Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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REV. DR. TALMAGE 7 IiE BBOOK L Y\ 1*1 FIA E'S SU? ~ VAT SFRMOy. TEXT : "And David vlayed with his hand as ai other times and there was a javelin in Sara*? s hand. And Saul cast the javelin, for he said. I viii smite David even to the wa? vrith it. And David avoided out of his presence twice." 1 Samuel xviii, 10-12. What a spectacle fer all ages! Saul, a . giant, and David, a dwarf. An unfortunate war ballad had been composed and sung eulogizing David a'x>ve SauL That song threw Saul into a paroxysm of rage, which brought on one o? his old spells of insanity to which he had been subject. If one is disposed to some physical ailment and he get real mad. it is very apt to bring on one of his old attacks. Sa?l is a raving raaaiac, and he goes to imitating the false prophets or sibyls, who kicked and gesticulated wildly when they pretended to be foretelling events. ' Whatever the physicians of the royal staff may have prescribed for the disordered king I know not, but David prescribed music. Having keyed up the harp, his fingers began to pull the'rhvthmirom the vibrating strinsrs. Thrum! Thrum! Thrum! No use. The king will not listen to the exquisite cadences. He lets f?y a javelin, expecting to pin the minstrel to the" wall, but David dodged the Weapon and kept on. for he was confident that he could, as before, subdue Saul's bad spirit by music. Again the javelin is flung, and David dodges it and departs. What a contrast ! "Roseate David with a harp and enraged Saul with a javelin. Who would not rather play the one than fling the otherV Bat that was not the only time in the world's history that harp and javelin met. Where their birth? place was ? cannot declare. It is said that the lyre was first suggested by the tight drawing of the smews of a tortoise across its shell, ard that the flute was first suggested ty the blowing ol the wind across a bed of reeds and that the ratio of musical intervals was first suggested to Pythagoras by the dif . ferert hammers on the anvil of the smithy, but the harp seems to me to have dropped out of the sky and the javelin to have been thrown up /rom the pit. The oldest stringed instrument of the world is the harp. Jubal sounded his harp in the book of Genesis. David played many of his psalms on the harp while he sang them. The captives in Babylon hung their harps on the willows. Josephus celebrated the invention of the 10-stringed harp. Timotheus, the Milesian, was imprisoned for adding the twelfth string to the harp, because too much luxury of sound might enervate the people. Egyptian harps. Scottish harps, Welsh harps, Irish harps have been celebrated. What an inspired triangle ! Everlasting honors to Sebastian Erard, who by pedals invented called the foot as well as the hand to the harp. When the harpiseor J maker for whom he worked dis? charged him for his genios, thn employer not wanting to be eclipsed by his subordi? nate, Erard suffered from the same passion of Jealousy that threw Saul of my text into tiie fit during which he flung a javelin at the harpist The harp is almost human, as you find when ycu put your finger on its pulse. Other instruments have louder voice and may be better for a hattie charge, but what exquisite sweetness slumbers between the harp ??rings, waking at the first touch of the tips of the fingers. It caa weep. It can plead. It can soothe. It can pray. The flute ?3 more mellow, the trrmpet is more startling, the organ is more majestic, the cymbals are more festive, the drum is more resounding, but the harp has a richness of its own and will continue its mission throng?! aU time and then take part in celestial sym? phonies., for St. John says he heard in heaven the harps ol God. But the javelin of my text is just as old. Ris about five and a half feet long, with wooden handle and steel point, keen and sharp. Bet it belongs to the great family ol death dealers and is brother to sword and spear and bayonet, and first cousin to all the implements that wound and slay. It has cut its way through the ages. It was old when Saul, in the scene of my text, tried to har? poon David. It has gashed the earth with grave trenches. Its keen tip is reddened with the blood of American wars, English wars, German wars, Kassian wars, French wars, Crusader wars and wars ot all ages. The structure of the javelin shows what St was made for. The plowshare is sharp, but aimed to eut the earth in preparation for harvests. The lightning rod is sharp, but aimed to disarm the lightnings and secure safety. The ax is sharp, but aimed to fell forests and clear the way for human habi? tation. The knife is sharp, but aimed to cut the bread for sustenance. Bul: the javelin is sharp only to open human arteries and extin? guish human eyesight and take human life and fill the earth, with the eries of orphanage and widowhood and childlessness. Oh, ? am so glad that my text brings them BO dose together that we can see the contrast between the harp and the javelin. The one to soothe, the other to hurt ; the one to save, the other to destroy ; the one divine, the other diabolic : the one to play, the other to hurl, the one in David's skillful hand, the other in Baal's wrathful clutch. May God speed the harp, may God grind into dullness the sharp edge of the javelin. Jsow what does all this make you think of? It suggests tome music asa medicine for physical and mental disorders. David took hold of the musical instrument which he best knew how to play and evoked from it sounds which were for King Saul's diversion and medicament. But, you say, the treatment in cms ease was a lanure. way was ir a iaiiure; Saul refused to take the medicine. A whole apothecary shop of curative drugs will do nothing toward healing your illnesses if you refuse to take the medicine. It was not the fault of David's prescription, but the fault of Saul s obstinacy. David, one of the wisest and I ?est of all ages, stands before us in the text administer? ing music for nervous disorder and cerebral disturbance, and David was right. Music is the mightiest force in all therapeutics. Its ..aeults may not be seen as suddenly as other forms of cure, but it is just as wonderful "Sou will never know how much suffering and sorrow music has assuaged and healed. A soldier in the United States army said that os the days the regimental band played near the hospitals all the sick and wounded re? vived, and men who were so lame they could * not walk before got up and went out and sat in the sunshine, and those so dispirited that they never expected to get home began to pack their baggage and ask about timetables on Ft earn boat and rail train. Theodosius, the emperor, wrathful at the behavior of the people of Antioch, who, on .ame sadden provocation tore down the statues of emperor and empress, resolved severely to punish them, but the bishop, knowing that the emperor had a group ?? boys to sing to him while eating at the table, taught the boys a plaintive song in which the people lamented their bad behavior, and the t?ng under the pathos ol the music cried cut, "The city of Antioch is forgiven." Th? rage of Achilles was assuaged by a harp. Aseie piades swayed rebellious multitudes by 3 harp. After the battle of Yorktown, when a musician wa? to suffer amputation, and be? fore the- """vs of anaesthetics, the wounded artist cr i for a musical instrument and lost not a ..ot? during the forty minutes o? amputation. Filippo Palma, the great musi? cian, confronted by an angry creditor, played so enchantingly before him that the creditor forgave the debt and gave the debtor ten guineas more to appease other creditors. An eminent physician of olden rime con? tended (of course carrying our theory too far) thax all ailments of the world could be cured by music. The medical journals never report their recoveries by this mode. But in what twilight hour has many a saint of God solaced a heartache with a hymn hummed or sung or played! Jerome of Prague sang while burning at the stake. Over what keys of piano or organ consolation has walked. Yea. ia church one hymn has rolled peace over a thousand of the worriea, perp??xdd and az quized. While there are hymns and tunes ready for the jubilant, there is a rich hymnciogy for the suffering--''Naomi'' and "Eventide" and "Autumn Leaves" and ''Come ye disconso? late," and whole portfolios and librettos of tears set to music. All -he wonderful triumphs of surgery and all the new modes of successful treatment of physical and men? tal disorders are discussed in medical con? ventions and spread abroad in medical books, and it is high time that some of the millions ol souls that have been medicated by music, vocal and instrumental, let the world know That power there is in sweet sound, whether j rolling from lip or leaping from tightened I irbord or ascending from ivory key. Music is a universal language. Ai the foot of thc Tower of Babel language was split into fragments never to be again put together, tut one thiurr was not hurt, and that is music, and it is the same all the world over. Last summer in Russia at a watering place we irere greeted as we entered a great auditorium, which was Ulled with thousands pf Russians, whose language I could not understand any more than they could under? stand mine. But after the grand band had, out of com? pliment to us, played our two great Ameri? can airs. I stepped on the platform ?nd said io the bandmaster : "Russiac air i Russian air !'* and then he tapped with his baton on the music rack. 3nd with a splendor and majesty of power that aireos made us quail th* full land poured forth their National anthem. They understood our American music, and we understood their Russian music. It is a universal language, and so good for universal cure. I should avt wonder if in thft.dayjO? jndg? \ mcn? it s?iouii? be found out that more sou!; have been saved by music thaaby preaehiiig I should not wonder ir* out of the" one hun dred and forty and four thousand ransoinec souls that John foresaw before the throne o God at ieiist 130.000 had been saved by swee son?. Why does not the church cn eartl take the hint? Heaven is the great m?sica center of the universe, the place of doxolo gies and trumpets and haros. and in prepara tion forthat place we ought to make more o music on earth. The band of music at Waterloo played th< retreat ? the Forty-second Highlanders bael to their places, and sacred music has re turned many a faltering host of God into tb< Christian conflict with as much determina an<? dash lenny son's "Six Hundred.' Who can tell what has been accomplished bi Charles Wesley's "000 hymns, or by the con gregafconal singing of his tiaie. which coule be heard two tidies off? When my deal friend Dio Lewis (gone to rest all too soon conducted a campaign against drunkenu^ at the West, and marshaled thousands of th< noblest women of the land in that magnifi cent campaign, and whole neighborhoods ant villages and cities shut up their grog shops, do you know the cnief weapon used? It was the song. Nearer, my God, to Thee, Neir?r io ?rtea. They sang it at the door ol hundreds o? iiquor saloons which had been op3n for years, and either at th3 ilrst charge of the campaign or the second the saloon shut no. At the first verse of "Nearer. My God. to Thee" the liquor dealers laughed, at the second verse they looked solemn, at the third verse they began to cry, and at the fourth verse they got down on their knees. You say they opened their saloons again. Yes, some of them did. But it is a great thing to* have hell shut up if only for a week. Give full swing to a good gospel hymn, and it would take the whole world for God ! But when in my text J see Saul declining this medicine of rhythm and cadence and ac? tually hurling a javelin at the heart of David, the harpist, I bethink myself of the fact that sin would like to kill sacred music. We are not told what tune David was playing on the harp that day, but from the character of the man we know it was not a crazy madrigal, or a senseless ditty, or a sweep of strings sug? gestive of the melodrama, but elevated music, God given music, inspired music, religious music, a whole heaven of it encamped under a "aarpstring. No wonder that wicked Saul hated it and could not abide the sound and with all his might hurled an instrument of death at iL I know there are styles of music that sin admires, and you hear it as you pass the casino or the dance hall, and the devil has stolen most of the fiddles, though I am glad the Ole Bulls have snatched up the charmed strings from their desecration, but it is a fact that sin has a javelin for sacred sounds. In many churches the javelin of criticism has killed the music, javelin flung from organ loft or from adjoining pew of the supersensitive. Saul's javelin aimed at David's narp. Thou? sands of people so afraid they may not sing scientifically, they will not sing at all, or sing with such low tone that no one hears them. In many a church the javelin of criticism has crippled the harp of worship. If satan could silence all the Sunday-sehool songs and the hymns of Christian worship, he would gain his greatest achievement. When the millennial song shall rise-and it is be? ing made ready-there will be such a roll of voiees,such a concentrated power of stringed and wind instruments, such majesty, such unanimity, such continental find hemispheric and planetary acclamation, that it will be im? possible to know where earth stops and heaven begins. Boll on, roll in, roll up.thou millennial harmony ! See also in my subject a rejected oppor? tunity of revenge. Why did not David" pick up Saul's javelin ' 1 hurl it back again? David had a skillful arm. He demonstrated on another occasion he could wield a sling, and he could have easily picked up that javelin, aimed it at Saul, the would-be assassin, and left the foaming and demented monster as lifeless under the javelin as he had left Goliath under a sling. Oh, David, now is your chance. No, no. Men and women with power of tongue or pen or hand to reply to an imbittered antagonist, berter imitate David and let the javelin he at your feet and kaep the harp in your hand. Do not strike back. Do not play the game of tit for tat. Gibbon, in his history, tells o? Bajazet, the great Moslem General who was brought a eaptive to the tent of Timur. He had at? tempted the massacre of Timur and bis men. Timur said to him : "Had you vanquished us I am not ignorant of the fate which you re? served for myself and my troops, but I dis? dain to retaliate. Your life and honor are secure, and I shall express my gratitude to God by my clemency to man." Beautiful. Bevenge on Christian's tongue or pen or hand is inapt and more damage to the one who employs it than the one against whom it is employed. What ! A javelin hurled at you and fallen at your feet, and you not hurl it back again? Yes. I have tried the plan. I learned it from my father and have prac? ticed it all my life, and it works well, and by the help of God and javelms not picked up 1 have conquered all my foes and preacne 1 funeral sermons in honor of most of them. The best thing you can do with a javelin hurled at you is to let it he where it dropped or hang it" up in your museum as a curiosity. The deepesrwouad made by a javalin is aol cv the sharp edge, but at the dull end of th* handle to him who wields it. I leave it tc you to say which got the best of that fight in the palace-Saul or David. See also in my subject that the fact that 8 man sometimes dodges is not against hi* courage. My text says that when Saul as? sailed him, "David avoided out of his pres? ence twice*'-that is, when the javelin wai flung, he stepped out of its direction or bent ibis way or that-in other words, he dodged. But all those who have read the life of David know that he was not lacking in prowess. David had faults, but cowardice was not one of them. When David, who was, I guess, about four and a half feet' high, went out to meet the giant, who was. I guess, about 10 feet high it was & big undertaking, and the inequsii ties of the struggle were so great that it struck the giant's idea o? the ludicrous, and he suggested to the little fellow that he would make a fine dinner for a buzzard or a jackal --Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowis of the air and to tho beasts of the lela*.*' When David went out to meet that giant and conquered him. he demonstrated, as he did on other occasions, his courage. But I am so giad thai w?;-n .->aui flung that javelin David dodged it. or the chief work of his hie would never have been done. What a lesson this is to these who go into useless danger and expose their li\es or th^ir reputations or their usefulness unnecessarily. When duty demands, go ahead, though ail earth and hell oppose. Dodge not ene inch from the right position. But when nothing is involved step back or step aside. Why stand in the way of perils tnsc you can avoid? Go not into quixotic battles to fight windmills. Yon wi1'1 o of more use to the world and the church as an active Chris? tian man than as a target for javelins. There are Christians aiways in a light. If they go into churches, they fight there. If they go into presbyteries or conferences or consocia? tions, they fight there. My advice to you is, if anything is to be gained for God or the truth, stand out of lb*' way of the javelin. I Samuel, xviii.. 31. "David avoided out of his presence twice."' Washington was as mighty in his retreats ns in his advances. His army would several times have been destroyed if he had not dodged. He dodged on Long island : he dodged on New J^rs^y heights. Lincoln on bis way to inauguration at Washington was waited for by assassins, bat lie took another train and dodged thc d< sperado? s. We have high example ot' the fact that sometimes a man will serve God test by disappearing from this or that place, this or that environment. A mob brought Christ to the top of the rocks baek of Nazarrah. They did not like His preaching, and they proposed to hurl Him down the precipice. But while they were getting ready for the massacre Christ darted into the crowd and amid the confu? sion escaped to Capernaum and continued exercising devils and cooling fevers and fill? ing fish nets and giving healthy circulation of blood to paraly*;* and <-ftrinic?iem?'ntia and turning corpses into living men and women and doing His chief work. What a good thing He dodged the crowd O?. the rocks back^f Nazareth ! Likewise at Jerusalem on? day, while He was sauntering up and down in Solomon's porch waiting for an opportunity to say kind words or do a useful deed, the people propos?e', to pay Him for His sel * sacrifices by stoning Him to death, but the record is. "He" escaped out of their hands." See also in my subject the unreasonable attitude of javelin toward harp. What had that harp in David's hmd dcn? to the javelin in Saul's hand? Had the vibrating strings o? the one hurt the keen cage of the other? Wai Chere an old grudge between the two fam? ilies of sweet sound and sharp cut? Had the triangle ever insulted the polished shaft? Why the deadly aim of the destroying weapon against the instrument of soothing, ?Urning, healing sound? Well, I will answer that if you will tell me why the hostility of so many to the Cospel, why the virulent attacks against Christian religion, why the angry antipathy of so many to the most genial, most inviting, most salutary influence under ali the heavens. Why will men give their lives to writing and speaking and warring against Christ and the Gospel? Why the javelin of the world's hatred and rage against the harp of heavenly love? You know and I know men who get wrathfully red in the face and foaming at the mouth and use the gesture of the clinched I fist and put down their feet with indignant emphasis and invoke all sarcasm and irony and vituperation and scorn and spite at the Christian religion. What has the Christian religion doue that it should be so assailed? Whom hath it bitten and left with hydro? phobia virus in their veins that it should sometimes be chased as though it were a i maddened canine"/ To head ol? and trip up and push down and corner our religion was the dominant thought in the life of David Hume and Vol? taire and Shaftesbury and even the Earl of Rochester, until one day in a princely house, in which they blasphemously put God on trial, and the Earl of Rochester was the attor? ney against God and religion and received the applause of the whole company, when suddenly the earl was struck under convic? tion and cried : "Good God, that a man who walks uprightly, who sees the wonderful works of God and has the uso of his senses and reason, should use them in defying his Creator ? I wish I had been a crawling leper in a ditch rather than have acted toward God as I have done." Javelin, of wit, javelin ci irony, javelin of scurrility, javelin of sophistry, javelin of hu? man and diabolical hostility have been flying for hundreds ol' years and are flying now. But aimed at what? At something that has come to devastate the world? At something that slays nations? At something that Avould maul and trample under foot and excruciate and crush the human race? No, aimed at the gospel harp-harp- on which prophets played with somewhat linger? ing and uncertain fingers, but harp on which apostles played with sublime certainty, and martyrs played while their lingers were on fire. * Harp that was dripping with the blood of the Christ, out of whose heartstrings the harp was chorded and from whose dying ijroan the strings were keyed. Oh. gospel harp I All thy nerves a-tremble with stories of self sacrifice. Harp thrummed by lingers long ago turned to dust. Harp that made heaven listen and will yet make all the earth hear. Harp that sounded pardon to my sinful soul and peace over the grave where my dead sleep. Harp that will lead the chant of the blood washed ihrong redeemed around the throne. 3!ay a javelin slay me before I fling a javelin at that. Harp wnich it seems al? most too sacred for me ?o touch, and so I call down from their thrones tnese who used to finger it and ask them to touch it now. "Come down. William Cooper, and run your fingers over the strings o? this harp.-1 He says, {*I will," and he plays '1 here :s a fountain ?hed with blood Drawn from Immanuel* & verne. .'Come down. Charles Wesley, and touch the strings." He says. "I will," and he plays : Jesu:, ?over of my SOJI, Let me to Thy bosom fly. "Come down. Augustas Topiady, and sweep your fingers across this gospel harp."' He says, "I will," and he plays : Kock of Asea, cJeft tor me, Lst nie hide iny^e?* in thee. "Come down. Isaac Watts, tad take this harp." He says, "I will," and he plays : Ala?, and did my SftVicr blesd, And did my Sovereign die? "P. P. Bhss, come down and thrum this gos? pel harp." He 3ays, "I will/' and he plays : Hallelujah, 'us doue! I believe on the Son. Ineffable harp ! Transporting harp ! Harp of earth! Harp of heaven! Harp saintly and seraphic ! "Harp of God ! Oh, f like the idea of that old monument in the ancient church at Ullard, near Kilkenny. Ireland. The sculpture on that monument, though chiseled more than a thousand years ago, as appropriate to-day as then, the sculpture representing a harp upon a cross. That is where 1 hang it now ; that is where you had better hang it. Let the javelin be forever buried, the sharp edge down, but hang the harp upon the cross. And now upon our souls let the harps of heaven rain music, and as when the sun's rays fall aslant in Switzerland at the approach of* eventide, and the shepherd among the Alps puts the horn to his lips and blows a blast and says : "Glory be to God," and ad the shepherds on the Alpine heights or down the deep valleys respond with otlu - blasts of horns, saying, "Glory Ke to God," and then all the shepherds uncover their heads and kneel in worship, and after a few moments of silence some shepherd rises from his knees and blows another blast of the horn and says, "Thanks be to God," and all through the mountains the response comes from other shepherds. "Thanks be to God," so this mo? ment let all the valleys of the earth respond to the hill* of heaven, with sounds of glory and thanks, and it be harp of earthy worship to harp of heavenly worship, and the words of St. John in the Apocalypse be fulfilled, "I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder, and as the voice of harpers harping with their harps." THE ARMY'S NEW BALLOO*. IU Use in Warfare to be Shown at the Chicago Exposition. The army has secured its flying ma? chine. The military balloon, which is to form a part of the War Department ex? hibit at Chicago, has been purchased by Gen. Greely, of the French balloonmaker, Lachambre. The balloon has a capacity of 13,000 feet and will cost 9,000f. It is to be made of goldbeater's skin, and the contract price includes basket, ropes, sandbags, drag, and other accessories of military balloons. It is expected that the balloon will be in Chicago by thc^middle of April. A detachment cf Signal Corps Sergeants will be sent to the exposition grounds to join thc force already there that practi? cal ii lustration may be given of the methods of signaling in the array, includ? ing tho operation of this military bal? loon. It has not yet been decided from what source the gas for the balloon will be obtained. Pure hydrogen gas is the best, and it may bc obtained directly from thc Chicago plant. There is also the proposition that the gas be brought from the East, as au illustration of transportation in time of war. The gas can be compressed into steel tubes, each four or five feet long, and in this manner easily carried to the place where the bal? loon is to bc lilied. In the English Army the gas is manu? factured at a Government plant and compressed into tubes, and so carried to thc balloon. The French have a better system. They carry the plant with the balloon, and manufacture the gas us de? sired. Thc plant may bc picked up and carried off without any trouble. If there was any such occasion in this country its there is in Europe for military balloon? ing, this principle of a portable gas plant would undoubtedly be the one adopted for the United States Army, but the balloon which has been purchased will bc used entirely for experimental purposes against thc time when such a feature may be necessary. While the development of the military balloon has been confined to the fighting nations of Europe, it is an interesting fact that the first use of thc balloon in time of war was during the war of the rebellion in this country. The idea was grasped by the observant powers of the Old World, and thc results, especially in the French Anny, have approached very near perfection. Time was when the military balloonist were content with the captive balloon, such as will be sent to Chicago. This ts the regulation globular balloon, attached to the basket of which is a light wire, extruding to a huge reel, which allows the wire to unwind as the balloon ascends, and serves to pull the balloon back to camp. The wire has a double use, in holding tho balloon and furnishing the occupants of the basket a means of communicating, as by tele? phone, with thc officers at thc reel. An advance on this principle is the di? rigible balloon, first brought out by tho French in 1884. Thc dirigible balloon is of different shape from the captive, be? ing elongated from and equipped with a propeller operated by an electric motor, which drags thc balloon through thc air, a rudder enabling the operator to con? trol its direction. At a recent test, out of seven ascents, thc balloon was steered through the air and was returned to the place of starting on five trips. The fault with the dirigible balloon at present seems to be iu the weight of the notor. This, it is thought, will 'be easily corrected, end the military bal? loon will have come very near the ideal flying machine. Ix a town not 100 miles from London ie.r. is preached every year what is Known :i "drunken sermon,." it is a tenp'rance sermon. It was instituted ni my \ciir< fc?ro byan old, eccentric man, wi.o bequeathed to the iowa a publie house on coudttion that 40 shillings be deducted from thc annual rent and given :o a minister, who should preach a ser .non against the evils of intemperance. Tenderness. Not unto every heart is God's good gift Of simple tenderness allowed; we meet With love in man y fashions when we lift First to our lips life's waters bitter-sweet. Love comes upon us with restless power Of curbless passion, and with headstrong will It plays around like April's breeze and shower. Or calmly flows a rapid stream and still. It comes with blessedness unto the heart That welcomes it aright, or, bitter fate! It wrings the bosom with so tierce a smart. That love, we cry, is crueler than hate. Aud then, ah me, when love has ceased to bless Our broken hearts cry out for tenderness. We long for tenderness like that which hung About us, lying on our mother's breast I A selfish feeling, that no pen or tongue Can praise aright, since silence sings it best, A love, as far removed from passion's heat As from the chillness of its dying fire; A love to lean on when thc falling feet Begin to totter, and the eyes to tire. In youth's bright heydey hottest love we seek, The reddest rose we grasp-but when it dies God grant the latter blossoms, violets meek; May spring for us beneath life's Autumn skies! God grant ?orne loving one be near to bless Our weary wav with simple tenderness. BEHIND THE CURTAIN. BY L. W. KING. He wondered as he rang the front door bell what Sophie would bc like. He had met Belle Bradley on 23d street that morning, and had stopped to speak to her at the door of a large shop. As he lifted his hat and bade her au revoir ?he said: "Oh, Sophie, the little sister yon know, is home from school for good now. Come in this afternoon and I will introduce you to our 'baby!'" She laughed, and then he laughed, thinking a little girl in short frocks an odd pretense for his calling so soon again. He was a pretty good-looking fel? low, as men go; big and athletic, bm a trifle old; not blase youth, but really getting on in years. Well, when he rang the Bradleys' door bell that afternoon, as I said, he wondered what little Sophie would be like. He was fond of children. He was shown to the well-known parlor, where the gathering afternoon shadows made thc bright carpet and pretty furnishings 4ook more attractive than ever. As he glanced toward thc window he saw seated there, busily plying her needle and unheeding all else, a little, slim, fair-iiaired girl, with serious biue eyc3 and such soft, white hands that he could not help uoticing them. His first idea wa* to retreat; his second to cough and await the result. The girl started, listened and stopped sewing. He coughed again, timidly, and then ehe looked at him. As she rose she blushed a beautiful crimson from thc pretty throat right up to her forehead, whereon lay soft golden curls. '?I beg pardon," he stammered, quite as much embarrassed aa this damsel whom he had stumbled upon. ??But I-I came to see Miss Bradley. My name is Marley*-Jack Marley! Pm really awfully sorry I disturbed you." His contrition was so real, and he looked so miserable that the girl smiled-a smile that slowly parted the red lips and lurked in her dimples. "When she smiled like that, Jack smiled too,and after ?hat the "mauvais honte" of the meeting was over. "I have heard of you," she told him naively, "from my sister. You know I am-cr-Sophie.*' "Really. Why, I thought," he stam? mered, "I-that is-you have gol on long dresses, haveu't you?" She laughed merrily. "Did you think I was a little girl? Weil, I'm not bjg, and Tin not very wise, but I'm quite grown up, 1 assure you. Oh, I arn afraid Belle forgot you were coming. She went, out in the carriage with mamma. Will you wait for her, or?" - "Thank you. PH wait if I may," he hastened to say ; "if it won't dis? turb you !" "Not at all," s!.c assured him, as she eank into tile depths of a big chair, where she looked smaller than ever. Somehow every now and then a sen?e of age oppressed him in contrast to her youth and girlishness, and made him more unconifort ibie in the thought than he had ever been before. After len minutes he knew sho was glad to be at home, though it had been a sorrow to leave the school where .she had been very happy. "Heally spoiled,'' she said. "You see 1 was so little, and they made a pet of inc," ?lie laughed in a bright shy way. There came thc sound of opening doors and women's voices. Thc tete a-tete was interrupted. Jack Marley rose and shook hands with Miss Brad Icy. At th?; end of the season Jack had seen a great deal of Sonnie. He was alwavs a welcome visitor at her mot lier's house, and as ?ic looked back over thc days which had passed since their first meeting it worried him to think how thc boura spent willi her had grown part of his life. His friends had begun to comment upon "Bachelor .lack's" infatuation, and he never even tried to hide it. To vounjr Strange he even confided his ? 'foolishness"-when in the mood. He had introduced thc young man to his divinity and often wondered at his lack of enthusiasm on tho subject Ne?l S'range was in that period of cynicism common to thc youth and he laughed scornfully over the fact of ??old Marley's being in love !" What could such a gravo and rcvei ned gcb'iior see in a little, ?imple innocent girl. He (Sinnige) (bought il wrong to brintf UD a girl like that. This was at first, but by the time Sophie had made her debut, creating quito a furor with lier charming face, young Strange silent!v succumbed, and, though ho never admitted it, in his heart he was one of Sophie's lovers. One day Strange was sitting in the Bradley's parlor waiting, when Marley came in. His grave face and a rest? lessness in his manner told that some? thing was "up." He flung himself down on thc sofa and begau al once. "Ned, you and I have always been friends, have wc not? I did you a service once; 1 want something from yon in return." lie laughed some? what constrainedly. "You've known from the first that I loved Sophie Bradley. I told you when I brought you here, old man. Yes, I know Fin too old and serious, but it's just this I love her so that I must know my fate. Whatever she decides I shall accept without a word. If she should care only Heaven knows what it would mean to mc! Jf not-well, God help me! Ned, will you-tell her for me? Tm a coward, man, when I think of this,'* and he ran a hand to his gray hairs. "I have np right to ask her, but-Oh, yon can plead ray cause. Tell her no younger man could love her as-I-do. Ned, will you do this?" The younger man had grown livid. He did not look np, but he muttered hoarsely, "Yes. ' Just then they heard Sophie singing as she came in from the hall. Jack escaped into the back room. "How do you do, Mr. Strange?" she said, and there was such a pretty flush m her cheeks, and such au odd light in her blue eyes. She sat down near the window and seemed to be waiting for something. He crossed thc room to her side. Ile noticed how quickly she drew her breath. "Sophie, I have something to tell you, may 1?" ..Surely,"she said,her eyes fastened on her fingers playing nervously with the folds of her dress. "Dear, I want to talk of love-a man's love that has been growing nntil now ft is too strong for silence. Since that night when you wore my flowers to your first ball I have thought only of you." He did not notice how her fingers grew still and the red faded out of her cheeks as she shrank away from him. .'Sophie, do you love me, and will you be my wife?" Silence for a minute, and he could not understand the way she looked at him. Then, as she turned away and covered her face with her hands, he thought it joy and lost all fear of a refusal. ..Sophie" "I think," she interrupted, hesitat? ingly, "that-there-is some one else" .?Oh, you mean old Murley?" he laughed. "I always suspected it, but I don't suppose he ever means to tell you so. " "One moment," she said suddenly, going to the door of that back room. Gently, but imperatively, she called "Mr. Marley I" and before she had got back to Strange's side Jack ap? peared in the doorway. Ned grew white and clenched his hands. Then the girl spoke in a clear voice : "Mr. Marley, I wish yon to hear. This-gentleman-has just asked mc to marry him-himself-do you un? derstand?'' Strange tried io stop her, and his eyes fell before one contemptuous look lu Marley's. "This is my answer, Mr.-Strange. You have done me an honor which it is impossible for nie to accept since I am going to-marry-some one else." Botli men started. At length Strange laughed sneeringly. "So, you've tricked us both? May we know thc successful rival?" She blushed then, but bravely looked at them both and went bravely over to thc niau at thc door. "Jack, if he wili have nie," slic said simply, slipping her hand into his. "Sophie"' "Yes, Jack. I was there behind the curtain. 1 heard you-and you're not a bit old; you're-well, just the dear? est man in the world!" When she reappeared from the em? brace of those big, strong arms, Strange was gone.- [New York Re? corder. Hawaiian Names. The following naines of our pro? posed new citizens were to be found a few years ago on the taxpayers1 list at Honolulu : M. Scissors, Tho Thief, the Wan? dering Ghost, The Fool, The Mau Who Washes His Dimples, Mri. Oyster, The Tired Lizard, The Hus? band of Kaueia (a male deity). Thc (Jro.it Ketile, Thc First Nose, Thc Atlantic Ocean, The Stomach, Poor Pussy, Mrs. Turkey, Thc Tenth Heaven. Thc same names are bestowed in- j discriniinatcly upon males and fe- j male-1. A man living upon Bcrtania street, Honolulu, is called The Pretty Woman (Walline Malkai); a male in? fant was lately christened Mrs. Tomp? kins; one little girl is named Samson (Kamekona), another thc Man; Susan (Kukena) is a boy, so are Polly Sarah, Jane Peter, and Henry Ann. A pretty little maid has been named by lier fond parents Thc Pig Sty (Hale Pua). A relative hints nt luxury in tho diet of the coming man, calling thc boy The Rat Kater (Kamea Oii Ole). An old servant in Dr. Wright's family, at Kohala, caused her {/rand child to be baptized in the church Thc Doctor (Katika). This, as is thc case with all thc o:lier names herc men? tioned, is the only designation. By way of compliment to the early blur .iciaiis, many children were nan after their drugs, as Joseph Squi Miss Rhubarb, The Emetic Nar of uncomplimentary purport ate v lingly borne by their owners, wi others convey a pleasing and grace sentiment, among the lal ter The Ai of Heaven (Ka Pia Lani), The Ri' of Twilight (Ka Wia Liula), '1 Delicate Wreath (Ka Lei ma ka Lil. The Rev. Dr. Coan of Hawaii p sesses the love of his flock. C morning a child was presented i baptism, whose name was given thc parents, Mikia. Thc cercillo finished, the parents assured the d< tor that they had named the baby j him. -"But my name is not Michae said the doctor, supposing Mikia to aimed thereat. "We always hear yo wife call you mikia," answered l motlier. She had mistaken Mrs.Coat familiar "my dear1-" for her husbam proper appellation.- [Boston Gazeli The Improvement of Horses. The sooner the farmers in the Unit States realize the fact that thc ordina and commonly bred horse is likely deteriorate in value year by year, t! better it will be fur them. The u of cable* to drag street cars has a ! ready reduced the service perforan by horses in thc cities, and the exle sion of thc trolley system in tho su urbs and thc perfection of clectr motors will relieve many other thoi sands of horses from such service, has not been so very long since near! all the threshing was done by horse? now only a very small percentage < even thc thrediing-machincs ai worked by horse-power. Practicall all of the ploughing is now done I horses; but a cheap and practict steam-plough will be shown to visitoi to the World's Fair, and it is not in probable that in ten years from uoi quite a large pcrccninge of ploughiu will be done without thc aid of horses The need in the cities ami on th farms for fewer horses will (cud mot and more to reduce their market vaiux Commonly bred horses will be th first to deteriorate in price; indeed, 3 is doubtful whether finely bred horse will suffer at all. There is no reasoi why they should. The purposes fo which they are used will not b affected by any inven lions revolution izing methods of transportation o tillage. Even though wc could fly ii thc air with a balloon entirely nude control, a spin on the road behind i pair of trotters or a gallop acros country would give ju-t as mud pleasure as ever it gave. Thc horse who get the blue ribbons in thc horst shows will continue to bc as valuabh as ever, while humbler animals-thosi that drag street cars and ploughs will bc less valuable year by year, -[Harper's Weekly. Bo Ants Talk. I once saw a drove of the smal! black ants moving, perhaps to bettei quarters. The distance was some 15C yards. Most all which came from.thc old home carried some of the house? hold goods. Some had eggs, some had what might have answered foi their bacon or meat; some had one thing and some had another. I sat and watched them closely for ever an hour. I noticed that every time two met in the way they would hold their heads together as if greeting each other, and no matter how often the meeting took place this same thing occurred, as though a short chat were necessary, To prove more about it, I killed one who was on his way. Others being eye-witnesses to thc murder, went with speed, and with every ant they met this talking took place as before. Bul instead of a pleasant greeting, it was sad news they had to communi? cate. I know it was sad new*, for every ant that these parties met hastily turned back and fled on another coarse, as much as to say, "for the king's sake ami for your safety do not go lhere, for I have seen a mon? ster, just behind, that is able to de? stroy us all at one blow. I saw him kill one of our family. I do not know how many more arc killed." So ?he news spread, and it was true. How was thc news communicated if not by speech?-[Magazine of Nat m ai History. Bleaching Sponges. Thc bleaching o? sponges is either done by an acid process, which some? what weakens thc fiber, or by lather? ing them with soap and hanging them in the sun for several days, which is much thc preferable way. Thc chief test of a sponge's quality is by feeling of thc surface-soft ones being preferable-and hy al tempting to tear tear as it is almost im? possible to tear a good one with the hands. Every portion of ilie sponge is used-thc fine soft ones for the ba:h -thc small ones to the druggist and hospital-hundreds of thousands of all sliat.es anti sizes to tho furniture makers, and carriage makers,ami cane and umbrella makers who usc them for the gluing and line varnishing-while even the I i "tie chip? pings and scraps go to the makers of liquid shoo polish for thc little swab, that the blackening is laid on with. The paper factories, distillers and breweries also find use for sponges ami all the year round thc process of fishing, cleaning and sorting goes on, while abundant nature tries to supply the deficit made by these fierce inroads -yet every year thc finer varieties are ?Trow in?- scarcer, and a society formed tp o * . this year to ask tor proteclivc legisla? tion shows the drift of better opinion. Ono of the varieties particularly prized is known as a "roller," since il grows on a stick or slender projection and rolls around in thc tide. - [Washing? ton Star. < More Par*ees committed suicide in Bombay, India, last year than mem? bers of any other religious sect. I POWERFUL GUNS. Terrific Effect of German's New ! Artillery. Ordnance Which Would Soon Wipe Out an Army. j So destructive in its effect is the new German artillery that it is as? serted, once the range were found, a battery would annihilate an entire division in a very short time. Prima facie, this seems rather to border on the impossible; but when the results of thc experiments which were re? cently made in the presence of the Emperor with the new weapons are considered the task does not appear to bc so impracticable after all, says the London Court Journal. The first shot fired in the course of these experi? ments was at a target placed fifty paces from a wood. The missile missed the target, but plowed its way for 500 yards through the wood. Shortly afterward a large area of the wood was discovered to bc on fire. This was duo to the shell being charged with a certain kind of pow? der, thc composition of which isa secret known only to the German Government. The splinters from shells burst by this powder and fired by thc new gun cover a circle of 900 feet. This is a great improvement on the limited area of ground that was covered by splinters from shells fired by the artillery weapon of twenty years ago. Then it was considered effective shooting if splinters from a shell were thrown within a circuit of forty or fifty paces, and seven or eight meu wounded; but the new gun has a far greater destructive power than this. Another she'd fired at an enormous target, constructed by the Emperor's orders, covered it with thousands of holes. The new German fie'.d gun might, perhaps, be better described as an en? larged rifle, for that is what it really is. The ammunition, like rifle cart? ridges, consists of one piece only. Ignition is produced by a ready fuse, and the four kinds of projectiles at present in use, i.e., shell, explosive shell, shrapened and grape shot, give place to a uniform projectile, an ex? plosive shell, possessing the combined characteristics of shell and shrapnel. Thus the possibility of a gunner mis? taking in the heat of battle one pro? jectile for another will be averted, while the loading, aiming and firing, besides being quicker-for the new arm is loaded and fired in one-third of the time required lu working the old gun and thc effect and precision are almost double-will be surer and un? attended with danger. Thc barrel of the new gun is Hade of cast steel, with a caliber of eight centimeters, and the total weight of the gun, limber and carriage is slight" ly less than that of the old artillery weapon. Being lighter, thc mobility of the new gun will, of conrse, be con? siderably increased. The limber and gun carriage are made of iron and iron platee. The limber box is open behind near the gun when in action. Thc advantage of this innovation is that the projectiles can be served out from the timber and ammunition wagon with greater rapidity. Another im? portant, feature is that the carriage is supplied with a brake, which counter? acts the recoil, the process of loading and firing being thus simplified. Saltness of the Sea. The very fact that the waters of oceans are salty is a wonder within itself. That such is the case every? body knows. But why ? Hivers are not salt, neither are some of the very largest of inland sea*, yet one school of scientists will tell you that these same seas (lakes) are thc reniai us of what was once a universal ocean; that there was once an upheaval of thc land and that all the waters settled in basins except that which drained ofL If this is a fact, why are these lakes or seas now fresh? Don't tell me that it is because they have been evapora? ting through thc long centuries and that the vacancy has been supplied by fresh waters from rivers. Great Salt Lake is no less salty now than it was 3,000 years ago, and probably a great deal more so. The water of thc Caribbean Sea is dense compared with that of thc At? lantic in thc vicinity of thc Cape Verde Island?, the proportion being eleven to twelve. Why is it? It is certainly a fact that they arc both of ono body of water. Thc variety of saline found in all sea water is universally the same, liiere is another fact which should be mentioned to . ile we are classifying seawater; thal is this: When thc salt? less of oceans is referred to it must \ not le understood as being the table ;alt of commerce (chloride of sodium), for there are ninny other salts in the solution. Besides common salt, the chemist mentions the following : Chloride o? potassium, chloride of salcium, chloride of magnesium, iiromidc of magnesium, sulphate of hue, carbonate of lime, sn pilate ot magnesia and carb ?nato of magnesia. Expert hydrographers tell us that there ?8 enough of these various salts held tn suspension in thc waters of the oceans to cover tlie whole landed sur? face of the globe lo a depth of 1,500 j feet-in other word.*, that there is ! 50.000,000,000,000,000 tons so held in j suspension! Tiie sea is salt by reason of the earth washings which are poured into it. Ii ??is different densities because of thc j Influence of rainfalls, evaporation, ! and would become stagnant but ! for the working of the great ocean j ir'.eries-'.he currents. - [St. Louis ! ! hV'pu ile. The estimated population of Londou j ?st Julv \va< 4,268,294. More Liberal Use of Butter* No dietetic reform would, I believe, be more conducive to improved health among children, and especially to the prevention of tuberculosis, than au increase in the consumption of butter. Ou; children are trained to take butter with great restraint, and are told that it is greedy and extravagant to eat much of it. It is regarded as a luxury, and aa girir.g a relish to bread, rather than in itself a most important article of food. Even to private families of these wealthier classes these rules pre? vail at table, and at schools and at public boarding establishments they receive strong reinforcements from economical motives. Minute allow? ances of butter arc served out to those who would gladiy consume five timefc the quantity. Where thc house income makes this a matter of neces? sity, there is little more to be said than that it is often a costly econon-/. Enfeebled health may easily entail a far heavier expense than a more liberal breakfast would have done. Cod liver oil costs more than butter, and it is, besides, often not resorted to until too late. Instead of restrici ing a child's consumption of butter, I would encourage iL Let the limit be the power of digestion and the ten? dency to biliousness. Most children may be allowed to follow their own inclinations, and will not take more thau is good for them. The batter should be of thc best a.id taken cold. Bread, dry toast biscuits, potatoes and rice are good vehicles. Children well supplied with butter feel the cold less thau others, and resist thc influenza better. They do not "catch cold" so easily. In speaking of children, I by no means intend to exclude other ages, especially young adults. Grown-up persons, however, take other animal fats more freely than most children do, and are besides allowed much freer selections as to both quality and quantity. It is not so necessary to raise any clamor for reform on their accouut.-[Medical Times. - s Malleable Glass a Possibility? Among the stories which have floated down to us from antiquity is oue told by Tacitus as occurring iu the reign of Tiberius, Au artificer, it is said, discovered the art of temper? ing glass so as to render it malleable, and made a large vase which he took to thc court and exhibited before the emperor, expecting to receive a] hand? some reward for his ingenuity. He proved the temper of his vase by throwing it violently on the stone fioor,.theu taking oat his hammer, beat it into the former shape. lu stead of bestowing a reward, the emperor ordered him to be put to death, alleg? ing that s usn a discovery would dim? inish the value of precious metals. The story is probably apocryphal, as perhaps is that other of six malleable glass mirrors sent from the Shah of Persia to Spain in 1610, but both are indications that the subject of glass temporing has loug engaged the atten? tion of inventors. During the last half century much progress has been made in tempering glass and, when desired, it is now made much tougher than the glass makers of former times were able to produce. So there is no reason to doubt that malleble glass is among the possibilities of the near future.-[Americau Carpet and Upholstery Trade. A Live Paper-Weight, A parsonage cat whose favorite saafe is ou the study table has found a new use for himself. He watches his master's peu, and occasionally, when thc writer is tired, takes the holder in his month. But his real usefulness is to act as a paper-weight. When a sheet is finished and laid aside, the cat walks gravely to it and takes his seat on thc paper. As soon as another is laid aside, he leaves the first and sits down on the second. Sometimes, to try him. his master lays down, on dif? ferent parts of the table,sheets in rapid succession. But "Powhatan" - the cat-remains seated, shrewdly sup? posing that to be fun, not business. When woik begins anew, the cat seats herself on thc last paper laid down, and waits for another. Thus he shows that he watches his master's work, and perhaps thinks it his duty to keep the paper from blowing away. [-Si* Nicholas. Where Young Sculptors Are Made. Do yon know that New Jersey aud Pennsylvania wiii some day produce sculptors and modelers that will be known all over thc world? And do you know why? Well, it is because these Slates abound in clay, and, lat? terly, thc teachers in thc kindergarten schoois have discovered that nothing quiets thc children so well as letting them work in clay. So, once or twice during the schoolday, a boar?! with a lump of clay upon it and a dull knife are given to each child, with permis? sion to model anything he or sue pleases. Some of thc work has been so creditable that it is to be sent to the World's Fair; and already thc teachers predict great futures for some of the lads, if they be allowed to follow their na ural bent. Fortunately, clay costs nothing in these States, so thc children have tho most instructive and the most amusing playthings within easy reach.--[New York L-dgcr. Enormous Consumption of Explosives. Even m time of peace enormous quantities of explosives are consumed annually for mining, etc. To lire sunrise and sunset guns alone costs Unete Sam $1000 a day. The ordin? ary rifle practice of thc army is an expense to thc government of hun? dreds of thousands of dollars yearly, and lite target practice amt experi? ments \\ ith guns and explosives pur? sued by the navy represent an ex? tend? lure of hundreds of Jij^uwu^s^^-^ more every twelve-mouth,.