^^^•4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444
j The Bow of Orange Ribbon %
i A ROMANCE OF NEW YORK J
| By AMELIA E. BARR 4
♦ Avsthor of ''Friend OIIvIol," *1, Thou and the Other One,” Eto. 4
X Copyright, 1H86, by Dodd, Mead and Company. 4
♦44444444444444* 444444444444444444444444444444444444
CHAPTER VII.—(Continued.)
“DlBgrace! The word goes not with
our name, Batavius; and what mean
you, then? In one word, speak.”
“Well, then, Neil Semple and Capt.
Hyde have fought a duel. That is
what comes of giving way to passion.
I never fought a duel. No one should
make me. It is a fixed principle with
me.”
“Poor Neil! His fault, I am sure, it
was not.”
“Joanna! Neil is nearly dead. If
Jbe had been in the right he would not
be nearly dead. The Eord does not
forsake a person who is in the right
way.”
In the hall behind them. Katherine
stood. The pallor of her face, the
hopeless droop of her white shoulders
and arms, were visible In its gloomy
shadows. Softly as a spirit she
walked, as she drew nearer to them.
“And the Englishman? Is he hurt?”
“Killed. He has at least twenty
wounds. Till morning he will not live.
It was the councillor himself who sep
arated the men.”
“My good Juris, it was like him.”
For a moment Katherine’s con
Bciousness reeled. The roar or me
ocean which girds our life round was
in her ears, the feeling of chill and
collapse at her heart. Hut with a
supreme will she took possession of
herself. “Weak I will not be. All I
will know. All I will suffer.” And
with these thoughts she went back to
the room and took her place at the
table. In a few minutes the rest fol
•’ /ed. Ilatavius had anticipated
' 1 . Tldam’s amazement and shock. He
fid felt a just satisfaction in the suf
bi^ ring he was bringing to Katherine.
■I'.ut nothing had happened as he ex
Tpected. The meal, instead of being
[{pleasantly lengthened over such dread
II ful intelligence, was hurried and si
H lent.
.'*1 It was some comfort that after it
[Joanna and ho could walk in tha-gar
1 widen and talk the .affair thoroughly
enne watched them away,
le fled to her room. And
e wept! She took from
I place the few letters her
I written her, and she
Jor them as women mourn
jemities. In the full tide
Jieh, Lysbet stood at the
1 heard the inarticulate
and her heart ached for
LKhe had followed her to
jsfort, to weep with her;
•lhat hour that Katherine
i a child to be soothed
Iher's kiss. She had be
4b and a woman's sorrow
t<n oclock when Jons
His face was troubled,
lisarranged and blood
iysbet never remember
a him so completely ex
.m is with Neil,” he
lot be home.”
« ..
im c&Jjry—me utuei. aw
jms' we took him.”
tr
ig is pierced through.
T the throat he has. But
, lias, ffhd a great spirit,
ish not for his death,
L
^f himr
!he was when I left
ne. Does Katherine
'
her room thou could
crying! My heart
isorrowrui one:
this lesson she miss
ine, but learn it she
> would pass it by,
r good it is.”
ig was the sabbath,
questions suggested
is and Lysbet Van
felt that he must
among the deacons
nilly exonerated of
d-guiltiness by the
Sers ana aeacons in
rladam could hard
ght of the glances
n at her daughter,
slights she would
ne’s piteous en
to, and she was
it home.
jming would have
her. She was un
for the solitude of
!kjce and silence, In
^lave the relief of
id ling. About the
tHornlng, she heard
Bram had not
Jie’s staying from
i confronted him,
woebegone, his
'y for her. With
er hours he had
the temptation
■ 1 had been; begun
it love never asfcs,
ilof what country
Jthy father?’ He
|e lived he must
In as she stood
shadowy store
riam made him
e.
at me, Bram,
Batavlua will
my side; and
isgrace I have
ou? Wilt thou
£ I shall die of
e one? That I
will not. And those that are angry
with thee may be angry with me
also.”
"Bram! my Bram! my brother!
There is one comfort for me,—if I
knew that he still lived; if one hope
thou could give me!”
‘‘What hope there is, I will go and
see, and, if there is good news, I will
be. glad for thee.”
Not half an hour was Bram aw-ay;
and yet, to the miserable girl, how
grief and fear lengthened out the mo
ments! When Bram came back, it
was with a word of hope on his lips.
‘‘I have seen,” he said, ‘‘who dost
thou think?—the Jew Cohen. He of
all men, he has sat by Capt. Hyde's
side all night; and he has dressed the
wound the English surgeon declared
‘beyond mortal skill.’ And he said to
me, ‘Three times, in the Persian des
ert, I have cured wounds still worse,
and the Holy One hath given me the
power of healing; and, if He wills, the
young man shall recover.’ That is
what he said, Katherine."
“Forever I will love the Jew. Though
he fail, I will love him. So kind he is,
even to those who have not spoken
well, nor done well, to him.”
At this moment the family returned
from tne morning service, and Bram
rather defiantly drew his sister to his
side. Joris was not with them. He
had stopped at the “King’s Arms” to
ask if Capt. Hyde was still alive; for,
in spite of everything, the young man’s
heroic cheerfulness in the agony of
the preceding night had deeply touch
ed Joris. No one spoke to Katherine;
even her mother was annoyed and hu
miliated at the social ordeal through
which they had just passed, and she
thought it only reasonahte that the er
ring girl should be made to share the
trial. ^
As the yme went on poor Katherine
Van Hetmskirk shivered and sickened
in the presence of averted eyes and up
lifted shoulders, and in that chill at
mosphere of disapproval which sep
arated her from the sympathy and
confidence of her old friends and ac
quaintances.
“It is thy punishment,” said her
mother, “bear it bravely and patiently.
In a little while, it will be forgot.” But
w'eeks went on, and the wounded men
slowly fought death away from their
pillows, and Katherine did not recover
the place in social estimation which
she had lost through the ungovernable
tempers of her lovers
But nothing ill lasts forever; and In
three months Neil Semple was in his
office again, wan end worn with fever
and suffering, and wearing his sword
arm in a sling, but still decidedly
world-like and life-like. It was evi
dent that public opinion was in a large
measure with him, and though in the
Middle Kirk the affair was sure to be
the subject of a reproof, and of a sus
pension of its highest privileges, yet
>,t was not difficult to feel the sym
pathy often given to deeds publicly
censured, but privately admired. Joris
remarked this spirit with a little as
tonishment and dissent. He could not
find in his heart any excuse for either
Neil or Hyde; and, when the elder en
larged with some acerbity upon the
requirements of honor among men,
Joris offended him by replying:
“Well, then, elder, little I think of
that ‘honor’ which runs not with the
laws of God and country.”
“Let me tell you, Joris, the ‘voice of
tbe people is the voice of God,’ in a
measure; and you may see with your
ain e’en that it mair that acquits Neil
o’ wrong-doing. Man, Joris! would
you punish a fair sword-flght wi’ the
hangman?”
“A better way there is. In the
pillory I would stand these men of
honor, who of their own feelings think
more than of the law of God. A very
quick end that punishment would put
to a custom wicked and absurd."
“Weel, Joris, well hae no quarrel
anent the question. Here comes Neil,
and we’ll let the question fa’ to the
ground. There are wiser men than
either you or I on baith sides.”
Joris nodded gravely, and turned
to welcome the young man. More
than ever he liked him; for, apart
fiom moral and prudential reasons, it
was eesy for the father to forgive an
unreasonable love for his Katherine.
Also, he was now more anxious for a
marriage between Neil and his daugh
ter. It was indeed the best thing to
fully restore her to the social esteem
of her own people; for by making her
his wife, Neil would most emphatically
exonerate her from all blame in the
quarrel. Just this far, and no farther,
had Neil's three months’ suffering
aided his suit,—ne had now the full
approval of Jorls, backed by the
weight of this social justification.
But, in spite of these advantages,
he was really much farther away from
Katherine. She had heard from Bram
the story of the challenge and the
fight; heard how patiently Hyde had
parried Nell’s attack r, her than re
turn It, until Neil had flv passionately
refused any satisfaction less than his
life; heard, also, how even at the point
of death, fainting and falling, Hyde
had tried to protect her ribbon at his
breast. She never wearied of talking
with Bram on the subject; she thought
of it all day, dreamed of It all night.
And she knew much more about il
than her parents or Joanna supposed.
Bram had easily fallen into the habit
of calling at Cohen's to ask after his
patient. At first he Baw Miriam often;
and, when he did, life became a heav
only thing to Bram Van Hoemsklrk,
Katherine very soon suspected how
matters stood with her brother, and
gratitude led her to talk with him
about the lovely Jewess.
But for some weeks after the duel
she could not bear to leave the house.
It was only after bcfh men were
known to be recovering, that she ven
tured to kirk; and her experience
there was not one which tempted her
to try the streets and the stores. How
ever, no interest Is a living interest in
a community but politics; and far
more important events had now the
public attention. During the previous
March, the Stamp Act and the Quar
tering Act had passed both houses ol
Parliament; and Virginia and Massa
chusetts, conscious of their dangerous
character, had roused the fears of the
other Provinces; and a convention ol
their delegates was appointed to meet
during October in New York. It was
this important session which drew
Neil Semple, with scarcely healed
wounds from his chamber. The streets
were noisy with hawkers crying the
detested Acts, and crowded with
groups of stern-looking men discussing
them.
It was during this time of excite
ment that Katherine said one morning,
nt breakfast, “Bram, wait one minute
for me. I am going to Kip's store for
my mother.”
At the store, Bram left her, and aft
er selecting the goods her mother
needed, Katherine was going up Pearl
street, when she heard herself called
in a familiar and urgent voice. At
the same moment a door was flung
open; and Mrs. Gordon, running down
the few steps, put her hand upon th6
girl's shoulder.
"Oh, my dear, this Is a piece of good
fortune past belief! Chime into my
lodgings. Op, indeed you shall! 1
will have do excuse. Surely you owe
Dick and me some reward after the
pangs we have suffered for you.”
3he was leading Katherine into the
house as she spoke; and Katherine
had not the will, and therefore not the
power, to oppose her. She placed the
girl by her side on the sofa; she took
her hands, and, with a genuine grlei
and love, told her all that “poor Dick"
had suffered and was still suffering for
her sake.
Katherine covered her face, and
sobbed with a hopelessness and aban
don that equally fretted Mrs. Gordon.
“If I could only see Richard,—only
see him for one moment!”
“That is exactly what I am going
to propose. He will get better when
he has seen you. I will call a coach,
and we will go at once.”
"Alas! Go I dare not. My father and
my mother!”
“And Dick,—what of Dick, pool
Dick, who is dying for you?” She went
to the door and gave the order for a
coach. “Your lover, Katherine. Child,
have you no heart? Put on your bon
net again. Here also are my veil and
cloak. No one will perceive that it
is you. It is the part of humanity, 1
assure you. Do so much for a poor soul
who is at the grave’s mouth."
While thus alternately urging and
persuading Katherine, the coach came
the disguise was assumed, and the twe
drove rapidly to the “King’s Arms.”
Hyde was lying upon a couch which
had been drawn close to the window.
He wras yet too weak to stand, toe
weak to endure long the strain of com
pany or books or papers.
He heard his aunt's voice and foot
fall, and felt, as he always did, a vague
pleasure in her advent. Whatever ol
life came into his chamber of suffering
came through her. She brought him
daily such Intelligences as she thought
conducive to his recovery; and it must
be acknowledged that it was not al
ways her “humor to bo truthful.” For
Hyde had so craved news of Kather
iDe, that she believed he would die
wanting it; and she had therefore
fallen, without one conscientious
scruple, into the reporter’s tempta
tion,—Inventing the things which
ought to have taken place, and did
not.
(To be continued.)
THE EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING.
Completely Strips Bark From Tree—
No Trace of Fire.
That much valuable knowledge as
to the effects of lightning may be
gained by a study of trees that have
been struck by it is maintained by
many English scientists. A tree
which stood for many years on the
side of a road a few miles from Wal
lingford, in England, was struck by
lightning during a violent storm a
short time ago and utterly destroyed
Mr. Percy E. Spielmann examined it a
few hours afterward and found thal
the bark had been completely strip
ped off and flung to one side, and
that a large branch had also been
torn away and splintered. He looked
tor some token of fire but was unable
to And any. He noticed, hdwever.
that the inner surface of the bark
was marked longitudinaliy with tnin
wavy lines, very close set, of which
the crests were about a quarter of an
inch apart. He took several photo
graphs of the ruined tree and he re
gards them as most useful, since they
show clearly the rending effect ol
lightning on a fibrous tissue.
Sword of Famous Leader Stolen.
The sword of the famous peasant
leader Stephen Fadinger, who in the
year 1626 led the peasant revolt in
Upper Austria, has been mysteriously
stolen from the Historical Art Court
Museum, Vienna. The thief must
have been most daring, for very care
ful watch is always kept, and Vie
sword itself is a most cumbersome
»'eapon. It is supposed that it was
carried away under a great coat. The
sword has no intrinsic value, but ha*
most interesting associations.
FOLLY OF REVISION!
so Condition calls for tar
iff TINKERING.
Scripture Says: “They That Be Well
Need Not a Physician, But They
That Are Sick.”—The Country Is
Toe Healthy for Quack Remedies.
“The extraordinary prosperity of
he country makes ridiculous any and
ill assettions that the tariff is so bad
hat it must be revised immediately
:o relieve the people of its burdens.”
In this single sentence the New Y’ork
Commercial Advertiser expresses the
situation with truth and force. It Is
not true that the country is suffering
because of tariff burdens or tariff
Inequalities. It is not true, because,
as everybody knows, the country is
phenomenally prosperous under the
tariff as it is—so prosperous, indeed,
that to open up a period of tariff agi
tation and uncertainty at this time
would seem to be an act of inconceiv
able folly. Senator Burrows of Michi
gan was right in saying that the time
to make modifications in tariff sched
ules Is not when the country is every
where prosperous, but when business
depressnon exists, which can be cured
or alleviated by tariff changes. “They
.that be whole need not a physician,
but they that r.re sick.” This coun
try is not sick. It does not require
the services of a tariff tinkering doc
tor. The prospect of a tariff revision
at such a time would make business
sick. Even the appointment of a
commission to revise the tariff, as
the Commercial Advertiser truly says,
would create uncertainty and unset
tle conditions. No business man
would know what changes were con
templated or whether Congress would
or would not concur in any recom
mendation of changes. No calcula
tions beyond tne immediate future
could be formed and no contracts for
a considerable period ahead could
be made. Business would have, what
business does not want and cannot
endure: uncertainty. As Andrew
Carnegie has expressed it, “A tariff
commission would have to be doing
something.” Doing what? Doing
something with the tariff, of course.
Just what it would do, business men
would not know. Result, doubt, in
decision, uncertainty. These are bad
for business, bad for Industry, bad
for employment, and bad for wage
paying.
Senator Scott of West Virginia has
lately said:
‘‘But there is one subject upon
which 1 can speak for West Virginia,
as represented in both branches of
Congress. Wo are all agreed that we
want no revision of the tariff. The
Dingley law suits us right down to
the ground. One Republican who got
scared about the tariff was Mr. Foss
of Massachusetts. The result was
that his district elected a Democrat.
I think that all Republicans should
stand firmly against all assaults upon
our protective tariff.”
Is not this the manifestly correct
stand for all Republicans? Is it not
the best stand to take for the country
and for the party? Congressman
Babcock thinks not. He wants an
extra session of the Fifty-eighth Con
gress called to tear up the tariff.
Senator Depew thinks the time has
arrived when the tariff should be read
justed to meet changed conditions.
We did that in 1897. We readjusted
the taiiff not only to meet changed
conditions, but as a means of chang
ing the then existing conditions. We
succeeded in changing the conditions
from ruin and distress to a degree of
unparalleled prosperity. Shall we
change conditions once more? If so,
in what direction shall we change
them? Certainly not for the better.
TariiT revision downward has never
been known to change conditions for
the better. It has always changed
them for the worse. It will do it
again if the revision movement is per
sisted in. Tariff revision upward is
the only sort of revision that haa*ever
benefited this country. Nobody is
pressing for tariff revision upward,
though in some directions an increase
in the duties would be distinctly
advantageous. But nobody proposes
that. If revised at all. the tariff is to
be revised downward, always down
ward. The country does not want
that, and if it is done, the country
will suffer for it. This is no time to
revise the tarlfT. Let prosperity alone
for at least two years to come, and
perhaps by that time we shall have
become so accustomed to prosperity
that we shall have grown to like it.
At present it really seems as if some
people could not endure it.
Prosperity Was the Issue.
The result of the late election
shows that, as claimed by the Repub
licans, the real issue was prosperity.
The Democrats attacked national
prosperity through the tariff, and the
Republicans met them on that issue
and won. The old issue between the
parties was once more brought to the
front, and the voters were asked to
pass judgment upon the question of
protection to American industries.
The Republcan party heartily wel
comed the issue. There is nothing In
its great record of which it is more
proud, or in defense of which it can
invoke more splendid and conclusive
facts. The party is always fully pre
pared to meet its opponents In a dis
cussion of the tariff policy before the
people, confident that the history of
the last four year*, to go no further
back, would amply vindicate and Jus
tify Republican policy, which is as
necessary to-day to American labor
and Industry as at any time in the
past.
Laboring men studied the question
.:nd decided to let well enough alone.
The business mar.\ Manufacturer and
men In other avocations decided that
they did not want a change. Even
conservative Democrat# feared their
party would gain control of Congress
and repeat the Wilsor Dorman mis
take. It is then little v ender that the
Democrats remain ir the minority.
Prosperity was the re •.! Issue, and the
man who voted with the Democratic
party last election was too partisan
to protect his own interests or use
his ballot for the general good of the
country. Two years hence the same
issue will be fought and the same re
sult will be recorded.—Davenport
(la.) Republican.
Trusts and Free-Trade.
The common cry of the political
demagogue in this country is that
“the tariff Is mother of the trusts.”
It would naturally be inferred that
in free trade Great Britain a great
scarcity of trusts would be found, but
the contrary is true.
The English Trades Union congress
recently adopted the following resolu
tion: "In view of the colossal growth
of trusts and combines of speculative
capitalists Ead consequent concentra
tion of capital and monopoly of Indus
try this congress foresees the grave
danger to the nation and the toilers of
dislocation of trade, stoppage of work
and distress of wage earners.”
Great Britain is not only a free
trade country, but is the home of the
strongest kind of labor trusts which
are opposing the other trusts of capi
tal; yet the formation of the indus
trial trusts, especially of the monopo
listic kind, continues with great suc
cess.
In this country trusts are a natural
accompaniment of the great industrial
development. Stop industry and trusts
will cease. Let hard times return arid
trusts will fail. Those who believe in
the protective policy think that it is
better to have prosperity with the
trusts than hard times without the
trusts. The trusts are great machines
for facilitating production. They
should be the servants of the people,
not the masters. The remedy lies in
the hands of the people. The exist
ence of trusts does not depend upon
either free trade or protection, but
of the two free trade offers perhaps
the best opportunity for the develop
ment of the monopolistic variety of
trusts.—Minneapolis Progress.
Would Destroy Them All.
What We Might Do.
Writing in favor of a proposed
tariff commission the New York Even
ing Post, which is in sore and chronic
tiouble over the present rate of
American production, comparing 1882
and its tariff commission, says:
"It is true that the tariff is worse
now and stands in greater need of
reform than it did then."
Everybody will agree that from the
point of view occupied by American
free traders the Dingley tariff is
worse than we had in 1880. The
Pennsylvania railroad was not in
ci easing the wages of its employes by
10 per cent, as we remember it, at
that time. As a matter of fact, there
was no increase in wages for Borne
six years. Let us have a tariff com
mission by all means. If we can't
get “Reform" we may paralyze some
industries and decrease wages. We
surely can prevent the introduction
of new industries.
How to Churn Up Things.
The creation of a permanent tariff
commission is favored by the New
York Evening Post, not because such
a body would have any power to "re
form” the tariff, for It would be abso
lutely powerless to do that, but be
cause the existence of a commission
would widen the schism in the ‘Re
publican party, and furr’ a to Gov.
Cummins, Congressman Babcock
Director of the Mint Roberts and
others of that ilk the chance to churn
up things. Yes; It would do that, un
doubtedly. It would churn up the
tariff and give the revisionists their
coveted opportunity to keep it churn
ed up for a long time to come. The
Evening Post's reason for favoring
the tariff commission plan is a good
reason from the free traders stand
point. Is it, however, a good reason
from the Republican and Protectionist
standpoint?
Why Meddle With It?
Speaking of the Democratic cry for
“tariff reform,” a leading merchant
said; “What's the use? Every one la
prosperous. Why meddle with a good
thing? No good can come from tink
ering with the tariff. If some big
trusts make money because there is a
duty on the goods they make, little
manufacturers of the same goods are
benefited. No one company has an
absolute monopoly of any article of
general use. Why destroy the small
manufacturers? The big ones can
stand taking off the duty. The little
ones can’t”—Seattle Poet Intelli
gencer.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON l„ JAN. 4; ACTS 16 : 22-34—
PAUL AT PHILIPPI.
Golden Text—‘‘Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and Thou Shalt Be
Saved"—Acts 16:31—Entrance of
the Gospel Into Europe.
T. A Sibylline Damsel anti her Owners.
—V. 16. Paul began his work In Eu
rope, In answer to the Macedonian call,
at Philippi. Among the tlrst converts
was Lydia, a business woman who dealt
In purple fabrics or dyes, and who In
vited the missionaries to make her house
their homo while in the elty. On sev
eral occasions they met In the streets
"a . . . damsel possessed with a spirit
of divination.” She was a sibyl (from
the Greek, meaning the will t>f God).
This Pythoness, or sibyl, "brought her
masters much gain by soothsaying," 1.
e., pretending to toll the truth (sooth
truth) about the future. Her cries were
probably Interpreted very much accord
ing to the desires of their patrons.
II. Paul Releases the Damsel from her
Infirmity.—Vs. 17. 16. The damsel “fol
lowed." kept following "Paul" and the
others, "saying, These men are the serv
ants of the most high God.” The girl,
like the demon-possessed In Christ's
time (Mark 3:12: Luke 4:34.35), seemed
to have the insight which perceived tho
true nature of Paul.
16. "Paul, being grieved,” sore troubled.
H'e pitied the sad condition of the slave
girl: and ho felt that there was danger
that her words might compromise the
gospel, as If Its power and blessings were
connected In some way with evil spirits,
divination, and sinful gains. “Said to the
spirit,” as distinct from his victim. So
the Master forbade the evil spirits to
speak in his favor.
III. Paul and Silas Beaten and Thrown
Into a Dungeon.—Vs. IK-24. With the de
parture of the spirit, all hope of gain
was gone from the owners. They were
Intensely angry at the missionaries for
their interference, and dragged them
into the public square, where trials were
held, and charged them with breaking
the laws of the Homan Kmplre. The
reul charge was that the missionaries
Interfered wilh their had business. The
people, no doubt, recognized this, but
they felt the danger to themselves. What
If the missionaries should stop every had
business that was Injuring o.thers—har
lotry, the sale of intoxicating liquors,
unhealthy tenements, oppressions of the
poor, adulterations of food!
Practical Suggestions. Worldly oppo
sition to the gospel still grows chiefly
from this same cause. So long as those
who preach the gospel do not Interfere
with the business or gains of had men,
they are apt to let It alone. But when
It docs Interfere, and there are efforts to
reform the evils, opposition arises; then
"these good men do exceedingly trouble
our city.”
22. “The magistrates rent off their
clothes." The garments of Paul and
Silas. The customary sentence was. "Go,
victors, tear off their garments, scourge
them.” "Commanded to beat them."
23. "They cast them Into prison." The
Roman state prison, attached to the
government buildings.
IV'. Songs In the Night.—V. 25. "And
at midnight.” This point In their prayers
and songs Is noted because at that time
came the earthquake tv. 26). “Paul and
Silas prayed, and sang praises." Literal
ly. praying, they sang hymns, both In
one act. Their prayers were anthems
of praise, and their hymns of praise
were prayers. Sleep was out of the
question. But their spirits, full of faith
and hope and Joy In the gospel, shod
light upon the darkness, and turned de
feat into triumph. "And the prisoners
heard them,” were listening to them,
for such songs were an unusual sound
In prison.
V. The Wonderful Deliverance.—Vs.
26-28. 26. "And suddenly there was a
great earthquake." This was the Lord's
answer to prayer. "All the doors were
opened, and every one's hands were
loosed." Compare the release of Peter
lActs 12:7).
27. "The keeper . . . would have
killed himself," because he was responsi
ble for the safety of the prisoners, and
lie would avoid by suicide the disgrace
of an execution.
28. "Paul cried with a loud voice."
There must have been some light In the
outer prison, and Paul front the dark
ness of the Inner prison could readily
see what the jailer was doing.
VI. Conversion of the Jailer.—Vs. 29
34. 29. “Called for a light." The Greek
Is plural, lights, torches, or lamps. "Fell
down before Paul and Silas.” He con
nected the earthquake with their re
ligion.
30. "And brought them out’* from the
Inner prison. “Sirs, what must I do to
be saved?” Not from punishment by
the magistrates, for the prisoners were
all safo: and If they were not, Paul and
Silas had no power to protect him. The
Jailer wished to be saved from sin
against God, and its penalties.
The Way to Be Saved. 31. “And they
said. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be snv€‘d.” Saved from
sin, from Its punishment, and to holi
ness and heaven. “And thy house.”
household, family. By leuding his family
to the same faith.
32. “They spake unto him the word of
the Lord,” for as a heathen he must have
been almost entirely ignorant of both the
truths and the practical morality of the
gospel.
53. “The same hour." A little after
midnight (v. 25). "Washed their stripes.”
Literally, washed them from their stripes,
cleansed away the blood stains, and puri
fied their flesh wounds. “Was baptized,
he and all his. straightway.” As soon
as they were sure they believed, they
confessed Christ in baptism.
54. “Brought them” (up from the
prison) “into his house,” one story above
the prison. "Set meat” (food) "before
them,” for they must have been fasting
for many hours. “And rejoiced."
VII. The Release.—Vs. 35-40. The next
morning the magistrates learned what
had taken place In the prison, and sent
officers to release Paul and Silas. But
Paul refused to go In that seml-clandes
tlne manner. He made use of his Ro
man citizenship, and charges the mag
istrates of the city with breaking the
Roman law In three particulars. They
had "beaten" Roman citizens “public
ly," “uncondemned.” The crime was re
garded as treason. The rulers came
themselves and released the prisoners,
at the same time asking them to leave
the city, which they did.
The Washington Postoffice.
It was disclosed by examinations
made in the Washington city post
office, covering a period of about two
and a half months, that 979,820 pieces
ot paid matter and 5,900,000 pieces of
unpaid (or “franked”) matter of all
classes went through the unpaid mat
ter on some days running as high as
135.000 127,000, 126,000, 126,000 and
122.000 pieces, while the percentage
per day would often go to about 90.
crawling up as high as 93 per cent
or a single day, and averaging 85%
per cent every day.
