Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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A MAN'S KSkOiNE. oome giris are extolled for their beauty And some for their knowledge an-1 wit, | And others for doing a duty, Of hardship and courage and grit, And some for composing a sonnet Or acting and filling a hall, Hut the girl who can trim her own bonnet A.nd makes her own dress beats all. Xiss Patti more music mny warble. Rose li->nheur excel her with paint, Miss Hosmer carve better on marble, She mav not be half of a saint? But if she can make her own dresvs And trim her own bonnet we hold She is?for the husband she blesses? Worth more than the others, al! told. I A .air! who can make her head pretty And, also, her figure look sweet, Js, either in country or city, A prize which no" genius can beat: And when In addition she's able To care for the babies and cook We set hpr right up on the table And call on creation to look. Hurrah for this girl and no othei ? We shout her unlimited praise, ^ To win her away from her mother And wed her we're trying always; She makes a man happy forever By helping?as Nature ordains? While those who, alas, are too clever, But add to his troubles and nains SEE FATHER'S VICTIM. j I A STOIIY OF WESTERN LIFE | i ?BY? . TIIOMAS P. MANFOPT. cnAPTEi: MONEY TO I.OAN. f ,, .-"ASTERN MOXP l? l0an ? '$/ *arff? ?r small ' Wj'-M amounts. Long / |C?;aP time and i xlT^-- (/r->; (> tcrnis- A PP1^ I ' I'ZjJljjfa to Solomoni \ f v4<|M -Scraggs, ag't." '\ ; John Green ? \ read and reread iy / ' -!///' ft this advertise- j <-**V , / '" /*' j ment over and i I \ over as he sat V'.v: "*/ f','r- ' H A I one summer i \Jv \ {jijizz* evening in front JVv\ ' of his little sod x cabin in western Kansas. It was short, plain and pointed, and evidently anyone ought to have understood it at a glance. Yet John Given read it and studied it as though it was soiuo deep problem with mysterious meaning. At last he put down the local paper in which the advertisement appeared and arising paced to and fro across the yard with his head bowed and a look of deep trouble on his face. "I don't know." he mused, as he came back and resumed his seat near the cabin door. "Something* must be done, and done at once; for. as matters stand, starvation stares us in the face. We must have food, and we must have money in order to get it: and there is but one way, so far as I can see, to get money?but one way. And yet I dislike to think of mortgaging the farm. I have had experiences with mortgages, and I dread them. They are the bane of a poor man's life, the cancer that eats in deeper and deeper until he is left destitute and homeless." John Green shuddered as ho drew this picture, for it brought back to him in all its ghastly vividness that time, but a few years before, when that vampire. the mortgage, had eaten up his last dollar and turned, himself and family from their loved little home in the east. For a long time he sat in moody silence, now with his face buried in his hands, and now-looking with a sad. faraway gaze out across the endless .* tretch of bare, brown prairie to where the sua. like a great round ball of fire, was slowly sinking behind the edge of fc. / the earth. For an hour almost he remained thus, the shadow on his face deepening with those of evening, his eyes dimming, while ever and anon a tear stole down his rough, weatherstained cheek. "Yes, we must have food," he resumed at last, "ami we mast have money, and we must mortgage the 'claim' to get it. It i? a hard thing to do, but to suffer from hunger is worse. We cannot starve, that's certain." Just then a woman appeared in the doorway. She was a wan. sad-faced creature, plainly a victim to overwork and worry. Her once beautiful face was furrowed with deep lines of care, and her waving brown locks were prematurely streaked with gray. The tire |?. V,.V^ . .{ .: &.* ' ;sA f=3 l '-: lli-XjJ " \ V" I I 41 | j vy* "?-' '<i _ * ' }'; | : ' ! ' :;t ' i :'! ' VUXl, > . . ? 1 .j .; ? j-1-1* : i ! , i;j lj fyf i 'j j y ji hi/.Z -r ' v .f : ' M' j u l./Njkyj--.- ;.;!, j rJS'' ? -? "M.VRY, YOU AiE WORRYING YOURSELF SICK." - of life was pone from her eyes, leaving a pair of listless orbs that told all too plainly their story of misery and suffering. There was n<> trace of a smile lurking1 about the thin, compressed lips that had once been rosy with health and happiness. She was a perfect example of mental and physical debility?a liv^ ing result of hard times and "man's in, humanity to man." She was dying, inch by inch, of worry, want and work. John Green glanced up when his wife appeared in the doorway, and motioning her to a seat beside him attempted to assume a less melancholy air as he said: "Mary, you are worrying yourself sick again, and you ought nut do it. You must look 011 the brighter side of things, wife, and never lose hope." "John, it is useless for us to try to disguise our feelings any longer," Mary replied. "\k Know ami uiuier?**nd each other tvx? well for that, ami we know that there is nothing on earth for :is to hope for. I have all aiong affected a cheerfulness I did not feel, beeauso 1 thought it helped to lighten your burdens a little, hut now we perfeetly understand each other, and to dissemble longer is folly. I know what you suffer, John, for 1 have seen it from tiie tirst, and I know that there is no hope in your heart." "Mary. don't talk so." John pleaded. "The future docs look dark and blank, hut it may not be so bad as it seems. W e must keep up courage." Mary shook her head despondently, and the tours she had with so much effort r.-s*rained broke loose and llowed thick and fast. John placed his arm about her and drawing her to him laid her head on his shoulder. "Marv," he said. "I know the prospect is discouraging, but there will be a way of cutting- through. It. Next 3-ear we -shall raise jforxl cr-:?ps and harrplenty, and only a feu- short months of privation lie between now and then." Yes, it may be as you say, John," Mary replied: "but how are we to live through those few months? You know we have no provisions, not enough to supply our wants for another week, 1 and no morii-y to buy more. There is riot a panicle of flour or meal in the house, and Louisa has gone nmv to try to get some f rom the store. Markharu lia.s refused r.s credit, but surely he w. .n'l deny Lor when he knows that we must have it or starve." P<>r a little while a perfect silence reigned. Mary sobbed on her husband's breast like a heart-broken child, while John gazed vacantly out into the gathering darkness, now and then drawing- his rough, soiled sleeve across his eyes. A minute or two passed so, and then John spoke. "We, must have money, Mary," he said, "to tide us orer this spell. It won't take a great deal, and we must get it." ' How can we get it?" Mary asked. "We can get it in but one way, Mary, and that is a way that I do not like. It is a way that I have fought against and hoped never to have to resort to. We must borrow the money, Mary, and give a mortgage on th<* farm." "Oh, John! John!" Mary cried, starting up. "Don't speak of such a thing. Surely you have not forgotten what we passed through back there at the old home?" "Xo, wife, I have not forgotten, and T ncwar clirvll" "Then do not talk of mortgaging the claim, for it is all we have left to us, and to mortgage it is to lose it.1' "But, Mary, we must live, and that is the only thing we can do to get provisions. \Yc cannot starve." "Xo, we cannot starve; but it is hard to lose our home and again go into the world penniless." John pretended to take a more cheerful view ?f the situation, and it is probable that he managed to delude himself to some extent. Anyhow, his voice resumed a little of its old-time ring and his eyes grew brighter as hu said: "We will not need much money, wife, and with a good crop next year we can repay it easily. Xow here is an advertisement in this paper of money to loan on long time and easy terms. Three hundred dollars would tide us over nicely, and as the claim is worth a thousand, we can no doubt get all the time we want on so small an amount, only so we keep the interest paid. I've been thinking the matter over, and it seems to me that if we gave a mortgage for two or three hundred dollars we wouldn't have anything to worry over." It was some time before Mary made any reply to this, and when she did, she >aiu. "I wish I could think your statement correct, John, and could believe that the debt would be. so easily paid off; but no matter al>ont that, for the mortgage will have to be given, and perhaps we ought to feel thankful that we have that means of prolonging our lives. Who has the money to loan?" "Scraggs." "Then you will go down to-morrow and see about getting it?" ' Yes, it had as well be done at orice. I f we are to borrow it. there is no use to delay. I will drive over and take you with me, so that the papers can be made out and the business all completed to-morrow." Soon Louise returned empty-handed from the store, Markham having again refused to let any goods go without money. Louise had been crying and then; were still tears in her eyes when she reached h .-i parents. ' What is matter?" the mother asked. ''What did Markham sa}T?" Louise hesitated, hung her head and fingered her dress nervously. It was plain she did not want to relate what Markham had said. The mother repeated her question, and Louise, having no ether alternative, replied: "lie went on dreadfully, mother, and he made me cry." '"What was it he said?" "Oh, lots of things. He said he wouldn't sell us any more goods without money, and that he was not so rich that he coukl feed paupers, and he wasn't going to try. We would have to pay money or go hungry and he didn't care which. I didn't cry while I was there, but I felt so hurt that I could hardly keep back the tears, and when I pot out of sight 1 broke down and had a long cry. Oh, how I wish old Mr. Markham was like?like?" "Like who?" John Green asked. "Like?like you, pa," said the girl, only too plainly terminating her speech in a way totally different from what she had originally intended. Young as Louise was she was in love with Paul Markham. and she blushed at the mention of his name, and for fear of betraying herself avoided it as much as possible. She did not tell her parents how Paul, having- overheard her interview with his father, had followed her away from the store, and came to her out on the prairie where she stopped to cry; nor how he had spoken such conaoling and cheering words, and, better still, offered^ to loan her a portion of his small sum of money. Sv?? had acc?T"tKi*fc:s kind words ^l\y and d&oxu.vL his profcred loan e<trutl grs^fuiness, and she felt tiat she had done pertwcUy right, so there was no harm in keeping tier own counsel. "Well," said John, breaking a long pause, "Markham has shown what sort of man he is. It was bad enough to deny us a little favor after all the money we have spent with him, and he might have spared himself the trouble of adding insult to injury. Because we have had misfortunes and are poor it does not follow that every one has a right to speak of us as paupers. To-morrow we shall have money with which to buy goods, and not a dollar of it goes to Markham?not one cent of it." Having delivered himself thus John Gn-en hastened t<> drop the subject and take up one more pleasant, and for an hour he and his wife talked about the future, drawingpietures of prosperous days and happy situations, as though good times and prosperity were assured facts. No doubt the full intention of each was to delude the other, and. however well they succeeded, each retired to bed that night feeling that the iramc had been productive of much good, since both made a pretense of being greatly relieved. It was a lung time, though, before either Jului or his wife slupt, though they both affected to have fallen asleep directly. In the quiet of the night the thought of that mortgage came back in full lorce and they wore troubled oil illVolHH Oi it. i. n< u im _. ... .x to deceive each other they could not deceive themselves, and, look at it as they w.>uld the future was dark and unpromising. CHaitbk II. John and Mary tireen had marriec njrainst the wi>;,cs ..f their parents, Mary's father objected to the mutch because John was not as hi^h iu the scale of U*e as he thought his daughter might aspire, for she was a banker's daughter and John was but a common clerk. Then, to oven up matters. John's I father retaliated by declaring that no son Ids should ever marry into a 7 ^ I ! tfu | ! 4'- (i* 1 :? i I 1 ' *. ? Ap:j I 1 /;y'rW"^ ' /U V S'^wr^ i I / \ :'l f ' ! I - .-A ' i r : ? ! J f r V >. . . i , .* | !j| ^ '": / ^y.. \.> "\ | ./ /_- . ; ?.*<<, ! ! i ' -1' \ i V-? j! //:./' | i . r? i & "'ifejv?iii I * tcA >\ v. ' V-i.'*- ! ! XI XOT A I)OLLAlt Of IT GOES TO MAP.K u k %f." family the head of which presumed look down oil the (ireens. Having come to this kind of terms on both sitU-^. the elder I'latchford, the banker, and the elder Green, the farmer. strutted about with as much pom| posity as they could command, each doing* everything in his power to showhow vastly superior he was to the other, and each succeeding to perfection in making himself ridiculous in the eyes of everybody but himself. Thus it went on for a year, the two old men passing and repassing and never speaking, or deigning to look at each other. In tlie meantime the two lovers met clandestinely, and enjoyed themselves fully as well if not better than they would if their parents had acted with more sense. The}' met, courted aud married?married two or three years sooner than they would hare done if they had not been interfered with, but had been allowed to continue their courtship uninterruptedly. So much I *r.y tl,,, fif t h(?ir nnwTits. I John held u position at a. fair salary, and had saved up money enough to buy and furnish a. neat little cottage home. Here the couple settled down as happy as two lovers could be, and Mary laid aside her rich attire and easy life, and readily transformed the banker's daughter into the poor clerk's wife: and */ie felt none the worse by the change. She took up the duties of housekeeping and soon became quite proficient. Hanker Blatchford and Farmer Gr?rn, as soon as they learned that their children were married, proceeded forthwith to disown them. Mary made one attempt to win her father's forgiveness, but he refused her petition, saying she need no longer consider Ijsjd in the light of a father, nor, indeed, in any other light save that of a total stranger. "You have married as you wished, and not as I would have had you," he said, "so go your way and I'll go mine. You have chosen to disregard my advice and desires, and have tied yourself to a penniless wretch, and from this time forth I know you not. You must look to John Green for everything, and when poverty and want overtake you, as they certainly will, don't come X "Pa- /.-v*. t + XO LLLC iur J.ui a a\>cai you shall never have a penny or a crumb from me." That quite settled matters between the rich, proud, old banker and his loving", tender-hearted daughter and from that time forth they were strange to each other; and though for two years they lived in the same town, and often ; met and passed on the street, no sign I of recognition was shown by cither. Poor Mary could show pride and defiance enough when she was in her fathers presence, but no one ever knew what tears she shed arid what heartaches she suffered when she was at home alone. She loved her father next to John, and even after his cruel speech she would have gladly thrown her arms about his neck and plead for his 'ove and forgiveness, only she knew that he would repulse her if she did. John's father, not to bo outdone by Blatchford, notified his son never to come back home, ^>ut to consider himself disinherited and disowned. This notice did not quite crush John, since home had never been particularly pleasant, and to be relegated from it was not such a terrible blow as his father might have supposed; and as to being disinherited, well, that was little short of a joke, for the elder Green's possessions were extremely liuuteu, m the main of forty acres of poor, mortgage-ridden land, and a dozen farm animals, none of which were very choice. So, disinherited and disowned, John and Mary Green went to work on their own responsibility and for a time succeeded remarkably well. They brought their little home up to a point of marvelous perfection, and had a neat sum in bank to which they were regularly making additions. They were contented, and even happy, in spite of the fact that they were strangers to their parents. But by and by reverses came. First, Mar>' took with a fever and for weeks lay in the edge of death's shadow. Then, after she recovered, John lost his position on account of the house with which he was connected failing. Months of idleness followed, for there was a business crash in the land and employment was hard to obtain, with an armj' of suddenly-discharged employes tramping the streets of every town and village in search of work. The little store in the bank began to melt away, but to make short work of that the bank failed. Then John, disheartened and worn out, fell sick, and for months was unable to leave the house. In this condition they began to feel the effects of want, and having no other means of raising money to live, on, they gave a mortgage on their home. Other sickness and other misfortunes followed, sw that John was never able to release the debt on his home, and in time, when the interest had eaten in deeply, the placet was sold. Then John and Mary, with their child who had been born to them the first year after their marriage, collected together the small possessions that were ieft them and joined the swarm of w>ia ivcru nn tluur wav varn/viin .v.- .. to Kansas to take up claims and make homes on the great western prairies. They went away out near the west line of the state before they were able to find any government land that had not been "granted" to some railroad company or other corporation, or had not been leased to some cattle king, whose right to make a fortune o:T public land must be considered and protected. no matter what became of the poor man who-wanted a few acres of land for a home. At last, after driving for days and days across the green, rich prairies in: fested by the cattlemen, and marked ] about by the stakes of different cor- J ; mirations, John Green, with liis wife j and child and their shackling1 old whiteI topped wagon, halted on the sandy | plains of western Kansas and preemptj od a claim in the alkali desert and settled down to combat with drought, hot winds and malaria. When John had selected his claim and got his preemption papers all arranged, he began the construction of a sod house, and in a short time the new house was ready for occupancy. He was disappointed in the result of his trip, and he knew that Mary was also though she had never breathed a word I to that effect. lie felt that they had J better remained east, and had ominous doubt?, of the outcome of the mo~e. ! liut it was done, and since to retreat j ivas impossible, he resolved zo go on j and make the best of it. So he plowed the sod and planted the ! crops, and in time the seed sprouted ! and came up. Then lit* cultivated the j lields early and late, and as the growing j jorn sprang- up higher and higher and j ^ ^ ' ! ktr.L . a i / i / x ; *.- * '.. \r?U M;'4 ' >* ; :j -:\ \\ " M f;,-:.,v IV"' ?> g ' ** t t ;; ' > $ 7P('i */ ' V' ;l *' ,s.. . r. V.'/ f -. #/ ? '< ;';X' ' ' *' V' , -/ '? WESTWAKI) IIO! luo field became a sea of waving green, John's courage returned and hope rodo ruigh in his breast. "We shall come out all right yet, .Mary, rie remarKeu uuu uveumjj u& they walked out to look at the crops. "We shall come out all right, and soon have a nice home; and it will all be ours. It will only take a little time and a little patience." "Who cares for the time, John?" Mary replied. "I'm sure that I don't mind the waiting and the work, only so we get a home at last." And thus contented to work and wait, these brave pioneers, like thousands of others, submitted cheerfully to every hardship and inconvenience, and bore uncomplainingly on against adversity and misfortune. For three years they kept steadily to their purpose, contending against drought and hot winds, which ever}* \*ear destroyed their growing crops and left their fields parched and brown. Then John took down with malaria, and all the spring and all the summer was unable to work, ana want pressed upon them, and the wolf cf hunger drew near the door of the sod house, placing them in the condition where the opening'c f this story found them, driven to the necessity of'mortgaging the claim for food. CHAPTER III. CITING THE MORTGAGE. As lias been stated, neither John, aior Mary slept ,rauch that night after they had concluded to mortgage the farm, and so, worn out with a restless night, John was astir in the morning at an uncommonly oarly hour. Upon dressing and going out the first object that met his eyes when he opened the door was a small bag of corn meal sitting on the door step. lie and >Tary wondered a great deal at this, and many suggestions as to how it came there were offered by one and j the other, but after due consideration they were all dismissed as untenable, and eventually they decided that old Markham had become convinced of having acted wrongfully and had in the | night stolen over with the meal, being j ashamed to let his presence be known. Louise had another "and more correct opinion regarding the matter, but as in an oincr cases writ;re inui \wi-> tuucorned she resolved to keep quiet. However the meal came there, it proved a very acceptable gift. in fact a perfect Godsend to the Greens, for otherwise their breakfast would have I been a very meager aifair. As it was, they had some corn cakes and some parched meal coffee, and these, were rare delicacies in those days and had a salutary effect on John, since with a full stomach some of his old-time pride, independence and courage returned, and after partaking of that breakfast .n? J, i - ir' ft! hbw '0j:P '/>i'< Ls 4 1 /(/ ) & ^5 / "i'i v'v?>)L u: !l. /*" 'YUt: i "THOSE ARE SOT SO BAD, A^E THEY?" he felt that lie could face a great deal more trouble than he then had, and come off victorious. Ihvakfast over, John harnessed np the two horses to the old wagon, and he and Mary drove ofT to the little town where Scraggs kept his ofHce. The day was warm and clear and the roads dry, and the trip, though embracing ten miles each way, was not a disagreeable one. The two talked a great deal as they went down, about one tiling and another, but neither of them hinted at the matter about which they were making the trip. They grew quite cheerful after they had been out awhile, owing, no doubt, to the fresh air and change of scenery. Arriving at the town, which, by the way, was called Paradise Park, though there was nothing- reseiu ruing a pane within a. hundred miles of it. and it is safe to presume that it bore little enough resemblance to paradise, with its one street and four or five shackling old board buildings half buried in the sand and alkali drifts?arriving at this young metropolis of the west, John Green and his wife had little difficulty in finding Solomon Scraggs' office, for it was the most prominent building in the place, being post office, printing office and real estate anil loan office all in one and all under the control and guidance of Scraggs. Mr. Scraggs was in his office when the Greens entered, but being deeply engaged at the time in writing an editorial for his paper, the Western Kree/.e, on the multifarious advantages if, Ivfinsas to live and invest capital. John had to wait some time before he had an opportunity of stating his business. In .he meantime he had a ehauee to take a survey of the ofliee and to observe the wonderful ears of corn and stalks of millet and whea?.and oats that hung against the walls as samples of the products of the surrounding country. He was still gazing upon these magnificent specimens when .Mr. Scraps brought his "able editorial" to a finish and whirling about in his chair caught .John in the act. Instantly a smile lighted up the agent's face, and rubbing his hands together, he said: "Those are not so bad, are they?" John recalled his gaze from the samples and. fixing it upon Mr. Scraggs, replied: "Xo. they are not bad." "I should say not." Seraggs went on; "not bad for a new country cursed with drought, hot winds, grasshoppers and all that sort of thing. Ila! ha! They | tell terrible rt<>rit?? :<bout this country, ' * ' " ! ! and try poivorful ham to seary people j away from here, but it won't work, j We've got the soil, and we've got the I seasons, and so long as we can produee ! such stuff as you see there, we're ail right. I tell you. sir. there ain't a more ! productive spot nowhere on earth than j you find right here in this county. And j yet land's cheap here. Awav down | cheap. I can sell y< m as good land as ! ever lay at door for fifteen dollars an | acre. It's the farm, too, that that corn j grew on." John listened to this speech in ivon- ] dor. Was :t possible, he thought, that ' the country could be such as ?eragg!> said, and yet he not know it? Seraggs was a very honest, earnest-looking man, and he spike in such a free, matter-offact way that it seemed impossible that he was not speaking the truth. After a short silence John said: "Do you say that those samples of grain grew in this country, Mr. Seraggs?" ' I do, certainly, and there is nothingremarkable in it to us who know the countr}* and know what the land is. I daresay you have heard wild stories about this section and are ill prepared to believe what I tell you. However, ask our farmers and they will tell you the same story. As T said, I can sell Jr UU Uilt UCOb iai Ul lil WiiVJ waUKY J.U1 fifteen dollars per acre, and it's worth more than that to-day, and in a year from now it will be worth twenty if not twenty-five. I will drive you out to look at it if you think it would suit you. What you say?"' "Why, 1 don't want to buy land, but just eame in to soe about gi-tting a loan on a claim 1 liavj out east." [To be continued.] Destructive l-'or?*st Fires. ConiEKLANi), Wis , Sept. 18.?Forest lires are raging in the country immedi ately south and in plain sight of the city, and a strong south wind prevails. Several farm houses and barns, two wood yards and a large amount of other n^innrtv lisi?j iie^ii liiirru-d Men are l"ui'v'-v ? now lighting the Hames, and there is much apprenension in this city. The village of l'erley was almost wiped out of existence by (ire yesterday. At Tomaha a most disastrous lire is raging in the cranberry marshes between Valley J unction and Norway. .Between twenty-live and thirty square miles of marsh have been consumed, and the lire shows no signs of abatement. Thousands of dollars worth of property have already been sacrificed. I'KAIRIE FIRES IN NOIITH DAKOTA. liiSMACK, X. 1).. Sept. 18.?A disastrous prairie lire hus burned over a large port ion of Emmons County, sixty miles south of here. Driven by a strou# west i wind, a sheet of flame as hitrh ;is the house-tops swept over the cojAry from the Missouri liiver past WiWimsport, which place narrowly escaped?and into the southeastern partion of the county. Details are meagre. JS'o mail was received from Williamsport last evening. ">e loss will be heavy, as a large area ot: range hnds was burned over. ~ Many farmers lost their entire crops and i buildings. It is reported that one man ; was fatally burned. Our Depleted Cotton Crop. I Following is the report of the weathj er bureau for tne week ending Satur* I day: i "The rainfall has oeen oeiow tne normal: temperature abou", the average amount: sunshine has been above the average. The heavy rains which completely saturated the soil, and in inanv places ponded, and together with the hot sunshine for the past week scalded and rusted most of the cotton crop, and caused many of the immature Lolls to open, and has thereby greatly decreased the yield. From reports received from correspondents, and from other reliable information, my last report of 25 per cent, decrease is fully sustained, and at several places the decrease in production is placed at a much higher estimate." 'I give a few of the several statements of reliable and intelligent farmers, giving the condition of the cotton crop: " 'In Richland, Sumter, Darlington. Florence and (Jhesterlield Counties, fully 20 per cent, below the average. Some places one-half picked out. I have traveled over nearly the I entire State within the last two weeks and I am satisfied that the cotton crop is injured mure than 25 per cent. I have been planting for eighteen yoars and have never failed in that time to average one bale of cotton to the acre. If 1 set a half bale to the acre this year 1 shall do well." South CarotluH I'oHtrtI Service. A convention of the postmasters of this State was held in Columbia on Tuesday last, the object being to discuss the condition of the service, and suggest plans for it's improvement. Among other thines the following suggestions were made, addressed to thel'ostmaster (Jeneral. 1. Make a condition precedent to mailing, that every piece of mailing rnetter shall bear the return card addresses. 2. Lee the iegulations be so changed that the unpaid matter can be forwarded to points of destination and double rate be collected lor it upon delivery. :i. Have postal rates and classification printed on the tlap of all envelopes by the government, unless otherwise ordered by the purchaser. 1. That an elastic band bearinz name of mailing oilice be placed on all fourthclass parcels. ij. That the postal note be abolished and a three cent fee be charged for money orders for less than five dollars. (?. That postmasters be allowed to open, in the presence of witnesses, all letters dropped into the oilice without it! nr<lerth;it the name of the writer may be ascertained and the letter returned lor address, so that the labor and delay of sending the same to the dead letter ollice raav be avoided. Want an Investl;;at ion. Charleston, S. C., Sept. 18.?A meeting of the policy holders oi the New York Life Insurance Company was held here to-day. Several prominent gentlemen spoke on the subject and resolutions were offered and accepted asking that a thorough examination of the company's affairs be made, and inviting the co-operation of policy Holders of other places. Senator liutler's IJaits iter l?ea<l. Waliialla, S. C., Sept. 21.?Miss Elise iJutler, daughter of Senator M C. iSutler, died at Highlands, X. C., this morning at 0 o'clock nicer a lingering illness irem fever, iler body will be carried to Ecigelield Lo-morrow via tliis place for interment on \Vedn<sday. She was twenty years old The importance of purifying the i.in.ii! riTint, he over-estiuiated, tor | without pure blood vou cannot enjoy good Iieaib. P. 1'. P. (Prickly Ash, Pukr Root and 1'ottassium) is a miraculous blood puritier, performing more cures in six months than aJi the sarsaparillas and so-called blood purifiers put together. Rheumatism.?lames 1'axron, of -Savannah, Ga.. sa.vs he had Rheumatism so bad that he could not move from the bed or dress without help, and that lie tried many remedies, but received no relief until he began the use of V. P. P. (Prickly Ash, Poke 'loot, and Pot;ussiumj, ami two bottles resiorcii him to health. Rheumatism is cured by P. P. P. Pains and aches m the back, shoi'lders, knees, ankles, hips, and wrists are all attacked and conquered by P. P. 1'. This great medicine, by its b!oo-Jcleansing properties, builds up and i strengthens the whole body THE RUSH FOR HOMES, i THREE TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE AS THERE ARE HOMESTEADS. l'llleeii Hundred >'eiiro?-H In the Mad Stampede?A I'urtv of Youns Ladies Klrle 3ii on Ponies? Lively Boom Scenes. Guthrie, O. T., Sept 22.?"The laud is yours." That is what every timepiece on the border of the lands opened to settlement today proclaimed when iis hands poiutcd to ihe hour of m?ou. Simultaneous with that hour the home-seekers gathered on the border, made a headlou^ rush over the line into the coveted country and 011 to the quar tur sections upon which ineu* eves nau j been feasting, some for days and others [ ior weeks and months. The rush was a mad one and was made so by the lact that the number of hoiue-seeicers greatly exceeded the number of quarter sections available for settlement. "First there, first served," tvas the motto of every racer. There was room in the new lands for about 5,(.>00 seekers, blowing 160 acres for each. There were on the border waiting to claim the available land fully 15,000 people, so that there were three persons lor each sectiou. It was no wonder that the rush was a mad one, for in this case at least the race was invariably to the swift. Like scenes have never been witnessed before except when Oklahoma became the people's two years airo. Some of the more desperate cowboys mounted steers, and the latter, joimnir in tue stampede, carried their rider* to the interior while others were unceremoniously unhorsed or unsteered not far from the border. The boomers had gathered for the race most at Tohee on the Iowa reservation border directly east of Guthrie; Langstou". at the middle of the X ->rthern Iowa reservation border, mside the boundary of the Kickapoo reservation (which was not included in the opeued luhds) and at a point on the Potlawatomie binder directly east of Purcell. The most desirable of the lands is situated in the Iowa, Sack and Fox reservations, aud the greater number of boomers naturally consregated around them. The boomers were distributed among various starting points about as rollows, at Tohee 3000, Langston 1500 negroes, and 500 whites, on the Kickapoo border ?000, and on Pottawatamie border 2000. The allotments to the Pottawamie Indians nearly exhausted the lands in their reservation, so the home seekers had little chance of locating a claim thuu:. At Lausston nesrroes had been .1 i_._ .!* ? gaiuercu uy tuc Vywu^awv/u society to the number of 1500, and they were to move en masse to Cimarron valley, a most lertile reyion, aud locate in a bunch. Five hundred whites, mostly cowboys, also had their eyes on that secticn, and each party had made all sorts of threats ol taking the land by force. A force of deputy marshals aud deputy sheriffs under the sheriff of this county had been despatched there to preserve order, and it is believed that they will be able to maintain peace. One of the unique sights at Tohee was a company of young ladies from Guthrie, who had formed a colonization company to proceed to the new lands and settle on adjoining claims. They x. t n>. ^.3 ?rAM/, w ere mourned uu x puuics uuu ncic rttiredas near as be in cowboy coslumy, armed with revolvers and equipped for camping out. They made the race in a body. .So far as has been ascertained, up to the present time no seriotis conflict has taken place between the rival daimants, and the country has been peacefully occupied. Government supervision of the openings of the lauds soemv to have been sadly deficient. The entire uovernment force was composed of two compauies of United Slates troops, or two hundred men, and the forces of three United States marshals, numbering about two hundred and fifty men. Of these latter, lilty were sent to Lannston to preserve peacc between the cowboys ami negroes; lifteen were required at each of the three land oflices, and twenty-five at Tohee. Ot the regular troops, a squad of men were stationed at each of the two county seats. This left only some 300 men to patrol borders of about 200 miles in extent, or one man to every two-thirds of a mile of border. The men, however, were not stationed at regular intervals. In some places there wi re ten and lifteen men to the mile, while at others there were stretches of Jive or ten miles entirely unguarded. Under these conditions it might have been expected that mimhftrs of boomers would enter before the appointed time, and they did. Two miles north of Tohee about 200 boomers had irathered on a secluded spot, knowing that the government force would be massed at the border towns. They had all set their watches three hours ahead last night so that '.heir testimony would agree it ever their claims should be contested on the ground of their being "soouers." At 9 o'clock their watches all indicated the hour of noon, and they rushed over the border and began the fray for the. choice sections. The "sooners" at other uuguarted portoins of the bordt r were also very numerous, and it is estimated from ail reports that the number of settlers who entered the land before the leg 11 time was lully 3000. Tohee this morning was an Indian town just over the Iowa border, due east trom this place; tonight it is a white man's city of 1500 inhabitants. 11 fell into the hands of the Town Site company. organized here by the president of the Hoard of Trade, the president of the First National bank. James McXeil, and the city marshal of Guthrie. A representative of the company returned to this place this afternoon aud filed at the land ollice a plat o! a town and county claims. lie reports that an election was lml/l thia nftornnnti. nf. which McXeil was chosen maror. At a point five miles below Tohee quite a number of boomers were gathered to make the race. Among them was one woman whose name has not been learned, whose impatience got the better of her discretion. She crossed the line before the appointed time and one of the deputy marshals guarding the party anested her and forced her back over the line. Soon afterwards she again crossed the liue prematurely and when the deputy a second time ordered her back she drew a revolver lrotn her dress pocket and opened lire upon him. The marshal returned the lire, and shot her in the left leg just below ihe knee, shattering the limb. She was unable to make the race when noon arrived. The boomer was left this side of the border stretched under a tree unable to move. A humane hack driver brought the unlortunate woman to this place, where she is being cared for. The t?tory of every arrival from Lang stun agrees that there has been noting between negro settlers and cowboys. No iatalities are reported as resulting. All on Hoard l'ertyhed. Sax Francisco, Sept.. IT.?The mystery surrounding the schooner Pannonia, s?? long overdue at this port from Marshall Islands, is at last cleared, up. The vessel sailed for Sau Francisco on May 1, laden with a general cargo, and in addition to a crew of sewn, bad on board Capt. Lovt-dale's wife and threr? children. It is also stated that &e>. eral missionaries had taken passage on the i'aunonia to come to tnis city. The schooner was wrecked ou a ivef to the northwest of the Hawaiian Islands, and every soul on board was drowned. ^ M 'The OH) itclUM*." From the oftiee of the railroad i.-otn- j mission it, is Ji>wrt,:iim'd that 'h<- touil income of tru* So;:th Carolina Iiaiiway ! for the yt-ar ending .Titoe 30, lS'.'l, sum- ' marized troni its monthly reports, was ; 81,681,502.an increase over the previous year of S2150.740. Tbe percent-ire of increase is lb35 per cetir. The lolloping figures show the total earnings of this branch for the p;ist ten rears: 188 2 ".. .$1,229,878.06 188 3 1,356,936.50 188-1 1.-71.077.3*5 1885 1,888.944.85 18SG 1.139,661.34 ' T ! }< >( ! > r JOOi I 18SS 1.-50,587.14 iasy 1,270,^1.73 18SI0 1,125.261.94: 18(J1 1,<581,501.75 j Piano* and Organa. N. W. Trump. 13-i Main street Co- I lumbia, S. C., sells Pianos and Organs, direct from factory. No agents' com- j missions. The celebrated Chickering | Piano. MaUnism k Piano, celebrated for its clearness of tone, lightness of touch and lasting qualities. Mason A Hamlin Upright Piano. Sterling: Upright Pianos, from $225 up. Mason & Hamlin Organs surpassed by n<>u^.Sterling Organs, ?50 up. Every Instrument guaranteed for six years. Fifteen days' trial, expenses both ways, if not satisfactory. .Sold on Instalments. Tiie Alliance farmers of Kansas have J not taken the advice that was given them to repudiate their mortgage indebtedness, but are paying it up as fast as they gel the money for their crops. The statistics recently collected on the subject are encouraging to all holders of farm mortgages, and pleasing to everybody who believes in the honesty and honor oi' the farmers of the countrv. It is a sound policy that the Kan- j sas farmers are pursuing in this respect, and it will redound to their ad-1 j vantage at once ana nereauer. io youWise to ; HI: KOS?( or vofk own ! HOIJKE, j I | TEEN BUY THE THOMAS STEAM PRESS AND SEED COTTON; ELEVATOR. It is the most perfect system in use, unloading cotton from wagons, cleaning and delivering it into gins or stalls. Cotton does not pass through fan and press requires no pulley nor belts. It saves time and money. i TALBOTT k SONS' 1 ENGINES AND BOILERS, STATION AR1' AND PORTABLE. OLD DO[ TALBOTTS SAW MILLS, IMPROVED FRICTION AND ROPE FEKD ?200 TO 9(300 | I LUMMUS AND VAN WINKLE COTTON GINS AND COTTON PRESSES. We offer Saw Mill Men and Ginncrs the most complete outfits that cau be l bought and at bottom prices. |V. C. BADHAM, GENERAL AGENT, Columbia. S. C. T1IE TALBOTT ENGINE LS 1'HE BEST Feb 19-lv. COTTON SAMPLE IMPHOYED! Or\F. CEJiT PER MY A( T! AL TEST. :o: I At the gin of Mr. F. H. Roberts in Rich! land County, iust before starting his Sailor I Elevator one bale had been ginned by the j old method. Just after starting the Elevator another bale was ginned from the same I pile. Without knowing this fact the cotton | buyer offered one cent per pound more for t the bale ginned with the use of the ElevaI tor. Read the statements of the buyer and seller: COPY. This will certify that of two samples of cotton offered us today by Mr. Rowan Rose the market value of one exceeded that of the other by one cent per pound. I"Signed.) p. CRAWFORD & SONS. COPY. Thiss will certify that the two bales of cotton offered as above were both from the same pile of seed cotton, aud ginned in the same gin. One was carried to the gin in baskets and one through the Sailor Seed Cotton Elevator. (Sigued.) J. R. ROSE. The best Gins, Presses, Elevators, Engines and the best machinery of all -Po-ilo Kr A.1UVO, xvi. oaio k/J W. H. GlBBES, JR., & CO.. Columbia. S. (J. Leesville College. CO-EDUCATIONAL. P KIM ART, ACADEMIC, COLLEGIATE and COMMERCIAL COURSES; Vocal and Instrumental Music, Art, Elocution, Physical Culture, Cooking. Dress Cutting, Domestic Economy, Weekly Bible Studies. Nine teachers. Enrollment, last year ISO. Pupils trom thirreea counties. Strong moral and religous influence. Xo bar rocm nearer than seven miles. Healthful location, TOO feet above the level of the sea, 400 feet above Columbia, 128 feet above Aiken. Elegant building. Young ladies can board with the President. Only College in the State that makes provision for young ladies to reduce expenses by doing domestic work. Seventeen young ladies aided this way last year. Expenses for literary course and board for ten months. ?100 to $130; music, $30; bookkeeping, ?20. Next session opens September 23d. For catalogue address L. 13. HAYNES. A. M., President, Sep D-Snios Leesville, S. C. j Advice to Women If you would protect yourself from Painful, Profuse, 'Scanty, Suppressed or Irregular Menstruation you inuit use jBRADFi ELD'S fj | i FEMALE 1 | REGULATOR j Caktkkxv!r.i.K, April 36,3886. This will certify that two members of my immediate family, alter having suffered for years fro>u McnMrual Si-regularity, beintr treated without benefit by physiciajis, were at length complete!vcured*by oae botUu of Bradfltfld'a S^emule liesculator. Its effect is truly wonderful. J. . . friiA^aE. Book to " WOMAN"" mallod FREE, which contain* valuable Information on all fenialu dlseasofu BRADFI ELD REGULATOR CO.. ATLANTA, GA. FOlt SALE BY ALL DRUGGISTS j UPPMMI BROS., PropHetore, Sfrugglsts, Lippman's BlocK. SAVANNAH. GA. _ g Faaptt Pais tie Mitt 1 |a. lxst.vr ot-;fek th vt mai ;;ot Ac<s.v- v S liR REPEAT ?!>, SC IX) KOT DELa/, 3 { , "Stkike Weils trs Ibgst is Hot.'* 1 j- Write for Catalogue now, and say whs ^4 ' paper you saw this a-'^eitis -ment in. jf P Ivciiember that I ?elleverything 'ha*|J; egoes to furnishing a lome?manalactur-jl Bine: s-ouie things and buying others in tuhl glargest possible lots, which enables ir? u jji Bwipe out all competition. 3? jjllKKii AKE A FEW OK AiY STAKl l a 1 iv/i im wr;i i\'.s iJj !A No. 7 Fiat top Oooiring Stove, fillip size, 15x17 inch oven, luted with21 pieceiS-. I of ware, delivered at yuur own depot Sa'l freight charges paid by me. lot 3 lonly Twelve Uoiiars. Again, 1 will sell you a 5 hole UoutiibS Iange 13x13 inch oven, loxi's inch top, at y d with 21 pieces oi ware, lor TiiiK-2 JEBN DOLLARS, and pav the lreigut to| ?ur depot. \ 0 NOT PAY TWO PRICES FOL< YOUROOODS. S 1 will send you a nice plush Parlor suit^ alnut frame, either in combination oi inded, the most styiish colors for ax 50,! your .railroad station, freight paid. : 1 will also sell you a nice Bedromos unieonsisting of Bureau with glass, 1 higij head Bedstead, 1 \T,ashstana, 1 Centre! table, 4 cane seat chairs, i cane seat auo; back rocker alifor l'J.50, and pay l'reifcKj to your depot. Or 1 will send you an elegant Bedroom J suit witp. large glass, run marble top, toi j $30, ana pay freight. Nice window shade on serin* roller $ oojj Blegant large walnuts a ay clock, 4.u* Walnut lounge, 7.0o Lace curtains per window, l.ou 1 cannot describe every thing in a smai' advertisement, but have an immense store containing 22,600 feet of floor room, with ware houses and factory buiiuings l* othei (parts of Augusta, making in all tne larSgesC business ol! tins kind under one <uan Sagcuiciit in ;?e Soutnern auies. mest Hstorasaiid warehouses are ci?wued witti itlie ch?iceal productions ot Lue oest taeto? Srifcs. My catalogue eoutamuiK illusuatiulls jjjol ^oous will ue mailed 11 you will KiuGly [Lay wfiere you saw Oils advertisement. i npay neight. Address, jf L, F. PADGETT, i-Proprietor Padgett's Furniture, Stove t and Carpet Store, i 1110-1112 Broad Street, AUGUSTA, <*A. i * m n ) -: r? - ?rr? * rrr : . .Li D ii PL A3 LI) ; e~2. I'. 1*. ? a tpseitfid ooosvlaTSocT^ .. . % : r<Vkt *:l?lactioa for th? cur?> of all ^ ^ ^ ^^^ ^ K:'A^rr~'*'rv ^ S*re., Glandula- S<*rlhsgi, Kh#UCT?*u?cr, Malaria, old C.rcLic lTlc#r? ms. t*v? r<.Ut?il all trtatonat, Catarrty CURES r,r.r. BiaoeFQisoK ^SSrDi*JSS4^TcIett?^ChrcS!?"KS5iecSp5S% TCT C'irtal P >'.*on, T*tUrf Sen Id H?id, etc., etc. wpttlMr up c..c *\?icta r?i>idJy. Ln'itci r>umi &r? poi?on*d acd who** blood la ta io lrrrr.rt <^p/:tton. du* j|JJ JJP^CURES "'*u"*rly wouO^rfuPTomTTESTBSS-^ pD^er.Ui. of P. P. P., Prickly A-th, Poki Boot " BEOS., Proprietors, Di 'jTtpsts, Uppman's Block, S AVAB5AB, OA* THE LARGEST STOCK. MOST SKILLED WORKMEN, . i LOWEST prices; fSeitl Carolina MarWs Worts, F. 3. HYATT, PROPRIETOR. Is the best place in South Carefina 01 Southern States to secure satisfaction in American and Italian Marble Work. Al! &I3US of I Cemetery Work] a speciality. TABLETS, HEADSTONES, d MONUMENTS, &c. ^ Send for prices and full information. F. H. HYATTApril 8 ly COLUMBIA, S. C. First Glass Work. * V ery Low Prices. Bupeies, Carriages, Road Carts, Wagon*, )tc? Warranted Second to none. Inquire of nearest dealer in these goods, i>r send for Catalogue?Mentioning thi? i?aper. HOLLER * ANDERSON BUGGY CO.. EOCKLL. S. ( BI College for Women, COLUMBIA, s c. Second scholastic year begins September :w, 1891. Full corps of Professors ami Teachers in Academic, Collegiate, ? usic, Art and Medical Departments. Toun/ ladies intending to prepare for the Medics' Profession will find it to their interest U take the one j ear's Preliminary Course iu Medicine at this college. Most beautiful grounds and comfortable home in the s>outh. For circular and catalogue, apply totne President. Key. Wm. R. ATKINSON, D. D. Aug-2m. i