University of South Carolina Libraries
r&S S?JtTER WATCH H AN, Established April, 18 50. Consolidated Aug. 2, ISSI.] .Be Just and Fear.not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at. be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's" SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1888. THE TRUE SOUTHROK, Established ?trae, 184? ---; 'ti New Series-Yoi. YUL So. & *uWisfc?4 ?Tory Wednesday, ? : BT : N. GP. ?STEEN, SUMTER, S.* C. TERMSI ? _ Tiro Dollars ?er annum-io advance. Rf ADV KR TISSMSNT3 . 0?o* Sijnare, first insertion.$1 00 cy subsequent insertion.......... 50 ^tracts for three mon bbs, or longer will ?de at reduced rates. ^Iw?aaaa?cati?ns which subserve private lotaresta will be charged for as advertisements. Obituaries aod tributes of respect will be parsed for. < ? >? ? ss: h Absolutely Pure. ^?Sk?/ powder never varies. A marvel of traritj, strength and wholesomeness. -More Swift-Mail than the ordinary kinds, and can? not be sold in competition v i th the multitude Of low test, short "weight, alum or phosphate powders. . Sold only in cans. ROYAL BAK fegPqjyYpBRCO., IOS Wallet., X. Y. CATARRH USJLl Cle&ses the Nasal Passages,] Allays Pain am INFLAME ATION. lE?als th?*: Restores the aa d Smell. ^TRT T?* HAY-FEVER CATAE?2 IB a disease of the mucous membrane, gener? ally originating in the nasal passages and ' fountaining its stronghold tn the bead. From .this point it sends forth a poisonous -virus into the stomach and through the digestive organs, corrupting the,blood and producing Other troublesome and dangerous symptoms. . A particle is applied into each nostril and xs agreeable. . Price 50 cents at Druggists; by mail, registered, 60 cents. ELY'BROS., Warren.Street, New York. BEST AJSD CHEAPEST. AU GOODS GUARANTEED. Estim?tes furnished by return Ma:!. ? URSE STOCK, FROM PT SHIPMENTS. GEO. TOM! ? CO., MANUFACTURERS OF AND WHOLE - w % i SALE DEALERS IN 3E. DOORS, SASH, BUMS, MOULDING, M O < ta a H -AND AL BUILDING MATEEIAL. and Salesrooms, 10 and 12 Hay ne St., CHARLESTON, S. C. ? o ry est and most complet* establishment South I. S. HACKER & SON, ft Manufacturers Ot tes, Sash, BMs, lifflj JUftD BUILDING 2SA7EP-IAL. OmCB AND WAKKli?OJIS,* King, opposite Cannon Street, CHARLESTON, S. C. Aug 10 o m m KS sf ? c. o. mm & BRO, COLUMBIA, S. C. DOORS, SA SH* & BLINDS, LATHS, LIME, j CEMENT, PLASTER, AND HAIR.; FreneM an? Amgrioan Wiaflow &lass, ! PAINTS, OILS . AND VARNISHES. CARTER WHITE LEAD, The Best io the Market. Special Attention (Jiccn to Orders C.V BROWN & BRO., Opposite Post Office, .UMJBIA, S. C. Oct 5-0 DRESSMAKING. LADIES' DRESSES CUT AND MADE in the latefy style, fit aud work war? ranted and satisfaction guaranteed, by Miss Adele Osteen, Rejpublican street, opposite flarby Avenue. P?ices -*s reasonable as good moth can be done fc*r. ?-.. Feb 8 Important Action ?f State Board of Examiners. It Undertakes to Secure Uniform? ity in Text Books. After a careful consideration of the subject, the following, resolution to secure uniformity and prevent need? less chapges. in the use of text books in the publjc schoojs was passed at the recent meeting of the State Board of Examiners r-. .,. .Resolved, That the peculiar. con: : dition of affairs in this State, hy rea? son cf which not only in each County, but in each school, district, there are teachers and pupils of different class-. esVand races, possessing different .ca? pacities to teach, learn and purchase books, it would be injurious to educa? tional iifceiests, to adopt a single list, ol text books, for., the State. That in. order to secure flexibility in the sys-, tem, and to meet the varying wants of the schools, and, at the same time, to prevent frequent changes in texj books in a school, whi?h impose vexations and unnecessary expense upon parents, the State Board of Ex-, aminers hereby adopt the following rules and regulations to govern the. u>e of text books for the public schools of the State : The list of text books to be adopted^ by the State Board for use in the pub? lic school^ shall be elective in char? acter. On or before Thursday, Oc? tober 25, 1888, the County Board of Examiners in each County shall, from 6aid State list, adopt a single^series.. for use in the public schools of their respective Counties, provided that upon application from the^teacher and Trustees of any school, within thirty days after said County adoption, or thirty days after the establishment of any new school, on good and suffi? cient reasons being shown, the County, Board may allow the substitution in said school of any other book on the same subject from the list adopted by the State IJoard. ... A series once adopted shall not be changed during the period of adop? tion by the State Board, without per? mission from the said Board. This shall not, however, prevent the use in schools where the same may be need? ed, by and with the consent of the^ County Board of' Examiners, of two series of readers on the State list, to be used alternately, or of proper sup plem?ntal reading. The series adopt? ed shall be put in force according to the commencement of the schools, not later than the fall of 18?9. All resolutions by the County Board of Examiners pertaining to the adop? tion of text books shall be recorded by the County School Commissioner in a book kept by him for the purpose and copies of the same forwarded by him, within thirty days, to the office of the State Superintendent of Educa? tion. Any teacher who, while receiving public school funds, uses text books in the course of study prescribed for public schools that are not on the State list, fha?l forfeit his pay from the public school fund from the time he uses them. Any teacher may re? fuse to teach any pupil who is not supplied wJth the text books pre? scribed for said school. Pupils pass? ing from one school to another must conform to the list adopted for the latter. The Trustees, or, in their default, the County Board of Examiners, shall enforce these provisions. The Couu ty School Commissioner shall with? hold approval of pay certificate cf any teacher not conforming thereto, and the teacher persisting in violating the same shall be deprived of his certifi? cate of qualification. It is advisable" that there be adopt? ed, as^ far as possible, the same books for schools of the same class aud grade within the Comity, in order to ! secure, as far as practicable, County uniformity. It shall be the duty of the County School Commissioner to I report to the State Board any attempt on the part of any publishing house whose books are on the State list to induce any change from the list reg? ularly adopted fiji* any school. As these provisions are in the in? terest of economy, parents are re? quested to co-operate in securing their enforcement. List of books adopted for the use of the public schools of South Caro? lina for five years from September ?th, i$88 : Readers-Appleton's, Harper's, Reynold's, Swinton's, Supplemental Appleton's, D. C. Heath & Co.'s, Ginn & Go.'s and Appleton's Read? ing Charts. Histories-Davidson's South Gar? lina, Swinton's Primary United States, Swinton's Condensed United States. Swinton's Outlines of Uni? versal History, Barre's Brief History of the Unithd States, Barre's General History, Eggleston's United States. Geographies- Appleton's Series and Maury's Series, Heath's Progres? sive Outline Maps. Arithmetics - Robinson's Rudi? ments, Robinson's Practical, San? ford's Intermediate, Sanford's Com? mon School, Venable's Elementary, Venable's Practical, Wentworth's First Steps in Numbers, Wentworth's Grammar School Grammars-Hyde's Practical Les? sons, Harper's Language Series, Reed Sc Kellog's Series. Dictionaries-for reference-Web? ster's, Woiceeter's, The Clarendon. Penoianship - Spencerian, Har? per's. Spellers-Swinton's. Primer, Swin? ton's Word Primer.. Swinton's Word Book, Swinton's Word Analysis Reed's Word Lessons, Hayes' Spel? ler. Drawing-Koot's Series, White's Industrial. Music- Leonist's Progressive Mu? sic Lesson's, Song Bells, Song W?rde, Wavelets. Agriculture-Lupton's Elements, Scientific Agriculture. Physiology and Hygiene-Smith's Prime of Physiology and Hygiene, Smith's 'The Human Bodv and Its Health.* A friend should bear his friends in? firmities. THE YOUNG, We have arranged to print a series < qua THE The Woman in White. I Keeping the Cash. By J Chanet By J. W, DeFoi A Slight Misunderstandir The Carnical of Crime. The Stolen Laces.-An 1 df Detective Dennis Simmons These Stories Combine t Most Admirable Ma Our State Contemporaries, j Our Defective Road Laws. Darlington News. One of the most serious defects in our system of laws, aod ons which the Leg? islature should endeavor to remedy at | its very nest session, is the preseut method of repairing highways. It is so far from beiug adapted to our necessi? ties and circumstances that it ia fast be? coming an intolerable burden to the people. * Without goiog any deeper into the subject, we might very well take the ground that it should be amend? ed simply because it is so obnoxious. Public sentiment is so much against the system, that if it were the very best in the world it could not be operated suc? cessfully. There are many persons who have made up their minds not to work the roads, and behind the refuge of tins public sentiment, it is impossi? ble to hold them to account. The County may bring them to trial under the statute, but before any jury which may be drawn up they will always meet with a triumphant vindication. But this is one of the cases iu. which public opinion is right and the objec? tions to the road laws rest, as we have said, upon something more substantial than mere sentimeDt, namely their many and obvious defects. ' To begin with, the system is too cumbersome, and there arc eutirely too many 'boss? es" for the work to be satisfactorily performed. If the County Commis-j sioners had it immediately under their j charge the operation of the system : might be attended with better results ; ! as it is, they are called upon to appoint 'superintendents of highways' in each township, who, in turn, appoint the road 'overseers.* The responsibility \a vested in too many hands fdr it to be promptly and satisfactorily placed upon the proper party when error is commit? ted or dissatisfaction rendered. Then again, the road overseer has entirely too much power ; 'he shall determine the kiud of tools each man must bring' aud considerable latitude is left him as to the place to which each workman is to be assigned. Such authority might be vory properly exercised by County officers, but in very many cases, is bound to canee bad feeling against the favored one in a community who may be chosen to fill this sinecure. These overseers are expected to sec that 'such , work is done on tho roads and bridges as can be performed by the road hands, a rather vague requirement which again places entirely too much latitude in ? their hands. The privilege granted them of cutting timber and using wood, earth or stone within a certain distance of the road is certainly too important a one to grant to any but a bonded officer, and one who would not be likely to ad? minister lightly the trust reposed in him. The matter of 'warding,' an ir? regular semi-legal process, is another \ phase of the system susceptible of the grossest evasion, and which too often j proves a fruitful source of bickering i and dissatisfaction. 1 The only way to obtain good com- : fortablo highways, and to have them ' kept in perfect repair, is to place the j responsibility directly iu the hands of i tho County Commissioners, aud raise i thc money to pay the wages of regu- ? lari j hired hand? by means of a per capita tax. Such a tax would not be j in accordance with our present Consti- ? tution, but then an amendment to that | instrument could easily be proposed at j the coming session ; so great lias the I nuisance became, that tho people of Darlington County are certainly look? ing for their representatives to take the initiative in this important matter. The "Weather and the Crops. Darlxvijlon NtvcS. The agricultural outlook has been j growing so gloomy day by day that the j i entire County is affected with a deplor- i i able case of 'the blues.' The sun has ? ' at last come out, but thc damage al- j j ready inflicted by the rains and floods j ' is cuonnous. The extent of it, in fact, ! ! can.scarcely be estimated as yet, for thc i fsight of both coro aud cotton sprouting ' ou Mustn't jp - 4n ? Series. of HIM ie Middle-Aged, )f short, completed stories, each spit lity, and set in plain type, easy to re ST?EIES AND THEIR AUTE ty Walter Wellman? . T. McKay, .est/ ... lg. By "E. B.W.? - . By Frank Howard Howe and Spisode in the History pf Chic , of the Bank Detail of the Ct he Elements of Adventure, nner. r Watch for Them/c in the field as it is ;at preseot, is a novel ooe to most of oar farmers ; moreover, the latest intelligence is that the worms have appeared io different..sections of the County, and are making way rap. idly with such of the crop as. remains. : The potato and pea crops are also said to have been greatly injured. Four Questions Asked. Winnsboro Herald. tj We propouud the following questions and invite a discussion in our columns: *\Vas not the plaoting_of oats, on ac? count of frequent failuresv almost aban? doned before CoL Wyatt Aiken intro? duced tue red .rust proof variety, and from whence did he procure the seed ? 'Fer a few years after the introduction of the red rust proof oats was the oats crop both abundant and certaiu-?. *FIas not the deterioration cf the seed caused the failures, of the past few years, and would not thc importation and usc of a fresh supply of seed again insure good crops ? .With the poor corn crop of this year would ?f t?ot be advisable to make the experiment this full with fresh seed ? We call on the farmers of the county to answer these questions and tender thew the use of our columns for that purpose. Fighting the Bagging Trust. Chester Bulletin. The farmers throughout the South are enlisting in a war against the goeat beging trust. In all sectious they aro seeking substitutes for jute bagging, as a means of defeating the machinations of this 'ring,' which is seeking to make fortunes out of the dire necessities of the farmers. The cotton factors in Savannah, Ga., have organized a pool to fight the bag? ging trust by importing covering of last year's cotton, and using it iu place of the syndicate bagging. Samples of old covering have been secured, and the plan is pronounced nracticable. Since the organization of the pool syndicate bagging has been offered at 1-4 to 1-2 less than quotations. The Cotton Plant devotes its last issue to the subject of the jute bag ring trust. It says that the 'situation amply illustrates how completely the common run of farmers are at thc mercy of rascally dealers and scheming jobbers, who are working for all it is worth any truly American method of piling up fortunes at the expense of the dependent classes. It is useless now to discuss the legality of the scheme which has been laid to simply levy a tar of millions of dollars upon the farmers of thc South.' It urges an alliance between South? ern merchants and Southern farmers for mutual protection. To carry out a regular opposition the Cotton Plaut offers the following resolu? tion to be signed by the farmers : 'I will not buy or use jute bagging j uuless 1 am absolutely compelled to do | so. I will uo all in my power to relieve j my neighbor from the necessity of using I it. I will adopt whatever substitute I j can ?ct that will enable mc to market I rs i my cotton, thongh I do so at a financial I loss. Kat her thai iso jute bagging I will withhold tn; cutton from thc j market until circumstances compel? mc | to dispose cf it. I w^ill encourage my ; uciiihbors to 3dopt the some course, ? and I will usc every lawful moans in my j power tu curtail the use of jute or any other bagging or wrapping cuutrollcd ; by the infamous combioatiou.' The Judicial Convention. County lit cord. Thc Judicial Convention to nominate j a candidate for Solicitor of the third ; circuit met here last evening. It is ? more than probable, we think, that thc delegates to thc convention will not do ; at thid place, as they did nt Fawley'e Island, remain thrco or four dav* with- i out making a nomination, aud then : adjourn to meet at some other place, j Wc fail to see any reason why a uomi-1 nation could bc made any quicker or I hitter ?if fue place than another. ; Thc ruh? aud regulations ol' the demo- ? -BY-. Popular Writers. THE OLD. ?ndidly illustrated, first-class as to ad. [OBS, [ La?elles Chester Maxwell, ago. Crime. From the Diary antral Station. > Tragedy, and Love in ? ind Read Them All. ^ ... eratic party prescribed how the nomina tioo for Solicitor .shall be made?. The. democrats of tho ' co an ties composing the third circuit have elected or ap? pointed their agents-the delegates to do what they cannot- do as a whole, . unless By a primary election? . to select a candidate; and it is incumbent on them, acting, for their constituents for a specifio purpose, to. make the Domina? tion. The delegates, should remember that they are the agents of the people, and not 0/ the three gentlemen who are candidates for the nomination. The delegates were . elected as ?. the ad? herent? of some particular candidate, and the delegation would like for its-choice to be successful, but this is an imposibility. It does not require much reflection to arrive at the conclusion that the nomi? nation eau not be made so as to suit all the candidates or all the people, and that there must necessarily*be defeat and disappointment The nomination should be made regardless of the desire of any candidate. It should be made in the interest of. the publie good, as we trust it may be. The Colored Alliance. ?;, Darlington News. . - .... The several subordinate Colored Farmers' Alliances met at the Court House on the 12th inst., for the pur? pose of organizing a County Alliance. The meeting was called to order by Rev. James H. Carey, of Society Hill, the State Superintendent of the Colored Farmers* National Alliance of the United States. Delegates were present from thirteen subordinate Alliances re? presenting a total membership of two hundred and sixty-?ve. A permanent Organization was then effected by the election of Rev. M. V. Gray, County Superintendent. Ad? dresses were next made by Revs. J. H. Carey, M. V. .Gray and J. W. White and T. E. Prattle, the County organizer. Mr. Lucas McIntosh. President of. the Darlington County (white) Alliance, and Mr. P. P. Chambers, also a mem? ber of that organization, spoke words of advice and encouragement to thc meeting. Ali the addresses, fruitful with good council, were listened to by those present with an attention that showed the deep interest taken iu the work by the Colored men. Tbe mem? bers of this new organization are en? thusiastic in the work of fulfilling the purposes designated . by thc Alliance and are confident of an ultimate suc? cess conductive of much good to the colored race. Tillmamtes and Dawsonites. Camden Journal. The Columbia Register divided the delegates to the State Convention into two classes-Democrats and Tillmanites. Why did it now say Dawsonites and Tillmanites ? The members who advo? cated the farmers interests are as good and true Democrats aa can bc found in South Corolioa, and much more loyal to the party than many of the Dawsonites. None of them have been guilty of 'ad? dition', division and silence,' and they needed no whitewashing committee to make them white. They act upon principle, and the day will come when all the bluster of the politicians and wire-pullers will fail to turn the honest and economical adminis? tration of official affairs. Extravagance has ruled long enough, and the senti? mentalists will be forced out, whether they want to go or not. Sarcasm, ridicule and personal abuse will fail to f be oft fleet then. 'Ring role,' and j oppression will create trouble much sooner than the ring think fer, and 1 wheu a reaction doss take pbec it will { drive ont the ring-leaders so for tbet j they ueod never apply ?igain. Subscriptions for thc proposed steam- j ship line, between Charleston and Ral- 1 (?more, arc coming in slowly in thc former city. Maj. John G. Darnwcll died al. his ! residence in Columbia, Wednesday. I He served with distinction in the Con federate army. THE CONFEDERATE PRESS. HOW SOUTHERN PAPERS WERE PRINTED IN WAR T|ME&. Scarcity of Paper and Paper Staffing Ma? terials-Straits of Publishers of Books and Sheet Music-Sons Booka? Tryeta and Pamplets-New Novels* Side by side with the reports of battles and the records of peace commissions, congresses and legislatures, the blurred columns of the Confederate press were wont to teem with domestic recipes for cheap dishes, directions for raising and utilizing various vegetable products, in? structions for making much of little in matters pertaining to every phase of household life. Hard hy a list of dead and wounded would stand a recipe for tanning' dogskins for gloves; while tho paragraphs just succeeding the closing column of the description of a naval en? gagement off Hampton roads were direc? tions for the use or boneset as a substi? tute for quinine. The journals of that day were printed usually upon the poorest paper, made of straw and cotton rags, and so brittle that the slightest touch mutilated it. The ink, like the paper, wes of the cheapest and commonest, and left its impression, not only on tho face of the sheet, but on tho hands no less than on tho mind of the reader. Few fonts of new type found their way into the Confederacy during the war, and at tho end of fonr years the facilities for printing had come to a low ebb. It was no uncommon thing for publishers to issue half sheets In lieu of a complete paper, with scarcely an. apology to subscribers for the curtailment of their literary and news rations. It was gen? erally understood that this happened only through stern necessity, ana not from any disposition on the part of thc news? paper men to give less than an equivalent for the subscription price. . Sometimes tho journal which on yester? day appeared in all tho glory of a si* column pago was today cut down to a four column half sheet, or publication was suspended with tho announcement that the stock of materials had been ex? hausted, and that as soon as the office could be replenished publication would be . resumed. Eagerly as the rough sheets were looked for and closely as they were read, a diminution of matter in them, or a failure to appear, caused only passing > comment or dissatisfaction. Men's minds were so filled with tho thousand, things. that each day brought forth about them, there were so many rumors in the air, and news flew so rapidly even without news? paper aid. as to cause them not too greatly to miss that which today has come to be one of the veriest necessities of American life-a daily journal full of all tho doings of all the world. Sometimes even the coarse straw paper failed the publishing. fraternity . when an ' edition was absolutely imperative, yet in such emergency tho inventive talent never deserted them. It was considered a won? derful journalistic feat on the part of its publishers for The Vickburg Citizen, dur? ing the siege of that city,- to make its ap? pearance, when all other resources had failed, upon wall paper.- " . Publishers of books and sheet music oc? cupied a scarcely-, less helpless condition than tho newspaper people. Their sole grounds of superiority consisted in the tact that tho demands upon them were not so urgent. Tho girl who sang to her soldier ?over tho popular songs of that time, "Lorena," When This Cruel War is Over,-" "Tho Standard Bearer," ..or "Harp of tho South," which were all dtdy advertised '-at the retail price of ?1 per sheet; tho trade supplied, however, at half o?,with an additional discount where 100 of ono piece aro ordered, "did not experience that immediate and insistent need of the eongand its music which men and wo? men alike felt for the newspaper that would tell them where the last battle had been fought,, which army had been.Vicv torious, who had been promoted and who had fallen. Tito fateful column might contain evil or good.Toport of some dear one, and its. coming was full of Interest and apprehension. Yet the sheet mus&, printed like tho newspapers, in the rough? est style, upon the commonest paper, with now and then a caricatured litho? graphic likeness of somo Confederate gen? eral on tho title pego, continued to be : sold and sung, even though-its price ran from $1 to $2 per sheet. War gongs and war music wero tho or? der of tho day, and the soldiers in tile camps and tho small boys in ragged jack? ets shouted with au equal zest: Tho despot's heel ls on thy she roi or Farewell forever to tho star spangled banner! from diminutive paper covered books of martial ballads. Thc littlo song books cost anywhere from two and a half to five Confederate dollars, and their con? tents, with ff few notable exceptions, were as mediocre as the paper on which they were printed. Tho sentiment was there, nevertheless, and this was cared for nv tho singers moro than tho music or the lyrical or literary excellence of the. songs. The missionary and religious publish? ing house3 never ceased their praise? worthy labor OK printing tracts and pamphlets for distribution among tho sol? diers, but publications of a more ambi? tious or secular standard were very few. Now and then somo adventurous ?rm in Richmond or Charleston or New Orleans would issue a badly printed edition of a now novel, reproduced from a copy smug? gled in "through tho lines" or brought by tho blockade ruuncrs from Nassau. Still, evon ''John Halifax, Gentleman, " and "Les Miserables," which first appeared in tho south in this way and this dress, lest much of their attractiveness in their Con? federate garb of inferior ink, bad tvpc and worso paper.-A. C. Gordon ia The Century._ Fishing for l?usbnm?s. Recently there was a gathering of young married couples in Louisville, and tho conversation turned cn tho manner in which tho wives had secured their hus? bands. Ono had paved the way to tho altar by making a face at tho fated one becauso sho thought ho had stared at her impudently. II<> admired her mottle, and sought an introduction. Another mado tho acquaintance of tho man who is now her husband by accidentally sousing him with a pon of dishwater, which she tossed out of thc kitchen window into an alloy just in tinio to catch him as ho was pass? ing. Tho ono that was, howovor, voted to bo tho most novel was tho experience of a young man connected with tho mu? nicipal government. Tho latter was in the habit of passing, on his way home, ' tho residence of thc young lady who is noV his better half, and ono ovenicg, out of a spirit of mischief, sho "accidentally on purpose" turned tho hoso on him. Ho faced about, blushed violently, and stam? mered a "thank you" lu responso to her roguish smile, and from that moment ho know ho was fated.-Chicago Herald. recycles for Ens!ii*h Solo 1er?. . The bicycle force that has boon organ zed in connection with tho English vol? unteers recently had its second field ma .louvers, thc fir.;* having boen hold at Mister. Ilainv and disagreeable weather embarrassed t?io troops on each v>f theso dates, but tho result of tho turnout has boon very satisfactory. On the recent trials tho men covered about 100 miles iu forty-eight hours, fighting: scouting and ran; ping by tho way. There were seven? teen ofiiecrs and scventy-so\*en mon out, mado np of representatives of a number of the leading volunteer regiments. The force was divided into two bodies, ono retrcatingnand tho other following lt. At frequent intervals tho retreating force made stares at bridges and other eligible points of defense, and thc pursuers were compelled to halt, dismount, send out a skirmish lino and perform ?il tho other preliminaries of attack, rs though in activo war. It was found that two or three men left behind by the retreating body could make a show of force at a ! bridge that would greatly delay tho ad- j vance of a pursuing force, and then could } mount aad swiftly ride away under cover ? of a hedge aod escape to tho main body. This ability to ftebt and run away with greater facility than tho ordinary infan- ? tryman ls one of the chief points urged-! by the bicyclers in favor of the new j "arm." It ls said that scouting and re? I connoitcring parties mounted upon bicy- I cles could do much moro effective work \ without risk of capturo than men on foot, j In these maneuvers, although the re- ; treating force numbered but three officers < and twelve men, they succeeded in delay leg the pursuers so that it took them three hours to cover a distance easily made in less than two when no obstacles are interposed. Three of the retreating force dalli od too long at a bridge, and were ridden down and captured by a de? tachment of tho enemy. There were no other losses. The chief difficulty experi? enced was due to the number ot parallel roads occasionally converging that ran through the country traversed. The re? treating party had to keep scouts con? stantly ahead picking up the lay of the land and bringing hi reports, to pro? tect themselves from the danger of being flanked on some of these roads and cut off entirely at a con? verging point. In a country with one good main rood and but few side roads the success of a bicycle corps in obstruct? ing the passage of an enemy would be much greater. Bicycles have not yet been introduced in the British regular army, but if their success among the volunteers continues, it is expected that a similar corps will be organized in each regular regiment.-New York Sun. Progression in Car Brakes. Every year has shown progress in per? fecting tho comforts and safety of the railway car. In 1849 the Hodge hand brake was introduced, and in 1851 . tho Stevens brake. These enabled the cars to be controlled in a manner which added much to the economy and safety in hand? ling the trains. In ?869 George Westing? house patented his air brake, by which power from the engine was transmitted by compressed air carried through hose and acting upon the brakes of each car in the train: It was under the control of the engineer, and its action was so prompt and its power so effectual that a train could bo stopped in an incredibly short time, and the brakes released in an in? stant. In 1871 the vacuum brake was do vised, by means. ? of which the power was applied to the brakes by exhausting the au*. ; . . : A difficulty under which railways suf? fered for many years was the method of coupling cars.. The ordinary means con? sisted or coupling pins inserted into links attached to the cars. . There was a great deal of "s?ack," tho jerking of the train in consequence was. very objectionable, and tho distance between the platforms of the cars made the crossing of them dangerous. In collisions one platform was likely to rise above that of the ad? joining car, and "telescoping" was not an uncommon occurrence. The means of warning passengers against standing- on the platforms .were - characteristic of the dango rs which threatened, and were often ingenious in the devices for attracting attention. On a New Jersey road there was painted on the C&r door a picture of a new. made grave, with a formidable tombstone, on which was an inscription -announcing to a ter? rified publie that lt was "Saered to the memory of the man who had stood on a platform. "-Scribner's Monthly. Using Second Hand Tin Cans. Economy may be the secret'of wealth, but there are cases where .it does not* pay to economizo too closely.: A method is in use, and has- been recently patented, of using again old tin cans from which peas, lobster, salmon and other edibles nave been removed. The practico may prove a pernicious one, and the cans should be relegated to the furnace*and rolling mfy before being again used for. canning food. At best.- cans are never preserved, after the food has been removed, ina very clean condition, to- say the least, and tho acid contained ia the food often causes poisonous compounds, when combined with oxygen of tho atmosphere. The old cans are, it is stated, collected in the "revamping" establishment, tho damaged top removed, and * the cans thoroughly cleansed. If this statement bo true, there may be no objection from a j sanitary point of view, but it is doubtful if COES can bo cleaned short of removing tho entire' coating of more or less oxidized tin coating with which they are covered, thus leaving some of . the poisonous mat? ter to contaminate the next food placed in tho can. After cleansing, the old bottom ls punched to serve as a new top, and a new bottom' soldered cn from, the inside, through tho punched beda It might be well for purchasers of canned goods to ex? amine the construction ot cans when purchasing, and promptly reject oil goods nkely tobe in cases or cans that are "second hand.**-Boston Budget. Horses of tho World. Considering the very important roles which cavalry and ertiHery play in the art of modern warfare it is an interesting fact to know tho total number of animals which tho leading countries of tho world can throw into the fiel* of battle. It is equally interesting to know that tho stat? istician in formulating his tables places tho United States in second place. Tho following is tho list, according to tho lato statistics furnished tho war department at Washington: Russia. 21.570,000 horses; America, 0,500,000; tho Argentino Republic. 4.000. 000; Austria, 3.500,000; Germany, 3,350, 000; France. 2,800,000 and 800,000 mules; England, 2.79O.00O; Canada. 2.024,00); Spain, CSC,000 horses and 2,300,000 mules; Italy. 2.000,000; Belgium. 383,000; Den? mark, 81G.OO0; Australia, 301,000; IIol land, 125.000. and Portugal, 88,000 horses and 50.000 ernies. -New Ycrk Mail and Express. TTorso Thau ricuro-Pucumonla. Continuing, Inspector Devoo said: "Al? though wo havo almost stamped out pleuro pneuoonia, wo have cases every day of a disease which, in my opinion, is moro dan? gerous to both the banian and brute family -that is tuberculosis, or consumption; While it :s more dangerous than pleuro-pneumonia, its existence would not keep tho district in quarantine. "There i3 no 2.^w which empowers us to de? stroy or condemn cottle afflicted with tuber? culosis, and when wo find it in an animal all wo can do is to ed viso its owner to destroy it, for bi* own good and the good of his stock, for it is not only contagious among thc cattle, br.t can bo transmitted to the human family through its milk and in other ways. To prove this assertion wo killed a cow last week afflicted with it, and, on an autopsy heir g made, tubercles were found in it3 udder, or milk bag. In many cases where the inspectors find tho disease very acnto, they take tho law in their ow? hands and de? stroy the animal"-Philadelphia Times In? terview. Ti'.o Merrican sud II!? Ti?anlcet. Did you over hoar anybody sav "Don't hurry off in the heat cf 'tho 'day*without your blanket?" It ?3 a very common ex? pression in tho rural districts of too weet I ar.d souttu Well, ID Kfcxico tho expr?s- j stan is used as a remonstrance against tho departure of a guest. Every Mexican, on j coming to town fron tho country, carries j fi blanket v. ith him. lie coos not go to ! tho hotel and ask for lodgings, but finds i shcltc at almost any private house, par- ? ticularly among the poor. Ho then lies j ?own upon tho stone tloor. rolls himself ! in his blanket and gc:esj>romptly to sleep, i In tho morning ho awakens at daylight, j and. asking tho blessing of heaven upon ; tho house which sheltered him, ho goes j ont to some plaza and thoro boils his ! TESTING DRINKING WATER, ? . i ,? .- - '<+ Unsatisfactory Insults Which Are ?unj* times Obtained-B^marfeeble Ttcta. We are giving more and more attention ' to the parity of- drinking water as ^ be?' comes more apparent thar infection of al-' most every kind travels by water. ^ ?ft comes of the highest importance tb^jmbvr whether the tests usually resorted- & for tho detection of organic impurities ar?'* trustworthy. If ' dangerous- impurities" slip past these tests, they afford no prp**' tection against' tho transmission o^.dls ease gems. ' Tho Sanitarian prin ts A pa** per by Dr: J. A. Tanner, of Boston/giv&;' results of some of his experiments"'tn' this; direction, which may almost be. called .startling. *''.. ' ?:: Dr. Tanner declares boldly that the' chemical processes relied upon for testing . water are "as apt to condemn a good, water a? they ate to commend H. at?^ commend aa .impure water when the^ - should condemn fe," ead hte ctatemcoa go far to support his theory. For etea?pteC * if 5 per cent, of milk or any beef extract'' be added to a gallon of distilled watter the processes will contiemn it as impure be? cause it contains organic matter, Add a'-' few million of disease germs to a gallos," of distilled water and nono of the pro? cesses will discover them, because tier quantity of organic 'matter is riot large enough. Yet tho one mixturo is entirely harmless, and the other, if we accept thar germ theory, is dangerous. The combos- - tion process relies -upon the proportions found of carbon and nitrogen; the:am-' monia process upon the presence of free ' ammonia and albumoid ammonia; the' permanganate process upon tho amount of oxygen required to oxidize the organie' matter. AU of these tests ar? extremely delicate, and a slight inaccuracT?s enough - to cause an impuro water to be rated af pure, or the opposite: - - ? - ;- ' -\ The fact that they disagree" wildly In* their results with tho same water te* enough to shake faith in ail of them. Dr.: " Tanner shows this by reference to the In? vestigation conducted by Professor J.*s Mallet for tho national board of health some years ago, with which he was con? nected" Nineteen samples bf natural ' water, believed from actual use. to be' wholesome, were 'examined by *}.eso pro?' cesses. They agreed that ten were pbtk: able and three were not, but as to six, or * one-third of tho number, they disagreed * totally. Then nineteen samples were' taken of "natural waters which there seemed to bo fair grounds fdr believing have actually caused disease.'' But only four of theso were rejected as unwhole? some; as to cine, or one-half, there was no agreement, and six. or one-third, were pronounced ' wholesome, by all the pro? cesses. Then twenty samples were taken of natural water of doubtful but "sus? pected character, and as to these the re? sulta wero really more unfavorable than as to tho waters known to be dangerous. The most remarkable of all tho tests wero with twenty samples of good water, to which were added various pollutions, such as sewage from various sources, black vomit and like offensive and poison? ous substances. -Only eight of these samples, less than half, were condemned by all tho processes; as to nine' the re? ports did not* agree, and three the pro? cesses actually concurred in pronouncing good. Water, to which enough bf a weak mixed sewage from a largs public sewer had been added to create, it was believed, serious danger of typhoid,' Was pro? nounced to be of "great organic purity^ br two processes, and "good?* by the third. A larger admixture of tho some sewage, as much as 5 per cent, was pronounced of "medium" quality by two processes, and "bad" by only one. Even more striking examples could bo given. Yet the same processes condemned as impure the Lake Drummond water from the Dismal swamp, which ts in part the water* sup? ply of Portsmouth, Va., and the CocMtUr ate of Boston, simply because of tue presence of vegetable matter contributed by leaves, roots, etc.-New York Tribune* _.-c-. -, Mountain Combina for Invalids. Oertel has extended bis advocacy ci mountain climbing; os a curative agency, to other forms of heart disease besides such as are dependent upon or associated with corpulency-namely, to all forms of "weale heart," and also to valvular .de? fects. For this purpose he prefers re? sorts surrounded by mountains, on the sides of which graduated wafts, of In? creasing difficulty, and extending up to between three thousand and four thou? sand foot can bo mapped out. "It is by no means a matter of indifference how you walk up these ascents. It is to be done in a strictly prescribed manner. The hills ere to be ascended slowly, ?nd the pace mus; bj as even as possible, with no "talking and DO interruptions. This may not bo attainable at hrst, but tti? tho end to bo aimed at. "Then, the paco and the bathing must. In a sort of way, keep time; with. one stepco patient should mokola tapir*' tion and with the next sn expiration both acts ehou?d bo equal and reguler-fii length, neither longer no? shorter Ham. tho step. One foot ls raised with the bb* ginning cf tho inspiration and put down as it ends; the other foot makes its step. In the same maimer, with- the expiration. These precautions must bo minutely ob? served, cr palpitation and d?Scultyof breathing will be induced. Tho patient may lean on a stick, but ho must not Danse often in his walk; but he may rest tor half an hour cr an hour after tho com? pletion of cno of the appointed ta??cs. Tho euro will bo slow and gradual, re? quiring great patience; it should last from four to six weeks, and lt mav have to bo repeated several times In tho year.** Homo Journal._ A t'on?b A .nericha Kailrostl. Tho new Argentine Pacific railroad frets Buenos Ayres to tbo foot of the Andes has on it what is ?robabiy the longest tangent ia the world. This is iMO kilometers {?ll miles) withcuta curve. It is cito a remarkable fact that in this distance there is not a single bridge, and no opening larger than cn ordi? nary culvert. Tho lovel nature of the coun? try will 1)0 appreciated irora thc stnteraoct ci the farther fact that on the SW kilometers there is co cut greater I han ono meter in depth, and no fal of a height exceeding ono motor. The country, in fact, seems to bo almost an ideal ono for railroad construction. There we somo drawbacks, however, ono being that there is almost an entire absence of wool cn tho piain across which tho west? ern end of the road is IccatCiL This bas lcd to tho extensive use of metallic tiosv which will be used on near];,' the entire rood. "Work has already been begun on the mountain sec? tion of the road, w hich is to cross the Audes and unite with the Chilian line.-Engineer? ing Journal. The Czar dropping Wood. The yachting party of the czar and his family lias boen quite an idyl. Tho impe? rial porty picnicked on an island; a boat was filed with provisions and all require? ments for a good lune::, but no attend? ants were allowed to land. tho. czar and his family Laving resolved to enloy them? selves al fresco and all alono. And they actually laid tho cloth, lighted the fire and cooked the fish and made tho tea ^them? selves. It must have been a grand sight to soe tho autocrat cf all the Uussias Vlth his coat oil, malling up tho fire. r?c- owned afterward to having grown very tired over Chopping tho wood and being on his kne^ trying to mako it bum up; tho princesses ca:::o and had a blow at it, now and again, to encourage Min. and tho czarina busied herself meanwhile cutting thc bread. Ah! hov/ good it must bavo tasted, that luncheon on a little island all to themselves, And far from tho din of a court, the strife of politics, tho fear of conspiracies; and how loth the parents and children alika must have been to leave it and realize that their suam? holiday was nearly over!-Loud ola Mod? ern Society. . There are ?JOC,000 freight carson the various railxxxid lines in tM? U^Ua*. States. _^ 7-~Js?*