Ligonier Banner., Volume 31, Number 17, Ligonier, Noble County, 30 July 1896 — Page 3
HEART or THE WORLD. BY H. RIDER HAGCARD. & A Strange Story, Taken From a Manuscript Begqueathed by an Old Mexican Indian to His Friend and Comrade, an Englisk- : man Named Jones, Copyrighted, 1894, by H Rider Hargard " CHAPTER XL—CONTINUED. . ‘‘There were none left upon the mainland to replenish the race, and this is our law, a law that cannot be broken under pain of death, that no. man or woman may leave our territories to seek e husband or wife of different blood. “Thus, then, it has come about that the pedple have grown fewer and fewer, wasting mvay»lifie Snow upon a moun-s tain top in summer, till at length they are dwindled to a few thousands, who in bygone days could count their number by tens and twenties of thousands. “But an ancient prophecy has come down to us from our forefathers, and it is that, when once more the two halves of the symbol of the Heart arelaid side by side-in their glace upon the altar in the sanctuary of the holy city, then
from that hour she shall grow great again. Over this saying I brooded long, and often did I pray to that God whom I worship that I might find that which was lost, and save the people from perishing. ’ ‘At length a voiece spoke tome in a dream answering my prayer, bidding me to wander forth from the country of the heart and follow the ancient road toward the sea, for there, near to the eastern shore, I should find that which
was lost. ' “Then I summoned the Council of the Heart and told them of my dream and that I purposed to obey it.. But the made a mock of me and said that ¥ wight go if I wished, but that no man of the people should accompany me across the mountains, for that was against the ancient law, “To be short,” continued Zibalbay. “since my heart was set upon this mission and ‘miy daughter yonder, who is willful,would not be gainsaid of her desire to accompany me, Tikal, my nef)hew. was placed over 'the city to rule as cacique in my stead, until I should return again. : *Alone we crossed the mbuntains, and alone, following the traces of the ancient road, we traveled through the desert and the forest that lies’ %eyond it, till at last we reached this secret place. “There isnoneed totell therestof the talo, for it is known to you. Now, if it
fleases you, let us hear yours, and earn what purpose led you and your companion here in time to save us from the grip of that white devil who lies dead upon the stairway.” Then Ispoke, 'telling toZibalbay and his daughter the story of my life, and of my great scheme to build up again that empire which fell in the day of Montezuma.
“Now Eou speak words that are after my own heart,” said the old man; ‘“‘but tell me, how is it to be done?” ‘“By your help,” I answered. ‘‘Men are here in plenty, but to use them must - have gold, whereas yonder, it seems, you have gold and no men, Therefore I ask of f‘;o'u some portion of your useless wealth, that bcylr’its help 1 may lift up your people and my own.” ‘‘Follow me to the eity, and if I can bring it about you shall have all that you desire,” "he answered. ‘Now, daughter, lead me to my rest, for I am overwhelmed, not with toil and suffering, but with too much joy.” %’Vhen he had gone the senor spoke to me. ‘‘This is very well, Ignatio,” he said, ‘“‘and. most interesting, but just now, as I °may remind you, there are things more pressing than the regeneration of the Indian race; for instance, our own safety. To-morrow, at the latest, men will come to seek those villains who lie yonder, and -if we are found here it seems likelgr that we shall be shot down as murderers. Say, then, what do you propose to do?” , ‘‘l propose, senor, that at the first light of dawn we should take the mules
and ride away. The forest is dense and it will be difficult to find us in it; moreover, two days’ Ijourney ‘will take us beyond the reach of white men, Tell me, lady,” 1 added to Maya, who had returned from the chamber, ‘“do you know the road?” !
“l know the road,” she answered, ‘‘but, sirs, before you take it, it is right that I should tell you something. “You have heard my-father’'s words and they are true, every one of them, but they are not all the truth. Herules that city of which he hasspoken to you, but the nobles there are weary of his rule, that at times is somewhat harsh, also they deem him mad. It was for thtis reason that they suffered him to wander forth, seeking the fulfillment of a prophecy in which none of them have faith, for they were certain that he would perish in the wilderness and
return no more to trouble them.”
. “Then why did they allow you, who are his heir, to accompany him, lady?”, ‘“‘Because I would have it so. I lova my father, and if he was doomed to die because of his folly, it was my wish to die with him. Moreover, if you would kuow the truth, I hate that ¢ity where '~ I was born and the manin it to whom I am destined to be married, and desired to esc:tipe from it if only for awhile.” “And does that man hate you, lady?” “No,” she answered, turning her head aside; “‘but if he loves me, I be- - lieve that he loves power more. Had I stayed, my father would have appointed me to rule in his place, and Tikal, my cousin, would have been next to the throne, not on it; therefore it was that he consented to my going, or at least I think so. ‘ . “Sirs, I learn now that you are to accompany us to the City of the Heart, should we live to reach it. - “Come if you will, but be warned, my people are a jealous geople. and the name of a stranger is hateful to them. Few such hltve ever reached the City of the Tleart for many generations, and of these, save one or two, noné have escaped from it. alive. They do not desire new thinygs, they have little knowledge of the world beyond their walls, and seek for-none. L ~ “Now, sirs, choosé whether you will accompany us in our march toward the City of Waters, or whether you will set - your face to the sea again and forget that you chanced to hear a certain story from a wandering doctor, whose misfortunes had made him mad, and an Indian girl who tended him.” ' . Now I listened to these words which the lady Maya spole very earnestly.and with power, undp understood that they meant much; they meant that in going to the City of th? Heurt we were, as she believed, going 10 our doom, “Lady,” said, ‘‘it. may well chance that death waits’ me ycnddr, but thither I shall 33 if my strength does net fail ‘me and deatf‘; will suffer it. Tor the senor here it is different, IHe has heard your words, and if he will harken to them and to mine. he will bid us farewell to-morrow and go his ways, leaving us to go ours.” She listened, and turning toward him, said: “You hear. What, say you, -white man?’ And it seemed to me “that she a;v‘yait;d, his 3imeranxiousl;;; * ‘“Yes, Jady, I hear,” . replied, with e enough, and yonnlmll leave »mgif&nes ‘ - yonder among your ¢ou s ¥y elly .‘,“', t ‘l,.,ife ‘%Jm 0 33& - go Lwill, since lam too.idle to change mysaind. Also, it seems o fo g Be L e e
danger in staying here than in-pushing forward.” :
" am glad that you are going, since you‘go of your own free will,” she said, smiling. ‘‘May our fears be confounded and your journey and ours prove prosperous. And now let us rest, -for you must be very weary, as I am, and we should be stirring gefore the dawn.” . Next morning at the first break of light we started on our journey, riding on three of the mules that we had captured, and leading the fourth laden with our goods and water skins. Very glad were all of us to see the last of that ruined temple, and yet it was sad to me to leave it, for there, hidden beneath some of the masses of the fallen masonry, lay all that was left of my friend -and foster brother, Molas, he whose bravery and wit had saved our lives at the cost of his own. ° e
' Our plan was to avoid villages where we might be seen by men, and keep ourselves hidden in the forest, for we feared lest we should be followed and brought to account because of the death of Don Pedro and his companions: and this we were able to do, since having guns and ammunition in plenty we shot birds and deer for our ~«i),ai;y food.
Traveling thus on mule back soon our strength returned to us, even to the old man Zilbalbay, who had suffered the most from fatigue and from illtreatment at the hands of the white men. In something less than a week we had passed through the inhabited districts of Yucatan and far out of the reach of the white man, and now were journeying through the forest toward the great sierra that lies beyond.. The senor was never wveary of questioning the silent Zilbalbay as to the history or rather the legend of theland through which we journeyed, or of listening to the lady Maya's description of the City of the Heart, till even she grew tired and begged him to speak instead of the country across the water where he was born..of the -ceaseless busy life, and the wonders of civilization. ; .
Strange as it may seem, I,who watched them both from day to day, know it to be true that she was in mind the more modern of the two, so much so indeed that in listening to their talk I might have fancied that she was the child. of the new world, filled with the spirit of to-day, aud he the heir of a proud and secret race dying beneath #s weight of years. _ ‘I cannot understand you,” she would say to him. ‘““Why do you so love histories and ruins and stories of people that have long been dead? I hate them. Once they lived, and doubtless were well enou%h in their place and time, but now they are past and done with, and it is we who live, live, live,” and she stretched out her arms as though she would clasp the sunshine to her breast.
“‘I tell you,” she wenton, ‘‘that this home of mine of which vou are so fond of talking is nothing but a great burying place, and those who dwell in it are like ghosts who wander to and fro thinking of the things that they did, or did not do, a thousand years before. “Did my father but know it, he wastes time and trouble in making plans for the redemption of the Peop?e of the Heart, who think him mad.for his vYains. They cannot be redeemed. 1f could have my will while I am still young, I would turn my back upon this cityiwhich you so desired to see,taking with me the wealth thatis useless there, but which it seems would bring me many good things in other lands, and live out my time among people who have a present -and a future as well as a past.” i . Then the senor would laugh, and argue that the E)ast is more than the present, and that it is better to be dead than alive, and many other such follies; and I would grow angry and reprove her for her words which shockeé) me, whereat she would yawn and talk of something else, for I and my discourses wearied her. Only Zibalbay took no heed, for his mind was set upon other things, even if he heard wus, which I doubt. : ’ -
CHAPTER XII MAYA DESCENDS THE CUEVA.
- One evening after we had left the forest country and with much toil climbed the sierra ‘till we reached the desert beyond, a desert that seemed to be boundless, we set our camp among a clump of great aloes that grew at the foot of a stony hill. This hill was marked on Zibalbay’s map as being the site of an underground reservoir, known as a cueva, whence in the old days, when this place was inhabited, the Indians draw their supply of water in the dry season from deep down in the bowels of the earth.
That this particular cueva existed was proved by the fact that the ancient road, which here was plainly visible, ran through the ruins of a large town whereof the population must once have been supp‘.ie‘d by it, but when Zibalbay and his daughter slept here on their downward journey they were spared the necessity of lookin¥ for it by the discovery of a rain pool in the hollow of a rock. Now, however, norain having fallen for weeks, after we had eaten and drunk such water as remained in the water skins, we determined to seek for the cueva in order to refill the skins and give drink to the thirsty mules. Accordingly we began to examine the rocky hill, and presently found a stone archway now nearly filled ug with soil and half hidden by thorn bushes, which we judged to be the! entrance to the cueva. Having provided omrselves with torches we lit four of them, and 1 led the way through the hole to find myself in a cave where a great and mysterious wind blew and sighed_in sudden gusts that almost extinguished our lights. Following this cave we came to a hole or shaft at theend of it, which evidently led to the springs or pools of water. This shaft of unknown depth was almost if not quite as smooth and Eerpendicular, as though it had been iollowed by the hand of man, but the strangest thing about it was the terrible stairway that the ancients had used to apc{)roa,ch the water, which consisted of a double row of notches, eight or ten inches in depth, cut in the surface of the shaft. Up and down these notehas the water carriers must have passed for generations, for they were much worn, and a groove made by tt e feet of men ran to the top of this awful ladder. The senor finding a fragment of rock let it fall over the eage of the pit, and several seconds pusseg before a faint sound toid us that it lrad touched the bottom. ‘*What a dreadful place!” he said. I think that I had rather die of thirst than attempt to go down it.” **Still, people have gone down in the past,”” answered Maya,‘‘for look, this is where they stepped off the edge.” »= “*Come awaf’,” said Zilbalbay, “none of us here could talce that road and live. The mules must go thirsty; five hours’ journey away there is a pool where they can drink to-morrow.” Then we turned and left this cave of the winds and were f;lad to be outside of it, for the place had an unholy look, and, all the draught notwithstanding, was hot to suffocation. 3 : s
Zilbalbay walked to the camg, but I and the others stayed to pluck some forage for the mules. Soon they grew weary of this task and fell totalking as they watched the sunset, which was very beautiful on these lonely plains. Presently I heard the Lady Maya say: “*Pick me that flower, friend, to wear on my breast,” and she pointed toa snow-white cactus bloom that grew among some rocks, ; CEE A _ He climbed to the place and stretched ~out his hand to cut t?xe flower, when of ‘asudden I heard him utter an exclamafaéa ) and saw him start back. Re A Ri s
“What is {t?” I said. ‘“Have you pricked yourself, or cut your hand?” He made no answer, but his eyes grew wide with horror and he pointed at something gray that was gliding away among the stones, and as he pointed Isawva sg)ot of blood appear upon his wrist, Maya saw it alse. ““A snake has bitten you!” she cried, in a voice of agony; then she sprang at him, and before 1 guessed what she was about to do, seized his-arm with both hands and applied her lips to the wound. He tried to wrench it free, but she clung to it fiercely, then calling to me to bring a stick she tore a strip off her robe and made it fast around his wrist above the puncture. By now I was there with the stick, and setting it in the loop of linen, I twisted it till the hand turned blue from the pressure. **What snake was it?” I asked.
*The deadly gray sort,” he answered, adding: ‘“Don’t look so frighténed, Maya; I know a cure. Come to the camp, quick!” In twominutes we were there, and the senor had - snatched a sharp knife and a powder flask. **Now, friend,”he gaid,handing me the knife, ‘“‘cut deep, since it is life or death to me, and there are no arteries on top of the wrist.” ? :
Seeing what had .come about, Zilbalbay held the senor’s hand, and I cut twice. He never winced, but at each cut Maya groaned. Then, having let the blood fall till it would run no more, we poured powder-into the wound, as much as would lie on a twenty-cent piect, and fired it. It weat off in a puff of white smoke, leaving the flesh beneath black and charred.
*“‘Now, as we have no spirits, there is nothing more to be done except to wait,” said the senor, with an attempt at a smile. ; Tt ;
- Zilbalbay went to a bag and produced from it some cuca paste, ‘“Eat this,” he said; *‘it is better than any firewater.” S The senor took the stuff and began to swallow it till presently I saw he could force no more down, z)r a paralysis seemed to be creeping over him; his throat contracted. and his: eyelids fell as thoug}l weighed down by irresistible sleep. _Now, seeing that notwithstanding our remedies the goison had got hold of him, we seized him by the arms and began to walk him to and fro, encouraging him at the same time to keep a brave heart and fight against death. “I am doin% my best,” he answered, feebly;"then his mind began to wander and at length he fell down and his eyes shut.
‘‘Unless we ¢an rouse him the white man will die,” said Zilbalbay. “Oh, awake!” cried Maya despairingly, placing her lips close to the senor’s ear. ;
He seemed to hear her, for though his eyesdid not open, he smiled faintly and murmured, ‘“I'll try.” Then, with our help, he struggled from the ground and began to walk again like a man who is drunk. Then e fell again, and puting our handsupon his breast we could feel the contractions of his heart growing weaker every moment, till at last - they seemed to die away. But of a sudden, when we had already abandoned hope, it bounded violently in his breast, and from every ore of his skin, which till now had geen’ parched and dry, there burst so profuse a perspiration that in the light of the rising moon we could see it running down his face. ; “% think that the white man will live now; he has conquered the poison,” said Zilbalbay quietly, and hearing his words, I returned thanks to God in my heart. ; 3
Then we laid him in & hammock, piling blankets and serapes over him till at length the perspiration ceased, all the fluid in his body having evaporated, taking the venom with it. For an hour or more he slept, then awoke and asked for water'in a faint voice. We, who were watching, looked at him in dismay, for we had not a single drop to inve,- and this we were obliged to tell him. He groaned and was silent for awhile, and then said:
It would have been kinder to let me die of the poison, for this torment of thirst is more than I can bear.” ‘‘Can we try the cueva?”’ faltered Maya.
“It .is impossible,” answered her father. ‘“We should all be killed.” ‘‘Yes, yes,” repeated the senor, ‘it is impossible. Better that one should die than all four.” L J
“Fear not,” I said to the senor, “it is the poison that has dried you up, but thirst will not kill fyou 80 soon, and presently you will feel it less. Ohl that we had medicine here to make you steepl!’ = e .
He lay silent for awhile, making no answer, but from the workings og his hands and face we could see that he. suffered much.
““Maya,” he said at length, ‘“‘can you find me a cool stone to put in my mouth?”
She searched and found a pebble, which he sucked, but after a time it fell from his lips, and we saw that it wasas dry as when it entered them. Then his brain gave way, and he began to rave huskily in many languages. ‘‘Are you devil?” he asked, ‘“‘that you suffer me to die in torment for the want of a drink of water? Why do youstand there and mock me? Oh, have pity and give me water.” :
. For awhile we bore it, though perhaps our agonies were greater than his own—then Maya rose and looked at his face. 1t was sunken as though with a heavy illness, thick black rings had ap{)eared, beneath his blue eyes, and his ips were flecked with blood.
“I cgn endure this no more,” she said in a dry voice. ‘“Watch your friend, Don Ignatio.” . “You are right,” I answered; “‘this is no place for a woman. Go and sleep yonder, so that I can wake you if there is need.”
She looked at me reproachfully, but went wit-}gut answering and sat down behind a Dash about thirty yardsaway. Here, it seems—for all this story she told me afterward, and for the most part { do bat repeat her words—she began to think. - Only one thing could. save him—water. Inthe depths of yonder hill, within a few paces of her, doubtless it lay in plenty, but who would dare to seek it there? And yet the descent of the cueva muss, be possible, since the 1 ancients used i 3 daily, and why could she not do what they had done? Yes, - she viould try it! When once she had made u€ her mihd, Maya set gbout the task swiftly. .- She provided herself with flint, steel, timber, a rope, and a small water-skin of untanned hide, which she strapped upon her shoulder. In another minute she was running across the desert like adeer. At the entrance to the cueva she paused to gatherup the aloe torches which had been. thrown down there, and also to look for one moment at the familiar face of night—the ni%ht that she might never see again. Then she lit a torch'and crept through the narrow . opening. S _ : The place had been awful in the evening when she visited it in theé company of the ‘rest of us. Now, alone and at night, it appalled her. i (1O BE CONTINUED.] ' : That Was Difterent. ’ Texnant—You said the house was not cold and we have nearly f.x;r:zen to death } ever since we moved into it. ’ - Real Estate Agent—l had every rea_son to think I was telling the truth, 1 had never heard the house complain of feeling chiily. As to the people in it, of course, 1 knew nothing. That is | ~quite another matter, you kuow.—Bos: Se il Rl S S e
FRIENDS OF SIiLVER.
Bpeech of W. P. St. John at the St. Louis Convention.
Inthe rational silver convention at St. Lonis on Wednesday, July 22, William P. St. John, the ex-national banker of New York, spoke in favor of Bryan and Sewall for executive heads of the nation for the next presidential term and the free coinage of silver, as follows:
‘““The fountain head of our prosperity has run dry. Our farmers all bver the country have endured the depression until they get about eight or nine dollars per acre for an expenditure of ten dollars and .the ‘like. Their credit is exhausted at their country stores. The country store ceases to order from the city merchant, the city merchant reduces his demand upon the manufacturer. Manufactures are curtailed. The consequence .is that employes and all elements of labor arg heing discharged and wages are lowered to those who continue in employment. The sufferings of the farmerns,who constitute nearly one-half of our populatibn, are thus cnforced upon the city merchant, the manufacturer and all forms of labor. These combined elements constitute the over=whelming majority of voters. Their intelligent conclusion will be felt when expressed at the polls, 2 ‘“The banker, also, is without prosperity unless prosperity is general throughout, the United States. Hé must learn to distinguish between cheap money and money commanding a low rate of interest. The dollar worth two bushels of wheat is a dear dollar, and yet it commands interest in Wall street at present of but two per cent. per annum on call. If the doller can be cheapened by increasing the number of dollars so that each dollar will buy less wheat the increasing price of wheat will increase thé demand for dollars to invest in its production. Then the borrower of dollars to invest in the production of wheat, being reasonably sure of a profit from that employment of the money, can afford to pay Interest for its use as a part of his profit. In other words, interest is a share of the profit on the employment of money. So that abundant money, money readily obtainable. which is to say realiy cheap money, is the money which commands a high rate of interest, as a share of the profit of the borrower in using it. ‘““The opposition threatens us with a flood of European silver upon our reopened mints.: We answer: Europe has no silver but her silver money. Her silver money values silver at from three cents to seven cents on the dollar higher than ours. Hence the European merchant or banker must sacrifice from three to seven per cent. of his full legal tendér money in order to recoin it at our mintsl e ‘““They threaten us with a ‘sudden retirement of $600,000,000 in gold with the accompanying panic¢, causing contraction and commercial disaster unparalleled.” We answer that our total stock of gold, other than about $10,000,000 or $15,000,000 circulating on the Pacific coast, is already in retirement. Practically all our gold i 3 in the United States treasury or held by banks. “This is what will follow the reopening of our mints to silver: The gold already in the treasury will remain there it common sense dictates the treasury management; that is, if the treasurer exercises the option to redeem United States notes in silver. A premium on gokl will not occasion a contraction of the curreney, bank hoards of gold continuing\to serve as | a portion of bank reserves against bank liabilities. A premium on gold will tend to increase our exports by causing a 1 higher rate of foreign exchange; that is to say, by yvielding a larger net return in dollars on the sale of bills of exchange drawn against goods exported. A premium will tend to diminish our imports by increasing the cost of bhills of exchange with which to pay for goods imported. ‘“The tendency of increasing our exports and decreasing our imperts will he, first, to set our spindles running, swell the number of paid operatives, increase their wages, thereby adding to the number and paying capacity of consumers, and thus enlarge our home market for all home products and manufactures, with prosperity in general as the result assured.: The tendency of increasing our exports and decreasing our imports will be, second, to l establish a credit balance of trade for the United States. A credit balance of trade ‘ means that Europe has become our debtor and must settle with us in money. Europe’s silver money is overvalued in her gold, in comparison with ours, by from three to seven cents on the dolfar. The European merchant or banker will, therefore, make his trade settlements with us in gold, more profitably by from three to seven per cent. than in his silver. With the instant that European trade ‘settlements with the Tnited States are made in gold, parity for our gold and silver money,is established in the markets of the world. Therewith the 371 y, grains of pure silver in our silver dollar and the 23.22 grains of gold in our gold dollar. are of exactly equal worth as brilion in New-York.!
——The complacency with which some of the republican organs invite sound money democrats to come over into the McKinley camp on thatissue is entirely unwarranted by the situation. We may put aside the question of MeKinley’s sincerity in support of the gold standard; he may or may not act in the spirit of the platform on which he has been nominated. But in the matter of a tariff for the profit of “fat frying” monopolies he is in thorough agreement with the platform and with his party, and everyone knows what is to be expected on this line in case of republican success. To ask democrats to support a candidate and a party which is pledged to legislation in behalf «f private interests, to increase private fortunes at the cost of the people.through a tariff tax upon industry, is too much. —Boston Post.
——Bryan’s ancestors, like McKinley’s, came originally from Scotland, went to Ireland, and finally emigrated to America. Where are the Yankees in this sweep of the Scotch-Irish to the high places of government? They have a representative on the democratic ticket, to be sure, and one of the purest Yankee blood! He is 2 Yankee of the Yankees, who can trace himself back to Judge Sewall, of Salem, of witches.and diary fame. But they say thateven so much of a Yankee does not strengthen the ticket.—Springfield Republican.
——His is the well-earned victory. Chosen by the people as their strongest candidate, he is honored as few men are honored. His is the glorious task of leading the people in the struggle for their rights. His is the rare privilege of leading the people to their most glorious victory. The next president will be William J. Bryan.—Kansas Oity Times.
LITTLE LAUGHS.
“Aren’t there a great number of sugar plantations in Cuba?” “Yes. Sugar plantations to burn.”—Life. “She euchred him into matrying her.” “Well, she only got the booby prize, after all.”—American Press. o
* “We must part now, darling, but to make the separation less abrupt, I am going on a slow train.”—Fliegende Blaetter.. - 3 Nt
Stranger—“ What's the quickest way to get to the Emergency hospital?” Policeman—*“Try to cross Broadway alone.”—Truth. ;
“The Wilkintons have broken up and gone to boarding.” “Yes, they have sold their house and lot to buy wheels for the whole family.”—Chicago Record. Salvation Army Apostle—“lf you swear at those horses, my good man. you'll never go. to Heaven,” Canal Driver (humbly)—*l krows it, mum, but if I don’t I'll never get to Tona- - wanda.”—Buffalo Times. . - : . The average speed of a earrier pigebn, in calm weather, is 1,210 yards a minute. With a strong wind in the direction of flight, some pigeons have e L est B R D e S el
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.. e e A Imternational Lesson :or August 2, 18396 David’'s Kindness—2 Samuel 9:1-13. fArranged from Peloubet’s Notes.] GOLDEN TEXT.—Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.—Romans 12:10. e Foa THE SECTION includes Chap. 7 and Chap. 16:1-4. Also Actsl7:27-29, which gives incidents concerning the relation of David to Mephibosheth. 2 i TlME.—Unknown, but probably after David’s earlier wars, -and in the quieter times before the second half of his reign. Perhaps B. C. 104). David was, about 43 years old. : PLACE.—Jerusalem and Lo-debar, near Maharnaim, in Gilead, east of the Jordan. LESSON NOTES. I. David Busy Organizing His Kingdom.—Since, in this lesson, we come to the close of the first part of David's reign, it is‘well to glance over the work which he accomplished. He found the kingdom a chaos, and made it an order-yywell-arranged government. He foun it small, and made it large. He found it divided, and made it a unity. .He found it sorely pressed by enemies, and he made it victorious over them. He found religion at a low -ebb, and brought it to a full and flowing tide. During this time, too, the capital was enlarged and aderned, and a spiendid palace built for the royal house. Then added to all this was a greatly extended commerce, though tue Jews, at that time, were not a commercial people.
11. David Takes Time to Look After Neglected Individuals.—V. 3. It canbe seen that in David’s efforts to bring order out of chaos he must have been exceedingly burdemed by cares and labors. Yet he took time to think of his dvties to individuals and to seek whether any had been neglected. “The kindness of God” is kindness like God's, large, and free and -forgiving, or kindress for God’s sake, according to God’s example. David inquired if there were not any of the house of Saul that he might show this kindness to. ' David could not have done this in the early part of his reign, because his kingdom was not then so firmly established that it would be. safe. » 111. The Unfortunate Prince.—Vs. 28. And Ziba answered the king. Ziba was an cld and trusted servant of Saul, who had cared for Mephibosheth in his need. “Jonathan hath yet a son:” T'Lisfactwas unknown to David, because the friends of Mephibosheth would fear that he might be regarded as a rival. When the news came of the death of Jcnathan and Saul on Mount Gibbea the nurse took Jonathan’s little boy, then five years old, and fled from Jezreel. In her haste, she let him fall and he became lame in both feet. IV. David’s Care for Unfortunate Neighbor.—Vs. 5-13. David not only summoned Mephibosheth, but also had him brought to him. It is quite probable that Mephibosheth was afnaid of becoming known to David. Kitte well describes the incident: *‘One day amessenger arrives at Lo-debar. It is a messenger from the king. Mephibosheta is alarmed when he finds the king has sent for him. The messengeér was probably charged not to disclose the king’s object, for when the lame youth appeared before the king, and prostrated himself in humble reverence, some trepidation seems to have been visible in his manner, as we may gather from the kind and assuring words of David addressed to one in whose countenance he probably found some traces of the friends he loved so well.” o :
Saul’s family estate, which had fallen to David in right of his wife (Num. 27: 8), or been fcrfeited to the crown by Ish-bosheth’s rebellion' (chapter 12:8), was provided (v. 11, also chapter 19:28) for enabling him to maintain an establishment suitable to his rank, and Ziba appointed steward to manage it, on the condition of receiving one-half of the produce in remuneration of his labor and expense, while the other moiety was to be paid asrent to the owner of the land (chaster 19:29).—J. F. and B. The estate must have been considerable, much larger than the patrimonial inheritance of Saul, perhaps increased by confiscation during his possession’ of rcyal authority. Henceforth was ta till theland of Mephibosheth, “and briny in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat:” Though Mephibesheth himself was to be a guest at the royal table, he would require the revenues of this estate for the support of his family and household. “But Mephibcsheth * * * gshalleatbreadat my table:” :
V. Eighteen Years After.—2 Sam. 1619. There are two incidents in after years which -bear mnpon. the present story. They occurred during Absolom's rebellion, B. C. 1022 or 1023; 17 or 18 years after the events of to-day’s lesson.
First, during this rebellion Ziba betrayed his master and falsely accused him of treachery to David. The king, believing him, as was quite natural under the circumstances, took away Mephibosheth’s property and gave it to Ziba. Later on, when Mephibosheth seemed to tell him the truth, explainihg his position and action, David restored half of it. The story is very touching. (See 2 Sam. 16:1-4; 19-24-30.) ) - Secord, David reaped a harvest of good from his kindness to the lame prince. For when David fled. from Jerusalem from his ungrateful son, and had reached Mahanaim, the friend of Mephibosheth, Machir of Lo-debar brought him beds; and -utensils, and food, and luxuries, because his peoplée “were hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness” (2 Sam: 17:27-29).
ART AND MUSIC.
La Blache, the great basso, had a voice so strong that on several occssions it cracked the window glass in the room where he was practicing. : Violins are very susceptible to change. of the weather. The strings of a violin always become more taut, and thus give a sharper tone, when a storm is coming on. - : _ It has been arranged to erect a memorial to thelate Christina Rossetti in Christ ¢hur¢h, Woburn square, London, which she attended for nearly 20 years. Sir Edward Burne-Jones has consented to design a series of paint. ings for the reredos.
A pencil drawing, partly colored, of George, prince of Wales, 1708, by Riehard Cosway, the miniaturist, brought $420 in London recently; another of George in 1772 brought $550, while one. of Caroline of Brunswick, his princess, brought $435. o Prince Colonna di Sciarra has made ‘a compromise with the ltalian goverament. All of the family pictures painted by Italian artists are placed at the disposal of the government and will ‘not leave Italy; pictures by foreigners “the pince may soll to whots he plsows. LCETHERR Seel S s e
BOLTING REPUBLICANS.
Issue a Manifesto as to Where They Stand. b
Unequivocally in Favor of the Election of Bryan and Sewall, and Urge . All Bimetallists to Support - the Silver Ticket. ~
The committee of bolting republicans in session at Manitou, Col., on July 21 issued the following manifesto: i
‘““We, deem ‘it fitting :hat we who have heretofore affiliated with the national republican party ard who have rejected the financial plank of the platform adopted at St. Louis and refused to support the nominees of the convention should state our position in the- presidential campaign and give briefly our reasons in support thereof. “When certain delegates to the national republican convention repudiated the financial plank of:the platform -and withdrew from the convention we determined:that we would give our support to such candidates as should appear most willing and capable of aiding in the restoration of silver to its rightful place as standard money. ‘“The democratic party in'its'Chicago convention has taken a position in its platform so pronouncedly favorable to silver and has nominated candidates of such unquestionable convictions in favor of the bimetallic policy ana of suchg high personal character that we have determined to give them our support. We support such candidates because they represent the great principle of bimetallism, which we believe to be the cause of humanity. of civilization and the paramount question now before the American people. ) Will Support Bryan and Sewall.
*“We therefore announce that we shall by voice and vote support Messrs. Bryan and Sewall for president and vice-president, and we appeal to all citizens, and especially to republicans who feel as we do, that, gold monometallism would be of lasting injury to the country, to act with us in securing their election. A o
‘““The democrats who believe in the gold standard are announcing their intention to support Mr. McKinley or proposing to put a third candidate in the. field for the avowed purpose of aiding Mr. McKinley’s election. A great number of leading and influential democratic journals have declared they will support the republican nominees. It i 3 evident there is to be n union of forces on the part of the advo-cates-and supporters of the gold standard to elect Mr. McKinley and a congress favorable to him which will support the financial policy outlined in the republican platform. ; " Silver Forces Must Unite. - “To. those who believe in bimetallism, which means the equal treatment of hoth gold and silver at the mints of the nation, there is but one course to pursue, and that is to unite all the silver forces and-to oppose with all our might the candidate representing the policy which we believe i 3 fraught with disaster ‘to the nation and ruin to the people. ' Their Definition of “Gold Monometallism.” *‘Gold monometallism means the shifting to gold alone as primary money all the burdens of commerce and credit formerly borne by gold and silver, and as the world's stock of these metals has always been about equal in amount it . means -the doubling of the burden upon gold. - Doubling the burden upon gold means doubling the demand for the same, and doubling the demand, of necessity, doubles the wvalue thereof. This gradual shifting to gold of all the burdens of both gold and silver has caused a gradual and steady increase in the value of every dollar redeemable in gold, and hence a gradual and steady decline in the value of every commodity that is measured by that dollar, - Their View of McKinley's Success. -
‘““The representatives and supporters of Mr. McKinley consented to the insertion in the St. Louis platform of the gold standard declaration thinly veneered by a declaration for bimetallism, ‘when the leading commercial nations of the world should ronsent,” but wuntil that consent was sesured .the gold standard must be maintained. It is well known that this consent cannot be secured from Great Britain, and that such declaration for bimetallism means nothing with this limitation upon it. Mr. McKinley consented to the declaration for the gold standard in the platform, andin his recent speeches has accepted it, and has become the advocate thereof; he has shown by his speeches' heretofore made that he understood the danger of the gold standard and the distress which would be inflicted upon the American people by its adoption, and yet he pledges the people to support and maintain that system, and fasten upon them all the evils of the financial system which he has herctofore repudiated, if they will make him president. Whatever may have been his attitude on the money question in the past, he must inevitably hereafter support the same financial system that the present democratic administration has, and if elected must continue the policy of Mr. Cleveland in the sale of bonds in time of peace. Hence, with the Success of Mr. McKinley we may look for a continued increase -of the public debt and the sale of bonds to maintain the gold standard. Say It Is Due to the Gold Standard. ‘“That the condgion of the country is not satisfactory all admit. The producers of wealth are not receiving fair and proper compensation for their labor, whether in field, factory or mine; - enterprise -has ceased; values are constantly declining; labor is unemployed; discontent and distress prevail to an extent never before known in the history of the country, and no reason can be found for such an unhappy condition save in a vicious monetary system. Those who profess to deplore the present financial condition and oppose the free coinage of silver are divided in -opinion as to'‘the cause of tha present condition. Some declare that it is because we have too much tariff; others that we have not enough; while the fact exists that every gold standuard country in the world, whether it'has a high or low tariff, is now and has been during recent yvears in.the throes of-a financial panric; and every silver standard country, compared with its fornaer condition, is enjoying an industrial development .and degree of prosperity hitherto unknown in its history. While thus differing in opinion, they tnite in asserting that the gold standard must be maintained until foreign countries shall signify their willingness that the American people shall exercise the rights ot freemen and create a financial system of their own. ; : : Doubt an International Agréeement.
~ “If we overlook the humiliation and degradation we must feel on account of such a declaration of financial dependency, we may well inquire when the consent of the leading commercial nations will be obtained. No one who has read the proceedings of the three international monetary conferences that have already been held or who has examined the impracticable propositions presented at those conferences can for a moment believe that any international bimetallic agreement can ever be made with the consent of all ‘the leading commercial nations of the world. ' When will Great Britain, controlled as she } is ever by the creditor classes. who - collect vast sums of money for interest due | her ‘and her citizens, who buys of us. an- ' nually many more millions than she sells to us and whose interest it is to make:the, pound sterling purchase as much of our products as possible, congent that we =hall be financially independent as we are sup+ posed to be politically independent? “When did the creditor classes of Great Britain ever give up or.in any way yield an advantage such as they now possess through the maintenance of the gold stand- | ard? There is no hope for international bi- | metallismi until the United States shall establish :bimetallism for itself, and when that is done international bimetallism mu/ be secured without the consent of Great Brfitain, - The United States on- all other.: subjects of legislation acts independently of any other nation on earth. By what process of reasoning is its right, authority _or abjlity to legislate upon this, the most important subjeet with which it has 'to deal, questioned or denied? = = - : [ i j " Says I*s Cowardly. : S . **With a nation equal ifi wealth and power ..o one-fourth of the world, it is cowardly to say that we must ask the permission of Great Britain to establish and maintain a financial policy of our own. Believing, as we do, that a return to the monetary system “especially recognizéd in the constitution and completely provided for by law. from 1792 till 1873 a_tto’frd% the only ground ~of hove for the betterment of the distressed _condition of all the classes except thoss ~who live by the, inerement that money {loaned gives to those ;:%oxnan it, we ap‘peal to _a.!l elauea:o ally-to t.hegi:,p;ié?‘é _of the only candidate whese success indi-. Al Urged to Support Bimetallism. GelinEE T R Sor it eSI R L
whose dwindling and lessened profits have' despite his care ard economy, brought him face to face with prospective bankruptcy and ruin, the professional man whose best efforts scarcely afford him compensation for his labor alone, the farmer, the contin= . ually falling prices of whose products have left him no returns for capital invested and work performed, and last but not least let the grand army of laboring men so-called, the artisan, the mechanic and the miner, and everyorie who depends upon his dally labor for his daily bread look about him and observe the great number of those who vainly seek for a chance to work—upon the great army of enforced idlers, and one and . all resolve to try, not an experiment (for ' bimetallism is not an experiment), but rather a return to a policy that throughout the vicissitudes of our nation’s infancy, through' the internecine struggle of its manhood kept us a great, free and prosper= ous nation, in which the labor was not only . respected and employed, but was so compensated that: want and distress such as now weigh upon us was unknown. Letthe lesson of history, too recent and too plain to. be gainsaid or denied, be heeded, and let there be no fear that a system that so wonderfully protected labor, developed business enterprise and secured to the nation a contented-and prosperous people in the past will do aught but bring to us a: return of like prosperity, the predictions of disaster of our opponents to the contrary, notwithstanding.” A Crisis Reached. ; After eulogizing Mr. Bryan the manifesto concludes: ““This is a critical period in our national bistory. Our industrial and financial inde=< pendence of other nations and peoples is . involved in this campaign, and we firmly, believe that there will be no return of prosperity -until we shall have changed our financial system so as to restore the bi« metallic system established by the fathers of the republic; and so believing, we urge all friends of gold and silver as standard money and the opponents of a single gold standard to give Mr. Bryan and Mr! Sewall their hearty support. In advising this course we do not consider it necessary that they shall abandon or surrender their - political views on other questions. Profoundly impressed with the importance of the issues of this campaign, for ourselves and our associates, we respectfully submit the foregoing to the candid consideration of the American people.” e
* The document is sigr.ed by H. M. Teller, Fred D. Dubois, Lee Mantle, Charles 8. Hartman, Edgar Wilson, John F. Shafroth and A. M. Stevenson, committee. i
HARD TO PLEASE.
This Girl Was Spiteful Just Because Shd Had to Staad. : i It was one of those cool, gray, threat«
ening days, when a car company re< luctantly puts on closed cars rathen than to be overpowered with the dis< approbation of its patrons. - It was five o’clock when a young‘i woman got on an Indiana car at Van Buren street and found herself elected to stand, probably as far as the “308.” | Being a clever creature she counted heads, 11 either side of the car, at a! glan®e, and passing down to the fronti door took a side-way pose, and prepared! herself for a purgatorial half hour. { - There were 12 seated men, some of them young, and her heart burned with/ bitterness. L ‘ } At ‘Eighteenth street, where the horse-power is attached, some news-' boys: pushed in and the young woman/ idly remarked that gne.of two men Site ting behind her returned his paper; when the urchin’could not change the; roffered nickel. A& the car jogged glong at Twenty-second street a babel of voices yelled “papaas” in Italian or “papurs” in Anglo-Saxon. : : The young woman felt a tug at her gown from behind. It was the thin,; sharp man. He said: - i
_ “Get me a newsboy. I wantan evens ing paper.” | ;- “Sir!” replied the secretly delighted young person, “I am having sufficient difficulty to stand, without assisting yon to purchase a newspaper.” i Then up jumped the man, scarlet of face, and said: “Take my seat.” : - The young person -replied, coldly, calmly: “Thank you, no, I get out directly.” Tty i At this the man who had dug a hole and jumped into it became enraged, and with blazing eye and killing emphasis he turned on his adversary: | i “I never saw such a woman. A man can’t please you, whatever he does,” and he flounced angrily down by his friend. )
The young person affected to be deaf and oblivious of the bad man’s opiniom of her, and although she had the choica of ten seats she thought it clever to get out and wait for the next car.—Chicago Tribune. - s S
OFFICE-BOY LAWYERS. %
Collapse of a Grandiloquent Boast by &’ Budding Limb of the Law.
In one of the big downtown office buildings, tenanted principally by law= yers, a reporier rode down in an elevator with two boys, who, to judge from their conversation, were budding: limbs of the law. One of them was about 15 years of age, and the other, perhaps a couple of years his senior. I had that judgment opened: this morning,” remarked the younger of the two, flecking the ashes from a cigarette, “but I thought Giegerich . was a little slow aboutit.” i “Yaq-as,” drawled the other, “it’s certainly a great bore to have to spend so much time in court. Remember my; bond and mortgage case in the supreme? Well, it was enough to try anybody’s patience. ~The trouble with some of our judges, Frank, is that they, don’t know the rudiments of landlord and teriant law. I cited Pebbles vs. Bubbles, and it knocked him out. Where are you bound ?” ' : “Oh, I've got a little corporation matter on hand to-day,” was the reply, “Receiver wants to be relieved. I don’t know whether I’ll consent or not. I've got a demurrer to.argue besides, and—™ - By that time the car was 'at the ! ground floor. A stout, matronly wom= an stood wait-in%to'get in. e “Well, young man,” she said, address~" ing the boy who had been called Frark, “I was just about to go up and give you a. talking to, in front of your boss, Why didn’t you get father’s shoes that you took to be half-soled?” feie - “Hush, mother,” whispered “¥Frank,™ as his face reddened: “I don't want to be talking about that down here. I'm going to court.” ‘ : “You're ‘going to court, are you?” responded the stout lady in a loud tone. ° “Very well, go'to court, but if you come ‘home to-night without those shoes you get no supper and you don’t stira peg, out of the flat the rest of the week, Do you hear?” Ay el e e ~ “Say,” said the elevator man as he stuck his head out of the .car and grinned, “youw’ve run up against the chief justice of' the supreme court, haven't you? Gee-whizz!!"~N.Y, Mail
Some of the main buildings for ths Tennessee centennial exposition, which opens May, 1897, for six months, are _ practicaily finished, and are handsome structures. Nashville, where the expo~ sition will be held, has more than 125« 000 people in the city and immediate anhurhe R e : A