North Carolina Newspapers

SHI) 4 ADVERTISING RATES. - .Advertisements will be inserted for One Dollar pt'r square (one inch) for the first and Fifty Cents for each subsequent publication, j Contracts for advertising for any space or time may be made at the office of th . By P. M. HALE. office : Fayettevflle St., Second Floor Fisher Building. RATES OP SUBSCRIPTION: - One copy one year, mailed post-paid $2 00 One copy six months, mailed post-paid 1 00 RALEIGH REGISTER, ' -! Second Floor of Fisher Building, Fayettevflle Street, next to Market House. VOL. I. RALEIGH, N. C, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1884. NO. 44. 3P No name entered without payment, and no paper sent after expiration of time paid for. m THE LIGHT THAT IS FELT. JOHX O. WHITTIEB. A tender child of summers three, Seeking her little bed at night, Fau.-ed on the dark stair timidly, Ob, mother, take my hand," said she, And then the dark will all be light." We older children grope our way ; . From dark behind to dark before ; . And only when our hands we lay, Dear Lord, in Thine, the night U day And there iB darkness nevermore. Heath downward to theTisuriless days Wherein our guides are blind as we, And faith is small and hope delays ; Take Thou the hands of prayer we raise, And let us feel the light of Thee. THE LIFE POLICY. Warren's Confessions of an Attorney. Besides being the confidential advisers, attorneys are the "confessors" of modern England; and the revelations delicate. -serious, not unfrequently involving life as well as fortune and character confided to the purchased fidelity and professional honor of men whom romancers of all ages have stereotyped as the ghouls and vam pires of civilized society, are, it is impos sible to deny, as rarely divulged as those which the penitents of thefcrreek and Lat in churches impart to their spiritual guides and helpers; and this possibly for the somewhat vulgar, but very sufficient rea son, that a 'breach of confidence" would s certainly involve the professional ruin (if an attorney as the commission of a felon v. An able but eccentric juriscon suit, Mr. Jeremy Bentham, was desirous that attorneys should bo compelled to dis close, on oath, whatever guilty secrets lnisht be confided to them by their clients ; the only objection to which ingenious de vice for the conviction of rogues being, that if such a power existed, there would he do secrets to disclose; and, as a neces sary consequence, that the imperfectly in formed attorney would be unable to ren tier his client the justice to which every person, however criminal, is clearly enti tled that of having his or her case pre sented before the court appointed to de cide upon it in the best and most advan tageous, manner possible. Let it not be forgot ten. either that the attorney is the only real, practical defender of the hum hie amr needy against the illegal oppres sions of the rich and powerful the shrewd, indomitable agent who gives pro saic reality to the figurative eloquence? of -,rild Chancellor Fortescue, . when he says, that the lightning may Hash through, the ihtftder shake, the tempest beat, upon the English peasant's hut, but the king of England, with all his army, cannot lift the latch to enter in." The chancellor, of coure, meant, that in this country over hearing violence carmot defy, or put itself in the place of thelaw. This is quite true.: and why? Chiefly because the attorney-is ready, in-vall cases-of provable illegality, with" his potent strip of parch ment summoning the great man before her Sovereign Lady the Queen," there to answer for his acts; and the richer the offender, the more keen" and eager Mr. Attorney to prosecute the suit, however jieedy his own client; for he is then sure of hi- costs, if he succeed! Again, I cheerfully admit the extreme .vulgarity of the motive; but its effect in protecting the legal rights of the humble is not, I con tend, lessened because of the reward of exertion and suceess is counted out in iroud, honest sovereigns, or "notes of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England. 'Thus much by way of conciliatory pro logue to the narrative of a few incidents revealed in the attorney's privileged -con-f--signal; throughout which I have, of course, in order to avoid any possible re cognition of those events or incidents, changed the name of every persqn con cerned. - Our old city firm, then, which, I am happy to say, still flourishes undefthe able direction of our active successors, I will cuil adopting the nomenclature appropri ated to us by imaginative ladies and gen- t.emen wh favor the world with fancy pen-annk portraits of the lawyer tribe thatjof Flint and Sharp; Sharp being mvseii, una runt.tne silver-haired old uaeiicior we buried a few weeks since in kensal Green Cemetery. 'Mr. Andrews," said a clerk as he threw "pen the door of the inner office one af t' n.oon; '-Mr. Jesse Andrews." ""i-na. .nr. Andrews, ' was my prompt and civil greeting: "I have good . -. ior yeru. lake a chair." . , The good-humored, rather inrfdliorent.: and somewhat clouded countenance of the new comer brightened up at these words. -ews irom my Cousin Archibald?"-he ;'-ki d, n.s he seated 'himself. us. lie laments your late, failure, "HI coninilseriitoa tho rhor.,l - ut 1UCIU-U position and prospects of your wife and hni little -cnioaiu, tus godson. You he has not much conipasssioo for, inasmuch as he at i -i -i . . i . j tributes your misfortunes entirely to mis "ii.igcment and want of deuce." common pru ' allc id rrrtainltr 'I ,rmrr..1,.A IT- lid M'sm Am rewii l,i,i or. AA w A Andrews, liewv'." "His deeds "' will allow Inajorily -. are kinder than his words. , till Archibald atttains his Let me see how old is "iat le.y of yours now?" He was two years old when his :rodf:ithi r went to India 'We dri-d p. i', that' k "rd r t "ducat, i:a !!:, aiel'l , Vol, v ' ''ii. m, I. then, you will receive two hun unds per annum, payable half-year- Ivance, for the next ten years "f course, 'if your son lives in "-liable you to bring him up, and tinn properly. After that period -d, your cousin intimates that he " i the young man advantageously, " not doubt will do something for "."dd you not by that time have " d a fair position for yourself." t! " Mr said Mr. Andrews. '!y, what did you expect?" or three thousand pounds to set All I V. i me ail. iatio.,. 1' "laiii 'rCain. I know of a safe SDecu- that with, say three thousand capital, would realizes handsome in no time." 1 J 1 1 m ri Mr. . Andrews, I may observe, was th:it 1 1 1 1 T n f TV11 1 C nlaoo rf vtAMstna will are aiWiiv- VS (in th tVii-ooKl f .imliimn ih-iiii, I 7-, want of a bufficient "capital mioled with him imnn hia riisan- "initmetlf. ... .. , l . r. ''vail lime' "ii. as woras. nowevercivii. in the way of "capital," Mr. haviaor pocketed the first in..., i instalment of the .annuity, Ills e -Mi 111 I v nn mpsni n ryrnrimis . - "m mime oi mind. . 1 ;v i . . . i . , "r:.t(f,.l c . - hi', , "all-yearly payments were n ( . VY nen ne handed me tnc Mjrt ' "'' tli(- 'ast occasion, he said, in ft if J 'UU)d, careless way, "I suppose, wi.i'i '- wtre to die these payments ''i ci-ae;"' . j :i it ..... nn "Perhaps not," I replied 'unthinkingly, j "At all events, not, I should say, till you and your wife were in some way provided for. But your son is not ill?" I added. "No, no; not at present," replied An drews, coloring, and with a confusion of manner which surprised me not a little. It flashed across my mind that the boy was dead, and that Andrews, in order not to risk the withdrawal or suspension of the annuity, had concealed the fact from us. "Let me see." I resumed, "we have your present address Norton Folgate, I think?" 'Yes, certainly you ha ve. " "I shall very likely call in a day or two to see Mrs. Andrews and your son." The man smiled in a reassured, half sardonic manner. "Do," he answered, "Archy is alive, and very well, thank God!" This confidence dispelled the suspicion I had momentarily entertained, and five or six weeks passed away, during which An drews and his affairs 1 were almost as en tirely absent from my thoughts as if no such man existed: About the expiration of that time; Mr. Jesse Andrews unexpectedly revisited the office, and as soon as I was disengaged, was ushered into my private room. He was habited in the 'deepest mourning, and it naturally struck me that either his wife or son was dead an impression, however, which , a closer examination of his coun tenance did not confirm, knowing as I did, how affectionate a husband and father he was, with all his faults and follies, reputed to be. 1 He looked flurried, nervous, cer tainly ; but there was no grief, no sorrow in the restless, disturbed glances which he directed to the floor, the ceiling, the win dow, the fire-place, the chairs, the table everywhere, in fact, except towards my iace. "What is the matter, Mr. Andrews?" 1 gravely inquired, seeing that he did not appear disposed to open the conversation. "A great calamity, sir a great calami ty," he hurriedly ami confusedly answer ed, his face still persistently averted from me "has happened ! Archy is dead 1 -' "Dead !" I exclaimed, considerably shocked. "God bless me! when did this happen?" "Three weeks ago," was the reply. "He died of cholera." "Of cholera!" This occurred. I should state, in 1830. ies: he was very assiduously attended throughout his sufferings, which were pro tractea- ana severe, by the eminent JJr. Parkinson, a highly-respectable and skill ed practitioner, as you doubtless, sir are aware." I could not comprehend the man. This dry, unconcerned, business-sort of gabble was not the language of a suddenly-be reaved parent, and one, too, who had lost a considerable annuity by his son's death. What could it mean? I was in truth fair ly puzzled. After a considerable interval of silence, which Mr. Andrews, whose eyes continued to wander in every direction except that of mine, showed no inclination to break, I said " It wil be necessary for me to write immediately to your cousin, Mr. Archibald Andrews. I trust, for your sake, the annuity will be continued ; but of course, till I hear from him, the half yearly payments must be suspended." "Certainly, certainly; 1 naturally ex pected that would be the case," said An drews, still in the same quick, hurried tone. " Quite so." "You have nothing further to say, I suppose?" I remarked, after another dead pause, during which it was very apparent that he was laboring with something to which he nervously hesitated to give utter ance. "No yes that is, I wished to consult you upon a matter of business connected with with a life-assurance office." "A life assurance office?" " Yes." The man's pale face flushed crimson, and his speech became more and more hurried as he went on. "Yes; fear ing, Mr. Sharp, that should Archy die, we might be left without resource, I resolved, after mature deliberation, to effect an in surance on his life for four thousand pounds." "Four thousand pounds!" "Yes. All necessary preliminaries were gone through. The medical gentleman since dead of the cholera, by the way examined the boy of course, and the in surance was legally effected for four thou sand pounds, payable at his death." I did not speak; a suspicion too horrible to be hinted at held me dumb. "Unfortunately," Andrews continued, "this insurance was only effected about a fortnight before poor Archy?s death, and the office refuses payment, although, as I have told you, the lad was attended to the verv hour of his death by Dr. Parkinson, a highly respectable, most unexceptionable gentleman. Very much bo indeed." "I quite agree in that," I answered after awhile. "Dr. Parkinson i a highly re spectable and eminent man. What reason," I added, "do the company assign for non payment?" "The very recent completion of the pol icy ' Nonsense ! : How can that fact, stand ina alone, affect your claim?" " I do not know," Andrews replied ; and all this time I had not been able to look fairly in his face; "but they do refuse; and I am anxious that your firm should take the matter in hand, and sue them for the amount." I must first see Dr. Parkinson," I an swered, "and convince myself that there is no legitimate reason for repudiating the Certainly, certainly, ne repueu. I will write to you to-morrow," Kairl. risinir to terminate the conference, " nftpr I have seen Ur. rarKinson. anu state whether we will or not take proceed inira against the insurance company on -o o your behalf." He thanked me and hurried off. Tr. Parkinson confirmed Mr. Jesse An flrfws in everv Darticular. He had attend ed the boy, a fine, light-haired lad of eleven or twelve years of age, from not long after his seizure till his death. He suffered dreadfully, and died unmistakably of Asiatic cholera, and of nothing else of which same disease a servant and a fe male lodcer in the same house had died just previously. "It is of course," Dr Parkinson remarked in conclusion, "as unfortunate for the company as it is strangely lucky for Andrews; but there is no valid reason lor reiusing payment. Upon this representation we wrote the next day to the assurance people, threat ening proceedings on behalf of Mr. Jesse Andrews. , Early on the morrow one of the manag ing directors called on us, to state the reasons which induced the company to hesitate at recognizing the plaintiff's claim In addition to the doubts suggested by the brief time which had elapsed from the date of the policy to the death of the child, there were several other slight cir cumstances (n corroDoraiive suspicion The chief of these was, that a neighbo had declared he had heard, the father in dulging in obstreperous mirth in a room adjoining thnt in which the corpse lay only about two hours after his son had ex pired. This unseemly, scandalous hilarity of her husband, the wife appeared to faint ly remonstrate against. The directors had consequently resolved non obstante Dr. Parkinson's declaration, who mieht. they argued, have been deceived, to have the body exhumed in order to a post-mortem examination as to the true cause of death. If the parents voluntarily agreed to this course, a judicial application to enforce it would be unnecessary, and all doubts on tne matter could be quietly set at rest. I thought the proposal, under the circum stances, reasonable, and called on Mr. and Mrs. Andrews to obtain their concurrence. Mrs. Andrews was, I found, absent in the country, but her husband was at home, and he, on hearing the proposal, was, I thought, a good deal startled shocked rather a natural emotion perhaps. " Whor who," he said, after a few mo ments' silent reflection "who is to con duct this painful, revolting inquiry?" "Dr. Parkinson will be present, with Mr. Humphrey the surgeon, and Dr. Cur tis the newly appointed physician' to the assurance office, in place of Dr. Morgan, who died, as you are aware, a short time since of cholera." "True. Ah, well, then," he answered almost with alacrity, "be it as they wish. Dr. Parkinson will see fair play." The examination was effected, and the result was a confirmation, beyond doubt or quibble, that death, as Dr. Parkinson had declared, had been solely occasioned by cholera. The assurance company still hesitated ; but as this conduct could now only be looked upon as perverse obstinacy, we served them with a writ at once. They gave in ; and the money was handed over to Mr. Jesse Andrews, whose joy at his sudden riches did not, I was forced to ad mit, appear to be in -the slightest degree damped by any feeling of sadness for the loss of an only child. We wrote to inform Mr. Archibald An drews of these occurrences, and to request iurther instructions with regard to the annuity hitherto paid to his cousin. A considerable time would necessarily elapse before an answer could be received, and in the meantime Mr. Jesse Andrews plunged headlong Into the speculation he had been long hankering to engage in, and was, as he informed me a few weeks afterwards, on the royal road to a magnificent fortune. Clouds soon gathered over this brilliant prospect. The partner, whose persuasive tongue and brilliant imagination had in duced Mr. Andrews to join him with his four thousand pounds, proved to be an arrant cheat and swindler; and Mr. An drews' application to us for legal help and redress was just too late to prevent the ac complished dealer in moonshine and delu sion from embarking at Liverpool for America, with every penny of the partner ship funds in his pockets! A favorable reply from Mr. Archibald ndrews had now become a question of ital importance to his cousin, who very impatiently awaited its arrival. It came at last. Mr. Andrews had died rather suddenly at Bombay a short time before my letter arrived there, after executing in triplicate a will, of which one of the cop ies was forwarded to me. By this instru ment his property about thirty -five thou sand pounds, the greatest portion of which had been remitted from time to time for investment in the British funds was dis posed of as follows: Five thousand pounds to his cousin Jesse Andrews, for the purpose of educating and maintaining Archibald Andrews, the testator s godson. till he should have attained the acre of twenty-one, and the whole of the remain ing thirty thousand pounds to be then paid over to Archibald with accumulated inter est. In the event, however, of the death of Bis godson, the entire property was de vised to another more distant and wealth ier cousin, Mr. Newton, and hi son Charles, on precisely similar conditions, with the exception that an annuity of sev enty pounds, payable to Jesse Andrews and his wife during their lives, was charged upon it. Two letters were dispatched the same evening one to the fortunate cousin, Mr. Isewton, who lived within what was then known as the two penny post delivery, and another to Air. Jesse Andrews, who had taken up his temporary- abode in a cottage near St. Albans', Hertfordshire. Ihese missives informed both gentlemen of the arrival of the Indian mail, and the, to them, important dispatches it contained Mr. Isewton was early .at the offacc on the following: morning, arid perused the will with huge content. He was really quite sorry, though, for poor Cousin Jesse; the loss of his son was a sad stroke, much worse than this of a fortune which he might have expected to follow as a matter of course. And the annuity, Mr. New ton thoughtfully observed, was, after all, no contemptible provision for two persons without family, and of modest require ments A very different scene was enacted when late in the evening, and just as I Vas about to leave the office, Mr. Jesse Andrews rushed in, white as a sheet, haggard, and wild with passion. "What devil's fables are these you write me?" he burst forth the instant he had gained the threshold of the room. "How dare you," he went on, almost shrieking with fury "how dare you attempt to palm off these accursed lies on me? Archy rich rich and 1 But it is a lie ! an infernal device got up to torture me to drive me wild, distract ed mad!" The excited man literally foamed with rage, and so astonished was I, that it was a minute or two before I could speak or move. At last I rose, closed the door, (for the clerks in the out cr office were hearers and witnesses of this outbreak.) and led the way to an inner and more private apartment. "Come with me, Mr. Andrews," I said, "and let us talk this matter calmly over, He mechanically followed, threw him self into a chair, and listened with fren zied impatience to the reading of the will "A curse is upon me," he shouted, jumping up as I concluded; "the curse of God a judgment upon the crime I but the other day committed a crime as I thought dolt, idiot that I was so'cun ningly contrived, so cleverly executed! Fool, villain, madman that I have been; for now, when fortune is tendered for my acceptance, I dare not put forth my hand to grasp it; fortune, too, not only for me, but . O God, it will kill us both, Martha as well as me, though I alone am to blame for this infernal chance !" This outburst appeared to relieve him, and he sank back into his chair somewhat calmer. I could understand nothing of all that rhapsody, knowing, as I did, that his son Archibald had died from natural causes. "It is a seveic blow," I said, in as soothing a tone as 1 could assume "a very great disappointment; still, you are securcd from extreme poverty from any thing like absolute want" "It is not that it is not that! "he broke in, though not quite so wildly as before. "Look you, Mr. Sharp, I will tell you all! There may be some mode of extrication from this terrible predicament, and I must have your advice professionally upon it." "Goon; I will advise you to the best of my ability?" Here it is, theix Archy, my son Archv, is alive ! alive ! and. well in health ?s either you or 1 1 " I was thunderstruck. Here was indeed a revelation. Alive and well," continued Andrews. "Listen! When the cholera liegan to spread so-rapidly, I bethought me of in suring the boy's life in case of the worst befalling, but not, as I hope for mercy, with the slightest thought of harming a hair of his head. This was done. Very soon the terrific disease approached our neighborhood, and my wife took Archy tocessful he never failed. Contemporaneous a country lodging returning herself the same evening. The next day our only servant was attacked and died. A few hours after that our first-floor lodger, a widow of the name of Mason, who had been with us but a very short time, was attacked. She suffered dreadfully; and her son, a boy about the age of Archy, and with just his hair and complexion, took ill also. The woman was delirious with pain; and before effective medical aid could be obtained she wts seized in the middle of the night she expired. Her son, who had been removed into an other room, became rapidly worse, and we sent for Dr. Parkinson ; the poor fel low was partly delirious with pain and clung piteously round my wife's neck, calling her mother, and imploring her to relieve him. Dr. Parkinson arrived and at first sight of the boy said, ' Your son is very ill, Mrs. Andrews I fear past recov ery; but we will see what can be done.' I swear to you, Mr. Sharp, that it was not till this moment the device which has ruined us flashed across mv brain. I ciu- tioned my wife in a whisper not to unde ceive the doctor, who prescribed the most active remedies, and was in the room when the lad died. You know the rest. And now, sir, tell me, can anything be done any device suggested to retrieve this mise rable blunder, this terrible mistake?" "This infamous crime, you should sav, Mr. Andrews," I replied; "for the com mission of which you are liable lo be trans ported for life." ies, crime; no doubt that is the true? word ! But must the innocent child suffer for the father's offence?" That is the only consideration that could induce me to wag a finger in the business. Like many other clever rogues, you are caught in the trap you limed for others. Come to me to-monow; I will think over the matter between this and then, but at present I can say nothing. Stay," I added, as. his hand was on the door; "the identity of your son can be proved, I suppose, by better evidence than your own?" "Certainly, certainly." "That will do, then; I will see you in the morning." If it should cross the mind of any reader that I ought to have given this self- confessed felon into custody, I beg to re mind him that, for the reasons previously stated, such a course on my part was out of the question impossible; and that, had it not been impossible I should do so, Mr. Jesse Andrews would not have intrust ed me with his criminal secret. The only question now therefore was, how without compromising this guilty client, the god father's legacy could be secured for the in nocent son. A conference the next morning with Mr. Flint resulted in our sending for Mr. Jesse Andrews, and advising him, for fear of ac cidents or miscarriage in our plans, to be take himself to the kingdom of France for a short time. We had then no treaty of extradition with that country. As soon as I knew he was safely out of the realm, I waited upon the insurance people. "The money ought not to have been re ceived by Jesse Andrews, vou say. Mr. Sharp?" observed the managing gentle man, looking keenly in my face. "Preciselv. It ought not to have been received by him." "And if Ay not, Mr. Sharp?" "That is quite an unnecessary question, and one that, you know, I should not an swer, if I could. That which chiefly con cerns you is, that I am ready to return the four thousand pounds at once, here on the spot, and that delays are dangerous. If you refuse, why, of course ' and I rose from my chair "I must take back the money." "Stay stay! I will lust consult with one or two gentlemen, and be with you again almost immediately." In about five minutes he returned. "Well, Mr. Sharp," he said, "we had, I suppose, better take the money obtained, as you say, by mistake." "Not at all; I said nothing about mis take. I told you it ought not to have been received by Andrews." "Well well, 1 understand. I must, I suppose, give you a receipt!" " Undoubtedly; and, if you please, pre cisely in this form.' I handed him a copy on a slip of paper He ran it over, smiled, transcribed it en a stamp, signed it, and as x handed mm a check for the amount, placed it in my hands. We mutually bowed, and I went my way. Notwithstanding Mr. Newton's opposi tion, who was naturally furious at the un expected turn the affair had taken, the identity of the boy whom that gentle- ' man persisted in asserting to be dead and buried was clearly established ; and Mr. Archibald Andrews, on the day he be came of age, received possession of his fortune. The four thousand pounds had, of course, been repaid out of Jesse An drews' legacy. That person has, so to speak, since skulked through life, a mark for the covert scorn of every person ac quainted with the very black transaction here recorded. This was doubtless a much better fate than he deserved ; and in strict, or poetical justice, his punishment ought unquestionably to have been much greater more apparent also, than it was, for example's sake. But I am a man not of fiction, but of fact, and consequently relate events, not as they precisely ought, but as they da occasionally occur in law yers' offices, and other unpoetical nooks and corners of this prosaic, matter-of-fact, working-day world. They Like a Sensation. Dr. R. H. Russell is going from New York to New Orleans in a fifteen-pound whitewood canoe. His only companion will be a pet bull-dog. The start will be made from some poin on the North River one day this week, going thence to Alba ny, through the canals to Buffalo, and thence to the Ohio, and down the latter river to the Mississippi. The trip will I probably take about six weeks. The doc- tor's boat is fourteen feet long by twenty six inches wide, built with deck for the voyage. He carries his own provisions will do his own cooking, and will shoot fish en voyage. AN OLD REVIVAL PREACHER. Incident of Elder Swan's Career. New York Tribune. New Lokdoh, December 10. The ac tive labors of the late Elder Jabez S. Swan in the ministry of the Baptist Church covered a period of half a century. He baptized more than 10,000 converts. The simple statement of this fact shows the re markable success that attended his evan gelistic work. The field of his labors was mainly confined to Connecticut and North ern New Tork. In these sections he ploughed the same spiritual soil year after year, but it always responded to his L touch, and where he had once been suc- with Knapp and Dow, he was less famous than those noted evangelists only because he moved from choice in a narrower circle. Whenever the Elder and Knapp couducted revivals together the verdict always was that the former surpassed the latter in the power tcy awaken and sustain a deep re ligious fervor. Elder Swan inherited his gifts of exhor tation and prayer to no small extent from his mother. She came of . old Baptist stock, was a woman of pronounced piety, and always did more than "her share of talking and praying in the conference meetings at Stonington, Conn., where the Elder was born and spent his boyhood. Her husband, Joshua Swan, did not share her religious views, and looked with much disfavor on her active participation in church affairs. It is related that one even ing when the wife had exhorted long and earnestly at a prayer meeting, without giving any sign that she ever intended to resume her seat, Joshua pulled nervously at her gown and said in a voice that could be distinctly heard all over the conference room: "Nancy, for Heaven's sake sit down." "Y'oumind your business, Joshua Swan," retorted the good woman, after which she resumed her train of thought, without showing the slightest discompo sure. Many are the anecdotes, well authenti cated, too, showing the Elder's originality and peculiarities. When he was conduct ing one of his greatest revivals in this city, the fruits of which were more than 1,000 conversions, the deacons of the church waited upon him and said that much fault was found with the style of his sermons they were too radical in tone and too outspoken ; and they suggested that he should "draw it milder." The Elder heard them through and made them this reply: "Well, brethren, it may be as you say. Now, I want vou to let me preach one sermon to-morrow night in my own harness, and it that uoesn t suit you I will preach hereafter in the regulation style, or I will leave the pulpit for some body, else." The deacons agreed, and the next Sunday evening the Elder took as his subject the combat between David and Goliath. He sketched the Philistine giant who, clad in his armor of brasSj de fied the armies of the living God, as like unto a minister clothed with the theology oi xrinceton ana Anaover. Then he in troduced David as a rosy-checked farm boy who had to come to camp to bring "crackers and cheese" for his elder brothers who were serving in the army of Israel. He gave a quaint and original version of the conversation between Da vid and the King when the former pro posed to become the champion of the hosts of Israel and accept the challenge of uouatn. ine ft-ing ne represented as looking with undisguised contempt upon the son of Jesse, and saying, "You, you little brat! You fight Goliath! What are you talking about? He'd make mince meat of you in no time." Then he de scribed the putting of the King's suit of armor on David to prepare him to do bat tie with the Philistine. "Why," said the Elder, "when he got that Princeton and Andover paraphernalia on, David felt as though he was in a strait-jacket. He ripped the whole thing off and told the King 'I've got to fight in my own har nc8s.' " When he came to the point where David, sung in hand, confronted the Phil istine, the Elder gave such a realistic pic ture of the scene that when he raised his long arm and swung it vigorously over nis head as it in tne act of hurling the smooth stone tnat laid the giant low. nearly every one in the congregation dodged. "It struck him straight between the eyes," shouted the Elder, "and killed him deader than a hammer." Then he capped the climax and pointed the moral of his discourse as follows: "Brethren 1 m HKe uavia. J-iet me tight in my own harness, as he did, and if I don t drive the devil and all his imps out of New London inside of three months, I'll pack up and go myself." "Go it, Elder! u it, Elder!" with a volley of "Amens was heard from all parts of the church, ana alter tnat tne deacons were never known to take any exceptions to the pas tor s style. Elder Swan believed in old-style, out door, cold-water immersion, and could never find words strong enough to con demn tho modern innpvation of baptist cries supplied with warm water. Givin vent to his feelings on the subject at one time, he said that he found abundant authority in the Bible for baptizing con verts, but he had never been able, though he had made a most careful search, to find any authority for "parboiling" them. Candidates for immersion, when any dis cretion was offered them, always preferred to trust themselves in the Elder s hands. He had a grip like a vise, and much prac tice had made him perfect in the art of administering the baptismal rite without putting the converts to unnecessary tor ture or subjecting them to the danger of being drowned. Often he went from the church to the banks of the Thames long after midnight and baptized the converts of the evening by the light of the moon, or of lanterns and torches. On the morn ing after one of these midnight baptismal scenes a pupil at the Young Ladies' High School asked the principal, Professor Farnsworth, afterward for many years Postmaster at Topeka, Kansas, why it was that baptism followed so close upon con version. The Professor replied that he supposed the Elder was afraid some of the converts " would not keep over night." Once when speaking of the wonderful power of God as shown during periods of great religious awakening, the Elder, pausing for an instant, as if seeking for the strongest possible illustration, turned his eye to the gallery of the church, and fastened it on a well-known member of the New London bar, who was rather a hard case from a religious point of view, and then continued: "Why, in a. recent revival at which I assisted, the grace of God was even found equal to the conver sion of three lawyers' As he was passing along the street one day a drunken man staggered up to him, and putting out his hand said, "Elder, don't you know me? Why, you converted me." The Elder gazed at him, more in sorrow than in anger, and replied: "Well, it's pretty sure the Lord never converted you, and all 1 can say is; that if I did, I made an almighty poor job of it. " In the pulpit the Elder often indulged in the argumentum ad hominem. Among the deacons of the Old Baptist Church on tne Kocks, ' during ms pastorate, was Uncle Isaac Harris, a good old soul, and one of the most thorough-going Baptists that ever believed in the doctrine of im mersion. Uncle Isaac ran a meat market at one time, and being of a thrifty turn of mind, fell into the habit of keeping it open on Sunday. Other deacons of the church, too, were guilty of worldly prac tices that the Elder abhorred, one of them even going' to the point of selling rum, and if there was anything in uhe world that the Elder hated worse than he did the Univexsalist Church it was liquor selling. So, one Sunday he preached a sermon that was aimed in the most pointed manner at the besetting sins of the several deacons. As he denounced the shortcomings of one of them in terms that fitted like a glove, Uncle Isaac called out from his pew, That means you. Deacon ." Again the Elder loaded and fired, and with un erring aim brought down another of the 'pillars" of his church. "That means you, Deacon , ' said Lnele Isaac in stentorian tones. Then the Elder, fullv warmed up to his task, denounced in the most scathing language at his command the man who, not satisfied with working six days of the week, in his eagerness to pile up money robbed the Lord of a por tion of the seventh day, and came to the sanctuary fresh from this sacrilege. Uncle Isaac grew purple in the face as he recog nized his own portrait, but he was equal to the emergency,' and when the climax came responded, though in a somewhat subdued tone, "That means me!" The sermon struck home, and the deacons no longer furnished cause for scandal among the brethren. Long after he had retired from active labor in the ministry, the Elder was fre quently invited to officiate at funerals. Funeral services when under his charge were sure not to be, as is too often the case, of a nature to harrow up the souls of relatives of the deceased and invest death with fresh horrors. His prayers at funer als were, as balm to the wounded soul, always full to overflowing with tenderness and sympathy, and if he made a funeral address it rarely failed to fit the occasion. Only a few years ago he was asked to take charge of the services at the funeral of a man of brilliant, parts, who, owing to the obliquity of his moral vision, had made shipwreck of his life. The Elder de murred. " I used to think a great deal of him when he was a lad," said the old evangelist, " and if I could conscientiously say one good thing of him at his grave, I would go with all my heart; but I tell you, , that he has cleaned out the en tire decalogue Elder Swan s passion for horseflesh was well known and was his one shortcoming in the eyes of some of his clerical brethren who could not grasp the distinction be tween a jockey and a genuine Jover of a horse. The Elder was not entitled to be cailea a gooa judge oi a horse, as was fully proved to his entire satisfaction on more than one occasion when he was badly victimized in trading; but he knew a good horse when he held the reins and was sel dom without one in his stable. Abso lutely devoid of guile himself, even when it came to horse-trading. and horse- trading is a crucial test of honesty in a man he gave others the credit of bein equally honest, aud it thus often came to pass that his innocent faith in human na ture left him the bail end of a bargain His most dismal experience in the trading line was with one of his own cloth and de nomination, a pastor m an up-country town, whose pulpit he once filled. When the Elder left home;7'1t was with a good horse ; when he returned on the following Monday, the good horse was in the stable of the rural clergyman, and all the Elder had to show for the trade was a stone blind steed and a mongrel dog which had been generously "thrown in." There after he made it an invariable rule to seek out men of the world and throw himself on their tender mercies when he wanted to " swap" horses. A Roman Catholic University. New York World. The founding of a Catholic University in the United States, which has been the source of a great deal of speculation dur ing the past five or six years, is now as sured. Miss Mary G. Caldwell, a young lady of New York City, - offered dur ing the sessions of the Plenary Council to give $300,000 as the foundation for such a University, to be established under the guiding hand of the Council. Her offer was gratefully accepted. Besides Miss Caldwell's munificent gift, Bishop Ireland said, they had assurances from wealthy Catholics, in all parts of America, and a few in Europe, that they are willing to contribute towards the es tablishment of the much-needed Univers ity. Several smaller gifts, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, have already been re ceived, and the indications are that upon the first call they would recaive about $1, 000,000. He said that something like $2,000,000 or $3,000,000 would be required to complete the building and outfit, but the one million dollars would put it on a solid footing. At first the institution will be used for the higher education of the clergy. Afterwards it will develop into a full-fledged University, such as some of the secular Universities in America and Europe, possessing all the latest improved appliances. The plans for the building have already bee-prepared. It is under stood that it will-be built of granite, a half dozen stories in height, and supplied with all modern appliances. In addition there will be quite a number of out-buildings and large recreation grounds, and fields for agricultural pursuits. Miss Caldwell is a native of New York, but her father the late W. S. Caldwell, was born in Fredericksburg, Va., where he lived for many years. Her mother be longed to the distinguished Breckinridge family, of which Vice-President John C. Breckinridge and Rev. Dr. Robert Breck inridge were members. Miss Caldwell and her sister are nieces of Bishop Spald ing. Remains of Feudalinm. Two English Dukes hold their duke doms by curious concessions. The Dukes of Wellington and of Marlborough de scendants of England's two greatest mili tary heroes are each required to present to the sovereign annually a small silk flag of an original color and design, and em broidered with some new sentiment ex pressed emblematically, failing which their dukedoms ara forfeited. The flags are kept on either side of the great win dow in the armory of Windsor Castle. As may be imagined, neither Duke has ever failed to l on hand in season with his flag. PASSING THE PLATE. The Church Trustee' Studies of Hu man Nature, Plugged Coin, and Buttons. TNew York Sun. Protestant Episcopal ministers say before the offertory: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Other ministers say other things, nnd the formulas vary all the way from Scrip tural phrase to the ouspoken invitation of the old farmer who runs the meeting house in Fan wood, N. J., and says, as he hands over his stovepipe to be passed around : "Now, friends, make that there old hat hum, and bust the bottom out of her if you kin." Taking up a collection brings out the different characteristics of individuals, and that fact seemed to impress a sexton who was asked about collections in general. "Nothing you 11 ever see, he said, will bring out more human nature than passing around the plate just once. If the prominent church members who do that would speak, they could tell you interest ing things. But, of course, their position is a confidential one, something like that of a confessor, or a lawyer, and it would'nt do for them to tell. But, as I was saving. it brings out the most curious human na ture that a man has got in him. Before I became connected with this church I was a simple member of a smaller down-town congregation ; and, although I don't take any pnae in it now, i may say that l was a trustee, and did take up collections. When I tell you there were two hundred persons in the congregation, and that $20 was an unusually large sum to take up at one time, you will understand how little enthusiasm there is about contributing unless on some special occasion. The only way that I can explain it is this: lou see, a regular church member looks upon the collection as, a life-long fact that has got to be met every Sunday, and, if he is at all inclined to be economical, he is apt to trim down there, because he feels that he does his duty in paying for his pew. Then, when outsiders come in, they may give little, but, as a rule, they will finger the five cents or ten cents in their pockets. and then drop it, reflecting that, after all, it isn t worth while to help build up church with which they will have no further connection." " Does anything depend on the man who carries the plater' " Well, a great deal. He needs to have a sharp eye, of course, not to miss any body, because there is not one chance ina! thousand of his being called back. What he needs more than anything else, though, is business tact. There's everything in knowing how to pass a plate to different people. Some arc cranky. If you put the plate at them too persistently they feel offended, and take pride in not contribut ing a cent for six weeks. Then other peo ple have their little weaknesses and want their light to have a good chance to shine. I knew a man who, if a plate came to him empty, would put on a quarter or a half, and be satisfied with starting it that way; but if there were a lot of quarters and things on already, he'd just as like as not slap down n dollar bill. Aud he'd get at least a dollar's worth of satisfaction in watching the hesitation of the men next to him. who knew they were as good as he, and yet didn't like to give so much. Why, I've had a plate come sailing by 'me just loaded with bills, and you'd think the congregation was extravagantly liberal, when the fact was that two or three men started in that way, and the rest wouldn't take a bluff. "More diplomacy may be exercised by a collector than any one would think. But he can't do nearly as much to help the church as the members themselves can as they sit in their seats. Let a gentleman put silver in the plate, and then follow it with his eye. I he chances are that no one within sight will have the courage to put in copper. More than once I've seen a man drop a penny from the "palm of his hand in the middle of the plate thinking it would pass unperceived. But some deacon or some one interested in the church would light right onto the cent with a well-directed glance. Then the man would look down, discover with sur prise that he had put in a cent, say 'What a ridiculous - mistake,' and put in more. There are lots of old church members who understand this, and no matter what church you may go "to, unless you sit up in the gallery, you will be pretty sure to see some old gentleman or old lady with an eye on you as the plate goes by. More hesitating nickels have been turned in the right direction by this means than any one has any idea of. And it's only right, foraio one can supply a church with heat, light and a good minister unless he has money to do it with. And every one who enjoys those comforts ought to help pay for them. " There is a curious case in this church. It is that of an old white-haired member, worth a million, who always puts just ten cents in the box. Rain or shine, he's always in his seat at the same hour, and always has a dime in change. I've heard our minister make the most touching ser mon on the heathen that you ever heard Tears would wet the old millionaire's cheeks, but just as sure as that box came around he would wipe his eyes, reach with his right hand in his left waistcoat pocket, and draw out that dime; just enough to take a missionary to Harlem. He probably contracted that habit when he was a poor man, and grew to like it. " Other men are just the other way, and give liberally more, perhaps, than they can afford. Men who get their money most easily are most liberal ; brokers and speculators who don't know whether they own a cent or not will throw in a twenty dollar bill, when a solid real estate owner will give a quarter. And I've seen a reg ular gambler come into church in all kinds of fancy clothes, and contribute something handsome, just for luck. "About punched quarters and dimes we don't have so much trouble nowadays, because they are getting scarce since they have become hard to pass. But, of course, if a man has got a nickel with a hole in it plugged up with tin foil, he is tempted to contribute it in church. It seems as nat ural to most men as to pnt it in the box of a bobtail car. Foreign missions and bob tail car companies, I think, divide up the punched coin of this country, t f course we wouldn't appear to- notice a punched coin, even if there was nothing but the rim left. We might offend some one who would do the right thing when his punch ed money ran out. " Buttons we get, too, but rarely from grown-up people. They come nearly al ways from boys who have been provided with money by their parents, and tear from their trousers a button with which to go through the motions of contribut- "Foreign coin?" "Yes, certainly. It would delight the heart of a coin dealer to go ""through some of the collections that used to be taken up down in my old church. 1 hat was near the river, and lots of sailors and foreigners would, drop in and give whatever they happened to have. Once, I remember, a big tar came up the aisle, rolling under the combined influences of alcohoL and a . life at sea. When the plate passed around he took a bright silk handkerchief from his neck and contributed that, after hav ing gone through all his pockets in search of money. I wanted to give it back, but one of the Sunday school teachers thought it was a pretty idea, and embroidered the handkerchief for the minister. "Another thing that often happens is to have a man put in more than he meant. But few have courage to ask for it back, though it does happen. I dropped into St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church on Varick street one day, and was rather sur prised to see a man next to me drop in a $5 gold piece. He didn't look very flush, and when his eye lighted on the yellow coin I knew he wasn't. " ' Hold on, Deacon,' he says as he grabs the collector by the coat tail, ' that was a mistake. Give me four dollars and ninety-five cents change, please.' "The man with the plate was about as mad as any one you ever saw. He had kinder bowed in acknowledgment of the man's liberality, and it disgusted him to hunt all through the plate and make change. He had to do it, though, for the man wouldn't weaken, in spite of every one looking at him. He wasn't fhe mean est man I ever saw, though. The meanest one used to come to bur church, and say, as I got to him, 'I'm a reporter.' That's worse than going out when you see the plate start up the aisled After talking with th"e sexton, the re porter went to other churches. The aver age contribution of an average congrega tion is from $30 to $40. One church in this city taxes its members so much a scat, and the collection is only a mechanical proceeding, often not producing as much as $2 among 150 persons. The opposite of this is Dr. Hall's church, on Fifth avenue. The regular ordinary collection there is $2,500, and special occasions produce much larger sums. HOW TENNESSEE LOVERS Slaughter Each Other. fNew York Herald. William Moore and John Adams, two prominent young men living near McKin ney, Tenn., were rival suitors for the hand of a beautiful mountain belle, the daugh ter of a wealthy farmer. The rivalry was of long standing, but the young men were fast friends and they did not permit it to lessen their regard for each other. Re cently the young lady began to show a marked preference for Adams, and their engagement soon followed. Moore ceased his attentions and seemed to accept his defeat gracefully. The friendly relations between the young men continued. Last Saturday they went hunting, and after a day's successful sport they started home, each laden with game, and Were chatting in the best of spirits. In the course of their conversation Adams spoke of his ap proaching nuptials and boasted of the su perior attractions which had won the lady's heart. Moore seemed nettled by the taunts of his quondam rival and retorted sharply. At this Adams began to taunt him, and intimated that he lacked the qualities to win a female heart, and from this a hot quarrel arose. Moore, throwing his gun to his shoulder, levelled it at the deriding rival, and fired. Adams received the load in his breast. He staggered and reeled, but in falling caught himself and fell on his knees. The blood gushed forth from a score of wounds, but consciousness still remained. Nerving his strength with the desperation of a dying man, he shrieked, "You shall not live to win her,f' and fired on his adversary. The aim was true, and Moore fell to the ground on his face, his head riddled with shot. The ri vals lay in death throes within a few feet of each other for some hours, and when they were discovered Moore was dead, but Adams was still alive and had strength remaining to relate the circumstances; ere he died shortly afterward. Hard Times In New York. New York Sun. People who insist upon talking about the revival of business and the bright prospects for the year 1885 may derive some comfort from the following fact: One of the popular champagne firms en gaged here the services of a well-known dude to sell 1,000 cases of their wine at $14 a case, with $1 commission for the dude. .The wine sells at $28 a case retail, and the dude thought that, with the ac quaintances he had in clubs, society, and sporting circles, he could easily secure some hotel trade in addition and sell the 1,000 cases. The story is about sixty days old, but he has not sold yet anything like the amount needed. Yet Christmas is at our door, and the country is one of the biggest champagne drinkers in the world. It is evident that there is something in the air which prevents people from laying in stock, even if they can get it at fifty cents on the dollar. The Paelne Railroads. fNew York Herald. The report of the United States Com missioner of Railroads shows that in June last the four subsidized roads owed the government $102,834,794, to secure which was a wholly inadequate sinking fund of about twelve millions. These roads have been very skilful in evading the restric tions and charges laid upon them, and they are still engaged in this work of cheating the government. Meanwhile these heavily capitalized roads are meet ing the competition of more favorably sit uated lines and are unable to maintain the fight. It is essential that before the crash comes the interests of the government should be fully protected. The Commis sioner is not very hopeful that such pro tection can be secured. The matter ought to be settled. How We Live and Die. New York Sun. The Registrar-General of England has recently published the march of a genera tion through life. He says that of a mil lion born the number at the end of five years will be reduced to: 736,818. At the end of 25 years there will "be 684,054 of the million left. At the end of 35 years there will be 568,993 leftand; of the wo men, two-thirds will be married. When 45 years have passed, 502,915 will remain. At C5, 309,020 will still be alive. When 75 years have rolled by, 161,164 (or nearly one out of six) will still remain. At 85, only 38,575 will survive. At 95, the mil lion'will be reduced to 2,153. The num ber who will cregs the line of the century will be 223, and at 108 years from the starting point the last one will be in hia grave.