Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I Stowaway By LOUIS TRACY. Author oi the "Pillar o! Light," 'Ike Wings c< the Morning" and "The CjftJin nt the Kansas." ||M MM IbOOOJ I Ol rk iMtM OOOf tbo girl * shoulders ami l...?!?? her fas ten Iti strap* sround her waist. 8he obeyed without a word. Indeed, she seemed to hare lost the power of Spee< h In a C iri? ? n-?Iv detached way ?he wondered why Hosier did not re The prayers and curses of the rounding her fell unheeded on her enrs Where was Hosier? What wss he doing? Why did he not come to her? She felt a strange confidence In him. If he had not been struck down by that calamitous shell be would hare eared tbo ship?assuredly he would hare devised some means of earing their Urea. Perhsps even now ha was attempting some desperate ex? pedient. The thought nerved her for aa Instant. Then a rending, grinding wss followed by a sudden swerve roll of the ship that sent her stag gering against a tulkhead. An out burst of cries and shouting rang through her brain, and a shriek wai wrung from her parched throat. * Iba Andromeda righted herself ii rh >ugb there was another sound ? irtag metal, and the deck heaved pen -p ,uly uuder a shock. Ab. kind heaven I Here came Hosier, running, thundering some loud order. "The port lifeboat?sea worthy!" There was a fierce rush, in which Ohe Joined. She was knocked down. A atrong band dragged her to her feet. It was Coke, swesring horribly. She saw Hosier leap against the ?ood of ?sen. "Curse you. the woman first!" she beard hltn say. and he seat the leaders of the mob sprawling orer the hatches of the forehold. Coke, almost carrying her In his left arm. butted In among the crew like an Infuriated bull. Some of tue men. shamefaced, made way for them. Ho? sier reached her. She thought he said to the captain. "There's s chance If we can swing her clear." Then the ship struck, and they were all flung to the deck. They rose, some bow. anyhow, but the Andromeda, ap? parently resenting the check, lifted herself bodily, tilted bow upward and { ?truck agnin A mass of spray dashed \ down upon the struggling figures who bsd been driven s second time to their . knees. There wss s terrific explosion in the after hold, for the de? k hud buret under the pressure of air. and anot ier ominous roar announced that the water had reached the furnaces. Stesn and smoke and dust mingled with |bi Incessant lashing of sheets of ?pray, and Irls wss torn from Coke's grlo She fancied sne henrd Hosier cry ?Too Isto!" and a lightning glimpse ?own the staying deck showed some of the engineers and stokers crawling ?p to'.ard the t.*ui* ci lug forecastle. ? m1 CARSOT BaiATHFl " KHK HOltDBD. She felt herself clasped In Hosier's arms and knew that he wna climbing. After a f?w breathless seconds she realized r.mt they were standing on the f le. where the < aptain and manv of ;hc < rew were clinging to the Windlass snd an<*h ?r and cable and bulwarks to maintain their footing. Below, tieyond a ntfotob <>f un broken ?dock, too son raged MPUnot all that was loft of int ship. Tbo bridge jnst ?towed nbovs the froth and spun | i ! oea lot i i bt funnel still boM l>y Its Otays, hut the mainmast was gone and With It lbs String Of flags. The i .!,.? w n deafening, overpower? ing. It soui ded like the rattle of noiuo liuiueiMi f i fory, yet a video was aim I i ble Ibl I Ibf din. for Hosier w.n telllm: her not to hhamlon hope, as the for. purl "f the ship was tirimy %nss)gnd n a rieft in the ro.-ks. 'I hey might s?hi bars a cnanco wbon tbo thle dfOpj I 8<? that rxplalned why I? was so dai k w 1 ere n few In.etttl ign I I Wfli Mgbt Iris pressed tli?* valt water out f ntf burning eyes and Irtod la kx'K np ? ? I bot i ii las . r inn narrow tiiatigl * of the fore?-n i smooth ootrhangi ig walla, bis '. and dripping. They a n fs JtootM d w Mb set Sm< e\ \ v. . \ v Ti.it . n. ,. d up bei v i- i the ships pastas nnd tin* rocks a is tbrov. ii liftek over the d?ek. While Streams of w ater fell constantly M- i.i the l>i i i : of W fed She k, .1 f ;? breath TD? 1 a iv slgbi of tills dls?lu cleft with iti snpsrsstomtsd all ipsc ? made aetive th*? choking sonsa t ion Ol Which ibf w:is Just beginning to I ? aw are. "I cannot I roatlie!" ?he Sobbed, au 1 she Woi;i 1 I:avo slipped off Into the welter of angry foam beiiea t h lt:ul Dol llo/hr tixhtened a protecting afui round bot \. ilat "Stoop di'wii," ho said. She had a dim knowledge that he unbuttoned his coat and drew one of Its fold* OTfff her head. Ah, the bless? ed roHol <-l If. PlSSd from the Stifling ?bowers of spray, she drew a deep breath or two. How good he was to her! How uro sin? was new that If he bod btOU s atvd by that disabling shell he would have saved them all! Ib id atal shrouded as she was, she could see quite clearly downward. The shlf? Wal breaking up with Incomviv able rapidity. Iris heard a ghastly yell from be? neath, and an eerie face nppeared above ; the stairway. It was Watts, mad with j fright and drink. He scrambled up. a pitiable object A eouplo of rats ran over his body, and as each whisked across his shoulders and past Iiis cheek he uttered a bloodcurdling yell. A big wave surged up into the recesses sf the cleft and was flung off In a Irenohing shower on to the forecastle. It nearly swept Watts Into the next world, and it drove every rodent in that eiposed place back to the dry interior. To return they had to use the un happy chief officer as a causeway, and the poor wretch's despairing cries were heartrending. He was clinging tor dear life to a bolt iu the deck wheu Coke joined hands with a sailor aud was thus enabled to reach him. Coke j pulled him up until he was lodged lu safety In front of the windlass. CHATTER VI. THE REFUGEES. ACOIL of stout rope fell on top of j the windlass and rebounded to the deck. More than that, quc ' eud of it stretched into the in Unity of dripping rock and Hying spray overhead. And it had been thrown by friendly hands. It dangled from souie unseen ledge. Coke aud Hozier recovered the HPS of their faculties simultaneously. The eyes of the two men met. but Coke was the first to Und his voice. "Salvage, by Jove!** he cried. "Up you go. Hosier! I'll sliug the girl be? hind you. She can't manage It alone, an' It needs some one with braliiH to i fix things up there for the rest of us." I And he added hoarsely in Philip's ear: ; "Sharp's the word. We 'aven't many minutes!" Iris permitted Coke and a sailor to j strip off a life belt and tie her ai d ' Hozier back to back. It was wonder ful. though hidden from her ken In that supreme moment, to see bow they i devised a double sling in order to dls- ? tribute the strain. When each knot was securely fastened Coke vociferat? ed a mighty "Heave away!" Hut bis powerful voice was drowned by the Incessant roar of the breakers. Not even 'the united clamor of every man present, fifteen all told. Including the drunken chief officer, eojsjld mnl.e Itself heard above the din. Tbeu Ho? zier tugged sharply at the rope three time*, aud It grew taut. Amid a Julu lant cry from the others he and lri* were lifted clear of the deck. At onee they were curried fully twenty leet senwHid As they swung back, not quite so far and now well above the level of the windlass from which their portions journey had started, a ready wltted sailor seized | few colls of a thin rope that lay tucked up In the angle of the bulwarks ?niJ thing them across Uozler's arms. "Take a whip with you. sir!" he yeil ed. and Philip ShOf"'d that he under stood by gripping the rope between his teeth. R was obvious that the rescu? ers were working from a point wed overhanging the recess Into which the Andromeda had driven her bows, and there might still be the utmost diffi? culty in throwing a rope accurately from the rock to the wreck. As a mat? ter of fact, no less than six previous attempts had been made, and the sue cess of the seventh was due solely to a favorable gust of wind hurtling into the cleft at the very Instant It was needed. The sailor's quick thought solved this problem for the future. By tying the small rope to the heavier one those who remained below could haul It back when some sort of signal code was established. . Once there was a check. They wait ed anxiously, but there was no sign given by the frail rope that they were to haul in again. Then the upward movement coutiuued. "Chunk o' rock In the way," an? nounced Coke, glaring round at the survivors as if to challenge contradic? tion. No one answered These men were beginning to measure their lives against the life of the wedge of iron S?d timber kept lu position by tho crumbling frame of the ship. It was a fast diminishing scale. The figures psJated 00 the Andromeda's bows rep resented nlDQtOS rather than feet. Watts was lying erouehed on deck, with his arms thrown round the wind lass. Looking ever for a fresh Inclu? sion of rats, he seemed to be cheered by the fact that his dreaded assailant ?fBjfsrred IDS Inferior of the forecastle to the w;i\ ? swept deek. lie was tin only man there who had m> fear of death Suddenly he bog.in to croon a long forgotten sailor's eiianty: "Now. me lads, hImk i st.iw? of tbo dead ssss m masa VS/II t.? \ 'i * i.t 'oint- o; .In. oh! WeffS tnetvs uM silt* au the *klpper's l?!*s. Marooned la the Spanish mala, oh! ding nay ? dim ae A sjkhof u Davy I ones I Jiu?t B ? rnOffl I'."* SS a wwltf at the lu;;. An' lip wth tle> hKuII ?oi* bones!" After a longer and lasier haul than had been noticed previously the rope stopped a second time. Bvsyj nop si < apt Watts was wnh hlng the whip Intently. "There sin- go yelled Ihf sailor In ? diur '<? of Be Legan to hnul in itn* slin k like a miniumii. a durk form loomed downward throng Ii the mist h was Hosier. alone, coming back to them. A frenzied cheer brol e from the lips of those overwrought men. They knew win.'.' that meant. Somewhere high above the black i oi ks aud the flying sen I whk hope throned In tin' blessed sup shine. They drew him in cautiously until Coke was able t" grasp his baud. They were quick lo see that he brought a second rope ami a spare whip. *T\\<? ;it a time on both ropes," was his Inspiriting message. "They're friendly l'ortugue?e op there, bm no one UlUs! he seeu i! a I. at is sent from the i am to Hud Olli what has be? come of the ship. So step lively! Now. captain, tell 'ma off In pairs " ("okc"> method was characteristic. He literally fall on the two nearest men and begat] to truss them. Hozier j followed his example and tied two ! others back to back. They vanished, and the ropes returned, much more 1 speedily this time. Four and four again were drawn up to safety. There were left the captain. Hosier and the unhappy Watts, who was now crying because the skipper had "set about" him Just for "singln" a reel ole wind- : Jammer song." "You must take up this swine," said Coke to Hosier, dragging Wutts to his j feet with scam ceremony. "If I lay | me 'ands on 'im I'll be tempted to j throttle 'im." Before quitting the deck Hosier help- I ed to adjust the remaining rope around i the captain's portly person. They were ; lifted clear of the trembling forecastle j almost simultaneously and in the very nick of time. Already the skeleton of j the ship's hull was beginning to slip off Into deep water. The deck was several feet lower than at the moment Of the vessel's final impact agalust the , rocks. Even before the three reached ; the ledge from which their rescuers ^ were working the bridge and funnel ! were swept away, the foremast leil. the forehold and forecastle were riot- j ously flooded by the sea. and Watts, I were be capable of using Ids eyes, might have seen his deadly enemies. | the rats, swarming in hundreds to the ' tiny platform that still rose above the j destroying waves. Soon even that frail ark was shattered. When the 1 keel and garboard stroke nlates snap- j ped. all that was left of fhe Androme- \ da toppled over, and the caveru she had Invaded rang with a fierce note of tflnmpb as the next wave thundered in without hindrance, s e e e e a a it was indeed a new and strange world on which Iris looked when able to breathe and see once more. Dur? ing that terrible ascent she had retain- ! ed but slight consciousness of her sur- i roundings. She knew that Hozier and i herself were drawn close to a bulging rook, that her companion clutched at It with hands and knees and thus fend Od her delicate limbs from off Its bro? ken surface: she felt herself half car ried. half lifted, up into free air and tangling light: she heard voices in a musical foreign tongue uttering words that had the ring of sympathy. Friendly hands placed her in a warn: and sunlit cleft, and she lay there, un? able to think or move. By degrees the numbness of body and mind gave waj to clearer Impressions. But she took much for granted. For instance. It did not seem un unreasonable thing that the familiar faces of men from the An? dromeda should gather near her on an ineveu shelf of rock strewn with bro? ken bowlders and the Utter of sea Llrds. She recognized them vaguely, and their presence broucht a new con? fidence. They increased in number. Sallor-llke. they began to take part ltistnntly In the work of rescue, but she wondered dully why Hozier did not come to her. nor did she under? stand that he had i one back to that raging Inferno beneath until she saw his blood stained face appear over the Up of the precipice. Then she screamed wildly. "Thank God?oh. thank (iod!" and staggered to her feet in the frantic desire to help i^ unfasteningthe ropes that bound him t( the insensible Watts. Tears gushed forth at her own helplessness. The pain In her eyes blinded her. She shrank away again. Not until Philip himself spoke did she dare to look at him. to fiud that he was bending over her and endeavoring to allay her agita? tion by repeated assurances of their common well be? ing. ' "Come, Miss Vorke." said Ho? zier. -our Portu? guese friends say we must not re? main here an Instant longer than Is necessary." "Yes." said a strange voice, "the sea Is moderating. At tiny moment a boat may appear, Follow me, all of you The road is aJ rough one, but it is not far" The Speaker was an elderly man. long haired and bearded, of whose per? sonality the girl caught no other de Inlht th in the patriarchal beard, a pair of remarkably bright eyes, ? long, pointed nose and a red scar that ran diagonally across n domed forehead. He turned away without further ex? planation ami began to climb a natural pathway that wound itself up the etde of an almost perpendicular wall ol rock Hosier caught Iris by ihe arm and Would have OS Istl'd her. but she shook herself free, ghe fell and conducted herself like n fractious child. "l can manage quite well." sin- said, syll h an odd pel ul.nice. Suddenly she clung lo him, "hon't let Ihehl 'end me hack |0 thl ship," she Implored "ISo. no, You are safe new." "Of course I SIU safe, but I dread i that ship. Why did I ever come on i board? Captain Coke said he would sink her. 1 told you" ? "Steady! Keep a little nearer the rocks on vow.- left. The passage i*. narrow here. Hosier raised his voice somewhat and pur;'o .< \\ hurried ber. They were skirting the ??paward faoe of the rocky islet on which ibej bad found salva tlon. The sun was blazing at i be tu side way ? fr< m a wide expanse of blue iky. Thinking be was still dizzy from the effects I the blow, which the girl had ascribed to the bursting of a shell. Philip glanced at his watch. It was twenty-five minutes past 8. Yet be distinctly remembered eight bells l>e- ; ing Struck while Coke was telling him from the bridge to give the anchor thirty-five fathoms of cable. Was it possible thai Ihey had gone through so much dnrlng those few minutes? Just then the track turned sharply away fron the sea. A dry water course cut < .epiy into the cliff, where lorreutia' inns had found an upright layer of soft scoria imbedded lu the mass of basalt. Their guide was stand? ing ou the sky line of the cleft, some forty feet above the in "Tell the others to make haste." he said "This is the eud ot your jour? ney." "Who is he?" Iris asked, being rather breathless now after a stei?p climb. *T don't know," K*ld hozier. "How absurd!*' she gasped. "1?i think I'm dreaming. Why?have we? come here?'* It was hot as a furnace in this nar? row ravine. l?ach upward step de mauded an effort. She would have slipped and hurt herself many times were it not for Hozier's tlrm grasp, nor did she realize the sheer exhaus? tion that foreed him to seek support from the neighboring wall with his disengaged hand. The man In frout, however, was alive to their dangerous "PAHDON MEl, MONSIEUR." plight. He said something in his own language, lor his Rngllsb had the pre- j eise staccato accent ot the well edii- i cated foreigner, and another man ap- ! peered. The sight of the newcomer startled Iris more than auy other eveut I that had happened smcc the Androm- j eda reached the end of her last voyage. He wore the uniform of those dread? ful beings whom she had seen on the I islaud. She shrieked. Hozier fancied she had sprained an ankle, but before she j could utter auy sort of explauatioD the | apparition in uniform wsa by her side and murmuring words that were evi? dently meant to be reassuring. Seeing that he was not understood, he broke into halting Kreuch. He was a haudsome youngster, evi deutly an officer, and Lis eyes dwelt on the girl's face with uo lack ot ani? mation as he led her into a cave which seemed to have been excavated from the inner side ot a small crater. "You can rest here iu absolute safe? ty, madamo." he said. "Permit me to arrange a seat. Then 1 shall bring you some wine." Iris tlung off the hand which hold her arm so persuasively. "Please do not attend to me. There are wounded men who need attention far more than I." she said, speaking in English, since it never eutered her mind that the Portuguese officer had beou addressing her in French. He was puzzled more by her action thau ber words, but Hozier. who had followed close behind, explained In sen? tences built on the Ollendortfisn plan that mademoiselle was disturbed, ma? demoiselle required rest, mademoiselle hardly understood that which had ar? rived, et voil,i tout. ".Mademoiselle without doubt is the daughter of monsieur the captain'.'" "No." said Hozier rather curtly, turn? ing to ascertain how Iris had disposed of herself in the interior of (be cav? ern. It was his t'ust experience of a South American dandy's pose toward women, or. to be exact, toward women who are young am! pretty, and it seemed lo him not the least marvelous event id' an hour crammed with mar? vels thrit any man Should endeavor to begin an active flirtation under such clrcumstnucefl He saw that iris was seated on a camp stool. Her face was buried in her ham's a wealth "f brown hah was tumbled over hei neck and shoub dcrs; tin constant showers ol spraj had loosened her lr< ses, and the Uli avoidable rigors of the passage from skip to ledge bad shaken mil every hairpin Tbe tam-o'-shanter cap she was wearing early In Ihe day had dls< appeared at Rome unknown stage of the adventure, Ihr attitude bespoke a mood of overwhelming dejection. I.Ike the remainder of her companions she was (UrHiu'lied to ihe *kln. Their trials were far from ended tvhon rheir feet r*?t*t??d on the solid rock. There was every indication that \ heir res euer? were refugees like them selves. The scanty resources; vi si! le in the cave, the intense anxiety of the elderly Portuguese to avoid observs lion from tie chief inland of the- . the very nature of the apparently i i ceaalble crag In which he and bit as? sociates were biding?each and all of these things -poke volumes, Qoxler did ta?t attempt to diaturl ihe girl until ihe dapper otiicer produced a goatskin and pouted a small qu uni? ty of wine Into a tin cup. With a cu? rious en jernesa be anticipated the oth ??t's obvious Intent. j "Pardon me, monsieur." he snld. sets- 1 'tig the vessel, and his direct Angio Baxon manner ?pulte robbed his French i.f its politeness. Theo his vocabulary broke down, and be added more suave- | y in Bngllsh: "I will persuade her to drink a little. She is rather hysterical, you know." The Portuguese nodded as though he understood. Iris looked up when Ho? zier brought her the cup. "Is there m> water'.'" she askinl plain- l lively. "We have no water, mademoiselle." the officer said. Then he glanced at ! *he group of bedraggled sailors. "And very little wine." he added. "Be quick, please." put in the elderly Portuguese with a tinge of impatience "We have no second cup. and there are wounded men"? "Give it to them," said Iris, lifting | Ut?r fice age i u for an instant. "1 do | not need it. I have told you that once already. 1 suppose you think 1 should not be here." "I am sure our trteud did not mean that," said Hozier, looking squarely j into those singularly bright eyes. He COUfbt and held them. "1 did uot mean that the lady should be left to die, if that is the interpre? tation put on my remark." came the I quiet answer. "But It was au act of j the uttuost folly to bring a delicate girl ou sued an errand. 1 caunot imag? ine what your captain was thiuking of when he agreed to It." "Wot's that, mister?" demanded Coke. Now that his tit of rage bad passed the bulky skipper of the An? dromeda was red faced and imper? turbable as usual. The mauifold perils be had passed through showed no more lasting effect on him than a shower of sleet on the thick hide of the auimal he so closely resembled. "Are you the captainV" said the other. "Yes. sir. An' I'd like to 'ear w'y my ship or 'er present trip wasn't tit for snny young leddy, let alone"? ?That is a matter for ^you to deter mine. 1 suppose you know best how to conduct your owu business. My only concern is with the outcome of your rashness. Why did you deliber? ately sacrifice your ship in that mau nerV" "Wot are you a-drivin' at. mister?" Coke growled. "Do you deny. then, ?hat you acted like a madman? Do you say that you did uot know quite well tLe risk you ran in bringing your vessel to the is land In broad daylight?" Then Coke found his breath. "Risk!" he roared. "Bisk in steam In' to an sncborage an* sendJn' a boat ashore for water? There seems to be a lot of mad folk loose just now on Fernando Norouba, but I'm not one of . 'em, an* that's as much as I can say for enny of you- damme if it ain't." '< MWhO are you. then? Who sent you j here?" ] "I'm Captain James Coke of the British ship Andromeda ? that's 'oo 1 am?an' 1 was sent ere. or leastways to the river Plate, by David Verity & Co. of Liverpool." j It must not be forgotten that Coke shared witb his employer a certain un- j classical freedom In the pronunciation i of the ship - name. The long "e" ap? parent!) liuzzied the other mau. ??Andromeda!" he muttered. "Spc'.l I,- ; "M\ godfather, this It an asylum for sure," grunted Coke. In a spasm of fu rious mirth. "A-u-d r o-m-e-d-a. Now you've got it." "You are unlucky. Captain Coke, most unlucky." the other said. "I re? gret my natural mistake, which, it seems, was shared by the authorities of Fernando do Noronha. You have j blundered into a uest ot hornets, and as a result you have been badly stung Let me explain matters, l am Dom Corria Antonio de By Iva. ex-president of the republic of Brazil. Then* is at this moment a determined movement Og foot on the mainland to replace me In power, ami with Ibni object in view efforts are being made to secure my escape from the convict settlement in which my enemies have imprisoned me. I and two faithful followers are here In hiding. My friend Capita no Salvador de San Benav'.des," and he bowed w;?h much dignity toward the uniformed officer, "came here two days ago in a felucca t?? worn me thai a steamer w? ilId lie to about a mile south of t he Wand tonight, rhe steam er's name is Uidros-y-Mela. it is rath? er like the mime ol your unhappy ves? sel so u ncli alike thai the Andromeda has been sunk by mistake, That is all." < To I le Continued. > \U a ine? thi I aid nature are al? \. >: most effect ual. Cho m ?? riain t Cough Itemed) nets on this pisn. I, ., -i\ h 11 i ough, relieves the lungs, ? dd Soldier 1 ort lire I. ??; r yt ?>. i i suffered unsp< i i rt 11 fr? an indl geal Ion, const 11 ,iii.i liver troul ;? " srote a. K. a v\ nr vi t era n al Erie, Pa., "hi K ? Nea Life Pills fixed i right. They're simply i r.-.-it." th" in for stomach. Il\ i kldm y troubli. Onl) 2 c at B ! >rug Store. ?.???. r--^";;-~-? ay ^(2)KLYN J THRLZ AND A HALF YEARS WITHOUT RAIN I Kings 17:1?16?February 5 Tscs Ifta! ssrt Um Lore ?Seil >.o< imrI any eLTJAH the Prophet nss Qod's mes seacei f r reprovti g King Ahab. Jezebel bhi wife. :*: i< i the tea trtbei of Israel w'r.o supported them. As we have seen, wickedness and idolatry t'our Ished tor b Urns with national prosperity Then there came a chance, a drouth lee three sad S half years S special dispensa? tion of Divine providence a retribution or punishment upon Israel. We do not wish to convey the thought that every drouth, famine, p. stilence. etc., should bo considered a Judgment from the Almighty. The whole world is under Divine sentence or condemnation of death, and God per? mits cyclones, earthquakes, drouth, fam? ine, pestilences, without sen ling them, except that In a general way they stand related to the present reign of sin and death, as of the curse not yet lifted. Put in the case of Israel matters were different. At Mt. Sinai Israel entered into Covenant relationship with God and he with them. The spe- ? clal terms of that ^ Covenant were that God should deal with their nation different? ly than with others? that he would treat them as his people and protect them from the evils incidental to the curse, if they would serve and obey him. I'nder that com? pact not only were _ they to receive bl . s- j'^ML, .^jjlTxT^ ings if faithful, but .... , . . . equally they were sure tAti<lh 'fd * ratTrw to receive stripes, punishments. If they were disobedient and forsook the Lord and their share of the Covenant. The three and a half years" famine described in this study was. therefore, in Israel's case, sp KiflcaUy a rebuke from the Lord. This is the signification of the Lord's statement through the Prophet, "Is there evil In the city and the Lord hath not done it?" ?>nic have mistakenly inter? preted this to mean that God holds him? self responsible for all the moral evils of ! mankind. Quite to the contrary, the L.ord declares respecting his own Government that "His way is perfect." The word evil In this text is old style English, sig? nifying any disaster or trouble or afflic? tion. With the Israelites God wished it to be clearly understood that he was re? sponsible, both for their blessings and for their tribulations, all of which were in? tended to purify them. Elijah the Prophet Under D vine guidance. Elijah, at the appropriate time, presenteel himself to King Ahab. clothed according to his cus? tom, in exceedingly plain garments. In the name of the Lord he reproved the king for the Idolatries practised In his kingdom and announced what the king doubtless considered a vain boast; name? ly, that there would be neither rain nor! dew In the land of Israel until Elijah] would command it. And the drouth came' as the Prophet of the Lord predicted. As months grew into years and the drouth continued, the king caused search to be made for Elijah, with a view to either entreating or threatening him, to the intent that the drouth might be broken. But Elijah, under the Lord's di? rection, secreted himself near the Brook Cherlth. where the ravens brought him fooel morning and evening until the brook dried up and. under the Lord's direction, Elijah went elsewhere. While this story that the ravens fed Elijah sounds mythical, it has its paral? lels. The raven is a wise bird. A story Is told of a young man sick In prison, to whom s raven brought food. Bishop Stan? ley's History of Birds tells of another In? cident thus: "Coming into the inn yard my chaise ran over and bruised the leg ' of a favorite Newfoundland dog, and while we were examining the injury. Ralph, the raven, looked on also. That night the dog was tied up under Ike man? ger wdth my horse and the raven not only visited him. but bt ought him bones and attended him with particular marks ot kindness.'' "Nor is it a wonderful case. The wonder Is to be renewed; And many can say, to his praise, He sends them by ravens their food. Thus worldlings, though ravens indeed. Though gratdy and selfish their mind. If Gotl lias a servant to feed. Against their own wilts can be kind." The Widow of Zarephaih Divine providence guided Elijah to the home of a poor widow, to whom the drouth and continued scarcity had proved a great trial. She had a little coarse flour left, which alone stood between herself and her son and starvation, so far as she could discern. The Prophet, meeting her, asked for a drink of water and a small cake of bread. This was a severe test to the woman's faith and generosity. She explained the situatiem. indicating her de? sire to sect de to the Prophet's wishes, yet loath to part with her all. Elijah re? plied, Fear not. Bake for yourself and for your son. but the first cake make for mo and br'.nn to me. Then he explained to her the Lord's message: "The barrel of meal shall :iot waste, neither shall the cruise of Oil fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." The word of the I.ortl was fulfilled. Miracu? lously the supplies were Increased little by little, just as required for use. There is a lesson for tho Lord's people In this?a lesson that, even in our own extremities, we should exercise sympathy towards others In like s-?-^aa?SAn\\\\\ww>jv>m condition or worse. lv| The I>ord loveth a N^M cheerful j;iver. Those ^ ? ?>\\\^^'v^^w who give not. and -z.jsY those who give grudg fth_?|k~- ?[m^.xA^ bigiy rore, P^Siav. ' ? 1 ,,f tne Lord's Messina; We should not be foolish In our giving; but, while we have evidence that t h< re is need, and particularly if the needs one be a child ef God, we can well , , divide even oer n? Home of the >? idotc uj ... . . ? c< ssitles with saeh ' (Vir reward win be a realization LMvlne approval sad an in crense hi ourselves of the mind of the Lord To such the Lord's promise is of l.is superaboundlng car.-. The Scriptures declare: There is that scattereth snd yet Increassth; end there Is ti nt withholdeth m re than Is propel and it lendeth to poverty/' This widow scattered ? divld ?'. her slender suppi) aid tberebj she Inert sed It for man) days. In I m in) aith this text. Out Gold. 11 BlSO, Sil >..!o I et be for;;o( t< t.. ? st - the l?rd .-had not ? anything go d for them. 'I'tie Lord in Ms ad dorn ntnj not nu.' them riches oi pron It ? nee, 1 hi v must trust to his srh - ludgment, SB to what things wT be for their best. tbeSr highest m od Without tact you can learn noth ins;.?Disraeli.