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THE DAHOMEY KINGDOM.
A BARBAROUS STATE ON THE WEST
COAST OF AFRICA.
lis Condition is a Standing Outrage
to Civilization—Horrible Massa*
• •res by Female Warriors.
The excessive and almost unparalleled
barbarities daily practised in the King¬
dom of Dahomey are now engaging the
serious attention of the European powers,
and the different associations for the sup¬
pression of slavery, in view of bringing
to an end a state of things which is a
standing outrage to humanity and civil¬
ization. Dahomey, as we all know, is
situated on the northwest coast of Africa,
not far from the Niger. It has this dis¬
tinctive character, that it may be consid
ered as inhabited by an army rather than
by a nation. The source of its revenue
is neither agriculture nor any kind of in¬
dustry, but proceeds absolutely from a
traffic in slaves. In the centre ot this
territory stands a town, Abomey, where
the King, surrounded by his army, re-
sides, and tyrannizes over 100 -
000 slaves. Abomey is eight miles in
circumference, and is encircled by a
ditch five feet deep, from which springs
up in one continuous line the thick row
of thorny acacias, which are its only for-
tification. Jt is entered by six gates,
profusely f, L studded «ith humau skulls,
blackened , , by the beat of he sou. There Ti v „„
is no stream tvithm the city water be „t!
obtained from ponds sonic distance Oil,
but the ordinary beverage ot the inhabi-
tants is rum; and, in the barbaric orgies
in which they indulge, the blood of their
victims is mixed with it. The leader is
simply a cruel hunter ol men. At stated
periods he sallies forth at the head of his
army, which kuowns not where it is be-
ing led. He alone is aware of its desti-
nation; he alone has decided as to which
tribe shall be massacred or made captive
and brought into bondage. Silently, at
break of day. these demons pounce down
on some unolfensivc slumbering Africans
and slaughter them in hundreds as they
rush, terror-striken, out of their huts.
Old people are invariably killed, infants
arc trampled to death and young men
and women are made prisoners and bra-
tally yoked together in chains, being
doomed to a life of slavery or to become
the victims of human sacrifice in a man-
ner too terrible , to , relate. , . Such a , are the ...
principal characteristic pursuits of this
ferocious leader and his army of blood-
J ! s \ ™” es - and , ,
And what a unique . strange army
it is, compost'd partly of men and partly
of women. Travelers do not agree as to
the exact proportions of this heterogene-
ous force. Some say there are 12,000
men and 8000 women; others speak of
12,000 men and 5000 amazons. How-
ever that, may be, it is admitted that these
amazons are the elite of the army. They
set the example of a barbaric, uurelent-
ing intrepidity. They arc noted for their
savage instincts; a thirst for human blood
and the love of carnage has taken the
place in their hearts of those tender feel-
ings which are pertinent to feminine na¬
ture. “We arc men,” they say, “we are
not women.”
The costume of the women is strictly
correct, and not devoid of a certain ele-
gance. Their hair is confined in a kind
of white net; they wear a corset, close
fitting, but which leaves the action of the
arms quite free; also a skirt made of some
blue, red, or yellow cotton stuff, which
reaches down to their insteps, and also a
wide white baud round their waists, and
the ends of which hang down their left
sides. They are armed w:tb rifle and sa-
bre; and particular mention is made of a
kind of scythe with which are armed
those among them who are designated as
the “mowing amazons.” It is a for-
midablc weapon, and in view of its pur-
pose is said by travelers who have seen
it to produce a most disagreeable feel-
ing. The men’s costume is composed of
a tunic, loose trousers and a hernlet.
Having completed their work of devasta-
tion and p under not forgetting to set
fire to the ill-fated villages through which
they pass this invading horde, head-
ed by their contingent of amazons,
flushed with the intoxicating effects of the
carnage in which they have taken J
leading part—retraces its steps toward
Abomey, dragging in its train an entire
tribe of helpless and unsophisticated
’Africans, for the purpose of supplying
the slave trade. It will be easily under-
stood how terrible ^ must be the apprehen-
sions of neighboring peaceful tribes in
view of this constantly recurring danger
to which they may be subject at any mo-
ment, entailing, as it often d«es, un
limited massacre, lasting sometimes over
a period of three months. The iahab-
itants of Abomey have a sort of fetish-
like religion; but they have no recog-
nized form of belief. They offer the
sacrifice to the boa, which their priests,
styled feticheros, fed within the limits
of a veD crated shrine. They also wor-
ship the leopard, and, strange as it may
appear, the tiger is free to roam at will
through the subjected villages, any at¬
tempt to kill it being punishable by fine
and severer penalties. The caiman,
which is equally revered at Abomey, is
not considered quite in the light of an
idol. The real divinity of this pagan
territory is not personified. The iuhab-
itants sacrifice to superstition and fear;
and they offer up in conciliation to
imaginary enemies the physical suffer-
ings of their victims. Surrounding
these shrines, and suspended in mid-air
are hundreds of corpses, which would
infallibly engender an epidemic, were it
not for the voracity of the murderous
birds of prey which feed on them and
saoa pick the bones quite clean. They
are the sanitary inspectors of Dahomey,
and never has hygienic service been more
efficiently performed.— London Globe.
SELECT SIFTINGS.
There is to be a great doll show in
London, with dolls from ail parts of the
world where they have such playthings
exhibited.
White County, Ark., claimsthe cham-
pion big girl. Her name is Nellie
Arilda Malone. She is nine years old,
and now weighs 230 pounds.
Obesity among the officers of the Ger¬
man army is said to be increasing to the
extent that causes the Kaiser to look
about for some kind of cure.
While sinking a well in the Santa
Lucia range, Cal., Air. Anderson ex¬
humed the fossil vertebra of a whale.
His well is 2500 feet above sea level.
Samuel Hill was 6 lui> mg two gravel
claims in El Dorado County, Cal., when
he picked up a nugget worth $800. The
following day his son worked out several
ounces from a pocket.
g ornc G f tbe Egyptians who were feat-
UWJg of the Oriental pait of the Paris
E Xj)OS j t j on arc >sa j d t o have become
finauciaI!y s t ran ded there, and are now
amons ° . the street beggars, 7
®-* .. ‘obmsou, o Cormug 2 at , Y v ,
. has an interesting relic m a piece o.
u ^ Lued „ It is a „ origi .
M , efeht „ 0)c by the Uni-
»«* . j ^ . . •» . -*i l^raary * 1,76.
At Salamis, Cyprus, a big capital of a
marble column has been unearthed bear-
ing a winged bull emerging as iar as
neck and wings. 1 lie lattei form part
of the architectural motive of the capi-
tal.
James Borfz, residing near Macungie,
Penn., took a pair of boots to a cobbler
for slight repairs. lie said that he had
owned them for nineteen years, but had
used them only on Sundays and on special
occasions.
Although Connecticut is but ninety
miles long and seventy broad, it is so
W( .p supplied with railroads that you can
travel in its CiU . s c i osc U j )on 1000 miles,
it is sa j d? without crossing its borders
and without “repeating.”
Just before Robert Fisher, a wealthy
farmer of Spencer / Countv, Md., died, he
informe(1 h g 5rother that he had buried
^ ^ b ^ jn a ^ - u . in his cellar .
hi> ^ th(J jar found as de _
scribed, but the bonds were gone and
’
ha ¥e nQt bcen found .
*
IdizaWth Peister, . of Sidney, Ohio T
v ' ;ts taken sick, and tne doctor was
called. He pronounced her dead, and
^er relatives were summoned. While
they were talking about the suddenness
l 10r supposed death she revived,spoke,
recovered, and is out of danger,
Thunderstorms are more frequent in
Java than in any other part of the globe,
On an average they occur in the island
on ninety-seven days of the year. In
England the average marks thundcr-
storms on about seven days in the year
—only half the number recorded in
France.
A Washington (D. C.) butcher recently
fouud a curious lot of metal in the
stomach of a cow he had just killed,
There were forty-two nails, several pieces
of lead, buttons, pins, a small knife
blade, etc. These things seemed to give
the cow no trouble at all, as she made a
very fine beef,
Indian Pete left Susanville, Cal., a few
days a g 0 to hunt deer. He shot one on
pi,',te Meadows and tracked it for some
distance till it dropped dead, As soon
as ] 1C got i„ sight of his prize he wa*
f aced by two lions, who had jumped on
his property. Pete killed one and
wounded the other, which showed fight
and tore his clothing to shreds before he
cou ld get a final shot,
Williain Mason of BluehiU village,
M thinks he has a gold mine on his
farm He k duck s, and the ducks
d most of their time iu a certain
w , d } ened j£ ol of water not far
fronJ the arm use . SeV eral duck,
kiUed this vear have had bits of goU ia
rheir crops, and William thinks this rich
food ft ornes from the pool, so he is going
t 05 O
A Current Between the Oceans.
Norwegian navigators still cling to the
idea of discovering the north pole. Their
hopes are based upon the fact that var-
ious articles from the Pacific are occa-
sionallv found stranded on the coast of
Greenland, having been carried there by
some current. A. notable instance of
this is the finding there of a pair of oil-
skin trousers, marked with the name of
one Q f the crew of a vessel that had been
w recked on the Pacific side of Behring’*
Straits. It is argued that where a pair
G f trousers can go a properly ccnstucted
vessel ought to be able to follow, by vir-
tne of a supposed current between the
two oceans, via the arctic pole.
Hcaltlifnlaess of London.
The steady reduction of the death
rate in London in recent years, notwith-
standing the increase in population and
overcrowding, has been most remarkable,
It fell belcoV 20 per 1000 for the first
time in 1885, when it was 19.8, and in
the following two years it was 19.9 and
19.6. In 1888 it further declined to
18.5, which was mentioned by the Regia-
trar-General as “far the lowest death rate
yet recorded in London;” but the report
for 1889 will lie much more favorable
still—the rate having fallen to 17 . 5 .
NEWS AND NOTES FOR WOMEN.
Salem, Mass., has a woman's reliei
corps named after the late General Sheri¬
dan.
Ulsters of checked cloth are made
with full sleeves and a cape like a deej:
frill.
There seems to be a developing fan 03
for rolling linen collars edged with
lace.
Triple capes will continue favorites
until late in the season—usually matching
the dress.
Miss Rose Elizabeth Cleveland finds
her Florida orange groves profitable
property.
There is no handsomer piano covei
than your grandmamma’s India shawl
will make.
In the line of trimming milliners' folds
of Suede kid are offered for bonnet and
bodice decoration.
Gray and black striped gloria will be
a favorite material for summer traveling-
gowns and cloaks.
A Japanese princess has been in Berlin
studying the management of hospitals
and charitable institutions.
Forty women recently received the de¬
cree of Medical Doctor at the Woman’*
Medical College, Philadelphia.
Tea gowns, said to be marvels of
elegance, are made of brocaded silk, gold
galloon and mouseline de soie.
Gloves of heavy glace kid are the cor¬
rect thing for shopping and traveling,
and the finest of Suede for dressy wear.
Colored embroideries, edgings and in-
aertings are used to a considerable ex¬
tent just now for trimming undcrcloth-
ing.
Pearls are once again extremely popu¬
lar and a profusion of them Ls allowable,
while with diamonds such is not the
case.
The Duchess of Hamilton is one of the
most fearless riders to hounds in Great
Britain, and is a keen sportswoman
withal.
It is said that Parisiennes have already
grown tired of straight skirts, and art
returning to paniers and short uppet
skirts.
Queen Margherita, of Italy, recently who
received a letter from a woman
asked for some of Her Majesty’s cast-oil
jewels.
Spanish colors, Spanish styles, Tor-
reador hats and red, black and yellow
millinery stuffs are features iu this sea¬
son's fashions.
Mrs. Bently, the wife of one of t’n€
best-known African missionaries, is
teaching telegraphy to some black boys
on the Congo.
A Russian Princess permitted her bridal
trousseau to be exhibited in Paris for
three days, the accumulated admission
Sees to go to the poor.
Birds, bees, butterflies and other in¬
sect in the act of flight are embroidered
in jet and tinsel all across the bodices
and skirts of new ball gowns.
A woman’s magazine in the Bengali
language has been issued monthly foi
several years. Mrs. Ghosal, a wealthy
Hindoo lady, is its editor and proprie-
tor.
Tim young women of the Detroit
School of Art revolted because the con¬
ductor of that institution decreed that
no pupil should be allowed to chew
gum.
When worn as a part of a suit, the
shoulder cape cousistt of one or two frills
set on to a pointed yoke below a high
Medici collar. The edges are usually
pinked.
Light and graceful petticoats, now fu^
nished by London dressmakers, are of
thin silk, accordion-pleated and finished
at the hem with deep lace treated in the
same manner.
Mrs. Phelps, the wife of the American
Minister at Berlin, has become associated
with the Empress Fm-derick aud four la¬
dies of high rank in a home in that city
for American and English governesses.
The petition praying for permission to
be granted to women to study medicine
in Germany is said to have been flatly re¬
fused by Prussia, Wurtemburg, Saxony
and the Duchies of Ilesse- Darmstadt anc
Saxe-Weimar.
Mistletoe has bcen adopted by the mil¬
liners, aud it is certainly very pretty.
A piquant, bewitching face, surmounted
by a spray of this parasite, would be
suggestive of considerable raillery, il
nothing more.
The newest bonnets are composed ol
velvet frills of a different shade to the
strings and the loops that decorate the
top, and are much the shape—though much
smaller iu size, of course—of the bonnets
worn by baby girls.
Rufffings are again used to trim night¬
dresses, children's underclothing, etc.
They may be obtained all ready for use,
of cambric or Victoria lawn, hemstitched
on one edge, and with a woven cord at
the other, that draws it evenly into the
desired fulness.
Burmese ladies affect earrings in the
form of straight tubes of amber, glass,
jade or gold pushed through the lobe of
the ear. They are as thick as a lady’s
thumb and about an inch long. Some
of these are set at one end with big
itones, but some are hollow.
Somr of the new face veiling of point
d’esprit is finished with a pointed edge
of silver, gold or black. Among the
dotted net there is a jiattom in which
only a few black pastille or polka dots
are woven, placed so far apart as to give
the piquant effect of patches.
WRIGHT. W. PI 1 ALLEN.
F. U.
WRIGHT & ALLEN,
---DEALERS IN-
Dry Goods, Groceries sa
Hats, Shoes,
HARDWARE AND PLANTATION SUPPLIES.
We can furnish you with High Grade
Fertilizers, the best on the market. Try
them. Best quality Corn, Hay, Oats, Bran.
Our stock of Ladies' Goods is complete, and
we extend a cordial invitation to call and inspect
same, You will be pleused with what we have
to show you.
CRAWFORD SHERIFF’S SALES.
G EORGIA—Crawfoud Count y. —
James A. Moore and John J. Cham¬
pion, executors of James Roberts, de¬
ceased, have applied to me for letters of
dismission from their executorship. I will Un¬
less good objections are filed,
graut them letters dismissorv on the liist
Monday in June, 1890. Witness my
hand officially this the 4tli day of
Match, 1899. O. P. WRIGHT,
Ordinary.
EORGIA-—Crawford Cots t y.—•
|JW. K. Eubanks Executor of Eligah
Eubanks, deceased, has in due form ap¬
plied to me for letters of dismission from
bis executorship. Unless good objec¬ said
tions thereto are tiled, 1 will grant to
W. K. Eubanks such letters dismissory on
the 1st Monday in June, 1890. Witness
my hand officially. WRIGHT,
O. P.
Ordinary.
G EORGIA— Crawford County. —W.
M. Taylor, administrator of estate of
Rufus Carter, deceased, has administration applied for
letters dismissory from the
of said estate, and such letters will be
granted on the first Monday iu May next,
unless good objections are filed. Witness
my hand officially, this January 27th,
1890. O. P. WRIGHT,
ian 31-13 Ordinary.
G EOKGIa—Crawford Count y. —A.
C. Sanders and James M. Sanders,
executors of the will of Thus. J. Sanders,
deceased, have applied to me lor letters
dismissory from their executorship; here¬
therefore all persons concerned are
by required to show cause, if any they
have, on the first Monday in May next,
why such letters should not be granted.
Witness my ‘ hand officially, January
27th, 1890. O. P. WRIGHT.
Jan. 31—131. Ordinary.
A E< JRGIA—Cra wfor d County. — H.
U M. Burnett, administrator on estate
of Mrs. Martha Stembridge, deceased,
has applied to me for letters of dismis¬
sion from the administration of said es¬
tate, and same will be granted on the
fir -1 Monday in July next, .unless good
objections are filed. Witness my hand
officially this April 1 st. 1890.
O. P. WRIGHT,
Ordinary.
pEORGIA— Crawford County. -W.
U J- Slocumb, ns administrator of the
estate of 8 . P. Williamson, deceased, has
applied for letters of dismission from
said trust. This is therefore to cite all
persons concerned to show cause, if any
they have, said within application the time should prescribed not
by law why
be granted. hand officially this, the
Witness niy
31st day of March, 1890.
O. P. WRIGHT,
Ordinary.
OEORGIA, —Crawford County.
Appraisers appointed to Mrs. assign A. V. and Han¬ set
apart a year’s support to S. Hancock,
cock, from the estate of G.
deceased, have made their return: Said
return will be made the judgment of the
Court of Ordinary of said county on the
first Monday in June next, unless hand, good
objections are filed. Witness my
officially this April the 28th, 1890.
O. P. Wright, Ordinary.
For Tax Collector.
I respectfully announce myself to the
citizens of Crawford county as a candi¬
date for the office of Tax Collector, sub
ject to Democratic nomination.
S. B. Causey.
For Tax Collector.
I take this method of announcing iny
self as a candidate for Tax Collector of
Crawford county, subject to Democratic
nomination. The support of my friends
and the general public will be duly ap-
predated, Very Respectfully,
JaWus M. Moodt.
A number of Philadelphian* have peti-
tioced Congress to authorize and direct
the coinage of fifteen cents com. j
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
R. D. Smith. W. P. Blasiagame,
SMITH & BLASINGAME,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
Knoxville, Ga.
Prompt and faithful attention given to
all business entrusted to their care.
MONEY CHEAP AND EASY.
(o)
If you want CHEAP AND QUICK
MONEY, on easy and liberal terms, you
can get it by calling- on
W. P. BLASINGAME,
Attorney at Law,
Knoxville, Ga.
DR.W.F. BLASINGAME
33BNTTIST,
Knoxville, - - Georgia.
I respectfully tender my services citize’ in a tfce
Practice Knoxville of and Dentistry surrounding to the country, 13
will spare no effort to secure my patron*
competent work and perfect satisfaction.
J-iF*Charges Beafionable.
KNOXVILLE
HIGH
SPRING TERM.
Opens January 13
Closes . . June 27
FALL TERM.
Opens .. .September 1 .
Closes ... .December 19.
Rate of tuition for All Classes, $2 pet
month. A pro rata allowance will be
made for Public Fund.
Each pupil will be taught bv the most
modem methods.
I cordially solicit your patronage. Fur-
ther information will be cheerfully fur-
nished by
C. C. POWER,
Principal.
THE HARRIS HOUSE.
KNOXVILLE, GEORGIA.
Always open to public patronage. We
try to please our guests. Comfortable
Room and good Fare. Free hack to and
from Depot.
Z, T. HARRIS,
Proprietor.
A MOVE IN MUSICAL CIRCI.F.S.
“They tell me, Jobbins, your son it
becoming quite an expert on the violin.
What move is he most effective iu?”
- - The unanimous movement.”
“The unanimous movement? Never
heard of that before in association with
music.”
“Didn't, eh? Well, Jim produces it.
Come around to the house some even ing
and wait until he begins to pmy; you’ll
see how unanimously the boarders move
out of range.”—f Yonkers Gazette.
A REGULAR TREAT.
“Did you enjoy the party, Bobby ^
asked mamma.
“It was a regular treat,” said Bobby.
“Well, and what little girls did y^
dance v ith.”
‘'Olr, I didn't dance, but I
three set-tos with Billy Nunn, and
him every time.”—1 Paris Herald.