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DR. TALMAGE’S SERMON.
THE CHEAP SPARROW.
Text: “Are not fire sparrows sold for twc
farthings, and not one of them is forgotten
before God r—Luke xii, &
You see the Bible will notbelimite l in the
choice of symbol*. There is hardly a beast,
or bird or insect whic h has not been called to
illustrate some diviue truth—the ox’s p
tien e, the ant's industry, the spider's skill,
toe hind's surefootedness. the eagle's speed,
the dove's gentleness, and even the sparrow's
meanness and insignificance. In Oriental
countries none but the poorest people buy the
sparrow and eat it, so very little meat is
there on the bones, and so very poor is it,
what there is of it. The comfortable popula
tion would not think of touching it any more
than you would think of eating a bat or a
lamprel. Now, says Jesus, if God takes
such good care of a poor bird that is not
worth a cent, won't he care for you, an im
mortal!
We associate God with revolutions. We
can see a divine purpose in the discovery of
America, in the invention of the art of print
ing, in the exposure of the Gunpowder Plot,
in the contrivam e of the needle-gun, in the
ruin of an Austrian or Napoleonic despotism;
but how hard it is to see God in tho minute
personal affairs of our lives! We think of
God as making a record of the starry host,
but cannot realise the Bible truth that He
knows how many hairs are on our head. It
seems a grand thing that God provided food
for hundreds of thousands of Israelites in toe
desert; but we cannot appreciate the truth,
that, when a sparrow is hungry, God stoops
down and opens its mouth and puts the seed
in. We are struck with toe idea that God
fills the universe with His presence; but can
not understand how He encamps in the
crystal palace of the dewdrop. or finds
room to stand, without being crowded, be
tween the alabaster pillars of a pond lily.
We can see God in the clouds. Ckn we see
God in these flowers at our feet? We are apt
to place God on some great stage—or try to
do it—expecting Him there to act out His
stupendous projects; but we forget that the
life of a Cromwell, an Alexander, or a Wash
ington, or an archangel, is not more under
divine inspection than your life or mine.
Pompey thought there must be a mist over
the eyes of God because He so much favored
Caesar. But there is no such mist. He sees
everything, We say God's path is in the
great waters. True enough! but no more
certa nly than He is in the water ip the glass
On the tab.e. We say God guides the stars in
their courses. Magnificent truth! but no
more certain truth than that He decides
which read or street you shill take in coming
to church. Understand that God does not sit
Upon an in Afferent or unsympathetic throne;
but that He sits down beside you to-day, and
stands beside me to-day, and no affair of our
lives is s > insignificant but that it is of im
portance to God.
In the first place, God chooses for U3 our
occupation. lan amazed to see how many
people there are dissatisfied with the work
they have to do. I think three-fourths wish
they were in some other occupation: and
they spend a great d:al of time in regretting
that they got in the wrong trade or profes
sion. I want to tell you that God put into
operation all the influences which led you to
that particular choice. Many of you are not
in the business that you expected to be in. *
You started for the ministry, and learned
merchandise; you started for the law, and
you are a physician; you preferred agricul
ture, and you are a mechanic. You thought
one way; God thought another. But you
■ought not to sit down and mourn over the
past. You are to remember that God—a
beneficent God. a kind God. a loving God
arranged all these circumstances by which
you were made what you are.
Hugh Miller says: “I will be a stone
mason." Godsays: “You will be a geologist."
David goes out to tend his father’s sheep.
God calls him to govern a nation. Saul goes
out to hunt his father's asses, and before he
gets back finds the crown of mighty domin
ion. How much happier would we be if we
were content with the places God gave ust
God saw your temperament and all the cir
cumstances by which you were surrounded,
and I believe nine-tenths of you are in the
work you are best fitted for.
I hear a great racket in my watch, and I
find that the hands and the wheels and the
springs are getting out of their places. I
send it down to the jewelers and say: “Over
haul that watch, and teach toe wheels and
the spring and the hands to mind their own
business.”
You know a man having a large estate.
He gathers his working hands in toe morn
ing, and says to one: ‘You go and trim that
vine;” to another: “You go and weed those
flowers;” to another: “You plow that tough
glebe;” and each one goes to his particular
work. The owner of the estate points the
man to what he knows he can do best, and so
it is with toe Lord. He calls us up and points
us to that field for which we are best fitted.
So that the lesson for to-day, coming from
this subject, is: “Stay cheerfully where God
puts you.”
I remark further; That God has arranged
the place of our dwelling. What particular
city or town, street or house you shall live in,
seems to be a mere matter of accident. You
go out to hunt for a hojse, and you happen
to pass up a certain street, and happen to see
a sign, and you select that house. Was it all
happening so? O, no! God guided you in
every step. He foresaw the future. He knew
all your circumstances, and he selected just
that one house as better for you than any
one of toe ten thousand habitations in the
city. Our house, however humble the roof
and however lowly the portals, is as near
God's heart as an Alhambra or a Kremlin.
Prove it, you say? Proverbs iii., 33: “He
blessed the habitation of the just.”
I remark further, that God arranges all
our friendships. Yon were driven to the
wall. You found a man just at that crisis
who sympathi and with you and helped you.
You say: “How lucky I was!” There was
no luck about it. God sent that friend just
as certain as He sent the angel to strengthen
Christ. Your domestic friends, your busi
ness friends, your Christian friends, God
sent them to bless you, and if any or them
■have proved traitorous it is only to bring out
the value of those who reman. If soma die,
it is only that they may stand at the out
postof Heaveu to greet you at your coming.
You always will have friends—warm
hearted friends, magnanimous friends; and
when sickness conies to your dwelling there
will be watchers; when trouble comes to your
heart there will be sympathizers; when
■death comes there will be gentle fingers to
close the eye3 and fold the hands, and gentle
lips to tell of a resurrection. Oh, we are com
passed by a body-guard of friends! Every
man, if he has behaved himself well, is sur
rounded by three circles of friends—those of
the outer circle wishing him well; those in
the next circle willing to help him; while
close up to his heart are a few who would die
for him. God pitv tho wret :h who has not
any friends! He has not behaved well.
I remark, again, that God puts down the
limit of our temporal prosperity. The world
of finance seems to have no Go lin it. You
can not tell where a man will land. The af
fluent fall; the poor ri~e; the ingenious fail;
the ignorant succeed. An enterprise open
ing grandly- ; huts in bankruptcy, while out
of the peat dug up from some New England
marsh the millionaire builds his fortune.
The poor man thinks it is chanoe that keeps
him down; the rich min thinks it is chance
which hoists him; and Uio v are both wrong.
It is so hard to realize that God rules the
money market, and has a ho jk in the nos 3 of
the stack gambler, and that all the commer
cial revolutions of the world shall re ulf in
the very bast for God's clear children. My
brethren, do not kick against the divine al
lotments. Gad knows ju t how much money
it is beet for you to lo o. You never gain
unless it is base for you to gain. You go up
when it it best for you to go up, audgo
down when it is best f r you to go down.
Prove it, you say! I will: Romans viil., 23:
‘All things work togetlier for good to them
that love God.” You go to a factory, and
you eee twenty or thirty wheals as they are
going in different dlre tions. This hand is
rolling off this way, and another hand an
other way; one down, auothor up. You say:
“What confusion in a factory!’’Oh, no! all
the* different bands are only different parts
of the machine y. Bo Igo into your life and
see strange things. Here is one providence
pulling you one way, and another in another
way. Buf these are different icarts of one
machinery, by which He will advance your
everlasting and present w.-11-lcaing, Row
you know that a second mortgage, and a
third and fourth mortgage, is often worth
nothing. It is the first mortgage that is a
good Investment I have t> tell you that
every I'hristsao man hat a first mortgage on
every trial and on every disaster. and It must
make a payment of sternal advantage to his
soul
flow many warrimeete It would take out
of your heart if you believed that fully.
You buy goats andhope the price will go up;
but you are its a fret and a frown fur fear the
price will go down. Yea da aat buy the
GEORGIA HOME JOURNAL: GREENESBORO. FRIDAY. AUGUST 6.1886. EIGHT PAGES.
gowh, usi-g vo ir txMt and a-recto 1 in the
matter aid the i say “Oh, I-on l' I have
don ■ the ost J coc'd I con rj; this whole
transa ri m into Tli.■ hints.”' Thit is what
relit; on is good for. or it is goo 1 for nothin".
There are two things, says an old nroverb,
you ouaht not to fret a' oat: First, tlvngs
that you can help; and, ss:ond, things
which you ran not help. If you tan help
then, why do you not aptly the remedy? If
you can nob help them, you might as we 1
surrender first as las’. My dear brethren,
do no sit anv* longer moping about y> r
ledger. Do nnt sit looking so desponding
upon your stock of unsalab e goods. Do you
think that God is going to allow you, a Chris
tian man, to do business alone? God is the
controling partner in evei-y firm: and
although your debtors mav abscond, although
your securities may fail, although your store
may burn, Gcd will, out of an infinity of re
sults, choose for you the very best results-
Do not have any idea, that you can overstep
the limit that God has laid down for your
prosperity. You will never get one inch be
yond it. God has decided how much pros
perity you can staud honorably, and employ
usefully, and control righteously; and at the
end of 1888 you will have just so many dollars
and cents, just so much wardrobe, just so
much furniture, just so many bonds and
mortgages, and nothing more. I will give
you *IOO for every penny beyond that God
has looked over your life- He knows what
is best for you, and He is going to bless you
in tore and bless you for eternity; and He
will do it in the best way.
Your little child says: “Papa, I wish you
would let me have that knife I" “No,” you
say, “it is a sharp knife, and you will cut
yourself.” He says: “I must have it.” “But
you can not have it,” you reply. He gets
angry and red in toe face, and says hs will
have it; but you say he shall not have it
Are you not kind in keeping it from him? So
God treats His children. I say: “I wish,
Heavenly Father, to get that” God says:
“No, my child.” I say: “I must have it”
God says: “You can not have it” I get
angry and say: “I will have it” God says:
“You shall not have it” And 1 do not get
it Is He not kind and loving and the best of
fathers ? Do you tell me there is no rule and
regulation in these things ? Tell that to the
men who believe in no God and no Biblo.
Tell it not to me.
A man of large business concludes to go
out of his store, leaving much of his invest
ments in the business, and he says to his
sons: “Now, lam going to leave this busi
ness in your hands. Perhaps I may come
ba -k in a little while, and perhaps not
While I am gone yoii will please to look
after affairs.” After awhile the father comes
back and finds everything at loose ends, and
the whole business seems to be going wrong.
He says: “I am going to take possession of
this business—you know I never fully sur
rendered it; and henceforth consider your
selves subordinates.” Is he not right in doing
it? He save3 the business. The Lora
seems to let us go on in life guided by
our own skill, and we make miserable
work of it. God comes down to our
shop or our store and says: “Things are go
ing wrong; I come to take charge, lam mas
ter, and I know what is best, and I proclaim
my authority.” We are merely subordi
nates. It is like a boy at school with a
long sum that he cannot do. He has been
working at it for hours, making figures here
and rubbing out figures there, and it is all
mixed up; and the teacher, looking over the
boy’s shoulder, knows that he cannot get Out
of it, and cleaning the slate, says: “Begin
again.” Just so God does to us. Our affairs
Sit into an inextricable entanglement, and
erubs everything out and says: “Begin
again?’ Is He not wise and loving in so
doing?
I think the trouble is that there is so large
a difference between the Di vine and the human
estimate as to what is enough. I have heard
of people striving for that which is enough,
but I never beard of any one who had enough.
What God calls enough for man, man calls
too little. What man calls enough, God says
is too much. The difference between a poor
man and a rich man is only the difference in
banks. The rich* man puts his money in toe
Nassau Bank, or toe Park Bank, or Fulton
Bank, or some other bank of that character,
while the poor man comes up and makes his
investments in toe bank of Him who runs a’l
the quarries, all the mines, all the gold, all
the earth, all heaven. Do you think a man
can fail when he is backed up like that?
I want to bring this truth dose up to the
heart of those people in this audience who
have to calculate rigid economy, who are
perplexed how they will make the old gar
ment hold out a little longer, with whom the
great question is not which is the best invest
ment or the most lucrative security, but how
shall I make the two ends meet? To such
people I bring the condolence of this Chris
tian truth.
You may have seen a map on which is de
scribed, with red ink, the travels of toe chil
dren of Israel through the desert to the
Promised Land. You see how they took this
and that direction, crossed the river and
went through the sea. Do you know God
has made a map of your life, with paths lead
ing up to this bitterness and that success,
through this river and across that sea? But,
blessed be God! the path always comes out
at the Promised Laud. Mark that! Mark
that!
I remark, again, that all those things that
seem to be but accidents in our life are under
the Divine supervision. We sometimes seem
to be going helmless and anchorless. You
say: “If I had some other trade; if I had
not gone there this summer; if I had lived in
some other house.” You have no right to
say that. Every tear you wept, every step
you have taken, every burden you have car
ried, is under Divine inspection, and that
event which startled your whole household
with horror, God met with perfect placidity,
because ho knew it was for your good. It
was part of a great plan projected long
ago. In eternity, when you come to
reckon up your mercies, you will point to
thal affliction as one of your greatest bless
ings God baa strange way with us. Joseph
found his way to the Prime Minister’s chair
by being pushed into a pit; and to many a
Christian down is up. The wheat must be
flailed; the quary must be blasted; the dia
mond must be ground; the Christian must be
afflicted; and that single event, which you
supposed stood entirely alone, was a connect
ing link between two great chains, one chain
reaching through all eternity past and the
other other chain reaching through all eter
nity future, so small an event fastening two
eternities together.
A missionary, coming from India to the
United States,’stopped at St. Helena while
the vessel was taking water. He hail his little
child with him. They walked along by an
embankment, and a rock at that moment be
came loosened, and falling, instantly killed
the child. Was it an accident? Was it a
surprise to God? Had Heallowed His servant,
after a life of consecration, to come to such a
trial? Not such is my God. There are no
accidents in the divine mind, though they
may seem so to us. God is good, and by
every single incident of our life, whe her it
be adverse or otherwise, before ear.h and
Heaven God will demonstrate His mercy.
“I hear a man sav; “That ides be ittles
God. You bring Him down to iuch little
things.” Oh! I have a more thorough ap
preciation of God in little things than 1 have
in great things The mother does not wa t
until the child has mashed its foot or broken
its arin before she administers sympathy.
Tbe child comes in with the least braise, a id
the mother kisses it. Gol doe3 net wait for
some tremendous crisis in oar life, but comes
down to us in our most insignificant trials,
and throws over us tbe arms of His mer y.
Going up the White Mountains some years
ago I thought of that pas-age in the Bible
that speaks of God as weighing mountains
in a balance. As I looked at th S3 great
mountains I thought, can it be possible that
God can put th sa great mountains in scales!
It was an idea too great for mo to grasp: but
when 1 saw a blue-bell down hv the mule's
foot, on my wav up Mount Washington, than
I uucier-tood the kinduess and goo dues of
God. It is not so much of God in great
thing* I can understand, but of God in little
th'ngs.
There is a man who says: “That doctrine
cannot be time, because things do go so very
wrong." I reply, it is no in onsistency on
the part of God. but a lack of under-tan ling
on our irt. I hear that men aru making
very flue shawls in some fa tory. Igoin on
the first floor nnd see only the raw materials,
anil ask: "Are these the shawls 1 have
beard about!” “No,"says the manufacturer:
“go up to the next floor," and I go up, and
then I Icsgin to see the design. But th < man
says: “Do not stop here; go up to the top
floor of the faotory, and you will see the Ide i
fully carried out." 1 do so. and having come
to tile top. see the complete i attern of an
exquisite shawl. Ho In our life, standing
down n s low level of t'hristlan experience,
we do not understand Gcal's dealing*. He
tells us to go up higher, until we league to
understated tlee divine meaning with respect
to us, su I wesdvance until we stand at the
very gate of Heaven, ami there see Gud's
lib a all wrought out a |s*rf<ut bias of mercy,
of love, of kladnea. And we say: “Just and
true are all Thy ways" It Is all light at the
bottom. Remember there Is no lacoaslst-aicy
0-1 the part of Gid but t ii only our mental
an ? s ii it in 1 in mpacitv.
So n of you have bi-n riianp tinted this
su inner—' nat ions are apt to b • disappoint
ments, hnt whatever have been your perplix
ites and worrinients. know that “Man's
hea t devis-th his way, but the Lord di
recteth h s stips.” Ak these age l men in
th s church if this is not so. It
has been so in my own life. One
summer I started for the Adiron
daeks, but my plans were so changed
that I landed in Liverpool. I studied law,
aud I got into the ministry. Ire olved to go
as a missionary to China, and I stayed in the
United States. I thought I would like to be
in the East, and I went to the West—all the
circumstances of life, all my work, different
from that which I expectad. “A man's heart
devis'th his way, bat the Lord directeth iiis
ttepa.”
So, my dear friends, this day take horns
this subject Be content with such things as
you have. From every grass blade under
your feet learn the lesson of Divine care, and
never let the smallest bird flit across your
path without thinking of the truth that “five
sparrows are sold for two farthings, and not
one of them is forgotten before God.” Blessed
be His glorious name forever. Amen.
Largest Telescope in the World.
The telescope for the Lick Observatory
on the peak of Mount Hamilton, Cal.,
will be the largest in the world. It will
have a lens thirty-six inches in diameter,
six inches more than the telescope recent
ly completed for the Russian Govern
ment. Some idea of the power of the in
strument may be gained from the state
ment recently made by an astronomer,
that, gazing at the moon through this
annihilator of space, the orb of gight,
240,000 miles distant, would be brought
to within less than a hundred miles of
the eye of the beholder. Mount Hamil
ton, where the telescope is to be placed,
is in Santa Clara county, Cal. The moun
tain has three peaks, the eastern one be
ing 4,400 feet high, the middle peak 4,-
350 feet, and the third, or Observatory
peak, was originally 4,256 feet, but has
been cut down several feet, to give a lev
el surface just large enough for the neces
sary building, about 40,000 tons of mate
rial being removed to effect this. The
dwelling-house and workships are on a
narrow plateau fifty feet below the sum
mit. Here is abundant water obtainable
from springs. Mr. Lick devoted $700,-
000 to the construction of the buildings
and for “a telescope superior to and more
powerful than any telescope yet made,”
with the provision that the citizens of
Santa Clara county should construct a
carriage road to the top. This was ac
complished in 1876, at a cost of $78,000,
and is a marvel of engineering skill. The
buildings and instruments now completed
and in position, are the observer’s house,
the transit house, the photo-heliograph
and photographic house, the north dome
and the twelve-inch equatorial refractor,
the meridian circle house, and the 6 1-2-
inch meridian circle, many auxiliary in
struments, such as chronometers, sidereal
clocks, etc.; and a number of portable
telescopes. The dome which is to cover*
the great telescope will probably be con
stiucted of steel plates, which will be
about seventy-five in diameter and will
weigh about ninety-three tons.
The National House of Representa
tives.
The hall in which the House of Repre
sentatives holds its sessions in the Na
tional Capitol is of vast size and great
magnificancc. Its dimensions are 139
feet long, 93 feet wide, and 38 feet high.
Only a man of powerful physique can
make himself heard in this auditorium, a
matter, however, of less importance than
appears at first sight. Nothing amazes
the green visitor more than to see that
the members of the House of Representa
tive transact business amidst a bewilder
ing and deafening Babel of sounds which
to him is “confusion worse confounded”
the longer he contemplates it.
Desks and chairs are arranged after the
same principle as in the senate chamber,
that is, in semicircles having a common
centre. “Mr. Speaker” occupies a chair
placed on a platform three feet high.
Before him is a large marble table, and
in front of this are marble desks for the
elerks and official reporters.
The mace occupies a stand at the right
of the speaker’s chair. It is ‘‘a bundle
of ebony rods fastened with silver bands,
having at its top a silver globe sur
mounted by a silver eagle.” Its presence
signifies that the house is in session under
the authority of the speaker.
A Correct Map.
“How far is it from the new capitol to
tlie Colorado river?” asked Ilostetter Mc-
Ginnis of Gus De Smith.
According to the city map it is a mile,
but I think it is much longer. I’ve
walked it, and it took me longer than it
should take to walk a mile.”
“That discrepancy is easily explained.
The city map doesn’t go out of its way
to take drinks at all the saloons between
the two places. It isn’t that kind of a
map.”— Sifting*.
Nautical.
A sai'or eseorling his lady to church
informed her that her bonnet had a “list
to port,” and fe ring she would lose the
article, he sugge ted that she should
“clew rp Icr topsail.” Dy the time they
arrived at cliuich, the had ‘ lulfcd,”
“ticked.” “sailed before the wind,” and
“dri t. and tostniboa:d’ n away to puzz:e
inytiling b it n fell-rigged man-o’-war
Another sai or had occasion ouedayt)
mount a Mexican donkey of most irasci
ble temper, and finding it impi-sib'c to
guide the bent, engaged an Indian boy
t> seize th • animal's tail ns a guiding and
proj oiling power. In this unique man
ner the u an of the sea was navigating,
when he hap| ened to oncountcr the cap
tain of the ship to which he belonged.
“Hollo, Weaver!” exclaimed the offi
cer. “Whither bound?”
Weaver drew up, touched his tarpau
lin, and replied. “Faith, captain! that’s
jist uat I'm wantin' to find out I Firrist
I drift to leeward. An’ then I makes a
lurch to windward. Bure, I've nayther
barometer nor compam, an' the only way
to find out me be arin's is to ax the man
at the hllm.”— Youth'* Companion.
In Elmira, N, Y., there ie a young wo
man from near Stockholm, Sweden, who
wears clothing all her own making, in
cluding the •pinning of the thread, color
ing it and weaving It into cloth. She is
bam lug the art of American cookery, and
when tue throe years are up -which time
she bee fixed to remain in America— she
wiU be quite ac onplisbed ia American
wars.
ALONG THE NILE.
A VIVID DESCRIPTION BY AN
AMERICAN OFFICIAL.
What United Slates Minister Cox
Saw on an Excursion—Pic
turesque Views of Oriental
Life aud Character.
In a Constantinople letter to the New
York Wi/r'd Hon. 8. 8. Cox, United
States Minister to Turkey, writes about
an excursion in Egypt made by him re
cently. We quote from his letter:
We had been in Egypt before, but
never beyond Cairo or the Pyramids of
Ghiza, so that the scenes on the railroad
travel were novel, diverting aud inter
esting. Having an apartment or carriage
to ourselves, we placed our portmanteaus
on the seat and mounted thereon as a
'vantage situation, and for eight hours,
from 9a. m. till evening, we gazed out
of the windows at the strangeness of the
panorama, with its constantly shifting
colors and forms. Remember, it is win
ter —mid-February. The grain harvest
is nearly ripe. The (o'ton is picked;
only a few bulls remain in the fields. The
sugar cane is being cut and carried on
donkeys, camels and t ars to the sugar
factories. The long stalks are seen every
where. The little Arab l ovs, in utter
nakedness, are grinding the succulent
saccharine stalks between their gl sten-
ing upper and nether teeth. Everyone
on the route has a long sugar cane, carry
ing one end in the mouth. The flies
ore settling thick around the juicy ori
fices. The sugar factories are at work.
The fume3 not only add their fragrance,
but the long iron chimneys give their
peculiar business look to the landscape.
There were other peculiarities for
whieh the car was a point of ob-ervation.
Not the costumes of the people, for they
geemed uniformly a ila-k or l?Jue
bournott9. The sexes are hardly dis
tinguishable from each other, except by
the mustache, beard or turban. After
an eager glance toward the pyramids of
Sakarrah, near old Memphis, the mul
titudinous mud huts and villages appear.
Palms in abundance everywhere plume*
themseives in their stately beauty. The
soil is being ploughed in places for the
new crop. The people are said to be in
dustrious, but everywhere we see them
sitting under walls, in the shade, and
covered with flies—eyes, ears, face, hands,
feet covered with flies. The animal life
seems to move as slowly as if it had
ages to do a lifetime of work. The buf
falo is very unlike our almost obsolete
big-headed species. It is seen in the
fields ploughing with the old one handled
plough of the time of Setis, or turning
the water-wheel. At a distance, and
especially when cooling in the water, it
looks like a pachyderm. In fact, its
brown-black tough hide, ungainly form
and hideous face, to which the horn
gives a sinister expression, make him an
object of curious interest. Here and
there we observe shepherds, gen
erally children, with shepherd dogs.
Some are Bedouins, with tents of
camel-liair, black and dirty. They
have flocks of sheep and goats,
and often mixed flocks. There
are generally a donkey and a yellow
dog and plenty of naked children. Yel
low and white flowers are already be
decking the meadows. At various times
on the railroad we obtained glimpses of
the white and yellow sands; and the
peculiar masts of the dahabiehs at an odd
angle, with their still more quaint sails.
Ridges and plains of sand soon give way
to villages, which are the sign and ste
of palm groves. On both sides of the
valley of the Nile lone, arid and tawny
mountains appear. They are pictures
not unlike the Dese:t of Moab—out of
whose wilderness the Baptist came. They
are the shaggy barriers of the fruitful
valley. For such fences as are needed
to separate the fields, the cane, inter
woven, makes a tolerable pretext of
protection. It would not “turn” a reso
lute rabbit. Everywhere are seen stakes,
indicating metes and bounds and propri
etorship, which have to be renewed when
the Nile flood disappears. Old well
sweeps are seen,such as were common in
Ohio in my boyhood. They lift the water
out of the soft soil to the surface. The
bottom of the well is,of course, on a level
with the river; and, as I said, tho river
is everything in Egypt. It is now quite
low; still, the fields have ponds in them:
but the pond water does not seem stag
nant. Indeed the people use the water
for every purpose—cooking, washing,
bathing, Ac.
After the buffalo, for number and
utility, come the donkey and camel. I
had no idea thnt the donkey was such a
“da sy” in Egypt. Eridleless and sad
dlelc ss, he will amble gayly with a family
ou his vertebrae. He is as patient and as
meek as if his burden were nothing.
Sometimes you do not see his legs and
only parts of his ears when he is loaded
down with sugar cane or grasses.
Now and then we approach near the
river. There we observe the shadoofs or
water-lifters. It is the old bucket on the
wheel, which is turned by a buffalo, and
empties the water from the river to the
level above and makes a horrid creaking,
as if all the “wcely-weelies” of the cen
turies were in pain. At some ot the
places, notably at Drouth, we perceive
immense Government works, where the
river is divided for irrigation. They con
sist of slack-water dams and fine stone
bridges, etc. The work is of the most
elegant style and engineering skill.
Many birds, such as the wild gray goose,
storks, duck and others of aquatic spe
cies. are seen on the ponds and river
banks and on the sand isles of the river.
We perceive frequently the heron, with
his dignified strides into deep water after
his cven’ng meal, and another bird,
with a bill as long as a river and harbor
bill in Cos igress and with an equal
capacity for shallows and swallows.
Why the Irish Like Green.
The early Celts worshipped the Dawn
and the Sunrise. It is more than prob
able that the Irish preference of thecolor
green, for their flag and their sashes,
arose from a mistake among those who
had lost a thorough knowledge of the
old Irish language. The sun, in Irish, is
called by a word pronounced like cur
word “gre n.” and it is likely that the
Irish fondness for that color arose from
the word’s exact likeness in sound to
their word for the sun. In the same way,
when we talk about greenhouses, we
think they are called so because the
plants are kept green in them during
winter. Yet it is far more probable that
“green” here, is the Irish word meaning
uot thecolor, but the sun; because green
houses ate built so as to catch the sun's
rays snd store them up while it is bidden
by elotids, as happens more than hull the
time iu showery Ireland.— Century,
The wife of a 8 nator at Washington
receive* esileis in the midat of her pets.
As these are from four to six dogs of
different sizes, sges snd broods, a nsr
vou visitor is uot spt to boro her with
0 long coil-
WORDS OF WISDOM.
Ke hath do leisure who useth it not.
Take you heed. To be near the life
boat is different from being in it.
Common sense in an uncommon degree
is what the world calls wisdom.
Genuine cheerfulness is an almost cer
tain index of a happy mind and a pure,
good heart.
We pray for mercy; and that same
prayer doth teach us all to render the
deeds of mercy.
The manner of a vulgar man has free
dom without ease, and the manner of a
gentleman has ease without freedom.
Multitudes of words are neither an
argument of clear ideas in the writer,
nor a proper means of conveying clear
notions to the reader.
Frequent consideration of a thing
wears off the strangeness of it, and shows
it in its several lights and various ways
of appearance to the view of the mind.
The meniu cities—who are the centres
of energy, the driving wheels of trade,
politics or practical arts —and the women
of beauty and genius are the children or
grandchildren of farmers, and are spend
ing the energies which their father’s
hardy, silent life accumulated in frosty
furrows, in poverty, necessity and dark
ness.
s Animals and Music.
A saying among the Arabs asserts that
the song of the shepherd fattens the
sheep more than the richest pasture. The
milkmaids of the Highland* of Scotland
sing to their sulky cows to restore them
to good humor. The Frenchman en
courages his oxen to exert themselves by
singing pleasant songs. A camel-driver
often stimulate* his fatigued beast to
step out with renewed vigor by playing
on an instrument. Seals have been
known to follow a boat in which some
one was playing, and hunters often take
advantage of the animal's musical taste.
‘generalizing from these and
similar facts, says that “the perception,
if not the en joyment, of musical cadences
and of rhythm is probably common to
all animals.”
It does seem that music is the only
art which animals, fools and idiots ate
able to appreciate, and the explanation
is, probably, that music rests on a phys
ical basis common to all living creatures.
Some animals show a liking for certain
musical sounds, and a dislike to others.
A lamb is mentioned by the Rev. J. G.
Wood which delighted in lively tunes,
but abhored slow compositions. It would
show its pleasure when a polka was
played, but the moment it heard “God
Save the Queen,” it would set up a con
tinuous bca-baa, and silence the musicians
by provoking laughter.
A Scotch lady could always put her
pet rabbit into such a rage by playing
the harmonium, that it would fly at the
instrument aud scratch its legs. If, how
ever, she went to the piano, and played
on that, the rabbit would give vent to his
delight by running round and round the
music stool.
Some dogs howl all the time a hand
organ is played, and many men would,
if they were as free to express themselves
as a dog is. A dog is mentioned who
had such an antipathy to violin music
that he would yell dismally the moment
a hand was laid on the bow.
Mr. Darwin tells in his “Descent of
Man” of a bullfinch which had been
taught to pipe a German waltz. When
the bird was introduced into a room
where other birds wi re kept, and he be
gan (o pipe, all the linnets and canaries
ranged themselves on the nearest side of
their cages, and listened with the great
est interest to the performer.— Youth'*
Companion.
Fishermen Attacked by Eagles.
When Farmer John Martin and his
neighbor, Mr. Streeter, of Greece town
ship, near Rochester, N. Y., went fishing
at Long Pond one day recently, they were
amply provided with all appliances for
capturing ths pickerel that lie in wait
among the lily pads of that famous fish
ing ground for the spoon hooks of
anglers. Their luck was phenomenal.
Pickerel and bass of glorious dimensions
took the l ire in rapid succession. A few
hours’ fishing nut them in possession of
enough fish to satisfy reasonable men,
and they started to walk home. Their
path led them through a piece of woods
near the pond, and in going through it,
at a glade, they were decidedly startled
by a sudden attack of two large birds,
which flesv at them viciously and corn
p lied them to drop the fish and defend
themselves.
One of the men had a gaff or fish
spear, and with it he struck at the birds,
finally so disabling the wing of one of
one of them that it could not fly or con
tinue the attack. The loss of its mate
cooled the courage of the other bird, and
it flew away. Mr. Martin and his friend
then approached the wounded bird,
which proved to be an eagle, and found
it far from subdued. Its beak and tal
ons were vigorously used, and it was
not until one of its captors held its head
down with a stick while the other tied a
piece of fish line around its legs and a
handkerchief around its head that it
gave up the struggle. The eagle, still
alive, is now in Mr. Martin’s possession.
Its injured wing is healing, and its appe
tite appears to be unimpaired, for it eas
ily eats two pounds of meat daily.
The Rarest Plant in Mexico.
In the botanical garden at the Palace,
says a City of Mexico letter to the Pitts
burg Ditpatch, they have the celebrated
flower tzapahliquixochitl, of the Aztecs
The story runs that there are only three
of the kind in the world, one at the Pal
ace, another at a different point in Mex
ico and the mother -plant on the moun
tain. At one time two tribes had a long
and bloody war for the possession of it,
so the story goes, but with a great deal
more exaggeration. The plant is com
monly called the “flower hand,” as they
claim the inside is a perfect baby haud.
I went to see it, and was much disap
pointed. The tree grows to a good
height. The leaves, ’ heart-shape, are
thick and about the color of the under
part of a silver maple leaf, except that
they are very rough, which prevents them
from glistening like the maple. The
thick, wax-like, bell-c-haped red blossom
grows mouth upward, and inside is the
so-called hand. It has five fingers and
one thumb,but looks exactly like a bird’s
claw, and not like a hand The story
run that there ure but three in existence.
Without doubt the plant is rare, and
there mly be no more than a dozen, if
that many, in the world; but I have seen
in the gardens of two different gentlemen
the vory same tree. One of these gentle
men is in Europe, and the other bought
his plant from him, so there was no way
of learning where the tree came from.
In January, 1885, his big acholart gave
a Wilson oounty sc hool teacher a duck-
Ing. lie has just received SI,OOO dam
ages, ‘I hi# wm ia Kansas.
A fine imposing wsa-A pellet judge.
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
THE BOSSOF CRUSHERS
THE FARMERS’ KEY TO SUCCESS!
Farmers ay it U Just what they have been looking for ever since the war. Jgt
By which farmers can make their own fertß
-- —** er * Rrind steamed hone, phosphate and land
plaster, rock, marl, cotton seed, dry stable m•
' frrtfaffP Dure ’ corn ami cob for stock food, or
JLgaMkgg Anything That is Grindable.
It will make good corn meal when you can't
d .°, any • be A ter ; By its use the farmer will grow
richer, instead of poorer all the time.
, SEND FOR CIRCULAKS.
Iff .ißlaillfegt Btt I■. Giving full particulars: also state If you would
like circulars of the DeLoach Water WbeeM,
f WyMjgi Portable Mills, etc. We sell Portable Mitts sn
- y*r I, gjWBS low as $80; guaranteed to
make GOOD MF.AI.
Address:
-A.. A. DeLOACH cfc BRO.
ATLANTA, GA.
I
AT
FACTORY PRICES FOR NINETY DAYS I
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY FOR ALL WHO WANT* FURNITURE AT TUB
OLD ESTABLISHED HOUSE OF
IBXeOTXaCEXBS,
The largest Furniture Emporium in the Stats. Guaranteed to giro Satisfacton to all Pureha*
sera or ijturn the Goods. We take great pleasure in showing our geods. GOME
ONE, COME ALL, and satisfy yourselves that we seH goods cheaper
-—THAN ANY OTHER HOUSE IN THE STATE.—
PLATT BISOTIEEIEISS, - -Au gri ata., Q-a,.
FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS!
AT GOODYEAR’S
tmilfl HMSIfIiTI
WILL BE SOLD THE LARGEST AND MOST
BESIEABLI ASS^ETMIffT
OF OPEN AN D TOP BUGGIES ever brought to this market at lower prices than eve*
before offered. These goods are First Class, with steel axles and tires, thoroughly paint*
ed, full leather trimmed, and warranted for twelve months. Just received adothar
shipment of those fine
HII dIUCIS, PlillS 4 (MIUS
OPEN and TOP BUGGIES, made upon special orders, by the best Manufacturer*
North and East. Nothing being used in the construction of these vehicles but the beak
materials, and in Quality, Style and Finish are uncaquallcd by any others now in the
market. In stock a full line of
ani |uuft at Ju {rades!
Which I will offer at LOWER PRICES than have ever before been known In the
history of the business. MILBURN, BTUDEBAKER and STANDARD PLANTATION
WAGONS, all sizes. Oak and Hemlock Sole Leather, Calf Skins, Shoe Findings,
Carriage and Wagon Materials, Harness Leather, Belt Lacing of superior quality, Kubbe*
and Leather Belting. Also, a Full Line of
HA.KDWAHS *
Guns, Shells, Powder, Shot, Table and Pocket Cutlery, Plow Points for aH makes.
Nails, Axes, Hoes, Picks and Mattocks, Pitch Forks, Shovels, Spades, Steelyards sod
Scale Beams, Grind Stones, Rakes, Padlocks, Carpenter Tools, Files, Hinge*, Window
Sash, Doors and Blinds, Farm and Church ’Beni, which lam offering at LOWEST CASH
PRICES.
A. R. GOODYEAR, Agent,
(Successor to R. H. MA\ A CO.>
At the Old Stand, Opposite Georgia ailroad Bank, 704 Broad St., AUGUSTA, GA.
THEO. MARK WALTER
Steam Marble and Granite Works .
Broad St., near Lower Market, Augueta, Ca.
MONUMENTS, TOMBSTONES,
AND MARBLEWORK GENERALLY, made to order. A large ae
lection always on hand ready for delivery. Iron fencing for grveyard
lots for sale.
JOB PRINTING
Of Every Description Neatly
Executed at this Office.
ORDERS WILL RECEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION.
GIVE US A TRIAL!
-■ U 1!SI! - - 1 1 "SMI UK-1
BASE BALLS AND BATS,
GLOVES, MASKS, BELTS. CAPS, SHOE PLATES, BASES,
ptiLp An(l all otlier Base^ Supplier
WHITE FOR PRICK LISTS.
VJf \JjT Books, Stationary and Jut Friitiii
J. M. RICHARDS,
829 BROAD STREET, AUGUSTA, GA.