Carolus, a Hottentot, sjw them pick him up and carry him awaj*. They say that he was quite dead. For this I fear you mil be sorry, but it is the chance of war, and he died fight? ing bravely. Make my obedient compliment'? to your uncle. We parted in anger, but I hope in the new circumstances that hate arisen in the land to show him that 1. foi' one, bear no anger. Believe me, dear Miss Bessie, your humble and devoted servant, "FRANK MULLER." Bessie thrust the letter into the pocket of her dress and then again caught hold of thc ver? anda post and supported herself by it, while thc light of the sun seemed to visibly fade out of tho da}- before her eyes and replace itself by a cold blackness in which there was no br?ale He was dead-her lover was dead! Tho glow had gone from her lifo as it seemed to IK? going from tho da}-, and she was left desolate. She had no knowledge of how long she stood thus, staring with wide eyes at the sunshino she could not see. She had lost her count of time; all things were pbautasmagorical p-^d unreal; all that she could realize was this one overpowering, crushing fact-John was dead! "Missie," said the ill favored messenger be? low, fixing his ono eye upon her poor sorrow stricken face and yawning. There was no ans wea-. "Missie," he said again, "is there any an? swer? I must be going. I want to get back iu time to see the Boers take Pretoria." Bessie looked at him vaguely. "Yours is a message that needs no answer," she said. "What is, is." The Lamte laughed. "No, I can't take a ietter to the captain," he said; "I saw Jan Vanzyl shoot him. He fell so," and he sud? denly collapsed all in a heap on the path, in imitation of a man struck dead by a bullet. "I can't take him a message, missie," he went on, lising, "but one day you will be able to go and look for him yourself. I did not mean that; what I meant was that I could take a letter to Frank Muller. A live Boer is better than a dead Englishman; and Frank Muller will malee a fine husband for any girl. If you shut your eyes you won't know the diff?r? ence." "Gol" said Bessie, in a choked voice, and pointing her hand towai-d the avenue. Bessie vacantly watched him go. Then, as though struck by a thought, she turned and went into the sitting room. "What is all this about, Bessie?" said her uncle, following her. "What does that man mean about Frank Muller i" ! "It means, uncle dear," she said at last; hV a voice that was something between a sob and. a laugh, "that I am a widow before I am', married. John is dead!" \ "Dead! dead!"' said the old man, putting his hand to his forehead and turning round in a: driped sort of fashion-"John dead!" -: "Read the letter," said Bessio, handing liim Frank Muller's missive. The old mau took it and read it. His l\a?d shook so much that it took him a long while to come to the end of it. "Good God H he said at last, "what a' blow! My poor Bessie," and he tock her into his arms and kissed her. Suddenly a thought struck him. "Perhaps it is all one of Frank Muller's lies," he said, "or perhaps he made a mistake." But Bessie made no anster. For the time; at any rate, hope had left her. [TO TE CONTINUED. 1 The Brides of the White House. The 2d tiny of June, thc President's wedding day, Mccalls the fact that President Cleveland is the on]y Pres? ident of (lie United States who, white' in office, has passed the first anniver? sary of his marriage. Tyler, the only other President who married whiie holding thc position, had finished his tenn nearly four rmwihs when the first year o? his marriage was com? pleted Seven children were born to this couple after that date. Mrs. Cleveland and Mrs. Tyler had a good time'going through the White House together in March. Mrs. Tyler told Mrs. Cleveland that her courtship began in the East Kooli), and Mrs. Groveland told Mrs. Tyler, as they siood together in the slate bcd chamber ap stairs, adjoining the President's library (the robin in which the Prince of Wales slept,) that it was in that chamber that she had dressed for her wedding and before thai mir row she Inn! sat to have her veil put on and the last linishing lonches made i to her toilet before she went down stair:? to be married iii the wine Parlor. Tyler is the <m!y Pres:Jeni v? hose wife has died while lie was in tdTvce. but that was Iiis first wile, j Ic waft I a willower Mot ?tuite (wo years ; and j counting Inni, lhere have been six j widower Presidents, (he others bc MI ? JefleiFon, Jackson, van l>nren. Kill? more and Arthur, these live remain- ? ing unmarried while in the White j House, wid but one bachelor Presi ' dent, Buchanan, who was single j tl.rouirhont his term', Cleveland bogan j a (erm as a bachelor. Kilmore mar- j ried his second wife after his term as j President expired. lie and Tyler ! are the only two of our Presidents who have had two wives.- \Ya-<h in fi? lon TjUp?fch. N. Y. RtriiU, Our State Contemporaries, Lancaster Ledger. The trestle on the 3 C's Railroad over Sauders Creek, six miles thia side of Camden is finished, and a part of the force of Capt Streeter bas commenced work on the trestle over Hanging Hock Creek. There are ouly four more tres? tles to build between this place and Camden. Anderson Intelligencer. Governor Richardson, Col. A. P. Butler and Col. D. P. Duncan, a, com? mittee from the State Board of Agri culture, made their tour of inspection of the properties offered by the Counties in the up-country for the Experimental Stations last week. They visited An? derson County first, spending Wednes? day of last week in viewing the .proper? ty offered at the intersection of the three Counties. They next visited Greenville and Sparenburg, giving a day to each. They express themselves as pleased with the various locations offered, but of course gave no intima? tion cf preference. They will report the result of their observations to the Board of Agriculture. We trust that the Board of Agricul j tore will have the good judgment not to locate these stations until after the meet? ing of the Legislature, fer the whole scheme may be changed or greatly modified next winter. The Act of Con? gress granting aid to agricultural sta? tions will go into practical operation and will suggest changes in our Act which was passed before Congress had acted. No practical good can be accomplished by locating now. Tho crops of this , year are past experimenting with. Another reason for delay, is, that this Fall the people of the various Counties will be in position to increase their offers for the location. The call for bids was not made until February of this year, wc believe, and every person knows that the farmers of the State have very little money at that time of year, and the little they have they are compelled to keep for the exigencies of "the coming Summer. The time for raising subscriptions in an agricultural community is in the Fall and early Win? ter. The result of the call, as it bas been made has been to give to the leading towns an advantage over the real agricultural intcfests in the matter of these subscriptions. In our judgment, the offers should bc kept open until next year, and we are satisfied that thereby the State will be greatly the gainer. Camden Journal. We understand that one day last week while a funeral procession was on its way to the cemetery near Blake ney's bridge it W?S met in the road by another funeral procession going to the same cemetery, and both of the dead parties bore the sjme name. This is certainly a rare occurrence for the country. A manufacterer of turpentine. doing business in this county was complaining on Monday last of the exorbitant charges made by the Charleston, men for handling his goods. In proof of his remarks be produced a bill of sale of two barrels of spirits recently ship- [ ped. After being delivered Si the depot in. Camden the freight and other charges amounted to ?3 97 on the two barrels. It is a mystery how any hon? est man can make ends meet when he bas to contend with such outrageous skinning as these figures indicate. On last Monday we wer? shown by Col. Seaborn Jones a beautiful lump of gold which was found on his place near the Haile gold mine. There are a few crystals of white quartz through the lump, bot the greater part of the nug? get is pure gold. After a careful ex? amination by an expert assayer the nugget was estimated to' Contain $18.80 of free geld. A few nuggets that were much larger than this one, and a great many smaller ones have been picked up from time to time oS the same land, but no effort, we understand, has been made to work the mine. On last Tuesday Major J. F. Hirt, of York, attorney for the C. C & C. ll. ll. appeared before thc Board of Couuty Commissioners of Kershaw and made another request that the Board issue and turn over to the Boston Safe Deposit aud Trust Company the bonds voted by this county in aid of the C., C. & C. ll. R The Board replied that 'they did not think they could comply with his request, bur. preferred to wait until the terms of the subscription had , been complied with, and then they tfou?d issue and . turn over thc bonds upon their giving in exchange the same amount of stock of the railroad.'" The Board was uuauimous in this decision. Crargclurg Times and Democrat. Dr. A. Webster was married lari ? Weduesday aftetnoou to Miss S. 0. j Purdam, thc matron of the Industrial ? ? Home of thc Claflin Uuiversity. lu i some respects it was a novel marriage, j : as the ceremony was performed oat in j thc open air on' the campus grounds of ! ? thc college, ia the presence of a large j ! concourse of people, and immediately j ! after commencement exercises of Clafliu < University wcr? couciuded. Miss Pur- I dum is quite a handsome young lady,- : and will make the doctor u good Wife. I ?i/ret?xG Sf>aria?. ! A man by the name of Green came to ; town une day last week atid endeavored i ' to hire a horse and baggy from }?r. L Carrier to drive to Union: Tor good reasons he did noi. get tho vehicle. Ai night he went to the Union Depot, and mounted an engine that had just been j ? put on ihc M'ic track, opened the throt? tle and reversed the motion so as to i back out on the main traci;, lie ?'aiied ' i ia take tVr cb'e>.s from the wheels and ! : came toa st a n dj.? ill. T?^o watchman. Mr. Calfon, came on lum and drove him | < away, lie resisted at ti rsl and mount- j < cd the engine a second time. There ? : was about 100 pounds of steam on and j < he could have made good time. Ile {. f? ci.lent ly k*>ew Uffw to manage an en- : gine. lt is said trial he got into a tight j i with s?'nic men near tin: State linc and j ! thought it prudent ft? leave thc couuiy. , ? .. ? ? ?-?El- j ( The i ain falls alike upon thc just and j < thc unjust ; but it is thc unjust who t : steal thc umbrellas, and let the iust feel : 1 The Sons of Temperance ? Circular Letter' From-G ri Worthy Patriarch. '. AI?EX, S. C., May 12th, 1837 DS4R BRETHREN* : It is a source sincere pleasure to me to- be able inform you, that our noble orde: this State is at- this time, strongs: numbers and more vigorous ire use ness, than it has "been for very:mt years. At the last session < of < Grand Division I had the pjeasnre reporting an encouraging gain membership ; at our next session expect to be able to report such increase, as will cans?" the heart every trne Son of Temperance throb with giatitude to God for I blessings cn oui- canse. I take pleasure in informing you, the result of the recent tour thron the State, by Mr. Edward Carew as Lecturer, and P. G. \V. P. Ch. M. Douglas, as Organizer^ that uh teen new Divisions were formed,.a several of our weak Divisions ma nally strengthened. The estim?t gain ia membership in. ibis ju ri sd tieft since the 21st. of February,, not far from fifteen hundred, and the is reason to hope that by the time t Grand Division meets in July ne this number may bc increased to t\ thousand. In the exercise of tl powers vested incise by tuc .Grai Division, for the good of the'order have determined to retain .the sen ces of Mr. C. M, .Douglas, as Sta Organiser, and any of the= Brethn knowing of points where there is likelihood of forming new Division are earnestly urged to* commnnica promptly with Mr. Douglas, zt C lumbla, S. C. ?. I take the present opporrmnty urg? each and every Division ju th jurisdiction, to make arrangements defray the expenses of diie or ;mei delegates to the Annual Meeting the Grand Division, which will I held at Anderson, S. C., in July nex It is extremely important to tbe cavil of Temperance that our next s&ssio shall be well attended, and ? ?her fore most earnestly urge that th malter receive timely attention. L< every Division tbrougho?? (l?e Stat send at least one delegate... In conclusion, dear Brethren, alio* me to urge you to relax no effort fe the promotion of our glorious" causi Abuse no one ; but-strive in ever proper way to. enlist new soldiers i our temperance anny. Conservati and intelligent actiou will always a< complish better results than spasmodi and short-lived violence. Remembe that our noble order is.founded upo the solid rock of a great moral princ plo, and in this lies thc clements c its indestructibility, and its gres power for usefulness. Remembe that great responsibilities rest-.upo every one of you ; therefore strive b your good example, so to live arnon, your fellow men, that i$ ?ltf?y be considered ?tl honor to be know as a Son cf Temperance. In the bond's of Love, Purity am Fidelity, I have the honor to be Yours Fraternally,- \ . CRAS. E. R. DRAYTON, Grand Worthy Patriarch. What Sliatt We Drink? Coffee bas jumped clear out af. tb reach of the 'poor- man, and thought of t&e parched corn beverages of tin sixties are suggested. There seems t< be no legitimate reason for ?his ad vance ia coffee from 7? to 20J cents ? pound in the last year. It is purely thc result of operations by speculator; in coffee and other products and i: deprecated by the legitimate jobbers who assert that the effect has been tc drive from New York millions of xlo.l [ara worth of trade which had beer encouraged by the el?riio? 6t the,coffe? Exchange upon supposed business principles. If the Exchange wishes tc maintain its commercial standing it would better rid itself of the specula? tors who seem to centre! its business. This coffee gatublicg: has put up the poor man's principal luxury about 200 per cent,, in one year, ?pd bas brought into the market ?gain all sorts of leleterions mixtures which bad been Iriven out by the low prices prevailing for two or three yezra, how only those who can afford to' pa* thirty cents and more a pot?n'd can hope to get anything but adulterated coffee; - A Transfigured Balloon. Tho descent of a balloon fn 3 re? mote backwoods settlement is almost invariably productive of amusing in? cidents, say6 a writer in the Argonaut. Landing once in' a mountainous dis? trict in the State of georgia4, writes King, thc aeronaut, my companion mid myself vfrer? astonished at hear? ing loud shrieks sind exclamations issuing from a hotfse near l*y, while m tire doorway wo saw an old lady upon her knees, praying with gr?at vocife? ration. The whole neighborhood had been aroused, and an earthquake could not hare created greater com? motion, lu thc woods, not far from onr lauding place, we IbnYid a ba* ol meal lying in thc path., lt had ?ecff J t opped by some panic stricken na? tive. Farther on, a fishing part^ hat? abandoned several strings of fish; Our comedy carn? measurably , *?cf. siding rsi a traper ?y, for wc had a narrow escape fro.Tj tho shotguns of ;i gang" of illicit dTsfillers, wSro too?t us tu be revenue o Ricers. (Tn the oc? casion ol* a rece?? descent in southern Vir?f?nin, a devout ?oh*.red woman, Caching sight of l?Vc balloon, gazed iit>'on it in rapt admiration, exelairn :U?T : 'Dar conies my blessed Jesus, walking on do cionds. I talfc my j jli??len out ott de public road. Suffire j [rwiiie to happen. Hallelujah!' and j >hc went on shunting 'ill ihc *?n?h ivas explained to her. Another Afro American, bearing mo call to In ni, 3t;rrtcd oil" at full speed, crying as he ran: '('alu-PcTs dunc called me, I j Year iiiin huiler V Ver; amusing was j lie exr*?ricnc<; of Elliot, in om: of his j TescentH. Ile had ascended from | Jliarleslon on a summer afternoon, i ind was carried slowly down tlie j ?arbor, landing at last, psst at night- j lil!, on one of the islands. There wa? io be a wake that night, and the dea< negro, Dick by. na?ie,J?y. in a cubit while a dozen live ones sat outsid< telling'- spook signes, wl?en ElHoi dropped down in frost ci them. "Tfcer* was a ye?ly! ?- sci amble; -au'din ? mo ment al? bet one had ?ioappeared : j he ha4 been caegKt by the aeronaut's j anclmr and dragged sofee, distance, ; screaming piteously : 'Ch, ??ass?; ! Debil ?' ?lassa Debil ' Pse not de nig [gar! Dick's ?fi -c?a?f !' - > - ?> ttl-"?-?- -I -- Independence WitMn Party; Dorman ? Eaton, -in the ?Soriii American Review^ n.oies the advent I of independence in rjoHtics and as> I serls his belief, in the face of events ?f the last .decade, that such a sentir aient ia still increasing iyid wiiLcon-, ti nae to increase. Mr. Eaton rhakes some. Apppy illustrations, citing, in support of his declaration, the iude ptejiden.ee .of ,tb? new President* .tfce absence of-party im the eonveatioii? .?hjch framed the Federal Constitu? tion i the absence of party during the creative period of tile HepuKic and the inability of the majority party- of the last. Congress to get through a single party measure. Ile vybp ex pects. the influence of the independ? ent spirit to he weaker in the election of than it. was ia 2SS4 i?, .h? thinks, greatly deceived. The yosrig voters are more and more rebeliing against "partisan despo^sm and ? ma? chine po?iticsv .Clubs of a novel kiud, very independent in spirit, and large? ly composed of young rfieriy liav? latety been formed at the great po? litical .centres:. Even . the new party clubs for public discussion are?a sert of independent protest and. rebellion against .the old. party managers and the secret caucuses. These clubs tend to a change of leadership and of the' centre of political power.The chiefsvof the despotic primaries do not Jil:e them, but wit! be compelled to yield to their, influence. i "?fce SweeFGirl Graduate." fi! J ?? -.- ? -!-TT . r dst ai this time of . the yea/.a girl whom I. knpw; very, well js .?beet to begin ber voyage ,off tie, .as ?he teri?s" it in lier valedictory. She ts the 8weet girl graduate. She-has: seni off to all the John Th?r?ases.of ber ac? quaintance scented, little notes o?" in? vitation to attend the commencement exercises at thc institute. She is very pretty if somewhat crude/,?nd wears banged bair and many white ribbons. ?er. gown is white, with 4* sweeping trail. It is to ber \?Ste ? foretaste bf bridal finery. She is in a futter; and supposes that this is the great trying ordeal of her life. She carries' Her diploma as a young queen might carr j. ber wand of office. lier valedictory is tied with blue ribbons,; and ihere is a good deal of sentiment and poetry in it. She talks about the stormy sed of life : about hope, the Hgfct tbat twi? tterer on land or sea, and she il smothered in flowers when .she makes ber pretty bow of retirement. She bas already gone through thejn?vifa ble ceremonial of vow tailing with her school chum. They are to write to each other every, other r?aji ^Ue^ are to keep each ? diary; 2nd e?f change them, at the end of the year. They are to h^ve no secrets from eacli other. They swear never to marry; . trot after a time, when ihey.t??ye.beeii .out in society long enough, they, will meet somewhere,..rent a. house.oca fiat together and live, irisep.arablc for the rest of their mortal ?iv?p^the. pne devot:ng herself to china painting, the other to Kensington .embroidery. I or wood carving. We have all heard her rave over lier. bosom./ifeadn Alice Maud, the animated repository of ali her secrets. Six months go by. Wc meet Agnes or Ethel, as the .case maybe, and inquire after tlH^boSorri. friend. She craws- -up Uer .slender: body and her eyes, look daggers that John Thpmas. wishes .were buried in his heart, so sweet jf yet go. sharp ar? they. 'If you moan; j&Jiss Smith/ says she, 4I know nothing of her, t decline to know anything about her. She came to my house .and fiirte?i so shan1 efully with Mr. Brown that h*? has never been back since. I shall cut her the next time I see her,, the hateful old thing '-Catherine Cole in Neio Orleans Fi?cyune. --^^K>- -MM -r-; Girls whose years are 'swiftly glid? ing by' ought to pack up and go io Fargo, Dakota. 'Xhe .editor of the A ryns says : *We are living in one oi thc ?uest climates on the American continent. Wc have good farms, school horses an? churches, but still our future looks gloomy, for there are no giris here to make us wives. There is os?3 <r?rl Bvinir in our .district who had eightv offers of marriage within two months. Now there are four mc** cfrls in this district. That will ?eave about seventy five men, mostty yp?r>? and middle-aged, who dos'5 know where to get wives. .Our wealth ranges from gtl?O to ?o.0C0. In religion #" are considerably divided. All c??'?mi natfons are found herc, ..as'd. fa general wc arc o? a good mora! character. Will some girls kindly correspond wttb' us ? Wc shall be glad to ansveer ivory letter fartb?r?lv/ The Union Times reports' that tho news" from the colored people who left/ ?oi?n ^?oonty for Arkansas, hy epodas tra?s? to March'< ?Hd ?prw, is' anyt^ug bit cheerful ?ad e??c'iragmg. It state?, Sporr ?occf ?c?norrrf, fhs? rrs?r^ fil? sf t?"e ?"egr >c3 now ia Arkan ? sas arc either sick with fever or have been too sick to work, and that when they cannot or do not work tSefr rations are stopped. One vroma? writes that while lier crops look well, sb? ** greatly disappointed, for she 3^y?, it is not at ti}} like whrft I v?as told' it would bc out here.' Another says, *not ODO of us have seen as much'as ten cents' since we came here.' , Another says; 'a taste et wheat bread would make nie' feel good. Wc get only fat bacon and corn broad for rations, bat we get ewi'gT of that.*' . : The ab^vc information mny surprise the credulous co?Wcd people tor it seems tlxrt t^e schcol Of experience does not bcn?f?t them. It is simply a fuia" liment of t lie predictions of their whiVe frieuds. ir-MIL? ? i aim?i , -.- - Tn l^buisviile they call : lie invitation to a german *a call to arms. '