Pike County Democrat, Volume 29, Number 3, Petersburg, Pike County, 27 May 1898 — Page 7

’AS a sight to be Ions r • m • inhered. That I saw on the cars one day. As the train was fly* Ins southward.

in tot utter part or stay, tt was only two axed women Who met by chance that day. One had eyes of loveliest blue. The other, the sweetest gray. “Where go you?** said the blue-eyed one To her with the eyes of gray. “I'm going to visit my husband's grave. * la the southland far away." ■“Was he a soldierT** the blue-eyed asked. As she gazed in the eyes of gray : And half unconeciously she grasped Her hand tn a loving way. The eyes of gray lit up with pride; "Yes. he was a soldier true; He fell at the battle of 8hlloh”— "Oh! there'/where mine fell, too." And then they clasped each other and wept. The eyes of blue and gray Mingled their flood of sympathy As the train sped op its way. “What uniform did your “soldier* wear?" "My soldier wore the blue.** “Ah,” said the other, "mine wore the gray." "No matter, they both were true.” ’•‘Yes. they were true, our loved and lost. True till their dying day: And it matters not what they were on earth. They are clothed la white to-day." And when we came to the station, A very small town by the way. The men all stood bareheaded As the two went on their way. They walked up the street together. I.ike children hand in hand. Out on the country highway Where the old church used to stand. And on and on till they reached the place Where their soldiers brave were laid; Then they kissed and wept o'er each grave alike. And together knelt down and prayed; Then each told the other about the past. How they lived with their children dear. And agreed, while God would spare their lives, , • To meet there once a year. And then they walked back to the station. These soldiers* widows’ in tears. Helped by each other's sympathy. To bear their burden of years. Hack to the west they traveled. To their children, kind and true; One with eyes of the sweetest gray. The other, the loveliest blue. —N. Y. Sun.

AM THE ol«! sword, hangi n g quietly upon the wall over the mantelpiece. keen 1 y observant of all that takes place about rue. Nor am 1 rusty and

♦low. ibox tiara spots upon my polished blade are-specters of blood, ♦hades of the precious drops which, in more stirring days, were the red seals of counape, si pus manual of heroes, testifying to future generations their knowledge of heroic deeds. In the days of the Crusades, when mailed knights went forth to battle for the cross, the sword handle was held upright and by that they swore to heroic vows. Therefore when they ended with the words "“said by the sword.” it meant the untarnished truth. My handle, too, is a •cross. “Said by the sword,” now. as then means that I testify truly. Members of the sword family are long lived, maintaining their keenness and elasticity to old age. There are hundreds of years of service in me yet, and 1 may flash in the forefront of many a gallant charge when the sons and daughters of this generation have turned to dust. I flashed bravely in behalf of theohl dag in the civil war. How much worthier was the5 oft-quoted sword of Hunker Hill than the sword of Gettysburg and Appomattox * , I was presented t& Capt. Carroll, a young volunteer, in Is-il. A young lady with eyes brighter than my flashing blade or the Jewels upon my hilt made t£c presentation in behalf of the ladies, and 1 saw at once by the way in which the captain regarded her that he thought more of the gift because of the giver. She was petite, a mere morsel of humanity, but as dainty a morsel asever made a mark for Cupid’s busybow. Small in quantity, first-class in quality, with a hear; of the largest size in a 'body of the smallest, her luminous soul flashed in majestic courage | through love-lit eyes, and she was every. Inch a model of the devoted patriot women of 1&01 and ISG5. Off we went to the war. It was not I a junki t nor yet a pleasure excursion. In a few mouths the gallant ranks were] thinned, empty sleeves appeared in J many parts of the line, boyish faces became bronzed, and boyish spirits ripened in the sultry atmosphere of conflict into the strong, stern, sturdy hearts of veterans tried and true. 1 j Hashed ever well toward the front,and | many a time that flash leaping out iu ! the red flame of conflict became the beacon which led our boys to victory. In a year I led a regiment and glories! in the achievements of him whose chosen comrade 1 was. On went the union soldiers, their flag sometimes waving proudly in victory, sometimes trailing in temporary defeat, bat ever reappearing through the carnage to lead the hosts of patriots toward the inevitable and.

At the battle of Winchester my master and 1, fighting in the thickest of the fray, engaged a handsome confederate officer and were overmatched. Down fell Col. Carroll, his glazing eyes regarding me longingly as my captor bore me away. Much against my will 1 served him for awhile, and though swords regard it their duty to serve their owners regardless of the cause they espouse, it went against the grain to strike at those who wore the union blue. But my new master was every inch a soldier and a manly fellow. True hearts beat as nobly under confederate gray as under union blue. Thank God that the noblest of them all beat together in loyalty now! The fraternity of truly noble souls asserted itself upon occasion, even then. One day about four weeks after my capture. Col. Poindexter bore me on a round of visits through the hospitals. Past cot after cot we went, most of the pale faces thereon being those of union

bravely served the sire. Soldiers are always ready, so I gladly obeyed. Proudly we sailed the seas. Strangely enough my young master's chosen friend on the vessel was Carroll Poindexter, son of the confederate colonel who onee wore me for awhile. The son of the man in gray was the bosom friend of the son of the man in blue, both loyally serving under the old dag, united heart and soul against its foes. It pleased me to note their friendship as the sunny symbol following the storm cloud of civil war. Finally we an chored one day in a harbor of the tropics. The land-locked bay was almost in the center of a large city, whose gayly-colored houses stood out against backgrounds of palms, and farther still great mountains which erected nature's cathedral spires and lifted their sunlit summits to the azure sky. There was revolution on the beautiful island and feeling ran high. Sud

THERE WERE MEMORIAL WREATHS UPON EOTH PORTRAITS NOW.

soldiers. Suddenly we came to one upon which lay C'ol. Carroll, my comrade whom I had mourned as dead. Col. Poindexter recognized him at once, spoke kindly to him and spent some time in conversation. 1 could have leaped out of my scabbard in my anxiety to rejoin my brave comrade of the union cause, but 1 could not. It is our misfortune that we may change places only at the will of others. Suddenly a pleasant thing happened. Col. Poindexter unbuckled me from his belt, laid me on the eot beside Col. Carroll, said "Take your weapon, colonel, your courage entitles you to wear it," and walked swiftly away. Col. Carroll actually kissed me in his delight, and 1 verily believe his recovery was twice as rapid after that day. Soon after we were exchanged. and again led some of the boys in blue as they fought for the good old banner of the stars. Bt and by we saw the end together. At Appomattox the conquered banner bent low to ours, and its fewer stars set to rise no more forever. The gallant ranks in gray melted away and scattered to distant homes, and the ranks in blue marched proudly homeward, glad that the good cause was won. Not long after our return there was a wedding, and Celestia Kirk became Mrs. CarroLJ. Of course 1 was at the ceremony, and the two brightest creatures there was the pretty bride and myself. 1 was treated with distinguished consideration, and soon after installed in this placeof honorm the new home, a throne 1 have occupied ever since except for a period I shall soon tell you of. The observed of all observers, people like to notice me. and the family tells my story with a pride in my record as genuine as my own. That house was a center of patriotic influences, and 1 was usually brought into all discussions concerning the war, a flashing exclamation point emphasizing gladly what Coi. Carroll said. I saw my beloved master and his sweet-faced wife grow gray, their hair silvering ufttii it resembled the bullion decorations upon my scabbard and hilt. And 1 saw their two lovely boys grow up to stalwart young manhood, as proud of me as was their parents. To those boys I became also a mentor, oue they trusted and loved. At last one went to the naval academy at Annapolis, and one to the far west to seek his fortune, their parents once more taking up the burdens of the old life alone. 1 used to hear their conversation at eventide and hear the letters from the boys read. I may be made of metal, but it warmed I even my stern heart to note their happiness. the love which mellowed and return! with years. “True as steel.” is a common phrase. Sensitive as steel w ould be equally applicable. We swords ore b^ave. and the brave are ever tender hearted. Suddenly the letters from the younger sou ceased coming, and they j heard later that he had sailed away 1 from San Francisco for some distant land and that the vessel waa never j heard from again. They heard of this I in May. and when Memorial day came around a wreath of roses and forget-me-nots was placed around the portrait of the loved and lost, which flanked my position on the mantelpiece. On that Memorial day the other son came-home on furlough and announced his appoint^ meat as an officer upon ope of our cruiser*. My old master gave me to him. and bad* a* serve the mm as I bad

denly one night, as my master and his companion conversed in low tones in their hammocks, ♦here came a sound as of thunder, the great ship heaved and rocked, fires burst forth as though her interior had become the crater of a volcano, and by their baleful light bodies of men could be seen hurled into the air, som shattered, some whole, while underneath the watching sharks waited for their prey and overhead great vultures gathered for their grewsome feast. It seemed like a section of the judgment day breaking prematurely before the natural coming of the dawn. The Maine had been blown up and another event had been \\ritten in blood and flame upon the pages of history. The two comrades, my master and his friend, both died. They were brave and comely youths. God keep their memory green! I was sent home and again installed upon my throne, a more priceless relic now than ever. It chilled me to note the grief of the aged couple, now bereaved, with both the brave boys who would have cherished them in their old age, gone before them to the silent land. There werememorialwreatbsupon both portraits now which flanked me on either side and completed the row of precious things gracing this home altar. The open fire below seemed to be offering incense tb their metoory when the aged father at eventide unburdened his heart in prayer, his only arm clasping ! close his aged wife. Then came the sorrows. The home had been mortgaged to pay for the tuition of the boys, and the scanty pension served simply to meet the mere expense of living. The holder of the mortgage was one of those who think sentiment is unbusinesslike, men who think the dollar mark a better badge than the hero's scars. So the day of fate drew on apace and the skies of the | future seen from the little home dark- | ened. There was faith and courage there, but these do not heal scarred I hearts or shield the most heroic souls 1 from bitter sorrows. How I would have | liked to spike that hard-hearted old ! skinflint who sneered cynically at pleas made for time and opportunity. It is ; lucky for such wretches that swords ure powerless to act upon impulse or strike when the iron (or rather the steel) is hot. The night before the day of doom, that on which the aged couple were to be driven from the home made sacred bv precious memories, there was a knock at the door and who should walk in but young Lou's Carroll, the son who was supposed to have been lost on the Pacific. Stalwart, smiling, brown as a berry, be ciesped the aged parents, in his arms and they mingled smiles and tears in a confusion as charming as it was unphilosophical. The ship had been lost but all the passengers had not. Louis was one of the rescued, was takea in the schooner which picked them up to its far northern destinationnsoae of the whaling fleet in the Behring sea. and be had been out of reach of mall facilities and ordinary transportation. One letter he had entrusted to a roving Esquimo, but the man in furs had evidently proved a poor postman. Perhaps be had fallen a victim to a walrus or polar bear, and the letter reposed with his remains in its department of the interior. Better still, Louis had be^n to the Alaska mines and had been there rear aonably successful. Be vena not a tail' Bonaire, but he had aoggeta enough to , . s - ^ . - v * **• v,-. ./ yv

erect an efficient barrier again.** pnartgages for a lifetime. I heard him my after he paid Old Moneybags his claim, that he was strongly tempted to hit him with the flat of the sword which hung on the wall and then throw him out of the window. 1 wish he had, for I should like to hare had a share in the skirmish. Bis good 'mother rebuked him for the words, but I thought 1 saw a gleam of approval in his father’s eyes, though he too was a fairly good Christian under ordinary circumstances. And so the cloud over the little home lifted. Who was it that said: “At eventime there shall be light?” In life’s dim twilight the old people are happy and safe once more. When Memorial day comes I shall be worn again by the honored commander of the G. A. R. post as the members march proudly under their tattered battle flag to decorate the graves of their dead. Upon those grassy altars we will renew our vows of fidelity to the old flag and the union it gloriously represents. Already arrangements have been made with American friends at Havana, and a silken flag with flowers in profusion will lie on the grave of the young soldier I served, sleeping peacefully there with more than 200 comrades who wore the blue. In God’s good time, perhaps in 1899. soldiers of the Cuban republic, then, fully established, may plant the flags and scatter the flowers on those honored graves. And on the evening of Memorial day here we are to have a wedding. Louis

carrou, me reiurnea xuonaiKer, will marry Virginia Secession Poindexter, daughter of the man who onee captured me from her father-in-law. Captor and captured will be there, and the- whole squad will be union to the core. The dainty little maiden will practice what she preaches by her “union” with the son of the man in blue, and the old uniform will be brought out for the occasion, my honored self hanging as of old near the soldier’s side. The old soldier* will each wear blue and gray; blue in fadqduniforms,grav in beards and hair. Andwto tlje alcove in which the happy pair stared to be wed will flutter the tattered remnant of the old battle flag. Alas, of Ahe old comrades I am the only one whlKlooks as young as ever. I hope to fightrtne enemies of my country hundreds of years after all of you who read this sleep with the silent majority under the sod. Shall we meet in Hen^ en? St. John m Revelations speaks flaming swords thxere, and of flaunting blades. Be that as it may, “All’s well that ends well.” I leave those I loTe in the happy light which illumines their radiant faces as a result of the reunion and the wedding, the light of undying afFection which arches like a halo over the al tar of hom<». My simple story is ended. May its lessons lire in human hearts f or many years to come. __v_I. EDGAR JONES. PATH IARCHISM. A Colored Cltlien Has a Great Desire to Sktow i lls Peeallar Patriotism*. A gentleman 'vho was in Charleston on business last week tells a story that was in circular on in that live and patriotic West ,jVirginia city; While Gen. Appleton, adjutant general of the state.'was passing down one of the principal streets on his way to his office in the capitol a colored brother, and there arc scores and scores of them in that tov n^hailecf the general. “Gineral, ’scuse me for stoppin’ you, but I'd like to ax you a quessen. sah, if you’se got time ter answer hit.” “(Certainly, sir,” said Gen. Appleton. “What is it ?”* “Well, suh. does you think ther’s gwine to be wah ’” “It looks that way now, but I fear from the way the white men are pressing forward that you colored people will have a very slim chance to enlist. Did you think of going?” “No, sah: I can’t sav I*s achin’ to go. sah. but I would like, ef I have to, erlong wif lots uv odder colo'd men, to show my patriarehism. sah, foh you know, giner’l, dat de colo'd folk hab jist- as much patriarehism as de white folks, an’ we want to show hit."—Atlanta Constitution. SLEEP. SOLDIER. SLEEP!

Sleep, soldier. sleep! Thy work Is o'er. No more the bugle calls “to arms;“ Dream on beneath thy tent of green. Sleep. soldier. sleep. tree from alarms! Rest. as?ldler. rest! while we to-day Bring fragrant flowers, with reverent tread. To'deck the graves of those we love— A tribute to our honored dead. Sleep, soldier, sleep! Thy work is o'er. Sleep on and reel, free from all car*; While we dur gratitude express. With blossoms sweet and garlands fair. —W. G. Park, la Good Housekeeping. SlataUr Skip. The most singular ship in the world la the Polyphemus, of the British navy. It is simply a long steel tube, deeply buried in the water, the decks rising only four feet above the sea. It carries no roasts or sails, and is used as a ram and torpedo boat.—Boston BmM,

PRICES FALLING. 'Mutilal Depression Follow* tMo Introduction of the Gold Standard. If the falling prices since 1873 has been due to some cause other than the demonetization of silver we should hare expected the fall to be universal the world over. Yet, strange to the goldbug, while in every gold standard country prices have disastrously fallen, prices in the silver standard countries have remained substantially stable. United States Consul Whetmore, of Shanghai, has prepared an index number table of Chinese prices showing this fact beyond dispute; and the same has been true of Mexico and the other silver countries. But the most striking and conclusive example is Japan. Up to 1S97 that country had enjoyed the most marvelous prosperity. Her export trade increased from $5,000,000 in 1890 to $71,- | 000,000 in 1895, with the annual balance of trade of $5,000,000 in her favor. In 1S97, however, Japan decided to become “the England of the orient,’* and adopt- | ed the single gold standard. What has been the result ? Prices have begun to i fall and industrial depression has set in. : The Tiji Shimpo, the leading paper of Japan, in'reviewing the first year of the gold standard, says: “We can speak only in gloomy terms of the year just past. Commercial affairs and political affairs reached their lowest depths of depression and mismanagement. The introduction of the gold standard proved a complete failure.** And that paper states that the balance df trade I is against Japan. Says Greate) Japan, ] a magazine published in Japan in Eng- ] lish: “The adoption of the gold standj ard is the worst mistake ever committed by the government in the long history | of 30 years that have been passed since the present Meijji era began.” And it j adds: “Many of the factories in the | western part of Japan are closing or j only running on half time.” NOTES OR BONDS. Democrat* Obstructing RepabllcM Tax-Creating Measure* for Syndicate*.

Democrats in congress who are opposing the issue of $500,000,000 worth of bonds are acting in the interests of the people. Of course, the republicans raise a great howl that the democrats are “obstructionists,” but the democrats are simply obstructing an attempt to place a great and unnecessary burden of taxation upon the country. There are more ways of raising money with which to pay the expenses of the war than the cfiSI way, so dear to republicans—that of issuing bonds -with which to make the syndicates rich and to keep the masses poor. Treasury notes are Just as good as bonds,beingpayablein coin,and they do not carry any interest. Again, there is a great quantity of silver lying idle in the government vaults which ought to be utilized. The people know that the democrats are' fighting for their benefit, and the democrats are quite willing to go before the people on the issue raised by=the republicans. Treasury notes will have to be redeemed in the long run just as the bonds would have to be redeemed, but there would be no interest to pay on the notes, and that is why the money sharks are opposed to them. Every three months the bondholder would be able to thrust his hand into the treasury and loot it of interest. He could not do that if treasury notes were issued. “Anything to get interest out of the government” is the cry of the republican. And that is the extent of the bond buyer's patriotism.—Chicago Dispatch. A TRICK OF HANNA’S. The Maker W ork* a Rota* fader Cover of tke War Excitement. Hanna has turned a little trick under rover of the war excitement. That th$ game he has played is discreditable goes without saying. That it would

nave worsen m ordinary umes is uuuuifuL Worthington C. Fonl, who has held the office of the chief of bureau of statistics for ,the last fiTe years, and demonstrated rare capacity, has been removed. Giving the record of Statistician Ford the Pittsburgh Post says: “In 1893, when he took his office, it was in a condition of chaos and its reports of little account. It is the bureau that collects, complies and prepares for publication those exceedingly important returns of the country's commerce, industry and finance on which the future plans of merchants and financiers are based. Their value is known in all newspaper offices, and with all who concern themselves with economic subjects^’ ! Hanna has removed this capable officer and has put in his place ohe Austin, an I obscure Washington correspondent, who knows nothing whatever about the science of statistics. In the campaign of 1S96 Austin was hired by Hanna to compile campaign dodgers filled with misinformation. As a tool he proved -useful to Hanna, and for Kis reward he is given a place which he is in nowise competent to fill. This Is the kind of work Hanna calls statesmanship. This is one of the results of the disgraceful bargaining which made llanha a senator. -Those politicians and newspapers in the United States who are attributing the improved conditions here to the advent of Chinese wall protection might turn their attention to Canada and explain why that country is proportionately more prosperous than we are, while having low tariff. The present conditions in Canada, compared with what existed when protection was In force there, is to those capable of reasoning one of the best possible object lessons on the fallacy of Dingleylsm.— Sioux City Tribune.

Mr. DUster'a Avenloi to Coi Appear* to the Wor A BAD FEATURE. Revenue Bill. On© provision ol the bill to provide revenue for war purposes is of such an obnoxious character that it is likely to be stricken out by the senate. In general the bill distributes the burden of emergency taxation in a pretty fair sort of way. But the unconquerable aversion' to commerce possessed by Mr. Dingley crept into tbe bill in the shape of a tonnage tax on foreign shipping. It would naturally be supposed that our foreign commerce was sufficiently laden with the Dingley tariff duties, without adding the weight of heavy tonnage duty, which is in effect an addition toth© tariff rates. A representative of one of the leading steamship lines has been in Washington explaining the effect of such a. tax to the senators^ To Senator Allison he gave a specific illustration aa follows: ; , . “On© of our large freight steamers, the Pennsylvania or the Pretoria, of 8,139 tone net, would be charged *1.627.80 every Urn© she enters the port of New York, or, aa she makes eight trips yearly, this one steamer would have to pay a tax of 313,02140 per annum. This Is simply enormous. and will serve to prove the correctness of the contention as to the Influence of the tax towards a deviation of traffic, and give an Idea of them&gnltude of the Intended taxation in the aggregate.** This tax would simply divert commerce from the North Atlantic porta to Montreal,and the freight for the United States would come down by fail from Montreal instead of being distributed from New York. This would be putting work and wages in the way of the Canadian freight handlers and railroads, bringing stagnation on tbe ports of New York, Boston and Philadelphia, and make Montreal the leading port on the continent. It is to be hoped that the senate will be wise enough to wipa out this provision, which would not only weaken us by robbing us of tha profits of commerce, but would intensify the disaffection that th© Dingley law stirred up in many foreign nations —Utica Observer. >

PLAGUES THE INVENTORS. The Cam»ey Problem Raise* a Specter to Haaat tbe Republicans. The republican party has steadily boasted its invention of the greenbacks* the blood-stained greenback as Dick Oglesby called it. The greenback it a noninterest-bearing obligation, and more than 30 years^ after the civil war* during which the country's soldiers and sailors were paid in greenbacks, hundreds of millions of them are still in circulation. It was suggested by Secretory Gage, not, however, with the full assent of the president, that steps be taken by the issuance of interest-bear-ing bonds to redeem, retire and destroy greenbacks. This the party has refused to do. The blood-stained republican created greenback is still a feature of the national currency. Now that more currency is needed for tha prosecution of another war the republican house says issue interest-bearing bonds. The senate, however, hears a report from its finance committee to tbs effect that in providing more moneyresort may again be had to that form of government obligation which costs nothing but printing. There is no gain in this plan for the money loaner. If there be loss it must fall on everybody. Thus the currency problem returns to plague the inventor of the greenback* the republican party, which is now seeking to discredit the money it once topk credit for supplying. This is tbe absolute proof that the republican party of to-day is no longer the party of Lincoln, who was a real follower of Jefferson. COMMENTS OF THE PRESS. --The democrats in the senate have demanded an inheritance tax as a part of the Dingley war revenue bill.' What are the republicans going to do about that?—St. Louis Republic. -But for the overwhelming sentiment of tbe people of the United States^ as poured forth.from day to day in tbe democratic press, for th© past year.

Spain would never have been called to account for atrocities in Cuba by the present administration. — Columbus (O.) Press. --Let the republicans keep the currency question, the protection of trusts and the making of political appointments to the army in the background and they will find democrats voting with them in all measures looking toward the defeat of the common foe. —Chicago Dispatch. -Spain stands where she does to* day because for centuries she has been governed for the profit and glory of the politicians in power, regardless of the general good. That is the principle o| spoils, whether the politicians be called kings and nobles or bosses and heelers. It exists in every country and among every people.—Buffalo Express. -If we are to hove outlying provinces all over the world we shall have to create proconsuls (or something of that sort) to govern them and to supervise the collection of the provincial revenues. Of course, the great political bosses in New York, Pennsylvania, etc., will expect to have the naming of these functionaries. What a particularly fiat addition to the present political and financial assets of bossdom such a prerogative as that would be.—Hartford (Conn.) Courant. -The Ohio senate's report of bribery against Mark.Hanna is now in the hands of Vice President Hobart. The scheme is said to be to watch for a time when none but Hanna's friends are present and then cail for the report in the senate, with the expectation that it will be tabled and thus permanently disposed of. The senate cannot afford to treat the matter so lightly. And, pray, what kind of * “friend*’ is it that would want to treat so frivolously an serious a charge?—St., Lou4t Eepublks