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i VOLUME X. , , - r LENOIR. N. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1885. I ' , NUMBER 34.
Wallace
Bros.,
STATESVILLE,
N.
WholesalE Dealers
General Merchandise.
-M-
r,
Largest Warehouse
and-best facili-
"' - .
-
ties for han-
dling
Dried Fruit. Ber-
' 1 ''... -
ries, etc.. in
the State.
Respectfully
"Wallace
Bros
August 27th, 1884.
-
J. M. Spainkour,
OKADUAVK BALTIMOBB PUTiL
LENOIR, JT. C.
Cwo impure material f or filling teeth.
Work as low as good work
can be done.
Patiente f ram dlntanoe turn?
id delay by informing him at what time
hi; thy propose coming. -
. - t ! " " " .T t '
I f. lee cline,
ATTORNEY - AT - LAW,
t zncnomr. n.o.
! EDnuriD jorjin,
UTORHET - AT-LAWy
i LEIIOIB, IT. c.
CL1NTOIT A. CILIiBY,
Attornoy-iit-IaT7,
Praoticg in All Tho Courts.
OUR HEW YORK LETTER.
I -
Three Notable CharactersThe Difference
Between Good and Bad Men.
New York. Mav'2.
The news of the week consists
yery largely of the announcement of i
the death of three remarkable men, !
every one of whom showed in an ex- ;
traordinary way the "great possibili- I
ties of American life and especially i
Of life in New York. I can think
Of nothing more interesting or in- j
8 tructive than a brief sketch of their
extraordiuary-careers.
I One, whose name was Paraf, came
here from Europe 15 years ago a
mere adventurer. He had been ed
ucated as a chemist, and he was an
Exceedingly bright fellow. He had
the knack of making easy social con
quests, and he was one of the most
accomplished swindlers that ever
drew the breath of life. He came
here professing to know the secret
by which peculiar dyes for cloth are
produced dyes that would be of
enormous value to certain American
manufacturers of cotton goods. He
sold his pretended secret to a large
number of them, gettingfrom $1,000
to 4,000 a piece out of them? J Be
fore he was exposed he had accumu
lated a considerable fortune; and no
man in New York lived in greater
style. He had horses and carriages
waiting at his door, all day and half
the night. He lived on Fifth Ave
nue. He married an excellent New
York lady. ' He gave grand din-
jiers. He spent $20 a day to per
fume his bath. He managed to
spend 1500 to $600 a week, and of
course he pretty soon came to the
end of his rope. But by . that time
he had got another chemical swin
dle, and a hundred or some more
rch men had been duped out of
large sums of money. He did noth
ing by halves. He went on a grand
scale. He was an enormous fellow
in every way. Finally having run
through a million or more not one
dollar of which he earned honestly
he was obliged to go away." The
fine house was sold to pay okLdebts.
His wife and her people found out
blow they all had been duped, and
the rascal turned up in California.
The next that was heard of him, he
was in South America, where he was
fpoling more rich people, and enjoy
ihg another stolen fortune. I And
riow the news "comes of his death in
Pru, and it has started everybody
again to talking about his wondeiful
career. This fellow swindled shrewd
rich men out of hundreds of thous
ands of dollars as easily as the com
mon sharper swindles greenhorns
out of a few cents ; and he found
that New York was the best field of
operations in the world.'
Another remarkable man died yes
terday Cornelius Garrison, million
aire. He came to New York a very
poor lad indeed, and began work in
an humble way. He discovered that
he had a genius for large schemes.
He went Southwest and, engaged in
.the great Mississippi traffic. Every
thing he touched turned to gold.
When the California gold fever broke
out he went to . the Pacific. He or
ganized a line of steamers from Cal
ifornia to Asia, and became one of
the -very largest ship .owners in A
merica. Simply as manager of one
great commercial product between
the two continents, at one time he
had a salary of SCO, 000 a year. He
was careful, honest, prudent. He
hade good use of his wealth and he
hade it double itself as often as pos
sible. He came to be called Com
modore by everybody, simply be
cause of his identification with such
great shipping interests.1 Having
become one of the very rich men of m
the country, he made his home in
New York which is the best place
in the country for a rich man to en
joy himself. He continued to the
very last a large owner and an active
organizer of railroads and shiplines
and all sorts of big enterprises. Ho
never gave his attention to small
things, and he succeeded in making
hundreds of thousands of dollars le
gitimately as Parof succeeded in
making them by fraud. He will be
buried tomorrow, and many persons
will follow him to the grave who
have reasons to be very proud they
knew him. This man was a useful
citizen in the development of the
country ; and he, too, found this
city the most useful, pleasant and
'convenient place to make the base
tof his operations. For the gigantic
honest man as well as for the pro
:diVious swindler, this is the best
place in creation. .
The third man whose recent death
was an event that caused great sor
row and that recalled a remarkable
Isaac W. England, the
Wisher of the Sun." H came here
rom England, a very poor lad: and
after a long and hard struggle w
make a living, he at last secured a
place in a job printing office to feed
an old fashioned hand-press; and he
was paid $5 a week. He was an in
dustrious and plucky fellow. So he
goon became a reporter on the New
York Tribune, and he made a good
one. Then he began to riFeone
step after another, struggling hard
at erery step, until in mature life
he became the business manager of
one of, the richest , papers in the
world, and he commanded a prince
ly salary and owned large properties.
Yet in the days of his wealthy
forgot his early friends. When
he was buried the other day, jour-
nalists from mere reporters to the
most distinguished editors stood at
his grave ; and every man there felt
that he had lost a sincere friend. It
was one of the most affective scenes
that has recentlvbccurred anv where.
This man likewise found New York
the best place for an ambitious and
patient and plucky fellow to win.
He won fortune, friends, a good
name, and he leaves a. blessed mem
ory. - .1. f - . .
xet the great city and its busy life
go on, and no mau, no hundred
men, not even I a thousand men
would be missed. There are other
swindlers, other great capitalists,
other successful i managers of great
newspapers ; and few people know
the difference in a little while.
Other news there is very little,
indeed. The Question whether there
will bo war between England and
Russia is asked every morning, and
every morning answered differently.
The general opinion is that there
will be war. When a Russian gun
boat came into the port the other
day, it created something of a stir
for a day or two. There are several
English gun-boats near by. There
may be a naval battle on our side of
the Atlantic, or there may bo a gen
eral capturing of trading vessels by
these men-of-war. Don't you see
the various chances for romance in
the situation? !
General Grant is well enough
be at work again on his history,
Caldwell.
to
THE CUM ATE OF THET EGYPTIAN SUDAN.
O. P. Stone in Science.
In so vast a region of country as
the Egyptian Sudan, extending as
it does over about sixteen or eigh
teen degrees of latitude and as many,
of longitude, with differences of. al
titude of more than six thousand
feet on single parallels, it is evident
that there must be great diversity of
climate, a full discussion of which
would occupy top much space for a
reasonable article. But that portion
of the Egyptian Sudan which at
this time attracts the attention of
the world by reason of the presence
there of European troops, and the
apparently intended operations of
those troops, can be here consisely
considered. . -
British troops now occupy two-l-
positions in the Egyptian Sudan ;
viz., the province of Dongoht on the
Nile, and the city and port of Sua
kin on the coast of the Red. Sea.
Italian troops occupy the port and
vicinity of Massowah, on the Ked
Sea coast ; and the Bay of Assab
and its vicinity, on the same coa.it.
near the strait of Bab-cl-Mandeb.
Whatever may be the object of
the Italian government in thus oc
cupying positions on the Red Sea
coast, the object of the present
British occupation is declared to be
war against El Mahdi, and it will be
necessary to consider the climate of
the territories occupied by his forces.
El Mahdi now occupies and rules
over the following : the province of
Khartum, the province of Darfur,
the province of Kordofan, the prov
ince of Senaar, the province of Ber
ber, the district of Gallabat, the
province of Taka (excepting the
capital, Kassala), and the great
desert region between the Nile near
Berber, and the Red-Sea coast near
Suakin and Agig.
Thus we have to consider the cli
mate in the provinces and districts
above named ; and first the province
off Dongola, now occupied by the
expeditionary corps under Gen.
Lord Wolseley, of probably about
nine thousand Britisii troops.
This is one of the rich and pro
ductive provinces of the Egyptian
Sudan, extending from near Wady
Haifa on the north, to the borders
of the province of Berber along the
course of the Nile. The corres-
ondence from Lord Wolseley's corps
ias, during tno past iew montns;,
made almost every hamlet and vil
lage throughout its length known to
all parts of the world where news
papers are read. The climate of the
region now occupied by the British
force is not only good,, but very
agreeable, during four months of
the year, November December,
January and February, though
February sometimes gives specimen
days of the Khamseen wind which
are very trying, even to natives of
the country. During the months of
March, April, May and the first half
of June, however, the climate,
though not very unhealthy, is ex
ceeding trying to all excepting na
tives of the country. The ordinary
temperature is very high during the
day ; the thermometer in the shade
often indicating from 95 to 110 de
grees, F., while during the night
the temperature falls to 65 or 70
degrees.- This great difference
makes it necessary to take great care
to preserve health ; and, with the
best of care, intermittent fevers are
exceedingly prevalent. These, if
neglected, are liable to take typhoid
forms. During these months, the
dust-storms coming from the south
ward are of most distressing fre
quency and violence. While these
storms are hard to endure, and cause
great suffering, I believe they j to a
certain extent destroy fever-germs,
and prevent the climate frpm being
so fatal to Europeans as it would
otherwise-be. From June to Sep
tember the southerly and south-westerly
winds come charged with
moisture, though . rarely yielding
rain ; and, while relieved from the
dust storms, the European is more
subject to fever influences.
Such is the climate in which the
British troops are apparently to wait
diiring the next five mouths, before
advancing against their human ene
m. Should they wait there, under
tlie best possible care and with the
best possible medical surveillance,
the commander will be fortunate
should the unseen enemy' not re
duce his force by more than! ten per
cent before October next, while an
other ten per cent would be so 'de
bilitated by repeated fever-attacks
as to require a month of cool weath
er! to restore their strength, and
make them fit for a vigorous cam
paign. The climate of Suakin can hardly
be tconsidered unhealthy, but for the
excessive heat which reigns there,
except during the three months of
December, January and February.
There the desert comes down to the
very sea-beach ; and the air of the
desert, though burning hot, is not
unwholesome. But the heat in that
region, where sometimes during two
or three successive years rain does
no fall, while the tropical sunbeams
constantly bathe the rocks and sands
is of an intensity not to be conceived
1 'il . 1 ' 1 . . . " T
oy jinose wno nave never experienced
the like ; and exposure to it by Eu
ropeans, without extraordinary pre
cautions, is certain to produce sun
stroke and congestions. "The ther--fSonieter
in April, in the shade, will
oftjsn indicate a temperature of 100
to jL05 degrees F. ; but even this does
not indicate the effect upon a foot
soldier, who, marching in the sun,
receives the direct rats, and, in ad
dition, suffers from the heat radiated
aad reflected from the light-colored
soil. It is, however, quite different
with the mounted soldier, (whether
on jhorse-baek or on camel-back ; as,
if well covered, he suffers less from
the direct rays of the sun, and not
at all from the reflected and radiated
heat. As the entire route from
Suakin to Berber is subject to heats
fully equal to those, of the vicinity
of Suakin, it may be safely i asserted
that it is impracticable for European
foot-soldiers to make the march be
tween those two points during the
spring and summer months, except
-by using the night and early morn
ing exclusively ior marcning. -
jhe climate of the province of
Beijber is very similar to j that of
Dopgola ; but, owing to the effects
of the waters of the river Atbara,
in some parts of this province fevers
aremore prevalent during the sum
mer months, and of a worse type
than in Dongola. I j
In the province of TakaJ and the
district of Gallabat, the; climate
from June to October is deadly for
Europeans. During that seoson the
raiiis are there copious, and, ming
ling with the floods of water ceming
down from the mountains of Abys
sinia, cause the rich soil to become
like a saturated sponge, while the
rank vegetation and the exhalations
from the soil render the air poison
ouslv From many districts the na-
tives abandon the country in May,
taking with them their families,
their flocks and their herds to save
themselves and their families from
fevr ; and their flocks arid herds
fi om the ravages of the stinging
insects which, during the season of
rains, infect the , country. These
people go north to the deserts and
remain until the Jatter part of Oc
tober, when they return, ) to find
their own country delightful in cli
mate : and glorious in vegetation.
These conditions remain) through
the! winter, and the air, is healthful
until April. -
The climate of Khartum is hot, .
damp and exceedingly uuhealthy
from April until October. The
winter climate is not disagreeable ;
but even in winter the place can
hardly, be considered healthy, owing
to thej peculiar location of the town
between the Blue and White Niles,
and to lack of sanitary rule in the
construction of the streets and
houjses. During the past twenty
years, tnore care has been taken in
the-constructipn of dwellings ; and
the conditions are now more favora
ble 'than they formerly were.
The province of Kordofan is vis
ited by less rain than that of Khar
tum or of Taka. During the winter,
from the last of October until the
1st of March, jthe climate! is very
agreeable and quite healthy. The
prevailing winds are from the north.
Th temperature is not high, rang
ing! in the middle of the day from
80 (to .88 degrees F. The air is
bracing and invigorating,' while the
nights are cool and pleasant.
March, April and May are there
the" hottest and most disagreeable
season, though - not unhealthy. In
June the season of rains commences
and it lasts until the latter part of
September or, early October. The
winds are then from the Jsouth and
south-west. The rains come in
showers, sometimes daily, hut often
er Once in three or four days. The
air is . debilitating and fevers, in
termittent in form, strike all except
ing the natives. T .
sfo matter, what care maybe taken
to uard troops from the effects of
climate, the death-rate 5 among , sol
diers.is always great during this wet
season. In an expedition which I
sent into that province, well organ
ized, well and ; very carefully commanded,-well
supplied, with good
medical attendance and good hospi
tal supplies, six per cent of the sol
I . - I - I ' I
diers died during four months of the
season of raius, while during the re
mainder of the year there were very
few deaths. -
The climate of Darfu closely re
sembles that of Kordofan. The
rains come at the same time of year,
and the sanitary effects of the dif
ferent seasons are nearty the same ;
yet the fevers, according to the re
perts of the medical officers, seem
to be more often severe in type in
Darfur than in Kordofan.
A Ran Old Coin.
: Dr. AcUm Clarke. . '
There is extant a gold I circular
coin of the Great Mogul, Shah. Je
han, struck at Delhi, A. H. 1062,
A. D 1651, five inches and a half in
diameter ; on each side of this coin
is a square, the angles of which
touch the periphery; within this
square, and in the segments, there
are the following inscriptions :
1. Within the square, on one side,
The bright star of 'religion, Mo
hammed (a second Sahib Jtirafi)
Shah Jehan, the victorious emperor.
2. In the segment, on the upper
side of the square,
The impression upon this coin of
200 mohurs, was struck through the
favour of. God.
3. On the lateral segment to the
left,
By the second Sahib Kiran, Shalt
Jehan, the Defender of the Faith.
4. On the bottom segment,
i May the golden countenance from
the sculpture of this coin, enlighten
the world.
5. On the lateral segment to the
right,
As long as the splendid face of-the
moon is illuminated by the rays of
the sun !
1. On the reverse, within the
square,
Tliere is no god but God ; and 3Io
hammed is the Prophet of God.
Struck in the capital of ShahiJehan
abad, A. II. 1062.
2. On the top of the square,
Religion was illuminated by the
truth of Abu Beker.
3. On the left hand compartment,
The faith was strengthened by the
justice of Omar. , "
4. On the bottom: compartment,
Piety was refreshed by the modesty
and mildness of Othman.
5. On the right hand compart
ment, The world icas enlightened by the
learning of Aly. .
On these inscriptions, it may be
1'ust necessary to observe, that Abu
Jeker, Omar, Othman and Aly, were
the four khalifs who succeeded Mo
hammed. Abu Beker was the father
of Ayesha, one of Mdhammed's
wives. Othman, from whom the
Turkish government is still called
.the Ottoman empire, was son-in-law
of Mohammed, having married his
two daughters, Rakiah and Om-al-Calthoom.
'"-And Aly, son of Abi
Taleb, Mohammed's uncle, was also
one of the sons-in-law of Moham
med having married Fatima, the
daughter of his favourite wife Aye
sha. Plenty of Time.
Baltimore San. ,
. Persons who complain that the
substitution of democratic for re
publican officials in the federal ser
vice is proceeding very slowly should
remember that it is nevertheless
goine on, and that there are still at
least three years and ten months in
which to complete it. The people,
no doubt, voted last November for a
change, but they are not in a hurry.
They see that there must be careful
deliberation in selecting officials for
responsible positions, if the admin
istrative shortcomings of the repub
licans are to be avoided. They want
a "clean sweep" beyond question,
but they want the offices cleaner six
months after they have been swept
than they were before the sweeping
began. V
The Natural Bridge of Virginia.
Bead before the American philosophical seciety, Oct
17, 1884, by Charles A. Askbnrner.
During a recent trip to Virginia
(Oct. 2 to 6) I visited the Natural
Bridge ; and although in possession
of the guide-book of the locality
(edition of 1884), and the admirable
articles published by Major J ed.
Hotchkiss in the Virginias, I failed
to obtain certain information relat
ing to the bridge, .which would be,
of special interest to the topograph
er and geologist. Some of the ob
servations which I made, although
of a general character, may be of
interest.
. -The bridge is undoubtedly the
remnant of the top of a cave which
was probably formed long before the
Luray cavern, which is excavated
out of the same lower Silurian lime
stone formation. The bridge seems
to be located in the centre of a gen
tle basin or synclinal in the strata,
which may account for the roof of
the ancient cavern being left at this
special point. - The height of the
bridge has evidently been much aug
mented by a lowering, of the bed of
Cedar Creek through the agency of
chemical and mechanical erosion
after the destruction of the original
cavern. The height of the original
cavity, at a point where the bridge
now exists, was in consequence very
much less than the present height
of the intrados of the bridge-arch.
The elevation of the railroad-track
at Natural Bridge station, on. the
Shenandoah valley railroad, is seven
hunched and -sixty feet above ocean
level ; and the elevation of Cedar
Creek, under the north face of-the
bridge-arch, is nine hundred and
fifteen feet, as determined by two
independent lines of barometric
levels which I ran between the railroad-station
and the bridge. , j
The height i of the crown of the
arch on the north side, at the LookT
out Point,' is one hundred and
eighty-eight . feet from the creek,
measured with a cotton twine, which
was the only line of the required
length which could be obtained.
The same height measured by the
barometer (Short & Mason alumi
num aneroid) was determined as
one hundred and eighty-six feet.
Neither of these methods of meas
urement is sufficiently exact to per
mit of a final statement, but the re
sults are of interest in the absence
of more definite data.
The thickness of the arch under
the crown on the north side is ap
proximately forty-six feet, and on
the south side thirty-six feet.
i An Appeal From the South.
W. H. Grady in Te Century.
Let no one imagine, from What is
here said, that the South is careless
of the opinion or regardless of the
counsel of the outside world. On
the contrary, while maintaining
firmly a position she believes to be
essential, she' appreciates 'heartily
the value of general sympathy and
confidence. With an earnestness
that is little less than pathetic she
bespeaks the patience and the im
partial judgment of all concerned.
Surely her situation should com
mand this, rather than indifference
or antagonism. In poverty and de
feat with her cities destroyed, her
fields desolat:, her labor disorganiz
ed, her homes in ruins, her families
scattered, and the ranks of her sons
decimated in the face of universal
prejudice, fanned by the storm of
war into hostility and hatred under
the shadow of this sorrow and this
advantage, she turned bravely to
confront a problem that would have
taxed to the utmost every resource
of a rich and powerf.nl and victori
ous people. Every inch of her prog
ress has been beset with sore difficul
ties, and if the way is now clearing
it only reveals more clearly the tre
mendous import of the work to
which her hands are given.! It must
be understood that she desires fo
silence no criticism, evade no issue,
and lessen no responsibility. She
recognized that the negro is here to
stay. She knows that her honor,
her dear name, and her fame, no
less than her prosperity, will be
measured by the fullness of the jus
tice she gives and guarantees to this
kindly and dependant race. She
knows that every mistake made and
every error fallen into, no matter
iow innocently, endanger her peace
and her reputation. In this full
knowledge she accepts the issue
without fear or evasion. She says,
not boldly, but conscious of the
honesty and the wisdom of her con
victions : "Leave this problem to
my working out. I will solve it in
calmness and j deliberation, without
passion or prejudice, and with full
regard for the unspeakable equities
it holds, j Judge me rigidly, but
judge me by my works." And with"
the South the matter! may beJeft
must be left, j There it can be left
with the fullest confidence that the
honor ;of the republic will be main
tained, the ! rights of humanity
guarded, and the problem worked
out in such exact justice as the finite
mind can measure or finite agencies
administer, i
EGGS-ACTLY.
What is the Matter With Bro. Tipton ?
Lincoln Press.
A hen belonging to Mrs. John,.
Chronister, near Brevard s station,
in Gaston county, is entitled to the
belt. The hogs kept destroying her
nest egg and a little son of Mrs.
Chronister procured a small gourd
which he substituted for the egg.
The hen after eyeing the gourd for
some minutes went on the nest.
When she left itscackling the little
boy, who was! watching in order to
get ahead of the hogs, ran to the
nest and there beside the gourd lay
an egg, an exact reproduction of the
gourd is size and shape handle and
all. The egg is here to show for
itself.
Our Cillay Letter.
i Cilley, April 28.
Tothe Editor of The Lenoir Topic:
Your many admirers and subscri
bers in this vicinity, not having
been heard from of late in the col
umns of your popular paper, wish
to encore themselves and play their
role by submitting a few questions
of general interest about that "bell
ed buzzard." We do not wish to
give any local dots, as new barns
and chicken coops being erected,
condition of crops, weather, fishing,
&c, or to comment on the articles
of "Outsider" and "One of the
Jury," hut, like all mankind, we are
subject to the contagion of popular
interest, therefore we are curious to
know all about that "belled buz
zard." This might properly be call
ed the lazy Valley, but still our peo
ple have enough patriotism,- to
prompt them to inquire into tho
cause of this disturbance of Western
n. c. j ;
At an important me: ting held a
few days ago, the one absorbing
theme was "the belled buzzard,"
and many doubts and theories were
raised and advanced in regard to
the said belled buzzard. These va
rious surmises may, be simmered
down to about this, viz. ; :
1. Was the apparition really a
"belled buzzard ?" On this point
there was great doubt on the part of
the members of the Curiosity Club.
"No," one saii, "he didn't believe
there was anything in the rumor,
only a late gotten up thing to excite
the people and divert them from
business, just as they were becoming
convalescent from the election fever,
mean tricks, &c. No, 2 jumped
up and .said. "No sir ! fellow
members, it was something, and I
believe it was a new minister recent-j
ly appointed by the President to
some South American mission, and
he was going there on the Air Line,)
and was just tolling the bell as it
passed over this famine-stricken,
dead-looking region." No. 3j
said thatie believed it was the black
demon-like spirit of Republican;
fraud and corruption! that had left
Washington, and had plumed its
pinions for a more congenial clime.j
Just then a lean, hungry-looking
man in the rear hollowed out.!
That's a ding lie ! for that dodgasted
buzzard was nothing but, a new
Democratic revenue officer in buz
zard's clothes,- prowling around,
trying to smell a blockade still."
Here the President - of the Club
called the excited member to order
and fined him. 85 for improper lan
guage. . , "-
Then one of thpse small urchins
usually called young America's
arose and said. "It was a belled
buzzard, 'cause The Topic said so.'1!
Well, that settled the first question.!
The next issue was, Who belled
that buzzard ? Some said they had
heard it was belled atsuch a i place
by so and so, others said, at another
place by so and so. So nobody
knew what was so. The oldest mem
ber then arose and said, "I am an
old man and I have never hearn in
all my life the beat o this. Why;
don't you all know s it never were
knowa who struck Billy Patterson ?
Then how are you gwine ter find out
who belled that old buzzard."
Then other questions of a like
weighty naturo were discussed. As,
What did he bell it for ? What is
the buzzard going to do about it ?
But for want of time, will not re
port any of the arguments on any
more but the last, which was, who
does that belled buzzard belong to ?
One said that, as it had been mark-j
td with a bell, it belonged to the
marker, but another said a buzzard
was to be classed with the ferae na
turae, that we all hadj an interest
in common in it. But that the
title was in the markV-But a for-!
mer justice of the peace said that
the title to that buzzard was in nu4
bins. Ye men of legal lore, how is
it ? ' ' U , .;.(
But right then and there the whole
club rose to a point of order and
unanimously (say one) passed a res
olution that they would receive m-i
formation about that! belled buzzard
in no way but through The Topic
You have the actions and wishes ofj
the club, and I will close by saying
that other bells of W. N. U. have
created sensations, but the belled
buzzard . "takes the tattered gar
ment in this, vicinity at present.
. Sec. Cl'iuosity Club.
The Tendency in Education.
To the Editor of The Lenoir Topic:
The tendency of the times is to r
the practical and ornamental in edu
cation. This is without doubt a
mistaken idea of the subject. The !
practical in education ought to be
only a result of the theoretical, and
not" tho theoretical a result of the
practical. I regard! education as!
being the logical development of the,
possibilities of an intellectual and
moral being to their highest extent.
It applies to all created intelligences,
and has no absolute point of limita
tion. In man a plWsical department
is added by which he is connected
with this earth, apd which in time
must rear.h a state . of exhaustion,
because this sphere is not his final
home. But not so with the intel
lectual and moral depart ments of his
nature. These have eternity for the
term, the universe for a study room,
matter, spirit and principles for sub
jects, and Christ for the great in:
striictor. " J
In the almost exclusively practi
cal, the student loses the idea of
mental and moral progression. We
deal too much with matter and too
little with pure though We soon
learn to want a tangible subject,
and this being absent, we drop first
into skepticism, and then into athe
ism. This, doubtless, is the:uso
'of the abundant atheism among the
.great scientists, so called, - v -",
As instructors, let us bring our
students more fully into the sphere
of pure moral thinking, and skep
ticism will decline in our midst.
R. L. Abesxetoy.
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