The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-12

ran influences SnOulQ De WatcneQ WIFI
jealously.-New York Christian, Aduo-
cate. .
There is larger per centage of IL
literacy in South Carolina than in any
state in the Union, owing to the col
ored population. Yet there is small
er proportion of criminals there than
in any other state. In South Carolina
there is one criminal for every 568 in
habitants. In New York the ratio is
one for every 222, nearly three times as
great. In Massachusetts it is one for
every 205, and in California one for
every 267. This shows that education
does not purify hearts or elevate lives.
Where illiteracy is greatest, virtue is.
greatest. Only the gospel can elevate
character. Education is valuable and
needful, but education without relig-
ion but makes man demon. There
is three times as much of infidelity in
proportion TO population in New York
and Massachusetts as in South Caro-
lima, and five times as much in Cali
fornia, where criminals are most nu-
merous.-Wester1a Record.
Social usages are improving. A girl
is not an old maid now until she is
past thirty. Once she was an old
maid at twenty-five. In the better
circles girls do not enter society at as
early an age as they did when the tag
old maid was affixed to them if they
did not marry by the time they were
twenty-five. The lass of sixteen,
eighteen, or even older, is in school,
occupied with her music and other
studies now, and not receiving beaux
alone in the parlOr evenings. The
largely increasing number Of women,
independently situated, who prefer to
live unmarried, is likely to work O de-
cided change in the status Of the old
maid. They whose preference il for the
luxury of their fathers lone to shar-
ing q flat or a boarding house with a
salaried young man are multiplying
very rapidly.
There is no use denying that luck
has good deal to do with the worlds
affairs. Nelly Bly,, of the New York
World, and Miss Bisland, of the Cos
mOpolitian Magazine, left New York
at the same time for race around the
world, one going east and the other
west. Miss bly, had a smooth and
quick trip, broke the record and came
home in triumph. Miss Bisland hap
pened to strike a slow steamer which
had Just been put on in place of the
fast one she had counted on, and did
not arrive on her return to New York
until last Thursday, having been sew
Il bn
Though she returns unhonored and
unsung, she worked as hard as Miss
Bly, and displayed ns much courage
anh-futhermore-is by far the better
looking woman, which fact ought to
count for something in her favor.
But she was left by a turn of hard
luck which could not have been FORE
seen or provided against.
The fact that the secular press of
Germany is largely in the hands of ra-
tionalistic Jews will 60 far toward ex-
planning the unhappy religious condi-
ton of that country. DIR. McCosh
says Germany is the most irrcligious
country in christendom. Yet how
many of our brightest young men 60
there for special training. 1t is dam
rerous experiment. If we wish to
make Catholics of our children all we
have to do is to send them to Catholic
schools. Will it not also hold good
that if we wish to make rationalists
out of our young men, just send them
to Germany.
A curious circumstance is noted by
the Tampa (Fla.) News. An orange
grove near that place was abandoned
long time ago. The cars pass the grove,
and it is said that the row of trees next
the car track has healthy, vigorous
appearance, while all the trees beyond,
without one exception have q deathly
pallor which betOkens early demise.
Whether the thriftiness of the trees
next the track is due to the trembling
of tho ground caused by passing trains,
or to the smoke from the engines, both
or either, is Il question.
On or near the British coasts there
were lost during the live years ending
June 81, lS>5, us shown by Il recent Of
fetal paper, OF vessels 2,4S2, anu OF
lives lj.67l, and of these 206 vessels
and SS3 lives were last through colli-
SION. vi lilC -o' 'SSoSiS
and l,545 lives were lost through
iountcring; 5%5 vessels and 3,6lG lives
through stranding; G96 vessels and l.
As lives from other causes, and 715
Vessels, containing 1888 persons, were
reported missing.
4 prominent citizen of Parsons,
Kan, determined to sup with Il party
Of friends against the will of his wife.
He was resolved that he would, and
she that he should not go. His friends
missed him, and just for fun invaded
his residence, whele they found him
and his wife sitting in their chairs
fast asleep. He had given her an OPT
ate that he might sip away, and she
had given him one that he might not,
Two laws intended to be halters for
the louisiana lntlary have been intro
duccl in t.hc United States Senate, one
10y Senator Wilson shutting out of the
mails nll newspapers containing lot
terry advertisements, the other by SEN
a,or Coluuit, providing for the forfeit
IRE of charters of national banks that
guarantee the payment Of lottery->
prizes.
The best description of Pharisee
has been given by little Sunday
school girl. 1t is "The fellow who
docs thing and then feels big over it,"