Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, April 13, 1906, Image 1
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L. m. geist'S sons. Publishers. J % dfamilg Betcsjaper: Jfor the promotion of the political Social, Jgriculturat and ?omnturiaI Interests of the people. | ter*Sin'^e
ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE, S. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1!)0(I. NO. 30. ...
* ' - * ' * ?a. ? -ai a- I * a tiAfti 14m a MBiiiu
HORSE SI
J
A Tale of the Re vol
Upper (
By JOHN P.
CHAPTER XXXIX Continued.
The country over which Mildred was
now to travel was calculated to tax
her p?wer8 of endurance to the utmost.
It was a dreary waste of barren
wilderness, covered with an endless
forest of gloomy pine, through
which a heavy, sandy road crept In
lurid and melancholy shade. Here and
there * a miserable hut occurred to
view, with a few ragged Inmates, surrounded
by all the signs of squalid
poverty. The principal population
were only to be seen along the banks
nt the rivers which Denetrated Into this
region, some twenty or thirty miles
distant from each other. The alluvial
bottoms through which these streams
found a channel to the ocean, were the
only tracts of land of sufficient fertility
to afford support to man?all
between them was a sterile and gloomy
forest.
Still, these regions were not deserted.
Bodies of Irregular troops, illclothed
and worse armed, and generally
bearing the haggard features of disease,
such as mark the population of
a sickly climate, were often encountered
upon the road, directing their wearied
march towards the headquarters of
the republican army. The rigors of the
southern summer had not yet abated;
and It was with painful steps in the
deep sand amid clouds of suffocating
dust, that these little detachments
prosecuted their Journey.
Mildred, so far from sinking under
the weariness and increasing hardships
of her present tolls, seemed to be endued
with a capacity for sustaining
them mu;h beyond anything that could
have been believed of her sex. Her
courage grew with the difficulties that
beset her. She looked composedly upon
the obstacles before her, and encountered
them, not only without a
murmur, but even with a cheerfulness
to which she had hitherto been a stran- |
ger. The steadiness of her onward
march, her unrepinlng patience, and
the gentle solicitude with which she
turned the thoughts of her companions I
from herself, and forbade the supposition
th?t her powers were overtaxed,
showed how deeply her feelings w?re
engaged In her enterprise, and how
maturely her mind had taken Its resolution.
"One never would have guessed,"
said Horse Shoe, towards the close of
the second day after they had entered
North Carolina, "that a lady so daintily
nursed as you was at home. Mistress
Mildred could have ever borne
this here roughing: of It through these
plney woods. But I have made one observation,
Miss Lindsay, that no one
can tell what they are fit for till they
are tried: and on the back of that I
have anothir, that when there's a
great stir that rouses up a whole
country, it don't much signify whether
they are man or woman they
all get roused alike. 'Pon my
word, ma'am, I have seen men?who
think themselves sodgers too?that
would be onwllling to trust themselves
at this time o' year through such a
dried up piece of pine barren as we
have been traveling over for two days
past."
"You remember the fable of the willow
and the oak. Mr. Robinson," replied
Mildred, smiling; "the storm may bring
down the sturdy tree, but the supple
shrtjb will bend before it without
breaking."
"I'm not much given to religious taklngs-on,"
said the sergeant, "but sometimes
a notion comes into my head
that looks a little that way. and {hat
is when God appoints a thing to be
done, he gives them that's to do It all
the wherewithals. Now, as Major Butler
is a good man and a brave sodger?
God bless him!?It does seem right that
you Mistress Lindsay?who, I take on
me to understand enough of your con
sarns and hls'n, without offence, to say
has a leaning towards the major?I say
it does seem right and natural that you
should lend a hand to help him out of
tribulation; and so you see the cause
being a good cause, the Lord has given
you both wisdom and strength to do
what Is right."
"We owe. sergeant, a duty to our
country; and we serve God and our
country both, when we strengthen the
hands of its defenders."
"That's a valiant speech, young lady,
and It's a noble speech," said Horse
Shoe, with an earnest emphasis. "I
have often told the major that the women
of this country had as honest
thoughts about this here war. and was
as warm for our cause as the men; and
some of them, perhaps, a little warmer.
They could be pitted against the
women of any quarter of the aqueous
globe, in bearing and forbearing both,
when it is for the good of the country."
"Henry is asleep on his horse" said
Mildred, looking at her brother, who
now. jaded and worn with the effort of
travel, was nodding and dropping his
head forward, and almost losing his
seat. "What, Henry, brother!" she
added, loud enough to rouse up the
young horseman. "My trusty cavalier,
are you going to fall from your horse?
Where is all that boasted glorification
upon wntcn you were aisposeu u> u?so
eloquent only a week ago? I
thought a man on horseback was naturally
proud: I fear It was only on holiday
occasions you meant. Henry.
Haven't you a word for a sunny day
and a dry journey? You lag more like
a miller's hoy with his bag of meal,
than a young soldier setting out on his
adventures."
"Ah sister." said Henry waking up.
"this is nothing put pine?pine?and
. sand, without end. There is no game
in the woods to keep a man on the
lookout, except here and there a herd
of wild hogs, that snort and run from
us, like a squadron of cavalry, with
their bristles set up on their backs as
fierce as the back fin of a sunfish.
There is not even grass to look at: you
might see a black snake running half
a mile amongst the trees. And then
I0E :
lOBIRSOW;
??be
~ , . ? T?
utlonary struggle 111 H;
Carolina. ca
kr
"" ar
KENNEDY. 181
thi
there are such great patches of burnt sh
timber, every trunk staring right at an
you, as black as thunder. I'm tired of co
It all?I want to see the green fields Ml
again." 1
"And. In truth, brother, so do I; but '
not until we can bring merry faces to st
look upon them. How far are we from by
Tarborough?" ch
"We should be drawing nigh to the an
town," replied Horse Shoe, "for you
may see that we shall soon be out of ar'
these woods, by the signs of open Sh
country ahead. The last squad of sod- ha
gers that passed us, said that when we an
came to the farms we shouldn't be joi
more than five miles from the town, he
and the sun Isn't above an hour high." mj
"In the hope of being soon housed, Sc
then. Mr. Robinson, I may confess to pr.
you I am somewhat weary; but a good a
night's rest will put me In fair condl- wa
tlon for tomorrow's ride again." thi
After the lapse of an hour, the party lie
were safely sheltered In a tolerably ha
comfortable Inn at the village; and joi
Mildred, aided by the sedulous care of ge
Henry, found herself well bestowed In to
the best chamber of the house. cai
Ra
aid
CHAPTER XL. Ilk
From Tarborough our travelers continued
their route towards the Pedee, on'
by the main road which led through
Cross Creek, a small hamlet on Cape cbi
Fear river, near the site of the present bb
town of Fayettevllle. The general tor
features of the country were even more ap'
forbidding than those I have already m8
described as characteristic of this por- c'?
tlon of North Carolina. Even to the bu
present day. cultivation has done but
little to cheer up the natural desolation <>m
to those tracts of wilderness which He of
between the rivers. But at the early tea
period to which the events I have been ma
detailing have reference, the journey pai
undertaken by our little caravan might P,a
be compared to that which is now fre- (
quenily made through the more south- 'u<^
ern extremity of the Union from the w"
Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico, an attempt
seldom essayed by a female, and cei
sufficiently trying to the hardihood, of
the stoutest travelers. The forethought 8
and attention of Horse Shoe Robinson, b,t
however, contributed to alleviate the 8er
pains of the enterprise, and to enable or
Mildred to overcome its difficulties. *ht
In the present alarmed and excited er
state of this province the party were tbt
less liable to interruption in this seclud- bel
ed and destitute section of the country, 8rt
than they might have been, had they tre
chosen a lower and more populous dis- rui
trlct, and the consciousness that every 'n
day's perseverance brought them near- wb
er to the ultimate term of their jour- cot
ney, gave new vigor, at least, to Mil- tbt
dred's capacity to endure the priva- mo
tions to which she was exposed. But tbt
few vestiges of the war yet occurred wo
to their view. The great wilderness,
like the great ocean, retains no traces *bt
of the passage of hostile bodies. Some ml
times, indeed, the signs of a woodland a^'
encampment were visible in the midst ser
of the forest, on the margin of some abl
sluggish brook or around a sylvan roj
fountain where the impression of re- su<
?. * to
cent rioor-pnnis, ine scauereu nasments
of brushwood cut for temporary he
shelter, and the still smouldering ashes his
of camp fires, showed that masses of hoi
men had been in motion. The deer tied. a 1
too, with a more frightened bound to- 11111
wards their coverts, as If lately alarm- no'
ed by the pursuit of the huntsman; but
the images of devastation, which are
associated with the horrid front of war l'u
In the mind of all familiar with its an
ravage, were absent. The eternal, of
leafy shade high arching over the un
heads of the wayfarers furnished no ob.
ject for human vengeance; and It still eV(
sighed in the fanning of the breeze, as rt'(
of old it sighed before man claimed hrl
dominion in the soil It sheltered. A so'
far different scene was shortly to be wc
looked upon by our venturesome
friends. an
Several days had again passed by, co1
for the journey through the wilderness 'hi
had been slowly prosecuted, when Rob- a !
lnson, towards the approach of evening, tui
announced to Mildred his conjecture 'h<
that they were not far off the Pedee.
The banks of this river had been the a
scene of frequent hostilities and the nu
war that had been carried on here was ha
of the most ruthless kind. The river "e
is characterized by a broad, deep, and 'ei1
quiet stream, begirt with a vegetation
of exceeding luxuriance. Its periodical sa
overflow seems to have poured out up- ^ol
on its margin a soil of Inexhaustible
richness, that, for a mile or two o.i slt
either side, forms a striking contrast vvt
with the low, barren sandhills that 'hi
* -1 -? ? i_t? * th'
nem in ine river piuui. muni; m..-,
tract of level border, all the way to
the Atlantic, are found, as is usually vvt
the case throughout the Carollnas, the
large plantations of opulent gentlemen, w"
who. l?y tin' cultivation of rice and cot- *n
ton. turn the fertility of the soil to
the best account. These possessions.
presenting the most assailable points ce
to an enemy, and, indeed, almost the *
only ones in which the great Interests 00
of the province might be wounded,
were, during the whole of that bloody
struggle which distinguished the days
of the "Tory Ascendency," the constant a"
objects of attack; and here tlie war was '*'
waged with a vindictive malignity, on
the part of the British and Tory par- a"
tlsans, that is scarcely surpassed in
the history of civil broils. The tinest
estates were sacked, the dwellings a"
burnt, and the property destroyed with WJ
unsparing rage. The men were drag- e
Red from their iiouses and hung. the
women and children turned without Ui
food or raiment into the wilderness, and s'}
political vengeance seemed to gorge It- co
self to gluttony upon its own rapine. as
The thoughts of Robinson had been. su
for some days past, running upon the
probable difficulties that might attend 'ol
o j |
the guise in which he was now about '
to return to his native province. This IISI
was a subject of some concern since
tu
he ran a risk of being compelled eitli- IK1
to desert his charge, or to bring his
mpanions into Jeopardy, amongst
e many persons of both armies who
sre, at least by report acquainted
Ith his name and his military conctions.
He had explained to Mildred i
e necessity of his appearing in some
finite character, associated with the ;
ject of her journey, and of which, i
ion emergency, he might claim the I
nefit to retain his post near her.
lis matter was summarily settled by
enry. 1
"In general, Mr. Horse Shoe, you can l
11 yourself Stephen Foster; you
iow Steve; and you can say that you <
e Mr. Phillip Lindsay's gardner. i
lac, here, can let you enough Into >
- ?i .... it V.arvi i
C Ulilll IU pttoa IIIUOICI, it an/ VI wuvm
ould take It Into their heads to exline
you. Mind that, Isaac; and reject,
old fellow, you are only sister
[ldred's waiting man.
"Sartalnly, master," replied Isaac.
"And sergeant I'll tell you all about
eve; so that you can get your lesson
heart. You have a wife and five
ildren?remember that. I'll give you
their names by-and-by."
Thanks to the marcies of God, that
n't my misfortune yet," said Horse
iOe, laughing, "but, Mr. Henry, I
ve got conscience enough now for
y lie that can be Invented. The ma
and me talked that thing over, and
's of opinion that lying, in an ener's
country, is not forbidden in the
riptures. And I have hearn the
eacher say that Rahab, who was not
ivoman of good fame no how, yet she
is excused by the Lord for telling
i king of Jericho a most thumping
, consarnlng her not knowing what
d become of the two men that
shua, the Judge of Israel, who was a
neral besides, had sent into the town
reconnoitre; which was a strong
se. Mister Henry, seeing that
,hab, the harlot, was a taking of
les against her own people. So, I
e your plan and I'll stick by it."
rhis being agreed upon, it became
e of the amusements of the roadside
put the sergeant through his cateIsm,
which was designed to make
11 familiar with traits of private his y
relating to the Dove Cote and Its
A 4 ikAMohll
punt*JJilllUl H, II1UI lit? liiigui uicicuj
ilntain his identity, in the event of a r
'Se investigation. Horse Shoe was >
t an awkward scholar in this school t
disguise, and gave Henry sufficient 1
ployment to keep him In the path r
probability: and, indeed, the young a
icher himself found it difficult to s
ilntain an exact verisimilitude In the
rt which It was his own province to r
ty in this deception. t
)n the evening to which we have al- c
led. the sergeant finding himself i
thin a short distance of the district 1
country in which he was almost c
tain to encounter parties of both i
ends and foes, adopted a greater de- >
?e of circumspection than he had a
herto deemed it necessary to ob- c
ve. His purpose was to halt upon c
to obtain accurate information of I;
borders of the forest, and endeavto
obtain accurate information of a
i state of affairs along the river, r
'ore he entered upon this dangerous t
>und. Like a soldier who had a rich e
asure to guard he was determined to i
l no hazard that might be avoided, c
the safe conduct of the lady in a
ose service he was enlisted. In acdance
with this caution, he directed v
> cavalcade to move onward at a a
'derate walk, in order that l.hey J
y might not reach the limit of the r
odland before the dusk of the even- J
;; -and also in the hope of finding v
?re some habitation where they c
ght pass the night. They had not r
ranced far in this manner before the a
geant descried, at some distance
ead, a small log hut standing by the j
idside, which, by the smoke that is- t
?d from the chimney, he perceived \
be inhabited. Upon this discovery, I
ordered the party to stop and await i
t return. Then giving spurs to his f
rse he galloped forward, and, after i
*nori interval 01 uusfntc, ciui uvu, ide
a favorable report of his recon- i
Lssance, and conducted his compan- t
is to the house.
The little cabin to which Mildred was i
js introduced was the homestead of i
honest Whig soldier, by the name t
Wlngate, who was now in service, f
der the command of one of the most t
!lant partisans that any country ?
er produced, Francis Marlon, then 1
jently promoted to the rank of a 1
Igadier, The inmates were the i
diers's family, consisting of a young
man and a number of small chilsn,
demonstrating by their appearce
a condition of exceedingly limited ,
mfort. The hut contained no more
in two rooms, which exhibited but
scanty supply of the meanest furnlre.
The forest had been cleared for '
i space of a few acres around the
elling, and these were occupied by '
small garden or vegetable patch,
agrely stocked with scattered and
If parched plants; and by a cornId.
along the skirts of which some
in hogs were seen groping with a
onious s teal thin ess. A shed, in the '
me enclosure, formed a rendezvous
r a few half-starved cattle, that
obably obtained their principal but
nder support from the neighboring '
tod. Add to these a troop of fowls,
at were now at roost upon one of
e trees hard by, and we have, probay,
a tolerably correct inventory of the ^
?rldly goods or tnis utile iainiiy.
Tin- woman of the house was kind '
<1 hospitable and iter attentions were
no small degree quickened by the
plication of a few pieces of money
lich Mildred insisted upon her reiving?much
to the discomfiture of
e dame's self-possession?the boon ^
insisting of hard coin, to an amount
which, perhaps, she had never here
been mistress.
Mildred was exceedingly fatigued,
id it was an object of early considution
to furnish her the means of '
st. our hostess, assisted by old Isaac,
j
d officiously but awkwardly supertended
by Horse Shoe, began her
eparation for supper, to the abund- '
ice of which tlie provident sergeant |
is enabled to contribute some useful
melds from his wallet. In one of ,
e apartments of the hut, a shock-bed ^
is spread for the lady, and by the as.
dance of her cloak and some other
mmodities which had been provided
part of her traveling gear, she was '
pplied with a couch that formed no
exchange for the weariness of her
ug inhabited saddle. Use and neces;.v
are kind nursing-mothers to our
dure, and do not often fail to endow
i with tlie qualities proper to thefortie
they shape out for us. This was
it Mildred's first experience of a
homely lodging since she left the Dove
Cote; and, as privation and toll have a
faculty to convert the rough pallet of
the peasant Into a bed of down, she
hailed the present prospect of rest with
a contented and grateful spirit.
The supper being despatched, our
lady was left alone with her hostess, to
seek the repose of which she stood so
much in need.
The sergeant now set about making
provision for the rest of his party.
This was done by erecting a shelter beneath
one of the trees of the forest, opposite
to the door of the cabin. It was
composed of a few boughs stacked
against the trunk of the tree, sufficiently
covered with leaves to turn
aside any rain that might happen to
Tall. Under this cover Horse Shoe appointed
that he and his comrades
should pass the night enjoining them
to keep a regular watch for the security
of the lady, whose welfare was
now the object of his most sedulous
attention. Ail these preparations were
made with the exactness of military
rule, and with a skill that greatly deIghted
Henry.
The long summer twilight had faded
lway. Mildred had been, from an eary
period. In the enjoyment of a profound
slumber, and Henry and his ne?ro
ally were seated at the front of
:helr sylvan tent. The sergeant had
ighted his pipe, and now, taking his
teat upon a log that lay near his post,
le began to smoke in good earnest, with
t mind as free from anxiety as if uni- |
rersal peace prevailed. In the sedate
tnjoyment of this luxury, he fell into
i descant on matters and things, interarded
with long and strange stories
>f his own singular adventures, which
le told to the no small edification and
imusement of Henry and the negro.
The habits of the experienced soldier
,vere curiously Illustrated in the
houghtful and sober foresight with
vhlch Robinson adapted his plans to
he exigencies of his condition, and
hen In the imperturbable light-heart>dness
with which, after his measures
>f safety were taken he waited the
jrogress of events. His watchfulness
teemed to be an instinct, engendered
>y a familiarity with danger, whilst
he steady and mirthful tone of his
nind was an attribute that never gave
vay to the Inroads of care. He was
he same composed and self-possessed
>eing in a besieged garrison, in the
noment of a threatened escalade, as
imongst his cronies by a winter Are- ,
ilde.
"In this here starlight, Mister Hen y,"
he said, after he had puffed out
wo or three charges of his pipe, "I
an't see your eyes, but by your yawnng,
I Judge you are a little sleepy.
Take my advice and turn in. A sodgor
?ught to snatch his rest when he can
ret it. I'll keep guard over our
roung lady; the Lord protect hef, for
l most elegant and oncommon preilous
young creature! Fling your great
:oat upon the leaves, and go at It, my
ad, like a good fellow."
""If I was at home -Mr.-Horse jghoe. .
it the Dove Cote. I could sit up dfl
light listening to your stories; but 1
>elicve I am bewitched tonight, for my
yelids, this hour past, hftive been snap)ing
like rat traps. So, I'll just stretch
>ut for an hour or so. and then get up
ind take my turn at the guard."
"Don't trouble your head about
matching," replied Horse Shoe, "you
ire not old enough for that yet. At
our time of life, Mr. Lindsay, a good
light's rest is the best part of a ration,
tnd tomorrow, if I'm not mistaken, you
vill have need of all the strength you
:an muster tonight. As for me. It isn't
nuch account whether I'm asleep or
i wake."
"Not so fast, sergeant," rejoined tne
'outh, "I'm an older soldier than you
ake me for; Stephen and I have
vatched many a night for racoons.
STo no, I'll have my turn towards
norning. So, you and Isaac take the
irst part of the night between you, and
f anything should happen, call me; I'm
me of your , minute men. So good
light. My horse trots harder that I
hought he did."
It was not long before our boasted
ninute man was locked up In a spell
ipparently as profound as that which
he legend affirms assailed the seven
tleepers; and Isaac, not even waiting for
he good example of his master, had already
sunk upon the ground, with that
'aellity which distinguishes his race,
[he most uncaring and happiest of
nortals.
CHAPTER XLI.
Dur fortress Is the good green wood.
Our tent the cypress tree.
We know the forest around us
As seamen know the sea.
We know its walls of thorny vines
Its glades of reedy grass,
Its safe ami silent islands
Within the dark morass.
?Bryant.
The faithful Horse Shoe being left
:o himself, replenished his pipe, and,
inking his rifle in his hand, paced to
ind fro upon the border of the road,
lolding communion with his own
houghts, carefully weighing the prohibit
ities connected with his present
lingular expedition, and revolving after
his own fushfon, the fortunes of
Arthur Butler and Mildred Lindsay.
It was within an hour of midnight
cVtAti flw. uarcrijnut'c mi?i1 i tn t inllS
interrupted by the tramp of a horse approaching
the hut at a gallop. Hut
i few moments elapsed before a traveler.
who, In the starlight, Horse Shoe
eoubl discern to be armed, drew up his
rein Immediately at the door of the
Iwelllng, against which he struck several
blows with his weapon, calling out
loudly at the same time,?
"Mistress Wlngate?for Hod's sake,
apen your door quickly! I have news
lo tell you, good woman."
"In the name of mercy! who are
you?" exclaimed the voice of the dame
within, whilst a note of alarm was
also heard from her fellow-lodger.
"What do you mean by this racket
mid chatter?" demanded Horse Shoe,
In the midst of the uproar, at the same
time laying his hand upon the stranger's
bridle rein. "What brings you
here, sir??stand back: the women in
that house are under my charge and I
won't have them disturbed."
"If you are a friend to Mistress Wlngate."
said the horseman sternly,
"speak the word: If an enemy. I will
shiver your skull with the butt end of
my musket."
"Tini.'t Hi. rash moil fellow." replied
Horse Shoe; "I take It you and me
lire on the same side. What's afoot
that you stir in such a hurry?"
"The Tories are afoot?the devil's
afoot! Open, mistress Wlngate?opei
to Dick Peyton?"
"The Lord preserve us!" ejaculate<
the mistress of the hovel, as she open
ed the door; "Bloody Spur, is It you
What III luck brings you here tonight?'
"A gang of Tories, Mistress Wlngate
from the Black River, under tjjat cu
throat Fanning, crossed Pedee thli
morning at Lowder's Lake. They havi
been thieving and burning as far a
Waggamaw, and are now on the roa<
home by the upper ferry. They wll
be along here In less than half ai
hour. Your husband, Bob Wlngate, am
myself, were sent out by General Mar
Ion this morning to reconnoitre th<
rpads. We fell In with the' ruffians
after sunset, below Lumberton, am
have tracked them up here. Bob hai
4 - ? ?1 ?~1. V l? orm Hi
gui It PISIUI SI1UL UllUUgll UIS c?? < ...
was lucky enough, however. to escapi
their clutches; but believing they hat
a spite against him, and would rldf
ppst his house tonight, he told me t(
c?!l and give you warning, and to hell
you to drive the cattle back Into the
swamp."
"How many mought there be
friend?"
"Between two and three hundred, ai
least," said the trooper: 'we countec
fifty In the vanguard?those that followed
made a long column of march
They have stolen a good many horses
and cattle, all of which are with them
and several prisoners."
j "What, ho! Isaac, Henry Lindsay;
fall to, and saddle, boys," shoute;
florae Shoe. "Miss Mildred, It will ncl
<o to stand. I am sorry to break Ir
upon your rest but you must be readj
to move In a few minutes."
Everything about the hut was now
In confusion. Henry and the sergeanl
were equipping the horses, whilst Isaac
^ as gathering up the baggage. Bloody
Spur?to adopt the rider's nom de
guerre?had dismounted, and was busj
in removing the few articles of value
from the hut; the mother and children
meanwhile, were pouring forth loud lamentations.
? Mildred, In the midst of this scene
of uproar, hurriedly made her preparations
for departure; and whilst she
was yet engaged In this care, a confused
murmur was heard, at some distance
up the road?and the rattle ol
*abres, as well as the hoarse voice and
abrupt laughter of men. announced
that the freebooters were at no great
distance from the dwelling',
i "Merciful heaven!" exclaimed Mildred,
giving way for the first time to
^ier fears; "they are faBt approaching
and we shall be captured."
"Sister," said Henry, with scarcely
less alarm. "I will die by your side, before
they shall hurt a hair of your
head."
TO BE OONTtNIT21).
? Columbia Record: Just now the
penitentiary hojds a number of new
prisoners of more than usual Interest
The first of these the newspaper mar
was shown today was young Harry
Dean, 'Ah handsome as an Apollo. He
comes In from Spartanburg on a life
sentence lor homicide, and It saddens
one to reflect on how those dancing
eyes will be dulled, and how the hard
lines will be chiseled Into that fresh
young face by relentless prison life
with Its monotony and hardship. Harry
Dean doesn't look like a murderer
By his side In Dean's cell stood
young John Nail, the North Carolinian,
whose life sentence the supreme courl
recently refused to Interfere with
Nail Is only twenty-two years old. He
got Into crouble over in Darllngtor
about a year ago while drunk with his
companion. Bob Smal!s. and they killed
a negro iri brutal circumstances. Coming
out of the prison Bob Smalls was
pacing a walk with Fisher and O'Day
the last two recently sent In for safe
cracking although North Carolina had
also claimed them. Smalls Is also e
young man and he has created a particularly
favorable Impression since he
has been at the penitentiary. He Is a
hard worker. He Is to go back tc
Darlington In a short time to be resentenced.
Smalls' only hope lies In the
pardo 1 board Much feeling, was
aroused In Darlington by the case and
Smalls had to be brought here for safe
keeping. Taking a sunbath on a pile
of logs at the end of this walk, sat R
A. Adams, the Colleton county white
man who, in a passion, hu.ited up his
kinsman, Henry Jacques, and killed
him with a shot gun as a result of a
family row. He Is under sentence ol
death, though the exe*cutlon has beer
deferred in remarkable ways a numbei
of times. A short time- after sentence
was pronounced against him he escaped
Jail, and carrying his shot gun lnte
the fields with him, made a crop for his
wife and children while a heavy reward
was out for him. Then he was
captured In a spectacular way, but after
the supreme court passed upo.i his
appeal adversely Judge Townsend, Instead
of resentencing the prisoner
granted him a new trial on alleged after
discovered evidence. The supreme
court later upset this, which agair
raised the curtain In front of the gallows
for Adams. Recently Adams' attorney
secured a stay pending an Investigation
of the merits of the afterdiscovered
evidence. Hoyt Hayes, the
young Oconee county mountaineer sentenced
to hang for the murder of his
bride wife but who he claimed committed
suicide while in a delicate con"4|
1" lw? 1/U/tKun Thl? PilMt
(11111)11, WUI IUI III IIIC niivuv.i. . ..?
has attracted attention throughoui
three states, because of the peculiai
circumstances surrounding the aliegec
murder. Both the solicitor and th?
trial judge have declined to recomment
that Hayes be pardoned, and wher
Governor Heyward commuted Hayes
sentence to life imprisonment a numerously
signed petition came to him frorr
Oconee asking him to resign as governor.
But the governor places muct
store by the report of the handwriting
expert, Mr. Carvalho, who pronouncet
as genuine the note purporting to havi
bepn written by the woman just before
tin* shot was fired, and in whici
she spoke of death being preferable t(
tlie pain she was undergoing. Hayes
friends are confident that the governor
will pardon Hayes before a new
governor is inaugurated next January
And there is reason to believe thes?
hopes have good foundation. The penitentiary
people don't appear to 1 ik<
Hayes. He hasn't got an engaging
way about him.
t'd Women know at first sight the
character of those with whom the]
converse. There Is much to giv<
them religious height to which mer
do not attain.
1 Jttiocrllancnu'j Starting.
AS CHRISTENSEN SEES IT.
>
Senator From Beaufort Gives His
View As to the Dispensary Situation.
1 Senator Neils Christensen of Beau9
fort and Representative J. Fraser
9 Lyon of Abbeville, were both ortho9
dox dispensary men when they were
1 appointed to membership on the dls1
pensary investigating committee; but
1 as the result of their investigations,
* the views of both have materially
changed. Representative Lyon gave
? an intimation of what he thinks in
' a letter already published In another
' column, and Senator Christensen, who
9 Is editor of the Beaufort Gazette,
' sizes up the situation in his paper as
' follows:
Effort to Pack the Convention.
aenauir iiiimMi, me uvuwcu icau*
er and manager of the dispensary
} forces, has celled on his followers all
over the state to go Into the club
meetings on April 28th and elect dls"
pensary delegates to the county conventions.
The county conventions
| will be expected to pack the state
convention with dispensary delegates.
The state convention, probably un'
der Tillman's personal leadership,
may be expected to secure every
' strategetlcal ? advantage for the dispensary.
The dispensary forces have
! an old and experienced organization
and a veteran leader. He expects
every man In his ranks to rally to
1! his call. Large financial Interests are
Involved, industrial enterprises and a
host of personal Interests are Involved
and these too will rally.
"Now, how should the opponents
' of the dispensary state ring meet this
purpose to pack the conventions? It
Is our Idea that they should demand
simply that no action be taken by the
convention to prejudge the Issue. The
' primary is the battle ground. It
would be unjust to gag the people, or
In any way commit them on this Issue
through resolutions of party conventions.
The Democratic clubb and
conventions are, as far as this Issue
.y concerned, simply managers to ar,
range for a fair contest."
-rJTir.
i no loauv.
"The coming campaign Is going to
be a hard fought one. The Issue will
be between the state dispensary and
( "ounty dispensary. We will have the
contest In this county, because candidates
for the legislature will be
, asked to declare themselves. The
candidate* for governor, lieutenant
. governor, attorney general, and perhaps
others will be called on to face
the Issue. This being the case It Is
very Important that the Issue should
be understood.
"In the first place license Is not
' propsed by anyone.
"In the second place both the count
ty dispensary and the state dlspen'
sary leaders favor allowing the
> counties to choose between prohibl
tlon and dispensary of one kind or
i the other?this Is, all the leaders exf
cept Blease, who wants to take dway
I the right to vote a dispensary out of
i a county.
> "So the fight narrows down to a
question between county and state
. dispensary. It is a contest between
I a people's dispensary and a ring dls,
pensary.
t "We are for a people's dispensary.
We are disgusted with the ring man
agement. We want the people of
i Peaufort county to run their own dls>
pensary. They won't stand for rings.
I Give them the right to elect their
own board of control. They will not
' tolerate graft. The combination In
. Columbia Is too big. it Is too far away.
' let us have something we can man^
I age, where we can manage It.
i "This county Is not ready for prohl
bltlon. It wants a dispensary, but it
( does not want that corruption up In
t Columbia that has been growing tig>
ger and worse each year for thirteen
years. Cut that out. It Is too much
' for liquor, too much for bottles, too
' much for labels, It squanders the
I biggest part of the profits. A people's
' dispensary, at home where the people
- 'an watch It would be able to make
much larger profits than the graft
ring in Columbia harf made.
"Do not mix the Issues. It is the
people's dispensary against the ring
dispensary with the choice of prohibition
if you like It best."
LYON HITS BACK.
Abbeville Representative Makes Spirited
Reply to Tillman's Criticism.
To the Editor of The State.
The offer of your columns to me to
reply to Senator Tillman's Interview
in yesterday's Issue, Is accepted. I
shall try not to be burdensome to
either yourself or a long suffering
public.
I do not think the public interested
in the senator's opinion, either of my
course in the dispensary investigation,
or as to whether it wa:s sneaking and
cowardly to address my reply to an
attorney. In response to an Inquiry,
giving my reasons for delay, and al1
~ I ~ lott..^ tr\ ho nnhlitlhprl
liming umi iciici vu p
, However, I do not wish to take the
senator at a disadvantage, and If he
thinks it more In keeping with his
, Idea of fairness, he may treat my lett
ter as if it were addressed to him
? personally, with each statement thereI
in reiterated.
, Senator Tillman says. "I have not
I attacked the investigating committee.
, I only warned it in a friendly spirit."
His reference to the committee in his
. address stands for itself, and I
( scarcely think he can expect that this
latter statement can be understood as
j being consistent with the former. In
r my opinion it will be a very indulgent
I person who does think so.
The senator made the wonderful
discovery that the J700.000 worth of
j claims against the state board are
valid and binding, or they are not.
. Perhaps the entire committee will
agree to this statement when they
, know the senator has said It. But
when he says: "They are not, because
| the whisky was bought contrary to
law. and the state is not legally bound
for payment," I hesitate, for I have
no facts to base such conclusion on
' the opinion of a person, himself under
investigation, and know of no law
4 limiting the amount of stock, save
' the version as cited by this same per4
son. I am not familiar with a law
\ that expressly limits the amount of
goods that may be on hand to $400,
uuu. l nave reaa "An aci relating to
dispensary profits,' acts 1902, page
1102, In which It is provided that the
directors of the dispensary shall pay
to the state treasurer by January 1,
1904, all the school funds reported
by them In excess of (400,000 and
making provision for ascertaining
quarterly thereafter, the net profits
accruing to the state. No doubt the
senator will cite accurately the law
he refers to.
It hj somewhat a surprise to know
that the senator has spoken in such
strenuous language, because the public
has been notified, at his request,
that we are investigating the piano
matter. He characterizes this as a
dirty and Cowardly insinuation. I
agree with him that it Is rather a
airty loosing ming an me way
through, and I may have acted cowardly,
but the senator cannot flatter
himself that It was an insinuation. On
the other hand it was a plain statement
that the piano matter was under
investigation, because it came to
us that it was possibly a 'Trake off"?
a sufficient reason for investigating it.
We have investigated at least one
other transaction, somewhat similar
to the piano matter. This latter was
investigated largely for the reason
that the senator publicly expressed
his suspicion about it. It is only suspicions
that we have to commence
on. and it is not my purpose to tell
about suspicious transactions that are
being probed, unless those under Investigation
ask for information at a
time when it may safely be given. I
would suggest, however. If information
Is not really desired, it may be well
not to be too Inquisitive, for someone
else might be offended.
The interview has represented the
senator as saying that my pretext for
delay is that I may look Into the records
of the Mill Creek Distilling company,
to see whether there are any
credits. Is it not a little strange that
the senator should thus refer to Mill
Creek when no mention of it is made
In my letter? The statement In this
respect is the product of his own fertile
imagination. Is it not singular
that he should associate in his'mind
Mill Creek distillery and rebates? This
of Itself would warrant the committee
In looking for "a nigger in the wood
pile" In the back yard of the Mill Creek
distillery.
But now comes the startling denial
that he ever said anything about returning
rebates. It may be interesting
to read his Interview along with his
sworn statement before the committee.
Interview. Sworn Statement.
"Mr. Lyon heard "But for the fact
my testimony in that Hubbell credColumbia
and he ited me I could not
knows I said noth- have started the
ing about return- dispensary at all.
ing any money, When T\e looked
for I never receiv- through it he
ed any." said: 'This purchase
is subject to
a rebate, because
of the fact that
the Mill Creek
, company is a
member of the
liquor .trust.*
* 'Well, I said, I
don't want any
dealings wim rebates;
you keep
that as a bonus
for the accommodation
you have
given me in selling
me liquor at a
fair price, and assisting
me in my
effort to start the
I dispensary.'"
I take It that the senator does not
desire to quibble and I prefer to believe
his sworn statement true, especially
as the act under which we are
proceeding makes false swearing before
the committee perjury. Such being
the condition of affairs, I think we
have reasonable grounds, and it Is our
duty, to probe this matter as we have
been doing and are continuing to do.
' The senator avows he has a friendly
spirit towards the committee. Leaving
aside the suddenness of his recollection
of this fact and acting upon his
avowal as if it .were true, I suggest
that if he has any more letters in his
possession of similar nature to th*e
one Mr. Fant wrote him some years
ago, he will confer a favor by delivering
them to the committee before we
learn of such letters and the affairs
to which they relate, through some
other source. What we need most is
facts and not "friendly advice."
So far as the lawyers are concerned
who represent the claims held up and
the persons under investigation, I will
say that when they write me letters
they will receive a courteous and frank
reply and each of them may expect to
be treated In a respectful manner when
they appear before the committee.
In the event some other person may
wish to find out something about the
investigation and prefers not to use
the newspapers as a medium of corri
spondence, just let him write a polite
inquiry, if he can and a courteous re_?
in i? T# uunK noronna
piy Will Ut* inui ui-u. 11 ouvn |/v.ww..H
should be afraid of getting unpleasant
information and objects to the reply
to his inquiry being made public, he
will be accommodated upon request.
In conclusion let me thank you for
the use of your columns and ask you.
If I am not too inquisitive myself,
whose cur was It that yelped the'other
day somewhere up between Charlotte
and Greenville?
J. Fraser Lyon.
Abbeville, April 10th.
Uncle Joe Cannon.?Joseph G. Cannon,
speaker of the house, will be seventy
years of age on May 7. On that
day a monster reception will be held
in Washington in his honor, and he
will be the guest of the house of representatives.
The affair is being planned
on an elaborate scale, and the
function will undoubtedly be one of
the biggest of Its kind ever held at the
National Capitol. The president, vice
president, senate, cabinet, United
States supreme court and public officials
generally will be invited.
Although approaching three score
and ten, the grizzled veteran from Illinois
is hale and hearty, and, as the
statehood Insurgents discovered to
their sorrow, he is as full of fight as
ever. To a group of his friends, recently.
the speaker confided that he only
had two ambitions yet to be gratified.
The first was to serve another term
as presiding officer of the house. "If
I should again be selected as speaker,"
he said, "I would then be willing to retire
and let somebody else take
charge."
The second thing that Uncle Joe
wants to accomplish, or help accomplish,
is this: He wants to see a bill
passed fixing the salaries of senators
and representatives at $16,000. "The
present salary is not adequate," he
said. "It should be three times the
present amount." It is understood that
since he became speaker it has cost
Mr. Cannon $4,000 a year to live.
Some people insist that the Illinois
veteran wants to be president. He was
asked recently If this report was true.
All he said was "Scat."?Washington
I special to the News and Courier.
i iLLmnn AIIU ? ^nnni\.
Senator Receive* a Visit From Gentle*
man Just From Asylum.
Senator Tillman's reputation aa the
champion of the down-trodden and afflicted
and the foe of strength and
wealth Improperly and Illegally conducted,
says a Washington correspondent.
has become so general that he
Is constantly In receipt of letters Imploring
his aid. besides visitors who
wish to see him with long stories as
to wrongs they have suffered. In these
days of rebate warfare the South Carolina
senator has little time for such
things, but he gives It as freely as his
duties permit.
A few nights ago he was sitting in
ins uiipreiciiuuus uuici iiuciiui
with his daughter and a newspaper
friend. A bellboy brought a card to
the door and it showed the name of a
man from North Dakota. The senator
directed that the visitor be shown up.
He was a fine-looking, splendidly
dressed fellow, with a fur collar on
his overcoat He sat down in the
chair offered to him and began his
story:
"Senator, I have Just gotten out of
an Insane asylum up In Canada. I
come to you to help me get Justice.
First they put me into a private sanitarium
agalnBt my will and kept me
there three weeks. I sent to the American
consul at and asked him to
come to my aid. He wouldn't do It.
When I did get out I went to the Canadian
authorities and tried to get
Justice for detention In the sanitarium.
Instead of getting justice they put me
Into an insane asylum at and kept
me there forty-five daya I, at last, got
word to my brother, who took me out."
By this time there was a queer feeling
chasing around the spinal cords of
some of those present, although Senator
Tillman appeared as nonchalant
as usual.
"My friend," he said, "this Is a matter
for the senators from your state to
look after."
"That may be true," went on the
visitor, "but they say that you are not
frightened by anybody or any power If
you think a wrong has been done, and
I want your help. You see there are
many other Americans Imprisoned
there, and what is happening to them
is enough to set the country on Are. I
tell you it is horrible. The United
States consuls failed to do their duty."
"That fact, with the names, ought to
be reported to the state department for
investigation" stated Senator Tillman.
"I do not see where I could be of much
benefit to you under the circumstances.
Here's my newspaper friend. Write
the whole story up and give it to him.
He will spread* it over the country for
you."
The newspaper man promised to do
this and gave his address.
But the visitor was not so easily gotten
rid of It. "And do you know," he
went on in a quiet manner, using good
language, "there Is a cure for most
of those poor people In that asylum
and others. If they could be pardoned
by the government?If you could use
your influence to have them pardoned
?they would regain their normal
senses and be all right. You see," and
the voice of the man dropped low,
"these people have committed secret
murder. Nobody knows It but them
selves. i ney are airaiu lu wmo v?u,
for fear of being prosecuted and hanged.
They stay on and suffer the tortures
they are forced to undergo, but if
they were pardoned they could come
out and be free."
Senator Tillman looked queerly at the
visitor as he went on, and the newspaper
man saw that there ought to be a
quick thought put in.
"Now,"' said the correspondent, "that
is a very important matter, a great
story, but Senator Tillman has nothing
in the world to do with it. You write
the whole thing up tonight and send It
to me at my office as quick as you can
get It. The sooner you get to work the
better," and he arose and opened the
door for the stranger to hurry out and
get to work on the story, which he
agreed to do.
"If that chap sends his card up here
again, don't receive him." the senator
gave instructions, and there was a
feeling of relief when the visitor had
gone.
Remarkable Man, This One.
A farmer came to town with the
snowstorm the other morning and inquired
the way to the county clerk's
office. There he sat down and warmed
himself at the radiator.
"Be you the man that fixes the tax
lists?" he inquired of Mr. M. M. Moody,
the county clerk.
"Well, yes; if there's anything wrong
they're filed here and submitted to the
board of equalization," said the official.
"I suppose there's a mistake in yours?"
"Yes."
"I've got $400 worth of notes the assessor
didn't get."
"What!" cried Moody, springing
from his chair.
'Tve got $400 worth of notes the assessor
didn't get."*
Moody looked at his deputy.
"What did you understand him to
say, Charley?" he asked, In agitation.
"He said, I thought, something about
$400 worth of notes getting away," replied
the deputy, "but I was busy and
maybe I didn't hear him right"
Moody looked apologetically at the
farnjec patriot.
"Would you mind saying that again
friend," he said, slowly; "the wind was
making so much noise I'm afraid I misunderstood
you. Walt a minute. I
want to see a man."
The clerk returned In a few minutes
with the sheriff.
"Newt,"' he said, "this man"?Indicating
the patriot?"Is going to make
a statement. Watch closely what he
says. And. you too, Charley."
The visitor looked around In a mystified
way at his three auditors.
"I don't know what's the matter
with you fellers' hearing," he remarked
loudly. "But I'll do my best to make
you understand. When the assessor
was at my house last fall I wasn't
home. My wife listed the property at
$198. When I got back I found inere
was $400 worth of notes she didn't
know about. I want to put 'em In."
That was clear enough for a Digger
Indian to comprehend. The three men
gathered around the patriot and wrung
his hand. The sheriff said he'd take
him to dinner. The clerk told him if
he'd stay over night he'd chaperone
him to the theatre and settle his reckoning
at the best hotel. The deputy
clerk offered to escort him to his house
and show him his new baby. The patriot
wondered.
"You see." exclaimed the county
clerk, "such a thing never happened
* J -11
Deiore, arm in txn nuiuan iJiuuauuuj
never will again. You are a man
among men, you are, and before the
week's out you'll be the most famous
citizen in the county. Are you .sure
you don't waht to reconsider your
statement?"
The patriot replied that he waa
standing pat. His name Is O. W. Haley,
and he lived back In Liberty township.
Haley Is about Afty-Ave and belongs
to the Christian church. His
profession is the raising of watermelons.?Kansas
City Star.