Jasper Weekly Courier, Volume 36, Number 25, Jasper, Dubois County, 2 March 1894 — Page 3

fl'KKKLY COURIER.

r. X)0.Y"JC, Xub)lNlinr. INDIANA A BACKDOOR NELGJIIiOJf. Etornnl Vlirilanco la tho Prloo of Household Liberty. When the Corbys moved from A C.tt' to H Center, tho family succveleo i" Unding a house which in size, coalition and surroundings suited them admirably. It was a pleasant frait.o Urueturc, hulliciently large for Mr. and lr t rby, their three cliildren and oiio servant, with an ample lawn

nr.uiiid it and fruit trees and grape ar- ( running over to see .Mrs. .leinson, as to Ix.r in the rear. To the city-bred fain- make her entrance through the rear i'.y. the sense of extended space and , door. Hut there was something about breathing room in these surroundings this mode of approach that shocked mat tue detached houses was an oxpori- .Mrs. Corby's sensibilities. It struck ence as novel as it was delightful. I her as trespassing on forbidden ground. Their household effects arrived Tues- i of intruding on privacy; and after but da morning, and then followed the , one or two of these "attetnptH tobe tmuacaing, arranging and settling, all neighborly in .Mrs. Jemson's fashion, the tabor of which only those who have she gave it up. wived from one town to another can J That lady, however, did not appear appreciate, to care, one way or the other. She herI hat afternoon, when in the midst of self had determined to bo neighborly wont and confusion. Mrs. Corby, her by way of thu back door, hut Mrs. Corhead well covered in a close-fitting gray ( by could do as slio pleased, and, tuet ping cap, and clad in her oldest though the latter did not return one gi.u n, which she meant should take a 1 in ten of her neighbor's viits, .Mrs. swift pilgrimage to the rag-bag the ; Jemsoti knew that she "v. as tied down

moment the chao in the house was re - dwetl to oriler .Mrs. Corny, I repeat. heard a slight tap upon the back door. She opened it, wondering who could have come, and found herself confrontin,; a stnillng-faced lady, faultlessly at-tirc-J, who carried a napkin-covered plate In her hand. "liood afternoon; Mrs. Corby? Ah, ye! I am Mrs. Jemson. your next-door iu.libor. We shall be great friends, I fee. sure. Do excuse me for interruptinir, but I came to tell you if you needed anything, and we could serve you, ü l to hesitate to ask. And as I knew y. u must be so busy, I was sure this ea.e for tea would not bo limits." "(Hi, thank 3-011 J" cried Mrs. Corby, in pleased surprise, blushing at tho ti uht of being' seen for the tirst time ,n unbecoming a garb, yet wonderf v impressed at her new neighbor's k n f generosity. "How verv, very good of v u - ' Ii. n't mention it." Mrs. Jemson asiurt lher. "It's a mere nothing." ' What a dear little woman," thought Mrs ( orby to herself, as she put the can,- carefully aside and ran upstairs V' m o how the work progressed there. It wnu!d be a novel experience having nc.ghbors, and she was sure one like yrv Jemson would be delightful. .She Y tured to herself the grim city street frviin which they had moved, where for j years they had lived next door to a j fatn.iy of whose members they knew j nuaing .vivc mat tneir name was llrown and that only from the doorplate. Of the family on the other side thev had not that information, She had not thought much about it before, but it suddenly occurred to Mrs. Corby that city life was extremely selfish and c! 1. so withdrawn from one's fellows, on 1 savoring so much of suspicion anil distrust of the majority of human beings. We shall have delightful neighbors, 1 hink, Harry," Mrs. Corby assured her husband, as they sat down to a rather hastily put-together meal. 'The family on the left is named Jemson. Mr Jemson has been over already." "dreat Scott! She didn't lose any tim-'" her husband ejaculated. A day or so later Mrs. Jemson made a in- re formal call. .She came to the Me- door this time and had the grace to wait until most of tho house had Ix en settled. "1 toid Mr. Jemson." she chattered, ""-.it I would try to be a little more - not ceremonious, you know, but ti. -w in accordance with the usual ruts. Hut I'm sure 1 know you well vft 'ii;h already to know that 3011 aren't "" if the painfully particular kind. -V w do be real reighborly." In due time Mrs. Corby became ne1 ainted with her other neighbors, all p rasant ladies, who seemed to "stand upii ceremony," for they waited until ie had her carpets down. One by one she was informed of their characteristics and peculiarities by Mrs. Jemson, who in her frequent neighliorly morning visits, running in quite informally through the back door, told her in conti li'!ce tlie entire history of the neighborhood. Mrs. A. was very nice, of Cf.urs... but- well, her religious views ive-,. s. peculiar. Mrs. IS. 's house was rtgagcd and, as Mrs.. Jemson told ih Jemson, it was a mystery to her now they kept up so well on Mr. lt.'s nah salary. Mrs. C was forever going somewhere, and it would be a great t-wtl more becoming iu her if she stayed home more and took care of her children, who were growing up like wild Indians. As for Mrs. 1)7, she was too ""'Ii of a home body; was not ncighwrl.v one bit. As she often Raid to Mr. Vinson, what was the good of having Hjhbors if you did not see them and -'' free with them. -Mrs. Jemson had her good parts. She really was no more of a gossip than hn,n" women; she simply gossiped tenor, .she readily gi-artcd favor ni' k Mrs. Corby riding; she was alv,:'s running in with flowers and fruit ' wiiu' dainty. To be sure, she might nave iu.t. nC(.USP,i( p,.ri,aps justly, of ten coming full-handed simply as an ime for coming at nil. And yet, you JV' mnlt. that it was kind of her. y. Ti W:h naturally generous nnd sym-I-utietio, an,, but fur ,er ai,sorbing pasJ TiUMghlrIng without ceremony. iM have gone well. , ' s it was wellyou know, denr nwsekeeper, how it is. You try to P things spick and span, yet thu "nr Is not always itutnacnlate, hUi t,lc raKu invariably shine ? bu,"!shw, h,lvf- At such times it lv 11 ,U'slral that a stranger smilhigTMt.!i;I,t':Jr' "lulpped by nature with the taJdh i " t,,e l,npu of ,ccn c-vtJS o n n,i domestic loose screws and loy Vry Vf p!irallon8- 'or i y un ' öcighlwr snaking a runway of I

your dining-room, iiiuuedately after h

mcai, witen these aforesaid keen eyes i.ru most certainly making an accurate estimate of the variety, great or little, of your breakfast, dinner .r ten. This U what happened at Mrs. Cor by'u. Her city Induing and Inexperience had totally unprepared her to moot such xi neighbor as Mrs. .leinson proved to be. In thetirst flush of that lady's excessive nelghborliin'ss .Mrs, Corby responded with enthusiasm. .She went half way and tuet her neighbor on her'own ground. Whenever .Mrs. Jettison made her appearand) Mrs. Corby gave her a mailing welcome, and, though her neighbor did come rather often and usually by way of the back door, still Mrs. Corby overlooked much, because of the khi'lnes, she had received from Mrs. Joins ms hands. She even went so far. onee or twice. 1 with her children anddid notexpect it" Hy and by, these frequent and un ceremonious visits became unspeakably annoying to Mrs. Corby. She was , a h-hhful, conscientious housekeeper, ami ,iaue a servant above the average, j hut, nevertheless, there were at times i little things, or certain holes or corners, 1 t a not, iiuctiucu lor .Mrs. Jemson s eyes ; which those eyes persisted in seeing ) because of her determination to be I neighborly by way of the back door, j Hut what could she do? Could she tell her, with blunt truth fulness, that her visits were ill-timed, or that her I mode of entering was not extremely 1 agreeable'.' She tried to hint sometimes I that back doors were for the use of i butcher and grocer boys and those con ' necttid with the establishment; but Mrs. Corby was not good at giving an ' insinuation or Mrs. Jemson at taking I one. It was amazing how entirely the inner workings of the Corbr family were 1 brought to Mrs. Jettison's knowledge, I .She seemed to possess a sixth sense. ' She knew when a bushel of potatoes or j a roast of meat was carried in through the back door. She knew the exact instant when Tommy Corby came down ' with measles. She knew when her i neighbors had company and who they were anil what part of tins broad land they hailed from ami what they had to eat. She knew how Mrs. Corby managed her household and how she made over her last year's silk, and how much Mr. Corby paid for h'.s shoes. It was wonderful. Mrs. Corby often thought, that Mrs. Jemson knew more about the family than she did herself. Upon the occasions of Mrs. Corby's visits to her old homo (Mrs. Jemson having full and complete data of everything concerning expense, route and wardrobe of the lady and her children) her neighbor instituted herself a committee of one to look after the Corby premises and kept her eye upon things in and out of the house in a maimer that would have put to blush nine detectives out of ten. Mrs. Jemson knew the exact number of times that Jane had company, how often she played on her mistress' piano, the occa sions of her sweeping the frotit part of the house and just what hour Mr. Corby came home of evenings. She told Mrs. Corby afterxvards. "Confound that woman!" muttered Mr. Corby, one evening, after Mrs. Jemson had been over (for the second time that day) and had regaled them with a dilute conversation concerning what she had said to Mr. Jemson and what Mr. Jemson had said to her. Mr. Corby hail been aching to take up an interesting book and had been an unwilling martyr to "neighboring." Perhaps he will be pardoned for his expression: "Confound that woman!" "O Harry! what am I to do with her?" asked Mrs. Corby, helplessly. "We are being neighbored to death. If it were not that we are so near, 1 should do something desperate, decisive and end it all. Hut we are so close together, it would make it very uncomfortable to have an3 ill feeling. I will endure almost anything rather than have a neighborhood trouble." "Mrs.Corby," responded her husband, solemnly, rising to his feet, and look ing down at her with feigned earnestness, "you might cover that woman with insinuations and not really offend her. And why? Hecause she must be intimate with some one. She is one of those unfortunate females who must be going to some place to cackle, or else die. Tho very thought of spending a half hour by herself has to her almost as fatal a result as a drop of prusslc acid toother people. You might tell that woman, point blank, that she appears in our domicile too often, and though she might go home with tire in her eyes, in a few days sho would return again, as if nothing- had happened." 'Tapering?" inquired Mrs Jemson, a few mornings after, appearing "informally" In tlie dining-room, and gazing meditatively at the few lengths of paper already in place. "I thought Itwas wall paper. I saw a man leave here yesterday. It's very pretty, I'm sure, I told Mr. Jemson only the other day I didn't see what you were thinking of to allow that old paper to stay on. It was so gloomy. Why didn't you get ingrain?" "We profer the ligured," Mrs. Corby answered, making up her mind to beas uncommunicative as possible. Yet before her visitor left she had found out where the paper was purchased, what it cost and how many rolls were required for tho room. Mrs. Jemson ran over in the afternoon to see what progresn had been nude. Sho also ran over tho next morning, quite early, to nota the effect of the finished work, having toid Mr.

Jemson that It was wonderful how dlf4

lorent a room looka newlj papered. Now It-happened that thu second time Jane was not in a particularly angelio mood. Something had disturbed her equilibrium, am) shu was not in a torn, per to be trilled with. The screen door was hooked, and she did not hurry herself to let Mis- Jemson in. Indeed, so far as sho was concerned, sho would havu looked on cheerfully while that lady fairly sizzled In thu sun. "Dear me, Jane, how slow you are!" exclaimed Mrs. Jemson, her usual smile, daruening to a frown. "There's a front door to this place, there is. 1 ain't hired to be a lettln' folks in the back way," Jane murmured, under her breath. .Mrs. Jemson heard, as .lane meant she should. "1 bhall tell Mrs. Corby of your impudiinee," she cried, scornfully, sweeping into the dining-room. ".M rs. Corby, how can yon end uro that insolent creature in your kitchen? Shu positively insulted me! I think she is tho most independent piece 1 tter saw!" "Indeed?" "And wasteful! If you could see, as I do, what she throws away. I should think she'd ruin you. Time and timo again, when I've run over in the morning, I've noticed that she left enough oatmeal in the kettle to feed a goodsized family." Mrs. Corby sighed, though not, as Mrs. Jemson supposed, at Jane's shortcomings. After a shorter call than usual, the visitor took her departure by way of tho side door, conveying the impression, in a few disdainful words, that she never eared to look on Jane's face again, and evidently thinking that she left Mrs. Corby in a quite anxious frame of mind, for fear she would allow Jane's unladylike allusions to interfere with future neighborliness, or cause her to be more cere monious. She stayed away for three whole days. It was delightful. Mr. Corby read for three blissful undisturbed evenings. Mrs. Corby sewed and managed her household, for three never-to-be-forgotten days, herself. Hut this, as they know, was too good to last. The fourth morning Mrs. Jemson appeared (at the back door) as r-miling as usual. She beamed upon Jane as if nothing had been unpleasant between them. After that she was. If possible, more neighborly and less ceremonious than before. At the time that Jane took her vacation, and Mrs. Corby was obliged to oecome for tho nonce her successor, Mrs. .leinson was most kind. She brought over a pie one day and a cake or a batch of cookies the next. That was really kind and neighborly, of course. Hut she spoiled it by generally following her contributions up herself and spending a good share of the morning in the Corby kit"heu. "Don't mind me; go right on as if I weren't here, i'll just sit a minute." Mrs. Corby, Hushed and nervous, made a virtue of a necessity and went on, but not in a manner satisfactory to herself or to her work. Jane came back in two weeks. Sho was rested and in good humor and all was apparently going well. Hut onn day, by accident, she spilled a panful of grease upon the lloor. Housekeepers will agree with me wheu I say that was just the moment to leave Jana alone. Hut Mrs. Jemson did not know. Just at the evil hour that the girl was trying to repair the damage Mrs. Jem son appeared at the screen door. Jane was well Jane was furious. "I wish folks would come visiting as they had ought, to the front door, like Christians, 'stid o' poppin' in on 3-011 mornin' noon and night," she muttered, as she slowly rose to her knees, in a voice carefully pitched so that every word reached Mrs. Jettison's ears. "Never saw such people as are in this town. Never know when they're about n-pokin an n-pryin an' a-mind-in' everybody's business but their own. ' Mrs. Jemson heard. Mrs. Jemson lied. She remarked to Mr. Jemson that evening that she had always felt that Mrs. Corby came of poor stock, but a woman who Kept a servant nice that was common -positively common. She, for one, Mr. Jemson was assured, did not think sheshould trouble Mrs. Corby very soon again. "Mrs. dray, if you knew what I had done for that family," she said, solemn ly, giving her version of tho affair to another neighbor. "I have actually put myself out often, tobe neighborly, because they were strangers. More, than once Mr. Jemson lias said: 'Susie, you will have your trouble for your pains. 1 011 win not oc appre ciated.' And I would say: Mr. Jemson, perhaps 1 will not, but I must do my part.' They really seemed so nico a family at lirst, don't you think? Hut I made up my mind some time ago that they were very peculiar. Mr. Corby is quite nice, but it's easy to see he's henpecked. It's Mrs. Corby that rules in that house. And children! Well, I never saw any like them. Perfect little outlaws! To tell the truth. 1 became disgusted with the family loug ago. As for housekeeping, Mrs. Gray, if I told you of some of the things I saw in that house, you wouldn't believe me. You see, living so close I couldn't help knowing. As 1 told Mr. Jemson I never saw such a family in all my life." For all that, only eternal vigilance is tlie price of tlie Corbys' liberty. There has never been an open break between the ladies: Mrs. Corby is far too well broil. Hut tltere is a decided frigidity in the manner of tho entire family, from Mr, Corby to Jane, in their attitude toward the Jemsons. As by instinct, each knows that Mrs. Jemson will pounce upon the faintest overture with avidity and be as neighborly as before. Indeed, she has shown plainly that she Is willing to forgive and forget, but if tho Corbys can help it she will never have an opportunity. .Mrs. Corby has learned that thero nro neighbors and neighbors. Sho has gained much experience. Hereafter die will promptly nip in the bud the first symptom that may appear in anyone Hing near her of being neighborly b3 way of the back door. Mrj E. Child, In Good Uouekeeplnrf.

REFORM CLUB MEETINGS. WnrklllKUifil In JlKiiy l'roHrtr.l Indue tri, When Nut t'ocrrtxl lv Um .llitiuifitcturim, l'u Itcioluttoii lavorluir tho WH,, Hm.

The He form club deserves irren t credit for tin work It is now doinir In localities represented or misrepresented by democrats who are trying to tiefeat the Wilson bill. Several big mass meetings have been held to test the sentiment of the workingmeii who are reported to have changed their minds since they voted for tariff reform in lSUi Jn each case resolutions havu been passed In favor of the Wilson bill or a moro radical turiff reform measure. The first meeting was held in Paterson, N. J., on January 11. This is the center of tho silk industry and the tide against tho Wilson bill was supposed to be running so high that the majority of the leading democrats were ufraill to make any attempt to stem it. Over Ü.OOü, the most of whom were mill hands, remained in a theater for nearly three hours listening to Mr. Thomas (i. Shearman, and lustily cheering many of Iiis best points and sharp answers to questions. At the end of the meeting, and after very strong tariff reform resolutions had been passed, several of tho local democrats, who had remained "liehind the scenes," plucked up courage aud, stepping to tho front of the stage, congratulated the speaker and expressed great satisfaction at the success of the meeting. At Amsterdam, N. Y., the big carpet and other manufacturers had terrorized the citizens by closing mills and reducing wages. The manufacturers had petitions circulated through the facto ries condemning the Wilson bill. As might be expected under the circumstances the petitions were quite generally signed by omphwes. A mass meeting was held and in the presence of the wealthy manufacturers the mill workers allowed resolutions against the ilson bill to be passed Hut one democrat had the audacity to ask a few questions from the audience. He was regarded as an intruder and treated 11c-cordinglj-. Apparently tariff reform was in the dumps at Amsterdam. The He form club desired to know if the workingnicn had deserted tariff reform. It arranged for a mass meeting in the largest hall in the city and paid for this hall GV per cent moro than was required of the great manufacturer who footed the rent bill for the previous meeting. No local financial assistance whatever was received. Tlie hall was packed It was clear, when Mr. Shearman began to speak, that somu in the audience were attempting to disturb the meeting; but soon he had interested all, and convinced most of his hearers that they should remain steadfast to tariff reform. After nearly three hours of discussion resolutions in favor of tho Wilson bill were passed almost unanimously. The next great meeting wns held at Troy, X. Y., the center of tho collar, cuff and shirt iudurstry in this country. Over S0,OO0 signatures were alleged to nave been obtained, in this city of 70,000, to a petition in favor of McKinley duties on collars, cuffs and shirts. This petition was presented to congress by Troy's democratic representative, Mr. Haines, who made a long speech against the Wilson bill. Sena tor Murphj', of New York, is a citizen of Troy. He also has declared against the proposed reductions of duties on collars, cuffs and shirts. Every paper in q'roy is working with Murphy, Haines nnd the manufacturers. When Mr. W. It. Kstell went to Troy to arrange for a meeting he found a strong undercurrent in favor of the Wilson bill, but almost no one who was willing to risk his business interests or his job by helping to get up a meeting. Even when an immense audience had gathered in Harmonj' hall, on January 2U, no citizen of Troy could be found who was willing to preside at the meeting, and the speaker again Mr. Shearman had to nominate himself as chairman. He, however, had control of his audience and as usual soon had it laughing and cheering. He called attention to the fact that the manufacturers of shirts, collars and cuffs had reduced wages under McKinley duties as well as under those of lSSS. He showed that the duties of the Wilson bill left about as much protection as the manufacturers had from lsSIJ to IS'JOnnd that there was no necessity whateyer for reducing wages on account of tariff reductions. If the workers wanted to make higher wages possible, ho said, they should petition for lower duties on linen nnd cotton. This would not only give manufacturers cheaper raw materials but it would enable them to reduce prices of collars, cuffs nnd shirts; reduced prices would increase consumption and make more work at higher wages. Mr. Shearman then turned his searchlight upon the claims and statements of the manufacturers as presented to the ways and means committee. The manufacturers had made afiidavits that the average wages of working girls in Troy were fully 3 a week. At tho same time they had produced a statement which showed that the average wages were onlj- t'u'SX From another statement it was shown that tho manufacturers were making over f0 per cent, profit on their capital. Hy a majority of three to one the audience favored resolutions indorsing the Wilson bill. It Is gratifying to know that the mill operatives even in tho most highly protected industries are in favor of tariff reform, and it is fortunate for the country that there Is an organization ready and willing to give tho workingnicn nn opportunity to express themselves when tho eyes of the bc3S nre not upon them. WILSON ON IRON. With thi Climpmt Iron W Cnn Soon Supply Orn In thr World All Nation wlttl iron hihI Me l (ioodo. Chairman Wilson, in his opening speech, thus outlined our present status nnd our future possibilities as regards iron and steel: "If there Is any one great industry to which wo could throw down to-'dav tho tariff laws and defy tlto world anil inarch forth to acquire new fields it is the great Iron and steel industry of tku country. The consumption ef

iron and steel is a test of eivilW zatlon. The consumption of Iron and steel is a test of tho material progress of any couiito. nnd all tho other countrlos 01 the world put together have not kept up to the progress of tho I'nited States in the development of these great industries iu the last few 3- ears. "The wholo world's production of pig iron in lbä was but little over 11,000,000 tons. Tho United States alona produced in ISO'J over 0,000,000 tons. In 187S our untiro product was a little over '2,000,000 tons; our entire product in recent years has reached, if it ha not gone bepond, 10, J00, 000 tons. That has been due to tho fact that here in this great undeveloped country of ours, where, with the little population that to-da3 Inhabits it, we are but running to aud fro to find out what resources it possesses, we have found all along tho Appalachian rango of tho south, all around the great lakes of the north, deposits of iron ore so rich, so easily worked, so accessible to other material, that wo have reached the point whore we cau produce iron ore, in Minnesota, in Michigan, in Wisconsin, in Alabama, and perhaps at other

; points in this country, cheaper than it j can be produced anywhere else iu all the world. "With the rich deposits upon the surface, close, to the seaboard in many places, within a few miles of coal in other places, with tho improved methods of mining, with electricity, with the steam shovel, with all the inventions that always accompany tho march of a great developing American industry, iron ore could be loaded upon the boats on tho lakes or upon the cars in other parts of the country at less than one-half the cost of getting it to the pit's mouth in most of the countries wheru heretofore we havu looked for competition. "So trtio is it, then, that tho tax upon iron ore is no longer needed to protect us who have the largest product of all the world, so true is it that any little stream of foreign ore that might como into this country from Cuba or elsewhere would only increase the use of our domestic ores in combination with it; so true is it nil that, but for the timidit3 and selfishness thatcomu from thirty 3ears of leaning or supposed leaning upon a tariff for protection, the great ironmasters of this country might to-day boldly tay: 'Throw down the wall. We will not only supply this country, but wo will go out and build up other great countries in this respect.' "It is true to-day that '200,000,000 af the people of this earth use nearly all its iron The people of the United States, France, Hclgiititi, German and England use 90 per cent, of all the iron and steel that are used in the world. and the other 1,'iOO.OOO.OOO people use only the remaining 10 per cent. "We have reached what has been called tho steol age. We are using steel notonly in building our great railway system, not only in building our great ships for transportation on the lakes and on the sea. but as the common structural material on our dwelling houses, the bridge material on our country roads, and almost every American village of 5,001) inhabitants to-day has its street rail way and has become a consumer of iron and of steel. "And down in South America, off In Asia, off in Kussia, off in Africa, among all the other 1,"JOO,OÜO,000 of tho world, the coming of the iron age is at hand. Out of our boundless supply, out of the Appalachian range, out of the range at Hirminghain, and in Virginia, and in West Virginia we can get the material by which wo can go out into all tho countries of the world and build their railroads, build their cities, build their ships, and contribute to their elevation and their prosperity and their power to consume, which shall make an indefinite market for all the fabrics of iron and steel and other things that we make in this country. "Five 3'ears ago a great ironmaster perhaps the best known, certainly- the most widely published ironmaster in tlie United States, Andrew Carnegieused this language, speaking of his trip through California: " 'With such grapes and climate it must surely Ins a quest iou of 01113- 11 few 3'ears before the true American wine makes its appearance, and then what shall we have to import? Silks and linens arc going, watches and jewelr.y have already gone, and in this connection I think I may venture to say good-bye to foreign iron and steel.' "There has been no more unrighteous and 110 more striking exhibition of monopoly in this country than that of the makers of steel rails. Under the tariff system which gave them llrst 28 a ton, then $17 a ton, and now 13.44 a ton, the great rolling mills combine to keep up the prices to the American people far beyond tlw cost of production, at a point just a little lower than that at which foreign rails could be Imported with the tariff added. "And now, when wo have reached the point where it seems possible tlint we can make steel rails as cheaply as they can be made anywhere else in tho world, the' nro raising" their outcry of denunciation against a tariff that' proposes to give them still 25 per cent, of protection." Mr. Johnson, of Ohio Will you tell us why you still give them 25 per cent, of protection? Mr. Wilson replied that tho only answer lie could give is that it could not very well bo reduced lower according to the general scheme of taxation on iron and steel industries of tuo country. Itulnnns DhlilriKl. The earnings of tho Fall River millü for 181:; siiow an average return of 7.11 per cent upon the share capital. This Is not only a good Bhowing absolutely, but Is iK-tter than the return for two of thu three previous years. In lSOO these mills paid an average of 7.ii5 per cent, In 181U an ft"rago of 4.0 per rent., in 1802 nn average of 11.4 per cent and In 1BS:1 an avcrnge of 7.0 per cent This ia a remarkable showing, after all that wo have heard for months past about the ruin of Um manufacturing lnduti trlee.-N. Y. Post.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

latvrnittlmiitl Ihhou fur Murch 4, 194 KrlliiiK tli lllrihrlRht-Uftt. .';'-! 7-3 4. ISpecially Arranged from Peloubet's Notes. Got.tiRN Tkxt Trm lifo in more than meat, anil ihe body la moro than raiment Luke. li:i3. Tin: Section or Histouy Includes chaytera '.7. I'noonr.ss oi-TiiK itisTonr. IW0 Hlrthof Abraham. 1HW Hlrth of Isaac Abraham one hunJreil years old. 1 1W7 MarrlaKO of I.aao to KobeUaUj laaio forty yearn old. IKS Hlrth of Jacob and lUsm. 1W1 Death of Abraham. lS&ISaloof tho birthright Jacob and Ksam thirty-two years old. 17HJ Jacob calni tho birthright blcsslnß Jicob Of ty-seven years old. 11(1 Death of Isaac, aged one hundred and elKhty. Time. I), a 1KW to 1803. Place. UoerBhobii, forty-fire mllea south of Jerusalem. I.KHSOX JfOTr.9. Abraham. Abraham lived to tho good ohl age of 17', quiet and restful in his later years, growing in faith and piety and guiding with his counsels and his example his son nnd his grandsons, Jacob and Esau, with whom, lie lived till they were, fifteen years old, showing them "that best portion of a good man's life, his little, nameless, unremetubercd acts of kindness and of love." He was buried in tho cave of Machpelah at Hebron with his beloved wifo Sarah. "In this cave of Maehpclah lie treasured tho remains of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Uebckah, of Leah also, and tly; embalmed bodies of Jacob and perhaps Joseph. No other spot iu tho Holy Land holds so much precious dust as thus. The site over tho cave itself is covered b3 a Mahomedan sanctuarj-. Since tho Moslem rule, it has not been accessible to either Christian or Jew." Isaac was a man of faith, but in many respects a great contrast to his father. He war, patient, but not enterprising and powerful. He was devout ami submissive, but not activo and organising in (iod's,servicc. II is life was uneventful, almost monotonous. He has been called "the Wordsworth of the Old Testament." "Isaac was dwarfed and weakened by growing up under the shadow of Abraham." "Hut all this tends, as in Isaac's case, to tho stunting of the man himself. Life is made too easy for him." Many a son of a rich man or of a strong man conducting a large business, has been greatly injured by not having responsibilities thrown upon him. Still Isaac was industrious and prosperous. The Twin lirothers. Vs. 27, 23. Twent3 years after tho marriage of Isaac, two sons, twins, were born. sau, the elder, was a cunning hunter, betokening his wild, restless, selfindulgent character, nnd leading him. probably, to rocioty with the heathen Cnnaanites round about. "A niun of the field:" This is antithetic to what follows, "a dweller in tents." Instead of spending his time in the society of his family, returning to his tent at night after his day's labor, he roamed over the country like the uncivilized hunter in half savage lands. "Jacob was a plain man:" This is an inadequate rendering of tho word, translated "perfect," in meaning upright,, a man of general integrity. He had a great force of character, and a capacity for strong and enduring affection, which is closely allied to a deep religious nature. Tho Sale of the Hirthright. Vs. 29-84. Tlie two boys grew up into 3'oung men, developing their tendencies, and determining in this period their entire future. lie careless, if you, will, iu old age, or even on the brink; of the grave; but it is the sunrcmcst foll3 almost the unpardonable sin, to, be thoughtless in the golden hours of youth. They were about thirty-two years old when occurred the transaction of to-du3"'s lesson. The birthright was tho headship of the family. Esau was, by right of birth, the head of the family, its prophet, priest and king; nnd no man can renounce such privileges, except as a sacrifice required by God, without despising God, who gave them. Uut more than this: lie was the head of the chosen family; on him devolved the blessings of Abraham, that in his seed all families of tlie earth should bo blessed; and, in despising his birthright, he put himself out of the sacred family, and so became a profane person. His sin must not be overlooked in our indignation at the fraud of Jacob, which, as we shall see preseutI3', brought its own retribution as well as its own gain. Winning the Hirthright. About twenty-five .years (or, as some think, forty-live) pass awuy. Very probably Esau had forgotten his bargain, or at any rate had no intention of carrying it out. Hut Isaac, feeling tlie infirmities of age, though ho. lived many 3-eiirs after this, wished to devolve tho caro of his family upon his eldest son. and proposed at a feast to bestow upon him the birthright blessing, which would have made Esau the head of tho family. Jacob remembered his purchase, and Kcbekah tho prophecy. Jacob was her favorite son. The two were afraid that the desired boon was slipping away from thcra. They did not trust God, but took the matter Into their own hands, and conspired together to palm Jacob off upon his blind and aged father as Esau, thu elder son. Thus by fraud he obtained tho birthright. Esau returned too lata and wept bitter tears over his loss, but the decree was irrevocable, and his repentance was vain. On this transaction: rUACTICAI. Sl'OOESTlONB. Quiet, uneventful lives, like Isanc', may3'ctbo lives of faith and links In tho chain of divine providence through which great blessings come to men. Men tire born with different tendencies, talents and temperaments; and yet for each there is somu kind of usefulness and blessing possible. Tho apple cannot become a peach, but it can he a ilrst-classapplo. Every one has a birthright from God, to happiness, goodness, and Heaven. Many a man sells his birthright for tucss of pottage, for pride, fee worldly sain, for honor, for pleasure