HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1896-8-20, Page 7Amoolotooloollisootomolioitiotok
THE EXETER TIMES
CURRENT NOTES
n is notorious that men and women,
a the Caucasian stock at all events,
need °bangs of air, but about the rea-
son why they need it there is no agree-
ment of opinion, A new tneory upon
the subject is advanced by Dr. Louis
Robinson in the Nationel Review.
From the assumption, which in itself
is plausible enough, that the original
progenitors of the Indo-Germanie peo-
ples were nomads or wanderers, is
drosvn the inference that an occasional
removal from place to plac,e is carved by
a deep-seated hereditary instinct.
There is no doubt about the fact that
a change of air is beneficial not only
when the change is from bad to good,
but from bali to bad of another kind.
• A resident in Rome, for instance, will
often find his health improved by re-
moval from the finest quarter of the
city to the Ghetto, where, malodorous
as the district is, the Roman fever
seldom penetrates. Dr. Robinson cites
the case of an English sufferer from,
asthraa and bronchitis, whose home was
in a bealthy part of the suburban coma-
tY, Surrey, but who obtained very great
relief from a sojouxn. among the slums
of Seven Diets. Many other examples
might be given to show that mere
change, irrespeaively of the qualities
of the atmospheres exchanged, gives a
to the system and increases its
recuperative power. Equally established
by experienes is the effect of frequent
removal from place to place on captur-
ed animals which are nomadic in their
wild state. It has been observed in Eng-
land that the wild beasts in travelling
• menageries notwithstanding the rough
and cramped accommodations to which
they are oondemned, are more healthy
and live longer than those which have
the advantage of scientifio care in the
Zoological Gardens. Especially signifi-
cant is the fact that almost the first ele-
phants to breed in captivity were those
le Barnum's travelling show. There
uld be no stronger evidence that the
circumstances under which these ani-
mals lived wens more conducive to their
general health than those amid 'Which el-
ephants are kept in Regent's Park, or
even in the Government establishments
in India. It is likewise alleged that
race horn.* are more likely to become
" stale or to deteriorate in condition
when they are kept on one track than
when they travel about to different race
meetings.
On all these data Dr. Louis Robinson
bases his explanation of the hygienio re-
sults cif a change of place in the ease
of human. beings. He points out that
the epoch (Wing which our progenitors
were savage 'punters, with no fixed
abode, was so incalculably longer than
• the most exten.ded estimate of historic
time that it is impossible to ignore the
influence of such a state of things on
the constitution of Caucasian man as
we find it to -day. That the primitive
inhabitant of Europe was a wanderer
on the face of the earth, like the red
men of this continent, who got a pre-
carious existence by bunting, is abund-
• antly proved. With the change of the
seasons, or as game became scarce in
the neighborhood of his cave dwelling,
he was compelled to migrate from place
to place in search of bare subsistence.
That such habits, prevaleait through so
long a period, would be likely to leave
a lasting impress on every cell and fi-
bre of the human trams is pronounced
more than probable. Moreover, if these
were the prevailing conditions of en-
vironment during the manufacture of
the human constitution, it would seem
reasonable to infer a priori that some-
what similar conditions would be .fav-
orable to the smooth working of the
eneysical machinery in modern times. It
la certain that if a race of nomads, to
whom vagrant habits have become a
second nature, are compelled to remain
permanently in one spot, evil conse-
quences ensue, and these are especially
likely to show themselves when the gen-
eral vitality has been lowered by dis-
ease. Is it not a fair deduction that a
renewal of the conditions to which the
constitution of man originally was
adapted would contribute to the recov-
ery of a normal state of health?
Su.ole is Dr. Robinson's attempt to ac-
count.= theoretical grounas for the in-
stinctiee 'desire, periodically experienc-
ed, for a change of scene and air, and
for the beneficial results which are
found in practice to follow a gratifica-
tion of the instinct.
In his remarkable speech before the
South African Association the Marquis
of Lorne, the Queen's son-in-law, de-
clares it to lie the purpose of England
to control 'nab the Nile and the Zam-
besi Rivers. This means practically
the whole of Africa. It is certainly a
magnificent purpose, and one in the
way of which there are enormous dif-
ficulties. They are no greater, how-
ever, than those England met in colon-
izing North; America and occupying
India. The probabilities are all in fav-
or of English' success in the mastery
of Africa. It may have to make large
concessions to Russia in other direc-
tion % but it seems prepare(' to do this
as soon as it becomes unavoidable. The
prospect is that in another ten years
or so it will be possible to travel across
Africa in a, palace ear and to go by
team from tiee month of. the Nile to
the English colonies in South Africa.
Such a change, with all it involves, will
•bave no precedent in the history of
any 'century before th'e present, but
it is only one of the many unpancedent-
ed changes walch are now occurring so
imperceptibly that they almost escape
tee imitico of the generation whose
activite is Riede* then?.
VIE AND ETERNITY.
REV. DR. TALMAGE TELLS WHEN
THEY BEGIN AND END.
The Gospel of Good Cheer For the Sorrow-
ing at the close of Gue's nay—Word
rletures of the Lengthening Shadows.
Washington, .Aug. 9. --Dr. Talmage's
subject to -day lights u.p the sorrows of
this life and sounds the gospel of good
eheer for all who will receive it. His
text was Luke xxiv, 29, "Abide with
us, for it is toward. evening."
Two villagers, having concluded their
errand in Jerusalem, have started out
at the city gate and. are on their way
to Emmaus, the place of their resi-
dence. They go with a sad heart.
Jesus, who bad been their admiration
and their joy, had been basely massa-
cred and entombed. As with sad face
and broken heart they pass on their
way, a stranger accosts therm They
tell him their anxieties and bitterness
of soul. He in turn talks to them,
mightily expounding the Scriptures.
He throwa over them the fascination
of intelligent couversation. They for-
get the tinae a� notice not the ob-
jects they pass and before they are
aware they have come up in front of
their house. They pause before the
entrance and attempt to persuade the
stranger to tarry with tliem. They
peess upon him their hospitalities.
Night is coming on and he may meet
a prowlin,e wild beast or be obliged to
lie unsheltered from the dew. Ile can-
not go much farther now. Wily not
stop there and continue their pleasant
conversation? They take him by the
arm and. insist upon his coming in,
addressing him in the words, "Abide
with u.s, for it is toward. evening."
The candles are lighted, the table is
spread, pleasant sodalities are en-
kindled. They rejoice in the presence
of the stranger guese. He asks a blese-
ing upon the bread. they eat, and he
hands a piece of it to each. Suddenly
and. with overwhelming power the
thought flushes upon the astoniehed
people—it is the Lord.1 And as they
sit in breathless wonder, looking upon
the resurrected body of ;Tesus, he van-
ished. The interview ended. Ile was
gone.
With many of us it is a bright, sun-
shiny day ot prosperity. There is not
a cloud in the sky. not a, leaf rustling
in the forest, no chill m the air. But
we cannot expect all this to last. He
is not an inteeeigent man who ex-
pects perpetual daylight of joy. The
sun will set after awhile near the hori-
zon. Tile shadows will lengthen. While
I speak, many of us stand m the very
hour described in the text, "for it is
toward. evening." The request of the
text is eepropriate for some be-
fore me. .b or with them it is toward
the evening of old. age. They have
passed the meridian of life. They are
sometimes startled. to think how old
they are. They do not, however, like
to have others remark upon it. If oth-
ers suggest their approximation toward.
venerable appearance they say, "Why,
I'm not so old after all." They do,
indeed, notice that they cannot lift
quite so much as once. The # cannot
walk quite so fast. They cannot read
quite so well without spectacles. They
cannot so easily recover from a cough
or any occasional ailment. They have
lost their taste for raerriment. They
are surprised at the quick passage of
the year. They say that it only seems
a little while ago that they were boys.
They are going a little down hill. There
is somethingni their health, something
in their vision, something in their
walk, something in their changing as-
sociations, something above, something
beneath, something within, to remind
them that it is toward evening..
The great want of all such is to have
Jesus abide • with them. It is a dis-
mal thingto be getting old without the
reju.venating influ.ence of religion. When
we step on the dow.0 grade of life
and see that it dips to the verge of the
cold river, we want to behold some one
near who will help us across it. When
the sight loses its power to glance and
gather up, we need the faith that can
illumine. When we feel the failure of
the ear,we need the clear tones of
that voice which in that olden time
broke up the silence of the deaf with
cadence of mercy. When the axmen
of death hew down whole forests of
strength and beauty around us and
we are left in solitude, we need the
dove of divire. mercy to sing in our
branches. When the shadows beginto
fall and we feel that the • day is far
spent, we need most of all to supplicate
the strong, beneficent Jesus m the
prayer of the villagers, "Abide with us,
for it is toward evening."
The request of the text is an appro-
priate exclamation for all those who are
approeched 15 the gloomy hour of tem-
ptation. There is nothing easier
than to be good natured when every-
thing pleases, or to be humble when i
there s nothing. to oppose us, forgiving
when we have no inducement to fraud.
But you have felt the grapple of some
temptation. Your nature at some time
quaked and groaned under the infernal
force. You felt that the devil
was after you. You saw your Chris-
tian graces retreating. You feared
that you would fall in the awful wres-
tle with sin and be thrown into the
dust. The gloom thickened. The first
indications of the night were seen in
all the trembling of your soul. In all
the infernal suggestions of satan, in
all the surging up of tumultuous pas-
sions and excitements, you felt with
awful emphases that it was toward
evening. In the tempted hour you need
to ask jeans to abide with you. You
can beat back the monster that would
devour you. You can unhorse the sin
that would ride you down. You can
sharpen the battleax with which you
split the head of helmeted abomina-
tion. Who helped Paul shake the
brazen gated heart of Felix? Who act-
ed like a. good sailor when all the crew
howled 15 the Mediterranean ship-
wreck? Who helped the martyrs to
be firm when one word of -recantation
would have unfastened the withes of
the stake and put out the kindling fire?
When the night of the soul came
on and all the denizens of darkness
came riding upon the winds of per-
dition, who gave strength to the
soul?Who gave, earliness to the
heart? Who broke the spell of infer-
nal enchantment? He who heard the
request of the villagers,"Abide with
us, for it is toward evening."
One of the fortsof France was at-
tacked, and the outworks were taken
before night. Tne besieging army lay
down, thinking there was but little to
do in the morning, and that the sold-
iery in the fort could be easily made
to surrender. But (hiring the night,
through a back stairs, they escaped in-
to tie country. In the morning the
besieging army sprang upon tbe bat-
tlements, but found that their prey
was gone. So when we are assaulted
in temptation, there is always some
secret stair by which we might get elf.
God will not allow us to oe tempted
above what we are able, but with
every temptation will bring a way of
escape that we may be able to bear it.
The prayer of the text is appropriate
for all who are anticipating sorrow.
The greatest folly that ever grew on
this planet is the tendency to borrow
trouble. But there are times when
approaching sorrow is so evident that
we needed to be making special prep-
aration for its coming.
One of your children has lately be-
come a favorite. The cry of that child
strikes deeper into the heart than the
cry of all the others. You think more
cry of all the others. You think more
of it. You give it more attention, not
because it is any more of a treasure
than the others, but because it is
becoming frail. There is something in
the cheek, in the eye and in the walk
that makes you quite sure that the
leaves of the flower are going to be
Scattered. The utmost nursing and
medical attendance are ineffectual.
The pules becorae,s feeble. the complex-
ion lighter, the step yveaker, thelaugh
fainter. No more romping for that
one through hall and parlor. The nurs-
ery is darkened by an approaching
calamity.. The heart feels with mourn-
ful antimpation that the sun is going
down. blight speeds on. It is toward
evening.
You have long rejoiced in the care of
a mother. You have done everything
to make her last clays. happy. You
have run with quick feet to wait upon
her every want. Her presence bus
been a perpetual blessing m the house-
hold. But the fruit gatherers are look-
ing wistfully at that tree. Her soul
is ripe for heaven. The gates are
ready to flash open for her entrance*
.But your soul sinks at the thought of
a separation. You cannot bear to think
that soon you will be called to take the
last look at that face which from the
first hour hoe looked upon you with
affection unchangeable. But you see
that life is ebbing and. the grave will
soon hide her f ram your sight. You
sit quiet. You feel heavy hearted. The
light is fading from the sky. The air
is cidU. It is toward. evening.
You hada considerable estate and
felt independent. In five minutes on
one fair balance sheet you could. see
just how you stood in the world. But
there came complications. Something
that you imagined impossible happen-
ed. The best friend you had proved
traitor to your interests. .A. sudden
crash of national misfortunes pros-
trated your credit. You may to -day
be going on in business, but you feel
anxious about where you are standing,
and fear that the next turning of the
wheel will bring you. prostrate. You
foresee what you consider certain de-
falcation. You think of the anguish of
telling your friends you are not worth
a dollar. You know not how you will
ever ' bring._ your children home from
school. You wonder how you will
stand the selling of your library or the
moving into a Ricrac house. The
misfortunes of lite have accumulated.
You wonder what makes the sky so
dark. It is toward evening.
Trouble is an apothecary that mixes
a great many drafts, bitter and. sour
and nauseous, and you must drink
some one of them., Trouble puts up
a great many packs, and you must
carry some one of them. There is no
scandal so thick and. well adjusted but
some thorn will strike through it. There
is no sound so sweet but the under-
taker's screwdriver grates through it.
In this swift shuttle of the human
heart some of the threads must break.
The journey from Jerusalem to Ern. -
main will soon be ended. Our Bible,
our common sense, our observation,
reiterates in tones that we cannot mis-
take and ought not to disregard.. It
is toward evening.
Oh, then, for Jesus to abide with us.
He sweetens the cape He extracts the
thorn. He wipes the tear. He hushes
the tempest. He soothes the soul that
flies to Him for shelter. Let the night
swoop and the euroclydon cross the
sea. Let the thunders roar. Soon all
will be well. Christ in the ship to
soothe His friends. Christ on the sea to
stop its tumult. Christ in the grave to
scatter the darkness. Christ in the
heavens to lead the way) Blessed all
such.. His arms will inclose them, His
grace comfort them, His light cheer
them, His sacrifice free them, His
glory enchant them. If earthly estate
take wings, He will be an incorruptible
treasure. If friends die, He will be
their resurrection. Standing with us
in the morning of, our joy and in the
noonday of our prosperity, he will not
forsake us when the luster has faded
and it is toward evening.
Listen to Paul's battle shout with
misfortune. Hark to mounting Lati-
mer's fire song. Look at the glory that
has reft the dungeon and. filled the
earth and heavens with the crash of
the falling manacles of despotism. And
then look at those who have tried to
cure themselves by human prescrip-
tions attempting to heal gangrene with
a patch of court plaster and to stop
the plague of dying empires with the
euackery of earthly wisdom., Nothing
cen speak peace to the soul, nothing
can unstrap our crushing burdens,
nothing can overcome spiritual foes,
nothing can open our eyes to see the
surrounding horses and. chariots of sal-
vation that fill all the mountains, but
the voice and command of Him who
stopped. one night at Emmaus.
The words of the text are penitent
to us all, from the fact that we are
nearing the evening of death. I have
heard it said. that we ought to live as
though each moment were to be our
last. I do not believe that theory. As
far as preparation is concerned we
ought always to be ready, but we can-
not always be thinking of death, for
we have duties in life that demand our
attention. When a man is selling
goods, it is his business to think of
the bargain he is making. When a
man is pleading in the courts, it is
his duty to think of the interests of
his clients, When a clerk is adding
up his accounts, it is his duty to keep
Ins mind upon the columns of figures.
He who fills up his life with thoughts
of death is far from being the highest
style of Christian. Iknew a man who
used often to say at night, "I wish I
might die before mornmel" He became
an infidel. •
But there are times when we can
and ought to give ourselves to the con-
templation of that solemn moment
when to the soul time ends and eternity
begins. We must go through that one
pass. There is no roundabout way, no
bypath, no circuitous roulese Die we
must, and it will be to us a shameful
occiurence or a time of admirable be-
havior. Our friends may stretch out
their hands to keep us back, but no
iniploration on their- part can hinder
us. They might offer large retainers
but death would not take the fear The
breath will fail and the eyes will close,
and the heart will stop. You may
hang the couch with gorgeous tapes-
try but what does death care for beau-
tiful curtains? You may hang the
room, with the finest work of art, but
what does death care for pictures?
You may fill the house with the wain.
ings of widowhood and orphanage—
does deatii muid weeping?
,This ought not to be a depressing
theme. Who wants to live here for-
ever ? The world has always treated
me well, and every day I feel less and
less like scolding and complaining. But
yet I would not want to make this
my eternal residence, I love to watch
the clouds and bathe my soul in the
blue sea of heaven. But expect when
the firmament is rolled away as a
scroll to see a new heaven, grander
higher and more glorious. You ought
to be willing to exchange your body
that has headaebes and sideaches and
weaknesses innumerable, that limps
with the stone bruise, or festers with
the thorn, or flames on the funeral
pyre of fevers, for an incorruptible
body and an eye that blinks not before
the jasper gates and the great white
throne. But between that and this
there is an hour about which no man
should be reokless or foolhardy. I
doubt not your courage, but I tell you
that you will want something better
a trusty sword when you come to your
than a strong arm, and a good aixa and
last battle. You will need a better
robe than any you have in your ward-
robe to keep you warm in that place.
Circumstances do not make se mueth
dlIference. It may be a bright day
when you push off from the planet, or
it may be a dark night and while the
owl is hooting from the forest. It may
be spring. and your soul may go out
among the blossoms. apple orchards
swinging their camera in the wax. It
may be winter and the earth in a
snow shroud. It may be autumn, and
the forests set on dire by the retreating
year, dead nature laid out in state. It
may be with your wife's hand in your
hand or you may be in a strange hotel.
with a servant faithful to the last. It
may be io the rail train, shot off the
switch and tumbling in long rever-
beration down the embankreent—erash,
crash! I know not the time. I know
not the mode. But the days of our
life are being subtracted away and we
shall come -down to the time when we
have but ten days, tb.en nine days,
then eight days, then seven days, then
six days, then five days, then four
days, then three days, then two days,
then one day. Then bours—three
hours, two hours, one hour. Then only
minutes left—five minutes, four min-
utes, three minutes, two minutes. One
minute. Then only seconds left—four
seconds, three secoude, t,wo seconds,
one second. Gone 1 The chapter of life
ended! The book closed! The pulse at
rest! The feet through with the jour-
ney! The hands closed from all work.
No word on the lips. No breath in
the nostrils. Hair combed back to lie
undisbeveled by any human bands.
The muscles still. The nerves still.
The lungs still. Tbe tongue still. All
still. You mighc loot the stethoscope
to the breast and hear no sound. You
might put a speaking trumpet to the
ear, but you could not wake the deaf-
ness. No motion. No throb. No life.
Still, still!
So death conies to the disciple. What
if the sun of life is about to set?
Jesus is the dayspring from on high;
the perpetual morning of every ran-
somed spirit. What if the darkness
comes? Jesus is the light of the world
and of heaven. What though this
earthly house does crumble? Jesus has
prepared a house of many mansions.
Jesus is the anchor that always holds.
Jesus is the light that is never eclips-
ed, Jesus is the fountain that is never
exhausted. Jesus is the evening star,
hung .up araid the gloom of the gather-
ing night 1
You are almost through with the
abuse and backbiting of enemies. They
will call you no more by evil names.
Your good deeds will no longer be mis-
interpreted nor your honor filched. The
troubles of earth will end in the felici-
ties! Toward evening! The bereave-
ments of earth will soon be lifted. You
will not much longer stand pouring
your grief in the tomb, like Rachel
weeping for her children or David
mourning for Absalom. Tears wiped
away. Sorrows terminated. No more
sounding of the dead' march. Toward
evening I Death will come sweet as
slumber to the eyelids of the babe,
as full rations to a starving soldier, as
evening hour to the exhausted work-
man. The sky weil take on its sunset
glow, every cloud' a fire psalm, every
lake a glassy mirror, the forests trans-
figured, delicate mists climbing the air.
Your friends will announce it ; your
pulses will beat it; your joys will ring
it; your lips will whisper it, "Toward
evening 1"
ANTI -FINERY L:EAGUE.
Fashionable women in London are ag-
itating a new league, which has the
worthy motive of liraiting the number
of dresses a. woman shall buy in one
year, providing, of course, she becomes
a member. So many women dress be-
yond their means to keep pace with
their more favored associates that this
"anti -dress league" is proposed as a
sort of mantle of charity to cover a
small dress allowance with fashionable
respect, and bring about an average
rule for poorer members of the society.
The success of this enterprise is yet to
be seen, but the amusing side of it is
that the women who are the most en-
thusiastic workers in the cause do not
care to join.
FRENCH WOMEN.
The statistics of crime in France are
several years itt arrears; those relating
to the year 1893 were published. about
a month ago. They are complete, and
special attention has been paid to
the offences against the established
rules of society by French women.
Criminologists may be interested to
know that of 4,269 accused persons bi
1893, in France, 3,673 were males and
596 were females, a proportion of six to
one. In other words, women were re-
sponsible for 14 per cent. of the crimas
committed, which according. to the
statistics, is a crfminution erne° the
period. of 1871-76, when the percentage
was 17.
NO MILK IN JAPAN.
In Japan they do not have this article
of food. The natives never use it—
no lowing herd is seen with the bare-
foot boy driving them to the milkyard.
There are no pastures, and even the
barnyard fowl. is practically unknown.
Most of the animals on the island are
left wild in preserves. Milk is an an-
imal product, and animal food is pro-
hibited by their religion. Curiously
enough, fish is not considered animal
food and is used considerably.
HOPING TO FIND SOMETHING .IN
THE POCKETS.
Never mind brushing me off, porter,
said the careful passenger on the sleep-
er, you couldn't find a, ,speck of dust
on my clothes.
Dat am so, boss, but if you ain't no
objections.Ill jeet go through the mo-
tions with my brusla, kase 1 must feel
dal 1 earned dat quarter you** goin'
to give me.
TEE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON,AUGUST 23.
"Absalom's Rebelllion." 2 Sam. 15, 1-12,
Gotden Text, Exod. 20, 12.
GENERAL STATRMRNT.
Eleven or twelve eventfa years lie
between our last lesson and that of to-
day, These years Witnessed Amnon's
crime and death, Absalom% exile, and
joab's artifice to seeure his recall. Dr.
Geikie also places here the numbering
of Israel and the pestilence which fol-
lowed it. While David's own life had
proied that his fall was but a passing
lapse from which he soon recovered
himself, the seed of his sin, under God's
great law, gradually yielded its sad
harvest. A glance at the circumstan-
ces will suffice to show bow this re-
bellion stood related to David's own sin.
As a' parent he failed to punish Am-
non for bis dastardly crime. It is said
"he was very wroth." But the anger
was only the sbeet-lightning of passion,
and then only a solitary flash. This
led Absalom to murder Amnon. Again
punishment is omitted. But through
Lear Absalom sought refuge at the
court of his maternal grandfather, Tale
mai, King of Geshur. Here he remain-
ed. three years. It is probable that he
regarded himself as unjustly blamed
for having done what his father should
have done. This exile, with its enforc-
ed idleness, gave him opportunity to
Purse his fancied wrongs, and plan for
redress. He regarded. himself as right-
ful heir to the throne. But Bathshe-
ba's influence would be exerted in favor,
of Solomon. Psalms 41, 55, 38, and 39
are by some referred to this period. If
properly so they show that the king
must have been too sick to administer
justice. Absalom was a imperious
mien ancl beautiful presence. Rising
early to meet the "cases" needing judg-
ment, by an appeal to the scenic appe-
tite of the Eastern, appearing in splen-
did equipage he set off his personal
claims. By flattering the people, and
speaking evil. of hi s father, he made
some believe that a change was nec-
essary. When his plans were fully
formed, on pretense of wishing to offer
a sacrifice to God, he obtained perrais-
sion to go to Hebron, wbere, by his
appointment, other conspirators met
him and proclaimed bira king. "Sharper
than a serpent's tooth it is to have a
thankless child." To have those whom
we have nursed, fed, clothed, and Pray-
ed for, turn against us, is the last dreg
in life's cup of bitterness. This was
now David's doom.
PRACTICAL NOTES.
Verse 1. It came to pass. As the
fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy (2
Sam. 12. 10, 11). After this. The re-
call of Absalom and his readmittance
to favor. This was done without re-
pentance on his part. Chariots and
horses. He imitated the magnificence
or foreign monarchs ia order to make
an impremion on the people. To run
before him. In oriental fashion. Dr.
Trumbull says when his little party
started. from Cairo for the pyramols a
handsome young "sais" clad in blue,
scarlet, green and gold, ran before them
at the top of his speed, calling out for
a dear path among the camels, don-
keys, and foot passengers. Horses were
a novelty among the Hebrews, having
only been recently introduced from Eg-
ypt. (1) True greatness is not depend-
ent on outward show.
2. Rose up ea.rly. To show his zeal
and be on hand before the king, who
would probably sit in the gate during
part of the day. Way of the gate. On
one side of the street which led to the
door of the king's palae,e, in which
door David administered justice. Here
he intercepted such persons as came to
Jerusalem with complaints of wrong,
and by flattering arts sought to in-
gratiate himself in their good will. Had
a controversy. A suit, as in verse 4.
Foreign wars, extensive building en-
terprises, the love of pleasure,and pro-
bably the weakness of advancing years,
led .David to neglect his duty as the
only "court of appeal" in all Urea.
Absalom called. Thus showing friendly
familiarity and affecting a particular
interest in each newcomer. Such gene-
rosity .and civility would make him a
favorite. (2)Flattery beguiles the un-
wary in their ruin.
3. Thy matters are good. "Thy cause is
just." This the citizen already believed.
He would contrast Absalom's interest
with David's unconcern. No man
deputed. There is no official hearer
appointed. The king takes no inter-
est in the wrongs of the people.
4. 0 that I were made judge. Many
imagine because they see some details
which they could improve. that there-
fore they could do the whole work bet-
ter. Absalom was too wily to express
a wish to the king. (3) Pride and envy
often underlie hostile criticism.
5. To do him obeisance. His princely
bearing and retinue would lead all of
lower rank who came near him to show
their deference. Took him, and kiss-
ed him. Instead of allowing them to
do him homage as the king's son, he
feigned humility and condescension. By
such means politicians court power m
all lands.
6. Stole the hearts. Robbed his father
of the people's affection, and transfer-
red it to himself. The multitude fail-
ed. to penetrate his motives, or foresee
the tendency of his consent. (4) All
success depends upon winning men's
hearts.
7. Forty years. A transcriber's error
for four. The Arabic and. Syriac ver-
sions read "four years." so does Jose-
phus. These would be, reckoned from
Absalom's return to Jerusalem and be-
ginning to plot for the throne. Pay
my vow. It is uncertain whether he
had ever made any such vow cie he
here pretends. In Hebron. This was
his birthplace, the capital of Jadea, a
famous high place, and far enough dis-
tant for his purpose. It was here that
David had first been anointed king. (5)
Religion is too often used as a cloak
for serious evils.
8. Geshur was northeast of Bashan,
and midway between Damascus and the
Sea of Galilee. Absalom was the
grandson of the King of Ge.shur. 11
the Lord. It is probable that all this
talk was pretext and lies. Serve the
Lord. By offering a sacrifice.
9. Go en peace. .1)avid seems to have
no suspicion of the black conspiracy
veiled under this pious proposal. He
was probably at this time a laic mon-
arch. Had he not been so engrossed
in luxurious self-indulgence he 'would
not have been so deaf to the com-
plaints of his subjects and blind to the
treachery.of his son. (6) Lack of self-
re,straint is the door through which fa-
tal influences creep.
10. Sent spies. These were to ascer-
tain the feelings of the people, and to
fan the flame of discontent, but were
wily to sound the rallying cry in places
where they could reckon upon sup -
pert. The sound of the trumpet. The
signal for revolt, like the hoisting of
a standard itt modern times. He was
to be proclaimed king simultaneously
all over the country. lie Hebron For
henpurpose the place was well chosen.
It is probable that the tribe of Judah
resented its absorption into the nation
at large, and the city of Hebron con-
tained many persons who were aggriev-
ed. by the removal of the court to Je-
rusalem.
11. Two hundred neat These were
men of distinction, and went as invit-
ed. guests to a feast like Samuel's in
1 Sam. 9. 22. Their bigh standing
would. create an impression that the
king patronized the movement.
12. Sent for Ahithephel the Gilon-
ite. So called. from Ins native city Gi-
lob, a. few miles south or southwest
of Hebron. He was one of David's
chief counselors and a man of great
sagacity (2 Sam. 16. 23). Offered sacri-
fices. This was no holy service, but
a means to blind the king and. people,
and help to inaugurate sedition. The
people increased. Those whom he had
complimented and caressed not only
joined Inc cause, but used their influ-
ence to win others. A general dissat-
isfaction must have existed against the
person and government of David. (7).
Success founded upon tricks and wrong
can never be permanent.
PAINTING ON GLASS.
Painting on glass in imitation of pie-
tra dura or mosaic is a pretty pastime.
The results, too, are, as a. rule, most sat-
isfactory, the appearance of inlaying
being imparted to the surface. The
painting is in flat tints, and crude,
bright colors must be avoided.
Tbe materials required. are ordinary
oil colors, mirrorine medium, seine art-
ists' enamels, sable brushes and. a, good
black for grounding. Japanese black
lacquer covers better than most lel
them, and a tube of ecailline brown
black for outlining.
The glass must be thoroughly cleaned
with soap and. hot water and free
from smears. Place the glass face down
ward over the design to be copied, and
put in the outlines with eeailline brown
and mirrorine medium; a fine sable
brush is used, and the lines must be
solid and very equal in thickness. They
will take some time to dry—perhaps
Iwo days; they must be dry and hard
before the next painting is started,
otherwise their sbarpness and decision
will be entirely marred, and cannot be
restored. without great trouble.
The tone for coloring must be chos-
en frora among those that are found
ill stone and marble, of which there is
an infinite variety; gray, red, yellow,
green and blue, abound, and can be
blended in every conceivable manner
In arranging the scheme of color to he
carried out, it will., be found that a
combination of tbree or four tints well
arranged and balanced will prove easier
to manage, and more satisfactory in
result, than a kaleidoscopic arrange-
ment of a, number of colors, which is
apt to impart a bewildering effect to
the design. Each different tint of the
oil colors mutat be mixed up ready for
use in sufficient quantity to cover all
the parts required; it does not answer
to mix with the brush as the work
progresses; the color would be certain
to vary and look like paint, not stone.
Mix mirrorine with the color and cov-
er solidly, taking care to keep within
the outlines. The enamel can be used.
instead of oil -color and thinned. with
rairrorine answers very well; if the
tints are not exactly what is required,
they can be xnodified with oil colors.
The whole of the design being filled
in with the various tints selected, the
ground has to ba well covered with the
bla,ek varnish. It does not matter if
this looks somewhat rough and. lumpy
at the back. The face will appear, nev-
ertheless, perfectly smooth; the only
precaution to be observed is to fill
up all thin places, as the varnish dries
very quickly:, it can be retouched again
and again without much delay. If any
accidents occur, either in the painting
or varnishing, paraffin applied. with a
cloth will remove everything and en-
able corrections to be made on the
clean glass.
White, dull red, and stone color on
a black ground make a good combin-
ation; dull buff and yellow against
black; dark blue, light blue, Indian
red, yellowish green, against an ivory
white ground are suggested as suitable
combinations of color for pietra dura.
Glass painted in this fashion is used
Lor table tops, for small wall panels,
for cache sots, and various articles of
this description.
OPERA BY 'TELEPHONE.
Airs Sung in Paris Enjoyed in London.
An experiment was recently made to
transmit by telephone to London Mr.
Duverney's new opera, Helle, performed
at the Grand Opera House in Paris,
says an exchange. By means of the
telephone cable connecting Calais and
Dover, through telephone communica-
tion was established to the Pelican
House London, where, by means of the
eleetrophone, a form of loud -speaking
telephone, it was possible to' listen to
an opera rendered in Paris.
The first trial was unsuccessful, ow -
int to the state of the weather, which
seriously disturbed the line. A sec-
ond attempt was made, however, on an-
other evening, when it is claimed that
the sounds, though faint, were heard
with delightful clearness, particularly
M. Deimos and M. Avarez, the tenor.
The female voices were not so distinct.
The violin accompaniment of the or-
chestra was faint, while the bass and
oboe selections were very much in evi-
dence.
PICKLED TEA.
Infusing tea, leaves and drinking the
infusion is only one (way of "taking
tea?' In Upper Siam little tea is
drunk; most of it is prepated for chew-
ing, and the laboring classes there use
it largely. In Thibet and Western
China brick tea is stewed with milk,
salt and fat, and is eaten as a veget-
able. and in Burmah they make what
is called pickled tea, which is eaten as
a preserve with other articles of food.
THIS CAT HAD REASON.
A writer in the London Spectator
tells of a cat which found a pet white
mouse that had escaped from the cage.
The cat carried the mo -use into the
house, placed it on the floor and march-
ed out. Common mice had never been
treated that way by the cat, and it
seems that the feline knew that the
Albiao mousse was entitled to consid-
eration.
There are many tImes and circum-
stances in life when Our strength is,
to sit still."—Tryon Edwards,
TO GO UP IN A ROCKET.
areneven, or Jeannie, Illechisalts
WIU Mimic the setwining Experiment.
There is a raan a aerial rsuits fl
Mga,n for wbora balkoning has be-
come chill, e eaves a new sensation,
arid so he is going to turn hireeelf into
a human firework and take a trip to
the elonds on a akyrocket. This man is
eiNV;IsWeli Ma?plivoenneerof inja°a"°eroneaulitiese
calls
he actually goes up into the sky on a
rocket the world will leave to aam,it
that be .merits his title. He will be the
first to .make such an ascent.
Prof. McEwen's plan (all aeronauts
are professors) is startling ehiefly for
the reason that we associate the come
ing clown of the stick as the inevitable
sequel a the going up of the rocket,
and the possibilities suggested by the
descent of the stiek are not such as
give MeEweres friends 'itemize to Con-
sider.
But this aeronaut has no intention
of going on one magnificent skyward
burst and then paying the law of grav-
itation for it.
bicEwen has devised a rocket which
in the first place, has no stick, and,
in the second has a parachute attach-
ment which he expects will bring bine
dba.eseeek. ntano egartdhovine. gentle circles like the
The idea of a manebearina rocket
yearsedmaeaeytagiouothase intetrwepasid coPurtoefmesspoiartinsegvetrhael
impatience of a crowd at the tedious
INFLATING A BALLOON.
And after the great bag wa.s* full it
soared iv in such a null, stately way as
to rob it of all sensational interest.
Even a wet fuse would. not delay a
rocket more than a few minutes.
McEwen at once went to work to per-
fect his idea and, best its feasibility.
After znany experiments he contrived
a model that would project the per-
son riding on it from the train of sparks
that it must of necessity throw oute It
was also a model balanced without a
stick, and. would carry a parachute.'
After three highly satisfactory trials,
in which the small scale device more
than fulfilled his highest expectations,
he decided to go ahead with the mane.
m,oth firework an which he proposes to
risk his life.
This is now in process of construction
in Chicago. It is being made of alumi-
num and phosphor bronze and stands
60 feet tall.. Save for the absence of
the stick the general shape of the rock-
et is the conventional one, with dad -
like point and. long, slim body.
The charge of powder necessary to
ehoot a mares weight two miles into the
air is enormous especially as it cannot
be packed. tight on the principle of a
gun cha,rge. Rockete depend. for their
ixtotive power on the kick or recoil at..
tendant on the generation of gases
caused by powder that is burning co,ml-
paratively slowly. If it burned rapid-
ly the paper tube would explode.
After the completion of the rocket and
the paraohute case all that will be
needed for the ascent is a tube big en-
ough to start the projectile on a proper
angle. If, as sometimes happens with
smaller fireworks, the 60 -footer should
topple over and begin shooting along
trahaettgmer.and it would be a very serious
A NOVEL SENSATION.
There can be no doubt that the sense -
tion which Prof. MeEwen will get from
his ride will be absolutely novele To
coast through the air as he proposes
to do will carry him swifter than the
birds. It will be like a toboggan slide
upside down.
If the first ascent is successful there
promises to be considerable scientific
value to the attempt, If a an can go
two miles in air in less than two min-
utes and regardless of the courses of
the wind it will mean that various ob-
servations of sudden high atmospheric
changes can be takenz It will be pos-
sible too, to test finally Gen. Dyren-
forth's theory that rain maybe precipi-
tated by firing high explosives in raid
air. Prof. McEwen could speed along
through the clouds, and throw out tre-
mendous firecrackers loaded with dyna-
mite and be a raile higher tip before
they exploded.
IM6
DEADLY FOE TO GERMS.
Savant 5 Make Successful Experiments
Willi the lioentgen Ray in Treating
Ordinarily fatal Diseases.
Interesting and successful experi-
ments have recently been conducted
under the direction of Dr. William
Shrader, head of the department of
electrical engineering in the Missotun
State University, testing the value of
the Roentgen rays in destroying di-
sease germs.
These have been successful and prove
conclusively that the rays kill the diph-
thane bacilli, and thus far the experi-
ments go to show that they are effica-
cious in the treatment of consumption.
The first experiments were made
with the diphtheria bacilli. Two pies
were inoculated with the diphtheria
toxin, the poison thrown off in the sys-
tem which kills the patient, each pig
receiving one-tenth of a cubic; centi-
meter. Three hours passed before
either of the pigs were exposed. to the
rays; in this time theepoison had per-
meated the entire system and the first
was nearly dead. Notwithstanding
the condition he seemed to quicken af-
ter the three hours' exposure to the
rays and lived for twenty-three hours.
The other pig not exposed, died within
SEVENTEEN HOURS.
In order to make the test conclusive
the experiment was repeated. The pig
to be placed under the rays, receiving
as before, one-tenth of it au.bie centi-
meter of the diphtheria toxine, whUe
the other received only one 100th of
a cubic centimeter, or one-tenth as
much. Immediately after the injec-
tion the pig was placed under the tube.
He is alive and healthy to -day, after .
six weeks have passed. The pig not ex-
posed died within nineteen hours.
In all these cases a post mortem was
held upon the pig that died, which
showed that death was due to the diph-
theria poison.
Experiments with anthrax, a disease
fatal to stook and men alike, have been
fairly successful, but the results have
not been officially announeed.
The greatest interest centers in the
experiments made with consumption.
Early in ,Tuly a prtizninent citizen of
this place, entered upon the treatment
by means of the Roentgen rays. His
pulse was feeble, his chest could not
be expanded and he could not take a
long breath.
The greatest length of England and
Se.otland, north to south, it. atitntt 008
mil
,;;!'