Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, September 15, 1889, Page 13

WAS DEAD FOR FIFTY YEARS. B0 a Oorrespondent Speaks of a Masonio Body. THEY RESUSCITATED A MUMMY, The Alleged Achievement of Albert G. Mackey and Albert Pike— Brief History of the Scottish Rite in America. The fcottish Rite Affair. To the Editor of Tnr Bem: This matter of the quarrels between the Cerneau and Pike bodies s as old as the rite itseif in Amorica, but it is only in the last year or so that the grand lodges have been forced, by the Pike members, into the quarrel. But to thoroughly understand the true inwardness of the matter, it will be necessary to give a brief history of the rite in Amorica, which is s follows: T'he Scottish rite originated in France, and was from the year 1758 gov- erned by a body termed the ‘“‘council of emperors of the east and west,” by whom a constitution was adopted In 1762, This council united with - the grand lodge of France in 1772, and in 1780 these and all other Masonic authorities were merged into the Grand Orient, which consequently con- trollea all the degrees of Freemasonry; that I8, with entirely separate organizations and separate officers, The different bodies of Masons 1n France were and are to this day as sepurate and distinct as the grand lodges, ohapters, commanderies and the Scottish rite bodies in America, only in France they are all under one general name of the Grand Orient. Now, in 1701, tho grand lodge joincd with the council of the emperors of the east and west and gave ono Stephen Morin (a He- brew) a patent or commission authorizing him to institute a lodge in the Wost Indies and America, with power to confer the sub- lime degrees up to the twenty-fifth. The erand bodies controlled all the degrees, but by the constitution adopted in 1762, took twenty-five only as the standard. Morin commenced peddling degrees, other than these twenty.five, promiscuously, and in consequence bis patent was annulled in 1776, August 17, and Brother Martin, master of the St. Frederick lodge. was appointed in his place. Morin continued to peddle tnese de- grees and he conferred them upon one Franken (also a Hebrew av Jamaica in 1867, Franken conferred them on one Hays at Hoston, and Hays to Spitzer, June 25, 1781, Spitzer to Joun Mitchell, April 2, 1705, Mitchel to Frederick Dalcho, May 24, 1801, Others also received these degrees and in turn peddled them around the country to others, most of whom were Hebrews. John Mitehell, Frederick Dalcho, Tsaac Auld, E. Dela Motta and Abram Alexander, without any authorlty from France, or anywhere else (they being under the obedience ot France), organized themselves nto a self- made supreme council, making themselves thirty-thirds, and dividing up the original twenty five degrees to make thirty-two, and addiog on an old Portugese degree cailed the #Order of Christ.” Knowing that the Grand Orient of France was revising the list of de. grees, with the intontion of creating the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of the thirty-three degroes, these Charleston Char- latans conceived the idea of heading off the Grand Orient and proclaiming themselves thirty-third degree masons. otc. It will be noticed that they did not claim to have origi- nated the new rite, as Pike does now, for they claimed to have organized under the au- thority or knowledge of a prior existing body Instituted in the year 1780, They claim for their authority to occupy the position they had assumed was merely the possession of a constitution claimed to emanate from Fred- erick the Great in the year 1785, I guess the the Frederick alluded to was Frederick(Dal- cho) the groat. After running for some time tho grand lodge of South Carolina sat down on the Charleston body for claiming control of the symbolic degrees, and the supreme council of Charleston” rapidly declined. F'rederick Dalcho, who was the last sovereign grand commander, and two others becomng re- morseful, for deceiving so many master masons perhaps, repented and openly de- chined to have anything more to do with it, and refused to call the council together, in fact there were only four of them left to call, but the other two met and deposed Dalcho, although he was elected for hfe. From this time on until Albert G. Mackoy and Albert Pike recuscitated a mummy, which had been dead for fifty vears, by electing themselves grand secrotary gencral and sovereign grand commanaer, respective- 1y, there was literally nothing of it. They were not recognized by any other Scottish rite body and had no subordinate body. Pike himself, to give him his due, nas made it what iv is to-day. This is the history of the Pike rite in the southern jurisdiction, The history of the Pike rite in the north- ern Jurisdiction is much. about the same, In 1813'one De la Motta (a Hebrew) and treas- urer of -the Charleston body, came to New York for the benefit of his health and inci- dentally to see if there were any shekels to “'be” made by peddling degrees. e fournd Joseph Cerneav, DeWitt Clinton and other grand lodge ofticers and a supreme council runnimg, and he was afraid he could not make as much us he expected to. But he went on & still huntand nosed around getting the lay of the land and after a while took ad- vantage of a political fight between Daniel D, Tompkins and DeWitt Clinton, who were candidates for governor, and conferred the degrees on Tompki d others until he had enough to start his supreme council. He afterwards had the gall to issue an edict. Ob, there's nothing new under the sun, thoy had edicts then as now. De la Mottd lssued his edict expelling Cerneau, DeWitt Clinton, ‘who was grand master of the grand lodge o the state of New York, and nearly all the grand officors who wore “abotting” Corneau ‘from overy Masonic asylum.” Just think what a0 amount of impudence he had, a wreasurer only of a Scotush rite body, to expel n grand master of the blue degrees, As one writer has expressed himself, th supreme council had but a very existence, it fell into the hands Hebrews and was alway regarded o spurious and illegal,” and tew yea it bocame, like the dodo, extinct. Do La Motta, former secretary, one J. J. J. Gourgas (they had & Gourgas too, in those days), re- vived the council and after the anti-masonic troubles it continued with varying fortunes until 860, wheu E. A, Raymond was Sov, frlud commander and one Van Renssalaer Lt. commander. A split occurred, and Van Ronssalacr was elocted Sov. grand com- mander of his faction and Raymon1 still held on to his; both parties strove for the super- dority and both made overtures to Pike and to E. B. Hays, who was Sov.grand com- mander of the' Cerncau supreme council, which was in the beight of its glory, it was in correspondence with all the Scottish rite Dbodies in the world and was in fact the only legitimato body in Awmerica. Finally in 1863 Raywonas overtures were accopted because ing Sov. grand commauder for lite was the legitimato successor, if any could be, of the called supreme council of the northern jurisdiction. They, the Raymond faction, adjourned their council siné die, and came into the Cerneau council with all their docu- wents, books and archives, and took the oath of feaity to the Cerneau council, thereby de- claing her to be the only true legitimate council, and ending de facto et de jure the couucil for the *northern jurisaiotion.” The history of the Cerneau council is that Joseph Cerncau was venerable master of a lodge in St. Domingo called "“La Reunion Desiree,” ulodge wnich was ou the register of the grand lodge of Pennsylvania, therefore a member of that body, dyerun received the higher degrees in the West ludies and was appolnted s deputy grand inspector with W" o confer degrees and establish bodies. o, at St. Domingo, juvested Bro. Germain Haequet with m.E" her degrees and granted w @ patent with .fho Same rank f. 701 these were obliged to leave St. Domingo in consequence of a negro insurrection breéak- ing out. Cerneau came over to America in 1806 and settled in New York, where he as- sociated himself with the highest Mascnic and social dignitaries, the Hon, DeWltt Clinton, governor of New York and graad master of the erand lodge, Hon. John W. Muliigan deputy grand master, Hon. Cad- wallader D. Colder, mayor of New York and senior wardea; Martin Hoftman, grand master; Elias Hicks, grand secrotary of the grand lodge, and with others of iike charac- ter, all being afterwards officers in the su- preme council. On October 28th, 1507 the most potent soverign grand consistory of supreme chiefs of exalted masonry was organized, and was given to all masonic bodies in lurope and the West Indies, and copies of patents likewise sent. Hearing that abody existed ut Charloston, which might be in existence, notice wit members and copies of patent was answor being received, a second was sent, with no better success, This satisfied the prand consistory that the body at Charleston if iv_ever had an existence, was extinct. February 10, 1810, applic: was made to the supre ouncil of o for recowni- tion. On 21 of the “Livre D'Or,” (Bock of God) of proceedings of the supreme coun- cil of France, April 6, 1812, “'to committee to whom was referred the above application reported: *The high yeputation your labors have daily acquired and your respect for the principles upon which they are based, has been prociaimed even in the United Statos of America. The sovereign grand consis- tory of New York, imbued with veneration for your liberal views, huve opened with you a paternal correspondence, which they have long desired, and which cun not fail to aug- ment the ' rites' prosperty in that section of the new world.!” (On page 83 the sovereign grand con- sistory of New York is named ns i correspondence with the supreme council, and appends a list of officers: “President, Joseph Cerneau, grand inspector-general! substitute general, J. W. Mulligan; avocat, depute grand inspector goneral; mimster d' etat, Dewitt Clinton, maire, depute grand- inspector-general, gracd maitre du grand orient de New Yorck," ete., ote. On page ¢ of the “Etrait du Liore D'Or, 1818, in sponse to the edict of . De la’ Mrtta, expel- ing Cerneau, L ewitt Clinton and ° thers, is the following reply: “Nevertheless,the illus- trious brother, Joseph Cerneau, is a_sover- eign grand inspector-general 33d. This last and sublime grade having been conferred upon him legitimately, he being gifted with powers emanatiug from the supreme council for France,” (Travslation.) On May 325, 1512, the supreme council of sovereign gran inspector of the 83d degree for the United States of America, their territories and de- pendencies, was opened with the high honors of Masoury in the city of New York, with its ofticers complete, with Joseph Cerneau, past master, as the first most potent sovereign grand commander, and Dewitt Clinton, grand master, etc., as most illustrious deputy grand commander, ete. The several Ma sonic bodies of the' United Statos and the grand orient of France were duly informed of the organization of the supreme councii, and on July 10, 1516, the grand orient gave fuil recognition, and named G inHae- quet (Cerneau’s old friend and companion in the West Indies, and who was now president of the supreme council of rites and grand commander of the sovereign grand consis- tory of the grand orient of F'rance) asits rep- entative near that body, Iilustrious Joseph Cerneau, grand commander, being ap- pointed representative of the grand orient of France, near the supreme couucil, 33d, for the United States of America, 1ts torritories and dependencies. In 1534 the Marquis de LaFayette arrived in New York, and was received with much honor by his Masonic brethren. He was exalted in Jerusalem Chupter No. 8, R. A. M., and re- ceived the orders of knighthood in Morton Encampment No. 4. He then received the Scottish Rite degrees n the Sov. Grand cousistory, and was created a sovereign grand inspector 33 and last degree. In 1825, the then sovereign grand commander, Dewitt_Clinton, resigned, and the Marquis de La Favette was made sovereign grand commander, which position he held until his return to France, when Dewitt Clinton was again made sovercign grand commander. La Fayette was appointed representative of the supreme council of the United States near the supreme council, and grand orient of France, and was promptly acknowledged and received as such by those bodies. ‘This disposes of tho charge of illegitimacy against the Cerneau supreme council. The Cerneau council continued under dif- ferent commanders until the anti-Masouio excitement when it, like all other Masonic bodies, bowed its head to the storm. In 1832 the Count de St. Laurent arrived in America as o delegate from the supreme council of France, and who was sovereign grand commander of the supreme council for New Spain, South Awmerica, etc.; he pro- posed a_union of the Cerneau council of IPrance, New Spain, Belgium, Brazils, etc., in fact ali the supreme councils of the world. ‘This union was duly consummated, and Blias Hicks, of the Cerneau council, was chosen sovereign grand commander, and most of the officers taken from theold council. The Cerneau council continued in active existence, and on September 18, 1861, M. P. Bro. John W. Mulligan, past sovereign grand comman- der and successor of Cerneau, visited tho council and was received with the honors due his rank; he addressed the supreme council at some length and in the most happy strain. April 15, 1863, under Sovereign Grand Commander Edmund B. Hays, proposals for union from the Kaymond council of the northern jurisdiction were received, and be- lieving in their sincerity, the Cernéau coun- cil received them, healed them, and gavo them places of distinction in their body. One Cerneau _member alone, Iliustrious Benjamin C. Leveridge, 332, opposed the admission of the Raymond council, He re- signed his position in the council, breaking his sword across his knee, rather than be a party to the admission of an illegal body. Brother Leveridge was right, as the sequel will show. Hays still continued assovereign grand commanaer, and everything looked lovely, etc.; the old suspicions seemed to have died out, and 80 continued until after the death of 'the venerable Raymond; thea the old northern jurisdiction men commenced correspondence ~with Pike and plowing against the men who had befriended them, and this is how they did it: It will be ro- membered that the Raymond or northern jurisdiction council had its Grand Orient, or eust, at Boston, while the Cerneau always had ‘theirs at New York, and that the name the Cerneau couacil as’ her articles of con- federation with the Raymond body, was ““The Supreme Grand Council for the United States of America, their Territories and Dependencies:” but this did not st Mr, Pike, for if this confederated council was for the whole United States, that wou'd clash with Lis council, which was for the southern jurisdiction only; so the first thing to do was to change the coustitution of the Cernaau council and then the name, and by degrees gradually deceive the old Cerncau members, October 20, 1864, at 10 a, m., motion was made to amend the constitution, and to make ofticers elective every three years, olc. (By articies of confederation, - ofticers’ were elected for life.) Octcoer 20, 1584, the same day, at 7 p. m., the amendments were adopted. ~ October 21, 1864, election held under cobstitution (as amended by @ motion), and they re-elected Hays, but put most of thoir own men in the other offices, except one or two Cerneau men whom they b ained over to their side. May 10, 1865, the Grand Secretary General Daniel Sickels, who was an old Cer- neau man, but had been talked into joinwng the revolutionists,commenced issuing notices or, letter paver headed “OfMce of the sup-t oupeil 8. G. I G, thirty-third degree for the northern jurisdiction U, S. A., Valley of New York.”" Now it has boeen said that when the Raymond or northern jurisdiction men cawme into tho Cerneau council ana brought thewr papers, documents, ete., that some of the old letter-heads were among the vapers and that Secretary Sickels used it. That is just like all Pike's statements, very plausible, but the nortbern furlndlt'liun had theis grana east in the ‘“Valley of Boston.” These notices were headed “‘northern juris- diction Valley of New York.” Harry J. Seymour and other old Cerneau members protested and a meeting was held June 23, 1505, by Sov. Graud Commander Hays and # 8ot of resolutions adopted protesting aguinst changing the name. General notice of this meeting was given all members, but ouly old Cerneau men were present, even the rand secretary general, Daniel Sickels, who ssuod the call for the mecting, was absent. h been captured by the Raymond men. , finding Seymour was nullnf the ition to theml rand Commander Hays sick most of the the time, on Septem- ber 11. 1568, (1) McClenachan, N, J,, brought uurh.- t Seymeur for saying that the northern jurisdiction was a fraud and that he could prove it. Same day (2) McClena- chan moved to committee to take into consideration the propriety of resaming the old name, “Supreme Council Northern Jurisdiction United States of America.” (3) McClenackan moved that a lodge of sorrow or demise of IIL-. Sov.. Grand Commander J, J. J. Goureas be held at the next meeting. (4) Banks moved that the sov. grand com- mander appoint one or more delegates to re- pair to Charleston, 8,,C., at the meeting of the southeru supreme council. Now 5 about the hardest thing a person has to da, 18 to give historical facts without commenting apon thein, and yet a person not knowing the facts wouid think there was not much in the last three items. But remember that both the old northern and southern jurisdictions were bitter onomies to the Cer- nean ccuncil. Then for Cernean men to hold a loage of sorrow for Gourgas, why it would, I think, be more than even a good old Methodist brother” could do to swallow that pill, then to bring charges against th loyal brother, Harry J. Seymour, and to re- sume the old name “of Northern jurisdiction in the face of tho rosolutions protesting against it; and lastly, the bitterest mil of all, the grand climax—to appoint delegates 10 attend Pike's council. By this time the old loyal Cerneau men were disgusted with the way they had been deceived, and the Northern jurisdiction men became bolder. October 23, 1865—Committeo on change of name reportea in_favor, and the report was adopted unanimously. Change the constitu- tion and the name, and do everything—all by motion, December 13, 1885—nenezer H. Shaw, of California, sovereign grand pector gen- eral, 382, a member of Pike's Southern Jurisdiction, was introauced and received due form and seated in the east, and yet they claim that this was still the Cerneau council. December 14, 1865—Hay's protended re- signation was made. No ducument has ever been produced proving this most important ovent, if true. Resolution of thanks to McClenachan and Paige for the very able manner in which they had represented the interests of this supreme council in the Southern jurisdiction council. Paige was appointed representative to the next session of the Soutnern jurisdiction council, S. W. Robinson was elected ‘“‘sovereign grand commander of the supreme council for the Northern jurisdiction, United States,” vice Hays. Seymour was expelled by the Northern jurisdiction council as above. What _was this to Seymour or any other loyal Cerneau man, who had taken the oath of feality to_the supreme grand council for the United States of America, tueir terri- tories and dependencies! Why, nothing more or less than as big a piece of impudence us De La Motta was guilty of, when he pre- sumed to expel Dewitt Clinton, the grand master of the grand lodge of New York from every Masonic asylum, Now, what had these trait rs done, besides stealing all the Cerneau documents, patents and papers of inestimiablo value, when they gained Daniel Sickles, who was *'grand secretary general and keeper of thearchives,” and attemvted to destroy the very men who had befriended them in their hour of need; why this that while previous o the time they resumed the oid name of N. J., they controiled the whole United States, but by resuming tho old name of N. J., they actually surrenderca their richts for the pal- try mess of pottage of Pike recognition, But atill this moloch was not satisfied, so the ukase goes forth, “Not a vestige must be leftof Cerneau to make a grease spot of; the Raymoud body must be resuscitated.” S0 Robinson calls a meeting to be held at Boston, on December 18, 1866, At this meet- ing Robinson announces that consequent upon the death of Edward A Raymond, late Sov. grand commander of the northern jur- isdiction, he (Robinson) had succeeded to the oflico under the constitution of 1786, (Frederick (Valcho) the Great's.) All took the new oath of fealty and the goose hung high now sure. But no, Grand Commander Hays, Harry J. Seymour, Benjamin C. Lev- eridge, Robert D. Holmes (grand master of the grand lodge of New. York). Stephen H. Johnson, (past grand master of the grand lodge of New York), Provost S. Haines, James M. Turner and many others who had remained true to the old council, met to- gother and carried on the old council. Grand Commander Hays, being all the time con- fined to & bed of sickness, authorized Sey- mour to act as Sov. grand commander. On May 27, 1867, the Cerneau supreme council unanimously adopted the following resolu- tions; *‘Whereas, we, the undersigned, sov- ereign and deputy grand inspoctors general having pledged our solemn obligations to maintain and support the supreme council 382 for tho Unitug States of America, view with sorrow and regret the action of certain members of this supreme council in allying themselves with an illezal organization, self- constituted as the supreme council of the northern jurisdiction; therefore, be it Resolved, That we hereby renounce and denounce those who have violated their solemn pledge, as unworthy of confidenco and Scottish masonry, and that e, from this time forth, will not and can not recog- nize them, or the body styling itself the northern jurisdiction, a8 masons of the An- cient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Signed by Provost S. Hanes, James M. Turner and twenty-five others. Hays died in 1874 and Seymour continued at the head of that body until 1880, wnen he was succeeded by Illus- trious brother William H. Pecknam, a wealthy and well-known manufacturing jeweller of New York. He was succesded in 1887 by Illustrious Brother F. J. 8. Gour- gas, who was atone time at the head of the Pike bodies in Maryland. This was the strongest Pike had, and he thought so much of it that he called it “The flower of the southern jurisdiction,” and was com- posed of some of the highest masons of the grand lodge, grand chapter and grand com- mandery. Why did these men leave the Pike body? Because they were free men, In Marylaud there was a grand consistory 322, which, of covrse had control of ali the sub- orbinate Scottish rite bodies in Maryland, One of the rules and regulation was that no one could be a candidate for the Scottish rite degrees 8 he had received the or- ders of christain knighthood (the knights templar degrees). Now a number of candi- dates, tho majority of whom were Hebrews, had made application to Mizpah lodge of Perfection for the Scottish rite degrees, and had been rejected ou account of the above rule. A man who could not take the koight Templars degrees, could not very well take the Scottish rite' degrees. These rejected candidates appealed to Pike, who, (in order 1o get the money coming from these men, it is presumed) first instituted a lodge of per- fection in_Hultimore city, by confering the Scottish rite degrees upon this ‘‘rejected material” in & room at the Barnum hotel, (Appropriate combination,Barnum and Pike, the prince of humbugs) and afterwards or- dered the consistory to receive them, under & threat of recalling its charter. This arbi- trary act of Pike was done without any inti- mation being given to the grand consistory of Maryland, notwithstanding that 1t was according to his own statement, ‘‘the only working consistory in the southern jurisdiction. This was the reason why the the grand consistory and all the subordinate bodies of Maryland surrendered their char- ters to McPike, and is the main reason of the fight being made so bitter now agawnst Brother Gourgas. Do you see!, After taking some time to investigate the claimg of the different Scottish Rite bodies, they decided 1o join the Cerneau body, at that time pre- sided over by 1ll.. Bro. William H. Peck- ham, a8 being the only legitimate body in the United States. CERNEAU 83 DEGREE. [Continued Next Week.| My Ship, Brunonian in Atlanta Constitution, She fell in love with her harbor buoy; She couldn’t nave loved him more: Yet one day jealously split her joy— He caught her hugging the shore. . They fixed it up in the good old way, As you can determine with ease; For her captain wrote me_the other day, “She's enjoying a king breezo," R e Got Himself Ready. Chicago Tribune: ‘John Henry,” exclaimed the angry wife, *you needn’t pretend to be asleep. Now you listen tome. I'm going to give you a piece of my mind.” **Wait a minvte, Serena,” said John Henry, as he got out of bed and groped his way to the boot closet. “What are you doing?” exclaimed the exaspertted Serena. “I’'m preparing myself,” replied John Henry, and & moment later the famous ex-catcher of the world-renowned champion Sockdolager base ball club had lighted alamp and was standing in his well-known attitude in the middle of the floor with his old musk, breast- pad, and leather gloves on. “Go ahead, Serena,” he said calmly. ENTIRELY NE Is Our Large and Elegant Stock of FALL CL For Men, Youth, Boys and Children, which we are now offering to the people of Omaha and vicinity. NOT a DOLLAR'S worth of OLD clothing can be found on our tables. UNEQUALLED MANUFACTURE. LIGHT WEIGHT OVERCOATS Are now in order, and as the evenings grow chilly, you are sure to feel the need of one of this class of Coats. servedly popular department is sure to have. to fill your wants in this line. Our Children’s Department Isnowdouble its former size and we are fully prepared for the rush of trade this de- EVERYTHING IS FRESH, STYLISH, and of OUR OWN Our stock is complete and we shall be pleased Mothers and Fathers know that HERE, they can get honest and reliable children’s suits in exchange for their money. OuRr MOTTO: One Price and that the Lowest. Money cheerfully refunded if goods do not suit. Browning, King & Co, S. W. Corner 15th and Douglas Sts., Omaha, Nebraska MAIL ORDERS WILL RECEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION, THEY TRADE WIVES THERE. A Curious Conimunity Among the North Carolina Mountains. HEV YE GOT A WOMAN TO SWAP. fHemmed 1n by Mountains They See Few Strangers and Can Not be Keached by Laws of Anv Kind. Bartering Their Better Halves, The queerest characters under the sun are probably found in the moun- tainous regions of North Carolina, says a correspondent, writing from Fairfax, N. C. Here, between the great Smoky and Nautehela mountains, isa region of primeval solitude, bounded on all sides by mountains over 6,000 feet above the lovel of the sea,are the deepest, darkest forests, rock-ribbed and broken piles of stone, deep glens, narrow val- leys, and, in fact, nature itself, to all appearance, just as it was when Adam is alleged to have fallen from his high estate. The people who thinly settle this wild region are as unlike the deni- zens of the outer and to them unknown world as it would be possible for one to conjecture. Settlements are infrequent and are composed of a few log cabins, a corner grocery, a blucksmith shop, and perhaps a small mill, thougn the latter are scarce enough, goodness knows. The cluy-eaters ave here, strung along the narrow valleys and the sides of the mountains. The state of morality is at a low ebb, ag is plainly appurent when it is known that the Mormon elders have sent out from this country nine-tenths of their converts made within the state lines. Ignorance i rife, scarcely one out of n dozen being even able to read or write his or her name. But there is another custom preva- lent among these people which the cor- respondent had occasion to see and ver- ify, aud that is the common habit or custom of trading wives. Now and then an isolated instance of wife-swapping is heard of and published as a matter of interest and curiosity from other varts of the world, but, here, in the very heart of the country, what to outsiders ts hoard and spoken of as a rare instance, is a common custom. The reader may inquire why it is that the law doos not step in and put a stop to this unlawful teaffic. To this ques- tion the writer will 'give an irrefutable reply, and that is that these people are isolated so completely that it is but sel- ‘dom that an officer ever sees or hears of them, and then, again, it would in all probability be impossible for him, were he ever so much in earnest, to prove the charges. It would be of no earthly use to ask one man whether his neigh- bor was lawfully wedded to the woman he claimed as his wife, when that man inall human probability had three or four sets of chilirdn in his house and had never been divorced. The writer, while riding across the state some months since, stopped at the cabin of one of thiese settlors on & small creek at the foot of Big Smoky wmoun- tain, The head of ' the family was a light-haired, heavily bearded 1 oof fifty or sixty, dressed in a pair of linen trousers, and a shirt of the same ma- terial, both of home manufacture. The woman of the house was a tall, raw- boned, dark-visaged female of forty or more. There were eleven children, of all ages, all of whom were clad in a coarse shirt and pantaloons except the smaller one, who wore nature’s garb from crown to toe. Noue of the family wore either boots or shoes. Simpson—that was the name of the host—in reply to the professional query, “{f dl.hero anything new going?’ re- plied: “Nuthin’ ever happens byer,stranger ‘cepin’ its the Mormins or a gwappin’ match.” 2 “‘What do you mean by a swapping match?” ““Wal, of thet don’t beat all. Say, Nance,” turning to his wife, ‘*he un don, know wot a swappin’ mateh is.” “Humph!” ejaculated the woman. “He un don’ know much. Why, stranger, a_swoppin’ match ’s where folks swop hosses, muels, wives, and sich.” ‘Wives! You don’t mean to say that you people trade wives, do you? ““Thot’s jes’ wot I mean,” roplied the man, ‘“‘an’ there’s goin’ to be a big swop over to Bill Suggs’s to-morrer.” By continued apphication and through the iriendly services of a big canteen of excellent brandy I learned thut the **match’ was a fact, and it was not long before I had induced my host to guide me to the place. Having seen the clay-eaters I was partially prepared for what was to fol- low, and in the morning after a simple breakfast of corn bread, milk, and baken ’possum | mounted my horse and together with Simpson and his wife set out for Suggs’. A ride of about two hoursover the mountains brought us to the residence of the Sugges’. It was, like that of Simp- son’'sand every other habitation I saw in that locality, a log structure, but un- like Simpson’s 1t had two rooms instead of one. In the yard and under the trees there were abouta dozen horses and mules, two coons, and about ten or twenty sheep and a number of hounds. There were eight men and seven women, all clad in coarse homespua linen. Such women as wore any head-dress a* all wore long poke or sun bonnets. One or two of the women were fairly good-look- ing, but the rest of them, like the men, were coarse, rawboned, and anything but handsome. ‘We had not arrived a moment too soon to hear the preliminaries of the business for which the appointment had been made, Bill Suggs, the pro- prietor of the house, was the first to broach the subject, which he did in the following language: *‘Weuns hev met here to swap an’ trade. I hev been tryin’ to swap wim- mim with Jake Long here fur some time. I hev gotmy woman here, an’ so hez Jake, an’ I'm ready to trude. What d’ye say, Juke?”? Jake, a big, gawky young fellow, said: “There’s my gal, Bill,” pointing to a raw-boned, dark-oyed woman of forty-five. ‘‘She ken did more ’seng, chop more wood, an’ ken beat anything shootin’ on the croek. I'll take yer woman an’ yor old mare to boot.” Suggs had led his wife—or woman— up to that of Long. The woman seemed to be almost utgerly indifferent, or if they did object they spoke no word or made no siga. ““That’s morn’ I'll give, Long: that womuan,” pointing to his wife, *'is a good cook and kin hoe as much corn as eny woman in the naborhood, an’ she’s val’ble. I'le trade even up and no boot.” There was considerable talk andja dozen propositions, which finally ended in Suggs “‘swavping” for Long’s woman and giving a red cow with one horn and two sheep as a premium or **boot.” This settied, two others--a mildle- aged, red-whiskered fellow with a rather good-looking young woman for a wife, traded with a younger man for = woman who was old “enough to be his mother, but who looked as though she could perform almost any manual labor. The young man turned over his prop- erty and took charge of the one he had bartered for. He seemed somewnat pleased by his bargain, and hie new purchase certainly did not seem to have een sorry for the exchange. The name of the youug fellow was Blodgett. One trade which seemed to ex- cite the risibles of the bystanders was betweer a couple of men, one of whom had a small, sharp- featured, thin-lipped woman,with snap- pis § black eyes and & disposition which evidently was not sunny by any means. The owner of this woman, who was evidently a shrew, had offered as boot a horse and a pair of hounds. In the proposi- tion he lauded the merits of his hounds as hunters and his horse as a sure- footed traveler, but somehow forgot to say anything in praise of his helpmeet. It was no go, however; the other man, who went by the name of Punt, seemed pretty well posted as to the qualifications of the woman in question. Finally he said: . “I'll tell you’un wat I’ll do. You kin then do it or we’ll quit talkin’, T'll take that hoss, that pair yaller houn’s, an’ them eight sheep to boot, an’ I won’t take any less,” and with that he turned as if to walk away. ‘‘Hol’ on!” s Punt, “I'll do it, by crackery, but it's a tough bargain.” When the purchaser of the snappy looking littie woman sent her to get the horse, which had been tied to a tree in the woods, the latter said to her pur- chaser: ““You’ll hev a hot time, I ’low. That woman hez got the temper of the devil, an’ she'll allus let you'un kno’ she’s round.” “I kno’ how to tend to that business, Punt. She’un 'Ll be quiet as a pet lam’ in two days or thar’ll be trouble.” What the result of this trade was I never learned, as I never saw any of the peoble after that day, except the young man Blodgett and his new helpmeet. As they lived several miles away in the direction of the mountain through which I had to pass to get out of that country, I rode along with them, and, finding I could do no better, accepted their hospitality for the night. Blodgett seemed a good sort of a fel- low, easy, good-natured, but ignorant. His new s > Was 2 3. went in that section. Her face was more intelligent than any I had seen, 1ed pleased over the result With all my powers of penetration I failed to find any repug- nance or horror over the affair, either with her or any one connected with it. Thoy seemed to take it as n legitimate stion, and I could only account for it on the ground of utter ignorance of the law, either strtutary or morai. The custom of trading wiver among these poople seemed as old ard well- foundo(‘l a8 is the every-day and every- where hapit of trading in ordinary arti- cles of barter. We arrived at Blodgett’s house or cabin early in the evening and the home life of the new feminine head of the family began without a ripple or ob- jection on the part of the Blodgett juniors, of whom there were four. Muvs, Blodgett, the latest, was a pretty fair cook and took to the latest stuge of family affairs as naturally as if she had raised the family herself, Blodgett, T must admit, seemed a pleasant sort of fellow, ready to give his guest the best he had and to assist them in any manner possible. The evening meal over, I vetired to bed in one cor- ner of the room—the cabin consisted of one room only—and fell asleop almost immediately. In_ the m orningl left, and before noon I had ridden through the gap and down the mountain-side into another county and among another, and, to all appearances, a different people. When I told them what I had seen they showed no surprise; in fact, almost everybody appeared to Kknow more about it than I knew mysell. They stated that the section through which I had just come had been settled gene tions since by a peculiar class of people who were widely different in their modes and habits from the settlers of other parts of the state, and that their peculiarities grew up with them. The country was too wild and opportunities for communication too scarce to invite settlement from the outside world, con- sequently the people were left severely alone, being seldom disturbed even by a passing traveler like myself. -~ The “Lady" Prisoners A western_paper gallantly remarks that “‘the lady priconers in our jail are about the most dun‘wruw lot we bave seen ina long time.” PEPPERMINT DROPS. Hydrophobia itsclf is a sort of dog daze. The packers want the senate to pull dowa its vest. The dude is like au engine in that he car- ries a head tighu, The crockery trust is broken. against the servant girl trust. Although people donot like a tumblo, they generally like a fall in the mountains, When the barber talks too much his stories are generally illustrated with cuts, Having whacked a great many heads, John L. Sullivan wants vindication at the polls. There is a fisherman on Lake Champlain named Phigars. Who says figures don't lie They talk conscien bas: The owner first breaks the race horso; then the race horse proceeds to break the owner. _ Colonel Dan Lamont buys o street railway in New York every morning before breake ast. Neither one looks right when the girl with a big bustle walks besidc a girl who has none on at all. There seems to be no difficulty about the c current killing anybody who i no It ran up about the wee small voice of but 1t hus been known to sing criminal, They have invented a smokeless powder. Now what we want is 4 smokeless cigar for street car us Thomas A. Edison, on his return to this country, will give his friends u phonographio account of his trip. “Love levels all things.” Perhaps s0; but it has been noticed that its tendency'is not to muke the head level. Dr. Brown-Sequard thought his elixir would be like the leader of an orchestra, be- cause it would beat time. Among the alleged gamvlers arrested at Saratoga is John Erost. Now Juck knows how it is himself to be nipped. A Michigan girl goes about smashing win- dow-gluss. ‘Iliere seems 10 be no iecord of any girl who smashed a looking-glass. A giass of beer will atiract more flies than a glass of water. It also has an attractive force for other unimals not possessed of wings, ‘‘How do you feel now, Sue?” asked one Chicago woman of anothor who had just se- c\‘u-e’uudlvoruu. “I feel unmauned,” she re- plied. P Now York can't docido upon a site for the world’s fair. “An_excolient place to hold the fair after the old folks have reured, is on your lap, It is not expocted that the postal telegraph if adopted, will be any great help o the woman who posts her telegrams in her hus- band’s pocket, Norvin Green, president of the tern Union, says he hus no fear of Mr. Wanamaker, Hut “then the good doctor is uot & hold-over postmaster, The sum of §200,000 for the franchise of the Now York base ball club hus been re- fused, I3ase ball is one of the institutions not seriously affected by the tariff, ‘That the moral nature of the pig is essen- tally mean and selfish 18 proven by the fact that he is always willing and ready 0 squeal when he gets into a vight place, When a man goes over Niagara Falls in o barrel “two heads are better than one. ‘Tiiat is, the two heads of the barrel are bet- ter than the one on the man's shoulders,” ——— Yretty Girls of New Orleans. On a first visit to New Orleans one is impressed by the peculiar appesrance of Lthe women, says a correspondent of the Chicago Times. One can see in New Orleans more delicious-looking young girls and more prematurely olu- looking women than in any city in the ry. The girls, up to the age of 0 or twenty, ure lovely, They complexions, bright eyes, ths ngled languor and vivacity tha ren- the southern girl g0 fuscinuting. Then, too, in summer time mostof them wear white dresses with lace or open~ work sleeves and voke, through whi b a croamy, satiny skin glints with aggra- vating attractivencss. There is but one word that fuliy describes them to the masculine mind. ‘Thoy are delicious- looking. But they fade very quickly, aud this accounts for the number of old-looking women of twenty-five yeurs or thereabouts one sees on the streets, in the cars or in their curriages. And when they get old-looking they lose a § their attractiveness, They are any= thing but delicious-looking.