The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-01-14
TIMELY TOPICS.

TIMELY TOPICS.
Henry III. Stanley is now ascending
the Congo, bound once more for the
heart OF Africa, but by different route.
He has taken the name of Swinburne
for some unknown reason. He has tif-
teen Europeans, sixty-four Arabs and
several hundred natives under his Or
ders. His fleet consists of a small river
steamer. with two cabins for thirty per-
sons, three steam launches and three
barges, in which are slowed supplies
and goods. He is acting for the Inter-
national Association, OF which the King
of Belgium is president.
Upon the subject of keeping boys on
The farm, an old farmer has this to say:
My eldest son is near twenty-one years
of age, and the other boys in the neigh
borhood younger than he have left their
parents. Mine have stuck to me when
most needed their services, and I al
tribute this result to the fact that have
tried to make their home pleasant.
have furnished them with attractive
and useful reading, and when night
comes, and the days work is ended, in
stead of running with other boys to the
railroad station and adjoining towns.
they gather around the great lamp and
become interested in their books and
papers," ,'
A number of the occupants of Euro
pean thrones are forced to give more
time to their physicians than they can
find to devote to affairs of government.
The czar's nerves are shattered and
Emperor William has to be very par
ticular to his food and airings. The
King of Italy is miserable in i'll health
his only child is frail and delicate and
Queen Margaret faints away at the least
exertion. 1t is necessary to carry her
when she is moved about from one
place to another. The Queen of Sweden
suffers greatly from chronic heart dis
ease, and since she received letter, not
long ago, threatening the life of the
crown prince. she has not left her bed.
Mr.. George Augustus Sala, the Eng
lish writer now in this country, says
that he has changed his mind since lie
wrote sharp letters about America dur
ing the war. Now, 1.-The hotels in
A merica are the finest in the world"
etc., etc. Then he "was on the wrong
side of the hedge" Now he is on the
right side; and the railway service of
America is to-day more perfect, ETC..
etc. Commenting upon Mr.. Sala's
change of mind, the New York Evening
Post says: If one fact stands out in all
history with more distinctne's than any
other it is that success has an enormous
influence in determining which is The
wrong and which is the right side of the
hedge"
Concerning the building of several
new and fast ocean steamers, the Detroit
Free Press has this to say: Three new
steamers are about to be built tor the
Liverpool and New York lines. The
largest the Sahara, Cunarder, is to be
1000 tons burden, and of a speed to beat
the Britannia and Arizona: The Allan
line ship is to beat the sahara, and an
Inman steamer to surpass them both.
The Sahara will be the largest and ap-
proach the Great Eastern in size. AL
though for some hitherto unexplained
cause that vessel has never been Sue
cessful, there would seem to be no reason
why mechanical ingenuity should be
baffled to build swift vessels of cnor-
nous capacity that will carry q thousand
passengers without discomfort across
the Atlantic in less than week. I'm
doubtedly it will be done before the
close of the present century,"
The present prime minister of Belgium,
NJ. Frcre-O Orban, commenced lite IN the
humblest manner. His family name
was Frere. While 4 law student, he
fell in love with the daughter of q rich,
NJ. Orban. The girl was
agreeable; the parents opposed. AS the
day for his examination approached,
she said to him: IF you succeed, come
in the evening to the box at the opera,
in which Ishall be with my parents and
some of their friends" But will they
admit me?" asked the poor student. 81
will take care of that" replied the girl.
Frere passed the examination with
great credit. and presented himself ut
the box. His sweetheart rose rs he en-
tered, and kissed him in the presence OF
the whole company. After that there
was nothing for the parents to DO but to
announce IN engagement between them.
When the marriage took place, he added,
by their request, his name to theirs.
Seventeen thousand persons witnessed
the first royal bull-fight at Madrid after
the wedding Of Alfonso and Christine:
The queen was dressed in the national
red cloak. white mantilla and bright
bodice. When size gave the signal for
the beginning of the fight the vast assem-
blage redoubled their acclamations.
Then the toros, with brilliant gilt COS
tunes, mounted on picador mules, ap,,
peared simultaneously in the ring. seated
in coaches. each drawn by four horses,
plumed. richly harnessed and capar-
isoned. They were escorted by deputies
to assist the caballeros in the plaza. who
rode their own horses against the bulls.
The famed Toreros killed eight fine
animals, not, however, without many
exciting incidents. One bull jumped
the barrier, knocking down several per-
sons and tossing UP a gendarme. Another
animal injured q picador, and q third
also had its victim. The people ex-
pressed much satisfaction to see the
queen remain throughout the entire pr
torrance. as we'll as the Austrian duke.
It is not often that subject ventures
to challenge his sovereign; but this
was recently done by the Swedish poet
Bjornson. King Oscar, who has con-
siderable reputation as an author, takes
a strong interest in contemporary SWe-
dish literature. and is sometimes rather
free in his criticisms of well-known
writers. He lately passed an untavor-
able Judgment on a new work by BJorn-
son, expressing at the same time con-
tempt for the general character OF his
work. The indignant poet at once wrote
to his majesty demanding that he should
either apologize for the insult or grant
the only satisfaction that would be ac-
cepted by man of honor. The king
was prosaic enough to hand the letter
to the police authorieties Of Stockholm,
who forthwith instituted proce edings
against the writer. Bj2rnson suddenly