THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Waikato Times, Volume 2188, Issue XXVII, 17 July 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BOOK OF MORMON.

PROFbssoR S. S. Partkllo, writing to a Chicago newspaper, declares that he has discovered the Spalding ronunce, from which, it ia said, Joseph Smith wrote his *• Book of Moimon." Professor Partello says :—": — " By the favour of the correspondent, now in Houolulu, it is my privilege to say that the long -lost and noted document has lately beeu disco veied in the hands of L. L. Kice, a Honolulu resident, who removed from Oberlin, Ohio, about five years ago. Not long ago it occurred to the \enerable gentleman to make an examination of a box of old papers which had accumulated during u period ot twenty -five or thirty years of his life as a newspaper editor and publisher in Cleveland and other places in Noitli fiasteru Ohio. Among these musty and dustladen papers th^re was a small package wrapped in strong buff paper, tied with a piece of stout twine, and plainly in irked on the outside in pencil, in Mr Rice's own handwriting, 'Manuscript Copy— Connent.' The interior of the package teemed somewhat familiar to its owner, but yet he could not, definitely fix in his mini the incidents in connection with his possession of it and he did not remember having inspected its contents. An examination disclosed an old manuscript book of some WO closely written piges. carefully sewed in book form, about o* or 7 inches. It was brown and dusty with age. The first 20 pave« show the effects of much handling, and are somewhat gnawed and damaged by insects, but no great injury to the writing has been done. A few extra outside leaves remain attached to the back ot the book, on one of which, in a rough hand, is inscribed — 4 Writings ot Solomon .Spalding. Proved by Aaron Wright, Oliver Smith, John N. Miller, and others. The testimonials of the above gentlemen are now in my possession. — D. P. Hurlbutt.' Mr Rica was wholly unable to account for how or when this mauuscript came into his possession. He says he has no knowledge of the persona whose names are mentioned. Some forty or fifty years ago Mr Rice was ediror of the Plainesville Telegraph, ahout thirty miles from the residence of the Rev. Solomon $piiding, then dead. He conjectures that it must have beeu placed in his hands at that period for perusal and subsequently for publication. He personally knew Samuel Rigdou, one of Smith's right hand men, and later a Mormon apostle, their first settlement being at Kirtland, in the same county in which he lived."

To what base use words may come is well illustrated by parasite. It really means the warder of a granary, or parasi tion. The Greek priests, who had the office of garnering the corn for the public sacrifices, were called parasites. When the general public was relieved of the parasite tax, these piu»sts were billited on the rich citizens, and told to make themselves agreeable. In fact, earned their bread if they got their cheese for nothing. Hence a lunger on, or trencher companion, was called a parasite, tdl it came also to mean an insect that literally feeds on the. feeder. In the church of San Lui3, at Madrid, during Holy week, when nu.nbers of persons bring votive candles to burn near the sepulchre which represents the tomb of Christ, someone brought a wax taper weighing 4lbs. The church was closed at 1 1 o'clock at night, and two persons remained to watch the sepulchre. One of them, Dr. Ixquierdo, noticing that the flame of his candle threw oh* strange sparks, went to extinguish it, when it suddenly exploded, nearly blinding him, besides partly destroying the tomb, and putting out all thy other lights. Had the cartouche exploded a few minutes earlier, when the church was crowded with worshippers, the consequence might have been disastrous in the extreme. Inquiries are being instituted for the purpose of discovering the authors of the dastardly act. He had a back load of feather- (lusters as he rang the door bell on Montcalm Street East, and when a woman opened the door about two inches and said that nothing was wanted he inquired, " Madam will you kindly inform me who lives next door?" "Next door?" she queried, coming out on the step. Why, it's a new family, and I don't re J member the name." "Lady puts on a good deal of style doesn't she?" •♦Rather." "I thoughtjso. That's the way with those sort of people, they put it all on their backs. I asked her if she didn't want a duster to dust off her upholstered furniture and bric-a-brac, and she slammed the door in my face. She didn't have any to dust you see. People who have plush fursiture and articles of vei'tu and taste always want my goods. Pleasant day, madam !" "Y-e-s. What did you say the price was ?" " Seventyfive cents, madam, and the woman next door is peering through the parlour blinds at us." "Is she * Well, I'll take one, and if there should be any other invention to dust brio a-brae and oil paintings you might call around. You might also biing me a box of polish for my silver-ware.''