Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-06-06

it is held that the statutes of any State pro.
viding for the presence of minister or mag.
istrate at the solennization of marriage do
not render marriage at common law inval.
id for nonconformity with such statutes. The
statutes regulate the mode Of entering into
the marriage contract, it is said but they do
not confer the right, and hence they are not
within the principle that where statute cre-
ates right and provides remedy for its en-
forcement, such remedy is exclusive. A stat
ute may take away common law right, but
the presumption is against the intention to do
so, unless it is clearly expressed. Whatever
directions statutes may give respecting its for
nation of solemnization, the Courts have
usually held marriage good at common law
to be good, Notwithstanding such statutes, un-
less they contain express words Of nullity. In
this case the marriage was with an Indian
girl by declaration and cohabitation."
FACTS ABOUT RATTLEsNAKEs.-A CORES.
respondent for an exchange writes Several
instances of almost instant death from rattle
snake bites have come under my immediate
notice. Mr.. Thomas Willingham and were
driving deer in Christchurch parish, on the
post route from Charleston to Georgetown,
in 1866. A buck, shot by my companion, fell
in kind of dry pond about seventy yards
away. He rode in among the underbrush to
secure the game, when large rattlesnake
struck his horse on the inside Of the legs. The
animal dropped dead within two minutes.
In 1867, while on duty on James Island,
in the same State, visited the Bailey plan
tation. A colored man was sent to the spring,
about one hundred yards distant, for pail Of
water. His prolong ICED absence caused mine
host to 60 in search of him. He returned in
few minutes with the information that the
servant was dead. The servant had got with.
in few rods of the house on his return by
the narrow path, which ran through tall sage
grass, when he was struck by rattlesnake.
He fell, apparently, where he was bitten.
The incisions made by the fangs in the calfof
the leg we're large, showing the snake to be
an old settler. There was very little swelling.
, A drummer attached to my company, while
on a reconnaissance from Gaines Mills to
Mechanicsville, Va, in June, 1862, slipped
out of the ranks to pick apples few rods
distant from the road. He was shortly seen
running toward the column holding bis
thumb tightly. A very small incision veri
fed his statement that he had been bitten by
a rattlesnake. Although piled freely with
whisky, be was q dead man an hour after
ward.
There is wide difference in the species of
rattlesnakes. Those along the coast of South
Carolina have much brighter colors, and are
not so slender in form as those found in the
interior and mountain region. The same is
true of the moccasins. No old hunter of that
State would ever allow himself to step over a
log while in pursuit of his game. He first
steps upon it, for he knows the fondness bis
snakeship has for curling itself on the lee
side in most convenient attitude for striking.
READ1Ne.-In these days, all men and
women read something; but the trouble is
that by reading in single vein, which 80
strongly appeals to their individual tastes
and personal idiosnycrasies that it is not
study at all, and they lose their power to study
anything else. The rule for successful and
profitable reading would, in the light of these
facts, seem to be to read only what one does
not like to read. That reading which costs
no effort and necessarily dissipates the power
of study, is that which we should indulge in
only for recreation, while that which we know
to be important in itself, and in its bearings
upon broad knowledge and culture should
most engage our time and attention. The
trouble is, not that We do not read enough,
but We read 80 much of that which simply
pleases US as to destroy our power to read
that which will edify and enlarge US. There
are many aspects in which newspaper reading
is preferable to much that is considered es.
sential to high culture. 1t is undoubtedly
dissipating to the power of study, but so is
any other reading which is pursued as pas.
sion. 1t has this advantage, that it never
detaches the mind from supreme interest in
the affairs of to-day. There are studies which
separate man from his time-whch shut off
his sympathies from the men and the move
ments around him. There is kind of dlet.
tantetism which rejoices in mousing in dark
corners for the curiosities of history or art
which is wise about great nothings-wise
about bric.a-brac, wise about antique gems,
wise about coins, wise about classical antiqui.
ties, wise about old books of whose contents
it knows little, wise about dead and useless
things, and foolish enough to plume itself
upon its wisdom.
STATUS OF THE BANKRUPT B1LL.-The