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SHOOTING ROBINS FOR "SPORT"! f It is again the "Open season" fori Robins. These merry songsters visit w\r us?they are more like human guests vv than any of our birds?in the early v spring, or late winter if the weather has been mild. They come singing to greet us or to pay for their welcome?and we kill them. A writer in "the Guardian" years j ago, speaking of the notion that it was ominous or unlucky to destroy some sorts of birds, as swallows or martins, observes that this belief may have come from the confidence thes^ birds seem to put in us by * ? building under our roois. ou tum, . he says, "it is a kind of violation of1 the laws of hospitality to murder i L them." 11 Fully as much may be truthfully pleaded in behalf of our early spring visitor, the Robin. No other bisd is p*ac so trustful of man as he. The other ?* t the day the writer, walking through the University Campus, saw three or four] ' Robins hopping gleefully and trust-1 ingly on the little plot of grass,} "scant as hair in leprosy," that wasj trying to grow on the exiguous plot j of ground allotted to eacn proiessurial "residence." They were within a yard or two of playing and shouting children. No other bird would have tlim shown such confidence in his "poor earth-horn companion and fellow- a|Wi mortal." his of 1 Nor would these self-deluded RobWre ins, if they could rightly have interpreted the shots from "sporting" rifles aimed at their brothers, which could then be clearly heard in the vicinity. Thomson, in "Winter" ("the Sea- son? sons") says that of all the birds only one dares follow so close the reced- ^ ?t-i.-o.?m?!_A?a?!__ ! t.;. i try mg Diasts ox winter iu visit uis iiuuiau companions. . . . ^ ... one alone. The Redbreast, sacred to the Household Gods, calI< Wisely regardful of th' embroyling ^eai Bky, a P1 In joyless fields and thorny thickets leaves Hia shiv'ring mates, and pays to nev< trustful man T His annual visit. slay pres This familiar relation between the and Robin?whether the true Redbreast Pete of England, or the bird we call Robin Rob or Robin Redbreast (merula migra- Rom toria) in this country?and his com- thru panion man is mingled in the folk- The lore of the race. Also, it has long littl< been considered something worse Phil than inhospitable to drive them away Soul or to entrap or kill them. The follow- they ing lines "to the Robin" go back to trib< 1780: the are Forever from his threshold fly, man Who, void of honor, once shall try, that With base inhospitable breast, T] To bar the freedom of his guest: men 0 rather seek the peasant shed, krav for he will give thee wasted bread, may And fear some new calamity, We Should any there spread snares for to tl K thee, < Robi H r-;-.; shall jy The love and really tender feeling muai that have so long been cherished for Bi the Robin is probably due to his the Pure Ice ( Manufactured Under Sa SOFT DRINKS Soft CIGARETTES TOBACCOS ?. CANDIES VAJIlM FRUITS We ?? p CIGARS the most co licit your pi Abbeville Cam I wiTir-Aiv HAVE your tires re] are ruined. A c time often doubles the n no risk. All work guai J.W. MARTIN, at ;OMING!!: vw ' www a w THE ww s wv ww 1 ww FIFTH ww * ww ww a ww WAR ww V WW , WW 11 WW LOAN WW ? WW WW e WW WW WW WW 1 VWV , WW 1 www WW ^ w s 'REPARE! / t :e in legends and ballads. In one b he old ballads, "the Children of| e Wood," the Robin covers the litpair with leaves: o b No burial this pretty pair si Of any man receives, ti Till Robin Redbreast painfully o Did cover them with leaves. B P 1 other ballads the wren some- n is takes a part in such charitable e als in the forest, but the Robin is s< lys present. John Webster, in tl play, "The White Devil," speaks a ;he "Robin Redbreast and the fi in," who "with i leaves and flowdo cover the friendless bodies of tl uried men." "w a we have good cause, outside of SI own loveliness and enchanting : and dear comradeship, for lov- A the Rolbin. ; is, we know, very tempting to a shot at these birds?they offer p i plain targets, with their beau[ ruddy breasts! By the way, ' were formerly, and still often, a id "Ruddocks" in England. We ^ d a man say the other day, when n otest was, made against shooting n ins: "But have you ever eaten in-pie?" We have, but we shall sr do it again, knowingly. j, here is no telling what we won't h and eat, when the great game S erves are let down from heaven, a voice within us says: "Rise, a sr, kill and eat!" We slaughter it ins, as they sing, just as the p tans slaughtered nightingales and shes for their delicate tongues, fi savages?and some that are a x ; removed from savagery?in the j/ ippines, Africa, and North and ;h America, eat puppies, which 0i ' assert to be delicious. Certain r ;s and nations are not averse to taste of the missionary; but we b spending millions of dollars and R y lives to train them away from bad taste. ai here are other tribes offighting who devour the flesh of their o e enemies, in order that they inherit the virtues of the slain. j( don't make even that pretense as he slaughter and devouring of j( ins. We don't fancy that we 1 fall heirs to their ravishing e ic. ei lit, coming down to nara earui, "sportsmen" assert that the Rob - , - - - C Zream? E nitary Conditions ti si Drinks and a actions t v 11 fepared to serve you in urteou* manner and so1: itronage. iy Kitchen | ??~? t o I* l In IIZING ' paired before they n asing repaired in lileage. You take " ranteed. 8 5 t City Garage. 9 . i n is not a songbird, and is therefore air game. He is a songster, how:ver, even in our inhospitable region, ilthough he sings more and more weetly in the states to the north of is, beginning with our sister Caroina. But even if he did not sing ,s he leisurely retraces his secret abyrinthine ways, we might spare lis exquisite song for those who apireciate it and whom it cheers from larly spring till late autumn. If the construction of local laws eaves the Robin a prey of the sportng men and boys, there is, we beieve, a federal law that is supposed o protect -him. It was put in the tatutes for precisely such an emer;ency as this. It is to protect miratory birds from slaughter on their utumn and spring voyages for food r comfort. The very name (scienific) of our Robin declares him to e under the protection of the fedral law?"Merula migratoria". To us the Robin is a nomad, honring and delighting us with only rief visits, not denying us, however, ome of his sweetest notes. His litie song-measure is at the other end f the scale from the fast-vanishing lluebird's mournful, almost weirdly laintive song. The Robin's early lorning call is the sweetest and most xhilarating reveille that Nature ?nds to us, inviting us to witness le glory of the New Day, which is lways a revelation, a mirage of the rst perfect morning. No man or boy, who once hears lat cheering call to earth and the roods, can ever wish to slay the n tray Tho State lRMENIAN-SYRIAN RELIEF COMMITTEES ublic Spirited Citizens Who Are Aaked to Canrtu the City. The canvass of the city lor the pportionment of Abbeville for the .rmenian-Syrian Relief Fund will be tade next week. The following comlittees are asked to serve in the irritory assigned them: From Catholic Church to the Oil [ill, including both sides of Washlsrton street: W. F. Nickles and J. . Stark. From Hill's Market to Seaboard venue, including both'sides of Triny street: J. S. Cochran and W. L. eebles. From Philson & Henry's to the re department, including block to he Press and Banner office: C. H. [cMurray and J. S. Bowie. From Hot Hustler Racket to post ffice, including Eureka block: S. H. ,osenberg and M. B. Reese. The cotton mill district: J. F. arnwell, W. M. Langley and Julian oche. The shops district: T. V. Howie tid W. J. Duncan. Ward 1?Mrs. T. G. White, Miss ney Morse, Mrs. M. B. Syfan. Ward 2?Mrs. J. L. McMillan, Mrs oe A. Wilson, Mrs. R. Sondley. Ward 3?Mrs. C. C. Gambrell, Mrs C. King, Miss Boyd. Ward 4?Mrs. W. F. Nickles, Mrs. . R. Thomson, Miss Eugenia Robrtson. M. R. Plaxco, County Chairman. UT THE COTTON ACREAGE, SAYS MR. D. R. COKER Raise More Food and Feed. Clemson College, Feb.?Mr. David 1. Coker, puts the present agriculiral situation of the South in a nut hell in the following words: "I feel quite confident that the demand for cotton is going to gradully increase as legitimate trade conitions are restored throughout the rorld and that as soon as there is a ormal world demand for cotton oods, there will be sale for a very irge amount of cotton at profitable rices. It is meanwhile evident, owever, that the present crop plus he surplus carried over is going to e more than the world needs before he crop comes in and there is but ne program by which the farmer an protect himself and assure fair irices for the cotton he now holds nd the crop he is about to raise. It an be expressed in a 3hort sentence: "Cut cotton acreage and raise lore food and feed." Continue to lend Uncle Sam your noney. The sceurity is the safest in he world. The investment is profitable. Take all the War Savings Stamps you can. Ba ready to subcribe when the Victory Liberty Loan > offered. \ SUPPORTING GOVERNMENT THRIFT PLANS Support of the Government's campaign to promote general thrift and carry on the sale of War Savings Stamps during 1919 has been pledg' ed by 19,000 Savings institutions af! filiated with the American Banker's Association according to an announcement made today by the Savings Division of the United States Treas! ury. At a recent meeting of the j association, resolutions were adopted, stating that the "Savings Bank j Section, consistent with its purposes, will stand ready at all times to re! spond to any call made upon it by : the Secretary of the Treasury." Secretary Glass, in a telegram i I When Y Are F W"1 ' will you 1 paid for f ? whatevei your hea The S' ing, payi can't sta STANDARD B PWMBWB1W? Mule | WeH | Stablei | Rules, I Tlhi | You I HI W t T T | I It rot ! | Stock ! | Stock, j | What | Prices < ^ ^Lm??t which was read at the banker's meeting, expressed his appreciation of the co-operation of the American savings banks. He said that despite the demand on the nation's finances as result of war needs, statistics show a great increase in savings banks deposits. "Savings banks as a whole have not suffered loss of deposits as a result of war financing," said Secretary Glass. "On the contrary, gains ! have been reported, and I am informed that deposits in savings banks are now rapidly increasing. I am confident that the savings banks of the country will patriotically assist in the great task of helping to liquidate the war bills of our Government and of encouraging the ha ou and Y< iftyyou still be paying some hard earned dollars for have a home of your own and secure in the knowlc r happens, you "have a i AV> vt rANDARD'S plan of he i for a home in 80 mon rt younger than right N1 UILD1NG & LOAI :cretary. J s I Horses ave at J. Allen $ 5 65 Head of h Mares and Hors is Stock is ng, Sound Veil Broke: i Are in Need c C 4-r\ on. L/Ull I I Ull lis oci Because we You Want and ind Terms bm an?MWBB bit of thrift amongst the people, which- in turn should reflect itself in larger deposits and consequently increased prosperity for savings institutions." Thousands of sick and wounded men lie in base hospitals. They offered their lives that freedom might live. They must be given every care, healed and returned t6 their homes. The government asks for a loan. It offers War Savings Stamps and soon | the Victory Liberty Bonds will be issued. Save?be htrifty?help the government. The menace to civilization is dead. German autocracy has been destroyed. War bills must now be paid. Dur Wife landlord rent, or 1 already 1 ;dge that * I roof over me ownths. You OW. \ ASS0CH0N Abbeville, S. C. lares | Smith's | ndiana | es I All | and | n I >/ Any | e This f | Have [ Make ' I to Suit I