University of South Carolina Libraries
HRISTMA-S. sot OJGiaK Thu little folk* ?ro loukiuif /or fc'ftjita < laus ot. ol? filial; I They over bear tho mus>l? of hi* toy-laden wheel. j TLoy love the chimney corner when tho evening shadows fall. Fur thoro's whore nil tho stoppings hang ? tho v?v;y beat of altl They're just thq swcotoU children now th&t ever you bavo known. And all the world Is brighter for those dear ways of their own, \ Thoy love tho chimney border ? for t hero's where Santa oomos, \ * And lie's hrlnfm>K them tholr "mtUcs, and ull their dolU and drums. I-'lSbTAL CHEER, Heap on tporo wood!? tho wind Is chill: But let It whistle as It Will, Wo'll kctf> our Christmas merry still. Kacb (i|?? has de? mod the newborn ye:ir Tho tlltefet time for festal cheer. By WARREN MoVEIOH. MTABLE little Max fouud out about the weakness of the HesU ami the will i u g n e f) h of the j spirit at about the same time that his first real disap pointments camo to him, aud imme diately aftor his first attompt to commit the virtue of self-sacrifice. Max woh six years j < el<l. His dog "Jack" wan uu amiablo creature, and had ondearod himself very maoh to bis master. Jack had to get iu tlio way of a truck, aud Jaok ? died. f* The liope of Mux's heart was the Jfaot that when he, too, diod, ? wliioh _ because of tho deatti Jack he then hope^swonld bo very soon, ? lie would ' moat ^ Jack in heaven. 8omobody ? j Home J nnimaginativo person ? told Maxjbu at dogs did not go to heaven, ' " that they had no souls. That was Max's first great disappointment. The second was like unto it. The same somebody ? one of those bothersome bodios who put shoes and stookiugs 011 little boys on rainy days in tho summer, and make them wear uncomfortable clothes when they "go in swimming ? told Max tho whole atory of Santa Olaus. Max took his sorrowful heart to his mother's kueo, aud, hoping against fbopo," told her what ho had heard, and when it was all over ho felt bet * tor, for in place of tho beautiful stpry he had lost she had told him another. In the long, cool grass down near the water's edge, ho thought of tho Hew story, and tho more ho thought of it the better he likod it. "If Dot was to fall in that water there," he said half aloud, as ho sat - "txp -imd- looked out over the danoiug wavelets of tho lake, "I'd dive in after her. Maybe I'd bo drownod," ? ? he for a moment and jud dered ? "but what of that? I'd be self-sacrifloing. Supposiu' I was drowned; anyhow, they'd put me in the parlor, aud evorybody would cry and aaj 1 was a good boy, and had ; given up my life for Dot. And I would give it up for her, that I would. " Whereupon Max begau to think of such terrible things that- might hap pen to his sister Dot, who was only four years old, and of still more ter rible thiajjGs that might happon to him, if ho should try to sacrifice himself for her, that pretty soon he began to feel a little weak iu the knees, aud it began to get eold down in tho grass, and the little boy decidod to whistle and go to see the pigs. While he was poking them in the ribs, Max had an idea. It suddenly occurred to him that thoro was no sease iu his making it a matter of life 'and death just to, sacrifice himself. His mother had told him that men and women gave gifts to their .little children at Christmas to make them liappj^?*nd that eelf-douial and self sacrl?ce were the true essence of the Otofatmas spirit. ^ULax hadalittlo fortuno stored away his bank. This fortune bo decided ^jb^pend to mike Dot happy. . | ' Full of this idea, he ran to his \ jfcother. Her consent was a matter of course, and Max arranged the pre Hminaries. "D^t," he said that night, as they ttyfa their cribs, "how do you like ?"-"tTtiriitmiifliV ? ul I? ? - - - ? ? ? ... - - . ? ? 1 | Dot's eyes grow big. She remom ? tfered the dolls of the paf t winter, and the lights of the Christmas tree, and Ku thanked his stars that he had; thought of such -Jk gjtjmd scheme, when the vary idea of it made Dot so ,** said he, when she had 4613*1 tin in the strongest terms how very' much fl\e liked Christmases, "you "taist watoTt^out day after to morrow, -tad hang up your stock Lug to-morrow, m'll see auother Christmas. va?yg what.** that it was summer Batlfax said the* was allTight, XH# Kringlf Vas coming io a i( and that the zamdeer bad ?d iuw mnles with great PotfeHaslespwith woa iaisii finiiti In the first exoitemont of his desire to satiriflco himself h<* had decidod to spend every cent Iie&r&d; but now, ou soeoud thoughts, he concluded that half of his fortune would buy enough things to fill his sister's stocking, and then ho would still have a little money left. Finally, he compromised on twenty-tlvo cents for Dot, and with just a little feeling that he was not as generous as he should ho, ho wont down into tho village to make hi8 purchases. Ho bought a large orange for the toe of tho Btocking, and an apple to go noxt, and then a lot of candy and kisses, and then a banana to poop out of tho top. With his purchases tuoked undor his coat, he stole home, and though Dot was fast asleep in tho nursery, taking hor afternoon nap, Max had all the fun and mystery of stealing can "ON T1IB VVOOH i?A V THK HTl'liK XOI OP A nUMAN BEING, CHYINU AS IK 1118 HKAliT WODLU ilHKAH. " liked it \?hon his mother criod over him. It made him feel queer and tiico. The minutes crept along, and still the little hoy sat in the dim Ijght watching the stocking, listening to Dot breathing lazily in her sloop, and thinking of what a good boy he had been, and how nico it was to sacrifice yourself for another's happinesB. And then alt of a sudden it oc curred to him that thero wan nothing iu the world that ho liked better than bananas. The ono ho had bought for Dot was tho very best ono in tho mar ket,- thick and rich and yollow. Max hadn't tastod a banana in a month, and the more he looked at tho tempt ing banana in Dot's stocking tho moro ho yearned for just ono bite of it. Max aroao and went over to the stocking. lie had mado up his mind just to take it out and smell it, and then to put it back where it had been. It smellcd very good indeed, aud j Mux dcoidod t;> sit uputn) ho?r what hi? mot ho? ha*l to any about liia work. J lo know that alio would take Mm on hor lap ami kitt.a him, ami call him it pood httlo boy, ?ud maybe, hu thought, ftho would cry a little. Mux always "JJHIS J-IOUSEJHOLD QftOWJJ Sl/JCt l^SJ yE^p." A TOAST. ller*'* to Christmas time in Culm, whuro its liincl; the srmde; Hef4'* to Christmas Id Alaska, ii*ur where (Santa's toys aro made; Here's to Christmas in Hawaii anil in Porto Ittco, too: Hera's to Christmas in Manila, with our soldier Jloys In blue; Here's to Uncle Kammy's Christinas, though we quarrel o'er itn slzo; Here's to Christmas, merry Christmas, where'er tho old flag Me*! tiously into the house through the rear cellar door. He tjjrtdettv upstair#, and hid his thtngir in the\ darkest corner of the garret, and tnen, with mncli impar tkence. he waited for night.*.,* Night came, and the littlo girl was tncked r.way in herded. The mother and father had gone out for the cvon ing, and Max hail the whole house to himself. Ho, after Dot was fast asleep, ho got out of his crib and went up in to the garret for the good things he hadbouglit that day. Then ho tiptoed down to the nursery again, and, after looking at his sister to make sure that she was fast asleep, he began to fill her stocking. This done, he sat down near the Max held it at arm's length ami looked at it again with increasing pleasure, and thought what a wonderfully fine bpnana it was, to he sure. Then it occurred to him (hat : Dot wouldn't min&^a hit if he took 1 half of it. He could tell her all ! about it it^tho morning. She alwayn : gave him half of everything nhe had, and besideH, hadn't ho bought all j those things for her? aud even if ho , ate the whole banana there would be i plenty of fruit left for her. So he ate j the whole of it, and then, half ashamed ] of himself, he hid tho nkin under the ? chair aud took another look at his sis ter to make Bure that she had not ' seen him. And ntill the stocking looked so full : and good and tempting that Max thought if- lie cotkld only have one; candy, or one of the kisses, he woultf be supremely happy; and so ke took' I one out and tasted it, and it wan no i good that he ate another and an other-^? ! Until, all of a nudden, before he half knew what he lut&done, the door ; flew open, ami there ?toy?t his father ! and mother. And on tbeufloor lay the j little tot of a human be i rig, crying as it hi" heart would btfeak, for the stocking hung flat and>mpty, and Max h^d begun to reaili?& tliaiall of hia self-sacrifice had bae^ia Tain; that he was. nothing tmt a selfish, tboughtjm little boy, and that bit sitter, Dot, wimld bar* nothing bnt disappointed teara for him 4a the morning. ? St. Nicholas. r, . 'j GEN. LAWTON KILLED The Daring- Leader Pell at the Fronl. TAR(iHT m SHARP - SHOOTlrRS. l.auglKit When Warned of I)un>;er The Next Aloment lie Fell Dead into The Arms of an Officer. Manila, by Cable.*? Major General l^twton has boon *ln>t and killed, at San Mateo. Mo wrts standing In front of his troops, was sliot in the breast and died immediately. General I .aw ton left hero Monday } night, having* returned from his north ! orn operations Saturday to lead an ex pedition through Mariquina Valley, which has boon an insurgent, strong ' hold Gt-rottghoui (lie w?i, Tho v.iliuy has several tinier been invaded, but j never held oy the Americans. General Geronimo was supposed to have there j tho largest organized force north uf , Manila, a>nd General Otis wished to j gifcrrison M.irlquinl. The night was ono of liie worst of the season. A terrific j rain had begun and is still continuing. Accompanied by Ids stafl and Troop I. Fourth CVavalry, General Lawton sot out, at K o'clock, in advance of the main force, consisting of the Eleventh Cavalry and one battalion each of tho Twentieth and Twenty-seventh Infan try, which started from La Loin a at midnight. With a small escort lie led the ?way through an almost pathless | country, a distance of fift*?*ri miles i over 'hills and through cane brake and deep mud, the horses climbing rock a and sliding down tho hills. Before ! daybreak the command had reached the bend of the valley, San Mateo was attacked at K o'clock, and a three hours' fight ensued. This resulted in but few casualties 011 the American side, apart from the death of General Law ton, but the attack was difficult because of the natural defenses of tho -town. General Law; on was walking ? long the firing line within three- hun dred yards of small sharp-shooters' trench, conspicuous in the big white helmet ill e wore, and a light yellow rain cout. He was also easily dlstliigulsh 1 able, because of liis commanding slat* j ure. /' ! The sharp-shooter* directed several j shots, which dipped tlift grass near. Mis staff officers called (Jo 11 oral Law j ?; on's attention to the danger he was in, but he only laughed with his usual contempt for bullets. Suddenly he exclaimed, "1 am phot!" clenched his hands in ? desperate effort to stand erect, and fell into tl?o arms of a staff officer. Orderlies rushed across the field for surgeons, who dashed up imme diately, but their efforts were use less. The body was taken to a clump of bushes and laid u|>on a stretcher, the familiar white helmet covering the face of the dead general. Almost at this moment tho cheers of the American troops rushing irflo San Mateo were mingling with the rlfl* volleys. After "'the fight, six stalwart cavalrymen forded the river to the town, carrying the litter 011 nt'iolr shoulders, the staff preceding:' with the colors, and a cavalry eseifK fol lowing. Tho troops filed bareheaded through the building, w<here thd body was laid, and many a tear fell front the eyes of men who had long fol lowed* the intrepid Lawton. The en dre command- was *trlcken with grief, as though each mart had ^ufferen a personal loss. Washington. 1>. C.. Special.? The War Department received the follow ing official confirmation ol the .kllMS. of General Lawton near Saa Matey, Luzon: "Manila? General 'Lawton, engaged in driving Insurgents from San Mateo section oT country north - I oast of Manila, was killed Instantly at | 8:30 Monday morning. * A great loss to us and his country. OTIS." Blgf Fire In Florence, I Columbia; S. C.. Special.? Florence, S. C., sustained a heavy loss by fire early Tuesday morning. Tljo_ blaze started in the Florence Hotel. ?-This building, with the Hank of Florence, 1 Hio etwni bonne and the ?ity liali, was totally destroyed. Tho Florence fire department was aided by 'he Darlington flrt?mon. The fire was checked at 6 a. m., after the principal 'business houses In the heart, of me city wore destroyed. Bandits )?a Pullman. Kansas CWy. Mo., Special. ? A num l>er of the passengers on the Missouri ' Pacific's Omaha and Nebraska City ; passenger train. wblc|> left her.-- at 19:15 Tuesday night, were robbed by | two masked men who -boarded the I train in Kansas City. Kan. They j levied their forced contribution after I the train started, holding up tbe pas I senders In the Pullman and seeuf ag Ave gold watches and flOO In money. The conductor was among the per sons robbed. At Nearman, Kan_ six miles oat of tbe city, the train aJth&d up for the station, and th#^ ?dropped off and disappeared. So rh< were fired and no one was Injured, A Fatal Fire. ?New York, BpeclaL? Cerea wer*" lom. Ill luu big lentaitat 1 wfcl?h-<Nca dertroyed tar In this clly vaarty Tucaday. FIt? charred of* burned tenement at street . aadl _ i*ttia Mentor. and . ? little gtth all badly tamed. tfeeUaaM IMmU LiLUr. BRUA1BV Dl:Al). j Dies of Typhoid f ever After n i oi?j? illness. Washington, D. Special. Lieut. t I Thomas M. Hruiuby, I'-tg lieutenant | to Admiral Dewey during the Manila campaign. who has hern "ill with ty* ! t phoid fever for several w.'eks, ?1 it I at ! flarflcld hospital tdiorlly after six o' j clock Sunday evonlng. i The dea'h of l.leut. llrumby. w | not unexpected, was a great shot k to I Admiral Dewey. The relations of tin1 , two men for several years past have j j boon very intimate and a strong friend- j Hliip had grown tip between them. l<t. ; llrumby won* out to the Asiatic sta- < tion with the admiral and bid been i there with him u.illl they bulb returned , to, the I ' nited States several months ago. In iiis capacity as flag lieutenant j to 'the ailiniiNdu Lieutenant llruniby j was thrown \\^0|i his chief praetieall> all 'the time and acted as his personal representative in many maUoru of de tail delegated to him by the command ing ofllcer. Ho was regard e<l by Ad miral Dewey as n bright. energetic and carwhbt assistant. while the devotion of th? 'latter to the admiral wiuh some thlng marvelous. The burden of hU j thoughts during tho litter days of his Illness when his mind was racked with j delirium seemed to bo regarding his , work for the admiral. The lieutenant's present illn<*ss dated , from about tho 21th of November, the first symptom bnlng nothing more than i .1 cold, which, however, failed to yield j to treatment, and hiami afterwards be j went to the Garfield hospital where be died. Admiral Dewey was i^ureinitting : in his attentions to him unf.il his con dition beeame precarious and visitors wore not allowed toseo him. Some days ago Mrs. W. I. Hayward, of 'Marietta, (Ja., a K|?ter? wa-s summoncMl, and Thursday she was Joined bj her hus band, Iroth remaining with the lieuten ant until ho died. The lieutenant's aged mother Is still HvIiik in/Marietta, Ga. The father, who is dead, was a colonel of the Fourteenth (leorgla regi ment in the Confederate army. Lieut, llrumby was 41 years of age and unmarried, lie was appointed a naval cadot from (leorgla, entering tin service on tho 29th of November, IS7;i, and his present eommlsslon dates from the 24th of August, lHi)2. Practically all tho time during tin* last two years he bits been with Admiral Dewey. In his report of the battle of Manila Admiral Dewey Hix>ke in very compli mentary terms of the service* and gal lantry of his flag lieutenant and rec ommended that tie bo advanced some numbers on the list of lieutenants. His recommendation was adopted by the navy department and the name sent to the Senate, but together with a num ber of other promotions made by the department failml to be acted upon. The promotion recommended placed hirn about 13 on the llgt of lieutenants and had it been confirmed he would In less than a year from now have reached the grade of lieutenant commander. Tho lieutenant's death is the third of those who were closely associated with Dewey at the battle of .Manila who have died since that time, namely, Capt. Grldley, Commander Wood, and Lieut. Brumby. Lieut. Drum by was presented a sword by the legislature of Georgia on the 26th of October. He remained, In Georgia some days after that an<r re turned to Washington about tho mid dle of November. Roberts Supplant* Rullcr. Ixmdon, b? Cable. ? Shortly before midn'ight Sunday (he following notice was posted ?t the War Office: "A? tho in Natal. in the opinion of Her Majesty's government, Ik likely to require tho presence and undivided at tention of Gen. Sir Red vers Huller, it haa been derided to fiend Huron Rob ert* of Kandahar and Waterford as coinmander-in-chlef In South Africa, with Ixird Kitchener sr chjrf of staff." Telegraphic Briefs. Disappointed In love. Howard Tul tltr. 27 yearn old, drowned himself at San Francisco, Cal. Rear Admiral Norman H. Farquiiar sailed from New s:York on tho New York on his Southern cruise. The Dominion Liner New England arrived at Boston, Ma as., on Thursday night, from Europe, with 2034 sacks of mall. , Mrs. Mark .Hanna, wife of Che Ohio i Senator, wan robbed of fl^rc finger rings valued al fGOOO at Hot Spring?, Vo, ? John W. Oliver, aged 85 years, a newspaper man, wan married to Mrs. i Marie Dubois, aged 52 ymrx, at New . York. j Sentenco was suspended in the case i of William Reno, charged with grand j larceny, in order that he might spend Christmas out of J&ll for the first time in 25 years. Charles E. Macrum, late TTnited States Consul at Pretofia will leave for Ne^r York sofpu Mr. W. Stanley IIoI Us, the United States Conge 1 nt Lou renro Marques will assume the duties at Mr. Kscrvm's office until the arriral of the Jailer's successor. - At KeyWeet as eg>0K.-Wili fae m*l? . by the ooounfttee in ettwee of the on* f fljltrt'lM In ti lirn the monument In wiuwrf of the IPJiWmnut i uTiliA K [ in OWOTMf n?t!WI tWfi, vnwmum u ? Msm ^en tbe battleship Texav wi?h rCMUto ^boe commanding ran T>F Passed the House by a lioud Ma- 1 jority. j I i HOW THE VOTE STOOD ON THE B1I.L j i Republicans Noted Solidly I'or It, While Dent ootswero Divided on ; It. Washington, D. (\, Special.? Tho currency bill. Avhleh was debated all last wwk, was paused Monday by <ht? House, by a vote of 1J10 to 150. It had tho united .support of j|\^j-y Republican in t bo llotixo, and of diev<H> Democrat-*, (May tun. 1 Vrflggs, Fit/Gerald. I>vy, Rupport, He.udtfcr, rnderhill and Wilson, of Now York, McAleor, of Pennsylvania, Dt'illLiV Of Maryland, and Thayer. or 'MarsRnchusetta. All the other Denux'ruts voted against tho mcasuie, or wore pa i rod on it, except Mr. John Walter Smith, Governor oloct from Missouri; Mr. StaJlings, of Alabama, and General Joseph Wheeler of Alabama. Mr. Stalllngs has not Imon present In t he limute this M^sion, owing to illness, and one of hls'eol leagues announced that If present ho would hnve voted in tho negative. General Wiheclor is serving in the Philippines. Mr. Smith is. therefore, the only member of -tho House who did not go oji record upon tho bill today. When the S|?cukor announced tho re sult of the* vote the Republicans cheer ed lustily. That was the Only demon stration in connection with tho vole. Mr. Daitlctt, of Pennsylvania, who sus tained a severe accident some time ngo was also present on crutches. Neither a motion to recommit, nor an offer of a substitute, was in order by tho terms of the special rules under which I ho House was operating. Mr. Gaines, of Tennessee, asked If It was til order to recommit with instructions to report back a free coinage bill? >? "it Is not," replied the speaker. The bill wax then read a third time and placed upon Its final passage. "I demand the yeas and nays," said Mr. Overstreet, of Indiana, hi ohprgo of the bill. Menibrrw ^<>;se on both sfofc'en masse to second tlio demand. "Kvl dently a sufficient number," said tho Speaker. "The clerk will call tlio TOlt." The roll call was followed with great i uteres; . There wore no de monstrations when tho Democrats (Jfe^o broke away from the majority of UittTr' party voted in the affirmative. Tho elerk railed the names of the Democrats', who declined to respond, twice on each roll call. Every Repub lican voted ior tho bill. Messr}. ('Etch ings. of MUislaalppi; C-uapbclH of Mon tana; U'rou.sfcard, of Louisiana; Robert - son, of I Louisiana, and Davey, of Lou isiana, were paired 'against tho bill. After the vote the speaker rather un expectedly announced the commltteo selections and the reading of the lists was followed with lntenso eagerness by the member whoso opportunities for distinction depend so largely upon their committee assignments. The on ly incident in connection with the rcar.Ung of the lists was Mr. JJailey's Interrogatory of tho speaker as to whether General Wheeler's name jbad been placed upon tho committee on ways and means. Speaker Henderson responded In the negative. A Vkoaney has l>een loft on this committee for General Wheeler. Tho announcement of tho doath of the late Representative BIttritf,""d'C "Mis souri, which occurred Jast summer, was made by Mr. DeArraond. of Mis souri, and tho House, out <n respect to his memory ^adjourned. Wall Street In a Pan New York, SpcolaL ? Pant condi tions developed on ' the Block ex change Monday afternoon vjth the Imperative need of mohejC'ffcVvdoped by the violent eoptmctiffn in valuer. Stocks were being thrown over with out the slightest regard to tho price they woufld bring, and at distressing sacrifice values, Wrongly Informed. Washington, D. C.. Special.? General Otis cables am follows: "Manila, Doer 16. * "Ono tho 8th Inst., General Smith, at Neitros, reports that early in December a number of inhabitant* of fotir coast towns entered the mountains, believing tho statement* of Panay and Luzon agents that tho Americans had been overwhelmingly defeated in those is lands. that Aguinaldo was abQiit. to dictate terms of peace and the Ameri can Congress to jcufer independence when the established civil ?overnment of the island would* be overthrown., They also wer? told that all Negro* was about to, rise and dtlVfr ont the Americans. No depredations . . WB committed and no con sequences of Im ports nee are appmrtisnded." > ww ??a r?UfMl ami. ? bee? eppom te^.Ii- j SCHOOL SUPIIRINTENIILNTS. Annual Meeting of Their Association Next Week. Tho Association of City School Su? pr*!ntemicnta will meet In Columbia at 10 a. in. Wodnc day. !???<?. 27th, at th,o Washington Street school building and will continue in session two days. Tho loading subjects to bo discussed at Mils meeting aro: - ? (l> An outlined course of study for our* y<ai? for superintendent. and his teachers. The discussion will l)o open ed by 10. li. Hughes, Tboe. 11. Walton ami it. s. fOdmunds. (12) How beet to correlate the cur riculum of tho graded schools with the curriculum of the colleges. The discus sion will bo opened by J. 0. 'Cork, R. J?\ i 2 i 1 Ha in and H. \\ . Kennedy. CD llcpnrt of tho comm little appoint ed rtt the last session to dctonnlue what subjects, 'if any, may be\oniltted from tho study of arithmetic .without Injury to the school course. Commlt teo: Patterson Wardlaw, K. 8. Droher and Frank hJvtuis. ? (4) Report of -the oommlttce to do- ; tmnvno ttlie scope of the work to bo attempted in tho study of formal grammar in the public schools. Com mittee: J. W. Thompson, "VV. K. Tato and Tltoe. Ft. Walton. Iteports on the general condition of tho various schools will be called for,' and superintendent* nrej requested to mention luiy new feature* that have been successfully lutroduccdlurto their schools. Mr. W. II. Wallace is president and Mr. T. A. Sharp secretary of tho asso ciation. * Asked to Call. There ia yet in bank to the claim of thowo entitled to a share of ithe $8,000 tho Kovcrnmoiit refunded on ncoount of tho expenses incidrmt to Camp Ellorbe, $252,20. The rest of tho money 'haft boon drawn, and this amount ,aee?m? duo chiefly for l^bor. Tito governor' 1ms a list of t hosri entitled to tlho mon ey and among them 1h W. B. Wrenn, 5 $:IS for 'transportation. Thl? In suppos ed to he due to tho Plant System, as \V. 11. Wronn is general passenger agont of that railroad. Among others who /have made no claim? for their mghey are: M. Smith, for ?erviees, $12; J. M. Ford, aervtcea, $6.25; Ed. ('lark, services. $3; I*. ~?itbson, eer vleoa, $r>5; 8. Forest, sorvlcea, 50 cents; J. E. Iteiyea, services, $95.92; E. A. Darby, servtlces," $71.24. There are others for smaller -amounts, but nonea go leas than 50 conts. The8o parties aro iwiknown to itho governor, but the money Ih roady for them when they call ^ for it. Killed His Sister. Sunday afternoon about 4 o'clock a fatal accident occurred fln a negro houHO in Columbia. A young negro, Willie Dan field, Btarted to get his pis tol from tho mantel. In his effort to pick it up it slipped from his grasp nud fell to tho floor. Striking upon the hammer tho wehpon was discharged, tho bail ctrctertag tho body of Ranfield's tittle sister, about Ave years of age, who was In the room, and killing the child almost instantly. The affair was promptly roported to -the police and . the -eoroiver, but Baoafleld was cot tar- _ rested, for iC was clearly an 'accident. Over Twenty Millions. ; 1 11 a fow days jthe list of the new cot ton mills projected in tblu State during the pa*t year "Will be available. Tho showing will be one of 'the most re* markable ever made Ln the South, per* h'aps. It Is said that the mills actually chartered during the year wUl show * - totafl of over twenty millions. Thts of cx>urse, is a rough estimate, based on a hurried perusal of the phdHer*. south Carolina <h>as gone Into the cotton mill business with a seal and energy that has surprised the most enthusiastic - advocates of the industry. Georgetown Hopeful, Georgetown enjoys-now a degree of prosperity and a state Of Hopefulness for greater things never before experi enced by Che city. In adttton to the three large luiaber mills., eettbllfhed within tilie last 12 monlfcH, rumors from authoritative sources indicate the early construction of a new railroad giving Georgetown convenient access to a large and fertile area of country in this State and connecting her with the main systems of tjte south. Cotton Claims. Governor >fc8weeney Is receiving a great many loiters relative to the cot-" ton claims ho has written ibuut to ttie various Southern Governors. Govern . or McSweeney has taken up tho matter with Senator Tillman and other* and thinks the matter, which Is a very largo one, is getting along eer y well. Back From the Kleette. _ When the mail to theKIo'hdflcc sor~ In full blast these was several South Carolinians who pulled up stake* at home and journeyed to tho frosty gold country nee king wealth. Among those who went was Mr. T. S. Langston of Edgefield county. Bo went away 22 months ago. . Saturday evening he passed through Colombia on hie way home to spend. Christmas. He shows the effects of the Cqld camp Hfe. Ho said he bad deposited '*** >*? be brought from tho gold lilib inhenk at Seattle, bet lUcHned to * 11 ? hi* trip had netiTefl hsa. "**' nOtfglttl iili Mwi mmA Ingty of hTs /ipiirft " mrwrttr