The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, July 24, 1912, Image 3

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Frances b (CoDyrig'ut. by Re CHAPTER XIV.?Continued. Jimmy seeing no hope of eluding Sarah Jane's vigilance, resorted to strategy and deceit. " 'Tain't no fun setting out here," he called to her, "so I'm going in the house and take a nap." She wilingly consented, as she was through with her ironing and thought to snatch a few winks of sleep her self. The little boy slipped quietly through the house, noiselessly across the back yard and into his father's big gar den, which was separated from that of his neighbor Ly a high board fence. He quickly climbed the fence, flew across Miss Minerva's tomato patch and tiptoed up her back steps to the back porch, his little bare feet giving no sign of his presence. Hearing cu irious noises coming from the bath room, where Billy was bumping the cnair up ana aown m uis euuns re lease his mouth, he made for that spot, promptly unlocked the door and walked In. BHly by scuffling and tug ging had freed his mouth from the towel that bound it at that mo ment "Hush!" he whispered as Jimmy opened the door, "you'll get eat up ialive if you don't look out" His tone was so mysterious and thrilling and he looked so scared tied to the chair that the younger boy's blood almost froze in his veins. "What you doing all tied up so?" he asked, in low, frightened tones. "Mr. Algernon Jones done it I spec' he's a robber an' is jes* a-rob berin* right now," answered Billy. "I'll untie you," said his chum. "Naw; you better not," said Billy bravely. "He might git away. You leave me jes' like he fixed me so's you can try to ketch him. I hear him In the dinln' room now. You leave mo rlo-ht h?r? an' sten over to vo' bouse an* phone to some mens to come and git him quick. Shet the do* ag"in an* don't make no noise. Fly, now!" And Jimmy did fly. He again took the garden route and in a minute was at the telephone with the receiver to his ear. "Hello! Is that you. Miss Central? This Is me," he howled Into the trans mitter. "Gimme Miss Minerva's beau. I don't know his number, but he's got a office over my papa's bank." His father being out of town, the little boy shrewdly decided that Miss Minerva's beau was the next best man to help capture the robber. "Mies Minerva what lives by me," he shrieked. Fortunately Central recognized his Landed Upon the Nose childish voice and was willing to hu mor him, so as she too knew Miss Minerva's beau the connection was quickly made. , "Hello! Is that you, major? This is me. If you don't want Mr. Alger ??? T^riAa Ka vnKKoHncr Duorrfhlnc UVU <J VUCO \.\J uv iVI/VWttUQ V' J Miss Minerva's got you getter get a move on and come right this minute. You got to hustle and bring 'bout' a million pistols and guns and swords and tomahawks and all the mans you can find and dogs. He's the fiercest robber ever was, and he's already done tie Billy to the bath room chair and done eat up 'bout a million cold biscuits, I spec'. All of us is 'bout to be slewed. Goodby." The plump, round gentleman at the other end of the wire heard this amaz ing message in the utmost confusion and consternation. He frantically rang the telephone again and again but j could get no answer from the Gar ner's home so he put on his hat and walked the short distance to Miss Mi nerva's house. Jimmy was waiting to receive him at the front gate, having again eluded Sarah Jane's vigilance. "Hush!" he whispered mysterious ly, "he's in the dining room. Ain't you bringed nobody else? Get your pistol and come on." Mr. Algernon Jones, feeling safe and secure for the next hour and hav ing partaken of a light lunch, was in the act of transferring some silver Not Overcoir Yo'jng Man's Novel Test of Sweet heart's Affection Satisfied Him on Ore Point. Alphonse Mnrron of Paris, a young man of Independent means, has found a novel way of testing his fiancee's affection, with the result that the engagement is now broken off. He called on the girl, Mile. Suzanne flNERAA. rid GREEN Wb oyd Calhoun illy & Britton Co.) spoons from the sideboard to his pock ets when a noise at the dining room door caused him to look in that di rectlon. wun an oam ne sprang iur ward, and landed his fist upon the nose of a plump gentleman standing there, bringing a stream of blood and sending him sprawling to the floor, Mr. Jones overturned a big-eyed little boy who was in his way, and walk ing rapidly in the direction of the rail road, the erstwhile plumber was seen no more. Jimmy quickly recovered himseli and sprang to his feet. Seeing the blood streaming down the white shirt front of Miss Minerva's unconscious beau, he gathered his wits together and took the thread of events again into his own little hands. He flung himself over the fence careless oi Sarah Jane this time, mounted a chair and once more rang the telephone. , "Hello! Is that you, Miss Central? This is me some more. Gimme Dr. F .^ford's office please." "Hello! Is that you, doctor? This is me. Mr. Algernon Jones done kilt Miss Minerva's beau. He's on her back porch bloody all over. He's 'bout the deadest man they is. You'd better come toreckly you can and bring the hearse, and a coffin and a clean shirt and a tombstone. He's wounded me but I ain't dead yet Goodby." Dr. Sanford received Jimmy's crazy message in astonishment. He, too, rang the telephone again and again, but could hear nothing more, so he walked down to Miss Minerva's house and rang the door bell. Jimmy open ed the door and led the way to the back porch, where the Injured man, who had just recovered consciousness, was sitting limply in a chair. "What does all this mean? Are you hurt?" asked the doctor as he exam ined Mr. Jon,es' victim. "No, I think I'm all right now," was [ the reply; "but that scoundrel certain ly gave me a severe blow." THllv ohnt nn In the hath room and listening to all the noises and confu soin, had been scared nearly out of his senses. He had kept still as a mouse till now, when thinking be heard friendly voices he yelled out: "Open the do' an* untie me." "We done forgot Billy," said the little rescuer, as he ran to the bath room door and opened it. He was followed by the doctor, who cut the cords that bound the prisoner. "Now, William," commanded Dr. Sanford, as they grouped themselves around the stout, plump gentleman in the chair, "begin at the beginning and let us get at the bottom of this." "Mr. Algernon Jones he come to the gate," explained the little boy, "an' he say he goln' to fix the water pipe an' of a Plump Gentleman. he say he's a plumber. He's a very 'greeable man, but I don't want Aunt Minerva to marry him, now. I was plump tickled at him an' I tuck him to the bath room an' fust thing I knowed he grabbed holter me an shuck me like what you see a cat do a mouse, an' he say?" "And he'd more'n a million whis kers," Interrupted Jimmy, who thought Billy was receiving too much attention, "and he?" "One at a time," said the doctor. "Proceed, William." "An* he say he'll bust my brains out er my head if I holler, an' I ain't a goin' to holler neither, an' he tie me to a chair an* tie my mouth up an' lock the do'? "And 1 comed over," said Jimmy, eagerly, "and I run home and I see Mr. Algernon Jones is a robber an' I 'phoned to Miss Minerva's beau, and if he'd brunged what I telled him, he wouldn't never got cracked in the face like Mr. Algernon Jones done crack him, and Billy got to all time let rob bers in the house so they can knock mans and little boys down." "While you stand talking here the scoundrel will get away," said the in jured man. "That's so," agreed Dr. Sanford, "so I'll go and find the sheriff." Sarah Jane's huge form loomed up in the back hall doorway, and she grabbed Jimmy by the arm. "Yaas," she cried, "you gwine take le by Sorrow Roix, and after a few minutes' con versation, during which he affected great mental depression, he asked her for a drink of water. As he took the glass from her hand he produced a tiny phial from his pocket, and, emp tying the contents into the water, drank it off before she could hinder him. His face then contracted and he sank a helpless mass on the floor. He had only time to beg his sweetheart's you a nap is yuh, yuh 'ceitful caterpil lar. Come on home dis minute." "Lemme go, Sarah Jane," protest ed the little boy trying to ierk a*way from her, "I got to Btay here and pertec' Billy and Mlas Mln?rva's beau, 'cause they's a robber might come back and tie 'em up and make 'em bleed if I ain't here." "Did Mr. Algernon Jones make all that blood?" asked the awe-stricken little boy gazing in admiration at the victim of Mr. Jones' energy, "you sno is a hero to stan' up an' let him knock you down like he done." "Yes," cried Jimmy, as the black woman dragged him kicking and strug ' gling through tho hall, "we's all he roes, but I bet I'm the heroest hero >they is, and I bet Miss Minerva's go 1 ing to be mad 'bout you all spilling all that blood on her nice clean floor." "Lemme see yo' big toe what was shot off by all them Yankees and In > juns what you killed In the war," said Billy to Miss Minerva's beau. The major smiled at the little boy; a man-to-man smile, full of good com radeship, humor and understanding. i i L The Major Smiled at the Llttl Billy's little neart went out to him at once. "I can't take off my shoes at present," said the veteran. "Well, I must be go ing; I feel all right now." Billy looked at him with big, sol emn eyes. "Von r.nnMn't never co 'thout VO* pants, could you?" he asked, " 'cause Aunt Minerva jest nachelly despises pants." The man eyed him quizzically. "Well, no; I don't think I could," he replied: "I don't think I'd look any i better in a Mother Hubbard or a ki mono." The little boy sighed. ? "Which you think is the flttenest name," asked he, "Billy or William?" "Billy, Billy," enthusiastically came the reply. "I like mens," Bald William Green Hill/ "I sbo1 wisht' you could come and live right here with me and Aunt Minerva." "I wish so, too," said the major. CHAPTER XV. Billy, the Credulous. After the advent and disappearance of the exciting Mr. Jones, Miss Mi nerva, much to Billy's joy, had a tele phone put in the house. He sat in the hall the day It was put In waiting for it to ring. Jimmy, coming up on the front porch and through the half-open door and seeing him sitting there, rang the door hell Just for a Joke, ( ready to burst into a laugh when the other llttlr boy turned around and saw who it was. B.illy, however, in his eagerness mistook the ring for the telephone bell and Joyfully climbed up on the chair, which he had stationed in readiness. He took down the re ceiver as he had seen Jimmy do ih his home, and, without once seeing that little boy standing a few feet from him, he yelled at the top of his lungs: "Hello! Who is that?" "This is Marie Yarbrough," replied Jimmy from the doorway, Instantly recognizing Billy's mistake. Marie Yarbrough was a little girl much admired by the two boys, as she had a pony and a cart of her very own. However, she lived in a different part of the town and attended another Sun "You Got to Say-Jt," Insisted the Vic tor. day school, so they had no speaking acquaintance with her. "I jus' wanted to talk to you," went ' on the counterfeit Marie, stifling a laugh and trying to talk like a girl. "I think you're 'bout the sweetest lit tle boy there is and I want you to come to my party." "I sho" will," screamed the gratified Billy, "if Aunt Mlnerva'll lemme. i What makes you talk so much like Jimmy?" forgiveness before he expired, as she thought. Unfortunately for Suzanne, Al phonse was not even unconscious, and he was able to watch the effect on her of his own death. Without the slight est show of sorrow she hastened to the telephone and rang up the police station to say that a suicide had been committed in her apartments, and beg ging that the body might be removed as soon as possible. This was too much for AlphonjBe. who promptly resurrected himself and . _ ;< ?1 ; 1. . "Who??that little old Jimmy Gar ner? 1 hope I don't talk like that chicken; he's 'bout the measliest boy that is and I like you 'nother sight better'n him. You're a plumb jim dandy, Billy," came from the door way. "So's you." howled back the delight ed and flattered Billy. Jimmy thought he would pop wide open In his efforts to keep from laughing. "How'd you like to be my sweet heart?" he asked. *Ts already promised to marry : Miss Cecilia when I puts on long pants, but if we ever gets a 'vorce I'd 'nother sight ruther Have you 'n anybody. You can be my lady frien', anyhow." was the loud'reply. "I'm coming for you to go riding in my little pony and cart," said a gig glinfe Jimmy. "All right, I's going to ask Aunt Mi nerva to lemme go. Can't we take Jimmy, too?" This was too much for the little boy. He had held himself In as long as possible. He burst Into a peal of le Boy, a Man-to-Man Smile. laughter so merry and so loud that Billy, turning quicmy, almost ieii out of the chair. "What yoti doin', a-listening to me talk to Marie Yarbrough th'oo the .tel ephone?" he questioned angTily. "Marie you pig's foot," was the in elegant response. "That was Just me a-talklng to you all the time. You all time think you talking to little girls and all times 't ain't nobody but me." A light dawned on the innocent one. He promptly hung up the receiver and got down out of the chair. Before Jim my was fully aware of his intention. Billy had thrown him to the floor and was giving him a good pommeling. "Say you got 'nough?" he growled from his position astride of the oth er boy. "I ' got *nough, Billy," repeated Jimmy. "Say you sorry you done it." "I say I sorry I done it," abjectly repeated the younger child. "Get up, Billy, 'fore you bust my stommlck open." "Say you ain't never a-goln* to tell nobody, cross yo' heart," was the next command. "I say I ain't never going to tell no body, cross my heafrt. Get up, Billy, 'fore you makes me mad, and ain't no telling what I'll do to you if I get mad." "Say you's a low-down jezeDei skunk." > "I ain't going to say I'm nothing of the kind," spiritedly replied the under dog. "You all time wanting somebody to call theirselfs somepln. You're a low-down Isabella skunk yourself." "You got to say it," insisted the victor, renewing hostilities. "I'll say I'm a Isabella, 'cause Isa bella discovered America, and's in the Bible," replied the tormented one; "Miss Cecilia 'splained it to me." Billy accepted his compromise and Jimmy's flattened stomach, relieved of its burden, puffed out to its usual roundness as that little toy rose to his feet, saying: "Sam LamB would 'a' died a-laugh Ing, Billy, if he'd seen you telephon ing." "He'd better Aever hear tell of it/* was the threatening rejoinder. CHAPTER XVI. The Humble Petition. Billy, sitting in an old buggy in front of the livery stable, had Just engaged In a long and Interesting conversation with Sam Lamb. He was getting out of the vehicle when the sharp wire around the broken rod caught in the back of his trousers and tore a great hole. He felt a tingling pain and looked over his shoulder to investigate. Not being satisfied with the result, he turned his back to the negro and anxiously inquired: "Is my breeches tore, Sam?" "Dey am dat," was the reply, "dey am busted f'm Dan ter Beersheba." "What I goin' to do 'bout it?" ask ed the little boy. "Aunt Minerva sho' will be mad. These here's bran-spankln' new trousers what I ain't never wore tell today. Ain't you got a needle an' thread so's you can fix 'em, Sam?" "Nary er needle," said Sam Lamb. "Is my union suit tore, too?" asked Billy again turning his back for in spection. His friend made a close examina tion. left the house, after telling his former sweetheart what he thought of her. ,, ?-?? ? ? Ty Cobb, Detroit's star player, gets as much mail every day as a mem ber of congress, according to the Popular Magazine. Letters come to him from girls who admire his style of beauty, from boys who study his style of batting, and from seasoned "fans." If he attempted to answer them all his batting arm would soon be a wreck. "To* unionB is Injured plum scan erlous," was his discouraging decision, "and bit 'pears ter me dat yo' hide done suffer, too; you's got er turrible scratch." The child sighed. The Injury to the flesh was of small importance?he could hide that from his aunt?but the rent in his trousers was a serious matter. "I wish I could get 'em mended 'fore I goes home," he said wistfully. "I tell you what do," suggested Sam, "I 'low Miss Cecilia'll holp yeh; jest go by her house an' she'll darn 'em up fer yeh." Billy hesitated. "Well, you see, Sam, me an' Miss Cecilia's engaged an' we's flxin' to marry jes' 's soon's I put on long pants, an' I 'shame' to ask her. An' I don't believe young 'omans patches the breeches of young mans what ! they's goin' to marry nohow. Do you? Aunt Minerva ain' never natched no breeches for the major. And then," with a modest blush, "my unions is tore, too, an' I ain't got on nothin' else to hide my skin." Again he turned his back to his friend and, his clouded little face look ing over his shoulder, he asked: "Do my meat show, Sam?" "She am visible ter the naked eye," and Sam Lamb laughed loudly at his own wit. "I don't believe God pays me much attention nohow," said the little boy dolefully; "ev'y day I gets put to bed 'cause sumpin's all time a-happenin'. If he'd had a eye on me like he ought er they wouldn't a been no snaggin'. Aunt Minerva's goin* to be mad th'oo an' th'oo." "May be my ol' 'oman can fix 'em; so's dey won't be so turrible bad," suggestea me aegru, uiiu t ici, you jes' run down ter my cabin an' tell Sukey I say fix dem breeches." Tbe child needed no second bidding ?he fairly flew. Sam's wife was cook ing, but she cheerfully stopped her work to help the little boy. She sew ed up the union suit and put a bright blue patch on his brown linen breeches. Billy felt a little more cheerful, though he still dreaded confessing to his aunt, and he loitered along tbe way till it was nearly dark. Supper was ready when he got home and he walked into the dining room with his customary ease and grace. But he took his seat uneasily, and he was so quiet during the meal and ate so little that his aunt asked him if be was sick. He was planning in his mind how to break the news of the day's disaster to her: "You are improving, William," she remarked presently, "you haven't got Into any mischief today. You have been a mighty good little boy now for two days." Billy flushed at the compliment and shifted uneasily in his seat That patch seemed to burn Mm. "If God'd Jest do his part," he said darkly, "I wouldn't never git In no meanness." After supper Miss Minerva washed the dishes In the kitchen sink and Billy carried them back to the dining room. His aunt caught him several times prancing^ sideways in the most j "I 'Nary er Needle," idiotic manner. He was making a valiant effort to keep from exposing his rear elevation to her; once he had to walk backward. "William," she said, sharply, "you will break my plates. What is the matter with you tonight?" A little later they were sitting qui etly in Miss Minerva's room. She was reading "The Christian at Home," and he was absently looking at a picture book. "Sam Lamb's wife Sukey sho' is a beautiful patcher," he remarked, feel ing his way. She made no answering comment, and the discouraged little boy was si lent for a few minutes. He had worn Aunt Cindy's many-colored patches too - ? ^ - 1? r\9 thfa nno fnr Olteil LU UtJ aouauicu v* i>u?w vmv .w. himself, but he felt that he would like to draw his aunt out and find how she stood on the subject of patches. "Aunt Minerva," he presently ask ed, "what sorter patches'd you ruther wear on yo' pants, blue patches or brown?" "On my what?" she asked, looking at him severely over her paper. "I mean If you're me," he hastily ex plained. "Don't you think blue patches Is the mos' nat'ral lookin'?" "What are you driving at, William?" she asked; but without waiting for his answer she went on with her read ing. One morning, in Chicago, ne was examining his mall. Out of the 50 odd communications before him he took one. "This letter," he said, "is the only one that gets a rise out or me. I'm going to write to this old fellow." He passed the letter to a friend, who read: "Dere Marster Cobb?How you kum ln 'long? My rlspeclrs to Madom Cobb. Pleas, sir, rite me a line. Dese niggers down here in Mlslslpl says 1 don't know you and I wants to show The child was silent tor a loua 1??a* his little mind busy, then he began: "Aunt Minerva?" She peered at him over her glasses a second, then dropped her eyes to the paper where an interesting article on Foreign Missions held her attention. "Aunt Minerva, I snagged?Aunt Minerva,! snagged my?my skin to day." "Let me see the place," she said, ab sently, her eyes glued to a paragraph describing a cannibal feast "I's a-settin' on it right now," he re plied. Another long silence ensued. Billy resolved to settle the matter. "I's gettin' sleepy," he yawned. "Aunt Minerva, I want to say my pray ers and go to bed." She laid her paper down and he dropped to his knees by her side. He usually sprawled all over her lap dur ing his lengthy devotions, but tonight he clasped his little hands and rear ed back like a rabbit on its haunches. After he had rapidly repeated the Lord's Prayer, which he had recent ly learned, and had invoked blessings on all his new friends and never-to-be forgotten old ones, he concluded with: "An', 0 Lord,, you done kep' me fom meddlln' with Aunt Minerva's hose any mo', an' you done kep' me fom gittin' any mo' EasteV eggs, an' playin' any mo' Injun, an' you done kep' me fm lettin' Mr. Algernon Jones com? ag'in, an" now, 0 Lord, please don't lemme worry the very 'zistence outer Aunt Minerva any mo' 'n you can help, like she said I done this mornin', an' please, if thy will be done, don't lemme tear the next new breeches what she'll gimme like I don? rulnt these here what I got on." CHAPTER XVII. A Green-Eyed Billy. "Have some candy?" said Miss Ce* cilia, offering a big box of bonbona to Billy, who was visiting her. "Where'd you git 'em?" he asked, at he helped himself generously. "Maurice sent them to me this morn ing." Billy put all his candy back Into th? box. "I don't believe I want noner ytf candy," he said, scowling darkly, "f reckon you likes him better 'n me any how, don't you?" "t inn/1 /IootItt " o>io ronllftfl 1 IV/ T O /UU UVUi A J t UMV vr ?WW. The child stood in front of her and looked her squarely in the eye. Ills little form was drawn to its full, prowd height, his soft, fair cheeks were flush ed, his big, beautiful gray eyes looked somber and sad. "Is you in love with that red* headed Maurice Richmond, an' Jes* a> foolin' o' me?" he asked with dig nity. A bright flush dyed crimson tlto young lady's pretty face. She put lier arm around the childish, graceful figure and drew the little boy to the sofa beside her. "Now, honey, you mustn't be silly," she said, gently, "you are my own, dear, little sweetheart" "An' I reckon he's yo* own, dear, big sweetheart," said the jealous Billy, "Well, all I got to say is this-here: U n Said Sam Lamb. he's a-goin' to come to see you err day then I ain't never comln' no mo'. He's been a-carryin' on his foolishnesa 'bout 's long as I can stand it. Yoa got to choose 'tween us right this min ute; he comes down here mos' ev'y day, he's tuck you drivin' more'n fifty hunderd times, an' he's give you all the candy you "can stuff." "He is not the only one who comes to see me," she said smiling down at him.' "Jimmy comes often and Len Hamner and Will Reid. Don't you want tnem to comer "Don't nobody pay no 'tentlon to Jimmy," he replied contemptuously; "he ain't nothin' but a baby, an' them other mens can come If you wants 'em to; but," said Billy, with a lover's un erring Intuition, "I ain't a-goln' to stand for that long-legged, sorrel-top Maurice Richmond a-trottin' his great big carklss down here ?v'y minute. I wish Aunt Minerva'd let me put on long pants tomorrer so'a we could git j married." He caught sight of a new I ring sparkling on her finger. "Who give you that ring?" he asl& ed sharply. "A little bird brought It to me," she said, trying to speak gayly and blush ing again. "A big red-headed peckerwood," said Billy savagely. (TO BE CONTINUED.) dem yore letter. Yores rlspeckful, BEN JACKSON." Glldey's Generosity. > "Did the Glldeya have much troubl? in arranging their separation?" "No. At least, not until they reached the child. They have but one child, you know." "How about the dogs?" "That wa9 easy. They had two dogs." "I see. Well, what did they do?" "Why, Glldey suddenly developed a streak o! generosity. He took the child an4 let his wife have both dogs.' E THE DRUGGISTS OF SOUTH CAR. OLINA CLOSE MEETING AT ISLE OF PALMS. TO MEET AT GLENN SPRINGS Pharmacists' Association Goes on Record as Favoring Two Grades of Licenses Instead of One?Bill Pro* viding Change To Be Drafted. Charleston.?In a haze of blue smoke and delightful memories the thirty-sixth annual meeting of the South Carolina Pharmaceutic Asso ciation came to a close. The final act of the programme vp.b the smoker ut the Seashore Hotel, isle of Palms, ; and here the druggists enjoyed one : of the most pleasurable events of the ; entire meeting. The thirty seventh \ annual meeting -will be held at Glenn Springs, Spartanburg couniy. accord | ing to the decision of the body. Dr. 0. Frank Hart, of Columbia, was ! elected president of the association for the coming year. Dr. Arthur Irwin, of Spartanburg and Dr. O. A. Mat thews, of Bennettsville, were chosen ! first and second vice presidents, and j for the thirteenth consecutive time Dr. 1 Frank M. Smith, of this city, was elect ed secretary and treasurer of the or ganization, Dr. T. P. Young, of Greenwood, was elected a member of the state examining board, to 311 the vacancy caused by the expiration of the term of Dr. H. E. Heintisb, Jr.; of Spartanburg. The board of examiners will hold its next meeting at Chester on November 20. The South Carolina Pharmaceutical Association opened Its annual meeting at the Isle of Palms the Seashore Ho tel being headquarters for the conven tion. Among the features of the first Ho-c'a mpoHnn was an eniovable cruise around the haroor In the steam er Sappho, in which a large number of the ladies and gentlemen attending the convention took part The con vention was a great success. Lexington Fair Association. * ' Lexington.?The Lexington county fair association will hold its annual fair this year on October 22, 23. 24 and 25. This will be the first year in the history of the association that the fair will be held for four days abd it is announced that eveiy day will ; have a special feature. Tie Lexing? {ton county fair has the reputation of ; being one of the very be^t agricultu j ral fairs in the state. . It is purely a J i farmers' fair, and here the produ j of the Lexington soil are always shown to gooa effect, u. jml. Hicra, sec retary of the association, Is busy mak ing arrangements for the several at tractions, and some good exhlbtlona will be secured. Reports on Crops are Varying Greenville.?Replies to specific In-; quiries as to the condition of' the corn and cotton crop from the widely scattered sections of Greenville coun ty give varying reports. From Simp sonville, Fountain Inir and Falrvlew reports are encouraging, though some restricted localities complain of lack of rainlall. Chick Springs, Taylors and Greer farmers declare tbeir crops will fall little short of last year's crop. Traveler's Rest and Marietta report fairly encouraging as to corn but not so hopeful as to cotton. ',. Complete Examination of Polls. Charleston.?The sub-commitcee on club rolls of the Charleston county Democratic executive committeo has just compldced the examination of the rolls, making up a list of the dupli cates in the 39 clubs of the county and with this work complefed, the cou rail/ ! tee will now at once examine the 24 j city rolls and 15 county club ro'<b for; inaccuracies and Irregularities which may be found. Is is not known Just 1 when the sub-committee will finish its job for it has no easy task in hand. The enrollment of the city clubs ag gregate 3,707 and the rural clubs 1,234, making an aggregate of 9,950. How much these figures will be reduced ifter the executive committee haa uade its revision, remains to be seen. Returned Verdict In Tucker Case. Laurens.?The Jury in second case of Mrs. Nannie Tucker as administra trix against the Clinton cotton mills for $30,000 for the death by drowning of her little son, Thomas Tucker, in the pond of the defendant company at the same time his brother, Roy Tuck er, lost his life rendered a yerdict giv ing the plaintiff $800. Practically four days were consumed in the trial of the two suits, the first having result ed in a mistrial. A new trial was granted by Judge Gary in the last case. Two Escaped Convicts Caught. Columbia.?William Cordoza* and Jim Kenny, two negroes, who pome time back escaped frrm the Richland county chaingangs, vere returned Lav ing been apprehended by the* polite of HartsviMe. The men were brought r>?ii,v?v>{a Vir TV T? Rlnrlr. "who was IU \ Uiuiuuiu J TT ?? ?, - ^ sent for the men by W. F. Muller, county supervisor. Williams was sent to the gang lor three years in October, 1909, for carbreaking and larceny, and escaped after serving about one year of the term. He admits that he owes the county two years. Special Term of Court For Wlnnsborc Winnsboro?A special term of crim inal court will be held here beginning August 5 for the purpose of hearing the case of Ed Anderson, a negro who it is alleged attempted a criminal as sault on a white woman. .The negrj was chased for two days and was finally captured on the railroad near Blair's station and brought tc Winns boro. Violenc-j was first feared. buf> tho intense excitement soor>. subsided after the relatives of the woman stat ed that they desired that the negro be given a legal trial. 1 t