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30 days free trial in yoi [own home. ,.tuH"M"H''H Planter's Loan and Savings Bank Augusta, Ca. Pays Interest on Deposits, J? Accounts Solicited. LC. HAYNF, CHAS. C. HOWARD, PBE?IDEIN f. CASt?lE tl. RESOURCES OVER $1,000,000. I 1 now represent a strong line of Fire Insurance J Coinpanies and can insure your property. Your patronage will be appreciated. TIM MOfIS & CORLEY, SURGEON DENTISTS, Appointments at Trenton on Wednesdays. Crown snd Bridge Work a Special tJj_ 1--I Walter C. Milter, ? Dental Surgeon, 731 Green St, Augusta, Ga. * Thone 87. 1? ff . . .. ? 1 ' ? GKOCEBIES. Full supply of Taney and, Staple Groceries always on hand. Let ^me supply your table.| Ice cold soft drinks al ways on hand. I Fu supply of Bagging Jard Ties on hand for the^ If armers. i Your patronage solicited.! J. I. TH Erl ?CHRL Kl BIRTHDAY' By MAY C with her sweeti NSSSK&I young enthusiasm, told them of the ?rst Christmastide - of the Christ Child cradled . in the manger because there was no room I In the inn; of the Christmas carol of I peace and good will sung by the an gels to the shepherds watching their flocks by night. Clarice's face was rapt; her eyes adoring. Of all the teachers in the .Sunday-school, none was so lovely as her own Miss Maud. She was certain that the Christmas angels had the 6ame shining yellow hair. Did they wear those fascinating gold hairpins, too? One was slipping put from the soft fluff over Miss Maud's left ear. if only she dared tell her! But that morning she had asked the awful privilege of holding Miss Maud's mu? -a rich sable with a beautiful bunch of violets fastened to it-and there was no courage left for further inti mate speech. Suddenly the spell was broken, and Clarice turned with ' angry jerk from the object of her worship, and fiercely scowled at an Inoffensive little girl seated beside her. "Excuse me," meekly apologized Agnes, the new scholar. -. .Clarice drew her light blue silk skirts away from the dingy brown cashmere touching them; held herself very straight; and, with a superb dig nity, sniffed the violets on the muff. "And now, my dears," said Miss Maud, "as you know, Wednesday will be another birthday of the Christ Child, and who wants every one here to give Him a present-just as you would give a present to your own little brother on his birthday at home." She smiled radiantly. "Do you wonder how you can do that when the Christ Child has become a King in Heaven? I'll tell you. He left In His place all the poor little girls and boys In this big world, and told us that in giving to them we give to Him. Not far,awa\ is a great hos pital for little children who have crippled legs and arms, and poor, crooked backs, sick children who can't run and play, but have to hobble about on crutches or lie in bed all day. Wouldn't you like to make their Christmas so happy that they'd forget their pain?" Her smile gathered up their eager nods of assent, as a golden thread gathering pearls. "1 knew you would." Well, I'm going to tell you a secret." She leaned confidentially near. "The day before Christmas we're to have a dear little service dowu here, and over therein the platform will be an empty manger? and, as we sing our Christmas carols, we are going to. :h up to the manger and each jin a gift for some little. Christ at the hospital. Won't we have 1 ly time deciding What to bring! ly, it will be almost as exciting as if every girlie-of you were playing Santa Claus!" Again Clarice's smiling face was clouded by a scowl, and one rude elbow poked the new scholar's arm. 'Clarice!" exclaimed Miss Maud, severely. "She's crowding me!" defended a sulky voice. Miss Maud looked up at the little brown figure shrinking back into a corner. The child's eyes were lumin ous: her face flushed, her lips parted, j "Agnes was so intently listening to me that I'm sure she didn't realize that she was leaning against anyone. I'm surprised at you, Clarice!" A cheek hid its shamed crimson In the soft muff. To have' Miss Maud "sur prised" at you was ignominy itseif! Her tears wet the violets. It was all Agnes' fault. She would never for give ier-never! And when Sunday-school was over and Agnes, with a timid smile, asked If she might walk up the street with Clarice, that unladylike little girl slipped ber arm through that of her chum. Anabel, and, whispering and giggling, stalked by Agnes without a word. The tears came into Agnes' eyes, for mother would not let her play with the little girls in the new neigh borhood into which they had moved, because/the children there were rough and boisterous, and used naughty words, and she was very lonely. But she was a brave Utile soul, and dash ing away the tears, she was soon THE ANGEL AND And the angel said unto tiieiu, Fear tidings o . RINGWOLT. skipping along in the sunshine, think ing what a lucky girlie, she was to have two lively legs, and a straight, strong back. Agnes remembered the time, be fore dear father's death, when they lived In a cunning cottage of their own on a pretty avenue, but now mother and she had only one room at the top of a gloomy house on a forlorn back street. Still, as her feet clattered up the dark, uncarpeted stairs, her heart was full of happiness because she had reached home at last-for even one room is home when mother is there. "Oh, mother," exclaimed Agnes, "I've so much to tell you!" And cuddled In mother's lap, an arm about her neck, a hand palting her cheek, Agnes sweetly prattled of the Christ Child Of old, and how His birthday was to be kept by giving presents to poor, sick little children left in His place. "And, mother," she cried, "I'm going to give a doll just like my own dear Peggy! Do you think, mother dear-if I sewed, too, you know-you could get the dollie dressed in time?" The smile faded from, mother's lips, and the arm about her girlie trembled. "My dear little Agnes," she murmured, with *a catch In her voice, "mother is so sorry to disap point you." She paused, then brave ly went on. "Agnes has grown to be such a little woman that mother is going to explain everything to her. You know, dear, for three* whole weeks mother had no work to do." "Yes," chimed in Agnes, gaily, "and it waa just beautiful! We took long walks, and, in the evening, in stead of the stupid sewing, you told me the lovelist stories.!" "But. love," explained mother, with a sad smile, "when there is no work there is no pay-no money to buy anything to eat nor coal to keep us warm." HANGING TIU "Yes, dour, because a kind man let us have all that we needed, and trusted mother to pay for it when she got work again. So, you see, Agnes, the money that mother Is making now does not really belong to us, but every cent must go to pay our debts." A small head solemnly nodded. "It hurts mother very much not to give her darling any Christmas toys nor let her girlie's kind h?art have its wish about the dollie for the poor dek little child at the hospital, but Agnes will try to be a good little girl about it, won't she?" The arms about mother's neel: tightened ' their hold, but Agnes' mouth twitched, and she had to blink very hard to keep back the tears. If she had no present to lay in the Christmas manger, how would the Christ Child know that she loved Him? "Of- course," she r.rgVied to herself, "1 could 'splaln in my,prayers that I had nothing to givo." But had she nothing? Her face suddenly crimsoned,'and a great lump choked her little throat. There was Peggy herself! Without speaking, she got down from mother's lap, and darted across the room to her little bed. There, THE SHEPHERDS. Albert fidclfeil. ? not; for, behold, I bring you good f great joy. propped up by u pillow, sat Peggy In i stiff pink calico dress. The curls had all been combed out of Peggy's ?traggling hair; the roses had long ago faded from her cheeks, and in a sad accident Perry had parted com pany with the end of her nose. "You dear!" whispered Agnes. Her lips formed a determined line. How could she have thought of giving Peggy up! What would she do all day without a dollie to play with? What would she do at night without i dollie to sleep on the pillow beside tier? But how disappointed her sick little girl at the hospital would be Christmas morning when all the rther children had lovely presents, and sh? found that she had been left aut? . Agnes stooped over the bed, gathered Peggy in her arms, and pressed her to her aching heart. It was the day before Christmas, and the children had sung all but their last carol which they were to sing as they marched to the manger and laid down their gifts one by one. The door softly opened, and a little brown shadow of a girl with a small pink object hugged toj her breast slipped timidly in. For a moment Agnes stood dazed, as if she had sud denly entered fairyland, for the bare walls of the room were festooned vith heavy ropes of Christmas greens, the shades at the windows were drawn, and all the chandeliers bril liantly lighted, while above the await ing manger shone a glorious electric >tar. Then, ashamed of being so late, she hurriedly tiptoed to her place, the vacant seat beside Clarice. Clarice met her with a cold stare, but the gaze of Agnes' eyes never reached the unkind little girl's face, tor it rested in fascinated awe upon a vision of beauty In Clarice's arms, lt was a doll such as fairies might dream of. She had dark, clustering curls, and magnificent brown eyes. Her cheeks glowed with color, and there was the cunningest dimple in her round chin. She was dressed in claret velvet trimmed in white silk, and wore a claret velvet poke bonnet with white silk strings and an ex quisite white plume gracefully touch ing the brown curls on the right side. And best o? all, she had a necklace of gold beads, and gold bead brace lets dangling over her hands. "Oh," murmured Agnes, "won't your little hospital girl be pleased?'' "My little hospital girl!" scorn fully whispered back Clarice. "You don't suppose I'd give my best doll away! Here's my present"-she held out a box of jack-straws-"Lady L.u "Oyster Soup, Gberkirwo ?tef-D?cK) .-.Apple-an?-Celery 5a(a?\ fbtatoes, 3ca((ope?, wirb Grated Onion; Squash, fi Plun^Pucl?ini;, Hard Sauce,' ^ange?^j0rahge^.Gmpc5.Coff^' elie and I simply stopped in." She airily tossed her head. "We're on our way to a Christmas Eve party. " "Form in line, my dears," inter rupted Miss Maud, briskly. "Yes, our class comes last, but you must sing all the time we're marching." The children's voices caroled joy ously as the procession pressed for ward, but one little singer was mute. She was the last in the lino, a little brown shadow of a girl with a small pink obj set hugged to her breast. Miss Maud stood by the manger, now heaped with all sorts of playthings, and nodded and smiled as each wee member of her class approached. Puzzled, she watched Agnes pause, look at the manger with frightened eyes, and hesitate. Then she saw the small pink object lifted to thc child's lips, and heard the sound of a smacking kiss of farewell before trembling hands laid a doll with straggly hair, faded cheeks and a broken nose among the new toys. "Why, my dear," cried Miss Maud, puttinglier arms aoout Agnes, "what is the matter?" A great sob shook the tiny figure. "Tell rae all about it," comforted Miss Maud And Agnes brokenly confided the whole story. But as she explained bow mother's money belonged to somebody else, and how she had noth ing to give the Christ Child except ber only doll, neither of them noticed i\ little listener who drew nearer and nearer. "No, no," cried Agnes,' "I wouldn't take her back. I want the little hos pital girl to have her-she'll 'preci. te Peggy's crippled nose, won't she?" Agnes forced a smile through her tears. "Only," she faltered, "it will be so-so lonesome without any doll-ic." Something tugged at Miss Maud's skirts. She turned, and with a start of surprise, looked down into Clar ice's eager face. "I've lots more at home, you know," she whispered. And, laying Lady Lucile In Agnes' astonished arms, Ciar' e ran after her chum, Anabel.- The Interior. 'WISDOM TABLET. Altho a mule Be sweet and kind, Just walk in front, And not behind. -Birmingham Age-Herald. KOT OLD FASHIONED. "I suppose she fairly gushed over the ring?" "Well, yes. She said it was a nlffey piece of ice."-Washington Herald. SMOKE JOKE. The smoke nuisance is still in our midst.-Atlanta Journal. Another cigarette fiend who In hales.-Chicago Record-Herald. THE WAY SHE DOES. "She keeps her house in apple-pie order." "Yes, I notice the atmosphere there is rather crusty."-Baltimore Aneri can. . EXPECTED TO TALK. Nurse (announcing the expected) ?-"Professor, it's a little boy." - Professor (absent-mindedly) - "Well, ask him what ,he wants." Boston Transcript. CRUEL DAD. "What's the matter, daughter?" "Ferdy and I have parted forever!" "Good! In that case, I s'pose he ?von't be around, for at least two nights."-Houston Chronicle. JUST SO. "So you think, the public demands boisterous fun?" "Not exactly. Girlsterous fun is the thing for a musical comedy." Louisville Courier-Journal. DISCORDANT. She (at the piano)-"I presume you are a. true lover of music, are you not?" He-"Yes. I am; but pray don't stop playing on my account."-* I Judge. TRAMP AND SCHOOLMARM. "There ain't nothin' bad about ne, missus," said the itinerant at the back door. "No?" replied the lady with the eyeglasses. "How about your gram? mar?"-Yonkers Statesman. LIMITED CREDULITY. Salesman-"Sorry, we're quite out of game, but I can recommend the sausages." Mr. Van Sharpeshooter-"H'm,yes. But my wife would not believe I shot 'em."-Ally Sloper's. TRIUMPH OF HUMAN NATURE. "Them seventeen mothers in the villas? Mothers' Club agreed to de cide by ballot which had the hand somest baby." "Well, who won it?" "Each kid got one vote."-Judge. LITERATURE. "I see you have here Gibbon's 'De illne and Fall' and Hallams 'Middle Ages.' " "Yes," responded Mr. Nur itch, "I like them fat volumes. It don't take so many of 'em to fill up a shelf." Houston Chronicle. TIMES CHANGE. "He writes my daughter a long letter full of poetry every day. Hu must be a sap-head." "Peleg, your reasoning is twenty years behind the age. Poetry is thu safest kind of filler these days, and a letter every day indicates much wealth, with white paper as high a& lt is."-Kansas City Journal. FOOLISH FRIENDSHIP. "Those cartoons of me that my en emies are circulating are positively hideous," remarked the candidate for office. "Do you think so?" rejoined his' wife. "You ought to take a look at the pictures of you that your friends are putting on their campaign ban ners."-Washington Star. ., ON THE SAME TERMS. Diner (who has run up a heavy bill)-"You are manager here, eh? Well, six months ago I dined here, and unfortunately, being unable to pay my bill-er-you kicked me downstairs!" The Manager-"Very sorry, in deed, sir, but business you know-er -I had to-er-' ' Diner-"Oh, that's all right, old chap-but-might I trouble you again?"-London Weekly Telegram. SEASONABLE. "Bishop Greer, of New York," said a missionary, "has an apt way of fit ting a story into an address. "I once heard him speaking, on the divorce evil In a very chilly and bad ly heated hall. "After a remark or two about this defect, he said he was reminded of a little Yonkers girl. "The child, one unseasonably cold morning returned from church quite j blue. . " 'And what was the text, dear?' her mother asked her. " 'Many are cold, but few are frozen,' was the reply."-Washing ton Star. Salving thc Gladiator. The Gladiator salvage has been a somewhat long and tedious operation, due mainly to the troublesome tides and unpropitious weather. However, the ship is "up" at the moment of writing, and should before long now be seen in Portsmouth harbor. No absolute decision about refitting her seems to have bren arrived at. She is a type of vessel now quite ob solete, as cruisers go; but for that very reason likely to be useful in a variety of ways. Obsolete saips can he risked where better oussi cannot be.-Engineer. Savings D Pays 4 % interest on all ac< compounded every six moi EX J. is_Agent, firdgt THE GIRL'S SECRET. "The girls have a secret," said Joe Sherman, "and I can't think what it is." "How do you know?" asked the .boys, in a chorus. i "Well, I will tell you. Just now, |as I passed along the hall, I heard ! peals of laughter coming from .Alice's room, -^nd I heard voices say ing, 'Won't the boys be surprised ?They don't even know we have a ?secret. Don't talk so loud or they ?might hear.' " ! As Joe finished speaking the boys ?looked at each orner in great wonder. . Well, we need not worry our heads .over it," said fun loving Jack Pres cott. "Let's go out and build a fort.-' : While the boys are having a good time I will tell you about them. Joseph Sherman and his brothers, Stuart, Albert and Laurence, and their ; paren ts, were spending the Christmas ^holidays at their grandmothers. ; John, Alice, Edith and Bert Pres cott, with their parents and their ^cousins, y Mildred, Ellen, Florence, ; Gertrude, James, Walter and Edward, ?with-their parents completeil the par !ty. It was Christmas night. The day's :fun was over and the boys were sit ting before the library fire talking ;of the day's events, when the door I opened an d Mrs. Prescott put her 'head in the door and said: "The .girls have a little surprise waiting !for you in the parlor." Mrs. Prescott led the way into the large parlor. All the furniture ?had :been removed, and in one end of the room was a raised curtain platform ?covered by three rows of chairs. When all were seated Mrs. Prescott i 'tapped a small bell and the curtain ( ! rose. The plc y had begun and it prov i ed to be a fine one. The toys long I .remembered the treat and greatly en joyed it. This was the girls surprise.-'New Haven Register. If man is destined to achieve the mastery of the air, it will be a revolution indeed. Who knows inquires tho 'Christian Register, whether th? next generation may not see the day of transatlantic air lines, polar excursions, and pleasure tours over the world's great moun talr ranges? Already we have the news of a German company organized to run a regular line of passenger airships ibetween the continental capital L-ltiPs from St. Petersburg to | Paria, and Vienna to London. It wouM be a beautiful and desirable result if science were thus to add to tfhe sum of human knowledge and enjoyment. But if the coming air ship is to be chiefly a new agent of the destruction, a flying battleship, th?n lot us hope that the day of its completion may be still far distant. Our old war-torn world would be bet ter off without it. Science, which ought to be beneficent always, labor ing for tho good of mai, would be maleficent indeed if it peopled the very air above us with winged de stroyers. Overcrowding in Scotland is not so ?hnd as it used to be. The propor tion living nvre thin four per room fHl from 1S.G7 per cent in '1861 to 9.5G in 1901. TOO WARM. "And have you clothes for ?ll cli mates?" "Yes; except the one <my husband mentions when he gets the bill." P?r-V Mo TTr, KW"H-H^H"I-I"^H"H"M'-i THE NATIONAL BANK OF AUGUSTA, AUGUSTA. GA. L. C. HAYNE. CHAS. R. CLARK, President. Cashier CAPITAL $250,000.08. Surplus & Profits $190,000.00. The business of-our out-of-town friends receives tho sama careful . :tention as that of our local depositors. The accounts of careful conae'rf ative people solicited. JAS. S. BYRD. SURGEON DENTIST, EDGEFIELD, S. C. ?ST*Offlceover Tost-Office. department zounts in this department^; nths, January and July. \ as $550,000.00. I [0S On $1000 Insurance s??e?d, S. C. Janies A. Bobey, DENTAL SURGEON, Johns ten. S. C. Office over News-Mcniior Office. INSURANCE When placing your Insure ance give me a call. I rep resent a very strong line ofj FIRE - - - Insurance Companies, Agent for rhe largest IvI?T?D - - . Insurance Co. I will ap preciate a share of yourbusi ness. i can be found at my office---Office No. a---over Bank of ?dgcneld. V. A. HEMSTREET &BR0. 1 ... ..m.. Guns, Pistols, Knives* CARTRIDGES. [First Class Repairing. 655 Broad Street?.. Augusta. Ga Near Georgia Railroad Bank? i Light Saw, Lathe and Shin gie Mills, Engines, Boilersy Supplies and repairs, Porta qle , Steam and Gasoline En gines, Saw Teeth, Files, Bells and Pipes. WOOD SAWS and SPLITTERS. Gins and Press Repairs. TIT LOMBARD, AUGUSTA, ?A.