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2 «he could never be made to understand “how one boy could pull all them people up!” She could not be induced to use it herself—she “wouldn’t give that boy the trouble to lift her up!” no indeed; «he plodded up and down the six long flights in a New York apartment house, with a heavy baby in her arms, and nothing could induce her to do otherwise. The number of people living under one roof was a source of endless dismay to her—she could never comprehend this problem, for to her, tier own “people” were her world. On one occa sion she was standing on the sidewalk with her 'baby charge when she discerned a uniformed Wes tern Union messenger run swiftly into the apart ment and disappear in the elevator. At once she became alarmed, for she knew well that a “tele gram” often portended evil, and at that time her ■“ole miss” happened to be visiting her daughter— quickly and breathlessly mammy climbed the long stairs to rush into her mistress’ room scarcely able to gasp out, “ole miss, did yer git yer telegram 1 ?” The nervous old lady exclaimed “Oh, no, mammy, where is it?” “I seen a boy bring one in when I was down stairs,” the old woman answered, and she could not understand the look of relief and amusement on the faces around her. In an apart ment house containing hundreds of persons “old miss” was the only possible recipient of a message! Thus mammy’s horizon was limited and thus it remained limited all her long life! She retained her “manner,” too; never, during all the years would she sit down in the presence of her “white folks;” never would she consent to let any one save those of her color serve her in any way; even when she was ill she would never consent to be waited on. Her devotion was unparalleled; her interest in all that touched the lives around her was unfailing, and yet she could not understand half of the com plex conditions of the new life into which she was plunged. So confusing did it become to her that she was compelled to return to the South as she grew older, and finally, was pensioned off by the family to live her life with her “ole man,” for whom she always retained the deepest affec tion. Her morality was no greater than that of the <at.her members of her race; despite the careful home training which surrounded her from early girlhood, for she was “raised in the house,” she never seem ed to comprehend any moral obligations toward her self; it was just a sealed book to her, and expla nations were impossible. Yet she “got religion” in its most violent form; she could name the day, the hour, even the minute when she “was took,” and her baptism was the greatest event of her life. She joined a “sassiety” and for the first time in lier sixty years of life she discarded her “head handkerchief,” and wore a straw bonnet! Fastid ious to a fault in the matter of dress, choosing care fully colors and prints to suit her fancy, she never leaned to “loud or bright colors,” but the vivid purple and white of the “sassiety” uniform de lighted her soul. Truly it would be difficult to find in all the world a product of social conditions so wonderfully mixed and yet so marvelously simple as the old darkeys of the past generation. That they played a prominent part in the record of the South, can never be gainsaid; that they left an im press on its domestic and social life, and on its de velopment, too, perhaps, is also beyond question. Almost invariably loyal and lovable and loving to their own people; lacking every element of mental development themselves, yet embodying many of the best and simplest virtues, it would seem that we might deal leniently with the present and the future of this same race because of the debt we owe to its individual members in the past. Rider Haggard has completed a new novel, the scene of which is laid partly in England and partly in. the Soudanese desert, and is already embarked upon still another, a Spanish romance of the period of Ferdinand and Isabella. John Alexander Dowie’s Zion City is passing through a crisis in affairs; many of its residents are reported in a starving condition. Dowie and his wife are separated, and she has given out that she wishes to sell everything for the good of the church, and that when the furnishings have been sold the house itself will be at the disposal of the society. The Golden Age for March 22, 1906. Who? ROBERT H. HARRIS. When life’s dream has found its ending, In the dark and silent grave, Where the plumy grasses bending in the summer breezes wave— Past, for us, all pain and sorrow, All the wasting woes of life, 'Ne’er to dawn the dread “to-morrow,” Presage—fraught of bitter strife — Who will come and, gently kneeling By the lonely, narrow bed, Drop a tear of kindly feeling O'er the ashes of the dead? Who, with faithful hearts and loving, Some memento will prepare? Who, the tangled sward removing, Plant some fragrant flowers there? Who will come, with tender yearning, At the dying of the day, Heart aglow with love yet burning For the dear one passed away? Who will kneel, an off’ring bringing To the mem’ry of The Past? Token of the love yet clinging, True and faithful to the last. Wlien the twilight shades are falling, When the darkening woods are still, When the whippoorwill is calling From the lonely, grave crowned hill, When the peaceful stars above us Smile down sadly from the sky, Who still tenderly will love us? Ling’ring fondly where we lie. Who, with true, heartfelt emotion, Bowing low, will drop a tear, Token of a deep devotion, Faithful, loyal, deathless e’er? Soon, Alas! too soon, are faded Mem’ries destined not to last; All too soon, are over shaded Brightest love-lights of the past! Ah! that sweetest recollections E’er should wane —grow dim —and die! Idols of the heart’s affections In the grave forgotten lie! Who, of all that clustered round us While in life, will not forget After death, the ties that bound us, And, once loving, love us yet? Important Conference. Dr. J. D. Atkins .of Nashville, went to Baltimore to meet Bishops Wilson and Galloway and Dr. W. R. Lambuth, in connection with the joint commis sion of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, on the union of all Metodist bodies now in Japan. A conference was held in this city on that subject during the Student Volunteer Convention, and much impor tance attaches in these meetings of the representa tives of the two Methodist bodies in America, with the object in view of uniting all Methodist Church es in Japan under the one head of the Methodist Church in Japan. On Friday these gentlemen will go to Washing ton to see President Roosevelt, and to seek, if possible, a better arrangement of our government with the Chinese in regard to the admission of Chinese students to the different schools and col leges of the United States and Canada. There are now 10,000 Chinese students attend ing the various colleges in Japan, largely because they ’cannot, under the existing laws, come to America. It is hoped that this visit to the president will be at least the beginning of bringing about an ar rangement whereby this better class of Chinese people may be permitted to-have the privilege of an American education. If, according to a professor in the University of Chicago, woman is to rule the country fifty years hence, were it not as well that she begin now looking into certain questions which will surely engage her thought then? For instance: During January, 224,- 000,000 cigarettes were manufactured in New York alone—enough to furnish fifty-six cigarettes apiece for every persons, adult and child, in that city. Con sidering the many other numerous manufacturing centers and the growing addiction to the habit, is not the question forced upon us that there are some matters that call for woman’s more lively and active interest in this present year—now? News of the Week. Dr. Manuel Quintana, president of Argentina, is dead. It is rumored that President Reyes, of the Re public of Colombia, is to resign from office in the near future. < ... ' . ' -- ' Eugene Richter, radical leader in the Reichstag since its foundation, and Bismarck’s old opponent, is dead of heart failure. Failure of the wheat and barley harvest is threat ened throughout Morocco. With no reserve from last year, a terrible famine seems to be impending. A bill has just been passed providing for the erection of a statue of General Nathaniel Greene on the battle field of Guilford court house, North Carolina. On March 9, the senate passed' a bill for the ad mission of a new state to be called Oklahoma, and to be composed of the territory of Oklahoma and Indian Tterritory. Steam is to be.abolished as the motive power on all the railroads of Switzerland, and its place to be taken by electricity. The St. Gotthard road is even now being changed into an electric road. The Christian Herald, through Dr. Joseph Klopscli, its editor, has made a large contribution to the Japanese famine fund. This is the third time relief has been sent through the Herald. Maxim Gorky, the novelist, is in great disfavor. Recently he left his wife and children and eloped with a Russian actress, and upon his return was publicly snubbed by his former friends. An inventor in Bucharest has perfected a type writer for the blind. The first machine could not be bought for less than 1,500 francs, but the price has now been brought to S4O. The awful catastrophe in the great coal center of Northern France last week was the worst in the history of that country. The casualties reported were between 1,200 and 1,300. The appointment of commissioner to look after the graves of Confederate dead in Northern states it is believed will be given to General Charles Shelly, of Birmingham, Ala., or to former Congress man William Elliot, of Columbia, S. C. Contracts for erecting the two main exhibit buildings of the Jamestown Exposition, have been awarded. It is estimated that all the exposition pre paratory work will be ready six months before the date set for the opening of the celebration, April 26, 1907. A bill now pending in Washington, makes pro vision for a cut in the salaries of aged department clerks. It is provided that no clerk who is over 65, shall receive more than $1,400 per year; and that no clerk who has reached the age of 68, shall receive more than $1,200 per year. Upon reaching the age of 70, the pay is to be cut to SB4O per year, for the good and faithful servant. After the year 1913, the bill provide, clerks shall be summarily dismissed upon reaching the age of 70 years. A monument is to be erected over the grave of William Hurry, the man who rang the liberty bell when it announced to the world the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For many years no one knew where the ringer of the bell was buried, but about a year ago the sexton of Pine Street Presbyterian church, in looking about among the graves in the church-yard, found a dilapidated stone, half buried and covered with moss, which when uncovered, was found by the inscription to be the long sought grave of Hurry.