Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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v — - *- H voi- nin- BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY. MARCH 29,1900. IT THE RED ROOM. /- “Then you are not afraid? ’ “Afraid? of what ?*' Dick Franklin turned gnappUhly around on the bhlateroui group of brothers and sisters who had trooped out of the drawing room after him, •VA man with fats head trader hie » >« W« 11 r* 1. - » thing he bad beard or read about Psy chical Research, but he esinly tried to think what to say. What, too, if he shouULhlt- on the wrong formula, and instead of laying the present ghostly visitant, conjure up others to keep it company ! At last: 1 “ Who are you ?” he said boldly. / The strange glow that enveloped the arm.’ “ No, woman. “ It is fAnd it isn’t headless.’,’ “ ’Tlsn’t.’’ “ If you would speak man. “ Tie.” one at a time, »rhaps I might understand wi^ait there is to be afraid of," suggested Dlok, as he lit his bedroom candle. “ Your room has a ghost In U,” ex plained Will, unctuously.— “He carries his ” “You are not going to bed now, Dick !’’ remonstrated his eldest sister, as she joined them. “ I’m tired. I said ’Good-night’ to the mater.” He seemed in a most un sociable mood. “ Do run away, children,” expostu lated Flora, as each again tried to des cribe the ghost tradition had installed in the Rad Ujom of Marston Manor. But the controversy was becoming too excited for them to heed her, so she simplltied matters by walking off with her eldest brother, leaving the juniors to settle the sex, age, disposition and structural arrangement of the ghost at their leisure. “ Don’t mind their nonsense, Dick. I don’t bolieve in it mytelf. Nothing has been seen since we have been here. Still, if you would like to sleep with Bobby ” “Thanks, Flo: I prefer the ghost.” Bobby had an evil reputation for sleep-walking and kicking—qualities undesirable in a bedfellow. Who Invited that fellow Jenkins ?” asked Dick savagely, with a mental vision of Mary Fraser as she sat in one of the deep window seats, «nd the calm air of appropriation assumed by “ that fellow '’ as he bent over her—e sight that had driven hnn to seek soli tude on the night before Cnrlstmae Kve, of all nights in the year, and after a three months’ absence from hit family, too — Flora looked amss-d “Why, he always oemes here for Christmas.” Dick growled out a “Good-night” and went off to bis room His sister watched him uo tie wide, shallow stairs, and the look of astonishment was gradually replaced by one of amusement. “ 1 do believe the boy is jealous," she said to herself. Dick shut and locked the door of the Red Rjom, and put hit candlestick down on aa old writing table. Then he flung himself into an armchair and brooded over Mary Fraser’s fickleness. At aqy other time Dick Franklin would have been one of the leaders in the Christmas fun His whole ap pearance showed that this sullen mood was unusual. Good-humored, easy going to n (null, not to shirk study or work if a -rensonnole or unreasonable excuse oouio be found, yet here he was sulking brcnuse bis sister'srfrlend and his own old chum bad showo a pre fsrenoe for each other's society. “1 don't cnre,” be pried nt last start ing up and pacing lbs room excitedly. “I don’t cnre. I’ll cut the whole thing —hnnged if 1 don’t. It's no good n fal low working bin.>eif to death for n girl like that.” Dick did not look In such a desperate physical condition, but hie stalwart appearance may have been deceptive. trace every detail In the pattern of his ruffles. Elegantly taking a pinch of snuff, be leaned slightly forward and spoke—In a voice so far away and tone less that it seemed but the shadow of speech. I was John Marston. The last of my name, sir.’’ He shook his head sadly and glanced around the room. “You wonder if by I come mere, night after night, so many weary years? It is i tbe memory of wasted opportunities that brings me here, sir." He bent forward as he spoke, and emphasized the last works with out stretched forefinger. Dick’s bewilder; ment must have shown in his face. “Hear my tale,” he continued. “You are young ; so was I once. And life bad pleasant things to offer John Marston—the land was unencumbered theo. I grew to manhood, and tide by side with me grew my cousin. Per haps you may have seen her picture sir ? It used to hang in the blue draw ing room.” “As a shepherdess?” Dick asked, remembering a picture he had seen the same evening. " Painted as a shepherdess : but it never did her justice.” No, sir, never did ber justice ” He shook his head and seemed lost in past memories. “ I was saying that my cousin, Lois Marston, and I grew up side by side. All my hopes were centered in her, and yet 1 never told her so It seemed as if words would rob my romance of its bloom. 1 dallied with It. To morrow 1 would speak : but tomorrow camerfcad again the words were want- iog. I went the grand tdur : It would wait until my return, for she was so young—a mere child. She knew I loved her—bow could she fail to know It ? I kissed bar band at parting : it was cold ; I could swear it trembled. A rose she wore at ber bosom fed as she turned away. J picked it up and put it io my pocketbook. • ( “ i was away a year. My little Lois had became the reigning toast—more beautiful than ever. 1 felt proud of the crowd of gallants pressing around her chair as she was carried from the playhouse, it seemed to stamp my choice with the ^ world's approval. You marvel at my* folly, sir ? Did It never occur to me that another band might pluck my flower? Sir, 1 wjm an egotist. It_eeeined to me a settled tbing that my cousin and 1 should wed. It had been so frcm childhood. 1 only wanted a few more months of liberty before, we mated and fulfilled our des tiny. “Among the gallants fljttering around 1<om was one 1 bateu. it wa« the sight of Henry Ltssdaie whisper ing in her ear, and a-look nke that of a startled fawn on my love's face that roused me. For the first time 1 lost confidence, i would speak next morn ing. Alas ! why not that night ? For, next morning—shs was gone ! Gone, sir, with Lonsdale ; and 1 had never spoken.” “Well, I'm—I’m, I reallyam. Of course 1 thought she knew. Shu must, you know.” The Interruption came from Dick. “I’ii volunteer for,something bad— He almost bounded from his oaair as plague duty or yellow fever, or—yes, I think plague will do. She'll be sorry when she hears I’m dead—of course, I •hall soon die out there.” * be offered these unintelligible re marks, and then subdued with a look of blank astonishment on his good- tempered face. “ f—I'm jiggered !” “ You think 1 was a fool, •Ire'” said the ghost in the same dull, far away tone. “ Eh r replied ILfik. “ L beg your pardon;! wasn't Mtening. It jjst |lk-a -lew. disregarded. .jxttUi. m theLiUmdt »o4|^^MAAiakai»elI.” - * 1 As Dick smoked be turned his chair] a litfte and begai. to examine the writ- ing-table at his side. It was a dainty, slender-lef ged thing, painted with pouting Cupids and wreaths of flowers on the lid and drawers. He found a high-backed side of the fire- sworn that the mUHner’s bill aad quaintly-spelt recipe for preventing strabnrn, written in a delicate Iiallanuhand,—in another— souvenirs of the dead past. One of the tiny drawers stuck, and a little coax- ‘inf had to be used before he could get it out. It was shorter than its fellow*. Search revealed the spring of a tiny recess; the partition fell back and a small paper packet and a gold null box with a woman’s miniature set in the lid, were revealed. In tbh packet was a withered rose. , * And now, as Dick looked more close ly at the patched and powdered beauty smiling up at him from the minlatslre he had found, a curious thing happen ed. Red firelight and yellow candle light paled before a nebulous white light that seemed to b« intensifying around something In 'r on the opposite j. He could have ctiwir had been against the wall five minutes earlier, yet now it faced him. Gradually the shape in the chair grew more.distinct. An old man in quaint ly-cut garments of bottle-green cloth, with brass battonr, sat there. His shirt frills were cobwebby in texture and spotlessly white. One hand, with long, thin fingers, daintily caressed hie well-shaped leg, clad in tight-fitting stockings and buckled shoes. In the other hand he held the identical snuff box Dick bad just found. A faint, shadowyj^light seemed to emanate from this nocturnal visitor, so that every article In the room could be dis tinctly seen. Dick was no toward, yet his first Im pulse was to call for help and he started, from bis chair before realizing that it was useless. Every one- had gone to bed, and suoh modern luxuries as bells were unknown at Marston Manor. Then it struck him that it was rather absurd for a fellow who was self-doomed to perish of plague to G t into a blue funk over such a mild >klng old gentleman as , r thia. So when the ghqet bowed ceremoniously, and .pointed to Dick’s chair, he sat ■down again, after a moment's hesita tion. 1 •^1—i hope-^I suppose I’m your way stammered Dtek. —er—this is your room, I understand?” The old man Waved his womanish- white hands deprecatlngly, bat no sound broke the silence. Dlek felt a creepy sensation along his scalp and a clammy perspiration stood on his face. A haxy idea that he ought to ask the phantom itf bitsl- 1 In his mind, based on aome- nert in “ This But many of us only find iVout after we become sLadows. I know it now. It it our torment In the stiadowy land to tee to clearly.” The ghost stood up as be said this. “ I must go soon, sir. I have to meet Lois in the rose garden, where we parted so many years ago- May 1 tell you in confidence that we bore each other sadly. We shadows always do, for we can only tell.pur own tale, and conversation is impos sible where there are no lisle nets. Now Lois will tell me again tonight that she loved me, that sbe-marrled Lonsdale- becanse her love was unre- quitted, and how he broke her heart before he was killed in a gaming house quarrel. I might have killed him myself in tne first place, and saved being bored by her stories of his cruelty ; that was another lost eppor- tunlty. But, before we part, I must ■how you my wife, sir. See !” He held out.the snuff-box wifh its mina- ture. j ' “The last of the Marstons could not remain unmarried. My wife was beau tiful, as you see, gentle and winning. But none of these charms won from me more than cold approval. I left her for weeks together w>ile I was squandering the acres of Marston ; and tben, one day, they came to me-just as another farm bad gone. My wifd was dying, the messenger said. Even then 1 was staying for another cast of the dlcsfand when 1 reached Marston my wife lay dead in the bed yonder, witb the day-old heir white and still in her arms. As I looked at them I knew that the sweet patience she had shown me had made me love her against my will. From then to the day #hen I lay in that bed myself, a living corpse, I never lost sight of her face, but since 1 came to the land of shadows I have never seen her. Lois I see constantly, hut' Margaret never. It seems as if •he rests. But Lois waits.” .The phanton bowed ceremoniously, the light surrounding it gradually dimmed,- thb outline blurred, It be came Indistinct, until at last it van ished, and Dick was left rubbing his eyes and Pondering If he had been dreaming. A glance at his watch showed that it was 2 o’clock. Leaving the candle burning, be flung himself on the bed fully-dressed. “ What a fool I was !” he exclaimed. “I’ve n«ver ssld anything to make Mary understand that it was more than the old boy and girl love. And bed like a baby, to meet Lois in that Flora had to dream .that he had the rose garden, and eloped with the ghoet. It was quite a different Dlok who came down to breakfast next morning, beariaff'>wlth the family chaff at his desertion without a murmur, but re- fusingt persistently, to say anything * n y‘ host grew jmore Intense. Dick could about the-ghost. lie proposed a bicycle get beg ride io the hope of getting a chance to speak to Mary, and, to help chance, furnished himself with a stout pin. About a mile from the house most of the party had to dismount for a steep hill. Near the top Dick managed to close to Mary 1 * front wheel and gan to point out the delightful view. To every one’s surprise but his own Mary’s front tire was Immediately dis covered to be punctured, and Dick thoughtfully volunkeened fb mend it. The others could go oh* slowly. Per haps Mary was not as surprised as she pretended to be when both the ma chines were consigned to a passing cart with instructions to leave them at the Manor. Dick and Mark took the short-cut back home, but as they were an hour and a quarter walking the -mile, its advantages seemed question able. They both.seemed satisfied with the result, however, and Mary wept a little over the story of the young wife. A little later they stood under the portrait of Lois in the blue drawing room and Mary held the faded rose and John Marston’s snuff-box in her hand. “We must burn this rose, Dick,” she said. “ It seems hardly right for strangers to handle it. The box be longs to the landlord, but I want to keep It. Aak II he will sell Ik" The portraits of the two women smiled gaily at the lovers. Care and heartache, tears and sighs, looked im possible to these beauties of a century ago- an yet both had dimmed their lovely eyes with weeping, U -John Marston’s story was true. “Dj you really think it was a ghost?” was the cry as Dick told the story around the Christmas fire, “er did you dream it after finding the things " “1 couldn't very well dream the Marstoe family history when I bad never heard It, could l ?” expostulated Dick. THE HOKUM AUK IN GOD’(t HANDS. President Kruger Dec 4'on nl ry men Were. War. that Hie Forced Into going. frock & Tbe New York Herald publisbee a letter from, its spec.at correspondent at Pretoria, in which he quotes an in terview with President Kruger, -who received the correspondent on the plszzi. offals house. Kruger showed but little evldeuce in bis countenance of the tremendous strain be ts under lie ' was dressed ifl a rusty coat the front of wmlch was tprlnkled with 'tobacco. He smoked a pipe during the whole interview. “I am glad,” said tne Boer p^si- dent, " to welcome a correspondent of the New York Herald, as your pre sence insures that, whatever may be the result of this unhappy war, the world will eventually learn the truth. This war was forced upon us by Eng land, which has been mls'ed by Cecil Rnodes and the mining millionaires who want the country. Tne Boers yielded as far as possible, until they saw that nothing but complete sur render of their independence would satisfy England. "Having been forced into the war, the Boers will conquer or die. I ex pect no aid from other nations, but we are glad of sympathy and friendship. The Transvaal is willing to make peace at any time, but we want no more conventions. Only absolute indepen- deece is posslole. We do not want more territory, but are content with ml tied to we ask. live peacefully. This Is all OHANGBS IN THE SCHOOL LAW. An Important Amenduienutf Interest to All Connected With the Public Schools. The General Assembly, at its recent session, made some important changes in the pchool law, aqd these changes are just now of especial interest to those who are anxious to Improve their school facilities. In an interview a few days ago, Superintendent of Eduoa- Mo** tlon McMahan explained the changes as follows : --“This is the season of the year when ambitious and progressive neighbor-, hoods are seeking to levy an extra tax for the support of their schools in a more (niclent manner than can be done with the ordinary constitutional tax alone. The last Legislature chang ed the method of procedure' in the levy of this tax. I shall be oblTged to you if you will publish the new lAw in or der that all may know how to make the levy legally. The essential changes are; “ First. The petition to the county board of education shall be by ’ one- third of the resident voters And a like proportion of the resident freeholders of the age of 21 years,’ while formerly this petition had to be signed by only six freeholders of the age of 21 years. " Second. The mats meeting to or der the election Is dispensed with, and the board of eaucation orders the elec tion upon the,petition signed by only six freeholders of the age of 21 years. “ Second. The mass meeting to or der the election Is dispensed with, and the board of education orders the election upon the petition signed as above Indicated. “ Third. An elector must have paid taxes, but upon no special amount of property, whereas heretofore he could not vote at this election unless he paid taxes upon 1100 worth of property. ‘ Here Is the full text of the amended statute under which special school districts a*-e hereafter to be estab lished : Section 34—That the voters or elec tors of any school district who returq real cr personal property for taxation are authorized to levy and collect an annual tax to supplement any special or other constitutional or other tax for like purposes In the following manner. Upon the written petition or request of at least one-third of the resident vo- ert and a like proportion of the resi dent freeholders of the age of 21 years -toetng filed with the county board of education, asking for the same and •latlnr the rate of the tax levy pro poses which shall not exceed four mills, the said county board of educa tion shall order the board of trustees of said school district to hold an elec tion at some place within the district, after giving notice of the time and place tbereof for at least two weeks in some newspaper published within the county and by posting notice thereof In at least three public places within such school district of such length of time, unless there be no newspaper published within the oounty, In which event the posting of the notice as above •nail suftioe, at which said election only suen electors as return real or personal property (or taxation and who exhibit their tax receipts and registra tion certificates as required in general elections shall be allowed to vote. At said election the board of trustees shall act as managers and the election shall be conducted as is provided by law for tec ccnductof general elections. At ssid election eacn elector (avenng the pro posed levy shall oast a ballot contain ing the word “yes" printed or written thereon, and eacb elector opposed to •aid levy shall cast a ballot containing the wore “no” printed or written there on. That within ten days aften such election, if a majority of those voting shall vote tor such levy, the board of trustees shall furnish the county audl our prtsent frontier, if we are per- ^ *1^ ^statement of the amount so miSS^.^1 tisvn stA f .m 1 1 n f T'k* 1 r. I _ ^11 - ~ _ _ _ * ~ ... the peace terms lb at Cape Colony Dutch now fighting levied, and the auditor shall enter the sama in the lax duplicates and he shall Bff MRS. ARP GOES TO FLORIDA. FOURTEEN CENTS FOR COTTON. THE DELAY IN T"" Bill Describes the Old Lady's Depar ture from Home—They Visit the Ostrich Farm Near Jacksonville, Going, going, gone ! For two weeks it has been the family talk-will the maternal ancestor go to Florida or not. Her posterlt] calling her finally sent her with to provide a suitable parapherna- pay her way to Jacksonville. 11a and pay It was an awful struggle. The girls hinted' that if the was apt going she ought to send the check back, and when at last she fought the beautiful silk mohair Henrietta Marla Vendetta, or words to that effect, and tamed it over to the dressmaker, it looked like she was certainly going, but* I had my doubts. She waited me to decide the momentous question, but I looked sol emn and maintained a dignified neu trality. “If you are going,” said I, “of course 1 will go with you, for where thou gpest I will go, but you must start next Tuesday eve and stay a week only, for I have got to go to Carolina again the last of next week.” Still she hesi tated and gave eo certain sign. There were posterity at home that she feared wonld fall into a well or get bitten by a mad dog, or get run over on the street, or catch the measles or some thing else, and every time they came to greet hpr, her eyes would get watery at the thoughtof leaving them. Neigh bors and kindred urged her to go for •he had not been as far as Atlanta In five years, and needed a change of air and water and scenery. And so we es corted her to the depot and there were so many to kiss and so many parting Injunctions about the children that she bad 1’ked to have been left after all. For ten mile* she never said a word, but looked out of the window and ru minated. - An acquaintance on the oar came forward and that relieved the mono tony and w« got to Atlanta in dna time and after a short stay left for Florida. Now we are both glad that we came, for we made our kindred happy and will make some more happy wben we get back. This evening we visited the ostrich farm, the Florida zoo, which of itself is worth a trip to Jacksonville. 1 wish that all the children could visit It for it is a bigger thing than a circus or menagerie ; it is much larger than It was two years ago, for now, be sides over a hundred ostriches the pro prietors have many varieties of-the most beautiful birds in the world. They are of exquisite plumage—pheasants, ducks, parrots, pelicans, cranes—and there are deer, monkeys, crocodiles^, otters and many other creatures lhar are never seen traveling around and are things of beauty that would delight the little folks. Mj wife says that it is the best show for a quarter that she ever witnessed. It is worth that to see the otters playing In ths water. This zoo is an established success and a specialty for Jacksonville. Crowds visit it every day and the tourists buy feathers and eggs most liberally. The street car takes you there for a nickel and thev are elweys full. We are golag to Pablo-Beach tomorrow and to Si. Augustine next day, and keep on the go all the time as long a* the letters from home tell us that all are well. What a wonderful change has corns over the city since I first knew It, when there were about 10,000 and It was under the ban—a suspect—a home for pestilence, and the tourists hurried through It to safe havens. Now there are 3fi,000 people, and during the win ter half as many more. The city has been thoroughly sewered aad drained and is supplied wltn the purest water and the streets and walk ways are all paved and everything looks clean as a parlor. The pestilence that waiketh at noon- iiny will not walk here any more. And their what a r JPg« terenta and suffer no loss of property I recently learned that some of theee men had been captured by the British and were being t{led at Cape Town, charged with treason. This govern ment cabled to Lord Salisbury stating that if ssch men were not treated as prisooent. of _war we would make re prisals on the British prisoners held here. Lord Salisbury replied dodging the real point and threatening If we injured a single British prisoner to hold me personally resoonstble. I sup pose he meant the British would bang me. Such threats are contemptible and oannot prevent me from perform ing my duty to my country. The Transvaal government has replied, in forming Lord Salisbury that they de spise his threats. ^ There Is no truth in the story of a QPiracy among the South- African Icb. Tb conspiracy among the Dutch. This Is not their quarrel. The Orange Free State is bounfi by treaty to aid us. Mr. Schreiner repeatedly urged us to yield. “ It is too earlv to prophesy the out come of the war or its duration. The .Boers are in God’s hands and He will not let us perish: Our total fighting strength is but 40.000, but with God’s aid we can prevail. I have two hun dred blood relatives fighting, and would rather see them ajl perish than yield to England's unholy aggression. It Is liberty or.death. I have protected British property In the Transvaal and shall continue to do so. “Convey to the American people my esteem. We feel that every American should be with us In this struggle lor liberty.” OUR GREATEST SPECIALIST. said amount in the tax duplicates until tbe same is Increased, decreased or re pealed by said taxpayers at an election called for that purpose, and he la noti fied that the same has been increased, decreased or repealed, and If increased or decreased he shall annually enter it as before, which election shall be called and notice given in the same way and manner as is herein provided for the calling of meetings to make the levy and the giving of tbe notice that it has been made, and the county treasurer shall collect the same as other county and State taxes. Such levy shall be a lien on the property in such school dis trict, which shall be subject thereto in case of default ol payment. That said tax so collected shall be paid by tbe county treasurer upon warrants drawn by the board of trustees countersigned by the county superintendent of educa tion : Provided, That any surplus of duch levy remaining in tbe hands of the county treasurer at the expiration of any fiscal year shall be paid out as Other' school funds of the district. Each taxpayer, when he pays any tax (or schools purposes voted under the provision of this section, shall have the right to designate to which school In said school district he wishes the money paid by him to go, and tbe treasurer shall keep a note of such de signation and the money be applied as thus designated. When no designation is made by the taxpayer at tbe time of such payment, the money shall be ex pended as other school funds in such district. Provided, That nothing here in contained shall be construed to change the manner now provided by law -for the collection and paying out of special taxes in any school district now established by any special act of the General Assembly and organized thereunder. . change of diet has oome #-*■4 pom ries for dessert every day. I sent some orange bleesoms home yesterday but luesied the gfrls not to get married 111 we return. My wife and 1 are being rejuvenated. Fine clothes, fine diet, and nothing to do "but receive attention, will regenerate maternal ancestors. And it helps the veterans, too. 1 feel this morning like I can jump over a two-rail fence and cut the pigeon wing—a small pigeon. But I never said anything'' about our brief stay in Savannah, that grand old city that Georgia Is proud of, and it is then go to sulking to ooo like a oeoy, either as hls’omce instead of being aloe to her. I’ll Mk | _ j. Nswton Hathaway, her tomorrow. For 20 years Dr. J. Newton Hathaway has so successfully treated chronic diseas es that be is acknowledged today to stand at the head of his profession in this line. His exclusive method of treatment for Var.cocele and Stricture, without tne aid of knife or cautery cures in 90 per cent, of all cases. In the treatment of the loss of Vital Forces. Nervous Disorders, Kidney and Urinary Complaints, Psfralrsis, Blood Pdlsoning, Rheumatism, Ca'arrh, and dis eases peculiar fo women, lie is equally successful. Dr. Hathaway’s practice is more than double that of any otber i ialist. Cases pronounced helpless by i I physicians readily yield to his treatafent. I Write him today fully about jour case. He makes no charge for copsoitatlon or mail. 1 ~— j , South Broad.stHit, Atlanta* Ga. —The Cfalneee minister made^fhe note-worthy .statement in his Philadel phia address that in all the porta and trade "centres of the EasA the English language held a place as nd other language could xelalm. “Chinese, Japanese, Garthans, Russians and Frenchmen alike,” he said, “make use of it ip. their business offices, in their clufar'and in their family circles, la it mav be called the commercial language of the Orient*” —The New York Times will bavp the distinction of publishing a daily edition on the Parlaexpoeltloh ground* —the only paper that will have the •tili the most beautiful and interesting city in-the South. Its parks alone are a monument to Oglethorpe, its broad streets and shade trees and flowers are things of beauty. Its churches and public buildings are time-honored and impressive.' Now just ponder it for a moment when I say that I saw Savannah for tbe first time sixty-seven years ago, and I do not suppose that there are a hun dred people living who saw it before tben. My parents and brother and myself sailed from there to Boston In 1833. We returned to Georgia by land In a carriage. It took us two months to maxe the long jou*aay r aa(LwA.never crossed a railroad for there wai none to cross. How Is that for antiquity ? And yet I am the boy, the only about the bouse, and when Mrs calls me I move toward her wiriTal acrity. And so let Anno Domini roll on. Yesterday 1 met a young lawyer here by the name of Marks, and when he told me whose yni he was, I remem bered that I. wa&at his grandfather’s wedding, thod'gh I was then a little schoolboy-'Arearlng my first gallusses. But I>v4rlly believe I can chop more in a day than Marks can and I outrun him hot for my cor poros ity; : : . Bill Arp. A Bara well Lady la a Marvel aa a Cot ton Planter—Haa Got the Highest Price Paid This Season. A reporter of the Augusta Chronicle haa been told the story of a cotton crop raised by a woman In Barntrell County, A Statement to Thai the state Board. The Columbia State has tha ing explanation abont the oat del* mm some choice kind of cotton raised, in Mlislsslppl. These few seeds she plant ed in her garden and from the cotton raised on the stalks produced by these seeds she saved more seeds and re peated the operation until she had enough to plant a considerable spot. The cotton which the seed made, and especially under her special cultivation from the start, -was a long staple of silky fleece. She saved enough of tbe seed last' year off of which to raise seven bales this year. She sent sam ples of the cotton to Augusta to get prices on^ and she was offered what was then the top of the market here, something lilce 7 or ti beets. She was not satisfied with the price and sent samples of tbe cotton to Boston, where •be succeeded <n getting the largest price paid this year for cotton at any place In the whole United States^ The following is a clipping from the paper published in the town where she lives ; and the other from one of the big dally papers of the South : “ As a profit-making cotton grower Mrr. W. Gilmore Simms is the queen of the South. From six and a quarter acres seven bales of fine staple were gathered last fall. At least a couple of bales were lost through the density of growth. On the 1st Instant her crop was sold In Boston at 14 cents a pound, tbe highest price reported In the United States this season.” “ Mrs. W. Gilmore Simms, It is re ported from Barnwell, has just sold seven baled of cotton In Boston at 14 cents a pound—or at tbe rate of “ more than $100 an acre ” for her crop, in cluding tbe seed sold. Farmers gen erally who are addicted to cotton grow ing would do well to cultivate the same variety—or quality." Mrs. Simms Is quite proud of ber success and expects to realise a heat ■urn from the sale of the seed from the seven bales which she marketed the 1st of this month. leys which occur in making of pension list: Every year about this teceated begin to write to hoard of pensions asking pension money will become none understanding the oomf and vexations delays that encountered by tbe board la things in shape for the money to. E ld out. Already such Inquiries i ing received, and so that sow of the work might be obtalaed by >ublic the follow] have de pu “Several petitions bays celved by the State pension asking that the fund be distributee! soon as possible to the veterans and widows. The the matter of paying out the Is generally supposed to be the' the State board and this i made with a view to explaiaiagi of the difficulties with which to contend. So far only counties oat of forty have seat la I rolls ; after the rolls are received bora, they have to he checked over wl ‘ last year’s rolls, and In nearly ava case many old pensioners are left < We then have to make a list of < and send back to tbe ooaaty asking for Information, and freqi wait several weeks before we receive it, as the boards are scattered ; heeldee this, we have to retnrn many ; tlons which are defective for tlon. In many oounttee pension town ship boards have had so meetii so we cannot hope to lasalve rolls before the latter part of April,'if then. la one oonety there we five old pensioners usaeqouut and It has taken two weekP-' roll was checked over and U •eat to get tbe proper Information i cernlng them, aad this Is oae of instances; if we copied tbe rolls la ’ condition In which they are we would be delag great iaj the pensioners, as by tnqalrtas i log those left off we invariably they were overl<»ked aad shoali have been reported. When the rolls are finally In. and after considerable work done on them here, In proper order. It Is then necessary to make out the pay rolls. Aa there were over 7,000 pen sioners last year aad likely to be MO more this year It is a matter of eea- •iderabie time and work to write oat the pay rolls for the clirks of ooerV , We then send them to the obairmaa or ths oouety board to verify aad then only ere we prepared to pay out the pension fund.’ 1 lowing itatemeaC 1 poor; GAN THIS RUMOR HE TRUE ? Senator Tillman la Accredlind With Bringing Oat a Candidate for Gov ernor. In Ita The Manning Times, edited by Sen ator Appelt. has the following editorial last issue concerning a rumor Senator Tillman Is taking a hand In tbe gubernatorial contest: . There Is a rumor floatlag about the Stale that Senator Tillman lathe main Influence whicb Inspires Hon. Frank B. Gary's candidacy for gubernatorial honors. Whether there is anv founda tion for the rumor we do not koow, and hope It is not true. We do know that Senator Tillman lawery friendly to the Gary family and befaas manifested that friendship la many ways. He made tbs mistaks of his political life when he undertook to save John Gary Evaon from defsat. That was not bit judg ment, bat he psrmlttea bin name to bs affixed Ao the circular, entirely from a spirit of friendliness to the Gary fam ily. Ws doubt exceedingly If there In a member of that family who would have been beard from at all, an tar an high political honors are concerned, had it not been for Tillman. Ha is their political father, aad through him nearly the entire connection, near and remote, have been, and are now, filing id prominent ponltioo*, both of honor an emolumenU. We think It high time and very proper, after such a long and careful training that Sshator Tillman turn bis proteges loose, and let them take their chancy without his aid. 1^ eonrt forth «nd _ the people. He should not-•wait tw be carried about in the arms of his politi cal father, for that father is under ob ligations to many men throughout the State, some of whom may be aspirants for gubernatorial honors. Senator Till man will be a candidate himself and we hope he Will not have opposition, but opposlti >n or no opposition, he will be re-elected to succeed himself to the United States Senate, and this being so, we thing he ought not take a hand In the gubernatorial race, and that he should permit all of the aspirants to paddle their own canoes. 'ri. “Eft Rguir For Pobto Ricans.— Adjutant General Corbla has rseetved a cable message from General Davis, commanding the department of Porto Rloo, saying that ths ooodiliomof the inhabitants there is distressing aad suffering so great and widespread over the Island that he will require at least &00 tons of food suppUes weakly enUI farther notice. Arrangesseats ing made In tbe quartermaster ale department to meet this req aa promptly as possible. Tka Burnside, which Is sohedoled New York (or Han Joaa oa the Inst., probably will take the tret ■Ignmenlof relief supplies, aad si shipments will be made each iuoc Ing week by other traasporti. —It Is astonishing how believe that a man has one side than tbe other, or oae than a woman, on the theory l of his ribs was used to aeke aad therefore he has a mlssisa rib. '1 i as ; , Is said that at a birthday party la MM . York the other day this questloa wW 1 propounded and a large majority the company gave answers in NODI deuce wUb the above belief. —The British governtteat is log to offer every soldier „ra make his home farm of 240 acres —The defenses of Pretoria are said to be the strongest in South Africa, and the . Boers expe t to- bold Lord iiotoerts’ army in check wben it reaches Uie vicinity of the capital. Many modern gnns have been placed on the hills and an nnlimhed supply of am- led. A Fraud Exposed—A singular case of side-show fraud has developed In Baltimore. Arthur Sfautt has for sev oral years been figuring as “the man witb an Iron jaw” and as “the human ostrich.” It seems that his method was tn take a bag of carpet tacks, brok en glksa and nails and bv • skillful manipulation of his right band trans fer it, not Into bis mouth, but Ipslde his loose shirt. He became adroit In. this and became a^human ostrich” for exhibition. HeAkys he haa appeared before audiences In circuses, side shows agd^museums, but had never .longed and compelled to swal- «.» articles, in fact, until Satur- ? r night a week ago. t seems that on this occasion some ooliege students had made a large wager that Shutt was a fraud and did not' really swllow the articles which he claimed to swallow. In order to teat the question, Shutt was made to strip to the waist, and rather than be proven a fraud he actually swallowed watch- chains, nails, screws, pins, tacks, knife- blades and slmallar articles. The re sult was that the next day Shutt had to go to John Hopkins hospital and be operated on to have these things re moved from his stomach. They are now on exhibition in the hospital musenm. Shntt Is recovering slowly and living on liquid food—quite a change from -his bHl of fare as “a human ostrich.” —In v divorce case in brought by the husband munition fans been providt —An Indiana man claims to hard in vented a process by whicb cakes of ioe may be preserved for many months with no covering whatever from the action of the atmosphere except a coating of his preservative, the com position of which Is a secret. Kentucky against hls wife on the ground that she was a habitual drunkard, Judge Storey re fused to grant the divorce because the evidence showed that the husband had been married before aad had entered into the second marriage within four months of the death of hls first wife, aad In eo doing he had been guilty of n want of ordinary care. Robert Handy, my son 1 ”' New Slory by the Author of “ In Bis Steps ” Rev. Charles M. Sheldon, whoee at tempt to run a daily newspaper in Tc as Jesus would has attracted attention, is an author who haa won i pronounced success. We have] ws; new story Robert Hardy’s Seven hays