GERMANY IS ANXIOUS
WORRIED DECAUSE OF AMERI
CAN TRADE RIVALRY.
(Gradual Lou of the Cl; United Stutrr*
Market and Our Nucee*»ful Competi
tion in the Market* of the World ISe
;lu to Attract Attention.
The German chambers of commerce
are manifesting deep concern on the
subject of the outlook for trade with
the United States. Our vice consul
general at Frankfort, Mr. Hanaucr, has
transmitted to the state department
several reports of these commercial
bodies which betray not a little anxiety
nt the prospect of losing the biggest of
all markets for German products. The
Frankfort chamber of commerce draws
attention to the fact that—
"Today the United States looms up
as the greatest producer of breadstuffs,
and with all the factors of gigantic
development In metal production. It
has already attained such a position In
all branches of Industrial power as to
enable It to boldly take up the gauntlet
of competition in the international
arena. Germany has no special treaty
with the United States; the most-fa
vored-nation clause is the basis of the
mutual trade, but this presupposes that
both nations maintain toward each
other 6uch tariffs as not to make the
exchange of goods prohibitory. The
IJingley tariff has affected German ex
ports inimically. Germany's imports
front the United States In 1898 exceeded
those of the previous year in twenty
five leading lines, whereas she export
ed to the United Stales considerably
less In twenty important lines than in
1897. The question arises, Is the most
favored-nation clause without a tariff
reduction on the part of the United
States of any value to us?”
The Dresden chamber of commerce
notes the fact that, owing to the ad
vantages enjoyed in specializing and
subdividing the manufacture of arti
cles, In the Immense capital employed
in every branch of trade, and in the
cleverness of American consular offi
cials, “the United States Is enabled to
soil at lower prices, though paying
higher wages than its European ri
vals,” and adds:
“The opinion is prevalent in various
quarters that if the present tariff con
tinues we must familiarize ourselves
with the thought thht our export to the
United States will some day cease alto
gether, and that if we want to do busi
ness with that country we must estab
lish branch factories there.”
The chamber of commerce of Hagen,
a center of iron and steel manufactur
ing, puts forth a dismal wail regarding
the strained conditions which exist in
the wire and wire-tack trade, nil be
cause of the competition of the United
States:
“The iron trade there has developed
In a stupefying manner, making the
country a productive power of the first
class. The condition of this trade In
Germany has, during the last year,
grown more and more unfavorable, lie
cause the Americans have steadily tak
en pcssesElon of the markets in Japan,
• China and Australia, which heretofore
had been supplied mainly by German
products. The prices abroad have at
the close of the year declined so low
that even German works that produce
rolled wire have to give up taking
contracts, on account of the cost of the
raw material. Nor is the outlook for
the lately established wire-tack trust
at all auspicious, as it must submit to
heavy sacrifices in order to snatch at
least a few orders from the claws of
American competition.”
Solingen’s complaint is that its cut
lery Industry Is in a bad way, “because,
owing to the closing of the American
market, the competition at home has
become so intense as to undermine
prices, diminish profits and produce a
decline In the quality of the goods
made. The manufacture of scythes, it
is noted, was sufficiently active; but in
the future this branch is threatened
by the Increasing Import of American
grass mowers.”
Thus we find that in many lines of
industrial activity German producers
suffer seriously because of the competi
tion of the United States tlrst, in the
luvaslon of the German home market:
second. In the Invasion of competing
markets upon which Germany has
heretofore had a firm hold; and, third,
in the diminished demand for many of
Germany's products in the valuable
American market, it Is a condition
not likely to be Improved by any recip
rocal treaties which the Uulted States
will be willing to make, and still less
prospect of relief Is apparent in the
direction of tariff modifications. The
United States some time ago ceased
making tariffs for the Ueucfit of foreign
rompetiflora. There Is, however, one
possible help for Ocrmau) that sug
gested in the report of the Dresden
chamber of commerce via., to estab
lull branch factories In the United
IMatee, Many European manufacturers
have already yielded to thle necessity,
and more are coming.
INSTRUCTIVE COMPARISON
«k*l It* t *•» »l • l» Mt.wraiu Id.
■Hiu •irail.wt •«.! • I hM* Will
A roiHi>arl»«M of ih* pr***ut Ru.Rr.
no* cm** with l»»* will • *»“* what Ih*
lur iif i 11*mo* roll* a liuinuuat
and i rbeap dollar will do fur * rm
parse* rwuntrir Thau »*.tjtbl«| *4*
In doubt ta«le«** **» at a •tandadil,
so on# annag.td in a haw anurpri**
tunica* It cm* *“*•*• charitable *»*.*
dll Ion Is •**»• of »h# largo villa*
•tailed an** *»*up b *o#a to feed tba
atari t*S)« casual aoughl t>U*a« uf
•afvlp and *•« al • d of lav*«tM«nt,
tabor * a* throws a of ttsphdiaeat
nsd the Isdsalrlaa of tha tuualry w*ra
|dla uf running «* half lima Wn» nil
thtt niagnallus In bu*ia**«? What
•age there hard U«*c In HStf That*
was a possibility of electing Bryan and
changing the monetary system from
the gold to the silver standard. Not a
bank would loan a dollar on ninety
days' time one or two months before
the election, it made no difference
what the security was. Why? Be
cause every hank knew that If the
change came it meant a panic and
“runs" would be made on all banks
and that the worst panic that ever
swept over this country would follow
quickly the news of Bryan’s election,
and bankruptcy would be general.
Having passed through these distress
ing times and having seen the sudden
change for the better on the announce
ment of McKinley’s election; having
seen these batiks open ’heir doors
within a week after thp election and
make extensive loans that they had
hut recently refused; having seen the
times grow gradually better until to
day the whole country is happy, pros
perous and contented; isn’t it strange
to see a party clamoring for the same
man and the same policy that pro
duced so much alarm, distress and hard
times in 18%? Of course there is
no one alarmed now, because it would
be hard to find a well-posted person
that believes that Bryan has a ghost
of a chance to he ele< ted to the presi
dency in 1900; but we want to remark
right here that if from any reason it
should appear in the fall of 1900 that
Democracy and free silver had a chance
of success you would see the same
close times you saw in the fall of 1890.
—Benton (ill.) Republican.
American agricultural Implements
occupy the whole field In the Austra
lian trade. If any one had predicted
this a century ago, when this country
was struggling to make its independ
ence of Great Britain industrial as well
as political, or even fifty years ago,
when the free trade Walker tariff had
the country in its crippling grasp, the
prophet would have found no be
lievers.
A century ago the supporters of the
policy of free trade, the very few per
sons who then believed in that fallacy,
were content to have the United States
continue indefinitely to be an agricul
tural nation. Fifty years ago the sup
porters of the Walker tariff were con
tent to have the United States stand
still so far as manufacturing was con
cerned, and to remain a practically
non-manufacturing nation. They were
beginning to argue along the line so
much in evidence during recent years
—Viz., that of "buying where you can
buy the cheapest." Had their policy
triumphed, we would still be indus
trially dependent on England. It is to
the policy of a protective tariff that
wo owe it that other nations are de
pendent on us industrially, and that
we are dependent on no one but our
selves.
AiixIoua Grrmuni.
Reports of the German chambers of
commerce disclose a condition of gen
eral anxiety regarding the successful
competition of the United States in
the world's markets.
The International Truat.
Without the interposition of pro
tective laws, there would be such a
struggle for mastery that international
combinations would Inevitably result.
That there would be no special diffi
culty in the way of owners of large
masses of capital living in different
countries and carrying on an Industri
al rivalry reaching an agreement has
j already been demonstrated. The suc
cess of the Standard Oil company
abroad Is notorious. The facility with
which it induced the English house of
commons to refuse the necessary leg
islation has been the burden of recent
review articles, and ull the Orient
knows of the perfect understanding
that exists between the Russian oil
producers and those who control the
American trade. It has been possible
in England far the steel rail manufac
: turers to agree on a price: does any
one fancy for a moment that If they
were approac hed by an American com
bine with a proposition to divide and
respect territory they would not eager
ly accept It? Han Francisco Chronicle
%% III N«*» l!§ IvmsUvI Again.
The country is experiencing even
greater pro*p*rlty than it did the first
y*an of the McKinley tariff, and ft u
evident that the tteuiixracy will make
a poorer showing it n-c year's earn
patgn than ll did la ISM. There will
he absolutely nothing for it to a'md
upon la Ita appeals to workingmen
I .a boring aten of all kiada are Is d»
nevnd sad wage* are kith and ad
vanetag The country te being ensured
f«r skilled kelp sad common every
day laborers are sought f >r without
Ike demand being supplied. The «ok*
tegioas want like men every ship
yard ta straining Its resources in keep
np with tutirsfii, cars «ufft eat tu
carry road from tk* bituminous region*
cannot ba obtained, the iron • ••mpt
nice gre ruebed heyuad all rea^m, and
a ho pa sf git blade and railroad* gee
crowded with hwatwee* \V>>‘kmg.aen
were fooled in I »*3 hr a c tm*»r for *
change, but tho •» ■ ici ;« iso
Ottawa (ID I Kepubttewa TI uvea
CAMPAIGN ISSUES.
Secretary May'* 1-etter to < hnlritian Dick
nt the Ohio Republican Committee.
Our opponents this year arc in an
unfortunate position. They have lost,
for all practical purposes, their politi
cal stock in trade of recent years. Their
money hobby has collapsed under
them. Their orators still shout 16 to 1
from time to time from the force o'
liubit, but they are like wisdom cry
ing in the streets. In one respect at
least, because “no man regardeth
them.” With our vaults full of gold,
with a sufficiency of money to meet
the demands of n volume of business
unprecedentedly vast and profitable,
with labor generally employed at fair
wages, with our commerce overspread
ing the world, with every dollar the
government issues as good as any
other dollar, with our finances as firm
ns a rock and our credit the best ever
known. It la no time for financial
mountebanks to cry their nostrums in
the market place, with any chance of
being heard.
It is equally hopeless to try to resus
citate the corpse of free trade. The
Dlngley tariff, the legitimate successor
of the McKinley bill—that name of
good augury—has justified itself by its
works. It is not only true that our do
mestic trade has reached a proportion
never before attained, but the Ameri
can policy of protection—the polity ol
all our most illustrious statesmen, ol
Washington and Hamilton, Lincoln,
Grant and McKinley—has been tri
umphantly vindicated by the proof that
it Is as efficacious In extending our for
eign commerce aa in fostering and
stimulating our home industries.
Our exports of domestic manufac
tures reached in this fiscal year the un
exampled total of $360.000,000, an
amount more than $200,000,000 in ex
cess of our exports ten years ago.
These figures sing the knell of those
specious arguments which have been
tbe reliance of our opponents for so
many years, and which are only fruit
ful in times of leanness and disaster.
What is left, then, in the way of a
platform? The reign of trusts, which
the Republicans themselves manage,
having all the requisite experience
both of legislation and business; and
finally, the war, which, it seems, was
too efficiently carried on, and has been
too beneficial to the nation to suit the ■
Democratic leaders. We have been |
able to give in our time some novel
ideas to the rest of the world, and
none more novel than this, that a
great party should complain that the
results of a war were too advantage
ous.
Our trade is taking that vast devel
opment for which we have been pre
paring through many years of wise
American policy, of sturdy American
industry, of thoughtful invention and
experiment by trained American in
telligence. We have gone far toward
sohing the problem which has so long
vexed the economists of the world—of
raising wages and at the same time
lowering the cost of production—some
thing which no other people have ever
accomplished in an equal degree. We
pay the highest wages which are paid
in the world; wo sell our goods to such
advantage that we are beginning to
furnish them to every quarter of the
globe.
We are building loeoinotives for rail
ways in Europe, Asia, and Africa; our
bridges can be built in America, ferried
across the Atlantic, transported up the
Nile and flung across a river in the
Soudan in loss time than any European
nation, with a start of four thousand
miles, can do the work. We sell iron
ware in Birmingham, carpets in Kid
derminster, we pipe the sewers of
Scotch cities, our bicycles distance all
competitors on the continent; Ohio
sends watch cases to Geneva.
All this is to the advantage of all
parties; there is no sentiment in it;
they buy our wares because we make
them better and at lower cost than
other people. We are enabled to do
thla through wise laws and the Ameri
gan genius for economy. Our working
people prosper because we are ail work
ing people; our idle class Is too meager
to count. All the energies of the na
tion nre devoted to this mighty task—
to insure to labor its adequate reward
and so to cheapen production as to
bring the product within the reach
of the greatest number for least
money.
t-nval lllack Men.
The sentiments entertained toward
the administration of President Mc
Kinley by the colored ptoplc of the
I'nlted States are indicated by the res
olutions adopted by the Iowa Confer
ence of the African Methodist church,
in session at Chicago, September It.
With much enthusiasm the conference
placed on record Its indorsement of
the government s policy regarding the
Philippines. Cuba and Porto Mini, on
the subject of economic policy the
resolutions declare;
We would congratulate the country
upon the fart that the present wise and
economic cl administration of national
.< flair* ha* brought a return of proa
peril)
Million* of wheels of Industry,
which two )*ara ago were idi* and
•till, are now rapidly revolting, the
stream of roatmerce I* once ui.tr* Roar
lag thf< ughout the land, and fu'urw
pr••specie are bright for Isrrsud proa
| pertly la all line* uf industry
Ire* traders, mugwumps *aj eop
! psfhrgds are i sfee articles among
| Iks colored men of this country,
IMS r-e IsiswtH • -ftk r«
ScsMiy uf worhmen and U.*n pro**
for r iwrws Utar now » it s**, lerisc
the indus*. il situs: >n throughout the
Northwest iu» h msgiiiuM are not
conducive lo the agitation of calamity
| the«rie» Pr«*peflsp u i sw isg manv
1 political d* m*« ■* •■ • UiMssya'it
| tMmn i prf*free*.
TALT.UI K'S SERMON.
THE HORNET’S MISSION LAST
SUNDAY'S SUBJECT.
Fnmi the Seventh Chapter ami Eighth
Verse of Deuteronomy av Follow*:
"The I.ord Tliy God Will Send the
Hornet.’’
tCopyright IPO by Louis Klopsch.)
It. seems as if the insectile world
were determined to extirpate the
human race. It bombards the grain
fields and the orchards and the vine
yards. The Colorado beetle, the Ne
braska grasshopper, the New Jersey
locust, the universal potato-beetle,
seem to carry on the work which was
begun ages ago when the insects
buzzed out of Noah’s Ark as the door
was opened.
In my text, the hornet flies out on
Its mission. It is a species of wasp,
swift in its motion and violent in its
sting. Its touch is torture to man or
beast. We have all seen the cattlo
run bellowing under the cut of Its
lancet. In boyhood we used to stand
cautiously looking at the globular
nest hung from the tree-branch, and
while we were looking at the wonder
ful covering, we were struck with
something that sent us shrieking away.
The hornet goes in swarms. It has
captains over hundreds, and twenty
of them alighting on one man will pro
duce certain death.
The Persians attempted to conquer
a Christian city, but the elephants and
the beasts on which the Persians rode
were assaulted by the hornet, so that
the whole army was broken tin. and
the besieged city was rescued. This
burning and noxious insect stung out
the Hittites and the Canaanites from
their country. What gleaming sword
and chariot of war could not accom
plish was done by the puncture of an
insect. “The Lord sent the hornet."
My friends, when we are assaulted
by great Behemoths of trouble, we be
come chivalric, and wo assault them;
we get on the high-mettled steed of our
courage, and we make a cavalry charge
at them, and, if God he with us, we
come out stronger and better than
when we went in. But, alas for these
insectile annoyances of life—these foes
too small to shoot—these things with
out any avoirdupois weight—the gnats
nr.d the midges and the flies and the
wasps and the hornets! In other
word3, it is the small stinging annoy
ances of our life which drive us out
and use us up. In the best-conditioned ;
life, for some grand and glorious pur- i
pose God has sent the hornet.
I remark, in the first place, that
these small stinging unnoyances may
come in the shape of a nervous organ
ization. People who are prostrated
under typhoid fevers or with broken
bones get plenty of sympathy; but who
pities anybody that is nervous? The
doctors say, and the family say, and
everybody says, "Oh, she's only a lit
tle nervous; that's all!" The sound of
a heavy foot, the harsh clearing of a
throat, a discord in music, a want of
harmony between the shawl and the
glove on the same person, a curt an
swer, a passing slight, the wind from
the east, any one of ten thousand an
noyances, opens the door for the hor
net. The fact is, that the vast majority
of the people in this country are over
worked, and their nerves are the first
to give out. A great multitude are un
der the strain of Leyden, who, when
he was told by his physician that if he
did not stop working while he was in
such poor physical health he would
die, responded, “Doctor, whether I live
or die, the wheel must keep going
round.” These sensitive persons, of
whom 1 speak, have a bleeding sensi
tiveness. The flies love to light on
anything raw. and these people are
like the Canaanites spoken of in the
text or in the context—they have a
very thin covering, and are vulnerable
at all points. “And the Lord sent the
hornet.”
Again, me smait in?pci annoyances
may come to us in the shape of friends
and acquaintances who are always say
ing disagreeable things. There are
some people you cannot be with for
half an hour but you feel cheered and
comfotted Then there are other peo
ple you cannot be with for five minutes
befarc you feel miserable. They do
net mean to disturb you. but they
sting vou to the bone. They gather
up all the yarn which the gossips spin,
and retail it. They gather up all tho
adverse criticisms about your person,
about your business, about your home,
about your church, and they make
your ear the funnel into which they
pour it. They laugh heartily when
they tdl you, as though It were a good
joke, anil you laugh, too outside.
These people are brought to our at
tention in the Hible, In the book of
Ruth. Naomi went forth beautiful
and with the finest of worldly pro*.
> pacts, into another land, but after a
1 while she cutue back widowed und si k
and poor. What did hrr friends da
when she estn'c to the city? They all
| went out, and instead of giving her
{ raBunoa-aenee consolation, what did
i the) do? Head the book of Ruth and
, And out. They threw up their hands
{ and said, "la this Naomi?" as much as
I to say, "How awful had you do look'"
When I entered th ministry I loo*. J
1 very pale for years, and every year, for
I four or live years, tuny times a year I
was Stke.l if I had n<>t «, i.sumption,
j and passing through the rwun I would
I sometin.ee hear people siga aud say,
V
resolved lu lk> • lint** that I never,
| tu any conversation, would way any*
thing depressing, and by the help of
| fkd I have kept the resolution. The*#
: people uf si m| speak r»tp and hind
' lu Ike gtsai harvest geld uf dlscour
| sgeii. nt day you greet them
! With a lUiliMW good no truing and
I they es.tue t <uu>t at |>.u with < ate
I depressing MtfurwtnLuW. "the Lord
1 sent tie kernel"
Is e e e e e e
ih Ike village at Uagilla, t dtlia
says, three Wtt r.r. invasion of rats,
and these small creatures almost de
voured the town, and threatened the
lives of the population, and the story
is that a piper came out cue day and
played a very sweet tune, and all the
vermin followed him—followed him to
the banks of the Weser, and then he
blew a blast ami they dropped in and
disappeared forever. Of course, this is
a fable, but I wish I could, on the
sweet flute cf the gospel, draw forth
all the nibbling and burrowing annoy
ances of your life, and play them down
into the depths forever.
How many touches did Mr. Church
give to his picture of “Cotopaxi,” or
his "Heart of the Andes”? 1 suppose
about fifty thousand touches. 1 hear
the canvas saying, ' Why do you keep
me trembling with that pencil so long?
Why don't you put it on in one dash?”
"No,” says Mr. Church, “I know how
to make a painting; it will take fifty
thousand of these touches.” And I
want you, my friends, to understand
that it is these ten thousand annoy
ances which, under God, are making
up the picture of your life, to be hung
at last in the galleries of heaven, fit
for angels to look at. God knows how
to make a picture.
I go Into a sculptor's studio and see
him shaping a statue. He has a chisel
in one hand and a mallet in the other, 1
and he gives a very gentle stroke—
click, click, click! 1 say, "Why don’t
you strike harder?” "Oh," he replies,
‘‘that would shatter the statue. I
can’t do it that way; I must do it this
way.” So he works on, and after a
while the features come out, and
everybody that enters the studio Is
charmed and fascinated. Well, God
has your soul under process of develop
ment, and it is the little annoyances
and vexations or lire that are chiseling
out your Immortal nature. It Is click,
dick, click! I wonder why some great
providence docs not come, and with
one stroke prepare you for heaven.
Ah, no; God says that Is not the way.
And so he keeps on by strokes of lit
tle vexations, until at last you shall
be a glad spectacle for angels and for
men.
You know that a large fortune may
be spent in small change, and a vast
amount of moral character may go
away in small depletions. It Is the lit
tle troubles of life that are having
more effect upon you than great ones.
A swarm of locusts will kill a grain
field sooner than the incursion of three
or four cattle. You say, ‘ Since I lost
my child, since I lost my property, I
have been a different man.” But you
do not recognize the architecture of
little annoyances, that are hewing,
digging, cutting, shaping, splitting and
interjoining your moral qualities, i
Rats may sink a ship. One lucifer
match may send destruction through a
block of store-houses. Catherine de
Medicis got her death from smelling
a poisonous rose. Columbus, by stop
ping and asking for a piece of bread
and a drink of water at a Franciscan
convent, was led to the discovery of a
new world. And there is an Intimate
connection between trifles and Im
mensities, between nothings and
everythings.
Now, be careful to let none of those
annoyances go through your soul un
arraigned. Compel them to adminis
ter to your spiritual wealth. The
scratch of a six-penny nail sometimes
produces lockjaw, and the clip of a
most infinitesimal annoyance may
damage you forever. Do not let any
annoyance or perplexity come across
your soul without its making you bet
ter.
uur national government, when it
wanted money, did not think it bellt- 1
tling to put a tax on pins, and a tax
on buckles, and a tax on shoes. The
individual taxes do not amount to
much, but in the aggregate to millions
and millions of dollars. And I would
have you. O, Christian man, put a high
tariff on every annoyance and vexation
that comes through your soul. This
might not amount to much, In single
cases, but In the aggregate it would be
a great revenue of spiritual strength
and satisfaction. A bee can suck
honey even out of a nettle; and If you
have the grace of God in your heart
you can get sweetness out of that
which would otherwise irritate and
annoy.
A returned missionary told me that
a compauy of adventurers rowing up
the Ganges were stung to death by llies
that Infest that region at certain sea
sons. The earth has been strewed
with the carcasses of men slain by in
sect annoyance s. The only way to get
prepared for the great troubles of lifo
is to conqmr these small troubles.
What would you say of a soldier who
refused to load his gun, or to go Into
| the conflict because it was only a
1 -kirmlsh, saying, "I am not going to
expend my ammunition on a eUiriuUh,
wait till there conies a general hi
j gagement. and then you will see how
courageous 1 um, and what battling I
will do!“ The general would say to
1 such a man. “If you are nut faithful In
a sklrmi-b, you would be nothing In a
general engagement.'* And I have to
, tell you. o. Christian men, It you can
! not apply the principles of Christ's re
ligion on a small scale, you will never
l a able to apply them on s large seals
If I had my way with you I would
have you puts* *« all poeelbls worldly
prosperity. | would have you each
• me a gsrd-a a river flowing through
It, geraniums an t shrubs on the aldaw.
and the gras* ami flowers a* beautiful
as though ib* rainbow had fallen. |
would have you a house, a splendid
i” tit non and the beds should he cov
ered with uphoUtvry dipped In the set
ting sun | w«ttid have every hall in
your houee eat with staluee and tint*
wallet, awd th*n t would have the f«ur
quartets f the globs p. q» th ail their
luxuries on your lehte, eu«l yon should
4*4 te furi** uf ifetl IrIvh yf g <i«|,
tfcUM * It h 4mflub*!* rr4 ABu llijfttft.
fill full tiuMjUj v Ail uit r<f )ui|
Ui iijit u4 funr f#i |i of tit
H tlf Hi I hd I 1 t|!4
Ua*a # 4 U%« a- It .04**4 Ale4 ft.ty
years, and you should not have a pata
or ache until the last breath.
“Not each one of us?” you say Yes;
each one of you. "Not to your ene
mies?” Yes; the only difference I
would make with them would be that. I
would put a little extra gilt on their
walls, and a little extra embroidery on
their slippers. But, you say, "Why
does not God give us all these things?”
Ah! I bethink myself. He Is wiser.
It would make fools and sluggards of
us if we had our way. No man puts
his best picture In the portico or ves
tibule of his house. God meant this
world to be only the vestibule of
heaven, that great gallery of the uni
verse towards which we are aspiring.
We must not have it too good In this
world or we would want no heaven.
Polycarp was condemned to be
burned to death. The stake was
planted. He was fastened to it. The
fagots were placed around him, tho
fires kindled, but history tells us that
the flames bent outward like the can
vas of a ship In a stout breexe, so that
the flames. Instead of destroying Poly
carp, were only a wall between him
and bis enemies. They had actually
to destroy him with the poniard; tho
flames would not touch him. Well, my
hearer, I want you to understand that
by God's grace the flames of trial, in
stead of consuming your soul, are only
going to be a wall of defense, and a
canopy of blessing. God Is going to
fulfill to you the blessings and tho
promises, as ho did to Polycarp.
"When thou walkest through the fire
thou shalt not be burned." Now you
do not understand, but you shall know
hereafter. In heaven you will blcaa
God even for the hornet.
A CHILD'S FANCY.
An Eip uu itlon of \lk»t Hi ciiii I’ri co*
< Inumumi In Iui.t|{liu»tlr« CJiihlreii,
An active, healthy imagination is ono
of the happiest gifts a child can pos
sess. If we watch an Intelligent child,
4 or 5 years old. who believes himself
unnoticed, we will probably be aston
ished at the richness and fertility of
the fancy which can give life and color
to dull, commonplace things, and weave
whole stories and dramas around the
simple toy that it plainly stands for,
says the Woman’s Home Companion.
But we will perceive that even his wild
est romances found themselves upon
many facts, for free and frolicsome as
imagination may appear, it is subject
to its laws. It deals with real thing*
in a playful way, it embroiders, paints,
molds, but it must have its material,
its basis in actual life. What we call
creative ability is really nothing but
the power to reconstruct, perhaps to
connect several separate plans or pat
terns into a w'hole which seems differ
ent from the original. The child is an
artist who daubs his colors boldly,
without any sense of the absurdities
he may commit, and so he often pro
duces effects that surprise others as
well as himself. Many of the acts that
seem so precocious becausp we suppose
them to be the outcom? of a well-con
sidered plan are really happy accidents,
not devoid of the merit of originality,
but neither to be overpraised as work
of genius. Childhood Is one unbroken
succession of experimentings. 1’lay is
the proper and natural outlet for a
child’s thoughts. To restrain his mo
tion is to drive back his living fancy
into the recesses of his mind, and this
results in his confusion and unhappi
ness. Some children who are forced
to be still and passive when they are
longing for action find relief in whis
pering over stories to themselves; but
it is an unsatisfactory substitute for
dramatic action. And it is also moral
ly injurious, for the necessity of con
cealing one’s ideas destroys after
awhile the ability for fluent expression,
and brings about timidity and distrust
of our friends.
HONEST PEOPLE
Who Sometime* Wrong the Street far
Conductor* liy Thla I’eriillarllr.
"Here i3 your fare, conductor; you
overlooked ine, I gucs-s.” The speaker
was a well-dressed man of middle age.
His remark was made as he was mak
ing his way toward the rear platform
of a trolley car to get off, after having
ridden ten or twelve squares, nnd ho
accompanied it by handing over to the
conductor a nickel. “That fellow
thinkB he is entitled to a gold medal
for honesty," growled the conductor, ns
he pocketed the coin; “but he ought
to have a leather medal for durned
foolishness instead.” “How's that?”
queried the Saunterer, to whom the
conductor's words were evidently ad
dressed. "Don't you admire honesty?”
“Certainly when It comes In at the
right time and place. Hut his didn't.
I'm paid for collecting a fare from
every passenger who rides with me.
If I don't get th® coin 1 atu likely to
get the bounce, in order to see that
' 1 am getting th® coin the company has
a small army of spotters riding around
with their eyes aud their ears wide
open. follow me?*' The Saunterer In
timated that he might the drift of
what the conductor was saying.
“Well.” continued the latter, “I over
look* d that fellow IP 'he crowd. At
hast he says I did. And he ought to
| know It Is Impossible to get every
| body when the car la Jammed from
front to back Now, suppose a spotter
I ts on this car and has overheard what
i that fellow said, or saw him hand me
: the fate aft* r having ridden a mile or
[over? |a*esn'l It l<> >h bad for me*
Ain't I Hhely to get a g*’*>d railing
I down, if not a lay o« or the bounce?
i Certainly I am And do you <vo£-br
; (hat I led sore at that fellow t If a
psssetiger manages lw Id past nie for
half a d>-s«u squares I would talker
he or she keep the fare thaa to puke
it at are a# a remit* ier that I haven't
kept my *v»a sullt-bally Wide op* it
Aod I don't «*m if you do print It ”
la the dead with Hands the beauty
of woiata it uteaoured k) their fttghl
I
