Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

tas S?MTEB WXTCHMAX, Establiihe? April, 1850. 'Be Jost and F??r not-Let all the Ends thou Aiins't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's ?THE TKCS S0?THBOX, ErtaMMMi|<w, IS8? Consolidated Ans. 2, 1881.1 SUMTER, g. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1887. New Series-Yoi. TI. No. 48. N- Gh. OSTEEN, SUMTER; S. a , .TERMS:. Two Dolbys pgr attnum-in advance. 1DVKRTIS??SS?S. Ona Square, first msertion.~...-...........$l 00 Every subsequent insertion... 50 Contraction three aiom-hs, or longer will be made aVrohiced' rates. AH cotal(fti|??a^o?s%bich?uBse?ve private interests willb^ha^ed.for asadvertiseinents. Obituanetrain^ tributes nf respect will be charged for. & Absolutely Pure, j This powderyo?rer ^r?e^^*A marcel, of j purity, strewth *pra<f wholesomeness. ^f?re? economic^tfjan^be ordinary iirids^an? can-?: Dot be-sol^rin connpe?iwi^U*. the -rnaltitude" I of low test, ?hort weight, alura or phosphate powders. Sold <*dy in coxs. ROYAL BAK? ING PQggDSB;?03 gj?ggSgij^ ' Cream Balini|P?LY>b ^ Gives Relief at WgjfiAM BMEHI once and ^"^?^^^gJRf^CQ A COLD in ^^^^^^^gS^J Snnff or Foicde^ SS-^pi^^^y^M Free from ?ujari M W^^i^^^ ons ?ruqs and of IMKZ~^__U-5A>1 ScriJddo*/ HAY-FEVER A parjure of the Balm ia applied into each nostril, is agreeable to use and is quickly ab? sorbed, effiectnjiiiy t?eartsixi? the ' nasal passa? ges of catarxhal riras, causing healthy secre? tions. * Sf** r . ?' . ": ' .-. - It allays fL?in and, inflammation, protects^ the memoranailiniogs of rhVbead from addi tional colds, completely beads the sores and ? restores the sense of taste and smell Bene- 1 Sciai results are rea?ized'by a few appications. i A Thorough Treatment viii Cure. Price 50 cents at druggist ; by mail, regis- ? tered,^^u^? Qiwu la ts. sejit free. M3BlSr?PRTTATIOW or ?OBTTHLY SICKNBSa ! I tee ? . irnken during.the CHANGE OP LIFE, great : ?jafffirtuaand dangerwill h? avoided. t^~Seiid for f kook " ibtssAG z TO ~WOKEH," mailed free. & BtuDTUiLD RBGUXATOB Co., Atlanta, Ga. ONE & VED, THE OTHER 0IE0. j A woman ibrmerly our slave is now onr j ?oot :S?1^^ou'tr eighteen months ago she i became sickly aird bad' a cough and was con- j fine^^j3^tea,^aud: it was thooght that she j hadTconsumption. The treatment by physi? cians failed, jo give r?fief.. In December, | 1884, a node or knot the size of a goose egg i formed just ' above the pit of * the stomach, ! whiefr wben^Ianced discharged matter for 3 j or 3 mon ths. One of these also formed under. betann,?nd*rbre? on ber back, which dis- j e?argfjd/mat?er for a icoBsiderabje-time. -For ] six months of tbf? time ?he WAS - co ni ned to j the houae, ?nd most of the tiraeiu bed. - The 8to?^b|oy^i refused food, b$vrejecting;what she bad-?*+^>. She used a great-deal of med icin?frot failed rb- be cured.' Thought one bettie of yow* Bi B. B*l (made in Atlanta, Ga., ) and gave lt to her aud she commenced ; to improve. ' I then/ bought and ga*e her ! three bottles more, and -she continued to ?cs- i prov?-.&nd ?Q' tvrtK modtbs' time her cough ! bad ceased, ber constitution strengthened, j appetite and digestion good, all discharges i ceased, nodes or knots disappeared and she j went to vork apparently beal:hy and fatten 1 td up greatly. ; . This woman bad a married sister of near j lame age ?fa? was affected in precisely the; same way and about the same time. She had ! node or knot on pit of stomach, back, etc. j Sae did cot take any B. B. B. and the node j oa-Tief stomach ate through to the cavity. ! ?SbV continued on the decline and wasted i ?aray^'a?d finally diedL TbeW were two terrible cases of blood : poison:-one used B. B. B. and was speedily j cared-the other did not u?e it and died. It ; is most assuredly a most wonderful blood i purifier. I refer to merchants of this town, i .lYoui? truly, W. T. ROBINSON. ? T?sbabee, Ala., May 1, 1886. A Sheriff Released. For* period of sixteen years I have been afflicted with catarrh of the head which baf? fled the use of ai! medicines used. Seeing tia advertisement of B. B. B.. I purchased and used six or seven bottles, and although ?sed irregularly have recieved great relief, Aid recommend it as a good blood purifier. ~ jSifcned} J. K. fiOLCOM BE, Ja., ** ? Sheriff of Haxa?soc county, Ga. ^f??r*wbo desire fnll information about tbe cause and enre of Blood Poisons, Scrofula and Scrofulous Swellings, Ulcers, Sores, Rheumatism, Kidney complaints, Catarrh, ole., can secure by mail free, a copy of our 3*pageltlnstrated Book of Wonders, filled with the most wonderful and startling proof aver before known. 'Eddies* BLOOD BALM CO., - % r ?Atlanta, Ga., ! ^iyiBRsj^ r^pTsTsT I rpgBRE W?LL BE A BASKET PICNIC I ofeoi E, PI'S. S- at Atkin's Grove, Macville, on the 3d Friday in July next. }fo ?t?ib?r Notice to'survivors will be given. J. C. MCKINNEY, [ Committee. Hay 35. 3t Two Bites of a Cherry. You know t?ie old proverb (It'8 foolish-yes, very) That tells cs we can't make Two bites of a cherry. Bot when cberriee wfere ripe I met a maid merry, Who was willing to make Two bites of a cherry. Between ber soft lips, then, She placed the red berry, And we proved we could make Two bites of a cherry. You may haveyonr rare wines, Port, claret or sherry,"* But give me for nectar Two biles of a cherry. JESS. Br H. RIDER HAGGARD* ICOXTTXUED.l CRAFTER XXV?L BESSIE IS PUT TO THE QUESTION. Meanwhile another little tragedy was being enacted at the "back of the house. After the one eyed witch doctor Hendrik had knocked Silas Croft down and assisted in the pleasing operation of dragging bim to the flagstaff, it had occurred tc his villainous heart that the present would bo agood opportunity to profit personally by the confusion, and possibly to -idd to the Englishman's misfortunes bydoing liim some injury ou his own account. Ac? cordingly, just before Frank Muller began to' read the ' dispatch announcing the English surrender, ho slipped away into the house, j which was now totafly^eserted, to see what j he could steal.-Passing into the sitting room, he annexed Bessie's gold watch and chain, which was lying on the mantelpiece, a present that her uncle had made her on the Christmas day before the last. Having pocketed this ho proceeded to-the kitchen, where there was a goodly store of silver forks and spoons that Bessie had been engaged in cleaning that mornmgKiyin^'onthe dresser ready to be put away. These he also transferred, to the ex? tent of several cozens, to the capacious pock- : ets of the tattered military great coat that he : wore. * "While doing so he was mach* dis? turbed t>y the barking of the dog Stomp, tba mn? animal that had mauled him so severely . a few weeks before, and who was now, as it happened, tied up in his kennel-an old wino barrel-just outside the kitchen door. Hen- , drik peeped out of the window, and having I ascertained that the dog was secured, pro- ? ceeded. with a diabolical chuckle, to settle his account with the poor ^mrpa! He hftd left his gun behind on the grass, but he still held bis assegai in his hand, and, going out of the j kitchen door with it, he showed himself with- j in a few feet of the kennel. The dog recog? nized him instantly, and went nearly mad with fury, making the most desperate efforts to break its chain and get at him. For some mo? ments he stood exciting the animal by derisive gestures and pelting it with stones, till at last, fearing that the clamor would attract atten? tion, he suddenly transfixed it with his spear, , and then, thinking that he was quite unob- ! served, sat down and snuffed and enjoyed the luxury of watching the poor beast's last ago? nies. But, as it happened, he was nofquite alone, i for, creeping^along in the grass and rubbish ; that grew orPthe further side of the wall, his i brown body squeezed tightly against the ? brown stones-so tightly that an unpracticed eye would certainly have failed to observe it at a distance of a dozeu paces-was tho Hot? tentot Jan t j c. Occasionally, too, he would Uft his head above the level of the wall and observe the proceedings of the one eyed man. Apparently he was undecided what to do, for he hesitated a little, and while he did so Hen? drik killed the dog. NowcJantje had all a Hottentot's natural Love:for; animals, which is, generally speak? ing, as marked as is the Kaffir's callousness toward them, and he was particularly fond of the dog Stomp, which alway* went out walking with him on those rare occasions when he thought it safe or desirable to walk like an ordinary man, instead of creeping from bush, to bush like a panther, or wrig? gling through the grass like a snake. The saghtof tho animal's death, therefore, raised in his black breast a very keen desire for ven? geance on the murderer, if vengeance could be safely accomplished; and he paused to re Sect if this could bo done. As he didso.Hen drik got up, gave the dead dog a kick, with? drew his r ^egai from thc carcass, and then, as tb?ugh"struck by a sudden desire to con? ceal tho murder, undid thc collar, and, lifting the dog in his arms, carried him with diffi? culty into the house and laid him under the kitchen table. This done he came out again - to the wall, which was built of loose, un mor? tared stones, pulled one out without trouble, deposited the watch" and the silver he had stolen ia tba cavity, and replaced tho stone. Next, before Jan t je could guess what he meant to do, he proceeded to make it practi? cally impossible for his robbery to be discov? ered, or, at any rate, very impiobable, by lighting a match, and, having firstr glanced round to-see that nobody was looking, reach? ing up and applying it to the thick thatch with which the house itself was roofed, and of which the fringe just here was not more than nine feet from the ground. No rain had fallen at Mooifoatehi for several days, and j there had been a hot sun and dry wind, and, BS a result, the thatch was as dry as tinder. The light caught m a second, and ia two j more a thin line of fire was running up the j roof. Hendrik paused, stepped a few paces back, resting his shoulders against the wall, im? mediately the other side of which was Jantje, and proceeded to chuckle aloud ?nd rub his j hands as he admired the results of his bandi- i work. This was too much for the Hottentot on the farther side. The provocation was too great, and no was the opportunity. In his hand was the thick stick on which he was so fond of cutting notches. Raising it in both hands ho brought the heavy knob down with ? all his strength upon tibe one eyed villain's unprotected skull It was a thick skull, but the knob prevailed against it and fractured it, and down went the estimable witch doctor as though he were dead. Next, taking a leaf out of his fallen enemyV book, Jantje slipped over the wall, and, seiz? ing the senseless man, dragged him by one arm into the kitchen and rolled him under the table to keep company with the dead dog. Then, filled with a fearful joy, he slipped out, shutting and locking the door behind him, and crept round to a point of vantage in a little plantation seventy or eighty yards to the right of the house, whence he could watch the conflagration that ho kuew must ensue, for the fire had taken instant and irremedi? able hold, and also see what the Boers were toing. Ten minutes or so afterward that amiable mareeter Hendrik partially regained bis senses, to find himself surrounded by a sea of ire, in which he perished miserably, not hav? ing power to move, and his feeble cries being ?tally swallowed up and lost in the fierre roaring of the flames, even had there been mybody there to hear them. And that was ihe very appropriate end of Hendrik and the magic of Hendrik. Down by the flagstaff the old man lay in Eris fit, with Bessie tending him and a posse of Boers standing round, smoking and laughing )r lounging about with an air of lordly superiority weil worthy of victors in posses non. "Will none of you help me to take him to he houser she cried. "Surely you have ill Teated an old man enough." Nobody stirred, not even Frank Muller, ?vho was gazing at her tear stained face with t fierce smile playing round the comers of bis lean cut mouth, which his beard was rimmed to leave clear. "It will pass, Miss Bessie," he said; "it will yass. I have often seen such fits. They come rom too much excitement* or too much brink" Suddenly he broke off with an exclama ion, and pointed to the house, from the roof j >f which pale curls of blue smoke were rising. "Who has fired the houser he shouted. ? 'By Heaven! I will shoot the man.'' The Boers started round and stared io astonishment, and as they did. so the tinder like roof burst into a broad sheet of flame that grow and gathered breadth and height .with an almost marvelous rapidity. Just [ then, too, a light breeze sprang up from over the bill at tho rear of the house, as it some? times did at this time of the day, and bent the flames over toward them in an immense arch of fire, so thal the fumes and beat and smoke began to beat upon their faces. "Oh, the bouse is burning down!" cried Bessie, utterly bewildered by this new mis? fortune "Here, you!" shouted Muller to the gaping Boers, "go and see if anything can be saved. Phew! we must get out of this," and, stoop? ing down, he picked up Silas Cro?t in bis arms and walked off with bim, followed by Bessie, toward the plantation on their left, which was tho same where Janice bad taken refuge. In the center of this plantation was a little glade surrounded by young orange and blue gum trees. Here ho put the old man down upon a bed of dead leaves and soft, springy grass, and then hurried away, with? out a word, to the fire, only to find that the bouse was utterly unapproachable. In fifteen minutes, such was the rapidity with which the flames did their work upon the mass of dry straw and the wooden roof and floorings beueath, the whole of tho interior of the house was a glowing, incandescent pile, and ia half an hour it was completely gutted, nothing being left standing but the massive outer wails of stone, over which a dense column of smoke hung like a pall. Mooifon tei'i was' a blackened ruin; only the stables and outhouses, which were roofed with gal? vanized iron, being left uninjured. Frank Muller had not been gone five minutes when, to Bessie's joy, her uncle opened his eyes and sat up. . "What is it? what is it?3 he said. "Ah! I recollect. What is all this smell of fire? Surely they have not burned the place?" "Yes, uncle," sobbed Bessie, "they have." The old man groaned. "It took me ten years to build, bit by bit, almost stono by stone, and now they have destroyed it Well, whynot? God?s will be done! Give me your arm, love; I want to get to the water. I feel faint and sick." Sho did as he bade her, sobbing bitterly. Within fifteen yards, on the edge of tho plan? tation, was a little spruit or runnel of water, and of this he drank copiously and bathed his .wounded bead and face. "There, love," he said, "dont fret; I feel quite myself again. I fear I made a fool of myself. I haven't learned to bear misfortune ?nd dishonor os I should yet, and, like Job, I felt as though God had forsaLvn us. But, as I said, his will be done. What is tho next move, I wonder? Ah! wo shall soon know, for hero comes our friend Frank Muller." "I am glad to see that you have recovered, .uncle," said Muller, politely, "and I am sony to have to tell you that tho houso is beyond belp: Believe me, if I knew who fired it I would shoot him. It was not my wish or in .tention that tho property should bo de? stroyed." Thc old man morely bowed his bead and inade nd answer. His fiery spirit seemed to be crushed out bf him. ".What is it your pleasure that we should do, sir?" said Bessie at last. "Perhaps, now that wo ore ruined, you will allow us to go to Natal, which, I suppose, is still an English country?" "Yes, Miss Bessie; Natal is still English, for thc present; soon it will be Dutch; but I am sorry that I cannot let yon go there now. My orders are to keep you both prisoners and to try your undo by court martial Tho wagon "house," ho went on, quickly; "with tho two little rooms on each side of it; has not been touched by the fire. I will have them1 inade ready for you, and as soon as the heat is less you can go there;" and, turning to the trien who had followed him, he gave some rapid orders, which two of them departed td carry -out. Still the old man made no comment; he did not even seem indignant or surprised; but poor Bessio was utterly prostrated and stood helpless, not knowing what to say to this ter? rible, remorseless man, who stood so calm -and unmoved there before them. Frank Muller paused a while to think, stroking his beard os he did so, then turned again and addressed tho two remaining men behind him. "You will keep guard over the prisoner," indicating Silas Croft, "and suffer none to communicate with him by word or sign. As soon as it is ready you will place him in the little room to the left of the wagon house, and see that ho is supplied with all he wants. If he escapes, or converses, or is ill treated, I will hold you responsible. Do you under? stand H "Yah, meinheer," was the answer. "Very good; he careful you do not forget. And now, Miss Bessie, I shall be glad if you can give me a word alone" "No," said Bessie; "no, I will not leave my uncle." "I fear you will havowto do that," he said, with his cold smile. "I beg you to think again. It will be very much to your advan? tage to speak to me, and to your uncle's ad? vantage also. I should advise you to come." Bessie hesitated. She hated and mistrusted the man, as she had good reason to do, and feared to trust herself alone with him. While she hesitated the two Boers under whoso watch and ward Muller had placed her undo came and stood between him and her, cutting her off from him. Muller turned and walked a few paces-ten or so-to tho right, and in desperation sho followed him. He baited behind a bushy orango tree of some eight years' growth. Overtaking him, she stood siient waiting for bim to begin. They were quite close to the others, but the roaring of the flames of the burning house was still sufficiently loud to have drowned a much more audible conversation than theirs. "What is it you have to say to me?" she said at length, pressing her hand against her heart to still its beating. Her woman's in? stinct told her what was coming and she was trying to nerve herself to meet it. "Miss Bessie, he said slowly, "it is this. For years I have loved you and wanted to marry you. I again ask you to be my wife." "Mr. Frank Muller," she answered, her -spirit rising to the occailf/a, "I thank you for your offer, and the only answer that I can give you is that I once aud for all decline it." "Think," he said, "I love you as women are not often loved. You are always bi my mind by day and by night, too. Everything I do, every step I go up the ladder, I have said and say to myself, 41 am doing it for Bessie Croft, whom I mean to marry.' Things have changed in this country. The rebellion has been successful. It was I who gave the cast? ing vote for it that I might win you. I am now a great man and shall ono day be a greater. You will bo great with me. Think what you say." "I have thought, and I will not marry you. Yoti daro tc come and ask me to marry you over the ashes of my homo, out of which }*ou have dragged mo and my poor old uncle! I hate you, I tell you, and I will not marry you ! I had rather marry a Kaffir than marry you, Frank Muller, however great you may bc." "I WOULD RATHER MARRY A KAFFIR THAN MARRY YOU, FRANK MULLER." He smiled. "Is it because of the English? man Niel that you will not marry me? He is dead- It is useless to cling to a dead man." "Dead or alive, 1 love him with all my heart: and if he is dead, it is at the hands of your people; and his blood rises up between us." "His blood has sunk down into the sand. He is dead, and I am glad that he is dead. Once more, is that your last word?" "It is " ?Very good. Then I tell you that you shall marry me or"-1 ?Or what?" "Or your uncle, the old man you love so much, shall diel" "What do you meanf* she said, in a choked voice. & "What I say; no more and no less. Do you think that I will let One old man's life stand between mo and my desire? Never. If you will not marry me, Silas Croft shall bo put upon his trial for attempted murder and for treason within an hour from this. With? in an hour and a half he shall be condemned to die, and to-morrow at dawn he shall die, by warrant under my hand. I am commandant here, with power of life and death, and I tell you that he shall certainly die-and his blood will be on j'our head" Bessie grasped at the tree for support. "You dare not," she said; "you dare not murder an innocent old man." "Dare not !" ho answered ; "you must under? stand me very ill, Bessie Croft, when you talk of what I dare not do for you. There is noth? ing," he added, with a thrill of his rich voice, "that I dare not do to gain you. Listen; promise to marry me to-morrow morning. I will get a clergyman here from Wakker stroomj and your uncle shall go free as air, though he is a traitor to the land, and though he has tried to shoot a burgher after the declaration of peace. Refuse, and he dies. Choose now." "I have chosen," she answered with passion. "Frank Muller, perjured-traitor-yes, mur? derer that you are, I will not marry youl" "Very good, very good, Bessie; as you wilL But now one more thing. You shall not say that I have not warned you. If you persist in this your uncle shall die, but you shall not escape me. You will not marry mc? Well, even in this country, where I can do most things, I cannot force you to do that. But I can force you to be ruy wife in all but the name without marriage; and this, when your uncle, is stiff in his bloody grave, I will do. You shall have one more chance after the trial, and one only. If you refuse he shall die, and then, after his death, I shall take you away by force, and in a week's tune you will be glad enough to marry me to cover up your shame, my pretty!" "You aro a devil, Frank Muller, a wicked devil; but I will not be frightened into dis? honor by you. I had rather kill myself. 1 trust to God to help me. I will have nothing to do with you;" and she put her bands be? fore her face and burst into tears. "You look lovely when you weep," he said, with a laugh; "to-morrow I shall be able to kiss away your tears. As you will. Here, you!" he shouted to some men, who could bo seen watching tho progress of the dying fire, "como here." Some of the men obeyed, and be proceeded to give instructions ia the same terms th&t ho had given to the other two men who were watching oki Silas, ordering Bessio to be in? stantly incarcerated in the corresponding lit? tle room on the other side of the wagon house, and kept strictly from all communication with the outside world, adding, however, these words; "Bid the burghers assemble in thc wagon house for the trial of the Englishman, Silas Croft, for treason against tile state and at? tempted murder of one of the burghers of tho state in the execution of the commands of the triumvirate." The two men advanced and seized Bessie by both arms. Then, faint and overpowered, she was led through tho little plantation, over a gap in the garden wall, down past the scorched syringa trees that lined the road? way that ran along the hillside at the back of the still burning house, till they reached the wagon house with the two little rooms which served respectively as a store and harness room. She was then thrust into the store room, which was half full of loose* potatoes and mealies in sacks, and the door locked upon her. There was no window to this room, and the only light in it was such as found its way through the chinks of the door and on air hole in the masonry of the back wall. She sank on a half emptied sack of mealies and tried to reflect Her first idea was of escape, but she soon realized that that was a practi? cal impossibility. The stout, yellow wood door was locked upon her, and a sentry stood before it. She rose and looked through the air hole in tho rear wall, but there another sentry was posted. Then she turned her at? tention to the side wall that divided tho room from tho wagon house. It was built of four? teen inch green brickwork, and had cracked from the shrinkage of tho bricks, so that she could hear anything that went on in the wagon house, and even see anybody who might be moving about in it But it was for too strong for her to hope to bo able to break through, and evon if she did, it would be use? less, for there were armed men there also. Besides how could she run away and leave her old uncle to his fate? CHAPTER XXIX. CO?TOEMXED TO DEATH. Half an hour passed in silence, which was only broken by tho footsteps of the sentries as they tramped, or rather loitered, up and down, or by the occasional fall of some cal? cined masonry from the walis of the burned out house. What between tho smell of smoke and dust, the heat of the sun on the tin roof above, and of tho red hot embers of tho house in front, tho little room where Bessie was shut up was almost unbearable, and she felt aa though she should faint there upon tho sacks. Through one of the cracks in the wagon house wall there blew a little draught, and by this crack Bessio placed herself, leaning her head against the wall so as to get the full benefit of the air and command a view of tue place. Presently, several of the Boers came into the wagon house and proceeded to pull some of the carts and timber out of it, leaving one buck wagon, however, placed along the wall on the side opposite to the crack through which sho was looking. Then they pulled the Scotch cart over to her side, laughing about some? thing among themselves as thoy did so. and arranged it with its back turned toward the wagon, suoporting the shafts upon a wagon jack. Next, out of the further corner of the place, they extracted an old saw bench mid set it at the top of the open space. Then Bes? sie understood what they were doing; they were arranging a court, and the saw bench was the judge's chair. So Frank Muller meant to carry out his threat! Shortly after this all the Boers, except those who were keeping guard, filed into thc place and t>egau to clamber on tho buck wagon, seating themselves with much rough joking in a double row upon tho broad sido rails. Next appeared linns Coetzec, his head bound up in a bloody handkerchief. Ile was palo mid shaky, but Bessie could seo that bc was but little t'10 worso for his wound. Then came Frank Muller himself, looking white and very terrible, and as ho came the men stopped their joking and laughing. Indeed, it was curious to observe how strong was his ascendency over them. As a rule, the weak part of Boer organization is that it is practi? cally impossible to get ono Boer to pay defer? ence to or obey another; but this was cer? tainly not tho case where Frank Muller was concerned. Muller advanced without hesitation to tho saw bench at the top of the space, and sat down on it, placing his rifle l>ctween his knees. After this there was a pause, and next minute Bessio saw her old uncle con? ducted in by two armed Boers who halted in the middle of the space, about tin co paces from the saw bench, anti stood ono on either side of their prisoner. At tho samo limo Hans Coctzee climbed up into the Scotch cart, and Muller drew a note book and a pencil from his pocket. "Silence !" ho said. "We are assembled hero to try the Englishman, Silas Croft, by court martial. The charges ap;ainst him arc that by word and deed, notably by continuing to fly the English flag after tho country had been surrendered to the republic, ho has trait? orously rebelled against the government of tho country. Further, that he has attempted to murder a burgher of tho republic by shoot? ing at him with a loaded rifle. If these charges are proved against him he w ill bo liable to death, by martial la iv. Prisoner Croft, what do you answer to tba chars* against yon?" The old man, Who seemed Very quietan composed, looked at his judge and then r> plied: * "X am an English subject. I only d?fende my house ?ffer you had murdered one of m servants. ? deny your jurisdiction over nu and I refuse to plead." j Frank Muller made some notes in his pocb book, and then said, "I overrule the prisoi er's objection as to the jurisdiction of tl j court. As to the charges, wo will now tal evidence. Of the first charge no evidence needed, for wo all saw tho flog flying. As t the second, Hans Coetzee, the assaults burgher, will now givo evidence. Hm Coetzee, do yod swear in tho name of God an tiie republic to speak the truth, the who! truth and nothing but ?ho truth?* ''Almighty, yes," answered Hans, from ti cart on which he had enthroned himself, "j help me, the dear Lord." "Proceed then." "I was entering the house of the prisoner t airest him, in obedience to your worship!i commands, when the prisoner bf ted a gu and fired at m?e. The bullet from the gu struck me on the ear, cutting it and puttin me to much pain and loss of blood. That ; the evidence I have to give." "That's right, that is not a lie*;" said som of the men on the wagon. "Prisoner, have you any question to as the witness?" said Maller. . "I have no questions to ask; I deny you jurisdiction," said tho old mon with spirit. "Tho prisoner declines to question tho wi1 ness, and again pleads to tho jurisdiction, plea which I havo overruled. Gentlemen, d you desire to hear any further evidence?" "No, no." "Do you then fi nd the prisoner guilty of th charges laid against him? ' "Yes, yes," from the wagon. Muller made a further note in his book ant then went cn: "Then, the prisoner having been foun< guilty of high treason and attempted murdei thc only matter that remains is tho questioi of the punishment required to be meted ou by the law to such wicked and horrible bf fenses. Every utan will give bis verdict, hav ing duly considered if there Is any way ty which, in accordance with the holy dictate of his conscience; and with tho natura promptings to pity in Ina heart; he can. ex tend mercy to tho prisoner. As comm an dos . and president of the court the first vote lie with me; and I must tell you, gentlemen that I feel the responsibility a very heart} ono in the sight of G?d and my country; ant I must also warn you not to lie. influenced ol overruled by my decision, who am, like you only a man, hablo to err and be led away." "Hear, hear," said the % o . ?es on the wagon as he paused to note tho eL . ? t of his address "Gentlemen and burghers of the state, mj natural promptings in this case are towart pity. The prisoner is an old mam, who hat lived many years among us like a brother. Indeed, he is a 'voortrekker,' and, though az Englishman, ono of the fathers of the land. Can we condemn such a one to a blood} grave, more especially as he basa niece do pendent upon bimi" "No, no," they cried, in answer to this skill? ful touch upon the better strings in their na? ture. "Gentlemen, those sentiments do you honor. My own heart cried but now 4Nb, no; what? ever his sins have been, let tho old man gc free.' But then came reflection. True, thc prisoner is old; but should not age have taught him wisdom? Is that which is not to be forgiven to youth to be forgiven to tbs ripe experience of many years? May a man murder and be a traitor because ho is old?" "No, certainly not I" cried the chorus on the wagon. "Then there is the second point. He was a 'voortrekker' and a father of the land. Should he not therefore have known better than to betray it into the hands of the cruel, godless English ? For. gentlemen, though that charge is not laid against him, we must remember, as throwing a light upon his general charac? ter, that the prisoner was ono af those vile men who betrayedftho land to Shepstone. Is it not a most cruel and unnatural thing that a father should sell his own child into slav? ery?-that a father of the land should barter away its freedom? Therefore on this point, too, does justice temper mercy." "That is so," said the chorus with. particu? lar enthusiasm, most of them having them? selves been instrumental in bringing the an? nexation about. "Then one more tbingi this man has a niece, and it is the cafe of all good men to see that tho young should not be left destitute and friendless, lest they should grow up bad and become enemies to tho well being of the state. Butin this case that will not be so, for the farm will go to the girl by law; and, indeed, she will be well rid oi so desperate and godless an old man. "And now, having set my reason toward one side and the other before you, and having warned you fully lo act each man according to his conscience, I give my vote. It is" and in the midst of the most intense silence ho lensed and looked at old Silas, who never even quailed-"it is death." There was n little hum of conversation, and poor Bessie, surveying the scene through the crack i:i thc storo room wall, groaued in bitterness and despair of heart. Then Harts Coetzee spoke. It cut his bosom in two, ho said, to have to say a word against one to whom he had for many years been as a brother. Ent, then, what was he to do! The man" had plotted evil against their land, tho dear land that tho dear Lord had given them, and which they and their fathers had on various occasions watered, and were still continuing to water, with their blood. What could be a fitting punishment for so black hearted a traitor, and how would it be pos? sible to msurc tho better behavior of other d-d Englishmen, unless they inflicted thai punishment? There could, alas] bo but one answer-though personal**;* shaking, ho ut? tered it with many tears, and that auswer was death. After this there wero no more speeches, but each man voted according to his age, upon his name being called by the president. At first there was a little hesitation, for some among them were fond of old Silas, and loath to destroy him. But Frank Muller, bari played his gamo very well; and, notwith? standing his appeals to their independence of judgment, they knew full surely what would happen to him who gave his vote against tba president. So they swallowed their better feelings with all the case for which such swallowing is noted, and ono by ono uttered tho fatal word. When they had all done Frank Muller ad? dressed Silas: "Prisoner, you have heard the judgment against you. I need not now recapitulate your crimes. You have had a fair and ope:? trial by court martial, such ns our law di? rects. Havo you anything to say why sen tencccf death should not bc passed upon yon in accordance with th? judgment?" Old Silas looked up with flashing eyes, and ?!jook back his fringe of while nan* l.lxc a lion at bay. . I have nothing to say. If you wCl do murder; doit, black hearted villain that you are! I might point to my gray hairs, to my murdered servant, to my home that took mo ten years to build, destroyed by you! I might tell you how I have l?een a good citi? zen and lived [teaceably mid neighborly in tho land for more than twenty years-ay, and done kinduess after kindness to many of you w ho are going to murder mc tn cold bloc*! ; But I will not. Shoot mc if you will, and may my death lie heavy on your heads. This morning I would have said that my country would avenge me; I cannot say that now, f jr England has deserted us and I havo no country. Therefore I leave tho vengeance in the hands of God, who never fails to avenge, though sometimes he waits for long to do it. I am not afraid of you. Shoot rue now if you like. I have lost my honor, my home and my country; "hy should I not lose my life also?" Frank Muller fixed his cold eyes upon the old man's quivering face and smiled a dread? ful smile of triumph. "Prisoner, it is now my duty, in the name of God and tho republic, to sentence you to I bo shot to-morrow at dawn, and may tho t Almighty forgive you your wickeduess and j havo mercy upon your soul. j , "Let the prisoner be removed, and let a . man ride full speed to the empty house on the ' . RECEIVING SENTENCE. hillside, where tho Englishman with tho red beard used to live, one hour this side cf Wai kc rs tr oom, and bring back with him the clergyman he will find waiting there, that tho prisoner may be offered his ministration*; Also let two men be set to dig the prisoner^ grave in tho burial place at the back of the house." The guards laid their hands upon tho old man's shoulders; and ho turned and Went wi; j them without a word. Bessie watched him go, through her crack in tho walk, till the dear old head with its fringe bf whito hairs and the bent frame were no longer visible, and then, at last, her faculties, benumbed and exhausted by tho horrors she was passing through, gave out, and she fell forward in a faint; there upon tho sacks. Meanwhile Muller was writing the death warrant on a sheet of his pocket book At the foot he left a space for his own signal ture, but he did not sign it for reasons cf his own. What ho did do was to pass it round to be countersigned by all who had' formed the court in this mock trial, his ol* ject being to implicate every man there pres? ent in the judicial murder by the direct and incontrovertible evidence of his sign manual. Kow, Boers are simple pastoral folk, but they are not quite so simple as not to see through a move like this, abd thereon followed a very instructive little scene. They had, to a man, been willing enough to give their ver? dict for tho old man's execution, but they were by no means ready to record it in black and white. As soon as ever they un? derstood the object of their feared and re? spected commandant a general desire mani? fested itself to make themselves respectively and collectively scarce. Suddenly they found that they had business outside, and something like a general attempt at a bolt ensued Sev? eral of them had already tumbled off their extemporized jury box, and, headed by the redoubtable Hans, were approaching tho en? trance to the wagon house, when Frank Mul? ler perceived their design and roared oat in a voice of thunder: "Stop! Not a man leaves this place till the warrant is signed." Instantly thc men halted and began to look innocent and converse . "Hans Coetzee, como hero and sign," said Muller again, whereupon that unfortunate advanced with M good a grace as ho could muster, murmuring to himself curses, not loud but deep, upon the bead of "that devil of a man, Frank Muller." However, there was no help for it, so, with a sickly smile, he put his name to the fatal document in big, shaky letters. Then Muller called another man, who instantly tried to get out of it on tho ground that his education had been neglected and that he could not write, an excuse that availed him little, for Frank Muller quietly wrote his name for him, leav inga space for his mark After that there was no more trouble, and in five minutes the entire back of the warrant was covered with the scrawling signatures of the various mem? bers of the court One by one tbe men went, till at last Mul? ler was left alone, seated th-re on the saw bench, his head sunk upon his breast, holding the warrant in one hand, while with the other he stroked his golden beard. Presently he stopped stroking his beard and sat for some minutes perfectly still, so still that he might have been carved in. stone. By this time the afternoon sun had got behind the hill and tho deep wagon house was full of shadow that seemed to gather round him and invest lum with a somber, mysterious grandeur. He looked like a king of evil, for evil has her princes as well as good, and stamps them with her imperial seal of power, and crowns them with a diadem of her own; among these Frank Muller was surely great A little smile of triumph played upon his beautiful, cruel face, a little light danced within his cold eyes and ran down the yellow beard At that moment he might have sat for a portrait of his master, the devil. Presently he awoke from his reverie. "I have her!" he said to himself; "I have her'in a vise! She cannot-escape me; she cannot let the old mau die! Those curs have served my purpose well; they arc as cosy to play on as a fiddle, and I am a good player. Yes, and now we ore getting to tho end of the tune." tTO BE CONTINUED.! A Woman as Christ QUEER RELIGIOUS SECT IN CINCINNATI ACCUSED OF BLASPHEMY. A report from Cincinnati says : Fur several years there bas been a curious little body of enthusiasts in religion on Walnut Hills in this city, formerly connected with the Metho? dist Church. Their leaders were Mrs. John B. Martin and. her sister, Mrs. J. C. Brooke. They were both devoted Christians and estimable wo? men They gave themselves up to prayer and study of the Scriptures, and finally evolved something new in theology, which has not been quite clearly expressed. They formed a body of religious zealots, and were given thc name of Perfectionists. They held exclusive meetings, and strange stories weie told of their pro? ceedings. Mrs. Martin as God and 1 Mrs. Brooke as Jesus Christ For 1 a time they separated from the church, but subsequently resumed their mom- 1 bership Hierein. As they continued 1 their privat?? meetings and peculiar rites, the Walnut ]lilis Church last 1 week tried them on the tormal charges ! of dissension and blasphemy, and, 1 Griding them guilty, recommended ; their dismissal. The band numbers ' about thirty, and among their number 1 are several who have heretofore been | among the most earnest members of ! thc Methodist Church. ] Blackwood Pleads Guilty. , AUGUSTA, GA., June 22. Thc case < nf Blackwood, the forger, came up for ? trial in the Superior Court ibis morn- < iug. F. W. Capers was appointed to ! < Jefend the prisoner. Up?u being ar- i | raigoed Blackwood pleaded guilty toll ?bree indictments for forgo?ies, to the a i tn nj ot of $130. Ile also pleaded I guilty to having attempted to pass a Forged check on another party hero. 1 Mr. Capers made a strong appeal for < mercy, and Judge Roney gave him J nine years at bard labor in the chain- i Ejang, which is considered a light i jenteoce. j Blackwood seemed indifferent and ] said nothing. Thus the interstate ! : issue is DOW at au eod. ' 1 Our State Contemporaries ? Parallel Case, Abbeville Medium,. The Supreme Court of Alabama c cided the case of Heard vs. Hicks February 4, ?887, wich was some wt similar to the Rush case. The wife defendant mortgaged her separate e?tt to secure the debt of her husband a be signed the mortgage with ter: payment of the debt, husband ?nd w joioed in giving a deed of the Separa estate to the creditor. The credit theo sold the land back to the delea acts, made a deed to them add took mortgage from them to secure the pa chase money. The Supreme Ctiurt he that the whole transaction was void. . If this is good law id Alabama we < not see why there should be such 2 outcry in our State; Greenville M?ttntdiheer. Col. Hammet bas determined to a cept the offer of certain of his Northei friends to furnish the bulk of tbe cap tal for building a large factory in G reel ville, provided he would su periutee the construction of the buildings ac the management of its operations whe completed. * The sum of five hundred thousand do lars will be furnished in stock, a portie of which will be subscribed by the bu: iness men of Greenville and other par of the State. All citizens of the Stai who Wish stock can obtain it, and tl remainder will be taken by Norther gentlemen. The mill will contain from twenty t twenty-five thousand spindles, and wi be first class in every respect. It wi be located on a tract of land near tb Air Line depot, containing three hun dred acres, and now owned by Co Hammett, one-half mile beyond th city rSr lim its. At least fourmillions .c bricks will be needed for the erectio of the buildings. The houses will b constructed and arranged for the specie welfare in the health, comfort asd pro? perity of the. tenants-. A church build iug, and a school house which will b open aod free of tuition tho entire yea round, will be erected. We have no doubt that this sp?endii new enterprise for Greenville will adi much to the city's trade, growth an? population. Sorry Herald. Dr. Carlisle, although quite unwell appeared on the rostrum long enough b deliver the diplomas, and be, perhap made the shortest baccalaureate address on r?cord. We commend its brevity and force to other college president when they are l?b'cjr?ng over'cboic< phrases and astounding thoughts to h ur at the trembling seniors. This is th* full text of the address : 'It is reqairec of cjllege graduates that a man bi found faithful.7 Greenville Netos. The Abbeville Press and Banner goes to extremes. Its editor re mar ki in a recent issue : 'Ten cents worth of corn whiskey wii bring more of the genuine good Ahj drunk than two dollars worth' of beer and the beer has no earthly good in it except the 'drank' that may be in ifc.; After this statement the declaration, contained in the same article, that th*, editor is a total abstainer ts unnecessary Two dollars in beer represents for ty full glasses and in forty glas?s of beer, taken in quick succession, there is drunk enough to wreck an ordinary police force and town council. Bickens Sentinel. When once trie zeal for the educa? tion fil in tere? ts of a town begins to flag, the shock will soon be felt in every de? partment -of business. The booms which schools bring to towns are often attributed to something else, but-as soon as the interest in the school weak? ens, the secret will be discovered. It is ?i great n eglect of one's own business for him to become careless about the ed? ucational interests of the community in which he Hvea. Williamsburg Herald. We see it stated thai Maj. J. B White, of Marion, has been engaged by some of the citizens interested to make a survey of the territory to be in? cluded in the contemplated new county which it is proposed to make out of portions of Darlington, Marion and Williamsburg, and, we believe, some of Clarendon county. Florence is to be the county seat, if the project is successful. Where the boundaries of this new county are to he located, we j are in ignorance ; and how much of. the territory of Williamsburg is wanted to assist in making up the legal re? quirement of square miles necessary to form a county would interest maoy of our readers. Subscriptions to Railroads. Fairfield Herald. In many counties in this State sub? scriptions have been voted to railroad enterprises, and the work ef dcbt-uiak iug still goc3 on. There are some very intelligent men io the State DOW who ire in position to know more about these things than most of us, who are j predicting that the time will come when 1 majority of the counties having made more debts than they will be able or iii x io us to pay will bri tig forward and carry through the Legislature a propo? sal to have the State assume the indebt? edness of the counties io this particular incurred-already we believe such a proposal has been once made. It was lost only because the debt-burdened counties were iu the minority. At the rate that things are moving now it will aot be a great while before insolvency will bc in the majority, then the wicked proposal will be renewed and thc debts which thc folly of the townships have ;ontractcd will be saddled upon the peo? ple of the Stete, lt will be in vain :hat the minority will struggle against ind denounce this outrage : it will be forced upen us. The truth about the whole matter is, :hat the law which allows a township to vote a tax upon itself for any purpose is iltogether wrong ; thc taxing power mould be used only by the Legislature, ind for strictly governmental pur? poses alone. Any departure from this 1 principle is heretical ; it is a crime j' * cain st liberty itself. Tbe law should j 1 3e straightway repealed. 1 ' The Constitutional Cent?n* niai. Governor Richardson bas written a letter accepting the invitation of the Constitutional Cen ten nial Commission to attend, as its guest,- the celebration of the centennial anniversary of tire ffam i s g and promulgat ion of the iWtita tion of the United, Stales,, which j? to be held in Philadelphia on tb? 15th 16th and 17th of September. The Governor is specially anxious to have the State ?Hitia ss largely re* * presented as possible on tfcSorcta?on, and would be gratified to receive itifor? mation as to what comm acids, and with ho? many men, are intending to be present. One of (he features of the occasion will be a parade of the military, and Dava] forces of the United States and the military forces of tbw~several:<rr States a ndT ern tories. The comn- tttee ask for a report by July 1st, nex?.of . thc number of equipped troops, who will coin? from each State. It seems' desirable fer South Carolins to be re? presented on this n&tioaal occasion, and it is hoped some of oar best drilled companies caa attend. . .- - r r r m?i - Liability of Bank Directors. An important decision has been rendered by the Supreme Court nfV Illinois, in a bank case which bas been in the courts for several years, gard? ner Case was a depositor in Bunker Hill Bank, at Bunker Hill, IH. -The bank failed while holding his deposits, and he brought suit against the direct? ors individually, setting up the claim that if deposits were received when the directors, by exercising due diligence; -might: have known the bank ? was io- / solvent, they were legally liable fop the. deposit. The Circuit Court of Macoajjii . county gav? judgment jn favor "Of Case, ana the defendant appealed5-io the Appellate Court which affirm?e1 tb? ? decieion of toe court below. The.-caso.; was then carried to: the .Supreme, Court, which again aSrmed the decision of the court below. Tho opinion declares the following l^rstftTiatrthe"' directors ' of the ban k are trust ees for. b : the depositors as well as for the stock- - holders ; second, -that- they -are-bound to the-observance of 'ordinary cat?-arid ; diligence, and are hence liable for in? jury resulting from its, non observance. Macaulay's Pr?p&ecy. In 1857, Lord Macaulay, writing \ of the American. Republic, used these words ? .The' day will come, Wbe&, in the State of New ?ork, a. multitude-of people, not one of whom bas bad more ;, than half a - breakfast,, or expects to * I have more than half a dinner, will. ' choose a Legislature. = Is it possible to doubt what seri of a Legislature will be chosen 1 Qu one side is a statesman : preaching patience, respect for vested . rights, strict observance of public faith ; on the .other is a demagogue, ' canting about the tyranny of capitalists' * and usarers, and asking why anybody should be permitted to drink ?ham paigne and to ride in carriages, while thousands of honest folks are in want of necessaries. Which of the two candidates is likely to oe pre-" ' "' ferred by the workingman who hears his children eryiag for bread ? I seriously apprehend that yon will, in some such seasons of adversity as. Iba ve described, do things which will prevent - prosperity f rom returning. Either some .. Caesar or Napoleon will seize the reins of government with a strong beod. or your Republic will be as fearfully plundered and laid waste by barbarians in the twentieth century as the Roman . ' Empire was io the fifth-with this difference, that Hons and Vandals witt have been engendered within your own country and by your own tnstitQtiowsl'v Low Bates. The A ttantie Coast Line has place! on sale tickets from^ Florence to. New. ^ York via Portsmou?h and Old Dominion " , S. S. Co., for $1450, which includes meals sod staterooms on steamers: Steamers sail from Norfolk daily except Friday and Sunday, makiug run in less than tweenty-four hours, affording a delightful sea trip. Further informa? tion will be given by Jno. W". Dargan, Jr., ticket agent. There are some very mean men ia this world, but the Picayune of ,New Orleans has found one who takes the palm. He uses the wart oo the back of his neck for a collar button. One ought to be very accurate about these occurrences. A New Mexico paper appreciates the fact when it an? nounces that Her tired spirit was released from the pain recking body and soared aloft to eternal glory at.4:30. Denver time. --mmm- mmm ? Gen. John Pope asserts in the cur? rent number of the North American Review that 'during our civil war, the most tremendous convulsion that is recorded in history, New England pro? duced neither a great soldier nor a statesman of commanding influence.1 The great Georgia will case has been ? a ally decided by the Supreme Court, of that State. The will is sustained, and the illegitimate colored daughter c?f old man Dickson gets the fortune. She is the richest colored woman in the South, being worth mofe than ?300, 000. Frank James, the famous desperado, is at present acting as salesman in a clothing store at Dallas, Texas. He pays that be has never carried a wea? pon since he surrendered his -revolvers to Governor Crittenden, of Missouri. He decs not drink liquor. Ile attri? butes his success as a highwayman to ih* fact that be never heated his blood by alcoholic stimulants. - - ?.?-?? -i Thc 3t Paul Globe sent out .circu? lars relative to the candidate? for i\w Presidency in 188?. More than 3,000 replies from Minnesota, Iowa, Wis? consin, Dakota and Montana were re? ceived. There is but little opposition to Cleveland. Blaine is the ?epuWi- , san favorite. Lincoln is the favorite for Vice President. Vilas got slight? ly more indorsement than Cai??el?,%; but Iowa is strong fur the latter J