Pike County Democrat, Volume 27, Number 41, Petersburg, Pike County, 19 February 1897 — Page 6

=========== TAT,MARE’S SERMON. ▲ Discourse on the Sin of Nebuchadnezzar, the King. Immnu to bo Loomed From the HomllloUoa ot the Frond—The Coos of Wicked Men—The iDmeratloa •f Sacred Things. ~Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage took for the subject of the following sermon: “A King Eating Grass,” baaing it upon the text: The same hour was the thing fullfiUed Mpon Kebuchadnexzar; and he was driven away from mm, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of Heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles* feathers, and his nails like birds* claws.—Daniel ir., S3. . Better shade your eyes lest they be put out with the splendor of Babylon, as some morning you walk out with Nebuchadnezzar on the suspension

bridges which hang from the house* tops, and he shows you the vast ness of his realm, ^.s the sun kindles the domes with glgiterings almost insufferable, and the great streets thunder up their pomp into the ear of the monarch, and armed towers stand around, adorned with the spoils of conquered empires, Nebuchadnezzar waves his hand above the stupendous •ceue and exclaims: “Is not this great Babylon, that 1 have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” But iu an instant all that splendor is gone from his vision, for a voice falls from Heaven, saying: “Ob, King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spokeu: The*5 kingdom is departed from thee; and they shall drive thee from men. and thy dwelling ahall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven years shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High roleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” One hour from the time he made the boast he is on the way to the fields, a maniac, and, rushing into the forests, he becomes one of the beasts, covered with eagles’ feathers for protection from the cold, and his nails growing to birds’ claws in order that he might dig the earth for roots and climb the trees for nuts. You see there is a great variety in the Scriptural landscape- In several discourses we have looked at mountains of excellence. but now we. look down into a great, dark chasm of wickedness as we couie to speak *>f N -buehadnezzar. God in His word sets before us the beauty of s£lf-de-niai, of sobriety, of devotion, of courage. and then, lest we should not thoroughly understand llim. He introduced Daniel and Paul, and Deborah, as illustrations of those virtues.

God also speaks to us in tits word as to the hatefulness of pride, of folly, of impiety, aud lest we should not thoroughly understand Mini, introduced Kebuchaduezzar as the impersonation of these forms of depravity. The former style of character is a lighthouse, showing us a way* into a safe harbor, and the latter style of character is a black buoy swinging on the rocks, to show where vessels w reek themselves. Thanks unto God for both the buoy and the lighthouse! The host of Nebuchadnezzar is thundering at the gates of Jerusalem. The crown of that sacred city is struck into the dust by the hand of Babylonish insolence. The vessels Of the temple, which had never been desecrated by prolate touch, were ruthlessly seized for sacrilege aud transportation. Oh., what a sad hour when those Jews, at the command of the invadiug army, are obliged to leave the home of their nativity! Mow their hearts must have been wrung with anguish when, on the day they departed, they heard the trumpets from the top of the temple announcing the hour for morning sacrifice, aud saw the smoke of the altars ascending around the holy hill of Zion, for they all knew that in a far distant land they would never hear that trumpet cail, nor behold thp majestic asccut of tlie sacrifice. Ue- ) hold those captives on the road from * Jerusalem to Babyioa! Worn and weary, they dare not halt, for round about arc armed men urging them on with hoot, and shout, and blasphemy. Aged men totter along on their staves, weeping that they could not lay their bones in the sleeping place of their fathers, and children wondered at the length of the way and sobbed themselves to sleep w hen the night had fallen. It seemed as if at every step a heart broke. But at a turn Jii^the road Babylon suddenly spriugTuptfrt, the view- of the captives, with its gardens aud palaces. A shout goes up from the army as they behold their native city, but not one huzza is heard from the captives. These exiles saw no splendor there, for it was not at home. The Euphrates did. not have the watergleant of the brook Kedrou or the pool ot Siloatn. The willows of Babylon, on which they hung their untuned harps, were not as graceful as the trees which at the foot of Mount Moriah seemed to weep at the departed glory of Judah, and all the fragrance that descends from the hanging gardens upon that great city was not so sweet as one breath of the acacia and fraukinsccnse that the high priest kindled in the sauctuarj at Jerusalem. On a certain uight, a little while after these captives had heeo= brought to his city, Nebuchadnezzar Is scared with a uight vision. A bad man’s pillow is apt to be stuffed w ith deeds and forebodings which keep talking in the night. lie wiii find that the eagles* down in lu pillow will stick him like porcupine quills. The ghosts of old transgress.uus are apt to wander about in the darkness and beckon and hiss. Yet when the.morniug came he found that the vision had entirely fled from him. Dreams drop uo anchors, and therefore are apt to sail aw*y before we can fasten them. Nebuchadnezzar calls all the w ise men of the land into his presence, demauding that by their necromancy they explain his dream. They, of course fall. Then their; wrathful king issues an edict with as little sense as mercy, ordering the

slaying- of all the learned men of the country. But Daniel the prophet comes in with the interpretation just in time to save the wise men and the Jewish captives. My friends, do yon not see that pride and rain ride in the same saddle? See Nebuchadnezzar on the proudest throne of all the earth, and then see him graze with the sheep and the cattle! Pride is commander, well plumed and caparisoned, but it leads forth a dark and frowning host. The arrows from the Almighty’s quiver are apt to strike a man when on the wing. Goliath shakes his great spear in defiance, but the smooth stones from the brook made him stagger and fall like an ox under a butcher’s bludgeon. He who is down can not fall. Vessels scudding under bare poles do not feel the force of the storm, while those with all sails set capsize at the sudden descent of the tempest. Remember that we can be as proud of our humility as of anything else. Antisthenes walked the streets of Athens with a ragged cloak to demonstrate his humility, but Socrates declared he could see the hypocrisy through the holes in his cloak. We would all see ourselves smaller than we are if we were as philosophic as [ Severus, the emperor of Rome, who 1 said at the close of his life: , “1 have | been everything, and everything is j nothing.” And when the urn that was ] to contain his ashes was at his com- j mand brpught to him, he said: “Little urn, thou shalt contain one for whom the world was too little.” Do you not also learn from the misfortune of this king of Babylon what ! a terrible thing is the loss of reason. J There is no calamity that can possibly j befall us in this world so great as de- j rangement of intellect, to have the body of man and yet to fall even be- { low the instinct of a brute. In this j world of horrible sights, the most I horrible is the idiot's stare. In this world of horrible sounds, the most j horrible is the maniac's laugh. A i vessel driven on the rocks, when huu- i dreds go down never to rise and other I hundreds drag their mangled and [ shivering bodies upon tne winter's | beach, is nothing comprred to the • foundering of intellects full of vast i

hopes and attainments and capacities. Christ's heart went out toward those who were epileptic, falling into the lire, or maniacs cutting themselves among the tombs. We are accustomed to be more grateful for physical health tbau for the proper working of our mind. We are apt to take it for granted that the intellect which has served us so well will always be faithful. We forget that an engine of such tremendous power, where the wheels have such vastness of circle aiid such swiftness of motion, and the least impediment might put it out of gear, cau only be kept iu balance by a Divine hand. No human hand could engineer the train of immortal faculties, llow strange it is that our memory, on whose shoulders all the misfortunes and successes and occurrences of a lifetime are placed, should not ofteuer bread down, and that the scales of judgment, which have been weighing so much and so long, should not lose their adjustment, and that fancy, which holds a dangerous wand, should not sometimes maliciously wave it, bringing into the heart forebodings and hallucinations the most appalling! Is it not strange that • this iniud, which hopesso much in its mighty leaps for the atiaiument of its objects, should not be dasiied to pieces on its disappointments? Though so delicately tuned, this instrument of uutold harmouey plays on, though fear shakes it and venations racks it aud sorrow and joy and loss aud gain in quick succession beat out of it their dirge or toss from it their anthem. At morning aud at nig»ht, when in your prayer you rehearse the causes of your thanksgiving, neat to the salvation of Jesus Christ, praise the Lord for the pres

ervatiou of your reason. See also iu this story of Nebuchadnezzar the use that God makes of bad uieu. The actions of the wicked are used as instruments for the punishment of wickedness in others or. as the illustration of some principle in the Divine government. Nebuchadnezzar subserved both purposes. ‘Even so I will go back w ith you to the history of every reprobate that the world has ever seen, aud 1 will show you how, to a great extent, his wickedness was limited in its destrpctive power, and how God glorified Himself iu the overthrow and disgrace of His enemy, iiabylon is full of aboutiuatiou. and wicked Cyrus destroys it. Persia tills the cup of its iniquity, and vile Alexander puts an end to it. Macedon must be chastised, and bloody Euiiiius does iL The Uastile is to. be destroyed, aud corrupt Napoleon accomplishes it. Even so selfish and wicked men are often made to accomplish great and glorious purposes. Joseph's brethreu were guilty of superlative perfidy and meanness when they .sold him into slavery for about seven dollars, yet how they must have been overwhelmed when the truth that God never forsakes the righteous when they saw he had become the prime minister of Egypt! Pharaoh oppresses the Israelites with the most diabolic tyranny; yet stand still aud see the salvation of God. The plagues descend, the locust, and the hall, and the destroying angel. showing that there is a God who will defend the cause of liis people, aud finally, after the Israelites have passed through the parted sea, behold, iu the wreck of the drowned army, that God's enemies are chaff in a whirlwind! In some financial panic the righteous suffered with the wicked. Houses aud stores aud shops hr a uiglit foundered on the rock of bankruptcy, aud healthy credit without warning droppeddead to the street, aud money ran up the long ladder of 25 per cent, to laugh down upou those who could not climb after it. Dealers with pockets full of securities stood i shooting in the deaf ears of hanks. Men rushed down the streets with protested notes after them. Those, who before found it hard to spend their money, were left without

money to spend, to see hunger In their chair at the table and upon the hearth. Winter blew his breath of frost through fingers of icicles, and sheriffs with attachments dog among the cinders of fallen storehouses, and whole cities joined in the long funeral procession, msrching to the grave of dead fortunes and a fallen commerce. Verily, the righteous suffered with the wicked, but generally the wicked had the worst of it. Splendid estates that had come together through schemes of wickedness were dashed to pieces like a potter's vessel, and God wrote with letters of fire, amid the ruin and destruction of reputations and estates that were thought impregnable, the old-fashioned truth, which centuries ago He wrote in His Bible: “The way of the wicked He turns upside down.” As the stars of Heaven are reflected from the waters of the earth, even so God’s great and magnificent purposes are reflected back from the boiling sea of human passion and turmoil. As the voice of a sweet song uttered among the mountains may be uttered back from the cavernous home of wild beast and rocks split and

thunder-scarred, so the great harmonies of God's providence are run&back from the darkest caverns of Urn sinstruck earth. Sennacherib, and Abimelech, and Herod, and Judas, and Nero, and Nebuchadnezzar, though they struggled like beasts unbroken to the load, were put into a yoke, where they were compelled to help draw ahead God’s great projects of mercy. Again, let us learn the lesson that men can be guilty of polluting the sacred vessels of the temple and carrying them away to Bay Ion. The sacred vessels in the temple at Jerusalem were the cups and plates of gold and silver with which the rites and ceremonies were celebrated. The laying of heathen hands upon them nud the carrying them off as spoils was an unbounded offense to the Lord of the temple. Yet Nebuchadnezzar committed this very sacrilege. Though that wicked king is gone, the sins he inaugurated walk up and down the earth, cursing it from century to century. The sin of desecrating sicred things is committed by those who on sacramentjgt day take the communion cup,while their conversation and deeds ali show, that they live down in Babylon. How solemu is the’sacrament! It is a time for vows, a time for repentance, a time for faith. Sinai stands near, with its fire-spit cloud«, and Calvary, with its victim. The holy spirit broods over the scene, and the glory of Heaven seems to gather in the sanctuary. Vile indeed must that mhn be who will come in from his idols and unrepented follies to take hold of the sacred vessels of the temple. O, thou Nebuchadnezzar! Back with you to Babylonl Those also desecrate sacred things who use the Sabbath for auy other than religious purposes. This holy day was let down from Heaven amid the intense.secularities of the week to remind us that we are immortal, and to allow us preparation for an endless state of happiness. It is a green spot in the hot desert of this world that gushes with fountains aud waves with palm trees. This is the time to shake the dust from the robes of our piety aud in the tents of Israel sharpen our swords for future conflict. Heaven, that seems far off on

other days, alights upou the earth, and the song of Heavenly choirs and the hosannah of the white-robed seem to mingle with our earthly worship. We hear the wailing Infant of Bethlehem, and the haminer-stroke of the carpenter’s weary son in Nazareth, and the prayer of Gethsemane, and the bitter cry of Golgotha. Glory be unto the Lord of the Sabbath! With that one day in seveu God divides this great sea of business and gt^ety, so that drj’-shod we may pass between the worldly business of the past and the worldly business of the future! He who breaks the Sabbath not more certainly robs God than robs himself. Inevitably, continuous desecration of the sacred day euds either in bankruptcy or destroyed health. A merchant said: “Had it not been for the Sabbath I have no doubt I should have been a maniac long ago. ” This remark was made in a company of merchants, and one of them said: “That corresponds with the experience of my friend, a great importer. He often said: “The Sabbath is the best day of the week to plan successful voyages.' He has for years been in an insane hospital, and will probably die there.” Rev. William Jay met a countryman who said to him: “I was extremely alarmed this morning, sir. It was very foggy ami I was going down to a lonely place, and I thought I saw a strange monster. It seemed in motion, but I could not discern its form. 1 do not l*ke to turn back, but my heart beat; and the more I looked the more 1 was afraid. But as I approached 1 saw it was a man, and who do'you think it was?” “I know not.” “Oh, it was my brother John.” Then Mr. Jay remarked: “It was early in the morning and very foggy, and how often do we thus mistake our Christian brethren.” Jnst in proportion as men are wrong will they be boisterous in their religious contentions. The lamb of religion is always gentle, where there is no lion so fierce as the roaring lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour. Let Gibraltar belch their war flame on the sea, and the Dardanelles darken the Hellespont with the smoke of their batteries, but forever and ever let there be good will among those who profess to be subjects of the Gospel of gentleness.” Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will te men.” What an embarrassing thing to meet in Heaven if we have not settled our controversies on earth. So I give out for ail people of all religions to sing, John Fawcett's hymn, in short meter, composed in 1772, but just as appro priate in ls&7: Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love,' The fellowship of kindred nsinds Is like to that above. From sorrow, toil sad pain. And sin we shall be free.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. the Kloqaent Alabama N«(ro Talks m tba Neppo Problem at the Republic** Leapuc Lincoln Day Banquet. Zanxsville, O., Feb. 14.—Booker T. Washington, principal of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial institute. Tuskegee, Ala., the most brilliant colored orator of the south, was one of ihe guests at the Lincoln day banquet af the Ohio Republican league Friday evening. He spoke to the sentiment: “Solving the Negro Question in the Black Belt of the South,” add said, tmong other things: “The negro problem is passing from a question of sentiment into one ot industrial and commercial business. Little can be gained Tor the negro by abuse of the south. Little can be gained for the white man by abuse of the negro. That negro that loves a white man Is ten-fold greater than a white man who hates a negro. The key to the solution of thq race problem in the south is in the commercial and Indu trial development in the negro that shall rest upon the highest and broadest culture. We have 830 students at Tuskegee from C states. 31 instructors and a colony of 1.100 persons. Together with lit- j erary training we train in 26 differ- i ent Industries. Of the 37 buildings ail except ! three were erected by students. They hav% sawed the lumber, made the bricks, done the j masonry, carpentry, plastering, painting and : unsmlthlng. The property is now valued at > 1260.000, and is the work of the students of the ’ past 15 years. “We have a great object lesson in the civilization of the negro, and hope to make it felt all over the black belt. The negro was tied to the white man in slavery through the bill of sale, lu freedom he must tie himself to the white man through the bonds of ..commerce and the cultivation of the sympathetic good will of his neighbors. When a black man has the best farm in his county every white man will tespecthim. A white man honors the negro that lives in a two-story brick house, whether he wants to or j not. In all history can you find a race that ; possessed property, industry and intelligence that has long been dehjed its rights? If the possession of these elements do not bring to | the negro every right enjoyed by other citizens j then the Bible and the teachings of the great j Jehovah are wrong.” AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL Products, Invading the Home Market of ! Great Britain, Create Consternation. * Pittsburgh, Pa., Feb. 15.—British j makers of iron and steel products are 1 alarmedoat the invasion of their home markets by American manufacturers. It is stated that tin plate bars have been exported to the Welsh tinned plate mills for several months and that I some of the tin plates imported re- I cently were made out of American steel, Bessemer steel billets have been exported and one Pittsburgh firm is reported to have beeu recently shipping on an order for 20,000 tons of billets which have been landed on the west coast of England at a price of 12 | shillings below the local price. Other \ forms of iron and steel exported ex- i tensively are hardware, mechanical [ tools and various forms of machinery. ; Wages in American *rfiills are more j than double the wages paid in En- ; glish mills for similar work. It is , claimed that the higher cost of labor j in the United States lias gi ven to era- j ployers a greater incentive to use la- j bor-saving machinery, and that th« j

labor cost per ton in American mills is i so low, as compared with the cost in ; England, by reason of the larger out- i put per day, that the cost per ton is j actually below what it is at the most ! favored mills in Great Britain, and almost as low as in*Gertnauy. SENATOR-ELECT MASON Taken Suddenly 111, Is Sent South by Ills Physician. Chicago, Feb. 14. —Much alarm was created and sensational rumors circu- ; lated yesterday because Senator-elect i Wra. E. Mason suddenly fainted in his library at home while surrounded by a group of visitors, mostly politicians | and office seekers. Mr. Ma^on has 1 been showing the effect of mental and j physical strain occasioh&d by bis sen a- i toriat campaign, and when be collapsed the thirty odd men who crowded the warm room spread the story that he had been stricken with apoplexy or nervous prostration, after ; they were hurriedly dismissed from J the house. The unconscious senator was car- ' ried to his bedroom and Ur. A. W. j Gray, who was summoned, quickly re- j vived him. The physician advised the immediate departure of Mr. Mason aouthward or the consequences would be serious. Accordingly, Mr. Mason, accompanied by members of his family, left at once for Florida. THE APPROPRIATIONS fur the Congress Just Ending the Appro. ' print Ions Will Exceed a Billion. Washington, Feb. 1a.—The following is published as an approximate estimate of the appropriations which will be made by the present congress: Post office...S 9S.S11.00C Sundry civil.....-. 50,fl#4.'«* District of Coiumoia. o.St-VuU Military academy. ,. 474.au* Diplomatic and consular . 1.872.0 t Port ideations. .. 9.17S. «Wt Agricultural.-. 3.IS5.U0* Pensions. 140.000.0IX . a. 128,00* Legislative, executive and juiilciaL 21.fl88.000 j Indian. 7X44jid I Naval (estimated). 34,i**UWt Urgent deficiency.. SB1.W f General deficiency (estimated)— I5.UU>U0* i Total. .. ..t flOB-fll^OOC Permanent annual appropriations..# 12O.00U.'4X Appropriations, first session....... 315,!-*£>4M* Grand total for the Fifty-fourth congress..tl .044.4f3.00* All the bills reported to the house at this session carried larger appropriations than the year before. In addition to this the senate will add a per-) centage of increase to the above figures. Speaker Reed and Mr. C&duod are consequently said to be disposed to view the situation with some alarm.

FUTILE OPPOSITION. ■ the Ttncioelu Bo an clary Trait; WU1 kt .KattfiMl at CaMctu. Washixotos. Feb. 14.— Satisfactory assurance* hare been received from Caracas that the Venezuelan boundary treaty has been coropeletly ratified. The government is in a position to aesert this confidently after the careful canvass that will be made among its supporters. The opposition is declared to be confined to an insignifleantgminority which has weakened in* stead of gained strength in its efforts to spent the work of the negotiators.

PASSENGER SERVICE FIGURES. OslBloa of Iowa State Board of Railroad ComuluioBm. W. W. Field, of Odebolt. president of the state agricultural society of'Iowa, anxious to enlighten its members on the merits of the railroad question, sought for information from the state board of railroad commissioners as to the average rate of fare in Iowa; the cost to railroads of carrying a passenger a mile; how the agriculturists may ascertain what rate would be fair to both sides, and asking for the opinion of the commissioners on the subject. In reply an open letter has been written by W. W. Ainsworth, secretary of the commission, saying in part: The questions suggested by you have recently been considered b>fc the board of railroad and warehouse commissioners of Illinois in response to an inquiry made by the state grange of that state. Its conclusion was that it “would be unwise, unwarranted and unjust to the railroad in cer* ests of the state to comply with this request” The matters suggested by you have received our long and careful consideration, and, unless the questions were presented in a more formal manner, we doubt the propriety of expressing our own opinion with freedom. We will state some of the more salient facts, and these will aid you to form your own conclusions in the matter. From the statistics given in the report of this commission for 18t5 it appears the average amount received by the railroads doing business in Iowa for carrying one passenger one mile during the year was 2.27 cents. The returns from which these results are obtained do not include any passengers carried free. The large number of passengers who have traveled upon reductions or rates as permitted by our statutes -ministers of the Gospel, organizations of our military, excursions on holidays, special rates to meetings of many organizations, state and county fairs—are factors that reduce the average fare to the amount above stated. It is obvious, therefore, that the average must always be lower than the rate Axed by law. The character of the business renders it impossible to make any rate that will be absolutely uniform.

In arriving: at the cost of carrying on® passenger one mile, as above given, nothing is charge*! on account of the expenses of the railroads for interest, rents, taxes and miscellaneous fixed charges, and. of course, nothing for dividends on stock. The passenger traffic should, of course, bear its proportion of these expenses, which constitute part of the cost of doing the business. From statistics compiled by the in-, terstate commerce commission it appears that to charge the passenger business of the railroads with its proportionate share of the fixed charges, not including anything, however, on account of dividends and crediting it with mail and express earnings, would give us as the actual cost 2.57 cents. The statement of the Illinois commission that there has been a general reduction of passenger business is undoubtedly confirmed by the statistics. For the whole United States the number of passengers carried one mile for each mile of railroad In 1SS0 was 75.751: in 1SS5 it was 6S.572. Though the number of passengers carried was less, the passenger car mileage was greater in 1S95 than in 1S90, which, of course, increased the cost per passenger In 1$9J the total number of miles ruh by passenger trains in the United States was 2S5.573.SiM; in 1S95 it was 317,565,615. In 1895 the revenues from passenger service in the United States decreased $33,103.37$ as compared with 1S94, though the figures for 1S95 include 2,055.29 miles of road more than in ISM. The foregoing statements, which are based upon the most accurate statistics obtainable, at this time indicate: 1. That at the present time the average fare charged in Iowa is less than the actual cost of transporting the passenger. 2. That within the last three or four years passenger earnings have decreased without a corresponding decrease In the cost of doing the business. Some of the considerations tending'-to throw light on this subject are the rates of fare elsewhere, the density of population, the earnings per mile of road derived from the passenger service, and whether a decrease in the rates woifld increase traffic so as to render it practicable to perform the desired service at the decreased rate. 1 Unless changes have been recently made that have not come to the notice of the commission the following are the rates prevailing in the countries named: England—First class, 4.2 cents; second, 3.2 cents: third, 2 cents. - France—First class, 4 cents; second, 3 cents; third, 2 cents. Italy—First class, 3.6 cents: second, 2.6 cents: third, 1.8 cents. Holland—First class, 3.2 cents; second, 2.6 cents; third, 1.6 cents. Belgium—First class, 2.4 cents: second, LS cents- third. 1.2 cents. Except in England no baggage is carried free, and the accommodations in the smaller foreign countries are in every respect much inferior to those furnished in Amer

The density of population also affects the volume of passenger traffic. Where the population is dense there will be more travel than in sparsely-settled districts. In Iowa the population per square mile is about 38: in England, 541: Belgium, 514; Holland. 350: Italy. 263: France. 1S7; New York, 139; Ohio, S9; New England. S3: Illinois, 75. Missouri, 43: Wisconsin, 34: Nebraska, 15; Kansas, 19; South Dakota. 5. The population per mile of railroad in Iowa is about 247, In Illinois it is about 195; New York, $13: New England. 73S; Missouri. 447: Wisconsin. 306; Nebraska, 209; Kansas, MS: South Dakota. 129. ._ The average passenger earnings per mile., as shown by the last report to this commission, of the roads operating in Iowa are 3560. The Kansas report for 1S?S shows J*»4, the Illinois report 31.5S2. and, as shown by the report of the interstate commerce commission, they are 34,422 in Near England, 34.513 in New York, and in Ohio 31.95L It appears from the report of this commission for 1S93 that the average distance traveled by each passenger over the Iowa roads during the current year was 31.13 miles. The average fare therefore paid ty each Rissenger was 70.64 cents. If the fare was two cents a mHe the average passenger would save 3.4 cents. Whether and to what extent this difference would induce people to travel more than they do now on account of *buslness. necessity or pleasure, you can determine for yourself. Other matters worthy of consideration In this connection are the present efficiency of the passenger service, what effect. if any, a decrease in passenger earnings would have upon the passenger service generally, and especially upon the number and character of the local trains. It is evident that as yet the Iowa railroads have not been brought up to a proper physical condition. With scarcely an exception, every line in the state demands large expenditures, am! some of tlem in the very near future, for ballast, ties new steel, changes in grades, double tracks and additional equipment. WOMAN'S WORLD OF FASHION. Feathers nr© lavishly used in hairdressing-; also stiff bows of lace embroidered with iridescent beads or spangles. The divided pompadour is considered a very becoming style, and, with the soft rolls of waved hair on either side. is a pleasing fashion for those whose face it suits. There is a steady demand for hosiery with black ankles and feet had colored tops. The hose arbiter the most part ribbed, and same of them base Qjsea*

Pure Is what everyone should have at this Bloo*'' season Therefore portly and enrich yaat blood now with a thorough course of Sarsaparilla The best—fn fact the One Tree Blood Purifier. Hood’s PillsSg£&r5l£““> 1 Stack to HU Lines. An actor, while flaying in a small village, was representing the part of a persecuted guardian of an orphan heir. Of course the pursuers are on his track and bent on killing him in order to secure the inheritance. For a long time he escapes; at length he is seized and throwta into a room, the three doors of which are locked and bolted. On recovering himself he runs to one door %nd shakes it. “Locked!” he cries. He then runs to the second. “Locked!” He runs to the third, which opens readily at the first effort. The actor shots it again with a bang and then exclaims in a tone of yet deeper despair: “Locked!” Thundering applause. —London Tit-Bits.

• 1.00 FOR 14 CENTS. Millions now plant Salzer’s seeds, but millions more should; hence offer: 1 pkg. Bismarck Cucumbers..15e 1 pkg. Bound Globe Beet.... 10c 1 pkg. Earliest Carrot.... 10c 1 pkg. Kaiser Wilhelm Lettuce.15c 1 pkg. Burliest Melon.........,10c 1 pkg. Giant Yellow Onion.....15c 1 pkg. 14-Day Radish.. . .10c 3 pkgs. Brilliant Flower Seeds..... ..15c Xow all of above 10 packages, including our mammoth plant and seed catalogue, are mailed you free upon receipt of about 14 cents’ postage. 25 pkgs. Earliest Vegetable Seed.. $1.00 21 Brilliant Blooming Plants.$1.00 John A. Salzer Seed Co., La Crosse, Wis. [K] “Do you rectify mistakes here?” asked a gentleman, as he stepped into a chemist’s. “Yes. sir, we do, if the patient is still alive,** replied the urbane clerk.—Glasgow Times'.

State of Ohio, Citt of Toledo, > Ldcas County. \ Frank J. Cheney makes oath that he is the senior partner of the tirm o, F. J. Cheney i Co., doing business in the eitv of Toledo, County and State aforesaid, and that said hrm will pay the sum of One Hundred Dollars for each and ,every*ease of catarrh that tannot*.be cured bv the use of Hall’s Catarrh Cure. ' FRANK J. CHENEY. Sworn to before me and subscribed in my {tresenee, this 6th dav of Decernt^er. A. D. SS6. A. W. GLEASON, [Seal] Notary Public. Hall’s Catarrh Cure is taken internally and acts directly on the blood and mucous surfaces of the svstem. Send for testimonials, free. F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, O. Sold by druggists, 75e. Hall's Family Pills are the best. She—“Do you love me for myself alone, dearest?” He—“Of course. I do. You don't suppose I want vour mother about all the time, do you?”—^Judy. \o-To-Hac for Fifty Ceuta. Over 400,000cured. Why not let Xo-To-Bac regulate or remove your desire tor tobacco? Saves money, makes health and manhood. Cure guaranteed, 50c and $1.00, all druggists. Famous Author (who has been invited to dinner, io himself)—“What a wretched menu! T'fch^ll take care not to make any witty’ remarks^^Fliengende Blatter. Fits stopped free and permanently cured. No fits after first day’s use of Dr. Kline’s Great Nerve Restorer. Free $2 trial bottle St treatise. Dr. Kline, 033 Arch st., Phila., Pn. Mother (impatiently)—“I don’t know what will ever become of that child; nothing pleases him.” Father (serenely)—“Well, we’ll make an art critic of him.”—TihBita. Any ache, from toothache to backache^ St. Jacobs Oil will cure. Nothing creates quite as great commotion as a woman who has lost her pocketbook. What was in it had nothing to do with the case.—Washington Democrat. -- —. —■*

A LETTER TO WOMEN From Mrs. James Corrigan. For seventeen years I have suffered. Periods were so very painful that I would have to go to the doctor every month. He said that I had an enlargement oi the womb, and told my husband that 1»

muse undergo an operation, as I had tumors in the womb, and it was a case of f A life or death. 1M

i was operated upon twice, .but it did not seem to do me any good, it made me very weak. I was troubled with the leu-, corrhoe.a a great deal. I also suffered with the sick headache, romiting

spells, backache all the time, terrible pain in my left side, chills* loss of appetite, and could not sleep nights. After taking several bottles of Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound, some Liver Pills, and using your Sanative Wash, 1 recovered. I can eat well, and every can that sees me tells me I am a different person. I can do all my own work, sleep well and feel well. I am growing stronger every day, and am able to go out and enjoy a walk and not feel all, tired out when I return, as 1 used to I doctored for sixteen years, and in all those years 1 did not feel as well as Ido at the present time. I wish that every woman that is troubled as I was, would try that medicine. Oh! it ia so good to feel well, and it is all owing to Mrs. Pinkham’s kind advice and medicine. —Mbs. Jambs Cobbioas, 384 Center tit* Jamaica Plata. Mass.