Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, March 03, 1911, Image 1

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

l. m. GRIST8 SONS, Pubu.her., j % ^antihg Uewspapei;: 4or the {promotion of the jpoliticat, Social, gigrieulfural anil (Tommertial Interests of the jpeoplg. { TtR ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKYILLE, S.~ C., FR I 13 A Y, MARC'M 1911. NO. 18. ' ? ...... * " ' ' ' " ' * I "Alias Jimmy Valentine CHAPTER XII. "Gee," went on Red enthusiastically, not appreciating the reason for Valen" - " 1..1 tk.t I a a line a anenee, gee, uui mai nm.i <o a great kid! Ain't it funny how a kid like that will g:et hold of a touRh old tramp like me?" "Nice child," commented Valentine. He picked up the teleRram and handed it to Red. "Red, read that," he said dully, as though discouraRed. The other read in silence. "Doyle! Good heaven!" he exclaimed. "Doyle," said Valentine. "It took him quite a while to uncover us. didn't it?" "But he's finally done it?got your name and everything." "Did you notice It wasn't signed?" "Yes. Who do you suppose tipped you?f "Doyle," was Valentine's amazing response. "Doyle!" cried Red, starting aback. The assistant cashier bent toward the watchman. "Doyle sent that, Red. Don't you see he's not sure of me? But If I ran away from the hank when that tele& > OS**.' 1 fr,:f ^BIB. M^K: wraHm ' " '*" v. .4<"-V MB. CBOHI*' F4CBD VALENTIN* AND K*p. Kram carae-^out of town for the afternoon?he'd know he had me," ".Never thought. I'd have ducked," commented Red. "And now he'll turn me up too, I'm going." He fingered his hat nervously. "You're not. He don't want you, and if you stay where you belong he won't see you." Red nodded his head decisively. "I'll stay closer to the bank than an emigrant to his tag. And you, Jimmy?" Valentine smiled as the other lapsed oft in his excitement into using his old I iiamK "'Jimmy!' How natural that sounds, Red!" he said reminiscently. "Excuse me. I meant 'Mr. Randall," " protestingly. "No, It's all right, only don't by any chance use it before Doyle, because I'm going to alibi Doyle until he'll think he's lost his eyesight." "Alibi?" repeated Red curiously. "I've heard o' that before." "Alibi, that's it, Red," replied Val. entitle. And he continued rapidly: "You haven't forgotten the one greatest refuge of the crook, have you? our old friend the alibi? Something which proves you were not where you were when something happened. I was never Jimmy Valentine, Red. I was never in Sing Sing. I've been straight all my life and can prove it. I've been waiting fur Mr. Doyle nearly three years, and I've got him beat, I never did that job in Springfield, Massachusetts. I was never there in my life. And if# I've got to use the crook's tools to beat it I'm justified. I'm living straight and I'm going to, and all the gods are with me, Red." He took a scrapbook from a drawer and opened it. "Look at that. For fiye years you will find clippings of t A.. kn II.-wl I*. Ct Da.II rrjivn nv mvu That man was my cousin. He went to Alaska and never came back. My name is also L>ee Randall, and 1 defy Doyle to prove he ever saw me." Valentine, out of breath owing to the long speech he had delivered at top speed, leaned back and gazed triumphantly at Flanagan. The latter stared amazedly at the assistant cashier, trying to guess as to whether or not he was telling the truth. Well, there was a scrapbook. That would afford ready means of proving Valentine's words. Red picked up the book and swiftly skimmed the pages. His attention was held by one of the clippings. He read aloud: "St. Paul News, March 12, IStOfi.?The speaker of the evening was Mr. Lee Randall. His subject was"? "Look at that other one," interrupted Valentine, pointing. "See how they join up with the day I came here. And Avery has sent me something that will make Mr. Doyle's eyes blink like an owl." Red laughed grimly. The telephone hell rang. "Avery! Did you say Avery?" asked Red. "Yes." picking up the receiver. Then to the operator: "Yes. send Mr. ('renin right in. There's a friend of his here who wants to see him." He looked significantly across at Red. Flanagan glanced around the room, then at Valentine. "Say," he began. "I'm the only one here in the room except you. and I don't want to see any 'Mr. Cronin.' Don't know him. Who is he?" "Mr. Cronin," responded Valentine. Novelized by FREDERIC R. TOOMBS From the Great Play by PAUL ARMSTRONG Copyright, 1910, by American "is the man who is going to save you and me from going back to state prison." Valentine went on to recount to Red how Bill Avery, after he had said goodby to his "pals" in Albany, had gone to the middle west and eventually married a sedate widow of middle age, whose son was an expert photographer, one who operated a large studio In St. Louis and employed men who specialized in covering important events for the newspapers and magazines. "Avery!" ejaculated Red. "Avery working?absolutely on the square?" "Yes, that's the truth, the awful truth," laughed Valentine whimsically. "But you say Bill?Bill Avery is married?" asked Red, completely overcome at the suggestion. "Yes, it's all true, and Bill has ] provea a true iriena to me?10 us, answered Valentine. "And he's really happy?" went on : Red doubtlngly. "Him as always had i a stable of Allies spendin' his coin. He's happy with one wife?" The assistant cashier gave vent to a burst of gayety at the astonishment of the watchman, who probably would have understood the process of reformation in any one but Bill Avery. But a few minutes elapsed after Valentine answered the telephone call before the door opened, and in came a man whose iron gray hair curled be- , neath the rim of his high silk hat. Glaringly bright yellow kid gloves adorned his hands. His frock coat, of ; the latest make, was a bit worn on 1 the edges, and it was for that reason that the secondhand dealer had made a reduction in price to Mr. Cronin. The newcomer laid a handsome gold headed Indian bamboo walking stick across a chair, took off his gloves and faced Valentine and Red. "Mr. Randall?" he said. "Yes, Mr. Cronin." ' Cronin be blowed." cried Red. start ing forward. "It's Bill Avery. How about you. old pal?" Avery, pleased at the enthusiastic welcome and at the sight of both of his old friends, shook hands with each. Then he drew back and looked from one to the other. "Think of us three bein' left alone together "ke this in a real bank," he said significantly, and his two hearers could not restrain laughter at the thought of what the circumstances would have meant to them in days now put behind them. "Did you get the picture?" asked Avery of Valentine. "You told me to send it, but I wanted to see you. That double negative is a wonder." Valentine looked understanding^ at him. He rose from his chair, picked up the telegram from his desk and extended It to Avery. "Yes; it's all right," he said. "And it came just in time. Today is the day I'll need it," pointing to the telegram. "Read that!" Avery read the message. The pallor of unnerving fear came upon him. His head dropped forward and he glanced apprehensively about him. His hand trembled as he laid the paper on the desk. He sank hopelessly into a chair. "Doyle," the old man choked?"Doyle! He said he'd slough me, and now he'll do It?or else he'll make me pay blackmail. You never can tell how much a copper wants for keepln' quiet." "Oh, don't get blue," encouraged Valentine. "He doesn't want you fellows. It's me that he is after." He ovaminoit a Inrpp nhntncrnnh whioh Avery had sent him, It showed the tables and guests at a large banquet In a luxuriously appointed restaurant. "Yes, I think this saves me," he remarked, He held it before Red, asking, "What's this?" "Flashlight of a banquet." "Who is this on the right of the toastmaster?" pointing at a face in the picture. "You." "Pipe the date," went on the assistant cashier, "Feb. 6, 1906. Do you remember where I was on that date?" He gazed curiously at Red. Avery watched the proceedings with rare Interest. The watchman became thoughtful. At last a puzzled wrinkle marked his forehead. "Why?wh\ ?you?were?in ?Sing Sing?prison?on?that?date," he replied confusedly. Valentine and Avery laughed In their superior knowledge, "No, no," protested Valentine, "this photograph proves 1 was at a banquet In St. Paul. I'll beat Doyle and I'll make him like it." "You can't," was Avery's pessimistic comment. "You said we couldn't go square, any of us, and we all have," was Valentine's rejoinder. "And If we can beat the thing inside of us that calls we can beat one man that hunts." A clerk knocked at the door and entered to ascertain if he should now bring in a travful of cash which Valentine was to count. He was ordered to do so at once, and Avery's face became a study as the young man soon re-entered with a tray on which new banknotes of large denominations were piled among glistening rows of gold coin. "Great snakes, what a chance!" exclaimed the one time thief, looking from Valentine to the watchman. "This is no place for me. oh, just for one grab and the quick getaway!" He mopped his wrinkled brow. "I'm sweating like a polar bear on the Fourth of July." "Haven't got it out of your blood yet, eh?" asked Valentine. "Not the craving for real money. I learned to let the wheat in the grain elevator alone after a month or two, hut coarse money like that?wow!" The old man stared fascinatedly at the enticing tray. "Well, we watched each other for awhile," commented Red, pointing to his chief. "And ain't neither of you ever snatched even one- bundle?" asked Avery incredulously. "No." "Well, you better get me out of here. I'm going to have lockjaw In both hands in a minute." He reached for his hat and stick. "No, you're not," put in Valentine. "Come on, Red," he said, walking to the vault room door. "I'm going to prove to Bill that he's honest. He's going to watch that money till we fnmp hark." Avery cried out in protest, hut Red followed his superior, and the time worn thief, who had confessed to his friends the weakness that he well knew yet lurked within him, was left alone in the banking office before a tray containing $63,000 in cash. Within reach was the door leading into the open hallway through which it was but a few seconds' dash to the busy street, where a man would immecHately be lost to view in the passing throng. "It's a dirty trick," muttered the old man, starting after the others. A shaft of yellow light reflected from one of the golden coins caught his eye, drove into his very brain, into the thin red blood that coursed through his hard- , ening veins. He stopped. He turned full around and slowly, with hands eagerly outstretched, tiptoed back to the table bearing the precious burden. His brows narrowed down over his pale gray eyes, his fingers, long talons in their curved fixedness, began to nervously twitch. Then Avery jerked himself away of a sudden. He straightened himself up and started toward the vault room door to summon Valentine. 1 But even as he did so his glance roved 1 back to the alluring tray. He was drawn to it as the nerveless rabbit that succumbs to the insidious charm of the oscillating head of the hungry python. i He stepped to the tray. He seized two packages of hundred dollar bills, thrust them Into his pockets, then , clutched two more. The fever had him. His eyes shone with the fire of gone days and gone nights. His poi- ! soned blood sang through his veins, i Then he stopped once more. He raised his head. "And have the coppers after me again," he murmured thoughtfully. He laid down a package. "And 'double cross' a pal that put me straight. Not me, not me!" He replaced the re- ( mainder of the money. "And coin that comes crooked never was any good." ! Avery stood before the tray of money. Now he looked at the tempting fortune with the sure knowledge that 1 he had conquered?that he had faced his greatest test and had not been < found wanting, The thought of how narrowly he had escaped committing the meanest crime of his career came over him, and he realized that he had been on the verge of plunging himself into the death dealing life from which Yftjen- j tine had rescued him. Ungovernable rage possessed him at his Insane lapse Into the self that he had cast from him. He swung his fist at the neatly stacked piles of gold pieces. "Curse you, curse you!" he cried In frenzy. The tray and Its contents crashed to the floor and the money j scattered in all directions. Valentine and Red hearing the noise, came rushing in from the vault room. They saw the floor littered with banknotes and coins. And crouching forlornly in a chair was the figure of old Bill Avery. His hands were pressed over his eyes, and he sobbed in the agony that gripped the soul which had ; been restored to hiin. (To Be Continued.) WILD BOAR ON BANK NOTE. How It Came to Bo Used on Ten Yon Bill of the Japanese Bank. Only those well versed In the history of Jupan have any idea of the reason why the wild boar Is used as a decoration on the back of the ten yen note of the Japan bank. The story dates from the early dawn of the country's history, from the beginning of the period which may be said to be historical in contrast with that part which is wholly mythological, and has to do with the era of the Empress Shotoku, 789 A. D. It seems that after this empress had deposed the Emperor Junnln In 76f. that the man who had been most useful to her in her deposition was a certain Dokyo. Dokyo became, with the favor of the empress, the most powerful man In the empire, and although he was a monk there Is no doubt but that all the while he was in the service of the empress as her most trusted retainer he was planning to seize for himself the Imperial throne. Through a follower of his own he had it suggested to the empress that the god of war, Hachlman, had told him in a dream that if the empress would secure the throne to him after her decease, that the empire would enjoy forever after years of unbroken peace. The empress, however, replied that she was powerless to do ku. i omiui to consult the oracle of th?- g?m1 before giving her answer. Her majesty thereupon sent Wake iu? Klyomaro, whose picture adorns all the old notes of the Hank of Japan. and Instructed hint to procure an answer from the god on this question. Before setting out on his mission. however, Kiyomaro was approached by Dokyo. who told him that the empress was favorably inclined toward the project of setting him on the throne and that if he would see that a favorable answer was sent back he should have many favors showered upon him in the next reign. The reply of Kiyomaro was not at all to the liking of Dokyo. who banished Kiyomaro, after mutilating him in a horrible manner. During his banishment lie was one day walking in the mountains, when he found that he had completely lost the way. He was in a very difficult position, when suddenly he saw a herd of wild boars directly in front of him. seemingly making off in a straight path through the mountains. He at once set out to follow them, and after much hard climbing Kiyomaro found himself on a main road in front of a teiiinle. Hut looking for his guides. he found Hint they had vanished. He at once fell on his knees in prayer to the Rods, and went on his way rejoicing. This great favor was vouchsafed to Klyt^uro because he had refused to be a pari>" H1*' vrime of placing upon the heavenly descended throne of emperors who were in no way capable of occupying the throne once held by the celestial spirits.?Japan Advertiser. ittisccUancous grading. , AS TO RURAL SCHOOLS. < . i Prof. W. K. Tate Delivers Address at 1 the State University. "Rural School Process In South | Carolina" was the timely subject of ( Prof. W. K. Tate's address at the University of South Carolina on Thursday | night, February 23rd. Prof. Tate Is j an educational engineer, and as such Is doing a great work, especially for the country sections of our state. He Is a I man of broad sympathies and clear j vision. His plans are bounded by com- ( mon sense, and he Is devoted to the ? Vilcrhnat Intornoto of tho nPnnlp Uifl f address was listened to with profound J attention, and awakened the quickest t response In the audience. It Is a slg- ? nal fact that South Carolina has such * a union of co-operative agencies for t progress as the demonstration farm 1 movement, hy Mr. Ira Williams, the I public health, by Doctors C. F. Wil- ^ llams and LaBruce Ward, the school g improvement league hy Miss Rudd, e high school development, by Prof. W. * H. Hand, and the rural school work, hy Prof. W. K. Tate, the state super- j visor of elementary rural schools. 8 Prof. Tate's address was in part as c follows: I Rural School Progress. The census of 1910 has brought viv- t idly before the nation some facts which g we had already surmised. It has told g the story of steady emigration from s the country and the congestion of pop- ) ulation in the larger towns and cities j of the United States. The price of r staple food products has steadily risen j and there has been a marked decrease t In the exports of agricultural products | to foreign countries. The nations of v Europe are turning to the Argentine j republic and to other sections of the j world as their sources of food sup- c plies. The increase in our exports of r manufactured products has barely neu- i tralized this diminution, and were it t not for the cotton of the south the bal- 8 ance of trade would soon be strongly g against us. t The last census shows that many g fine agricultural sections of the United a States have lost in population during ? the past decade in spite of the unpre- c cedented prosperity which has attend- g ed the efforts of the intelligent farmer, t We have become alarmed at this growing tendency, and the best thought of the nation is now turned toward a solution of the country life problem. We have realized the fact that this 8 problem is an economic and a social t one, and is not to be solved by politi- e cal expedients. We are realizing that * it is time for us to stop disslnatlng the J capital which nature has given us and * to conserve our national resources as a J perpetual asset to us and to our poster- ' ity. The conservation movement is * one phase of the remedy for the econ- * omic ills of rural life. c We have realized also that the inher- c ent rights of the farmer have often t been disregarded. The larger and 8 more powerful combinations of capital r have always been able to secure the v ear of legislation and the unorganized c farmers have heen compelled to con- 8 tent themselves with high sounding ^ phrases and empty promises. With the ? growth of rural intelligence, however, * mer has in many states at last received belated attention from the lawmaker. Social Problems of the Country. We have realized that the country life problem is very largely a social one, that the country must be robbed a of its isolation before it will become j attractive to cultured men and women. The good roads movement, the rural free delivery, the parcels post, the ru- ' ral telephone, the automobile, and oth- t er socializing agencies are answering the gregarious instinct which has dri- , ven so many people to the city. The state, the nation, and private 1 philanthropy have recently focused p themselves on an effort to improve the t1 agricultural methods of the country and the productivity of the farm. The v agricultural college has awakened to a broader conception of its mission, and ,] through its extension courses, is bringing the expert knowledge of the expert- K ment station to the farmer In th? field, s The farm demonstration work hap glv- s en us a new vision of the possibilities s of common sense whatjtaplied te agricultural Instruction. TW school room, 1 the press, and even the pulpit have t united to dignify the farmer's vocation g and to Improve his standard of living. . We are beginning to realize that the 11 most important factor of all in the so- f lution of the rural problems is the c country school. Although we still have with us the political demagogue who rides Into office by an insincere pro- 1 testation of affection for the common n school, but who is Ignorant of its j. needs and opposed to its adequate support, the great body of our citizen- n ship realize that the improvement of f the rural school is the final test by n which our civic greatness is to be measured. In South Carolina alone during the past five years 11,000 white l1 children have been transferred from 1< country schools to town schools. Great t sections of our state have been depleted of their white population, and 1 some of our most fertile lands have h been turned over to negro tenants t without that white supervision which is necessary to the greatest productivity. We are beginning to realize that 1 in nine cases out of ten this emigra- 0 tion from the country to the city has 0 been a search for satisfactory school facilities. In this realization we are 1 not alone?our problem is not a peculiar one. The whole United States is ,J working with us, and we should con- r tlnually keep in touch with the experl- r ence of others as a guide In our own n development. t Present Movements. There are several well defined movements toward better rural schools now In progress In the United States. The first of these movements Is toward better supervision of the rural schools. In the last twenty-five years the cities of the United States have almost without exception developed good school systems. This result has been attained largely because these cities have provided trained and adequate supervision. The country schools have been almost without supervision. ( Better Supervision. There has been a rather wide spread belief that the county superintendent of education is merely an official to ap- x prove pay warrants, to keep books, and to make annual reports. We have assumed that the rural school could take care of itself. At last, however, we are realizing that ihese schools with their lack of classification, and their irregular attendance need a supervision of the very highest order, and dozens of states in recent years have made the county superintendency an educational position and not a political one. This has always been followed by a marked advance in rural school efficiency and can not long be delayed In any progressive state. We are gradually learning that the county superintendent of education should not be paid the wages of a cheap clerk, but that his work requires training and skill of a high order which can only be obtain- < iwl throiio-h n rltk/t tin 1rtimiitu>rti( wtn Bettor Support. c We are beginning to realize that the h welfare of the city la firmly hound up v with that of the rural community and I' that all of the wealth of the state I should contribute to the support of the a most humble rural school in the most remote section. The cities and the s great industrial corporation which s constitute so large a part of the visible n wealth of the state have been built up I by the small contributions of the rural " sections, and a sense of obligation and g sound economic foresight both demand that they should have a part in the do- r VClonment of the more backward sec- I tions. a The local school district is beginning to realize that local effort on its part in special taxation will bear , ibundant fruit in more satisfactory community life and Increased land values. The most marked progress ivhlch has characterized South Caro- (] ina during the past two years has been the increase In school districts 1 evylng special taxes. The legislature f n the year 1910 raised the limit of spe- v ;ial levy from four to eight mills, rhere are still, however, more than s 1,000 school districts in South Carolina vhlch depend solely on the county fund p for school support. ,, Better Buildings. mere is a constant improvement in . he character of the rural school buildings. In many sections of the country :he old box car type of building has t >assed away and has been replaced by n t beautiful structure thoroughly idapted to school purposes and ap- " sealing to the pride and aesthetic taste a if a cultured community. The influ- t ;nce of one such building frequently , ipreads over a whole county and tends :o lift all school architecture in the ' :ounty to a higher level. While there tl ire still thousands of miserable hovels p n South Carolina which are used for jublic schools, we are developing these a txji which will eventually bring us to n i better day. While we still have thoulands of schools devoid of all appll- , mces for instruction, there is a marked endency to better school equipment. n Consolidation of Schools. tl We are beginning to realize that it is b mpossible for one teacher to teach in n i satisfactory manner all the subjects v if the elementary school course. It is mpossible for her to have thirty or K orty recitations per day and give to ii he students a good quality of instruc- ^ iqn. We are realizing also that the . loclai element plays a large part in ichool interests, and that the laraer tl ichool attracts the pupil and furnishes b iim incentives for study not possible n the one teacher rural school. The nore progressive sections of the United n States have learned to consolidate v hese small schools into schools em- f, >loylng three or more teachers in vhich gradation and classification of 1 tupils are possible. In order to facil- d tate the consolidation of schools such tl immunities frequently transport the e: nore distant pupils by wagon, and thus t? nsure regularity and punctuality in at- V ehdance and freedom from the hard- e ihlps of inclement weather, which are c mch an obstacle to rural school at- p endance. While these consolidated n ichools with the conveyance of pupils si ire somewhat more expensive than the d ichool of the old type, the cost per lay's attendance is not much higher A md the results have always Justified J he expense. 1( A Better Course of Study. We are Just beginning to realize that ? he course of study for the rural school 'S] ihould tend to preparation for life on jr he farm, and should not in its ideals intlce the pupil away from the coun- ^ ry. We are learning more and more . o use the material around us as the Q mils for our Instruction. The good j ountry school now opens the eyes of j ts pupils to rural resources and ad- sj rantages. Nature study and agricul- ip ure Introduce him to the principles . successful farming. The Boys' Corn ilub and similar movements give prac- L leal demonstration of farm methods tnd results. By actual accomplishnent in the field rather than by the [, 'aporings of the stump the hoy Is being . tonvinced that the farmer is worthy to . itand upright on his feet and look the ' vhole world in the face, proud in the inowledge that his profession is the tulwark of the state. n 4- =7= fl THE LEVEE WALKER. ti a, k Bird Highly Regarded By the Rice ^ Planters of Texas. js "I hadn't been long in Texas," said h ..... . 1. w- si . northern man, "Dut. ions enougu, ucng of a somewhat inquiring mind, to earn that the burrowing crawfish Is a n irollflc and ubiquitous preempter of w he moist soil of the Texas coast V CI ountry. Wherever a ditch or a pud- p lie of water with any' showing of ]i tank to it Is found on the borders of c( t will this industrious crawfish dig ^ Is nest and honeycomb the ground a rith its excavations. h "And then one day I was travelling * lown Metagorda way, along with my ^ ;un, inclined for some sport with tl nlpe and shore birds. The train was e: peeding along between endless tretches of rice prairie. Gridironing fo he fields were embankments raised si o control the speed of water over the ? Towing rice and to divide the fields " nto working sections. I noticed the r< requent rising from the levees and anal borders of flocks of large birds, g p aost of them pure white, and I fell C( o wondering what variety of bird they o night be, and Inwardly resolved to n ;et off at the next station and secure |J specimen or two. Then I asked a h ellow-passenger whether he could tell b ne what the birds were. " 'Them birds?' said he, and he was ilainly a native. 'Them birds is if - ... n evee walkers, captain, ana ir you was hinkin' o' drappin* off some'rs along ^ he line aiul takln' a shot at 'em you C( letter telegraft your folks to come af- g er you with a box.' 11 "It came to me then that perhaps ft| had better qualify that resolution s? f mine somewhat. The native went a n to further elucidation. h "Th& levee walker was In reality a w leron, and otic not uncommon in is 'exas but not seen in any large num- ti iers in the coast country until the h irairies were put under cultivation to h ice. When the irrigation canals 1 nd ditches were dug in the prairies m o supply the water necessary for rice w ultivation, what miles and miles of t< esting banks they offered the burrow- s? tig crawfish for occupancy. The c< rawfish was not slow in taking ad- at antage of the new field, and in time l, 11 some districts it threatened havoc e: ? the levee banks. di "Then tlie rice planters noticed that tl lirds of a kind new to them, some of ti hem white and some of them a bluish h :rny, hut all long legged and of great peed of wing, began to gather in the w Ice fields along the levees. At first ti he rice farmers regarded them with fii isfavor, believing them to be still c? nother tribe of winged destroyers of tl ice. several of which were already fii 11 discouraging evidence, and they a lent out against them with guns and ci instructive devices. si "In spite of this warfare on them e: hesc liic? birds nersisted in hovering c< bout the field* and In marching with vi nueh statelincss of tread up ami clown fr he levees in ever increasing numbers, ifter a while then the discovery was y, uade that the honeycombing and "i unnelling crawfish had met with an w obstacle somehow. tl "In fact it was plain that the in- et oads of the pests had received a de- 111 ided check, and then the revelation w anie that the big levee walking bird ft nstead of being a devourer of the in ice crop was simply putting In its T line crawfishing and that the num- w er of the destructive burmwers one bl f these birds managed to surprise o| luring a day's walking of a levee was di leyond belief. From that time it be- fc ame an unwritten law of the rice ot elt that the man behind the gun that ti fas levelled at a levee walker had best o| use no time in getting away from that If articular corner of Texas and stay a< way. t? " 'An' seein' like it appears that w etch is the feelltf through here.' la aid the native who had enlightened tt; ue in these matters, 'seems to me ef e| was you. Captain. I wouldn't drop t?i ft' now'lieres along the line an" go'to si uiinin' fer none of 'em.' it "1 said I wouldn't, and tabled my c? esolution by unanimous vote. Hut tt found great consolation later on w mong the snipe and shore birds." st COMMISSION MAKES REPLY. ieaponae to Governor Bleaae'a Requeat For Information. Following Is the response of the Ispensary winding up commission to he recent request of Governor Blease or information as to the manner in i-hlch It has been discharging Its tewardship: The state dispensary commission a response to your letter of February ft, 1911. met on the 24th Instant and uthorized the following information o be communicated to you by me: First. I hund you herewith copy of he agreement between the said com-1 ? - * lx Kf AnnMd An.l tllSSIOIl clUU lilt" linn ui mrooio. auerson. Felder, Rountree & Wilson, ml will state that this agreement is he only one made with that Arm, here heing no agreement with the idividuat members thereof and, herefore. none with Mr. Thomas B. 1 'elder of said firm. A copy of the greement Is hereto attached and larked exhibit "A." Second. As to the agreement with I Ir. Stevenson. The only agreement lade with him was entered Into for < he year 1907, under which he was to e paid for attendance upon the leetlngs of the commission and ad- i Islng them in ail matters not liti- ' ated and pay his own expenses while ' i Columbia and to and from Colum- j la for the sum of $1,500, and when I e went elsewhere under orderH of J he commission his expenses were to , e paid by the commission. At the I rid of the year 1907, the business < ot being completed, his services j ere merely continued to be settled , ir on a satisfactory basis. He par- i cipated in all the litigation and con- j ucted one branch of it alone, to wit, , ie contest of the United States gov- , rnment for alleged back revenue ( ixes, the same being finally tried in ( Washington before the internal rev- , ? J 4Ua ' nue commissioner, wno rejeticu mc j lalm. For all of his services he was , aid the sums shown In the state- , lents which are below referred to, | bowing all the Items of receipts and , Isbursements. , Third. As to the contract with , Ir. B. L. Abney. The commission on | anuary 24th, 1906, passed the fol- , jwing resolution: "On motion of Mr. j atton, Dr. Murray, chairman, was j uthorized to employ additional coun- ( el to assist In the Fleischmann ] nit against the state after consult- ( ig with the attorney general." In ] ursuance of that authority and on , ccount of the litigation which had ( ist been instituted In the Federal ( ourt Mr. Abney was employed to as- , 1st in the case, and subsequently , 1 all of the cases Involving the Is- j lies raised in the Fleischmann case. \ hese cases were finally successfully . jrmlnated In the United States su- ] reme court, after adverse decisions ( ad been tendered In the circuit ( ourt and In the circuit court of ap- ( eals of the United States. When , tie services were completed, there < eing no definite contract made, Mr. ( bney rendered a bill on November j 0th, 1909, accompanied by a letter, , oples of which are hereto attached , nd marked exhibit "B." The com- ( fission without having a hearing , rom Mr. Abney fixed his fee ten.- 1 itlvely at $9,000 Instead of $10,000 , s rendered. Subsequently on De- < ember 3 Mr. Abney wrote a letter ( > the commission, a copy of which , i hereto attached and marked ex- | Iblt "C," which letter states his po- ( Jtion runy. un lunncr tuuoiucia- ^ on the commission acceded to his j equest, reconsidered the matter and , llowed his bill for $10,000, which | as paid in full. In settling with ie firms and corporations who had | laims against the state who had , rosecuted and participated in that , tlgation, the commission with the ( unsent of the attorneys representing . lid liquor houses assessed the sum ( f $21,526.17, costs, attorneys' fees ? nd expenses against these liquor ouses, deducted it from their claims j nd applied it upon these fees and ( tie other expenses of the litigation. ( his left only a small amount that . tie state was called upon to pay as J xpenses of that litigation. Fourth. As to the Itemized state lents of moneys received and dls- , ursed the commission begs leave to j tate that pursuant to the provisions ( f the act creating said commission, | nd the various acts continuing the . ime, they have regularly rendered , sports to the governor of South Car- , Una, all of which are on file in the overnor's office, and which were ( rlnted, and they attach a printed , opy of the report up to the first day j f January. 1910, in which every Item ( ?celved and every item disbursed up | i that date is set forth the same be- , ig hereto attached and marked ex- | ibit "D." This report purports to , e a correctly printed copy, but it is J jbmitted as a printed copy only of , le correct report which was filed In . le governor's office subject to errors, ( any. of the printer. It may be veri- , pd by comparison with the original , ?port on flie in the governor's- office. , hey also attach hereto a printed r?py of the report, rendered to the , overnor (marked exhibit "E") of ( leir doings up to January 1st, 1911, * 4._ T? ? 1 i oi n nil suusequeiu to ounutn.* i?, nil ask reference thereto making the ime statement as to Its correctness nd the same suggestion as to its beig compared with the original which ; as filed in the governor's office as i made in reference to the first mennned printed report. They attach ereto a statement of the transactions j ad from the first day of January. 911. up to this date, the same being larked exhibit "P." The commission 1 ould state as to the matter of at- I irneys' fees that final settlement in > far as the commission was con?rned was made with Messrs. Abney rd Stevenson on or about January < <t. 1910, and that they have had no t cpenses for counsel fees since such ate. except such fees as accrued to le firm of Anderson, Felder, Roun- 1 ee & Wilson under their contract > eretoforo exhibited. While the contract entered into ( Lli Messrs. Anderson, Felder. Roun ee & Wilson did not obligate that v rm to represent the state or the mmissiop in the litigation had in , le Federal courts, nevertheless, that rm assisted in the argument of the ises in the circuit court, the circuit s jurt of appeals and the United States ipreme court and bore all of their , cpenses incident thereto, anil re>ived no compensation for their ser- 1 ices and expenses in this particular ?: om any source whatsoever. Fifth. Replying to that part of I tur letter which asks us to state s ivhy the law has not been complied C itli in regard to the winding up of Y lis matter as provided In act at the e irlicst date practicable." the com- | lission submits that it is complying I ith the provisions of the act re- s rreil to as expeditiously as the best d iterests of the state will permit, r hat subsequently to the act from I hich you quote the general assem- il ly passed act In 1 908 and 1910. each Y f which provided other and further s utles for this commission to per- ' ?rm. That the act of 191ft among v iher things directed this commission s ? proceed to ascertain the amount K f any claim of the state against any s tpior dealers growing out of trans- v nlons with the state dispensary and c i make settlement thereof. This oik has been pursued during the n st year, and large amounts of money v1 irned into the treasury through the s forts of the commission and its at- 1 rneys. This work Is necessarily s ow and tedious, for the reason that v is very difficult to discover frauds d mnected with such transactions and li icn force settlement with persons y ho almost invariably live In other h ates. In this connection we would \ advise you that our attorneys are now at work on claims of this nature from which they hope to net the state many thousands of dollars. Further replying, we will say that in October, 1907, a restraining order was granted by the circuit court of the United States In the Garrett case, which was the beginning of a long series of obstructions interposed by alleged creditors to the action of the commission In requiring an honest accounting by the claimants of such transactions as were fraudulently entered Into between them and the former state officers. See report of attorney general for year 1908, page 5. That this was followed by further restraining orders In January, 1908, and the appolnment of receivers by the circuit court of the United States. An appeal to the circuit court of appeals of the United States was necessary to protect the rights and interest of the state. This appeal was heard In May, 1908, with the chief Justice of the United States presiding and the Judgment of the circuit court of the United States was affirmed by an opinion filed In September, 1908, This necessitated carrying the case to the United States supreme court, where it was argued in February and March, 1909, and decided In favor of the state In April, 1909, but the mandate was not sent down until the latter part of May. 1909. when the commission again became free to proceed with its business. The commission promptly after appointment had the books and accounts of the dispensary audited, an Inventory made of the stock of goods on hand, disposed of the goods on hand as rapidly as the county dispensaries would take them, and promptly collected from the county dispensaries therefor; and as soon as the United States supreme court dis- * *olved the injunction, they proceeded to adjudicate the amounts due credittors as rapidly as It could be done, | having due regard to the rights of ? the state. That amounts of such ( claims as were adjudicated to be cor- ( rect were paid. That hearings were had and such proceedings taken as s were necessary to unravel the net- ( work of fraud which surrounded a { very large proportion of the said ( claims. The legislature In 1908 pass- j cd an act directing them to continue { their work; this was followed by a , further act in 1910, all of which dl- ( rected further and necessary pro- . ceedings to be taken to conserve the j interests of the state. Pursuant to , the mandate of the said acts, this , commission proceeded until it has t now, with the exception of a few . terns, concluded all matters which were involved In winding up the af1 ?? - * ??'J Tkooa onto I tt I IS Ul 9UIU III9UIUUVII. xiicov UVM Imposed additional duties upon this commission, the discharge of which In a proper manner has necessitated :helr continued activities, and they have been diligently endeavoring, and to a considerable extent successfully, thereunder to recover moneys illegally collected from the state by various parties who had no claims jgainst the state when this commission was appointed. Among these claims of the state still pending is i claim against the Richland Distilling company and certain stockholders of the said company. Since the Irst day of January, 1911, the liability of two of these stockholders was settled for the sum of J34.700. The commission is now pressing the company and the other stockholders for a settlement of the balance of the amount claimed to be due the state and are convinced that with 3ue. diligence and sufficient time they will be able to collect largely on this which is being pressed under the provisions of the act of 1910. This work as well as the endeavor to collect other pending claims as directed by the act of 1910 is very difIcult and tedious, and the commission earnestly solicits your counsel and co-operation in order that this work nay be facilitated and that the comuisslon conclude its duties at the eariest possible moment. They would further state that while n the discharge of their duties under i he act of 1910 a suit for injunction was brought against them by the Carolina Glass company and an appeal was also prosecuted by it from I he decision rendered by the commis- e don on its claim against the state, which proceedings had the effect of c 'urther delaying the commission in 1 inlshlng their work. Both of these g ^ases have been decided in our state , tupreme court in favor of the comnission, but the commission has been * lotlffed by the attorneys of said com- ^ lany that they propose to carry the B natter to the supreme court of the United States. The commission are 8 lefendants and have no means of endng these proceedings until the ap- t peal Is determined by a proper Judg- j nent, either of affirmance or dlsmislal. 8 The commission has endeavored to ? furnish the Information asked for In r} four letter, but if anything has been jmitted. or if you desire any other >r further information in reference t to the acts and doings of the com- ( ? * 1 ? ...l? -? 4 V* a n <Vq I r*a A f mission 111 WIUUIII5 U \J lllf UiLU-OU wa. . the dispensary, the chairman is Instructed to furnish you with the same. 1 md If you do not understand any of t he items or statements in the reports md accounts heretofore filed in your office, the chairman, with the commission's accountant upon your sug- t ?estion. will go over each item there- <; yf in detail with you. < All of which is respectfully submitted. W. J. Murray, 1 Chairman State Dispensary Commls- 1 sion. c t SHOCKED THE GUIDE. ? y Antics of an Irreverent Visitor at the c National Capitol. j A big man with a fierce, bristling , ;ray beard and wearing a broad brim- <] med slouch hat marched down the naln corridor of the capltol, closely j 'allowed by n guide at a dogtrot. c They had inspected statuary hall and j he rotunda and looked in at the s hamber of the supreme court, and T he visitor had made 110 other com- 0 nent 011 the sights shown him than to r itter an occasional grunt, snort or g jrowl. ], The big man paused at the end of -j he corridor and jerked his head to- a vard a carpeted passage. ^ "What's them burglars doing to- e lay?" ho demanded. e "The senate is not in session, sir," ^ aid the guide in a shocked voice. ^ After the visitor had departed the n ;uide sat down on his chair in front of he statue of Daniel Webster and c nopped his heated brow. ^ "That's one kinil that comes here," le said. "We have all kinds, but his * tyle is the hardest to deal with, e 'ailed the senate burglars?you heard e lim? and he kicked at everything .. ise I showed him. That kind comes repared to kick. They ain't got no atriotlsm at all. and a United States tl enator ain't no more to them than a p loorkeeper. Why. I'm afraid to take nen like him Into the supreme court. Akeiy as not they'll say something o lisrespectfu! right out loud. Do you g ivhot thnt it n ix until when I howed him statuary hall? He says. Who are all these crooks?' Then he ranted to know how much all them n tatues cost the government and who tl rot the rakeoff. i told him they were riven by the states, and he said that ras once when the states put one iver. "You wouldn't think." said the ruble, with a sigh, "that patriotic d Americans could come here and be tl o callous about the things they see. t 'hey seem to begrudge a dollar to be n hown the place where Webster stood rhen he made his reply to Hayne. I P fon't know what the country's com- o ng to. I've been a guide here twenty ]( ears, but I never thought I'd live to iear the senate called burglars."? 1 Vashington Cor. Kansas City Star. H GOVERNOR AND COMPTROLLER. Slight Misunderstanding Involving tha Nawapapara. Columbia Record, Tuesday. Governor Blease said, Tuesday afternoon, that his position had been misstated In press reports regarding his veto of the $5,000 item in the appropriation bill for investigations of county offices, and he denied emphatically that he had told the comptroller general to go ahead and spend this money. The governor furnished for publication the correspondence on the aublect Tuesday between himself and the comptroller general, which explains tself: February 28, 1911. Hon. A. \V. Jones, Comptroller General, City: Dear sir: I notice by the papers (which lie so often here lately, that I In not notice them usually) that It vas stated that I said for you to go ihead In your investigations and ipend the Ave thousand dollars which vere provided by the act of the legisature, and which Item was vetoed by ne. I hereby most positively say to you, lot to expend that money. I made 10 such agreement, and if so underitood by you, you were certainly bady mistaken. I thought it was a needess appropriation and cut It out, and itand by It. Very respectfully. Cole L. Blease, Governor. February 28, 1911. To His Excellency, Hon. Cole L. Blease, Governor, Columbia, S. C. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 28th, n refernce to the veto of the 86,000 impropriation for investigation by me, >r under my direction, has been re:elved. While the newspaper statement was tomewhat inaccurate I understood you :o suggest that I borrow such funds is should be necessary to make needid Investigations, and ask the leglsature at Its next session to provide 'or the payment of the loan. I then 'ealized that the law requires me to :onflne my expenditures to such ap-iropriations as have been made by aw, and then determined, as now adrtsed by you, not to borrow such noney in violation of law, or exceed he appropriations placed at my disposal. x ours respeciiuuy, A. W. Jones, Comptroller General. The paragraph which caused the governor to write as above to the :omptroller general was as follows: "Governor Blease vetoed the Item n the appropriation bill authorizing he comptroller general to. expend. 15,000 In examining county.offices, but le has since told the comptroller' general to go ahead and spend this tmount, if so much should be neceslary. Comptroller General Jones has, lcwever, declined emphatically . to 'ollow this course, since the legislaure sustained the governor's veto." Comptroller General Jones did not volunteer to the press the information vhich the Record published in the ssue of Monday referring to this mat- . er but the facts as to what had >assed between the governor and the comptroller general, concerning what s an official and public matter, were iscertained by the Record of its* own. notion, and the statement published n this paper on Monday stands as ubstantially correct, the governor laving proposed, and the comptroller general having declined, to proceed vithout the appropriation vetoed by ho governor. WHEN EDISON "ARRIVED." -fis First Invention Kept Employers From Ruin. Thomas Alva Edison came from "Jashvllle, Tenn., to New York In the early '70s to work as electrician in the >fflces of the Franklin, Pacific and Atantic and Atlantic and Pacific Teletraph offices, which were located on Broad street, near Wall. "Country >oy" was stamped all over him. He vore a brownish suit and his hat was l soft butternut; his long, lanky hair itood defiant of brush or comb. With Mr. Edison were two young elegraph experts named Wright and Tohnson, the former a short man with l deep bass voice and the latter slight t and taller than Edison himself. They had as an experiment room a imall light-tight wooden cabinet, fitted ip In the office. It was an every-day >ccurrence for the three men to rush >ut to escape from the smoke and 'umes which issued as the results of heir experiments. Edison was regarded as a "coming nan" in telegraphy, nevertheless. His irst successful invention showed his lulck and facile genius. He was very leaf and one had to speak quite loudly o make him hear conversation; yet lis ear detected the faintest metallic :llck. One day, while In the midst of lusiness, when brokers' messages, gen;ral telegrams and press dispatches vere on the hooks, the company was lerved with an injunction restraining It 'rom using the Page sounder, which vas controlled by the Western Union, rhe keys were silenced. Edison grinned and sat down at an nstrument. He reached out for a sheet if tin, used in making "manifold copes," and called for a stout pair of sclsors. From one of his pockets?which vere always bulging with wire and ther appliances?he took a pair of iliers. First he detached the Page ounder from the Instrument, while an ntensely interested crowd watched, 'hen he cut a section of the thin sheet bout three inches wide and four or ive inches in length. He sliced it at ither end, making two points, through ach or wnicn ne Dorea a note, nr hen curved It lengthwise, doubled up he ends and fitted them to the instrulent precisely where the Page sounder dLjf ad been and tapped the key. The licking?a joyful sound?could be eard all over the room. "He's got it! le's got it!" was the cry, and, sure nough, the response from the other nd of the line. "Did you get me?" O K! O K!" ^ Within an nour every instrument In he room was equipped with the 1mrovlsed sounder and business was reumed. The Injunction was completely bviated. In a few days, under Edion's instructions, the factory of the ompany was turning out hundreds of he new model. Edison's patents now umber nearly a thousand, but none of hem brought him greater fame than his.?Columbian Magazine. tv "Cork metal" has proved to be a eslrable substitute for aluminium in he construction of airships. It is said o be 40 per cent lighter than alumi,ium and to have numerous other roperties which should make it a rival f the latter. It is composed very irgely of magnesium, with small uantities of aluminium, Iron, zinc and odium.