St. Joseph County Independent, Volume 22, Number 5, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 22 August 1896 — Page 2

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CHAPTER XV. Rufus Crouch, clad in a coarse white slop suit, like a dock laborer or navvy, and puffing forth smoke from the short and blackened pijM* that was his almost inseparable companion, camo striding up the long and narrow valley that led from the sea coast to that hollow in which his unenviable dwelling stoixl. Ue walked more swiftly, and more strongly, too, than could have been conjectured of a man of his bund. Ue walked up to a corner of the hut where sundry tools were stacked, selccle I a erowbar, small. sharp-pointed, and made of as good steel as ever Sheffield sent forth, and, armed with this instrument, and carrying a great petroleum lamp, he approached tht now tireless hearth, on which there lay. cold and dead, the ashes of his tire of pest and Using the strong steel crowbar with considerable skill. Rufus Crouch managed to lift the heavy hearthstone and to ■way it to one side, giving to view be neath a cavity artfully contrived to serve ns a place of deposit for articles too precious to lie lef in some cupboard or other unprotected receptacle in a house so often tenantless. The hole held only two objects; the one a c mmon jar of baked clay, with a lid. such as in Holland is used for the storag ’ of tobacco, the other n large tin b *x, fastened by a padlock. Rufus lifted the lid of the Dutch tabu* > jar. and threw a casual glance at the money gold, silver and eopp. r coins mixed together that lay Ixdow. Then lie replaced the oner, and unlocking the pad lock with a key which, like that other which he first emp' >yod, was attached to his silver watt h chain, he drew forth a number of papers and parchments. From these he separated a particular deed, and began, for pet haps the hundredth true, with greedy eyes't * study its contents. “Not a doubt ah or it.” he i:mif*Tcl “all that sum o' sc 1 , only thousand jxiumD, Consolidated Three per Cents, with all unclaimed bad; dividends therefrom accruing, belongs as certainly to Violet, only

daughter Here the I moly Mudoir's interested ' commentary on the legal document in his ' ' clutch was in. -n:;e ■’ by a whining cry from the dogs wit! »nt, a tap at the door. ’ the lifting of the hitch, and it was Ola diah Jedson's towering tigure that now darkened the dmirxav. “Here, Rutas, man’.'’ said the deep, rotuuuil voice ol tiie c.ipiam of the jet hunters; “you must be deaf or busy. I knocked before, and 1 gave the word l»»- 1 fore I came in However, all's well; only time is short." “What’s up. captain?" confusedly dv mended the occupant of the hut, as he huddled together die law papers that lay before him on the untidy table, and looked askance at th’ newcomer. “I was reading —a thing I don't often do," he continued, with a constraints! laugh; “poring over a lot of old letters What stirring. Captain Jedson?' “We ought to to," answerci old Obadiah, frowningiy. “In digging the foundations for the new pier at 1 •.inebonuigh jet traces have been found very g>d ones, since nine pounds' weigi t were pick ed up by mere children in a couple of hours. 1 hav<- seen the stuff and the place, and 1 have be, n round to sunn the lads and women to muster nt Da ■ borough Old Pi r a: five to n w me":;. In your turn. Rut: '. mate. 1 have emne to you. 1 loos to you a.s my lieutenant, Lu Don's place." “Don's turned gentlemns. ain’t In ?" aneeringly askul the confederate of s.r Richard Hortu.a : ;. "A p'.- .-anler trade i for him than jet seekin.-, 1 guess, and a safer." “Don dragged yon, laxly and bones, out of what would else have Ixs n y,mr gtat ? in the Soldiers' Slough, comrade It , fas." retorted old Obadiah, with such dignified sternness of rebuke that the ruflian quailed before the severe regard of the gaunt captain of jet hunters, "ami as for taking a new trade, it is held by al! of us along this coast tiiat my footer s a is a gentleman D>rn. But 1 did not come here to ta.'k of our Don. who will be back with us one day, but ot the work of the in• m w. mate. I have others to call, who live far away. Can 1 count on you. Crouch, to make one?" “Yes,” sullenly replied Rufus; “yes. I'll be there—neve" fear me; I’ll be there.” ; And so tl. y parte 1. ! 1 A • ■ . j . 1 ' mt f <m gTOat i. • ISO ? • i। • I u»* uay vs n s high m-mrs the tramping squadron went, the merry net. s < f blidw sulk a:. I t: dlvery sound of girlish I.lighter f al on the summer wind. There were six young and with th m a ma?' iline escort of s f’ ticient strong-. without including the grooms, who : Jit ,:p the rear. Os c-rnrse. y.r Richard Mortmain was often beside Violet, but not exclusively so. for Mrs. S c sby was exacting, and tit times noisily satirical. and he did no: as i yet choose to exhibit himself in the char- . no ter of a dee’. l rd lover. Presently, v-;th mt warning, a mist moped Own f: m the lofty moors, rolling, in its s nuber nmj : -ty, like a tumbling sea over the purple heather, the ' gold-blossome i gorse, ami the paler yel ■ low of the broom-banks, hiding the bare ' rocks, the peat mosses, the scattered' farm houses, the fields, every sign and land- ; mark, as if a. sudden deluge had blotted them from the map of the county, “What are wo to do now?” demanded Mrs. Scoresby. mtidiy. “Oh, rattle along! it's all right. We shall manage it capitally, in spite of the fog,” cheerily responded Charley Fitzgerald. So they rode on. but as they rounded the next angle of the road it just so happened that a gypsy tent was pitched there, a cart standing, a horse tethered^a

swarm of swadhy urchins buzzing about, and worst of all, a bright, cracking tire burning. Violet Mowbray's mettlesome gray could not licar the sight, but snorting, ami mad with fear, it swerved, r-car-ed, and taking the bit between its teeth, dashed off along the road, and vanishedin the mist. The thing happened so quickly that every one was taken by surprise. “Bolted witn her! I do hope sire can keep her eoat till he's had enough of it, tht* brute!" exclaimed kind little Charley Fitzgerald of the Hussars, while Lord David Todhunter, who was far in the roar, banded out inquiries as to what had , occurred. Sir Richard, whose wits were quicker, had also Imwu in the rear. He spurred forward now. "What's this'.-’ he cried. “She will l>e killed.” On they roll*, helter-skelter, into the blinding mist, clattering along the hard road, until at last Sir Harker, who knew the country better than the rest, bawhsl , out: “Stop, stop. Mortmain Lady Padget! we’ve passed the cross roads, and l‘m sure we're going wrong. 1 thought I heard a hor-e faintly to the left." They all rem 1 up. When silence was re established, the h >f strokes of a horse going nt a furious gallop could la* distinctly heard t > the left. "That’s it. I thought so. The brute ; has wheeled into the Tbrnpmorv Road, j I and is heading back toward bis own Ma- | ble. If the p or g.rl only kisqm her seat ; but we might t > rid An l off th'v went, even M;< Martin and Mi. < D id. -e- .s to groan nt the unwonted ; m. on ae >unt of Violet's : D*rii. Sir ll.s k -r. who Knew the emm- , try. led the way. But :>• -k am! neck with i him rode Sir ILi-h.i’d M.e-mnin, U tter mounted, and ready j > dash forward, aid by re^-ming M.« M . -, from p,■ - to establish a claim to her gratitude that ■ might forward his mercenary courtship. I “M hat a ei i !“ ! , m to r. > b n.en ; bls white tooth, «« he flew swiftly on - i i “what a stroke of hc-k! I say, Topham, j ' are you ware n v're on the right rnad?" "Don't yon L-- r : ■> : .’le of '

hoofs?” grurtly tm-d.-l Sir Harker, who . was a g ■od imiure-i young fellow in the : main. “A l 1 1 : • «, «!>.> « n’t twt a cart nr a rnrrisge. and that the bcaM will stick to the ro I." iin they sped It *•m light matter, the pursuit of a rumrway boi«e, when the j life of one v* d m we have loved or liked is nt stake. \ i det M 1 c,y had w. n the good will of npo -st vur? •!y at . ; dale, and won hard : Mm ScorvMry, i who wii?, lighting her own upward Ixittle i so sedulously that she 1.1 1 seldom time i to care for the pain* and can of othrrx, was f*r one.- -i ;■ > rhe- t;,.- » ■ 3- f the terrified h -iso’s h «‘fs came to their ears like the r>> 1 < f distant tbnml<T Tlioy hurried on in a hmg xtrnggling file Sir Rieh.iid mid t ie Yolks.i.re bir.me: h-.vl ing. “Thor*dale'* near, nryhowf exclaimed Sir H >rk r. a ' • r. f., miliar objects S.r R.- ..ird spurted on Presently these two, f ’J.-ue.] by the rest, but nt n long i iterval. reach. I the Park, reached the gteat c art yard, with the block of stabling lx>yond it. The gr. it yard was brig.itly lighten] now with lanterns and caudles ha-: cy brought out. The central j • nt of.: ,tract -n was a gray Imr-. vp eked and ntcH'm-1 with f .tm, distended nostnD. bls b.i th- 1! citing loose, his saddle empty. It was the mottled gray. But mure w>- hi> ri.hr? Nono ..f . s. help, ,-s, indoor ser \\ here was‘\ . .let M .wl ray? (TI M i ni: XVII. The m -t on the h -h mots. like nil a g:ay winding slnvt, leaving a f.-ot or two of clear a.r. and render: l g it quite p-o-:To f.r a ■ ■ .u. by . ,p ■ r km-chre at i: ' :'vjs. to see his way i-.r ti few yards, amt ;o ascertain that be had not wandered from the beaten track. Few, however, are >e, n-g mom-kind born and bred, w ho are tit to cross with safety any <■ nsiderable wmste, such us the \ rkdiire WM A, wh-t. -e. e the fog drift lias set in. Don, wh > hid Iwn an apt pupil of the keepers :uid herdsmen, must h ive been one of those exceptional persons, since he held to the Ix’aten path nero-s the mo r on bis way back from same solitary farm. What was that lying on the grass by the r- d-'de. quite still? \ w .man's \ t , d ’i’, Yi -. i ;• -a slioulJvr s s!k* 'hi’s lay. That -he was y.mrg and fa- to 1-mk upon D >n could of the d;-covmy rushed upon lum. His 1 own he rt . -1 io belt. He started back a J \ -let Violet Mowbray cold, .h ad. f r v--r g-me, in the early bl<> .m of i ler youthful promise, from the world ami from him! With a great sob he rushed forv ,t 1. and kueeiiug on the gr iss. lifted tin lifeless form in his strong “My darling', my darling!” ho cried out, wildly; "my \:o!,a. my hope, my all!" There was n ' respoii.se. The fair, helpless young head lay passive on Don's sho’.lder. He clasped the insensible form to his heart ami kissed the pale check. “Oh. my iovi , my love!" exclaimed the young man, p c sionately; “are you gone from me, my dearest? I have worshiped : you for year., always hoping—against । hope—one day to be worthy of you, and 1 now death has robbed me of the thing I I loved the best on earth- my Violet, my ■ angel!” And again he kissed her. while his tours fell fast upon her pallid face. What was that? Surely a sigh. Violet's lips were parted, her eyes opened feebly, and she moved, as if trying to rise. Half incredulous, in mingled joy and confusion, Don drew back. “Can it Ite?” he asked.

“Yes—l—l remember now how It happened,” said Violet, in a weak voice “Forgive me—pray, forgive m e” nieaded Don, flushing crimson, and tingling in every pulse with shame and anger against himself, “since I thought I had— lost you. Forget my folly, and forgive!” “There is nothing to forgive dear friend -nothing' said Violet, i n her sweet low voice, and she put out her little hand to him. Don clasped it in his own and held it fast. “1 ought not to have spoken,” Bn j { ] Don, contritely, as lie aided bliss Mowbrny to rise; "but cm it be, dear Violet, chat you are unhurt? You have been riding. Where are J ur friends? How could they leave you h re? and by what strange coincidence could it be my fortune to find you here in th s solitary spot? But you are safe. Oh! tell mo again, Miss Violet, that yen are u iharmedj and lean on me, for you are weak and trembling, as I see.” Poor Violet had little to toll. Rhe had been thrown, and had been senseless, and had lain on the turf lx*side the road in a swoon, until—until Don found her. As for the horse, it had vanished. And that was all. She said no more, but there was a reticence in her manner, a shy looking earthward of those ls*autiful great eyes of hers, and an avoidance of Don’s gaze, which forced upon the young »mn the conviction that the girl had J> perfect memory of how bo find cGspeiWher in his arms and kissed her. believing nor. as he did, to Im* dead. And then some chivalrous instinct in his heart awakened, and he felt that le* must tell his tale and plead his cause under all disadvantages of worldly position. Because he had gone so far, he was, as it were, bound to go further. “I ought not to have spoken," said Don, half penitently but half proudly, too; “I know that 1 ought not. For tW sake of mud* kindness from kind Mr. Langton and his wife, it would have been treacherous in me, as well ns presumptuous, to breathe n word of love to the young lady who dwelt bcm nth h:s roof. 1 have put n padlock on my lips hitherto, and have schooled my very »-yes not to betray mo. But this has 1 ■ • ; too much foe my resolve nt 1 my re.. ; ve. My secret, kept for months and years, Ims been wrung from me a? last. The c\e;t<*ment of that mis- ' enable moment >■ titered all my prudence, all my wise d.-a*rmi>mtion. to the winds. It is true. \ ■ l may cal! yen by that dear name? * -it I though' you dead, and that with the b , t you .all the joy and j brightof my own life were gone—gone frc .er; So the passionate cry bi ke from my h ir' - nnd so 1 dnnM to I I.:- ■ ye ,7 < nud 10 clasp ypy t,> my lu ■ i«t, nn Ito tell y->i bow I loves! but I ■ was all unaware that your cars, dourest, i r »nld d: mk in my wil l word*. I wart, as I am nn hmA st man, repent them now. I. !';■■ p< jet hector, the uame'.e.sa, k founding of t!.** r-adw.v h. have ■hr* Ito !■•■ dm b . ly m• -d Mi^ M >wbr. y. and ..t i -a to sell b-c »a. Now. if you ch>* .so tn brinish m< far my pre sumption, 1 «r but bow my t. ad and I g".” She aecme.) stranger by this time, and had le* g . her boM an h;s arm. and he am.*! a little any off. looking latently in l her face with lu> dark, eager <>ye«. “You have n ■ •.<»; <*S<»»ds*d me. Mr De. ’ dl Hi* sprang forward, hope, ft *w*er, love I flaahing from his bngbt eyi-s. and again ; he took her hand. “V •'.**■ M ■» M nv.d |»on. ’ quickly. ">*an it le* that 1 have hear’! • nr glit? Can >1 l>e that you do hot chide me f. r the ;«n *. im; ! on, tfco “Tliorr vaa no pr<-» almost whUiM'rixl Vi d< t “Yo» wived my life. I but ix-foro that day the rr'<olJc>'tmn of ■ you, the image of y>m, a« the trm"«t g‘ i>th- 0.1:1, tie* l« * t an I bravmt 1 ba I ever know:*, b I grown to b. 1 m«y ewu it now very dear to me." And then D . t ■•» le rin h » anus and k ■•M’d h<-r, and for a few q. i e,.et» moments th- t« >‘ >ug things felt as supremoly happy ns if they had suddenly Im «n spir.trd iway into some enchanted island, alien* Liiv reigned supreme. iTo be continued.) How to Lite to Great Age, 1 *iu i. ..i*i .11 1 «.. i till . s t<* . ..sit n ■ longevity through the u-*- of a siwH’lul diet. The pn niUc Is held vUI to tltOJ*' | vhuinipH* ly follow out the prescribed regimen that they may attain to tlte l age of 110 years. This, among the ’ most melancholy p< ..pk* of the globe, and to whom oa * would fancy fh.it life were the less wo.th living, has nrea-sl (xmsiderable enthusia-m. i Cisiks and k ielwus tire to Ih* alsdlrihed: meat, be- d .:::d v* g* mld- s nre • forbidd.-n; * xistence is to In* maintained . exclusively upon nuts and bananas. If । we conqiare this with the dietary sys- | tern of Dickers, which repre- mts that • of his period, his c-mparatlvely early । decease will eX' iJe no »uqiris-‘. Ac- | cording to English standards, he was an aw.'inpli.skvHl gistn*n<m.e. Beefsteak pudding was his ideal, a horrible cm: s'cti.m only tit for a crude or <1” based palate. His highest con* u of a dinner was a baked leg of mutton I with the bone removed and Uto cavity ”• 1 v* । a-• ■ ; of oysters and i v. il. T: - was ace mpanied with gin punch, in the u . king o ' which Dickens •* *k isp :.il i :ide. It was ina-lo as ' follows: A brass k* ttle of water was Iwai I over a spirit lamp. M'lmn the 1"a । w -.; ; * a ' »il it was p,mre*l into { a jug. w'. !i a I >ttle of old gin. lumps . of sugar and * iiips of lemon peel. The ; mouth of the jug wa.s then closed with a napkin anti tin* mixture allowed io brew for a certain number of minutes. —New York Sun. Massachusetts Deweys. “It would seem,” says the Boston traveler, “as if the bench of Massachusetts had fairly reveled in Deweys, for no less than four of the same name have sat at one time or another either on the Supreme or Superior Court bench since ISil. The first one was Daniel Dewey, who held office for a year on the Supreme Court bench. Then came Charles Augustus Dewey, appointed in 1537, dying in office iu ISGG. !■ rancts Henshaw Dewey was appointed to the Superior Court in 1860 and resigned in 1881, and Justin Dewey, now ( on the same bench, was appointed in i 1886. There are, therefore, to-day two 1 Judge Deweys in this Commonwealth.” His face was of the doubtful kind that wins the eye and not the mind.— Scott.

NANSEN’S TRIP NORTH Explorer says he nearly REACHED THE POLE. Claims to Have Reached a Point Within 200 Miles of the Coveted Object— Went Four Degress Further than Any Former Explorer. Arctic Ail ventures. The story of Dr. Nansen's attempt to tench the North Bole is interesting, like >he accounts of previous explorations of •he same kind, in the sense that the world hlwtiis likes to read about personal adventures^ in remote and mysterious reg'ons. I here is a certain charm in records »t courage and endurance even when the results are not ot any material importance; and the results of these successive Arctii journeys can hardly be said to have justified the expense and privation, the suffering and fatality that they have involved. Dr. Nansen claims to have pror t . A I\lV |§■ \ • i . .y'" : 1 _ THE 1 KAM. ceiilid four degrees further than any former explorer, ami to have reached a point within about 2m miles of the covete I obi* ct. Looking northward from there, he saj s, there w,.s nothing to be seen but a v.i< v. lute w • h-r of iee, “hum nock and hummock to the horizon, like a m:i o f fi zen breakers.” The sight was a grind me. no d.otbt. but it was also a profitless one. pre-Mi ally speaking.

V? \ — ? ’ / J 2 / ■ ■' A nrix —■— ..g io v fgyß 4'' AC .1 tx*. ArrtmX’M l I ’•! A HOW Pit. X \NSEX HAS En.irSEß THE KECOBDSOI 11 ’ rut sHH s AKI TIC KMTIHHOSS.

i>r S ■ ‘ : m drift! d ’ l» iL. i. .’ in i n. Hterb dinwimn to Si ■I. < I h. . t * ibo v. -• ! will ,o n , ill;. a- : . t Sp!t hT-■ ’> 11 add* that uhrr.ver they p.:.Mi Ged they - :?i t K’ •* t - k- 1 ’I >’ 7 U ht hos |o \ the Jrpth of mct«‘rs the water tin* utk K 1 y ot r.»< r iUhJ into the! ’■; ! ( 1 ht ' : s m In Dr. •; J ■ • .■■ at Twit;.; .1- ph l.and the following There was the lisu.d anmunt of hard- !.» tl.l- r -mt in. .-m hi<:v.« r> suit. (Ui fw.eril ■ ■ 'ions there ware narrow eth- 1 Ige blocks of i There was mw-h odd on slmlci s drawn by dogs, t tm- w inter was spent in a hut built of stem s, ' ■- » t'i- -T- ' '■ G ‘ 1 i i J■ ■ . PR. XANSEX IX HIS s n i-V. <;,rfh and mo s. ar 1 having a r of of walitis hide, lied down with ropes and . >vered with sn w: an 1 for a pori< 1 t n month l b ir moat aid blubber ’.ere th only food. During weeks the mercury ' was ft ■ >z< n. ihe low< st tom "a ture bein j (12 degrees below zero; ami at one time the ' wssel of the party, the Fram. was iirmly : frozen in ice of more than thirty feet ot I measured thickne; a These incidents । show in a general way ivh.it diflieuitie were i m-oimtered. an I what bravery am! ; fortitude were required to overcome them, j It does not appear tiiat there was an? : weakening on the part of any ot. the ad- ; venturers because of tiiese severe trials, but it remains, nevertheless, for Dr. Nansen to explain why he left the Fram and all of his companions but one and made bis way back to civilization. We are assured that Dr. Nansen brings back with him several maps and many photographs to increase our knowledge ol the region that he visited. He was gone three years, and there is no reason to be-

nnZn th 1 r S Ray ’ that hp accomplished . ••'lytl rng of substantial importance. The ’ fact that he got nearer to the pole than any previous explorer counts only in a .omparative way, anil not as a decisive inimph. It can be said, perhaps, that ■ie has added something to the possibility of ultimate success in the case, and this will encourage other adventurous spirits to make other attempts of that sort, and m the course of time the pole may bo reached. PROSPECTS OF FRUIT CROP. Apples Indicate a Better Yield and Peaches a Reduced One. The Agricultural Department's August report of fruit conditions is as follows: Apples—The general condition advanced •luring July from 64.6 to 65.7, a gratifying indication ot sustained crop prospects. 1 his general average covers all kinds of appb s in all sections of the country. Notwithstanding a general condition of G4.G July 1, which was low as far as the crop of the country was concerned, it was spei’ifically stated that “prospects for excellent crops” continued in States of the northern belt from Maine to Minnesota : and in lowa, with fair but comparatively smaller crops in Ohio, Illinois and Ini .liana. In the present report a very gen- • ral bettiTm.'ut is shown in that region. I'lie con,,it ion is very uneven in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, many counties reporting entire failure, w hile others report abundant crops, which accounts for the somewhat lower conditions of those । States. In the past a final condition of 75 .per cent, or over has been followed by ■ tin abundant supply of apples, so that the excellence of the crops of the present season, m this particular ami extensive region, is plainly evident. In other parts of ■ho country, with a G w exceptions, the condition is low. Peaches Pres, nt returns show a geni orally reduced condition. Os the commercial States the best pr..spects still are tound in Delaware, Michigan. Ohio ।ml Maryland, while in New Jersey, \ irginia. Georgia and California percentages indicate less than half a crop. In Delaware the early crop was nearly ruined by * nrculio and "yellows" am! fruit on the trees is badly stung thero ami in Mary- : land, though a tine product is expected

!r*’in E • mount.tin orchnnls of the latte.' SHi In \l hi_'.in and Ohio exeellm crops are indicated. G ■ ■ ;■■ i'li<* ■ ■ clit. m of grapes is genit's li ! . S ii..■ complaints are mad< ■ ' r *t. line so e\*tssivily moist season, bl.t s' eininglv not extensive enough tc i aff* t the zem ral condition. AMBULANCE FOR OLD TOPERS. H• »v all itioni'ts Hope to Reach the I riii:karils of Gotliaiu. i t • S cvatioii Army has devise*! a new :■ :b I ■ : ref*.' sing, or, at least, of hclpn v. ho hat e be< n unfortunate

e n .* u g h to g e t drunk. It is called the ambulance liqe r euro. 11 will be 4 rid in New York, i ! ic* ambulances are ’ ! <i patrol by night those parts of the . :ty wh re the largest crop of street "li.imks" is to be f"iH i. One pretty

/ *G G. X 4’ \<Y r- r 'XV T.tAGIE SYMKOE.

. - lass will drive and two more will ..'sb-t the hCphs- vi tim of spirits into du' vwwn. lle or sho will be taken to the ; rm.’> headquarters, given a bed and a brmd a in th- morning. Il' the lodger nd has a few ms to l ive away, the army will not refuse to take the fee. This sort of crusading smreks a little of kidnaping, but ! ’ho o ■ will not inters-Tc with it. It ! v ill - -o the fore.. - -me trouble, and the I . atoi ;nnales lite humiliation of an apl pear, .we hi the police court. The ambuI lames to be used will be distinguished I from those used by the police and hospiI hds with a large circle inclosing a c-r-I wino heart and surounded by the letter- । ing, "1., ague of Love Ambidan e.” DEFINE THEIR CREED. I Hr- Co! Demccr it- 1 sue a Declaration of Principles. The National Exe-alive Committee of; ! lite gold Hanoi rats, in session at Chicago, ! Las issued an address to the Democrats ;of the United Stales. This address is, in < ifw, the platform on which the National Demoei'atic party goes before the people. Another declaretl nos principles will be I adopted, of course, at the national gath- ! erlng in Indianapolis as a part of conven- | t ion routine, but it is not overstatement ; of the case to say that in the main it can J do but little more than paraphrase the ■ co kvation issued from Chicago. The Indianapolis conference evolved i the call for the national convention and ।no more. It was agreed there that the I members of the party throughout the nai tion were entitled to a statement of the reasons why certain leaders take issue with the piineiples enunciated in the Chicago convention —a statement fuller and more explicit than could bo embodied in a call for a convention. Whereas the convention call prepared at Indianapolis was a declaration of war by gold Democrats, it was designed that the address to be prepared by the Executive Committee should be < call to arms.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED. A Scholarly Exposition of the Lesson Thoughts Worthy of Calm Reflec-tion-Half an Hour’s Study of the Scriptures—Time Well Spent. Lesson for August 23. “ Golden Text. —“Honor thy father ami thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy Go-.T giveth thee.”—Exodus 20: 12. This lesson is found in 2 Slim. 15: 1-12, and has for its subject Absalom’s rebellion. Introductory. The forgiveness of David’s sin carried wit'h it no exemption from the consequences of his evil example and neglect of parental duty. About the first tiling he did, after the birth of Solomon, was to go down to Kabbah and take the city, after it had been forced into suljection by Joab’s long siege. Cruel ami barbarous punishments were inflicted on the unfortunate inhabitants. We are told to judge these cruelties according to the sentiments of the age; but it David’s spiritual history was anything like that related in the fifty-first, fifty-second and other psalms, he must have been far in advance of his age, and we are obliged to admit strange inconsistencies in his character, even after that great crisis in his life. The worst part of David’s punishment was the sins of his children. These began w’ith the crime of Amnon against his luilf sister Tamar, which David allowed to go unpunished, though he was “very wroth.” This is about the only place where wo can sympathize with Absalbm, the brother of the wronged girl, io rfmold his father, who in earlier years had been famous for piety and abhorrence of even the thought of sin, fallen so low that lie permitted such terrible crimes to go on in his own household, sitting I in impotent wrath, must have pro^pked the .hearty contempt of Absalom. The young man waited his time, and finally took vengeance into his own hands and procured the death of Amnon, ’i hat was one good-for-nothing out of the wav. But David, who had felt it a pious du"' to execute the murderers of Ishboslieth .and to torture ami mangle the people of Kabbah, now mourned bitterly for the wretch Amnon, and Absalom was obliged to lice. Ho took refuge in Keshur, a district southwest of Damascus, anl remained there three years. Tlvn Joab contrived a scheme to bring about.’ a reconciliation. Whether David still felt n*senti’i n nt. and Joab acted the part of poacemak' r, or on the contrary David desired to bring his son back but did not know how to do so without sacrificing royal dignity, is not certain, on account of the ambiguity of 2 Sam. 13: 39 and VI: 1. The English versions support the b^tor ahernative. but’the other interpr^-' txtion of the original has much in its favor. Joab, like fiatha.n, got David to commit himself as to a general case, stated in particular form, and then enf■•reed the decision upon his own case. The woman’s guilty son should not be executed, because tlAit would simply add another tragedy to the list; very well then, let the king recall Absalom. The elalwrate form of persuasion described in 2 Sam. 14: 1-20 does not seem like an argument addressed to a man whose mind was already favorably inclined. But it ha*d its effect, and Joab was given permission to bring Absalom back, but not to allow him to come into the king’s presenco After two years of residence in Jerusalem, still under the royal displeasure, the last restriction was removed and Absalom was received by his father. 1 Exp’anatory. “Beside the way of the gate:” that is, “by the side of the road leading to the gate of the king’s palace, where be sat to I transact business.” Os this custom, , which still prevails in some c’lstera communities—not in the case of kingw. but in : that of municipal officer* the ’4£sne Sablime Porte, applied to the Turkish govern- * inent, is a relic, —Absalom's method of

ingratiating himself with the people is startlingly similar to the ward politicians of New York and C*aicago in 1396. . He probably despised his supporters, won i by such methods, as hearii’y as our Crok- | ers and Flatts despise their tooix. Doubti loss the self-respecting Israelites who I came to court and beheld the disgusting ■ spectacle of the king’s son kissing everybody that came along wondered what the kingdom was coming to. "After for/y years:” should be, without doubt, four years. Probably the time is counted from Abralonfs reconciliation with his father —Absalom’s vow was, of course, a pretext for summoning an assembly. It acquired plausibility from the fact that Hebron was his birthplace and the home of his childhood. "Thon I will servo the Lord:" that is, will offer a s.a'crifice to him; it is a promise to do a particular act, not to adopt a general line of conduct. I "Al ab>m roigne-ih in Hebron." “The . H ron cl ily shows that Ab- । .-.aiom expected to find his chief support । ।in flic tribe of Judah. It is probable that I the old tribal jealousies had been revived, ■ and tiiat Judah resented its absorption into the nation at large. Such a spirit of discontent would account for the slackness of Judah to bring back the king when the rebellion was over (19: 11). Hebron itself, too. probably contained many y.-rsm's who wore aggrieved by the re- । moral of the court to Jerusalem.” —Kirk- : patrick. “That were called:” invited to the sac- ; rhicial feast without knowledge of the treasonable ?lot. Once involved in Absalom's “.--aeritico.” they would Lie strongly tempted to side with him in order to save their own heads. "Ahillwphel:” he has been compared to Judas. Perhaps Ps. 41: 9 refers to him, which is quoted in reference to Judas in John 13: IS. Next Losson—“Absalom’s Defeat and Death.”—2 Sam. IS: 9-17, 32, 33. “Not as I Will.” "Not as I will; ’ the sound grows sweet Fach time my lips the words repeat. "Not as I will;” the darkness feels More safe than light when this thought steals Like whispered voice to calm and bless All unrest and all loneliness. “Not as I will,’’’because the One Who loved us first and best has gone Before us on the road, and still For us must all His love fulfill, “Not as we will.” —-Helen Hunt