*
I ON THE VELDT #
A South African Love Story
( Continued. )
Here John Martin met him with an
old-fashioned English welcome . and
Hcndrlck was ushered Into the sitting
room , where sat Nancy and her lover.
Nancy greeted him heartily , If some
what shyly :
"I am glad to see you , Hendrick
let me introduce you to Mr. Harvey.
Dick , this is our friend , Henry Hoop-
stad. "
"I am very glad to know you ; we
can't have too many friends these
troublous times. You look like a
fighting man. I hope you are with
us ? "
"I cannot fight against Miss Martin's
countrymen , and the blood in my veins
Is more English than Dutch. I amen
on my way now to volunteer. "
"Then we are well met ; I am enroll
ing a body of volunteers to act as
scouts. I saddle in a few hours , so
if you are willing we go together. "
"I ask nothing better. But what of
Miss Martin surely she must not stay
here. "
"I am glad you add your entreaties
to mine. I am trying to persuade Mr.
Martin and Nancy to retire to the coast
until danger is past. "
"That's all right , Dick , " answered
Mr. Martin. "I should like to persuade
Nancy to go , but I am going to stick to
the farm. "
"You run great risk , Mr. Martin , "
said Hendrick. "If you stay here you
will be commanded to join the Boer
army. "
"I am an Englishman , and my farm
is in Natal ; that , I take it , is out of
their jurisdiction. "
"Possibly , but I hardly think they
will draw so fine a line. "
"Well , anyway , I stay here , and It
won't be healthy for the commando
that interferes with me. "
"Then , if you are so determined , I
must ask you to be equally determined
in insisting upon Miss Nancy going to
Durban. My married sister lives
there , and she would be quite safe. "
After much discussion it was decid
ed that Nancy should depart for Dur
ban immediately , with Hendrick for
an escort. Dick Harvey would accom
pany them as far as Mooi river , where
he would have to leave them , and
Hendrick was to rejoin Dick as soon
as Nancy was safe on the coast. Hen
drick knew now that Nancy could nev
er be to him more than a friend , and
in that friendship he determined that
no sacrifice should be too great for
him.
him.The three rode together until Dick
had to leave them ; then , with a tender
and almost heart-rending farewell , he
passed her into the care of Hendrick
and departed. They reached Durban
without mishap , and Hendrick , hav
ing handed Nancy to the care of his ;
sister , prepared to return.
"I thank you , Hendrick , for your ;
care of me. "
"I wish no thanks ; to be of service
to you is the aim and end of my life. "
She looked at him curiously and
seemed to penetrate his secret. :
"I am going to the war , " he contin
ued , slowly , fixing his gaze upon the :
ground ; "to fight for your countrymen
and you. It may be that I shall not
survive , and I should like you to think
kindly of me. You are the only Eng ns
lish woman I have been privileged s ;
to know with any degree of friendship , tl ;
and the days have passed happily with tlH
me. A hope full of vanity was born H
within me that perhaps the caprice of hitl
fate might turn your heart towards tlN
me in love. Forgive me for saying tlk
this. I am only a fooling man , but k
I thought I would like you to know. "
"Poor Hendrick ! " hi
hih
"I have seen the man you love , and h
my vanity is dead. Good-bye. I should k
like may I er I should like to kiss PI
your hand to seal my vow that hence
forth my life is consecrated to serving lub
you and yours to the death. " b
The tears rolled down her cheeks as
she gave him her hand. The strong h
man kissed It passionately and de tce
parted. e (
Hendrick made his way back to Dick ta
Harvey , and was formally enrolled as
a volunteer. News came soon after
that the Boers had crossed the bor
der and were invading Natal , and Captain ai
aifl
tain Harvey began to _ have fears for fl
the safety of John Martin. He con
sulted Hendrick on the subject. st
"What do you think of it , Hoop- stol
stad ? " ol
olei
"Bad , very bad. John Martin will ei
have to join a commando , or be shot. " lim
"So I fear , and I want you to start m
tonight and make your way to Gala- w
don Farm. If you find John Martin sc
there persuade him to come back with scw
you ; but if our worst fears are realiz w
ed , and he has disappeared , find out ct :
what has become of him. " t
"I will start in an hour , and I thank a is
you for giving me the opportunity. " PIni
"Good luck go with you. " ni
nim
In an hour Hendrick took the road m
for John Martin's farm. Numerous tr
parties of Boers were about , and ex
treme caution was necessary. This 'I '
meant slow progress , and it was not
until the second evening that he reach
ed the homestead. Dismounting , he
rapped on the door , but elicited no
response , and it was soon evident that
it
John Martin was absent. Upon look
ing round , Hendrick discovered the lac
lad <
frightened face of a Kaffir boy , peep
ing at him over a fence. d
"Halloa , Cabbage ! Where is your T
master ? " h
"Baas ! him dun gorn 'way. " vn
"Where to ? " n
"Baas Shiel 'im dun took 'im 'way. " )
"Shiel ? "
"Sarten , 'im ride up , big many ,
took Baas Mart'n , tied um-hands , an'
dun gorn 'way. " ,
"Which way did * they ride ? "
"Cabbage um follow Baas Glencoe
then um come back here an' wait
fo' Baas. "
And then Hendrick realized that
the worst had come to pass , and John
Martin was a prisoner in the hands
of Commander Shiel.
"I will not return with such meagre
news , " he said to himself. "I will
push on toward Glencoe and learn
more , even if I have to penetrate in
their camp. "
He accordingly made his way to
wards Glencoe and found his progress
more difficult every mile. Time after
time he was stopped by bands of
Boers , but always got away by saying
that he was riding to join Shiel's com
mando. As he had taken the precau
tion to wear his own clothes , this ex
planation was accepted as satisfactory.
Nearing the heights of Glencoe ,
Hendrick thought it prudent to re
main in hiding until evening. Teth
ering his horse In a small wood , he
concealed himself in some bushes and
endeavored to get some sleep. He was
awakened some hours later by the
sound of voices , and peering from his
place of concealment , he discerned a
party of Boers on horseback about
twelve yards away.
"Do you think they will attack to
night ? "
"Either tonight or tomorrow morn
ing. Villjoen brought word. "
"Well , he is a reliable scoundrel. "
"A good spy. Well , if the cursed
Rooineks storm Glencoe they will find
our guns manned by their own coun
trymen. "
"Aye ! manned by Rooineks with
their hands tied behind their backs.
Ha , ha , a good plan of Shiel's to truss
those who refuse to fight and make
them targets for their friends. I'm
sorry for John Martin , though he was
a good friend. "
They moved away , and Hendrick
realized from their conversation that
Shiel had tied those who had refused
to join his commando behind the Boer
guns , so that there was every possi
bility of their being killed should the
English make an assault.
Carefully picking his way he led his
horse to within two miles of the Boer
position. After making the animal se
cure he proceeded on foot. He ad
vanced at first without any attempt at
concealment , answering when chal
lenged that he was on his way to Shiel
with news of the enemy.
The audacity of this proceeding was
justified by its success , and Hendrick
found himself well'inside the Boer
position almost without question. On
the ridge where the guns were posted
ome twenty men were lying. Hen-
Irick walked among them unsuspect-
d. They could not tell whether he
lad just joined the commando or had
3een with them for weeks. New ar-
ivals were pouring in daily.
Passing along the ridge Hendrick
ame to the guns , and there , with his
lands tied behind him and secured to
he gun carriage , lay John Martin.
"Mr. Martin ! "
The captive looked at him wearily.
"I am Hendrick sst make no
loise do not speak. Miss Nancy is
afe at Durban. The English storm
his position tomorrow , I will cut your
ends , but it is all I can do for you.
'f you can escape you will find my
lorse in the brush , two miles along
he road to the right. Should you see
Tancy again , say I did my best to
teep my promise. "
He hastily severed the captive's
ends , and bidding Martin hold his
lands ; as if still tied , he left him the
cnife ; and passed along the ridge. He
roceeded down the mountain and was
ust congratulating himself on his
ucky escape , when he was confronted J
y ; a band of armed men.
They challenged him , and he gave
us : usual reply that he was on his way
o Commander Shiel. The band open-
id out , and Hendrick was faced by a
all man on horseback.
"I am Commander Shiel. Who are
rou and what do you want ? "
For a moment Hendrick was silent ,
ind before he could speak a light was
lashed ; on his face.
"I know him it is Hendrick Hoop-
itad , " cried a voice.
"Hoopstad , the man who refused to
bey the call of the government , and
snlisted as a volunteer with the Eng-
ish ! You see , we are well informed ,
ny brave spy. Bring him along , men ,
ve will show him the reward we re-
Hendrick was seized by rough and
villing hands and hurried to the Boer
amp. Without any delay he was sen-
enced to be shot at break of day , and
he was being taken from Shiel's
iresence he heard a messenger an-
*
lounce the news that John Martin had
nade his escape and could not be
raced.
"Thank God ! ' he exclaimed aloud.
g
do not die in vain. " .
( To be continued. )
Tark'sh Women Can Marry at Nlnr. vf vt
The Turkish woman is marriageable f
the age of 9 years , and by Turkish I
aw , at that age , if married , she is H
ompetent to manage her property and S
lispose of one-third of her fortune ,
fhe law allows her to abandon her
msband's house for just cause , and
E
yill protect her in so doing. She can-
a
lot be compelled to labor for the sup-
ort of her husband.
1 ;
TALMAG-E'S SERMON.
TIMELY DISCOURSE ON RELIG
IOUS DOCTRINES.
lie Would Frco Humanity From the
Gravcclothos of Old Kcclosiastlcal Dog
mas Faith In Christ the Teat of
True Christianity.
[ Copyright , 1900. by Louis Klopsch. ]
Text is John xi. 44 : "Loose him
and let him go. "
My Bible is at the p'ace of this text
written all over with lead , pencil
marks made at Bethany on the ruins
of the house of Mary and Martha and
Lazarus. We dismounted from our
horses on the way up from Jordan to
the Dead sea. Bethany was the sum
mer evening retreat of Jesus. After
spending the day in the hot city of
Jerusalem he would come out there al
most every evening to the house of
his three friends. I think the occu
pants of that house were orphans , for
the father and mother are .not men
tioned. But the son and two daugh
ters must have inherited property , for
it must have been , judging from what
I saw of the foundations and the size
of the rooms , an opulent home. Laza
rus , the brother , was now at the head
of the household , and his sisters de
pended on him and were proud of him ,
for he was very popular , and every
body liked him , and these girls were
splendid girls Martha a first rate
housekeeper and Mary a spirituelle ,
somewhat dreamy , but affectionate
and as good a girl as could be found
in all Palestine. But one day Lazar
us got sick. The sisters were in con
sternation. Father gone , and mother
gone , they feel very nervous lest they
lose their brother also. Disease did
its quick work. How the girls hung
over his pillow ! Not much sleep
about that house no sleep at all.
From the characteristics otherwise
developed , I judge that Martha pre
pared the medicines and made tempt
ing dishes of food for the poor appe
tite of the sufferer , but Mary prayed
and sobbed. Worse and worse gets
Lazarus until the doctor announces
that he can do no more. The shriek
that went up from that household
when the last breath had been drawn
and the two sisters were being led by
sympathizers into the adjoining room
all those of us can imagine who have
had our own hearts broken. But why
was not Jesus there as he so often had
been ? Far away in the country dis
tricts , preaching , healing other sick ,
how unfortunate that this omnipotent
Doctor had not been at that domestic
crisis in Bethany. When at last Jesus
arrived in Bethany , Lazarus had been
buried four days and dissolution had
taken place. In that climate the
breathless body disintegrates more
rapidly than in ours. If , immediately
after decease , the body had been
awakened into life , unbelievers might
have said he was only in a comatose
state or in a sort of trance and by
some vigorous manipulation or power
ful stimulant vitality had been re
newed. No ! Four days dead.
The Sepulchcr of Christ.
At the door of the sepulcher is a
crowd of people , but the three most
memorable . are Jesus , who was the
family friend , and the two bereft sis
ters. We went into the traditional
,
tomb ' one December day , and it is deep
down ' and dark , and with torches we
explored it. We found it all quiet that
afternoon of our visit , but the day
spoken of in the Bible there was pres
ent an excited multitude. I wonder
what Jesus will do ? He orders the door
of the grave removed , and then he be
gins to descend the steps , Mary and
Martha close after him , and the crowd
after them. Deeper down into the
shadows and deeper ! The hot tears
of Jesus roll over his cheeks and
splash upon the back of his hands.
Were ever so many sorrows com
pressed into so small a space as in 3
that group pressing on down after
Christ , all'the time bemoaning that he
had not come before ?
Now all the whispering and all the
crying and all the sounds of shuffling (
feet are stopped. It is the silence of
expectancy. Death had conquered , but .
now the vanquisher of death confront
ed the scene. Amid the awful hush of
the tomb , the familiar name which *
Christ had often had upon his lips in e .
the hospitalities of the village home ,
came back to his tongue , and with a
pathos and an almightiness of which 3
the resurrection of the last day shall
only be an echo he cries , "Lazarus , *
come forth ! " The eyes of the slum-
berer open , and he rises and comes to r
5
the foot of the steps and with great
difficulty begins to ascend , for the
cerements of the tomb are yet on him , a
and his feet are fast and his hands are aT.
fast and the impediments to all his T.
movements are so great that Jesus c
commands : "Take off these cere-
Unfasten these graveclotb.es ! Loose
him , and let him go ! "
Oh , I am so glad that after the Lord
raised Lazarus he went on and com
manded the loosening of the cords that
bound his feet so that he could walk
and the breaking off of the cerement
that bound his hands so that he could
stretch out his arms in salutation and
the tearing off of the bandage from
around his jaws so that he could speak.
What would resurrected life have been
to Lazarus if he had not been freed
from all those cripplements of his
body ? I am glad that Christ com
manded his complete emancipation ,
saying , "Loose him , and let him go. "
Only Half Liberated.
The unfortunate thing now is that so
many Christians are only half liber
ated. They have been raised from the
death and burial of sin into spiritual
life , but tt-ey yet have the graveclothes
on them. They are , like Lazarus , hob
bling up the stairs of the tomb bound
hand and foot , and the object of this
sermon Is to help free their body and
free their souls , and I shall try to obey
the Master's command that comes to
me and comes to every minister of re
ligion , "Loose him , and let him go ! "
Many are bound hand and foot by
religious creeds. Let no man misinter
pret me as antagonizing creeds. I have
eight or ten of them a creed about
religion , a creed about art , a creed
about social life , a creed about govern
ment , and so on. 'A creed is something
that a man believes , whether it be
written or unwritten. The Presbyteri
an church is now agitated about its
creed. Some good men in it are for
keeping it because it was framed from
the belief of John Calvin. Other good
men in it want revision. I am with
neither party. Instead of revision I
want substitution. I was sorry to
have the question disturbed at all. The
creed did iiot hinder us from offering
the pardon and the comfort of the gos
pel to all men , and the Westminster
Confession has not interfered with me
one minute. But now that the elec
tric lights have been turned on the
imperfections of that creed and
everything that man fashions is im
perfect let us put the old creed re
spectfully aside and get a brand new
one.
It is impossible that people who
lived hundreds of years ago should
fashion an appropriate creed for our
times. John Calvin was a great and
good man , but he died 336 years ago.
The best centuries of Bible study have
come since then , and explorers have
done their work , and you might as
well have the world go back and stick
to what Robert Fulton knew about
steamboats and .reject the subsequent
improvements in navigation , and go
back to John Gutenberg , the inventor
of the art of printing , and reject all
modern newspaper presses , and go
back to the time when telegraphy was
the elevating of signals or the burning
of bonfires on the hilltops and reject
the magnetic wire which is the tongue
of nations as to ignore all the exegetes
and the philologists and the theo
logians of the last 336 years and put
your head under the sleeve of the
gown of a sixteenth century doctor. I
could call the names of twenty living
Presbyterian ministers of religion who
could make a better creed than John
Calvin. The nineteenth century ought
not to be called to sit at the feet of the
sixteenth.
Change In Conditions.
"But , " you say , "it is the same old
Bible , and John Calvin had that as
well as the present student of the
Scriptures. " Yes ; so it is the same
old sun in the heavens , but in our time
it has gone to making daguerreotypes
and photographs. It is the same old
water ; but in our century it has gone
to running steam engines. It is the
same old electricity ; but in our time
it has become a lightning footed er
rand boy. So it is the old Bible , but
new applications , new uses , new in
terpretations. You must remember
that during the last 300 years words
have changed their meaning , and some
of them now mean more and some less.
I do not think that John Calvin be
lieved , as some say he did , in the dam
nation of infants , although some of the
recent hot disputes would seem to im
ply that there is such a thing as the
damnation of infants. A man who be
lieves in the damnation of infants him
self deserves to lose heaven. I do not
,
think any good man could admit such
a possibility. What Christ will do with
all the babies in the next world I con
clude ! from what he did with the
babies in Palestine when he hugged
them and kissed them. When some of
you grown people go out of this world ,
your doubtful destiny will be an em
barrassment to ministers officiating at
your obsequies , who will have to be
cautious so as not to hurt surviving
friends. But when the darling children
go there are no "ifs" or "buts" or
guesses.
We must remember that good John
Calvin was a logician and a metaphysi
cian , and by the proclivities of his na
ture put some things in an unfortun
ate way. Logic has its use and meta
physics has its use , but they are not
good at making creeds. A gardener
hands you a blooming rose , dewy ,
fresh , but a severe botanist comes to
you with a rose and says , "I will show
you the structure of this rose , " and he
proceeds to take it apart and pulls off
the leaves and he says , "There are the
petals , " and he takes out the anthers ,
and he says , "Just look at the wonder
ful structure of these floral pillars ! " -
and then he cuts the stem to show
you the juices of the plant. So logic or
metaphysics takes the aromatic rose
of the Christian religion and says , "I
will just show you how this rose of
religion was fashioned , " and it pulls off
of it a piece and says , "That is the
'
human will , " and another piece and
says , "This is God's will , " and another
piece and says , "This is sovereignly , " \
and another piece and says , "This is
free agency , " this is this , and that is
that. And while I stand looking at the B
fragments of the rose pulled apart , one
whom the Marys took for a gardener
comes in and presents me with a crim
son rose , red as blood , and says , "In
hale the sweetness of this ; wear it on
your heart , and wear it forever. " I
must confess that I prefer the rose in i
full bloom to the rose pulled apart. m
*
P <
Ours JTot the Only World. Ii
Iivi
Backed up by the teachings of your vi
Bible , just look through the telescope 9 ]
some bright night and see how many ;
worlds there are and reflect that ali m
yea have seen , compared with the
number of worlds in existence , are less
than the fingers of your right hand as
compared with all the fingers of the
human race. How foolish , then , for us
to think that ours is the only world
fit for us to stay in. I think that all
the stars are inhabited and by beings
like the human race In feelings and
sentiments , and the differences in
lung respiration and heart beat and
physical conformation , their physical
conformation fit for the climate of
their world and our physical conformation
mation fit for the climate of our
world. So we shall feel at home In
any of the stellar neighborhoods , our
physical limitations having ceased.
One of our first realizations In get
ting out of this world , I think , will be
that in this world we were very much
pent up and had cramped apartments
and were kept on the limits. The most
even of our small world , is water , and
the water says to the human race.
"Don't come here or you will drown. "
A few thousand feet up the atmos
phere is uninhabitable , and the atmos
phere says to the human race , "Don't
come up here or you cannot breathe. "
A few miles down the earth is a fur
nace of fire , and the fire says , "Don't
come here or you will burn. " The
caverns of the mountains are full of
poisonous gases , and the gases say ,
"Don't come here or you will be as
phyxiated. " And , crossing a track , you
must look out or you will be crushed.
And , standing by a steam boiler , you
must look out or you will be blown
up. And pneumonias and pleurisies
and consumptions and apoplexies go
across this earth in flocks , in droves ,
In herds , and it is a world of equinoxes
and cyclones and graves. Yet we are
under the delusion that it is the only
place fit to stay in. We want to stick
to the wet plank in midocean while the
great ship , the City of God , of the Ce
lestial line , goes sailing past and
would gladly take us up in a lifeboat.
My Christian friends , let me tear off
your despondencies and frights about
dissolution. My Lord commands me
regarding you , saying , "Loose him ,
and let him go ! "
Getting Into the Light.
"But , " you say , "I fear to go because
the future is so full of mystery. " Well ,
I will tell you how to treat the mys
teries. The mysteries have ceased
bothering me , for I do as the judges
of your courts often do. They hear all
the arguments in the case and they
say , "I will take these papers and give
you my decision next week. " So I
have heard all the arguments in regard
to the next world , and some things are
uncertain and full of mystery , and so I
fold up the papers and reserve until
the next world my decision about
them. I can there study all the mys
teries to better advantage , for the light
will be better and my faculties strong
er , and I will ask the Christian philos
ophers , who have had all the advan
tages of heaven for centuries ,
to help me , and I may be per
mitted myself humbly to ask the Lord ,
and I think there will be only one
mystery left ; that will be how one so
unworthy as myself got into such an
enraptured place. Come up out of the
sepulchral shadows. If you are not
Christians by faith in Christ , come up
into the light ; and if you are already
like Lazarus , reanimated , but still have
your grave clothes on , get rid of them.
The command is , "Loose him , and let .
*
him go. "
The only part of the journey I made i
years ago to Palestine that I really s
dreaded was the landing at Joppa. \
That is the port of entrance for the t
Holy Land , and there are many rocks
and in rough weather people cannot
land at all. The boats taking the people
ple from the steamer to the docks
must run between reefs that looked to
me to be about 50 feet apart , and one
mistroke of an oarsman or an unex
pected wave has sometimes been fatal
and hundreds have perished along
those reefs. Besides that , as we left
Port Said the evening before , an old
traveler said : "The wind is just right
to give you a rough landing at Joppa ;
indeed I think you will not be able to
land at all. " The fact was that when
our Mediterranean steamer dropped
anchor near Joppa and we put out for
shore in the small boat , the water was
as still as though it had been sound
asleep a hundred years , and we landed
as easily as I entered this pulpit. Well ,
your fears have pictured for you an
appalling arrival at the end of your
voyage of life , and they say that the
seas will run high and that the breakers -
ers will swallow you up , or that if you ti
reach Canaan at all , it will be a very tisi
rough landing. The very opposite will sip
be true if you have the eternal God for p
v-our portion. Your disembarkation t : (
Cor the promised land will be ag :
smooth as was ours at Palestine.
Christ will meet you far out at sea and
pilot you into complete safety , and you
will land with a hosanna on one side
Df you and a hallelujah on the other.
'Land ahead ! " Its fruits are waving
O'er the hill of fadeless green
\nd the living waters laving J :
Shores where heavenly forms are S
seen. S : (
Rocks and storms I'll fear no more dh
When on that eternal shore.
Drop the anchor , furl the sail !
I am safe within the veil !
America Leads the World. c <
The United States is now the world's fcd
,
greatest producer and exporter of d
neats , which form one of the most im- h
71
ortant features of the export trade ,
n 1SS7 the total exportation of pro-
isions and live animals was $102,774- w
110 , and in 1899 their total value was.
207,105,637 , having thus doubled
neantime , and forming in 1899 17.2
ier cent of the total exports of that sc
C : (
ear.
p >
5T = a
Making Preparation to Leave for His Post
of Duty-
WILL BE INAUGURATED MAY IS !
The New Oovornment to lie b t Up , Af tei
Temporarily
Which the Governor Will
Oc-
The
Heturn to the United States
caslon to Me Marked With BeUUlnB
Ceremonies.
WASHINGTON , D. C. , April 18.
Mr. Alien , the newly chosen governor
of Porto Rico , Is arranging to leave
Washington for San Juan toward the
end of the present week. He will bo
accompanied by Mrs. Allen and their
daughter. The trip will be made on
the United States ship Dolphin , Cap
tain Southerland. which is now lying
at the navy yard. It is Governor Al
len's intention to make this a flying
visit. He will set up the new civil gov
ernment and inside of three weeks will
return to the United States and ar
range his private affairs.
The president and Secretary Long
have determined that the inauguration
of the civil government in Porto Rico
shall be marked with as much pomp
as is befitting an event of that magni
tude. Therefore , the United States
will see to it that there is at San Juan
on the occasion of the Inauguration of
the first American governor a digni
fied and impressive ceremony that will
fix the event In the minds of the pee
ple.
ple.The United States ship Dolphin ,
which will carry Mr. Allen to San
Juan , will enter the harbor there , es
corted by the entire North Atlantic
squadron under the command of Rear
Admiral Farquhar on his flagship New-
York. The squadron is now at Ber
muda and will time its movements seas
as to arrive off the north coast of Porto
Rico about the time the Dolphin is
sighted.
Governor Davis will be Inaugurated
at San Juan on May 1 , and General
Davis , the military governor , will turn
out all of the United States troops un
der his command in honor of the occa
sion. The ships of the squadron will
fire salutes , which will be answered by
the shore batteries. There will be
some speeches and at night the fleet
will use their electric lights and there
will be general illuminations.
ROBERTS READY TO ADVANCE
Doer Tactic * Force the Hand of the
Itrltlsh Commander.
LONDON , April 18. At last Roberts
seems to be on tne eve of maKing nis
main advance towards Pretoria. Un
less all the usually reliable sources of
information and ail the indications
smuggled past the censor are at fault
the British army within a few days
will be marching northward. After
many premature and unrounded re
ports that have purported to tell of this
move there is naturally , even In the
best informed quarters , considerable
hesitancy in definitely settling upon
the day Lord Roberts Is likely to leave
Bloemfonteln , but there is a settled im
pression that it will occur either at the
end of tnis week or tae beginning of
next
In the World.
NEW LONDON , Conn. , April 18.
The Eastern Shipbuilding company to
day took possession of the land at
Groton on which will be established
its plant and at once set a gang of
men at work clearing the land. With
in three months the keels of two
steamers , the largest in the world ,
will be laid. The steamers are for the
trans-Pacific fleet of the Great North
ern railway , and are to be of 34,000
tons displacement.
Sustains Democratic Officials.
FRANKFORT , Ky. , April 18. In the
circuit court today Judge Cantrill over
ruled the demurrers to the petitions
filed by the democratic officers and
sustained demurrers to the answers of
the republican officers. The result : s
in favor of the democrats and the re
publicans can appeal now by refusing
to plead further or may ask leave to
amend their answer , which will oniy
delay matters a few days.
Soldiers Speedily Rally.
MANILA , April -18. Twelve hun
dred Tagalos attacked Case's battalion
headquarters of the Fortieth regiment
at Cagayan , Island of Mindanao on
the 7th. The Americans had fifteen
zasualties , while of the attacking force
fifty were killed and thirty wounded
ar taken prisoners.
Close Down All Plants.
CHICAGO. 111. , April 18. Labor
iroubles in the building trades are
stated by President John W. Lambert
f the American Steel and Wire com
pany as the reasons for orders issued
oday closing down all the plants of
he concern in the vicinity of Chicago-
ill those at Joliet , 111. , excepting the
Rockdalc mill and the evtensive plant
it AndersonInd. Twelve plants were
jrdered closed. Thousands of skilled
fl
-
K-orkmen were temporarily suspended
jy the action of the wire magnates.
Iowa Man Kills Himself.
DBS MOINES , la. , April 18. Frank 7
Faquit , secretary of the Des Moines
sprinkling : company and prominent in
ocial and business circles , was found
lead < today with
a bullet hole over hi' ;
leart. Despondency
was the cause as
signed for the suicide.
Miss French Dead.
AMHERST Mass. , April 18.-Miss
Mary Field French , aged 75 years a
ousln of the late Eugene Field , and
° ra number of
years his
, guardian
lied : suddenly at her home today. She
th ; to'hlf i EUSene Field from W
years
First of the Expoaltlon Fetes ui
PARIS , April 18. The first of i it
ieries of official fetes to
onnection with the
lace tonight at the
