University of South Carolina Libraries
COURT MEETS JANUARY TERM OP GENERAL SESSION CONVENES. Judge Wilson's Charge to the Grand Jury and the Oases Tried Up to Wednesday. The Court of General Sessions convened last Monday mprning, with Judge Wilson presiding. After the routine business had been attended to, which took until about eleven .o'clock, the Judge delivered his charge to the Grand Jury, which had been organized by the election of Mr. W. C. Crum as foreman. Judge Wilson said that it being the first of the year and there being twelve new members on the Grand Jury it would be necessary for him to make his charge longer than it would necessarily be at other ses sions of the court. First of all he called the attention of the jury to the great importance of the duties of iis members, say ing that they had even greater pow er than the presiding judge him self, because it was for them to say who should be brought before the court for trial and should not. He said that while the jury should be careful that no innocent man was inconvenienced, it should be very careful that no guilty man escaped To this end they should thoroughly and impartially investigate all cas es brought to their attention by the proper authorities for investigation. After the Judge had fully and lucidly explained to the members of the jury how cases were brought to their attention ordinarily, he told them that they had the power to make investigations on their own initiative and bring indictment.5 against law breakers without ad hereing to the ordinary or regular form of law. This, the Judge said, was oue of the duties of the Grand Jury if it became necessary for them to do it. The oath usually taken by Grand Jurors was then read to the members of the jury and carefully and fully explained by Judge Wil son. He called their attention to the fac*t that all investigations con ducted by them should be kept se cret, and that /all information brought out before them should be strictly guarded and divulged to no one except the proper officers of the court. It was very important to the administration of justice that this be done. The Judge said the investigation of the different offices of the coun ty officials should be made regularly and thoroughly. The State, he said, was remarkably free from anything like corruption anuong its officials, and that he had called the attention of the Grand Jury to the matter, not because he thought there was any thing wrong in this county, for he did not, but in order that the law should be carried out and the dif ferent offices examined in justice to the oSicials who held them. The indictments were then hand ed the Grand Jury after being fully explained by the judge, and the jury retired. The hours of court was fixed by the Judge is from half-past nine o'clock in the morning to half past one o'clock in the afternoon, and from three o'clock in the after noon until some convenient hour in the evening. Cases Tried. Ellis Foures, charged with larceny from the person. The defendant plead guilty and was sentenced to serve four years at hard labor on the public works of the county or in the penitentiary. Peter Samuels plead guilty to bur glary and larceny and was sentenc ed to six years in the penitentiary at hard labor or on the public works of the county. Newton Muldrow was convicted of forgery, and sentenced to the penitentiary or the public works of the county for five years at hard labor and pay a fine of one dollar. Jeff Paulling, charged with dis posing of property under lien, was tried in his absence and convicted. Jas. Fields. Solomon Hipps, Jeff McMichael and Henry Lewis, charg ed with grand larceuy, were put on trial. Lewis plead guilty, Hipps was acquitted and the other two were convicted. Annie Jones, violation of dispen sary, tried in her absence and found guilty. William Rivers, charged with as sault and battery with intent to kill; plead guilty of assault and bat tery of a high and aggravated na ture. Sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment or pay a fine of $300. Henry and Arthur Johnson were acquitted of the charge of larceny of live stock. As we go to press Michael and Julia Grimes are being tried for murder. Will Remove Many Things. An exchange says that alcohol will remove grass stains from summer clothes. The exchange is right. It will also remove summer clothes and also spring and winter clothes, not only from the man who drinks it but also from his wife and children. It will remove household furniture from the house and eatables from the pantry: the smile from the face of his wife, and the happiness from his home. As a remover of things alco hol has few equals. Why He Leaves. It is said that Prof. W. S. Peterson leaves the Orangeburg Collegiate In stitut" to take charge of a new col lege to be organized in '.he upper part of the State. He will go to his new work about Juue 1. We wish him good luck. SENATOR TILLMAN'S SPEECH. He Was Applauded as He Enteret) the Senate. Washington, Jan. 12.?There wa3 such pressure for seats on the part of the senator's families in antici pation of Senator Tillman's speech, that the private senatorial gallery was opened at 10 o'clock and tue crowd poured in. The public gal leries were opened an hour earlier. The throng was dense and the rush so strong that women screamed and many of them had their wraps torn. Probably not one-fifth of *he crowd in the corridors found seats in the galleries. The appearance of Senator Tillmau in the Senate chamber a few minu tes before 12 gave the galleries an opportunity for a demonstration of hand-clapping. The reading of the journal was dispensed with when Tillman began his speech. The gal leries indulged in no outbreak, al though there were occasional suit pressed laughter, until Tillman de clared that the president had place 1 him in the Ananias club. Peals of laughter were called forth when Tillman declared he had no: known that the "executives hide" had been so greatly stung by darts he had sent at him at various times in the senate. When he suggested that doubtless the president "Be lieved that the pitchfork had gone out of business," another outburst of laughter followed from the gal leries. Tillman kept closely to his manu script as he proceded except wheu he referred to Harriman as "The president's dear friend" who held 2, 000.000 acres of land in question, he looked over his eye glasses and glancing around the chamber added: "Possibly relations are not so inti mate now, but I speak of what rela tion used to be." A Serious Charge. Mr. Joe Lightfoot, rural mail car rier on route four out of Orange burg, was arrested on Saturday charged with embezzling money or der funds. It seems that a lady on the route gave Mr. Lightfoot two dollars to buy a money order at the Orangeburg postoffice, which he failed to do. and when asked about the matter said he had misplaced the money. Mr. Kingsmore, postoffice inspector, had Mr. L'ghtfoot ar rested and taken before United States Commissioner Lide, who had the de fendant bound over to stand trial in the United States Court. Mr W. H. Dukes went on his bond. We hope that Mr. Lightfoot will be able to show that he really lost or mis placed the money as he claims, with no intention of doing wrong. Death of Mrs. Stanley. Mrs. J. C. Stanley, mother of Mrs". A. D. Wesbter, of this city, died at her home in Columbia on Tuesday morning in the sixty-fourth year of her age. Mrs. Stanley had visited Orangeburg frequently, and had friends here who will be pained to hear of her death. The Columbia Record says "the deceased was one of the oldest and most highly es teemed residents of Columbia. She was closely identified with religious and charity movements and her many friends will sadly shocked to learn of her death. Of the immediate family the deceased is survived by the following: Mrs. W. H. Hol land, of Ninety-Six; Mrs. A. D. Web ster, of Orangeburg; Mrs. E. S. Watkins, of Cblumbia, and Dr. Charles C. Stanley, of Columbia." Orangeburg Collegiate Institute. The trustees of the Orangeburg Collegiate Institute have placeu the f^hool under the management of Prof. F. N K. Bailey, of Edgefield, S. C.i who will take charge at the close of the present session. Prof. Bailey is one of the best ex perienced and most successful ed ucators in the State, and will bring to the management of the O. C. I. those personal qualities which have made success for him elsewnere. The school will be re-fitted and re organized and the trustees bespeak for Frof. Bailey the patronage and co-operation brtth locai and general, of all friends of educatie.*!. Wilt Resistant Cotton Seed. Congressman Lev r requests us to state for him that the Department of Agriculture has allowed for this district eighty peck packages of wilt-resistant cotton seed. This va riety is especially adapted for the sandy, wilt infected soils, especially in Sumter, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties. As long as supply lasts, we will be glad to send to all of those who have wilt infected lands and will be glad to hear from such persons. Address Hon. A. F. Lever, Washington, D. C. Grafter Caught. A slick fellow was running a very slick game on the street Saturday afternoon, but he came under the watchful eye of one of the cops and he was taken in. Mayor Dukes as sessed him thirty dollars or thirty days on the public works. Such fellows as this had better give Or angeburg a wide berth if they want to keep out of trouble, as Mayor Dukes will teach them a lesson when they go before him. Getting Things Ready. Mr. J. M. Way, general secretary of the South Carolina Sunday School Association, wjill be in this city on January 19, and expects to meet the pastors of the various denom inations of the city and the local committees at the Luthern church, where arrangements for the meet ing of the State Sunday School Con vention, which convenes her Feb ruary 16, will be perfected. GEN. R. E. LEE THE GREATEST ENGLISH SPEAK ING COMMANDER. What President Roosevelt and the English General Henderson Says About the Great Man. Dr. Thos. Nelson Page hr.s written this fall a book, "Life of Gen Robert E. Lee." This book was recently re viewed in the New York Times Book Review. The author of the review stated that Dr. Page's work will hardly be accepted universally ::s presenting a fair and ju.-! estimae of Lee's performance as a command ing general and intimates that Dr. Page has written unqualified eulog; rather than cold and impartial his tory. Issue was taken at once by many. The best answer to the criticism is made by Mr. R. H. T. Adams, of Lynchburg, Va. His lettei was print ed by The Times last Saturday. C.:t it out for your children's sake. Here is what he says: Southerners do claim that Lee was the greatest soldier the war pro duced on either side, and that he i the greatest soldier who ever spoke the English tongue. I am not much of a controversialist, especially wher engaging in a dispute is not likciv to change opinions alreadv most em phatically announced, but I woul 1 like to invite attention to he folio-' ing authorities: President Theodore Rooseve1-.. says, (Life of Thomas H. Bentoi, Twenty-three American Statesmen, page 34): The world has never seen bet ter soldiers than those who fol lowed Lee, md their leader will undoubtedly rank as, without any exception, the very greatest of all the great captains that the Eng lish people have brought forth; and this, altnough the .'ast and chief of his antagonists may him self claim to stand as the full equal of Marlborough rnd Wel lington. Lieut. Col. Henderson, oi the Biii ish Army, states in his 'Science o'. War." (page 314), in discussing tti? Wilderness campaign, thd. At the head of the Confederate army was Gen. Robert E Lee, un doubtedly one of the g/ehtest, if not the greatest, soldiei vho ever spoke the English tongue. It is "urttKr stated b* your re viewer that th ? resui1 of r.-i war w. ; inevitable Tbis statement & meru1} a case of hindsight being 1 etter than foresight. In A u- ust, .before tm: surrender of Lee s army at Appo mattox, rhe Union army in th. trenches before Petersburg was sick of the struggle aud ready to give it up, and but fo ? one man, Abra ham Lincoln, they would have doaj so. He is the one man who preserv ed the Union. As obit er dic'a. let me say that Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts concedes that the South was right in the struggle in the civil war, am! the Hon. James Brvce, in his "Amer ican Commonwealth," has stated that if the controversy between the North and South could have been de termined judicially the South would have been entitled to judgment. I suppose the North and South will continue to view this war from their respective points of view for at least one generation more, and it may be that both '?ides take too par tial a view of the great struggle. I will state in closing a very amusing thing related to me re cently by a gentleman who has lived in the West since the war closed, and it is that in r.he schools of the West the children are taught tha: the only reason the war lasted foru years was that the Southerners hid in the woods and were afraid to show themselves. Another erroneous view of the great struggle very genera! y held in the North is that the South waged the war to perpetrate slave; y. Noth ing could be further from the truth. The war was fought for constitu tional rights, and slavery was only an incident in the great question. Nvtice to Householders. The committee in charge of se curing homes for the delegates at tending the Sunday School Conven tion, which meets here February 16 to 19, would be glad to know how many private homes can take board ers in addition to those that they may entertain. It is requested that all who can will notify Mr. W. G. Sease at the Planters Bank before Monday, January IS; how many can be thus accommodated and at what price. Go and Hear It. A lecture will be given by Mrs Reeves, of Charleston, in the Sunday school room of St. Paul's Methodise church on Thursday afternoon at four o'clock, on the higher physical development of women. Mrs. Reeves is an interesting talker, and we are satisfied an hour spent there will be profitable and enjovable. All the ladies In the city are cordially in vited to attend. The lecture will be free. Humor and Philosophy. Great floods have down from little sou rces.?Shakespeare. It's hard for a lazy man to bo truthful, for he is happiest when ly ing. A new broom sweeps clean, bu! alas, it stays a new broom such a little while. The best cure for drunkenness is while sober to see a drunken man.? Chinese. The Amrican Humans Association will hold its annual meeting in New Orleans beginning this week. SHUN THE GAMBLING ROOM A Word of Caution to Our Young Men. We would like to whisper into the ear of every young man in this com munity to shun the gambling room. Shall we sketch the history of i:he gambler? Lured by bad company he finds his way into a place where hon est men ought never to go. He sits down to Iiis first game, but only for pastime and the desire of being thought sociable. The players deal out the cards. They unconsciously play into Santan's hands who takes all the tricks and both -the players' soul for trumps?he being a sharper at the game. A slight stake is put up just to add interest to the play. Game after game is played. Larger stakes and still larger. They begin to move nervously on their chairs. Their brows lower and eyes flash until now they who win and tiUey who lose, fired alike with passion, sit with set'' jaws and compressed lips and clinched fists and eyes like fire balls that seem starting from their sockets, to see the final turn before it comes; if losing, pale with envy and tremulous with unuttered oaths cast back red hot upon the heart, or, winning, with hysteric laugh. While gambling in itself is bad enough it is the stepping stone to nil other vices and evils which in flict mankind. Young man, shun the gambling table as you would a poisonous serpent. IN THE POSTOFFICE. List of Uncalled for Letters Week Ending January 1.3, 1909. List of letters remaining unclaim ed in the Orangeburg Postoffice for sons calling for these letters will week ending January 13, 1909. Per say they are "advertised." A. D. WEBSTER, P. M. Moses Anderson. Miss Agness Bailey. Eben Black. Miss Lena May Baker. Miss Lealer Barnwell. A. J. Barwick. Miss Mamie McCord. Clara Blake. Gove Bowman. G. W. Brannon. Mary Caron. Julia Carty. Miss Dantzler. Miss Isabella Gaddy. Willie Green. William Grimes. Julia Govan. Daisie Govan. Rosa Govan. James Healy. Delia Kirkland. Irene Lambert. Jim Leard. F. L. Lysathe. Miss Mary G. McRae. Mrs. Annie Mirse. Fannie Moorer. Charley Move. Ben Page (2). Chas. L. Paul, Jr. Sarah Perry. Mr. Plary. Eva Fritts. Mr. H. A. Ray. Jessie Robinson. Etta Robinson (Spl. Del.) Mrs. Hannah Sadler. Mr. Judge Smith. Mr. C. H. Synith. Miss Hattie Wannamaker. George Waymer. Izlar Williams. Calvin Wright. Ellen Zeigler. RANSI)ALE'S MAXIMS. The season is on for special sales, but remember I am still selling at a profit, so come to me and get sat isfaction. It is impossible for merchants to sell without profits. They canno: pay expenses and sell at cost. I am still selling goods at and be low profits, no successful merchant can sell otherwise. Be sure and attend the many spec ial and clearaace sales, but when you want values see me before yor. buy, as I can meet competition. All merchants want trade; all merchants want money; all mer chants want profit. I never tell customers they a?*e buying at cost, for they can't be lieve it. I am selling goods every day with a profit and my customers are sat isfied and willing to give it. You can't get something, for noth ing; you often pay when you don't know it. My old customers are still deeding with me, and new one coming in, which proves I am telling facts. Now, when you get ready for the best goods for the least money re member it is a pleasure to serve you. J. C. RANSDALF. Advice to Smokers. Here are a number of don'ts for smokers, some of which no doub: will surprise a good many men: Don't smoke directly after a meal. There is the most irresistible carv ing to smoke, but it is wiser to wait a half hour or an hour. Don't smoke out of doors in a high wind or in ."old, frosty weather. In the former case it is dangerous, and in the latter it cracks the lips and prevents proper breathing. Don't >moke with the cigar or pipe held at the corner of the mouth. This excites the se cretion of more salva than when the cigar or pipe is held straight in front. And. above al1. don't get in the bad habit of expectorating fre quently when smoking. It is quite unnecessary and merely a habit and harmful.?St. Louis Post-Dispatch. l?Cal news items. PICKED UP ALL ABOUT BY OUR REPORTERS. What Is Happening in the Country as Well as in the Cities and Towns. The new subscribers are rolling in to the three-times-a-week Times and Democrat. Looks like we are scheduled for some bad weather. But we have no room to complain. Kelly Snioak has been ap pointed carrier on rural route four out of Orangeburg in place of Mr. Joe Lightfoot, who has been sus pended. The voting conte->>; is getting lively, and you had better get in at once if you want to work for some of the handsome prizes we will give away. 9 At least two of our subscribers have stopped taking daily jpapers because they say the three-times a- week Times and Democrat is all they want. Two ladies informed us in the last week that they would get up subscribers bet for the fact that every one in their respective sections took it already. Each year the poultry business becoming more lucrative in the com munity. The old hen is getting worth her weight in gold. If you do not believe it, price eggs. Don't fail to read our offer on this page to those who will get us a few new subscribers. Any one who will do a little work can earn sev eral of the prizes we offer. The resignation of Prof. W. S. Peterson, president of the Orange burg Collegiate Institute to take place in June will be a great sur prise to his many friends in this city. Let every one brush up tbeir home.< and premises a little before the Sunday School Convention meets here next month. It will give them a good impression of the city to see things looking clean and nice. Mr. U. G. Bryant has gone West to buy a car load or two of "horses and mules, which are expected to arrive here on Saturday. Call and see Bryant Brothers before buying your stock. The postoffice will hereafter give preference to married men, and es pecially men wjth ^argb famiilies, in dealing out new jobs and passing around the promotions. Rather hard on a young fellow too poor to marry. This paper is anxious each week to issue a spicy and interesting local page. If each of our subscribers would hand us in one news item, what a newsy paper we could issue. Try it for a few weeks and mark the change. The Band of Hope wi". meet on Saturday morning at eleven c'clock. The newly elected officers and all the Rand are requested to meet promptly at eleven. Mothers will please te mind the children of the hour, lest they forget. The Standard Home Company of Birmingham, Ala., has established an office in this city with Messrs. Chaif & Mosley as managers. The company will make a formal an nouncement in Saturday's Times and Demotrat. Two old subscribers who quit us some time ago because they thought they could not pay $1.50 for a paper, came back and said they could not do without The Tmies and Democrat and had their names entered again as subscribers. Sensible men. We are here to give you a news paper. Our ambition is to let no item escape us. However, we can on!" be ir. one place at a lime, so if you sec an item getting away from ?is please capture it and deliver ir re the office and great shall be your r, ward. Sunday night Judge C. P. Brun sen married .Mr. John Hoff and Mis:; Carrie Jackson. * The ceremony was performed at the New Mill Chapel. The groom is said to be about sixty, while the bride is only sweet six teen. So this is another case of De cember and May. We will send the three-times-a week Times and Democrat to any address two months for 25 cents. We want to give non-subscribers a chance to see what a good thing they are missing. If you have a neighbor who does /not take this paper tell him of this proposition. The Orangeburg chapter of Tem perance Workers will meet with Mrs. McGee on Friday afternoon at four o'ciock. All the members are ex pected to attend this the first meet ing of the New Year. The work is interdenominational and ladies from all the churches are cordially invit ed. Mr. L. il. Wannamaker. Sr.. has been appointed Orangeburg corre spondent of The News and Courier in the place of his son, Mr. 1.. II Wannamaker. Jr., who re:-ignt'd to accept a position in the office of T:i News and Courier. Mr. Wanna maker has had experience as a cor respondent before, and will fill the bill. We are pleased to see many of our citizens taking active interest in im proving their homes and grounds. A little effort on the part of each citi zen would give our town a promi nent position upon the map. Nature has done much for us in picturesque scenery, now let us do much for ourselves along the improvement line. PRIZES GIVEN AWAY! To Those Who Get Gash Subscribers to The Times and Democrat. BIG PRIZES GIVEN AWAY FREE! IN ORDER TO STIMULATE MODE ACTIVITY IX OUR SUBSCRIP TION' DEPARTMENT WE HAVE DECIDED TO INAUGURATE A GREAT CLUB MAKERS CONTEST, WHICH IS OPEN TO ALL WHO WISH TO ENTER THE SAME? GO TO WORK AND WIN ONE OR MORE OF THE DIFFERENT PRIZES OFFERED. The Times and Democrat, desiring to add many names to Its sub scription list, will give away absolutely free the following valuable Prizes under the conditions named below: PRIZES TO BE GIVEN AWAY. FIRST PRIZE?One Handsome Oak Sideboard. SECOND PRIZE?One Handsome Oak Ladies' Dresser. THIRD PRIZE?One Disc Grapliophonc and Four Columbia Records. FOURTH PRIZE?One Handsome Ladies' Rocker. FIFTH PRIZE?One Handsome Small Hall Table. SIXTH PRIZE?One Set of ? Heavy Silver-Plated Knives and Forks. SEVENTH PRIZE?One Teachers' Leather Bound Bible. EIGHTH PRIZE?One Handsome Photograph Albpm with Music Box. HOW TO GET THESE PRIZES. These prizes will be awarded to the persons getting the highest number of votes under the following conditions: To any person wuo gets us live cash yearly subscribers we will give One Se-. of Six Teaspoons as described elsewhere in this paper and 750 votes on the Free Prizes above mentioned. To any person who gets us four cash yearly subscribers we will give the Majestic Silver Sugar Spoon and Buter Knife described else where in this; paper and 600 votes on the Free Prizes above mentioned. To any persons who gets us three yearly cash subscribers we will give a pair of Patent Tension Steel Shears as described elsewhere in this paper and 450 votes on the Free Prizes ab^ve mentioned. THERE ARE NO BLANKS. It will be noticed that all who engage in this contest win get a prize anynow. If one fail; to get votes enough to get one of the big Free Prizes, they are sure to get a good prize if t.iey get only three subscribers, which almost any one can do. Remember th's: That no matter how little you do you will be rewarded for your work. It will thus be seen that there are no blames, as is the case in many contests. So no one need fear to enter the contest for fear of not be ing able to win one of the big Free Prizes. If you miss all of them you are,sure to get one or more of the smaller prizes, which are given to all who secrue three or more subscribers. ATTENTION, OLD SUBSCRIBERS. Any old subscriber who pays his subscription directly to the office can get these prizes by paying in addition to the $1.50, which he pays for one year's subscription to The Times and Democrat, 50c for the Teaspoons, 40c for the Sugar Spoon and Butter knife, and 30c for cue Shears. He will also receive one hundred votes in the free prize co i test for every dollar paid in on subscription. Remember that we can only do this for those subscribers who pay their suoscrintions at The Times and Democrat office and not to agents, who are working for the big prizes. Any subscriber, old or new, who has already paid his subscription to January 1, 19ua, or beyond, can get. the prizes on tue terms' men tioned in the paragraph above. This puts all subscribers on the same footing, as it is our purpose to treat all alike. The premiums cost us too much to be absolutely given away at the price we get for lue Times and Democrat and that is ,vhy we have to charge all subscribers for them, but the amount we charge is not more than half what these articles would sell for at retail. RULES OF THE CONTEST. The following table shows the number of votes that will be given on old and new for cash payment subscriptions: 2 years .$3.00.300 votes 1 year . 1.50. 150 votes 6 months.75. 75 votes 3 months.4 0 . . 4 0 voted The same number of votes will be given old and new subscribers who pay at the office and not to any club maker. This contest begins Jan. 5 and will end on April 15, 1909. Any Question that may arise in regard to the conduct of the con test will be determined by the management of The Times and Demo crat and its decision will he absolute and final. Candidates by filing votes agree to this and all other published conditions. A committee of disinterested public men will be chosen to judge tne finish of the contest and will asemble in The Times and Democrat office for the purpose immediately at the close of the contest. Votes which have once been issued to a candidate may not be trans ferred to any other. The right is reserved to alter these rules should necessity demand. No one connected with The Times and Democrat will be allowed to enter the contest for the free prizes. HOW TO ENTER CONTEM*. These who wish to enter this erntest should begin at once so as all can have an even start.. A nominating ballot will be published in each issue which, when properly filled out and returned to this office will entitle the person named thereon to enter tin.- cont-'s;. Entries may be made at any time. This contest is open to all persons who choose to enter the contest for Foe prizes. DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. The first prize will be given to the person receiving the highest number of votes, lue second to inc. person receiving the next highest, and so on as to the other prizes. * m .<: * * * * * * * ********** * * * * * ***** * * * NOMINATION BALLOT. ? * 100 votes for * * + * M. * * P. O. ? * * * Subject to the ruics of The Times and Democrat Contest. * * Only one of these ballots credited to each candidate. * * ***** ? *** * ****,****** * ??* * ***** **??** * * * * * ******* *** * *** * ***** >ii * * SUBSCRIPTION BLANK. ,* * * * .190.. * * a * The Times and Democrat, * Orangeburg, S. C. * Gentlemen: Enclosed please find $. for. years * * subscription to your paper. Please credit the number of votes * to which I am entitled to. * * M. * P. O. .Votes Yours truly, * * * * **** ii *** * ********** * * * * * *****